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Quantifying Rhizosphere Dynamics: Implications for improved soil health in systems of varying tillage intensity and crop rotational diversity

Martin, Tvisha Kimball
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1618495425949191

Abstract Details

2021, Master of Science, Ohio State University, Environment and Natural Resources.
The linkages between fine root production and soil food webs are poorly understood. Moreover, assessing how these belowground dynamics influence soil health is deeply needed to enhance sustainable agriculture. This thesis explores how contrasting agricultural practices alter fine root dynamics, soil food web structure and function, and soil health indicators over the course of a growing season. Fine root biomass, fine root carbon (C), fine root nitrogen (N), fine root carbon:nitrogen ratios, and fine root biomass:aboveground biomass ratios were measured and correlated to permanganate oxidizable carbon (POXC), protein, mineralizable carbon (MinC), aryl sulfatase (AS), N-acetyl-B-glucosaminidase (NAG), and B-gluscosidase (GLU) in systems of corn-forage-forage no-till, corn-forage-forage chisel, corn-soy no-till, and corn-soy chisel at Hoytville, Ohio (clay site) and Wooster, Ohio (silt loam site). Additionally, nematode communities were identified and used to calculate feeding group abundances and nematode indices to indicate soil food web structure and function. Results indicate that greater fine root N was significantly and positively correlated with greater labile C and N pools and nutrient cycling. In addition, soil health was enhanced at the end of the growing season, especially in corn systems that were consistently rotated with perennial crops. The measurement of soil food web structure and function, through the use of nematode feeding groups and nematode indices, revealed that systems of greater crop rotational diversity and reduced tillage intensity have the potential to provide enhanced soil food web structure and slow C decomposition through top-down regulation of the soil food web and fungal mediated decomposition. Furthermore, results of the non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) vector analysis indicated strong correlations between nematode community structure in corn-forage-forage no-till systems and soil health indicators of POXC, Protein, NAG, GLU, and AP, thus demonstrating that nematode community structure in systems with greater crop rotational diversity and reduced tillage intensity can improve soil health. This thesis demonstrates novel findings, through results showing that enhanced fine root quality can augment N cycling, and that nematode community structure is significantly related to N and C cycling in systems with greater perenniality and crop rotational diversity.
Christine Sprunger (Advisor)
Steve Culman (Committee Member)
Alison Bennett (Committee Member)
Agriculture
soil health, enzymes, nematodes, soil carbon, roots, fine roots, root production, agriculture

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Martin, T. K. (2021). Quantifying Rhizosphere Dynamics: Implications for improved soil health in systems of varying tillage intensity and crop rotational diversity [Master's thesis, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1618495425949191

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Martin, Tvisha. Quantifying Rhizosphere Dynamics: Implications for improved soil health in systems of varying tillage intensity and crop rotational diversity. 2021. Ohio State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1618495425949191.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Martin, Tvisha. "Quantifying Rhizosphere Dynamics: Implications for improved soil health in systems of varying tillage intensity and crop rotational diversity." Master's thesis, Ohio State University, 2021. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1618495425949191

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

osu1618495425949191
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