About

Francisco Arriaga is a Professor and Extension Specialist in the Department of Soil and Environmental Sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. His research focuses on applied soil physics, soil and water management, and conservation. He is involved in the development of conservation agriculture systems, including conservation tillage practices that aim to enhance soil quality, improve soil hydraulic properties, and optimize plant water use through the adoption of cover crops and non-inversion tillage for traditional cropping systems. He is associated with the Sustainable Soil Management Laboratory and contributes to efforts in promoting sustainable soil management practices.

Research topics

• Soil science
• Environmental science
• Chemistry
• Ecology
• Geology
• Agroforestry
• Natural resource economics
• Economics
• Geomorphology
• Materials science
• Agronomy
• Mineralogy
• Geotechnical engineering
• Environmental protection
• Biology

Selected publications

• Impact of machinery traffic on alfalfa in dairy systems: Tire pressure and traffic patterns effects

  Agronomy Journal · 2026-01-01

  articleOpen access

  Abstract Alfalfa ( Medicago sativa L.) is an important forage crop in US agriculture, especially for dairy and livestock, due to its high nutritional value and environmental benefits. However, frequent machinery traffic during harvests can lead to soil compaction and damage to regrowing plants, adversely affecting yield, forage quality, and soil health. Our study evaluated the effects of controlled traffic farming (CTF), varying tire inflation pressures, and different forage harvest methods (silage vs. hay) on alfalfa yield and quality, and soil compaction. Field and plot experiments were conducted at two Wisconsin sites. Our results indicated a negative correlation between alfalfa yield and machinery traffic intensity. Tire inflation pressure effects on yield were variable: low and medium pressures tended to reduce yield compared to no‐traffic controls, while high pressure showed no yield effect. Soil compaction was notably higher in areas with direct traffic, particularly at 0‐ to 10‐cm and 10‐ to 20‐cm depths, and silage harvest management generally resulted in greater soil compaction than hay management. These findings highlight the complex interactions between machinery traffic, alfalfa yield and quality, and soil structure. While CTF and tire pressure adjustments did not produce immediate improvements in all areas, their potential to reduce long‐term compaction is important for sustainable alfalfa management. This underscores the need to balance short‐term productivity with soil conservation practices, especially in dairy systems where high‐quality forage and soil health are essential for long‐term productivity.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Characterization and impact of agricultural machinery traffic on alfalfa forage harvested

  Precision Agriculture · 2026-04-27

  articleOpen access

  Purpose: Harvest-related agricultural machinery traffic (AMT) can limit alfalfa production and persistence. This study aims to quantify the area affected by harvest AMT and assess its impact on alfalfa forage harvested (FH; i.e., total biomass harvested per area) under different soil preparation systems. Methods: Three experiments were conducted in Wisconsin, USA. In Experiment 1, GPS receivers were installed on all machines used in alfalfa silage harvest on a 650-ha commercial farm. Data were processed in QGIS to calculate the trafficked area, and a controlled traffic operation was simulated. In Experiments 2 (no-till) and 3 (moderate tillage), a 3-year field trial measuring FH was conducted using a randomized complete block design with three replicates. Traffic treatments included: No Traffic; 3- or 5-pass SILAGE (26 h post-harvest); and 3- or 5-pass HAY (72 h post-harvest). Results: GPS tracking showed that 46 ± 3.4% of the field area was traversed by AMT during a season, which decreased to 35 ± 0.6% under simulated controlled traffic. Under no-till, AMT had minimal impact on annual FH, although HAY traffic reduced FH by 7% compared to SILAGE in Year 3. Under moderate tillage, traffic decreased FH by 14% in the establishment year (Year 1), with HAY operations decreasing FH by 24% compared to SILAGE. Across Experiments 2 and 3, increasing the interval between harvest and AMT had a more negative effect on FH than the number of passes, whose effects were less consistent. Conclusion: Implementing controlled traffic and limiting traffic, particularly at longer intervals after harvest, may limit AMT impacts to alfalfa FH. Machinery traversed nearly half of the alfalfa field annually during silage production. Approximately 11% of the alfalfa fields may be covered by road tires annually. Controlled traffic minimizes spatial dispersion of machinery across the field. Agricultural machinery traffic can decrease alfalfa forage harvested by up to 24%. Longer intervals between alfalfa harvest and subsequent machinery traffic are more detrimental to forage harvested. This study combines GPS-based spatial analysis and field experiments to measure and understand the impact of harvest-related machinery traffic on alfalfa production. It aligns with Precision Agriculture by addressing within-field variability using geospatial technology and site-specific management methods, thereby improving system efficiency.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Informing soil compaction research priorities with farmer focus groups in the United States

  Soil Security · 2025-08-18 · 4 citations

  articleOpen access

  • Farmers request soil compaction assessment tools applicable at field scales. • Farmers request additional practices besides tillage for soil compaction management. • Misconceptions and concerns about controlled traffic farming limit its adoption. • Research and demonstration of successful management of soil compaction is needed. Soil compaction is a widespread form of soil degradation that impacts soil functions and ecosystem services by limiting plant growth, reducing farm profitability, and impeding efforts to improve soil health. While mechanisms by which soil compaction occurs are widely understood, little has improved regarding its management in agroecosystems in the last century. Here, to better inform scientists of farmers’ soil compaction research needs, we implemented focus groups in six growing regions across Texas, Washington, and Wisconsin. In each focus group, farmers completed surveys and participated in guided discussions centered on their soil compaction perceptions, experiences, and ideas. We evaluated surveys and discussion transcripts with quantitative (summary statistics) and qualitative (thematic coding) analyses to assess participants’ observations, questions, and possible management solutions. Results from this work indicate that knowledge gaps, especially regarding identification of critical thresholds for soil compaction at field scale and management options and their efficacies, influence farmers’ adoption of soil compaction management practices. Based on the needs identified in this study, key priorities for soil compaction research and education should include (1) techniques for assessing soil compaction at field scale, including both its presence and thresholds for management, (2) addressing knowledge gaps about controlled traffic farming, tillage, and crops, and (3) continued research and development of requested technologies and practices, including drones, amendments, and cover or perennial crops.

  PublisherDOI

• Full-scale rockfall impact testing on untreated logs from protective mixed forests in the Pyrenees

  Engineering Geology · 2025-06-17

  articleOpen access

  Rockfalls represent a significant hazard in high-mountain regions of the Pyrenees, threatening transportation routes, infrastructure, and local communities. Protective forests naturally mitigate the impact of hazards, which can be further enhanced using engineering solutions. Here, we evaluate, close to real-scale conditions, the effectiveness of nature-based engineering solutions against rockfalls made from freshly cut logs of two common Pyrenean species, Abies alba Mill. and Fagus sylvatica L. Dynamic and static impact tests were conducted using a wooden structure and steel battering ram. Dynamic tests were performed on logs measuring two and three meters in simple and palisade structures, in both paired and unpaired configurations. Additionally, static tests were conducted to evaluate the mechanical performance of these species under controlled conditions. The relative transfer energy from the ram to the logs, as well as the estimated rupture energy, were analyzed. Our results suggest that beech logs exhibited superior impact resistance compared to silver fir. In horizontal configurations, beech logs absorbed significantly more energy, making them suitable for use in rockfall retention areas. However, both species showed severe fractures under successive impacts, indicating reduced energy absorption capacity due to fatigue accumulation. Silver fir exhibited higher moisture content than beech at testing. While the static modulus of elasticity showed no significant differences, beech demonstrated a consistently higher dynamic modulus of elasticity than silver fir. These findings emphasize the potential of using natural wood-based barriers for rockfall protection and the need for larger sample sizes, numerical simulations, and broader experimental designs to optimize protective structures. • Ram allows full-scale tests to probe the reliability of fresh wood structures. • Species mechanical properties strongly influence the protective capacity of forest. • Structures should be arranged based on the species used to ensure effectiveness. • Green structures significantly enhance the forest's protective effect.

  PublisherDOI

• Sediment and runoff losses from rainfall simulation: Effects of elevated atmospheric CO2 and tillage practice

  Soil and Tillage Research · 2025-08-12 · 2 citations

  articleOpen access

  There is a lack of information regarding how rising atmospheric CO 2 concentration will affect runoff aspects in cropping systems. Following a 10-year study, a rainfall simulation examined the impacts of atmospheric CO 2 level (ambient and twice ambient) and tillage system (conventional tillage and no-till) on a Decatur silt loam (clayey, kaolinitic, thermic Rhodic Paleudults). Conventional tillage was a sorghum [ Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench.] and soybean [ Glycine max (L.) Merr.] rotation using spring tillage and winter fallow, while the no-till system used this same rotation with three rotated cover crops [crimson clover ( Trifolium incarnatum L.), sunn hemp ( Crotalaria juncea L.), and wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.)]. Elevated atmospheric CO 2 led to more residue production in both tillage systems; this effect was greater under no-till conditions. More residue improved water infiltration only in the no-till system. Regardless of CO 2 level, sediment loss was lower under no-till, and elevated CO 2 reduced sediment loss in the conventional tillage system. No-till reduced sediment loss in addition to C, N, and P lost in sediment. No-till also reduced runoff water volume and N and P losses in this runoff. Results indicated that both high CO 2 and no-till management increased surface residues that could improve water infiltration, reduce sediment and runoff losses as well as nutrients lost in sediment and runoff water. This study suggests that farmers who practice conservation agriculture are likely to lose less soil and nutrients to rain-induced erosion and that these improvements could be enhanced as the CO 2 concentration in the atmosphere continues to rise. • Elevated CO 2 and no-till management increased crop residues and water infiltration. • Elevated CO 2 decreased total sediment loss, sediment N loss, and N loss in runoff. • No-till decreased runoff and soil loss and nutrients in both runoff water and soil. • These beneficial effects will improve soil health. • This pioneering work shows combined benefits of elevated CO 2 and no-till practices.

  PublisherDOI

• Performance of drought‐tolerant maize for silage or grain in conventional and Kura clover perennial groundcover cropping systems

  Agrosystems Geosciences & Environment · 2025-10-31

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  Abstract Drought‐tolerant (DT) maize ( Zea mays L.) hybrids have demonstrated better performance than non‐DT hybrids when drought events are present. The objective of this study was to assess the performance of three DT maize hybrids for whole‐plant dry matter (DM) and grain yield and forage nutritive value under conventional or Kura clover ( Trifolium ambiguum M. Bieb.) perennial groundcover (PGC) cropping systems. This study was conducted for 3 years at two locations, Arlington and Lancaster, WI. Three DT and one non‐DT maize hybrid were no‐till sown into killed Kura clover (conventional) and living Kura clover that was suppressed with herbicides (PGC). Whole‐plant maize, as for silage, was harvested at 50% kernel milk line, and grain was harvested at physiological maturity. Whole‐plant biomass was analyzed for forage nutritive value. There was no cropping system × maize hybrid interaction for any of the measured yield or nutritive value parameters. Maize hybrids in the Kura clover PGC system yielded 3.0 Mg ha −1 less whole‐plant DM and 1.5 Mg ha −1 less grain than in the conventional system, but whole‐plant forage digestibility was slightly greater with the PGC system. DT hybrids yielded slightly less than the non‐DT hybrid over both production systems. The DT hybrids demonstrated no advantage relative to a non‐DT maize hybrid in a Kura clover PCG system.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Full-Scale Rockfall Impact Testing on Untreated Logs from Protective Mixed Forests in the Pyrenees

  SSRN Electronic Journal · 2025-01-01

  preprintOpen access
  PublisherDOI

• Quantifying the resistance of protective mixed-forest against natural hazards in the Pyrenees

  2024-03-08

  preprintOpen access

  In mountain areas, extreme weather events can trigger hydrogeomorphological processes (HGEs), such as torrential floods, snow avalanches, landslides or rockfalls. To mitigate the risks associated with these natural hazards, ecosystem services based risk reduction (Eco-DRR) approaches can be applied. In an Eco-DRR scheme, vegetation plays an important role, not only in reducing the probability of occurrence, but also in minimizing its impact providing natural barriers that limit the propagation of flow and energy. Understanding how the vegetation resists such events within a given forest stand is relevant for designing better forestry practices and maximizing the protective role of the forest. Here we focus on quantifying the mechanical resistance of trees subjected to HGE processes considering two potential failure modes, namely tree overturning and stem breakage. To this end, we perform pulling tests on 53 trees of two main species (Abies alba Mill. and Fagus sylvatica L.) growing on two plots (Gourzy forest – France and Arañones Forest – Spain) in the Pyrenees. We also collected structural and neighborhood characteristics of trees and forest stands and carried out dendroecological studies on selected trees. Both areas have a similar soil type (sandy soil - dolomites and calcarenites) composed of limestone, marl, clay and sandstone, and are affected by recurrent snow avalanches and rockfalls. Using a structural equation model (SEM) statistical framework, we test whether mechanical capacity is determined by either functional traits (i.e. species, tree growth, diameter and height) or structural traits (i.e. tree density, tree structure and slenderness). Our results suggest that forest competition modifies the mechanical capacity of trees through two pathways involving both functional and structural traits. Overall, functional traits condition the individual stiffness parameter of trees, whereas structural traits are mostly related to changes in elastic modulus. These results shed light on the behavior and plasticity of both species in avalanche and rockfall events, revealing better adaptations depending on certain allometric and structural traits, and providing relevant information for foresight on management strategies of forests with a protective role against natural hazards in the face of climate change.

  PublisherDOI

• Impacts of vegetable processing and cheese making effluent on soil microbial functional diversity, community structure, and denitrification potential of land treatment systems

  Water Environment Research · 2024-05-01 · 1 citations

  articleOpen access

  The cheese making and vegetable processing industries generate immense volumes of high-nitrogen wastewater that is often treated at rural facilities using land applications. Laboratory incubation results showed denitrification decreased with temperature in industry facility soils but remained high in soils from agricultural sites (75% at 2.1°C). 16S rRNA, phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA), and soil respiration analyses were conducted to investigate potential soil microbiome impacts. Biotic and abiotic system factor correlations showed no clear patterns explaining the divergent denitrification rates. In all three soil types at the phylum level, Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria, and Acidobacteria dominated, whereas at the class level, Nitrososphaeria and Alphaproteobacteria dominated, similar to denitrifying systems such as wetlands, wastewater resource recovery facilities, and wastewater-irrigated agricultural systems. Results show that potential denitrification drivers vary but lay the foundation to develop a better understanding of the key factors regulating denitrification in land application systems and protect local groundwater supplies. PRACTITIONER POINTS: Incubation study denitrification rates decreased as temperatures decreased, potentially leading to groundwater contamination issues during colder months. The three most dominant phyla for all systems are Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria, and Acidobacteria. The dominant class for all systems is Nitrosphaeria (phyla Crenarchaeota). No correlation patterns between denitrification rates and system biotic and abiotic factors were observed that explained system efficiency differences.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Quantifying the Resistance of Mixed-Forest Against Natural Hazards in the Pyrenees

  SSRN Electronic Journal · 2024-01-01

  preprintOpen access
  PublisherDOI

Frequent coauthors

• Kipling S. Balkcom

  Agricultural Research Service

  31 shared

• Birl Lowery

  University of Wisconsin–Madison

  20 shared

• Ted S. Kornecki

  National Soil Dynamics Research Laboratory

  19 shared

• Andrew J. Price

  National Soil Dynamics Research Laboratory

  17 shared

• Peter A. Vadas

  Beltsville Agricultural Research Center

  17 shared

• R. L. Raper

  Oklahoma State University

  17 shared

• Melanie Stock

  16 shared

• K. G. Karthikeyan

  University of Wisconsin–Madison

  15 shared

Labs

• Soil and Environmental Sciences Analysis LabPI

  Staff Timothy Berry, Ph.D. Scientist II, Department of Soil and Environmental Sciences Ph.D. Terrestrial Biochemistry, Purdue UniversityB.Sc. Microbiology, Michigan State University Tim is currently serving as the coordinator for the Soil and Environmental Sciences Analysis Lab and is the primary operator of the FlashSmart and Picarro systems. For his own research, Tim is interested in […]