Abstract
This paper assesses the long-term effect of no-tillage (NT) on soil organic carbon (OC) content and its distribution among different organic matter fractions in rainfed agrosystems of Aragón (NE Spain). Adjacent fields of NT, conventional tillage (CT) and natural soils (NAT) were compared in three different cereal production areas. In the soil surface, the higher OC content found in the NAT soils was due to the particulate organic matter. In the case of agricultural soils, in general, the fractions responsible for the OC increase under NT were the fine particulate organic matter and the mineral-associated organic matter occluded within stable microaggregates.
Highlights
The loss of physical protection of organic carbon (OC) by soil aggregates (Denef et al 2007), changes in soil oxygenation and microclimate (Balesdent et al 2000) and reduced C inputs to the system (Golchin et al 1995) have been identified as the main causes of the OC decrease in agricultural soils
The aim of the present study was to further understanding of the contribution of different soil organic matter fractions to the OC increase observed under NT and, especially, of the role of soil microaggregates in the physical protection of OC in these farming systems
The highest OC contents were found in the soil surface of the NAT soils (Figure 1)
Summary
The loss of physical protection of organic carbon (OC) by soil aggregates (Denef et al 2007), changes in soil oxygenation and microclimate (Balesdent et al 2000) and reduced C inputs to the system (Golchin et al 1995) have been identified as the main causes of the OC decrease in agricultural soils. Conservation tillage and, no-tillage (NT) may enhance OC accumulation in the soil surface compared with CT systems. López et al (2009) evaluated the ability of NT to increase the soil OC content comparing 22 pairs of adjacent fields of NT and CT in different dryland cereal-growing areas of Aragon (NE Spain). Soil OC under NT was between 8% lower (only in one field) and 55% higher than that found under CT in the 0-20 cm layer. The aim of the present study was to further understanding of the contribution of different soil organic matter fractions to the OC increase observed under NT and, especially, of the role of soil microaggregates in the physical protection of OC in these farming systems
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