Interactions of NaCl and Na2SO4 on soil organic C mineralization after addition of maize straws

NaCl and Na₂SO₄ often dominate salt compositions in saline soils. While either salt alone affects soil organic matter mineralization, their interactions on soil organic matter dynamics are unknown. This study aimed to investigate interactive effects of the two salts on organic C mineralization and microbial biomass C of the saline soils after addition of maize straws. Both NaCl and Na₂SO₄ were applied at 0, 40 and 80 mmol Na kg⁻¹ soil and the incubation was undertaken at soil water content of 15% and 20% (w/w) in dark at 28.5 °C for 70 days. The study found significant interactions of NaCl and Na₂SO₄ on CO₂-C evolution during the early incubation periods—a suppressing effect at days 1-2 but a stimulating effect at days 6-8 and 17-20, and thereafter the salt interactions were influenced by water content. The interactions of water content with NaCl or Na₂SO₄ on CO₂-C evolution were observed through the incubation periods except days 1-2, showing that the salt effects were dependent on water content. Total CO₂ evolution over the 70-day-long incubation decreased with increasing NaCl but increased with increasing Na₂SO₄ compared to the nil-salted treatment. Salt interactions on soil microbial biomass C were observed at days 7, 21, but not at day 49. Microbial biomass C increased at day 7 in the soils treated with either NaCl or Na₂SO₄ but decreased where the two salts were combined. At day 21, microbial biomass C increased with NaCl but decreased with Na₂SO₄ regardless whether the counterpart salt was added. The results suggest that soil organic C mineralization can be affected by the interactions of NaCl and Na₂SO₄, possibly through the salt-induced changes in microbial biomass community structure.