Carbon and nitrogen stocks in relation to organic matter fractions, aggregation and pore size distribution in no-tillage and conventional tillage in northern France

The magnitude of and mechanisms for long‐term differences in soil organic matter stocks under no‐tillage and conventional tillage are still relatively poorly known. We quantified differences in total C and N stocks after 32 years of no‐tillage (NT) and conventional tillage (CT) in plots with a long‐term cultivation history before differentiation and the same annual C and N returns to the soil. The role of physical protection of organic matter (OM) in these stock differences was further investigated by examining the changes at different levels of structural complexity, i.e. organic matter fractions, aggregation and pore‐size distribution. Four structural zones were sampled: loose and dense soil zones under CT and the 0–5 cm (rich in OM) and 5–20 cm (massive structure) soil layers under NT. The C and N stocks, calculated for an equivalent mass of dry soil, were only 10–15% larger under NT than under CT. Mineral‐associated N and particulate organic matter accounted for about 50% of the difference in N stocks. However, 66% of the total difference in C stocks was due to differences in the particulate organic matter (58%) and free residues (8%) fractions. The additional C and N under NT were almost exclusively situated in aggregates larger than 250 μm in diameter. Our results suggest that physical protection of OM under NT contributes significantly to the differences in C and N stocks between NT and CT by (i) enhanced macroaggregate formation in the 0–5 cm layer due to greater microbial activity and OM content and (ii) a better protection of soil organic matter in the 5–20 cm layer due to the presence of small pores and lack of soil disruption by tillage or climate.     

Long‐term changes of aggregate‐associated and labile soil organic carbon and nitrogen after conversion from forest to grassland and cropland in northern Turkey

Soil management systems can have great effect on soil chemical, physical and biological properties. Conversion of forest to grassland and cropland can alter C and N dynamics. The objective of this study was to evaluate the changes in aggregate‐associated and labile soil organic C and N fractions after conversion of a natural forest to grassland and cropland in northern Turkey. This experiment was conducted on plots subject to three different adjacent land uses (forest, grassland and cropland). Soil samples were taken from 0–5, 5–15 and 15–30 cm depths from each land use. Some soil physical (soil texture, bulk density), chemical (soil pH, soil organic matter, lime content, total organic C and N, inorganic N, free and protected organic C) and biological (microbial biomass C and N, mineralizable C and N) properties were measured. The highest and lowest bulk densities were observed in grassland (1.41 g cm⁻³) and cropland (1.14 g cm⁻³), respectively. Microbial biomass C and total organic C in forest were almost twice greater than grassland and four‐times greater than cropland. Cultivation of forest reduced total organic N, mineralizable N and microbial biomass N by half. The great portion of organic C was stored in macroaggregates (>250 µm) in all the three land uses. Free organic C comprised smaller portion of soil organic C in all the three land uses. Thus, this study indicated that long‐term conversion of forest to grassland and cropland significantly decreased microbial biomass C, mineralizable C and physically protected organic C and the decreases were the greatest in cropland. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The dynamics of different organic and inorganic phosphorus fractions in soils from the south of Santa Fe province,Argentina

Abstract

The effect of fractioning organic (Po) and inorganic (Pi) phosphorus components on phosphorus form and availability in long‐term cultivation (1) was studied. The study analyzed a Typic Argiudoll soil under three cropping systems: permanent pasture, long‐term cultivation, and mixed pasture and cultivation use. One soil had been cultivated for at least 50 years and one was cultivated for at least 30 years.

The effects of several modifications of these soils were analyzed. Short‐term modifications were determined in a greenhouse experiment in which two successive crops were grown after an initial fertilizer treatment. Long‐term cultivation induced a loss of P, which was considerably greater than the losses of total C or N. Similarly, decreases in pH, extractable P (2), resin‐extractable P, Na‐bicarbonate and Na‐hydroxide Pi, and Na‐bicarbonate Po indicated a long‐term loss of plant‐available Pi with management practices over time.

Increases in some forms of P were observed. Sodium‐hydroxide Po, an organic P form, did not show a significant trend but appeared to increase with years of cultivation. Resin‐extractable Pi was the only fraction that increased significantly as a result of P fertilization.

The relationship observed between dry weight and P concentration of greenhouse plants with the different organic and inorganic P fractions suggests that both types of determinations may be used to predict crop response to P fertilization.     

Soil organic carbon,nitrogen, and phosphorus distribution in stable aggregates of an Ultisol under contrasting land use and management history

Different land‐use affects the organization of mineral soil particles and soil organic components into aggregates and the consequent arrangement of the aggregates will influence essential ecosystem functions. We investigated a continuous rubber plantation (forested), land fallowed for 10 y (fallow), 10‐y continuous arable cropping land and cropped land with top soil removed (TSR) for concentrations of C, N, and P in bulk soil and dry aggregates. Results showed that a high level of soil disturbance decreased the proportion of surface (0–15 cm) soil aggregate stability (low mean weight diameter) in TSR by 149% and arable cropping by 125% compared with the forested. Aggregate associated SOC was higher in aggregate‐size fractions of forested land‐use when compared with that in 10‐y fallow, continuous arable cropping, and TSR. For aggregate associated N, fallow and forested land‐use types concentrated higher proportion across aggregate sizes than the arable cropping and TSR. Macro aggregate fractions generally contained higher concentrations of C, N, and P compared with the micro‐aggregates. Water transmission indicators like total porosity and saturated hydraulic conductivity recorded higher values with forested and fallow land‐use than the others. We can thus conclude that long‐term soil disturbance due to cultivation and removal of top soil reduces the accumulation of soil C, N, and P in bulk soil and decreases water transmission properties. On the other hand, aggregate‐associated C, N and P accumulations are dependent on the level of soil surface disturbance and aggregate sizes.     

Cultivation affected the level of inorganic phosphorus more than the organic pool of the Pampas soils in Argentina

The effects of land use on soil organic and inorganic phosphorus (P) stocks were assessed in the Pampas, Argentina. Three hundred and eighty-six paired sites widely distributed over an area of ca. 50 Mha were sampled. Land use types included soils under trees, uncropped soils, cropped soils at the pasture phase of a mixed rotation, cropped soils at the crop phase of a mixed rotation, and flooded soils. Slight differences in organic P stocks were found among land uses. Organic P was 21–35% lower in flooded soil than in the other treatments in the 0–100 cm depth. Inorganic P was significantly lower (ca. 27%) in pasture and cropped soils than in the uncropped controls at 0–25 cm depth. The ratios of organic P/inorganic P and organic C/organic P decreased with depth and did not significantly differ among the sites. The influence of cultivation on inorganic P to a depth of 100 cm depended on the initial phosphorus content of the soil. Soils rich in phosphorus lost substantial amounts of their phosphorus stocks, in some cases losses were as high as 70%, whereas phosphorus-poor soils presented only small changes in their inorganic P levels.     

Soil degradation and restoration as affected by land use change in the semiarid Bashang area,northern China

The Bashang area, located in the semiarid agropastoral zone, represents a typical degraded ecosystem under intensified human activities. This region has undergone profound land use changes during the past century. Natural grasslands had been progressively cultivated, and subsequently, part of cultivated lands had been abandoned by farmers due to severe desertification. In this study, we collected soil samples (0–20 cm depth) from four farmlands on both flat and gentle slope lands where cultivation had occurred for 0, 8, 30, and 50 years to assess the effects of grassland cultivation on soil degradation. In addition, soil samples were taken and plant species were investigated from eight sites in age sequence of 0- to 50- year-old abandoned field to assess natural restoration process following field abandonment. The results showed that cultivation of grassland result in a significant soil degradation which is manifested by the coarsening in soil texture and the losses in organic C and nutrients. After 50 years of cultivation, soil organic C, total N, and total P concentrations had declined 73–79%, 60–70%, and 67–68% in the 0–20 cm plough layer, respectively. Over half of these losses occurred during the first 8 years of cultivation, and subsequent was slow. After fields were abandoned, vegetation got self-restoration, and plant species composition moved toward that of the natural grassland community with time. Soil organic C, total N, and total P levels gradually improved with increasing years of land abandonment, with a faster restoration rate in the early vegetation recovery stage and a slower rate in the late succession stage. The results suggested that soil degradation may occurred drastically by inappropriate land use and management with a short time, while soil restoration for a degraded ecosystem may take long period of time, especially in this fragile ecosystem. From the perspective of soil resource management and desertification control, conservational tillage and management for farmlands and proper grazing management for recovered grassland should be taken into account in this area.     

金沙江干热河谷区不同土地利用方式下的土壤特性分异特征

对金沙江干热河谷区相同背景条件下的合欢林地、玉米地、桑地、甘蔗地、花椒地、撂荒草地以及水桐树林地的土壤理化性状进行了研究.结果表明,该区域天然水桐树林破坏后改为其它土地利用方式后对土壤理化性质影响显著,表现为土壤有机质、全氮、全磷和碱解氮含量显著降低,速效磷和容重没有显著变化,速效钾有一定程度升高;不同利用方式对其影响作用差异不同,但总体来说改造为合欢林和撂荒草地对土壤理化属性的影响相对较少.土壤综合属性指数随天然水桐树林改为其它利用方式后均呈现不同程度降低,其降幅由小到大依次为草地>合欢林地>甘蔗地>玉米地>花椒地>桑地,人为干扰越重对土壤质量的破坏作用越大,因此减少人为活动,增加该区域土壤物质归还量是改善土壤质量的重要措施之一.     

Long‐term non‐flooded mulching cultivation influences rice productivity and soil organic carbon

A field experiment was conducted for 10 years to examine the long‐term effects of non‐flooded mulching cultivation on rice yield and soil organic carbon on Chengdu Plain, south‐west China. Compared with traditional flooded cultivation (TF), non‐flooded plastic film mulching (PM) resulted in a 14% higher average rice (Oryza sativa L.) yield. However, non‐flooded straw mulching (SM) decreased the average rice yield by 11% compared with TF. After 10 years, PM led to similar or higher (SM) soil organic carbon (SOC) and total soil N (TN) in the top 5 cm of the soil profile compared with TF. No differences were found among the three cultivation systems in SOC or total N at 5–12 and 12–24 cm soil depths. Small macroaggregates (0.25–2 mm) were predominant in the top 5 cm of the soil (58–63% of whole soil) across the three cultivation systems. However, the proportion of large macroaggregates (>2 mm) from SM and PM was significantly larger than from TF in the top 5 cm of the soil. Non‐flooded mulching cultivation led to increased C and N contents in large macroaggregates and mean weight diameter of aggregates in the 0–5 cm soil depth. This suggests that non‐flooded mulching cultivation increased soil aggregation concomitant with soil C stabilization within the improved soil structure.     

Estimates of variation for measurements of selected soil parameters on slash‐and‐burn fields in northern Laos

Abstract

Monitoring changes in soil fertility is an important component in the evaluation of land‐use systems. This research was undertaken to estimate short‐range soil variability of selected soil parameters in slash‐and‐burn systems of Northern Laos as a prerequisite for planning long‐term experiments. Coefficient of variation for the top interval (0–3 cm) was 10.4, 8.7, 20.7, 12.8, 75.8, and 44.8% for pH, total nitrogen (N), organic carbon (C), total phosphorus (P), available P, and available potassium (K), respectively (averaged over two sites). Variation generally decreased with increasing depth of soil interval, except for soil organic matter, where coefficient of variation was 14.1, 13.4, 14.6, 18.2, and 26.9% for intervals of 3–10, 10–25, 25–50, 50–75, and 75–100 cm, respectively. The number of sub‐samples required to document changes in available P and K will be unrealistically high if high confidence levels are required. Correlation between pH and available P and K was high for the 0–3 cm interval.     

Dynamics of soil carbon to nitrogen ratio changes under long‐term fertilizer addition in wheat‐corn double cropping systems of China

Soil carbon to nitrogen (C:N) ratio is one of the important properties of terrestrial ecosystems. Here, we report a study of soil C:N ratio dynamics in wheat‐corn double cropping systems based on four long‐term experimental sites in China: three in the temperate zone and one in the sub‐tropical zone. We evaluate effects of long‐term fertilizer input on soil organic carbon (SOC) and total nitrogen (TN) by comparing three treatments: no added fertilizer (the control), added nitrogen‐phosphorus‐potassium chemical fertilizers (NPK), and chemical fertilizers combined with manure (NPKM). Our study shows that SOC and TN had different responses to the treatments. There was an increasing trend in SOC, even without fertilizer. However, applying inorganic fertilizers only (NPK) did not maintain TN contents at some sites. The NPKM treatment resulted in a large increase in both SOC (35–147%) and TN (33 to 10%) contents, relative to the initial values. The soil C:N ratio showed a significant increase over time at the sub‐tropical site but little change at the three temperate sites. Our analysis showed similar C:N ratios (37–38) in gross input of organic materials under the NPK treatments. However, the estimated C:N ratio during decomposition was much smaller at the sub‐tropical site (23.7) than at the three temperate sites (44.0–48.2) under the NPK treatments, which may explain the increased soil C:N ratio at the sub‐tropical site. Thus, we conclude that variations in soil C:N ratio are not caused by organic matter inputs but by decomposition in the wheat‐corn double cropping systems.     

Nitrogen and Phosphorus Losses with Drainage Runoff and Field Balance as a Result of Crop Management

Abstract

Two high‐input and two low‐input crop‐management systems, one reference treatment with field crop rotation, and one long‐term moderately treated pasture were studied and compared in respect to nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) flow and balance. The experiment was conducted on tile‐drained plots covered by Endocalcari‐Endohypogleyic Cambisols. The least Nmin (mineral nitrogen) leaching losses were registered in the pasture. The high‐input management systems did not consistently result in larger losses of Nmin [mainly nitrate (NO₃)‐N] and Ptot (total phosphorus) in the drainage water. The leaching of Nmin depended more on amount of the drainage water leaving the site, soil organic matter/humus, and soil Ntot content (positive correlation) as well as the content of water‐stable aggregates (negative correlation). The higher concentrations of Ptot in drainage runoff in the organic (ORG1) treatment and pasture during the second rotation might be conditioned of ley root system impact. Ptot leaching was positively correlated to the available P₂O₅‐AL in the topsoil. Negative N field balance was determined in all the treatments, except ORG2 and LTP in 1995–1999, whereas it was negative only in the reference plots (REF) in the 2001–2003 rotation because of the increased crop residues and drier climatic conditions. Phosphorus balance was slightly negative in the ORG1 and reference treatments during both rotations.     

Long-term effects of mineral and organic fertilization on soil organic matter fractions and sorghum yield under Sudano-Sahelian conditions

Abstract. Knowledge of changes in soil organic matter (SOM) fractions resulting from agricultural practice is important for decision‐making at farm level because of the contrasting effects of different SOM fractions on soils. A long‐term trial sited under Sudano‐Sahelian conditions was used to assess the effect of organic and inorganic fertilization on SOM fractions and sorghum performance. Sorghum straw and kraal manure were applied annually at 10 t ha^?1, with and without urea at 60 kg N ha^?1. The other treatments included fallowing, a control (no fertilization), and inorganic fertilization only (urea, 60 kg N ha^?1). Fallowing gave significantly larger soil organic carbon and nitrogen (N) levels than any other treatment. Total soil SOM and N concentrations increased in the following order: urea only < straw < control < straw+urea < manure with or without urea < fallow. Farming had an adverse effect on SOM and N status; however, this mostly affected the fraction of SOM >0.053 mm (particulate organic matter, POM). The POM concentrations in the control, straw and urea‐only treatments were about one‐half of the POM concentrations in the fallow treatment. POM concentrations increased in the following order: urea only < control < straw with or without urea < manure with or without urea < fallow. The fraction of SOM <0.053 mm (fine organic matter, FOM) was greater than POM in all plots except in fallow and manure+urea plots. Total N concentration followed the same trend as SOM, but cultivation led to a decline in both POM‐N and FOM‐N. Crop yield was greatest in the manure plots and lowest in the straw, control and urea‐only plots. Results indicate that under Sudano‐Sahelian conditions, SOM, POM and FOM fractions and crop performance were better maintained using organic materials with a low C/N ratio (manure) than with organic material with a high C/N ratio (straw). Urea improved the effect of straw on crop yield and SOM concentration.     

长期施肥条件下黑土有机碳和氮的动态变化

以黑土地区海伦农田生态系统国家野外科学观测研究站的农田长期(1990～2004年)肥料定位试验土壤为试验材料,对不同施肥处理有机碳和氮进行了系统分析。结果表明,长期不施化肥(CK),土壤中有机碳、全氮、碱解氮及C/N呈现下降趋势;长期施用氮肥,土壤有机碳亏损速率较大,但土壤氮素变化较小,C/N保持相对稳定;长期施用磷肥,土壤有机碳含量下降速率较小,但全氮含量下降速率较大,因而C/N保持上升趋势;长期施用钾肥,土壤有机碳、氮及C/N变化趋势相同,但土壤有机碳含量下降速率较小,C/N增加较快。因此,通过调控化肥可以维持土壤的有机碳、全氮及碱解氮含量,保持土壤的持续生产力及提高作物产量。     

土区长期施肥对小麦-玉米轮作体系钾素平衡与钾库容量的影响

本文研究了土区小麦-玉米轮作体系长期氮磷钾化肥不同配合施用方式及氮磷钾化肥与秸秆或有机肥配合施用对钾素平衡以及土壤钾库的影响。试验包括9个处理,分别为不施肥（CK）、单施氮（N）、氮钾（NK）、磷钾（PK）、氮磷（NP）、氮磷钾（NPK）、氮磷钾配合一季秸秆还田（SNPK）、氮磷钾配合低量有机肥（M1NPK）和高量有机肥（M2NPK）。结果表明,除NK、PK和M2NPK处理外,其它处理小麦和玉米钾的携出量均大于钾的投入量,导致土壤钾素处于亏缺状态,20年累计亏缺量为6174333 kg/hm2。与试验前相比,长期施肥种植没有显著影响土壤全钾含量; 长期施用钾肥显著提高土壤速效钾含量,但长期不施钾肥处理的土壤速效钾含量也未显著降低; 无论施钾与否土壤非交换性钾（Mactotal K）以及非交换性钾中更容易被HNO3溶解提取的钾（Step K）均明显低于试验前水平。表明土壤非交换性钾可以作为该土壤钾素消耗的指标。考虑到施钾肥的经济投入和现有资源高效利用（如秸秆、有机肥）,从长远的角度出发,维持土壤钾素肥力以及土地可持续生产力,土区小麦-玉米轮作体系采用秸秆全部还田或施有机肥是必要的。     

豆科绿肥对渭北旱塬土壤养分及生态化学计量学特征影响

渭北旱塬是我国重要的农业生态区,但土壤贫瘠、水土流失严重,亟需培肥土壤、改善生态环境。为探究渭北旱塬地区夏闲期种植并翻压豆科绿肥后土壤养分及其生态化学计量学特征的变化规律,采用田间定位试验,分别设置了3种豆科绿肥(绿豆、大豆和长武怀豆)和4个施氮水平,连续6年种植并翻压绿肥后,分析了土壤中养分含量,采用生态化学计量学方法计算了不同条件下的生态化学计量比值。结果表明:与对照(休闲)处理相比,长期种植并翻压豆科绿肥能显著提高土壤有机碳、全氮和碱解氮等养分指标含量,3种养分分别提高了4.47%~15.35%、5.21%~6.25%和11.00%~14.35%,且均以怀豆处理提升效果最佳。翻压绿肥短期内(2周后),土壤全氮含量的提升幅度大于有机碳和碱解氮。怀豆处理的有机碳、全氮、碱解氮、全磷和有效磷含量在短期和长期内均显著升高,培肥效果最为明显。翻压绿肥后,短期内土壤C∶N降低,但从长期效应来看,翻压绿肥提高了土壤C∶N,有利于土壤有机质的积累,能有效改善土壤养分平衡状态。土壤C∶P和N∶P与土壤C、N含量变化关系较为密切。夏闲期长期种植并翻压绿肥明显改善了土壤碳、氮养分状况,是渭北旱塬地区土壤培肥的有效措施。     

The effects of compost in a rice–wheat cropping system on aggregate size,carbon and nitrogen content of the size–density fraction and chemical composition of soil organic matter,as shown by 13C CP NMR spectroscopy

We investigated whether the long‐term application of compost from agricultural waste improved soil physical structure, fertility and soil organic matter (SOM) storage. In 2006, we began a long‐term field experiment based on a rice–wheat rotation cropping system, having a control without fertilizer (NF) and three treatments: chemical fertilizers (CF), pig manure compost (PMC) and a prilled mixture of PMC and inorganic fertilizers (OICF). Following the harvest of wheat in 2010, the mean‐weight diameter (MWD) of water‐stable aggregates and the concentration of C and N in bulk soil (0–20 cm; <2 mm fraction) were significantly greater (P < 0.05) in PMC and NF plots than in CF or OICF plots. Pig manure compost significantly increased the proportion of >5‐mm aggregates, whereas CF significantly increased the proportion of 0.45‐ to 1‐mm aggregates. The C and N contents of all density fractions were greater in PMC than in other treatments with levels decreasing in the following order: free particulate organic matter (fPOM) >occluded particulate organic matter (oPOM) > mineral‐combined SOM (mineral–SOM). Solid‐state ¹³C CPMAS NMR spectra showed that alkyl C/O‐alkyl C ratios and aromatic component levels of SOM were smaller in PMC and OICF plots than in CF plots, suggesting that SOM in PMC and OICF plots was less degraded than that in CF plots. Nevertheless, yields of wheat in PMC and NF plots were smaller than those in CF and OICF plots, indicating that conditions for producing large grain yields did not maintain soil fertility.     

Black carbon in wildfire‐affected shrubland Mediterranean soils

Because Mediterranean ecosystems are prone to fire, their soils are expected to contain relevant amounts of black carbon (BC); nevertheless, quantitative information is scarce. Herein, we provide data on the abundance of BC in the surface soil (uppermost 5 cm) of shrubland plots on old agricultural fields diversely affected by fires (0, 1, or 2 wildfires in the last 25 y) and with contrasted land‐use histories (either never cropped, early abandoned, or recently abandoned). Black C and black nitrogen (BN) were quantified in the surface horizon (0–5 cm) as the residue of low‐temperature dichromate oxidation, after previous destruction of mineral matter with HF. The obtained amounts of BC ranged from 0.73 to 10.32 g (kg dw)^–1 (mean: 3.07, which corresponds to an average of 8.62% of the total organic C), while the amounts of BN ranged from 21.5 to 373.0 mg (kg dw)^–1 (mean: 97.1, or an average of 4.30% of the total N of the samples). Repeated fires did not consistently increase either the BC or the BN amounts. Black‐C and (especially) BN accumulation seems related to fine silt, whereas the effect of clay is unclear. Even though the amounts of BC obtained in this study are slightly higher than those from other ecosystems, including Mediterranean broad‐leaved forests, overall they are far from the very high values reported in the literature for chernozems from Germany or Canada. Thus, on the whole, in Mediterranean shrublands affected by wildfires, BC does not seem to be a dominant fraction in the soil organic C.     

Influence of Long‐Term Sodic‐Water Irrigation,Gypsum, and Organic Amendments on Soil Properties and Nitrogen Mineralization Kinetics under Rice–Wheat System

Abstract

Influence of long‐term sodic‐water (SW) irrigation with or without gypsum and organic amendments [green manure (GM), farmyard manure (FYM), and rice straw (RS)] on soil properties and nitrogen (N) mineralization kinetics was studied after 12 years of rice–wheat cropping in a sandy loam soil in northwest India. Long‐term SW irrigation increased soil pH, exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP), and sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) and decreased organic carbon (OC) and total N content. On the other hand, application of gypsum and organic amendments resulted in significant improvement in all these soil properties. Mineralization of soil N ranged from 54 to 111 mg N kg^?1 soil in different treatments. Irrigation with SW depressed N mineralization. In SW‐irrigated plots, two flushes of N mineralization were observed; the first during 0 to 7 d and the second after 28 d. Amending SW irrigated plots with GM and FYM enhanced mineralization of soil N. Gypsum application along with SW irrigation reduced cumulative N mineralization at 56 days in RS‐amended plots but increased it under GM‐treated, FYM‐treated, or unamended plots. Nitrogen mineralization potential (N_o) ranged from 62 to 543 mg N kg^?1 soil. In the first‐order zero‐order model (FOZO), the easily decomposable fraction ranged from 5.4 to 42 mg N kg^?1 soil. Compared to the first‐order single compartment model, the FOZO model could better explain the variations in N mineralization in different treatments. Variations in N_o were influenced more by changes in pH, SAR, and ESP induced by long‐term SW irrigations and amendments rather than by soil OC.     

Long-term management effects on organic C and N pools and activities of C-transforming enzymes in prairie soils

Changes in soil microbial and biochemical properties in response to management practices reflect changes in the functional capacity of soil ecosystems. The objectives were to evaluate effects of long-term management practices on different soil organic C and N pools and activities of glycoside hydrolases, including α- and β-glucosidases, α- and β-galactosidases, cellulase, and invertase, in semiarid prairie soils. Soils were sampled from five long-term management systems including: undisturbed, abandoned from cultivation, moderately grazed, heavily grazed, and cultivated with winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Activities of C-transforming enzymes were sensitive in discriminating soil ecosystems under various land uses and can be used as indicators for detecting impact of soil management practices on the soil capacity to cycle C. Long-term cultivation (more than 30 yr) decreased total organic C and N, microbial biomass, and activities of C-transforming enzymes, and led to development of a microbial community with enhanced metabolic activity. Grazing, especially at moderate intensity, did not lessen soil capacity to support microbial life and cycle C. The intermediate status of the chemical, microbial, and biochemical properties in the abandoned from cultivation soils suggested that through secondary succession the soil ecosystem is restoring its capacity to sequester C and support microbial life.     

滇池流域磷矿山区优势植物叶片与土壤养分生态化学计量特征

为了研究滇池流域磷矿山区不同生活型优势植物叶片和土壤的养分含量及其计量比特征,选取流域内磷矿退化山区内4种常见优势植物(马桑、云南松、蔗茅和紫茎泽兰)作为研究对象,分析植物叶片及土壤的C、N、P含量。结果表明:云南松影响下的土壤有机质、全氮、碱解氮和有效磷含量最高,分别为22.42 g/kg、1.85 g/kg、140.78 mg/kg、1 048.89 mg/kg,全磷含量最低,为2.51 g/kg;云南松叶片C含量为492.86 g/kg,显著高于其他植物,而N、P含量分别为11.22和2.78 g/kg,显著低于其他植物;土壤N含量与叶片C含量显著正相关,而与叶片N︰P比显著负相关。研究结果表明:磷矿山地土壤C、N养分是限制植物生长的主要限制因子;在土壤C、N养分相对匮乏的立地条件下,云南松和蔗茅叶片能够固定更多的C,而马桑叶片能够固定较多的N。因此,结合不同生活型植物的属性特征及该区域内群落的演替特征,建议磷矿山区废弃地的生态恢复可以构建蔗茅和马桑为主的植物群落,随后种植云南松形成针叶林以增加土壤C含量,并在恢复后期种植固N阔叶树种形成针阔混交林,以达到全面改善土壤养分、保持水土并控制土壤P素流失的目的。