Vadose Zone Journal is a unique platform for interdisciplinary research on the vadose zone, a critical part of the Earth's surface extending from the soil's upper layer to the groundwater. This international, peer-reviewed journal publishes diverse content, including original research, reviews, and special sections, spanning numerous disciplines. It disseminates fundamental and applied research, promoting science-based decision-making and sustainable vadose zone management. Topics covered range from fluid flow and climate change impacts to waste disposal, biogeochemical processes, subsurface heterogeneity, and more.
Vadose Zone Journal is ranked Number 1 in Best Earth Science Journals for Soil Science on Research.com.
SPECIAL SECTIONS: Call for papers! View the open calls for papers for upcoming issues of Vadose Zone Journal.
Featured
Joint multiscale dynamics in soil–vegetation–atmosphere systems: Multifractal cross-correlation analysis of arid and semiarid rangelands
Ecosystems are highly interacting systems, where some changes can produce surprising outcomes (complex systems). A recent study explores the relationships among various ecological components of rangelands in Madrid and Almeria (Spain) (pictured) to aid rangeland managers. Using multifractal analysis, which studies the behavior of time series, the authors compare the behavior and the influence of different environmental factors like precipitation or biomass. Their insights suggest that rangeland management strategies should be tailored to the specific conditions of each region to improve sustainability and productivity. Read more.
Browse Articles
Modeling compaction effects on soil water retention across the full moisture range: Calibration and validation
-  13 February 2025
Core Ideas
- The effect of compaction on soil water retention curve is modeled across the full moisture spectrum.
- Successful model calibration was achieved with only one estimated parameter.
- Other model parameters can either be held constant or predicted from physical reasoning.
- Only reference curve and bulk density are required for predicting water retention curve of compacted soil.
- We hypothesize that the approach is independent of the model used to parametrize the pore-size distribution.
Review of conceptual and empirical approaches to characterize infiltration
-  11 February 2025
Core Ideas
- A total of 138 unique infiltration models were identified, spanning a wide range of theoretical and empirical boundaries.
- The proliferation of infiltration models created challenges for researchers in identifying which models to use.
- Extracting Ksat and sorptivity from infiltration data becomes a challenge with the increased number of models.
- Most of the developed infiltration models clustered theoretically around few early major milestones
A simple experiment to trace stemflow infiltration: Advantages and challenges of using stable isotopes of hydrogen and oxygen and electrical resistivity tomography
-  7 February 2025
Core Ideas
- Stable isotopes of hydrogen and oxygen and time-lapse ERT were successfully applied to study stemflow infiltration.
- Estimates of stemflow infiltration area were larger than those found in the literature.
- Experiments based on time-lapse ERT are more effective and less invasive than those based on isotopic tracers.
On the use and misuse of abbreviations in scientific writing
-  7 February 2025
Insights into freeze–thaw and infiltration in seasonally frozen soils from field observations
-  5 February 2025
Core Ideas
- Partitioning of snowmelt between infiltration and runoff is critically important in seasonally frozen soils, with important implications for flooding, soil moisture, and groundwater recharge.
- Soil temperature, freezing depth, and infiltration capacity at the time of snowmelt depend on multiple confounding factors, namely, snow water equivalent, air temperature, soil water content, and water table depth.
- Infiltration, drainage, and groundwater recharge occur rapidly in response to snowmelt, while the soils remain frozen, via preferential flow through air-filled macropores.
Latest news
The role of hydropedology when aiming for the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
- Vadose Zone Journal
-  14 July 2023
Core Ideas
- Linking soil research with the SDG debate favors its recognition in the policy and public arena.
- Hydropedology is more effective in the above context than separate activities of soil physics or pedology.
- Innovative modeling and measurement methods, digital mapping, and proximal sensing are needed to vitalize hydropedology.
- Hydropedological contributions to ecosystem services requires a lean, interdisciplinary, operational, and cost-effective approach.
Modeling Soil Processes: Review, Key Challenges, and New Perspectives
- Vadose Zone Journal
-  1-57
-  13 May 2016
Soil Moisture Remote Sensing: State‐of‐the‐Science
- Vadose Zone Journal
-  1-9
-  26 January 2017
Developments and applications of the HYDRUS computer software packages since 2016
- Vadose Zone Journal
-  14 February 2024
Core Ideas
- An overview of the capabilities of the most recent Version 5 of HYDRUS.
- The description of the standard and nonstandard specialized HYDRUS add-on modules.
- A review of selected popular applications of the HYDRUS models.
- Description of new or improved upcoming HYDRUS add-on modules.
Soil water potential: A historical perspective and recent breakthroughs
- Vadose Zone Journal
-  10 June 2022
Core Ideas
- A historical perspective and recent breakthroughs on soil water potential is provided.
- Critical analysis of historical definitions of soil water potential is provided to identify their strength and flaws.
- Fundamental differences between adsorptive and capillarity soil water potentials are clarified.
- A general soil water potential definition unifying both adsorption and capillarity mechanisms is provided.
- Practical implications of unified soil water potential definition to fundamental soil properties are illustrated.
Current understanding of subsurface transport of micro‐ and nanoplastics in soil
- Vadose Zone Journal
-  4 February 2021
-  58
Sensing the electrical properties of roots: A review
- Vadose Zone Journal
-  8 December 2020
-  51
Soil evaporation and its impact on salt accumulation in different landscapes under freeze–thaw conditions in an arid seasonal frozen region
- Vadose Zone Journal
-  3 February 2021
-  29
Effect of freeze–thaw cycling on the soil‐freezing characteristic curve of five Canadian soils
- Vadose Zone Journal
-  23 May 2020
-  33
Time‐lapse geophysical assessment of agricultural practices on soil moisture dynamics
- Vadose Zone Journal
-  28 October 2020
-  35
On the impact of increasing drought on the relationship between soil water content and evapotranspiration of a grassland
- Vadose Zone Journal
-  8 May 2020
-  27
Dimensionality and scales of preferential flow in soils of Shale Hills hillslope simulated using HYDRUS
- Vadose Zone Journal
-  4 July 2024
-  17
Field evaluation of portable soil water content sensors in a sandy loam
- Vadose Zone Journal
-  19 May 2020
-  24
3D mapping of soil organic carbon content and soil moisture with multiple geophysical sensors and machine learning
- Vadose Zone Journal
-  4 September 2020
-  24
Impact of biochar and lignite‐based amendments on microbial communities and greenhouse gas emissions from agricultural soil
- Vadose Zone Journal
-  3 March 2021
-  18