ABSTRACT
Soils are important to the moderation of numerous ecosystem services such as net primary productivity, food and fiber production, water storage and quality, and biodiversity (Lal 2010a). SOC is an important determinant of soil quality and sustainable agriculture, and its quality and quantity influence soil fertility and crop production. The SOC pool in the root zone is influenced by soil fertility management. Most soils in managed ecosystems contain a lower SOC concentration/pool than those under natural environments because of the higher rates of mineralization accelerated by changes in soil temperature and moisture regimes, lower input of biomass C, and higher losses caused by accelerated erosion and leaching (Lal 2004). The SOC pool
7.3.4 Change in SOC Pool under Different Fertilizer Managements over Long-Term Experiments ........................................................... 177
7.4 Conclusions ................................................................................................... 180 Acknowledgments .................................................................................................. 181 References .............................................................................................................. 181
loss, attributed to historic land misuse and soil mismanagement, can be restored by conversion to a restorative fertilizer and adoption of recommended management practices (RMPs) (Dao 1998; Allmaras et al. 2000; Dao et al. 2002; Lal 2004). Increase in SOC pool by the adoption of RMPs has also been documented in China’s croplands at national (Pan et al. 2010; Wang et al. 2010), provincial (Cao et al. 2003), and county scales (Kong et al. 2009), as is evidenced by data from long-term agroexperimental sites (Huang et al. 2006). Adoption of RMPs is important in enhancing the SOC pool, increasing crop productivity, and mitigating climate change. Thus, estimating the SOC sequestration potential under different fertilizer managements is a researchable priority, especially in the HHH agroecosystems of China.
