Earth and Environmental Sciences Poster Session

Contribution of Land Use and Topography on the Changes of Soil Properties

Presenter Information

Matthew FowlerFollow

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

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Nov 19th, 1:30 PM Nov 19th, 3:30 PM

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