Distribution and vertical stratification of carbon and nitrogen in soil under different managements in the pampean region of Argentina
One of the expected benefits of no-tillage systems is a higher rate of soil C sequestration. However, higher C retention in soil is not always apparent when no-tillage is applied, due e.g., to substantial differences in soil type and initial C content. The main purpose of this study was to evaluate...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Sociedade Brasileira de Ciência do Solo
2011-12-01
|
| Series: | Revista Brasileira de Ciência do Solo |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0100-06832011000600015&lng=en&tlng=en |
| _version_ | 1818722471025573888 |
|---|---|
| author | Carina Rosa Álvarez Alejandro Oscar Costantini Alfredo Bono Miguel Ángel Taboada Flavio Hernán Gutiérrez Boem Patricia Lilia Fernández Pablo Prystupa |
| author_facet | Carina Rosa Álvarez Alejandro Oscar Costantini Alfredo Bono Miguel Ángel Taboada Flavio Hernán Gutiérrez Boem Patricia Lilia Fernández Pablo Prystupa |
| author_sort | Carina Rosa Álvarez |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | One of the expected benefits of no-tillage systems is a higher rate of soil C sequestration. However, higher C retention in soil is not always apparent when no-tillage is applied, due e.g., to substantial differences in soil type and initial C content. The main purpose of this study was to evaluate the potential of no-tillage management to increase the stock of total organic C in soils of the Pampas region in Argentina. Forty crop fields under no-tillage and conventional tillage systems and seven undisturbed soils were sampled. Total organic C, total N, their fractions and stratification ratios and the C storage capacity of the soils under different managements were assessed in samples to a depth of 30 cm, in three layers (0-5, 5-15 and 15-30 cm). The differences between the C pools of the undisturbed and cultivated soils were significant (p < 0.05) and most pronounced in the top (0-5 cm) soil layer, with more active C near the soil surface (undisturbed > no-tillage > conventional tillage). Based on the stratification ratio of the labile C pool (0-5/5-15 cm), the untilled were separated from conventionally tilled areas. Much of the variation in potentially mineralizable C was explained by this active C fraction (R² = 0.61) and by total organic C (R² = 0.67). No-till soils did not accumulate more organic C than conventionally tilled soils in the 0-30 cm layer, but there was substantial stratification of total and active C pools at no till sites. If the C stratification ratio is really an indicator of soil quality, then the C storage potential of no-tillage would be greater than in conventional tillage, at least in the surface layers. Particulate organic C and potentially mineralizable C may be useful to evaluate variations in topsoil organic matter. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-17T20:55:09Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a253a3bf0108454a9495abb9d1772e28 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1806-9657 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-17T20:55:09Z |
| publishDate | 2011-12-01 |
| publisher | Sociedade Brasileira de Ciência do Solo |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Revista Brasileira de Ciência do Solo |
| spelling | doaj.art-a253a3bf0108454a9495abb9d1772e282022-12-21T21:32:54ZengSociedade Brasileira de Ciência do SoloRevista Brasileira de Ciência do Solo1806-96572011-12-013561985199410.1590/S0100-06832011000600015S0100-06832011000600015Distribution and vertical stratification of carbon and nitrogen in soil under different managements in the pampean region of ArgentinaCarina Rosa Álvarez0Alejandro Oscar Costantini1Alfredo BonoMiguel Ángel TaboadaFlavio Hernán Gutiérrez Boem2Patricia Lilia Fernández3Pablo Prystupa4Universidad de Buenos AiresUniversidad de Buenos AiresUniversidad de Buenos AiresUniversidad de Buenos AiresUniversidad de Buenos AiresOne of the expected benefits of no-tillage systems is a higher rate of soil C sequestration. However, higher C retention in soil is not always apparent when no-tillage is applied, due e.g., to substantial differences in soil type and initial C content. The main purpose of this study was to evaluate the potential of no-tillage management to increase the stock of total organic C in soils of the Pampas region in Argentina. Forty crop fields under no-tillage and conventional tillage systems and seven undisturbed soils were sampled. Total organic C, total N, their fractions and stratification ratios and the C storage capacity of the soils under different managements were assessed in samples to a depth of 30 cm, in three layers (0-5, 5-15 and 15-30 cm). The differences between the C pools of the undisturbed and cultivated soils were significant (p < 0.05) and most pronounced in the top (0-5 cm) soil layer, with more active C near the soil surface (undisturbed > no-tillage > conventional tillage). Based on the stratification ratio of the labile C pool (0-5/5-15 cm), the untilled were separated from conventionally tilled areas. Much of the variation in potentially mineralizable C was explained by this active C fraction (R² = 0.61) and by total organic C (R² = 0.67). No-till soils did not accumulate more organic C than conventionally tilled soils in the 0-30 cm layer, but there was substantial stratification of total and active C pools at no till sites. If the C stratification ratio is really an indicator of soil quality, then the C storage potential of no-tillage would be greater than in conventional tillage, at least in the surface layers. Particulate organic C and potentially mineralizable C may be useful to evaluate variations in topsoil organic matter.http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0100-06832011000600015&lng=en&tlng=ensistema plantio diretofrações da matéria orgânica do solosistemas de preparoestratificação do carbonoestoque de C e N |
| spellingShingle | Carina Rosa Álvarez Alejandro Oscar Costantini Alfredo Bono Miguel Ángel Taboada Flavio Hernán Gutiérrez Boem Patricia Lilia Fernández Pablo Prystupa Distribution and vertical stratification of carbon and nitrogen in soil under different managements in the pampean region of Argentina Revista Brasileira de Ciência do Solo sistema plantio direto frações da matéria orgânica do solo sistemas de preparo estratificação do carbono estoque de C e N |
| title | Distribution and vertical stratification of carbon and nitrogen in soil under different managements in the pampean region of Argentina |
| title_full | Distribution and vertical stratification of carbon and nitrogen in soil under different managements in the pampean region of Argentina |
| title_fullStr | Distribution and vertical stratification of carbon and nitrogen in soil under different managements in the pampean region of Argentina |
| title_full_unstemmed | Distribution and vertical stratification of carbon and nitrogen in soil under different managements in the pampean region of Argentina |
| title_short | Distribution and vertical stratification of carbon and nitrogen in soil under different managements in the pampean region of Argentina |
| title_sort | distribution and vertical stratification of carbon and nitrogen in soil under different managements in the pampean region of argentina |
| topic | sistema plantio direto frações da matéria orgânica do solo sistemas de preparo estratificação do carbono estoque de C e N |
| url | http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0100-06832011000600015&lng=en&tlng=en |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT carinarosaalvarez distributionandverticalstratificationofcarbonandnitrogeninsoilunderdifferentmanagementsinthepampeanregionofargentina AT alejandrooscarcostantini distributionandverticalstratificationofcarbonandnitrogeninsoilunderdifferentmanagementsinthepampeanregionofargentina AT alfredobono distributionandverticalstratificationofcarbonandnitrogeninsoilunderdifferentmanagementsinthepampeanregionofargentina AT miguelangeltaboada distributionandverticalstratificationofcarbonandnitrogeninsoilunderdifferentmanagementsinthepampeanregionofargentina AT flaviohernangutierrezboem distributionandverticalstratificationofcarbonandnitrogeninsoilunderdifferentmanagementsinthepampeanregionofargentina AT patricialiliafernandez distributionandverticalstratificationofcarbonandnitrogeninsoilunderdifferentmanagementsinthepampeanregionofargentina AT pabloprystupa distributionandverticalstratificationofcarbonandnitrogeninsoilunderdifferentmanagementsinthepampeanregionofargentina |