Soil CO 2 and CH 4 Dynamics and Their Relationships with Soil Nutrients, Enzyme Activity, and Root Biomass during Winter Wheat Growth under Shallow Groundwater

Wenchao Zhang, Chen Guo, Xinguo Zhou, Jianqiang Zhu and Fahu Li ()
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Wenchao Zhang: School of Grassland Science, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
Chen Guo: Institute of Plant Protection, Inner Mongolia Academy of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Sciences, Hohhot 010031, China
Xinguo Zhou: Farmland Irrigation Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xinxiang 453003, China
Jianqiang Zhu: College of Agriculture, Yangtze University, Jingzhou 434025, China
Fahu Li: College of Water Resources and Civil Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, China

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 16, issue 4, 1-15

Abstract: Soil CO 2 and CH 4 concentrations are crucial determinants of crop physiology and the soil environment. However, the intricate relationships among soil respiration, soil nutrients, enzyme activities, and winter wheat growth in the presence of shallow groundwater remain enigmatic. This study aimed to investigate the dynamics of soil CO 2 and CH 4 concentrations and their correlations with soil nutrient content, enzymatic activities, and wheat root biomass to better understand the influence of shallow groundwater on soil environmental conditions. Lysimeter experiments were conducted at five groundwater depths (20, 40, 50, 60, and 80 cm) and three fertilizer application rates (low, 75%; normal, 100%; high, 125%). Soil CO 2 (soil layer > 10 cm) and CH 4 concentrations significantly decreased with increasing groundwater depth. The maximum values of root parameters and shoot biomass were mainly concentrated at 50–60 cm at the high fertilization level (except root length density, which was higher at the normal fertilization level), and were 0.36–77.4% higher than other treatments. Soil CO 2 concentration showed positive correlations with organic matter and total N content, enzyme activities, and root biomass. Soil CH 4 concentration had significant correlations with soil organic matter, total N, and available K. Compared to the fertilization level, groundwater depth emerged as a crucial factor as it affected soil physicochemical properties, soil enzymatic activities, root respiration, and winter wheat growth in shallow groundwater.

Keywords: groundwater depth; soil CO 2 concentration; soil CH 4 concentration; root biomass; soil nutrient content (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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