Hydraulic conductivity of soil is strongly dependent on soil structure, which can be degraded during wetting and leaching. It was hypothesised that this structural degradation is dependent on initial aggregate size distribution and soil texture. The general aim of this study was to investigate the effects of aggregate sizes and soil textures, and their interactions, on the structural degradation and saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ks) of smectitic soils under different saline and sodic conditions. The studied soils were clay and loamy sand soils with low (~4.5) or high (~10) exchangeable sodium percentages (ESP), and with aggregate sizes in the ranges: (i) <1 mm (small aggregates); or (ii) 2–4 mm (large aggregates). The Ks values of the samples in a column after slow or fast pre-wetting were determined by means of a constant head device. Different wetting rates and leaching under various saline and sodic conditions had no effect on the Ks of the loamy sand; however, the Ks values of this soil with large aggregates were an order of magnitude greater than those of the soil with small aggregates. In contrast, in the clay soil with large aggregates, the Ks values after fast pre-wetting were significantly smaller than those after slow pre-wetting, probably because of aggregate slaking. No significant effects of the wetting rates on Ks were found in clay soil with small aggregates. An increase in the ESP in the clay soil decreased the Ks by a factor of 1.5 for the large aggregates and by an order of magnitude for the small aggregates, mainly as a result of increased clay swelling. Leaching the clay soil with deionised water significantly decreased the Ks values, partly because of clay dispersion. Although significant structural degradation of the clay soil occurred during leaching, the Ks values were smaller in the soils with small aggregates than in those with large aggregates, indicating the importance of the initial aggregate size on Ks even in soils that are prone to structural damage.

Runoff and soil erosion are serious and widespread land degradation problems in arid and semi-arid regions. Soils in these regions are characterised by relatively high levels of salinity and sodicity, and low structural stability. One means to increase the stability of soil structure is the use of synthetic polymers as soil conditioners. Polymers consist of repeated small identical units (monomers) coupled together to form extended chains. The present review paper addresses the properties of synthetic polymers, their interactions with clays and soil particles, and their effects on infiltration rates, runoff, and soil erosion in arid and semi-arid soils exposed to rainfall and sprinkler irrigation. Because polymers increase the stability of the soil structure, they reduce the tendency of soils to form seals, thereby preventing decline in infiltration rates, reducing runoff and soil losses. The beneficial effects of various polymers with different molecular weights, charge types, and densities applied over a wide range of conditions, i.e. dryland and irrigated soils, soils of varying physical and chemical properties, and rainfall with different kinetic energies, are reviewed in the present manuscript. The addition of small amounts of the polymers, with their low cost and their high efficiency in preventing seal formation, infiltration rate reduction, and runoff and soil loss increases, suggest that the polymers can be considered as successful stabilising agents for soils that are sensitive to seal formation. However, further study on handling and field application of the synthetic polymers is needed.

Soil surface sealing is one of the main causes for low infiltration rate (IR) and high runoff and soil loss under raindrop impact conditions in arid and semiarid regions. Many studies have focused on the effects of soil properties on seal formation under fast wetting conditions. However, in the field, soils can be exposed to different wetting conditions, before an intense rainfall event, which can affect the role of the soil properties on seal formation. The present paper reviews the effects of different initial wetting conditions and their interactions with soil properties on seal formation, IR, runoff, and soil loss in smectitic soils. Fast wetting of soil causes aggregate slaking, which enhances seal formation, runoff, and soil loss under rainfall, mainly in soils with > 40% clay content. An increase in clay content of the soil increases aggregate strength, but at the same time increases the slaking forces. Hence, in soils with low clay content ( 40% clay content and high aggregate stability, slaking plays an important role in aggregate breakdown and seal formation. An increase of raindrop kinetic energy, from 8 to 15.9 kJ/m3, decreased the effect of the slaking forces on seal formation and runoff. It was suggested that the effects of raindrop kinetic energy and of the slaking forces on aggregate disintegration and seal formation are complementary. An increase in soil exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP), from 0.9 to 20.4%, decreased the effect of slaking forces on seal formation and runoff production under rainfall with 15.9 kJ/m3 kinetic energy. Probably, increasing the ESP increased the soil dispersivity, and therefore diminished the effect of the slaking forces on aggregate disintegration and seal formation. Aging (the time since wetting) of soil increased the stability of soil structure, decreased the seal formation, maintained high IR, and diminished soil loss amounts. These effects of soil aging depend on both the prewetting rate of the soil and soil texture.

Typic Chromoxeret-sand and Lithic Ruptic Xerochrept-sand mixtures, of high sodicity, and containing 8 and ~0% CaCO3, respectively, were packed in columns and leached with electrolyte solutions. When a reference solution of 500 mmol/L was replaced successively with solutions containing 100, 50, 10, 5, and 1 mmol/L and then with deionised water (gradual leaching), the saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ks) decreased gradually to steady-state values, and no clay was observed in the leachate. Under deionised leaching, the relative Ks (Ks/Ks0) (the ratio between the observed Ks and that under leaching with the reference solution) in the Chromoxeret mixture at exchangeable sodium percentages (ESPs) of 30, 38, and 63 was 0.83, 0.47, and 0.41, respectively, and that in the Xerochrept mixture at ESPs of 23, 28, and 36 were 0.82, 0.71, and 0.39 respectively. When a solution of 50 mmol/L was replaced directly with deionised water (abrupt leaching), the Ks/Ks0 of the Chromoxeret mixture at the above ESPs dropped sharply to minimum values of 0.25, 0.18, and 0.11, respectively, and that of the Xerochrept mixture to 0.42, 0.04, and 0.13, respectively, and dispersed clay was observed in the leachate. It is hypothesised that the abrupt leaching with deionised water generated a steep concentration gradient between the solutions within and around the aggregates, leading to clay dispersion and rapid Ks/Ks0 reduction; under gradual leaching, no steep concentration gradient developed, there was no clay dispersion, and clay swelling caused gradual Ks/Ks0 reduction. In the Chromoxeret, the CaCO3 decreased the clay swelling and dispersion, and probably acted as a cementing agent that stabilised the soil aggregates against slaking during the initial wetting of the mixture.