Specific features of the humus status in soils of Buryatia

The humus content in soils of Buryatia varies significantly in dependence on the local hydrothermic conditions. All the studied soils are characterized by a relatively short humus profile, a sharp drop in the humus content down the soil profile, considerable amounts of the humin fraction and the fraction of humic acids bound with sesquioxides, and a moderate humus enrichment with nitrogen.     

The humus status of brown forest soils and its changes upon intensive tea growing in the subtropical zone of Russia

Changes in the humus status of acid brown forest soils used for tea growing have been studied in a long-term stationary experiment after 20 years of the application of mineral fertilizers in increasing doses. It is shown that long-term tea growing has resulted in a reliable increase in the humus content within the upper cultivated horizon (Ap, 0–40 cm) at the expense of the nonhydrolyzable fraction of humus (humin) and the first fractions of humic and fulvic acids. The fractional composition of humus has changed against the background of a stable fulvate type of humus (Cha/Cfa < 0.5). The portion of the first fraction of humic and fulvic acids in the total amount of humus has increased, as well as the portion of the first fraction of humic acids in the total amount of humic acids. These changes are due to the enhanced humification of plant residues with a parallel decrease in the contents of the second (Ca-bound) and third (bound with clay and stable sesquioxides) fractions of humic substances.     

西北黄土地区土壤腐殖物质的研究

本研究了西北黄土地区土壤腐殖质的含量、组成、性质与分布。其结果是：1.土壤腐殖质含量，是从东南向西北呈由高到低的分布规律。2.胡敏酸的含量、胡敏酸/富里酸的比值及胡敏酸的芳构化程度，均以陕西靖边县草原植被下的轻黑垆土为中心，向西和西北荒漠草原植被下的棕钙土与白绵土；向南森林草原与森林植被下的滕土和褐土；向东是黄绵土逐渐降低。胡敏素的含量是向西、北、南及东逐渐增加。3.与钙结合的胡敏酸，以黑垆土为中心是向西、北、南和东递减；与铁铝结合的胡敏酸是向西、北、南和东递加。4.胡敏酸芳构化程度：草原土壤>干草原与森林草原土壤>荒漠草原和森林土壤。     

Effect of continuous compost application on humus composition and nitrogen fertility of soils in a field subjected to double cropping

We investigated the effect of continuous compost application on humus composition and N fertility of soils in a field subjected to double cropping (paddy rice and barley) for 25 years. Soil samples were collected from three different plots: (a) No-NF, fertilizer containing P and K but no N; (b) F, fertilizer containing N, P, and K; and (c) F+C, fertilizer plus compost. The amounts of total humus, extracted humus, and humic and fulvic acids increased in the order No-NF<F≪F+C. The amounts of humic and fulvic acids were 2.7 and 1.7 times larger in the F+C plot than in the F plot, respectively. The degree of humification of the humic acids decreased in the order No-NF<F<F+C. The absorption curves and ¹³C-NMR spectra (TOSS method) of the humic acids indicated the presence of lignin-like structure, and its degree was the strongest in the F+C plot. The ¹³C-NMR spectra showed distinct differences in the distribution of carbon species between humic and fulvic acids. In humic acids, the content of aromatic-C, ranging from 37 to 44%, was the highest among carbon species. In fulvic acids, the content of O-alkyl-C, ranging from 45 to 51%, was the highest. The amounts of phosphate buffer-extractable N (PEON) and total N (TN) increased in the order No-NF<F<F+C. The amounts of PEON and TN were 1.2 and 1.7 times larger in the F+C plot than in the F plot, respectively. Present and previous findings indicated that continuous compost application could improve various properties of soils in a field subjected to long-term double cropping.     

Comparison of humus composition of charred Susuki (Eulalia,Miscanthus sinensis) plants before and after HNO3 treatment

Ando soils (Kurobokudo), which are characterized by the accumulation of large amounts of black humus, are widely distributed in Japan, and the black color is due to the presence of A type humic acids with a high degree of humification (Kumada 1987).     

Changes in the Content,Composition, and Properties of Humic Substances in Particle-Size Fractions of Soddy-Podzolic Soils under the Impact of Long-Term Drainage

Specific features of the transformation of humic substances in particle-size fractions of drained soddy-podzolic soils were studied on a field (12 ha) of the Experimental and Educational Center of Lomonosov Moscow State University in Moscow oblast. The field had a clearly pronounced microtopography. Surface-gleyed soddy-podzolic soils (Albic Stagnic Glossic Retisols (Loamic, Aric, Ochric)) of microdepressions with excessive surface moistening and nongleyed soddy-podzolic soils (Albic Glossic Retisols (Loamic, Aric, Ochric)) of elevated positions were examined. These soils were studied before the field drainage and during 25 years after drainage works in the periods differing in conditions of humification and with due account for not only drainage works but also other factors, such as topography and agrotechnology and their joint action. The specificity of transformation of humic substances in the soils and their particle-size fractions was analyzed in the basis of data on the organic carbon content, group and fractional composition of humus, the intensity of individual stages of humification (the neoformation of humic acids and the formation of humates), and the optical density of the fractions of humic acids. The results of the study of these properties in the fine soil fractions (<50 μm) made it possible to assess the response of the clay (<1 μm) and silt (1–5, 5–10, 10–50 μm) fractions to changes in the ecological situation and the role of separate particle-size fractions in the degradation of humus under adverse impacts. Overall, a clear tendency toward worsening of the humus quality was observed in both soils during the 25-year-long period, which is related to the long-term (20 years) agricultural use of the reclaimed field without application of agrochemicals. The features of humus degradation were mainly manifested in the finest (<10 μm) fractions with a general decrease in the humus content, slowing down of the formation of humic acids and humates, and considerable loss of humic acids, including their agronomically valuable fractions HA1 and HA2. The degradation of humus quality in the clay fraction was largely due to the impact of the reclamation (drainage) factor; the degradation of humus quality in the fine and medium silt fractions was mainly due to the negative changes in the agricultural background. Among negative consequences of the worsening humus quality, the lowering of soil fertility, ecological sustainability, and productivity of agrocenoses should be noted.     

水稻土的腐殖质组成

土壤的有机质状况与成土条件之间有着紧密的联系。借助于腐殖质形成分析法,ТюРин确定了腐殖质形成过程的地带性规律。他指出,不同发生学土类,其腐殖质形成有着明显的不同^[1]。Кононова把土壤腐殖质看作为一个高分子物质体系,她证明成土条件对腐殖质的影响,不仅表现在分祖形成方面,而且也表现在胡敏酸的本性方面^[2]。另一方面,一些工作表明,有机厦状况的不同又将对土壤形成过程和土壤性质产生不同的影响^[3]。因此,研究土壤的腐殖质状况,不仅有助于对土壤性质的了解,而且可为成土过程,从而为土壤分类提供有益的资料。     

Combination reaction between humic acid and calcium ions

In the previous paper (1), liming an acid humus volcanic ash soil resulted in the formation of humic acids combined with calcium, but had no significant effect on acid brown forest soils containing humic acids of a lower degree of humification. Subsequently, the authors examined the humus composition of the soils treated with calcium acetate, and conducted some experiments on the combination reaction between humic acid and calcium ions. The results obtained are presented in this paper.     

Transformation of lignin in surface and buried soils of mountainous landscapes

The content and composition of the lignin phenols in plants and soils of vertical natural zones were studied in the Northern Caucasus region and Northwestern Tien Shan. Three types of lignin transformation were revealed: steppe, forest, and meadow ones. It was shown that the degree of oxidation of the biopolymer during the transformation of organic matter increased when going from the living plant tissues to humic acids in surface and buried soils. The portion of lignin fragments remained unchanged during the biopolymer transformation in the following series: plant tissues-falloff-litter-soil-humic acids-buried humic acids. It was also shown that the biochemical composition of the plants had a decisive effect on the structure of the humic acids in the soils. The quantitative analysis of the lignin phenols and the ¹³C NMR spectroscopy proved that the lignin in higher plants was involved in the formation of specific compounds of soil humus, including aliphatic and aromatic molecular fragments. The first analysis of the lignin content and composition in buried soils of different ages was performed, and an increase in the degree of oxidation of the lignin structures was revealed in the soil chronoseries. It was proposed to use the proportions of lignin phenols in surface and buried soils as diagnostic criteria of the vegetation types in different epochs.     

The humus state of the soils of locally hydromorphic landscapes in the lower reaches of the don river

The humus state of rainfed chernozems affected by local waterlogging was studied. The total humus content in the hydromorphic chernozems increases, as well as the content of fulvic acids, whereas the content of nonhydrolyzable residue (humin) decreases. A significant increase in the portions of the third fractions of humic and fulvic acids is observed. The role of the fine silt and clay fractions in the binding of humic substances increases in the lower horizons of locally hydromorphic soils. The increase in the content of fulvic acids (fulvatization) is mainly due to their predominance in the clay fraction. The latter is specified by the significant narrowing of the C_ha-to-C_fa ratio, the lower content of the nonhydrolyzable residue, and the increased content of the clay-bound (3rd fraction) fulvic and humic acids. The composition of the humus in the fine silt fraction of the studied soils is characterized by an increased amount of humic acids of the second fraction with a decrease in the relative content of fulvic acids.     

Humus status of soils of overgrown quarries in Leningrad oblast

The humus status of young different-aged soils developed on tailings of different quarries of Quaternary and pre-Quaternary raw materials in Leningrad oblast was studied. Organic profiles were characterized; the humus accumulation rates, the organic matter reserves, the humus enrichment with nitrogen, the degree of humification of the organic matter, and the contents of separate fractions of humus acid in soils on different tailing rocks were estimated. The composition of humic acids was also studied. It was shown that the lithological features of the tailings determining the chemical processes of the profile differentiation of humic substances and the ecogenetic successions of vegetation also determine the rate and direction of the humus accumulation in the soils during similar periods of biological activity in the southern taiga.     

31P-NMR spectra of humic acids: A comparison of four different raw humus types in Norway

Humic acids have been prepared from four Norwegian forest soils, namely crust, felty, greasy and granular raw humus. ³¹P-NMR spectra demonstrated the presence of a variety of phosphorus esters and diesters in all the humic acids investigated. Alkylphosphonic acids and/or esters were present in humic acids from crust and felty raw humus.     

Molecular structure of humus acids in soils

The molecular structure of humus acids remains one of the most challenging issues in the soil science. The focus of the current research lies in defining the molecular and supramolecular structure of soil humus acids. This paper provides a brief review of the current understanding of the problem and shares findings of the elemental and X‐ray structural analysis of humic and fulvic acids extracted from Chernozems and Chestnut soils in the Rostov region. This region occupies a large area of the South‐European Russia. Humic acids in the studied soils have reduced carbon content compared to average parameters for these soil types. The supramolecular organization of humic acids in three‐dimensional space contains two to four layers of condensed aromatic systems supplemented by a network of chain fragments of different regularity and length. Parameters of this structure vary for soils of different genesis and genetic horizons. However, interplanar distances are fixed in the range of 0.349 to 0.371 nm. Thickness of the carbon network band increases with the benzoidicity level of humic acids. The obtained results confirm the specific matrix structure of humic acid molecules. Considering currently available scarce data these findings are valuable and unique. Our findings are consistent with the general hypothesis about the supramolecular nature of humic substances.     

Dissolved organic matter in lysimetric water of mountain forest soils in the southern Sikhote Alin

The fractional composition of dissolved organic matter and the chemical nature of humic and fulvic acids were studied in lysimetric waters from forest soils of different altitudinal zones in the Sikhote Alin Range. The elemental composition, infrared absorption spectra, concentrations of acid functional groups, and pK spectra of humic and fulvic acids were determined. Fulvic acids predominated in the upper soil horizons, and fraction of nonspecific dissolved organic substances predominated in the lower mineral horizons. The portion of humic acids in the humus horizons markedly decreased from the low-mountain soils to the high-mountain soils; the nitrogen content of humic and fulvic acids decreased in the same direction. Three classes of carboxyl and phenolic groups were determined in pK-spectra of humic and fulvic acids. The soils of high-mountain zones had stronger acidic properties of humic and fulvic acids in comparison with the soils of low-mountain zones. The determined characteristics of the composition of dissolved organic matter and the trends of their changes contribute to our knowledge of pedogenetic processes in the altitudinal sequence of forest landscapes of the Sikhote Alin Range.     

The distribution of PG (green fraction of P type humic acid) and the degree of humification of PB (brown fraction of P type humic acid) in soils of central Japan

Abstract

Pg contents of soils chosen from the major soil groups occurring in the mountain area of Central Japan were measured by the method presented by the author in a previous paper. The Pg contents of the soils ranged from 0 to 0.58 per cent of the dry soils. In podzolic soils, Pg contents were high in A horizons and gradually decreased with depth and in some cases of brown forest soils, Pg contents were highest in B horizons. The percentage of Pg in humic acid ranged from 0 to 8.6 per cent, and the highest value was observed in the C horizon of Dando Bo soil, Pg contents were high in humid and acidic soils containing much humic acid. Humidity, soil pH and humus content may affect the Pg accumulation by controlling the activity of Pg-producing fungi. ? log K values of Pb were calculated to estimate the degree of humification of P type humic acids and indicated that Pb's were relatively immature.     

Soil organic matter,C and N accumulation during natural succession and reclamation in an opencast sand quarry (southern Poland)

Abstract

The work presents study results on the formation of humus horizons, the accumulation of organic carbon and nitrogen as well as humus composition in successional and reclaimed soils in a sand mine cast in southern Poland. Research plots were designed in chronosequence: 5, 17, 20 and 25 years. Increased thickness of humus horizon and accumulation of organic carbon was reported both in successional soils and in reclaimed soils. However, in corresponding age groups of reclaimed soils these characteristics were two times as high as in successional soils. The estimated accumulation rate of organic carbon (C_org) was three times higher and total nitrogen (N_t) five times higher in reclaimed soils than in successional soils. In both types of soils there was an increase in the amount of carbon trapped with humic and fulvic acid (C_Ha + C_Fa) and structure of humic acids. Studies indicated that reclamation treatment significantly accelerated soil-formation in opencast sand mine.     

Radiocarbon ages of humic substances in chernozems

Data on radiocarbon ages of different fractions of humus (humic acids, fulvic acids, and humin) in the profiles of chernozems are analyzed. A chronoecological grouping of humus in modern and buried (fossil) soils is suggested. An increase in the radiocarbon age of humic substances down the soil profile has a stepwise character. It is shown that the ¹⁴C content in chernozems decreases down the soil profile more somewhat slower than the ¹²C content. The dependence of a decrease in the humus content of buried soils on the age of burying is traced for a time span of 800 ka.     

Transformation of humus substances in the long-drained surface-gleyed soddy-podzolic soils under conditions of pronounced microrelief and different agrogenic loads

The transformation of humus substances resulting from artificial drainage of the surface-gleyed soddy-podzolic soils under conditions of pronounced microtopography and different agrogenic loads was studied. The studied soil characteristics included acid–base conditions, the content and group composition of humus, the ratios between the fractions of humus acids, and optical density of humic acids. The features attesting to humus degradation were found in the soils of microdepressions periodically subjected to excessive surface moistening, in the soils of different landforms upon the construction of drainage trenches, and in the plowed non-fertilized soils. The response of humus characteristics to the changes in the ecological situation in the period of active application of agrochemicals for reclamation of the agrotechnogenically disturbed soils was traced. It was shown that the long-term dynamics of the particular parameters of the biological productivity of the soil depend on the hydrological and agrogenic factors, as well as on the weather conditions.     

我国几种土壤中腐殖质性质的研究

研究了几种土壤腐殖酸的基本性质,其中包括土壤的腐殖质组成,胡敏酸以及富里酸的元素组成,含氧官能团含量,光密度值与芳化度等,计算了E₄与E₄/E₆比值与上述性质的相关系数。结果表明土壤腐殖质组成和性质与其形成条件有着密切的联系,并且有一定的地带规律性。水稻土中有机质含量增加,HA/FA比值变高,其活性HA显著降低,说明水稻土有利于有机质的积累并改变了腐殖质的组成。E₄、E₄/E₆比值与元素组成,C/H比值,含氧官能团及芳化度之间的相关系数表明E₄除了与C%,O%,酚羟基-O%,醌基-O%呈极显著或显著相关外,还与C/H比值及芳化度呈极显著相关,因此E₄值可作为腐殖物质芳化度的一个指标。     

Ein Vergleich der Huminstoffsysteme einer Parabraunerde aus der Kölner Bucht und einer österreichischen Schwarzerde

A comparison of the humic systems from a Luvisol from the area of Köln and from an Austrian Chernozem Grey humic acids, brown humic acids and fulvic acids have been extracted from a Luvisol after removal of the “light fraction”. The humic fractions were investigated chromatographically using controlled pore glass with a pore diameter of 17,7 nm. Concentration of both coloured material and carbon were simultaneously recorded in the chromatograms. Specific extinctions at 400 nm were calculated and maximal values were taken as constants specific for “pure” humic substances. These were 349,6; 155,8 and 39,4 for “pure” grey humic acids, brown humic acids and fulvic acids, respectively, and were in part considerably below those determined earlier for an Austrian Chernozem. Using these constants “pure” humic substances could be distinguished numerically from accompanying non-humic substances. The ratio of “pure” humic to non-humic substances was approximately 2:1 for both soils. Within the “pure” humic substances Chernozem humus was dominated by grey humic acids amounting up to 52% whereas in the Luvisol brown humic acids had the same level.