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Responses of soil quality, enzyme-based ecosystem multifunctionality, and maize yield to short-term straw return with shallow-buried drip irrigation in Northeast China
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DOI：10.1007/s11104-026-08975-w.png)
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Abstract
En 中文
Sustainable intensification of Northeast China’s black soil requires optimized soil management. However, the responses of soil quality, enzyme-based ecosystem multifunctionality (EMF), and maize yield to straw return and shallow-buried drip irrigation (SBDI) remain unclear. A two-year field experiment combined three straw return regimes (no, annual, and biennial return) with or without SBDI. We quantified soil quality index (SQI), carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) acquisition enzyme activities and EMF in topsoil (0–20 cm) and subsoil (20–40 cm), along with nutrient uptake and yield. The interaction between straw return and SBDI significantly affected SQI. With SBDI, annual and biennial straw return increased topsoil SQI by 52.9% and 31.9% and subsoil SQI by 30.8% and 21.9%; without SBDI, increases were 44.6% and 37.9% (topsoil) and 30.2% and 24.3% (subsoil). Both practices stimulated enzyme activities and increased EMF (annual: 0.9–15.3-fold vs. biennial: 0.6–7.0-fold), with maximum response under annual straw return with SBDI. Random forest identified soil organic C, total P, and microbial biomass C as key predictors of SQI and EMF. Annual straw return increased yield by 6.4–7.0%, coinciding with enhanced nutrient uptake, SQI, and EMF. Partial least squares path modeling (PLS-PM) revealed pathways whereby soil properties and enzyme activities were incorporated into SQI and EMF, enhancing nutrient uptake and yield, with topsoil EMF also contributing directly. Annual straw return with SBDI was associated with improved soil quality, elevated enzyme-based EMF, and higher yield, suggesting potential for sustainable maize production in Northeast China.
Keywords:
Straw return
Shallow-buried drip irrigation
Soil quality
Enzyme-based ecosystem multifunctionality
Maize yield
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4.5W
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