J. Givi; F. Raeisi; F. Dehghani
Abstract
Purpose of this research was evaluationof organic matter unstability (ripening) of Histosolsof south-west Shahrekord,using humusunstability indices, including ratios of humic acid (HA) to fulvic acid (FA), sum of organic material types, soluble in alkali (AE=FA+HA) to humin fraction (HUM) and also ratio ...
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Purpose of this research was evaluationof organic matter unstability (ripening) of Histosolsof south-west Shahrekord,using humusunstability indices, including ratios of humic acid (HA) to fulvic acid (FA), sum of organic material types, soluble in alkali (AE=FA+HA) to humin fraction (HUM) and also ratio of optical density at 465 (E4)tooptical density at 665 nanometer (E6) of organic matter and its components.The studied area has cool and semi-arid climate. Some of the soils formed in the studied area are Histosols.Five soil profiles were described down to depth of 2 m and soil samples were collected from their different horizons. Chemical fractionation of organic matter to fulvic acid, humic acid and humin was done and the content of each of these three components and the amounts of E4and E6 were measured.In all of the soil profiles, variations of the fulvic acid, humic acid and humin contents are similar to variations of organic matter contents. More than 94 percent of the soil organic matter has changed to humus. Increase of HA/FA with increase of soil depth indicates high degree of polymerization and humification (stability) of organic matter in underlying layers and higher rate of humic material decomposition (unstability) in surface layers. Lower rate of humic material decomposition in underlying layers is due to increase of clay content with increase of soil depth and adsorption of humin by clay particles. E4/E6 of the whole soil also decreased regularly from soil surface towards soil depth. This decrease is another evidence for increase of organic matter stability. Highest organic matter unstability was observed in the profile 5. This profile contains hemic but the others have sapric organic material.
