Impact of manure on soil biochemical properties: A global synthesis

Abstract

Manure application mitigates land degradation and improves soil fertility. Despite many individual studies on manure effects, a comprehensive overview of its consequences for a broad range of soil properties is lacking. Through a meta-analysis of 521 observations spanning the experiments from days after pulse addition up to 113 years with continues manure input, we quantified and generalized the average responses of soil biochemical properties depending on climate factors, management, soil, and manure characteristics. Large increase of pools with fast turnover (microbial carbon (C) and nitrogen (N): +88% and +84%, respectively) compared to stable organic matter pools (+27% for organic C, and +33% for total N) reflects acceleration of C and N cycles and soil fertility improvement. Activities of enzymes acquiring C-, energy-, N-, phosphorus- and sulfur were 1.3–3.3 times larger than those in soil without manure for all study durations included. Soil C/N ratio remained unaffected, indicating the stability of coupled C and N cycles. Microbial C/N ratio decreased, indicating a shift towards bacterial domination, general increase of C and N availability and acceleration of element cycling. Composted manure or manure without mineral fertilizers induced the greatest increase compared to non-composted manure or manure with mineral fertilizers, respectively, in most biochemical properties. The optimal manure application rate for adjusting proper soil pH was 25 Mg ha−1 year−1. Among manure types, swine manure caused the greatest increase of N-cycle-related properties: microbial N (+230%), urease (+258%) and N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase (+138%) activities. Manure application strategies should avoid P and N losses and pollution via runoff, leaching or gaseous emissions due to fast mineralization and priming of soil organic matter. In conclusion, manure application favors C accumulation and accelerates nutrient cycling by providing available organic substances and nutrients and thus increasing enzyme activities.