Transformation of some organic matter components in organic soils exposed to drainage

• Published in: Turkish journal of agriculture and forestry Vol. 34; no. 3; pp. 245 - 256
• Main Authors: KALISZ, BARBARA, LACHACZ, ANDRZEJ, GLAZEWSKI, ROMAN
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: TÜBİTAK 01-01-2010
• Subjects: arazi ıslahı; carbon; degradation; histosol; Histosols; hot water treatment; humus; karbon; organic soils; organik topraklar; Poland; Polonya; reclamation; sıcak su işlemleri; Soil Science(General); Soil Water Management; Toprak Bilimi(Genel); Toprak, Su Yönetimi; yıkılma
• DOI: 10.3906/tar-0905-33
• EISSN: 1303-6173
• ISSN: 1303-6173; 1300-011X

In drained Histosols used as pastures or arable fields the muck-forming process transforms organic soil
formations into muck. The rush vegetation (Caricetum acutiformis and Glycerietum maximae) covering Histosols in the
organic matter accumulation stage is replaced by meadow vegetation (Molinietalia order). During sustained drainage
mucks are transformed into muck-like formations that contain less than 12% organic carbon. The aim of this study was
to report the changes in organic matter initiated by the muck-forming process. Soil organic matter was fractionated into
humic-acid carbon, fulvic-acid carbon, and humins. The amount of carbon susceptible to oxidation with KMn$O _4$ was also
determined and, based on these results, lability, carbon pool, and management indices were calculated. Additionally,
hot-water extractable carbon, corresponding to microbial biomass, was determined. The study's results show that the
muck-forming process caused a decrease in organic carbon and the concentration of total nitrogen, indicating a reduction
in carbon sequestration in the soils. The humin fraction was predominant in untransformed soils and was positively
correlated with clay, total nitrogen, and non-oxidizable carbon. Drainage of Histosols contributed to increasing the
solubility of humus compounds. The humification index, and the content of humic and fulvic acids was higher in drained
soils. Humic acids and fulvic acids content was 24% and 11%-12% of organic carbon, respectively. Muck formations
contained more humic acids than muck-like formations. Higher ΣCHCF:humins ratios were also observed in drained
soils. In muck-like formations this ratio was 0.91 (11-fold higher than in reference soils). Drainage contributed to an
increase in hot-water extractable carbon. Carbon indices were higher in mucks than in muck-like formations.