Mineralization of organic matter and the carbon sequestration capacity of zonal soils

The susceptibility of soil organic matter (SOM) to mineralization decreases in the following sequence of zonal soils: tundra soil > soddy-podzolic soil > gray forest soil > chestnut soil > dark chestnut soil > chernozem. The content of potentially mineralizable organic matter in the plowed soils is 1.9–3.9 times lower than that in their virgin analogues. The highest soil carbon sequestration capacity (SCSC) is typical of the leached chernozems, and the lowest SCSC is typical of the tundra soil. Taking into account the real soil temperatures and the duration of the warm season, the SCSC values decrease in the following sequence: leached chernozem > dark chestnut soil > chestnut soil ≥ tundra soil > gray forest soil > soddy-podzolic soil. Arable soils are characterized by higher SCSC values in comparison with their virgin analogues.     

Thermal properties of typical chernozems in Kursk Oblast

Thermal diffusivity and heat capacity of virgin and plowed heavy loamy typical chernozems of Kursk oblast were studied. Thermal diffusivity was determined in the course of step-by-step drying of the initially capillary-saturated samples to the air-dry state. Specific heat capacity was determined for absolutely dry samples. Volumetric heat capacity was calculated according to the de Vries equation. Thermal diffusivity varied within the ranges of (1.15–3.46) × 10^–7 m²/s in the Ap horizon, (1.14–3.35) × 10^–7 m²/s in the А1 horizon, (1.49–3.70) × 10^–7 m²/s in the АВ horizon, (1.49–3.91) × 10^–7 m²/s in the В1 horizon, and (1.60–3.80) × 10^–7 m²/s in the Вса horizon. The thermal diffusivity vs. water content dependencies had distinct maximums and were flattened in the range of low water contents. The maximums were most pronounced for the mineral B1 and Bca horizons; for the A1 and Ap horizons, the curves were rather S-shaped. Volumetric heat capacity of the air-dry soils varied from 0.96 J/(cm³ K) in the A1 horizon to 1.31 J/(cm³ K) in the Bca horizon; in the state of capillary saturation, it varied from 2.79 J/(cm³ K) in the А1 horizon to 3.28 J/(cm³ K) in the Вса horizon. Thermal properties of topsoil horizons were higher in the plowed chernozem compared with the virgin chernozem, which is explained by an increase in the bulk density and a decrease in the organic matter content in the plowed soil.     

Soil development in anthropogenically disturbed forest-steppe landscapes

The results of long-term studies of chernozem development in anthropogenically disturbed landscapes of the forest-steppe zone are discussed. Parameters characterizing the formation of the humus horizon of chernozems and the rate of this process are presented. Critical points and characteristic times of the formation of humus horizons are determined. The regeneration of soil properties as dependent on the degree of anthropogenic disturbance of chernozems is estimated.     

Changes in the structure of soil microbial biomass under fallow

The number and biomass of various groups of microorganisms in fallow soils is greater as compared to plowed soils. The microbial biomass in all fallow and plowed soils is dominated by fungal mycelium (from 90% in the top horizons to 97% in the lower ones). The part of spores in the fungal biomass is higher in plowed soils (from 9% in the top horizons to 4% in the lower ones) as compared to fallow soils (3.5?C6%). The fallow soils are characterized by the greater part of prokaryotic microorganisms in the biomass, and the reserves and structure of the microbial biomass are more similar to those in the undisturbed soils. These characteristics changed during a ten-year-long period in a soddy-calcareous soil and during a 25-year-long period in a leached chernozem.     

Soil loss tolerance in the central chernozemic region of the European part of Russia

To calculate the soil loss tolerance for chernozems of the central chernozemic region, a linear modification of Skidmore’s equation was used. The soil loss tolerance values were obtained with due account for the soil type, the degree of erodibility, and the crop rotation pattern. The maximum possible value (10 t/ha per year) was obtained for a typical noneroded chernozem in all the crop rotations. Close values were obtained for noneroded leached and typical chernozems (9.6–9.9 t/ha per year depending on the crop rotation pattern). The soil loss tolerance for the noneroded podzolized chernozem was somewhat lower: 9.1 t/ha per year in the grain-herb-intertilled crop rotation and 6.3 t/ha/year in the grain-intertilled crop rotation. With an increase in the degree of the soil erosion, the soil loss tolerance decreased in all the variants of the experiment with an especially abrupt decrease in the grain-intertilled crop rotation (from 9.9–10.0 to 0.3–2.0 t/ha per year in the, respectively, noneroded and slightly eroded ordinary and typical chernozems). In the grain-herb-intertilled crop rotation, these differences were much smaller: in the slightly eroded typical chernozem the soil loss tolerance was estimated at 9.7 t/ha per year, while, in the slightly eroded typical chernozem, at 8.1 t/ha per year. The moderately eroded chernozems without the addition of manure could only be used in the grain-herb-intertilled crop rotation; the soil loss tolerance was estimated at 9.0 t/ha per year for the typical chernozem and 4.3 t/ha per year for the ordinary chernozem.     

Changes in the content and quality of humus in leached chernozems of the Trans-Ural forest-steppe zone under the impact of their agricultural use

The results of long-term studies of changes in the content and fractional-group composition of humus in leached chernozems (Luvic Voronic Chernozems, WRB 2006) of the Trans-Ural forest-steppe since the beginning of their plowing are considered. These soils are characterized by the high humus pool (up to 500 t/ha in the virgin state and up to 430 t/ha in the plowed state) and the high degree of the organic matter humification. Humus is of the fulvate–humate type in the upper 30 cm and of the humate–fulvate type in the deeper layers. From 1968 to 2006, the total pool of humus in the 1-m-deep soil layer of the plowed chernozems decreased by 8.5% in comparison with the initial virgin soils. The rate of dehumification reached 1.0–1.4 t/ha per year. The long-term plowing of leached chernozems also led to a smaller content of nitrogen in the organic matter (the C/N ratio increased from 11.5 to 13.6). The relative content of free humic acids (HA-1) and humic acids bound to clay minerals (HA-3) increased, whereas the content of calcium humates (HA-2) decreased. The composition of fulvic acids in the plow horizon was characterized by the rise in the content of aggressive (FA-1a) and mobile (FA-1) fractions, while the amount of fulvates bound to calcium (FA-2) decreased.     

Morphometric profiles of pore space in loamy soils of the forest and steppe zones of European Russia

A computer-based image analysis of vertically oriented thin sections was applied to study changes in the shape and orientation of fine soil macropores (d = 0.2−2.0 mm) in the profiles of soddy-podzolic soils and typical (migrational-mycelial) chernozems. Generalization of the obtained morphometric data was based on the theory of mereology, a scientific discipline studying the structure (part-whole relationships) of classified objects. As a first approximation, generalized data characterized archetypes of morphometric porespace profiles of the studied soils. The archetype of the pore-space profile of the soddy-podzolic soil consists of four components (meronyms) corresponding to the humus-accumulative, eluvial, textural (clay-illuvial), and transitional to the parent material (BC) horizons. Sharp boundaries between the upper horizons specify sharp changes in the studied meronomic indices of the shape and orientation of soil pores. The pore-space profile of the migrational-mycelial chernozem consists of two major components: specific pores in the granular dark-humus (AU) horizon and complex pore space of the BCA and BCca horizons that are poorly differentiated with respect to the shape and orientation of their fine macropores despite clear genetic differences between these horizons. Pore-space patterns in the lower (transitional to the parent material) horizons of the studied soils are characterized by the high degree of similarity (>75%). Pore-space patterns in the upper horizons of the studied soils are different; the level of their similarity does not exceed 24–41.5%. The results obtained in this study hold promise in the use of morphometric characteristics of the pore space in separate genetic soil horizons as meronyms composing archetypes of the pore-space profiles of different soils. Such archetypes may be used for diagnostic purposes as reference pore-space profiles of the particular types of soils.     

Systems of solutions,minerals, and humic substances in soils

The equilibrium composition of solutions, minerals, and humic substances of the humus-clay plasma from the humus horizon of a leached chernozem was calculated using the method of computerized physicochemical simulation based on Gibbs’ principle of minimum free energy in the equilibrium state of the system. It was shown that the plasma from the humus horizons of chernozems and soddy-deeply podzolic soil mainly consists of oxides, hydroxides, humic substances, kaolinite, and 2: 1 illite-smectite minerals. The stoichiometry of the humic substances corresponds to calcium-saturated humus acids with appreciable contents of iron and aluminum. The crystallochemical composition of the 2: 1 layered minerals classifies them among ferruginated mixed-layered illite-montmorillonites. Simulation at an increased concentration of carbon dioxide indicated the degradation of the humus-clay plasma in a leached chernozem under extensive soil use, which can be restored by application of potassium at rates 1-to ?1.5-fold its removal.     

Agrogenic evolution of automorphic chernozems in the forest-steppe zone (Belgorod oblast)

Agrochronosequences of chernozems with different periods of their use in rainfed farming with application of traditional technologies have been studied in a typical forest-steppe area in Belgorod oblast. Certain stages in the development of these soils during more than two centuries of their agricultural use have been identified. These stages are related to changes in the intensity and direction of soil forming processes, such as soil compaction, soil aggregation, dehumification of the upper horizons, calcification of the soil profiles, argillization, etc. A significant impact on the soil changes during the agrogenic evolution of chernozems is exerted by the digging activity of burrowers, which is especially pronounced in the old-arable chernozems.     

The humus formation and humus in forest-steppe and steppe chernozems of the southern Cisural region

The ecological features of the humus formation in typical, ordinary, and southern chernozems of the Orenburg Cisural region were considered. The fractional-group composition and amphiphilic properties of the forest-steppe and steppe chernozem subtypes were studied in relation to the dynamics of the hydrothermal regime, the vegetation, and the biological (enzymatic) activity of these zonal soils. The particular properties of the humus in virgin and arable landscapes were established. Arguments were presented for the probable existence of a genetically controlled relationship between the fractional-group composition of the humus and its amphiphilic properties     

Trends of the natural evolution of chernozems on the East European Plain

A generalized chronosequence of changes in the morphometric parameters of chernozems in the past 5100 years is analyzed. It is shown that the development of chernozems in the center of the East European Plain is characterized by both long-term (interglacial, encompassing the entire Holocene) and short-term (within separate climatic periods of the Holocene) trends. The long-term trend of the evolution of ordinary chernozems developed from the loess-like calcareous loam consists of a continuous increase in the thickness of the soil humus profile and an oscillating increase in the depth of the carbonate accumulations. The Late-Holocene short-term trends of the natural evolution of chernozems are characterized by the high spatial heterogeneity related to the patterns of climatic fluctuations and to the lithological composition of parent materials. In that period, the thickness of genetic horizons in the forest-steppe chernozems was increasing faster than that in the steppe chernozems.     

Anthropogenic evolution of dark gray forest-steppe soils in the southern part of the Central Russian Upland

A sequence of dark gray forest soils developing under a virgin broadleaved forest and under croplands used for 100 and 150 years was studied in the southern part of the forest-steppe zone on the Central Russian Upland. The application of multiple study methods for these objects made it possible to trace the evolutionary changes in the soil properties during the 150-year-long period of regular plowing. Several important trends in the soil development under the impact of the cultivation were revealed: (a) an increase in the thickness of the humus layer (according to the measurements at 20 points for each of the objects), (b) an increase in the amount of mole tunnels, (c) a decrease in the coefficient of the textural differentiation of the soil profile (with respect to the clay content), (d) an increase in the contents and reserves of the major nutrients upon a stable pool of humus in the upper meter, and (e) some alkalization and carbonization of the profile. Powdery accumulations of carbonates and whitish calcareous coatings on the faces of prismatic peds appeared at a depth of more than 130 cm. The plowed soils contained thin deep fissures, the surface of which was covered by dark-colored clayey-humus coatings at the depth of 50–110 cm. The radiocarbon age of the humus in these coatings was 500–1000 years younger than the age of the humus in the soil mass between the fissures. This set of features attests to the evolution of the plowed dark gray forest soils into chernozems under the impact of plowing.     

Microbiological parameters of aggregates in typical chernozems of long-term field experiments

The changes in microbiological parameters of aggregates (1–2 mm) in typical chernozems under different land uses as dependent on the intensity and character of anthropogenic loads were studied with the help of the real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The samples from the following long-term field experiments were examined: permanent black fallow, continuous cultivation of potato, 17-year-old unmanaged fallow after permanent black fallow, and annually mown reserved steppe. The soil samples were treated in two ways. In the first case, the samples were air-dried, sieved through the screens to separate aggregate fraction of 1–2 mm, and microbiological parameters were determined in this fraction. In the second case, the samples were frozen immediately after the sampling, and the aggregates of 1–2 mm were manually separated from the samples before the PCR analysis. It was shown that air-dry aggregates of chernozems could be used for the quantitative analysis of DNA of microbial community in comparative studies. According to the quantitative estimate of the content of DNA fragments from different phylogenetic groups, the bacterial community was most sensitive to the type of the soil use, and its restoration after the removal of extreme anthropogenic loads proceeded faster than that of other microorganisms. The content of archaeal DNA in the chernozem under the 17-year-old unmanaged fallow did not differ significantly from its content in the annually plowed chernozems. The changes in the content of micromycetal DNA related to anthropogenic load decrease were intermediate between changes in the contents of archaeal and bacterial DNA.     

Total microbial biomass and metabolic state of microorganisms in a typical chernozem of Moldova

New data on the total microbial biomass and its metabolic state in a typical chernozem of Moldova were obtained. The carbon content of the microbial biomass in the arable chernozems varied from 419 to 1033 μg/g soil and from 1002 to 1432 μg C/g soil under the shelterbelts. The contents of the microbial biomass under the shelter belts was by 2.1–2.9, 1.6–2.2, and 1.2–1.3 times higher than that in the unfertilized and fertilized with mineral and organic nutrients chernozems, respectively. Crop rotations with and without lucerne were examined. The functional activity of the microbial communities in the chernozem was determined by their metabolic diversity, the ability to use alternative metabolic reactions, and the domination of r-strategists. The content of the active part of the microbial community in the natural ecosystems constituted approximately 1/3 (29.1% on the average) of the total microbial community; in the arable soils, it as lower (9.8–21.8%).

     

Structure of humic acids in zonal soils from <Superscript>13</Superscript>C NMR data

The structure of humic acids (HAs) in zonal soil types—soddy-podzolic soils (two samples), gray forest soil (one sample), and chernozems (two samples)—was quantitatively studied by ¹³C NMR spectros-copy. In the series considered, the content of unsubstituted carbon in the aromatic fragments of HAs increased, and the fraction of unsubstituted aliphatic structures decreased. HAs of soddy-podzolic soils were found to be enriched with carbohydrate fragments compared to HAs of chernozems and gray forest soil. The carbon skeleton of HAs from typical rich chernozem contained significantly more aliphatic and carbohydrate fragments compared to typical chernozem, which probably reflected the lower degree of HA transformation in rich chernozem.     

Humus and humic acids in chernozems of the southeastern Transbaikal region (Chita Oblast)

Humic acids (HAs) in the noncalcareous chernozems developed from the colluvium of argillites and chlorite schist are characterized by a predominance of the first, relatively mobile fraction (HA-1) and a lower content of the second (HA-2) fraction. Modern nondestructive physicochemical methods for studying the chemical structure of HA macromolecules have shown that the Has in the virgin soils have approximately equal portions of aromatic and aliphatic groups. In the plowed soils, the portion of aromatic carbon increases under the impact of the intensive agricultural use of these soils and their susceptibility to wind erosion.     

Clay minerals in a denudation-accumulative soil catena

Chernozems and agrochernozems of the Kamennaya Steppe agroforest landscape have a silty clay or clay texture and similar associations of clay minerals. The plow horizons of the agrochernozems on a slope of 2°–3° to the Talovaya Balka have an increased content of the smectite phase (50–70%) compared to the upper horizons of the chernozems on flat watersheds (30–50%) due to the lithological discontinuity of the soil-forming material and the possible total removal of material on the slope by denudation. On slightly eroded areas, the clay minerals display a more intense disturbance of their crystal lattice structures by pedogenetic processes, which increase the degree of disorder in their layers and the accumulation of fine quartz in the clay fraction. In the areas with more significant erosion of the humus horizon, the clay minerals are characterized by their perfect structure and clean reflections, which are indicative of the outcropping of less weathered material from the middle part of the chernozem profile less transformed by pedogenesis.     

Transformation of old-plowed gray forest soils under the influence of differently aged pine forests in the middle Angara River region

The long-term (55–85 years) influence of pine forests on old-plowed gray forest soils (in the middle Angara River basin) has been reflected in the character of the biological cycle and intensity of the biological processes. The population of actinomycetes decreased, and that of fungi increased, within the whole profiles of these soils. The soil profiles became more differentiated according to eluvial-illuvial types. The thickness of the humus (former plowed) horizons decreased. The thicker differently decomposed litter with the abundant fungal mycelium was formed. The most conservative were relic morphological characteristics: plow sole, humus tongues, and the illuvial-metamorphic horizon.     

Normatives of changes in the physical properties of chernozems in the forest-steppe zone of European Russia under conditions of their intensive agricultural use

Normatives of changes in the physical properties of plowed typical and leached heavy loamy and light clayey chernozems under their intensive agricultural use are developed for two major provinces of the forest-steppe zone of European Russia. The limits of the optimal, permissible, and critical values of the physical properties of the plow layer for crop growth are determined. It is shown that the variation in the physical properties of the plow layer of chernozems is determined not only by the zonal-provincial features but also by the period and type of their use and the farming standards. In the plow layer, the natural differences in the physical properties of chernozems at the subtype level are significantly leveled by agrotechnical measures and the similar requirements of cultivated crops. Upon high farming standards, the physical properties of plowed chernozems on fields with high and moderate fertility levels remain close to the optimum or permissible values. The technogenic compaction of the plow layer of chernozems of different textures in the forest-steppe zone and the corresponding decrease in the yield of cereals are predicted on the basis of known models. The developed normatives of changes in the physical properties of cultivated chernozems can be applied to assess the modern state of the physical conditions of these soils and the tendencies of their alteration; they can serve as a basis for improving regional systems of land use.     

Biological mineralization of organic matter in the modern virgin and plowed chernozems,buried chernozems,and fossil chernozems

The phenomenon of mineralization (biological mineralization) of organic matter in chernozems has been studied. A decrease in the content of C_org with time can be considered an index of the organic matter mineralization. It is suggested that the humus horizons of modern chernozems contain the pools of organic matter of different ages: easily decomposable organic matter, labile biologically active humus, stable biologically active humus, and relatively inert humus. The composition and mean residence times of these pools and their contribution to the total organic matter content have been estimated. The particular types of the biological mineralization have been determined on the basis of the comparison between the velocities of mineralization (M) and humification (H) processes: total unidirectional mineralization (M ≫ H), equilibrium mineralization (M ∼ H), nonequilibrium mineralization (M> <H), and zero mineralization. The separation of subtypes is based on data on the relative rates (%) of the organic matter mineralization. On the basis of available experimental data on chernozems buried under kurgans and in loess sediments (with the age of up to 800 ka), the quantitative relationship of the humus content in the buried soils on their age has been found; it has an exponential shape. During the first 100 ka after the soil burial, the soil humus content gradually (with a slowing intensity) decreases from 100–75 to 6.5% of its content in the virgin chernozems. Then, 100–1000 ka after the soil burial, the soil humus content remains approximately constant (6.5% of the initial level, or 0.3% of the soil mass). The rates of mineralization have been estimated. It is shown that the elemental composition (C, H, N, O) of humic acids remains relatively stable for a long time due to the regeneration of the chemical structure of humus (matric restoration of humus). It is suggested that several different forms of humus related to pedogenesis should be distinguished in the biosphere. The renewable humus in the equilibrium state with the environment is typical of the open biospheric (soil) systems. The fossil humus, whose content decreases with time, and whose composition remains stable, is typical of the semiclosed and closed systems. With time, it transforms into residual humus, whose content and composition remain stable. The fossilized organic matter in the fossil soils and sediments of the past geological epochs (Mesozoic and Paleozoic) considerably differs from the renewable, fossil, and residual humus.