Skip to main content
ARS Home » Northeast Area » Ithaca, New York » Robert W. Holley Center for Agriculture & Health » Plant, Soil and Nutrition Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #169184
Title: A SURVEY OF SOIL ATTRIBUTES IN NORTH DAKOTA BY LANDSCAPE POSITION

Author
item FRANZEN, D.W. - NORTH DAKOTA ST. UNIV
item NANNA, T. - NORTH DAKOTA ST. UNIV
item Norvell, Wendell

Submitted to: Agronomy Journal
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/18/2006
Publication Date: 5/15/2006
Citation: Franzen, D., Nanna, T., Norvell, W.A. 2006. A survey of soil attributes in north dakota by landscape position. Agronomy Journal. 98:1015-1022.

Interpretive Summary: A land survey of soil attributes can provide valuable information regarding the approximate geographical location and magnitude of important soil characteristics. In the past, many surveys overlooked the effects of landscape position on soil characteristics, even though landscape position can have a large influence on some attributes. While results for any randomly selected location may accurately characterize a particular site, they may not provide reasonable estimates for results typical of other areas of the field, particularly in areas differing in landscape position. In this survey, surface soil samples were collected from two or three fields within each of the 53 counties of North Dakota in 1996. Within each field, soils were collected at three different landscape positions. One sample was taken from an upland position, one from a slope and one from a depressional position. Each field was georeferenced using a differentially corrected GPS receiver. The samples were analyzed for soil pH and available forms of five elements (DTPA-extractable Cu, Zn, and Cd; hot-water soluble B; water soluble Se). Geostatistical analysis and mapping showed distinct regional patterns for all soil factors. Concentrations of DTPA-extractable metals were linked to landscape position, increasing substantially in downslope positions. On the other hand, water extractable B and Se showed little association with landscape position. The highest levels of DTPA-extractable Cd and soluble Se were found in the center portion of the state, but levels were not high enough to cause health concerns for humans or livestock. The results and maps from this survey show, first, that there is a general tendency for certain areas within the state to be higher or lower in the estimated availability of certain elements to plants; and second, that large within-field differences will be found at different landscape positions for some elements. Thus, useful surveys of soil characteristics must consider both major geographic trends and much more localized variation linked to the field landscape.

Technical Abstract: A land survey of soil attributes can provide valuable information regarding the approximate geographical location and magnitude of important soil characteristics. In the past, many surveys overlooked the effects of landscape position on soil characteristics, even though landscape position can have a large influence on some attributes. While results for any randomly selected location may be characteristic for the site, the results may not provide reasonable estimates for other parts of the field, particularly in areas differing in landscape position. In this survey, surface soil samples were collected from two or three fields within each of the 53 counties of North Dakota in 1996. Within each field, soils were collected at three different landscape positions. One sample was taken from an upland position, one from a slope and one from a depressional position. Each field was georeferenced using a differentially corrected GPS receiver. The 156 samples were analyzed for soil pH (11 in water) and available forms of five elements (DTPA-extractable Cu, Zn, and Cd; hot-water soluble B; water soluble Se). Geostatistical analysis (GS+ 5.1) and mapping (ArcView 8.3) showed distinct regional patterns for all soil factors. Concentrations of DTPA-extractable metals were linked to landscape position, increasing substantially in downslope positions. On the other hand, water extractable B and Se showed little association with landscape position. The highest levels of DTPA-extractable Cd and soluble Se were found in the center portion of the state, but levels were not high enough to cause health concerns for humans or livestock. The results and maps from this survey show, first, that there is a general tendency for certain areas within the state to be higher or lower in the estimated availability of certain elements to plants; and second, that large within-field differences will be found at different landscape positions for some elements. Thus, useful surveys of soil characteristics must consider both major geographic trends and the much more localized variation linked to the field landscape.