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Effect of soil macroaggregates crushing on C mineralization in a tropical deciduous forest ecosystem

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Abstract

Soil aggregates strongly influence C dynamics by affecting microbial activity. Our study tested the effect of soil crushing on C mineralization by laboratory incubation experiments of soil samples from a tropical deciduous forest ecosystem in Western Mexico. Soil samples were taken in January (dry season) and in October (rainy season). For each sampling date, the incubation experiment had a two factorial design with litter and macroaggregates (>250 μm) crushing as the main factors, both with two levels (with and without). At both sampling dates, the soil samples with intact macroaggregates had significantly higher C mineralization than the soil samples in which macroaggregates were crushed. The pH of leached solution was higher in the crushed soil samples than in uncrushed soil samples. The reduction of C mineralization caused by the disruption of soil aggregates is explained by the disturbance of environmental conditions within macroaggregates. The effect of macroaggregates crushing also reduced the differences of C mineralization between both seasons. We concluded that macroaggregates promote microbial activity by reducing the impact of variations in soil chemical and physical environmental conditions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centro de Investigaciones en Ecosistemas, UNAM, AP 27-3, Sta. María de Guido, 58090, Morelia, Michoacán, México

    Felipe García-Oliva

  2. Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Química, UNAM, 04510, México, D.F., México

    Magdalena Oliva & Biserka Sveshtarova

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  1. Felipe García-Oliva
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  2. Magdalena Oliva
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  3. Biserka Sveshtarova
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García-Oliva, F., Oliva, M. & Sveshtarova, B. Effect of soil macroaggregates crushing on C mineralization in a tropical deciduous forest ecosystem. Plant and Soil 259, 297–305 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1023/B:PLSO.0000020978.38282.dc

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