Soil organic carbon loss from carbon dioxide and methane emissions, as well as runoff and leaching on a hillslope of Regosol soil in a wheat–maize rotation

Abstract

Soil carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) emissions, as well as runoff and leaching are major pathways of soil organic carbon (SOC) loss, which affect SOC sequestration in croplands. However, fluxes and relationships of the four pathways are still poorly understood. Static chamber-GC techniques were used to measure soil heterotrophic respiration rate and CH4 emission flux on hillslope upland of Regosol soil in Southwest China under traditional mineral fertilizer treatment from 2010 to 2012. Synchronously, SOC loss flux via overland flow, leaching and sediment was measured using free-drained lysimeters (8 m × 4 m). Average annual cumulative soil CO2 emission and CH4 uptake fluxes were 462.8 ± 52.2 and −1.1 ± 0.16 g cm−2. Average annual cumulative dissolved organic carbon (DOC) loss fluxes via overland flow and leaching were 0.16 ± 0.03 and 0.92 ± 0.08 g cm−2, respectively and organic C loss via sediment was 2.2 ± 0.3 g cm−2. Relationship between DOC loss fluxes and soil heterotrophic respiration rates under natural rainfall events could be described by a significant exponential decay function (R = −0.63, P < 0.01). Moreover, a significantly negative correlation was also found between DOC loss flux and soil DOC content in topsoil at 15 cm depth (R = −0.75, P < 0.05). In conclusion, DOC loss decreases soil DOC content and is an underrated negative regulating factor of soil CO2 emission, especially in the regions where high DOC losses occur.