Data from conservation practices induce tradeoffs in soil function: observations from the Northern Great Plains’

Authors: Liebig, Mark; Acosta-Martinez, Veronica; Archer, David; Halvorson, Jonathan; Hendrickson, John; Kronberg, Scott; SAMSON-LIEBIG, SUSAN - Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS, USDA); VETTER, JENNIFER - Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS, USDA)

Submitted to: Ag Data Commons
Publication Type: Database / Dataset
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/19/2022
Publication Date: 10/19/2022
Citation: Liebig, M.A., Acosta Martinez, V., Archer, D.W., Halvorson, J.J., Hendrickson, J.R., Kronberg, S.L., Samson-Liebig, S.E., Vetter, J.M. 2022. Data from conservation practices induce tradeoffs in soil function: observations from the Northern Great Plains’. Ag Data Commons. https://doi.org/10.15482/USDA.ADC/1528105.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.15482/USDA.ADC/1528105

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Cropland expansion and reduced crop rotation diversity throughout the northern Great Plains has negatively impacted soil quality, creating a need to identify conservation practices that can counteract this trend. A study was conducted to quantify soil property responses to crop diversity/intensity, cover crops, and livestock integration under controlled experimental conditions, and land use (dryland cropping, native grassland, untilled pasture) on working farms and ranches, all on a common soil type in southcentral North Dakota, USA. Data from this study included near-surface (0-5 cm) measurements of soil physical, chemical, and biological properties over a 3-yr period for contrasting long-term experimental treatments at the USDA-ARS Northern Great Plains Research Laboratory, Mandan, North Dakota. Soil profile (0-100 cm) assessments of soil physical and chemical properties complemented near-surface measurements. Data were used to generate soil quality index scores using the Soil Management Assessment Framework. Annual spring wheat grain yields for experimental treatments complemented soils data. Similar evaluations were conducted on six on-farm sites in Emmons County, North Dakota, USA, but only for one year and without grain yield data. Data may be used to better understand soil property responses to cropland conservation practices and different land uses. Data are generally applicable to rainfed conditions under a semiarid Continental climate for Temvik-Wilton silt loams (fine silty, mixed, superactive, frigid Typic and Pachic Haplustolls) and associated soil types (i.e., Grassna, Linton, Mandan, and Williams).