Here I must confess that I have not yet taken the time to fully understand percolation theory and its applications, so I cannot state for certain whether I agree with the authors’ claims that percolation theory represents the best framework. From my limited exposure, I think it is safe to say that percolation theory is more mathematically intensive and challenging than derivations based on the capillary bundle concept. For that reason, as we move forward (using percolation theory or any other alternative) we must carefully balance the need for theories that are based on internally-consistent concepts with the need for theories that can be understood and conceptualized by students and practitioners alike.
Overall, this article has made it abundantly clear that the field of soil physics has reached a point where many of the old assumptions must be re-investigated, re-analyzed, and re-worked in a more consistent manner. This represents a tremendous opportunity to all of us who work in the field of soil physics. I for one cannot wait to see how this re-envisioning plays out in the coming years and decades.
Reference:
Hunt, A. G., R. P. Ewing, and R. Horton (2013), What’s Wrong with Soil Physics?, Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., 77(6), 1877.