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Updated: Jan 18, 2026

Assessment of Labile Organic Carbon in Soil Using Sequential Fumigation Incubation Procedures
Published on: October 29, 2016
Legacy phosphorus lability shifts after Atlantic Forest conversion to sugarcane
Amin Soltangheisi1, Gabriel Pinheiro Silva2, Wellington Soares2
1School of Environmental and Natural Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, LL57 2DG, UK.
Abstract:
Phosphorus (P) fertilisation plays a central role in the high productivity of Brazilian sugarcane systems, yet concerns about inefficient P use and environmental risks from legacy P accumulation remain unresolved. Land use change from native vegetation to sugarcane cultivation in tropical regions can profoundly influence soil P dynamics, with implications for fertiliser efficiency and environmental sustainability. We investigated changes in soil P fractions at three long-term sugarcane fields in São Paulo State, Brazil, following conversion from Atlantic Forest. Using a rapid sequential P fractionation method, we evaluated labile, moderately labile, and non-labile P pools in surface (0-10 cm) and subsurface (10-20 cm) layers. Results showed a significant increase in labile and moderately labile P (Mehlich-3 and NaOH-Pi) under sugarcane, reflecting long-term fertiliser application, while organic P declined substantially, especially in surface soils. Despite two decades of cultivation at some sites, total P did not differ significantly between land uses in the surface layer, indicating limited accumulation of legacy P. Occluded P, representing the non-labile fraction, remained stable across land uses, suggesting limited capacity for further P fixation. Moreover, soils with higher clay content exhibited greater retention of organic P under native vegetation, highlighting the role of texture in modulating P dynamics. These findings challenge common assumptions about legacy P accumulation and suggest that sugarcane systems in Brazil may be more efficient in long-term P use than previously thought.
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