Water repellence of cultivated organic soils

A range of cultivated organic soils was studied with respect to water repellence. All soils were wettable above a water content of approximately 30-50 % (v/v). Below this critical content, most soils showed a varying degree of water repellence. Well decomposed peat had lower infiltration rates than moderately decomposed peat. Lightly crushing the peat soil before measurement increased the infiltration rate compared with an undisturbed soil sample. In tests with aqueous ethanol of different molarity, peat soils showed greater repellence than gyttja soils. All moss peat layers were extremely water repellent and fen peats slightly less repellent. Water repellence did not occur on gyttja clay and marl gyttja.