Long-term N fertilization and conservation tillage practices conserve surface but not profile SOC stocks under semi-arid irrigated corn

Stewart, Catherine E.; Halvorson, Ardell D.; Delgado, Jorge A.

doi:10.1016/j.still.2017.04.003

Cited by 33 publications

(34 citation statements)

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“…While subgroup analysis suggested that residual removal did not affect SOC beyond the 0–30 cm profile, meta‐regression analysis indicated that reduction in SOC stock was larger in the 0–150 cm interval than the 0–15 or 0–30 cm interval. In fact, some field experiments (Huang, Yang, Huang, & Ju, ; Stewart, Halvorson, & Delgado, ) found that changes in tillage and C input can affect deep SOC, probably because deep SOC can be susceptible to decomposition and priming from the addition of new labile organic C. For instance, a 13 year study found that adoption of NT reduced corn‐derived C in layers deeper than 30 cm, which in turn reduced SOC (Stewart et al, ). Follett, Vogel, Varvel, Mitchell, and Kimble () reported that more than 50% of the increase in SOC was below the 30 cm depth.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A global meta‐analysis of soil organic carbon response to corn stover removal

et al. 2019

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Corn (Zea mays L.) stover is a global resource used for livestock, fuel, and bioenergy feedstock, but excessive stover removal can decrease soil organic C (SOC) stocks and deteriorate soil health. Many site‐specific stover removal experiments report accrual rates and SOC stock effects, but a quantitative, global synthesis is needed to provide a scientific base for long‐term energy policy decisions. We used 409 data points from 74 stover harvest experiments conducted around the world for a meta‐analysis and meta‐regression to quantify removal rate, tillage, soil texture, and soil sampling depth effects on SOC. Changes were quantified by: (a) comparing final SOC stock differences after at least 3 years with and without stover removal and (b) calculating SOC accrual rates for both treatments. Stover removal generally reduced final SOC stocks by 8% in the upper 0–15 or 0–30 cm, compared to stover retained, irrespective of soil properties and tillage practices. A more sensitive meta‐regression analysis showed that retention increased SOC stocks within the 30–150 cm depth by another 5%. Compared to baseline values, stover retention increased average SOC stocks temporally at a rate of 0.41 Mg C ha−1 year−1 (statistically significant at p < 0.01 when averaged across all soil layers). Although SOC sequestration rates were lower with stover removal, with moderate (<50%) removal they can be positive, thus emphasizing the importance of site‐specific management. Our results also showed that tillage effects on SOC stocks were inconsistent due to the high variability in practices used among the experimental sites. Finally, we conclude that research and technological efforts should continue to be given high priority because of the importance in providing science‐based policy recommendations for long‐term global carbon management.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The mechanisms of deep soil change are not well measured or understood. Possible explanations include leaching of dissolved organic carbon, changes in C input from upper soil, bioturbation caused by earthworms, and changes in root distribution (Kinoshita, Schindelbeck, & Es, 2017;Stewart et al, 2017).…”

Section: F I G U R E 1mentioning

confidence: 99%

A global meta‐analysis of soil organic carbon response to corn stover removal

et al. 2019

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“…The adoption of NT recovers SOC, although only partially offsetting initial losses from the soils of native ecosystems (Luo, Wang, & Sun, 2010; Kopittke, Dalal, Finn, & Menzies, 2017). However, NT experiments are relatively recent (<50 years) and generally assess agroecosystems with low‐ to moderate‐inputs in order to replicate regional agricultural practices (Bayer, Martin‐Neto, Mielniczuk, Pavinato, & Dieckow, 2006; Boddey et al, 2010; Corbeels et al, 2016; Follett, Jantalia, & Halvorson, 2013; Martínez et al, 2016; Olson, Ebelhar, & Lang, 2013; Poffenbarger et al, 2017; Poirier et al, 2009; Stewart, Halvorson, & Delgado, 2017). Very few studies were able to assess long‐term SOC dynamics in high‐yield agroecosystems (Cook & Trlica, 2016; Grassini & Cassman, 2012; Grassini, Specht, Tollenaar, Ciampitti, & Cassman, 2015; Walia, Baer, Krausz, & Cook, 2017).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessing strategies to enhance soil carbon sequestration with the DSSAT‐CENTURY model

Nicoloso

Amado

Rice

2020

European J Soil Science

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The adoption of no-till (NT) has been proposed to recover soil organic carbon (SOC), which will aid the mitigation of climate change. However, studies have questioned the potential of NT soils to deliver SOC sequestration and sustain crop yields. No-till experiments are relatively recent (<50 years) and very few studies were able to assess SOC dynamics in high-yield agroecosystems. We used the DSSAT-CENTURY model to predict long-term SOC (0-30 cm) using datasets from two experiments assessing tillage and nitrogen (N) sources in a Mollisol from the midwest United States (28 years) and tillage and crop rotations in an Oxisol from southern Brazil (33 years). The conversion of prairie and grassland soils to conventional agriculture decreased SOC by 61 and 12% in the Mollisol and Oxisol, respectively. Soil organic C accrual in NT soils was >0.5 Mg C ha −1 year −1 under medium-low-yield maize in the Mollisol and negligible in the Oxisol under soybean/wheat rotation. Organic fertilization and crop rotation increased SOC accrual at both sites. Simulated SOC had good agreement with observations for NT soils but overestimated SOC in tilled soils. The model's parameters were then modified for tilled soils. Long-term simulations (100 years) revealed that SOC accrual in NT soils (0-15 cm) is partially offset by losses at 15-30 cm under low C inputs. Simulations with best crop management practices (BP; irrigation, high-yield cultivars, higher plant density and improved N fertilization) augmented C inputs and SOC stocks, ultimately recovering SOC to the levels of prairie soils. Our results suggest that the adoption of NT, recycling of organic fertilizers and the use of BP should be further promoted for recovery and permanence of SOC in agricultural soils. Highlights • Studies have questioned the potential of conservation agriculture (CA) to deliver SOC sequestration and sustain crop yields. • We used the DSSAT-CENTURY model to simulate SOC dynamics in temperate and subtropical soils. • No-till under moderate C/N inputs recovered topsoil SOC, but subsurface losses offset SOC accrual.

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“…Recent studies have found microbial processing to be the key transformation in efficient soil C stabilization (Cotrufo et al, 2015). Irrigation increases plant productivity and should enhance soil C storage (Lal et al, 1998), but many studies find that irrigated systems rapidly cycle soil C rather than store enhanced plant productivity in the form of SOC (Verma et al, 2005;Denef et al, 2008;Gillabel et al, 2007;Stewart et al, 2017). Microbial transformations are particularly important in irrigated production systems where stabilized C may be more susceptible to C losses through subsequent management changes (Stewart et al, 2018).…”

Section: Core Ideasmentioning

confidence: 99%

Does No‐Tillage Mitigate Stover Removal in Irrigated Continuous Corn? A Multi‐Location Assessment

Stewart

Roosendaal

Sindelar³

et al. 2019

Soil Science Soc of Amer J

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No-tillage (NT) may ameliorate negative effects on soil properties from corn (Zea mays L.) stover harvest, but few long-term irrigated continuous corn production systems have been evaluated to test this hypothesis. We evaluated three long-term no-tillage sites (4-13 yr) in Nebraska and Colorado that spanned a range of precipitation and soil organic carbon (sOC) levels. We measured sOC, d 13 C of sOC, soil microbial biomass (sMB) and composition (i.e., phospholipid fatty acids, pLFAs), and water stable aggregation at all sites under stover retention vs. removal (~60%). surface sOC stocks (0-30cm depth) increased across the gradient and were 46.4, 57.4, and 63.1 Mg C ha -1 for Colorado, central Nebraska, and eastern Nebraska, respectively. Overall, residue removal decreased sOC stocks by 6% and soil aggregation by 12% in the 0-to 30-cm depth. The d 13 C signature of sOC indicated less new surface C storage under residue removal in Colorado, but not at the two Nebraska sites. residue harvest did not decrease sMB or change soil microbial community structure, suggesting that high plant productivity buffered community composition from stover harvest impacts under NT but stimulated microbial activity levels that led to sOC loss. The high rates of stover removal used in this study decreased sOC stocks and aggregation at all sites compared to residue retained treatments, suggesting that no-tillage alone was not sufficient to maintain erosion protection and soil function.

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Long-term N fertilization and conservation tillage practices conserve surface but not profile SOC stocks under semi-arid irrigated corn

Cited by 33 publications

References 50 publications

A global meta‐analysis of soil organic carbon response to corn stover removal

A global meta‐analysis of soil organic carbon response to corn stover removal

Assessing strategies to enhance soil carbon sequestration with the DSSAT‐CENTURY model

Does No‐Tillage Mitigate Stover Removal in Irrigated Continuous Corn? A Multi‐Location Assessment

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