The Effect of Cultivation and Erosion on the Nitrogen and Carbon of Some Kansas Soils<sup>1</sup>

Hide, J. C.; Metzger, W. H.

doi:10.2134/agronj1939.00021962003100070006x

Cited by 17 publications

(5 citation statements)

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“…Our results support a large body of literature documenting significant reductions in soil organic matter as a result of long-term cultivation (Russel 1929, Hide and Metzger 1939, Haas et al 1957, Tiessen et al 1982, Burke et al 1989, and many others). After at least 50 TABLE 1.…”

Section: Effect Of Long-term Cultivation On Soil Pools and Processessupporting

confidence: 90%

Soil Organic Matter Recovery in Semiarid Grasslands: Implications for the Conservation Reserve Program

Burke¹,

Lauenroth²,

Coffin³

1995

Ecological Applications

252

206

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Abstract. Although the effects of cultivation on soil organic matter and nutrient supply capacity are well understood, relatively little work has been done on the long-term recovery of soils from cultivation. We sampled soils from 12 locations within the Pawnee National Grasslands of northeastern Colorado, each having native fields and fields that were historically cultivated but abandoned 50 yr ago. We also sampled fields that had been cultivated for at least 50 yr at 5 of these locations.Our results demonstrated that soil organic matter, silt content, microbial biomass, potentially mineralizable N, and potentially respirable C were significantly lower on cultivated fields than on native fields. Both cultivated and abandoned fields also had significantly lower soil organic matter and silt contents than native fields. Abandoned fields, however, were not significantly different from native fields with respect to microbial biomass, potentially mineralizable N, or respirable C. In addition, we found that the characteristic small-scale heterogeneity of the shortgrass steppe associated with individuals of the dominant plant, Bouteloua gracilis, had recovered on abandoned fields. Soil beneath plant canopies had an average of 200 g/m 2 more C than between-plant locations.We suggest that 50 yr is an adequate time for recovery of active soil organic matter . and nutrient availability, but recovery of total soil organic matter pools is a much slower process. Plant population dynamics may play an important role in the recovery of shortgrass steppe ecosystems from disturbance, such that establishment of perennial grasses determines the rate of organic matter recovery.

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Section: Effect Of Long-term Cultivation On Soil Pools and Processessupporting

confidence: 90%

Soil Organic Matter Recovery in Semiarid Grasslands: Implications for the Conservation Reserve Program

Burke¹,

Lauenroth²,

Coffin³

1995

Ecological Applications

252

206

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“…This loss is probably an upper limit, because many of the studies in Table 11.4 are based only on changes in percent organic carbon in the surface «30 cm) soillayers. Several studies show increases in carbon in the lower soillayers (Doughty et al 1954, Meints andPeterson 1977, Mann, in preparation), and nearly alI show greater losses in the upper horizons than lower in the profite (e.g., Hide and Metzger 1939;Newton et al 1945;Godlin and Son'ko 1970;Voroney et al 1981;Bauer and Black 1981). Nevertheless, the mean loss found in studies that sampled to depths >30 cm and for periods of 30 years or more was 30.2%.…”

Section: Man-induced Changesmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…Large losses of nitratenitrogen in runoff are often observed when terrestrial vegetation is cleared (Likens et al 1970); the losses are greatest on sites with relatively high initial quantities or high mineralization potentials for soil nitrogen (Porter et al 1964;Vitousek et al 1982). Although the changes in streamwater chemistryare spectacular, the loss of total nitrogen from the soil is generally less than the loss of carbon on land-use conversion (Hide and Metzger 1939;Salisbury and Delong 1940;Chang 1950;Haas et al 1957;Smith and Young 1975); thus, the carbon-to-nitrogen (C:N) ratio of soil organic matter is lower in agricultural fields than in undisturbed areas (Smith and Young 1975;Martei and McKenzie 1980).…”

Section: The Pattern Of Soil Carbon Lossmentioning

confidence: 99%

Changes in Soil Carbon Storage and Associated Properties with Disturbance and Recovery

Schlesinger¹

1986

The Changing Carbon Cycle

231

167

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“…2 Present address: Department of Entomology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602 USA. way 1909, Russel1929, Burd and Martin 1931, Salter and Green 1933, Hide and Metzger 1939, Haas et al 1957. In contrast, no-till systems reduce the loss of soil organic matter (Lal 1976, Doran l980a, Douglas and Goss 1982, Blevins et al 1983, Rozsypal et al 1983, House et al 1984, Lamb et al 1985.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Litter Placement Effects on Microbial and Organic Matter Dynamics in an Agroecosystem

Holland¹,

Coleman²

1987

Ecology

529

224

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JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org.. Ecological Society of America is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to Ecology. Abstract.Two different agricultural tillage practices were used to study how changes in the structure of the soil-litter system affected litter decomposition rates, microbial community composition, and soil organic matter dynamics. Surface straw placement results in spatial separation of carbon-rich litter (C:N ratio 80:1) and mineralized soil nitrogen. In contrast, when the litter is plowed into the soil, straw carbon and soil nitrogen are in intimate contact. Our field studies in Colorado showed that fungal biomass in surfacestraw treatments was 144% of that in the incorporated-straw treatments, probably because fungi, with their extensive hyphal networks, are able to utilize both the surface straw carbon and the available soil nitrogen. Field studies using '4C-labeled wheat straw showed that a greater proportion of added 14C was retained in the surface-straw treatment than in the incorporated-straw treatment. Maximum net N immobilization was higher and litter decomposition was slower in the surface straw than in the incorporated straw placements both with and without experimental nitrogen addition. Slower litter decomposition of the surface litter may contribute to reduced soil organic matter losses. Soil organic matter losses may also be reduced in no-till systems as a result of the increase in the ratio of fungal to bacterial activity because of the greater growth efficiency of fungi and the accumulation of carbon in the less decomposable fungal biomass. The surface placement of straw in no-till agriculture allowed management of microclimate and microbial populations so that losses of soil organic matter and nutrients were minimized.

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The Effect of Cultivation and Erosion on the Nitrogen and Carbon of Some Kansas Soils¹

Cited by 17 publications

References 0 publications

Soil Organic Matter Recovery in Semiarid Grasslands: Implications for the Conservation Reserve Program

Soil Organic Matter Recovery in Semiarid Grasslands: Implications for the Conservation Reserve Program

Changes in Soil Carbon Storage and Associated Properties with Disturbance and Recovery

Litter Placement Effects on Microbial and Organic Matter Dynamics in an Agroecosystem

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The Effect of Cultivation and Erosion on the Nitrogen and Carbon of Some Kansas Soils1

Cited by 17 publications

References 0 publications

Soil Organic Matter Recovery in Semiarid Grasslands: Implications for the Conservation Reserve Program

Soil Organic Matter Recovery in Semiarid Grasslands: Implications for the Conservation Reserve Program

Changes in Soil Carbon Storage and Associated Properties with Disturbance and Recovery

Litter Placement Effects on Microbial and Organic Matter Dynamics in an Agroecosystem

Contact Info

Product

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About

The Effect of Cultivation and Erosion on the Nitrogen and Carbon of Some Kansas Soils¹