Effects of soil variables and season on the production and consumption of nitric oxide in oxic soils

Summary NO production rates, NO uptake rate constants, NO compensation points, and different soil variables were determined for various soil types and different soil horizons, and checked for mutual correlations. NO production was detected in all, and NO comsuption in most soils tested. Only soils in a very early state of soil genesis showed no NO consumption activity. NO consumption was positively correlated with soil water and NH ₄ ⁺ contents. NO production rates were not correlated with any soil variable. Both NO production and NO consumption tended to decrease from the upper organic to the deeper mineral horizons in different climax soils. The seasonal variation of NO production and NO consumption in a calcic cambisol and a luvisol showed highest rates in summer. The rates of NO production and NO consumption were correlated with a few of the soil variables, but showed no uniform, theoretically comprehensible pattern. However, NO production in samples of the calcic cambisol was stimulated by fertilization with NH ₄ ⁺ , but not with NO ₃ ^– and was inhibited by nitrapyrin, indicating that NO was produced by nitrification. NO production made up about 3% of the nitrification rates. In the luvisol, in contrast, NO production was not affected by the addition of NH ₄ ⁺ or NO ₃ ^– . Nitrification was also undetectable in this acidic soil, except for a few patches where NO production was also detected.     

土壤N2O和NO产生机制研究进展

N2O和NO是大气中两种重要的活性氮气体,强烈影响着全球变化和生态环境。土壤是N2O和NO的重要排放源,生物和非生物途径均可产生N2O和NO。本文详细论述了自养硝化、异养硝化、生物反硝化、化学反硝化、硝化细菌反硝化和硝态氮异化还原成铵作用产生N2O和（或）NO的机制,并对研究中存在的一些问题进行了探讨。     

Comparison of two different methods to measure nitric oxide turnover in soils

 The NO turnover in soils was measured in two different experimental set-ups, a flow-through system, which is very time-consuming and needs rather sophisticated equipment, and a closed system using serum bottles. We compared the NO turnover parameters (NO consumption rate constant, NO production rate, NO compensation concentration) that were measured with both systems in different soils, under different conditions and in the presence of 10 Pa acetylene to inhibit nitrification. The values of the NO turnover parameters that were measured with the two systems under oxic conditions were usually comparable. The addition of acetylene did not affect the NO consumption rate constants of the soils with the exception of soil G1. However, the NO production rates and the NO compensation concentrations decreased significantly in the presence of acetylene, indicating that nitrification was the main source of NO in these soils. Only one soil (Bol) showed no nitrifying activity. Increasing soil moisture content resulted in decreasing NO consumption rate constants and NO production rates. Even at a high soil moisture content of 80% water holding capacity, nitrification was the main source of NO. The values of the NO turnover parameters that were measured with the two systems were not comparable under anoxic conditions. The NO consumption rate constants and the NO production rates were much lower in the closed than in the flow-through system, indicating that the NO consumption activity became saturated by the high NO concentrations accumulating in the closed system. Under oxic conditions, however, closed serum bottles were a cheap, easy and reliable tool with which to determine NO turnover parameters and to distinguish between nitrification and denitrification as sources of NO. Received: 21 April 1998     

Nitric oxide emissions from black soil, northeastern China: A laboratory study revealing significantly lower rates than hitherto reported

Nitric oxide (NO) is an important component of biogeochemical cycling of nitrogen, produced via biologically mediated processes of nitrification and denitrification in soils. The production and consumption processes of NO in black soils are not fully understood. We established how moisture and temperature affect NO dynamics for black soil samples of maize land in the temperate zone of northeastern China. The optimum soil moisture for the maximum NO production and emission was determined to be 41% water-filled pore space (WFPS), based on laboratory experiments and modeling. For a given moisture, NO fluxes increased exponentially with soil temperature at any given soil moisture. The optimum soil moisture for the maximum NO emission was constant and independent of soil temperature. The NO consumption rate constant (k) in the studied soil (range 9.31 × 10⁻⁶-15.1 × 10⁻⁶ m³ kg⁻¹ s⁻¹) was in the middle of the range of similar k values published to date. The maximum NO emission potential for black soils at 25 °C and 15 °C were about 18.6 and 9.0 ng N m⁻² s⁻¹, respectively. Based on laboratory results and field monitoring data of soil water content and soil temperature, the average NO fluxes from black soils in the region were estimated to be 10.7 ng N m⁻² s⁻¹ for an entire plant growth period. NO emissions likely occur principally in July, associated with optimum soil moisture. The present study suggests that NO fluxes from black soil are much lower than the previous reports from cropland in southern parts of China.     

Kinetics of nitric oxide consumption in tropical soils under oxic and anoxic conditions

The kinetics of nitric oxide consumption in four tropical soils were studied under oxic and anoxic conditions in a flow-through system in the laboratory. Under anoxic conditions the soils had a very high affinity for NO, resulting in K _M values of 0.02–0.27 ppmv NO (equivalent to 0.04–0.50 nM NO in the aqueous phase). These K _M values were lower than literature values for NO consumption by denitrifying bacteria. Under oxic conditions the kinetics of NO consumption in the tropical soils were completely different, exhibiting K _M values higher than 1.7 ppmv. These higher K _M values were similar to literature values for NO consumption by aerobic heterotrophic bacteria. Thus, the tropical soils studied seem to contain two different NO consumption activities which can be distinguished by their kinetics and which predominate under aerobic and anaerobic conditions, respectively. However, it was not possible to quantify the contribution of each process to total NO consumption under natural conditions. Under aerobic conditions NO turnover kinetics were positively correlated with soil respiration, N mineralisation and soil organic carbon, whereas under anaerobic conditions they were positively correlated with potential and actual denitrification rates and pH. Received: 26 September 1996     

Hydrogen consumption and carbon monoxide production in soils with different properties

 Soils are the dominant sink in the global budget of atmospheric H₂, and can be an important local source of atmospheric CO. In order to understand which soil characteristics affect the rates of H₂ consumption and CO production, we measured these activities in 16 different soils at 30% and 60% of their maximum water holding capacity (whc). The soils were obtained from forests, meadows and agricultural fields in Germany and exhibited different characteristics with respect to texture, pH, total C, substrate-induced respiration (SIR), respiration, total and inorganic N, N mineralization, nitrification, N₂O production and NO turnover. The H₂ consumption rate constants were generally lower at 60% than at 30% whc, whereas the CO production rates were not influenced by the whc. Spearman correlation analysis showed that H₂ consumption correlated significantly (r>0.5, P<0.05) at both water contents only with SIR and potential nitrification. The correlation with these variables that are largely dominated by soil microorganisms is consistent with our understanding that atmospheric H₂ is oxidized by soil hydrogenases. Multiple regression analysis and factor analysis gave similar results. Production of CO, on the other hand, was significantly correlated to soil total C, respiration, total N and NH₄ ⁺. The correlation with these variables that are largely dominated by a soil's chemical composition is consistent with our understanding that CO is produced by chemical oxidation of soil organic C. CO production was also influenced by soil usage, with rates increasing in the order: arable<meadow<forest. H₂ consumption was not influenced by soil usage. Received: 28 October 1999     

农田土壤N2O和NO排放的影响因素及其作用机制

农田土壤作为N2O和NO的重要排放源而备受关注。硝化和反硝化是土壤N2O和NO产生的两个主要微生物过程,环境因子和农田管理措施等因素强烈影响着这两个过程以及N2O和NO的排放。本文重点论述了土壤水热状况、土壤质地、pH、肥料施用、耕作措施变更等关键性影响因素对农田土壤N2O和NO排放的影响及其影响机制。     

农业土壤NO排放研究进展

本文综述了近年来有关农业土壤NO排放研究的进展,包括NO的形成机制、采集与测定方法、排放量、影响NO排放的主要因素以及减少NO排放的有关措施等;在此基础上,提出了今后一段时期,我国农业土壤NO排放研究的重点仍然要更深入探讨农业土壤NO的产生和排放机制、主要影响因素与NO排放的定量关系、通过模型的建立估算不同区域农业土壤NO的排放量以及提出合理的减排措施。     

Temperature responses of NO and N2O emissions from boreal organic soil

Both NO and N₂O are produced in soil microbial processes and have importance in atmospheric physics and chemistry. In recent years several studies have shown that N₂O emissions from organic soils can be high at low temperatures. However, the effects of low temperature on NO emissions from soil are unknown. We studied in laboratory conditions, using undisturbed soil cores, the emissions of NO and N₂O from organic soils at various temperatures, with an emphasis on processes and emissions during soil freezing and thawing periods. We found no soil freezing- or thawing-related emission maxima for NO, while the N₂O emissions were higher both during soil freezing and thawing periods. The results suggest that different factors are involved in the regulation of NO and N₂O emissions at low temperatures.     

Temperature dependence of nitrification,denitrification, and turnover of nitric oxide in different soils

Summary The temperature dependence of the NO production rate and the NO consumption rate constant was measured in an Egyptian soil, a soil from the Bavarian Forest, and a soil from the Donau valley, together with the temperature dependence of the potential rates of ammonium oxidation, nitrite oxidation, and denitrification, and the temperature dependence of the growth of NH _inf4 ^sup+ -oxidizing, NO _inf2 ^sup- -oxidizing, and NO _inf3 ^sup- -reducing bacteria in most probable number assays. In the acidic Bavarian Forest soil, NO production was only stimulated by the addition of NO _inf3 ^sup- but not NH _inf4 ^sup+ . However, NO production showed no temperature optimum, indicating that it was due to chemical processes. Most probable numbers and potential activities of nitrifiers were very low. NO consumption, in contrast, showed a temperature optimum at 25°C, demonstrating that consumption and production of NO were regulated individually by the soil temperature. In the neutral, subtropical Egyptian soil, NO production was stimulated only by the addition of NH _inf4 ^sup+ but not NO _inf3 ^sup- . All activities and most probable numbers showed a temperature optimum at 25° or 30°C and exhibited apparent activation energies between 61 and 202 kJ mol^-1. However, a few nitrifiers and denitrifiers were also able to grow at 8° or 50°C. Similar temperature characteristics were observed in the Donau valley soil, although it originated from a temperate region. In this soil NO production was stimulated by the addition of NH _inf4 ^sup+ or of NO _inf3 ^sup- . Both NO production and consumption were stimulated by drying and rewetting.     

Frontiers in the microbial processes of ammonia oxidation in soils and sediments

Purpose

Two recent discoveries in nitrogen (N) cycling processes, i.e., archaeal ammonia oxidizers and anaerobic ammonia (ammonium) oxidation (anammox), have triggered great interest in studying microbial ammonia oxidation processes. The purpose of this review is to highlight recent progress in ammonia oxidation processes in soils and sediments and to propose future research activities in this topic.

Results and discussion

Aerobic ammonia oxidation and anammox processes are linked through the production and consumption of nitrite, respectively, thereby removing the reactive N (NH₄ ⁺, NO₂ ^?, NO₃ ^?) from soil and sediment ecosystems. Ammonia-oxidizing microorganisms are widely distributed in soils and sediments, and increasing evidence suggests that ammonia-oxidizing archaea and bacteria are functionally dominant in the ammonia oxidation of acid soils and other soils, respectively. The widespread occurrence and great variation in the abundance of anammox bacteria indicate their heterogeneous distribution and niche differentiation. Therefore, the worldwide distribution of both microbial groups in nature has stimulated researchers to investigate the physiology and metabolism of related groups, as well as appraising their contribution to N cycling.

Conclusions

We summarized the current progress and provided future perspectives in the microbiology of aerobic and anaerobic ammonia oxidation in soils and sediments. With increasing concern and interest in soil and sediment ammonia oxidation processes, studies in the microbial mechanisms underlying nitrification and anammox, as well as their interactions, are essential for understanding their contribution to the loss of N either through nitrate leaching or N-related gas emissions.     

Influence of soil properties on the turnover of nitric oxide and nitrous oxide by nitrification and denitrification at constant temperature and moisture

 Soils are a major source of atmospheric NO and N₂O. Since the soil properties that regulate the production and consumption of NO and N₂O are still largely unknown, we studied N trace gas turnover by nitrification and denitrification in 20 soils as a function of various soil variables. Since fertilizer treatment, temperature and moisture are already known to affect N trace gas turnover, we avoided the masking effect of these soil variables by conducting the experiments in non-fertilized soils at constant temperature and moisture. In all soils nitrification was the dominant process of NO production, and in 50% of the soils nitrification was also the dominant process of N₂O production. Factor analysis extracted three factors which together explained 71% of the variance and identified three different soil groups. Group I contained acidic soils, which showed only low rates of microbial respiration and low contents of total and inorganic nitrogen. Group II mainly contained acidic forest soils, which showed relatively high respiration rates and high contents of total N and NH₄ ⁺. Group III mainly contained neutral agricultural soils with high potential rates of nitrification. The soils of group I produced the lowest amounts of NO and N₂O. The results of linear multiple regression conducted separately for each soil group explained between 44–100% of the variance. The soil variables that regulated consumption of NO, total production of NO and N₂O, and production of NO and N₂O by either nitrification or denitrification differed among the different soil groups. The soil pH, the contents of NH₄ ⁺, NO₂ ^– and NO₃ ^–, the texture, and the rates of microbial respiration and nitrification were among the important variables. Received: 28 October 1999     

Fluxes of climate‐relevant trace gases between a Norway spruce forest soil and atmosphere during repeated freeze–thaw cycles in mesocosms

For this century, an increasing frequency of extreme meteorological boundary conditions is expected, presumably resulting in a changing frequency of freezing and thawing of soils in higher‐elevation areas. Our current knowledge about the effects of these events on trace‐gas emissions from soils is scarce. In this study, the effects of freeze–thaw events on the fluxes of the trace gases CO₂, N₂O, and NO between soil and atmosphere were investigated in a laboratory experiment. Undisturbed soil columns were collected from a mature Norway spruce forest in the “Fichtelgebirge”, SE Germany. The influence of freezing temperatures (–3°C, –8°C, –13°C) on gas fluxes was studied during the thawing periods (+5°C) in three freeze–thaw cycles (FTCs) and compared to unfrozen controls (+5°C). Two different types of soil columns were examined in parallel—one consisting of O layer only (O columns) and one composed of O layer and mineral soil horizons (O+M columns)—to quantify the contribution of the organic layer and the top mineral soil to the production or consumption of these trace gases. During the thawing period, we observed increasing emissions of CO₂, N₂O, and NO from the spruce forest soil, but the cumulative emissions of these gases did mostly not exceed the level of the controls. The results show that the O layers were mainly involved in the gas production. Severe soil frost increased CO₂ fluxes during soil thawing, whereas repetition of the freeze–thaw events decreased CO₂ fluxes from the thawing soil. Fluxes of N₂O and NO were neither influenced by freezing temperature nor by freeze–thaw repetition. Stable‐isotope analysis indicated that denitrification was mostly responsible for the N₂O production in the FTC columns. Furthermore, isotope data demonstrated a consumption of N₂O through microbial denitrification to N₂. It was further shown, that production of N₂O also occurred in the mineral horizons. The NO emissions were mainly driven by increasing soil temperature during thawing. In this freeze–thaw experiment up to 20 times higher NO than N₂O fluxes were recorded. Our results suggest that topsoil thawing has little potential to increase the emissions of CO₂, N₂O, and NO in spruce forest soils.     

土壤中羟胺和亚硝态氮非生物过程对N_2O排放的贡献

羟胺(NH_2OH)和亚硝态氮(NO_2~--N)均可以通过非生物过程产生N_2O,但是同一土壤中其对N_2O排放的相对贡献尚不明确。本文采用高压灭菌和室内培养方法,测定了采自6个不同地点的农业利用土壤在灭菌和非灭菌条件下添加NH_2OH或NO_2~--N后N_2O的排放量,以研究土壤中NH_2OH和NO_2~--N非生物过程对N_2O排放的相对贡献及其关键因子。结果表明,供试土壤中,NH_2OH非生物过程产生的N_2O贡献介于6%~73%,NO_2~--N非生物过程产生N_2O占的比例为3%~236%;在pH7的衢州茶园、鹰潭旱地、常熟菜地和海伦旱地土壤中,添加NO_2~--N后非生物过程产生N_2O比例大于添加NH_2OH的处理,但是在pH7的常熟果园和封丘旱地土壤中则相反;pH是影响NH_2OH和NO_2~--N非生物过程产生N_2O的关键因子,添加NH_2OH处理中非生物过程产生N_2O占N_2O总排放量的比例与土壤pH呈正相关(p0.05),而在添加NO_2~--N处理中呈负相关(p0.01)。上述结果说明,NO_2~--N在偏酸性土壤中可能主要通过非生物过程产生N_2O,而在偏碱性土壤中主要通过生物过程;NH_2OH则与之相反。     

Influence of oxygen on production and consumption of nitric oxide in soil

Summary NO and N₂O release rates were measured in an acidic forest soil (pH 4.0) and a slightly alkaline agricultural soil (pH 7.8), which were incubated at different O₂ concentrations (<0.01 – 20% O₂) and at different NO concentrations (40 – 1000 ppbv NO). The system allowed the determination of simultaneously operating NO production rates and NO uptake rate constants, and the calculation of a NO compensation concentration. Both NO production and NO consumption decreased with increasing O₂. NO consumption decreased to a smaller extent than NO production, so that the NO compensation concentrations also decreased. However, the NO compensation concentrations were not low enough for the soils to become a net sink for atmospheric NO. The release of N₂O increased relative to NO release when the gases were allowed to accumulate instead of being flushed out. The forest soil contained only denitrifying, but not nitrifying bacteria, whereas the agricultural soil contained both. Nevertheless, NO release rates were less sensitive to O₂ in the forest soil compared to the agricultural soil.     

Immediate and adaptational temperature effects on nitric oxide production and nitrous oxide release from nitrification and denitrification in two soils

 Nitrification and denitrification are, like all biological processes, influenced by temperature. We investigated temperature effects on N trace gas turnover by nitrification and denitrification in two soils under two experimental conditions. In the first approach ("temperature shift experiment") soil samples were preincubated at 25  °C and then exposed to gradually increasing temperatures (starting at 4  °C and finishing at 40–45  °C). Under these conditions the immediate effect of temperature change was assessed. In the second approach ("discrete temperature experiment") the soil samples were preincubated at different temperatures (4–35  °C) for 5 days and then tested at the same temperatures. The different experimental conditions affected the results of the study. In the temperature shift experiment the NO release increased steadily with increasing temperature in both soils. In the discrete temperature experiment, however, the production rates of NO and N₂O showed a minimum at intermediate temperatures (13–25  °C). In one of the soils (soil B9), the percent contribution of nitrification to NO production in the discrete temperature experiment reached a maximum (>95% contribution) at 25  °C. In the temperature shift experiment nitrification was always the dominant process for NO release and showed no systematic temperature dependency. In the second soil (soil B14), the percent contribution of nitrification to NO release decreased from 50 to 10% as the temperature was increased from 4  °C to 45  °C, but no differences were evident in the discrete temperature experiment. The N₂O production rates were measured in the discrete temperature experiment only. The contribution of nitrification to N₂O production in soil B9 was considerably higher at 25–35  °C (60–80% contribution) than at 4–13  °C (15–20% contribution). In soil B14 the contribution of nitrification to N₂O production was lowest at 4  °C. The effects of temperature on N trace gas turnover differed between the two soils and incubation conditions. The experimental set-up allowed us to distinguish between immediate effects of short-term changes in temperature on the process rates, and longer-term effects by which preincubation at a particular temperature presumably resulted in the adaptation of the soil microorganisms to this temperature. Both types of effects were important in regulating the release of NO and N₂O from soil. Received: 20 October 1998     

设施菜田土壤pH和初始C/NO3– 对反硝化产物比的影响

【目的】设施菜田土壤反硝化作用是N₂O排放和氮素损失的重要途径。本研究通过室内厌氧培养试验,在不同pH和初始C/NO₃–条件下,比较设施菜田土壤反硝化氮素气体排放及产物比的变化特征。【方法】以设施菜田土壤为研究对象,通过添加一定量低浓度的酸碱溶液调节土壤pH分别为酸性、中性和碱性条件,调节后的实测pH分别为5.63、6.65和7.83;同时以谷氨酸钠作为有效性碳,除未添加有效性碳作为对照处理 (CK) 外,其他有效性碳与硝酸盐 (C/NO₃–) 的比值分别调节为5∶1、15∶1和30∶1,三种pH条件下均设置 4 个 C/NO₃– 水平,每个水平3次重复。利用自动连续在线培养系统 (Robot系统),在厌氧条件下监测不同处理土壤产生的 N₂O、NO、N₂和CO₂浓度的动态变化,通过计算N₂O/(N₂O + NO + N₂)指数估算反硝化过程N₂O的产物比。【结果】增加土壤的pH能显著减少设施菜田土壤N₂O和NO的产生量,酸性 (pH 5.63) 土壤的N₂O、NO产生量峰值在不同初始C/NO₃– 比下均显著高于中性 (pH 6.65) 和碱性 (pH 7.83) 土壤 (P < 0.05)。中性和碱性土壤在高C/NO₃– 下有利于减少反硝化过程N₂O的产生,而酸性土壤条件下差异并不显著。中性土壤条件下增加有机碳含量会降低NO产生量,而在酸性和碱性土壤上有机碳的添加对NO产生量没有显著影响。土壤pH和初始C/NO₃– 比对土壤N₂O的产生有极显著的交互效应 (P < 0.001)。酸性和中性土壤上添加有机碳能够显著增加土壤N₂的产生速率 (P < 0.05),且与对照相比,不同pH的土壤添加有机碳后均显著促进反硝化过程中N₂O向N₂的转化。在不同初始C/NO₃– 下碱性土壤的CO₂产生量显著高于酸性和中性土壤,同时与对照相比,添加有机碳显著增加了土壤的CO₂产生量 (P < 0.05)。酸性土壤的N₂O产物比在不同初始C/NO₃– 下均极显著高于碱性土壤 (P < 0.01),且不同初始C/NO₃– 下的土壤N₂O产物比随pH的增加显著下降,二者呈极显著线性负相关关系 (P < 0.01)。【结论】土壤pH降低是设施菜田土壤N₂O和NO排放量较高的重要原因。而且,增加初始土壤有效碳含量促进了土壤的反硝化损失,并在中性和碱性土壤中N₂O的产生量减少。土壤pH升高和初始C/NO₃– 增加均降低了产物比,但增加了土壤反硝化作用速率。在利用N₂O排放通量和产物比估算土壤反硝化氮素损失时,土壤pH和有效碳含量是必须考虑的两个重要因素。     

戴云山自然保护区森林土壤氮转化特点研究

利用~(15)N稳定同位素成对标记法并结合MCMC数值模型,研究了戴云山国家级自然保护区天然毛竹林(BF)及其邻近黄山松–杉木林(NF)土壤氮素初级转化速率,以评估该地区森林生态系统土壤氮状态,并分析其保氮机制。结果表明:BF土壤NH_4~+-N的总产生速率(以N量计,13.16μg/(g×d))是NF土壤的2倍(6.25μg/(g×d)),其中黏土矿物对NH_4~+-N的解吸作用是BF产生NH_4~+-N的主要过程(55%),而NF主要以有机氮的矿化作用为主(56%)。BF土壤氮素初级矿化速率为5.56μg/(g×d),显著高于NF的3.40μg/(g×d)。土壤氮素初级矿化速率与土壤全氮含量显著正相关(P0.05),而与C/N比表现显著负相关(P0.05)。BF与NF土壤NH_4~+-N总产生量的90%均被土壤微生物的同化作用以及黏土矿物的吸附作用所消耗。两种土壤的硝化作用微弱,BF土壤总硝化速率(以N量计,0.23μg/(g×d))与NF土壤(0.26μg/(g×d))相差不大。两种林地土壤硝化作用均以有机氮的异养硝化为主,自养硝化过程可忽略不计。BF与NF土壤中NO_3~–-N消耗速率均超过了产生速率,表明BF与NF土壤均能有效降低NO_3~–-N的潜在淋失风险,其中BF土壤中NO_3~–-N的消耗以微生物的同化作用为主(58%),而NF土壤以NO_3~–-N异化还原为NH_4~+-N过程为主(68%)。戴云山国家级自然保护区两种亚热带森林土壤的氮转化过程均以NH_4~+-N转化为主,产生的绝大多数NH_4~+-N会迅速通过微生物对NH_4~+-N的同化作用以及黏土矿物对NH_4~+-N的吸附作用固持到有机氮库中;自养硝化过程微弱,使得无机氮主要以NH_4~+-N的形式保存于土壤中,同时酸性土壤环境有效削弱了NH_4~+-N的挥发损失。此外,相对较高的NO_3~–-N微生物同化速率以及异化还原为NH_4~+-N速率,进一步有效降低了NO_3~–-N的淋溶损失以及反硝化作用的气态损失风险,使该地区森林土壤能够在多雨的条件下有效保持氮素,满足植物的生长需求。     

Impact of tillage on microbial activity and the fate of pesticides in the upper soil

The impact of two tillage systems, plow tillage (PT) and no-tillage (NT), on microbial activity and the fate of pesticides in the 0–5 cm soil layer were studied. The insecticides carbofuran and diazinon, and the herbicides atrazine and metolachlor were used in the study, which included the incubation and leaching of pesticides from untreated soils and soils in which microorganisms had been inhibited. The mineralization of ring¹⁴C labeled pesticides was studied. The study differentiated between biotic and abiotic processes that determine the fate of pesticides in the soil. Higher leaching rates of pesticides from PT soils are explaned by the relative importance of each of these processes. In NT soils, higher microbial populations and activity were associated with higher mineralization rates of atrazine, diazinon and carbofuran. Enhanced transformation rates played an important role in minimizing the leaching of metolachlor and carbofuran from NT soils. The role of abiotic adsorption/retention was important in minimizing the leaching of metolachlor, carbofuran and atrazine from NT soils. The role of fungi and bacteria in the biodegradation process was studied by selective inhibition techniques. Synergistic effects between fungi and bacteria in the degradation of atrazine and diazinon were observed. Carbofuran was also degraded in the soils where fungi were selectively inhibited. Possible mechanisms for enhanced biodegradation and decreased mobility of these pesticides in the upper layer of NT soils are discussed.     

生境因子作用下NO_3~-/NH_4~+吸收及硝酸还原酶活性变化

土壤中的氮素因土壤类型和季节变化产生异质性。在长期的进化过程中,植物适应各自的氮营养生境,形成了对NO3-/NH4+吸收的分子机制。饱和高亲和传输系统(HATS)中,植物在不同的转录基因控制下吸收NO3-/NH4+,表现出对两种氮源的偏选性。这种偏选性主要取决于植物种的特性,但是NO3-/NH4+的吸收受光照、介质N强度、pH值、外源氨基酸和温度等生境因子的影响,同时植物的营养生境也因NO3-/NH4+的吸收被深刻改造。硝酸还原酶(NR)在氮同化过程中作用于NO3-还原阶段,其活性受各种生境因子的制约,影响植物对NO3-吸收利用。