Abstract
Effects of crop rotation and fertilization (nitrogen and manure) on concentrations of soil organic carbon (SOC) and total soil nitrogen (TSN) in bulk soil and in soil aggregates were investigated in a long-term field experiment established in 1953 at Ås, Norway. The effect of these management practices on SOC sequestration was estimated. The experiment had three six-course rotations: (I) continuous spring grain, (II) spring grain for 3 years followed by root crops for 3 years, and (III) spring grain for 2 years followed by meadow for 4 years. Three fertilizer treatments compared were: (A) 30–40 kg N ha–1; (B) 80–120 kg N ha–1; and (C) a combination of B and 60 Mg farmyard manure (FYM) ha–1. All plots received a basal rate of PK fertilizer. Soil samples from these treatments were collected in autumn 2001 and analyzed for aggregate size, SOC and TSN concentrations. There were significant increases in 0.6–2 mm and < 0.6 mm aggregate size fractions, and reduction in the 6–20 mm and the > 20 mm sizes for rotation III only. There were also significant differences among rotations with regard to water stable aggregation. The order of increase in stability was II < I < III. Fertilizer treatment had no effect on aggregation or aggregate size distribution, but there was a slight tendency of increased stability with the application of FYM. Aggregate stability increased with increasing concentration of SOC (r2 = 0.53). The SOC and TSN concentrations in bulk soil were significantly higher in rotation III than in rotations II and I. Application of FYM increased SOC and TSN concentrations significantly in the 0–10 cm soil depth, but there were few significant differences between fertility treatments A and B. There was a trend of increase in concentration of SOC and TSN with decreasing aggregate size, but significant differences in these parameters in different aggregate size fractions were found only in few cases. The SOC and TSN concentrations were higher in >0.25 mm than in < 0.25 mm aggregates. The SOC sequestration rate was 77–167 kg SOC ha–1 yr–1 by increasing the N rate and 40–162 kg SOC ha–1 yr–1 by applying FYM. The SOC sequestration rate by judicious use of inorganic fertilizer was the greatest in the grain–meadow rotation, while that by application of FYM was the greatest in the all grain rotation.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.
References
Angers D.A. 1992. Changes in soil aggregation and organic Carbon under corn and alfalfa. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 56: 1244–1249.
Bauer A. and Black A.L. 1994. Quantification of the effect of soil organic matter content on soil productivity. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 58: 185–193.
Blake G.R. and Hartge K.H. 1986. Bulk density. In: Klute A. ed., Methods of Soil Analysis, part I. Physical and Mineralogical Methods: Agronomy Monograph no.9 2nd ed. SSSA, Madison, WI, pp. 363–375.
Børresen T. 1993. The effect on soil physical properties of undersown cover crops in cereal production in southeastern Norway. Norw. J. Agricult. Sci. 7: 369–379.
Chan K.Y. and Heenan D.P. 1996. The influence of crop rotation on soil structure and soil physical properties under conventional tillage. Soil Tillage Res. 37: 113–125.
Chan K.Y. and Heenan D.P. 1999. Microbial-induced soil aggregate stability under different crop rotations. Biol. Fertil. Soils 30: 29–32.
Chepil W.S. 1962. A compact rotary sieve and the importance of dry sieving in physical soil analysis. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. Proc. 26: 4–6.
Copeland P.J. and Crookston R.K. 1992. Crop sequence effects on nutrient composition of corn and soybean grown under high fertility. Agron. J. 84: 503–509.
Dam Kofoed A. 1980. Humus in long-term experiments in Denmark. In: Boels D., Davies D.B. and Johnston A.E. (eds), Proceedings of the Land Use Seminar on Soil Degradation, Wageningen. A.A. Balkema, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, pp. 241–258.
Dersch G. and Böhm K. 2001. Effects of agronomic practices on the soil carbon storage potential in arable farming in Austria. Nutr. Cycl. Agroecosyst. 60: 49–55.
Evrendilek F. and Wali M.K. 2001. Modelling long-term C dynamics in croplands in the context of climate change: a case study from Ohio. Environ. Modell. Software 16: 361–375.
Halvorson A.D., Reule C.A. and Follett R.F. 1999. Nitrogen fertilization effects on soil carbon and nitrogen in a dryland cropping system. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 63: 912–917.
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.
Haynes R.J., Swift R.S. and Stephen K.C. 1997. Influence of mixed cropping rotations pasture-arable on organic matter content, water-stable aggregation and clod porosity in a group of soils. Soil Tillage Res. 19: 77–81.
Hermawan B. and Bomke A.A. 1997. Effects of winter cover crops and successive spring tillage on soil aggregation. Soil Tillage Res. 44: 109–120.
Kemper W.D. and Rosenau R.C. 1986. Aggregate stability and size distribution. In: Klute A. (ed.), Methods of Soil Analysis, part I. Physical and Mineralogical Methods: Agronomy Monograph no. 9 2nd ed. SSSA, Madison, WI, pp. 425–442.
Krogstad T. 1992. Metoder for jordanalyser. Rapport 6/92. Institutt for jordfag. Ås-NLH. 31s (in Norwegian).
Lal R. 1999. Soil management and restoration for C sequestration to mitigate the accelerated greenhouse effect. Progr. Environ. Ci. 1: 307–326.
Lal R. 2001. World cropland soils as a source or sink for atmospheric carbon. Adv. Agron. 71: 145–191.
Lal R. 2002. Soil carbon dynamics in cropland and rangeland. Environ. Pollut. 116: 353–362.
Lal R. and Kimble J.M. 1997. Conservation tillage for carbon sequestration. Nutr. Cycl. Agroecosyst. 49: 243–253.
Lal R., Kimble J.M., Follett R.F. and Stewart B.A. (eds) 1998a. Management of C Sequestration in Soil. CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, 457 pp.
Lal R., Kimble J.M., Follett R.F. and Cole C.V. 1998b. The Potential of U.S. Cropland to Sequester Carbon and Mitigate the Greenhouse Effect. University of Ann Arbor Press, Chelsea, MI.
Malhi S.S., Nyborg M. Harapiak J.T., Heier K. and Flore N.A. 1997. Increasing organic C and N in soil under bromegrass with long-term N fertilization. Nutr. Cycl. Agroecosyst. 49: 255–260.
Nelson D.W. and Sommers L.E. 1986. Total carbon, organic Carbon and organic matter. In: Page A.L., Miller R.H. and Kenney D.R. (eds), Methods of Soil Analysis. Part 2. Chemical and Microbiological Properties, 2nd ed. Agronomy Monograph No. 9. ASA and SSSA, Madison, WI, pp. 539–579.
Njøs A. 1967a. Dry sieving. In: de Boodt ed., West-European Methods for Soil Structure Determination. State Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Ghent, Belgium, p. V 43.
Njøs A. 1967b. Virkninger av ulike vekstomløp på fysiske forhold I jorda. Nordiske Jordbrugsforskeres Forening 49: 107 in Norwegian.
Oberthür S. and Ott H.E. 2000. The Kyoto Protocol: International Climate Policy for the 21 st Century. Springer, Berlin, Germany.
Rasmussen P.E. and Rohnu C.R. 1988. Long-term tillage and nitrogen fertilization effects on organic nitrogen and organic Carbon in semi-arid soil. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 52: 1114–1117.
Sainju U.M. and Good R.E. 1993. Vertical root distribution in relation to soil properties in New Jersey pineland forest. Plant Soil 150: 87–97.
Saroa G.S. and Lal R. 2003. Mulching effects on aggregation and carbon sequestration in a Miamian soil in central Ohio. Land Degrad. Dev. 14: 481–493.
SAS Instute 2001. SAS/STAT System for Personal Computers, release 8.02. SAS Institute, Inc., Cary, NC.
Schønning P., Christensen B.T. and 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.
Singh B.R., Børresen T., Uhlen G. and Ekeberg E. 1998. Long-term effects of crop rotation, cultivation practices, and fertilizers on carbon sequestration in soils in Norway. In: Lal R., Kimble J.M., Follett R.F. and Stewart B.A. (eds), Management of Carbon sequestration in Soil. CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, pp. 195–208.
Singh B.R. and Lal R. 2001. The potential of Norwegian soils to sequester carbon through land use conversion and improved management practices. School of Natural Resources, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH.
Skøien S. 1993. Long-term effects of crop rotation, manure and straw on soil aggregation. Norw. J. Agric. Sci. 7: 231–247.
Smith P., Goulding K.W., Smith K.A., Powlson D.S., Smith J.O., Fallon P. and Coleman K. 2001. Enhancing the carbon sink in European agricultural soils: including trace gax fluxes in estimates of carbon mitigation potential. Nutr. Cycl. Agroecosyst. 60: 237–252.
Smith P., Powlson D.S., Glendining M.J. and Smith J.U. 1997. Potential for carbon sequestration in European soils: preliminary estimates for five scenarios using results from long-term experiments. Global Change Biol. 3: 67–79.
Soil Survey Staff 1994. Soil Taxonomy. Keys to Soil Taxonomy, 6th ed. USDA-SCS, Washington, DC.
Tisdall J.M. and Oades J.M. 1980a. Stabilization of soil aggregates by the root systems of ryegrass. Austr. J. Soil. Res. 17: 429–442.
Tisdall J.M. and Oades J.M. 1980b. The effect of crop rotation on aggregation in red-brown earth. Austr. J. Soil Res. 18: 423–434.
Tisdall J.M. and Oades J.M. 1982. Organic matter and water-stable aggregates in soils. J. Soil Sci. 33: 141–163.
Uhlen G. 1991. Long-term effects of fertilizers, manure, straw and crop rotation on total N and total C in soil. Acta Agric. Scand. 41: 119–127.
Uhlen G., Kolnes A.G. and Thorbjørnsen B. 1994. Effects of long-term crop rotations, fertilizer, farm manure and straw on soil productivity. I. Experimental design and yields of grain, hay and row crops. Norw. J. Agric. Sci. 8: 243–258.
Uhlen G. and Tveitnes S. 1995. Effects of long-term crop rotations, fertilizer, farm manure and straw on soil productivity. II. Mineral composition of plants, nutrient balances and effect on soil. Norw. J. Agric. Sci. 9: 143–161.
Unger P.W. 1997a. Management-induced aggregation and organic carbon concentrations in the surface layer of a torrertic paleustoll. Soil Tillage Res. 42: 185–208.
Unger P.W. 1997b. Aggregate and organic carbon concentration relationships of a Torrertic Hapleustoll. Soil Tillage Res. 42: 95–113.
Van Bavel C.H.M. 1949. Mean weight diameter of soil aggregates as a statistical index of aggregation. Proc. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. 14: 247–261.
Varvel G. 1994. Rotation and nitrogen fertilization effects on changes in soil carbon and nitrogen. Agron. J. 86: 319–325.
Yoder R.E. 1936. A direct method of aggregate analysis of soils and study of the physical nature of soil erosion losses. Am. Soc. Agron. J. 28: 337–351.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Holeplass, H., Singh, B. & Lal, R. Carbon sequestration in soil aggregates under different crop rotations and nitrogen fertilization in an inceptisol in southeastern Norway. Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems 70, 167–177 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1023/B:FRES.0000048483.94397.b6
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/B:FRES.0000048483.94397.b6
- Aggregate stability
- Carbon sequestration
- Crop rotation
- Fertilizer
- Soil organic carbon
- Total soil nitrogen