Texture and organic matter associations with soil functional properties in crop and conservation land uses in North Carolina

Abstract

AbstractSoil texture and organic matter are considered overarching factors controlling a diversity of soil processes and properties. However, a more complete understanding of how these factors quantitatively affect other soil properties has been lacking due to either limited scope of land use and management conditions, confounding climate and environmental conditions with management, or narrow range of soil and management conditions. This study evaluated the strength of associations of sand and total soil N concentrations with soil physical, chemical, and biological properties and processes from 310 surface‐soil (0–10‐cm depth) samples (87% Ultisols, 4% Inceptisols, and ≤3% each of Alfisols, Spodosols, Entisols, and Histosols) collected under conventional‐till and no‐till cropland, grassland, and woodland in four physiographic regions of North Carolina. Sand concentration was most strongly associated with dry‐stable mean‐weight diameter (MWD), MWD product, and sieved soil density (|r| > 0.63, p < 0.001). Total soil N concentration was most strongly associated with particulate organic C and N and soil water content at water‐holding capacity (|r| > 0.74, p < 0.001). Soils under unfertilized woodlands deviated the most from general associations, suggesting that organic matter quality could be unique, and requires further investigation. Overall, sand concentration associated more closely with soil physical properties and total soil N concentration associated closely with both soil physical and biogeochemical properties. Soil chemical properties were only weakly associated with either property. This study suggests that soil texture and organic matter would be complementary, additional properties in holistic soil health assessments that already included routine soil chemical analyses.