The soil water characteristic curve, also referred to as the soil moisture retention curve, depicts the relationship between soil water content and soil water pressure potential.
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This relationship generally depends on the soil's particle size distribution. In general, sands and gravels lose water very readily upon drainage, thereby increasing the leaching potential, while loams and clays lose much less water upon drainage. |
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In a given soil, this relationship varies, depending on whether the soil is wetting or drying. This discrepancy is referred to as hysteresis. |
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