Exploring the Relationship between Cover Crop Adoption and Soil Erosion Severity: A Case Study from the Simcoe Watershed, Ontario, Canada

Abstract

Runoff from agricultural fields during the nongrowing season is a significant factor leading to phosphorous loading and diminishing water quality in Lake Simcoe, Ontario. Cover crops offer the potential to alleviate phosphorous loss during the nongrowing season by minimizing soil erosional processes and uptaking excess phosphorous; however, recent research suggests that its adoption remains relatively low. More concern lies with the lack of cover crop adoption on areas that are sensitive to soil erosion. This study intends to investigate the likelihood of agricultural productions located on erosive soils to adopt cover crops. Using satellite imagery in corroboration with the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE), this study reveals the frequency of cover crop production and associates soil loss sensitivity at a 30 m resolution from 2013 to 2018. Consistent with recent literature, this study reveals that a small portion (18%) of agricultural operations in the south Simcoe Watershed have incorporated cover crops over the past six years. Cover crops tend to be adopted at a low frequency in areas that have a low sensitivity to soil erosion. This study reveals that areas with higher soil erosion sensitivity are consistent with low-frequency adoption, indicating that these areas are less likely to adopt cover crops regularly. Promoting farm-scale benefits associated with cover crops should target areas in the south Simcoe Watershed that are prone to soil erosion to mitigate total phosphorus (TP) loading into Lake Simcoe.