Conservation Tillage, Rotations, and Cover Crop Affecting Soil Quality in the Tennessee Valley: Particulate Organic Matter, Organic Matter, and Microbial Biomass

Motta, Antônio Carlos Vargas; Reeves, D. W.; Burmester, C. H.; Feng, Yanfang

doi:10.1080/00103620701663065

Cited by 36 publications

(28 citation statements)

References 41 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Stocks of UOC at the surface (0-5 cm) were almost 100% greater under B and G (Table IV) as compared with the reference area (NVBG). The proportions of TOC in the form of UOC under B and G (on average 80%) were greater than those observed by Motta et al (2007), Yan et al (2012) and Dube et al (2012), who concluded that UOC represented on average 30% of TOC at the surface (3-5 cm) of cultivated soils. The amount of TOC present as UOC was similar among areas under NV and also averaged 80%.…”

Section: Unprotected and Protected Organic Carboncontrasting

confidence: 55%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Organic Carbon and Nitrogen Stocks in Soils of Northeastern Brazil Converted to Irrigated Agriculture

et al. 2014

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The productivity of agricultural areas in semi‐arid regions can be improved through the use of irrigation. However, the intensive cropping of such soils can have detrimental effects, especially with regard to soil organic matter (SOM) pools. The goal of this work was to evaluate soil organic carbon and nitrogen stocks of different irrigated agricultural systems and compare these to preserved natural ecosystems adjacent to each of the cropping systems. We selected four cropping systems: banana, a maize/bean succession (MB), pasture (P) and guava (G), as well as areas covered by native vegetation. Stocks of total soil organic carbon (TOC), amounts of unprotected and protected soil organic carbon, carbon and nitrogen in microbial biomass and microbial respiration were quantified. Surface soil TOC stocks under banana, G and P grass were significantly greater than under native vegetation and MB system. The most intensive management system was the MB, and the least intensive systems were P and G. The least intensive cropping systems were grouped on the basis of similarities in TOC, POC, total soil nitrogen and N in microbial biomass stocks. These results show that the degree of soil degradation resulting from changes in land use systems increases with the intensity of the land use systems themselves. This confirms the established hypothesis that the extent of degradation of soil properties and changes in some SOM fractions depend on the intensity of soil use. Furthermore, the adoption of conservation practices may remediate soil degradation and increase SOM stocks, mainly at the soil's surface. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

show abstract

Section: Unprotected and Protected Organic Carboncontrasting

confidence: 55%

“…The proportions of TOC in the form of UOC under B and G (on average 80%) were greater than those observed by Motta et al . (), Yan et al . () and Dube et al .…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 96%

Organic Carbon and Nitrogen Stocks in Soils of Northeastern Brazil Converted to Irrigated Agriculture

et al. 2014

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Across all studies, we found that adding one or more crops in rotation to a monoculture increased soil C by 3.6% and MBC by 20.7%, while increasing total soil N by 5.3% and MBN 26.1%. This stronger response in the MBC and MBN pools probably reflects the sensitivity of soil microbes to the quantity and biochemistry of crop inputs (Carter 1986, Sparling 1992, Motta et al 2007). Further, observed increases in MBC and MBN, as well as in the proportion of total soil C and N in the MBC and N pools, point to a proportional shift of C and N into SOM pools with rapid cycling times, which is likely to be accompanied by a general increase in potential soil biological activity.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Does agricultural crop diversity enhance soil microbial biomass and organic matter dynamics? A meta‐analysis

McDaniel

Tiemann

Grandy

2014

Ecological Applications

614

387

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Our increasing dependence on a small number of agricultural crops, such as corn, is leading to reductions in agricultural biodiversity. Reductions in the number of crops in rotation or the replacement of rotations by monocultures are responsible for this loss of biodiversity. The belowground implications of simplifying agricultural plant communities remain unresolved; however, agroecosystem sustainability will be severely compromised if reductions in biodiversity reduce soil C and N concentrations, alter microbial communities, and degrade soil ecosystem functions as reported in natural communities. We conducted a meta-analysis of 122 studies to examine crop rotation effects on total soil C and N concentrations, and the faster cycling microbial biomass C and N pools that play key roles in soil nutrient cycling and physical processes such as aggregate formation. We specifically examined how rotation crop type and management practices influence C and N dynamics in different climates and soil types. We found that adding one or more crops in rotation to a monoculture increased total soil C by 3.6% and total N by 5.3%, but when rotations included a cover crop (i.e., crops that are not harvested but produced to enrich the soil and capture inorganic N), total C increased by 8.5% and total N 12.8%. Rotations substantially increased the soil microbial biomass C (20.7%) and N (26.1%) pools, and these overwhelming effects on microbial biomass were not moderated by crop type or management practices. Crop rotations, especially those that include cover crops, sustain soil quality and productivity by enhancing soil C, N, and microbial biomass, making them a cornerstone for sustainable agroecosystems.

show abstract

“…Intensive agriculture increases the release of C from soil to the atmosphere (Lal, 2002) thus contributing to increasing levels of atmospheric CO 2 and changing climate. A conservation practice that can potentially slow or even reverse soil C depletion is the inclusion of winter cover crops in agricultural rotations (e.g., Thomsen and Christensen, 2004;Sainju et al, 2006;Motta et al, 2007;Weil and Kremen, 2007;Mutegi et al, 2013;Abdollahi and Munkholm, 2014;Hurisso et al, 2014). Cover crops are grown in between consecutive main crops and are typically planted in fall and terminated in spring, thus providing continuous live vegetative coverage.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Scaling-up: cover crops differentially influence soil carbon in agricultural fields with diverse topography

Ladoni

Basir

Robertson

et al. 2016

Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

Conservation Tillage, Rotations, and Cover Crop Affecting Soil Quality in the Tennessee Valley: Particulate Organic Matter, Organic Matter, and Microbial Biomass

Cited by 36 publications

References 41 publications

Organic Carbon and Nitrogen Stocks in Soils of Northeastern Brazil Converted to Irrigated Agriculture

Organic Carbon and Nitrogen Stocks in Soils of Northeastern Brazil Converted to Irrigated Agriculture

Does agricultural crop diversity enhance soil microbial biomass and organic matter dynamics? A meta‐analysis

Scaling-up: cover crops differentially influence soil carbon in agricultural fields with diverse topography

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About