Occluded Fraction Research Articles

Soil aggregation and greenhouse gas flux after 15 years of wheat straw and fertilizer management in a no-till system

Mulching effect on carbon (C) sequestration depends on soil properties, mulch material, and the rate and duration of application. Thus, rate of soil C sequestration was assessed on a 15 year field study involving three levels of wheat straw at 0 (M0), 8 (M8) and 16 (M16) Mgha−1yr−1, at two levels (244kgNha−1yr−1, F1 and without, F0) of supplemental N. Soil C concentration was assessed in relation to aggregation and occlusion in aggregates of a silt loam Alfisol under a no-till (NT) and crop-free system in central Ohio. In comparison to control, soil organic carbon (SOC) concentration in the 0–10cm depth of bulk soil increased by 32% and 90% with M8 and M16 treatments with a corresponding increase in the SOC stock by 21–25% and 50–60%, respectively. With increase in rate of residue mulch, proportion of water stable aggregates (small macroaggregates, >250μm size) increased by 1.4–1.8 times and of microaggregates (53–250μm) by 1.4 times. Fertilizer N significantly increased the SOC concentration of small macroaggregates under M16 treatments only. Ultra-sonication showed that 12–20% of SOC occluded in the inter-microaggregate space of small macroaggergates, was a function of both mulch and fertilizer rates. Significantly higher and positive correlation of greenhouse gases (GHGs), CO2, CH4 and N2O flux was observed with C and N concentrations of small macroaggregates and also of the occluded fraction of small macroaggregates. The higher correlation coefficient indicated the latter to be prone to microbial attack. On the contrary, non-significant relationship with C and N concentrations of microaggregates indicate a possible protection of microaggregate C. The diurnal fluxes of CO2, CH4 and N2O were the lowest under bare soil and the highest under high mulch rate with added N, with values ranging from 1.51 to 2.31gm−2d−1, −2.79 to 3.15mgm−2d−1 and 0.46 to 1.02mgm−2d−1, respectively. Mulch rate affected the GHGs flux more than did the fertilizer rates. The net global warming potential (GWP) was higher for high mulch (M16) than low mulch (M8) rates, with values ranging from 0.46 to 0.57 Mg CO2 equivalent – Cha−1yr−1 (M8) and 1.98 to 3.05Mg CO2 equivalent – Cha−1yr−1 (M16). In general, mulch rate determined the effect of fertilizers. The study indicated that over long-term, a mulch rate between 8 and 16Mgha−1yr−1 may be optimal for Alfisols in Central Ohio.

Separation of light and heavy organic matter fractions in soil — Testing for proper density cut-off and dispersion level

Density fractionation is frequently applied to separate soil organic matter according to the degree and the mode of interaction with minerals. Density fractions are operationally defined by density cut-off and sonication intensity, which determine the nature of the separated material. However, no tests or general agreements exist on the most appropriate density cut-off as well as on method and intensity of dispersion. Numerous variants have been proposed and applied, with results often contrasting each other and being hard to interpret. Here, we aimed at separating two light fractions (free and occluded into aggregates) composed of almost pure organic material, and one heavy fraction comprising the organic–mineral associations. We tested effects of different density cut-offs and sonication intensities, in combination and separately, on fraction yields, as well as on the fractions' organic carbon, total nitrogen and lignin-derived phenols. We tried to find optimum density cut-offs and sonication intensities, providing light fractions with maximum organic material and minimum contamination by mineral material. Under the test conditions, a density of 1.6gcm−3 gave best results for all test soils, allowing for separation of maximums amounts of almost pure organic material. The density cut-off at 1.6gcm−3 is well in line with previous studies and theoretical considerations, therefore we recommend the use of this density as most suitable for separation of organic debris. Sonication levels for aggregate disruption to achieve complete separation of occluded light organic matter varied amongst soils. The necessary intensity of dispersion relates to the type of soil, depending on the stability of contained aggregates. The application of one single dispersion energy level to different soils may result either in mineral contamination or in incomplete separation of light and heavy fractions as well as in redistribution of organic material amongst fractions. This means there is no single sonication level that can be applied to all soils. Thus, obtaining a meaningful light fraction residing within aggregates (occluded light fraction) requires assessment of the dispersion energy necessary to disrupt the aggregate system of a given soil without dispersion of organic–mineral associations. This can be done in pre-experiments where the soil is fractionated at different sonication levels. The appropriate dispersion is determined by mass yields and OC content of the obtained occluded fractions.

Different chemical composition of free light, occluded light and extractable SOM fractions in soils of Cerrado and tilled and untilled fields, Minas Gerais, Brazil: a pyrolysis-GC/MS study

To investigate both the effect of land-use systems on SOM characteristics and the effect of occlusion in aggregates on chemical composition of the occluded fraction, SOM fractions of soils under Cerrado, no-tillage and conventional tillage, were investigated. Free light, occluded light and extractable organic matter from native Cerrado and from tilled and untilled fields under maize and bean rotation were separated and chemically analysed by pyrolysis-GC/MS. Ploughing incorporated more fresh OM into the soil than natural biological activity. Degradation of the occluded light fraction was not fully halted, but was different from that of SOM in the extractable fraction. Recalcitrant compounds had low abundances in the free light and extracted fractions, but were more abundant in the occluded light fraction, where the more accessible compounds were depleted by microbial decomposition. Because of intense decomposition, the extracted fractions did not differentiate between land uses, but differences in the light fractions were significant. The results indicate that the decay of the occluded fraction is different from that of the free light fraction: non-ideal circumstances of decay caused a relative accumulation of potentially recalcitrant compounds. When considering the rapid turnover of all components in the soil extracts, disruption of aggregates will probably cause rapid decay of the occluded fraction. The distribution of pyrolysis products that can be ascribed to charred wood (polyaromatics) indicates that this fraction is readily decayed if not occluded. Selective decomposition in the occluded fraction may cause a shift in d13C that should not be misinterpreted

Distribution of phosphorus in an above-to-below-ground profile in a Bornean tropical rain forest

Abstract:Ecosystem pool of phosphorus (P) was determined as the sum of above-ground vegetation, roots, necromass and soils to 1 m deep in a tropical rain forest in Sabah, Malaysia. Relationships among soil P fractions, acid phosphatase activity and fine-root biomass across soil horizons were also determined to understand P availability. Ecosystem pools of P, and of simultaneously quantified nitrogen (N) and carbon (C) were 3.4, 12 and 370 Mg ha−1, respectively. Only 2.6% of the total ecosystem P was in the above-ground vegetation, contrasting to C (60%) and N (16%). Canopy foliage of dominant tree species showed an extremely high N to P ratio of 31.5, which implied the excessively short supply of P compared with ample N. Soil P primarily consisted of recalcitrant occluded fractions (78–91%) and only 4% was labile. Approximately three-quarters of labile soil P was an organic fraction (Po). The concentration of labile Po did not differ between soil horizons, while both phosphatase activity and fine-root density were the greatest in the topsoil (top 5 cm) and dramatically decreased with depth. This suggests that trees depend on the acquisition of P from the labile Po in the topsoil, despite a greater amount of labile P in the subsoil. Trees with a high foliar N/P ratio may invest N to acquire P from the topsoil by secreting phosphatase that consists of proteins, rather than investing C to extending roots to scavenge P in the subsoil.

Comparative studies on compounds occluded inside asphaltenes hierarchically released by increasing amounts of H2O2/CH3COOH

Being the heaviest fraction of crude oils, asphaltenes are liable to aggregate, and other molecules in the oils can be steadily adsorbed onto, and even occluded inside the macromolecular structures of the asphaltenes. These occluded compounds inside the asphaltenes can survive over geological time in oil reservoirs owing to effective protection by the macromolecular structures of the asphaltenes. The asphaltenes of a crude oil (ZG31) from the central Tarim Basin, NW China, were hierarchically degraded by increasing the amount of H2O2/CH3COOH to release the occluded compounds. Besides the common components, series of even numbered n-alk-1-enes and 3-ethylalkanes were detected among the occluded compounds. Comparison of the biomarker distributions and the compound-specific C isotopic results between the compounds from the maltenes and those from the occluded fraction, the ZG31 reservoir was suggested to have been charged multiple times, with different charges being derived from different strata of source rocks.

TMAH-preparative thermochemolysis for the characterization of organic matter in densimetric fractions of a Mediterranean forest soil

Physical protection is one of the most important ways for stabilization of organic carbon in soils, and in order to properly manage soils as a sink for carbon, it is necessary to know how much organic carbon a given soil could protect and to have information on the molecular composition of this protected organic matter in soil. To this end, we studied individual horizons taken from a soil profile under Quercus rotundifolia stands over calcareous parent material. Horizons were subjected to a sequential extraction using solutions of sodium polytungstate (NaPT) of increasing density (1.6, 1.8 and 2.0) to differentiate five fractions: a free light, extractable without sonication, three occluded (extractable by sonication) and a dense (retained in the dense residue, after sonication). The obtained fractions were analyzed by preparative thermochemolysis followed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC/MS) in order to get some insight on the molecular composition. The total ion chromatograms obtained for the pyrolysates of both of the densimetric fractions show various series of fatty acids (as their methyl esters), n-alkanols (as their methyl ethers), methylated α,ω-diacids, methylated ω-hydroxyacids, various lignous subunits and permethylated deoxy aldonic acids derived from carbohydrates. The comparison of the distributions of the thermochemolysis products shows that organic carbon in the dense fractions of the deepest horizons were more influenced by a microbial reworking than the others dense fractions from the upper horizons. It is also the case for the occluded fraction 1 of the H horizon even the vegetal part of the organic carbon in that occluded fraction appears to have a non-woody origin. On the other hand, the dense fraction of the H horizon is strongly marked by vegetal origin.

Changes in soil C and N stocks and nutrient dynamics 13 years after recovery of degraded land using leguminous nitrogen-fixing trees

In tropical forest areas with highly weathered soils, organic matter plays an important role in soil functioning and forest sustainability. When forests are clear-cut, the soil begins almost immediately to lose organic matter, triggering a series of soil degradation processes, the extent and intensity of which depends on soil management. Depending on the level of soil degradation, the rate at which the system can re-establish itself can be slow and may require the use of degraded land restoration techniques. This study aimed at evaluating the potential of pioneer leguminous nitrogen-fixing trees to recuperate degraded land. The area studied – located in the coastal town of Angra dos Reis in the State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – was planted with seven species of fast-growing leguminous nitrogen-fixing trees in 1991. The nutrient concentrations (Ca, Mg, P and K) and N and C stocks in the soil and litter were determined, in addition to the free- and occluded-light fractions of soil organic matter. Soil samples were also collected from two reference areas: (1) an area of undisturbed native forest; and (2) a deforested area spontaneously colonised by Guinea grass ( Panicum maximum). The nutrient stocks in the litter of the restored area were similar to those found in native forest. The recuperation technique used was able to re-establish the soil C and N stocks after 13 years. C and N increased by 1.73 and 0.13 Mg ha −1 year −1, respectively. The free-light fraction was highest in the recuperated area and lowest in the deforested area. The occluded-light fraction of the recuperated area was higher than that of the native forest only in the 0–5 cm layer. Both the free-light and occluded fractions were higher in the native forest and recuperated areas than in the deforested area. Since the free-light and the occluded-light fractions are the result of litterfall and decomposition, these results – combined with the data of litter stocks and soil C and N stocks – indicate that the use of legume trees was efficient in re-establishing the nutrient cycling processes of the systems. These results also show that recovering degraded land with this technique is effective in sequestering carbon dioxide from the atmosphere at high rates.

Capacity of soil to protect organic carbon and biochemical characteristics of density fractions in Ziwulin Haplic Greyxems soil

Physical protection is one of the important ways to stabilize organic carbon in soils. In order to understand the role of soils as a carbon sink or source in global climatic change and carbon cycles and properly manage soils as a carbon sink, we ought to know how many organic carbon (OC) in a given soil could be protected. By a density fractionation approach and ultrasonic technique, each soil sample was divided into three fractions: free light fraction (free-LF), occluded fraction (occluded-LF) and heavy fraction (HF). The obtained fractions were analyzed for total OC content, carbohydrate content and recalcitrant OC content. The results showed: (i) In the whole soil profile, dominance of OC consistently decreased in the following order: HF, free-LF, occluded-LF. This suggested that OC in soils were mostly protected. From 0–10 to 60–80 cm horizons, the OC in free-LF decreased from 25.27% to 3.72%, while OC in HF they were increased from 72.57% to 95.39% The OC in occluded-LF was between 2.16% and 0.89%. (ii) Organic carbon recalcitrance in free-LF was similar to that in HF, and was even higher than that in HF below the surface horizon. This suggested that free-LF was not always the most fresh and non-decomposed fraction. OM quality of HF was higher than that of free-LF in the surface 10 cm below, namely the protected OM had higher quality than free OM in these horizons.

Transformations in occluded light fraction organic matter in a clayey oxisol: evidence from 13C-CPMAS-NMR and delta13C Signature

We hypothesised that, during occlusion inside granular aggregates of oxide-rich soils, the light fraction organic matter would undergo a strong process of decomposition, either due to the slow process of aggregate formation and stabilisation or due to digestion in the macro- and meso-fauna guts. This process would favour the accumulation of recalcitrant materials inside aggregates. The aim of this study was to compare the dynamics and the chemical composition of free and occluded light fraction organic matter in a natural cerrado vegetation (woodland savannah) and a nearby pasture (Brachiaria spp.) to elucidate the transformations during occlusion of light fraction in aggregates of a clayey Oxisol. Nuclear Magnetic Resonance of the 13C, with Cross Polarisation and Magic Angle Spinning (13C-CPMAS-NMR), and 13C/12C isotopic ratio were combined to study organic matter composition and changes in carbon dynamics, respectively. The occluded light fraction had a slower turnover than the free light fraction and the heavy fraction. Organic matter in the occluded fraction also showed a higher degree of decomposition. The results confirm that processes of soil organic matter occlusion in the typical "very fine strong granular" structure of the studied oxide-rich soil led to an intense transformation, selectively preserving stable organic matter. The small amount of organic material stored as occluded light faction, as well as its stability, suggests that this is not an important or manageable sink for sequestration of atmospheric CO2.

Organic carbon fractions in a yerba mate plantation on a subtropical Kandihumult of Argentina

An investigation was conducted on the amount and rate of soil organic matter (SOM) turnover, as influenced by agricultural operations in ultisols in Argentina. The decrease of particulate organic carbon (POC) and decomposition or relative stability of its free (POC f) and occluded (POC o) fraction were determined at sites under a forest, yerba mate ( Ilex paraguariensis St. Hill), and in a yerba mate plantation using elephant grass as cover crop. Aggregate stability was measured by the dry sieving method for 5 min, using four sieves of different sizes and a Retsch stirrer. Wet sieving was performed to separate the mineral-associated organic matter (MOC) from the POC. The effect of 50 years of yerba mate cultivation resulted in a significant decrease of total POC. The highest POC were noted in the microaggregate (0.1–0.25 mm) fractions in the surface layers of the three ecosystems. The POC o concentration was higher than the POC f content in the soil within the plant rows and between the rows. This suggested that POC o was more resistant than POC f to decomposition, due to protection within the microaggregates. The few years under elephant grass has resulted in a significant increase in POC, probably due to the relatively slow rate of decomposition of fresh residues, characterized by high dry matter input and C/N ratios. Elephant grass-derived POC is believed to play an important role in the nutrient cycling of the degraded yerba mate soils.

Physical protection and biochemical quality of organic matter in mediterranean calcareous forest soils: a density fractionation approach

Physical protection is one of the most important ways for stabilization of organic carbon (OC) in soils, and in order to properly manage soils as a sink for carbon, it is necessary to know how much OC a given soil could protect. To this end, we studied individual horizons taken from 16 soil profiles under Quercus rotundifolia stands, all over calcareous parent materials. Horizons were subjected to a sequential extraction using solutions of sodium polytungstate (NaPT) of increasing density: (i) NaPT d=1.6, using slight hand agitation, to obtain the free light fraction (FL); (ii) NaPT d=1.6 and ultrasonic dispersion, to obtain the Occluded Fraction I (Ocl I); (iii) NaPT d=1.8, to obtain the Occluded Fraction II (Ocl II); and (iv) NaPT d=2.0, to obtain the Occluded Fraction III (Ocl III). The fraction of density>2.0 are taken as dense fraction (DF). The free organic matter was further divided into FL>50 (retained by a 50 μm mesh: coarse organic fragments) and FL<50 (non-retained: fine organic fragments). The fractions FL>50 and FL<50 were taken together as free organic matter. The rest of the fractions are taken together as protected organic matter. The obtained fractions were analyzed for total OC, total N, and carbohydrate content. The percentage of non-hydrolyzable OC and N in each fraction was taken as an indicator of OC and N recalcitrance, respectively. For both OC and N, the fractions FL>50 and DF are dominant; the rest of the fractions are of much lower quantitative importance. In H horizons and in most A horizons, most of the OC and N are free, whereas in B horizons both OC and N are mostly protected. Overall, the percentages of free OC and N are very high and are currently amongst the highest ever recorded. Organic matter recalcitrance is lowest in the two most protected fractions (Ocl III and especially DF), and highest in the first occluded fractions (Ocl II and especially Ocl I). The free organic matter (FL>50 fraction) has an intermediate quality: it includes recognizable plant fragments, but the indicators tested (recalcitrance, carbohydrate content, cellulose to total carbohydrates ratio) suggest that it is not always the most fresh and non-decomposed fraction. There are clear maxima for both protected OC and N, which can be approached by curve fitting. By exponential fit, the obtained maxima are 84.1 g of OC and 7.7 g of N kg −1 of mineral particles <20 μm. These maxima are much higher than the upper limits obtained by other authors. Differences in the sampling approach are suggested as the reason for such discrepancies.

New method of phosphorus determination with improved pretreatment of occluded iron phosphate fraction in soils

In the sequential fractionation of phosphorus (P), a modified approach in the oxidation process of the occluded fraction of P (in iron oxides in soils) using redox titration in nitric acid (HNO3) medium is presented. Also a new spectrophotometric method to determine that P fraction as the phosphomolybdate complex using a mixture of isobutyl acetate and methyl isobutyl ketone to extract the formed complex into the organic phase. Radioactive tracer (32P) and sequential extraction is used to state the yield of extraction of the phosphomolybdate complex. Accuracy, precision, detection limit, and the linearity of the present method are 1.04%, 0.0322 μg mL‐1, 0.0038 ug mL‐1, and 0–15 ug mL‐1, respectively. The results correlate significantly with the results of the standard method of Petersen and Corey (1966), and the procedure saves time (50 min) and chemicals.

Phosphate incorporation and transformation in surface sediments of a sewage-impacted wetland as influenced by sediment sites, sediment pH and added phosphate concentration

Twelve surface (0–5 cm) sediment cores (10 cm diameter) were collected from each of two sites along a sewage-impacted wetland, one site above (pre-) and another site immediately downstream (post-) from the confluence where water from an adjacent natural wetland provides a sustainable input of phosphorus (P) reactants (iron and organic matter) to a sewage wetland. Triplicate sediment samples from pre- and post-confluence sites were sequentially extracted for non-occluded aluminium (Al) and iron (Fe)–P, carbonate-bound P, occluded Al/Fe–P and calcium (Ca)-bound P using: (i) sodium hydroxide (0.1 M NaOH), (ii) sodium chloride (1 M NaCl) and citrate–bicarbonate (CB), (iii) citrate–dithionite–bicarbonate (CDB), and (iv) hydrochloric acid (1 M HCl), respectively. The incorporation of recently-added phosphate to sediment inorganic P (P i) and organic P (P o) was investigated by adding carrier-free phosphate ( 32P) to triplicate sediment suspensions which had been equilibrated under different pHs (pH of 5.5, 6.5 and 7.5) and added phosphate concentrations (0, 2.5 and 5 g P m −3). Sequential fractionation indicated that sediment P o was the major P form (79% total P) in the pre-confluence sediment, while sediment P i was predominant (84% total P) in the post-confluence sediment receiving sustainable P reactants from a natural wetland water. The post-confluence sediment had a higher P i (10–59-fold in all extracted fractions) and P o content (5–6-fold higher in Ca-bound P and carbonate-bound P fractions) than the pre-confluence sediment. Both P i and P o in Ca-bound P accounted for less than 2% of total P in the pre- and post-confluence sediments. Carbonate-bound P and occluded Al/Fe–P represented minor P i fractions in the pre-confluence sediment (10.3 and 4.6% of total P, respectively). In contrast, these fractions were the predominant P i forms in the post-confluence sediment (49 and 28% of total P, respectively). Over 58% P o in the pre- and post-confluence sediments was present as non-occluded Al/Fe–P and carbonate-bound P. The pre-confluence sediment contained 41% of sediment P o in the occluded Al/Fe-P. In contrast, only 11% P o in the post-confluence sediment was present in this occluded fraction. Over 80% of added 32P was incorporated into the P i of the pre- and post-confluence sediments, irrespective of pH and added phosphate concentrations. Most of 32P (75–95%) incorporated into the sediment P i pool was accounted for in the non-occluded Al/Fe–P and carbonate–P fractions of both pre- and post-confluence sediments. Over the pH range studied and added phosphate levels, the post-confluence sediment had a significantly ( P≤0.0001) higher 32P i activity in carbonate-bound and occluded Al/Fe–P i fractions than the pre-confluence sediment.

Fate of particulate organic matter in soil aggregates during cultivation

SummaryParticulate organic matter (POM) is a labile fraction of soil organic matter which is thought to be physically protected from biodegradation when within soil aggregates. We have developed a fractionation method to separate POM located outside stable soil macroaggregates (&gt; 200 μm) and microaggregates (50–200 μm) from that within them, and applied it to a cultivation sequence of humic loamy soils. The natural abundance of 13C was used to determine the amounts of POM derived from forest and that derived from crop in the free and occluded fractions. In the forest soil the free and occluded POM fractions had the same composition, morphology and isotopic signature. On cultivation the amounts of POM decreased sharply. The loss of C in the POM from forest was mainly from POM outside the aggregates. The POM occluded within microaggregates was found to turnover slowly. This may be due either to its recalcitrant chemical nature or to its physical protection within microaggregates

Study of free and occluded particulate organic matter in soils by solid state 13C Cp/MAS NMR spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy

A simple densimetric method for the separation of free and occluded particulate organic materials was developed and applied to five virgin soils. The free organic matter was isolated by suspending the soil in sodium polytungstate solution (d = 1.6 Mg m-3) and decanting the light material. The remaining soil was disaggregated by sonification for liberation of occluded organic materials. The free light fraction consisted of large, undecomposed or partly decomposed root and plant fragments. This fraction comprised 0.59-4.34% of soil dry weight and accounted for 6.9-31.3% and 5.9-22.1% of total soil carbon and nitrogen respectively. Identifiable components of the occluded fraction were small particles of incompletely decomposed organic residues, pollen grains, particles of plant tissue such as lignin coils and phytoliths. This fraction comprised 0.69-1.81% of soil dry weight and represented 9.2-17.5% and 6.2-14.1% of the total soil carbon and nitrogen. The proportion of soil organic carbon recovered as the occluded fraction was high in soils with high clay contents. The chemical composition of occluded and free organic materials was investigated by solid-state 13C CP/MAS NMR spectroscopy. Despite the differences in soils, environmental conditions and vegetation, the organic structure of the free light fraction was similar in four of the five soils. This fraction consisted of 55-63% O-alkyl C, 18-25% alkyl C, 14-18% aromatic C, and 5-7% carbonyl C. In the other soil, this fraction showed a higher proportion of alkyl C (31%) and lower O-alkyl C (46%). Most of the differences between soils were associated with organic materials contained in the occluded light fraction. The differences in chemical structure between the occluded light fraction and free light fractions were similar in all examined soils. The NMR data showed that the proportion of O-alkyl C was lower and alkyl C higher in the occluded light fractions than in the free light fractions. The proportion of aromatic and carbonyl carbon was higher in the occluded fractions of three soils while the percentage of these two types of carbon remained unchanged in the two other soils. It is considered that the occluded organic matter is an old pool of carbon that has been accreted within aggregates during decades of root growth and it is that pool which is lost due to cultivation.

Acceptors for cyclic AMP-dependent and calcium ion-dependent protein kinases in rat brain cytosol fractions: a comparison of occluded (synaptosomal) cytosol with non-occluded cytosol.

Endogenous protein phosphorylation patterns were compared in occluded and non-occluded cytosol fractions prepared from rat forebrain. The occluded fraction was taken as representative of synaptosomal cytosol. One- and two-dimensional autoradiographs revealed the presence in non-occluded cytosol of a substrate for cAMP- and Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase activities of Mr 300kD, corresponding to phosphorylated microtubule-associated protein-2 (MAP-2); this protein was absent in occluded cytosol. In contrast, a major substrate for protein kinase C was observed exclusively in occluded cytosol after phosphorylation under basal conditions. However, after phosphorylation in the presence of exogenous lipids, approximately equal amounts of the 82kD substrate were detected in both fractions, suggesting that protein kinase C in the occluded fraction was present in a partially activated state. Other minor differences in phosphorylation patterns between the two fractions were observed.

Phosphorus conditions at various depths in some mineral soils

The fractionation method of CHANG and JACKSON (2) was used for the analysing of the distribution of inorganic phosphorus in the topsoil and subsoil of twelve virgin and twelve cultivated soils from various parts of the country; two virgin soils and twenty cultivated soils were studied down to the depths of 60 cm or 70 cm, one even to 2 m. In the more intensively podsolized virgin soils the surface layers, particularly the A2-horizon, are very poor in all the forms of inorganic phosphorus while the enrichment layer will contain fairly high amounts of iron and aluminium bound phosphorus. The application of fertilizers and the other cultivation managements tend to accumulate aluminium and iron bound phosphorus in the plough layer. In some soils the minimum content of calcium bound phosphorus occurs in the layer below the plough layer, but an increase with the depth seems to be typical to it in all the non-Litorina soils, while the first two fractions usually decrease with the depth. In the Litorina soils the iron bound phosphorus is dominant in all the layers studied, but the content of reductant soluble phosphorus is low in these soils, and their content of calcium bound phosphorus is higher than the content of phosphorus bound by aluminium. The predominance of calcium phosphate in the subsoil and the rather low content of reductant soluble and occluded fractions indicate that the chemical weathering in most of our soils is not yet at an advanced stage. The test values determined were in accordance with the results of the fractionation and the estimation of ammonium oxalate soluble aluminium and iron.