土壤中水溶性有机碳测定中的样品保存与前处理方法

对棕壤、褐土和红壤样品研究结果表明 ,土壤水溶性有机碳 (WSOC)在中雨停止 72小时后几乎恢复到正常水平 .采集的土样应尽快测定 .如须保存 ,则以冷藏为好 ,同时要避免水分丧失 .样品测试直接用鲜样进行 ,其中水分和大于 1mm颗粒物对结果的干扰可通过校正排除 .提取时间则以 5h为宜     

西藏高寒草原土壤团聚体有机碳变化及其影响因素分析

土壤结构的维持和稳定对高寒草原生态系统的稳定具有重要意义。为了探明高寒草原土壤结构的变化过程,研究了藏北正常、轻度和严重退化高寒草原表层(0～10cm)、亚表层(>10～20cm)不同粒径土壤团聚体有机碳(soil aggregates organic carbon,SAOC)的变化及对土壤结构的影响。结果表明:1)正常草地不同土层相同粒径团聚体有机碳质量分数均无显著差异,退化草地相同粒径SAOC质量分数随土层加深则呈显著提高的趋势;除轻度退化草地表层,不同状态草地各土层微团聚体(<0.25mm)有机碳质量分数显著高于大团聚体(>0.25mm)有机碳。2)退化草地表层、亚表层SAOC质量分数均呈显著下降,降幅随草地退化加剧却有所降低。但与轻度退化草地相比,严重退化草地表层大团聚体、微团聚体有机碳损失量分别增、减2.87、2.90g/kg,亚表层损失量则分别减少1.40、0.34g/kg,由于大团聚体有机碳损失量较大,其土壤抗蚀能力低于轻度退化草地。3)高原寒旱环境中,SAOC质量分数随SOC质量分数、土壤含水率的增加分别呈极显著(p<0.01)提高、显著(p<0.05)下降的趋势,土壤温度、土壤容重对SAOC质量分数的影响则均不显著。该文可为进一步探寻高寒草原生态系统维持与稳定的理论和方法提供参考。     

Soil organic carbon pools in ploughed and no‐till Alfisols of central Ohio

No‐till (NT) farming can restore the soil organic carbon (SOC) pool of agricultural soils, but the SOC pool size and retention rate can vary with soil type and duration of NT. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to determine the effects of NT and soil drainage characteristics on SOC accumulation across a series of NT fields on Alfisols in Ohio, USA. Sites under NT for 9 (NT9), 13 (NT13), 36 (NT36), 48 (NT48) and 49 (NT49) years were selected for the study. Soil was somewhat poorly drained at the NT48 site but moderately well drained at the other sites. The NT48 and NT49 on‐station sites were under continuous corn (Zea mays), while the other sites were farmers' fields in a corn–soybean (Glycine max) rotation. At each location, the SOC pool (0–30 cm) in the NT field was compared to that of an adjacent plough‐till (PT) and woodlot (WL). At the NT36, NT48 and NT49 sites, the retention rate of corn‐derived C was determined using stable C isotope (¹³C) techniques. In the 0‐ to 10‐cm soil layer, SOC concentration was significantly larger under NT than PT, but a tillage effect was rarely detected below that depth. Across sites, the SOC pool in that layer averaged 36.4, 20 and 40.8 Mg C/ha at the NT, PT and WL sites, respectively. For the 0‐ to 30‐cm layer, the SOC pool for NT (83.4 Mg C/ha) was still 57% greater than under PT. However, there was no consistent trend in the SOC pool with NT duration probably due to the legacy of past management practices and SOC content differences that may have existed among the study sites prior to their conversion to NT. The retention rate of corn‐derived C was 524, 263 and 203 kg C/ha/yr at the NT36, NT48 and NT49 sites. In contrast, the retention rate of corn‐C under PT averaged 25 and 153 kg C/ha/yr at the NT49 (moderately well‐drained) and NT48 (somewhat poorly drained) sites, respectively. The conversion from PT to NT resulted in greater retention of corn‐derived C. Thus, adoption of NT would be beneficial to SOC sequestration in agricultural soils of the region.     

基于土壤剖面测定数据计算中国土壤有机碳贮量

Soil organic carbon (SOC) storage under different types of vegetations in China were estimated using measured data of 2 440 soil profiles to compare SOC density distribution between different estimates, to map the soil organic carbon stocks under different types of vegetation in China, and to analyze the relationships between soil organic carbon stocks and environmental variables using stepwise regression analyses. Soil organic carbon storage in China was estimated at 69.38 Gt (1015 g). There was a big difference in SOC densities for various vegetation types, with SOC distribution closely related to climatic patterns in general. Stepwise regression analyses of SOC against environmental variables showed that SOC generally increased with increasing precipitation and elevation, while it decreased with increasing temperature. Furthermore, the important factor controlling SOC accumulation for forests was elevation, while for temperate steppes mean annual temperature dominated. The more specific the vegetation type used in the regression analysis, the greater was the effect of environmental variables on SOC. However, compared to native vegetation, cultivation activities in the croplands reduced the influence of environmental variables on SOC.     

土壤有机碳分组方法概述

土壤有机碳与土壤肥力和气候变化密切相关而成为当今土壤学等相关领域的研究热点之一。由于土壤有机碳是具有某一特性的一类化合物的混合物,存在高度异质性,所以选用合理的方法有效区分不同碳组分是深入研究土壤有机碳的关键。首先回顾了土壤有机碳的传统分组方法 (包括物理分组、化学分组和生物分组),进而介绍了Stewart等人近年提出的土壤有机碳物理-化学联合分组方法,最后对土壤有机碳分组方法的未来趋势进行了展望。     

Soil aggregation and organic carbon in short-term stockpiles

Surface mining is known to drastically reduce soil organic carbon (OC) pools through various mechanisms associated with topsoil salvage, stockpiling and respreading. Stockpiling is an important management practice; however, the effects of this practice on reductions and recovery of soil aggregation and aggregate OC are poorly understood. Objectives of this research were to monitor soil aggregation and aggregate OC in the surface of a short‐term stockpile (<3 yr) followed by a second movement of stockpiled soils to a temporary location. Samples were analysed for aggregate size distribution, aggregate fractions, OC, and organic matter turnover using ¹³C natural abundance. Macroaggregate proportions increased and microaggregate proportions decreased after 3 yr of storage, possibly indicating recovery of soil structure. Following the removal of the stockpile and placement in a temporary pile, macroaggregation decreased and free silt and clay fractions increased relative to initially stockpiled soils. The second disturbance resulted in greater destruction of aggregate structure than the initial disturbance during topsoil salvage. Aggregate organic matter (as indicated by OC) increased significantly between the early sampling of the stockpiled soils (<1 yr in storage) and the placement of the topsoil in a temporary pile in macroaggregates and remained the same for microaggregates. Organic matter not protected within aggregates decreased with storage time as this material was available for utilization by microbes while aggregate protected organic matter (OM) remained unchanged or slightly increased for macro‐ and microaggregates with stockpile storage time. Aggregate δ¹³C values did not indicate inclusion of new OM within soil aggregates after 3 yr of topsoil stockpiling. Short‐term stockpiling was beneficial for aggregation in the surface layers where plant roots and microbial communities were active; however, subsequent movement of the topsoil resulted in a greater loss of soil aggregation relative to the initial topsoil salvage without impacting soil OC.     

变化中的土壤有机碳

<正>Soil contains more than three times as much carbon (C) as either the atmosphere or terrestrial vegetation.Soil organic C (SOC) is essentially derived from inputs of plant and animal residues,which are processed by the microbiota (bacteria,archaea,protists,fungi and viruses) that dominates SOC transformation and turnover in complex terrestrial environments.A tiny     

Soil organic carbon and nitrogen in a Mollisol in central Ohio as affected by tillage and land use

Minimum tillage practices are known for increasing soil organic carbon (SOC). However, not all environmental situations may manifest this potential change. The SOC and N stocks were assessed on a Mollisol in central Ohio in an 8-year-old tillage experiment as well as under two relatively undisturbed land uses; a secondary forest and a pasture on the same soil type. Cropped systems had 51±4 (equiv. mass) Mg ha⁻¹ lower SOC and lower 3.5±0.3 (equiv. mass) Mg ha⁻¹ N in the top 30 cm soil layer than under forest. Being a secondary forest, the loss in SOC and N stocks by cultivation may have been even more than these reported herein. No differences among systems were detected below this depth. The SOC stock in the pasture treatment was 29±3 Mg ha⁻¹ greater in the top 10 cm layer than in cultivated soils, but was similar to those under forest and no-till (NT). Among tillage practices (plow, chisel and NT) only the 0–5 cm soil layer under NT exhibited higher SOC and N concentrations. An analysis of the literature of NT effect on SOC stocks, using meta-analysis, suggested that NT would have an overall positive effect on SOC sequestration rate but with a greater variability of what was previously reported. The average sequestration rate of NT was 330 kg SOC ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ with a 95% confidence interval ranging from 47 to 620 kg SOC ha⁻¹ year⁻¹. There was no effect of soil texture or crop rotation on the SOC sequestration rate that could explain this variability. The conversion factor for SOC stock changes from plow to NT was equal to 1.04. This suggests that the complex mechanisms and pathways of SOC accrual warrant a cautious approach when generalizing the beneficial changes of NT on SOC stocks.     

我国南方桂东地区农田土壤养分特征及对有机碳驱动分析

南方高温多雨条件下土壤有机碳及养分含量变化大,把握其含量特征及关联利于制定土壤环境健康的合理施肥模式。对我国南方桂东地区主要肥力因素的分布特征进行分析,通过相关分析及逐步回归分析探明土壤有机碳与土壤养分间的内在联系,借助通径系数明确各养分因素影响土壤有机碳的程度,为我国南方土壤可持续利用提供参考。桂东地区土壤主要肥力指标分析结果表明,土壤有机碳、p H值、全氮、有效磷、速效钾的均值分别为21.6 g·kg-1、6.9、2.1 g·kg-1、23.5 mg·kg-1和89.3 mg·kg-1;且各指标频数分布分析结果显示,除速效钾外(仅40%达中、高水平),其余指标有83%~96%的含量达中、高肥力水平。上述结果说明,尽管近年来该区域土壤肥力得到一定提高,而土壤钾含量低仍是该区域当前土壤肥力提升的限制性因子。在该区域内,土壤有机碳与全氮、p H值、有效磷、速效钾间呈显著相关,其相关系数依次降低。总体上土壤有机碳含量与土壤肥力水平一致,表明该区域下可通过调节土壤p H配合施用氮、磷、钾肥提高土壤有机碳。     

Soil organic carbon and its fractions estimated by visible–near infrared transfer functions

The capture and storage of soil organic carbon (OC) should improve the soil's quality and function and help to offset the emissions of greenhouse gases. However, to measure, model or monitor changes in OC caused by changes in land use, land management or climate, we need cheaper and more practical methods to measure it and its composition. Conventional methods are complex and prohibitively expensive. Spectroscopy in the visible and near infrared (vis–NIR) is a practical and affordable alternative. We used samples from Australia's Soil Carbon Research Program (SCaRP) to create a vis–NIR database with accompanying data on soil OC and its composition, expressed as the particulate, humic and resistant organic carbon fractions, POC, HOC and ROC, respectively. Using this database, we derived vis–NIR transfer functions with a decision‐tree algorithm to predict the total soil OC and carbon fractions, which we modelled in units that describe their concentrations and stocks (or densities). Predictions of both carbon concentrations and stocks were reliable and unbiased with imprecision being the main contributor to the models' errors. We could predict the stocks because of the correlation between OC and bulk density. Generally, the uncertainty in the estimates of the carbon concentrations was smaller than, but not significantly different to, that of the stocks. Approximately half of the discriminating wavelengths were in the visible region, and those in the near infrared could be attributed to functional groups that occur in each of the different fractions. Visible–NIR spectroscopy with decision‐tree modelling can fairly accurately, and with small to moderate uncertainty, predict soil OC, POC, HOC and ROC. The consistency between the decision tree's use of wavelengths that characterize absorptions due to the chemistry of soil OC and the different fractions provides confidence that the approach is feasible. Measurement in the vis–NIR range needs little sample preparation and so is rapid, practical and cheap. A further advantage is that the technique can be used directly in the field.     

Soil organic carbon and microbial activity: east Antarctica

Schirmacher oasis (SO) (70°46′04′′S to 70°44′24′′S; 11°49′54′′[± 48]E to 11°26′03′′[± 02]E), one of the smallest oases in Antarctica, is situated on Dronning Maud Land, which is about 70 km south of the Princess Astrid Coast of east Antarctica. This oasis is a small rocky moraine, surrounded by the vast polar ice cap and Antarctic ice shelf. It represents cold desert conditions, devoid of any higher plant and animal life, except for a few patches of microbiotic crusts in some suitable niches. Melted water from glaciers, ice and snow produces about 30 fresh water lakes and many streams, which supply essential nutrients to the autotrophs (algae, mosses and lichens). Between 30 December 1999 and 29 January 2000, soil samples were collected from 14 sparsely vegetated sites to study the soils and ecology over this oasis. Bio‐physicochemical parameters, organic carbon and microbial activities (dehydrogenase) of the soils were determined. The average surface air temperature and wind velocities during the sampling period were −0.87°C and 4.3 m s⁻¹. The average pH, plant biomass (standing crops) and moisture content were 7.5, 22.5 g m⁻² and 375.4%. Total organic carbon (TOC) contents of the soil samples ranged from 1.16 to 2.58% and the mean value was 1.58%. Dehydrogenase activity (DHA) was low and the average was 0.008 mg Triphenyl formazan (TPF) g soil⁻¹ day⁻¹. The low DHA in SO suggests that anaerobic oxidation of organic C is poor. TOC and DHA are negatively correlated with plant biomass (r=−0.14, P= 0.62 and r=−0.21, P= 0.48). The organic C and microbial activities are dependent on the amount of the autotrophic productivity and abundances. TOC correlated significantly with DHA (r= 0.85, P < 0.001), which indicates that organic C is an important factor in controlling the development of DHA in the SO. The averaged bio‐physicochemical data in the oasis do not deviate much from the respective mean values and the TOC is expected to remain in the range of 1–2%; however, a small change in human activity is likely to cause long‐term impacts in this pristine ecosystem.     

Soil organic carbon in some land uses of Costa Rica

The native vegetation in the Tropics is increasingly replaced by crops, pastures, tree plantations, or settlements with contradictory effects on soil organic carbon (SOC). Therefore, the general objective was to estimate the SOC stock depth distribution to 100-cm depth in soils of Costa Rica and to assess their theoretical carbon (C) sink capacity by different management practices. A study was established in three ecoregions of Costa Rica: the Isthmian-Atlantic Moist Forest (AM), the Pacific Dry Forest (PD), and the Montane Forest (MO) ecoregions. Within each ecoregion, three agricultural land uses and a mature forest were sampled to 100-cm depth. The SOC stock in 0–100 cm depth was 114–150 Mg C ha^?1 for AM, 76–165 Mg C ha^?1 for PD, and 166–246 Mg C ha^?1 for MO. Land use had only weak effects on SOC concentrations and stocks except at PD where both were lower for soils under mango (Mangifera indica) and pasture. This may indicate soil degradation which was also supported by data on SOC stratification. However, it was generally unclear whether differences among land uses within each ecoregion already existed particularly at deeper depths before land-use change, and whether the sampling approach was sufficient to investigate them. Nevertheless, about 26–71% of Costa Rica's total C emissions may be offset by SOC sequestration in agricultural and forest soils. However, ecoregion-specific practices must be implemented to realize this potential.     

Soil organic carbon stock and fractional distribution across central-south China

The stock and stability of soil organic carbon (SOC) are critical to soil functions and global carbon cycle, but little quantitative information is available on the precise location and chemical components of SOC for soils across a wide range of climatic gradients. Here, a broad range of zonal soils were collected in forest land at topsoil (0–15 cm) and subsoil (15–30 cm) from temperate to tropical climatic gradient in central to south China. The stock and stability of SOC were determined in terms of aggregate and humic fractionation. SOC in bulk soils with a less significant geographic variation was comparably higher at Haplic Luvisoils in temperate regions (3637.61 g m⁻²) and Rhodi-Humic Ferrosols in tropical regions (3446.12 g m⁻²) than in the other experimental soils, but a consistent decreasing trend was observed along the soil profiles with the SOC stock was 1.11–1.97 times higher in the topsoil than in the subsoils. In addition, insoluble humin residue (HMr) as the dominant components of SOC ranged from 643.95 to 2696.90 g m⁻² and decreased from temperate to tropical regions, which was consistent with the zonal variation of humic acids (HAs), but contrary to the zonal variation of fulvic acids (FAs) that fluctuated in a range of 39.67–389.55 g m⁻² across the experimental sites. According to the results of partial correlation analysis, the variation of FAs stock was significantly attributed to soil pH, bulk density, iron and aluminum oxides, clay, and clay mineral content (|r|>0.61, p < 0.05), while these soil physical properties showed a contradictory effects on HAs, iron-linked humin (HMi), clay-combined humin (HMc), and HMr. Moreover, the aggregate-associated carbon stock was mainly stored in macroaggregates (36.34–76.09%) for both SOC and its chemical components, especially in topsoils, and its zonal variation was associated with that of bulk soils. In general, the redundancy analysis (RDA) revealed that mean annual precipitation (MAP) accounted for 81.8% and 13.8% of the variance in SOC chemical and physical fractionation, respectively, while the corresponding contribution of mean annual temperature (MAT) was 1.5% and 34.7%. With the increase of MAT and MAP, the chemical stability of SOC decreased in the molecular structure, and the physical protection of SOC by aggregate exhibited a unimodal trend. The obtained results would facilitate the development of regional soil carbon prediction and land management against global warming.     

Soil organic carbon and microbial communities respond to vineyard management

The farming practices in vineyards vary widely, but how does this affect vineyard soils? The main objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of vineyard management practices on soil organic matter and the soil microbial community. To this end, we investigated three adjacent vineyards in the Traisen valley, Austria, of which the soils had developed on the same parent material and under identical environmental/site conditions but were managed differently (esp. tillage, fertilizer application, cover crops) for more than 10 yrs. We found that topsoil bulk density (BD) decreased with increasing tillage intensity, while subsoil BD showed the opposite trend. Soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks in 0–50 cm depth increased from 10 kg m^?2 in an unfertilized and frequently tilled vineyard to 17 kg m^?2 in a regularly fertilized but less intensively tilled vineyard. Topsoil microbial biomass per unit SOC, estimated by the sum of microbial phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs), followed this trend, albeit not statistically significantly. Principal component analysis of PLFA patterns revealed that the microbial communities were compositionally distinct between different management practices. The fungal PLFA marker 18:2ω6,9 was highest in the vineyard with the lowest amount of extractable Cu (by 0.01 m CaCl₂), and the bacterial‐to‐fungal biomass ratio was positively correlated with extractable Cu. Our results indicate that tillage and fertilizer application of vineyards can strongly affect vineyard soil properties such as BD and SOC stocks and that the application of Cu‐based fungicides may impair soil fungal communities.     

Soil organic carbon stock for reclaimed minesoils in northeastern Ohio

Reclamation of disturbed soils is done with the primary objective of restoring the land for agronomic or forestry land use. Reclamation followed by sustainable management can restore the depleted soil organic carbon (SOC) stock over time. This study was designed to assess SOC stocks of reclaimed and undisturbed minesoils under different cropping systems in Dover Township, Tuscarawas County, Ohio (40°32·33′ N and 81°33·86′ W). Prior to reclamation, the soil was classified as Bethesda Soil Series (loamy‐skeletal, mixed, acid, mesic Typic Udorthent). The reclaimed and unmined sites were located side by side and were under forage (fescue—Festuca arundinacea Schreb. and alfa grass—Stipa tenacissima L.), and corn (Zea mays L.)—soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) rotation. All fields were chisel plowed annually except unmined forage, and fertilized only when planted to corn. The manure was mostly applied on unmined fields planted to corn, and reclaimed fields planted to forage and corn. The variability in soil properties (i.e., soil bulk density, pH and soil organic carbon stock) ranged from moderate to low across all land uses in both reclaimed and unmined fields for 0–10 and 10–20 cm depths. The soil nitrogen stock ranged from low to moderate for unmined fields and moderate to high in some reclaimed fields. Soil pH was always less than 6·7 in both reclaimed and unmined fields. The mean soil bulk density was consistently lower in unmined (1·27 mg m⁻³ and 1·22 mg m⁻³) than reclaimed fields (1·39 mg m⁻³ and 1·34 mg m⁻³) planted to forage and corn, respectively. The SOC and total nitrogen (TN) concentrations were higher for reclaimed forage (33·30 g kg⁻¹; 3·23 g kg⁻¹) and cornfields (21·22 g kg⁻¹; 3·66 g kg⁻¹) than unmined forage (17·47 g kg⁻¹; 1·98 g kg⁻¹) and cornfield (17·70 g kg⁻¹; 2·76 g kg⁻¹). The SOC stocks in unmined soils did not differ among forage, corn or soybean fields but did so in reclaimed soils for 0–10 cm depth. The SOC stock for reclaimed forage (39·6 mg ha⁻¹ for 0–10 cm and 28·6 mg ha⁻¹ for 10–20 cm depths) and cornfields (28·3 mg ha⁻¹; 32·2 mg ha⁻¹) were higher than that for the unmined forage (22·7 mg ha⁻¹; 17·6 mg ha⁻¹) and corn (21·5 mg ha⁻¹; 26·8 mg ha⁻¹) fields for both depths. These results showed that the manure application increased SOC stocks in soil. Overall this study showed that if the reclamation is done properly, there is a large potential for SOC sequestration in reclaimed soils. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Soil particulate organic carbon under different land use and management

Abstract. Changes in particulate organic carbon (POC) relative to total organic carbon (TOC) were measured in soils from five agronomic trial sites in New South Wales, Australia. These sites covered a wide range of different land use and management practices. POC made up 42–74% of TOC and tended to be greater under pasture and more conservative management than traditional cropping regimes. It was the form of organic carbon preferentially lost when soils under long-term pasture were brought under cultivation. It was also the dominant form of organic carbon accumulating under more conservative management practices (direct drilling, stubble retained and organic farming). Across all sites, changes in POC accounted for 81.2% (range 69–94%) of the changes in total organic carbon caused by differences in land use and management. Significant differences were found between pasture and cropped soils in the carbon content in the <53 μm fraction, particularly for hardsetting soils. However, even with these, POC was a more sensitive indicator of change caused by land use and management practices than TOC. The current method for measuring POC involves dispersion using sodium hexametaphosphate. The dispersing agent was found to extract 4–19 % of the TOC, leading to a significant under-estimation of POC.     

Soil dissolved organic carbon responses to sugarcane straw removal

Global demand for bioenergy increases interest in biomass‐derived fuels, as ethanol from sugarcane straw. However, straw is the main carbon source to soil and its removal reduces C input, affecting active fractions (dissolved organic carbon, DOC) and C storage. To quantify the effects of straw removal on DOC and C stocks, we built lysimeter system using soil (Rhodic Kandiudox) from sugarcane field. We evaluated four soil depths (1, 20, 50 and 100 cm) and four straw removal rates: no removal NR, medium MR, high HR and total TR, leaving 12, 6, 3 and 0 Mg/ha on the soil surface, respectively. After rainfall, drainage water was collected and analysed for DOC content. Soil C stocks were determined after the 17‐month. Total DOC released at 1‐cm depth amounted to 606, 500, 441 and 157 kg/ha in NR, MR, HR and TR, respectively. Net‐DOC suggests straw as the main source of DOC. Most of DOC in NR (50%) was retained within the 1–20 cm layer, resulting in higher C stock (10 Mg/ha) in the topsoil. In HR and MR, DOC retention was higher within 20–50 cm, suggesting differences in DOC composition. DOC in TR was 40% higher at 20 cm than at 1 cm, indicating C losses from topsoil. Low concentrations of DOC were found at 100‐cm depth, but representing 30% in TR. Straw removal for bioenergy production is sustainable, but we should leave at least 3 Mg/ha of straw to ensure DOC production and soil C storage, taking account the DOC contribution to key soil functions.     

土壤矿物吸附和土壤团聚体对土壤有机碳含量的影响研究

Soil organic carbon (SOC) can act as a sink or source of atmospheric carbon dioxide; therefore, it is important to understand the amount and composition of SOC in terrestrial ecosystems, the spatial variation in SOC, and the underlying mechanisms that stabilize SOC. In this study, density fractionation and acid hydrolysis were used to assess the spatial variation in SOC, the heavy fraction of organic carbon (HFOC), and the resistant organic carbon (ROC) in soils of the southern Hulunbeier region, northeastern China, and to identify the major factors that contribute to this variation. The results showed that as the contents of clay and silt particles (0--50 μm) increased, both methylene blue (MB) adsorption by soil minerals and microaggregate contents increased in the 0--20 and 20--40 cm soil layers (P < 0.05). Although varying with vegetation types, SOC, HFOC, and ROC contents increased significantly with the content of clay and silt particles, MB adsorption by soil minerals, and microaggregate content (P < 0.05), suggesting that soil texture, the MB adsorption by soil minerals and microaggregate abundance might be important factors influencing the spatial heterogeneity of carbon contents in soils of the southern Hulunbeier region.     

Soil organic carbon and nutrients in smallholding land uses in southern Ethiopia

This study assessed the soil organic C (SOC) and soil nutrients in smallholding home garden, woodlot, grazing land, and cropland at two soil depths and two sites in Wolaita Zone, southern Ethiopia. The results showed that soil properties were significantly influenced by land use. The home garden had significantly higher (p < 0.05) SOC and soil nutrients when compared to the cropland. When the home garden was compared to the woodlot and grazing land uses, it had significantly higher (p < 0.05) values except in SOC, total N (TN), cation exchange capacity (CEC), and exchangeable Ca. Cropland, in comparison with grazing land and woodlot, had a non‐significant difference except TN. The SOC stock (0–40 cm) in the home garden, woodlot, grazing land and cropland was 79.5, 68.0, 65.0, and 58.1 Mg ha^?1, respectively. Home garden significantly differed (p ≤ 0.05) in SOC only from cropland, and this was attributed not only to the relatively higher organic input in the home garden but also to the little organic matter input and frequently tillage of the cropland. The similar SOC among the home garden, woodlot and grazing lands may imply that the balance between inputs and outputs could be nearly similar for the land uses. Soil TN and CEC had a nearly similar pattern of difference as in SOC among the land uses because of their close relationship with SOC. In general, the land use influence on soil nutrients can be in the order: home garden > wood land ≈ grazing land ≈ cropland, with home garden showing the least difference from the woodlot and the greatest from the cropland. In the agroecosystem, in general, the influence of smallholding home garden on SOC and soil nutrient was marginally different from Eucalyptus woodlot and grazing lands but evidently different from cropland.