集约化互作体系植物根系高效获取土壤养分的策略与机制

【目的】植物根系的形态与生理变化是植物从土壤中高效获取养分资源的重要机制，由相同物种或不同物种组成的互作体系中植物根系对养分的吸收利用受相邻植物竞争的强烈影响，阐明互作体系不同竞争条件下植物根系获取养分的策略并揭示其作用机制，这是基于根系觅食行为探讨养分高效利用的根际调控途径与技术措施的重要理论基础。主要进展根系属性的互补性有利于降低根系间对养分的竞争。根系构型的互补性，例如深根系与浅根系植物互作，促进个体植株对土壤剖面不同深度养分的吸收利用；由根系可塑性介导的水平方向上根系空间分布的互补性，提高了植物根系对同一土层不同空间位点土壤养分的挖掘；个体植株根系形态属性与相邻植物根际生理过程的互补性促进根系对不同形态养分的利用。互作体系根系获取养分的策略具有高度互补性，这有助于提高整个作物系统的养分利用效率，进而提高生产力。根系空间生态位的分离 (包括垂直与水平方向) 以及根际生物化学特征生态位的分离，是驱动互作体系根系高效获取养分资源的主要机制。合理的根层调控可以提高植物根系挖掘土壤养分的能力；优化互作体系物种的搭配能充分发挥根的互作效能，提高养分利用的生物潜力。问题与展望今后应进一步针对集约化高投入作物体系，通过管理根层养分供应和物种间的互作效应，强化根际养分信号的调控作用，调节根系形态与生理特性，降低种间竞争，增强种间互利，以最大化根系和根际的生物学潜力，提高养分利用效率和作物产量，为实现以节肥增效为核心的可持续集约化作物生产提供重要的调控策略与途径。     

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。     

农林复合系统植物竞争研究进展

植物竞争是农林复合系统成功和可持续性的主要决定因素.使资源竞争最小化,资源利用最大化,是农林复合系统提高产量和总生产力的核心.本文对农林复合系统中林木一作物间对光、水分和养分的竞争作用、化感作用及与竞争相关的植物特性进行了综述.一般认为,在湿润地区,农林复合系统地上部分对光的竞争可能是系统生产力的主要决定因素;而在温带地区和半干旱热带地区,地下部分对水分的竞争可能限制着系统的生产力.在农林复合系统中,植物对光的竞争能力由叶面积、冠层结构等决定,对土壤水分和养分的竞争能力则取决于植物根系所占据的土壤空间、根系的形态和生理塑性、植物根系在土壤中的时空分布格局等.今后应加强不同区域农林复合系统中不同组分间的竞争作用的比较、竞争过程及生理机理、化感作用、菌根影响植物竞争的作用和机理、地上部分竞争和地下部分竞争的相互作用、全球变化与植物竞争等方面的研究.     

植物根系对养分缺乏和毒害的适应及其与养分吸收效率的关系

根系是植物对养分最敏感的部位,直接与养分接触,参与养分的吸收过程,在养分胁迫(缺乏或毒害)下最先引起反应。植物在低氮、低磷、低钾和元素中毒胁迫下,其形态和生理上都发生一定的变化。综述了养分缺乏和元素毒害胁迫下植物根系形态的变化、生理反应、分子生物学基础及其与养分吸收效率和对元素毒害的抗性的关系。     

黄土区植物根系对营养元素在土壤剖面中迁移强度的影响

不同植物群落根系对土壤元素迁移具有显著影响,不同基因型植物细根的特殊剖面分布特征,是其适应和改善土壤养分物理化学逆境的生理生态学基础。采用原状土柱淋滤实验装置及大型挖掘剖面壁法,在陕北黄土丘陵沟壑区研究并定量分析了不同径级根系对黄土中营养元素K、Na、Ca、Mg、Cu、Mn、Fe、Si、Al迁移强度的影响,旨在探索土壤养分生物有效性的提高途径。结果表明,不同植被类型土壤营养元素淋溶迁移的剖面差异并非完全取决于土壤中元素或矿物含量的大小,而是主要受制于直径1mm的须根根系在剖面中的缠绕分布特征。不同植被类型土壤中营养元素的迁移强度随土层深度增加呈递减规律。不同植物根系对黄土中营养元素迁移强度的影响具有显著差异,其大小顺序为:林地草地农地。林、草地土壤中元素迁移强度序列有明显变异的临界土层深度分别在30cm和10cm处。在林、草地和农地土层中常量元素水迁移强度序列为CaNaMgKSiAl,微量元素基本为CuMnFe。植物根系对营养元素迁移能力的影响具有明显的区域范围,随着直径1mm有效根密度和根量的增大,根系对土壤元素迁移强度的影响显著增强。     

古尔班通古特沙漠土壤化学性质空间异质性的尺度特征

从根际(10-3m~10-2m)、个体(10-1m~100m)、种群(100m~101m)、地貌(101m~102m)和区域(103m~104m)五个作用因子所在的尺度对古尔班通古特沙漠土壤的pH、电导率、有机质、全氮、速效氮、全磷和速效磷的空间异质性进行了研究,结果表明,土壤pH在各尺度异质性的大小顺序为:个体>种群>地貌>区域>根际,说明引起土壤pH变化的主要因子是植物个体和种群,而地貌状况、气候及水文对于土壤pH的影响不大,根际对土壤pH的影响最小。土壤电导率在各尺度异质性的大小顺序为:个体>区域>种群>地貌>根际,说明植物个体对于改变土壤盐分含量起主导作用,地貌状况和根际对土壤盐分状况的影响很小。土壤有机质、全氮、速效氮和速效磷的空间异质性均在个体尺度上最大,地貌尺度上次之,而种群尺度上最小,说明植物个体对于土壤养分的空间异质性起主导作用,地貌对这些养分的异质性作用也是不容忽视的,而植物种群对土壤养分的异质性最小。土壤全磷的异质性则在地貌尺度最大,个体尺度次之,根际尺度最小,说明地貌特征是影响土壤全磷含量的主要因子,其次是植物个体,而根际对于土壤全磷的影响很小。     

微生物在植物铁营养中的潜在作用

根据近十多年来相关研究成果讨论了土壤微生物在植物根系吸收铁中可能的作用机理。这种机理可能包括缺铁植物根系分泌小分子有机化合物,如酚类和黄素类等化合物,这些化合物作为抑菌剂和(或)作为微生物生长的碳源物质来影响根际(Rhizosphere)微生物的群落结构,并在植物根际诱导形成特异性微生物种群,此类特异性微生物转而通过分泌高铁载体(Siderophore),增加土壤中铁的生物有效性,从而提高了根系对铁的吸收。此外,与植物根系共生的一些微生物也会改善植物的铁营养,这种作用可能包括:根瘤菌(Rhizobium)的结瘤作用,增强植物耐缺铁的生理响应;根系感染的菌根真菌通过增加植物根系的养分吸收面积和分泌对铁具有螯合作用的物质来改善植物的铁营养。本文在讨论这种可能的微生物作用机制的基础上,指出今后的研究方向和有待解决的问题。     

腐植酸促进植物生长的机理研究进展

【目的】腐植酸在我国农业生产中发挥了重要作用，许多研究证实，腐植酸具有促进植物生长的功能，本文从腐植酸刺激植物根系生长、调控土壤与肥料养分转化及肥料利用率和影响土壤微生物和酶活性方面，系统总结了国内外施用腐植酸促进植物生长的途径，阐述了腐植酸对植物生长促进作用的机理，旨在梳理腐植酸促进植物生长机理的研究现状，为腐植酸的进一步研究和应用提供参考依据。[主要进展]1）腐植酸能够对植物产生类似生物刺激素的效应。它能够提高植物根系H+-ATP酶等的活性、刺激植物根伸长和侧根生长点的增加，从而增加根系活力及植物根系与土壤养分的接触面积，增加植物对养分的吸收；2）逆境胁迫下，腐植酸能够通过调节植物体内的新陈代谢并改善植物生长环境，缓解甚至消除逆境胁迫对植物的伤害，从而促进植物生长；3）腐植酸能够通过与氮素、磷素和钾素发生结合效应，与磷酸盐产生竞争效应和对钾离子的吸附作用固持与活化土壤与肥料中的养分，提高土壤肥料有效性和缓释性能，提高肥料利用率，从而促进植物生长；4）腐植酸还能够影响土壤中与养分转化相关的酶活性和微生物群落结构及数量，在活化养分的同时，保蓄养分，降低养分的损失，为植物生长保障持久的养分供应；5）腐植酸对植物生长的促进效应受腐植酸结构特征、添加量和供试植物种类等因素的影响。[建议与展望]由于技术手段的限制和研究技术的差异，人们对腐植酸促进植物生长机理的认识还不够系统和深入，因此，腐植酸的基本特征、影响腐植酸作用的主控因子、土壤-植物系统中腐植酸促进植物生长的主要途径和腐植酸对土壤功能性微生物等的影响都将成为未来研究的重要方向。     

褪黑素调控根系生长和根际互作的机制研究进展

【目的】根系生长和根际互作是影响植物对土壤养分吸收的关键因子。根系在土壤中穿插生长，不断改变其形态可塑性，进而改变根系构型，扩大与土壤的接触面积以获取所需养分。同时根系的生理可塑性协同根系形态可塑性显著影响根际互作效应，为植物经济高效获取养分资源提供可能。探究褪黑素等内源生长调节因子对根系形态和生理可塑性的调控机制，揭示通过最大化根际效应强化根际互作的有效途径，对集约化作物体系提高养分利用效率，促进绿色增产增效，具有重要的理论与实践意义。主要进展褪黑素作为新型植物生长调节信号分子，在盐害、干旱和低温等非生物胁迫中具有增强植物抗逆性、改善植物生长等重要调节作用。褪黑素显著改变根系生长，对植物主根生长主要表现为抑制作用，对侧根及不定根的发育和生长具有浓度依赖性调节，从而深刻影响植物根系构型。褪黑素调控根系生长的机制尚不清楚，总结已有进展表明:一方面褪黑素调节光周期，影响光合产物的运输和糖信号，从而调控地下部碳分配和根系生长；另一方面，褪黑素还能与生长素等植物激素互作，参与激素对植物生长调控的信号通路，从而对植物的生长发育和新陈代谢产生影响。这些进展对深入揭示褪黑素调控根系生长发育的机制提供了重要依据。问题与展望根系的生长发育以及根系构型的改变显著影响根际过程和根际互作，褪黑素作为调控因子在不同养分环境条件下显著影响根系的形态可塑性。然而，褪黑素在根际过程和根际互作中的作用机制并不清楚，有关研究亟待加强。深入探究褪黑素参与根际互作的机制，理解褪黑素调控根系生长和根际过程的作用途径，可为集约化农业体系下精准调控作物根系生长，强化根际互作，提高养分利用效率提供科学依据。     

伴矿景天和鹅掌柴间作系统中根系相互作用对植物生长和镉锌吸收的影响

为明确不同物种根系间的相互作用对植物生长和重金属元素吸收的影响,以Cd、Zn超积累植物伴矿景天与花卉植物鹅掌柴为材料,研究二者根系相互作用及对植物生长和Cd、Zn的影响。结果发现,二者根系具有相互抑制生长的作用。单作条件下伴矿景天的Cd、Zn吸收量最高,分别达0.812、19.6 mg/盆;较单作相比,无分隔间作条件下伴矿景天对土壤Cd、Zn吸收降低分别达30.0%和30.6%。两种植物根系改变了土壤养分性质,对土壤钾和磷的利用分别具有竞争和互补作用,但其有效态含量并未降低到亏缺水平,养分竞争可能不是两种植物根系相互作用的主要因素。水培试验表明鹅掌柴根系分泌物对伴矿景天的生长和Cd吸收具有抑制作用。     

在富营养土壤斑块中根增值对玉米养分吸收和生长的贡献

Root proliferation can be stimulated in a heterogeneous nutrient patch; however, the functions of the root proliferation in the nutrient-rich soil patches are not fully understood. In the present study, a two-year field experiment was conducted to examine the comparative effects of localized application of ammonium and phosphorus (P) at early or late stages on root growth, nutrient uptake, and biomass of maize (Zea mays L.) on a calcareous soil in an intensive farming system. Localized supply of ammonium and P had a more evident effect on shoot and root growth, and especially stimulated fine root development at the early seedling stage, with most of the maize roots being allocated to the nutrient-rich patch in the topsoil. Although localized ammonium and P supply at the late stage also enhanced the fine root growth, the plant roots in the patch accounted for a low proportion of the whole maize roots in the topsoil at the flowering stage. Compared with the early stage, fine root length in the short-lived nutrient patch decreased by 44%-62% and the shoot dry weight was not different between heterogeneous and homogeneous nutrient supply at the late growth stage. Localized supply of ammonium and P significantly increased N and P accumulation by maize at 35 and 47 days after sowing (DAS); however, no significant difference was found among the treatments at 82 DAS and the later growth stages. The increased nutrient uptake and plant growth was related to the higher proportion of root length in the localized nutrient-enriched patch. The results indicated that root proliferation in nutrient patches contributed more to maize growth and nutrient uptake at the early than late stages.     

Soil faunal assemblage composition modifies root in-growth to plant litter patches

Local-scale heterogeneity in the spatial distribution of soil nutrients promotes a suite of physiological and morphological responses in plants. These responses influence the competitive ability of plants within communities and potentially plant primary productivity. There is a growing appreciation then for the need to study factors that may modulate these plant responses to soil nutrient heterogeneity. Soil fauna are potentially one such modulating factor. For example, through impacts on organic matter decomposition and distribution they may directly modify nutrient patches and therefore the stimulus plants are responding to. In addition they may modify plant root mass and architecture through processes such as herbivory, potentially altering the outcome of a plant's response to a nutrient patch. Using grassland microcosms, consisting of a multi-species plant assemblage, multiple soil horizons and a speciose soil biota, we tested whether soil faunal assemblage composition might modulate plant responses to nutrient patches represented by litterbags. We show that root proliferation into a nutrient patch, a variable which is positively related to a plant's success under conditions of interspecific competition in a nutrient-limited environment, is reduced by the presence of mesofauna, and even more so by the presence of mesofauna together with macrofauna. Reductions in this proliferation response when mesofauna were present without macrofauna appeared to be a function of reduced root density. When macrofauna were included, reduced root density, and higher rates of litter patch disappearance, together contributed to the reduction in proliferation but additional mechanisms must also have played a role. Our results suggest that the effects and interactions generated by soil fauna need to be explicitly considered in analyses of how plants forage for nutrients in a patchy environment.     

抑菌剂浇施与不均匀施肥对玉米马铃薯生长和产量的影响

农业生产中,肥料和抑菌性农药施用是两种重要的农业生产技术。在施肥过程中,点状和条状施肥是主要的施肥方式,易导致作物生长期内土壤养分以斑块状分布,因此根系趋肥性对农田中作物获取养分具有重要性。而在施用抑菌性农药时,药剂能够通过淋溶等过程进入土体中,对土壤生态环境和根-土过程产生直接或间接的影响。然而目前有关农药施用是否影响作物根系趋肥性,进而改变产量表现还不清楚。本研究选用旱地主要粮食作物玉米和马铃薯为研究对象,通过等量肥料下隔行施用的方式构建土壤养分斑块,在此基础上进行广谱性杀菌剂浇施土壤,研究抑菌性农药对作物利用异质性养分的影响。两年的大田试验数据表明,一定程度上,抑菌剂浇施和隔行施肥能够显著地影响作物的植株生物量、产量,根系生物量及分布,且对玉米生物量影响具显著交互效应,表现为隔行施肥对生物量的显著提高发生在抑菌剂浇施条件下,而抑菌剂对玉米生物量的提高则主要表现在隔行施肥条件下。同时,抑菌剂浇施能够提高作物的根系觅养精确度,其中在马铃薯上达到显著水平,表明抑菌剂浇施对作物适应土壤养分斑块具有一定的促进作用。当然,抑菌农药和养分斑块在影响作物生长过程中的显著性受作物类型和种植年份的影响,具有复杂性。因此,进一步针对不同作物、生态环境和栽培措施,探讨抑菌剂农药在作物适应养分斑块中的作用以及对作物根系趋肥的影响机制,对于了解农药施用对化肥利用的影响具有潜在的价值。     

杉木根系对不同磷斑块浓度与异质分布的阶段性响应

【目的】对杉木根系在异质供磷(P)条件下的觅磷行为进行动态监测,探讨磷斑块的浓度与其异质分布对杉木根系觅磷行为的影响。【方法】以福建漳平五一国有林场的半同胞杉木家系为试验材料,利用垂直异质供磷装置,设置KH2PO4 0 mg/kg(缺磷,P0)、4 mg/kg(低磷,P4)、16 mg/kg(正常供磷,P16)和30 mg/kg(高磷,P30)4个磷浓度斑块,将其按照不同顺序垂直排列构建异质供磷处理。在生长50、100、150 d时,进行3次破坏性取样,测定不同阶段不同异质供磷处理下杉木根系形态、生物量及觅磷效率的变化,进行杉木根系生长及觅磷行为的动态观测。【结果】杉木根系表现出阶段性的觅磷策略: 1)当杉木根系处于表层缺磷或低磷斑块时,通过根系的增生向供磷量更高的斑块觅磷,根系增生促进了缺磷或低磷斑块根系的干物质积累,但其根系含磷量较低; 至处理中期,表层缺磷处理的根系从缺磷斑块生长至低磷斑块后,杉木根系受低磷胁迫持续大量增生; 而当表层低磷处理的根系从低磷斑块生长至高磷斑块后,根系在高磷斑块内大量增生,且促进了根系磷养分的吸收及干物质的积累; 处理末期,当高磷斑块置于最底层时,其斑块内的根系生长量、 干物质积累量及根系含磷量均明显较大。2)当杉木根系处在表层高磷斑块时,根系初期仅在供磷量较高的表层生长,其根系生长量与干物质积累量均低于表层供磷量较低的处理,但其根系含磷量却显著大于表层供磷量较低的处理; 处理中期及末期,表层的根系生长量、 干物质积累量及根系含磷量均显著大于其他层次,且表层充足供磷处理的根系向地生长速度最快。【结论】异质供磷条件下,当杉木根系处在缺磷或低磷斑块时,主要通过根系的大量增生来寻觅磷养分; 当杉木根系处在高磷斑块时,在初期致力于斑块磷养分的吸收之后,表层根系大量增生,且根系的磷养分吸收和干物质积累显著大于其他层次,同时提高根系向地生长速度。     

Effects of Collembola on root properties of two competing ruderal plant species

Plant roots compete for nutrients mineralised by the decomposer community in soil. By affecting microbial biomass and activity Collembola influence the nutrient availability to plants. We investigated the effect of Collembola (Protaphorura fimata Gisin) on growth and competition between of two plant species, Cirsium arvense L (creeping thistle) and Epilobium adnatum Griseb. (square-stemmed willow herb), in a laboratory experiment. Two seedlings of each plant species were planted in rhizotrons either in combination or in monoculture (intra- and interspecific competition). Interspecific competition strongly reduced total biomass of C. arvense whereas E. adnatum suffered most from intraspecific competition. Collembola neither affected the competitive relationship of the two plant species nor shoot and root biomass. Although Collembola did not affect total root biomass they influenced root morphology of both plant species. Roots grew longer and thinner and had more root tips in presence of Collembola. Root elongation is generally ascribed to the exploitation of nutrient rich patches in soil. We hypothesise that changes in root morphology in presence of Collembola are due to Collembola-mediated changes in nutrient availability and distribution.     

Foraging strategies of the external mycelium of the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi Glomus intraradices and Scutellospora calospora

The responsiveness of the external mycelium of Glomus intraradices and Scutellospora calospora was tested in a multiple-choice experimental system in which mycelium encountered patches amended with nitrogen (N) or phosphorus (P), either alone or in combination with a host plant. We hypothesised that only AMF mycelium with sufficient supply of photosynthate from an actively growing host would respond to the amendments provided. Mycelium was allowed to grow either 11 or 21 weeks before we analysed hyphal proliferation in amended patches introduced in mesh bags that were not reached by roots but by foraging mycelium only. Hyphal length, the AMF signature fatty acid 16:1w5, and root colonisation in new host plant seedlings were used to measure AMF growth and resource allocation in the patches. Mycelium from both fungal strains was able to colonise new host roots and sand in all patches but S. calospora was overall more responsive to the amendments than G. intraradices. G. intraradices grew equally into all patches, including the unamended control, whereas S. calospora produced significantly more hyphal length in the patch containing a host plant than in the rest of the patches. Both strains showed lower hyphal growth at the second harvest and mycelium of G. intraradices lost almost entirely its capacity to develop new mycelium in all choices presented. Lipid measurements showed this fungus did not use storage lipids to exploit the patches. S. calospora mycelium had reduced growth and colonisation ability but still showed some growth in the patches at the second harvest. A reduction in the content of NLFA 16:1w5 from the first to the second harvest suggested that S. calospora mycelium likely used storage lipids to sustain proliferation in the patches. The results indicated that S. calospora was more active and used more resources for foraging than G. intraradices and that external mycelium foraging was maintained mainly with recently acquired plant carbon (C). This supported in general our hypothesis but showed as well that the two AMF strains had different strategies and resource allocation to forage. The overall low response of both AMF to the choices presented suggested that the responsiveness of mycelium searching freely in the substrate is lower than that observed in experimental systems in which the amendments have been placed in close contact with actively growing mycelium fronts in close vicinity with host roots.     

Persistence and conservation of a consumer-resource metapopulation with local overexploitation of resources

The monophagous flightless weevil Hadramphus spinipennis causes the frequent local extinction of its host plant Aciphylla dieffenbachii through overexploitation. Both species are endemic and restricted to the Chatham Islands group (New Zealand). The weevil is classified as endangered and the plant as a threatened species. As this herbivore-plant system is locally unstable long-term persistence only appears possible via a metapopulation structure in which subpopulations are connected by dispersal. This paper investigates this hypothesis using a spatially explicit model of a consumer population whose resource is patchily distributed. The parameters are adapted to the H. spinipennis-A. dieffenbachii system. Our model includes local population dynamics and dispersal of the consumer, the destruction of host plant patches due to foraging and their regeneration. The results show that the key factor for long-term persistence is the short-range dispersal of the consumer with high mortality during dispersal. Only this highly inefficient dispersal prevents the synchronisation of local dynamics while ensuring sufficient colonisation of regenerated patches. We also show that although synchronisation through spatially correlated environmental fluctuations may be critical for long-term persistence, it cannot replace the strong effects of dispersal. Thus, in a consumer-resource metapopulation with deterministic local extinction, the strength and spatial scale of consumer dispersal in relation to the spatial and temporal scales of the resource patch dynamics (patch destruction and regeneration, number, size and distance of patches) play a vital role for long-term persistence. The consequence for conservation management is that such metapopulations could in fact profit rather than suffer from decreasing connectivity of resource patches.     

根构型模拟模型及其应用

根构型定量表述是确定植物根系养分吸收的基础。因生长在不透明土壤中的根系难于被观测和分析解释，这就使得模拟模型成为研究相关问题的一种重要的补充方法。本文对根构型模型作了综述，介绍了根构型的几何模拟方法，评述了作为根构型与养分吸收主要模型的SIMROOT平台。通过采用“扩展树”数据结构并在SGI工作站上操作，这一模型能展现根系生长的生动图形。进而还可将此模型进一步开发用于评价扩散性养分的吸收。根构型模型的应用，包括我们改进模型对根系内及多根系间的养分竞争进行的模拟，也作了介绍。     

Consequence of grazing pattern and vegetation structure on the spatial variations of net N mineralisation in a wet grassland

The aim of this study was to determine whether the spatial heterogeneity of grassland vegetation structure would lead to spatial heterogeneity in the net nitrogen mineralisation process in the soil and therefore in the quantity of mineral nitrogen available for the plants. The net nitrogen mineralisation in the soil was compared between different vegetation patches generated by grazing, on two different types of plant communities: mesophilous and meso-hygrophilous.In ungrazed conditions, the net soil nitrogen mineralisation rates did not vary significantly between the two plant communities and remained relatively constant with time. Grazing by cattle or horses appeared to have two effects on the process of net soil nitrogen mineralisation. Firstly, it significantly stimulated net nitrogen mineralisation compared to ungrazed conditions and secondly, it led to spatial heterogeneity in mineralisation rates in the grazed enclosures. This spatial heterogeneity of nitrogen available for plants occurred both between and within plant communities.In the meso-hygrophilous plant community, net nitrogen mineralisation increased with grazing pressure. We suggest that a decrease of C inputs to the soil, concomitant with increasing grazing pressure, could decrease microbial nitrogen immobilisation.By contrast, in the mesophilous plant community net nitrogen mineralisation did not vary with grazing pressure. These differences in the functional responsiveness to grazing and biomass between the two plant communities could be related to the differences in the functional traits characterizing their dominant species along the grazing gradient. In the meso-hygrophilous community, the species composition switch with grazing intensity gradient led to the replacement of the perennial plant species by annual plant species which could lead to an improvement in the litter nitrogen content and an acceleration in the litter decomposition rate. By contrast, in the mesophilous plant community, the perennial species remained dominant along the grazing intensity gradient and could explain the absence of effect on the net nitrogen mineralisation rates.We suggest that at the scale of the vegetation patch, the decrease in plant biomass linked to grazing could regulate soil microorganism activity, in relation with shift in plant functional traits which improve litter decomposability.