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Title: MULTI-SCALE SOIL RESOURCE EVALUATION USING THE SOIL MANAGEMENT ASSESSMENT FRAMEWORK (SMAF)

Author
item Cambardella, Cynthia
item ANDREWS, SUSAN - USDA-NRCS
item Moorman, Thomas

Submitted to: Soil and Water Conservation Society
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/28/2004
Publication Date: 7/28/2004
Citation: Cambardella, C.A., Andrews, S.S., Moorman, T.B. 2004. Multi-scale soil resource evaluation using the soil management assessment framework (SMAF)[abstract]. Soil and Water Conservation Society. Available: http://www.swcs.org/t_what2004confabstractsCONTACTS.htm

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Systems approaches and hierarchical organizational tools can be used to help scientists and managers develop adaptive soil resource management strategies. Our objective was to use one such organization tool, the soil management assessment framework (SMAF), to evaluate soil function at multiple spatial (watershed, field, and point scale) and temporal scales within an agricultural watershed in central Iowa. We randomly identified 21 potential soil sampling locations within each of twenty-eight, 680-acre sections within the watershed. We were able to obtain permission from the landowners to remove soil samples from a minimum of 5 locations from each section. Current land-use information was collected for each sampling site and the location was georeferenced using Global Positioning System (GPS) technology. Soil sampling grids (250 m x 250 m and 200 m x 500 m) were established at two fields within the watershed. One of the sampling grids was sampled every year after harvest for three years and the other sampling grid was sampled every month during the growing season for two sequential years. We collected soil samples from the watershed and field sampling sites to a depth of 15 cm and quantified a suite of soil biological, chemical, and physical properties. We used the SMAF tool to quantitatively evaluate soil quality and to develop soil quality indices at multiple spatial and temporal scales. The SMAF outcomes obtained for the various scales are compared and contrasted in this study.