Abstract
Understanding the spatial variability of soil organic carbon (SOC) must be enhanced to improve sampling design and to develop soil management strategies in terrestrial ecosystems. Moso bamboo (Phyllostachys pubescens Mazel ex Houz.) forests have a high SOC storage potential; however, they also vary significantly spatially. This study investigated the spatial variability of SOC (0-20 cm) in association with other soil properties and with spatial variables in the Moso bamboo forests of Jian’ou City, which is a typical bamboo hometown in China. 209 soil samples were collected from Moso bamboo stands and then analyzed for SOC, bulk density (BD), pH, cation exchange capacity (CEC), and gravel content (GC) based on spatial distribution. The spatial variability of SOC was then examined using geostatistics. A Kriging map was produced through ordinary interpolation and required sample numbers were calculated by classical and Kriging methods. An aggregated boosted tree (ABT) analysis was also conducted. A semivariogram analysis indicated that ln(SOC) was best fitted with an exponential model and that it exhibited moderate spatial dependence, with a nugget/sill ratio of 0.462. SOC was significantly and linearly correlated with BD (r = −0.373**), pH (r = −0.429**), GC (r = −0.163*), CEC (r = 0.263**), and elevation (r = 0.192**). Moreover, the Kriging method requires fewer samples than the classical method given an expected standard error level as per a variance analysis. ABT analysis indicated that the physicochemical variables of soil affected SOC variation more significantly than spatial variables did, thus suggesting that the SOC in Moso bamboo forests can be strongly influenced by management practices. Thus, this study provides valuable information in relation to sampling strategy and insight into the potential of adjustments in agronomic measure, such as in fertilization for Moso bamboo production.
Highlights
Soil organic carbon (SOC) is significant in the maintenance of soil fertility and in the dynamics of greenhouse gases because it is a large C pool and plays a potential role as a sink or a source of atmospheric CO2 [1,2,3]
Soil pH ranged from 3.85 to 6.02, gravel content (GC) ranged from 1.10% to 60.40%, bulk density (BD) ranged from 0.76 g cm−3 to 1.19 g cm−3, and SOC ranged from 0.42% to 6.48%
Except for pH (CV = 6.42%), the soil variability data in Table 1 indicated that BD had the Variable BD (g cm−3) GC (%) pH cation exchange capacity (CEC) SOC (%)
Summary
Soil organic carbon (SOC) is significant in the maintenance of soil fertility and in the dynamics of greenhouse gases because it is a large C pool and plays a potential role as a sink or a source of atmospheric CO2 [1,2,3]. SOC varies spatially (in lateral direction) at various scales and in all landscapes [4, 5] This spatial heterogeneity is related to the variations in numerous factors, including the physicochemical properties of soil, topography, climate, parent material, land use patterns, and management practices [6, 7]. The understanding regarding SOC spatial variation must be enhanced by inclusion of soil properties and spatial variables to improve SOC sampling design, to develop soil management strategies, and to assess the role of SOC in mitigating global climate warming [7]. Geostatistics takes into account both the structured and random characteristics of soil observations in data processing through a set of statistical tools. Spatial patterns can be described and modeled, un-sampled locations predicted, and the uncertainty attached to these predictions assessed [4]
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