Fine-scale spatial distribution of soil organic carbon and its fractions after afforestation with Pinus sylvestris and Salix psammophila in a semiarid desert of China

半干旱沙漠中樟子松和沙柳造林后土壤有机碳及其组分的小尺度空间分布 半干旱沙漠造林有助于改善土壤功能以及增加土壤有机碳(SOC)固定,但人们对造林后SOC及其不稳定(LOC)组分的小尺度空间分布了解甚少。本研究以毛乌素沙地东南缘樟子松(Pinus sylvestris)和沙柳 (Salix psammophila)为研究对象,量化了距离树体20、80、150和240 cm处SOC、LOC组分及其相关变量的小尺度空间分布。研究结果表明,沙柳和樟子松造林显著提高了SOC、总氮(TN)、可溶性有机碳 (DOC)、微生物碳(MBC)和易氧化有机碳(ROOC)含量;在距离树体20 cm处,0–100 cm土层樟子松SOC 储量比沙柳高27.21%;在距离树体80和150 cm处,沙柳SOC储量分别比樟子松高5.50%和5.66%;与流 沙地相比,在距离树体20、80、150 和240 cm处,沙柳和樟子松SOC储量显著增加了94.90%、39.50%、 27.10%和18.50%;沙柳和樟子松ROOC分别占SOC的14.09%和18.93%。总之,造林促进了半干旱流沙地SOC的积累,樟子松比沙柳分配更多的有机质到距离树体<80 cm范围内的土体中。     

The impact of agricultural land use changes on soil organic carbon dynamics in the Danjiangkou Reservoir area of China

Aims

Over recent decades, a large uncultivated area has been converted to woodland and shrubland plantations to protect and restore riparian ecosystems in the Danjiangkou Reservoir area, a water source area of China’s Middle Route of the South-to-North Water Transfer Project. Besides water quality, afforestation may alter soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics and stock in terrestrial ecosystems, but its effects remain poorly quantified and understood.

Methods

We investigated soil organic C and nitrogen (N) content, and δ ¹³C and δ ¹⁵N values of organic soil in plant root-spheres and open areas in an afforested, shrubland and adjacent cropped soil. Soil C and N recalcitrance indexes (RIC and RIN) were calculated as the ratio of unhydrolyzable C and N to total C and N.

Results

Afforestation significantly increased SOC levels in plant root-spheres with the largest accumulation of C in the afforested soil. Afforestation also increased belowground biomass. The C:N ratios in organic soil changed from low to high in the order the cropped, the shrubland and the afforested soil. The RIC in the afforested and shrubland were higher than that in cropped soil, but the RIN increased from the afforested to shrubland to cropped soil. The δ¹⁵N values of the organic soil was enriched from the afforested to shrubland to cropped soil, indicating an increased N loss from the cropped soil compared to afforested or shrubland soil. Changes in the δ¹³C ratio further revealed that the decay rate of C in the three land use types was the highest in the cropped soil.

Conclusions

Afforestation increased the SOC stocks resulted from a combination of large C input from belowground and low C losses because of decreasing soil C decomposition. Shifts in vegetation due to land use change could alter both the quantity and quality of the soil C and thus, have potential effects on ecosystem function and recovery.     

土壤有机碳动态:风蚀效应

土壤风蚀是引起土壤退化最广泛的形式和原因之一。土壤风蚀对土壤碳动态的影响机制一方面是土壤风蚀引起土壤退化使土壤生产力下降,输入土壤的碳数量减少;另一方面是富含有机碳的细粒物质直接移出系统。风蚀土壤碳的去向包括:(1)就近沉积,(2)沉积于水渠和河流,输入水体;(3)以粉尘形式运移,在远离风蚀区的地域沉积;(4)氧化释放至大气。风蚀引起土壤碳的迁移和沉积不仅导致土壤有机碳在地域间的再分布,使土壤性状的空间异质性增加,也显著改变了土壤系统中碳矿化的生物学过程。土壤有机碳的保持可以促进团聚体的形成,使土壤物理稳定性增加,减缓风蚀。对易风蚀土地进行退耕还林还草、实行保护性耕作等措施可以有效增加土壤碳的固存。     

Assessing the impact of land-use change on soil C sequestration in agricultural soils by means of organic matter fractionation and stable C isotopes

Within the framework of the Kyoto Protocol, the potential mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions by terrestrial ecosystems has placed focus on carbon sequestration following afforestation of former arable land. Central to this soil C sequestration are the dynamics of soil organic matter (SOM). In North Eastern Italy, a mixed deciduous forest was planted on continuous maize field soil with a strong C₄ isotopic C signature 20 years ago. In addition, a continuous maize field and a relic of the original permanent grassland were maintained at the site, thus offering the opportunity to compare the impacts on soil C dynamics by conventional agriculture, afforestation and permanent grassland. Soil samples from the afforested, grassland and agricultured systems were separated in three aggregate size classes, and inter‐ vs. intra‐aggregate particulate organic matter was isolated. All fractions were analyzed for their C content and isotopic signature. The distinct ¹³C signature of the C derived from maize vegetation allowed the calculation of proportions of old vs. forest‐derived C of the physically defined fractions of the afforested soil. Long‐term agricultural use significantly decreased soil C content (?48%), in the top 10 cm, but not SOM aggregation, as compared to permanent grassland. After 20 years, afforestation increased the total amount of soil C by 23% and 6% in the 0–10 and in the 10–30 cm depth layer, respectively. Forest‐derived carbon contributed 43% and 31% to the total soil C storage in the afforested systems in the 0–10 and 10–30 cm depths, respectively. Furthermore, afforestation resulted in significant sequestration of new C and stabilization of old C in physically protected SOM fractions, associated with microaggregates (53–250 μm) and silt&clay (<53 μm).     

哈尼梯田生态系统土壤微生物量碳的影响因素

土壤微生物量碳（MBC,Microbial Biomass Carbon）是土壤微生物量的重要组成部分,也是土壤肥力变化的重要指标之一。哈尼梯田肥沃的土壤对哈尼梯田生态系统的维持与循环起到重要作用。以哈尼梯田水源区（乔木林、灌木林、荒草地）和梯田为研究对象,采用氯仿熏蒸法测定了4种不同土地利用类型0-20、20-40、40-60 cm 3个土层的土壤MBC,并分析了其与季节变化、地上植被及土壤理化性质之间的关系。结果表明：4种土地利用类型土壤MBC 3个土层皆以乔木林最高,其次是灌木林、荒草地、梯田,且4种土地利用类型土壤MBC含量都随土层深度的增加而减少,其中乔木林0-20 cm土层土壤MBC含量是40-60 cm土层的3.19倍。4种土地利用类型土壤MBC含量均具有明显的季节变化,总体呈"夏季偏高冬季偏低"的变化模式。相关分析表明,不同土地利用类型地上植被的多样性指数、盖度、优势种高度、枯落物层厚度与每一土层土壤MBC都具有很强的相互关系。土壤MBC与土壤有机碳和土壤孔隙度呈正相关性,与土壤容重呈负相关性。植被生长情况、土壤有机碳和孔隙度含量及季节变化是导致不同土地利用类型土壤微生物量碳差异的主要因素。     

川西亚高山次生林恢复过程中乔木层优势种变化及其影响因子

川西亚高山森林在20世纪下半叶遭受长时期连续砍伐,形成了采伐迹地上天然次生林恢复演替序列。该研究采用空间代替时间方法,以立地条件相似的暗针叶林作为对照,分析川西亚高山暗针叶林采伐迹地上次生林自然恢复过程中乔木层优势种组成及其影响因子。结果表明:(1)研究区亚高山天然次生林恢复演替过程中,不同演替阶段土壤各养分差异显著,其中土壤总氮、土壤总磷、土壤有效磷、土壤有效氮均在针阔混交林阶段最高,土壤pH值的变化在5.42～7.39范围波动,土壤有机碳随恢复的进行而增加,土壤C/N主要集中在15左右,只有针叶林达到18.62。(2)研究区次生林以16个乔木树种为主,针叶树种主要有粗枝云杉、岷江冷杉,阔叶树种主要有红桦、青榨槭等,且不同恢复阶段的群落乔木层优势种差异显著(R_(ANOSINM)=0.439,P0.001)。(3)多元回归树分析发现,次生林乔木层优势种组成主要受林龄、土壤有机碳和总氮的影响,其中在次生林恢复演替后期(80a后),乔木层组成可能主要由于种间竞争导致,在次生林恢复演替前、中期(80a前),环境选择可能是影响乔木层组成差异的主导因素。(4)反向选择筛选结果显示,土壤总氮、海拔高度、土壤有效磷和土壤有机碳是影响乔木层优势种差异的主要因子。     

Fluxes of N2O,CH4 and CO2 on afforested boreal agricultural soils

After drainage of natural boreal peatlands, the decomposition of organic matter increases and peat soil may turn into a net source of CO₂ and N₂O, whereas CH₄ emission is known to decrease. Afforestation is a potential mitigation strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emission from organic agricultural soils. A static chamber technique was used to evaluate the fluxes of CH₄, N₂O and CO₂ from three boreal organic agricultural soils in western Finland, afforested 1, 6 or 23 years before this study. The mean emissions of CH₄ and N₂O during the growing seasons did not correlate with the age of the tree stand. All sites were sources of N₂O. The highest daily N₂O emission during the growing season, measured in the oldest site, was as high as 29 mg N₂O m^–2d^–1. In general, organic agricultural soils are sinks for methane. Here, the oldest site acted as a small sink for methane, whereas the two youngest afforested organic soils were sources for methane with maximum emission rates (up to 154 mg m^–2d^–1) similar to those reported for minerogenous natural peatlands. Soil respiration rates decreased with the age of the forest. The high soil respiration in the younger sites, probably resulted from the high biomass production of herbs, could create soil anaerobiosis and increase methane production. Our results show that afforestation of agricultural peat soils does not abruptly terminate the N₂O emissions during the first two decades, and afforestation can even enhance methane emission for a few years. The carbon accumulation in the developing tree stand can partly compensate the carbon loss from soil.     

The Role of Revegetation for Rehabilitation of Sodic Soils in Semiarid Subtropical Forest, India

A 40‐year‐old rehabilitated forest developed on a sodic wasteland at Banthra, Lucknow, north India, was studied for the performance of various species in different vegetation strata as well as their overall impact in soil amelioration. The plant communities of the three selected stands (S1, S2, and S3) of this forest were categorized into three vegetation strata: overstory trees, understory trees and shrubs, and a ground layer with scattered herbs and tree seedlings. The three stands contained 44, 19, and 8 species in each stratum, respectively, and three climber species. Importance value index (IVI) and basal area/cover did not show a clear dominance for particular species, and this is identified as a mixed forest with deciduous as well as evergreen species. Therefore, dominant species in each layer were categorized according to an IVI value of 10 and greater than 10% relative basal area. Within each stratum, species richness and plant population density decreased with an increase in plant size. Both species diversity and productivity were relatively high compared to the reference site because of protection from biotic disturbances, which cannot be controlled on the reference site. Creation of new forest on the barren land has contributed significant soil amelioration in the degraded sodic soil of the Indogangetic plains. The soil properties of the three stands did not vary much, although different tree species dominated the stands. Maximum soil amelioration was recorded for total N, followed by mineralized N, available N, and organic carbon contents for the nutritional properties. With regard to chemical properties, exchangeable sodium was greatly reduced in comparison to other properties viz pH, electrical conductivity, cation exchange capacity, and exchangeable Ca content. During 40 years of growth and development of the diverse vegetation in the revegetated forest, microbial C increased to about five times that of the surrounding barren sodic soils. There were no significant changes in soil structure even though the water‐holding capacity of the soil improved to about 53% of the once barren land due to a 7‐fold increase in organic carbon content.     

岩溶区不同土地利用方式下土壤CO2排放模拟研究

土地利用变化作为全球气候变化研究的重要内容之一,对土壤CO₂的排放具有重要影响。岩溶区石漠化治理过程中植被恢复伴随着土地利用方式的转变,其对土壤CO₂排放的影响有待进一步研究。基于控制性实验,以土壤、岩溶含水介质初始条件相同,仅土地利用方式不同的贵州普定沙湾模拟试验场为研究对象,通过1年的土壤CO₂浓度和通量数据,研究岩溶区不同土地利用方式下土壤CO₂的排放规律及其影响因素。结果表明：(1)土壤CO₂的浓度和通量具有明显的季节变化规律,不同季节下的土壤CO₂通量呈现昼夜变化规律,温度和降雨影响着土壤CO₂的排放,前者可促进排放量,后者可抑制排放量,且不同土地利用方式受影响的程度不同;(2)耕作活动也会影响土壤CO₂的排放,耕作使得土壤变得松散,加上岩溶区下伏基岩的溶蚀作用,增加了土壤CO₂向含水层的扩散,导致春季耕地表现为负通量;(3)不同土地利用方式下土壤CO₂的年排...     

Organic mound-building ants: their impact on soil properties in temperate and boreal forests

Ants are important components of most soil invertebrate communities, and can affect the flow of energy, nutrients and water through many terrestrial ecosystems. The vast majority of ant species build nests in the mineral soil, but a small group of ants in temperate and boreal forests of Eurasia and North America build large parts of their nests above‐ground using organic materials collected from the surrounding soil. Many studies have shown that ants nesting in mineral soil can affect water infiltration rates, soil organic matter (OM) content, and nutrient cycling, but much less is known on how mound‐building ants influence soil physical and chemical properties. In this paper we summarize what is known on the soil impacts of organic mound‐building ants in temperate and boreal forests, and how these ants could be affected by ecosystem disturbance and future climate change. Much of this information comes from studies on Formica rufa group ants in Europe, which showed that CO₂ emissions and concentrations of C, N, and P are usually higher in ant mounds than in the surrounding forest soil. However, ant mounds are a minor component of total soil C and nutrient pools, but they do increase spatial heterogeneity of soil water and available nutrients. Mound‐building ants can also impact tree growth, which could change the quantity and quality of OM added to soil. Forest management, fire, and projected climate change, especially in boreal forests, could affect mound‐building ant population dynamics, and indirectly, soil properties.     

Soil fertility of afforested arable land compared to continuously

In Finland, over 220,000 ha of arable land has been afforested in recent decades. To meet the goals of forest management on afforested fields, information on the effects of former agricultural land use on soil fertility is needed. In this study, we examine the soil fertility of 12 former arable fields afforested either 10 or 60–70 years ago with Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) and adjacent sites that have been forested continuously. Volumetric soil samples were collected from the organic soil layer and from mineral soil to a depth of 40 cm. Soil samples were analyzed for pH, bulk density, organic matter content and amounts of nutrients (Kjeldahl N, extractable P, K, Ca, Mg, Zn and B). On afforested fields, amounts of nutrients in the mineral soil, especially in 10-year-old afforestations, were higher than on continuously forested sites. In the organic layer plus the 0–40 cm soil layer, the 10-year-old afforestations had 68% more N, 41% more P, 83% more K, 252% more Ca, 6% more Mg, 61% more Zn and 33% more B than the continuously forested sites at a comparable soil depth. In the 60–70-year-old afforestations, the differences were significant only for N, Ca and Zn (20% more N, 121% more Ca and 115% more Zn than on the continuously forested sites). The effects of agriculture on amounts of nutrients were most clearly detected in the former plough layer (0–20 cm) of the 10-year-old afforestations and in the top layer (0–10 cm) of the older afforestations. Amounts of nutrients in the organic layer of the afforested sites were lower, but their concentrations were higher than in the continuously forested sites. On the 10-year-old afforestations, the bulk density of the mineral soil tended to be lower and the organic matter content higher than on the continuously forested sites. On both young and old afforestations, soil pH was higher than on the continuously forest sites. According to these results, changes in soil properties caused by agriculture have increased the soil fertility and therefore probably also the site index. The results also suggest that changes in soil properties due to agricultural land use are quite long lasting.     

Effect of wastewater discharge on nutrient contamination of mangrove soils and plants

The ecological impact of sewage discharges to a mangrove wetland in Futian National Nature Reserve, the People's Republic of China was assessed by comparing the plant community, plant growth and nutrient status of soils and vegetation of a site treated with settled municipal wastewater (Site A) with those of a control adjacent site (Site B) which did not receive sewage. During the one year study, the total and available N and P, and organic carbon concentrations of mangrove soils in Site A did not significantly differ from those of Site B. In both sites, the soil organic C, total N, NH₄ ^}-N and total P content exhibited a descending trend from landward to seaward regions, with the lowest measurements obtained from the most foreshore location. Seasonal variation in N content of soil samples was more obvious than any difference between wastewater treated and the control sites. The soil N content was lower in spring and summer. This was attributed to the higher temperature in these seasons which facilitated degradation of organic matter and absorption of nitrogen by the plants for growth. No significant difference in plant community structure, plant growth (in terms of tree height and diameter) and biomass was found between Sites A and B. Leaf samples of the two dominant plant species, Kandelia candel and Aegiceras corniculatum collected from Site A had comparable content of organic carbon, N, P and K to those Site B. These preliminary results indicated that the discharge of a total volume of 2600 m³ municipal wastewater to an area of 1800 m² mangrove plants over the period of a year did not produce any apparent impact on growth of the plants. The soils and plant leaves of Site A were not contaminated, in terms of nutrient content, by the discharged sewage.     

草地土壤固碳潜力研究进展

土壤固碳功能和固碳潜力已成为全球气候变化和陆地生态系统研究的重点。草地土壤有机碳库,作为陆地土壤有机碳库的重要组成部分,其较小幅度的波动,将会影响整个陆地生态系统碳循环,进而影响全球气候变化。因此,深入研究草地土壤固碳功能和固碳潜力对于适应和减缓气候变化具有重要意义。在土壤固碳潜力相关概念界定基础上,结合《2006年IPCC国家温室气体清单指南》,从样点及区域尺度上综述了目前关于草地土壤固碳潜力的一般估算方法,同时对各类方法的特点及适用性进行了评述,提出了草地生态系统固碳潜力研究概念模型。最后在对草地土壤固碳的影响因素及固碳措施总结的基础上,阐明了草地土壤有机碳固定研究中存在的问题和发展前景。     

红壤退化地森林恢复后土壤有机碳对土壤水库库容的影响

亚热带红壤侵蚀退化地实施生态恢复后生物生产力恢复迅速,但土壤尤其是土壤水库的功能并未获得同步恢复,导致土壤水库对于降水和地表径流的调节能力低下,区域性洪涝灾害和季节性干旱依然突出。采用野外调查和室内分析相结合的方式,研究了南方红壤侵蚀退化地典型植被恢复类型(马尾松与阔叶树复层林、木荷与马尾松混交林、阔叶混交林)0—60cm土层土壤水库各种库容差异,以及土壤总有机碳和活性有机碳密度分布特征,采用典型相关分析方法对土壤水库库容与土壤有机碳密度两组指标进行相关分析。结果表明:随着土层深度的增加,各森林恢复类型死库容呈上升趋势,兴利库容和最大有效库容呈下降趋势,防洪库容变化趋势不明显,木荷与马尾松混交林兴利库容略高。不同森林恢复类型同一土层土壤总有机碳密度均表现为马尾松与阔叶树复层林木荷与马尾松混交林阔叶混交林,而活性有机碳密度则以阔叶混交林最大。典型相关分析表明,土壤有机碳水平对土壤水库库容的增加具有显著的因果影响关系(P=0.01),其中对有机碳水平起到主导性贡献作用的是水溶性有机碳。因此,对于退化红壤地森林恢复初期,可通过适当密植和立体种植,提高林地生物量和土壤碳密度,并在马尾松等先锋树种针叶林分中补植阔叶乔灌木,以增加土壤活性有机碳含量,增大土壤水库容量,从而有利于土壤水库结构和功能以及退化生态系统的快速恢复。     

Changes in soil carbon sequestration and soil respiration following afforestation on paddy fields in north subtropical China

Aims Although many studies have reported net gains of soil organic carbon (SOC) after afforestation on croplands, this is uncertain for Chinese paddy rice croplands. Here, we aimed to evaluate the effects of afforestation of paddy rice croplands on SOC sequestration and soil respiration (R s). Such knowledge would improve our understanding of the effectiveness of various land use options on greenhouse gas mitigation in China.Methods The investigation was conducted on the Chongming Island, north subtropical China. Field sites were reclaimed from coastal salt marshes in the 1960s, and soils were homogeneous with simple land use histories. SOC stocks and R s levels were monitored over one year in a paddy rice cropland, an evergreen and a deciduous broad-leaved plantation established on previous paddy fields and a reference fallow land site never cultivated. Laboratory incubation of soil under fast-changing temperatures was used to compare the temperature sensitivity (Q 10) of SOC decomposition across land uses.Important findings After 15–20 years of afforestation on paddy fields, SOC concentration only slightly increased at the depth of 0–5cm but decreased in deeper layers, which resulted in a net loss of SOC stock in the top 40cm. Seasonal increase of SOC was observed during the rice-growing period in croplands but not in afforested soils, suggesting a stronger SOC sequestration by paddy rice cropping. However, SOC sequestered under cropping was more labile, as indicated by its higher contents of dissolved organic carbon and microbial biomass. Also, paddy soils had higher annual R s than afforested soils; R s abruptly increased after paddy fields were drained and plowed and remained distinctively high throughout the dry farming period. Laboratory incubation revealed that paddy soils had a much higher Q 10 of SOC decomposition than afforested soils. Given that temperature was the primary controller of R s in this region, it was concluded that despite the stronger SOC sequestration by paddy rice cropping, its SOC was less stable than in afforested systems and might be more easily released into the atmosphere under global warming.     

黄土丘陵区三种典型退耕还林地土壤固碳效应差异

探讨了黄土丘陵区退耕种植10—40a的柠条、沙棘及刺槐林地土壤总有机碳库及其活性组分密度随退耕时间、土层分布及相对比例的变化差异。结果表明:100 cm深土壤碳库在退耕10a时仅柠条林地碳库未比坡耕地显著增加,但退耕20—40a3种林地比退耕10a时都已有显著增加,且增幅均为刺槐>沙棘>柠条,其中总有机碳的最大增幅分别达到90.92、27.87、14.89Mg/hm2,活性有机碳的分别达到30.28、10.51、9.67 Mg/hm2。各还林地碳库增加在退耕10a时主要来自0—40 cm浅层土,而40—100 cm深层土碳库到退耕20a起才开始显著增加。对比退耕10a时,到退耕40a时柠条、沙棘及刺槐林地0—20 cm表层土分别平均累积了35.4%、27.9%、27.1%的总有机碳,20.2%、45.1%、23.1%的活性有机碳,而20—100 cm各土层间对碳库累积比例大小变化无一致规律,平均每20 cm厚土层累积了17.4%的总有机碳和17.6%活性有机碳。并且相比坡耕地,各林地均使100 cm深土壤活性有机碳占总有机碳的比例提高,改良了碳库质量。综上分析,长期退耕下3种林地固碳效应有明显差异,以刺槐林地碳累积效应较强。     

喀斯特峰丛洼地原生林土壤团聚体有机碳的剖面分布

以喀斯特峰丛洼地的伊桐、侧柏和菜豆树3个原生林植物群落为对象,分析了土壤团聚体的组成、有机碳及其剖面分布.结果表明:3个植物群落的土壤分布均以＞2 mm大粒径团聚体为主,约占土壤团聚体总量的76％.土壤总有机碳含量介于12.73 ～ 68.66 g·kg-1之间,群落类型显著影响土壤有机碳含量及其分布.＜1 mm小粒径团聚体中的有机碳含量比＞2 mm团聚体稍高,但大部分土壤有机碳储存在大粒径团聚体中,＞2 mm团聚体对土壤有机碳的贡献率约70％.2 ～5和5～8 mm团聚体含量与土壤有机碳含量呈显著正相关.提高土壤中2～8 mm团聚体的含量能有效增强喀斯特地区土壤固碳能力.伊桐群落2～8 mm土壤团聚体的含量及其全土有机碳含量分别达46％和37.62 g· kg-1,伊桐更适合作为喀斯特地区生态恢复树种.     

旱改水型农田整治对土壤碳排放的短期影响

灌溉农业可提升粮食生产潜力,已成为全球农业重要的发展方向,但此类土地利用转换势必影响旱作农田土壤的稳定性,尤其是碳循环。然而,旱改水整治过程中土壤碳通量变化及其与环境因子间的互馈机制尚不清楚。为此,采用大田模拟实验,连续7 d监测土壤碳通量变化,评估旱改水整治对土壤碳库组成及环境驱动的短期效应。结果表明：①旱地、水田的土壤碳通量和温度均呈昼高夜低的单峰型曲线,且碳通量与温度峰值出现于每日13：00前后,但水田土壤碳通量稍高于旱地。②旱改水后短期内土壤可溶性有机碳（DOC）、微生物量碳（MBC）、易氧化有机碳（EOC）、惰性有机碳（ROC）、总有机碳（TOC）和土壤碳库管理指数均呈减少趋势,其中土壤微生物量碳、易氧化有机碳降幅分别达28.55%、29.09%。③土壤含水量、微生物OTU数、碳库含量是影响碳通量速率变化的关键因子（P<0.05）,土壤温度、理化性状是制约土壤碳库的主控因子（P<0.05）。农业活动是重要的碳源之一,深入研究大范围旱改水诱发的碳排放问题可为低碳农业、气候减缓及其应对策略制定提供科学依据。     

Assessment of the Soil Organic Carbon Sink in a Project for the Conversion of Farmland to Forestland: A Case Study in Zichang County,Shaanxi, China

The conversion of farmland to forestland not only changes the ecological environment but also enriches the soil with organic matter and affects the global carbon cycle. This paper reviews the influence of land use changes on the soil organic carbon sink to determine whether the Chinese “Grain-for-Green” (conversion of farmland to forestland) project increased the rate of SOC content during its implementation between 1999 and 2010 in the hilly and gully areas of the Loess Plateau in north-central China. The carbon sink was quantified, and the effects of the main species were assessed. The carbon sink increased from 2.26×10⁶ kg in 1999 to 8.32×10⁶ kg in 2010 with the sustainable growth of the converted areas. The black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.) and alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) soil increased SOC content in the top soil (0–100 cm) in the initial 7-yr period, while the sequestration occurred later (>7 yr) in the 100–120 cm layer after the “Grain-for-Green” project was implemented. The carbon sink function measured for the afforested land provides evidence that the Grain-for-Green project has successfully excavated the carbon sink potential of the Shaanxi province and served as an important milestone for establishing an effective organic carbon management program.     

Does tree species composition affect soil CO<Subscript>2</Subscript> emission and soil organic carbon storage in plantations?

Key message

Mixed tree plantations are potential silvicultural systems to increase soil carbon storage through altering litter and root inputs and soil physiochemical properties.

Abstract

Afforestation and reforestation are major strategies for global climate change mitigation. Different tree species composition can induce diverse changes in soil CO₂ emission and soil carbon sequestration in tree plantation. This study employed three plantations of monoculture and mixed Pinus yunnanensis and Eucalyptus globulus to estimate the effect of tree species composition on soil CO₂ emission and soil organic carbon storage in subtropical China. We found that tree species composition had a significant effect on the soil CO₂ emission and soil organic carbon storage. Soil CO₂ emission was lower in the mixed plantation than in the P. yunnanensis plantation, whereas it was higher than in the E. globulus plantation. Differences in soil CO₂ emission among the three plantations were determined by leaf litterfall mass, fine root biomass, soil available nitrogen, pH, soil bulk density, and soil C:N ratio. Soil organic carbon storage was 34.5 and 23.2 % higher in the mixed plantation than in the P. yunnanensis and E. globulus plantations, respectively. Higher soil organic carbon stock in the mixed plantation was attributed to lower C/N ratio of leaf litter and soil, greater fine root biomass and soil organic carbon content, and lower soil CO₂ emission. We conclude that mixed tree plantation can enhance soil carbon sequestration, but can decrease or increase soil CO₂ emission through altering litter and root inputs and soil physiochemical properties.