Study of the movement, storage, and availability of water in soil, including the water cycle, soil moisture content, and factors that affect water availability to plants.
Soil texture: This refers to the amount and size of various mineral particles like sand, silt, and clay in the soil and their distribution.
Soil structure: The way that soil particles are arranged in aggregates or clumps, which affects how water flows through the soil.
Soil porosity: The amount of space or pores in the soil that can be filled with water or air.
Soil water holding capacity: The maximum amount of water soil can hold, which varies depending on factors like soil type, texture, and structure.
Soil moisture content: The amount of water in the soil, expressed as a percentage of the soil's total weight.
Soil water potential: A measure of how tightly water is held in the soil, which determines how easily it can be taken up by plants.
Water movement in soil: How water moves through the soil, including factors like infiltration, percolation, evaporation, and transpiration.
Soil hydraulic conductivity: A measure of how easily water can move through soil, which depends on soil texture and structure.
Soil water availability: The amount of water that plants can access from the soil for growth and survival.
Soil-water-plant relationships: The complex interactions between soil, water, and plants, including how plants take up and use water, how soil properties affect water availability to plants, and how water use affects plant growth and productivity.
Soil erosion and runoff: How water moving through soil can cause erosion and reduce soil fertility, as well as how runoff can impact water quality in rivers and streams.
Irrigation and drainage: How resource managers can control water availability to plants by managing irrigation and drainage systems in soils.
Soil salinity: How excess salt in soil can affect water availability to plants, reduce crop productivity, and impact soil quality.
Soil compaction: The process by which soil becomes compressed, reducing pore space and affecting water movement and availability to plants.
Soil carbon and nutrient cycling: How soil processes affect carbon and nutrient cycling, which can impact plant growth, soil quality, and ecosystem health.
Soil microbiology: The role of microorganisms in soil, including how they affect soil properties and processes like nutrient cycling and water availability.
Gravitational Water: This is the water that drains down through the soil due to the force of gravity. It is not held by soil particles.
Capillary Water: This is the water that is held in the pores and crevices of the soil by capillary forces. This water is available to plants.
Hygroscopic Water: This is the water that is held very tightly by the soil particles and is not available to plants.
Chemically Bound Water: This is the water that is chemically bound to the soil particles and is not available to plants.
Bound Water: This is the water that is bound to organic matter and clay minerals in the soil. It is not available to plants.
Available Water: This is the water that is held in the soil pores that can be easily extracted by plant roots. This water is vital for plant growth.
Field Capacity Water: This is the water that is held in the soil after it has been completely saturated and excess water has drained away.
Wilting Point Water: This is the minimum amount of water that needs to be available in the soil for plants to be able to survive.
Saturation Water: This is the water that fills all the soil pores and is not available to plants.
Puddling Water: This is the water that pools on the surface of the soil due to poor drainage or compaction. It can lead to soil erosion and other problems.