U.S. flagAn official website of the United States government
                    Here's how you know **Official websites use .gov**
                            
                            A **.gov** website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
 **Secure .gov websites use HTTPS**
                            
                            A **lock** (                            
                              A locked padlock                                                      
                            
                            ) or **https://** means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.


Menu Agricultural Research Service
						
                    U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
 Columbia Plateau Conservation Research Center: Pendleton, OR
 close



    Research

                    Research Projects
                                    Publications
                                    Collaborations
                                    News
                People

                    Staff Listing
                                    Careers


        


                    Related TopicsSearch small
                    Search
            
            ARS Home
                                About ARS
                                Contact Us




ARS Home Pacific West Area Pendleton, Oregon Columbia Plateau Conservation Research Center Research Publications at this Location





- ARS National Programs
- Search for a scientific manuscript
- Search for a research project
- ARS Software
- Programs and Projects
- Collaborations
- Subjects of Investigation
- Publications

Title:   Author  item
                                            Wuest, Stewart
  Submitted to: Agronomy Abstracts
                                    Publication Type: Abstract Only
                                    Publication Acceptance Date: 11/6/2005
                                    Publication  Date: 11/6/2005
                                    Citation: Wuest, S.B. 2005. Mechanisms allowing increased water infiltration capacity with reduced tillage in a semi-arid loess soil. Abstracts: 2005 International Annual Meetings, American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America. Madison, WI.Interpretive Summary:
                                Technical Abstract: Reduction in tillage and especially no-till practices have been correlated with reductions in runoff and increased water infiltration.  The mechanisms allowing increased infiltration rates have not been specifically identified.  We conducted a series of investigations to determine the relative roles of carbon stratification, aggregate stability, macropores, and depth of tillage on ponded infiltration rates.  Dye tracing techniques clearly indicated that, while the rate of water flow is highly heterogeneous through the soil matrix, flow through earthworm-size macropores did not make a significant contribution to infiltration.  Water-stable aggregation did correlate to ponded infiltration rates and to surface runoff rates under field conditions.  Soil under wheat stubble always had greater infiltration capacity than the preceding young crop.  Surface residue, independent of tillage, did improve ponded infiltration.  Our conclusions are that organic carbon concentration near the soil surface plays a major role in reducing surface sealing, and minimal soil disturbance at deeper depths allows preservation of high velocity flow paths.  This might explain why very weakly aggregated soils under low residue production sometimes demonstrate little improvement under no-till.


Return to top


Connect with ARS Sign up


ARS Home
                            USDA.gov
                            Plain Writing
                            Policies & Links
                            Civil Rights Statements
                            FOIA
                            Accessibility Statement
                            Privacy Policy
                            Non-Discrimination Statement
                            Quality of Information
                            USA.gov
                            WhiteHouse.gov