Land use and management impacts on structure and infiltration characteristics of soils in the north appalachian region of ohio

Effects of land use and management treatments on soil mechanical and hydrological properties were assessed by analysis of bulk and core soil samples and water infiltration measurements in the field, using double ring infiltrometers in five plots located at the experimental farm of the North Appalachian Experimental Watersheds (NAEW) near Coshocton, Ohio. The five treatments were no-till without manure (NTWM), no-till with manure (NTM), no-till corn (Zee mays)-soybean (Glycine max) rotation (NTCSR), conventional tillage (CT), and meadow (M). Treatments significantly influenced water infiltration characteristics, soil bulk density (ρb), aggregation, and mean weight diameter (MWD). The maximum cumulative infiltration after 3 h (I) of 109.3 ± 29.0 cm (average of 9 measurements at 3 landscape positions) was measured for the NTM treatment and the lowest of 27.7 ± 21.0 cm (average of 3 measurements at shoulder slope or S) for the CT treatment. The infiltration rate at 5 min (i5), steady state infiltration rate after 3 h (ic) and field capacity water content 24 h after the infiltration (FC) were higher in NTM (1.5 cm min, 0.4 cm min, and 0.35 gg, respectively) than other treatments. The least values of i5, ic and FC (0.4 cm min, 0.18 cm min, and 0.22 gg, respectively) were observed for the CT treatment. Saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ks) measured on soil cores was the highest for the NTM (0.29 cm min) for 0 to 10 cm and NTCSR (0.24 cm min) for 10 to 20 cm depth. The ρb (1.52 g cm for 0 to 10 cm and 1.62 g cm for 10 to 20 cm depth) was the lowest and water stable aggregates (WSA) were the highest (WSA of 89% and 63%) for both depths for the NTM treatment. The ρb was much higher for the CT (1.75 g cm for 0 to 10 cm depth) and NTWM (1.77 g cm for 10 to 20 cm depth) than NTM, NTCSR and M treatments for either depth. The landscape positions did not have a significant influence on soil physical and water transmission properties nor on total biomass. The manuring treatment improved soil aggregation and water transmission properties (NTM > NTWM > NTCSR).