Grasslands and Croplands Have Different Microbial Biomass Carbon Levels per Unit of Soil Organic Carbon
Primarily using cropped systems, previous studies have reported a positive linear relationship between microbial biomass carbon (MBC) and soil organic carbon (SOC). We conducted a meta-analysis to explore this relationship separately for grasslands and croplands using available literature. Studies w...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2017-07-01
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| Series: | Agriculture |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/7/7/57 |
| _version_ | 1830191415677681664 |
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| author | Terence P. McGonigle William G. Turner |
| author_facet | Terence P. McGonigle William G. Turner |
| author_sort | Terence P. McGonigle |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Primarily using cropped systems, previous studies have reported a positive linear relationship between microbial biomass carbon (MBC) and soil organic carbon (SOC). We conducted a meta-analysis to explore this relationship separately for grasslands and croplands using available literature. Studies were limited to those using fumigation–extraction for MBC for field samples. Trials were noted separately where records were distinct in space or time. Grasslands were naturally occurring, restored, or seeded. Cropping systems were typical of the temperate zone. MBC had a positive linear response to increasing SOC that was significant in both grasslands (p < 0.001; r2 = 0.76) and croplands (p < 0.001; r2 = 0.48). However, MBC increased 2.5-fold more steeply per unit of increasing SOC for grassland soils, as compared to the corresponding response in cropland soils. Expressing MBC as a proportion of SOC across the regression overall, slopes corresponded to 2.7% for grasslands and 1.1% for croplands. The slope of the linear relationship for grasslands was significantly (p = 0.0013) steeper than for croplands. The difference between the two systems is possibly caused by a greater proportion of SOC in grasslands being active rather than passive, relative to that in croplands, with that active fraction promoting the formation of MBC. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-17T23:38:56Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-03257167714345ea893eb0ab306a2cfc |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2077-0472 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-17T23:38:56Z |
| publishDate | 2017-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Agriculture |
| spelling | doaj.art-03257167714345ea893eb0ab306a2cfc2022-12-21T21:28:29ZengMDPI AGAgriculture2077-04722017-07-01775710.3390/agriculture7070057agriculture7070057Grasslands and Croplands Have Different Microbial Biomass Carbon Levels per Unit of Soil Organic CarbonTerence P. McGonigle0William G. Turner1Department of Biology, Brandon University, 270-18th Street, Brandon, MB R7A 6A9, CanadaDepartment of Biology, Brandon University, 270-18th Street, Brandon, MB R7A 6A9, CanadaPrimarily using cropped systems, previous studies have reported a positive linear relationship between microbial biomass carbon (MBC) and soil organic carbon (SOC). We conducted a meta-analysis to explore this relationship separately for grasslands and croplands using available literature. Studies were limited to those using fumigation–extraction for MBC for field samples. Trials were noted separately where records were distinct in space or time. Grasslands were naturally occurring, restored, or seeded. Cropping systems were typical of the temperate zone. MBC had a positive linear response to increasing SOC that was significant in both grasslands (p < 0.001; r2 = 0.76) and croplands (p < 0.001; r2 = 0.48). However, MBC increased 2.5-fold more steeply per unit of increasing SOC for grassland soils, as compared to the corresponding response in cropland soils. Expressing MBC as a proportion of SOC across the regression overall, slopes corresponded to 2.7% for grasslands and 1.1% for croplands. The slope of the linear relationship for grasslands was significantly (p = 0.0013) steeper than for croplands. The difference between the two systems is possibly caused by a greater proportion of SOC in grasslands being active rather than passive, relative to that in croplands, with that active fraction promoting the formation of MBC.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/7/7/57soil healthsoil qualitymeta-analysisorganic matteractive fractionlinear regression |
| spellingShingle | Terence P. McGonigle William G. Turner Grasslands and Croplands Have Different Microbial Biomass Carbon Levels per Unit of Soil Organic Carbon Agriculture soil health soil quality meta-analysis organic matter active fraction linear regression |
| title | Grasslands and Croplands Have Different Microbial Biomass Carbon Levels per Unit of Soil Organic Carbon |
| title_full | Grasslands and Croplands Have Different Microbial Biomass Carbon Levels per Unit of Soil Organic Carbon |
| title_fullStr | Grasslands and Croplands Have Different Microbial Biomass Carbon Levels per Unit of Soil Organic Carbon |
| title_full_unstemmed | Grasslands and Croplands Have Different Microbial Biomass Carbon Levels per Unit of Soil Organic Carbon |
| title_short | Grasslands and Croplands Have Different Microbial Biomass Carbon Levels per Unit of Soil Organic Carbon |
| title_sort | grasslands and croplands have different microbial biomass carbon levels per unit of soil organic carbon |
| topic | soil health soil quality meta-analysis organic matter active fraction linear regression |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/7/7/57 |
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