Carpathian Journal of Earth and Environmental Sciences

This study investigates the relationship between water repellency and selected physical and chemical characteristics of topsoil in the area of White Carpathian Mts. (Slovakia). WDPT and MED tests were used for the purpose of water repellency assessment. It was found that particular type of landuse is an important factor for water repellency development. None of the topsoils taken from agricultural land or grassland exhibited any water repellency, and at the same time, all samples which showed some water repellency were forest soils. However, within the category of forest A-horizons, soil wettability varied greatly: wettable, slightly, strongly, severely, and extremely water repellent samples were rated. Therefore, regression analysis was aimed on WDPT and MED variances of forest soils predominantly. Unlike WDPT, MED test provided a good range of normally distributed values and a high level of discrimination between soils of different wettability. From soil variables tested as possible predictors (content of organic carbon and CaCO₃, pH and contents of three textural fractions), all were proved to affect soil wettability significantly. There was a tendency for sandy soils to show greater repellency than heavier soils. The number of water repellent soils also increased with increasing organic carbon content. Repellency was higher at lower pH values. The largest proportion of repellent soils contained no CaCO₃. The results of regression analysis showed that majority of mentioned soil variables helped to explain substantial part of water repellency variance by using multiple linear approaches.