土壤有机碳和氮的分布及其对气候变化的响应

碳、氮不仅是生物体必需的营养元素，也是重要的生态元素。大气中温室气体C02、N2O等浓度的增加使得碳、氮的生物地球化学循环及其温室气体的减缓排放措施研究成为全球变化研究中的热点问题。 土壤是陆地生态系统的核心，是连接大气圈、水圈、生物圈、岩石圈的纽带;它是陆生生物赖以生存的物质基础，是陆地生态系统中物质与能量交换的重要场所，其在全球碳、氮循环中起着十分重要的作用。一方面，土壤有机碳和氮的含量与分布直接关系到生态系统的生产力和生态系统的规模，同时土壤有机碳和氮的转化与迁移又直接影响到温室气体的组成与含量。而土壤本身又是生态系统中生物与环境相互作用的产物。因此，研究土壤有机碳和氮的分布、转化及其对全球变化的响应对于正确理解碳、氮的生物地球化学循环及其对全球变化的响应制定应对策略具有重要意义。 全球变化的陆地样带是从机理上理解陆地生态系统对全球变化的响应，预测全球变化对陆地生态系统的可能影响，实现预警、调节和减少全球变化不良影响，科学地规划和管理陆地生态系统的有效平台。目前，国际地圈一生物圈计划(IGBP)基于不同地区全球变化驱动因素的不同以及全球变化的潜在反馈作用强度的不同，在全球4个关键地区共启动了15条IG8P陆地样带。以水分为主要驱动力的中国东北样带(NECT：Northeast China Transect)即为IGBP的陆地样带之一。 本文以中国东北样带为平台，基于2001年对中国东北样带科学考察所采土壤样品的实测结果和气候资料分析了土壤有机碳和氮的梯度分布及其与土壤、气候等因子之间的关系;借助C02浓度升高和不同土壤湿度的模拟试验探讨了土壤有机碳和氮对气候变化的响应;根据作物残体还田的长期定位试验和盆栽试验研究了作物残体还田对土壤有机碳和氮转化的影响，讨论了农田生态系统通过作物残体还田对减缓温室气体排放的效应。主要结果和结论如下： (1).样带表层土壤有机碳平均为22.3土4.93 g．kg-1，下层土壤有机碳平均为8.9±1.20 g．kg-1。样带表层土壤活性有机碳平均为3.52±0.881 g.kg-1，占表层土壤有机碳的13.1±0.78%;下层土壤活性有机碳平均为1.14±0.250g.kg-l，占下层土壤有机碳的10.9±0.79%。样带土壤活性有机碳与土壤有机碳之间呈极显著正相关关系(相关系数r=0.993，P<0.001)。 (2).不同生态类型土壤有机碳和活性有机碳含量不同。中国东北样带东部(经度126°～131°)为温带针阔混交林山地，植被种类极其丰富，地带性土壤为暗棕壤，并且多为自然土壤，土壤有机碳和活性有机碳含量较高。但由于采样区局部地理环境、植被结构及人类干扰程度的不同，土壤有机碳和活性有机碳含量变异较大，平均为61.9±13.84 g．kg-1和10. 88±2.236g. kg-1。样带中部（经度119°～126°）为松辽平原栎林草原、农田区和大兴安岭山地草甸草原区，属半湿润向半干旱过渡的气候。该区域主要土壤类型为黑土、黑钙土、盐化或碱化草甸土及风沙土，土壤沙化、碱化严重，土壤有机碳和活性有机碳含量明显降低，平均为10.5±1.97 g．kg-l和1. 35±0.327 g．kg-1。样带中西部（经度113°～119°）为内蒙古高原草甸草原和典型草原区域，具有典型的半干旱气候特征。该区地带性土壤为栗钙土，局部丘陵区分布黑钙土，土壤有机碳和活性有机碳含量为14.6±1.65 g．kg-1和2.07±0.342g.kg-1。样带西部（经度111°～113°）为内蒙古高原荒漠草原区域，地带性土壤为棕钙土，土壤较为贫瘠，其有机碳和活性有机碳含量最低，平均为7.99±1.51 g．kg-1和0.51±0.216 g．kg-1。从总的趋势看，样带表层土壤有机碳和活性有机碳的梯度分布趋势一致，都呈现出随经度降低而下降的趋势，局部因土壤退化而出现波动。 (3).样带土壤有机碳和活性有机碳与土壤全量氮、磷、硫、锌及有效氮、磷、钾、锰、锌等均呈显著或极显著相关关系，与土壤PH、容重、持水量及孔隙度也呈显著或极显著相关关系。土壤表层有机碳和活性有机碳与降水量之间具有正的相关关系，其相关系数为r=0.677（P<0.001）和r=0.712（P<0.001）。但下层土壤有机碳和活性有机碳与降水量之间没有显著的相关关系。 (4).样带下层土壤有机碳和活性有机碳与经度之间仍具有显著的相关关系（r=0.454，P=0.026; r=0.473，P=0.020）。样带下层土壤有机碳和活性有机碳的变异小于表层。不同的生态系统，下层土壤有机碳和活性有机碳与表层土壤有机碳和活性有机碳的比率不同。总的来看，土壤活性有机碳含量随深度的增加而下降的幅度大于土壤有机碳。 (5).短期培养条件下，CO2浓度升高及干旱胁迫下，土壤有机碳的变化不大，其变异系数为1.28%;相比较之下，土壤活性有机碳对气候变化比较敏感，其变异系数为29.67%。不同土壤湿度，土壤活性有机碳含量发生变异的幅度因CO2浓度升高而降低。 (6).样带土壤全氮和有效氮与经度呈极显著正相关，其相关系数分别是r=0.695 (P<0.001)和0.636(P<0.001)。土壤表层全氮和有效氮的梯度分布与土壤有机碳的分布基本一致：沿经度呈现东高西低的趋势，局部由于土壤退化而出现低谷。样带除东部山区外，其它各部分土壤有效氮都很低，成为其植被生长的限制因子之一。样带下层土壤全氮和有效氮的含量低于表层，但样带不同部位下层土壤全氮和有效氮下降的幅度不同。总的来看，土壤全氮的剖面分布和土壤有机碳相似，而土壤有效氮则有所不同。 (7).土壤全氮和有效氮是土壤生化环境中两个重要的因子。样带土壤全氮和有效氮和土壤有机碳、全磷、全硫、全锌、土壤活性碳、有效磷、有效钾、有效锰、有效锌、土壤容重、田间持水量土壤总孔度等因子均呈显著或极显著的相关关系。 (8).样带表层土壤全氮和有效氮与降雨量之间呈极显著的正相关关系，相关系数分别是0.682(P<0.001)和0.688(P<0.001)。而下层土壤全氮和有效氮与降雨量之间的没有显著的相关关系（r=0.241，P=0.256; r=0.366，P=0.079）。土壤有效氮占全氮的比例与年均温呈显著正相关关系（相关系数r=0.390，p=0.044）。 (9).短期培养试验中，CO2浓度加倍和不同土壤湿度对土壤全氮和有效氮的影响没有达到显著水平。整个试验中土壤全氮和有效氮的变异较小（变异系数分别是5.55%和3.84%），但仍能反映一定的变化趋势。 (10)．玉米残体还田能够增加土壤氮素含量，减轻因其作为燃烧材料而造成的氮素损失和对大气的污染;玉米残体施入土壤，增加了土壤微生物氮含量，提高土壤氮活性，有利于土壤氮素养分的协调供应;玉米残体还田能够促进氮素从营养器官向籽粒中转移，提高氮素养分的利用效率。同时，玉米残体还田可以降低土壤NO3--N的累 积，减少肥料氮的损失4.7～5.6%。 (ll)．根据国内外文献和我们连续10年作物残体还田的肥料长期定位试验及盆栽试验结果，从减缓CO2排放、增加土壤碳固存、提高土壤生产力入手，分析了农业生态系统作物残体还田的必要性与可行性，讨论了农田作物残体还田，增加土壤碳固存对于减缓CO2排放、提高土壤生产力的作用与意义。提倡作物残体因地制宜地归还土壤，但作物残体还田后土壤固存与减缓温室气体排放的潜力还需要进一步进行研究。

Impact of tillage and residues from rotation crops on the nematode community in soil and surface mulch during the following sugarcane crop.

The impact of three cropping histories (sugarcane, maize and soybean) and two tillage practices (conventional tillage and direct drill) on plant-parasitic and free-living nematodes in the following sugarcane crop was examined in a field trial at Bundaberg. Soybean reduced populations of lesion nematode (Pratylenchus zeae) and root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne javanica) in comparison to previous crops of sugarcane or maize but increased populations of spiral nematode (Helicotylenchus dihystera) and maintained populations of dagger nematode (Xiphinema elongatum). However the effect of soybean on P zeae and M. javanica was no longer apparent 15 weeks after planting sugarcane, while later in the season, populations of these nematodes following soybean were as high as or higher than maize or sugarcane. Populations of P zeae were initially reduced by cultivation but due to strong resurgence tended to be higher in conventionally tilled than direct drill plots at the end of the plant crop. Even greater tillage effects were observed with M. javanica and X. elongatum, as nematode populations were significantly higher in conventionally tilled than direct drill plots late in the season. Populations of free-living nematodes in the upper 10 cm of soil were initially highest following soybean, but after 15, 35 and 59 weeks were lower than after sugarcane and contained fewer omnivorous and predatory nematodes. Conventional tillage increased populations of free-living nematodes in soil in comparison to direct drill and was also detrimental to omnivorous and predatory nematodes. These results suggest that crop rotation and tillage not only affect plant-parasitic nematodes directly, but also have indirect effects by impacting on natural enemies that regulate nematode populations. More than 2 million nematodes/m(2) were often present in crop residues on the surface of direct drill plots. Bacterial-feeding nematodes were predominant in residues early in the decomposition process but fungal-feeding nematodes predominated after 15 weeks. This indicates that fungi become an increasingly important component of the detritus food web as decomposition proceeds, and that that the rate of nutrient cycling decreases with time. Correlations between total numbers of free-living nematodes and mineral N concentrations in crop residues and surface soil suggested that the free-living nematode community may provide an indication of the rate of mineralisation of N from organic matter.

Crop residues on short-term CO2 emissions in sugarcane production areas

The proper management of agricultural crop residues could produce benefits in a warmer, more drought-prone world. Field experiments were conducted in sugarcane production areas in the Southern Brazil to assess the influence of crop residues on the soil surface in short-term CO2 emissions. The study was carried out over a period of 50 days after establishing 6 plots with and without crop residues applied to the soil surface. The effects of sugarcane residues on CO2 emissions were immediate; the emissions from residue-covered plots with equivalent densities of 3 (D50) and 6 (D100) t ha-1 (dry mass) were less than those from non-covered plots (D0). Additionally, the covered fields had lower soil temperatures and higher soil moisture for most of the studied days, especially during the periods of drought. Total emissions were as high as 553.62 ± 47.20 g CO2 m-2, and as low as 384.69 ± 31.69 g CO2 m-2 in non-covered (D0) and covered plot with an equivalent density of 3 t ha-1 (D50), respectively. Our results indicate a significant reduction in CO2 emissions, indicating conservation of soil carbon over the short-term period following the application of sugarcane residues to the soil surface.

Rice husk biochar and crop residue amendment in subtropical cropping soils: Effect on biomass production, nitrogen use efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions

We investigated the effect of maize residues and rice husk biochar on biomass production, fertiliser nitrogen recovery (FNR) and nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions for three different subtropical cropping soils. Maize residues at two rates (0 and 10 t ha−1) combined with three rates (0, 15 and 30 t ha-1) of rice husk biochar were added to three soil types in a pot trial with maize plants. Soil N2O emissions were monitored with static chambers for 91 days. Isotopic 15N-labelled urea was applied to the treatments without added crop residues to measure the FNR. Crop residue incorporation significantly reduced N uptake in all treatments but did not affect overall FNR. Rice husk biochar amendment had no effect on plant growth and N uptake but significantly reduced N2O and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in two of the three soils. The incorporation of crop residues had a contrasting effect on soil N2O emissions depending on the mineral N status of the soil. The study shows that effects of crop residues depend on soil properties at the time of application. Adding crop residues with a high C/N ratio to soil can immobilise N in the soil profile and hence reduce N uptake and/or total biomass production. Crop residue incorporation can either stimulate or reduce N2O emissions depending on the mineral N content of the soil. Crop residues pyrolysed to biochar can potentially stabilise native soil C (negative priming) and reduce N2O emissions from cropping soils thus providing climate change mitigation potential beyond the biochar C storage in soils. Incorporation of crop residues as an approach to recycle organic materials and reduce synthetic N fertiliser use in agricultural production requires a thorough evaluation, both in terms of biomass production and greenhouse gas emissions.

Survival of Curtobacterium flaccumfaciens pv. flaccumfaciens in soil and bean crop debris

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Exchangeable basic cations and nitrogen distribution in soil as affected by crop residues and nitrogen

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Root effects on the turnover of grain legume residues in soil

Das Ziel dieser Arbeit war, die Einflüsse von Wurzeln und Rhizodeposition auf den Umsatz von Körnerleguminosenresiduen und damit verknüpfte mikrobielle Prozesse zu untersuchen. In einem integrierten Versuch wurden Ackerbohne (Vicia faba L.), Erbse (Pisum sativum L.) und Weiße Lupine (Lupinus albus L.) untersucht. Der Versuch bestand aus drei Teilen, zwei Gefäß-Experimenten und einem Inkubationsexperiment, in denen ausgehend von einem Gefäß-Experiment derselbe Boden und dasselbe Pflanzenmaterial verwendet wurden. In Experiment I wurde die Stickstoff-Rhizodeposition der Körnerleguminosenarten, definiert als wurzelbürtiger N nach dem Entfernen aller sichtbaren Wurzeln im Boden, gemessen und der Verbleib des Rhizodepositions-N in verschiednenen Bodenpools untersucht. Dazu wurden die Leguminosen in einem Gefäßversuch unter Verwendung einer in situ 15N-Docht-Methode mit einer 15N Harnstofflösung pulsmarkiert. In Experiment II wurde der Umsatz der N-Rhizodeposition der Körnerleguminosen und der Einfluss der Rhizodeposition auf den anschließenden C- und N-Umsatz der Körnerleguminosenresiduen in einem Inkubationsexperiment untersucht. In Experiment III wurde der N-Transfer aus den Körnerleguminosenresiduen einschließlich N-Rhizodeposition in die mikrobielle Biomasse und die Folgefrüchte Weizen (Triticum aestivum L.) und Raps (Brassica napus L.) in einem Gewächshaus-Gefäßversuch ermittelt. Die in situ 15N Docht-Markierungs-Methode wies hohe 15N Wiederfindungsraten von ungefähr 84 Prozent für alle drei Leguminosenarten auf und zeigte eine vergleichsweise homogene 15N Verteilung zwischen verschiedenen Pflanzenteilen zur Reife. Die Wurzeln zeigten deutliche Effekte auf die N-Dynamik nach dem Anbau von Körnerleguminosen. Die Effekte konnten auf die N-Rhizodeposition und deren anschließenden Umsatz, Einflüsse der Rhizodeposition von Körnerleguminosen auf den anschließenden Umsatz ihrer Residuen (Stängel, Blätter, erfassbare Wurzeln) und die Wirkungen nachfolgender Nichtleguminosen auf den Umsatzprozess der Residuen zurückgeführt werden: Die N-Rhizodeposition betrug zur Reife der Pflanzen bezogen auf die Gesamt-N- Aufnahme 13 Prozent bei Ackerbohne und Erbse und 16 Prozent bei Weißer Lupine. Bezogen auf den Residual N nach Ernte der Körner erhöhte sich der relative Anteil auf 35 - 44 Prozent. Die N-Rhizodeposition ist daher ein wesentlicher Pool für die N-Bilanz von Körnerleguminosen und trägt wesentlich zur Erklärung positiver Fruchtfolgeeffekte nach Körnerleguminosen bei. 7 - 21 Prozent des Rhizodepositions-N wurden als Feinwurzeln nach Nasssiebung (200 µm) wiedergefunden. Nur 14 - 18 Prozent des Rhizodepositions-N wurde in der mikrobiellen Biomasse und ein sehr kleiner Anteil von 3 - 7 Prozent in der mineralischen N Fraktion gefunden. 48 bis 72 Prozent der N-Rhizodeposition konnte in keinem der untersuchten Pools nachgewiesen werden. Dieser Teil dürfte als mikrobielle Residualmasse immobilisiert worden sein. Nach 168 Tagen Inkubation wurden 21 bis 27 Prozent des Rhizodepositions-N in den mineralisiert. Der mineralisierte N stammte im wesentlichen aus zwei Pools: Zwischen 30 Prozent und 55 Prozent wurde aus der mikrobiellen Residualmasse mineralisiert und eine kleinere Menge stammte aus der mikrobielle Biomasse. Der Einfluss der Rhizodeposition auf den Umsatz der Residuen war indifferent. Durch Rhizodeposition wurde die C Mineralisierung der Leguminosenresiduen nur in der Lupinenvariante erhöht, wobei der mikrobielle N und die Bildung von mikrobieller Residualmasse aus den Leguminosenresiduen in allen Varianten durch Rhizodepositionseinflüsse erhöht waren. Das Potential des residualen Körnerleguminosen-N für die N Ernährung von Folgefrüchten war gering. Nur 8 - 12 Prozent des residualen N wurden in den Folgenfrüchten Weizen und Raps wiedergefunden. Durch die Berücksichtigung des Rhizodepositions-N war der relative Anteil des Residual-N bezogen auf die Gesamt-N-Aufnahme der Folgefrucht hoch und betrug zwischen 18 und 46 Prozent. Dies lässt auf einen höheren N-Beitrag der Körnerleguminosen schließen als bisher angenommen wurde. Die residuale N-Aufnahme von Weizen von der Blüte bis zur Reife wurde durch den Residual-N gespeist, der zur Blüte in der mikrobiellen Biomasse immobilisiert worden war. Die gesamte Poolgröße, Residual-N in der mikrobiellen Biomasse und in Weizen, veränderte sich von der Blüte bis zur Reife nicht. Jedoch konnte ein Rest von 80 Prozent des Residual-N in keinem der untersuchten Pools nachgewiesen werden und dürfte als mikrobielle Residualmasse immobilisiert worden sein oder ist noch nicht abgebaut worden. Die zwei unterschiedlichen Folgefrüchte - Weizen und Raps - zeigten sehr ähnliche Muster bei der N-Aufnahme, der Residual-N Wiederfindung und bei mikrobiellen Parametern für die Residuen der drei Körnerleguminosenarten. Ein differenzierender Effekt auf den Umsatz der Residuen bzw. auf das Residual-N-Aneignungsvermögen der Folgefrüchte konnte nicht beobachtet werden.

The development and contribution of surface charge by crop residues in two Malawian acid soils

The effects of maize and soya bean residues on the pH and charge of a loamy sand (Kawalazi) and a sandy clay loam (Naming'omba) from Malawi were measured to determine both the indirect effect of the residues on soil charge through the changes in pH, and the direct contribution of charge carried on the residue surfaces. The soils had pH values (10 mM CaCl2) of 4.3 and 5.0 and organic matter contents were 1.4% and 2.7%, respectively. The clay fractions were dominated by kaolinite and goethite, and mica was present in both samples. The soils were incubated for 28 days with maize (Zea mays) and soya bean (Glycine max) residues. The maximum addition of residue (12.0%) in the Kawalazi and Naming'omba soils increased the pH from 4.3 and 5.0 to 4.8 and 5.3 (maize) and to 9.0 and 8.8 (soya bean), respectively. Negative charge increased from 2.1 and 4.7 cmol(c) kg(-1) to 3.8 and 7.5 (maize) and to 5.3 and 9.3 cmol(c) kg(-1) (soya bean). Positive charge increased from 0.72 and 0.62 to 0.87 and 0.85 cmol(c) kg(-1) (maize) and to 0.75 and 0.68 (soya bean). The charge contribution by the residues was calculated by difference between the charge on a sample incubated with residue and the charge on a soil without residue limed to the same pH value. Up to 100 cmolc negative charge and 10 cmol(c) of positive charge per kg of residue were directly contributed to the soil-residue mixture, the amounts depending on the type of residue, the extent to which the residue was decomposed in the soil and the pH of the mixture. The Anderson and Sposito method [Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 55 (1991) 1569] was used to partition the permanent negative charge (holding Cs+) from variable negative charge (holding Li+). In the pH range 3.7-6.5 the maize residue contributed between 3 and 26 cmol(c) of variable charge per kg of residue in the Kawalazi soil and between 6 and 25 cmol(c) per kg of residue in the Naming'omba soil. For soya bean the values were between I and 28 and between 4 and 68 cmolc per kg of residue, respectively. At a given pH value, the charge tended to increase with time of incubation and for a given addition of residue, pH decreased during incubation. Addition of residues contributed no permanent negative charge and the charge on the soil measured by Cs adsorption was independent of pH change caused by the residue showing that the method is valid for soil-residue mixtures. With time there was a decrease in the amount of permanent charge probably due to masking as humic material become adsorbed on mineral surfaces. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

The effects of minimal tillage, contour cultivation, in-field vegetative barriers and crop residues on phosphorus and sediment yields

Runoff, sediment, total phosphorus and total dissolved phosphorus losses in overland flow were measured for two years on unbounded plots cropped with wheat and oats. Half of the field was cultivated with minimum tillage (shallow tillage with a tine cultivator) and half was conventionally ploughed. Within each cultivation treatment there were different treatment areas (TAs). In the first year of the experiment, one TA was cultivated up and down the slope, one TA was cultivated on the contour, with a beetle bank acting as a vegetative barrier partway up the slope, and one had a mixed direction cultivation treatment, with cultivation and drilling conducted up and down the slope and all subsequent operations conducted on the contour. In the second year, this mixed treatment was replaced with contour cultivation. Results showed no significant reduction in runoff, sediment losses or total phosphorus losses from minimum tillage when compared to the conventional plough treatment, but there were increased losses of total dissolved phosphorus with minimum tillage. The mixed direction cultivation treatment increased surface runoff and losses of sediment and phosphorus. Increasing surface roughness with contour cultivation reduced surface runoff compared to up and down slope cultivation in both the plough and minimum tillage treatment areas, but this trend was not significant. Sediment and phosphorus losses in the contour cultivation treatment followed a very similar pattern to runoff. Combining contour cultivation with a vegetative barrier in the form of a beetle bank to reduce slope length resulted in a non-significant reduction in surface runoff, sediment and total phosphorus when compared to up and down slope cultivation, but there was a clear trend towards reduced losses. However, the addition of a beetle bank did not provide a significant reduction in runoff, sediment losses or total phosphorus losses when compared to contour cultivation, suggesting only a marginal additional benefit. The economic implications for farmers of the different treatment options are investigated in order to assess their suitability for implementation at a field scale.

Soil CO2 emission as related to incorporation of sugarcane crop residues and aggregate breaking after rotary tiller

O preparo do solo é um dos processos que aceleram a decomposição da matéria orgânica, transferindo carbono para atmosfera, principalmente na forma de CO2. Neste trabalho, investigou-se o efeito do preparo com enxada rotativa sobre as emissões de CO2 do solo durante 02 semanas após o preparo do solo, incluindo-se a presença de resíduos vegetais sobre a superfície. As emissões foram avaliadas por 15 dias após preparo em 3 parcelas: 1) sem preparo e sem palha superficial (SPs); 2) preparo com enxada rotativa sem a presença de palha na superfície (ERs), e 3) preparo com enxada rotativa com a presença de palha superficial (ERc). As emissões provenientes da ERc foram superiores às demais (0,777 g CO2 m-2 h-1), sendo as menores emissões registradas na parcela SPs (0,414 g CO2 m-2 h-1). As emissões totais indicaram que a diferença de C-CO2 emitida à atmosfera corresponde a 3% do total de carbono adicional presente na palha, na parcela ERc, quando comparado à parcela ERs. O aumento da emissão da parcela SPs para ERs foi acompanhado de uma modificação na distribuição do tamanho de agregados, especialmente aqueles com diâmetro médio inferior a 2 mm. O aumento da emissão da parcela ERs para ERc esteve relacionado a uma diminuição da massa de palha na superfície, com fragmentação e incorporação da mesma no interior do solo. Quando se analisa a correlação linear entre emissão de CO2 versus temperatura e umidade do solo, somente a emissão da ERc foi significativamente correlacionada (p<0,05) à umidade do solo.

Dynamics of aggregate stability influenced by soil management and crop residues

The type of tillage and crop systems used can either degrade or cause a recovery of the structure of agricultural soils. The objective of this study was to determine the structural stability of the soil using mean weight diameter (MWD) of soil aggregates in three different periods of a succession of crops consisting of beans/cover plants/maize under no tillage (NT) and conventional tillage (CT) management systems. Soils were sampled at 0- to 5-cm and 5- to 15-cm depths in three periods (P1, P2, P3): 1) November 2002 (spring/summer), 2) April 2003 (beginning of autumn), and 3) December 2003 (end of spring/beginning of summer). Aggregate stability was determined by wet sieving. The effects of the tillage systems, vegetal residues, and sampling depths on the structural stability of the aggregates were assessed and then related to organic matter (OM) contents. Aggregate stability showed temporal variation as a function of OM contents and sampling period. No tillage led to high MWD values in all study periods. The lowest MWD values and OM contents were observed 4 months after the management of the residues of cover plants. This finding is consistent with the fact that at the time of the samplings, most of the OM had already mineralized. The residues of sunn-hemp, millet, and spontaneous vegetation showed similar effects on soil aggregate stability.

An image segmentation based on a genetic algorithm for determining soil coverage by crop residues

Determination of the soil coverage by crop residues after ploughing is a fundamental element of Conservation Agriculture. This paper presents the application of genetic algorithms employed during the fine tuning of the segmentation process of a digital image with the aim of automatically quantifying the residue coverage. In other words, the objective is to achieve a segmentation that would permit the discrimination of the texture of the residue so that the output of the segmentation process is a binary image in which residue zones are isolated from the rest. The RGB images used come from a sample of images in which sections of terrain were photographed with a conventional camera positioned in zenith orientation atop a tripod. The images were taken outdoors under uncontrolled lighting conditions. Up to 92% similarity was achieved between the images obtained by the segmentation process proposed in this paper and the templates made by an elaborate manual tracing process. In addition to the proposed segmentation procedure and the fine tuning procedure that was developed, a global quantification of the soil coverage by residues for the sampled area was achieved that differed by only 0.85% from the quantification obtained using template images. Moreover, the proposed method does not depend on the type of residue present in the image. The study was conducted at the experimental farm “El Encín” in Alcalá de Henares (Madrid, Spain).

Effect of nitrification inhibitors (DMPP and 3MP+ TZ) on soil nitrous oxide emissions from a sub-tropical vegetable production system in Queensland, Australia

The use of nitrification inhibitors, in combination with ammonium based fertilisers, has been promoted recently as an effective method to reduce nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from fertilised agricultural fields, whilst increasing yield and nitrogen use efficiency. Vegetable cropping systems are often characterised by high inputs of nitrogen fertiliser and consequently elevated emissions of nitrous oxide (N2O) can be expected. However, to date only limited data is available on the use of nitrification inhibitors in sub-tropical vegetable systems. A field experiment investigated the effect of the nitrification inhibitors (DMPP & 3MP+TZ) on N2O emissions and yield from a typical vegetable production system in sub-tropical Australia. Soil N2O fluxes were monitored continuously over an entire year with a fully automated system. Measurements were taken from three subplots for each treatment within a randomized complete blocks design. There was a significant inhibition effect of DMPP and 3MP+TZ on N2O emissions and soil mineral N content directly following the application of the fertiliser over the vegetable cropping phase. However this mitigation was offset by elevated N2O emissions from the inhibitor treatments over the post-harvest fallow period. Cumulative annual N2O emissions amounted to 1.22 kg-N/ha, 1.16 kg-N/ha, 1.50 kg-N/ha and 0.86 kg-N/ha in the conventional fertiliser (CONV), the DMPP treatment, the 3MP+TZ treatment and the zero fertiliser (0N) respectively. Corresponding fertiliser induced emission factors (EFs) were low with only 0.09 - 0.20% of the total applied fertiliser lost as N2O. There was no significant effect of the nitrification inhibitors on yield compared to the CONV treatment for the three vegetable crops (green beans, broccoli, lettuce) grown over the experimental period. This study highlights that N2O emissions from such vegetable cropping system are primarily controlled by post-harvest emissions following the incorporation of vegetable crop residues into the soil. It also shows that the use of nitrification inhibitors can lead to elevated N2O emissions by storing N in the soil profile that is available to soil microbes during the decomposition of the vegetable residues over the post-harvest phase. Hence the use of nitrification inhibitors in vegetable systems has to be treated carefully and fertiliser rates need to be adjusted to avoid excess soil nitrogen during the postharvest phase.