秸秆还田对土壤有机碳不同活性组分储量及分配的影响

通过田间试验,研究了不同秸秆还田模式下土壤溶解性有机碳(DOC)、颗粒有机碳(POC)和矿物结合有机碳(MOC)储量及其在总有机碳(TOC)中的分配比例.结果表明: 相对于翻压还田(WR),小麦秸秆覆盖还田(WM)0～20 cm耕层TOC和MOC储量显著降低,降幅为4.1%和9.7%,DOC和POC储量显著提高,增幅为207.7%和11.9%;20～40 cm犁底层TOC和POC储量显著提高.玉米秸秆覆盖还田(MM)与MR相比,犁底层TOC和MOC储量显著提高,增幅为13.6%和14.6%.小麦-玉米秸秆均覆盖还田(WM-MM)相对于均翻压还田(WR-MR),耕层TOC和MOC储量显著降低,降幅为8.5%和10.3%.玉米秸秆还田耕层TOC和POC储量显著高于小麦秸秆还田.与对照(秸秆不还田)相比,6种还田模式耕层TOC储量增幅为5.2%～18.0%,差异达显著水平;除WM和MM模式外,犁底层TOC储量显著降低(降幅8.0%～11.5%).6种还田模式下土壤耕层DOC储量及DOC/TOC比值显著降低,在WM和WM-MM还田模式下耕层POC储量显著提高、POC/TOC比值增大,WR模式的耕层MOC储量显著提高、MOC/TOC比值增大,其余3种模式耕层POC和MOC储量均显著提高.秸秆覆盖还田有利于土壤有机碳活性组分积累,翻压还田有利于较稳定性有机碳组分积累.在提高关中地区农田TOC储量方面,玉米秸秆还田好于小麦秸秆还田、小麦-玉米秸秆翻压还田好于覆盖还田.     

土壤碳库构成研究进展

土壤碳库是陆地生态系统中最大的碳库。土壤碳库的构成影响其累积和分解,并直接影响全球陆地生态系统碳平衡,同时也影响土壤质量变化。弄清土壤碳库的组分及构成,是进一步研究土壤碳库变化机制的关键。综述了土壤碳库的组分和构成,对有机碳库进行不稳定性有机碳库和稳定有机碳库归类,描述各类碳库的性质,并对各类碳库的分析测定方法进行了评述。提出在土壤碳构成中增加黑碳和煤炭(碳)以完善土壤有机碳构成框架。在未来研究中,应加强土壤无机碳及湿地土壤和新开发新复垦的重构土壤碳库构成及变化,各类碳库化学构成,交叉重叠的定量关系,碳库之间的转化及在土壤中的迁移,黑碳对土壤碳库稳定性及土壤质量的影响,煤开采扰动区煤炭(碳)对土壤质量的影响及环境效应等科学问题的研究。     

降水变率对森林土壤有机碳组分与分布格局的影响

2006年12月-2008年6月,通过加倍降水、自然降水和去除降水3种处理的人工控制试验,研究了降水变率改变对南亚热带不同演替阶段的季风常绿阔叶林、针阔叶混交林和马尾松针叶林土壤有机碳组分与空间分布格局的影响.结果表明：在3种降水强度条件下,相同森林类型的同一层次土壤总有机碳（TOC）含量差异不显著（P>0.05）;去除降水处理下土壤表层（0～10 cm）颗粒有机碳（POC）和轻组有机碳(LFOC)含量有明显的积累趋势,加倍降水和自然降水处理下增加了POC、LFOC向下层土壤（10～20 cm、20～30 cm、30～50 cm）的运输;去除降水处理下,马尾松林土壤易氧化有机碳（ROC）含量显著高于降水处理（P<0.05）;演替早期森林土壤的POC、ROC、LFOC占总有机碳的比例大于演替后期土壤,不利于土壤有机碳的存埋.森林土壤总有机碳含量变化缓慢,而其活性有机碳组分（POC、LFOC、ROC）对降水变率改变的响应更敏感.     

不同施肥处理对土壤活性有机碳和甲烷排放的影响

通过采集田间试验区连续3a施入有机肥的稻田耕层土壤,分析土壤中微生物量碳(MBC)、水溶性有机碳(DOC)、易氧化有机碳(ROC)和可矿化有机碳(readily mineralizable carbon,RMC)等活性有机碳的含量,稻田甲烷(CH_4)的排放通量,探讨施用有机肥的土壤活性有机碳变化及与CH_4排放的关系。研究结果显示:(1)施有机肥对土壤中的活性有机碳均有一定的促进作用。3a不同施肥处理土壤中DOC、ROC、MBC和RMC的平均含量分别为383.6、2501.2、640.4 mg/kg和291.7 mg/kg。3a施猪粪(猪粪+化肥,PM)、鸡粪(鸡粪+化肥,CM)和稻草(稻草+化肥,RS)的DOC的含量分别比化肥(CF)处理增加5.6%、6.7%和19.3%,ROC的含量分别比CF增加6.6%、8.4%和9.8%;MBC含量分别比CF增加5.1%、14.8%和21.5%,RMC增加6.8%、22.0%和33.9%。不同施肥处理的稻田土壤活性有机碳为分蘖期高于成熟期。(2)施肥处理显著增加稻田CH_4排放,CH_4分蘖期的排放通量是成熟期的143倍,3a PM、CM和RS处理的CH_4排放分别比CF处理增加37.0%(P0.05)、92.7%(P0.05)和99.4%(P0.05)。(3)不同施肥处理的DOC、ROC、MBC和RMC含量与CH_4排放通量均存在显著正相关关系,ROC与CH_4排放的相关系数最高,为0.754(P0.01),且4种有机碳间关系密切。稻田分蘖期土壤中的活性有机碳与稻田CH_4排放呈显著正相关关系。(4)综合分析,在4种有机碳中,土壤中ROC和MBC的含量直接影响CH_4排放。     

林火干扰对森林生态系统土壤有机碳的影响研究进展

林火干扰是森林生态系统特殊而重要的生态因子,可改变生态系统的养分循环与能量传递。研究林火干扰对森林生态系统土壤有机碳的影响,有助于理解森林生态系统中土壤碳固持和碳循环过程,为制定科学合理的旨在减缓全球变化的林火管理策略具有重要意义。从4个方面阐述了林火干扰对森林生态系统土壤有机碳的影响及内在机制:分别从大尺度和小尺度两个方面阐述了林火干扰对土壤有机碳的影响及对森林生态系统碳循环与碳平衡的作用机制;探讨了不同林火干扰类型和林火干扰强度下,土壤活性有机碳对林火干扰的响应机制;阐明了林火干扰对土壤惰性有机碳的影响及作用机制;论述了林火干扰主要通过改变土壤有机碳的输入和输出过程进而影响土壤有机碳的稳定性及内在机制。最后提出了提高林火干扰对森林生态系统土壤有机碳影响定量化研究的4种路径选择:(1)全面比较研究不同林火干扰类型对土壤有机碳循环及其碳素再分配过程的功能特征;(2)进一步阐明林火干扰通过改变植被结构进而影响土壤生物群落结构,剖析土壤碳库循环的内在机制;(3)完善不同时空尺度下林火干扰对森林生态系统土壤碳库周转过程的定量化研究;(4)加强不同林火干扰类型土壤碳库稳定性差异的研究。     

不同退耕年限对菜子湖湿地表土有机碳组分与质量的影响

退耕还湿后土壤有机碳不同组分变化和有机碳质量的评价是退耕湿地生态恢复研究的重要内容。对安徽菜子湖湿地不同退耕年限(2、5、8、10和20a)的湿地土壤总有机碳(TOC)、颗粒态有机碳(POC)和矿物结合态有机碳(MOC)的含量与有机碳质量进行了研究。结果表明,随着退耕年限增加,土壤TOC、POC、MOC含量均有显著增加,且退耕后土壤有机碳增加过程中,以POC为代表的活性有机碳优先恢复,而以MOC为代表的稳定有机碳恢复相对滞后。随着退耕年限增加,POC/MOC、TOC和POC的层化比(SR)增加,反映有机碳的活性明显提高。退耕期间所增加的有机碳在组成上以易降解的POC为主,在分布上以易降解的表层有机碳居多,因此有机碳库的稳定性并未明显提高。通过计算碳库管理指数(CPMI),发现土壤质量随着退耕年数增加而提高,根据CPMI变化趋势线,土壤质量大约需要13a才能恢复到对照水平;退耕湿地生态恢复过程中,有机碳数量(碳库指数CPI)恢复较快,而有机碳质量(碳库活度指数AI)恢复需要较长的时间,二者分别需7.6和22.7a恢复到对照水平。     

土壤有机碳分组方法及其在农田生态系统研究中的应用

农田土壤有机碳成分复杂,活性有机碳对管理措施具有敏感性,而惰性有机碳具有固碳作用.碳分组技术主要包括物理技术、化学技术和生物学技术.物理分组的依据是密度、粒径大小和空间分布,可分离出有机碳的活性组分和惰性组分.化学分组基于土壤有机碳在各种提取剂中的溶解性、水解性和化学反应性从而分离出各种组分:溶解性有机碳是生物可代谢有机碳,包括有机酸、酚类和糖类等;酸水解方法可将有机碳分成活性和惰性成分;利用KMnO4模拟酶氧化可分离出活性碳和非活性碳.利用生物技术可测定出微生物生物量碳和潜在可矿化碳.在不同农田管理措施下,有机碳组分的化学组成和库容会发生不同变化,对土壤有机碳沉积速率产生不同影响.为了探明土壤有机碳组分与碳沉积之间的定性或定量关系,今后应该加强对各种分组方法的标准化研究,探索不同分组方法的整合应用,针对不同农田管理措施,总结出适合的有机碳分组方法或联合分组方法.     

不同冬季覆盖作物对双季稻田土壤有机碳的影响

以冬闲-双季稻种植模式为对照(CK),分析了黑麦草-双季稻(Ry)、紫云英-双季稻(Mv)、马铃薯-双季稻(Po)和油菜-双季稻(Ra)5种不同种植模式下冬季覆盖作物秸秆还田后对0～5、5～10、10～20 cm土壤有机碳、活性有机碳、碳库管理指数和有机碳储量的影响.结果表明:与CK处理相比,黑麦草、紫云英、马铃薯和油菜秸秆还田处理均提高了稻田0～5、5～10、10～20 cm土壤总有机碳和活性有机碳含量,其中Po处理最高.冬季覆盖作物秸秆还田均提高了稻田不同层次土壤的碳库活度、碳库活度指数、碳库指数和土壤碳库管理指数,其大小顺序均表现为Po>Mv>Ry>Ra>CK.不同冬季覆盖作物秸秆还田处理与CK处理相比均有利于提高稻田不同层次土壤有机碳储量,其中以紫云英秸秆还田的效果最好,黑麦草和马铃薯次之;各处理稻田土壤有机碳储量均随土壤深度的增加而递增.     

垦殖对新疆绿洲农田土壤有机碳组分及团聚体稳定性的影响

土壤有机碳是土壤质量变化的重要指标,土壤活性有机碳组分在土壤质量变化方面发挥重要作用。采用有机碳分组技术,研究了干旱荒漠区自然土壤开垦对绿洲农田土壤有机碳活性组分及团聚体稳定性的影响。结果表明:低有机碳含量的自然土壤垦殖后,有利于干旱荒漠区绿洲棉田土壤有机碳的积累,且垦殖(0-5a)增加显著,年均增加在0.65gkg-1以上,上升幅度为76%-286%,5a后维持在相对平衡的水平;土壤活性有机碳、轻组有机碳在垦殖0-5a显著增加,平均增加72%和99%,5a后下降;颗粒有机碳则表现出垦殖0-10a明显增加,增加在275%以上,10a后下降;土壤水稳性团聚体含量随垦殖年限的延长显著增加,0-20a内较自然土壤提高了75%。垦殖可能是干旱区绿洲农田潜在碳汇的重要影响因素;但随垦殖年限延长,土壤有机碳活性组分下降,土壤质量又存在一定的退化风险。     

中国东部森林土壤有机碳组分的纬度格局及其影响因子

土壤有机碳是森林碳库的重要组成部分,其活性有机碳组分不仅是土壤碳周转过程的重要环节,还是气候变化最敏感的指标。以中国东部南北森林样带(NSTEC,North-South Transect of Eastern China)为对象,选择了9个典型森林生态系统(尖峰岭、鼎湖山、九连山、神农架、太岳山、东灵山、长白山、凉水和呼中),涵盖了我国热带森林、亚热带森林和温带森林的主要类型,测定其0—10 cm土壤有机碳(SOC)、易氧化有机碳(EOC)、微生物碳(MBC)和可溶性有机碳(DOC)含量,结合气候、土壤质地、土壤微生物和植被生物量等因素,探讨了森林土壤有机碳组分的纬度格局及其主要影响因素。实验结果表明:SOC、EOC、MBC和DOC含量分别为23.12—77.00 g/kg、4.62—17.24 g/kg、41.92—329.39 mg/kg和212.63—453.43 mg/kg。SOC、EOC和MBC随纬度增加呈指数增长(P0.05),而DOC则随纬度增加呈指数降低(P0.05)。在不同气候带上,SOC和EOC含量表现为热带森林亚热带森林温带森林(P0.05),DOC含量表现为热带森林亚热带森林温带森林(P0.001)。气候、植被生物量、土壤质地和土壤微生物可解释土壤有机碳组分纬度格局的大部分空间变异(SOC 74%;EOC 65%;MBC 51%和DOC 76%)。其中,气候是土壤有机碳组分呈现纬度格局的主要影响因素,土壤质地是SOC和EOC的次要影响因素,而土壤微生物和植被生物量是MBC和DOC的次要影响因素。     

土壤非保护性有机碳对荒漠草原沙漠化的响应

沙化草地的恢复与重建是干旱半干旱区生态建设的重要内容,分析荒漠草原沙漠化过程中土壤非保护性有机碳分配比例的变异规律对于探讨沙化草地恢复机制具有重要的理论价值。以干旱、半干旱地区荒漠草原不同沙化阶段的土壤为研究对象,分析土壤粗颗粒有机碳、细颗粒有机碳、轻组有机碳含量和分配比例的分布特征、土壤非保护性有机碳转化为保护性有机碳的速率。结果表明:荒漠草原发生逆向演替后,土壤细颗粒有碳含量和分配比例表现为固定沙地荒漠草地半固定沙地流动沙地;粗颗粒有机碳含量表现为荒漠草地半固定沙地流动沙地固定沙地,粗颗粒有机碳分配比例表现为流动沙地半固定沙地荒漠草地固定沙地;轻组有机碳含量和分配比例递减。颗粒有机碳、轻组有机碳、土壤有机碳对草地沙漠化的敏感性不同,颗粒有机碳较轻组有机碳和土壤有机碳敏感性强,其中细颗粒有机碳较粗颗粒有机碳敏感性强。随着草地沙漠化程度的增强土壤非保护性有机碳分配比例呈下降趋势,表明草地沙漠化降低土壤质量。荒漠草地退化至流动沙地土壤非保护性有机碳转化为保护性有机碳的速率整体呈上升趋势。     

油蒿(Artemisia ordosica)光化学量子效率和非光化学淬灭的动态及其影响因子

叶绿素荧光的测定是探究干旱半干旱区沙生植物对环境变化响应的重要手段,叶绿素荧光的动力学研究对认识植物适应环境胁迫的生理生态过程与机制具有重要意义。本文于2012年6—10月研究了宁夏盐池油蒿(Artemisia ordosica)的光化学量子效率(Φ)和非光化学淬灭(NPQ)的季节变化和日变化,及其与光合有效辐射(PAR)、相对湿度(RH)和空气温度(Ta)的关系。结果表明:在观测期内,油蒿的Φ随PAR和Ta升高而降低,随RH的升高而升高,NPQ的变化与Φ相反;在日变化尺度,油蒿的Φ(R20.92)和NPQ(R20.90)与PAR紧密相关,而与空气温度(Ta)和相对湿度(RH)的日变化存在3~4 h的滞后;此外,在相同PAR下,生长季前期的Φ大于后期,生长季旺期的NPQ大于末期;因此,PAR、Ta和RH对Φ和NPQ均有影响。     

Effects of precipitation on soil organic carbon fractions in three subtropical forests in southern China

Aims The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of precipitation changes on soil organic carbon (SOC) fractions in subtropical forests where the precipitation pattern has been altered for decades.Methods We conducted field manipulations of precipitation, including ambient precipitation as a control (CK), double precipitation (DP) and no precipitation (NP), for 3 years in three forests with different stand ages (broadleaf forest [BF], mixed forest [MF] and pine forest [PF]) in subtropical China. At the end of the experiment, soil samples were collected to assay SOC content, readily oxidizable organic carbon (ROC) and non-readily oxidizable organic carbon (NROC), as well as soil microbial biomass carbon (MBC), pH and total nitrogen content. Samples from the forest floors were also collected to analyze carbon (C) functional groups (i.e. alkyl C, aromatic C, O-alkyl C and carbonyl C). Furthermore, fine root biomass was measured periodically throughout the experiment.Important findings Among the forests, ROC content did not exhibit any notable differences, while NROC content increased significantly with the stand age. This finding implied that the SOC accumulation observed in these forests resulted from the accumulation of NROC in the soil, a mechanism for SOC accumulation in the mature forests of southern China. Moreover, NP treatment led to significant reductions in both ROC and NROC content and therefore reduced the total SOC content in all of the studied forests. Such decreases may be due to the lower plant-derived C inputs (C quantity) and to the changes in SOC components (C quality) indicated by C functional groups analyses under NP treatment. DP treatment in all the forests also tended to decrease the SOC content, although the decreases were not statistically significant with the exception of SOC and ROC content in PF. This finding indicated that soils in MF and in BF may be more resistant to precipitation increases, possibly due to less water limitations under natural conditions in the two forests. Our results therefore highlight the different responses of SOC and its fractions to precipitation changes among the forests and suggest that further studies are needed to improve our understanding of SOC dynamics in such an important C sink region.     

森林流域坡面流与壤中流耦合模型的构建与应用

采用饱和入渗理论、Saint-Venant方程和Richards方程构建了以有限差分法求解的坡面流与壤中流耦合模型,并模拟了不同坡度和不同雨强下的坡面产汇流室内实验.结果表明：该模型模拟的坡面流和壤中流过程与实测过程基本一致,峰现时间、径流历时、峰值流量、出流总量模拟值与实测值的相对误差均较小,基本小于10%.模型的模拟精度较高,实用性较强,为深入研究壤中流机制和改进流域降雨-径流模型提供了理论依据.     

子午岭林区生态系统转换对土壤有机碳特征的影响

生态系统转换影响土壤有机碳的动态、循环及环境质量.本研究分析了子午岭林区农田、草地、灌丛和森林不同生态系统土壤总有机碳、活性有机碳和稳定性有机碳含量.结果显示:各生态系统中,表层(0~10 cm)土壤总有机碳含量显著高于深层土壤(40~70 cm).与农田生态系统表层土壤相比,草地、灌丛、森林生态系统土壤总有机碳含量分别增加82.07%、121.67%和183.16%,深层土壤有机碳含量也有类似的趋势;从增加的绝对值来看,表层土壤活性有机碳含量分别增加2.24、4.13和5.43 g/kg,土壤稳定性有机碳含量分别增加4.76、6.23和10.18g/kg.表明农田生态系统转换为林、草生态系统,有利于土壤有机碳的积累.而且,土壤作为碳“汇”的功能增强,更有利于CO2固定和生态环境改善.     

Organic carbon dynamics in two regulated rivers in northwestern Montana,USA

We studied the transport of particulate organic carbon (POC) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in two regulated rivers during minimum and increasing discharges. Mean annual concentrations of total POC, measured monthly during conditions of minimum discharge from the dams, were twice as high at a station below a dam with a selective withdrawal system on the Kootenai River (KR, 0.15 mg 1^–1), as at station below a dam with hypolimnetic water releases on the Flathead River (FR, 0.07 mg 1^–1). Annual mean concentrations of DOC were similar below both dams (1.62 mg 1^–1 FR; 1.71 KR). The percentage of POC in four size fractions differed in regulated and unregulated reaches of each river system; the smallest size fraction (0.45–10 smm) constituted a larger percentage of the total POC at the stations below the dams (50–93%), because POC in large size classes had settled out in the reservoir. The three largest size fractions (10–1000 µm) comprised a larger percentage of the total POC when samples were taken during conditions of full discharge from the dam. We measured large increases in all size classes of POC in samples collected during increasing discharges in a regulated reach, reflecting the component of sloughed periphyton and resuspended organic matter that were added during periods of hydropower generation at the dam. Seston (355 µm to 1 cm) collected in nets increased dramatically during increasing flows; concentrations of particulate organic matter (POM) in samples collected two and three hours after water levels began to rise were 572 and 1440 times higher than those collected during minimum discharge at the dam.     

土壤有机碳和外源添加碳对水稻土土体呼吸的影响

土体呼吸输出碳来源于土壤固有有机碳和外源添加碳,而以往关于不同施肥措施对水稻土碳排放的研究少有区分碳的来源。本试验利用一个长达30年的水稻土定位试验,在保证原有定位试验继续正常开展的前提下变更部分施肥处理,得到继续施用高量有机肥(HOM)、施用常量有机肥30年后改施高量有机肥(N-H)、继续施用常量有机肥(NOM)、施用化肥30年后改施常量有机肥(C-N)、施用高量有机肥30年后改施化肥(H-C)、施用常量有机肥30年后改施化肥(N-C)、继续施用化肥(CF)等7种施肥处理。通过观测早稻生长期间原有施肥和改施肥处理土体CO2排放通量(FCO2),研究不同后续施肥对水稻土FCO2的影响,以期探讨土壤原始有机碳和外源添加碳对土壤FCO2的影响。结果表明:7种不同施肥处理土体CO2平均排放通量(F珔CO2)分别为85.34、69.10、51.27、49.15、14.89、12.92和11.59 mg C.m-2.h-1;对施用无机肥料和常量有机肥料的土体而言,土壤本身有机碳含量对F珔CO2无显著影响,但对施用高量有机肥的土体而言,土壤本身的高有机碳含量会增强F珔CO2;CO2排放通量(Y)与添加外源碳量(x)之间符合指数方程:Y=13.33e1.719 x(R2=0.967,n=21),施入的外源有机碳对土体FCO2产生极显著影响;当季外源添加碳以CO2-C矿化分解释放的碳占其总碳量的14%左右,且该分解率受土壤有机碳含量和有机物料添加量的影响较小。     

1997-2006年中国城市建成区有机碳储量的估算

随着城市区域碳排放的增加,城市碳循环在全球碳循环中的地位越来越重要,而城市碳排放和碳储量的估算是城市碳循环研究的基础.本研究利用统计资料,参考国内外相关研究成果,对1997-2006年中国城市建成区有机碳储量进行估算.结果表明： 1997-2006年,中国城市建成区总有机碳储量呈上升趋势,由0.13～0.19 Pg C（平均值为0.16 Pg C）增加到0.28～0.41 Pg C（平均值为0.34 Pg C）;建成区有机碳密度由9.86～14.03 kg C·m^-2（平均值为11.95 kg C·m^-2）增加到10.54～15.54 kg C·m^-2（平均值为13.04 kg C·m^-2）.建成区的有机碳主要储存在土壤中,其次是建筑物和绿地,居民有机体的碳储量可忽略不计.1997和2006年,土壤、建筑物、绿地和居民有机体在总碳库中的比例分别为78%、12%、9%、1%和73%、16%、10%、1%.     

Long‐term organic carbon sequestration in tidal marsh sediments is dominated by old‐aged allochthonous inputs in a macrotidal estuary

Tidal marshes are vegetated coastal ecosystems that are often considered as hotspots of atmospheric CO₂ sequestration. Although large amounts of organic carbon (OC) are indeed being deposited on tidal marshes, there is no direct link between high OC deposition rates and high OC sequestration rates due to two main reasons. First, the deposited OC may become rapidly decomposed once it is buried and, second, a significant part of preserved OC may be allochthonous OC that has been sequestered elsewhere. In this study we aimed to identify the mechanisms controlling long‐term OC sequestration in tidal marsh sediments along an estuarine salinity gradient (Scheldt estuary, Belgium and the Netherlands). Analyses of deposited sediments have shown that OC deposited during tidal inundations is up to millennia old. This allochthonous OC is the main component of OC that is effectively preserved in these sediments, as indicated by the low radiocarbon content of buried OC. Furthermore, OC fractionation showed that autochthonous OC is decomposed on a decadal timescale in saltmarsh sediments, while in freshwater marsh sediments locally produced biomass is more efficiently preserved after burial. Our results show that long‐term OC sequestration is decoupled from local biomass production in the studied tidal marsh sediments. This implies that OC sequestration rates are greatly overestimated when they are calculated based on short‐term OC deposition rates, which are controlled by labile autochthonous OC inputs. Moreover, as allochthonous OC is not sequestered in‐situ, it does not contribute to active atmospheric CO₂ sequestration in these ecosystems. A correct assessment of the contribution of allochthonous OC to the total sedimentary OC stock in tidal marsh sediments as well as a correct understanding of the long‐term fate of locally produced OC are both necessary to avoid overestimations of the rate of in‐situ atmospheric CO₂ sequestration in tidal marsh sediments.     

Nitrogen increases soil organic carbon accrual and alters its functionality

Nitrogen (N) availability has been considered as a critical factor for the cycling and storage of soil organic carbon (SOC), but effects of N enrichment on the SOC pool appear highly variable. Given the complex nature of the SOC pool, recent frameworks suggest that separating this pool into different functional components, for example, particulate organic carbon (POC) and mineral-associated organic carbon (MAOC), is of great importance for understanding and predicting SOC dynamics. Importantly, little is known about how these N-induced changes in SOC components (e.g., changes in the ratios among these fractions) would affect the functionality of the SOC pool, given the differences in nutrient density, resistance to disturbance, and turnover time between POC and MAOC pool. Here, we conducted a global meta-analysis of 803 paired observations from 98 published studies to assess the effect of N addition on these SOC components, and the ratios among these fractions. We found that N addition, on average, significantly increased POC and MAOC pools by 16.4% and 3.7%, respectively. In contrast, both the ratios of MAOC to SOC and MAOC to POC were remarkably decreased by N enrichment (4.1% and 10.1%, respectively). Increases in the POC pool were positively correlated with changes in aboveground plant biomass and with hydrolytic enzymes. However, the positive responses of MAOC to N enrichment were correlated with increases in microbial biomass. Our results suggest that although reactive N deposition could facilitate soil C sequestration to some extent, it might decrease the nutrient density, turnover time, and resistance to disturbance of the SOC pool. Our study provides mechanistic insights into the effects of N enrichment on the SOC pool and its functionality at global scale, which is pivotal for understanding soil C dynamics especially in future scenarios with more frequent and severe perturbations.