Aggregate stability as an index of erodibility of ando soils

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Abstract
Erosion experiments were carried out under laboratory conditions to determine the index of credibility of Ando soils. Eighteen soil samples were collected in Kyushu. A simple regression analysis was used to relate the amount of soil loss to the physical and chemical properties, including mechanical composition, clay ratio, aggregate stability, dispersion ratio, erosion ratio, air-dry ratio, organic matter content and pH. Among them, the aggregate stability (>53 μm) showed the highest and negative correlation coefficient (r = —0.956**) to the amount of soil loss, followed by the dispersion ratio (r=0.874**) and the erosion ratio (r=0.701**). Correlation coefficients of the other properties were not significant at level. The aggregate stability was proposed as an index of credibility of Ando soils. The breakdown of sand-size aggregates is the first manifestation of water erosion in Ando soils.