Modeling nitrate leaching and organic‐C build‐up under semi‐arid cropping conditions of N India

Nitrate leaching, overall N balance, and organic‐C build‐up in a semi‐arid agro‐ecosystem in NW India was estimated from the results of a long‐term manurial trial with farmyard manure (FYM) and mineral‐N fertilizer in operation since 1967 at the Research Farm of CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, India. The model LEACHN was calibrated for the wheat‐growing period November 2000 to April 2001 and the leaching of nitrate during this period was predicted to 48 kg N ha^–1 without mineral‐N fertilization and 59 kg N ha^–1 with addition of 120 kg mineral‐N fertilizer, both with the addition of 15 t ha^–1 FYM. The N balance for the simulation period showed that the 120 kg N ha^–1–mineral N fertilization compared to zero mineral N, both plus FYM, resulted in only slightly higher crop uptake, leaching losses, and NH₃ volatilization, and a negligible increase of N in organic matter. The largest amount remains as an additional build‐up of mineral N in the profile (84.3 kg N ha^–1) which is prone to losses as ammonia or nitrate. The model was used to simulate organic‐C build‐up with FYM and a decrease of organic C without FYM for a period of 33 y (1967–2000). The simulated C build‐up to about 0.1 g kg^–1 agreed very well with the measured values and showed that additional mineral‐N fertilization will not have any significant effect on organic‐C content. Simulations with the assumption of no FYM application showed a gradual decrease of organic C from its starting value of 0.046 g kg^–1 in 1967 down to almost half of this. This agreed well with the observed organic‐C values of 0.028 g kg^–1 as measured for unmanured plots.     

Long-term effects of mineral and organic fertilization on soil organic matter fractions and sorghum yield under Sudano-Sahelian conditions

Abstract. Knowledge of changes in soil organic matter (SOM) fractions resulting from agricultural practice is important for decision‐making at farm level because of the contrasting effects of different SOM fractions on soils. A long‐term trial sited under Sudano‐Sahelian conditions was used to assess the effect of organic and inorganic fertilization on SOM fractions and sorghum performance. Sorghum straw and kraal manure were applied annually at 10 t ha^?1, with and without urea at 60 kg N ha^?1. The other treatments included fallowing, a control (no fertilization), and inorganic fertilization only (urea, 60 kg N ha^?1). Fallowing gave significantly larger soil organic carbon and nitrogen (N) levels than any other treatment. Total soil SOM and N concentrations increased in the following order: urea only < straw < control < straw+urea < manure with or without urea < fallow. Farming had an adverse effect on SOM and N status; however, this mostly affected the fraction of SOM >0.053 mm (particulate organic matter, POM). The POM concentrations in the control, straw and urea‐only treatments were about one‐half of the POM concentrations in the fallow treatment. POM concentrations increased in the following order: urea only < control < straw with or without urea < manure with or without urea < fallow. The fraction of SOM <0.053 mm (fine organic matter, FOM) was greater than POM in all plots except in fallow and manure+urea plots. Total N concentration followed the same trend as SOM, but cultivation led to a decline in both POM‐N and FOM‐N. Crop yield was greatest in the manure plots and lowest in the straw, control and urea‐only plots. Results indicate that under Sudano‐Sahelian conditions, SOM, POM and FOM fractions and crop performance were better maintained using organic materials with a low C/N ratio (manure) than with organic material with a high C/N ratio (straw). Urea improved the effect of straw on crop yield and SOM concentration.     

Long‐term effects of tillage,nutrient application and crop rotation on soil organic matter quality assessed by NMR spectroscopy

Crop and land management practices affect both the quality and quantity of soil organic matter (SOM) and hence are driving forces for soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration. The objective of this study was to assess the long‐term effects of tillage, fertilizer application and crop rotation on SOC in an agricultural area of southern Norway, where a soil fertility and crop rotation experiment was initiated in 1953 and a second experiment on tillage practices was initiated in 1983. The first experiment comprised 6‐yr crop rotations with cereals only and 2‐yr cereal and 4‐yr grass rotations with recommended (base) and more than the recommended (above base) fertilizer application rates; the second experiment dealt with autumn‐ploughed (conventional‐till) plots and direct‐drilled plots (no‐till). Soil samples at 0–10 and 10–30 cm depths were collected in autumn 2009 and analysed for their C and N contents. The quality of SOM in the top layer was determined by ¹³C solid‐state NMR spectroscopy. The SOC stock did not differ significantly because of rotation or fertilizer application types, even after 56 yr. However, the no‐till system showed a significantly higher SOC stock than the conventional‐till system at the 0–10 cm depth after the 26 yr of experiment, but it was not significantly different at the 10–30 cm depth. In terms of quality, SOM was found to differ by tillage type, rate of fertilizer application and crop rotation. The no‐till system showed an abundance of O‐alkyl C, while conventional‐till system indicated an apparently indirect enrichment in alkyl C, suggesting a more advanced stage of SOM decomposition. The long‐term quantitative and qualitative effects on SOM suggest that adopting a no‐tillage system and including grass in crop rotation and farmyard manure in fertilizer application may contribute to preserve soil fertility and mitigate climate change.     

Soil carbon improvement under long‐term (36 years) no‐till sorghum production in a sub‐tropical environment

Soil organic matter (SOM) is considered an important indicator of soil quality, which can be impacted by crop production practices such as tillage. In this study, two long‐term tillage regimes (conventional tillage [CT] and no tillage [NT], conducted for 36 years) were compared in continuous sorghum production in a sub‐tropical environment in southeast Texas. The positive effects of long‐term NT practice were more conspicuous at the soil surface compared with the deeper soil profiles. The SOC was greater (1.5 t C ha^?1 greater) in the NT system compared with the CT system. Results from an incubation study indicate that the rate of C‐min at 0–5 cm soil depth was significantly greater (164 μg of CO₂–C g^?1 of soil greater) in NT than that of CT, but this trend was reversed at 10–20 cm depth wherein the C‐min rates were 106 μg of CO₂–C g^?1 of soil greater in CT compared with NT, which is likely because of soil disturbance during the study. Soil cumulative CO₂‐C emissions were greater in the CT system (7.28 g m^?2) than in the NT system (5.19 g m^?2), which is primarily attributed to high soil temperature conditions in the CT system. Sorghum grain yield however was not influenced by the differences in SOC content in this long‐term experiment. Overall, the present study found that long‐term conservation tillage improved SOC stock and reduced carbon loss, thus had a positive impact on soil health and sustainability.     

黄淮海平原集约种植条件下土壤有机质动态模拟

A modified CQESTR model, a simple yet useful model frequently used for estimating carbon sequestration in agricultural soils, was developed and applied to evaluate the effects of intensive cropping on soil organic matter （SOM） dynamics and mineralization as well as to estimate carbon dioxide emission from agricultural soils at seven sites on the Huang-Huai-Hai Plain of China. The model was modified using site-specific parameters from short- and mid-term buried organic material experiments at four stages of biomass decomposition. The predicted SOM results were validated using independent data from seven long-term （10- to 20-year） soil fertility experiments in this region. Regression analysis on 1 151 pairs of predicted and measured SOM data had an r2 of 0.91 （P≤0.01）. Therefore, the modified model was able to predict the mineralization of crop residues, organic amendments, and native SOM. Linear regression also showed that SOM mineralization rate （MR） in the plow layer increased by 0.22% when annual crop yield increased by 1 t ha^-1 （P ≤ 0.01）, suggesting an improvement in SOM quality. Apparently, not only did the annual soil respiration efftux merely reflect the intensity of soil organism and plant metabolism, but also the SOM MR in the plow layer. These results suggested that the modified model was simple yet valuable in predicting SOM trends at a single agricultural field and could be a powerful tool for estimating C-storage potential and reconstructing C storage on the Huang-Huai-Hai Plain of China.     

Environmental Controls on Fallow Carbon Dioxide Flux in a Single‐Crop Rice Paddy,Japan

Soil organic carbon (SOC) is one of the important measures of soil fertility and sustainability in arable lands. With continuous CO₂ flux measurements, this study assessed the SOC decomposition and its environmental controls at both half‐hourly and season‐long scales in a single‐crop rice (Oryza sativa L.) paddy during three fallow periods between 2004 and 2007. Measurements were made on a gray lowland soil sited in eastern Japan using the eddy covariance method. Ecosystem respiration was strongly affected by soil water content measured at 0–0·1 m depth. At 0·5 m³ m^{− 3} or more of soil water content, the baseline of ecosystem respiration decreased by 50% compared with that at 0·2 m³ m^{− 3} . The effect was quantified at half‐hourly scale using an empirical multiple regression model, together with the soil surface temperature and the time after residue incorporation. At season‐long scale, net biome production, which is equivalent to the change in the SOC pool during the fallow period, was estimated from the flux and ancillary data at 150 g C m^{− 2} in 2004–2005, 70 g m^{− 2} in 2005–2006, and 270 g C m^{− 2} in 2006–2007. Apparently, as much as 46 to 79% of the soil organic matter incorporated (crop residues, ratoon, and stable manure) was decomposed during the fallow period. Precipitation, or associated soil water content, was important for the carbon balance of the field at season‐long scale because of its large interannual variability and relatively low permeability of the paddy soil. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Effects of compost on the chemical composition of SOM in density and aggregate fractions from rice–wheat cropping systems as shown by solid‐state 13C‐NMR spectroscopy

The 4‐year application of pig‐manure compost (PMC) to crop fields in Jiangsu significantly increased organic‐C and total N concentrations compared to chemical fertilization and control treatment. To identify the soil processes that led to these changes, ¹³C cross‐polarization magic‐angle spinning nuclear‐magnetic resonance (¹³C CPMAS NMR) and dipolar‐dephasing nuclear‐magnetic‐resonance spectroscopy (DD NMR) were conducted on soil organic matter (SOM) fractions separated by wet‐sieving and density fractionation procedures. This allowed characterization of the SOM quality under three contrasting fertilizer regimes. The results indicate that PMC application can alter the distribution of functional groups and improve alkyl C‐to‐O‐alkyl C ratios compared to chemical‐fertilizer treatment (CF). Alkyl C contents were increased from macroaggregate fractions (> 2 mm) to microaggregate fractions (0.05–0.25 mm) for all treatments, suggesting that recalcitrant material accumulates in the microaggregate fractions. The O‐alkyl C contents were decreased from macroaggregate fractions (> 2 mm) to microaggregate fractions (0.05–0.25 mm) under CF and PMC treatments, while no consistent trend was found for the control (NF) treatment. The alkyl C‐to‐O‐alkyl C ratios in macroaggregates were lower than those in microaggregates, indicating that the degrees of SOM decomposition were lower in macroaggregates compared to microaggregates. In all aggregate‐size classes, the amount of organic matter appeared to depend on the fertilization regime. This study provides useful information regarding the buildup of organic material in soil from long‐term manure‐compost enrichment.     

Carbon sequestration dynamic,trend and efficiency as affected by 22‐year fertilization under a rice–wheat cropping system

The maintenance and accumulation of soil organic carbon (SOC) in agricultural systems is critical to food security and climate change, but information about the dynamic trend and efficiency of SOC sequestration is still limited, particularly under long‐term fertilizations. In a typical Purpli‐Udic Cambosols soil under subtropical monsoon climate in southwestern China this study thus estimated the dynamic, trend and efficiency of SOC sequestration after 22‐year (1991–2013) long‐term inorganic and/or organic fertilizations. Nine fertilizations under a rice–wheat system were examined: control (no fertilization), N, NP, NK, PK, NPK, NPKM (NPK plus manure), NPKS (NPK plus straw), and 1.5NPKS (150% NPK plus straw). Averagely, after 22‐years SOC contents were significantly increased by 4.2–25.3% and 10.2–32.5% under these fertilizations than under control conditions with the greatest increase under NPKS. The simulation of SOC dynamic change with an exponential growth equation to maximum over the whole fertilization period predicted the SOC level in a steady state as 18.1 g kg^?1 for NPKS, 17.4 g kg^?1 for 1.5NPKS, and 14.5–14.9 g kg^?1 for NK, NP, NPK, and NPKM, respectively. Either inorganic, organic or their combined fertilization significantly increased crop productivity and C inputs that were incorporated into soil ranging from 0.91 to 4.63 t (ha · y)^?1. The C sequestration efficiency was lower under NPKM, NPKS, and 1.5NPKS (13.2%, 9.0%, and 10.1%) than under NP and NPK (17.0% and 14.4%). The increase of SOC was asymptotical to a maximum with increasing C inputs that were variedly enhanced by different fertilizations, indicating an existence of SOC saturation and a declined marginal efficiency of SOC sequestration. Taken all these results together, the combined NPK plus straw return is a suitable fertilizer management strategy to simultaneously achieve high crop productivity and soil C sequestration potential particularly in crop rotation systems.     

Dynamics of 13C‐labeled mustard litter (Sinapis alba) in particle‐size and aggregate fractions in an agricultural cropland with high‐ and low‐yield areas

The application of ¹³C‐labeled litter enables to study decomposition processes as well as the allocation of litter‐derived carbon to different soil C pools. ¹³Carbon‐labeled mustard litter was used in order to compare decomposition processes in an agricultural cropland with high‐yield (HY) and low‐yield (LY) areas, the latter being characterized by a finer texture and a lower organic‐C (OC) content. After tracer application, ¹³C concentrations were monitored in topsoil samples in particulate organic matter (POM) and in fine mineral fractions (silt‐ and clay‐sized fractions). After 568 d, approximately 5% and 10% of the initial ¹³C amount were found in POM fractions of LY and HY areas, respectively. Higher amounts were found in POM occluded in aggregates than in free POM. Medium‐term (0.5–2 y) storage of the initial ¹³C in fine silt‐ and clay‐sized fractions amounts to 10% in HY and LY soils, with faster enrichment but also faster disappearance of the ¹³C signal from LY soils. Amounts of 80%–90% of the added ¹³C were mineralized or leached in the observed period. Decomposition of free POM was faster in HY than in LY areas during the first year, but the remaining ¹³C amounts in occluded‐POM fractions were higher in HY soils after 568 d. High‐yield and low‐yield areas showed different ¹³C dynamics in fine mineral fractions. In LY soils, ¹³C amounts and concentrations in mineral‐associated fractions increased within 160 d after application and decreased in the following time period. In HY areas, a significant increase in ¹³C amounts did not occur until after 568 d. The results indicate initially faster decomposition processes in HY than in LY areas due to different soil conditions, such as soil texture and water regime. The higher silt and clay contents of LY areas seem to promote a faster aggregate formation and turnover, leading to a closer contact between POM and mineral surfaces in this area. This favors the OC storage in fine mineral fractions in the medium term. Lower aggregate formation and turnover in the coarser textured HY soil leads to a delayed C stabilization in silt‐ and clay‐sized fractions.     

Analysis and simulation of soil organic‐carbon stocks in grassland ecosystems in SW Germany

Grassland extensification is followed by a change of soil organic‐matter (SOM) contents. In order to give a better assessment of these developments on grassland sites in SW Germany, the CENTURY Soil Organic Matter Model was used on five long‐term experimental sites under three different management practices (“Mowing”, “Mulching” (mowing without removal of the phytomass), and “Natural succession”). On these sites, soil‐organic‐carbon (SOC) monitoring was continuously done for soil depths of 0–4 and 4–8 cm from 1975 to 2002. The contents of organic carbon (OC) were at steady state or showed a slight decrease for the mulched and succession plots. Carbon contents of the mowed plots were decreasing. Measured C contents were transferred into stocks and compared with the simulated OC stocks. Linear regressions between observed and simulated C stocks were calculated separately for mulched and succession plots. The regressions for OC yielded significant relationships (R² = 0.8) for both kinds of plots. However, the model did not reproduce the short‐term dynamics of C stocks. Whereas SOC stocks on mulched and succession plots are expected to stay stable for the next decades according to the simulation, they are expected to decrease for a couple of years before stabilization on mowed plots.     

Characterization of organic matter fractions in the top layer of soils under different land uses in Central‐Eastern Europe

The objective of this study was to investigate differences in organic matter fractions, such as dissolved organic carbon and humic substances, in soils under different land uses. Soil samples were collected from the upper layer of arable lands and grasslands. Humic substances (HS) were chemically fractionated into fulvic acids (FA), humic acids (HA) and humins (HUM), and based on the separated fractions, the humification index (HI) and the degree of HS transformation (DT) were calculated. Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) was determined by cold (CWE) and hot water (HWE) extractions. Regardless of land use, the results indicated significant differences in soil organic carbon (SOC) and HS composition, with HA and HUM as the dominant fractions. Total SOC was higher in grassland (median = 17.51 g kg^?1) than arable soils (median = 9.98 g kg^?1); the HI and DT indices did not differ significantly between land uses (HI = 0.3–10.3 and DT = 0.2–6.2 for grasslands, p > 0.05; HI = 0.3–3.9 and DT = 0.2–20.1 for arable lands, p > 0.05). This indicates the relatively high stability of organic carbon and efficient humification processes in both land uses. Additionally, in arable soils lower CWE‐C (0.75 g kg^?1) and higher HWE‐C (2.59 g kg^?1) than in grasslands (CWE‐C = 1.13 g kg^?1, HWE‐C = 1.60 g kg^?1) can be related to farming practice and application of soil amendments. The results showed that both labile and humified organic matter are better protected in grassland soils and are consequently less vulnerable to mineralization.     

Soil organic matter content and chemical composition under two rotation management systems in a Mediterranean climate

The crop rotation system in organic farming is a determinant factor to accumulate and preserve soil organic matter (SOM), and in depth knowledge on its effects is still lacking. Tillage intensity in particular is crucial to maintain soil aggregates and protect SOM from degradation. The evolution of SOM was tested in two adjacent fields under two different rotation cropping systems (low-intensity tillage and high-intensity tillage), and the effect of a further cultivation of legume in both fields was evaluated using ¹³carbon (C)-nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and elemental analysis of samples isolated through combined aggregate size and density fractionation. The two adjacent fields had been managed using the following organic farming methods for 13 seasons since 1998: i) alfalfa-based, with nitrogen (N) enrichment and low-frequency tillage with alfalfa (Medicago sativa) (9 seasons), winter wheat (Triticum durum) (3 seasons), and broad bean (Vicia faba) (1 season) and ii) cereal-based, with N depletion and annual tillage with barley (Hordeum vulgare) (7 seasons), sunflower (Helianthus annuus) (2 seasons), broad bean (Vicia faba) (3 seasons), and bare fallow (1 season). Soil sampling was carried out at the end of the 13-year rotation (T0, November 2011) and after winter wheat and chickpea cultivation in both fields over two subsequent years (T1, July 2013). Bulk organic C was significantly higher in the alfalfa-based system than in the cereal-based system at both T0 and T1, with SOM occluded in soil aggregates and associated with mineral particles. In terms of the macroaggregates heavy fraction at T0, the alfalfa-based field contained twice the organic C of that in the cereal-based field, as well as three times the organic C in the occluded particulate organic matter (POM). The occluded POM (oPOM) had a lower aryl/O-alkyl C ratio in the alfalfa-based system than in the cereal-based system, suggesting that oPOM undergoes a lower degree of decomposition during low-intensity management. The aryl/O-alkyl C ratios of the macro-and microaggregate oPOM decreased from T0 to T1 in the cereal-based system, suggesting increased protection of these fractions by soil aggregates. Thus, including legumes in crop rotation appears to positively affect the accumulation of SOM associated with mineral particles and within soil aggregates.     

Natural 13C abundance and soil carbon dynamics under long‐term residue retention in a no‐till maize system

Residue retention and reduced tillage are both conservation agricultural practices that may enhance soil organic carbon (SOC) stabilization in soil. We evaluated the long‐term effects of no‐till (NT) and stover retention from maize on SOC dynamics in a Rayne silt loam Typic Hapludults in Ohio. The six treatments consisted of retaining 0, 25, 50, 75, 100 and 200% of maize residues on each 3 × 3 m plot from the crop of previous year. Soil samples were obtained after 9 yrs of establishing the experiment. The whole soil (0–10 and 10–20 cm of soil depths) samples under different treatments were analysed for total C, total N, recalcitrant C (NaOCl treated sample) and ¹³C isotopic abundance (0–10 cm soil depth). Complete removal of stover for a period of 9 yrs significantly (P < 0.01) decreased soil C content (15.5 g/kg), whereas 200% of stover retention had the maximum soil C concentration (23.1 g/kg). Relative distribution of C for all the treatments in different fractions comprised of 55–58% as labile and 42–45% as recalcitrant. Retention of residue did not significantly affect total C and N concentration in 10–20 cm depth. ¹³C isotopic signature data indicated that C₄‐C (maize‐derived C) was the dominant fraction of C in the top 0–10 cm of soil layer under NT with maize‐derived C accounting for as high as 80% of the total SOC concentration. Contribution of C₄‐C or maize‐derived C was 71–84% in recalcitrant fraction in different residue retained plots. Residue management is imperative to increase SOC concentrations and long‐term agro‐ecosystem necessitates residue retention for stabilizing C in light‐textured soils.     

Soil organic carbon and nitrogen fractions and water‐stable aggregation as affected by cropping and grassland reclamation in an arid sub‐alpine soil

This paper investigates effects of cropping abandonment and perennial grass growing on soil organic C and N pools and aggregate stability, by comparing soils under native grassland, crop cultivation, perennial grass growing and cropping abandonment, in degraded cropland at a sub‐alpine site in north‐western China. The pools of total and particulate organic C (115 and 37 Mg ha⁻¹) in the 0–30 cm soil layer of native grassland were reduced by 31 and 54% after 30 years of crop cultivation. After 4 years of conversion from cropland to perennial grass growing total and particulate organic C pools were increased by 29 and 56%, whereas 4 year cropping abandonment increased particulate organic C by 36%. Rapid increases in total and particulate N were also found in perennial grass growing and cropping abandonment soils. The native grassland soil and soils of cropping abandonment and perennial grass growing had higher carbohydrate C concentrations in the 0–10 cm layer than the cropped soil. The rapid recovery of particulate organic fraction and carbohydrates in the re‐vegetated soils were probably due to higher plant biomass inputs and lower organic matter decomposition compared with those in the cropped soil. Aggregate stability of the 0–30 cm soil layer was significantly decreased by crop cultivation but showed a good recovery after 4 year re‐vegetations. This study suggests that reduction of soil organic matter and aggregate stability under crop cultivation may be remedied by cropping abandonment or perennial grass growing. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Black carbon in the zonal steppe soils of Russia

Black Mollisols are typically rich in charred organic matter, however, little is known about the zonal distribution of black C (BC) in steppe soils. In this study, we used benzene polycarboxylic acids (BPCA) as specific markers for BC in particle‐size fractions of depth profiles in several zonal soils (Greyzem, Phaeozem, Chernozem, Kastanozem) of the Russian steppe. In addition, liquid‐state ¹³C‐NMR spectra were obtained on the alkaline‐soluble soil organic matter (SOM). The results showed that both the content and depth distribution of BC varies in the different soil types; the concentration of BC in the bulk top soils being closely related to the aromaticity of the SOM (r² = 0.98 for the native topsoils, 0.83 for top‐ and subsurface soils). Especially the Chernozems were rich in aromatic SOM, which partly contained more than 17% BC of total C, most of which being allocated in the mineral fractions. Long‐term arable cropping did not reduce the BC contents of the surface soil, though it did promote the enrichment of BC in the silt fractions. The same shift was detected as soil depth increased. We conclude that BC is not fully inert in these soils, but apparently can be preserved in the silt as decomposition of SOM increased, i.e., it accumulates exactly in that fraction, which has been formerly assigned to contain old, aromatic C.     

Improving minimum detectable differences in the assessment of soil organic matter change in short‐term field experiments

The demand for information on cropping system impact on soil organic matter (SOM) calls for efforts to improve the utilization of short‐term field experiments (e.g., to evaluate the parameterization of cropping systems in models). Those approaches have coped with the problem of determining small SOM changes within a large background mass. Thus, objectives of this survey are (1) the improvement of the minimum detectable difference (MDD) in SOM in the hudycrop short‐term field experiment by methods of sampling design and data treatment, (2) the verification to what extend the hudycrop short‐term field experiment allows for the determination of management induced effects on SOM, and (3) the investigation to what extent the obtained results may be suitable to evaluate the parameterization of a SOM balance model. The design of the hudycrop is suitable for excluding outliers plotwise. The estimation of plot means can be improved by the sampling design. Instead of determining a single plot mean in a mixed sampling procedure, the design provides multiple values for each plot, allowing for the identification of extreme values before calculating plot means. In consequence, minimum detectable differences decrease by a factor of 0.53 for soil organic C (SOC) and 0.63 for soil total N (STN) masses, allowing for detection of changes in the magnitude of 3.7 and 2.6% of background SOC and STN levels, respectively. Differences between treatments, however, are significant with corrected values (after outlier exclusion) for the crop production systems with the highest impact (potatoes and mulched red clover). Determining outliers based on Student's t‐test gives the lowest MDD and is therefore considered to be the most suitable method in this case. Correlations between apparent changes and SOM balances according to the HU‐MOD–2 model, used in this survey, indicate that the experimental design, in principal, is suitable for the evaluation of the parameterization of crop production systems in models. Still, an improved precision in SOM change detection is necessary. Reasonable options for that purpose are discussed in the paper.     

Long‐term effects of fertilization on some soil properties under rainfed soybean‐wheat cropping in the Indian Himalayas

This study aims to examine the effects of long‐term fertilization and cropping on some chemical and microbiological properties of the soil in a 32 y old long‐term fertility experiment at Almora (Himalayan region, India) under rainfed soybean‐wheat rotation. Continuous annual application of recommended doses of chemical fertilizer and 10 Mg ha^–1 FYM on fresh‐weight basis (NPK + FYM) to soybean (Glycine max L.) sustained not only higher productivity of soybean and residual wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) crop, but also resulted in build‐up of total soil organic C (SOC), total soil N, P, and K. Concentration of SOC increased by 40% and 70% in the NPK + FYM–treated plots as compared to NPK (43.1 Mg C ha^–1) and unfertilized control plots (35.5 Mg C ha^–1), respectively. Average annual contribution of C input from soybean was 29% and that from wheat was 24% of the harvestable aboveground biomass yield. Annual gross C input and annual rate of total SOC enrichment from initial soil in the 0–15 cm layer were 4362 and 333 kg C ha^–1, respectively, for the plots under NPK + FYM. It was observed that the soils under the unfertilized control, NK and N + FYM treatments, suffered a net annual loss of 5.1, 5.2, and 15.8 kg P ha^–1, respectively, whereas the soils under NP, NPK, and NPK + FYM had net annual gains of 25.3, 18.8, and 16.4 kg P ha^–1, respectively. There was net negative K balance in all the treatments ranging from 6.9 kg ha^–1 y^–1 in NK to 82.4 kg ha^–1 y^–1 in N + FYM–treated plots. The application of NPK + FYM also recorded the highest levels of soil microbial‐biomass C, soil microbial‐biomass N, populations of viable and culturable soil microbes.     

LONG‐TERM MANURING AND FERTILIZER EFFECTS ON DEPLETION OF SOIL ORGANIC CARBON STOCKS UNDER PEARL MILLET‐CLUSTER BEAN‐CASTOR ROTATION IN WESTERN INDIA

Soil organic carbon (SOC) pools are important for maintaining soil productivity and reducing the net CO₂ loading of the atmosphere. An 18‐year old long‐term field experiment involving pearl millet‐cluster bean‐castor sequence was conducted on an Entisol in western India to examine the effects of chemical fertilizers and manuring on carbon pools in relation to crop productivity and C sequestration. The data showed that even the addition of 33.5 Mg ha⁻¹ C inputs through crop residues as well as farm yard manure could not compensate the SOC depletion by oxidation and resulted in the net loss of 4.4 Mg C ha⁻¹ in 18 years. The loss of SOC stock in the control was 12 Mg C ha⁻¹. Conjunctive use of chemical fertilizers along with farm yard manure produced higher agronomic yields and reduced the rate of SOC depletion. The higher average seed yields of pearl millet (809 kg ha⁻¹), cluster bean (576), and castor (827) over six cropping seasons were obtained through integrated use of fertilizers and manure. For every Mg increase in profile SOC stock, there was an overall increase of 0.46 Mg of crop yield, comprising increase in individual yield of pearl millet (0.17 Mg ha⁻¹ y⁻¹ Mg⁻¹ SOC), cluster bean (0.14) and castor (0.15). The magnitude of SOC build up was proportional to the C inputs. Carbon pools were significantly correlated with SOC, which increased with application of organic amendments. Threshold C input of 3.3 Mg C ha⁻¹ y⁻¹ was needed to maintain the SOC stock even at the low antecedent level. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Effects of humus content,farmyard manuring,and mineral‐N fertilization on yields and soil properties in a long‐term trial

Investigations carried out at Field F3 of the Halle long‐term fertilization trials using data from 1974 to 1983 showed that with adequate supply of mineral N‐fertilizer soil organic matter (SOM) had no significant effects of yield. Similarly enhanced SOM did not justify a reduction of mineral N (Stumpe et al., 2000). The studies presented here examine the effects of the SOM differences existing after the termination of those trials in 1986 up until 1997 (then mainly differences of hardly decomposable SOM) in comparison to farmyard manuring with enhanced mineral N application (3‐factor‐experiment). As with total SOM, hardly decomposable SOM did not directly affect yields. The effects of FYM treatment observed at lower mineral‐N levels were compensated for by enhanced mineral‐N supply. The direct effect of FYM (40 t ha^—1) corresponded to a mineral‐N supply of about 60 kg ha^—1 and the residual effect to about 20 kg ha^—1. The differences of the C‐content in the soil at the beginning of the present studies continued throughout the experimental period of 12 years. In addition, significant differentiation has been caused by FYM and N fertilization in comparison to unfertilized treatments. The major finding is that differences in SOM content do not lead to yield differences on physically good soils (chernozem‐like soils) if appropriate compensation by mineral‐N fertilization takes place.     

Soil carbon sequestration in sub‐Saharan Africa: a review

Restoration of degraded soils is a development strategy to reduce desertification, soil erosion and environmental degradation, and alleviate chronic food shortages with great potential in sub‐Saharan Africa (SSA). Further, it has the potential to provide terrestrial sinks of carbon (C) and reduce the rate of enrichment of atmospheric CO₂. Soil organic carbon (SOC) contents decrease by 0 to 63 per cent following deforestation. There exists a high potential for increasing SOC through establishment of natural or improved fallow systems (agroforestry) with attainable rates of C sequestration in the range of 0·1 to 5·3 Mg C ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹. Biomass burning significantly reduces SOC in the upper few centimeters of soil, but has little impact below 10 to 20 cm depth. The timing of burning is also important, and periods with large amounts of biomass available generally have the largest losses of SOC. In cultivated areas, the addition of manure in combination with crop residues and no‐till show similar rates of attainable C sequestration (0 to 0·36 Mg C ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹). Attainable rates of SOC sequestration on permanent cropland in SSA under improved cultivation systems (e.g. no‐till) range from 0·2 to 1·5 Tg C yr⁻¹, while attainable rates under fallow systems are 0·4 to 18·5 Tg C yr⁻¹. Fallow systems generally have the highest potential for SOC sequestration in SSA with rates up to 28·5 Tg C yr⁻¹. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.