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The objective of this study was to determine to what extent the attenuation or loss of andic soil properties caused by land use change – from forest (FOR, average C content 118.2 ± 23.7 g kg−1) to agricultural land (AGR, average C content 55.7 ± 16.7 g kg−1) use – is reflected in soil organic matter (SOM) at the molecular level. For this, NaOH-extractable SOM of A horizons from 17 soils developed on amphibolitic parent material in NW Spain was studied by pyrolysis gas chromatography spectrometry (Py-GC/MS). We also included two buried andic A horizons (PAL, 2200 cal yr BP in age) on the same parent material, as a reference for the molecular composition of SOM from soils without recent litter additions. Organic matter of PAL soils had a composition largely different from that of superficial soils (FOR and AGR), with an important relative contribution of microbial polysaccharides and N-compounds, and an absence of compounds that characterize fresh plant litter (e.g. lignins). In the superficial soils, the relative contribution of lignin-derived compounds was greater in AGR than in FOR soils. Differences were also observed in the relative contribution of aliphatic compounds, FOR soils being enriched in this type of components compared with AGR soils. The results indicated that land use change from FOR to AGR, which was accompanied by a decrease in total SOM, resulted in an enrichment in primary SOM. The smaller relative abundance of primary SOM derivatives in andic FOR soils indicates that these compounds were quickly degraded in Andisols. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The rhizosphere is a narrow zone of soil influenced by plant root and their exudates and its extent varies with soil type, plant species, age and many other factors. The rhizosphere microenvironment therefore has different characteristics from those of bulk soils. In the present study, the physicochemical parameters, exchangeable micronutrients (extracted with 1M NH4Cl), available micronutrients (extracted with Mehlich-III: Fe, Mn, Cu, and Zn), toxic metals (Cr, Pb, Ni, Cd), the Fe associated with the organic matter (extracted with Na-pyrophosphate) and the poorly crystalline Fe (extracted with 0.2M oxalic acid) were studied in the bulk soil and in the rhizosphere of the spontaneous vegetation growing at an abandoned copper mine. The natural vegetation colonising the mine dump included two species of Ericaceae (Erica cinerea, Calluna vulgaris) and Salix atrocinerea, whereas only the first two grew on the mine slope. The results showed that plants influence the physicochemical conditions of the rhizosphere, although not all in the same way. Thus the pH of the rhizosphere of the ericaceous species was extremely low, approximately 2–3units lower than the pH of the bulk soil, whereas the pH of the Salix rhizosphere remained close to the respective bulk soil, which has a pH of 6.6. Furthermore, the concentration of organic matter was higher in the rhizosphere than in the bulk soil. In general the same pattern was observed for the most labile fractions of the micronutrients and toxic metals, with higher concentrations in the rhizosphere than in the bulk soil. However, there were clear differences between the ericaceous species and Salix, which prevents general conclusions being reached about the processes to which trace metals are submitted in the rhizosphere. On the other hand, although the elements under study are included in the term trace metals, they display different geochemical behaviour. Thus the exchangeable fraction was clearly correlated with the TOC for all micronutrients except Cu, presumably because the organic matter selectively adsorbs this element, thereby reducing its mobility. Finally, as regards the potential toxicity, only the concentrations of Cu and Fe surpassed the limits above which phytotoxicity may occur, while toxic metals were present at very low concentrations. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]