Effects of chemical and physical grassland renovation on the temporal dynamics of organic carbon stocks and water‐stable aggregate distribution in a sandy temperate grassland soil. (13th November 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Linsler, D.; Nüsse, A.; Buchen, C.; Helfrich, M.; Piepho, H.‐P.; Ludwig, B.
• Is Part Of: Soil use and management. Volume 34:Number 4(2018)
• Page Start: 490
• Page End: 499
• Publication Date: 2018-11-13
• Subjects: Grassland renewal -- herbicide application -- one‐time tillage -- seasonal dynamics; Soil management -- Periodicals; 631.4
• DOI: 10.1111/sum.12451
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0266-0032

Abstract

Abstract: Grassland renovation can be done physically by ploughing or chemically using herbicides, but information on influences of grassland renovation on soil structure is scarce. Our objective was to compare physically and chemically renovated grasslands and to quantify temporal variations of soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks, water‐stable aggregates and SOC stored in different aggregate fractions. Soil samples were taken on a sandy soil before ( T 0 ), 6 days ( T 6_days ), 2 ( T 2_mo ), 7 ( T 7_mo ) and 12 months ( T 12_mo ) after grassland renovation and in permanent grassland. Neither grassland renovation practice led to SOC losses in 0–10 cm after 12 months. The physical renovation led to an increase in microaggregates (53–250 μ m) in the surface soil between T 0 and T 6_days and to highest microaggregate concentrations in T 2_mo and T 7_mo. Therefore, ploughing seems to have direct negative effects on macroaggregates (10 mm–250 μ m) followed by indirect longer‐lasting negative effects which were nullified after 1 year. Chemical renovation resulted in no different aggregate distribution than permanent grassland. Strong temporal variations in aggregate distribution were found especially for large macroaggregates with lowest concentrations in T 6_days and 6.7‐ to 10.2‐fold higher concentrations in T 2_mo . A linear regression suggested that the soil gravimetric moisture content might have caused this observation.