Soil Aggregate Stability: Formation, Breakdown and Assessment

Abstract

Soil aggregate stability (SAS) is an indicator for the strength and cohesiveness of soil aggregates and is widely used in determining soil structural properties and erosion risk. In essence, the higher the aggregate stability, the higher the structural stability. SAS plays a key role in maintaining soil resources for sustainable agriculture. SAS establishes pore size, as well as continuity for mass and energy exchange between soil and the environment, affecting the retention and transport of soil fluids (e.g., air and water), including essential organic and inorganic substances for crop production. Therefore, SAS impacts on agriculture, engineering, and the environment has recently made it an important soil parameter for evaluating soil quality. This article aims to understand and expand on the formation, breakdown and existing assessment of SAS, thereby leading the way of research approach to improve aggregate stability of Thai soils.