Buried pipeline installation impacts on soil structure and crop root decomposition

Construction of underground pipelines on cropland impacts the soil ecosystem, resulting in crop yield losses persisting for several years after right‐of‐way (ROW) reclamation. Information on whether higher than recommended fertilizer application rates could improve productivity of reclaimed ROWs is scarce. The objective of this growth room bioassay was to determine the productivity response of a chronosequence of reclaimed ROW soils to differential fertilizer rates. Bulk soil samples were collected from the 0 to 20 cm soil layer on two ROWs of different ages (i.e., time since reclamation, TSR). The experiment was laid out in a completely randomized design with a 3 × 3 factorial treatment structure with three replications per treatment. The factors were TSR (4 and 10 year plus undisturbed (off‐ROW) sites) and fertilizer application rates (no fertilizer (Check); recommended rate (100%) of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), and sulphur (S); and 150% of the recommended N, P, K, and S rates). The recommended nutrient rates produced 66% lower canola dry matter yield (DMY) and 45% lower wheat DMY in the 4‐year ROW soil relative to the off‐ROW soil. Increasing the rate to 150% of the recommended rate significantly increased canola and wheat DMY in the 4‐year ROW soil to levels similar to those in the off‐ROW soil receiving the recommended rate. Nitrogen uptake by canola and wheat was 30%–45% lower, while P uptake was 40%–55% lower in the ROW soils than in the off‐ROW soil. These results indicate incomplete recovery of the ROW soils within at least the first 4 year following completion of reclamation. However, crop yields were not significantly different between the 10 year ROW and the off‐ROW at 100% fertilizer rate suggesting that productivity had been restored to off‐ROW levels by year 10 following reclamation. Findings from this study will contribute towards the formulation of strategies for improving the productivity of reclaimed ROWs on cropland.

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Indicators of soil degradation on a pipeline footprint, Alberta, Canada

Whitson

2024

Can. J. Soil. Sci.

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Monitoring data are needed to assess the effectiveness of soil conservation measures applied on agricultural lands during pipeline construction. Soil data were collected on the footprint of a pipeline constructed in 2016–2017 in west-central Alberta. Construction practices were expected to mitigate for topsoil loss and admixture, compaction, and erosion. Sites were established on the footprint and on adjacent reference areas on 24 parcels. Field measurements included point-sample results for horizon thickness, bulk density and soil erosion-rate including suspended sediment in runoff, and laboratory measurements from composite samples including pH, total organic carbon and texture. Admixture rate was estimated from change in percentage clay. Topsoil thickness was more variable on the reclaimed footprint than references. Topsoil pH was about 0.4 units higher and percent clay was 6.2% higher on the footprint than references but total organic carbon was not different. Admixture rates in the topsoil at six parcels ranged from 0.18 to 0.60. Penetration resistance on four measured aggregate size classes of subsoil was significantly higher on the footprint than reference. Subsoil loss from rill erosion ranged from 0.1 to 8.1 cm in the first year after construction when little vegetation was present and sediment concentrations in runoff sometimes exceeded 10 g L−1. Mitigations applied to limit soil degradation were less effective than expected. The use of quantitative techniques to monitor soil reclamation outcomes will improve the credibility of results but add costs to the process. Similar monitoring is needed to determine the effectiveness of current reclamation practices.

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Buried pipeline installation impacts on soil structure and crop root decomposition

Cited by 3 publications

References 20 publications

Visual assessment of soil structural quality across soil textures and compaction levels – Part I: Examination of intact soil cores

Visual assessment of soil structural quality across soil textures and compaction levels – Part I: Examination of intact soil cores

A bioassay of crop response to fertilizer nutrients in soils from a chronosequence of reclaimed natural gas pipeline rights‐of‐way

Indicators of soil degradation on a pipeline footprint, Alberta, Canada

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