Using a sequential density and particle-size fractionation to evaluate carbon and nitrogen storage in the profile of tilled and no-till soils in eastern Canada

2009 ◽  
Vol 89 (3) ◽  
pp. 255-267 ◽  
Author(s):  
E G Gregorich ◽  
M R Carter ◽  
D A Angers ◽  
C F Drury
Keyword(s):  
Particle Size ◽  
Organic Matter ◽  
Prince Edward Island ◽  
Sandy Loam ◽  
Soil Tillage ◽  
Size Fractionation ◽  
Eastern Canada ◽  
No Till ◽  
Particle Size Fractionation ◽  
C And N

Tillage influences the retention and storage of organic matter (OM) in soil. We used a sequential density and particle-size fractionation to evaluate the total quantity and distribution of organic carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) in the profile of soils under mouldboard ploughing and no-till. Cores (0-60 cm) from four long-term tillage studies (in Prince Edward Island, Quebec, and two sites in Ontario) on soils of different textures, from sandy loam to clay were collected and divided into six depth increments. Four soil OM fractions were isolated on the basis of size and density from each sample. At two sites the standing stocks of C and N were larger in tilled than in no-till soil profiles at depths slightly greater than plough depth; tillage effects were also evident at a third site, where the mass of C in a layer close to the depth of ploughing was greater in tilled soils. Ploughing also had a substantial and consistent positive effect in all four soils on the quantity of C (and in some cases N) protected within aggregates, particularly at or near the bottom of the plough layer, and sometimes in surface soil layers. We attribute differences observed in whole soil C and N due to tillage mostly to differences in mineral-associated OM, particularly in soils with heavier textures, but the other size and density fractions could, together, account for as much as 25% of the difference. Because the C capacity level was not reached in heavy-textured soils, these soils show greater potential for further accumulation of C in the soil profile than coarse-textured soils, especially near the bottom of the plough layer.Key words: Light fraction, soil organic matter, soil tillage, physically-protected organic matter, no-till, soil texture

A routine method to study soil organic matter by particle‐size fractionation: Examples for tropical soils

1995 ◽  
Vol 26 (11-12) ◽  
pp. 1749-1760 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Gavinelli ◽  
C. Feller ◽  
M.C. Larré‐Larrouy ◽  
B. Bacye ◽  
N. Djegui ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Particle Size ◽  
Organic Matter ◽  
Soil Organic Matter ◽  
Tropical Soils ◽  
Routine Method ◽  
Size Fractionation ◽  
Particle Size Fractionation

Activité phosphatasique de quelques sols tropicaux à argile 1: 1. Répartition dans les fractions granulométriques

1994 ◽  
Vol 74 (2) ◽  
pp. 121-129 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Feller ◽  
E. Frossard ◽  
M. Brassard
Keyword(s):  
Particle Size ◽  
Organic Matter ◽  
Phosphatase Activity ◽  
Mineral Soil ◽  
Clay Fraction ◽  
Continuous Cultivation ◽  
Clay Soils ◽  
Size Fractionation ◽  
Particle Size Fractionation ◽  
Low Activity

The objectives of this work were: (i) to study the acid monophosphoesterase activity (pH 6.5) of the surface horizons of low-activity tropical clay soils (West Africa, West Indies, Brazil), cultivated or uncultivated, with widely different textures and organic matter (OM) contents, (ii) to measure the phosphatase activity (Pase) in the organic and organo-mineral soil fractions obtained by particle size fractionation. Pase was most significantly correlated to the soil OM content and to a lesser extent to the texture and total P content. Therefore, any modification in soil management resulting in important changes in soil OM contents, leads to important variations in phosphatase activity: Pase decreases after clearing of the native vegetation and continuous cultivation, Pase increase when grass-fallows or meadows succeed to annual cropping. The Pase of all the size fractions (20–2000 μm, 2–20 μm and 0–2 μm) was controled by their OM content. However, the "potential Pase" defined as the ratio Pase/C was higher in the 20- to 2000-μm and 0- to 2-μm fractions than in the 2–20 μm ones This is attributed to a higher Pase renewal by root restitutions in the plant debris fraction (20–2000 μm) and by microbial activity and microbial metabolites in the organo-clay fraction (0–2 μm). More than 50% of the soil total Pase was associated with fractions coarser than 2 μm. Most of the changes in Pase (75–100%) associated with the cultivation were ascribed to these fractions. This illustrate the probably important role of the fractions coarser than 2 μm in the phosphorus dynamics in these soils. Key words: Phosphomonoesterase, organic matter, particle size fractionation, low-activity tropical clay soils

Soil organic matter quality and aggregate stability under eight potato cropping sequences in a fine sandy loam of Prince Edward Island

1999 ◽  
Vol 79 (3) ◽  
pp. 411-417 ◽  
Author(s):  
Denis A. Angers ◽  
Linnell M. Edwards ◽  
J. Brian Sanderson ◽  
Nicole Bissonnette
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
High Frequency ◽  
Prince Edward Island ◽  
Sandy Loam ◽  
Solanum Tuberosum L ◽  
Aggregate Stability ◽  
Red Clover ◽  
Light Fraction ◽  
Fine Sandy Loam ◽  
C And N

Soil degradation and soil organic matter (SOM) reduction have long been suspected to occur under intensive potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) production in Prince Edward Island. Thus, this study was conducted to evaluate the effect of eight potato cropping sequences involving barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum L.), red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) and barley under-seeded with red clover on aggregate stability and SOM properties of a Charlottetown fine sandy loam (Orthic Humo-Ferric Podzol). Total C and N, light-fraction (density < 1.7 g cm−3) C (LF-C) and light-fraction N (LF-N), microbial biomass C (MBC), carbohydrate content, alkaline phosphatase activity (APA) and aggregate stability were determined in the 0- to 15-cm soil layer in the 6th and 10th years of the trial. Average C and N contents were 20 to 27% greater in sequences that included 3 or 4 yr of potatoes and a high frequency of red clover than in a 9-yr potato sequence; and were attributed to the less frequent tillage and higher organic matter inputs associated with the forage component. The response for MBC, LF-C, LF-N and APA was greater than those for total C and N suggesting that the former parameters may better reveal SOM changes caused by variations in potato management than the latter. Light-fraction N was particularly sensitive to the inclusion of perennial legumes in the cropping sequence. Wet-aggregate stability was 33% higher after 6 yr in the sequence with 50% frequency of red clover than in the continuous potato system, but no effect was noted after 10 yr. The results of this study indicate that sequences which are limited to 30 to 40% of potatoes and have a high frequency of perennial forage such as red clover, lead to greater SOM content and quality of a Charlottetown fine sandy loam compared to continuous potatoes. Trends in aggregate stability generally followed those of SOM fractions but the effects were relatively smaller and varied with time. Key words: Potato, Solanum tuberosum L., soil aggregation, organic matter, carbon, nitrogen, light fraction, microbial biomass

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