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We investigated the effects of maize straw and its biochar application on soil organic carbon chemical composition, the abundance of carbon degradation genes ( cbh I) and the composition of cbh I gene community in a Moso bamboo forest, to provide the theoretical and scientific basis for enhancing carbon sequestration. We conducted a one-year field experiment in a subtropical Moso bamboo forest with three treatments: control (0 t C·hm -2 ), maize straw (5 t C·hm -2 ), and maize straw biochar (5 t C·hm -2 ). Soil samples were collected at the 3 rd and 12 th months after the treatment. Soil organic carbon chemical composition, the abundance and community composition of cbh I gene were determined by solid-state 13 C NMR, real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR, and high-throughput sequencing, respectively. The results showed that compared with the control, maize straw treatment significantly increased the content of O-alkyl C and decreased aromatic C content, while maize straw biochar treatment showed an opposite effect. Maize straw treatment significantly increased the abundance of cbh I gene and the relative abundance of Penicillium , Gaeumannomyces and Marasmius. However, maize straw biochar treatment reduced the abundance of this gene. The relative abundance of dominant cbh I in soils was positively correlated with the content of O-alkyl C and negatively correlated with the content of aromatic C. Results of redundancy analysis showed that maize straw treatment had a significant effect on the microbial community composition of cbh I gene by changing soil O-alkyl C content, while maize straw biochar affected the microbial community composition of cbh I gene by changing soil pH, organic carbon, and aromatic C content. Maize straw biochar treatment was more effective in increasing soil organic carbon stability and reducing microbial activity associated with carbon degradation in the subtropical Moso bamboo forest ecosystem compared with maize straw treatment. Therefore, the application of biochar has positive significance for maintaining soil carbon storage in subtropical forest ecosystems.

In order to elucidate the effects of intensive management on soil carbon pool, nitrogen pool, enzyme activities in Moso bamboo (Phyllostachys pubescens) plantations, we collected soil samples from the soil surface (0-20 cm) and subsurface (20-40 cm) layers in the adjacent Moso bamboo plantations with extensive and intensive managements in Sankou Township, Lin'an City, Zhejiang Province. We determined different forms of C, N and soil invertase, urease, catalase and acid phosphatase activities. The results showed that long-term intensive management of Moso bamboo plantations significantly decreased the content and storage of soil organic carbon (SOC), with the SOC storage in the soil surface and subsurface layers decreased by 13.2% and 18.0%, respectively. After 15 years' intensive management of Masoo bamboo plantations, the contents of soil water soluble carbon (WSOC), hot water soluble carbon (HWSOC), microbial carbon (MBC) and readily oxidizable carbon (ROC) were significantly decreased in the soil surface and subsurface layers. The soil N storage in the soil surface and subsurface layers in intensively managed Moso bamboo plantations increased by 50.8% and 36.6%, respectively. Intensive management significantly increased the contents of nitrate-N (NO 3 - -N), but decreased the contents of water-soluble nitrogen (WSON) and microbial biomass nitrogen (MBN). After 15 years' intensive management of Masoo bamboo plantations, the soil invertase, urease, catalase and acid phosphatase activities in the soil surface layer were significantly decreased, the soil acid phosphatase activity in the soil subsurface layer were significantly decreased, and other enzyme activities in the soil subsurface layer did not change. In conclusion, long-term intensive management led to a significant decline of soil organic carbon storage, soil labile carbon and microbial activity in Moso bamboo plantations. Therefore, we should consider the use of organic fertilizer in the intensive mana-gement process for the sustainable management of Moso bamboo plantations in the future.4 + -N), but decreased the contents of water-soluble nitrogen (WSON) and microbial biomass nitrogen (MBN). After 15 years' intensive management of Masoo bamboo plantations, the soil invertase, urease, catalase and acid phosphatase activities in the soil surface layer were significantly decreased, the soil acid phosphatase activity in the soil subsurface layer were significantly decreased, and other enzyme activities in the soil subsurface layer did not change. In conclusion, long-term intensive management led to a significant decline of soil organic carbon storage, soil labile carbon and microbial activity in Moso bamboo plantations. Therefore, we should consider the use of organic fertilizer in the intensive mana-gement process for the sustainable management of Moso bamboo plantations in the future.

Converting natural forests to plantations significantly affects the characteristics of soil organic carbon (C) pools, due to the changes of vegetation cover and management practices. In this paper, to investigate the effects of conversion from evergreen broad-leaved forest (EBF) to Chinese chestnut plantation (CP) on soil organic C pool, the soils from surface (0-20 cm) and subsurface (20-40 cm) layers were sampled from the above two forests (the CP was converted from the EBF and had been intensively managed for 10 years) in Lin'an City, Zhejiang Province. The soil orga-nic C storage, labile organic C pools, and other basic soil properties were determined. The chemical composition of soil organic C was determined by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) technique. Results showed that the soil organic C storage, water soluble organic C (WSOC), hot water soluble organic C (HWSOC), microbial biomass C (MBC) and readily oxidizable C (ROC) concentrations in the surface layer decreased by 19.7%, 34.4%, 25.8%, 30.4% and 25.2%, respectively, after the conversion from EBF to CP. Such values for the subsurface layers decreased by 13.5%, 38.4%, 19.8%, 34.1% and 22.2%, respectively. The O-alkyl C content, aromatic C content and aromaticity of soil organic C in the surface layer decreased signi-ficantly by the land-use conversion, while alkyl C content, carbonyl C content and alkyl C to O-alkyl C (A/O-A) ratio increased signi-ficantly. The O-alkyl C content of soil organic C in the subsurface layer decreased significantly by the land-use conversion, alkyl C content and A/O-A ratio increased significantly, and aromatic C content, carbonyl C content and aromaticity of soil organic C were not changed. In conclusion, conve-rting EBF to CP and subsequent intensive management significantly decreased the soil organic C sto-rage and labile C pool contents and altered the chemical composition of soil organic C.

Carbon (C) occluded in phytolith (PhytOC) is highly stable at millennium scale and its accumulation in soils can help increase long-term C sequestration. Here, we report that soil PhytOC storage significantly increased with increasing duration under intensive management (mulching and fertilization) in Lei bamboo (Phyllostachys praecox) plantations. The PhytOC storage in 0-40 cm soil layer in bamboo plantations increased by 217 Mg C ha(-1), 20 years after being converted from paddy fields. The PhytOC accumulated at 79 kg C ha(-1) yr(-1), a rate far exceeding the global mean long-term soil C accumulation rate of 24 kg C ha(-1) yr(-1) reported in the literature. Approximately 86% of the increased PhytOC came from the large amount of mulch applied. Our data clearly demonstrate the decadal scale management effect on PhytOC accumulation, suggesting that heavy mulching is a potential method for increasing long-term organic C storage in soils for mitigating global climate change.

To investigate the effects of the conversion from native shrub forest (NF) to Chinese chestnut plantation (CP) on the soil carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) pools, soil samples were collected from the adjacent NF and CP in Anji County of Zhejiang Province, with their water-soluble organic C (WSOC), microbial biomass C (MBC), readily oxidizable C (ROC), water-soluble organic N (WSON), and microbial biomass N (MBN) determined. The spectral characteristics of soil organic C were also determined by using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) technique. After the conversion from NF to CP, the soil alkalyzable N, available phosphorus, and available potassium contents increased significantly, while the soil WSOC, MBC, ROC, WSON, and MBN were in adverse. The soil organic C in both NF and CP was dominated by alkyl C and O-alkyl C, but the proportions of O-alkyl C and carbonyl C in soil organic C decreased while the proportions of alkyl C and aromatic C as well as the alkyl C/O-alkyl C ratio and the aromaticity of soil organic C all increased significantly after the conversion from NF to CP, indicating that this conversion increased the stability of soil organic C pool significantly. In conclusion, the conversion from NF to CP and the intensive management of CP decreased the contents of soil labile C and soil N but increased the stability of soil C pool significantly.