European Geosciences Union - General Assembly 2017

Soil-organic matter and soil-water interactions: Implication for soil physical properties

The role of soil organic matter in regulating physical and hydraulic processes in soils is still poorly understood. It is well accepted that soil organic matter affects hydraulic and mechanical properties of porous media, such as surface properties of soil particles and their wettability, soil swelling and shrinking processes, soil structure formation and stability. However, a conclusive and mechanistic understanding of the interactions between soil organic matter and these interconnected processes in soils is still missing. This session aims to describe the complex interactions between soil organic matter, interface and bulk soil properties and their implications for soil mechanics and flow and transport in soils. We welcome abstracts that address the role of soil organic matter on soil physical processes, from an experimental and/or modelling approach, at the continuous or pore scale, as well as papers that discuss the implications of these processes for the soil function, including rhizosphere processes and interactions with the soil biota.