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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Florence, South Carolina » Coastal Plain Soil, Water and Plant Conservation Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #262063
Title: Effect of soil organic carbon level on the erodibility of a U.S. Piedmont soil

Author
item SEDLOCK, J - North Carolina Agricultural And Technical State University
item RACZKOWSKI, C - North Carolina Agricultural And Technical State University
item REDDY, G - North Carolina Agricultural And Technical State University
item Busscher, Warren
item Bauer, Philip
item Franzluebbers, Alan

Submitted to: The 1890 Association of Research Directors Biennial Research Symposium
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/10/2011
Publication Date: 4/8/2011
Citation: Sedlock, J.S., Raczkowski, C.W., Reddy, G.B., Busscher, W.J., Bauer, P.J., Franzluebbers, A.J. 2011. Effect of soil organic carbon level on the erodibility of a U.S. Piedmont soil. In: Program and Abstracts of 1890 Association of Research Directors Biennial Research Symposium, April 9-13, 2011, Atlanta, Georgia. p. 146.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Intensive soil cultivation and high soil erosion has impoverished levels of soil organic carbon (SOC) in the southeastern U.S. Piedmont region. Sound soil management practices that build SOC levels are needed to reduce soil erodibility and restore soil quality. We studied the relationship of SOC content and soil erodibility using a Piedmont soil that has been managed for 7 years using key practices that build-up soil carbon levels, including winter cover cropping, the application of compost and the use of no tillage. The soil used, Enon sandy loam (fine, mixed, thermic, Ultic Hapludalf), was collected in June 2010 from the following treatments in a field study that began in 2003: (i) no tillage summer vegetable planting (NT0), (ii) fall applied poultry hatchery compost + winter rye-clover cover crop + no tillage summer vegetable planting (NT2), (iii) summer vegetable planting after disk tillage (DT0), and (iv) fall applied poultry hatchery compost + winter rye-clover cover crop + summer vegetable planting after disk tillage (DT2). A rainfall simulator was used to apply 75 mm/hr intensity rain for 1.5 h on a 1 m2 soil pan adjusted to a 9% gradient. Soil erodibility decreased with increasing SOC. The highest carbon level and lowest erodibility was obtained with the NT2 soil. The lowest carbon level and highest erodibility was obtained with the DT0 soil.