Abstract
Experimental data on the effects of compaction and applied organic matter (OM) on macropore structure indices, more particularly on pore continuity, have yet rarely been documented. In this study, static compaction was simulated in the laboratory at 150, 225, and 300kPa upon rice husk, rice straw, compost, sawdust, and wood bark-mixed soils and control. Measurements of relative gas diffusivity (Dp/D0)100 and air permeability (ka100) were conducted at −100cm H2O soil matric suction after measurement of saturated hydraulic conductivity (ks). Corresponding dry bulk density (ρd), total porosity (f), and air content (ɛ100) values were also determined. Volume of macropores (ϕ≥30μm) and micropores (ϕ<30μm) were expressed as volume of air and water at −100cm H2O soil matric suction, respectively, relative to the volume of soil solid. Specific gas diffusivity (SD100) and specific air permeability (Ska100) were calculated as (Dp/D0)100/ɛ100 and ka100/ɛ100, respectively. Analogous to the SD100 and Ska100, specific hydraulic conductivity (Sks) was defined as ks/ɛ100. The results showed that compaction significantly increased ρd, which was followed by a reduction in f, and the mixed OM resulted in a significantly lower ρd and higher f than the control. The volume of macropores was reduced by compaction whereas the volume of micropores remained unaffected, for which the mixed OM tended to result in a higher volume of macropores than the control. Compaction resulted in more tortuous macropores for gas diffusion (lower SD100) and less continuous macropores for gas convection (lower Ska100) for which a significant difference was more pronounced between the 300 and 150kPa compactions. Compaction also resulted in fewer continuous macropores for water movement as indicated by lower Sks. The mixed OM was likely to result in a lower SD100, but except for rice straw tended to result in a higher Ska100 than the control. In addition, the mixed OM also seemed to result in a higher Sks than the control. Of the OM-mixed soils, the decrease in (Dp/D0)100 and ka100 was more sensitive to compaction (i.e., decrease in ɛ100) than that of the control whereas the decrease in ks acted conversely. Discussion of the measured (Dp/D0)100, ka100, and ks is presented in the companion paper.
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