Recovery Role in Soil Structural, Carbon and Nitrogen Properties of the Conversion of Vegetable Land to Alfalfa Land in Northwest China

Abstract

Soil structural, carbon (C), and nitrogen (N) properties could be influenced by land-use change. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of the conversion from vegetable (Brassica pekinensis) planting for 7 years (2007-2014) to alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) planting with 5 nitrogen levels (N 0~N4) for 3 years (2015-2017) on soil structural, C, and N properties. After vegetable cultivation, soil structural, C, and N properties declined significantly. However, after alfalfa planting, especially in 2017, the lowest values of bulk density (N 1 = 1.32 g m −3 , N 2 = 1.33 g m −3) and the highest values of macroaggregate proportion (N 1 = 78.17%, N 2 = 77.33%) were obtained. The highest values of SOC (N 1 = 11.11 g kg −1 , N 2 = 11.08 g kg −1), SMBC (N 1 = 390.97 mg kg −1), and sucrase (N 1 = 17.47 mg g −1 d −1) were appeared. The maximum values of available nitrogen (N 1 = 57.83 mg kg −1 , N 2 = 59.82 mg kg −1), SMBN (N 1 = 56.01 mg kg −1 , N 2 = 58.14 mg kg −1), and urease (N 2 = 2.71 mg g −1 d −1) were obtained. Taken together, our findings suggest that the conversion of vegetable land to alfalfa land with low N level could significantly improve soil structural, C, and N properties.

Effect of forage grass (Pennisetum pedicellatum) and legume (Stylosanthes hamata) revegetation on recovery of soil fertility in a reclaimed hazardous waste dump

“…These results show the positive correlation and linkage between nutrient parameters, microbial and enzyme activities in a high decomposition driven soil environment (Table 5) that are in agreements with the similar trends explained in other studies (Hou et al, 2018;Luo et al, 2018;Zuber & Villamil, 2016). During land use change, plantation of legume (M. sativa ) significantly improved the soil N concentration and urease enzyme activity after 3-years of the plantation (Yu, Lin, Liu, & Wang, 2020). Our finding illustrates the fact that reclaimed soils under grass-legume revegetation have higher N mineralization potential and beneficial for the growth of soil microbial biomass that is related to enzyme activities that play a crucial role in effective recovery of soil nutrients during revegetation.…”

Deep soil water depletion and soil organic carbon and total nitrogen accumulation in a long‐term alfalfa pasture

“…In the north of Culbertson in the USA, Sainju and Lenssen (2011) found that the SOC and TN in 0–15 cm soil depth was higher in continuous alfalfa grassland than those in durum‐barley ( Hordeum vulgare L.) hay and durum‐foxtail millet ( Setariaitalica L.) hayfield. Research in the middle of the Hexi Corridor region of China indicated that converting vegetable land to alfalfa land with low nitrogen application could significantly increase SOC and TN (Yu et al, 2020). On the CLP, X. Chen et al (2017) found that SOC and TN under alfalfa fields were 10% and 16% higher than cropland in 0–100 cm soil depth.…”

“…Research in the middle of the Hexi Corridor region of China indicated that converting vegetable land to alfalfa land with low nitrogen application could significantly increase SOC and TN (Yu et al, 2020). On the CLP, X.…”