Abstract:

In order to explore the effect of straw interlayer on soil respiration and the chemical structural stability of organic carbon components during the remediation of saline-alkali soil,two experimental treatments were set up in the alfalfa-planting farmland at the Saline-Alkali Soil Improvement Experimental Demonstration Base in the Agricultural High-Tech Zone of Dongying City,Shandong Province:a straw interlayer treatment (S,with a 5 cm thick straw layer buried at a 35 cm depth) and a control (CK,without an interlayer). Soil respiration characteristics of the different treatments were analyzed,and comprehensive discussions were conducted in conjunction with soil pH,electrical conductivity(EC),organic carbon component content,and chemical structure characteristics of the soil profile.The results showed that:compared with CK,the S treatment significantly increased the soil respiration rate during the alfalfa growth period, with a maximum increase of 79.84%. Furthermore, the S treatment reduced soil EC in the straw interlayer (35—40 cm) and the overlying soil layer (0—35 cm), effectively inhibiting the upward migration of salt. The 40—50 cm soil layer was identified as a critical zone for organic carbon transformation. In this layer, the S treatment significantly increased SOC content (by 16.67%) and highly significantly elevated particulate organic carbon (POC) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) contents (by 208.07% and 83.41%, respectively) compared with CK. Characterization of the molecular structure of organic carbon in the 40—50 cm layer revealed distinct responses. For DOC, the S treatment reduced the magnitude-weighted averages of unsaturation (by 30.60%) and aromaticity index (by 4.84%) compared with CK, decreasing the proportion of unstable carbon. For POC, the S treatment increased the relative abundances of alkyl C(10.32 percentage points)and O-alkyl C (8.39 percentage points) while reducing carboxyl C (14.24 percentage points), thereby enhancing POC structural stability. However, for bulk SOC, the S treatment decreased the proportions of alkyl C(3.14 percentage points) and aromatic C(3.38 percentage points) while increasing O-alkyl C(5.17 percentage points)and carboxyl C(1.56 percentage points). This shift indicated a decrease in recalcitrant carbon and an increase in labile carbon, resulting in reduced SOC structural stability. Correlation analysis showed that the significant increased in soil respiration was highly significantly and significantly positively correlated with POC and SOC contents in the critical soil layer, respectively. Specifically, the accumulation of O-alkyl C(a labile component) in the chemical structure of SOC reduced the stability of organic carbon,which was the main reason for the increase in soil respiration.In conclusion,incorporating a straw interlayer significantly increased soil respiration in the short term,which was closely related to the reduction in the stability of the organic carbon chemical structure in the key soil layer.Under future "carbon neutrality" strategies,research on the selection of interlayer materials should be considered.

Key words: Saline-alkali soil improvement, Straw interlayer, Soil respiration, Organic carbon components, Organic carbon structure

CLC Number: 

• S156.42