The efficiency and stability of soil organic carbon sequestration by perennial energy crops cultivation on marginal land depended on root traits

Abstract

The sustainability of bioenergy cropping systems hinges on the dynamics of soil organic carbon (SOC). Switchgrass and Miscanthus, as the two leading perennial energy crops, have been extensively cultivated on marginal land for bioenergy production. However, the effects of their cultivation on SOC sequestration and its underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Herein, we quantified the contributions of plant– and microbial–derived C to SOC accumulation by tracing 13C natural abundance and amino sugars on switchgrass- and Miscanthus-planted lands (i.e. belongs to poor acidic red soil) experienced 10 years of C3–C4 vegetation conversion. The results showed Miscanthus cultivation induced an approximately 6.3 times greater improvement in SOC compared to switchgrass. However, the organic C stability in Miscanthus-planted soil was comparatively lower than that of switchgrass. This was consistent with our global meta-analysis, whereby Miscanthus and switchgrass cultivation were observed to increase SOC by 16.0% and 7.1%, respectively. Miscanthus–cultivated soil was more replenished by plant–derived C stored in particulate organic C, owing to the greater biomass and lower root quality (reflected by the high ratio of lignin to nitrogen). In contrast, switchgrass–cultivated soil was enriched with more microbial–derived C, as its greater root quality induced a more efficient C utilization by the microbes. This was preferentially associated with the soil minerals. In conclusion, perennial energy crops cultivation on marginal land substantially enhances SOC sequestration, whereas the stability of SOC is dependent on the root traits.