几种水生观赏植物对城市污水的生理响应

主要研究了石菖蒲、泽泻、菖蒲、黄花鸢尾、千屈菜这5种常见水生观赏植物对城市污水的生理生化变化,分别在第5 d,10 d和15 d对植物叶片膜脂过氧化(MDA、电导率)、体内保护系统酶(CAT、POD)、非酶类(游离Pro)及根系活力等抗性生理指标进行测定,探讨植物抗污水逆境的能力。研究结果表明,不同植物适应污水环境能力不同。其中,黄花鸢尾在污水处理下的抗逆性最强,与对照相比其电导率和丙二醛含量变化不大,而一些植物在实验初期受到污水胁迫,电导率和丙二醛含量较对照有上升的现象;同时,实验初期黄花鸢尾中游离Pro含量、POD和CAT活性及根系活力的增强,菖蒲根系活力的增加,千屈菜POD、CAT酶活性的升高,泽泻根系活力、POD、CAT酶活性的升高,都是水生植物对污水环境的生理适应。黄花鸢尾抗逆性强,是一种值得推荐的净化污水的湿地植物。     

改变凋落物和根系输入对米槠天然林土壤微生物群落的影响

伴随气候变化下亚热带地区米槠天然林净初级生产力变化,凋落物以及植物根系输入亦会发生改变,这将显著影响土壤微生物群落。于2019年7月在设置7年的米槠天然林植物残体添加和去除试验（the detritus input and removal treatments,DIRT）样地采集不同处理（对照、去除地上凋落物、去除地下根系、无凋落物输入、添加双倍地上凋落物）的2个土层土壤（0—10,10—20 cm）,测定微生物磷脂脂肪酸（phospholipid fatty acid,PLFA）含量,计算各微生物群落比值以及多样性,进一步揭示凋落物和植物根系输入对亚热带米槠天然林土壤微生物群落组成和多样性的影响。结果表明：（1）不同处理下0—10 cm土层微生物磷脂脂肪酸含量约为10—20 cm土层的2倍;（2）地上凋落物变化均使得革兰氏阳性菌、阴性菌及放线菌等细菌含量出现不同程度的下降,但不会对丛枝菌根等真菌含量产生影响,而去除根系处理显著降低丛枝菌根真菌含量;（3）微生物群落Shannon-wiener、Simpson多样性指数不受凋落物输入的影响,凋落物去除降低表层土壤微生物群落的Margalef丰富度,提高Pielou均匀度,表明0—10 cm土层微生物群落含量与分布状况受凋落物输入变化影响较大;（4）地下植物根系存在可提高真菌（如丛枝菌根真菌）含量,而地上凋落物输入主要改变细菌丰度以及群落结构。可溶性有机碳以及矿质氮是影响不同处理土壤微生物群落组成和多样性的主要因素。可见,凋落物和根系输入通过土壤理化性质的变化而影响了微生物群落,研究结果可为全面认识植物、土壤与微生物间的相互作用对森林生产力的影响提供科学依据。     

根系分泌物主要作用及解析技术进展

根系分泌物是植物保持根际微生态系统活力的关键因素，也是根际物质循环的重要组成部分，对根际土壤生态环境中的物质循环具有重要的驱动作用。根系分泌物可以刺激微生物生长，增强其活性，加速根际养分循环，增加土壤养分利用率，并在小规模空间引起温室气体通量的变化。此外，它也是植物参与竞争的重要策略，植物通过根分泌物以获取种间长期生存的养分，甚至分泌对自身有害的化感物质来排挤其他植物，实现自我生存，即使存在自毒作用或引起连作障碍等。植物的健康生长依赖于自身与土壤微生物复杂动态群落的相互作用，但是根际微生物群落结构和组成却又受植物物种、植物生长期、土壤性质、功能基因等因素影响，这些因素的动态变化可能导致根系分泌物的多样化，从而形成复杂多变的根系分泌物与植物的关系，进而影响植物的健康生长。目前，对植物根系分泌物的研究是土壤生态学、植物营养与代谢等领域的研究热点，且随着分析技术手段的快速发展，根系分泌物相关研究也逐渐深入，进一步揭示植物与微生物间的协同作用机理对农、林等行业生产具有重要的指导意义。     

味精废浆对西瓜根际土壤生物学特征的影响

为了探讨味精废浆与化肥配施对西瓜根际土壤环境的作用效果以丰乐一号西瓜为试材,通过大田试验,利用平板计数法和末端限制性片段长度多态性分析(T-RFLP)技术,研究了T1(尿素提供100%的氮)、T2(味精废浆和尿素分别提供10%和90%的氮)、T3(味精废浆和尿素分别提供30%和70%的氮)和T4(味精废浆和尿素各提供50%的氮)等处理对西瓜根际土壤微生物数量、微生物量碳和氮、根系分泌物及细菌群落结构多样性的影响。结果表明:与T1处理相比,T3处理显著增加了根际土壤细菌数、放线菌数、微生物总量及微生物量碳、氮含量,而对真菌数的影响较小,其中细菌数、微生物量碳和氮含量分别增加53.59%、39.80%和45.59%;明显提高了根际土壤中根系分泌物含量。同T3处理相比,T2和T4处理对根际土壤微生物数量及根系分泌物含量的影响较小。此外,T3处理的细菌群落结构的丰富度及多样性指数最高,分别比T1处理提高91.79%和97.31%,差异达显著水平(p0.05);同时也明显高于T2处理,但与T4处理差异不显著。综合分析认为,配施味精废浆可有效改善西瓜根际土壤的微生态环境,而味精废浆与化肥的搭配比例是关键因素。     

植物根系分泌物与根际微生物交互作用机制研究进展

根际是受植物根系影响最为强烈的微域环境,是植物和土壤交流的桥梁。根系能通过调控根系分泌物的种类和数量影响根际微生物的种群结构和多样性,根际微生物通过改变根际土壤特性影响根系的分泌作用,进而影响植物的生长发育过程。因此,很有必要对这些研究进展进行梳理,提出未来该领域的研究重点。本文以1999 ~ 2022年中国知网（CNKI）和Web of Science核心数据库为文献来源,对根系分泌物与根际微生物互作相关的64篇论文进行分析。总结了近年来根系分泌物和根际微生物互作的最新研究成果,重点介绍了根系分泌物对根际微生物种类、数量和分布的影响,环境胁迫对根系分泌物和根际微生物的影响,以及根际微生物对植物生长的影响。基于此,我们对该领域未来的研究方向进行了展望。深入理解根系分泌物和根际微生物之间复杂的互作关系及其机理,对揭示根际微生态调控过程、土壤微生物组功能、促进农作物增产等方面具有重要的意义。     

烤烟根际土壤微生物对根系酚酸类物质的响应

【目的】烟草连作导致化感物质累积,探索化感物质中主要的酚酸类物质对根际土壤微生物的影响,可为克服烟草连作障碍提供理论依据。【方法】采用盆栽试验方法,将前期分离、鉴定出的烟草根系分泌物中主要酚酸类物质苯甲酸和3-苯丙酸接种到土壤中,模拟烟草多年连作土壤。试验设4个处理:对照(T0),向土壤中加入等量灭菌去离子水;添加苯甲酸3μg/kg土(T1);3-苯丙酸8μg/kg土(T2);同时添加苯甲酸3μg/kg土和3-苯丙酸8μg/kg土(T3),每处理5次重复。以MiSeq测序平台对根际土壤微生物进行高通量测序,探索其对根际土壤微生物的影响,同时采用荧光定量PCR法检测土壤中的茄科劳尔氏菌、短短芽孢杆菌、固氮菌、无机磷细菌、硅酸盐细菌等功能微生物及细菌和真菌的数量变化。【结果】T 1、 T 2处理土壤细菌OTUs(Operational Taxonomic Units)数目分别比对照T0降低了21.5%和17.0%,T3处理OTU数量低于T1和T2处理;T2处理土壤中优势微生物种群增多,结构平衡性降低,门上分类构成和微生物群落构成显著不同于对照。主成分分析与聚类分析显示,T2或T3处理土壤微生物聚类关系较近,都与T0处理较远;T3处理土壤中病原菌数量显著提高,拮抗菌、固氮菌、无机磷细菌、硅酸盐细菌、细菌和真菌数量显著减少,且减少幅度大于T1、T2处理。【结论】根系分泌物中主要酚酸类物质苯甲酸和3-苯丙酸均能明显改变根际土壤微生物区系,降低土壤微生群落多样性,显著增加有害微生物数量的同时大大降低有益微生物数量。两种酚类同时存在的危害效果远大于单一酚类。     

喀斯特生态系统中乔木和灌木林根际土壤微生物生物量及其多样性的比较

我国喀斯特区域面积分布较广,而喀斯特生态系统的退化已成为当前西南地区面临的严重的生态问题。本研究选取贵州中部两种不同植被类型的生态系统—乔木林和灌木林,以乔木林中的白栎、园果化香和灌木林中的火棘、竹叶椒等主要优势树种为对象,研究不同的植物树种对根际土壤微生物生物量及其细菌群落结构的影响。结果显示:乔木林系统中根际土壤微生物生物量碳、氮显著性高于灌木林,植物的根际效应在乔木林中表现更为显著;同时乔木林中的优势树种通过根系分泌物的作用显著提高根际土壤细菌多样性指数,而灌木林中优势树种的根际土壤微生物量及多样性均未表现出明显的根际效应。因此,植被的演替通过改变土壤微生物的特性影响植物-微生物-土壤之间的物质和能量循环,进一步影响喀斯特生态系统的稳定和健康功能。     

不同作物间作对黄瓜病害及土壤微生物群落多样性的影响

分别采用RAPD和T-RFLP技术,研究了小麦、毛苕子和三叶草分别与黄瓜间作对黄瓜病害、黄瓜根际土壤微生物群落多样性和黄瓜产量的影响。结果表明,小麦、毛苕子与黄瓜间作均能提高黄瓜根际土壤微生物群落多样性,其中,小麦-黄瓜间作对黄瓜根际土壤微生物群落多样性的影响最为突出;3种作物分别与黄瓜间作均显著提高了黄瓜产量(p<0.01),其中小麦-黄瓜间作的产量优势最强;同时,3种作物分别与黄瓜间作均降低了黄瓜角斑病、白粉病、霜霉病和枯萎病的病情指数和尖孢镰刀菌的数量。间作有利于提高土壤微生物群落的多样性、减轻病害、提高黄瓜产量。     

银北盐碱区植物根际土壤酶活性及微生物群落特征

开展盐碱区耐盐植物根际微生物群落多样性研究,对于盐碱土壤的植被恢复和生态修复具有重要意义。运用Biolog微平板技术,对宁夏银北盐碱区6种耐盐植物根际土壤酶活性及微生物群落代谢功能多样性进行研究。结果表明:不同植物根际土壤理化性质和酶活性存在一定的差异。与裸地相比,6种植物能显著提高盐碱地土壤酶活性,苜蓿根际土壤三种酶活性显著高于其他植物。土壤平均颜色变化率(AWCD)随培养时间的延长而逐渐增加,大小顺序依次为苜蓿(MX)、芨芨草(JJC)、柽柳(CL)、柳枝稷(LZJ)、苦豆子(KDZ)、枸杞(GQ)和裸地土壤(CK),根际土壤与盐碱裸地土壤之间差异显著(P0.05)。土壤微生物群落香农指数、辛普森指数和麦金塔指数均以苜蓿根际土壤最高,芨芨草次之,二者较其他土壤差异显著(P0.05)。不同植物根际土壤微生物碳源利用能力存在差异,苜蓿根际土壤微生物的利用率显著高于其他土壤(P0.05),碳水化合物类是根际土壤微生物的主要碳源,其次为氨基酸类和羧酸类,胺类的利用率最小。主成分分析显示,对PC1和PC2起分异作用的主要碳源为碳水化合物类和羧酸类。综合各项指标,均表现为植物根际土壤优于盐碱裸地,其中苜蓿和芨芨草能显著提高土壤微生物群落功能多样性,对盐碱地根际微环境的养分循环具有积极意义。     

不同植物配置下人工湿地微生物群落特征及其影响因素

植物是湿地生态系统的重要组分,本选择茭白(Zizania caduciflora)、鸢尾(Iris tectorum)、菖蒲(Acorus calamus)和芦苇(Phragmites australis),连续5年研究了不同植物配置下人工湿地微生物群落特征对环境的指示作用,结合微生物群落冗余分析(Redundancy analysis,RDA),研究了不同植物配置下人工湿地土壤环境因子及其对微生物群落分布的影响。结果表明:(1)土壤有机碳、全氮、全磷、全钾、速效磷和碱解氮呈一致的变化规律,均表现为芦苇菖蒲茭白鸢尾,而不同人工湿地全磷差异不显著(p0.05)。(2)人工湿地对土壤微生物量有较大的影响,土壤微生物量碳、氮、磷呈一致的变化规律,均表现为芦苇菖蒲茭白鸢尾,不同人工湿地微生物量碳和氮差异均显著(p0.05),微生物量磷差异不显著(p0.05)。(3)物种丰富度指数(H)、均匀度指数(E)、和碳源利用丰富度指数(S)均表现为芦苇菖蒲茭白鸢尾,而优势度指数(Ds)则表现为鸢尾茭白菖蒲芦苇。其中不同人工湿地碳源利用丰富度指数(S)差异均显著(p0.05),不同人工湿地优势度指数(Ds)差异均不显著(p0.05)。(4)相关性分析表明不同人工湿地微生物物种丰富度指数(H)与SOC,TN呈显著正相关,芦苇和菖蒲的相关系数高于茭白和鸢尾,说明芦苇和菖蒲人工湿地微生物群落多样性高于茭白和鸢尾;RDA分析表明,土壤环境因子具有明显的生态梯度,SOC,TN是影响人工湿地微生物群落多样性的主要环境因子。     

Do bacterial-feeding nematodes stimulate root proliferation through hormonal effects?

We prepared soil with greater populations of bacterial-feeding nematodes either by stimulating the native populations of the soil, adding an additional mixed community of nematodes, or by adding Caenorhabditis elegans, to investigate the effects of bacterial-feeding nematodes on root morphology, soil auxin (indolyl-3-acetic acid—IAA) concentrations and microbial community structure. In the presence of enhanced bacterial-feeding nematode populations, tomato plants had a more highly branched root system with longer and thinner roots. Root system development was greater with native nematodes than C. elegans. The changes of root morphology were accompanied by an increase of soil IAA content and an altered microbial community structure. Bacterial-feeding nematodes may have affected plant growth by stimulating hormone production through grazing-induced changes to the soil microbial community.     

Growth,P uptake and rhizosphere properties of wheat and canola genotypes in an alkaline soil with low P availability

The aim of the present study was to assess the role of soil type on growth, P uptake and rhizosphere properties of wheat and canola genotypes in an alkaline soil with low P availability. Two wheat (Goldmark and Janz) and two canola genotypes (Drum and Outback) were grown in a calcareous soil (pH 8.5) at two P levels [no P addition (0P) or addition of 200 mg kg⁻¹ P as Ca₃(PO₄)₂ (200P)] and harvested at flowering or maturity. Shoot and root dry weight, root length and shoot P content were greater in the two canola genotypes than in wheat. There were no consistent differences in available P, microbial P and phosphatase activity in the rhizosphere of the different genotypes. Shoot P content was significantly positively correlated with root length, pH and phosphatase activity in the rhizosphere. The microbial community composition, assessed by fatty acid methylester analysis, of the canola genotypes differed strongly from that of the wheat genotypes. The weight percentage bacterial fatty acids, the bacteria/fungi (b/f) ratio and the diversity of fatty acids were greater in the rhizosphere of the canolas than in the rhizosphere of the wheat genotypes. In contrast to the earlier studies in an acidic soil, only small differences in growth and P uptake between the genotypes of one crop were detected in the alkaline soil used here. The results confirmed the importance of root length for P uptake in soils with low P availability and suggest that the rhizosphere microbial community composition may play a role in the better growth of the canola compared to the wheat genotypes.     

Contribution of exudates,arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and litter depositions to the rhizosphere priming effect induced by grassland species

The presence of plants induces strong accelerations in soil organic matter (SOM) mineralization by stimulating soil microbial activity – a phenomenon known as the rhizosphere priming effect (RPE). The RPE could be induced by several mechanisms including root exudates, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and root litter. However the contribution of each of these to rhizosphere priming is unknown due to the complexity involved in studying rhizospheric processes. In order to determine the role of each of these mechanisms, we incubated soils enclosed in nylon meshes that were permeable to exudates, or exudates & AMF or exudates, AMF and roots under three grassland plant species grown on sand. Plants were continuously labeled with ¹³C depleted CO₂ that allowed distinguishing plant-derived CO₂ from soil-derived CO₂. We show that root exudation was the main way by which plants induced RPE (58–96% of total RPE) followed by root litter. AMF did not contribute to rhizosphere priming under the two species that were significantly colonized by them i.e. Poa trivialis and Trifolium repens. Root exudates and root litter differed with respect to their mechanism of inducing RPE. Exudates induced RPE without increasing microbial biomass whereas root litter increased microbial biomass and raised the RPE mediating saprophytic fungi. The RPE efficiency (RPE/unit plant-C assimilated into microbes) was 3–7 times higher for exudates than for root litter. This efficiency of exudates is explained by a microbial allocation of fresh carbon to mineralization activity rather than to growth. These results suggest that root exudation is the main way by which plants stimulated mineralization of soil organic matter. Moreover, the plants through their exudates not only provide energy to soil microorganisms but also seem to control the way the energy is used in order to maximize soil organic matter mineralization and drive their own nutrient supply.     

Effects of pine roots on microorganisms,fauna, and nitrogen availability in two soil horizons of a coniferous forest spodosol

Summary We investigated the effects of pitch pine seedling roots on extractable N, microbial growth rate, biomass C and N, and nematodes and microarthropods in microcosms with either organic (41% C, 1.14% N) or mineral (0.05% C, 0.01% N) horizon soils of a spondosol. Root quantity was manipulated by varying plant density (0, 1, 2, or 4 seedlings) and rhizosphere soil was separated from non-rhizosphere soil by a 1.2 m mesh fabric. In the rhizosphere of organic soil horizons, moisture, microbial growth rate, biomass C and N, and extractable N declined as root density was increased, but there was little effect on nematodes or microarthropods. High levels of extractable N remained after 5 months, suggesting that N mineralization was stimulated during the incubation. In the rhizosphere of mineral soil horizons, microbial growth rate, and nematode and microarthropod abundances increased at higher root density, and in the absence of roots faunal abundance approached zero. Faunal activity was concentrated in the rhizosphere compared to non-rhizosphere soil. In organic soil horizons, roots may limit microbial activity by reducing soil moisture and/or N availability. However, in mineral soil horizons, where nutrient levels are very low, root inputs can stimulate microbial growth and faunal abundance by providing important substrates for microbial growth. Our results demonstrate a rhizosphere effect for soil fauna in the mineral soil, and thus extends the rhizosphere concept to components of the soil community other than microbes for forest ecosystems. Although our results need to be verified by field manipulations, we suggest that the effects of pine roots on nutrient cycling processes in coniferous forests can vary with soil nutrient content and, therefore, position in the soil profile.     

Microbial processes and community composition in the rhizosphere of European beech - The influence of plant C exudates

Plant roots strongly influence C and N availability in the rhizosphere via rhizodeposition and uptake of nutrients. This study aimed at investigating the effect of resource availability on microbial processes and community structure in the rhizosphere. We analyzed C and N availability, as well as microbial processes and microbial community composition in rhizosphere soil of European beech and compared it to the bulk soil. Additionally, we performed a girdling experiment in order to disrupt root exudation into the soil. By this novel approach we were able to demonstrate that enhanced resource availability positively affected N mineralization and hydrolytic enzyme activities in the rhizosphere, but negatively affected nitrification rates and oxidative enzyme activities, which are involved in the degradation of soil organic matter. Both rhizosphere effects on N mineralization and oxidative enzyme activities disappeared in the girdling treatment. Microbial community structure in the rhizosphere, assessed by phospholipid fatty acid analysis, differed only slightly from bulk soil but was markedly altered by the girdling treatment, indicating additional effects of the girdling treatment beyond the reduction of root exudation. Differences in oxidative enzyme activities and nitrification rates between rhizosphere soil and bulk soil, however, suggest considerable differences in the (functional) microbial community composition.     

Comparison of root system architecture and rhizosphere microbial communities of Balsas teosinte and domesticated corn cultivars

The progenitor of maize is Balsas teosinte (Zea mays subsp. parviglumis) which grows as a wild plant in the valley of the Balsas river in Mexico. Domestication, primarily targeting above-ground traits, has led to substantial changes in the plant's morphology and modern maize cultivars poorly resemble their wild ancestor. We examined the hypotheses that Balsas teosinte (accession PI 384071) has a) a different root system architecture and b) a structurally and functionally different rhizosphere microbial community than domesticated cultivars sweet corn (Zea mays subsp. mays accession PI 494083) and popping corn (Zea mays subsp. mays accession PI 542713). In a greenhouse experiment, five plants from each corn variety were grown in individual pots containing a Maury silt loam – perlite (2:1) mixture and grown to the V8 growth stage at which rhizosphere bacterial and fungal community structure was assessed using terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism and fatty acid methyl ester analysis. Functional characteristics of the rhizosphere were assayed by examining the potential activity of seven extracellular enzymes involved in carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus cycling. Root system architecture was characterized by root scans of sand grown plants at the V5 growth stage. Compared to the control the sweet corn rhizosphere had different bacterial and fungal community structure, decreased fungal diversity and increased bacterial abundance. Teosinte caused a significant change in the rhizosphere bacterial and fungal community structure and increased bacterial abundance, but no significant decrease in bacterial or fungal diversity where the former was found to be significantly greater than in the sweet corn rhizosphere. Popping corn did not trigger significant changes in the bacterial or fungal diversity and bacterial abundance in the soil. The individual popping corn plants changed the bacterial and fungal communities in different directions and the overall effect on community structure was significant, but small. Of the enzymes analyzed, potential N-acetylglucosaminidase (NAG) activity was found to contributed most to the differentiation of teosinte rhizosphere samples from the other corn varieties. The teosinte root system had proportionally more very fine (diameter < 0.03 mm) roots than popping corn and sweet corn and it developed the highest root to shoot dry weight ratio, followed by popping corn. Sweet corn had significantly lower average root diameter than popping corn and teosinte and grew proportionally the least below-ground dry mass. The results allude to functional and structural differences in the rhizosphere microbial communities of the corn varieties that, with additional research, could lead to useful discoveries on how corn domestication has altered rhizosphere processes and how plant genotype influences nutrient cycling.     

间套作玉米对线辣椒根际土壤微生物生态特征的影响

采用常规稀释平板法、氯仿熏蒸法、BIOLOG GN微平板反应系统及种间根系分隔技术, 以线辣椒单作(SC)为试验对照, 研究了间套作处理[玉米/线辣椒套作+根部塑料膜分隔(ICP)、玉米/线辣椒套作+根部尼龙网分隔(ICM)、玉米/线辣椒套作根部无分隔(ICN)]对线辣椒根际土壤微生物生态特征的影响。结果表明: 整个线辣椒生育期内, 各套作处理线辣椒根际土壤微生物总数与细菌总数具有相同的变化趋势, ICN和ICM处理的真菌、细菌、放线菌数量和细菌/真菌(B/F)、放线菌/真菌(A/F)比值均大于ICP与SC处理。盛果期, ICN处理根际土壤微生物量碳和微生物量氮比同处理其他生育期增加14.2%~54.0%和10.6%~54.7%。各处理土壤微生物群落AWCD的变化随培养时间呈现明显的"S"型曲线。间套作玉米显著提高了线辣椒根际土壤微生物群落的Shannon-Wiener指数(P<0.05)、Simpson指数、种间相遇几率和McIntosh指数(P<0.05), 并改变了土壤微生物对单一碳源的利用能力。线辣椒根际土壤微生物的不同多样性指数分别与其生物学产量之间存在显著或极显著正相关。说明间套作改善了土壤微生态环境。     

Determination of the impact of continuous defoliation of Lolium perenne and Trifolium repens on bacterial and fungal community structure in rhizosphere soil

To determine the effects of defoliation on microbial community structure, rhizosphere soil samples were taken pre-, and post-defoliation from the root tip and mature root regions of Trifolium repens L. and Lolium perenne L. Microbial DNA isolated from samples was used to generate polymerase chain reaction–denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis molecular profiles of bacterial and fungal communities. Bacterial plate counts were also obtained. Neither plant species nor defoliation affected the bacterial and fungal community structures in both the root tip and mature root regions, but there were significant differences in the bacterial and fungal community profiles between the two root regions for each plant. Prior to defoliation, there was no difference between plants for bacterial plate counts of soils from the root tip regions; however, counts were greater in the mature root region of L. perenne than T. repens. Bacterial plate counts for T. repens were higher in the root tip than the mature root region. After defoliation, there was no effect of plant type, position along the root or defoliation status on bacterial plate counts, although there were significant increases in bacterial plate counts with time. The results indicate that a general effect existed during maturation in the root regions of each plant, which had a greater impact on microbial community structure than either plant type or the effect of defoliation. In addition there were no generic consequences with regard to microbial populations in the rhizosphere as a response to plant defoliation.     

Distribution and turnover of recently fixed photosynthate in ryegrass rhizospheres

The cycling of root-deposited photosynthate (rhizodeposition) through the soil microbial biomass can have profound influences on plant nutrient availability. Currently, our understanding of microbial dynamics associated with rhizosphere carbon (C) flow is limited. We used a ¹³C pulse-chase labeling procedure to examine the flow of photosynthetically fixed ¹³C into the microbial biomass of the bulk and rhizosphere soils of greenhouse-grown annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.). To assess the temporal dynamics of rhizosphere C flow through the microbial biomass, plants were labeled either during the transition between active root growth and rapid shoot growth (Labeling Period 1), or nine days later during the rapid shoot growth stage (Labeling Period 2). Although the distribution of ¹³C in the plant/soil system was similar between the two labeling periods, microbial cycling of rhizodeposition differed between labeling periods. Within 24 h of labeling, more than 10% of the ¹³C retained in the plant/soil system resided in the soil, most of which had already been incorporated into the microbial biomass. From day 1 to day 8, the proportion of ¹³C in soil as microbial biomass declined from about 90 to 35% in rhizosphere soil and from about 80 to 30% in bulk soil. Turnover of ¹³C through the microbial biomass was faster in rhizosphere soil than in bulk soil, and faster in Labeling Period 1 than Labeling Period 2. Our results demonstrate the effectiveness of using ¹³C labeling to examine microbial dynamics and fate of C associated with cycling of rhizodeposition from plants at different phenological stages of growth.