Indicators and trade-offs of ecosystem services in agricultural soils along a landscape heterogeneity gradient

Soil functions can be classified as supporting (nutrient cycling) and provisioning (crop production) ecosystem services (ES). These services consist of multiple and dynamic functions and are typically assessed using indicators, e.g. microbial biomass as an indicator of supporting services. Agricultural intensification negatively affects indicators of soil functions and is therefore considered to deplete soil ES. It has been suggested that incorporating leys into crop rotations can enhance soil ES. We examined this by comparing indicators of supporting soil services – organic carbon, nitrogen, water holding capacity and available phosphorous (carbon storage and nutrient retention); net nitrogen mineralisation rate and microbial biomass (nutrient cycling and retention) – in barley fields, leys and permanent pastures along a landscape heterogeneity gradient (100, 500 and 1000 m radii). In addition, barley yields (provisioning service) were analysed against these indicators to identify trade-offs among soil services. Levels of most indicators did not differ between barley and ley fields and were consistently lower than in permanent pastures. Leys supported greater microbial biomass than barley fields. Landscape heterogeneity had no effect on the indicators or microbial community composition. However, landscape heterogeneity correlated negatively with yield and soil pH, suggesting that soils in heterogeneous landscapes are less fertile and therefore have lower yields. No trade-offs were found between increasing barley yield and the soil indicators. The results suggest that soil ES are determined at the field level, with little influence from the surrounding landscape, and that greater crop yields do not necessarily come at the expense of supporting soil services.     

Can differences in 15N natural abundance be used to quantify the transfer of nitrogen from legumes to neighbouring non-legume plant species?

Natural variations in the stable isotope ¹⁵N are often exploited in studies of N cycling in ecosystems. Lower ¹⁵N natural abundance in non-legume plants growing in association with legumes, compared with the non-legume grown alone in pure stands have been observed in cropping, forage, and agroforestry systems. Such observations have frequently been attributed to the transfer of biologically-fixed nitrogen (N) from the legume to the companion non-legume, and various methodologies have been employed to calculate the extent of the N transfer. While some of these ¹⁵N natural abundance-based estimates of N transfer were within the range previously reported using equivalent ¹⁵N-enriched techniques (<20% of non-legume plant N and <10 kg N ha⁻¹ derived from fixed N contributed by neighbouring legumes), many of the values obtained using natural abundance were much higher (30%–83% of the non-legume N derived from fixed N representing up to 30–40 kg N ha⁻¹) than generally measured by ¹⁵N-enriched methods; with even greater estimates being determined where data were available to allow N transfer to be re-calculated on the basis of total legume N rather than fixed N (42% to >100%, and up to 110 kg N ha⁻¹ per year). This review raises concerns about the assumptions behind the natural abundance approach, and provides some alternative interpretations for the observed differences in natural ¹⁵N abundance between plants grown in the presence and absence of legumes. It was concluded that simple comparative measures of non-legume δ¹⁵N alone cannot provide a quantitative estimate of N transfer between plant species if the dominant source and the isotopic identity of the transferred N cannot be validated, and if the extent of any isotopic fractionation associated with relevant N transformations occurring during transfer cannot be defined. To date this information is not forthcoming. There is a need to greatly improve our understanding of the transfer processes before the real value of the δ¹⁵N technology can be realized. In the first instance this will primarily be achieved by carefully executed experiments under controlled conditions, and in the field, employing both ¹⁵N natural abundance and enrichment approaches so estimates of transfer can be compared, and the data interrogated using modelling approaches to explore isotopic fractionation.     

Cross‐linked polyacrylates in post‐mining substrates: persistence and effects on plant growth

Application of hydrophilic polymers composed of cross‐linked polyacrylate can improve soil water‐holding capacity and accelerate the restoration of post‐mining substrates. In this work, we studied the persistence of a polyacrylate polymer incorporated into a soil and its impact on plant nutrients at a reclamation site of former lignite mining in Lusatia (Germany). In contrast to autumn application, the incorporation of the polymer enhanced the sequestration of plant‐derived carbon in the soil, which was reflected by a significant increase in the concentration of a lignin marker. Attenuated total reflexion–Fourier transform infrared spectra (ATR‐FTIR) and total elemental contents in the applied polymer suggested an intensive cation exchange between the polymer framework and the soil‐forming substrate. In addition, there was an enrichment of carbonaceous material, which seems to reduce the swelling and thus the water‐holding capacity of the cross‐linked polyacrylate. Conversely, this process protected the polymer structure from rapid decomposition.     

局地尺度高寒草原土壤真菌多样性对地上植物多样性与生产力关系的调控作用

为研究局地尺度高寒草原土壤真菌多样性对地上植物多样性与生产力关系的调控作用，本研究以青海省湟源县局地尺度高寒草原为研究对象，对不同植物多样性梯度的地上生产力、土壤理化性状和土壤真菌多样性等指标进行调查、采样和分析。通过偏回归分析（partial least squares regression，PLSR）、方差分解分析（variance partitioning analysis，VPA）、构建结构方程模型（structural equation model，SEM）等分析手段，分析了土壤真菌多样性对地上植物多样性与生产力关系的调控作用。结果表明，高寒草原植物多样性与地上生产力存在显著线性正相关关系；土壤真菌多样性分别与植物多样性和地上生产力呈显著正相关关系；通过PLSR，VPA，SEM等方法控制土壤非生物因子效应后，真菌多样性与二者的显著正相关关系仍存在。综上所述，局地尺度下青海省湟源县高寒草原土壤真菌多样性是调控地上植物多样性与生产力正向关系的关键生物因子。     

Ecological implications of motor oil pollution: Earthworm survival and soil health

The nontarget effects of fresh and used motor oil were studied in a soil test system involving such criteria as earthworm survival, response of soil dehydrogenase and urease, and nitrification. When earthworms were exposed to motor oil-contaminated soil for 4 weeks, the observed median lethal concentrations (LC₅₀) were 40.33 and 3.88 g kg⁻¹ soil for fresh and used oil, respectively. Only fresh motor oil application increased earthworms' body weight even at the higher dose of 19 g kg⁻¹ soil. Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry revealed that used motor oil contained more of aromatic hydrocarbons and heavy metals than fresh oil. This disparity in the chemical composition might be the factor responsible for the significant toxicity of used motor oil towards earthworms. Activities of soil dehydrogenase and urease were significantly enhanced in presence of both the motor oils, while there was a significant inhibition in nitrification by the used motor oil even at a low concentration of 0.2 g kg⁻¹ soil. This study clearly demonstrated that earthworm survival and nitrification could serve as suitable indices to assess motor oil pollution in soil.     

Vineyard soil bacterial diversity and composition revealed by 16S rRNA genes: Differentiation by geographic features

Here, we examine soil-borne microbial biogeography as a function of the features that define an American Viticultural Area (AVA), a geographically delimited American wine grape-growing region, defined for its distinguishing features of climate, geology, soils, physical features (topography and water), and elevation. In doing so, we lay a foundation upon which to link the terroir of wine back to the soil-borne microbial communities. The objective of this study is to elucidate the hierarchy of drivers of soil bacterial community structure in wine grape vineyards in Napa Valley, California. We measured differences in the soil bacterial and archaeal community composition and diversity by sequencing the fourth variable region of the small subunit ribosomal RNA gene (16S V4 rDNA). Soil bacterial communities were structured with respect to soil properties and AVA, demonstrating the complexity of soil microbial biogeography at the landscape scale and within the single land-use type. Location and edaphic variables that distinguish AVAs were the strongest explanatory factors for soil microbial community structure. Notably, the relationship with TC and TN of the <53 μm and 53–250 μm soil fractions offers support for the role of bacterial community structure rather than individual taxa on fine soil organic matter content. We reason that AVA, climate, and topography each affect soil microbial communities through their suite of impacts on soil properties. The identification of distinctive soil microbial communities associated with a given AVA lends support to the idea that soil microbial communities form a key in linking wine terroir back to the biotic components of the soil environment, suggesting that the relationship between soil microbial communities and wine terroir should be examined further.     

有机改良剂对温室土壤及番茄质量的影响

研究了优培-海藻生物有机肥(Y)、微生物菌肥(W)和腐植酸有机肥对日光温室土壤的理化性质、有效态微量元素含量、酶活性以及番茄品质等方面的影响,旨在探索快速、简易且廉价的土壤改良方法,为日光温室土壤改良及有机蔬菜生产提供理论依据。结果表明,不同土壤改良剂对土壤p H无显著影响,在番茄生育期内土壤p H值始终在7.0以上,没有出现酸化问题;拉秧后,除中量腐植酸有机肥(FM)外,其他各处理均能有效降低土壤EC值并达到极显著水平;各处理对提升有效态Mn、Zn和Fe含量的效果不显著,其中,仅高量腐植酸有机肥处理(FH)能同时提高开花结果盛期0~20 cm和20~40 cm土层的有效态Zn含量,与CK相比,分别增加10.8%和13.2%;不同土壤改良剂均可提高土壤脲酶和蔗糖酶活性;不同土壤改良剂对碱性磷酸酶的酶活性影响较小;微生物菌肥对酸性磷酸酶和过氧化氢酶的酶活性影响相对明显;不同土壤改良剂均能提高番茄可溶性固形物、可溶性糖、可滴定酸和维生素C的含量,其中,中量腐植酸有机肥处理提高了番茄的糖酸比。土壤改良剂可有效改善日光温室土壤特性及番茄品质。     

渗灌次数对西北荒漠灌区紫花苜蓿栽培草地土壤化学性质的影响

渗灌是节水农业中最有效的措施之一,有利于作物产量和水分利用率的提高。本研究以甘肃省金昌市杨柳青公司紫花苜蓿‘艾迪娜’(M.sativa L.‘Aidina’)试验地渗灌区土壤为研究对象,通过田间试验与室内分析相结合的方法,研究不同渗灌次数(0次、1次、2次、3次)对苜蓿出苗期不同土层深度及管距位置土壤化学性质的影响。结果表明:在0~10cm和10~20cm土层深度,pH最高值均出现在管上,较CK升高了8.21%和8.68%,最低值都出现在管中,较CK降低了2.70%和3.37%;2水和3水均能显著提高不同土层深度及不同管距位置的pH值(P0.05)。不同渗灌次数,不同土层深度管中的水溶性盐含量均高于管上和管近,且最大值都出现在1水,较CK分别增加了83.26%和96.34%;不同土层深度,2水的水溶性盐含量平均值都低于1水和3水;不同渗灌次数,不同土层深度,钠离子和钾离子含量的最大值均出现在管中。不同渗灌次数,不同土层深度,管中的水解性氮含量均高于管上和管近,最大值都出现在1水管中,较CK分别增加了112.68%和34.48%。随着渗灌次数的增多,0~10cm土层深度不同管距的速效磷含量均呈现下降趋势,速效钾含量均呈现上升趋势。随着灌水次数的增加,不同土层深度及管位的有机质含量均呈现先上升后下降的趋势,2水显著提高了各位置土壤有机质含量(P0.05)。综上所述,渗灌2次比较好,土壤水溶性盐含量较低且有机质含量较高,利于苜蓿幼苗生长。     

皆伐与不同迹地清理方式对杉木土壤化学性质的影响

以福建将乐国有林场杉木人工林为研究对象,按照立地条件相一致的原则,利用空间代替时间的方法设置皆伐前、皆伐1个月、皆伐3个月、整地1 a、整地3 a、炼山1 a、炼山3 a等不同条件下总计21块标准样地,旨在研究皆伐与不同迹地清理方式对杉木林地土壤化学性质的影响。经过对标准地土壤化学性质测定,结合显著性差异法对试验数据进行处理分析。结果表明:皆伐后土壤化学性质趋于恶化,不同迹地清理方式土壤化学性质差异显著,带状整地法在短期1 a内对土壤化学性质的改善显著强于炼山法,并且炼山3 a后土壤化学性质基本恢复至炼山前,总体看来皆伐后带状整地的迹地清理方式优于炼山法。     

Establishment of macro-aggregates and organic matter turnover by microbial communities in long-term incubated artificial soils

The study of interactions between minerals, organic matter (OM) and microorganisms is essential for the understanding of soil functions such as OM turnover. Here, we present an interdisciplinary approach using artificial soils to study the establishment of the microbial community and the formation of macro-aggregates as a function of the mineral composition by using artificial soils. The defined composition of a model system enables to directly relate the development of microbial communities and soil structure to the presence of specific constituents. Five different artificial soil compositions were produced with two types of clay minerals (illite, montmorillonite), metal oxides (ferrihydrite, boehmite) and charcoal incubated with sterile manure and a microbial community derived from a natural soil. We used the artificial soils to analyse the response of these model soil systems to additional sterile manure supply (after 562 days). The artificial soils were subjected to a prolonged incubation period of more than two years (842 days) in order to take temporally dynamic processes into account. In our model systems with varying mineralogy, we expected a changing microbial community composition and an effect on macro-aggregation after OM addition, as the input of fresh substrate will re-activate the artificial soils. The abundance and structure of 16S rRNA gene and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) fragments amplified from total community DNA were studied by quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE), respectively. The formation of macro-aggregates (>2 mm), the total organic carbon (OC) and nitrogen (N) contents, the OC and N contents in particle size fractions and the CO₂ respiration were determined. The second manure input resulted in higher CO₂ respiration rates, 16S rRNA gene and ITS copy numbers, indicating a stronger response of the microbial community in the matured soil-like system. The type of clay minerals was identified as the most important factor determining the composition of the bacterial communities established. The additional OM and longer incubation time led to a re-formation of macro-aggregates which was significantly higher when montmorillonite was present. Thus, the type of clay mineral was decisive for both microbial community composition as well as macro-aggregation, whereas the addition of other components had a minor effect. Even though different bacterial communities were established depending on the artificial soil composition, the amount and quality of the OM did not show significant differences supporting the concept of functional redundancy.