Soil Physical Properties

Soil PhysicalPropertiesDr. Steven HodgesDept. of Crop and Soil Environmental Sciences

ObjectivesSoil Color Soil Texture Soil Structure Density and Compaction

Munsell Color Book Summary Darkest shades of a hueare at the bottom; lightestshades are on top. Weakest chroma (grayestcolor) is at the left; strongestchroma is at the right.HueValueChroma

High Organic Matter ( 25%)Dark Colors

Heavy Minerals (Fe bearing ore)Dark ColorsQuartz sands are lightly colored

Fluctuating tides result in Fe reduction which makes theIron soluble and thus no longer coats the soil particles.

The yellowish browncolors throughout thissoil indicate that Iron (Fe)is in the oxidized form.The soils with this colorpattern reflect rapidinternal soil drainage.

This clayey soil has redoxidized Iron coatingthe soil particles.Iron content is 2-3% ofthis soil.

Aquic ConditionsIdentifying an aquic moisture regimerequires that soils:are saturated with water for prolonged periods are reduced (low oxygen) have redoximorphic features (reduced andoxidized conditions)

Types ofRedoximorphic FeaturesRedox Concentrations – areas of oxidized iron Redox Depletions – areas where iron is depleted Reduced Matrix – except for concentrations, soilshows effects of reduced oxygen conditions

Fe Masses & Fe Depletions

Reduced Matrix

Soil Drainage drainedDepthto graycolors

Soil Texture Definition: Size distribution of mineral particles Fine earth fraction: 2 mmCoarse fragments: 2mmSAND – SILT – CLAY

Soil Particle Size(USDA Classification) ClaySiltSand 0.002 mm0.002-0.05 mm0.05-2.00 mmVery Fine Sand0.05-0.10 mmFine Sand0.10-0.25 mmMedium Sand0.25-0.50 mmCoarse Sand0.50-1.00 mmVery Coarse Sand1.00-2.00 mm

Clay-sized minerals and Clay Minerals

Soil Textural Triangle

Sand Texture

Loamy Sand Texture

Sandy Loam Texture

Loam Texture

Silt Loam TextureDark color is due to 2% organic matter

Silty Clay Loam Texture

Clay Texture

Percentage of sand, silt and clay in the major soiltexture classes.

Textural Class & WaterRetention in SoilsHow strongare theinteractionsbetweenwater and soilparticles?

Soil Pore SpaceSandsLoamsClays

Coarse FragmentsGravels and pebbles: 2 mm – 3” Cobbles (round) and/or flags (flat): 3” – 10” Stones and boulders - 10”

The upper horizons have 5% stonesThe lower horizons have40-50% stonesIncreased stone contentdecreases soil waterholding capacity.

Surface coarse fragments impede tillage and when in theextreme, make grazing by animals difficult.

This stony soil has 50% coarse fragments.Bedrock is shown at thebottom of the profile.This soil is droughty.

Structure Arrangement or grouping of primary soilseparates (sand, silt, clay, organic matter) intosecondary groupings a.k.a. aggregates or peds

Aggregation (structure) Creates a network of large interconnected pores Allows water infiltration (surface) Allows excess water to leave the soil, thuspromoting aeration in low soil horizons

Macro vs. Micro Poresmacroporesmicropores

Left side freshly tilledLarge Macro Pores Right side tilledThen compactedSlowed infiltration

Types of Structure Spheroidal GranularCrumbBlocklike Angular blockySub angular blockyPlatyPrism-Like PrismaticColumnarStructureless MassiveSingle grain

Strong, medium, granular structure

Strong, medium, platy structure

Fragments of platy structure

Strong, medium, angular blocky structure

Strong, coarse, prismaticstructure

Strong, coarse, prismaticstructure

This soil shows: A – Weak, Fine, GranularUpper B – Medium BlockyLower B – Strong, Coarse,Blocky

This soil shows: A – Weak, Fine, GranularUpper B – MediumBlockyLower B – Strong, Coarse,Blocky

CompactionHigh Bulk Density Lower Pore Space

Bulk Density 1.3852% Solids48% Pore Space Bulk Density 1.9674% Solids26% Pore Space

Tillage and heavy equipment compacted a zone justbelow the plow layer of this profile.Cotton roots would not penetrate layers with bulkdensities of more than 1.8.

Not ripped Plow panRippedEffect of “Ripping” on the compacted traffic pan.

This “Root Mass” represents “in place” root distributionon a soil with a plow pan.

This “Compacted” area isdue to foot trafficresulting in a poorrooting environment.

The edge of this compacted sample shows horizontalfractures.This was caused by heavy equipment traffic on a lawn.

The light colored area(20” to 48”) is a naturallyoccurring “Fragipan.”Commonly the BulkDensity in such horizonsis 1.8

“Expansive Clays”This shows cracking due to expansive clays that changevolume on wetting and drying.

Soil Physical Properties Dr. Steven Hodges Dept. of Crop and Soil Environmental Sciences . Objectives Soil Color Soil Texture Soil Structure Density and Compaction .