V. Hallaire - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Papers by V. Hallaire
Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 1997
The relationships between the spatial heterogeneity of maize fields, due to row-cropping and farm... more The relationships between the spatial heterogeneity of maize fields, due to row-cropping and farm machinery traffic, and earthworm abundance were studied in three plots receiving different organic matter treatments: no organic fertilizer, pig slurry and farmyard-manure. In all plots, there was no significant effect of farm machinery traffic although there was a tendancy for earthworms to be less abundant under
Soil Use and Management, 2013
We studied the combined effects of reduced tillage and animal manure on soil structure and hydrau... more We studied the combined effects of reduced tillage and animal manure on soil structure and hydraulic conductivity (K) in the 2-10 and 12-20 cm layers in a loamy soil. The study was performed at the end of a 7-yr field trial and included three tillage treatments (mouldboard ploughing until 25 cm depth: MP, shallow tillage until 12 cm depth: ST, no-till: NT) and two fertilizer application treatments (mineral or poultry manure). Soil structure was assessed through bulk density (q b ), micromorphological and macropore-space characteristics. K was measured in situ at À0.6, À0.2 and À0.05 kPa. Untilled layers had a vermicular microstructure resulting from earthworm activity, whereas tilled layers displayed a mixture of crumb and channel microstructures. Untilled layers had the highest q b and twice as much lower total macroporosity area (pores > 240 lm in equivalent diameter) than tilled layers, reflected by the smallest area of macropores 310-2000 lm in diameter and the smallest area of large complex macropores. K under untilled layers was 12-62% lower than that under tilled layers, but differences were statistically significant only at À0.05 kPa in the 2-10 cm. No significant interaction between tillage and nutrient application treatments was detected for all properties. Compared with mineral fertilizer, poultry manure resulted in a similar q b but 20% greater total macroporosity area and 30% higher K at À0.2 kPa. Overall, the sensitivity of soil structure and K to poultry manure were relatively small compared with tillage. We suggest that cultivation practices other than animal manure application are needed to improve physical properties under reduced tillage.
Journal européen d’hydrologie, 1995
Developments in Soil Science, 1993
Soil and Tillage Research, 2010
Soil and Tillage Research, 2001
In the absence of irrigation, the cultivation of cereals in semi-arid zones provides a poor yield... more In the absence of irrigation, the cultivation of cereals in semi-arid zones provides a poor yield. To study the consequences of fallow tillage on the soil structure and hydraulic properties, we conducted an experiment from 1991/1992 to 1997/1998 using various techniques (chisel or disc plough, early or late tillage) on a calcisol of the high plateaus of eastern Algeria. In the middle of the tilled horizon (between 8 and 25 cm depth), we measured the near-saturated hydraulic conductivity at four soil water tensions (or potentials) using multidisc in®ltrometers, and quanti®ed the morphology of the macropore space using image analysis. Results indicated that tillage increased soil conductivity mainly at low water potential (0.06 and 0.3 kPa). This increase was more signi®cant with the chisel (1:84 Â 10 À5 m s À1 at 0.06 kPa) than with the disc plough 1:25 Â 10 À5 m s À1 , but was attenuated during the crop cycle. Signi®cant differences appeared between tillage treatments for surface macroporosity (5.1% for chisel, 1.1% for disc), pore-space morphology (thin cracks separating compact aggregates under disc, loose ®ne soil assemblage separating smaller aggregates under chisel) and porosity distribution pattern (equivalent diameter of the macropores varied from 1 mm under disc to more than 2±3 mm under chisel). Analyses of porosity distributions indicate a possible relationship between the structure of the surface horizon and soil hydraulic properties. Durum wheat grain yield varied from 1.08 to 2.85 t ha À1 during the 7-year trial. Grain yield under shallow tillage was signi®cantly higher than under disc plough treatment during wet years. Tillage-date varied across seasons and early tillage effect was more apparent when the fallow season was less rainy. #
Soil and Tillage Research, 2007
The intensive agricultural use of soils in the Brittany region (western France) has increased the... more The intensive agricultural use of soils in the Brittany region (western France) has increased the need for a better understanding of soil water dynamics. The aim of the present study is to compare quantitatively the differences produced by two agricultural practices on soil hydraulic properties (water retention curve and hydraulic conductivity) as well as the infiltration and drainage fluxes in the soils. This study was carried out on two experimental plots managed in the same way for 22 years. The two practices were continuous maize fertilized with mineral fertilizer, denoted as MX, and pasture within a ray-grass/maize rotation (3/1 year) with organic fertilization (pig slurry), denoted as PR. The study consisted of measuring soil physical properties in the laboratory and in the field, and estimating water infiltration in the soil of the two plots by recording water pressure heads after simulation of 2-h artificial rainfall with an intensity of 17 mm/h. We applied the van Genuchten model to describe the water retention and hydraulic conductivity curves (u(h) and K(h)) for each soil horizon of the two plots. Hydrus-2D and ID softwares were used to construct a numerical model of water movement in the two soils. This model was used to quantify the infiltration rate, deep drainage and actual evaporation fluxes during the artificial rainfall experiment.
Geoderma, 2014
Processes and rate of macroporosity changes following heavy traffic in forest ecosystems are seld... more Processes and rate of macroporosity changes following heavy traffic in forest ecosystems are seldom studied. The aim of this study was to determine the ability of forest soils to regenerate their macroporosity naturally. The study was performed on 2 silty temperate-forest soils classified as sensitive to compaction located in north-eastern France. Macroporosity was measured in control and trafficked plots at 3 depths (0-7, 15-30 and 30-45 cm) over 2-3 years. Soil macroporosity characteristics (shape, size and orientation) were assessed on polished sections through 2D-image analysis and micromorphic observations. Immediately after heavy traffic, macroporosity decreased by 96 to 49% from 0 to 45 cm in depth. Natural regeneration of macroporosity occurred in the upper 7 cm of soil, while the soil below remained compacted. Small and medium macropores (0.05-0.8 mm 2 ) dominated by rounded and irregular pores regenerated completely. Large macropores (N0.8 mm 2 ) originally dominated by vughs, mammilated vughs and channels rarely regenerated and were gradually replaced by horizontally oriented planar pores. Our results suggest that initial stages of natural macroporosity recovery are likely due to plant-root penetration and physical processes (shrink-swell, freezethaw), whereas recovery due to fauna activities appears later.
Geoderma, 2001
In a central Amazonian pasture, a single earthworm species, Pontoscolex corethrurus, becomes Ž y2... more In a central Amazonian pasture, a single earthworm species, Pontoscolex corethrurus, becomes Ž y2 . very abundant 400 ind. m after forest clearing. Its casts form a compact, continuous and impermeable crust with a thickness of 20 cm. To analyze the structural modifications, we established a field experiment in which soil blocks from the forest were implanted in the pasture, Ž . and soil blocks from the pasture were implanted in the forest. The objectives were 1 to verify the Ž . formation of the compact crust at the soil surface in pasture environment, 2 to evaluate the time Ž . necessary for the formation and the destruction of this crust, and 3 to find out if the crust formation was a reversible process. We used quantitative morphology to identify the biogenic structures formed by different fauna groups and to quantify the modifications in the solid phase as well as the resulting porosity. For the soil depth 0-5 cm, the measured porosity was 48% in the forest and 16% in the pasture. After 1 year, the blocks of forest soil installed in the pasture presented a porosity of 26%, and the blocks of pasture soil installed in the forest presented a porosity of 34%. There were significant differences between the control blocks and the exchanged blocks. The results demonstrate that the processes of formation and destruction of the biogenic structures are reversible. Approximately 1 year is necessary to re-establish the equilibrium between the exchanged blocks and the control blocks. ) Corresponding author. Fax: q55-92-6422118. Ž . E-mail address: ebarros@inpa.gov.br E. Barros . 0016-7061r01r$ -see front matter q 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. Ž . PII: S 0 016-7061 00 00086-0 ( ) E. Barros et al.r Geoderma 100 2001 193-213 194 This experiment illustrates the compacting effect of P. corethrurus. In addition, the small millimetric pores, which are formed by termites in the blocks of pasture soil implanted in the forest, show the decompacting effect of certain termite groups. q
Geoderma, 2010
Endogeic earthworms significantly modify soil aggregation and porosity, which in turn control wat... more Endogeic earthworms significantly modify soil aggregation and porosity, which in turn control water flow in soil. This study aimed to determine how the earthworm casting activity influences soil porosity and its dynamics. The main hypothesis was that the deposition of belowground water-stable casts increases soil porosity and its water stability. First we quantified cast production by the endogeic earthworm species Metaphire posthuma under laboratory conditions for 15 days. Secondly, casts and the bulk soil were analysed for structural stability to water and were packed in soil and subjected to wetting under various conditions and energy levels. The shape and size of pores were measured by image analysis. Almost all casts (98%) were produced belowground. M. posthuma produced approximately five times its own weight per day. Casts were depleted in C and were more easily disaggregated by water than the bulk soil. Although casts initially led to larger soil porosity (on average 50%), their structure was unstable. As a consequence, water inputs led to a faster decrease in soil porosity in the presence of casts. Large pores in between casts were rapidly replaced by small elongated and rounded pores. These results suggest that cast lifespan and associated porosity are of primary importance in the regulation of soil porosity turnover and the ecological functions that are under its control. Our findings suggest that in the field, the low stability of casts is likely to lead to a rapid compaction of the soil after rainfall events. However, high levels of cast production may prevent soil porosity from being broken down. Soil structural porosity thus depends on the balance between the production and degradation of casts. Improvements to the soil structure will occur when the former predominates.
Geoderma, 2007
The relative influence of biological and mechanical processes on the structure of cultivated soil... more The relative influence of biological and mechanical processes on the structure of cultivated soils was estimated by investigating the macroporosity of the surface layers of a silty soil during a maize growing season. The soil was subjected to different cultivation techniques (conventional tillage, moderate tillage, and no tillage) and fertilization modes (mineral or organic) for five years. A typological model was developed (i) to identify the macropores by 2D image analysis in undisturbed soil samples, and (ii) to characterize their morphology with two shape parameters (elongation and regularity indexes). Based on the three usual pore categories (tubular, planar and packing pores), five groups were defined with an additional distinction within the packing pore category (discrete, continuous and planar packing). This typology, as based on a set of images that reached the representative elementary area (REA), proved appropriate to describe the structural modifications linked to the crop management practices. It was shown that mechanical soil working produces 'continuous packing pores'
Experimental Agriculture, 2006
ABSTRACT The aim of this work was to study the effects of soluble aluminium on the morphology and... more ABSTRACT The aim of this work was to study the effects of soluble aluminium on the morphology and growth of the adventitious root system, aerial biomass and grain yield of maize (Zeamays). The analysis focuses on two hybrid cultivars (Al-sensitive HS7777 and Al-tolerant C525M). Experiments were carried out in the field and in a rhizotron in Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil. In the field, four levels of lime application were used: T0 = 0 t ha1, T2 = 7.0 t ha1. Two levels were used in a rhizotron: T0 and T3. In the surface horizon (0M. In the field, neither Al concentration in the soil solution nor cultivar affected the number of primary adventitious roots per internode or the total number of primary adventitious roots. However, root diameter, plant population and grain yield of the two cultivars confirmed the differences in Al tolerance between them. Al was observed to have an adverse effect on the grain yield from C525M, while low yields from HS7777, at all levels of Al, precluded any response to liming. In the rhizotron studies, Al concentration and cultivar affected the root branching and total root length. Cultivar C525M had more branches and total root length than HS7777, mainly at low concentrations of soil Al solution, leading to greater spatial colonization of the soil down to 0.9 m depth.
European Journal of Soil Science, 1996
European Journal of Soil Biology, 2000
... Vincent Hallaire Corresponding Author Contact Information , E-mail The Corresponding Author ,... more ... Vincent Hallaire Corresponding Author Contact Information , E-mail The Corresponding Author , a , Pierre Curmi a , Arnaud Duboisset a , b , Patrick Lavelle b and Beto Pashanasi c. a Unité sol et agronomie Rennes Quimper (Inra), 65, route de St-Brieuc, 35042 Rennes, France. ...
European Journal of Soil Biology, 2012
and sharing with colleagues.
CATENA, 2003
Earthworm activity produces changes at different scales of soil porosity, including the mesoporos... more Earthworm activity produces changes at different scales of soil porosity, including the mesoporosity (between 1.000 and 30 Am eq. dia.) where both water retention and near-saturated infiltration take place. At this scale, the structural changes are poorly described in temperate agricultural systems, so we do not yet fully understand how these changes occur. The present study was conducted to determine the relationships between the morphology of the mesopores, which is mainly affected by earthworm activity, and the hydrodynamic behaviour (near-saturated infiltration) of topsoil under different agricultural managements inducing a large range of earthworm populations.
Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 1997
The relationships between the spatial heterogeneity of maize fields, due to row-cropping and farm... more The relationships between the spatial heterogeneity of maize fields, due to row-cropping and farm machinery traffic, and earthworm abundance were studied in three plots receiving different organic matter treatments: no organic fertilizer, pig slurry and farmyard-manure. In all plots, there was no significant effect of farm machinery traffic although there was a tendancy for earthworms to be less abundant under
Soil Use and Management, 2013
We studied the combined effects of reduced tillage and animal manure on soil structure and hydrau... more We studied the combined effects of reduced tillage and animal manure on soil structure and hydraulic conductivity (K) in the 2-10 and 12-20 cm layers in a loamy soil. The study was performed at the end of a 7-yr field trial and included three tillage treatments (mouldboard ploughing until 25 cm depth: MP, shallow tillage until 12 cm depth: ST, no-till: NT) and two fertilizer application treatments (mineral or poultry manure). Soil structure was assessed through bulk density (q b ), micromorphological and macropore-space characteristics. K was measured in situ at À0.6, À0.2 and À0.05 kPa. Untilled layers had a vermicular microstructure resulting from earthworm activity, whereas tilled layers displayed a mixture of crumb and channel microstructures. Untilled layers had the highest q b and twice as much lower total macroporosity area (pores > 240 lm in equivalent diameter) than tilled layers, reflected by the smallest area of macropores 310-2000 lm in diameter and the smallest area of large complex macropores. K under untilled layers was 12-62% lower than that under tilled layers, but differences were statistically significant only at À0.05 kPa in the 2-10 cm. No significant interaction between tillage and nutrient application treatments was detected for all properties. Compared with mineral fertilizer, poultry manure resulted in a similar q b but 20% greater total macroporosity area and 30% higher K at À0.2 kPa. Overall, the sensitivity of soil structure and K to poultry manure were relatively small compared with tillage. We suggest that cultivation practices other than animal manure application are needed to improve physical properties under reduced tillage.
Journal européen d’hydrologie, 1995
Developments in Soil Science, 1993
Soil and Tillage Research, 2010
Soil and Tillage Research, 2001
In the absence of irrigation, the cultivation of cereals in semi-arid zones provides a poor yield... more In the absence of irrigation, the cultivation of cereals in semi-arid zones provides a poor yield. To study the consequences of fallow tillage on the soil structure and hydraulic properties, we conducted an experiment from 1991/1992 to 1997/1998 using various techniques (chisel or disc plough, early or late tillage) on a calcisol of the high plateaus of eastern Algeria. In the middle of the tilled horizon (between 8 and 25 cm depth), we measured the near-saturated hydraulic conductivity at four soil water tensions (or potentials) using multidisc in®ltrometers, and quanti®ed the morphology of the macropore space using image analysis. Results indicated that tillage increased soil conductivity mainly at low water potential (0.06 and 0.3 kPa). This increase was more signi®cant with the chisel (1:84 Â 10 À5 m s À1 at 0.06 kPa) than with the disc plough 1:25 Â 10 À5 m s À1 , but was attenuated during the crop cycle. Signi®cant differences appeared between tillage treatments for surface macroporosity (5.1% for chisel, 1.1% for disc), pore-space morphology (thin cracks separating compact aggregates under disc, loose ®ne soil assemblage separating smaller aggregates under chisel) and porosity distribution pattern (equivalent diameter of the macropores varied from 1 mm under disc to more than 2±3 mm under chisel). Analyses of porosity distributions indicate a possible relationship between the structure of the surface horizon and soil hydraulic properties. Durum wheat grain yield varied from 1.08 to 2.85 t ha À1 during the 7-year trial. Grain yield under shallow tillage was signi®cantly higher than under disc plough treatment during wet years. Tillage-date varied across seasons and early tillage effect was more apparent when the fallow season was less rainy. #
Soil and Tillage Research, 2007
The intensive agricultural use of soils in the Brittany region (western France) has increased the... more The intensive agricultural use of soils in the Brittany region (western France) has increased the need for a better understanding of soil water dynamics. The aim of the present study is to compare quantitatively the differences produced by two agricultural practices on soil hydraulic properties (water retention curve and hydraulic conductivity) as well as the infiltration and drainage fluxes in the soils. This study was carried out on two experimental plots managed in the same way for 22 years. The two practices were continuous maize fertilized with mineral fertilizer, denoted as MX, and pasture within a ray-grass/maize rotation (3/1 year) with organic fertilization (pig slurry), denoted as PR. The study consisted of measuring soil physical properties in the laboratory and in the field, and estimating water infiltration in the soil of the two plots by recording water pressure heads after simulation of 2-h artificial rainfall with an intensity of 17 mm/h. We applied the van Genuchten model to describe the water retention and hydraulic conductivity curves (u(h) and K(h)) for each soil horizon of the two plots. Hydrus-2D and ID softwares were used to construct a numerical model of water movement in the two soils. This model was used to quantify the infiltration rate, deep drainage and actual evaporation fluxes during the artificial rainfall experiment.
Geoderma, 2014
Processes and rate of macroporosity changes following heavy traffic in forest ecosystems are seld... more Processes and rate of macroporosity changes following heavy traffic in forest ecosystems are seldom studied. The aim of this study was to determine the ability of forest soils to regenerate their macroporosity naturally. The study was performed on 2 silty temperate-forest soils classified as sensitive to compaction located in north-eastern France. Macroporosity was measured in control and trafficked plots at 3 depths (0-7, 15-30 and 30-45 cm) over 2-3 years. Soil macroporosity characteristics (shape, size and orientation) were assessed on polished sections through 2D-image analysis and micromorphic observations. Immediately after heavy traffic, macroporosity decreased by 96 to 49% from 0 to 45 cm in depth. Natural regeneration of macroporosity occurred in the upper 7 cm of soil, while the soil below remained compacted. Small and medium macropores (0.05-0.8 mm 2 ) dominated by rounded and irregular pores regenerated completely. Large macropores (N0.8 mm 2 ) originally dominated by vughs, mammilated vughs and channels rarely regenerated and were gradually replaced by horizontally oriented planar pores. Our results suggest that initial stages of natural macroporosity recovery are likely due to plant-root penetration and physical processes (shrink-swell, freezethaw), whereas recovery due to fauna activities appears later.
Geoderma, 2001
In a central Amazonian pasture, a single earthworm species, Pontoscolex corethrurus, becomes Ž y2... more In a central Amazonian pasture, a single earthworm species, Pontoscolex corethrurus, becomes Ž y2 . very abundant 400 ind. m after forest clearing. Its casts form a compact, continuous and impermeable crust with a thickness of 20 cm. To analyze the structural modifications, we established a field experiment in which soil blocks from the forest were implanted in the pasture, Ž . and soil blocks from the pasture were implanted in the forest. The objectives were 1 to verify the Ž . formation of the compact crust at the soil surface in pasture environment, 2 to evaluate the time Ž . necessary for the formation and the destruction of this crust, and 3 to find out if the crust formation was a reversible process. We used quantitative morphology to identify the biogenic structures formed by different fauna groups and to quantify the modifications in the solid phase as well as the resulting porosity. For the soil depth 0-5 cm, the measured porosity was 48% in the forest and 16% in the pasture. After 1 year, the blocks of forest soil installed in the pasture presented a porosity of 26%, and the blocks of pasture soil installed in the forest presented a porosity of 34%. There were significant differences between the control blocks and the exchanged blocks. The results demonstrate that the processes of formation and destruction of the biogenic structures are reversible. Approximately 1 year is necessary to re-establish the equilibrium between the exchanged blocks and the control blocks. ) Corresponding author. Fax: q55-92-6422118. Ž . E-mail address: ebarros@inpa.gov.br E. Barros . 0016-7061r01r$ -see front matter q 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. Ž . PII: S 0 016-7061 00 00086-0 ( ) E. Barros et al.r Geoderma 100 2001 193-213 194 This experiment illustrates the compacting effect of P. corethrurus. In addition, the small millimetric pores, which are formed by termites in the blocks of pasture soil implanted in the forest, show the decompacting effect of certain termite groups. q
Geoderma, 2010
Endogeic earthworms significantly modify soil aggregation and porosity, which in turn control wat... more Endogeic earthworms significantly modify soil aggregation and porosity, which in turn control water flow in soil. This study aimed to determine how the earthworm casting activity influences soil porosity and its dynamics. The main hypothesis was that the deposition of belowground water-stable casts increases soil porosity and its water stability. First we quantified cast production by the endogeic earthworm species Metaphire posthuma under laboratory conditions for 15 days. Secondly, casts and the bulk soil were analysed for structural stability to water and were packed in soil and subjected to wetting under various conditions and energy levels. The shape and size of pores were measured by image analysis. Almost all casts (98%) were produced belowground. M. posthuma produced approximately five times its own weight per day. Casts were depleted in C and were more easily disaggregated by water than the bulk soil. Although casts initially led to larger soil porosity (on average 50%), their structure was unstable. As a consequence, water inputs led to a faster decrease in soil porosity in the presence of casts. Large pores in between casts were rapidly replaced by small elongated and rounded pores. These results suggest that cast lifespan and associated porosity are of primary importance in the regulation of soil porosity turnover and the ecological functions that are under its control. Our findings suggest that in the field, the low stability of casts is likely to lead to a rapid compaction of the soil after rainfall events. However, high levels of cast production may prevent soil porosity from being broken down. Soil structural porosity thus depends on the balance between the production and degradation of casts. Improvements to the soil structure will occur when the former predominates.
Geoderma, 2007
The relative influence of biological and mechanical processes on the structure of cultivated soil... more The relative influence of biological and mechanical processes on the structure of cultivated soils was estimated by investigating the macroporosity of the surface layers of a silty soil during a maize growing season. The soil was subjected to different cultivation techniques (conventional tillage, moderate tillage, and no tillage) and fertilization modes (mineral or organic) for five years. A typological model was developed (i) to identify the macropores by 2D image analysis in undisturbed soil samples, and (ii) to characterize their morphology with two shape parameters (elongation and regularity indexes). Based on the three usual pore categories (tubular, planar and packing pores), five groups were defined with an additional distinction within the packing pore category (discrete, continuous and planar packing). This typology, as based on a set of images that reached the representative elementary area (REA), proved appropriate to describe the structural modifications linked to the crop management practices. It was shown that mechanical soil working produces 'continuous packing pores'
Experimental Agriculture, 2006
ABSTRACT The aim of this work was to study the effects of soluble aluminium on the morphology and... more ABSTRACT The aim of this work was to study the effects of soluble aluminium on the morphology and growth of the adventitious root system, aerial biomass and grain yield of maize (Zeamays). The analysis focuses on two hybrid cultivars (Al-sensitive HS7777 and Al-tolerant C525M). Experiments were carried out in the field and in a rhizotron in Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil. In the field, four levels of lime application were used: T0 = 0 t ha1, T2 = 7.0 t ha1. Two levels were used in a rhizotron: T0 and T3. In the surface horizon (0M. In the field, neither Al concentration in the soil solution nor cultivar affected the number of primary adventitious roots per internode or the total number of primary adventitious roots. However, root diameter, plant population and grain yield of the two cultivars confirmed the differences in Al tolerance between them. Al was observed to have an adverse effect on the grain yield from C525M, while low yields from HS7777, at all levels of Al, precluded any response to liming. In the rhizotron studies, Al concentration and cultivar affected the root branching and total root length. Cultivar C525M had more branches and total root length than HS7777, mainly at low concentrations of soil Al solution, leading to greater spatial colonization of the soil down to 0.9 m depth.
European Journal of Soil Science, 1996
European Journal of Soil Biology, 2000
... Vincent Hallaire Corresponding Author Contact Information , E-mail The Corresponding Author ,... more ... Vincent Hallaire Corresponding Author Contact Information , E-mail The Corresponding Author , a , Pierre Curmi a , Arnaud Duboisset a , b , Patrick Lavelle b and Beto Pashanasi c. a Unité sol et agronomie Rennes Quimper (Inra), 65, route de St-Brieuc, 35042 Rennes, France. ...
European Journal of Soil Biology, 2012
and sharing with colleagues.
CATENA, 2003
Earthworm activity produces changes at different scales of soil porosity, including the mesoporos... more Earthworm activity produces changes at different scales of soil porosity, including the mesoporosity (between 1.000 and 30 Am eq. dia.) where both water retention and near-saturated infiltration take place. At this scale, the structural changes are poorly described in temperate agricultural systems, so we do not yet fully understand how these changes occur. The present study was conducted to determine the relationships between the morphology of the mesopores, which is mainly affected by earthworm activity, and the hydrodynamic behaviour (near-saturated infiltration) of topsoil under different agricultural managements inducing a large range of earthworm populations.