Spatial Variability of Holtan Soil Infiltration Control Depth Parameter Along Two Toposequences

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran.

Abstract

Background and objectives
Infiltration is controlled by i) the water supply rate on the soil surface, ii) soil surface properties and iii) soil profile properties. Where the surface control and flux control are not restrictive, soil profile properties will control the rate of water infiltration. To express infiltration at “profile control” condition, Holtan (1961) developed an empirical model whose parameters have a physical meaning. Many researchers showed that the Holtan model can express reasonably soil infiltration and predicts water storage capacity and the maximum infiltration rate and runoff. In addition, the physical base of Holtan model allows to predict soil infiltration and hence, it provides input data to estimate following processes although, the physical meaning of control depth, or the depth of soil that should be input in model has not been provided reasonably yet. The importance of the top soil thickness in the soil infiltrability and the mechanism of water infiltration in the soil is known, but the value of infiltration control depth is still unclear. Although many attempts have been suggested to define the control depth such as: the depth of the impermeable layer, the thickness of the Ap horizon, depth of water table, very limited studies have been conducted to describe it in real conditions. Since the Holtan model allows the prediction of soil infiltration and this model is highly influenced by control depth parameter therefore, the objectives of this study were: i) to understand how soil infiltration and the control depth factor vary across hillslope transects ii) to link these soil functions to soil basic properties and topographical attributes.
 
Materials and Methods
The study was carried out along two opposite 580 meter hillslopes. At each transect position soil samples were collected and the infiltration experiment was conducted using a double-ring infiltrometer in three repelications. The Holtan infiltration model (1961) was fitted to the experimental data to obtain the control depth of infiltration and other model parameters as well.
 
Results
The results of soil analysis demonstrated a wide range of the physical and chemical properties of the studied soils. The Holtan model was fitted appropriately to the experimental infiltration data across all studied soils and consequently the subject empirical parameters were obtained. The correlation between the Holtan model parameters was statistically insignificant, showing independent variations along the two toposequences, indicating the high flexibility of the model. The range of variations for the infiltration control depth (D) was limited and did not correlated significantly with the thickness of the A horizon, the depth of impermeable layer, nor with soil properties such as sand, silt, and clay content, organic matter, or initial and saturated soil water content. However, in both slopes, the D value decreased from the upper slope, reached its minimum at the backslope, and then increased again in the toeslope. These changes are consistent with the pattern of soil evolution along a toposequence. Although the role of soil surface characteristics on water infiltration in soil has been demonstrated well, in our study the infiltration pattern cannot be attributed to changes in soil surface characteristics and vegetation because, the type of soil surface cover was almost the same at all measurement points. Soil initial conditions (especially initial   water content), influences highly on the water infiltration in the soil, but in the study area, the variation of initial water content were limited and less than 8% moreover, it did not correlate significantly with the control depth, so these two parameters cannot explain soil infiltration along studied toposequences.
 
Conclusion
While it is not possible to attribute the infiltration control depth to a single and easily available soil property, it can be confirmed that an underlying physical interpretation is embedded. Although this value is obtained from model fitting in experimental infiltration studies, it possesses a meaningful physical interpretation beyond that of a purely empirical coefficient. The limited range of variations of D, along with its simultaneous variations with pedological conditions along the two toposequences, indicates that comprehensive, large-scale studies-as well as the development of pedotransfer functions- are required to better understand the physical concept and estimation of this parameter. This finding can help understand eco-hydrological processes in the context of water resources management in dryland ecosystems.
 

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

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Journal of Soil and Plant Science
Volume 36, Issue 2
March 2025
Pages 1-18

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