Increased soil compaction

Impact

Often heavy machinery, such as dozers and tractors, are used to remove vegetation and carry out other farm management activities such as soil tillage, crop harvest, fertiliser application, etc.  The use of machinery may result in soil compaction - subsoil hardpan formation and/or hard-setting soil surface.  Soil compaction can also result from trampling of grazing animals. 

Suggested indicator: Soil structure⁺

Soil compaction may be associated with:

Potential associated impacts	Suggested indicators+
Decreased soil infiltration and permeability reducing deep drainage	Soil infiltration Depth to groundwater
Reduced plant root penetration and plant available water	Plant available water content
Increased potential for erosion if eroded sediments are washed into waterways, water quality may be affected	Hillslope erosion Gully erosion Wind erosion Fine sediment in water Phosphates in water Nitrates in water pH of water
Loss of soil nutrients	Soil chemistry
Waterlogging of soils	Plant available water content

⁺ Descriptions of indicators (PDF, 76K)* provides a brief description of each indicator including techniques and purpose.

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Last updated 7 September 2010

Land Manager's Monitoring Guide

• Monitoring overview
• Selecting indicators
• - Enterprise or production systems
• - Land practices
• - Management activity
• - Impact
• Indicators