Soil organic carbon content and soil structure quality of clayey cropland soils: A large-scale study in the Swiss Jura region

Soil organic carbon (SOC) fashions soil structure, which is a key factor of soil fertility. Existing SOC content recommendations are based on SOC:clay ratio thresholds of >1:10. However, the corresponding SOC content might be considered hard to reach in clayey soils, whose structure degradation risk is assumed to be high. Here, we analysed the SOC content and soil structure quality of soils under similar cropping practices with clay contents ranging from 16% to 52%. Five undisturbed soil cores (5–10 cm layer) were collected from 96 fields at 58 farms in the Swiss Jura region. We assessed the soil structure quality visually using the CoreVESS method. Gravimetric air content and water content, and bulk density at −100 hPa were also measured, and the soil structure degradation index was calculated. We found that the relationship between SOC and clay content held over the clay content range, suggesting that reaching an acceptable SOC:clay ratio is not limited by large clay contents. This suggests that the 1:10 SOC:clay ratio may remain useful for clayey soils. In contrast to what was expected, it is not more challenging to reach this ratio in clayey soils even if it implies reaching very large SOC contents. SOC content explained the considered physical properties better than clay content. From a soil management point of view, these findings suggest that the soil texture determines a potential SOC content, while the SOC:clay ratio is determined by farming practices regardless of the clay content.     

Estimating and mapping the carbon saturation deficit of French agricultural topsoils

The concept of soil organic C (SOC) saturation suggests that the quantity of stable SOC is limited and determined by the amount of fine particles (clay + fine silt, Clay + fSilt). The difference between the theoretical SOC saturation value and the measured SOC one for the fine fraction corresponds to the soil’s saturation deficit and may represent the potential for SOC sequestration in a stable form. We calculate the saturation deficit of French arable soils based on the national soil test database and using the saturation equation. For the whole database (n = 1 454 633), the median saturation deficit was 8.1 gC/kg and this generally increased with the Clay + fSilt content to reach a maximum of 500 g/kg. National mapping of the SOC saturation deficit allowed investigation of spatial variation and controlling factors. Saturated soils were found in localities with specific land use (grassland, meadows) or farming systems (livestock production with high manure production). Smaller deficits occurred at higher altitudes, probably due to the combined effect of cooler temperature and the presence of meadows. Some very sandy soils appeared to be almost saturated, largely due to their very small fine fraction. Soils in the highly cultivated plains in the northern half of the country had a significant saturation deficit. Soils in the southern part of the country had the highest saturation deficit because of the combined effects of climatic factors (low production, high temperature) and land use (vineyards, orchards). Analysis of communal data revealed significant correlations at the national level with Clay + fSilt (r = 0.59), pH (r = 0.44) but also with the proportion of grassland in the cultivated area (r = ?0.47). Some areas had apparent oversaturation which may be due to uncertainty associated with the theoretical C saturation equation because of overestimation of the stable soil C fraction. Mapping the C saturation deficit at the national scale demonstrates the influence of climate, soil parameters and land use on the SOC stabilization potential and indicates that a significant proportion of agricultural soils have potential for further SOC storage.     

An appraisal of soil organic C content in Mediterranean agricultural soils

Low soil organic carbon (SOC) levels in dry areas can affect soil functions and may thus indicate soil degradation. This study assesses the significance of SOC content in Mediterranean arable soils based on the analysis of a broad data set of 2613 soils sampled from Mediterranean grasslands and agricultural land. The distribution in values of SOC, pH, clay and carbonates was analysed according to different climatic areas (semi‐arid, Mediterranean temperate, Mediterranean continental and Atlantic) and with respect to six different land uses (grassland, cereal crops, olives and nuts, vineyards, fruit trees and vegetable gardens). The general trend was for low SOC in arable land and decreased with aridity. In wet areas (Atlantic and Mediterranean continental), acidic soils had a higher SOC content than did calcareous soils, whereas in the Mediterranean temperate area SOC had little relationship to soil pH. In low SOC arable soils, the SOC content was related to clay content. In calcareous arable soils of the Mediterranean temperate zone, SOC content was more closely related to carbonates than to clay. In contrast to the Atlantic area, Mediterranean grassland soils had much lower amounts of SOC than forest soils. Mediterranean calcareous and temperate acidic soils under grassland had SOC‐to‐clay ratios similar to or only slightly greater than that under a crop regime. In contrast, Mediterranean continental acidic soils under grassland had a much higher SOC‐to‐clay ratio than arable soils. This suggests a low resilience of the Mediterranean temperate and calcareous arable soils in terms of SOC recovery after the secession of ploughing, which may be a result of intensive use of these soils over many centuries. Consequently, we hypothesize that the Mediterranean calcareous soils have undergone significant changes that are not readily reversed after ploughing ceases. Such changes may be related to alterations in soil aggregation and porosity which, in turn, are associated with soil carbonate dynamics. Decarbonation processes (the depletion of active carbonates) may therefore be relevant to the reclamation of highly calcareous arable soils through fostering soil re‐aggregation. The article concludes by discussing the suitability of zero tillage, manuring or the introduction of woody species to increase SOC in calcareous arable soils that are highly depleted of organic matter.     

Long-term impact of reduced tillage and residue management on soil carbon stabilization: Implications for conservation agriculture on contrasting soils

Residue retention and reduced tillage are both conservation agricultural management options that may enhance soil organic carbon (SOC) stabilization in tropical soils. Therefore, we evaluated the effects of long-term tillage and residue management on SOC dynamics in a Chromic Luvisol (red clay soil) and Areni-Gleyic Luvisol (sandy soil) in Zimbabwe. At the time of sampling the soils had been under conventional tillage (CT), mulch ripping (MR), clean ripping (CR) and tied ridging (TR) for 9 years. Soil was fully dispersed and separated into 212–2000 μm (coarse sand), 53–212 μm (fine sand), 20–53 μm (coarse silt), 5–20 μm (fine silt) and 0–5 μm (clay) size fractions. The whole soil and size fractions were analyzed for C content. Conventional tillage treatments had the least amount of SOC, with 14.9 mg C g⁻¹ soil and 4.2 mg C g⁻¹ soil for the red clay and sandy soils, respectively. The highest SOC content was 6.8 mg C g⁻¹ soil in the sandy soil under MR, whereas for the red clay soil, TR had the highest SOC content of 20.4 mg C g⁻¹ soil. Organic C in the size fractions increased with decreasing size of the fractions. In both soils, the smallest response to management was observed in the clay size fractions, confirming that this size fraction is the most stable. The coarse sand-size fraction was most responsive to management in the sandy soil where MR had 42% more organic C than CR, suggesting that SOC contents of this fraction are predominantly controlled by amounts of C input. In contrast, the fine sand fraction was the most responsive fraction in the red clay soil with a 66% greater C content in the TR than CT. This result suggests that tillage disturbance is the dominant factor reducing C stabilization in a clayey soil, probably by reducing C stabilization within microaggregates. In conclusion, developing viable conservation agriculture practices to optimize SOC contents and long-term agroecosystem sustainability should prioritize the maintenance of C inputs (e.g. residue retention) to coarse textured soils, but should focus on the reduction of SOC decomposition (e.g. through reduced tillage) in fine textured soils.     

Repeated monitoring of organic carbon stocks after eight years reveals carbon losses from intensively managed agricultural soils in Western Germany

Past land‐use changes, intensive cropping with large proportions of root crops, and preferred use of mineral fertilizer have been made responsible for proceeding losses of soil organic C (SOC) in the plough layer. We hypothesized that in intensive agriculturally managed regions changes in SOC stocks would be detectable within a decade. To test this hypothesis, we tracked the temporal development of the concentrations and stocks of SOC in 268 arable sites, sampled by horizon down to 60 cm in the Cologne‐Bonn region, W Germany, in 2005 and in 2013. We then related these changes to soil management data and humus balances obtained from farmers' surveys. As we expected that changes in SOC concentrations might at least in part be minor, we fractionated soils from 38 representative sites according to particle size in order to obtain C pools of different stability. We found that SOC concentrations had increased significantly in the topsoil (from 9.4 g kg^?1 in 2005 to 9.8 g kg^?1 in 2013), but had decreased significantly in the subsoil (from 4.1 g kg^?1 in 2005 to 3.5 g kg^?­1 in 2013). Intriguingly, these changes were due to changes in mineral‐bound SOC rather than to changes in sand‐sized organic matter pools. As bulk density decreased, the overall SOC stocks in the upper 60 cm exhibited a SOC loss of nearly 0.6 t C (ha · y)^?1 after correction by the equivalent soil mass method. This loss was most pronounced for sandy soils [?0.73 t SOC (ha · y)^?1], and less pronounced for loamy soils [?0.64 t SOC (ha · y)^?1]; silty soils revealed the smallest reduction in SOC [?0.3 t SOC (ha · y)^?1]. Losses of SOC occurred even with the overall humus balances having increased positively from about 20 kg C (ha · y)^?1 (2003–2005) to about 133 kg C (ha · y)^?1 (2005–2013) due to an improved organic fertilization and intercropping. We conclude that current management may fail to raise overall SOC stocks. In our study area SOC stocks even continued to decline, despite humus conservation practice, likely because past land use conversions (before 2005) still affect SOC dynamics.     

Analyzing the efficiency of soil amendments and irrigation for plant production on heterogeneous sandy soils under greenhouse conditions

Variability in soil properties is a complication for fertilization, irrigation, and amendment application. However, only limited progress has been made in managing soil variability for uniform productivity and increased water‐use efficiency. This study was designed to ameliorate the poor‐productivity areas of the variable sandy soils in Florida citrus groves by using frequent small irrigations and applying organic and inorganic soil amendments. Two greenhouse experiments were set up with sorghum and radish as bioassay crops in a randomized complete block design (RCBD). The factors studied were two soil‐productivity classes (very poor and very good), two water contents (50% and 100% of field capacity), two amendments (phosphatic clay and Fe humate), and two amendment rates (10 and 25 g kg^–1 for sorghum and 50 and 100 g kg^–1 for radish). Amendments applied at 50 and 100 g kg^–1 increased the water‐holding capacity (WHC) of poor soil by 2‐ to 6‐fold, respectively. The lower rates (10 and 25 g kg^–1) of amendments were not effective in enhancing sorghum growth. The higher rates (50 and 100 g kg^–1) doubled the radish growth as compared to the control. The results indicate that rates greater than 50 g kg^–1 of both amendments were effective in improving water retention and increasing productivity. Irrigation treatment of 100% of field capacity (FC) increased the sorghum and radish growth by about 2‐fold as compared with the 50%–water content treatment. The results suggest that the root‐zone water content should be maintained near FC by frequent small irrigations to enhance water availability in excessively drained sandy soils. In addition, application of soil amendments in the root zone can enhance the water retention of these soils. Furthermore, managing variable sandy soils with WHC‐based irrigation can increase water uptake and crop production in the poor areas of the grove.     

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.     

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.     

Wet aggregate stability as affected by excess carbonate and other soil properties

Aggregate stability is a fundamental property influencing soil erodibility and hydraulic characteristics. Knowledge of soil components controlling aggregate stability is very important to soil structure conservation. The objective of this study, which was carried out in surface soils from central Greece, was to relate wet aggregate stability to selected soil properties, with emphasis on excessive free carbonate content. The wet‐sieving technique of air‐dried aggregates was used for structural stability evaluation, according to a test that calculates an instability index. The soils studied were developed on Tertiary marly parent material and ranged in calcium carbonate content from 5 to 641 g kg⁻¹. From the texture analysis before and after removal of carbonates, it was concluded that carbonates mainly contributed to total silt and sand fractions, that is to the mechanical fractions which, as a rule, negatively affect aggregate stability. The results of the correlation analysis showed that aggregate stability was positively affected by aluminosilicate clay content, cation exchange capacity (CEC) and Al‐containing sesquioxides. Clay fraction from carbonates and total sand and silt negatively affected aggregate stability. CEC has been proved a very significant determinant of aggregate stability, which in a hyperbolic form relationship with instability index explained 78·9 per cent of aggregate stability variation. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Soil organic carbon dynamics at the regional scale as influenced by land use history: a case study in forest soils from southern Belgium

Land use change (LUC) is known to have a large impact on soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks. However, at a regional scale, our ability to explain SOC dynamics is limited due to the variability generated by inconsistent initial conditions between sample points, poor spatial information on previous land use/land management history and scarce SOC inventories. This study combines the resampling in 2003–2006 of an extensive soil survey in 1950–1960 with exhaustive historical data on LUC (1868–2006) to explain observed changes in the SOC stocks of temperate forest soils in the Belgian Ardennes. Results from resampling showed a significant loss of SOC between the two surveys, associated with a decrease in variability. The mean carbon content decreased from 40.4 to 34.5 g C kg^?1 (10.6 to 9.6 kg C m^?2), with a mean rate of C change (ΔSOC) of ?0.15 g C kg^?1 year^?1 (?0.023 kg C m^?2 year^?1). Soils with high SOC content tended to loose carbon while conversely soils with low SOC tended to gain carbon. Land use change history explained a significant part of past and current SOC stocks as well as ΔSOC during the last 50 years. We show that the use of spatially explicit historical data can help to quantitatively explain changes in SOC content at the regional scale.     

Addition of a clay subsoil to a sandy topsoil changes the response of microbial activity to drying and rewetting after residue addition – a model experiment

The effect of drying and rewetting (DRW) on C mineralization has been studied extensively but mostly in absence of freshly added residues. But in agricultural soils large amounts of residues can be present after harvest; therefore, the impact of DRW in soil after residue addition is of interest. Further, sandy soils may be ameliorated by adding clay‐rich subsoil which could change the response of microbes to DRW. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of DRW on microbial activity and growth in soils that were modified by mixing clay subsoil into sandy top soil and wheat residues were added. We conducted an incubation experiment by mixing finely ground wheat residue (20 g kg^–1) into top loamy sand soil with clay‐rich subsoil at 0, 5, 10, 20, 30, and 40% (w/w). At each clay addition rate, two moisture treatments were imposed: constantly moist control (CM) at 75% WHC or dry and rewet. Soil respiration was measured continuously, and microbial biomass C (MBC) was determined on day 5 (before drying), when the soil was dried, after 5 d dry, and 5 d after rewetting. In the constantly moist treatment, increasing addition rate of clay subsoil decreased cumulative respiration per g soil, but had no effect on cumulative respiration per g total organic C (TOC), indicating that the lower respiration with clay subsoil was due to the low TOC content of the sand‐clay mixes. Clay subsoil addition did not affect the MBC concentration per g TOC but reduced the concentration of K₂SO₄ extractable C per g TOC. In the DRW treatment, cumulative respiration per g TOC during the dry phase increased with increasing clay subsoil addition rate. Rewetting of dry soil caused a flush of respiration in all soils but cumulative respiration at the end of the experiment remained lower than in the constantly moist soils. Respiration rates after rewetting were higher than at the corresponding days in constantly moist soils only at clay subsoil addition rates of 20 to 40%. We conclude that in presence of residues, addition of clay subsoil to a sandy top soil improves microbial activity during the dry phase and upon rewetting but has little effect on microbial biomass.     

Impact of land use on soil organic carbon stocks in the humid tropics of NE Tanzania

The conversion of tropical forests to agricultural land use is considered as a major cause for a decline in soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks. However, the extent and impact of different land uses on SOC stock development is highly uncertain, especially for tropical Africa due to a lack of reliable data. Interactions of SOC with the soil mineral phase can modify the susceptibility of SOC to become mineralized. Pedogenic Fe‐, Al‐oxides and clay potentially affect SOC stabilization in highly weathered soils typically found in the humid tropics. The aim of our study was to determine the impact of different land uses on SOC stock on such soils. For that purpose, 10 pedologically similar, deeply weathered acidic soils (Acrisols, Alisols) in the Eastern Usambara Mountains (Amani Nature Reserve, NE Tanzania) under contrasting land use were sampled to a depth of 100 cm. The calculated mean SOC stocks were 17.5 kg C m^?2, 16.8 kg C m^?2, 16.9 kg C m^?2, and 20.0 kg C m^?2 for the four forests, two tea plantations, three croplands, and one homegarden, respectively. A significant difference in mean SOC stock of 1.3 kg C m^?2 was detected between forest and cropland land use for the 0–10 cm depth increment. No further significant impacts of land use on SOC stocks were observed. All soils have a clearly clay‐dominated texture. They are characterized by high content of pedogenic oxides with 29 to 47 g kg^?1 measured for the topsoils and 36 to 65 g kg^?1 for the subsoils. No positive significant relationship was found between SOC and clay content. Statistically significant positive relationships existed between oxalate‐extractable Fe, Al, and SOC content for cropland soils only. Compared to data published in literature the SOC stocks determined in our study were generally high independent of the established land use. It appears that efficient SOC stabilization mechanisms are counteracting the higher disturbance regime under agricultural land use in these highly weathered tropical soils.     

Initial soil organic carbon concentration influences the short-term retention of crop-residue carbon in the fine fraction of a heavy clay soil

Among factors controlling decomposition and retention of residue C in soil, effect of initial soil organic C (SOC) concentration remains unclear. We evaluated, under controlled conditions, short-term retention of corn residue C and total soil CO₂ production in C-rich topsoil and C-poor subsoil samples of heavy clay. Topsoil (0–20 cm deep, 31.3 g SOC kg^?1 soil) and subsoil (30–70 cm deep, 4.5 g SOC kg^?1 soil) were mixed separately with ¹³C–¹⁵N-labeled corn (Zea mays L.) residue at rates of 0 to 40 g residue C kg^?1 soil and incubated for 51 days. We measured soil CO₂–C production and the retention of residue C in the whole soil and the fine particle-size fraction (<50 μm). Cumulative C mineralization was always greater in topsoil than subsoil. Whole-soil residue C retention was similar in topsoil and subsoil at rates up to 20 g residue C kg^?1. There was more residue C retained in the fine fraction of topsoil than subsoil at low residue input levels (2.5 and 5 g residue C kg^?1), but the trend was reversed with high residue inputs (20 and 40 g residue C kg^?1). Initial SOC concentration affected residue C retention in the fine fraction but not in the whole soil. At low residue input levels, greater microbial activity in topsoil resulted in greater residue fragmentation and more residue C retained in the fine fraction, compared to the subsoil. At high residue input levels, less residue C accumulated in the fine fraction of topsoil than subsoil likely due to greater C saturation in the topsoil. We conclude that SOC-poor soils receiving high C inputs have greater potential to accumulate C in stable forms than SOC-rich soils.     

Physicochemical properties of the soils associated with shifting cultivation in Northern Thailand with special reference to factors determining soil fertility

Abstract

Recently agricultural activity in the mountainous area of northern Thailand has increased and problems relating to soil fertility have arisen. In order to gain basic information about the soil properties associated with shifting cultivation, physicochemical properties of the surface soils (0–10 cm) and subsoils (30–40 cm) were investigated in selected villages in the area. The physicochemical properties of the soils studied are summarized as follows: 1) The soils were rich in organic matter, content of which ranged from 11.4 to 63.3 g C kg^?1 in the surface soil. 2) The pH(H₂O) of the soils mostly ranged from 5 to 7 and soil acidity was more pronounced in the deeper horizons. In the surface soils, exchangeable Ca and Mg were generally dominant, whereas exchangeable Al was often predominant in the subsoils. 3) Most of the soils showed a medium to fine texture with more than 30% clay. The clay mineral composition was characterized by various degrees of mixture of kaolin minerals and clay mica with, in some cases, a certain amount of 2:1-2:1:1 intergrades. 4) According to the ion adsorption curves, most of the B horizon soils were characterized by the predominance of permanent negative charges. On the other hand, organic matter contributed to the increase of variable negative charges in the surface soils. The content of organic matter and the percentage of the clay fraction were essential for determining the CEC of the soils of the surface 10 and 30–40 cm depths, respectively. Under the field conditions, the composition of exchangeable cations largely reflected the soil acidity. In addition, the content of organic matter also showed a significant correlation with that of available N in the surface soils. Thus, soil acidity both in the surface soils and subsoils, organic matter content in the surface soils, and clay content in the subsoils were considered to be the main factors that affected soil chemical fertility in the area.     

Comparing local vs. global visible and near-infrared (VisNIR) diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) calibrations for the prediction of soil clay, organic C and inorganic C

Local, field-scale, VisNIR-DRS soil calibrations generally yield the most accurate predictions but require a substantial number of local calibration samples at every application site. Global to regional calibrations are more economically efficient, but don't provide sufficient accuracy for many applications. In this study, we quantified the value of augmenting a large global spectral library with relatively few local calibration samples for VisNIR-DRS predictions of soil clay content (clay), organic carbon content (SOC), and inorganic carbon content (IC). VisNIR models were constructed with boosted regression trees employing global, local + global, and local spectral data, using local samples from two low-relief, sedimentary bedrock controlled, semiarid grassland sites, and one granitic, montane, subalpine forest site, in Montana, USA. The local + global calibration yielded the most accurate SOC predictions for all three sites [Standard Error of Prediction (SEP) = 3.8, 6.7, and 26.2 g kg^− 1]. This was similarly true for clay (SEP = 95.3 and 102.5 g kg^− 1) and IC (SEP = 5.5 and 6.0 g kg^− 1) predictions at the two semiarid grassland sites. A purely local calibration produced the best validation results for soil clay content at the subalpine forest site (SEP = 49.2 g kg^− 1), which also had the largest number of local calibration samples (N = 210). Using only samples from calcareous soils in the global spectral library combined with local samples produced the best SOC and IC results at the more arid of the two semiarid sites. Global samples alone never achieved more accurate predictions than the best local + global calibrations. For the temperate soils used in this study, the augmentation of a large global spectral library with relatively few local samples generally improved the prediction of soil clay, SOC, and IC relative to global or local samples alone.     

连续五年生物垃圾堆肥施用后地中海蔬菜种植系统中土壤有机碳的变化

Biowaste compost can influence soil organic matter accumulation directly or indirectly. A 5-year experiment was conducted to assess the influence of biowaste compost on the process of soil aggregation and soil organic carbon(SOC) accumulation in a Mediterranean vegetable cropping system. The study involved four treatments: biowaste compost(COM), mineral NPK fertilizers(MIN), biowaste compost with half-dose N fertilizer(COMN), and unfertilized control(CK). The SOC stocks were increased in COM, COMN, and MIN by 20.2, 14.9, and 2.4 Mg ha~(-1)over CK, respectively. The SOC concentration was significantly related to mean weight diameter of aggregates(MWD)(P 0.05, R~2= 0.798 4) when CK was excluded from regression analysis. Compared to CK, COM and COMN increased the SOC amount in macroaggregates( 250 μm) by 2.7 and 0.6 g kg~(-1)soil, respectively, while MIN showed a loss of 0.4g kg~(-1)soil. The SOC amount in free microaggregates(53–250 μm) increased by 0.9, 1.6, and 1.0 g kg~(-1)soil for COM, COMN, and MIN, respectively, while those in the free silt plus clay aggregates( 53 μm) did not vary significantly. However, when separating SOC in particle-size fractions, we found that more stable organic carbon associated with mineral fraction 53 μm(MOM-C) increased significantly by 3.4, 2.2, and 0.7 g kg~(-1)soil for COM, COMN, and MIN, respectively, over CK, while SOC amount in fine particulate organic matter(POM) fraction(53–250 μm) increased only by 0.3 g kg~(-1)soil for both COM and COMN, with no difference in coarse POM 250 μm. Therefore, we consider that biowaste compost could be effective in improving soil structure and long-term C sequestration as more stable MOM-C.     

基于GIS的亚热带典型地区土壤有机碳空间分布预测

Spatial distribution of organic carbon in soils is difficult to estimate because of inherent spatial variability and insufficient data. A soil-landscape model for a region, based on 151 samples for parent material and topographic factors, was established using a GIS spatial analysis technique and a digital elevation model (DEM) to reveal spatial distribution characteristics of soil organic carbon (SOC). Correlations between organic carbon and topographic factors were analyzed and a regression model was established to predict SOC content. Results for surface soils (0-20 cm) showed that the average SOC content was 12.8 g kg^-1, with the SOC content between 6 and 12 g kg^-1 occupying the largest area and SOC over 24 g kg^-1 the smallest. Also, soils derived from phyllite were the highest in the SOC content and area, while soils developed on purple shale the lowest. Although parent material, elevation, and slope exposure were all significant topographic variables (P < 0.01), slope exposure had the highest correlation to SOC content (r = 0.66). Using a multiple regression model (R² = 0.611) and DEM (with a 30 m × 30 m grid), spatial distribution of SOC could be forecasted.     

Carbon storage in loess derived surface soils from Central Germany: Influence of mineral phase variables

The influence of the soil mineral phase on organic matter storage was studied in loess derived surface soils of Central Germany. The seven soils were developed to different genetic stages. The carbon content of the bulk soils ranged from 8.7 to 19.7 g kg^—1. Clay mineralogy was confirmed to be constant, with illite contents > 80 %. Both, specific surface area (SSA, BET‐N₂‐method) and cation exchange capacity (CEC) of bulk soils after carbon removal were better predictors of carbon content than clay content or dithionite‐extractable iron. SSA explained 55 % and CEC 54 % of the variation in carbon content. The carbon loadings of the soils were between 0.57 and 1.06 mg C m^—2, and therefore in the ”︁monolayer equivalent” (ME) level. The increase in SSA after carbon removal (ΔSSA) was significantly and positively related to carbon content (r² = 0.77). Together with CEC of carbon‐free samples, ΔSSA explained 90 % of the variation in carbon content. Clay (< 2 μm) and fine silt fractions (2—6.3 μm) contained 68—82 % of the bulk soil organic carbon. A significantly positive relationship between carbon content in the clay fraction and in the bulk soil was observed (r² = 0.95). The carbon pools of the clay and fine silt fractions were characterized by differences in C/N ratio, δ¹³C ratio, and enrichment factors for carbon and nitrogen. Organic matter in clay fractions seems to be more altered by microbes than organic matter in fine silt fractions. The results imply that organic matter accumulates in the fractions of smallest size and highest surface area, apparently intimately associated with the mineral phase. The amount of cations adhering to the mineral surface and the size of a certain and specific part of the surface area (ΔSSA) are the mineral phase properties which affect the content of the organic carbon in loess derived arable surface soils in Central Germany most. There is no monolayer of organic matter on the soil surfaces even if carbon loadings are in the ME level.     

Soil organic carbon balance and nutrients (NPK) availability under treated wastewater irrigation for bioenergy sorghum production in an arid ecosystem

This column study evaluated the effects of irrigation with two water qualities (WW and FW) to produce bioenergy sorghum on SOC balance, nutrients availability and salt constituents in two soils (TX and NM) amended with gypsum & elemental sulfur (S) and un-amended. Study results indicated that SOC concentration was higher in freshwater irrigated columns (7.41 g kg^?1) than wastewater irrigated soils (7.32 g kg^?1) across growth year-soil type-amendments-depth. Soils amended with gypsum and sulfur registered significantly higher value of 7.52 and 7.41 g kg^?1 compared to 7.30 and 7.23 g kg^?1 in non-amended soils under fresh and wastewater irrigation, respectively. Lower SOC in WW irrigated columns could be due to the combined effects of increased salinity and priming effects. Although SOC content initially increased in gypsum and S amended soils to about 10g kg^?1, at the end of the study SOC in all treatments decreased to levels significantly below the pre-study. WW irrigation added 2.00, 1.10 and 4.40 times the N, P and K added by fertilizers and was able to meet 65%, 87%, and 210% of bioenergy sorghum uptake of respective nutrients. Sulfates and chlorides of sodium and calcium were dominant salts, which significantly affected SOC and nutrients.

Abbreviations: FW: freshwater; WW: treated wastewater; G + S: gypsum and elemental sulfur; NA: no amendment, TX: Texas soil and NM: New Mexico soil     

Soil organic carbon stock for reclaimed minesoils in northeastern Ohio

Reclamation of disturbed soils is done with the primary objective of restoring the land for agronomic or forestry land use. Reclamation followed by sustainable management can restore the depleted soil organic carbon (SOC) stock over time. This study was designed to assess SOC stocks of reclaimed and undisturbed minesoils under different cropping systems in Dover Township, Tuscarawas County, Ohio (40°32·33′ N and 81°33·86′ W). Prior to reclamation, the soil was classified as Bethesda Soil Series (loamy‐skeletal, mixed, acid, mesic Typic Udorthent). The reclaimed and unmined sites were located side by side and were under forage (fescue—Festuca arundinacea Schreb. and alfa grass—Stipa tenacissima L.), and corn (Zea mays L.)—soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) rotation. All fields were chisel plowed annually except unmined forage, and fertilized only when planted to corn. The manure was mostly applied on unmined fields planted to corn, and reclaimed fields planted to forage and corn. The variability in soil properties (i.e., soil bulk density, pH and soil organic carbon stock) ranged from moderate to low across all land uses in both reclaimed and unmined fields for 0–10 and 10–20 cm depths. The soil nitrogen stock ranged from low to moderate for unmined fields and moderate to high in some reclaimed fields. Soil pH was always less than 6·7 in both reclaimed and unmined fields. The mean soil bulk density was consistently lower in unmined (1·27 mg m⁻³ and 1·22 mg m⁻³) than reclaimed fields (1·39 mg m⁻³ and 1·34 mg m⁻³) planted to forage and corn, respectively. The SOC and total nitrogen (TN) concentrations were higher for reclaimed forage (33·30 g kg⁻¹; 3·23 g kg⁻¹) and cornfields (21·22 g kg⁻¹; 3·66 g kg⁻¹) than unmined forage (17·47 g kg⁻¹; 1·98 g kg⁻¹) and cornfield (17·70 g kg⁻¹; 2·76 g kg⁻¹). The SOC stocks in unmined soils did not differ among forage, corn or soybean fields but did so in reclaimed soils for 0–10 cm depth. The SOC stock for reclaimed forage (39·6 mg ha⁻¹ for 0–10 cm and 28·6 mg ha⁻¹ for 10–20 cm depths) and cornfields (28·3 mg ha⁻¹; 32·2 mg ha⁻¹) were higher than that for the unmined forage (22·7 mg ha⁻¹; 17·6 mg ha⁻¹) and corn (21·5 mg ha⁻¹; 26·8 mg ha⁻¹) fields for both depths. These results showed that the manure application increased SOC stocks in soil. Overall this study showed that if the reclamation is done properly, there is a large potential for SOC sequestration in reclaimed soils. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.