Effects of Different Pasture Amelioration Methods on Some Soil Properties in Minoz Creek Basin

Abstract

In this study, effects of five different pasture amelioration methods and polyacrylamide (PAM) as a synthetic soil conditioner on bulk density (BD), aggregate stability (AS) and organic matter (OM) content of pasture soil in Minöz Creek Basin were monitored between 2006 and 2009. Experiment in a natural pasture soil was conducted with seven treatments; control under uncontrolled grazing (C), control under controlled grazing (CG) and the treatments of fertilizing (F), PAM, spread seeding (SS), cultivation or aeration (A), and spread seeding + fertilizing + aeration (SSFA) under controlled grazing in seven plots. Soil samples were taken two times a year in spring (May) and fall (October) seasons. According to the C and CG treatments, the other treatments generally increased aggregate stabilities, organic matter contents and decreased bulk densities of the plots. These changes in the soil properties varied among the sampling seasons. The lower bulk densities generally determined in A and SSFA treatment plots. The highest decrease in bulk density was obtained as 1.14 g cm-3 with SSFA treatment in October 2009. Aggregate stabilities of the treatments were usually higher in spring (May) sampling than in fall (October) sampling. The highest increases in AS and OM contents were determined as 79.15% and 6.31% with PAM treatment in May 2009, respectively. SS, PAM and SSFA treatments usually increased AS and OM contents of the pasture soil during the study.