Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Thermal stability of soil organic matter was affected by 23-yr maize and soybean continuous cultivation in northeast of China

  • Published:
Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Long-term continuous cropping affects the biochemical quality of soil organic matter (SOM), but whether the effects are relevant with their thermal stability is less clear. In northeast China, long-term continuous cropping occurred frequently owing to higher yield and economic interest requirement. To verify the thermal stability properties of SOM affected by the long-term continuous cropping, the study focused on 23-yr continuous cultivated maize and soybean plots, where the effect of cropping is likely to be detected. Bulk soils sampled in 1991 and 2014 were studied by thermogravimetry and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The results showed typical bimodal peaks in DSC curve in bulk Mollisols. A labile fraction peak was observed at 354–366 °C low-temperature zone and recalcitrant fraction one at high temperature of 430–438 °C. Energy density (J mg−1 OM) was greater in soybean plots compared to maize plots; in contrast, long-term continuous maize cultivation also increased energy density, in reverse in soybean plots after 23-yr cultivation. The DSC-T50, temperature at which half of energy release occurred, typically showed larger responses to long-term cultivation than crop species. Results obtained support the hypothesis of a potential link between long-term continuous cropping and the thermal stability of SOM, and a correlation with crop species.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Chirinda N, Olesen JE, Porter JR, Schjønning P. Soil properties, crop production and greenhouse gas emissions from organic and inorganic fertilizer-based arable cropping systems. Agric Ecosyst Environ. 2010;139:584–94.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Ladha JK, Pathak H, Krupnik TJ, Six J, van Kessel C. Efficiency of fertilizer nitrogen in cereal production: retrospects and prospects. In: Donald LS, editor. Advances in agronomy. New York: Academic Press; 2005.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Robertson GP, Paul EA, Harwood RR. Greenhouse gases in intensive agriculture: contributions of individual gases to the radiative forcing of the atmosphere. Science. 2000;289:1922–5.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Schuur EAG, Bockheim J, Canadell JG, Euskirchen E, Field CB, et al. Vulnerability of permafrost carbon to climate change: implications for the global carbon cycle. Biosci Biotechnol Biochem. 2008;58:701–14.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Dorodnikov M, Fangmeier A, Kuzyakov Y. Thermal stability of soil organic matter pools and their δ13C values after C3–C4 vegetation change. Soil Biol Biochem. 2007;39:1173–80.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Sleutel S, Kader MA, Begum SA, De Neve S. Soil-organic-matter stability in sandy cropland soils is related to land-use history. J Plant Nutr Soil Sci. 2010;173:19–29.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Kahle P, Moller J, Baum C, Gurgel A. Tillage-induced changes in the distribution of soil organic matter and the soil aggregate stability under a former short rotation coppice. Soil Tillage Res. 2013;133:49–53.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Miao SJ, Qiao YF, Zhang FT. Conversion of cropland to grassland and forest mitigates global warming potential in northeast China. Pol J Environ Stud. 2015;24:11–20.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Garrett CL, Horwath WR. In: Xu J, Wu J, He Y, editors. Application of thermal analysis and isotope ratio mass spectrometry to determine the stability and function of soil organic matter in forest systems. China: Zhejiang University Press; 2013.

  10. Duguy B, Rovira P. Differential thermogravimetry and differential scanning calorimetry of soil organic matter in mineral horizons: effect of wildfires and land use. Org Geochem. 2010;41:742–52.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Plante AF, Fernandez JM, Leifeld J. Application of thermal analysis techniques in soil science. Geoderma. 2009;153:1–10.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Dell’Abate MT, Benedetti A, Sequi P. Thermal methods of organic matter maturation monitoring during a composting process. J Therm Anal Calorim. 2000;61:389–96.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Rumpel C, Rabia N, Derenne S, Quénea K, Eusterhues K, et al. Alteration of soil organic matter following treatment with hydrofluoric acid (HF). Org Geochem. 2006;37:1437–51.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Plante AF, Fernandez JM, Haddix ML, Steinweg JM, Conant RT. Biological, chemical and thermal indices of soil organic matter stability in four grassland soils. Soil Biol Biochem. 2011;43:1051–8.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Huggins DR, Clapp CE, Allmaras RR, Lamb JA, Layese MF. Carbon dynamics in corn–soybean sequences as estimated from natural C-13 abundance. Soil Sci Soc Am J. 1998;62:195–203.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Rovira P, Kurz-Besson C, Couteaux MM, Vallejo VR. Changes in litter properties during decomposition: a study by differential thermogravimetry and scanning calorimetry. Soil Biol Biochem. 2008;40:172–785.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Smidt E, Tintner J. Application of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) to evaluate the quality of compost organic matter. Thermochim Acta. 2007;459:87–93.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Satoh T. Organo-mineral complex status in soils. II. Thermal nature of organo-mineral complex particles and their humic substances. Soil Sci Plant Nutr. 1984;30:95–104.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Lopez-Capel E, Sohi SP, Gaunt JL, Manning DAC. Use of thermogravimetry–differential scanning calorimetry to characterize modelable soil organic matter fractions. Soil Sci Soc Am J. 2005;69:136–40.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Strezov V, Moghtaderi B, Lucas JA. Computational calorimetric investigation of the reactions during thermal conversion of wood biomass. Biomass Bioenergy. 2004;27:459–65.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Peuravuori J, Paaso N, Pihlaja K. Kinetic study of the thermal degradation of lake aquatic humic matter by thermogravimetric analysis. Thermochim Acta. 1999;325:181–93.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Kolokassidou C, Pashalidis I, Costa CN, Efstatthiou AM, Buckau G. Thermal stability of solid and aqueous solutions of humic acid. Thermochim Acta. 2007;454:78–83.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Fernández JM, Plaza C, Polo A, Plante AF. Use of thermal analysis techniques (TG–DSC) for the characterization of diverse organic municipal waste streams to predict biological stability prior to land application. Waste Manag. 2012;32:158–64.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Kou TJ, Zhu P, Huang S, Peng XX, Song ZW, et al. Effects of long-term cropping regimes on soil carbon sequestration and aggregate composition in rainfed farmland of northeast China. Soil Tillage Res. 2012;118:132–8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Rumpel C, Kögel-Knabner I. Deep soil organic matter a key but poorly understood component of terrestrial C cycle. Plant Soil Environ. 2011;338:143–58.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Shah Z, Shah SH, Peoples MB, Schwenke GD, Herriedge DF. Crop residue and fertilizer N effects on nitrogen fixation and yields of legume–cereal rotations and soil organic fertility. Field Crops Res. 2003;83:1–11.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Miao SJ, Shi H, Wang GH, Jin J, Liu JD, et al. Seven years of repeated cattle manure addition to eroded Chinese Mollisols increase low-molecular-weight organic acids in soil solution. Plant Soil. 2013;369:577–84.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Uvarov AV. Dynamics of the specific energy content of organic matter in the course of the decomposition of plant remains. I. Data in general. Pol Ecol Stud. 1990;16:259–96.

    Google Scholar 

  29. Malone CR, Swartout MB. Size, mass, and caloric content of particulate organic matter in old-field and forest soils. Ecology. 1969;50:395–9.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Langier-Kuzniarowa A. In: Yariv C, Cross H, editors. Thermal analysis of organo-clay complexes. New York: Dekker; 2002.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (41371297, 41471240). Thermal characters were analyzed at the Dept. of Land, Air and Water Resources in UC Davis.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Nanjing University of Information Sciences and Technology, Nanjing, 210044, Jiangsu Province, People’s Republic of China

    Shu-jie Miao & Yun-fa Qiao

  2. Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Harbin, 150081, Heilongjiang Province, People’s Republic of China

    Meng-yang You & Fu-tao Zhang

Authors
  1. Shu-jie Miao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Yun-fa Qiao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Meng-yang You
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Fu-tao Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yun-fa Qiao.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Miao, Sj., Qiao, Yf., You, My. et al. Thermal stability of soil organic matter was affected by 23-yr maize and soybean continuous cultivation in northeast of China. J Therm Anal Calorim 123, 2045–2051 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10973-015-4709-7

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10973-015-4709-7

Keywords

Search

Navigation