Microfluidic-oriented synthesis of enriched iridium nanodots/carbon architecture for robust electrocatalytic nitrogen fixation

Electrocatalytic nitrogen reduction reaction(NRR)is considered as a promising candidate to achieve ammonia synthesis because of clean electric energy,moderate reaction condition,safe operating process and harmless by-products.However,the chemical inertness of nitrogen and poor activated capacity on catalyst surface usually produce low ammonia yield and faradic efficiency.Herein,the microfluidic technology is proposed to efficiently fabricate enriched iridium nanodots/carbon architecture.Owing to in-situ co-precipitation reaction and microfluidic manipulation,the iridium nanodots/carbon nanomaterials possess small average size,uniform dispersion,high conductivity and abundant active sites,producing good proton activation and rapid electrons transmission and moderate adsorption/desorption capacity.As a result,the as-prepared iridium nanodots/carbon nanomaterials realize large ammonia yield of 28.73 μg h^(-1) cm^(-2) and faradic efficiency of 9.14%in KOH solution.Moreover,the high ammonia yield of 11.21 μg h^(-1) cm^(-2) and faradic efficiency of 24.30%are also achieved in H_(2)SO_(4) solution.The microfluidic method provides a reference for large-scale fabrication of nano-sized catalyst materials,which may accelerate the progress of electrocatalytic NRR in industrialization field.

Effects of nitrogen deposition on the carbon budget and water stress in Central Asia under climate change

Atmospheric deposition of nitrogen(N)plays a significant role in shaping the structure and functioning of various terrestrial ecosystems worldwide.However,the magnitude of N deposition on grassland ecosystems in Central Asia still remains highly uncertain.In this study,a multi-data approach was adopted to analyze the distribution and amplitude of N deposition effects in Central Asia from 1979 to 2014 using a process-based denitrification decomposition(DNDC)model.Results showed that total vegetation carbon(C)in Central Asia was 0.35(±0.09)Pg C/a and the averaged water stress index(WSI)was 0.20(±0.02)for the whole area.Increasing N deposition led to an increase in the vegetation C of 65.56(±83.03)Tg C and slightly decreased water stress in Central Asia.Findings of this study will expand both our understanding and predictive capacity of C characteristics under future increases in N deposition,and also serve as a valuable reference for decision-making regarding water resources management and climate change mitigation in arid and semi-arid areas globally.

Enhanced stability of nitrogen-doped carbon-supported palladium catalyst for oxidative carbonylation of phenol

Enhancing the stability of supported noble metal catalysts emerges is a major challenge in both science and industry.Herein,a heterogeneous Pd catalyst(Pd/NCF)was prepared by supporting Pd ultrafine metal nanoparticles(NPs)on nitrogen-doped carbon;synthesized by using F127 as a stabilizer,as well as chitosan as a carbon and nitrogen source.The Pd/NCF catalyst was efficient and recyclable for oxidative carbonylation of phenol to diphenyl carbonate,exhibiting higher stability than Pd/NC prepared without F127 addition.The hydrogen bond between chitosan(CTS)and F127 was enhanced by F127,which anchored the N in the free amino group,increasing the N content of the carbon material and ensuring that the support could provide sufficient N sites for the deposition of Pd NPs.This process helped to improve metal dispersion.The increased metal-support interaction,which limits the leaching and coarsening of Pd NPs,improves the stability of the Pd/NCF catalyst.Furthermore,density functional theory calculations indicated that pyridine N stabilized the Pd^(2+)species,significantly inhibiting the loss of Pd^(2+)in Pd/NCF during the reaction process.This work provides a promising avenue towards enhancing the stability of nitrogen-doped carbon-supported metal catalysts.

Correlation and Pathway Analysis of the Carbon,Nitrogen,and Phosphorus in Soil-Microorganism-Plant with Main Quality Components of Tea(Camellia sinensis)

The contents of carbon(C),nitrogen(N),and phosphorus(P)in soil-microorganisms-plant significantly affect tea quality by altering the main quality components of tea,such as tea polyphenols,amino acids,and caffeine.However,few studies have quantified the effects of these factors on the main quality components of tea.The study aimed to explore the interactions of C,N,and P in soil-microorganisms-plants and the effects of these factors on the main quality components of tea by using the path analysis method.The results indicated that(1)The contents of C,N,and P in soil,microorganisms,and tea plants were highly correlated and collinear,and showed significant correlations with the main quality components of tea.(2)Optimal regression equations were established to esti-mate tea polyphenol,amino acid,catechin,caffeine,and water extract content based on C,N,and P contents in soil,microorganisms,and tea plants(R^(2)=0.923,0.726,0.954,0.848,and 0.883,respectively).(3)Pathway analysis showed that microbial biomass phosphorus(MBP),root phosphorus,branch nitrogen,and microbial biomass carbon(MBC)were the largest direct impact factors on tea polyphenol,catechin,water extracts,amino acid,and caffeine content,respectively.Leaf carbon,root phosphorus,and leaf nitrogen were the largest indirect impact factors on tea polyphenol,catechin,and water extract content,respectively.Leaf carbon indirectly affected tea polyphenol content mainly by altering MBP content.Root phosphorus indirectly affected catechin content mainly by altering soil organic carbon content.Leaf nitrogen indirectly affected water extract content mainly by altering branch nitrogen content.The research results provide the scientific basis for reasonable fertilization in tea gardens and tea quality improvement.

Elucidating the role of embedding dispersed cobalt sites in nitrogen-doped carbon frameworks in Si-based anodes for stable and superior storage

Unsatisfactory conductivity and volume effects have hindered the commercial application of siliconbased materials as advanced anode materials for high-performance lithium-ion batteries. Herein, nitrogen doped carbon silicon matrix composite with atomically dispersed Co sites(Si/Co-N-C) is obtained via the design of the frame structure loaded with nano-components and the multi-element hybrid strategy. Co atoms are uniformly fixed to the N-C frame and tightly packed with nanoscale silicon particles as an activation and protection building block. The mechanism of the N-C framework of loaded metal Co in the Si alloying process is revealed by electrochemical kinetic analysis and ex situ characterization tests.Impressively, the nitrogen-doped Co site activates the intercalation of the outer carbon matrix to supplement the additional capacity. The Co nanoparticles with high conductivity and support enhance the conductivity and structural stability of the composite, accelerating the Li^(+)/Na^(+) diffusion kinetics. Density functional theory(DFT) calculation confirms that the hetero-structure Si/Co-N-C adjusts the electronic structure to obtain good lithium-ion adsorption energy, reduces the Li^(+)/Na^(+) migration energy barrier.This work provides meaningful guidance for the development of high-performance metal/non-metal modified anode materials.

Effects of tree size and organ age on variations in carbon,nitrogen,and phosphorus stoichiometry in Pinus koraiensis

Carbon(C),nitrogen(N),and phosphorus(P)are of fundamental importance for growth and nutrient dynamics within plant organs and deserve more attention at regional to global scales.However,our knowledge of how these nutrients vary with tree size,organ age,or root order at the individual level remains limited.We determined C,N,and P contents and their stoichiometric ratios(i.e.,nutrient traits)in needles,branches,and fine roots at different organ ages(0-3-year-old needles and branches)and root orders(1st-4th order roots)from 64 Pinus koraiensis of varying size(Diameter at breast height ranged from 0.3 to 100 cm)in northeast China.Soil factors were also measured.The results show that nutrient traits were regulated by tree size,organ age,or root order rather than soil factors.At a whole-plant level,nutrient traits decreased in needles and fine roots but increased in branches with tree size.At the organ level,age or root order had a negative effect on C,N,and P and a positive effect on stoichiometric ratios.Our results demonstrate that nutrient variations are closely related to organ-specific functions and ecophysiological processes at an individual level.It is suggested that the nutrient acquisition strategy by younger trees and organ fractions with higher nutrient content is for survival.Conversely,nutrient storage strategy in older trees and organ fractions are mainly for steady growth.Our results clarified the nutrient utilization strategies during tree and organ ontogeny and suggest that tree size and organ age or root order should be simultaneously considered to understand the complexities of nutrient variations.

Changes of soil organic carbon and nitrogen in forage grass fields,citrus orchard and coniferous forests

Dynamic quantitative assessment of soil organic C and N is an available approach to understand the exact impact of land management on soils fertility. In this study the biomass of plants and content of soil organic C and N were compared in four typical land use systems which were planted with Ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.), Bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum Flugge.), Citrus (Citrus reticulata Blanco.), and Masson pine (Pinus Massoniana Lamb.) during 10 years in south China. Although biomass of plants in these four land use systems was nearly at the same level in the former investigation, total biomass for Ryegrass (RG), Bahiagrass (BG) was 3.68 and 3.75 times higher than that for Citrus (CT), and 2.06 and 2.14 times higher than that for Masson pine (MP) over 10 years of cultivation, respectively. Especially, underground total biomass for both RG and BG was over 10 times larger than that for CT and MP, indicating that forage grasses was much more beneficial to increase organic C and N storage in soils than CT and MP. The change content of soil organic C and N mainly occurred within soil depth of the 0–40 cm. The increased content of soil organic carbon and nitrogen was for 1.5 t·hm?2 and 0.2 t·hm?2 in the soil with planting RG and BG, and was for 1.2 t·hm?2 and 0.02 t·hm?2 in the soil with planting CT. An average loss was for 0.4 t·hm?2 and 0.04 t·hm?2 in the soil with planting MP during 10-year period. Keywords Soil organic carbon - Soil organic nitrogen - Dynamic change - Land use - Quantitative assessment CLC number S153.61 Document code A Foundation item: This research was partly supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (30100144), and by Scientific Committee of Shenyang City (1011501900).Biography: WANG Xiao-ju (1967-), mail, Ph.D. Researcher in Center for Environmental Science in Saitama. Saitama Prefecture 347 0115, Japan.Responsible editor: Zhu Hong

Carbon and nitrogen dynamics in early stages of forest litter decomposition as affected by nitrogen addition

The effects of nitrogen （N） availability and tree species on the dynamics of carbon and nitrogen at early stage of decomposition of forest litter were studied in a 13-week laboratory incubation experiment. Fresh litter samples including needle litter （Pinus koraiensis） and two types of broadleaf litters （Quercus mongolica and Tilia amurensis） were collected from a broadleaf-korean pine mixed forest in the northern slope of Changbai Mountain （China）. Different doses of N （equal to 0, 30 and 50 kg.ha^-1yr^-1, respectively, as NH4NO3） were added to litter during the experiment period. The litter decomposition rate expressed as mass loss and respiration rate increased significantly with increasing N availability. The mass loss and cumulative CO2-C emission were higher in leaf litter compared to that in needle litter. The dis- solved organic Carbon （DOC） concentrations in litter leachate varied widely between the species, but were not greatly affected by N treatments. Regardless of the N addition rate, both N treatments and species had no significant effect on dissolved organic N （DON） concentrations in litter leachate. About 52-78% of added N was retained in the litter. The percentage of N retention was positively correlated （R^2=0.9 1, p〈0.05） with the litter mass loss. This suggested that a forest floor with easily decomposed litter might have higher potential N sink strength than that with more slowly decomposed litter.

Effect of Different Fertilization Patterns on Carbon and Nitrogen Components of Tobacco Topsoil

In order to explore the fertilizing ways and dynamic changes of soil carbon and nitrogen in the main producing areas of tobacco in Guizhou,research was conducted to study the variations of dissolved organic carbon and nitrogen,total organic carbon and nitrogen and their ratio of tobacco-topsoil in organic fertilization pattern and conventional cultivation pattern （No fertilizer as control） by pot experiment.The results were as follows：（1） The effects of different fertilization patterns on soil dissolved organic carbon and nitrogen and total organic carbon and nitrogen were significantly different.The content of DOC,DON,TOC and TON in tobaccotopsoil was decreased with the advancing of growth period in conventional fertilization pattern.In the conventional fertilization pattern,the accumulation of DOC and TOC was increased first and then decreased,and the accumulation of DON and TON was decreased first and then increased.（2） The TOC content at the different growing stage and DOC content at the middle and later stage of tobacco were significantly improved in organic fertilization patterns.The accumulation of DON and TON in the conventional fertilization pattern was significantly higher than those in the organic fertilizer pattern and control at the rosette stage and vigorous stage.In the harvest period,the content of DOC,DON,TOC and TON of tobacco-topsoil in the conventional fertilization and organic fertilization pattern was significantly higher than those in the control.（3）The DOC/DON ratio and the TOC/TiON ratio was increased gradually with the advancing of growth period in conventional fertilization pattern,but they were increased first and then decreased in the organic fertilization pattern and CK.The DOC/DON and TOC/TON ratio of tobacco-topsoil in different fertilization patterns was showed as Y J＞ CK＞ CG at the different growing stage.The experiment results revealed that：The organic fertilization pattern may improve significantly the accumulation of DOC,DON,TOC and TON of tobacco-topsoil at the middle and later stage and the DOC/DON and TOC/TON ratio at the different growth stage.It contributed to the continuous and balanced supply of nutrients at the middle and later stage of tobacco and the soil fertility.

Influences of Nitrogen Level on Carbon Metabolism of Spring Maize

[Objective]To study the effect of supplies of nitrogen level on spring maize leaf blade carbon metabolism.[Method]In this experiment,field trail and biochemistry analysis were used to study the effect of the diference-nitrogen level on the content of chlorophyl and carboxylase activity of RuBP and PEP in the leaf of spring maize during main growing period.[Result]Applying proper amount of N could keep relative higher content of chlorophyl and higher activity of carboxylase of RuBP and PEP in the leaf of spring maize,insufficient or excessive（N 400 kg/hm^2） of nitrogenous fertilizer has the adverse effect.[Conclusion]In this experiment,applying 300 kg/hm^2 amount of N could keep relative higher content of chlorophyl and higher activity of carboxylase of RuBP and PEP in the leaf of spring maize during main growing period.It was important to strengthens the leaf blade photosynthesis ability,promote the yield formation and postpone the decline of leaf blade.

Characteristics of Soil Organic Carbon and Total Nitrogen in Rubber Plantations Soil at Different Age Stages in the Western Region of Hainan Island

[Objective]The aim was to study on the characteristics of soil organic carbon and nitrogen in rubber （Hevea brasiliensis Muell-Arg） plantations at different age stages in the western region of Hainan Island,so as to evaluate the ecological benefits of rubber plantations and provide basic data for studying the effect of tropical land utilization/cover change on the global carbon and nitrogen cycle. [Method]The situs was in Danzhou city,western region of Hainan Island,and the samples were four kinds of rubber plantations soil at different ages and one kind of control check （pepper,Piper nigrum L.） soil. In this research,four quadrats were set up in each sample,and the size of each was 20 cm×20 cm. Four specimens were gathered from four layers of 0-15,15-30,30-45,45-60,and the average of them was the last analysis result of each sample. Soil density was measured by cutting ring method,soil containing and hygroscopic water was detected by oven drying method,soil organic carbon （SOC） was measured by low temperature heated outside potassium dichromate oxidation-colorimetry method,and soil total nitrogen （STN） was detected by semimicro Kjeldahl method. [Result]SOC contents of different layers in rubber plantations soil at different age stages （including the CK pepper soil,the same as below） varied little,and the content of SOC in surface layer （0-15 cm） was higher,while the underlayer （45-60 cm） was lower than the average value; there was significant difference in SOC content among different kinds of soil,and the content was of 6.03-7.78 g/kg,tapping young trees （7 years） CK pepper mature age trees （30 years） prophase of young trees （2 years） tapping trees （16 years）; there was no significant difference in SOC storage among different kinds of soil,and the storage was of 61.33-74.29 t/hm2,mature age trees （30 years） tapping young trees （7 years） prophase of young trees （2 years） CK pepper tapping trees （16 years）; there was significant difference in STN content among rubber plantations soil at different age stages,the content was of 410.86-664.14 mg/kg2,CK pepper tapping young trees （7 years） prophase of young trees （2 years） mature age trees （30 years） tapping trees （16 years）,and STN content of tapping trees （16 years） soil was extremely lowest; there was significant difference in C/N ratio among different kinds of soil,the ratio was of 10.94-14.47,and the ratio of tapping trees （16 years） mature age trees （30 years） tapping young trees （7 years） CK pepper prophase of young trees （2 years）. [Conclusion]There wasn＇t unhealthy effect of rubber trees planted in tropical area on the content and storage of SOC,the content of STN and the ratio of C/N. there was no significant difference between rubber plantations and CK pepper soil,and the effects of rubber plantation on soil carbon-nitrogen was similar to that of other tropical crops （such as pepper）.

Effect of Paclobutrazol plus Ethephon Treatment on Endogenous Hormones and Carbon and Nitrogen Nutrients in Litchi Variety ‘Feizixiao'

[Objective] This study aimed to investigate the effect of spraying the mixture of paclobutrazol and ethephon on the endogenous hormones and carbon and nitrogen nutrients in litchi variety ＇Feizixiao＇.[Method] [Result] The results showed that foliar spraying of the mixture of paclobutrazol and ethephon could effectively inhibit litchi variety ＇Feizixiao＇ to produce winter shoots,promote the flower bud differentiation and improve flower formation rate; meanwhile,this treatment could also increase the contents of ABA and ZR,and the ratios of ABA/IAA,ABA/GA3,ZR/IAA,ZR/GA3,and decrease the contents of IAA and GA3; additionally,it could increase the contents of soluble sugar,starch and total nitrogen,and raise C/N ratio,thus improving the flower formation rate.[Conclusion] Foliar spraying of the mixture of paclobutrazol and ethephon is an effective pathway for solving warmth damage to litchi.

Effects of Nitrogen Treatments on Organic Carbon Mineralization of Citrus Orchard Soil

[Objective] This study aimed to investigate the effect of soil organic carbon mineralization at different temperature on the amount of nitrogen application, in order to provide references for the establishment of carbon circulation model for orchard eco-system. [Method] The effects of nitrogen treatments on soil organic carbon mineralization of citrus orchard soil were investigated under 10, 20, 30 ℃ by laboratory simulated experiment. [Result] The mineralization rate decreased quickly at the be- ginning of the experiment but remained stable at the late period under three temper- ature treatments. The amounts of CO2 ranged from 1 328.25-2 219.42 mg/kg under three temperature condition, and the amount of soil organic carbon mineralization of 100 mg/kg （N4） treatment was the greatest, while that of CK was the lowest. High level nitrogen treatment （N4 and N3） were significant higher than the lower level nitro- gen treatment （N2 and N1）. The soil organic carbon mineralization rate increased with the temperature from 10 to 30℃. The dependence of soil carbon mineralization to temperature （Q10） was different under different nitrogen treatments that the Qlo value of N2 treatment was the lowest while that of the N4 treatment was the greatest. The soil organic carbon mineralization in Citrus orange orchard soil was affected significantly by high level nitrogen treatment, but with no significance under lower nitrogen treatment. [Conclusion] The dependence of soil carbon mineralization to temperature （Q10） increased with the increasing nitrogen input. The combination of nitrogen with temperature may increase the CO2 emission from Citrus orchard soil.

Spatial Distribution of Carbon and Nitrogen in Sediments of Xiangxi River

[Objective] This study was conducted to explore the spatial distribution of carbon and nitrogen in the sediments of Xiangxi River, which was the biggest tribu- tary near the Three Gorges Dam. [Method] Sediment samples were collected using customized cylindrical samplers at three sites along Xiangxi River estuary in May, 2015 to measure the contents of total carbon, total nitrogen and an isotope of car- bon δ^13C. [Result] The total carbon content in the sediments varied from 1.74% to 3.52%, and the total nitrogen content varied from 0.1% to 0.3%. The average total carbon content in the sediments near the estuary was lower than in the upstream. The total carbon content in the sediments near the estuary gradually decreased with depth increasing. However, the variations in total nitrogen content in both horizontal direction （along the river from the estuary to the upstream） and vertical direction were not so obvious as in total carbon content. The isotopic analysis showed the δ^13C value increased with depth increasing. The overall δ^13C near the estuary was lower than that in the upstream. [Conclusioal The results will provide scientific refer- ences for the distribution of biogenic elements in sediments of Xiangxi River and the evolution process of aquatic ecosystem.

Analysis on Variation of Soil Organic Carbon and Total Nitrogen Content and Carbon Storage in the Oasis Cotton Field of Manas River Valley

Objective] The research aimed to study soil organic carbon and total ni-trogen distribution in oasis cotton farmland. [Method] With the oasis cotton field of Manas River Val ey in Tianshan Mountains as the research area and abandoned farmland as a control, the distribution characteristics of soil organic carbon and total nitrogen content in the cotton field of Manas River Val ey in the last 23 years were investigated by using geographic methods. [Result] Presenting vertical distribution, cotton soil organic carbon and total nitrogen content in Manas River Val ey de-creased with the increase of soil depth, and those in 0-30 cm soil layer was sig-nificantly higher than those in soil layer of below 30 cm, while organic carbon stor-age showed the trend of increase. Also in vertical distribution, soil organic carbon and total nitrogen decreased significantly with the increase of soil depth, and soil organic carbon content in abandoned farmland decreased month by month. Howev-er, cotton soil organic carbon storage firstly decreased and then increased in the oasis cotton field that in the early growth of cotton, soil organic carbon in the layers of 0-30 and 30-100 cm decreased to the lowest in the bloom stage, and then or-ganic carbon increased with the reproductive growth of cotton into the later stages. However, due to no input of plant litter in the abandoned farmland, the soil organic carbon storage decreased month by month. There were significantly differences be-tween oasis cotton field and abandoned farmland in organic carbon contents. [Con-clusion] The soil organic carbon content and total nitrogen content in oasis cotton field were significantly higher than those in the abandoned farmland. The soil organ-ic carbon storage increased in the layer of 0-30 cm, while there was no significant change of soil organic carbon and total nitrogen content in the layer of 30-100 cm, which was consistent with the previous study on the distribution characteristics of soil organic carbon and total nitrogen content profile.

Long-term impacts of land-use change on dynamics of tropical soil carbon and nitrogen pools

Land-use changes, especially the conversion of native forest vegetation to cropland and plantations in tropical region, can alter soil C and N pools and N availability for plant uptake. Deforestation, followed by shifting cultivation and establishment of rubber tree plantation, is a common land-use change in Xishuangbanna, southwest China. However the influence of this kind of land-use change on soil C and N dynamics in this region remains poorly understood. This study was conducted to assess the effects of land-use change on soil C and N pools. Soil samples were collected on five adjacent plots, which belong to three land-use types including secondary forest-an acuminate banana(Musa itinerans) secondary forest and a male bamboo(Dendrocalamus membranaceae) secondary forest, shifting cultivation, and rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis (H.B.K.) Muell. Arg.) plantation(one plot is 3-year-old, and another is 7-year-old). We measured soil bulk density (BD), pH value, moisture content and concentrations of soil organic carbon(SOC), total soil nitrogen(TSN), and inorganic N(NO - 3-N and NH + 4-N ) at 0—3, 3—20, 20—40 and 40—60 cm depths, and calculated C and N pools in 0—20, 20—40, 40—60, and 0—60 cm soil layers. Compared with the adjacent secondary forests, shifting cultivation and establishment of rubber tree plantations resulted in significant decline in concentrations and stocks of SOC and TSN in 0—20 and 0—60 cm soil layers, and increase in pH and bulk density at 0—3, 3—20, and 20—40 cm depths. Soil moisture content decreased only in 0—20 cm surface soils in shifting cultivation and plantations. The dynamics of mineral N was much more complex, which had different trends among depths and ecosystems. Compared with the secondary forests, SOC stocks in 0—20 cm surface soils in shifting cultivation and rubber tree plantations(3-year-old plantation and 7-year-old plantation) decreased by 34.0%, 33%, and 23%; and TSN stocks decreased by 32 2%, 20.4%, and 20.4%, respectively, whereas the decreases of SOC and TSN stocks in 0—60 cm soil layers were much less. The results indicated that C and N losses were mainly occurred in 0—20 cm surface soil, followed by 20—40 cm layer.

Effects of Long-Term Winter Planted Green Manure on Distribution and Storage of Organic Carbon and Nitrogen in Water-Stable Aggregates of Reddish Paddy Soil Under a Double-Rice Cropping System

In agricultural systems, maintenance of soil organic matter has long been recognized as a strategy to reduce soil degradation. Manure amendments and green manures are management practices that can increase some nutrient contents and improve soil aggregation. We investigated the effects of 28 yr of winter planted green manure on soil aggregate-size distribution and aggregateassociated carbon（C） and nitrogen（N）. The study was a randomized completed block design with three replicates. The treatments included rice-rice-fallow, rice-rice-rape, rice-rice-Chinese milk vetch and rice-rice-ryegrass. The experiment was established in 1982 on a silty light clayey paddy soil derived from Quaternary red clay（classified as Fe-Accumuli-Stagnic Anthrosols） with continuous early and late rice. In 2009, soil samples were collected（0-15 cm depth） from the field treatment plots and separated into water-stable aggregates of different sizes（i.e., 〉5, 2-5, 1-2, 0.5-1, 0.25-0.5 and 〈0.25 mm） by wet sieving. The long-term winter planted green manure significantly increased total C and N, and the formation of the 2-5-mm water-stable aggregate fraction. Compared with rice-rice-rape, rice-rice-Chinese milk vetch and rice-rice-ryegrass, the rice-rice-fallow significantly reduced 2-5-mm water-stable aggregates, with a significant redistribution of aggregates into micro-aggregates. Long-term winter planted green manure obviously improved C/N ratio and macro-aggregate-associated C and N. The highest contribution to soil fertility was from macro-aggregates of 2-5 mm in most cases.

Effects of straw and biochar addition on soil nitrogen,carbon,and super rice yield in cold waterlogged paddy soils of North China

The additions of straw and biochar have been suggested to increase soil fertility, carbon sequestration, and crop produc- tivity of agricultural lands. To our knowledge, there is little information on the effects of straw and biochar addition on soil nitrogen form, carbon storage, and super rice yield in cold waterlogged paddy soils. We performed field trials with four treatments including conventional fertilization system （CK）, straw amendment 6 t ha^-1 （S）, biochar amendment 2 t ha^-1 （C1）, and biochar amendment 40 t ha^-1 （C2）. The super japonica rice variety, Shennong 265, was selected as the test Crop. The results showed that the straw and biochar amendments improved total nitrogen and organic carbon content of the soil, reduced N2O emissions, and had little influence on nitrogen retention, nitrogen density, and CO2 emissions. The S and C1 increased NH4^＋-N content, and C2 increased NO3^--N content. Both S and C1 had little influence on soil organic carbon density （SOCD） and C/N ratio. However, C2 greatly increased SOCD and C/N ratio. C1 and C2 significantly improved the soil carbon sequestration （SCS） by 62.9 and 214.0% （P〈0.05）, respectively, while S had no influence on SCS. C1 and C2 maintained the stability of super rice yield, and significantly reduced CH4 emissions, global warming potential （GWP）, and greenhouse gas intensity （GHGI）, whereas S had the opposite and negative effects. In summary, the biochar amendments in cold waterlogged paddy soils of North China increased soil nitrogen and carbon content, improved soil carbon sequestration, and reduced GHG emission without affecting the yield of super rice.

Carbon and nitrogen isotopes analysis and sources of organic matter in surface sediments from the Sanggou Bay and its adjacent areas, China

Naturally existing stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes are important in the study of sedimentary organic matter sources. To identify the sources of sedimentary organic matter in Sanggou Bay and its adjacent areas, which is characterized by high-density shellfish and seaweed aquaculture, the grain size, organic carbon （OC）, total nitrogen （TN）, carbon and nitrogen isotopic composition （δ13C andδ15N） of organic matter in the surface sediment were determined. The results showed that, in August, sedimentary OC and TN ranged from 0.17% to 0.76% and 0.04% to 0.14%, respectively. In November, OC and TN ranged from 0.23% to 0.87% and 0.05% to 0.14%, respectively. There was a significant positive correlation between OC and TN （R=0.98, P＆lt;0.0001）, indicating that OC and TN were homologous. In August, theδ13C andδ15N of organic matter varied from -23.06‰ to -21.59‰ and 5.10‰ to 6.31‰, respectively. In November,δ13C andδ15N ranged from -22.87‰ to -21.34‰ and 5.13‰ to 7.31‰, respectively. This study found that the major sources of sedimentary organic matter were marine shellfish biodeposition, seaweed farming, and soil organic matter. Using a three-end-member mixed model, we estimated that the dominant source of sedimentary organic matter was shellfish biodeposition, with an average contribution rate of 65.53% in August and 43.00% in November. Thus, shellfish farming had a significant influence on the coastal carbon cycle.

Dissolved organic carbon and nitrogen in precipitation, throughfall and stemflow from Schima superba and Cunninghamia lanceolata plantations in subtropical China

Despite growing attention to the role of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) in forest nutrient cycling, their monthly concentration dynamics in forest ecosystems, especially in subtropical forests only were little known. The goal of this study is to measure the concentrations and monthly dynamics of DOC and DON in precipitation, throughfall and stemflow for two planta- tions of Schima superba (SS) and Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata, CF) in Jianou, Fujian, China. Samples of precipitation, throughfall and stemflow were collected on a rain event base from January 2002 to December 2002. Upon collection, all water samples were analyzed for DOC, NO3 -N, NH4 -N and total dissolved N (TDN). DON was calculated by subtracting NO3 -N and NH4 -N from TDN. The results - + - + showed that the precipitation had a mean DOC concentration of 1.7 mg·L-1 and DON concentration of 0.13 mg·L-1. The mean DOC and DON concentrations in throughfall were 11.2 and 0.24 mg·L-1 in the SS and 10.3 and 0.19 mg·L-1 in the CF respectively. Stemflow DOC and DON concentrations in the CF (19.1 and 0.66 mg·L-1 respectively) were significantly higher than those in the SS (17.6 and 0.48 mg·L-1 respectively). No clear monthly variation in precipitation DOC concentration was found in our study, while DON concentration in precipita- tion tended to be higher in summer or autumn. The monthly variations of DON concentrations were very similar in throughfall and stemflow at both forests, showing an increase at the beginning of the rainy season in March. In contrast, monthly changes of the DOC concentrations in throughfall of the SS and CF were different to those in stemflow. Throughfall DOC concentrations were higher from February to April, while relatively higher DOC concentrations in stemflow were found during September-November period.