RothC simulation of carbon accumulation in soil after repeated application of widely different organic amendments

Multi-compartment soil carbon (C) simulation models such as RothC are widely used for predicting changes in C stocks of arable soils. However, rigorous routines for establishing entry pools that account for the diversity of exogenous organic matter (EOM) applied to croplands are still lacking. We obtained data on changes in soil C stocks after repeated applications of EOM from four long-term experiments (LTEs): Askov K2 (Denmark, 31 yrs), Qualiagro (France, 11 yrs), SERAIL (France, 14 yrs) and Ultuna (Sweden, 52 yrs). The adjustment of the partition coefficients of total organic C in EOM (EOM-TOC) into the labile, resistant and humified entry pools of RothC (fDPM, fRPM, fHUM, respectively) provided a successful fit to the accumulation of EOM-derived C in the LTE soils. Equations estimating the EOM partition coefficients in the RothC model were based on an indicator (IROC) of the EOM-TOC potentially retained in soil. IROC was derived from the C found in the soluble, lignin + cutin-like and cellulose-like Van Soest fractions and the proportion of EOM-TOC mineralized during 3 days of incubation. Using the EOM partition coefficients derived from these laboratory analyses resulted in RothC simulations with only slightly larger errors than simulations based on partition coefficients fitted from LTE soil data, except for EOMs that caused very large accumulations of C in soil (e.g. peat) possibly due to factors not accounted for in the RothC model, such as change in soil pH. The proposed partitioning of EOM-TOC allows the potential soil C storage after EOM applications to be predicted regardless of field location and specific composition of EOMs.

► We developed a method for partitioning organic C from amendments in RothC entry pools. ► Partitioning is based on laboratory characterization of organic amendments. ► C storage in soil after amendment application was well predicted using the developed method.