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Leaching of Carbon and Nutrients on a Subtropical Sandy Soil from Northern Oman - a Comparison of Methods and Amendments

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Leaching of Carbon and Nutrients on a Subtropical Sandy Soil from Northern Oman - a Comparison of Methods and Amendments Leaching of Carbon and Nutrients on a Subtropical Sandy Soil from Northern Oman - A Comparison of Methods and Amendments by Melanie Willich Organic Plant Production and Agroecosystems Research in the Tropics and Subtropics DFG - Research Training Group 1397 'Regulation of Soil Organic Matter and Nutrient Turnover in Organic Agriculture' Leaching of Carbon and Nutrients on a Subtropical Sandy Soil from Northern Oman - A Comparison of Methods and Amendments Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of Organic Agricultural Sciences of the University of Kassel to fulfill the requirements for the degree of Doktor der Agrarwissenschaften (Dr. agr.) by Melanie Willich Witzenhausen, July 2014 This work has been accepted by the Faculty of Organic Agricultural Sciences of the University of Kassel as a thesis for acquiring the academic degree of Doktor der Agrarwissenschaften (Dr. agr.). 1st Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Andreas Buerkert, University of Kassel 2nd Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Bernard Ludwig, University of Kassel Examiner: Prof. Dr. Rainer Georg Joergensen, University of Kassel Examiner: Dr. Regina Roessler, University of Kassel & Georg-August-University of Goettingen Defense date: 12th September, 2014 Die vorliegende Arbeit wurde vom Fachbereich Agrarwissenschaften der Universität Kassel als Dissertation zur Erlangung des akademischen Grades eines Doktors der Agrarwissenschaften (Dr. agr.) angenommen. Erster Gutachter: Prof. Dr. Andreas Bürkert, Universität Kassel Zweiter Gutachter: Prof. Dr. Bernard Ludwig, Universität Kassel Prüfer: Prof. Dr. Rainer Georg Jörgensen, Universität Kassel Prüfer: Dr. Regina Rössler, Universität Kassel & Georg-August- Universität Göttingen Tag der mündlichen Prüfung: 12. September, 2014 This work is dedicated to my grandparents, Anni and Hans Römer. Table of Contents Table of Contents Acknowledgments ................................................................................................... I Summary ................................................................................................................ III Zusammenfassung ................................................................................................ VI 1 General Introduction ....................................................................................... 1 1.1 Carbon and Nitrogen Dynamics in Subtropical Sandy Soils - Challenges for Sustainable Agriculture ......................................................................... 1 1.2 Effects of Biochar Additions on Soil Properties and Nutrient Dynamics .... 4 1.3 In-Situ Measurement of Soil Solution - An Overview of Present Systems .. and their Applicability in Sandy Soils with Emphasis on Suction Plates .... 6 1.4 Research Objectives .................................................................................. 9 2 Leaching of Carbon and Nitrogen on a Sandy Soil: A Comparison between Suction Plates and Ion Exchange Resins ................................... 11 2.1 Introduction .............................................................................................. 12 2.2 Material and Methods .............................................................................. 13 2.2.1 Preparation of the Soil Substrate ...................................................... 13 2.2.2 Description of the Soil Amendments ................................................. 13 2.2.3 Ion Exchange Resin Cartridges and Suction Plate Types ................ 14 2.2.4 Experimental Design ......................................................................... 14 2.2.5 Analytical Methods ............................................................................ 15 2.2.6 Data Analysis .................................................................................... 16 2.3 Results ..................................................................................................... 17 2.3.1 Leaching Gradients of Nitrogen and Potassium within Cartridges ... 17 2.3.2 Irrigation-specific Leaching Losses of Carbon, Nitrogen, and ............. Potassium on Suction Plates ............................................................ 18 2.3.3 Cumulative Leaching Losses from Suction Plates and Ion Exchange Resins ............................................................................................... 26 2.4 Discussion ................................................................................................ 28 2.5 Conclusions ............................................................................................. 30 2.6 References ............................................................................................... 31 3 Effects of Charcoal-Enriched Goat Manure on Mineralization and ............. Leaching of Carbon and Nutrients from a Subtropical Sandy Soil - A Comparison between Suction Plates and Ion Exchange Resins ............. 34 3.1 Introduction .............................................................................................. 35 3.2 Material and Methods .............................................................................. 37 Table of Contents 3.2.1 Soil and AC-Enriched Manure Collection and Characterization ....... 37 3.2.2 Experimental Design ......................................................................... 38 3.2.3 Analytical Methods ............................................................................ 39 3.2.4 Statistical Analysis ............................................................................ 41 3.3 Results ..................................................................................................... 41 3.3.1 Nutrient Decomposition from Litterbags ........................................... 41 3.3.2 Soil Organic Carbon and Total Nitrogen ........................................... 42 3.3.3 Microbial Biomass Carbon and Nitrogen .......................................... 44 3.3.4 Irrigation and Leaching ..................................................................... 44 3.3.5 Suction Plate-Derived Carbon, Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and ............... Potassium ......................................................................................... 46 3.3.6 Resin-Extracted Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium ................... 50 3.4 Discussion ................................................................................................ 52 3.5 Conclusions ............................................................................................. 55 3.6 References ............................................................................................... 56 4 Effects of Charcoal-Enriched Goat Manure on Soil Fertility Parameters ... and Growth of Millet (Pennisetum glaucum L.) in a Sandy Soil from Northern Oman .............................................................................................. 64 4.1 Introduction .............................................................................................. 65 4.2 Material and Methods .............................................................................. 66 4.2.1 Soil Collection and Characterization ................................................. 66 4.2.2 Experimental Design ......................................................................... 66 4.2.3 Analytical Methods ............................................................................ 68 4.2.4 Statistical Analysis ............................................................................ 70 4.3 Results ..................................................................................................... 70 4.3.1 Manure Quality and Faecal Scores .................................................. 70 4.3.2 Soil Physico-Chemical Parameters .................................................. 71 4.3.3 Soil Microbial Biomass ...................................................................... 72 4.3.4 Plant Growth and Nutrient Concentrations ....................................... 72 4.4 Discussion ................................................................................................ 76 4.5 Conclusions ............................................................................................. 79 4.6 References ............................................................................................... 80 5 General Discussion ....................................................................................... 85 6 General Conclusions .................................................................................... 89 7 General References ...................................................................................... 90 Acknowledgments Acknowledgments First of all, I would like to thank my first supervisor, Prof. Dr. Andreas Bürkert for the opportunity to conduct my PhD thesis in his working group. I appreciated the trust he put in me and the freedom I had to conduct my research. I am also very grateful for the patience and scientific discussions with my second supervisor, Prof. Dr. Bernard Ludwig. I want to thank the DFG for funding my research as part of the Research Training Group 1397 'Regulation of Soil Organic Matter and Nutrient Turnover in Organic Agriculture'. I would like to thank Eva Wiegard, Claudia Thieme, Elsa Zwicker, Sabine Ahlers, Gabi Dormann, Anja Sawallisch, Margit Rode, Rainer Braukmann, Manfred Kunick, and Christian Wagner for laboratory assistance, joyful breaks, and technical discussions. I also thank Frau Haber for her often relieving answers to all administrative questions, for her time, and for a
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