Soil quality alteration by mouldboard ploughing in a commercial farm devoted to no-tillage under Mediterranean conditions

In semi-arid Mediterranean areas, studies about conservation tillage (CT) systems have demonstrated advantages in crop yield, soil water storage and soil protection. However, the benefits observed with CT in trials with experimental plots (normally of small dimensions) might not be so clear in large commercial farms. In many areas of SW Spain, farmers often do an occasional tillage with mouldboard ploughing (MP) to avoid potential compaction problems and to encourage the emergence of seedlings. The present study deals with the effect of the application of MP on soil quality: total organic carbon, water soluble carbon, active carbon, microbial biomass carbon, dehydrogenase, β-glucosidase and o-diphenol oxidase activities and crop development (wheat) in a commercial farm devoted to no-tillage (NT) since 1995. In 2006, MP was applied on a band of the soil, while the rest was left under the strict conservation system. The direct and residual effects of MP in the two subsequent years were evaluated. In the first year MP caused a decrease in soil quality that persisted in the following two years. Emergence, nutrient accumulation, nutrient efficiency ratios and yield of wheat were slightly enhanced by MP in the first year. However, this trend was the opposite in the two subsequent years. Although in other scenarios traditional tillage has been applied to avoid soil compaction and to increase crop yield, under our experimental conditions the occasional mouldboard ploughing application was not justified.     

耕作深度调控秸秆还田对农田土壤呼吸的影响

秸秆还田和耕作深度处理是影响农田土壤呼吸最重要的农业管理措施之一,但二者交互作用影响农田土壤呼吸的机制尚不清楚.基于此,针对中国的旱地农田生态系统,利用已发表的116篇研究论文,借助Meta分析技术,探究秸秆还田和耕作深度处理及其二者交互作用对农田土壤呼吸的影响及其调控因素,为农田生态系统实现“碳中和”提供重要的数据支撑和理论依据.结果表明,免耕导致土壤呼吸减少了8.3%,而浅耕和深耕处理对土壤呼吸的影响不显著,但对土壤呼吸的增加量仍呈现出深耕>浅耕>免耕的趋势.虽然,浅耕和深耕对土壤呼吸和土壤有机碳（SOC）的影响均相对较小,但是免耕导致土壤呼吸减少了8.3%的同时却又导致SOC增加了7.05%,因此实施免耕措施对农田土壤固碳减排具有重要意义.此外,耕作深度会显著调控秸秆还田对土壤呼吸的影响,且土壤呼吸的增加量呈现出深耕秸秆还田>浅耕秸秆还田>免耕秸秆还田的趋势,整体平均增加了14.51%.秸秆还田后不同深度耕作处理下土壤呼吸的增加量与土壤容重、农作物产量、土壤有机碳、以及土壤温度和水分的改变量密切相关,且对土壤呼吸增加量的贡献呈现出土壤容重>农作物产量>土壤有机碳>土壤水分>土壤温度的趋势.虽然SOC在深耕秸秆还田、浅耕秸秆还田和免耕秸秆还田处理下分别增加了29.32%、10.12%和23.94%,但是土壤呼吸在深耕秸秆还田和浅耕秸秆还田处理分别增加了29.32%和18.92%,而在免耕秸秆还田处理下仅增加1.2%.所以,免耕秸秆还田也有利于农田土壤固碳减排.因此,在中国的旱地农田生态系统中,耕作深度会调控秸秆还田对土壤呼吸的影响程度,而这种调控主要与土壤理化性质有关,尤其与土壤容重关系最为紧密,且免耕和免耕秸秆还田均是有利于农田土壤固碳减排的重要农业管理措施.     

不同耕作措施对旱作夏玉米田土壤呼吸及根呼吸的影响

为了探明不同耕作措施对旱作夏玉米田土壤呼吸及根呼吸的影响,采用定位试验,对比研究了深松耕(ST)、免耕(NT)、旋耕(RT)和翻耕(CT)这4种耕作方式下土壤呼吸速率的动态变化特征;并利用根去除法研究了根呼吸对土壤呼吸的贡献.结果表明,夏玉米生长季,4种耕作方式下土壤呼吸速率随生育期均呈单峰型变化趋势,在抽雄期达到最大,各生育期土壤呼吸速率大小顺序依次表现为:抽雄期开花期灌浆期成熟期拔节期苗期.不同耕作措施对平均土壤呼吸速率的影响表现为CTSTRTNT;土壤呼吸速率与土壤温度的相关系数达到显著性水平(P0.05),不同耕作措施下5 cm地温可以解释土壤呼吸速率变异的35%~75%.而土壤呼吸速率与土壤水分的相关系数却未达到显著性水平.夏玉米生长季中,不同耕作措施下根呼吸作用占土壤呼吸作用的比例在45.13%~56.86%之间波动,均值为51.72%.因此,利用根去除法可以用来了解作物生长对土壤碳排放的贡献及比较不同耕作措施对根系呼吸贡献的影响,从而为筛选出减缓农田土壤有机碳分解的耕作措施提供依据.     

Potential and sustainability for carbon sequestration with improved soil management in agricultural soils of China

Arable land soils generally have lower organic carbon (C) levels than soils under native vegetation; increasing the C stocks through improved management is suggested as an effective means to sequester CO₂ from the atmosphere. China's arable lands, accounting for 13% of the world's total, play an important role in soil C sequestration, but their potential to enhance C sequestration has not yet been quantitatively assessed. The C sequestration by agricultural soils is affected by many environmental factors (such as climate and soil conditions), biological processes (crop C fixation, decomposition and transformation), and crop and soil management (e.g. tillage and manure application). Estimation of the C sequestration potential requires the quantification of the combined effects of these factors and processes. In this study, we used a coupled remote sensing- and process-based ecosystem model to estimate the potential for C sequestration in agricultural soils of China and evaluated the sustainability of soil C uptake under different soil management options. The results show that practicing no-tillage on 50% of the arable lands and returning 50% of the crop residue to soils would lead to an annual soil C sequestration of 32.5 Tg C, which accounts for about 4% of China's current annual C emission. Soil C sequestration with improved soil management is highly time-dependent; the effect lasted for only 20–80 years. Generally, practicing no-tillage causes higher rate and longer sustainability of soil C sequestration than only increasing crop residue into soils. The potential for soil C sequestration varied greatly among different regions due to the differences in climate, soil conditions and crop productivity.     

保护性耕作对黑河流域农田土壤水分利用的影响

为了探讨保护性耕作节水、 增产潜力及其在黑河流域的适应性,设计20 cm留茬(NS20)、 20 cm留茬压倒(NPS20)、 40 cm留茬(NS40)、 40 cm留茬压倒(NPS40)和传统耕作(CT)5个处理,研究了保护性耕作对黑河流域农田土壤含水量、 产量和水分利用效率(WUE)的影响.结果表明:相对传统耕作,保护性耕作增加了土壤贮水量:在2003年和2004年休闲期结束后,NPS40、 NS40、 NS20和NPS20表层0~30 cm土壤贮水量较CT分别增加30.22%、 27.29%、 20.92%、 13.64%和48.32%、 38.90%、 29.85%、 23.28%;2004、 2005两年播种期0~5 cm土壤含水量NPS40、 NS40、 NPS20和NS20较CT分别增加37.29%、 37.10%、 21.49%、 41.90%和33.99%、 40.17%、 8.90%、 38.44%;播种到拔节期留茬高度越大,土壤贮水量越多,在相同高度的留茬处理中,干旱年份压倒处理保水效果较好,降雨相对较多的年份立茬处理保水效果较好;拔节后各层土壤贮水量之间差异减小.保护性耕作增加作物产量和水分利用效率,尤其是NPS20,2004年和2005年产量和WUE较传统耕作分别增加53.08%、 5.85%和52.04%、 7.30%.     

不同耕作方式下土壤水分状况对土壤呼吸的初期影响

以2001年在东北典型黑土上进行的保护性耕作长期定位试验下免耕、垄作及常规耕作土壤进行了室内培养实验,按照田间持水量(water-holding capacity,WHC)的30%、60%、90%、120%、150%、180%、210%、240%、270%设定了9个水分梯度,并分别对其二氧化碳(CO_2)排放量进行了22 d的短期观测,以研究不同耕作方式下土壤水分状况对土壤呼吸的初期影响.结果表明:1干土条件下在加水培养初期,3种耕作方式均产生了明显的激发效应,并且土壤呼吸速率与土壤含水量间存在正相关关系.2除干旱(30%WHC)及淹水(240%WHC、270%WHC)条件下,3种耕作方式CO_2排放通量分别为免耕垄作常规耕作.3对不同耕作方式下土壤水分状况及CO_2排放通量进行了方程拟合,在30%~270%WHC条件下,免耕的CO_2排放通量与水分状况拟合为二次回归方程,而垄作与常规耕作则是线性回归方程.在30%~210%WHC条件下,免耕与垄作下土壤CO_2排放通量与水分状况均可拟合为较好的对数方程,可决系数R~2分别为0.966、0.956.     

有机肥与无机肥配施对潮土N2O排放的影响

华北平原是我国重要的粮食主产区,由于土壤有机质含量低,增加氮肥用量并不能导致玉米产量持续增加.有机肥和无机肥配施被广泛认为是同时实现粮食增产和提高土壤有机质的双赢措施,但是有机肥和无机肥配施对华北平原农田N_2O排放的影响尚不明确.本研究在华北平原潮土区,通过测定不同种类有机肥与无机肥配施后农田N_2O排放通量和作物产量,旨在揭示不同种类有机肥及其用量对潮土N_2O排放和作物产量的影响效应.田间试验共设置8个处理,分别为不施肥(CK)、化肥氮(NPK)、 40%牛粪氮+60%化肥氮(CM)、 40%鸡粪氮+60%化肥氮(FC)、 40%猪粪氮+60%化肥氮(FP)、 20%牛粪氮+80%化肥氮(1/2CM)、 20%鸡粪氮+80%化肥氮(1/2FC)和20%猪粪氮+80%化肥氮(1/2FP).整个玉米季N_2O排放通量均与土壤WFPS显著正相关(P0.05).除NPK处理外,玉米季N_2O排放量与土壤可溶性有机碳(DOC)平均含量存在显著的线性关系.玉米季CK处理N_2O排放量为0.50 kg·hm~(-2),NPK处理增加到2.28 kg·hm~(-2).相同用量不同种类有机肥处理,N_2O排放未出现显著差异. 40%有机肥氮用量处理下N_2O排放量与NPK处理无显著差异,而用量减少至20%后, 1/2CM、 1/2FC和1/2FP处理N_2O排放量分别较CM、 FC和FP减少了33.6%、 43.7%和12.1%,其主要原因为易分解有机碳输入减少,土壤DOC含量降低,但玉米产量未出现显著差异.因此,从减少温室效应的角度,玉米季80%化肥氮配施20%有机肥氮为本地区农田施肥的较佳选择.     

黄土高原旱塬地冬小麦水分生产潜力与土壤水分动态的模拟研究

在EPIC模型介绍和模拟精度验证的基础上,利用EPIC模型对黄土高原旱塬地冬小麦水分生产潜力和土壤水分动态进行了中期(12a)和长期(30a)评价定量模拟研究。结果表明:(1)在12a实时气象条件下的模拟时段内,旱塬地小麦水分生产潜力随降水量变化呈现波动性降低趋势,3m土层土壤有效含水量也表现为剧烈波动性和逐渐下降趋势,土壤干燥化趋势明显;(2)在30a模拟气象条件下的模拟时段内,旱塬地小麦水分生产潜力呈现波动性轻微降低趋势,3m土层土壤有效含水量季节性和年际间波动性显著,但土壤干燥化趋势并不明显;(3)综合分析认为,在降水量减少幅度不显著的情况下,旱塬地麦田土壤干燥化只是一种短期现象,不会导致长期性土壤强烈干燥化现象发生,但产量随降水量变化的波动性不可避免。     

Carbon Management in Agricultural Soils

World soils have been a major source of enrichment of atmospheric concentration of CO₂ ever since the dawn of settled agriculture, about 10,000 years ago. Historic emission of soil C is estimated at 78 ± 12 Pg out of the total terrestrial emission of 136 ± 55 Pg, and post-industrial fossil fuel emission of 270 ± 30 Pg. Most soils in agricultural ecosystems have lost 50 to 75% of their antecedent soil C pool, with the magnitude of loss ranging from 30 to 60 Mg C/ha. The depletion of soil organic carbon (SOC) pool is exacerbated by soil drainage, plowing, removal of crop residue, biomass burning, subsistence or low-input agriculture, and soil degradation by erosion and other processes. The magnitude of soil C depletion is high in coarse-textured soils (e.g., sandy texture, excessive internal drainage, low activity clays and poor aggregation), prone to soil erosion and other degradative processes. Thus, most agricultural soils contain soil C pool below their ecological potential. Adoption of recommend management practices (e.g., no-till farming with crop residue mulch, incorporation of forages in the rotation cycle, maintaining a positive nutrient balance, use of manure and other biosolids), conversion of agriculturally marginal soils to a perennial land use, and restoration of degraded soils and wetlands can enhance the SOC pool. Cultivation of peatlands and harvesting of peatland moss must be strongly discouraged, and restoration of degraded soils and ecosystems encouraged especially in developing countries. The rate of SOC sequestration is 300 to 500 Kg C/ha/yr under intensive agricultural practices, and 0.8 to 1.0 Mg/ha/yr through restoration of wetlands. In soils with severe depletion of SOC pool, the rate of SOC sequestration with adoption of restorative measures which add a considerable amount of biomass to the soil, and irrigated farming may be 1.0 to 1.5 Mg/ha/yr. Principal mechanisms of soil C sequestration include aggregation, high humification rate of biosolids applied to soil, deep transfer into the sub-soil horizons, formation of secondary carbonates and leaching of bicarbonates into the ground water. The rate of formation of secondary carbonates may be 10 to 15 Kg/ha/yr, and the rate of leaching of bicarbonates with good quality irrigation water may be 0.25 to 1.0 Mg C/ha/yr. The global potential of soil C sequestration is 0.6 to 1.2 Pg C/yr which can off-set about 15% of the fossil fuel emissions.     

The potential of world cropland soils to sequester C and mitigate the greenhouse effect

Soil emission of CO₂ is closely linked to soil degradation, decrease in soil organic carbon (SOC) content and decline in soil quality. Enhancing soil quality through adoption of best management practices (BMPs) and soil restoration can increase SOC content and soil productivity, and partially mitigate the greenhouse effect. The C sequestration potential through judicious management of world cropland includes 0.08–0.12 Pg/yr by erosion control, 0.02–0.03 Pg/yr by restoration of severely degraded soils, 0.02–0.04 Pg/yr by reclamation of salt-affected soils, 0.15–0.175 Pg/yr by adoption of conservation tillage and crop residue management, 0.18–0.24 Pg/yr by adoption of improved cropping system and 0.30–0.40 Pg/yr as C offset through biofuel production. The total C sequestration potential of the world cropland is about 0.75–1.0 Pg/yr or about 50% of annual emission of 1.6–1.8 Pg by deforestation and other agricultural activities. This finite soil-C sink could be filled over a 20 to 50-year period, during which energy related emission reductions gradually take effect at global scale. Improving soil quality is a win–win strategy, while increasing productivity it also improves environment and partially mitigates the greenhouse effect. Intensification of farming and increasing biomass production can lead to increased sequestration of C in soils, and to partly meet commitments under the Kyoto Protocol at national and global scales. Global reduction in C emission may have to be substantial if the atmospheric concentration of CO₂ is to be stabilized at 550 ppmv. However, realization of this potential would require developing channels of communication between scientists and land managers and policy makers, and providing economic incentives.     

Modelling impacts of alternative farming management practices on greenhouse gas emissions from a winter wheat–maize rotation system in China

Agricultural production plays an important role in affecting atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations. Field measurements were conducted in Quzhou County, Hebei Province in the North China Plains to quantify carbon dioxide (CO₂) and nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions from a winter wheat–maize rotation field, a common cropping system across the Chinese agricultural regions. The observed flux data in conjunction with the local climate, soil and management information were utilized to test a process-based model, Denitrification–Decomposition or DNDC, for its applicability for the cropping system. The validated DNDC was then used for predicting impacts of three management alternatives (i.e., no-till, increased crop residue incorporation and reduced fertilizer application rate) on CO₂ and N₂O emissions from the target field. Results from the simulations indicated that (1) CO₂ emissions were significantly affected by temperature, initial SOC, tillage method, and quantity and quality of the organic matter added in the soils; (2) increases in temperature, initial SOC, total fertilizer N input, and manure amendment substantially increased N₂O emissions; and (3) temperature, initial SOC, tillage, and quantity and quality of the organic matter added in the soil all had significant effects on global warming. Finally, five 50-year scenarios were simulated with DNDC to predict their long-term impacts on crop yield, soil C dynamics, nitrate leaching losses, and N₂O emissions. The modelled results suggested that implementation of manure amendment or crop residue incorporation instead of increased fertilizer application rates would more efficiently mitigate GHG emissions from the tested agro-ecosystem. The multi-impacts provided a sound basis for comprehensive assessments on the management alternatives.     

不同耕作措施对渭北旱塬土壤碳库管理指数及其构成的影响

以渭北旱塬9 a（2007—2016年）的不同耕作定位试验为对象,研究了在秸秆还田条件下3种连年单一耕作即翻耕（CC）、免耕（NN）、深松（SS）和3种轮耕措施即免耕-深松（NS）、深松-翻耕（SC）、翻耕-免耕（CN）对农田土壤固碳速率（CSE）、碳库管理指数（CPMI）、小麦产量和秸秆还田后表观腐殖化系数的影响。结果表明：以翻耕（CC）作为参照土样,免耕提高了0~10 cm表层土壤的固碳速率、有机碳（SOC）及其易氧化组分（EOC）的含量,并增加了表层（0~10 cm）土壤的碳库管理指数（CPMI）,在>10 cm土层SOC、EOC含量虽有所减少,但提高了有机碳的稳定系数（K_OS）;深松则提高了表层和35~50 cm土层的SOC、EOC含量、CSE及CPMI,并增加了0~10 cm、35~50 cm土层的EOC/SOC值和10~20 cm土层的K_OS;轮耕处理各土层的CSE、SOC和EOC含量均有所增加,且增加了0~10 cm、35~50 cm土层的EOC/SOC值,其中NS和CN轮耕处理各层CPMI都有所增加。深松、免耕和轮耕处理提高了小麦产量和小麦秸秆量,其中NS处理增加幅度最大,分别为14.3%（籽粒）和12.9%（秸秆）;进行9 a小麦秸秆还田,免耕、深松和轮耕措施提高了还田秸秆的表观腐殖化系数,其中NS处理的表观腐殖化系数显著高于翻耕处理。     

Tillage and soil carbon sequestration—What do we really know?

It is widely believed that soil disturbance by tillage was a primary cause of the historical loss of soil organic carbon (SOC) in North America, and that substantial SOC sequestration can be accomplished by changing from conventional plowing to less intensive methods known as conservation tillage. This is based on experiments where changes in carbon storage have been estimated through soil sampling of tillage trials. However, sampling protocol may have biased the results. In essentially all cases where conservation tillage was found to sequester C, soils were only sampled to a depth of 30 cm or less, even though crop roots often extend much deeper. In the few studies where sampling extended deeper than 30 cm, conservation tillage has shown no consistent accrual of SOC, instead showing a difference in the distribution of SOC, with higher concentrations near the surface in conservation tillage and higher concentrations in deeper layers under conventional tillage. These contrasting results may be due to tillage-induced differences in thermal and physical conditions that affect root growth and distribution. Long-term, continuous gas exchange measurements have also been unable to detect C gain due to reduced tillage. Though there are other good reasons to use conservation tillage, evidence that it promotes C sequestration is not compelling.     

连续周年轮作休耕对土壤团聚体稳定性及有机碳的影响

为探究连续周年轮作休耕对红壤团聚体稳定性及有机碳含量的影响,以坡耕地红壤为研究对象,采用湿筛法和重铬酸钾-浓硫酸外加热法分别测定水稳性团聚体和有机碳含量,分析了2020~2022年玉米-苕子-玉米轮作（M-V-M）、玉米-豌豆-玉米轮作（M-P-M）、玉米-冬闲-玉米（M-F-M）和周年休耕（F-F-F）这4个处理下土壤团聚体稳定性及有机碳含量变化特征以及两者间的相互关系.结果表明,在2021年和2022年中,F-F-F、M-V-M和M-P-M处理的> 2 mm团聚体含量较M-F-M分别显著提高了67.01%~100.92%、29.71%~33.67%和29.68%~38.07%;2021年和2022年中F-F-F、M-V-M的团聚体稳定性参数显著高于M-F-M（P < 0.05）.M-V-M处理下的> 2 mm团聚体含量、GMD（几何平均直径）和MWD（平均重量直径）及F-F-F处理的R_0.25（ > 0.25 mm团聚体含量）、MWD和> 2 mm团聚体含量随着轮作休耕年限的延长而增加,而F-F-F处理下1~2 mm和< 0.25 mm团聚体含量随着休耕年限的增加而降低.绿肥轮作和休耕处理均能够提高SOC含量,且F-F-F和M-V-M处理的SOC含量随年限的延长而增加.相关性分析表明,所有处理下SOC含量与R_0.25呈极显著正相关,与GMD呈显著正相关;F-F-F处理下的R_0.25和GMD及M-V-M处理下的GMD和MWD均与SOC含量显著正相关.结果表明,连续周年轮作休耕有利于提高土壤大团聚体含量、团聚体稳定性和SOC含量,可为我国南方坡耕地红壤区推行合理的连续周年轮作休耕模式和水土流失防治提供理论依据.     

Soil C storage as affected by tillage and straw management: An assessment using field measurements and model predictions

Soil tillage and straw management are both known to affect soil organic matter dynamics. However, it is still unclear whether, or how, these two practices interact to affect soil C storage, and data from long term studies are scarce. Soil C models may help to overcome some of these problems. Here we compare direct measurements of soil C contents from a 9 year old tillage experiment to predictions made by RothC and a cohort model. Soil samples were collected from plots in an Irish winter wheat field that were exposed to either conventional (CT) or shallow non-inversion tillage (RT). Crop residue was removed from half of the RT and CT plots after harvest, allowing us to test for interactive effects between tillage practices and straw management. Within the 0–30 cm layer, soil C contents were significantly increased both by straw retention and by RT. Tillage and straw management did not interact to determine the total amount of soil C in this layer. The highest average soil C contents (68.9 ± 2.8 Mg C ha^?1) were found for the combination of RT with straw incorporation, whereas the lowest average soil C contents (57.3 ± 2.3 Mg C ha^?1) were found for CT with straw removal. We found no significant treatment effects on soil C contents at lower depths. Both models suggest that at our site, RT stimulates soil C storage largely by decreasing the decomposition of old soil C. Extrapolating our findings to the rest of Ireland, we estimate that RT will lead to C mitigation ranging from 0.18 to 1.0 Mg C ha^?1 y^?1 relative to CT, with the mitigation rate depending on the initial SOC level. However, on-farm assessments are still needed to determine whether RT management practices can be adopted under Irish conditions without detrimental effects on crop yield.     

秸秆还田对江西农田土壤固碳影响的模拟分析

秸秆还田等农田管理措施能有效地增加土壤碳储量,从而有利于减缓大气CO₂浓度的上升趋势。论文基于环境政策综合气候模型(EPIC),采用千烟洲生态试验站和鹰潭生态试验站农田监测场长期观测数据,验证和优化了EPIC模型参数,同时利用1990-2010年江西省气象资料以及土壤清查资料,模拟分析了4种秸秆还田(CR)比例情景下2010-2030年江西省水稻田土壤的固碳潜力。研究结果表明,无秸秆还田 (CR0%)和秸秆还田25%(CR25%)两种处理下耕作层土壤有机碳储量分别下降21.3%和6.5%,秸秆还田50%(CR50%)和100%(CR100%)处理下土壤有机碳储量分别增加5.4%和11.9%;相对CR0%情景而言,CR25%、CR50%、CR100% 情景下江西省水稻田土壤总固碳潜力分别为6.43、14.92和25.26 TgC(1 Tg = 10⁶ t)。研究结果表明,通过合理的调控措施,采用保护性耕作(秸秆还田)是提高水稻田土壤固碳能力的一种有效途径。     

Integrated nutrient management and waste recycling for restoring soil fertility and productivity in Japanese mint and mustard sequence in Uttar Pradesh, India

Supplementing the nutrient requirement of crops through organic manures plays a key role in sustaining soil fertility, and crop productivity and reducing use of fossil fuels. Field experiments were conducted for 2 years at two different locations (i.e. Lucknow and Pantnagar) in Uttar Pradesh, India. The objectives of the study were to assess the herb and essential oil yields of Japanese mint (Mentha arvensis cv. Hy 77), and its nutrient accumulation under single and combined applications of organic manures and inorganic fertilizers (NPK). Changes in physical and chemical characteristics of the soils (Fluvisols, Mollisols) were also determined. Eight treatments comprising different combinations of NPK through inorganic fertilizers and farm yard manure (FYM) were compared. The distilled waste of mint after extraction of essential oil was recycled to soils in the plots to supplement the nutritional requirement of the succeeding mustard crop (Brassica juncea cv. Pusa Bold). Herb and essential oil yield of mint were significantly higher with combined application of organic and inorganic sources of nutrients as compared to single applications. Accumulation of N and P was at par under full inorganic and combined supply whereas, K accumulation was higher with the former. Soil organic C and pH after harvest of mint did not significantly differ among the treatments, but the level of mineralizable N, Olsen-P and NH₄OAc extractable K were higher in soil with integrated supply of nutrients. Significant increase in soil water stable aggregates, organic C, available NPK and microbial biomass, and decrease in soil bulk density were observed with waste recycling over fertilizer application. These benefits were reflected in the seed and stubble yield of mustard which succeeded mint. This study indicates that combined application of inorganic fertilizers with organics helps in increasing the availability of nutrients and crop yield and provides a significant effect to the succeeding crop. Similarly, recycling crop residues reduces the need for fossil fuel based fertilizer, and helps in sustaining and restoring soil fertility in terms of available nutrients and major physical and chemical characteristics of the soil.     

Soil quality response to long-term nutrient and crop management on a semi-arid Inceptisol

The soil quality concept provides a tool to help quantify the combined biological, chemical and physical response of soil to crop management practices. Our objective was to quantify effects of 10 fertilizer and farm yard manure (FYM) treatments applied for 31 years to a rotation that included maize (Zea mays), pearl millet (Pennisetum americanum), wheat (Triticum aestivum) and cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) on an Inceptisol at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute in New Delhi, India. A soil quality index (SQI) based on six soil functions (i.e. the soil's ability to: accommodate water entry, facilitate water movement and storage, resist surface degradation, resist biochemical degradation, supply plant nutrients and sustain crop productivity) was derived for each treatment using bulk density, water retention, pH, electrical conductivity (EC), plant-available nutrients, soil organic matter (SOM), microbial biomass, soil enzymes and crop yield. SQI ratings ranged from 0.552 (unfertilized control) to 0.838 for the combined NPK fertilizer plus manure treatment. Comparisons among treatments indicated that SQI increases associated with the combined (NPK + manure) treatment were distributed as follows: N (7.1% increase), P (7.8%), K (14.4%), Zn (4.8%) and manure (15%). The control (−11.4%) and N alone (−5.1%) resulted in degradation compared to a reference soil (no fertilizer/manure, no crop), and NP alone or sub-optimal rates of NPK were on the verge of degradation. Hand weeding and sulphur application had no measurable effect on SQI. High K fixing capacity was a limiting factor for these soils, even when FYM was applied. The lower SQI rating associated with N or NP-only treatments suggests that two of the most common fertilizer management practices in India may not be sustainable. The SQI was calculated without the weighting factors too, which revealed that the weighting factors did not affect the relative ranks of individual treatments.     

Potential for carbon sequestration in Canadian forests and agroecosystems

The potential for carbon (C) sequestration was examined in selectedCanadian forest settings and prairie agroecosystems under severalmanagement scenarios. A simple C budget model was developed toquantitatively examine C sequestration potential in living biomass of forestecosystems, in associated forest-product C pools, and in displaced fossil-fuelC. A review of previous studies was conducted to examine C sequestrationpotential in prairie agroecosystems. In the forest settings examined, ourwork suggests that substantial C sequestration opportunities can be realizedin the short term through the establishment of protected forest-C reserves.Where stands can be effectively protected from natural disturbance, peaklevels of biomass C storage can exceed that under alternative managementstrategies for 200 years or more. In settings where it is not feasible tomaintain protected forest-C reserves, C sequestration opportunities can berealized through maximum sustained yield management with harvestedbiomass put towards the displacement of fossil fuels. Because there is afinite capacity for C storage in protected forest-C reserves, harvesting forestbiomass and using it to displace the use of fossil fuels, either directlythrough the production of biofuels or indirectly through the production oflong-lived forest products that displace the use of energy-intensive materialssuch as steel or concrete, can provide the greatest opportunity to mitigategreenhouse gas emissions in the long term. In Canadian prairieagroecosystems, modest C sequestration can be realized while enhancingsoil fertility and improving the efficiency of crop production. This can bedone in situations where soil organic C can be enhanced without relianceupon ongoing inputs of nitrogen fertilizer, or where the use of fossil fuelsin agriculture can be reduced. More substantial C offsets can be generatedthrough the production of dedicated energy crops to displace the use offossil fuels. Where afforestation or reconstruction of native prairieecosystems on previously cultivated land is possible, this represents thegreatest opportunity to sequester C on a per unit-area basis. However,these last two strategies involve the removal of land from crop production,and so they are not applicable on as wide a scale as some other Csequestration options which only involve modifications to currentagricultural practices.     

覆膜方式和灌溉对夏玉米产量及农田碳排放强度的影响

为探讨不同覆膜方式和灌溉对夏玉米农田产量和温室气体排放的影响,本研究设计了雨养(R)和灌溉(I)这两个主处理,对照(CK)、半膜覆盖(HM)和全膜覆盖(FM)这3个副处理,利用静态暗箱-气相色谱法监测了2014和2015年土壤CO_2、CH_4和N_2O的排放通量,并借助碳排放强度(GHGI)指标进一步评价了不同覆膜方式的固碳减排效果.结果表明,与RCK相比,RHM和RFM在2014年增产作用不明显,而2015年分别增加19. 6%和26. 8%;与ICK相比,IHM增产作用不显著,而IFM在2014和2015年均显著增产,达到14. 1%和55. 8%.灌溉仅对2015年CO_2排放有显著促进作用(P 0. 01),同一主处理下覆膜方式对CO_2排放没有显著影响(P 0. 05).灌溉对CH_4吸收没有显著影响(P 0. 05),覆膜对CH_4吸收具有抑制作用. ICK相比RCK,N_2O排放量仅在2015年存在显著性差异,显著减少了22. 3%;与RCK相比,RHM和RFM在2014年N_2O排放量差异不显著,2015年分别显著降低了50. 7%和51. 4%; IHM和IFM与ICK相比,2014年N_2O排放分别显著减少了47. 5%和54. 2%,2015年分别减少了9. 6%和52. 2%.灌溉可以通过提高产量从而显著降低GHGI;与RCK相比,RHM和RFM的GHGI仅在2015年显著降低,分别达到60. 1%和61. 7%;与ICK相比,IHM和IFM在2014年GHGI分别显著降低了39. 7%和53. 2%,2015年分别降低了22. 2%和67. 5%,即全膜覆盖降低GHGI的效果优于半膜覆盖.因此,对夏玉米种植而言,灌溉条件下全膜覆盖能保证作物高产稳产并降低农田碳排放强度.