Aluminum and iron(III) species in the soil solution including organic complexes with citrate and humic substances

The solubility of Al and Fe in soil is of relevance for their toxicity and availability, respectively, to plant roots. Humic substances as the main part of stable soil organic matter and citrate which is often excreted by P deficient plants are strong complexants of Al and Fe(III). Therefore, equations were developed to calculate the Al and Fe(III) species distribution in the soil solution in the presence of humic substances and citrate as organic ligands. Calculations in the pH range 4.0–7.0 showed that at higher pH humic-Al complexes were the most important species whereas AlOH-citrate^? dominated between pH 4.0 and 5.4. Free monomeric Al and AlSO₄⁺ were of minor relevance. Iron(III) species calculations showed that humic-Fe complexes were the main species in the pH range 4.0–7.0. But if mugineic acid, a Fe complexing phytosiderophore released into the rhizosphere by graminaceous plant species, was present in the soil solution (10^?6 M), Fe-mugineic acid complexes accounted for most of the Fe in solution. Fe-citrate^? was relevant at lower pH but contributed little to Fe(III) species at pH > 6.0. The results demonstrate the strong importance of the considered organic ligands for Fe and Al in the soil solution.     

Factors Affecting the Formation,Nature, and Properties of Iron Precipitation Products at the Soil–Root Interface

Abstract

A number of iron oxides (hematite, goethite, lepidocrocite, maghemite, and magnetite) or short‐range ordered precipitates (ferrihydrite) may be found in soil environments, but in the rhizosphere the presence of organic ligands released by plants (exudates) or microorganisms promote the formation of ferrihydrite. Iron ions are liberated into soil solution by acidic weathering of minerals and then precipitated either locally or after translocation in soil environments. Humic and fulvic acids as well as organic substances produced by plants and microorganisms are involved in the weathering of primary minerals. Organic compounds play a very important role in the hydrolytic reactions of iron and on the formation, nature, surface properties, reactivity, and transformation of Fe oxides. Organic substances present in the rhizosphere interact with Fe promoting the formation of ferrihydrite and organo‐mineral complexes. The solubility of Fe precipitation products is usually low. However, the formation of soluble complexes of Fe(II) or Fe(III) with organic ligands, usually present in the rhizosphere increases the solubility of Fe‐oxides. Mobilization of Fe from Fe oxides by siderophores is of great importance in natural systems. They can form stable Fe(III) complexes (pK up to 32) and thus mobilize Fe from Fe(III) compounds. These higher Fe concentrations are important for the supply of Fe to plant roots which excrete organic acids at the soil–root interface. Iron oxides adsorb a wide variety of organic and inorganic anions and cations, which include natural organics, nutrients, and xenobiotics. There is competition between anions and cations for the surfaces of Fe‐oxides. Root exudates suppress phosphate or sulfate adsorption on Fe‐oxides. This is a mechanism by which plant roots mobilize adsorbed phosphate and improve their phosphate supply. Anions adsorption on iron oxides modify their dispersion/flocculation behavior and thus their mobility in the soil system. That can increase or decrease the possibility of contact between Fe‐oxides and organics or organisms able to dissolve them.     

Colloidal stability in some tropical soils of southeastern Nigeria as affected by iron and aluminium oxides

The stability of microaggregates in soils as opposed to its dispersion is a very important soil phenomenon that checks degradation arising from unguided tillage and soil erosion. Ten soils from southeastern Nigeria were sampled from their typical A and B horizons for the study. The aim was to identify the extent of colloidal stability of the soils and the forms of Fe and Al oxides in the soils contributing to their stability. The soils are mostly Ultisols and Inceptisols formed on sandstones and shale parent materials. The soils are low in soil basic cations including the soil organic carbon (SOC). The major clay mineral is kaolinite while the soil is acid in reaction. The various forms of soil Fe and Al oxides are high with the total forms of Fe and Al being most dominant and > dithionite extracted Fe and Al > oxalate extracted Fe and Al > pyrophosphate extracted Fe and Al. The water-dispersible clay and silt (WDC) and (WDSi) which are index of dispersion in most soils are low to medium thus reflecting in the low to medium dispersion ratio (DR). The clay flocculation index (CFI) and aggregated silt + clay (ASC) were moderate to high implying the high potential stability of the soils. Soil organic carbon did not seem to be contributing much to the stability of the microaggregates while oxalate and pyrophosphate extractable Fe (Fe_ox, Fe_p) and to some extent total Al (Al_t) were among the different forms of oxides that act as aggregating agents. We propose here that rather than SOC acting as a disaggregating agent in the soils, it might have acted in association with these oxides in a linkage or bridge such as C–P–OM–C to ensure stability of the soils.     

Water- and pyrophosphate-extractable humic substances fractions as a source of iron for Fe-deficient cucumber plants

The capacity of Fe-deficient cucumber plants to utilise water-extractable and pyrophosphate-extractable humic substances as a source of Fe was investigated. Plants were grown for 13 days in nutrient solution in the presence or absence of Fe and during the last 7 days water-extractable and pyrophosphate-extractable humic substances were added to the solution at a final concentration of 5 μg organic C ml^–1. The water-extractable humic fraction did not significantly modify leaf area and dry matter accumulation, leaf total Fe or chlorophyll content of cucumber plants adequately supplied with Fe. In contrast, pyrophosphate-extractable humic substances caused a slight but significant decrease of all the leaf parameters considered, with the exception of the chlorophyll content. Root Fe content of Fe-sufficient plants was decreased by more than 50% in the presence of each humified fraction. Addition of each humic fraction to Fe-deficient plants led to a partial disappearance of leaf chlorosis symptoms with a significant increase in chlorophyll and leaf Fe content. Fe content of roots was also significantly increased in Fe-deficient plants by the addition of humic substances to the nutrient solution. These results show that Fe-deficient cucumber plants can utilise Fe contained in the two fractions of humified organic matter. However, by calculating the amount of total Fe accumulated per plant in the presence of water-extractable or pyrophosphate-extractable humic substances, it could be seen that Fe contained in the water-extractable humic fraction was almost totally used by Fe-deficient cucumber plants, while that present in the pyrophosphate-extractable fraction could only be partially absorbed. The results strongly support a role of humified organic matter in Fe nutrition of plants and are discussed in terms of a possible interaction between soil humic substances and the biochemical mechanisms involved in the plant response to Fe deficiency. Received: 6 November 1996     

Major mechanisms in formation of spodic horizons

Current explanations of the formation of spodic horizons do not accomodate all features of the horizons in their natural state. In this paper, a more complete explanation of major mechanisms is proposed, using two principles of colloid chemistry: (1) organic substances may form hydrophylic colloids with surface charges, and (2) the hydrophylic character and negative surface charges determine the dispersibility of the colloids. The hydrophylic character is due to the presence of hydrophylic radicals as parts of the organic compounds in soils. The surface charges are the result of dissociation of -COOH and possibly phenol-OH radicals.The neutralization of the surface charge can in principle occur: (1) through electrostatic or physical adsorption and (2) through chemisorption. The first case is typical for monovalent alkali cations. The adsorbed cations are distributed in a double layer, which favours dispersion. Chemisorption occurs mostly with polyvalent cations. This process corresponds in reality to the formation of organo-metallic compounds. It results in a relatively complete disappearance of the double layer and in the formation of large immobile “polymerized” organo-metallic compounds. Because these compounds contain much hydrophylic water, they form a gel. Transition into the solid state is accompanied by the loss of most of the hydration water. The dehydration may be induced by a decrease in thickness of the double layer. At a certain stage of the dehydration process, Van der Waals bonds and protonic bridges can form and bring about a certain degree of hydrophoby.In soils, mobile organic substances are formed during breakdown of plant remains. If at the top of the mineral soil enough polyvalent cations, especially Al and Fe, are available, the mobile organic substances formed are immobilized immediately and no migration occurs. In case insufficient amounts of Al and/or Fe are available to completely immobilize the mobile compounds, these cations are complexed by the mobile compounds and transported downward. Immobilization may occur at some depth through supplementary fixation of cations, through dessication or on arrival at a level with different ionic concentration.In nature, spodic horizons range from loose, with many roots, to very cemented with few roots. These differences can be related to changes in microstructure. Loose spodic horizons have a predominance of polymorphic pellets and aggregates, whereas organans or monomorphic coatings prevail in cemented horizons. The former horizons have many features suggesting major biological influences during their formation, viz., high numbers of roots, thorough mixing of the organic units with clay and silt, the presence of pedotubules and relatively young mean residence times. The latter horizons have features consistent with organo-metallic compounds immobilized in a gel-state, viz., the coatings are strongly cracked, indicating the transition of a gel into a solid; they contain much Al or Al plus Fe but very little or no Si, and the mean residence time is considerably higher than in loose horizons.The two processes seem to operate simultaneously during the formation of spodic horizons and their relative intensities determine the composition of each spodic horizon at any moment in its evolution. As long as the biological activity predominates, the horizon remains loose; if the accumulation of mobile organo-metallic compounds starts to prevail, the horizon is gradually cemented and fossilized.     

EFFECT OF LIVING ROOTS OF DIFFERENT PLANT SPECIES ON THE AGGREGATE STABILITY OF TWO ARABLE SOILS

The influence of root growth and activities on soil aggregate stability was investigated using five crop species and two soils. Single plants were grown in pots for 6 weeks or less to minimise any possibility of changes in aggregate stability caused by decomposition of dead roots. Planted soils were compared with fallow controls. Aggregate stability was estimated by a turbidimetric technique (used for fresh and air-dried samples) and by wet sieving (used for air-dried samples only). Root growth of perennial ryegrass and of lucerne for 42 days was generally associated with increases in aggregate stability whether the soil was tested in a fresh or an air-dried condition. These beneficial effects were associated with periodate-sensitive (probably polysaccharide) materials produced in the rhizosphere. Growth of maize, tomato and wheat roots for 25 days decreased the stability of fresh soil aggregates, although the effects of tomato and of wheat were not consistent. However, the deleterious effects of these three species on aggregate stability were not apparent after air-drying. The restabilization of maize soils (relative to fallow controls) on air-drying appeared to be caused by increased stabilization by periodate-sensitive materials. The results suggest that the growth and activities of living roots may be a major factor controlling the overall direction and magnitude of changes in aggregate stability under arable or ley crops.     

Extraction,molecular fractionation and enzyme degradation of organically associated phosphorus in soil solutions

The concentrations and chemical composition of water-extractable P were compared in four soil types from NE Scotland. All sites were sampled during the early establishment phase of a spring barley (Hordeum vulgare) crop. The quantity of total soluble P extracted ranged from <2.0 to 10 mg P kg soil^-1, of which up to 50% was classified as being organically associated. Sample fractionation showed that both orthophosphate inorganic P and organic P were associated with a wide molecular-size range of organic material. A strong positive correlation was readily apparent between P and the sum of Fe + Al in the fractionated samples. The extent of enzymatic hydrolysis of organic P varied between soil samples and the type of enzyme. Phytase consistently produced the greatest degree of hydrolysis.     

The central role of microbial activity for iron acquisition in maize and sunflower

 Maize (Zea mays L.) and sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) grown on a calcareous soil showed poor growth and/or were chlorotic in spite of abundant Fe in the roots. It has been hypothesized that microbial siderophores chelate Fe (III) in the soil, and that in this form Fe is transported towards the root apoplast. On the calcareous soil, total and apoplastic root Fe concentrations were high, probably because of a high apoplastic pH depressing Fe (III)-reductase activity and thus the Fe²⁺ supply to the cytoplasm. On the acidic soil, total and apoplastic root Fe concentrations were low, probably because of a low apoplastic pH favouring Fe (III) reduction, hence plants showed no Fe-deficiency symptoms. The main objective of the present work was to investigate the role of microbial soil activity in plant Fe acquisition. For this purpose, plants were grown under sterile and non-sterile conditions on a loess loam soil. Plants cultivated under non-sterile conditions grew well, showed no Fe-deficiency symptoms and had fairly high Fe concentrations in the roots in contrast to plants grown in the sterile medium. Low root and leaf Fe concentrations in the axenic treatments indicated that the production of microbial siderophores was totally suppressed. Accordingly, sunflowers were severely chlorotic and this was associated with very poor growth, whereas in maize only growth was drastically reduced. In maize under sterile conditions, root apoplastic and total Fe concentrations were not as low as in sunflowers, which may have indicated that phytosiderophores produced in maize partly sustained Fe acquisition, but due to poor growth were not as efficient in supplying Fe as microbial activity under natural conditions. It may be therefore assumed that in natural habitats soil microbial activity is of pivotal importance for plant Fe acquisition. Received: 11 March 1999     

腐殖质对白浆土中Fe、Mn、Al形态转化及磷生物有效性的影响

在三江平原布置长期试验，研究连年施用有机肥后土壤腐殖质变化及其对白浆±Fe、Mn、Al形态转化及磷生物有效性的影响。结果表明，施用牛粪后土壤腐殖质含量升高，且以松结态腐殖质的增长为主；土壤的DTPA提取态和有机络合态Fe、Mn、Al含量上升，使土壤有效态磷含量上升。因此，生物措施是治理白浆土，促进土壤磷素养分有效性上升，增大土壤缓冲容量和抗逆性的有效措施。     

Mobilization of dissolved organic matter, aluminium and iron in podzol eluvial horizons as affected by formation of metal-organic complexes and interactions with solid soil material

Interactions with dissolved organic matter (DOM) are generally believed to play a crucial role in the translocation of Al and Fe in acid sandy soils. Binding of Al and Fe to DOM affects their mobility in soils by altering sorption equilibria of charged sites on solid soil material, inducing precipitation of organo‐metallic complexes and preventing the formation of inorganic Al and Fe phases. The relative importance of the different processes, especially with respect to the translocation of Al, Fe and organic matter in podzols, remains unresolved. We determined the effect of the presence of solid soil material from the eluvial (AhE and AE, respectively) horizons of a Fimic Anthrosol and a Haplic Podzol on the metal‐to‐organic carbon (M/C) ratio in solution and the formation of dissolved organic Al and Fe complexes. Furthermore, we assessed the resulting influence on the mobilization of Al, Fe and DOM. Even under considerable metal loading, the M/C ratios and ‘free’ metal fractions in solution remained low and relatively constant, due to an apparent buffering by the solid phase and the formation of organo‐metal complexes in solution. The M/C ratios remained so low that significant precipitation of organo‐metal complexes due to saturation with metals was not found. The apparent buffering by the solid phase can be explained by a strong release of organic matter from solid soil material and adsorption of non‐complexed Al and Fe on solid organic matter upon metal addition. Adsorption of organo‐metal complexes most likely played only a minor role. The observations confirm the expected mobilization of Al, Fe and DOM in eluvial horizons and seem to indicate that even under fluctuating input of Al, Fe and DOM the soil solution will have a constant composition with respect to M/C ratios and percentage of Al and Fe present in dissolved organo‐metal complexes.     

玉米残体分解对不同肥力棕壤团聚体组成及有机碳分布的影响

以棕壤肥料长期定位试验(29 a)形成的高、低两种肥力水平棕壤为研究对象,采用不同部位玉米残体为试验试材,分别向两种土壤中加入玉米根茬和茎叶,进行田间原位培养试验,试验设置6个处理:低肥力土壤添加玉米根茬(LF+R)、低肥力土壤添加玉米茎叶(LF+S)、高肥力土壤添加玉米根茬(HF+R)、高肥力土壤添加玉米茎叶(HF+S)和未添加玉米残体的对照处理(LF,HF)。本研究旨在探明玉米根茬、茎叶添加后不同肥力土壤团聚体组成及有机碳分布的变化规律,为构建合理的秸秆还田与施肥措施,减少土壤侵蚀提供理论依据。结果表明:1)添加玉米残体后低肥力棕壤团聚体稳定性、较大级别团聚体(2 mm和1~2 mm)有机碳贡献率的提升幅度比高肥力棕壤大,说明低肥力土壤对外源有机质的响应更敏感,向大团聚体转化的速率更快。2)培养结束时,高肥力棕壤添加茎叶处理团聚体稳定性显著高于添加根茬处理,而添加根茬处理各粒级团聚体有机碳含量显著高于添加茎叶处理;低肥力棕壤中根茬和茎叶添加处理团聚体稳定性及有机碳含量之间差异不明显。3)在田间原位培养过程中,棕壤2 mm和1~2 mm团聚体所占比例和团聚体稳定性呈现出前期(0~360 d)快速增加,后期(360~720 d)趋于稳定的趋势。可以看出,玉米残体对土壤团聚体团聚化过程的作用强度逐渐减弱。以上结果表明,作物残体输入对棕壤团聚体组成及有机碳分布的影响与棕壤肥力水平和不同残体部位间的差异关系密切。     

腐殖质对白浆土中Fe、Mn、Al形态转化及磷生物有效性的影响

在三江平原布置长期试验，研究连年施用有机肥后土壤腐殖质变化及其对白浆±Fe、Mn、Al形态转化及磷生物有效性的影响。结果表明，施用牛粪后土壤腐殖质含量升高，且以松结态腐殖质的增长为主；土壤的DTPA提取态和有机络合态Fe、Mn、Al含量上升，使土壤有效态磷含量上升。因此，生物措施是治理白浆土，促进土壤磷素养分有效性上升，增大土壤缓冲容量和抗逆性的有效措施。     

Suppression of decomposition of 14C-labelled plant roots in the presence of living roots of maize and perennial ryegrass

The rates of decomposition of barley roots labelled with ¹⁴C were investigated in soil planted with maize or perennial ryegrass and in fallow controls. Evolution of ¹⁴CO₂ was significantly less from the planted soils than from fallow controls. Roots of maize and ryegrass appeared to compete substantially with soil microbes for ¹⁴C-labelled materials. Simple competitive effects were, however, insufficient to explain all of the observed effects of root growth on soil organic matter decomposition. There was no indication that the detrimental effects of maize roots on aggregate stability could be associated with increased degradation of native soil organic materials; the broader significance of the results is also discussed.     

An assessment of EDTA as an extractant of organic-complexed and amorphous forms of Fe and Al in soils

EDTA solutions proposed as selective extractants of amorphous and organic forms of Fe and Al in soils and synthetic materials were tested. Extraction of Fe and Al from some soil samples continued at a decreasing rate beyond 120 days. For some soil samples and synthetic materials the amounts of Fe and Al extractable by EDTA (90 days) were markedly lower than those extractable by acid ammonium oxalate (2 h). Extraction of samples for 1 h with EDTA was shown to release amounts of Fe and Al far below those considered to be complexed with organic matter. The EDTA extraction procedures tested should not replace either acid ammonium oxalate for estimating amorphous forms of Fe and Al or pyrophosphate for estimating organic forms of Fe and Al in soils.     

The forms and distribution of aluminum adsorbed onto maize and soybean roots

Purpose

The Al forms on maize and soybean roots were investigated to determine the main factors affecting the distribution of Al forms and its relationship with Al plant toxicity.

Materials and methods

Solution culture experiments were conducted to obtain the fresh roots of maize and soybean. KNO₃, citric acid, and HCl were used to extract the exchangeable, complexed, and precipitated forms of Al on the roots.

Results and discussion

The complexed Al was higher than the exchangeable and precipitated Al. Root CECs of soybean and maize were 77 and 55 cmol kg^?1, and functional groups on the soybean roots (262.4 cmol kg^?1) were greater than on maize roots (210.8 cmol kg^?1), which resulted in more exchangeable and complexed Al on soybean roots than on maize roots, and was one of the reasons for the increased Al toxicity to soybean. The total and exchangeable Al were the highest on the plant root tips and decreased gradually with increasing distance from the tips. Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, and NH₄ ⁺ cations reduced the exchangeable Al on the roots. Oxalate and malate also reduced the adsorption and absorption of Al by roots, and the effect of oxalate was greater than malate.

Conclusions

Higher exchangeable and complexed Al on plant roots led to increased Al plant toxicity. Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, and NH₄ ⁺ and oxalate and malate can effectively alleviate Al plant toxicity.

     

Mechanisms controlling the mobility of dissolved organic matter, aluminium and iron in podzol B horizons

The processes governing the (im)mobilization of Al, Fe and dissolved organic matter (DOM) in podzols are still subject to debate. In this study we investigated the mechanisms of (im)mobilization of Al, Fe and organic matter in the upper and lower B horizons of two podzols from the Netherlands that are in different stages of development. We equilibrated batches of soil material from each horizon with DOM solutions obtained from the Oh horizon of the corresponding soil profiles. We determined the amount of (im)mobilized Al, Fe and DOM after addition of Al and Fe at pH 4.0 and 4.5 and initial dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations of 10 mg C litre^?1 or 30 mg C litre^?1, respectively. At the combination of pH and DOC concentrations most realistic for the field situation, organic matter was retained in all horizons, the most being retained in the lower B horizon of the well‐developed soil and the least in the upper B horizon of the younger profile. Organic matter solubility seemed to be controlled mainly by precipitation as organo‐metal complexes and/or by adsorption on freshly precipitated solid Al‐ and Fe‐phases. In the lower B horizons, at pH 4.5, solubility of Al and Fe appeared to be controlled mainly by the equilibrium with secondary solid Al‐ and Fe‐phases. In the upper B horizons, the solubility of Al was controlled by adsorption processes, while Fe still precipitated as inorganic complexes as well as organic complexes in spite of the prevailing more acidic pH. Combined with a previous study of eluvial horizons from the same profiles, the results confirm the important role of organic matter in the transport of Al and Fe to create illuvial B horizons initially and subsequently deepening and differentiating them into Bh and Bs horizons.     

Effect of removal of free oxides on changes in dispersibility and charge characteristics of soils

Changes in dispersibility and charge characteristics of two soils with different colloidal properties were investigated after various extracting treatments of free oxides. The soil samples were taken from the upland field in a reclaimed area (highly dispersive) and from the B horizon of an adjacent forest area (physically stable), both of which derived from the same parent material. Special attention was paid to selective extraction of Al and Fe oxides. After the extraction of free oxides by conventional methods such as DCB or oxalate treatment, dispersibility of the soils which always became too high made it difficult to relate the amounts of removed oxides with the changes in dispersibility. Thus, extractions by milder treatments were designed in order to remove varying amounts of free oxides using several organic salt solutions. Among the treatments, citrate and oxalate extracted more Al oxides, followed by tartrate. Dithionite, acetate, and NaCl extracted only trace amounts of Al oxides. This order seemed to be controlled by the stability constants of organo-Al complexes. The changes in dispersibility of the residual soil were related to the amount of extracted Al, especially for the forest soil, but not to Fe or Si. After these treatments, the amount of positive charges of the soil decreased while that of negative charges increased. For instance, the amount of total charges of the forest soil after DCB treatment was 1.5 times larger than that of the non-treated soil at the dispersion pH, which was mainly attributed to the removal of Al oxides. Although the amount of removed Al oxides was relatively small, the changes in dispersibility of the residual forest soil were drastic, indicating that free oxides (mainly Al) removed by milder treatments were the most external, active fractions. This interpretation suggests the practical importance of the release of amorphous sesquioxides in the natural weathering process in preventing the dispersion of potentially dispersive soils.     

Effects of low aluminum activity in nutrient solutions on the organic acid concentrations in maize plants

The effects of low aluminum (Al) activity in nutrient solution on the concentrations of organic acids in two cultivars of maize (Zea mays L.), HS7777 Al‐sensitive and C525‐M Al‐tolerant, were studied. Aluminum stress increased total organic acid concentration in the roots and in the shoots for both cultivars. The relative increase of t‐aconitic, citric, formic, malic, and quinic acids was higher in the roots than in the shoots for both cultivars. The concentrations of c‐aconitic, isocitric, malonic, oxalic, and succinic organic acids were reduced by Al stress, principally for C525‐M. There were no consistent differences in organic acid concentrations between the cultivars to discriminate Al tolerance. The Al tolerance for C525‐M may be justified by lower Al concentrations in the root tips where cellular division takes place and/or by higher excretion of organic acids from roots to the rhizosphere for detoxification of Al by chelation.     

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.     

不同植物根际土壤团聚体稳定性及其结合碳分布特征

以大豆(S)、玉米(M)、小麦(W)和草本植物(GL)的根际土和裸地(BL)作为处理,研究了不同植物根际土壤团聚体组成、稳定性以及团聚体结合碳的分布。结果表明,草地以水稳性大团聚体(>0.25 mm)占绝对优势,比例达85.9%;与草地相比,农田三种作物处理显著降低了大团聚体的比例,质量分数为68.7%;裸地大团聚体比例(55.7%)最小,尤其是>2 mm的团聚体仅占3.5%。团聚体水稳定性草地最高,裸地团聚体水稳定性最差,农田三种作物处理居中。玉米、小麦和大豆三种作物根际土壤团聚体在组成上并无显著差异,而玉米根际土壤团聚体稳定性显著高于小麦和大豆。草地团聚体结合碳量最高,为36.0g kg-1土,比农田(平均33.9 g kg-1土)和裸地分别高出5.8%和16.7%。大团聚体(>0.25 mm)是有机碳存储的主要部分,因此保护和维持这部分团聚体的数量和稳定性对于抵押CO2排放和土壤肥力的可持续发展具有重要意义。