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ARS Home » Plains Area » Lincoln, Nebraska » Agroecosystem Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #149866
Title: ASSESSMENT OF CROPPING SYSTEM EFFECTS ON SOIL QUALITY IN THE GREAT PLAINS: INTRODUCTION

Author
item Varvel, Gary
item Riedell, Walter
item DEIBERT, E - NORTH DAK STATE U
item MCCONKEY, B - AGFOOD,SWFTCUR CANA
item Tanaka, Donald
item Vigil, Merle
item Schwartz, Robert

Submitted to: Proceedings from Dynamic Cropping Systems: Prinicples, Processes, and Challenges
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/15/2003
Publication Date: 8/4/2003
Citation: VARVEL, G.E., RIEDELL, W.E., DEIBERT, E., MCCONKEY, B., TANAKA, D.L., VIGIL, M.F., SCHWARTZ, R.C. ASSESSMENT OF CROPPING SYSTEM EFFECTS ON SOIL QUALITY IN THE GREAT PLAINS: INTRODUCTION. Proceedings from Dynamic Cropping Systems: Prinicples, Processes, and Challenges. pp. 197-204. 2003.

Interpretive Summary: Soils serve a multitude of functions and play an important role in environmental quality through interactions with the hydrosphere and the atmosphere. Long-term studies are usually required to compare management effects on the soil resource to make soil quality assessments. This requirement exists because of the effect annual variations in weather have on the system and also because we are often trying to detect changes in the value of large pools exhibiting spatial variability. In protocols established by the Great Plains Cropping System Network in 1998, sampling and testing procedures were selected to identify components or fractions of larger pools that are responsive to management that may serve as indicators of changes in the larger pool, which would be useful in assessing the effect management practices have on the soil resource. Several existing long-term studies are available in the region and these locations and the selected conventional and alternative treatments selected for soil quality assessments are described in the paper. Grain and stover yield data for the selected conventional and alternative treatments and precipitation and temperature data are presented for each location. These data are critical components for explaining the presence or lack of changes in soil quality indicators presented in the other assessment papers in the symposium.

Technical Abstract: Soils serve a multitude of functions and play an important role in environmental quality through interactions with the hydrosphere and the atmosphere. Long-term studies are usually required to compare management effects on the soil resource to make soil quality assessments. This requirement exists because of the effect annual variations in weather have on the system and also because we are often trying to detect changes in the value of large pools exhibiting spatial variability. In protocols established by the Great Plains Cropping System Network in 1998, sampling and testing procedures were selected to identify components or fractions of larger pools that are responsive to management that may serve as indicators of changes in the larger pool, which would be useful in assessing the effect management practices have on the soil resource. Several existing long-term studies are available in the region and these locations and the selected conventional and alternative treatments selected for soil quality assessments are described in the paper. Precipitation, temperature, and yield data for each location are also presented.