Responses of Soil Labile Organic Carbon on Aggregate Stability across Different Collapsing-Gully Erosion Positions from Acric Ferralsols of South China

Xian Tang; Yousef Alhaj Hamoud; Hiba Shaghaleh; Jianrong Zhao; Hong Wang; Jiajia Wang; Tao Zhao; Bo Li; Ying Lu

doi:10.3390/agronomy13071869

Agronomy (Jul 2023)

Responses of Soil Labile Organic Carbon on Aggregate Stability across Different Collapsing-Gully Erosion Positions from Acric Ferralsols of South China

Xian Tang,
Yousef Alhaj Hamoud,
Hiba Shaghaleh,
Jianrong Zhao,
Hong Wang,
Jiajia Wang,
Tao Zhao,
Bo Li,
Ying Lu

Affiliations

Xian Tang: College of Natural Resources and Environment, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
Yousef Alhaj Hamoud: College of Hydrology and Water Resources, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
Hiba Shaghaleh: College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
Jianrong Zhao: College of Natural Resources and Environment, Anhui Science and Technology University, Chuzhou 233100, China
Hong Wang: College of Natural Resources and Environment, Anhui Science and Technology University, Chuzhou 233100, China
Jiajia Wang: Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Nutrient Cycling, Resources & Environment, Institute of Soil and Fertilizer, Anhui Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hefei 230031, China
Tao Zhao: Aerospace Environmental Engineering Co., Ltd., Tianjin 300301, China
Bo Li: College of Natural Resources and Environment, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
Ying Lu: College of Natural Resources and Environment, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13071869
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 13, no. 7
p. 1869

Abstract

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Soil labile organic carbon (LOC) is a valuable and sensitive parameter of the changes in soil carbon (C) pools and further affects soil structural stability. However, the influences of soil-aggregate stability on LOC fractions under erosion conditions are still unclear, especially under the collapsing gully area of south China. Soils of five positions of collapsing gully erosion, including the upper catchment (UC), collapsing wall (CW), colluvial deposit (CD), scour channel (SC) and alluvial fan (AF) from Acric Ferralsols were investigated and sampled. Soil aggregate stability and LOC fractions were measured and analyzed. Soil water-stable aggregate and passive C (passive-C) contents significantly increased by 67–76% and 8.7–13.0% at the UC, CW, CD and SC positions, respectively, while soil labile C (labile-C) content was lower at these positions as compared to the AF position (p < 0.05). Moreover, the UC position’s soil C pool management index (CPMI) significantly increased by 37–40% compared to CW, CD, SC and AF soils, indicating that the soil of the UC position had a more stable C pool due to its stronger structural stability. SOC, silt, and amorphous iron oxide (Fea) contents significantly contributed to aggregate stability. We demonstrated that the depletion of soil aggregate stability could result in the decreases in soil LOC fractions, while soil properties of the OC but not the LOC pool regulated aggregate stability and thus affected soil structure across different collapsing gully erosion positions in the subtropical Acric Ferralsols region of south China. This study contributes to developing strategies to prevent soil erosion and improve global C cycle and soil quality, which could be beneficial to strengthen soil and water conservation, and improve soil fertility (e.g., SOC) and vegetation recovery, such as tea and tobacco.

Published in Agronomy

ISSN: 2073-4395 (Online)
Publisher: MDPI AG
Country of publisher: Switzerland
LCC subjects: Agriculture
Website: http://www.mdpi.com/journal/agronomy

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