Organic matter characteristics under native forest, long-term pasture, and recent conversion to Eucalyptus plantations in Western Australia: microbial biomass, soil respiration, and permanganate oxidation

Soil Research ◽  
2002 ◽  
Vol 40 (5) ◽  
pp. 859 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. S. Mendham ◽  
A. M. O'Connell ◽  
T. S. Grove

The influence of land-use management on Walkley-Black soil carbon (C) concentration, 3 concentrations of permanganate oxidisable C (33, 167, and 333 mm), microbial biomass, and soil respiration in a laboratory incubation was tested in surface soil from 10 sites in south-western Australia. The sites ranged in total C concentration from 1.9 to 8.3%, and represented a broad climatic and soil-type distribution across south-western Australia. At each of the sites, 0-10 cm soil was collected from plots in pasture (20-71 years old), Eucalyptus globulus plantation (7-10 years old, established on ex-pasture), and native vegetation. Soil profiles and position in the landscape for each of the land-use types were matched as closely as possible at each site to minimise influences other than land use. Total C was highly correlated with clay content. Land use caused no significant change in the relationship between total C and soil texture, and land use had little effect on total C concentration. Permanganate-oxidisable C was highly correlated with Walkley-Black organic C (R2�>�0.90) for all 3 concentrations that were investigated. Only the most dilute concentration of permanganate-oxidisable C (33 mm) was sensitive enough to detect small changes in soil organic matter with land use (P = 0.045). Microbial biomass and respiration at 25 kPa matric potential moisture content and 35°C temperature were used as biological indicators of soil organic matter lability. Cumulative respired C was more sensitive to land use than Walkley-Black organic C, with lower respiration in native soils compared with managed soils with low C concentrations, but higher than the managed soils at sites with high C concentrations. Microbial biomass was not significantly affected by land use. Microbial biomass and cumulative respired C were strongly influenced by soil texture, with the microbial quotient (proportion of microbial biomass in total carbon) and the proportion of total C respired significantly lower in soils with higher silt and clay contents. Land use had no significant effect on these relationships. Overall, land use caused only minor differences in the biological and chemical indicators of organic matter quality across a broad range of sites in south-western Australia.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vusal Guliyev ◽  
Melissa Pfeiffer ◽  
Maria Udovenko ◽  
Christina Fasching ◽  
Thomas Reitz ◽  
...  

<p>Fresh input of organic material in soil is continuously transformed and processed by growing microorganisms using this organic input as a substrate. Therefore, the quality and quantity of soil organic C stock is strongly dependent on the intensity of mineralization processes through microbial respiration and growth. We aimed to prove the sensitivity of microbial respiration and growth parameters to indicate an interactive effect of land use and climate warming. For this we used Global Change Experimental Facility in Bad Lauchstädt, UFZ, Halle, Germany. This long-term experiment is designed in 5 land use strategies (Organic Farming, Conventional Farming, Intensive Meadow, Extensive Meadow, and Extensive Pasture) and 2 climate scenarios (ambient and future). We determined basal respiration by CO<sub>2</sub> emission, microbial growth parameters by substrate-induced growth respiration (SIGR), and the quality of soil organic matter by Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The effect of biotic (vegetation type) and abiotic (temperature and moisture) factors on microbial attributes and on chemical composition of soil organic matter will be compared.</p>


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Malte Ortner ◽  
Michael Seidel ◽  
Sebastian Semella ◽  
Thomas Udelhoven ◽  
Michael Vohland ◽  
...  

Abstract. Soil organic matter (SOM) is an indispensable component of terrestrial ecosystems. Soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics are influenced by a number of well-known abiotic factors such as clay content, soil pH or pedogenic oxides. These parameters interact with each other and vary in their influence on SOC depending on local conditions. To investigate the latter, the dependence of SOC accumulation on parameters and parameter combinations was statistically assessed that vary on a local scale depending on parent material, soil texture class and land use. To this end, topsoils were sampled from arable and grassland sites in southwestern Germany at four regions with different soil parent material. Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed a distinct clustering of data according to parent material and soil texture that varied largely between the local sampling regions, while land use explained PCA results only to a small extent. The obtained global and the different local clusters of the dataset were further analyzed for the relationships between SOC and mineral phase parameters in order to assess specific parameter combinations explaining SOC and its labile fractions. Analyses were focused on soil parameters that are known as possible predictors for the occurrence and stabilization of SOC (e.g. fine silt plus clay and pedogenic oxides). Regarding the global dataset, we found significant correlations between SOC and its labile fractions hot water-extractable C (HWEC) and microbial biomass C (MBC), respectively and the predictors, yet correlation coefficients were partially low. Mixed effect models were used to identify specific parameter combinations that significantly explain SOC and its labile fractions of the different clusters. Comparing measured and mixed effect models-predicted SOC values revealed acceptable to very good regression coefficients (R² = 0.41–0.91). Thereby, the predictors and predictor combinations clearly differed between models obtained for the whole data set and the different cluster groups. At a local scale site specific combinations of parameters explained the variability of organic matter notably better, while the application of global models to local clusters resulted in less sufficient performance. Independent from that, the overall explained variance generally decreased in the order SOC > HWEC > MBC, showing that labile fractions depend less on soil properties than on organic matter input and turnover in soil.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gerardo Ojeda ◽  
Hernando García ◽  
Susanne Woche ◽  
Jorg Bachmann ◽  
Georg Guggenberger ◽  
...  

<p><strong>Contextualization</strong>: In 2011, it was published a curious conundrum, which forms the basis of the present study: why, when organic matter is thermodynamically unstable, does it persist in soils, sometimes for thousands of years? The question challenges the idea that the recalcitrant or labile character of soil organic matter (SOM) is a sufficient argument to ensure SOM persistence. Temperature could play an important role in SOM decomposition, especially in tropics. Particularly, tropical dry forest (TDF) represents an important ecosystem with unique biodiversity and fertile soils in Colombia. At present, the increase in population density and consequently, in the demands of energy and arable land, have led to its degradation.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Knowledge gap</strong>: Although the mentioned question was formulated several years ago, it has still to be answered, hence limiting the development of new soil organic carbon (SOC) models or the quantification of its ecosystem services. A key point, in terms of soil carbon storage, is to determine the maximum rate of CO<sub>2</sub> emissions from soils (Rmax). Traditionally, it is considered that Rmax occurs at the 50% of field capacity. Unfortunately, information about the environmental conditions under which this maximum occurs is scarce.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong>Purpose</strong>: The main objectives of this study were: (a) determine the maximum rate of soil respiration or CO<sub>2</sub> emissions from soil in TDF soils and (b) to estimate the main environmental drivers of maximum SOM decomposition along a temperature gradient (20°, 30°, 40°C) in incubated soils.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong>Methodology</strong>: Soils pertained to permanent plots were sampled in six different TDF of Colombia. The evolution of CO<sub>2</sub> emissions (monitored by an infrared gas analyser), relative humidity and soil temperature were recorded in time on incubated soils samples. Temperature was maintained constant at 20°C, 30°C and 40°C during soil incubations under soil drying conditions. Additionally, elemental composition (Fe, Ca, O, Al, Si, K, Mg, Na) of SOM and chemical composition of soil organic carbon (SOC: aromatic-C, O-alkyl-C, Aliphatic-C, Phenolic and Ketonic-C) were determined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS).</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong>Results and conclusions</strong>: The majority of TDF soil samples (90.7%) presented that its peak of CO<sub>2</sub> emissions occurs at soil-water contents higher than saturation (0 MPa), at 20°, 30° and 40°C. Clearly, to consider that the maximum soil respiration rate could be observed at the 50% of field capacity, underestimated the real maximum value of carbon mineralization (48-68%.) Globally, increases in the Rmax values corresponded to increases in electrical conductivity, soil desorption rates, total carbon and nitrogen contents, and decreases in bulk density (BD) and aggregate stability. Taking into account the temperature gradient, increments in calcium and aromatic carbon contents corresponded to decrements in Rmax values but only at 30°C and 40°C, respectively. Some authors indicated that at high soil moisture contents, iron reduction could be release protected carbon. However, no significant relation between Fe and Rmax was observed. Consequently, physical and chemical properties related to SOM accessibility and decomposability by microbial activity, were the main drivers and controls of maximum SOM decomposition rates.</p>


2010 ◽  
Vol 34 (3) ◽  
pp. 907-916 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cícero Célio de Figueiredo ◽  
Dimas Vital Siqueira Resck ◽  
Marco Aurélio Carbone Carneiro

Soil organic matter can be analyzed on the basis of the different fractions. Changes in the levels of organic matter, caused by land use, can be better understood by alterations in the different compartments. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of different management systems on the labile and stable organic matter of a dystrophic Red Latosol (Oxisol). The following properties were determined: total organic C and total N (TOC and TN), particulate organic C and particulate N (POC and PN), organic C and N mineral-associated (MOC and NM) and particulate organic C associated with aggregate classes (POCA). Eight treatments were used: seven with soil management systems and one with native Cerrado as a reference. The experiment was designed to study the dynamics of systems of tillage and crop rotation, alternating in time and space. The experimental design was a randomized block design with three replications. The soil samples were collected from five depths: 0-5, 5-10, 10-20, 20-30 and 30-40 cm. Changes in organic C by land use occurred mainly in the fraction of particulate organic matter (> 53 mm). Proper management of grazing promoted increased levels of particulate organic matter by association with larger aggregates (2-8 mm), demonstrating the importance of the formation of this aggregate class for C protection in pasture.


1991 ◽  
Vol 71 (3) ◽  
pp. 363-376 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. A. Campbell ◽  
V. O. Biederbeck ◽  
R. P. Zentner ◽  
G. P. Lafond

The effects of crop rotations and various cultural practices on soil organic matter quantity and quality in a Rego, Black Chernozem with a thin A horizon were determined in a long-term study at Indian Head, Saskatchewan. Variables examined included: fertilization, cropping frequency, green manuring, and inclusion of grass-legume hay crop in predominantly spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) production systems. Generally, fertilizer increased soil organic C and microbial biomass in continuous wheat cropping but not in fallow-wheat or fallow-wheat-wheat rotations. Soil organic C, C mineralization (respiration) and microbial biomass C and N increased (especially in the 7.5- to 15-cm depth) with increasing frequency of cropping and with the inclusion of legumes as green manure or hay crop in the rotation. The influence of treatments on soil microbial biomass C (BC) was less pronounced than on microbial biomass N. Carbon mineralization was a good index for delineating treatment effects. Analysis of the microbial biomass C/N ratio indicated that the microbial suite may have been modified by the treatments that increased soil organic matter significantly. The treatments had no effect on specific respiratory activity (CO2-C/BC). However, it appeared that the microbial activity, in terms of respiration, was greater for systems with smaller microbial biomass. Changes in amount and quality of the soil organic matter were associated with estimated amount and C and N content of plant residues returned to the soil. Key words: Specific respiratory activity, crop residues, soil quality, crop rotations


Soil Research ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 43 (1) ◽  
pp. 13 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. C. Dalal ◽  
B.P. Harms ◽  
E. Krull ◽  
W.J. Wang

Mulga (Acacia aneura) dominated vegetation originally occupied 11.2 Mha in Queensland, of which 12% has been cleared, mostly for pasture production, but some areas are also used for cereal cropping. Since mulga communities generally occupy fragile soils, mostly Kandosols and Tenosols, in semi-arid environments, clearing of mulga, which continues at a rate of at least 35 000 ha/year in Queensland, has considerable impact on soil organic carbon (C), and may also have implications for the greenhouse gas emissions associated with land use change in Australia. We report here the changes in soil C and labile C pools following mulga clearing to buffel pasture (Cenchrus ciliaris) and cereal (mostly wheat) cropping for 20 years in a study using paired sites. Soil organic C in the top 0.05 m of soil declined by 31% and 35% under buffel pasture and cropping, respectively. Land use change from mulga to buffel and cropping led to declines in soil organic C of 2.4 and 4.7 t/ha, respectively, from the top 0.3 m of soil. Using changes in the δ13C values of soil organic C as an approximate representation of C derived from C3 and C4 vegetation from mulga and buffel, respectively, up to 31% of soil C was C4-derived after 20 years of buffel pasture. The turnover rates of mulga-derived soil C ranged from 0.035/year in the 0–0.05 m depth to 0.008/year in the 0.6–1 m depths, with respective turnover times of 29 and 133 years. Soil organic matter quality, as measured by the proportion/amount of labile fraction C (light fraction, < 1.6 t/m3) declined by 55% throughout the soil profile (0–1 m depth) under both pasture and cropping. There is immediate concern for the long-term sustainable use of land where mulga has been cleared for pasture and/or cropping with a continuing decline in soil organic matter quality and, hence, soil fertility and biomass productivity. In addition, the removal of mulga forest over a 20-year period in Queensland for pasture and cropping may have contributed to the atmosphere at least 12 Mt CO2-equivalents.


2020 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
pp. 108
Author(s):  
Supriyadi Supriyadi ◽  
Melja Karni Pratiwi ◽  
Slamet Minardi ◽  
Nanda Lintang Prastiyaningsih

The low organic matter content of paddy soils impacts the declining quality of land. Without the efforts to enrich the soil organic matter (SOM) content, the productivity of paddy fields will decrease or the need for inorganic fertilizers will increase to reach the level of yield. The present research aims to determine the effect of differences in organic and conventional paddy fields management practices on soil organic carbon (SOC) content and biological activities. The research was conducted from July to September 2018 on organic and conventional paddy fields in Dukuhseti Sub-district, Pati Regency, Central Java, Indonesia. Sampling points were taken from six organic samples in the organic paddy fields while the other six samples were taken from conventional paddy fields. The variables observed in this research were organic C, pH, total N soil, total bacterial colonies, soil respiration and microbial biomass C. The results show that the organic C content in the organic paddy field (2.4%) was higher than that of the conventional paddy field (1.8%). The C content of organic paddy fields increased by 0.6%. The differences of the total bacterial colonies, soil respiration and microbial biomass C between organic paddy fields and conventional paddy fields were 11.5 CFU g<sup>-1</sup>, 7.42 mg CO<sub>2</sub> week<sup>-1</sup> and 0.51 µg g<sup>-1</sup>, respectively, because the use of organic farming systems could improve the biological nature of soils and caused biological activity in organic paddy fields to have the highest value compared to conventional paddy fields.


Proceedings ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 182
Author(s):  
Rachel de Lastic ◽  
Thảo Hoàng ◽  
Phuong Nguyen ◽  
Sovanda Son ◽  
Vuthy Suos ◽  
...  

For many emerging economies, rapid land use change from forest to farmland is resulting in high levels of land degradation. Farming systems such as maize cultivation under conventional tillage after slash and burn degrade the soil resource through declining soil structural stability. Cultivation enhances mineralisation and hence loss of soil organic matter, which in turn reduces soil structures stability and promotes further carbon losses through soil erosion. Alternative land uses such as fruit tree plantations, or practise change to reduced tillage or conservation agriculture have the potential to counter this spiral of accelerated soil degradation through improving soil structural stability and build-up of soil organic matter. This project assessed how land use influences soil structural stability in Cambodia near Battambang and the North-Western Mountain regions of Vietnam where maize based system are most common. Soil properties measured were: (1) total carbon and nitrogen content analysis, (2) particle and aggregate size distribution using laser refraction, (3) hydraulic conductivity, (4) bulk density and (5) microbial CO2 respiration. Information on land use history was also collected through farmer surveys. Land use significantly influenced aggregate stability and hydraulic conductivity. This was largely associated with differences in soil organic carbon content. Forest system had the highest, and conventional maize systems had the lowest amount of large aggregates. Fruit tree plantations are relatively new to these regions but they already showed improved soil aggregate sizes though the level of improvement varied and depended on remnant soil.


1981 ◽  
Vol 97 (3) ◽  
pp. 713-721 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. S. Powlson ◽  
D. S. Jenkinson

SUMMARYSoil samples were taken from four field experiments on the growth of cereals in direct-drilled and in mouldboard-ploughed soil. When sampled, one of the experiments had run for 5 years, one for 6, one for 8 and one for 10 years. Sampling was to just below plough depth and was done on an ‘equivalent depth’ basis, i.e. the more compact direct-drilled plots were sampled more shallowly than the ploughed plots in such a way that both samples represented the same weight of soil per unit area. No significant differences in total nitrogen or in total organic carbon were observed between cultivation treatments at any of the four sites.In three of the four sites, there was no significant difference in microbial biomass carbon, adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP), or mineralizable nitrogen between directdrilled and ploughed soils. In the fourth, which contained more clay than the others, there was slightly more biomass carbon and ATP in the direct-drilled soil. As microbial biomass carbon (or ATP, which is closely correlated with microbial biomass carbon) responds more rapidly to changes in management than do total carbon and nitrogen, a change in biomass carbon should provide early warning of changes in soil organic matter, long before changes in total carbon and nitrogen become measurable. That no such change was observed, with one partial exception, is evidence that a change from traditional methods of cultivation to direct drilling has little effect on soil organic matter other than altering its distribution in the soil profile.


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