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Advanced Studies of Soil Organic Matter and the Application of Sustainable Soil Management Practices

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Soil Conservation and Sustainability".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 January 2024) | Viewed by 13595

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Kristina Amalevičiūtė-Volungė

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Chemical Research Laboratory, Lithuanian Research Center for Agriculture and Forestry, Instituto al. 1, LT-58344 Akademija, Kėdainiai Distr., Lithuania
Interests: application of modern analytical and bioanalytical methods to investigate the variation in organic matter and its chemical properties; humus fractional composition of the mineral and organic soils as influenced by different agricultural use; management practices, and climate conditions
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Jonas Volungevičius

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Soil and Crop Management, Lithuanian Research Center for Agriculture and Forestry, Instituto al. 1, LT-58344 Akademija, Kėdainiai Distr., Lithuania
Interests: soil cover genesis and structure of natural and agroecosystems; research on soil formation and soil geography; soil profile diagnostics and classification; soil profile morphology and its anthropogenic transformation; development of ecological compensation functions of natural framework in agro-ecosystems; and physical and chemical properties of soil profiles
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Soil organic matter (SOM) is the most important soil component that ensures optimal soil physical and chemical properties and its high agroecological potential. The quality and quantity of soil organic matter in agricultural areas directly depends on the crop rotation, application of agrotechnical and agrochemical measures and their balance. This is referred to as an agrosystem. Those agrosystems, the application of which increases the amount of SOM, maintains the good physical properties of the soil and preserves the high agroecological potential of the soil, are known as sustainable soil management practices. These practices or the priorities of their application may differ depending on the agroecosystems in which they are applied, because they (the landscape territorial complex) are characterized by a specific relationship between agricultural and ecological land, relief, geological development, and history of the use of the territory, as well as the geoecological and agroecological potential of the soil (natural and formed productivity).

To achieve sustainable soil use and to solve the challenges of climate change, no till and reduced till are used as opposed to traditional tillage, and organic fertilizers are used as opposed to mineral ones with local fertilizers replacing imported ones. It is the local fertilizers that are mostly associated with the organic biomass present in the specific agroecosystem and the local administrative unit of the territory. Therefore, it is necessary to promote research into various ways of using organic biomass in agriculture (direct, greening, composting, digestate, etc.). In order to determine their role, not only for the amount of agricultural production, but, above all, for the quality of the soil properties and especially for the increase in and quality of the SOM, as well as the C:N, and HA:FA ratios.

The aim of this Special Issue is to reveal how different practices of soil use in agriculture and the use of organic fertilizers within them contribute to increasing the amount of SOM in the soil and improving its quality.

Suggested themes:

  • The differences in SOM content in different soils and its increase.
  • The differences in SOM quality in soils with different uses and quality improvement.
  • The effects of different organic fertilizers on SOM quantity and quality in soils.
  • Control of the mineralization and humification processes in mineral and organic soils.
  • The influence of tillage methods on the amount and quality of SOM in soils.
  • The application of different agrosystems in different agroecosystems to increase SOM content.
  • The use of anaerobic digestion waste as organic fertilizer to increase SOM content.
  • Fertility restoration of eroded soils using SOM enhancement techniques.

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following: soil organic carbon, soil organic matter, qualitative substance of humus, humic acids, influence of tillage on SOM, organic fertilizing, an the restoration of eroded soils.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Kristina Amalevičiūtė-Volungė
Dr. Jonas Volungevičius
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • soil organic matter
  • organic fertilizers
  • agrosystem
  • agroecosystem
  • sustainable soil management
  • liming
  • compost
  • anaerobic digestate
  • humification
  • mineralization

Published Papers (12 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 6293 KiB  
Article
High Spatiotemporal Remote Sensing Images Reveal Spatial Heterogeneity Details of Soil Organic Matter
by Qianli Ma, Chong Luo, Xiangtian Meng, Weimin Ruan, Deqiang Zang and Huanjun Liu
Sustainability 2024, 16(4), 1497; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16041497 - 09 Feb 2024
Viewed by 532
Abstract
Soil is the foundation of sustainable agricultural development. Soil organic matter (SOM) is a key indicator for characterizing soil degradation, and remote sensing has been applied in SOM prediction. However, the differences in SOM prediction from different remote sensing data and the ability [...] Read more.
Soil is the foundation of sustainable agricultural development. Soil organic matter (SOM) is a key indicator for characterizing soil degradation, and remote sensing has been applied in SOM prediction. However, the differences in SOM prediction from different remote sensing data and the ability to combine multi-source and multi-phase remote sensing data for SOM prediction urgently need to be explored. The following research employed Landsat-8, Sentinel-2, and Gaofen-6 satellite data, utilizing a random forest algorithm to establish a SOM prediction model. It aimed to explore the variations in SOM prediction capabilities among these satellites in typical black soil regions. Additionally, the study involved creating multi-phase synthetic images for SOM prediction using Landsat-8 and Sentinel-2 images captured during three years of bare soil periods. Finally, the research examined the ability to combine three satellites to construct high spatiotemporal remote sensing images for SOM prediction. The results showed that (1) using Landsat-8 and Sentinel-2 to extract the principal components of the three-year bare soil period to construct the multi-phase synthetic image for SOM prediction, higher prediction accuracies can be obtained compared with the single-phase images. (2) The highest accuracy can be obtained using multi-phase synthetic images and high spatial resolution images to construct high spatiotemporal remote sensing images and perform SOM prediction (R2 is 0.65, RMSE is 0.67%, MAE is 0.42%). (3) Simultaneously, high spatiotemporal remote sensing images can reach 2 m spatial resolution to reveal the spatial heterogeneity of SOM. The causes of SOM spatial anomalies can be determined after analysis combined with soil degradation information. In subsequent research, SOM prediction should focus more on multi-sensor collaborative prediction. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Studies of Soil Organic Matter and the Application of Sustainable Soil Management Practices)
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16 pages, 2709 KiB  
Article
Biochar-Assisted Phytoremediation Potential of Sewage Sludge Contaminated Soil
by Olga Anne, Ieva Mockevičienė, Danutė Karčauskienė, Regina Repšienė, Gintaras Šiaudinis, Karolina Barčauskaitė and Greta Žilė
Sustainability 2024, 16(1), 183; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16010183 - 24 Dec 2023
Viewed by 1081
Abstract
Environmental pollution caused by increasing levels of heavy metals (HM) is a pressing problem throughout the world. Phytoremediation is considered a prospective remediation approach for HM-contaminated soil, but more research is required to enhance remediation efficiency. Biochar is a promising bio-residue material that [...] Read more.
Environmental pollution caused by increasing levels of heavy metals (HM) is a pressing problem throughout the world. Phytoremediation is considered a prospective remediation approach for HM-contaminated soil, but more research is required to enhance remediation efficiency. Biochar is a promising bio-residue material that can be used for the sustainable remediation of heavy metal-contaminated soil. In this study, a pot experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of biochar from different bio-substrates (digestate, waste of biodiesel production from rapeseed, corn stalk) on HM (Cr, Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn) accumulation in buckwheat and white mustard cultivated in sewage sludge-contaminated soil. The total amount of HM in soil, plant above- and below-ground biomass, leachate, and bioconcentration and translocation factors were studied to explore the mechanism of how the different bio-substrates’ biochar affects HM accumulation in selected plants. It was observed that rapeseed biochar showed the greatest significant effect in reducing the HM content in soil, plant biomass, and lysimetric water. Meanwhile, the incorporation of digestate biochar significantly increased the HM content in all the soil-plant systems and affected the HM leaching from the soil. The concentration of HM in the leachate decreased from 2.5 to 10 times. It was determined that phytostabilization is the core process of HM accumulation in buckwheat, in contrast to mustard, where the mechanism is phytoextraction. This study confirmed that biochar addition enhances the phytoremediation efficiency in soil, which can potentially improve the development of ecofriendly in-situ bioremediation technology for HM-contaminated sites. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Studies of Soil Organic Matter and the Application of Sustainable Soil Management Practices)
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15 pages, 3515 KiB  
Article
Evaluation of Freshwater Using Chromatographic Analyses of Dissolved Organic Matter Data from the Hypertrophic River Vääna, Estonia
by Viia Lepane
Sustainability 2023, 15(24), 16819; https://doi.org/10.3390/su152416819 - 13 Dec 2023
Viewed by 515
Abstract
This study aims to investigate if high-resolution dissolved organic matter (DOM) data, obtained from water by chromatographic analyses, enable us to assess whether seasonal climate change and anthropogenic activities in the catchment area have an impact on the ecosystem’s sustainability. More specifically, the [...] Read more.
This study aims to investigate if high-resolution dissolved organic matter (DOM) data, obtained from water by chromatographic analyses, enable us to assess whether seasonal climate change and anthropogenic activities in the catchment area have an impact on the ecosystem’s sustainability. More specifically, the changes in the molecular properties of heterogeneous DOM from the hypertrophic River Vääna, Estonia, during the winter and spring seasons have been examined. The chromatographic HPLC method (HPLC-SEC), combined with UV-Vis spectroscopic detection, was used to characterize and fractionate DOM. Changes in several chromatographic/molecular parameters were investigated. The microbial-derived low-molecular-mass aromatic and heterocyclic compounds, humic substances (HS), and protein-like (PL) components were identified in the DOM. The HS to PL fractions ratio has been found to reflect the seasonal climatic change and can be applied as a potential environmental indicator. The River Vääna’s water was evaluated as sustainable, and even an anthropogenic impact was revealed. The results point out the usefulness of HPLC-SEC together with UV-Vis spectroscopy detection for climate change-related DOM studies in real environmental conditions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Studies of Soil Organic Matter and the Application of Sustainable Soil Management Practices)
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17 pages, 998 KiB  
Article
Evaluation of Soil Organic Carbon Stability in Different Land Uses in Lithuania
by Milda Muraškienė, Kęstutis Armolaitis, Iveta Varnagirytė-Kabašinskienė, Virgilijus Baliuckas and Jūratė Aleinikovienė
Sustainability 2023, 15(22), 16042; https://doi.org/10.3390/su152216042 - 17 Nov 2023
Viewed by 674
Abstract
The effective management of soil organic carbon (SOC) is highlighted as one of the strategies and cost-effective options for mitigating climate change, while soil nitrogen (N) often is specified as an essential element for plant growth. This study was conducted to evaluate basic [...] Read more.
The effective management of soil organic carbon (SOC) is highlighted as one of the strategies and cost-effective options for mitigating climate change, while soil nitrogen (N) often is specified as an essential element for plant growth. This study was conducted to evaluate basic soil physical, chemical, and microbial indicators in three major soil types dominated in Lithuania—Arenosols, Retisols, and Cambisols—under forest land, perennial grassland, and arable land. Furthermore, soil microbial biomass carbon (SMBC) and nitrogen (SMBN), their ratio, and soil microbial respiration (microbial CO2) next to SOC and total N were hypothesized to be important measures for assessing SOC stability under different land uses. Therefore, selected soil indicators were evaluated in the surface 0–10 and 10–20 cm mineral soil layers. The study results showed higher concentrations of SOC, N, SMBC, and SMBN, and soil microbial CO2 in forest land and perennial grasslands than in arable land. The higher SMBC/SOC and SNBN/TN ratios indicated a higher ability to accumulate SOC and N in forest land and grasslands. Higher SOC immobilization in forest land and higher N immobilization in arable land were both specified by the obtained SMBC:SMBN ratio. This study identified forest land followed by grassland as the best land management practice that addresses soil C sequestration through higher C immobilisation. Assessing soil in forest land as a control land use next to the agricultural land could be a reasonable soil management practice to evaluate C sequestration in the region. Additionally, it was assumed that evaluation of the SMBC and SMBN concentrations together with soil physical and chemical indicators allow for a more effective assessment of SOC stability. Taken together, these findings support recommendation to develop grassland (and especially forest land systems) through afforestation or within agroforestry system, without reducing the importance of the agricultural sector. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Studies of Soil Organic Matter and the Application of Sustainable Soil Management Practices)
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19 pages, 5149 KiB  
Article
Current Soil Degradation Assessment in the Thua Thien Hue Province, Vietnam, by Multi-Criteria Analysis and GIS Technology
by Son Hoang Nguyen, Dan Ngoc Nguyen, Nhung Nguyen Thu, Hai Hoang Pham, Hang Anh Phan and Cham Dinh Dao
Sustainability 2023, 15(19), 14276; https://doi.org/10.3390/su151914276 - 27 Sep 2023
Viewed by 859
Abstract
This article aims to provide a scientific basis for solutions to use soil cover for sustainable agricultural and rational forestry development. We used traditional methods such as survey and data collection; soil profile comparison method; vegetation indicator for soil degradation; determining the physical [...] Read more.
This article aims to provide a scientific basis for solutions to use soil cover for sustainable agricultural and rational forestry development. We used traditional methods such as survey and data collection; soil profile comparison method; vegetation indicator for soil degradation; determining the physical and chemical limiting factors of the soil; combined with the application of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology and the multi-criteria method (MCE) to conduct a soil degradation assessment for the Thua Thien Hue province, Vietnam. In this study, nine indicators affecting the current soil degradation were selected and then the single-dimensional maps were superimposed to form the current soil degradation map for the study area at a scale of 1/10,000. The study results show that: lightly degraded soil accounts for 48.81% of the total natural area of the study area; medium degradation accounts for 22.07%; and severe degradation accounts for 19.66%. The study results show that most of the soil in the study area is at a moderate to severe level of degradation and shows the need for synchronous implementation of reasonable solutions to prevent degradation and use soil sustainably in the Thua Thien Hue province, Vietnam. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Studies of Soil Organic Matter and the Application of Sustainable Soil Management Practices)
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14 pages, 2849 KiB  
Article
A Conceptual Approach to the Histosols Profile Morphology as a Risk Indicator in Assessing the Sustainability of Their Use and Impact on Climate Change
by Jonas Volungevicius and Kristina Amaleviciute-Volunge
Sustainability 2023, 15(18), 14024; https://doi.org/10.3390/su151814024 - 21 Sep 2023
Viewed by 948
Abstract
In the context of climate change, the questions of the sustainability of peat soil use are particularly relevant. The evaluation of changes in the properties of soils (including histosols) using chemical methods is expensive, thus, their application possibilities are limited. Analyzing the morphology [...] Read more.
In the context of climate change, the questions of the sustainability of peat soil use are particularly relevant. The evaluation of changes in the properties of soils (including histosols) using chemical methods is expensive, thus, their application possibilities are limited. Analyzing the morphology of histosol profiles would provide effective spatial analysis opportunities for assessing the extent of their anthropogenic transformation and impact on climate change. The key diagnostic horizons and their sequences for the identification of the risk group are the main results of the study. The analysis included 12 soil profiles, whose morphological structure was characterized using the WRB 2022 system of master symbols and suffixes for soil profile horizon descriptions. The analyzed profiles were excavated in forested (relatively natural), agricultural (agrogenized) and peat mining (technogenized) areas. The insights of this article in the discussion are based on the chemical analyses (pH KCl, N, P and K, soil organic carbon, dissolved organic carbon, mobile humus substance, humic and fulvo acids, C:N ratio and humification degree) of three histosol profiles. The main discussion is based on the results of the morphological analysis of the profiles. The results of this research allowed for the identification of a different structure of the histosol profile. The upper part of the histosol profile, which consists of O–H(a,e,i) horizons, indicates its naturalness. The murshic horizon (Hap) is the classic top horizon of the agricultural histosol profile, which is most affected by mineralization. The technogenized histosols have a partially destroyed profile, which is represented by the Ahτ/Haτ or only Haτ horizons at the top. The morphology of the histosol profile and the identification of the relevant horizons (Hap, Haτ and Ahτ) indicate its risks and presuppose a usage optimization solution. The most dangerous in the context of sustainable land use principles and climate change is the murshic horizon (Hap), which is uncovered after removing the horizon O. The risks of sustainable use of histosol are caused by measures that promote its microbiological activity, which is the maintenance of a drained state and cultivation. In the context of GHG emissions and sustainable use, the most favorable means would be the formation of the horizon O by applying perennial plants. Rewetting should be applied to those histosols whose removal from the agricultural or mining balance would provide maximum ecological benefits. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Studies of Soil Organic Matter and the Application of Sustainable Soil Management Practices)
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18 pages, 6052 KiB  
Article
Aftereffect of Seven Years of Straw Handling on Soil Sustainability and Vitality
by Arnoldas Jurys, Dalia Feizienė, Mykola Kochiieru, Renata Žvirdauskienė and Virginijus Feiza
Sustainability 2023, 15(17), 12816; https://doi.org/10.3390/su151712816 - 24 Aug 2023
Viewed by 676
Abstract
Straw, as organic material, contains macronutrients and a wide range of micronutrients. Properly treated straw can become a valuable source for soil improvement and crop nutrition needs. The field experiment was carried out at the Institute of Agriculture, Lithuanian Research Centre for Agriculture [...] Read more.
Straw, as organic material, contains macronutrients and a wide range of micronutrients. Properly treated straw can become a valuable source for soil improvement and crop nutrition needs. The field experiment was carried out at the Institute of Agriculture, Lithuanian Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry, in 2014–2021 on Cambisol. On a shallow ploughless tillage background, eight treatments were investigated: chopped straw + ammonium nitrate (CSA), chopped straw + ammonium nitrate + NPK (CSA+F), chopped straw + microorganisms (CSM), chopped straw + microorganisms + NPK (CSM+F), straw removed, not fertilized (SR), straw removed, fertilized (SR+F), chopped straw, not fertilized (CS), chopped straw, fertilized (CS+F). We hypothesized that treatment of straw with microbiological products in combination with mineral NPK fertilizers is a more efficient technology than treatment/non-treatment of straw with ammonium nitrate, either with or without NPK fertilizers. The aim of this work was to investigate the aftereffects of seven years use of mineral NPK fertilizers and bioproducts containing soil bacteria and microscopic fungi (Bacillus megaterium, Acinetobacter calcoaceticus, and Trichoderma reesei) in combination with straw management on soil sustainability (soil C sources, soil water release characteristics, pore-size distribution, aggregate stability, crop yielding capability) and soil vitality (CO2 exchange rate-NCER). It was revealed that NCER was highest in the treatment CSM+F (Bacillus megaterium, Acinetobacter calcoaceticus, and Trichoderma reesei + NPK). It was 32.95% higher than in CSA (chopped straw without fertilizers) and 45.34% higher than in CSA+F (chopped straw + ammonium nitrate + NPK). Bioproducts applied favored soil vitality in general by exhibiting higher soil microbiological activity. As a result, a healthy and more viable Cambisol produced a higher winter wheat grain yield. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Studies of Soil Organic Matter and the Application of Sustainable Soil Management Practices)
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14 pages, 2963 KiB  
Article
The Response of Retisol’s Carbon Storage Potential to Various Organic Matter Inputs
by Ieva Mockevičienė, Danutė Karčauskienė and Regina Repšienė
Sustainability 2023, 15(15), 11495; https://doi.org/10.3390/su151511495 - 25 Jul 2023
Viewed by 750
Abstract
Organic carbon sequestration and its quality in soil is a crucial aspect in maintaining the productivity of the soil and the whole ecosystem. The study examined the changes in soil organic carbon (SOC), its sequestration potential, and the mean effect size under various [...] Read more.
Organic carbon sequestration and its quality in soil is a crucial aspect in maintaining the productivity of the soil and the whole ecosystem. The study examined the changes in soil organic carbon (SOC), its sequestration potential, and the mean effect size under various long-term organic matter inputs in acid soil (Dystric Retisol). Cattle manure (CM 60 t ha−1) and various plant residues were used for the fertilization of acid and limed soil. The following treatments were included in the experimental design: (1) natural Retisol; (2) natural Retisol + CM; (3) natural Retisol + various plant residues; (4) calcium carbonate (CaCO3) at a 1.0 rate every five years); (5) CaCO3 + CM; (6) CaCO3 + various plant residues. The data demonstrated that the treatments including the use of organic material (CM and various plant residues) showed a greater SOC content accumulation with a storage of up to 0.2–0.6% more carbon in the topsoil. Alternative organic fertilizers had a detrimental impact when applied to unlimed soil, with a loss of 0.59 g kg−1 C per year. All the fertilization treatments significantly increased the SOC level with the mean effect size of 0.02–0.28, and the increase varied from 1.89% to 32.89%. This result suggested that liming, together with organic fertilizers, proved to be a relatively efficient approach to improving the soil’s health and quality. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Studies of Soil Organic Matter and the Application of Sustainable Soil Management Practices)
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14 pages, 3106 KiB  
Article
Improving Soil Properties by Sand Application in the Saline-Alkali Area of the Middle and Lower Reaches of the Yellow River, China
by Jian Wang, Chenxi Yang, Haiou Zhang and Juan Li
Sustainability 2023, 15(12), 9437; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15129437 - 12 Jun 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1033
Abstract
Excessive soil salinity is a problem that makes soil unusable for agriculture, and most current research focuses on either chemical supplements or water conservation measures. Nevertheless, more information is needed about how sand treatment affects soil quality. In this study, a field experiment [...] Read more.
Excessive soil salinity is a problem that makes soil unusable for agriculture, and most current research focuses on either chemical supplements or water conservation measures. Nevertheless, more information is needed about how sand treatment affects soil quality. In this study, a field experiment assessed the effect of sand application and cropping year on soil properties in an arid and semi-arid saline-sodic agricultural ecosystem. We found that sand application significantly improved the saline–alkali soil’s physical (i.e., pH, EC, TSC, BD), chemical (i.e., OC, AN, AP), and enzyme activity (i.e., Amy, Ure, Alp, Cat) properties, and that soil AN, AP, as well as TSC, were the crucial factors affecting soil properties. Simultaneously, soil properties gradually improved along with increasing cropping years, although these increases gradually became small. Our findings highlight the potential of sand as a soil supplement to enhance soil quality and structure in semi-arid agricultural ecosystems, especially when considering the cost. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Studies of Soil Organic Matter and the Application of Sustainable Soil Management Practices)
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14 pages, 2541 KiB  
Article
Trend for Soil CO2 Efflux in Grassland and Forest Land in Relation with Meteorological Conditions and Root Parameters
by Mykola Kochiieru, Agnė Veršulienė, Virginijus Feiza and Dalia Feizienė
Sustainability 2023, 15(9), 7193; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15097193 - 26 Apr 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1089
Abstract
The key process in understanding carbon dynamics under different ecosystems is quantifying soil CO2 efflux. However, this process can change annually as it depends on environmental variables. The results of this paper present the effects of root network, soil temperature, and volumetric [...] Read more.
The key process in understanding carbon dynamics under different ecosystems is quantifying soil CO2 efflux. However, this process can change annually as it depends on environmental variables. The results of this paper present the effects of root network, soil temperature, and volumetric water content on soil CO2 efflux, which were investigated on Retisol of two types of land uses in Western Lithuania in 2017–2019: forest and grassland. It was determined that the average soil CO2 efflux in the grassland was 32% higher than in the forest land. The CO2 efflux, average across land uses, tended to increase in the following order: 2017 < 2018 < 2019. Dry weather conditions with high temperatures during the vegetation period governed the soil CO2 efflux increase by 14%. Soil temperature (up to 20 °C) and volumetric water content (up to 23–25%) had a positive effect on the soil CO2 efflux increase on Retisol. We established that the root’s activity plays one of the main roles in the CO2 production rate—in both land uses, the soil CO2 efflux was influenced by the root length density and the root volume. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Studies of Soil Organic Matter and the Application of Sustainable Soil Management Practices)
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22 pages, 4571 KiB  
Article
The Impact of Profile Genesis and Land Use of Histosol on Its Organic Substance Stability and Humic Acid Quality at the Molecular Level
by Kristina Amaleviciute-Volunge, Jonas Volungevicius, Justinas Ceponkus, Rasa Platakyte, Ieva Mockeviciene, Alvyra Slepetiene and Viia Lepane
Sustainability 2023, 15(7), 5921; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15075921 - 29 Mar 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1613
Abstract
This study is designed to evaluate soil organic matter (SOM) quality indicators: molecular indicators of dissolved organic matter (DOM) and hydrophobicity of humic acid (HA), distribution of quantity in humified and labile fractions of histosols during renaturalization. The aim is to determine the [...] Read more.
This study is designed to evaluate soil organic matter (SOM) quality indicators: molecular indicators of dissolved organic matter (DOM) and hydrophobicity of humic acid (HA), distribution of quantity in humified and labile fractions of histosols during renaturalization. The aim is to determine the differences in the qualitative composition of humic acids at the molecular level, which are decided by the previous tillage and genesis, and to evaluate the impact of anthropogenization on the peat soil according to hydrophobicity, as well as to estimate the impact of soil genesis and removing peat layer. Soil samples were taken from the three Sapric Histosol (according to WRB2022) profiles and the 0–30 cm layer in three field replicates (Lithuania, Radviliskis mun.). Our study suggested that in the differently managed drained Sapric Histosol under renaturalization, the most significant changes occurred in the topsoil layer (0–30 cm), in which an increase in the content of SOM particles 106–2 µm in size. It is expedient to grow perennial grasses and legumes to maintain the soil organic carbon stability mobile humic acids to mobile fulvic acids ratio (MHA:MFA 0.83 to 0.86). An evaluation of the quality of HA (E4:E6) revealed their highest maturity in the unfertilized perennial grasses (3.88) and crop rotation (3.87) with grasses. The highest concentrations of hydrophilic groups (ratio of the C=O to O-H) were found in Sapric Histosol under deciduous hardwood forest (12.33). The lowest hydrophilicity (9.25 and 9.36) was of the crop rotation Sapric Histosol with removed peat layer. The most sustainable use of drained Sapric Histosol in the context of the sustainability and quality of its humus substances should be associated with the formation of perennial grass and clover grassland and the cultivation of deciduous hardwood. Therefore, the horizon forms on the top part of the profile, which protects deeper Histosolic material layers from its mineralization. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Studies of Soil Organic Matter and the Application of Sustainable Soil Management Practices)
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16 pages, 2538 KiB  
Article
Characterisation of Cellulolytic Bacteria Isolated from Agricultural Soil in Central Lithuania
by Arman Shamshitov, Francesca Decorosi, Carlo Viti, Flavio Fornasier, Gražina Kadžienė and Skaidrė Supronienė
Sustainability 2023, 15(1), 598; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15010598 - 29 Dec 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2608
Abstract
Characterisation and evaluation of soil bacteria were conducted in order to select the most potent strains that participate in the degradation of cellulose in unique agroecosystem and climatic conditions. Cellulolytic activity of soil bacteria was estimated using qualitative assays such as growth on [...] Read more.
Characterisation and evaluation of soil bacteria were conducted in order to select the most potent strains that participate in the degradation of cellulose in unique agroecosystem and climatic conditions. Cellulolytic activity of soil bacteria was estimated using qualitative assays such as growth on selective media followed by screening with Congo red, Gram’s iodine solution, confirmation test on Congo red agar, determination of enzyme production, and sugar utilisation pattern. A total of 159 soil cellulolytic bacterial strains were selected based on shape, size, and colony characteristics. According to the results of all three screening assays, sixty-four, thirty-eight and fifty-one isolates were able to degrade at some level of cellulose, respectively. Partial sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene of 64 bacterial strains obtained using sequences retrieved from the databases indicated the presence of cellulolytic bacteria represented by members of the phyla Actinobacteria (48.44%), followed by Firmicutes (32.81%), Proteobacteria (15.62%) and Bacteroidetes (3.13%). Determination of enzyme production showed that fifteen strains possess endoglucanases activity which ranged from 9.09 to 942.41 nanomoles of MUF (4-methylumbelliferone) mL. Likewise, β-glucosidase enzyme activity was determined in 23.4 % of all isolates. The sugar utilisation pattern of soil bacterial strains displayed the different capabilities of growth and utilisation on various carbon sources, which occur in lignocellulosic materials (cellulose, starch) or their hydrolysates (glucose, galactose, fructose, cellobiose, maltose, lactose, sucrose, trehalose). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Studies of Soil Organic Matter and the Application of Sustainable Soil Management Practices)
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