Soil properties and perceived disturbance of grasslands subjected to mechanized military training: Evaluation of an index

Althoff, D. P.; Althoff, P. S.; Lambrecht, N. D.; Gipson, P. S.; Pontius, J. S.; Woodford, P. B.

Abstract:

Mechanized maneuver training impacts the landscape by creating depressions, compacting soils, producing bare ground areas, transporting seeds of invasive plants, and crushing vegetation. We measured 3 physical, 13 chemical, and 2 biological soil properties and used a disturbance index (DI) based on perceptions of soil conditions on a military installation to assess the condition of 100 ?? 100 m plots (1 ha): 10 in 2002 and 10 in 2004. Potential DI scores range from 0 (no appreciable evidence of disturbance) to 1 (>95 per cent of the plot disturbed). Bulk density, porosity (%), and water content (%) - all at 5-1-10-0cm depth, and nematode family richness (NFR) were significantly, negatively correlated (Spearman coefficients, rs) with the DI of both years. The strong negative correlation (rs., = -0.69 in 2002, -0.79 in 2004) of NFR with the DI appears to reflect the status of nematode diversity and, therefore, may serve as a useful, inexpensive approach to rapidly assessing grasslands subjected to mechanized military training. Copyright ?? 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Genre:

Article

ProdID:

70029974

Citation Author:

Althoff, D. P.; Althoff, P. S.; Lambrecht, N. D.; Gipson, P. S.; Pontius, J. S.; Woodford, P. B.

Citation Contributing Office:

Citation Datum:

Citation Day:

Citation Edition:

Citation Editor:

Citation End Page:

288

Citation Issue:

Citation Keywords:

Citation Language:

English

Citation Larger Work Title:

Land Degradation and Development

Citation LatN:

Citation LatS:

Citation LonE:

Citation LonW:

Citation Month:

Citation No Pagination:

Citation Number Of Pages:

Citation Online Only Flag:

Citation Phsyical Description:

Citation Projection:

Citation Public Comments:

Citation Publisher:

Citation Series:

Citation Series Code:

Citation Series Number:

Citation Search Results Text:

Soil properties and perceived disturbance of grasslands subjected to mechanized military training: Evaluation of an index; 2007; Article; Journal; Land Degradation and Development; Althoff, D. P.; Althoff, P. S.; Lambrecht, N. D.; Gipson, P. S.; Pontius, J. S.; Woodford, P. B.