Soil erosion and organic matter for central Great Plains cropping systems under residue removal

This study examined average annual changes in soil erosion from rainfall and wind forces, and trends in soil organic carbon (SOC). The diversity of geo-climatic land bases and potential feedstocks within the United States Central Great Plains (CGP) requires sustainable production that provides optimal resource utilization while maintaining or enhancing localized soil and environmental quality as much as possible. This study examined average annual changes in soil erosion from rainfall and wind forces and trends in soil organic carbon (SOC) as a function of commodity and/or bioenergy-based crop rotations, yield variations, and different field management practices, including residue removal across all land capability class (LCC) I-VIII soils in select areas of the CGP. Soil erosion and SOC (proxied by a soil conditioning index, or SCI) were analyzed on individual soil map unit components using the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation, Version 2 (RUSLE2) and Wind Erosion Prediction System (WEPS) models.