Understanding the Effects of Organic Versus Conventional Farming on Soil Organic Carbon Characteristics– a Chronosequence Study

61 Pages Posted: 18 Apr 2024

See all articles by Guusje Johanna Koorneef

Guusje Johanna Koorneef

affiliation not provided to SSRN

Mirjam Pulleman

affiliation not provided to SSRN

Ron G. M. de Goede

Wageningen University and Research (WUR)

Pierre Barré

affiliation not provided to SSRN

François Baudin

Université Paris Est Créteil - Sorbonne Université

Sophie Q. Van Rijssel

affiliation not provided to SSRN

Rob N.J. Comans

Wageningen University and Research (WUR)

Abstract

Organic farming aims at producing high quality, nutritious food while sustaining the health of soils and ecosystems, for which it relies on ecological processes. The amount and quality of soil organic carbon (SOC) influence many soil ecological processes that underlie ecosystem services. However, the effect of organic farming on the amount and especially the quality of SOC is not yet clear. We therefore investigated the long-term influence of organic arable farming on the amount and the quality of SOC in topsoil.On two contrasting soil types (i.e., clay vs. sand), we sampled a chronosequence of certified organically managed commercial farms (0 to 34 and 69 years of organic farming, respectively) that we paired with nearby conventional counterparts on the same soil. We collected soil samples and basic information on soil management such as crop rotation and fertilization. Total SOC content and soil properties that influence SOC were measured, while four different techniques (POX-C oxidation, Rock-Eval thermal analysis, POM-MAOM fractionation, elemental C:N analysis) were used to characterize SOC quality.In clay soils, particularly those with a low Fe oxide content, we confirmed our hypothesis that organic farming can increase the total SOC content and labile organic carbon fractions over time, thus resulting in a lower overall SOC stability. We also found indications that the effects of management on SOC quality are co-dependent on the total SOC content. The duration of organic farming was not found to affect the content or quality of SOC in sandy soils.Despite our strict farm selection criteria, large variations in environmental soil conditions, farm-specific practices, and land use history complicated identification of individual processes that drive the observed changes in SOC dynamics in response to organic farming. This variation also highlighted the importance of soil intrinsic properties for SOC dynamics, and the need to develop soil-specific farm management recommendations. Despite this complexity, this study has clearly revealed the potential of organic farming to change SOC cycling towards a higher and overall more bioavailable SOC content, thus strengthening associated ecosystem services.

Keywords: organic agriculture, soil organic matter, soil carbon, regenerative agriculture, soil management, confounding factors

Suggested Citation

Koorneef, Guusje Johanna and Pulleman, Mirjam and de Goede, Ron G. M. and Barré, Pierre and Baudin, François and Van Rijssel, Sophie Q. and Comans, Rob N.J., Understanding the Effects of Organic Versus Conventional Farming on Soil Organic Carbon Characteristics– a Chronosequence Study. Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=4797577 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4797577

Guusje Johanna Koorneef (Contact Author)

affiliation not provided to SSRN ( email )

No Address Available

Mirjam Pulleman

affiliation not provided to SSRN ( email )

No Address Available

Ron G. M. De Goede

Wageningen University and Research (WUR) ( email )

Hollandseweg 1
Wageningen, 6706KN
Netherlands

Pierre Barré

affiliation not provided to SSRN ( email )

No Address Available

François Baudin

Université Paris Est Créteil - Sorbonne Université ( email )

Sophie Q. Van Rijssel

affiliation not provided to SSRN ( email )

No Address Available

Rob N.J. Comans

Wageningen University and Research (WUR) ( email )

Netherlands

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