SpringerLink
Log in

The impact of agricultural land use changes on soil organic carbon dynamics in the Danjiangkou Reservoir area of China

  • Regular Article
  • Published:
Plant and Soil Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Aims

Over recent decades, a large uncultivated area has been converted to woodland and shrubland plantations to protect and restore riparian ecosystems in the Danjiangkou Reservoir area, a water source area of China’s Middle Route of the South-to-North Water Transfer Project. Besides water quality, afforestation may alter soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics and stock in terrestrial ecosystems, but its effects remain poorly quantified and understood.

Methods

We investigated soil organic C and nitrogen (N) content, and δ 13C and δ 15N values of organic soil in plant root-spheres and open areas in an afforested, shrubland and adjacent cropped soil. Soil C and N recalcitrance indexes (RIC and RIN) were calculated as the ratio of unhydrolyzable C and N to total C and N.

Results

Afforestation significantly increased SOC levels in plant root-spheres with the largest accumulation of C in the afforested soil. Afforestation also increased belowground biomass. The C:N ratios in organic soil changed from low to high in the order the cropped, the shrubland and the afforested soil. The RIC in the afforested and shrubland were higher than that in cropped soil, but the RIN increased from the afforested to shrubland to cropped soil. The δ15N values of the organic soil was enriched from the afforested to shrubland to cropped soil, indicating an increased N loss from the cropped soil compared to afforested or shrubland soil. Changes in the δ13C ratio further revealed that the decay rate of C in the three land use types was the highest in the cropped soil.

Conclusions

Afforestation increased the SOC stocks resulted from a combination of large C input from belowground and low C losses because of decreasing soil C decomposition. Shifts in vegetation due to land use change could alter both the quantity and quality of the soil C and thus, have potential effects on ecosystem function and recovery.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Bellamy PH, Loveland PJ, Bradley RL, Lark RM, Kirk GJD (2005) Carbon losses from all soils across England and Wales 1978–2003. Nature 437:245–248

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bijoor NS, Czimczik CI, Pataki D, Billings SA (2008) Effects of temperature and fertilization on nitrogen cycling and community composition of an urban lawn. Global Change Biol 14:2119–2131

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cheng X, Luo Y, Chen J, Lin G, Chen J, Li B (2006) Short-term C4 plant Spartina alterniflora invasions change the soil carbon in C3 plant-dominated tidal wetlands on a growing estuarine island. Soil Biol Biochem 38:3380–3386

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cheng X, Luo Y, Xu X, Sherry R, Zhang Q (2011) Soil organic matter dynamics in a North America tallgrass prairie after 9 yr of experimental warming. Biogeosciences 8:1487–1498

    Google Scholar 

  • Davidson EA, Janssens IA (2006) Temperature sensitivity of soil carbon decomposition and feedbacks to climate change. Nature 440:165–173

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Davis M, Nordmeyer A, Henley D, Watt M (2007) Ecosystem carbon accretion 10 years after afforestation of depleted subhumid grassland planted with three densities of Pinus nigra. Global Change Biol 13:1414–1422

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dawson TE, Mambelli S, Plamboeck AH, Templer PH, Tu KP (2002) Stable isotopes in plant ecology. Annu Rev Ecol Syst 33:507–559

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Del Galdo I, Six J, Peressotti A, Cotrufo MF (2003) Assessing the impact of land-use change on soil sequestration in agriculture soils by means of organic matter fraction and stable C isotopes. Global Change Biol 9:1204–1213

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Farley KA, Jobbágy EG, Jackson RB (2005) Effects of afforestation on water yield: a global synthesis with implications for policy. Global Change Biol 11:1565–1576

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grünzweig JM, Gelfand I, Fried Y, Yakir D (2007) Biogeochemical factors contributing to enhanced carbon storage following afforestation of a semi-arid shrubland. Biogeosciences 4:891–904

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Guo LB, Gifford RM (2002) Soil carbon stocks and land use change: a meta analysis. Global Change Biol 8:345–360

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hooker TD, Compton JE (2003) Forest ecosystem carbon and nitrogen accumulation during the first century after agricultural abandonment. Ecol Appl 13:299–313

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Houghton RA (2007) Balancing the global carbon budget. Annu Rev Earth Pl Sci 35:313–347

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • IPCC (2007) Climate Change 2007: The Scientific Basis. Cambridge University Press, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Jiang L, Han X, Dong N, Wang Y, Kardol P (2011) Plant species effects on soil carbon and nitrogen dynamics in a temperature steppe of northern China. Plant Soil 346:331–347

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • John B, Yamashita T, Ludwig B, Flessa H (2005) Storage of organic carbon in aggregate and density fractions of silty soils under different types of land use. Geoderma 128:63–79

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Köchy M, Wilson SD (1997) Litter decomposition and nitrogen dynamics in aspen forest and mixed-grass prairie. Ecology 78:732–739

    Google Scholar 

  • Laganiere J, Angers DA, Pare D (2010) Carbon accumulation in agricultural soils after afforestation: a meta-analysis. Global Change Biol 16:439–453

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Li Y, Mathews BW (2010) Effects of conversion of sugarcane plantation to forest and pasture on soil carbon in Hawaii. Plant Soil 335:245–253

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Li S, Cheng X, Xu Z, Han H, Zhang Q (2009) Spatial and temporal patterns of the water quality in the Danjiangkou Reservoir, China. HydrolSci J des Sci Hydrol 54:124–134

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Liao JD, Boutton TW, Jastrow JD (2006) Organic matter turnover in soil physical fractions following woody plant invasion of grassland: evidence from natural 13C and 15N. Soil Biol Biochem 38:3197–3210

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Liao C, Luo Y, Fang C, Li B (2010) Ecosystem carbon stock influenced by plantation practice: implications for planting forests as a measure of climate change mitigation. PLoS One 5:1–6

    Google Scholar 

  • Liu W, Liu G, Zhang Q (2011) Influence of vegetation characteristics on soil denitrification in shoreline wetlands of the Danjiangkou Reservoir in China. CLEAN - Soil, Air, Water 39:109–115

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Marin-Spiotta E, Silver WL, Swanston CW, Ostertag R (2009) Soil organic matter dynamics during 80 years of reforestation of tropical pastures. Global Change Biol 15:1584–1597

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Montane F, Rovira P, Casals P (2007) Shrub encroachment into mesic mountain grasslands in the Iberian peninsula: Effects of plant quality and temperature on soil C and N stocks. Global Biogeochem Cy 21:GB4016. doi:10.1029/2006GB002853

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Morris SJ, Bohm S, Haile-Mariam S, Paul E (2007) Evaluation of carbon accrual in afforested agricultural soils. Global Change Biol 13:1145–1156

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Neff JC, Barger NN, Baisden WT, Fernandez DP, Asner GP (2009) Soil carbon storage responses to expanding pinyon-juniper populations in southern Utah. Ecol Appl 19:1405–1416

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Paul EA, Morris SJ, Conant RT, Plante AF (2006) Does the acid hydrolysis-incubation method measure meaningful soil organic carbon pools? Soil Sci Soc Am J 70:1023–1035

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Phillips DL, Gregg JW (2001) Uncertainty in source partitioning using stable istopes. Oecologia 127:171–179

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Post WM, Kwon KC (2000) Soil carbon sequestration and land use change: processes and potential. Global Change Biol 6:317–327

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Richter DD, Markewitz D, Trumbore SE, Wells CG (1999) Rapid accumulation and turnover of soil carbon in a re-establishing forest. Nature 400:56–58

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ross DJ, Tate KR, Scott NA, Feltham CW (1999) Land-use change: effects on soil carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus pools and fluxes in three adjacent ecosystems. Soil Biol Biochem 31:803–813

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rovira P, Vallejo VR (2002) Labile and recalcitrant pools of carbon and nitrogen in organic matter decomposing at different depths in soil: an acid hydrolysis approach. Geoderma 107:109–141

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rovira P, Vallejo VR (2007) Labile, recalcitrant and inert organic matter in Mediterranean forest soil. Soil Biol Biochem 39:202–215

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schlesinger WH (ed) (1997) Biogeochemistry: an analysis of global change. Academic Press, San Diego

    Google Scholar 

  • Six J, Paustian K, Elliott ET, Combrink C (2000) Soil structure and organic matter: I. Distribution of aggregate-size classes and aggregate-associated carbon. Soil Sci Soc Am J 64:681–689

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Smal H, Olszewska M (2008) The effect of afforestation with Scots pine (Pinus silvestris L.) of sandy post-arable soils on their selected properties. II. Reaction, carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus. Plant Soil 305:171–187

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tan ZX, Lal R, Izaurralde RC, Post WM (2004) Biochemically protected soil organic carbon at the north appalachian experimental watershed. Soil Sci 169:423–433

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • van Dijk AIJM, Keenan RJ (2007) Planted forests and water in perspective. Forest Ecol Manga 251:1–9

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vargas DN, Bertiller MB, Ares JO, Carrera AL, Sain CL (2006) Soil C and N dynamics induced by leaf-litter decomposition of shrubs and perennial grasses of the Patagonian Monte. Soil Biol Biochem 38:2401–2410

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wei X, Shao M, Fu X, Horton R (2010) Changes in soil organic carbon and total nitrogen after 28 years grassland afforestation: effects of tree species, slope position, and soil order. Plant Soil 331:165–179

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yang YH, Fang JY, Ma WH, Smith P, Mohammat A, Wang SP, Wang W (2010) Soil carbon stock and its changes in northern China’s grasslands from 1980s to 2000s. Global Change Biol 16:3036–3047

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang Q (2009) The South-to-North Water Transfer Project of China, an overview of its environmental implications. J Am Water Resour As 45:1238–1247

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhu M, Tan S, Gu S, Zhang Q (2010) Characteristics of soil erodibility in the Danjiangkou Reservoir Region, Hubei Province. Chinese J Soil Sci 41:434–436

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This research was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (1131070417, 311300101), the 11th Five-Year Chinese National Programs for Science and Technology Supportive Plan (2009BADC6B001), and the “Strategic Priority Research Program - Climate Change: Carbon Budget and Relevant Issues” of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (XDA05060500). We thank Zhixi Wang for assistance in the field, and Ke Guo for assistance with laboratory analyses. Lastly but not least, we thank two anonymous referees for making numerous improvements to the early version of this manuscript, which made our presentation clearer.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Aquatic Botany and Watershed Ecology, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430074, People’s Republic of China

    **aoli Cheng, Ming Li, **aolin Dou & Quanfa Zhang

  2. Department of Ecology, and Key Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes of the Ministry of Education, Peking University, Bei**g, 100871, China

    Yuanhe Yang

Authors
  1. **aoli Cheng
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Yuanhe Yang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Ming Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. **aolin Dou
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Quanfa Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to **aoli Cheng or Quanfa Zhang.

Additional information

Responsible Editor: Johan Six.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Cheng, X., Yang, Y., Li, M. et al. The impact of agricultural land use changes on soil organic carbon dynamics in the Danjiangkou Reservoir area of China. Plant Soil 366, 415–424 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-012-1446-6

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-012-1446-6

Keywords

Search

Navigation