Soil organic carbon and nitrogen fractions and water-stable aggregation as affected by cropping and grassland reclamation in an arid sub-alpine soil

X.G. Li; P.L. Zhang; P. Yin; Y.K. Li; Q. Ma; R.J. Long; F.M. Li

doi:10.1002/ldr.895

$Soil organic carbon and nitrogen fractions and water-stable aggregation as affected by cropping and grassland reclamation in an arid sub-alpine soil$

Journal article

Peer reviewed

Soil organic carbon and nitrogen fractions and water-stable aggregation as affected by cropping and grassland reclamation in an arid sub-alpine soil

X.G. Li, P.L. Zhang, P. Yin, Y.K. Li, Q. Ma, R.J. Long and F.M. Li

Land Degradation & Development, Vol.20(2), pp.176-186

2009

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.895

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Abstract

This paper investigates effects of cropping abandonment and perennial grass growing on soil organic C and N pools and aggregate stability, by comparing soils under native grassland, crop cultivation, perennial grass growing and cropping abandonment, in degraded cropland at a sub-alpine site in north-western China. The pools of total and particulate organic C (115 and 37 Mg ha-1) in the 0-30 cm soil layer of native grassland were reduced by 31 and 54% after 30 years of crop cultivation. After 4 years of conversion from cropland to perennial grass growing total and particulate organic C pools were increased by 29 and 56%, whereas 4 year cropping abandonment increased particulate organic C by 36%. Rapid increases in total and particulate N were also found in perennial grass growing and cropping abandonment soils. The native grassland soil and soils of cropping abandonment and perennial grass growing had higher carbohydrate C concentrations in the 0-10 cm layer than the cropped soil. The rapid recovery of particulate organic fraction and carbohydrates in the re-vegetated soils were probably due to higher plant biomass inputs and lower organic matter decomposition compared with those in the cropped soil. Aggregate stability of the 0-30 cm soil layer was significantly decreased by crop cultivation but showed a good recovery after 4 year re-vegetations. This study suggests that reduction of soil organic matter and aggregate stability under crop cultivation may be remedied by cropping abandonment or perennial grass growing.

Details

Title: Soil organic carbon and nitrogen fractions and water-stable aggregation as affected by cropping and grassland reclamation in an arid sub-alpine soil
Authors/Creators: X.G. Li (Author/Creator) - Lanzhou University
P.L. Zhang (Author/Creator) - Gansu Agricultural University
P. Yin (Author/Creator) - Gansu Agricultural University
Y.K. Li (Author/Creator) - Gansu Agricultural University
Q. Ma (Author/Creator) - The University of Western Australia
R.J. Long (Author/Creator) - Lanzhou University
F.M. Li (Author/Creator) - Lanzhou University
Publication Details: Land Degradation & Development, Vol.20(2), pp.176-186
Publisher: John Wiley and Sons Ltd
Identifiers: 991005542383107891
Copyright: © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Murdoch Affiliation: Murdoch University
Language: English
Resource Type: Journal article

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Collaboration types: Domestic collaboration; International collaboration
Citation topics: 3 Agriculture, Environment & Ecology; 3.45 Soil Science; 3.45.112 Soil Carbon Dynamics
Web Of Science research areas: Environmental Sciences; Soil Science
ESI research areas: Environment/Ecology