Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Interaction of long-term nitrogen fertilizer application, crop rotation, and tillage system on soil carbon and nitrogen dynamics

  • Regular Article
  • Published:
Plant and Soil Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background and aims

Tillage system and crop rotation influences soil organic carbon (SOC) and total N (TN), but there remains considerable uncertainty in the response of C and N dynamics to fertilizer N inputs. A long-term (11-yr) experiment on a clay loam Orthic Humic Gleysol at Ridgetown, Ontario, Canada was used to evaluate the impact of fertilizer N applications (in-season zero N (−N) compared to (+N) 100 and 80 kg N ha-1 yr.-1 to corn (Zea mays L.) and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), respectively) on soil attributes.

Methods

The cropping systems consisted of continuous corn (CC), corn-soybean (Glycine max L.) (C-S) and corn-soybean-wheat (C-S-W) rotations using conventional moldboard plough and no-till systems. Soil was collected from the 0–120 cm profile in 5, 10, and 20 cm increments and analyzed for SOC and TN.

Results

The effect and interaction of N fertilization on soil attributes was highly dependent on crop rotation and tillage system. The gain in SOC and TN contents due to +N fertilizer was greatest (up to 31 and 57 % relative to the -N control, respectively) in the 0–20 cm depth with the C-S-W rotation, and lowest under CC, which showed no N fertilizer effect. However, differences in SOC and TN were not confined to the surface 20 cm, as N fertilizer treatments significantly influenced the contents at 20–60 and 60–120 cm in certain rotation and tillage systems; C-S-W was the most responsive to N fertilizer-induced SOC and TN gains.

Conclusions

Using regression analysis, we found that higher SOC contents corresponded to lower variability in the 5-yr. mean corn yield, which suggests that the inclusion of winter wheat in a C-S rotation may have important implications for sustainable and resilient agroecosystems in humid, temperate climates.

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
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

CC:

continuous corn

C-S:

corn-soybean rotation

C-S-W:

corn-soybean-wheat rotation

-N:

zero N treatment

+N:

fertilizer treatment

SOC:

soil organic carbon

TN:

total N

References

  • Angers D, Bolinder M, Carter M., Gregorich E, Drury C, Liang B, Voroney RP, Simard R, Donald R, Beyaert R (1997) Impact of tillage practices on organic carbon and nitrogen storage in cool, humid soils of eastern Canada. Soil Tillage Res 41:191–201

  • Arcand MM, Diane Knight JD, Farrell RE (2014) Differentiating between the supply of N to wheat from above and belowground residues of preceding crops of pea and canola. Biol Fertil Soils 50:563–570

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Blanco-Canqui H, Ferguson R B, Shapiro C A, Drijber R A and Walters D T (2014) Does inorganic nitrogen fertilization improve soil aggregation? Insights from two long-term tillage experiments. J Environ Qual 43:995–1003

  • Blevins R L, Thomas G W, Smith M S, Frye W W and Cornelius P L (1983) Changes in soil properties after 10 years continuous non-tilled and conventionally tilled corn. Soil Tillage Res 3:135–146

  • Broder MW, Wagner GH (1988) Microbial colonization and decomposition of corn, wheat, and soybean residue. Soil Sci Soc Am J 52:112–117

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Campbell C A, Zentner R P, Liang B C, Roloff G, Gregorich E C and Blomert B (2000) Organic C accumulation in soil over 30 years in semiarid southwestern Saskatchewan-Effect of crop rotations and fertilizers. Can J Soil Sci 80:179–192

  • Campbell C A, VandenBygaart A J, Grant B, Zentner R P, McConkey B G, Lemke R, Gregorich E G and Fernandez M (2007) Quantifying carbon sequestration in a conventionally tilled crop rotation study in southwestern Saskatchewan. Can J Soil Sci 87:23–38

  • Congreves K A, Smith J M, Nemeth D D, Hooker D C and Van Eerd L L (2014a) Soil organic carbon and land use: Processes and potential in Ontario’s long-term agro-ecosystem research sites. Can J Soil Sci 94:317–336

  • Congreves K A, Voroney R P and Van Eerd L L (2014b) Amending soil with used cooking oil to reduce nitrogen losses after cole crop harvest: a 15N study. Nutr Cycl Agroecosyst 100:257–271

  • Congreves K A, Hayes A, Verhallen A and Van Eerd L L (2015a) Long-term impact of tillage and crop rotation on soil health at four temperate agroecosystems. Soil Tillage Res 152:17–28

  • Congreves K A, Grant B B, Campbell C A, Smith W N, VandenBygaart A J, Kröbel R, Lemke R L and Desjardins R L (2015b) Measuring and modelling the long-term impact of crop management on soil C sequestration in the semiarid Canadian prairies. Agron J 107:1141–1154

  • Constantin J, Mary B, Laurent F, Aubrion G, Fontaine A, Kerveillant P, Beaudoin N (2010) Effects of catch crops, no till and reduced nitrogen fertilization on nitrogen leaching and balance in three long-term experiments. Agric Ecosyst Environ 135:268–278

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Culley J L B (1993) Density and compressibility. In Soil Sampling and Methods of Analysis Ed. M R Carter. pp. 541–557. Lewis, Boca Raton.

  • Deen W, Kataki PK (2003) Carbon sequestration in a long-term conventional versus conservation tillage experiment. Soil Tillage Res 74:143–150

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Diochon A, Gregorich EG, Kellman L, Morrison M, Ma B-L (2016) Greater soil C inputs accelerate loss of C in cropping systems with low N input. Plant Soil 400:93–105

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Drinkwater LE, Wagoner P, Sarrantonio M (1998) Legume-based cropping systems have reduced carbon and nitrogen losses. Nature 396:262–265

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ellert BH, Bettany JR (1995) Calculation of organic matter and nutrients stored in soils under contrasting management regimes. Can J Soil Sci 75:529–538

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gál A, Vyn T J, Michéli E, Kladivko E J and McFee W W (2007) Soil carbon and nitrogen accumulation with long-term no-till versus moldboard plowing overestimated with tilled-zone sampling depths. Soil Tillage Res 96: 42–51

  • Galloway JN, Aber JD, Erisman JW, Seitzinger SP, Howarth RW, Cowling EB, Cosby BJ (2003) The nitrogen cascade. Bioscience 53:341–356

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gaudin ACM, Janovicek K, Deen B, Hooker DC (2015a) Wheat improves nitrogen use efficiency of maize and soybean-based cropping systems. Agric Ecosyst Environ 210:1–10

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gaudin A C M, Tolhurst T N, Ker A P, Janovicek K, Tortora C, Martin R C and Deen W (2015b) Increasing crop diversity mitigates weather variations and improves yield stability. PLoS One 10:e0113261

  • Glendining MJ, Powlson DS, Poulton PR, Bradbury NJ, Palazzo D, Li X (1996) The effects of long-term applications of inorganic nitrogen fertilizer on soil nitrogen in the Broadbalk wheat experiment. J Agric Sci 127:347–363

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gregorich EG, Liang BC, Ellert BH, Drury CF (1996) Fertilization effects on soil organic matter turnover and corn residue C storage. Soil Sci Soc Am J 60:472–476

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Halpern M T, Whalen J K and Madramootoo C A (2010) Long-term tillage and residue management influences soil carbon and nitrogen dynamics. Soil Sci Soc Am J 74:1211–1217

  • Havlin J L, Kissel D E, Maddux L D, Claassen M M and Long J H (1990) Crop rotation and tillage effects on soil organic carbon and nitrogen. Soil Sci Soc Am J 54:448–452

  • Janzen H H, Campbell C A, Izaurralde RC, Ellert B H, Juma N, McGill W B and Zentner R P (1998) Management effects on soil C storage on the Canadian prairies. Soil Tillage Res 47:181–195

  • Jenkinson D S, Poulton P R and Bryant C (2008) The turnover of organic carbon in subsoils. Part I. Natural and bomb radiocarbon in soil profiles from the Rothamsted long-term field experiments. Euro. J Soil Sci 59:391–399

  • Kätterer T, Andersson L, Andrén O, Persson J (2008) Long-term impact of land use change on soil carbon stocks on a Swedish farm. Nutr Cycl Agroecosyst 81:145–155

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Li C, Frolking S, Frolking TA (1992) A model of nitrous oxide evolution from soil driven by rainfall events: 2. Model applications. J Geophys Res Atmos 97:9777–9783

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Malhi SS, Lemke R (2007) Tillage, crop residue and N fertilizer effects on crop yield, nutrient uptake, soil quality and nitrous oxide gas emissions in a second 4-yr rotation cycle. Soil Tillage Res 96:269–283

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mazzoncini M, Sapkota T B, Bàrberi P, Antichi D and Risaliti R (2011) Long-term effect of tillage, nitrogen fertilization and cover crops on soil organic carbon and total nitrogen content. Soil Tillage Res 114:165–174

  • McVay KA, Budde JA, Fabrizzi K, et al. (2006) Management effects on soil physical properties in long-term tillage studies in Kansas. Soil Sci Soc Am J 70:434–438

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mulvaney RL, Khan SA, Ellsworth TR (2009) Synthetic nitrogen fertilizers deplete soil nitrogen: a global dilemma for sustainable cereal production. J Environ Qual 38:2295–2314

  • Neff JC, Townsend AR, Gleixner G, Lehman SJ, Turnbull J, Bowman WD (2002) Variable effects of nitrogen additions on the stability and turnover of soil carbon. Nature 419:915–917

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Olson KR, Al-Kaisi MM, Lal R, Lowery B (2014) Experimental consideration, treatments, and methods in determining soil organic carbon sequestration rates. Soil Sci Soc Am J 78:78348–78360

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pisani O, Frey SD, Simpson AJ, Simpson MJ (2015) Soil warming and nitrogen deposition alter soil organic matter composition at the molecular-level. Biogeochemistry 123:391–409

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pittelkow CM, Liang X, Linquist BA, et al. (2015) Productivity limits and potentials of the principles of conservation agriculture. Nature 517:365–368

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Powlson DS, Jenkinson DS, Johnston AE, Poulton PR, Glendining MJ, Goulding KWT (2010) Comments on synthetic nitrogen fertilizers deplete soil nitrogen: a global dilemma for sustainable cereal production. J Environ Qual 39:1–4

  • Rasmussen PE, Allmaras RR, Rohde CR, Roager NC (1980) Crop residue influences on soil carbon and nitrogen in a wheat-fallow system. Soil Sci Soc Am J 44:596–600

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Raun WR, Johnson GV (1999) Improving nitrogen use efficiency for cereal production. Agron J 91:357–363

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Riggs CE, Hobbie SE (2016) Mechanisms driving the soil organic matter decomposition response to nitrogen enrichment in grassland soils. Soil Biol Biochem 99:54–65

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rumpel C, Kögel-Knabner I (2011) Deep soil organic matter—a key but poorly understood component of terrestrial C cycle. Plant Soil 338:143–158

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schjønning P, Christensen BT, Carstensen B (1994) Physical and chemical properties of a sandy loam receiving animal manure, mineral fertilizer or no fertilizer for 90 years. Eur J Soil Sci 45:257–268

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Simpson AJ, Simpson M, Smith E, Kelleher BP (2007) Microbially derived inputs to soil organic matter: are current estimates too low? Environ Sci Technol 41:8070–8076

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Smil V (1999) Nitrogen in crop production: an account of global flows. Glob Biogeochem Cycles 13:647–662

  • Stockmann U, Adams MA, Crawford JW, et al. (2013) The knowns, known unknowns and unknowns of sequestration of soil organic carbon. Agric Ecosyst Environ 164:80–99

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Studdert GA, Echeverria HE (2000) Crop rotations and nitrogen fertilization to manage soil organic carbon dynamics. Soil Sci Soc Am J 64:1496–1503

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Van Eerd LL, Congreves KA, Hayes A, Verhallen A, Hooker DC (2014) Long-term tillage and crop rotation effects on soil quality, organic carbon, and total nitrogen. Can J Soil Sci 94:303–315

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Varvel GE, Wilhelm WW (2011) No-tillage increases soil profile carbon and nitrogen under long-term rainfed cropping systems. Soil Tillage Res 114:28–36

    Article  Google Scholar 

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

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wright AL, Dou F, Hons FM (2007) Crop species and tillage effects on carbon sequestration in subsurface soil. Soil Sci 172:124–131

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yang XM, Kay BD (2001) Rotation and tillage effects on soil organic carbon sequestration in a typic Hapludalf in southern Ontario. Soil Tillage Res 59:107–114

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

Authors acknowledge past and present researchers for establishing and maintaining the long-term trial at the University of Guelph Ridgetown Campus, especially Doug Young, and Scott Jay, as well as Dr. R. P. Beyaert for SOC and TN analysis. We thank the following funding sources: Grain Farmers of Ontario, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, Agricultural Adaptation Council, and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Greenhouse Gas Mitigation Program.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Environmental Sciences, University of Guelph, Ridgetown Campus, Ridgetown, ON, N0P 2C0, Canada

    K. A. Congreves & L. L. Van Eerd

  2. Department of Plant Agriculture, University of Guelph, Ridgetown Campus, Ridgetown, ON, N0P 2C0, Canada

    D. C. Hooker

  3. Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, Ridgetown, ON, N0P 2C0, Canada

    A. Hayes & E. A. Verhallen

Authors
  1. K. A. Congreves
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. D. C. Hooker
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. A. Hayes
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. E. A. Verhallen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. L. L. Van Eerd
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to L. L. Van Eerd.

Additional information

Responsible Editor: Zucong Cai.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Congreves, K.A., Hooker, D.C., Hayes, A. et al. Interaction of long-term nitrogen fertilizer application, crop rotation, and tillage system on soil carbon and nitrogen dynamics. Plant Soil 410, 113–127 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-016-2986-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-016-2986-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation