Climate Change and Dryland Agricultural Ecosystem Management
Climate Change and Dryland Agricultural Ecosystem Management
Climate Change and Dryland Agricultural Ecosystem Management
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terraces; Semiarid Loess Plateau.<br />
Effects of plastic film mulch on soil microbial biomass C <strong>and</strong> soil<br />
fertility in the semiarid Loess Plateau of China<br />
Li-Min Zhou1, Feng-Min Li1, *, Sheng-Li Jin2<br />
1 Education Ministry Key Laboratory of Arid <strong>and</strong> Grassl<strong>and</strong> Ecology, School of Life<br />
Sciences, Lanzhou University, Gansu Province, 730000 China<br />
2 Agriculture Extension Service Center of Yuzhong City, Yuzhong 730100<br />
Abstract:Different mulching patterns were proved to be an effective agricultural practice in semiarid<br />
areas to improve soil moisture, soil temperature <strong>and</strong> increase maize productivity greatly. To examine<br />
the effects of these yield-increasing technologies on soil microbial biomass C <strong>and</strong> soil quality. A study<br />
was conducted on the semiarid Loess Plateau of China. In 2006, three treatments were used: (1) maize<br />
sown in a flat plot without mulch (check, CK); (2) maize sown in a ridged plot mulched with plastic<br />
film: the plastic mulch covered two ridges <strong>and</strong> furrows, the two ridges were each 80 cm <strong>and</strong> 40 cm<br />
wide <strong>and</strong> the maize was planted in the furrow between the two ridges (DRM); (3) the maize was sown<br />
in a ridged plot of alternating ridges <strong>and</strong> furrows, the width of the ridge <strong>and</strong> furrow were 70 cm <strong>and</strong> 30<br />
cm, only the ridge was mulched with plastic film, <strong>and</strong> two rows of maize were planted on the ridge<br />
(RM). Two additional treatments were tested in 2007: (4) maize planted without ridges in double rows<br />
100 cm apart in the centre of 70 cm of mulched plastic <strong>and</strong> 30 cm of bare soil between the rows (NM);<br />
(5) maize planted without ridges in double rows 80 cm apart <strong>and</strong> the whole plot mulched with plastic<br />
film (WM). Film mulching in semiarid agricultural system promoted MBC significantly in two years,<br />
<strong>and</strong> decreased SOC <strong>and</strong> LFOC in soil. Significant negative correlation of MBC was found with SOC,<br />
LFOC <strong>and</strong> MN, <strong>and</strong> there was a positive correlation between MBC <strong>and</strong> AP. MBC <strong>and</strong> C/P ratio were<br />
significantly higher in DRM than in the other regimes. SOC, MN, C/N in DRM was lowest. Although<br />
DRM improve topsoil moisture, soil temperature <strong>and</strong> maize yield greatly, this pattern would be<br />
harmful to soil quality. And there may be a negative feedback between soil nutrients <strong>and</strong> maize yield<br />
in DRM.<br />
Keywords: plastic film mulch; soil microbial; biomass C; soil fertility<br />
* Corresponding author: Feng-Min Li, Email address: fmli@lzu.edu.cn<br />
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