Long-term fertilization and manuring effects on physically separated soil organic-matter pools under continuous wheat cropping at a rainfed semiarid site in China

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  • Lanzhou University
  • Tianshui Institute of Agricultural Sciences
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Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)689-697
Number of pages9
JournalJournal of Plant Nutrition and Soil Science
Volume175
Issue number5
Publication statusPublished - 4 Jun 2012

Abstract

An essential prerequisite for a sustainable soil use is to maintain a satisfactory soil organic-matter (OM) level. This might be achieved by sound fertilization management, though impacts of fertilization on OM have been rarely investigated with the aid of physical fractionation techniques in semiarid regions. This study aimed at examining changes in organic C (OC) and N concentrations of physically separated soil OM pools after 26 y of fertilization at a site of the semiarid Loess Plateau in China. To separate sensitive OM pools, total macro-OM (> 0.05mm) was obtained from bulk soil by wet-sieving and then separated into light macro-OM (< 1.8 gcm-3) and heavy macro-OM (> 1.8 gcm-3) subfractions; bulk soil was also differentiated into light OM (< 1.8 gcm-3) and mineral-associated OM (> 1.8 gcm-3). Farmyard manure increased concentrations of total macro-OC and N by 19% and 25%, and those of light fraction OC and N by 36% and 46%, compared to no manuring; both light OC and N concentrations but only total macro-OC concentration responded positively to mineral fertilizations compared to no mineral fertilization. This demonstrated that the light-fraction OM was more sensitive to organic or inorganic fertilization than the total macro-OM. Mineral-associated OC and N concentrations also increased by manuring or mineral fertilizations, indicating an increase of stable OM relative to no fertilization treatment, however, their shares on bulk soil OC and N decreased. Mineral fertilizations improved soil OM quality by decreasing C : N ratio in the light OM fraction whereas manuring led to a decline of the C : N ratio in the total macro-OM fraction, with respect to nil treatment. Further fractionation of the total macro-OM according to density clarified that across treatments about 3/4 of total macro-OM was associated with minerals. Thus, by simultaneously applying particle-size and density separation procedures, we clearly demonstrated that the macro-OM differed from the light OM fraction not only in its chemical composition but also in associations with minerals. The proportion of the 0.5-0.25mm water-stable aggregates of soil was higher under organic or inorganic fertilizations than under no manure or no mineral fertilization, and increases in OC and N concentrations of water-stable aggregates as affected by fertilization were greater for 1-0.5 and 0.5-0.25mm classes than for the other classes. Results indicate that OM stocks in different soil pools can be increased and the loose aggregation of these strongly eroded loess soils can be improved by organic or inorganic fertilization.

Keywords

    Aggregate-associated soil organic matter, Combined particle-size and density soil fractionation, Light soil organic matter, Loess soil, Macro-soil organic matter, Mineral-associated soil organic matter

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Long-term fertilization and manuring effects on physically separated soil organic-matter pools under continuous wheat cropping at a rainfed semiarid site in China. / Zhe E, Sheng; Gang Li, Xiao; Ming Chen, Zhao et al.
In: Journal of Plant Nutrition and Soil Science, Vol. 175, No. 5, 04.06.2012, p. 689-697.

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title = "Long-term fertilization and manuring effects on physically separated soil organic-matter pools under continuous wheat cropping at a rainfed semiarid site in China",
abstract = "An essential prerequisite for a sustainable soil use is to maintain a satisfactory soil organic-matter (OM) level. This might be achieved by sound fertilization management, though impacts of fertilization on OM have been rarely investigated with the aid of physical fractionation techniques in semiarid regions. This study aimed at examining changes in organic C (OC) and N concentrations of physically separated soil OM pools after 26 y of fertilization at a site of the semiarid Loess Plateau in China. To separate sensitive OM pools, total macro-OM (> 0.05mm) was obtained from bulk soil by wet-sieving and then separated into light macro-OM (< 1.8 gcm-3) and heavy macro-OM (> 1.8 gcm-3) subfractions; bulk soil was also differentiated into light OM (< 1.8 gcm-3) and mineral-associated OM (> 1.8 gcm-3). Farmyard manure increased concentrations of total macro-OC and N by 19% and 25%, and those of light fraction OC and N by 36% and 46%, compared to no manuring; both light OC and N concentrations but only total macro-OC concentration responded positively to mineral fertilizations compared to no mineral fertilization. This demonstrated that the light-fraction OM was more sensitive to organic or inorganic fertilization than the total macro-OM. Mineral-associated OC and N concentrations also increased by manuring or mineral fertilizations, indicating an increase of stable OM relative to no fertilization treatment, however, their shares on bulk soil OC and N decreased. Mineral fertilizations improved soil OM quality by decreasing C : N ratio in the light OM fraction whereas manuring led to a decline of the C : N ratio in the total macro-OM fraction, with respect to nil treatment. Further fractionation of the total macro-OM according to density clarified that across treatments about 3/4 of total macro-OM was associated with minerals. Thus, by simultaneously applying particle-size and density separation procedures, we clearly demonstrated that the macro-OM differed from the light OM fraction not only in its chemical composition but also in associations with minerals. The proportion of the 0.5-0.25mm water-stable aggregates of soil was higher under organic or inorganic fertilizations than under no manure or no mineral fertilization, and increases in OC and N concentrations of water-stable aggregates as affected by fertilization were greater for 1-0.5 and 0.5-0.25mm classes than for the other classes. Results indicate that OM stocks in different soil pools can be increased and the loose aggregation of these strongly eroded loess soils can be improved by organic or inorganic fertilization.",
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TY - JOUR

T1 - Long-term fertilization and manuring effects on physically separated soil organic-matter pools under continuous wheat cropping at a rainfed semiarid site in China

AU - Zhe E, Sheng

AU - Gang Li, Xiao

AU - Ming Chen, Zhao

AU - Hang Li, Xiao

AU - Rong Song, Jian

AU - Guggenberger, Georg

PY - 2012/6/4

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N2 - An essential prerequisite for a sustainable soil use is to maintain a satisfactory soil organic-matter (OM) level. This might be achieved by sound fertilization management, though impacts of fertilization on OM have been rarely investigated with the aid of physical fractionation techniques in semiarid regions. This study aimed at examining changes in organic C (OC) and N concentrations of physically separated soil OM pools after 26 y of fertilization at a site of the semiarid Loess Plateau in China. To separate sensitive OM pools, total macro-OM (> 0.05mm) was obtained from bulk soil by wet-sieving and then separated into light macro-OM (< 1.8 gcm-3) and heavy macro-OM (> 1.8 gcm-3) subfractions; bulk soil was also differentiated into light OM (< 1.8 gcm-3) and mineral-associated OM (> 1.8 gcm-3). Farmyard manure increased concentrations of total macro-OC and N by 19% and 25%, and those of light fraction OC and N by 36% and 46%, compared to no manuring; both light OC and N concentrations but only total macro-OC concentration responded positively to mineral fertilizations compared to no mineral fertilization. This demonstrated that the light-fraction OM was more sensitive to organic or inorganic fertilization than the total macro-OM. Mineral-associated OC and N concentrations also increased by manuring or mineral fertilizations, indicating an increase of stable OM relative to no fertilization treatment, however, their shares on bulk soil OC and N decreased. Mineral fertilizations improved soil OM quality by decreasing C : N ratio in the light OM fraction whereas manuring led to a decline of the C : N ratio in the total macro-OM fraction, with respect to nil treatment. Further fractionation of the total macro-OM according to density clarified that across treatments about 3/4 of total macro-OM was associated with minerals. Thus, by simultaneously applying particle-size and density separation procedures, we clearly demonstrated that the macro-OM differed from the light OM fraction not only in its chemical composition but also in associations with minerals. The proportion of the 0.5-0.25mm water-stable aggregates of soil was higher under organic or inorganic fertilizations than under no manure or no mineral fertilization, and increases in OC and N concentrations of water-stable aggregates as affected by fertilization were greater for 1-0.5 and 0.5-0.25mm classes than for the other classes. Results indicate that OM stocks in different soil pools can be increased and the loose aggregation of these strongly eroded loess soils can be improved by organic or inorganic fertilization.

AB - An essential prerequisite for a sustainable soil use is to maintain a satisfactory soil organic-matter (OM) level. This might be achieved by sound fertilization management, though impacts of fertilization on OM have been rarely investigated with the aid of physical fractionation techniques in semiarid regions. This study aimed at examining changes in organic C (OC) and N concentrations of physically separated soil OM pools after 26 y of fertilization at a site of the semiarid Loess Plateau in China. To separate sensitive OM pools, total macro-OM (> 0.05mm) was obtained from bulk soil by wet-sieving and then separated into light macro-OM (< 1.8 gcm-3) and heavy macro-OM (> 1.8 gcm-3) subfractions; bulk soil was also differentiated into light OM (< 1.8 gcm-3) and mineral-associated OM (> 1.8 gcm-3). Farmyard manure increased concentrations of total macro-OC and N by 19% and 25%, and those of light fraction OC and N by 36% and 46%, compared to no manuring; both light OC and N concentrations but only total macro-OC concentration responded positively to mineral fertilizations compared to no mineral fertilization. This demonstrated that the light-fraction OM was more sensitive to organic or inorganic fertilization than the total macro-OM. Mineral-associated OC and N concentrations also increased by manuring or mineral fertilizations, indicating an increase of stable OM relative to no fertilization treatment, however, their shares on bulk soil OC and N decreased. Mineral fertilizations improved soil OM quality by decreasing C : N ratio in the light OM fraction whereas manuring led to a decline of the C : N ratio in the total macro-OM fraction, with respect to nil treatment. Further fractionation of the total macro-OM according to density clarified that across treatments about 3/4 of total macro-OM was associated with minerals. Thus, by simultaneously applying particle-size and density separation procedures, we clearly demonstrated that the macro-OM differed from the light OM fraction not only in its chemical composition but also in associations with minerals. The proportion of the 0.5-0.25mm water-stable aggregates of soil was higher under organic or inorganic fertilizations than under no manure or no mineral fertilization, and increases in OC and N concentrations of water-stable aggregates as affected by fertilization were greater for 1-0.5 and 0.5-0.25mm classes than for the other classes. Results indicate that OM stocks in different soil pools can be increased and the loose aggregation of these strongly eroded loess soils can be improved by organic or inorganic fertilization.

KW - Aggregate-associated soil organic matter

KW - Combined particle-size and density soil fractionation

KW - Light soil organic matter

KW - Loess soil

KW - Macro-soil organic matter

KW - Mineral-associated soil organic matter

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U2 - 10.1002/jpln.201100215

DO - 10.1002/jpln.201100215

M3 - Article

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SP - 689

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JO - Journal of Plant Nutrition and Soil Science

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