Effect of soil coarseness on soil base cations and available micronutrients in a semi-arid sandy grassland

Abstract

Abstract. Soil coarseness is the main process decreasing soil organic matter and threatening the productivity of sandy grasslands. Previous studies demonstrated negative effect of soil coarseness on soil carbon storage, but less is known about how soil base cations (exchangeable Ca, Mg, K, and Na) and available micronutrients (available Fe, Mn, Cu, and Zn) response to soil coarseness. In a semi-arid grassland of Northern China, a field experiment was initiated in 2011 to mimic the effect of soil coarseness on soil base cations and available micronutrients by mixing soil with different mass proportions of sand: 0 % coarse elements (C0), 10 % (C10), 30 % (C30), 50 % (C50), and 70 % (C70). Soil coarseness significantly increased soil pH in three soil depths of 0–10, 10–20 and 20–40 cm with the highest pH values detected in C50 and C70 treatments. Soil fine particles (smaller than 0.25 mm) significantly decreased with the degree of soil coarseness. Exchangeable Ca and Mg concentrations significantly decreased with soil coarseness degree by up to 29.8 % (in C70) and 47.5 % (in C70), respectively, across three soil depths. Soil available Fe, Mn, and Cu significantly decreased with soil coarseness degree by 62.5, 45.4, and 44.4 %, respectively. As affected by soil coarseness, the increase of soil pH, decrease of soil fine particles (including clay), and decline in soil organic matter were the main driving factors for the decrease of exchangeable base cations (except K) and available micronutrients (except Zn) through soil profile. Developed under soil coarseness, the loss and redistribution of base cations and available micronutrients along soil depths might pose a threat to ecosystem productivity of this sandy grassland.

Spatial Distribution and Management Zones for Sulphur and Micronutrients in Shiwalik Himalayan Region of India

“…SOM, in which SOC is a key component, enhances nutrient availability to the crop plants (Tisdale et al, 1985). Many organic substances can chelate with Zn, Fe, Cu and Mn and increase their solubility and availability to plants (Lü et al, 2016). SOM represents important source and sink of S. Its composition and geochemical environment often influence S speciation, which in turn influences its mobility and availability in soil systems (Solomon et al, 2003).…”

Soil Reserves of Potassium: Release and Availability to Lolium perenne in Relation to Clay Minerals in Six Cropland Soils from Eastern China

“…Land degradation is the consequence of the mismanagement of the humans owing to grazing, fire, agriculture, mining and road construction (Biswas et al, 2015;López-Vicente et al, 2015;Lu et al, 2015;Masto et al, 2015;El Kenawy et al, 2016;Rodrigo-Comino et al, 2016). Agriculture is one of the main causes of the desertification of the land, and this is partially due to the exhaustion of the soil nutrients (Kraaijvanger & Veldkamp, 2015;Lü et al, 2016;Lucas-Borja et al, 2016;Udeigwe et al, 2016). There is a need to restore the degraded lands (Chen et al, 2016;Costantini et al, 2016), and the recovery of the nutrients is a key strategy (Gronwald et al, 2015;Silvestri et al, 2016;Wang et al, 2016a).…”

Alteration of carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus stoichiometry and their related enzymes as affected by increased soil coarseness

“…Soil coarseness is one of the principle constrains to terrestrial net primary productivity (NPP), ecosystem health, and regional economy (Lal, 2014;Lü et al, 2016). Desertification and wind erosion processes are main contributors of soil coarseness in arid and semi-arid grasslands (Su et al, 2004;Lü et al, 2016). By the 5 1990s, more than 74% of world total dryland area, 100 countries, and 0.85 billion people have been influenced by desertification and soil coarseness (Chang et al, 2015).…”