Long-term monitoring of soil organic carbon patterns in a perennial pastureland

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the spatial and temporal patterns of soil organic carbon (SOC) and others soil nutrients at four points in time over a 10-year period in a perennial pastureland and, consequently, evaluate the potential for differential organic management. A 6 ha permanent bio-diverse pasture field, grazed by sheep and improved by annual application of super phospate fertilizer, was installed on a shallow soil in Mediterranean conditions. The topsoil spatial variability and temporal stability of macronutrients, SOC and pH were measured. The results indicate that SOC and the pH have great potential for implementing differential management. The evaluation of geospatial measurements of apparent soil electrical conductivity (ECa) and NDVI index showed significant correlation with soil proprieties, revealing interesting and rapid tools for producing detailed soil maps, decisive for sustainable management.