Soil Structure

The arrangement and placement of soil particles determines the response of soil to exogenous stresses such as tillage, traffic, and raindrop impact. This arrangement of soil particles is called “soil structure.” The arrangement is dynamic, complex, and is not very well understood. That is why Jacks (1963) stated that “the union of mineral and organic matter to form the organomineral complexes is a synthesis as vital to the continuance of life as, and less understood than, photosynthesis.” Numerous advances in clay mineralogy, colloidal science, and sedimentology have since led to better understanding of genesis, characterization, and management of soil structure (Yong and Warkentin, 1966; Baver et al., 1972; Revut and Rode, 1981; Larionov, 1982; Burke et al., 1986; Hartge and Stewart, 1995; Carter and Stewart, 1996). Yet, soil structure remains to be the most complex, the least understood, and among the most important soil physical properties.