Soil, crop, and weed communities as affected by soil erosion and topsoil replacement in a Mollisol landform (a six-year soil-landscape rehabilitation study)

Authors: Schneider, Sharon; Sutradhar, Apurba; SCHUMACHER, THOMAS - South Dakota State University; LOBB, DAVID - University Of Manitoba

Submitted to: Ag Data Commons
Publication Type: Database / Dataset
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/19/2024
Publication Date: 3/19/2024
Citation: Schneider, S.K., Sutradhar, A.K., Schumacher, T.E., Lobb, D.A. 2024. Soil, crop, and weed communities as affected by soil erosion and topsoil replacement in a Mollisol landform (a six-year soil-landscape rehabilitation study) [dataset]. Ag Data Commons. https://doi.org/10.15482/USDA.ADC/25206968.v1.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.15482/USDA.ADC/25206968.v1

Interpretive Summary: Eroded landscapes have spatially-variable soil properties and spatially-variable crop and weed growth. Here, we publish a large data set that includes field measurements at two eroded sites, one in Minnesota and one in South Dakota. Data are from experiments in which soil erosion was remediated by moving eroded soil from where it accumulates (lower slope positions) to areas from which it originated (upper slope positions). We include a large number of plant and soil measurements as affected by landscape position, the amount of tillage and water erosion and replacement of translocated topsoil through soil-landscape rehabilitation. Data include pre-restoration soil properties, a digital elevation model, and tillage and water erosion estimates. Data reported after restoration include annual assessments of crop emergence, biomass and yield; soil physical, chemical, and biological properties; weed communities; and weather information. The Stevens County, MN site was a heavily eroded site while the Roberts County, SD site was moderately eroded. The data can be used to develop agronomic best management practices to improve crop production and to protect environmental and soil health. The data also could contribute to meta-analyses describing effects of erosion and soil-landscape rehabilitation (translocating soil from areas of net deposition to areas of net soil loss by erosion) on crop performance and changes in soil properties.

Technical Abstract: These data provide field measurements at two geographical sites of plant and soil as affected by (a) tillage and water erosion and (b) replacement of translocated topsoil through soil-landscape rehabilitation. Data include pre-restoration soil properties, a digital elevation model, and tillage and water erosion estimates. Data reported after restoration include annual assessments of crop emergence, biomass and yield; soil physical, chemical, and biological properties; weed communities; and weather information. The Stevens County, MN site was a heavily eroded site while the Roberts County, SD site was moderately eroded. The data can be used to develop agronomic best management practices to improve crop production and to protect environmental and soil health. The data also could contribute to meta-analyses describing effects of erosion and soil-landscape rehabilitation (translocating soil from areas of net deposition to areas of net soil loss by erosion) on crop performance and changes in soil properties.