Title | Aggregate stability kit for soil quality assessments |
Publication Type | Journal Article |
Year of Publication | 2001 |
Authors | Seybold C., Herrick JE |
Journal | CATENA |
Volume | 44 |
Pagination | 37-45 |
Date Published | 2001 |
Accession Number | JRN00318 |
ARIS Log Number | 119107 |
Keywords | aggregate stability, drying apparatus, field method, manual sieving, soil quality |
Abstract | Soil aggregate stability is an important indicator of soil quality. For soil quality assessment, there is a need for a quantitative field method for measuring aggregate stability that is simple to perform, low cost, and available for routine assessments by land managers. A method is presented that follows the commonly used or standard single-sieve wet-sieving method for aggregate stability. A combination manual sieving and drying apparatus is constructed from a trunk-style tackle box. Sieves are constructed from 60 mesh screen and PVC reducing adapters. The method requires manual sieving, 30 cycles for minute for three minutes. Percent water aggregate stabilities from the manual sieving method are comparable to the mechanical wet sieving method. The new method was able to distinguish differences in aggregate stability caused by differences in soil type and land use. This method can provide a low cost, reliable and sensitive tool that can be used din conjunction with other measurements to assess soil quality. |
URL | /files/bibliography/01-048.pdf |
DOI | 10.1016/S0341-8162(00)00175-2 |