Long-term fertilizer experiments as a data base for calculating the carbon sink potential of arable soils

Abstract

Long-term experiments in Mu¨ncheberg, Braunschweig and Livada were used to understand the complex issue of carbon sequestration in soil. The investigations were focused on: effects of land use changes on the fate of soil organic carbon; options of agronomic practices to maintain or to increase soil organic carbon; relationships between organic fertilization and changes in soil organic carbon. The long-term observations showed that the amount of soil organic matter is primarily a function of the prevailing land use. Clearly marked differences were observed between long-term arable farming with lower and short-term with higher soil organic carbon content. Agricultural practices lead to a decrease of soil organic carbon with the result that arable soils are rather sources of carbon than sinks. The carbon sequestration potential is caused by the agronomic management to different extents. The combination of organic and mineral fertilization increased the soil organic carbon content compared to exclusive mineral fertilization. Optimum values of organic fertilizer application for maintaining soil organic carbon were calculated. Liming reduced the soil carbon pool when applied in large amounts. Long-term fertilization experiments are a useful tool for calculating the carbon sink or source potential of arable soils.

Effect of Organic Sources of Nitrogen on Rice (Oryza sativa) and Soil Carbon Pools in Inceptisols of Jammu

“…Application of FYM to rice and wheat increased organic carbon status of soil (Chettri et al, 2003). Similarly, Rogasik et al (2004) indicated that combination of organic and mineral fertilizes increased soil organic carbon content compared to exclusive mineral fertilizers. Labile carbon content ranged from a minimum of 3.70 mg/kg in no manure treatment and maximum of 5.32 mg/kg in the soil amended with vermicompost.…”

Temporal dynamics of soil organic carbon after land-use change in the temperate zone - carbon response functions as a model approach

“…(2) A wide range of management practices had to be pooled in one land‐use class. Several studies have shown that especially agricultural systems comprise numerous management factors such as tillage intensity, type and intensity of manuring, crop type, residue management, crop rotations or length of intertillage periods that might strongly influence SOC dynamics (Liebig et al , 2004; Rogasik et al , 2004; Gál et al , 2007; Sleutel et al , 2007; Angers & Eriksen‐Hamel, 2008; van Wesemael et al , 2010). We found that the management intensity, e.g.…”

Effect of liming on the change of some agrochemical soil properties in a long-term fertilization experiment

“…This confirms a favourable effect of organic with mineral fertilization on the soil organic carbon (Bhattacharyya et al 2010). After liming the soil organic carbon content increased in all the objects, despite the fact that intensive liming can decrease its amount (Rogasik et al 2004).…”