The invertebrate fauna of grassland and its influence on productivity. III. Effects on soil fertility and plant growth

The effects of grassland invertebrates on organic matter decomposition, soil fertility and plant growth are reviewed. Their role as primary decomposers is limited because of relatively low rates of metabolic and enzymatic activity compared with microorganisms. However, they greatly facilitate decomposition by fragmenting and incorporating litter into the soil and by stimulating microbial activity. Earthworms are the main litter consumers in productive temperate grasslands and termites in the tropics, while the activities of dung beetles, dipterous larvae and earthworms are essential for efficient dung decomposition. Earthworms and microbial-feeding invertebrates facilitate mineralization and release into the soil solution of plant nutrients. Earthworms have a major influence on soil structure through burrowing, soil ingestion and mixing and they significantly increase plant growth.
Herbivorous invertebrates at non-outbreak densities normally consume less than 10% of net primary production in grassland, but consumption bears little relationship to overall effects on productivity. These depend on factors such as the nature of the damage caused and regrowth potential, tolerance for damage and effects on animal production at the time of attack. Sap feeding insects may cause wilting and reduced growth and selective feeding on preferred species can alter botanical composition, while aphid-transmitted virus disease can depress yield. On the positive side, low levels of herbivory can stimulate growth, weed feeding insects may limit the distribution of pasture weeds, while the role of flower-visiting insects can be important in the pollination of legume seed crops. Pest management approaches incorporating biological control, alteration of botanical composition, adjustment of stocking densities and accurately timed insecticidal applications offer prospects for the control of recurring pests such as grass grub and porina in New Zealand.     

Species diversity, seasonal dynamics, and vertical distribution of litter-dwelling thrips in an urban forest remnant of South china

Abstract Litter-dwelling thrips are an important component of soil macroinvertebrates in tropical and subtropical regions. However, little is known about assemblage composition, seasonal abundance and vertical distribution of litter-dwelling thrips. A survey of forest litter-dwelling thrips and other soil macroinvertebrates was conducted in an urban forest remnant at Guangzhou, China during 2004-2005 and 2008-2009. A total of 835 Tullgren samples were collected during the study. Thysanoptera constituted 6.5% of total litter-dwelling macroinvertebrate individuals extracted, representing three families, 19 genera, and 25 species. Psalidothrips ascitus Ananthakrishnan (Thysanoptera: Phlaeothripidae) and Hyidiothrips guangdongensis Wang, Tong and Zhang represented 78.5% of all individuals of litter-dwelling thrips during the survey. Numbers of species and density of leaf-litter thrips fluctuated between different months. Density of litter thrips increased from March until October, reaching a maximum of 41.1 individuals/m2 followed by a decrease. In January and February only a few larval thrips were present. Species diversity gradually increased from July (four species) to December (10 species), and then declined rapidly. The vertical distribution showed that the leaf-litter thrips species richness and abundance decreased significantly with soil depth; they were found only in the litter layer and upper soil layer (0-5 cm in depth) and were entirely absent in deeper soil layers. The results suggest that litter-dwelling thrips are a common group of litter invertebrates with high species diversity in subtropical regions. These urban forest remnants should be given special consideration in forest conservation planning, because of their significance as refugia for the litter invertebrate assemblages, especially for leaf-litter thrips.     

Different effects of earthworms and ants on soil properties of paddy fields in North-East Thailand

As soil engineers, earthworms and ants play major roles in soil functioning, especially in modifying soil physical and chemical properties. This study was conducted in a very constraining environment, i.e., paddy fields which have anoxic conditions (approximately four months per year), and which are affected by soil salinisation during the dry period (approximately eight months per year). This study points out that despite those very adverse conditions, soil invertebrates must be taken into account in the dynamic of soil organic and mineral properties in paddy fields. The effects of one earthworm species, Glyphodrillus sp., and an ant species, Epelysidris sp., on soil physical and chemical properties were determined through elemental soil physical and chemical properties (texture, pH, conductivity, C and N contents) and near infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) in order to evaluate their ability to influence soil organic matter quality. PCA processed with NIRS data clearly showed that biogenic structures (ant sheetings and earthworm casts) were separated from the control surrounding soil. Earthworms and ants affected differently soil properties. Glyphodrillus sp. increased the SOM content and decreased the pH on the surface of the soil. These effects were attributed to an increase in fine particle content (clay). Conversely, Epelysidris sp. only increased the content of coarse particles (sand) and did not influence either soil pH or SOM content. Soil conductivity was found to be very variable but was not significantly affected by soil invertebrates. These results show the potential of soil macro-fauna to create heterogeneity at small spatial scale and to modify the quality of surface soils even under adverse conditions like saline paddy fields.     

Leaf litter decomposition and diversity of arthropod decomposers in tropical <Emphasis Type="Italic">Muyong</Emphasis> forest in Banaue,Philippines

The Muyong forest, an indigenous secondary forest in Banaue, Ifugao, Philippines, plays a crucial role in the Muyong–Payoh system, a continuum of secondary forest and rice terrace, of the Banaue rice terraces by providing water and nutrients to the rice plants in the Payoh terraces. In recent decades, the planting of introduced tree species in the Muyong forest has threatened the sustainable provision of ecosystem services such as water balance and nutrient cycling. To further understand nutrient cycling in the Muyong–Payoh systems, this study was conducted in Poitan, Banaue, Ifugao to gather preliminary baseline data on floral diversity, leaf litterfall rate, leaf litter decomposition rate, and diversity and succession of arthropods in decomposing leaf litter in a Muyong forest. Vegetation analysis was done by identifying and describing the trees growing inside the five 10 m × 10 m quadrat sampling plots. Monthly leaf litter fall was collected in 1 m × 1 m litter traps, and the dry weight was determined after oven-drying at 65 °C for 48 h. Leaf litter decomposition experiment was established by laying out 12 nylon mesh bags containing fresh leaf litter in each of the four sites on the forest floor and one bag was retrieved every month to determine the change in dry weight of the leaf litter. Six bulk soil samples were collected from the Muyong forest floor and analyzed for organic matter, pH, available P and exchangeable K. Fresh leaf litter samples were analyzed for total N, P and K contents. Arthropods in the collected decomposing leaf litter were extracted using Berlese funnel and later identified up to families level using arthropod taxonomic key. The diversity of plants in the Muyong forest includes thirty-eight tree species belonging to 19 families dominated by indigenous tree species. Results showed that the monthly leaf litter fall was higher during the dry months of March to May and lower during the wet months. The estimated total leaf litter fall in Muyong forest was comparable to published litter fall from tropical secondary forests. The N, P and K contents of fresh leaf litter range from 1.0 to 1.2, 0.11 and 0.40%, respectively. The first month of decomposition has the fastest rate while the decomposition rate during the next 4 months ranged from 0.125 to 0.251. Complete decomposition or mass lost in the leaf litter in the Muyong forest took place within 5 months. The soil arthropods identified in the decomposing leaf litter were composed of 13 orders and 28 families. Majority of the collected arthropods were insects while other species including mites, spiders, millipedes and sowbugs were also present. Detrivore and fungivore Families were found to be dominant in the decomposing leaf litter. Moreover, the composition and succession of arthropod decomposer community varied in the three sampling methods and with the changing quality of the litter material as decomposition progressed. The wide diversity and succession of leaf litter decomposers consisting of detritivores, predators, fungivore and herbivore coupled with abundant rainfall and warm temperature are the two main factors that contribute to the fast rate of leaf litter decomposition and nutrient turn over in the Muyong forest. Thus, the Muyong forest can sustain the productivity of rice planted in the adjoining downstream Payoh terraces. Hence, the conservation and management of the Muyong forest is critical in maintaining the ecological functions of the Muyong–Payoh continuum.     

Effects of Key Soil Organisms on Nutrient Dynamics in Temperate Agroecosystems

Summary

Soil organisms are a diverse group that can influence the nutrient dynamics in temperate agroecosystems profoundly. Many organisms interact in a symbiotic or mutualistic way with plants, and these relationships have co-evolved, permitting plants and soil organisms to flourish in the soil environment. Numerous controlled lab or small plot-scale studies have demonstrated that soil organisms can mobilize or transfer substantial quantities of nutrients to crops, in relationship to crop requirements. However, the simple scaling up of such results to explain conditions on a large field scale is very much constrained by a lack of information on the spatio-temporal distribution of soil organisms in temperate agroecosystems. The numbers, diversity and activity of soil organisms in temperate agroecosystems are affected by agricultural management practices such as tillage operations, but our knowledge of the key organisms or groups of organisms that contribute to nutrient cycling and crop production under different sets of management practices is limited. Better management of nutrients in temperate agroecosystems requires better knowledge of soil biota, their effects on nutrient cycling and their contribution to crop production.     

海南文昌3种森林类型凋落物及土壤有机碳现状分析

针对海南文昌滨海台地3种森林类型(人促更新次生林、次生林、椰子林)林下枯落物现存量及土壤活性有机碳性状(有机碳、易氧化有机碳及轻组有机碳含量)进行了测定。结果如下:3种林型凋落物层现存量及总碳储量分别为:椰子林4.53、1.51 t/hm2;次生林1.76、0.65 t/hm2;人促更新次生林1.53、0.60 t/hm2;均为分解层(包括半分解层和全分解层)未分解层。1 m深土层深度内,3种林型土壤SOC、EOC及LFOC含量变化规律一致,均呈下降趋势,且不同林型不同土层间各组分含量差异显著(p0.05)。经相关性分析表明,土壤SOC、EOC及LFOC相互之间具有显著正相关。说明在土壤母质、土壤类型、气候条件基本一致条件下不同植被类型土壤碳库组分比例及变化规律相似,但土壤各组分含量大小各异,从土层分布情况来看,林下凋落物质量和人为因素是碳储量关键影响因子。     

热带滨海台地典型森林类型凋落物及土壤有机碳特征

以海南岛滨海台地5种典型森林植被为研究对象,利用标准地调查法对不同森林类型土壤有机碳含量、有机碳密度及单位面积有机碳储量的垂直分布特征进行比较分析,同时对不同森林类型凋落物及土壤表层细根的碳含量、碳密度和单位面积碳储量进行对比分析。结果表明:5种森林土壤有机碳含量介于1.79~10.60 g/kg之间,且随着土层深度的增加而降低;表层土壤(0~10 cm)有机碳密度和单位面积碳储量分别介于0.79~1.47 kg/m2和7.9~14.67 t/hm2之间;桉树林(2.11 t/hm2)和木麻黄林(1.73 t/hm2)凋落物单位面积碳储量高于其他3种林分;5种类型森林土壤表层细根单位面积碳储量介于0.29~0.47 t/hm2之间,木麻黄林最高(0.47 t/hm2),大叶相思林最低(0.29 t/hm2)。     

海南滨海台地典型森林土壤物理性质及水源涵养分析

针对海南滨海台地木麻黄林、桉树林、大叶相思林、椰子林、次生林5种典型森林的土壤容重、孔隙度及凋落物持水性能进行了研究。结果表明：5种林分的土壤毛管孔隙度、非毛管孔隙度和总孔隙度上层大于下层，土壤容重为上层小于下层；大叶相思林、木麻黄林的土壤容重较小，土壤疏松，孔隙大，凋落物的储量较大，持水性能好，适宜作为滨海台地的水源涵养林。     

闽北不同类型毛竹林生态系统植被状况对地表径流的影响

以中亚热带杉木纯林（Ⅰ）和常绿阔叶林（Ⅴ）为对照，运用灰色关联法对闽北地区竹杉混交林（Ⅱ）、毛竹纯林（Ⅲ）、竹阔混交林（Ⅳ）3种不同类型毛竹林的生态系统植被状况影响地表径流系数进行了定量分析。结果表明，植被状况参数对地表径流系数影响的大小顺序是：草本层盖度＞凋落物层有效持水量＞物种丰富度＞林分高度＞凋落物总储量＞土壤稳渗速率＞灌木层盖度＞乔木层郁闭度＞土壤层有效持水量=土壤孔隙度；5种林分的植被状况对地表径流系数的影响以常绿阔叶林最大，竹杉混交林对地表径流的影响最小，灰关联度排序为：常绿阔叶林（0.763）＞杉木纯林（0.756）＞竹阔混交林（0.697）＞毛竹纯林（0.621）＞竹杉混交林（0.529）。     

Marine Origin Collagens and Its Potential Applications

Collagens are the most abundant high molecular weight proteins in both invertebrate and vertebrate organisms, including mammals, and possess mainly a structural role, existing different types according with their specific organization in distinct tissues. From this, they have been elected as one of the key biological materials in tissue regeneration approaches. Also, industry is constantly searching for new natural sources of collagen and upgraded methodologies for their production. The most common sources are from bovine and porcine origin, but other ways are making their route, such as recombinant production, but also extraction from marine organisms like fish. Different organisms have been proposed and explored for collagen extraction, allowing the sustainable production of different types of collagens, with properties depending on the kind of organism (and their natural environment) and extraction methodology. Such variety of collagen properties has been further investigated in different ways to render a wide range of applications. The present review aims to shed some light on the contribution of marine collagens for the scientific and technological development of this sector, stressing the opportunities and challenges that they are and most probably will be facing to assume a role as an alternative source for industrial exploitation.     

The use of principal component analysis in studying physical, chemical and biological soil properties in southern caspian forests (North of Iran)

This research was conducted in Khanikan forests located in lowland of Mazandaran province (North of Iran). Eighteen profiles were dug and several chemical, physical and biological soil properties were investigated. The soil properties evaluated were soil pH, bulk density, saturation moisture content, electrical conductivity, organic carbon, total nitrogen, cation exchangeable capacity, available phosphorous, soil texture, calcium carbonate content, number and biomass of earthworms, litter carbon and litter nitrogen. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was used to identify the variation of soil properties. PCA, a technique which reduces the dimensionality of multivariate data by removing Interco relations among variables, has a number of useful applications in forest researches. The results showed significant relationships between some soil factors with PC1 and PC2 axes, also, among different soil factors, the distribution of forest types was most strongly controlled with some soil characteristics such as acidity, bulk density, texture, phosphorous, organic carbon, total nitrogen and cation exchangeable capacity.     

海南尖峰岭热带山地雨林林窗对土壤呼吸的影响

研究林窗对土壤呼吸的影响及其机制,可为热带森林生态系统土壤呼吸的准确估算和森林土壤有机碳管理提供科学依据。以海南岛尖峰岭热带山地雨林林窗（台风干扰形成）样地为研究对象,通过开展林窗内和林窗外（林内）土壤呼吸的原位观测试验,并设置去除/保留凋落物处理来分析凋落物对土壤呼吸的影响;结合林窗内外土壤的理化性质及气象要素,研究土壤呼吸的排放与环境因子的关系。结果表明：林窗的空气相对湿度、土壤温度和土壤含水量与林内均存在极显著差异（P<0.01）;林窗的空气温度与林内的差异不显著（P>0.05）;林窗内外的平均土壤呼吸分别为(3.29±0.54)μmol/(m²·s)和(2.38±0.51)μmol/(m²·s)。在月尺度上,林窗内外的土壤呼吸的排放速率呈现多峰型曲线变化规律,排放趋势大致相同,整体呈现出雨季大于旱季的变化规律。林窗和林内的土壤呼吸速率存在显著差异（P<0.05）。影响林内和林窗土壤呼吸的最主要因素分别是有机碳和地下5 cm温度。     

Soil Microarthropods and Their Relationship to Higher Trophic Levels in the Pedregal de San Angel Ecological Reserve,Mexico

Soil fauna is essential for ecosystem dynamics as it is involved in biogeochemical processes, promotes nutrient availability, and affects the animal communities associated with plants. In this study, we examine the possible relationship between the soil microarthropod community on foliage production and quality of the shrub Pittocaulon praecox. We also examine the arthropods associated to its foliage, particularly the size of the main herbivores and of their natural enemies, at two sites with contrasting vegetation cover and productivity. The diversity of soil microarthropods was assessed from soil samples collected monthly under P. praecox individuals over 13 mo. Specimens collected were identified to species or morphospecies. Shrub foliage productivity was evaluated through the amount of litter produced. Resource quality was assessed by the mean content (percentage by weight) of N, C, S, and P of 30 leaves from each shrub. The mean size of herbivores and their natural enemies were determined by measuring 20 adult specimens of each of the most abundant species. We found a higher species richness of soil microarthropods and foliar arthropods in the open site, although the diversity of foliage arthropods was lower in the closed site. Shrubs growing in the closed site tend to produce more, larger, and nutritionally poorer (lower nitrogen content) leaves than open site. Herbivores and their natural enemies were also larger in the closed site. We found a significant positive relationship between the diversity and species richness of foliar arthropods and the nitrogen content of leaves. In general, species richness and diversity of both the foliar and soil fauna, as well as the size of organisms belonging to higher trophic levels, were affected by vegetation cover and primary productivity at each site. These findings highlight the need to simultaneously consider at least four trophic levels (soil organisms, plants, herbivores, and natural enemies) to better understand the functioning of these systems and their responses to environmental changes.     

海南岛东南沿海地区不同森林类型林地凋落物现存量和养分特征

为揭示热带沿海地区不同森林类型凋落物现存量及其养分元素储存能力的差异,选取林地相邻、生境条件基本一致的青皮林和木麻黄林为研究对象,设置随机样地,采集未分解层、半分解层、已分解层凋落物样品,测定凋落物层现存量和主要养分元素含量、储量及其释放率。结果表明：（1）木麻黄林凋落物层现存量为29.49 t/hm²,是青皮林的2倍,2种林型不同分解层表现为：已分解层>半分解层>未分解层;（2）2种林型不同分解层养分元素含量基本遵循C>N>Mg>K>P的变化模式,随着凋落物分解,青皮林各养分元素含量逐级降低,木麻黄林则因养分元素不同而异,可能因凋落物C含量流失过多出现损失速率大于分解释放养分速率而造成半分解层N、P、Mg的含量相对增加,但均在已分解层含量最低;（3）木麻黄林凋落物层养分储量值为8448.23 kg/hm²,是青皮林的2倍,各分解层凋落物养分元素的储量依次为C>N>Mg>K>P,与养分元素含量变化规律一致,而养分释放率从未分解层（-1.79%、-0.97%）到半分解层（0.65%、1.23%）呈现增加趋势。总之,同一立地条件下,不同林型的凋落物现存量、养分含量及其储量的差异可能与植物叶片生物学特征、微环境条件、微生物种群及活性不同有关。     

不同杉木林类型林地现存凋落物空间分布特征及其取样策略

通过统计学和Arc GIS技术等研究方法,以老龄林(在一代杉木人工林基础上以延长杉木轮伐期,并实施保护和促进天然更新为主要技术而形成的)、萌芽林(老龄林采伐后,以实施天然更新和杉木萌芽更新为主要造林技术而形成的撂荒天然更新林)、93人工林(老龄林采伐后,于1993年按照不炼山造林的栽杉模式而形成的二代杉木人工林)3个不同杉木林类型作为研究对象,深入地探讨不同杉木林类型林地现存凋落物的空间分布特征,并计算得出不同杉木林类型为满足精度要求所需的最少样本数。结果表明:不同杉木林系统凋落物现存量和变异系数存在着明显差异,均表现为萌芽林老龄林93人工林。不同杉木林类型林地现存凋落物量空间分布状况有较大的区别,存在明显的空间异质性。当精度为90%时,老龄林、萌芽林、93人工林所需的最少样方数量分别为48、72和42个;且在相同精度下,不同杉木林类型林地所需的最少样方数量基本上表现出93人工林老龄林萌芽林。这为不同杉木林类型林地研究中取样策略的选择和优化提供一定的参考。     

西双版纳不同森林类型凋落叶与土壤碳氮变化研究

通过对西双版纳原始林、次生林和橡胶林土壤和凋落叶碳氮含量及碳氮比值间的变化特征研究,探讨林型变化下生态系统中生物化学计量比值的分异规律。研究结果表明:样品中土壤和凋落物氮对C/N值的影响要高于碳。西双版纳土地利用类型决定了土壤和凋落叶的碳氮含量,原始林SOC含量最高,橡胶林初产期(10 a)最低,而STN含量总体上橡胶林要高于原始林和次生林,不同树龄橡胶林土壤氮含量随林龄增加和割胶的进行发生了流失。不同林型间土壤有机碳(SOC)、全氮(STN)和凋落物碳氮比(C/N)的差异性显著,而土壤碳氮比、凋落物碳氮含量与林型相关性较弱。SOC、STN含量与凋落叶碳氮含量具有一定的负相关关系,说明土壤碳氮主要来自凋落物分解后养分的循环过程。     

Soil Microorganisms for Weed Management

Abstract

Traditional methods of weed management have not considered the microbial or other biological factors that influence plant growth; however, incorporating this knowledge may expand weed management possibilities to develop weed-suppressive soils. Alternative weed management strategies are needed to expand the capability of weed control as weed pressures continue to limit optimum yield and the use of synthetic chemical herbicides for weed control becomes more restricted. Biotic factors can influence the distribution, abundance, and competitive abilities of plant species. It has been shown that soil microorganisms are capable of suppressing weeds in the field, and seed decay phenomena are most likely microbial. It is imperative that an understanding of soil microorganisms and their ecology be developed, so that they may be used to benefit agriculture, especially weed management. Further study is required so that the ecological and biological effects of the resident soil microbial population on weed growth can be used effectively in weed management strategies to assist in reducing inputs.     

类胡萝卜素生物利用率及其乳液递送体系研究进展

工作环境与生活状态的改变导致人群亚健康状态以及人口老龄化问题已经引起人们的重视.具有多重生物活性的膳食补充剂对人体健康有多种保护功能,已经成为消费者与研究者共同关注的热点.类胡萝卜素不仅是光合生物中发挥关键活性的天然色素,也常被用作营养补充剂应用于食品工业、制药行业中.然而类胡萝卜素对加工生产条件、环境因素的高敏感性与...     

Bioactivity Potential of Marine Natural Products from Scleractinia-Associated Microbes and In Silico Anti-SARS-COV-2 Evaluation

Marine organisms and their associated microbes are rich in diverse chemical leads. With the development of marine biotechnology, a considerable number of research activities are focused on marine bacteria and fungi-derived bioactive compounds. Marine bacteria and fungi are ranked on the top of the hierarchy of all organisms, as they are responsible for producing a wide range of bioactive secondary metabolites with possible pharmaceutical applications. Thus, they have the potential to provide future drugs against challenging diseases, such as cancer, a range of viral diseases, malaria, and inflammation. This review aims at describing the literature on secondary metabolites that have been obtained from Scleractinian-associated organisms including bacteria, fungi, and zooxanthellae, with full coverage of the period from 1982 to 2020, as well as illustrating their biological activities and structure activity relationship (SAR). Moreover, all these compounds were filtered based on ADME analysis to determine their physicochemical properties, and 15 compounds were selected. The selected compounds were virtually investigated for potential inhibition for SARS-CoV-2 targets using molecular docking studies. Promising potential results against SARS-CoV-2 RNA dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) and methyltransferase (nsp16) are presented.     

Review of the effects of 12 selected biocides on target and non-target soil organisms

This literature review investigates biocides that claim to reduce the populations of specific target groups, i.e. bacteria, saprophytic fungi, vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizae, protozoa, nematodes, or soil-dwelling microarthropods. Removal or reduction of organism groups in natural ecosystems would allow study of their functional role in non-laboratory situations. The biocides considered in this review are those which are supposed to have a ‘narrow spectrum’ (affect only one group), and can be applied as a solution or suspension to the soil. The effects of aldrin, benomyl, captan, carbofuran, chloroneb, cycloheximide, diazinon, oxytetracycline, parachloronitrobenzene (PCNB), streptomycin, thiabendazole, and thiram on both target and non-target soil organisms are summarized. Each soil organism group except protozoa was reduced by at least one biocide, and usually by several biocides. Of the biocides reviewed, none had effects which were strictly limited to their target group and all have been reported to reduce more than one group of organisms. The responses of soil organisms to these biocides are tabulated.