Variation of intra‐aggregate organic carbon affects aggregate formation and stability during organic manure fertilization in a fluvo‐aquic soil

The aggregate formation and stability are controlled by the dynamics of soil organic matters (SOM), but how it is related to SOM chemical composition within different‐sized aggregates is largely unknown during manure fertilization. In this study, the variations of intra‐aggregate organic carbon (OC), including intra‐particulate organic matter (iPOM) and mineral‐associated organic matter, were quantitatively and qualitatively analysed, and then, their effects on aggregate formation and stability were assessed under four treatments: control (CK), mineral fertilizer (NPK), reduced manure (30%M) and manure fertilizers (M). Manure application (M) significantly increased macroaggregate proportion, mean weight diameter (MWD), and OC contents within different‐sized aggregates compared to CK, NPK, and 30%M. The OC accumulation of macroaggregate in M was attributed to OC content increase in silt plus clay subfraction rather than iPOM with more labile organic groups; oppositely, in microaggregate it was located in the relatively stable fine iPOM. The macroaggregate formation and stability were controlled by the fine iPOM within macroaggregates, whose abundant polysaccharide‐C and aliphatic‐C after manure fertilization advanced the microbial growth except for Gram‐positive bacteria, which further promoted macroaggregate formation and stability. The free silt plus clay fraction also affected macroaggregate formation and stability, and its polysaccharide‐C derived from microorganisms or decomposing SOM was positively associated with MWD and macroaggregate proportion. Because polysaccharide‐C can be easily associated with mineral particles, further improving micro‐ or macroaggregation. We conclude that continuous manure fertilization could increase labile SOM accumulation within aggregates and then facilitate microbial growth, which collectively are responsible for aggregate formation and stabilization.     

利用地统计学技术预测流域尺度土壤团聚体稳定性及团聚体结合有机碳含量空间分布

The association of organic carbon with secondary particles (aggregates) results in its storage and retention in soil. A study was carried out at a catchment covering about 92 km2 to predict spatial variability of soil water-stable aggregates (WSA), mean weight diameter (MWD) of aggregates and organic carbon (OC) content in macro- (> 2 mm), meso- (1-2 mm), and micro-aggregate (< 1 mm) fractions, using geostatistical methods. One hundred and eleven soil samples were collected at the 0-10 cm depth and fractionated into macro-, meso-, and micro-aggregates by wet sieving. The OC content was determined for each fraction. A greater percentage of water-stable aggregates was found for micro-aggregates, followed by meso-aggregates. Aggregate OC content was greatest in meso-aggregates (9 g kg?1), followed by micro-aggregates (7 g kg?1), while the least OC content was found in macro-aggregates (3 g kg?1). Although a significant e?ect (P = 0.000) of aggregate size on aggregate OC content was found, however, our findings did not support the model of aggregate hierarchy. Land use had a significant e?ect (P = 0.073) on aggregate OC content. The coe?cients of variation (CVs) for OC contents associated with each aggregate fraction indicated macro-aggregates as the most variable (CV = 71%). Among the aggregate fractions, the micro-aggregate fraction had a lower CV value of 27%. The mean content of WSA ranged from 15% for macro-aggregates to 84% for micro-aggregates. Geostatistical analysis showed that the measured soil variables exhibited di?erences in their spatial patterns in both magnitude and space at each aggregate size fraction. The relative nugget variance for most aggregate-associated properties was lower than 45%. The range value for the variogram of water-stable aggregates was almost similar (about 3 km) for the three studied aggregate size classes. The range value for the variogram of aggregate-associated OC contents ranged from about 3 km for macro-aggregates to about 6.5 km for meso-aggregates. Kriged maps of predicted WSA, OC and MWD for the three studied aggregate size fractions showed clear spatial patterns. However, a close spatial similarity (co-regionalization) was observed between WSA and MWD.     

Impacts of land‐use intensity on soil organic carbon content,soil structure and water‐holding capacity

The impact of land‐use intensity is evaluated through changes in the soil properties in different areas of the traditional central Spanish landscape. Soil organic carbon (SOC) content, bulk density, aggregate stability and water‐holding capacity (WHC) in the topsoil of active and abandoned vineyards, livestock routes (LR) and young Quercus afforested areas were analysed. These different types of land use can be interpreted as having a gradient of progressively less impact on soil functions or conservation. As soil use intensity declines, there is an increase in SOC content (from 0.2 to 0.6%), WHC (from 0.2 to 0.3 g H₂O per g soil) and aggregate stability (from 4 to 33 drop impacts). Soils beneath vines have lost their upper horizon (15 cm depth) because of centuries‐old tillage management of vineyards. Except for an increase in bulk density (from 1.2 to 1.4 g/cm³), there were no differences in soil characteristics 4 yr after the abandonment of vine management. LR can be considered sustainable uses of land, which preserve or improve soil characteristics, as there were no significant differences between topsoil from LR and that from a 40‐yr‐old Quercus afforested area. SOC content, one of the main indicators for soil conservation, is considered very low in every case analysed, even in the more conservative uses of land. These data can be useful in understanding the slow rate of recovery of soils, even after long‐term cessation of agricultural land use.     

秸秆还田与生物炭施用对黄褐土团聚体稳定性及有机碳积累的影响

探明生物炭、秸秆和化肥配施对黄褐土条件下土壤团聚体的影响,为降低黄淮海平原黄褐土生产障碍,建立合理培肥制度提供参考。本研究通过3年定位试验,设置了不同的施肥制度:对照为不施肥(CK)、施用化肥(NPK)、生物炭配施化肥(NPKB)、秸秆配施化肥(NPKS)、生物炭和秸秆配施化肥(NPKSB)5个处理。对不同处理条件下湿筛的土壤团聚体指标进行了分析。结果表明:施用有机物料后,能增加大粒级土壤团聚体含量,提升土壤团聚体稳定性,提高土壤有机质含量。稳定性的提升幅度次序为NPKSNPKSBNPKB。在试验期内,添加生物炭能逐年提升土壤有机碳含量,顺序为NPKSBNPKB。在所有施肥处理中,NPKSB对提升大粒级团聚体有机碳贡献率效果最好。在本研究设置处理中,NPKSB对提升土壤团聚体基本性能效果最好。     

Soil organic carbon and nutrient content in aggregate‐size fractions of a subtropical rice soil under variable tillage

The effects of tillage on soil organic carbon (SOC) and nutrient content of soil aggregates can vary spatially and temporally, and for different soil types and cropping systems. We assessed SOC and nutrient levels within water‐stable aggregates in ridges with no tillage (RNT) and also under conventional tillage (CT) for a subtropical rice soil in order to determine relationships between tillage, cation concentrations and soil organic matter. Surface soil (0–15 cm) was fractionated into aggregate sizes (>4.76 mm, 4.76–2.00 mm, 2.00–1.00 mm, 1.00–0.25 mm, 0.25–0.053 mm, <0.053 mm) under two tillage regimes. Tillage significantly reduced the proportion of macroaggregate fractions (>2.00 mm) and thus aggregate stability was reduced by 35% compared with RNT, indicating that tillage practices led to soil structural change for this subtropical soil. The patterns in SOC, total N, exchangeable Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺ and total exchangeable bases (TEB) were similar between tillage regimes, but concentrations were significantly higher under RNT than CT. This suggests that RNT in subtropical rice soils may be a better way to enhance soil productivity and improve soil C sequestration potential than CT. The highest SOC was in the 1.00–0.25 mm fraction (35.7 and 30.4 mg/kg for RNT and CT, respectively), while the lowest SOC was in microaggregate (<0.025 mm) and silt + clay (<0.053 mm) fractions (19.5 and 15.7 mg/kg for RNT and CT, respectively). Tillage did not influence the patterns in SOC across aggregates but did change the aggregate‐size distribution, indicating that tillage affected soil fertility primarily by changing soil structure.     

Distillery effluents effect on soil organic carbon and aggregate stability of a Vertisol in India

Distillery effluent, a waste by-product of distillery industries, is usually applied to arable land near the distilleries as irrigation water or as a soil amendment. To evaluate the effect of distillery effluent, both spent wash (SW) and post-methanated effluent (PME), on soil organic carbon and aggregate stability, a field experiment on a soybean (Glysine max L.)–wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) system was conducted for five years on a Vertisol of central India. The treatments were control (no fertilizer or manure or SW or PME, T₁), 100% NPK + farmyard manure (FYM) @ 4 Mg ha⁻¹ to soybean (T₂), four graded levels of SW, viz., 2.5 cm SW to soybean and none to wheat (T₃), 2.5 cm SW to soybean and 1.25 cm to wheat (T₄), 5 cm SW to soybean and none to wheat (T₅), 5 cm SW to soybean and 2.5 cm to wheat (T₆), and four graded levels of PME, viz., 2.5 cm PME to soybean and none to wheat (T₇), 2.5 cm PME to soybean and 1.25 cm to wheat (T₈), 5 cm PME to soybean and none to wheat (T₉), 5 cm PME to soybean and 2.5 cm to wheat (T₁₀). The organic carbon of the surface (0–15 cm) soil that received either PME or SW (treatments T₃–T₁₀), was significantly (P < 0.05) higher than in treatments T₁ and T₂. The mean weight diameter (MWD) of water stable aggregates in this soil layer was also significantly higher in treatments T₃–T₁₀, compared with T₁ and T₂. The MWD showed a positive linear relationship with the organic carbon content of the soil (R² = 0.54**). The proportion of macro-aggregates was higher in SW treated plots than PME, no distillery effluents and NPK + FYM treatments. However, the micro-aggregates showed the reverse trend. The macro-aggregate-associated carbon was higher in SW treated plots. It was highest in T₆ and lowest in T₁. The plots receiving the PME and SW showed increased soil organic carbon, MWD, percentage macro- and micro-aggregate-associated carbon than T₁ and T₂. Application of distillery effluents increased the aggregate stability of the Vertisol through enhanced soil organic carbon as well as the aggregate-associated carbon. So application of SW or PME could be a viable option for soil aggregate stability and enhanced productivity.     

Landscape-level variation in temperature sensitivity of soil organic carbon decomposition

We examined landscape-level variation in temperature sensitivity of labile SOC across 71 sites at a central North American grassland. The observed range in activation energy of decomposition (E_a), an index of temperature sensitivity, was as great at the landscape scale as has been observed at the continental scale. E_a was lower for soils with more labile C, consistent with the ‘Carbon quality-temperature’ hypothesis. Soil pH explained 67% of the variation in E_a. Although there are strong environmental correlates with the E_a of SOC decomposition at landscape scales, the amount of variation within landscapes could confound regional- to global-scale predictions of the response of soil C to warming.     

Effect of biochar on soil structure and storage of soil organic carbon and nitrogen in the aggregate fractions of an Albic soil

ABSTRACT

Field experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of corn straw derived-biochar (700 °C) applied at 0 (control), 10 (B1), 20 (B2) and 30 t ha^?1 (B3) on water stable aggregate (WSA), mean weight diameter (MWD), total organic carbon (TOC) and total nitrogen (TN) in WSA fractions of Albic soil. Compared with control, WSA in > 2 mm fraction increased, by 40.8% and 51.5% (0–10 cm depth) in B1 and B3, respectively. B1, B2 and B3 (10–20 cm depth) increased by 55.2%, 69.6% and 62.4%, respectively. MWD increased by 34.4%, 21.6%, and 17.6% with B3 at 0–10 cm, 10–20 cm and 20–30 cm depths, respectively. TOC in the > 2 mm fraction increased by 28.6%, 22.1%, and 23.2% (0–10 cm depth) in B1, B2, and B3, respectively, TN in 2–0.5 mm fractions increased by 32.4%, 23.4% and 33.6% (0–10 cm depth); and in the 0.25–0.05 mm fractions increased by 14.8%, 19.8% and 18.7% (10–20 cm depth), in B1, B2 and B3, respectively. Our findings suggest biochar application at 30 t ha^?1 could improve structural stability and sequestration of TOC and TN in Albic soils.     

紫色土坡耕地土壤团聚体分形维数与有机碳关系

为深入理解有机碳对土壤团聚体的影响,采用干筛法和重铬酸钾外加热法并基于相关分析研究了不同施肥处理紫色土耕地土壤团聚体分形维数（D）与有机碳（SOC）的关系。结果表明：不同施肥处理和土层间 D 与SOC均存在差异,变化范围分别为2.376～2.603、3.54～12.07 g/kg,均值都随土层变深呈递减趋势。全样本（n=36,不区分处理和土层）中D与SOC显著相关,但并非简单相关。进一步对D与各粒级有机碳含量（fSOC）的相关分析表明,在全样本中二者相关性显著,且随粒级的减小相关程度变大。不同施肥处理和土层间的相关分析中二者相关性又表现不同：除对照CK,其他处理的呈现多组显著相关,耕作层（0～20 cm）多组的相关性都很微弱,而犁底层（＞20～30 cm）的多个组却显著相关。分析认为,这与不同施肥处理所提供的碳源在团聚体形成过程中所起作用的差异有关,该差异将使团聚体形成各自的特点从而表现出各自的分形特征;并且D与fSOC相关性的差异是团聚体中大小颗粒间结构相似程度的反映,体现出各级团聚体在形成过程中的主导因素是否具有一致性,表明该相关关系对形成土壤结构的主导影响因素具有表征作用。该研究结果有助于深入认识和理解土壤团聚体分形维数的影响因素、物理意义以及对土壤结构的表征性。     

Effects of vegetation restoration on soil organic carbon sequestration at multiple scales in semi-arid Loess Plateau,China

Soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration by vegetation restoration is the theme of much current research. Since 1999, the program of “Grain for Green”has been implemented in the semi-arid Loess Plateau, China. Its scope represents the largest vegetation restoration activity in China. However, it is still unclear for the SOC sequestration effects of vegetation cover change or natural succession promoted by the revegetation efforts at different scales under the semi-arid conditions. In this study, the changes in SOC stocks due to the vegetation restoration in the middle of Loess Plateau were estimated at patch, hill slope transect and small watershed scale from 1998 to 2006. Soil samples were taken from field for the determination of cesium-137 (¹³⁷Cs) and SOC contents. Vegetation cover change from 1998 to 2006 at the small watershed scale was assessed using Geographic Information System. The results showed that cropland transforming to grassland or shrubland significantly increased SOC at patch scale. Immature woodland, however, has no significant effect. When vegetation cover has no transformation for mature woodland (25 years old), SOC has no significant increase implying that SOC has come to a stable level. At hill slope scale, three typical vegetation cover patterns showed different SOC sequestration effects of 8.6%, 24.6%, and 21.4% from 1998 to 2006, and these SOC increases mainly resulted from revegetation. At the small watershed scale, SOC stocks increased by 19% in the surface soil layer at 0–20 cm soil depth from 1998 to 2006, which was equivalent to an average SOC sequestration rate of 19.92 t C y^− 1 km^− 2. Meanwhile, SOC contents showed a significant positive correlation (P < 0.001) with the ¹³⁷Cs inventory at every soil depth interval. This implied significant negative impacts of soil erosion on SOC sequestration. The results have demonstrated general positive effects of vegetation restoration on SOC sequestration at multiple scales. However, soil erosion under rugged topography modified the spatial distribution of the SOC sequestration effects. Therefore, vegetation restoration was proved to be a significant carbon sink, whereas, erosion could be a carbon source in high erosion sensitive regions. This research can contribute to the performance assessment of ecological rehabilitation projects such as “Grain to Green” and the scientific understanding of the impacts of vegetation restoration and soil erosion on soil carbon dynamics in semi-arid environments.     

滇黔桂地区土壤有机碳密度变异的影响因素研究

土壤有机碳是土壤肥力的重要指标之一,也是陆地碳库的主要部分。揭示影响土壤有机碳储量的主要因素,对合理地利用土壤资源,减少土壤温室气体的排放,增加土壤碳存储等方面都具有重要的意义。土壤有机碳储量受气候、植被、土壤属     

Carbon isotopes of water‐extractable organic carbon in a depth profile of forest soil imply a dynamic relationship with soil carbon

Although considerable research has been conducted on the importance of recent litter compared with older soil organic matter as sources of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in forest soils, a more thorough evaluation of this mechanism is necessary. We studied water‐extractable organic carbon (WEOC) in a soil profile under a cool‐temperate beech forest by analysing the isotopic composition (¹³C and ¹⁴C) of WEOC and its fractions after separation on a DAX‐8 resin. With depth, WEOC became more enriched in ¹³C, which reflects the increasing proportion of the hydrophilic, isotopically heavier fraction. The ¹⁴C content in WEOC and its fractions decreased with depth, paralleling the ¹⁴C trend in soil organic matter (SOM). These results indicate a dynamic equilibrium of WEOC and soil organic carbon. The dominant process maintaining the WEOC pool in the mineral soil appears to be the microbial release of water‐soluble compounds from the SOM, which alters in time‐scales of decades to centuries.     

Prediction of volumetric soil organic carbon from field‐moist intact soil cores

This study investigated the potential for visible–near‐infrared (vis–NIR) spectroscopy to predict locally volumetric soil organic carbon (SOC) from spectra recorded from field‐moist soil cores. One hundred cores were collected from a 71‐ha arable field. The vis–NIR spectra were collected every centimetre along the side of the cores to a depth of 0.3 m. Cores were then divided into 0.1‐m increments for laboratory analysis. Reference SOC measurements were used to calibrate three partial least‐squares regression (PLSR) models for bulk density (ρ_b), gravimetric SOC (SOC_g) and volumetric SOC (SOC_v). Accurate predictions were obtained from averages of spectra from those 0.1‐m increments for SOC_g (ratio of performance to inter‐quartile (RPIQ) = 5.15; root mean square error (RMSE) = 0.38%) and SOC_v (RPIQ = 5.25; RMSE = 4.33 kg m^?3). The PLSR model for ρ_b performed least well, but still produced accurate results (RPIQ = 3.76; RMSE = 0.11 Mg m^?3). Predictions for ρ_b and SOC_g were combined to compare indirect and direct predictions of SOC_v. No statistical difference in accuracy between these approaches was detected, suggesting that the direct prediction of SOC_v is possible. The PLSR models calibrated on the 10‐cm depth intervals were also applied to the spectra originally recorded on a 1‐cm depth increment. While a bigger bias was observed for 1‐cm than for 10‐cm predictions (1.13 and 0.19 kg m^?3, respectively), the two populations of estimates were not distinguishable statistically. The study showed the potential for using vis–NIR spectroscopy on field‐moist soil cores to predict SOC at high depth resolutions (1 cm) with locally derived calibrations.     

Effects of lignin‐modified Populus tremuloides on soil organic carbon

Several genes in the aspen genome have been modified to generate stem wood with lower lignin content and an altered lignin composition. Lower lignin in wood reduces the time and energy required for pulping. Further, this modification can also increase the allocation of photosynthate to cellulose and total biomass production, potentially increasing CO₂‐sequestration capacity. However, widespread planting of trees with altered lignin content and composition could alter soil organic‐C dynamics in complex ways. To further examine the effects of altered lignin biosynthesis on plant growth and accrual of soil organic C (SOC), we conducted a repeated greenhouse study with four lines of transgenic aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) and one wild‐type (control) aspen. Accrual of aspen‐derived SOC was quantified by growing aspen trees (C3 plants) in C4 soil and measuring changes in the natural abundance of δ¹³C. We measured plant growth, biomass, and C content and combined these data with SOC measurements to create C budgets for the plant mesocosms. Lignin modifications resulted in differences in the accrual of aspen‐derived SOC and total mesocosm C, primarily due to differences in biomass between genetically modified lines of aspen. One genetic alteration (low lignin, line 23) was able to perform similarly or better than the wild‐type aspen (control, line 271) without altering SOC. Alterations in lignin structure (S : G ratios) had negative effects on biomass production and SOC formation. The addition of new (aspen‐derived) SOC was proportional to the loss of existing SOC, evidence for a priming effect. The pool of new SOC was related to total plant biomass, suggesting that the effects of lignin modification on SOC are driven by changes in plant growth.     

The role of field studies in landscape-scale applications of process models: an example of soil redistribution and soil organic carbon modeling using CENTURY

Field studies on soil properties and processes in southern Saskatchewan have clearly indicated the need to account for both lateral and vertical transfers of components in the landscape for a better understanding of soil dynamics at a given point. Extrapolation of these studies requires greater integration of the site-specific field results with the current generation of process models. In this paper, we use the results of a field study to assess the ability of the CENTURY model to describe the influence of soil redistribution on soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics. After modifying the erosion input of CENTURY to account for soil deposition, the results from CENTURY were compared to measured SOC levels from a chronosequential study of cultivation effects on SOC levels in southern Saskatchewan. CENTURY closely simulated the effects of soil loss on SOC levels in landform segments with dominantly convex profile (i.e., downslope) curvature. CENTURY estimates of SOC changes for landform segments experiencing soil gain are less comparable to the field results; it overestimated SOC loss after 80 years by 16 Mg ha⁻¹ for depressional complexes and 10 Mg ha⁻¹ for footslope complexes. This leads to a 14% difference in total SOC loss on a landscape-weighted basis (estimated loss based on field data of 36 Mg ha⁻¹ versus a CENTURY-simulated loss of 41 Mg ha⁻¹).