Effects of Soil Development Time and Litter Quality on Soil Carbon Sequestration: Assessing Soil Carbon Saturation with a Field Transplant Experiment along a Post‐mining Chronosequence

In previous studies, the rate of soil carbon (C) sequestration decreased with increasing age of post‐mining soils. It was also shown to depend on plant biomass and earthworm bioturbation. Here, a soil transplant experiment was used to determine whether this decrease is caused by soil C saturation or other factors (such as bioturbation and litter input). Soils collected on 15‐, 25‐ and 50‐year‐old successional sites, dominated by willow (Salix caprea L.) and birch (Betula pendula Roth), and on a 50‐year‐old site reclaimed by the planting of alder (Alnus glutinosa L.) were placed in plastic boxes that were accessible to soil macrofauna. The boxes were buried in the 50‐year‐old reclaimed site and supplemented with either alder litter or successional (willow and birch) litter. Soil C content and soil C fractions (hot water C, particulate organic C, particulate organic C bound in aggregates and C bound to mineral soil) were studied. After 1 year, the C content increased by 2–5%, but there was no effect of soil source or litter type. For all C fractions, the relationships between change in C content and initial C content were described by bell‐shaped curves. Easily available C fractions were saturated earlier than more recalcitrant fractions. Despite these saturation tendencies in individual soil organic matter pools, the soil was evidently far from saturation after 50 years of soil development. The decrease in C sequestration with soil age previously observed for this soil was probably caused by a decrease in litter input rather than by C saturation. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Long‐term no‐tillage effects on particulate and mineral‐associated soil organic matter under rainfed Mediterranean conditions

Soil organic carbon (SOC) plays an essential role in the sustainability of natural and agricultural systems. The identification of sensitive SOC fractions can be crucial for an understanding of SOC dynamics and stabilization. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of long‐term no‐tillage (NT) on SOC content and its distribution between particulate organic matter (POM) and mineral‐associated organic matter (Min) fractions in five different cereal production areas of Aragon (north‐east Spain). The study was conducted under on‐farm conditions where pairs of adjacent fields under NT and conventional tillage (CT) were compared. An undisturbed soil nearby under native vegetation (NAT) was included. The results indicate that SOC was significantly affected by tillage in the first 5 cm with the greatest concentrations found in NT (1.5–43% more than in CT). Below 40 cm, SOC under NT decreased (20–40%) to values similar or less than those under CT. However, the stratification ratio (SR) never reached the threshold value of 2. The POM‐C fraction, disproportionate to its small contribution to total SOC (10–30%), was greatly affected by soil management. The pronounced stratification in this fraction (SR>2 in NT) and its usefulness for differentiating the study sites in terms of response to NT make POM‐C a good indicator of changes in soil management under the study conditions. Results from this on‐farm study indicate that NT can be recommended as an alternative strategy to increase organic carbon at the soil surface in the cereal production areas of Aragon and in other analogous areas.     

改良剂对旱地红壤活性有机碳及土壤酶活性的影响

针对江西旱地红壤肥力低下、生产力不高等突出问题,基于长期野外旱地红壤定位试验,研究了改良剂(生物质炭和过氧化钙)对旱地红壤活性有机碳及与碳代谢相关酶活性的影响。试验设置生物质炭施用量0(C0)、758(C1)、1 515(C2)kg/hm2和过氧化钙施用量0(Ca0)、61(Ca1)、121(Ca2)kg/hm2,生物质炭和过氧化钙单施和配施共9个处理,即CK、C0Ca1、C0Ca2、C1Ca0、C1Ca1、C1Ca2、C2Ca0、C2Ca1、C2Ca2。结果表明,生物质炭单施和配施均在一定程度上提高了旱地红壤有机碳及活性碳组分,且效果优于单施过氧化钙。C2Ca0、C2Ca1和C2Ca2处理土壤有机碳增加较显著。生物质炭和过氧化钙显著提高土壤活性有机碳组分,与对照(CK)相比,其中C1Ca0处理的微生物生物量碳平均增加了45.22%,C1Ca2处理的可溶性有机碳平均增加了21.34%,C1Ca0处理的颗粒有机碳平均增加了20.72%,C2Ca2处理的易氧化有机碳平均增加了22.19%。生物质炭和过氧化钙对提高碳库管理指数均有较好的效果,0~10 cm和10~20 cm土层分别平均增加了11.09%、14.07%。添加生物质炭对旱地红壤酶活性均有促进作用,且对0~10 cm土层土壤酶的影响较10~20 cm土层明显;配施C2Ca2明显提高旱地红壤淀粉酶、纤维素酶和β-葡糖苷酶活性,C1Ca1明显提高红壤蔗糖酶活性。因此,生物质炭和过氧化钙能有效改善旱地红壤活性有机碳组分以及与碳代谢相关酶活性,且生物质炭与过氧化钙配合施用对土壤改良的效果更好。     

The effect of biochar with biogas digestate or mineral fertilizer on fertility,aggregation and organic carbon content of a sandy soil: Results of a temperate field experiment

Substitution of mineral fertilizers with organic soil amendments is postulated to improve productivity‐relevant soil properties such as aggregation and organic matter (OM) content. However, there is a lack of studies analyzing the effects of biochar and biogas digestate versus mineral fertilizer on soil aggregation and OM dynamics under temperate field conditions. To address this research gap, a field experiment was sampled four years after establishment on a sandy Cambisol in Germany where mineral fertilizer or liquid biogas digestate was applied with or without 3 or 40 Mg biochar ha^?1 (produced at 650°C). Soil samples were analyzed for soil organic carbon (SOC) content, pH, cation exchange capacity, bulk density, water‐holding capacity, microbial biomass, aggregate size class distribution, and the SOC content associated with these size classes. 40 Mg biochar ha^?1 significantly increased SOC content in all fractions, especially free particulate OM and the 2–0.25 mm fraction. The yield of small macroaggregates (2–0.25 mm) was increased by biochar, but cation exchange capacity, water‐holding capacity, and pH were not consistently improved. Thus, high‐temperature biochar applied to a sandy soil under temperate conditions is primarily recommended to increase SOC content, which could contribute to climate change mitigation if this C remains sequestered over the long‐term. Fertilizer type did not significantly affect SOC content or other measured properties of the sandy Cambisol, suggesting that replacement of mineral fertilizer with digestate has a neutral effect on soil fertility. Co‐application of biochar with digestate provided no advantages for soil properties compared to co‐application with mineral fertilizer. Thus, independent utilization of these organic amendments is equally suitable.     

Adsorption of glycerophosphate on goethite (α‐FeOOH): A macroscopic and infrared spectroscopic study

Adsorption, desorption, and precipitation reactions at environmental interfaces govern the bioavailability, mobility, and fate of organic phosphates in terrestrial and aquatic environments. Glycerophosphate (GP) is a common environmental organic phosphate, however, surface adsorption reactions of GP on soil minerals have not been well understood. The adsorption characteristics of GP on goethite were studied using batch adsorption experiments, zeta (ζ) potential measurements, and in situ attenuated total reflectance‐Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR‐FTIR). GP exhibited fast initial adsorption kinetics on goethite, followed by a slow adsorption. The maximum adsorption densities of GP on goethite were 2.00, 1.95, and 1.44 μmol m^?2 at pH 3, 5, and 7, respectively. Batch experiments showed decreased adsorption of GP with increasing pH from 3 to 10. Zeta potential measurements showed a remarkable decrease in the goethite isoelectric point upon GP adsorption (from 9.2 to 5.5), suggesting the formation of inner‐sphere surface complexes. In addition, the ATR‐FTIR spectra of GP sorbed on goethite were different from those of free GP at various pH values. These results suggested that GP was bound to goethite through the phosphate group by forming inner‐sphere surface complexes.     

Tillage effects on soil aggregation,organic carbon fractions and grain yield in Eum‐Orthic Anthrosol of a winter wheat–maize double‐cropping system,Northwest China

Conservation tillage has been applied in vast semi‐arid regions of the Guanzhong Plain, Northwest China. The tillage effects on soil aggregation, organic carbon (OC) stabilization and grain yield on this plain have not been fully elucidated. A 9‐year field experiment was established from 2002 on a silty clay loam soil (Eum‐Orthic Anthrosol) growing winter wheat–maize in a double‐cropping system. Six conservation tillage treatments were applied by different combinations of rotary tillage (RT), subsoiling (SS) and no‐till (NT), with or without finely chopped straw retention. Conventional tillage (CT) acted as the control. Results showed that in the surface (0–10 cm) soil, the proportion of water‐stable aggregates (WSA) <0.05 mm was 18% less while that for WSA >2 mm was 98% more under NT treatments compared with CT. Additionally, the oxidizable OC content in WSA 0.25–2 mm was 27% greater under NT treatments compared with CT. The OC stocks increased under SS by 17%, RT by 16% and NT by 15% relative to CT. Grain yield (wheat + maize) showed similar increasing trends in all the tillage treatments compared with CT. Both OC stocks and grain yield were larger in treatments with than without straw retentions. These results indicate that NT is beneficial for OC accumulation in WSA but is limited in its ability to improve soil structure in this region. SS plus straw retention (fine‐chopped or as a mulch) is an effective practice to improve soil structural stability, OC accumulation and soil productivity of Eum‐Orthic Anthrosols in Northwest China.     

Long‐term effects of soil management regimes on carbon contents and respiration rates of aggregate size fractions

This study investigated long‐term effects of soil management on size distribution of dry‐sieved aggregates in a loess soil together with their organic carbon (OC) and their respiratory activity. Soil management regimes were cropland, which was either abandoned, left bare fallow or cropped for 21 yr. Abandonment increased the abundance of macroaggregates (>2 mm) in the surface soil layer (0–10 cm) and reduced that of microaggregates (<0.25 mm) relative to Cropping, whereas the Fallow treatment reduced the abundance of macroaggregates at depths of 0–10 and 10–20 cm. All treatments yielded similar aggregate size distributions at a depth of 20–30 cm. The SOC content of aggregate size fractions in the surface soil from the Abandoned plots was greater (by 1.2–4.8 g/kg) than that of the corresponding fractions from the Cropped plots, but the opposite trend was observed in the subsurface soils. Conversely, the Fallow treatment reduced the SOC content of every aggregate size fraction. Smaller aggregates generally exhibited greater cumulative levels of C mineralization than larger ones. However, the bulk of the SOC losses from the soils via mineralization was associated with aggregates of >2 mm. Abandonment significantly increased the relative contribution of macroaggregates (>2 mm) to the overall rate of SOC loss, whereas the Fallow treatment significantly reduced the contribution of 0.25–2 mm aggregates to total SOC loss in the surface soil while substantially increasing their contribution in the subsurface soil.     

Integration of arbuscular mycorrhiza inoculation in hydroseeding technology: effects on plant growth and inter‐species competition

Hydroseeding is a technique increasingly used to establish vegetation on large degraded areas, such as large‐scale road construction sites and quarries. Native grasses and legume species are used on rehabilitation and restoration projects as a first step in the recovery of such places, prior to the establishment of native forbs and shrubs that occurs at a slower pace. The effect of mycorrhizal inoculation on the development of nine species of grasses and legumes that can be potentially used in restoration processes in the Mediterranean area was studied, in microcosm experiments under greenhouse conditions. The effect of adding arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) inoculum to a hydroseeding mixture was also investigated in greenhouse and in field conditions. In the hydroseeding experiments the mycorrhizal inoculum was added to the seed slurry in a jet agitated hydroseeding machine and sprayed to the soil surface with a pressurised spray in a one‐step application. The study shows that Glomus intraradices Schenk & Smith BEG72 is able to establish the symbiosis when applied at sowing while Glomus mosseae (Nicol. & Gerd.) Gerdemann & Trappe BEG116 is not. It also confirms that legumes are more highly mycotrophic than grasses. The results of the hydroseeding experiments demonstrate the establishment of the symbiosis using this technology, both in the greenhouse and in the field. Mycorrhizal inoculation improved above ground plant growth and increased the legumes/grasses ratio. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Pedotransfer functions for estimating plant available water and bulk density in Swedish agricultural soils

Abstract

Pedotransfer functions (PTFs) to estimate plant available water were developed from a database of arable soils in Sweden. The PTFs were developed to fulfil the minimum requirements of any agro-hydrological application, i.e., soil water content at wilting point (θ _wp ) and field capacity (θ _fc ), from information that frequently is available from soil surveys such as texture and soil organic carbon content (SOC). From the same variables we also estimated bulk density (ρ) and porosity (ε), which seldom are included in surveys, but are needed for calculating element mass balances. The seven particle-size classes given in the data set were aggregated in different ways to match information commonly gained from surveys. Analysis of covariance and stepwise multiple linear regression were used for quantifying the influence of depth, particle size class, textural class and soil organic carbon on the characteristic variables. PTFs developed from other data sets were also tested and their goodness-of-fit and bias was evaluated. These functions and those developed for the Swedish database were also tested on an independent data set and finally ranked according to their goodness of fit. Among single independent variables, clay was the best predictor for θ _wp , sand (or the sum of clay and silt) for θ _fc and SOC for ρ and ε. A large fraction of the variation in θ _wp and θ _fc is explained by soil texture and SOC (up to 90%) and root mean square errors (RMSEs) were as small as 0.03 m³ water m^?3 soil in the best models. For the prediction of ρ and ε in the test data set, the best PTF could only explain 40–43% of the total variance with corresponding RMSEs of 0.14 g cm^?3 and 5.3% by volume, respectively. Recently presented PTFs derived from a North American database performed very well for estimating θ _wp (low error and bias) and could be recommended for Swedish soils if measurements of clay, sand and SOC were available. Although somewhat less accurately, also θ _fc could be estimated satisfactorily. This indicates that the determination of plant available water by texture and SOC is rather independent of soil genesis and that certain PTFs are transferable between continents.     

Effects of surface‐applied and soil‐incorporated lime on some physical attributes of a Dystrudept soil

It is generally accepted that liming ameliorates soil acidity. However, the method of lime application is thought by many to influence its effectiveness in acid soils. In this study, we wanted to assess the degree of effectiveness of surface‐applied lime and lime incorporated into the soil on soil structural attributes and water retention of a Dystrudept soil in the SE region of the State of Paraná, Brazil. Lime was added at the rate of 15 t/ha to soil through: (i) surface broadcasting, (ii) incorporation via ploughing and harrowing, (iii) incorporation via subsoiling and harrowing. A control treatment with zero lime application was included in the experiment. The addition of lime by surface broadcasting resulted in significant reductions in soil bulk density (BD) and macroporosity (Ma) and increases in total porosity (TP) and microporosity (Mi) of the top soil layer (0–0.10 m). The reverse was the case in the 0.10‐ to 0.20‐m soil layer; where lime was incorporated via ploughing and harrowing, increases in BD and reductions in TP and Ma were observed. Addition of lime also significantly increased soil water retention, with maximum retention recorded from soil amended with surface broadcast lime. Changes in soil chemical attributes (increases in pH, Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ contents; reductions in potential acidity and Al³⁺ content) were responsible for the changes observed in structural and physical attributes, and water retention. Bearing in mind the lower application costs, improvement in the soil chemical attributes for plant development and soil physical quality, surface broadcast lime can be considered a promising alternative for no‐till farmers.     

土壤添加剂对德国卢萨蒂亚的台矿基质上作物产量和C收支的影响

Opencast lignite mining in the Lusatia region of Germany has resulted in large scale landscape disturbances,which require suitable recultivation techniques in order to promote plant growth and establishment in the remaining nutrient-poor substrates with low water-holding capacity.Thus,the effects of two commercial soil additives (CSA),a hydrophilic polymer mixed with volcanic rock flour and bentonite (a-CSA),and digester solids from biogas plants enriched with humic acids and bentonite (b-CSA),on soil organic carbon (SOC) storage,plant yields and root biomass were assessed after cultivating perennial crops (Dactylis glomerata L.) in monoculture and Helianthus annuus L.-Brassica napus L.in crop rotation systems.The CSA were incorporated into the top 20 cm soil depth using a rotary spader.The results indicated that a-CSA led to a significant increase in plant yield during the first year,and improved root biomass in the following year.As a result,SOC stocks increased,especially in the 0-10 cm soil layer.No significant sequestration of additional SOC was observed on b-CSA-amended plots at the end of both years.Bulk density values decreased in all treatments under the monoculture system.It can be concluded that application of a-CSA enhanced soil water availability for plant uptake and consequently promoted plant growth and organic carbon sequestration.The relative enrichment of organic matter without effects on water-holding capacities of b-CSA treatments suggested that it was not suitable for rapid land reclamation.     

Dynamics and stabilization of soil organic carbon after nineteen years of afforestation in valley‐type savannah in southwest China

Serious concerns about carbon (C) sequestration capacity and the stabilization of sequestered C in forested soils have emerged in the context of global climate change. The organic C in soil and in soil fractions at four sampling times in Acacia auriculiformis plantations afforested in 1991 were investigated with a combination of density fractionation and acid hydrolysis techniques. The results showed that the accumulation of C in the forested soils had accelerated because the afforestation of wasteland with A. auriculiformis. The C accumulation rates of the surface and subsurface soils averaged 0.38 and 0.17 t C/ha/yr, respectively, during the 19 yr following the afforestation. The percentage of organic C in heavy fraction relative to total soil organic C at the surface soil was 71% in 2003. This value was significantly (P < 0.05) higher than that in 2010 (68%). The chemical recalcitrant C index of light fraction was significantly (P < 0.05) higher than that of heavy fraction in 2003 regardless of soil depth, but both decreased with time. ca. 58–68% of the newly sequestered C was protected by physical mechanism, and 41–50% was transferred into the acid nonhydrolysable fraction during the 12–19 yr after the trees were planted. The chemical stability of the physically protected C remained lower than that of the unprotected C following the afforestation in the valley‐type savannah. However, both the stability values showed a decline with time.     

Long‐term fertilization and manuring effects on physically separated soil organic‐matter pools under continuous wheat cropping at a rainfed semiarid site in China

An essential prerequisite for a sustainable soil use is to maintain a satisfactory soil organic‐matter (OM) level. This might be achieved by sound fertilization management, though impacts of fertilization on OM have been rarely investigated with the aid of physical fractionation techniques in semiarid regions. This study aimed at examining changes in organic C (OC) and N concentrations of physically separated soil OM pools after 26 y of fertilization at a site of the semiarid Loess Plateau in China. To separate sensitive OM pools, total macro‐OM (> 0.05 mm) was obtained from bulk soil by wet‐sieving and then separated into light macro‐OM (< 1.8 g cm^–3) and heavy macro‐OM (> 1.8 g cm^–3) subfractions; bulk soil was also differentiated into light OM (< 1.8 g cm^–3) and mineral‐associated OM (> 1.8 g cm^–3). Farmyard manure increased concentrations of total macro‐OC and N by 19% and 25%, and those of light fraction OC and N by 36% and 46%, compared to no manuring; both light OC and N concentrations but only total macro‐OC concentration responded positively to mineral fertilizations compared to no mineral fertilization. This demonstrated that the light‐fraction OM was more sensitive to organic or inorganic fertilization than the total macro‐OM. Mineral‐associated OC and N concentrations also increased by manuring or mineral fertilizations, indicating an increase of stable OM relative to no fertilization treatment, however, their shares on bulk soil OC and N decreased. Mineral fertilizations improved soil OM quality by decreasing C : N ratio in the light OM fraction whereas manuring led to a decline of the C : N ratio in the total macro‐OM fraction, with respect to nil treatment. Further fractionation of the total macro‐OM according to density clarified that across treatments about 3/4 of total macro‐OM was associated with minerals. Thus, by simultaneously applying particle‐size and density separation procedures, we clearly demonstrated that the macro‐OM differed from the light OM fraction not only in its chemical composition but also in associations with minerals. The proportion of the 0.5–0.25 mm water‐stable aggregates of soil was higher under organic or inorganic fertilizations than under no manure or no mineral fertilization, and increases in OC and N concentrations of water‐stable aggregates as affected by fertilization were greater for 1–0.5 and 0.5–0.25 mm classes than for the other classes. Results indicate that OM stocks in different soil pools can be increased and the loose aggregation of these strongly eroded loess soils can be improved by organic or inorganic fertilization.     

Long‐term changes in the floristic composition and soil characteristics of reclaimed sodic land during eco‐restoration

The study was conducted under the “Uttar Pradesh Sodic Lands Reclamation Project” to examine changes that occurred in the reclaimed sodic land in two districts of Uttar Pradesh, India. The study focuses on long‐term seasonal changes in the floral diversity and soil characteristics of the reclaimed sodic land over a period of 10 y. The changes in the floristic composition, plant density, and soil characteristics (microbial biomass carbon [MBC], pH, exchangeable‐sodium percentage (ESP), and electrical conductivity) were compared among the different study plots after different years of sodic‐land reclamation. The study plots comprised reclaimed land with rice–wheat cultivation; semireclaimed land under rice cultivation only and nonreclaimed barren sodic land. There was a significant variation in the floristic composition of the three study plots. Dominance in the floristic composition was shifted from monocotyledonous weeds in the nonreclaimed sodic land to dicotyledonous weeds in the reclaimed land after 10 y of reclamation. Among the soil characteristics, the most remarkable changes were observed in soil MBC and ESP during the course of sodic‐land reclamation. Soil MBC increased up to 480% and ESP values decreased up to 79% in the reclaimed plots with reference to the nonreclaimed plots. The soil amelioration was more pronounced in the upper layer (0–30 cm) as compared to the lower layer (below 30 cm depth). A positive significant correlation was revealed between soil MBC and floristic composition of the reclaimed plots. These changes in floristic composition and soil characteristics could be used as good indicators of the eco‐restoration of the sodic lands. The present study provides useful insights in understanding the temporal progress of eco‐restoration in the reclaimed sodic lands.     

Tillage effects on soil aggregation and soil organic carbon profile distribution under Mediterranean semi‐arid conditions

In rainfed semi‐arid agroecosystems, soil organic carbon (SOC) may increase with the adoption of alternative tillage systems (e.g. no‐tillage, NT). This study evaluated the effect of two tillage systems (conventional tillage, CT vs. NT) on total SOC content, SOC concentration, water stable aggregate‐size distribution and aggregate carbon concentration from 0 to 40 cm soil depth. Three tillage experiments were chosen, all located in northeast Spain and using contrasting tillage types but with different lengths of time since their establishment (20, 17, and 1‐yr). In the two fields with mouldboard ploughing as CT, NT sequestered more SOC in the 0–5 cm layer compared with CT. However, despite there being no significant differences, SOC tended to accumulate under CT compared with NT in the 20–30 and 30–40 cm depths in the AG‐17 field with 25–50% higher SOC content in CT compared with NT. Greater amounts of large and small macroaggregates under NT compared with CT were measured at 0–5 cm depth in AG‐17 and at 5–10 cm in both AG‐1 and AG‐17. Differences in macroaggregate C concentration between tillage treatments were only found in the AG‐17 field at the soil surface with 19.5 and 11.6 g C/kg macroaggregates in NT and CT, respectively. After 17 yr of experiment, CT with mouldboard ploughing resulted in a greater total SOC concentration and macroaggregate C concentration below 20 cm depth, but similar macroaggregate content compared with NT. This study emphasizes the need for adopting whole‐soil profile approaches when studying the suitability of NT versus CT for SOC sequestration and CO₂ offsetting.     

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.     

Near‐infrared spectroscopy can predict the composition of organic matter in soil and litter

The usefulness and limitations of near‐infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) for the assessment of several soil characteristics are still not sufficiently explored. The objective of this study was to evaluate the ability of visible and near‐infrared reflectance (VIS‐NIR) spectroscopy to predict the composition of organic matter in soils and litter. Reflectance spectra of the VIS‐NIR region (400–2500 nm) were recorded for 56 soil and litter samples from agricultural and forest sites. Spectra were used to predict general and biological characteristics of the samples as well as the C composition which was measured by ¹³C‐CPMAS‐NMR spectroscopy. A modified partial least‐square method and cross‐validation were used to develop equations for the different constituents over the whole spectrum (1st to 3rd derivation). Near‐infrared spectroscopy predicted well the C : N ratios, the percentages of O‐alkyl C and alkyl C, the ratio of alkyl C to O‐alkyl C, and the sum of phenolic oxidation products: the ratios of standard deviation of the laboratory results to standard error of cross‐validation (RSC) were greater than 2, the regression coefficients (a) of a linear regression (measured against predicted values) ranged from 0.9 to 1.1, and the correlation coefficients (r) were greater than 0.9. Satisfactorily (0.8 ≤ a ≤ 1.2, r ≥ 0.8, and 1.4 ≤ RSC ≤ 2.0) assessed were the contents of C, N, and production of DOC, the percentages of carbonyl C and aromatic C and the ratio of alkyl C to aromatic C. However, the N‐mineralization rate and the microbial biomass were predicted unsatisfactorily (RSC < 1.4). The good and satisfactory predictions reported above indicate a marked usefulness of NIRS in the assessment of biological and chemical characteristics of soils and litter.     

Long‐term cropping systems and tillage management effects on soil organic carbon stock and steady state level of C sequestration rates in a semiarid environment

A calcareous and clayey xeric Chromic Haploxerept of a long‐term experimental site in Sicily (Italy) was sampled (0–15 cm depth) under different land use management and cropping systems (CSs) to study their effect on soil aggregate stability and organic carbon (SOC). The experimental site had three tillage managements (no till [NT], dual‐layer [DL] and conventional tillage [CT]) and two CSs (durum wheat monocropping [W] and durum wheat/faba bean rotation [WB]). The annually sequestered SOC with W was 2·75‐times higher than with WB. SOC concentrations were also higher. Both NT and CT management systems were the most effective in SOC sequestration whereas with DL system no C was sequestered. The differences in SOC concentrations between NT and CT were surprisingly small. Cumulative C input of all cropping and tillage systems and the annually sequestered SOC indicated that a steady state occurred at a sequestration rate of 7·4 Mg C ha⁻¹ y⁻¹. Independent of the CSs, most of the SOC was stored in the silt and clay fraction. This fraction had a high N content which is typical for organic matter interacting with minerals. Macroaggregates (>250 µm) and large microaggregates (75–250 µm) were influenced by the treatments whereas the finest fractions were not. DL reduced the SOC in macroaggregates while NT and CT gave rise to higher SOC contents. In Mediterranean areas with Vertisols, agricultural strategies aimed at increasing the SOC contents should probably consider enhancing the proportion of coarser soil fractions so that, in the short‐term, organic C can be accumulated. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

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.