ABSTRACT
Soil moisture and soil temperature regimes of the soil of Chile

Armand Van Wambeke1 y Walter Luzio L.2
 

Soil moisture and soil temperature regimes were calculated for the soils of Chile according to Soil Taxonomy (USDA, 1975). A program in FORTRAN, based on Newhall’s arithmetic model, was applied to meteorological data, from 18°28’ S to 47º43’ S latitudes. The limit between the aridic and the xeric moisture regimes was located approximately south of Los Vilos. However, this is not a precise boundary, due to the lack of sufficient meteorological information. The xeric moisture regime occurs in the Central Valley down to Los Angeles. The ustic moisture regime is found along the coast, between Valparaiso and Concepción. To the south, udic and perudic moisture re- gimes are recognized. With regard to soil temperature regimes, the so regimes are associated with coastal areas. South of Temuco, iso temperature regimes are not only located along the coast, but also in the interior. It is assumed that the Iatter are less dependent on oceanic influence. Finally, a tentative subdivision of moisture regimes for Chile is given.

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1 Prof. Agronomy Department, Corneil University, lthaca, N.Y. 14853,U.S.A.
2 Prof. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias, Veterinarias y Forestales de la U. de Chile, Casilla 1004, Santiago, Chile.