Effect of liming and organic and inorganic fertilization on soil carbon sequestered in macro-and microaggregates in a 17-year old Pinus radiata silvopastoral system

• Published in: Journal of environmental management Vol. 150; pp. 28 - 38
• Main Authors: Mosquera-Losada, M.R., Rigueiro-Rodríguez, A., Ferreiro-Domínguez, N.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.03.2015; Academic Press Ltd
• Subjects: Agroforestry systems; Air pollution; canopy; Carbon; Carbon - chemistry; Carbon capture and storage; Carbon dioxide; Carbon emissions; Carbon Sequestration; carbon sinks; Clay; Coarsening; Environment management; Environmental management; Environmental Monitoring; Fertilization; fertilizer application; Fertilizers; Fertilizers - analysis; Forest resources; Forest soils; Forestry; Greenhouse effect; greenhouse gases; Humans; Kyoto Protocol; land management; Land use planning; liming; microaggregates; mineral fertilizers; Particle Size; pastures; Pinus; Pinus radiata; Reforestation; Sand; Sewage sludge; Silt; silvopastoral systems; Sludge; Soil (material); Soil - chemistry; soil density; soil depth; Soil organic carbon; Spain; Stores; trees; Clay; Silt; Sand; Soil organic carbon; Agroforestry systems
• ISSN: 0301-4797; 1095-8630; 1095-8630
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2014.10.015

Agroforestry systems have been recognized as a potential greenhouse gas mitigation strategy under the Kyoto Protocol because of their ability to absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and store carbon mainly in the soil. Soil particle size and land management practices are known to have a considerable influence on carbon storage in soils. This study evaluated changes in soil chemical and physical properties, and quantified and compared the amount of C stored in the bulk soil and in three different soil fractions (250–2000, 53–250 and <53 μm) at each of four soil depths (0–25, 25–50, 50–75 and 75–100 cm) in a silvopastoral system located on an acidic forest soil under Pinus radiata D. Don. Areas of this system were subjected ten years ago to one of nine fertilization treatments: three different doses of sewage sludge or no fertilization, all with or without the addition of lime, and mineral fertilizer with no liming. Seventeen years after reforestation and seven years after canopy closure, strong gradients with soil depth were found regarding soil bulk density, pH and carbon storage. Intense soil management (high doses of sewage sludge and liming) generally reduced soil carbon storage, mainly in coarse aggregates, but this could be compensated by the increase in tree and pasture development observed in soils subject to intermediate sewage sludge doses. •Soil C sequestration is affected by soil management and tree development.•Soil liming and fertilization reduce soil C sequestration.•Tree growth compensates the negative effect of lime and fertilization on soil C sequestration.