Mineralisation of soil organic carbon in two Andisols under oil palm: an incubation study into controlling factors
I. Goodrick A and P. N. Nelson A B
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Centre for Tropical Environment and Sustainability Science, James Cook University, PO Box 6811, Cairns Qld 4870, Australia.
B Corresponding author. Email: paul.nelson@jcu.edu.au
Soil Research 56(1) 105-112 https://doi.org/10.1071/SR16089
Submitted: 21 December 2016 Accepted: 22 July 2017 Published: 18 December 2017
Abstract
Understanding the factors controlling stability against mineralisation of soil organic matter is important for predicting changes in carbon stocks under changed environment or management. Soil carbon dynamics in oil palm plantations are little studied and have some characteristics that are unusual compared with other agricultural soils, such as high management-induced spatial variability and warm moist conditions. The aim of this work was to determine the factors controlling the mineralisability of the intermediate-stability carbon fraction of volcanic ash surface soils (0–5 and 15–20 cm depth) from oil palm plantations in Papua New Guinea. Soils with carbon contents of 2.2–35.2%, from areas with low and high organic matter inputs, were incubated for up to 812 days and soil respiration was measured periodically. Mean carbon turnover rates were 0.18–1.58, 0.07–0.23 and 0.03–0.07 a–1 on Days 54, 379 and 812 respectively. Turnover rate was initially (Day 54) correlated with pre-incubation total carbon content (r = 0.88), the ratio of permanganate-oxidisable carbon to total carbon (r = 0.62) and the ratio of oxalate-extractable Al and Fe to total carbon (r = –0.51 and –0.54 respectively), but the correlations decreased with time, being insignificant on Day 812. In the soils that had changed from C4 grassland 25 years previously, turnover rate was negatively correlated with δ13C, which increased with depth, but δ13C did not change significantly over the course of the incubation. Temperature sensitivity of mineralisation varied little, despite large differences in soil properties and changes in mineralisation rate. This suggested that turnover rates were affected to similar extents by biochemical recalcitrance and physical protection, as these two factors influence temperature sensitivity in opposing directions. Physico-chemical protection of organic matter appeared largely related to interaction with poorly crystalline Al and Fe oxides.
Additional keywords: decomposition, organic matter, organo-mineral interactions, protection, short range order minerals, temperature sensitivity.
References
Ayanaba A, Jenkinson DS (1990) Decomposition of carbon-14 labeled ryegrass and maize under tropical conditions. Soil Science Society of America Journal 54, 112–115.| Decomposition of carbon-14 labeled ryegrass and maize under tropical conditions.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Baldock JA, Skjemstad JO (2000) Role of the soil matrix and minerals in protecting natural organic materials against biological attack. Organic Geochemistry 31, 697–710.
| Role of the soil matrix and minerals in protecting natural organic materials against biological attack.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD3cXmsFSqu70%3D&md5=f49e68d94e8f9047e96875c39f87dd55CAS |
Baldock JA, Hawke B, Sanderman J, Macdonald LM (2013) Predicting contents of carbon and its component fractions in Australian soils from diffuse reflectance mid-infrared spectra. Soil Research 51, 577–595.
Beare MH, McNeill SJ, Curtin D, Parfitt RL, Jones HS, Dodd MB, Sharp J (2014) Estimating the organic carbon stabilisation capacity and saturation deficit of soils: a New Zealand case study. Biogeochemistry 120, 71–87.
| Estimating the organic carbon stabilisation capacity and saturation deficit of soils: a New Zealand case study.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BC2cXntFOlt7Y%3D&md5=e7bf1742001a4fcc96e6fb3d5ae25138CAS |
Bleeker P (1983). Soils of Papua New Guinea. Canberra: CSIRO, ANU.
Chander K, Goyal S, Mundra MC, Kapoor KK (1997) Organic matter, microbial biomass and enzyme activity of soils under different crop rotations in the tropics. Biology and Fertility of Soils 24, 306–310.
| Organic matter, microbial biomass and enzyme activity of soils under different crop rotations in the tropics.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DyaK2sXis1Kksbk%3D&md5=eeb3b1d2b3f468dde370eef96548e10eCAS |
Conant RT, Ryan MG, Ågren GI, Birge HE, Davidson EA, Eliasson PE, Evans SE, Frey SD, Giardina CP, Hopkins FM, Hyvönen R (2011) Temperature and soil organic matter decomposition rates–synthesis of current knowledge and a way forward. Global Change Biology 17, 3392–3404.
| Temperature and soil organic matter decomposition rates–synthesis of current knowledge and a way forward.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Davidson EA, Janssens IA (2006) Temperature sensitivity of soil carbon decomposition and feedbacks to climate change. Nature 440, 165–173.
| Temperature sensitivity of soil carbon decomposition and feedbacks to climate change.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD28XitFGitLo%3D&md5=26246b663f3a5fe8a86ed3e751885dd4CAS |
Don A, Schumacher J, Freibauer A (2011) Impact of tropical land-use change on soil organic carbon stocks – a meta-analysis. Global Change Biology 17, 1658–1670.
| Impact of tropical land-use change on soil organic carbon stocks – a meta-analysis.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Ellerbrock R, Gerke HH (2004) Characterizing organic matter of soil aggregate coatings and biopores by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. European Journal of Soil Science 55, 219–228.
| Characterizing organic matter of soil aggregate coatings and biopores by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Feller C, Beare MH (1997) Physical control of soil organic matter dynamics in the tropics. Geoderma 79, 69–116.
| Physical control of soil organic matter dynamics in the tropics.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DyaK2sXns1Cmu7k%3D&md5=fac0a525b9e9f32c3b59edec2e14f316CAS |
Giardina CP, Ryan MG (2000) Evidence that decomposition rates of organic carbon in mineral soil do not vary with temperature. Nature 404, 858–861.
| Evidence that decomposition rates of organic carbon in mineral soil do not vary with temperature.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD3cXjtVCrsL4%3D&md5=2af1afbceb9d8a5e2813be22ff7e5569CAS |
Gillabel J, Cebrian-Lopez B, Six J, Merckx R (2010) Experimental evidence for the attenuating effect of SOM protection on temperature sensitivity of SOM decomposition. Global Change Biology 16, 2789–2798.
| Experimental evidence for the attenuating effect of SOM protection on temperature sensitivity of SOM decomposition.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Goodrick I, Nelson PN, Banabas M, Wurster C, Bird MI (2015a) Soil carbon balance following conversion of grassland to oil palm. Global Change Biology. Bioenergy 7, 263–272.
| Soil carbon balance following conversion of grassland to oil palm.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BC2MXivVaqsLk%3D&md5=24f611d599beb9e5d4eec3e361511f8eCAS |
Goodrick I, Nelson PN, Nake S, Webb MJ, Bird MI, Huth N (2015b) Tree-scale spatial variability of soil carbon cycling in a mature oil palm plantation. Soil Research 54, 397–406.
| Tree-scale spatial variability of soil carbon cycling in a mature oil palm plantation.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Greenland DJ, Wild A, Adams D (1992) Organic matter dynamics in soils of the tropics- from myth to complex reality. ‘In Myths and science of soils of the tropics.’ (Eds R. Lal and PA Sanchez) pp. 17–33. SSSA (Special Publication Number 29. Soils Science Society of America Inc, American Society of Agronomy Inc, Madison, USA).
Grube M, Lin JG, Lee PH, Kokorevicha S (2006) Evaluation of sewage sludge-based compost by FT-IR spectroscopy. Geoderma 130, 324–333.
| Evaluation of sewage sludge-based compost by FT-IR spectroscopy.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD28XksVKltg%3D%3D&md5=016eedc55be4311704050b3cbb2a7fadCAS |
Hiradate S, Nakadai T, Shindo H, Yoneyama T (2004) Carbon source of humic substances in some Japanese volcanic ash soils determined by carbon stable isotopic ratio, δ13 C. Geoderma 119, 133–141.
| Carbon source of humic substances in some Japanese volcanic ash soils determined by carbon stable isotopic ratio, δ13 C.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD2cXptVChsQ%3D%3D&md5=b94966918f9163487c65f7c2016ff7cfCAS |
Kaiser M, Ellerbrock RH, Wulf M, Dultz S, Hierath C, Sommer M (2012) The influence of mineral characteristics on organic matter content, composition, and stability of topsoils under long-term arable and forest land use. Journal of Geophysical Research 117, G02018
| The influence of mineral characteristics on organic matter content, composition, and stability of topsoils under long-term arable and forest land use.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Kirschbaum MU (1995) The temperature dependence of soil organic matter decomposition, and the effect of global warming on soil organic C storage. Soil Biology & Biochemistry 27, 753–760.
| The temperature dependence of soil organic matter decomposition, and the effect of global warming on soil organic C storage.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DyaK2MXlsF2msrk%3D&md5=7dd044f2245a862cd9cd21161b7a93c5CAS |
Krull ES, Baldock JA, Skjemstad JO (2003) Importance of mechanisms and processes of the stabilisation of soil organic matter for modelling carbon turnover. Functional Plant Biology 30, 207–222.
| Importance of mechanisms and processes of the stabilisation of soil organic matter for modelling carbon turnover.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Lamade E, Bouillet JP (2005) Carbon storage and global change: the role of oil palm. Oléagineux Corps Gras Lipides 12, 154–160.
| Carbon storage and global change: the role of oil palm.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Lloyd J, Taylor JA (1994) On the temperature dependence of soil respiration. Functional Ecology 8, 315–323.
| On the temperature dependence of soil respiration.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Mikutta R, Kleber M, Torn MS, Jahn R (2006) Stabilization of soil organic matter: association with minerals or chemical recalcitrance? Biogeochemistry 77, 25–56.
| Stabilization of soil organic matter: association with minerals or chemical recalcitrance?Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD28XhsFCkur0%3D&md5=e2edfee9469219775f77abf111ffa344CAS |
Motavalli PP, Palm CA, Parton WJ, Elliott ET, Frey SD (1994) Comparison of laboratory and modeling simulation methods for estimating soil carbon pools in tropical forest soils. Soil Biology & Biochemistry 26, 935–944.
| Comparison of laboratory and modeling simulation methods for estimating soil carbon pools in tropical forest soils.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Nelson PN, Banabas M, Nake S, Goodrick I, Webb MJ, Gabriel E (2014a) Soil fertility changes following conversion of grassland to oil palm. Soil Research 52, 698–705.
| Soil fertility changes following conversion of grassland to oil palm.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BC2cXhslChtL7F&md5=553de0b84d834ebd2bab6d9437a846dbCAS |
Nelson PN, Webb MJ, Banabas M, Nake S, Goodrick I, Gordon J, O’Grady D, Dubos B (2014b) Methods to account for tree-scale variability in soil-and plant-related parameters in oil palm plantations. Plant and Soil 374, 459–471.
| Methods to account for tree-scale variability in soil-and plant-related parameters in oil palm plantations.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BC3sXhsVCisL%2FM&md5=fb9d28601457bee382965e653edae0edCAS |
Olmstead LB (1937) Some moisture relations of the soils from the Erosion Experiment Stations. Technical Bulletin No. 562. United States Department of Agriculture
Pang X, Zhu B, Lü X, Cheng W (2015) Labile substrate availability controls temperature sensitivity of organic carbon decomposition at different soil depths. Biogeochemistry 126, 85–98.
| Labile substrate availability controls temperature sensitivity of organic carbon decomposition at different soil depths.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BC2MXhs1emurvE&md5=90cdd215f441a85f8947b2b27ecb40ebCAS |
Rayment GE, Lyons DJ (2011) Soil chemical methods – Australasia. CSIRO Publishing, Collingwood.
Sayer J, Ghazoul J, Nelson P, Klintuni Boedhihartono A (2012) Oil palm expansion transforms tropical landscapes and livelihoods. Global Food Security 1, 114–119.
| Oil palm expansion transforms tropical landscapes and livelihoods.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Shoji S, Nanzyo M, Dahlgren RA (1994) Volcanic Ash Soils: Genesis, Properties and Utilization. (Vol. 21) Elsevier, Amsterdam.
Silverstein R, Webster F, Kiemle D (2005) ‘Spectrometric identification of organic compounds.’ (John Wiley & Sons)
Smith P (2006) Organic matter modelling. In ‘Encyclopedia of Soil Science’. (Ed. R. Lal) pp. 1196–1202. (CRC Press: Boca Raton)
Smith DR, Townsend TJ, Choy AW, Hardy IC, Sjogersten S (2012) Short term soil carbon sink potential of oil palm plantations. Global Change Biology. Bioenergy 4, 588–596.
| Short term soil carbon sink potential of oil palm plantations.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BC38XhsFWrtr7K&md5=f7160a7b004d73493fd435a358ec2a29CAS |
Steinbeiss S, Gleixner G, Antonietti M (2009) Effect of biochar amendment on soil carbon balance and soil microbial activity. Soil Biology & Biochemistry 41, 1301–1310.
| Effect of biochar amendment on soil carbon balance and soil microbial activity.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD1MXmtVGkurc%3D&md5=f135b2d20c6b2cfb1bf4f690befeae0eCAS |
Torn MS, Trumbore SE, Chadwick OA, Vitousek PM, Hendricks DM (1997) Mineral control of soil organic carbon storage and turnover. Nature 389, 170–173.
| Mineral control of soil organic carbon storage and turnover.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DyaK2sXmtVSrsr8%3D&md5=b1396dee0a897b16b6458cfa12ef1f85CAS |
Townsend AR, Vitousek PM, Desmarais DJ, Tharpe A (1997) Soil carbon pool structure and temperature sensitivity inferred using CO2 and 13CO2 incubation fluxes from five Hawaiian soils. Biogeochemistry 38, 1–17.
| Soil carbon pool structure and temperature sensitivity inferred using CO2 and 13CO2 incubation fluxes from five Hawaiian soils.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DyaK2sXkslymtb8%3D&md5=49b3f3da4791c7ed69913eda02af6d6aCAS |
Wang WJ, Dalal RC, Moody PW, Smith CJ (2003) Relationships of soil respiration to microbial biomass, substrate availability and clay content. Soil Biology & Biochemistry 35, 273–284.
| Relationships of soil respiration to microbial biomass, substrate availability and clay content.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD3sXhvFSltb8%3D&md5=16ed8b93461d00dc9c997340bf637abaCAS |
