Outline of results concerning assessment of soil compaction in Estonia

In Estonia the effect of compaction on soil/subsoil is studied in two leading organizations: Estonian University of Life Sciences (EMÜ) and Estonian Research Institute of Agriculture (ERIA). An attempt has been made to methodologically harmonize them with methodological instructions given in the ISTRO (International Soil Tillage Research Organization). A novel methodology for complex assessment of the effect and influence of mobile technical means (MTM) on soil has been offered. The soil has been examined as a polydisperse body where certain changes occur in compactibility, vulnerability, achieving physical mellowness and in textural composition. The relevant assessment criteria were worked out and approved in three separately carried out tests. As it appears from the results, such an approach allows us to do the necessary generalizations in assessment of the effect of MTM on soil, to adequately value the respective factors (extent, character, sign systems), i.e. issue from soil physical properties and pedosemiotics characteristics at the same time, while also not excluding the energy consumption.