The impacts of four potential bioenergy crops on soil carbon dynamics as shown by biomarker analyses and DRIFT spectroscopy
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Abstract Perennial bioenergy crops accumulate carbon (C) in soils through minimally disturbing management practices and large root inputs, but the mechanisms of microbial control over C dynamics under bioenergy crops have not been clarified. Root‐derived C inputs affect both soil microbial contribution to and degradation of soil organic matter resulting in differing soil organic carbon ( SOC ) concentrations, storage, and stabilities under different vegetation regimes. Here, we measured biomarker amino sugars and neutral sugars and used diffuse reflectance mid‐infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy ( DRIFTS ) to explore microbial C contributions, degradation ability, and SOC stability, respectively, under four potential bioenergy crops, M .× giganteus ( Miscanthus × giganteus ), switchgrass ( Panicum virgatum L .), a mixed prairie, and a maize ( Zea mays L .)–maize–soybean ( Glycine max(L.) Merr .) ( MMS ) rotation over six growing seasons. Our results showed that SOC concentration (g/kg) increased by 10.6% in mixed prairie over the duration of this experiment and SOC storage (Mg/ha) increased by 17.0% and 15.6% in switchgrass and mixed prairie, respectively. Conversion of row crops to perennial grasses maintained SOC stability and increased bacterial residue contribution to SOC in M .× giganteus and switchgrass by 20.0% and 15.0%, respectively, after 6 years. Degradation of microbe‐derived labile SOC was increased in M .× giganteus, and degradation of both labile and stable SOC increased in MMS rotation. These results demonstrate that microbial communities under perennial grasses maintained SOC quality, while SOC quantity increased under switchgrass and mixed prairie. Annual MMS rotation displayed decreases in aspects of SOC quality without changes in SOC quantity. These findings have implications for understanding microbial control over soil C quantity and quality under land‐use shift from annual to perennial bioenergy cropping systems.
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There are big differences between crops; switchgrass (as other perennial crops) can stabilize carbon dynamics and increase humification, unlike silage maize, which leads to opposite processes.
“There are big differences between the crops, e.g. the switchgrass (as other perennial crops), which can stabilized the carbon dynamics and increase the humification, unlike silage maize, which leads to the opposite processes (Zhu et al., 2018).”
From Concepts of agricultural marginal lands and their utilisation: a review (2023) · cites this paper as Zhu et al., 2018
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Concepts of agricultural marginal lands and their utilisation: a review
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- Authors
- Zhu, X., Liang, C., Masters, M. D., Kantola, I. B., & DeLucia, E. H.
- Affiliations
- Chinese Academy of Sciences (CN)
- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (US)
- Corresponding author
- Liang, Chao
- Venue
- GCB Bioenergy
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2018-05-11
- Volume
- 10
- Issue
- 7
- Pages
- 489-500
- ISSN
- 1757-1693 (ISSN-L)
- 1757-1707
- OpenAlex
- W2802365295
- Cited by
- 42
- References
- 53
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 9 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 6 · 2019: 3
- FWCI
- 3.04
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Locations
- GCB Bioenergy (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- OSTI OAI (U.S. Department of Energy Office of Scientific and Technical Information) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- National Natural Science Foundation of China (41471218, 41671297)
- U.S. Department of Energy (DE‐SC‐18420)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Soil Science › Soil Carbon and Nitrogen Dynamics
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Agronomy and Crop Science › Bioenergy crop production and management
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Soil Science › Soil erosion and sediment transport
- Keywords
- energy crops, soil organic carbon, soil carbon dynamics, soil organic matter stability, microbial biomass, amino sugars, neutral sugars, Miscanthus × giganteus, switchgrass, corn-soybean rotation, perennial grasses, land use change, soil carbon quality, soil carbon storage
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