Please wait a minute...
Journal of Integrative Agriculture  2015, Vol. 14 Issue (12): 2405-2416    DOI: 10.1016/S2095-3119(15)61205-9
Special Focus: Best Soil Management from Long-Term Field Experiments for Sustainable Agriculture Advanced Online Publication | Current Issue | Archive | Adv Search |
Soil aggregation and aggregate associated organic carbon and total nitrogen under long-term contrasting soil management regimes in loess soil
 XIE Jun-yu, XU Ming-gang, Qiangjiu Ciren, YANG Yang, ZHANG Shu-lan, SUN Ben-hua, YANG Xue-yun
1、College of Resources and Environment, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, P.R.China
2、Key Laboratory of Plant Nutrition and the Agri-environment in Northwest China, Ministry of Agriculture, Northwest A&F University,
Yangling 712100, P.R.China
3、National Engineering Laboratory for Improving Quality of Arable Land, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning,
Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, P.R.China
4、Agriculture and Animal Husbandry in Cona County, Shannan 856700, P.R.China
5、Department of Agronomy, Hetao College, Bayannur 015000, P.R.China
Download:  PDF in ScienceDirect  
Export:  BibTeX | EndNote (RIS)      
摘要  This study investigated the effects of three contrasting soil management regimes and different nutrient treatments on the distribution of water-stable aggregates (>2, 1–2, 0.5–1, 0.25–0.5, and <0.25 mm) and associated soil organic carbon (SOC) and total nitrogen (TN) content in loess soil. A 21-yr long-term experiment was performed, in which soil management regimes include cropland abandonment (Abandonment), bare fallow (Fallow) and wheat-fallow cropping (Cropping). Under Cropping, the following nutrient treatments were employed: control (CK, no nutrient input), nitrogen only (N), nitrogen and potassium (NK), phosphorus and potassium (PK), NP, NPK, and manure (M) plus NPK (MNPK). Results demonstrated that Abandonment significantly increased the content of soil macro-aggregates (>0.25 mm) and mean weight diameter (MWD) at 0–10 and 10–20 cm soil horizons compared with Cropping, whereas Fallow yielded lower values of above two parameters. Abandonment increased SOC and TN contents in all aggregate sizes by 17–62% and 6–60%, respectively, at 0–10 cm soil layer compared with Cropping. Conversely, Fallow decreased SOC and TN contents in all aggregates by 7–27% and 7–25%, respectively. Nevertheless, the three soil management regimes presented similar SOC contents in all aggregates at 10–20 cm soil horizon. Only Cropping showed higher TN content in >0.5 mm aggregates than the two other regimes. Consequently, Abandonment enhanced the partitioning proportions of SOC and TN in >1 mm macro-aggregates, and Fallow promoted these proportions in micro-aggregates compared with Cropping. Under Cropping, long-term fertilization did not affect the distribution of aggregates and MWD values compared with those under CK, except for NPK treatment. Fertilizer treatments enhanced SOC and TN contents in aggregates at all tested soil depths. However, fertilization did not affect the partitioning proportions of SOC and TN contents in all aggregates compared with CK. Comprehensive results showed that different soil management regimes generated varied patterns of SOC and TN sequestration in loess soil. Abandonment enhanced soil aggregation and sequestered high amounts of SOC and TN in macro-aggregates. Long-term amendment of organic manure integrated with NPK maintained soil aggregate stability and improved SOC and TN sequestration in all aggregates in loess soil subjected to dryland farming.

Abstract  This study investigated the effects of three contrasting soil management regimes and different nutrient treatments on the distribution of water-stable aggregates (>2, 1–2, 0.5–1, 0.25–0.5, and <0.25 mm) and associated soil organic carbon (SOC) and total nitrogen (TN) content in loess soil. A 21-yr long-term experiment was performed, in which soil management regimes include cropland abandonment (Abandonment), bare fallow (Fallow) and wheat-fallow cropping (Cropping). Under Cropping, the following nutrient treatments were employed: control (CK, no nutrient input), nitrogen only (N), nitrogen and potassium (NK), phosphorus and potassium (PK), NP, NPK, and manure (M) plus NPK (MNPK). Results demonstrated that Abandonment significantly increased the content of soil macro-aggregates (>0.25 mm) and mean weight diameter (MWD) at 0–10 and 10–20 cm soil horizons compared with Cropping, whereas Fallow yielded lower values of above two parameters. Abandonment increased SOC and TN contents in all aggregate sizes by 17–62% and 6–60%, respectively, at 0–10 cm soil layer compared with Cropping. Conversely, Fallow decreased SOC and TN contents in all aggregates by 7–27% and 7–25%, respectively. Nevertheless, the three soil management regimes presented similar SOC contents in all aggregates at 10–20 cm soil horizon. Only Cropping showed higher TN content in >0.5 mm aggregates than the two other regimes. Consequently, Abandonment enhanced the partitioning proportions of SOC and TN in >1 mm macro-aggregates, and Fallow promoted these proportions in micro-aggregates compared with Cropping. Under Cropping, long-term fertilization did not affect the distribution of aggregates and MWD values compared with those under CK, except for NPK treatment. Fertilizer treatments enhanced SOC and TN contents in aggregates at all tested soil depths. However, fertilization did not affect the partitioning proportions of SOC and TN contents in all aggregates compared with CK. Comprehensive results showed that different soil management regimes generated varied patterns of SOC and TN sequestration in loess soil. Abandonment enhanced soil aggregation and sequestered high amounts of SOC and TN in macro-aggregates. Long-term amendment of organic manure integrated with NPK maintained soil aggregate stability and improved SOC and TN sequestration in all aggregates in loess soil subjected to dryland farming.
Keywords:  cropland abandonment       bare fallow       wheat-fallow       water-stable aggregate       aggregate stability  
Received: 27 April 2015   Accepted:
Fund: 

This study was financially supported by the Special Fund for Agro-scientific Research in the Public Interest of China (201203030) and the Agricultural Scientific Research Talent and Team Program of China.

Corresponding Authors:  ZHANG Shu-lan, E-mail: zhangshulan@nwsuaf.edu.cn; YANG Xue-yun, Tel/Fax: +86-29-87088120,E-mail: xueyunyang@hotmail.com     E-mail:  zhangshulan@nwsuaf.edu.cn; xueyunyang@hotmail.com

Cite this article: 

XIE Jun-yu, XU Ming-gang, Qiangjiu Ciren, YANG Yang, ZHANG Shu-lan, SUN Ben-hua, YANG Xue-yun. 2015. Soil aggregation and aggregate associated organic carbon and total nitrogen under long-term contrasting soil management regimes in loess soil. Journal of Integrative Agriculture, 14(12): 2405-2416.

Almaraz J J, Zhou X, Mabood F, Madramootoo C, Rochette P,Ma B L, Smith D L. 2009. Greenhouse gas fluxes associatedwith soybean production under two tillage systems insouthwestern Quebec. Soil and Tillage Research, 104,134-139

An S S, Mentler A, Mayer H, Blum W E H. 2010. Soil aggregation,aggregate stability, organic carbon and nitrogen in different soil aggregate fractions under forest and shrub vegetationon the Loess Plateau, China. Catena, 81, 226-233

Bandyopadhyay P K, Saha S, Mani P K, Mandal B. 2010. Effectof organic inputs on aggregate associated organic carbonconcentration under long-term rice-wheat cropping system.Geoderma, 154, 379-386

Bremner J M. 1996. Total nitrogen. In: Sparks D L, Page A L,Helmke P A, Loeppert R H, Soltanpour P N, Tabatabai M A,Johnson C T, Sumner M E, eds., Methods of Soil Analysis.Part 3. Chemical Methods. Madison, Wisconsin, USA. pp.1085-1122

Bronick C J, Lal R. 2005. Soil structure and management: Areview. Geoderma, 124, 3-22

Chen X F, Li Z P, Liu M, Jiang C Y. 2013. Effects of differentfertilizations on organic carbon and nitrogen contents inwater-stable aggregates and microbial biomass content inpaddy soil of subtropical China. Scientia Agricultura Sinica,46, 950-960 (in Chinese)

Duan Y H, Xu M G, Gao S D, Yang X Y, Huang S M, Liu H B,Wang B R. 2014. Nitrogen use efficiency in a wheat-corncropping system from 15 years of manure and fertilizerapplications. Field Crops Research, 157, 47-56

Emadi M, Baghernejad M, Memarian H R. 2009. Effect of landusechange on soil fertility characteristics within water-stableaggregates of two cultivated soils in northern Iran. Land UsePolicy, 26, 452-457

Fonte S J, Yeboah E, Ofori P, Quansah G W, Vanlauwe B, SixJ. 2007. Fertilizer and residue quality effects on organicmatter stabilization in soil aggregates. Soil Science Societyof America Journal, 73, 961-966

Gao H Y, Guo S L, Liu W Z, Cheng S G, Li M. 2010. Effectof fertilization on organic carbon distribution in variousfractions of aggregates in caliche soils. Acta PedologicalSinica, 47, 931-938 (in Chinese)

Gulde S, Chung H, Amelung W, Chang C, Six J. 2008. Soilcarbon saturation controls labile and stable carbon pooldynamics. Soil Science Society of America Journal, 72,605-612

Haynes R J, Swift R S. 1990. Stability of soil aggregates inrelation to organic constituents and soil water content.European Journal of Soil Science, 41, 73-83

Hevia G G, Mendez M, Buschiazzo D E. 2007. Tillage affectssoil aggregation parameters linked with wind erosion.Geoderma, 140, 90-96

Huang S, Peng X X, Huang Q R, Zhang W J. 2010. Soilaggregation and organic carbon fractions affected bylong-term fertilization in a red soil of subtropical China.Geoderma, 154, 364-369

Jatsrow J D, Miller R M, Lussenhop J. 1998. Contributionsof interacting biological mechanisms to soil aggregatestabilization in restored prairie. Soil Biology Biochemistry,30, 905-916

Li G L, Pang X M. 2010. Effect of land-use conversion on C andN distribution in aggregates of soils in the southern LoessPlateau, China. Land Use Policy, 27, 706-712

Li X G, Zhang P L, Yin P, Li Y K, Ma Q F, Long R J, Li F M.2009. Soil organic carbon and nitrogen fractions and waterstableaggregation as affected by cropping and grasslandreclamation in an arid sub-alpine soil. Land Degradationand Development, 20, 176-186

Li Y Y, Shao M A. 2006. Change of soil physical propertiesunder long-term natural vegetation restoration in the LoessPlateau of China. Journal of Arid Environments, 64, 77-96

Liu D S. 1985. Loess and the Environment. Science Press,Beijing. (in Chinese)

Lugato E, Simonetti G, Morari F, Nardi S, Berti A, Giardini L.2010. Distribution of organic and humic carbon in wet-sievedaggregates of different soils under long-term fertilizationexperiment. Geoderma, 157, 80-85

Meng Q F, Sun Y T, Zhao J, Zhou L R, Ma X F, Zhou M, GaoW, Wang G C. 2014. Distribution of carbon and nitrogen inwater-stable aggregates and soil stability under long-termmanure application in solonetzic soils of the Songnenplain, northeast China. Journal of Soils and Sediments,14, 1041-1049

Miao S J, Zhou L R, Qiao Y F, Qu J F, Xu W Y. 2009. Organiccarbon mineralization and carbon contribution in aggregatesas affected by long-term fertilization. Acta PedologicalSinica, 46, 1068-1075 (in Chinese)

Novara A, Gristina L, La Mantia T, Ruhl J. 2013. Carbondynamics of soil organic matter in bulk soil and aggregatefraction during secondary succession in a Mediterraneanenvironment. Geoderma, 193, 213-221

Raiesi F. 2012. Soil properties and C dynamics in abandonedand cultivated farmlands in a semi-arid ecosystem. Plantand soil, 351, 161-175

Six J, Conant R T, Paul E A, Paustian K. 2002. Stabilizationmechanisms of soil organic matter: Implications for Csaturationof soils. Plant and Soil, 241, 155-176

Sodhi G P S, Beri V, Benbi D K. 2009. Soil aggregation anddistribution of carbon and nitrogen in different fractionsunder long-term application of compost in rice-wheatsystem. Soil and Tillage Research, 103, 412-418

Sun T C, Li S Q, Shao M A. 2005. Effects of long-termfertilization on distribution of organic matters and nitrogenin cinnamon soil aggregates. Scientia Agricultura Sinica,38, 1841-1848 (in Chinese)

Tisdall J M, Oades J M. 1982. Organic matter and water-stableaggregates in soils. Journal of Soil Science, 62, 141-163

Walkley A, Black I A. 1934. An examination of the Degtjareffmethod for determining soil organic matter, and a proposedmodification of the chromic acid titration method. SoilScience, 37, 29-38

Wang W, Chen W C, Wang K R, Xie X L, Yin C M, Chen A L.2011. Effects of long-term fertilization on the distributionof carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus in water-stableaggregates in paddy soil. Agricultural Sciences in China,10, 1932-1940

Wei X R, Shao M A, Gale W J, Zhang X C, Li L H. 2013.Dynamics of aggregate-associated organic carbonfollowing conversion of forest to cropland. Soil Biology andBiochemistry, 57, 876-883

 Xue Y F, Xue W, Zhang S L, Yang X Y. 2015. Effects oflong-term fertilization regimes on changes of aggregatecementing agent on Lou Soil. Plant Nutrition and FertilizerScience, in press. (in Chinese)

Yang X Y, Li P R, Zhang S L, Sun B H, Chen X P. 2011. Longterm-fertilization effects on soil organic carbon, physicalproperties, and wheat yield of a loess soil. Journal of PlantNutrition and Soil Science, 174, 775-784

Yang X Y, Sun B H, Zhang S L. 2014. Trends of yield andsoil fertility in a long-term wheat-maize system. Journal ofIntegrative Agriculture, 13, 402-414

Yang Z H, Singh B R, Hansen S. 2007. Aggregate associatedcarbon, nitrogen and sulfur and their ratios in long-termfertilized soils. Soil and Tillage Research, 95, 161-171

Yoder R E. 1936. A direct method of aggregate analysis of soilsand a study of the physical nature of erosion losses. Journalof Agronomy, 28, 337-351

Yu H Y, Ding W X, Luo J F, Geng R L, Cai Z C. 2012. Longtermapplication of organic manure and mineral fertilizerson aggregation and aggregate-associate carbon in a sandyloam soil. Soil and Tillage Research, 124, 170-177

Zhou H, Peng X H, Perfect E, Xiao T Q, Peng G Y. 2013. Effectsof organic and inorganic fertilization on soil aggregation in anUltisol as characterized by synchrotron based X-ray microcomputedtomography. Geoderma, 195, 23-30.
[1] SHU Xin, ZHU An-ning, ZHANG Jia-bao, YANG Wen-liang, XIN Xiu-li, ZHANG Xian-feng. Changes in soil organic carbon and aggregate stability after conversion to conservation tillage for seven years in the Huang-Huai-Hai Plain of China[J]. >Journal of Integrative Agriculture, 2015, 14(6): 1202-1211.
[2] YANG Zeng-ping, ZHENG Sheng-xian, NIE Jun, LIAO Yu-lin, XIE Jian. Effects of Long-Term Winter Planted Green Manure on Distribution and Storage of Organic Carbon and Nitrogen in Water-Stable Aggregates of Reddish Paddy Soil Under a Double-Rice Cropping System[J]. >Journal of Integrative Agriculture, 2014, 13(8): 1772-1781.
[3] DU Zhang-liu, REN Tu-sheng, HU Chun-sheng, ZHANG Qing-zhong , Humberto Blanco-Canqui. Soil Aggregate Stability and Aggregate-Associated Carbon Under Different Tillage Systems in the North China Plain[J]. >Journal of Integrative Agriculture, 2013, 12(11): 2114-2123.
[4] WANG Wei, CHEN Wei-cai, WANG Kai-rong, XIE Xiao-li, YIN Chun-mei , CHEN An-lei. Effects of Long-Term Fertilization on the Distribution of Carbon, Nitrogen and Phosphorus in Water-Stable Aggregates in Paddy Soil[J]. >Journal of Integrative Agriculture, 2011, 10(12): 1932-1940.
No Suggested Reading articles found!