Spatial variation in organic carbon, nutrients and microbial biomass contents of paddy soils in a hilly red soil region

• Published in: Frontiers of agriculture in China 2007-10, Vol.1 (4), p.424-429
• Main Authors: Tang, Guoyong, Xiao, He’ai, Su, Yirong, Huang, Daoyou, Liu, Shoulong, Huang, Min, Tong, Chengli, Wu, Jinshui
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Carbon; Hills; Organic carbon; Soils; Subtropical zones
• ISSN: 1673-7334; 1673-744X
• DOI: 10.1007/s11703-007-0070-3

The contents of soil organic C (SOC), total N (TN), total P (TP), dissolved N (D^sub N^), Olsen-P, and microbial biomass C, N, P (B^sub C^, B^sub N^, B^sub P^) of 254 paddy soils (0-18 cm in depth) in a hilly red soil region of subtropical zone of China were studied. The results showed that the contents of SOC, TN, B^sub C^, B^sub N^ and D^sub N^ of paddy soils at the bottom of hills were 14.6%, 13.6%, 24.6%, 20.4% and 95.8% higher than those at the foothill, respectively. The Olsen-P content of paddy soils at the foothill was 33.3% higher than that at the bottom of hills. However, the differences in TP, B^sub P^ and available P (the sum of B^sub P^ and Olsen-P) contents were not significant between the two positions. In addition, the ratios of soil C/P, B^sub C^/B^sub P^ and B^sub C^/SOC of paddy soils at the bottom of hills were 12.7%, 28.5% and 8.2% higher than those at the foothill, respectively, but the differences in ratios of soil C/N, B^sub C^/B^sub N^, B^sub N^/TN and B^sub P^/TP were not statistically significant between various positions.[PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]