Long term impact of organic amendments on forest soil properties under semiarid Mediterranean climatic conditions

Hueso-González, Paloma; Martínez-Murillo, Juan Francisco; Ruiz-Sinoga, José Damián

Abstract

Soil degradation affects more than 52 million ha of land in countries of the European Union (Hueso-González et al., 2016). This problema is particularly serious in Mediterranean areas, where the effects of anthropogenic activities (tillage on slopes, deforestation, and pasture production) add to problems caused by prolonged periods of drought and intense and irregular rainfall (Martínez-Murillo et al., 2016). Depending on the scale of study, soil organic carbón (SOC) dynamics in Mediterranean forests have been found to be particularly sensitive to factors related to seasonal changes in temperature and soil moisture (Casals et al., 2000; Eaton et al., 2008; Hueso-González et al., 2014). During dry periods in theMediterranean area, the lack of water entering the soil matrix reduces organic contributions to the soil (Parras-Alcántara et al., 2016). These processes lead to reduced soil fertility and soil loss (García-Orenes et al., 2010). Restoring the native vegetation is one of the most effective ways to control soil degradation in Mediterranean areas, especially in very degraded areas. In the initial months after afforestation, vegetation cover establishment and soil quality could be better sustained if the soil was amended with an external extra source of organic matter (Hueso-González et al., 2016). The goal of this study was to test the effect of various organic amendments on select soil properties over a 54-month period. Five amendments were applied in an experimental set of plots: straw mulching (SM), mulch with chipped branches of Aleppo Pine (Pinus halepensis L.; PM), sheep manure compost (SH), hydroabsorbent polymers (HP) and sewage sludge (RU). Plots were afforested following the same spatial pattern, and amendments were mixed with the soil at the rate 10Mg ha-1. Soil from the afforested plots was sampled in the following: (i) spring 2012 (6 months postafforestation); (ii) spring 2013(18 months postafforestation); (iii) spring 2014 (30 months postafforestation); (iv) spring 2015 (42 months postafforestation) and; (v) spring 2016 (54 months postafforestation). The sampling strategy for each plot involved the collection of four disturbed soil samples taken from the surface (0 to 10-cm depth). The soil properties analyzed were as follows: (i) soil organic carbon (SOC); (ii) pH; (iii) electrical conductivity (EC); (iv) aggregates stability (AS) and; (v) texture (TE). Regarding to soil aggregate stability, 54 month after the afforestation, the percentage of stable aggregates has increased slightly in all the treatments (HP, RU, PM, SM and SH) in relation to control. Specifically, the differences were recorded in the fraction of macroaggregates ( 0.250 mm). The largest increases have been associated with SM, PM and RU treatments. Although the SM, PM and RU treatments helped to maintain the SOC at high levels in the 54 months following application. Conversely, not significant differences relative to the control plots were found for the pH, EC or texture, 54 months following afforestation. To conclude, these results showed an increase in the SOC and the stability of the macroaggregates when soil is amended with sludge, pinus mulch and straw much. This fact has been due to an increase in the number cementing agents due to: (i) the application of pinus, straw and sludge had resulted in the release of carbohydrates to the soil; and thus (ii) it has favored the development of a protective vegetation cover, which has increased the number of roots in the soil and the organic contribution to it.

Long term impact of organic amendments on forest soil properties under semiarid Mediterranean climatic conditions

Author: Hueso-González, Paloma,Martínez-Murillo, Juan Francisco,Ruiz-Sinoga, José Damián

Year: 2017

Source: https://riuma.uma.es/xmlui/bitstream/10630/13729/1/EGU2017-15241.pdf

Geophysical Resea ch Abs ac s
Vol. 19, EGU2017-15241, 2017
EGU Gene al Assembly 2017
© Au ho (s) 2017. CC A ibu ion 3.0 License.
Long e m impac o o ganic amendmen s on o es soil p ope ies unde
semia id Medi e anean clima ic condi ions
Paloma Hueso González, Juan F ancisco Ma inez Mu illo, and Jose Damian Ruiz Sinoga
Depa men o Geog aphy, Uni e si y o Málaga, Spain ([email p o ec ed])
Soil deg ada ion a ec s mo e han 52 million ha o land in coun ies o he Eu opean Union (Hueso-González
e al., 2016). This p oblema is pa icula ly se ious in Medi e anean a eas, whe e he e ec s o an h opogenic
ac i i ies ( illage on slopes, de o es a ion, and pas u e p oduc ion) add o p oblems caused by p olonged pe iods
o d ough and in ense and i egula ain all (Ma ínez-Mu illo e al., 2016). Depending on he scale o s udy,
soil o ganic ca bón (SOC) dynamics in Medi e anean o es s ha e been ound o be pa icula ly sensi i e o
ac o s ela ed o seasonal changes in empe a u e and soil mois u e (Casals e al., 2000; Ea on e al., 2008;
Hueso-González e al., 2014). Du ing d y pe iods in heMedi e anean a ea, he lack o wa e en e ing he soil
ma ix educes o ganic con ibu ions o he soil (Pa as-Alcán a a e al., 2016). These p ocesses lead o educed
soil e ili y and soil loss (Ga cía-O enes e al., 2010). Res o ing he na i e ege a ion is one o he mos e ec i e
ways o con ol soil deg ada ion in Medi e anean a eas, especially in e y deg aded a eas. In he ini ial mon hs
a e a o es a ion, ege a ion co e es ablishmen and soil quali y could be be e sus ained i he soil was
amended wi h an ex e nal ex a sou ce o o ganic ma e (Hueso-González e al., 2016).
The goal o his s udy was o es he e ec o a ious o ganic amendmen s on selec soil p ope ies o e a
54-mon h pe iod. Fi e amendmen s we e applied in an expe imen al se o plo s: s aw mulching (SM), mulch
wi h chipped b anches o Aleppo Pine (Pinus halepensis L.; PM), sheep manu e compos (SH), hyd oabso ben
polyme s (HP) and sewage sludge (RU). Plo s we e a o es ed ollowing he same spa ial pa e n, and amendmen s
we e mixed wi h he soil a he a e 10Mg ha-1.
Soil om he a o es ed plo s was sampled in he ollowing: (i) sp ing 2012 (6 mon hs pos a o es a ion);
(ii) sp ing 2013(18 mon hs pos a o es a ion); (iii) sp ing 2014 (30 mon hs pos a o es a ion); (i ) sp ing 2015
(42 mon hs pos a o es a ion) and; ( ) sp ing 2016 (54 mon hs pos a o es a ion). The sampling s a egy o each
plo in ol ed he collec ion o ou dis u bed soil samples aken om he su ace (0 o 10-cm dep h). The soil
p ope ies analyzed we e as ollows: (i) soil o ganic ca bon (SOC); (ii) pH; (iii) elec ical conduc i i y (EC); (i )
agg ega es s abili y (AS) and; ( ) ex u e (TE).
Rega ding o soil agg ega e s abili y, 54 mon h a e he a o es a ion, he pe cen age o s able agg ega es
has inc eased sligh ly in all he ea men s (HP, RU, PM, SM and SH) in ela ion o con ol. Speci ically, he
di e ences we e eco ded in he ac ion o mac oagg ega es (≥0.250 mm). The la ges inc eases ha e been
associa ed wi h SM, PM and RU ea men s. Al hough he SM, PM and RU ea men s helped o main ain he SOC
a high le els in he 54 mon hs ollowing applica ion. Con e sely, no signi ican di e ences ela i e o he con ol
plo s we e ound o he pH, EC o ex u e, 54 mon hs ollowing a o es a ion. To conclude, hese esul s showed
an inc ease in he SOC and he s abili y o he mac oagg ega es when soil is amended wi h sludge, pinus mulch
and s aw much. This ac has been due o an inc ease in he numbe cemen ing agen s due o: (i) he applica ion
o pinus, s aw and sludge had esul ed in he elease o ca bohyd a es o he soil; and hus (ii) i has a o ed he
de elopmen o a p o ec i e ege a ion co e , which has inc eased he numbe o oo s in he soil and he o ganic
con ibu ion o i .
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