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Chemical and spectroscopic characteristics of humic acids in marshes from the Iberian Peninsula

  • SOILS, SEC 1 • SOIL ORGANIC MATTER DYNAMICS AND NUTRIENT CYCLING • RESEARCH ARTICLE
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Abstract

Purpose

To characterise soil humic acids (HAs) extracted from Spanish marshes formed under different vegetation types (Spartina maritima (GSp), Juncus maritimus (GJc), Phragmites australis (GPh), and Scirpus maritimus (VSc)), soil depths (0–20, 20–40 and 40–60 cm), physiographic position (low and high marshes), wetland types (salt marshes and lagoons) and environmental conditions (Atlantic and Mediterranean coast).

Material and methods

Soil samples were collected in five Spanish marshes, three on the Galicia province and two on the Valencia province. Humic acids were extracted and their elemental composition, semiquinone-type free radical (SFR) content, FTIR and CPMAS 13C NMR spectra determined. Total carbon (TC), total nitrogen (TN), total sulphur (TS), CaCO3 content, and field pH and Eh (mV) in the marsh soils sampled were also measured.

Results and discussion

The field pH and Eh values were typical of coastal areas submitted to periodic inundations and the highest TC, TN and TS contents were found in the soil of lagoon marshes as an effect of physiographic position and wetland type. The HAs, in general, were highly aliphatic and exhibited a low SFR content, which suggests a low humification degree of the SOM formed in the studied areas. This is a result of the anaerobic decomposition to which SOM is submitted and the high input of plant-derived organic matter (OM) by vegetation. However, among the studied sites low salt marsh and subsurface layer of the high salt marsh showed higher SFR content, simpler FTIR spectra, higher lignin degradation and lower O-alkyl C/alkyl C ratio than the lagoon marshes, thus suggesting the presence of a more humificated SOM in these sites.

Conclusions

From the different factors analysed, only physiographic position (low versus high salt marshes) and wetland type (marshes versus lagoons) caused variations in the HAs characteristics, because as the studied soils are under anaerobic conditions, they control the exportation of plant-derived OM and the allochthonous OM contribution in the studied areas.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by the Brazilian government agencies (CAPES and FAPESP) and the Spanish Government (Ministerio de Educacion y Ciencia, HBP-2002-0056 PC and CGL2006-09976/BOS). We also thanks to the Professor Dr. Antonio Gilberto Ferreira from the Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Laboratory of the São Carlos Federal University (UFSCar, BR) by the 13C NMR support; to the Dr. Marcelo Luiz Simões from the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (EMBRAPA)—Agricultural Instrumentation Center (São Carlos, SP, Brazil) by the EPR support; to the Albufera Natural Park team for the field facilities; and to the anonymous referees who suggestions aided to improve the original version of this manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Federal University of the South Frontier (UFFS), Rua Canários da Terra s/n, Bairro Seminário, Chapecó, Santa Catarina, Brazil, 89813-140

    Fernando Perobelli Ferreira

  2. Luiz de Queiroz College of Agriculture from the São Paulo University (ESALQ/USP), Av. Pádua Dias, 11 CP9, Piracicaba, SP, Brazil, 13418-900

    Pablo Vidal-Torrado

  3. Departamento de Edafologia y Química Agrícola, Facultad de Biologia—Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15782, Santiago de Compostela, Spain

    Xose L. Otero & Felipe Macias

  4. Earth System Science and Climate Change Group from the Wageningen University, P.O. Box 47, 6700 AA, Wageningen, The Netherlands

    Peter Buurman

  5. Brazilian Agric. Research Corp. (Embrapa), Agric. Instrumentation Cntr., P.O. Box 741, 13560-970, São Carlos, SP, Brazil

    Ladislau Martin-Neto

  6. Departamento de Biologia Vegetal, Universitat de València, Avda Vicent Andrés i Estellés s/n 46100, Burjassot, València, Spain

    Rafael Boluda

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  1. Fernando Perobelli Ferreira
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  2. Pablo Vidal-Torrado
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  3. Xose L. Otero
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  4. Peter Buurman
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  5. Ladislau Martin-Neto
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  6. Rafael Boluda
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  7. Felipe Macias
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Correspondence to Pablo Vidal-Torrado.

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Responsible editor: Nicole J. Mathers

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Ferreira, F.P., Vidal-Torrado, P., Otero, X.L. et al. Chemical and spectroscopic characteristics of humic acids in marshes from the Iberian Peninsula. J Soils Sediments 13, 253–264 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-012-0607-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-012-0607-9

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