Do Grazing Systems and Species Composition Affect Root Biomass and Soil Organic Matter Dynamics in Temperate Grassland Swards?

Elevating soil organic matter (SOM) levels through changes in grassland management may contribute to lower greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere and mitigate climate change. SOM dynamics of grassland soils may be affected by grazing systems and plant species composition. We analyzed the effects of simulated grazing systems (continuous (CG), rotational (RG), and lenient strip grazing (LG)) and species composition (monocultures of perennial ryegrass fertilized (LP+) and unfertilized (LP−)), tall fescue (fertilized, FA+), and a mixture of these two species with white clover (fertilized, LFT+)) on root biomass and SOM dynamics in field experiments on loamy and sandy soils in the Netherlands. Dried cattle manure was added to all fertilized treatments. We hypothesized that SOM accumulation would be highest under CG and LG, and FA+ and LFT+ as a consequence of greater belowground biomass production. SOM was monitored after conversion from arable land for a period of two years (loamy and sandy soil) and five years (sandy soil). We found that management practices to increase SOM storage were strongly influenced by sampling depth and length of the grassland period. SOM increased significantly in nearly all fertilized treatments in the 0–60 cm layer. No differences between species compositions were found. However, when only the 30–60 cm soil layer was considered, significantly higher SOM increases were found under FA+, which is consistent with its greater root biomass than the other species. SOM increases tended to be higher under LG than RG. The results of this study suggest that it seems possible to comply with the 4-thousandth initiative during a period of five years with fertilized perennial ryegrass or tall fescue in monoculture after conversion from arable land. It remains to be investigated to which extent this sequestration of carbon can be maintained after converting grassland back to arable land.

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Biotic and Abiotic Determinants of Soil Organic Matter Stock and Fine Root Biomass in Mountain Area Temperate Forests—Examples from Cambisols under European Beech, Norway Spruce and Silver Fir (Carpathians, Central Europe)

Forests ◽

10.3390/f12070823 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (7) ◽

pp. 823

Author(s):

Anna Zielonka ◽

Marek Drewnik ◽

Łukasz Musielok ◽

Marcin K. Dyderski ◽

Dariusz Struzik ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Organic Matter ◽

Soil Organic Matter ◽

Norway Spruce ◽

Root Biomass ◽

Fine Root ◽

Stand Density ◽

European Beech ◽

Fine Root Biomass ◽

Silver Fir ◽

Beech Forests

Forest ecosystems significantly contribute to the global organic carbon (OC) pool, exhibiting high spatial heterogeneity in this respect. Some of the components of the OC pool in a forest (woody aboveground biomass (wAGB), coarse root biomass (CRB)) can be relatively easily estimated using readily available data from land observation and forest inventories, while some of the components of the OC pool are very difficult to determine (fine root biomass (FRB) and soil organic matter (SOM) stock). The main objectives of our study were to: (1) estimate the SOM stock; (2) estimate FRB; and (3) assess the relationship between both biotic (wAGB, forest age, foliage, stand density) and abiotic factors (climatic conditions, relief, soil properties) and SOM stocks and FRB in temperate forests in the Western Carpathians consisting of European beech, Norway spruce, and silver fir (32 forest inventory plots in total). We uncovered the highest wAGB in beech forests and highest SOM stocks under beech forest. FRB was the highest under fir forest. We noted a considerable impact of stand density on SOM stocks, particularly in beech and spruce forests. FRB content was mostly impacted by stand density only in beech forests without any discernible effects on other forest characteristics. We discovered significant impacts of relief-dependent factors and SOM stocks at all the studied sites. Our biomass and carbon models informed by more detailed environmental data led to reduce the uncertainty in over- and underestimation in Cambisols under beech, spruce, and fir forests for mountain temperate forest carbon pools.

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Soil stripping and replacement for the rehabilitation of bauxite-mined land at Weipa. I. Initial changes to soil organic matter and related parameters

Soil Research ◽

10.1071/sr99043 ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 38 (2) ◽

pp. 345 ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

G. D. Schwenke ◽

D. R. Mulligan ◽

L. C. Bell

Keyword(s):

Organic Matter ◽

Soil Organic Matter ◽

Field Experiments ◽

Surface Soil ◽

Soil Disturbance ◽

Microbial Biomass C ◽

Low Grade ◽

Double Pass ◽

Organic C ◽

The Difference

At Weipa, in Queensland, Australia, sown tree and shrub species sometimes fail to establish on bauxite-mined land, possibly because surface-soil organic matter declines during soil stripping and replacement. We devised 2 field experiments to investigate the links between soil rehabilitation operations, organic matter decline, and revegetation failure. Experiment 1 compared two routinely practiced operations, dual-strip (DS) and stockpile soil, with double-pass (DP), an alternative method, and subsoil only, an occasional result of the DS operation. Other treatments included variations in stripping-time, ripping-time, fertiliser rate, and cultivation. Dilution of topsoil with subsoil, low-grade bauxite, and ironstone accounted for the 46% decline of surface-soil (0–10 cm) organic C in DS compared with pre-strip soil. In contrast, organic C in the surface-soil (0–10 cm) of DP plots (25.0 t/ha) closely resembled the pre-strip area (28.6 t/ha). However, profile (0–60 cm) organic C did not differ between DS (91.5 t/ha), DP (107 t/ha), and pre-strip soil (89.9 t/ha). Eighteen months after plots were sown with native vegetation, surface-soil (0–10 cm) organic C had declined by an average of 9% across all plots. In Experiment 2, we measured the potential for post-rehabilitation decline of organic matter in hand-stripped and replaced soil columns that simulated the DS operation. Soils were incubated in situ without organic inputs. After 1 year’s incubation, organic C had declined by up to 26% and microbial biomass C by up to 61%. The difference in organic C decline between vegetated replaced soils (Expt 1) and bare replaced soils (Expt 2) showed that organic inputs affect levels of organic matter more than soil disturbance. Where topsoil was replaced at the top of the profile (DP) and not ploughed, inputs from volunteer native grasses balanced oxidation losses and organic C levels did not decline.

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Relationships between soil organic matter, availability of nitrogen and phosphorus and the total root biomass of coffee (Coffea canephora)

Biology and Fertility of Soils ◽

10.1007/bf00256991 ◽

1987 ◽

Vol 4 (3) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

S.O. Ojeniyi

Keyword(s):

Organic Matter ◽

Soil Organic Matter ◽

Root Biomass ◽

Coffea Canephora ◽

Nitrogen And Phosphorus

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Overestimation of Crop Root Biomass in Field Experiments Due to Extraneous Organic Matter

Frontiers in Plant Science ◽

10.3389/fpls.2017.00284 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 8 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Juliane Hirte ◽

Jens Leifeld ◽

Samuel Abiven ◽

Hans-Rudolf Oberholzer ◽

Andreas Hammelehle ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Organic Matter ◽

Root Biomass ◽

Field Experiments ◽

Crop Root

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Effects of changing land use in the Netherlands on net carbon fixation.

Netherlands Journal of Agricultural Science ◽

10.18174/njas.v39i4.16534 ◽

1991 ◽

Vol 39 (4) ◽

pp. 237-246 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

J. Wolf ◽

L.H.J.M. Janssen

Keyword(s):

Land Use ◽

Organic Matter ◽

Soil Organic Matter ◽

The Netherlands ◽

Input Data ◽

Carbon Fixation ◽

Arable Land ◽

Rate Of Change ◽

Pool Size ◽

Average Amount

The changed crop rotation on arable land, the decreasing grassland area and the increase in forest area in the Netherlands resulted in a decrease in C pool size. For the calculation of this C pool a method requiring only three input data (average amount of crop or tree residue rate, soil organic matter decomposition and the humification coefficient) has been applied. However the method can only be applied to situations in equilibrium where all three input data are equal. For a changing land use a new state of equilibrium and rate of change in C pool size can be calculated. (Abstract retrieved from CAB Abstracts by CABI’s permission)

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Differences in soil organic matter and humus of sandy soil after application of biochar substrates and combination of biochar substrates with mineral fertilizers

Acta fytotechnica et zootechnica ◽

10.15414/afz.2020.23.03.117-124 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 23 (3) ◽

pp. 117-124

Author(s):

Dušan Šrank ◽

Vladimír Šimanský

Keyword(s):

Organic Matter ◽

Soil Organic Matter ◽

Carbon Content ◽

Humic Substances ◽

Sandy Soil ◽

The Other ◽

Mineral Fertilizers ◽

Other Hand ◽

Sheep Manure ◽

The Impact

The effort to achieve the sustainable farming system in arable soil led to the intensive search for a new solution but an inspiration can also be found in the application of traditional methods of soil fertility improvement as it is shown in numerous examples in history. Recently many scientific teams have focused their attention on the evaluation of biochar effects on soil properties and crop yields. Since there are a lot of knowledge gaps, especially in explanations how biochar can affect soil organic matter (SOM) and humus substances, we aimed this study at the solution of these questions. Therefore, the objective of the experiment was to evaluate the impact of two biochar substrates (B1 – biochar blended with sheep manure, and B2 – biochar blended with sheep manure and the residue from the biogas station) at two rates (10 and 20 t ha-1) applied alone or in combination with mineral fertilizers (Urea was applied in 2018, at rate 100 kg ha-1, and Urea at rate 100 kg ha-1 + AMOFOS NP 12-52 at 100 kg ha-1 were applied in 2019) on the quantity and quality of SOM and humus of sandy soil (Arenosol, Dolná Streda, Slovakia). The results showed that application of the biochar substrates together with mineral fertilizers (MF) had more pronounced effect on the organic matter mineralization in the sandy soil which resulted in low accumulation of soil organic carbon (Corg) and labile carbon compared to biochar substrates treatments without MF. The share of humic substances in Corg significantly decreased by 16, 50, 16 and 24% in B1 at 10 t ha-1, B1 at 20 t ha-1, B2 at 10 t ha-1 and B2 at 20 t ha-1 treatments, respectively, compared to the control. A similar tendency was observed for biochar substrates treatments + MF, compared to MF control. The carbon content of humic substances (CHS) was equal to 4.40 – 5.80 g kg-1 and the biochar substrates had statistically significant influence on CHS content. On average, there was a smaller decrease of CHS in B1 at rate 10 t ha-1 than at rate 20 t ha-1 and no effect of B2 compared to control. The carbon content of fulvic acid (CFA) was 9% higher in B1 at 10 t ha-1, and 20 t ha-1, 47% higher in B2 at 10 t ha-1 and 17% higher in B2 at 20 t ha-1 compared to control. As a result of biochar substrates + MF application, the reduction in CFA was observed. The results showed a decrease of CHA : CFA ratio with association to biochar substrates alone application compared to control on one hand, and a wider of CHA : CFA ratio in biochar substrates + MF treatments in comparison to MF control on the other hand. Humus stability was increased in biochar substrates alone treatments compared to control, on the other hand, compared to MF control, the application of biochar substrates + MF resulted in a lower humus stability.

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Leys and soil organic matter:III. The accumulation of macro-organic matter in the soil under different swards

The Journal of Agricultural Science ◽

10.1017/s0021859600069185 ◽

1972 ◽

Vol 78 (2) ◽

pp. 333-341 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

E. A. Garwood ◽

C. R. Clement ◽

T. E. Williams

Keyword(s):

Organic Matter ◽

Soil Carbon ◽

Perennial Ryegrass ◽

White Clover ◽

Arable Land ◽

N Fertilizer ◽

Plant Debris ◽

Total Soil ◽

Grazed Swards ◽

Mesh Sieve

SUMMARYMacro-organic matter (roots and partially decomposed plant debris retained on a 0·25 mm mesh sieve) was measured in soils under various swards. Under a grazed perennial ryegrass/white clover sward, sown on arable land, macro-organic matter in the top 15 cm of soil rose steadily in the first 8 years to 15·8 t/ha, but subsequently declined. Under arable cropping there was great variation with crop and season. Under grass, most of the macro-organic matter accumulated in the top 2 cm of soil, particularly during the first 3 or 4 years. More macro-organic matter was found under perennial ryegrass/white clover than under cocksfoot/white clover swards.After 3 years under grass macro-organic matter accounted for 10% of the total soil carbon, and represented about half the increase in soil carbon.Half, or less, of the nitrogen which accumulated in soil under grass was in the macroorganic matter fraction. The differences between swards which received no N fertilizer and those which received 940 kg/ha over 3 years was small, 16–40 kg N/ha respectively for cut and frequently grazed swards. The ratio of C:N in macro-organic matter under different swards averaged 22:1.

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