To understand the effects of straw return modes on soil carbon pools, we investigated total soil organic carbon (SOC), labile organic carbon fractions, and inorganic carbon (SIC) in different straw return modes at a depth of 0-40 cm under a maize-wheat cropping system in the Guanzhong Plain, Shaanxi, based on an 11-year field experiment. There were five straw return modes, i.e., no return of straw of both wheat and maize (CK), the retention of high wheat stubble plus the return of chopped maize straw (WH-MC), the return of both chopped wheat and maize straw (WC-MC), the retention of high wheat stubble and no return of maize straw (WH-MN), and the return of chopped wheat straw and no return of maize straw (WC-MN). The proportions of SOC storage were significantly higher under the WH-MC and WC-MC treatments than that under the CK by 28.1% and 22.2%, respectively. The proportions of SIC storage were increased by 20.4% and 17.3%, respectively. Compared with the initial value, the increases of sequestered SOC and SIC ranged from -0.84 t·hm-2 to 6.55 t·hm-2, respectively, and from -0.26 t·hm-2 to 8.61 t·hm-2, respectively. The efficiency of sequestration of SOC was 7.5%. To maintain the basic SOC level, the minimum carbon input from straw was 4.65 t·hm-2·a-1. The contents of labile carbon fractions at the 0-20 cm layer increased significantly under the WH-MC and WC-MC treatments compared with those of the control. Results of principal component analysis showed that the changes in soil carbon pools were primarily affected by the amount of straw return. Additionally, the increases in SIC storage could be ascribed to the Ca2+ and Mg2+ ions derived from irrigation water and plant residues that could coprecipitate with the CO2 from SOC mineralization to form CaCO3. In conclusion, our results indicated that the straw return mode that utilized the retention of high wheat stubble and chopped maize straw was sufficient to maintain soil carbon storage and would be the optimal straw-returning strategy for the region.
为探究不同秸秆还田模式对土壤碳库的影响,以陕西关中平原连续11年麦玉秸秆还田定位试验为基础,选择5种还田模式,即秸秆均不还田(CK)、小麦高留茬-玉米秸秆粉碎还田(WH-MC)、小麦玉米秸秆均粉碎还田(WC-MC)、小麦高留茬-玉米秸秆不还田(WH-MN)和小麦秸秆粉碎还田-玉米秸秆不还田(WC-MN),测定不同模式土壤有机碳(SOC)、活性碳组分和无机碳(SIC)在0～40 cm土层的分布。结果表明: 与CK相比,WH-MC和WC-MC的SOC储量分别增加28.1%和22.2%,SIC储量分别增加20.4%和17.3%;与试验初始土壤碳储量相比,各还田模式SOC固持量变化为-0.84～6.55 t·hm-2,SIC固持量为-0.26～8.61 t·hm-2;土壤总固碳效率为7.5%,维持土壤初始碳储量水平的最小碳投入量为4.65 t·hm-2·a-1;与CK相比,WH-MC和WC-MC显著提升0～20 cm土层活性碳组分含量。主成分分析表明,不同还田模式下土壤碳库变化主要受秸秆投入量的影响。来源于灌溉水和植物残体的Ca2+、Mg2+与SOC矿化产生的CO2可共沉淀形成CaCO3,可能是本研究SIC增加的主要机制。从提高土壤碳固持角度来看,小麦高留茬-玉米秸秆粉碎还田模式为最佳还田模式。.
Keywords: soil carbon sequestration; soil inorganic carbon (SIC); soil organic carbon (SOC); straw return mode.