ABSTRACT
Yet soil moisture management is not simply a matter of there being adequate inputs of water into the soil from precipitation or irrigation. Soil moisture is part of the ecology of the soil and of the whole agroecosystem. Not only is water availability and retention affected by a myriad of factors, but water itself plays many roles. It carries soluble nutrients, affects soil aeration and temperature, and impacts soil biotic processes. Many members of the soil microfauna, such as nematodes and protozoa, are essentially aquatic and live within the thin lm of water adhering to soil particles. Further, plants themselves affect the distribution and availability of soil moisture. A farmer, therefore, must be aware of how water acts in the soil, how water levels in the soil are affected by weather conditions and cropping practices, how inputs of water affect soil moisture, and what the water needs of the crop are.
