The impact of a bio-fertilizer on the soil organic matter status and carbon sequestration—results from a field-scale study

Journal of Soils and Sediments, Apr 2016

Purpose The application of bio-fertilizers is one of the management practices that can help to maintain or increase the content of organic matter (OM) and improve soil fertility in arable soils. While some results have been obtained in relation to the influence of bio-fertilizers on organic matter content, less in known about the fractional composition of humus. Materials and methods The aim of this study was to determine the effects of the bio-fertilizer UGmax on soil total organic carbon (TOC), dissolved organic carbon (DOC), and the fractional composition of organic matter (C of humic acids (CHAs), C of fulvic acids (CFAs), and C in humins) in the humus horizon of an arable field. Measurements were taken in 2005 before the application of UGmax and in 2008, 3 years after its application, which was done in 2005, 2006, and 2007. Forty soil samples were taken in 2005 (the control year without UGmax), while 20 samples were taken after UGmax treatment and 20 from the control in 2008. Samples were always collected after the plants were harvested. Results and discussion After the 3-year period of the experiment, the TOC content was 6.3 % higher in plots on which UGmax was applied in comparison to the control, while the DOC content was 0.19 percentage points lower after 3 years of bio-fertilizer use as compared to the initial year of the experiment. The contribution of DOC to TOC decreased significantly after the application of UGmax in comparison with the control. The content of CFAs and its contribution in the TOC pools in soil without UGmax was higher at the end of the experiment compared to the beginning, while there was an inverse relationship in the soil with the bio-fertilizer. In comparison with the control, organic matter in the soil treated with UGmax had a higher content of C of humic acids, C in humins, and higher CHAs/CFAs ratio. Conclusions We conclude that the use of a bio-fertilizer that increases the stable fractions of organic matter provides evidence of an increase in the soil OM stability. In turn, the contribution of the organic matter fractions that are more resistant to decomposition is crucial for increasing soil carbon sequestration.

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The impact of a bio-fertilizer on the soil organic matter status and carbon sequestration—results from a field-scale study

J Soils Sediments The impact of a bio-fertilizer on the soil organic matter status and carbon sequestration-results from a field-scale study Bożena Dębska 0 1 Jacek Długosz 0 1 Anna Piotrowska-Długosz 0 1 Magdalena Banach-Szott 0 1 0 Department of Soil Science and Soil Protection, Faculty of Agriculture and Biotechnology, UTP University of Science and Technology , 6 Bernardyńska St., 85-029 Bydgoszcz , Poland 1 Department of Environmental Chemistry, Faculty of Agriculture and Biotechnology, UTP University of Science and Technology , 6 Bernardyńska St., 85-029 Bydgoszcz , Poland Purpose The application of bio-fertilizers is one of the management practices that can help to maintain or increase the content of organic matter (OM) and improve soil fertility in arable soils. While some results have been obtained in relation to the influence of bio-fertilizers on organic matter content, less in known about the fractional composition of humus. Materials and methods The aim of this study was to determine the effects of the bio-fertilizer UGmax on soil total organic carbon (TOC), dissolved organic carbon (DOC), and the fractional composition of organic matter (C of humic acids (CHAs), C of fulvic acids (CFAs), and C in humins) in the humus horizon of an arable field. Measurements were taken in 2005 before the application of UGmax and in 2008, 3 years after its application, which was done in 2005, 2006, and 2007. Forty soil samples were taken in 2005 (the control year without UGmax), while 20 samples were taken after UGmax treatment and 20 from the control in 2008. Samples were always collected after the plants were harvested. Results and discussion After the 3-year period of the experiment, the TOC content was 6.3 % higher in plots on which UGmax was applied in comparison to the control, while the DOC content was 0.19 percentage points lower after 3 years of bio-fertilizer use as compared to the initial year of the experiment. The contribution of DOC to TOC decreased significantly after the application of UGmax in comparison with the control. The content of CFAs and its contribution in the TOC pools in soil without UGmax was higher at the end of the experiment compared to the beginning, while there was an inverse relationship in the soil with the bio-fertilizer. In comparison with the control, organic matter in the soil treated with UGmax had a higher content of C of humic acids, C in humins, and higher CHAs/CFAs ratio. Conclusions We conclude that the use of a bio-fertilizer that increases the stable fractions of organic matter provides evidence of an increase in the soil OM stability. In turn, the contribution of the organic matter fractions that are more resistant to decomposition is crucial for increasing soil carbon sequestration. Bio-fertilizer; C of fulvic acids; C of humic acids; C in humins; Total and dissolved organic C - Responsible editor: Zucong Cai 1 Introduction Long-term soil and crop management such as the excessive use of inorganic fertilizers and pesticides along with reduced organic manure amendments to the soil, simplified crop rotations and monocultures, the use of heavy machinery, and inadequate practices of soil management exert a considerable influence on soil quality by worsening the physicochemical and biological properties of the soil (Melero et al. 2006; Liu et al. 2010) . Consequently, changes in soil management may lead to a decrease of organic matter content followed by a diminution in the sustainability of the soil, which can be expected over the long term (Valarini et al. 2003). Increasing concern about the long-term productivity and sustainability of soil quality has emphasized the need to the develop management practices that reduce the potentially negative impact of agricultural activities in which proper OM management appears to be the most important factor (Chander et al. 1997) . The content of organic matter is an essential indicator of soil quality and fertility (Haynes 2005) . Organic matter is one of three soil components that are crucial for its physicochemical properties, such as its sorptive and buffer abilities as well as its biodiversity and biological activity. Because of the positive influence of organic matter on soil functionality, it is imperative that its resources be maintained or improved (Lal 2011; Krasowicz et al. 2011) . Specific OM fractions differ in mobility. The dissolved organic matter (DOM) is the most mobile fraction of organic matter. DOM is the product of the transformation and decomposition of carbon compounds that are built into soil organic material. DOM consists of simple organic compounds that have a nonspecific humic substance character (fatty acids, organic acids, amino acids, carbohydrates) and water-soluble compounds that have a humus character. The formation and translocation of DOM in soils is a very important process of organic matter transformation because the DOM takes part in the C cycling between ecosystems even tho (...truncated)


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Bożena Dębska, Jacek Długosz, Anna Piotrowska-Długosz, Magdalena Banach-Szott. The impact of a bio-fertilizer on the soil organic matter status and carbon sequestration—results from a field-scale study, Journal of Soils and Sediments, 2016, pp. 2335-2343, Volume 16, Issue 10, DOI: 10.1007/s11368-016-1430-5