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Abstract
Soils are the largest dynamic stock of carbon (C) on Earth. Land management practices like tillageand fertilization can alter soil structure, impacting soil respiration and carbon fluxes. In this study, the
effects of land management practices on soil water retention, pore size distribution, and respiration rates
were investigated. Although tillage and fertilization had negligible impacts on bulk density and porosity,
they significantly altered water-filled pore volume under different pore size domains, a key factor in the
regulation of soil respiration. Fertilization reduced water held in storage pores, potentially increasing
gaseous exchange, but when combined with tillage, this increased. These findings highlight the significance
of pore structure in mediating respiration dynamics and underscore the need for sustainable management
practices that balance productivity and carbon sequestration. Future research should explore the influence
of structural changes on microbial processes and interactions with environmental conditions to predict
soil carbon dynamics better.