Universität zu Köln

Staß, Stefanie ORCID: 0009-0006-2207-1012, Dorau, Kristof ORCID: 0000-0002-1815-1929, Aguirre, Patricia, Schwiebert, Peter and Mansfeldt, Tim ORCID: 0000-0002-7557-6827 (2025). Land Use Effects on Organic Carbon in Andean Volcanic Ash Soils. Journal of Plant Nutrition and Soil Science, 188 (2). pp. 196-208. Wiley. ISSN 1436-8730

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Abstract

Background: Both organic carbon (OC) stocks and labile OC (LOC) fractions are important indicators of soil health and are sensitive to land use change. Aims: To study the effects of land use change on these indicators in montane volcanic ash soils, a soil transect was surveyed in northern Ecuador. Methods: Samples were collected from 0–30, 30–60, and 60–90 cm soil depth at two agricultural sites with different time of cultivation and at three natural vegetation sites (tropical alpine grassland, páramo). LOC was determined as cold and hot water extractable OC (CWEOC and HWEOC). Molar absorptivity at 254 nm was determined in the extracts as a qualitative measure. Results: Total OC stocks were high at the páramo sites (51.3–60.2 kg C m −3 ) and the younger agricultural site (50.8 kg C m −3 ; 20 years of cultivation), but significantly lower (30.1 kg C m −3 ) at the older agricultural site (at least 100 years of cultivation); CWEOC (0.1%–0.7%) and HWEOC (0.6%–4.1%) represented only a small part of the OC. Both LOC pools decreased with increasing cultivation time, with CWEOC reflecting short‐term and HWEOC long‐term effects. In contrast, the molar absorptivity was highest at the oldest site (198–307 L mol −1 cm −1 vs. 36–64 L mol −1 cm −1 at the other sites), indicating that easily degradable labile C was depleted leaving compounds with higher aromaticity. Conclusions: The conversion of páramo into agricultural land negatively affects OC stocks and soil health, as indicated by reduced OC storage capacities and lower LOC contents.

Item Type:	Article
Creators:	Creators Email ORCID ORCID Put Code Staß, Stefanie UNSPECIFIED https://orcid.org/0009-0006-2207-1012 UNSPECIFIED Dorau, Kristof UNSPECIFIED https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1815-1929 UNSPECIFIED Aguirre, Patricia UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Schwiebert, Peter UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Mansfeldt, Tim UNSPECIFIED https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7557-6827 UNSPECIFIED
URN:	urn:nbn:de:hbz:38-792235
Identification Number:	10.1002/jpln.202400010
Journal or Publication Title:	Journal of Plant Nutrition and Soil Science
Volume:	188
Number:	2
Page Range:	pp. 196-208
Number of Pages:	13
Date:	7 April 2025
Publisher:	Wiley
ISSN:	1436-8730
Language:	English
Faculty:	Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences
Divisions:	Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences > Department of Geosciences > Geographisches Institut
Subjects:	Earth sciences Geography and travel
['eprint_fieldname_oa_funders' not defined]:	Publikationsfonds UzK
Refereed:	Yes
URI:	http://kups.ub.uni-koeln.de/id/eprint/79223