Uneven moisture patterns in water repellent soils

In the Netherlands, water repellent soils are widespread and they often show irregular moisture patterns, which lead to accelerated transport of water and solutes to the groundwater and surface water. Under grasscover, spatial variability in soil moisture content is high due to fingered flow, in arable land vegetation and microtopography play a dominant role. Examples are given of uneven soil moisture patterns in water repellent sand, loam, clay and peat soils with grasscover, and in cropped water repellent sandy soils. In addition, the influence of fungi on inducing soil moisture patterns is illustrated as well.