Cheik S. auteur aut IRD Jouquet Pascal auteur aut IRD Maeght Jean-Luc auteur aut IRD Capowiez Y. auteur aut IRD Tran T. M. auteur aut IRD Bottinelli Nicolas auteur aut IRD text journalArticle eng text/pdf born digital access Soil macroporosity is a highly dynamic feature driven by numerous physical and biological processes, of which bioturbation, the movement of water in soil and swelling and shrinking cycles are the main processes. To date, the interaction between these factors, especially how galleries produced by soil fauna respond to rainwater percolation and wetting-drying (WD) cycles, remains poorly known. A laboratory experiment was carried out to expose soil macrofauna galleries to three different consecutive water flow (simulated rain events of 50, 80 and 110 mm h(-1) in 1 h) and drying cycles in a clayey soil. X-ray computed tomography and image analyses were used prior to and after each exposure to assess the water stabilities of galleries and created cracks. The 3D properties (volume, diameter, specific surface area and density) of the galleries produced by termites or ants were not statistically influenced by rainwater percolation and WD cycles, suggesting a high water stability and life expectancy under natural conditions. Conversely, the crack water stability was variable and was probably influenced by the presence of galleries in the same area. This study emphasizes that the macropores created by soil fauna may persist in clayey soil and that there is a need to better understand how cracks and galleries interact. Highlights Evolution of soil porosity was studied by X-ray computed tomography. Galleries made by soil fauna were stable and resist to wetting and drying cycles. Cracks were highly variable and were highly influenced by wetting and drying cycles. No relationship could be evidenced between galleries and cracks. specialized cracks galleries soil porosity wetting-drying cycles x-ray tomography 068 074 [Early access] [5 p.] 2021 1351-0754 https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010081325 10.1111/ejss.13119 1351-0754 [F B010081325] https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010081325 https://www.documentation.ird.fr/intranet/publi/2021-06/010081325.pdf Accès réservé (Intranet de l'IRD) IRD - Base Horizon / Pleins textes 2021-06-15 2025-02-24 fdi:010081325 fre