The main driver of soil organic carbon differs greatly between topsoil and subsoil in a grazing steppe

Soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics is regulated by a complex interplay of factors such as climate and potential anthropogenic activities. Livestocks play a key role in regulating the C cycle in grasslands. However, the interrelationship between SOC and these drivers remains unclear at different soil layers, and their potential relationships network have rarely been quantitatively assessed. Here, we completed a six‐year manipulation experiment of grazing exclusion (no grazing: NG) and increasing grazing intensity (light grazing: LG, medium grazing: MG, heavy grazing: HG). We tested light fraction organic carbon (LFOC) and heavy fraction organic carbon (HFOC) in 12 plots along grazing intensity in three soil layers (topsoil: 0–10 cm, mid‐soil: 10–30 cm, subsoil: 30–50 cm) to assess the drivers of SOC. Grazing significantly reduced SOC of the soil profile, but with significant depth and time dependencies. (1) SOC and SOC stability of the topsoil is primarily regulated by grazing duration (years). Specifically, grazing duration and grazing intensity increased the SOC lability of topsoil due to an increase in LFOC. (2) Grazing intensity was the major factor affecting the mid‐soil SOC dynamics, among which MG had significantly lower SOC than did NG. (3) Subsoil organic carbon dynamics were mainly regulated by climatic factors. The increase in mean annual temperature (MAT) may have promoted the turnover of LFOC to HFOC in the subsoil. Synthesis and applications. When evaluating the impacts of grazing on soil organic fraction, we need to consider the differences in sampling depth and the duration of grazing years. Our results highlight that the key factors influencing SOC dynamics differ among soil layers. Climatic and grazing factors have different roles in determining SOC in each soil layer.     

黄土旱塬区冬小麦不同施肥处理的土壤呼吸及土壤碳动态

依据黄土旱塬区黑垆土上中国科学院长武站长期定位试验 (始于1984年),于2008年3月到6月,测定了冬小麦连作系统中返青期、拔节期、抽穗期、灌浆期和收获期土壤呼吸日变化、生育期变化以及土壤可溶性有机碳(Dissolved organic C, DOC)和微生物量碳(Soil microbial biomass C, MBC),研究了施肥措施对土壤呼吸、DOC和MBC的影响以及土壤呼吸与碳组分之间的关系.研究涉及6个处理:休闲地(F)、不施肥(CK)、有机肥(M)、氮肥(N)、氮磷肥(NP)和氮磷有机肥(NPM).结果表明,冬小麦连作系统中土壤呼吸的日变化格局呈单峰曲线,最高值出现在12:00左右(拔节期)和14:30左右(成熟期),最小值出现在0:00～3:00之间或6:00左右;冬小麦土壤呼吸速率拔节期最高,其次是灌浆后期,抽穗期最低;不同施肥条件下,各生育期土壤呼吸速率大小顺序:NPM＞M＞NP＞N＞CK＞F.土壤水分亏缺是导致抽穗期和灌浆期土壤呼吸速率降低的重要原因.各施肥处理DOC含量高低顺序为灌浆期＞抽穗期＞成熟期＞返青期＞拔节期;除M,NPM处理MBC含量拔节期＞灌浆期外,各施肥处理MBC含量高低顺序为成熟期＞抽穗期＞灌浆期＞拔节期＞返青期.同一处理不同生育期土壤呼吸速率与DOC,MBC的相关性较低,但同生育期不同施肥处理土壤呼吸与土壤有机碳组分间存在显著的相关性.以F处理土壤呼吸为基础,估算CK、N和NP处理生育期根系对土壤呼吸的平均贡献率依次为36%、45%和54%.     

火烧迹地不同恢复方式土壤有机碳分布特征

以大兴安岭1987年重度火烧后恢复的兴安落叶松人工林、樟子松人工林、人促杨桦林和天然次生杨桦林为对象,研究不同恢复方式林分土壤有机碳、土壤可溶性有机碳和土壤微生物生物量碳的分布特征.结果表明: 4种恢复方式林分的土壤有机碳、土壤可溶性有机碳和土壤微生物生物量碳分别为9.63～79.72 g·kg^-1、33.21～186.30 mg·kg^-1和200.85～1755.63 mg·kg^-1,且随土层深度增加而降低.不同恢复方式间土壤有机碳、土壤可溶性有机碳和土壤微生物生物量碳差异显著,以人促杨桦林最高,兴安落叶松人工林和天然次生杨桦林次之,樟子松人工林最低.各恢复方式林分的土壤微生物熵为1.1%～2.3%,以人促杨桦林最高,樟子松人工林最低,不同林分土壤微生物熵的垂直分布特征不同.土壤微生物生物量碳与土壤有机碳、土壤可溶性有机碳含量均呈显著正相关.人促杨桦林土壤有机碳活性高于其他林分,火烧迹地采用人工促进天然恢复的方式较人工恢复和天然恢复的土壤碳循环能力更强.     

Baseline map of organic carbon in Australian soil to support national carbon accounting and monitoring under climate change

We can effectively monitor soil condition—and develop sound policies to offset the emissions of greenhouse gases—only with accurate data from which to define baselines. Currently, estimates of soil organic C for countries or continents are either unavailable or largely uncertain because they are derived from sparse data, with large gaps over many areas of the Earth. Here, we derive spatially explicit estimates, and their uncertainty, of the distribution and stock of organic C in the soil of Australia. We assembled and harmonized data from several sources to produce the most comprehensive set of data on the current stock of organic C in soil of the continent. Using them, we have produced a fine spatial resolution baseline map of organic C at the continental scale. We describe how we made it by combining the bootstrap, a decision tree with piecewise regression on environmental variables and geostatistical modelling of residuals. Values of stock were predicted at the nodes of a 3‐arc‐sec (approximately 90 m) grid and mapped together with their uncertainties. We then calculated baselines of soil organic C storage over the whole of Australia, its states and territories, and regions that define bioclimatic zones, vegetation classes and land use. The average amount of organic C in Australian topsoil is estimated to be 29.7 t ha^?1 with 95% confidence limits of 22.6 and 37.9 t ha^?1. The total stock of organic C in the 0–30 cm layer of soil for the continent is 24.97 Gt with 95% confidence limits of 19.04 and 31.83 Gt. This represents approximately 3.5% of the total stock in the upper 30 cm of soil worldwide. Australia occupies 5.2% of the global land area, so the total organic C stock of Australian soil makes an important contribution to the global carbon cycle, and it provides a significant potential for sequestration. As the most reliable approximation of the stock of organic C in Australian soil in 2010, our estimates have important applications. They could support Australia's National Carbon Accounting System, help guide the formulation of policy around carbon offset schemes, improve Australia's carbon balances, serve to direct future sampling for inventory, guide the design of monitoring networks and provide a benchmark against which to assess the impact of changes in land cover, land management and climate on the stock of C in Australia. In this way, these estimates would help us to develop strategies to adapt and mitigate the effects of climate change.     

川西风毛菊(Saussurea dzeurensis)花展示的变异:检验花及花序水平大小-数量的权衡

植物花展示对传粉昆虫吸引和植物繁殖成功至关重要。理论研究指出,花展示的组成部分(如花的大小和数量)之间由于资源的限制而存在权衡关系,从而制约花展示的进化,但相关实验研究并不经常能检测到花的大小-数量之间的权衡关系。本文以广泛分布于青藏高原的川西风毛菊(Saussurea dzeurensis)为对象,研究不同海拔种群间花展示(花序水平和花水平)的变异,检验花大小-数量的权衡关系。结果表明:每株的头状花序数、单个头状花序重、单花的数量/头状花序与地上生物量呈显著的正相关,说明花展示大小(包括花序水平和花水平)依赖于个体的资源状况;高海拔种群个体更小,平均花序数更少,但单个头状花序的重量、单花的数量及重量/头状花序与低海拔种群相比没有显著差异;在花序水平上头状花序的大小和数量间并没有权衡关系,但在花序内的花水平上,高海拔种群花的大小和数量呈显著负相关,表现出权衡关系,而在低海拔种群并没有权衡关系;当控制川西风毛菊个体大小的影响后,花序水平大小-数量及花大小-数量间的相关均没有发生改变,说明资源获取能力的差异,即个体大小的差别并没有影响川西风毛菊花序水平或花水平大小-数量间的权衡关系;植物花大小-数量的权衡关系可能较为复杂,今后的研究需要同时考虑多个组织水平,如种群、个体、花序水平的花大小与数量的关系,有助于全面揭示植物花的资源分配的模式及花展示大小的进化机制。     

不同施肥处理对红壤性水稻土微团聚体有机碳汇的影响

在田间定位试验区 ,研究了不同施肥处理对表层红壤性水稻土微团聚体组成以及土壤有机碳在各级微团聚体中分布和赋存的影响。结果表明 ,红壤性水稻土中 0 .0 2～ 0 .0 5 mm微团聚体所占比例最大 ,达 4 0 % ;其次是 0 .0 0 2～ 0 .0 2 mm和 0 .0 5～0 .1mm的微团聚体 ;>0 .2 mm微团聚体占的比例最小。长期施用无机肥 (NPK)、有机肥 (猪粪 紫云英绿肥 ) (OM)、无机肥与有机肥配施 (NPKM) ,能显著增加 0 .0 0 2～ 0 .0 2 mm微团聚体的含量而降低 <0 .0 0 2 m m微团聚体的含量。土壤有机碳含量与0 .0 0 2～ 0 .0 2 mm微团聚体含量之间呈显著正相关关系 ;而与 <0 .0 0 2 mm微团聚体含量呈显著负相关关系。各级微团聚体有机碳含量从高到低顺序为 :>0 .2 mm,0 .1～ 0 .2 mm,<0 .0 0 2 m m,0 .0 5～ 0 .1m m,0 .0 0 2～ 0 .0 2 mm,0 .0 2～ 0 .0 5 m m。 OM、NPKM处理能显著增加 >0 .0 0 2 mm各级微团聚体有机碳的赋存量 ,新增加的有机碳主要向微团聚体 0 .1～ 0 .0 5 m m,0 .0 5～ 0 .0 2 mm和 0 .0 2～ 0 .0 0 2 mm富集 ,它们是土壤有机碳的主要载体。 3种施肥处理对提高土壤有机碳赋存效果高低顺序为 :NPKM>OM>NPK。     

川西亚高山-高山土壤表层有机碳及活性组分沿海拔梯度的变化

青藏高原东缘亚高山-高山地带土壤碳被认为是我国重要的土壤碳库,作为高海拔低温生态系统,土壤碳对土壤暖化的响应可能也更加敏感。该区域亚高山森林一般分布在海拔3200 m以上,上缘接高山树线和灌丛草地,土壤有机碳含量高。海拔梯度上变化的土壤环境因子是主要土壤温度,海拔梯度上高寒土壤有机碳及活性有机碳组的分布格局,可体现海拔梯度上温度因子对土壤碳动态的影响。对沿海拔3200 m(亚高山针叶林)、3340 m(亚高山针叶林)、3540 m(亚高山针叶林)、3670 m(亚高山针叶林)、3740 m(亚高山针叶林)、3850 m(高山林线)、3940 m(高山树线)、4120 m(高山草地)的土壤表层(0-20 cm)有机碳和活性有机碳组分含量进行分析,结果表明在该海拔范围内,表层土壤总有机碳含量随着海拔的升高而增加,显示高海拔有利于土壤碳的固存;土壤活性有机碳组分中,颗粒态有机碳含量及其占总有机碳比例与海拔呈显著正相关,在海拔最高的4120 m含量和占有机碳总量比例分别达到50.81 g/kg和56.52%。在该海拔范围内海拔越高颗粒态有机碳占有机碳比例越高,显示高海拔土壤有机碳更多以土壤颗粒态碳形式贮存。微生物量碳、水溶性碳、轻组分有机碳与海拔高度没有明显的相关性,表明这些活性有机碳组分受海拔因素影响不大;易氧化有机碳含量与海拔高度显著正相关。因此,颗粒态有机碳含量及其比例可作为高海拔地带土壤活性有机碳库动态的特征指标,表征高海拔地带土壤有机碳动态与贮量受温度影响的指标。     

Hierarchical saturation of soil carbon pools near a natural CO2 spring

Soil has been identified as a possible carbon (C) sink to mitigate increasing atmospheric CO₂ concentration. However, several recent studies have suggested that the potential of soil to sequester C is limited and that soil may become saturated with C under increasing CO₂ levels. To test this concept of soil C saturation, we studied a gley and organic soil at a grassland site near a natural CO₂ spring. Total and aggregate‐associated soil organic C (SOC) concentration showed a significant increase with atmospheric CO₂ concentration. An asymptotic function showed a better fit of SOC and aggregation with CO₂ level than a linear model. There was a shift in allocation of total C from smaller size fractions to the largest aggregate fraction with increasing CO₂ concentration. Litter inputs appeared to be positively related to CO₂ concentration. Based on modeled function parameters and the observed shift in the allocation of the soil C from small to large aggregate‐size classes, we postulate that there is a hierarchy in C saturation across different SOC pools. We conclude that the asymptotic response of SOC concentration at higher CO₂ levels indicates saturation of soil C pools, likely because of a limit to physical protection of SOC.     

A commentary on ‘Mineral soil carbon fluxes in forests and implications for carbon balance assessments’: a deeper look at the data

Forestry practitioners contacted us with their concerns about a recent review article by Buchholz T, Friedland AJ, Hornig CE, Keeton WS, Zanchi G, Nunery J (2013) GCB Bioenergy who questioned the way soil carbon is treated in many models and protocols, and indicated that an increasing number of research studies showed meaningful soil organic carbon (SOC) loss as a result of forest management. We revisit the major studies cited in the review and present a more complete look at the results, consistently treat forest floor carbon as a separate pool, discuss differences in interpretation, and suggest opportunities to advance the state of knowledge regarding SOC and forest carbon accounting. Overall, we conclude that the literature continues to support the current default assumption of little or no change in mineral SOC when sound forest management practices are followed.     

不同施氮处理玉米根茬在土壤中矿化分解特性

以黄土高原南部地区7a定位试验不同氮肥处理玉米根茬为研究对象,通过室内培养试验研究了施氮量分别为0、120和240 kg N/hm2处理玉米根茬(分别用R0、R120、R240表示)在15-20 cm和45-50 cm土层土壤中有机碳矿化及其对土壤微生物量碳、可溶性有机碳和矿质态氮含量的影响.结果表明,不同处理玉米根茬C/N为R0＞R240 ＞R120.培养条件下,R120和R240根茬的碳矿化速率高于R0根茬,R120与R240根茬之间差异不显著.不同处理根茬C/N与其培养过程中碳素累积表观矿化量呈极显著负相关关系.3种施氮量处理的玉米根茬在培养过程中有机碳矿化率、潜在碳矿化量、土壤微生物量碳、可溶性有机碳含量均为添加R120根茬的处理最高,R240次之,R0最低.添加R120和R240根茬显著提高了培养起始时土壤矿质态氮含量.R0、R120和R240根茬在15-20 cm土层土壤中的碳矿化率分别比其在45-50 cm土层土壤中高51.70％、26.41％和27.84％.在评价根茬还田对农田生态系统碳、氮等养分循环的作用时,应同时考虑施肥对根茬分解和转化的影响.     

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。     

有机物料还田对双季稻田土壤有机碳及其活性组分的影响

有机物料还田是提升农田土壤有机碳、培肥土壤的重要措施。为探讨不同有机物料的还田效果,采用室外培养方法,研究了在等碳输入条件下,施用水稻秸秆、紫云英、生物有机肥、猪粪和水稻秸秆生物炭对洞庭湖双季稻区潮土有机碳和活性有机碳组分含量的影响。结果表明: 经过180 d的培养试验,与不施用有机物料相比,施用有机物料提高了土壤活性有机碳含量。生物有机肥、猪粪和水稻秸秆生物炭处理分别使土壤有机碳含量显著提升了26.1%、9.7%和30.7%,水稻秸秆和紫云英对土壤有机碳含量的提升效应在试验期间并不显著。水稻秸秆和紫云英还田更有利于土壤可溶性有机碳和微生物生物量碳的积累,猪粪更有利于土壤可溶性有机碳的积累,生物有机肥更有利于土壤微生物生物量碳和易氧化有机碳的积累,水稻秸秆生物炭则更有利于土壤微生物生物量碳和轻组有机碳的积累。与水稻秸秆还田相比,紫云英、生物有机肥、猪粪和水稻秸秆生物炭还田使土壤碳库管理指数分别提高了31.8%、111.6%、62.2%和50.7%。从土壤固碳和土壤碳库管理指数来看,生物有机肥、猪粪和水稻秸秆生物炭的还田效果优于水稻秸秆和紫云英还田。     

中国森林土壤碳储量与土壤碳过程研究进展

森林是陆地生态系统的主体,是陆地上最大的碳储库和碳吸收汇。国内外研究表明,土壤亚系统在调节森林生态系统碳循环和减缓全球气候变化中起着重要作用。但是,由于森林类型的多样性、结构的复杂性以及森林对干扰和变化环境响应的时空动态变化,至今对森林土壤碳储量和变率的科学估算,以及土壤关键碳过程及其稳定性维持机制的认识还十分有限。综述了近十几年来我国森林土壤碳储量和土壤碳过程的研究工作,主要包括不同森林类型土壤碳储量、土壤碳化学稳定性、土壤呼吸及其组分、土壤呼吸影响机制、气候变化与土地利用对土壤碳过程的影响等;评述了土壤碳过程相关科学问题的研究进展,讨论了尚未解决的主要问题,并分析了未来土壤碳研究的发展趋势,以期为促进我国森林土壤碳循环研究,科学评价森林土壤碳固持潜力及其稳定性维持机制和有效实施森林生态系统管理提供科学参考。     

Microbial dynamics and soil physicochemical properties explain large‐scale variations in soil organic carbon

First‐order organic matter decomposition models are used within most Earth System Models (ESMs) to project future global carbon cycling; these models have been criticized for not accurately representing mechanisms of soil organic carbon (SOC) stabilization and SOC response to climate change. New soil biogeochemical models have been developed, but their evaluation is limited to observations from laboratory incubations or few field experiments. Given the global scope of ESMs, a comprehensive evaluation of such models is essential using in situ observations of a wide range of SOC stocks over large spatial scales before their introduction to ESMs. In this study, we collected a set of in situ observations of SOC, litterfall and soil properties from 206 sites covering different forest and soil types in Europe and China. These data were used to calibrate the model MIMICS (The MIcrobial‐MIneral Carbon Stabilization model), which we compared to the widely used first‐order model CENTURY. We show that, compared to CENTURY, MIMICS more accurately estimates forest SOC concentrations and the sensitivities of SOC to variation in soil temperature, clay content and litter input. The ratios of microbial biomass to total SOC predicted by MIMICS agree well with independent observations from globally distributed forest sites. By testing different hypotheses regarding (using alternative process representations) the physicochemical constraints on SOC deprotection and microbial turnover in MIMICS, the errors of simulated SOC concentrations across sites were further decreased. We show that MIMICS can resolve the dominant mechanisms of SOC decomposition and stabilization and that it can be a reliable tool for predictions of terrestrial SOC dynamics under future climate change. It also allows us to evaluate at large scale the rapidly evolving understanding of SOC formation and stabilization based on laboratory and limited filed observation.     

不同年限旱砂田土壤团聚体及其有机碳分布特征

以长期定位试验5、10、15、20、30年旱砂田为研究对象,研究了不同年限旱砂田土壤团聚体及其有机碳的分布特征.结果表明:旱砂田土壤团聚体含量随粒级减小表现出“降-升-降”的变化趋势,10年以内旱砂田以>5 mm粒级团聚体为主,15年以上旱砂田以0.05～0.25 mm粒级团聚体为主,>0.25 mm团聚体含量(R_0.25)和团聚体平均质量直径(MWD)均随着覆砂年限的延长而减小.不同年限旱砂田土壤团聚体有机碳含量随团聚体粒级减小而增加,各粒级土壤团聚体有机碳含量、团聚体对有机碳的贡献率及团聚体有机碳储量均随着覆砂年限的延长和土层的加深而降低,>1 mm粒级团聚体有机碳对长期旱砂田有机碳变化响应敏感.10、15、20、30年较5 年旱砂田团聚体有机碳储量在0～10 cm土层分别降低了8.0%、24.4%、27.5%和31.4%,10～20 cm土层分别降低了1.4%、15.8%、19.4%和21.8%.综上所述,旱砂田土壤固碳能力随种植年限延长而降低,需加强15年以上旱砂田的土壤培肥工作.     

Carbon cycling in eroding landscapes: geomorphic controls on soil organic C pool composition and C stabilization

Recent studies have highlighted the tight coupling between geomorphic processes and soil carbon (C) turnover and suggested that eroding landscapes can stabilize more C than their non‐eroding counterparts. However, large uncertainties remain and a mechanistic understanding of geomorphic effects on C storage in soils is still lacking. Here, we quantified the soil organic carbon (SOC) stock and pool distribution along geomorphic gradients and combined data derived from soil organic matter fractionation and incubation experiments. The size and composition of the SOC pools were strongly related to geomorphic position: 1.6 to 6.2 times more C was stabilized in the subsoils (25–100cm) of depositional profiles than in those of eroding profiles. Subsoil C of depositional profiles is predominantly associated with microaggregates and silt‐sized particles which are associated with pools of intermediate stability. We observed a significantly higher mean residence time for the fast and intermediate turnover pools of buried C at depositional positions, relative to non‐eroding and eroding positions, resulting from the physical protection of C associated with microaggregates and silt particles. Conversely, significant amounts of C were replaced at eroding positions but the lower degree of decomposition and the lack of physically protected C, resulted in higher respiration rates. By considering C cycling at non‐eroding, eroding and depositional positions, we found that the eroding landscapes studied store up to 10% more C due to soil redistribution processes than non‐eroding landscapes. This is the result of the stabilization of C in former subsoil at eroding positions and partial preservation of buried C in pools of intermediate turnover at depositional positions. However, the sink strength was limited by significant losses of buried C as only a small fraction of the C was associated with stable pools.     

玉米秸秆覆盖还田量对免耕土壤有机碳中红外光谱特征的影响

依托位于中国东北黑土地区长期免耕玉米秸秆还田试验平台,分析了不同秸秆还田量(0、33%、67%和100%)连续归还8年后表层(0～5 cm)、中层(20～40 cm)和深层(60～100 cm)土壤有机碳中红外光谱特征,评价了玉米秸秆还田量对免耕土壤碳化学组成和稳定性的影响。结果表明: 与免耕无秸秆覆盖还田相比,33%与100%秸秆还田均有利于表层和中层多糖组分的积累,但前者降低了表层土壤碳组成多样性,而后者有利于各层次土壤碳化学稳定性的维持;67%秸秆还田提高了深层土壤碳化学稳定性。综上,当秸秆资源充足时,免耕结合100%全量秸秆还田可在提高0～40 cm土层微生物可利用碳底物的基础上,维持土壤碳的化学稳定性。秸秆还田量与土壤中红外光谱特征间无线性关联,表明亟需挖掘不同秸秆还田量处理下土壤碳周转的微生物参与机制。     

Soil organic carbon dynamics jointly controlled by climate,carbon inputs,soil properties and soil carbon fractions

Soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics are regulated by the complex interplay of climatic, edaphic and biotic conditions. However, the interrelation of SOC and these drivers and their potential connection networks are rarely assessed quantitatively. Using observations of SOC dynamics with detailed soil properties from 90 field trials at 28 sites under different agroecosystems across the Australian cropping regions, we investigated the direct and indirect effects of climate, soil properties, carbon (C) inputs and soil C pools (a total of 17 variables) on SOC change rate (r_C, Mg C ha^?1 yr^?1). Among these variables, we found that the most influential variables on r_C were the average C input amount and annual precipitation, and the total SOC stock at the beginning of the trials. Overall, C inputs (including C input amount and pasture frequency in the crop rotation system) accounted for 27% of the relative influence on r_C, followed by climate 25% (including precipitation and temperature), soil C pools 24% (including pool size and composition) and soil properties (such as cation exchange capacity, clay content, bulk density) 24%. Path analysis identified a network of intercorrelations of climate, soil properties, C inputs and soil C pools in determining r_C. The direct correlation of r_C with climate was significantly weakened if removing the effects of soil properties and C pools, and vice versa. These results reveal the relative importance of climate, soil properties, C inputs and C pools and their complex interconnections in regulating SOC dynamics. Ignorance of the impact of changes in soil properties, C pool composition and C input (quantity and quality) on SOC dynamics is likely one of the main sources of uncertainty in SOC predictions from the process‐based SOC models.     

不同植茶年限土壤团聚体及其有机碳分布特征

作为土壤结构的基本单元和土壤肥力的重要组成部分,土壤团聚体对土壤的物理、化学和生物特性均有重要影响。试验选取了雅安市名山区中峰乡生态茶园区12—15a、20—22a、30—33a和50a的茶园,研究其土壤团聚体及其有机碳总量、储量和活性组分的分布特征,探究植茶年限对土壤团聚体及其有机碳分布的影响。结果表明:(1)研究区土壤以2 mm粒级团聚体为主,约为70%—80%,且在0—20 cm土层植茶20—22a土壤团聚体含量最高;(2)茶园土壤团聚体有机碳含量随团聚体粒级的减小而增加,最大值出现在0.25 mm粒级团聚体,且在植茶50a时达最高值,0—20 cm土层团聚体有机碳含量均高于20—40 cm,土壤团聚体水溶性有机碳和微生物生物量碳随植茶年限的延长呈先增加后降低的变化趋势,植茶30—33a时含量最高,且小粒级团聚体水溶性有机碳含量较高而微生物量碳较低;(3)土壤团聚体对有机碳的贡献率约有70%来自2 mm粒级团聚体,团聚体有机碳储量随植茶年限延长呈增加的趋势,不同植茶年限0—20 cm土层各粒级团聚体有机碳储量均高于20—40 cm土层,且以0.25 mm粒级团聚体有机碳储量最高。研究结果在一定程度上揭示了不同植茶年限土壤团聚体及其有机碳的分布特征,可为改善区域土壤质量及实施退耕还茶工程提供理论指导。