Effect of cover crop on carbon distribution in size and density separated soil aggregates

Increasing soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks in agricultural soils can contribute to stabilizing or even lowering atmospheric greenhouse gas (GHG) concentrations. Cover crop rotation has been shown to increase SOC and provide productivity benefits for agriculture. Here we used a split field design to evaluate the short-term effect of cover crop on SOC distribution and chemistry using a combination of bulk, isotopic, and spectroscopic analyses of size-and density-separated soil aggregates. Macroaggregates (\u3e250 µm) incorporated additional plant material with cover crop as evidenced by more negative δ13C values (−25.4%∘ with cover crop compared to −25.1%∘without cover crop) and increased phenolic (plant-like) resonance in carbon NEXAFS spectra. Iron EXAFS data showed that the Fe pool was composed of 17–21% Fe oxide with the remainder a mix of primary and secondary minerals. Comparison of oxalate and dithionite extractions suggests that cover crop may also increase Fe oxide crystallinity, especially in the dense (\u3e2.4 g cm−3) soil fraction. Cover crop δ13C values were more negative across density fractions of bulk soil, indicating the presence of less processed organic carbon. Although no significant difference was observed in bulk SOC on a mass per mass basis between cover and no cover crop fields after one season, isotopic and spectroscopic data reveal enhanced carbon movement between aggregates in cover crop soil

Evaluating biochar and its modifications for the removal of ammonium, nitrate, and phosphate in water

Removal of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) from water through the use of various sorbents is often considered an economically viable way for supplementing conventional methods. Biochar has been widely studied for its potential adsorption capabilities for soluble N and P, but the performance of different types of biochars can vary widely. In this review, we summarized the adsorption capacities of biochars in removing N (NH4-N and NO3-N) and P (PO4-P) based on the reported data, and discussed the possible mechanisms and influencing factors. In general, the NH4-N adsorption capacity of unmodified biochars is relatively low, at levels of less than 20 mg/g. This adsorption is mainly via ion exchange and/or interactions with oxygen-containing functional groups on biochar surfaces. The affinity is even lower for NO3-N, because of electrostatic repulsion by negatively charged biochar surfaces. Precipitation of PO4-P by metals/metal oxides in biochar is the primary mechanism for PO4-P removal. Biochars modified by metals have a significantly higher capacity to remove NH4-N, NO3-N, and PO4-P than unmodified biochar, due to the change in surface charge and the increase in metal oxides on the biochar surface. Ambient conditions in the aqueous phase, including temperature, pH, and co-existing ions, can significantly alter the adsorption of N and P by biochars, indicating the importance of optimal processing parameters for N and P removal. However, the release of endogenous N and P from biochar to water can impede its performance, and the presence of competing ions in water poses practical challenges for the use of biochar for nutrient removal. This review demonstrates that progress is needed to improve the performance of biochars and overcome challenges before the widespread field application of biochar for N and P removal is realized

The effect of mineral-ion interactions on soil hydraulic conductivity

The reuse of winery wastewater (WW) could provide an alternative water source for vineyard irrigation.The shift of many wineries and other food processing industries to K+-based cleaners requires studies onthe effects of K+on soil hydraulic conductivity (HC). Depending on clay content and mineral composition,K+additions can affect the HC either positively or negatively. Soil mineralogy was anticipated to exhibita strong influence on HC responses and, therefore, soils of contrasting mineralogy were evaluated forchanges in soil HC resulting from applications of solutions elevated in Na+and K+. To examine the impactof mineral-ion relationships on HC, soils dominant in montmorillonite, vermiculite, or kaolinite from theNapa and Lodi wine regions of California, were packed into soil columns to observe changes in leachatechemistry and HC. Irrigation with Na+- and K+-rich WW was simulated by applying solutions at sodiumabsorption ratio (SAR) values of 3, 6, and 9 and potassium absorption ratio (PAR) values of 1, 2, 4, and 9.While HC was reduced in the 2:1 clay soils (montmorillonite and vermiculite) for all SAR treatments, thevermiculite and the kaolinite rich soils exhibited equal or greater reductions in HC for PAR treatments, ascompared with the SAR treatments. Findings from this evaluation of the interaction of Na+and K+withthree different mineral soils suggest that the reuse of WW with increasing PAR are least problematic formontmorillonite dominated soils and most detrimental to the HC of the vermiculite dominated soil. Thepresence of minerals with a high affinity for K+(e.g., vermiculite, mica) in this soil suggest that the inter-layer binding of K+could lead to greater reductions in HC. Full analysis of soil and WW is recommendedprior to all land applications

Can conservation agriculture improve phosphorus (P) availability in weathered soils? Effects of tillage and residue management on soil P status after 9 years in a Kenyan Oxisol

The widespread promotion of conservation agriculture (CA) in regions with weathered soils prone to phosphorus (P) deficiency merits explicit consideration of its effect on P availability. A long-term CA field trial located on an acid, weathered soil in western Kenya was evaluated for effects of reduced tillage and residue retention on P availability. Reduced tillage and residues were hypothesized to increase soil aggregation, and as a result, reduce P sorption potential, increase labile and organic P (Po), and stimulate phosphatase activities. After 9 years (18 cropping seasons), residue management had no effect on soil aggregate mean weight diameter (MWD), soil P fractions, or phosphatase potential activities. However, reduced tillage increased soil MWD and labile soil P stocks at 0–15 cm depth. Total P was greater at 0–15 cm depth under reduced tillage, but not for 0–30 cm depth, indicating stratification of P under reduced tillage. Increases in total P at 0–15 cm depth were correlated with maximum P sorption (Pmax sorption), whereas labile P increased with MWD and Po stocks. Reduced tillage also decreased pH and increased Pmax sorption, but these properties were not correlated. Despite a positive association of MWD and Po, weak or no changes were observed for Po and phosphatase activities, nor were there management effects on soil C stocks. Low residue retention rates (2 t maize residue yr−1) and relatively small improvements in soil structure due to reduced tillage were likely insufficient to yield changes in Po. Fertilizer P inputs at recommended rates (60 kg P ha−1 per season) may have also muted treatment effects on organic P cycling, though phosphatase activities were positively correlated with inorganic P fractions. The reduced tillage component of CA offers some improvements in P availability in weathered soils of western Kenya. However, relatively low soil available P across treatments suggests that CA with P fertilization may not be an optimal P management strategy for weathered soils in this region

Transport of oxytetracycline, chlortetracycline, and ivermectin in surface runoff from irrigated pasture.

The transport of oxytetracycline, chlortetracycline, and ivermectin from manure was assessed via surface runoff on irrigated pasture. Surface runoff plots in the Sierra Foothills of Northern California were used to evaluate the effects of irrigation water application rates, pharmaceutical application conditions, vegetative cover, and vegetative filter strip length on the pharmaceutical discharge in surface runoff. Experiments were designed to permit the maximum potential transport of pharmaceuticals to surface runoff water, which included pre-irrigation to saturate soil, trimming grass where manure was applied, and laying a continuous manure strip perpendicular to the flow of water. However, due to high sorption of the pharmaceuticals to manure and soil, less than 0.1% of applied pharmaceuticals were detected in runoff water. Results demonstrated an increase of pharmaceutical transport in surface runoff with increased pharmaceutical concentration in manure, the concentration of pharmaceuticals in runoff water remained constant with increased irrigation flow rate, and no appreciable decrease in pharmaceutical runoff was produced with the vegetative filter strip length increased from 30.5 to 91.5 cm. Most of the applied pharmaceuticals were retained in the manure or within the upper 5 cm of soil directly beneath the manure application sites. As this study evaluated conditions for high transport potential, the data suggest that the risk for significant chlortetracycline, oxytetracycline, and ivermectin transport to surface water from cattle manure on irrigated pasture is low