Carbon and nitrogen in soil and vine roots in harrowed and grass-covered vineyards

Abstract

a b s t r a c tTo examine the effects of vineyard soil management on soil C and N content and quality, we studied harrowed and grass-covered vineyards on a soil developed on plio-pleistocene, marine sediments. A soil naturally covered by grasses adjacent to the vineyards served as control. To reach this goal, we assessed (1) the distribution of C and N and their 13 C and 15 N signatures in different soil organic matter pools, (2) the amount of C and N as live and dead vine fine roots and their 13 C, 15 N and 14 C signatures, and (3) the stocks of C and N forms accumulated at two soil-depth intervals (0-50 and 50-100 cm).Independent of the soil management, the vines increased the total organic C and total N content in the deeper soil horizons because of root turnover and rhizodeposition processes. In the upper horizons, a greater organic matter accumulation was fostered by the presence of the grass cover and the absence of tillage. The grass cover favoured the organic C storage mainly in the form of particulate and highly stabilised organic matter (humic acids and humin), and reduced the soil N content by plant uptake, whereas the harrowing produced a greater abundance of fulvic acids, which were mainly ascribed to oxidative processes enhanced by the soil tillage. In both vineyard soils, decaying vine roots represented an important source of organic C and N, especially in the deepest horizons. Indeed, isotope analyses revealed a more intense degradation of the dead vine roots in the deeper soil portion, where they likely constituted the main substrate for soil microorganisms. In the deepest horizons of the grass-covered vineyard, the greater mean residence time of the decaying vine roots and the lower root production were attributed to the easily available energetic substrates supplied by grass root turnover and rhizodeposition, which were preferentially used by microorganisms. This fact fostered a larger C accumulation in the grass-covered than in the harrowed vineyard.

Effects of Understory Liana Trachelospermum jasminoides on Distributions of Litterfall and Soil Organic Carbon in an Oak Forest in Central China

“…Consistent with our results, a significant positive effect of vines on total organic C and N content was reported in a vineyard ecosystem [19]. Several reasons may explain this phenomenon.…”

“…Well-developed root systems of lianas [16] could impact soil physicochemical property, such as soil texture and C substrate availability during root growth and turnover [17,18]. For example, it has been found that soil organic C (SOC) and total nitrogen (TN) content were increased because of root turnover and rhizodeposition in an agricultural vineyard [19]. Additionally, lianas contribute more than 30% of total annual leaf litterfall in the tropical forest [16], thus can regulate soil C availability through changing litter quality and quantity.…”

“…Additionally, lianas contribute more than 30% of total annual leaf litterfall in the tropical forest [16], thus can regulate soil C availability through changing litter quality and quantity. Moreover, soil nutrient availability also showed spatial variation due to the effects of creeping stems of lianas on litter distribution and decomposition rate [19]. The potential influence of lianas on soil ecological process should be considered in studies that attempt to determine the roles of lianas in regulating forest structure and function.…”

Effects of permanent grass versus tillage on aggregation and organic matter dynamics in a poorly developed vineyard soil

“…Besides favouring soil erosion, traditional tillage has been reported to be unsustainable in 40 terms of SOM and nutrient depletion (Ruiz-Colmenero et al 2013). Conversely, the combination of 41 no-tillage and permanent grass cover in the inter-row may represent an optimal solution for 42 improving aggregation and SOM protection, that is also feasible as the competition between the 43 herbaceous cover and grapevines often does not reduce yields even in rain-fed Mediterranean 44 environments (Marques et al 2010;Agnelli et al 2014;Mercenaro et al 2014). Grasses contribute 45 to organic matter input while no-tillage reduces soil macroaggregate turnover, which is crucial for C 46 sequestration in stable microaggregates.…”

An overview of the recent approaches to terroir functional modelling, footprinting and zoning

“…As recently described by Ruiz-Colmenero et al (2013) and Agnelli et al (2014), a greater organic-matter accumulation is fostered by the presence of the grass cover and the absence of tillage. In the Vosne-Romanée area in Burgundy, Landry et al (2005) showed that glyphosate and its metabolite (AMPA) leached in greater amounts through a chemically treated bare Calcosol than through a vegetated Calcosol.…”