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Faculty for Biology, Chemistry and Earth Sciences

Department Soil Ecology - Prof. Dr. Eva Lehndorff

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Zhao, M; Zhou, J; Kalbitz, K: Carbon mineralization and properties of water-extractable organic carbon in soils of the south Loess Plateau in China, European Journal of Soil Biology, 44, 158-165 (2008)
Abstract:
Addition of organic manure over thousands of years has resulted in the development of very fertile soils in parts of the Loess Plateau in Northwest China. This region also suffers from serious soil erosion. For that reason, afforestation of arable soils has taken place. The dynamics of soil organic matter in these soils affected by a very specific management and by land use changes is largely unknown. Therefore, we measured C mineralization in a 35-days incubation experiment and analyzed amounts and properties of water-extractable organic carbon (WEOC) in 12 topsoils of this region. The soils differed in land use (arable vs. forest) and in amounts of added organic manure. Afforestation of arable soils resulted in a distinct stabilization of organic C as indicated by the smallest C mineralization (0.48 mg C g-1 C d-1) and the highest C content (2.3%) of the studied soils. In the soils exposed to intensive crop production without regular addition of organic manure we found the largest C mineralization (0.85 mg C g-1 C d-1) and the lowest contents of organic C (0.9%). Addition of organic manure over a time scale of millennia resulted in high organic C contents (1.8%) and small C mineralization (0.55 mg C g-1 C d-1). The content of WEOC reflected differences in C mineralization between the soils quite well and the two variables correlated significantly. Water-extractable organic C decreased during C mineralization from the soil illustrating its mainly labile character. Carbon mineralization from soils was particularly large in soils with small specific UV absorbance of WEOC. We conclude that amounts and properties of WEOC reflected differences in the stability of soil organic C. Both afforestation of arable land and the long-term addition of organic manure may contribute to C accumulation and stabilization in these soils.
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