The qualitative and quantitative characteristics of soil organic
carbon (SOC) and related humic acids(HAs) extracted from the soils of field plots were investigated after 8 years of annual paddy (
Oryzasativa L.) and upland maize (
Zea mays L.) rotation with various fertilizations. Seven fertilizationtreatments were selected: Ck (no inputs); Chem (chemical fertilizer of NPK); Comp (swine compost);Comp + 33% of Chem N rate; Comp + 67% of Chem N rate; GM (legume green manure) + 33% ofChem N rate; and peat + 33% of Chem N rate. Organic and inorganic nitrogen inputs of six treatmentswere equivalent with respect of nitrogen content, but Comp, GM, and peat treatments werecomplemented with various amounts of inorganic N. After harvest of the eighth paddy crop, surfacesoil samples collected from the plots were subjected to soil characterizations and extraction of humicsubstances, which were used for chemical, spectroscopic (FTIR,
13C NMR, ESR, X-ray diffractometry),
13C, and
14C
dating analyses. The yields of HAs extracted from the seven treatments were significantlydifferent. Treatment containing persistent organic compound such as the peat + 33% N treatmentincreased the humification process in topsoils and produced higher yield of HA. Spectroscopic analysesrevealed that fertilization treatments changed the functional groups, alkyl C, crystalline characteristics,and
13C ratios of HAs and turnover rate of SOC considerably. The SOC of the peat + 33% Ntreatment had the highest mean residence time of 3100 years. Various fertilizer treatments arecorrelated with turnover rate of SOC and related HAs, which are associated with concerned
carbonsequestration as well as mitigation of CO
2 emission in the soil environment.