不同经营方式对黑土水稳性团聚体组成及微粒有机质积累分布的影响

长期定位试验研究松嫩平原典型中厚黑土区水稳性团聚体组成和微粒有机质积累分布规律结果表明,不同培肥模式和耕作制度对水稳性团聚体组成有很大影响,耕地团聚体组成以<1mm水稳性团聚体占绝对优势;微粒有机碳(POM C)主要存在于水稳性大团聚体中,且其含量随粒级减小而下降,这对维持耕地黑土大团聚体(>0 .2 5mm)水稳定性起重要作用     

Recovering decomposing plant residues from the particulate soil organic matter fraction: size versus density separation

 A detailed size separation of particulate organic matter (POM) from soils amended with straw from Hordeum vulgare or Vicia sativa revealed that the loss of C during the first 56 days of incubation mainly occurred from particles >2,000 μm, without a concomitant reduction in the size of these large particles. Preliminary studies of POM from non-amended soil had shown that the stable heavy (>1.4 g cm^–3) POM fraction was mainly (>80%) composed of particles <400 μm, whereas the light fraction was dominated by larger particles (>80%). Therefore we decided to compare the POM <1.4 g cm³ with POM >400 μm. There was a very close relationship between POM>400 μm and POM <1.4 g cm^–3 with regard to amounts of C and N, as well as the appearance of these fractions under the microscope. Similarly there was a close relationship between changes in the C content of the POM fractions and the CO₂ respired, and this was also the case when comparing changes in POM-N with net N mineralization. This indicated that the biological activity during decomposition was actually localized in the POM. Due to the lighter workload and lower expenditure for reagents in connection with size separation of POM, we recommend the size separation procedure in connection with studies of residue decomposition in arable systems. Received: 23 May 2000     

Water-dispersible clay after wetting and drying cycles in four Brazilian oxisols

Widespread intensive land use in the seasonal tropics can damage the physical stability of aggregates. Similar damage can be expected from wetting and drying cycles causing aggregate fragmentation and, consequently, leading to an increase in their specific area and exposure of internal electric charges. Thus, we hypothetised that the influence of wetting and drying cycles is dependent on the mineralogical composition of oxisols (latosols) and it is higher in soils with low aggregate stability. A greenhouse experiment was carried out to test this hypothesis in highly weathered soils from Brazil, all with variable-charge clays and highly stable aggregates. Wetting and drying cycles were defined from the quantity of water available between field capacity and the permanent wilting point. Soil columns were submitted to 0, 2, 6, 9, 12, 15 and 18 wetting and drying cycles. After each number of wetting and drying defined physical and chemical properties were determined. Statistical analysis, such as simple and multiple linear regression and Pearson's correlation were performed, showing significantly correlated WDC contents with wetting and drying cycles. The obtained results led to the conclusion that there was a close interdependence among mineralogical composition, aggregate stability and WDC influenced by wetting and drying cycles. Soils of reduced aggregate stability like kaolinitcs made them more susceptible to the action of wetting and drying on the WDC. Changes in the WDC with wetting and drying cycles showed correlated with eletrochemical properties.     

Soil biophysical controls over rice straw decomposition and sequestration in soil: The effects of drying intensity and frequency of drying and wetting cycles

Although it is well known that fluctuations in soil moisture affect the decomposition of organic matter, few studies have provided direct evidence of the underlying biophysical mechanisms. Cycles of wetting and drying (W/D) may not only alter soil pore structure, but also stimulate a proliferation of fungi, since these organisms are typically less affected by drought stress than bacteria, and hence the development of fungal-induced soil water repellency. The biophysical interaction between these processes is likely to influence the decomposition of organic matter amendments to soil and carbon sequestration. By using soil cores amended with rice straw, the objectives of this study were to determine the effects of drying intensity and frequency of W/D cycles on decomposition rate after rewetting, soil pore-size distribution, soil microbial biomass (SMB) and soil water repellency, and to assess their biophysical interaction. One W/D cycle consisted of wetting a soil core from the bottom for 1.5-days at −0.03 kPa followed by 1.5, 3.5 or 6.5 days of drying in open air at 25 ± 2.5 °C. This resulted in different intensities of drying and frequencies of W/D cycles over a 120-d incubation period. The decomposition rate decreased with repeated W/D cycles and increasing drying intensity, particularly between the 3rd and 9th W/D cycles. The SMB-C concentration and soil water repellency peaked at the 3rd W/D cycle. The peak size of the SMB-C concentration was larger in the drier soils and soil water repellency was significantly related to SMB-C concentration (R = 0.57, P = 0.025). The soil with the strongest drying treatment had a greater concentration of particulate organic carbon (POC) and the lowest C:N ratio in POC. Although the decomposition rate was significantly correlated to the concentration of soil organic carbon (SOC) (P < 0.01), POC (P < 0.01) and SMB-C (P < 0.05), stepwise regression analysis further identified that it was largely correlated to soil pore characteristics. The decrease in the decomposition rate in the drier soil was largely explained by the increase in macropores >300 μm in diameter (R = 0.98). The results suggest that an increased drying intensity or a longer duration of drying after rainfall or irrigation may favour SOC sequestration through inhibiting decomposition of amended residue. This may be due to the formation of macropores and their subsequent stabilization via fungal growth and fungal-induced soil water repellency.     

菜地土壤有机碳分级以及总量变化的动态特征研究

Fertilisers significantly affect crop production and crop biomass inputs to soil organic carbon（SOC）. However, the long-term effects of fertilisers on C associated with aggregates are not yet fully understood. Based on soil aggregate and SOC fractionation analysis, this study investigated the long-term effects of organic manure and inorganic fertilisers on the accumulation and change in SOC and its fractions, including the C concentrations of free light fraction, intra-aggregate particulate organic matter（POM） and intra-aggregate mineral-associated organic matter（MOM）. Long-term manure applications improved SOC and increased the concentrations of some C fractions. Manure also accelerated the decomposition of coarse POM（cPOM） into fine POM（fPOM） and facilitated the transformation of fPOM encrustation into intra-microaggregate POM within macroaggregates. However, the application of inorganic fertilisers was detrimental to the formation of fPOM and to the subsequent encrustation of fPOM with clay particles, thus inhibiting the formation of stable microaggregates within macroaggregates. No significant differences were observed among the inorganic fertiliser treatments in terms of C concentrations of MOM, intra-microaggregate MOM within macroaggregate（imMMOM） and intra-microaggregate MOM（imMOM）. However, the long-term application of manure resulted in large increases in C concentrations of MOM（36.35%）, imMMOM（456.31%） and imMOM（19.33%） compared with control treatment.     

Assessment of soil structure repair due to wetting and drying cycles through 2D tomographic image analysis

Soil structure is very important in agriculture since it affects soil and plant root attributes, such as root system distribution, soil water and nutrient transport, and heat transfer. Degraded soil structures may be repaired by wetting and drying cycles due to changes in the soil pore system. Gamma-ray computed tomography (CT) was used as a tool to evaluate the effect of wetting/drying cycles on soil structure repair, using samples collected in aluminum cylinders. A first-generation tomograph with an ²⁴¹Am source and a 7.62 cm × 7.62 cm NaI(Tl) scintillation crystal detector coupled to a photomultiplier tube were employed. Image analysis and tomographic unit profiles showed that CT can provide an insight into sample structure in order to evaluate repairs and so improves the use of this tool in relation to the judgement of the quality of measured soil physical properties.     

稻田垄作免耕对土壤团聚体和有机质的影响

该文以1990年建立的耕作制定位试验田紫色水稻土为研究对象,分析了冬水田（FPF）、水旱轮作（CR）和垄作免耕（RNT）3种耕作方式对土壤团聚体组成和有机质的影响。结果表明,垄作免耕减少了对土壤大团聚体的破坏,在0～10 cm土层,垄作免耕大团聚体含量分别是冬水田和水旱轮作的1.48和1.32倍,微团聚体含量则显著降低;在 ＞10～20 cm土层有相同的趋势。3种耕作条件下,有机碳和氮在团聚体中的分布模式类似,均有向大团聚体富集的趋势,但垄作免耕条件下土壤有机碳和氮质量分数显著高于冬水田和水旱轮作。对土壤颗粒有机质（POM）的分析结果表明,垄作免耕0～10 cm土层轻质组分（LF）的质量分数（1.92 g/kg）与水旱轮作（1.70 g/kg）差异不显著,但显著高于冬水田（1.42 g/kg）。冬水田、水旱轮作和垄作免耕的0～10 cm土层,团聚体内总颗粒有机质（total iPOM）质量分数分别为0.96,1.12,2.14 g/kg;垄作免耕土壤团聚体内细颗粒有机质（fine iPOM）分别为冬水田和水旱轮作土壤的3.02和2.46倍,占总POM差异的57%和66%。垄作免耕土壤团聚体内粗颗粒有机质（coarse iPOM）分别为冬水田和水旱轮作土壤的1.56和1.40倍,占总POM差异的18%和19%。在＞10～20 cm土层有相似的趋势,但在＞10～20 cm层土壤粗iPOM的差异对总POM差异的贡献较0～10 cm层大。垄作免耕减少了对大团聚体的破坏并促进微团聚体向大团聚体团聚;降低了团聚体的周转速率,促进了细iPOM的固定,利于紫色水稻土对碳的固定和积累。     

Qualitative and quantitative differences in particulate organic matter fractions in organic and conventional farming systems

To quantify functionally important differences in soil organic matter (SOM) that result from use of different farming practices, soils from 9 long-term trials comparing manure+legume-based organic, legume-based organic, and conventional farming systems were collected and particulate organic matter (POM) was fractionated to reflect its position within the soil matrix. The free, light POM (FPOM; <1.6 g cm⁻³) not occluded within aggregates and occluded POM (OPOM; <2.0 g cm⁻³) were compared to an undifferentiated POM fraction (coarse fraction, CF; >53 μm) obtained by wet sieving. Fraction C, N, and hydrolyzable N (quantified using the Illinois test (IL-N)) were determined. Organic farming systems had greater quantities of C and N in the OPOM and CF and, greater IL-N contents in all POM fractions considered. The OPOM's C:N ratio (16-19) and was least in the manure+legume-based organic, intermediate in the legume-based organic, and greatest in the conventional systems (P<0.10). Trends in OPOM C:N and IL-N abundance suggested occluded POM was most decomposed, and possibly a greater N reservoir, in the manured soils. The FPOM quality reflected the residues added to each system and its removal improved resolution of quality-based differences in POM associated with long-term management. Subdivision of POM revealed differences in its quality that were not evident using the undifferentiated CF. Quantification of hydrolysable N (IL-N) in POM did not enhance our understanding of management's affect on SOM quality. This multi-site comparison showed organic management simultaneously increased the size of the labile N reservoir and the amount of POM protected within aggregates; and that, occluded POM is more decomposed in manure+legume- than in legume-based organic systems. The characteristics of POM reveal how organic practices improve SOM and suggest the nutrient and substrate decay dynamics of organic systems may differ as a result of the N fertilization strategies they employ.     

Water-stable aggregates and associated organic matter in forest,savanna, and cropland soils of a seasonally dry tropical region,India

The study was undertaken to quantify the distribution of soil in different size fractions of water-stable aggregates, and organic C, total N, and total P associated with these aggregates, along a gradient of forest-savanna-cropland in the Indian dry tropics. The effect of residue (wheat straw) amendment under dryland cultivation was also investigated. Proportions of macroaggregates (>0.3 mm) were highest in the forest and lowest in the cropland soil and ranged from 58–66% in forest, to 55% in savanna and 25–36% in cropland. In contrast, microaggregates (<0.3 mm) were highest in cropland (64–75%), followed by savanna (45%), and lowest in forest soil (34–42%). Organic C, total N, and total P associated with the macroaggregates ranged from 6.52–29.56, to 0.62–2.44 and 0.06–0.15 g kg^-1 soil, respectively, while the respective values in microaggregates were 4.99–22.11, 0.42–2.01, and 0.07–0.19 g kg^-1 soil. This study indicates that land-use changes (conversion of forest into savanna and cropland) reduce the organic matter input to the soil and the proportion of macroaggregates. The application of wheat straw did not significantly influence the organic C and total N levels (P>0.05) in the short term, although the proportion of macroaggregates increased, indicating an improvement in soil structure. Thus soil degradation after conversion of natural systems to cropland can be arrested up to some extent by residue input to the soil.     

长期免耕对东北地区玉米田土壤有机碳组分的影响

Increasing evidence has shown that conservation tillage is an effective agricultural practice to increase carbon (C) sequestration in soils. In order to understand the mechanisms underlying the responses of soil organic carbon (SOC) to tillage regimes, physical fractionation techniques were employed to evaluate the effect of long-term no-tillage (NT) on soil aggregation and SOC fractions. Results showed that NT increased the concentration of total SOC by 18.1% compared with conventional tillage (CT) under a long-term maize (Zea mays L.) cropping system in Northeast China. The proportion of soil large macroaggregates ( 2000 μm) was higher in NT than that in CT, while small macroaggregates (250-2000 μm) showed an opposite trend. Therefore, the total proportion of macroaggregates ( 2000 and 250-2000 μm) was not affected by tillage management. However, C concentrations of macroaggregates on a whole soil basis were higher under NT relative to CT, indicating that both the amount of aggregation and aggregate turnover affected C stabilization. Carbon concentrations of intra-aggregate particulate organic matter associated with microaggregates (iPOM m) and microaggregates occluded within macroaggregates (iPOM mM) in NT were 1.6 and 1.8 times greater than those in CT, respectively. Carbon proportions of iPOM m and iPOM mM in the total SOC increased from 5.4% and 6.3% in CT to 7.2% and 9.7% in NT, respectively. Furthermore, the difference in the microaggregate protected C (i.e., iPOM m and iPOM mM) between NT and CT could explain 45.4% of the difference in the whole SOC. The above results indicate that NT stimulates C accumulation within microaggregates which then are further acted upon in the soil to form macroaggregates. The shift of SOC within microaggregates is beneficial for long-term C sequestration in soil. We also corroborate that the microaggregate protected C is useful as a pool for assessing the impact of tillage management on SOC storage.     

施氮和干湿灌溉对水稻抽穗期根系分泌有机酸的影响

以水稻品种‘连粳7号’为试验材料进行盆栽试验,设置不施氮(0N,0 kg?hm-2)、中氮(MN,240 kg?hm-2)和高氮(HN,360 kg?hm-2)3种施氮水平及浅水层灌溉(0 k Pa)、轻度干湿交替灌溉(-20 k Pa)和重度干湿交替灌溉(-40 k Pa)3种灌溉方式,研究不同水氮处理对水稻抽穗期根系分泌有机酸总量和组分变化、氨基酸含量及水稻氮肥农学利用率与偏生产力的影响及其耦合效应,探索水氮耦合机理,为水稻氮素高效利用及根际生态提供理论及科学依据。结果表明:轻度干湿交替灌溉增加了水稻根系酒石酸、柠檬酸、草酸、苹果酸、琥珀酸、总有机酸、氨基酸分泌量,分别较浅水层灌溉增加13.2%、8.7%、27.3%、40.0%、6.7%、6.3%及6.4%,水稻氮肥农学利用效率及偏生产力分别增加4.1%及1.7%,显著提高根系分泌有机酸及氨基酸含量;重度干湿交替灌溉减少水稻根系酒石酸、柠檬酸、草酸、苹果酸、琥珀酸的分泌量,显著降低根系分泌有机酸总量、氨基酸含量及水稻的氮肥利用效率。同一水分条件下,施氮显著促进根系酒石酸、乙酸、苹果酸、琥珀酸的分泌,降低了草酸和柠檬酸的分泌量。根系分泌的酒石酸和琥珀酸含量在MN与HN间差异较小。分析表明,根系分泌有机酸总量、氨基酸、苹果酸及琥珀酸的供氮效应为正效应,轻度干湿交替灌溉效应及与供氮的耦合效应为正效应,而重度干湿交替灌溉效应及其与供氮的耦合效应则为负效应。根系分泌的柠檬酸、草酸与氮肥利用率呈显著与极显著正相关,乙酸与氮肥利用间呈显著负相关。结果表明通过轻度干湿交替灌溉与中等施氮调控发挥水肥耦合效应,可以促进水稻根系酒石酸、苹果酸、琥珀酸及氨基酸分泌,提高氮肥利用效率,从而促进水稻高产。     

铵、钾同时存在时, 土壤对铵的优先吸附

The water stability of aggregates in various size classes separated from 18 samples of red soils under different managements, and the mechanisms responsible for the formation of water-stable soil aggregates were studied. The results showed that the water stability of soil aggregates declined with increasing size, especially for the low organic matter soils. Organic matter plays a key role in the formation of water-stable soil aggregates. The larger the soil aggregate size, the greater the impact of organic matter on the water stability of soil aggregates. Removal of organic matter markedly disintegrated the large water-stable aggregates (> 2.0 mm) and increased the small ones (< 0.25-0.5mm) to some extent, whereas removal of free iron(aluminium) oxides considerably destroyed aggregates of all sizes, especially the < 0.25-0.5 mm classes. The contents of organic matter in water-stable aggregates increased with aggregate sizes. It is concluded from this study that small water-stable aggregates (< 0.25-0.5 mm) were chiefly cemented by Fe and Al oxides whilst the large ones (> 2.0 mm) were mainly glued up by organic matter. Both free oxides and organic matter contribute to the formation and water stability of aggregates in red soils.     

酸性土壤中度和高度稳定有机磷的分组研究

The fractionation of moderately and highly organic phosphorus (P_o) in acid soil was studied by two methods. By the first method, after incubation for 40 d, the mineralization rates of eight constituents of stable P_o in the soil were determined. By the second method, five constituents of precipitates of stable P_o in the soil were separated, then the five precipitates were put back into the original soils and incubated for 40 d and 60 d. Then, mineralization rates of the five precipitates were determined. The same results were obtained by the two methods. When the pH of the alkali solution containing stable P_o was adjusted from 3.00 to 3.10, the mineralization rate of moderately stable P_o was rapidly raised. Therefore, the pH 3.00 is the critical point between moderately and highly stable P_o.     

Labile and stable pools of organic matter in soil amended with sewage sludge biochar

One of the main advantages of using biochar for agricultural purposes is its ability to store carbon (C) in soil for a long-term. Studies of labile and stable fractions of soil organic matter (SOM) may be a good indicator of the dynamics of biochar in soils. This study evaluated the effects of applying sewage sludge biochar (SSB) in combination with mineral fertilizer on fractions of SOM. To conduct this evaluation, 15 Mg ha^?1 of SSB combined or not with mineral fertilizer (NPK) was applied to the soil in two cropping seasons. Apart from total organic C (TOC), the labile and stable fractions of SOM were also determined. The combined use of SSB and NPK resulted in higher TOC, a 22% to 40% increase compared to the control and to the NPK treatments, respectively. The SSB produced at a lower temperature increased the labile fractions of SOM, especially the microbial biomass C, showing its capacity to supply nutrients in the short-term. The stable pools of SOM are increased after adding SSB produced at a higher temperature. It was concluded that pyrolysis temperature is a key-factor that determines the potential of SSB to accumulate C in labile and stable fractions of SOM.     

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.     

From the litter layer to the saprolite: Chemical changes in water-soluble soil organic matter and their correlation to microbial community composition

Organic matter content and chemistry is vital to the structure and function of soil systems, but while organic matter is recognized as biogeochemically important, its chemical interaction with soil processes is not well understood. In this study we used fluorescence spectroscopy, which has been used extensively for understanding the role of organic matter in aquatic systems, to identify chemical changes in organic matter with depth in a soil system. Soil was collected from nine different pits in a first-order montane catchment in the Colorado Front Range. The water-soluble soil organic matter was extracted from each sample and fluorescence and UV–vis spectroscopy was used to analyze its chemical character. While organic matter chemistry had little correlation with landscape location and local vegetation, there were noticeable consistent trends between soil horizon and organic matter chemistry in each pit. Total organic matter decreased with depth and became less aromatic with increasing depth. This less aromatic material in the saprolite also had a greater microbial signature. The redox character of the organic matter accompanied this change in source and molecular structure, with more oxidized character corresponding with organic matter with more microbial input and more reduced character corresponding to organic matter with more plant input. A concurrent investigation of the microbial population of the same soil samples also showed microbial population composition varying more with soil depth than landscape position, and depth changes in microbial diversity occurred concomitantly with depth changes in organic matter chemistry.     

Effects of iron and organic matter on the porosity and structural stability of soil aggregates

Knowledge of the soil components controlling aggregate formation and stability is fundamental to the conservation of soil structure. In this work, the effects of Fe and organic matter (OM) on the porosity and structural stability of aggregates <4 mm of two cropped soils from Galicia (NW Spain) were determined. Porosity was estimated directly, by mercury intrusion porosimetry, and indirectly, from moisture characteristic and shrinkage curves. The three porosities obtained were similar and indicated that Soil 1, with the highest Fe and OM contents, had lower total porosity and a wider pore-size distribution than Soil 2. As regards structural stability, Hénin and Monnier's test, simulated rainfall and dispersion experiments, and determination of textural tensile strength all indicated Soil 1 to be the more stable soil. Oxidation of OM and selective extraction of Fe, which were most concentrated in the clay and silt fractions, indicated both these components to be important soil aggregants. It is suggested that the higher content of Soil 1 in Fe and OM is responsible for its greater stability.     

Incorporation of S into soil organic matter in the field as determined by the natural abundance of stable S isotopes

In agricultural systems with low S inputs, soil organic matter is a major source of S and the transformations between organic and inorganic S pools are important for the supply of S to plants. This study was conducted to determine the effect of S fertilizer on the size and activity of organic S pools. For 5 years S fertilizer with a known composition of stable S isotopes was applied to a rotation on a loamy soil and a coarse sandy soil at rates higher than the plant demand. Total organic S in soil organic matter was not affected by sulphur application, but a small increase occurred in the sulphate ester fractions (P<0.05). Inorganic sulphate concentrations in the soil reflected the S application in the year of sampling, whereas S applied in earlier years was not recognized. Organic matter below the plough layer in both soils was enriched with S, possibly as a result or organic matter leaching or an increased clay content in the subsoils. At 0–20 cm, the C:S ratio in organic matter was ca. 100 for both soils, decreasing to 73 and 46 at 60–80 cm for the coarse sandy soil and the loamy soils, respectively. In both soils, isotope data showed that ca. 30% of organic-bonded S at 0–20 cm originated from fertilizer S applied during the last 5 years, irrespective of the S application rate. At 20–40 cm the rate of incorporations was lower and at 40–60 cm no incorporation of fertilizer S into organic matter was recognized. The fertilizer application did not induce net changes in the total organic S fraction, but isotope data indicated that a considerable part of the organic S pool was involved in S cycling in the field.     

Effects of tillage, organic resources and nitrogen fertiliser on soil carbon dynamics and crop nitrogen uptake in semi-arid West Africa

Tillage, organic resources and fertiliser effects on soil carbon (C) dynamics were investigated in 2000 and 2001 in Burkina Faso (West Africa). A split plot design with four replications was laid-out on a loamy-sand Ferric Lixisol with till and no-till as main treatments and fertiliser types as sub-treatments. Soil was fractionated physically into coarse (0.250–2 mm), medium (0.053–0.250 mm) and fine fractions (< 0.053 mm). Particulate organic carbon (POC) accounted for 47–53% of total soil organic carbon (SOC) concentration and particulate organic nitrogen (PON) for 30–37% of total soil nitrogen concentration. The POC decreased from 53% of total SOC in 2000 to 47% of total SOC in 2001. Tillage increased the contribution of POC to SOC. No-till led to the lowest loss in SOC in the fine fraction compared to tilled plots. Well-decomposed compost and single urea application in tilled as well as in no-till plots induced loss in POC. Crop N uptake was enhanced in tilled plots and may be up to 226 kg N ha⁻¹ against a maximum of 146 kg N ha⁻¹ in no-till plots. Combining crop residues and urea enhanced incorporation of new organic matter in the coarse fraction and the reduction of soil carbon mineralisation from the fine fraction. The PON and crop N uptake are strongly correlated in both till and no-till plots. Mineral-associated N is more correlated to N uptake by crop in tilled than in no-till plots. Combining recalcitrant organic resources and nitrogen fertiliser is the best option for sustaining crop production and reducing soil carbon decline in the more stabilised soil fraction in the semi-arid West Africa.     

Organic matter turnover in soil physical fractions following woody plant invasion of grassland: Evidence from natural C and N

Soil physical structure causes differential accessibility of soil organic carbon (SOC) to decomposer organisms and is an important determinant of SOC storage and turnover. Techniques for physical fractionation of soil organic matter in conjunction with isotopic analyses (δ¹³C, δ¹⁵N) of those soil fractions have been used previously to (a) determine where organic C is stored relative to aggregate structure, (b) identify sources of SOC, (c) quantify turnover rates of SOC in specific soil fractions, and (d) evaluate organic matter quality. We used these two complementary approaches to characterize soil C storage and dynamics in the Rio Grande Plains of southern Texas where C₃ trees/shrubs (δ¹³C=−27‰) have largely replaced C₄ grasslands (δ¹³C=−14‰) over the past 100-200 years. Using a chronosequence approach, soils were collected from remnant grasslands (Time 0) and from woody plant stands ranging in age from 10 to 130 years. We separated soil organic matter into specific size/density fractions and determined their C and N concentrations and natural δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N values. Mean residence times (MRTs) of soil fractions were calculated based on changes in their δ¹³C with time after woody encroachment. The shortest MRTs (average=30 years) were associated with all particulate organic matter (POM) fractions not protected within aggregates. Fine POM (53-250 μm) within macro- and microaggregates was relatively more protected from decay, with an average MRT of 60 years. All silt+clay fractions had the longest MRTs (average=360 years) regardless of whether they were found inside or outside of aggregate structure. δ¹⁵N values of soil physical fractions were positively correlated with MRTs of the same fractions, suggesting that higher δ¹⁵N values reflect an increased degree of humification. Increased soil C and N pools in wooded areas were due to both the retention of older C₄-derived organic matter by protection within microaggregates and association with silt+clay, and the accumulation of new C₃-derived organic matter in macroaggregates and POM fractions.