Carbon isotope ratios of great plains soils and in wheat-fallow systems

The purposes of this study were to improve knowledge of regional vegetation patterns of C3 and C4 plants in the North American Great Plains and to use delta 13C methodology and long-term research sites to determine contributions of small-grain crops to total soil organic carbon (SOC) now present. Ar...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Soil Science Society of America journal 1997-07, Vol.61 (4), p.1068-1077
Main Authors: Follett, R.F. (USDA, ARS, Ft. Collins, CO.), Paul, E.A, Leavitt, S.W, Halvorson, A.D, Lyon, D, Peterson, G.A
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Agriculture
Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions
Animal and plant ecology
Animal, plant and microbial ecology
Biological and medical sciences
CARACTERISTICAS DEL SITIO
CARACTERISTICAS MORFOLOGICAS SUELO
CARBON
CARBON CYCLE
CARBON DYNAMICS
CARBONE
CARBONO
CHARACTERIZATION
Chemical, physicochemical, biochemical and biological properties
CICLO DEL CARBONO
COLORADO
CULTURAL SOIL TYPES
CYCLE DU CARBONE
DAKOTA DEL NORTE
DAKOTA DU NORD
DEPTH
FACTEUR LIE AU SITE
FALLOW SYSTEMS
Flowers & plants
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
GRASSLAND SOILS
ISOTOPE RADIOACTIF
Isotopes
KANSAS
MATERIA ORGANICA DEL SUELO
MATIERE ORGANIQUE DU SOL
MONTANA
NEBRASKA
NORTH DAKOTA
OKLAHOMA
Organic matter
Physics, chemistry, biochemistry and biology of agricultural and forest soils
PROFONDEUR
PROFUNDIDAD
RADIOISOTOPES
RADIOISOTOPOS
SASKATCHEWAN
SISTEMAS CON BARBECHO
SITE FACTORS
SOIL MORPHOLOGICAL FEATURES
SOIL ORGANIC
SOIL ORGANIC MATTER
Soil science
Soils
SOL D'HERBAGES
SOL VIERGE
STABLE ISOTOPES
SUELO DE PRADERAS
SUELOS VIRGENES
Synecology
SYSTEME JACHERE
Terrestrial ecosystems
TEXAS
TIPOS DE SUELOS CULTIVABLES
TRAIT MORPHOLOGIQUE DU SOL
TYPE DE SOL DE CULTURE
VIRGIN SOILS
WHEAT SOILS
WYOMING
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Summary:The purposes of this study were to improve knowledge of regional vegetation patterns of C3 and C4 plants in the North American Great Plains and to use delta 13C methodology and long-term research sites to determine contributions of small-grain crops to total soil organic carbon (SOC) now present. Archived and recent soil samples were used. Detailed soil sampling was in 1993 at long-term sites near Akron, CO, and Sidney, NE. After soil sieving, drying, and deliming, SOC and delta 13C were determined using an automated C/N analyzer interfaced to an isotope-ratio mass spectrometer. Yield records from long-term experimental sites were used to estimate the amount of C3 plant residue C returned to the soil. Results from delta 13C analyses of soils from near Waldheim, Saskatchewan, to Big Springs, TX, showed a strong north to south decrease in SOC derived from C3 plants and a corresponding increase from C4 plants. The delta 13C analyses gave evidence that C3 plant residue C (possibly from shrubs) is increasing at the Big Springs, TX, and Lawton, OK, sites. Also, delta 13C analyses of subsoil and topsoil layers shows evidence of a regional shift to more C3 species, possibly because of a cooler climate during the past few hundreds to thousands of years. Data from long-term research sites indicate that the efficiency of incorporation of small-grain crop residue C was about 5.4% during 84 yr at Akron, CO, and about 10.5% during 20 yr at Sidney, NE. The 14C age of the SOC at 0- to 10-cm depth was 193 yr and at 30 to 45 cm was 4000 yr; 14C age of nonhydrolyzable C was 2000 and 7000 yr for these same two respective depths. Natural partitioning of the 13C isotope by the photosynthetic pathways of C3 and C4 plants provides a potentially powerful tool to study SOC dynamics at both regional and local scales
ISSN:0361-5995
1435-0661
DOI:10.2136/sssaj1997.03615995006100040012x