Soil water repellency: Dynamics of heterogeneous surfaces

Variations in forest fires regime affect: (1) the natural patterns of community structure and vegetation; (2) the physico-chemical properties of soils and consequently (3) runoff, erosion and sediment yield. In recent decades the Mediterranean ecosystem of Mount Carmel, north-western Israel, is subjected to an increasing number of forest fires, thus, the objectives of the study were to evaluate the long-term effects of single and recurrent fires on soil water repellency (WR) and organic matter (OM) content. Water repellency was studied by applying water drop penetration time (WDPT) tests at sites burnt by single-fire, two fires, three fires and unburnt control sites. Water repellency in the burnt sites was significantly lower than in the unburnt control sites, and the soil maintained its wettability for more than 2 decades, whereas after recurrent fires, the rehabilitation was more complicated and protracted. The OM content was significantly lower after recurrent than after a single fire, causing a clear proportional decrease in WR. The rehabilitation of WR to natural values is highly dependent on restoration of organic matter and revegetation. Recurrent fires may cause a delay in recovery and reduced productivity of the soil for a long period.

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Organic Matter Fractions Controlling Soil Water Repellency in Sandy Soils From the Doñana National Park (Southwestern Spain)

Land Degradation and Development ◽

10.1002/ldr.2314 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 27 (5) ◽

pp. 1413-1423 ◽

Cited By ~ 29

Author(s):

Nicasio T. Jiménez‐Morillo ◽

José A. González‐Pérez ◽

Antonio Jordán ◽

Lorena M. Zavala ◽

José María Rosa ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Organic Matter ◽

Soil Water ◽

National Park ◽

Sandy Soils ◽

Water Repellency ◽

Soil Water Repellency ◽

Doñana National Park ◽

Organic Matter Fractions

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Effect of Irrigated Crop Rotation and Phosphorus Fertilizer-Manure on Soil Water Repellency of a Clay Loam Soil in Southern Alberta

Canadian Journal of Soil Science ◽

10.1139/cjss-2021-0067 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Jim J. Miller ◽

Mallory Owen ◽

Ben Ellert ◽

Xueming Yang ◽

Craig F. Drury ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Soil Water ◽

Water Repellency ◽

Fertilizer Application ◽

Clay Loam ◽

P Fertilization ◽

Soil Water Repellency ◽

Hydrophobic Coatings ◽

Southern Alberta ◽

P Fertilizer ◽

Loam Soil

Soil water repellency (SWR) was measured for a 28 yr field study under irrigation on a clay loam Dark Brown soil in southern Alberta. The objectives were to study the effect of legume-cereal crop rotations, feedlot manure, and phosphorus (P) fertilizer application on soil hydrophobicity (SH) and soil water repellency index (RI) under irrigation. Mean SH and RI were similar (P > 0.05) for a legume-cereal and cereal rotation, and were unaffected by P fertilization. However, P fertilization shifted the RI classification from slight to sub-critical. In contrast, SH was significantly greater for manured than non-manured treatments, while RI was unaffected. Soil organic carbon (SOC) concentration was significantly (P ≤ 0.05) correlated with SH (r=0.74), but not with RI (r=-0.17). This suggested a closer association between the quantity of SOC and quantity of hydrophobic compounds (SH method) compared to the hydrophobic coatings inhibiting infiltration of water (RI method). No significant correlation between SH and RI (r=-0.09) suggests that SH is not a good predictor of SWR using the RI method. Overall, manure application increased SH and P fertilization shifted the RI classification from slight to sub-critical. In contrast, legume-cereal rotations had no influence on SH and SWR using RI method compared to continuous cereal.

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Rapid assessment of soil water repellency indices using Vis-NIR spectroscopy and pedo-transfer functions

Geoderma ◽

10.1016/j.geoderma.2021.115486 ◽

2022 ◽

Vol 406 ◽

pp. 115486

Author(s):

Masoud Davari ◽

Soheyla Fahmideh ◽

Mohammad Reza Mosaddeghi

Keyword(s):

Soil Water ◽

Transfer Functions ◽

Rapid Assessment ◽

Nir Spectroscopy ◽

Water Repellency ◽

Soil Water Repellency

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Historical overview of soil water repellency

Soil Water Repellency ◽

10.1016/b978-0-444-51269-7.50004-7 ◽

2003 ◽

pp. 3-21 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

L.F. DeBano

Keyword(s):

Soil Water ◽

Water Repellency ◽

Historical Overview ◽

Soil Water Repellency

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Alternative analysis of transient infiltration experiment to estimate soil water repellency

Hydrological Processes ◽

10.1002/hyp.13352 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 33 (4) ◽

pp. 661-674 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Vincenzo Alagna ◽

Massimo Iovino ◽

Vincenzo Bagarello ◽

Jorge Mataix‐Solera ◽

Lubomir Lichner

Keyword(s):

Soil Water ◽

Water Repellency ◽

Soil Water Repellency ◽

Alternative Analysis ◽

Infiltration Experiment

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The role of tree stem proximity in the spatial variability of soil water repellency in a eucalypt plantation in coastal Portugal

Soil Research ◽

10.1071/sr04096 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 43 (3) ◽

pp. 251 ◽

Cited By ~ 23

Author(s):

J. J. Keizer ◽

A. J. D. Ferreira ◽

C. O. A. Coelho ◽

S. H. Doerr ◽

M. C. Malvar ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Soil Water ◽

Water Repellency ◽

Soil Water Repellency ◽

Individual Measurement ◽

Hydrophobic Compounds ◽

Ethanol Droplet ◽

Central Portugal ◽

Living Organisms ◽

Tree Stem

Certain organic compounds derived from living organisms or their decaying parts are generally accepted to induce soil water repellency. Water repellency may therefore be expected to increase with proximity to organisms releasing hydrophobic compounds. This hypothesis is tested here for Eucalyptus globulus trees, since eucalypt species are frequently associated with elevated repellency levels. In a young, first-rotation plantation on coastal dune sands in central Portugal, repeat measurements of water repellency using the ‘Molarity of an Ethanol Droplet’ (MED) test were carried out in situ between April 2001 and May 2002. On 25 dates, repellency was measured at initially 2 and later 3 distances on 2 sides of 8–11 randomly selected trees. On 15 occasions, additional repellency measurements were performed within small grids aside 3 of the selected trees. The postulated decrease in topsoil water repellency with increased distance from eucalypt tree stems was found to apply on several individual measurement dates, as well as, more unexpectedly since repellency usually is a transient phenomenon, for the study period as a whole. The results confirm the general association of eucalypt trees with water repellency, and indicate that tree stem proximity is an important but not sufficient factor to explain repellency distribution in topsoil.

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