The simple AMG model accurately simulates organic carbon storage in soils after repeated application of exogenous organic matter

Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems volume 117, pages215–229(2020)Cite this article

Abstract

Repeated application of exogenous organic matter (EOM) contributes to soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks in cropped soils. Simple and robust models such as the AMG model are useful tools for predicting the effects of various EOM practices on SOC. In AMG, EOM is characterized by a single parameter: the humification rate h, which represents the proportion of exogenous carbon that is incorporated into SOC. The AMG model has been validated for a range of pedo-climatic conditions and cropping systems, but has not yet been tested with data from long-term field experiments where EOM is regularly applied. The calibration of the EOM parameter h also remains an issue. In this study, AMG was used to simulate SOC stocks in seven long-term field experiments with EOM application. AMG predicted changes in SOC stocks with a mean RMSE of 3.0 t C ha−1 when h values were optimized. The optimized h values were highly correlated (R2= 0.62) with the indicator of remaining organic carbon (IROC), measured by laboratory analysis. The present study demonstrates (1) the ability of the AMG model to accurately simulate SOC stocks evolution in long-term field experiments with regular EOM application and (2) the ability of calibrating the model using IROC, which is routinely measured by commercial laboratories. The parameter h was determined for 26 EOM types utilizing a database of more than 600 IROC. The AMG model can thus be used to predict the SOC increase following EOM addition with a very simple calibration.

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Acknowledgements

This work was performed in partnership with the SAS PIVERT (www.institut-pivert.com). It was supported by the French Government (ANR-001-01) and the Genesys WP1 P13 Solebiom project. The QualiAgro and Colmar field experiments are part of the SOERE-PRO (a network of long-term experiments dedicated to the study of impacts of organic residue recycling), certified by ALLENVI (Alliance Nationale de Recherche pour l’Environnement) and integrated as a service of the “Investment in the Future” infrastructure AnaEE-France, overseen by the French National Research Agency (ANR-11-INBS-0001). The QualiAgro experiment was founded and is still supported by INRAE and Veolia R&I. The Danish contribution was financially supported by the Ministry of Environment and Food. We thank the Lawes Agricultural Trust and Rothamsted Research for data from the e-RA database. The Rothamsted Long-term Experiments National Capability (LTE-NC) is supported by the UK BBSRC (Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, BBS/E/C/000J0300) and the Lawes Agricultural Trust. We thank the Station d’Expérimentation Rhône-Alpes Information Légumes for providing data from the SERAIL experiment.

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Affiliations

  1. UMR ECOSYS, INRAE, AgroParisTech and Université Paris-Saclay, 78850, Thiverval-Grignon, France

    Florent Levavasseur, Camille Resseguier & Sabine Houot

  2. BioEcoAgro Joint Research Unit, INRAE, Université de Liège, Université de Lille, Université de Picardie Jules Verne, 02000, Barenton-Bugny, France

    Bruno Mary & Fabien Ferchaud

  3. Department of Agroecology, AU Foulum, Aarhus University, 8830, Tjele, Denmark

    Bent T. Christensen

  4. Agro-Transfert Ressources et Territoires, 80200, Estrées-Mons, France

    Annie Duparque

  5. Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 75007, Uppsala, Sweden

    Thomas Kätterer

  6. ARVALIS-Institut du Végétal, 31450, Baziège, France

    Hélène Lagrange

  7. UE 0871 Service d’Expérimentation Agronomique et Viticole, INRAE, Colmar, France

    Denis Montenach

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  1. Florent Levavasseur
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Levavasseur, F., Mary, B., Christensen, B.T. et al. The simple AMG model accurately simulates organic carbon storage in soils after repeated application of exogenous organic matter. Nutr Cycl Agroecosyst 117, 215–229 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10705-020-10065-x

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Keywords

  • Organic amendment
  • Organic fertilizer
  • EOM
  • Soil organic carbon stock
  • Model
  • AMG