Soil structure rehabilitation of arable soil degraded by compaction
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Published source details
Langmaack M., Schrader S., Rapp-Bernhardt U. & Kotzke K. (2002) Soil structure rehabilitation of arable soil degraded by compaction. Geoderma, 105, 141-152.
Published source details Langmaack M., Schrader S., Rapp-Bernhardt U. & Kotzke K. (2002) Soil structure rehabilitation of arable soil degraded by compaction. Geoderma, 105, 141-152.
Actions
This study is summarised as evidence for the following.
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Control traffic and traffic timing Action Link |
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Change tillage practices Action Link |
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Control traffic and traffic timing
A controlled before-and-after trial in 1995-1997 on a loamy silt soil in Lower Saxony, Germany (Langmaack et al. 2002) found 70-85% more soil pores in unwheeled compared to soil compacted by heavy machinery. Earthworms Lumbricus terrestris were not affected by compaction. Burrows made by earthworms Aporrectodea caliginosa were still lower in length (9 mm/g/day), volume (68 mm3/g/day), and windiness (17%) compared to uncompacted soil two years after the compaction event. One part of the field was compacted six times in spring 1995 by repeated wheeling by heavy four-wheel-drive machinery with a 5 Mg wheel load, the other, uncompacted. Undisturbed soil monoliths (a vertical sample showing several soil horizons) were taken from fields in 1997 under conventional tillage or conservation tillage. X-ray computed 2D images were used to analyse soil structure.
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Change tillage practices
A site comparison study in 1995-1997 of compaction on a loamy silt soil in Lower Saxony, Germany (Langmaack et al. 2002), found that neither of the two earthworm species studied were affected by changes in tillage. Lumbricus terrestris was not affected by compaction. Compared to uncompacted soil, burrows made by earthworm species Aporrectodea caliginosa were still lower in length (9 mm/g/day), volume (68 mm3/g/day), and windiness (17%) two years later due to the compaction event. One part of the field was compacted six times in spring 1995 by repeated wheeling by heavy four-wheel-drive machinery with a 5 Mg wheel load, the other part was uncompacted. Undisturbed soil monoliths were taken from fields in 1997 under conventional tillage or conservation tillage. X-ray computed 2D images were used to analyse soil structure.
