The Effects of Natural Humus Material Amendment on Soil Organic Matter and Integrated Fertility in the Black Soil of Northeast China: Preliminary Results

Abstract

The input of exogenous organic materials is an effective way to improve soil organic matter (SOM) content in cropland. The exploration of the impact of new organic materials such as woody peat on black soil fertility can provide an important reference for preventing the degradation of black soil in Northeast China. In this study, the effects of adding woody peat to SOM and the soil-integrated fertility of black cropland were studied by seven treatments (no organic matter addition, CK; crop straw returning, SR; decomposed straw addition, DS; organic manure addition, OM; 6 t/ha woody peat addition, LWP; 10.5 t/ha natural humus material addition, MWP; and 15 t/ha natural humus material addition, HWP). The results show that natural humus material additions (LWP, MWP, and HWP treatments) could significantly increase SOM (increased by 4.79~9.41 g/kg), labile SOM (increased by 2.49~4.52 g/kg), and recalcitrant SOM (increased by 2.13~6.39 g/kg) components, respectively. For comparison, traditional organic material inputs (SR, DS, and OM treatments) had no significant effect on SOM but induced an increase in the labile SOM component in the following year. This study also found that natural humus material additions could improve soil-integrated fertility in a year term, especially in promoting SOM accumulation. However, organic manure amendment showed both the advantage of increasing soil fertility slightly and the disadvantage of increasing soil salt sharply. In conclusion, compared with traditional exogenous organic materials, the natural humus material amendment technique can rapidly increase the total SOM quantity and its different stability components and has a great effect in improving the integrated fertility of black soil. Thus, it is of significance to further study the potential of natural humus material amendment in the fertility of black soil in future.

Assessing the Impact of Soil Humic Substances, Textural Fractions on the Sorption of Heavy Metals (Cd, Pb)

“…The input of exogenous organic materials effectively improves soil organic matter [1]. The leading causes of grassland degradation are both human and natural factors [2][3][4].…”

“…Studies on the chemical characteristics of humic acids, their combination of elements, and the content of carboxyl, aliphatic, and aromatic groups accurately characterise the stability of humic substances and humification degree of soil organic matter [28]. For the purpose of conducting a thorough assessment of the effects on soil fertility, it is imperative that the reactions of soil parameters, such as TOC, pH, etc., be thoroughly studied [1].…”

Impact of Winter Cover Crops on Total and Microbial Carbon and Nitrogen in Black Soil

“…With its high productivity, the black soil region in Northeast China accounts for about a quarter of China's grain production, so it is crucial for China's food security [2]. However, these centuries-long large-scale agricultural reclamation activities, starting from the end of the Qing Dynasty, have resulted in the thinning of the soil layers of farmland soils in this region, a serious degradation of soil quality, and a massive loss of soil organic carbon and nitrogen [3][4][5][6].…”

Enhancing Soil Fertility and Elevating Pecan Fruit Quality through Combined Chemical and Organic Fertilization Practices

“…The metabolic processes of these microorganisms can facilitate the conversion and decomposition of mineral nutrients in the soil. Moreover, organic fertilizers themselves contain a significant quantity of organic matter and nutrients, which can help to restore or maintain soil structure and fertility levels, leading to sustainable development [8,9]. Further, they can mitigate issues such as low nutrient utilization rates that may result from the application of only chemical fertilizers [10].…”

“…As vital components of organic matter, soil microorganisms respond more quickly to fertilization compared to overall SOM [22,23]. Previous research has verified that replacing a higher proportion of chemical fertilizers with organic counterparts can significantly reduce soil acidification, facilitate nutrient decomposition, increase microbial C and N content in the soil, enhance soil fertility, and boost soil enzyme activities [9,24]. Soil enzymes play critical roles in the decomposition of organic matter and nutrient cycling [25,26].…”