Species and site differences in the decomposition of litters and roots from wet heathlands

1993 ◽  
Vol 71 (1) ◽  
pp. 167-173 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. M. I. Van Vuuren ◽  
F. Berendse ◽  
W. De Visser
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Plant Debris ◽  
Decomposition Rates ◽  
P Release ◽  
Decomposition Constant ◽  
Key Words Decomposition ◽  
Mesh Bags ◽  
A Site ◽  
Rate Of Accumulation

The decomposition of litter and roots from a site dominated by Erica tetralix and a site dominated by Molinia caerulea was measured using mesh bags. Leaf litter and roots of each species were incubated on both sites. The experiments lasted up to 3 years. The weighted decomposition constant was 0.23 per year for Molinia litter, and 0.10 per year for Erica litter; the decomposition constants for roots were 0.29 per year for Molinia but only 0.03 per year for Erica. The decomposition rates of leaf litters and roots were similar on both sites, and the chemical composition of the materials determined the decomposition rate. Litters and roots with high lignin concentrations decomposed slowly. During the experiments, most materials showed a net retention of N and P. Large net N releases were measured only for Molinia roots and basal internodes, and a large net P release was measured only for Molinia roots. It was concluded that the rate of accumulation of soil organic matter per gram of plant debris is slower on the site dominated by Molinia than on the site dominated by Erica. In the long term, N and P are probably released faster from Molinia than from Erica plant debris. Key words: decomposition, heathlands, Molinia, Erica.

Management effects on the dynamics and storage rates of organic matter in long-term crop rotations

2004 ◽  
Vol 84 (1) ◽  
pp. 49-61 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. A. Paul ◽  
H. P. Collins ◽  
K. Paustian ◽  
E. T. Elliott ◽  
S. Frey ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
C Sequestration ◽  
Organic C ◽  
Soil C ◽  
Site Analysis ◽  
Laboratory Incubation ◽  
C And N ◽  
A Site ◽  
Management Effects

Factors controlling soil organic matter (SOM) dynamics in soil C sequestration and N fertility were determined from multi-site analysis of long-term, crop rotation experiments in Western Canada. Analyses included bulk density, organic and inorganic C and N, particulate organic C (POM-C) and N (POM -N), and CO2-C evolved during laboratory incubation. The POM-C and POM-N contents varied with soil type. Differences in POM-C contents between treatments at a site (δPOM-C) were related (r2= 0.68) to treatment differences in soil C (δSOC). The CO2-C, evolved during laboratory incubation, was the most sensitive indicator of management effects. The Gray Luvisol (Breton, AB) cultivated plots had a fivefold difference in CO2-C release relative to a twofold difference in soil organic carbon (SOC). Soils from cropped, Black Chernozems (Melfort and Indian Head, SK) and Dark Brown Chernozems (Lethbridge, AB) released 50 to 60% as much CO2-C as grassland soils. Differences in CO2 evolution from the treatment with the lowest SOM on a site and that of other treatments (δCO2-C) in the early stages of the incubation were correlated to δPOM-C and this pool reflects short-term SOC storage. Management for soil fertility, such as N release, may differ from management for C sequestration. Key words: Multi-site analysis, soil management, soil C and N, POM-C and N, CO2 evolution

scholarly journals Modification of the RothC model to simulate soil C mineralization of exogenous organic matter

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudio Mondini ◽  
Maria Luz Cayuela ◽  
Tania Sinicco ◽  
Flavio Fornasier ◽  
Antonia Galvez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Standard Model ◽  
Household Waste ◽  
C Mineralization ◽  
Decomposition Rates ◽  
Organic C ◽  
Amended Soils ◽  
The Standard Model ◽  
Rothc Model

Abstract. The development of soil organic C (SOC) models capable to produce accurate predictions of the long term decomposition of exogenous organic matter (EOM) in soils is important for an effective management of organic amendments. However, reliable C modelling in amended soils requires specific optimization of current C models to take into account the high variability of EOM origin and properties. The aim of this work was to improve the prediction of C mineralization rates in amended soils by modifying the RothC model to encompass a better description of EOM quality. The standard RothC model, involving C input to the soil only as decomposable (DPM) or resistant (RPM) organic material, was modified by introducing additional pools of decomposable (DEOM), resistant (REOM) and humified (HEOM) EOM. The partitioning factors and decomposition rates of the additional EOM pools were estimated by model fitting to respiratory curves of amended soils. For this task, 30 EOMs from 8 contrasting groups (compost, anaerobic digestates, sewage sludges, agro-industrial wastes, crop residues, bioenergy by-products, animal residues, meat and bone meals), were added to 10 soils and incubated under different conditions. The modified Roth C model was fitted to C mineralization curves in amended soils with great accuracy (mean correlation coefficient: 0.995). Differently to the standard model, the EOM-optimized RothC was able to better accommodate the large variability in EOM source and composition, as indicated by the decrease in the root mean squared error of the simulations for different EOMs (from 29.9 % to 3.7 % and from 20.0 % to 2.5 % for bioethanol residue and household waste compost amended soils, respectively). Average decomposition rates for DEOM and REOM pools were 89 y−1 and 0.4 y−1, higher than the standard model coefficients for DPM (10 y−1) and RPM (0.3 y−1). Results indicate that explicit treatment of EOM heterogeneity enhances the model ability to describe amendment decomposition under laboratory conditions and provides useful information to improve C modelling on the effects of different EOM on C dynamics in agricultural soils. Future researches involve the validation of the modified model with field data and its application to long term simulation of SOC patterns in amended soil at regional scale under climate change.

scholarly journals Proximity to charred logs in burned forests likely affects decomposition processes in the soil

Silva Fennica ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 54 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mihails Cugunovs ◽  
Eeva-Stiina Tuittila ◽  
Jari Kouki
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Forest Fires ◽  
Woody Debris ◽  
Plant Litter ◽  
Organic Substrates ◽  
Decomposition Rates ◽  
Decomposition Rate Constant ◽  
Cellulose Material ◽  
Mesh Bags ◽  
Hardwood Pulp

We studied the spatial decomposition rates of standardised organic substrates in soils (burned boreal pine-dominated sub-xeric forests in eastern Finland), with respect to charred and non-charred coarse woody debris (CWD). Decomposition rates of rooibos plant litter inside teabags (C:N = 42.870 ± 1.841) and pressed-sheet Nordic hardwood pulp (consisting of mainly alpha-cellulose) were measured at 0.2 m distance from 20 charred (LC0.2) and 40 non-charred logs (LNC0.2). We also measured decomposition at 60 plots located 3–10 m away from downed logs (L3,10). The rooibos decomposition rate constant ‘k’ was 8.4% greater at the LNC0.2 logs than at the L3,10 or LC0.2 logs. Cellulose decomposed more completely in 1 micron mesh bags at LNC0.2 (44% of buried bags had leftover material) than at LC0.2 (76%) or L3,10 (70%). Decomposition of cellulose material was rapid but varied greatly between sampling plots. Our results indicate that decomposition of the standardised organic matter was more rapid close to CWD pieces than further away. However, only the plots located near non-charred logs (LNC0.2) exhibited high decomposition rates, with no corresponding increase observed at the charred logs (LC0.2). This suggests a possible noteworthy indirect effect of forest burning on soil organic matter (SOM) decomposition rates close to charred CWD after forest fires. We urge for more studies on this tentative observation as it may affect the estimates on how fires affect carbon cycling in forests.

scholarly journals Modification of the RothC model to simulate soil C mineralization of exogenous organic matter

2017 ◽  
Vol 14 (13) ◽  
pp. 3253-3274 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudio Mondini ◽  
Maria Luz Cayuela ◽  
Tania Sinicco ◽  
Flavio Fornasier ◽  
Antonia Galvez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Standard Model ◽  
Household Waste ◽  
C Mineralization ◽  
Decomposition Rates ◽  
Organic C ◽  
Amended Soils ◽  
The Standard Model ◽  
Rothc Model

Abstract. The development of soil organic C (SOC) models capable of producing accurate predictions for the long-term decomposition of exogenous organic matter (EOM) in soils is important for the effective management of organic amendments. However, reliable C modeling in amended soils requires specific optimization of current C models to take into account the high variability in EOM origin and properties. The aim of this work was to improve the prediction of C mineralization rates in amended soils by modifying the RothC model to encompass a better description of EOM quality. The standard RothC model, involving C input to the soil only as decomposable (DPM) or resistant (RPM) organic material, was modified by introducing additional pools of decomposable (DEOM), resistant (REOM) and humified (HEOM) EOM. The partitioning factors and decomposition rates of the additional EOM pools were estimated by model fitting to the respiratory curves of amended soils. For this task, 30 EOMs from 8 contrasting groups (compost, anaerobic digestates, sewage sludge, agro-industrial waste, crop residues, bioenergy by-products, animal residues and meat and bone meals) were added to 10 soils and incubated under different conditions. The modified RothC model was fitted to C mineralization curves in amended soils with great accuracy (mean correlation coefficient 0.995). In contrast to the standard model, the EOM-optimized RothC was able to better accommodate the large variability in EOM source and composition, as indicated by the decrease in the root mean square error of the simulations for different EOMs (from 29.9 to 3.7 % and 20.0 to 2.5 % for soils amended with bioethanol residue and household waste compost, respectively). The average decomposition rates for DEOM and REOM pools were 89 and 0.4 yr−1, higher than the standard model coefficients for DPM (10 yr−1) and RPM (0.3 yr−1). The results indicate that the explicit treatment of EOM heterogeneity enhances the model ability to describe amendment decomposition under laboratory conditions and provides useful information to improve C modeling on the effects of different EOM on C dynamics in agricultural soils. Future research will involve the validation of the modified model with field data and its application in the long-term simulation of SOC patterns in amended soil at regional scales under climate change.

Effects of forest soil compaction and organic matter removal on leaf litter decomposition in central British Columbia

1999 ◽  
Vol 79 (4) ◽  
pp. 543-550 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. M. Kranabetter ◽  
B. K. Chapman
Keyword(s):  
British Columbia ◽  
Organic Matter ◽  
Litter Decomposition ◽  
Soil Compaction ◽  
Soil Productivity ◽  
Decomposition Rates ◽  
Nutrient Translocation ◽  
Organic Matter Removal ◽  
Whole Tree

As part of the long-term soil productivity study in central British Columbia, we examined the effect of soil compaction and organic matter removal on trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) litter decomposition. We compared three levels of organic matter removal (stem-only, whole-tree harvest, and scalped mineral soil) and two levels of compaction (no compaction and heavy compaction) in a factorial design replicated as blocks on three sites. Whole-tree harvesting significantly increased litter decomposition rates compared to stem-only (by 36%) and scalped (by 41%) treatments. Soil compaction had inconsistent effects on decomposition rates (k) for forest floor and scalped treatments and, overall, did not significantly affect litter decomposition rates. Litter on scalped plots had higher rates of nutrient translocation than litter on forest floors. We found the treatments altered soil heat sums, so changes in temperatures at the soil surface might be partly responsible for the changes in decomposition rates. We could not detect differences in soil mesofauna populations collected from the litter bags, so treatment effects on fauna probably had less influence than microclimate on decomposition rates. The effects of these early changes in litter decomposition on biological productivity will be part of the ongoing long-term soil productivity study. Key words: Litter decomposition, soil compaction, scalping, whole-tree harvest, nutrient translocation

Changes in organic matter content of soil as a result of long-term fertilization

2005 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 53-55
Author(s):  
Katalin Berecz ◽  
Katalin Debreczeni
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Organic Matter Content ◽  
Matter Content

Turfgrass Thatch Components and Decomposition Rates in Long‐Term Fungicide Plots 1

1986 ◽  
Vol 78 (4) ◽  
pp. 633-636 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. W. Smiley ◽  
M. Craven Fowler
Keyword(s):  
Decomposition Rates

scholarly journals Impacts of long-term plant residue management on soil organic matter quality, Pseudomonas community structure and disease suppressiveness

2019 ◽  
Vol 135 ◽  
pp. 396-406 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bryony E.A. Dignam ◽  
Maureen O'Callaghan ◽  
Leo M. Condron ◽  
Jos M. Raaijmakers ◽  
George A. Kowalchuk ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Community Structure ◽  
Soil Organic Matter ◽  
Residue Management ◽  
Plant Residue ◽  
Organic Matter Quality ◽  
Soil Organic Matter Quality

Functional soil organic matter fractions in response to long-term fertilizer management in a double-cropping paddy field of southern China

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Haiming Tang ◽  
Chao Li ◽  
Lihong Shi ◽  
Li Wen ◽  
Kaikai Cheng ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Soil Organic Matter ◽  
Paddy Field ◽  
Southern China ◽  
Rice Paddy ◽  
Chemical Fertilizer ◽  
Protection Mechanism ◽  
Rice Paddy Field ◽  
Double Cropping

Abstract Soil organic matter (SOM) and its fractions play an important role in maintaining or improving soil quality and soil fertility. Therefore, the effects of a 34-year long-term fertilizer regime on six functional SOM fractions under a double-cropping rice paddy field of southern China were studied in the current paper. The field experiment included four different fertilizer treatments: chemical fertilizer alone (MF), rice straw residue and chemical fertilizer (RF), 30% organic manure and 70% chemical fertilizer (OM) and without fertilizer input as control (CK). The results showed that coarse unprotected particulate organic matter (cPOM), biochemically, physically–biochemically and chemically protected silt-sized fractions (NH-dSilt, NH-μSilt and H-dSilt) were the main carbon (C) storage fractions under long-term fertilization conditions, accounting for 16.7–26.5, 31.1–35.6, 16.2–17.3 and 7.5–8.2% of the total soil organic carbon (SOC) content in paddy soil, respectively. Compared with control, OM treatment increased the SOC content in the cPOM, fine unprotected POM fraction, pure physically protected fraction and physico-chemically protected fractions by 58.9, 106.7, 117.6 and 28.3%, respectively. The largest proportion of SOC to total SOC in the different fractions was biochemically protected, followed by chemically and unprotected, and physically protected were the smallest. These results suggested that a physical protection mechanism plays an important role in stabilizing C of paddy soil. In summary, the results showed that higher functional SOM fractions and physical protection mechanism play an important role in SOM cycling in terms of C sequestration under the double-cropping rice paddy field.

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