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Soil Aeration
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Plant roots respire (use oxygen and excrete carbon dioxide) and so soil oxygen must be replaced constantly. The rate at which oxygen-carrying air moves through soil depends on factors such as soil pore size. The size of the soil pores depends on the texture, structure and strength of the soil.
Click here to view a video that explains soil aeration and Bermudagrass.
The soil pores are filled with water and air, with the ratio between air and water being determined by the water content of the soil. At field water capacity (FWC), the soil air content is at its minimum. As the plant roots absorb the water in the soil, the air content in the soil increases. In soils that are poorly drained, the pores are filled with more water than at FWC, and less air (oxygen) will be present. Water-logged soil, therefore, contains very little oxygen, and the anaerobic conditions that develop cause roots to die.
