Abstract
Mulching measures strongly affect the soil physicochemical properties and crop growth. However, the effects of crop growth and the soil environment under mulching on soil respiration (Rs) and its components (Rh: heterotrophic respiration; Ra: autotrophic respiration) are still unclear. Therefore, in this study, we conducted an experiment in a maize field for five consecutive years with different mulching measures in a rain-fed area of China (P: flat planting with full plastic film mulching; R: ridge–furrow with half plastic film mulching; S: flat planting with full straw mulching; and CK: conventional tillage without mulching). The changes in the Rs, Rh, Ra, soil physicochemical properties, and microbial communities were monitored. The results showed that compared with CK, Rs increased by 37.4% under P, 20.3% under R, and 24.6% under S, and Rh and Ra increased by 768–1257 kg C ha–1 year–1 and 278–678 kg C ha–1 year–1, respectively. Among all of the treatments, the largest increases in the soil respiration emission fluxes and their components occurred under P. Plastic film mulching (P and R) significantly increased the aboveground biomass, leaf area index (LAI), root biomass, and grain yield in maize, whereas S had different effects on maize growth in different years. In addition, mulching significantly changed the soil physicochemical properties comprising the soil temperature, soil water content, NO3–, dissolved organic carbon, and microbial biomass carbon. Structural equation modeling showed that these physicochemical properties explained 89% of the variability in Ra and 71% of the variability in Rh. In addition, the changes in the Rs, Rh, and Ra rates were influenced by the soil bacterial diversity (Shannon diversity) and relative abundances of certain bacterial community members (Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria, Actinobacteria, Gemmatimonadetes, and Firmicutes). In summary, our results demonstrate that the Rs components were strongly influenced by SWC, ST, NO3–, and the soil microbial community. In particular, the increased soil carbon emissions under mulching were mainly due to Rh, and Rh was highly sensitive to the changes in precipitation. P obtained the highest soil carbon emissions and maize yield among all treatments, whereas S had a poor effect on increasing the yield. Considering climate warming and food security issues, R performed best.
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