The capacity of soils to preserve organic C and N by their association with clay and silt particles

Although it has been recognized that the adsorption of organics to clay and silt particles is an important determinant of the stability of organic matter in soils, no attempts have been made to quantify the amounts of C and N that can be preserved in this way in different soils. Our hypothesis is that the amounts of C and N that can be associated with clay and silt particles is limited. This study quantifies the relationships between soil texture and the maximum amounts of C and N that can be preserved in the soil by their association with clay and silt particles. To estimate the maximum amounts of C and N that can be associated with clay and silt particles we compared the amounts of clay- and silt-associated C and N in Dutch grassland soils with corresponding Dutch arable soils. Secondly, we compared the amounts of clay- and silt-associated C and N in the Dutch soils with clay and silt-associated C and N in uncultivated soils of temperate and tropical regions.We observed that although the Dutch arable soils contained less C and N than the corresponding grassland soils, the amounts of C and N associated with clay and silt particles was the same indicating that the amounts of C and N that can become associated with this fraction had reached a maximum. We also observed close positive relationships between the proportion of primary particles < 20 m in a soil and the amounts of C and N that were associated with this fraction in the top 10 cm of soils from both temperate and tropical regions. The observed relationships were assumed to estimate the capacity of a soil to preserve C and N by their association with clay and silt particles. The observed relationships did not seem to be affected by the dominant type of clay mineral. The only exception were Australian soils, which had on average more than two times lower amounts of C and N associated with clay and silt particles than other soils. This was probably due to the combination of low precipitation and high temperature leading to low inputs of organic C and N.The amount of C and N in the fraction > 20 m was not correlated with soil texture. Cultivation decreased the amount of C and N in the fraction > 20 m to a greater extent than in the fraction < 20 m, indicating that C and N associated with the fraction < 20 m is better protected against decomposition.The finding of a given soil having a maximum capacity to preserve organic C and N will improve our estimations of the amounts of C and N that can become stabilized in soils. It has important consequences for the contribution of different soils to serve as a sink or source for C and N in the long term.     

No detectable upper limit of mineral-associated organic carbon in temperate agricultural soils

Soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration is a promising climate change mitigation option. In this context, the formation of the relatively long-lived mineral-associated organic carbon (MAOC) is key. To date, soils are considered to be limited in their ability to accumulate MAOC, mainly by the amount of clay and silt particles present. Using the comprehensive German Agricultural Soil Inventory, we selected 189 samples with a wide range of SOC (5–118 g kg⁻¹) and clay contents (30–770 g kg⁻¹) to test whether there is a detectable upper limit of MAOC content. We found that the proportion of MAOC was surprisingly stable for soils under cropland and grassland use across the whole range of bulk SOC contents. Soil texture influenced the slope of the relationship between bulk SOC and MAOC, but no upper limit was observed in any texture class. Also, C content in the fine fraction (g C kg⁻¹ fraction) was negatively correlated to fine fraction content (g kg⁻¹ bulk soil). Both findings challenge the notion that MAOC accumulation is limited by soil fine fraction content per se.     

Effects of grazing and soil micro-climate on decomposition rates in a spatio-temporally heterogeneous grassland

Grazing and seasonal variation in precipitation and temperature are important controls of soil and plant processes in grasslands. As these ecosystems store up to 30% of the world’s belowground carbon (C), it is important to understand how this variability affects mineral soil C pools/fluxes, and how C cycling might be affected by changes in precipitation and temperature, due to climate change. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of grazing and differences in soil temperature and moisture on standard organic matter (OM) decomposition rates (cotton cloth) incubated in the top 10 cm soil of grasslands with variable topography in Yellowstone National Park (YNP) during the 2004 growing season. Grazing did not affect soil temperature, moisture, cotton cloth decomposition rates, soil bulk density, soil C and N concentrations, or soil C:N ratios. However, a large spatio-temporal variability in decomposition was observed: cotton cloth decomposition was positively related to soil moisture and soil C and N concentrations, and negatively to soil temperature. Highest decomposition rates were found in wetter slope bottom soils [season averages of decomposition given as rate of decomposition (cotton rotting rate = CRR) = 23–26%] and lower rates in drier, hill-top soils (season averages, CRR = 20%). Significantly higher decomposition rates were recorded in spring, early summer and early fall when soils were moist and cool (spring, CRR = 25%; early summer, CRR = 26%; fall, CRR = 20%) compared to mid-summer (CRR = 18%) when soils were dry and warm. Our findings suggest that climate-change related decreases in precipitation and increases in temperature predicted for North American grasslands would decrease soil OM decomposition in YNP, which contrasts the general assumption that increases in temperature would accelerate OM decomposition rates.     

Soil organic carbon stock and chemical composition along an altitude gradient in the Lushan Mountain,subtropical China

Soil organic carbon (SOC) stock in mountain ecosystems is highly heterogeneous because of differences in soil, climate, and vegetation with elevation. Little is known about the spatial distribution and chemical composition of SOC along altitude gradients in subtropical mountain regions, and the controlling factors remain unclear. In this study, we investigated the changes in SOC stock and chemical composition along an elevation gradient (219, 405, 780, and 1268 m a.s.l.) on Lushan Mountain, subtropical China. The results suggested that SOC stocks were significantly higher at high altitude sites (1268 m) than at low altitude ones (219, 405, and 780 m), but the lower altitude sites did not differ significantly. SOC stocks correlated positively with mean annual precipitation but negatively with mean annual temperature and litter C/N ratio. The variations in SOC stocks were related mainly to decreasing temperature and increasing precipitation with altitude, which resulted in decreased litter decomposition at high altitude sites. This effect was also demonstrated by the chemical composition of SOC, which showed lower alkyl C and higher O-alkyl C contents at high altitude sites. These results will improve the understanding of soil C dynamics and enhance predictions of the responses of mountain ecosystem to global warming under climate change.     

青藏高原灌丛土壤碳氮含量及其相关功能基因分布特征

在微生物的代谢活动下,土壤中有机态碳氮化合物矿化分解释放矿质养分和二氧化碳,深刻影响着自然生态系统土壤碳、氮等元素的循环转化、土壤的养分供应和有机质的更新,并对地上植被的演替和分布有极为重要的意义。青藏高原灌丛面积分布广泛,地形和气候条件复杂,但目前对灌丛分布地区土壤碳氮含量、矿化作用强度及其影响因素等的认识较少。研究结合土壤理化分析和高通量定量PCR(quantitative microbial element cycling, QMEC)技术研究了青藏高原喜马拉雅山-冈底斯山地区不同类型灌丛土壤碳氮含量、碳氮矿化速率和相关功能基因的分布特征及其与植被、气候和土壤因子间的耦联关系。结果表明,不同类型灌丛土壤的有机碳、全氮含量、CO₂释放速率、净氮矿化速率、碳氮矿化基因的丰度有显著差异。其中,位于青藏高原东南部的雪层杜鹃和香柏灌丛分布区土壤有机碳和全氮含量、CO₂释放速率、净氮矿化速率显著高于位于中西部的变色锦鸡儿、金露梅和砂生槐灌丛地区,并与年平均降雨量显著正相关。然而,碳、氮矿化基因丰度分布趋势与之相反,在雪层杜鹃和香柏灌丛分布区丰度显著...     

Drivers of postfire soil organic carbon accumulation in the boreal forest

The accumulation of soil carbon (C) is regulated by a complex interplay between abiotic and biotic factors. Our study aimed to identify the main drivers of soil C accumulation in the boreal forest of eastern North America. Ecosystem C pools were measured in 72 sites of fire origin that burned 2–314 years ago over a vast region with a range of ? mean annual temperature of 3°C and one of ? 500 mm total precipitation. We used a set of multivariate a priori causal hypotheses to test the influence of time since fire (TSF), climate, soil physico‐chemistry and bryophyte dominance on forest soil organic C accumulation. Integrating the direct and indirect effects among abiotic and biotic variables explained as much as 50% of the full model variability. The main direct drivers of soil C stocks were: TSF >bryophyte dominance of the FH layer and metal oxide content >pH of the mineral soil. Only climate parameters related to water availability contributed significantly to explaining soil C stock variation. Importantly, climate was found to affect FH layer and mineral soil C stocks indirectly through its effects on bryophyte dominance and organo‐metal complexation, respectively. Soil texture had no influence on soil C stocks. Soil C stocks increased both in the FH layer and mineral soil with TSF and this effect was linked to a decrease in pH with TSF in mineral soil. TSF thus appears to be an important factor of soil development and of C sequestration in mineral soil through its influence on soil chemistry. Overall, this work highlights that integrating the complex interplay between the main drivers of soil C stocks into mechanistic models of C dynamics could improve our ability to assess C stocks and better anticipate the response of the boreal forest to global change.     

气候、植被及土壤因素交互作用对宁夏土壤有机碳的影响机制

基于宁夏全区121个土壤剖面样点,研究不同深度(0—30、30—80、80—120cm)土壤有机碳的空间分布特征,通过相关性、方差分解和构建结构方程模型,分析气候、植被和土壤因素对宁夏不同深度土壤有机碳的影响及其作用途径。结果表明：(1)宁夏不同深度土壤有机碳含量均呈现中间低南北高的空间分布趋势,0—120cm剖面土壤有机碳含量随着土壤深度的增加而降低,土壤有机碳含量均值为5.49g/kg,变异系数达90.71%,含量偏低且空间异质性强。(2)各土层土壤有机碳与年均气温、干燥度、碳酸钙、pH均呈现极显著的负相关性(P<0.01),与年均降水量、相对湿度、植被净初级生产力、全氮、全磷、全钾、钙离子、阳离子交换量、粘粒含量均呈现极显著的正相关性(P<0.01)。(3)各因素对不同土层土壤有机碳的作用方式和影响程度有差异。土壤全氮、全磷、碳酸钙、阳离子交换量均能直接影响土壤有机碳,年均气温和植被净初级生产力对土壤有机碳的直接影响效应不显著,主要通过土壤属性间接影响土壤有机碳含量。随着土层深度的增加,气候和植被因素作用明显减弱,土壤因素作用增强并成为主要影响因素。该结果有助于宁夏土...     

内蒙古自治区土壤有机碳、氮蓄积量的空间特征

采用全国策二次土壤普查中内蒙古自治区的典型土种剖面资料,在剖面深度的基础上,用地统计学和地理信息系统(GIS)方法,分别按土壤类型和土地覆被类型计算了土壤有机碳、氮密度,分析了内蒙古自治区土壤有机碳、氮蓄积量的空间分布特征,探讨了土壤有机碳、氮蓄积量与主要气候要素的关系．结果表明,内蒙古自治区土壤有机碳密度处于3．24-43．24kg·m^-3之间,土壤有机氮密度处于269．56-3085．60g·m^-3之间,土壤碳、氮比(C／N)大致在4．46-17．13之间．土壤有机碳、氮密度与温度呈负相关,相关系数分别为0．557和0．460(n＝245);与年均降水量呈正相关,但相关性不是很强,相关系数分别为0．285和0．203．从内蒙古自治区东北地区到西南地区,土壤有机碳、氮蓄积量随着温度递升和降水量递减呈现降低的趋势。     

Variations in soil carbon sequestration and their determinants along a precipitation gradient in seasonally dry tropical forest ecosystems

The effect of precipitation regime on the C cycle of tropical forests is poorly understood, despite the existence of models that suggest a drier climate may substantially alter the source‐sink function of these ecosystems. Along a precipitation regime gradient containing 12 mature seasonally dry tropical forests growing under otherwise similar conditions (similar annual temperature, rainfall seasonality, and geological substrate), we analyzed the influence of variation in annual precipitation (1240 to 642 mm) and duration of seasonal drought on soil C. We investigated litterfall, decomposition in the forest floor, and C storage in the mineral soil, and analyzed the dependence of these processes and pools on precipitation. Litterfall decreased slightly – about 10% – from stands with 1240 mm yr^?1 to those with 642 mm yr^?1, while the decomposition decreased by 56%. Reduced precipitation strongly affected C storage and basal respiration in the mineral soil. Higher soil C storage at the drier sites was also related to the higher chemical recalcitrance of litter (fine roots and forest floor) and the presence of charcoal across sites, suggesting an important indirect influence of climate on C sequestration. Basal respiration was controlled by the amount of recalcitrant organic matter in the mineral soil. We conclude that in these forest ecosystems, the long‐term consequences of decreased precipitation would be an increase in organic layer and mineral soil C storage, mainly due to lower decomposition and higher chemical recalcitrance of organic matter, resulting from changes in litter composition and, likely also, wildfire patterns. This could turn these seasonally dry tropical forests into significant soil C sinks under the predicted longer drought periods if primary productivity is maintained.     

宁夏草地土壤有机碳空间特征及其影响因素

草地是重要的碳汇资源库,在陆地生态系统碳循环中扮演着重要角色。探明草地土壤有机碳的空间分布格局及其影响因素对于推动区域生态系统碳汇管理,实现“双碳”目标和绿色高质量发展具有重要意义。以宁夏三种主要草地类型为研究对象,基于野外样点调查,采用结构方程模型,分析了草地土壤有机碳的空间分布特征及其影响因素。结果表明：不同类型草地土壤有机碳含量表现为草甸草原高于典型草原,荒漠草原最低,垂直剖面上均随土壤深度的增加而降低。草甸草原和荒漠草原有机碳空间变异自表层向下逐渐增大,典型草原在20—40 cm土层变异系数达到最大。有机碳分布在区域上从南部六盘山山地向中部干旱风沙带逐渐降低。路矩分析发现,海拔高度、地上生物量、降水量、温度和土壤含水量可解释土壤有机碳空间变异的91.4%。海拔高度对土壤有机碳总效应最大(作用系数为0.78),海拔高度引起的降水和温度等要素区域分异间接影响土壤有机碳含量;地上生物量对土壤有机碳的直接正向效应最大(0.559);降水量对土壤有机碳效应分为直接效应和作用于生物量及土壤含水量的间接影响;温度表现为通过生物量对土壤有机碳间接产生负向效应(-0.259)。宁夏草地土壤有机碳...     

青藏高原高寒草甸不同海拔土壤酶化学计量特征

土壤酶在生态系统物质循环和能量流动中起着关键作用,研究土壤酶活性对于探讨生态系统功能有着重要意义.采用Biolog微平板技术,研究不同海拔(4300～5100 m)土壤酶活性和酶计量比的变化特征及影响机制.结果表明:与C循环密切相关的β-1,4-葡萄糖苷酶(βG)、与N循环密切相关的β-1,4-N-乙酰氨基葡萄糖苷酶(NAG)、L-亮氨酸氨基肽酶(LAP)以及与P循环密切相关的酸性磷酸酶(AP)活性均随海拔升高呈现先上升后下降的单峰变化趋势,整体表现出4800 m>4950 m>4400 m>4650 m>5100 m>4300 m;土壤N∶P酶活性比呈现与土壤酶活性相同的先上升后下降单峰变化趋势,在4950 m处达到最高值;而土壤C∶N和C∶P酶活性比表现出沿海拔升高逐渐增加的趋势.有机碳(SOC)、土壤全氮(TN)、土壤含水量与4种酶活性均呈显著正相关;年均温度与NAG、AP呈显著正相关;年降水量与NAG、AP呈显著负相关;土壤C∶P酶活性比、土壤N∶P酶活性比与年均温度、年降水量、植被Shannon多样性指数、植被丰富度指数、植被盖度和TN呈显著正相关.年均温、年降水量、植被丰富度、植被覆盖度、土壤全氮和溶解性有机碳显著影响土壤C∶N酶活性比.青藏高原草甸不同海拔土壤酶活性和酶计量比呈现显著的海拔差异,且高海拔地区存在一定的N限制.土壤酶活性海拔差异主要受到土壤含水量、TN、SOC、年降水量和年均温度的影响.     

黄土高原不同土地利用类型土壤含水量的地带性与影响因素

通过对黄土高原南北样带大面积(北纬34°05'—40°75'、东经107°14'—111°09')土壤含水量(0—500 cm剖面)测定和相应植被类型调查,研究了黄土高原农田、草地、灌木林地和乔木林地4种土地利用类型土壤含水量的空间变化及它们之间的差异性。结果表明:黄土高原4种土地利用类型的土壤含水量皆呈现南北向地带性变化,自南向北土壤含水量有明显递减趋势,与多年平均降雨量、潜在蒸散量、土壤质地等的分布具有一致性;同一地点不同土地利用类型下土壤水分含量具有显著差异(农地草地灌木和乔木林地),不同植被类型根系分布、蒸散耗水量的不同是造成含水量差异性的原因。植被建设应遵循土壤水分分布规律,研究结果对黄土高原植被恢复建设具有一定参考价值。     

Dissolved Organic Carbon in Headwater Streams and Riparian Soil Organic Carbon along an Altitudinal Gradient in the Wuyi Mountains,China

Stream water dissolved organic carbon (DOC) correlates positively with soil organic carbon (SOC) in many biomes. Does this relationship hold in a small geographic region when variations of temperature, precipitation and vegetation are driven by a significant altitudinal gradient? We examined the spatial connectivity between concentrations of DOC in headwater stream and contents of riparian SOC and water-soluble soil organic carbon (WSOC), riparian soil C:N ratio, and temperature in four vegetation types along an altitudinal gradient in the Wuyi Mountains, China. Our analyses showed that annual mean concentrations of headwater stream DOC were lower in alpine meadow (AM) than in subtropical evergreen broadleaf forest (EBF), coniferous forest (CF), and subalpine dwarf forest (SDF). Headwater stream DOC concentrations were negatively correlated with riparian SOC as well as WSOC contents, and were unrelated to riparian soil C:N ratio. Our findings suggest that DOC concentrations in headwater streams are affected by different factors at regional and local scales. The dilution effect of higher precipitation and adsorption of soil DOC to higher soil clay plus silt content at higher elevation may play an important role in causing lower DOC concentrations in AM stream of the Wuyi Mountains. Our results suggest that upscaling and downscaling of the drivers of DOC export from forested watersheds when exploring the response of carbon flux to climatic change or other drivers must done with caution.     

人工油松林恢复过程中土壤理化性质及有机碳含量的变化特征

采用时空替代法,选取岷江上游大沟流域内不同恢复时期(12、18、25、35a)的人工油松林为研究对象,研究了植被恢复过程中土壤理化性质及有机碳含量的变化特征,同时探讨了它们之间的相互关系.研究结果表明沿恢复梯度,土壤质量得到了改善,主要表现为土壤粘粒含量、比表面积、有机质含量显著增加,土壤粉粒含量和pH值则显著下降.土壤有机质与土壤粘粒和比表面积呈显著正相关,与土壤容重呈显著负相关.此外,土壤有机碳含量沿恢复梯度显著增加,0-50 cm内土壤有机碳含量从5.59 kg/m2增加到12.64 kg/m2,土壤年平均固碳速率为0.31 kg/m2.     

Role of proteins in soil carbon and nitrogen storage: controls on persistence

Mechanisms of soil organic carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) stabilization are of great interest, due to the potential for increased CO₂ release from soil organic matter (SOM) to the atmosphere as a result of global warming, and because of the critical role of soil organic N in controlling plant productivity. Soil proteins are recognized increasingly as playing major roles in stabilization and destabilization of soil organic C and N. Two categories of proteins are proposed: detrital proteins that are released upon cell death and functional proteins that are actively released into the soil to fulfill specific functions. The latter include microbial surface-active proteins (e.g., hydrophobins, chaplins, SC15, glomalin), many of which have structures that promote their persistence in the soil, and extracellular enzymes, responsible for many decomposition and nutrient cycling transformations. Here we review information on the nature of soil proteins, particularly those of microbial origin, and on the factors that control protein persistence and turnover in the soil. We discuss first the intrinsic properties of the protein molecule that affect its stability, next possible extrinsic stabilizing influences that arise as the proteins interact with other soil constituents, and lastly controls on accessibility of proteins at coarser spatial scales involving microbial cells, clay particles, and soil aggregates. We conclude that research at the interface between soil science and microbial physiology will yield rapid advances in our understanding of soil proteins. We suggest as research priorities determining the relative abundance and turnover time (age) of microbial versus plant proteins and of functional microbial proteins, including surface-active compounds.     

Carbon sequestration potential of soils in southeast Germany derived from stable soil organic carbon saturation

Sequestration of atmospheric carbon (C) in soils through improved management of forest and agricultural land is considered to have high potential for global CO₂ mitigation. However, the potential of soils to sequester soil organic carbon (SOC) in a stable form, which is limited by the stabilization of SOC against microbial mineralization, is largely unknown. In this study, we estimated the C sequestration potential of soils in southeast Germany by calculating the potential SOC saturation of silt and clay particles according to Hassink [Plant and Soil 191 (1997) 77] on the basis of 516 soil profiles. The determination of the current SOC content of silt and clay fractions for major soil units and land uses allowed an estimation of the C saturation deficit corresponding to the long‐term C sequestration potential. The results showed that cropland soils have a low level of C saturation of around 50% and could store considerable amounts of additional SOC. A relatively high C sequestration potential was also determined for grassland soils. In contrast, forest soils had a low C sequestration potential as they were almost C saturated. A high proportion of sites with a high degree of apparent oversaturation revealed that in acidic, coarse‐textured soils the relation to silt and clay is not suitable to estimate the stable C saturation. A strong correlation of the C saturation deficit with temperature and precipitation allowed a spatial estimation of the C sequestration potential for Bavaria. In total, about 395 Mt CO₂‐equivalents could theoretically be stored in A horizons of cultivated soils – four times the annual emission of greenhouse gases in Bavaria. Although achieving the entire estimated C storage capacity is unrealistic, improved management of cultivated land could contribute significantly to CO₂ mitigation. Moreover, increasing SOC stocks have additional benefits with respect to enhanced soil fertility and agricultural productivity.     

Anthropogenic N deposition increases soil organic matter accumulation without altering its biochemical composition

Accumulating evidence indicates that future rates of atmospheric N deposition have the potential to increase soil C storage by reducing the decay of plant litter and soil organic matter (SOM). Although the microbial mechanism underlying this response is not well understood, a decline in decay could alter the amount, as well as biochemical composition of SOM. Here, we used size‐density fractionation and solid‐state ¹³C‐NMR spectroscopy to explore the extent to which declines in microbial decay in a long‐term (ca. 20 yrs.) N deposition experiment have altered the biochemical composition of forest floor, bulk mineral soil, as well as free and occluded particulate organic matter. Significant amounts of organic matter have accumulated in occluded particulate organic matter (~20%; oPOM); however, experimental N deposition had not altered the abundance of carboxyl, aryl, alkyl, or O/N‐alkyl C in forest floor, bulk mineral soil, or any soil fraction. These observations suggest that biochemically equivalent organic matter has accumulated in oPOM at a greater rate under experimental N deposition, relative to the ambient treatment. Although we do not understand the process by which experimental N deposition has fostered the occlusion of organic matter by mineral soil particles, our results highlight the importance of interactions among the products of microbial decay and the chemical and physical properties of silt and clay particles that occlude organic matter from microbial attack. Because oPOM can reside in soils for decades to centuries, organic matter accumulating under future rates of anthropogenic N deposition could remain in soil for long periods of time. If temperate forest soils in the Northern Hemisphere respond like those in our experiment, then unabated deposition of anthropogenic N from the atmosphere has the potential to foster greater soil C storage, especially in fine‐texture forest soils.     

蒙古高原草地不同深度土壤碳氮磷化学计量特征对气候因子的响应

研究不同深度土壤碳(C)、氮(N)、磷(P)含量及其化学计量比对气候因子(年降水量(MAP)和年平均气温(MAT))的响应差异,对于理解气候变化如何影响生态系统功能具有重要意义。通过对蒙古高原干旱半干旱草地44个样点的野外调查,探讨了不同深度(0–20、20–40、40–60、60–80 cm)土壤C、N、P含量及其化学计量比与MAP和MAT的关系。主要结果:(1)随土壤深度的增加,土壤C和N含量逐渐减少,土壤P含量不变;土壤C:P和N:P逐渐降低,土壤C:N相对稳定。(2)土壤C、N、P含量以及土壤C:P、N:P与MAP显著正相关,与MAT显著负相关,土壤C:N与MAP显著负相关,与MAT无相关性;随着土壤深度的增加,土壤C、N、P含量及其化学计量比与气候因子的相关性均逐渐减弱。(3) MAP和MAT对不同深度土壤C、N、P含量和化学计量比的影响存在显著差异;随着土壤深度的增加, MAP和MAT对土壤C、N、P含量及其化学计量特征变化的总解释度逐渐减少。该研究表明气候因子对土壤元素化学计量特征具有自上而下的调控作用,蒙古高原草地土壤表层C、N、P含量及其化学计量比与MAP和MAT的关...