Physical soil health properties drive infiltration rates across a landscape mosaic

Abstract Soil infiltration is a major component of the terrestrial hydrological cycle related to land management practices within agroecosystems. This study examined the nexus between field‐measured average infiltration rates (AIRs) and key soil health properties determined via the Comprehensive Assessment of Soil Health. Physical soil health properties analyzed included particle size, water‐stable aggregates, available water capacity (AWC), penetration resistance (PR), and soil organic carbon as an additive biogeochemical indicator. The analysis covered 10 sites with diverse land uses at Ohio State University's Grace Drake Agricultural Laboratory, including organic and conventional croplands, forests, pastures, and hay fields. Results indicated that AIR was significantly correlated ( r = −0.87) with the degree of soil compaction as determined by PR. Among croplands, certified organic management showed the highest infiltration rates, likely due to macropores developed by soil organic matter accumulation, while the conventional corn–soybean rotation had the lowest infiltration rates induced by soil compaction issues. Forested sites had lower infiltration rates compared to pasture and cropland, presumably due to higher initial soil water content and larger root mass impeding the infiltration process. Additionally, a pedotransfer function was established using a multiple linear regression model based on four soil properties (PR, sand, clay, and AWC). This model provides preliminary connections between multiple physical soil health properties and infiltration rates across the landscape mosaic for this and similar research locations.