长期垄作稻田腐殖质稳定碳同位素丰度(δ13C)分布特征

研究了四川盆地丘陵区连续16年垄(宽垄)作稻田土壤稳定碳库腐殖质组分的稳定碳同位素(δ13C)分布特征.结果表明:稻田土壤有机碳含量为宽垄作>垄作>水旱轮作.腐殖质碳以胡敏素为主,占土壤碳含量的21%～30%,提取碳以胡敏酸为主,分别占土壤有机碳和腐殖质的17%～21%和38%～65%.土壤有机碳的δ13C值介于-27.9‰～-25.6‰,20～40cm和0～5 cm土壤有机碳δ13C值之差约为1.9‰.土壤胡敏酸δ13C值比土壤有机碳低1‰～2‰,更接近于油菜和水稻秸秆及根系的δ13C值.土壤富里酸δ13C值分别较土壤有机碳和胡敏酸高2‰和4‰.耕作层和犁底层胡敏素δ13C值分别介于-23.7‰～-24.9‰和-22.6‰～-24.2‰,δ13C值的变化反映了耕层中腐殖质的新老混合现象.各有机组分δ13C值递减顺序为:胡敏素>富里酸>土壤有机碳>稻草(油菜)残体>胡敏酸.长期水稻种植有利于增加土壤有机碳含量,同时,耕作方式影响土壤腐殖质δ13C在耕作层和犁底层中的分布格局.     

川西亚高山森林凋落物去除对土壤腐殖质动态的影响

森林凋落物作为森林土壤腐殖质的主要来源, 在土壤腐殖质的形成中发挥着重要作用, 但不同森林类型凋落物因其含量、组成等的不同, 对土壤腐殖质的影响也不同。该研究以川西亚高山针叶林、阔叶林和针阔混交林3种不同森林类型为对象, 采用凋落物原位控制实验, 对比研究不同关键期凋落物去除对土壤可提取腐殖质、胡敏酸和富里酸含量及胡敏酸/富里酸、胡敏酸/可提取腐殖质的影响。主要结果: (1)土壤可提取腐殖质、胡敏酸和富里酸含量在不同森林类型中差异显著。土壤可提取腐殖质含量总体表现为针叶林>针阔混交林>阔叶林, 胡敏酸含量总体表现为针阔混交林>针叶林>阔叶林, 而富里酸含量则表现为针叶林>阔叶林>针阔混交林, 其中3种林型中土壤腐殖质的主要成分为富里酸, 总体均表现为富里酸型。不同采样时期也显著影响了土壤可提取腐殖质、胡敏酸和富里酸含量, 总体均表现为先升高后下降的趋势。除个别采样时期外, 凋落物去除总体降低了土壤可提取腐殖质、胡敏酸和富里酸的含量。(2)胡敏酸/富里酸和胡敏酸/可提取腐殖质的结果显示3种林型土壤总体腐殖化程度均较低, 整体表现为针阔混交林>阔叶林>针叶林, 凋落物去除在一定程度上有利于提高阔叶林与针阔混交林的腐殖质品质。(3)相关分析表明不同凋落物处理间土壤可提取腐殖质与土壤有机碳含量、全氮含量和土壤含水量呈显著正相关关系, 与温度呈显著负相关关系。综上所述, 短期的凋落物去除会降低土壤腐殖物质的含量, 但不同林型间由于凋落物类型差异会导致土壤腐殖质的不同变化, 说明土壤腐殖质的动态变化受凋落物类型以及环境因素的综合调控。因此, 关于凋落物变化对土壤腐殖质的影响还需进一步的长期研究。     

冻融环境下亚高山森林凋落叶添加对土壤腐殖质动态的影响

亚高山森林土壤形成过程中,胡敏酸、富里酸等腐殖物质的累积是维持土壤肥力及物质循环的重要途径,它受到土壤基质质量、凋落叶和环境因素的调控.本研究以川西亚高山典型的针叶林、针阔混交林和阔叶林土壤为对象,采用室内培养控制冻融环境和凋落叶添加的方法,研究冻融环境下凋落叶添加对土壤腐殖物质累积的影响.结果表明:冻融循环环境下针叶林土壤腐殖质含量升高,而针阔混交林和阔叶林土壤腐殖质含量降低,且凋落叶对土壤腐殖质含量无显著影响.培养前期冻融环境下3种林型土壤胡敏酸净累积,净累积量大小为针阔混交林>针叶林>阔叶林,富里酸含量下降,下降程度为阔叶林>针阔混交林>针叶林,且凋落叶对土壤胡敏酸和富里酸含量无显著影响.随培养时间的延长,3种林型土壤胡敏酸及富里酸含量均下降.这表明,凋落叶对土壤腐殖质含量的影响与土壤基质质量存在密切关系,且受到冬季土壤冻融时间长短的影响.     

川西亚高山两种树木不同径级根系腐殖化过程中胡敏酸和富里酸的累积特征

根系腐殖化过程中腐殖质的累积是土壤有机质形成和碳吸存的一个重要途径。该文采用凋落物袋法,研究了川西亚高山粗枝云杉(Picea asperata)和岷江冷杉(Abies faxoniana)两种优势林木3个径级根系(0–2、2–5和5–10 mm)在冬季和生长季胡敏酸和富里酸累积特征。结果表明:经过两年的腐殖化,粗枝云杉和岷江冷杉根系胡敏酸和富里酸含量受径级显著影响,并随径级增大而降低。不同径级间富里酸净累积量差异显著,而胡敏酸净累积量差异不显著;两个树种间胡敏酸和富里酸含量和净累积量差异不显著。胡敏酸在冬季降解而在生长季节累积,其中粗枝云杉0–2、2–5和5–10 mm根系净累积量分别为8.0、10.8和7.6 g·kg~(–1),岷江冷杉分别为15.2、8.0和7.8 g·kg~(–1)。富里酸总体表现为降解,其中粗枝云杉0–2、2–5和5–10 mm根系降解量为178.0、166.0和118.0 g·kg~(–1),岷江冷杉分别为170.0、160.0和128.0 g·kg~(–1)。根系径级对亚高山森林植物根系腐殖质累积有显著影响,而径级影响与分解时期有一定关联。     

土壤稳定性有机碳组分与优势细菌门类陆向分布及相关性

【目的】为了探究土壤稳定性有机碳组分和优势细菌门类的陆向分布特征及相关性。【方法】本文选择锡林河流域沿着由水及陆的方向依次采集长期性水流、季节性水流、长期性无水流的湿地及旱地土壤,基于国际腐殖物质协会推荐的方法和16SrRNA基因高通量测序技术分别检测土壤稳定性有机碳组分(富里酸、胡敏酸、胡敏素)含量和优势细菌门类的相对丰度,结合Pearson相关性及冗余分析和结构方程模型研究两者的相关性。【结果】三类稳定性有机碳及酸杆菌门、放线菌门、芽单胞菌门呈大致升高的陆向分布趋势,在长期性无水流的旱地土壤中达到峰值;拟杆菌门则呈现降低的陆向分布趋势。结果显示,芽单胞菌门、酸杆菌门和放线菌门作为长期性无水流旱地土壤的优势细菌门类与胡敏酸、胡敏素含量存在显著(P<0.05)或极显著(P<0.01)正相关关系;拟杆菌门作为长期和季节性水流湿地土壤的优势菌门与富里酸、胡敏酸、胡敏素的含量均呈极显著(P<0.01)负相关关系。结构方程模型结果显示,稳定性有机碳组分与优势细菌门类间存在直接和间接作用。【结论】锡林河流域土壤稳定性有机碳组分及优势细菌门类存在陆向分布特征,稳定性有机碳的升高与...     

腐殖酸对矿物结合汞环境迁移性的影响及其机制研究

腐殖酸对矿物结合汞环境迁移活性 (挥发性 ,植物迁移活性及水迁移活性 )兼具抑制与活化的双重效应。富里酸对铁锰氧化物结合汞无论是挥发活性还是植物迁移活性及水迁移活性均表现极显著的促进效应 ,而酸性淋溶将加速富里酸对硅酸盐粘土矿物结合汞的环境迁移的活化进程 ;灰色胡敏酸对矿物结合汞的活化效应较弱 ,并更易于对矿物汞环境活性表现抑制作用。棕色胡敏酸性质与影响介于富里酸与灰色胡敏酸之间。腐殖酸作用下 ,矿物结合汞的环境迁移形态发生了改变 :元素态汞、游离的有机结合态汞和溶解态无机汞依次成为其发生大气环境迁移、土壤垂直水迁移和植物迁移最有效的形态。     

长期垄作稻田腐殖质稳定碳同位素丰度(δ13C)分布特征

研究了四川盆地丘陵区连续16年垄（宽垄）作稻田土壤稳定碳库腐殖质组分的稳定碳同位素(δ¹³C)分布特征.结果表明： 稻田土壤有机碳含量为宽垄作＞垄作＞水旱轮作.腐殖质碳以胡敏素为主,占土壤碳含量的21%～30%,提取碳以胡敏酸为主,分别占土壤有机碳和腐殖质的17%～21%和38%～65%.土壤有机碳的δ¹³C值介于-27.9‰～-25.6‰,20～40 cm和0～5 cm土壤有机碳δ¹³C值之差约为1.9‰.土壤胡敏酸δ¹³C值比土壤有机碳低1‰～2‰,更接近于油菜和水稻秸秆及根系的δ¹³C值.土壤富里酸δ¹³C值分别较土壤有机碳和胡敏酸高2‰和4‰.耕作层和犁底层胡敏素δ¹³C值分别介于-23.7‰～-24.9‰和-22.6‰～-24.2‰,δ¹³C值的变化反映了耕层中腐殖质的新老混合现象.各有机组分δ¹³C值递减顺序为：胡敏素＞富里酸＞土壤有机碳＞稻草（油菜）残体＞胡敏酸.长期水稻种植有利于增加土壤有机碳含量,同时,耕作方式影响土壤腐殖质δ¹³C在耕作层和犁底层中的分布格局.     

黑土长期施肥及养分循环再利用的作物产量及土壤肥力变化Ⅳ.有机碳组分的变化

应用长期定位试验研究了中国东北黑土长期施肥及养分再循环的土壤有机碳组分的变化.20年间变化趋势如下：不施肥处理黑土总有机碳(TOC)含量下降了7.83%;施用化肥N和NP处理,黑土TOC含量分别下降了4.56%和1.61%,NPK处理上升了0.33%.单一的循环处理下降了5.56%;N+循环、NP+循环和NPK+循环分别提高了0.35%、1.05%和0.64%.证明了无肥、单纯的氮、磷化肥和原始的有机农业循环方式不能保持黑土TOC,呈下降趋势;合理施用化肥和化肥加有机肥模式能保持黑土TOC稳定或略有增加.黑土易氧化有机碳含量(ROC)表现为施肥高于无肥,其增加幅度为8.64%～28.4%,循环加化肥处理ROC均高于对应的化肥处理,与秸秆产量关系Y=19032 X-7950.6 (R²=0.759),与TOC关系Y=14.192 X+23.9 (R²=0.802).轻组有机碳(LF-C)变化与ROC趋势相同.黑土非活性有机碳库胡敏酸和富里酸无论在何种施肥方式下均呈下降趋势或在一定范围内上下波动,与试验前土壤相比,胡敏酸下降幅度在1.64%～26.23%之间;富里酸下降幅度在2.33%～28.68%之间,化肥配施循环猪圈肥能够减缓二者的下降速度甚至能够稍有增加.     

不同物候时期华西雨屏区四个树种新鲜凋落物可提取腐殖质碳动态

凋落物的可提取腐殖质碳可随着植物生长节律及物候时期的变化而变化,并进而影响物质循环的过程,为深入了解以凋落物为载体的生态系统物质循环特征,该研究以华西雨屏区麻栎(Quercus acutissima)、楠木(Phoebe zhennan)、柳杉(Cryptomeria fortune)和喜树(Camptotheca acuminate)为对象,通过定点动态收集萌芽期、展叶期、盛叶期和落叶期的不同类型凋落物,分析其可提取腐殖质碳(extractable humus carbon,HC)、胡敏酸碳(humic acid carbon,HAC)、富里酸碳(fulvic acid carbon,FAC)以及胡敏酸碳/富里酸碳(humic acid carbon/fulvic acid carbon,HAC/FAC)的差异。结果表明:相对于其他凋落器官,在同一物候时期凋落叶中的HC和HAC含量都最高,大致都表现为凋落叶>凋落枝>凋落果,且在落叶树种中更为显著;相对于其他时期,展叶期四个树种凋落叶均表现出较高的FAC含量,但不同物候期凋落枝和凋落果的HAC含量以及FAC含量受物种的影响较大。尽管HAC/FAC在各器官间差异并不显著,但落叶树种相同器官的HAC/FAC低于常绿树种,表明落叶树种凋落物富里酸相对含量较高,形成速度相对较快,难降解程度也相对较大。统计分析表明关键时期、物种类型、器官类型及其相互作用对凋落物中HC、HAC、FAC含量和HAC/FAC均具有不同程度的影响,这为进一步深入认识区域生态系统以凋落物为载体的物质循环过程提供了理论依据及新的思路。     

不同培养温度下长期施肥水稻土的有机碳矿化特征

选择湖南省3个国家级稻田肥力变化长期定位监测点的土壤,分别在10、20和30℃进行室内恒温培养试验,研究温度和施肥对土壤有机碳矿化的影响及其与不同碳形态含量的关系.结果表明:在培养前期(0~13 d)土壤CO2产生速率较快,后期逐渐下降,其速率变化符合对数函数;升温促进了土壤有机碳矿化,各施肥处理土壤中,以秸秆还田和化肥配施有机肥处理土壤有机碳的累积矿化量较多;各施肥土壤的Q10值为1.01~1.53,与总有机碳、易氧化有机碳、胡敏酸碳和富里酸碳呈显著正相关;在10和20℃下CO2矿化量与微生物生物量呈显著的线性相关关系,而30℃下则无显著相关关系;CO2矿化量与不同碳形态含量和胡敏酸碳/富里酸碳呈显著的线性正相关;在10℃下矿化率与不同碳形态含量呈显著的线性负相关,在20和30℃下,矿化率与不同碳形态含量无明显相关关系.因此可以通过施用秸秆和有机肥增加对土壤碳的固定,减缓大气CO2浓度的升高,减少温室气体排放.     

钻井废弃物配合外源有机物质对风沙土理化性质及菠菜生长的影响

采用室内盆栽试验研究水基废弃钻井泥浆、岩屑等钻井废弃物配合腐植酸、木本泥炭等外源有机物质在风沙土中的施用效果,并分析其对菠菜生长的影响,以期为钻井废弃物资源化利用和风沙土改良提供参考。共设3组室内盆栽试验:基础组共4个处理,以风沙土为对照(CK),将风沙土与岩屑按质量比1∶1混合后分别添加0、2%、4%含量水基废弃钻井泥浆(干基);基础组处理分别添加1%腐植酸、1%腐植酸+3%木本泥炭混合物,作为腐植酸组和木本泥炭组。结果表明: 基础组中,与CK相比,施用钻井废弃物显著增加了土壤有机质含量,pH和电导率上升,2%含量水基废弃钻井泥浆显著促进菠菜生长。腐植酸和木本泥炭使土壤pH降低,有机质含量显著增加,电导率上升,腐植酸组株高、总叶面积、鲜重、干重等植物生长指标均高于基础组中对应处理,混合添加腐植酸和木本泥炭后对植物生长促进效果不显著。最佳处理为腐植酸组添加2%含量水基废弃钻井泥浆,土壤有机质含量为13.1 g·kg^-1,播种40 d后菠菜株高、总叶面积、鲜重和干重分别比CK显著增加49.7%、93.4%、83.3%、34.6%。钻井废弃物配合有机物质施用可以显著增加土壤有机质含量,促进菠菜生长,风沙土+岩屑+水基废弃钻井泥浆(2%)+腐植酸(1%)是最佳组合模式。     

Distribution of total mercury in peat soil profiles in West Siberia

Total mercury content in peat soils of different botanical composition has been determined. Mercury content in peat depends on principal properties of peat soil such as botanical composition, ash content, degree of peat decomposition, as well as nitrogen, carbon, and humic acid content in peat. A model based on the mercury/biomass concept is proposed to determine the distribution of total mercury in peat soil profiles in West Siberia from the content of the main biogenic elements C and N.     

The antibacterial activity of a humic preparation made from the therapeutic peat mud of the Dzalal Abad deposit in Kirghizia]

The humic acid from the Dzhalal Abad therapeutic peat muds has been extracted to reveal the mechanisms of interaction between humic acid and microelements in therapeutic muds and to study the mud physiologically active factor. A complex compound of copper with humic and aminoacetic acids has been obtained, their physicochemical and antibacterial properties have been studied.     

Mechanisms of alkaline buffering by peat and quantitative estimation of its buffering capacity

The alkaline buffering capacity of humic substances in persistent organic materials such as peats has been utilized for remediation of alkaline soils. The purposes of the present study were to reveal the mechanism of alkaline buffering and to quantify the alkaline buffering capacity of humic substances contained in three peat samples obtained from Hokkaido, Canada, and Sri Lanka. Acidic functional groups in humic acid and fulvic acid extracted from the three natural peats were quantified by alkalimetric titration and pK distribution analyses of the titration curves. The results indicate that the inherent degree of humification of the organic matter can be identified from the pK distribution, which showed that the humic substances in peats contained diprotic acids. The present study also showed that the ratios of amounts of deprotonation to organic carbon content, as well as the organic carbon content, were needed for quantification of the pH buffering capacity. Moreover, the study showed that the composition of the peat from Sri Lanka was different from those of other peats and that it is a effective organic material for buffering under alkaline conditions.     

Effects of Standard Humic Materials on Relative Bioavailability of NDL-PCBs in Juvenile Swine

Young children with their hand-to-mouth activity may be exposed to contaminated soils. However few studies assessing exposure of organic compounds sequestrated in soil were realized. The present study explores the impact of different organic matters on retention of NDL-PCBs during digestive processes using commercial humic substances in a close digestive model of children: the piglet. Six artificial soils were used. One standard soil, devoid of organic matter, and five amended versions of this standard soil with either fulvic acid, humic acid, Sphagnum peat, activated carbon or a mix of Sphagnum peat and activated carbon (95∶5) (SPAC) were prepared. In order to compare the different treatments, we use spiked oil and negative control animals. Forty male piglets were randomly distributed in 7 contaminated and one control groups (n  = 5 for each group). During 10 days, the piglets were fed artificial soil or a corn oil spiked with 19 200 ng of Aroclor 1254 per g of dry matter (6 000 ng.g⁻¹ of NDL-PCBs) to achieve an exposure dose of 1 200 ng NDL-PCBs.Kg⁻¹ of body weight per day. NDL-PCBs in adipose tissue were analyzed by GC-MS. Fulvic acid reduced slightly the bioavailability of NDL-PCBs compared to oil. Humic acid and Sphagnum peat reduced it significantly higher whereas activated carbon reduced the most. Piglets exposed to soil containing both activated carbon and Shagnum peat exhibited a lower reduction than soil with only activated carbon. Therefore, treatment groups are ordered by decreasing value of relative bioavailability as following: oil ≥ fulvic acid>Sphagnum peat ≥ Sphagnum peat and activated carbon ≥ Humic acid>>activated carbon. This suggests competition between Sphagnum peat and activated carbon. The present study highlights that quality of organic matter does have a significant effect on bioavailability of sequestrated organic compounds.     

Molecular characterization of Cladium peat from the Florida Everglades: biomarker associations with humic fractions

The accumulation and preservation of peat soils in Everglades freshwater marshes and mangrove swamps is an essential process in the ecological functioning of these ecosystems. Human intervention and climate change have modified nutrient dynamics and hydroperiod in the Everglades and peat loss due to such anthropogenic activities is evident. However, not much is known on the molecular level regarding the biogeochemical characteristics, which allow peat to be preserved in the Everglades. Lipid biomarkers trapped within or bound to humic-type structures can provide important geochemical information regarding the origin and microbial transformation of OM in peat. Four lipid fractions obtained from a Cladium peat, namely the freely extractable fraction and those associated with humin, humic acid, and fulvic acid fractions, showed clear differences in their molecular distribution suggesting different OM sources and structural and diagenetic states of the source material. Both, higher plant derived and microbial lipids were found in association with these humic-type substances. Most biomarker distributions suggest an increment in the microbial/terrestrial lipid ratio from the free to humin to humic to fulvic fractions. Microbial reworking of lipids, and the incorporation of microbial biomarkers into the humic-type fractions was evident, as well as the preservation of diagenetic byproducts. The lipid distribution associated with the fulvic acids suggests a high degree of microbial reworking for this fraction. Evidence for this 3D structure was obtained through the presence of the relatively high abundance of α,ω-dicarboxylic acids and phenolic and benzenecarboxylic compounds. The increment in structural complexity of the phenolic and benzencarboxylic compounds in combination with the reduction in the carbon chain length of the dicarboxylic acids from the free to fulvic fraction suggests the latter to be structurally the most stable, compacted and diagenetically altered substrate. This analytical approach can now be applied to peat samples from other areas within the Everglades ecosystem, affected differently by human intervention with the aim to assess changes in organic matter preservation.     

Activity of humus acids from peat as studied by means of some growth regulator bioassays

Biologioal activities of humic acid (Na salt), hymatomelanic acid (Na salt), lignofulvic acid and of fulvic acids isolated from peat were studied by means of the auxin-, gibberellin-, and cytokinin- bioassays. All the four tested fractions showed higher or lower stimulating activity in these bioassays. However, the stimulating effect is considerably lower and cannot be interpreted as phytohormone activity. Some fractions in some concentrations also showed inhibitory effects. The manner of biological action of the studied fractions might bo the result of interaction of their respective components.     

Characterization of humic materials extracted from hazelnut husk and hazelnut husk amended soils

This study was carried out to determine effects of composted hazelnut husk (CHH) on some chemical properties of soil and soil humic acid (HA). Compost application increases organic matter (OM) content of the soil considerably, OM value of 3.18% became 3.89% in 3 years time interval. Before application of compost, the soil pH was found to be 5.37, while after compost application it became 5.61. FTIR characteristics of humic acid/humic acid-like materials extracted from the original hazelnut husk, composted hazelnut husk and composted hazelnut husk amended soil have been investigated. C and O content of humic acid-like/humic acid materials were in the range of 41.4–50.8% and 37.8–50.5%, respectively. The N content of the humic acid/humic acid-like materials are in the expected range for humic materials which is 2–6%. Comparison of FTIR spectra of hazelnut husk and composted hazelnut husk humic acid-like fractions shows that both exhibit similar but not identical series of IR bands indicating the presence of the same functional groups in both samples. The only difference in the spectra seemed to be a decrement in the peak intensities of composted sample compared to uncomposted one. The similar differentiation of the intensities of IR bands of compost applied soil sample has also been observed. The FTIR spectral results show that the characteristics of composted material tend to become similar to that of soil humic acids characteristics in time.     

Solid-phase 31P NMR spectra of peat and mineral soils,humic acids and soil solution components: influence of iron and manganese

Solid-phase³¹P nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) offers a direct means to determine the chemical environment of P present in soil and soil fractions. Iron is often a major component in soil and it has been thought that the presence of paramagnetic Fe and Mn in soil components is responsible for loss of resolution in NMR spectra. We have found that the resolution of signals in the solid-phase ³¹P NMR spectra of a Fe- and Mn-rich mineral soil was no worse than that for a series of four peat soils with a comparable concentration of P. Similarly, the resolution in the solid-phase ³¹P NMR spectra of the humic acid from the mineral soil was not much changed by extraction of the humic acid with acetylacetone in diethyl ether which removed around 40% of its Fe and 30% of its Mn. Removal of up to 50% of the Fe from organic rich, freeze-dried soil solutions from a soil catena with different land uses produced little change in spectral resolution. It was concluded that the limitations to resolution in solid-phase ³¹P NMR spectroscopy of soil humic substances do not stem from the presence of paramagnetic substances, but from the variable way P species are physically held in the amorphous milieu of the organic phase. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

The influence of topography on the nature of humic substances in soil organic matter at a site in the Atlantic Coastal Plain of South Carolina

The effect of topography on the nature of humic substances, isolated as water soluble organic carbon (WSOC), fulvic acid (FA), and humic acid (HA) was evaluated by comparing relative proportion and chemical characteristics of these fractions in upland and bottomland Coastal Plain soils in South Carolina. The fractions were characterized by elemental analysis and¹³C cross-polarization magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (CPMAS NMR) spectroscopy. The majority of humic substances occur as humic acids, with bottomland soils having higher HA/FA ratios when compared to upland soils. We found no significant differences between upland and bottomland humic substances with respect to yields of WSOC and fulvic acids, and in the C and N content of humic and fulvic acids. Carbon-13 CPMAS NMR spectroscopy revealed that the WSOC and fulvic acid fractions were composed largely of O-alkyl-C structures with bottomland soils having higher amounts of these groups. Humic acid C distribution was similar between upland and bottomland soils and was largely composed of aromatic groups. Our results demonstrate that topography influences the formation of humic acid and the structural and chemical properties of the various humic fractions.requests for offprints