The aim of this study was to test the possibility of using water retention curves to assess increments in the relative coefficient of gas diffusion in the soil, Ds/Do, during the drainage process of Inceptisol soil samples. We first used a water retention curve to obtain data on increments of air-filled pore space during the drainage of soil samples. The greatest increments were found for the matric tension interval of 0 to 20kPa. Next, we studied Ds/Do increments during the drainage process, by measuring the diffusion coefficient of methane through the soil samples (Ds) within a two-chamber diffusion cell. The Ds values were measured from soil samples under 10kPa and 20kPa matric tension values in addition to an air dried sample (matric tension greater than 1500kPa). Mean increments of air porosity and Ds/Do within the 0 to 20kPa matric tension interval were 100 times greater than increments within 20 to 1500kPa interval. We concluded that the interval of matric tension in which the greatest air porosity and Ds/Do increments occur, can be identified from the water retention curve.
drainge; soil aeration; gas diffusivity
