Potassium influence on soil aggregate stability

Improving soil aggregate stability (SAS) is important for crop production and environmental protection. Here we aim to quantify the effects of potassium (K) on SAS and to examine SAS as a function of potassium adsorption ratio (PAR) and cation ratio of soil structural stability (CROSS). The soils were treated with the incremental K and analyzed for their aggregate stability, clay dispersion, PAR, and CROSS. The influence of K on SAS, therefore, was tested statistically and fitted functionally. The results showed that K decreased clay dispersion and improved SAS. Also, SAS as a function of PAR fit an inverse exponential regression. Based on the coefficients of determination (R²) of the obtained functions, SAS can be explained by PAR with the accuracy above 94%. Increasing CROSS according to K also caused higher SAS, implying that K is considered as a flocculating inducer for kaolinitic tropical soils.     

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.     

耕作对土壤有机物和土壤团聚体稳定性的影响

Agricultural sustainability relates directly to maintaining or enhancing soil quality. Soil quality studies in Canada during the 1980‘s showed that loss of soil organic matter (SOM) and soil aggregate stability was standard features of non-sustainable land management in agroecosystems. In this study total soil organic carbon (SOC), particulate organic matter (POM), POM-C as a percentage of total SOC, and aggregate stability were determined for three cultivated fields and three adjacent grassland fields to assess the impact of conventional agricultural management on soil quality. POM was investigated using solid-state ^13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) to determine any qualitative differences that may be attributed to cultivation. Results show a highly significant loss in total SOC, POM and aggregate stability in the cultivated fields as compared to the grassland fields and a significant loss of POM-C as a percentage of total SOC.Integrated results of the NMR spectra of the POM show a loss in carbohydrate-C and an increase in aromatic-C in the cultivated fields, which translates to a loss of biological lability in the organic matter. Conventional cultivation decreased the quantity and quality of SOM and caused a loss in aggregate stability resulting in an overall decline in soil quality.     

应用Le Bissonnais法研究黄土丘陵区土壤团聚体稳定性

 以黄土丘陵区森林草原过渡带燕沟流域植被自然恢复过程中6种植被类型为研究对象,应用LeBissonnais(LB)法测定了不同植被类型下土壤水稳性团聚体,对比分析了LB法3种处理的测定结果与传统湿筛法(Yoder)的差异性。结果表明:在LB法3种湿润处理下,快速湿润处理(FW)对土壤团聚体结构的破坏程度最大,处理后土壤水稳性团聚体以0.05～0.5mm为主;慢速湿润处理(SW)对团聚体的破坏程度最小,处理后土壤水稳性团聚体主要以>2mm团聚体为主;而预湿后扰动处理(WS)对团聚体的破坏程度介于FW和SW之间,处理后土壤团聚体粒径分布比较均匀。说明该区土壤团聚体破坏的主要机制是土壤孔隙中的气泡爆破产生的消散作用。退耕100a期间,植被群落由1年生草本(4a)—多年生灌草(16 a)—半灌木(29 a)—灌木(55 a)—乔木(100a)方向演替过程中,土壤水稳性团聚体由小粒径向大粒径方向转变,土壤结构趋于稳定。LB法3种处理中,FW处理与SW处理所测得>0.5mm团聚体含量和平均重量直径与土壤有机质和物理性黏粒之间存在显著的相关性,而WS处理未达到显著水平(P>0.05)。说明土壤有机质和物理性黏粒主要影响消散和黏粒膨胀引起的崩解作用,而对机械干扰引起的团聚体破坏无明显影响。LB法3种处理中,慢速湿润方法所获得土壤团聚体稳定性特征更接近湿筛法,适宜于黄土丘陵区植被恢复过程中土壤水稳性团聚体的测定。     

Short-term effects of tillage practices on soil aggregate fractions in a Chinese Mollisol

Abstract

Soil aggregate-size distribution and soil aggregate stability are used to characterize soil structure. Quantifying the changes of structural stability of soil is an important element in assessing soil and crop management practices. A 5-year tillage experiment consisting of no till (NT), moldboard plow (MP) and ridge tillage (RT), was used to study soil water-stable aggregate size distribution, aggregate stability and aggregate-associated soil organic carbon (SOC) at four soil depths (0–5, 5–10, 10–20 and 20–30 cm) of a clay loam soil in northeast China. Nonlinear fractal dimension (D_m) was used to characterize soil aggregate stability. No tillage led to a significantly greater aggregation for >1 mm aggregate and significant SOC changes in this fraction at 0–5 cm depth. There were significant positive relationships between SOC and >1 mm aggregate, SOC in each aggregate fraction, but there was no relationship between soil aggregate parameters (the proportion of soil aggregates, aggregate-associated SOC and soil stability) and soil bulk density. After 5 years, there was no difference in D_m of soil aggregate size distribution among tillage treatments, which suggested that D_m could not be used as an indicator to assess short-term effects of tillage practices on soil aggregation. In the short term, > 1 mm soil aggregate was a better indicator to characterize the impacts of tillage practices on quality of a Chinese Mollisol, particularly in the near-surface layer of the soil.     

Soil aggregation,aggregate stability,organic carbon and nitrogen in different soil aggregate fractions under forest and shrub vegetation on the Loess Plateau,China

Revegetation has been reported as one of the most effective counter measures to reduce soil and water erosion on the Loess plateau in China. Soil aggregate stability and the distribution of organic carbon and nitrogen in different aggregate fractions would be affected by different plant communities. The objectives of this study were to elucidate the effects of different plant communities on soil aggregate stability and the distribution of organic carbon and nitrogen in different aggregate fractions in order to prove that the different plant covers enhance soil aggregate stability.     

Soil‐aggregate formation as influenced by clay content and organic‐matter amendment

Naturally occurring wetting‐and‐drying cycles often enhance aggregation and give rise to a stable soil structure. In comparatively dry regions, such as large areas of Australia, organic‐matter (OM) contents in topsoils of arable land are usually small. Therefore, the effects of wetting and drying are almost solely reliant on the clay content. To investigate the relations between wetting‐and‐drying cycles, aggregation, clay content, and OM in the Australian environment, an experiment was set up to determine the relative influence of both clay content (23%, 31%, 34%, and 38%) and OM amendments of barley straw (equivalent to 3.1 t ha^–1, 6.2 t ha^–1, and 12.4 t ha^–1) on the development of water‐stable aggregates in agricultural soil. The aggregate stability of each of the sixteen composite soils was determined after one, three, and six wet/dry cycles and subsequent fast and slow prewetting and was then compared to the aggregate stabilities of all other composite soils. While a single wet/dry cycle initiated soil structural evolution in all composite soils, enhancing macroaggregation, the incorporation of barley straw was most effective for the development of water‐stable aggregates in those soils with 34% and 38% clay. Repeated wetting‐and‐drying events revealed that soil aggregation is primarily based on the clay content of the soil, but that large straw additions also tend to enhance soil aggregation. Relative to untreated soil, straw additions equivalent to 3.1 t ha^–1 and 12.4 t ha^–1 increased soil aggregation by about 100% and 250%, respectively, after three wet/dry cycles and fast prewetting, but were of less influence with subsequent wet/dry cycles. Straw additions were even more effective in aggregating soil when combined with slow prewetting; after three wet/dry cycles, the mean weight diameters of aggregates were increased by 70% and 140% with the same OM additions and by 160% and 290% after six wet/dry cycles, compared to samples without organic amendments. We suggest that in arable soils poor in OM and with a field texture grade of clay loam or finer, the addition of straw, which is often available from preceding crops, may be useful for improving aggregation. For a satisfactory degree of aggregate stability and an improved soil structural form, we found that straw additions of at least 6.2 t ha^–1 were required. However, rapid wetting of straw‐amended soil will disrupt newly formed aggregates, and straw has only a limited ability to sustain structural improvement.     

湿润速度对土壤表面强度和土壤团聚体结构的影响

为揭示地表结皮形成的物理机制和防止结皮形成的措施提供理论支持,该文以中国3种典型的土壤（黄土、红壤和黑土）为研究对象,采用2 mm/h（慢速）,10 mm/h（中速）,50 mm/h（快速）3种湿润速度,研究无降雨条件下不同湿润速度对土壤表面强度和土壤团聚体结构的影响。结果表明：不同湿润速度对3种土壤的表面强度的影响程度由大到小为黄土,黑土,红壤;3种土壤中,红壤的团聚体稳定性最好,其次是黑土,黄土最差;除黄土和红壤各自慢速湿润与中速湿润对平均质量直径（MWD）的影响差异不显著,其余各种土壤不同湿润速度对MWD的影响差异均显著。     

Soil aggregate stability and aggregate-associated organic carbon under different land use or land cover types

Soil aggregate stability (SAS) is an indicator for soil condition and is greatly influenced by land use or land cover (LULC) type and other soil and environmental attributes. This study investigated the soil aggregate-size distribution, SAS, aggregate-associated organic carbon (AAOC) and the relative importance of factors affecting SAS and AAOC. Based on conditioned Latin hypercube sampling, soil aggregate samples were collected from the “A” horizon and wet sieved into large macroaggregates (>2.0 mm), small macroaggregates (0.25–2.0 mm), microaggregates (0.053–0.25 mm) and mineral fraction (<0.053 mm). The large macroaggregates accounted for 86% to 93% of the total aggregates under all LULC types except under dry land (64%) and paddy land (35%). The SAS under different LULC decreased in the order fir > shrubland > natural grassland > orchard > blue pine > broadleaf > mixed conifer > dry land > paddy land. The AAOC of the large macroaggregates constituted for 76%–90% of the total AAOC under all LULC types except under dry land (65%) and paddy land (38%). While SAS was largely influenced by the AAOC of small macroaggregates, microaggregates and large macroaggregates and LULC type, the AAOC of different aggregate fractions was mostly affected by LULC type, altitude and slope. SAS did not exhibit any significant relationship with the AAOC of different aggregate fractions under the natural LULC types but showed a strong relationship under the agricultural land indicating that AAOC is more critical for SAS under the agricultural land than under the natural LULC.     

Effects of Vermicompost Application on Soil Aggregation and Certain Physical Properties

Application of organic waste on agricultural land as a soil conditioner and fertilizing material has lately gained much attention. This study was conducted to determine the effects of vermicompost applications (0·5%, 1%, 2% and 4% w/w) on physical characteristics of soils with different textures (sandy loam, loam and clay), under laboratory conditions. The results indicated that in the higher soil aggregate fraction (>12·7 mm) aggregate fraction was limited at the three soils. Vermicompost applications in all three soils significantly increased organic matter content. When compared with control, the increasing rates in organic matter content were 14·0%, 23·8%, 42·0% and 90·2% for 0·5%, 1%, 2% and 4% vermicompost application doses, respectively. Vermicompost applications increased the wet aggregate stability and decreased the dispersion ratio of all the experimental soils in all aggregate size fractions. Overall, wet aggregate stability increased from 26·9% to 52·2% with the application rate of 4%. Correlation coefficient between organic matter content and wet aggregate stability was found as 0·918^**. The lowest mean bulk density and the highest mean total porosity occurred when the most vermicompost was added. In all the soils studied, the highest permeability coefficients were gained with the application dose of 2%. As a result of increase in wet aggregate stability and decrease in bulk density, air permeability increased, and penetration resistance decreased significantly. The results obtained in this study have clearly indicated that the vermicompost application is an effective way to improve soil physical characteristics. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

长期培肥下红壤有机碳组成与团聚体稳定性的关系

为研究培肥措施对红壤有机碳组成和团聚体稳定性的影响,以及有机碳与团聚体稳定性的关系,通过长期定位实验,选取不同施肥措施(未培肥CK、化肥NPK、化肥+秸秆NPKS和粪肥AM)下的典型红壤为研究对象,分析土壤有机碳组成和团聚体稳定性差异,揭示3种施肥措施下不同层次的有机碳组成和团聚体稳定性的变化规律.结果表明,3种施肥措施均可以提高土壤表层(0 ～25 cm)有机碳质量分数(尤其是颗粒有机碳),其中AM效果最显著,NPKS次之.不同施肥措施下红壤不同层次的团聚体稳定性顺序为AM＞ NPKS＞ NPK＞ CK.与CK相比,AM处理对表下层(5～15 cm)土壤的总有机碳和团聚体稳定性的提高效果最显著.回归分析表明,颗粒有机碳(POC)与湿筛法平均质量直径以及快速湿润(FW)、慢速湿润(SW)、预湿润震荡(WS)3种处理的平均质量直径的相关性最好(R2 =0.79、0.80、0.66、0.81),说明相对于其他组分,颗粒有机碳更有利于降低消散作用以及抵抗机械破碎进而增强团聚体稳定性,是间接评价土壤团聚体稳定性的良好指标.     

生物炭碳固定于稳定性土壤团聚体中：土壤黏土矿物及其它土壤性质的作用

Aggregation and structure play key roles in water-holding capacity and stability of soils.In this study,the incorporation of carbon(C) from switchgrass biochar into stable aggregate size fractions was assessed in an Aridisol(from Colorado,USA) dominated by 2:1 clays and an Alfisol(from Virginia,USA) containing weathered mixed 1:1 and 2:1 mineralogy,to evaluate the effect of biochar addition on soil characteristics.The biochar was applied at 4 levels,0,25,50,and 100 g kg~(-1),to the soils grown with wheat in a growth chamber experiment.The changes in soil strength and water-holding capacity using water release curves were measured.In the Colorado soil,the proportion of soil occurring in large aggregates decreased,with concomitant increases in small size fractions.No changes in aggregate size fractions occurred in the Virginia soil.In the Colorado soil,C content increased from 3.3 to 16.8 g kg~(-1),whereas in the53 μm fraction C content increased from 5.7 to 22.6 g kg~(-1) with 100 g kg~(-1)biochar addition.In the Virginia soil,C content within aggregate size fractions increased for each size fraction,except the2 000 μm fraction.The greatest increase(from 6.2 to 22.0 g kg~(-1)) occurred in the 53–250 μm fraction.The results indicated that C was incorporated into larger aggregates in the Virginia soil,but remained largely unassociated to soil particles in the Colorado soil.Biochar addition had no significant effect on water-holding capacity or strength measurements.Adding biochar to more weathered soils with high native soil organic content may result in greater stabilization of incorporated C and result in less loss because of erosion and transport,compared with the soils dominated by 2:1 clays and low native soil organic content.     

前期土壤含水率对红壤团聚体稳定性及溅蚀的影响

为了探究前期含水率对南方红壤团聚体稳定性及溅蚀的影响,选取泥质页岩和第四纪红黏土发育的4个典型红壤为研究对象,就5个前期含水率(3%、5%、10%、15%、20%)条件下3~5 mm团聚体水稳定性特征及其与溅蚀的关系进行了初步的探讨。结果表明,消散作用是团聚体破碎最有效的机制,土壤前期含水率越大,团聚体破碎程度越小。随着前期含水率的升高,泥质页岩发育的2种红壤水稳性团聚体平均质量直径(MWDwa)显著增大;第四纪红黏土发育的2种红壤水稳性团聚体平均质量直径(MWDwa)先增大后减小,拐点出现在含水率为15%条件下。泥质页岩发育2种红壤溅蚀量随前期含水率的升高显著减小;第四纪红黏土发育2种红壤溅蚀量随前期含水率的升高呈现先减小后增大的趋势,在含水率为15%时达到最小。团聚体水稳性较高的土样,溅蚀粒径分布呈双峰曲线分布,主要分布1~0.5和0.05 mm范围内,且前期含水率越高,0.05 mm溅蚀颗粒含量越大;而团聚体水稳定性较差的土样,除前期含水率为20%外,溅蚀粒径分布呈单峰曲线分布,主要分布在0.25~1mm。该结果为红壤区农业水土工程及机侵蚀机理研究提供一定的参考,对完善坡面水蚀模型具有一定的参考价值。     

横坡和顺坡耕作对紫色土土壤团聚体稳定性的影响

通过径流小区试验,分析探讨了紫色土横坡和顺坡两种耕作模式下表层(0~20 cm)土壤水稳性团聚体及有机碳含量的特征,为紫色土区坡耕地的有效改造和综合利用提供科学依据。试验结果表明,横坡耕作下土壤水稳性指数K值比顺坡耕作高38.99%,而土壤分散性D值为顺坡耕作的1.64倍,横坡耕作抗蚀性大于顺坡耕作。横坡耕作>0.25 mm水稳性团聚体含量比顺坡耕作增加3.62%,>5 mm、5~3 mm、3~2 mm水稳性团聚体含量横坡耕作均高于顺坡耕作,横坡耕作显著提高>2 mm水稳性团聚体含量。横坡耕作下团聚体结构体破坏率较顺坡耕作减少3.05%,团聚体平均重量直径为顺坡耕作的1.39倍。2种耕作模式下0.5~2 mm团聚体有机碳含量均最高,>0.25 mm不同粒级团聚体有机碳含量百分数均随粒径的减小而减小,均在0.5~0.25 mm粒级下达到最小。横坡和顺坡耕作模式下2~1 mm团聚体有机碳含量无显著差异。横坡耕作较顺坡耕作能够显著增加紫色土>2 mm水稳性团聚体含量,且对有机碳的固持作用更好,有利于土壤结构的改善。     

Microbial-induced soil aggregate stability under different crop rotations

 Changes in the quantity and quality of soil organic carbon, and their effect on soil aggregate stability as a result of growing different crops in rotation with wheat, were investigated on a red earth (Oxic Paleustalf) in Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia. After two cycles of the 1 : 1 rotation, while the total organic carbon in the 0–5 cm soil depth was similar (15.1 g/kg), significant differences in water stable aggregation were observed in the order: wheat/lupin=wheat/barley >wheat/canola>wheat/field pea. Using a selective extraction technique, significant differences in the quality (composition) of the soil organic carbon were detected in the soils from the different rotations. Soil from the lupin rotation had the highest salt- and acid-extractable carbon whereas that from the barley rotation had the highest level of hot-water-extractable carbon and microbial biomass carbon. Rather than total carbon or other extractable fractions, the observed differences in aggregate stability were only significantly (P<0.05) related to microbial biomass carbon, which made up only 1.3–1.7% of the total carbon pool. Multiple linear regression analysis indicated that with the exception of salt-extractable carbon, inclusion of any other of the less labile fractions failed to improve the correlation relationship. The labile nature of the microbial biomass carbon therefore accounted for the transient existence of the differences in aggregate stability under different rotation crops. The latter was found to be transient and disappeared at the end of the subsequent wheat crop. Received: 5 November 1998     

Soil aggregate stability under different landscapes and vegetation types in a semiarid area in northeastern Syria

The influence of landscapes and vegetation types on soil aggregate stability was studied at 55 sites in rangeland and 18 sites in cropland in northeastern Syria. For the measurement of soil aggregate stability, the wet-sieving test was applied to air-dried and prewetted aggregates. As soil properties, pH, EC, organic carbon content, inorganic carbon content, sand content were determined. Slope gradients at all the sites and soil surface coverage at the sites in the rangeland were also determined. Due to the slaking process, the stability of air-dried aggregates with a mean value of 47.5 × 10^-2 kg kg^-1 was lower than that of prewetted ones with a mean value of 89.8 × 10^-2 kg kg^-1. The absence of a significant relationship between the soil aggregate stability and soil chemical properties in the cropland suggested the influence of tillage. Principal component analysis and stepwise multiple regression analysis for the sites in the rangeland indicated that the air-dried aggregate stability could be described by a coverage factor and slope factor (r=0.76). The contribution of the coverage factor suggested that the increase of the soil organic matter content through the addition of plant materials and protection of the soil surface from the raindrop impact could enhance the soil aggregate stability. The positive contribution of the slope factor implied that unstable aggregates on steeper slopes had already been translocated, while stable aggregates remained. Thus, for the preservation of the soil aggregate stability, the soil surface coverage should be improved especially on gentler slopes.     

东北黑土团聚体水稳定性研究进展

阐述了东北黑土团聚体水稳定性与有机质养分状况以及经营利用方式的关系研究进展,并指出今后研究的发展趋向。     

长期施用有机肥对旱地红壤团聚体结构与稳定性的影响

利用长期定位试验研究了红壤旱地团聚体结构及其稳定性。结果表明:与对照相比,各有机-无机配施处理均可不同程度地降低土壤容重并提高其孔隙度;增施有机肥后,土壤中大于5mm机械稳定性大团聚体增幅达2%～42%;各处理中大于0.25mm水稳性团聚体百分含量为:厩肥稻草绿肥还田对照。各有机肥处理中土壤中有机质、无定形氧化铁和无定形氧化铝含量较单施化肥处理分别增加了9%～54%、8.5%～21.7%和10.9%～26.8%。统计结果显示,0.25mm水稳性团聚体含量与土壤有机质含量成极显著正相关(p0.01);土壤团聚体破坏率与土壤有机质含量成极显著负相关(p0.01)。在单施化肥的基础上有机肥的施入不仅有利于红壤旱地土壤大团聚体的形成,还有利于改善土壤团聚体结构及其稳定性。     

复种模式对豫西褐土团聚体稳定性及其碳、氮分布的影响

[目的]长期单一的玉米–小麦复种模式会引起土壤结构破坏、农田生产力下降.探究不同复种模式对农田土壤团聚体稳定性及其碳、氮分布的影响,为维持土壤结构稳定,实现农业可持续发展提供科学依据.[方法]定位试验在河南洛阳褐土上进行.设置冬小麦–夏玉米(T1)、冬小麦–夏花生(T2)、冬小麦–夏玉米||花生间作(2行玉米间作4行花...     

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.