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Straw mulching significantly affects the soil carbon cycle. However, the impact of straw mulching on soil organic carbon (SOC) fractions in Moso bamboo plantations remains unclear. To address this gap in research, a 3-year field trial was established in a cultivated Moso bamboo ( Phyllostachys edulis ) plantation stand in a subtropical bamboo habitat. The experiment employed a space-for-time substitution design to compare three straw mulching strategies: Control (0-year mulching), SM1 (1-year application), and SM3 (3-year application). We specifically examined straw mulching-induced variation in SOC fractions and their underlying mechanisms. The application of straw mulch enhanced SOC accumulation by 27.2–30.9%, while elevating particulate (POC) and mineral-associated organic carbon (MAOC) pools by 15.0–37.5% and 28.6–33.9%, respectively. MAOC was dominant in SOC and was more sensitive to straw mulching than POC. Additionally, straw mulching significantly increased fungal residue carbon and iron-aluminum oxide content. POC and MAOC contents exhibited significant positive correlations with iron-aluminum oxide. These results indicate that straw mulching can significantly increase SOC content and stability in Moso bamboo plantations and thus is a potential management measure to increase soil carbon sequestration in Moso bamboo plantations. • Straw mulching significantly increased SOC in subtropical bamboo plantations. • Both POC and MAOC pools increased significantly under straw mulching treatments. • MAOC was more responsive to straw mulching than POC. • Increase in POC and MAOC was attributed to enhanced protection from Fe/Al oxides.
Lin et al. (Sat,) studied this question.