Effects of cropping systems on soil organic matter in a pair of conventional and biodynamic mixed cropping farms in Canterbury, New Zealand

Effects of cropping systems on soil organic matter (SOM) in a pair of conventional and biodynamic mixed cropping farms were investigated. Soil samples (0–75 and 75–150-mm depths) were analysed for total carbon (TC), total nitrogen (TN), microbial biomass C (BC) and microbial biomass N (BN), and sequentially extracted for labile and stable SOM using cold water, hot water, acid mixtures and alkalis. In the biodynamic farm, TC and TN decreased with increasing period of cropping but the reverse occurred under pastures. These were not shown in soils from the conventional farm, probably due to N fertilizer additions. Under pastures, increases in SOM were attributed to greater biological N₂ fixation and the return of plant residues and excreta from grazing animals. Overall, sensitive SOM quality indicators found for labile SOM were BN, BN:TN and HC:TC, and for stable SOM were HCl/HFC, HCl/HFC:TC, humin C, humin N, humin C:TC and humin N:TN. The BN and BN:TN were better indicators than BC and BC:TC. The humin fraction was strongly related to both labile and stable SOM fractions suggesting that humin contained non-extractable strongly complexed SOM components with mineral matter and also non-extractable plant and microbial residual components. Received: 10 October 1996     

A new index to assess soil quality and sustainability of wheat-based cropping systems

Sustainability index was calculated to assess soil quality under the influence of different fertilizer management practices. It is based on the area of the triangle in which nutrient index, microbial index and crop index of soil represented the three vertices of a triangle. Nutrient index reflected the nutrient status of soil and was calculated from the measurements of various soil chemical parameters. Microbial index was calculated by determining various soil microbial and biochemical activities and crop index by measuring of crop yield parameters. Eighteen soil indicators were determined to assess nutrient index, microbial index and crop index in order to compare the effect of different sources of nutrients such as green manure, farmyard manure and chemical fertilizer in a rice/corn–wheat rotation. The indices were applied to assess the sustainability of five field experiments with respect to the different fertilizer treatments. The long-term application of organic manures in rice/corn–wheat cropping system increased the index value because it increased the nutrient index, microbial index and crop index of soils. The use of only chemical fertilizers in the rice–wheat cropping system resulted in poor soil microbial index and crop index. In corn–wheat system, additional application of FYM at 10 t ha^–1 before sowing corn made the system more sustainable than application of 100%NPK; the sustainability index values were 2.43 (the highest for this system) and 0.93, respectively.     

Effects of cropping systems on nitrogen,phosphorus and potassium forms and soil organic carbon in a Gray Luvisol

The effects of up to 23 years of agricultural cropping of a boreal forest soil on soil organic carbon (SOC) and N, P, and K pools were studied. The cropping systems studied were: (a) continuous barley, (b) continuous forage bromegrass, (c) continuous forage legume, and (d) barley/grass-legume forage rotation. Continuous bromegrass increased while other cropping systems decreased SOC in the surface soil. Kjeldahl N in soil approximately followed the trend in SOC. The net gain in N under continuous grass was attributed mostly to nonsymbiotic N fixation. Changes in SOC content appeared to be also influenced by cropping and tillage frequencies. Changes in fixed (intercalary) ammonium were small. There was no measurable change in total P, in part, because input was only slightly higher than crop offtake. Organic P increased under continuous bromegrass, and tended to decrease under continuous legume. The C/N and C/P ratios of soil organic matter decreased slightly with cropping. Exchangeable K (K_ex) was decreased by cropping systems containing a legume crop to a greater extent than those without a legume crop. Most of the decrease occurred in the 0–15 cm depth. Nitric acid extractable K was not affected by cropping. Since net loss of K_ex to 30 cm depth was substantially less than crop offtake, it is suggested that subsoil K reserves and matrix K were supplying a major portion of the crops' K requirement. It is concluded that the effects of cropping systems on SOC, N, P and K are influenced by crop type, and cropping and tillage frequencies.     

Soil microbial tests for discriminating between different cropping systems and fertiliser regimes

The aim of this study was to evaluate a set of microbial soil tests for their ability to discriminate between different agricultural practices. For this purpose three sites included in the Swedish Long-Term Soil Fertility Experiments were chosen. The fertility experiments were designed to compare different cropping systems (simulating farming with and without livestock), PK-fertiliser and N-fertiliser regimes. Six different microbial tests were used to derive nine variables describing: (1) basal microbial activity (B-res), (2) potential microbial activities (substrate induced respiration, SIR; potential NH₄ ⁺ oxidation, PAO; potential denitrification activity, PDA; and alkaline phosphatase activity, Alk-P), (3) specific microbial growth rates (μ _res and μ _PDA) and (4) nutrient-limited respiration rates (maximal P-limited respiration, Max-P; and maximal N-limited respiration, Max-N?). Among the individual microbial variables B-res, SIR, μ _res and μ _PDA were the best discriminators of the two different cropping systems. All of them, except μ _PDA, showed some degree of interaction between different treatments. However, the best discriminators between cropping systems were the components [principal component (PC)?1 and 2] from a PC analysis (PCA). In all three soils PC?1 discriminated well between the two cropping systems. In addition, PC?1 and PC?2 reflected the P-fertilisation rate. Max-P alone had the best potential to reflect the microbially available P in the soil and thereby indirectly the plant-available P. The μ _res was also useful when assessing available P in the soil. The N-fertilisation rate seemed to be the most difficult treatment to assess with the microbial activity variables. In addition, PCA revealed a consistent functional relationship in all three soils between the potential activity variables (SIR, PAO, PDA, and Alk-P).     

Carbon management index based on physical fractionation of soil organic matter in an Acrisol under long-term no-till cropping systems

The carbon management index (CMI) is derived from the total soil organic C pool and C lability and is useful to evaluate the capacity of management systems to promote soil quality. However, the CMI has not been commonly used for this purpose, possible due to some limitations of the 333 mM KMnO₄-chemical oxidation method conventionally employed to determine the labile C fraction. We hypothesized, however, that physical fractionation of organic matter is an alternative approach to determine the labile C. The objectives of this study were (i) to assess the physical fractionation with density (NaI 1.8 Mg m⁻³) and particle-size separation (53 μm mesh) as alternative methods to the KMnO₄-chemical oxidation (60 and 333 mM) in determining the labile C and thus the CMI, and (ii) to evaluate the capacity of long-term (19 years) no-till cropping systems (oat/maize: O/M, oat + vetch/maize: O + V/M, oat + vetch/maize + cowpea: O + V/M + C, and pigeon pea + maize: P + M) and N fertilization (0 and 180 kg N ha⁻¹) to promote the soil quality of a Southern Brazilian Acrisol, using the CMI as the main assessment parameter. Soil samples were collected from 0 to 12.5 cm layer, and the soil of an adjacent native grassland was taken as reference. The mean annual C input of the cropping systems varied from 3.4 to 6.0 Mg ha⁻¹ and the highest amounts occurred in legume-based cropping systems and N fertilized treatments. The C pool index was positively related to the annual C input (r² = 0.93, P < 0.002). The labile C determined by density (4.4–10.4% of C pool) and particle-size separation (9.5–17.7% of C pool) had a close relationship (r = 0.60 and 0.85, respectively) with the labile C determined using 60 mM KMnO₄ (7.3–10.5% of C pool). The labile C resulting from the three methods was related to the annual C input imparted by the cropping systems (r² = 0.67–0.88), reinforcing the possibility of using physical fractionation as an alternative approach to determine labile C. In contrast, the chemical method using 333 mM KMnO₄ was not sensitive to different cropping systems and resulted in too high percentage of labile C, varying from 16.8 to 35.2% of the C pool. The CMI based on physical fractionation was a sensitive tool for assessing the capacity of management systems to promote soil quality, as evidenced by its close correlation (r = 0.88, at average) with soil physical, chemical, and biological attributes. The introduction of winter (vetch) and, especially, summer legume cover crops (cowpea and pigeon pea), or application of fertilizer-N, improved the capacity of the management system into promote soil quality in this subtropical Acrisol.     

Long-term tillage effects on soil quality

Public interest in soil quality is increasing, but assessment is difficult because soil quality evaluations are often purpose- and site-specific. Our objective was to use a systems engineering methodology to evaluate soil quality with data collected following a long-term tillage study on continuous corn (Zea mays L.). Aggregate characteristics, penetration resistance, bulk density, volumetric water content, earthworm populations, respiration, microbial biomass, ergosterol concentrations, and several soil-test parameters (pH, P, K, Ca, Mg, Total-N, Total-C, NH₄-N, and NO₃-N) were measured on Orthic Luvisol soil samples collected from Rozetta and Palsgrove silt loam (fine-silty, mixed, mesic Typic Hapludalfs) soils. Plots managed using no-till practices for 12 years before samples were collected for this study had surface soil aggregates that were more stable in water and had higher total carbon, microbial activity, ergosterol concentrations, and earthworm populations than either the chisel or plow treatments. Selected parameters were combined in the proposed soil quality index and gave ratings of 0.48, 0.49, or 0.68 for plow, chisel, or no-till treatments, respectively. This indicated that long-term no-till management had improved soil quality. The prediction was supported by using a sprinkler infiltration study to measure the amount of soil loss from plots that had been managed using no-till or mold-board plow tillage. We conclude that no-till practices on these soils can improve soil quality and that the systems engineering methodology may be useful for developing a more comprehensive soil quality index that includes factors such as pesticide and leaching potentials.     

Ecological pre-release risk assessment of two genetically engineered, bioluminescent Rhizobium meliloti strains in soil column model systems

In order to identify potential ecological risks associated with the environmental release of two Rhizobium meliloti strains, genetically engineered with the firefly-derived luciferase gene (luc), a pre-release greenhouse investigation was conducted. The upper 4 cm of soil columns (30 cm diameter; 65 cm depth), which were filled according to the horizons of an agricultural field (loamy sand), were inoculated with seeds of Medicago sativa (alfalfa) and R. meliloti cells at approximately 5×10⁶ cells·g^–1 soil. Four treatments were tested: inoculation with a non-engineered wild type strain (2011), strain L33 (luc ⁺), strain L1(luc ⁺, recA^–) and non-inoculated controls. The fate of the engineered strains was followed by two methods: (1) selective cultivation and subsequent detection of bioluminescent colonies and (2) PCR detection of the luc gene in DNA, directly extracted from soil. Strain R. meliloti L33 declined to 9.0×10⁴ cfu·g^–1 soil within 24 weeks and to 2.8×10³ cfu·g^–1 soil within 85 weeks in the upper 25 cm of the soil columns. Decline rates for R. meliloti L1 were not significantly different. Vertical distribution analysis of the recombinant cells after 37 weeks revealed that in three of four columns tested, the majority of cells (>98%) remained above 10 cm soil depth and no recombinant cells occurred below 20 cm depth. However, in one column all horizons below 20 cm were colonized with 2.2×10⁴ to 6.8×10⁴ cfu g^–1 soil. Ecological monitoring parameters included organic substance, total nitrogen, ammonium and nitrate, microbial biomass, culturable bacteria on four different growth media and the immediate utilization of 95 carbon sources (BiologGN) by soil-extracted microbial consortia. None of the parameters was specifically affected by the genetically engineered cells. Received: 6 December 1996     

Linking process capability analysis and least limiting water range for assessing soil physical quality

In the process of evaluating the physical quality of soil for crop production, measurable sources of stress that the soil imposes on growing crops must be identified. Approaches for monitoring or evaluating soil physical quality should then be based on properties or processes that relate to these stresses and must be measured against definable standards. We hypothesized that process capability analysis applied to measurements of soil water content and the least limiting water range (LLWR) would meet these requirements and could be used to evaluate the physical quality of soils for crop growth. Previously published data obtained over 3 years in a field with a variable landscape planted to corn under no-till were used to test the hypothesis. The temporal variability of soil water content was regarded as a process which aims to generate individual values for soil water content inside the limits specified by the LLWR. Process capability analysis successfully linked the temporal variability of soil water content in relation to the LLWR. The main process capability parameter, i.e. distance to nearest specification (DNS) varied by a factor of three across the landscape and was related to clay and organic carbon contents. Values of DNS were strongly correlated with shoot growth (R² = 0.97) suggesting that DNS effectively characterized the spatial variability in stresses imposed on plant growth by soil and described changes in the soil physical quality for crop growth across the site. The results supported our hypothesis.     

Effect of cropping systems on nitrogen mineralization in soils

 Understanding the effect of cropping systems on N mineralization in soils is crucial for a better assessment of N fertilizer requirements of crops in order to minimize nitrate contamination of surface and groundwater resources. The effects of crop rotations and N fertilization on N mineralization were studied in soils from two long-term field experiments at the Northeast Research Center and the Clarion-Webster Research Center in Iowa that were initiated in 1979 and 1954, respectively. Surface soil samples were taken in 1996 from plots of corn (Zea mays L.), soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.), oats (Avena sativa L.), or meadow (alfalfa) (Medicago sativa L.) that had received 0 or 180 kg N ha^–1 before corn and an annual application of 20 kg P and 56 kg K ha^–1. N mineralization was studied in leaching columns under aerobic conditions at 30  °C for 24 weeks. The results showed that N mineralization was affected by cover crop at the time of sampling. Continuous soybean decreased, whereas inclusion of meadow increased, the amount of cumulative N mineralized. The mineralizable N pool (N _o) varied considerably among the soil samples studied, ranging from 137 mg N kg^–1 soil under continuous soybean to >500 mg N kg^–1 soil under meadow-based rotations, sampled in meadow. The results suggest that the N _o and/or organic N in soils under meadow-based cropping systems contained a higher proportion of active N fractions. Received: 10 February 1999     

Effect of long-term manuring and fertilizers on carbon pools,soil structure,and sustainability under different cropping systems in wet-temperate zone of northwest Himalayas

We investigated C management index (CMI; an indicator of sustainability of a management system and is based on total and labile C) and soil aggregation in medium-textured soils (silt loam and silty clay loam) under different cropping systems as follows: maize-wheat (M-W), rice-wheat (R-W), soybean-wheat (S-W), Guinea grass, and Setaria grass. Field experiments were 6–32 years long and were located in the wet-temperate zone of northwest Himalayas. The plant nutrients were applied through chemical fertilizers (urea, superphosphate, and muriate of potash) with or without organic materials (FYM, wheat straw, and Lantana spp.). The content of total C (C_T), labile C (C_L), CMI, mean weight diameter (MWD), and aggregate porosity varied significantly under different cropping systems. The range was 1.59 (R-W)–4.29% (Setaria) for C_T, 1.23 (R-W)–3.89 mg/kg (Guinea grass) for C_L, 52.09 (R-W)–129.77 (Guinea grass) for CMI, 0.90 (R-W)–5.09 (Guinea grass) for MWD, and 41.5 (R-W)–56.8% (S-W) for aggregate porosity. Aggregate porosity was highest (56.8%) under S-W, followed by grasses (50.1–51.2%), and M/R-W (41.5–50.0%). As per these data, (a) continuous use of N alone as urea lowered soil sustainability over control (no fertilizers); (b) use of NPK at recommended rates improved soil productivity over control; (c) the NPK + organic amendments further improved soil sustainability; and (d) the sustainability under different cropping systems followed the order: perennial grasses > soybean-wheat > maize-wheat > rice-wheat.     

Suitability of enzyme activities for the monitoring of soil quality improvement in organic agricultural systems

There is growing interest in the applications of soil enzymes as early indicators of soil quality change under contrasting agricultural management practices. However, despite there being an abundant literature on this subject, most comparative assessments have been based on a limited number of experimental farms and, therefore, conclusions are not as robust as desired. In this study, we compare 18 pairs of organic and neighbouring conventional olive orchards in southern Spain. These sites were selected to allow the definition of the relative contributions of site-landscape features, soil type, and time since organic accreditation and tillage intensity, on the soil quality. Soils were analysed for physico-chemical properties, the activities of dehydrogenase, β-glucosidase, arylsulphatase, acid and alkaline phosphatase, and potential nitrification. The geometric mean of the assayed enzymes (GMea) was validated with an independently performed Principal Component Analysis (PCA), and used as a combined soil quality index. The effects of tillage intensity and time since organic accreditation on the improvement of soil quality were also evaluated within the subset of organic farms. Overall for the 18 sites, contrasted management practices did not differ in their impact on basic soil physico-chemical properties, except for loss of on ignition and available inorganic N which were higher and lower in organic farms, respectively. Organic management resulted in significantly higher soil enzyme activities. However, differences were not significant in some of the paired comparisons when considered individually. This highlights the need for extensive comparative assessment, as in this study, to draw clear conclusions concerning the changes to soil quality under sustainable management practices. The GMea was significantly correlated with the first axis of the PCA and shown to be appropriate for condensing the set of soil enzyme values to a sole numerical value. Soil quality changes in organic versus conventional farms, as measured by the GMea, ranged from −23% to 97%, and was highly dependent on time since organic accreditation (r = 0.88; P < 0.01). On the other hand, tillage intensity clearly tended to delay any progress in soil quality in the organic farms.     

A minimum data set for soil quality assessment of wheat and maize cropping in the highlands of Mexico

The objective was to establish a minimum soil quality dataset for a long-term tillage, residue management and rotation trial for wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and maize (Zea mays L.) production systems. Based on this soil quality evaluation, sustainable management practices could be selected for transferring technologies to farmers in the region. A long-term experiment was conducted with 16 different crop management practices varying in: (1) rotation (continuous maize or wheat and both phases of the rotation of maize and wheat), (2) tillage (conventional and zero) and (3) crop residue management (full retention or removal for fodder). Superior soil quality was considered to represent the maintenance of high productivity without significant soil or environmental degradation. The pertinent, minimum soil quality data set included the following physical indicators: time-to-pond, aggregate stability, permanent wilting point, and topsoil penetration resistance. Chemical indicators were: soil C, N, K and Zn concentrations, measured in the 0–5 cm topsoil and C, N concentration in 5–20 cm. Multivariate analysis grouped the treatments into clusters: (1) zero tillage with retention of residue, (2) zero tillage with residue removal and (3) conventional tillage. Zero tillage combined with crop residue retention improved chemical and physical conditions of the soil. In contrast, zero tillage with removal of residues, led to high accumulation of Mn in the topsoil, low aggregate stability, high penetration resistance, surface slaking resulting in low time-to-pond values and high runoff. Finally, soil quality under conventional tillage was intermediate (irrespective of residue management), especially reflected in the physical status of the soil. The results provide a strong justification to promote zero tillage technology combined with appropriate residue management to farmers in the volcanic highlands of Central Mexico and other similar regions. The minimum data set and associated tools for careful monitoring and observation, will be essential for evaluating soil quality in farmer's fields.     

Microbial community composition and carbon cycling within soil microenvironments of conventional, low-input, and organic cropping systems

This study coupled stable isotope probing with phospholipid fatty acid analysis (¹³C-PLFA) to describe the role of microbial community composition in the short-term processing (i.e., C incorporation into microbial biomass and/or deposition or respiration of C) of root- versus residue-C and, ultimately, in long-term C sequestration in conventional (annual synthetic fertilizer applications), low-input (synthetic fertilizer and cover crop applied in alternating years), and organic (annual composted manure and cover crop additions) maize-tomato (Zea mays - Lycopersicum esculentum) cropping systems. During the maize growing season, we traced ¹³C-labeled hairy vetch (Vicia dasycarpa) roots and residues into PLFAs extracted from soil microaggregates (53-250 μm) and silt-and-clay (<53 μm) particles. Total PLFA biomass was greatest in the organic (41.4 nmol g⁻¹ soil) and similar between the conventional and low-input systems (31.0 and 30.1 nmol g⁻¹ soil, respectively), with Gram-positive bacterial PLFA dominating the microbial communities in all systems. Although total PLFA-C derived from roots was over four times greater than from residues, relative distributions (mol%) of root- and residue-derived C into the microbial communities were not different among the three cropping systems. Additionally, neither the PLFA profiles nor the amount of root- and residue-C incorporation into the PLFAs of the microaggregates were consistently different when compared with the silt-and-clay particles. More fungal PLFA-C was measured, however, in microaggregates compared with silt-and-clay. The lack of differences between the mol% within the microbial communities of the cropping systems and between the PLFA-C in the microaggregates and the silt-and-clay may have been due to (i) insufficient differences in quality between roots and residues and/or (ii) the high N availability in these N-fertilized cropping systems that augmented the abilities of the microbial communities to process a wide range of substrate qualities. The main implications of this study are that (i) the greater short-term microbial processing of root- than residue-C can be a mechanistic explanation for the higher relative retention of root- over residue-C, but microbial community composition did not influence long-term C sequestration trends in the three cropping systems and (ii) in spite of the similarity between the microbial community profiles of the microaggregates and the silt-and-clay, more C was processed in the microaggregates by fungi, suggesting that the microaggregate is a relatively unique microenvironment for fungal activity.     

Effects of soil invertebrates on the survival of some genetically engineered bacteria in leaf litter and soil

Seven bacterial strains, most of them bearing natural or recombinant plasmids, were introduced in oak leaf litter or soddy-podzolic soil. In these substrata, which contained litter-dwelling diplopods and isopods, or endogenic earthworms, bacteria survival was followed. In the absence of the animals, the numbers of introduced strains gradually decreased. In the presence of the animals, plasmid-bearing strains of Pseudomonas putida survived at 10⁵–10⁷ CFUs g^-1 up to 1.5 months in both leaves and soil. The total numbers of bacteria found in excrements from the soil macrofauna were 5–15 times higher than in the food. The numbers of P. putida in the excrements were equal to or higher than in the food. The numbers of Pseudomonas stutzeri JM302 (pLV1013) and Azospirillum brasiliense ATCC29710 (pFACII) in the excrements were always 2–10 times lower than in the food. The digestive fluid taken from the middle part of the gut of the diplopod Pachyiulus flavipes showed a strong antibacterial activity. Those bacteria with lower survival in the gut appeared to be more sensitive to digestion by the midgut fluid. In contrast, the hindgut fluid did not suppress the viability of P. stutzeri JM302 (pLV1013). We postulate that the introduced bacteria partially survive the midgut passage and then multiply with a high growth rate in the hindgut of the animals. The environmental consequences of the interactions between soil invertebrates and the released bacteria are discussed.Dedicated to Professor J. C. G. Ottow on the occasion of his 60th birthday     

The role of laboratory, glasshouse and field scale experiments in understanding the interactions between genetically modified crops and soil ecosystems: A review of the ECOGEN project

The interactions of genetically modified (GM) crops with soil species and ecosystems is complex, requiring both specific and broad spectrum assessments. In the ECOGEN project we undertook experiments at three scales of increasing complexity, using Bt maize expressing the Cry1Ab protein from Bacillus thuringiensis as an example. Test species were selected for laboratory-scale experiments to represent taxonomic groups that we could also monitor at glasshouse and field scales (e.g., nematodes, protozoa, micro-arthropods, earthworms, and snails). In the laboratory, single species were exposed to purified Cry1Ab protein or to Bt maize leaf powder incorporated into simplified diets under controlled conditions. In the glasshouse, multiple test species and soil microbial communities taken from ECOGEN's field sites were exposed to Bt maize plants growing under glasshouse or mesocosm conditions. In the field, evaluations were conducted on our selected indicator groups over multiple sites and growing seasons. Field evaluation included assessment of effects due to the local environment, crop type, seasonal variation and conventional crop management practice (tillage and pesticide use), which cannot be assessed in the glasshouse. No direct effects of Cry1Ab protein or Bt leaf residues were detected on our laboratory test organisms, but some significant effects were detected in the glasshouse. Total nematode and protozoan numbers increased in field soil under Bt maize relative to conventional maize, whilst microbial community structure and activity were unaffected. Field results for the abundance of nematodes and protozoa showed some negative effects of Bt maize, thus contradicting the glasshouse results. However, these negative results were specific to particular field sites and sampling times and therefore were transient. Taking the overall variation found in maize ecosystems at different sites into account, any negative effects of Bt maize at field scale were judged to be indirect and no greater than the impacts of crop type, tillage and pesticide use. Although the ECOGEN results were not predictive between the three experimental scales, we propose that they have value when used with feedback loops between the scales. This holistic approach can used to address questions raised by results from any level of experimentation and also for putting GM crop risk:benefit into context with current agricultural practices in regionally differing agro-ecosystems.     

Characterization of soil microbial communities under different potato cropping systems by microbial population dynamics, substrate utilization, and fatty acid profiles

The effects of 11 different 2- and 3-yr potato crop rotations on soil microbial communities were characterized over three field seasons using several techniques. Assessments included microbial populations determined by soil dilution plate counts on various general and selective culture media, microbial activity by fluorescein diacetate (FDA) hydrolysis, single carbon source substrate utilization (SU) profiles, and fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) profiles. Potato rotation crops evaluated in research plots at Newport, ME, included barley/clover, canola, green bean, millet, soybean, sweet corn, and a continuous potato control. Soil populations of culturable bacteria and overall microbial activity tended to be highest following barley, canola, and sweet corn rotations, and lowest with continuous potato. Differences among rotations were less apparent during the potato phase of the rotations. Populations of actinomycetes and fluorescent pseudomonads tended to be greater in barley rotations than in most other rotations. SU profiles derived from BIOLOG GN2 plates indicated that certain rotations, including barley, canola, and sweet corn tended to have higher overall microbial activity, and barley and sweet corn rotations averaged higher substrate richness and diversity. Soybean and potato rotations tended to have lower substrate richness and diversity. Principal component analyses of SU data revealed differences among rotation soil communities in their utilization of individual carbon sources and substrate guilds, including carbohydrates, carboxylic acids, amines/amides, and amino acids. Analyses of soil FAME profiles demonstrated distinct differences among all the rotation soils in their relative composition of fatty acids, indicating differences in their microbial community structure. Fatty acids most responsible for differentiation among rotation soils included 16:1 ω5c, 16:1 ω7c, 18:2 ω6c, 18:1 ω9c, 12:0, and 13:0 anteiso, with 16:1 ω5c being the single greatest determinant. Overall, monounsaturated fatty acids, particularly 16:1 ω5c, were most prevalent in sweet corn rotations and polyunsaturates were highest in barley and millet rotations. Straight chain saturated fatty acids comprised the greatest proportion of fatty acids in soils under continuous potato. FAME biomarkers for microorganism groups indicated barley and millet rotations had the highest ratio of fungi to bacteria, and soybean and continuous potato had the lowest ratio. This research has demonstrated that different crop rotations have distinctive effects on soil microbial communities that are detectable using a variety of techniques. Further studies will identify more specific changes associated with particular rotations and relate these changes to potential effects on disease management, crop health, and crop productivity.     

Soil carbon balance of rice-based cropping systems of the Indo-Gangetic Plains

An agricultural land use system centred on rice-based cropping systems as common in the Indo-Gangetic Plains (IGP), with its annual cycles of wet and dry, puddling and ploughing, is unique and exerts a specific influence on soil organic matter (SOM) dynamics. Reports of yield ‘stagnation’ in some parts of the IGP with a decline in SOM quantity and quality raises concerns about the sustainability of the rice-wheat system in the region. Proper understanding of the soil carbon balance and of measures required to build up or maintain the soil carbon status of such a production system is therefore important for its sustainable production. Long-term experiments conducted in this region are especially useful in gaining understanding of soil carbon dynamics, since the processes affecting carbon dynamics are slow in nature. We used a simple analytical model—Yang's model—to calculate carbon balances in the rice-based cropping systems of the IGP in India. We used eight data sets from rice-based cropping systems from different sub-regions in the IGP, with different crop managements applied to rice, wheat or a third crop. Carbon input into the soil from crop biomass was calculated using data on crop yield and Harvest Index (HI). The values of soil organic carbon content predicted by the model were comparable to the observed values (r = 0.91). The model performs well in situations with porous soils (low clay content), with a pH values in the neutral range (7-7.5) and low annual rainfall as in the situation of Ludhiana-1 and 2. However, it underperforms in situations with heavy clay soils with high rainfall, causing severe anaerobic conditions. The model projections for the long-term (by 2080) show a decline in SOC at all sites in the IGP. Hence, the yield stagnation in the IGP, which has been attributed to a decline in SOC and the associated reduction in nutrient supply, could lead to further decreases in SOC levels, aggravated by climate change-induced higher temperatures.     

IBQS: A synthetic index of soil quality based on soil macro-invertebrate communities

We developed a synthetic index of biological soil quality (IBQS) based on soil macro-invertebrate community patterns to assess soil quality. In 22 sites representing the diversity of agroecosystems encountered in France, invertebrate communities co-varied significantly with a set of 14 parameters describing the physical and chemical properties of soil (co-inertia, p < 0.001; RV = 0.70). Using hierarchical classification, sites could be separated into four homogeneous groups and, using the ‘indicator value’ method, 46 indicator taxa characteristic of one or another of these groups were identified. We then used a formula that takes into account the abundance of indicator species and their respective indicator values to score soils from 1 to 20. IBQS was able to detect the effects of management practices on soil quality. Soil quality varied from 6 to 20 in forests, 7 to 9 in pastures and 2 to 9 in crops respectively. This suggests that well-managed crops and pastures may have better soil quality than some forests. Our results confirm that soil macro-invertebrates provide an integrative measure of soil quality and that the proposed index can be used either in short- or long-term monitoring, provided that it is calibrated and validated with respect to the regional context of the study.     

Assessing the impact of urban sprawl on soil resources of Nanjing city using satellite images and digital soil databases

The Yangtse delta area is one of the most rapidly developing areas in China. There are mega-cities like Shanghai and Nanjing and the surrounding urban areas of different sizes including those along the lower reach of the Yangtse river from Shanghai to Nanjing. In combination with their satellite counties and towns, they form one of the most densely distributed urban areas in China. This is a case study conducted in Nanjing city to evaluate the impact of urban sprawl on soil resources using satellite images and digital soil database maps. The extent of the developed land in the study area and the impact of development on soil resources at a scale of 1:200,000 are estimated. The soil types occupied by the urbanization process are determined by overlaying the soil map on the satellite images (Landsat TM) of the study area at different times (1984, 1995, 2000 and 2003). This study uses a geographic information system (GIS) to combine urban land use maps of different times derived from satellite images with data on soil characteristics contained in soil databases. The results document the rapid expansion of urbanization in Nanjing city, as well as the soil types occupied by the urbanization process, and their quality. The urban area has increased 43,544 ha, 2 times more than in 1984. The urban area expanded at an annual rate of 6.9%. Thirty of the total 32 soil types (soil families) within the city were utilized by the urbanization process among which Loamy typic-Fe-leachic-stagnic anthrosol ranked the highest (12,007 ha). The loss of surface land to urban use in Nanjing city has ranged from 4.8% in 1984 to 11.8% in 2003. Soils of the first class (5349 ha) and second class (20,781 ha) were 61.5% of the total occupied soil area. Results for Nanjing show that residential, commercial, and industrial development, known as “urban sprawl,” appear to follow soil resources, with the better agricultural soils being the most affected. Several soil types appear to be on the verge of being replaced by urban sprawl. Growing urbanization may threaten food security, soil diversity and sustainability. The extent and geographic distribution of soil quality and the pedodiversity for land presently under urbanization in the study area may be determined through modeling.