ABSTRACT
Substantial areas of soils underfoot that require increased water-holding capacities are encountered in agricultural elds, athletic elds, golf courses, parks, home lawns, and gardens, as well as many natural ecosystems. There is a growing fundamental global imperative to convert some of these marginal droughty soils into productive agricultural lands by increasing their longer-term internal water-holding capacities. These conversions of highly permeable coarse-textured soils will contribute to food and biomass production needs associated with growing global populations and renewable energy resources. In addition, these conversions will sequester more carbon, improve soil quality, and reduce groundwater contamination. Continuous cover cropping of these improved soils will also increase water inltration and reduce erosion of surface soil into freshwater lakes, streams, and rivers.
