Early-successional vegetation changes after roadside prairie restoration modify processes related with soil functioning by changing microbial functional diversity

Because of their rapidly changing vegetation dynamics and harsh environmental conditions, roadside prairies in semi-arid regions represent an exceptional study system in which to investigate the effects of plant-soil interactions on ecosystem functioning. We conducted a two-year field experiment on two roadside embankments in semi-arid central Spain differing in construction age to answer the following questions: (i) do commonly used restoration treatments (hydroseeding, fertilization and irrigation) affect soil microbial functional diversity and processes related to soil functioning (basal respiration, total N and P and in situ N availability rate)? (ii) what portion of plant effects on processes related to soil functioning is mediated indirectly by microbial functional diversity? Except for a small and negative irrigation effect on the microbial functional diversity in the three-year old site, the restoration treatments employed did not affect this variable. Fertilization increased plant diversity, an effect likely mediated by the enhanced soil nutrient availability with this treatment at early stages of secondary succession. In contrast, hydroseeding did not affect processes related to soil functioning. The total effect of the plant community on these processes was higher than that of the microbial functional diversity alone, suggesting that the studied slopes are to the greater extent regulated by plants. However, soil microbes are a key proximate influence in the system, as the indirect effects of plant community on soil functioning processes mediated by soil microbes represented 37-41% of the total plant effects observed. Our results indicate that the restoration of recently built slopes can potentially be improved with treatments that promote plant compositional shifts, such as fertilization, or alter soil function, such as the enhancement of soil microbial functional diversity. They also highlight that plant-soil interactions are an important process that can be manipulated for restoration purposes in early-successional stages, especially in nutrient-poor semi-arid ecosystems.     

土壤微生物多样性与地上植被类型关系的研究进展

土壤微生物是生态系统中重要的组成成分,土壤微生物多样性代表着微生物群落的稳定性,对植物的生长发育和群落结构的演替具有重要作用。同时地上植被也影响土壤微生物多样性,地上植被和地下微生物间具协同作用和正负反馈效应的互作机制。探讨植被和土壤微生物多样性之间的互作关系,为植物保护和生态系统的可持续发展研究提供参考。     

Influence of organic and mineral amendments on microbial soil properties and processes

Microbial diversity in soils is considered important for maintaining sustainability of agricultural production systems. However, the links between microbial diversity and ecosystem processes are not well understood. This study was designed to gain better understanding of the effects of short-term management practices on the microbial community and how changes in the microbial community affect key soil processes. The effects of different forms of nitrogen (N) on soil biology and N dynamics was determined in two soils with organic and conventional management histories that varied in soil microbial properties but had the same fertility. The soils were amended with equal amounts of N (100 kg ha⁻¹) in organic (lupin, Lupinus angustifolius L.) and mineral form (urea), respectively. Over a 91-day period, microbial biomass C and N, dehydrogenase enzyme activity, community structure of pseudomondas (sensu stricto), actinomycetes and α proteobacteria (by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) following PCR amplification of 16S rDNA fragments) and N mineralisation were measured. Lupin amendment resulted in a two- to five-fold increase in microbial biomass and enzyme activity, while these parameters did not differ significantly between the urea and control treatments. The PCR–DGGE analysis showed that the addition of mineral and organic compounds had an influence on the microbial community composition in the short term (up to 10 days) but the effects were not sustained over the 91-day incubation period. Microbial community structure was strongly influenced by the presence or lack of substrate, while the type of amendment (organic or mineral) had an effect on microbial biomass size and activity. These findings show that the addition of green manures improved soil biology by increasing microbial biomass and activity irrespective of management history, that no direct relationship existed among microbial structure, enzyme activity and N mineralisation, and that microbial community structure (by PCR–DGGE) was more strongly influenced by inherent soil and environmental factors than by short-term management practices.     

东北黑土区不同土地利用方式下农田土壤微生物多样性

为探究黑龙江省黑土区不同土地利用方式下土壤微生物多样性,该研究主要采用Biolog Eco微平板法,以荒地为对照,研究了黑龙江省中部和西南部黑土区玉米、水稻、大豆及土豆4种不同土地利用方式下土壤微生物多样性的变化。结果表明：1）可培养细菌的数量从大到小依次为土豆、水稻、大豆、玉米、荒地,但群落Shannon-Wiener多样性指数从高到低依次为：荒地（2.18）、玉米（2.11）、土豆（2.00）、水稻（1.73）、大豆（1.49）;2）不同利用方式下黑土区微生物碳源利用程度大致随培养时间的延长而升高,并且氨基酸、糖类以及聚合物类是黑土微生物代谢的最主要碳源;玉米土壤微生物的Shannon-Wiener指数（3.18）、McIntosh指数（5.96）、丰富度指数（24.89）、及Simpson指数（0.95）比其他土地利用方式土壤微生物的多样性指数高,而水稻土壤微生物的多样性指数最低,土豆、大豆与荒地土壤微生物的多样性指数间无显著差别;3）不同土地利用方式显著影响了土壤微生物群落碳源代谢多样性,并且对土壤微生物群落代谢特征起分异作用的主要碳源类型为糖类、氨基酸类和羧酸类,其中糖类尤为突出。该研究将有助于了解黑土区土壤微生物多样性与土地利用方式之间的关系,为黑土区农业的可持续发展提供一定的科学依据。     

土壤微生物多样性与地上植被类型关系的研究进展

土壤微生物是生态系统中重要的组成成分,土壤微生物多样性代表着微生物群落的稳定性,对植物的生长发育和群落结构的演替具有重要作用。同时地上植被也影响土壤微生物多样性,地上植被和地下微生物间具协同作用和正负反馈效应的互作机制。探讨植被和土壤微生物多样性之间的互作关系,为植物保护和生态系统的可持续发展研究提供参考。     

Microbial community composition on native and drastically disturbed serpentine soils

During construction of roads, entire hillsides can be cut away, dramatically disturbing the ecosystem. Microbial communities play important, but poorly understood roles in revegetating roadcuts because of the many functions they perform in nutrient cycling, plant symbioses, decomposition, and other ecosystem processes. Our objective was to determine relationships among microbial community composition, soil chemistry, and disturbance on a serpentine soil disturbed by a roadcut and then partially revegetated. We hypothesized that the adjacent undisturbed serpentine soil would have a different microbial community composition from barren and revegetated sections of the roadcut and that undisturbed soils would have the greatest microbial biomass and diversity. We measured phospholipid fatty acids (PLFA) and soil nutrient concentrations on barren and revegetated sections of the roadcut and on adjacent undisturbed serpentine and nonserpentine soils. Most roadcut samples had soil chemistry similar to the serpentine reference soil. The microbial biomass and diversity of barren sites was lower than that of revegetated or the serpentine reference site. The nonserpentine reference site had significantly (P≤0.05) greater microbial biomass than serpentine or disturbed sites but significantly lower relative proportions of actinomycetes, and slow growth biomarkers. The Barren site had the lowest microbial biomass and a significantly (P≤0.05) greater proportion of that biomass was fungi. Barren, revegetated, and serpentine sites all had dissimilar microbial community composition. The composition of the revegetated communities, however, was intermediate between the serpentine reference and barren soils, suggesting that community composition of revegetated soils is approaching that of an undisturbed site with similar soil chemistry.     

不同培肥模式对茶园土壤微生物活性和群落结构的影响

以闽东地区红黄壤茶园定位实验地为对象,通过测定6种不同施肥处理土壤微生物学特性,研究不同培肥对土壤微生物特性和生物化学过程的影响,阐明各指标间的相互关系.结果表明,除了单施无机肥处理外,半量化肥+半量有机肥、全量有机肥、全量化肥+豆科绿肥以及半量化肥+半量有机肥+豆科绿肥等的培肥方式均不同程度提高了土壤有机质,可培养微生物数量,微生物量碳、氮含量及土壤酶活性,尤以半量无机肥+半量有机肥+豆科牧草的培肥模式增幅更为明显,而单施无机肥不利于微生物的生长、酶活性的提高和维持生态系统的稳定性.微生物群落磷脂脂肪酸(PLFAs)标记主成分分析显示,各种不同施肥方式使微生物群落结构发生改变.相关分析表明,微生物量与可培养微生物数量、微生物磷脂脂肪酸含量之间的相关性明显高于微生物量与各种酶活性之间的相关性,说明微生物数量大小对微生物群落结构的影响大于对酶活性功能的影响.研究也表明土壤各微生物指标能从不同方面反映土壤肥力水平,所以采用各种不同的方法能更客观地评价闽东地区茶园红黄壤质量的优劣.     

城乡复合生态系统土壤微生物群落特征及功能差异

土壤微生物在陆地生态系统多个过程中发挥着重要作用,而城市化过程使得城市及其周边地区土地利用发生剧烈变化,形成了异质性环境梯度,直接或间接地影响了土壤微生物群落的组成和功能,进而影响了其承载的生态系统服务。本文综述了城乡复合生态系统不同景观单元土壤微生物群落的组成特征、主要影响因素及其功能差异,发现城市化对土地利用的改变驱动了土壤微生物群落的组成、结构和功能差异,土地利用、土壤污染物、植被覆盖、土壤性质等因素共同影响土壤微生物群落,并且在不同景观中影响土壤微生物的主导因素有所不同。进一步探讨了土壤微生物的生态服务功能,并分析了不同景观中土壤微生物功能存在的差异性。今后需进一步解析社会—经济—自然复合生态系统格局特征对土壤微生物的影响,揭示城乡复合生态系统不同功能区土壤微生物对土壤生态服务的产生和维持机制,明确变化环境下土壤微生物对土壤安全和人类健康的维持机制,以提升土壤生态服务功能、维护城乡土壤安全和人居环境健康。     

水旱轮作对土壤微生物群落构建过程的影响机制

为探究稻田生态系统微生物学机制,采集水旱轮作稻田土壤,并以相同土壤母质下长期淹水的藕田土壤以及旱作的果树土壤为对照,研究了稻田生态系统细菌群落结构以及基于零模型的群落构建机制。结果表明:旱作和水旱轮作两个生态系统,由于频繁耕作以及施肥管理等农业措施形成特定的生态位格局,确定性过程主导群落构建。旱作生态系统下确定性过程占78.6%,随机性过程占10.7%;相对于旱作,由于水旱轮作的淹水条件,土壤肥力积累,水体连通性较好等特性导致内部环境变化缓和,其随机性过程(39.3%)影响增加,确定性过程(50.0%)下降;同理,长期淹水的水生生态系统中随机性群落构建(50.0%)成为主导过程。群落构建影响细菌群落结构和功能,因此随机性生态过程的增强进一步增加了细菌多样性以及物种生态网络的交互度和稳定性,增强了微生物抵抗外部环境扰动的能力,该过程有助于维持农田生态系统功能的稳定性和可持续性。     

Microbial communities and their relevance for ecosystem models: Decomposition as a case study

Soil microbial communities are so vastly diverse that complex interactions, which alter ecosystem functions, may occur among microbial species and functional groups. In this review, we explore the empirical evidence for situations when shifts in the community structure of microbes would elicit a change in ecosystem process rates, specifically decomposition, even when microbial biomass remains constant. In particular, we are interested in a subset of these scenarios in which knowledge of microbial community structure would improve model predictions for ecosystem functions. Results from microcosm and field studies indicate that microbial species diversity, functional group diversity, and community composition can all influence ecosystem process rates. The underlying mechanisms that may elicit changes in ecosystem functions from shifts in microbial community structure include evolutionary constraints on microbial trait adaptation, trait correlations, dispersal limitation, and species interactions. The extent of microbial diversity in soils is not known, so it is presently not possible to model all scenarios of microbial community structure shifts. However, by incorporating documented patterns in functional groups that are relevant for a particular ecosystem process and potential relationships between microbial phylogeny and function, the predictive power of process models will be significantly improved. The inclusion of this information into process models is critical for predicting and understanding how ecosystem functions may shift in response to global change.     

污染土壤的微生物多样性研究

土壤微生物多样性是土壤微生物生态学的重要研究内容，目前已成为国际上生态学发展的崭新方向之一。土壤微生物多样性包括微生物群落功能多样性、结构多样性及分子遗传多样性，是指示土壤生态系统稳定性及其功能的重要传感器。本文基于分离培养以及生物标志分子方法。从不同生态层次上认识微生物多样性，较全面、系统地综合评述国内外污染土壤环境的微生物群落功能、结构及分子遗传多样性的研究进展，并针对新形势下土壤污染所面临的新问题，探讨了近期土壤微生物生态学过程研究的重要手段与科学问题。     

Microbial Biomass,Community Diversity,and Enzyme Activities in Response to Urea Application in Tea Orchard Soils

To improve yield and quality in tea orchards, a large amount of nitrogen (N) fertilizer is usually applied. Our objective was to evaluate the effect of N application on microbial community and activity in tea orchard soils and assess the relative importance of fertilizer application versus land use in structuring the soil microbial community. Urea application caused significant decreases in soil microbial biomass and enzyme activities in the three tea orchards. For the wasteland and forest, soil microbial biomass and enzyme activities significantly increased as a result of N fertilizer application. Urea application caused significant decreases in microbial functional and genetic diversity indices of the three tea orchards. Moreover, the bacterial and fungal phospholipid fatty acids were found to be changed with urea application. Multivariate analyses consistently showed that land use had a greater effect on soil microbial community diversity than urea application.     

Soil microbial community response to variation in vegetation and abiotic environment in a temperate old-growth forest

Changes of soil microbial community caused by the heterogeneity of abiotic and biotic environment were studied in the reserve Dobroč, Slovakia. Data on vegetation, microclimate, soil properties and microbial activity were collected on two linear transects crossing both the core of the reserve and the buffer zone.In contrast to expectations, the variation of most environmental variables was comparable or even higher in the buffer zone than in the old-growth forest. Beta diversity was much higher in the natural forest, which coincided with differentiation patterns of trees and understory plants.Mantel correlations between microbial community indicators and environmental variables showed that soil chemistry and vegetation diversity were the most important determinants of microbial activity. Redundance analysis of microbial data identified potassium content, plant richness and influence of fir as the drivers of functional group composition. Inconsistency of correlations of microbial community characteristics with environmental variables indicates that different processes associated with the demography and functions of microbiota are driven by different environmental factors. Amount and variety of substrates available for decomposition seems to influence microbial community more than microclimate.     

Soil microbial communities resistant to changes in plant functional group composition

The soil community is an often ignored part of research which links plant biodiversity and ecosystem functioning despite their influence on numerous functions such as decomposition and nutrient cycling. Few consistent patterns have been detected that link plant and soil community composition. We used a removal experiment in a northern Canadian grassland to examine the effects of plant functional group identity on soil microbial community structure and function. Plant functional groups (graminoids, legumes and forbs) were removed independently from plots for five growing seasons (2003-2007) and in the fifth year effects on the soil microbial community were examined using substrate-induced respiration (SIR - a measure of metabolic diversity) and phospholipid fatty acid analysis (PLFA - a measure of microbial community composition). Removal treatments were also crossed with both a fertilizer treatment and a fungicide treatment to determine if effects of functional group identity on the soil community were context dependent. Plant functional group identity had almost no effect on the soil microbial community as measured by either SIR or PLFA. Likewise, soil properties including total carbon, pH, moisture and nutrients showed a limited response to plant removals in the fifth year after removals. We found a direct effect of fertilizer on the soil community, with fertilized plots having decreased metabolic diversity, with a decreased ability to metabolize amino acids and a phenolic acid, but there was no direct soil microbial response to fungicide. We show that in this northern Canadian grassland the soil microbial community is relatively insensitive to changes in plant functional group composition, and suggest that in northern ecosystems, where plant material is only slowly incorporated into the soil, five growing seasons may be insufficient to detect the impact of a changing plant community on the soil microbes.     

Seasonal Patterns of Microbial Community Structure and Enzyme Activities in Coastal Saline Soils of Perennial Halophytes

Perennial halophytes are known to be one of the most influential parameters in coastal ecosystem affecting ecosystem processes. The aim of this study was to investigate the changes in soil microbial community structure and enzyme activities in different halophyte‐covered soils (Arthrocnemum indicum , Aeluropus lagopoides , Heleochloa setulosa and Suaeda nudiflora ) with control soil (un‐vegetated) that were collected in three seasons (rainy, winter and summer) from intertidal coastal soils of Gujarat, India. Soil microbial community structure was assessed using phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) profiling. Halophytes influenced significantly soil micro‐environment by exerting effects on the soil chemical characteristics, enzyme activities and microbial community structure. The activities of β‐glucosidase, urease and alkaline phosphatase were significantly higher in halophyte‐covered soils than in control soil. Among four halophyte‐covered soils, the highest amounts of total, bacterial, actinomycetes and fungal PLFAs were observed in Arthrocnemum soil. The concentrations of total, bacterial, actinomycetes and fungal PLFAs were also significantly higher in summer and winter seasons than in rainy season, whereas enzyme activities also vary with seasons. The non‐metric multidimensional scaling analysis PLFA profiling revealed that the structure of microbial community significantly differed in all seasons as well as between control and halophyte‐covered soils. These shifts in microbial community were due to the higher abundance of Gram‐positive, total bacterial and actinomycetes PLFAs in summer and winter seasons than in rainy season, whereas abundance of fungal biomarker was significantly higher in rainy season than in other seasons. Among halophytes, significantly higher abundance of Gram‐positive, Gram‐negative and total bacteria was observed in Arthrocnemum , Heleochloa and Suaeda whereas the lowest in control soil. Halophytes exhibited improved soil microbial activities, which is important for healthy ecosystem. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

土壤电动修复中电极切换对土壤微生物群落的影响

通过细菌计数和Biolog方法,研究了在3.0V·cm^-1的电压梯度下,不同电场切换周期（24h、5h、10min和1min）对土壤微生物群落的影响。结果表明,电压梯度为3.0V·cm^-1的电场作用能够促进土壤微生物的活性,但会轻微地降低土壤微生物功能多样性,电场切换不能改变这种电场对微生物群落的影响;长时间的电场处理下,电极反应对微生物数量和功能多样性损害严重,切换电场电极能有效消除电极效应,电场电极切换周期≤5h时,可保护电极附近土壤微生物多样性,当切换周期≤10min时,不仅可保护土壤微生物多样性,而且可以保护微生物数量。研究结果说明了电场电极切换能有效降低电极反应对微生物群落的影响,揭示了电场电极切换对土壤微生物群落影响的规律,为电场电极切换方法在污染土壤电动强化生物修复技术中的深化和应用提供理论依据。     

长期不同土地利用方式下土土壤微生物特性的变化

【目的】土壤微生物是土壤生态系统的重要组成部分,研究长期不同土地利用方式对其产生的影响可为该地区选择适宜的土地利用方式,实现培肥土壤和高产高效农业生产提供理论支撑。【方法】以位于陕西杨凌的"国家黄土肥力与肥料效益监测基地"的长期定位试验为基础,利用Biolog分析结合常规分析,研究了4种长期不同土地利用方式[不施肥农田(CK),长期施氮、磷、钾化肥农田(NPK),长期绝对休闲(FL)和撂荒(AL)]对土土壤微生物量、呼吸强度和微生物功能多样性的影响。【结果】AL和NPK处理的土壤微生物量碳(SMBC)和微生物量氮(SMBN)均显著高于CK和FL处理,其中AL和NPK处理之间差异不显著,CK和FL处理之间差异不显著。NPK处理的SMBC/SMBN值最高,而CK和FL处理最低,两组间差异显著,而AL处理居中但与两组之间均差异不显著。不同土地利用方式下土壤基础呼吸强度的变化趋势是ALFLNPKCK,累积呼吸量的变化趋势为ALNPKFLCK,表明AL处理的土壤微生物活性最高,其次是NPK处理,再者是FL处理,而CK处理的土壤微生物活性最低。Biolog分析的结果显示,AL、NPK和CK处理的平均颜色变化率(AWCD)在开始的24 h变化不大,此后随培养时间的延长而快速升高;而FL处理在72 h之后才快速升高。培养结束时,NPK和AL处理的AWCD最大,其次是CK处理,FL处理最低。NPK和AL处理的Shannon-Wiener物种丰富度指数H、碳源利用丰富度指数S和Simpson指数D均最高,CK其次,FL最低。各处理的Shannon-Wiener均匀度指数E没有明显差异。相比CK、NPK和AL处理能提高土土壤微生物群落的功能多样性,FL处理则会降低土土壤微生物群落的功能多样性。主成分分析共提取了5个主成分,累计贡献率达87.7%,其中第1主成分(PC1)的方差贡献率为52.0%,第2主成分(PC2)为11.6%。NPK处理和AL处理的碳源利用特征相类似,与CK和FL处理存在显著差异,表明不同土地利用方式下土壤微生物群落的结构和功能出现了显著分异。糖类、羧酸类和氨基酸类等三类碳源是区分各处理的主要碳源。【结论】撂荒和合理施肥的农田均可以提高土壤微生物量、土壤呼吸作用和土壤微生物群落结构和功能的多样性,长期的绝对休闲则不利于土壤微生物功能多样性的维持。合理施肥的农田并不会造成土壤微生物量的下降以及土壤微生物结构和功能多样性的退化,相反,合理施肥对于维持农田土壤微生物量以及微生物结构和功能多样性具有显著的积极作用。     

Diversity and distribution of Victoria Land biota

Understanding the relationship between soil biodiversity and ecosystem functioning is critical to predicting and monitoring the effects of ecosystem changes on important soil processes. However, most of Earth's soils are too biologically diverse to identify each species present and determine their functional role in food webs. The soil ecosystems of Victoria Land (VL) Antarctica are functionally and biotically simple, and serve as in situ models for determining the relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem processes. For a few VL taxa (microarthropods, nematodes, algae, mosses and lichens), species diversity has been intensively assessed in highly localized habitats, but little is known of how community assemblages vary across broader spatial scales, or across latitudinal and environmental gradients. The composition of tardigrade, rotifer, protist, fungal and prokaryote communities is emerging. The latter groups are the least studied, but potentially the most diverse. Endemism is highest for microarthropods and nematodes, less so for tardigrades and rotifers, and apparently low for mosses, lichens, protists, fungi and prokaryotes. Much of what is known about VL diversity and distribution occurs in an evolutionary and ecological vacuum; links between taxa and functional role in ecosystems are poorly known and future studies must utilize phylogenetic information to infer patterns of community assembly, speciation, extinction, population processes and biogeography. However, a comprehensive compilation of all the species that participate in soil ecosystem processes, and their distribution across regional and landscape scales is immediately achievable in VL with the resources, tools, and expertise currently available. We suggest that the soil ecosystems of VL should play a major role in exploring the relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, and in monitoring the effects of environmental change on soil processes in real time and space.     

Effect of tillage and N fertilization on microbial physiological profile of soils cultivated with wheat

Microbial diversity might be a good indicator of ecosystem disturbance and functioning. We determined the effect of soil disturbances, such as N fertilization and tillage management, on soil microbial communities in a Typic Argiudoll of the El Salado river basin (Argentina). Microbial activity and substrate utilization provided a metabolic fingerprint of the soil microbial community. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to differentiate responses to N fertilization and tillage at each of three growth stages of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Tillage had an adverse effect on microbial diversity, in which reduced and conventional tillage treated soils had different populations. However, N fertilization also altered microbial diversity depending on the crop developmental stage considered. Metabolism of carboxylic acids and carbohydrates were the main indicators of functional microbial activity and diversity. Although the substrate consumption profile of 32 C substrates did not provide insights into the fundamental ecological interactions that may induce changes in microbial population, it allowed us to demonstrate the alterations of microbial diversity as a result of tillage. We conclude that tillage and N fertilization altered microbial diversity.     

Crop rotation complexity regulates the decomposition of high and low quality residues

While many ecosystem processes depend on biodiversity, the relationships between agricultural plant diversity and soil carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) dynamics remains controversial. Our objective was to examine how temporal plant diversity (i.e. crop rotation) influences residue decomposition, a key ecosystem function that regulates nutrient cycling, greenhouse gas emissions, and soil organic matter formation. We incubated soils from five long-term crop rotations, located at W.K. Kellogg Biological Station LTER in southwestern Michigan, USA, with and without four chemically diverse crop residues. Increasing crop biodiversity increased soil potentially mineralizable C by 125%, increased hydrolytic enzyme activity by 46%, but decreased oxidative enzyme activity by 20% in soils before residue was added. After residue additions, soils from more diverse cropping systems decomposed all residues more rapidly (0.2–8.3% greater mass loss) compared to monoculture corn. The fast-cycling, ‘Active C’ pool and microbial biomass N increased with higher cropping diversity, but the differences among rotations in Active C pools was higher for the most recalcitrant residues. Further, the ratio of the cellulose degrading enzyme (β-glucosidase) to the lignin degrading enzyme (phenol oxidase) was highest in the two most diverse crop rotations regardless of residue additions, providing additional evidence of enhanced microbial activity and substrate acquisition in more diverse rotations. Our study shows that crop diversity over time influences the processing of newly-added residues, microbial dynamics, and nutrient cycling. Diversifying crop rotations has the potential to enhance soil ecosystem functions and is critical to maintaining soil services in agricultural systems.