Arto6 Propiedades

CARBONO ORGÁNICO Y PROPIEDADES DEL SUELO

Eduardo Martínez H.1, Juan Pablo Fuentes E2., Edmundo Acevedo H.1

1Universidad de Chile, Facultad de Ciencias Agronómicas, Departamento de Producción

Agrícola. Laboratorio de relación Suelo-Agua-Planta. Casilla 1004. Santiago de Chile.

Correo electrónico: emartine@uchile.cl

2Universidad de Chile, Facultad de Ciencias Forestales, Departamento de Silvicultura.

Soil organic carbon and soil properties

Keywords: Sustainability, soil organic carbon, soil properties, carbon sequestration.

ABSTRACT

Soil organic carbon (SOC) is related to the sustainability of the agricultural systems

affecting soil properties linked to crop yield. SOC affects the amount and availability of

soil nutrients, contributing elements as N, usually deficient. In addition, SOC modify the

acidity and the alkalinity towards values near the neutrality, and then it increases the

solubility to several nutrients. SOC associated to the soil organic matter provides colloids

having high cation exchange capacity. Its effect on the physical properties of the soil is

reflected in the soil structure and pore size distribution. SOC concentration depends on

the local environmental conditions, but it is also affected strongly by the soil management

practices. There are managements that decrease SOC and viceverse other practices that

favor the accumulation. The present review deals with the influence of SOC on the

chemical, physical, biological properties of the soil and how it is affected by soil management.

We also describes methodologies to study CO2 fluxes from soil to atmosphere

...