That led to the goal of keeping fields damp but not flooded, which improved soil aeration and root growth.
While the environmental conditions associated with tree growth (e.g., improved soil aeration and nutrient-rich water supply) seem less optimal in terms of long-term preservation of organic matter, some recent studies suggest comparable peat accumulation and high organic carbon densities of the tree-covered temperate wetlands [12 14].
The involved mechanisms have been summarized as physical absorption, improved soil aeration (Zhang et al. 2010), mediation of denitrifiers (Wang et al. 2013), repressing denitrification and inducing N2O-reductase activities (Yanai et al. 2007), and regulating of N transformations (Clough and Condron 2010).
Compost is a good soil conditioner as it contains major plant nutrients (TN, TP and TK), plant micronutrients (Cu, Fe and Zn) and organic matter which improve soil properties by increasing soil aeration and water holding capacity (Ingelmo et al. 2012).
Riggle (1994) also stated that the inclusion of rubber particles in soil could improve soil physical properties such as aeration and water infiltration rates.
In the poorly drained Great Lakes states and in coastal areas in the southeastern and southern United States, sites are prepared by a bedding plow, which creates an alternative ridge and valley surface that improves soil drainage, aeration, and nutrient availability.
The organic matter is preserved in stable aggregates favouring SOM accumulation, which further improves soil porosity, aeration, and water infiltration and retention.
These are used to improve soil tilth, water holding capacity of the soil and aeration, in turn used to increase agricultural productivity.
Vermicompost could also improve the soil aeration and infiltration (Arancon et al. 2008), thus providing a better medium for root growth (Chaoui et al. 2003).
Plowing incorporates sod, green-manure crops, and crop residues in the soil; destroys weeds and insects; and improves soil texture and aeration.
