Soil organic carbon and land use: Processes and potential in Ontario’s long-term agro-ecosystem research sites

Congreves, Katelyn A.; SmithJillian, M; NémethDeanna, D; HookerDavid, C; EerdLaura, L Van

doi:10.4141/cjss2013-094

Cited by 26 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 80 publications

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“…Correspondingly, a global meta-analysis showed NT had 48 g C m (2 yr (1 greater C than CT (West and Post 2002). Likewise, a recent meta-analysis of Ontario long-term tillage trials, which included both 1991 and 1995 long-term Ridgetown sites showed at all depths evaluated (0Á10, 0Á20, and 0Á45 cm) greater SOC storage with NT than CT systems by 6.9 g C m (2 yr (1 in the 0-to 45-cm depth (Congreves et al 2014).…”

Section: Tillage Systemsmentioning

confidence: 92%

Long-term tillage and crop rotation effects on soil quality, organic carbon, and total nitrogen

Eerd¹,

Congreves²,

Verhallen³

et al. 2014

Can. J. Soil. Sci.

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Long-term studies allow for quantification of the effects of crop production practices, such as tillage and crop rotation, on soil quality and soil C and N stores. In two experiments at Ridgetown, ON, we evaluated the long-term (11 and 15 yr) effect of tillage system and crop rotation on soil quality via the Cornell Soil Health Assessment (CSHA) at 0Á15 cm and soil organic C (SOC) and total N at 5-, 10-, and 20-cm increments to 120 cm depth. The CSHA soil quality score and SOC and total N were higher with no-till (NT) than fall moldboard plough with spring cultivation (conventional tillage, CT) and rotations with winter wheat [soybeanÁwinter wheat (S-W) and soybeanÁwinter wheatÁcorn (S-W-C)] compared with rotations without winter wheat. In both long-term trials, NT had ca. 21 Mg ha (1 more or 14% higher SOC than CT in the 0-to 100-cm soil profile, a trend which contrasts previous research in eastern Canada. Thus, the two long-term trial results at Ridgetown suggest that to improve soil quality and storage of C and N, growers on clay loam soil in southwestern Ontario should consider adopting NT production practices and including winter wheat in the rotation.

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Section: Tillage Systemsmentioning

confidence: 92%

Long-term tillage and crop rotation effects on soil quality, organic carbon, and total nitrogen

Eerd¹,

Congreves²,

Verhallen³

et al. 2014

Can. J. Soil. Sci.

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“…The soil organic matter concentration was not significantly affected by soil tillage or rotation system even after 6 yr of study (data not shown). The duration of the experiment might have been too short to see any effect on the soil organic matter concentration (Congreves et al, 2014). In the cold climate of Finland, Sheehy et al (2015) reported no effect after 9 to 11 yr of RT on soil organic matter concentration in the 0-to 20-cm depth in small cereals but a general redistribution of the C pool into macro-aggregate fractions.…”

Section: Soil Aggregation and Organic Mattermentioning

confidence: 97%

Agronomic and Economic Benefits of Rotating Corn with Soybean and Spring Wheat under Different Tillage in Eastern Canada

et al. 2019

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Agronomic and economic performance of the corn (Zea mays L.)–soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] rotation is well documented, but few studies have investigated the addition of spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) to this rotation, particularly at the northern limit of corn and soybean production in North America. A 6‐yr field study was initiated in 1999 on a clay soil in eastern Canada to identify the best crop rotation (continuous corn, continuous soybean, corn–soybean, corn–corn–soybean, corn–soybean–spring wheat, or corn–spring wheat–soybean) under moldboard plow (MP) and reduced tillage (RT) in terms of grain yield, soil aggregate distribution, and annual net returns. To isolate the effect of annual climatic conditions, all crop phases of each rotation were present each year for a total of 13 rotation sequences within each soil tillage practice. Corn grown in rotation had greater yield (+0.6 to +0.9 Mg ha−1) than continuous corn or second‐year corn regardless of soil tillage. Soybean grown once every 3 yr had consistently greater yields (+0.20 Mg ha−1) than continuous soybean. The addition of spring wheat in the rotation improved both corn and soybean yields compared with either continuously cropped. The RT management did not affect crop yield but increased the soil macro‐aggregation only when corn was present in the rotation. Economic analysis revealed that continuous soybean, the 3‐yr corn–soybean–spring wheat with wheat straw being sold, and the 2‐yr corn–soybean were the most profitable and most efficient rotations when averse risk is considered. Core Ideas Corn in rotation yielded 0.7 Mg ha−1 more than continuous corn, regardless of soil tillage. Soybean grown once every 3 yr had consistently higher yields than continuous soybean. Including spring wheat in the corn and soybean continuous cropping improved corn and soybean yields. Reduced tillage did not affect crop yield but improved soil macro‐aggregation when corn grown continuously or in rotation. Continuous soybean, corn–soybean, and 3‐yr rotation with corn, soybean, and spring wheat with wheat straw being sold were the most efficient economic rotations when considering the risk aversion.

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“…Exceptions to this tillage regime were in 1) CCSW and CCSWrc, which were disced rather than ploughed in advance of winter wheat, 2) CCAA, which was not tilled following the establishment of first-year alfalfa, and 3) AA, which was ploughed every four years. Alfalfa-based rotations received slightly less frequent tillage than corn-based rotations, however, in a review of this site tillage did not decrease SOC stocks in the top 20 cm (Congreves et al 2014). We therefore expect effects of slightly reduced tillage frequency to be moderate at most, but nevertheless interpret differences in soil health indices between the rotations in light of multiple possible drivers, focusing on the four main drivers outlined in the introduction.…”

Section: Field Site and Soil Samplingmentioning

confidence: 83%

“…Similarly, reducing tillage frequency from twice to once yearly had no statistically significant effect on SOC stocks in dryland Mollisols (Sainju et al 2007). Soils at the research site were Luvisols, and while assessments of tillage frequency effects on this soil type are infrequent, a review of tillage effects show that tillage slightly increased SOC stocks in the top 20 cm (Congreves et al 2014). Thus, given available comparisons, we consider that reductions in tillage frequency under AA and CCAA may explain a portion of the increase in SOC and MWD relative to, e.g., CCSS, but we find it unlikely that increases in soil characteristics documented here from AA to CCSS in terms of aggregate MWD (38% higher in AA) and SOC (37% higher in AA) were attributable only to tillage frequency rather than to C input quantity or quality.…”

Section: Carbon Input Quantity and Quality As Mediators Of Soc Levelsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Crop rotations differ in soil carbon stabilization efficiency, but the response to quality of structural plant inputs is ambiguous

et al. 2020

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Aims Evaluate crop rotation diversity, perenniality, carbon (C) inputs, and C input quality as predictors of soil organic carbon (SOC) concentration and aggregate mean weight diameter (MWD). Methods At a crop rotation trial in its 37th year in Ontario, Canada, species in rotations included corn (C, Zea mays L.), alfalfa (A, Medicago sativa L.), soybean (S, Glycine max (L.) Merr.), winter wheat (W, Triticum aestivum L.), and red clover (rc, Trifolium pratense L.). Rotations were: CC, CCAA, CCSS, CCSW, CCSWrc, AA. Soils (0-20 cm) were analyzed for aggregate MWD, aggregate C, and SOC concentrations. We estimated C inputs from historical yields and C input quality (C:N, lignin: N, or NMR-derived index) from structural plant tissues. C stabilization efficiency was estimated as the ratio of SOC stock per unit total or root C input. Results Crop rotation diversity failed to increase SOC concentrations or aggregate MWD. Perennialized rotations (CCSWrc, CCAA, AA) maintained the numerically highest SOC concentrations, and root C input increased SOC concentration. Out of 12 statistical tests relating C input quality to C stabilization efficiency, only 3 indicated a positive effect and 6 tests indicated a negative effect. Conclusions Including a perennial forage such as alfalfa and limiting soybean frequency promotes aggregate MWD and SOC concentration more so than optimizing crop rotation diversity. Quality of structural plant inputs does not explain differences in C stabilization efficiency, possibly due to overriding influence of living root inputs.

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Soil organic carbon and land use: Processes and potential in Ontario’s long-term agro-ecosystem research sites

Cited by 26 publications

References 80 publications

Long-term tillage and crop rotation effects on soil quality, organic carbon, and total nitrogen

Long-term tillage and crop rotation effects on soil quality, organic carbon, and total nitrogen

Agronomic and Economic Benefits of Rotating Corn with Soybean and Spring Wheat under Different Tillage in Eastern Canada

Crop rotations differ in soil carbon stabilization efficiency, but the response to quality of structural plant inputs is ambiguous

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