Profile Soil Carbon and Nitrogen Dynamics in Typical Chernozem under Long-Term Tillage Use

Abstract

For the first time in research literature, this report presents the seasonal changes of total organic carbon (TOC), total nitrogen (TN), and TOC:TN ratio in Chernozem solum (0–100 cm) as effected by 14 years of application of conventional tillage (CTu), deep reduced tillage (DRTu), and reduced tillage (RTu) under barley growing. During the season, TOC content drastically declined in the spring, increased in the summer, decreased in the middle of August, and recovered in October. TN content was gradually decreased during a crop growing season and renewed in the autumn. A trend of TOC:TN changes (vertical peak curve) in 0–30 cm soil layer varied from TOC (S-shaped curve) and TN (unsymmetrical decayed curve). The amplitude of seasonal TOC and TN changes in deeper layers was far fewer related to the upper horizons. The highest amplitude in 0–30, 30–60 and 60–100 cm layers was under: DRTu, CTu, DRTu—for TOC and DRTu, CTu, RTu—for TN correspondently. Tillage practices differently stratified the content of organic carbon and nitrogen in Chernozem profile. Minimum tillage benefited TOC sequestration in 0–5 and 5–10 cm layers: 24.83 ± 0.64- and 24.65 ± 0.57 g kg−1—under RTu, 24.49 ± 0.62- and 24.71 ± 0.47 g kg−1—under DRTu, while CT—deeper than 20 cm: 22.49–15.03 g kg−1. The vertical distribution of TN content repeated TOC trend. TOC:TN ratio upraised from 12.60 in 0–5 to 14.33 in 80–100 cm layer and was the highest in summertime. A total (0–100 cm) profile was much greater under RTu and DRTu—for TN, and CTu, DRTu—for TOC. The correlation coefficient (r) was almost negligible between TOC and: T (air temperature), P (precipitation) and W (soil moisture). The strong and very strong r was found for TN—W, and P—W pairs. The negative r was between: TOC–P, TN–P, TOC:TN-W, TOC:TN–T and P–W pairs.