Effects of long-term fertilization and mulch on soil fertility in contour hedgerow systems: A case study on steeplands from the Three Gorges Area, China

• Published in: Nutrient cycling in agroecosystems Vol. 84; no. 1; pp. 39 - 48
• Main Authors: Shi, Zhi-Hua, Chen, Li-Ding, Cai, Chong-Fa, Li, Zhao-Xia, Liu, Guo-Hua
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Dordrecht : Springer Netherlands 01.05.2009; Springer Netherlands; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Agricultural production; Agriculture; alley cropping; Animal wastes; Best management practices; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Bulk density; Canyons; Chemical properties; contour hedgerow systems; Contours; Crop production; Crop yield; Crops; Fertilization; fertilizer application; Fertilizers; Hedgerows; Life Sciences; Management; Manures; mulching; Nutrient status; Nutrients; Organic chemistry; Organic matter; Organic soils; Penetration resistance; Pig manure; Shape; soil chemical properties; Soil erosion; Soil fertility; soil fertility gradient; Soil improvement; Soil management; Soil nutrients; Soil organic matter; soil physical properties; Soil properties; Soil quality; Soil resistance; Soil stability; spatial variation; steeplands; Terraces; Tillage; Topsoil; China; Contour hedgerow; Soil chemical properties; Crop yield; Soil physical properties; Fertility gradient
• ISSN: 1385-1314; 1573-0867
• DOI: 10.1007/s10705-008-9223-x

The use of contour hedgerows is widely advocated to sustain crop production and reduce soil loss on steeplands in the Three Gorges Area of China. However, little is known about the effects of soil management on soil fertility within these systems, or about the spatial gradients in soil nutrients that may develop in terraces formed behind the vegetative barriers. Therefore, we carried out a study on the effects of various long-term soil management practices on soil fertility and spatial variation of fertility between hedgerows. At a site in the Three Gorges Area, China, we applied five treatments to a contour hedgerow system: control (no fertilizer and manure); chemical fertilizer (CF); chemical fertilizer and mulch (CF + MU); pig manure (PM); and mulch, pig manure, and chemical fertilizer (CF + PM + MU). Soil samples were collected from the topsoil horizon (0-20 cm) of the selected five treatments in 2006 after 11 crop cycles, and physical and chemical properties were analyzed. The results showed that chemical fertilizer clearly improves nutrient status of the topsoil, while pig manure also increased the amount of soil organic matter. This increase in organic matter was associated with an increase in soil aggregate stability, a reduction in bulk density, and reduced penetration resistance of the soil. Mulch with pig manure and chemical fertilizer was the best management practice for improving soil quality and crop yields in the Three Gorges Area. Further, mulch and pig manure addition also decreased the magnitude of the spatial variation, but did not offset the soil fertility gradients because tillage resulted in significant movement of soil. More favorable soil properties were found at the lower positions within each alley, regardless of the management practice applied.