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ARS Home » Plains Area » Bushland, Texas » Conservation and Production Research Laboratory » Soil and Water Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #170201
Title: SOIL CONSERVATION

Author
item UNGER, PAUL - USDA-ARS RETIRED
item Fryrear, Donald
item Lindstrom, Michael

Submitted to: Dryland Agriculture Book
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/15/2006
Publication Date: 10/15/2006
Citation: Unger, P.W., Fryrear, D.W., Lindstrom, M.J. 2006. Soil conservation. In: Peterson, G.A., Unger, P.W., Payne, W.A., editors. Dryland Agriculture. American Society of Agronomy Monograph Series No. 23. Madison, WI:American Society of Agronomy. p. 87-112.

Interpretive Summary: A large part of the food and fiber used by humans and feed needed for animals is produced under dryland conditions where precipitation is low and the crops usually suffer due to a lack of water at some time during their growing season. Because more food is needed for the increasing world population, water is limited for irrigation in some regions, and there is competition for water among agricultural, urban, industrial, and recreational users in some regions, there is a need to maintain the current level or achieve even greater production under dryland conditions in many regions. To accomplish this, the soil must be managed to remain productive, which involves reducing or preventing soil erosion by wind, water, or tillage. In this chapter, we discussed how erosion occurs and consequences of the erosion; the means for controlling erosion; and research needed to achieve improved erosion control. Wind erosion can be controlled by keeping plants or crop residues on the surface or by keeping the soil surface ridged or with clods on the surface. Water erosion can be controlled by having plants or crop residues on the surface that intercept raindrops and reduce the rate at which water flows across the surface. Some tillage methods, terraces, or other practices that keep water on the land or slow the rate at which water flows across the surface also help control water erosion. To control tillage erosion, a change in how the land is managed usually is needed. This information should be of interest to scientists, agricultural extension workers, producers, educators, students, and the general public.

Technical Abstract: Crop production under dryland conditions, namely, where precipitation is limited and crops usually experience water stress at some time during the growing season, accounts for a significant portion of the food and fiber products used by humans and the feed needed for animals. Emphasis is increasing for maintaining the level or even achieving greater production under dryland conditions in many regions because of the increased production needed for an ever-increasing world population; limited water for irrigation in some regions; and competition for water among agricultural, urban, industrial, and recreational users in some regions. To accomplish this, soil resources must be managed to sustain productivity, which entails reducing or preventing soil erosion due to wind, water, and tillage. Our goal for this chapter was to discuss the processes and consequences of erosion; principles, practices, and techniques for controlling erosion; and to identify research needed to achieve improved erosion control. To achieve this goal, we relied heavily on the literature dealing with soil conservation in dryland regions. Wind erosion can be controlled by vegetative materials on the surface (for example, crop residues) or a ridged or cloddy soil surface that maintains wind speed at the surface below the threshold value needed to initiate soil movement. Water erosion can be controlled by plants or residues on the surface that intercept raindrops and reduce the water flow rate across the surface, or by tillage methods, terraces, or other practices that prevent or reduce the rate of water flow across the surface. Reducing tillage erosion requires a change in land management. The information provided should be of interest to research scientists, extension personnel, producers, educators, students, and the general public.