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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Pendleton, Oregon » Columbia Plateau Conservation Research Center » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #61010
Title: ESTIMATING RESIDUE DECOMPOSITION WITH THE D3R MODEL

Author
item Douglas Jr, Clyde
item Rickman, Ronald
item Waldman, Sue

Submitted to: Plant Litter Quality and Decomposition International Conference
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/17/1995
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Residue management is a very important tool when attempting to control soil erosion by wind and water. One aspect of residue management that is often omitted from management decisions is the amount and rate of residue loss to microbial decomposition. Results from experiments at Pendleton, OR, indicate that decomposition rates are related to residue placement and original N content. A model "D3R" was developed to estimate residue decomposition as a function of initial N content of the residue, cumulative degree days calculated from daily maximum and minimum air temperatures, and a moisture coefficient based on a combination of residue placement and crop rotation. The model also determines the amount of residue incorporated with different tillage implements and tracks residue loss both on and below the soil surface. Model comparison with decomposition of a number of crops at different locations across Canada and the United States, including Alaska, gives a degree of fit ranging from 76 to 99%, with most greater than 95%.