Author:
Sparrow L. A.,Cotching W. E.,Cooper J.,Rowley W.
Abstract
Attributes of 25 Tasmanian ferrosols under 5 forms of management (low-input
pasture, high-input pasture, intermittent cropping, continuous cropping, and
pyrethrum production) were assessed using field and laboratory techniques, to
see how these attributes changed as the intensity of land management
increased. Among the most notable changes were soil organic carbon (C) in the
top 150 mm, which was about 30% less in cropping and pyrethrum paddocks
than pasture paddocks, and microbial biomass C, which was about 60%
less. Earthworm numbers showed even greater differences, with virtually no
earthworms under pyrethrum. Pasture soils had higher shear strength and water
contents at the liquid limit in the top 150 mm, and more water-stable
aggregates in the subsurface soil. Despite these differences, the absolute
values of most attributes in cropping paddocks were of a magnitude, which
suggests that Tasmanian ferrosols even under continuous cropping are still in
good condition. This agreed with the views of the farmers, obtained by
individual survey. The decrease in organic C in the cropped soils has not
decreased the effective cation exchange capacity, probably because their
higher pH due to liming has compensated. Because ferrosols with organic C
contents of 1−2% elsewhere in Australia have been shown to have
serious management limitations, we need to know by how much the organic C
contents in Tasmanian ferrosols will continue to decrease under intensive
cropping to predict whether they might suffer in a similar way.
Subject
Earth-Surface Processes,Soil Science,Environmental Science (miscellaneous)
Cited by
26 articles.
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