The Organic Matter Pool, Composition and Transformation in Soils of Middle Siberia

Abstract

The structure and agrogenic transformation of organic substance in chernozems of Middle Siberia are considered (within Krasnoyarsk Krai, Khakassia and Tuva). The comparative-geographic, comparative-analytical and stationary observation methods are used in this work. These investigations are based on ideas of academician I.V. Tyurin, who had a Krasnoyarsk period in his creative work. All of the forms of humic compounds of chernozem type are presented in the studied soils. The mineralized (transformed) pool of organic matter in chernozems (19-28 t C/ha) is characterized by set of the plant residues, microbial biomass and a mobile humus. The entrance of plant residues into the soil of a graminae-fallow-hoed crop rotation makes 3.32 t C/ha per year, graminae-grass - 3.89 C/ha per year. The contribution of living roots reaches 40-70% of year stocks of the plant residues. The entrance of additional portions of "fresh" plant material with straw and green manure increases the mineralized pool of the organic matter and its decomposition intensity. The amount of microbial biomass in an arable layer of chernozems fluctuates from 1.5 to 3.0 t C/ha. The decomposition of plant residues occurs at k = 0.37-0.44. The share of a mobile humus (water- and alkaline-soluble compounds) as a part of the mineralized chernozems OM reaches 69-77%. The seasonal variability of mobile humus concentration is determined by the unequal rate of plants death, the entrance into the soil and decomposition of plant residues, different intensity of their transformation in neoformed humic substances. Losses of humus mobile compounds in soils of Krasnoyarsk Krai (0.23 t C/ha per year) contain about 7% of his expenses on the forming of net primary production and are compensated here by a neoformed humus at 91%, in soils of Khakassia - at 34%, Tuva - only at 16%.