Effects of iron and organic matter on the porosity and structural stability of soil aggregates

Abstract

Knowledge of the soil components controlling aggregate formation and stability is fundamental to the conservation of soil structure. In this work, the effects of Fe and organic matter (OM) on the porosity and structural stability of aggregates <4 mm of two cropped soils from Galicia (NW Spain) were determined. Porosity was estimated directly, by mercury intrusion porosimetry, and indirectly, from moisture characteristic and shrinkage curves. The three porosities obtained were similar and indicated that Soil 1, with the highest Fe and OM contents, had lower total porosity and a wider pore-size distribution than Soil 2. As regards structural stability, Hénin and Monnier's test, simulated rainfall and dispersion experiments, and determination of textural tensile strength all indicated Soil 1 to be the more stable soil. Oxidation of OM and selective extraction of Fe, which were most concentrated in the clay and silt fractions, indicated both these components to be important soil aggregants. It is suggested that the higher content of Soil 1 in Fe and OM is responsible for its greater stability.