Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

Intensity cultivation induced effects on soil organic carbon dynamic in the western cotton area of Burkina Faso

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamic is a key element of soil fertility in savannah ecosystems that form the key agricultural lands in sub-Saharan Africa. In the western part of Burkina Faso, the land use is mostly linked to cotton-based cropping systems. Use of mechanization, pesticides, and herbicides has induced modifications of the traditional shifting cultivation and increased the need for sustainable soil fertility management. The SOC dynamic was assessed based on a large typology of land cultivation intensity at Bondoukui. Thus, 102 farm plots were sampled at a soil depth of 0–15 cm, considering field–fallow successions, the cultivation phase duration, tillage intensity, and soil texture. Physical fractionation of SOC was carried out by separating the following particle size classes: 2,000–200, 200–50, 50–20, and 0–20 µm. The results exhibited an increase in SOC stock, and a lower depletion rate with increase in clay content. After a long-term fallow period, the land cultivation led to an annual loss of 31.5 g m−2 (2%) of its organic carbon during the first 20 years. The different fractions of SOC content were affected by this depletion depending on cultivation intensity. The coarse SOC fraction (2,000–200 µm) was the most depleted. The ploughing-in of organic matter (manure, crop residues) and the low frequency of the tillage system produced low soil carbon loss compared with annual ploughing. Human-induced disturbances (wildfire, overgrazing, fuel wood collection, decreasing fallow duration, increasing crop duration) in savannah land did not permit the SOC levels to reach those of the shifting cultivation system.

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

Access this article

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

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Albrecht A, Angers DA, Beare MH, Blanchart E (1998) Déterminants organiques et biologiques de l’agrégation: implications pour la recapitalisation de la fertilité physique des sols tropicaux. Cah Agric 7:357–363

    Google Scholar 

  • Arrouays D, Pélissier P (1994) Changes in carbon storage in temperate humic soils after forest clearing and continuous corn cropping in France. Plant Soil 160:215–223

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Aweto AO (1981) Organic building-up in fallow soil in a part of south-western Nigeria and its effect on soil properties. J Biogeogr 8:67–74

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Balesdent J, Chenu C, Balabane M (2000) Relationship of soil organic matter dynamics to physical protection and tillage. Soil Tillage Res 53:215–230

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Benny C, Jorge T, Ashish PD, Patrick GH, Yona C (2002) Structural characterization of soil organic matter and humic acids in particle-size fractions of an agricultural soil. Soil Sci Soc Am J 66:129–141

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • César J, Coulibaly Z (1993) Conséquences de l’accroissement démographique sur la qualité de la jachére dans le Nord de la Côte d’Ivoire. In: Floret C, Serpantié G (eds) La jachére en Afrique de l’Ouest. ORSTOM, Montpellier, pp 415–434

    Google Scholar 

  • Chan KY, Heenan DP, Oates A (2002) Soil carbon fractions and relationship to soil quality under different tillage and stubble management. Soil Tillage Res 63:133–139

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Christensen BT (1992) Physical fractionation of soil organic matter in primary particle size and density separates. Adv Soil Sci 20:1–90

    Google Scholar 

  • Cuevas E, Medina E (1988) Nutrient dynamics within Amazonian forest ecosystems. 2. Fine root growth, nutrient availability and leaf decomposition. Oecologia 76:222–235

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Devineau JL, Fournier A, Kaloga B (1997) Les sols et la végétation de Bondoukui (Ouest burkinabé). Présentation générale et cartographie préliminaire par télédétection satellitaire (SPOT). ORSTOM, Paris, p 111

    Google Scholar 

  • Duval M, Angers DA, Laverdière MR (1993) Revue de quelques facteurs régissant l’état et la stabilité de la structure du sol. Agrosol VI 2:44–51

    Google Scholar 

  • Duxbury JM, Scott MS, Doran JW, Jordan C, Szott L, Vance E (1989) Soil organic matter as a source and a sink of plant nutrients. In: Coleman DC, Oades JM, Uehara G (eds) Dynamics of soil organic matter in tropical ecosystems. University of Hawaii Press, Honolulu, pp 33–67

    Google Scholar 

  • Fabrizzi KF, Morón A, García FO (2003) Soil carbon and nitrogen organic fractions in degraded vs. non-degraded Mollisols in Argentina. Soil Sci Soc Am J 67:1831–1841

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Feller C (1993) Organic inputs, soil organic matter and functional soil organic compartments in low-activity clay soils in tropical zones. In: Mulongoy KMR (ed) Soil organic matter dynamics and sustainability of tropical agriculture. Wiley-Sayce, Leuven, pp 77–88

    Google Scholar 

  • Feller C (1995) La matière organique du sol et la recherche d’indicateurs de la durabilité des systèmes de culture dans les régions tropicales semi-arides et subhumides d’Afrique de l’Ouest. In: Ganry F, Campbell B (eds) SCOPE workshop: sustainable land management in African semi-arid and subhumid regions. Scope, Dakar, p 406

    Google Scholar 

  • Feller C, Bernhard-Reversat F, Garcia JL, Panter JJ, Roussos S, Van Vliet-lanoe B (1983) Etude de la matière organique de différentes fractions granulometriques d’un sol sableux tropical. Effet d’un amendement organique (compost). Cah ORSTOM Sér Pédol 20:223–238

    Google Scholar 

  • Feller C, Fritsch E, Poss R, Valentin C (1991) Effet de la texture sur le stockage et la dynamique des matieres organiques dans quelques sols ferrugineux et ferrallitiques (Afrique de l’Ouest, en particulier). Cah ORSTOM Sér Pédol XXVI:25–36

    Google Scholar 

  • Feller C, Albrecht A, Blanchart E, Cabidoche YM, Chevalier T, Hartmann C, Eschenbrenner V, Larré-Larrouy MC, Ndandou JF (2001) Soil organic carbon sequestration in tropical areas. General considerations and analysis of some edaphic determinants for Lesser Antilles soils. Nutr Cycl Agroecosyst 61:19–31

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gnankambary Z, Sédogo MP, Hien V, Lompo F (1999) Détermination du facteur de correction de la méthode Walkley et Black pour le dosage du carbone organique dans les sols ferrugineux tropicaux du Burkina Faso. In: SOAChim (ed) Communication aux 5è Journées annuelles, Niamey, 2–7 août 1999, p 5

  • Gonzalez JM, Laird DA (2003) Carbon sequestration in clay mineral fractions from 14C-labeled plant residues. Soil Sci Soc Am J 67:1715–1720

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jaiyeoba IA (1988) Build-up of organic matter and nutrients under fallow in a tropical rain-forest environment, Nigeria. Malays J Trop Geogr 18:10–16

    Google Scholar 

  • Jaiyeoba IA (1997) An assessment of soil fertility restoration under fallow in Nigerian savannah. Soil Use Manage 13:163–167

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lal R (2000) Land use and cropping system effects on restoring soil carbon pool of degraded Alfisols in Western Nigeria. In: Lal R, Kimble JM, Stewart BA (eds) Advances in soil science. CRC Press LLC, New York, pp 157–165

    Google Scholar 

  • Mathieu C, Pieltain F (1998) Analyse physique des sols: méthodes choisies. Lavoisier Tec & Doc, Paris, p 275

    Google Scholar 

  • Mikha MM, Rice CW (2004) Tillage and manure effects on soil and aggregate-associated carbon and nitrogen. Soil Sci Soc Am J 68:809–816

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mitja D, Puig H (1993) Essartage, culture itinérante et reconstitution de la végétation dans les jachères en savane humide de la Côte d’Ivoire (Booro-Borotou, Touba). In: Floret C, Serpantié G (eds) La jachère en Afrique de I’Ouest. ORSTOM, Montpellier, pp 377–392

    Google Scholar 

  • Nye PH, Greenland DJ (1965) The soil under shifting cultivation. Commonwealth Bureau of Soil, p 151

  • Oades JM (1984) Soil organic matter and structural stability: mechanisms and implications for management. Plant Soil 76:319–337

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Olaoye JO (2002) Influence of tillage on crop residue cover, soil properties and yield components of cowpea in derived savannah ectones of Nigeria. Soil Tillage Res 64:179–187

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ouattara B, Serpantié G, Ouattara K, Hien V, Bilgo A (1999) Etats structuraux des sols de culture et des jachères en zone cotonnière du Burkina Faso. In: Floret C, Pontanier R (eds) La jachère en Afrique tropicale. Rôles, aménagement, alternatives. Dakar, pp 170–178

  • Parton WJ, Scurlock JMO, Ojima DS, Gilmanov TG, Scholes RG, Schimel DS, Kirchmer T, Menaut JC, Seastedt T (1993) Observations and modeling of biomass and soil organic matter dynamics for the grassland biome worldwide. Global Biogeochem Cycles 7:785–809

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Piéri C (1989) Fertilité des tarres de savane: bilan de trente ans de recherche et de développement agricole au sud du Sahara. CIRAD, Paris, p 444

    Google Scholar 

  • Pretty J, Ball A (2001) Agricultural influence on carbon emissions and sequestration: a review of evidence and the emerging trading options. Centre for Environment and Society Occasional paper, University of Essex, 2001–2003, p 31

  • Puget P, Besnard E, Chenu C (1996) Une méthode de fractionnement des matières organiques particulaires selon leur localisation dans les agrégats. CR Acad Sci Paris Sér II 322:965–972

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Reicosky DC, Kemper WD, Langdale GW, Douglas CL, Rasmussen PE (1995) Soil organic matter changes resulting from tillage and biomass production. J Soil Water Conserv 50(3):253–261

    Google Scholar 

  • Reicosky DC, Dugas WA, Torbert HA (1997) Tillage-induced soil carbon dioxide loss from different cropping systems. Soil Tillage Res 41:105–118

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ruthenberg H (1971) Farming systems in the tropics. Oxford Science Publications, Oxford, p 424

    Google Scholar 

  • Schimel DS, Braswell BH, Holland EA, Mckeown R, Ojima DS, Painter TH, Parton WJ, Townsend AR (1994) Climatic, edaphic, and biotic controls over storage and turnover of carbon in soils. Global Biogeochem Cycles 8:279–293

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sédogo MP (1993) Evolution des sots ferrugineux lessivés sous culture: incidence des modes de gestion sur la fertilité. Université Nationale de Côte d’Ivoire, Abidjan, p 285

    Google Scholar 

  • Six J, Feller C, Denef K, Ogle SM, Sa DMJC (2002) Soil organic matter, biota and aggregation in temperate and tropical soils—effects of no-tillage. Agronomie 22:755–775

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Taonda JB (1995) Evolution de la fertilité des sols sur un front pionnier en zone nord-soudanienne (Burkina Faso). INPL/ENSAIA, Nancy, p 133

    Google Scholar 

  • Tiessen H, Stewart JWB (1983) Particle-size fractions and their use in studies of organic matter composition in size. Soil Sci Soc Am J 47:509–514

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Trofimov SY, Goncharuk NY, Dorofeeva EI (1997) Carbon reserves in the undisturbed soils of southern Taiga (by the example of the Central Forest State Biospheric Reserve). Eurasian Soil Sci 30:1079–1084

    Google Scholar 

  • USDA (1996) Soil survey laboratory methods manual, soil survey report no. 42, version 3, p 716

  • Vanlauwe B (1996) Residue quality, decomposition and soil organic matter dynamics under sub-humid tropical conditions. In: Faculteit Landbouwkundege en Toegepaste. Bilogtsche Wetensschappen van de K.U. Leuven, K.U. Leuven, p 203

  • West TO, Post WM (2002) Soil organic carbon sequestration rates by tillage and crop rotation: a global data analysis. Soil Sci Soc Am J 66:1930–1946

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Whendee LS, Neff J, McGroddy M, Veldkamp E, Keller M, Cosme R (2000) Effects of soil texture on belowground carbon and nutrient storage in a lowland Amazonian forest ecosystem. Ecosystems 3:193–209

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Badiori Ouattara.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Ouattara, B., Ouattara, K., Serpantié, G. et al. Intensity cultivation induced effects on soil organic carbon dynamic in the western cotton area of Burkina Faso. Nutr Cycl Agroecosyst 76, 331–339 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10705-006-9023-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10705-006-9023-0

Keywords

Navigation