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Response of soil organic carbon fractions and CO2 emissions to exogenous composted manure and calcium carbonate

  • Soils, Sec 1 • Soil Organic Matter Dynamics and Nutrient Cycling • Research Article
  • Published:
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Abstract

Purpose

The addition of exogenous substances has an important influence on soil organic matter mineralization. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) and composted manure (CM) on soil organic C (SOC) fractions and soil CO2 emission in calcareous soil.

Materials and methods

We conducted a 105-day incubation experiment involving six treatments of two soils from Yangling (Y) and Tongchuan (T) on the Loess plateau, China, which had different CaCO3 and total organic C (TOC) content. Treatments consisted of 0, 30, and 50 g kg−1 CaCO3 (Y0, Y30, Y50, T0, T30, and T50) and 0, 30, and 50 g kg−1 CaCO3 plus 20 g kg−1 CM (Y0-M, Y30-M, Y50-M, T0-M, T30-M and T50-M). Soil pH, CaCO3, CO2 emissions, TOC, microbial biomass C (MBC), dissolved organic C (DOC), readily oxidizable organic C (ROC), and bound humus (B-Hs) C were determined for each of the treatments.

Results and discussion

The application of CM increased MBC, DOC, and ROC, promoting the mineralization of SOC. However, the effects of CaCO3 addition on SOC fractions differed based on soil type and CM amendment. The addition of CaCO3 stimulated soil microbial population in the soils of Y and T. When soil was amended with CaCO3 alone, CaCO3 decreased DOC and ROC but increased B-Hs C, resulting in a reduction in soil CO2 emissions. When soil was amended with both CM and CaCO3, positive and negative net increments in soil CO2 emissions are possible, resulting in different soil cumulative CO2 emissions. These differences in interaction resulted from the priming effect of CaCO3 and CM on soil microbial community activity and the protective effect of CaCO3 on SOC.

Conclusions

Soil CO2 emissions are determined by the combined effect of the protective effect of CaCO3 on SOM and the priming effect of soil microbes on SOC mineralization. The effect of the application of CM plus CaCO3 on SOC cycle in calcareous soils is affected by the degree of protection of SOC from SIC on the Loess plateau, China.

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Abbreviations

CM:

Composted manure

DOC:

Dissolved organic carbon

Kos:

Oxidation stability coefficients

LOC:

Labile organic carbon

MBC:

Microbial biomass carbon

B-Hs:

Bound humus

ROC:

Readily oxidizable organic carbon

SIC:

Soil inorganic carbon

SOC:

Soil organic carbon

SOM:

Soil organic matter

TN:

Total nitrogen

TOC:

Total organic carbon

WHC:

Water holding capacity

Y0/T0:

Y/T soil

Y30/T30:

Y/T soil plus 30 g kg−1 CaCO3

Y50/T50:

Y/T soil plus 50 g kg−1 CaCO3

Y0-M /T0-M:

Y/T soil plus 20 g kg−1CM

Y30-M /T30-M:

Y/T soil plus 30 g kg−1 CaCO3 and 20 g kg−1 CM

Y50-M /T50-M:

Y/T soil plus 50 g kg−1 CaCO3 and 20 g kg−1 CM.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Special Fund for Agro-scientific Research in the Public Interest (201503116) and the National Key Technology R&D Program of the Ministry of Science and Technology, China (2012BAD14B11). We are also grateful to Louis McDonald for editing the English language.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Resources and Environment, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China

    Zhonghui Li, Xudong Wang, Yulin Zhang & Afeng Zhang

  2. Shaanxi Land Construction Group, Xi’an, Shaanxi, 710075, China

    Binmeng Wei

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  1. Zhonghui Li
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  2. Binmeng Wei
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  3. Xudong Wang
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  4. Yulin Zhang
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Correspondence to Xudong Wang.

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Responsible editor: Zucong Cai

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Li, Z., Wei, B., Wang, X. et al. Response of soil organic carbon fractions and CO2 emissions to exogenous composted manure and calcium carbonate. J Soils Sediments 18, 1832–1843 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-018-1946-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-018-1946-y

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