Effects of long-term use of different farming systems on some physical, chemical and microbiological parameters of soil quality

AbstractThe aim of this study was to compare the effects of different farming systems (organic, integrated, conventional and monoculture) on some soil properties as: bulk density, contents of readily-dispersible clay, organic matter and particulate organic matter, and enzymatic activity measured in terms of the intensity of fluorescein diacetate hydrolysis. Soil under permanent grass was used as a control. The study was conducted on the 20 years lasting field experiment. Samples of Haplic Luvisol soil were collected twice a year on fields under winter wheat from the layers of 0-5, 5-10, 15-20, and 30-35 cm. Within arable soils the soil under organic farming contained the greatest amount of organic matter, which influenced strongly the readily-dispersible clay content, especially in the layer of 5-20 cm. The readily-dispersible clay content in soil under organic farming was 3 times lower, as compared to the conventional and monoculture farming. The highest contents of particulate organic matter 6.2 and 3.5 mg g−1air dry soil, on average were measured in the 0-5 cm layer of control soil and soil under organic farming, respectively. Also, soil under organic farming and control soil from the depth of 0-5 cm showed 2-2.5 times greater activity of microorganisms in fluorescein diacetate hydrolysis than soil under conventional and monoculture farming. Increase of concentration of organic matter in soil under organic farming decreased soil bulk density. Statistical analysis showed significant correlations between studied parameters of soil quality and confirmed their effectiveness as indicators of disturbances in soil environment.

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Cover Crops

Sustainable Entrepreneurship and Investments in the Green Economy - Advances in Business Strategy and Competitive Advantage ◽

10.4018/978-1-5225-2075-7.ch009 ◽

2017 ◽

pp. 257-281 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Vladan Ugrenović ◽

Vladimir Filipović

Keyword(s):

Organic Matter ◽

Organic Farming ◽

Soil Quality ◽

Cover Crops ◽

Farming Systems ◽

Crop Rotations ◽

Multiple Role ◽

Pests And Diseases ◽

Organic Farming Systems

The use of cover crops is widespread practice in organic farming systems. Cover crops can be defined as crops that are usually not grown commercially, and can have a multiple role in crop rotations. The benefit of cover crops has been known since long. Legumes are used as biological fixer of nitrogen for the next crop, and are established during periods when the soil is without major crops in order to reduce erosion. In recent years, the role of cover crops has been extended to the biocontrol of weeds, pests and diseases, as well as to the overall improvement of soil quality by increasing organic matter, encouraging the circulation of nutrients and reducing soil compaction. At the same time, their use tends to reduce costs and even create new sources of income on the farm.

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Land Use Change Effects on Soil Quality in Prince Edward County, ON

Inquiry@Queen's Undergraduate Research Conference Proceedings ◽

10.24908/iqurcp.9648 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Kelsey Watts

Keyword(s):

Land Use ◽

Organic Matter ◽

Land Use Change ◽

Bulk Density ◽

Soil Quality ◽

Water Holding Capacity ◽

Total Carbon ◽

Prince Edward County ◽

Effects Of Land Use ◽

Water Holding

Soils play a critical role to society as a medium that facilitates crop production and also contributes to the energy and carbon balance of the Earth System. Land-use change and improper land-use is one of the dominant factors affecting soil erosion and nutrient loss in soils. We examined the effects of land-use change on an Elmbrook clay/clay-loam soil on a farm in Ameliasburg on the northern part of Prince Edward County. Three cover types were examined: a sod field (established for over 10 years), a wheat field (part of a wheat/corn/soybean rotation for 30 years) and an undisturbed deciduous forest. Under each land-use type, cores to a depth of 40 cm were collected along three random 30 m transects (at 8, 16 and 24 m), then divided them into 10 cm increments, combining all similar depth increments along one transect. Soil quality was assessed by analyzing various soil physical and chemical properties. Bulk density of the soil was much higher (1.55 vs. 0.95 g/cm3) in both agricultural ecosystems compared to the forest, but only in the 0-10 cm layer. Soil moisture at 60% water holding capacity was much greater for the forest than the sod and wheat soils. Soil pH was slightly lower in the forest compared to the sod and wheat fields. The sod and wheat fields showed losses of ~52% and ~53% organic matter, respectively, in contrast to the forested area. The greatest differences in organic matter and total carbon were found in the top 10 cm, likely due to the greater accumulation of litter at the ground surface in the forest compared to the agricultural sites. It appears that long-term (10 year) agricultural production has led to a decline in some, but not all, soil quality measures, particularly soil organic matter, bulk density and water holding capacity. These findings are consistent with much of the literature concerning the effects of land-use change on soil quality, and highlight the need to develop improved management systems to minimize losses in soil quality that can lead to declines in the productivity potential of soils over time.

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Effect of Different Tillage Systems on Soil Organic Carbon and Enzymatic Activity

Agronomy ◽

10.3390/agronomy12010208 ◽

2022 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

pp. 208

Author(s):

Małgorzata Szostek ◽

Ewa Szpunar-Krok ◽

Renata Pawlak ◽

Jadwiga Stanek-Tarkowska ◽

Anna Ilek

Keyword(s):

Organic Matter ◽

Organic Carbon ◽

Soil Organic Carbon ◽

Organic Farming ◽

Total Nitrogen ◽

Farming Systems ◽

Conventional Tillage ◽

Tillage Systems ◽

Organic Farming Systems ◽

Organic Matter Fractions

The aim of the study was to compare the effect of conventional, simplified, and organic farming systems on changes in the content of soil organic carbon, organic matter fractions, total nitrogen, and the enzymatic activity. The research was conducted from 2016–2018 on arable land in the south-eastern part of Poland. The selected soils were cultivated in conventional tillage (C_Ts), simplified tillage (S_Ts), and organic farming (O_Fs) systems. The analyses were performed in soil from the soil surface layers (up to 25 cm depth) of the experimental plots. The highest mean contents of soil organic carbon, total nitrogen, and organic matter fractions were determined in soils subjected to the simplified tillage system throughout the experimental period. During the study period, organic carbon concentration on surface soil layers under simplified tillage systems was 31 and 127% higher than the soil under conventional tillage systems and organic farming systems, respectively. Also, the total nitrogen concentration in those soils was more than 40% and 120% higher than conventional tillage systems and organic farming systems, respectively. Moreover, these soils were characterised by a progressive decline in SOC and Nt resources over the study years. There was no significant effect of the analysed tillage systems on the C:N ratio. The tillage systems induced significant differences in the activity of the analysed soil enzymes, i.e., dehydrogenase (DH) and catalase (CAT). The highest DH activity throughout the experiment was recorded in the O_Fs soils, and the mean value of this parameter was in the range of 6.01–6.11 μmol TPF·kg−1·h−1. There were no significant differences in the CAT values between the variants of the experiment. The results confirm that, regardless of other treatments, such as the use of organic fertilisers, tillage has a negative impact on the content of SOC and organic matter fractions in the O_Fs system. All simplifications in tillage reducing the interference with the soil surface layer and the use of organic fertilisers contribute to improvement of soil properties and enhancement of biological activity, which helps to maintain its productivity and fertility.

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Biological indicators of soil quality in organic farming systems

Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems ◽

10.1017/s1742170509990172 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 24 (4) ◽

pp. 308-318 ◽

Cited By ~ 20

Author(s):

E.A. Stockdale ◽

C.A. Watson

Keyword(s):

Organic Farming ◽

Soil Quality ◽

Management Practices ◽

Farming Systems ◽

Biological Indicators ◽

Current Evidence ◽

Conventional Agriculture ◽

Biological Quality ◽

Organic Farming Systems ◽

The Impact

AbstractThe health of the soil, recognized by its active role in the linked processes of decomposition and nutrient supply, is considered as the foundation of agriculture by the organic farming movement. Nutrient management in organically managed soils is fundamentally different from that of conventional agricultural systems. Crop rotations are designed with regard to maintenance of fertility with a focus on nutrient recycling. Where nutrients are added to the system, inputs are in organic and/or non-synthetic fertilizer sources that are mostly slow release in nature. Hence a greater reliance is placed on soil chemical and biological processes to release nutrients in plant-available forms. In this respect, nutrient availability in organically farmed soils is more dependent upon soil processes than is the case in conventional agriculture. The development and use of biological indicators of soil quality may therefore be more important in organic (and other low input) farming systems. The aim of this paper is to evaluate current evidence for the impact of organic farming systems on soil biological quality and consider the identification of appropriate biological indicators for use by organic farmers and their advisors. Organic farming systems are generally associated with increased biological activity and increased below-ground biodiversity. The main impacts on biological fertility do not result from the systemsper sebut are related to the amount and quality of the soil organic matter pool and disruptions of soil habitat via tillage. Even within the constraints of organic farming practices it is possible for farmers to make changes to management practices which will tend to improve soil biological quality. It is, however, by no means clear that distinct indicators of soil biological quality are needed for organic farming systems. It is important not only to identify the most appropriate indicators but also to ensure that farmers and land managers can understand and relate to them to support on-farm management decisions.

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Effects of Different Tillage Intensities on Physicochemical and Microbial Properties of a Eutric Fluvisol Soil

Agronomy ◽

10.3390/agronomy11081497 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (8) ◽

pp. 1497

Author(s):

Anna Maria Gajda ◽

Ewa Antonina Czyż ◽

Agnieszka Klimkowicz-Pawlas

Keyword(s):

Organic Matter ◽

Soil Quality ◽

Cold Water ◽

Microbial Biomass Carbon ◽

Clay Content ◽

Basal Respiration ◽

Metabolic Potential ◽

Tillage Systems ◽

Level Indicator ◽

Microbial Properties

The physicochemical and microbial properties of soil under long-term monoculture of winter wheat were studied to assess the effects of two tillage systems of different intensities: reduced (RT) and conventional (CT). The research was carried out on an 18-year-old experimental field at Grabów (eastern Poland) between 2018 and 2020. The RT (ploughless) and the CT (mouldboard ploughing) systems with machine operating depths of up to 10 and 25 cm, respectively, were used. The analysed parameters were as follows: soil texture, pH, readily dispersible clay content (RDC), soil organic matter (SOM), carbon from particulate organic matter (POM-C), hot- and cold-water-extractable organic carbon (HWEC, CWEC) and nitrogen (HWEN, CWEN), soil basal respiration (SBR), microbial biomass carbon (MBC) and nitrogen (MBN), nitrification potential (NP), dehydrogenases (DEH), and acid (ACP) and alkaline (ALP) phosphatases activities. Several single soil quality indices, including: metabolic (qCO2) and microbial (MicQ) quotients, enzymatic pH level indicator (EpHI), stratification ratio (SR), and metabolic potential index (MP) were calculated. The use of RT resulted in increased SOM and, therefore, in decreased RDC and increased values of soil stability, POM-C, HWEC, CWEC, HWEN, CWEN, MBC, and MBN in relation to CT. The MicQ, EpHI, SR, and MP well reflected the effects of RT and CT systems on soil and appeared to be useful in soil quality assessment. The results showed the beneficial effects on soil of the less intensive RT system in comparison with CT. Statistical analysis showed the significance of differences between tillage systems and interrelationships between the studied soil quality parameters.

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Soils under Shorea robusta in foot hills of the Eastern Himalaya - their characteristics and carbon sequestration potential

Indian Journal of Forestry ◽

10.54207/bsmps1000-2021-56p692 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 43 (4) ◽

pp. 295-301

Author(s):

Samar Gangopadhyay ◽

◽

Samar Banerjee ◽

Avinash Jain ◽

Saikat Banerjee ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Organic Matter ◽

Carbon Sequestration ◽

Organic Carbon ◽

Soil Organic Carbon ◽

Bulk Density ◽

Clay Content ◽

Carbon Sequestration Potential ◽

Shorea Robusta ◽

Sequestration Potential ◽

Study Sites

Forest soils supporting Sal-Shorea robusta (Roxb. ex Gaertn. f.) plantations in the foot hills of Darjeeling and Kurseong Divisions in West Bengal were studied for their physicochemical characteristics and carbon sequestration potential. Soils are acidic, high in organic carbon and clay content but low in soil reaction (pH) and bulk density (BD). Thick deposit of leaf litter and its decomposition products increase the soil organic carbon (SOC). Significant amount of clay content also increases the moisture content which helps in decomposing the organic matter, reducing the bulk density of soil and reduces erosion. Soil organic matter tends to concentrate with roughly more than half of the soil organic carbon in the upper soil horizons (0-30cm) at all the study sites. Among the study sites, Samardanga block registers lowest SOC while Bamanpukuri block shows highest SOC stock.

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Land use effects on soil quality indicators in north-eastern Iran

Soil Research ◽

10.1071/sr07049 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 46 (1) ◽

pp. 27 ◽

Cited By ~ 44

Author(s):

A. Golchin ◽

H. Asgari

Keyword(s):

Land Use ◽

Soil Quality ◽

Water Table ◽

Land Use Changes ◽

Clay Content ◽

Soil Surface ◽

Eastern Iran ◽

North Eastern ◽

Dispersible Clay ◽

Cultivated Soils

Forest and grassland soils in north-eastern Iran are being degraded and destroyed by inappropriate agricultural activities. This study investigated effects of land-use changes on several indicators of soil quality (SQ) in this area. We found higher organic carbon (OC) and total nitrogen (N) contents in virgin soils (under forests and pastures) than in cultivated soils. Distribution of OC throughout the soil profile was influenced by the type and length of tillage operations performed at different sites. Cultivation reduced OC content of the subsoil (0.50–1.00 m) and contributed to a more uniform distribution of organic matter in the plough layer (0–0.50 m) by mixing upper and lower horizon soils and incorporating of organic inputs to a greater depth. In 4 of 5 sites, tilled soils had lower ECe and SAR values than the virgin soils, but when the water table was near the soil surface, the ECe and SAR values were higher in cultivated sites. This suggests that when the water table is deep, the quality of salt-affected virgin soils may be improved by cultivation and leaching of excess salts to deeper layers. In 4 of 5 sites, the virgin soils had slightly greater clay content than the tilled soils, but these soils also had 41–89% less dispersible clay than their cultivated counterparts. The virgin soils had 2–31-fold greater aggregate stability, 4–33% lower bulk density, 6–31% higher water-holding capacity (at 0.3 bar suction), higher cation exchange capacity (CEC), and higher respiration rate than the cultivated soils. The results of this study indicate that frequent tillage and use of summer fallow deteriorates SQ by decreasing SOC and enhancing soil erosion through decreased structural stability and increased mechanically dispersible clay. The results stress the need for farming practices that preserve OC in soils in order to reduce flooding and erosion risks.

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Erosion Effect on Soil Physical Properties in Selected Farmlands in Gidan Kwano, Niger State

Journal of Horticulture and Plant Research ◽

10.18052/www.scipress.com/jhpr.2.10 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 2 ◽

pp. 10-22

Author(s):

Abdulkadir Abdullahi

Keyword(s):

Organic Matter ◽

Physical Properties ◽

Bulk Density ◽

Organic Matter Content ◽

Aggregate Stability ◽

Clay Content ◽

Infiltration Rate ◽

Matter Content ◽

Simple Method ◽

Cumulative Infiltration

The study was conducted to investigate if erosion is a major problem and to identify the effect of erosion on some physical properties on selected farmlands on four farms in Gidan kwano. It was done by observation, interview, and questionnaire and soil sample analysis. The infiltration rate, bulk density, porosity, organic matter content, particle size and aggregate stability were determined for all the sample location. The erosion fields results were compared with the results of the non-eroded fields. The results showed that farming was done with simple method and mechanized equipment when available and erosion was considered a major problem in all the farms. The results revealed that bulk density values ranged between 1.475gcm-3and 1.606gcm-3, cumulative infiltration rate fluctuated between 29.75cm/hr and 37.48cm/hr, porosity ranged between 36.49% and 44.34%, organic matter content fluctuated between 0.29% and 0.73% and aggregate stability ranged between 58.00% and 67.60% for the erosion field. The results also revealed that bulk density fluctuated between 1.458gcm-3and 1.544gcm-3, cumulative infiltration rate ranged between 32.19 cm/hr and 40.48cm/hr, porosity fluctuated between 41.73% and 44.98%, organic matter content ranged between 0.30% and 1.09% and aggregate stability ranged between 63.97% and 68.93% for the non-eroded field. From the results, it provides evidence that the effects of erosion on the physical properties were increased bulk density, decreased infiltration rate, organic matter content, porosity, aggregate stability and percentage sand, silt and clay content. Statistical analysis proved that the results were significant (p<0.05) except for the bulk density and porosity which could be attributed to the swelling and compaction characteristics of the soils.

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Trends in Soil Quality Under High Tunnels

HortScience ◽

10.21273/hortsci.45.10.1534 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 45 (10) ◽

pp. 1534-1538 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Sharon J.B. Knewtson ◽

Rhonda Janke ◽

M.B. Kirkham ◽

Kimberly A. Williams ◽

Edward E. Carey

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Organic Matter ◽

Soil Quality ◽

Particulate Organic Matter ◽

Soil Surface ◽

The United States ◽

Total Carbon ◽

Surface Salinity ◽

High Tunnel ◽

High Tunnels

Growers have indicated that changes in soil quality under production in high tunnels is an important problem, but these have not yet been quantified or critically assessed in the central Great Plains of the United States. We conducted surveys of grower perceptions of soil quality in their tunnels (n = 81) and compared selected soil quality indicators (salinity and particulate organic matter carbon) under high tunnels of varying ages with those of adjacent fields at sites in Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and Iowa in the United States. Fourteen percent of growers surveyed considered soil quality to be a problem in their high tunnels, and there were significant correlations between grower perceptions of soil quality problems and reported observations of clod formation and surface crusting and to a lesser extent surface mineral deposition. Grower perception of soil quality and grower observation of soil characteristics were not related to high tunnel age. Soil surface salinity was elevated in some high tunnels compared with adjacent fields but was not related to time under the high tunnel. In the soil upper 5 cm, salinity in fields did not exceed 2 dS·m−1 and was less than 2 dS·m−1 under 74% of high tunnels and less than 4 dS·m−1 in 97% of high tunnels. The particulate organic matter carbon fraction was higher in high tunnels than adjacent fields at 73% of locations sampled. Particulate organic matter carbon measured 0.11 to 0.67 g particulate organic matter per g of the total carbon under high tunnels sampled. Particulate organic matter carbon in the soil was also not correlated to age of high tunnel. Soil quality as measured in this study was not negatively impacted by use of high tunnel structures over time.

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Enzymatic biofilm digestion in soil aggregates facilitates the release of particulate organic matter by sonication

SOIL ◽

10.5194/soil-2-499-2016 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 2 (4) ◽

pp. 499-509 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Frederick Büks ◽

Martin Kaupenjohann

Keyword(s):

Organic Matter ◽

Soil Quality ◽

Particulate Organic Matter ◽

Extracellular Polymeric Substances ◽

Soil Aggregates ◽

Aggregate Stability ◽

Enzyme Treatment ◽

Rooting Depth ◽

Experimental Proof ◽

Biofilm Detachment

Abstract. The stability of soil aggregates against shearing and compressive forces as well as water-caused dispersion is an integral marker of soil quality. High stability results in less compaction and erosion and has been linked to enhanced water retention, dynamic water transport and aeration regimes, increased rooting depth, and protection of soil organic matter (SOM) against microbial degradation. In turn, particulate organic matter is supposed to support soil aggregate stabilization. For decades the importance of biofilm extracellular polymeric substances (EPSs) regarding particulate organic matter (POM) occlusion and aggregate stability has been canonical because of its distribution, geometric structure and ability to link primary particles. However, experimental proof is still missing. This lack is mainly due to methodological reasons. Thus, the objective of this work is to develop a method of enzymatic biofilm detachment for studying the effects of EPSs on POM occlusion. The method combines an enzymatic pre-treatment with different activities of α-glucosidase, β-galactosidase, DNAse and lipase with a subsequent sequential ultrasonic treatment for disaggregation and density fractionation of soils. POM releases of treated samples were compared to an enzyme-free control. To test the efficacy of biofilm detachment the ratio of bacterial DNA from suspended cells and the remaining biofilm after enzymatic treatment were measured by quantitative real-time PCR. Although the enzyme treatment was not sufficient for total biofilm removal, our results indicate that EPSs may attach POM within soil aggregates. The tendency to additional POM release with increased application of enzymes was attributed to a slight loss in aggregate stability. This suggests that an effect of agricultural practices on soil microbial populations could influence POM occlusion/aggregate stability and thereby carbon cycle/soil quality.

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