Kosteuserot

Kosteuserot is a term used in Finnish hydrology and soil science to describe spatial differences in soil moisture content within a landscape or within a soil profile. The word combines kosteus (moisture) and erot (differences). In practice, kosteuserot refer to how moisture availability varies between sites, soil layers or horizons, as a result of the interaction of climate, soil properties and land cover. The main drivers are precipitation distribution, evaporation and transpiration, soil texture and structure, drainage conditions, groundwater proximity, topography, and vegetation.

Kosteuserot are quantified by measuring soil moisture through volumetric water content and matric potential, using methods such as gravimetric sampling, soil moisture sensors (tensiometers, capacitance probes, time-domain reflectometry or neutron probes), and occasionally remote sensing techniques. In field surveys, differences can be observed between surface soils and deeper horizons, between upslope and downslope positions, or between areas with differing drainage or organic matter content.

The concept is important for agriculture, ecology and water resources because moisture differences control plant water availability, drainage patterns, and microclimates. They influence irrigation planning, drought risk assessment, nutrient transport, erosion and landslide susceptibility, and ecosystem responses to climate variability.

See also: soil moisture, soil water potential, infiltration, drainage, evapotranspiration, rainfall interception. The term is primarily used in Finnish language texts and regional studies, but the underlying phenomenon is global in soil and hydrological science.