Phosphorus fertilization promotes carbon cycling and negatively affects microbial carbon use efficiency in agricultural soils: Laboratory incubation experiments

Antonio Rafael Sánchez-Rodríguez; María Carmen del Campillo; José Torrent; Emily C. Cooledge; David R. Chadwick; Davey L. Jones

doi:10.1016/j.geoderma.2024.117038

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Phosphorus fertilization promotes carbon cycling and negatively affects microbial carbon use efficiency in agricultural soils: Laboratory incubation experiments

Journal article

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Phosphorus fertilization promotes carbon cycling and negatively affects microbial carbon use efficiency in agricultural soils: Laboratory incubation experiments

Antonio Rafael Sánchez-Rodríguez, María Carmen del Campillo, José Torrent, Emily C. Cooledge, David R. Chadwick and Davey L. Jones

Geoderma, Vol.450, 117038

2024

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2024.117038

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Abstract

Carbon turnover

CUE

Microbial activity

Microbial biomass

Phosphorus

Prillosphere

Soil organic carbon (SOC) loss from intensive agriculture represents a major global concern. Consequently, strategies to improve soil management to mitigate or abate SOC losses and enhance carbon (C) sequestration are urgently needed. Nutrient availability, especially nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P), regulates soil C cycling and storage. While N effects are well studied, less is known about how soil P status and different fertilizer types affects SOC dynamics. This laboratory incubation assessed how two common P fertilizers, diammonium phosphate (DAP) and single superphosphate (SSP), affected microbial activity and C immobilization in the zone of soil directly around the fertilizer granule (prillosphere) across three contrasting agricultural soils (Inceptisol, Vertisol, Alfisol). Soils were amended with DAP or SSP granules and C turnover assessed with 14C-labeled glycine, malic acid or glucose, alongside unfertilized controls. After three weeks, soil pH, electrical conductivity (EC), Olsen-P and microbial C use efficiency (CUE) were measured. DAP increased pH in the Inceptisol (acidic soil), while SSP decreased pH in all soils. Both fertilizers increased EC and Olsen-P, but SSP enhanced Olsen-P more than DAP. Cumulative 14CO2 emissions were 19–20 % higher with P fertilizers compared to the control, with DAP stimulating faster initial C mineralization rates than SSP, except in the Alfisol. P addition reduced microbial CUE by 23–34 % across all soils and substrates versus the unfertilized control. We ascribe this reduction in CUE to an alleviation of nutrient limitation or a fertilizer-induced osmotic stress. The co-addition of N either in DAP or glycine did not alter the P-induced CUE response suggesting that P was more important than N in regulating microbial CUE in these soils. We conclude that P fertilization increased short-term C turnover and may lead to reduced C storage in soil, however, further long-term (>1 year) research is needed to identify optimum P management strategies to minimize C losses in agricultural soils. [Display omitted]

Details

Title: Phosphorus fertilization promotes carbon cycling and negatively affects microbial carbon use efficiency in agricultural soils: Laboratory incubation experiments
Authors/Creators: Antonio Rafael Sánchez-Rodríguez - Agronomy Department, ETSIAM, University of Córdoba, Campus de Rabanales, 14071 Córdoba, Spain
María Carmen del Campillo - University of Córdoba
José Torrent - Agronomy Department, ETSIAM, University of Córdoba, Campus de Rabanales, 14071 Córdoba, Spain
Emily C. Cooledge - Bangor University
David R. Chadwick - Bangor University
Davey L. Jones - Bangor University
Publication Details: Geoderma, Vol.450, 117038
Publisher: Elsevier B.V.
Number of pages: 10
Grant note: Spanish Ministry Science, Innovation and Universities: IJCI-2016-27388
This work was funded by Spain's Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (Project AGL 2017-87074-C2-2-R), the Spanish State Research Agency of the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation and the European Regional Development Fund (Project PID2020-118503RB-C22), and the Severo Ochoa and Maria de Maeztu Programs for Centers and Units of Excellence in R&D &D [Ref. CEX2019-000968-M]. Sanchez-Rodriguez acknowledges funding support by the contract "Juan de Cierva-Incorporacion (IJCI-2016-27388)" of the Spanish Ministry Science, Innovation and Universities. We thank the Servicio Central Apoyo a la Investigacion (SCAI) of the University of Cordoba for technical support. Financial support in the UK was provided by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) under project BB/N013468/1.
Identifiers: 991005705768507891
Copyright: © 2024 The Author(s).
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; 3.45.112 Soil Carbon Dynamics
Web Of Science research areas: Soil Science
ESI research areas: Agricultural Sciences