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Title: LAND USE EFFECTS ON SOIL QUALITY PARAMETERS FOR IDENTICAL SOIL TAXA

Author
item FESHA, I - AUBURN UNIV. PH.D STUD
item SHAW, J - AUBURN UNIVERSITY
item Reeves, Donald
item WOOD, C - AUBURN UNIVERSITY
item FENG, Y - AUBURN UNIVERSITY
item NORFLEET, M - NRCS
item VAN SANTEN, E - AUBURN UNIVERSITY

Submitted to: Southern Conservation Tillage for Sustainable Agriculture Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/24/2002
Publication Date: 6/24/2002
Citation: Fesha, I.G., Shaw, J.N., Reeves, D.W., Wood, C.W., Feng, Y., Norfleet, M.L., Van Santen, E. 2002. Land use effects on soil quality parameters for identical soil taxa. In: Van Santen, E., editor. Proceedings of the 25th Annual Southern Conservation Tillage Conference for Sustainable Agriculture - Making Conservation tillage Conventional: Building a Future on 25 Years of Research. Special Report no. 1, Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station and Auburn University, June 24-26, Auburn, Alabama. p. 349-353.

Interpretive Summary: The impact of land use systems on soil properties varies with soil types and land-use decision makers need information on how different uses affect soil quality. We measured soil quality indicators in the soil surface of two soil types in Alabama under land use systems of long term conventional and conservation tillage, pastureland, and woodland. In an Appalachian Plateau soil, conventional tillage had lower soil quality values for indicators involving soil organic matter, soil microbes, and soil water than the other use systems. Pastureland had higher soil compaction than other systems. Woodland had the highest soil organic matter and associated soil quality indicators. On a Coastal Plain soil, conventional and no-tillage systems had lower soil tilth indicators and lower soil microbe activity than woodland (pine trees) but conservation tillage had higher soil organic matter levels than woodland. Pastureland had higher soil-water associated indicators, soil microbial activity and organic matter than woodland. Conservation tillage had higher values for soil-water associated indicators, soil organic matter and soil microbe activity than conventional tillage. This information can be used by land owners and land-use decision makers to better manage soils in two major physiographic regions in the Southeast.

Technical Abstract: Near-surface or use-dependent soil properties are relatively dynamic and can change over a few years time. These manageable, use-dependent properties are critical to soil quality. We evaluated soil quality differences due to land use in taxonomically identical soils; a Typic Hapludult and a Typic Paleudult. Land uses were long term conventional and conservation tillage, pastureland, and woodland areas. Properties measured included: bulk density (Db), water stable aggregates (WSA), saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ksat), soil water retention (SWR), soil strength, water dispersible clay (WDC), soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (TN), and soil microbial biomass C. For the Typic Hapludult, conventional tillage had lower values of WSA, SWR, SOC, TN, and soil microbial biomass C compared to other systems. WSA in conventional tillage were 28, 25, and 24% lower than pastureland, woodland, and conservation tillage, respectively. Similarly, SWR in the conventional tillage system was 19, 23, and 11% lower than pastureland, woodland, and the conservation tillage system, respectively. Pastureland had higher WSA, Db, and soil strength. Woodland had the highest SOC, TN, microbial biomass C, and Ksat. On the Typic Paleudult, conventional and no-tillage systems had lower WSA, WDC, and microbial biomass C, and higher Db, SWR, compared to woodland. Pastureland had higher SWR, SOC, TN, and soil microbial biomass C than woodland. Conservation tillage had higher WSA, SWR, TOC, TN, and microbial biomass C and lower Ksat, and WDC compared to conventional tillage. WSA in conventional tillage were 14, 26, and 12% lower than pastureland, woodland, and the conservation tillage, respectively. In addition, woodland had lower values of SOC and TN compared to the pastureland and conservation tillage. In general, intensive soil cultivation resulted in reduced soil quality at both sites.