Carbon flow into microbial and fungal biomass as a basis for the belowground food web of agroecosystems

The origin and quantity of plant inputs to soil are primary factors controlling the size and structure of the soil microbial community. The present study aimed to elucidate and quantify the carbon (C) flow from both root and shoot litter residues into soil organic, extractable, microbial and fungal C pools. Using the shift in C stable isotope values associated with replacing C3 by C4 plants we followed root- vs. shoot litter-derived C resources into different soil C pools. We established the following treatments: Corn Maize (CM), Fodder Maize (FM), Wheat + maize Litter (WL) and Wheat (W) as reference. The Corn Maize treatment provided root- as well as shoot litter-derived C (without corn cobs) whereas Fodder Maize (FM) provided only root-derived C (aboveground shoot material was removed). Maize shoot litter was applied on the Wheat + maize Litter (WL) plots to trace the incorporation of C4 litter C into soil microorganisms. Soil samples were taken three times per year (summer, autumn, winter) over two growing seasons. Maize-derived C signal was detectable after three to six months in the following pools: soil organic C (C_org), extractable organic C (EOC), microbial biomass (C_mic) and fungal biomass (ergosterol). In spite of the lower amounts of root- than of shoot litter-derived C inputs, similar amounts were incorporated into each of the C pools in the FM and WL treatments, indicating greater importance of the root- than shoot litter-derived resources for the soil microorganisms as a basis for the belowground food web. In the CM plots twice as much maize-derived C was incorporated into the pools. After two years, maize-derived C in the CM treatment contributed 14.1, 24.7, 46.6 and 76.2% to C_org, EOC, C_mic and ergosterol pools, respectively. Fungi incorporated maize-derived C to a greater extent than did total soil microbial biomass.     

黄土高原人工油松林土壤碳氮对短期氮添加的响应

为了更好地理解土壤碳氮元素对氮添加的响应,通过短期原位模拟氮沉降试验,揭示黄土高原子午岭人工油松(Pinus tabulaeformis Carrière)林土壤碳氮对外源氮添加的响应过程和机制。从2015—2016年设置4个氮添加水平,分别为对照(0kg/(hm~2·a),N0)、低氮(50kg/(hm~2·a),N50)、中氮(100kg/(hm~2·a),N100)和高氮(200kg/(hm~2·a),N200),研究人工油松林地不同深度土层土壤有机碳和全氮以及土壤碳氮储量对模拟氮添加的响应。结果表明:土层对土壤有机碳、全氮和碳氮储量有显著影响,上层土壤有机碳、全氮和碳氮储量显著高于下层土壤;氮添加水平对土壤有机碳、土壤碳储量影响不显著,但可显著影响土壤全氮和氮储量。此外,土壤有机碳、全氮和碳氮储量和土壤碳氮储量比受地下生物量碳氮比的影响显著。因此,短期氮添加对人工油松林地土壤碳的影响不显著,但可显著影响土壤氮,地下生物量碳氮比是影响土壤碳氮的重要因素。     

Above- and belowground carbon inputs affect seasonal variations of soil microbial biomass in a subtropical monsoon forest of southwest China

Soil microbial activity drives carbon and nutrient cycling in terrestrial ecosystems. Soil microbial biomass is commonly limited by environmental factors and soil carbon availability. We employed plant litter removal, root trenching and stem-girdling treatments to examine the effects of environmental factors, above- and belowground carbon inputs on soil microbial C in a subtropical monsoon forest in southwest China. During the experimental period from July 2006 through April 2007, 2 years after initiation of the treatments, microbial biomass C in the humus layer did not vary with seasonal changes in soil temperature or water content. Mineral soil microbial C decreased throughout the experimental period and varied with soil temperature and water content. Litter removal reduced mineral soil microbial C by 19.0% in the ungirdled plots, but only 4.0% in girdled plots. Root trenching, stem girdling and their interactions influenced microbial C in humus layer. Neither root trenching nor girdling significantly influenced mineral soil microbial C. Mineral soil microbial C correlated with following-month plant litterfall in control plots, but these correlations were not observed in root-trenching plots or girdling plots. Our results suggest that belowground carbon retranslocated from shoots and present in soil organic matter, rather than aboveground fresh plant litter inputs, determines seasonal fluctuation of mineral soil microbial biomass.     

Microbial use of lignite compared to recent plant litter as substrates in reclaimed coal mine soils

In the Lusatian mining district, rehabilitated mine soils contain substantial amounts of lignite in addition to recent carbon derived from plant litter. The aim of this study was to examine the importance of the two organic matter types as substrates for soil microbial biomass in mine soils containing organic matter with a contrasting degree of humification. Samples were taken from the lignite-containing overburden material, from a mine soil under 14-year-old black pine (Pinus nigra) and from a mine soil under 37-year-old red oak (Quercus rubra). Overburden material was ameliorated with alkaline ash and incubated in an identical manner as the 14-year-old and 37-year-old mine soils for 16 months. Carbon mineralisation was monitored throughout. After 0, 3, 6, 12 and 16 months, samples were removed and analysed for chemical parameters and for microbial biomass. In addition, ¹⁴C activity measurements in bulk soil and microbial biomass were used to estimate their lignite content.Despite the high content of organic carbon in lignite-rich overburden material, low contents of microbial biomass were recorded. Ash-amelioration led to high pH values in the overburden material, resulting in high concentrations of dissolved organic carbon most likely derived from lignite. Development of the microbial community was subsequently stimulated by presence of an easily available carbon source. In older mine soils, larger amounts of microbial biomass are most likely related to the presence of recent organic matter. Radiocarbon analysis of the microbial biomass extracted from the 14-year-old mine soil indicated higher lignite carbon contribution than recorded for microbial biomass of the 37-year-old mine soil. The highest concentration of lignite C present in microbial biomass as indicated by the C_mic/C_org ratio was, however, observed in the ameliorated overburden material. Therefore, we conclude that the importance of lignite as a carbon source for micro-organisms decreases when recent organic matter is present in the older stages of mine soil development.     

Interaction between rhizosphere microorganisms and plant roots: 13C fluxes in the rhizosphere after pulse labeling

The input dynamics of labeled C into pools of soil organic matter and CO₂ fluxes from soil were studied in a pot experiment with the pulse labeling of oats and corn under a ¹³CO₂ atmosphere, and the contribution of the root and microbial respiration to the emission of CO₂ from the soil was determined from the fluxes of labeled C in the microbial biomass and the evolved carbon dioxide. A considerable amount of ¹³C (up to 96% of the total amount of the label found in the rhizosphere soil) was incorporated into the biomass of the rhizosphere microorganisms. The diurnal fluctuations of the labeled C pools in the microbial biomass, dissolved organic carbon, and CO₂ released in the rhizosphere of oats and corn were related to the day/night changes, i.e., to the on and off periods of the photosynthetic activity of the plants. The average contribution of the corn root respiration (70% of the total CO₂ emission from the soil surface) was higher than that of the oats roots (44%), which was related to the lower incorporation of rhizodeposit carbon into the microbial biomass in the soil under the corn plants than in the soil under the oats plants.     

Effects of elevated CO2 concentration on rhizodeposition from Lolium perenne grown on soil exposed to 9 years of CO2 enrichment

The effects of enriched CO₂ atmosphere on partitioning of recently assimilated carbon were investigated in a plant-soil-microorganism system in which Lolium perenne seedlings were planted into cores inserted into the resident soil within a sward that had been treated with elevated CO₂ for 9 consecutive years, under two N fertilisation levels (Swiss FACE experiment). The planted cores were excavated from the ambient (35 Pa pCO₂) and enriched (60 Pa pCO₂) rings at two dates, in spring and autumn, during the growing season. The cores were brought back to the laboratory for ¹⁴C labelling of shoots in order to trace the transfer of recently assimilated C both within the plant and to the soil and microbial biomass. At the spring sampling, high N supply stimulated shoot and total dry matter production. Consistently, high N enhanced the allocation of recently fixed C to shoots, and reduced it to belowground compartments. Elevated CO₂ had no consequences for DM or the pattern of C allocation. At the autumn sampling, at high N plot, yield of L. perenne was stimulated by elevated CO₂. Consistently, ¹⁴C was preferentially allocated aboveground and, consequently belowground recent C allocation was depressed and rhizodeposition reduced. At both experimental periods, total soil C content was similar in all treatments, providing no evidence for soil carbon sequestration in the Swiss Free Air CO₂ Enrichment experiment (FACE) after 9 years of enrichment. Recently assimilated C and soil C were mineralised faster in soils from enriched rings, suggesting a CO₂-induced shift in the microbial biomass characteristics (structure, diversity, activity) and/or in the quality of the root-released organic compounds.     

Links between vegetation patterns, soil C and N pools and respiration rate under three different land uses in a dry Mediterranean ecosystem

Purpose

Soil respiration (R _s) is controlled by abiotic soil parameters interacting with characteristics of the vegetation and the soil microbial community. Few studies have attempted a comprehensive approach that simultaneously addresses the roles of all the major factors known to influence R _s. Our goal was to explore the links between heterogeneity in R _s, aboveground plant biomass and belowground properties in three representative land-use types in a dry Mediterranean ecosystem: (1) a 150-year-old mixed Aleppo pine-kermes oak open forest, (2) an abandoned agricultural field, which was cultivated with cereal for several years until abandonment in 1980, when establishment of typical Mediterranean shrubland vegetation started and (3) a rain-fed olive grove, which has been cultivated for 100 years.

Materials and methods

We selected two distinctive sampling periods coinciding with annual minimum or near minimum (December) and maximum (April) rates of R _s in this dry Mediterranean ecosystem. In each sampling period, R _s, temperature and moisture, aboveground plant biomass, carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) contents in both light and heavy soil organic matter fractions, extractable dissolved organic C (EDOC), as well as microbial and fine root biomass were measured within each land-use type.

Results and discussion

Across sites, R _s rates were significantly higher in April (3.07?±?0.1 μmol?m^?2?s^?1) than in December (1.30?±?0.1 μmol?m^?2?s^?1). The labile soil organic matter fractions (light fraction C and N contents, microbial biomass C and EDOC) were consistently and strongly related to one another, and to a lesser extent, to the C and N contents in the heavy fraction across sites and seasons. Linear models adequately explained a large proportion of the within-site variability in R _s (R ² values ranged from 41 to 91 % depending on land use and season) but major controls on R _s differed considerably between sites and seasons. Primary controls on spatial patterns in R _s were linked to recent plant-derived C inputs in both forest and olive grove sites. However, in the abandoned agricultural field site R _s appeared to be mainly driven by microbial activity, which could be sustained by intermediate or recalcitrant C and N pools derived from previous land use.

Conclusions

Conversion of native woodland to agricultural land and subsequent land abandonment leads to profound changes in the relationships between R _s, aboveground biomass and belowground properties in this dry Mediterranean ecosystem. While above- and belowground vegetation are the primary controls on spatial variability in labile soil C pools and R _s in the open forest and olive grove sites, a complete lack of influence of current vegetation patterns on soil C pools and respiration rates in the abandoned agricultural field was observed.     

长期不同施氮处理玉米根茬的田间分解特性

以7年氮肥定位试验地玉米根茬为研究对象,通过把玉米根茬按2%比例与15 cm和45 cm土层深度的土壤混合后田间埋袋的方法,研究长期不同施氮量处理[分别为0 kg(N)?hm?2、120 kg(N)?hm?2和240 kg(N)?hm?2]的玉米根茬(分别用R0、R120、R240表示),在陕西省长武黑垆土中埋藏分解1 a后对土壤碳、氮组分的影响及根茬有机碳的分解特性。与未添加玉米根茬的对照土壤相比,玉米根茬加入能够显著增加各层土壤的微生物量碳、可溶性有机碳和矿质态氮含量,3种施氮量处理间差异不显著。随着分解时间延长,土壤可溶性有机物中结构相对复杂的芳香类化合物比例逐渐增加。分解1 a后,R0、R120和R240根茬的有机碳残留率在15 cm土层中分别为44.4%、35.3%和34.9%,在45 cm土层中分别为53.3%、44.3%和42.5%。R0根茬的碳残留率显著高于R120和R240;玉米根茬在15 cm土层的碳分解率和分解速率常数显著高于45 cm土层。采用一级动力学方程拟合玉米根茬碳残留率变化结果显示,R0、R120和R240根茬有机碳分解95%所需要的时间在45 cm土层比15cm土层分别长3.2 a、2.3 a和1.9 a。氮肥施用量影响玉米根茬在土壤中的分解特性,在评价农田氮肥施用与土壤固碳时,应考虑不同氮肥用量下残茬养分组成及其在土壤中分解的差异。     

不同施肥处理对光合碳在花生-土壤系统中分配的影响

通过室内花生盆栽,设置NPK(常规氮磷钾施肥)、NPKS(常规氮磷钾加玉米秸秆)、NPKA(常规氮磷钾加腐殖酸)和CK(不施肥对照)4个不同的施肥处理,采用3次~(13)CO2脉冲标记的方法对不同施肥处理下光合碳在花生-土壤系统中的分配进行定量研究。结果表明:不同施肥处理对标记期内花生总生物量影响不显著,但是NPKA处理显著提升了花生根系生物量,较CK、NPK和NPKS分别高22.04%、19.47%和53.38%。NPKS处理地上部~(13)C丰度最高,但土壤中~(13)C丰度最低,NPKA处理土壤中~(13)C丰度最高。各处理地上部的~(13)C含量无显著差异,NPKA处理根系的~(13)C含量显著高于NPK且土壤~(13)C含量显著高于其他处理。NPKA处理地上部的~(13)C分配比例最低而土壤中分配比例最高,根系~(13)C分配比例与其他处理无显著差异,根系与土壤~(13)C分配比例之和显著高于其他处理。本研究表明腐殖酸能显著促进花生光合碳向地下部的转运。     

Net ecosystem carbon exchange for Bermuda grass growing in mesocosms as affected by irrigation frequency

Intensification of grazed grasslands following conversion from dryland to irrigated farming has the potential to alter ecosystem carbon (C) cycling and affect components of carbon dioxide (CO₂) exchange that could lead to either net accumulation or loss of soil C. While there are many studies on the effect of water availability on biomass production and soil C stocks, much less is known about the effect of the frequency of water inputs on the components of CO₂ exchange. We grew Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon L.) in mesocosms under irrigation frequencies of every day (I₁ treatment, 30 d), every two days (I₂ treatment, 12 d), every three days (I₃ treatment, 30 d), and every six days (I₆ treatment, 18 d, after I₂ treatment). Rates of CO₂ exchange for estimating net ecosystem CO₂ exchange (F_N), ecosystem respiration (R_E), and soil respiration (R_S) were measured, and gross C uptake by plants (F_G) and respiration from leaves (R_L) were calculated during two periods, 1–12 and 13–30 d, of the 30-d experiment. During the first 12 d, there were no significant differences in cumulative F_N (mean ±standard deviation, 61 ±30 g C m^-2, n = 4). During the subsequent 18 d, cumulative F_N decreased with decreasing irrigation frequency and increasing cumulative soil water deficit (W), with values of 70 ±22, 60 ±16, and 18 ±12 g C m^-2 for the I₁, I₃, and I₆ treatments, respectively. There were similar decreases in F_G, R_E, and R_L with increasing W, but differences in R_S were not significant. Use of the C₄ grass growing in a C₃-derived soil enabled partitioning of R_S into its autotrophic (R_A) and heterotrophic (R_H) components using a ¹³C natural abundance isotopic technique at the end of the experiment when differences in cumulative W between the treatments were the greatest. The values of R_H and its percentage contributions to R_S (43% ±8%, 42% ±8%, and 8% ±5% for the I₁, I₃, and I₆ treatments, respectively) suggested that R_H remained unaffected across a wide range of W and then decreased under extreme W. There were no significant differences in aboveground biomass between the treatments. Nitrous oxide (N₂O) emission was measured to determine if there was a trade-off effect between irrigation frequency and increasing W on net greenhouse gas emission, but no significant differences were found between the treatments. These findings suggest that over short periods in well-drained soil, irrigation frequency could be managed to manipulate soil water deficit in order to reduce net belowground respiratory C losses, particularly those from the microbial decomposition of soil organic matter, with no significant effect on biomass production and N₂O emission.     

Carbon Life Cycle Assessment for Prairie as a Crop in Reclaimed Mine Land

A life cycle assessment with carbon (C) as the reference unit was used to balance the benefits of land preparation practices of establishing tall‐grass prairies as a crop for reclaimed mine land with reduced environmental damage. Land preparation and management practices included disking with sub‐soiling (DK‐S), disking only (DK), no tillage (NT), and no tillage with grazing (NT‐G). To evaluate the C balance and energy use of each of the land preparations, an index of sustainability (I_s = C_O/C_I, Where: C_O is the sum of all outputs and C_I is the sum of all inputs) was used to assess temporal changes in C. Of the four land preparation and management practices, DK had the highest I_s at 8·53. This was due to it having the least degradation of soil organic carbon (SOC) during land‐use change (−730 kg ha⁻¹ y⁻¹) and second highest aboveground biomass production (9,881 kg ha⁻¹). The highest aboveground biomass production occurred with NT (11,130 kg ha⁻¹), although SOC losses were similar to DK‐S, which on average was 2,899 kg ha⁻¹ y⁻¹. The I_s values for NT and DK‐S were 2·50 and 1·44, respectively. Grazing from bison reduced the aboveground biomass to 8,971 kg ha⁻¹ compared with NT with no grazing, although stocking density was low enough that I_s was still 1·94. This study has shown that converting from cool‐season forage grasses to tall‐grass prairie results in a significant net sink for atmospheric CO₂ 3 years after establishment in reclaimed mine land, because of high biomass yields compensating for SOC losses from land‐use change. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Effect of crop residues on the organic matter composition of a leached chernozem in the Western Siberian forest-steppe

In leached chernozems used in crop rotations with different amounts of plant residues for nine years, the following parameters have been determined: the changes in the contents of the total carbon and carbon and nitrogen from the readily hydrolyzable components of the soil organic matter: the labile humus, detritus, and mortmass. No significant differences in the content of C_org in the soil among the crop rotations have been found. The different inputs of plant residues have significantly affected the contents of carbon and nitrogen in the readily mineralizable soil organic matter. The decrease in the mean annual input of the aboveground plant residues to the soil from 1.5 to 0.2 t C/ha resulted in the reduction of the carbon and nitrogen contents in the soil by 19–25% for the labile humus, 24–28% for the detritus, and 33–36% for the mortmass. The labile humus formed the largest fraction (3890 mg of C/kg soil or 10.3% of C_org on the average for the crop rotations); the fractions of the detritus (1546 mg C/kg soil or 10.3%) and mortmass (627 mg C/kg soil or 1.7% of C_org) were the next.     

Characterizing the impact of diffusive and advective soil gas transport on the measurement and interpretation of the isotopic signal of soil respiration

By measuring the isotopic signature of soil respiration, we seek to learn the isotopic composition of the carbon respired in the soil (δ¹³C_R-s) so that we may draw inferences about ecosystem processes. Requisite to this goal is the need to understand how δ¹³C_R-s is affected by both contributions of multiple carbon sources to respiration and fractionation due to soil gas transport. In this study, we measured potential isotopic sources to determine their contributions to δ¹³C_R-s and we performed a series of experiments to investigate the impact of soil gas transport on δ¹³C_R-s estimates. The objectives of these experiments were to: i) compare estimates of δ¹³C_R-s derived from aboveground and belowground techniques, ii) evaluate the roles of diffusion and advection in a forest soil on the estimates of δ¹³C_R-s, and iii) determine the contribution of new and old carbon sources to δ¹³C_R-s for a Douglas-fir stand in the Pacific Northwest during our measurement period. We found a maximum difference of −2.36‰ between estimates of δ¹³C_R-s based on aboveground vs. belowground measurements; the aboveground estimate was enriched relative to the belowground estimate. Soil gas transport during the experiment was primarily by diffusion and the average belowground estimate of δ¹³C_R-s was enriched by 3.8-4.0‰ with respect to the source estimates from steady-state transport models. The affect of natural fluctuations in advective soil gas transport was little to non-existent; however, an advection-diffusion model was more accurate than a model based solely on diffusion in predicting the isotopic samples near the soil surface. Thus, estimates made from belowground gas samples will improve with an increase in samples near the soil surface. We measured a −1‰ difference in δ¹³C_R-s as a result of an experiment where advection was induced, a value which may represent an upper limit in fractionation due to advective gas transport in forest ecosystems. We found that aboveground measurements of δ¹³C_R-s may be particularly susceptible to atmospheric incursion, which may produce estimates that are enriched in ¹³C. The partitioning results attributed 69-98% of soil respiration to a source with a highly depleted isotopic signature similar to that of water-soluble carbon from foliage measured at our site.     

Elevated CO2 differentially alters belowground plant and soil microbial community structure in reed canary grass-invaded experimental wetlands

Several recent studies have indicated that an enriched atmosphere of carbon dioxide (CO₂) could exacerbate the intensity of plant invasions within natural ecosystems, but little is known of how rising CO₂ impacts the belowground characteristics of these invaded systems. In this study, we examined the effects of elevated CO₂ and nitrogen (N) inputs on plant and soil microbial community characteristics of plant communities invaded by reed canary grass, Phalaris arundinacea L. We grew the invasive grass under two levels of invasion: the invader was either dominant (high invasion) at >90% plant cover or sub-dominant (low invasion) at <50% plant cover. Experimental wetland communities were grown for four months in greenhouses that received either 600 or 365 μl l⁻¹ (ambient) CO₂. Within each of three replicate rooms per CO₂ treatment, the plant communities were grown under high (30 mg l⁻¹) or low (5 mg l⁻¹) N. In contrast to what is often predicted under N limitation, we found that elevated CO₂ increased native graminoid biomass at low N, but not at high N. The aboveground biomass of reed canary grass did not respond to elevated CO₂, despite it being a fast-growing C3 species. Although elevated CO₂ had no impact on the plant biomass of heavily invaded communities, the relative abundance of several soil microbial indicators increased. In contrast, the moderately invaded plant communities displayed increased total root biomass under elevated CO_2, while little impact occurred on the relative abundance of soil microbial indicators. Principal components analysis indicated that overall soil microbial community structure was distinct by CO₂ level for the varying N and invasion treatments. This study demonstrates that even when elevated CO₂ does not have visible effects on aboveground plant biomass, it can have large impacts belowground.     

Evaluation of Parameters During Composting of Two Contrasting Raw Materials

The aims of this work were: i) to evaluate, during a composting process, some parameters in two contrasting raw materials: one a ligneous material (C1) and the other (C2) a mixture of horse and poultry manure with a low straw percentage and ii) to compare results from microbiological and chemical analyses of both composting material during the process. Total carbon, total nitrogen, C: N ratio, ash, organic matter, organic matter destroyed, CEC, soluble organic carbon, soluble ammonium and nitrate, ammonium: nitrate ratio and respiration rate were evaluated during 18 weeks. C1 material showed a lower rate of organic matter mineralization probably due to the high proportion of ligneous material. This material reached a greater CEC during the experiment. Increase in CEC during composting is due to conversion of the remaining organic material into humic substances. These results would imply that C1 presented a greater humification level and consequently, a better quality. On the other hand, the greater decrease in soluble organic carbon and NH₄⁺-N values in C2 is in accordance with greater organic matter mineralization. A high decrease in soluble fractions, especially the more degradable ones (water soluble components) indicates a high mineralization of the organic matter during composting and a lower humification level. According to the data obtained in our experiment, some parameters such as CEC, soluble organic carbon and soluble NH₄⁺-N seem to achieve the stability level for both studied materials, while those parameters or indices such as C: N ratio, NH₄⁺-N: NO₃^?-N ratio indicated stability/maturity only in C2 material during the experimental time.     

Root-derived carbon in soil respiration and microbial biomass determined by 14C and 13C

Two approaches to quantitatively estimating root-derived carbon in soil CO₂ efflux and in microbial biomass were compared under controlled conditions. In the ¹⁴C labelling approach, maize (Zea mays) was pulse labelled and the tracer was chased in plant and soil compartments. Root-derived carbon in CO₂ efflux and in microbial biomass was estimated based on a linear relationship between the plant shoots and the below-ground compartment. Since the maize plants were grown on C₃ soil, in a second approach the differences in ¹³C natural abundance between C₃ and C₄ plants were used to calculate root-derived carbon in the CO₂ efflux and in the microbial biomass. The root-derived carbon in the total CO₂ efflux was between 69% and 94% using the ¹⁴C labelling approach and between 86% and 94% in the natural ¹³C labelling approach. At a ¹³C fractionation measured to be 5.2‰ between soil organic matter (SOM) and CO₂, the root-derived contribution to CO₂ ranged from 70% to 88% and was much closer to the results of the ¹⁴C labelling approach. Root-derived contributions to the microbial biomass carbon ranged from 2% to 9% using ¹⁴C labelling and from 16% to 36% using natural ¹³C labelling. At a 3.2‰ ¹³C fractionation between SOM and microbial biomass, both labelling approaches yielded an equal contribution of root-derived C in the microbial biomass. Both approaches may therefore be used to partition CO₂ efflux and to quantify the C sources of microbial biomass. However, the assumed ¹³C fractionation strongly affects the contributions of individual C sources.     

Effects of Tillage Methods on Soil Carbon and Wind Erosion

Current interest in soil‐conserving tillage in China has developed from the concern that Chinese agricultural land loses 73·8 Mg C annually. Previous research has shown that changing from conventional tillage to conservation tillage field management increases soil C sequestration. The aim of this study is to determine if no tillage with stubble retention can reduce soil carbon loss and erosion compared with conventional tillage for a cornfield in northern China. We found that soil organic C storage (kg m⁻²) under conservation tillage in the form of no post‐harvest tillage with stubble retention increased from 28% to 62% in the soil depths of 0–30 cm (p < 0·01) compared with the conventional tillage. Retaining post‐harvest stubble with a height of 30 cm and incorporating the stubble into the soil before seeding the next spring increased soil organic carbon the most. Carbon storage (kg ha⁻¹) in aboveground and belowground biomass of the corn plants in seedling and harvest stages was significantly greater (p < 0·01) with stubble retention treatments than with conventional tillage. Carbon content in root biomass in all treatments with stubble retention was significantly greater than that with conventional tillage. Soil erosion estimates in the study area under conservation tillage with stubble retention was significantly lower than that under conventional tillage during the monitoring period. Given the complexities of agricultural systems, it is unlikely that one ideal farming practice is suitable to all soils or different climate conditions, but stubble retention during harvesting and incorporation of the stubble into soil in the next spring appears to be the best choice in the dry northern China where farmlands suffer serious wind erosion. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Distribution of stable carbon isotopes in an agrochernozem during the transition from C3 vegetation to a corn monoculture

The distribution of carbon in an agrochernozem??s profile was studied by the natural ¹³C abundance method during the C₃-C₄ vegetation transition and the analysis of the soil phytolith complex under a continuous corn monoculture. A young pool of soil organic matter (SOM) formed during 43 years of monoculture growing was detected by the isotope analysis in the 0-to 60-cm layer, while the analysis of the phytolith complex identified this pool deeper: corn phytoliths were detected in the 0- to 80-cm layer. The maximum size of the young pool was found in the upper soil horizon; it reached 6.4% of the SOM in the 0- to 20-cm layer. The apparent time of the SOM turnover was 635 and 2225 years in the 0- to 20- and 40- to 60-cm layers, respectively. The high values of the mean residence time were related to the low input of plant residues to the soil at the growing of corn for silage and the high initial content of organic carbon in the chernozem. The changes in the isotope composition after the decalcification of the soil to remove carbonates and the variation of the ??¹³C in the corn biomass during the vegetation period significantly affected the calculated value of the mean residence time.     

Changes in Organic Matter of an Oxisol with the Addition of Soybean and Corn Residues,Nitrogen and Phosphorus

Plants with different photosynthetic cycles (C3 and C4) and different plant parts (root or shoot) contribute in different ways to soil organic carbon (SOC). In addition, phosphate and nitrogen fertilization also act differently on the SOC stock. In this study, roots or shoots of corn (C3) and soybean (C4) plants were incorporated into samples of an Oxisol, with or without the addition of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) and had the emission of carbon (C)- carbon dioxide (CO₂) measured during 45 days. Subsequently, soil organic matter fractionation, carbon and nitrogen microbial biomass and 13C isotopic discrimination were performed. The greatest increment in SOC was observed by adding corn plant material rather than soybean material. For both crops, the greatest contribution to SOC was achieved by adding roots as compared to shoots. Phosphorus addition produced greater microbial activity, followed by the addition of NP and then the addition of only N.     

Influence of mineral and organic fertilizers on soil organic carbon pools

Abstract

The influence of farmyard manure (FYM) and equivalent mineral NPK application on organic matter content, hot water extractable carbon (HWC), microbial biomass C (C_mic), and grain yields in a long-term field experiment was assessed after 40 years in Hungary. The unfertilized plot, FYM fertilized plots and plots fertilized with equivalent NPK fertilizer contained 0.99%, 1.13% and 1.05% total organic carbon (TOC) respectively. Compared to the unfertilized plot, FYM application resulted in 8.2% higher TOC than equivalent NPK fertilization. The highest TOC was only 1.21%, much lower than expected for a soil containing 21.3% of clay. The quantity of HWC varied depending on the type of fertilization: Compared to control, FYM treatments lead to 29% more HWC than mineral fertilization (FYM: 328 mg kg^?1; NPK: 264 mg kg^?1). The impact of FYM and equivalent NPK fertilizer on C_mic was contrary. FYM and NPK resulted in 304 and 423 mg kg^?1 C_mic, respectively. The difference was 119 mg kg^?1; 42% as compared to the unfertilized plot. Despite the higher HWC content, FYM treatments lead to significantly less (35%) grain yields than equivalent NPK doses; C_mic content showed closer correlation to grain yields.