Good soil structure provides multiple benefits for society but in grass-based production systems is underpinned by trafficking management regime. For Irish soils, there is no soil trafficking intensity index that considers the effect of geo-climatic variability or differences in drainage classes on soil compaction risk. Grazing and machinery activity data were compiled across 38 managed grasslands along with common soil structural quality indicators in order to develop and validate a ‘soil trafficking intensity index for compaction (STICⁱ)’. Two component indices of STICⁱ were developed: (a) a grazing trafficking index (Gⁱ, kg × year ha⁻¹) and (b) a machinery trafficking index (Mⁱ, kg × year ha⁻¹). The average annual grazing trafficking pressure observed was 213,914 kg × year ha⁻¹, and the average annual machinery trafficking pressure was 4,412 kg × year ha⁻¹. These figures represent thresholds above which soils are at higher risk of compaction. Mⁱ spanned a wider range (−2.1 ≤ Mⁱ ≤ 2.8) compared with Gⁱ (−1.32 ≤ Gⁱ ≤ 1.06). STICⁱ and components, when disaggregated by soil drainage class, were able to detect changes in direct indicators of soil structural quality, such as bulk density, total porosity, water holding capacity, water conductivity and visual soil assessment. STICⁱ (Mⁱ and Gⁱ) were also related to indirect indicators, such as, soil carbon content, earthworms and microbial biomass. In general, poorly drained sites showed higher vulnerability to machinery trafficking intensity compared with grazing trafficking pressure. At national scale, STICⁱ can be utilized to identify soils at risk of compaction and underpin targeted management advice for supporting sustainable grassland production.

中文翻译：

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草原土壤压实管理的交通强度指数

良好的土壤结构为社会提供了多种好处，但在以草为基础的生产系统中，以贩运管理制度为基础。对于爱尔兰土壤，没有考虑地理气候变化或排水等级差异对土壤压实风险的影响的土壤贩运强度指数。对 38 个管理草地的放牧和机械活动数据以及共同的土壤结构质量指标进行了汇编，以制定和验证“压实土壤运输强度指数 (STIC ⁱ )”。开发了 STIC ^{i 的}两个组成指数：(a) 放牧贩运指数 (G ⁱ , kg × 年 ha ^-1 ) 和 (b) 机械贩运指数 (M ⁱ , kg × 年 ha^-1 )。观测到的年均放牧贩运压力为213,914 kg × 年ha ^-1，年均机械贩运压力为4,412 kg × 年ha ^-1。这些数字代表阈值，高于该阈值，土壤被压实的风险更高。 与 G ⁱ (-1.32 ≤ G ⁱ  ≤ 1.06)相比，M ⁱ跨越了更宽的范围 (-2.1 ≤ M ⁱ ≤ 2.8 )。STIC ⁱ和组分按土壤排水等级分类时，能够检测土壤结构质量的直接指标的变化，例如容重、总孔隙度、持水能力、水电导率和可视土壤评估。STIC ⁱ (M ⁱ和 G ⁱ ) 也与间接指标有关，如土壤碳含量、蚯蚓和微生物生物量。一般而言，与放牧贩运压力相比，排水不良的场地更容易受到机械贩运强度的影响。在全国范围内，STIC ⁱ可用于识别有压实风险的土壤，并为支持可持续草地生产提供有针对性的管理建议。