Earth and Environmental Sciences Poster Session
Contribution of Land Use and Topography on the Changes of Soil Properties
Academic Level at Time of Presentation
Senior
Major
Agriculture Science
List all Project Mentors & Advisor(s)
I. P. Handayani
Presentation Format
Poster Presentation
Abstract/Description
CONTRIBUTION OF LAND USE AND TOPOGRAPHY ON THE CHANGES OF SOIL PROPERTIES
Matthew Fowler and I.P. Handayani
Hutson School of Agriculture, Murray State University, Kentucky, USA ABSTRACT
When considering land management strategies for agricultural uses, it is important to take into account the spatial variability within soils. Two important factors that must be considered is topography and land use, since both influence soil properties even when the same management strategies are used. This study’s objective was to compare soil properties under the different land uses, topographies, and similar and dissimilar soil types at the soil series level. The study used soil samples from agricultural areas in Boyle and Marion counties in Kentucky. The agricultural land use types in the study were pasture fields, hayfields, and cultivated fields. To record topographic variability, each land use type had 3 sample sites to represent high, medium, and low slopes. As a reference, to illustrate the effect of differing land management strategies, high, medium, and low slope wooded sample sites were included in the study to compare to the agricultural areas. At the surface (0-7.5 cm) soil compaction was highest in pasture fields (especially high and low slope topographies) and the wooded medium slope. The medium slope areas across all land uses were found to generally contain higher concentrations of soil organic carbon. The cultivated fields were found to contain the lowest concentrations of organic carbon, with the exception of the medium slope sample site. With the exception of the low slope hayfield, all other sample sites had higher organic carbon concentrations than the cultivated field sites. This study illustrates the need for land managers to consider prior land use and topographic features when considering land management strategies.
Keywords: Compaction, Kentucky, land use, slope, soil organic carbon
Location
Waterfield Gallery
Start Date
November 2021
End Date
November 2021
Fall Scholars Week 2021 Event
EES Poster Session
Contribution of Land Use and Topography on the Changes of Soil Properties
Waterfield Gallery
CONTRIBUTION OF LAND USE AND TOPOGRAPHY ON THE CHANGES OF SOIL PROPERTIES
Matthew Fowler and I.P. Handayani
Hutson School of Agriculture, Murray State University, Kentucky, USA ABSTRACT
When considering land management strategies for agricultural uses, it is important to take into account the spatial variability within soils. Two important factors that must be considered is topography and land use, since both influence soil properties even when the same management strategies are used. This study’s objective was to compare soil properties under the different land uses, topographies, and similar and dissimilar soil types at the soil series level. The study used soil samples from agricultural areas in Boyle and Marion counties in Kentucky. The agricultural land use types in the study were pasture fields, hayfields, and cultivated fields. To record topographic variability, each land use type had 3 sample sites to represent high, medium, and low slopes. As a reference, to illustrate the effect of differing land management strategies, high, medium, and low slope wooded sample sites were included in the study to compare to the agricultural areas. At the surface (0-7.5 cm) soil compaction was highest in pasture fields (especially high and low slope topographies) and the wooded medium slope. The medium slope areas across all land uses were found to generally contain higher concentrations of soil organic carbon. The cultivated fields were found to contain the lowest concentrations of organic carbon, with the exception of the medium slope sample site. With the exception of the low slope hayfield, all other sample sites had higher organic carbon concentrations than the cultivated field sites. This study illustrates the need for land managers to consider prior land use and topographic features when considering land management strategies.
Keywords: Compaction, Kentucky, land use, slope, soil organic carbon