Title: Farmland and plane (Platanus orientalis L.) stand accumulated more phytolith-occluded organic carbon in the ancient Yellow River channel

Authors: Xinru Gu; Baoxian Tao; Yuqing Jiang; Shijun Zhu

Addresses: College of Geography and Environment, Liaocheng University, Liaocheng 252000, China ' College of Geography and Environment, Liaocheng University, Liaocheng 252000, China ' Fundamental Department, Liaocheng Vocational and Technical College, Liaocheng 252000, China ' College of Geography and Environment, Liaocheng University, Liaocheng 252000, China

Abstract: Response of phytolith-occluded organic carbon (PhytOC) to different land use types remains unclear. Since the 1950s, the ancient Yellow River channel (ACYR) has been converted into farmland (FL), forest [dominated by species such as Sophora japonica L, Populus nigra, Fraxinus chinensis, and Platanus orientalis L. (PO), etc.], and orchard. This study firstly identified the land use types associated with the greatest soil PhytOC storage in the AYRC. Results showed that FL and PO exhibited the largest soil PhytOC storage. Firstly, the substantial PhytOC storage in the aboveground litter layer of FL and PO enhanced the return of PhytOC to the soil. Secondly, elevated concentrations of soil Si fractions in FL and PO may promote the phytolith production, while increased concentrations of soil amorphous iron oxide may inhibit the phytolith dissolution. Overall, these findings suggest that FL and PO are conducive to the PhytOC accumulation in the ACYR.

Keywords: phytolith-occluded organic carbon; soil Si fractions; land use types; sandy land; ancient Yellow River channel.

DOI: 10.1504/IJGW.2026.155833

International Journal of Global Warming, 2026 Vol.39 No.4, pp.404 - 420

Received: 03 Dec 2025
Accepted: 20 Feb 2026
Published online: 24 Aug 2026 *

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