SOMPACS
| Start: | 01 July 2022 (External Call project) |
| Duration: | 36 |
| Aim: | Soil management effects on soil organic matter properties and carbon sequestration |
| Contact: | Coordinator Prof. Jerzy Weber, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences (UPWr), Poland Project communication representative Edyta Hewelke (edyta_hewelke@sggw.edu.pl |
The objectives of the SOMPACS are to disclose management practices enriching soils with the organic matter pools which are most resistant to microbial decomposition. For this purpose, soil samples from eight long-term field experiments with different soil management and cultivation systems (conventional tillage vs. no-tillage; mineral vs. organic fertilization; management with and without catch crop; arable land vs. grassland; and cultivated vs. noncultivated soils) are investigated. Field experiments include trials of increasing duration: 22-year (Lithuania); 26-year (Italy); 30-year (Poland, Ireland); 46-year (Poland); 54-year (Lithuania); 100-year (Poland) and 178-year Broadbalk experiment (UK). Experiments are also conducted on production fields, where additives stimulating the root growth (commercial humic products, biochar and biogas digestate) have been applied. The effects of these additives on the SOM content and yield are investigated also in plots of the selected long-term field experiments, as well as incubation studies on microbial decomposition of SOM and these additives.
In all field experiments plant productivity is analyzed and carbon stock to the depth of 1 m is evaluated. Additionally, the following investigations of SOM based on the state-of-the-art approaches are conducted: composition and stability of SOM by Py-GC-MS; aggregate size classes and C pools of increasing physico-chemical protection; microbiological properties (community level physiological profiling, selected functional genes involved in C and N cycles, microbiome and mycobiome analyses via next generation sequencing, genetic diversity using terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism); analysis of δ13C and δ15N of the separated SOM pools; enzymatic activity; soil water retention and soil water repellency; mineral composition of clay fraction; soil structure stability. The most recalcitrant SOM pool (humin) are isolated by different methods (extraction vs. separation in stable state) and examined for chemical composition and structure, using spectrometric and spectroscopic techniques (mass spectrometry, NMR, FTIR, EPR, UV-Vis-NIR, fluorescence). Cold water extractable C are determined to assess the potential C leaching and CO2 emissions from soil are measured directly under field conditions. The results obtained will be considered to link the humanistic/legal/socio-economic dimension of bringing natural sciences knowledge into the policy.
Polish part of the project is financed by the National Center of Research and Development under EJP SOIL Program (contract number: EJPSOIL/I/78/SOMPACS/2022).
Project partners
Country | Organization |
Germany | University of Rostock |
Ireland | Univeresity of Limerick |
Italy | Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II |
Lithuania | Vytautas Magnus University |
Poland | Warsaw University of Life Science SGGW |
Poland | Grupa Producentów Rolnych TERRA sp. z o.o. |
Poland | West Pomeranian University of Technology in Szczecin |
Poland | Institute of Agrophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences |
Poland | University of Wrocław |
United Kingdom | Rothamsted Research |
United States | University of Wyoming |
Call text
The objectives of the SOMPACS proposal are to disclose management practices enriching soils with the organic matter pools which are most resistant to microbial decomposition, and to specify these practices for various soil and climate conditions through Europe. Every soil, even intensively and organically fertilized for a long time, finally reaches an equilibrium state of soil organic matter (SOM) level, in which it content gains plateau. This equilibrium, however, depends on the SOM quality and may be raised by the pools most resistant to decomposition. The planned research will also aim on soil organic C balance, which is to optimize with the agrotechnical methods, as well as to identify the SOM stability depending on management and climatic conditions.
For this purpose, soil samples from eight long-term field experiments with different soil management and cultivation systems (conventional tillage vs. no-tillage; mineral vs. organic fertilization; management with and without catch crop; arable land vs. grassland; and cultivated vs. noncultivated soils) will be investigated. Field experiments will include trials of increasing duration: 22-year (Lithuania); 26-year (Italy); 30-year (Poland, Ireland); 46-year (Poland); 54-year (Lithuania); 100-year (Poland) and 178-year Broadbalk experiment (UK). Experiments will be also conducted on production fields, where, apart from most innovative cultivation methods, additives stimulating the root growth and at the same time providing very stable C will be applied (commercial humic products, biochar and biogas digestate). The effects of these additives on the SOM content and properties will be investigated in plots of the long-term field experiments, as well as incubation studies on microbial decomposition of SOM and these additives.
Parallel to soil sampling, plant productivity will be measured in all field experiments. Basic soil properties (texture; pH; TOC; TC; TN; TP; CEC; acidity; plant-available P, K, Mg) will be supplemented by the following investigations based on the state-of-the-art approaches: composition and stability of SOM by Py-MS; aggregate size classes and C pools of increasing physico-chemical protection; microbiological properties (community-level physiological profiling, selected functional genes involved in C and N cycles, microbiome and mycobiome analyses via next-generation sequencing, genetic diversity using terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism); analysis of δ13C and δ15N of the separated SOM pools; enzymatic activity; soil water retention and soil water repellency; mineral composition of clay fraction; soil structure stability. The most resistant SOM pools (humin) will be isolated by different methods (extraction vs. separation in a stable state) and examined for chemical composition and structure, using spectrometric and spectroscopic techniques (mass spectrometry, NMR, FTIR, EPR, UV-Vis-NIR, fluorescence). The C stocks in the soil will be evaluated and cold water extractable C will be determined to assess the potential C leaching and microbial availability. CO2 emissions from the soil will be measured directly under field conditions.
The conducted research will allow us to broaden the knowledge towards a better understanding of SOM transformation processes, with particular emphasis on the formation of pools most resistant to microbial decomposition. A closer understanding of the SOC persistence in top- and subsoil, as well as identifying site and climate-specific management practices that contribute to minimizing greenhouse gas emissions will show the possibilities to increase the stable SOM pools, thus improving the potential of C sequestration. The results obtained will be considered to link the humanistic/legal/socio-economic dimension, bringing natural sciences knowledge into the policy.
Articles about results from SOMPACS:
2024
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Weber J., Mielnik L., Leinweber P., Hewelke E., Kocowicz A., Jamroz E., Podlasiński M. The influence of different, long-term fertilization on the chemical and spectroscopic properties of soil organic matter. Agronomy, 2024, 24, 14, 837 https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy14040837
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Weber J., Jerzykiewicz M., Ukalska-Jarug A., Ćwieląg-Piasecka I., Jamroz E., Kocowicz A., Debicka M., Bekier J., Mielnik L., Bejger R., Grabusiewicz A. Properties of humin isolated from Polish arable soils - the most recalcitrant fraction of soil organic matter that prevent soil degradation. Land Degradation and Development, 2024. 35, 5, 2425-2436 https://doi.org.10.1002/ldr.5070
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Günther P., Garske B., Heyl K., Ekardt F. Carbon farming, overestimated negative emissions and the limits to emissions trading in land-use governance: the EU carbon removal certification proposal. Environmental Sciences Europe, 2024, 36, 72. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12302-024-00892-y
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Günther P., Ekardt F. The Priority of Nature-based over Engineered Negative Emission Technologies: Locating BECCS and DACCS within the Hierarchy of International Climate Law. Ecological Civilization, 2024, 1, 10004. https://doi.org/10.35534/ecolciviliz.2023.10004
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Smreczak B., Hewelke E., Kowalik M., Ukalska‒Jaruga A., Weber J. Rational management of agricultural soils under climate change. Soil Science Annual. 2024, 75(3), 193074, https://doi.org/10.37501/soilsa/193074
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Rudinskiene A., Marcinkeviciene A., Velicka R., Steponaviciene V. The Effects of Incorporating Caraway into a Multi-Cropping Farming System on the Crops and the Overall Agroecosystem. Agronomy, 2024, 14, 625, https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy14030625
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Steponaviciene V., Giedrius Žiuraitis G., Rudinskiene A., Jackeviciene K., Bogužas V. Long-Term Effects of Different Tillage Systems and Their impact on Soil Properties and Crop Yields. Agronomy, 2024, 14, 870, https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy14040870
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Weber J., Jamroz E., Mielnik L., Spaccini R., Kocowicz A., Ćwieląg-Piasecka I., Jerzykiewicz M., Parylak D., Dębicka M. Changes in the humin macromolecular structure resulting from the long-term catch-crop application. Molecules, 2024, 29(21), 5049, https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29215049
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Hewelke E., Mielnik L., Weber J., Perzanowska A., Jamroz E., Gozdowski D., Szacki P. Chemical and physical aspects of soil health resulting from long-term no-till management. Sustainability, 2024, 16, 9682, https://doi.org/10.3390/su16229682
2023
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Debicka M., Morshedizad M., Leinweber P. The Effects of Dissolved Organic Matter Derived from Agricultural Waste Materials on Phosphorus Sorption in Sandy Soils. Agriculture, 2023, 13, 2164. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture13112164
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Günther P., Ekardt F. Balancing climate goals and biodiversity protection: legal implications of the 30x30 target for land-based carbon removal. Frontiers in Climate, 2023, 5, 1 https://doi.org/10.3389/fclim.2023.1276606
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Steponaviciene V., Rudinskiene A., Žiuraitis G., ., Bogužas V. The Impact of Tillage and Crop Residue Incorporation Systems on Agrophysical Soil Properties. Plants, 2023, 12, 3386, https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12193386
2022
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Günther P., Ekardt F. Human Rights and Large-Scale Carbon Dioxide Removal: Potential Limits to BECCS and DACCS Deployment. Land, 2022, 11, 2153, www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/11/12/2153
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Drulis, P., Kriauciuniene, Z., Liakas, V. 2022. The Effect of Combining N-Fertilization with Urease Inhibitors and Biological Preparations on Maize Biological Productivity. Agronomy 2022, 12(10), 2264;
https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12102264https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/12/10/2264/htm - Skinuliene, L.; Marcinkeviciene, A.; Butkeviciene, L.M.; Steponaviciene, V.; Petrauskas, E.; Boguzas, V. Residual Effects of 50-Year-Term Different Rotations and Continued Bare Fallow on Soil CO2 Emission, Earthworms, and Fertility for Wheat Crops. Plants-Basel, 2022, 11(10).
https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/11/10/1279
- Drulis, P.; Kriaučiūnienė, Z.; Liakas, V. The Influence of Different Nitrogen Fertilizer Rates, Urease Inhibitors and Biological Preparations on Maize Grain Yield and Yield Structure Elements. Agronomy 2022, 12, 741.
https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12030741
- Rudinskienė, A.; Marcinkevičienė, A.; Velička, R.; Kosteckas, R.; Kriaučiūnienė, Z.; Vaisvalavičius, R. The Comparison of Soil Agrochemical and Biological Properties in the Multi-Cropping Farming Systems. Plants 2022, 11, 774.
https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11060774