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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Kimberly, Idaho » Northwest Irrigation and Soils Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #413944
Research Project: Developing Resilient Irrigated Cropping Systems in Concentrated Dairy Production Areas of the Semi-arid West

Location: Northwest Irrigation and Soils Research

Title: Soil health indicators reveal that past dairy manure applications create a legacy effect

Author
item Tarkalson, David
item Rogers, Christopher
item Bjorneberg, David - Dave
item Dungan, Robert - Rob

Submitted to: Agricultural & Environmental Letters
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/2/2024
Publication Date: 4/29/2024
Citation: Tarkalson, D.D., Rogers, C.W., Bjorneberg, D.L., Dungan, R.S. 2024. Soil health indicators reveal that past dairy manure applications create a legacy effect. Agricultural & Environmental Letters. 9(1). Article e20128. https://doi.org/10.1002/ael2.20128.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/ael2.20128

Interpretive Summary: Understanding the long-term effects of manure applications on soil biological measurements in agricultural systems receiving animal manure in semiarid climates is important. From 2004 to 2009, dairy manure solids were applied to research plots. Soil surface samples were taken from the plots in the spring of 2020, 11 years after manure applications ceased. In general, soil organic carbon, biological indicators were significantly greater in the manure and no-manure treatments. Therefore, it is evident that manure applications had a long-term or legacy effect (at least 11 years post manure application) on soil properties, especially those related to nutrient cycling.

Technical Abstract: Understanding the long-term effects of manure applications on soil biological measurements in agricultural systems receiving animal manure in semiarid climates is important. From 2004 to 2009, dairy manure solids were applied to plots at rates of 0, 134, and 237 dry Mg/ha. The study was a randomized complete block with three replicates. Soil samples were taken from each manure rate in the spring of 2020 at 0-15 and 15-30 cm. Eleven years after manure applications ceased, many of the soil chemical and biological indicators were different between the manure and control treatments. In general, soil organic carbon (SOC), biological indicators were significantly greater in the 134 Mg/ha and 237 Mg/ha treatments as compared to the 0 Mg/ha. Therefore, it is evident that manure applications had a long-term or legacy effect (at least 11 years post manure application) on soil properties, especially those related to nutrient cycling.