Register      Login
Soil Research Soil Research Society
Soil, land care and environmental research
RESEARCH ARTICLE

Land use and management influences on surface soil organic carbon in Tasmania

W. E. Cotching A C , G. Oliver B , M. Downie B , R. Corkrey B and R. B. Doyle B
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture/School of Agricultural Science, University of Tasmania, PO Box 3523, Burnie, Tas. 7320, Australia.

B Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture/School of Agricultural Science, University of Tasmania, PO Box 54, Hobart, Tas. 7001, Australia.

C Corresponding author. Email: bill.cotching@gmail.com

Soil Research 51(8) 615-630 https://doi.org/10.1071/SR12251
Submitted: 3 September 2012  Accepted: 2 May 2013   Published: 17 June 2013

Abstract

The effects of environmental parameters, land-use history, and management practices on soil organic carbon (SOC) concentrations, nitrogen, and bulk density were determined in agricultural soils of four soil types in Tasmania. The sites sampled were Dermosols, Vertosols, Ferrosols, and a group of texture-contrast soils (Chromosol and Sodosol) each with a 10-year management history ranging from permanent perennial pasture to continuous cropping. Rainfall, Soil Order, and land use were all strong explanatory variables for differences in SOC, soil carbon stock, total nitrogen, and bulk density. Cropping sites had 29–35% less SOC in surface soils (0–0.1 m) than pasture sites as well as greater bulk densities. Clay-rich soils contained the greatest carbon stocks to 0.3 m depth under pasture, with Ferrosols containing a mean of 158 Mg C ha–1, Vertosols 112 Mg C ha–1, and Dermosols 107 Mg C ha–1. Texture-contrast soils with sandier textured topsoils under pasture had a mean of 69 Mg C ha–1. The range of values in soil carbon stocks indicates considerable uncertainty in baseline values for use in soil carbon accounting. Farmers can influence SOC more by their choice of land use than their day-to-day soil management. Although the influence of management is not as great as other inherent site variables, farmers can still select practices for their ability to retain more SOC.


References

Andrews SS, Karlen DL, Cambardella CA (2004) The Soil Management Assessment Framework. Soil Science Society of America Journal 68, 1945–1962.
The Soil Management Assessment Framework.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD2cXpvVCkurk%3D&md5=3231e9e4a63c66dd2081559fc43e3733CAS |

Baldock JA, Skjemstad JO (1999) Soil organic carbon/soil organic matter. In ‘Soil analysis: An interpretation manual’. (Eds KI Peverill, LA Sparrow, DJ Reuter) pp. 159–70. (CSIRO: Melbourne)

Baldock JA, Grundy MJ, Webb MJ, Wong MTF, Griffin T, Broos K (2009a) Building a foundation for soil condition assessment. CSIRO Land and Water Science Report Series, May 2009.

Baldock JA, Grundy M, Wilson P, Jacquier D, Griffin E, Chapman G, Hall J, Maschmet D, Crawford D, Hill J, Kidd D (2009b) Identification of areas within Australia with the potential to enhance soil carbon content. Report to Australian Government. CSIRO Land and Water, Glen Osmond, S. Aust.

Batjes NH (1996) Total carbon and nitrogen in the soils of the world. European Journal of Soil Science 47, 151–163.
Total carbon and nitrogen in the soils of the world.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DyaK28XlslKnsLo%3D&md5=62fea72d44fc60aa351c6a80e2000c9dCAS |

Bell MJ, Lawrence D (2009) Soil carbon sequestration – myths and mysteries. Report No. PR09-4345. Queensland Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries, Brisbane.

Bellamy PH, Loveland PJ, Bradley RI, Lark RM, Kirk GJD (2005) Carbon losses from all soils across England and Wales 1978–2003. Nature 437, 245–248.
Carbon losses from all soils across England and Wales 1978–2003.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD2MXpsleku70%3D&md5=ac6e224e66c0093635fe0c5a27a36cb0CAS | 16148931PubMed |

Bridge BJ, Bell MJ (1994) Effect of cropping on the physical fertility of krasnozems. Australian Journal of Soil Research 32, 1253–1273.
Effect of cropping on the physical fertility of krasnozems.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Cerri CC, Bernoux M, Arrouays D, Feigl BJ, Piccolo MC (2000) Carbon stocks in soils of the Brazilian Amazon. In ‘Global climate change and tropical ecosystems’. (Eds R Lal, JM Kimble, BA Stewart) pp. 33–50. (CRC Press: Boca Raton, FL)

Chan KY, Heenan DP (1999) Lime-induced loss of soil organic carbon and effect on aggregate stability. Soil Science Society of America Journal 63, 1841–1844.
Lime-induced loss of soil organic carbon and effect on aggregate stability.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD3cXhsFyrs7Y%3D&md5=a8dfc08a78016db01d6ecbdaa8e1a10eCAS |

Chilvers WJ (1996) ‘Managing Tasmania’s cropping soils—a practical guide for farmers.’ (Department of Primary Industry and Fisheries: Tasmania)

Christensen BT, Johnston AE (1997) Soil organic matter and soil quality—lessons learned from long-term experiments at Askov and Rothamsted. In ‘Soil quality for crop production and ecosystem health’. (Eds Gregorich EG, Carter MR) pp. 399–430. (Elsevier Science: Amsterdam)

Cong RH, Wang KJ, Xu MG, Zhang WJ, Xie LJ, Yang XY, Huang SM, Wang BR (2012) Dynamics of soil carbon to nitrogen ratio changes under long-term fertilizer addition in wheat-corn double cropping systems of China. European Journal of Soil Science 63, 341–350.
Dynamics of soil carbon to nitrogen ratio changes under long-term fertilizer addition in wheat-corn double cropping systems of China.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BC38XhtFWhu7fI&md5=bed6f2564f4529c70f5cef4d96ba52eeCAS |

Cotching WE (1995) A review of the challenges for long term management of krasnozems in Australia. Australian Journal of Soil and Water Conservation 8, 18–27.

Cotching WE (2012) Carbon stocks in Tasmanian soils. Soil Research 50, 83–90.
Carbon stocks in Tasmanian soils.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Cotching WE, Cooper J, Sparrow LA, McCorkell BE, Rowley W (2001) Effects of agricultural management on Sodosols in northern Tasmania. Australian Journal of Soil Research 39, 711–735.
Effects of agricultural management on Sodosols in northern Tasmania.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD3MXmtVGqu7Y%3D&md5=9ae64e6b8fcf8962a9e1062b8c768783CAS |

Cotching WE, Cooper J, Sparrow LA, McCorkell BE, Rowley W (2002a) Effects of agricultural management on Dermosols in northern Tasmania. Australian Journal of Soil Research 40, 65–79.
Effects of agricultural management on Dermosols in northern Tasmania.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD38XitVWnt7g%3D&md5=8c9577187fa4f8542bf4c59285a68090CAS |

Cotching WE, Cooper J, Sparrow LA, McCorkell BE, Rowley W (2002b) Effects of agricultural management on Vertosols in Tasmania. Australian Journal of Soil Research 40, 1267–1286.
Effects of agricultural management on Vertosols in Tasmania.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Cotching WE, Sparrow LA, Hawkins K, McCorkell BE, Rowley W (2004) Linking Tasmanian potato and poppy yields to selected soil physical and chemical properties. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 44, 1241–1249.
Linking Tasmanian potato and poppy yields to selected soil physical and chemical properties.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Cotching WE, Lynch S, Kidd D (2009) Dominant soil orders in Tasmania: distribution and selected properties. Australian Journal of Soil Research 47, 537–548.
Dominant soil orders in Tasmania: distribution and selected properties.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Doran JW, Parkin TB (1994) Defining and assessing soil quality. In ‘Defining soil quality for a sustainable environment’. SSSA Special Publication No. 35. (Eds JW Doran, DC Coleman, DF Bezdicek, BA Stewart) pp. 3–21. (Soil Science Society of America: Madison, WI)

Doyle RB (1993) ‘Soils of the South Esk Sheet, Tasmania (southern half).’ (Department of Primary Industry and Fisheries: Tasmania)

Geeves GW, Cresswell HP, Murphy BW, Gessler PE, Chartres CJ, Little IP, Bowman GM (1995) ‘The physical, chemical and morphological properties of soils in the wheat-belt of southern N.S.W. and Northern Victoria.’ (CSIRO Division of Soils: Glen Osmond, S. Aust.)

Gifford RM, Cheney NP, Noble JC, Russel JS, Wellignton AB, Zammit C (1990) Australian land use, primary production of vegetation and carbon pools in relation to atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration. In ‘Australia’s renewable resources: Sustainability and global change. Bureau of Rural Resources Proceedings No. 14’. (Eds RM Gifford, MM Barson) pp. 151–188. (Australian Government Publishing Service: Canberra)

Gourley CJP, Gibson D, Smith AP, Awty ID, Dougherty WJ (2011) Accounting for nutrients on Australian dairy farms: Science consolidation and delivery of technical information. Final Report, June 2011. Department of Primary Industries, Victoria.

Greenland DJ, Rimmer D, Payne D (1975) Determination of the structural stability class of English and Welsh soils, using a water coherence test. Journal of Soil Science 26, 294–303.
Determination of the structural stability class of English and Welsh soils, using a water coherence test.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Gregorich EG, Beare MH, McKim UF, Skjemstad JO (2006) Chemical and biological characteristics of physically uncomplexed organic matter. Soil Science Society of America Journal 70, 975–985.
Chemical and biological characteristics of physically uncomplexed organic matter.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD28XksVyks7w%3D&md5=df8636525d88f55ea4af18c21e010bf3CAS |

Guo LB, Gifford RM (2002) Soil carbon stocks and land use change: a meta analysis. Global Change Biology 8, 345–360.
Soil carbon stocks and land use change: a meta analysis.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Hassink J (1997) The capacity of soils to preserve organic C and N by their association with clay and silt particles. Plant and Soil 191, 77–87.
The capacity of soils to preserve organic C and N by their association with clay and silt particles.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DyaK2sXltVKju7g%3D&md5=2f9c63c5ae6ca1899be1596470253a7aCAS |

Hatley DLJ, Garwood TWD, Johnson PA (2001) The impact of changing farming practices on soil organic matter and soil structural stability of Fen silt soils. In ‘Sustainable management of soil organic matter’. (Eds RM Rees, BC Ball, CD Campbell, CA Watson) pp. 157–162. (CABI International: Wallingford, UK)

Hillel D (1998) ‘Environmental soil physics.’ (Academic Press: San Diego)

Houlbrooke DJ, Paton RJ, Littlejohn RP, Morton JD (2011) Land-use intensification in New Zealand: effects on soil properties and pasture production. The Journal of Agricultural Science 149, 337–349.
Land-use intensification in New Zealand: effects on soil properties and pasture production.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Hoyle FC, Murphy DV (2006) Seasonal changes in microbial function and diversity associated with stubble retention versus burning. Australian Journal of Soil Research 44, 407–423.

Hoyle FC, Murphy DV, Baldock JA (2011) Soil organic carbon: role in Australian farming systems. In ‘Rainfed farming systems’. (Eds P Tow, I Cooper, I Partridge, C Birch) (Springer Science: London)

Ingram JSI, Fernandes ECM (2001) Managing carbon sequestration in soils: concepts and terminology. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 87, 111–117.

IPCC (1997) ‘Revised 1996 IPCC guidelines for national greenhouse gas inventories.’ (Eds JT Houghton, LG MeiraFilho, B Lim, K Tre’anton, I Mamaty, Y Bonduki, DJ Griggs, BA Callander) (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Meteorological Office: Bracknell, UK)

Isbell RF (2002) ‘The Australian Soil Classification (Revised edn).’ Australian Soil and Land Survey Series, Vol. 4. (CSIRO Publishing: Melbourne)

Janzen HH, Campbell CA, Ellert BH, Bremer E (1997) Soil organic matter dynamics and their relationship to soil quality. In ‘Soil quality for crop production and ecosystem health’. (Eds EG Gregorich, MR Carter) pp. 277–291. (Elsevier: Amsterdam)

Jarecki MK, Lal R (2003) Crop management for soil carbon sequestration. Critical Reviews in Plant Sciences 22, 471–502.
Crop management for soil carbon sequestration.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Jenkinson DS, Bradbury NJ, Coleman K (1994) How the Rothamstead classical experiments have been used to develop and test models for the turnover of carbon and nitrogen in soil. In ‘Long term experiments in agricultural and ecological sciences’. (Eds RA Leigh, AE Johnston) pp. 117–139. (CAB International: Wallingford, UK)

Johnson AE (1991) Soil fertility and soil organic matter. In ‘Advances in soil organic matter research: the impact on agriculture and the environment’. (Ed. WS Wilson) pp. 299–313. (Royal Society of Chemistry: London)

Lal R (2004) Agricultural activities and the global carbon cycle. Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems 70, 103–116.
Agricultural activities and the global carbon cycle.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD2cXpvV2qtrk%3D&md5=86a878c4d819cd025b20195779928269CAS |

Lisson SN, Cotching WE (2011) Modelling the fate of water and nitrogen in the mixed vegetable farming systems of northern Tasmania. Agricultural Systems 104, 600–608.
Modelling the fate of water and nitrogen in the mixed vegetable farming systems of northern Tasmania.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Loveland PJ, Webb J, Bellamy P (2001) Critical levels of soil organic matter: the evidence for England and Wales. In ‘Sustainable management of soil organic matter’. (Eds RM Rees, BC Ball, CD Campbell, CA Watson) pp. 23–33. (CABI International: Wallingford, UK)

Luo Z, Wang E, Sun OJ (2010) Soil carbon change and its responses to agricultural practices in Australian agro-ecosystems: A review and synthesis. Geoderma 155, 211–223.
Soil carbon change and its responses to agricultural practices in Australian agro-ecosystems: A review and synthesis.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BC3cXitlWgtb0%3D&md5=d5dd038210f1cd57e58d00e7c583a487CAS |

Malhi Y, Baldocchi DD, Jarvis PG (1999) The carbon balance of tropical, temperate and boreal forests. Plant, Cell & Environment 22, 715–740.
The carbon balance of tropical, temperate and boreal forests.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DyaK1MXksVartb8%3D&md5=609f0656d4d14860482ca1be4888db80CAS |

Maraseni TN, Mathers NJ, Harms B, Cockfield G, Apan A, Maroulis J (2008) Comparing and predicting soil carbon quantities under different land-use systems on the Red Ferrosol soils of southeast Queensland. Journal of Soil and Water Conservation 63, 250–256.
Comparing and predicting soil carbon quantities under different land-use systems on the Red Ferrosol soils of southeast Queensland.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD1cXhtFCitL3N&md5=0b5f48226cac0f54ca0f2d5411b4e5edCAS |

McDonald D, Baldock JA, Kidd DB (2009) Cradle Coast organic carbon monitoring trial. National Land and Water Resources Audit. Department of Primary Industry and Fisheries, Tasmania.

Oades JM, Waters AG (1991) Aggregate hierarchy in soils. Australian Journal of Soil Research 29, 815–828.
Aggregate hierarchy in soils.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Parry-Jones J (2010) The effect of agricultural land use on the soil carbon fractions of Red Ferrosols in North West Tasmania. Honours Thesis, School of Agricultural Science University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tas.

Parton WJ, Schimel DS, Cole CV, Ojima DS (1987) Analysis of factors controlling soil organic matter levels in Great Plains grasslands. Soil Science Society of America Journal 51, 1173–1179.
Analysis of factors controlling soil organic matter levels in Great Plains grasslands.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DyaL2sXmtlGnsbw%3D&md5=650c5c970a9b9482f61bd93eaaa183e1CAS |

Pastor J, Post WM (1986) Influence of climate, soil moisture, and succession on forest carbon and nitrogen cycles. Biogeochemistry 2, 3–27.
Influence of climate, soil moisture, and succession on forest carbon and nitrogen cycles.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Philipps L (2001) The effects of all-arable organic rotations on soil organic matter levels and the phosphorus and potassium status over the period 1987–1998. In ‘Sustainable management of soil organic matter’. (Eds RM Rees, BC Ball, CD Campbell, CA Watson) pp. 294–300. (CABI International: Wallingford, UK)

Potter KN, Velazquez-Garcia J, Scopel E, Torbert HA (2007) Residue removal and climatic effects on soil carbon content of no-till soils. Journal of Soil and Water Conservation 62, 110–114.

Rayment GE, Higginson FR (1992) ‘Australian laboratory handbook of soil and water chemical methods.’ Australian soil and land survey handbook. (Inkata Press: Melbourne)

Richter DD, Markewitz D (2001) ‘Understanding soil change: soil sustainability over millennia, centuries and decades.’ (Cambridge University Press: Cambridge, UK)

Sakamoto Y, Ishiguro M, Kitagawa G (1986) ‘Akaike information criterion statistics.’ (D. Reidel Publishing Co.: Dordrecht, The Netherlands)

Sanderman J, Baldock JA (2010) Have agronomic field trials provided sufficient data to predict soil carbon sequestration rates? In ‘Proceedings 19th World Congress of Soil Science, Soil Solutions for a Changing World’. 1–6 August 2010, Brisbane, Qld. (DVD-ROM) (International Union of Soil Sciences)

Sanderman J, Baldock JA, Hawke B, Macdonald L, Massis-Puccini A, Szarvas S (2011) ‘National Soil Carbon Research Programme: field and laboratory methodologies.’ (CSIRO Land & Water: Glen Osmond, S. Aust.)

Soil Survey Staff (2010) ‘Keys to Soil Taxonomy.’ 11th edn (USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service: Washington, DC) Available at: http://soils.usda.gov/technical/classification/tax_keys/

Sombroek WG, Nachtergaele FO, Hebel A (1993) Amounts, dynamics and sequestering of carbon in tropical and subtropical soils. Ambio 22, 417–426.

Sparling GP, Schipper LA (2002) Soil quality at a national scale in New Zealand. Journal of Environmental Quality 31, 1848–1857.
Soil quality at a national scale in New Zealand.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD38Xptlaht7w%3D&md5=872b4fc518b032b1eea566b6c08ef0abCAS | 12469834PubMed |

Sparling GP, Schipper LA, Bettjeman W, Hill R (2004) Soil quality monitoring in New Zealand: practical lessons from a six-year trial. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment 104, 523–534.
Soil quality monitoring in New Zealand: practical lessons from a six-year trial.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Sparrow LA, Cotching WE, Cooper J, Rowley W (1999) Attributes of Tasmanian Ferrosols under different agricultural management. Australian Journal of Soil Research 37, 603–622.

Sparrow LA, Belbin KC, Doyle RB (2006) Organic carbon in coarse and fine particle size fractions as indicators of change in Ferrosols and Sodosols under mixed farming in Tasmania, Australia. Soil Use and Management 22, 219–220.
Organic carbon in coarse and fine particle size fractions as indicators of change in Ferrosols and Sodosols under mixed farming in Tasmania, Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Sparrow LA, Cotching WE, Parry-Jones J, Oliver G, White E, Doyle RB (2013) Changes in carbon and soil fertility in agricultural soils in Tasmania, Australia. Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis 44, 166–177.
Changes in carbon and soil fertility in agricultural soils in Tasmania, Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BC38XhsVKitrvF&md5=9fd6bce054af6226bc742241e590d075CAS |

Verheijen FGA, Bellamy PH, Kibblewhite MG, Gaunt JL (2005) Organic carbon ranges in arable soils of England and Wales. Soil Use and Management 21, 2–9.
Organic carbon ranges in arable soils of England and Wales.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Wenke JF, Grant CD (1994) The indexing of self-mulching behaviour. Australian Journal of Soil Research 32, 201–211.
The indexing of self-mulching behaviour.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Wilson BR, Growns I, Lemon J (2008) Land-use effects on soil properties on the north-western slopes of New South Wales: Implications for soil condition assessment. Australian Journal of Soil Research 46, 359–367.
Land-use effects on soil properties on the north-western slopes of New South Wales: Implications for soil condition assessment.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Xu X, Liu W, Zhang C, Kiely G (2011) Estimation of soil organic carbon stock and its spatial distribution in the Republic of Ireland. Soil Use and Management 27, 156–162.
Estimation of soil organic carbon stock and its spatial distribution in the Republic of Ireland.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BC3MXlslShsLc%3D&md5=8a5e9214125ddcefb20a0649e2299f6bCAS |