Journal
JOURNAL OF SOILS AND SEDIMENTS
Volume 14, Issue 6, Pages 1041-1049Publisher
SPRINGER HEIDELBERG
DOI: 10.1007/s11368-014-0859-7
Keywords
Carbon and nitrogen distribution; Cattle manure; Long-term experimentation; Solonetz; Water-stable aggregates
Categories
Funding
- Ecological Restoration and Resource Protection of Saline-Alkaline Soils in Western Songnen Plain of China [GA02C201-04]
- Open Research Fund of Key Laboratory on Utilization and Protection of Black Soil Resources [HT2012-08]
- Special Funds for Scientific Research on Public Causes [200903001-06-6]
- Special Fund for Innovation Talents in Harbin City [2011RFQYN049]
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Purpose Excessive exchangeable sodium and high pH significantly decrease soil structural stability and permeability. Long-term application of cattle manure is an important management practice that can affect water-stable aggregates (WSAs), as well as aggregate stability and distribution of soil organic carbon (SOC) and total nitrogen (TN) in solonetzic soils. Material and methods Experiments were carried out in a randomized complete block design comprising five treatments according to the cattle manure application history: corn (Zea mays) with manure applied for 1, 5, 12, and 17 years were used as the experimental treatments and corn without manure application was used as a control. Soil properties, including WSAs, mean weight diameter (MWD), and SOC and TN concentrations in bulk soils and WSAs, were measured across all treatments. The relationships among the measured soil attributes were determined using stepwise regression analysis. Results and discussion Results indicated that microaggregates mainly accumulated in soils without manure application, while manure application significantly increased macro-aggregates formation. MWD was highest when manure was applied to the soil for 1 year, decreased after 5 years, and increased again after 12 years. SOC and TN concentrations in bulk soils and WSAs increased with the number of years of manure application, with the highest concentrations observed for 17 years in bulk soils. Stepwise regression analysis showed that WSAs 2-5 mm, SOC in WSAs 0.25-0.5 mm, and TN in WSAs 0.1-0.25 mm were dominant independent variables affecting aggregate stability, and that SOC in WSAs 0.25-0.5 mm and TN in WSAs <0.1 mm were dominant independent variables affecting SOC and TN concentrations in bulk soils, respectively. Conclusions Long-term application of manure to a solonetz significantly increased macro-aggregates and aggregate stability as well as SOC and TN in bulk soils and all aggregate sizes. These results are likely related to binding agent production as well as C and N accumulation from manure application.
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