Academic Level at Time of Presentation
Senior
Major
Crop & Soil Management
Minor
Biology
List all Project Mentors & Advisor(s)
Iin P. Handayani
Presentation Format
Poster Presentation
Abstract/Description
It has long been known that cultivation in agroecological systems disrupts inherent soil attributes that support soil health. Soil health can be defined as the continued capacity of soil to function as a vital living ecosystem that sustains plants, animals, and humans – but is soil health a blanket concept? This research intended to address health gaps in production systems – corn-soy rotation (CS) and restored utility-prairie (UP) – based on USDA taxonomic classifications. The quality of soil is generally reported in terms of physicochemical and biological indicators. By examining same soil series in adjacent land management systems, those indicators were used to delineate physical management-induced differences (phenoforms) in one geological setting. The series tested were Zanesville Silt Loam (ZSL) with 6-12% slope, Belknap Silt Loam (BSL), occasionally flooded with 0-2% slope, and Hosmer Silt Loam (HSL) which is upland from both, 2-6% slope. Organic matter (OM) in UP was greater in ZSL (6.28%) and BSL (5.07%) but negligible between CS & UP (6.05% & 5.97%, respectively). When compared to the CS system, bulk density (BD) was higher in ZSL of UP (1.65), but much lower in BSL and HSL (1.47 and 1.49, respectively). On the surface, differences seem minimal, but when compared to individual taxonomy, differences become more significant. Better understanding of soil heath indicators in individual soil series can improve awareness of soil functionality in agronomic practices.
Keywords: organic matter, restorative practices, silt loam, soil health indicators, utility prairie
Fall Scholars Week 2026
Research Poster Competition and Presentations, Soil/Crop Management (Agriculture) and Sustainability
Included in
Comparing Soil Health Indicators between Corn-Soy Production and Restored Utility-Prairie Systems
It has long been known that cultivation in agroecological systems disrupts inherent soil attributes that support soil health. Soil health can be defined as the continued capacity of soil to function as a vital living ecosystem that sustains plants, animals, and humans – but is soil health a blanket concept? This research intended to address health gaps in production systems – corn-soy rotation (CS) and restored utility-prairie (UP) – based on USDA taxonomic classifications. The quality of soil is generally reported in terms of physicochemical and biological indicators. By examining same soil series in adjacent land management systems, those indicators were used to delineate physical management-induced differences (phenoforms) in one geological setting. The series tested were Zanesville Silt Loam (ZSL) with 6-12% slope, Belknap Silt Loam (BSL), occasionally flooded with 0-2% slope, and Hosmer Silt Loam (HSL) which is upland from both, 2-6% slope. Organic matter (OM) in UP was greater in ZSL (6.28%) and BSL (5.07%) but negligible between CS & UP (6.05% & 5.97%, respectively). When compared to the CS system, bulk density (BD) was higher in ZSL of UP (1.65), but much lower in BSL and HSL (1.47 and 1.49, respectively). On the surface, differences seem minimal, but when compared to individual taxonomy, differences become more significant. Better understanding of soil heath indicators in individual soil series can improve awareness of soil functionality in agronomic practices.
Keywords: organic matter, restorative practices, silt loam, soil health indicators, utility prairie