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Soil texture and organic matter are considered overarching factors controlling a diversity of soil processes and properties. However, a more complete understanding of how these factors quantitatively affect other soil properties has been lacking due to either limited scope of land use and management conditions, confounding climate and environmental conditions with management, or narrow range of soil and management conditions. This study evaluated the strength of associations of sand and total soil N concentrations with soil physical, chemical, and biological properties and processes from 310 surface‐soil (0–10‐cm depth) samples (87% Ultisols, 4% Inceptisols, and ≤3% each of Alfisols, Spodosols, Entisols, and Histosols) collected under conventional‐till and no‐till cropland, grassland, and woodland in four physiographic regions of North Carolina. Sand concentration was most strongly associated with dry‐stable mean‐weight diameter (MWD), MWD product, and sieved soil density (|r| > 0.63, p < 0.001). Total soil N concentration was most strongly associated with particulate organic C and N and soil water content at water‐holding capacity (|r| > 0.74, p < 0.001). Soils under unfertilized woodlands deviated the most from general associations, suggesting that organic matter quality could be unique, and requires further investigation. Overall, sand concentration associated more closely with soil physical properties and total soil N concentration associated closely with both soil physical and biogeochemical properties. Soil chemical properties were only weakly associated with either property. This study suggests that soil texture and organic matter would be complementary, additional properties in holistic soil health assessments that already included routine soil chemical analyses. Core Ideas: Soil texture strongly associated with dry‐stable aggregation but weakly associated with water‐stable aggregation.Total soil N strongly associated with particulate organic C and N and soil water content at water‐holding capacity.Sand and total soil N concentrations were strong combined indicators of bulk density, sieved soil density, and cation‐exchange capacity.Sand and total soil N concentrations were unique soil health indicators in addition to routine soil chemical propertiesSieved soil density could be a relatively rapid and inexpensive indicator that combines the influences of soil texture and organic matter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil aggregation is considered a key indicator of soil health to protect soil against erosion, enhance organic C storage, and offer habitat for soil organisms. Various methods to assess aggregation may change interpretations of management, and therefore should be cross‐calibrated. We assessed the impact of initial sieve opening size (8 or 4.75 mm) prior to determination of dry‐stable and water‐stable mean‐weight diameter (MWD) from two fine‐textured soils—a Rhodic Hapludox from São Paulo, Brazil and a Rhodic Kanhapludult from North Carolina, United States. Both soils were subjected to management expected to alter surface soil conditions. As expected, initial sieving through 8 mm led to greater dry‐stable MWD (3.37 ± 0.60 mm) than initial sieving through 4.75 mm (1.94 ± 0.28 mm). However, soil stability index (water‐stable MWD/dry‐stable MWD) was not affected by initial sieve size opening (0.56 ± 0.13 mm mm−1 under both initial sieve openings). Management interpretations were consistent with both approaches as well, and in particular to detect the strong depth effect on water‐stable MWD (i.e., declining with depth). Water‐stable macroaggregates had 32% ± 25% greater C concentration than microaggregates; similarly under both initial sieving conditions. Soil stability index when initially sieved through 4.75 mm was highly associated with aggregate stability of 1–2‐mm sized dry aggregates, which is a more common procedure. We conclude that passing soil through a screen with 4.75‐mm openings to conduct a diversity of soil analyses can be appropriate for obtaining reasonable estimates of and interpretations about surface soil aggregation. Core Ideas: Soil stability index is water‐stable divided by dry‐stable mean‐weight diameter of whole soil.Soil stability index was similar whether soil was initially sieved through 8 or 4.75 mm.Water‐stable mean‐weight diameter and soil stability index declined with soil depth.Water‐stable macroaggregates had 32% ± 25% greater soil organic C than microaggregates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil erosion is a major constraint to agricultural sustainability. Land management that protects soil from water erosion can be assessed from the fraction of aggregates stable upon water immersion. Conservation management with minimal soil disturbance is known to enhance water‐stable aggregation, but how annual vs. perennial vegetative cover affects soil biological activity and aggregation from soils varying in texture remains relatively unexplored. This study assessed the effects of long‐term conventional‐till and no‐till cropland, grassland, and woodland on dry‐stable and water‐stable mean‐weight diameter (MWD) from 25 research stations across North Carolina. Soil clay concentration varied from 36 to 279 g kg–1 and sand concentration varied from 392 to 904 g kg–1 (5–95% distribution). Across locations, water‐stable MWD followed the order: conventional‐till cropland (0.64 mm) < no‐till cropland (0.87 mm) < woodland (1.12 mm) = grassland (1.15 mm). Soil stability index (i.e., water‐stable MWD/dry‐stable MWD) followed a similar order: conventional‐till cropland (0.59 mm mm–1) < no‐till cropland (0.76 mm mm–1) < grassland (0.92 mm mm–1) = woodland (0.96 mm mm–1). Although water‐stable MWD was positively associated with clay concentration (r =.50, p <.001, n = 310), soil‐test biological activity had the strongest association with water‐stable MWD (r =.80). Soil‐test biological activity reflected biological manipulation of surface‐concentrated organic matter, as mediated by conservation land uses. This study revealed the large impact of surface organic C and N resources on water‐stable aggregation through soil biological manipulations interacting across a textural gradient. Core Ideas: Conservation land uses of no‐till cropland, grassland, and woodland improved soil aggregation characteristics.Soil stability index discerned conservation land use impacts across a soil texture gradient.Soil aggregation characteristics were not different between grasslands and woodlands.Soil‐test biological activity and sand were strongly associated with soil aggregation characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental characteristics within a region often form site-specific agroecological responses to management. Using 92 fall-stockpiled tall fescue [Schedonorus arundinaceus (Schreb.) Dumort.] field trials in North Carolina and surrounding states, our objective was to test the influence of two management factors (forage utilization and pasture age) and two environmental factors (elevation and soil textural gradients) on soil properties at 0-to-10-cm depth, surface residue carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) contents, and absolute forage mass and nutritive values and their responses to N fertilization. Soil organic C and N fractions (i.e., total, particulate, and mineralizable) were greater (a) with improved (rotational stocking) than conventional (haying and/or continuous grazing) forage utilization, (b) in older pastures, (c) at higher elevation, and (d) with finer texture. Soil chemical properties were variably affected by these factors, and soil-test P was not affected. Surface residue N tended to be greater with improved than conventional forage utilization, but surface residue C was not affected by any of the factors. Crude protein was greater and dry matter yield response to N fertilizer was lower with improved than with conventional forage utilization. Forage mass was lower and nutritive values were greater at higher elevation. Soil organic C and total soil N sequestration rates during a 25-yr period were 0.75 Mg C ha-1 yr-1 and 75 kg N ha-1 yr-1, respectively. Elevation and soil texture imparted strong environmental controls on a diversity of soil properties, but management factors mostly affected surface-soil organic C and N fractions, which helped sustain forage productivity and nutritive value with lower N fertilizer input. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil organic carbon (SOC) and N fractions are considered important indicators of soil health due to their multifunctional roles in storing and supplying nutrients, enhancing soil physical properties, and feeding soil biological activity and plant nutrition. Soil health condition from 120 fields under cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) cultivation in North Carolina was assessed from soil analyses associated with a survey of historical management. Surface residue was collected, and soil was sampled at 0-to-10-cm, 10-to-30-cm, and 30-to-60-cm depths. Soil properties varied by physiographic region of Piedmont, Coastal Plain, and Flatwoods. Conservation tillage was the dominant form of cotton cultivation, but many farms used inversion tillage for other crops in the rotation sequence. Soil-test biological activity averaged 138 and 92 mg kg-1 3 d-1 under continuous conservation tillage and frequent tillage, respectively, in the surface 10-cm depth (p < .001), and the tillage effect persisted into the 10-to-30-cm depth (44 and 37 mg kg-1 3 d-1, p < .05). Cover cropping and animal manure had fewer and smaller effects on soil properties. History of animal manure application elevated (p < .05) soil-test P (229 vs. 179 g m-3), Cu (4.3 vs. 1.6 g m-3), and Zn (10.0 vs. 4.0 gm-3). Intermittent tillage in the rotation sequence was the largest impediment to sustained SOC, total soil N accumulation, and soil microbial properties. This assessment illustrated positive soil health condition from farmer adoption of conservation tillage, but further improvements will be possible only with more continuous practice of conservation approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil nitrogen (N) mineralization is variably affected by management and edaphic conditions. A routine soil test that reflects both soil biological activity and N mineralization could improve predictions for N fertilizer recommendations to cereal grains on different soil types and landscape settings. We collected soils from 47 corn production fields in North Carolina and Virginia at depths of 0 to 10, 10 to 20, and 20 to 30 cm and evaluated soil C and N characteristics in association with sorghum-sudangrass [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench ssp. Drummondii] dry matter production and N uptake during 6 to 8 wk of growth in the greenhouse. Plant dry matter and N uptake were strongly associated, as expected. Plant available N (sum of net N mineralization during 24 d of aerobic incubation + residual inorganic N) had the strongest association with plant dry matter production (r² = 0.76) and N uptake (r² = 0.85). However, the flush of CO2 during a 0- to 3-d period following rewetting of dried soil was nearly equally effective at r² = 0.74 and r² = 0.76, respectively. Multiple regression models with 4 ± 2 additional variables led to r² = 0.88 ± 0.10 among different separations of data based on depth, region, and soil textural class. We suggest the optimum combination of variables to predict soil N availability would be the flush of CO2, residual inorganic N, and total soil N concentration, as they balance relevant scientific information with limited soil-testing resources (time and labor). We demonstrated that the flush of CO2 was a rapid and reliable indicator of soil N availability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrogen limits crop production when insufficient and harms the environment when excessive. Tailoring N inputs to cropping systems remains a high priority to achieve production and environmental goals. We collected soils from 47 corn (Zea mays L.) production fields in North Carolina and Virginia at depths of 0 to 10, 10 to 20, and 20 to 30 cm and evaluated soil C and N characteristics in association with soil N mineralization. Soil organic C at a depth of 0 to 10 cm varied among sites from ~10 to 80 g kg–1, and generally declined with depth because of many sites with no-tillage management. Net N mineralization during 24 d of aerobic incubation (25°C, 50% waterfilled pore space) was 54 to 114 mg N kg–1 (24 d)–1 at 0 to 10 cm, 22 to 41 mg N kg–1 (24 d)–1 at 10 to 20 cm, and 12 to 22 mg N kg–1 (24 d)–1 at 20 to 30 cm (middle 50% of observations at each depth). Total soil N was positively associated with net N mineralization (r² = 0.58), but the flush of CO2 during 3 d was even more closely associated with net N mineralization (r² = 0.77). Association between the flush of CO2 and net N mineralization did not change significantly when data were sorted by different regions or soil textural classes. The flush of CO2 is a rapid, reliable, and robust indicator of soil-test biological activity. The strong association of the flush of CO2 with net N mineralization also corroborated use of the flush of CO2 as a rapid and reliable indicator of soil N availability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil biological activity is an important component of a well-functioning soil. Methodologies for estimating this process vary due to a variety of theoretical, functional, and expediency considerations. We tested the effects of soil processing (sieve size), water delivery method (from top and from capillary), and soil organic matter content (two levels based on depth of sampling) on mineralizable C and N during 0 to 1, 0 to 3, and 0 to 24 d of incubation from soils ranging in texture. Mineralizable C was not affected by sieve size, suggesting that fine grinding should not affect results. Water delivery method did affect mineralizable C estimates at 0 to 1 and 0 to 3 d of incubation, as water delivered by capillary allowed soil to absorb to 70 ± 5% water-filled pore space compared with controlled delivery to 50% water-filled pore space from the top. The extra water only hindered mineralizable C in soils with coarse texture (i.e., sandy loam), whereas mineralizable C in other soil textures was not affected. Net N mineralization during 24 d of incubation was negatively impacted by the higher water content, independent of soil texture, but more so when soils high in organic matter were sieved coarsely than when sieved finely. Despite these variations, close association occurred between mineralizable C (0 to 1 and 0 to 3 d) and net N mineralization (0 to 24 d at 50% water-filled pore space), suggesting that length of incubation and method of water delivery should not restrict the choice of methodological variation from those used here to assess soil biological activity. However, a standard methodology has become increasingly necessary to compare absolute values across management systems, farm types, and regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prediction of soil organic C sequestration with adoption of various conservation agricultural management approaches is needed to meet the emerging market for environmental services provided by agricultural land stewardship. The soil conditioning index (SCI) is a relatively simple model used by the USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service to predict qualitative changes in soil organic matter. Our objective was to develop a quantitative relationship between soil organic C derived from published field studies in the southeastern USA and SCI scores predicted from matching management conditions. We found that soil organic C sequestration (at 20 ± 5 cm depth) could be reliably related to SCI across a diversity of studies in the region using the regression slope: 1.65 Mg C ha SCI [which translated into a rate of 0.25 ± 0.04 Mg C ha yr SCI (mean±standard error of 31 slope estimates)]. The calibration of soil organic C on SCI scores will allow SCI to become a quantitative tool for natural resource professionals to predict soil organic C sequestration for farmers wanting to adopt conservation practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]