@Article{phyton.2022.023397, AUTHOR = {Juan Liu, Meiqun Zheng, Xueshuang Chen}, TITLE = {Effects of Fertilization on Soil CO2 Efflux in Chinese Hickory (Carya cathayensis) Stand}, JOURNAL = {Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany}, VOLUME = {92}, YEAR = {2023}, NUMBER = {1}, PAGES = {271--283}, URL = {http://www.techscience.com/phyton/v92n1/49579}, ISSN = {1851-5657}, ABSTRACT = {Chinese hickory (Carya cathayensis Sarg.) is a popular nut tree in China, but there is little information about the influences of fertilization on soil CO2 efflux and soil microbial biomass. This study evaluated the short-term effects of different fertilizer applications on soil CO2 efflux and soil microbial biomass in Chinese hickory stands. Four fertilizer treatments were established: control (CK, no fertilizer), inorganic fertilizer (IF), organic fertilizer (OF), and equal parts organic and inorganic N fertilizers (OIF). A field experiment was conducted to measure soil CO2 effluxes using closed chamber and gas chromatography techniques. Regardless of the fertilization practices, soil CO2 effluxes of all the treatments showed a similar temporal pattern, with the highest value in summer and the lowest in winter. The mean annual soil CO2 efflux in the IF treatment was significantly higher than that in the CK, OIF, and OF treatments. There was no significant difference in soil CO2 efflux between the OIF, OF, and CK treatments. Soil CO2 effluxes were significantly affected by soil temperature. Soil dissolved organic carbon (DOC) was positively correlated with soil CO2 efflux only in the CK treatment. Regression analysis, including soil temperature, moisture, and DOC, showed that soil temperature was the primary factor influencing soil CO2 effluxes. Both OF and OIF treatments increased concentrations of soil microbial biomass carbon (MBC) and microbial biomass nitrogen (MBN), but decreased the ratio of MBC:MBN. These results reveal that applying organic fertilizer, either alone or combined with inorganic fertilizer, may be the optimal strategy for mitigating soil CO2 emission and improving soil quality in Chinese hickory stands.}, DOI = {10.32604/phyton.2022.023397} }