Comparison of Organic Carbon Composition in Profile by Using Solid13C CPNMR Spectroscopy in Volcanic Ash Soil

Abstract

Soil organic carbon (SOC) has the potential to promote the soil quality for sustainability and mitigation of global warming. There is little information on organic carbon composition despite of having resistance of carbon degradation in soil. In this study, to understand the effect of volcanic ash on organic carbon composition and quantity in soil, we investigated characteristics of volcanic soil and compared organic carbon composition of soil and humic extract by using <TEX>$^{13}C$</TEX>-CPMAS-NMR spectra under soil profiles of Namweon series in Jeju. SOC contents of inner soil profiles were 134.8, 101.3, and 27.4 g C <TEX>$kg^{-1}$</TEX> at the layer of depth 10-20, 70-80 and 90-100 cm, respectively. These layers were significantly different to soil pH, oxalate Al contents, and soil moisture contents. Alkyl C/O-alkyl C ratio in soil was higher than that of humic extracts, which was decreased below soil depth. Aromaticity of soil and humic extract was ranged from 29-38 and 24-32%, which was highest at the humic extract of 70-80 cm in soil depth. These results indicate that the changes of SOC in volcanic ash soil resulted from alteration of organic composition by pyrolysis and stability of organic carbon by allophane in volcanic ash soil.