Hydrothermic regime,dynamics of organic matter and nitrogen in drained peaty soils at different sanding modes

The rate of biochemical decomposition of organic matter in drained peaty soils has been studied for the black, sand‐mixed, and sand‐mantled farming systems with a concurrent analysis of hydrothermic conditions. The maximum depletion of peat was observed in the plow horizon for the black system and in the plow and subplow horizons for the mixed system. For the sand‐mantled system, two maximums were found for the biochemical decomposition of organic matter (in the plow horizon and in the zone of the open capillary fringe). Sand‐mixed and sand‐mantled cultures enhance the biochemical depletion of peat. An accelerated decomposition of the peat organic matter after addition of sand results in increasing the content of mobile nitrogen in soil and ground waters. Protection against the degradation is associated with control of the ground water table.     

Mechanisms controlling the mobility of dissolved organic matter, aluminium and iron in podzol B horizons

The processes governing the (im)mobilization of Al, Fe and dissolved organic matter (DOM) in podzols are still subject to debate. In this study we investigated the mechanisms of (im)mobilization of Al, Fe and organic matter in the upper and lower B horizons of two podzols from the Netherlands that are in different stages of development. We equilibrated batches of soil material from each horizon with DOM solutions obtained from the Oh horizon of the corresponding soil profiles. We determined the amount of (im)mobilized Al, Fe and DOM after addition of Al and Fe at pH 4.0 and 4.5 and initial dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations of 10 mg C litre^?1 or 30 mg C litre^?1, respectively. At the combination of pH and DOC concentrations most realistic for the field situation, organic matter was retained in all horizons, the most being retained in the lower B horizon of the well‐developed soil and the least in the upper B horizon of the younger profile. Organic matter solubility seemed to be controlled mainly by precipitation as organo‐metal complexes and/or by adsorption on freshly precipitated solid Al‐ and Fe‐phases. In the lower B horizons, at pH 4.5, solubility of Al and Fe appeared to be controlled mainly by the equilibrium with secondary solid Al‐ and Fe‐phases. In the upper B horizons, the solubility of Al was controlled by adsorption processes, while Fe still precipitated as inorganic complexes as well as organic complexes in spite of the prevailing more acidic pH. Combined with a previous study of eluvial horizons from the same profiles, the results confirm the important role of organic matter in the transport of Al and Fe to create illuvial B horizons initially and subsequently deepening and differentiating them into Bh and Bs horizons.     

Accumulation and transformation of organic matter in different-aged dumps from sand quarries

The accumulation and transformation of organic matter were studied in chronoseries of different-aged (3-, 10-, 20-, 30-, 43-, and 60-year-old) soils and a background (reference) plot. The ecogenetic succession of plants on sand quarry dumps was characterized. It was shown that the pedogenesis rate was closely related to the rate of phytocenosis development, and the thicknesses of organic and mineral horizons increased synchronously. The profile distribution of organic matter in young soils was estimated as an ectomorphic distribution, and the humus reserves in the mineral horizons of the same soils were comparable with the reserves of organic matter in the litters. The illuvial horizons of the soils under study played a significant role in the deposition of carbon dioxide; the resistance of organic matter to mineralization increased with age. In the soil chronoseries, the combustion heat of litter organic matter increased, as well as the content of energy accumulated in the litters. The composition of humus differed strongly between the eluvial and illuvial horizons; in the chronosequence, the relative content of humic acids increased in the E horizon, and that of fulvic acids increased in the B horizon. The effect of the phytocenosis on the soil was increasingly mediated with time. The accumulation and transformation of organic matter were the leading pedogenic processes at all stages.     

Characteristics of soil organic matter in temperate soils by Curie-point pyrolysis-mass spectrometry. II. The effect of drainage and illuviation in B horizons

B horizons from a set of 23 Scottish soils were examined by Py/MS multivariate analysis. These soils comprised phaeozems, cambisols, podzols and gleysols.
The principal components analysis of 52 mass ion intensities partitioned the set of soils successfully according to morphological classes Bw, Bg and Bs, and established characteristic differences of organic composition between them. Reconstructed factor spectra for the factors effecting this partition showed distinct homologous groups of products to be responsible. These were principally pyrroles, alkenes and aromatic hydrocarbons of low molecular mass. Possible organic origins of these are discussed and related to the organic patterns found in the A horizons.
The Bh (humus B) horizons of podzols gave pyrolysates richer in polysaccharide and lignin products than those of other B horizons, suggesting a less decomposed organic matter.     

Selective depletion of organic matter in mottled podzol horizons

Some well-drained podzols on quartz sands in the Netherlands and neighbouring Belgium and Germany show mottling in all horizons due to selective removal of organic matter. Phospholipid analysis and morphology of the mottles suggests that this removal is due to a combination of bacteria, fungi, and actinomycetes. Investigation by pyrolysis-GC/MS of organic matter in the depleted zones as compared to their surroundings indicates (1) selective decay of relatively palatable components, (2) residual accumulation of aliphatic biopolymers such as cutan and suberan that produce alkanes, alkenes and methylketones upon pyrolysis, and (3) accumulation of microbial polysaccharides and N-containing compounds. Although the selective organic matter decay in the depleted mottles is similar to the process that causes degradation of organic matter at the top of the B-horizon and its conversion to an E-horizon, the essential difference is that, while decay at the E-B-horizon transition in podzols is governed by the presence or absence of aluminium and iron, the micro flora that is responsible for the decay mottles acts independently from metal concentrations.     

Organic matter retention in an upland humic podzol; the effects of pH and solute type

This paper discusses the effects of different horizons and soil solution compositions on dissolved organic matter retention in a moorland podzol and compares the results with previous studies of forest podzols. Adsorption isotherms were constructed for each of the major horizons of a freely draining, upland, moorland, humic podzol from north-east Scotland, to investigate processes of retention and release of dissolved organic matter (DOM). Carbon retention of a range of solute types was studied, and phthalate was chosen as a model compound to measure carbon retention at three different pH values (3, 4.5 and 6). Retention and release of DOM was related to chemical, physical and mineralogical characteristics of the different soil horizons. All the mineral horizons retained DOM, with the Bs horizon most retentive. Solution pH did not significantly affect DOM retention in the O and A horizons. At pH 3 and 4.5 organic matter was weakly retained in the Bhs horizon, but strongly retained in the Bs and the Cx horizons. At pH 6 reversal of surface charge occurred in the Bs and Cx horizons resulting in the release of similar amounts of organic matter to that released from the O horizon at the same pH. The results demonstrate how podzols act as a ‘valve’ in controlling the input of dissolved organic compounds into surface and ground water, and how sensitive the controlling mechanisms are to pH change.     

A PYROLYSIS-GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY METHOD FOR DISCRIMINATION OF SOIL HUMUS TYPES

Principles governing the choice of a pyrolysis-gas chromatography method for work on soils and organic macromolecules are reviewed, and the method is applied to the discrimination of mull and mor humus in freely drained soils. Relatively undecomposed surface humus shorizons yield pyrolysis products characteristic of lignin, but these are not present in mineral horizons apart from traces persisting in some podzol A horizons. Mor humus incorporated in A horizons is characterized by a high pyrolysate content of furfurals and phenols whilst mull humus yields proportionately more pyrrole. Humus in B horizons yields a low furfural content with respect to pyrrole and a low content of polar heteroatomic molecules with respect to benzene, toluene, and light molecules of low polarity.     

Water-soluble organic matter in incipient podzols: accumulation in B horizons or in fibres?

To elucidate the mechanism of podzolization in its first stages we studied the fate of the water-soluble organic matter (WSOM) in incipient podzols in sandy soils by comparing the composition of the WSOM from L, F and H horizons with that in the bulk of the Bh horizons and fibres of three profiles. The WSOM appeared to consist significantly of ligno-cellulose and proteins, but these biopolymers were hardly present in the Bh horizons. The material of the fibres, however, greatly resembled the WSOM composition, thereby suggesting that in these soils most of the WSOM is transported through the B horizon and accumulates hardly changed in thin bands where the water stops moving. This implies that in the early steps of podzolization, accumulation of organic matter in the B horizon is not likely to be caused by water-soluble material.     

Mineralogic evolution in hydromorphic sandy soils and podzols in “landes du médoc”, France

Soils of the nearly level “Landes du Médoc” in southwestern France have a pattern of alternating bodies of hydromorphic podzols (Haplaquods) and low humic hydromorphic soils (Psammaquents). The soils are formed in a sedimentary mantle of coarse, quartzose sands with a slight microrelief consisting of low, elongated ridges and shallow, intervening troughs. The water table is at shallow depths throughout the plain, even at the surface in places. The podzols on the crests of the low ridges have distinct A₂ and cemented B₂ h horizons. Podzols persist down the sides of ridges but going downslope first lose the A₂ horizon and then the cementation of the Bh horizon. Soils in the shallow troughs have A₁ and Cg horizons without B horizons.The fine silt (2–20 μm) and clay (0–2 μm) fractions of the parent sand contain primary trioctahedral chlorite, mica, feldspars, and quartz, with the last mineral predominant. During soil development, the first three minerals undergo weathering at different rates and to different extents. Chlorite is most strongly weathered, followed in order by plagioclases and K-minerals. In the fine silt fraction, weathering seems to occur mostly by fragmentation of particles. In the clay fraction, the phyllosilicates successively form irregularly interstratified minerals with contractible but not expandable vermiculitic layers, interstratified minerals with contractible and expandable smectitic layers, and finally smectites.The extent to which the silicate minerals are weathered becomes progressively greater from the low humic hydromorphic soils to the podzols with friable Bh horizons to the podzols with cemented Bh horizons. Smectite is present only in the A₂ horizons of these last podzols.The aluminum release by weathering of silicate minerals is translocated in part in the form of organo-metal complexes into the Bh horizons of the podzols. Greatest concentrations of Al are associated with coatings of monomorphic organic matter on mineral grains in the cemented Bh horizons, in which some Al has also crystallized into gibbsite. That mineral was not detected in friable B horizons of podzols nor in the low humic hydromorphic soil. Contrary to expectations, the mobile Al did not enter interlayer spaces of expanding 2:1 clay minerals.     

DISTRIBUTION OF PYROPHOSPHATE-EXTRACTABLE IRON AND ORGANIC CARBON IN SOILS OF VARIOUS GROUPS

Potassium pyrophosphate (0.1m ) removes very little Fe from crystalline Fe oxides at pH 10, but peptizes finely divided hydrous amorphous oxides and organic matter in soils. Fe and C contents of extracts from each horizon of twenty-six British soil profiles show distinctive patterns, independent of the residual dithionite-soluble Fe. Thus extracts of humus Fe podzols have maximum Fe and C in the B horizon, peaty gley podzol has maximum Fe in the B horizon but maximum C in the surface. These groups are differentiated from non-podzols which have maximum pyrophosphate extractable Fe and C in the surface horizon, decreasing with depth. Intermediate patterns help to quantify differences in soils of classes having properties of more than one soil group.     

Total lipid extracts from characteristic soil horizons in a podzol profile

The podzolization process is studied through lipids in nine characteristic podzol horizons. Organic matter accumulates particularly with aluminium in the Bh horizon, while the hard, cemented Bs horizon below this is formed mainly by iron oxides. The low soil pH seems to have no great influence on the preservation of lipids as reflected by the absolute amounts present and the presence of bacterial lipid markers throughout the profile. Independent of soil pH, lipids accumulate in organically enriched horizons. Albeit, high molecular weight organic compounds accumulate to a relatively greater extent than lipids in these horizons. A lipid signal related to the aerial parts, i.e. leaves and flowers, of Calluna is observed only in the O horizon. This ‘n‐alkane, steroid and triterpenoids’ signal is quickly lost in the underlying Ah horizon due to (bacterial) oxidation. The other total lipid extracts obtained are dominated by root‐derived compounds. In subsoil horizons rich in organic matter, i.e. the Ahb and Bh horizons, root‐derived friedooleanan and steroid compounds dominate the total lipid signal. Degraded horizons, poor in organic matter, i.e. the E2, Bhs, Bs and B/C horizons, are dominated by C₂₂ and C₂₄ω‐hydroxy acids, long‐chain (> C₂₀) n‐alkanoic acids with a strong even‐over‐odd predominance and C₂₂ and C₂₄n‐alkanols. Steroid and root‐derived triterpenoids with a friedooleanan structure have been removed from these horizons through degradation. Based on total organic carbon content and lipid composition, the formation of an E1 horizon has started, but is not yet complete. In the Ahb horizon, a contribution from buried vegetation to the total lipid signal is still present, although degradation and an input from roots have significantly altered the original signal. Overall, lipid data indicate that degradation (microbial oxidation) is an important process that should be taken into account, in addition to leaching, when describing podzolization processes in soils.     

Alkyl C and hydrophobicity in B and C horizons of an acid forest soil

Aliphatic C most probably derived from ester‐bound moieties was found to be present in sandy subsoil horizons. The hydrophobic nature of such compounds may increase their stabilization potential. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the potential of aliphatic compounds in mineral soil horizons along a Dystric Cambisol profile under beech forest to increase hydrophobicity. The conceptual approach included the analyses of soil samples before and after solvent extraction and base hydrolysis for elemental and isotopic composition. Additionally, the advancing contact angle was measured to quantify hydrophobicity. Curie‐point pyrolysis GC/MS was carried out to characterize the nature of alkyl C present in subsoil samples. A close correlation between the ¹⁴C activity and the stable‐C‐isotope ratio (δ¹³C) indicates isotopic fractionation upon C stabilization in subsoils. Free lipids contributed less than 10% to the organic C found in subsoil horizons. Base hydrolysis revealed very high amounts of hydroxyalkanoic acids in the B horizons of the acid forest soil. Hydrophobicity of SOM was not found to be correlated to esterified‐ or free‐lipid content. The contact angle was in a similar range for all bulk soil horizons, suggesting greater hydrophobicity of organic matter in subsoil horizons considering their very low concentrations of organic C compared to the A horizon. The quantity and nature of pyrolysis products change with increasing depth in the soil profile. Aliphatic products cannot be detected in B and C horizons by Curie‐point pyrolysis GC/MS.     

Zonal features of humus formation in Al-Fe-humus podzols of the Kola Peninsula

Natural zonality manifests itself clearly in the territory of the Kola Peninsula: subzones of southern tundra, forest-tundra (sparse birch forest), and northern taiga replace one other from the north, to the Barents Sea coast, and to the south. Sandy and sandy loamy sediments of glacial, marine, and glaciofluvial origin are parent rocks all over the territory. Al-Fe-humus podzols, the profile of which is characterized by clear differentiation of the chemical composition and organic matter content, were formed on these rocks. There is almost no difference in the particle-size and total chemical composition of the podzols, whereas the content and composition of the humus in the soils of different zones differ significantly, and this is especially obvious in the illuvial horizon. As the climatic severity increases, the humus content in the mineral profile and the organic matter enrichment with nitrogen increase.     

Podzolization as a deferralitization process: a study of an Acrisol–Podzol sequence derived from Palaeozoic sandstones in the northern upper Amazon Basin

Morphological, geochemical and mineralogical studies were carried out in a representative soil catena of the low‐elevation plateaux of the upper Amazon Basin to interpret the steps and mechanisms involved in the podzolization of low‐activity clay soils. The soils are derived from Palaeozoic sandstones. They consist of Hydromorphic Podzols under tree savannah in the depressions of the plateaux and predominantly of Acrisols covered by evergreen forest elsewhere. Incipient podzolization in the uppermost Acrisols is related to the formation of organic‐rich A and Bhs horizons slightly depleted in fine‐size particles by both mechanical particle transfer and weathering. Weathering of secondary minerals by organic acids and formation of organo‐metallic complexes act simultaneously over short distances. Their vertical transfer is limited. Selective dissolution of aluminous goethite, then gibbsite and finally kaolinite favour the preferential cheluviation of first Fe and secondly Al. The relatively small amount of organo‐metallic complexes produced is related to the quartzitic parent materials, and the predominance of Al over Fe in the spodic horizons is due to the importance of gibbsite in these low‐activity clay soils. Morphologically well‐expressed podzols occur in strongly iron‐depleted topsoils of the depression. Mechanical transfer and weathering of gibbsite and kaolinite by organic acids is enhanced and leads to residual accumulation of sands. Organo‐metallic complexes are translocated in strongly permeable sandy horizons and impregnate at depth the macro‐voids of embedded soil and saprolite materials to form the spodic Bs and 2BCs horizons. Mechanical transfer of black particulate organic compounds devoid of metals has occurred later within the sandy horizons of the podzols. Their vertical transfer has formed well‐differentiated A and Bh horizons. Their lateral removal by groundwater favours the development of an albic E horizon. In an open and waterlogged environment, the general trend is therefore towards the removal of all the metals that have initially accumulated as a response to the ferralitization process and have temporarily been sequestrated in organic complexes in previous stages of soil podzolization.     

Variation in soil macro-fauna diversity in seven humus orders of a Parrotio-Carpinetum forest association on Chromic Cambisols of Shast-klateh area in Iran

Soil biodiversity includes organisms which spend a part or all of their life cycle on or in the soil. Among soil-dwelling animals, macro-fauna as an important group of animals have important effects on the dynamics of soil organic matter and litter decomposition process. The humus forms interact with the climatic conditions, flora, as well as soil fauna, and microbial activity. In new humus form classifications, soil organisms play an important role in separation of humus horizons from one another. The subject of this study was to determine the diversity of macro fauna for different humus forms. We determined humus forms using morphological classification, and then 69 random samples were taken from plots of 100 cm² in area, and soil macro-fauna species were collected by hand sorting method. Two classes of humus forms, including Mull (with three humus orders, namely Dysmull, Oligomull, and Mesomull,) and Amphi (with four humus orders, namely Leptoamphi, Eumacroamphi, Eumesoamphi, and Pachyamphi) were identified. A number of 13 macro-fauna orders were identified using identification key. Among the humus orders, Shannon diversity, Simpson evenness and Margalef richness indices were the highest in Pachyamphi order. Arthropod diversity in Pachyamphi humus order was higher than those of Mull. These results showed that diversity of soil macrofauna increase by increasing the thickness of the organic horizons (OL, OF, OH), especially OH horizon.     

Organic matter availability for denitrification in soils of different textures and drainage classes

Abstract

Soils from the A, B, and C horizons representing three natural drainage classes and differing textures were chosen to study relationships between denitrification rate and estimates of available carbon. The highest correlation with denitrification rate was obtained with total organic C. Water‐extractable C, mineralizable C and 0.1 N Ba(OH)2‐extractable C produced less satisfactory correlations. When soils of the B and C horizons only were included in the regression analysis, 0.1 N Ba(OH)₂‐extractable C was found to be unsatisfactory as a predictor of available C for soil denitrifiers. None of the four methods for estimating available C were found adequate for B and C horizon soils which were relatively low in available C. Coarser‐textured soils with relatively low C levels had correspondingly low denitrification rates. Regressions of denitrification rate on mineralizable C or water‐extractable C were nonsignificant with poorly drained soils whereas they were highly significant with well or imperfectly drained soils.     

Effect of Contrasting Trophic Conditions on the Priming Effect in Gray Forest Soils

Priming effects initiated by the addition of ¹⁴С glucose have been compared for humus horizons of soils existing under continuous input of fresh organic substrates and for buried soil horizons, in which entering of organic matter has been essentially limited. The effect of microrelief on the manifestation of priming effect in the humus horizons of gray forest soil on microhigh and in microlow has been estimated. Humus horizon in soils on microhigh, not activated by glucose, produced two times more СО₂ in comparison with soils of microlow. However, the introduction of glucose canceled the effect of microrelief on СО₂ emission. The intensity of absolute priming effect correlated with the С_org pool, initial microbial biomass, and enzyme activity, decreasing from humus horizons to the buried ones, and did not depend on microrelief. The effect of microrelief was observed, when assessing the priming effect relative to control (soil not activated by glucose): the value of relative priming effect was 1.5 times greater in А horizon of gray forest soil in microlow in comparison with that on microhigh being the result of increasing activity of enzymes.     

Long‐term effects of liming on microbial biomass and activity and soil organic matter quality (13C CPMAS NMR) in organic horizons of Norway spruce forests in Southern Germany

Long‐term effects of liming on microbial biomass and activity and soil organic matter (SOM) were investigated in samples from organic horizons (Of/Oh) in spruce forests at Adenau, Höglwald, Idar‐Oberstein, and Schluchsee (Southern Germany) where plots have been manually treated 7 to 13 years ago with dolomitic limestone. At all sites, pH values were markedly increased after liming. The contents of C and N in the organic horizons of the limed plots appeared to be lower with the greatest decrease at Höglwald (Dystric Luvisol) where liming has affected the soil properties for the longest time of all sites. Catalase activity was promoted after liming at Adenau (Cambic Podzol). This was also the case for the Dystric Luvisol where liming resulted also in higher basal respiration. Biomass‐C was higher in samples from the limed plot at Idar‐Oberstein (Dystric Cambisol). The ¹³C CPMAS NMR spectra of organic horizons from the control plots indicate no differences in the gross carbon composition of SOM. Furthermore, spectra from the limed Cambic Podzol, Dystric Cambisol, and Haplic Podzol (Schluchsee) were remarkably similar. However, for the Dystric Luvisol, the lime‐induced promotion of microbial activity resulted in lower O‐alkyl‐C intensity. The observed patterns of microbial biomass and activity were site‐dependent rather than a result of liming. Obviously liming had only small long‐term effects on the humus quality in the organic horizons, as far as detectable by CPMAS NMR spectroscopy. More sensitive techniques like pyrolysis‐GC/MS should be applied to analyze differences in C composition.     

Microbial dynamics in Mediterranean Moder humus

There is a growing interest in the links between humus forms and soil biota, and little is known about these links in Mediterranean ecosystems. Culture-independent techniques, such as DNA extraction followed by DGGE and enzyme activities, allowed us to compare microbial communities in two horizons of a forest soil in different seasonal conditions. Direct in situ lysis was applied for extraction of DNA from soil; intracellular DNA was separated from extracellular and used to represent the composition of microflora. The aims were to describe how biochemical and microbiological parameters correlate with topsoil properties in typical Mediterranean Moder humus. Changes in bacterial and fungal community composition were evident from DGGE profiles. Degrees of similarity and clustering correlation coefficients showed that the seasonal conditions may affect the composition and activity of bacterial and fungal communities in the OH horizon, while in the E horizon the two communities were hardly modified. In the same season, OH and E horizons showed a different composition of bacterial and fungal communities and different enzyme activities, suggesting similar behaviour of eubacteria and fungi relatively to all the variables analysed. Evidently, different organic carbon content in soil horizons influenced microflora composition and microbial activities involved in the P and N cycles.     

Distribution of Zinc,Manganese, Copper,Cobalt, and Nickel in Andosols Profiles

The distribution of zinc, manganese, copper, cobalt, and nickel in Andosols was investigated. Sixty nine soil samples were collected from different horizons of an Andosols profile in Miyakonojo Basin in south Kyushu, Japan, The total contents of heavy metals were determined by digestion and four extraction solutions, 1 M NH₄Ac (ammonium acetate) pH 4.5, 0.1 M HCl, 0.01 M EDTA (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid) pH 6.5, and 0.005 M DTPA (diethylenetri-aminepentaacetic acid) pH 7.3 were used to determine the contents of available Zn, Mn, Cu, Co, and Ni in Andosols in relation to the organic carbon content. The results of the extraction analysis showed that by the use of 0.1 M H Cl high value of extracted heavy metals in the upper layers of the humus horizons were obtained while EDTA extraction yielded a large amount of the above mentioned metals in the high humus horizons. The extractable heavy metals contents were high and these metals closely related to the organic carbon content mostly in the humus horizons in the profile. Where, biocycling process may play an important role in the concentration of heavy metals. Based on the study, it was found that the total content of Zn increased towards the C horizons or pumice layers in the soil profile. Such a trend was also found in the case of the Mn content. While the Cu content in the humus horizons was much higher in the upper part of each humus horizon. According to this study the distribution of heavy metals, Cu (organic matter complexes) in the Andosols profile was more stable than that of Zn (organic matter complexes) in soils. It was shown that Zn in the surface humus horizon was enriched but that some amount was leached under buried conditions. The same phenomenon was also observed in the distribution of Mn in the profile. The movement of Co and Ni in the soil profile was limited, as evidenced by the sharp reduction in the concentrations of these two metals in buried soils.

Hence, it is concluded that the distribution of Zn, Mn, Cu, Co, and Ni was considerably higher in the humus horizons of the Andosols profiles.