Intensive management increases soil organic matter and
cation exchange capacity: An analysis of differently
managed sites at the George Jones Farm
Emma B. Bishop, Callen Miracle, Christy Rollinson
ENVS 316, Systems Ecology
Oberlin College, Oberlin OH
Background
Effects of Treatments and Time
The George Jones Memorial Farm in Oberlin, OH was conventionally managed in a corn-soybean rotation
until 2001. As a result of this management history, organic matter in the topsoil was severely depleted
at the time that the farm was converted to organic management (Masi 2000).
Soil Organic Matter
Comparisons of SOM & CEC
% SOM, CEC (cmol/kg)
20
Soil organic matter (SOM) contains essential plant nutrients and is related to cation exchange capacity
(CEC) and other properties important to crop productivity. CEC measures the ability of soils to retain and
exchange positively charged ions, many of which are critical for plant growth. (Follett et al. 1987).
Understanding the effects of soil management on SOM and CEC is crucial to successful farm
management.
Many studies have analyzed the effects of farming practices on soil properties (Fliebach et al. 2007).
Previous studies at the Jones Farm assessed the effects of various organic management strategies on soil
quality after three years. Strategies include cover-cropping and the addition of compost (Bosch et al.
2003, Lindauer et al. 2004). The effects of these practices on SOM and CEC after seven years of organic
management are not yet known.
SOM %
)CEC (cmol/kg
c
15
b
b
10
5
y
x,y
a
x
x
Cation Exchange Capacity
0
Meadow
Goals:
Chickens
Garden
Sample Location
Greenhouse
Bars labeled with the same letter are not
significantly different.
Note: In
2004, the
only sample
sites used
were the
meadow and
greenhouse
so these
were the only
sites that
could be
assessed for
change.
• We expected greenhouses to have the highest levels of SOM, followed by the garden, chicken run and
meadow. The quantity of organic matter added to the greenhouse was greatest among the treatments. The
greenhouse and garden received significant additions of organic matter while the chicken run was more
passively managed. The meadow is currently unmanaged.
• We expected an increase in SOM at all managed sites since 2004, due to continued additions of organic
matter. We expected the meadow's SOM to increase due to biomass accumulation as the ecosystem develops.
• We expected CEC to follow the same trends as SOM as close correlations between the two properties have
been found (Chapin 2002).
Treatments and Methods
CEC
% SOM
12
20
2004
10
15
2007
8
% SOM
Hypotheses:
• SOM and CEC are highly correlated (R2=.78), so the
high CEC in the greenhouse can be explained by a
relatively high %SOM. The addition of lime to control
acidity also contributed to the high CEC in the
greenhouse (there is a greater capacity for ion
exchange in less acidic soils).
Comparison of CEC and SOM in 2004 and 2007
CEC (cmol/kg)
• Quantify the effects of existing management practices at the Jones Farm. Provide baseline data for assessing
the efficacy of new management strategies.
• Determine change over time in soil properties resulting from continued management since 2004.
• Provide information about effective management practices that can be used by the Jones Farm and other
organic farming operations.
• All treated sites had significantly higher % SOM than the
unmanaged field, indicating all of the studied soil
amendments have increased SOM.
• The high % SOM observed in the greenhouse is
explained by large applications of organic material.
Also, eroding factors, such as wind and water
applications, are highly controlled in the greenhouse, so
organic matter is not lost through erosion.
6
4
10
5
2
0
0
Meadow
Meadow
Greenhouse
Sample Location
Sample Location
• SOM in the greenhouse remained relatively high
between 2004 and 2007 and did not increase
significantly. It is possible that % SOM content was
close to a saturation point in 2004. The warmer
temperature in the greenhouse may also limit
accumulation of SOM: higher temperatures lead to
higher rates of soil respiration, which results in more
decomposition of SOM.
• Decreased SOM in the meadow could be the result of
increased decomposition of organic matter with system
development, preventing net accumulation of SOM.
Several soil management practices have been employed at different locations, in combination or alone (see table).
We sampled along transects in four differently managed locations at the Jones Farm using a 2 cm diameter soil
corer to collect samples to a depth of 15 cm at multiple points along each transect. Multiple transects were used
for all sites except the chicken run, which had one transect. We used a GPS device to record the exact location of
every sampling point. For meadow transects, we used the GPS to return to the sampling sites used by Lindauer et
al. (2004). In the greenhouse, we used the diagrams of Lindauer et al. (2004) to return to their sampling points.
We analyzed each soil sample for SOM and percent moisture (Nelson and Sommers 1996). We combined the
samples for each transect and analyzed CEC and pH of three transects for each site (Sumner and Miller 1996,
Thomas 1996). For the chicken run, we analyzed three replicates of the single transect. Statistical analysis was
done using single factor ANOVA (p=0.05).
Greenhouse
• CEC did not change significantly between 2004
and 2007 in either the meadow or the
greenhouse. For the greenhouse this could be
explained by the lack of change in SOM. In the
meadow, however, SOM decreased while CEC
remained unchanged. For the meadow, however,
the low % SOM may have been unable to
influence CEC. Other factors, such as a
consistent pH, may have lead to the meadow's
insignificant change in CEC.
Conclusions
Site
Year
Treatments
Initiated
2003
Manure, composted leaf
mulch, cover-cropping
CEC and pH
Analysis
All three transects
analyzed.
Chicken
Run (b)
2006
Greenhouse
(c)
2002
Three samples
analyzed from the
single transect.
Three transects
randomly selected
for analysis.
Garden
Plot (a)
Meadow 2001
(control)
(d)
6-10 chickens in an
enclosure, periodically
moved along a strip
Beds made up of leaf mulch.
Treated with manure, compost (leaf mulch, food- and
brew-waste), lime, chickens
Conventionally managed
crop field mowed and
planted with clover. Now unmanaged, high biodiversity.
Three transects
randomly selected
for analysis.
• The Jones Farm is currently using successful techniques to increase SOM and CEC.
• Quantity of organic matter added is more important than its origin.
a
• High levels of SOM and CEC can be achieved within a few years using the management regime applied in the
greenhouse.
b
• SOM and CEC may have saturated by 2004. This could mean that less intense management at the Jones Farm
might result in the loss of SOM and CEC because organic matter is currently being replaced at the rate it is
being removed from the system.
References
c
d
Bosch, C.L., N.B. Decker and K.T. Merrick. 2003. Soil organic matter accumulation at the George Jones Farm: A comparison of organic treatments with
natural processes and conventional management. ENVS 316.
Chapin F.S., Matson P.A., Moony H.A. 2002. Principles of Terrestrial Ecosystem Ecology. Springer Science and Business Media, New York.
Fliessbach A., Oberholzer H.R., Gunst L., Maeder, P. 2007. Soil organic matter and biological soil quality indicators after 21 years of organic and
conventional farming. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environement. 118: 273-284.
Follett R.F., Stewart J.W.B., Cole C.V., Power J.F. 1987. Soil Fertility and Organic Matter as Critical Components of Production Systems. American Society of Agronomy, Inc.:
Madison.
Lindauer, O., S. Morris, R. Stenger. 2004. Comparison of soil properties in raised bed greenhouse and adjacent fallow fields: effects of 3 years of intense
organic management at the Jones Farm Oberlin, Ohio. ENVS 316.
Nelson, D.W. and L.E. Sommers. 1996. Total Carbon, Organic Carbon, and Organic Matter. Methods of Soil Analysis, Part 3: Chemical Methods. Soil
Science Society of America, Inc. Madison, WI.
Masi, B. and A. Englander. Personal communication. 26 November 2007.
Sumner, M.E. and W.P. Miller. 1996. Cation exchange capacity and exchange coefficients. Methods of Soil Analysis, Part 3: Chemical Methods. Soil Science
Society of America, Inc. Madison, WI.
Thomas, G.W. 1996. Soil pH and soil acidity. Methods of Soil Analysis, Part 3: Chemical Methods. Soil Science Society of America, Inc. Madison.