Agricultural Engineering

Current Issue

By Issue

By Author

By Subject

Author Index

Keyword Index

About Journal

Aims and Scope

Indexing and Abstracting

Related Links

FAQ

Peer Review Process

The Effect of Land Use Change on Physical and Chemical Components of Soil Organic Carbon in Loamy Soils of Toshan Watershed, Golestan, Province

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 PhD Student, Department of Soil Science, Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Gorgan, Iran.

2 Associate Professor, Department of Soil Science, Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Gorgan, Iran.

3 Associate Professor, Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran

4 Professor, Department of Soil Science, Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Gorgan, Iran.

Abstract

Introduction Globally, deforestation is the dominant land use change process and has severe effects on soil biogeochemical properties. Large areas of the north facing slopes of the Alborz mountain range in northern Iran are covered by extensive loess deposits. Loess often contain little clay results in a loss of SOC under cultivation. Deforestation and cultivation on the loess hillslopes in northern Iran have resulted in a deterioration of soil quality, particularly significant reduction in SOC. Loess lands of Golestan province in northern Iran is densely being cultivated following deforestation. Labile fractions of soil organic matter (SOM), rather than total SOM, have been used as sensitive indicators of soils' quality and response to agricultural management changes. Several physical, chemical, and biological methods have been used to distinguish between labile (or biologically active) and recalcitrant pools of SOM. So, this research aims to investigate the effect of land use change from pristine and undisturbed forest as a reference to other land uses on soil organic carbon components and fractions as an important indicator in the sustainable soil management system and maintaining fertility and controlling soil erosion. Also, the effect of these land use changes on total carbon, soil organic carbon, and finally on the physical and chemical components of soil organic carbon.
Materials and Methods The study area is the Toshan watershed, which is located in the northwest of the city of Gorgan (Golestan province) in the north of Iran. Four major and dominant types of land use were considered in the study area, including a) garden (olive), b) agricultural (cotton), c) virgin or untouched forest, d) abandoned (raspberry). Soil carbon fractionation was done by two physical methods (soil aggregate fractionation method) and chemical method (hydrolysis of organic matter with hot water). The selection of soils in different land uses was such that they have similar initial conditions and therefore the change in soil carbon in each use is related to the change in land use. The obtained data were analyzed based on the factorial design in the form of completely randomized design and using SAS software.
Results and Discussion The results showed that the highest amount of total carbon and soil organic carbon was observed in the forest treatment and in the first depth (6.02% and 3.5%, respectively), which had a significant difference compared to other land use treatments studied. The results showed that despite the absence of a significant difference between the two depths, the amount of stable organic carbon increased with increasing soil depth in agricultural and abandoned uses. The forest land use had the highest amount of stable organic carbon at the depth of 0-10 cm at the rate of 2.51%, followed by garden treatment at the same depth. The lowest amount of stable organic carbon was recorded in the abandoned land use treatment. The highest amount of organic carbon dissolved in water at both investigated depths was obtained in the forest management treatments and then in the abandoned management. While no significant difference was observed between the two investigated depths in the abandoned land use. A significant decrease in organic carbon fractions that can be extracted with hot water was observed in abandoned and agricultural uses, as well as their increase in forest land uses. After the forest land use, the olive garden land use had the highest amount of total and organic carbon, however, there was no significant difference between the agricultural and abandoned treatments. In forest and garden treatments, the amount of stable carbon at a depth of 0-10 cm is significantly higher than the amount of stable organic carbon at a depth of 10-20 cm. In the garden use treatment, the amount of organic carbon in the soil at a depth of 10-20 cm showed a significant increase of 35% compared to the first depth.
Conclusion A significant decrease in organic carbon fractions that can be extracted with hot water was observed in abandoned and agricultural uses, as well as their increase in forest uses. In total, the results showed that the carbon of labile fraction was more responsive to the type of land use than other fractions, and among the different methods of carbon fractionation, physical methods showed a clearer response to land use change.

Keywords

References
  1. Ahmad, W.S. 2021. Assessment of changes in soil organic carbon fractions and enzyme activities under apple growing ecosystems in temperate North-Western Himalayas. Resources, Environment and Sustainability, 6: 100036.
  2. Ahn, M.Y., Zimmerman, A.R., Comerford, N.B., Sickman, J.O., and Grunwald, S. 2009. Carbon mineralization and labile organic carbon pools in the sandy soils of a North Florida watershed. Ecosystems, 12: 672–685.
  3. Ajami, M., Heidari, A., Khormali, F., Gorji, M., and Ayoubi, S. 2016. Environmental factors controlling soil organic carbon storage in loess soils of a subhumid region, northern Iran. Geoderma, 281: 1–10.
  4. Ajami, M., Heidari, A., Khormali, F., Gorji, M., and Ayoubi, S. 2018. Effects of environmental factors on classification of loessderived soils and clay minerals variations, northern Iran. Journal of Mountain Science, 15(5): 976-991.
  5. Bameri, A., Khormali, F., Kiani, F., and Dehghani, A.A. 2015. Spatial variability of soil organiccarbon in different hillslope positions in Toshan area, Golestan province, Iran: geostatistical approaches. Journal of Mountain Science, 12 (6): 1422–1433.
  6. Barois, I., Dubroeucq, D., Rojas, P., and Lavelle, P., 1998. Andosol-forming process linked with soil fauna under the perennial grass Mulhembergia macroura. Geoderma, 86: 241–260.
  7. Barrios, E., Buresh, R.J., and Sprent, J.I. 1996. Organic matter in soil particle size and density fractions from maize and legume cropping systems. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 28: 185–193.
  8. Baurman, P., and Jongmans, A.G. 2005. Podzolisation and soil organic matter dynamics. Geoderma, 125(1-2), 71-83.
  9. Blair, G.J., Lefroy, D.B., and Lisle, L. 1995. Soil carbon fractions based on their degree of oxidation, and the development of a carbon management index for agricultural systems. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research, 46: 1459-66.
  10. Breulmann, M. 2011. Functional soil organic matter pools and soil organic carbon stocks in grasslands: an ecosystem perspective. PhD Dissertation, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Germany.
  11. Brovkin, V., Ganopolski, A., Archer, D., and Rahmstorf, S. 2007. Lowering of glacial atmospheric CO2in response to changes in oceanic circulation and marine biogeochemistry. Paleoceanography, 22: PA4202
  12. Caballero R. 2011. Light and heavy fractions of macroorganic matter as sources of N and P in savannah soils with different types of fertilization. M.Sc. Thesis, Central University of Venezuela.
  13. Camberdella, C.A., and Elliott, E.T. 1992. Particulate soil organic‑matter changes across a grassland cultivation sequence. Soil Science Society of America Journal, 56(3): 777–83.
  14. Chen, Z., Liu, F., Cai, G., Peng, X., and Wang, X. 2022. Responses of soil carbon pools and carbon management index to nitrogen substitution treatments in a sweet maize farmland in South China. Plants, 11: 2194.
  15. Christensen, B.T. 2001. Physical fractionation of soil and structural and functional complexity in organic matter turnover. European Journal of Soil Science, 52: 345–353.
  16. Corvasce, M., Zsolnay, A., D’Orazio, V., Lopez, R., and Miano, T.M. 2006. Characterization of water extractable organic matter in a deep soil profile. Chemosphere, 62: 1583–1590.
  17. Dalal, R.C., and Bridge, B.J. 1996. Aggregation and organic matter storage in sub-humid and semi-arid soils. In Carter, M.R., and Stewart, B.A. (eds). Structure and organic matter storage in agricultural soils. CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, pp. 263-307.
  18. Debasish, S., Kukal, S.S., and Sharma, S. 2010. Landuse impacts on SOC fractions and aggregate stability in typic ustochrepts of Northwest India. Plant and Soil, 339: 457-470.
  19. Denman, K.L., Brasseur, G., Chidthaisong, A., Ciais, P., Cox, P.M., Dickinson, R.E., et al. 2007. Couplings between changes in the climate system and biogeochemistry. In Solomon, S., Qin, D., Manning, M., et al. (eds). Climate change 2007: The physical science basis. Contribution of working group I to the fourth assessment report of the intergovernmental panel on climate change. New York: Cambridge University Press, pp. 499–587.
  20. Duchaufour, P. 2001. Introduction to soil science. Sol, Vegetation, Environment. Dunod. Paris.
  21. Gangloff, S., Stille, P., Pierret, M.C., Weber, T., and Chabaux, F. 2014. Characterization and evolution of dissolved organic matter in acidic forest soil and its impact on the mobility of major and trace elements (case of the Strengbach watershed). Geochim Cosmochim Acta, 130: 21–41.
  22. Golchin, A., Clarke, P., Oades, J.M., and Skjemstad, J.O. 1995. The effects of cultivation on the composition of organic matter and structural stability of soils. Australian Journal of Soil Research, 33:59–76.
  23. Golchin, A., Oades, J.M., Skjemstad, J.O., and Clarke, P. 1994. Study of free and occluded organic matter in soils by 13C CP/MAS NMR spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Australian Journal of Soil Research, 32: 285–309.
  24. Gregorich, E.G., and Janzon, H.H. 1996. Storage of soil carbon in the light fraction and macro-organic matter. In Carter M.R., and Stewart, B.A. (eds.). Structure and organic matter storage in agricultural soils. Lewis Publ., CRC Press. Boca Raton, FL. pp167-190.
  25. Gregorich, E.G., Greer, K.J., Anderson, D.W., and Liang, B.C., 1998. Carbon distribution and losses: erosion and deposition effects. Soil and Tillage Research, 47: 291–302.
  26. Hamkalo, Z., and Bedernichek, T. 2014. Total, cold and hot water extractable organic carbon in soil profile: impact of landuse change. ŽEmdirbystė (Agric), 101: 125–132.
  27. Haynes, R.J., and Francis, G.S. 1993. Changes in microbial biomass C, soil carbohydrate composition and aggregate stability induced by growth of selected crop and forage species under field conditions. Journal of Soil Science, 44: 665–675
  28. Jinbo, Z., Chanchum, S., and Wenyan, Y. 2006. Land use effects on the distribution of labile organic carbon fractions through soil profiles. Soil Science Society of America Journal, 70: 660–667.
  29. John, B., Yamashita, T., Ludwig, B., and Flessa, H. 2005. Storage of organic carbon in aggregate and density fractions of silty soils under different types of land use. Geoderma, 128: 63–79.
  30. Kaushik, U., Raj, D., Rani, P., Antil, R.S. and Vijaykan, M. 2018. A comparison of different fractions of organic carbon and organic nitrogen under different land use systems of Haryana. International Journal of Pure Applied Bioscience, 6 (5): 184-197.
  31. Kölbl, A., and Kögel-Knabner, I. 2004. Content and composition of free and occluded particulate organic matter in a differently textured arable Cambisol as revealed by solid-state C-13 NMR spectroscopy. Journal of Plant Nutrition and Soil Science, 167: 45–53.
  32. Kyung-Hwa, H., Sang-Geun, H., and Byoung-Choon, J. 2010. Aggregate Stability and Soil Carbon Storage as Affected by Different Land Use Practices. Proc. of Int. Workshop on Evaluation and Sustainable Management of Soil Carbon Sequestration in Asian Countries. Bogor, Indonesia Sept. 28-29.
  33. Lal, R. 2004. Soil carbon sequestration impact on global climate change and food security. Science, 304, 1623-1627.
  34. Liu, D., Huang, Y., Yan, H., Jiang, Y., Zhao, T., and An, S. 2018. Dynamics of soil nitrogen fractions and their relationship with soil microbial communities in two forest species of northern China. PLoS ONE 13(5): e0196567. 1-19.
  35. Luo, Y., Li, Q., Shen, J., Wang, C., Li, B., Yuan, S., Zhao, B., Li, H., Zhao, J., Guo, L., Li, S., and He, Y. 2019. Effects of agricultural land use change on organic carbon and its labile fractions in the soil profile in an urban agricultural area. Land Degradation and Development, 30:1875–1885.
  36. Lützow, M., Leifeld, J., Kainz, M., Kögel-Knabner, I., Munch, J.C. 2002. Indications for soil organic matter quality in soils under different management. Geoderma, 105: 243–258.
  37. Maleki, S., Khormali, F., Karimi, A.R. 2014. Mapping soil organic matter using topographic attributes and geo-statistic approaches in Toshan area, Golestan province, Iran. Iranian Journal of Soil Research, 28: 459-468. (in Persian with English abstract).
  38. Noppol, A., Sukanya, S., Praeploy, K., Ryusuke, H. 2022. Soil organic carbon and soil erodibility response to various land-use changes in northern Thailand. Catena, 219: 106595.
  39. Pansu, M., Gautheyrou, J. 2006. Physical fractionation of organic matter. In: Handbook of Soil Analysis: mineralogical, organic and inorganic methods. In Pansu, M., and Gautheyrou, J. (eds). Springer. pp. 289–326.
  40. Roberta, M.G., Malepfane, N.M., Dijssel, C.V., Arnold, N., Liu, J., Müller, K. 2022. Comparing deep soil organic carbon stocks under kiwifruit and pasture land uses in New Zealand. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, 36:
  41. Sainepo, B.M., Gachene, C.K. and Karuma, A. 2018. Assessment of soil organic carbon fractions and carbon management index under different land use types in Olesharo Catchment, Narok County. Carbon Balance Manage, 13(4): 1-9.
  42. Schroth, G., Sammya, A.D.A., Teixeira, W.G., Haag, D., and Lieberei, R., 2002. Conversion of secondary forest into agroforestry and monoculture plantation in Amazonia: consequences for biomass, litter and soil carbon stocks after 7 years. Forest Ecology and Management, 163: 131–150.
  43. Schulz, E., Breulmann, M., Boettger, T., Wang, K.R., and Neue, H.U. 2011. Effect of organic matter input on functional pools of soil organic carbon in a long-term double rice crop experiment in China. European Journal of Soil Science, 62:134–143.
  44. Schulz, E. 1997. Characterization of soil organic matter according to its degradability and its significance to transformation processes of nutrients and pollutants. Arch Acker Pfl Boden. 41:465–484.
  45. Scott, N.A., Cole, C.V., Elliott, E.T., and Huffman, S.A. 1996. Soil textural control on decomposition and soil organic matter dynamics. Soil Science Society of America Journal, 60:1102–1109.
  46. Sharma, V., Hussain, S., Sharma, K.R., and Arya, V.M. 2014. Labile carbon pools and soil organic carbon stocks in the foothill Himalayas under different land use systems. Geoderma, 232: 81–87.
  47. Six, J., Callewaert, P., Lenders, S., De Gryze, S., Morris, S.J., Gregorich, E.G., Paul, E.A., Paustian, K. 2002. Measuring and understanding carbon storage in afforested soils by physical fractionation. Soil Science Society of America Journal, 66:1981–1987.
  48. Six, J., Elliott, E.T., Paustian, K., Doran, J.W. 1998. Aggregation and soil organic matter accumulation in cultivated and native grassland soils. Soil Science Society of America Journal, 62:1367–1377.
  49. Six, J., Degryze, S., Paustian, K., Morris, S.J., Paul, E.A., Merckx, R. 2004. Soil organic carbon pool changes following land-use conversions. Global Change Biology, 10: 1120–1132.
  50. Trigalet, S., Miguel, A.G., Van Oost, K., and Wesemael, B.V. 2016. Changes in soil organic carbon pools along a chronosequence of land abandonment in southern Spain. Geoderma, 268: 14–21.
  51. van Breemen, N,, Finzi, A,C. 1998. Plant-soil interactions: Ecological aspects and evolutionary implication. Biogeochemistry, 42:1-19.
  52. von Lützow, M., Kögel-Knabner, I., Ekschmitt, K., Flessa, H., Guggenberger, G., Matzner, E., and Marschner, B. 2007. SOM fractionation methods: Relevance to functional pools and to stabilization mechanisms – a review. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 39(9), 2183-2207.
  53. Weigel, A., Eustice, T., Van, Antwerpen, R., Naidoo, G., and Schulz, E. 2011. Soil organic carbon (SOC) changes indicated by hot water extractable carbon (HWEC). South African Sugar Technologists' Association. 84: 210–222.
  54. Xu, M., Lou, Y., Sun, X., Wang, W., Baniyamuddin, M., and Zhao, K., 2011. Soil organic carbon active fractions as early indicators for total carbon change under straw incorporation. Biology and Fertility of Soils, 47: 745–752.
  55. Yao, M.K., Angui, P.K.T., Konate, S., Tondoh, J.E., Tano, Y., Abbadie, L., and Benest, D., 2010. Effects of land use types on soil organic carbon and nitrogen dynamics in Midwest Coˆte d’Ivoire. European Journal of Scientific Research, 40: 211–222.
Agricultural Engineering
Volume 45, Issue 3
December 2022
Pages 261-281
Files
Share
How to cite
Statistics