Free Standard AU & NZ Shipping For All Book Orders Over $80!
Register      Login
Soil Research Soil Research Society
Soil, land care and environmental research
Shopping Cart: ( empty )
You are here: Home > Journals > SR > SR09122
RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 48(3)

Soil organic carbon and biological indicators in an Acrisol under tillage systems and organic management in north-eastern Brazil

Luiz F. C. Leite A C , Francisco C. Oliveira A , Ademir S. F. Araújo B , Sandra R. S. Galvão A , Janyelle O. Lemos A and Elzane F. L. Silva B
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Embrapa Mid-North, Av. Duque de Caxias, 5650, Teresina, PI 64006-220, Brazil.

B Universidade Federal do Piauí, Centro de Ciências Agrárias, Campus da Socopo, Teresina, PI, Brazil.

C Corresponding author. Email: luizf@cpamn.embrapa.br

Australian Journal of Soil Research 48(3) 258-265 https://doi.org/10.1071/SR09122
Submitted: 8 July 2009  Accepted: 17 December 2009   Published: 6 May 2010

Abstract

No-tillage and organic farming are important strategies to improve soil quality. This study aimed to quantify the effects of the tillage systems and organic management on total organic carbon (TOC), labile C (CL), and biological indicators in an Acrisol in north-eastern Brazil. Five systems were studied: NV, native vegetation; NT/ORG, no-tillage plus organic fertiliser; NT/CHE, no-tillage plus chemical fertiliser; NT/CHE/ORG, no-tillage plus organic and chemical fertiliser; CT/CHE, conventional tillage plus chemical fertiliser. Soil samples were collected in the 0–0.10 and 0.10–0.20 m depths. TOC stocks were higher in NT/CHE/ORG (0–0.10 m, 14.0 Mg/ha; 0.10–0.20 m, 13.0 Mg/ha) and NT/ORG (0–0.10 m, 12.6 Mg/ha; 0.10–0.20 m, 11.6 Mg/ha) than in CT/CHE and NV systems. CL stocks were higher in NT/ORG (3.61 Mg/ha) at 0–0.10 m and in NT/ORG, NT/CHE, and NT/CHE/ORG at 0.10–0.20 m. At 0–0.10 m, microbial biomass C content was higher in the NT/CHE/ORG (190 mg/kg) and NT/ORG (155 mg/kg). Soil microbial respiration rate was similar in all systems. However, qCO2 was higher in the NT/CHE and CT/CHE systems, suggesting a stress in the soil microbial biomass. No-tillage and organic management promoted positive changes in soil organic carbon and soil microbial properties and improved soil quality.

Additional keywords: carbon sequestration, microbial activity, microbial biomass, no-tillage, fertiliser.


Acknowledgments

Authors acknowledge CNPq (National Council of Research and Development, Brazil) for the respective fellowship awarded to Luiz F. C. Leite and Ademir S. F. Araújo.


References


Alef K (1995) Estimation of soil respiration. In ‘Methods in soil microbiology and biochemistry’. (Eds K Alef, P Nannipieri) pp. 464–470. (Academic Press: New York)

Amado TJC, Bayer C, Conceição PC, Spagnollo E, Campos BHC, Veiga M (2006) Potential of carbon accumulation in no-till soils with intensive use and cover crops in Southern Brazil. Journal of Environmental Quality 35, 1599–1607.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | PubMed | open url image1

Anderson JM, Domsch KH (1990) Application of ecophysiological quotients (qCO and qD) on microbial biomass from soils of different cropping histories. Soil Biology & Biochemistry 22, 251–255.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Anderson TH (2003) Microbial eco-physiological indicators to assess soil quality. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment 98, 285–293.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Andersson M, Kjoller A, Struwe S (2004) Microbial enzyme activities in leaf litter, humus and mineral soil layers of European forests. Soil Biology & Biochemistry 36, 1527–1537.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | open url image1

Aon MA, Colaneri AC (2001) Temporal and spatial evolution of enzymatic activities and physico-chemical properties in an agricultural soil. Applied Soil Ecology 18, 255–270.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Aparicio V, Costa JL (2007) Soil quality indicators under continuous cropping systems in the Argentinean Pampas. Soil & Tillage Research 96, 155–165.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Araújo ASF, Monteiro RTR, Abarkeli RB (2003) Effect of glyphosate on soil microbial activity of two Brazilian soils. Chemosphere 52, 799–804.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | PubMed | open url image1

Araújo ASF, Santos VB, Monteiro RTR (2008) Responses of soil microbial biomass and activity for practices of organic and conventional farming systems in Piauí state, Brazil. European Journal of Soil Biology 44, 225–230.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Bayer C, Martin-Neto I, Mielniczuk J, Pavinato A, Dieckow J (2006) Carbon sequestration in two Brazilian Cerrado soils under no-till. Soil & Tillage Research 86, 237–245.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Bayer C, Mielniczuk J, Martin-Neto L, Ernani PR (2002) Stocks and humification degree of organic matter fractions as affected by no-tillage on a subtropical soil. Plant and Soil 238, 133–140.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | open url image1

Behera N, Sahani U (2003) Soil microbial biomass and activity in response to Eucalyptus plantation and natural regeneration on tropical soil. Forest Ecology and Management 174, 1–11.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Bending GD, Turner MK, Jones JE (2002) Interactions between crop residue and soil organic matter quality and the functional diversity of soil microbial communities. Soil Biology & Biochemistry 34, 1073–1082.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | open url image1

Berner A, Hildermann I, Fließbach A, Pfinner L, Mader P (2008) Crop yield and soil fertility response to reduced tillage under organic management. Soil & Tillage Research 101, 89–96.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Blair GJ, Lefroy RDB, Lisle L (1995) Soil carbon fractions based on their degree of oxidation, and development of a carbon management index, for agricultural systems. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 46, 1459–1466.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Bremner JM (1996) Nitrogen total. In ‘Methods of soil analysis’. (Ed. DL Sparks) pp. 1085–1121. (SSA: Madison, WI)

Casida LE, Klein DA, Santoro T (1964) Soil dehydrogenase activity. Soil Science 98, 371–376.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | open url image1

Diekow J, Mileniczuk J, Knicker H, Bayer C, Dick DP, Kogel-Knaber I (2005) Soil C and N stocks as affected by cropping system and nitrogen fertilization in a southern Brazil Acrisol managed under no-tillage for 17 years. Soil & Tillage Research 81, 87–95.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Dodor DE, Tabatabai MA (2003) Amidohydrolases in soils as affected by cropping systems. Applied Soil Ecology 24, 73–90.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Fließbach A, Mader P (2000) Microbial biomass and size–density fractions differ between soils of organic and conventional agricultural systems. Soil Biology & Biochemistry 32, 757–768.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Freixo AA, de Machado PLOA, de Santos HP, Silva CA, de Fadigas FS (2002) Soil organic carbon and fractions of a Rhodic Ferrasol under the influence of tillage and crop rotation systems in southern Brazil. Soil & Tillage Research 64, 221–230.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Galantini J, Rosell R (2006) Long-term fertilization effects on soil organic matter quality a dynamics under different production systems in semiarid Pampean soils. Soil & Tillage Research 87, 72–79.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Hart PBS, August JA, West AW (1989) Long-term consequences of topsoil mining on select biological and physical characteristics of two New Zealand loessial soils under grazed pasture. Land Degradation 1, 77–88.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Hati KM, Swarup A, Singh D, Misra AK, Ghosh PK (2006) Long-term continuous cropping, fertilization and manuring effects on physical properties and organic carbon content of a sandy loam soil. Australian Journal of Soil Research 44, 487–495.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Herrick JE (2000) Soil quality: an indicator of sustainable land management? Applied Soil Ecology 15, 75–83.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Islam KR, Weil RR (1998) Microwave irradiation of soil for routine measurement of microbial biomass carbon. Biology and Fertility of Soils 27, 408–416.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | open url image1

Kandeler E , Murer E (1993) Aggregate stability and soil microbial processes in a soil with different cultivation. In ‘International Workshop on Methods of Research on Soil Structure/Soil Biota Interrelationships’. (Eds L Brussard, MJ Kooistra). Geoderma 56, 503–513.

Kong AYY, Six J, Bryant DC, Denison RF, Van Kessel C (2005) The relationship between carbon input, aggregation, and soil organic carbon stabilization in sustainable cropping systems. Soil Science Society of America Journal 69, 1078–1085.
|  CAS |
open url image1

Lagomarsino A, Moscatelli MC, Di Tizio A, Mancinelli R, Marinari S (2009) Soil biochemical indicators as a tool to assess the short-term impact of agricultural management on changes in organic C in a Mediterranean environment. Ecological Indicators 9, 518–527.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | open url image1

Lal R (2004) Soil carbon sequestration to mitigate climate change. Geoderma 123, 1–22.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | open url image1

Leite LFC, Mendonça ES, Machado PLOA (2007) Influence of organic and mineral fertilisation on organic matter fractions of a Brazilian Acrisol under maize/common bean intercrop. Australian Journal of Soil Research 45, 25–32.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | open url image1

Leite LFC, Mendonça ES, Machado PLOA, Matos ES (2003) Total C and N storage and organic C pools of a Red-Yellow Podzolic under conventional and no tillage at the Atlantic Forest Zone, south-eastern Brazil. Australian Journal of Soil Research 41, 717–730.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | open url image1

Mader P, Fließbach A, Dubois D, Gunst L, Fried P, Niggli U (2002) Soil fertility and biodiversity in organic farming. Science 296, 1694–1697.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | PubMed | open url image1

Majumder B, Mandal B, Bandyopadhyay PK, Gangopadhyay A, Mani PK, Kundu AL, Mazundar D (2008) Organic amendments influence soil organic carbon pools and rice–wheat productivity. Soil Science Society of America Journal 72, 775–785.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | open url image1

Marinari S, Mancinelli R, Campiglia E, Grego S (2006) Chemical and biological indicators of soil quality in organic and conventional farming systems in Central Italy. Ecological Indicators 6, 701–711.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Marland G, Garten CT, Post WM, West TO (2004) Studies on enhancing carbon sequestration in soils. Energy 29, 1643–1650.
|  CAS | Crossref |
open url image1

Melero S, Porras JCR, Herencia JF, Madejon E (2006) Chemical and biochemical properties in a silty loam soil under conventional and organic management. Soil & Tillage Research 90, 162–170.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Moebius-Clune B, van Es HM, Idowu OJ, Schindelbeck RR, Moebius-Clune DJ, Wolfe DW, Abawi GS, Thies JE, Gugino BK, Lucey R (2008) Long-term effects of harvesting maize stover and tillage on soil quality. Soil Science Society of America Journal 72, 960–969.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | open url image1

Morris DR, Gilbert RA, Reicosky DC, Gesch RW (2004) Oxidation potentials of soil organic matter in Histosols under different tillage methods. Soil Science Society of America Journal 68, 817–826.
|  CAS |
open url image1

Nannipieri P (Ed.) (1993) ‘Ciclo della sostanza organica nel suolo.’ (Pàtron: Bologna)

Powlson DS (1994) The soil microbial biomass: before, beyond and back. In ‘Beyond the biomass’. (Eds K Ritz, J Dighton, GE Giller) pp. 3–20. (John Wiley and Sons: Chichester, UK)

Sá JCM, Cerri CC, Dick WA, Lal R, Venske Filho SP, Piccolo MC, Feigl BE (2001) Organic matter dynamics and carbon sequestration rates for a tillage chronosequence in a Brazilian Oxisol. Soil Science Society of America Journal 65, 1486–1499. open url image1

Schnurer J, Rosswall T (1982) Fluorescein diacetate hydrolysis as a measure of total microbial activity in soil a litter. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 43, 1256–1261.
| PubMed |
open url image1

Sherrod LA, Peterson GA, Westfall DG, Ahuja LR (2005) Soil organic carbon pools after 12 years in no-till dryland agroecosystems. Soil Science Society of America Journal 69, 1600–1608.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | open url image1

Sparling GP, West AW (1988) A direct extraction method to estimate soil microbial C: Calibration in situ using microbial respiration and 14C labelled cells. Soil Biology & Biochemistry 20, 337–343.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | open url image1

Tejada M, Hernandez MT, Garcia C (2006) Application of two organic amendments on soil restoration: Effects on the soil biological properties. Journal of Environmental Quality 35, 1010–1017.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | PubMed | open url image1

Trevors JT (1984) Effect of substrate concentration, inorganic nitrogen, O2 concentration, temperature and pH on dehydrogenase activity in soil. Plant and Soil 77, 285–293.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | open url image1

Triberti L, Nastri A, Giordani G, Comellini F, Baldoni G, Toderi G (2008) Can mineral and organic fertilization help sequestrate carbon dioxide in cropland? European Journal of Agronomy 29, 13–20.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | open url image1

Tu C, Ristaino JB, Hu S (2006) Soil microbial biomass and activity in organic tomato farming systems: effects of organic inputs and straw mulching. Soil Biology & Biochemistry 38, 247–255.
|  CAS |
open url image1

Valpassos MAR, Cavalcante EGS, Cassiolato AM, Alves MC (2001) Effects of soil management systems on soil microbial activity, bulk density and chemical properties. Pesquisa Agropecuaria Brasileira 36, 1539–1545.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Vieira FCB, Bayer C, Zanatta JA, Dieckow J, Mielniczuk J, He ZL (2007) Carbon management index based on physical fractionation of soil organic matter in an Acrisol under long-term no-till cropping. Soil & Tillage Research 96, 195–204.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Whalen JK, Chang C, Olson BM (2001) Nitrogen and phosphorus mineralization potentials of soils receiving repeated annual cattle manure applications. Biology and Fertility of Soils 34, 334–341.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | open url image1

Whitbread AM, Lefroy RDB, Blair GJ (1998) A survey of the impact of cropping on soil physical and chemical properties in north-western New South Wales. Australian Journal of Soil Research 36, 669–681.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Willer H , Yussefi M (2004) ‘The world of organic agriculture: statistics and emerging trends.’ (International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements: Bonn, Germany)

Willer H , Yussefi M (2007) ‘The World of Organic Agriculture. Statistics and Emerging Trends 2007.’ 9th edn (International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements, IFOAM: Bonn, Germany, & Research Institute of Organic Agriculture, FiBL: Frick, Switzerland)

Winding A, Hund-Rinke K, Rutgers M (2005) The use of microorganisms in ecological soil classification and assessment concepts. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 62, 230–248.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | PubMed | open url image1

Yeomans JC, Bremner JM (1988) A rapid and precise method for routine determination of organic carbon in soil. Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis 19, 1467–1476.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | open url image1