How do earthworms influence organic matter quantity and quality in tropical soils?

Earthworms are important regulators of soil structure and soil organic matter (SOM) dynamics; however, quantifying their influence on SOM cycling in tropical ecosystems remains little studied. Simulated rainfall was used to disrupt casts produced by Amynthas khami and their surrounding soil (control) into a range of small sized aggregates (50-250, 250-500, 500-2000 and 2000-5000 μm). To gain insight into how earthworms influence SOM biogeochemical composition in the aggregates, we carried out elemental and stable isotope analysis, and analytical pyrolysis (Py GC/MS). We also characterized their lignin component after oxidation with cupric oxide (CuO).The C content of smaller size fractions (<500 μm) in the control soil was higher than in the larger fractions. Our study therefore suggests that the aggregate hierarchy concept, which is used to understand soil aggregates and SOM dynamics in temperate soils, may not be applicable to the tropical Acrisol studied here. Earthworms modified SOM organization in soil aggregates. Although the isotope analyses were useful for highlighting SOM enrichment in the earthworm casts, aggregate fractions could not be classified according to particle size. Molecular analyses were necessary to indicate that SOM in all size fractions of casts consisted of relatively undecomposed material. Protection of the most labile SOM structures occurred in the smallest aggregate size fraction (50-250 μm). Py GC/MS showed that earthworm casts and control aggregates <2000 μm could be clearly distinguished according to the molecular properties of their SOM. Aggregates larger than 2000 μm, however, were most probably composed of all fractions and were not different. As a consequence, our results indicate that studies to determine the impact of earthworms on SOM turnover in soil are spatially dependant on the scale of observation.     

Tillage effect on organic carbon in a purple paddy soil

The distribution and storage of soil organic carbon （SOC） based on a long-term experiment with various tillage systems were studied in a paddy soil derived from purple soil in Chongqing, China. Organic carbon storage in the 0-20 and 0-40 cm soil layers under different tillage systems were in an order： ridge tillage with rice-rape rotation （RT-rr） 〉 conventional tillage with rice only （CT-r） 〉 ridge tillage with rice only （RT-r） 〉 conventional tillage with rice-rape rotation （CT-rr）. The RT-rr system had significantly higher levels of soil organic carbon in the 0-40 cm topsoil, while the proportion of the total remaining organic carbon in the total soil organic carbon in the 0-10 cm layer was greatest in the RT-rr system. This was the reason why the RT-rr system enhanced soil organic carbon storage. These showed that tillage system type was crucial for carbon storage. Carbon levels in soil humus and crop-yield results showed that the RT-rr system enhanced soil fertility and crop productivity. Adoption of this tillage system would be beneficial both for environmental protection and economic development.     

Have you checked for charcoal? Assessment of soil condition using soil organic carbon

Soil condition is commonly assessed by using soil organic carbon (SOC) as an indicator; however, a large proportion of the world's soils can contain charcoal, a biologically‐inert form of organic carbon. We investigated whether the presence of charcoal in soil could lead to an inaccurate assessment of soil condition when using SOC as an indicator. We sampled topsoil in a south‐east Australian catchment affected by severe fires in 2003. Samples (n = 100) were analysed for two SOC fractions: (i) total SOC (t‐SOC, loss on ignition), which included charcoal, and (ii) biologically‐active SOC (a‐SOC, persulphate‐oxidation), which did not contain charcoal. Using novel (boosted regression trees) and traditional (linear regression) modelling methods we compared the relative importance of abiotic (slope, aspect, elevation and soil texture) and biotic (land use and vegetation structure) factors as predictors of t‐SOC and a‐SOC concentration. A major difference between the two response variables was less relative importance of land use as a predictor when using t‐SOC as a response variable. Therefore, ignoring the presence of charcoal would have led to an under‐estimation of the effect of land‐use conversion on the biologically‐available SOC fraction. The presence of charcoal has important ramifications for routine assessments of soil condition given that (i) SOC is a commonly used indicator and charcoal and biologically‐active SOC differ in their effects on soil properties, (ii) fires historically occur on a large area of land, (iii) charcoal is a long‐lasting consequence of fires and (iv) charcoal can account for a large proportion of SOC and yet be unnoticed during sample preparation.     

Metabolising old soil carbon: Simply a matter of simple organic matter?

Bare fallow soils that have been deprived of fresh carbon inputs for prolonged periods contain mostly old, stable organic carbon. In order to shed light on the nature of this carbon, the functional diversity profiles (MicroResp™, Biolog™ and enzyme activity spectra) of the microbial communities of long-term bare-fallow soils were analysed and compared with those of the microbial communities from their cultivated counterparts. It was assumed that the catabolic and enzymatic profiles would reflect the type of substrates available to the microbial communities. The catabolic profiles suggested that the microbial communities in the long-term bare-fallow soil were exposed to a less diverse range of substrates and that these substrates tended to be of simpler molecular forms. Both the catabolic and enzyme activity profiles suggested that the microbial communities from the long-term bare-fallow soils were less adapted to using polymers. These results do not fit with the traditional view of old, stable carbon being composed of complex, recalcitrant polymers. Microbial communities from the long-term bare fallow soils tended to preferentially use substrates with higher nominal oxidation states of carbon relative to the substrates used by the microbial communities from the cultivated soils. This suggests that the microbial communities from the long-term bare-fallow soils were better adapted to using readily oxidizable, although energetically less rewarding, substrates. Microbial communities appear to adapt to the deprivation of fresh organic matter by using substrates that require little investment, such as enzyme production.     

How do persistent organic pollutants be coupled with biogeochemical cycles of carbon and nutrients in terrestrial ecosystems under global climate change?

Purpose  

Global climate change (GCC), especially global warming, has affected the material cycling (e.g., carbon, nutrients, and organic chemicals) and the energy flows of terrestrial ecosystems. Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) were regarded as anthropogenic organic carbon (OC) source, and be coupled with the natural carbon (C) and nutrient biogeochemical cycling in ecosystems. The objective of this work was to review the current literature and explore potential coupling processes and mechanisms between POPs and biogeochemical cycles of C and nutrients in terrestrial ecosystems induced by global warming.     

Is mechanical soil aeration a strategy to alleviate soil compaction and decrease phosphorus and suspended sediment losses from irrigated and rain‐fed cattle‐grazed pastures?

Agriculture is a major source of phosphorus (P) and suspended sediment (SS) losses to aquatic ecosystems promoting eutrophication. Mechanical soil loosening equipments such as topsoil looseners or aerators have been reported to improve the physical quality and infiltration of soils susceptible to livestock damage resulting from treading. We hypothesized that soil aeration would significantly decrease the volume of surface runoff and consequent losses of P and SS compared with non‐aerated soil (control) in cattle‐grazed pasture on a poorly structured silt‐loam soil. Hydrologically isolated plots (2 m long × 1 m wide × 0.15 m deep) were installed in aerated and control plots to collect surface runoff following irrigation or rainfall and analysed for P and SS losses for 1 year. Soil physical properties [% macroporosity, bulk density, saturated hydraulic conductivity (K_sat) and unsaturated hydraulic conductivity (K_unsat at ?1kPa)] were measured in the aerated and control treatments and taken before each irrigation event (n = 12). Six months after mechanical aeration was employed, but before cattle grazing commenced, no significant differences in soil physical quality were found between aerated and control treatments, with the exception of a minor increase in K_unsat for the control plots. This lack of treatment difference continued after grazing and was largely attributed to the re‐settling of the poorly structured and dispersive soil. Flow‐weighted mean concentrations and annual loads of dissolved reactive P (DRP) on the mechanically aerated soil (2.24 kg DRP/ha) were approximately double those from the control treatment (1.20 kg DRP/ha). However, no significant differences were observed between treatments for surface runoff volumes and losses of total P and total SS, which may reflect the similar soil physical conditions exhibited between treatments throughout most of the trial. As observed elsewhere, time (days) since grazing or fertilizer application was found to influence P and/or SS losses. We conclude that aeration did not decrease P and SS losses. Any changes in soil physical properties such as macroporosity were short‐lived and therefore unlikely to influence surface runoff and subsequent P and SS losses for this soil type.     

Temperature sensitivity of soil organic matter decomposition—what do we know?

Soil organic matter (SOM) represents one of the largest reservoirs of carbon on the global scale. Thus, the temperature sensitivity of bulk SOM and of different SOM fractions is a key factor determining the response of the terrestrial carbon balance to climatic warming. We condense the available knowledge about the potential temperature sensitivity and the actual temperature sensitivity of decomposition in situ, which ultimately depends on substrate availability. We review and evaluate contradictory results of estimates of the temperature sensitivity of bulk SOM and of different SOM fractions. The contradictory results demonstrate a need to focus research on biological and physicochemical controls of SOM stabilisation and destabilisation processes as a basis for understanding strictly causal relationships and kinetic properties of key processes that determine pool sizes and turnover rates of functional SOM pools. The current understanding is that temperature sensitivity of SOM mineralisation is governed by the following factors: (1) the stability of SOM, (2) the substrate availability, which is determined by the balance between input of organic matter, stabilisation and mineralisation of SOM, (3) the physiology of the soil microflora, its efficiency in substrate utilisation and its temperature optima and (4) physicochemical controls of destabilisation and stabilisation processes, like pH and limitation of water, oxygen and nutrient supply. As soil microflora is functionally omnipotent and most SOM is of high age and stability, the temperature dependence of stable SOM pools is the central question that determines C stocks and stock changes under global warming.     

How does sonication affect the mineral and organic constituents of soil aggregates?—A review

Application of ultrasound to disperse soil aggregates has been critical in enabling researchers to separate and analyze aggregate building blocks that include organic and mineral particles as well as mineral associated organic matter. But the forces generated in the process may also alter the dispersion products and, thus, potentially interfere with the interpretation of experimental results. This review summarizes present knowledge on experimental conditions that may lead to physical damage and chemical modifications of aggregate building blocks. The energy level at which physical disintegration of organic particles could be detected was as low as 60 J mL^–1. Physical damage of sand‐ and silt‐sized mineral particles was observed to commence at energy levels exceeding 700 J cm^–3. No evidence was found for the disintegration of particles within the clay‐size fraction of soils even though studies analyzing pure minerals such as kaolinite revealed particle breakage after application of energy amounts > 12,000 J cm^–3. Here we outline a strategy to minimize artifacts such as physical damage of mineral or organic particles resulting from ultrasonication by adopting a stepwise dispersion protocol involving successively higher energy levels, accompanied by a sequential separation of organic and mineral compounds.     

Adoption of technologies that enhance soil carbon sequestration in East Africa. What influence farmers’ decision?

The last two decades have seen a rise of interest in the adoption and diffusion of agricultural technologies aimed at improving the sustainability of agricultural lands among smallholder farmers in developing countries. This papers set out to understand factors that influence the adoption of technologies that enhance soil carbon sequestration among smallholder farmers, using secondary data recorded in the World Overview of Conservation Approaches and Technologies (WOCAT) database from 45 to 50 smallholders’ farmers in selected places in Kenya and Ethiopia respectively. A Probit model was used to analyse whether socio-economic, institutional, off-farm income, technical know-how, farmers’ perceptions, and land use characteristics influences the adoption of technologies that enhance soil carbon sequestration. The results show that smallholder farmers that positively perceived net benefits of the soil carbon enhancing technologies were more likely to adopt such technologies that enhance soil carbon sequestration in both countries. Access to off-farm income and land ownership with title deeds were also found to be positively associated with adoption. Off-farm income positively influences adoption among farmer with a moderate income (100-500US$ per year) but not the rich (>500US$) farmers. Moderate to high level of skills and technical know-how required for implementing and maintaining a technology on the farm had a negative influence on adoption. This shows that interventions, aimed at addressing specific factors such as inadequate skills and knowledge, change in perception among farmers, and off-farm income are likely to have the greatest impact in decisions relating to the adoption of the soil carbon enhancing practices among farmers in East Africa.     

How do enzymes catalysing soil nitrogen transformations respond to changing temperatures?

Biological processes in soils are regulated in part by soil temperature, and there is currently considerable interest in obtaining robust information on the temperature sensitivity of carbon cycling process. However, very little comparable information exists on the temperature regulation of specific nitrogen cycling processes. This paper addresses this problem by measuring the temperature sensitivity of nitrogen cycling enzymes in soil. A grassland soil was incubated over a range of temperatures (?2 to 21 °C) reflecting 99 % of the soil temperature range during the previous 50 years at the site. After 7 and 14 days of incubation, potential activities of protease, amidase and urease were determined. Activities of protease and urease were positively related to temperature (activation energy; E _a?=?49.7 and 73.4 kJ mol^?1, respectively, and Q ₁₀?=?2.97 and 2.78, respectively). By contrast, amidase activity was relatively insensitive to temperature, but the activity was significantly increased after the addition of glucose. This indicated that there was a stoichiometric imbalance with amidase activity only being triggered when there was a supply of exogenous carbon. Thus, carbon supply was a greater constraint to amidase activity than temperature was in this particular soil.     

How do environmental factors and different fertilizer strategies affect soil CO2 emission and carbon sequestration in the upland soils of southern China?

Upland soils have been identified as a major CO₂ source induced by human activities, such as fertilizer applications. The aim of this study is to identify the characteristics of soil CO₂ emission and carbon balance in cropland ecosystems after continuous fertilizer applications over decades. The measurements of soil surface CO₂ fluxes throughout the years of 2009 and 2010 were carried out based on a fertilization experiment (from 1990) in a double cropping system rotated with winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and maize (Zea mays L.) in upland soil in southern China. Four treatments were chosen from the experiment for this study: no-fertilizer application (SR), nitrogen–phosphorus–potassium chemical fertilizers (NPK), NPK plus pig manure (NPKM) and pig manure alone (M). Results showed that the mean value of soil CO₂ fluxes from 08:00 to 10:00 am could represent its daily mean value in summer period (June–August) and that from 09:00 am to 12:00 pm for the rest season of a year. Soil temperature and moisture combined together could explain 70–83% of variations of CO₂ emission. Annual cumulative soil CO₂ fluxes in the treatments with manure applications (8.2 ± 0.8 and 11.0 ± 1.2 t C ha⁻¹ in 2009, and 7.9 ± 0.9 and 11.1 ± 1.2 t C ha⁻¹ in 2010 in NPKM and M, respectively) were significantly higher than those in the treatments with non-manure addition (2.5 ± 0.2 and 3.4 ± 0.2 t C ha⁻¹ in 2009, and 2.1 ± 0.2 and 3.7 ± 0.3 t C ha⁻¹ in 2010 in SR and NPK, respectively). However, the treatments with manure applications represented a carbon sink in the soil (carbon output/input ratio < 1.0), which demonstrated potential for carbon sequestration.     

Use of loss‐on‐ignition to assess soil organic carbon in forest soils

Abstract

Forest floor and mineral soils were collected from 169 conifer and hardwood forested plots across Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan. Regression equations were developed between LOI and organic C for 20% of the samples (n=337), and LOI was then used to predict organic C on all of the samples. Results indicated that LOI is a good estimator of organic C in these soils, but that separate equations were needed for different soil strata. Percent organic C in forest floors was greater in conifer stands compared to hardwood (means of 35.1 and 30.1%, respectively)     

Do model choice and sample ratios separately or simultaneously influence soil organic matter prediction?

This study was performed to examine the separate and simultaneous influence of predictive models’ choice alongside sample ratios selection in soil organic matter (SOM). The research was carried out in northern Morocco, characterized by relatively cold weather and diverse geological conditions. The dataset herein used accounted for 1591 soil samples, which were randomly split into the following ratios: 10% (～150 sample ratio), 20% (～250 sample ratio), 35% (～450 sample ratio), 50% (～600 sample ratio) and 95% (～1200 sample ratio). Models herein involved were ordinary kriging (OK), regression kriging (RK), multiple linear regression (MLR), random forest (RF), quantile regression forest (QRF), Gaussian process regression (GPR) and an ensemble model. The findings in the study showed that the accuracy of SOM prediction is sensitive to both predictive models and sample ratios. OK combined with 95% sample ratio performed equally to RF in conjunction with all the sample ratios, as the latter did not show much sensitivity to sample ratios. ANOVA results revealed that RF with a ～10% sample ratio could also be optimum for predicting SOM in the study area. In conclusion, the findings herein reported could be instrumental for producing cost-effective detailed and accurate spatial estimation of SOM in other sites. Furthermore, they could serve as a baseline study for future research in the region or elsewhere. Therefore, we recommend conducting series of simulation of all possible combinations between various predictive models and sample ratios as a preliminary step in soil organic matter prediction.     

Examining soil organic carbon in the mountainous peat swamps of the Zoigê Plateau in China's Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

Mountainous peatlands are one of the most important terrestrial ecosystems for carbon storage and play an important role in the global carbon cycle. An insight into the carbon cycle of peat swamps located in mountainous regions can be obtained by studying the distribution of soil organic carbon (SOC) and its relationships with environmental factors. This study focused on the development conditions of peat swamps in the Gahai wetlands, located on the Zoigê Plateau, China, with four different altitudinal gradients as experimental sample sites. The distribution of SOC and its relationship with environmental factors were analysed through vegetation surveys and a generalized additive model (GAM). The results show that with increasing altitude, soil temperature decreased while the soil pH and bulk density initially decreased then increased. On the contrary, the topographic wetness index (TWI), SOC content, above-ground biomass and litter count initially increased then decreased. The SOC content of the 0–30 cm soil layer was in the range 226–330 g·kg⁻¹ (coefficient of variation (CV) = 21.4%), and the 30–60 cm layer was 178–257 g·kg⁻¹ (CV = 17.5%) and was significantly correlated (p < .05) with above-ground biomass and litter count. Meanwhile, the SOC content in the 60–90 cm soil layer was in the range 132–167 g·kg⁻¹ (CV = 9.2%) with a significant correlation (p < .05) with soil temperature, pH, bulk density and topographic moisture index. The study showed that the SOC content exhibited more pronounced spatial patterns with increasing altitude, with the peak value in the shallow soil layer appearing in lower elevation areas compared with the deep soil layer. The level of variation changed from medium to low, reflecting the stable mechanism for maintaining SOC within the heterogeneous peat swamp environment.     

Optical sensing and chemometric analysis of soil organic carbon – a cost effective alternative to conventional laboratory methods?

Soil organic carbon (SOC) is frequently determined by the Walkley‐Black (WB) method. A limitation of the test is incomplete oxidation of the carbon fraction and underestimation of SOC. Automated dry combustion methods are expensive and slow. Optical sensing and chemometric analysis offer the potential of an economical method capable of quantifying SOC fractions. The aim of this study was to identify the best SOC analysis method to facilitate maximum sampling resolution based on the cost per sample, analytical accuracy and time. A comparative evaluation was made of five techniques; (1) the WB method, (2) total combustion by total organic C analyser, (3) infrared (IR) diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, (4) a portable spectroradiometer and (5) laboratory hyperspectral imaging. This involved assessing equipment costs, consumables and time to derive total analytical cost. The benefits were sample throughput and analytical accuracy. Instrumentation represented the largest input to analytical cost and for optical methods was governed by the spectral range. In contrast to dry combustion, this cost is offset by high sample throughput and minimal consumable requirements for IR spectroscopy and hyperspectral imaging. Hyperspectral imaging is identified as the most rapid technique with potential to scan about 720 samples per day at 90% less cost than the WB method. The opportunity cost of hyperspectral imaging is to forfeit some analytical accuracy associated with the dry combustion method. Dry combustion, despite its high cost per sample, incurs no further costs associated with updating prediction models or developing site or soil specific correction factors.     

Cropping leads to loss of soil organic matter: How can we prevent it?

<正>Soil organic matter (SOM), which associates carbon (C) to key plant nutrients, has been stored in soil for thousands of years. Scientists have long recognised its positive impact on key environmental functions such as food production and climate regulation. As soon as a virgin land (forest or grassland) is cultivated, there is a tendency for the soil to lose its SOM, and we still largely misunderstand the underlying mechanisms, leading to inappropriate decisions being taken to fight soi...     

Can root exudate components influence the availability of pyrene in soil?

Purpose

Little information is currently available regarding the influence of different root exudate components (RECs) on the availability of persistent organic pollutants in the soil environment. In this study, we investigated the impacts of different RECs including organic acids, amino acids, and fructose on the availability of pyrene as a representative polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) in soils.

Materials and methods

Citric acid, oxalic acid, malic acid, serine, alanine, and fructose were used in the experiments as representative RECs. Pyrene-spiked soils (TypicPaleudalfs) with present RECs were incubated for 30 days, and the available fraction of pyrene was determined using n-butanol extraction procedure.

Results and discussion

The amount of n-butanol-extractable pyrene in soil increased with the addition of tested RECs and increased when REC concentrations are enhanced within the range of 0–21 g kg^?1. The extractability of pyrene in soil with REC treatments and the enhancement ratio (r, %) of the extractable pyrene in soil by the addition of RECs after a 30-day incubation decreased in the following order: organic acids (oxalic acid ≥ citric acid > malic acid) > amino acid (alanine > serine) > fructose. This decrease was observed irrespective of soil sterilization, although the concentrations of extractable pyrene were lower in non-sterilized soils compared to sterilized soils. The concentrations of metal cations and dissolved organic matter (DOM) in solution increased when organic acids were added.

Conclusions

The tested RECs at concentrations of 0–21 g kg^?1 clearly enhanced the availability of pyrene in soils, and larger amounts of RECs resulted in higher pyrene availabilities in the tested soils. Microbial biodegradation diminished the amount of available pyrene irrespective of the presence of RECs. The mechanism of REC-influenced availability of pyrene in soil may be related to the metal dissolution and release of DOM from soil solids. The results of this study will be useful in assessing PAH-related risks to human health and the environment and will be instructive in food safety and remediation strategies at contaminated sites.