Management impacts on soil nutrients and microbial dynamics in the southern plains agricultural systems

Authors: Peterson-Munks, Brekke; RIVERA ZAYAS, JOHANIE - Kansas State University; RICE, CHARLES - Kansas State University; Steiner, Jean

Submitted to: Grazinglands Research Laboratory Miscellaneous Publication
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/2/2018
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Abstract only

Technical Abstract: Data presented from various studies across Oklahoma and Kansas concerning soil microbial community and conditions that alter these populations. Study one was to determine how drought altered microbial populations in soil at the Konza Prairie and three locations in Oklahoma in 2016. Overall microbes in native grasslands of Oklahoma are resilient to drought conditions, were monoculture grasslands and the Konza Prairie experienced changes in gram negative and positive values pre and post drought. The second study assessed the effect of tillage disturbance on soil microbial populations along a disturbance transect from non-disturbed to heavily disturbed soils. Results indicated that microbial populations decreased after disturbance, however, arbuscular mycorrhizae are altered greatly to the presents of canola (B. rapa) in rotation with winter wheat rather than tillage. The third study assessed the effects of fire on soil microbes in native prairie and monoculture grasslands of the Southern Plains. Fire showed to have a considerable effect on decreasing soil microbial community population size quickly after the fire started. In particular arbuscular mycorrhizae was very slow to recover post fire. Overall, microbes are greatly affected by “unnatural” disturbance. Native prairie is move resilient to drought and fire compared to monoculture pasture lands. As suspected the practice of tillage greatly altered soil microbial community structure.