Initial aggregate formation and soil carbon storage from lipid-extracted algae amendment

1.
Texas A&M AgriLife Research, Texas A&M University, Lubbock, TX, USA
2.
Texas A&M AgriLife Research, Texas A&M University, Beeville, TX, USA
3.
Soil and Crop Sciences Department, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
4.
Ecosystem Science Management Department, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA

Received: 21 July 2017 Accepted: 22 November 2017 Published: 05 December 2017

Abstract
Full Text(HTML)

Soil organic C (SOC) storage results when organic matter inputs to soil exceed losses through decomposition, and is strongly influenced by organic matter effects on soil aggregation. We evaluated the initial effects of lipid-extracted algae (LEA), a byproduct of biofuel production, on soil aggregate formation and SOC storage. In situ field incubations were conducted by amending soil with (1) 1.5% LEA, (2) 3.0% LEA, (3) 1.5% LEA + 1.5% wheat straw (WS) and (4) soil plus inorganic N (140 kg ha⁻¹ NH₄NO₃) and P [112 kg ha⁻¹ Ca(H₂PO₄)₂·H₂O] as the control. Soil samples were collected 0, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months after treatment application at 0–5, 5–15, and 15–30 cm. Soil was separated into macroaggregate (>250 µm), microaggregate (250–53 µm), and silt and clay (<53 µm) fractions by dry-sieving, and mean weight diameter was calculated. Soils and soil fractions were analyzed to determine C concentrations and associated δ¹³C values. Mean weight diameter 12 months after 3.0% LEA application was greater than the 1.5% LEA + 1.5% WS addition at the 5–15 cm depth. Soil amended with 1.5% LEA, 3.0% LEA or 1.5% LEA + 1.5% WS resulted in greater SOC after 12 months for all soil size fractions and depths. δ¹³C indicated that most LEA-C was initially associated with the silt and clay fraction, but later became more strongly associated with the macro- and microaggregate fractions after 12 months. Soil application of LEA enhanced initial aggregate formation and SOC storage by increasing aggregate MWD and macro- and microaggregate associated SOC over time. As the world population grows and resources become more limited, use of alternative energy sources, soil conservation, and environmental protection must be top research priorities. Our research emphasized all three and demonstrated that LEA can enhance soil structure and C storage.
- soil organic carbon,
- carbon storage,
- aggregate stability,
- soil amendment,
- algal residue,
- bioenergy feedstock,
- wheat straw residue,
- organic matter,
- soil structure,
- stable carbon isotopic composition
Citation: Katie Lewis, Jamie Foster, Frank Hons, Thomas Boutton. Initial aggregate formation and soil carbon storage from lipid-extracted algae amendment[J]. AIMS Environmental Science, 2017, 4(6): 743-762. doi: 10.3934/environsci.2017.6.743

Related Papers:

Abstract

Soil organic C (SOC) storage results when organic matter inputs to soil exceed losses through decomposition, and is strongly influenced by organic matter effects on soil aggregation. We evaluated the initial effects of lipid-extracted algae (LEA), a byproduct of biofuel production, on soil aggregate formation and SOC storage. In situ field incubations were conducted by amending soil with (1) 1.5% LEA, (2) 3.0% LEA, (3) 1.5% LEA + 1.5% wheat straw (WS) and (4) soil plus inorganic N (140 kg ha⁻¹ NH₄NO₃) and P [112 kg ha⁻¹ Ca(H₂PO₄)₂·H₂O] as the control. Soil samples were collected 0, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months after treatment application at 0–5, 5–15, and 15–30 cm. Soil was separated into macroaggregate (>250 µm), microaggregate (250–53 µm), and silt and clay (<53 µm) fractions by dry-sieving, and mean weight diameter was calculated. Soils and soil fractions were analyzed to determine C concentrations and associated δ¹³C values. Mean weight diameter 12 months after 3.0% LEA application was greater than the 1.5% LEA + 1.5% WS addition at the 5–15 cm depth. Soil amended with 1.5% LEA, 3.0% LEA or 1.5% LEA + 1.5% WS resulted in greater SOC after 12 months for all soil size fractions and depths. δ¹³C indicated that most LEA-C was initially associated with the silt and clay fraction, but later became more strongly associated with the macro- and microaggregate fractions after 12 months. Soil application of LEA enhanced initial aggregate formation and SOC storage by increasing aggregate MWD and macro- and microaggregate associated SOC over time. As the world population grows and resources become more limited, use of alternative energy sources, soil conservation, and environmental protection must be top research priorities. Our research emphasized all three and demonstrated that LEA can enhance soil structure and C storage.

References

[1]	Schlesinger WH (1997) Biogeochemistry. Geotimes 42: 44.
[2]	Amundson R (2001) The carbon budget in soils. Annu Rev Earth Planet Sci 29: 535-562. doi: 10.1146/annurev.earth.29.1.535
[3]	Degens BP, Schipper LA, Sparling GP, et al. (2000) Decreases in organic C reserves in soils can reduce the catabolic diversity of soil microbial communities. Soil Biol Biochem 32: 189-196. doi: 10.1016/S0038-0717(99)00141-8
[4]	Karami A, Homaee M, Afzalinia S, et al. (2012) Organic resource management: impacts on soil aggregate stability and other soil physico-chemical properties. Agric Ecosyst Environ 148: 22-28. doi: 10.1016/j.agee.2011.10.021
[5]	Plante AF, McGill WB (2002) Soil aggregate dynamics and the retention of organic matter in laboratory-incubated soil with differing simulated tillage frequencies. Soil Till Res 66: 79-92. doi: 10.1016/S0167-1987(02)00015-6
[6]	Six J, Conant RT, Paul EA, et al. (2002) Stabilization mechanisms of soil organic matter: implication for C-saturation of soils. Plant Soil 241: 155-176. doi: 10.1023/A:1016125726789
[7]	Tisdall JM, Oades JM (1982) Organic matter and water-stable aggregates in soils. J Soil Sci 33: 141-163. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2389.1982.tb01755.x
[8]	Chivenge P, Vanlauwe B, Gentile R, et al. (2011) Comparison of organic versus mineral resource effects on short-term aggregate carbon and nitrogen dynamics in a sandy soil versus a fine textured soil. Agric Ecosyst Environ 140: 361-371. doi: 10.1016/j.agee.2010.12.004
[9]	Six J, Elliott ET, Paustian K (1999) Aggregate and soil organic matter dynamics under conventional and no-tillage systems. Soil Sci Soc Am J 63: 1350-1358. doi: 10.2136/sssaj1999.6351350x
[10]	Jastrow JD, Boutton TW, Miller RM (1996) Carbon dynamics of aggregate-associated organic matter estimated by carbon-13 natural abundance. Soil Sci Soc Am J 60: 801-807. doi: 10.2136/sssaj1996.03615995006000030017x
[11]	Wright AL, Hons FM (2005) Soil carbon and nitrogen storage in aggregates from different tillage and crop regimes. Soil Sci Soc Am J 69: 141-147.
[12]	Ghidey F, Alberts EE (1993) Residue type and placement effects on decomposition: field study and model evaluation. Trans ASAE 36: 1611-1617. doi: 10.13031/2013.28502
[13]	Franzluebbers AJ, Zuberer DA, Hons FM (1995) Comparison of microbiological methods for evaluating quality and fertility of soil. Biol Fert Soils 19: 135-140. doi: 10.1007/BF00336149
[14]	Rothlisberger-Lewis KL, Foster JL, Hons FM (2015) Soil carbon and nitrogen dynamics as affected by lipid-extracted algae application. Geoderma 262: 140-146.
[15]	Gelin F, Volkman J, Largeau C, et al. (1999) Distribution of aliphatic, nonhydrolyzable biopolymers in marine microalgae. Org Geochem 30: 147-159. doi: 10.1016/S0146-6380(98)00206-X
[16]	Poirier N, Derenne S, Rouzaud J, et al. (2000) Chemical structure and sources of the macromolecular, resistant, organic fraction isolated from a forest soil (Lacadee, south-west France). Org Geochem 31: 813-827. doi: 10.1016/S0146-6380(00)00067-X
[17]	Balesdent J, Mariotti A (1987) Natural ¹³C abundance as a tracer for studies of soil organic matter dynamics. Soil Biol Biochem 19: 25-30. doi: 10.1016/0038-0717(87)90120-9
[18]	Tieszen TJ, Boutton TW (1989) Stable carbon isotopes in terrestrial ecosystem research, In: Rundel PW et al. Stable isotopes in ecological research, Ecological studies 68, New York: Springer-Verlag, 167-195.
[19]	Boutton TW (1996) Stable carbon isotope ratios of soil organic matter and their use as indicators of vegetation and climate change, In: Boutton TW, Yamakaki S, Mass spectrometry of soils, New York: Marcel Dekker, 47-82.
[20]	Farquhar GD, Ehleringer JR, Hubick KT (1989) Carbon isotope discrimination and photosynthesis. Annu Rev Plant Physiol Plant Molec Biol 40: 503-537. doi: 10.1146/annurev.pp.40.060189.002443
[21]	Wada E, Ando T, Kumazawa K (1995) Biodiversity of stable isotope ratios, In: Wada E et al., Stable isotope in the biosphere, Japan: Kyoto University Press, 7-14.
[22]	Gerzabek MH, Pichlmayer F, Kirchmann H, et al. (1997) The response of soil organic matter to manure amendments in a long-term experiment in Ultuna, Sweden. Euro J Soil Sci 48: 273-282. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2389.1997.tb00547.x
[23]	O'Leary MH (1981) Carbon isotope fractionation in plants. Phytochem 20: 553-567. doi: 10.1016/0031-9422(81)85134-5
[24]	Solomon D, Fritzche F, Lehmann J, et al. (2002) Soil organic matter dynamics in the subhumid agroecosystems of the Ethiopian highlands: evidence from natural ¹³C abundance and particle-size fractionation. Soil Sci Soc Am J 66: 969-978. doi: 10.2136/sssaj2002.9690
[25]	Balesdent J, Mariotti A (1987) Natural ¹³C abundance as a tracer for studies of soil organic matter dynamics. Soil Biol Biochem 19: 25-30. doi: 10.1016/0038-0717(87)90120-9
[26]	Liao JD, Boutton TW, Jastrow JD (2006) Organic matter turnover in soil physical fractions following woody plant invasion of grassland: evidence from natural ¹³C and ¹⁵N. Soil Biol Biochem 38: 3197-3210. doi: 10.1016/j.soilbio.2006.04.004
[27]	Storer DA (1984) A simple high volume ashing procedure for determining soil organic matter. Comm Soil Sci Plant Anal 15: 759-772. doi: 10.1080/00103628409367515
[28]	McGeehan SL, Naylor DV (1998) Automated instrumental analysis of carbon and nitrogen in plant and soil samples. Comm Soil Sci Plant Anal 19: 493.
[29]	Schulte EE, Hopkins BG (1996) Estimation of soil organic matter by weight by weight loss-on-ignition, In: Magdoff FR, Tabatabai MA, Hanlon EA, Jr, Soil organic matter: analysis and interpretation, Wisconsin: Soil Sci Soc Am, 21-32.
[30]	Isaac RA, Johnson WC (1975) Collaborative study of wet and dry ashing techniques for the elemental analysis of plant tissue by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. J Assoc Off Anal Chem 58: 436-440.
[31]	Havlin JL, Soltanpour PN (1989) A nitric acid and plant digest method for use with inductively coupled plasma spectrometry. Commun Soil Sci Plant Anal 14: 969-980.
[32]	Van Soest PJ, Robertson JB, Lewis BA (1991) Methods for dietary fiber, neutral detergent fiber, and nonstarch polysaccharides in relation to animal nutrition. J Dairy Sci 74: 35-68.
[33]	AOAC (1990) Official methods of analysis. 15th ed, Virginia: Assoc Off Anal Chem.
[34]	Ankom, 2013. Method 8-determining acid detergent lignin in beakers. Available from: http://www.ankom.com/media/documents/Method_8_Lignin_in_beakers_3_13_13.pdf.
[35]	Mehlich A (1978) New extractant for soil test evaluation of phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, calcium, sodium, manganese, and zinc. Comm Soil Sci Plant Anal 9: 477-492. doi: 10.1080/00103627809366824
[36]	Mehlich A (1984) Mehlich-III soil test extractant: a modification of Mehlich-II extractant. Comm Soil Sci Plant Anal 15: 1409-1416. doi: 10.1080/00103628409367568
[37]	Lindsay WL, Norvell WA (1978) Development of a DTPA soil test for zinc, iron, manganese, and copper. Soil Sci Soc Am J 42: 421-428. doi: 10.2136/sssaj1978.03615995004200030009x
[38]	Chepil WS, Bisal F (1943) A rotary sieve method for determining the size distribution of soil clods. Soil Sci 56: 95-100. doi: 10.1097/00010694-194308000-00002
[39]	Kemper WD, Chepil WS (1965) Size distribution of aggregates, In: Black CA, et al., Methods of soil analysis, part I. 9th ed. Wisconsin: Am Soc Agron, 499-510.
[40]	Rhoades JD (1982) Soluble salts, In: Page AL, et al., Methods of soil analysis: part 2. Agronomy Monogr 9. 2nd ed. Wisconsin: Am Soc Agron and Soil Sci Soc Am, 167-178.
[41]	Coplen TB (1996) New guidelines for reporting stable hydrogen, carbon, and oxygen isotope-ratio data. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 60: 3359-3360. doi: 10.1016/0016-7037(96)00263-3
[42]	SAS Institute (2012) SAS system for Windows. Release 9.3, SAS Inst Inc, Cary, North Carolina USA.
[43]	Chivenge P, Vanlauwe B, Gentile R, et al. (2011). Organic resource quality influences short-term aggregate dynamics and soil organic carbon and nitrogen accumulation. Soil Biol Biochem 43: 657-666. doi: 10.1016/j.soilbio.2010.12.002
[44]	Whalen JK, Chang C (2002) Macroaggregate characteristics in cultivated soils after 25 annual manure applications. Soil Sci Soc Am J 66: 1637-1647. doi: 10.2136/sssaj2002.1637
[45]	Khaleel R, Reddy KR, Overcash MR (1981) Changes in soil physical properties due to organic waste applications: a review. J Environ Qual 10: 133-141.
[46]	Sun H, Larney FJ, Bullock MS (1995) Soil amendments and water-stable aggregation of a desurfaced dark brown chernozem. Can J Soil Sci 75: 319-325. doi: 10.4141/cjss95-046
[47]	Lynch DH, Voroney RP, Warman PR (2006) Use of ¹³C and ¹⁵N natural abundance techniques to characterize carbon and nitrogen dynamics in composting and in compost-amended soils. Soil Biol Biochem 38: 103-114. doi: 10.1016/j.soilbio.2005.04.022
[48]	Zhang H, Ding W, Luo J, et al. (2015) The dynamics of glucose-derived 13C incorporation into aggregates of a sandy loam soil following two-decade compost or inorganic fertilizer amendments. Soil Till Res 148: 14-19. doi: 10.1016/j.still.2014.11.010
[49]	Werth M, Kuzyakov Y (2010) ¹³C fractionation at the root-microorganisms-soil interface: A review and outlook for partitioning studies. Soil Biol Biochem 42: 1372-1384. doi: 10.1016/j.soilbio.2010.04.009
[50]	Cambardella CA, Elliott ET (1993). Carbon and nitrogen distribution in aggregates from cultivated and native grassland soils. Soil Sci Soc Am J 57: 1071-1076. doi: 10.2136/sssaj1993.03615995005700040032x
[51]	Bhattacharyya R, Prakash V, Kundu S, et al. (2010) Long-term effects of fertilization on carbon and nitrogen sequestration and aggregate associated carbon and nitrogen in the Indian sub-Himalayas. Nutr Cycl Agroecosyst 86: 1-16. doi: 10.1007/s10705-009-9270-y
[52]	Udom BE, Nuga BO, Adesodun JK (2016) Water-stable aggregates and aggregate-associated organic carbon and nitrogen after three annual applications of poultry manure and spent mushroom wastes. Appl Soil Ecol 101: 5-10. doi: 10.1016/j.apsoil.2016.01.007
[53]	Yousaf B, Liu G, Wang R, et al. (2017) Investigating the biochar effects on C-mineralization and sequestration of carbon in soil compared with conventional amendments using the stable isotope (delta C-13) approach. Glob Change Biol Bioenergy 9: 1085-1099. doi: 10.1111/gcbb.12401

Reader Comments

your name:*

Email:*
© 2017 the Author(s), licensee AIMS Press. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0)