TY - JOUR

T1 - Relationship between soil clay mineralogy and carbon protection capacity as influenced by temperature and moisture

AU - Singh, Mandeep

AU - Sarkar, Binoy

AU - Biswas, Bhabananda

AU - Bolan, Nanthi S.

AU - Churchman, Gordon Jock

PY - 2017/6/1

Y1 - 2017/6/1

N2 - Environmental conditions like temperature and moisture could affect the carbon protection capacity of various clay types in soils. Using dominantly kaolinitic-illitic, smectitic and allophanic soils, we conducted systematic incubation experiments over 42 days at different temperatures (4, 22 and 37 °C) and moisture contents (30, 60 and 90% of water holding capacity (available water)). The basal respiration was monitored to study the relative effect of moisture contents and temperature on the carbon protection capacities and mechanisms of the three clay types. The results indicated that carbon decomposition increased with increasing moisture and temperature. A two-component quadratic equation could explain the carbon mineralisation process. The highest C respiration was observed at 37 °C with a 60% moisture level in each of the soil types. Under these conditions, the smectitic soil recorded the highest carbon decomposition followed by the kaolinitic-illitic and allophanic soils. The study of the priming effect using 14C labelled malic acid confirmed the trend of the bulk respiration results. The allophanic soil showed the lowest amount of carbon mineralisation under all experimental conditions. A strong inverse correlation (R2 = 0.90 at p < 0.05) was observed between CO2 emission rate and total sesquioxides (Fe and Al oxides) content. As evidenced by the pore size distribution, micromorphologies and thermogravimetric analyses, the microporous structure and microaggregate formation in the allophanic soil enhanced carbon sequestration. This study indicated that soil carbon stabilisation was related more to the sesquioxides content than to the clay types or their relative specific surface areas.

AB - Environmental conditions like temperature and moisture could affect the carbon protection capacity of various clay types in soils. Using dominantly kaolinitic-illitic, smectitic and allophanic soils, we conducted systematic incubation experiments over 42 days at different temperatures (4, 22 and 37 °C) and moisture contents (30, 60 and 90% of water holding capacity (available water)). The basal respiration was monitored to study the relative effect of moisture contents and temperature on the carbon protection capacities and mechanisms of the three clay types. The results indicated that carbon decomposition increased with increasing moisture and temperature. A two-component quadratic equation could explain the carbon mineralisation process. The highest C respiration was observed at 37 °C with a 60% moisture level in each of the soil types. Under these conditions, the smectitic soil recorded the highest carbon decomposition followed by the kaolinitic-illitic and allophanic soils. The study of the priming effect using 14C labelled malic acid confirmed the trend of the bulk respiration results. The allophanic soil showed the lowest amount of carbon mineralisation under all experimental conditions. A strong inverse correlation (R2 = 0.90 at p < 0.05) was observed between CO2 emission rate and total sesquioxides (Fe and Al oxides) content. As evidenced by the pore size distribution, micromorphologies and thermogravimetric analyses, the microporous structure and microaggregate formation in the allophanic soil enhanced carbon sequestration. This study indicated that soil carbon stabilisation was related more to the sesquioxides content than to the clay types or their relative specific surface areas.

KW - Clay minerals

KW - Fe and Al oxides

KW - Porous structure

KW - Priming effect

KW - Soil carbon mineralisation

KW - Thermogravimetric analysis

U2 - 10.1016/j.soilbio.2017.02.003

DO - 10.1016/j.soilbio.2017.02.003

M3 - Journal article

AN - SCOPUS:85012949998

VL - 109

SP - 95

EP - 106

JO - Soil Biology and Biochemistry

JF - Soil Biology and Biochemistry

SN - 0038-0717

ER -