Long-Term Changes in Organic Matter Content and Soil Moisture Determine the Degree of Root and Soil Respiration
Carbon in soil is one of the most important indicators of soil fertility. Part of the carbon stored in them is returned to the atmosphere during soil respiration. Climate change and inappropriate land use can accelerate these processes. Our work aimed to determine how soil CO<sub>2</sub>...
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MDPI AG
2023-01-01
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| Series: | Plants |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/12/2/251 |
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| author | Zsolt Kotroczó Marianna Makádi Tamás Kocsis Áron Béni Gábor Várbíró István Fekete |
| author_facet | Zsolt Kotroczó Marianna Makádi Tamás Kocsis Áron Béni Gábor Várbíró István Fekete |
| author_sort | Zsolt Kotroczó |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Carbon in soil is one of the most important indicators of soil fertility. Part of the carbon stored in them is returned to the atmosphere during soil respiration. Climate change and inappropriate land use can accelerate these processes. Our work aimed to determine how soil CO<sub>2</sub> emissions change over ten years as a result of litter manipulation treatments. Plots at the Síkfőkút DIRT (Detritus Input and Removal Treatments) experimental site include doubling either leaf litter or wood, and removing all aboveground litter, all root inputs, or removing all litter inputs. With the help of this, we were able to examine not only the effects of the different organic matter intake but also the effects of the different microclimates that occur as a result of the treatments. Total soil respiration (root and microbial respiration) is a result of a persistent lack or excess of soil organic matter relative to soil moisture. Based on our studies, the increase in the intensity of root respiration on wetter soils was only half of the increase in respiration associated with decomposition activity. The sustained growth of leaf litter significantly increases soil respiration, which can be partly explained by the more favorable supply of nutrients to the decomposing organisms, and partly by the more favorable microclimatic conditions, however, these effects were only valid in the case of wetter soils. In the dry summer environment, we experienced higher CO<sub>2</sub> emissions during litter removal treatments. In the first period between 2002 and 2004, even wetter root removal treatments showed a significantly higher CO<sub>2</sub> emission, while in the period 2010–2012, surface litter removal treatments. The permanent removal of surface litter in the drier summer period resulted in the formation of a dense crack network, which increased the CO<sub>2</sub> emission of these soils, which increases the soil organic carbon loss of the soil. Our study proves the advantages of mulching in terms of a more favorable microclimate of the soil surface and a balanced carbon balance of the soil–plant system. |
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| id | doaj.art-e64dd42ffb6944fca46d1ed1c5a182c9 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2223-7747 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T11:26:02Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Plants |
| spelling | doaj.art-e64dd42ffb6944fca46d1ed1c5a182c92023-12-01T00:03:24ZengMDPI AGPlants2223-77472023-01-0112225110.3390/plants12020251Long-Term Changes in Organic Matter Content and Soil Moisture Determine the Degree of Root and Soil RespirationZsolt Kotroczó0Marianna Makádi1Tamás Kocsis2Áron Béni3Gábor Várbíró4István Fekete5Department of Agro-Environmental Studies, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, H-1118 Budapest, HungaryResearch Institute of Nyíregyháza, University of Debrecen, H-4400 Nyíregyháza, HungaryDepartment of Food Microbiology, Hygiene, and Safety, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, H-1118 Budapest, HungaryInstitute of Agricultural Chemistry and Soil Science, University of Debrecen, H-4400 Nyíregyháza, HungaryDepartment of Tisza River Research, Danube Research, Institute, Centre for Ecology of HAS, H-4026 Debrecen, HungaryInstitute of Environmental Science, University of Nyíregyháza, H-4400 Nyíregyháza, HungaryCarbon in soil is one of the most important indicators of soil fertility. Part of the carbon stored in them is returned to the atmosphere during soil respiration. Climate change and inappropriate land use can accelerate these processes. Our work aimed to determine how soil CO<sub>2</sub> emissions change over ten years as a result of litter manipulation treatments. Plots at the Síkfőkút DIRT (Detritus Input and Removal Treatments) experimental site include doubling either leaf litter or wood, and removing all aboveground litter, all root inputs, or removing all litter inputs. With the help of this, we were able to examine not only the effects of the different organic matter intake but also the effects of the different microclimates that occur as a result of the treatments. Total soil respiration (root and microbial respiration) is a result of a persistent lack or excess of soil organic matter relative to soil moisture. Based on our studies, the increase in the intensity of root respiration on wetter soils was only half of the increase in respiration associated with decomposition activity. The sustained growth of leaf litter significantly increases soil respiration, which can be partly explained by the more favorable supply of nutrients to the decomposing organisms, and partly by the more favorable microclimatic conditions, however, these effects were only valid in the case of wetter soils. In the dry summer environment, we experienced higher CO<sub>2</sub> emissions during litter removal treatments. In the first period between 2002 and 2004, even wetter root removal treatments showed a significantly higher CO<sub>2</sub> emission, while in the period 2010–2012, surface litter removal treatments. The permanent removal of surface litter in the drier summer period resulted in the formation of a dense crack network, which increased the CO<sub>2</sub> emission of these soils, which increases the soil organic carbon loss of the soil. Our study proves the advantages of mulching in terms of a more favorable microclimate of the soil surface and a balanced carbon balance of the soil–plant system.https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/12/2/251CO<sub>2</sub>-emissionrespiration componentslitter manipulationSOMsoil moisture |
| spellingShingle | Zsolt Kotroczó Marianna Makádi Tamás Kocsis Áron Béni Gábor Várbíró István Fekete Long-Term Changes in Organic Matter Content and Soil Moisture Determine the Degree of Root and Soil Respiration Plants CO<sub>2</sub>-emission respiration components litter manipulation SOM soil moisture |
| title | Long-Term Changes in Organic Matter Content and Soil Moisture Determine the Degree of Root and Soil Respiration |
| title_full | Long-Term Changes in Organic Matter Content and Soil Moisture Determine the Degree of Root and Soil Respiration |
| title_fullStr | Long-Term Changes in Organic Matter Content and Soil Moisture Determine the Degree of Root and Soil Respiration |
| title_full_unstemmed | Long-Term Changes in Organic Matter Content and Soil Moisture Determine the Degree of Root and Soil Respiration |
| title_short | Long-Term Changes in Organic Matter Content and Soil Moisture Determine the Degree of Root and Soil Respiration |
| title_sort | long term changes in organic matter content and soil moisture determine the degree of root and soil respiration |
| topic | CO<sub>2</sub>-emission respiration components litter manipulation SOM soil moisture |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/12/2/251 |
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