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A method for evaluating environmental The Impact of Golf Courses ...
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Short Description: The Impact of Golf Courses on Soil Quality. Start Date: 1998 ... Quantify indicators of soil quality and follow their change during the construction and ...
Content Inside: The Impact of Golf Courses on Soil Quality Steven J. Thein Kansas State University Objectives: 1. Study the construction of a golf course in a grassland ecosystem. 2. Quantify indicators of soil quality and follow their change during the construction and establishment of a golf course on a natural grassland site. 3. Changes to soil quality indicators will be described, quantified, and used to predict areas where future golf construction and/or management actions may require special attention to minimize their negative environmental impact. Start Date: 1998 In Manhattan, Kansas, a grassland ecosys- (SOM) content of 1% might be selected as Project Duration: 5 years tem was selected as the site for Colbert a lower control limit for some soils based Total Funding: $50,000 Hills Golf Course. A multi-disciplinary on diminished soil tilth or water holding research team studied the area before con- capacity. Likewise, maintaining organic A struction and has continued the study dur- matter content above 3% may prove eco- method for evaluating environmental ing course construction and operation. nomically unfeasible on many soils and so quality of large-scale landscapes that would establish an upper control limit. bridges scientific research and public use Environmental quality is an assessment of is in great demand. Resource managers, indicators that evaluate essential ecosys- Here indices from any number of quality industry and community planners, govern- tem functions. That process has been control charts are normalized onto a "spi- ment policy-makers, and scientists all sup- divided into seven steps that present a con- der radar" graph. This format produces an port an improved environment, but con- ceptual scheme for implementing an envi- easy-to-understand, visual representation nections between ecological processes, ronmental quality evaluation and manage- of environmental quality showing whether remediation, and management aren't ment program. indicators fall inside or outside their always readily available or understand- acceptable ranges. able. This research seeks a simplified, but In this grassland/golf turf ecosystem, soils science-based, system for making environ- are assigned critical functions in plant Computerized remediation databanks or mental quality assessments and linking growth, soil tilth, environmental buffering, websites can offer appropriate manage- outcomes to remedial management strate- soil life, and natural cycling functions. ment steps for improvement. Long-term gies. Several indicators may be necessary to monitoring of essential indicators will adequately assess each function, or one illustrate how environmental quality indicator may be useful responds to natural disruptive events or in evaluating several management programs. functions. For example, one indicator of carbon Summary Points cycling might be soil . organic matter content. Identified critical functions of an ecosystem. The key to this step lies .Selected appropriate indicators to evalu- in setting appropriate ate these functions. and acceptable target . Measured indicator status through sam- boundaries delineating pling and analysis. sustainability and .Established acceptable ranges for indi- degradation. Control cators. limits can be estab- .Transformed multiple indices into envi- lished with the assis- ronmental quality evaluation graphs. tance of research, litera- . ture surveys, manage - Selected appropriate remedial manage- ment experience, model ment for degraded indicators. predictions, consultants, . Evaluated graphs summarizing which regulations, or other indicators, and hence, which ecosystem sources. functions, lie outside their sustainable lim- its and are contributing towards the degra- For example, a mini- A spider radar graph used to evaluate multiple environmental indicators (same as dation of the ecosystem. Fig. 2 in USGA Green Section Record article). mum soil organic matter 56 2001 USGA Turfgrass and Environmental Research Summary
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