Synergistic effects of organic carbon and silica in preserving structural stability of drying soils

作者：Luis Alfredo Pires Barbosa, Mathias Stein, Horst H. Gerke, Jörg Schaller · 发表于：Scientific Reports · 年份：2024 · DOI：10.1038/s41598-024-58916-9 · 被引用次数：17 · 研究领域：Soil and Unsaturated Flow、Clay minerals and soil interactions、Soil Carbon and Nitrogen Dynamics

Predicted climate warming and prolonged droughts pose a threat to the soil structure as organic carbon losses weaken the stability of soil aggregates. Well-structured soils are important for storage and movement of water, solutes, and air, the development of plant roots, as habitat for soil organisms, and the microbial activity. Structural stability is measured in terms of hydro-mechanical properties. This study compares effects of amorphous silica with those of organic carbon on stability parameters during drying of aggregates from relatively finer- and coarser-textured soils. Silica amendment enhanced the positive effect of organic carbon on structural stability in terms of the tensile strength. Synergistic effects between silica and organic carbon in soil colloids appear to dynamically alter aggregate density and friability (i.e., ability to crumble) during drying. Silica together with organic carbon could help soil management to reduce negative effects of predicted prolonged droughts on soil structure and stability.