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Crop diversity effects on soil organic matter and nitrate retention in surface and subsoils
Leopold Center Completed Grant Reports
Project ID
E2015-17
Abstract
Much of the available soil organic carbon (SOC) is in subsoil, yet few studies have evaluated how crop rotation affects SOC below the plow layer. This project looks at whether crop rotations with greater belowground C inputs would increase SOC stocks by delivering C to subsoil with relatively low SOC levels.
Key Question
How do differences in above- vs. belowground allocation of plant carbon inputs, mediated by differences in crop rotation, affect the storage of soil organic carbon in surface- and subsoils?
Findings
Extended crop rotations had higher soil organic carbon concentrations than the simple rotations down to 1m depth in two of three long-term field experiments. The proportion of organic matter in different physical and chemical fractions was similar for simple and extended rotations. The rate of soil organic carbon storage over the last 12 years was greater at depth than at the surface, but was not affected by crop rotation.
Principal Investigator(s)
Michael Castellano
Principal Investigator(s) Bio
Michael Castellano is an assistant professor in ISU Agronomy. His research focuses on biogeochemical cycling and transport within the soil as it extends to the atmosphere and subsoil. He is a member of the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Taskforce and led development of a USDA-funded Midwest greenhouse gas monitoring network of corn-based cropping systems. He also is a member of an ISU task force that assists Des Moines Water Works in managing its nitrate-removal facility. He has degrees from the University of Rhode Island and Saint Louis University and a Ph.D. in soil science from Pennsylvania State University.
Co-Investigator(s)
Hanna Poffenbarger, Matthew Liebman
Year of Grant Completion
2017
Disciplines
Citation Information
Michael J. Castellano. "Crop diversity effects on soil organic matter and nitrate retention in surface and subsoils" (2017) Available at: http://works.bepress.com/castellano-michael/14/