Characterizing Soil Health in the Western Lake Erie Basin: A Multi-Year Regional Assessment
Applied Research
Rachel Henry
Water Quality Extension Associate
Paulding
Abstract
The Western Lake Erie Basin has faced many water quality challenges over time. Nutrient pollution and algal blooms have resulted from non-point source pollution, which includes agriculture. To aid in solving these challenges, producers are implementing soil health concepts within their farming practices to alleviate downstream issues by improving water retention, nutrient cycling, and soil biological diversity. Permanganate Oxidizable Carbon (POxC) testing measures the available soil carbon that feeds soil microbes. Soil respiration measures the activity of the microbes, and wet aggregate stability identifies how well the soil can resist destruction. These three tests lead to a better understanding of the changes soil degradation exhibits over time, showing how conservation practices can aid remediation of the soil, which in turn, improves water quality. In Northwest Ohio, regional soil sampling at a depth of 8 inches was completed from 2020-2024. These whole-field samples were analyzed at a soil laboratory for the three soil health parameters listed above: POxC, respiration, and aggregate stability. Results were analyzed using the R software to determine trends within fields in the Western Lake Erie Basin. Relationships between different parameters were inspected and classified upon management history and crop yield. A large majority of fields sampled did not use cover crops and/or no-till or had been using these practices for less than five years. No observed relationships between the mean CO2 respiration, POxC, or % organic matter were identified in correlation to no-till management. This could be attributed to the short time the practices had been implemented and the slow tendency of soil to change in measurable amounts. Cover crop implementation did show a relationship between the listed parameters, with stronger interactions as implementation time increased. Exploration of selected soil parameters in future projects should inspect long-term soil changes after implementation of cover crops and no-till practices, and the interactions between both practices.
Poster has NOT been presented at any previous NACAA AM/PIC
This poster is being submitted for judging. If NOT selected as a State winner, it will not be displayed at the AM/PIC and the abstract will not be published in the proceedings.
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Authors: Rachel Henry, Amber Emmons, Jocelyn Ruble, Heather Torlina
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Henry, R. Water Quality Extension Associate, Ohio State University Extension, Ohio, 45879
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Emmons, A. Water Quality Extension Associate, Ohio State University Extension, Ohio, 43402
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Ruble, J. Water Quality Extension Associate, Ohio State University Extension, Ohio, 45895
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Torlina, H. Water Quality Extension Associate, Ohio State University Extension, Ohio, 43567