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Degradable film mulching increases soil carbon sequestration in major Chinese dryland agroecosystems

Author

Listed:
  • Zihan Liu

    (Nanjing Normal University)

  • Chenxu Zhao

    (Northwest A&F University)

  • Nanhai Zhang

    (Northwest A&F University)

  • Jing Wang

    (Nanjing Forestry University)

  • Zhaoyang Li

    (Northwest A&F University)

  • Yves Uwiragiye

    (Nanjing Normal University)

  • Nyumah Fallah

    (Nanjing Normal University)

  • Thomas W. Crowther

    (ETH Zurich)

  • Yuanyuan Huang

    (German Centre of Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle–Jena–Leipzig
    Leipzig University)

  • Yuanyuan Huang

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Yi Xu

    (China Agricultural University
    University of Tübingen)

  • Sheng Zhang

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Yakov Kuzyakov

    (University of Göttingen
    Peoples Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University))

  • Kadambot H. M. Siddique

    (The University of Western Australia)

  • Zhikuan Jia

    (Northwest A&F University)

  • Zucong Cai

    (Nanjing Normal University)

  • Scott X. Chang

    (University of Alberta)

  • Minggang Xu

    (Shanxi Agricultural University
    Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences)

  • Christoph Müller

    (Justus Liebig University Giessen
    Justus Liebig University Giessen
    University College Dublin)

  • Yi Cheng

    (Nanjing Normal University
    Justus Liebig University Giessen
    Jiangsu Center for Collaborative Innovation in Geographical Information Resource Development and Application
    Ministry of Education)

Abstract

Plastic film mulching (PM), which contributes to nearly half of the increased crop yields in dryland agroecosystems, exacerbates environmental burdens due to its non-degradable nature. Globally, there is a growing demand to replace non-degradable PM with degradable film mulching (DM), yet its impacts on soil organic carbon (SOC) in dryland agroecosystems remains unknown. Here, using multi-field studies and mesocosm experiments, we found that DM strongly increased but PM reduced SOC storage (0–1 m). This difference is likely attributable to the higher microbial C use efficiency in soil under DM, leading to increased microbial-derived C compared to PM. Under the high roading scenario for 2100, DM could reduce the decomposition of SOC (0–1 m) in China’s drylands by 9.0 ± 1.0 Mg ha–1 year–1 (one standard error) compared with PM. Our findings highlight that DM is a promising alternative to PM for sequestrating SOC and alleviating C loss under climate change in dryland agroecosystems.

Suggested Citation

  • Zihan Liu & Chenxu Zhao & Nanhai Zhang & Jing Wang & Zhaoyang Li & Yves Uwiragiye & Nyumah Fallah & Thomas W. Crowther & Yuanyuan Huang & Yuanyuan Huang & Yi Xu & Sheng Zhang & Yakov Kuzyakov & Kadamb, 2025. "Degradable film mulching increases soil carbon sequestration in major Chinese dryland agroecosystems," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-11, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-025-60036-5
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-60036-5
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