Résumé
Several studies have emphasised the ability of Near Infrared Reflectance Spectroscopy (NIRS) to identify surface earthworm casts in the field. However, less is known about casts deposited within the soil, which usually represent the majority found in the field. This study tested the ability of NIRS to identify belowground casts in agricultural systems. Casts and surrounding soils were sampled at depths of 20-30 cm in a loamy soil under no tillage for 12 years. To distinguish different types of cast, sizes and orientations relative to the horizontal plane were measured. NIRS analyses and analyses of carbon and nitrogen content were also performed to compare casts to surrounding soils. Casts were classified into 4 size classes, with no preferential orientation. Cast carbon and nitrogen content were not influenced by their size and did not differ from surrounding soils. PCAs performed on the NIRS data did not allow casts to be differentiated from surrounding soils, regardless of size class. However, soil aggregates were clearly differentiated probably due to their spatial distribution in the soil. Although this study did not identify specific NIRS signatures for casts, it shows the utility of this method to investigate the origin of the soil consumed by earthworms. In our case, NIRS analyses suggest that the high bulk density of the soil (1.42 g cm(-3)) forced ingestion by endogeic earthworms, simply to move around, without preferential selection for organic matter. Consequently, their casts were deposited a few mm from where they had ingested soil with similar organic matter quality. (c) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Auteurs, date et publication :
Auteurs N. Bottinelli , Y. Capowiez , V. Hallaire , J. Ranger , P. Jouquet
Publication : Applied Soil Ecology
Date : 2013
Volume : 70
Pages : 57-61
Catégorie(s)
#FORET Azerailles-Clermont #INRAERésumé
Upland forest soils are known to be the main biological sink for methane, but studies have shown that net methane uptake of a forest ecosystem can be reduced when methane emissions by vegetation are considered. We estimated the methane budget of a young oak plantation by considering tree stems but also the understorey vegetation.
Auteurs, date et publication :
Auteurs Caroline Plain , Fatou-Kiné Ndiaye , Pascal Bonnaud , Jacques Ranger , Daniel Epron
Publication : New Phytologist
Date : 2025
Volume : 221
Issue : 3
Pages : 1447-1456
Catégorie(s)
#FORET Azerailles-Clermont #INRAERésumé
The mechanisation of forestry operations is too recent in France to have enough perspective and scientific knowledge of the effects on extensively managed soils. Two experimental sites on soils sensitive to compaction (silty acidic soils laying on top of a clayey subsoil) were set in Lorraine (France). A gentle and controlled compaction of these physically very analogous soils was carried out during spring 2007 at the Azerailles site (AZ) and during spring 2008 at the Clermont-en-Argonne site (CA). Immediate changes were observed for all ecosystem physical, chemical and biological functioning indicators. Soil restoration dynamics were followed using continuous monitoring of numerous parameters, including soil moisture and occurrence of a perched water table (PWT) (monitored at a daily time step) and PWT chemistry (monthly time step). Mid-term monitoring (7–8 years) results showed that both soils shifted towards a hydromorphic soil type attested by the increase in PWT frequency and duration, which invaded the soil upper layers, leading to characteristic Fe, Mn and S mobility and a change in organic compounds stability. Though soil types were very similar, the PWT characteristics varied notably between both sites. The mean residence time of the PWT was shown to be a major driver of its geochemistry, but with strong interaction with soil characteristics. A previous study made on both sites suggested that soil clay content and clay mineralogy controls the PWT dynamics through effects on aggregation. From a PWT perspective, seven years of monitoring were insufficient to observe any soil compaction recovery in the richer soil of AZ but a partial recovery was observed for the chemically poorer soil (CA). Compaction durably impacted the two studied soils and the probability that a new compaction event may occur before the complete recovery from the first disturbance must be considered in forest management.
Auteurs, date et publication :
Auteurs P. Bonnaud , Ph. Santenoise , D. Tisserand , G. Nourrisson , J. Ranger
Publication : Forest Ecology and Management
Date : 2025
Volume : 437
Pages : 380-395
Catégorie(s)
#ANR-Citation #FORET Azerailles-Clermont #INRAERésumé
Processes and rate of macroporosity changes following heavy traffic in forest ecosystems are seldom studied. The aim of this study was to determine the ability of forest soils to regenerate their macroporosity naturally. The study was performed on 2 silty temperate-forest soils classified as sensitive to compaction located in north-eastern France. Macroporosity was measured in control and trafficked plots at 3 depths (0-7, 15-30 and 30-45 cm) over 2-3 years. Soil macroporosity characteristics (shape, size and orientation) were assessed on polished sections through 2D-image analysis and micromorphic observations. Immediately after heavy traffic, macroporosity decreased by 96 to 49% from 0 to 45 cm in depth. Natural regeneration of macroporosity occurred in the upper 7 cm of soil, while the soil below remained compacted. Small and medium macropores (0.05-0.8 mm(2)) dominated by rounded and irregular pores regenerated completely. Large macropores (>0.8 mm(2)) originally dominated by vughs, mammilated vughs and channels rarely regenerated and were gradually replaced by horizontally oriented planar pores. Our results suggest that initial stages of natural macroporosity recovery are likely due to plant-root penetration and physical processes (shrink-swell, freeze-thaw), whereas recovery due to fauna activities appears later. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Auteurs, date et publication :
Auteurs N. Bottinelli , V. Hallaire , N. Goutal , P. Bonnaud , J. Ranger
Publication : Geoderma
Date : 2014
Volume : 217
Pages : 10-17
Catégorie(s)
#FORET Azerailles-Clermont #INRAERésumé
Key message The dataset provides hydraulic properties estimated using the Beerkan Estimation of Soil Transfer (BEST) method, on undisturbed and on compacted and rutted French forest soils. It allows a reliable assessment of the effect of traffic on soil permeability. However, hydraulic properties could not be estimated on extremely rutted soils, under‑scoring the necessity for tailored protocols for these conditions.
Auteurs, date et publication :
Auteurs Manon Martin , André Chanzy , Laurent Lassabatere , Arnaud Legout , Noémie Pousse , Stéphane Ruy
Publication : Annals of Forest Science
Date : 2024
Volume : 81
Issue : 1
Pages : 48
Catégorie(s)
#FORET Azerailles-Clermont #INRAERésumé
Natural recovery of acidic soils following heavy traffic is assumed to take several decades. The aim of this study was to monitor the recovery of soil penetration resistance (PR) after soil compaction by heavy traffic at two forest sites. The sites, located in northeast France, have soils that differ slightly in pH and silt content. The impact on soil PR following heavy traffic was dependent on the soil water content (WC) at the time of measurement, and, therefore, the entire WC range and corresponding PR values were measured. For the most acidic and silty soil, no difference in PR among treatments was observed when the soils were near saturation; however, the difference in PR values was high when soils were close to wilting point. For the least acidic and silty soil, the impact of heavy traffic on PR could be detected whatever the soil moisture, with the magnitude of the effect dependent on the soil water content and depth considered. Standardized PR values with regard to WC allowed an analysis of the evolution of the effect of heavy traffic with time. Ten years after being subjected to heavy traffic, the PR values in the 0-to 40-cm layer recovered to undisturbed values at the least acidic and silty site, but not WC dynamic. The most acidic and silty soil site did not show any recovery of PR or WC dynamic ten years following traffic, although liming at this site was able to increase the regeneration of PR to undisturbed levels.
Auteurs, date et publication :
Auteurs Noémie Pousse , Pascal Bonnaud , Arnaud Legout , Frédéric Darboux , Jacques Ranger
Publication : Soil Use and Management
Date : 2025
Volume : 38
Issue : 1
Pages : 815-835
Catégorie(s)
#FORET Azerailles-Clermont #INRAERésumé
Soil atmosphere composition results from a balance between biological activity and gas transfer, both likely to be affected by soil compaction following heavy traffic. We monitored soil atmosphere composition, temperature and moisture once a month for three years in the trafficked (by a wood-loaded forwarder) and undisturbed plots of two sites in the NE part of France. Our aim was to assess the impact of compaction on soil air composition and to test if soil restoration resulted in undisturbed levels of gas production/consumption and transfer. Soil air oxygen, O-2 and carbon dioxide, CO2 contents were the two soil gasses most sensitive to compaction and climatic variations. During at least the first year following compaction at 30 cm depth, heavy traffic resulted in an increase in soil atmosphere CO2 concentration ([CO2]) whatever the air-filled pore space. Following the first soil drought experienced at both sites, this initial impact disappeared toward an effect alternating between an increase in [CO2] when water filled pore space and a decrease when the soil was dry. The same interchanging impact was observed for soil air O-2 content but with opposite trends. We assumed that soil cracks formed in the trafficked treatment due to lower resistance to stresses when the soil dried out drastically during summer droughts, resulting in an increase in soil gas diffusion while considering same soil temperature and air-filled porosity. However, three to four years following heavy traffic, soil air-filled porosity was still significantly decreased and gas production/consumption seemed to be still affected by compaction. (c) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Auteurs, date et publication :
Auteurs N. Goutal , P. Renault , J. Ranger
Publication : Geoderma
Date : 2013
Volume : 193
Pages : 29-40
Catégorie(s)
#FORET Azerailles-Clermont #INRAERésumé
Soil compaction decreases soil aeration and water infiltration, lowering air-filled porosity, which may impact biological processes involved in soil fluxes of carbon dioxide (F-co2) and methane (F-cH4), and decrease the greenhouse gas emissions mitigation potential offered by the forestry sector. We recorded F-co2 and F-cH4 continuously for two years using automated chambers connected to a laser-based gas analyser in an experimental forest site on an acidic ruptic Luvisol that was established to assess the long-term impact of a loaded forwarder. Heavy machine traffic had considerably increased soil surface roughness. Air-filled porosity (AFP) in the first 0.1 m was lower in the trafficked plot especially in hollows than in the control almost all year long. The temperature sensitivity of F-co2 was higher for the control plot than for both mounds and hollows in the trafficked plot. Cumulative F-co2 was much higher in the control than in hollows and mounds of the trafficked plot. In contrast, annual F-cH4 did not significantly differ between the control plot and either the mounds or the hollows in the trafficked plot, but was significantly higher in mounds than in hollows. F-cH4 was negative all year round indicating a net uptake of CH4, except during winter when a net emission of CH4 was occasionally observed in the hollows on the trafficked plot. While seasonal variations of F-cH4 were well related to variations in AFP, the potential rate of methane uptake at optimal air-filled porosity was higher in the trafficked plot than in the control. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Auteurs, date et publication :
Auteurs Daniel Epron , Caroline Plain , Fatou-Kine Ndiaye , Pascal Bonnaud , Catherine Pasquier , Jacques Ranger
Publication : Forest Ecology and Management
Date : 2016
Volume : 382
Pages : 1-9
Catégorie(s)
#FORET Azerailles-Clermont #FORET Itatinga #INRAERésumé
Forest practices are rapidly becoming mechanised in France, resulting in unknown consequences for the current and long-term functioning and functions of ecosystems. Degradation of forest soil porosity cannot be remediated artificially, and restoration via natural processes is slow and not likely to include deep soil layers, where tree roots take up large amounts of water and nutrients. In 2007 and 2008, two experimental sites were set up in the Lorraine Plateau (France). The soils are Ruptic Luvisols and are classified as highly sensitive to compaction. We observed multiple parameters and studied weakly bound soil solutions, which are known to react to changes in ecosystem functioning. We hypothesised that (i) soil solution chemistry is a relevant indicator to assess soil changes after compaction and dynamics of soil recovery in the decade following compaction, (ii) restoration is greater at the more fertile site and (iii) soil pH is a relevant parameter to explain the behaviour of soil solutions. Our results showed that soil solution concentrations changed drastically after compaction and that restoration was more effective in the less fertile soil than in the more fertile one. Finally, a soil pH threshold of 4.5 was relevant for explaining the behaviour of nitrate, which is particularly useful for monitoring solution geochem istry in these acidic soils. Liming at the less fertile site increased the pH to more than 4.5, which changed the behaviour of nitrate and reinforced the utility of this threshold for explaining soil biogeochemical functioning. Soil solution is a relevant indicator of current soil functioning after compaction; however, this study demon strated that additional information is required to understand its meaning accurately. This study highlights that long-term observation is needed to identify the consequences of soil compaction on long-living ecosystems.
Auteurs, date et publication :
Auteurs J. Ranger , P. Bonnaud , P. Santenoise , B. Zeller , G. Nourrisson , M. Pelletier , D. Gelhaye , A. Legout
Publication : Forest Ecology and Management
Date : 2025
Volume : 499
Pages : 119538
Catégorie(s)
#ANR-Citation #FORET Azerailles-Clermont #INRAE #M-POETERésumé
Soil compaction resulting from mechanisation of forest operations reduces air permeability and hydraulic conductivity of soil and can result in the development of hydromorphic and/or anoxic conditions. These hydromorphic conditions can affect physico-chemical properties of the soils. However, early detection of these effects on mineralogical portion of soils is methodologically difficult. To analyse the effects of soil compaction on iron minerals in loamy Luvisol, three compacted and three non-compacted soil profiles up to the depth of 50 cm were collected from an artificially deforested and compacted soils after 2 years of treatment. Soil was compacted with the help of 25 Mg wheeler's load to increase the dry bulk density of soil from 1.21 +/- 0.05 to 1.45 +/- 0.1 g cm(-3). Soil samples were analysed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and were treated by citrate bicarbonate (CB) and dithionite citrate bicarbonate (DCB) under controlled conditions. Major and minor elements (Fe, Al, Mg, Si and Mn) were analysed by ICP-AES in the CB and DCB extracts. It was found that X-ray diffraction is not an enough sensitive method to detect the quick mineralogical changes due to soil compaction. Results obtained from CB-DCB extractions showed that soil compaction resulted in larger CB and smaller DCB extractable elements as compared to non-compacted soil. Labile Fe was found 30 % of total Fe oxides in compacted soil against 10-14 % in non-compacted soils. Compaction thus resulted in Fe transfer from non-labile to labile oxides (s.l.). Results showed that soil compaction leads to the reduction of Fe3+ to Fe2+. The effects of hydromorphic conditions due to soil compaction were observed up to the depth of 35 cm in forest soil profile. Furthermore, a close association of Al with Fe oxides was observed in the soil samples, while Mn and Si were mainly released from other sources, Mg showing an intermediate behaviour. Hydromorphic conditions owing to soil compaction affect the mobility and crystallisation process of iron mineral. CB-DCB selective extraction technique, in contrast to XRD technique, can be effectively used to examine the possible effects of soil compaction on iron minerals.
Auteurs, date et publication :
Auteurs Muhammad Farrakh Nawaz , Guilhem Bourrie , Fabienne Trolard , Jacques Ranger , Sadaf Gul , Nabeel Khan Niazi
Publication : Journal of Soils and Sediments
Date : 2016
Volume : 16
Issue : 9
Pages : 2223-2233