Tuesday, 8 November 2005
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Impact of M1Α1 Main Battle Tank Disturbance on Soil Quality in a Tallgrass Prairie Ecosystem.

Peggy S. Althoff1, Stephen Thien1, Gerard Kluitenberg1, Philip Gipson2, and Jeffrey Pontius3. (1) Kansas State University, Department of Agronomy, 2004 Throckmorton, Plant Sciences Center, Manhattan, KS 66506-5501, (2) Kansas State University, Division of Biology, 205 Leasure Hall, Manhattan, KS 66506-5501, (3) Kansas State University, Department of Statistics, Dickens Hall 003, Manhattan, KS 66506-5501

Understanding how military training impacts the environment improves decision-making, and fosters responsible land stewardship, allowing us to be more proactive. Our objective was to provide information about the impact of tank disturbance to land managers needing to maintain environmental integrity without compromising training requirements. Soil disturbance resulting from tank maneuvers was evaluated by identifying and quantifying physical, chemical, and biotic indicators of soil quality on two soil types (silty clay loam and silt loam) at the Fort Riley Military Installation, Kansas. We evaluated tank disturbance during dry and wet soil conditions against undisturbed control plots. Treatment consisted of a 63-ton M1A1 tank making 5 passes (single disturbance) over each plot in a figure-8 pattern in 2003. In 2004, one-half of the same figure-8 patterns on each plot received 5 additional tank passes (repeated disturbance) during the same conditions (wet or dry) as in 2003. Sampling was conducted within 7 days following disturbance. Bulk density and penetrometer resistance in silty clay loam soil increased 16% and 23%, respectively, during wet soil conditions, and 8% and 6%, respectively, during dry soil conditions. Bulk density and penetrometer resistance in silt loam soil increased 14% and 135%, respectively, during wet soil conditions, and 13% and 75%, respectively, during dry soil conditions. Biological components (i.e., earthworm, arthropods, nematodes, and microbial biomass) displayed the greatest sensitivity to traffic disturbance. Significant levels of disturbance were observed most frequently during wet soil conditions, with a tendency for the greatest effects to occur on the curve.

Handout (.pdf format, 154.0 kb)

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