02 Feb 2010
02 Feb 2010
Soil organic carbon dynamics under long-term fertilizations in arable land of northern China
W. J. Zhang1, X. J. Wang2,3, M. G. Xu1, S. M. Huang4, H. Liu5, and C. Peng6
W. J. Zhang et al.
W. J. Zhang1, X. J. Wang2,3, M. G. Xu1, S. M. Huang4, H. Liu5, and C. Peng6
- 1Ministry of Agriculture Key Laboratory of Crop Nutrition and Fertilization, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
- 2Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, 830000, China
- 3Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20740, USA
- 4Inst. of Soil and Fertilizer, Henan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou, Henan 450002, China
- 5Inst. of Soil and Fertilizer & Agricultural sparing water, Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Urumqi 830091, China
- 6Inst. of Soil and Fertilizer, Jilin Academy of Agricultural Sciences, ChangChun, 130001, China
- 1Ministry of Agriculture Key Laboratory of Crop Nutrition and Fertilization, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
- 2Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, 830000, China
- 3Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20740, USA
- 4Inst. of Soil and Fertilizer, Henan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou, Henan 450002, China
- 5Inst. of Soil and Fertilizer & Agricultural sparing water, Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Urumqi 830091, China
- 6Inst. of Soil and Fertilizer, Jilin Academy of Agricultural Sciences, ChangChun, 130001, China
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Received: 22 Apr 2009 – Discussion started: 03 Jul 2009 – Revised: 24 Dec 2009 – Accepted: 07 Jan 2010 – Published: 02 Feb 2010
Soil carbon sequestration is a complex process influenced by agricultural practices, climate and soil conditions. This paper reports a study of long-term fertilization impacts on soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamic from six long-term experiments. The experiment sites are located from warm-temperate zone with a double-cropping system of corn (Zea mays L.) – wheat (Triticum Aestivium L.) rotation, to mild-temperate zones with mono-cropping systems of continuous corn, or a three-year rotation of corn-wheat-wheat. Mineral fertilizer applications result in an increasing trend in SOC except in the arid and semi-arid areas with the mono-cropping systems. Additional manure application is important to maintain SOC level in the arid and semi-arid areas. Carbon conversion rate is significant lower in the warm-temperate zone with double cropping system (6.8%–7.7%) than that in the mild-temperate areas with mono-cropping systems (15.8%–31.0%). The conversion rate is significantly correlated with annual precipitation and active accumulative temperature, i.e., higher conversion rate under lower precipitation and/or temperature conditions. Moreover, soil high in clay content has higher conversion rate than soils low in clay content. Soil carbon sequestration rate ranges from 0.07 to 1.461 t ha−1 year−1 in the upland of northern China. There is significantly linear correlation between soil carbon sequestration and carbon input at most sites, indicating that these soils are not carbon-saturated thus have potential to migrate more CO2 from atmosphere.