Abstract—
Managing the surface soil (0−10 mm) is important for microbes and benthic organisms that regulate various ecological services, e.g. regulation of soil or water chemistry, oxygenation, and temperature. In this study, the importance of soil carbon and nitrogen in the subsurface (10–80 mm) of sulfidic soil was investigated following the addition of complex and simple carbon and nitrogen sources. The purpose was to assess the effects of carbon and nitrogen on sulfidic soil chemistry (i.e. redox and pH) so as to establish alternative management strategies to prevent oxidation of the surface soil. Aerobic and anaerobic soil moisture conditions were considered as the most prevalent under any surface environment. The results showed that the presence of both carbon and nitrogen, either under aerobic or anaerobic soil condition, is important to prevent oxidation. Organic matter of plant material origin is complex and contains both carbon and nitrogen; this highly reduces the soil redox and increases the pH, even under the aerobic soil conditions. Simple metabolic substrate like glucose acidified the soil and ammonium had no significant effect on soil pH compared to compounds like urea containing both carbon and nitrogen having the opposite effects. The results of this study have implications for management of the surface soil, which is important for various surface environment chemistry and ecosystem services.
Similar content being viewed by others
REFERENCES
C. R. Ahern, A. E. McElnea, and L. A. Sullivan, Acid Sulfate Soils Laboratory Methods Guidelines (Queensland Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Energy, Indooroopilly, 2004), p. 132.
M. M. Aminiyan, A. A. S. Sinegani, and M. Sheklabadi, “Aggregation stability and organic carbon fraction in a soil amended with some plant residues, nanozeolite, and natural zeolite,” Int. J. Recycl. Org. Wastes Agric. 4, 11–22 (2015).
M. M. Aminiyan, H. Hosseini, and A. Heydariyan, “Microbial communities and their characteristics in a soil amended by nanozeolite and some plant residues: short time in-situ incubation,” Eurasian J. Soil Sci. 7, 9–19 (2018).
A. K. Baker, M. P. Shand, and R. W. Fitzpatrick, Recovery of Re-Flooded Acid Sulfate Soil Environments around Lakes Alexandrina and Albert, South Australia (CSIRO Land and Water Science, Adelaide, 2013). https://www.environment.sa.gov.au/files/4e25bdec-a4fa-4e3a-9d04-a27300f31320/recovery-reflooded-acid-sulfate-soil-lakes-2011-12-rep.pdf. Accessed March 20, 2020.
D. S. Baldwin and M. Fraser, “Rehabilitation options for inland waterways impacted by sulfidic sediments—a synthesis,” J. Environ. Manage. 91, 311–319 (2009).
T. C. Balser and M. K. Firestone, “Linking microbial community composition and soil processes in a California annual grassland and mixed-conifer forest,” Biogeochemistry 73, 395–415 (2005).
L. Condron, C. Stark, M. O’Callaghan, P. Clinton, and Z. Huang, “The role of microbial communities in the formation and decomposition of soil organic matter,” in Soil Microbiology and Sustainable Crop Production, Ed. by G. Dixon and E. Tilston (Springer-Verlag, Dordrecht, 2010).
N. L. Creeper, Shand, W. S. Hicks, and R. W. Fitzpatrick, “Geochemical processes following freshwater reflooding of acidified inland acid sulfate soils: an in situ mesocosm experiment,” Chem. Geol. 411, 200–214 (2015).
R. D. DeLaune and C. N. Reddy, “Redox potential,” in Encyclopedia of Soils in the Environment, Ed. by D. Hillel (Academic, London, 2005), pp. 366–371.
D. Dent, Acid Sulphate Soils: A Baseline for Research and Development (International Institute for Land Reclamation and Improvement, Wageningen, 1986), p. 24. http:// www2.alterra.wur.nl/Internet/webdocs/ilri-publicaties/ publicaties/Pub39/pub39-h1.0.pdf. Accessed March 20, 2020.
D. L. Dent and L. J. Pons, “A world perspective on acid sulphate soils,” Geoderma 67, 263–276 (1995).
D. S. Fanning, “Acid sulfate soils,” in Encyclopedia of Environmental Management, Ed. by S. E. Jorgensen (CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, 2012), pp. 26–30.
S. Fiedler, M. J. Vepraskas, and J. L. Richardson, “Soil redox potential: importance, field measurements, and observations,” in Advances in Agronomy, Ed. by L. S. Donald (Academic, Salt Lake City, UT, 2007), pp. 1–54.
R. W. Fitzpatrick, “Demands on soil classification and soil survey strategies: special-purpose soil classification systems for local practical use,” in Developments in Soil Classification, Land Use Planning and Policy Implication, Ed. by S. A. Shahid, F. K. Taha, and M. A. Abdelfattah (Springer-Verlag, Dordrecht, 2013), pp. 51–83.
R. W. Fitzpatrick, B. Powell, and S. Marvanek, “Atlas of Australian acid sulfate soils,” in Inland Acid Sulfate Soil Systems Across Australia, Ed. by W. R. Fitzpatrick and P. Shand (CRC LEME, Perth, 2008), pp. 75–89.
R. W. Fitzpatrick, G. Grealish, P. Shand, S. L. Simpson, R. H. Merry, and M. D. Raven, Acid Sulfate Soil Assessment in Finniss River, Currency Creek, Black Swamp, and Goolwa Channel (CSIRO Land and Water, Adelaide, 2009). http://www.clw.csiro.au/publications/science/ 2009/sr26-09.pdf. Accessed March 20, 2020.
R. W. Fitzpatrick, P. Shand, and W. Hicks, Technical Guidelines for Assessment and Management of Inland Freshwater Areas impacted by Acid Sulfate Soils (CSIRO Land and Water Science, Adelaide, 2011), p. 171.
K. B. Krauskopf, Introduction to Geochemistry (McGraw-Hill, New York, 1967), p. 271.
R. Lal, “Soil carbon sequestration impacts on global climate change and food security,” Science 304, 1623–1627 (2004).
C. Lin, K. O’Brien, G. Lancaster, L. A. Sullivan, and D. McConchie, “An improved analytical procedure for determination of total actual acidity (TAA) in acid sulfate soils,” Sci. Total Environ. 262, 57–61 (2000).
K. Ljung, F. Maley, A. Cook, and P. Weinstein, “Acid sulphate soils and human health—A millennium ecosystem assessment,” Environ. Int. 25, 1234–1242 (2009).
R. W. Lucas, B. B. Casper, J. K. Jackson, and T. C. Balser, “Soil microbial communities and extracellular enzyme activity in the New Jersey Pinelands,” Soil Biol. Biochem. 39, 2508–2519 (2007).
B. C. T. Mcdonald, J. Smith, A. F. Keene, M. Tunks, A. Kinsela, and I. White, “Impacts of runoff from sulfuric soils on sediment chemistry in an estuarine lake,” Sci. Total Environ. 329, 115–130 (2004).
P. S. Michael, “Comparative analysis of the ameliorative effects of soil carbon and nitrogen amendment on surface and subsurface soil pH, Eh and sulfate content of acid sulfate soils,” Eurasian Soil Sci. 51, 1181–1190 (2018).
P. S. Michael, “Ecological impacts and management of acid sulphate soil: a review,” Asian J. Water Environ. Pollut. 10, 13–24 (2013).
P. S. Michael, PhD Thesis (University of Adelaide, Adelaide, 2015).
P. S. Michael, “Effects of live plants and dead plant matter on the stability of pH, redox potential and sulfate content of sulfuric soil neutralized by addition of alkaline sandy loam,” Malays. J. Soil Sci. 22, 1–18 (2018).
P. S. Michael, “The role of surface soil carbon and nitrogen in regulating surface soil pH and redox potential of sulfidic soil of acid sulfate soils,” Pertanika J. Trop. Agric. Sci. 41, 1627–1642 (2018).
P. S. Michael, and J. R. Reid, “The combined effects of complex organic matter and plants on the chemistry of acid sulfate soils under aerobic and anaerobic soil conditions,” J. Soil Sci. Plant Nutr. 18, 542–555 (2018).
P. S. Michael, R. W. Fitzpatrick, and R. Reid, “The importance of soil carbon and nitrogen in amelioration of acid sulfate soils,” Soil Use Manage. 32, 97–105 (2016).
P. S. Michael, R. W. Fitzpatrick, and R. Reid, “The role of organic matter in ameliorating acid sulfate soils with sulfuric horizons,” Geoderma 225, 42–49 (2015).
P. S. Michael, W. R. Fitzpatrick, and R. Reid, “Effects of live wetland plant macrophytes on acidification, redox potential and sulfate content in acid sulphate soils,” Soil Use Manage. 33, 471–481 (2017).
P. Nannipieri, J. Ascher, M. T. Ceccherini, L. Landi, G. Pietramellara, and G. Renella, “Microbial diversity and functions,” Eur. J. Soil Sci. 54, 655–670 (2003).
L. Nordmyr, M. Åström, and P. Peltola, “Metal pollution of estuarine sediments caused by leaching of acid sulphate soils,” Estuarine, Coastal Shelf Sci. 76, 141–152 (2008).
D. K. Nordstrom, “Aqueous pyrite oxidation and consequent formation of secondary iron minerals” in Acid Sulphate Weathering, Ed. by D. M. Kral (Soil Science Society of America, Madison, WI, 1982). pp. 37–56.
P. Österholm and M. Åström, “Quantification of current and future leaching of sulfur and metals from Boreal acid sulfate soils, western Finland,” Soil Res. 42, 547–551 (2004).
R. M. Poch, B. P. Thomas, R. W. Fitzpatrick, and R. H. Merry, “Micromorphological evidence for mineral weathering pathways in a coastal acid sulphate soil sequence with Mediterranean-type climate, South Australia,” Aust. J. Soil Res. 47, 403–422 (2009).
F. N. Ponnamperuma, “The chemistry of submerged soil,” Adv. Agron. 24, 29–96 (1984).
L. J. Pons, “Outline of the genesis, characteristics, classifications and improvement of acid sulphate soils,” in Proceedings of the International Symposium on Acid Sulphate Soils, Ed. by D. Dost (International Institute for Land Reclamation and Improvement, Wageningen, 1973), pp. 3–27.
M. C. Rabenhorst, W. D. Hively, and B. R. James, “Measurements of soil redox potential,” Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 73, 668–674 (2009).
E. E. Schulte and B. G. Hopkins, “Estimation of soil organic matter by weight loss-on-ignition,” in Soil Organic Matter: Analysis and Interpretation, Ed. F. R. Magdoff, M. A. Tabatabai, and E. A. Hanlon (Soil Science Society of America, Madison, WI, 1996), pp. 21–31.
J. Shamshuddin, S. Muhrizal, I. Fauziah, and M. H. A. Husni, “Effects of adding organic materials to an acid sulfate soil on the growth of cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) seedlings,” Sci. Total Environ. 323, 33–45 (2004).
H. Simpson and P. Pedini, “Brackish water aquaculture in the tropics: the problem of acid sulfate soil environment,” Appl. Geochem. 19, 1837–1853 (1985).
Soil Survey Staff, Keys to Soil Taxonomy (United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service, Washington, DC, 2014).
Z. P. Wang, R. D. DeLaune, W. H. Patrick, and P. H. Masscheleyn, “Soil redox and pH effects on methane production in a flooded rice roil,” Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 57, 382–385 (1993).
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This research was funded by the Commonwealth of Australia through an ADS scholarship and conducted under the supervision of Professors Robert J. Reid and Robert W. Fitzpatrick. As the fund for the work was provided to the author as a scholarship, there is no competing financial interest. The author is grateful to anonymous reviewers whose comments led to improvements in the manuscript.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Patrick S. Michael Organic Carbon and Nitrogen Amendment Prevents Oxidation of Subsurface of Sulfidic Soil under Aerobic Conditions. Eurasian Soil Sc. 53, 1743–1751 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1134/S1064229320120078
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1134/S1064229320120078