Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Green manure application accelerates soil organic carbon stock loss under plastic film mulching

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This study investigated the offset effect between green manure (GM) application and plastic film mulching (PFM) on soil organic carbon (SOC) stock change during maize cultivation. Within PFM and no-mulching treatments, three different fertilization sub-treatments were applied: (a) chemical fertilizer, (b) barley and (c) hairy vetch. The SOC balance were evaluated by analyzing the net ecosystem carbon budget (NECB). The results showed that the NECB value was negative during maize cultivation regardless of mulching or fertilization condition, indicated SOC loss. The PFM increased maize yield (P < 0.001) by improved soil moisture and temperature. Crop growth was enhanced under PFM relative to no mulching by 23–26%, 16–25% and 1–8% in the sub-treatments, respectively. However, PFM significantly increased carbon losses by 26–29%, 103–107% and 60–62% over no mulching in each fertilization, respectively (P < 0.001). the temperature sensitivity of CO2–C loss was 52–70% higher in PFM than that in no mulching. Accordingly, the NECB was 1.3, 5.6 and 3.0 times lower with PFM relative to the no-mulching value in the three fertilization, respectively. Under no mulching, GM application reduced SOC loss by 33–59% compared with NPK, while under PFM, it accelerated SOC loss by 8–48%. Barley showed the smallest NECB decrease (− 1.0 Mg C ha−1) under no mulching and the largest NECB decrease (− 5.7 Mg C ha−1) under PFM. The findings indicate that GM application is not enough to sustain SOC stock under PFM and suggest that the additional recycling of crop residue, such as maize stover, is necessary to increase the soil C stock.

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
Fig. 5

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Anderson E (1988) Tillage and N fertilization effects on maize root growth and root: shoot ratio. Plant Soil 108:245–251

    Google Scholar 

  • Benbi D, Boparai A, Brar K (2014) Decomposition of particulate organic matter is more sensitive to temperature than the mineral associated organic matter. Soil Biol Biochem 70:183–192

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chen H, Zhao Y, Feng H, Liu J, Si B, Feng H, Zhang A, Chen J, Cheng G, Sun B, Pi X, Zhao Y, Dyck M, Si B, Zhao Y (2017) Effects of straw and plastic film mulching on greenhouse gas emissions in Loess Plateau, China: a field study of 2 consecutive wheat-maize rotation cycles. Sci Total Environ 579:814–824

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Craine JM, Gelderman TM (2011) Soil moisture controls on temperature sensitivity of soil organic carbon decomposition for a mesic grassland. Soil Biol Biochem 43:455–457

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cuello J, Hwang HY, Gutierrez J, Kim SY, Kim PJ (2015) Impact of plastic film mulching on increasing greenhouse gas emissions in temperate upland soil during maize cultivation. Appl Soil Ecol 91:48–57

    Google Scholar 

  • Davidson EA, Belk E, Boone RD (1998) Soil water content and temperature as independent or confounded factors controlling soil respiration in a temperate mixed hardwood forest. Glob Change Biol 4:217–227

    Google Scholar 

  • Ding GW, Liu XB, Herbert S, Novak J, Amarasiriwardena D, Xing BH (2006) Effect of cover crop management on soil organic matter. Geoderma 130:229–239

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Don A, Schumacher J, Scherer-Lorenzen M, Scholten T, Schulze ED (2007) Spatial and vertical variation of soil carbon at two grassland sites-implications for measuring soil carbon stocks. Geoderma 141:272–282

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fan XL, Zhang JP, Wu P (2002) Water and nitrogen use efficiency of low landrice in ground covering rice production system in south China. J Plant Nutr 25:1855–1862

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gwon HS, Khan MI, Yoon YE, Lee YB, Kim PJ, Hwang HY (2019) Unexpected higher decompostion of soil organic matter during fallow season in temperate rice paddy. Soil Tillage Res 192:250–257

    Google Scholar 

  • Halley P, Rutgers R, Coombs S, Christie G, Lonergan G (2001) Developing biodegradable mulch films from starch-based polymers. Starch Starke 53:362–367

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hamadi S, Moyano F, Sall S, Bernoux M, Chevallier T (2013) Synthesis analysis of the temperature sensitivity of soil respiration from laboratory studies in relation to incubation methods and soil conditions. Soil Biol Biochem 58:1115–1126

    Google Scholar 

  • Haque MM, Kim SY, Ali MA, Kim PJ (2014) Contribution of greenhouse gas emissions during cropping and fallow seasons on total global warming potential in mono-rice paddy soils. Plant Soil 387:251–264

    Google Scholar 

  • Haque MM, Kim SY, Kim GW, Kim PJ (2015) Optimization of removal and recycling ratio of cover crop biomass using carbon balance to sustain soil organic carbon stocks in a mono-rice paddy system. Agric Ecosyst Environ 207:119–125

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Helal HM, Sauerbeck DR (1986) Effect of plant-roots on carbon metabolism of soil microbial biomass. Zeitschrift fuer Pflanzenernaerhungund Bodenkunde 149:181–188

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hwang HY, Kim GW, Kim SY, Mozammel Haque M, Khan MI, Kim PJ (2017) Effect of cover cropping on the net global warming potential of rice paddy soil. Geoderma 292:49–58

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kim SY, Pramanik P, Gutierrez J, Hwang HY, Kim PJ (2014) Comparison of methane emission characteristics in air-dried and composted cattle manure amended paddy soil during rice cultivation. Agric Ecosyst Environ 197:60–67

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kisselle KW, Garrett CJ, Fu S, Hendrix PF, Crossley DA Jr, Coleman DC, Potter RL (2001) Budgets for root-derived C and litter-derived C: comparison between conventional tillage and no tillage soils. Soil Biol Biochem 33:1067–1075

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kusa K, Sawamoto T, Hu R, Hatano R (2008) Comparison of the closed-chamber and gas concentration gradient methods for measurement of CO2 and N2O fluxes in two upland field soils. Soil Sci Plant Nutr 54:777–785

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lal R (2007) Constraints to adopting no-till farming in developing countries. Soil Tillage Res 94:1–3

    Google Scholar 

  • Lee CH, Park KD, Jung KY, Ali MA, Lee DJ, Gutierrez J, Kim PJ (2010) Effect of Chinese milk vetch (Astragalus sinicus L.) as a green manure on rice productivity and methane emission in paddy soil. Agric Ecosyst Environ 138:343–347

    Google Scholar 

  • Lee JG, Hwang HY, Park MH, Kim PJ (2019) Depletion of soil organic carbon stocks are larger under plastic film mulching for maize. Eur J Soil Sci 70:807–818

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Li X, Sarah H (2003) Enzyme activities along a climatic transect in the Judean Desert. CATENA 53:349–363

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Li FM, Song QH, Jjemba PK, Shi YC (2004) Dynamics of soil microbial biomass C and soil fertility in cropland mulched with plastic film in a semiarid agro-ecosystem. Soil Biol Biochem 36:1893–1902

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Li S, Wang Z, Li S, Gao Y, Tian X (2013) Effect of plastic sheet mulch, wheat straw mulch, and maize growth on water loss by evaporation in dryland areas of China. Agric Water Manag 116:39–49

    Google Scholar 

  • Lou Y, Li Z, Zhang T, Liang Y (2004) CO2 emissions from subtropical arable soils of china. Soil Biol Biochem 36:1835–1842

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lu F, Wang X, Han B, Ouyang Z, Duan X, Zheng H, Miao H (2009) Soil carbon sequestrations by nitrogen fertilizer application, straw return and no-tillage in China’s cropland. Glob Change Biol 15:281–305

    Google Scholar 

  • Ma YC, Kong XW, Yang B, Zhang XL, Yan XY, Yang JC, Xiong ZQ (2013) Net global warming potential and greenhouse gas intensity of annual rice–wheat rotations with integrated soil–crop system management. Agric Ecosyst Environ 164:209–219

    Google Scholar 

  • Martens R (1990) Contribution of rhizodeposits to the maintenance and growth of soil microbial biomass. Soil Biol Biochem 22:141–147

    Google Scholar 

  • Pan GX, Li LQ, Wu L, Zhang XH (2004a) Storage and sequestration potential of topsoil organic carbon in China’s paddy soils. Glob Change Biol 10:79–92

    Google Scholar 

  • Pan Y, Luo T, Birdsey R, Hom J, Melillo JM (2004b) New estimates of carbon storage and sequestration in China’s forests: effects of age-class and method un inventory-based carbon estimation. Clim Change 67:211–236

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pausch J, Tian J, Riederer M, Kuzyakov Y (2013) Estimation of rhizodeposition at field scale: upscaling of a 14C labeling study. Plant Soil 364:273–285

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pramanik P, Haque MM, Kim SY, Kim PJ (2014) C and N accumulations in soil aggregates determine nitrous oxide emissions from cover crop treated rice paddy soils during fallow season. Sci Total Environ 490:622–628

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Qi R, Li J, Lin Z, Li Z, Li Y, Yang X (2016) Temperature effects on soil organic carbon, soil labile organic carbon fractions, and soil enzyme activities under long-term fertilization regimes. Appl Soil Ecol 102:36–45

    Google Scholar 

  • Reichstein M, Subke JA, Angeli AC, Tenhunen JD (2005) Does the temperature sensitivity of decomposition of soil organic matter depend upon water content, soil horizon, or incubation time? Glob Change Biol 11:1754–1767

    Google Scholar 

  • Rolston DE (1986) Gas flux. In: Klute A (ed) Methods of soil analysis Part 1, Agronomy Monograph 9, 2nd edn. American society of Agronomy, pp 1103–1119

  • Singh S, Singh JS, Kashyap AK (1999) Methane flux from irrigated rice fields in relation to crop growth and N fertilization. Soil Biol Biochem 31:1219–1228

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Smith P, Lanigan G, Kutsch WL, Buchmann N, Eugster W, Aubinet M, Ceschia E, Beziat P, Yeluripati JB, Osborne B, Moors EJ, Brut A, Wattenbach M, Saunders M, Jones M (2010) Measurements necessary for assessing the net ecosystem carbon budget of croplands. Agric Ecosyst Environ 139:302–315

    Google Scholar 

  • Song MH, Jiang J, Cao GM, Xu XL (2010) Effects of temperature, glucose and inorganic nitrogen inputs on carbon mineralization in a Tibetan alpine meadow soil. Eur J Soil Biol 46:375–380

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Taggart M, Heitman JL, Shi W, Vepraskas M (2012) Temperature and water content effects on carbon mineralization for sapric soil material. Wetlands 32:939–944

    Google Scholar 

  • Todorovic C, Nguyen C, Robin C, Guckert A (2001) Root and microbial involvement in the kinetics of 14C-partitioning to rhizosphere respiration after a pulse labeling of maize assimilates. Plant Soil 228:179–189

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Toru T, Kibret K (2019) Carbon stock under major land use/land cover types of hades sub-watershed, eastern Ethiopia. Carbon Balance Manag 14:7

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Tripathi R, Nayak AK, Bhattacharyya P, Shukla AK, Shahid M, Raja R, Panda BB, Mohanty S, Kumar A, Thilagam AK (2014) Soil aggregation and distribution of carbon and nitrogen in different fractions after 41 years long-term fertilizer experiment in tropical rice–rice system. Geoderma 213:280–286

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tu C, Ristaino JB, Hu SJ (2006) Soil microbial biomass and activity in organic tomato farming systems: effects of organic inputs and straw mulching. Soil Biol Biochem 38:247–255

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Vieira SR, Grego CR, Toop GC (2008) Analyzing spatial and temporal variability of soil water content. Bragantia 67:463–469

    Google Scholar 

  • Wang Y, Xie Z, Malhi SS, Vera CL, Zhang Y, Wang J (2009) Effects of rainfall harvesting and mulching technologies on water use efficiency and crop yield in the semi-arid Loess Plateau, China. Agric Water Manag 96:374–382

    Google Scholar 

  • Wang C, Li SC, Lai DYF, Wang WQ, Ma YY (2015) The effect of floating vegetation on CH4 and N2O emissions from subtropical paddy fields in China. Paddy Water Environ 13:425e431

    Google Scholar 

  • Wang D, He NP, Wang Q, Lii YL, Wang QF, Xu ZW, Zhu JX (2016) Effects of temperature and moisture on soil organic matter decomposition along elevation gradients on the Changbai Mountains, Northeast China. Pedosphere 26:399–407

    Google Scholar 

  • Werth M, Kuzyakov Y (2008) Root-derived carbon in soil respiration and microbial biomass determination by 14C and 13C. Soil Biol Biochem 40:625–637

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang DB, Yao PW, Zhao N (2016) Contribution of green manure legumes to nitrogen dynamics in traditional winter wheat cropping system in the Loess Plateau of China. Eur J Agron 72:47–55

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zheng XH, Xie BH, Liu C, Zhou Z, Yao ZS, Wang Y, Yang L, Zhu J, Huang Y (2008) Quantifying net ecosystem carbon dioxide exchange of a short-plant cropland with intermittent chamber measurements. Glob Biogeochem Cycles 22:GB3031

    Google Scholar 

  • Zheng H, Wang Z, Deng X, Herbert S, Xing B (2013) Impacts of adding biochar on nitrogen retention and bioavailability in agricultural soil. Geoderma 206:32–39

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhou W, Hui D, Shen W (2014) Effects of soil moisture on the temperature sensitivity of soil heterotrophic respiration: a laboratory incubation study. PLoS ONE 9:e92531

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Education (NRF-2015R1A6A1A03031413 and NRF-2017R1A2B2002239).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Soil and Fertilizer, National Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Rural Development Administration, Wanju, Jeonbuk, 55365, Republic of Korea

    Hyun Young Hwang

  2. Malaybalay City Agriculture Office, 8700, Casisang, Malaybalay City, Bukidnon, Philippines

    Jennifer Cuello

  3. Department of Bio-environmental Science, Sunchon National University, Suncheon, 57922, Republic of Korea

    Sang Yoon Kim

  4. Division of Applied Life Science, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, 52828, Republic of Korea

    Jeong Gu Lee & Pil Joo Kim

  5. Institute of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, 52828, Republic of Korea

    Pil Joo Kim

Authors
  1. Hyun Young Hwang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Jennifer Cuello
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Sang Yoon Kim
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Jeong Gu Lee
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Pil Joo Kim
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Pil Joo Kim.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Electronic supplementary material

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

Supplementary material 1 (DOCX 18 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Hwang, H.Y., Cuello, J., Kim, S.Y. et al. Green manure application accelerates soil organic carbon stock loss under plastic film mulching. Nutr Cycl Agroecosyst 116, 257–269 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10705-019-10042-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10705-019-10042-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation