Soil organic carbon management studies

VandenBygaart AJ, Gregorich EG, Angers DA (2003) Influence of agricultural management on soil organic carbon a compendium and assessment of Canadian studies. Can J Soil Sci 83 363-380... 

According to the aim of the study, a data set of soil descriptors of d5mamic properties (Karlen et al, 2001) related to soil quality has been chosen, in conformity with the criteria proposed by Doran and Zeiss (2000). Since the main differences between the two soil management systems are supposed to be the input/output budget of nutritive elements (Intrigliolo et al, 2000) and the improvement of soil organic fertility and of environmentally linked attributes, the soil quality indicators chosen were related to soil carbon and nitrogen cycles (pools and processes) and to the availability of nutrients for the crop. 

Collected soil samples were analysed for C mineralisation by measuring C-CO2 production [mg(C-C02)xkg soii xd ] in the soil in potential conditions (Isermeyer, 1952), after the 1, T, 4 7 10 14 17 and 21 days. Cumulative C-CO2 mineralised after 1 (Ci), after 7 (C7) and 21 (C21) days were calculated for each soil sample. The kinetic study of organic carbon d5mamism was performed by fitting the cmnulated data into experimental curves by first order exponential equations Q = Co(l-e X This elaboration allowed to calculate the potentially mineralisable carbon Co [mg(C)xkg soii] and the kinetic constant k (days ) for each investigated soil. Mineralisation coefficients (Ci/TOC% and C2i/TOC%) were determined to obtain information on the mineralisation activity related to the various t5q)es of farming management. 

---