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A Portable Air Permeameter for Forest Soils¹

ABSTRACT

Forest soil productivity studies brought out the need for a rapid and quantitative method to determine macroscopic pore space in the soil. To meet this need, a portable soil permeameter was developed that measures macroscopic pore space directly in the field.

The instrument consists of a steel cylinder with carrying harness, constant pressure regulator, toggle-valve, soiltube, and pressure gauge. In operation, the tube is inserted in the soil, a constant air pressure delivered, and the resistance of the soil to this pressure read on the pressure gauge.

For calibration, 68 samples covering a wide range of soil porosities were obtained from soil pits in residual and glaciated soils of western Washington. For each of those samples, permeameter readings taken in the field were related to determinations of volume of macroscopic pores drained by a pressure of 1/3 atm. From these calibration data, a dial-face reading directly in percent macroscopic pore space was designed for the permeameter pressure gauge.

Data are presented that relate soil macroporosity, as determined by the permeameter, to growth of Douglas-fir seedlings on soils of recently-logged areas. Applications of this instrument to soil productivity studies are discussed.

¹ Contribution from the Forestry Research Center, Weyerhaeuser Timber Company, Centralia, Wash. Presented before Div. V-A, Soil Science Society of America, Nov. 20, 1957, at Atlanta, Ga.

² Forest Soils Specialist, Weyerhaeuser Company, Forestry Research Center, Centralia, Wash.

Received for publication October 13, 1958. Accepted for publication July 22, 1959.