长期施肥对黑土团聚化作用及碳、氮含量的影响

利用田间定位试验,研究了长期施用有机肥和化肥对黑土团聚化作用及碳、氮含量的影响。团聚体分级结果表明,小团聚体是土壤的主要组成部分,占土壤重量的48.86%~60.24%。长期施用有机肥可显著增加土壤中大团聚体的比例,提高土壤团聚体的稳定性;而化肥的施用则增加了土壤中微团聚体和粉+黏粒的含量,降低土壤团聚体的稳定性。施用有机肥能显著增加土壤有机碳和总氮的含量,而化肥只有与有机肥配施时才能显著增加土壤有机碳和总氮的含量。有机肥的施用能够降低土壤C/N,表明有机肥的施用更有利于土壤氮素水平的提高。     

三种南方典型水稻土长期试验下有机碳积累机制研究Ⅲ.两种水稻土颗粒有机质结构特征的变化

采用固体交叉极化魔角自旋¹³C核磁共振(CPMAS¹³C-NMR)波谱技术对长期不同施肥处理下红壤性水稻土和太湖地区黄泥土本体土壤以及水稳性团聚体中颗粒有机质（POM）的化学结构特征进行了研究。结果表明,不同施肥处理下本体土壤和不同粒径水稳性团聚体中POM的结构组成相似,主要由烷氧C、烷基C和芳香C组成,其中以烷氧C含量最高。施肥改变了本体土壤POM中各类C原子的相对百分含量,有机肥以及化肥配施有机肥条件下烷氧C含量明显降低,芳香C和酚基C含量有不同程度的增加,表明POM的稳定性增强;单施化肥下烷氧C含量最高,而烷基C、芳香C和芳香度均最低,POM的稳定性减弱,不利于POM的积累。施肥改变了黄泥土不同粒径水稳性团聚体中POM各类C原子的相对百分含量,从而使得不同粒径中POM对其团聚体的稳定性作用发生变化;而红壤性水稻土不同粒径水稳性团聚体POM各类C原子的相对百分含量并未明显受到施肥措施的影响。     

长期施肥与覆膜对半干旱区马铃薯农田土壤团聚体分布及其有机碳含量的影响

以国家土壤质量安定观测实验站黄绵土区的农田长期定位试验为研究平台,研究长期施肥与覆膜对半干旱区马铃薯农田土壤团聚体分布及其有机碳含量的影响。结果表明:耕层土壤团聚体占比随着粒径的减小呈先降低后增加的变化趋势,团聚体有机碳含量随粒径减小呈增加趋势。施肥显著影响马铃薯农田土壤团聚体分布及有机碳含量。长期化肥与有机肥配施(NPK+OM)和单施有机肥(OM)较单施化肥(NPK)显著增加>0.25 mm团聚体含量(R0.25)和平均质量直径(MWD),显著提高大团聚体(>1 mm)对有机碳的贡献率。长期施用有机肥(NPK+OM和OM)较单施化肥(NPK)显著增加0～20 cm土层土壤团聚体有机碳储量,增幅达63.5%～82.8%。长期覆膜导致>2 mm粒径的大团聚体数量和MWD显著下降,覆膜与单施化肥(NPK)对团聚体有机碳含量及其储量影响不明显。综上所述,在西北黄土丘陵半干旱区和黄绵土质地条件下,长期化肥与有机肥配施(NPK+OM)或单用有机肥(OM)可显著提高耕层土壤大团聚体含量(R0.25)及其稳定性,促进新碳向大团聚体富集,增加团聚体有机碳储量,有利于农田土壤固碳。地膜覆盖影响土壤团聚体的分布和稳定性,但对团聚体有机碳影响不明显。     

有机物料对稻田土壤团聚体及有机碳分布的影响

通过连续5年定位试验,以紫云英、秸秆和商品有机肥等有机物料还田的稻田土壤为对象,研究有机物料还田后不同物理分组下土壤组成特点和有机碳变化特征。结果表明,稻田土壤团聚体主要分布在2~0.25mm与0.25~0.053mm粒级,团聚体颗粒有机碳含量随着粒径的减小而减少。有机物料还田可提高0.25~0.053mm和0.053mm粒级团聚体有机碳的含量,紫云英、秸秆、商品有机肥等有机物料可通过提高土壤微团聚体有机碳含量而增加土壤碳库。有机物料施用增加土壤轻组组分颗粒含量,减少重组组分颗粒含量,有助于土壤轻组组分的形成。稻田土壤轻组颗粒有机碳含量与0.25mm和0.053mm团聚体颗粒有机碳含量呈显著相关,与2~0.25mm团聚体颗粒有机碳含量呈极显著相关。稻田土壤施用紫云英、秸秆和商品有机肥等有机物料,可有效提高土壤微团聚体和轻组成分颗粒含量,增加土壤微团聚体和轻组有机碳含量,改变稻田土壤有机碳库组成特征。     

长期添加外源有机物料对华北农田土壤团聚体有机碳组分的影响

土壤有机碳和团聚体对土壤肥力、作物产量、农业和环境发挥着重要作用,是土壤肥力的核心和可持续农业的基础。本研究依托中国科学院栾城农业生态系统试验站18年野外长期有机质物料和矿质肥料配施试验,开展不同施肥模式对土壤团聚体组成以及各组分有机碳在团聚体中分布影响的研究,为阐明不同农业管理措施下土壤有机碳的物理保护机制提供依据。试验共设6个处理:对照(CK)、单施秸秆(S)、单施有机粪肥(M)、单施化肥(NPK)、化肥配施秸秆(SNPK)和化肥配施有机粪肥(MNPK)。利用干筛法将全土筛分为大团聚体(2 mm)、小团聚体(0.25～2 mm)和微团聚体(0.25 mm) 3种粒径团聚体,分别测定不同处理下全土及3种粒级团聚体中总有机碳(TOC)、可溶性有机碳(DOC)、酸解活性有机碳(AC)、惰性有机碳(ROC)和易氧化有机碳(LOC)含量。结果表明:施肥对土壤团聚体分布及稳定性有显著影响, SNPK显著提高了粒径0.25 mm团聚体含量和团聚体稳定性;DOC和ROC含量与粒径2mm团聚体含量显著正相关,其对促进大团聚体形成至关重要。不同施肥处理下土壤团聚体各有机碳组分含量存在差异,与传统的单独施用化肥处理(NPK)相比,SNPK和MNPK均显著提高了全土和团聚体各组分有机碳含量, SNPK对土壤有机碳的提升效果优于MNPK。各有机碳组分在团聚体中的含量均为小团聚体大团聚体微团聚体,其中,70%以上的各组分有机碳来自于粒径0.25mm的团聚体。在施用化肥基础上增施有机肥(MNPK)和实施秸秆还田(SNPK)提高了LOC在TOC中的占比,使LOC/TOC由CK的11.94%分别增加到14.95%和15.70%。MNPK利于LOC保存在大团聚体中,提高了土壤供肥能力;而SNPK促进了LOC向较小粒径团聚体迁移,增强了其在团聚体中的稳定性,提高了土壤的保肥能力。由此可见,长期实施有机无机肥料配合可以提高土壤碳储量和稳定性,这为全面实施秸秆还田的基础上推行有机粪肥部分替代化肥的养分管理策略提供了理论依据。     

连续施肥20年后棕壤团聚体分布和碳储量变化

利用两种不同分离方法(干筛法与湿筛法)对耕作施肥20年后棕壤的团聚体组成、团聚体有机碳含量以及有机碳储量进行了研究。结果表明:棕壤团聚体以0.25～1mm团聚体为主。与长期不施肥比较,除0.25～1mm粒级外长期施用氮磷化肥使风干团聚体和水稳性团聚体中较大团聚体和微团聚体数量下降,降低了各级风干团聚体中有机碳积累,增加了水稳性团聚体中有机碳积累;长期施用有机肥较大团聚体和微团聚体数量增加及其相连的有机碳含量和储量均增加;长期有机无机肥配施大团聚体数量下降,微团聚体数量增加,有机碳含量均增加,大团聚体碳库储量下降,微团聚体碳库储量增加。由此可见长期施有机肥土壤结构改善,固C潜力增加。长期高量有机肥与无机肥配施可能有利于土壤固碳,但不利于作物生长。     

不同种类有机肥施用对黑土团聚体有机碳及腐殖质组成的影响

以吉林省农业科学院黑土有机培肥定位试验基地为平台,研究了不同种类有机肥(堆腐肥、鸡粪、牛粪和猪粪)施用对土壤及不同粒级团聚体中有机碳和腐殖质组成的影响。结果表明:与不施肥(CK)和单施化肥(NPK)相比,有机肥配施化肥显著(P0.05)增加了土壤有机碳、胡敏酸碳(HAC)和胡敏素碳(HUC)含量;同时,有机肥配施化肥也增加了不同粒级团聚体中有机碳和腐殖质碳含量,其中施用堆腐肥显著增加了各粒级团聚体中有机碳、HAC和HUC含量。不同种类有机肥相比,施用堆腐肥处理的土壤有机碳、HAC和HUC含量均高于其他有机肥处理,并与牛粪处理之间差异显著;施用堆腐肥和牛粪后,0.25mm粒级团聚体有机碳含量高于其他有机肥处理,且2~0.25mm粒级团聚体有机碳含量显著高于鸡粪处理;从不同粒级团聚体中腐殖质组分的分布来看,施用堆腐肥后,2~0.25mm粒级团聚体中HAC和HUC含量显著高于猪粪处理,而0.25~0.053,0.053mm粒级团聚体中HAC含量显著低于鸡粪处理。上述结果说明,有机肥配施化肥提高了土壤团聚体中有机碳和腐殖质碳含量,但不同有机肥的效应不同。     

施肥措施对复垦土壤团聚体碳氮含量和作物产量的影响

研究复垦后不同施肥措施下有机碳（OC）和全氮（TN）在水稳性团聚体及粉黏粒组分中的分布特征，以期深入理解不同施肥措施下土壤有机碳的固持机制。以生土和连续6年不同施肥措施的复垦土壤为研究对象，采集0～20 cm耕层土壤样品，利用湿筛法进行土壤粒径分组，分析大粒径大团聚体（> 2 mm）、小粒径大团聚体（0.25～2 mm）、微团聚体（0.053～0.25 mm）和粉黏粒组分（< 0.053 mm）中OC和TN含量，判断各粒径团聚体及粉黏粒组分中有机碳储量的驱动因素，探究团聚体及粉黏粒组分中有机碳含量与作物产量之间的关系。试验设不施肥（CK）、施氮磷钾化肥（NPK）、单施有机肥（M）和有机无机肥配施（MNPK）4个处理。结果表明：1）整个试验周期（2008-2013年），同CK相比， NPK、M以及MNPK处理均显著提高了玉米籽粒产量，且以MNPK处理的效果最显著，分别提高了79.49%、116.07%和113.85%。     

有机物料对原生盐碱土微团聚体特征及稳定性的影响

为了研究不同有机物料对原生盐碱土微团聚体粒径分布状况及不同粒径微团聚体间有机碳含量的影响,以施用有机物料的原生盐碱土为试验对象,设置空白处理(CK)、颗粒状秸秆处理(GW)、正常玉米秸秆处理(CS)、牧草处理(GS)和羊粪处理(SM),采用大田试验与室内分析相结合的方法,研究不同有机物料施用下土壤微团聚体的粒径分布状况及不同粒径微团聚体间有机碳含量,分析不同粒径微团聚体间有机碳对土壤微团聚体稳定性的贡献。结果表明,施用有机物料各处理较CK处理均增加土壤2~0.25mm的团聚体含量,增幅为9.02%~20.37%,其大小排序为GW>SM>GS>CS>CK。对于其他粒径微团聚体分布影响则有所差异。总体来说,有机物料处理增加了土壤大粒径团聚体含量,减少了土壤小粒径团聚体含量。不同有机物料的施用均能增加各粒径土壤微团聚体间有机碳含量。同时,有机物料的施用增加了土壤微团聚体的稳定性,采用回归模型分析、相关分析、冗余分析以及主成分因子分析,表明施用颗粒秸秆更有利于增加土壤微团聚体的稳定性。     

长期施肥措施下灰漠土有机碳及团聚体稳定性特征

团聚体的物理保护是土壤有机碳稳定的重要机制之一,团聚体的形成也必须依赖土壤中的有机碳。通过31年的长期定位试验,研究不同养分管理措施对土壤有机碳及团聚体稳定性的影响,探明土壤各粒级团聚体结合碳的分配状况,探讨土壤团聚体对有机碳的物理保护机制,为西北干旱区农田土壤碳优化管理提供依据。采集6个不同施肥措施的长期试验处理的土样,采用湿筛法对土壤团聚体组分和团聚体结合有机碳进行分离并测定,对土壤总有机碳、团聚体分布状况、团聚体结合有机碳等进行分析,并对土壤团聚体稳定和大团聚的周转进行评价。结果显示,长期施用有机肥的土壤有机碳含量达39.7 g·kg-1,比不施肥和秸秆还田分别提高了1.8、1.4倍。有机肥和秸秆还田均可提高土壤有机碳,而单独施化肥或撂荒土壤有机碳仅能维持平衡。除此之外,施用有机肥或秸秆还田,土壤大团聚体分别提高了246%和147%,显著提高了土壤团聚化程度,大团聚体的周转速率分别是不施肥的33%和53%,速率显著减缓(P<0.05),而且还可进一步提高土壤大团聚体,团聚体结合的有机碳向较为稳定的细颗粒态有机碳转化,更有利于有机碳的固定。单独施化肥或撂荒土壤有机碳维持平衡,土壤大团聚体密度和团聚体稳定性均比不施肥有显著提高,大团聚体的周转速率显著减缓。土壤有机碳含量较低时,粉粘粒有机碳含量占主要优势,而当土壤富含有机碳时,细颗粒有机碳含量占主要优势。综上所述,施用有机肥不但可以弥补因耕作的破坏导致的大团聚体下降,还可促进土壤大团聚体的形成,增强土壤团聚体稳定性,新增的有机碳首先与大团聚体结合,然后主要以细颗粒态有机碳固定,效果好于秸秆还田。长期单独施用化肥难以提高土壤有机碳、微团聚体包裹的有机碳和大团聚体中的细颗粒有机碳相对稳定,通过撂荒可减少对土壤的物理破坏,促进大团聚体的积累。     

Availability and extractability of soil manganese in a liming experiment

Abstract

The availability of soil Mn to corn in relation to extractability of soil Mn by EDTA, Mg(NO₃)₂, CH₃COONH₄, hydroquinone, H₃PO₄, and NH₄H₂PO₄ as affected by liming was evaluated under field conditions on a single soil type. EDTA, Mg(NO₃)₂ and CH₃COONH₄‐extractable Mn were related inversely to available Mn. No useful relationships were found between hydroquinone, H₃PO₄, and NH₄H₂PO₄‐extractable soil Mn and Mn uptake by sweet corn.     

An examination of the total analysis of major elements in soil samples

Recently conventional chemical analyses were mostly replaced by instrumental analysis. Although results from both methods were examined in details after the samples had been solubilized or extracted by appropriate techniques, the solubilization method was considerably altered so as to be convenient for the following analysis. In atomic absorption spectrophotometry (AAS), for example, fusion technique was mostly inadequate because of the higher salts concentration in the obtained solution. The use of H₂SO₄ must also be avoided in acid digestion for SO₄ ^2- precipitates with Sr²⁺ or La³⁺ which must be added to eliminate interferences in the succeeding procedure. Therefore, it is essential to consider the whole scheme including sample treatments to evaluate the suitability of instrumental analysis. In this experiment, the suitability of the methods which have been employed in our laboratory was examined by analyzing 9 rock standards.     

氰在土壤中的吸附与转化

氰(C2N2)是一种具有替代溴甲烷潜力的新熏蒸剂,明确C2N2在土壤中的吸附与转化行为对C2N2的安全应用具有重要的意义.利用静态法研究了C2N2在土壤中的吸附与转化过程,土壤对C2N2的吸附速率与土壤的理化性质有关,受环境温度、土壤含水量和土壤生物的影响较少,与熏蒸浓度无关.采用气相色谱(GC)和流动注射分析仪(FIA)测定了土壤对C2N2的吸附率和C2N2在土壤中的可能转化产物.结果表明,土壤对C2N2的吸附能力很强,熏蒸2h吸附率在75％以上,熏蒸24 h吸附率在98％以上,并可快速转化为HCN、NH4+和NO3-.其中,大约20％的C2N2转化为NH4+和NO3-,13％的C2N2转化为HCN.熏蒸48 h未检测到NO2-.HCN在土壤中不稳定,可进一步转化为其他含氮化合物.     

Influence of water depth and soil amelioration on greenhouse gas emissions from peat soil columns

Recently, large areas of tropical peatland have been converted into agricultural fields. To be used for agricultural activities, peat soils need to be drained, limed and fertilized due to excess water, low nutrient content and high acidity. Water depth and amelioration have significant effects on greenhouse gas (GHG) production. Twenty-seven soil samples were collected from Jabiren, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia, in 2014 to examine the effect of water depth and amelioration on GHG emissions. Soil columns were formed in the peatland using polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipe with a diameter of 21 cm and a length of 100 cm. The PVC pipe was inserted vertically into the soil to a depth of 100 cm and carefully pulled up with the soil inside after sealing the bottom. The treatments consisting of three static water depths (15, 35 and 55 cm from the soil surface) and three ameliorants (without ameliorant/control, biochar+compost and steel slag+compost) were arranged using a randomized block design with two factors and three replications. Fluxes of carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane (CH₄) and nitrous oxide (N₂O) from the soil columns were measured weekly. There was a linear relationship between water depth and CO₂ emissions. No significant difference was observed in the CH₄ emissions in response to water depth and amelioration. The ameliorations influenced the CO₂ and N₂O emissions from the peat soil. The application of biochar+compost enhanced the CO₂ and N₂O emissions but reduced the CH₄ emission. Moreover, the application of steel slag+compost increased the emissions of all three gases. The highest CO₂ and N₂O emissions occurred in response to the biochar+compost treatment followed by the steel slag-compost treatment and without ameliorant. Soil pH, redox potential (Eh) and temperature influenced the CO₂, CH₄ and N₂O fluxes. Experiments for monitoring water depth and amelioration should be developed using peat soil as well as peat soil–crop systems.     

Winter soil CO2 efflux and its contribution to annual soil respiration in different ecosystems of a forest-steppe ecotone, north China

Most soil respiration measurements are conducted during the growing season. In tundra and boreal forest ecosystems, cumulative winter soil CO₂ fluxes are reported to be a significant component of their annual carbon budgets. However, little information on winter soil CO₂ efflux is known from mid-latitude ecosystems. Therefore, comparing measurements of soil respiration taken annually versus during the growing season will improve the accuracy of ecosystem carbon budgets and the response of soil CO₂ efflux to climate changes. In this study we measured winter soil CO₂ efflux and its contribution to annual soil respiration for seven ecosystems (three forests: Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica plantation, Larix principis-rupprechtii plantation and Betula platyphylla forest; two shrubs: Rosa bella and Malus baccata; and two meadow grasslands) in a forest-steppe ecotone, north China. Overall mean winter and growing season soil CO₂ effluxes were 0.15-0.26 μmol m⁻² s⁻¹ and 2.65-4.61 μmol m⁻² s⁻¹, respectively, with significant differences in the growing season among the different ecosystems. Annual Q₁₀ (increased soil respiration rate per 10 °C increase in temperature) was generally higher than the growing season Q₁₀. Soil water content accounted for 84% of the variations in growing season Q₁₀ and soil temperature range explained 88% of the variation in annual Q₁₀. Soil organic carbon density to 30 cm depth was a good surrogate for SR₁₀ (basal soil respiration at a reference temperature of 10 °C). Annual soil CO₂ efflux ranged from 394.76 g C m⁻² to 973.18 g C m⁻² using observed ecosystem-specific response equations between soil respiration and soil temperature. Estimates ranged from 424.90 g C m⁻² to 784.73 g C m⁻² by interpolating measured soil respiration between sampling dates for every day of the year and then computing the sum to obtain the annual value. The contributions of winter soil CO₂ efflux to annual soil respiration were 3.48-7.30% and 4.92-7.83% using interpolated and modeled methods, respectively. Our results indicate that in mid-latitude ecosystems, soil CO₂ efflux continues throughout the winter and winter soil respiration is an important component of annual CO₂ efflux.     

Flow-microcalorimetry measurements of aerobic and anaerobic soil microbial activity

Heat output can be used as an indicator of microbial activity and is usually measured in a microcalorimeter with closed ampoules. In long-term experiments particularly, interpretation of the data is hindered by the changing environment in the closed ampoules because of O₂ consumption and CO₂ enrichment. We used a combination of a flow-microcalorimeter and a gas chromatograph to measure the heat flux and CO₂ and N₂O production rates under controlled conditions. Simultaneous detection of the heat output and CO₂ emission allowed calculation of the calorimetric: CO₂ (Cal/CO₂) ratio. A mean ratio of-435 kJ mol^-1 CO₂ was detected in six different soils amended with glucose and incubated under aerobic conditions. This ratio indicated that CO₂ was the end-product of catabolism. In wet 10–12 mm soil aggregates of a gleyic vertisol amended with glucose, values of-285 kJ mol^-1 CO₂ under an aerobic and-141 kJ mol^-1 CO₂ under a N₂ atmosphere was determined. These findings indicated that fermentative metabolism occurred. The Cal/CO₂ ratio was not affected when enough NO _inf3 ^sup- was available and denitrification processes (N₂O production) were possible.     

Nitrous oxide production at different soil moisture contents in an arable soil in China

Abstract

Laboratory incubations were conducted to investigate nitrous oxide (N₂O) production from a subtropical arable soil (Typic Plinthodults) incubated at different soil moisture contents (SMC) and with different nitrogen sources using a 10% (v/v) acetylene (C₂H₂) inhibitory technique at 25°C. The production of N₂O and CO₂ was monitored during the incubations and changes in the contents of KCl-extractable NO^? ₃-N and NH⁺ ₄-N were determined. The production of N₂O increased slightly with an increase in SMC from 40% water-holding capacity (WHC) to 70% WHC, but increased dramatically at 100% WHC. After incubation the NO^? ₃-N content increased even at a SMC of 100% WHC. At a SMC of 100% WHC, the addition of NH⁺ ₄-N promoted the production of N₂O and CO₂, whereas the addition of NO^? ₃-N decreased N₂O production. Compared with the incubation without C₂H₂, the presence of C₂H₂ increased NH⁺ ₄-N content, but decreased NO^? ₃-N content, and there was no significant difference in N₂O production. These results indicate that heterotrophic nitrification contributes to N₂O production in the soil.     

Comparison of chemical methods of assessing potentially available organic nitrogen in soil

Abstract

We recently developed two rapid and precise chemical methods of assessing potentially available organic N in soils. One method involves determination of the ammonia‐N produced by steam distillation of the soil sample with pH 11.2 phosphate‐borate buffer solution for 8 min. The other involves determination of the ammonium‐N produced by treatment of the soil sample with 2M KCl solution at 100°C for 4 hours. Studies using 33 Brazilian soils showed that the results obtained by these methods were highly correlated with those obtained by anaerobic and aerobic incubation methods of assessing potentially available organic N in soil.

The two methods were further evaluated by applying them to 30 Iowa soils and by comparing their results and those obtained by other chemical methods with the results of the incubation methods considered to be the best laboratory methods currently available for assessment of potentially available organic N in soil. The chemical methods used included the acid KMnO₄ method, the alkaline KMnO₄ method, the CaCl₂‐autoclave method, and the NaHCO₃ UV method. The incubation methods used involved determination of the ammonium‐N produced by incubation of the soil sample under anaerobic conditions for 1 week or determination of the (ammonium + nitrate + nitrite)‐N produced by incubation of the sample under aerobic conditions for 2 and 12 weeks. The data obtained showed that the results of the two chemical methods evaluated were highly correlated with those obtained by the incubation techniques used for comparison and that the correlations observed with these two methods were higher than those observed with the previously proposed chemical methods. It is concluded that these two rapid and simple methods are the best chemical methods thus far developed for laboratory assessment of potentially available organic N in soil.     

Heterotrophy-coordinated diazotrophy is associated with significant changes of rare taxa in soil microbiome

Soil heterotrophic respiration during decomposition of carbon (C)-rich organic matter plays a vital role in sustaining soil fertility. However, it remains poorly understood whether dinitrogen (N₂) fixation occurs in support of soil heterotrophic respiration. In this study, ¹⁵N₂-tracing indicated that strong N₂ fixation occurred during heterotrophic respiration of carbon-rich glucose. Soil organic ¹⁵N increased from 0.37 atom% to 2.50 atom% under aerobic conditions and to 4.23 atom% under anaerobic conditions, while the concomitant CO₂ flux increased by 12.0-fold under aerobic conditions and 5.18-fold under anaerobic conditions. Soil N₂ fixation was completely absent in soils replete with inorganic N, although soil N bioavailability did not alter soil respiration. High-throughput sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene further indicated that: i) under aerobic conditions, only 15.2% of soil microbiome responded positively to glucose addition, and these responses were significantly associated with soil respiration and N₂ fixation and ii) under anaerobic conditions, the percentage of responses was even lower at 5.70%. Intriguingly, more than 95% of these responses were originally rare with < 0.5% relative abundance in background soils, including typical N₂-fixing heterotrophs such as Azotobacter and Clostridium and well-recognized non-N₂-fixing heterotrophs such as Sporosarcina, Agromyces, and Sedimentibacter. These results suggest that only a small portion of the soil microbiome could respond quickly to the amendment of readily accessible organic C in a fluvo-aquic soil and highlighted that rare phylotypes might have played more important roles than previously appreciated in catalyzing soil C and nitrogen turnovers. Our study indicates that N₂ fixation could be closely associated with microbial turnover of soil organic C when available in excess.     

Background level of nitrous oxide in the atmosphere in relation to flux from soil

According to Broadbent and Clark (3), there are numerous data indicating that denitrification leads to the emission of N₂O together with N₂, whereby loss of N is developed from soils. Nitrous oxide is also released from soils to the atmosphere during the nitrification of ammonium and ammonium-producing fertilizers under aerobic conditions (1). Relatively few attempts have been made to directly measure N₂O evolution under field conditions (6, 7, 10–12), although a number of laboratory studies have been reported. These studies are essential for determining the N balance between additions and losses of soil N.