Differential Responses of Soil Organic Carbon Fractions and Carbon Turnover Related Enzyme Activities to Wheat Straw Incorporation in Subtropical China

Soil organic carbon(SOC)fractions and C turnover related enzyme activities are essential for nutrient cycling.This is because they are regarded as important indicators of soil fertility and quality.We measured the effects of wheat straw incorporation on SOC fractions and C turnover related enzyme activities in a paddy field in subtropical China.Soil samples were collected from 0-10 cm and 10-20 cm depths after rice harvesting.The total SOC concentrations were higher in the high rate of wheat straw incorporation treatment(NPKS2)than in the not fertilized control(CK)(P<0.05).The concentrations of labile C fractions[i.e.,water soluble organic C(WSOC),hot-water soluble organic C(HWSOC),microbial biomass C(MBC),and easily oxidizable C(EOC)],were higher in the moderate NPKS1 and NPKS2 treatments than in CK and the fertilized treatment without straw(NPK)(P<0.05).The geometric means of labile C(GMC)and C pool management index(CPMI)values were highest in NPKS2(P<0.05).The SOC concentrations correlated positively with the labile C fractions(P<0.05).Soil cellulase activity and the geometric mean of enzyme activities(GMea)were higher in NPKS2 than in CK in all soil layers(P<0.05),and the invertase activity was higher in NPKS2 than in CK in the 0-10 cm layer(P<0.05).Stepwise multiple linear regression indicated that the formation of the SOC,WSOC,HWSOC,MBC,and EOC was mostly enhanced by the cellulase and invertase activities(P<0.05).Therefore,the high rate of wheat straw incorporation may be recommended to increase soil C pool levels and soil fertility in subtropical paddy soils.

Carbon turnover times shape topsoil carbon difference between Tibetan Plateau and Arctic tundra

The Tibetan Plateau(TP)and Arctic permafrost constitute two large reservoirs of organic carbon,but processes which control carbon accumulation within the surface soil layer of these areas would differ due to the interplay of climate,soil and vegetation type.Here,we synthesized currently available soil carbon data to show that mean organic carbon density in the topsoil(0-10 cm)in TP grassland(3.12±0.52 kg C m^(-2))is less than half of that in Arctic tundra(6.70±1.94 kg C m^(-2)).Such difference is primarily attributed to their difference in radiocarbon-inferred soil carbon turnover times(547 years for TP grassland versus 1609 years for Arctic tundra)rather than to their marginal difference in topsoil carbon inputs.Our findings highlight the importance of improving regional-specific soil carbon turnover and its controlling mechanisms across permafrost affected zones in ecosystem models to fully represent carbon-climate feedback.

Discrepant responses of soil organic carbon dynamics to nitrogen addition in different layers: a case study in an agroecosystem

Empirical research indicates that heightened soil nitrogen availability can potentially diminish microbial decomposition of soil organic carbon(SOC).Nevertheless, the relationship between SOC turnover response to N addition and soil depth remains unclear. In this study, soils under varying N fertilizer application rates were sampled up to 100 cm deep to examine the contribution of both new and old carbon to SOC across different soil depths,using a coupled carbon and nitrogen isotopic approach. The SOC turnover time for the plot receiving low N addition(250 kg·ha^(-1)·yr^(-1) N) was about 20-40 years. Conversely, the plot receiving high N(450 kg·ha^(-1)·yr^(-1) N) had a longer SOC turnover time than the low N plot, reaching about 100 years in the upper 10-20 cm layer. The rise in SOC over the entire profile with low N addition primarily resulted from an increase in the upper soil(0-40 cm)whereas with high N addition, the increase was mainly from greater SOC in the deeper soil(40-100 cm). Throughout the entire soil layer, the proportion of new organic carbon derived from maize C_4 plant sources was higher in plots treated with a low N rate than those treated with a high N rate. This implies that, in contrast to low N addition agricultural practices, high N addition predominantly enhances the soil potential for fixing SOC by transporting organic matter from surface soils to deeper layers characterized by more stable properties. This research offers a unique insight into the dynamics of deep carbon under increased N deposition, thereby aiding in the formulation of policies for soil carbon management.

Can microplastics mediate soil properties,plant growth and carbon/nitrogen turnover in the terrestrial ecosystem?

Microplastic(MP)pollution,a global environmental problem,has been recently studied in marine and freshwater environments.However,our understanding of MP effect on terrestrial ecosystems,especially carbon(C)and nitrogen(N)turnover remains poor.This review summarizes the sources and distribution characteristics of MPs in terrestrial ecosystems and explores their effects on soil properties,plant growth,C and N turnover.Once entering the terrestrial ecosystem,MPs could involve in sequestrating carbon and nitrogen by changing soil properties(e.g.,pH,soil aggregate stability,and soil porosity).MPs could exert direct influences on plants or on soil physical environment and microbial metabolic environment to indirectly affect plant growth,thus altering the quantity and quality of soil C and N inputs by shifts in plant litter and roots.The changes of the dominant bacteria phyla,related functional genes,and enzymes caused by MP pollution could affect C and N cycles.Additionally,the MP effect varies with its properties(e.g.,types,shapes,elemental composition,functional groups,released additives).Future researches should unify the standard system of MP separation,detection,and reveal the ecological effects of MPs,especially their impacts on terrestrial carbon and nitrogen cycles in the context of climate changes.

Seasonal Variability of Soil Organic Carbon Fractions Under Arable Land

Carbon fractions in soils apparently vary not only in space, but also over time. A lack of knowledge on the seasonal variability of labile carbon fractions under arable land hampers the reliability and comparability of soil organic carbon(SOC) surveys from different studies. Therefore, we studied the seasonal variability of two SOC fractions, particulate organic matter(POM) and dissolved organic carbon(DOC), under maize cropping: POM was determined as the SOC content in particle-size fractions, and DOC was measured as the water-extractable SOC(WESOC) of air-dried soil. Ammonium, nitrate, and water-extractable nitrogen were measured as potential regulating factors of WESOC formation because carbon and nitrogen cycles in soils are strongly connected. There was a significant annual variation of WESOC(coefficient of variation(CV) = 30%). Temporal variations of SOC in particle-size fractions were smaller than those of WESOC. The stocks of SOC in particle-size fractions decreased with decreasing particle sizes, exhibiting a CV of 20%for the coarse sand-size fraction(250–2 000 μm), of 9% for the fine sand-size fraction(50–250 μm), and of 5% for the silt-size fraction(20–50 μm). The WESOC and SOC in particle-size fractions both peaked in March and reached the minimum in May/June and August, respectively. These results indicate the importance of the time of soil sampling during the course of a year, especially when investigating WESOC.