TY - JOUR
T1 - Long-term land use influences soil microbial biomass P and S, phosphatase and arylsulfatase activities, and s mineralization in a Brazilian oxisol
AU - Balota, Elcio L.
AU - Yada, Ines F.
AU - Amaral, Higo
AU - Nakatani, Andre S.
AU - Dick, Richard P.
AU - Coyne, Mark S.
PY - 2014
Y1 - 2014
N2 - Land use choices differentially affect soil physical and biological properties. Tillage choices in particular affect soil erosion, the retention of soil organic matter, and the biological activity that organic matter supports. The present study evaluated the consequences of different cropping and tillage systems (undisturbed forest, coffee plantation, conventional, and no-tillage row cropping) for soil microbial indicators and sulfur mineralization after 24years of cropping on an Oxisol (Typic Haplorthox) in an experimental area at Londrina, Brazil. Soil samples were taken at 0-5, 5-10, and 10-20cm depths and evaluated for microbial biomass P and S, S mineralization, and phosphatase and arylsulfatase activities. Land use affected microbial biomass P and S, and enzyme activity at all depths studied. The cultivated sites had lower values of microbial activity than the undisturbed forested site. Although the coffee site was not tilled and had high organic carbon content, there was low microbial activity, probably due to higher soil acidity and Al content. The estimates of pool stock for microbial P and annual P flux through the soil microbial biomass suggest that these pools are large enough to significantly affect plant nutrient availability. The greater microbial biomass and activity under forested and no-tillage sites may be attributed, at least partially, to higher organic matter content. The soil microbial variables examined proved to be strong indicators of soil sustainability.
AB - Land use choices differentially affect soil physical and biological properties. Tillage choices in particular affect soil erosion, the retention of soil organic matter, and the biological activity that organic matter supports. The present study evaluated the consequences of different cropping and tillage systems (undisturbed forest, coffee plantation, conventional, and no-tillage row cropping) for soil microbial indicators and sulfur mineralization after 24years of cropping on an Oxisol (Typic Haplorthox) in an experimental area at Londrina, Brazil. Soil samples were taken at 0-5, 5-10, and 10-20cm depths and evaluated for microbial biomass P and S, S mineralization, and phosphatase and arylsulfatase activities. Land use affected microbial biomass P and S, and enzyme activity at all depths studied. The cultivated sites had lower values of microbial activity than the undisturbed forested site. Although the coffee site was not tilled and had high organic carbon content, there was low microbial activity, probably due to higher soil acidity and Al content. The estimates of pool stock for microbial P and annual P flux through the soil microbial biomass suggest that these pools are large enough to significantly affect plant nutrient availability. The greater microbial biomass and activity under forested and no-tillage sites may be attributed, at least partially, to higher organic matter content. The soil microbial variables examined proved to be strong indicators of soil sustainability.
KW - Coffee
KW - No-tillage
KW - Phosphorus
KW - Soil management
KW - Soil quality
KW - Sulfur
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84905407286&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84905407286&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1002/ldr.2242
DO - 10.1002/ldr.2242
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84905407286
SN - 1085-3278
VL - 25
SP - 397
EP - 406
JO - Land Degradation and Development
JF - Land Degradation and Development
IS - 4
ER -