Soil Quality Assessment of Tillage Impacts in Illinois

摘要: Successful soil quality assessment strategies are needed to improve our ability manage soils sustainably. Our objective was use a multivariate data set determine whether recent adoption of notillage (NT) practices had altered in Illinois. In 1995 and 1996, we sampled thirty-six farm fields under conventional tillage (CT) or NT relatively nondisturbed (ND) areas. Soils were Mollisols Alfisols. Tillage region affected 20 the 23 parameters characterized. Soil chemical less variable than biological physical measures. Principal component analysis (PCA) used assess overall. I (PC1) scores, which explained 39% total variance overall set, by (ND > CT) increased with particulate organic C N, activity, mineralizable wet aggregate stability, decreased bulk density dry mean weight diameter. The only significant factor contributing PC2 penetration resistance; 13% as follows: ≥ ND CT. Multivariate indicated improved condition (0-15 cm) despite consolidation. It also showed that those aspects influenced matter properties most agronomic practices. Particulate (POM) identified promising measure. A next step is environmental relevance refined measures conjunction processes regional concern.