scholarly journals Meta-analysis on how manure application changes soil organic carbon storage

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Arthur Gross ◽  
Bruno Glaser
Keyword(s):  
Organic Carbon ◽  
Soil Organic Carbon ◽  
Agricultural Soils ◽  
Tropical Climate ◽  
Conventional Tillage ◽  
Manure Application ◽  
Climate Conditions ◽  
Additional Mineral ◽  
Soc Stocks

AbstractManure application to agricultural soils is widely considered as a source of nutrients and a method of maintaining levels of soil organic carbon (SOC) to mitigate climate change. At present, it is still unclear which factors are responsible for the SOC stock dynamics. Therefore, we analyzed the relationship between SOC stock changes and site characteristics, soil properties, experiment characteristics and manure characteristics. Overall, we included 101 studies with a total of 592 treatments. On average, the application of manure on agricultural soils increased SOC stocks by 35.4%, corresponding to 10.7 Mg ha−1. Manure applications in conventional tillage systems led to higher SOC stocks (+ 2.2 Mg ha−1) than applications under reduced tillage. Soil organic carbon increase upon manure application was higher in soils under non-tropical climate conditions (+ 2.7 Mg ha−1) compared to soils under sub-tropical climate. Larger SOC increases after manure application were achieved in intermediate and shallow topsoils (in 0–15 cm by 9.5 Mg ha−1 and in 16–20 cm by 13.6 Mg ha−1), but SOC stocks were also increased in deeper soils (> 20 cm 4.6 Mg ha−1), regardless of the tillage intensity. The highest relative SOC increase (+ 48%) was achieved if the initial SOC was below 1% but the absolute SOC increased with increasing initial SOC. Clay soils showed higher SOC increase rates compared to sandy soils (+ 3.1 Mg ha−1). Acidic soils showed comparable relative effects but a higher stock difference than neutral (+ 5.1 Mg ha−1) and alkaline soils (+ 5.1 Mg ha−1). The application of farmyard-, cattle- and pig manure showed the highest SOC increases (50%, 32% and 41%, respectively), while green manure and straw showed only minor effects. If manure applications were combined with additional mineral fertilizer, the SOC increases were higher (+ 1.7 Mg ha−1) compared to manure alone. Higher applied amounts generally led to higher SOC stocks. However the annually applied amount is only important under conventional tillage, non-tropical climate conditions, and pH-neutral as well as SOC-rich or SOC-depleted soils and if no additional mineral fertilization is applied. Further studies should focus on the SOC dynamics under tropical climate conditions and factors influencing a potential carbon saturation. In both cases, the number of data was too small. For this reason, additional field studies should be conducted primarily in the tropics. On the other hand, long-term field trials should be re-assessed or newly established to specifically investigate potential saturation effects and long-term (> 20 years) fertilizer effects and carbon sequestration.

Influence of agricultural management on soil organic carbon: A compendium and assessment of Canadian studies

2003 ◽  
Vol 83 (4) ◽  
pp. 363-380 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. J. VandenBygaart ◽  
E. G. Gregorich ◽  
D. A. Angers
Keyword(s):  
Organic Carbon ◽  
Soil Organic Carbon ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Agricultural Management ◽  
Organic Fertilizers ◽  
Published Data ◽  
Native Land ◽  
Soc Stocks ◽  
Long Term Studies

To fulfill commitments under the Kyoto Protocol, Canada is required to provide verifiable estimates and uncertainties for soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks, and for changes in those stocks over time. Estimates and uncertainties for agricultural soils can be derived from long-term studies that have measured differences in SOC between different management practices. We compiled published data from long-term studies in Canada to assess the effect of agricultural management on SOC. A total of 62 studies were compiled, in which the difference in SOC was determined for conversion from native land to cropland, and for different tillage, crop rotation and fertilizer management practices. There was a loss of 24 ± 6% of the SOC after native land was converted to agricultural land. No-till (NT) increased the storage of SOC in western Canada by 2.9 ± 1.3 Mg ha-1; however, in eastern Canada conversion to NT did not increase SOC. In general, the potential to store SOC when NT was adopted decreased with increasing background levels of SOC. Using no-tillage, reducing summer fallow, including hay in rotation with wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), plowing green manures into the soil, and applying N and organic fertilizers were the practices that tended to show the most consistent in creases in SOC storage. By relating treatment SOC levels to those in the control treatments, SOC stock change factors and their levels of uncertainty were derived for use in empirical models, such as the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Guidelines model for C stock changes. However, we must be careful when attempting to extrapolate research plot data to farmers’ fields since the history of soil and crop management has a significant influence on existing and future SOC stocks. Key words: C sequestration, tillage, crop rotations, fertilizer, cropping intensity, Canada

scholarly journals Soil organic carbon stocks are systematically overestimated by misuse of the parameters bulk density and stone content

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher Poeplau ◽  
Cora Vos ◽  
Axel Don
Keyword(s):  
Organic Carbon ◽  
Soil Organic Carbon ◽  
Bulk Density ◽  
Agricultural Soils ◽  
Soil Layer ◽  
Future Studies ◽  
Soil Organic Carbon Stocks ◽  
Soc Stock ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Soc Stocks

Abstract. Estimation of soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks requires estimates of the carbon content, bulk density, stone content and depth of a respective soil layer. However, different application of these parameters could introduce a considerable bias. Here, we explain why three out of four frequently applied methods overestimate SOC stocks. In stone rich soils (> 30 Vol. %), SOC stocks could be overestimated by more than 100 %, as revealed by using German Agricultural Soil Inventory data. Due to relatively low stone content, the mean systematic overestimation for German agricultural soils was 2.1–10.1 % for three different commonly used equations. The equation ensemble as re-formulated here might help to unify SOC stock determination and avoid overestimation in future studies.

scholarly journals Surface-Applied Biosolids Enhance Soil Organic Carbon and Nitrogen Stocks but Have Contrasting Effects on Soil Physical Quality

2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Virginia L. Jin ◽  
Kenneth N. Potter ◽  
Mari-Vaughn V. Johnson ◽  
R. Daren Harmel ◽  
Jeffrey G. Arnold
Keyword(s):  
Organic Carbon ◽  
Soil Organic Carbon ◽  
Physical Properties ◽  
Application Rate ◽  
Soil Physical Properties ◽  
Site Specific ◽  
Long Term Treatment ◽  
C Stocks ◽  
Soc Stocks

Mid- to long-term impacts of land applying biosolids will depend on application rate, duration, and method; biosolids composition; and site-specific characteristics (e.g., climate, soils). This study evaluates the effects of surface-broadcast biosolids application rate and duration on soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks, soil aggregate stability, and selected soil hydraulic properties in a municipally operated, no-till forage production system. Total SOC stocks (0–45 cm soil) increased nonlinearly with application rate in perennial grass fields treated for 8 years with 0, 20, 40, or 60 Mg of Class B biosolids (DM) ha−1 yr−1(midterm treatments). Soil organic C stocks in long-term treatment fields receiving 20 years of 20 Mg ha−1 yr−1were 36% higher than those in midterm fields treated at the same rate. Surface-applying biosolids had contrasting effects on soil physical properties. Soil bulk density was little affected by biosolids applications, but applications were associated with decreased water-stable soil aggregates, increased soil water retention, and increased available water-holding capacity. This study contrasts the potential for C storage in soils treated with surface-applied biosolids with application effects on soil physical properties, underscoring the importance of site-specific management decisions for the beneficial reuse of biosolids in agricultural settings.

scholarly journals The soil organic carbon stabilization potential of old and new wheat cultivars: a <sup>13</sup>CO<sub>2</sub>-labeling study

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (11) ◽  
pp. 2971-2986
Author(s):  
Marijn Van de Broek ◽  
Shiva Ghiasi ◽  
Charlotte Decock ◽  
Andreas Hund ◽  
Samuel Abiven ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Carbon ◽  
Soil Organic Carbon ◽  
Root Biomass ◽  
Selection Process ◽  
Wheat Breeding ◽  
Wheat Cultivars ◽  
Cultivar Selection ◽  
Long Term Effect ◽  
Soc Stocks

Abstract. Over the past decades, average global wheat yields have increased by about 250 %, mainly due to the cultivation of high-yielding wheat cultivars. This selection process not only affected aboveground parts of plants, but in some cases also reduced root biomass, with potentially large consequences for the amount of organic carbon (OC) transferred to the soil. To study the effect of wheat breeding for high-yielding cultivars on subsoil OC dynamics, two old and two new wheat cultivars from the Swiss wheat breeding program were grown for one growing season in 1.5 m deep lysimeters and pulse labeled with 13CO2 to quantify the amount of assimilated carbon that was transferred belowground and can potentially be stabilized in the soil. The results show that although the old wheat cultivars with higher root biomass transferred more assimilated carbon belowground compared to more recent cultivars, no significant differences in net rhizodeposition were found between the different cultivars. As a consequence, the long-term effect of wheat cultivar selection on soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks will depend on the amount of root biomass that is stabilized in the soil. Our results suggest that the process of wheat selection for high-yielding cultivars resulted in lower amounts of belowground carbon translocation, with potentially important effects on SOC stocks. Further research is necessary to quantify the long-term importance of this effect.

scholarly journals The soil organic carbon stabilization potential of old and new wheat cultivars: a <sup>13</sup>CO<sub>2</sub> labelling study

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marijn Van de Broek ◽  
Shiva Ghiasi ◽  
Charlotte Decock ◽  
Andreas Hund ◽  
Samuel Abiven ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Carbon ◽  
Soil Organic Carbon ◽  
Root Biomass ◽  
Selection Process ◽  
Wheat Breeding ◽  
Wheat Cultivars ◽  
Cultivar Selection ◽  
Long Term Effect ◽  
Soc Stocks

Abstract. Over the past decades, average global wheat yields have increased by about 250 %, mainly due to the cultivation of high-yielding wheat cultivars. This selection process not only affected aboveground parts of plants, but in some cases also reduced the root biomass, with potentially large consequences for the amount of organic carbon (OC) transferred to the soil. To study the effect of wheat breeding for high-yielding cultivars on subsoil OC dynamics, two old and two new wheat cultivars from the Swiss wheat breeding program were grown for one growing season in 1.5 m-deep lysimeters and pulse-labelled with 13CO2, to quantify the amount of assimilated carbon that was transferred belowground and potentially stabilized in the soil. The results show that although the old wheat cultivars with higher root biomass transferred more assimilated carbon belowground compared to more recent cultivars, no significant differences in net soil organic carbon (SOC) stabilization were found between the different cultivars. As a consequence, the long-term effect of wheat cultivar selection on SOC stocks will depend on the amount of root biomass that is stabilized in the soil. Our results suggest that the process of wheat selection for high-yielding cultivars resulted in lower amounts of belowground carbon translocation, with potentially important effects on SOC stocks. Further research is necessary to quantify the long-term importance of this effect.

scholarly journals Assessing Soil Organic Carbon in Soils to Enhance and Track Future Carbon Stocks

Agronomy ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (8) ◽  
pp. 1139
Author(s):  
Yun-Ya Yang ◽  
Avi Goldsmith ◽  
Ilana Herold ◽  
Sebastian Lecha ◽  
Gurpal S. Toor
Keyword(s):  
Organic Carbon ◽  
Soil Organic Carbon ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Agricultural Soils ◽  
Soil Layer ◽  
Parent Material ◽  
Sample Collection ◽  
Surface Layers ◽  
Grid Sampling ◽  
Soc Stocks

Soils represent the largest terrestrial sink of carbon (C) on Earth, yet the quantification of the amount of soil organic carbon (SOC) is challenging due to the spatial variability inherent in agricultural soils. Our objective was to use a grid sampling approach to assess the magnitude of SOC variability and determine the current SOC stocks in three typical agricultural fields in Maryland, United States. A selected area in each field (4000 m2) was divided into eight grids (20 m × 25 m) for soil sample collection at three fixed depth intervals (0–20 cm, 20–40 cm, and 40–60 cm). Soil pH in all fields was significantly (p < 0.05) greater in the surface soil layer (6.2–6.4) than lower soil layers (4.7–5.9). The mean SOC stocks in the surface layers (0–20 cm: 1.7–2.5 kg/m2) were 47% to 53% of the total SOC stocks at 0–60 cm depth, and were significantly greater than sub-surface layers (20–40 cm: 0.9–1.3 kg/m2; 40–60 cm: 0.8–0.9 kg/m2). Carbon to nitrogen (C/N) ratio and stable C isotopic composition (δ13C) were used to understand the characteristics of SOC in three fields. The C/N ratio was positively corelated (r > 0.96) with SOC stocks, which were lower in sub-surface than surface layers. Differences in C/N ratios and δ13C signatures were observed among the three fields. The calculated values of SOC stocks at 0–60 cm depth ranged from 37 to 47 Mg/ha and were not significantly different in three fields likely due to the similar parent material, soil types, climate, and a short history of changes in management practices. A small variability (~10% coefficient of variation) in SOC stocks across eight sampling grids in each field suggests that re-sampling these grids in the future can lead to accurately determining and tracking changes in SOC stocks.

Improving modelling estimations of soil organic carbon sequestration in manure-amended croplands

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francis Durnin-Vermette ◽  
Paul Voroney ◽  
Adam Gillespie
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Sequestration ◽  
Organic Carbon ◽  
Soil Organic Carbon ◽  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Greenhouse Gas Emission ◽  
Coefficient Of Determination ◽  
Manure Application ◽  
Soil Organic Carbon Sequestration ◽  
Organic Carbon Sequestration

&lt;p&gt;Carbon sequestration reduces GHG emissions while improving soil fertility. In order for carbon sequestration through agriculture to be viable, however, accurate estimations of sequestration values are crucial in order to guide policy-making. Currently, Ontario&amp;#8217;s provincial Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) uses sequestration values from the federal government&amp;#8217;s farm-level greenhouse gas emission model (Holos), however these estimates fall short in one respect: a 2018 analysis demonstrated that manure application is not completely considered in the government&amp;#8217;s estimates, which is a critical gap.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;The main purposes of our study were 1) to assess the accuracy of soil organic carbon estimations of process-based soil carbon models (Century and RothC) which were calibrated with data from long-term manure addition experiments in Ontario, and 2) to modify these models such that they were able to fully take manure application into account when estimating carbon sequestration in Ontario&amp;#8217;s croplands, and determine whether this substantially increases model accuracy.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;The models&amp;#8217; estimations for soil organic carbon sequestration were respectively calibrated and validated using data from two long-term manure addition experiments in Ottawa and Harrow. By calibrating multiple models using multiple datasets, model-specific and site-specific biases were minimized. The statistical analyses consisted of a suite of tests that assess the modelling accuracy compared to baseline measured data: the coefficient of determination (R2), root mean square error (RMSE), average relative error (ARE), and the Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency statistic (NSE).&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;As a result of these improved provincial estimates, Canadians will be better-informed about the greenhouse gas mitigation potential of long-term manure addition to croplands, which will help guide decisions made by policymakers as well as farmers. These improved provincial estimates will also be reported to Canada&amp;#8217;s national greenhouse gas inventory, and will be ultimately disclosed to the UN&amp;#8217;s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in their global GHG summary report.&lt;/p&gt;

scholarly journals Soil organic carbon stocks are systematically overestimated by misuse of the parameters bulk density and rock fragment content

SOIL ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 61-66 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher Poeplau ◽  
Cora Vos ◽  
Axel Don
Keyword(s):  
Organic Carbon ◽  
Soil Organic Carbon ◽  
Bulk Density ◽  
Agricultural Soils ◽  
Soil Layer ◽  
Rock Fragment ◽  
Rock Fragments ◽  
Soil Organic Carbon Stocks ◽  
Soc Stocks ◽  
Rock Fragment Content

Abstract. Estimation of soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks requires estimates of the carbon content, bulk density, rock fragment content and depth of a respective soil layer. However, different application of these parameters could introduce a considerable bias. Here, we explain why three out of four frequently applied methods overestimate SOC stocks. In soils rich in rock fragments (> 30 vol. %), SOC stocks could be overestimated by more than 100 %, as revealed by using German Agricultural Soil Inventory data. Due to relatively low rock fragments content, the mean systematic overestimation for German agricultural soils was 2.1–10.1 % for three different commonly used equations. The equation ensemble as re-formulated here might help to unify SOC stock determination and avoid overestimation in future studies.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document