Effect of mineral nitrogen on transfer of 13C-Carbon from Eucalyptus harvest residue components to soil organic matter fractions

Abstract

The amount of harvest residues retained in Eucalyptus plantations strongly influences soil organic matter (SOM), but the efficiency of conversion to SOM may vary according to the type of residue. This study evaluated the recovery of C from Eucalyptus residue components - leaves, bark, branches, roots, and a mix of all residues - in different SOM fractions with or without mineral-N supplementation (200 mg kg-1 of N). Variation in natural 13C abundance was used to trace the destination of residue-derived C in the soil. The C content of the light fraction (LF) and heavy fraction (HF) of SOM increased over a 240-days decomposition period in response to incorporation of Eucalyptus residues in the soil. Bark and leaf residues showed the best results. Bark residues increased the C content of the HF by 45 % over the initial condition. Leaf residues made the largest contribution to LF-C, increasing it by 8.6 times. Leaf residues also led to the highest N contents in the LF and HF, whereas branches, roots, and the mixture of residues caused significant net transfers of N from the HF. Mineral-N supplementation had no effect on stabilization of organic C in the HF of SOM, in which the C could be maintained for longer periods due to physical/colloidal protection against microbial decomposition. These results highlight the importance of keeping Eucalyptus harvest residues in the planted area, especially the bark, which is the most abundant harvest residue component under field conditions, for maintenance of SOM.