Document Type
Thesis - Open Access
Award Date
2024
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Department / School
Agronomy, Horticulture, and Plant Science
First Advisor
Kristopher Osterloh
Abstract
Long-term and intensified agricultural land management has resulted in increased rates of soil erosion and has altered much of the carbon cycle at regional and global scales. Anthropogenic degradation of soil resources is a barrier to sustainable production, soil functioning, and ecosystem services. It is difficult to quantify the scope of pedogenic changes due to the lack of legacy data and short temporal scales. This study utilized decades to century-old soil information to quantify historical soil erosion losses and changes in soil carbon pools of eastern South Dakota soils. The results show that soils in the region have been significantly truncated by the forces of erosion. The results also show that there were significant decreases in soil carbon pools, however, it also shows that soil carbon may have begun to increase in more recent decades with shifts in management. This work deepened the understanding of anthropogenic impacts on soil resources since the rapid mechanization of agriculture. The study also highlights the value and importance of utilizing and building legacy soil datasets for quantifying pedogenic change.
Publisher
South Dakota State University
Recommended Citation
Halverson, Eli, "The Hutton Project: Long-Term Agricultural Impacts on Soil Loss and Carbon Dynamics in Eastern South Dakota" (2024). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 979.
https://openprairie.sdstate.edu/etd2/979
Included in
Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons, Natural Resources Management and Policy Commons, Soil Science Commons
Rights Statement
