Impacts of Land-use Change and Management on Soil Quality on an organic farm in Seeley’s Bay, Ontario

Abstract

Changes in land management can have a significant impact on soil quality, which can change the capacity of land to provide essential services to society. We explored the impact of land-use change and land management on an organic farm near Seeley’s Bay, Ontario on a Gananoque Clay soil. Three replicate soil samples were collected to a depth of 40cm (10 cm increments) from a native forest (never cultivated), a field producing hay for over 10 years, and a tilled field used to grow a variety of vegetables. The soils were analyzed by the entire class (GPHY 317) for bulk density, particle-size distribution, organic matter content, pH, soil colour, microbial biomass, and microbial activity. After reviewing the results, we found thegreatest decline in soil quality (using the forest soil as a “reference” for the area) was the tilled field for vegetable production. The tilled site had a higher average bulk density of 1.34g/cc compared to forests bulk density of 0.88g/cc. The forest had a higher average organic matter content of 5% versus an average of 4% found at the tilled site. Additionally, the tilled site had a higher pH (5.8 vs. 4.9) likely due to intermittent liming, and lower water holding capacity. The compilation of the results illustrates the true affects land-management has on soil quality. By understanding the impacts of different land-use methods society can modify current practices to help increase soil quality and prevent the loss of the critical services that healthy soil provides to society.