Abstract: An investigation was conducted on the change patterns of different carbon-containing compounds in dairy manure during its aerobic composting, and an assessment was made on the composting maturity, based on the changes of maturity indices. According to the requirements for maturity indices (temperature, seed germination rate, germination index, coliform flora, and mortality of ascarid egg), the dairy manure after composting could reach the demand of maturity. During composting, the contents of total carbon and readily oxidizable carbon in the manure decreased, but that of humic acid carbon increased. The microbial biomass carbon and water soluble carbon increased (0-14 d) first, decreased (14-28 d) then, and kept stable finally (28-70 d). K_os (oxidation stability factor) and the H/F (humic/fulvic acids) ratio decreased first (0-14 d)and increased then (14-70 d), while the E₄/E₆(absorption coefficient ratio of 465 nm to 665 nm) of humic acid carbon had a change trend opposite to K_osand H/F ratio. Through the correlation analysis among different organic carbon-containing compounds, it could be drawn that readily oxidizable carbon and humic acid carbon were the main factors affecting the change pattern of total carbon during composting, and the readily oxidizable carbon, humic acid carbon, K_os, H/F ratio, and E₄/E₆ could well express the humification and stability degree of dairy manure compost. During composting, microbial biomass carbon and water soluble carbon could transform each other.

Key words: Castanopsis kawakamii community, Gap, Species diversity, Edge effect