Effects of crumb rubber waste as a soil conditioner on the nematode assemblage in a turfgrass soil

The impacts of waste crumb rubber soil amendment on nematode abundance, community structure and soil characteristics were studied in pot grown Lolium perenne L. Three treatments, no crumb rubber (CK), 10% and 15% crumb rubber (CR), were arranged in a randomized complete design. After 3 months’ turfgrass growth, soil nematodes were extracted and identified to genus level, and populations of total, bacterivorous, fungivorous, omnivorous, predatory and plant parasite nematodes were counted. Genus diversity, richness, evenness, plant parasite index (PPI) and maturity index (MI) were calculated to compare nematode community structure. Thirteen genera of soil nematodes in all treatments were identified, of which Helicotylenchus was dominant. Crumb rubber incorporation significantly decreased plant parasite and omnivorous nematode populations, but increased the abundance of predatory nematodes. However, fungivorous and bacterivorous nematode populations were not significantly affected by crumb rubber amendment. Pots treated with 15% CR had the lowest number of plant parasite, omnivorous nematodes and the highest number of fungivorous, predatory nematodes. Shannon's diversity index (H′), evenness (J′), PPI and PPI/MI reduced in pots receiving crumb rubber, whereas dominace (λ) and maturity index (MI) increased in crumb rubber treatments. In addition, CR application decreased soil bulk density and pH value, but increased soil moisture.     

Responses of grassland soil nematodes and protozoa to multi-year and single-year applications of dairy manure slurry and fertilizer

In order to improve understanding of how long-term use of manure affects nitrogen cycling processes, the effects of multiple years of manure applications on abundance of protozoa and nematode community structure were assessed. Plots of a grass sward in the Fraser Valley of British Columbia were either left untreated or were treated with dairy manure slurry or fertilizer, each at 50 or 100 kg NH₄-N ha⁻¹, two to four times per year for six consecutive years. Nematode community structure and protozoan abundance were determined at 19 sample dates during the fourth (1997), fifth (1998) and sixth (1999) years of application. Protozoa, bacterivorous nematodes and fungivorous nematodes were consistently more abundant in soil treated with manure at both rates than in fertilized and untreated soil, indicating that microbial turnover and flux of nutrients through the soil food web was enhanced in manured soil relative to fertilized or untreated soil. The Maturity Index (MI) and the MI2-5 were both reduced by fertilization and manure, relative to the control. The MI for the manure treatment was lower than for the fertilizer treatment as a result of greater relative abundance of enrichment opportunist nematodes in manure-treated soil. Accordingly, the MI2-5 did not differ between the manure and fertilizer treatments, suggesting that with the exception of enrichment opportunists fertilizer and manure have similar effects on structural complexity of the soil food web.Populations of micro-fauna were also assessed through 1998 and 1999 in subplots that had been treated with manure or fertilizer for four years and stopped receiving manure or fertilizer in 1998, and in subplots given manure in 1998 that had previously either been fertilized or left untreated. Protozoa and bacterivorous and fungivorous nematodes remained more abundant through 1998 and 1999 in previously manure-treated plots than in previously fertilized plots, indicating that the cumulative effects of manure application on enhancement of microbial production can be detected through at least two growing seasons after applications cease. Application of manure for one year to previously non-treated or fertilized soil raised the abundance of protozoa and bacterivorous and fungivorous nematodes to levels comparable to continuously manured soil.     

Soil nematodes indicate food web responses to elevated atmospheric CO2

To understand the impact of rising levels of atmospheric CO₂ on ecosystems, we need to understand plant responses to elevated CO₂, as well as how those plant responses in turn affect their environment. An important component of the environment of a plant is the soil biota living near plant roots. Soil nematodes are representative of a large portion of this biota, since they are abundant and trophically diverse in most soils. In a three-year field experiment, we studied the responses of soil nematodes to increased root growth of trees growing in high and low nitrogen soils under ambient and twice-ambient atmospheric CO₂, a two-by-two factorial experimental design. Our hypothesis was that in the high-N soil, increased root growth resulting from twice-ambient atmospheric CO₂ would positively affect nematode density, supporting a more abundant and trophically complex nematode community. Trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides) were grown in twenty open-top chambers under the four treatments, replicated five times. In low-N soil, twice-ambient CO₂ was associated with higher density of the most abundant plant-feeding taxon (Trichodoridae), lower density of one bacteriafeeding taxon (Rhabditidae), and lower evenness of the community, compared to ambient CO₂. In high-N soil, twice-ambient CO₂ was associated with higher density of predator/omnivores, lower diversity, and a larger value of Bonger's Maturity Index, compared to ambient CO₂. In soils under young deciduous trees, such as the aspens in this experiment, increased root growth under elevated CO₂ may result in significant changes in soil food web community structure that may provide clues about the fate of carbon under elevated CO₂.     

Effects of organic and other management practices on soil nematode communities in tea plantation: a case study in southern China

Four major tea management practices (organic, pollution‐free, conventional, and semi‐natural) are employed in Chinese tea plantations at present. These practices can induce changes in the physiochemical parameters, microorganism community and enzyme activity in tea plantation soil. However, understanding of their effects on soil nematodes is still scarce. This study aimed to investigate whether and how different management practices affect the biodiversity, function, and structure of soil nematode communities in tea plantation habitats. The soil nematode community structures and ecological indices were determined from the soil samples collected more than 6 y after their respective farming practices were first applied, and different management practices did not greatly affect soil nematode community evenness or species diversity, but organic practice increased nematode trophic diversity, common species diversity, and species richness. Pollution‐free practice considerably increased fungivorous nematodes, and both pollution‐free and conventional practice decreased bacterivorous nematodes markedly in the subsurface layers of soil. Predator and omnivorous nematodes were found to be more abundant in semi‐natural plantation. Organic practice was more sustainable and suitable for tea cultivation, with the greatest biodiversity, best nutrient conditions, higher and more stable C/N ratio and lower interference in the food web.     

蚓粪和益生菌配施对设施番茄地土壤线虫群落的影响

为探究蚓粪和益生菌互作对大棚番茄地土壤线虫数量和群落结构的影响,设置CF(单施化肥)、CF+BM(化肥配施巨大芽孢杆菌)、CF+BA(化肥配施解淀粉芽孢杆菌)、VC(单施蚓粪)、VC+BM(蚓粪配施巨大芽孢杆菌)和VC+BA(蚓粪配施解淀粉芽孢杆菌)6个处理。结果表明:与单施化肥相比,单施蚓粪有助于土壤线虫数量的提高,而蚓粪配施益生菌相比单施蚓粪对线虫数量的提高更加显著;化肥配施益生菌在盛花期时对土壤线虫数量提高不显著,收获期时有显著提高但效果不及蚓粪配施益生菌。单施化肥或蚓粪提高了植食性线虫短体属(Pratylenchus)的相对丰度,且单施蚓粪提高幅度显著高于单施化肥。与单施化肥相比,单施蚓粪显著降低了食细菌线虫比例,而化肥配施益生菌显著降低了食细菌线虫和植食性线虫比例,增加了食真菌线虫比例。蚓粪配施益生菌相比单施蚓粪显著增加了食细菌和食真菌线虫比例,降低了植食性和捕杂食性线虫比例。与单施化肥或蚓粪相比,蚓粪配施益生菌对瓦斯乐斯卡指数(WI)、食真菌线虫与食细菌线虫比率(F/B)和植食性线虫成熟指数(PPI)均能够产生积极影响,且效果优于化肥配施益生菌。综合比较可以发现,与单施化肥或蚓粪相比,蚓粪配施益生菌能够减缓植食性线虫增长,土壤环境和线虫群落趋于健康和稳定,是值得推荐的施肥方式。     

Soil mesofauna dynamics,wheat residue decomposition and nitrogen mineralization in buried litterbags

The effect of soil microarthropods and enchytraeids on the decomposition of wheat straw in buried litterbags was studied by selective admission and exclusion. Litterbags with 20 m mesh size admitted nematodes, but excluded microarthropods, although temporarily. After 27 weeks of incubation part of these litterbags were colonized, probably through egg-deposition of mainly fungivorous Collembola and mites. When litterbags with a complete microarthropod community (1.5 mm mesh size) were compared to litterbags with strongly reduced microarthropod numbers (20 m mesh size), no differences between decomposition rates were found. However, in colonized 20-m mesh bags, we found reduced decomposition rates compared to the coarse mesh litterbags, probably due to overgrazing of the fungal population by large numbers of fungivorous microarthropods. These large numbers might be caused by the absence of predators. Extraction of microarthropods as well as enchytraeids and nematodes from the coarse mesh litterbags showed a distinct succession during decomposition. The decomposition process was dominated in the first phase by bacterivorous nematodes, nematophagous and bacterivorous mites, and in the later phase by fungivorous nematodes, fungivorous and omnivorous mites and Collembola, and predatory mites. This succession is indicative of a sequence from bacterial to fungal dominated decomposition of the buried organic matter. The results indicate that the decomposition rate is predator controlled.     

Cover crops alter the soil nematode food web in banana agroecosystems

Cover crops are increasingly being used in agriculture, primarily for weed or erosion management. The addition of cover crops increases the primary productivity of the system and diversifies basal resources for higher trophic levels. How increases in the quality and quantity of basal resources affect bottom-up and top-down control remains a key question in soil food web ecology. We evaluated the response of the nematode community to the introduction of cover crops between rows of a banana plantation. We measured changes in nematode food web structure and inferred the prevalence of bottom-up and top-down effects on the abundance of phytophagous nematodes (i.e., plant-feeding and root-hair-feeding species) 1.5 years after plots with cover crops (Poaceae or Fabaceae species) or bare soil were established. The addition of a cover crop greatly affected the structure and the abundance of the soil nematode community 1.5 years after planting. The abundance of all trophic groups except for plant-feeding nematodes tended to increase with the addition of cover crops. The Shannon–Weaver diversity index and the enrichment index increased with the addition of cover crops, indicating that opportunistic, bacterivorous and fungivorous nematodes benefited from the added resources. Plant-feeding nematodes were least abundant in plots with Poaceae cover crops, while bacterivorous, omnivorous, and root-hair-feeding nematodes were more abundant with Fabaceae cover crops than with bare soil, indicating that cover crop identity or quality greatly affected soil food web structure. Bottom-up effects on all trophic groups other than plant-feeding nematodes were evident with Poaceae cover crops, suggesting an top-down control of plant-feeding nematodes by omnivorous nematodes. Conversely, plant-feeding nematodes were evidently not suppressed in Fabaceae cover crops, perhaps because bottom-up effects on omnivorous nematodes were weaker (hence, top-down control by omnivorous nematodes was weaker), and because Fabaceae cover crops probably served as good hosts for some plant-feeding nematodes.     

Integration of cover crops and vermicompost tea for soil and plant health management in a short-term vegetable cropping system

Short-term vegetable crop production often involves frequent tillage and other farm activities that results in disturbed soil food web communities. A less disturbed soil community would have a more structured soil food web which contains soil fauna higher up in the food web hierarchy, thus higher integrity in soil nutrient cycling. The objective of this study is to examine if strip-till cover cropping and drenching soil with vermicompost tea could improve soil food web structure in a short-term agroecosystem. Two field trials were conducted in Waialua, HI, USA to evaluate the effect of strip-till planting of sunn hemp (SH, Crotalaria juncea) or crimson clover (Trifolium incarnatum) cover crops in a zucchini (Cucurbita pepo) cropping system. At zucchini planting, each cover crop plot was split to receive four soil treatments: fertilizer (F, chicken pellet), compost tea (CT), fertilizer plus compost tea (F + CT), and none. Compost tea was prepared from chicken manure based vermicompost aerated overnight in water at 1:10 (v:v). Planting of SH increased bacterivorous nematodes and suppressed plant-parasitic nematodes throughout both zucchini cropping cycles, but did not enhance the numbers of omnivorous or predatory nematodes. Crimson clover did not enhance beneficial nematodes nor suppress plant-parasitic nematodes. Adding CT to F suppressed the key plant-parasitic nematodes only at the initial stage of the zucchini growth, increased percentage of predatory or omnivorous nematodes only toward the end of zucchini crops, and increased the structure index at harvest in the first trial. Zucchini yield was increased by planting of SH but not by drenching of CT. Despite the benefits of CT in improving the soil food web structure, a correlation analysis revealed that zucchini yields were correlated to the reduction in the percentage of fungivorous nematodes at planting, an increase in the percentage of bacterivorous nematodes at harvest, and to reduction in the percentage of plant-parasitic nematodes at harvest.     

Structure of the microbial biomass and trophic groups of nematodes in soddy-podzolic soils of a postagrogenic succession in the southern taiga (Tver oblast)

The structure of the microbial biomass and trophic nematode groups were studied in soddy-podzolic soils under phytocenoses of a secondary succession initiated by the growth of forests on agricultural lands in the southern taiga. The microbial biomass became greater with the increasing amount of fungal mycelium, and the bacterial pool little changed in these soils. Bacteriovorous nematodes predominated (64% of the total number of nematodes) in the soils of a potato field, where the bacterial biomass was maximal; it was greater or close to the fungal biomass. In the soil under a mown meadow, where the fungal biomass was greater, the populations of fungivorous and bacteriovorous nematodes were close in number and share in the nematode complex (by 40%). In the soil under a spruce forest (climax stage), the main biomass pool was composed of fungi (97%), whose biomass is maximal, while fungivorous nematodes and nematodes with a mixed type of feeding occupy the dominant positions (69% in the nematode complex). In the course of the succession, the number of fungivorous and bacteriovorous nematodes decreased, but their ratio increased from 0.4 in the soil of the potato field to 0.8–1.0 under the meadows and mixed forest and to 2.0 in the soil under the sorrel spruce forest. These changes corresponded to the increasing microbial pool and the share of the fungal biomass in it.     

Responses of nematode‐community structure in turfgrass soil to microbial filtrates from municipal–solid waste compost

Actinomycetes, Bacillus subtilis, and Bacillus thuringiensis were isolated from municipal–solid waste (MSW) compost, and different microbial liquid filtrates (MLF) were prepared. Sterile culture media with no microbes were used as their controls. The effects of MLF on soil nematode communities were examined in pot‐grown Festuca arundinacea Schreb. Fifteen genera of nematodes in background soil were identified, of which Helicotylenchus and Rotylenchus were dominant. The inoculation of MLF strongly affected the abundance and community structure of soil nematodes. Compared with their controls, lower total nematode numbers following MLF incorporation were found. Actinomycetes inoculation changed community structure of soil nematodes, transforming the dominant genera from Helicotylenchus and Rotylenchus into Cephalobus, Chiloplacus, and Aphelenchus. Actinomycetes incorporation resulted in a significant decrease of plant‐parasitic nematodes relative to control pots. Only plant‐parasitic and omnivorous‐predatory nematodes were found in treatments following B. subtilis inoculation, and Helicotylenchus, Rotylenchus were dominant genera with relative abundance of 76.2% and 14.3%, respectively. Although the dominant genera were still Helicotylenchus and Rotylenchus, B. thuringiensis inoculation led to a marked decrease in populations of plant‐parasitic nematodes and an increase in populations of fungivorous and bacterivorous nematodes relative to control. Shannon's diversity index (H′), evenness index (J′), richness index (SR), and Wasilewska index (WI) in pots treated with actinomycetes and B. thuringiensis filtrates were significantly higher than those of their controls, whereas significant lower dominance index (λ) in actinomycetes and B. thuringiensis treatments was observed than their controls. Plant growth was improved in the treatments inoculated with three microbes. The findings highlight that actinomycetes can most effectively suppress plant‐parasitic nematodes, increase community diversity, evenness, and richness, thus improving soil environment for turf growth.     

Does plant growth phase determine the response of plants and soil organisms to defoliation?

To test a hypothesis that the effects of defoliation on plant ecophysiology and soil organisms depend on the timing of defoliation within a growing season, we established a greenhouse experiment using replicated grassland microcosms. Each microcosms was composed of three plant species, Trifolium repens, Plantago lanceolata and Phleum pratense, growing in grassland soil with a diverse soil community. The experiment consisted of two treatment factors—defoliation and plant growth phase (PGP)—in a fully factorial design. Defoliation had two categories, i.e. no trimming or trimming a total of four times at 2 week intervals. The PGP treatment had four categories, i.e. 1, 3, 7 or 13 weeks growth following planting before the first defoliation (subsequently referred to as PGP1, PGP2, PGP3 and PGP4, respectively). In each PGP treatment category, microcosms were harvested 1 week after the final defoliation. Harvested shoot and root mass and total shoot production (including trimmed and harvested shoot mass) increased with time and were lower in defoliated than in non-defoliated systems. The fraction of root biomass of harvested plant biomass decreased with time but was increased by defoliation at PGP3 and PGP4. The proportion of T. repens in total shoot production increased and those of P. lanceolata and P. pratense decreased with time. Defoliation increased the proportions of P. lanceolata and P. pratense in total shoot production at PGP3 and PGP4. Root N and C concentrations increased and root C-to-N ratio decreased with time in non-defoliated systems. Defoliation increased root N concentration by 38 and 33% at PGP1 and PGP2, respectively, but decreased the concentration by 22% at PGP4. In contrast, defoliation reduced root C concentration on average by 1.5% at each PGP. As with the effects on root N concentration, defoliation decreased the root C-to-N ratio at PGP1 and PGP2 but increased the ratio at PGP4. Among soil animal trophic groups, the abundance of herbivorous nematodes was higher at PGP4 than at PGP1-3 and that of predacious nematodes higher at PGP2-4 than at PGP1, while the abundance of bacterivorous, fungivorous and omnivorous nematodes and that of detritivorous enchytraeids did not differ between the PGP categories. Among bacterivorous nematodes, however, Acrobeloides, Chiloplacus and Protorhabditis species decreased and that of Plectus spp. increased with time. Defoliation did not affect the abundance of soil animal trophic groups, but reduced the abundance of herbivorous Coslenchus spp. at each PGP and raised the abundance of herbivorous Rotylenchus spp. and bacterivorous Eucephalobus spp. at PGP4. Confirming our hypothesis, the results suggest that the effects of defoliation on the attributes of grassland plants, such as biomass allocation between roots and shoots and root quality, may depend on the timing of defoliation within a growing season. However, contradicting our hypothesis, the results suggest that significant changes in plant attributes after defoliation may not always lead to substantial changes in the abundance of belowground organisms.     

温室土壤食物网静态和动态结构特征

Soil food web structure is fundamental to ecosystem process and function; most studies on soil food web structure have focused on agro-ecosystems under different management practices and natural terrestrial ecosystems, but seldom on greenhouses. This study explored the static and temporal variability of soil food structure in two greenhouses of Shandong Province, North China over a two-year period. The static properties were measured directly by surveying functional group composition and a series of parameters portraying the species properties, link properties, chain properties and omnivory properties of the web, as well as indirectly through calculation of nematode indices, enrichment index （EI）, structure index （SI）, and channel index （CI）. The dynamic variability of greenhouse soil food structure was described by the dynamics of functional groups, Bray-Curtis （BC） similarity and cluster analysis. The results showed that the greenhouse soil food web contained 14 functional groups, with microbes having the highest mean biomass, followed by protozoa. Of the three functional groups of protozoa, flagellates were the dominant group on most sampling dates, amoebae only became the dominant group during the summer, while ciliates were the least prevalent group. All nematodes were assigned into one of the four functional groups, bacterivorous, fungivorous, herbivorous and omnivorous, and the fungivorous nematodes had the lowest mean biomass. Mites were assigned into three functional groups and the omnivorous noncryptostigmatic mites were the dominant group. All the functional groups showed significant seasonal changes. The soil food web connectance was 0.15, the maximum food chain length was 5, and the average food chain length was 3.6. The profiles of the EI and SI showed that the food web was resource- depleted with minimal structure. The results of CI indicated that the bacterial decomposition pathway was the dominant pathway in the food web of the greenhouse soils studied and the results of BC similarity showed that the soil food web had higher variability and instability over time. The cluster analysis showed that the functional groups located at high trophic levels with low biomass were in a cluster, whereas those at low trophic levels with high biomass were closer. Compared with the food web structure of agroecosystem and natural terrestrial ecosystem soils, the structure of greenhouse soil food web was simple and unstable, which was likely driven by high agricultural intensification, particularly over application of fertilizers.     

Plant species richness does not attenuate responses of soil microbial and nematode communities to a flood event

Human activities are causing climatic changes and alter the composition and biodiversity of ecosystems. Climate change has been and will be increasing the frequency and severity of extreme climate events and natural disasters like floods in many ecosystems. Therefore, it is important to investigate the effects of disturbances on ecosystems and identify potential stabilizing features of ecological communities. In this study, soil microbial and nematode communities were investigated in a grassland biodiversity experiment after a natural flood to investigate if plant diversity is able to attenuate or reinforce the magnitude of effects of the disturbance on soil food webs. In addition to community analyses of soil microorganisms and nematodes, the stability indices proportional resilience, proportional recovery, and proportional resistance were calculated. Generally, soil microbial biomass decreased significantly due to the flood with the strongest reduction in gram-negative bacteria, while gram-positive bacteria were less affected by flooding. Fungal biomass increased significantly three months after the flood compared to few days before the flood, reflecting elevated availability of dead plant biomass in response to the flood. Similar to the soil microbial community, nematode community structure changed considerably due to the flood by favoring colonizers (in the broadest sense r-strategists; c–p 1, 2 nematodes), particularly so at high plant diversity. None of the soil microbial community stability indices and few of the nematode stability indices were significantly affected by plant diversity, indicating limited potential of plant diversity to buffer soil food webs against flooding disturbance. However, plant diversity destabilized colonizer populations, while persister populations (in the broadest sense K-strategists; c–p 4 nematodes) were stabilized, suggesting that plant diversity can stabilize and destabilize populations depending on the ecology of the focal taxa. The present study shows that changes in plant diversity and subsequent alterations in resource availability may significantly modify the compositional shifts of soil food webs in response to disturbances.     

EDGA amendment of slightly heavy metal loaded soil affects heavy metal solubility, crop growth and microbivorous nematodes but not bacteria and herbivorous nematodes

Phytoextraction of heavy metals is a promising technology to remediate slightly and moderately contaminated soils. To enhance crops' uptake of heavy metals, chelates such as EDGA are being tested as soil additives. Heavy metal loaded EDGA can affect soil organisms such as bacteria and nematodes in various ways: directly via the soil solution surrounding the organisms and indirectly by changing the approachability, amount and quality of specific food items for nematodes and bacteria. In a pot experiment with various crops growing in slightly polluted acid sandy soil (pH 4.5, 2 mg Cd and 200 mg Zn kg⁻¹ soil), Cd and Zn loaded EDGA in the soil solution did not affect herbivorous nematodes but did strongly reduce the increase in bacterivorous nematodes. Moreover, while the crop-stimulated increase in numbers of bacterivorous nematodes dropped, the measured amounts and the growth of their food (bacteria) were not reduced. This differential effect of the EDGA addition occurred under moderate (grass) and strong (lupine and yellow mustard) stimulation of bacterivorous nematodes by the crops, and of moderate (grass, yellow mustard) and no (lupine) stimulation of herbivorous nematodes. We assume that EDGA addition did not increase the load of bacteria with adsorbed heavy metals. Probably the bacterivorous nematodes were inhibited to feed by the high concentration of heavy metal-complexed EDGA in the soil solution, also surrounding their prey (bacteria). Although EDGA addition to the soil stimulated uptake of heavy metals by the crops, it decreased heavy metal concentrations in the roots. Herbivorous nematodes were therefore not negatively affected by the EDGA addition to the soil. Fungivorous nematodes were negatively affected by EDGA addition, probably due to increased heavy metal concentrations in the fungal hyphae. Thus, EDGA can have significant side effects on the functioning of the soil organisms, and a thorough analysis of trophic relationships among soil organisms is needed to understand these effects.     

Nematode succession and microfauna-microorganism interactions during root residue decomposition

The quality of plant material affects the vigor of the decomposition process and composition of the decomposer biota. Root residues from hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth), rye (Secale cereale L.) and vetch+rye, packed in litterbags were placed in pots of soil at 15 C and the content of the bags was analyzed after 2, 4, 8 and 12 weeks. Bacterial biomass did not differ between residues with contrasting composition. Among bacterivores groups of nematodes that require high bacterial production dominated in fast decomposing resources whereas flagellates with smaller requirements prevail in slower decomposing resources. Biomass of bacterial feeding nematodes correlated positively with early phase (0-2 wk) decomposition that increased in the order: rye< vetch+rye<vetch. Bacterial biomass therefore seems to be under top-down (predation) control during early decomposition. In contrast, the fungal biomass differed between resources with highest values for rye. Moreover, this increase in fungal biomass occurred later during succession and was correlated with decomposition activity for rye in that period. Fungal biomass therefore seems to be under bottom-up (resource) control. The composition of the nematode assemblages (composed of 25 taxa) showed a clear relationship to initial plant resource quality as well as decomposition phase. Early successional microbivorous nematodes vary according to resource quality with demanding bacterivores+predators (Neodiplogasteridae) dominating in vetch and less demanding bacterivores (Rhabditidae) and fungivores (Aphelenchus) being equally common in vetch and rye. Later in the succession (2-4 wk) bacterivorous Cephalobidae and fungivorous Aphelenchoides prevailed similarly on the different root materials whereas bacterivorous protozoa and the amoebal fraction thereof dominated in rye. At week 12 no species dominated the nematode assemblages that were similar between the resources. The differences between nematode assemblages among plant resources at 2 week were similar to the results of a field study sampled after 6 weeks with the same soil and plant resources. This lends support to the relevance of the successional patterns observed in this incubation study.     

Belowground responses by AM fungi and animal trophic groups to repeated defoliation in an experimental grassland community

We tested a hypothesis that the effects of defoliation on plants and soil organisms vary with the number of successive defoliations. We established a 23-week greenhouse experiment using replicated grassland microcosms that were composed of three plant species, Trifolium repens, Plantago lanceolata and Phleum pratense, growing together in grassland soil with a diverse soil community. The experiment consisted of two treatment factors-defoliation and harvest time-in a fully factorial design. The defoliation treatment had two levels, i.e. no trimming and trimming of plants every 2 weeks, and the harvest time five levels, i.e. harvests after 1-3, 5 and 7 trimmings. Shoot production (trimmed plus harvested shoot mass), harvested shoot and root mass and root N and C concentrations increased with time but were reduced by defoliation. Colonization rates of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi decreased with time in T. repens roots but were enhanced by defoliation, whereas AM colonization rates in P. pratense roots were not affected by harvest time or defoliation. The abundance of bacterivorous and fungivorous nematodes decreased and that of herbivorous and predatory nematodes increased with time, while the abundance of omnivorous nematodes and detritivorous enchytraeids varied in time without a linear trend. Defoliation had no effect on fungivores and predators but increased the abundance of bacterivores. Defoliation also increased the abundance of herbivores, omnivores and detritivores after 2 trimmings and that of omnivores and detritivores after 5 trimmings, but had a negative effect on omnivores after 3 trimmings and on herbivores after 7 trimmings. Among nematode genera, some deviation from the trophic group responses existed: for instance, defoliation reduced the abundance of bacterivorous Acrobeloides spp. and did not affect the abundance of herbivorous Filenchus spp. and Paratylenchus spp. Our results show that the effects of defoliation on plants, AM fungi and some soil animal trophic groups may remain constant all the way through several defoliations, whereas other animal trophic groups may have different and even opposite responses to defoliation depending on the length of the defoliation period before monitoring. This shows how separate studies with defoliation periods of different length can produce contradictory results of the effects of defoliation on the abundance of soil animals.     

O_3浓度升高对麦季土壤-植株系统中微量元素的影响

利用O3-FACE平台研究近地面臭氧浓度升高（目标值比周围大气高50%）对2009—2010年间麦季各生育期不同深度（0～5cm,5～10cm和10～15cm）耕层土壤微量元素有效性和成熟期地上部分微量元素累积量的影响。结果表明,近地层大气O3浓度增加提高了麦季耕层（0～15cm）土壤中有效性Fe、Mn含量,降低了有效性Cu、Zn含量,对Zn的减幅达27.3%（P〈0.05）;大气O3浓度升高对土壤5～10cm土层DTPA提取态Fe、Mn、Cu、Zn的影响最大;高O3浓度显著降低了5～10cm和10～15cm土壤DTPA-Zn含量（P〈0.05）。O3浓度升高降低了小麦成熟期生物量和微量元素累积量。对不同层次土壤有效态微量元素和成熟期微量元素累积量对O3浓度升高响应进行了分析,同时指出应从土壤性质和作物生长两个方面进一步研究全球大气环境变化对土壤有效态微量元素的影响机制。     

Rehabilitation of the nematode fauna in a phytostabilized,heavily zinc-contaminated,sandy soil

Background Aim and Scope  The Maatheide in Lommel, Belgium, is an extremely metal contaminated, sandy area where vegetation has disappeared over ca. 130 hectares due to the activities of a former pyrometallurgical zinc smelter. To reduce the environmental impact of this area a rehabilitation strategy had to be developed. Therefore, in the centre of this area, an experimental phytostabilization (grass) field of three hectares had been installed in 1990. After a grass cover had been established, the development of the nematode fauna in the phyto-stabilized soil was studied. Nematodes act at various levels in soil ecosystems: herbivorous species extract their food from plant roots, bacterivorous and fungivorous species feed on microbes, predatory species consume other nematodes, and omnivorous species have mixed diets. In a mature soil ecosystem that normally exercises its manifold functions, a diverse nematode fauna occurs, reflecting the intactness of the ecosystem. As such, this fauna is indicative of crop growth, vegetative diversity, organic matter decomposition, microbial activity and diversity, and the maturity of the soil ecosystem. Methods  A metal immobilizing soil amendment (beringite) and municipal waste compost (to improve the nutrient status and water-retaining capacity) were incorporated in the soil and metal tolerant ecotypes of grasses were sown. Soil samples for nematode analyses were taken four times. Results  As a result of the treatment, pH of the soil increased and the water extractable amount of Zn was strongly reduced. Grass growth revitalized the impoverished soil ecosystem, organisms as well as metabolic processes. The nematode fauna of the experimental field in the Maatheide has been studied since 1997 and the recovery of the various feeding guilds and taxa was checked again in 2002. Nematode densities and feeding guilds have normalized, with omnivores and predators as the last guilds to reappear. Up to 27 species with a current diversity were observed in the grass-covered experimental plot, but a number of ubiquitous species, present at a comparable site at some distance, remained absent. Conclusion  It can thus be concluded that rehabilitation of an impoverished soil ecosystem is possible in heavily contaminated soils by means of phytostabilization, but there are some limitations on rehabilitation, since a number of common nematode species remained absent. Further research should indicate if this absence is indicative of a loss of essential processes in the soil. Recommendation and Perspective. Phytostabilization of heavily zinc-contaminated, sandy soil also remediates impoverished soil ecosystems. In particular, the recovery of nematode feeding categories is indicative for the normalization of soil life. The absence/presence of a number of ubiquitous taxa should be checked again after some time to verify if recovery is completed.     

Belowground nematode herbivores are resistant to elevated atmospheric CO2 concentrations in grassland ecosystems

Grasslands are considered to be one of the most sensitive ecosystems to rising atmospheric CO₂ concentrations, since, in addition to direct effects of elevated CO₂ on plant growth, indirect increases in water availability as an effect of elevated CO₂ may enhance primary production and alter plant community composition in these typically dry ecosystems. Moreover, grasslands support large populations of belowground herbivores that consume a major portion of plant biomass. The direct trophic link between herbivores and plants suggests that primary consumers may be particularly sensitive to rising CO₂ concentrations; however, the responses of belowground grassland herbivores have rarely been investigated. Here, we report the response of a range of herbivorous nematode populations to elevated CO₂ concentrations from three distinct grassland experiments. The three studies each involved 5–6 years of CO₂ fumigation, utilized natural or representative plant and soil communities, and were sampled at the end of the growing season. In the vast majority of cases, elevated CO₂ did not affect the abundance of nematode families; only two nematode families were significantly influenced by CO₂ enrichment (Anguinidae increased in one case and Hoplolaimidae decreased in another). Similarly, elevated CO₂ did not influence the total abundance, family richness, diversity or plant parasitic index of the herbivorous nematode community. These neutral responses to CO₂ enrichment occurred despite increased root production in all three experiments, suggesting a simultaneous antagonistic mechanism may have operated, possibly decreased root quality and/or changes in the soil environment. Whatever the mechanism, our findings suggest that herbivorous nematodes in grassland ecosystems are resistant to rising atmospheric CO₂ concentrations.     

Interactions between arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and fungivorous nematodes on the growth and arsenic uptake of tobacco in arsenic-contaminated soils

The effects of inoculation with two AM fungi (M1, Glomus caledonium; M2, Glomus spp. and Acaulospora spp.) and a fungivorous nematode Aphelenchoides sp. on growth and arsenic (As) uptake of Nicotiana tabacum L. were investigated in soils contaminated with a range of As. The reproduction of Aphelenchoides sp. was triggered by the co-inoculation of AM fungi regardless of AM fungal isolates and As levels. Stimulative effects of Aphelenchoides sp. on the development of mycorrhiza, slightly different between two AM fungi, were found particularly at the lowest As level. Irrespective of mycorrhizal inoculi, increasing soil As level decreased plant growth, but increased plant As uptake. Co-inoculation of AM fungi and Aphelenchoides sp. led plants to achieving further growth and greater As accumulation at the lowest As level. Results showed that the interactions between AM fungi and fungivorous nematodes were important in plant As tolerance and phytoextraction at low level As-polluted soil.