Abstract
Abstract. In the Republic of Moldova, non-sustainable arable farming led to severe degradation and erosion of fertile steppe soils (Chernozems). As a result, the Chernozems lost about 40% of their initial amounts of soil organic carbon (SOC). The aim of this study was to remediate degraded arable soils and promote carbon sequestration by implementation of cover cropping and green manuring in Moldova. Thereby, the suitability of the legume hairy vetch (Vicia sativa) as cover crop under the dry continental climate of Moldova was examined. At two experimental sites, the effect of cover cropping on chemical and physical soil properties as well as on yields of subsequent main crops was determined. The results showed a significant increase of SOC after incorporation of hairy vetch mainly due to increases of aggregate-occluded and mineral-associated OC. This was related to a high above- and belowground biomass production of hairy vetch associated with a high input of carbon and nitrogen into arable soils. A calculation of SOC stocks based on equivalent soil masses revealed a sequestration of around 3 t C ha−1yr−1 as a result of hairy vetch cover cropping. The buildup of SOC was associated with an improvement of the soil structure as indicated by a distinct decrease of bulk density and a relative increase of macroaggregates at the expense of microaggregates and clods. As a result, yields of subsequent main crops increased by around 20%. Our results indicated that hairy vetch is a promising cover crop to remediate degraded steppe soils, control soil erosion and sequester substantial amounts of atmospheric C in arable soils of Moldova.
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Claims 6
Claim · model-written summary
Incorporation of hairy vetch significantly increased soil organic carbon.
- Taxon
- hairy vetch
Vicia villosae0 - Treatment
- incorporation of hairy vetche0
- Outcome
- SOCe0
- Direction
- increasee0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“significant increase of SOC after incorporation of hairy vetch”
Claim · model-written summary
Hairy vetch increased aggregate-occluded and mineral-associated organic carbon.
- Taxon
- hairy vetchVicia villosae1
- Treatment
- hairy vetch cover croppinge2
- Outcome
- aggregate-occluded and mineral-associated OCe0
- Direction
- increasese0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“increases of aggregate-occluded and mineral-associated OC”
e1“the legume hairy vetch (Vicia sativa)”
e2“hairy vetch cover cropping”
Claim · model-written summary
Hairy vetch cover cropping sequestered around 3 t C per hectare per year.
- Taxon
- hairy vetchVicia villosae0
- Treatment
- hairy vetch cover croppinge0
- Outcome
- sequestratione0
- Direction
- sequestratione0
- Value
- around 3 t C ha−1yr−1e0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“a sequestration of around 3 t C ha−1yr−1 as a result of hairy vetch cover cropping”
Claim · model-written summary
Soil bulk density decreased with organic carbon buildup.
- Taxon
- hairy vetchVicia villosae1
- Treatment
- buildup of SOCe0
- Outcome
- bulk densitye0
- Direction
- decreasee0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The buildup of SOC was associated with an improvement of the soil structure as indicated by a distinct decrease of bulk density”
e1“the legume hairy vetch (Vicia sativa)”
Claim · model-written summary
Macroaggregates increased relative to microaggregates and clods.
- Taxon
- hairy vetchVicia villosae1
- Outcome
- macroaggregatese0
- Direction
- increasee0
- Comparator
- microaggregates and clodse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“a relative increase of macroaggregates at the expense of microaggregates and clods”
e1“the legume hairy vetch (Vicia sativa)”
Claim · model-written summary
Subsequent main-crop yields rose around 20%.
- Taxon
- subsequent main cropse0
- Treatment
- hairy vetch cover croppinge1
- Outcome
- yields of subsequent main cropse0
- Direction
- increasede0
- Value
- around 20%e0
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“yields of subsequent main crops increased by around 20%”
e1“hairy vetch cover cropping”