Effects of long-term (70 years) nitrogen fertilization and liming on carbon storage in water-stable aggregates of a semi-arid grassland soil

Grasslands cover up to 40.5% of the world's landmass and store 30% terrestrial carbon (C). Various practices, including mineral fertilization and liming, are used to manage these ecosystems with potential long-term effects on the size and distribution of soil aggregates and inevitably carbon dynamics. The objective of this study was to examine the long-term effects of (nitrogen fertilization and liming on soil carbon storage and its dynamics in water-stable) aggregates of a semi-arid grassland. Soil samples (0–10 cm) were collected from Ukulinga long-term grassland trial in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa where nitrogen fertilizers have been applied annually and lime every five years for 70 years. Ten treatments were studied: the control (0 kgN/ha and unlimited), lime at 2250 kg/ha (L), ammonium sulphate at 70 kg/ha (AS70) and 211 kg/ha (AS211); ammonium nitrate at 70 kg/ha (AN70) and 211 kg/ha (AN211); AS70 + lime (AS70L); AS211 + lime (AS211L); AN70 + lime (AN70L) and AN211 + lime (AN211L). Nitrogen fertilizers significantly reduced soil pH and increased total soil N. Liming increased soil pH with no effect on total soil N. Lime and lime + N fertilizer treatments had no effect on mean weight diameter (MWD) while separate N application decreased MWD and large macro-aggregates (LMA). Lime only treatment had no effect on water stable aggregate (WSA) fractions. Nitrogen fertilization and liming (separately or in combination) did not affect total C concentration and stocks. Overall, soils had very high total soil organic carbon ranging from 49.7 – 57.6 g/kg across treatments. Nitrogen fertilization decreased organic carbon in LMA in AS70 (1.52%) and AN211 (1.67%) treatments compared to the control (3.40%) which was in concert with increases in C associated with small macro-aggregates (SMA) and micro-aggregates (MiA and SCA). Organic carbon in SMA was 2.67 % (AS70); AS211 (2.62 %); AN70 (2.02 %); AN211 (2.49 %) compared to 1.26 % in the control. Lime + N fertilizer treatments increased C storage in all aggregate fractions compared to N fertilizer only treatments. The lack of response in total SOC to 70 years of N fertilization and liming suggests possible C saturation given the high soil C concentration. Changes in C associated with WSA fractions suggests their importance as diagnostic indicators of N fertilization and liming induced changes in SOC. Findings also show that ammonium-based N fertilization is associated with soil acidification, dispersion of LMA resulting in an increase of microaggregates and C stored in them. Liming can counteracts acidifying and the dispersive effect on NH(4)(+) associated with ammonium-based fertilizers thus restoring macro-aggregation in N fertilized grasslands. These findings suggests that long-term N addition may result in poor soil physical condition and possible stabilization of C in stable fractions.