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Effect of Effluent from Beef Feedlots on the Physical and Chemical Properties of Soil
Author(s) -
Hinrichs D. G.,
Mazurak A. P.,
Swanson N. P.
Publication year - 1974
Publication title -
soil science society of america journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.836
H-Index - 168
eISSN - 1435-0661
pISSN - 0361-5995
DOI - 10.2136/sssaj1974.03615995003800040035x
Subject(s) - effluent , loam , irrigation , sorghum , environmental science , leaching (pedology) , hydraulic conductivity , bulk density , growing season , soil water , agronomy , soil science , environmental engineering , biology
Effluent from beef feedlots was applied as irrigation to a Colo silty clay loam soil in eastern Nebraska over a 2‐year period. Atlas sorghum [ Sorghum bicolor L. (Moench.)] was grown in 1971 and 1972. Weekly irrigations applied during the growing season were: no effluent or water, 2.5 cm water from creek, 5.0 cm water from creek, 2.5 cm effluent, and 5.0 cm effluent. Surface soil samples were taken just before, midway, and at the end of each irrigation season. The effluent applications produced no statistically significant differences in soil bulk density, water‐retention characteristics, or size distribution of particles and water‐stable aggregates. Significant differences were measured in the hydraulic conductivities of disturbed soil samples. The effluent reduced the permeability of soil. The electrical conductivities and Na + , K + , and Cl ‐ in the leachates obtained from hydraulic conductivity determinations for the effluent‐treated plots increased during the growing season. However, leaching from winter rains essentially eliminated these increases except for K + which was greatly reduced.