Figure legends
Fig. 1. Total CO2 efflux (a), root-derived (b) and
SOM-derived CO2 efflux (c), and gross N mineralization
(GNM) (bars show means ± SE; n = 4) for the single, double and triple
planting density at the heading, flowering, and ripening stages.
Significant differences (p < 0.05) between growth
stages for each planting density are presented by different uppercase
letters, while lowercase letters indicate significant differences
between three planting densities at each growth stage.
Fig. 2. Specific root length (a) and specific root-CO2efflux (b) for the single, double and triple planting densities at maize
heading, flowering and ripening stages (bars show means ± SE; n = 4).
Significant differences (p < 0.05) between growth
stages for each planting density are presented by uppercase letters,
while lowercase letters indicate significant differences between three
planting densities at each growth stage.
Fig. 3: Linear relationship between SOM-derived CO2efflux and gross N mineralization (GNM) (a) (n = 36). A linear
relationship between the SOM-C to N rate of mineralization (the ratio
between SOM-derived CO2 and GNM) and total dissolved N
(DN) (b) (n = 36). Data for (a) and (b) include three planting densities
across all three growth stages.
Fig. 4: Linear relationship of SOM-derived CO2 efflux
(a) and gross N mineralization (GNM) (b) with specific root length
(n=12). Each dots represents the individual replicate of each planting
density (P, DP and TP) across three growth stages.
Fig. 5: The changes in root length density and belowground intraspecific
intensity from maize heading to ripening stages, and the dynamics of
soil C and N fluxes across all level of planting densities.