晋西北黄土丘陵区小流域土壤团聚体稳定性及其分异特征

土壤团聚体是土壤结构的基本组成部分,在影响水分入渗和转移、土壤肥力方面起到重要作用。分析土壤团聚体结构特征及其稳定性影响机制,对揭示黄土高原退耕还林还草生态环境效应具有重要意义。研究以晋西北朱家川流域内7个坝控小流域不同土地利用方式(林地、草地、农地)下土壤团聚体为研究对象,利用GIS平台空间分析模块提取样点地形因子,用湿筛法分析水稳性团聚体粒径组成,借助通径分析法分析各理化因子对于分形维数的影响。结果表明:晋西北朱家川流域不同土地利用方式下,土壤团聚体稳定性存在显著差异,团聚体稳定性从高到低顺序为:林地>草地>农地。分形维数和小粒径团聚体含量呈显著正相关,而与大粒径团聚体含量呈显著负相关。处于流域下游的后会沟流域土壤团聚体稳定性最低,中游柳树咀沟流域土壤团聚体结构稳定性最优。对土壤团聚体分形维数影响最大的因子是有机质含量,其次是海拔高度,直接通径系数分别为-0.427和-0.229,决策系数分别为0.168 0,0.085 6。研究结果可为黄土高原生态恢复和土地合理利用提供科学依据。     

黄土高塬沟壑区植被自然恢复年限对坡面土壤抗冲性的影响

为评价黄土高塬沟壑区坡面植被自然恢复对土壤抵抗径流侵蚀性能的影响,以农地为对照,通过野外原位冲刷试验研究了不同植被恢复年限（0~28 a）的坡面土壤抗冲性变化及其与土壤性质和根系密度的关系。结果表明,1）土壤各项性质均随恢复年限的增加不断改善,其中土壤容重和崩解速率随恢复年限呈递减的指数函数关系（P<0.01）,而饱和导水率、有机质含量、水稳性团聚体、MWD及各直径根系密度则随年限以线性或指数方式递增（P<0.01）。2）植被恢复3 a的坡面土壤抗冲性较农地增加不显著（P>0.05）,恢复3a后土壤抗冲性显著增加1.98～9.82倍（P<0.05）,且土壤抗冲性与恢复年限呈极显著线性关系（R2=0.98,P<0.01）。3）土壤抗冲性与容重和崩解速率呈显著的负相关关系,与饱和导水率、有机质含量、水稳性团聚体及MWD则呈极显著正相关关系;抗冲性与根系密度的关系可采用Hill曲线模拟,<0.5 mm是提高抗冲性的最有效根系直径。4）土壤抗冲性的提高与土壤性质的改善和根系密度的增加密切相关,土壤容重、团聚体稳定性（MWD）及<0.5 mm根系密度是影响土壤抗冲性的关键因子。     

黄土高原小流域不同生态建设措施下土壤水稳性团聚体及其全氮分布特征

全氮(TN)作为土壤团聚体形成的胶结物质之一,能加速不同粒级团聚体之间的转化。以黄土高原王茂沟小流域为研究对象,采用"S"法及挖剖面法对坡耕地、草地、灌木地、林地及梯田0—60 cm土壤进行分层取样,以坡耕地为对照,探究4种生态建设下土壤团聚体稳定性及其TN含量,分析不同深度(0—20,20—40,40—60 cm)、不同粒级(5,5～2,2～1,1～0.5,0.5～0.25,0.25 mm)土壤团聚体TN贡献率。结果表明:生态建设显著提高了土壤大团聚体含量,其中草地、林地与坡耕地相比,表层土壤5 mm团聚体分别增加469%和438%,土壤团聚体稳定性(MWD、GMD)增加,在垂直方向上则表现为团聚体稳定性随土层深度增加而降低。较之坡耕地,草地、灌木地、林地及梯田可在不同程度上提高土壤团聚体TN含量,其中林地团聚体TN储量(36.53 kg/m~2)最高,灌木地(32.12 kg/m~2)、草地(20.30 kg/m~2)及梯田(18.62 kg/m~2)TN储量较坡耕地分别增加131%,46%,34%,随着土层深度增加,不同生态建设类型对团聚体TN含量的影响逐渐弱化。随着坡耕地-草地-灌木地-林地的自然演替过程,0.25 mm团聚体TN贡献率呈降低趋势,梯田能够在一定程度上改良坡耕地的土壤结构,粒径范围在5～0.25 mm的土壤团聚体TN含量近乎达到草地的恢复水平,但5 mm团聚体的恢复空间尚且较大。     

川西北高寒草地退化对土壤团聚体组成及稳定性的影响

应用干筛法与湿筛法分析了川西北高寒草地不同退化阶段土壤团聚体组成特征,选取了土壤大团聚体含量（R_0.25）、平均重量直径（MWD）、几何平均直径（GMD）和团聚体破坏率（PAD）指标,研究了退化过程土壤团聚体稳定性的变化。结果表明:未退化草地土壤机械稳定性团聚体和水稳性团聚体组成都以大团聚体（>0.25 mm）为主,而退化草地均以微团聚体（<0.25 mm）为主;随着草地退化程度加剧,大团聚体含量（R_0.25）显著降低,土壤团聚体MWD和GMD均表现为:未退化 > 轻度退化 > 中度退化 > 重度退化,PAD呈现相反的变化趋势,其中未退化到轻度退化阶段团聚体稳定性变化最为明显;未退化和轻度退化草地土壤团聚体稳定性由表层向下层递减,而中度和重度退化草地表层（0—10 cm）土壤团聚体稳定性弱于下层（10—40 cm）。这些结果表明随着高寒草地退化的加剧,土壤团聚体稳定性显著降低,轻度退化阶段是土壤结构稳定性下降的关键期,在沙化防治中应予以重视。     

宁夏南部黄土丘陵区典型草本群落根系垂直分布特征与土壤团聚体的关系

为揭示宁夏南部黄土丘陵区典型草本群落根系垂直分布特征及与土壤团聚体的关系,初步评估乡土草本植物根系对团聚体发育的作用,选取5种典型草本群落(胡枝子、百里香、星毛委陵菜、猪毛蒿、长芒草),研究了草本根系垂直分布特征、土壤团聚体组成和稳定性以及根系与土壤团聚体之间的关系。结果表明:5种草本根系生物量、根长密度和表面积密度为0.44～2.11 g/m~3,0.31～3.51 cm/m~3,0.04～1.10 cm~2/m~3,随土层加深逐渐减小,呈表层聚集型分布。土壤团聚体粒径组成特征为5 mm团聚体最多(54.44%～67.80%,除猪毛蒿),较裸地提高17.5%～50.4%,0.25 mm团聚体第二,其他粒径团聚体很少(5%)。0—30 cm土壤团聚体R_(0.25),MWD,GMD值为52.03%～84.64%,9.57～21.01 mm,1.94～15.17 mm,草本群落间团聚体稳定性差异显著,百里香、星毛委陵菜群落团聚体稳定性最好,各草本群落土壤团聚体R_(0.25),MWD,GWD随土层加深先升后降。分析草本根系与土壤团聚体的关系,发现根参数和土壤团聚体稳定性指标未表现出显著相关性,说明几种草本根系在土壤结构变化中的作用尚不明确,试验有待细化。     

侵蚀强度对淮北土石山区土壤团聚体组成及稳定性的影响

为更好地揭示土壤侵蚀与土壤团聚体之间的关系,选取大吴山小流域为研究区,以4种土地利用下的土壤团聚体为研究对象,分析了不同侵蚀强度下各土地利用方式土壤团聚体的粒径组成及稳定性特征。结果表明:(1)研究区土壤团聚体主要以大团聚体(0.25 mm)为主,其比例均70%,与同类报道相比偏低,说明该区土壤流失严重,水土保持工作需进一步开展。(2)随侵蚀强度增加,2 mm团聚体含量有降低的趋势,0.106 mm则刚好相反,0.5～0.25 mm和1～0.5 mm团聚体含量明显变化,说明侵蚀过程倾向于破坏大团聚体,增加微团聚体百分含量,其中0.5 mm对侵蚀强度转变响应敏感。(3)土壤团聚体稳定性指标R_(0.25),MWD与侵蚀强度呈负相关,D值呈正相关,且严重侵蚀条件下,MWD和R_(0.25)均为最小值,D值达到最大,说明严重侵蚀会降低土壤团聚体稳定性。(4)同种侵蚀强度下,相较于其他3种土地利用式,林地的R_(0.25)和MWD值较高,D值较小,说明林地结构较好,有利于团聚体的积累,稳定性高。     

喀斯特区土地利用方式对石灰土团聚体稳定性及其有机碳的影响

通过野外采样与室内分析试验,探究桂西北喀斯特区土地利用方式对石灰土土壤结构与肥力的影响。基于长期定位观测小区,分析比较刈割草地(CD)、乡土树种(XT)、落叶果园(GY)、种植牧草(MC)、种植玉米(YM)5种常见土地利用方式在石灰土表层(0—10 cm)和亚表层(10—20 cm)土壤的团聚体稳定性及其有机碳赋存特征。结果表明:5种土地利用方式下土壤机械稳定性团聚体含量均随粒级减小而减小,水稳性团聚体含量随粒级减小表现为先减小后增大,并且干湿筛团聚体粒级配比均以1 mm粒径为主,其范围分别为67.04%～90.11%,66.83%～84.65%。干筛下的团聚体稳定性指标平均重量直径(MWD)与几何平均直径(GMD)在表层和亚表层均为XTMC≈GY≈YMCD,湿筛下的MWD与GMD在表层差异明显(P0.05),表现为XT和MC较高,CD与YM相对较低。就全土有机碳含量而言,表层均高于亚表层,在表层土壤MC、CD、XT显著高于GY和YM(P0.05),在亚表层土壤仅CD较高。5种土地利用方式下各级土壤团聚体有机碳含量与其全土有机碳含量相近。此外,各土地利用方式团聚体有机碳贡献率总体上随团聚体粒级减小而减小,XT和MC土壤团聚体稳定性与有机碳含量均较高,研究结果以期为该区域土地利用结构调整提供理论支撑。     

川西高寒山地不同海拔高度土壤团聚体特征

为探究川西北高寒山地不同海拔高度土壤团聚体分布特征及其稳定性,通过野外调查采样和室内试验分析的方式,对四川西部折多山高寒山地6个海拔梯度土壤团聚体特征进行了研究。结果表明:0—20 cm土层不同海拔0.25 mm粒径的土壤中非水稳性团聚体含量占80%以上,水稳定性团聚体含量占70%以上;0—60 cm土层0.25 mm粒径的土壤非水稳定性团聚体总体上呈现随海拔上升而增加的趋势,而水稳定性团聚体则呈现出随海拔升高先逐渐减小后增大的趋势。不同海拔土壤团聚体中有机质主要分布在0.25 mm粒级中,且呈现随海拔升高先增加而后降低的趋势,随土层深度加深而逐渐降低的趋势。平均质量直径(MWD)、几何平均直径(GMD)均呈现出随海拔降低而逐渐减小的趋势,分形维数(D)则呈现增大的趋势,20 cm土层规律不明显。表明川西高寒山地表层土壤团粒结构稳定性较好,防止土壤退化应是该区生态保护的重点。     

北京市延庆县不同土地利用方式下的土壤可蚀性研究

以北京市延庆县上辛庄小流域为研究区域,选择区内农地、杏林、侧柏林、乔灌混交林这4种土地利用方式,通过对土壤水稳性团聚体特征、有机质含量变化以及土壤可蚀性K值进行计算和分析,研究了该区不同土地利用方式下的土壤可蚀性差异特征。结果表明,不同地类土壤团聚体破坏率表现为:农地>杏林>侧柏林>乔灌混交林,林地土壤团聚体结构破坏率显著低于农地(p < 0.05)。农地土壤有机质含量随土层深度的增加呈现一定的上升趋势,林地的土壤有机质含量随土层深度的增加而减小。不同土地利用方式的土壤可蚀性K值存在差异,表现为:乔灌混交林<侧柏林<杏林<农地。表层0-20cm土层土壤可蚀性K值小于20-40cm土层,表明其土壤抗侵蚀能力高于深层土壤,反映出保护表层土壤的重要性。对土壤可蚀性影响因子的分析结果表明,土壤黏粒含量、有机质含量和水稳性团聚体与土壤可蚀性K值的相关关系最为密切(p < 0.05)。     

丹江口库区不同土地利用方式土壤团聚体稳定性及分形特征

为分析南水北调(中线)丹江口库区不同土地利用方式土壤团聚体稳定性及其分形特征,揭示人类活动对土壤结构的影响,以库区内不同土地利用方式(水田、旱地、果园、人工林地、自然林地)土壤为研究对象,经干筛和湿筛法测定团聚体组成,以土壤团聚体稳定性指标(大团聚体含量(R0.25)和团聚体破坏率(PAD))、土壤团聚体直径指标(平均质量直径(MWD)和几何均重直径(GMD))以及分形维数(D)作为评价指标,对比分析丹江口库区不同土地利用方式下土壤团聚体组成及其稳定性。结果表明,对土壤团聚体组成的测定,湿筛法相对干筛法重现性更好,能更真实反映土壤团聚体组成及其稳定性。各土地利用方式总体上表现为林地(人工林和自然林)土壤稳定性和抗蚀性更好,其MWD和GMD值相对较高,D值相对较低;相反,旱作农地(果园和旱地)土壤团聚结构及其稳定性较弱,其MWD和GMD值相对较低,D值相对较高。说明各团聚体稳定性指标均能从不同角度反映不同土地利用方式对土壤团聚体稳定性的影响。相关性分析表明,土壤团聚体MWD、GMD值和D值与各粒径团聚体含量呈明显线性关系,在土壤团聚化过程中,土壤团聚体从微团聚体(0.25 mm)—中等团聚体(0.25~5 mm)—大团聚体(5 mm)的转化中,0.25,1,5mm粒级是较为关键的临界点。     

城市近郊土地利用变化对土壤团聚体及其结合有机碳的影响

通过采集河南省新乡市近郊区域传统耕地、设施菜地以及景观绿化林地和草地0~20 cm表层土壤,利用湿筛法进行水稳性团聚体的分离及团聚体结合有机碳的测定,分析和比较了土壤团聚体稳定性及其结合有机碳变化特征。结果表明：城市化进程中土地利用类型变化对水稳性团聚体粒径组成和稳定性产生显著影响。相较于传统耕地,进行6年设施蔬菜种植显著降低土壤水稳性大团聚体质量占比（WR_0.25）、团聚体平均质量直径（MWD）和几何平均直径（GMD）,降幅分别为42.40%、54.84%和129.41%。而进行相同年限景观林、草地建设均能显著提高WR_0.25,提升幅度分别为33.65%和23.63%。景观绿化林地和草地团聚体MWD、GMD较耕地分别增加0.64%和26.92%、83.87%和77.42%。此外,虽然设施菜地和林草地各粒径团聚体结合有机碳含量较传统耕地均有不同程度提高,但是其结合有机碳贡献率变化情况与团聚体各粒径质量占比有关。其中,0.25~2 mm粒径团聚体结合有机碳含量在设施菜地土壤中取得最大值,为35.02 g/kg,但是其>0.25 mm各粒径团聚体结合有机碳贡献率均显著降低。草地建设显著降低<0.053 mm粒径黏粉粒结合有机碳贡献率,但是显著增加>0.25 mm粒径大团聚体结合有机碳贡献率。因此,城市化进程中近郊传统耕地转变为景观绿化林草地初期能促进水稳性大团聚体的形成及结合有机碳的积累,并提高团聚体的稳定性,在土壤有机碳固持方面表现出巨大潜力。     

元江干热河谷典型林草地优先流区和基质流区土壤团聚体特征

[目的]明晰干热河谷区土壤优先流对红壤团聚体特征及其稳定性的影响,为该区植被恢复和水土流失防治提供理论依据。[方法]以元江干热河谷典型地段龙潭箐流域内的银合欢林地、扭黄茅荒草地为研究对象,基于染色示踪试验区分样地土壤优先流区和基质流区,利用干湿筛法结合分形理论分析两区内0—50 cm土层团聚体特征差异,并借助通径分析法表征各土壤理化因子对团聚体稳定性的影响。[结果]干湿筛后R_0.25团聚体含量从大到小顺序为林地优先流区>林地基质流区>荒草地优先流区>荒草地基质流区,平均重量直径(MWD)和几何平均直径(GMD)与R_0.25排序相同且呈现出随土层深度增加而减小的趋势,分形维数(D)与团聚体破坏率(PAD)则为相反规律并随土层加深D和PAD的值逐渐增大。对两区土壤团聚体稳定性影响较大的理化因子是土壤容重和黏粒含量,其决策系数分别为0.474和-0.644。[结论]荒草地土壤团聚体破坏率更高,土壤优先流区团聚体稳定性优于基质流区;土壤团聚体稳定性主要受黏粒含量、容重、有机质等因子影响。     

基于GIS的土壤有机碳储量核算及其对土地利用变化的响应

土地利用变化是影响土壤有机碳储量变化的重要驱动因素,为了进一步探讨土地利用变化对土壤碳储量的影响,该文根据土壤样点数据、土壤类型图、土地利用类型图,分析了江苏省1985年和2005年表层土壤有机碳密度的变化以及土地利用变化对表层土壤有机碳密度的影响,主要结论如下：1）江苏省表层土壤有机密度的空间变化趋势为：黄淮平原生态区南北差异明显,北部的沂沭泗平原丘岗以增加为主,南部的淮河下游平原以减少为主;沿海滩涂与海洋生态区持平为主;而长江三角洲平原生态区表现不一：沿江平原丘岗生态亚区以增加为主,而茅山宜溧低山丘陵生态亚区和太湖水网生态亚区均表现为有机碳密度的减少;2）各地类表层土壤有机碳密度均有所增加;耕地-林地、草地;草地-林地、建设用地;建设用地-耕地、草地、林地;水域的转出以及未利用地的转出等转换类型有利于土壤碳储量的增加、其他地类间的转换会造成一定的碳排放。     

Organic Matter Associated with Soil Aggregate Fractions of a Black Soil in Northeast China: Impacts of Land-Use Change and Long-Term Fertilization

Soil organic matter plays a pronounced role in soil aggregation, showing a wide variation depending upon soil-management practices. This study was conducted to characterize organic-matter changes in aggregate fractions in response to land-use change and long-term fertilization. Two experimental sites were established for this study: Site 1 included grassland (GL) and bare land (BL); site 2 comprised three treatments under cropland: no fertilizer application (NF), nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer application (NP), and NP amended with organic manure (NPM). There was significantly increased carbon (C) sequestration (P < 0.001) in particulate organic matter (POM) observed under grassland and NPM relative to other plots, especially in large macroaggregates, attributable to lack of disturbance and organic input. The protected coarse and fine POM-C together accounted for 15% on average of soil organic carbon, ranging from 10.1 to 18.6% for all plots. The enhanced correlation occurred between protected POM-C fractions and soil C stocks and soil aggregation (calculated as mean weight diameter, MWD) (P = 0.000) relative to other C fractions, indicating that the increases in POM fractions resulting from long-term vegetation restoration and organic amendment enhance soil aggregation and C sequestration in this black soil. In contrast, the significantly negative relationship between MWD and fine-to-coarse POM-C ratio implied that this ratio might account for the decreased soil aggregation. Principal component analysis (PCA) showed that three PCs accounted for 42.6, 25.7, and 11.8%, respectively, and together more than 80% of the total variance. The protected POMs with significantly greater positive PC1 loadings (>0.8), particularly for large macroaggregates, were highly sensitive to changes induced by land use and fertilizer-management practices, leading to the wide variations in soil properties. The interrelation of organic matter with soil aggregation helps us to better understand the mechanisms of C protection and restoration in this black soil in the context of soil degradation and climate change.     

黄土高原典型流域不同土地利用类型土壤物理性质分析

以黄土高原第三副区典型流域甘肃天水罗玉沟流域为研究区,对其农田、果园、林地和草地4种主要土地利用方式的土壤物理性质进行了分析。结果表明:（1）流域土壤平均含水量为（15.76±0.34）%,各土地利用类型之间存在差异,表现为农田>林地>果园>草地;（2）各土壤平均容重为（1.421±0.034）g/cm³,且均随土层增加而逐渐增加,总体为林地>农田>果园>草地,与含水量有类似分布规律;（3）各土地利用类型土壤孔隙度与其容重呈负相关关系,且总孔隙度、毛管孔隙度及非毛管孔隙度均呈现林地>农田>草地>果园的特征;（4）4种土地利用类型土壤贮水能力存在差异,林地和农田较优,高于果园和草地。值得注意的是,近些年流域大规模坡耕地改水平梯田的生产活动,对农田土壤蓄水保土功能产生较大影响,结果表明农田也具有较高土壤含水量及贮水能力。     

黄土区典型小流域包气带土壤水同位素特征

通过野外调查与室内试验相结合的方法,对王茂沟流域降水及5种土地利用类型土壤剖面稳定氢氧同位素特征进行对比分析,为黄土区土壤水分运移机制、模型参数识别及生态保护与重建提供科学依据。结果表明:(1)降水与5种土地利用方式下土壤水中δD和δ~(18) O的变化范围分别为(-118.08‰)~(-14.37‰),(-16.13‰)~(1.41‰)和(-92.36‰)~(-34.98‰),(-12.48‰)~(-5.01‰),平均值分别为-37.36‰,-5.65‰和-60.18‰,-7.81‰。(2)不同土地利用类型的土壤水氢氧同位素变化存在显著性差异,土壤通透性草地梯田林地坝地坡耕地,表层土壤水分的蒸发分馏程度梯田草地坝地坡耕地林地。(3)林地和草地"优先流"现象明显,草地"优先流"程度最大,林地能显著延伸"优先流"发生路径。(4)草地、林地和梯田分别在160,200,200cm土层及以下氢氧同位素值相对稳定,坝地和坡耕地可能对地下水水质与补给造成较大影响。     

西北地区有机质空间分布及其影响因素研究

为了探讨中国西北地区土壤有机质现状及影响因素,运用ArcGIS和地统计学结合的方法,研究西北地区土壤有机质的空间分布规律及其影响因素。结果表明:(1)研究区土壤有机质含量处于较低水平,3级及以下占68.94%,有机质变化范围为1.10~107.50 g/kg,均值为20.13 g/kg;通过半方差函数模型分析得到有机质的最适理论模型为球状模型。(2)通过绘制整个西北地区土壤有机质的空间分布图可知,研究区东部区域从宁夏、陕北至甘南、陕南,有机质含量呈现出梯级增加的趋势;研究区西部有机质含量呈现出由新疆塔里木盆地中心区域向边界递增的同心圆分布。有机质高值区分布在研究区青海东部、新疆的天山一带;低值区分布在宁夏、陕西北部和新疆的塔里木盆地。分布趋势与西北地区大地形区有一定的相似性。(3)土壤有机质含量与海拔、降水存在正相关关系。(4)有机质与土壤类型和土地利用方式之间存在显著相关关系,草地、林地土壤有机质含量显著高于耕地和未利用土地,但草地与林地之间没有显著性差异。海拔和降水是影响有机质的主要因素,能解释49%的土壤有机质变化。该研究结果不仅有助于定性定量认识西北地区有机质空间分布,而且为该地区的生态农业建设以及生态环境保护提供参考。     

Soil Moisture Variations with Land Use along the Precipitation Gradient in the North–South Transect of the Loess Plateau

Knowledge of soil moisture spatial variation with land use along the precipitation gradient is necessary to improve land management and guide restoration practice in the water‐limited Chinese Loess Plateau. This study selected 45 sampling points at 11 sites across the north–south transect of the Loess Plateau based on the precipitation gradient and land use. Results showed that the vertical profiles of soil moisture revealed large variations with the precipitation gradient changing, especially in the surface layer (0–100 cm). Significant linear correlation existed between the average soil moisture of the profile and the mean annual precipitation (MAP) for each land use type (p < 0·05). Hereinto, the soil moisture under the grassland was affected more greatly by precipitation. The soil moisture under each land use commonly revealed the trend as farmland > grassland > shrubland > woodland, while it might be higher under the woodland than the shrubland in the surface layer in regions with MAP <500 mm. The soil moisture of woodland or shrubland at the selected points was below or approximate to the permanent wilting point in regions with MAP <520 mm. Covariance analysis confirmed the effects of land use and MAP on the soil moisture in depth of 100–300 cm, and it showed land use did not pose significant effects in the surface layer. In addition, our study indicated that it is necessary to reconsider and re‐evaluate the current vegetation restoration strategy in the perspective of vegetation sustainability and soil water availability, in which woodland and shrubland were selected on a large scale in the arid and semi‐arid regions. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Long‐term changes of aggregate‐associated and labile soil organic carbon and nitrogen after conversion from forest to grassland and cropland in northern Turkey

Soil management systems can have great effect on soil chemical, physical and biological properties. Conversion of forest to grassland and cropland can alter C and N dynamics. The objective of this study was to evaluate the changes in aggregate‐associated and labile soil organic C and N fractions after conversion of a natural forest to grassland and cropland in northern Turkey. This experiment was conducted on plots subject to three different adjacent land uses (forest, grassland and cropland). Soil samples were taken from 0–5, 5–15 and 15–30 cm depths from each land use. Some soil physical (soil texture, bulk density), chemical (soil pH, soil organic matter, lime content, total organic C and N, inorganic N, free and protected organic C) and biological (microbial biomass C and N, mineralizable C and N) properties were measured. The highest and lowest bulk densities were observed in grassland (1.41 g cm⁻³) and cropland (1.14 g cm⁻³), respectively. Microbial biomass C and total organic C in forest were almost twice greater than grassland and four‐times greater than cropland. Cultivation of forest reduced total organic N, mineralizable N and microbial biomass N by half. The great portion of organic C was stored in macroaggregates (>250 µm) in all the three land uses. Free organic C comprised smaller portion of soil organic C in all the three land uses. Thus, this study indicated that long‐term conversion of forest to grassland and cropland significantly decreased microbial biomass C, mineralizable C and physically protected organic C and the decreases were the greatest in cropland. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Changes in microbial biomass C, soil carbohydrate composition and aggregate stability induced by growth of selected crop and forage species under field conditions

The effects of growth of various crop and forage species on microbial biomass C, soil carbohydrate content and monosaccharide composition, and mean weight diameter (MWD) were investigated in two field experiments. One experiment was conducted over one growing season (4 months) whereas the other had been conducted for three consecutive growing seasons (32 months). In the four-month experiment, aggregate stability (estimated as MWD) of soil from experimental plots followed the order Italian ryegrass > prairie grass > phacelia = pea = maize. At the 32-month site the order was perennial ryegrass > annual ryegrass > perennial white clover = barley. At both sites crops with the greatest root mass and root length density had the greatest effect on increasing MWD. In all cases, rhizosphere soil had a significantly higher microbial biomass and MWD than non-rhizosphere soil. However, organic C, total content of acid-hydrolysable carbohydrate and content of individual monosaccharides in acid hydrolysates were similar in rhizosphere and non-rhizosphere soil. The fraction of soil carbohydrate extractable with hot water (representing about 6-8% of the total carbohydrate content) was significantly higher in the rhizosphere soil. This fraction has a galactose plus mannose over arabinose plus xylose ratio of 2.1–2.3 indicating that it was predominantly of microbial origin. It is suggested that the carbohydrate fraction extractable with hot water is made up of exocellular microbial polysaccharides that are involved in stabilizing soil aggregates in the rhizosphere. By comparison with arable crop species, grass species have a larger root mass and root length density, and therefore a higher microbial biomass and larger production of carbohydrate extractable with hot water. As a result they have a more marked effect on improving soil aggregate stability.