Prevent and mitigate soil compaction.

 

Soil compaction is related to the degradation of soil structure due to imposed stresses by machinery and livestock trampling. Soil compaction (reduced or disrupted pore continuity) reduces soil aeration by destroying soil aggregates and collapsing macropore density, and reduces water drainage and infiltration, generating higher runoff. Compaction limits root growth and seed germination by high mechanical impedance, affecting soil biodiversity and causing surface soil crusting. • Deterioration of soil structure due to inappropriate or excessive tillage should be prevented; • Vehicular traffic should be minimized to the absolutely essential, particularly on bare soils, by reducing the number and frequency of operations, creating controlled traffic systems, and by performing agriculture/forestry operations only when the soil moisture content is suitable down to deeper depth; • Machines and vehicles used in the field should be adjusted to soil strength and should be equipped with tyre pressure control systems or other means to reduce surface pressure (e.g. contact area), and use of heavy machinery should be avoided. During forestry operations, machine traffic should be restricted (e.g. controlled traffic) and brush mats used to help protect exposed soils from physical damage; on agricultural soils, controlled traffic and drive rows should be established, where possible; • Cropping systems should be selected that include crops, pasture plants and, where appropriate, agroforestry plants with strong tap roots (dense and fibrous root systems) able to penetrate and break up compacted soils; • An adequate amount of soil organic matter should be maintained to improve and stabilize soil structure;