Impact of agricultural management on soil aggregates and associated organic carbon fractions: analysis of long-term experiments in Europe

• DOI: 10.5194/soil-8-621-2022
• Publication Date: 2022-10-06T04:37:49Z
• Authors: Ioanna S. Panagea; Antonios Apostolakis; Antonio Berti; Jenny Bussell; Pavel Čermak; Jan Diels; Annemie Elsen; Helena Kusá; Ilaria Piccoli; Jean Poesen; Chris Stoate; Mia Tits; Zoltan Toth; Guido Wyseure
• Keywords: Topsoil; Crop Residue; Soil carbon; Conventional tillage

Abstract. Inversion tillage is a commonly applied soil cultivation practice in Europe, which often has been blamed for deteriorating topsoil stability and organic carbon (OC) content. In this study, the potential to reverse these negative effects by alternative agricultural management practices are evaluated seven long-term experiments (running from 8 54 years moment of sampling) five European countries (Belgium, Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy UK). Topsoil samples (0–15 cm) were collected analysed evaluate conservation (reduced no tillage) increased inputs different origin (farmyard manure, compost, crop residues) combined with inversion on stability, aggregates and, within these, OC distribution using wet sieving after slaking. Effects treatments two main components matter, i.e. particulate (POM) mineral associated (MAOM), also dispersion size fractionation. Reduced no-tillage practices, as well additions manure or mean weight diameter (MWD) (up 49 % at Belgian study site) 51 site), corresponding aggregate fractions. The incorporation residues had positive impact MWD but less profound effect both total aggregates. A relationship between mass content microaggregates (53–250 µm) was identified all experiments. There macroaggregates occluded (mM) macroaggregates, while contents more inputs. led POM mM, whereas did not affect it. where increased, (SOC) affected positively. We concluded that can be mitigated reducing intensity adding materials, optimally non-inversion methods.