@article{fdi:010091383,
  title = {{D}ifferences in soil biological activity and soil organic matter status only in the topsoil of {F}erralsols under five land uses ({A}llada, {B}enin)},
  author = {{H}oussoukp{\`e}vi, {I}. {A}. and {C}hevallier, {T}iphaine and {A}holoukp{\`e}, {H}. {N}. {S}. and {R}akotondrazafy, {M}urielle and {F}assinou, {D}. {J}. {M}. and {A}madji, {G}. {L}. and {C}hapuis {L}ardy, {L}ydie},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{L}and use change on the {F}erralsols of the {A}llada {P}lateau in southern {B}enin has led to a slight decline in soil organic carbon ({SOC}) stocks over the last two decades. {H}owever, as in many {A}frican landscapes, detailed characterisation and quantified data on the {SOC} stocks and soil biological activity under major land uses are still poorly understood. {T}he aim of this study was to characterise the biological activity and organic matter status of {F}erralsols (0-30 cm) under the five major land uses on the {A}llada {P}lateau, i.e., forests, tree plantations, young and adult palm groves, and croplands (pineapple, maize). {S}oil biological activity was assessed using the standardised litter decomposition method ({T}ea bag index) and soil respiration (during a 28-day soil incubation). {S}oil organic matter status was characterised by quantifying {SOC} pools: soil microbial biomass carbon ({MB}-{C}), potassium permanganate oxidisable carbon ({POX}-{C}), and {SOC} associated to soil particle-size fractions (e.g. particulate organic matter, {POM}, and {SOC} associated to the clay soil fraction). {T}he results indicated that {SOC} pools and biological activity were lower in tree plantations than in forests. {T}he standardised litter decomposition was also slower in tree plantations than in forest. {I}n croplands and palm groves, {SOC} pools and soil microbial biomass and respiration were lower than in forests and tree plantations. {T}his high level of biological activity in forests, and at a lesser level in tree plantations, was effective in accumulating carbon in {C} pools associated to the clay fraction. {A}gricultural land uses, such as croplands and palm groves decreased all the soil {C} pools even those associated to the clay fraction, except for {POX}-{C}. {H}owever, these land-use effects on {SOC} pools decreased strongly with depth. {A}t 10-30 cm, the differences in {SOC} pools or soil respiration between the five land uses were no more noticeable. {O}ur results indicated that the amount of organic inputs was an essential factor to sustain high soil biological activity and {SOC} stabilisation in the clay size fraction, but only in the topsoil. {M}aintaining forests in the landscape is a priority in order to preserve {SOC} stocks and soil biological activity, which neither monospecific tree plantations nor cultivation can do at the same level.},
  keywords = {{S}oil carbon dynamics ; {L}and management ; {T}ropical soils ; {P}article size ; fractionations ; {POM} ; {BENIN}},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{G}eoderma {R}egional},
  volume = {39},
  numero = {},
  pages = {e00865 [14 ]},
  ISSN = {2352-0094},
  year = {2024},
  DOI = {10.1016/j.geodrs.2024.e00865},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010091383},
}