Source profiles of particulate organic matters emitted from cereal straw burnings

Cereal straw is one of the most abundant biomass burned in China but its contribution to fine particulates is not adequately understood. In this study, three main kinds of cereal straws were collected from five grain producing areas in China. Fine particulate matters （PMzs） from the cereal straws subjected to control burnings, both under smoldering and flaming status, were sampled by using a custom made dilution chamber and sampling system in the laboratory. Element carbon （EC） and organic carbon （OC） was analyzed. 141 compounds of organic matters were measured by gas chromatography-mass spectrum （GC-MS）. Source profiles of particulate organic matters emitted from cereal straw burnings were obtained. The results indicated that organic matters contribute a large fraction in fine particulate matters. Levoglucosan had the highest contributions with averagely 4.5% in mass of fine particulates and can be considered as the tracer of biomass burnings. Methyloxylated phenols from lignin degradation also had high concentrations in PM2.5, and contained approximately equal amounts of guaiacyl and syringyl compounds. 13-Sitostrol also made up relatively a large fraction of PMz5 compared with the other sterols （0.18%-0.63% of the total fine particle mass）. Normal alkanes, PAHs, fatty acids, as well as normal alkanols had relatively lower concentrations compared with the compounds mentioned above. Carbon preference index （CPI） of normal alkanes and alkanoic acids showed characteristics of biogenic fuel burnings. Burning status significantly influenced the formations of EC and PAHs. The differences between the emission profiles of straw and wood combustions were displayed by the fingerprint compounds, which may be used to identify the contributions between wood and straw burnings in source apportionment researches.

Sources of particulate organic matter in the Chukchi and Siberian shelves: clues from carbon and nitrogen isotopes

The stable isotopic composition(δ13C andδ15N)and carbon/nitrogen ratio(C/N)of particulate organic matter(POM)in the Chukchi and East Siberian shelves from July to September,2016 were measured to evaluate the spatial variability and origin of POM.Theδ13CPOC values were in the range of−29.5‰to−17.5‰with an average of−25.9‰±2.0‰,and theδ15NPN values ranged from 3.9‰to 13.1‰with an average of 8.0‰±1.6‰.The C/N ratios in the East Siberian shelf were generally higher than those in the Chukchi shelf,while theδ13C andδ15N values were just the opposite.Abnormally low C/N ratios(<4),lowδ13CPOC(almost−28‰)and highδ15NPN(>10‰)values were observed in the Wrangel Island polynya,which was attributed to the early bloom of small phytoplankton.The contributions of terrestrial POM,bloom-produced POM and non-bloom marine POM were estimated using a three end-member mixing model.The spatial distribution of terrestrial POM showed a high fraction in the East Siberian shelf and decreased eastward,indicating the influence of Russian rivers.The distribution of non-bloom marine POM showed a high fraction in the Chukchi shelf with the highest fraction occurring in the Bering Strait and decreased westward,suggesting the stimulation of biological production by the Pacific inflow in the Chukchi shelf.The fractions of bloom-produced POM were highest in the winter polynya and gradually decreased toward the periphery.A negative relationship between the bloom-produced POM and the sea ice meltwater inventory was observed,indicating that the net sea ice loss promotes early bloom in the polynya.Given the high fraction of bloom-produced POM,the early bloom of phytoplankton in the polynyas may play an important role on marine production and POM export in the Arctic shelves.

Carbon and nitrogen isotopic composition of particulate organic matter and its biogeochemical implication in the Bering Sea

Stable carbon and nitrogen isotopic composition of particulate organic matter （POM） were measured for samples collected from the Bering Sea in 2010 summer. Particulate organic carbon （POC） and particulate nitrogen （PN） showed high concentrations in the shelf and slope regions and decreased with depth in the slope and basin, indicating that biological processes play an important role on POM distribution. The low C/N ratio and heavy isotopic composition of POM, compared to those from the Alaska River, suggested a predominant contribution of marine biogenic organic matter in the Bering Sea. The fact thatδ^13Candδ^15Ngenerally increased with depth in the Bering Sea basin demonstrated that organic components with light carbon or nitrogen were decomposed preferentially during their transport to deep water. However, the highδ^13Candδ^15Nobserved in shelf bottom water were mostly resulted from sediment resuspension.

Distribution and Sources of Particulate Organic Matter in the Northern South China Sea: Implications of Human Activity

In order to understand origin and fate of particulate organic matter,the isotopic composition(δ^(13)C andδ^(15)N),total or-ganic carbon content,total nitrogen content,and C/N ratios were measured for suspended particulate organic matter(POM)collected from the northern South China Sea(NSCS)during summer.Our study revealed thatδ^(13)C generally decreased from land to sea,and elevatedδ^(13)C occurred at the nearshore stations,suggesting that POC was mainly contributed from the eutrophic level and microbial activity.Moreover,the distribution ofδ^(15)N values were complicated,and heterotrophic modification was responsible for higherδ^(15)N in the nearshore stations.These distribution patterns ofδ^(13)C andδ^(15)N in the nearshore stations may be associated with the intensifi-cation of human activity in the coast.Based on the Stable Isotope Analysis in R model,65%of POM was contributed by marine or-ganic matter in the NSCS,20%by terrestrial inputs,and 15%by freshwater algae.

Copper and Zinc Enrichment in Different Size Fractions of Organic Matter from Polluted Soils

Bioavailability of heavy metals in soil organic matter depends on itscomponents. Characterization of heavy metal distributions in different fractions of soil organicmatter is needed for better understanding of the fate of heavy metals. This study investigated theaccumulation and partitioning of copper and zinc among different size particulate organic matter(POM) fractions in polluted soils from a former iron ore processing site in western Shaoxing County,Zhejiang Province. Physical fractionations were carried out to separate soil primary particlesaccording to their size and density. Copper and Zn had a heterogeneous distribution among soilparticle fractions. Copper and Zn were significantly (p < 0.05) enriched in the POM fractions. >0.05 mm POM and < 0.05 mm fine soil fractions were mainly responsible for Cu and Zn retention insoils. The POM fraction contained up to 1 322 mg Cu kg^(-1) and 1115 mg Zn kg^(-1) and the fine soilfraction contained up to 422 mg Cu kg^(-1) and 537 mg Zn kg^(-1). The total POM fraction wasresponsible for 15.8%-41.2% and 12.2%-31.7% of the total amount of Cu and Zn, respectively, in thepolluted soils. The percentages of Cu and Zn associated with organic matter in < 0.05 mm fine soilfractions for the polluted soils ranged from 14.1% to 24.5%, and 5.4% to 15.8%, respectively.Accumulation of soil organic matter could increase enrichment of Cu (or Zn) in the POM fractions.Also, Cu provided a greater enrichment in the POM fractions than Zn.

Effect of Cultivation on Soil Organic Matter and Aggregate Stability

Agricultural sustainability relates directly to maintaining or enhancing soil quality. Soil quality studies in Canada during the 1980 s showed that loss of soil organic matter (SOM) and soil aggregate stability was standard features of non-sustainable land management in agroecosystems. In this study total soil organic carbon (SOC), particulate organic matter (POM), POM-C as a percentage of total SOC, and aggregate stability were determined for three cultivated fields and three adjacent grassland fields to a…

Soil Aggregates, Organic Matter, and Labile C and N Fractions after 37 Years of N, P and K Applications to an Irrigated Subtropical Soil under Maize-Wheat Rotation

Abstract： Physical, chemical and biological soil properties in surface （0-5 cm） and subsurface soil （5-15 cm） were determined in a field experiment conducted with seven treatments consisted of different combinations of fertilizer N （0, 100 and 200 kg N ha^-1）, P （0, 22 and 44 kg P2O5 ha^-1） and K （0, 41 and 82 kg K2O ha^-1） applied both to summer-grown maize （Zea mays L.） and winter-grown wheat （Triticum aestivum L.） crops continuously for 37 years under irrigated subtropical conditions. Application of N, P and K significantly increased water stable aggregates and had profound effects in increasing the mean weight diameter as well as the formation of macro-aggregates, which were highest in both surface （81%） and subsurface （74%） soil layers with application of 100 kg N ＋ 22 kg P2O5 ＋ 41 kg K2O ha^-1 （N100P22K41）. The N100P22K41 treatment also enhanced total organic C （TOC） from 4.4 g kg^-1 in no-NPK control to 4.8 g kg^-1in surface layer and from 3.3 to 4.1 g kg1 in subsurface layer leading to the 20% higher TOC stocks in 0-15 cm soil. The labile C and N fractions such as water soluble C, particulate and light fraction organic matter, potentially mineralizable N and microbial biomass were also highest under the optimized balanced application of N100P22K41. Relatively higher increase in all labile fractions of C and N as proportion of TOC and total N, respectively suggested that these are potential indicators to reflect changes in management practices long before changes in TOC and TN are detectable. These results demonstrated that optimized balanced application of N, P and K is crucial for improving soil health ensuring long-term sustainability of farming systems in semiarid subtropical soils.

Control of different occurrence types of organic matter on hydrocarbon generation in mudstones

Organic matter(OM) is preserved as different occurrences in mudstones, which can affect the hydrocarbon generation process. However, little research has focused on hydrocarbon generation as a function of different occurrences of OM. This study collected a suite of mudstones in the Dongying Sag, Bohai Bay Basin, and conducted Rock-Eval Ⅵ pyrolysis after Soxhlet extraction and Na_(2)S_(2)O_(8) oxidation, aiming to quantify the OM with different occurrences and figure out the contributions of each occurrence of OM to the hydrocarbon generation. There are three types of occurrences of OM: soluble organic matter(SOM),mineral-bound organic matter(MOM), and particulate organic matter(POM). MOM is the most abundant among the three occurrence types of OM. SOM and MOM are the main hydrocarbon precursors, and their hydrocarbon contributions alternate with different kerogen types and layers. Additionally, MOMcontributed hydrocarbons are numerous at shallow depths;SOM-contributed hydrocarbons mainly occur at deep depths;and POM-contributed hydrocarbons change little with depth. These results demonstrate that MOM should be the main hydrocarbon precursor in shallow formations and that SOM is the main hydrocarbon contributor at deep depths.

Long-Term Effect of No-Tillage on Soil Organic Carbon Fractions in a Continuous Maize Cropping System of Northeast China

Increasing evidence has shown that conservation tillage is an effective agricultural practice to increase carbon （C） sequestration in soils. In order to understand the mechanisms underlying the responses of soil organic carbon （SOC） to tillage regimes, physical fractionation techniques were employed to evaluate the effect of long-term no-tillage （NT） on soil aggregation and SOC fractions. Results showed that NT increased the concentration of total SOC by 18.1% compared with conventional tillage （CT） under a long-term maize （Zea mays L.） cropping system in Northeast China. The proportion of soil large macroaggregates （〉 2 000 μm） was higher in NT than that in CT, while small macroaggregates （250-2 000μm） showed an opposite trend. Therefore, the total proportion of macroaggregates （〉 2 000 and 250-2 000μm） was not affected by tillage management. However, C concentrations of macroaggregates on a whole soil basis were higher under NT relative to CT, indicating that both the amount of aggregation and aggregate turnover affected C stabilization. Carbon concentrations of intra-aggregate particulate organic matter associated with microaggregates （iPOM-m） and microaggregates occluded within macroaggregates （iPOM-mM） in NT were 1.6 and 1.8 times greater than those in CT, respectively. Carbon proportions of iPOM-n and iPOM-mM in the total SOC increased from 5.4% and 6.3% in CT to 7.2% and 9.7% in NT, respectively. Furthermore, the difference in the microaggregate protected C （i. e., iPOM-m and iPOM-mM） between NT and CT could explain 45.4% of the difference in the whole SOC. The above results indicate that NT stimulates C accumulation within microaggregates which then are further acted upon in the soil to form macroaggregates. The shift of SOC within microaggregates is beneficial for long-term C sequestration in soil. We also corroborate that the microaggregate protected C is useful as a pool for assessing the impact of tillage management on SOC storage.

Effect of fire intensity on active organic and total soil carbon in a Larix gmelinii forest in the Daxing'anling Mountains,Northeastern China

Studying contents and seasonal dynamics of active organic carbon in the soil is an important method for revealing the turnover and regulation mechanism of soil carbon pool. Through 3 years of field sampling and lab analysis, we studied the seasonal variations, content differences, and interrelationships of total organic carbon （TOC）, light fraction organic carbon （LFOC）, and particulate organic carbon （POC） of the soil in the forest areas burned with different fire intensities in the Daxing＇anling Mountains. The mean TOC content in the low-intensity burned area was greater than that in the unburned area, moderate-intensity, and high-intensity burned areas in June and November （P 〈 0.05）. LFOC and POC in the low-intensity burned area were greater than that in either moderate-intensity or high-intensity burned areas, with significant differences in LFOC in September and November （P 〈 0.05）. A significant difference in LFOC between the unburned and burned areas was only found in July （P 〈 0.05）. However, the differences in POC between the unburned and burned areas were not significant in all the whole seasons （P 〉 0.05）. Soil LFOC and POC varied significantly with the seasons （P 〈 0.05） in the Daxing＇anling Mountains. Significant linear relationships were observed between soil TOC, LFOC, and POC, which were positively correlated with soil nitrogen and negatively correlated with soil temperature in the Daxing＇anling Mountains.

Molecular composition and structure of organic matter in density fractions of soils amended with corn straw for five years

Corn straw is an important source of carbon(C),and when applied to soil,it alters the accumulation and distribution of organic C.However,the mechanistic pathways by which newly added C is stored and stabilized in soil remain a subject of interest and debate among scholars.In this study,we investigated the chemistry of organic matter in different density fractions of Haplic Cambisol(sandy clay loam)in a field experiment with corn straw at8900 kg ha^(-1)year^(-1)under no tillage(NT),minimum tillage(MT),and conventional tillage(CT).After five years of corn(Zea mays L.)monocropping,soils were collected from the 0-20 and 20-40 cm depths and processed to obtain the organic matter in light fraction(LFOM),occluded particulate(oPOM),and heavy fraction(HFOM)in the order.The results showed that compared with conventional tillage without corn straw return(CT0),corn straw return(i.e.,NT,MT,and CT)increased soil organic C content by 11.55%-16.58%.Thermogravimetric and Fourier transform infrared analyses demonstrated that the HFOM was characterized by a greater proportion of easily biodegradable substances,which may be due to the deposition of microbially processed materials on the surface of soil minerals.The LFOM and o POM were distinguished by greater phenolic,aromatic C,and thermally stable compounds.Compared with CT0,the NT and MT fields showed higher abundances of hydrophobic,aliphatic,and thermally unstable organic compounds,which increased soil C content and stability in the HFOM.Therefore,NT and MT may be ideal practices to increase soil organic C content.

Acceleration of the particulate organic matter hydrolysis by start-up stage recovery and its original microbial mechanism

To address the availability of carbon sources for denitrification,the accelerated hydrolysis of the most abundant but low-availability fraction of particulate organic matter(POM)was investigated.Mesh sieves with different pore sizes were used as primary pretreatment at the start-up-stage of the biological process to separate some POM from the liquid system.The changes in soluble carbohydrates and proteins were monitored to investigate the hydrolysis performance of the sieved POM,with waste activated sludge(WAS)as the control test.The results showed that an average of 35%POM could be entrapped before filtrate mat development.In addition,benefiting from the high polysaccharides concentration,as well as the high availability due to the relatively loose physical structure,a 23%hydrolysis efficiency of POM was obtained,in contrast to that of WAS(3.4%),with a hydrolysis constant of 0.39 h^(−1).The prominent performance was also attributed to the unique microbial communities having been domesticated at a lower temperature,especially the cellulose-degrading bacteria Paraclostridium and psychrophile Psychrobacter,making up 6.94%and 2.56%,respectively.Furthermore,the potential benefits and application of improved POM hydrolysis by start-up stage recovery via mesh sieves combined with anaerobic fermentation were evaluated,including selective POM entrapment,alleviation of blockage and wear,and a reduction in aeration energy.By the proposed strategy,carbon availability for biological nutrient removal(BNR)processes is anticipated to be improved more economically than that can be achieved by primary clarifier elimination.

Deep-sea coral evidence for dissolved mercury evolution in the deep North Pacifi c Ocean over the last 700 years

The ocean is an important inventory of anthropogenic mercury(Hg),yet the history of anthropogenic Hg accumulation in the ocean remains largely unexplored.Deep-sea corals are an emerging archive of past ocean chemistry,which take in sinking or suspended particulate organic matter as their food sources.Such organic matter would exchange Hg with the local seawater before being consumed by the deepsea corals.As such,the organics preserved in the coral skeleton may record the Hg evolution of the ambient seawater during the time of coral growth.Here,we report the first data on Hg concentrations variability of a deep-sea proteinaceous coral in the oligotrophic North Pacific at the water depth of 1249 m,in attempt to understand the transfer of anthropogenic Hg into the deep Pacific ocean over the last seven centuries.We find that the Hg concentrations of different coral growth layers have remained relatively constant albeit with considerable short-term variability through time.The overall stable Hg concentration of the last seven centuries recorded in our sample suggests that anthropogenic pollution is not yet a clearly resolvable component in the deep oligotrophic North Pacific waters,in agreement with rece nt estimation from modelling works and observational studies of modern seawater profiles.As there is hardly an unambiguous way to separate anthropogenic Hg from the natural background based on recent seawater profiles,our historical data provide valuable information helping to understand the oceanic cycle of Hg through time.

Soil organic matter content and chemical composition under two rotation management systems in a Mediterranean climate

The crop rotation system in organic farming is a determinant factor to accumulate and preserve soil organic matter(SOM),and in depth knowledge on its effects is still lacking.Tillage intensity in particular is crucial to maintain soil aggregates and protect SOM from degradation.The evolution of SOM was tested in two adjacent fields under two different rotation cropping systems(low-intensity tillage and high-intensity tillage),and the effect of a further cultivation of legume in both fields was evaluated using ^(13)carbon(C)-nuclear magnetic resonance(NMR)and elemental analysis of samples isolated through combined aggregate size and density fractionation.The two adjacent fields had been managed using the following organic farming methods for 13 seasons since 1998:i)alfalfa-based,with nitrogen(N)enrichment and low-frequency tillage with alfalfa(Medicago sativa)(9 seasons),winter wheat(Triticum durum)(3 seasons),and broad bean(Vicia faba)(1 season)and ii)cereal-based,with N depletion and annual tillage with barley(Hordeum vulgare)(7 seasons),sunflower(Helianthus annuus)(2 seasons),broad bean(Vicia faba)(3 seasons),and bare fallow(1 season).Soil sampling was carried out at the end of the 13-year rotation(T0,November 2011)and after winter wheat and chickpea cultivation in both fields over two subsequent years(T1,July 2013).Bulk organic C was significantly higher in the alfalfa-based system than in the cereal-based system at both T0 and T1,with SOM occluded in soil aggregates and associated with mineral particles.In terms of the macroaggregates heavy fraction at T0,the alfalfa-based field contained twice the organic C of that in the cereal-based field,as well as three times the organic C in the occluded particulate organic matter(POM).The occluded POM(oPOM)had a lower aryl/O-alkyl C ratio in the alfalfa-based system than in the cereal-based system,suggesting that oPOM undergoes a lower degree of decomposition during low-intensity management.The aryl/O-alkyl C ratios of the macro-and microaggregate oPOM decreased from T0 to T1 in the cereal-based system,suggesting increased protection of these fractions by soil aggregates.Thus,including legumes in crop rotation appears to positively affect the accumulation of SOM associated with mineral particles and within soil aggregates.

The Dietary Importance of Kelp-Derived Detritus to Pelagic and Benthic Consumers along the West Coast of Vancouver Island, Canada

Stable isotope analysis was used to determine the relative dietary importance of kelp-derived detritus to plankton and benthic organisms along a gradient of kelp abundance driven by recovering sea otter populations along the west coast of Vancouver Island (WCVI), Canada. The study used region-specific kelp isotope values (δ13C and δ15N) and season-specific phytoplankton isotope values to model dietary contributions of kelp-derived detritus (KDD). In general, KDD contributions were moderate to high in most plankton size fractions during the summer and decreased during the winter, particularly in the kelp sparse region. Hypothesized regional and spatial (distance from the coast) differences in kelp detritus contributions to zooplankton were not evident. Modeled estimates of the KDD contribution to benthic invertebrates were high (>40%) and independent of the organism size, among regions and between seasons, with the exception of Astraea gibberosa in the kelp abundant region. Local oceanography, natural kelp isotope signature variation, and significant overlap between kelps’ and blooming phytoplankton isotope values led to a large uncertainty in the assessed KDD contributions in benthic organisms. These results highlighted the importance of the KDD as a widespread and stable year-round food source in coastal kelp populated regions.

Limited impacts of occasional tillage on dry aggregate size distribution and soil carbon and nitrogen fractions in semi-arid drylands

Tillage management that minimizes the frequency and intensity of soil disturbance can increase soil carbon(C)and nitrogen(N)sequestration and improve the resilience of dryland cropping systems,yet the impact of occasional disturbance on soil aggregate formation and the soil organic carbon(SOC)storage within aggregates has not been studied well.We evaluated the effect of four tillage management practices on soil dry aggregate size distribution,aggregate-protected C and N,mineral-associated organic matter carbon(MAOM-C),particulate organic matter carbon(POM-C),and corn(Zea mays L.)and sorghum(Sorghum bicolor(L.)Moench)yields in a semi-arid dryland cropping system.Treatments included conventional tillage(CT),strip-tillage(ST),no-tillage(NT),and occasional tillage(OT)management in a corn-sorghum rotation.Soil macro-aggregates were 51-54%greater under ST,NT,and OT,while small and micro-aggregates were greater in CT.Conventional tillage reduced soil aggregate-associated C by 28-31%in macro-aggregates and 47-53%in small aggregates at 26 months(M)sampling compared to ST,NT,and OT.In clay+silt fraction,CT had 14-16%,21-26%,and 36-43%less SOC at 7,14,and 26M samplings,respectively,than ST,NT,and OT.Aggregate associated N was generally similar under ST,NT,and OT,which was greater on average than CT.Soil MOAM-C and POM-C under ST,NT,and OT were generally greater than respective SOC fractions under CT at 19 and 26 M after OT implementation.Corn and sorghum yields were similar among tillage systems in 2020,but greater under ST,NT,and OT than CT in 2021.Our results suggest that while frequent intensive tillage can lower SOC and N storage,a single stubble mulch occasional tillage after several years of NT does not lead to soil C and N losses and soil structural instability in semi-arid drylands.

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.

Changes in Soil Organic Carbon After Five Years of Biowaste Compost Application in a Mediterranean Vegetable Cropping System

Biowaste compost can influence soil organic matter accumulation directly or indirectly. A 5-year experiment was conducted to assess the influence of biowaste compost on the process of soil aggregation and soil organic carbon （SOC） accumulation in a Mediterranean vegetable cropping system. The study involved four treatments： biowaste compost （COM）, mineral NPK fertilizers （MIN）, biowaste compost with half-dose N fertilizer （COMN）, and unfertilized control （CK）. The SOC stocks were increased in COM, COMN, and MIN by 20.2, 14.9, and 2.4 Mg ha-1 over CK, respectively. The SOC concentration was significantly related to mean weight diameter of aggregates （MWD） （P 〈 0.05, R^2 = 0.798 4） when CK was excluded from regression analysis. Compared to CK, COM and COMN increased the SOC amount in macroaggregates （〉 250 μm） by 2.7 and 0.6 g kg-1 soil, respectively, while MIN showed a loss of 0.4 g kg-1 soil. The SOC amount in free microaggregates （53-250 ttm） increased by 0.9, 1.6, and 1.0 g kg-1 soil for COM, COMN, and MIN, respectively, while those in the free silt plus clay aggregates （~ 53 ~m） did not vary significantly. However, when separating SOC in particle-size fractions, we found that more stable organic carbon associated with mineral fraction 〈 53 μm （MOM-C） increased significantly by 3.4, 2.2, and 0.7 g kg-1 soil for COM, COMN, and MIN, respectively, over CK, while SOC amount in fine particulate organic matter （POM） fraction （53-250 μm） increased only by 0.3 g kg-1 soil for both COM and COMN, with no difference in coarse POM 〉 250 μm. Therefore, we consider that biowaste compost could be effective in improving soil structure and long-term C sequestration as more stable MOM-C.

Changes in soil fungal community on SOC and POM accumulation under different straw return modes in dryland farming

We conducted a 2.5-year field experiment to test the effects of straw incorporated evenly into the soil(EIS)on soil fungal community,SOC chemical composition,and particulate organic matter fractions via comparing with no straw returning(CK),straw mulching(SM),straw plowed into the soil(SP),and identified the linkages between soil fungal community as well as organic C accumulation and POM formation.Our results showed that EIS treatment significantly increased the concentrations of SOC and the proportion of carbohydrate C,di-O-alkyl C,and O-alkyl C in SOC structure,increased the mass proportion and OC contents of MA(c)POM and mM-POM in the upper 40 cm of soil.Meanwhile,EIS treatment increased the relative abundance of Ascomycota,Zygomycota,Chytridiomycota,and Dothideomycetes in 0-20 cm depths,and also had the highest relative abundance of Glomeromycetes and Dothideomycetes in the 20-40 cm soil.Also,our study suggests that straw return enhanced the relative abundances of fungi involved in the carbon cycle and sequestration,including Zygomycota,Chytridiomycota,and Glomeromycota,and Ascomycota.The shifts in fungal community structure can accelerate organic C accumulation and the formation of soil particulate organic matter,especially in EIS treatment.