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ARS Home » Plains Area » Las Cruces, New Mexico » Range Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #163130
Title: FIELD APPLICATION OF THE PORTABLE SOIL PENETROMETER AND THE SOIL EROSION BRIDGE

Author
item Herrick, Jeffrey - Jeff
item ALEXANDER, JACK - SYNERGY RESOURCE SOLUTION
item KLUCK, JULIA - SYNERGY RESOURCE SOLUTION

Submitted to: Society for Range Management Meeting Abstracts
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/15/2004
Publication Date: 1/25/2004
Citation: HERRICK, J.E., ALEXANDER, J.D., KLUCK, J. FIELD APPLICATION OF THE PORTABLE SOIL PENETROMETER AND THE SOIL EROSION BRIDGE. 57TH ANNUAL MEETING, SOCIETY FOR RANGE MANAGEMENT. 2004. ABSTRACT NO. 141.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Two portable soil monitoring tools were developed to increase efficiency and repeatability of soil density and soil erosion measurements. The soil penetrometer is well suited for measuring soil density in the highly compacted range soils of the western United States. Soil density is measured by the number of strokes needed to push the penetrometer a certain distance in the soil. Constant weight and falling height insure the repeatability of the method. The soil erosion bridge measures the depth of soil eroded in a certain time period by comparing the position of metal rods on two digital images. The digital images are taken with a camera mounted onto the soil erosion bridge to ensure an exact position. Each of these commercially available devices has been refined to be carried and used by one person. This paper details the field application, data collection, and suggested protocol of the penetrometer and the soil erosion bridge.