Distribution of soil organic carbon, total nitrogen, total phosphorus and water stable aggregates of cropland with different soil textures on the Loess Plateau, Northwest China

• Published in: Ying yong sheng tai xue bao Vol. 28; no. 5; p. 1626
• Main Authors: Ge, Nan Nan, Shi, Yun, Yang, Xian Long, Zhang, Qing Yin, Li, Xue Zhang, Jia, Xiao Xu, Shao, Ming An, Wei, Xiao Rong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Chinese
• Published: China 18.05.2017
• Subjects: soil texture; total phosphorus; stoichiometric ratio; water stable aggregate; total nitrogen; organic carbon
• ISSN: 1001-9332
• DOI: 10.13287/j.1001-9332.201705.021

In this study, combined with field investigation and laboratory analyses, we assessed the distribution of soil organic carbon, nitrogen, phosphorous contents and their stoichiometric ratios, and the distribution of soil water stable aggregates along a soil texture gradient in the cropland of the Loess Plateau to understand the effect of soil texture and the regulation of soil aggregates on soil fertility in cropland. The results showed that, with the change from fine soils to coarse soils along the texture gradient (loam clay→ clay loam→ sandy loam), the contents of macroaggregates, organic carbon, nitrogen, phosphorous and their stoichiometric ratios decreased, while pH value and microaggregates content showed an opposite changing pattern. The contents of macroaggregates, organic carbon, nitrogen, phosphorous, and C/P and N/P were significantly increased, but pH value and microaggregates content were significantly decreased with increasing the soil clay content. Furthermore, the contents of organic carbon, n