Restoring Depleted Soils - Berger

Restoring Depleted Soils

Soil Organic Matter Loss

6 CO2 + 12 H20 C6H12O6 + 6 O2

Light

Jason Steele and Kathleen Woida, NRCS-USDA Geologist

Good Aggregate Stability Essential to Healthy Soil

The size of pore spaces between soil particles plays a key role in plant growth.

One of the hallmarks of healthy soil is macropores that contain

60% WATER and 40% AIR

Soil Structure

2004 2008 2012

Organic Matter- Norman 132

2.6% 2.8 % 3.2%

2004 2008 2012

Organic Matter- Huffman

3.2% 3.6 % 3.9%

20043.0%

20083.3%

20113.4%

Organic Matter- Adam 72

2005 2008 2011

Organic Matter- Hagist E.

3.1% 3.5 % 3.3%

2004 2008 2012Organic Matter- Home 114

3.3% 3.3 % 4.0%