Objective This study elucidates the patterns of soil CO₂ emissions and their key influencing factors under different tillage practices in red soil sloping cropland, evaluates the applicability of the DeNitrification-DeComposition (DNDC) model for simulating CO₂ emissions under this scenario, and provides a scientific basis for optimizing low-carbon tillage practices and improving the DNDC model for red soil sloping cropland. Methods Red soil sloping cropland in Yunnan Province was selected as the study area, and experimental plots were established for four typical tillage practices: plastic mulching (PM), downslope ridge tillage (DT), conventional tillage (CT), and contour ridge tillage (RT). Based on two consecutive years (2023—2024) of field experiment data, differences in hydrothermal conditions, crop yield, and soil CO₂ emissions under different tillage practices were analyzed, and the applicability of the DNDC model was evaluated. In addition, the mechanisms by which tillage practices influence soil CO₂ emissions in red soil sloping cropland were explored using structural equation modeling (SEM) and sensitivity analysis. Results The DNDC model adequately simulated soil temperature variations under different tillage practices 〔root mean square error (RMSE)=2.64~4.73; index of agreement (d)=0.62~0.90; correlation coefficient (r, Pearson)=0.48~0.93)〕. The model also correctly captured the rank order of crop yields (CT<DT<RT<PM). However, the simulation accuracy for soil moisture was relatively lower (RMSE=11.25~27.09; d=0.31~0.66; r=-0.34~0.80). The DNDC model also demonstrated good performance in characterizing variations in soil CO₂ fluxes under different tillage practices (RMSE=52.55~83.51; d=0.71~0.97; r=0.51~0.95). It reasonably reproduced the rank order of total soil CO₂ emissions (CT<RT<DT<PM), although a certain degree of overestimation was observed. Soil CO₂ fluxes ranged from 75.21 to 630.00 mg/(m² · h), showing an initial increase followed by a decrease during the crop growing season, with a pronounced ‘Birch effect’ after intense rainfall events. Conclusion The DNDC model can effectively simulate soil CO₂ emission processes under different tillage practices in red soil sloping cropland. Total soil CO₂ emissions under different tillage practices follow the order CT<RT<DT<PM, with RT showing a potential advantage in simultaneously reducing CO₂ emissions and maintaining crop yield. Results from structural equation modeling and sensitivity analysis indicate that precipitation, air temperature, soil organic carbon (SOC), soil moisture, porosity, bulk density, and soil temperature are the primary driving factors of soil CO₂ emissions in red soil sloping cropland.
采用均方根误差(Root Mean Square Error, RMSE)、一致性指标(d)和相关性系数(r)3个统计参数评价DNDC模型的模拟效果。其中均方根误差RMSE的值越小,模型模拟值与实测值的误差越小。一致性指标d取值范围为0~1。d越接近1,说明模拟值与实测值的一致性越高。相关性系数r取值范围为-1~1。r越接近1或-1,模拟值与实测值的相关性越高,正负号表示方向。
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