Simulation of soil organic carbon stocks in a Mediterranean olive grove under different soil-management systems using the RothC model

Agricultural soils play a very important role in regulating the carbon dioxide (CO₂) content of the atmosphere, and can behave either as carbon sources or sinks. We have simulated the dynamics of carbon in the soil under different land uses and soil-management systems in a Mediterranean olive grove with the Rothamsted carbon (RothC) model. To this end we chose patches of native vegetation (NV) and two different olive grove soils (chromic calcisols and calcic vertisols) under different soil-management systems: conventional tillage (T), and mulching with shredded olive-pruning debris and residues from olive-fruit cleaning (PD + CR). We measured the clay content, bulk density, soil organic carbon (SOC) and total nitrogen (N) in each patch. The SOC and N values decreased by more than 30% as a result of a change in soil use from NV to T olive grove. After adding PD + CR these values rose once more, even to levels above NV. The RothC model performed well for covered soils (NV and PD + CR) but overestimated the SOC values after the soil use was changed from NV to T olive grove, probably due to high carbon losses caused by erosion, common to T soils in the Mediterranean basin. As a result of mulching the soil with only pruning debris, CO₂ emitted to the atmosphere was reduced by >55% for both soils. Associated with this decrease in the emission rate, RothC estimated a potential carbon sequestration of 0.5 and 0.6 t C/ha/yr for chromic calcisols and calcic vertisols, respectively. The reuse of organic debris generated in the olive grove, such as pruning debris and residues from olive-fruit cleaning, is an efficient way of improving soil properties, diminishing CO₂ emissions and increasing the soil’s capacity to store carbon.     

A State‐Space Analysis of Soil Organic Carbon in China's Loess Plateau

An accurate estimation of soil organic carbon (SOC) is important for the evaluation and management of carbon (C) flux in terrestrial ecosystems. However, there is little work on the spatial variability of SOC in deep soils and its driving factors. Thus, the objective of the study was to derive the primary factors dominating the spatial distribution of SOC in different soil layers with the use of the autoregressive state‐space approach. The concentration of SOC was measured to the depth of 500 cm (n  = 86) along a south–north transect of China's Loess Plateau. The mean SOC of the 500‐cm soil profile generally decreased from south to north following the decreasing rainfall gradient. Based on the investigated factors, the state‐space model was able to capture 90.3–99.9% of the spatial variability of SOC in the various soil layers. According to the coefficients in the optimal state‐space model for each soil layer, climatic factors such as precipitation and temperature had a dominant control over the spatial distribution of SOC at shallow depths. However, both climatic and edaphic (e.g. soil texture) factors, and to a small extent land use, influenced the spatial behavior of SOC at the 40–200 cm soil depth. For soil layers below 200 cm, the importance of land use was revealed, and the spatial characteristics of SOC were together driven by land use, climatic and edaphic factors. This is critical for the management of soil C flux in deep soils and the C stock and cycle in terrestrial ecosystems. Table SI. Basic properties of soils and climate and elevation under three land uses along the south–north transect on the Loess Plateau (mean ± standard deviation). Note that SWC is gravimetric soil water content. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The effect of land management practices on soil erosion and land desertification in an olive grove

The need for reliable estimates of soil loss under different land management practices (LMPs) is becoming imperative in the Mediterranean basin to inform decisions on more effective strategies for land management. The effect of LMPs on soil erosion and land degradation has been investigated using experiments from November 2008 to November 2011 in an olive grove in central Crete (Greece). The study area was on sloping land with soils formed on marl deposits which are vulnerable to desertification because of surface runoff and tillage. The experimental design included three treatments with two replicates (3 × 5 m experimental plots) corresponding to the following LMPs: (i) no tillage–no herbicide application, (ii) no tillage–herbicide application and (iii) ploughing to 20 cm perpendicular to the contours. The following variables were monitored: surface water runoff, sediment loss, soil temperature at 10 cm, soil moisture content at depths of 20 and 50 cm, as well as selected climatic variables. The results show that the no tillage–no herbicide management practice gave the lowest sediment loss (1.44–4.78 g/m²/yr), the lowest water runoff (1.8–11.5 mm/yr), the greatest amount of water stored in the soil, the lowest soil temperature and the lowest desertification risk compared with the other treatments. Tillage resulted in the greatest sediment loss (13.6–39.2 g/m²/yr) and surface runoff (16.5–65.0 mm/yr), and an intermediate amount of water stored in the soil. In addition, this treatment led to the loss of soil thickness of 3.7 mm/yr because of ploughing. The results demonstrate the high risk of desertification in the investigated region and the methodology can be used in other Mediterranean areas as an assessment framework for evaluating land degradation and the impact of land management on soil erosion.     

Temperature dependence of soil CO2 efflux is strongly modulated by seasonal patterns of moisture availability in a Mediterranean ecosystem

Extensive research has focused on the temperature sensitivity of soil respiration. However, in Mediterranean ecosystems, soil respiration may have a pulsed response to precipitation events, especially during prolonged dry periods. Here, we investigate temporal variations in soil respiration (R_s), soil temperature (T) and soil water content (SWC) under three different land uses (a forest area, an abandoned agricultural field and a rainfed olive grove) in a dry Mediterranean area of southeast Spain, and evaluate the relative importance of soil temperature and water content as predictors of R_s. We hypothesize that soil moisture content, rather than soil temperature, becomes the major factor controlling CO₂ efflux rates in this Mediterranean ecosystem during the summer dry season. Soil CO₂ efflux was measured monthly between January 2006 and December 2007 using a portable soil respiration instrument fitted with a soil respiration chamber (LI-6400-09). Mean annual soil respiration rates were 2.06 ± 0.07, 1.71 ± 0.09, and 1.12 ± 0.12 μmol m⁻² s⁻¹ in the forest, abandoned field and olive grove, respectively. R_s was largely controlled by soil temperature above a soil water content threshold value of 10% at 0-15 cm depth for forest and olive grove, and 15% for abandoned field. However, below those thresholds R_s was controlled by soil moisture. Exponential and linear models adequately described R_s responses to environmental variables during the growing and dry seasons. Models combining abiotic (soil temperature and soil rewetting index) and biotic factors (above-ground biomass index and/or distance from the nearest tree) explained between 39 and 73% of the temporal variability of R_s in the forest and olive grove. However, in the abandoned field, a single variable - either soil temperature (growing season) or rewetting index (dry season) - was sufficient to explain between 51 and 63% of the soil CO₂ efflux. The fact that the rewetting index, rather than soil water content, became the major factor controlling soil CO₂ efflux rates during the prolonged summer drought emphasizes the need to quantify the effects of rain pulses in estimates of net annual carbon fluxes from soil in Mediterranean ecosystems.     

Spatial variability of soil organic carbon stock in an olive orchard at catchment scale in Southern Spain

Orchards have a high potential for carbon sequestration. However, little research is available on the spatial variability at catchment scale and on the difference between the tree area and the lanes. We analyzed theik spatial variability of soil organic carbon stock, SOC_stock at 90 cm depth in an 8-ha catchment in Southern Spain with olives on a vertic soil. Results showed higher soil organic carbon concentration, SOC, in the tree area as compared to the lane up to 60 cm depth, but its impact on SOC_stock was negligible since it was compensated by the higher soil bulk density in the lane. SOC at different depths was correlated with that in the top 0–5 cm. The overall SOC_stock of the orchard was 4.14 kg m⁻², ranging between 1.8 and 6.0 kg m⁻². This SOC_stock is in the mid-lower range of values reported for olive orchards, measured at smaller scale, and similar to those other intensive field crops and agroforestry under comparable rainfall conditions. The spatial variability in SOC_stock was correlated to several geomorphological variables: elevation, cumulative upstream area, topographic wetness index, sediment transport index, and tillage erosion. Differences in SOC and SOC_stock are driven by the sediment redistribution downslope, mainly by tillage erosion, and higher soil water availability in lower areas allowing higher biomass production. These topographic indexes and the correlation between SOC in the topsoil and SOC_stock up to 90 cm should be further explored in other typology of olive orchards for facilitating the mapping of SOC_stock.     

Soil Organic Carbon Accumulation in Abandoned Croplands on the Loess Plateau

The Grain to Green Program in China which began in 1999 led to the conversion of 0.64 million ha of cropland to grassland on steep sloping landscapes. However, the pattern of natural vegetation succession following cropland has not been well represented in previous regional syntheses of land use change effects on soil organic carbon (SOC). A chronosequence study focusing on the vegetation succession and soil carbon stocks was conducted in the center of the Loess Plateau. The chronosequence included fields of 0, 2, 5, 8, 9, 10, 12, 15 and 25 years of self‐restoration after cropland abandonment, as well as a natural grassland reference. Plant coverage, species richness and plant biomass increased significantly with time of cropland abandonment. Over time, the species composition more nearly resembled a natural grasslands community. Cropland abandonment replenished SOC stocks by 3.6 kg C m⁻² during the 25‐year self‐restoration, but the SOC accumulation was restricted to the upper soil profiles (0–60 cm). SOC accumulation rate was 88 g C m⁻² y⁻¹ in 0–30 cm and 55 g C m⁻² y⁻¹ in 30–60 cm soil depth, respectively. These carbon stocks were still significantly lower than those found in the natural grassland soil. Our results suggest that the recovery of plant communities and SOC stocks appears to be slow in this semiarid environment without revegetation effort along with appropriate field management, although the post‐agricultural soils have a high potential for carbon sequestration. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

VARIATION IN SOIL ORGANIC CARBON AND NITROGEN STOCKS ALONG A TOPOSEQUENCE IN A TRADITIONAL MEDITERRANEAN OLIVE GROVE

The impact of the topographical position on soil properties was evaluated in an olive grove with traditional tillage. Three topographical positions: summit, backslope and toeslope were chosen for evaluation. The soil samples were taken from four soil sections of 0·25 m (0–1 m). The soil organic carbon (SOC) and N content increased along the downslope direction (5·5, 6·5 and 7·1 g C kg⁻¹ and 0·3, 0·8 and 0·9 g N kg⁻¹ in the surface layer in the summit, backslope and toeslope respectively) as well as SOC and N stocks, considering the two first soil sections. In addition, there was movement of the most erodible textural fraction (silt). However, the total SOC stock (refer to 1 m of depth) did not vary with respect to the topographical position, but the total N stock (refer to 1 m of depth) varied significantly. These increases were due to erosion processes that occur along the toposequence, leading to organic matter transfers from the summit to the toeslope. All the stratification ratios calculated were lower than 2, indicating the low quality of the soils. Therefore, alternative management techniques that avoid soil erosion must be considered in olive grove in order to increase the soil quality and fertility. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Grassland soil organic carbon and the effects of irrigated cropping in Alberta,Canada

High heterogeneity in the spatial distribution of soil organic carbon (SOC) in grasslands causes uncertainty in estimating its content and storage. In this study, we investigated the spatial distribution of SOC content and storage in the prairies of southern Alberta, Canada, and how it is affected by land use such as irrigated cropping and other environmental conditions such as cattle grazing, slope landscape position and dominant plant species. The mean SOC content was determined to be 11.5 g kg^–1 (range: 8.9 to 22.4 g kg^–1) in the 0–10 cm layer and 6.8 g kg^–1 (range: 4.0 to 13.3 g kg^–1) in the 10–30 cm layer; mean SOC storage was 1.59 kg C m^–2 (range: 1.23 to 2.78 kg C m^–2) in the 0–10 cm layer and 2.07 kg C m^–2 (range: 1.21 to 3.62 kg C m^–2) in the 10–30 cm layer. The SOC content was significantly affected by slope position in both the 0–10 and 10–30 cm layers, in the following order: bottom >middle > top position. Moreover, SOC storage was higher in sites dominated by shrubs than graminoid/forb communities. Thus, SOC content and storage had distinctly clustered spatial patterns throughout the study area and were significant differences between the 0–10 and 10–30 cm soil layers. Prior land-use change from arid grassland to irrigated cropland increased SOC content and storage in bulk soils.     

Examining soil organic carbon in the mountainous peat swamps of the Zoigê Plateau in China's Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

Mountainous peatlands are one of the most important terrestrial ecosystems for carbon storage and play an important role in the global carbon cycle. An insight into the carbon cycle of peat swamps located in mountainous regions can be obtained by studying the distribution of soil organic carbon (SOC) and its relationships with environmental factors. This study focused on the development conditions of peat swamps in the Gahai wetlands, located on the Zoigê Plateau, China, with four different altitudinal gradients as experimental sample sites. The distribution of SOC and its relationship with environmental factors were analysed through vegetation surveys and a generalized additive model (GAM). The results show that with increasing altitude, soil temperature decreased while the soil pH and bulk density initially decreased then increased. On the contrary, the topographic wetness index (TWI), SOC content, above-ground biomass and litter count initially increased then decreased. The SOC content of the 0–30 cm soil layer was in the range 226–330 g·kg⁻¹ (coefficient of variation (CV) = 21.4%), and the 30–60 cm layer was 178–257 g·kg⁻¹ (CV = 17.5%) and was significantly correlated (p < .05) with above-ground biomass and litter count. Meanwhile, the SOC content in the 60–90 cm soil layer was in the range 132–167 g·kg⁻¹ (CV = 9.2%) with a significant correlation (p < .05) with soil temperature, pH, bulk density and topographic moisture index. The study showed that the SOC content exhibited more pronounced spatial patterns with increasing altitude, with the peak value in the shallow soil layer appearing in lower elevation areas compared with the deep soil layer. The level of variation changed from medium to low, reflecting the stable mechanism for maintaining SOC within the heterogeneous peat swamp environment.     

Variations of Soil Organic Carbon Following Land Use Change on Deep‐Loess Hillsopes in China

Land use change is a key factor driving changes in soil organic carbon (SOC) around the world. However, the changes in SOC following land use changes have not been fully elucidated, especially for deep soils (>100 cm). Thus, we investigated the variations of SOC under different land uses (cropland, jujube orchard, 7‐year‐old grassland and 30‐year‐old grassland) on hillslopes in the Yuanzegou watershed of the Loess Plateau in China based on soil datasets related to soils within the 0–100 cm. Furthermore, we quantified the contribution of deep‐layer SOC (200–1,800 cm) to that of whole soil profiles based on soil datasets within the 0–1,800 cm. The results showed that in shallow profiles (0–100 cm), land uses significantly (p  < 0·05) influenced the distribution of SOC contents and stocks in surface layer (0–20 cm) but not subsurface layers (20–100 cm). Pearson correlation analysis indicated that soil texture fractions and total N were significantly (p  < 0·05 or 0·01) correlated with SOC content, which may have masked effects of land use change on SOC. In deep profiles (0–1,800 cm), SOC stock generally decreased with soil depth. But deep soils showed high SOC sequestration capacity. The SOC accumulated in the 100–1,800 m equalled 90·6%, 91·6%, 87·5% and 88·6% of amounts in the top 100 cm under cropland, 7‐year‐old grassland, 30‐year‐old grassland and jujube orchard, respectively. The results provide insights into SOC dynamics following land use changes and stressed the importance of deep‐layer SOC in estimating SOC inventory in deep loess soils. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

滇中尖山河小流域不同土地利用类型土壤活性有机碳分布特征

土壤活性有机碳对土地利用方式最为敏感,定量分析不同土地利用方式对土壤活性有机碳分布特征的影响对流域的土壤碳循环研究具有重要意义。从滇中尖山河小流域坡耕地、荒草地、林地、园地4种不同土地利用类型角度,系统地分析了0—10,10—20,20—30 cm土层土壤有机碳（SOC）、微生物有机碳（MBC）、易氧化有机碳（EOC）及可溶性有机碳（DOC）的分布特征及其相关性。结果表明:不同土地利用类型下土壤SOC,MBC,EOC,DOC整体均表现为园地 > 林地 > 坡耕地 > 荒草地;4种土地利用类型MBC,EOC,DOC整体上随着土层深度的增加而逐渐降低,且主要分布在0—20 cm土层,在20—30 cm土层含量较低（低于30%）;4种土地利用类型下SOC和MBC,EOC,DOC呈极显著正相关关系,MBC,EOC,DOC两两之间也表现出极显著正相关。综上,退耕还林以及在荒草地种植人工林可作为提高土壤有机碳及活性有机碳含量的有效措施,并将在减少流域水土流失和面源污染、改善土壤质量、恢复土壤肥力等方面起到重要作用。     

Intensive organic vegetable production increases soil organic carbon but with a lower carbon conversion efficiency than integrated management

Intensive vegetable production in greenhouses has rapidly expanded in China since the 1990s and increased to 1.3 million ha of farmland by 2016, which is the highest in the world. We conducted an 11‐year greenhouse vegetable production experiment from 2002 to 2013 to observe soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics under three management systems, i.e., conventional (CON), integrated (ING), and intensive organic (ORG) farming. Soil samples (0–20 and 20–40 cm depth) were collected in 2002 and 2013 and separated into four particle‐size fractions, i.e., coarse sand (> 250 µm), fine sand (250–53 µm), silt (53–2 µm), and clay (< 2 µm). The SOC contents and δ¹³C values of the whole soil and the four particle‐size fractions were analyzed. After 11 years of vegetable farming, ORG and ING significantly increased SOC stocks (0–20 cm) by 4008 ± 36.6 and 2880 ± 365 kg C ha^?1 y^?1, respectively, 8.1‐ and 5.8‐times that of CON (494 ± 42.6 kg C ha^?1 y^?1). The SOC stock increase in ORG at 20–40 cm depth was 245 ± 66.4 kg C ha^?1 y^?1, significantly higher than in ING (66 ± 13.4 kg C ha^?1 y^?1) and CON (109 ± 44.8 kg C ha^?1 y^?1). Analyses of ¹³C revealed a significant increase in newly produced SOC in both soil layers in ORG. However, the carbon conversion efficiency (CE: increased organic carbon in soil divided by organic carbon input) was lower in ORG (14.4%–21.7%) than in ING (18.2%–27.4%). Among the four particle‐sizes in the 0–20 cm layer, the silt fraction exhibited the largest proportion of increase in SOC content (57.8% and 55.4% of the SOC increase in ORG and ING, respectively). A similar trend was detected in the 20–40 cm soil layer. Over all, intensive organic (ORG) vegetable production increases soil organic carbon but with a lower carbon conversion efficiency than integrated (ING) management.     

Long‐term effects of soil management regimes on carbon contents and respiration rates of aggregate size fractions

This study investigated long‐term effects of soil management on size distribution of dry‐sieved aggregates in a loess soil together with their organic carbon (OC) and their respiratory activity. Soil management regimes were cropland, which was either abandoned, left bare fallow or cropped for 21 yr. Abandonment increased the abundance of macroaggregates (>2 mm) in the surface soil layer (0–10 cm) and reduced that of microaggregates (<0.25 mm) relative to Cropping, whereas the Fallow treatment reduced the abundance of macroaggregates at depths of 0–10 and 10–20 cm. All treatments yielded similar aggregate size distributions at a depth of 20–30 cm. The SOC content of aggregate size fractions in the surface soil from the Abandoned plots was greater (by 1.2–4.8 g/kg) than that of the corresponding fractions from the Cropped plots, but the opposite trend was observed in the subsurface soils. Conversely, the Fallow treatment reduced the SOC content of every aggregate size fraction. Smaller aggregates generally exhibited greater cumulative levels of C mineralization than larger ones. However, the bulk of the SOC losses from the soils via mineralization was associated with aggregates of >2 mm. Abandonment significantly increased the relative contribution of macroaggregates (>2 mm) to the overall rate of SOC loss, whereas the Fallow treatment significantly reduced the contribution of 0.25–2 mm aggregates to total SOC loss in the surface soil while substantially increasing their contribution in the subsurface soil.     

陇东黄土丘陵区坡改梯田土壤有机碳累积动态

采用时空互代法,以不同年限坡改梯田为研究对象,分析了陇东黄土丘陵区梯田土壤有机碳（SOC）的时空分布特征。结果表明,1）陇东黄土丘陵区黄绵土在坡改梯后近50 a内,农田060 cm土层土壤有机碳处于持续累积状态,2040 cm与4060 cm土层SOC较坡耕地的增幅分别为54.6%和52.4%,大于表层增幅 （33.7%）（P0.05）;各土层SOC随梯田年限的变化趋势基本一致,在修建初期（0~8 a）累积较快并超过坡耕地SOC水平（P0.01）,24 a 后有了显著提高（P0.05）,后期SOC累积变化不显著。2）不同土壤类型及地形下SOC含量及累积速率有所差异,020 cm 土层的SOC在黄绵土中累积最为明显,2040 cm与4060 cm 两个土层SOC在红粘土中的累积量最为显著（P0.05）;阴坡表层SOC大于阳坡,梯田修建25 a 后阴坡平均SOC较阳坡高22.1%。3）梯田土壤有机碳的时空变异受土壤类型的影响最大,其贡献率达62.0%,海拔和坡向影响次之,两者可解释20.4%的有机碳的变异;梯田年限和施用有机肥可分别解释11.7%和5.8%的变异。陇东黄土丘陵区坡改梯田土壤在当前经营状况下表现出较弱的碳汇效应。     

Impact of cultivation on soil organic carbon and carbon sequestration potential in semiarid regions of China

Dynamic changes in soil organic carbon (SOC) have become a popular topic in global research on organic carbon as part of the increasing attention being paid to food security and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. In this paper, the semiarid regions of China were selected as a research focus, and SOC data from 1980 to 2015 were analysed using IBM SPSS Statistics 20.0 software. SOC in farmland varied according to cultivated land type, mulching material type and planting method in the studied regions. The SOC content is 10.3–10.8 g kg⁻¹ in supplementally irrigated land and flat dry land, 7.1–8.7 g kg⁻¹ in terraced dry land and river beach land, and 6.2–6.4 g kg⁻¹ in sloping dry land. The SOC content increased to 16.1–17.4 g kg⁻¹ when crop stalks were used as mulch. The increase was only 11.5–13.5 g kg⁻¹ in soils mulched with film or sandstone. The SOC value in wheat, maize and potatoes sown on single or double ridges was 2.4%–3.2%, 35.7%–36.4% and 4.4%–4.8%, respectively, which are higher than the values for wheat, maize and potatoes sown using the flat planting method. The SOC sequestering potential also varied according to the previously noted factors and was improved from 224.1% to 383.8% depending on cultivated land type, from 96.5% to 182.3% depending on mulching material type and from 96.1% to 191.3% depending on planting method. The SOC sequestering potential can be improved by 453.2%–757.4% with the integration of the optimal cultivated land type, mulching material type and planting method. Thus, there is substantial soil carbon sequestration potential in China's semiarid regions.     

Double mulching improves soil properties and productivity of maize-based cropping system in eastern Indian Himalayas

A field experiment was conducted for two consecutive years at North Eastern Indian Himalayan region to assess the effect of soil moisture conservation measures on soil and water productivity of different rainfed maize (Zea mays L.) - based cropping sequences. Results revealed that double mulching with in-situ maize stover mulch (MSM) + fresh biomass of white hoary pea (WHP-Tephrosia candida) and MSM + fresh biomass of ragweed (RW- Ambrosia artemisiifolia) improved soil moisture content (SMC) and leaf relative water content of crops during dry season. The soil organic carbon (SOC) content and stocks under MSM + WHP and MSM + RW mulches were significantly higher than that under no mulch at 0–15 cm depth. The soil microbial biomass carbon and dehydrogenase activity were maximum under MSM + WHP/RW. The highest system productivity was obtained from maize-French bean (Pole type-PT) sequence under MSM + RW followed by MSM + WHP. The water productivity was the highest under MSM + WHP. While SOC content was the highest under maize-French bean (PT), the maximum plant available nitrogen and phosphorus were obtained under maize-black gram sequence.Thus, double mulching technology involving MSM and RW (available in plenty) is a viable option for improving soil, crop and water productivity under rainfed hill ecosystems of eastern Indian Himalayas.     

Response of soil C:N:P stoichiometry,organic carbon stock,and release to wetland grasslandification in Mu Us Desert

Purpose

Wetlands in Mu Us Desert have severely been threatened by grasslandification over the past decades. Therefore, we studied the impacts of grasslandification on soil carbon (C):nitrogen (N):phosphorus (P) stoichiometry, soil organic carbon (SOC) stock, and release in wetland-grassland transitional zone in Mu Us Desert.

Materials and methods

From wetland to grassland, the transition zone was divided into five different successional stages according to plant communities and soil water conditions. At every stage, soil physical and chemical properties were determined and C:N:P ratios were calculated. SOC stock and soil respirations were also determined to assess soil carbon storage and release.

Results and discussion

After grasslandification, SOC contents of top soils (0–10 cm) decreased from 100.2 to 31.79 g kg^?1 in June and from 103.7 to 32.5 g kg^?1 in October; total nitrogen (TN) contents of top soils (0–10 cm) decreased from 3.65 to 1.85 g kg^?1 in June and from 6.43 to 3.36 g kg^?1 in October; and total phosphorus (TP) contents of top soils (0–10 cm) decreased from 179.4 to 117.4 mg kg^?1 in June and from 368.6 to 227.8 mg kg^?1 in October. From stages Typha angustifolia wetland (TAW) to Phalaris arundinacea L. (PAL), in the top soil (0–10 cm), C:N ratios decreased from 32.2 to 16.9 in June and from 19.0 to 11.8 in October; C:P ratios decreased from 1519.2 to 580.5 in June and from 19.0 to 11.8 in October; and N:P ratios decreased from 46.9 to 34.8 in June and changed from 34.9 to 34.0 in October. SOC stock decreased and soil respiration increased with grasslandification. The decrease of SOC, TN, and TP contents was attributed to the reduction of aboveground biomass and mineralization of SOM, and the decrease of soil C:N, C:P, and N:P ratios was mainly attributed to the faster decreasing speeds of SOC than TN and TP. The reduction of aboveground biomass and increased SOC release led by enhanced soil respiration were the main reasons of SOC stock decrease.

Conclusions

Grasslandification led to lowers levels of SOC, TN, TP, and soil C:N, C:P, and N:P ratios. Grasslandification also led to higher SOC loss, and increased soil respiration was the main reason. Since it is difficult to restore grassland to original wetland, efficient practices should be conducted to reduce water drainage from wetland to prevent grasslandification.

     

黄土丘陵半干旱区人工柠条林土壤固碳特征及其影响因素

为了探讨黄土丘陵区不同生长年限的人工柠条林地土壤有机碳含量的变化特征及其影响因素,更好地阐明黄土丘陵区柠条林土壤的固碳机理,本文采用时空替代法,以撂荒2 a的坡耕地为对照,对黄土丘陵半干旱区不同林龄(10 a、17 a、26 a、34 a、40 a、50 a)人工柠条林地土壤有机碳(SOC)、全氮(STN)、全磷(STP)及柠条林的根系生物量和枯落物现存量进行了分析。结果表明:1)在0~60 cm的土层剖面上,0~20 cm土层SOC含量明显高于其他土层,并随土层深度的增加逐层递减,其中柠条林地0~20 cm土层SOC含量变化幅度为2.68~11.44 g·kg-1,而40~60 cm土层SOC含量仅在1.64~2.73 g·kg-1波动;与对照相比,随林龄增加柠条林地0~60 cm土层平均SOC含量先减小后增加最后趋于平稳:10 a和17 a柠条林SOC含量比对照显著降低了34.5%和26.9%,26 a柠条林的SOC含量显著升高,其值是对照的1.43倍,40 a和50 a柠条林SOC含量处于积累与消耗相对稳定的状态。2)对SOC含量与STN、STP含量及根系生物量和枯落物现存量进行相关性分析表明,SOC含量与STN含量、根系生物量及枯落物现存量之间存在极显著线性相关,但与STP含量相关性不明显,说明土壤中氮含量的增加能明显提高土壤的固碳能力,而根系生物量和枯落物现存量的多少能够决定土壤的固碳水平。     

Impact of long-term application of fertilizer, manure and lime under intensive cropping on physical properties and organic carbon content of an Alfisol

Intensive cropping with conventional tillage results in a decline of soil organic carbon (SOC) with consequent deterioration of soil physical properties. Some studies indicate that this decline in SOC can be arrested by way of organic manure application and improved nutrient management practices. This study was conducted to find out the long-term effects of inorganic fertilizer, manure and lime application on organic carbon content and physical properties of an acidic Alfisol (Typic Haplustalf) under an annual soybean-wheat crop rotation. Six treatments namely, control (CON), nitrogen fertilization (NIT), nitrogen and phosphorus (NP), nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (NPK), NPK plus manure (NPKM) and NPK plus lime (NPKL) from a long-term fertilizer experiment continuing at Ranchi, India, were chosen for this study. Soil samples were collected from the selected treatments after 29 crop cycles and analyzed for physical and chemical properties. The results indicated that SOC content in all the treatments decreased from initial levels, but the decrease was considerably less in NPKM (8.7%) and NPKL (10.9%) treatments than that in NIT (28.3%) treatment. The SOC at 0-15 and 15-30 cm depth was lowest in NIT and CON. The NPKM, NPKL and NPK treatments up to 30 cm soil depth recorded significantly higher SOC than NIT and CON. Application of balanced fertilizer along with manure (NPKM) or lime (NPKL) improved soil aggregation, soil water retention, microporosity and available water capacity and reduced bulk density of the soil in 0-30 cm depth over CON. In contrast, soil aggregate stability, microporosity and available water capacity were significantly lower in the NIT plots than that in CON. The study thus suggests that soil management practices in acidic Alfisols should include integrated use of mineral fertilizer and organic manure or lime to maintain the organic carbon status and physical environment of soil.     

长白山东部4种林分类型土壤有机碳及养分特征研究

以长白山东部长白落叶松天然林、长白落叶松人工林、天然阔叶混交林、天然针阔混交林4种林分类型为研究对象,对比分析了土壤有机碳(SOC)的垂直分布特征,以及与土壤理化性质的相关性.结果表明,4种林分下土壤有机碳含量及其差异程度随土壤深度增加均呈现逐渐减小的趋势.0-60 cm土层土壤有机碳含量大小依次为天然针阔混交林(33.64士17.48 g/kg)＞长白落叶松天然林(25.30±15.09 g/kg)＞天然阔叶混交林(22.13±13.74 g/kg)＞长白落叶松人工林(19.23±12.35 g/kg);天然针阔混交林0-60 cm土壤有机碳密度为21.44±8.31 kg/m2,显著高于其他3种林分类型,长白落叶松人工林最小,为14.29±1.59 kg/m2.对不同土层土壤有机碳和土壤理化性质进行相关分析,结果表明,整个土壤剖面有机碳含量与自然含水率、全N、全P、全K、速效K均呈极显著或显著正相关,与土壤密度呈极显著负相关;不同林分类型土壤有机碳含量和碳密度与全N均呈显著或极显著正相关,与土壤理化性质相关性存在较大差异.