engleski

Changes in soil C/N ratio influenced by land management

Investigation on C/N ratio in agricultural soils contributes to the environmental protection. Due to the different land use patterns (arable land and pastures) this ratio can be changed. Soil organic matter (OM) is result of very complex and long-term processes which in natural soils include degradation of plant and animal residues with important impact of micro-organisms, synthesis and decomposition of fresh organic matter influenced by temperature, moisture and other ecological conditions. Origin of soil organic matter can also be result of biomass production, as in agriculture, and of use different types of organic manure. Dynamics of soil organic matter is very complex. It is partially caused by aerobic and anaerobic soil conditions, on which depends the last sequence of organic matter decomposition (CO2, CH4 or N2O – greenhouse gasses). Some organic matter fractions can have different persistence (from few months to more than 1000 years). That is important for interpretation of soil organic matter decomposition processes. Soil organic matter today is in the centre of public interest because of international conventions on desertification, biodiversity, and climate changes. Soil organic matter content can affect physical, chemical and biological soil properties. Desertification impact on soil organic matter is very complex issue, because of the fact that creation and decomposition of soil organic matter is partially result of biological processes.

C/N ratio, land management

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