Effects of mulching for water conservation on soil carbon, nitrogen and biological properties

Abstract

The effect of mulching with straw, white plastic film and black plastic film for improving soil water storage and on the soil properties was examined in a wheat-maize rotation system on Loess soil in northwestern China. All the mulches improved the water storage to some extent and led to warmer soils. However, the organic C and total N contents of the soils declined significantly under the mulches, particularly the plastic film mulches, and this could have long-term detrimental effects on soil quality and the sustainability of the some mulching practices.