• Guo, Yanfei
  Mississippi State University
  
• Karr, Bob L.
  Mississippi State University
  

Trafficking treatments of 0,1,3,6, and 12 turns (passes) of a loaded skidder were applied during dry, medium, and wet soil conditions on Smithdale sandy loam in north-central Mississippi. Soils were sampled before and after treatment for bulk density, total porosity, macroporosity, and microporosity. Bulk density increased with increased number of skidder turns; however, most of the increase occurred in the first three turns and reached a maximum within six turns. Total porosity decreased with increased trafficking. Most of the loss was in macropososity development. Results imply that trafficking should be restricted to a few heavily used trails rather than many trails with two or three turns.