Abstract
Soil structure is core to many physical soil properties important for sustainable crop production. Aggregate formation and size distribution are related to the pore system, which in turn affects air and water flow. Additionally, soil physical deterioration such as compaction and superficial sealing or crusting derives from poor structural stability, leading to a decrease in infiltration, hydraulic conductivity, and changes in water retention. Consequently, aggregate stability has been used as an indicator of soil structure and soil health. Factors controlling aggregate formation and breakdown are various and operate at different scales. In Europe, it is worthwhile to distinguish among the boreal, temperate, and Mediterranean biogeographic regions as regards as climate concerns. Agricultural practices play an important role at the field scale affecting variables such as the organic matter content, biological activity (roots, earthworms, hyphae, microorganisms, etc.), physical and chemical properties that can induce dispersion or flocculation and of course the mechanical disruption of tillage. However, effects of land use and soil management are soil-specific as the interaction of controlling factors is complex and can lead to site-specific dominant processes.
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Veenstra, J.L., Cloy, J.M., Menon, M. (2021). Physical and Hydrological Processes in Soils Under Conservation Tillage in Europe. In: Jayaraman, S., Dalal, R.C., Patra, A.K., Chaudhari, S.K. (eds) Conservation Agriculture: A Sustainable Approach for Soil Health and Food Security . Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-0827-8_19
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