Soil movement by tillage as affected by slope

Abstract

Exposure of subsoil material on ridge tops and adjacent sideslopes indicates soil movement away from these positions, i.e. soil erosion. A study was conducted on the University of Minnesota Southwestern Experiments Station to determine if soil movement by tillage could be a contributing factors to the apparent soil erosion present on many ridge tops. Numbered soil movement detection units (11-mm steel hexagonal nuts) were buried 10-cm deep in a grid network in 16 individual plots, on a sideslope with slopes ranging from 1 to 8%. Plots were moldboard plowed and disked in June, and again in August. The direction of tillage was either across the sideslope or up- and downslope. The soil movement detection units were then located with a metal detector, excavated and identified, and distance moved was measured in relation to movement perpendicular and parallel to the direction of tillage. Soil movement was directly related to slope. Movement perpendicular off the moldboard on the direction of tillage was greater than movement perpendicular off the moldboard. Calculations on the angle of movement in relation to tillage direction showed movement toward the downslope position. Results from this study suggest that soil movement by tillage can contribute to soil movement off ridge tops and adjacent sideslopes.