Long-term effects of different planting patterns on greenhouse soil micromorphological features in the North China Plain

Soil structure represents a basis for soil water retention and fertiliser availability. Here, we performed a micromorphological analysis of thin soil sections to evaluate the effects of 10 years of organic planting (OPP), pollution-free planting (PFP), and conventional planting (CPP) on greenhouse soil structure in the North China Plain. We also analysed soil bulk density, soil organic matter (SOM), and wet aggregate stability. The CPP soil microstructure included weakly separated angular block or plate forms and weak development of soil pores (fissured or simply accumulated pores) with the highest bulk density (1.33 g cm(−3)) and lowest SOM (26.76 g kg(−1)). Unlike CPP, the OPP soil microstructure was characterised by highly separated granular and aggregated structures and an abundance of plant and animal remains. OPP was associated with the highest total porosity (55.4%), lowest bulk density (1.17 g cm(−3)), and highest SOM (54.81 g kg(−1)) in the soil surface layer. OPP also improved the ventilation pore content (proportion of pores >0.1 mm, 44.09%). OPP aggregates showed different hierarchies of crumb microstructure and higher mean weight diameter and geometric mean diameter values than did CPP. These results confirm the benefits of long-term OPP for soil structure and quality in the greenhouse.