Climatically driven change in soil carbon across a basalt landscape is restricted to non-agricultural land use systems

Soil Research ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 55 (4) ◽  
pp. 376 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian R. Wilson ◽  
Dacre King ◽  
Ivor Growns ◽  
Manoharan Veeragathipillai
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Organic Carbon ◽  
Soil Carbon ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Climatic Factors ◽  
Rainfall Event ◽  
North West ◽  
Land Use Systems ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Sampling Times

Soils represent a significant component of the global terrestrial carbon cycle. Historical soil carbon depletion resulting from soil and land management offers an opportunity to store additional carbon to offset greenhouse gas emissions as part of our international response to climate change. However, our ability to reliably measure, estimate and predict soil carbon storage is hindered by a range of sources of variability, not least of which is change through time. In the present study, we assessed temporal changes in soil organic carbon (SOC) and its component fractions in response to climate alone and in the absence of land use change at any given site by examining a series of soil monitoring sites across a basalt landscape in north-west New South Wales under a range of land use types over a 3-year period (March–April 2008 and March–April 2011), where a significant rainfall event had occurred in the intervening time (2010). Across the dataset, woodland soils contained the largest carbon concentration (SOC%) and total organic carbon stock (TOCs) compared with other non-wooded land use systems, which themselves were statistically similar. However, larger carbon quantities were restricted largely to the surface (0–10cm) soil layers. Between 2008 and 2011, significant increases in SOC% and TOCs were detected, but again these were restricted to the woodland sites. No change in particulate organic carbon (POC) was detected between the two sampling times, but both humic organic carbon (HOC) and resistant organic carbon (ROC) increased in woodland soils between the two sampling times. Increased HOC we attribute to microbial processing of soil carbon following the 2010–11 rainfall event. However, we suggest that increased ROC results from limitations in mid-infrared calibration datasets and estimations. We conclude that the quantity of soil carbon and its component fractions is, indeed, driven by climatic factors, but that these effects are moderated by aboveground land use and SOC inputs.

scholarly journals Assessment of Soil Quality under Different Agricultural Land Use Systems: A Case Study of the Ibadan Farm Settlement

2020 ◽  
pp. 89-104
Author(s):  
B. O. Adebo ◽  
A. O. Aweto ◽  
K. Ogedengbe
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Organic Carbon ◽  
Soil Organic Carbon ◽  
Soil Quality ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Agricultural Land Use ◽  
Land Uses ◽  
Native Land ◽  
Land Use Systems

Soil quality in an agroecosytem is considerably influenced by land use and management practices. Twenty two potential soil quality indicators were used to assess the effects of five different land use types (arable land, plantation, agroforestry, marginal land and native forest) on soil quality in Akufo and Atan farm settlements in Ibadan, southwestern Nigeria. A total of sixty-two fields were selected from which soil samples were taken at a depth of 0-15 cm and subjected to laboratory analysis. Majority of the evaluated physicochemical properties varied significantly among the land uses and whereas native land performed relatively better for most of the observed attributes, arable and marginal lands performed worse. Due to the moderate to strong significant correlation among the potential indicators, they were subjected to principal component analysis and only seven indicators were selected to compute the soil quality index (SQI). In both Akufo and Atan, native land had the highest SQI (0.8250 and 0.860 respectively) which was significantly different (P = .05) from all the agricultural land uses, except plantation (0.739 and 0.750 respectively). Whereas marginal field in Atan was most degraded (SQI = 0.455), it was closely followed by arable fields in both locations. This study indicates that the current agricultural land use and soil management practices in Akufo and Atan farm settlements have negatively impacted soil quality; however, the degree of degradation was strongly influenced by the concentration of soil organic carbon in the understudied land use systems. It also emphasizes the need to promote the use of sustainable management practices among agricultural land users, so as to increase soil organic carbon stock, and improve soil quality and land productivity.

Soil carbon is only higher in the surface soil under minimum tillage in Vertosols and Chromosols of New South Wales North-West Slopes and Plains, Australia

Soil Research ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 51 (8) ◽  
pp. 680 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. K. McLeod ◽  
G. D. Schwenke ◽  
A. L. Cowie ◽  
S. Harden
Keyword(s):  
Organic Carbon ◽  
Total Organic Carbon ◽  
Soil Carbon ◽  
Carbon Stock ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
New South ◽  
Conventional Tillage ◽  
Minimum Tillage ◽  
North West ◽  
South Wales

Reduced carbon stock levels in Australian soil due to cropping provide a significant opportunity for carbon sequestration, and the recent initiative to consider soil carbon in domestic emissions trading requires a scientific assessment of soil carbon levels under a range of cropping soil management practices. Some of the previous research in southern and western New South Wales (NSW) showed that the rate of carbon decline in cropping soils is slowed under minimum tillage when the stubble is also retained. However, such comparison is rare in the NSW North-West Slopes and Plains region, particularly on the red soils (Chromosols) which are one of the major soil types in the region. We surveyed 50 dryland Chromosols, 72 dryland Vertosols, and 25 irrigated Vertosols on commercial farms across this region to examine the effects of conventional tillage, minimum tillage, and irrigation on total soil organic carbon. Samples of 0.1 m segments to 0.3 m depth were analysed for total organic carbon and other soil properties. Mid-infrared scans were used to predict the particulate, humus, and resistant soil organic carbon fractions. Bulk density was used to calculate total organic carbon stock for each segment, and equivalent soil mass (ESM) for 0–0.3 m. In Vertosols, for 0–0.3 m ESM, total organic carbon and particulate organic carbon were not different between management practices, whereas humic organic carbon and resistant organic carbon were consistently lower under conventional tillage. However, in 0–0.1 m, total organic carbon was greater under minimum tillage (15.2 Mg ha–1) than conventional tillage (11.9 Mg ha–1) or irrigation (12.0 Mg ha–1), reflecting less soil surface disturbance under minimum tillage. In Chromosols, only total organic carbon was higher under minimum tillage than conventional tillage in the 0–0.3 m ESM (39.8 v. 33.5 Mg ha–1) and in 0–0.1 m (19.7 v. 16.9 Mg ha–1). The strong influences of rainfall, temperature, bulk density, texture, and management history on soil carbon stocks suggested that these environmental and management factors require further consideration when gauging soil carbon sequestration potential under current and novel tillage practices in key regional locations.

scholarly journals Spatial Distribution and Evaluation of Arsenic and Zinc Content in the Soil of a Karst Landscape

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (12) ◽  
pp. 6976
Author(s):  
Dimitrios E. Alexakis ◽  
George D. Bathrellos ◽  
Hariklia D. Skilodimou ◽  
Dimitra E. Gamvroula
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Spatial Distribution ◽  
Land Use Planning ◽  
Urban Soil ◽  
Agricultural Soil ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Land Evaluation ◽  
Agricultural Activity ◽  
North West ◽  
Total Study Area

Karst features such as polje are highly vulnerable to natural and anthropogenic pollution. The main objectives of this study were to investigate the soil quality in the Ioannina polje (north-west Greece) concerning arsenic (As) and zinc (Zn), and delineate their origin as well as compare the As and Zn content in soil with criteria recorded in the literature. For this purpose, the geomorphological settings, the land use, and the soil physicochemical properties were mapped and evaluated, including soil texture and concentrations of aqua-regia extractable As and Zn. The concentration of elements was spatially correlated with the land use and the geology of the study area, while screening values were applied to assess land suitability. The results reveal that 72% of the total study area has a very gentle slope. This relief favors urban and agricultural activity. Thus, the urban and agricultural land used cover 92% of the total area. The spatial distribution for As and Zn in the soil of the study area is located on very gentle slopes and is strongly correlated with the geological parent materials and human-induced contamination sources. Arsenic and Zn can be considered enriched in the soil of the area studied. The median topsoil contents (in mg kg−1) for As (agricultural soil 16.0; urban soil 17.8) and Zn (agricultural soil 92.0; urban soil 95.0) are higher compared to the corresponding median values of European topsoils. Land evaluation suitability concerning criteria given from the literature is discussed. The proposed work may be helpful in the project of land use planning and the protection of the natural environment.

Vegetation Effects on Soil Properties in the Monteagle Sandy Loam Series: Implications for Land‐use Change

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Allison Neil
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Organic Matter ◽  
Land Use Change ◽  
Soil Properties ◽  
Soil Carbon ◽  
Sugar Maple ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Deciduous Forest ◽  
Coniferous Forest ◽  
The Impact

Soil properties are strongly influenced by the composition of the surrounding vegetation. We investigated soil properties of three ecosystems; a coniferous forest, a deciduous forest and an agricultural grassland, to determine the impact of land use change on soil properties. Disturbances such as deforestation followed by cultivation can severely alter soil properties, including losses of soil carbon. We collected nine 40 cm cores from three ecosystem types on the Roebuck Farm, north of Perth Village, Ontario, Canada. Dominant species in each ecosystem included hemlock and white pine in the coniferous forest; sugar maple, birch and beech in the deciduous forest; grasses, legumes and herbs in the grassland. Soil pH varied little between the three ecosystems and over depth. Soils under grassland vegetation had the highest bulk density, especially near the surface. The forest sites showed higher cation exchange capacity and soil moisture than the grassland; these differences largely resulted from higher organic matter levels in the surface forest soils. Vertical distribution of organic matter varied greatly amongst the three ecosystems. In the forest, more of the organic matter was located near the surface, while in the grassland organic matter concentrations varied little with depth. The results suggest that changes in land cover and land use alters litter inputs and nutrient cycling rates, modifying soil physical and chemical properties. Our results further suggest that conversion of forest into agricultural land in this area can lead to a decline in soil carbon storage.

Dynamics of Soil Carbon Concentrations and Quality Induced by Agricultural Land Use in Central South Africa

2019 ◽  
Vol 83 (2) ◽  
pp. 366-379
Author(s):  
P. F. Loke ◽  
E. Kotzé ◽  
C. C. Preez ◽  
L. Twigge
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Land Use ◽  
Soil Carbon ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Agricultural Land Use ◽  
Central South ◽  
Carbon Concentrations

Prediction and digital mapping of soil carbon storage in the Lower Namoi Valley

Soil Research ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 44 (3) ◽  
pp. 233 ◽  
Author(s):  
Budiman Minasny ◽  
Alex. B. McBratney ◽  
M. L. Mendonça-Santos ◽  
I. O. A. Odeh ◽  
Brice Guyon
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Organic Carbon ◽  
Soil Carbon ◽  
Carbon Storage ◽  
Environmental Data ◽  
Pedotransfer Functions ◽  
Soil Carbon Storage ◽  
Depth Function ◽  
Terrain Attributes ◽  
Organic Carbon Storage

Estimation and mapping carbon storage in the soil is currently an important topic; thus, the knowledge of the distribution of carbon content with depth is essential. This paper examines the use of a negative exponential profile depth function to describe the soil carbon data at different depths, and its integral to represent the carbon storage. A novel method is then proposed for mapping the soil carbon storage in the Lower Namoi Valley, NSW. This involves deriving pedotransfer functions to predict soil organic carbon and bulk density, fitting the exponential depth function to the carbon profile data, deriving a neural network model to predict parameters of the exponential function from environmental data, and mapping the organic carbon storage. The exponential depth function is shown to fit the soil carbon data adequately, and the parameters also reflect the influence of soil order. The parameters of the exponential depth function were predicted from land use, radiometric K, and terrain attributes. Using the estimated parameters we map the carbon storage of the area from surface to a depth of 1 m. The organic carbon storage map shows the high influence of land use on the predicted storage. Values of 15–22 kg/m2 were predicted for the forested area and 2–6 kg/m2 in the cultivated area in the plains.

scholarly journals Salinity and sodium hazards of three streams of different agricultural land use systems in Ile-Ife, Nigeria

2012 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-28 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. O. Ogunfowokan ◽  
J. F. Obisanya ◽  
O. O. Ogunkoya
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Agricultural Land Use ◽  
Land Use Systems

scholarly journals Soil organic carbon status under different land use systems and soil fertility status of Rachanahalli sub watershed, Yadgir district in Karnataka, India

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 680-686
Author(s):  
Rajendra Hegde ◽  
TN Somashekar ◽  
SP Chaitra ◽  
GM Arpitha ◽  
G Bardhan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Organic Carbon ◽  
Soil Organic Carbon ◽  
Soil Fertility ◽  
Land Use Systems ◽  
Fertility Status ◽  
Soil Fertility Status
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