ARS | Publication request: AN INTEGRATED APPROACH TO MODELING MULTIPLE IMPACTS OF CROPPING SYSTEMS MANAGEMENT

Submitted to: ASA-CSSA-SSSA Annual Meeting Abstracts
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: November 6, 2005
Publication Date: November 6, 2005
Citation: Kludze, H.K., Archer, D.W. 2005. An integrated approach to modeling multiple impacts of cropping systems management [abstract][CD-ROM]. ASA-CSSA-SSSA Annual Meeting Abstracts. ASA-CSSA-SSSA Annual Meeting. Nov. 6-10, 2005, Salt Lake City, UT.

Technical Abstract: There has been an increasing call for managing soil organic matter (SOM) in recent times because of its direct impact on crop productivity, soil quality and climate change. Many believe that by converting conventional tillage to more environmentally-friendly alternatives which conserve SOM, the agricultural sector can shift from net sources to net sinks of organic carbon in soils. However, the emphasis on conservation and environmental issues of tillage adoption may not meet the interests of agricultural producers who are mainly concerned with profitability. The analysis of trade-offs between economic and environmental impacts of alternative tillage practices, therefore, requires a knowledge of interrelationships and feedbacks between economic and soil organic matter systems over time. A general modeling framework is being developed to evaluate the effect of cropping system management on the interactions between profitability and SOM across the US. Initial results for a single site from the linked model will be presented. [GRACEnet Publication]