Immobilization and stabilization of volcanic ash in soil aggregates in semiarid meadows of Northern Patagonia

Although volcanism may be perceived by the society as a phenomenon with mostly negative consequences, this is not always the case especially for natural systems. There is a limited knowledge on how the deposited pristine ash becomes immobilized and stabilized in the soil after the volcanic event. He...

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Main Authors: Enriquez, Andrea Soledad, Necpalova, Magdalena, Cremona, Maria Victoria, Peri, Pablo Luis, Six, Johan
Format: info:ar-repo/semantics/artículo
Language:Inglés
Published: Elsevier 2021
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12123/9065
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0016706121000616
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2021.114987
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author Enriquez, Andrea Soledad
Necpalova, Magdalena
Cremona, Maria Victoria
Peri, Pablo Luis
Six, Johan
author_browse Cremona, Maria Victoria
Enriquez, Andrea Soledad
Necpalova, Magdalena
Peri, Pablo Luis
Six, Johan
author_facet Enriquez, Andrea Soledad
Necpalova, Magdalena
Cremona, Maria Victoria
Peri, Pablo Luis
Six, Johan
author_sort Enriquez, Andrea Soledad
collection INTA Digital
description Although volcanism may be perceived by the society as a phenomenon with mostly negative consequences, this is not always the case especially for natural systems. There is a limited knowledge on how the deposited pristine ash becomes immobilized and stabilized in the soil after the volcanic event. Here, we studied processes of soil aggregates formation in the buried ash layer in an early stage of the succession as well as the influence of the biological legacy (previous land management history) on these processes after the 2011 volcanic event of the Puyehue–Cord´on Caulle Volcanic Complex. 5.5 years after the eruption we collected soil cores to a 10 cm depth in wet and mesic meadows with good and poor grassland conditions induced by light and heavy grazing intensity, respectively, in the East semiarid region of North Patagonia, Argentina. The ash layer was observed down to 5 cm from the soil surface, clearly differentiating a newly developed soil layer formed after the volcanic event. Accordingly, the top 5 cm were examined for the distribution of different size fractions of water-stable soil aggregates and their associated organic carbon (C) and total nitrogen (N) contents. We detected signs of physical and physicochemical changes in respect to the pristine ash collected at these sites in 2011. Soil neoformation processes were detected through the presence of large (4%) and small (21%) macroaggregates, although microaggregates (~45%) and silt + clay fractions (~29%) dominated the soil mass (ash-soil matrix: 0–5 cm depth). C and N contents decreased in a sequence: large macroaggregates ≥ small macroaggregates > microaggregates ≥ silt + clay, highlighting the importance of soil organic matter in the formation of larger-size aggregates and their quality (C and N contents). Biological legacy influenced soil aggregate formation and their quality, as reflected by a higher mass of small macroaggregates and a lower mass of microaggregates (only in mesic meadows) and by higher C and N contents under good grassland conditions. The seasonal hydrological conditions of meadow soils (i.e., soil water content, wetting and drying cycles) via effects on biological and physical processes likely resulted in a reduced aggregation in wet meadows. We noticed an incipient but present soil aggregation processes in these semiarid wetlands translated in the immobilization and stabilization of the buried ashes in the soil. The total C content in the new 0–5 cm soil layer increased at a rate of 1.0 Mg C ha 1 yr 1, on average. This indicates a functional recovery of the ecosystem along with a substantial CO2 mitigation potential in the ashes stabilized with soil organic matter, which might partially counterbalance CO2 emitted during the eruption.
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spelling INTA90652021-04-12T15:54:15Z Immobilization and stabilization of volcanic ash in soil aggregates in semiarid meadows of Northern Patagonia Enriquez, Andrea Soledad Necpalova, Magdalena Cremona, Maria Victoria Peri, Pablo Luis Six, Johan Ceniza Suelo Volcánico Tierras Húmedas Ashes Volcanic Soils Wetlands Ceniza Volcánica Región Patagónica Humedales Mallines Although volcanism may be perceived by the society as a phenomenon with mostly negative consequences, this is not always the case especially for natural systems. There is a limited knowledge on how the deposited pristine ash becomes immobilized and stabilized in the soil after the volcanic event. Here, we studied processes of soil aggregates formation in the buried ash layer in an early stage of the succession as well as the influence of the biological legacy (previous land management history) on these processes after the 2011 volcanic event of the Puyehue–Cord´on Caulle Volcanic Complex. 5.5 years after the eruption we collected soil cores to a 10 cm depth in wet and mesic meadows with good and poor grassland conditions induced by light and heavy grazing intensity, respectively, in the East semiarid region of North Patagonia, Argentina. The ash layer was observed down to 5 cm from the soil surface, clearly differentiating a newly developed soil layer formed after the volcanic event. Accordingly, the top 5 cm were examined for the distribution of different size fractions of water-stable soil aggregates and their associated organic carbon (C) and total nitrogen (N) contents. We detected signs of physical and physicochemical changes in respect to the pristine ash collected at these sites in 2011. Soil neoformation processes were detected through the presence of large (4%) and small (21%) macroaggregates, although microaggregates (~45%) and silt + clay fractions (~29%) dominated the soil mass (ash-soil matrix: 0–5 cm depth). C and N contents decreased in a sequence: large macroaggregates ≥ small macroaggregates > microaggregates ≥ silt + clay, highlighting the importance of soil organic matter in the formation of larger-size aggregates and their quality (C and N contents). Biological legacy influenced soil aggregate formation and their quality, as reflected by a higher mass of small macroaggregates and a lower mass of microaggregates (only in mesic meadows) and by higher C and N contents under good grassland conditions. The seasonal hydrological conditions of meadow soils (i.e., soil water content, wetting and drying cycles) via effects on biological and physical processes likely resulted in a reduced aggregation in wet meadows. We noticed an incipient but present soil aggregation processes in these semiarid wetlands translated in the immobilization and stabilization of the buried ashes in the soil. The total C content in the new 0–5 cm soil layer increased at a rate of 1.0 Mg C ha 1 yr 1, on average. This indicates a functional recovery of the ecosystem along with a substantial CO2 mitigation potential in the ashes stabilized with soil organic matter, which might partially counterbalance CO2 emitted during the eruption. Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Bariloche Fil: Enriquez, Andrea Soledad. Instituto Nacional de Tecnologia Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Bariloche; Argentina Fil: Enriquez, Andrea Soledad. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Instituto de Investigaciones Forestales y Agropecuarias Bariloche; Argentina Fil: Cremona, Maria Victoria. Instituto Nacional de Tecnologia Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Bariloche; Argentina Fil: Peri, Pablo Luis. Instituto Nacional de Tecnologia Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Santa Cruz; Argentina Fil: Six, Johan. Swiss Federal Institute of Technology. Department of Environmental Systems Science; Suiza Fil: Necpalova, Magdalena. University College Dublin Belfield. School of Agriculture & Food Science. Environment & Sustainable Resource Management; Irlanda 2021-04-12T15:45:11Z 2021-04-12T15:45:11Z 2021-06-15 info:ar-repo/semantics/artículo info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12123/9065 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0016706121000616 0016-7061 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2021.114987 eng info:eu-repograntAgreement/INTA/PNSUELO-1134042/AR./Aprovechamiento de residuos para aumentar el reciclado en el suelo. Sumideros de carbono y emisiones del suelo. info:eu-repo/semantics/restrictedAccess application/pdf Elsevier Geoderma 392 : Art: 114987 (Junio 2021)
spellingShingle Ceniza
Suelo Volcánico
Tierras Húmedas
Ashes
Volcanic Soils
Wetlands
Ceniza Volcánica
Región Patagónica
Humedales
Mallines
Enriquez, Andrea Soledad
Necpalova, Magdalena
Cremona, Maria Victoria
Peri, Pablo Luis
Six, Johan
Immobilization and stabilization of volcanic ash in soil aggregates in semiarid meadows of Northern Patagonia
title Immobilization and stabilization of volcanic ash in soil aggregates in semiarid meadows of Northern Patagonia
title_full Immobilization and stabilization of volcanic ash in soil aggregates in semiarid meadows of Northern Patagonia
title_fullStr Immobilization and stabilization of volcanic ash in soil aggregates in semiarid meadows of Northern Patagonia
title_full_unstemmed Immobilization and stabilization of volcanic ash in soil aggregates in semiarid meadows of Northern Patagonia
title_short Immobilization and stabilization of volcanic ash in soil aggregates in semiarid meadows of Northern Patagonia
title_sort immobilization and stabilization of volcanic ash in soil aggregates in semiarid meadows of northern patagonia
topic Ceniza
Suelo Volcánico
Tierras Húmedas
Ashes
Volcanic Soils
Wetlands
Ceniza Volcánica
Región Patagónica
Humedales
Mallines
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12123/9065
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0016706121000616
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2021.114987
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