Analysing Soil Physical Properties.
How readily water, air and plants roots can move through the soil.
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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 ty...