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Influence of antecedent soil moisture on hydraulic conductivity in a series of texture-contrast soils

journal contribution
posted on 2023-05-17, 05:25 authored by Marcus HardieMarcus Hardie, Richard DoyleRichard Doyle, Cotching, W, Mattern, K, Lisson, S
Antecedent soil moisture significantly influenced the hydraulic conductivity of the A1, A2e and B21 horizons in a series of strong texture-contrast soils. Tension infiltration at six supply potentials demonstrated that in the A1 horizon, hydraulic conductivity was significantly lower in the ‘wet’ treatment than in the ‘dry’ treatment. However in the A2e horizon, micropore and mesopore hydraulic conductivity was lower in the ‘dry’ treatment than the ‘wet’ treatment, which was attributed to the precipitation of soluble amorphous silica. In the B21 horizon, desiccation of vertic clays resulted in the formation of shrinkage cracks which significantly increased near-saturated hydraulic conductivity and prevented the development of subsurface lateral flow in the ‘dry’ treatment. In the ‘wet’ treatment, the difference between the hydraulic conductivity of the A1 and B21 horizons was reduced; however, lateral flow still occurred in the A1 horizon due to difficulty displacing existing soil water further down the soil profile. Results demonstrate the need to account for temporal variation in soil porosity and hydraulic conductivity in soilwater model conceptualisation and parameterisation.

History

Publication title

Hydrological Processes

Volume

26

Issue

20

Pagination

3079-3091

ISSN

0885-6087

Department/School

Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture (TIA)

Publisher

John Wiley & Sons Ltd

Place of publication

The Atrium, Southern Gate, Chichester, England, W Sussex, Po19 8Sq

Rights statement

Copyright 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd

Repository Status

  • Restricted

Socio-economic Objectives

Soils

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