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ARS Home » Plains Area » Fort Collins, Colorado » Center for Agricultural Resources Research » Water Management and Systems Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #421855
Research Project: Improving Resiliency of Semi-Arid Agroecosystems and Watersheds to Change and Disturbance through Data-Driven Research, AI, and Integrated Models

Location: Water Management and Systems Research

Title: Land management influenced soil carbon distribution in Lesotho, Southern Africa

Author
item Mikha, Maysoon
item MARAKE, MAKOALA - National University Of Lesotho

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/20/2025
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Soil organic matter (SOM) is an essential soil component for land sustainability and ecosystem functioning in addition to its potential for soil carbon (C) storage. This study evaluate the effects of tillage (moldboard plow (MP) and no-tillage (NT)) and commercial fertilizer as limestone ammonium nitrate (28-0-0) at three rates (0, 100, and 200 kg N ha–1) on SOC and SOM fractions (particulate organic matter-C (POM-C) and mineral-associated organic matter-C (MAOM-C)). The study was established in 2008 on the National University of Lesotho Campus Farm, Roma Valley of the Maseru District in Lesotho, southern Africa. Soil samples were collected from 0–5, 5–10, 10–15, and 15–30 cm depths. Under NT, the SOC and POM at 0-15 cm were 54 and 40% higher than 15-30 cm depth, respectively. The MP had 17 and 35% higher SOC and POM at 0-15 than 15-30 cm depth. The highest N-rate (200-N) increased POM by 28.8% for MP and 22.6% for NT than the100-N rate. The C:N ratio was highest with coarse-POM and lowest with MAOM at both tillage practices. The NT managed soil conserved the majority of SOC within MAOM fraction. In contrast, the MP conserved the majority of SOC within fine-POM fraction which made it more susceptible to loss particularly through wind erosion. The MP managed soil exhibited SOC losses from the MAOM indicating that the MAOM is readily destabilized and lost its associated C. The data generated from this study shows a unique distribution of SOC among the SOM fractions that was partially influenced by land management. These findings suggest the need for conservation efforts to reduce SOM losses and improve land sustainability and SOM conservation.