1. Carbon balance under four double-season cropping systems in North China Plain.
- Author
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Song, Jian, Hui, Yan, Yu, Chengde, Zhang, Qian, Zhou, Yaqiong, Li, Ying, Liu, Xianghui, Zhu, Lili, Hui, Dafeng, and Wan, Shiqiang
- Subjects
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CROPPING systems , *PLANT growth , *EFFECT of carbon on plants , *PLANT-soil relationships , *CARBON in soils , *AGRICULTURAL ecology - Abstract
Background: Differences in cropping systems and their impacts on plant growth and carbon (C) uptake as well as soil C release pose a major challenge in projecting agroecosystem C balance. Methods: A four-year (2012-2015) field experiment was conducted to examine crop C uptake and soil respiration in two conventional (wheat-cotton and wheat-maize) and two legume-based (wheat-soybean and alfalfa-maize) double-season cropping systems in North China Plain. Results: During the 4 experimental years, crop C uptake was greater in the two conventional systems than the two legume-based systems. However, soil respiration was higher in the two systems with C (i.e. maize) than C crops (i.e. cotton and soybean) planted in summer. As consequences, cropland C balance was positive in the two conventional cropping systems, with greater value in the wheat-maize comparing to wheat-cotton system. However, the two legume-based cropping systems showed negative cropland C balance. Conclusions: Our findings indicate that, although more CO-C is emitted in maize-related cropping systems, the conventional agricultural activities may sequestrate more C in comparison with the legume-based farming in North China Plain due to higher C uptake, and highlight the importance of management strategy in improving agroecosystem C storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2017
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