Long-term Bare Fallow Experiments Research Articles

SAMM version 1.0: a numerical model for microbial- mediated soil aggregate formation

Abstract. Maintaining soil organic matter (SOM) is crucial for healthy and productive agricultural soils and requires understanding at the process level, including the role of SOM protection by soil aggregates and the connection between microbial growth and aggregate formation. We developed the Soil Aggregation through Microbial Mediation (SAMM) model, to represent this important connection. The pools of SAMM are fully measurable, and we calibrated and evaluated it against data from a long-term bare fallow experiment in a tropical sandy soil. This experiment received additions of plant litter of different compositions, which resulted in twice the soil carbon stocks in the best treatment compared to the control (about 8 vs. 4 t C ha−1 in 0–15 cm soil depth) after 25 years. As hypothesized, the SAMM model effectively represented the microbial growth response after the addition of litter and the subsequent formation and later destabilization of aggregates. The low correlations between different calibrated model parameters (r<0.5 for all parameters; r>0.4 for only 4 of 22) showed that SAMM is parsimonious. SAMM was able to capture differences between treatments in soil organic carbon (Nash–Sutcliffe modeling efficiency (EF) of 0.68), microbial nitrogen (EF of 0.24), and litter carbon (EF of 0.80). The amount of carbon within the aggregates (EF of 0.60) and in the free silt and clay fraction (EF of 0.24) was also simulated very well to satisfactorily. Our model results suggested that in spite of the sandy soil, up to 50 % of carbon stocks were stabilized through aggregate protection mechanisms; and that microbial and physical aggregate formation coexists. A version of the SAMM model without aggregate protection (SAMMnoAgg) initially failed to stabilize soil organic carbon (EF decreased to −3.68) and the simulation of microbial nitrogen worsened (EF of 0.13). By recalibrating SAMMnoAgg, it was possible to partially correct for the lack of aggregate protection by reducing the rate of mineral-attached carbon decomposition by about 85 % (EF of 0.68, 0.75, and 0.18 for SOC, litter carbon, and microbial nitrogen, respectively). However, the slightly better evaluation statistics of SAMM (e.g., Akaike information criterion of 5351 vs. 5554) suggest that representing aggregate dynamics in SOM models can be beneficial and necessary to understand the mechanism behind SOM dynamics. Our results indicate that current models without aggregate formation partly compensate for the absence of aggregate protection by lowering the turnover rates of other pools. Thus, they remain suitable options where data on aggregate associated carbon are not available.

Long-term bare-fallow soil fractions reveal thermo-chemical properties controlling soil organic carbon dynamics

Abstract. Evolution of organic carbon content in soils has the potential to be a major driver of atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations over the next century. Understanding soil carbon dynamics is a challenge due to a wide range of residence times of soil organic matter and limited constraints on the mechanisms influencing its persistence. In particular, large uncertainties exist regarding the persistence of pyrogenic organic carbon in soils. In order to characterize organic matter with varying degrees of persistence and to distinguish pyrogenic organic carbon, we combined Rock-Eval analysis, a thermo-chemical method, with the benzene polycarboxylic acid molecular marker method and Raman spectroscopy to characterize samples from long-term bare-fallow experiments, progressively depleted in the most labile organic carbon over time. Considering the heterogeneity of soil samples, size fractions have been separated to distinguish pools of organic carbon with distinct properties. We observe that organic carbon dynamics is dependent on granulometry. A pool of organic carbon with intermediate residence times, from years to a few decades, representing ca. 65 % of the bulk soil organic carbon stock, is mainly associated with fine fractions (< 20 µm). With time under bare fallow, this organic carbon is progressively transferred towards finer fractions through the breakdown of organic matter. Coarse fractions (> 20 µm) are rich in centennially persistent organic carbon, representing ca. 20 % of the initial organic carbon stock, due to the chemical recalcitrance of organic matter in these fractions, dominated by pyrogenic organic carbon. A second pool of persistent organic carbon, representing ca. 15 % of the initial organic carbon stock, is associated with the clay fraction, indicating mechanisms of protection occurring at the submicron scale (< 2 µm). This persistent organic carbon only represents 30 % of the organic carbon initially present in the clay fraction. Persistent organic carbon exhibits heterogeneous chemical signatures depending on the considered pool but a consistent thermal signature demonstrating the relationship between thermal stability and biogeochemical stability of soil organic carbon. This gives the possibility of assessing the size of the persistent organic carbon pool in soils using thermal parameters. The persistence of pyrogenic organic carbon in the clay fraction is similar to the one of total organic carbon. The different persistence of coarse and fine pyrogenic organic carbon resides in the highly condensed nature of sand-sized pyrogenic carbon, which may result from burning temperatures over 700 ∘C. Pyrogenic organic carbon is not inert but exhibits a consistent increase in the level of condensation with time in all size fractions, showing the role of chemical quality in pyrogenic organic carbon persistence. Overall, this study helps improve the separation, evaluation and characterization of carbon pools with distinct residence times in soils and gives insight into the mechanistic origin of soil organic carbon dynamics.

Microbial and plant-derived compounds both contribute to persistent soil organic carbon in temperate soils

Our study tests the emerging paradigm that biochemical recalcitrance does not affect substantially long-term (50 years) SOC persistence. We analyzed the molecular composition of SOC in archived soils originating from four European long-term bare fallow experiments (Askov, Rothamsted, Versailles and Ultuna). The soils had been collected after various periods (up to 53 years) under bare fallow. With increasing duration of bare fallow without new organic inputs, the relative abundance of cutin- and suberin-derived compounds declined substantially, and the abundance of lignin-derived compounds was close to zero. Conversely, the relative abundance of plant-derived long-chain alkanes remained almost constant or increased during the bare fallow period. The relative abundance of N-containing compounds, considered to be abundant in SOC derived from microbial activity, increased consistently illustrating that microbial turnover of SOC continues even when plant inputs are stopped. The persistence of the different families of plant-derived compounds differed markedly over the scale of half a century, which may be ascribed to their contrasting chemical characteristics and recalcitrance, or to differences in their interactions with the soil mineral matrix, and likely some combination since chemical composition drives the degree of mineral association. Using soil from this unique set of long-term bare fallow experiments, we provide direct evidence that multi-decadal scale persistent SOC is enriched in microbe-derived compounds but also includes a substantial fraction of plant-derived compounds.

Centennial Fertilization-Induced Soil Processes Control Trace Metal Dynamics. Lessons from a Long-Term Bare Fallow Experiment

Long-term bare fallow (LTBF) experiments with historical sample archives offer unique opportunities to study long-term impacts of anthropogenic activities on mineral soil fractions. In natural agro- and ecosystems, such impacts are often masked by organic matter due to its buffering action and rapid turnover. The 42-plot LTBF trial of INRA (Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique) started in Versailles (France) in 1928 to assess the impacts of prolonged application of fertilizers and amendments on the composition and properties of loamy soils. Here, we established geochemical budgets of major and trace elements on surface samples from 1929 and 2014 for four groups of treatments relevant for developed soil processes. We considered accompanying effects of soil compaction or decompaction due to changing physicochemical conditions over 85 years. Element losses from the surface horizon were quantified via fertilization-induced or -amplified soil processes: clay leaching favored by Na- or K-based fertilization, and lixiviation of major and trace elements in acidic or alkaline soil conditions. Enhanced mineral weathering was shown for acidified and nonamended plots. Conclusions on trace metal migration were confirmed by selected analyses on subsurface horizons. Additional information was provided on specific element inputs via fertilizers and/or diffuse inputs via atmospheric deposition.

Soil organic matter stabilization at the pluri-decadal scale: Insight from bare fallow soils with contrasting physicochemical properties and macrostructures

Physical protection is recognized as one of the main processes governing soil organic matter stabilization, but its importance over long time scales (decades to century) is being discussed. In this work, we used data from a long-term bare fallow experiment initiated in 1928 in Versailles (France) to investigate such process: given that no organic carbon inputs occurred since 1928, all the organic matter present had pluri-decadal to centennial mean residence times. The annual addition of mineral amendments (CaCO3 or KCl) produced contrasting superficial soil structures in some plots compared to non-amended plots. We hypothesized that a more aggregated and stable soil structure would likely be associated with higher organic carbon stocks. Stability of soil structure was quantified using three complementary tests: slow wetting to study macroaggregation, moderate dispersion compared to strong dispersion to study microaggregation. The CaCO3 plots had the highest macroaggregate stability, and KCl plots the lowest but microaggregation at the silt-size scale was similar for the three soils. After 79years of bare fallow soil organic carbon stocks in the bulk soil were about 25% higher in the CaCO3 plots than in the KCl and reference plots. This relative increment was due to a higher amount of silt and clay-associated soil organic matter in CaCO3 plots, as a consequence of better physical or physicochemical protection at these scales, with a less important role of physical protection within stable macroaggregates.

Increase in soil stable carbon isotope ratio relates to loss of organic carbon: results from five long-term bare fallow experiments.

Changes in the (12)C/(13)C ratio (expressed as δ(13)C) of soil organic C (SOC) has been observed over long time scales and with depth in soil profiles. The changes are ascribed to the different reaction kinetics of (12)C and (13)C isotopes and the different isotopic composition of various SOC pool components. However, experimental verification of the subtle isotopic shifts associated with SOC turnover under field conditions is scarce. We determined δ(13)C and SOC in soil sampled during 1929-2009 in the Ap-horizon of five European long-term bare fallow experiments kept without C inputs for 27-80 years and covering a latitudinal range of 11°. The bare fallow soils lost 33-65% of their initial SOC content and showed a mean annual δ(13)C increase of 0.008-0.024‰. The (13)C enrichment could be related empirically to SOC losses by a Rayleigh distillation equation. A more complex mechanistic relationship was also examined. The overall estimate of the fractionation coefficient (ε) was -1.2 ± 0.3‰. This coefficient represents an important input to studies of long-term SOC dynamics in agricultural soils that are based on variations in (13)C natural abundance. The variance of ε may be ascribed to site characteristics not disclosed in our study, but the very similar kinetics measured across our five experimental sites suggest that overall site-specific factors (including climate) had a marginal influence and that it may be possible to isolate a general mechanism causing the enrichment, although pre-fallow land use may have some impact on isotope abundance and fractionation.

The relative importance of decomposition and transport mechanisms in accounting for soil organic carbon profiles

Abstract. Soil is the major terrestrial reservoir of carbon and a substantial part of this carbon is stored in deep layers, typically deeper than 50 cm below the surface. Several studies underlined the quantitative importance of this deep soil organic carbon (SOC) pool and models are needed to better understand this stock and its evolution under climate and land-uses changes. In this study, we tested and compared three simple theoretical models of vertical transport for SOC against SOC profiles measurements from a long-term bare fallow experiment carried out by the Central-Chernozem State Natural Biosphere Reserve in the Kursk Region of Russia. The transport schemes tested are diffusion, advection and both diffusion and advection. They are coupled to three different formulations of soil carbon decomposition kinetics. The first formulation is a first order kinetics widely used in global SOC decomposition models; the second one, so-called "priming" model, links SOC decomposition rate to the amount of fresh organic matter, representing the substrate interactions. The last one is also a first order kinetics, but SOC is split into two pools. Field data are from a set of three bare fallow plots where soil received no input during the past 20, 26 and 58 yr, respectively. Parameters of the models were optimised using a Bayesian method. The best results are obtained when SOC decomposition is assumed to be controlled by fresh organic matter (i.e., the priming model). In comparison to the first-order kinetic model, the priming model reduces the overestimation in the deep layers. We also observed that the transport scheme that improved the fit with the data depended on the soil carbon mineralisation formulation chosen. When soil carbon decomposition was modelled to depend on the fresh organic matter amount, the transport mechanism which improved best the fit to the SOC profile data was the model representing both advection and diffusion. Interestingly, the older the bare fallow is, the lesser the need for diffusion is, suggesting that stabilised carbon may not be transported within the profile by the same mechanisms than more labile carbon.

Priming and substrate quality interactions in soil organic matter models

Abstract. Interactions between different qualities of soil organic matter (SOM) affecting their turnover are rarely represented in models. In this study, we propose three mathematical strategies at different levels of abstraction to represent those interactions. By implementing these strategies into the Introductory Carbon Balance Model (ICBM) and applying them to several scenarios of litter input, we show that the different levels of abstraction are applicable at different timescales. We present a simple one-parameter equation of substrate limitation that can straightforwardly be implemented into other models of SOM dynamics at decadal timescale. The study demonstrates how substrate quality interactions can explain patterns of priming effects, accelerate turnover in FACE experiments, and the slowdown of decomposition in long-term bare fallow experiments as an effect of energy limitation of microbial biomass. The mechanisms of those interactions need to be further scrutinized empirically for a more complete understanding. Overall, substrate quality interactions contribute to both understanding and quantitatively modelling SOM dynamics.

Water-dispersible clay in bare fallow soils after 80 years of continuous fertilizer addition

The 42 plots of the Versailles long-term bare fallow experiment offer exceptional opportunities to study the impacts of fertilizers and amendments on soil physical properties. In this experiment, continuous annual applications since 1928 of 16 different treatments – including nitrates, phosphates, manure, ammonium, calcium, and potassium salts – have led to strongly diverging physical and chemical properties in the soil's surface layer. In this work, the proportion of water dispersible clay (WDC), which is considered a good indicator of soil structural stability and sensitivity to crusting and erosion, was determined in all plots of the experiment. The results showed the influence of the valence of cations and pH on soil structure and clay dispersability. Application of sodium or potassium salts deteriorated the degree of soil aggregation, with increased bulk density and WDC values, whereas amendment with manure or calcium salts ameliorated soil aggregation, with decreasing bulk density and WDC. The strong acidification of the soils receiving ammonium-based fertilizers was another factor related to the increase of water dispersible clay, and therefore the deterioration of soil structure. This study emphasizes the role of potassium and ammonium, associated with fertilizer additions, on the deterioration of soil structure and on the increase of the risk of erosion.

Quantifying and isolating stable soil organic carbon using long-term bare fallow experiments

Abstract. The stability of soil organic matter (SOM) is a major source of uncertainty in predicting atmospheric CO2 concentration during the 21st century. Isolating the stable soil carbon (C) from other, more labile, C fractions in soil is of prime importance for calibrating soil C simulation models, and gaining insights into the mechanisms that lead to soil C stability. Long-term experiments with continuous bare fallow (vegetation-free) treatments in which the decay of soil C is monitored for decades after all inputs of C have stopped, provide a unique opportunity to assess the quantity of stable soil C. We analyzed data from six bare fallow experiments of long-duration (>30 yrs), covering a range of soil types and climate conditions, and sited at Askov (Denmark), Grignon and Versailles (France), Kursk (Russia), Rothamsted (UK), and Ultuna (Sweden). A conceptual three pool model dividing soil C into a labile pool (turnover time of a several years), an intermediate pool (turnover time of a several decades) and a stable pool (turnover time of a several centuries or more) fits well with the long term C decline observed in the bare fallow soils. The estimate of stable C ranged from 2.7 g C kg−1 at Rothamsted to 6.8 g C kg−1 at Grignon. The uncertainty associated with estimates of the stable pool was large due to the short duration of the fallow treatments relative to the turnover time of stable soil C. At Versailles, where there is least uncertainty associated with the determination of a stable pool, the soil contains predominantly stable C after 80 years of continuous bare fallow. Such a site represents a unique research platform for characterization of the nature of stable SOM and its vulnerability to global change.