PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Balkcom, K.S.
AU  - Terra, J.A.
AU  - Shaw, J.N.
AU  - Reeves, D.W.
AU  - Raper, R.L.
TI  - Soil management system and landscape position interactions on nutrient distribution in a Coastal Plain field
DP  - 2005 Nov 01
TA  - Journal of Soil and Water Conservation
PG  - 431--437
VI  - 60
IP  - 6
4099  - http://www.jswconline.org/content/60/6/431.short
4100  - http://www.jswconline.org/content/60/6/431.full
AB  - Soil nutrient concentrations vary with soil management system and landscape position, but limited information exists describing these interactions within a heterogeneous field. A three year experiment was conducted to evaluate pH, phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), and zinc (Zn) concentrations at three depths, 0 to 5 cm, 5 to 15 cm, and 15 to 30 cm (0 to 2 in, 2 to 6 in, and 6 to 12 in), and three landscape positions, summit, sideslope, and drainageway, in a 9 ha (22 ac) field containing four different management systems. Management systems consisted of a conventional (chisel plowing/disking in-row subsoiling with no cover crops) and conservation tillage system (in-row subsoiling with cover crops) with or without dairy bedding manure. Soils ranged from Aquic to Typic Paleudults. Manure applications increased pH and nutrient concentrations in the soil surface at 0 to 5 cm (0 to 2 in) of conventional and conservation tillage systems, with highest values measured in conservation tillage. Landscape position affected soil pH and P concentrations; however, depth and landscape position interactions were observed for soil pH, P, and K concentrations. The lowest soil pH and P concentrations were measured from the sideslope position, while K concentrations did not exhibit consistent distributions across landscape positions. Future soil testing of Coastal Plain fields to account for erosion of the landscape may help direct future sampling methodology and interpretations for nutrient management.