Summary
The influence of more than 100 years of fertilization with farmyard manure on soil organic matter in comparison to unfertilized soil was studied in particle-size fractions using elemental (C and N) analyses and pyrolysis-field ionization mass spectrometry. Distinct differences in C and N concentrations and distribution and in the quality of organic matter between the size fractions and the fertilization treatments were observed. Clay-associated C and N were relatively higher in the unfertilized treatment, whereas the application of farmyard manure preferentially increased soil organic matter associated with the fine and medium silt fractions. Pyrolysis-field ionization mass spectrometry of soil fractions <20 μm showed increasing values for lignin monomers and dimers and fatty acids with larger equivalent diameters, whereas the proportion of N compounds, mono- and polysaccharides and phenolics decreased in the larger size fractions. Sand fractions were particularly rich in lignin fragments, mono- and polysaccharides, and alkanes/alkenes. These relationships seemed to be independent of management practices. In the same size fractions of the different treatments, however, a higher relative abundance of N-compounds, mono- and polysaccharides, phenolics, lignin monomers, and alkanes/alkenes was observed in the unfertilized variant. Lignin dimers and fatty acids were more abundant in the farmyard manure treatment. Both trends together imply that soil enrichment in organic matter due to the application of farmyard manure largely reflects an increase in lignin building blocks and partly reflects an increase in lipids such as fatty acids in the silt fractions. Therefore these constituents are of particular importance in assessing the positive effects of farmyard manure on soil fertility.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bremner JM (1965) Total nitrogen. In: Black CA (ed) Methods of soil analysis, Part 2. Am Soc Agron, Madison, Wisconsin, pp 1149–1176
Catroux G, Schnitzer M (1987) Chemical, spectroscopic and biological properties of the organic matter in particle size fractions separated from an Aquoll. Soil Sci Soc Am J 51:1200–1207
Cheshire MV, Christensen BT, Sørensen LH (1990) Labelled and native sugars in particle-size fractions from soils incubated with 14C straw for 6 to 18 years. J Soil Sci 41:29–39
Christensen BT (1986) Straw incorporation and soil organic matter in macro-aggregates and particle size separates. J Soil Sci 37:125–135
Christensen BT (1988) Effects of animal manure and mineral fertilizer on the total carbon and nitrogen content of size fractions. Biol Fertil Soils 5:304–307
Christensen BT, Bech-Andersen S (1989) Influence of straw disposal on distribution of amino acids in soil particle size fractions. Soil Biol Biochem 21:35–40
Dalal RC, Mayer RJ (1986) Long-term trends in fertility of soils under continuous cultivation and cereal cropping in Southern Queensland: III. Distribution and kinetics of soil organic carbon in particle-size fractions. Aust J Soil Res 24:239–300
Hempfling R, Schulten H-R (1990) Chemical characterization of the organic matter in forest soils by Curie point pyrolysis-GC/MS and pyrolysis-field ionization mass spectrometry. Org Geochem 15:131–145
Hempfling R, Zech W, Schulten H-R (1988) Chemical composition of the organic matter in forest soils: 2. Moder profile. Soil Sci 146:262–276
Hempfling R, Schulten H-R, Horn R (1990) Relevance of humus composition to the physical/mechanical stability of agricultural soils: A study by direct pyrolysis-mass spectrometry. J Anal Appl Pyrolysis 17:275–281
Jenkinson DS (1981) The fate of plant and animal residues in soil. In: Greenland DJ, Hayes MHB (eds) The chemistry of soil processes. John Wiley Interscience, New York, pp 505–561
Jensen ES, Christensen BT, Sørensen LH (1989) Mineral-fixed ammonium in clay-and silt-size fractions of soils incubated with 15N-ammonium sulphate for five years. Biol Fertil Soils 8:298–302
Ladd JN, Parsons JW, Amato M (1977) Studies of N immobilization and mineralization in calcareous soils: 1. Distribution of immobilized N amongst soil fractions of different particle size and density. Soil Biol Biochem 9:309–319
Leinweber P, Reuter G (1989) Influence of various fertilization on the mineralogical composition of clay fractions in long-term field experiments. Z Pflanzenernähr Bodenkd 152:373–377
Leinweber P, Reuter G, Schnieder E, Smukalski M, Asmus F (1990) Einfluß unterschiedlicher Düngungsmaßnahmen auf organisch-mineralische Komplexe (OMK) in Ap-Horizonten von Dauerfeldversuchen auf weichselglazialen Grundmoränen der DDR. Arch Acker- Pflanzenbau Bodenkd 34:423–429
Leinweber P, Reuter G, Körschens M, Garz J (1991) Veränderungen der organischen Komponenten organisch-mineralischer Komplexe (OMK) in Dauerfeldversuchen auf Löß und lößbeeinflußten Substraten. Arch Acker- Pflanzenbau Bodenkd 35:85–93
Oades JM, Waters AG, Vasallo AM, Wilson MA, Jones GP (1988) Influence of management on the composition of organic matter in a red-brown-earth as shown by 13C nuclear magnetic resonance. Aust J Soil Res 26:289–299
Ottow JCG (1988) Auswirkungen von Pflanzenschutzmaßnahmen auf Bodenleben und Bodenfruchtbarkeit mittlerer und schwerer Böden. In: Bodenleben: Bodenfruchtbarkeit, Bodenschutz. DLG-Verlag, Frankfurt (Main), pp 70–81
Reuter G, Leinweber P (1989) Die Ton- und Feinschluffminerale der Böden von 8 Dauerfeldversuchen der DDR. Arch Acker- Pflanzenbau Bodenkd 33:651–659
Schnitzer M, Ivarson KC (1982) Different forms of nitrogen in size fractions separated from two soils. Plant and Soil 69:383–389
Schnitzer M, Schulten H-R (1989) Pyrolysis-soft ionization mass spectrometry of aliphatics extracted from a soil clay and humic substances. Sci Total Env 81/82:19–30
Schnitzer M, Schuppli P (1989) The extraction of organic matter from selected soils and particle size fractions with 0.5 M NaOH and 0.1 M Na4P2O7 solutions. Can J Soil Sci 69:253–262
Schulten H-R (1987) Pyrolysis and soft ionization mass spectrometry of aquatic-terrestrial humic substances and soils. J Anal Appl Pyrolysis 12:149–186
Schulten H-R, Schnitzer M (1990) Aliphatics in soil organic matter in fine clay fractions. Soil Sci Soc Am J 54:98–105
Schulten H-R, Schnitzer M (1991) A contribution to solving the puzzle of the chemical structure of humic substances: Pyrolysis-field ionization mass spectrometry. Sci Total Env (in press)
Schulten H-R, Simmleit N, Müller R (1987) High-temperature, highsensitivity pyrolysis field ionization mass spectrometry. Anal Chem 59:2903–2908
Schulten H-R, Hempfling H, Haider K, Gröblinghoff FF, Lüdemann H-D, Fründ R (1990) Characterization of cultivation effects on soil properties. Z Pflanzenernähr Bodenkd 152:97–105
Stumpe H, Garz J, Hagedorn E (1984) Die Dauerdüngungsversuche auf dem Versuchsfeld in Halle. In: Körschens M, Kundler P (eds) Dauerfeldversuche der DDR. Akad Landwirtschaftswiss, Berlin, pp 25–66
Tiessen H, Steward JWB (1983) Particle-size fractions and their use in studies of soil organic matter: II. Cultivation effects on organic matter composition in size fractions. Soil Sci Soc Am J 47:509–514
Turchenek LW, Oades LM (1979) Fractionation of organo-mineral complexes by sedimentation and density techniques. Geoderma 21:311–343
Wang TSC, Huang PM, Chang-Hung Cou, Jen-Hsuan Chen (1986) The role of soil minerals in the abiotic polymerization of phenolic compounds and formation of humic substances. In: Huang PM, Schnitzer M (eds) Interactions of soil minerals with natural organics and microbes. Soil Sci Soc Am Spec Publ no 17, Madison, Wisconsin, pp 251–281
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Schulten, H.R., Leinweber, P. Influence of long-term fertilization with farmyard manure on soil organic matter: Characteristics of particle-size fractions. Biol Fertil Soils 12, 81–88 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00341480
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00341480