有机肥对棕壤不同粒级有机碳和氮的影响

采集棕壤长期肥料定位试验站不施肥和施用不同用量有机肥的土壤,通过超声波分散—离心分离得到细黏粒(<0.2μm)、粗黏粒(0.2～2μm)、粉粒(2～53μm)、细砂粒(53～250μm)和粗砂粒(250～2000μm)5个颗粒级别后,分析全土及不同粒级中土壤有机碳和氮并进行含量与分布的比较。结果表明,有机质主要分布于黏粒级中,其含量占全土有机碳的42.8%、全氮的58.3%,碳氮比随着粒级的增加而逐渐增大,表明氮易于在小粒级中富集。长期施用有机肥后,全土及各粒级有机碳和氮含量均有显著增加;砂粒级中有机碳和氮的富集系数升高,黏粒级中富集系数降低,粉粒级和砂粒级中的碳氮比降低。增加有机肥的用量加强了全土和各粒级对有机碳和氮的积累,同时加强了粉粒级和砂粒级碳氮比降低的程度。     

不同形态氮添加对长白山阔叶红松林土壤团聚体CO_2和N_2O排放的影响

以长白山阔叶红松林暗棕色森林土为研究对象,研究不同形态氮(N)添加对土壤不同粒级团聚体CO2和N2O排放的影响。采用室内短期培养试验(15 d),研究对照(CK)、氯化铵(NH4Cl,含N 150 mg kg-1)和硝酸钠(Na NO3,含N 150 mg kg-1)添加对全土(bulk soil)、大团聚体(250~1000μm)、微团聚体(53~250μm)、粉粒+黏粒(53μm)土壤组分CO2和N2O排放的影响。结果表明:CO2的排放量为大团聚体微团聚体全土粉粒+黏粒;NH4+-N添加对全土和各粒级团聚体的CO2排放没有显著影响;NO3--N添加对大团聚体和微团聚体的CO2排放有促进作用,并且在微团聚体中影响显著(P0.05),但对全土和粉粒+黏粒的CO2排放影响不显著。不同形态N添加对全土和各粒级团聚体N2O排放影响不同,NO3--N添加显著促进了N2O的排放,NO3--N添加后N2O排放量为全土大团聚体微团聚体粉粒+黏粒;NH4+-N的添加抑制了N2O的排放,NH4+-N添加后的土壤大团聚体、微团聚体和粉粒+黏粒的N2O排放量间无显著差异。由此可见,不同形态N添加影响土壤组分的CO2和N2O排放,且作用效果不一。     

长期紫云英还田与化肥配施下水稻土团聚体中铁氧化物的演变规律

铁氧化物是土壤团聚体重要的胶结物质,其主要存在于土壤黏粒中。为探索紫云英还田并配施化肥下土壤团聚体中铁氧化物的变化规律及其在不同粒级黏粒组分中的富集特点,以湖南省南县长期紫云英还田的水稻土为研究对象,选择单施紫云英（MV）、单施化肥（F100）、紫云英配施全量化肥（MV+F100）和紫云英配施80%化肥（MV+F80）4个处理,通过湿筛和离心分离土壤团聚体（>250、53~250 和2~53 μm）和黏粒（<2 μm）,测定不同处理土壤团聚体及其黏粒中铁氧化物的含量,并分析它们与团聚体稳定性的关系。结果表明：（1）与MV和F100相比,紫云英与全量化肥配施增加了>250 μm粒级团聚体的含量,降低了53~250 μm粒级团聚体含量,团聚体平均重量直径（MWD）和几何平均直径（GMD）分别提高了8.2%~20.5%和4.1%~8.5%。（2）与MV相比,紫云英与化肥配施显著提高了各粒级团聚体、2~53 μm团聚体黏粒和自由态黏粒非晶质铁的含量（12.7%~55.6%,52.4%~54.9%和45.9%~48.6%）,降低了>250和53~250 μm团聚体非晶质铁的富集率（32.8%~36.8%和17.2%~28.4%）。而与F100相比,2~53 μm团聚体和团聚体黏粒非晶质铁的含量以及富集率均显著降低（3.5%~21.3%、29.2%~30.4%和10.9%~26.9%）。（3）>250 μm团聚体含量与团聚体黏粒的非晶质铁含量、铁的活化度呈极显著正相关,与团聚体黏粒的游离铁含量、非晶质铁的富集率呈显著正相关。团聚体的MWD和GMD与>250μm团聚体含量呈极显著正相关,而与<2 μm团聚体含量呈极显著负相关。>250、2~53 μm团聚体黏粒和自由态黏粒的游离铁是团聚体MWD和GMD最重要的影响因子。紫云英与化肥配施,能够提高团聚体黏粒铁氧化物的含量,促进>250 μm团聚体的形成,从而增强团聚体的稳定性。     

长期施肥对小麦-玉米轮作土壤微团聚体组成和分形特征的影响

通过对华北平原小麦-玉米轮作农田生态系统18 a田间施肥试验,研究了长期不同施肥处理对耕层(0～20 cm)土壤微团聚体组成及分形维数(D)的影响,并探讨了特征微团聚体组成比例(PCM,<20μm/(250～20)μm)、微团聚体测定中<20μm与2000～20μm粒级含量的比值(RMD,<20μm/(2000～20)μm)和D与土壤肥力之间的关系。施肥处理包括化肥NPK不同组合(NPK、NP、NK、PK),全部施用有机肥(OM),1/2有机肥+化肥NPK(1/2OMN)及不施肥(CK)共7个处理。各施肥处理均能降低土壤PCM、RMD和D,提高土壤有效养分含量和酶活性。各处理土壤PCM、RMD和D均为OM处理最低,且有机肥与化肥NPK配施低于单施化肥各处理,而化肥处理中NPK均衡施用的降低效果最好。土壤PCM、RMD和D与作物产量、有机质和碱解氮含量及酶活性之间相关性较好,且PCM、RMD和D三者两两之间也具有较好的相关性。说明施用有机肥、有机肥与化肥NPK配施及化肥NPK均衡施用是改善微团聚体组成、降低PCM、RMD和D及提高土壤保肥和供肥能力的关键;PCM、RMD和D均可作为评价长期施肥作物系统土壤肥力的综合性定量指标。     

长期施肥稻田土壤团聚体内氧化铁分布特征及其与有机碳的关系

通过对长期施化肥及化肥与紫云英、稻草、猪粪配施处理下红壤稻田各粒级团聚体内氧化铁分布特征的研究,探讨不同施肥方式下各粒级团聚体内氧化铁形态与有机碳含量的关系.结果表明,长期施化肥及化肥与紫云英、稻草、猪粪配施增加了土壤中无定形铁Fe.含量(增幅达10.5％ ～ 58.5％),降低了土壤中游离铁Fed的含量(降幅为0.4％～ 13.8％),土壤中氧化铁的活度Feo/Fed提高了19％ ～ 76％.各粒级团聚体内Feo含量表现为:250～53μm＞(53 μm)＞2 000～250 μm,Fed含量表现为:250～53 μm ＞2 000～ 250 μm＞ (53 μm),Feo/Fed表现为:(＜53 μm)＞250～ 53 μm＞2 000～ 250μm.全土和各粒级团聚体内Fe.含量及其Feo/Fed与其相应的有机碳含量均呈显著正相关(P＜0.05,相关系数分别为:r=0.953 ～ 0.779和r=0.991～ 0.823),而Fed含量与其相应的有机碳含量呈显著负相关(P＜0.05,r=-0.964～-0.651).有机物料的投入能活化氧化铁,有机质投入量最大的化肥配施猪粪处理Fe.含量及Fe./Fed显著提高.     

长施马粪对暗棕壤团聚体腐殖质数量和质量的影响

运用元素和红外光谱分析研究了暗棕壤长期施用马粪(每3年施肥1次)、施低量化肥和马粪配施高量化肥对水稳性大团聚体(2 mm和2~0.25 mm)、微团聚体(0.25~0.053 mm)和粉/黏粒粒级(0.053 mm)中腐殖物质-胡敏酸(HA)的分布及其结构特征的影响,探讨施肥对农田土壤肥力的贡献及其团聚体的固碳机制。施用马粪和马粪配施高量化肥分别提高(49.06%)和降低(31.04%)了2~0.25 mm大团聚体比例,3种施肥措施均提高了土壤有机碳(SOC)数量,但对土壤HA数量影响不显著。不同施肥措施对不同粒级团聚体中HA的分子结构特征影响不同,3种施肥措施均降低了2~0.25 mm大团聚体HA的缩合度,芳香性增加;微团聚体HA缩合度降低,脂族性增强;施用马粪提高了粉/黏粒HA的缩合度和脂族性,马粪配施高量化肥提高了粉/黏粒HA的缩合度和芳香性,施用低量化肥,粉/黏粒HA缩合度下降,芳香性提高。因此,长施马粪提高了土壤SOC数量,促进2~0.25 mm大团聚体的形成,大团聚体中HA的稳定性提高,利于土壤固碳,而0.25~0.053 mm微团聚体和0.053 mm粉/黏粒HA的活性增强,利于土壤肥力供给,这些团聚体是评估长施马粪对腐殖质质量产生影响的重要粒级。     

长期不同施肥下黑土和红壤团聚体氮库分布特征

为阐明长期不同施肥下土壤氮库的演变特征,揭示氮库稳定性不同的团聚体对不同施肥的响应,为化肥和有机物的合理施用提供科学依据。本研究通过对黑土和红壤22年的田间肥料定位试验,研究了长期不同施肥模式对土壤全氮、 微生物氮以及各级团聚体中氮贡献率的影响。结果表明,长期不施肥（CK）和施用化肥（NPK）,黑土土壤全氮含量以0.015 g/(kga)的速率显著下降（P 0.05）;而长期化肥配施有机肥（NPKM）,黑土全氮含量以0.025 g/(kga) 的速率显著上升（P 0.05）。在CK、 NPK、 NPKM和秸秆还田（NPKS）处理下,红壤全氮含量均没有显著变化。施肥22年后,NPKM处理下黑土和红壤微生物氮含量较NPK处理下分别增加了15% 和 43%,全氮含量分别增加了43% 和45%,差异均达到显著水平（P 0.05）。氮素在黑土上主要积累在253 m 微团聚体中,达到0.73~1.21 g/kg,在红壤上主要积累在2 m 微团聚体中,达到0.46~0.98 g/kg。与NPK相比,NPKM 处理下黑土和红壤 250~2000 m大团聚体中氮素贡献率均显著提高,分别增加了4.3% 和 5.1%。与NPK相比,NPKM 和 NPKS 处理下,红壤 253 m 微团聚体中氮贡献率分别降低了5.9% 和 9.7%,而黑土除大团聚体外的各级团聚体氮贡献率均没有显著变化。可见,不同土壤类型对施肥响应不同, 主要是253 m 微团聚体中氮素的响应不同,化肥配施有机肥可提高土壤250~2000 m 大团聚体中氮的贡献率,进而增加土壤对作物的氮素供给能力,是有助于提高土壤肥力和生产力的农业生产可持续性施肥模式。     

长期不同施肥对黑土团聚体及有机碳组分的影响

本文研究了32年不同施肥对黑土团聚体组成、土壤有机碳(soil organic carbon,SOC)、腐殖酸、微生物量碳(microbialbiomass carbon,MBC)及颗粒有机碳(particulate organic carbon,POC)的影响。结果表明:化肥区与CK团聚体以10~50μm粒级为主,有机肥化肥混施与休闲以50~250μm粒级为主,表明有机肥化肥混施促进大团聚体的生成,有利于良好土壤结构的形成。在不同施肥条件下,"特征微团聚体比例"也存在差异,表明有机肥化肥混施使黑土保供水肥性能提高。化肥,尤其N肥单施使MBC、POC含量降低。有机肥化肥混施区SOC、MBC、POC含量显著高于其他处理区。与化肥单施相比,有机肥化肥混施明显提高了黑土腐殖酸、HA、FA、HS含量,也提高了腐殖质活性。不同类型化肥处理HA/FA差异较大,N肥的施加降低了腐殖酸含量,却能提高腐殖质活性。     

δ13C法研究砂姜黑土添加秸秆后团聚体有机碳变化规律

为研究水稻秸秆添加对砂姜黑土水稳性团聚体分布及稳定性的影响,探索水稻秸秆腐解过程中外源新碳及原有机碳在不同粒级团聚体中的分配规律,该文通过室内模拟试验,运用δ~(13)C示踪方法,将稳定同位素碳(δ~(13)C)标记的水稻秸秆添加入砂姜黑土,利用湿筛法得到不同培养时期不同粒级的土壤水稳性团聚体,测定不同时期各粒级土壤外源新碳及原有机碳含量。结果表明:未添加水稻秸秆的砂姜黑土(对照组),水稳性微团聚体(250μm)占主体,团聚体有机碳含量低。与对照相比,添加水稻秸秆(试验组)显著促进了2000、2000~250μm粒级水稳性大团聚体的团聚(P0.05);培养到120 d时,2000、2000~250μm水稳性团聚体比对照组分别增加了265.5%、16.0%,促使水稳性大团聚体(250μm)占主体,显著提高了砂姜黑土水稳性团聚体的平均重量直径(mean weight diameter,MWD)、几何平均直径(geometric mean diameter,GMD)、水稳性大团聚体含量(R0.25),降低了分形维数(D)值(P0.05),土壤结构稳定性明显得到改善。试验组各粒级团聚体有机碳含量显著增加,培养到15 d时,2000、2000~250、250~53、53μm粒级团聚体有机碳分别比对照组增加了21.4%、25.4%、34.7%、50.0%,其中微团聚体有机碳增加幅度大于大团聚体的增加幅度。MWD、GMD、R0.25与2000~250、250~53μm粒级团聚体有机碳呈极显著正相关关系(P0.01),与2000μm粒级团聚体有机碳呈显著正相关关系(P0.05)、与53μm粒级团聚体有机碳关系不显著。不同粒级团聚体的δ~(13)C值明显增加,动态变化较大,表明外源新碳周转速率较快。外源新碳主要分配在250~53、53μm粒级微团聚体中,分配比例分别为38%、28%,外源新碳的分解速率明显快于原有机碳。研究得出添加水稻秸秆有利于增加砂姜黑土的团聚体稳定性,提高土壤及不同粒级团聚体的有机碳含量,提升土壤碳水平,改善了土壤结构,这为淮北地区土壤质量提升及有机碳循环提供了理论依据。     

有机肥和化肥长期配合施用对土壤及不同粒级供氮特性的影响

通过间隙淋洗培养试验 ,研究水旱轮作下有机肥与化肥长期配合施用后土壤及不同粒级中氮的矿化特性。结果表明 ,经 14年 2 9茬连续施肥后土壤氮素矿化势明显增加 ,不同处理间的顺序为 :猪粪 化肥 (3 10mgkg- 1) >秸秆 化肥 (2 98mgkg- 1) >化肥 (2 76mgkg- 1) >对照 (2 0 4mgkg- 1)。长期施肥对土壤氮素矿化速率常数影响较小 ,反映了在相同土壤条件下有机氮矿化的共性。经 16周连续培养各处理土壤氮素的矿化率均在 17%左右。土壤不同粒级中氮的矿化量和矿化势均为 0～ 2 μm >2～ 10 μm >50～ 10 0 μm >10～ 50 μm ,有机肥与化肥长期配合施用显著增加了 0～ 2和 2～ 10 μm粒级氮的矿化势和矿化量。与盆栽试验结果相比 ,培养过程矿化释放的氮明显高于同期土壤的供氮量 ,表明在使用矿化氮评价土壤供氮能力时必须加以矫正。     

长期施肥土壤不同粒径颗粒的固碳效率

【目的】探讨不同施肥措施土壤有机碳在不同粒级颗粒中的分配及变化情况,可揭示各级颗粒中有机碳与外源有机碳输入之间的定量关系。【方法】依托南方红壤连续20年长期定位施肥试验,依据外源有机碳累积输入梯度选择不施肥(CK)、氮磷钾化肥配施(NPK)、氮磷钾化肥与秸秆配施(NPKS)、轮作条件下氮磷钾化肥与有机肥配施(NPKMR)、氮磷钾化肥与有机肥配施(NPKM)、单施有机肥(M)、增量氮磷钾化肥与增量有机肥配施(1.5NPKM)7个处理,并采用物理分组方法将土壤颗粒分为砂粒(53~2000μm)、粗粉粒(5~53μm)、细粉粒(2~5μm)和粘粒(2μm)4个组分。【结果】与不施肥相比,长期施肥均能显著增加土壤总有机碳及各级颗粒中的有机碳的储量,其中以施用有机肥的效果最明显。不同施肥处理各级颗粒中以粘粒的有机碳储量最高,平均为16.26 t/hm~2。施用有机肥和秸秆还田均能显著增加砂粒中有机碳的分配比例,降低粘粒有机碳的分配比例而对粗粉粒和细粉粒无显著影响。土壤砂粒所占的质量百分比及其与粗粉粒、细粉粒和粘粒的比值均与粗粉粒、细粉粒和粘粒组分中有机碳的浓度呈显著正相关关系表明小颗粒(粗粉粒、细粉粒和粘粒)中有机碳的固持和富集促进了大颗粒(砂粒)的形成与稳定。各级颗粒之间,施用有机肥处理的土壤粘粒组分的固碳速率最快,为0.29~0.52 t/(hm~2·a),其次为砂粒[0.30~0.40 t/(hm~2·a)]而粗粉粒和细粉粒的固碳速率基本相当为0.09~0.16t/(hm~2·a)。分析结果还表明土壤总有机碳及各级颗粒有机碳与外源有机碳的输入呈显著正线性相关关系,其中土壤总固碳效率为10.57%而各级颗粒之间,粘粒和砂粒组分的固碳效率(4.25%和3.60%)相当于粗粉粒和细粉粒(1.73%和1.00%)的2倍以上。【结论】南方红壤各级颗粒中有机碳均没有出现饱和现象,有机碳主要在土壤粘粒和砂粒组分中富集,细颗粒中有机碳的富集会促进大粒径土壤颗粒的形成而粘粒是土壤固碳效率最重要的矿物颗粒组成部分。表明长期配施有机肥不仅是红壤有机质提升的重要措施,也是改善红壤结构的重要途径。     

THE DISTRIBUTION OF LABELLED SUGARS IN SOIL PARTICLE SIZE FRACTIONS AS A MEANS OF DISTINGUISHING PLANT AND MICROBIAL CARBOHYDRATE RESIDUES

Soils of the Countesswells and Insch series incubated with ¹⁴C labelled glucose or plant materials have been separated into clay (< 2 μm), silt, (2–20 μm), fine sand (20–250 μm) and coarse sand (>250μm) fractions and the distribution of individual labelled and unlabelled sugars was determined in each fraction. Both soils contained about 10–15 per cent clay, 18–23 per cent silt and about 60 per cent fine and coarse sand. For all soil samples the concentrations of sugars were usually greatest in the clay, slightly less in the silt, with values in the sand fractions being five or ten times lower, except when fresh plant material was present. In ¹⁴C glucose amended Insch soil, 55 per cent of the radioactivity in sugars (predominantly hexoses) occurred in the clay, 36 per cent in the silt, 3 per cent in the fine sand and 6 per cent in the coarse sand after 28 days incubation. For the Countesswells soil the values were 55, 42, 2 and 1 per cent respectively. In ¹⁴C ryegrass amended soil before incubation. 77 per cent of the radioactivity in sugars (predominantly glucose, arabinose and xylose) was in the coarse sand. After one year's incubation this had fallen to 59 per cent. In soil amended with ¹⁴C cereal rye straw the distribution of radioactivity in sugars after four years incubation was: clay, 21 per cent; silt, 43 per cent; fine sand, 21 per cent; coarse sand, 4 per cent. These distributions were compared with that of the naturally occurring sugars: clay, 31–42 per cent; silt, 40–43 per cent; fine sand, 3–11 per cent; coarse sand, 12–20 per cent.     

Influence of fertilization and organic amendments on organic‐carbon fractions in Heilu soil on the loess plateau of China

The influence of fertilization on organic‐carbon fractions separated by density and particle size in Heilu soil (Calcic Kastanozems, FAO) was investigated in a 20‐year (1979–1999) long‐term experiment on the Loess Plateau of China. Compared to an unfertilized treatment, N application alone did not increase total organic carbon (TOC) and its fractions of density and particle size. However, the treatment of N + P fertilization significantly increased salty‐solution–soluble organic carbon (SSOC), microbial biomass C (MB‐C), and organic C associated with fine silt. When manure was applied alone and in combination with N and P fertilizer, the light fraction of organic C (LFOC), SSOC, and MB‐C were increased significantly, and the TOC was as high as that of a native Heilu soil. Organic C associated with different particle‐size fractions was also increased significantly, and the allocation of C among the fractions was altered: the proportions of C in sand (>50 μm), coarse‐silt (20–50 μm), and fine‐clay (<0.2 μm) fractions were increased whereas fine‐silt (2–20 μm) and coarse‐clay (0.2–2 μm) fractions were decreased. It is concluded that N fertilizer alone is not capable of restoring organic‐matter content in the Heilu soils of the Loess Plateau and that C‐containing material like manure and straw is necessary to produce significant increase in soil organic carbon in these soils.     

长期施肥下红壤有机碳及其颗粒组分对不同施肥模式的响应

采集不同施肥24年的红壤,采用物理分组的方法,观测了长期不同施肥下红壤有机碳及其组分变化,并结合历史资料分析了不同施肥模式对红壤有机碳及其颗粒组分的影响。结果表明,化肥配施有机肥（NPKM）处理下红壤总有机碳含量（10.33 g/kg）,砂粒（2000～53 m）、细粉粒（5～2 m）和粘粒（2 m）组分中的有机碳含量显著高于其他处理。与不施肥（CK）相比,施用化肥（NPK、2NPK）和有机肥（NPKM、M）显著地提高了红壤有机碳在砂粒和粘粒中的分配比例,而降低了其在粗粉粒和细粉粒的分配比例。施化肥（NPK、2NPK）、单施有机肥（M）、化肥配施有机肥（NPKM）处理,土壤有机碳的平均固定速率分别为0.05 t/(hm2?a)、0.18 t/(hm2?a)、0.26 t/(hm2?a)。相关分析表明,不同施肥模式下红壤有机碳的固定量与碳投入量之间存在着极显著的线性相关关系（R2=0.909, P0.01）,土壤的固碳效率为8.1%;随着碳投入的增加,粗粉粒和细粉粒有机碳储量逐渐下降,而砂粒和粘粒中碳储量逐渐增加,并且粘粒增加速率要远远高于砂粒。以上结果说明,红壤中有机碳还没有达到饱和,还具有一定的固碳潜力,增加的有机碳主要固持在粘粒中,粘粒是红壤有机碳的主要固持组分。     

Composition of organic matter in particle-size fractions of an agricultural soil

The composition of organic matter was studied in clay (< 2 μm), fine silt (2-6.3 μm), medium silt (6.3-20 μm), coarse silt (20-63 μm) and sand (63-2000 μm) fractions of the Ap-horizon of a clay loam (Orthic Humic Gleysol) from Bainsville (Ottawa, Canada) by organic C and total N analyses and pyrolysis-field ionization mass spectrometry (Py-FIMS). The C and N contents were largest in fine silt and medium silt and smaller in coarse silt and sand. Differences in the contents of organic matter and absorbed water were significantly (r= 0.945***) reflected by the amounts of volatilized matter during Py-FIMS. The Py-FI therniograms and mass spectra showed clear differences in thermal stability and molecular composition of organic matter between the organo-mineral size-fractions. Abundances of carbohydrates, phenols and lignin monomers, alkylaromatics and N-containing compounds decreased, whereas abundances of lignin dimers and lipids increased with increasing equivalent diameters. An exception was the sand fraction which was dominated by the characteristic features of plant residues. The six compound classes, calculated using signals of biomarkers, accounted for 35% to 60% of the recorded total ion intensity. The thermal evolution of the selected compound classes, which are important constituents of soil organic matter (SOM), indicated the stability of humic and organo-mineral bonds in particle-size fractions, Moreover, the influence of mineral matrix on organic matter composition was shown by significant correlations between relative abundances of carbohydrates, N-containing compounds, lipids, lignin dimers, and proportions of phyllosilicates.     

Particle size fractionation of fungal and bacterial biomass in subalpine grassland and forest soils

Characterization of soil aggregates according to particle size fractions is a useful tool in process-oriented research into soil organic matter and biological properties. Substrate-induced respiration (SIR) inhibition was used to quantify microbial, fungal and bacterial biomass in particle size fractions of soils ranging from forest to grassland in a subalpine region of central Taiwan. In addition, ergosterol content was determined in the same samples to verify fungal biomass measured by SIR inhibition technique. Surface soil (0–10 cm) was fractionated into four particle size fractions: coarse sand (250–2000 μm), fine sand (53–250 μm), silt (2–53 μm) and clay (0.2–2 μm). The larger sized fractions (>250 μm and 53–250 μm) contained higher levels of fungal ergosterol than the smaller sized ones (2–53 μm and 0.2–2 μm). The largest particle size fraction (250–2000 μm) from all studied habitats showed the highest level of microbial biomass, with no clear trend in microbial biomass level among the other size fractions. SIR-calculated fungal biomass level and ergosterol converted fungal biomass content were positively correlated (r=0.71, p<0.05), and such correlation decreased as biomass levels were high. Ratios of fungi to bacteria ranged between 0.6 and 1.3 in fractions obtained in this study. This study indicates a high variability of microbial (fungal and bacterial) biomass level among particle size fractions in soil, and that the large-sized fractions tend to contain a high level of microbial biomass in a given ecosystem.     

Influence of tillage and rotation systems on distribution of organic carbon associated with particle-size fractions in Chernozemic soils of Saskatchewan, Canada

The effects of several dominant tillage and rotation systems on soil organic C content of different particle-size fractions were studied in Chernozemic soils from southwestern and east-central Saskatchewan, Canada. In an Orthic Brown Chernozem in southwestern Saskatchewan, 7 years of no-till cereal–fallow, imposed on a long-term tillage fallow–wheat rotation soil, resulted in 0.1 Mg C ha⁻¹ more organic C mass in the sand + organic matter (OM) fraction of the 0- to 5-cm layer, whereas organic C associated with coarse silt (CS), fine silt (FS), coarse clay, and fine clay of 0- to 5- and 5- to 10-cm layers was less than that of the comparable tilled cereal–fallow system. Conversion of tilled fallow–wheat rotation soil to continuous cropping had a slight effect, whereas the organic C mass in all the size fractions was significantly increased in both 0- to 5- and 5- to 10-cm layers after alfalfa was introduced on tilled fallow–wheat as perennial forage for 10 years. In an Orthic Black Chernozem in east-central Saskatchewan that was cultivated and tilled using a cereal–fallow rotation for 62 years, organic C mass decreased in sand + OM, CS, and FS of 0- to 10-cm depth. Conversion of the tilled cereal–fallow cropland soil back to seeded grassland resulted in significantly more soil organic C in sand + OM fraction after 12 years of grass seed-down. The sand + OM fraction appears to be the size fraction pool initially most sensitive to adoption of management practices that are liable to sequester carbon in the soil.     

Long-term impact of reduced tillage and residue management on soil carbon stabilization: Implications for conservation agriculture on contrasting soils

Residue retention and reduced tillage are both conservation agricultural management options that may enhance soil organic carbon (SOC) stabilization in tropical soils. Therefore, we evaluated the effects of long-term tillage and residue management on SOC dynamics in a Chromic Luvisol (red clay soil) and Areni-Gleyic Luvisol (sandy soil) in Zimbabwe. At the time of sampling the soils had been under conventional tillage (CT), mulch ripping (MR), clean ripping (CR) and tied ridging (TR) for 9 years. Soil was fully dispersed and separated into 212–2000 μm (coarse sand), 53–212 μm (fine sand), 20–53 μm (coarse silt), 5–20 μm (fine silt) and 0–5 μm (clay) size fractions. The whole soil and size fractions were analyzed for C content. Conventional tillage treatments had the least amount of SOC, with 14.9 mg C g⁻¹ soil and 4.2 mg C g⁻¹ soil for the red clay and sandy soils, respectively. The highest SOC content was 6.8 mg C g⁻¹ soil in the sandy soil under MR, whereas for the red clay soil, TR had the highest SOC content of 20.4 mg C g⁻¹ soil. Organic C in the size fractions increased with decreasing size of the fractions. In both soils, the smallest response to management was observed in the clay size fractions, confirming that this size fraction is the most stable. The coarse sand-size fraction was most responsive to management in the sandy soil where MR had 42% more organic C than CR, suggesting that SOC contents of this fraction are predominantly controlled by amounts of C input. In contrast, the fine sand fraction was the most responsive fraction in the red clay soil with a 66% greater C content in the TR than CT. This result suggests that tillage disturbance is the dominant factor reducing C stabilization in a clayey soil, probably by reducing C stabilization within microaggregates. In conclusion, developing viable conservation agriculture practices to optimize SOC contents and long-term agroecosystem sustainability should prioritize the maintenance of C inputs (e.g. residue retention) to coarse textured soils, but should focus on the reduction of SOC decomposition (e.g. through reduced tillage) in fine textured soils.     

Restoration Affect Soil Organic Carbon and Nutrients in Different Particle‐size Fractions

Desertification is reversible and can often be prevented by adopting measures to control the causal processes. Desertification has generally decreased in most of the arid and semiarid areas of China during the last few decades because of the restoration of degraded vegetation and soil nutrients. However, little is known about the responses of soil nutrients in different particle‐size fractions to the restoration process and about the importance of this response to the restoration of bulk‐soil nutrients. In this study, we separated bulk‐soil samples in different sieve fractions: coarse‐fine sand (2·0–0·1 mm), very fine sand (0·10–0·05 mm) and silt + clay (<0·05 mm) fractions. Soil organic carbon (SOC), N, P and K contents stored in the silt + clay were greater than the contents of non‐protected nutrients in the coarser fractions. During the restoration of desertified land, the content and stability of bulk‐soil SOC, total N and P and available N, P and K increased with increasing nutrient contents in all fractions. Topsoil nutrients stored in coarse‐fine sand and very fine sand fractions were more sensitive than those stored in the silt + clay fraction to the fixation of mobile sandy lands and vegetation recovery. The changes of bulk‐soil nutrients and their stability were decided by the soil nutrients associated with all particle‐size fractions. Path analysis revealed that SOC and total nutrients in very fine sand and available nutrients in coarse‐fine sand were the key factors driving the soil recovery. These results will help us understand soil recovery mechanisms and evaluate the degree of recovery. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.