Abbau und Umwandlung von Pflanzenrückständen und ihren Inhaltsstoffen durch die Mikroflora des Bodens

Degradation and transformation of plant residues and their components by the microflora of the soil This review describes recent results of publications in this area. It condsiders the dynamics of degradation under field and laboratory conditions and indicates some of the problems of simulation models. The preponderant part of transformation processes apparently takes place in a relatively small fraction of soil organic matter which also includes the biomass. Methods for the quantitative measurements of the biomass have been considerably improved. The turnover rates of plant residues are effectively influenced by their chemical composition, for instance by their C/N ratio and their content of lignin or polysaccharides. C/N ratios also seem to influence the socalled priming effect and the transformation of increasing amounts of plant residues added to the soil. Some progress has been also made in the transformation of plant, residues under different climatic conditions. Experiments with polysaccharides and glucose have indicated that a major portion of the residual carbon residues in soil are contained in the biomass or N-containing microbial metabolites. A small part is also present in the phenolic constituents of humic compounds. Root excretions also contribute carbohydrates. Recent experiments indicated the transportation of a considerable amount of photosynthetic products from sprouts through roots into the soil. They cause intensive microbial turnover processes in the root zone. N-containing compounds are stabilized in the soil biomass. Proteins and aminopolysaccharides are furthermore stabilized by sorption on humic compounds or clay particles. They are even more effectively stabilized by linkage into humic compounds. Plant residues contain appreciable amounts of free and polymerized phenols which are degraded by microorganisms or incorporated into humic compounds. Easily oxidisable phenols are more slowly degraded in soil than the more stable ones. This is especially true for low concentrations of phenols added to the soil. The pH-values of the soil and its content of humic compounds influence essentially the degradation rate. Lignins belong to the most important natural biopolymers. Methods for their specific labelling with 14°C have essentially promoted studies about their degradation and transformation in soil and have enlarged the knowledge about lignin degrading organisms. Beside lignins and other plant polyphenols, melanins may play an important role in the formation of humic compounds. These melanins are synthesized form carbohydrates by some microscopic fungi through secondary metabolic reactions. They are formed from phenols, quinones, polyenes, aminoacid and aminosugar derivatives. Similar to humic acids they are relatively stabile against rapid microbial degradation. Analytical methods developed in the last years indicate that both groups of polymers contain similar building blocks.     

High Quality Composts by Means of Cocomposting Of Residues from Anaerobic Digestion

Advanced treatment of residues from anaerobic digestion of leftovers and kitchen waste originating from an industrial waste treatment plant was carried out by means of cocomposting in order to reveal potential synergistic effects. After a retention time of two weeks in the anaerobic reactor, microbial activity of the residues remained high. The biogas produced is of use in combined heat and power generation. Lab-scale experiments in the liquid phase have demonstrated “cracking” of the anaerobic stabilized organic matter under aerobic conditions. The advanced aerobic treatment of residues from anaerobic digestion by means of cocomposting leads to high quality composts. The addition of output material to biowaste from the separated bin collection may improve the formation of humic substances. Extractable humic acids are considered to represent a reliable parameter in describing high quality composts. Thus, the improvement of humic acid formation by means of composting is a goal to be achieved. Process control was performed by assessing parameters such as loss of ignition, total organic carbon, nitrogen and humic acid content as well as by modern analytic methods like FT-IR spectroscopy and thermogravimetry.     

Effects of humic and fulvic acids on growth of tobacco. 2. Tobacco growth and ion uptake 1

Experiments were conducted in growth chambers of the Phytotron to evaluate the effects of humic and fulvic acids on growth and ion uptake by tobacco plants grown to flowering.

When small amounts of humic or fulvic acids were added to media used to grow seedlings, the dry weight of roots and tops and the height of the plants subsequently grown in a nutrient solution with small amounts of humic or fulvic acids increased, while at high rates of humic acids they decreased. Generally, there was a trend for low rates of humic acids to increase concentration of Ca and Mg in roots and leaves and to decrease Fe concentration in roots.

The total content of N, K, P, Ca, Mg and Fe in the stalk and leaves increased in the presence of small amounts of humic or fulvic acids in the nutrient solution. Low rates of humic or fulvic acids in the growth medium facilitated the adsorption of Ca, Mg and Fe and their translocation within the plant. For high rates of humic acids there was a trend to decrease the total content of N, K, P, Ca and Fe in the roots and leaves of the plant.     

Effects of some dicarboxylic acids on the association of dissolved humic substances

Changes in molecular size distributions of four different humic materials were evaluated through high performance size-exclusion chromatography (HPSEC), before and after treating humic solutions with naturally occurring dicarboxylic (oxalic, malonic, succinic and glutaric) acids. Chromatograms of dissolved humic substances showed a decrease in peak absorbance as well as an increase in peak elution volume when the solution pH was lowered from 7 to 3.5 by addition of dicarboxylic acids before HPSEC analysis. The resulting reduction in molecular size is explained by the disruption of unstable humic superstructures into smaller-sized associations stabilized by the formation of strong intra- and inter-molecular hydrogen bonds among humic molecules. The extent of humic size variation was in the order: oxalic相似文献   

Effect of humic amendments on inorganic N, dehydrogenase and alkaline phosphatase activities of a Mediterranean soil

Dehydrogenase activity, alkaline phosphatase activity and NH₄ ⁺, NO₂ ⁻ and NO₃ ⁻ concentrations were monitored in an aridisol treated with three commercially available humic amendments. The materials were of plant residue, lignite and peat origins. The humus plant residues, fulvic acids, with a high content of Kjeldahl-N, sustained high enzyme activities and highest levels of NH₄ ⁺, NO₂ ⁻ and NO₃ ⁻. Humus lignite (mainly humic acids) produced the highest dehydrogenase activity, whereas the alkaline phosphatase activity was not as high as that amendment with humus plant residues. The lower activity of alkaline phosphatase could not be attributed to the higher P content of humus lignite. Nitrification was also low, probably due to the low N content of this fertilizer. The amendment of humus peat origin (only humic acids) did not increase enzyme activity or inorganic N concentrations of soil. Our results show that although these materials are widely utilized and recommended as microbial and plant activators, they all behave very differently, and the effects on soil microbiological activity cannot be predicted solely on the basis of their humic and/or fulvic acid contents.     

Transformation of the organic matter in an agrogray soil and an agrochernozem in the course of the humification of corn biomass

The transformation of the organic matter in the course of corn residues humification in an agrogray soil and an agrochernozem was studied in long-term experiments using the method of solid-phase ¹³C-nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The humification of the plant residues was found to be accompanied by a decrease in the content of the O-alkyl fragments comprising polysaccharides and polypeptides, an increase in the unsubstituted alkyds content, and by the relative accumulation of aromatic fragments and carboxyl groups. The most strongly transformed pool of the organic matter, as compared to the initial plant residues, was the humic acids with their maximal content of aromatic and carboxyl functional groups and the minimal content of O-alkyls. The chemically stable aromatic fragments were concentrated not only in the pool of humic acids; their content was 64–89% of the pool of the aromatic fragments identified in the soil organic matter. Therefore, to assess the stable pool, the distribution of the functional groups is necessary to be analyzed not only in the humic acids but also in the whole soil organic matter.     

Characteristics of organic matter in soil surface horizons derived from calcareous and metamorphic rocks and different vegetation types from the Mediterranean high-mountains in SE Spain

A study was carried out on some basic characteristics of the organic matter in the surface horizons of soils from the two different geological (calcareous and acid metamorphic rocks) and ecological systems under a Mediterranean climate in Southeast Spain. The results show some noticeable differences in soil organic matter composition. This is likely due to typical Mediterranean climate and well adapted vegetation. There is a tendency towards a greater stability for the soil humus formed under slightly alkaline soil in comparison to the slightly acidic environment. The samples taken from the latter environment have a higher content in free organic matter, a lower content in total extractable humin and a greater relative proportion of aliphatic chains and lignin in the humic acids. The results also suggest some differences caused by the type of vegetation (forest and scrubland ecosystems) in the soil humus chemistry, with a more obvious negative effect under reforestations with species of Pinus in an acidic soil environment (a higher content in free organic matter, lesser presence of fungal-derived perylenequinonic pigments in the humic acids, and a higher content in little evolved forms of nitrogen and lignin in the humic acids). In general the organic matter under scrubland and Quercus vegetation is more decomposed and the humus is more evolved than under Pinus vegetation.     

不同来源风化煤腐植酸化学特征与生物活性研究

【目的】探究不同来源风化煤所含腐植酸的生物活性差异及其与风化煤性质特征的关系,为寻找高活性腐植酸风化煤提供依据。【方法】选用山西左权、五台、静乐三地的风化煤,以不同方法处理、进行植物培养试验,采用紫外光谱、红外光谱、根系扫描的方法,比较分析不同风化煤的加工化学特征、产出腐植酸的生物活性。【结果】左权、五台、静乐三地风化煤总腐植酸含量在37.1%～40.9%,但游离腐植酸含量差异较大,分别为1.92%、10.09%和30.62%;总酸性官能团酚羟基含量差异明显,其含量比为1.00∶1.22∶1.83,静乐风化煤的羟基含量和羧基含量最高;钙镁含量比为2.65∶1.25∶1.00;不同风化煤的E4/E6差异较小,但提取出的腐植酸E4/E6差异较大,分别为7.5、6.2和4.39。生物活性研究表明,3地风化煤腐植酸对绿豆再生根均有促进作用,呈现与IAA具有的相同功效的典型激素反应;其腐植酸促生活性依次为静乐>五台>左权,左权和五台腐植酸浓度在0.01%、静乐腐植酸浓度在0.05%时最高。【结论】左权、五台、静乐三地风化煤提出的腐植酸以静乐生物活性最高,五台次之,左权最低;风化煤中的...     

Colza (Brassica napus, v. Jaguar) Responses to Low Level of Metal Inputs Through Sewage Sludge Application: Induction of phytochelatin synthesis (10 pp)

Background, Aim and Scope   Most studies of sewage sludge disposal effects on plants have focused on high metal loadings. Less attention has been paid to plant responses to trace metal loadings below the recommended limit values. Materials and Methods: Here, a lysimetric experiment was conducted to assess the uptake, distribution and binding of trace metals by metal-induced, sulfhydryl-rich peptides (phytochelatins) in colza (Brassica napus, v. Jaguar) grown on a clayey, silty soil amended with a sewage sludge compost containing trace metal contents far below the recommended limit values established by French legislation. Chemical fractionation of unamended and sludge-amended soils was performed using a sequential extraction technique. Results: Copper concentrations in plant tissues were not affected by compost disposal. Its application at a single rate equivalent to 30 t/ha stimulated the growth of plants. Lead was not detectable in the plant material (< 1 mg g-1 dry wt.). Plants grown on the amended soil accumulated significantly more zinc than control plants. These phytochelatin complexes detected in leaves had a lower molecular weight than those extracted from roots. Those extracted from roots were composed of one type of phytochelatins (PCs) such as in leaves or a mixture of glutathione, PC2 and PC4. In comparison with control plants, sewage sludge compost application caused the synthesis of longer chain PCs in roots and in leaves. Furthermore, in comparison with control roots, glutathione and phytochelatin mixtures of higher molecular weight were detected in roots produced on the amended soil, whereas no significant increase in \total\ Cu and Zn content was observed in these organs after sludge application. Discussion: Compost application induces a significant increase in the proportion of the most labile forms of zinc and especially its pH 4.7 acid-soluble forms and, as a consequence, a higher accumulation of zinc in plants. Effects of copper are limited due to its strong affinity for humic substances and lead does not seem to be transported in any organ of plants. The presence of phytochelatins, even in plants grown on the unamended soil, proved the ability of colza to synthesize them in the presence of zinc and copper. Conclusions: These primary results seem to prove, on one hand, ability of colza (Brassica napus, v. Jaguar) to synthesize phytochelatins as well as in roots, in leaves and, on the other hand, the sensitivity of the PC induction as suggested by their identification in plants grown on the control soil. Synthesis of longer chain PCs in roots and in leaves, and formation of glutathione and phytochelatin mixtures in roots, are plant responses to sewage sludge compost application. Recommendations and Perspectives: Phytochelatin analysis is thus supposedly able to be one of the bioindicators that may be used as an ecotoxicological risk assessment of wastes. Due to its ability to synthesize phytochelatins, colza could be chosen as a plant test. Phytochelatin analysis could also be limited to roots (more sensitive than leaves). However, further experiments are needed. Quantitative analysis of phytochelatins had not been carried out due to insufficient amounts of pure phytochelatin standards, that had allow us to better study relationships between trace metal amounts to vegetal response.     

Effects of humic acids from vermicomposts on plant growth

The interactions between earthworms and microorganisms can produce significant quantities of plant growth hormones and humic acids which act as plant regulators. Experiments were designed to evaluate the effects of humic acids extracted from vermicompost and compare them with the action of commercial humic acid in combination with a commercial plant growth hormone, indole acetic acid (IAA) which is a commonly found in vermicomposts. In the first experiments, humic acids were extracted from cattle, food and paper waste vermicomposts. They were applied to a plant growth medium, Metro-Mix360 (MM360), at rates of 0, 250 or 500 mg humates kg⁻¹ dry wt. of MM360, to marigold, pepper, and strawberry plants in the greenhouse. Substitution of humates ranging from 250 to 1000 mg kg⁻¹ MM360 increased the growth of marigold and pepper roots, and increased the growth of roots and numbers of fruits of strawberries significantly. In other experiments, humic acids extracted from food waste vermicomposts were applied at a rate of 500 mg kg⁻¹ dry wt. of MM360, singly or in combination with IAA at a rate of 10⁻⁵ μM, to pepper seedlings. This experiment was designed to compare the differences in effects between the most effective dosage rate of humic acid from food waste, a phytohormone (IAA), and a commercial source of humic acid. The numbers of pepper flowers and fruits increased significantly in response to treatment with humic acid, IAA and a combination of humic acid and IAA. Peppers treated with humic acids extracted from food waste vermicomposts produced significantly more fruits and flowers than those treated with commercially-produced humic acids.     

Effects of Humic Acids Extracted from Mined Lignite or Composted Vegetable Residues on Plant Growth and Soil Microbial Populations

Growing interest in the market for humic substances with agricultural applications has led to the development of new potential sources of these compounds other than fossil matrices (e.g. different kinds of lignite), which, until now, have represented the main raw material for the extraction of humus-like products. High quality compost (green compost) obtained through the aerobic biostabilization of selected organic residues, such as vegetable waste from source-collection at garden-produce markets, may be considered for this purpose. Beyond the primary need to develop technically and economically reliable procedures for the extraction of humic substances from compost at the industrial scale, importance must be placed on controlling the influence of such compounds on soil-plant systems. Humates from leonardite, representative of the active agents among humus-based commercial preparations, have been compared in pot trials with humic acids, potassium salts, from green compost in order to evaluate their respective effects on soil microbial activity and plant productivity. Differences between pot blocks amended with humic acids have suggested that humus-like substances extracted from compost seem to exert higher stimulative effects on microbial growth and vegetative biomass production than fossil humates.     

Paramagnetic Properties of Humic Substances in Taiga and Tundra Soils of the European Northeast of Russia

The study of paramagnetic activity of humic substances in taiga and tundra soils of the Komi Republic and the assessment of the influence of soil hydromorphism on concentrations of free radicals in the structure of humic acids (HAs) and fulvic acids (FAs) have been performed. The concentration of free radicals in HA specimens was up to 11 times higher than that in FA specimens due to a higher content of aromatic and other condensed structures in HA molecules. This fact attests to the high capacity of HAs to polymerization and complexation reactions with participation of radicals. The average value of g-factor is higher for FA specimens than for HA specimens, which attests to a greater electron density shift of unpaired electron to oxygen atom in the structure of FAs because of its spin-orbital interaction with oxygen-containing functional groups, the concentrations of which are significantly higher in FAs than in HAs. An increase in the concentration of free radicals in the molecular structure of HAs is observed in taiga soils with an increase in the degree of their hydromorphism (from automorphic to semihydromorphic soils), which is related to the biohydrothermal conditions of humus formation in bog-podzolic soils with retarded biochemical processes and low degree of plant litter humification. As a result, HAs with the high content of free radicals in their structure are formed. An opposite situation is observed for HAs in tundra soils with a decrease in the content of unpaired electrons under conditions of the increased hydromorphism. The difference in the character of changes in the paramagnetic activity of HAs in taiga and tundra soils with different degrees of hydromorphism may be related to different natures of plant residues participating in humification processes. A tendency for a decrease in the paramagnetic activity in both HAs and FAs from the south to the north is observed, which may be related to a general decrease in the content of poly-conjugated systems in the structure of humic substances in tundra soils.     

土壤中红霉素结合残留在菜心中生物有效性研究

为探究土壤环境中红霉素污染的生物风险,本试验采用¹⁴C示踪技术,选取广东菜心为代表,研究红霉素结合残留的释放、转化及生物有效性,并探讨添加外源有机肥(如鸡粪、活性淤泥)对该过程的影响。结果表明,土壤中红霉素结合残留随着时间推移逐渐释放,在培养45 d时下降至引入量的59.83%,其中15.00%转化为可提态残留;植物根系的吸收和扰动能促进红霉素结合残留的释放和转化(P <0.05);土壤中的红霉素结合残留能够被广东菜心根部吸收并转运至可食部分,转运系数为0.34,表明红霉素结合残留在菜心体内不易向上运输;放射性自显影图片显示,被植物吸收的¹⁴C-红霉素及其放射性衍生物主要集中在叶片和根部;外源添加有机肥(鸡粪和活性淤泥)处理,一方面可抑制结合残留的释放,增加富啡酸中红霉素结合残留的含量(P<0.05),导致土壤中红霉素污染更持久,另一方面可促进植物对土壤中红霉素残留的吸收;腐殖质分级结果显示,红霉素结合残留主要集中在富啡酸中(87.92%~97.21%),并随着时间推移不断释放。本研究结果为科学评价红霉素的生态安全提供了理论支持。     

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.     

腐植酸的组成结构及其对作物根系调控的研究进展

[目的]综述腐植酸的结构及其对作物根系调控方面的研究进展,为腐植酸的进一步资源化利用提供理论依据.[主要进展]1)腐植酸结构复杂、功能多样,由C、H、O、N和S等元素构成.腐植酸是多价酚型芳香族化合物与氮化合物的缩聚物,其裂解产物主要有烷烃类、饱和醇类、非饱和线性醇类、吡啶类等,其形成机制主要基于氨基糖缩合理论、多酚理...     

ADVERSE EFFECTS OF HUMIC SUBSTANCES FROM DIFFERENT ORIGIN ON LUPIN AS RELATED TO IRON SOURCES

Humic substances improve the efficiency of different iron (Fe) sources overcoming Fe deficiency chlorosis of plants. However, applied at high rates, they can promote negative effects on plants. The main objective of this work was to study the potential adverse effect of three humic acids from different origin when they were applied with two effective Fe sources for plants: Fe- ethylenediaminedihydroxyphenylacetic acid (EDDHA) and Vivianite. To this end, an experiment with lupin (Lupinus albus L.) was performed involving two factors: (i) Fe source, and (ii) humic substances from three different origin (composted cork, leonardite, and compost obtained from a mixture of olive husk with cotton gin trash) applied at 0, 0.1, and 0.5 g organic carbon (C) kg^?1 of growing media. At the rates used, humic substances promoted adverse effects on plant development, chlorophyll meter readings, and Fe content in lupin grown in calcareous media. Overall, the effect on dry matter and Fe content in plants was more relevant when Fe was supplied with Vivianite, the effect on chlorophyll meter readings being more significant when Fe was applied as Fe-EDDHA. Differences were also observed depending on the source of humic substances, those from leonardite promoting the greatest decrease in dry matter in roots and shoots. These humic substances possessed the highest values of spectroscopy index for aromaticity (A₂₅₄ ). On the other hand, the application of humic substances from olive husk compost, which exhibited the lower aromaticity index, resulted in the smallest decrease in dry matter production and chlorophyll meter readings. Dry matter in roots decreased logarithmically with increased values of the estimates of the amounts of aromatic compounds accumulated in the growing media (R² = 0.92; P < 0.01) with Vivianite as Fe source. Thus, the effects decreasing dry matter production, particularly in roots, and chlorophyll meter readings can be ascribed at least partially to the presence of phytotoxic aromatic compounds in humic substances.     

Effect of temperature on the fragmentation of humic acids in alkaline solutions

The fragmentation of one synthetic and four soil humic acids was studied in solutions of sodium hydroxide (pH 13) at different temperature between 0 and 90°C. The dissolved parts of the initial amounts of humic acids decreased to a minimum with the increase in temperature from 0 to 10°C. The fragmentation in this region was a function of both; temperature and concentration. At 15–20°C all of the initial amounts of humic acids were dissolved. The rate of fragmentation increased rapidly between 15 and 20°C and later slowed down between 20 and 40°C. This was due to the reaggregation of the particles of the produced hymatomelanic acids into particles of similar solubilities as those of the residual nonfragmented parts of the humic acids. This reaggregation took place probably through the formation of hydrophobic bonds. The fragmentation increased at temperatures above 40°C, and reached a maximum between 50 and 70°C depending on the type of the humic acid. The decline in fragmentation at temperatures higher than those corresponding to the maxima is most probably due to chemical reactions, in which the fragmentation products especially fulvic acids recombine together at about 60°C. Importance of these results in analytical methods of extraction and characterisation of humic acids is discussed.     

Effects of humic acid fractions on invertase activities in plant tissues

The effect of some soil organic matter fractions and synthetic humic acids were tested on the invertase activities in tissues of several higher-plant species. The effects varied according to the plant and soil organic matter fraction used. Thus no fraction tested had any effect on the invertase activity of beetroot storage tissue, but several fractions, mainly humic acid and its residues obtained by water or acid boiling, inhibited invertase in carrot storage tissues and wheat roots and coleoptiles. and to a lesser extent mungbean hypocotyls. Soil phenolic acids were without effect in any of the plant tissues tested. Some stimulations of invertase activity occurred with pea root tissue, using the water- and acid-soluble humic-acid fractions. The effects were independent of ash contents, total N or the C:H:N ratio, and could not be ascribed to any particular chemical component.The inhibitory effects on wheat invertase activity produced by soil organic matter were independent of pH in the range 4.5–7.0, and were constant over a 4 h incubation. The inhibitors only slightly affected the K_m but markedly affected the V_max of the reaction, hence they were non-competitive.The effect of a naturally-occurring invertase inhibitor from beetroot storage tissues could be reduced in the presence of humic acid. Although the inhibitor had little effect on wheat root invertase it did reduce the inhibitory effect of the humic acid in this tissue.     

THE HUMIC ACIDS EXTRACTED BY VARIOUS REAGENTS FROM A SOIL

Solutions of o.5N NaOH, o.1M pyrophosphate (pH 7), and o.5N Na(CO^2?₃/HCO^?₃) [2:1] extract humic acid and organic matter from a soil with decreasing effectiveness. Pre-treating the soil with o.1N HC1 increased the yield of humic acid obtained with the alkaline extractants. An additional pre-treatment with a mixture, which was normal with respect to HC1 and HF, gave a slight reduction in yield. Increasing the temperature of extraction increased the yield of humic acid. The total C extracted was usually in excess of the humic acid recovered. The difference was obtained as ‘humins’. The sum of the Fe₂O₃, SiO₂, and A1₂O₃ contents of the humic acids was always less than 2 per cent. Where the extraction was carried out at room temperatures the SiO₂/Al₂O₃ ratio suggested that they might be present as clay mineral. When extraction was carried out at an elevated temperature this ratio was altered. Humic acids of low ash content (0.1–0.5 per cent) could be obtained by the use of hot reagents. Of all the extractants used at room temperature, pyrophosphate produced the humic acid of lowest ash content (～ 0.2 per cent). The Fe₂O₃ content of the humic acids was not correlated with their SiO₂ or A1₂O₃ content. The N-content of the humic acids was substantially independent of the method of extraction. The cation-exchange capacities (C.E.C.), average pK values and range of pK values, have been determined from the titration curves of the humic acids. These quantities vary with the method of extraction. There are good correlations between cation exchange capacity and both average pK values and the range of pK values. The within-molecule variation of pK values appears to be greater than the between-molecule variation. No correlation exists between C.E.C. and Fe, Al, Si, and N content of the humic acids.     

Transformation of organic matter from maize residues into labile and humic fractions of three European soils as revealed by 13C distribution and CPMAS-NMR spectra

The dynamics of incorporation of fresh organic residues into the various fractions of soil organic matter have yet to be clarified in terms of chemical structures and mechanisms involved. We studied by ¹³C‐dilution analysis and CPMAS‐¹³C‐NMR spectroscopy the distribution of organic carbon from mixed or mulched maize residues into specific defined fractions such as carbohydrates and humic fractions isolated by selective extractants in a year‐long incubation of three European soils. The contents of carbohydrates in soil particle size fractions and relative δ¹³C values showed no retention of carbohydrates from maize but rather decomposition of those from native organic matter in the soil. By contrast, CPMAS‐¹³C‐NMR spectra of humic (HA) and fulvic acids (FA) extracted by alkaline solution generally indicated the transfer of maize C (mostly carbohydrates and peptides) into humic materials, whereas spectra of organic matter extracted with an acetone solution (HE) indicated solubilization of an aliphatic‐rich, hydrophobic fraction that seemed not to contain any C from maize. The abundance of ¹³C showed that all humic fractions behaved as a sink for C from maize residues but the FA fraction was related to the turnover of fresh organic matter more than the HA. Removal of hydrophobic components from incubated soils by acetone solution allowed a subsequent extraction of HA and, especially, FA still containing much C from maize. The combination of isotopic measurements and NMR spectra indicated that while hydrophilic compounds from maize were retained in HA and FA, hydrophobic components in the HE fraction had chemical features similar to those of humin. Our results show that the organic compounds released in soils by mineralization of fresh plant residues are stored mainly in the hydrophilic fraction of humic substances which are, in turn, stabilized against microbial degradation by the most hydrophobic humic matter. Our findings suggest that native soil humic substances contribute to the accumulation of new organic matter in soils.