Surficial gains and subsoil losses of soil carbon and nitrogen during secondary forest development

Reforestation of formerly cultivated land is widely understood to accumulate above‐ and belowground detrital organic matter pools, including soil organic matter. However, during 40 years of study of reforestation in the subtropical southeastern USA, repeated observations of above‐ and belowground carbon documented that significant gains in soil organic matter (SOM) in surface soils (0–7.5 cm) were offset by significant SOM losses in subsoils (35–60 cm). Here, we extended the observation period in this long‐term experiment by an additional decade, and used soil fractionation and stable isotopes and radioisotopes to explore changes in soil organic carbon and soil nitrogen that accompanied nearly 50 years of loblolly pine secondary forest development. We observed that accumulations of mineral soil C and N from 0 to 7.5 cm were almost entirely due to accumulations of light‐fraction SOM. Meanwhile, losses of soil C and N from mineral soils at 35 to 60 cm were from SOM associated with silt and clay‐sized particles. Isotopic signatures showed relatively large accumulations of forest‐derived carbon in surface soils, and little to no accumulation of forest‐derived carbon in subsoils. We argue that the land use change from old field to secondary forest drove biogeochemical and hydrological changes throughout the soil profile that enhanced microbial activity and SOM decomposition in subsoils. However, when the pine stands aged and began to transition to mixed pines and hardwoods, demands on soil organic matter for nutrients to support aboveground growth eased due to pine mortality, and subsoil organic matter levels stabilized. This study emphasizes the importance of long‐term experiments and deep measurements when characterizing soil C and N responses to land use change and the remarkable paucity of such long‐term soil data deeper than 30 cm.     

Carbon storage capacity of semi‐arid grassland soils and sequestration potentials in northern China

Organic carbon (OC) sequestration in degraded semi‐arid environments by improved soil management is assumed to contribute substantially to climate change mitigation. However, information about the soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration potential in steppe soils and their current saturation status remains unknown. In this study, we estimated the OC storage capacity of semi‐arid grassland soils on the basis of remote, natural steppe fragments in northern China. Based on the maximum OC saturation of silt and clay particles <20 μm, OC sequestration potentials of degraded steppe soils (grazing land, arable land, eroded areas) were estimated. The analysis of natural grassland soils revealed a strong linear regression between the proportion of the fine fraction and its OC content, confirming the importance of silt and clay particles for OC stabilization in steppe soils. This relationship was similar to derived regressions in temperate and tropical soils but on a lower level, probably due to a lower C input and different clay mineralogy. In relation to the estimated OC storage capacity, degraded steppe soils showed a high OC saturation of 78–85% despite massive SOC losses due to unsustainable land use. As a result, the potential of degraded grassland soils to sequester additional OC was generally low. This can be related to a relatively high contribution of labile SOC, which is preferentially lost in the course of soil degradation. Moreover, wind erosion leads to substantial loss of silt and clay particles and consequently results in a direct loss of the ability to stabilize additional OC. Our findings indicate that the SOC loss in semi‐arid environments induced by intensive land use is largely irreversible. Observed SOC increases after improved land management mainly result in an accumulation of labile SOC prone to land use/climate changes and therefore cannot be regarded as contribution to long‐term OC sequestration.     

Soil organic carbon stocks in southeast Germany (Bavaria) as affected by land use,soil type and sampling depth

Precise estimations of soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks are of decided importance for the detection of C sequestration or emission potential induced by land use changes. For Germany, a comprehensive, land use–specific SOC data set has not yet been compiled. We evaluated a unique data set of 1460 soil profiles in southeast Germany in order to calculate representative SOC stocks to a depth of 1 m for the main land use types. The results showed that grassland soils stored the highest amount of SOC, with a median value of 11.8 kg m^?2, whereas considerably lower stocks of 9.8 and 9.0 kg m^?2 were found for forest and cropland soils, respectively. However, the differences between extensively used land (grassland, forest) and cropland were much lower compared with results from other studies in central European countries. The depth distribution of SOC showed that despite low SOC concentrations in A horizons of cropland soils, their stocks were not considerably lower compared with other land uses. This was due to a deepening of the topsoil compared with grassland soils. Higher grassland SOC stocks were caused by an accumulation of SOC in the B horizon which was attributable to a high proportion of C‐rich Gleysols within grassland soils. This demonstrates the relevance of pedogenetic SOC inventories instead of solely land use–based approaches. Our study indicated that cultivation‐induced SOC depletion was probably often overestimated since most studies use fixed depth increments. Moreover, the application of modelled parameters in SOC inventories is questioned because a calculation of SOC stocks using different pedotransfer functions revealed considerably biased results. We recommend SOC stocks be determined by horizon for the entire soil profile in order to estimate the impact of land use changes precisely and to evaluate C sequestration potentials more accurately.     

Soil organic carbon stocks in China and changes from 1980s to 2000s

The estimation of the size and changes of soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks is of great importance for decision makers to adopt proper measures to protect soils and to develop strategies for mitigation of greenhouse gases. In this paper, soil data from the Second State Soil Survey of China (SSSSC) conducted in the early 1980s and data published in the last 5 years were used to estimate the size of SOC stocks over the whole profile and their changes in China in last 20 years. Soils were identified as paddy, upland, forest, grassland or waste‐land soils and an improved soil bulk density estimation method was used to estimate missing bulk density data. In the early 1980s, total SOC stocks were estimated at 89.61 Pg (1 Pg=10³ Tg=10¹⁵ g) in China's 870.94 Mha terrestrial areas covered by 2473 soil series. In the paddy, upland, forest and grassland soils the respective total SOC stocks were 2.91 Pg on 29.87 Mha, 10.07 Pg on 125.89 Mha, 34.23 Pg on 249.32 Mha and 37.71 Pg on 278.51 Mha, respectively. The SOC density of the surface layer ranged from 3.5 Mg ha⁻¹ in Gray Desery grassland soils to 252.6 Mg ha⁻¹ in Mountain Meadow forest soils. The average area‐weighted total SOC density in paddy soils (97.6 Mg ha⁻¹) was higher than that in upland soils (80 Mg ha⁻¹). Soils under forest (137.3 Mg ha⁻¹) had a similar average area‐weighted total SOC density as those under grassland (135.4 Mg ha⁻¹). The annual estimated SOC accumulation rates in farmland and forest soils in the last 20 years were 23.61 and 11.72 Tg, respectively, leading to increases of 0.472 and 0.234 Pg SOC in farmland and forest areas, respectively. In contrast, SOC under grassland declined by 3.56 Pg due to the grassland degradation over this period. The resulting estimated net SOC loss in China's soils over the last 20 years was 2.86 Pg. The documented SOC accumulation in farmland and forest soils could thus not compensate for the loss of SOC in grassland soils in the last 20 years. There were, however, large regional differences: Soils in China's South and Eastern parts acted mainly as C sinks, increasing their average topsoil SOC by 132 and 145 Tg, respectively. In contrast, in the Northwest, Northeast, Inner Mongolia and Tibet significant losses of 1.38, 0.21, 0.49 and 1.01 Pg of SOC, respectively, were estimated over the last 20 years. These results highlight the importance to take measures to protect grassland and to improve management practices to increase C sequestration in farmland and forest soils.     

Soil organic carbon content and composition of 130-year crop, pasture and forest land-use managements

Conversion of former agricultural land to grassland and forest ecosystems is a suggested option for mitigation of increased atmospheric CO₂. A Sharpsburg prairie loess soil (fine, smectitic, mesic Typic Argiudoll) provided treatments to study the impact of long‐term land use on soil organic carbon (SOC) content and composition for a 130‐year‐old cropped, pasture and forest comparison. The forest and pasture land use significantly retained more SOC, 46% and 25%, respectively, compared with cropped land use, and forest land use increased soil C content by 29% compared with the pasture. Organic C retained in the soils was a function of the soil N content (r=0.98, P<0.001) and the soil carbohydrate (CH) concentration (r=0.96, P<0.001). Statistical analyses found that soil aggregation processes increased as organic C content increased in the forest and pasture soils, but not in the cropped soil. SOC was composed of similar percentages of CHs (49%, 42% and 51%), amino acids (22%, 15% and 18%), lipids (2.3%, 2.3% and 2.9%) and unidentified C (21%, 29% and 27%), but differed for phenolic acids (PAs) (5.7%, 11.6% and 1.0%) for the pasture, forest and cropped soils, respectively. The results suggested that the majority of the surface soil C sequestered in the long‐term pasture and forest soils was identified as C of plant origin through the use of CH and PA biomarkers, although the increase in amino sugar concentration of microbial origin indicates a greater increase in microbial inputs in the three subsoils. The practice of permanent pastures and afforestation of agricultural land showed long‐term potential for potential mitigation of atmospheric CO₂.     

Soil organic carbon changes in landscape units of Belgium between 1960 and 2000 with reference to 1990

The present study quantifies changes in soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks in Belgium between 1960, 1990 and 2000 for 289 spatially explicit land units with unique soil association and land‐use type, termed landscape units (LSU). The SOC stocks are derived from multiple nonstandardized sets of field measurements up to a depth of 30 cm. Approximately half of the LSU show an increase in SOC between 1960 and 2000. The significant increases occur mainly in soils of grassland LSU in northern Belgium. Significant decreases are observed on loamy cropland soils. Although the largest SOC gains are observed for LSU under forest (22 t C ha^?1 for coniferous and 29 t C ha^?1 for broadleaf and mixed forest in the upper 30 cm of soil), significant changes are rare because of large variability. Because the number of available measurements is very high for agricultural land, most significant changes occur under cropland and grassland, but the corresponding average SOC change is smaller than for forests (9 t C ha^?1 increase for grassland and 1 t C ha^?1 decrease for cropland). The 1990 data for agricultural LSU show that the SOC changes between 1960 and 2000 are not linear. Most agricultural LSU show a higher SOC stock in 1990 than in 2000, especially in northern Belgium. The observed temporal and spatial patterns can be explained by a change in manure application intensity. SOC stock changes caused by land‐use change are estimated. The SOC change over time is derived from observed differences between SOC stocks in space. Because SOC stocks are continuously influenced by a number of external factors, mainly land‐use history and current land management and climate, this approach gives only an approximate estimate whose validity is limited to these conditions.     

Long-Term Grazing Exclusion Improves the Composition and Stability of Soil Organic Matter in Inner Mongolian Grasslands

Alteration of the composition of soil organic matter (SOM) in Inner Mongolian grassland soils associated with the duration of grazing exclusion (GE) has been considered an important index for evaluating the restoring effects of GE practice. By using five plots from a grassland succession series from free grazing to 31-year GE, we measured the content of soil organic carbon (SOC), humic acid carbon (HAC), fulvic acid carbon (FAC), humin carbon (HUC), and humic acid structure to evaluate the changes in SOM composition. The results showed that SOC, HUC, and the ratios of HAC/FAC and HAC/extractable humus carbon (C) increased significantly with prolonged GE duration, and their relationships can be well fitted by positive exponential equations, except for FAC. In contrast, the HAC content increased logarithmically with prolonged GE duration. Long-term GE enhanced the content of SOC and soil humification, which was obvious after more than 10 years of GE. Solid-state ¹³C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy showed that the ratios of alkyl C/O-alkyl C first decreased, and then remained stable with prolonged GE. Alternately, the ratios of aromaticity and hydrophobicity first increased, and then were maintained at relatively stable levels. Thus, a decade of GE improved the composition and structure of SOM in semiarid grassland soil and made it more stable. These findings provide new evidence to support the positive effects of long-term GE on soil SOC sequestration in the Inner Mongolian grasslands, in view of the improvement of SOM structure and stability.     

Afforestation with Norway spruce on a subalpine pasture alters carbon dynamics but only moderately affects soil carbon storage

There is a strong trend toward reforestation of abandoned grasslands in alpine regions which may impact the carbon balance of alpine ecosystems. Here, we studied the effects of afforestation with Norway spruce (Picea abies L.) on an extensively grazed subalpine pasture in Switzerland on soil organic carbon (SOC) cycling and storage. Along a 120-year long chronosequence with spruce stands of 25, 30, 40, 45, and >120 years and adjacent pastures, we measured tree biomass, SOC stocks down to the bedrock, natural ¹³C abundances, and litter quality. To unravel controls on SOC cycling, we have monitored microclimatic conditions and quantified SOC decomposability under standardized conditions as well as soil respiration in situ. Stocks of SOC were only moderately affected by the afforestation: in the mineral soil, SOC stocks transiently decreased after tree establishment, reaching a minimum 40–45 years after afforestation (?25 %) and increased thereafter. Soils of the mature spruce forest stored the largest amount of SOC, 13 % more than the pasture soils, mainly due to the accumulation of an organic layer (23 t C ha^?1). By comparison, C accumulated in the tree biomass exceeded the SOC pool by a factor of three in the old forest. In contrast to the small impact on C storage, afforestation strongly influenced the composition and quality of the soil organic matter (SOM). With increasing stand age, δ¹³C values of the SOM became consistently more positive, which can be interpreted as a gradual replacement of grass- by spruce-derived C. Fine roots of spruce were enriched in ¹³C, in lignin and had a higher C/N ratio in comparison to grass roots. As a consequence, SOM quality as indicated by the lower fraction of readily decomposable (labile) SOM and higher C:N ratios declined after the land-use change. Furthermore, spruce plantation induced a less favorable microclimate for microbial activity with the average soil temperature during the growing season being 5 °C lower in the spruce stands than in the pasture. In situ soil respiration was approximately 50 % lower after the land use conversion, which we primarily attribute to the colder conditions and the lower SOM quality, but also to drier soils (?25 %) and to a decreased fine root biomass (?40 %). In summary, afforestation on subalpine pastures only moderately affected SOC storage as compared to the large C sink in tree biomass. In contrast, SOC cycling rates strongly decreased as a result of a less favorable microclimate for decomposition of SOM, a lower C input by roots, and a lower litter quality.     

滇南喀斯特断陷盆地土地利用方式对土壤有机碳及其活性组分的影响

土地利用方式是影响土壤有机碳库的重要因素,为探究喀斯特断陷盆地土壤有机碳库对土地利用方式及环境因素的响应,以滇南喀斯特地区5种典型土地利用方式(耕地、草地、灌丛、人工林、天然林)为研究对象,分析不同土地利用方式土壤有机碳(SOC)及活性有机碳(LOC)组分,即可溶性有机碳(DOC)、易氧化性有机碳(EOC)及微生物量碳(MBC)的含量、储量及分配比例在土壤垂直剖面(0-60 cm)的变化特征。结果表明：5种土地利用方式的SOC含量随土层深度的增加逐渐降低,其储量依次为灌丛(191.77 t/hm²)、草地(166.86 t/hm²)、耕地(142.47 t/hm²)、人工林(134.31 t/hm²)和天然林(102.62 t/hm²);EOC和MBC的平均含量及储量均以草地及灌丛最高、人工林及天然林次之,二者在土壤垂直剖面上与SOC含量的变化特征一致,但EOC和MBC含量在土层间的下降幅度大于SOC;土地利用方式和土层深度对DOC无显著影响(P>0.05);活性有机碳的分配比例受土地利用方式及土层深度的显著影响(P<0.01),其中人工林的EOC/SOC和MBC/SOC显著低于草地、灌丛及天然林。通径分析指出SOC和EOC主要受C/P比、全磷、砂粒和交换性钙的影响,砂粒和C/P比是影响MBC的主要因子。研究阐明在喀斯特断陷盆地地区EOC和MBC对土地利用方式的响应比SOC更敏感。另外,今后在土壤碳库的研究中应更多关注土壤磷和物理结构对其的影响。     

Impact of tropical land‐use change on soil organic carbon stocks – a meta‐analysis

Land‐use changes are the second largest source of human‐induced greenhouse gas emission, mainly due to deforestation in the tropics and subtropics. CO₂ emissions result from biomass and soil organic carbon (SOC) losses and may be offset with afforestation programs. However, the effect of land‐use changes on SOC is poorly quantified due to insufficient data quality (only SOC concentrations and no SOC stocks, shallow sampling depth) and representativeness. In a global meta‐analysis, 385 studies on land‐use change in the tropics were explored to estimate the SOC stock changes for all major land‐use change types. The highest SOC losses were caused by conversion of primary forest into cropland (?25%) and perennial crops (?30%) but forest conversion into grassland also reduced SOC stocks by 12%. Secondary forests stored less SOC than primary forests (?9%) underlining the importance of primary forests for C stores. SOC losses are partly reversible if agricultural land is afforested (+29%) or under cropland fallow (+32%) and with cropland conversion into grassland (+26%). Data on soil bulk density are critical in order to estimate SOC stock changes because (i) the bulk density changes with land‐use and needs to be accounted for when calculating SOC stocks and (ii) soil sample mass has to be corrected for bulk density changes in order to compare land‐use types on the same basis of soil mass. Without soil mass correction, land‐use change effects would have been underestimated by 28%. Land‐use change impact on SOC was not restricted to the surface soil, but relative changes were equally high in the subsoil, stressing the importance of sufficiently deep sampling.     

Land use induced changes of organic carbon storage in soils of China

Using the data compiled from China's second national soil survey and an improved method of soil carbon bulk density, we have estimated the changes of soil organic carbon due to land use, and compared the spatial distribution and storage of soil organic carbon (SOC) in cultivated soils and noncultivated soils in China. The results reveal that ～ 57% of the cultivated soil subgroups ( ～ 31% of the total soil surface) have experienced a significant carbon loss, ranging from 40% to 10% relative to their noncultivated counterparts. The most significant carbon loss is observed for the non‐irrigated soils (dry farmland) within a semiarid/semihumid belt from northeastern to southwestern China, with the maximum loss occurring in northeast China. On the contrary, SOC has increased in the paddy and irrigated soils in northwest China. No significant change is observed for forest soils in southern China, grassland and desert soils in northwest China, as well as irrigated soils in eastern China. The SOC storage and density under noncultivated conditions in China are estimated to ～ 77.4 Pg (10¹⁵ g) and ～ 8.8 kg C m^?2, respectively, compared to a SOC storage of ～ 70.3 Pg and an average SOC density of ～ 8.0 kg C m^?2 under the present‐day conditions. This suggests a loss of ～ 7.1 Pg SOC and a decrease of ～ 0.8 kg C m^?2 SOC density due to increasing human activities, in which the loss in organic horizons has contributed to ～ 77%. This total loss of SOC in China induced by land use represents ～ 9.5% of the world's SOC decrease. This amount is equivalent to ～ 3.5 ppmv of the atmospheric CO₂ increase. Since ～ 78% of the currently cultivated soils in China have been degraded to a low/medium productivities and are responsible for most of the SOC loss, an improved land management, such as the development of irrigated and paddy land uses, would have a considerable potential in restoring the SOC storage. Assuming a restoration of ～ 50% of the lost SOC during the next 20–50 years, the soils in China would absorb ～ 3.5 Pg of carbon from the atmosphere.     

Effects of simulated exudate C:N stoichiometry on dynamics of carbon and microbial community composition in a subalpine coniferous forest of western Sichuan,China

 目前有关森林根系分泌物及其诱导的土壤生态学效应研究主要关注根系碳(C)源输入, 而极少关注根系分泌物氮(N)源输入及其伴随的C:N化学计量特征对土壤过程和功能的影响, 极大地限制了我们对森林根系-土壤-微生物互作机制的深入认识。该研究以川西亚高山天然林和云杉(Picea asperata)人工林土壤为对象, 模拟配制不同C:N化学计量特征(只有N、C:N = 10、C:N = 50、C:N = 100和只有C处理)的根系分泌物溶液进行人工添加试验, 以探究根系分泌物化学计量特征对两种林分土壤碳动态及其微生物群落结构的影响差异。结果表明: 模拟根系分泌物C添加总体促进了两种林分土壤有机质分解激发效应而降低了土壤总碳(TC)含量, 而N添加在一定程度上缓和了两种林分土壤TC含量的降低幅度, 且C添加导致天然林土壤TC含量的降低幅度明显低于土壤N有效性更低的人工林。几种根系分泌物添加处理对两种林分土壤活性和惰性碳库的影响无明显规律。另外, 根系分泌物C添加总体降低了天然林土壤微生物总磷脂脂肪酸(PLFA)含量和细菌、放线菌、真菌PLFA含量, 而总体增加人工林土壤微生物PLFA总量和细菌、放线菌、真菌PLFA含量, 并诱导两种林分土壤微生物群落结构(细菌:真菌相对丰度)也发生了各自不同的变化。上述结果表明森林根系分泌物N源输入和土壤N有效性共同调控根系C源输入对土壤有机质分解激发效应的方向和幅度。研究结果为深入揭示典型森林根系分泌物化学计量特征对土壤生物化学循环过程的调控机制提供了一定的理论依据。     

Climate change effects on the stability and chemistry of soil organic carbon pools in a subalpine grassland

Mountain soils stock large quantities of carbon as particulate organic matter that may be highly vulnerable to climate change. To explore potential shifts in soil organic matter (SOM) form and stability under climate change (warming and reduced precipitations), we studied the dynamics of SOM pools of a mountain grassland in the Swiss Jura as part of a climate manipulation experiment. The climate manipulation (elevational soil transplantation) was set up in October 2009 and simulated two realistic climate change scenarios. After 4 years of manipulation, we performed SOM physical fractionation to extract SOM fractions corresponding to specific turnover rates, in winter and in summer. Soil organic matter fraction chemistry was studied with ultraviolet, 3D fluorescence, and mid-infrared spectroscopies. The most labile SOM fractions showed high intra-annual dynamics (amounts and chemistry) mediated via the seasonal changes of fresh plant debris inputs and confirming their high contribution to the microbial loop. Our climate change manipulation modified the chemical differences between free and intra-aggregate organic matter, suggesting a modification of soil macro-aggregates dynamics. Interestingly, the 4-year climate manipulation affected directly the SOM dynamics, with a decrease in organic C bulk soil content, resulting from significant C-losses in the mineral-associated SOM fraction (MAOM), the most stable form of SOM. This SOC decrease was associated with a decrease in clay content, above- and belowground plants biomass, soil microbial biomass and activity. The combination of these climate changes effects on the plant–soil system could have led to increase C-losses from the MAOM fraction through clay-SOM washing out and DOC leaching in this subalpine grassland.     

Identification of General Patterns of Nutrient and Labile Carbon Control on Soil Carbon Dynamics Across a Successional Gradient

Carbon (C) inputs and nutrient availability are known to affect soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks. However, general rules regarding the operation of these factors across a range of soil nutrient availabilities and substrate qualities are unidentified. “Priming” (stimulated decomposition by labile C inputs) and ‘preferential substrate utilization’ (retarded decomposition due to shifts in community composition towards microbes that do not mineralize SOC) are two hypotheses to explain effects of labile C additions on SOC dynamics. For effects of nutrient additions (nitrogen and phosphorus) on SOC dynamics, the stoichiometric (faster decomposition of materials of low carbon-to-nutrient ratios) and ‘microbial mining’ (that is, reduced breakdown of recalcitrant C forms for nutrients under fertile conditions) hypotheses have been proposed. Using the natural gradient of soil nutrient availability and substrate quality of a chronosequence, combined with labile C and nutrient amendments, we explored the support for these contrasting hypotheses. Additions of labile C, nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and combinations of C and N and C and P were applied to three sites: 2-year fallow grassland, mature grassland and forest, and the effects of site and nutrient additions on litter decomposition and soil C dynamics were assessed. The response to C addition supported the preferential substrate hypothesis for easily degradable litter C and the priming hypothesis for SOC, but only in nitrogen-enriched soils of the forest site. Responses to N addition supported the microbial mining hypothesis irrespective of C substrate (litter or SOC), but only in the forest site. Further, P addition effects on SOC support the stoichiometric hypothesis; P availability appeared key to soil C release (priming) in the forest site if labile C and N is available. These results clearly link previously contrasting hypotheses of the factors controlling SOC with the natural gradient in litter quality and nutrient availability that exists in ecosystems at different successional stages. A holistic theory that incorporates this variability of responses, due to different mechanisms, depending on nutrient availability and substrate quality is essential for devising management strategies to safeguard soil C stocks.     

Soil organic carbon fractions are affected by different land uses in an agro-pastoral transitional zone in Northeastern China

Soil organic carbon (SOC) consists of various C fractions with different stabilities and chemical compositions that are differently affected by changes in land use. A better understanding of the responses of different C fractions to land uses is vital for maintaining soil quality and mitigating global warming. Using data from a short-term land use experiment in northeastern China, this paper investigated the effect of five land uses, corn cropland (Corn), alfalfa grassland (Alfalfa), artificial grassland of Lyemus chinensis (AG), Lyemus chinensis grassland for mowing (AG + Mow) and restored grassland (RG), on the dynamics of total SOC and four SOC fractions with increasing degrees of oxidizability at 0 to 50 cm depths. The results show that land use had a significant effect (P < 0.05) on the total SOC and SOC fractions of very labile C (F1), labile C (F2) and less labile C (F3), while the difference in recalcitrant C (F4) was less pronounced. SOC in the study area was characterized by a predominantly very labile C fraction, and the percentages of F1 to total SOC were more than 40% for all land uses. Compared with Corn, the treatments AG + Mow, AG and RG decreased the percentage of F1 to SOC (by 4.49%, 6.53% and 3.55%, respectively) and increased the percentages of F2 (by 3.32%, 2.77% and 6.60%, respectively) and F3 (by 4.47%, 3.46% and 0.3%, respectively) to SOC. These findings suggest that land-use type is a major factor that influences soil C fractions and that labile C fractions contribute a large part of the total SOC. In addition, grassland colonization of croplands improves soil C sequestration in northeastern China.     

Land use change from C3 grassland to C4 Miscanthus: effects on soil carbon content and estimated mitigation benefit after six years

To date, most Miscanthus trials and commercial fields have been planted on arable land. Energy crops will need to be grown more on lower grade lands unsuitable for arable crops. Grasslands represent a major land resource for energy crops. In grasslands, where soil organic carbon (SOC) levels can be high, there have been concerns that the carbon mitigation benefits of bioenergy from Miscanthus could be offset by losses in SOC associated with land use change. At a site in Wales (UK), we quantified the relatively short‐term impacts (6 years) of four novel Miscanthus hybrids and Miscanthus × giganteus on SOC in improved grassland. After 6 years, using stable carbon isotope ratios (¹³C/¹²C), the amount of Miscanthus derived C (C4) in total SOC was considerable (ca. 12%) and positively correlated to belowground biomass of different hybrids. Nevertheless, significant changes in SOC stocks (0–30 cm) were not detected as C4 Miscanthus carbon replaced the initial C3 grassland carbon; however, initial SOC decreased more in the presence of higher belowground biomass. We ascribed this apparently contradictory result to the rhizosphere priming effect triggered by easily available C sources. Observed changes in SOC partitioning were modelled using the RothC soil carbon turnover model and projected for 20 years showing that there is no significant change in SOC throughout the anticipated life of a Miscanthus crop. We interpret our observations to mean that the new labile C from Miscanthus has replaced the labile C from the grassland and, therefore, planting Miscanthus causes an insignificant change in soil organic carbon. The overall C mitigation benefit is therefore not decreased by depletion of soil C and is due to substitution of fossil fuel by the aboveground biomass, in this instance 73–108 Mg C ha^?1 for the lowest and highest yielding hybrids, respectively, after 6 years.     

Carbon Sequestration in Reclaimed Minesoils

Minesoils are drastically influenced by anthropogenic activities. They are characterized by low soil organic matter (SOM) content, low fertility, and poor physicochemical and biological properties, limiting their quality, capability, and functions. Reclamation of these soils has potential for resequestering some of the C lost and mitigating CO₂ emissions. Soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration rates in minesoils are high in the first 20 to 30 years after reclamation in the top 15 cm soil depth. In general, higher rates of SOC sequestration are observed for minesoils under pasture and grassland management than under forest land use. Observed rates of SOC sequestration are 0.3 to 1.85 Mg C ha^{? 1} yr^{? 1} for pastures and rangelands, and 0.2 to 1.64 Mg C ha^{? 1} yr^{? 1} for forest land use. Proper reclamation and postreclamation management may enhance SOC sequestration and add to the economic value of the mined sites. Management practices that may enhance SOC sequestration include increasing vegetative cover by deep-rooted perennial vegetation and afforestation, improving soil fertility, and alleviation of physical, chemical and biological limitations by fertilizers and soil amendments such as biosolids, manure, coal combustion by-products, and mulches. Soil and water conservation are important to SOC sequestration. The potential of SOC sequestration in minesoils of the US is estimated to be 1.28 Tg C yr^?1, compared to the emissions from coal combustion of 506 Tg C yr^{? 1}.     

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.     

Organic matter fraction and pools of phosphorus as indicators of the impact of land use in the Amazonian periphery

The unsustainable use of the soil of the deforested area at the Amazonian border is one of the greatest threats to the rainforest. Among the causes of land degradation in the humid tropics are phosphorus depletion (P), the decrease of soil organic matter (SOM) and the loss of basic cations. The aim of this study was determine the effects of different land uses on the dynamics of soil organic matter and phosphorus, to determine whether and how changes in the P and SOM can be used to assess the degree of land degradation in the humid tropics and whether the use of ecological systems can lessen or mitigate this degradation. Five systems were chosen according to potential use in the region: pasture of 30 years; no-tillage with 5 years of rice–maize rotations; no-tillage in alley cropping systems of 10 years; a newly cleared area; and 20 years of undisturbed secondary forest. Each field was sampled in a “W” pattern, to collect the soil samples from the chosen systems, prior to the chemical analyses. The SOM was separated by physical soil fractionation. The soil P fractionation was performed. All of the soil samples showed a very low pH range. The potential acidity was high under the alley cropping system, with more intensive and continuous use. All of the more labile fractions of organic matter decreased with the continuous use of soil in the alley cropping system. Therefore under alley cropping, most of the P (approximately 95%) was found in an inorganic form, and approximately 60% was found in the less labile fractions. The pasture and secondary forest showed higher contents of the labile fractions of organic matter and organic P. Higher correlations of organic P were found with the silt and clay fractions of organic matter. The results indicate that the fractions of P and organic matter are important indicators to assess changes in the degree of land degradation in the humid tropics. These results indicate also that the intensive and continuous use of annual crops in the soils of the humid tropics must be considered as posing a high risk to the sustainability of the agrosystems, mainly because of the increase of the active and potential acidity, the decrease of the labile organic matter and the depletion of the pools of organic P, leading to land degradation.     

Soil Organic Carbon Content Decreases in Both Surface and Subsoil Mineral Horizons by Simulated Future Increases in Labile Carbon Inputs in a Temperate Coniferous Forest

Soils represent important pools of soil organic carbon (SOC) that can be greatly influenced by labile C inputs, which are expected to increase in future due to CO₂ enrichment of atmosphere and a concomitant rise in plant primary productivity. Studying effects of variable labile C inputs on SOC pool helps to understand how soils respond to global change. However, this knowledge is missing for coniferous forest soils despite being widespread throughout the northern temperate zone. We conducted a 7-month field manipulation experiment to study the effects of variable labile C inputs (simulated by additions of C₄ sucrose) on the C content in soil fractions and on microbial abundance in the organic (O), surface mineral (A), and subsoil mineral (B) horizons of a temperate coniferous forest soil. SOC in less-protected soil fractions and total organic C were substantially decreased by labile C additions that simulated future increases in C inputs. The SOC losses were comparable between the A and B horizon (40% vs. 30%). However, because sucrose availability estimated from its incorporation into soil fractions and microbial biomass sharply decreased with soil depth, the loss of C was higher in the B than in the A horizon when related to the amount of sucrose added. Utilization of sucrose was highest by fungi in the O horizon and by bacteria in the mineral soil horizons. The results indicate that future increases in labile C inputs to coniferous forest soils will cause rapid and substantial losses of SOC in both the surface and subsoil mineral horizons.