集约经营毛竹林土壤活性有机碳库研究

为了解毛竹林集约经营后土壤有机碳库发生的变化,采集了集约经营历史5～10年竹林的土壤样品进行分析,并与粗放经营毛竹林进行比较。研究结果表明:毛竹林集约经营后土壤总有机碳、水溶性有机碳和微生物量碳含量都明显减少,与粗放经营毛竹林之间有显著差异(P<0.05),并且微生物量碳占总有机碳比例也显著降低,水溶性有机物质的分子量也明显变小。集约经营后竹林土壤矿化态碳数量及其占总有机碳比例增强,说明毛竹集约经营使土壤有机物质稳定性变差,矿化率增加。毛竹林土壤总有机碳、水溶性碳、微生物量碳及矿化态碳两两之间相关性均达极显著水平(P<0.01),土壤各类有机碳含量与土壤全氮、水解氮含量间相关性也达显著或极显著水平。毛竹集约经营未改变各类有机碳的剖面变化特征。     

长期种植毛竹林土壤丛枝菌根真菌群落演变趋势

为揭示长期种植毛竹林土壤丛枝菌根(Arbuscular mycorrhizae,AM)真菌群落演变特征,通过磷脂脂肪酸(Phospholipid fatty acid,PLFA)和Illumina Miseq测序平台研究了AM真菌生物量及群落结构的演变趋势。结果表明,长期种植毛竹林土壤养分含量总体呈下降趋势,球囊霉素相关土壤蛋白(Glomalin-related soil protein,GRSP)含量及AM真菌生物量也显著降低(p0.05),其中易提取态球囊霉素相关土壤蛋白(Easily extractable glomalin-related soil protein,EE-GRSP)含量与有机质、碱解氮、速效钾显著正相关(p0.05),而AM真菌菌丝生物量(16:1ω5 PLFA)与碱解氮极显著正相关(p0.01)。长期种植毛竹林显著降低了土壤2~0.25 mm大团聚体比例(p0.05),且与AM真菌菌丝生物量极显著正相关(p0.01)。测序结果表明,毛竹林土壤AM真菌以球囊霉属(Glomus)为优势种群,其次为无梗囊霉属(Acaulospora),长期种植毛竹后土壤球囊霉属相对丰度显著增加而无梗囊霉属显著降低(p0.05)。非度量多维尺度转换排序(Non-metric multidimensional scaling,NMDS)分析显示,对照马尾松林与不同种植年限毛竹林土壤AM真菌群落显著区分(p=0.001),土壤含水量(p=0.005)、碱解氮(p=0.001)、有效磷(p=0.014)对AM真菌群落结构变异具有重要贡献。长期种植毛竹显著降低了AM真菌生物量、球囊霉素相关土壤蛋白含量以及2~0.25 mm大团聚体比例,并改变了AM真菌群落结构,不利于土壤碳固存和维持生态系统稳定。     

丛枝菌根真菌菌丝对土壤微生物群落结构及 多氯联苯降解的影响

以摩西球囊霉(Glomus mosseae)为供试菌种,在光照培养箱内利用分室根箱研究丛枝菌根真菌菌丝对多氯联苯(polychlorinated biphenyls,PCBs)污染土壤的修复效应及其机理。试验设置接种丛枝菌根真菌的处理以及不接种的对照,选用美国南瓜(Cucurbita pepo L.)为供试植物,在南瓜生长40天后将接种菌根真菌处理的菌丝室土壤从尼龙网向外水平分为4层取样,测定PCBs及磷脂脂肪酸含量。结果表明:菌丝可以穿越尼龙网影响菌丝室土壤,且距离尼龙网越远菌丝量越低;菌丝显著促进了土壤微生物量(P0.05),并改变了不同土层土壤微生物群落结构;接种菌根真菌处理各土层PCBs降解率为35.67%~57.39%,均显著高于对照的17.31%,相关分析结果表明土壤三氯、四氯联苯以及PCBs总量与菌丝量呈极显著负相关(P0.01);菌丝际土壤微生物量,特别是细菌生物量与土壤三氯联苯含量呈显著负相关(P0.05)。可见,菌丝通过影响菌丝际土壤微生物群落结构及生物量,促进三氯及四氯联苯降解,从而提高土壤PCBs修复效率。     

不同经营模式对毛竹土壤活性有机碳的影响

以起始于1984年的长期不同经营模式毛竹林为研究对象,探讨了夏季毛竹林集约经营后土壤有机碳的变化。结果表明:(1)集约经营后0~80 cm土层毛竹林土壤总有机碳平均增加了5.48%,易氧化碳含量平均增加了15.14%,水溶性有机碳含量平均下降了3.98%,三者均未达到显著差异。(2)两种毛竹林土壤总有机碳、易氧化碳、水溶性有机碳的剖面特征均随土层深度的增加而呈现下降趋势,但下降速度不同。集约经营在一定程度上影响毛竹土壤易氧化碳剖面特征。(3)土壤总有机碳、易氧化碳与土壤养分之间相关性均达到极显著水平,而水溶性有机碳与土壤养分之间相关性不显著。(4)集约经营提高了土壤易氧化碳占总有机碳的比例、土壤碳库活度,并在土壤剖面部分土层差异达到显著水平。但其水溶性有机碳占总有机碳的比例3.74%,低于粗放经营毛竹林的4.10%。因此,集约经营的毛竹林,通过配施恰当比例的有机无机肥,结合土壤垦复、除草、合理的竹株留养和采伐等综合竹林经营技术,以达到改善土壤质量和实现毛竹林可持续经营的目的,也可改善土壤生物化学活性。     

有机碳氮添加对酸性森林土壤氨氧化过程的影响

以亚热带酸性森林土壤为研究对象,开展了微宇宙室内培养实验,设置了有机碳和有机氮添加处理,分析了土壤硝化活性和氨氧化古菌(Ammonia-oxidizing archaea,AOA)、氨氧化细菌(Ammonia-oxidizing bacteria,AOB)的功能基因丰度,研究了外源有机碳和有机氮对酸性森林土壤氨氧化过程的影响规律。结果表明:外源有机氮添加显著刺激了酸性森林土壤硝化活性,乙炔抑制实验表明自养氨氧化对酸性森林土壤硝化过程的贡献率90%。有机碳添加对土壤硝化活性未有显著影响,同时添加有机碳和无机铵态氮也未显著提高土壤硝化活性,而外源有机氮添加提高了土壤矿化速率并导致土壤NH3浓度升高,可能是土壤硝化活性、AOA和AOB数量显著增加的主要原因。     

长期种植毛竹林土壤丛枝菌根真菌群落演变趋势

为揭示长期种植毛竹林土壤丛枝菌根（Arbuscular mycorrhizae, AM）真菌群落演变特征,通过磷脂脂肪酸（Phospholipid fatty acid, PLFA）和Illumina Miseq测序平台研究了AM真菌生物量及群落结构的演变趋势。结果表明,长期种植毛竹林土壤养分含量总体呈下降趋势,球囊霉素相关土壤蛋白（Glomalin-related soil protein, GRSP）含量及AM真菌生物量也显著降低（p<0.05）,其中易提取态球囊霉素相关土壤蛋白含量与有机质、速效钾、碱解氮显著正相关（p<0.05）,而AM真菌菌丝生物量（16:1ω5 PLFA）与碱解氮极显著正相关（p<0.01）。长期种植毛竹林显著降低了土壤2~0.25 mm大团聚体比例（p<0.05）,且与AM真菌菌丝生物量极显著正相关（p<0.01）。测序结果表明,毛竹林土壤AM真菌以球囊霉属（Glomus）为优势种群,其次是无梗囊霉属（Acaulospora）,长期种植毛竹后土壤球囊霉属相对丰度显著增加而无梗囊霉属显著降低（p<0.05）。非度量多维尺度转换排序（NMDS）分析显示,对照马尾松林与不同种植年限毛竹林土壤AM真菌群落显著区分（p=0.001）,土壤含水量（p=0.005）、有效磷（p=0.014）、碱解氮（p=0.001）对AM真菌群落结构变异具有重要贡献。长期种植毛竹显著降低了AM真菌生物量、球囊霉素相关土壤蛋白含量以及2~0.25 mm大团聚体比例,并改变了AM真菌群落结构,不利于土壤碳固存和维持生态系统稳定。     

不同施铜水平下接种AM真菌对海州香薷根际pH的影响

研究表明,丛枝菌根(Arbuscular mycorrhiza,AM)真菌对宿主植物生长和吸收、转运重金属的作用受土壤pH的影响[1-3]。植物可以通过分泌质子或有机酸等改变根际土壤的pH,接种AM真菌可以改变宿主植物的根系分泌物[4-6],从而影响土壤pH。Li等[7]研究发现,接种AM真菌的白三叶在根-土界面、菌丝室及菌丝-土壤界面的pH均降低。Li和Christie[8]发现Zn污染土壤中接种G.mosseae降低了红三叶植物体内Zn浓度和吸收量;菌根处理土壤的pH比对照土壤高,土壤溶液中的Zn浓度低,在施Zn量大时尤为显著。AM真菌菌丝往往在利用NO3-N的同时释放出OH-,导致…     

石灰性紫色土硝化作用及硝化微生物对不同氮源的响应

土壤中发生的硝化作用是对p H高度敏感的典型过程。本文采用室内恒温培养法,结合定量PCR和高通量测序,研究石灰性紫色土硝化作用以及氨氧化细菌(Ammonia-oxidizing bacteria,AOB)、氨氧化古菌(Ammonia-oxidizing archaea,AOA)、亚硝酸盐氧化细菌(Nitrite-oxidizing bacteria,NOB)的丰度与群落结构对不同氮源的响应。结果表明:不同氮源均刺激土壤硝化作用的发生,CO(NH2)2处理下的净硝化速率最大,约是CK处理的4.76倍,(NH_4)2SO4和NH_4Cl处理下的净硝化速率分别为N 3.88和3.34 mg kg-1d-1。相比于(NH_4)2SO4和CO(NH2)2处理,NH_4Cl处理降低了硝态氮的累积量,抑制了铵态氮的减少量。AOB amo A基因拷贝数在28 d培养过程中变化显著(p0.05),在(NH_4)2SO4和CO(NH2)2处理中呈先增长后降低趋势,在NH_4Cl处理中呈持续增长趋势;而AOA amo A基因拷贝数无显著变化(p0.05)。说明石灰性紫色土硝化作用的主要推动者是AOB,而不是AOA。在28 d培养过程中,亚硝酸盐氧化细菌占总微生物的比例高于氨氧化细菌和古菌,意味着石灰性紫色土中可能存在全程氨氧化微生物(Comammox)。高通量测序的结果表明:石灰性紫色土中AOB的优势种群为亚硝化螺菌Nitrosospira Cluster 3,AOA的优势种群是土壤古菌Group 1.1b,NOB的优势种群是硝化螺菌Nitrospira。     

不同类型人工毛竹林土壤碳氮含量及转化特征

对浙江省建德市集约经营、杉-竹混交和一般经营3种人工经营类型毛竹林土壤0-80 cm剖面碳氮含量及转化速率进行测定和分析.结果表明:3种竹林土壤碳氮含量及转化特征存在显著差异.3种类型竹林土壤有机碳含量都随土壤深度增加而下降,一般经营毛竹林土壤有机碳含量显著高于集约经营竹林与杉-竹混交林;3种竹林土壤呼吸速率则表现为一般经营＞集约经营＞杉-竹混交林,但不同竹林剖面变化趋势不同;毛竹纯林土壤呼吸速率与有机碳含量呈显著正相关,表现为随土层增加逐渐下降,而混交林土壤表层0-10 cm呼吸速率最高,随后在10-20 cm显著下降,随后在20-60 cm又逐渐增高,表明混交林根系呼吸在土壤总呼吸中贡献率较高.3种竹林土壤剖面全氮含量差异不大,集约经营竹林氮素投入对当前氮素总量没产生较大影响,但导致土壤氮素组分发生变化.杉-竹混交林无机氮含量最低,土壤硝化速率也显著低于毛竹纯林,表明混交林土壤氮素周转率,具有较好的氮素利用效率;集约经营竹林土壤硝化速率与一般经营竹林差异不大,但存在氮素的反硝化损失风险.     

接种AM真菌对采煤沉陷区文冠果生长及土壤特性的影响

煤炭井工开采往往造成地表塌陷,导致了土壤养分贫瘠和水分缺乏,土壤沙化和水土流失,从而限制了当地矿区植被生长,而丛枝菌根真菌(arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi,AM真菌)对植被生长有促进作用。以文冠果为宿主植物,采用野外原位监测和室内分析方法,研究了未接种和接种丛枝菌根真菌对采煤沉陷区复垦植物文冠果生长和土壤特性的影响。结果表明:与未接种AM真菌处理相比,接种AM真菌显著提高了文冠果根系菌根侵染率和土壤根外菌丝密度,7月接种AM真菌文冠果的株高、冠幅和地径提高了31.89%,23.07%,9.89%。同时,9月接种AM真菌处理的根际土壤全氮、碱解氮和有机碳含量分别比对照组增加0.29g/kg、13.0mg/kg和1.4g/kg,接种AM真菌显著提高了根际土壤的含水率、总球囊霉素和易提取球囊霉素,而速效磷和速效钾的含量显著降低。相关分析结果表明,菌根侵染率、土壤根外菌丝密度与根际土壤理化性质之间存在协同反馈效应。因此,接种AM真菌促进了采煤沉陷区复垦植被文冠果的生长和土壤的改良,这对矿区水土保持、维持生态系统稳定性和持续性具有重要意义。     

Intensive management enhances mycorrhizal respiration but decreases free-living microbial respiration by affecting microbial abundance and community structure in Moso bamboo forest soils

Intensive management is known to markedly alter soil carbon (C) storage and turnover in Moso bamboo forests compared with extensive management. However, the effects of intensive management on soil respiration (R_S) components remain unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the changes in different R_S components (root, mycorrhizal, and free-living microorganism respiration) in Moso bamboo forests under extensive and intensive management practices. A 1-year in-situ microcosm experiment was conducted to quantify the R_S components in Moso bamboo forests under the two management practices using mesh screens of varying sizes. The results showed that the total R_S and its components exhibited similar seasonal variability between the two management practices. Compared with extensive management, intensive management significantly increased cumulative respiration from mycorrhizal fungi by 36.73%, while decreased cumulative respiration from free-living soil microorganisms by 8.97%. Moreover, the abundance of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) increased by 43.38%, but bacterial and fungal abundances decreased by 21.65% and 33.30%, respectively, under intensive management. Both management practices significantly changed the bacterial community composition, which could be mainly explained by soil pH and available potassium. Mycorrhizal fungi and intensive management affected the interrelationships between bacterial members. Structural equation modeling indicated that intensive management changed the cumulative R_S by elevating AMF abundance and lowering bacterial abundance. We concluded that intensive management reduced the microbial respiration-derived C loss, but increased mycorrhizal respiration-derived C loss.     

The carbon storage in moso bamboo plantation and its spatial variation in Anji County of southeastern China

Purpose

Forest ecosystems play an important role in sequestering carbon in their biomass and soils. Moso bamboo plantations, as a special forest type, are mainly distributed in southern China. There is little information about the carbon storage in moso bamboo plantations, it is now important to better understand the moso bamboo’s carbon sequestration. The main objectives of this study were to investigate the spatial variation of aboveground biomass carbon (AGC) and soil organic carbon (SOC) in moso bamboo plantations and to compare carbon storage in moso bamboo plantations under different management options.

Materials and methods

A total of 73 moso bamboo plots were selected in Anji County, which is a famous “bamboo town” in northwest Zhejiang province, China. The diameter at breast height and the age of each moso bamboo in the selected plots were measured in order to calculate the AGC. SOC was analyzed using sulfuric acid–potassium dichromate solution. One-way ANOVA was applied to analyze the significant difference of AGC and SOC under different management options. Geostatistics and geographical information were used to study the spatial dependence characteristics of AGC and SOC.

Results and discussion

The AGC values were very variable, ranging from 9.92 to 38.70 Mg?ha^?1, with an average of 20.85 Mg?ha^?1. The SOC values were from 34.8 to 176.17 Mg?ha^?1. Both the AGC and SOC values were followed normal distributions. Moso bamboo plantations contributed about 16.5 % of total forest biomass carbon in Zhejiang Province, indicating its important influence on regional carbon budget. Geostatistical analysis revealed that the AGC had moderate spatial autocorrelation. A nested model (a spherical model with a Gaussian model) was chosen to describe the variogram. Spatial patterns for AGC were found in Anji County, with relatively high AGC values were found in the southwestern part of Anji County, and low values were located in the eastern and central parts of the county. While no clear spatial autocorrelation trend was observed in the semivariogram of SOC, indicating a random distribution pattern for SOC in the study area. Meanwhile, the Pearson’s correlation between AGC and SOC in bamboo plantation was weak (r?=?0.064, p?=?0.496), due to moso bamboo’s special growth process and different management options by human beings.

Conclusions

In this study, moderate spatial dependency was found for AGC, while the spatial autocorrelation of SOC was poor. In moso bamboo forest ecosystem, SOC was mainly stored at the top 40 cm layer. Management options were proved to be an important factor for carbon sequestration. Extensive management is an efficient way to increase carbon stock, compared to moderate and intensive management. With the rapid increase of plantation area, moso bamboo ecosystem will continue to play an important role in regional carbon budget.     

毛竹入侵森林对固氮微生物群落结构和丰度的影响

【目的】 毛竹入侵能够对生态系统的各个方面产生影响,包括森林生态系统氮循环。生物固氮是森林生态系统氮循环的重要一环,研究毛竹入侵过程中土壤固氮微生物的变化,可为毛竹入侵对生态功能影响的评价提供理论依据。 【方法】 选取天目山自然保护区的三个毛竹入侵带 (青龙山、石门洞和进山门),分别在三个入侵带中沿毛竹入侵方向采集毛竹纯林、毛竹与原林混交林以及原林地的表层土壤,分析pH、有机碳、碱解氮、有效磷和速效钾等土壤化学性质,应用基于nifH功能基因的末端限制性片段长度多态性 (T-RFLP) 和荧光定量PCR (qPCR) 技术,分析土壤固氮微生物群落结构和丰度的变化。 【结果】 毛竹入侵后土壤化学性质呈现三种不同情况,在三个入侵带中总体上升的有pH、有机碳、碱解氮、有效磷,下降的为速效钾,而硝态氮的变化均不显著,总体上,土壤养分含量在毛竹入侵后有所上升。土壤固氮微生物的丰度随毛竹入侵过程降低,其中进山门入侵带的变化显著 (P < 0.05)。土壤固氮微生物T-RFLP的结果显示,48 bp在三个入侵带中均为优势片段;不同的T-RFs在毛竹入侵过程中变化各异,有的片段在毛竹入侵后消失,有的片段在毛竹入侵后出现,有的片段变化不显著。土壤固氮微生物群落的Shannon指数和均匀度指数随毛竹入侵降低,Simpson指数相反,这些指标只在石门洞入侵带的不同林分之间存在显著差异 ( P < 0.05);多响应置换过程分析 (MRPP) 显示,石门洞和进山门入侵带毛竹入侵前后土壤固氮微生物群落结构有显著变化 ( P < 0.05);冗余分析 (RDA) 结果表明,土壤性质对固氮微生物群落变化的解释率普遍较低 (低于30%),三个入侵带显著影响土壤固氮微生物群落变化的土壤化学性质各不相同,并且三个入侵带的样点在RDA坐标图中分布格局并不统一。 【结论】 即使同一自然保护区的三个毛竹入侵带,土壤固氮微生物群落随着入侵过程的变化并不一致,母岩和原有植被产生的综合作用导致土壤固氮微生物群落发生变化,但需结合更多的因素进行进一步地探讨。      

Phyllostachys edulis (moso bamboo) rhizosphere increasing soil microbial activity rather than biomass

Purpose

Rhizosphere and fertilization might affect soil microbial activities, biomass, and community. This study aimed to evaluate the impacts of Phyllostachys edulis (moso bamboo) rhizospheres on soil nutrient contents and microbial properties in a moso bamboo forest with different fertilizer applications and to link soil microbial activities with abiotic and biotic factors.

Materials and methods

The experiment included three treatments: (1) application of 45% slag fertilizer (45%-SF); (2) application of special compound fertilizer for bamboos (SCF); and (3) the control without any fertilizer application (CK). Simultaneously, bulk soils and 0.5, 2.5, 4.5, and 6.5-year-old (y) bamboo rhizosphere soils were selected. Soil nutrient contents were analyzed. Microbial activities were evaluated based on the activities of soil enzymes including β-glucosidase, urease, protease, phosphatase, and catalase. The total microbial biomass and community were assessed with the phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs) method.

Results and discussion

In the CK and SCF treatments, organic matter contents of rhizosphere soils were significantly higher than those of bulk soils. Soil β-glucosidase, urease, protease, phosphatase, and catalase activities in rhizosphere soils were higher than those of bulk soils, with the sole exception of β-glucosidase of 0.5 y rhizosphere soil in the 45%-SF treatment. Compared with the CK treatment, fertilizer applications tended to increase soil total PLFAs contents and changed soil microbial community. Moso bamboo rhizospheres did not significantly increase the total microbial biomass. In the SCF treatment, the Shannon index of bulk soil was significantly lower than those of rhizosphere soils.

Conclusions

Our results suggested that both rhizospheres and fertilizer applications could change the soil microbial community structures and that moso bamboo rhizosphere could increase microbial activity rather than biomass in the forest soils with different fertilizer applications.

     

New processes of microbial transformation of nitrogen in soils as a source of greenhouse gases

DNA isolation from soil samples and amplification of fragment of a key gene of nitrification, archaeal and bacterial amoA, revealed presence of the product in all investigated soil samples. Characteristics of ammonia-oxidizing microbial communities in agrocenoses and undisturbed soil were determined. Bacteria were predominant in agrocenoses (at circum-neurtal pH), whereas the share of representatives of domain Archaea (phylum Thaumarchaeota) increased in prokaryotic ammonia-oxidizing complexes of undisturbed forest ecosystems (at low pH). It was demonstrated that the contribution of taumarhaea in nitrous oxide emission from gray forest soil may reach 20–25%.     

Soil microbial functional diversity under intensively managed bamboo plantations in southern China

Background, aim, and scope

Bamboo (Phyllostachy pubescens Mazel ex Lehaie), a unique fast-growing tree species, is an important forest resource in southern China. Because of its high economic value and short rotation period, intensive management practices such as fertilization, weeding, and deep tilling are extensively utilized. These practices significantly increase the production of mature timber and young shoots. In this paper, bamboo stands under intensive management with short-term (STIP) and long-term (LTIP) practices were compared with those managed conventionally (CON) to study the effects of intensive management practices on soil biological properties.

Materials and methods

We measured the soil microbial biomass carbon (MBC), basal respiration carbon (BRC), and the specific ability of soil microbiota to consume a range of carbon (C) substrates, measured by Biolog ECO MicroPlate.

Results

Intensive management practice significantly decreased (P?<?0.05) soil MBC (in the order of CON > STIP > LTIP), but increased soil BRC (in the order of STIP ≈ LTIP > CON). Under intensive management practices, soil microbial activity, and diversity of C sources utilized by microbial communities decreased (P?<?0.05), as characterized by average well color development (AWCD). Shannon and McIntosh indexes tended to decline with intensive management practices. Intensive management practice also caused much lower (P?<?0.05) utilization of 2-hydroxy benzoic acid and a-cyclodextrin.

Discussion

Soil biological properties were proved to be sensitive indicators of soil quality in response to the intensive management practices, with decreases in soil MBC, microbial activity, and diversity of C sources utilized by microbial communities under the continuing intensive management practices in bamboo stands. This indicates that the intensive management practices had resulted in the negative effect on the soil microbial activities.

Conclusions

Intensive management practices generally had a negative influence on the soil biological properties. This would have important implications for the sustainable management of bamboo production systems in southern China.

Recommendations and perspectives

To minimize the detrimental effect on soil microbial communities, an improved intensive management practice with reducing amounts of mineral fertilizer and increasing organic fertilizer applications are recommended annually so that both high bamboo yield and soil quality can be sustained over a long period.     

亚热带松林中强酸性土壤自养和异养硝化作用的研究

The occurrence of nitrification in some acidic forest soils is still a subject of debate. Identification of main nitrification pathways in acidic forest soils is still largely unknown. Acidic yellow soil (Oxisol) samples were selected to test whether nitrification can occur or not in acidic subtropical pine forest ecosystems. Relative contributions of autotrophs and heterotrophs to nitrification were studied by adding selective nitrification inhibitor nitrapyrin. Soil NH₄⁺-N concentrations decreased, but NO₃^--N concentrations increased significantly for the no-nitrapyrin control during the first week of incubation, indicating that nitrification did occur in the acidic subtropical soil. The calculated net nitrification rate was 0.49 mg N kg^-1 d^-1 for the no-nitrapyrin control during the first week of incubation. Nitrapyrin amendment resulted in a significant reduction of NO₃^--N concentration. Autotrophic nitrification rate averaged 0.28 mg N kg^-1 d^-1 and the heterotrophic nitrification rate was 0.21 mg N kg^-1 d^-1 in the first week. Ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) abundance increased slightly during incubation, but nitrapyrin amendment significantly decreased AOB amoA gene copy numbers by about 80%. However, the ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) abundance showed significant increases only in the last 2 weeks of incubation and it was also decreased by nitrapyrin amendment. Our results indicated that nitrification did occur in the present acidic subtropical pine forest soil, and autotrophic nitrification was the main nitrification pathway. Both AOA and AOB were the active biotic agents responsible for autotrophic nitrification in the acidic subtropical pine forest soil.     

Conversion of forest to agricultural land affects the relative contribution of bacteria and fungi to nitrification in humid subtropical soils

Land-use and management practices can affect soil nitrification. However, nitrifying microorganisms responsible for specific nitrification process under different land-use soils remains unknown. Thus, we investigated the relative contribution of bacteria and fungi to specific soil nitrification in different land-use soils (coniferous forest, upland fields planted with corn and rice paddy) in humid subtropical region in China. ¹⁵N dilution technique in combination with selective biomass inhibitors and C₂H₂ inhibition method were used to estimate the relative contribution of bacteria and fungi to heterotrophic nitrification and autotrophic nitrification in the different land-use soils in humid subtropical region. The results showed that autotrophic nitrification was the predominant nitrification process in the two agricultural soils (upland and paddy), while the nitrate production was mainly from heterotrophic nitrification in the acid forest soil. In the upland soils, streptomycin reduced autotrophic nitrification by 94%, whereas cycloheximide had no effect on autotrophic nitrification, indicating that autotrophic nitrification was mainly driven by bacteria. However, the opposite was true in another agricultural soil (paddy), indicating that fungi contributed to the oxidation of NH₄⁺ to NO₃^?. In the acid forest soil, cycloheximide, but not streptomycin, inhibited heterotrophic nitrification, demonstrating that fungi controlled the heterotrophic nitrification. The conversion of forest to agricultural soils resulted in a shift from fungi-dominated heterotrophic nitrification to bacteria- or fungi-dominated autotrophic nitrification. Our results suggest that land-use and management practices, such as the application of N fertilizer and lime, the long-term waterflooding during rice growth, straw return after harvest, and cultivation could markedly influence the relative contribution of bacteria and fungi to specific soil nitrification processes.