Soil productivity in the Corn Belt: An assessment of erosion's long-term effects

Estimates of erosion9s effects on soil productivity in the Corn Belt are projected over 25, 50, and 100 years. The weighted average loss in productivity is less than 8 percent for any major land resource area (MRLA) in the Corn Belt over the next 100 years. However, the productivity decline can be substantial on some soils in certain landscapes, especially where slopes exceed 6 percent. Deep, fertile soils and the preponderance of cropland on nearly level to gently rolling terrain buffers the Corn Belt against productivity reductions over the next 100 years.