Soils may be rated according to the amount of water they can retain in available form. However, under field conditions
there are physical and chemical soil properties which affect the ability of...
Description
Soils may be rated according to the amount of water they can retain in available form. However, under field conditions
there are physical and chemical soil properties which affect the ability of plants to fully utilize all the available water. In Alberta the main factors of concern are dense subsoils that restrict root growth and the presence of salinity which inhibits water uptake. A modification of the available water holding capacity (AWC) that recognizes these limitations has been called the water supplying capacity (WSC). Both the AWC and WSC have been estimated for individual soils in the province.