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.     

Organic chlorine and chloride in submerged paddy soil: a case study in Anhui province, southeast China

Abstract. Efforts to understand the fate of organochlorine compounds in arable soil have concentrated on anthropogenic compounds, in spite of the fact that organochlorine compounds are both produced and mineralized in soil through natural processes. In order to understand the fate of chlorinated pesticides, it is necessary to take account of the natural chlorine cycle. The present study is a first attempt to illuminate the relationship between the natural chlorine cycle and agricultural practices. The concentration and storage of organic chlorine (Cl_org) and chloride (Cl_inorg) were determined in topsoil of a paddy field compared to an adjacent afforested hill at a sampling site in the Meicun area, Anhui Province, China. The concentration of Cl_org, as well as the chlorine-to-carbon ratio, was significantly lower in the paddy field samples than in the forest soil samples. A weak relationship between the concentration of Cl_org and the organic carbon content was observed in the paddy field, in contrast to the observations made in the adjacent forest soil as well as those made in previous studies, which have suggested a positive correlation between organic carbon content and Cl_org. The similarity between our results at the forest site and the previous studies, which have been carried out in temperate regions, suggests that it is the land use rather than the climate that makes the current paddy soil results different. Our results suggest that the contribution of Cl_org to the paddy soil from above-ground litter and from production within the soil are small or negligible compared with the contribution from pesticide application and wet and dry deposition.     

Nitrogen mineralization in a pecan (Carya illinoensis K. Koch)–cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) alley cropping system in the southern United States

Information on temporal and spatial patterns of N mineralization is critical in designing tree-crop mixed systems that could maximize N uptake while minimizing N loss. We quantified N mineralization rates in a pecan (Carya illinoensis K. Koch)–cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) alley cropping system in northwestern Florida with (non-barrier) and without tree-crop belowground interactions (barrier separating the root systems of pecan and cotton). Monthly rates of mineralization were estimated using buried bag incubations over a 15-month period. In addition, seasonal mineralization rates and cotton lint yield on soils supplied with two sources of N—inorganic fertilizer and organic poultry litter—were assessed. Results indicated that temporal variations in net NH₄ and NO₃ accumulation and mineralization rates were driven primarily by environmental factors and to a lesser degree by initial soil NH₄ and NO₃ levels. Mineralization varied by belowground interaction treatment during the initial growing season, when the non-barrier treatment exhibited a higher mineralization rate than the barrier treatment, likely due to reduced nutrient uptake by cotton in the non-barrier or a higher degree of immobilization in the barrier treatment. Mineralization during the second growing season was similar for both treatments. Source of N had no effects on N transformation in the soil. Lint yield reductions were observed in the non-barrier treatment during both years compared to the barrier treatment, likely due to interspecific competition for water. Yield differences between treatments in the second growing season were likely compounded by a diminishing pre-study fallow effect. Source of N was found to have a significant effect on cotton yield, with inorganic fertilizer resulting in 39% higher lint compared to poultry litter in the barrier treatment.     

Changes in chemical and biological properties of a sodic clay subsoil with addition of organic amendments

An experiment was performed to examine the chemical and biological effects on high clay sodic subsoil following the incorporation and incubation with organic amendments. The main treatments consisted of amendments with wheat shoots, lucerne pellets and peat, and these were compared to gypsum addition. Additional treatments were residues of chickpea and canola, chicken manure and sawdust. All materials were finely ground and added to crushed and sieved soil at the rate of 1% by weight. Wheat, canola and chickpea residues and chicken manure resulted in modest reductions in soil sodicity. Carbon and N mineralization were related to the soluble C/total N ratio in the amendment. The initial mineralization of wheat amendment was rapid due to its soluble C content, but then slowed to have the lowest loss, of around one third of added C, of all the plant residues after 174 days. In comparison, lucerne-amended soil increased total N and lost almost half of its C after the 174-day incubation. The canola stubble amendment showed the highest carbon loss, losing 64% of its added C. The addition of gypsum resulted in high soil electrical conductivity which suppressed respiration, compared to the control soil, indicating a detrimental effect on microbial activity due to the high electrolyte concentration in the soil. The peat amendment, with a low-soluble C content, showed a similar respiration rate to the control soil, confirming that a source of soluble C is important for the initiation of rapid biological activity. Soil pH was significantly increased (by 0.6 of a pH unit) with addition of chicken manure, and still remained higher than control soil after 174 days of incubation. Lucerne was the only plant residue to increase soil pH, with the effect being sustained for 56 days. The study demonstrated how some organic amendments can improve chemical fertility and biological activity in high clay sodic subsoil, and at the same time contribute, after 25 weeks incubation, to an increase in carbon content.     

无公害、绿色及有机畜牧业生产构架与生态营养调控研究

阐述了无公害、绿色及有机畜牧业三者间的异同,无公害、绿色及有机畜牧业生产构架与生态营养调控的途径,并探讨了三者在我国的发展趋势及不同地域的策略选择,指出现阶段应以无公害畜牧业生产为主,以绿色和有机畜牧业生产为辅;随其技术的成熟应逐步扩大绿色及有机畜牧业所占比重;西部无污染地区和东南沿海地区应以绿色及有机畜牧业发展为主,而广大农区应以无公害畜牧业生产为主。     

Soil carbon and nitrogen changes as affected by tillage system and crop biomass in a corn–soybean rotation

A wide range of tillage systems have been used by producers in the Corn-Belt in the United States during the past decade due to their economic and environmental benefits. However, changes in soil organic carbon (SOC) and nitrogen (SON) and crop responses to these tillage systems are not well documented in a corn–soybean rotation. Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of different tillage systems on SOC and SON, residue C and N inputs, and corn and soybean yields across Iowa. The first experiment consisted of no-tillage (NT) and chisel plow (CP) treatments, established in 1994 in Clarion–Nicollet–Webster (CNW), Galva–Primghar–Sac (GPS), Kenyon–Floyd–Clyde (KFC), Marshall (M), and Otley–Mahaska–Taintor (OMT) soil associations. The second experiment consisted of NT, strip-tillage (ST), CP, deep rip (DR), and moldboard plow (MP) treatments, established in 1998 in the CNW soil association. Both corn and soybean yields of NT were statistically comparable to those of CP treatment for each soil association in a corn–soybean rotation during the 7 years of tillage practices. The NT, ST, CP, and DR treatments produced similar corn and soybean yields as MP treatment in a corn–soybean rotation during the 3 years of tillage implementation of the second experiment. Significant increases in SOC of 17.3, 19.5, 6.1, and 19.3% with NT over CP treatment were observed at the top 15-cm soil depth in CNW, KFC, M, and OMT soil associations, respectively, except for the GPS soil association in a corn–soybean rotation at the end of 7 years. The NT and ST resulted in significant increases in SOC of 14.7 and 11.4%, respectively, compared with MP treatment after 3 years. Changes in SON due to tillage were similar to those observed with SOC in both experiments. The increases in SOC and SON in NT treatment were not attributed to the vertical stratification of organic C and N in the soil profile or annual C and N inputs from crop residue, but most likely due to the decrease in soil organic matter mineralization in wet and cold soil conditions. It was concluded that NT and ST are superior to CP and MP in increasing SOC and SON in the top 15 cm in the short-term. The adoption of NT or CP can be an effective strategy in increasing SOC and SON in the Corn-Belt soils without significant adverse impact on corn and soybean yields in a corn–soybean rotation.     

Developing weed-suppressive soils through improved soil quality management

Manipulating soil microbial communities using soil and crop management practices is a basic strategy in developing sustainable agricultural systems. Sustainable farming is based, in part, on the efficient management of soil microorganisms to improve soil quality. However, the identification of biological indicators of soil quality that can be used to predict weed suppression in soils has received little attention. We investigated differences in soil microbial activity among various crop and soil management systems to assess: (i) the microbiological characteristics of these soils; (ii) determine whether any relationships existed that might be used in the development of weed suppression. Soil enzyme activity, water-stable aggregates, and the proportions of weed-suppressive bacteria were compared among seven cropping systems and one native-prairie ecosystem in mid-Missouri, USA. Assays of soil enzymes (fluorescein diacetate hydrolase, dehydrogenase, phosphatase) revealed that organic and integrated cropping systems, and the native-prairie ecosystem had the highest levels of soil activity. Weed rhizospheres from these same ecosystems also had greater proportions of bacterial isolates characterized as “growth suppressive” to green foxtail (Setaria viridis [L.] Beauv.) and field bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis L.): 15 and 10%, respectively. The proportion of water-stable soil aggregates was the greatest in soils with the highest organic matter and was found to be related to higher enzyme and weed-suppressive activity. Selected biological indicators of soil quality were associated with potential weed-suppressive activity in soil when that soil was managed for high organic matter content under reduced tillage systems. This research study provides further evidence that soil quality and sustainable agricultural practices may be linked to integrated weed management systems for the biological suppression of weeds.     

强还原土壤灭菌研究进展

随着经济和技术的快速发展,以高投入高产出、高频种植等为特点的集约化种植已成为我国重要的农业生产模式。伴随集约化种植程度不断提高,作物土传病害频发,且易发生酸化、次生盐渍化、土壤板结等土地退化现象,往往造成作物连作障碍。强还原土壤灭菌方法(reductive soil disinfestation,RSD)作为一种环境友好型方法,兼具杀灭土传病原菌和改善土壤理化性质、易操作和处理时间短等特点,已成功用于作物连作障碍的防治。本文根据不同作物类型及不同土传病原菌,归纳总结了RSD处理过程所采取的有机物质类型、施用量、温度条件、淹水覆膜状况及灭菌效果。     

太阳能加热防治根结线虫时覆膜、土壤类型与有机物对土壤温度的影响

试验研究了覆膜方式(双层膜、单层膜和不覆膜)、土壤类型(中壤土、砂壤土)与有机物(添加牛粪和不添加牛粪)对太阳能加热时土壤温度的影响。覆盖透明膜可显著提高土壤日平均温度和日最高温度,10 cm2、0 cm和30 cm深度土壤日平均温度分别达40℃、38℃和36℃以上,日最高温度分别达43.3℃、39.0℃和36.5℃以上。覆盖透明膜可明显延长土壤高温(≥35℃)持续时间并提高土壤日温差,土壤温度超过35℃的累计时间达22.5h以上,10 cm、20 cm和30 cm深度土壤日温差分别在7.1℃、2.6℃和0.8℃以上。覆盖双层膜土壤日平均温度、日最高温度、高温持续时间及日温差比单层膜高,且在10 cm深度尤为突出。除20 cm深度外,土壤类型对日平均温度和日最高温度没有影响。添加牛粪能使0~20 cm土层土壤日平均温度提高2℃以上,显著高于不添加对照。故覆盖透明膜和添加牛粪可显著提升30 cm深度内的土壤温度,利用太阳能加热可望降低土壤中根结线虫种群数量。     

有机物料对砂姜黑土的改良效应及其机制

通过田间定位试验、温室培育试验和一系列物理、化学性质的测定 ,探讨了三种有机物料对淮北低产土壤—砂姜黑土的改良效果及机理。结果表明 ,有机物料回归土壤能增加土壤孔隙度 ,降低容重 ,改善土壤通透性和保水保肥性能 ,提高土壤的缓冲性。同时提供多种有效养分 ,培肥土壤 ,并表现为增加作物产量。其机理不仅在于所提供的腐殖质能降低砂姜黑土中含量过高的蒙脱石矿物的剪切应力 ,抑制其胀缩性 ,而且还在于它们能提供形成有机无机复合团聚体所必须的活性有机胶体 ,以及其有机酸能溶解土中原有的CaCO3成为活性的Ca2 离子 ,后者是形成复合团聚体的桥梁 ,从而改善了土壤的结构性能等。