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Spatial and Temporal Variability of Soil Physical Properties Following Tillage of Norfolk Loamy Sand
Author(s) -
Cassel D. K.
Publication year - 1983
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/sssaj1983.03615995004700020004x
Subject(s) - loam , tillage , hydraulic conductivity , bulk density , soil science , environmental science , seeding , plough , ultisol , spatial variability , soil water , soil structure , agronomy , hydrology (agriculture) , mathematics , geology , biology , statistics , geotechnical engineering
Primary and secondary tillage practices are used to control weeds, incorporate soil amendments, and establish conditions favorable for root growth. Field data showing the degree to which various soil physical properties are altered by and following tillage are rare. This study was designed to evaluate spatial and temporal changes for nine soil physical properties following tillage and planting of Norfolk loamy sand (Typic Paleudult). The soil was moldboard plowed 25 cm deep 1 month prior to seeding. It was disked three times prior to seeding soybeans [ Glycine max (L.) Merr.] on 16 May 1977. The following physical properties were evaluated on 16 May (after seeding), 3 June, and 8 July 1977: bulk density ( D b ), weight percent soil water ( P w ), cone index (CI), total porosity ( P ), macroporosity ( M ), saturated hydraulic conductivity ( K sat ), and soil water characteristic at soil water pressures of −0.4, −1.0, and −10.0 kPa. All properties were measured within the 0‐ to 14‐, 14‐ to 28‐, and 28‐ to 41‐cm depth increments for three positions: row (R), trafficked interrow (TI), and nontrafficked interrow (I). Temporal and spatial variations in soil physical properties after seeding were limited primarily to the 0‐ to 14‐cm depth. For the 0‐ to 14‐cm depth, of the nine soil properties examined, six underwent significant temporal variation; all nine had significant temporal (date) × position interactions. Within this depth, D b and CI were significantly greater and P and M were significantly smaller for position TI compared with positions R and I. Small significant differences in K sat were found even though difficulty was encountered in measuring it for this nearly structureless loamy sand at low D b .