Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Macropores are of particular importance in determining soil aeration and rapid water
entry. In some soils (notably vertisols), large cracks form on drying and act in this regard
at least during initial wetting. Large macropores created by the biota are known as
biopores and functionally-effective, near-vertical pores are created in almost all soils by
root growth and decay, earthworms, termites, ants and other burrowing invertebrates.
Additionally, larger voids and horizontal galleries and chambers also occur that may not
be continuous with the surface. In one particularly well-aggregated tropical inceptisol,
Radulovich and Sollins (1991) showed that water flowed through the macropores at zero
potential (and could be collected in zero potential lysimeters) even though the remaining
soil was at less than field capacity (see definition in section I.2.2.2.2).
