The Effects of Urban and Rural Management on Soil Quality
Academic Level at Time of Presentation
Senior
Major
Agricultural Education
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Hutson School of Agriculture at MSU
Presentation Format
Poster Presentation
Abstract/Description
The purpose of this study was to evaluate soil quality under different rural and urban management practices. Soil samples from rural areas in KY were collected from a woods plot, a no-till plot, and a till plot. Urban samples were taken from an animal shelter, a middle school, and a high school in Memphis, TN. The soil samples from the rural areas were taken from a depth interval of 0-7cm and 7-15cm. Urban samples were taken from the A Horizon. The samples were analyzed for organic carbon (SOC), particulate organic matter (POM-C), macroaggregates, pH, macroporosity and soil water holding capacity (SWHC) and soil water content at field capacity (SWFC). The results show that soil management practices affect soil properties, however the magnitude of the effect differs. The pH in both depths for the rural areas were from 4.5 to 5.8. The pH in urban soil ranged from 5.3 to 7.8. The SOC in the woodlands ranged from 4 to 6%, the till plot varied from 4.5 to 4.6%, the no till ranged from 3 to 3.5%, and the urban areas ranged from 1.9 to 4.7%. The lowest POM-C was in the urban soils (0.9%) and the highest was in the woodlands (5.1%). The SWHC ranged from 55 to 75%, the SWFC varied from 30 to 50%, and the macroporosity (noncapillary pores) ranged from 48 to 69% across rural and urban areas. In conclusion, the urban soils were determined to be more sensitive to erosion and compaction than rural soils.
Spring Scholars Week 2019 Event
Sigma Xi Poster Competition (Juried)
The Effects of Urban and Rural Management on Soil Quality
The purpose of this study was to evaluate soil quality under different rural and urban management practices. Soil samples from rural areas in KY were collected from a woods plot, a no-till plot, and a till plot. Urban samples were taken from an animal shelter, a middle school, and a high school in Memphis, TN. The soil samples from the rural areas were taken from a depth interval of 0-7cm and 7-15cm. Urban samples were taken from the A Horizon. The samples were analyzed for organic carbon (SOC), particulate organic matter (POM-C), macroaggregates, pH, macroporosity and soil water holding capacity (SWHC) and soil water content at field capacity (SWFC). The results show that soil management practices affect soil properties, however the magnitude of the effect differs. The pH in both depths for the rural areas were from 4.5 to 5.8. The pH in urban soil ranged from 5.3 to 7.8. The SOC in the woodlands ranged from 4 to 6%, the till plot varied from 4.5 to 4.6%, the no till ranged from 3 to 3.5%, and the urban areas ranged from 1.9 to 4.7%. The lowest POM-C was in the urban soils (0.9%) and the highest was in the woodlands (5.1%). The SWHC ranged from 55 to 75%, the SWFC varied from 30 to 50%, and the macroporosity (noncapillary pores) ranged from 48 to 69% across rural and urban areas. In conclusion, the urban soils were determined to be more sensitive to erosion and compaction than rural soils.