System And Process For Integrative Computational Soil Mapping

An integrative computational soil mapping system and process that reduces the required number of soil property measurements without jeopardizing the statistical precision of the resulting digital soil maps. The integrative computational soil mapping system and process saves monetary resources and time by reducing the number of soil property measurements required to produce digital soil maps and by offering soil sample locations which capture the maximum amount of representativeness of the soil characteristics in a determined area. In addition, the inventive system and process are integrative computational soil mapping that utilize algorithms based on state-of-the-art computational statistics and machine learning methods for the production of digital soil property maps and also provides soil sampling locations to collect new soil property measurements. These soil property measurements can be used to update and potentially improve previous versions of digital soil property maps, produced by the computational process

System And Process For Integrative Computational Soil Mapping

An integrative computational soil mapping system and process that reduces the required number of soil property measurements without jeopardizing the statistical precision of the resulting digital soil maps. The integrative computational soil mapping system and process saves monetary resources and time by reducing the number of soil property measurements required to produce digital soil maps and by offering soil sample locations which capture the maximum amount of representativeness of the soil characteristics in a determined area. In addition, the inventive system and process are integrative computational soil mapping that utilize algorithms based on state-of-the-art computational statistics and machine learning methods for the production of digital soil property maps and also provides soil sampling locations to collect new soil property measurements. These soil property measurements can be used to update and potentially improve previous versions of digital soil property maps, produced by the computational process

Agronomic and Economic Productivity of Summer Annual Forage Systems Under Different Poultry Litter Application Methods

Poultry litter (litter) is a nutrient dense fertilizer that increases nutritive value and yield in pastures in the mid-southern US. Nutrient losses due to runoff and nitrogen volatilization are common when broadcasting litter. As such, incorporating litter below the soil surface (subsurface) was evaluated in comparison to broadcasting in 2021 and 2022 by quantifying yield and nutritive value of annual forages. The study was a randomized complete block design with three forage treatments—sorghum-sudangrass only (Sorghum bicolor L.), cowpea only (Vigna unguiculata L.), and their mixture, and three litter application methods (broadcast, subsurface, and a no litter control). Litter was applied in 2021 only as biennial application is common to save on application cost. Nutritive analyses included neutral detergent fiber and crude protein (CP). Partial budgeting led to relative profitability estimates by accounting for yield and cost differences across treatments. In comparison to the second-highest yielding forage mixture, sorghum-sudangrass yielded 4.5%–18.4% more regardless of litter application method. The forage mixture did not improve forage nutritive value, as cowpea were vastly outcompeted and did not average more than 5% of the total forage harvested in mixtures. Cowpea yields did not benefit from litter application. Subsurface application resulted in 8%–10% greater CP content compared to no litter and broadcast litter, respectively, across all forage species. Sorghum-sudangrass with subsurface applied litter earned nearly $70/acre more than sorghum-sudangrass with broadcast litter, the next highest treatment combination, and, with lesser nutrient loss

Caliche Soils as a Filter Medium for Treatment and Disposal of Wastewater

Through support from the Texas On-Site Wastewater Treatment Research Council, a project to search the literature relative to caliche materials as a medium for treatment and disposal of wastewater has been conducted. It was hypothesized before undertaking this effort that there would be a dearth of published and unpublished information on this subject. Specifically, the goals of the project were to: Provide a working definition of “caliche” in relation to treatment of wastewater. Perform a comprehensive literature review on the effectiveness of caliche soils as a bioremediation filter media in the treatment and disposal of wastewater. Develop recommendations for future research that would address issues identified above

Soil quality indices as affected by long-term burning, irrigation, tillage, and fertility management

Understanding the impacts of long-term agricultural practices on soil quality (SQ) is key for sustaining agroecosystem productivity. This study investigated conventional and no-tillage (NT), residue burning and no burning, residue level (high and low), and irrigation (irrigated and dryland) effects on soil properties, SQ, and crop yields following 16 yr of a wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)–soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] double-crop system via the Soil Management Assessment Framework (SMAF). A field experiment was conducted in the Lower Mississippi River Delta region on a silt-loam soil. Bulk density, soil organic C (SOC), total N (TN), pH, electrical conductivity (EC), and soil P and K from the 0- to 10-cm soil depth were used as SQ indicators investigated individually and as an overall soil quality index (SQI). Following 16 yr, residue burning reduced SOC (1.1%) compared with no burning (1.24%). Irrigation resulted in greater soil TN than dryland management systems (p \u3c 0.05). Reduced soil pH and extractable soil P and K occurred under NT, high residue, and irrigated treatments. Irrigation increased soybean yields, regardless of the tillage system. Burned, NT–high residue management increased wheat yields (3.45 Mg ha−1). Irrigation reduced SQ because of low EC and K scores. High residue reduced SQ compared with the low residue treatment within NT systems, owing to low pH scores. The SMAF indices identified the impacts of irrigation, NT, and optimal N fertilization on SQ. Monitoring of soil pH, P, and K may be needed to maintain SQ in long-term wheat–soybean systems

Soil quality assessment of an agroforestry system following long-term management in the Ozark Highlands

The Soil Management Assessment Framework (SMAF) is a quantitative soil quality (SQ) evaluation tool that is widely applied to assess soil response to specific agricultural management practices over time. Considering the reported SQ benefits of agroforestry (AF) systems and the potential usefulness of SMAF, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of tree species (pecan [Carya illinoinensis (Wangenh.) K. Koch] and northern red oak [Quercus rubra L.]), soil fertility source (poultry litter [PL] and inorganic N fertilizer [control]), and soil depth (0–15 and 15–30 cm) on SMAF-derived SQ indices after 17 yr of management at an AF site in northwest Arkansas. Averaged across soil depth, soil organic C scores under red oak with PL application had a lower score (0.48) than red oak fertilized with inorganic N (0.60) and pecan receiving long-term PL applications (0.60), which did not differ from pecan with inorganic N fertilizer application (0.51). Averaged across soil depth, the soil quality index (SQI) for pecan receiving PL applications was 1.1 times greater than that under red oak receiving PL and soils under pecan receiving inorganic N fertilizer. Soil quality assessments use in AF are novel, as SMAF has not been used to identify soil health in these systems, although specific tree crop codes need to be developed in SMAF. Results of this study demonstrate that soils planted under various tree species respond dissimilarly to fertilizer sources and that management may improve overall SQ

Economic and GHG Emissions Changes of Aeration and Gypsum Application

Alternative pasture management strategies are needed to ensure long-term ecological and economical use of abundantly available poultry litter as a source of valuable nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K). In combination with the common practice of broadcasting poultry litter and soil compaction from equipment and livestock traffic, pasture aeration offers the potential for added soil water penetration and reduced nutrient runoff by creating soil perforations ranging length from 5 to 15 cm using metal spikes that penetrate the soil to 15 cm depth. Also, the addition of gypsum can further reduce P runoff. We evaluate different pasture management scenarios that included gypsum application, spreading poultry litter, pasture aeration, or combinations thereof, to assess relative profitability, greenhouse gas (GHG) emission and nutrient runoff effects. Specifically, default values for nutrient runoff along with an evaluation framework as provided in decision support software, as attached, assist with the selection of field activities to perform to either enhance profitability by way of forage yield improvement or to estimate the cost of mitigating nutrient runoff or GHG emissions. Using Excel®\u27s VBA programming we develop a decision aid that collects relevant user-specific farm parameters and literature-based default values on nutrient runoff changes with the implementation of various practices to allow the user to conduct sensitivity analyses. A basic consequential life cycle assessment offers insight on expected greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation potential by applying published GHG emission estimates associated with fuel and fertilizer use changes that were not calibrated in the field. A survey of producers that employed pasture aeration over a two year time period of free access to equipment was also conducted to at least capture some producer feedback. Results indicate that pasture aeration using rented equipment requires relatively little yield improvement (\u3c 5%) to offer greater profit while reducing runoff. Given that pasture aeration is a time-intensive production practice, survey results are mixed in terms of producer willingness to adopt the practice. The tool lends itself to estimating operation-specific subsidies needed to encourage pasture aeration with the intent to reduce nutrient runoff, enhance forage yield, and thereby the feasibility of poultry litter application

Emergent Imaging and Geospatial Technologies for Soil Investigations

Soil survey investigations and inventories form the scientific basis for a wide spectrum of agronomic and environmental management programs. Soil data and information help formulate resource conservation policies of federal, state, and local governments that seek to sustain our agricultural production system while enhancing environmental quality on both public and private lands. The dual challenges of increasing agricultural production and ensuring environmental integrity require electronically available soil inventory data with both spatial and attribute quality. Meeting this societal need in part depends on development and evaluation of new methods for updating and maintaining soil inventories for sophisticated applications, and implementing an effective framework to conceptualize and communicate tacit knowledge from soil scientists to numerous stakeholders

Soil quality indices based on long-term conservation cropping systems management

The Soil Management Assessment Framework (SMAF) may provide insight into how conservation practices affect soil quality (SQ) regionally. Therefore, we aimed to quantify SQ in a long-term (15-yr) crop rotation and bio-covers experiment under notillage using SMAF. Main effects were cropping rotations of soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.], corn (Zea mays L.), and cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.). Split-block biocover treatments consisted of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), Austrian winter pea (Pisum sativum L. sativum var. arvense), hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth), poultry litter, and fallow (control). Seven SQ indicators—soil pH, total organic carbon (TOC), bulk density (BD), soil extractable P and K, electrical conductivity (EC), and sodium adsorption ration (SAR)—were scored using SMAF algorithms, and investigated individually and as an overall soil quality index (SQI). Simple linear regressions were performed between SQI and crop yields. Differences (

Reducing car-use for leisure: can organised walking groups switch from car travel to bus and train walks?

This paper deals with the significant leisure travel sector, focusing on the attitudes of organised walking groups towards public transport use. A series of interviews with walking group leaders explored the design of organised walks, and factors affecting journeys to and from start points. The themes presented suggest an overlying group culture involving mainly circular walks, reached by car. The research indicates an underlying engrained dependency on cars to reach walks and a degree of opposition to using public transport, which generally contradicts widely–held attitudes towards protecting the environment. Future research should focus more in depth on the long-term removal of psychological barriers to using public transport for leisure, and persuasive measures aimed at groups