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Microbial Proxies for Anoxic Microsites Vary with Management and Partially Explain Soil Carbon Concentration
Emily M Lacroix1,2, Anna Gomes1, Gabriella Barratt Heitmann1
1Department of Earth System Science, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States.
Environmental Science & Technology
|June 14, 2024
Summary
Anoxic microsites, crucial for soil carbon storage, are significantly influenced by agricultural management. Understanding and managing these sites offers a promising strategy for enhancing soil carbon sequestration.
Area of Science:
- Soil Science
- Microbiology
- Agricultural Science
Background:
- Anoxic microsites are recognized as potential contributors to soil organic carbon (C) storage, but their variability with management and role in C stabilization are not well understood.
- Investigating the impact of agricultural practices on these microsites is essential for optimizing soil C sequestration strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine how anoxic microsites vary with different soil management practices, including cultivation, tillage, and manure amendments.
- To determine the extent to which anoxic microsites influence soil C concentration in surface soils.
- To identify anoxic microsites as a key management-responsive predictor of soil C concentration.
Main Methods:
- Utilized four long-term agricultural experiments in the central United States.
- Employed a novel method to quantify anoxic microsites by measuring DNA copies of anaerobic functional genes within a defined soil volume.
- Analyzed soil samples from various management regimes, including conventional tillage, no-till, and organic matter amendments.
Main Results:
- No-till practices showed inconsistent effects on anoxic microsite extent compared to conventional tillage.
- Organic matter amendments increased anaerobe abundance in no-till soils at one site.
- Uncultivated soils exhibited 2-4 times more anaerobic functional genes than cropland soils.
- Anaerobe abundance, serving as a proxy for anoxic microsites, was positively correlated with soil C concentration, explaining significant variance in cropland soils.
Conclusions:
- Anoxic microsites are a strong, management-responsive predictor of soil C concentration in agricultural soils.
- Management practices significantly influence the abundance and extent of anoxic microsites.
- Targeted management of anoxic microsites presents a viable strategy for increasing soil C storage in agricultural systems.
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