Soil aggregation dynamics and carbon sequestration
Article Main
Abstract
The quantity and quality of residues determine the formation and stabilization of aggregate structure for soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration. Plant roots and residues are the primary organic skeleton to enmesh the inorganic particles together and build macro- and microaggregates while sequestering SOC. There are three major organic binding agents of aggregation: temporary (plant roots, fungal hyphae, and bacterial cells), transient (polysaccharides), and persistent (humic compounds and polymers). Conversion of natural ecosystems into agricultural lands for intensive cultivation severely depletes SOC pools. Magnitude of SOC sequestration in the soil system depends on the residence time of SOC in aggregates. Microaggregates are bound to old organic C, whereas macroaggregates contain younger organic material. Many techniques have been used to assess the SOC distribution in aggregates. Classical methods include SOC determination in aggregate fractions by wet and dry sieving of bulk soil. Isotopic methods including the determination of 13C and 14C with mass spectrometry are techniques to quantify the turnover and storage of organic materials in soil aggregates. Other techniques involve the use of computed tomography, X-ray scattering, and X-ray microscopy to examine the internal porosity and interaggregate attributes of macro- and microaggregates. Current state-of-knowledge has not unravelled completely the underlying complex processes involved in the sequestration, stability, dynamics, and residence times of SOC in macro- and microaggregates. There is a need to develop a unique conceptual model of aggregate hierarchy.
Article Details
Article Details
Keywords
Aggregation, Carbon sequestration, Soil organic carbon
References
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Bandyopadhyay, K.K., Misra, A.K., Ghosh, P.K. and Hati, K.M. (2010). Effect of integrated use of farmyard manure and chemical fertilizeres on soil physical properties and productivity of soybean. Soil Till. Res. 110: 115-125.
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Beare, M. H., Hendrix, P. F. and Coleman, D. C. (1994).Waterstable aggregates and organic matter fractions in conventional- and no-tillage soils. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., 58: 777–786.
Blanco-Canqui, H. and Lal, R. (2005). Aggregates: Tensile strength. In: Lal, R. Encyclopidia of Soil Science, Second Ed. CRC press.
Boutton, T. W. (1996). Stable carbon isotope ratios of soil organic matter and their use as indicators of vegetation and climate change. Pages 42–82 in T. W. Boutton and Yamasaki, Shin-ichi, eds. Mass spectrometry of soils. Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York, NY.
Bronick, C.J. and Lal, R. (2005). Soil structure and management: a review. Geoderma, 124: 3–22.
Buyanovsky, G. A., Aslam, M. and Wagner, G. H. (1994). Carbon turnover in soil physical fractions. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., 58: 1167–1173.
Cambardella, C.A. and Elliott, E.T. (1993). Carbon and nitrogen distribution in aggregates from cultivated and native grassland soils. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J.57:1071-1076.
Crawford, J. W., Matsui, N. and Young, I. M. (1995). The relation between the moisture- release curve and the structure of soil. J. Soil Sci. 46: 369–375.
Edwards, A. P. and Bremner, J. M. (1967). Microaggregates in soils. J. Soil Sci., 18: 65–73.
Emerson, W. W. 1959. The structure of soil crumbs. J. Soil Sci. 5: 235–244.
Gale, W. J. and Cambardella, C. A. (2000). Carbon dynamics of surface residue and root-derived organic matter under simulated no-till. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 64: 190–195.
Golchin, A., Baldock, J. A. and Oades, J. M. (1998). A model linking organic matter decomposition, chemistry, and aggregate dynamics. In: Soil Processes and the Carbon Cycle. pp. 245–266, Lal, R., Kimble, J. M., Follet, R. F., and Stewart B. A., Eds., CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL.
Greene, C. H. and Pershing, A. J. (2007). Climate drives sea change. Science 315, 1084–1085. (doi:10.1126/science.1136495)
Greenland, D. J. (1965). Interactions between clays and organic compounds in soils. Part II. Adsorption of soil organic compounds and its effect on soil properties. Soils and Fert. 28: 521–527.
IPCC (2007). Climate change impacts, adaptation and vulnerability. Working Group II. Geneva,Switzerland: IPCC.
Jastrow, J.D. (1996). Soil aggregate formation and the accrual of particulate and mineral-associated organic matter. Soil Biol. Biochem., 28: 665–676.
Kasper, M., Buchan, G.D., Mentler, A. and Blum W.E.H. (2009). Influence of soil tillage systems on the aggregate stability and the distribution of C and N in different aggregate fractions. Soil Till. Res., 105, 192-199.
Kelly, E. F., Amundson, R. G., Marino, B. D. and DeNiro, M. J. (1991). Stable carbon isotopic composition of carbonate in Holocene grassland soils. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., 55: 1651–1658.
Kemper, W.D. and Rosenau, R.C. (1986). Aggregate Stability and Size Distribution. In: Klute A, editor. Methods of soil analysis. Part 1. Physical and mineralogical methods. Madison, WI. p 425-42.
Kerr, R. A. (2007). Scientists tell policy makers we’re all warming the world. Sci. 315: 754–757.
Lal, R. (2004). Soil carbon sequestration impacts on global climate change and food security. Sci. 304: 1623–1627.
Lal, R., Kimble, J., Follet, R. and Cole, C. (1998). The potential of US cropland to sequester carbon and mitigate the greenhouse effect. Ann Arbor Press, Chelsea, MI.
Mamta Kumari, Chakraborty, D., Gathala, M. K., Pathak, H., Dwivedi, B.S., Tomar, R. K., Garg, R.N., Singh, R. and Ladha, J. K. (2011). Soil aggregation and associated organic carbon fractions as affected by tillage in a rice–wheat rotation in North India. SSSAJ 75:560-567.
Mayer, H., Mentler, A., Papakyriacou, M., Rampazzo, N., Marxer, Y. and Blum, W.E.H. (2002). Influence of vibration amplitude on ultrasonic dispersion of soils. Int. Agrophys. 16: 53-60.
Mentler, A., Staudinger, B. and Strauss, P. (2004). Determination of organic carbon (TOC), nitrogen (Nt) and phosphorus (Pt) in Stable soil aggregates fractionated by ultrasound dispersion method. In: From: IPW 4, Proc. 4th International Phosphorus Workshop—Critical Evaluation of Options for Reducing Phosphorus Loss from Agriculture. Wageningen, The Netherlands pp. 62.
Mermut, A. R., Amudson, R. and Cerling, T. E. (2000). The use of stable isotopes in studying carbonates dynamics in soils. Pages 65–85 in R. Lal, J. M. Kimble, H. Eswaran, and B. A. Stewart, eds. Global climate change and pedogenic carbonates. CRC Press LLC.
Oades, J. M. (1984). Soil organic matter and structural stability, mechanisms and implications for management. Plant Soil, 76: 319–337.
Paul, E.A., Paustian, K., Elliott, E.T. and Cole, C.V. (1997). Soil organic matter in temperate agroecosystems: Long-term Experiments in North America CRC Press, Boca Raton.
Perret, J. S., Prasher, S. O. and Kacimov, A. R. (2003). Mass fractal dimension of soil macropores using computed tomography: from the box-counting to the cube-counting algorithm. Eur. J. Soil Sci., 54: 569–579.
Puget, P., Chenu, C. and Balesdent. J. (1995). Total and young organic matter distributions in aggregates of silty cultivated soils. Eur. J. Soil Sci., 46: 449–459.
Rudrappa, L., Purakayastha, T.J., Singh, D. and Bhadraray, S. (2006). Long-term manuring and fertilization effects on soil organic carbon pools in a Typic Haplustept of semi-arid sub-tropical India. Soil Till Res., 88:180–192
Running, S. M. (2006). Is global warming causing more large wildfires? Sci. 313:927–928. (doi:10.1126/science. 1130370)
Sainju, U. M., Terrill, T. H., Gelaye, S. and Singh, B. P. (2003). Soil aggregation and carbon and nitrogen pools under rhizoma peanut and perennial weeds. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., 67: 146–155.
Schrag, D. P. (2007). Preparing to capture carbon. Sci. 315:812–813. (doi:10.1126/science.1137632)
Schutter,M. E. and Dick, R. P. (2002). Microbial community profiles and activities among aggregates of winter fallow and cover-cropped soil. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., 66: 142–153.
Shrestha, B.M., Sitaula B.K., Singh, B.R. and Bajracharya, R.M. (2004). Soil organic carbon stocks in soil aggregates under different land use systems in Nepal. Nutr Cycl Agroecosys, 70(2):201–213.
Six, J., Conant, R. T., Paul, E. A. and Paustian, K. (2002). Stabilization mechanisms of soil organic matter: implications for C-saturation of soils. Plant and Soil, 241: 155–176.
Six, J., Elliot, E.T., Paustian, K. and Doran, J.W. (1998). Aggregation and soil organic matter accumulation in cultivated and native grassland soils. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., 62:1367–1377.
Six, J., Elliott, E. T. and Paustian, K. (1999). Aggregate and soil organic matter dynamics under conventional and no-tillage systems. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., 63: 1350–1358.
Six, J., Paustian, K. Elliott, E. T. and Combrink, C. (2000). Soil structure and organic matter. I. Distribution of aggregatesize classes and aggregate associated carbon. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., 64: 681–689.
Tisdall, J. M. and Oades, J. M. (1982). Organic matter and water stable aggregates in soils. J. Soil Sci., 33: 141–163.
Tisdall, J.M. (1996). Formation of soil aggregates and accumulation of soil organic matter. In: Structure and Organic Matter Storage in Agricultural Soils. pp.57–96.
Wild, A. (1988). Russell’s soil conditions and plant growth. 11th ed., JohnWiley & Sons, Inc. New York.
Bandyopadhyay, K.K., Misra, A.K., Ghosh, P.K. and Hati, K.M. (2010). Effect of integrated use of farmyard manure and chemical fertilizeres on soil physical properties and productivity of soybean. Soil Till. Res. 110: 115-125.
Baver, L. D. and Gardner, W. H. (1972). Soil physics. Wiley Eastern Limited, New Delhi. pp. 498.
Beare, M. H., Hendrix, P. F. and Coleman, D. C. (1994).Waterstable aggregates and organic matter fractions in conventional- and no-tillage soils. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., 58: 777–786.
Blanco-Canqui, H. and Lal, R. (2005). Aggregates: Tensile strength. In: Lal, R. Encyclopidia of Soil Science, Second Ed. CRC press.
Boutton, T. W. (1996). Stable carbon isotope ratios of soil organic matter and their use as indicators of vegetation and climate change. Pages 42–82 in T. W. Boutton and Yamasaki, Shin-ichi, eds. Mass spectrometry of soils. Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York, NY.
Bronick, C.J. and Lal, R. (2005). Soil structure and management: a review. Geoderma, 124: 3–22.
Buyanovsky, G. A., Aslam, M. and Wagner, G. H. (1994). Carbon turnover in soil physical fractions. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., 58: 1167–1173.
Cambardella, C.A. and Elliott, E.T. (1993). Carbon and nitrogen distribution in aggregates from cultivated and native grassland soils. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J.57:1071-1076.
Crawford, J. W., Matsui, N. and Young, I. M. (1995). The relation between the moisture- release curve and the structure of soil. J. Soil Sci. 46: 369–375.
Edwards, A. P. and Bremner, J. M. (1967). Microaggregates in soils. J. Soil Sci., 18: 65–73.
Emerson, W. W. 1959. The structure of soil crumbs. J. Soil Sci. 5: 235–244.
Gale, W. J. and Cambardella, C. A. (2000). Carbon dynamics of surface residue and root-derived organic matter under simulated no-till. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 64: 190–195.
Golchin, A., Baldock, J. A. and Oades, J. M. (1998). A model linking organic matter decomposition, chemistry, and aggregate dynamics. In: Soil Processes and the Carbon Cycle. pp. 245–266, Lal, R., Kimble, J. M., Follet, R. F., and Stewart B. A., Eds., CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL.
Greene, C. H. and Pershing, A. J. (2007). Climate drives sea change. Science 315, 1084–1085. (doi:10.1126/science.1136495)
Greenland, D. J. (1965). Interactions between clays and organic compounds in soils. Part II. Adsorption of soil organic compounds and its effect on soil properties. Soils and Fert. 28: 521–527.
IPCC (2007). Climate change impacts, adaptation and vulnerability. Working Group II. Geneva,Switzerland: IPCC.
Jastrow, J.D. (1996). Soil aggregate formation and the accrual of particulate and mineral-associated organic matter. Soil Biol. Biochem., 28: 665–676.
Kasper, M., Buchan, G.D., Mentler, A. and Blum W.E.H. (2009). Influence of soil tillage systems on the aggregate stability and the distribution of C and N in different aggregate fractions. Soil Till. Res., 105, 192-199.
Kelly, E. F., Amundson, R. G., Marino, B. D. and DeNiro, M. J. (1991). Stable carbon isotopic composition of carbonate in Holocene grassland soils. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., 55: 1651–1658.
Kemper, W.D. and Rosenau, R.C. (1986). Aggregate Stability and Size Distribution. In: Klute A, editor. Methods of soil analysis. Part 1. Physical and mineralogical methods. Madison, WI. p 425-42.
Kerr, R. A. (2007). Scientists tell policy makers we’re all warming the world. Sci. 315: 754–757.
Lal, R. (2004). Soil carbon sequestration impacts on global climate change and food security. Sci. 304: 1623–1627.
Lal, R., Kimble, J., Follet, R. and Cole, C. (1998). The potential of US cropland to sequester carbon and mitigate the greenhouse effect. Ann Arbor Press, Chelsea, MI.
Mamta Kumari, Chakraborty, D., Gathala, M. K., Pathak, H., Dwivedi, B.S., Tomar, R. K., Garg, R.N., Singh, R. and Ladha, J. K. (2011). Soil aggregation and associated organic carbon fractions as affected by tillage in a rice–wheat rotation in North India. SSSAJ 75:560-567.
Mayer, H., Mentler, A., Papakyriacou, M., Rampazzo, N., Marxer, Y. and Blum, W.E.H. (2002). Influence of vibration amplitude on ultrasonic dispersion of soils. Int. Agrophys. 16: 53-60.
Mentler, A., Staudinger, B. and Strauss, P. (2004). Determination of organic carbon (TOC), nitrogen (Nt) and phosphorus (Pt) in Stable soil aggregates fractionated by ultrasound dispersion method. In: From: IPW 4, Proc. 4th International Phosphorus Workshop—Critical Evaluation of Options for Reducing Phosphorus Loss from Agriculture. Wageningen, The Netherlands pp. 62.
Mermut, A. R., Amudson, R. and Cerling, T. E. (2000). The use of stable isotopes in studying carbonates dynamics in soils. Pages 65–85 in R. Lal, J. M. Kimble, H. Eswaran, and B. A. Stewart, eds. Global climate change and pedogenic carbonates. CRC Press LLC.
Oades, J. M. (1984). Soil organic matter and structural stability, mechanisms and implications for management. Plant Soil, 76: 319–337.
Paul, E.A., Paustian, K., Elliott, E.T. and Cole, C.V. (1997). Soil organic matter in temperate agroecosystems: Long-term Experiments in North America CRC Press, Boca Raton.
Perret, J. S., Prasher, S. O. and Kacimov, A. R. (2003). Mass fractal dimension of soil macropores using computed tomography: from the box-counting to the cube-counting algorithm. Eur. J. Soil Sci., 54: 569–579.
Puget, P., Chenu, C. and Balesdent. J. (1995). Total and young organic matter distributions in aggregates of silty cultivated soils. Eur. J. Soil Sci., 46: 449–459.
Rudrappa, L., Purakayastha, T.J., Singh, D. and Bhadraray, S. (2006). Long-term manuring and fertilization effects on soil organic carbon pools in a Typic Haplustept of semi-arid sub-tropical India. Soil Till Res., 88:180–192
Running, S. M. (2006). Is global warming causing more large wildfires? Sci. 313:927–928. (doi:10.1126/science. 1130370)
Sainju, U. M., Terrill, T. H., Gelaye, S. and Singh, B. P. (2003). Soil aggregation and carbon and nitrogen pools under rhizoma peanut and perennial weeds. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., 67: 146–155.
Schrag, D. P. (2007). Preparing to capture carbon. Sci. 315:812–813. (doi:10.1126/science.1137632)
Schutter,M. E. and Dick, R. P. (2002). Microbial community profiles and activities among aggregates of winter fallow and cover-cropped soil. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., 66: 142–153.
Shrestha, B.M., Sitaula B.K., Singh, B.R. and Bajracharya, R.M. (2004). Soil organic carbon stocks in soil aggregates under different land use systems in Nepal. Nutr Cycl Agroecosys, 70(2):201–213.
Six, J., Conant, R. T., Paul, E. A. and Paustian, K. (2002). Stabilization mechanisms of soil organic matter: implications for C-saturation of soils. Plant and Soil, 241: 155–176.
Six, J., Elliot, E.T., Paustian, K. and Doran, J.W. (1998). Aggregation and soil organic matter accumulation in cultivated and native grassland soils. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., 62:1367–1377.
Six, J., Elliott, E. T. and Paustian, K. (1999). Aggregate and soil organic matter dynamics under conventional and no-tillage systems. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., 63: 1350–1358.
Six, J., Paustian, K. Elliott, E. T. and Combrink, C. (2000). Soil structure and organic matter. I. Distribution of aggregatesize classes and aggregate associated carbon. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., 64: 681–689.
Tisdall, J. M. and Oades, J. M. (1982). Organic matter and water stable aggregates in soils. J. Soil Sci., 33: 141–163.
Tisdall, J.M. (1996). Formation of soil aggregates and accumulation of soil organic matter. In: Structure and Organic Matter Storage in Agricultural Soils. pp.57–96.
Wild, A. (1988). Russell’s soil conditions and plant growth. 11th ed., JohnWiley & Sons, Inc. New York.
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Soil aggregation dynamics and carbon sequestration. (2013). Journal of Applied and Natural Science, 5(1), 250-267. https://doi.org/10.31018/jans.v5i1.314
