How does tillage affect the ecological system?

Tillage systems affect the soil physical and chemical environment in which soil organisms live, thereby affecting soil organisms. Tillage practices change soil water content, temperature, aeration, and the degree of mixing of crop residues within the soil matrix.

How does tillage affect the soil environment?

Since tillage fractures the soil, it disrupts soil structure, accelerating surface runoff and soil erosion. Tillage also reduces crop residue, which help cushion the force of pounding raindrops. Without crop residue, soil particles become more easily dislodged, being moved or ‘splashed’ away.

What are tillage systems?

Tillage systems are sequences of operations that manipulate the soil in order to produce a crop. Operations include tilling, planting, fertilization, pesticide application, harvesting, and residue chopping or shredding.

How does tillage affect biodiversity?

The decrease of organic matter as a result of tillage in the soil can cause decreases in soil microbial activity therefore, studding about the effect of tillage on soil microorganisms have important roles in soil biodiversity changes.

Why is tillage important for soil?

Tillage—turning the soil to control for weeds and pests and to prepare for seeding—has long been part of crop farming. However, intensive soil tillage can increase the likelihood of soil erosion, nutrient runoff into nearby waterways, and the release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.

How does tillage improve soil structure?

Conservation tillage improves soil aggregate stability that enhances nutrient retention and reduces soil erosion thereby contributing to soil fertility and mediates air permeability, water infiltration, and nutrient cycling.

What does tilling do to the soil?

The purpose of tilling is to mix organic matter into your soil, help control weeds, break up crusted soil, or loosen up a small area for planting. You do not need to till or break up the soil very deep; less than 12 inches is better. Tilling too often or deep can do more damage than good to your soil.

How does tillage affect soil organic matter?

Tillage is one of the major practices that reduces the organic matter level in the soil. Each time the soil is tilled, it is aerated. As the decomposition of organic matter and the liberation of C are aerobic processes, the oxygen stimulates or speeds up the action of soil microbes, which feed on organic matter.

What are the different types of tillage systems?

Different tillage implements

  • Deep tillage (deeper than 10 inches) Moldboard plow. Moldboard plowing inverts the soil to a depth of 8 to 12 inches, which is measured to the moldboard share’s bottom edge (Figure 1).
  • Medium-depth tillage (5 to 10 inches) Chisel plow.
  • Shallow tillage (1 to 4 inches) Vertical tillage.

What is an adverse impact to a local community from the long term use of the fertilizers?

Waterway pollution, chemical burn to crops, increased air pollution, acidification of the soil and mineral depletion of the soil are the adverse effects of chemical fertilizers.

What refers to multiple cropping?

In agriculture, multiple cropping or multicropping is the practice of growing two or more crops in the same piece of land during one growing season instead of just one crop. When multiple crops are grown simultaneously, this is also known as intercropping.