Soil aggregate mediates the impacts of land uses on organic carbon, total nitrogen, and microbial activity in a Karst ecosystem

Understanding the effect of land use on soil carbon, nitrogen, and microbial activity associated with aggregates is critical for thorough comprehension of the C and N dynamics of karst landscapes/ecosystems. We monitored soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (TN), microbial biomass carbon (MBC), and C(mic): C(org) ratio in large macro- (>2 mm), small macro- (0.25–2 mm), and micro- (0.053–0.25 mm) aggregates to determine the changes in soil properties under different land uses in the karst area of Southwest China. Five common land-use types—enclosure land (natural system, control), prescribed-burning land, fuel-wood shrubland, pasture and maize fields—were selected. Results showed that pasture and maize fields remarkably decreased the SOC and TN concentrations in aggregates. Conversion of natural system to other land uses decreased MBC (except for prescribed-burning) and increased C(mic): C(org) ratios in aggregates. The extent of the response to land uses of SOC and TN concentrations was similar whereas that of MBC and C(mic): C(org) ratios differed across the three aggregate sizes. Further, the SOC concentrations were significantly higher in macro-aggregates than micro-aggregates; the MBC and C(mic): C(org) ratios were highest in small macro-aggregates. Therefore, small macro-aggregates might have more active C dynamics.