Northeast Region Certified Crop Adviser (NRCCA) Study Resources

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In This Section

• PO 39 Erosion
• PO 40 Consequences of erosion & sedimentation
• PO 41.1-2 Inter-rill & rill erosion
• PO 41.3-4 Gully & streambank erosion
• PO 42 Erodibility
• PO 43 Climatic effects on erosion
• PO 44 Slope effects on erosion
• PO 45 RUSLE
• PO 46 Erosion reduction with agronomy
• PO 47.1-2 Structural conservation 1
• PO 47.3-4 Structural conservation 2
• PO 47.5-6 Structural conservation 3
• PO 48 Tillage
• PO 49.0 Tillage systems
• PO 49.1-2 Plow-till / no-till
• PO 49.3-5 Mulch-till / ridge-till / zone tillage
• PO 51.1-2 Adaptability of tillage systems 1
• PO 51.3-4 Adaptability of tillage systems 2
• PO 52 Tillage practices
• PO 53 Tillage systems
• PO 54 Soil Tilth
• PO 55. Tillage conditions
• Summary

Competency Area 5: Soil conservation AEM

PO 40. Understand the main agronomic and environmental consequences of soil erosion and sedimentation.

Agronomic:

• Organic-matter rich surface soil is removed.
• Nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and other nutrients in mineral and organic form are lost from the field.
• Herbicides and other pesticides attached to soil particles will be removed from the field.
• Since silt particles are preferentially removed in erosion, the soil tends to either become more clayey or more sandy.
• Soil depth is reduced, leading to reduced root volume and increased moisture stress.
• Rill and gully formation will compromise field work.
• Deposition can cause newly planted crops to be lost.

Runoff from farm fields reaches a sediment-laden stream

Photo courtesy of NRCS

http://photogallery.nrcs.usda.gov

Environmental:

• Increased need for channel dredging.
• Adverse impacts on the recovery of underwater grass beds because the sediment reduces the amount of light reaching plants.
• Benthic (bottom-dwelling) organisms suffer increased mortality and reduced reproduction.
• Fish may be affected as increased sediment affects their feeding, clogs gill tissues, and smothers eggs.
• Siltation can alter the habitat of aquatic organisms.
• Increased turbidity may change the abundance of plankton, a prey which is important for larval and juvenile fish.
• Phosphorus is carried with the sediment, contributing to eutrophication.