Conservation practices induce tradeoffs in soil function: Observations from the northern Great Plains

Abstract

AbstractOver the past 30 years, agricultural land use in the northern Great Plains has negatively affected soil health and associated ecosystem services through grassland conversion to cropland and a transition away from small‐grain cropping systems to warm‐season crops. Mitigating these effects requires adoption of conservation practices, but information about how conservation practices influence on soil condition and function are needed. This study sought to quantify near‐surface soil responses to crop diversity and intensity, cover crops, and livestock integration under controlled experimental conditions, and land use (dryland cropping vs. perennial agroecosystems) on working farms and ranches, all on a common Haplustoll soil in southcentral North Dakota, USA. Among dryland cropping practices, diverse, continuous cropping led to improvements in soil structure, nutrient supply potential, and biological habitat, but increased soil acidification and soil NO3–N accumulation. Cover crops had a negligible effect on soil condition and function, while livestock integration on cropland improved nutrient supply potential and biological habitat but impaired water intake into soil. Relative to dryland cropping, soil conditions and functions were consistently improved under perennial agroecosystems. Retention of perennial agroecosystems and adoption of diverse, nutrient‐efficient dryland cropping practices should be prioritized to enhance soil health in the northern Great Plains.