Priming effect and microbial carbon use efficiency in coastal saline soils: Responses to soil salinity and carbon availability (Research data)

Soil salinization in coastal regions exerts negative impacts on soil fertility, plant productivity, and overall ecosystem stability. Although the critical role of soil organic matter (SOM) augmentation in saline soil amelioration is widely acknowledged, the transformation processes and underlying mechanisms of organic carbon (C) in coastal saline soils remain poorly understood. This study employed ¹³C-labeled maize (Zea mays L.) straw to track microbial C transformations in salt-affected soils from China's Bohai Rim region. Through a 180-day controlled incubation experiment, we quantified how salinity gradients (low-, medium-, and high-salinity) and C availability (with/without field straw return) regulate priming effects (PE) and microbial carbon use efficiency (CUE).

沿海地区土壤盐渍化会对土壤肥力、植物生产力以及整体生态系统稳定性造成负面影响。尽管学界已普遍认可提升土壤有机质（SOM）在盐碱地改良中的关键作用，但沿海盐碱土中有机碳（C）的转化过程与内在机制仍不甚明晰。本研究采用¹³C标记的玉米（Zea mays L.）秸秆，示踪中国环渤海地区盐渍化土壤中的微生物碳转化过程。通过为期180天的控制性培养试验，本研究量化了盐度梯度（低、中、高盐度）与碳有效性（大田秸秆还田与不还田）对激发效应（PE）及微生物碳利用效率（CUE）的调控作用。