Soil moisture and nutrient variation within an undulating Manitoba landscape

Abstract

The use of discrete management units for variable-rate N fertilization requires that factors influencing grain yield response to N fertilizer are adequately characterized by delineating landscapes into such management units. The objective of this study was to compare the use of topographically derived landform element complexes (LEC) and the use of individual soil series as management units. Soil volumetric moisture content, nitrate-N, exchangeable ammonium-N, extractable phosphorus, exchangeable potassium, and sulphate-sulphur were studied in 10 intensively sampled transects in an undulating glacial till landscape near Miniota, Manitoba. The study site was delineated into upper, mid and lower LEC using a digital elevation model derived from relative elevation data. The LEC were useful in capturing gross variability at a manageable landscape scale. Among LEC there was a general trend of lower > mid > upper for median values of soil moisture, nitrate, phosphate, potassium and sulphate, as these attributes generally increased with convergent landscape character. Differences among LEC were often statistically significant, and relative distributions exhibited temporal persistence. The site was also stratified by soil series, including Newdale, Varcoe and Angusville soils (Black Chernozems), which were identified by examination of individual soil cores at each sample point. Stratifying the site into management units using soil genetic information, which is reflective of historical moisture conditions and biomass production, was expected to be superior. There was little advantage, however, in using soil series rather than LEC. Spatial distributions of the most agronomically relevant attributes (soil moisture and nitrate) were expressed at a landscape scale broader than that at which soil series occurred within the site. While there were important differences among soil series with respect to nutrients such as phosphate and sulphate, the site was better stratified by LEC with respect to soil moisture and nitrate. Key words: Soil-landscape, soil series, soil moisture, soil residual nitrate, extractable phosphorus