Natural forests exhibit higher organic carbon concentrations and recalcitrant carbon proportions in soil than plantations:a global data synthesis

Different chemical compositions of soil organic carbon(SOC)affect its persistence and whether it signifi-cantly differs between natural forests and plantations remains unclear.By synthesizing 234 observations of SOC chemical compositions,we evaluated global patterns of concentra-tion,individual chemical composition(alkyl C,O-alkyl C,aromatic C,and carbonyl C),and their distribution even-ness.Our results indicate a notably higher SOC,a markedly larger proportion of recalcitrant alkyl C,and lower easily decomposed carbonyl C proportion in natural forests.How-ever,SOC chemical compositions were appreciably more evenly distributed in plantations.Based on the assumed con-ceptual index of SOC chemical composition evenness,we deduced that,compared to natural forests,plantations may have higher possible resistance to SOC decomposition under disturbances.In tropical regions,SOC levels,recalcitrant SOC chemical composition,and their distributed evenness were significantly higher in natural forests,indicating that SOC has higher chemical stability and possible resistance to decomposition.Climate factors had minor effects on alkyl C in forests globally,while they notably affected SOC chemi-cal composition in tropical forests.This could contribute to the differences in chemical compositions and their distrib-uted evenness between plantations and natural stands.

Retention of harvest residues promotes the accumulation of topsoil organic carbon by increasing particulate organic carbon in a Chinese fir plantation

Background As commonly used harvest residue management practices in subtropical plantations,stem only harvesting(SOH)and whole tree harvesting(WTH)are expected to affect soil organic carbon(SOC)content.However,knowledge on how SOC and its fractions(POC:particulate organic carbon;MAOC:mineral-associated organic carbon)respond to different harvest residue managements is limited.Methods In this study,a randomized block experiment containing SOH and WTH was conducted in a Chinese fir(Cunninghamia lanceolata)plantation.The effect of harvest residue management on SOC and its fractions in topsoil(0–10cm)and subsoil(20–40cm)was determined.Plant inputs(harvest residue retaining mass and fine root biomass)and microbial and mineral properties were also measured.Results The responses of SOC and its fractions to different harvest residue managements varied with soil depth.Specifically,SOH enhanced the content of SOC and POC in topsoil with increases of 15.9%and 29.8%,respectively,compared with WTH.However,SOH had no significant effects on MAOC in topsoil and SOC and its fractions in subsoil.These results indicated that the increase in POC induced by the retention of harvest residue was the primary contributor to SOC accumulation,especially in topsoil.The harvest residue managements affected SOC and its fractions through different pathways in topsoil and subsoil.The plant inputs(the increase in fine root biomass induced by SOH)exerted a principal role in the SOC accumulation in topsoil,whereas mineral and microbial properties played a more important role in regulating SOC dynamics than plants inputs in subsoil.Conclusion The retention of harvest residues can promote SOC accumulation by increasing POC,and is thus suggested as an effective technology to enhance the soil carbon sink for mitigating climate change in plantation management.

Effects of desert plant communities on soil enzyme activities and soil organic carbon in the proluvial fan in the eastern foothills of the Helan Mountain in Ningxia,China

It is of great significance to study the effects of desert plants on soil enzyme activities and soil organic carbon(SOC)for maintaining the stability of the desert ecosystem.In this study,we studied the responses of soil enzyme activities and SOC fractions(particulate organic carbon(POC)and mineral-associated organic carbon(MAOC))to five typical desert plant communities(Convolvulus tragacanthoides,Ephedra rhytidosperma,Stipa breviflora,Stipa tianschanica var.gobica,and Salsola laricifolia communities)in the proluvial fan in the eastern foothills of the Helan Mountain in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region,China.We recorded the plant community information mainly including the plant coverage and herb and shrub species,and obtained the aboveground biomass and plant species diversity through sample surveys in late July 2023.Soil samples were also collected at depths of 0–10 cm(topsoil)and 10–20 cm(subsoil)to determine the soil physicochemical properties and enzyme activities.The results showed that the plant coverage and aboveground biomass of S.laricifolia community were significantly higher than those of C.tragacanthoides,S.breviflora,and S.tianschanica var.gobica communities(P<0.05).Soil enzyme activities varied among different plant communities.In the topsoil,the enzyme activities of alkaline phosphatase(ALP)andβ-1,4-glucosidas(βG)were significantly higher in E.rhytidosperma and S.tianschanica var.gobica communities than in other plant communities(P<0.05).The topsoil had higher POC and MAOC contents than the subsoil.Specifically,the content of POC in the topsoil was 18.17%–42.73%higher than that in the subsoil.The structural equation model(SEM)indicated that plant species diversity,soil pH,and soil water content(SWC)were the main factors influencing POC and MAOC.The soil pH inhibited the formation of POC and promoted the formation of MAOC.Conversely,SWC stimulated POC production and hindered MAOC formation.Our study aimed to gain insight into the effects of desert plant communities on soil enzyme activities and SOC fractions,as well as the drivers of SOC fractions in the proluvial fan in the eastern foothills of the Helan Mountain and other desert ecosystems.

Climate and Soil Geochemistry Influence the Soil Organic Carbon Content in Drylands of the Songliao Plain,Northeast China

The understanding of the spatial distribution of soil organic carbon(SOC)and its influencing factors is crucial for comprehending the global carbon cycle.However,the impact of soil geochemical and climatic conditions on SOC remains limited,particularly in dryland farming areas.In this study,we aimed to enhance the understanding of the factors influencing the distribution of SOC in the drylands of the Songliao Plain,Northeast China.A dataset comprising 35,188 measured soil samples was used to map the SOC distribution in the region.Multiple linear regression(MLR)and random forest models(RFM)were employed to assess the importance of driving indicators for SOC.We also carried out partial correlation and path analyses to further investigate the relationship between climate and geochemistry.The SOC content in dryland soils of the Songliao Plain ranged from 0.05%to 11.63%,with a mean value of 1.47%±0.90%.There was a notable increasing trend in SOC content from the southwest to the northeast regions.The results of MLR and RFM revealed that temperature was the most critical factor,demonstrating a significant negative correlation with SOC content.Additionally,iron oxide was the most important soil geochemical indicator affecting SOC variability.Our research further suggested that climate may exert an indirect influence on SOC concentrations through its effect on geochemical properties of soil.These insights highlight the importance of considering both the direct and indirect impact of climate in predicting the SOC under future climate change.

The changes in soil organic carbon stock and quality across a subalpine forest successional series

Soil organic carbon(SOC)affects the function of terrestrial ecosystem and plays a vital role in global carbon cycle.Yet,large uncertainty still existed regarding the changes in SOC stock and quality with forest succession.Here,the stock and quality of SOC at 1-m soil profile were investigated across a subalpine forest series,including shrub,deciduous broad-leaved forest,broadleaf-conifer mixed forest,middle-age coniferous forest and mature coniferous forest,which located at southeast of Tibetan Plateau.The results showed that SOC stock ranged from 9.8 to29.9 kg·m^(-2),and exhibited a hump-shaped response pattern across the forest successional series.The highest and lowest SOC stock was observed in the mixed forest and shrub forest,respectively.The SOC stock had no significant relationships with soil temperature and litter stock,but was positively correlated with wood debris stock.Meanwhile,the average percentages of polysaccharides,lignins,aromatics and aliphatics based on FTIR spectroscopy were 79.89%,0.94%,18.87%and 0.29%,respectively.Furthermore,the percentage of polysaccharides exhibited an increasing pattern across the forest successional series except for the sudden decreasing in the mixed forest,while the proportions of lignins,aromatics and aliphatics exhibited a decreasing pattern across the forest successional series except for the sudden increasing in the mixed forest.Consequently,the humification indices(HIs)were highest in the mixed forest compared to the other four successional stages,which means that the SOC quality in mixed forest was worse than other successional stages.In addition,the SOC stock,recalcitrant fractions and HIs decreased with increasing soil depth,while the polysaccharides exhibited an increasing pattern.These findings demonstrate that the mixed forest had higher SOC stock and worse SOC quality than other successional stages.The high proportion of SOC stock(66%at depth of 20-100 cm)and better SOC quality(lower HIs)indicate that deep soil have tremendous potential to store SOC and needs more attention under global chan ge.

Can soil organic carbon sequestration and the carbon management index be improved by changing the film mulching methods in the semiarid region?

Plastic film mulching has been widely used to increase maize yield in the semiarid area of China.However, whether long-term plastic film mulching is conducive to agricultural sustainability in this region remains controversial.A field experiment was initiated in 2013 with five different film mulching methods:(i) control method, flat planting without mulching (CK),(ii) flat planting with half film mulching (P),(iii) film mulching on ridges and planting in narrow furrows(S),(iv) full film mulching on double ridges (D), and (v) film mulching on ridges and planting in wide furrows (R).The effects on soil organic carbon (SOC) content, storage, and fractions, and on the carbon management index (CMI)were evaluated after nine consecutive years of plastic film mulching.The results showed that long-term plastic film mulching generally maintained the initial SOC level.Compared with no mulching, plastic film mulching increased the average crop yield, biomass yield, and root biomass by 48.38, 35.06, and 37.32%, respectively, which led to the improvement of SOC sequestration.Specifically, plastic film mulching significantly improved CMI, and increased the SOC content by 13.59%, SOC storage by 7.47%and easily oxidizable organic carbon (EOC) by 13.78%on average,but it reduced the other labile fractions.SOC sequestration and CMI were improved by refining the plastic film mulching methods.The S treatment had the best effect among the four mulching methods, so it can be used as a reasonable film mulching method for sustainable agricultural development in the semiarid area.

Subtropical forest macro-decomposers rapidly transfer litter carbon and nitrogen into soil mineral-associated organic matter

Background:Forest soils in tropical and subtropical areas store a significant amount of carbon.Recent framework to assess soil organic matter(SOM)dynamics under evolving global conditions suggest that dividing bulk SOM into particulate and mineral-associated organic matter(POM vs.MAOM)is a promising method for identifying how SOM contributes to reducing global warming.Soil macrofauna,earthworms,and millipedes have been found to play an important role in facilitating SOM processes.However,how these two co-existing macrofaunae impac the litter decomposition process and directly impact the formation of POM and MAOM remains unclear.Methods:Here,we set up a microcosm experiment,which consisted of 20 microcosms with four treatments earthworm and litter addition(E),millipedes and litter addition(M),earthworm,millipedes,and litter addition(E+M),and control(only litter addition)in five replicates.The soil and litter were sterilized prior to beginning the incubation experiment to remove any existing microbes.After incubating the samples for 42 days,the litte properties(mass,C,and N contents),soil physicochemical properties,as well as the C and N contents,and POM and MAOM^(13)C abundance in the 0–5 and 5–10 cm soil layers were measured.Finally,the relative influences o soil physicochemical and microbial properties on the distribution of C and N in the soil fractions were analyzed Results:The litter mass,C,and N associated with all four treatments significantly decreased after incubation especially under treatment E+M(litter mass:-58.8%,litter C:-57.0%,litter N:-75.1%,respectively),while earthworm biomass significantly decreased under treatment E.Earthworm or millipede addition alone showed no significant effects on the organic carbon(OC)and total nitrogen(TN)content in the POM fraction,but join addition of both significantly increased OC and TN regardless of soil depth.Importantly,all three macrofauna treatments increased the OC and TN content and decreased the^(13)C abundance in the MAOM fraction.More than65%of the total variations in the distribution of OC and TN throughout the two fractions can be explained by a combination of soil physicochemical and microbial properties.Changes in the OC distribution in the 0–5 cm soi layer are likely due to a decrease in soil pH and an increase in arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi(AMF),while those in the 5–10 cm layer are probably caused by increases in soil exchangeable Ca and Mg,in addition to fungi and gram-negative(GN)bacteria.The observed TN distribution changes in the 0–5 cm soil likely resulted from a decrease in soil pH and increases in AMF,GN,and gram-negative(GP)bacteria,while TN distribution changes in the 5–10 cm soil could be explained by increases in exchangeable Mg and GN bacteria.Conclusions:The results indicate that the coexistence of earthworms and millipedes can accelerate the litte decomposition process and store more C in the MAOM fractions.This novel finding helps to unlock the processe by which complex SOM systems serve as C sinks in tropical forests and addresses the importance of soil mac rofauna in maintaining C-neutral atmospheric conditions under global climate change.

N-fixing tree species promote the chemical stability of soil organic carbon in subtropical plantations through increasing the relative contribution of plant-derived lipids

Biodiversity experiments have shown that soil organic carbon(SOC)is not only a function of plant diversity,but is also closely related to the nitrogen(N)-fixing plants.However,the effect of N-fixing trees on SOC chemical stability is still little known,especially with the compounding effects of tree species diversity.An experimental field manipulation was established in subtropical plantations of southern China to explore the impacts of tree species richness(i.e.,one,two,four and six tree species)and with/without N-fixing trees on SOC chemical stability,as indicated by the ratio of easily oxidized organic carbon to SOC(EOC/SOC).Plant-derived C components in terms of hydrolysable plant lipids and lignin phenols were isolated from soils for evaluating their relative contributions to SOC chemical stability.The results showed that N-fixing tree species rather than tree species richness had a significant effect on EOC/SOC.Hydrolysable plant lipids and lignin phenols were negatively correlated with EOC/SOC,while hydrolysable plant lipids contributed more to EOC/SOC than lignin phenols,especially in the occurrence of N-fixing trees.The presence of N-fixing tree species led to an increase in soil N availability and a decrease in fungal abundance,promoting the selective retention of certain key components of hydrolysable plant lipids,thus enhancing SOC chemical stability.These findings underpin the crucial role of N-fixing trees in shaping SOC chemical stability,and therefore,preferential selection of N-fixing tree species in mixed plantations is an appropriate silvicultural strategy to improve SOC chemical stability in subtropical plantations.

Persistence of fertilization effects on soil organic carbon in degraded alpine wetlands in the Yellow River source region

In the restoration of degraded wetlands,fertilization can improve the vegetation-soil-microorganisms complex,thereby affecting the organic carbon content.However,it is currently unclear whether these effects are sustainable.This study employed Biolog-Eco surveys to investigate the changes in vegetation characteristics,soil physicochemical properties,and soil microbial functional diversity in degraded alpine wetlands of the source region of the Yellow River at 3 and 15 months after the application of nitrogen,phosphorus,and organic mixed fertilizer.The following results were obtained:The addition of nitrogen fertilizer and organic compost significantly affects the soil organic carbon content in degraded wetlands.Three months after fertilization,nitrogen addition increases soil organic carbon in both lightly and severely degraded wetlands,whereas after 15 months,organic compost enhanced the soil organic carbon level in severely degraded wetlands.Structural equation modeling indicates that fertilization decreases the soil pH and directly or indirectly influences the soil organic carbon levels through variations in the soil water content and the aboveground biomass of vegetation.Three months after fertilization,nitrogen fertilizer showed a direct positive effect on soil organic carbon.However,organic mixed fertilizer indirectly reduced soil organic carbon by increasing biomass and decreasing soil moisture.After 15 months,none of the fertilizers significantly affected the soil organic carbon level.In summary,it can be inferred that the addition of nitrogen fertilizer lacks sustainability in positively influencing the organic carbon content.

Fertilization and Soil Ploughing Practices under Changing Physical Environment Lead to Soil Organic Carbon Dynamics under Conservation Agriculture in Rice-Wheat Cropping System: A Scoping Review

Ploughing and fertilization practices in rice-wheat system have deteriorated the soil carbon (C) pools. Conservation agriculture (CA) based management approaches have proven to enhance C sequestration and reverse the loss of soil-organic-carbon (SOC), which further enhances soil fertility. Different fractions of SOC pools react to the alterations in management practices and indicate changes in SOC dynamics as compared to total C in the soil. Higher SOC levels in soil have been observed in case of reduced/no-till (NT) practices than conventional tillage (CT). However, between CT and zero tillage/NT, total SOC stocks diminished with an increase in soil depth, which demonstrated that the benefits of SOC are more pronounced in the topsoil under NT. Soil aggregation provides physical protection to C associated with different-sized particles, thus, the improvement in soil aggregation through CA is an effective way to mitigate soil C loss. Along with less soil disturbance, residual management, suitable crop rotation, rational application of manures and fertilizers, and integrated nutrient management have been found to be effective in not only improving soil C stock but also enhancing the soil health and productivity. Thus, CA can be considered as a potential method in the build-up of SOC of soil in rice-wheat system.

National Soil Organic Carbon Stocks Inventories under Different Mangrove Forest Types in Gabon

Gabonese’s estuary is an important coastal mangrove setting and soil plays a key role in mangrove carbon storage in mangrove forests. However, the spatial variation in soil organic carbon (SOC) storage remain unclear. To address this gap, determining the SOC spatial variation in Gabonese’s estuarine is essential for better understanding the global carbon cycle. The present study compared soil organic carbon between northern and southern sites in different mangrove forest, Rhizophora racemosa and Avicennia germinans. The results showed that the mean SOC stocks at 1 m depth were 256.28 ± 127.29 MgC ha−1. Among the different regions, SOC in northern zone was significantly (p p < 0.001). The deeper layers contained higher SOC stocks (254.62 ± 128.09 MgC ha−1) than upper layers (55.42 ± 25.37 MgC ha−1). The study highlights that low deforestation rate have led to less CO2 (705.3 Mg CO2e ha−1 - 922.62 Mg CO2e ha−1) emissions than most sediment carbon-rich mangroves in the world. These results highlight the influence of soil texture and mangrove forest types on the mangrove SOC stocks. The first national comparison of soil organic carbon stocks between mangroves and upland tropical forests indicated SOC stocks were two times more in mangroves soils (51.21 ± 45.00 MgC ha−1) than primary (20.33 ± 12.7 MgC ha−1), savanna and cropland (21.71 ± 15.10 MgC ha−1). We find that mangroves in this study emit lower dioxide-carbon equivalent emissions. This study highlights the importance of national inventories of soil organic carbon and can be used as a baseline on the role of mangroves in carbon sequestration and climate change mitigation but the variation in SOC stocks indicates the need for further national data.

Spatial prediction of soil organic carbon in coal mining subsidence areas based on RBF neural network

A quantitative research on the effect of coal mining on the soil organic carbon(SOC)pool at regional scale is beneficial to the scientific management of SOC pools in coal mining areas and the realization of coal low-carbon mining.Moreover,the spatial prediction model of SOC content suitable for coal mining subsidence area is a scientific problem that must be solved.Tak-ing the Changhe River Basin of Jincheng City,Shanxi Province,China,as the study area,this paper proposed a radial basis function neural network model combined with the ordinary kriging method.The model includes topography and vegetation factors,which have large influence on soil properties in mining areas,as input parameters to predict the spatial distribution of SOC in the 0-20 and 2040 cm soil layers of the study area.And comparing the prediction effect with the direct kriging method,the results show that the mean error,the mean absolute error and the root mean square error between the predicted and measured values of SOC content predicted by the radial basis function neural network are lower than those obtained by the direct kriging method.Based on the fitting effect of the predicted and measured values,the R^(2) obtained by the radial basis artificial neural network are 0.81,0.70,respectively,higher than the value of 0.44 and 0.36 obtained by the direct kriging method.Therefore,the model combining the artificial neural network and kriging,and considering environmental factors can improve the prediction accuracy of the SOC content in mining areas.

Key Physical Factors Affecting Spatial-temporal Variation of Labile Organic Carbon Fractions by Biochar Driven in Mollisols Region of Northeast China

Biochar is widely used to improve soil physical properties and carbon sequestration. However, few studies focuse on the impact of maize stalk biochar on labile organic carbon(LOC) pool and the relationship between physical properties and LOC fractions. A field positioning experiment was performed in Mollisols region of Northeast China to evaluate the influence of maize stalk biochar on the spatial distribution and temporal changes of physical properties and LOC fractions. Maize stalk biochar treatments included C1(1.5 kg·hm^(-2)), C2(3 kg·hm^(-2)), C3(15 kg·hm^(-2)), C4(30 kg·hm^(-2)), and CK(0). The results showed that maize stalk biochar increased soil water contents(SWC) and soil porosity(SP), but reduced bulk density(BD). Maize stalk biochar reduced dissolved organic carbon(DOC) contents in the 0-20 cm soil layer, ranging from 0.25 g·kg^(-1) to 0.31 g·kg^(-1) in harvest period, while increased in the 20-40 cm soil layer. In addition, the application of biochar had a significant impact on the spatial distribution and temporal change of SWC, BD, SP, DOC, hot-water extractable carbon(HWC), acid hydrolyzed organic carbon(AHC Ⅰ, Ⅱ), and readily oxidized organic carbon(ROC). High amounts of maize stalk biochar up-regulated the contents of soil organic carbon SOC, HWC, AHC Ⅰ, AHC Ⅱ, and ROC. In addition, SWC and SP were the key physical factors to affect LOC fractions. In conclusions, maize stalk biochar could improve physical properties, and then influence LOC fractions, and maize stalk biochar could be used as an organic amendment for restoring degraded soils governed by their rates of addition.

Forest management causes soil carbon loss by reducing particulate organic carbon in Guangxi, Southern China

Background: The loss of soil organic carbon(SOC) following conversion of natural forests to managed plantations has been widely reported. However, how different SOC fractions and microbial necromass C(MNC) respond to forest management practices remains unclear.Methods: We sampled 0–10 cm mineral soil from three different management plantations and one protected forest in Guangxi, Southern China, to explore how forest management practices affect SOC through changing mineralassociated C(MAOC) and particulate organic C(POC), as well as fungal and bacterial necromass C.Results: Compared with the protected forest, SOC and POC in the abandoned, mixed and Eucalyptus plantations significantly decreased, but MAOC showed no significant change, indicating that the loss of SOC was mainly from decreased POC under forest management. Forest management also significantly reduced root biomass, soil extractable organic C, MNC, and total microbial biomass(measured by phospholipid fatty acid), but increased fungi-to-bacteria ratio(F:B) and soil peroxidase activity. Moreover, POC was positively correlated with root biomass, total microbial biomass and MNC, and negatively with F:B and peroxidase activity. These results suggested that root input and microbial properties together regulated soil POC dynamics during forest management.Conclusion: Overall, this study indicates that forest management intervention significantly decreases SOC by reducing POC in Guangxi, Southern China, and suggests that forest protection can help to sequester more soil C in forest ecosystems.

Spatial-temporal variations and driving factors of soil organic carbon in forest ecosystems of Northeast China

Forest soil carbon is a major carbon pool of terrestrial ecosystems,and accurate estimation of soil organic carbon(SOC)stocks in forest ecosystems is rather challenging.This study compared the prediction performance of three empirical model approaches namely,regression kriging(RK),multiple stepwise regression(MSR),random forest(RF),and boosted regression trees(BRT)to predict SOC stocks in Northeast China for 1990 and 2015.Furthermore,the spatial variation of SOC stocks and the main controlling environmental factors during the past 25 years were identified.A total of 82(in 1990)and 157(in 2015)topsoil(0–20 cm)samples with 12 environmental factors(soil property,climate,topography and biology)were selected for model construction.Randomly selected80%of the soil sample data were used to train the models and the other 20%data for model verification using mean absolute error,root mean square error,coefficient of determination and Lin's consistency correlation coefficient indices.We found BRT model as the best prediction model and it could explain 67%and 60%spatial variation of SOC stocks,in 1990,and 2015,respectively.Predicted maps of all models in both periods showed similar spatial distribution characteristics,with the lower SOC in northeast and higher SOC in southwest.Mean annual temperature and elevation were the key environmental factors influencing the spatial variation of SOC stock in both periods.SOC stocks were mainly stored under Cambosols,Gleyosols and Isohumosols,accounting for 95.6%(1990)and 95.9%(2015).Overall,SOC stocks increased by 471 Tg C during the past 25 years.Our study found that the BRT model employing common environmental factors was the most robust method for forest topsoil SOC stocks inventories.The spatial resolution of BRT model enabled us to pinpoint in which areas of Northeast China that new forest tree planting would be most effective for enhancing forest C stocks.Overall,our approach is likely to be useful in forestry management and ecological restoration at and beyond the regional scale.

Soil Carbon Pool as Influenced by Soil Microbial Activity—An Overview

Soil is a significant carbon reservoir with the capacity to store carbon twice as much as the atmosphere or plants. Given the significant potential of soil to capture and store atmospheric CO2, it presents a viable solution for mitigating the present and future impacts of climate change. However, due to its high susceptibility to global environmental issues like land degradation, loss of biodiversity, and climate change, monitoring and protecting soil carbon pools is a complex challenge. Intensive agricultural operations have detrimental effects on the soil, including the rapid breakdown of soil organic carbon, which releases excess carbon into the air, causing increased atmospheric CO2 levels and a depletion of the soil carbon reserves. The diversity and abundance of soil microbial communities play a crucial role in controlling essential ecosystem processes, including the decomposition of organic matter and nutrient cycling, including carbon. Heterotrophic soil microorganisms facilitate the soil organic matter turnover to obtain the nutrients and energy required for their growth and maintenance. Therefore, the microbial residues and exudates have up to 80% carbon in the stable soil organic matter fractions. This overview attempts to summarize the information on various carbon pools, soil carbon interaction with microbes, impacts on environmental changes, and strategies to enhance the storage of belowground carbon.

Maize straw application as an interlayer improves organic carbon and total nitrogen concentrations in the soil profile: A four-year experiment in a saline soil

Soil salinization is a critical environmental issue restricting agricultural production.Deep return of straw to the soil as an interlayer (at 40 cm depth) has been a popular practice to alleviate salt stress.However,the legacy effects of straw added as an interlayer at different rates on soil organic carbon (SOC) and total nitrogen (TN) in saline soils still remain inconclusive.Therefore,a four-year (2015–2018) field experiment was conducted with four levels (i.e.,0,6,12and 18 Mg ha~(–1)) of straw returned as an interlayer.Compared with no straw interlayer (CK),straw addition increased SOC concentration by 14–32 and 11–57%in the 20–40 and 40–60 cm soil layers,respectively.The increases in soil TN concentration (8–22 and 6–34%in the 20–40 and 40–60 cm soil layers,respectively) were lower than that for SOC concentration,which led to increased soil C:N ratio in the 20–60 cm soil depth.Increases in SOC and TN concentrations in the 20–60 cm soil layer with straw addition led to a decrease in stratification ratios (0–20 cm:20–60 cm),which promoted uniform distributions of SOC and TN in the soil profile.Increases in SOC and TN concentrations were associated with soil salinity and moisture regulation and improved sunflower yield.Generally,compared with other treatments,the application of 12 Mg ha~(–1) straw had higher SOC,TN and C:N ratio,and lower soil stratification ratio in the2015–2017 period.The results highlighted that legacy effects of straw application as an interlayer were maintained for at least four years,and demonstrated that deep soil straw application had a great potential for improving subsoil fertility in salt-affected soils.

Long-term light grazing does not change soil organic carbon stability and stock in biocrust layer in the hilly regions of drylands

Livestock grazing is the most extensive land use in global drylands and one of the most extensive stressors of biological soil crusts(biocrusts).Despite widespread concern about the importance of biocrusts for global carbon(C)cycling,little is known about whether and how long-term grazing alters soil organic carbon(SOC)stability and stock in the biocrust layer.To assess the responses of SOC stability and stock in the biocrust layer to grazing,from June to September 2020,we carried out a large scale field survey in the restored grasslands under long-term grazing with different grazing intensities(represented by the number of goat dung per square meter)and in the grasslands strictly excluded from grazing in four regions(Dingbian County,Shenmu City,Guyuan City and Ansai District)along precipitation gradient in the hilly Loess Plateau,China.In total,51 representative grassland sites were identified as the study sampling sites in this study,including 11 sites in Guyuan City,16 sites in Dingbian County,15 sites in Shenmu City and 9 sites in Ansai District.Combined with extensive laboratory analysis and statistical analysis,at each sampling site,we obtained data on biocrust attributes(cover,community structure,biomass and thickness),soil physical-chemical properties(soil porosity and soil carbon-to-nitrogen ratio(C/N ratio)),and environmental factors(mean annual precipitation,mean annual temperature,altitude,plant cover,litter cover,soil particle-size distribution(the ratio of soil clay and silt content to sand content)),SOC stability index(SI)and SOC stock(SOCS)in the biocrust layer,to conduct this study.Our results revealed that grazing did not change total biocrust cover but markedly altered biocrust community structure by reducing plant cover,with a considerable increase in the relative cover of cyanobacteria(23.1%)while a decrease in the relative cover of mosses(42.2%).Soil porosity and soil C/N ratio in the biocrust layer under grazing decreased significantly by 4.1%–7.2%and 7.2%–13.3%,respectively,compared with those under grazing exclusion.The shifted biocrust community structure ultimately resulted in an average reduction of 15.5%in SOCS in the biocrust layer under grazing.However,compared with higher grazing(intensity of more than 10.00 goat dung/m2),light grazing(intensity of 0.00–10.00 goat dung/m2 or approximately 1.20–2.60 goat/(hm2•a))had no adverse effect on SOCS.SOC stability in the biocrust layer remained unchanged under long-term grazing due to the offset between the positive effect of the decreased soil porosity and the negative effect of the decreased soil C/N ratio on the SOC resistance to decomposition.Mean annual precipitation and soil particle-size distribution also regulated SOC stability indirectly by influencing soil porosity through plant cover and biocrust community structure.These findings suggest that proper grazing might not increase the CO_(2) release potential or adversely affect SOCS in the biocrust layer.This research provides some guidance for proper grazing management in the sustainable utilization of grassland resources and C sequestration in biocrusts in the hilly regions of drylands.

Geotechnical investigation of low-plasticity organic soil treated with nano-calcium carbonate

Soil stabilization using nanomaterials is an emerging research area although,to date,its investigation has mostly been laboratory-based and therefore requires extensive study for transfer to practical field ap-plications.The present study advocates nano-calcium carbonate(NCC)material,a relatively unexplored nanomaterial additive,for stabilization of low-plasticity fine-grained soil having moderate organic content.The plasticity index,compaction,unconfined compressive strength(UCS),compressibility and permeability characteristics of the 0.2%,0.4%,0.6%and 0.8%NCC-treated soil,and untreated soil(as control),were determined,including investigations of the effect of up to 90-d curing on the UCS and permeability properties.In terms of UCS improvement,0.4%NCC addition was identified as the optimum dosage,mobilizing a UCS at 90-d curing of almost twice that for the untreated soil.For treated soil,particle aggregation arising from NCC addition initially produced an increase in the permeability coef-ficient,but its magnitude decreased for increased curing owing to calcium silicate hydrate(CSH)gel formation,although still remaining higher compared to the untreated soil for all dosages and curing periods investigated.Compression index decreased for all NCC-treated soil investigated.SEM micro-graphs indicated the presence of gel patches along with particle aggregation.X-ray diffraction(XRD)results showed the presence of hydration products,such as CSH.Significant increases in UCS are initially attributed to void filling and then because of CSH gel formation with increased curing.

Variations in Soil Organic Matter Content in Cultivated and Uncultivated Calcareous Soils from the Mediterranean Island of Malta after 15 Years of Cultivation

The soils of Malta are calcareous and generally undeveloped. Organic matter (OM) in these soils is low and farmers are constantly urged to increase it. The objective of this study was to evaluate any temporal variation in soil OM after 15 years of cultivation, and determine whether soil series, soil depth, and cultivation influence variation. OM was determined in the topsoil and subsoil of 7 agricultural and 4 non-agricultural sites. The sites represented 7 different soil series that are present on the island. In sampling periods 1 (t = 0 years) and 2 (t =15 years), the OM content in the collective (all soil series) bulk (topsoil and subsoil) uncultivated soil was 3.9 % and 3.8 % respectively. This was significantly greater than that of the collective bulk cultivated soil (2.4% and 2.3%). The OM in the collective uncultivated topsoil was 5.4% and 5.2% in periods 1 and 2 and was significantly higher than that of the cultivated topsoil (2.5% in both periods). The OM content in the collective uncultivated subsoil was 2.3% and 2.5% in periods 1 and 2 respectively but only that measured in period 2 was significantly higher than that of the cultivated subsoil (2.2% in both periods). On an individual soil series basis, the OM in the uncultivated topsoils was significantly higher than that of their cultivated counterparts. The differences in the subsoils were not significant. Across the uncultivated soil series, OM was significantly higher in the topsoil than in the subsoil but in the cultivated soil series the differences between topsoil and subsoil were not significant. There was no significant difference in OM between the uncultivated soils of different series, but in the cultivated the OM content was higher in soils that were more mature. After 15 years, no significant change in OM occurred in both the collective cultivated and uncultivated bulk soils, the collective topsoil and subsoil, and in most of the individual series. The OM content of each soil series was also similar to what was reported 60 and 50 years earlier by other researchers.