Management-induced Soil Structure Degradation: Organic Matter Depletion and Tillage

Summary

Soil structure is an important element of soil quality since changes in structural characteristics can cause changes in the ability of soil to fulfil different functions and services. Emphasis in this chapter is placed on the role of soil structure in biological productivity of agroecosystems. Combinations of management practices in which the extent of the degradation of soil structure caused by one practice is balanced or exceeded by the extent of regeneration by other practices will help sustain the productivity of agroecosystems. Tillage and practices that change the organic matter (OM) content of soil are foremost among the many practices that influence soil structure. The links between management, OM content and soil structure and between tillage and soil structure are explored. The feasibility of defining management thresholds or soil quality indicator thresholds with respect to soil structure is assessed.