Field experiments on the effect of soil compaction on soil properties, runoff, interflow and erosion

During the vegetation periods of 1996/97 (winter wheat) and 1997/98 (winter rape) investigations concerning the influence of soil compaction (traffic rut and plough pan) on runoff, interflow and erosion were carried out on highly erodible cropland in a young moraine area. Two different measurement methods have been used: firstly test plots and secondly soil collecting boxes. Traffic ruts appeared to be the main paths of soil erosion even though they consisted of only 5% of the whole field area. Erosion within traffic ruts showed to be extremely,higher than the tolerance level for younger moraine regions of about 6.5 t/ha*a with a total amount of 16.1 t/ha during one vegetation period. The percentage of runoff in traffic ruts was accordingly high with about 43-50% of total precipitation, whereas in the field the percentage was below 2%. Interflow above the plough pan had a percentage of total precipitation of 7-8%.