Soil aggregate stability response to hydraulic conditions in water level fluctuation zone of the Three Gorges Reservoir, China

Abstract Soil aggregate stability is a key indicator of soil quality and susceptibility to water erosion. The water level fluctuation zone (WLFZ) of Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) experiences hydraulic disturbances induced by rainfall, reservoir wave, and water-level fluctuation. Soil aggregate in this region has a unique mechanism of disintegration different from other terrestrial soils. The traditional methods of soil aggregate stability measurement cannot reveal the complex external factors of the soil in the WLFZ. In the present study, an attempt has been made to establish an approach mimicking the real situation in the WLFZ to deeply understand the effects of water movement and periodical wetting on soil aggregate stability in the WLFZ. The soil samples from different elevations were allowed to stay under wetting and wet-shaking conditions for 3 and 81 min, followed by a quantitative separation of disintegrated aggregates by wet-sieving. The mean differences between wetting and wet-shaking for the mean weight diameter (ΔMWD) were highly significant at all elevations for 81 min. Contrary, both treatments applied within a short time period disintegrated aggregates at the same magnitude. Additional to slaking, the kinetic energy applied to soil has induced a mechanical breakdown as a result of water movement. The difference of aggregate stability index (ASI) was highly significant among the elevations p