Influence of land use and tillage depth on dynamics of soil microbial properties, soil carbon fractions and crop yield after conversion of short-rotation coppices

The effect of conversion of short-rotation coppices (SRCs) to agricultural land on soil organic carbon (SOC), soil microbial properties and crop yield is largely unknown. The objective of this study was to assess the effects of subsequent land use and tillage depth after conversion of SRCs on (i) total SOC (ii) soil C fractions with differentiation of total harvest residues and woody harvest residues from SRC and maize by 13C analysis and (iii) dry matter and N yield of grassland and maize. For this purpose, field trials were established after conversion of SRCs at three sites in Germany and cultivated with maize and grassland with shallow (5 cm), medium (15 cm) and deep tillage depth (30 cm). Crops were sampled for 5 yrs, and soil samples were collected at a depth of 0–5, 5–15 and 15–30 cm. Amount of total carbon and soil carbon fractions immediately and 4 yrs after conversion of SRC were compared. Tillage depth had no effect on dry matter yield of maize and grassland. The amount of woody harvest residues decreased over time following conversion at all sites irrespective of land use or tillage depth, but SOC decreased only at one site. Microbial biomass was particularly sensitive to land use, but microorganisms reacted differently to tillage depth depending on the soil conditions. Our results reveal that decomposition of woody harvest residues is rapid and that effects of tillage and land use on different soil C-pools are site specific.