Conservation practices induce tradeoffs in soil function: Observations from the northern Great Plains

Abstract

Over the past 30 years, agricultural land use in the northern Great Plains has negatively affected soil health and associated ecosystem services through grassland conversion to cropland and a transition away from small‐grain cropping systems to warm‐season crops. Mitigating these effects requires adoption of conservation practices, but information about how conservation practices influence on soil condition and function are needed. This study sought to quantify near‐surface soil responses to crop diversity and intensity, cover crops, and livestock integration under controlled experimental conditions, and land use (dryland cropping vs. perennial agroecosystems) on working farms and ranches, all on a common Haplustoll soil in southcentral North Dakota, USA. Among dryland cropping practices, diverse, continuous cropping led to improvements in soil structure, nutrient supply potential, and biological habitat, but increased soil acidification and soil NO3–N accumulation. Cover crops had a negligible effect on soil condition and function, while livestock integration on cropland improved nutrient supply potential and biological habitat but impaired water intake into soil. Relative to dryland cropping, soil conditions and functions were consistently improved under perennial agroecosystems. Retention of perennial agroecosystems and adoption of diverse, nutrient‐efficient dryland cropping practices should be prioritized to enhance soil health in the northern Great Plains.

Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi and Rhizobium Improve Nutrient Uptake and Microbial Diversity Relative to Dryland Site-Specific Soil Conditions

“…Dryland farming accounts for 60% of the total crop production, which plays a critical role in feeding the world's growing population [1,2]. Over 40% of the global dryland area is utilized as cropland, often characterized by limited water availability [1,2]. Other major challenges are poor soil quality due to low organic matter content, nutrients, and biological activity [3].…”

Foreword: Degradation and evolution of Mollisols under different management practices and climate change

“…Grassland restoration, with greater C sequestration potential and larger liable OC contents, may help improve soil quality more than forestland and cropland in this Mollisol region. Agricultural land use in the northern Great Plains of the United States has negatively affected soil health and associated ecosystem services through grassland conversion to cropland and a transition away from small‐grain cropping systems to warm‐season crops during the last 30 yr. Mitigating these effects requires the adoption of conservation practices. A study was carried out to quantify near‐surface soil responses to crop diversity and intensity, cover crops, livestock integration under controlled experimental conditions, and land uses (dryland cropping vs. perennial agroecosystems) on a common Haplustoll soil in south‐central North Dakota, USA (Liebig et al., 2022). They found that diverse and continuous cropping improved soil structure, nutrient supply potential, and biological habitat but increased soil acidification and soil NO 3 –N accumulation under dryland cropping practices in the northern Great Plains.…”