Effects of farmland use transition on soil organic carbon in dry farming areas

Ligang Lyu (), Junjun Zhu, Hualou Long (), Kaihua Liao, Yeting Fan and Junxiao Wang
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Ligang Lyu: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Junjun Zhu: Nanjing University of Finance and Economics
Hualou Long: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Kaihua Liao: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Yeting Fan: Nanjing University of Finance and Economics
Junxiao Wang: Nanjing University of Finance and Economics

Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, 2024, vol. 26, issue 3, No 59, 7055-7078

Abstract: Abstract As the largest terrestrial organic carbon pool, soil organic carbon (SOC) plays an important role in the global carbon cycle, but it is easily affected by land use and climate change. The Huang-Huai-Hai Plain (HHHP) in China, which is dominated by dry farming, is experiencing rapid farmland loss and gain (farmland use transition), which may cause drastic changes in SOC storage. To clarify the effects of farmland use transition on SOC in dry farming areas, this study adopted a land use transition matrix and spatial analyst tool to explore the characteristics of farmland use transition and its effects on SOC content and stocks in the 200 cm soil layer in the HHHP from 2000 to 2020. The results showed that the farmland use transition in this area during that time period resulted in a net decrease of 16.06 × 103 km2 of farmland, of which urban built-up land and rural settlements led to a net reduction of farmland by 9.74 × 103 km2 and 6.43 × 103 km2, respectively, which was mainly affected by climate, topography, and economic factors. In addition, the farmland use transition resulted in a net increase in SOC storage of 6.13 Tg C, contributing 44.32% of the net increase. This is likely because the change in land use type led to a change in soil bulk density and soil gravel content while altering the SOC content, which in turn affected the SOC stock. This study has important implications for addressing global climate change and maintaining sustainable agricultural resources.

Keywords: Farmland use transition; SOC storage; Driving factors; Dry farming areas; China (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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DOI: 10.1007/s10668-023-02998-4

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