Details
Original language | English |
---|---|
Article number | 106681 |
Journal | Soil and Tillage Research |
Volume | 253 |
Early online date | 3 Jun 2025 |
Publication status | E-pub ahead of print - 3 Jun 2025 |
Abstract
The objectives of this study are to analyse soil structure of representative crop (45 sites) and grassland (58 sites) soils and furthermore to identify differences in soil structure features between these sites in Northern Germany. Using the Compaction Verification Tool (CVT), published by Zink et al. (2011), the present state of soil structure was investigated. Additionally, the orientation of the pore system was analysed by combining the vertical and horizontal hydraulic conductivity. Finally, the influence of soil structure features on crop yield of different arable plants was determined according to the concept of the Muencheberg Soil Quality Rating (Müller et al., 2013). While (sub-) soil compaction within the transition layer, connecting top- and subsoil, was identified on 15 % of the on arable sites, on grassland sites in contrast only a negligible small proportion showed these features. Regarding the correlation of soil quality and crop yield, the results also show differences between arable and grassland sites: on arable soils a correlation was found with a coefficient of determination of nearly 50 % (R²=0.46), on grassland sites in contrast this correlation could not be identified. The conclusions of this study are the overriding importance of soil structure on arable soils regarding plant yield and management efficiency. In contrast, plant growth and yield on grassland soils are more likely determined by management practices (e.g. fertilisation, number of cuts) and the influencing groundwater than by soil structure features. Furthermore, the results show investigation methods should be adapted to grassland soils in order to analyse the complex interactions of soil, sward (including the dense rooting system) and environmental conditions.
Keywords
- Compaction verification tool (CVT), Isotropic analysis, Muencheberg Soil Quality Rating (MSQR), Soil compaction, Soil structure
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Agricultural and Biological Sciences(all)
- Agronomy and Crop Science
- Agricultural and Biological Sciences(all)
- Soil Science
- Earth and Planetary Sciences(all)
- Earth-Surface Processes
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In: Soil and Tillage Research, Vol. 253, 106681, 11.2025.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer review
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Present state of soil structure
T2 - A comparison of cropland and grassland soils in North Germany
AU - Wiermann, Conrad
AU - Bockwoldt, Malin Hanne
AU - Uteau, Daniel
AU - Peth, Stephan
AU - Mordhorst, Anneka
AU - Fleige, Heiner
N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2025 The Authors
PY - 2025/6/3
Y1 - 2025/6/3
N2 - The objectives of this study are to analyse soil structure of representative crop (45 sites) and grassland (58 sites) soils and furthermore to identify differences in soil structure features between these sites in Northern Germany. Using the Compaction Verification Tool (CVT), published by Zink et al. (2011), the present state of soil structure was investigated. Additionally, the orientation of the pore system was analysed by combining the vertical and horizontal hydraulic conductivity. Finally, the influence of soil structure features on crop yield of different arable plants was determined according to the concept of the Muencheberg Soil Quality Rating (Müller et al., 2013). While (sub-) soil compaction within the transition layer, connecting top- and subsoil, was identified on 15 % of the on arable sites, on grassland sites in contrast only a negligible small proportion showed these features. Regarding the correlation of soil quality and crop yield, the results also show differences between arable and grassland sites: on arable soils a correlation was found with a coefficient of determination of nearly 50 % (R²=0.46), on grassland sites in contrast this correlation could not be identified. The conclusions of this study are the overriding importance of soil structure on arable soils regarding plant yield and management efficiency. In contrast, plant growth and yield on grassland soils are more likely determined by management practices (e.g. fertilisation, number of cuts) and the influencing groundwater than by soil structure features. Furthermore, the results show investigation methods should be adapted to grassland soils in order to analyse the complex interactions of soil, sward (including the dense rooting system) and environmental conditions.
AB - The objectives of this study are to analyse soil structure of representative crop (45 sites) and grassland (58 sites) soils and furthermore to identify differences in soil structure features between these sites in Northern Germany. Using the Compaction Verification Tool (CVT), published by Zink et al. (2011), the present state of soil structure was investigated. Additionally, the orientation of the pore system was analysed by combining the vertical and horizontal hydraulic conductivity. Finally, the influence of soil structure features on crop yield of different arable plants was determined according to the concept of the Muencheberg Soil Quality Rating (Müller et al., 2013). While (sub-) soil compaction within the transition layer, connecting top- and subsoil, was identified on 15 % of the on arable sites, on grassland sites in contrast only a negligible small proportion showed these features. Regarding the correlation of soil quality and crop yield, the results also show differences between arable and grassland sites: on arable soils a correlation was found with a coefficient of determination of nearly 50 % (R²=0.46), on grassland sites in contrast this correlation could not be identified. The conclusions of this study are the overriding importance of soil structure on arable soils regarding plant yield and management efficiency. In contrast, plant growth and yield on grassland soils are more likely determined by management practices (e.g. fertilisation, number of cuts) and the influencing groundwater than by soil structure features. Furthermore, the results show investigation methods should be adapted to grassland soils in order to analyse the complex interactions of soil, sward (including the dense rooting system) and environmental conditions.
KW - Compaction verification tool (CVT)
KW - Isotropic analysis
KW - Muencheberg Soil Quality Rating (MSQR)
KW - Soil compaction
KW - Soil structure
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=105007010024&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.still.2025.106681
DO - 10.1016/j.still.2025.106681
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:105007010024
VL - 253
JO - Soil and Tillage Research
JF - Soil and Tillage Research
SN - 0167-1987
M1 - 106681
ER -