Soil Wettability and Wetting Agents - Our Current Knowledge of the Problem

摘要

Soils that resist wetting are a widespread phenomenon on chaparral areas of southern California watersheds. On burned watersheds, non-wettable soils markedly reduce moisture movement during both evaporation and infiltration. The reduced infiltration rate probably contributes significantly to the high debris production from the watersheds. Factors involved in the formation of non-wettable soils include vegetation and soil temperatures during fire. Wetting agents applied to burned areas apparently help retard debris movement and enhance vegetation establishment. (Author)