Consolidation and surface sealing of nine harrowed Swedish soils

Total porosity decreased (by 2-24%) in all soils except for two clay soils where in one case the porosity increased slightly (3%) and remained unchanged in the other. In six of the soils, the PSD shifted significantly towards smaller pore sizes, and in four of these soils the connectivity of the pore network decreased. Soil surface porosity decreased most markedly in two silt loam soils (by 73% and 75%). For the nine soils changes were strongly correlated with silt content. Only weak correlations were found between the changes in total porosity and soil texture and organic carbon content. Changes in the PSD appeared to be mainly controlled by the initial structure of the sample created at the time of tillage and sample preparation.