Modeling Soil Organic Matter Dynamics Under Intensive Cropping Systems on the Huang-Huai-Hai Plain of China

A modified CQESTR model, a simple yet useful model frequently used for estimating carbon sequestration in agricultural soils, was developed and applied to evaluate the effects of intensive cropping on soil organic matter （SOM） dynamics and mineralization as well as to estimate carbon dioxide emission from agricultural soils at seven sites on the Huang-Huai-Hai Plain of China. The model was modified using site-specific parameters from short- and mid-term buried organic material experiments at four stages of biomass decomposition. The predicted SOM results were validated using independent data from seven long-term （10- to 20-year） soil fertility experiments in this region. Regression analysis on 1 151 pairs of predicted and measured SOM data had an r2 of 0.91 （P≤0.01）. Therefore, the modified model was able to predict the mineralization of crop residues, organic amendments, and native SOM. Linear regression also showed that SOM mineralization rate （MR） in the plow layer increased by 0.22% when annual crop yield increased by 1 t ha^-1 （P ≤ 0.01）, suggesting an improvement in SOM quality. Apparently, not only did the annual soil respiration efftux merely reflect the intensity of soil organism and plant metabolism, but also the SOM MR in the plow layer. These results suggested that the modified model was simple yet valuable in predicting SOM trends at a single agricultural field and could be a powerful tool for estimating C-storage potential and reconstructing C storage on the Huang-Huai-Hai Plain of China.

Quantifying in situ N2 fluxes from an intensively managed calcareous soil using the 15N gas-flux method

Denitrification-induced nitrogen(N) losses from croplands may be greatly increased by intensive fertilization.However,the accurate quantification of these losses is still challenging due to insufficient available in situ measurements of soil dinitrogen(N) emissions.We carried out two one-week experiments in a maize-wheat cropping system with calcareous soil using theN gas-flux(NGF) method to measure in situ Nfluxes following urea application.Applications ofN-labeled urea(99 atom%,130-150 kg N ha) were followed by irrigation on the 1 st,3 rd,and 5 th days after fertilization(DAF 1,3,and 5,respectively).The detection limits of the soil Nfluxes were 163-1 565,81-485,and 54-281 μg N mhfor the two-,four-,and six-hour static chamber enclosures,respectively.The Nfluxes measured in 120 cases varied between 159 and 2 943(811 on average) μg N mh.which were higher than the detection limits,with the exception of only two cases.The Nfluxes at DAF 3 were significantly higher(by nearly 80%(P<0.01)) than those at DAF 1 and 5 in the maize experiment,while there were no significant differences among the irrigation times in the wheat experiment.The Nfluxes and the ratios of nitrous oxide(NO) to the NO plus Nfluxes following urea application to maize were approximately 65% and 11 times larger,respectively(P<0.01),than those following urea application to wheat.Such differences could be mainly attributed to the higher soil water contents,temperatures,and availability of soil N substrates in the maize experiment than in the wheat experiment.This study suggests that theNGF method is sensitive enough to measure in situ Nfluxes from intensively fertilized croplands with calcareous soils.

Phosphorus losses via surface runoff in rice-wheat cropping systems as impacted by rainfall regimes and fertilizer applications

Phosphorus（P） losses from agricultural soils contribute to eutrophication of surface waters. This field plot study investigated effects of rainfall regimes and P applications on P loss by surface runoff from rice（Oryza sativa L.） and wheat（Triticum aestivum L.） cropping systems in Lake Taihu region, China. The study was conducted on two types of paddy soils（Hydromorphic at Anzhen site, Wuxi City, and Degleyed at Xinzhuang site, Changshu City, Jiangsu Province） with different P status, and it covered 3 years with low, high and normal rainfall regimes. Four rates of mineral P fertilizer, i.e., no P（control）, 30 kg P ha^（–1） for rice and 20 kg P ha^（–1） for wheat（P_（30＋20））, 75 plus 40（P_（75＋40））, and 150 plus 80（P_（150＋80））, were applied as treatments. Runoff water from individual plots and runoff events was recorded and analyzed for total P and dissolved reactive P concentrations. Losses of total P and dissolved reactive P significantly increased with rainfall depth and P rates（P〈0.0001）. Annual total P losses ranged from 0.36–0.92 kg ha^–1 in control to 1.13–4.67 kg ha^–1 in P150＋80 at Anzhen, and correspondingly from 0.36–0.48 kg h^–1 to 1.26–1.88 kg ha^–1 at Xinzhuang, with 16–49% of total P as dissolved reactive P. In particular, large amounts of P were lost during heavy rainfall events that occurred shortly after P applications at Anzhen. On average of all P treatments, rice growing season constituted 37–86% of annual total P loss at Anzhen and 28–44% of that at Xinzhuang. In both crop seasons, P concentrations peaked in the first runoff events and decreased with time. During rice growing season, runoff P concentrations positively correlated（P〈0.0001） with P concentrations in field ponding water that was intentionally enclosed by construction of field bund. The relative high P loss during wheat growing season at Xinzhuang was due to high soil P status. In conclusion, P should be applied at rates balancing crop removal（20–30 kg P ha^–1 in this study） and at time excluding heavy rains. Moreover, irrigation and drainage water should be appropriately managed to reduce runoff P losses from rice-wheat cropping systems.

Mapping cropping patterns in the North China Plain over the past 300 years and an analysis of the drivers of change

It is essential to map the cropping patterns when investigating the mechanisms and impacts of climate change.However,the long-term evolution of cropping patterns remains poorly understood.This study collected hundreds of records of cropping intensity and crop combinations from local gazetteers and other relevant articles for the North China Plain(NCP)over the past 300 years.Then,we analyzed the evolutionary characteristics and drivers in terms of climate change and advances in agricultural technology.From the Qing Dynasty to the 1950s,one harvest per year(1H1Y)was the dominant pattern in the northern NCP,and three harvests in two years(3H2Y)was the dominant pattern in Henan and Shandong provinces.The 1H1Y crops were cereals and sorghum.The 3H2Y crop combinations were spring maize,winter wheat,and beans.In the 1960s and 1970s,the cropping intensity in much of the NCP was two harvests per year(2H1Y)or a mix of the 2H1Y and 3H2Y patterns.In the 1980s,the cropping intensity in the NCP was dominated by 2H1Y.Since the 1960s,the 2H1Y crop compositions have been winter wheat-summer maize in Shandong,Henan,and Hebei provinces,while winter wheat-rice dominated north of the Huaihe River.The 3H2Y summer crop changed from beans to maize/cereals over time.Climate warming was not the dominant factor driving the evolution of cropping intensity in the NCP.Advances in agricultural production conditions and reforms in production relations have promoted the rapid development of multiple cropping since the 1950s.