Loss Of Organic Matter Research Articles

The potential of using corn straw biochar to compensate the loss of available soil organic matter

The process of migration of organic carbon from the biochar into the substrate and the aqueous phase was simulated. The process of organic carbon migration in passive and washing mode was evaluated. Part of the organic carbon was washed with water and passed into the aqueous phase, the other part remained in the mass of biochar. Biochar can be a source of available organic carbon, providing nutrition to rhizosphere microorganisms that improve the mineral nutrition of plants, both in the short and long term.

Identification of Soil Properties and Their Effects on Crop Production under the Influence of Tillage and Residue Treatment in Western Canada

Soil provides crucial nutrients and water for the growth of canola, which is one of the most essential economic crops for prairie province in Canada. Therefore, effective and efficient methods are required to modify soil properties to improve crop development. This study systematically analyzed the combined effects of tillage operation and crop residue management on soil features. Thus, the relationship between soil properties and crop yield was also evaluated. More specifically, Aftermarket chopper treatment could cause rela tively higher soil moisture and temperature, while the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) treatment could also result in dramatically higher soil organic matter (SOM) loss than Aftermarket treatment. The significantly more soil water and slightly higher soil temperature created by Aftermarket treatment was beneficial for crop yield. Although OEM treatment could cause more SOM loss, the final crop yield through this method was still lower than that using Aftermarket treatment, implying that the influence of SOM loss on crop growth remained contestable. Meanwhile, Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectra showed the peaks of amides and carboxylic acids was declined during the growth of canola, which indicated that these organic contents played an essential role in the crop development. Finally, the Aftermarket * Harrow treatment was more suitable for canola cultivation, with largest amount of crop harvest and short loss of soil organic contents in the meantime.

Organo-Chemical Characterisation of Peat Decomposition Reveals Preferential Degradation of Hemicelluloses as Main Cause for Organic Matter Loss in the Acrotelm

Organo-Chemical Characterisation of Peat Decomposition Reveals Preferential Degradation of Hemicelluloses as Main Cause for Organic Matter Loss in the Acrotelm

The role of concentrations variability of organic matter in kerogenic shale defluidisation on the catagenic depths

The Baltic kerogenic shale – kukersites (О2kk) were considered high-carbon marls which consist of three rock-forming components: organic matter (kerogen), carbonates and terrigenous material. As example used are data of the other high-carbon rocks. It is shown that increased concentrations of organic matter predetermine a number of features of these rocks (reduced density, reduced strength, etc.). The concentrations variability of the organic matter makes conditions the heterogeneity of the intraformational space, the anisotropy of many parameters, as well as the manifestation unevenness of the fluid-generation and evacuation capabilities. It was found that in kukersite shales fluid-generating properties can appear at the earliest stages of catagenesis. The role of areas with the maximum qualities of organic matter in the defluidisation of the shale coals is emphasized: here the more intensive generation of gas-liquid products and increased strength contribute to the earlier formation of drainage microcracks and fluid fractures. The appearance of shrinkage cracks due to catagenic losses of organic matter and usually uneven volume contraction and due to fluidgenerating shale coals is substantiated. The possibility of fluid-generating shale coals losing it lithological individuality during of it defluidisation is found out. Keywords: organic matter; oil shale; kukersite; defluidization; catagenesis; hydrocarbons.

Nutrient dynamics during composting of human excreta, cattle manure, and organic waste affected by biochar.

Ecological sanitation via thermophilic composting could be a promising solution to the lack of sanitation and limited access to fertilizers, particularly in developing countries. Here, we conducted a 185-d thermophilic composting experiment with human excreta, and separately with cattle manure, mixed with kitchen scraps, teff [Eragrostis tef (Zuccagni) Trotter] straw, sawdust, and biochar (BC) by using an appropriate-technology approach. We followed the dynamics of the most important macronutrients (N, P, K), temperature, moisture, pH, electrical conductivity, cation exchange capacity, as well as content of organic matter, organic C, Ca, Mg, and micronutrients throughout the process. Low N (<47%), P (<9%), K (<11%), Ca (<18%), and Mg (<21%) losses and the temperature profile indicated a well-functioning thermophilic composting process. Compost temperature was >60°C for 7, 6, 5, and 8 consecutive days for treatments containing human excreta, human excreta amended with BC, cattle manure, and cattle manure amended with BC, respectively, suggesting a final compost product free of pathogens. The compost mixture with cattle manure and BC reached a significantly higher temperature than the same variant without BC, with a maximum value of 65.9°C on Day 6. For all treatments, final germination index values>100% indicated compost maturity and the absence of phytotoxic substances. Biochar addition reduced losses of organic matter (18-23%), C (33-42%), and N (49-100%) and decreased the amount of extractable NO3 - (32-36%) in the final compost. The tested ecological sanitation concept via thermophilic composting is thus a promising strategy to improve access to cheap fertilizer by safe and sustainable sanitation and waste management.

THE IMPACT OF A TYPE OF CELLULOSE-CONTAINING AND MOISTURE-ABSORBING TYING MATERIAL ON PROCESS OF COMPOSTING OF MANURE-CONTAINING MIXTURES

The data on changing of organic matter structure during composting cattle manure and plant waste mixtures are given. It was established that the content of humic matter and humic acids in substrates increased. The decrease of the content of the hydrolysable part of the substrate was mainly due to hard-hydrolysable and watersoluble substances.&#x0D; It was established that the increase of the content of total and mobile nitrogen and phosphorus and total potassium in the substrates is occurred.&#x0D; It was found that organic matter losses depended on the composition of mixtures and reached 17 % of its initial mass.

Variation entry of sediment, organic matter and different forms of phosphorus and nitrogen in flood and normal events in the Anzali wetland

Abstract Phosphorus (P), nitrogen (N) and organic component are released from the soil into surface bodies by runoff and erosion, causing the pollution and eutrophication of water resources. This study aimed to investigate the seasonal changes in loads of N and P components, and organic matter (OM) in the Pasikhan River in flood and normal conditions. Sampling was performed monthly during normal flow conditions and for five flood events. The concentrations of P and N components were measured in the samples. The OM of the suspended sediments was determined by the combustion method. Under the normal flows, the maximum loads of total P and OM were about 0.553 mg l−1 (STD = 0.11) (November) and 3.41% (STD = 1.17) (November) in the autumn, respectively. The total N concentration of 0.533 mg l−1 (STD = 0.12) was observed in the winter. In the flood events, the TP, TN and OM ranged from 0.48 to 3.5 mg l−1, 0.28 to 0.79 mg l−1 and 1.24 to 4.11%, respectively. The results indicated a high risk of eutrophication in the Pasikhan River. Also, the study revealed that in a severe flood event, some 113.9 tons h−1 of OM can be released from the river watershed. Furthermore, there was a high correlation between the amount of P and OM losses with the concentration of suspended sediments in different flood events. Finally, it is concluded that if the floods are not controlled, they not only cause a rapid loss of soil nutrients and OM but also lead to severe eutrophication in the Anzali wetland.

COMPOSTING OF SEIZED CIGARETTE TOBACCO AND INDUSTRIAL SEWAGE SLUDGE WITH SAWDUST OR GARDEN PRUNING

The composting of seized cigarette tobacco (SCT) and industrial sewage sludge (ISS) mixed with sawdust or garden pruning was evaluated using physical-chemical, phytotoxic and spectroscopic parameters. The temperatures reached peaks above 55ºC in the five windrows and were sufficient to achieve the stability of the compounds. The moisture content remained mostly in the range of 50 to 70% indicated for efficient microbial activity during the decomposition process. The pH remained between 7.0 and 9.0, considered ideal for the stability of microorganisms that act in the various stages of composting. The loss of organic matter indicated an increase in the mineralization of the compost. After 180 days, the seed germination index (SGI) was above than 50% in the five windrows. The E2/E4, E4/E6 (UV-Vis) and 1650/2930 cm-1, 1650/2850 cm-1 and 1650/1711 cm-1 (FTIR) ratios indicated the degradation of lignin, formation of aliphatic structures, oxygenated groups and aromatic carbon at different stages of maturation of the compounds. The windrow composting process was efficient to degrade different proportions of SCT and ISS, resulting in matured compounds.

Diversity of small terrestrial mammals under different organic farming management in Mediterranean and Continental agriculture ecosystems

Diversity of small terrestrial mammals under different organic farming management in Mediterranean and Continental agriculture ecosystems

Future roots for future soils.

Mechanical impedance constrains root growth in most soils. Crop cultivation changed the impedance characteristics of native soils, through topsoil erosion, loss of organic matter, disruption of soil structure and loss of biopores. Increasing adoption of Conservation Agriculture in high‐input agroecosystems is returning cultivated soils to the soil impedance characteristics of native soils, but in the low‐input agroecosystems characteristic of developing nations, ongoing soil degradation is generating more challenging environments for root growth. We propose that root phenotypes have evolved to adapt to the altered impedance characteristics of cultivated soil during crop domestication. The diverging trajectories of soils under Conservation Agriculture and low‐input agroecosystems have implications for strategies to develop crops to meet global needs under climate change. We present several root ideotypes as breeding targets under the impedance regimes of both high‐input and low‐input agroecosystems, as well as a set of root phenotypes that should be useful in both scenarios. We argue that a ‘whole plant in whole soil’ perspective will be useful in guiding the development of future crops for future soils.

Exploring the structures, stability, and light absorption properties of three thiostannates synthesised at similar conditions

We present the synthesis, crystal structures and optical properties of three thiostannates prepared by using 1-(2-aminoethyl)piperazine (AEPz) as structure directing agent. Two of the thiostannates are layered materials (AEPz-SnS-1 and AEPz:EtOH-SnS-1) consisting of [Sn3S72−]n sheets with organic cations located in-between. The third compound is a molecular thiostannate (Sn2S6(AEPzH2)2) composed of dimeric Sn2S64− and AEPzH22+. In preparation of the layered compounds, the use of AEPz as the only solvent results in AEPz-SnS-1 with regular hexagonal pores and crystallographically disordered organic cations. In contrast, a mixture of AEPz and absolute ethanol gives AEPz:EtOH-SnS-1 with distorted hexagonal pores and ordered cations between the layers. The influence of cation order on the light absorption properties and the material thermal stability was investigated through thermal treatment of the layered compounds up to 200 °C. Both compounds show colour changes when heated, but cation order results in larger thermal stability. For AEPz-SnS-1, a decreased inter-layer distance and substantial loss of organic matter was observed when heated. However, pair distribution function analysis reveals that the local in-layer thiostannate structure of AEPz-SnS-1 remains unchanged. In contrast, AEPz:EtOH-SnS-1 does not undergo noticeable structural changes by the thermal treatment. All materials are optical semiconductors with band gaps of 3.0–3.1 eV.

NUTRIENT ENRICHMENT POTENTIAL OF FLOATING AQUATIC MACROPHYTE, EICHHORNIA CRASSIPES

The impact of different growth stages of water hyacinth on its decomposition loss of biochemical nutrients and enrichment of essential nutrients in ambient water was assessed. Maximum loss of biomass (59.91 ± 1.5 %), organic matter (60.1 ± 1.07%) and crude protein (70.72 ± 1.06 %) and lowest loss of mineral matter (57.02 ± 0.2%) was observed in decomposing brown leaf litter. Among green leaf litter, senescent stage showed significantly lower loss of mass (35.17 ± 2.74%), organic matter (31.23 ± 1.62 %) and crude protein (47.11 ± 1.65%) as compared to young ones. The sequence of loss of biochemical components for all leaf litter was crude protein > ash > organic matter. pH increased by 0.3 unit in both young green and senescent green plant with no changes in brown decomposing stage. Higher enrichment of ambient water in term of specific conductivity, available nitrogen and dissolved organic matter for both types of green than decomposing brown litter to a tune of 3.2-3.37, 4.3 and 4.26-4.87 fold as of initial value, respectively. Soluble reactive phosphorus enrichment was highest in decomposing brown litter followed by senescent green with no change for young green stage. Key words: Decomposition, nutrient enrichment, biochemical composition, Eichhornia crassipes, water hyacinth

Charcoal and Sago Bark Ash on pH Buffering Capacity and Phosphorus Leaching

Soil-available P for crop use is limited because of fixation reaction and loss of organic matter through erosion and surface runoff. These factors cause an imbalance between inputs and outputs of P nutrients in acid soils. Several approaches to improve P availability have been proposed, however, little is known about the effectiveness of amending humid mineral acid soils with charcoal and sago bark ash on P dynamics. Thus, pH buffering capacity and leaching studies were conducted to determine: (i) pH buffering capacity upon application of charcoal and sago bark ash and (ii) the influence of charcoal and sago bark ash on P leaching in acid soils. pH buffering capacity was calculated as the negative reciprocal of the slope of the linear regression (pH versus acid addition rate). A leaching study was carried out by spraying distilled water to each container with soil such that leachates through leaching were collected for analysis. The ascending order of the treatments based on their pH buffering capacity and regression coefficient (R2) were soil alone (0.25 mol H+ kg−1 sample), soil with charcoal (0.26 mol H+ kg−1 sample), soil with sago bark ash (0.28 mol H+ kg−1 sample), charcoal alone (0.29 mol H+ kg−1 sample), soil with charcoal and sago bark ash (0.29 mol H+ kg−1 sample), and sago bark ash alone (0.34 mol H+ kg−1 sample). Improvement in the soil pH buffering capacity was partly related to the inherent K, Ca, Mg, and Na contents of charcoal and sago bark ash. In the leaching study, it was noticed that as the rate of sago bark ash decreased, the pH of leachate decreased, suggesting that unlike charcoal the sago bark ash has significant impact on the alkalinity of leachate. Soil exchangeable acidity, Al3+, and H+ reduced significantly following co-application of charcoal and sago bark ash with ERP. This could be attributed to the neutralizing effects of sago bark ash and the high affinity of charcoal for Al and Fe ions. The amount of P leached from the soil with 100% charcoal was lower because charcoal has the ability to capture and hold P-rich water. The findings of this present study suggest that combined use of charcoal and sago bark ash have the potential to mitigate soil acidity and Al toxicity besides improving soil pH buffering capacity and minimizing P leaching. A field trial to consolidate the findings of this work is recommended.

Conversion of Sewage Sludge and Other Biodegradable Waste into High-Value Soil Amendment within a Circular Bioeconomy Perspective

Resource recovery from biodegradable waste is essential in order to reach the goals of zero circular economy waste generation and zero greenhouse gas emissions from the waste sector. Waste whose management is a real challenge is sewage sludge, mainly because of high concentrations of heavy metals. The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of material stabilization during aerobic stabilization of two feedstocks with sewage sludge obtained from different sources, namely, digestate from a municipal wastewater treatment plant and digestate from a co-digestion process. Moreover, the goal of the experiment was to assess the quality of compost in terms of remediation potential. The composting process was carried out for four different mixtures consisting of the mentioned digestates, municipal solid waste, and grass. A better composting efficiency with digestate from the co-digestion process was observed. In that case, a higher temperature in the thermophilic phase (&gt;55 °C) and a higher organic matter loss ratio (60%) were obtained as compared to the process with digestate from wastewater treatment plant. Taking into account the fertilizing properties and the concentration of heavy metals, all obtained composts met the requirements set out in the Polish Regulation for organic fertilizers. Only the content of Helminth eggs in the composts produced with the digestate from the wastewater treatment plant was above the acceptable level. The research also proved that the produced composts can be used in the phytoremediation process of the degraded area. It was found that all composts caused a significant increase in fescue biomass. The highest yield was achieved for compost produced from a mixture with the addition of 30% sewage sludge from the co-digestion process.

Optimizing Beef Cow-Calf Grazing across Missouri with an Emphasis on Protecting Ecosystem Services

Soil health is an emerging paradigm for which much research in row crop agriculture has been undertaken. Research involving grazing lands and soil health has not been as active, a feature partially attributed to (i) greater erosional rates in cropland, (ii) loss of soil organic matter and reduced soil structure attributed to annual tillage practices, (iii) cash flow from cropland is easier to visualize than the value-added nature of grazing lands, and (iv) there exists more competitive grant funding sources for croplands. Grazing lands do require soil quality augmentation and investment in soil health to optimize their ecosystem services potential. This manuscript, with an emphasis on beef cattle grazing in the central USA, attempts to survey the literature to (i) identify the influence of grazing on important ecosystem services provided by Mollisols and Alfisols, (ii) develop a listing of soil indicators that may be selected to quantify and credential soil quality, and (iii) develop guidelines that align soil indicators and changes in grazing management to support the restoration of ecosystem services.

Effect of Geobacillus toebii GT-02 addition on composition transformations and microbial community during thermophilic fermentation of bean dregs

Bean dregs can be prepared into organic fertilizer by microbial fermentation. Geobacillus toebii GT-02, which has promoting effect on bean dregs fermentation, was isolated from horse dung and it grows within a range of 40–75 °C and pH 6.50–9.50. The effectiveness of GT-02 addition on composition transformations and the microbial community in bean dregs thermophilic fermentation at 70 °C for 5 days was investigated (T1). Fermentation of bean dregs without GT-02 served as control (CK). The results showed that T1 (the germination index (GI) = 95.06%) and CK (GI = 86.42%) reached maturity (defined by GI ≥ 85%) on day 3 and day 5, respectively. In addition, the total nitrogen loss of T1 (18.46%) on day 3 was lower than that in CK (24.12%). After thermophilic fermentation, the total organic carbon and dry matter loss of T1 (53.51% and 54.16%) was higher than that in CK (41.72% and 42.82%). The mean microbial number in T1 was 4.94 × 107 CFUs/g dry matter, which was 5.37 times higher than that in CK. 16S rDNA sequencing identified Bacillus, Geobacillus and Thermobacillus as dominant in CK, while Bacillus, Ammoniibacillus and Geobacillus were dominant in T1. A canonical correspondence analysis showed that Geobacillus and Ammoniibacillus were positively correlated with the GI. Thus, thermophilic fermentation with GT-02 can promote the maturity of bean dregs, which indicated the potential application value of GT-02 in thermophilic fermentation.

Combined effect of olive pruning residues and spent coffee grounds on Pleurotus ostreatus production, composition, and nutritional value.

No previous study assessed the combined effect of olive pruning residues (OLPR) and spent coffee grounds (SCG) on P. ostreatus production and nutritional value. The aim of this study was to determine the capacity of P. ostreatus to degrade lignocellulosic nature of combined OLPR and SCG as well as their resultant nutrient composition. A complete randomized design was adopted with five treatments: S1:100%wheat straw (WS) (control), S2:33%WS+33%SCG+33%OLPR,S3:66%WS+17%SCG+17%OLPR,S4:17%WS+66%SCG+17%OLPR, and S5:17%WS+17%SCG+66%OLPR, and ten replicates per treatment. Substrate’s and mushroom’s composition were analyzed on chemical scale, including fatty acids and heavy metals profiles, following international standards. Only S1, S2, and S3 were productive, with comparable biological yield, economical yield, and biological efficiency. Organic matter loss decreased with increasing proportions of OLPR and SCG. Percentage lignin loss was higher in S1 than in S2 and S3 (53.51, 26.25, and 46.15% respectively). Mushrooms of S3 had some enhanced nutritional attributes compared to control: decrease in fat, increase in protein, increase in monounsaturated fatty acids, and lower zinc accumulation. Lead was less accumulated in S2 than S1 mushrooms. Sodium content of mushroom decreased in S2 and S3. The latter substrates yielded mushrooms with lower polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and higher saturated fatty acids (SFA) contents. All mushrooms had a valuable PUFA/SFA. This study suggests using OLPR and SCG in low proportions as nutritional supplements to the commercial wheat straw.

Runoff and nutrient losses in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L) production with tied-ridge-furrow rainwater harvesting on sloping land

Ridge-furrow rainwater harvesting (RFRH) is known to be effective in controlling water loss and soil erosion, and increasing soil moisture and crop yield in semiarid regions. However, it can cause waterlogging, ridge overtopping, and harvest failure if not properly designed. A four consecutive-year field trial was carried out to assess the impacts of various slope gradients and tillage practices on soil moisture, runoff, sediment yield, associated soil nutrient losses, fodder yield, and water use efficiency (WUE) of alfalfa in the Loess Plateau, China. The trial adopted a split-plot design, taking slope gradient (5° and 10°) as main plot treatment and tillage practice (traditional tillage, open-ridging, and tied-ridging) as split-plot treatment, from 2015 to 2018. There were greater variations in runoff, sediment yield, and associated soil nutrient losses than in fodder yield and WUE. Tied-ridging and open-ridging resulted in decreased runoff and reduced sediment transport and associated soil nutrient losses, and increased soil moisture, fodder yield, and WUE. Runoff, sediment transport, and associated soil nutrient losses inclined with increasing slope; while fodder yield and the WUE declined. For slopes of 5° and 10°, the average decrease in runoff, sediment yield, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, and organic matter losses for open-ridging were 47.7–56.2%, 91.0–92.7%, 90.4–93.1%, 90.1–92.2%, and 88.9–90.2%, respectively, while these for tied-ridging were 62.4–68.4%, 94.5–96.4%, 93.6–95.5%, 93.9–95.9%, and 93.0–94.9%, over 4 years as compared with traditional tillage. The mean annual runoff, sediment, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, and organic matter losses for slopes of 10° were 1.31, 1.96, 1.87, 1.99, and 1.64 times greater than the corresponding values for slopes of 5°, respectively. The increase of fodder yield and WUE for open-ridging and tied-ridging was 40.1–45.6% and 16.0–17.5%, and 3.66–5.99 and 1.35–2.50 kg ha−1 mm−1, respectively, for slopes of 5° and 10°. The average fodder yield and WUE for slopes of 5° were 1.19 and 1.23 times greater than corresponding values for slopes of 10°, respectively. The disparities in fodder yield and WUE of alfalfa between slopes of 5° and 10° were not clear in dry years, but were evident in wet years. Tied-ridging was recommended for water and soil conservation, while open-ridging was recommended for increase of fodder yield and WUE of alfalfa. The implementation of RFRH in crop production should be evaluated by the use of a model in accordance with climatic conditions, soil type, and plant species.

Optimization of thermally activated persulfate pretreatment of corn straw and its effect on anaerobic digestion performance and stability

The effect of thermally activated persulfate on anaerobic digestion is incompletely understood. An orthogonal test was used to optimize the pretreatment process of corn straw using thermally activated persulfate, a lab-scale batch anaerobic digester was used for exploring the effect of pretreatment on anaerobic digestion. The optimal pretreatment conditions were 50 °C, 16 h, 0.5% Na2S2O8, pH = 5, and solid–liquid mass ratio (S:L) = 1:10, which was the most crucial factor. Lignin pretreatment with thermally activated sodium persulfate (SPS) considerably decreased. The yield of reducing sugar (RS) and VFAs were observably higher than the untreated group. This trend occurred because the thermal activation of persulfate primarily destroys the benzene ring in lignin by generating and releasing active sulfate radical (SO4·−); moreover, hydroxyl radical (·OH) and SO4− work together during thermal activation. Furthermore, the daily biogas production of the groups pretreated for 16 and 48 h without elution were 22.78% and 26.80% higher than that of the group untreated, respectively. The degradation rates of total and volatile solids increased to 60% and 70% after the pretreatment. Therefore, thermally activated SPS could improve the performance and stability of anaerobic digestion, and the impact of dissolved organic matter loss exceeded that of residual Na+ and SO42−.

Shifts in Soil Structure, Biological, and Functional Diversity Under Long-Term Carbon Deprivation.

Soil organic matter is composed of a variety of carbon (C) forms. However, not all forms are equally accessible to soil microorganisms. Deprivation of C inputs will cause changes in the physical and microbial community structures of soils; yet the trajectories of such changes are not clear. We assessed microbial communities using phospholipid fatty acid profiling, metabarcoding, CO2 emissions, and functional gene microarrays in a decade-long C deprivation field experiment. We also assessed changes in a range of soil physicochemical properties, including using X-ray Computed Tomography imaging to assess differences in soil structure. Two sets of soils were deprived of C inputs by removing plant inputs for 10 years and 1 year, respectively. We found a reduction in diversity measures, after 10 years of C deprivation, which was unexpected based on previous research. Fungi appeared to be most impacted, likely due to competition for scarce resources after exhausting the available plant material. This suggestion was supported by evidence of bioindicator taxa in non-vegetated soils that may directly compete with or consume fungi. There was also a reduction in copies of most functional genes after 10 years of C deprivation, though gene copies increased for phytase and some genes involved in decomposing recalcitrant C and methanogenesis. Additionally, soils under C deprivation displayed expected reductions in pH, organic C, nitrogen, and biomass as well as reduced mean pore size, especially in larger pores. However, pore connectivity increased after 10 years of C deprivation contrary to expectations. Our results highlight concurrent collapse of soil structure and biodiversity following long-term C deprivation. Overall, this study shows the negative trajectory of continuous C deprivation and loss of organic matter on a wide range of soil quality indicators and microorganisms.