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Soil Compaction
Soil Compaction
Soil compaction occurs when the air pockets and channels in soil are compressed. This reduces the space between the pores and prevents the filtration and movement of air and water.
It is usually caused by farming in wet conditions - either by heavy machinery or high density of animals in a small area. In our uplands, animal numbers and the heavier weight of new animal breeds can cause widespread compaction on sensitive soils. Much more
The words “soil compaction” mean a progressive loss of porosity, causing also a reduction of organic substance; so the air and the water struggle to reach the subsurface and the plant is not getting any nutriments.
Soil Compaction
Soil Compaction
Soil compaction leads to less aerobic respiration and increased anaerobic respiration of soil.
Most soil processes occur in the pores where air circulates. However if these get filled with water, the diffusion of air through water is much slower
Aerobic primarly works via fungi and bacteria and uses oxygen to drive metabolism like decomposition. It is about 10X more effective than anaerobic decomposition, that is driven by bacteria alone.
These anaerobic or reducing bacteria use - instead of oxygen, other compunds - particualry nitrates, to provide means to break down debris and recycle the nutrients.
Compaction is an increasing concern as the use of very heavy machinery and their continuous passes over the soil increases. In particular silage cuts followed by slurry applicationn, all with very large machines, is spreading the concerns.
??? Does adding slurry make this situation worse? I'm trying to find out. Manure is aerobic, but slurry itself is anaerobic. Spraying it on fields would seem to contribute to clogging pores with anaerobic slurry, preventing aerobic systems working.
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