Effect of military training on indicators of soil quality at Fort Benning, Georgia

The purpose of this research was to investigate the effects of soil disturbance on several key indicators of soil quality at Fort Benning, Georgia. Military activities at Fort Benning that result in soil disturbance include infantry, artillery, wheeled, and tracked vehicle training. Soil samples were collected along a disturbance gradient that included: (1) reference sites, (2) light military use, (3) moderate military use, (4) heavy military use, and (5) remediated sites. With the exception of surface soil bulk density, measured soil properties at reference and light use sites were similar. Relative to reference sites, greater surface soil bulk density, lower soil carbon concentrations, and less carbon and nitrogen in particulate organic matter (POM) were found at moderate use, heavy use, and remediated sites. Studies along a pine forest chronosequence indicated that carbon stocks in POM gradually increased with stand age. An analysis of soil C:N ratios, as well as soil carbon concentrations and stocks, indicated a recovery of soil quality at moderate military use and remediated sites relative to heavy military use sites. Measurements of soil carbon and nitrogen are ecological indicators that can be used by military land managers to identify changes in soil from training activities and to rank training areas on the basis of soil quality.