Evaluation of dissolved organic carbon as a soil quality indicator in national monitoring schemes

David L Jones; Paul Simfukwe; Paul W Hill; Robert T E Mills; Bridget A Emmett

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0090882

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Evaluation of dissolved organic carbon as a soil quality indicator in national monitoring schemes

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

Evaluation of dissolved organic carbon as a soil quality indicator in national monitoring schemes

David L Jones, Paul Simfukwe, Paul W Hill, Robert T E Mills and Bridget A Emmett

PloS one, Vol.9(3), e90882

2014

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0090882

PMCID: PMC3954595

PMID: 24633085

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Abstract

Carbon - analysis

Ecosystem

Environmental Monitoring

Fresh Water - analysis

Soil - chemistry

Background Monitoring the properties of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in soil water is frequently used to evaluate changes in soil quality and to explain shifts in freshwater ecosystem functioning. Methods Using >700 individual soils (0–15 cm) collected from a 209,331 km2 area we evaluated the relationship between soil classification (7 major soil types) or vegetation cover (8 dominant classes, e.g. cropland, grassland, forest) and the absorbance properties (254 and 400 nm), DOC quantity and quality (SUVA, total soluble phenolics) of soil water. Results Overall, a good correlation (r2 = 0.58) was apparent between soil water absorbance and DOC concentration across the diverse range of soil types tested. In contrast, both DOC and the absorbance properties of soil water provided a poor predictor of SUVA or soluble phenolics which we used as a measure of humic substance concentration. Significant overlap in the measured ranges for UV absorbance, DOC, phenolic content and especially SUVA of soil water were apparent between the 8 vegetation and 7 soil classes. A number of significant differences, however, were apparent within these populations with total soluble phenolics giving the greatest statistical separation between both soil and vegetation groups. Conclusions We conclude that the quality of DOC rather than its quantity provides a more useful measure of soil quality in large scale surveys.

Details

Title: Evaluation of dissolved organic carbon as a soil quality indicator in national monitoring schemes
Authors/Creators: David L Jones - Bangor University
Paul Simfukwe - Bangor University
Paul W Hill - Bangor University
Robert T E Mills - École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne
Bridget A Emmett - UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology
Publication Details: PloS one, Vol.9(3), e90882
Publisher: PLOS
Identifiers: 991005560431207891
Murdoch Affiliation: Centre for Sustainable Farming Systems
Language: English
Resource Type: Journal article

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Collaboration types: Domestic collaboration; International collaboration
Citation topics: 3 Agriculture, Environment & Ecology; 3.45 Soil Science; 3.45.1049 Dissolved Organic Matter
Web Of Science research areas: Environmental Sciences
ESI research areas: Environment/Ecology