Plant Soil Environ., 2008, 54(5):219-226 | DOI: 10.17221/395-PSE

Long-term field experiments - museum relics or scientific challenge?

W. Merbach, A. Deubel
Institute of Agricultural and Nutritional Sciences, Martin Luther University of Halle- Wittenberg, Halle, Germany

By reference to the Eternal Rye trial in Halle, Germany, as an example, it is demonstrated that long-term trials provide indispensable information for contemporary and future land use research. These trials serve as tools for the examination of cultivation measures or the effects of climate on nutrient dynamics and mobilization, microbial biodiversity, mineral composition or soil formation processes. They are therefore essential for the evaluation of land-use strategies or climatic change and, because of that, can provide more accuracy in related political considerations.

Keywords: long-term fertilization trials; biodiversity; soil formation; nutrient dynamics; Eternal Rye trial

Published: May 31, 2008  Show citation

ACS AIP APA ASA Harvard Chicago Chicago Notes IEEE ISO690 MLA NLM Turabian Vancouver
Merbach W, Deubel A. Long-term field experiments - museum relics or scientific challenge? Plant Soil Environ. 2008;54(5):219-226. doi: 10.17221/395-PSE.
Share...
Download citation
  • BibTeX (.bib)
  • Bookends (.ris)
  • EasyBib (.ris)
  • EndNote (.enw)
  • EndNote 8 (.xml)
  • ISI WoS (.isi)
  • Medlars (.medlars)
  • Mendeley (.ris)
  • MODS (.xml)
  • Papers (.ris)
  • RefWorks (.txt)
  • RefManager (.ris)
  • RIS (.ris)
  • MS Word (.xml)
  • Zotero (.ris)
    • Open full article

    References

    1. Altermann M., Mautschke J. (1972): Knowledge about soils around Halle and their allocation. Arch. AckerPfl.-Bau Bodenkde, 16: 871-886. (In German)
    2. Deubel A., Gransee A., Merbach W. (2000): Transformation of organic rhizodepositions by rhizosphere bacteria and its influence on the availability of tertiary calcium phosphate. J. Plant Nutr. Soil Sci., 163: 387-392. Go to original source...
    3. Deubel A., Gransee A., Merbach W. (2002): Effects of long-term different fertilization on phosphorus dynamics in a long-term trial in Halle (Saale). Arch. AckerPfl.-Bau Bodenkde, 48: 543-551. (In German) Go to original source...
    4. Enders K. (1995): The chemical industry and its influence on soil and environment in Central Germany. Mitt. Dtsch. Bodenk. Gesell., 77: 67-72. (In German)
    5. Flessa H., Ludwig B., Heil B., Merbach W. (2000): The origin of soil organic C, dissolved organic C and respiration in long-term maize experiment in Halle, Germany, determined by 13 C natural abundance. J. Plant Nutr. Soil Sci., 163: 157-163. Go to original source...
    6. Garz J., Schliephake W., Merbach W. (2000): Changes in the subsoil of long-term trials in Halle (Saale), Germany, caused by mineral fertilization. J. Plant Nutr. Soil Sci., 163: 663-668. Go to original source...
    7. Gransee A. (2004): Interactions between Root Exudates of Cultural Plants and P Dynamics in the Rrhizosphere - Approaches to Improve Nutrient Efficiency. Verlagsgesellschaft für Ackerbau mbH, Kassel. (In German)
    8. Gransee A., Merbach W. (2000): Phosphorus dynamics in a long-term P fertilization trial on Luvic Phaeozem at Halle. J. Plant Nutr. Soil Sci., 163: 353-357. Go to original source...
    9. Körschens M. (2006): The importance of long-term field experiments for soil science and environmental research - a review. Plant Soil Environ., 52 (Special Issue): 1-8.
    10. Körschens M., Pfefferkorn A. (1998): The Static Fertilization Experiment and other Long-Term Field Experiments. UFZ, Leipzig and Halle.
    11. Laatsch W. (1938): Dynamics of German Agricultural and Forest Soils. Steinkopff-Verlag, Dresden and Leipzig. (In German)
    12. Leinweber P., Reuter G. (1989): Influence of various fertilization on the mineralogical composition of clay fractions in long-term field experiments. Z. Pfl.Ernähr. Bodenkde, 152: 373-377. Go to original source...
    13. Merbach W., Deubel A. (2007): The Long-Term Fertilization Trials in Halle (Saale), Germany. GWV Fachverlage GmbH, Wiesbaden.
    14. Merbach W., Garz J., Schliephake W., Stumpe H., Schmidt L. (2000): The long-term fertilization experiments in Halle (Saale), Germany - Introduction and survey. J. Plant Nutr. Soil Sci., 163: 629-638. Go to original source...
    15. Merbach W., Schmidt L. (2002): Many effects appear after decades only (125 years of Eternal Rye). Ernährungsdienst, 35: p. 4. (In German)
    16. Powlson D.S., Schliephake W., Garz J., Christensen B T., Körschens M., Schellberg J., Kirjushin B.D., Mercik S., Krzysch G., Caesar K., Peschke H., Lang H., Dressel J., Krauss M., Kubat J., Rogasik J., Mäder P. (1997): Maintenance and comprehensive use of European long-term field trials. Arch. Agron. Soil Sci., 42: 154-156.
    17. Schliephake W., Garz J., Stumpe H. (1999): Remains of 15N after single labeling of N-fertilization (on micro plots) in the long-term trial Eternal Rye, Halle. J. Plant Nutr. Soil Sci., 162: 429-436. (In German) Go to original source...
    18. Selesi D., Schmidt M., Hartmann A. (2005): Diversity of green-like and red-like ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase large-subunit genes (cbbL) in differently managed agricultural soils. Appl. Environ. Microbiol., 71: 175-184. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    19. Stremme H. (1936): Soil Map of the German Empire and the Free City of Danzig. Mitt. Erg.-H. Nr. 226, Tafel 15. (In German)
    20. Wiesenberg G.L.B., Schwarzbauer J., Schmidt M.W.I., Schwark L. (2004): Source and turnover of organic matter in agricultural soils derived from n-alkane/ n-carboxylic acid compositions and C-isotope signatures. Org. Geochem., 35: 1371-1393. Go to original source...

    This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY NC 4.0), which permits non-comercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original publication is properly cited. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.


    Return to the content