EFFECTS OF EROSION ON SOIL CHEMICAL-PROPERTIES IN THE NORTH CENTRAL REGION OF THE UNITED-STATES

The productive capacity of a soil is often related to the chemical properties inherent in that soil. Erosion removes topsoil and exposes subsoil thereby changing the characteristic productivity of soils. An eight-state cooperative research project studied 15 soils subjected to varying degrees of natural or artificial erosion. Selected chemical properties for slightly, moderately, or severely eroded soils are reported for the Ap horizon for these soils and for depth to CaCO3 accumulation and NO3-N accumulation in the upper profile. For most soils, erosion resulted in increases in pH and exchangeable Ca++ and K+. Decreases were noted in organic carbon, depth to CaCO3 accumulation, profile NO3-N, extractable P, CEC, and DTPA extractable-Zn, Fe and Mn. Mixed results were observed for base saturation, exchangeable Mg++ and Na+, and extractable K+.