Soil pore space arrangement as a geometric indicator of soil structure

Abstract

Modern concepts of the morphology and geometry of soil structure are discussed. It is shown that the geometry of soil pores can serve as an indispensable indicator of the structural state of soils. The structural-functional significance of the shape and orientation of soil pores in addition to the total soil porosity is demonstrated by the example of agrogray and alluvial soils of the forest-steppe zone. Theoretical concepts and factual materials discussed in this paper can be considered the first stage of formalization of existing notions about the geometrical aspects of soil structure in the context of the systems arrangement of soils.