Evaluation of carbon and nitrogen dynamics in different soil types amended with pig slurry, pig manure and its biochar by chemical and thermogravimetric analysis

• Published in: Biology and fertility of soils Vol. 51; no. 2; pp. 183 - 196
• Main Authors: Yanardağ, İbrahim Halil, Zornoza, R, Cano, A. Faz, Yanardağ, A. Büyükkılıç, Mermut, A. R
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer-Verlag 01-02-2015; Springer Berlin Heidelberg; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Agriculture; Ammonia; Animal wastes; biochar; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Carbon; Carbon dioxide; carbon nitrogen ratio; Charcoal; Fourier transforms; Hogs; Kastanozems; Life Sciences; Luvisols; Manures; Nitrification; Nitrogen; Organic matter; Original Paper; Pig manure; Regosols; Regression analysis; Slurries; soil amendments; soil chemical properties; Soil fertility; soil nutrient dynamics; soil organic carbon; Soil Science & Conservation; Soil types; Swine; Thermogravimetric analysis; thermogravimetry; Pig manure; Soil mineralization; Pig slurry; Thermogravimetric analysis; Biochar; FTIR
• ISSN: 0178-2762; 1432-0789
• DOI: 10.1007/s00374-014-0962-3

The objective of this study was to assess the short-term changes in soil organic C (SOC) and N pools after incubation of three different soil types (Regosol, Luvisol, and Kastanozem) treated with three amendments differing in organic matter stability (raw pig slurry (PS), manure, and biochar (BC). Both SOC and recalcitrant C (RC) contents increased at the end of incubation with BC applications in all soils. The manure increased SOC in Regosol and Luvisol and decreased the C/N ratio in all soils. PS only increased SOC in Regosol, but decreased C/N in all soils. Thermogravimetric analysis showed that all amendments significantly increased the labile SOC in Regosol, while BC significantly increased the recalcitrant fraction in all soils. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy suggested that amendments did not involve noticeable qualitative changes in the organic functional groups in any soil, only affecting band intensities. The release of CO₂with PS and manure additions were similar between Regosol, Luvisol, and Kastanozem despite differences in SOC content, suggesting mainly degradation of compounds provided with amendments rather than native SOC. Ammonia volatilization and nitrification of amendments was rapid and intense with the application of labile amendments such as PS and manure, overall in the Regosol. Thus, different soil types behave differently in response to amendment applications, being the Regosol more prone to alter SOC content and stability after applications, but releases more NH₃. BC was the only amendment promoting higher SOC concentrations and stability at the end of the incubation in all soils. There is a high interrelationship among chemical, thermal, and spectral data, assessed by regression analysis, suggesting that thermal and spectral analyses are not only complementary but may also replace conventional chemical techniques.