Influence of soil acidity on depth gradients of microbial biomass in beech forest soils

The objectives of the study were to investigate mineral soil profiles as a living space for microbial decomposers and the relation of microbial properties to soil acidity. We estimated microbial biomass C on concentration (g g^–1 DW) as well as on volume basis (g m^–2) and the microbial biomass C to soil organic C ratio along a vertical gradient from L horizon to 20 cm in the mineral soil and along a gradient of increasing acidity at five beech forest stands in Germany. Microbial biomass C concentration ranged from 17,000–34,000 g C_mic g^–1 DW in the litter layer and decreased dramatically down the profile to 29–264 g C_mic g^–1 DW at 15–20 cm depth in the mineral soil. This represents depth gradients of microbial biomass C concentrations ranging from a factor of 65 in slightly acidic and up to 875 in acidic soils. In contrast, microbial biomass C calculated on a volume basis (g C_mic m^–2) showed a different pattern since a considerable part of the microbial biomass C was located in the mineral soils. In the soil profile 22–34% of the microbial biomass C was found in the mineral soil at strictly acidic sites and as much as 64–88% in slightly acidic soils. The microbial biomass C to soil organic carbon ratios decreased in general down from the L horizon in the forest floor to 0–5 cm depth in the mineral soils. In strongly acidic mineral soils however, the C to soil organic carbon ratio increased with depth, suggesting a positive relation to increasing pH. We conclude from depth gradients of soil pH and microbial biomass C to soil organic carbon ratio that pH affects this ratio at acidic sites. The inter-site comparison indicates that acidity restricts microbial biomass C in the mineral soils.     

杨树、水杉林带枯落物对土壤微生物C、N的影响

杨树 (Ｐｏｐｕｌｕｓｓｐｐ .)、水杉 (Ｍｅｔａｓｅｑｕｏｉａｇｌｙｐｔｏｓｔｒｏｂｏｉｄｅｓ)是我国亚热带滨海盐土的重要造林树种 ,它们生长快且能耐轻度盐碱 ,因此常被作为这一地区复合农林业的理想树种 (钟哲科等 ,1 996 )。由于滨海地区处于陆地和海洋的交界处 ,自然环境较为恶劣 ,自然灾害频繁 ,因此复合农林业系统的研究和应用已成为保障这一地区农业持续稳定发展的重要措施。关于林木对小气候调节、改善生态环境等研究已有不少报道 ,但关于林木枯落物在复合农林业系统中对土壤微生物的作用 ,研究仍很少。植物枯落物是复合农林…     

热解温度对生物质炭性质及其在土壤中矿化的影响

以苹果树修剪的枝条为原料,分别在300、400、500、600℃条件下热解制备生物质炭,在采用扫描电镜、红外光谱、物理化学吸附仪等手段研究其性质、结构差异的基础上,通过培养试验研究不同温度制备生物质炭的矿化特征及其对土壤有机碳组分的影响。结果表明,随着热解温度的升高,生物质炭的碳含量、比表面积及碱性官能团的含量增加,O、H及H/C、O/C和酸性官能团、总官能团的含量则降低,生物质炭的芳香族结构加强,稳定性升高。添加生物质炭可以增加土壤呼吸速率、微生物量碳(MBC)及可溶性有机碳(DOC)的含量,且随着添加比例的增加而增加,但随着热解温度的升高而降低。生物质炭的矿化率随着热解温度升高和添加比例增加而降低。利用双库模型揭示了生物质炭对土壤活性碳库、惰性碳库及其分解速率的影响。施用生物质炭后土壤有机碳的半衰期在24.09~44.76 a之间,且随生物质炭制备温度升高而增大。考虑到生物质炭制备过程中有机碳的损失,且从提升土壤有机碳含量方面考虑,500℃为制备苹果枝条生物质炭的最佳温度。     

外源微生物对苦参基质化发酵腐熟效果的影响

为探讨外源微生物对苦参枝屑基质化发酵堆体腐熟效果的影响,采用随机区组设计,以干燥鸡粪为氮源,进行接种外源微生物对苦参枝屑基质化发酵过程中发酵性能参数的影响试验。结果表明:接种粗纤维降解菌和纤维素类酶制剂堆体升温速度显著快于对照,高温持续时间较长(高于50℃,均达到5 d),苦参堆体腐熟时间缩短;至堆体结束后接种粗纤维降解菌和纤维素类酶制剂堆体TOC分别下降了8.52%和8.01%,碳氮比分别降低5.35%和5.00%,纤维素质量分数分别下降了3.31%和3.29%,半纤维素降解率分别下降了2.89%和2.93%,木质素分别下降了2.01%和1.98,总氮分别增加了18.2%和16.1%,总磷分别增加了19.0%和18.5%,总钾分别增加了48.1%和49.1%,加速了苦参基质有机质的分解和纤维素降解,提高了堆肥腐熟进程中的总氮、总磷和总钾含量,保证了腐熟后的肥力;接种粗纤维降解菌和纤维素类酶制剂堆体容重分别增加了6.10%和9.20%,总孔隙度分别增加了9.28%和9.90%,持水孔隙度分别增加了4.83%和6.09%,腐熟后的各项理化指标均符合理想基质的要求;小白菜和黄瓜种子发芽指数均达到85%以上,有效消除了苦参腐解产物的毒害作用。接种粗纤维降解菌和纤维素类酶制剂堆体的发酵性能参数间无显著差异,综合基质发酵温度、腐熟周期及基质保护作物根系生长及固定植株的功能对基质各项理化性质的要求,接种粗纤维降解菌和纤维素类酶制剂对苦参基质堆体基质化促进效果较优。     

Quantifying the effect of Managed Aquifer Recharge on the microbiological human health risks of irrigating crops with recycled water

Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) is increasingly being used for water recycling via aquifers and recovery for irrigation. Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment (QMRA) was used to assess the human health risks from irrigation using reclaimed water and to evaluate the reduction in risk where MAR is used for irrigation management. Four MAR sites (Shafdan, Israel; Nardò, Italy; Bolivar, Australia; and Sabadell, Spain) that use reclaimed water for crop and/or park irrigation were evaluated, and the risk to human health was quantified in terms of DALYs (Disability Adjusted Life Years). The results indicated that median risks for all scenarios and pathogens evaluated were acceptable (<10⁻⁶ DALYs) with the exception of risks from accidental aerosol ingestion and bacterial pathogens at the Nardò site. MAR was found to be one of the most important treatment barriers in terms of log₁₀ inactivation credits and hence a useful tool for recycled water irrigation management. The Shafdan site relied almost completely on the MAR treatment to reduce the human health risks from irrigation to acceptable levels. For the Nardò site MAR was also an important barrier, where if MAR had not been used as part of the irrigation system the risk would be unacceptable for protozoa and viruses. The Bolivar and Sabadell sites had much larger and more technologically complex recycled water treatment systems and as such MAR was not a critical barrier in managing human health risks.     

微生物肥对连作障碍土壤上芥蓝生长的影响

为解决土壤连作障碍问题,以不施微生物肥作对照,选用沃益多、德根贝2种微生物肥在芥蓝上进行设施栽培肥效对比试验。试验结果表明,施用微生物肥后芥蓝产量和经济效益均较对照有所增加,其中,沃益多处理的芥蓝产量增幅为10.07%,增值22 163元/hm2,德根贝处理的产量增幅为11.46%,增值25 817元/hm2,且达到显著差异,说明微生物肥对连作障碍有很好的缓解作用。     

Do plant clumps constitute microbial hotspots in semiarid Mediterranean patchy landscapes?

Three semiarid Mediterranean patchy landscapes were investigated to test the existence of a microsite effect (i.e. plant canopy vs. inter-canopy) on soil microbial communities. Surface soil samples were independently taken from both microsites under naturally changing conditions of humidity and temperature through the year. In gypsiferous soils covered with a shrub steppe, improved physical and chemical soil properties were registered underneath the plant canopy, where the densest and most active microbial communities were also detected (e.g. microbial biomass C averaged 531 and 202 mg kg⁻¹ in canopy and inter-canopy areas, respectively). In calcareous perennial tussock grasslands, either growing on soils over limestones or alluvial deposits, the microsite effect was not so marked. Soil humidity, temperature and total organic C were homogeneously distributed over the landscape conditioning their uniform microbial activity under field moisture conditions (ATP content averaged 853 and 885 nmol kg⁻¹ in canopy and intercanopy areas, respectively). However, readily mineralizable C and microbial biomass C were preferentially accumulated in soils underneath the tussocks determining their larger potential microbial activity (e.g. C hydrolysis capacity under optimal conditions). In conclusion, plant clumps either functioned as microbial hotspots where enhanced microbially driven ecosystem processes took place or as microbial banks capable of undergoing a burst of activity under favourable climatic conditions. Our results provide experimental evidence of a non-patchy distribution of certain soil microbial properties in semi-arid Mediterranean patchy ecosystems.     

Comparison of two methods that assess soil community level physiological profiles in a forest ecosystem

There are currently two approaches that use whole soil to determine community level physiological profiles (CLPP) based on C-substrate utilization. We assessed the Degens and Harris and MicroResp™ approaches for their ability to distinguish between previously mined and non-mined forest soils that are characterized by gradients in biological, chemical and physical properties. Surface soils (0-5 cm) were collected from two ages of forest rehabilitation (3- and 16-years post mining), within mounds and furrows (caused by contour ripping) and from adjacent non-mined forest soil. Microbial respiration response to individual substrates was six times greater from the Degens and Harris (1.84 μg CO₂-C g soil h⁻¹) than the MicroResp™ (0.31 μg CO₂-C g soil h⁻¹) approach. The MicroResp™ approach was able to distinguish between CLPP of the two ages of rehabilitation (P=0.05), whereas the Degens and Harris approach did not. Neither approach identified an overall difference between the CLPP of mined and adjacent non-mined forest. The MicroResp™ approach revealed a significant difference (P=0.03) in CLPP from mounds of the two rehabilitation ages but no differences between the furrows. In addition there was a difference (P=0.03) in CLPP between the mounds and furrows within the 3-year old rehabilitation but no difference between the mounds and furrows within the 16-year-old rehabilitation. However, the CLPP of mounds of the 3-year old rehabilitation were different (P=0.059) to adjacent non-mined forest, while the furrows were not. There was no difference in CLPP between the mounds or the furrows of the 16-year-old rehabilitation and adjacent non-mined forest. These results suggest that the aspect of microbial heterotrophic function measured in this study takes up to 3 years to re-establish in the furrows and between 3-16 years in the mounds of post-mined rehabilitation soils. Our results also indicated that the MicroResp™ was substantially better than the Degens and Harris approach in distinguishing between treatments; this is likely to be due to differences in substrate concentrations and soil water potentials between approaches. Testing of a more comprehensive range of organic compounds would likely provide greater ecological interpretation of the CLPP data.     

Effects of crop growth and soil treatments on microbial C,N, and P in dry tropical arable land

We studied the dynamics of microbial C, N, and P in soil cropped with rice (Oryza sativa) and lentils (Lens culinaris) in a dryland farming system. The crop biomass and grain yield were also studied. The microbial biomass and its N and P contents were larger under the lentil than under the rice crop. Microbial nutrients decreased as the crops grew and then increased again. Farmyard manure and NPK fertilizer applications increased the level of microbial nutrients, crop biomass, and grain yield by 35–80%, 55–85%, and 74–86%, respectively. However, these applications had no significant effect on most of the soil physicochemical properties in the short term. The microbial biomass was correlated with the crop biomass and grain yield. The calculated flux of N and P through the microbial biomass ranged from 30–45 and 10–19 kg ha^-1 year^-1, respectively. Cultivation of a cereal crop followed by a leguminous crop sustains higher levels of microbial nutrients and hence greater fertility in impoverished tropical arable soils. The soil microbial biomass appears to contribute significantly to crop productivity by releasing nutrients, and applications of manure, either alone or with fertilizers, promote this effect more strongly than the application of NPK fertilizers alone.     

Application of para-nitrophenol (pNP) enzyme assays in degraded tropical soils

Enzyme activities have been used as indicators of soil quality and changes in biogeochemical function due to management or perturbations. The objective of this study was to answer a number of methodological questions regarding sampling schemes, sample handling recommendations, and assay procedures to facilitate the use of enzyme assays in the tropical highlands of East Africa. We used para-nitrophenol (pNP) based substrates for five enzymes: β-glucosidase, cellobiohydrolase, chitinase, acid phosphatase, and alkaline phosphatase. In the first experiment, we examined sampling procedures and compared the results of determining enzyme activities on a plot using composite or discrete samples. Composite samples usually had higher activities than the means of individual cores (P<0.05), but relative ranking of sites was the same if analyses were based on composite or discrete samples. In the second experiment, we examined the effects of storage time and conditions on enzyme activity. Enzyme activity degraded rapidly in frozen samples, but was better maintained in samples stored at 4 °C. Phosphatase and cellobiohydrolase activity declined after 14 days of storage, while the activity of the other enzymes remained close to the values of fresh samples for 28 or more days. In the third experiment, we examined the effect of the addition of an antiseptic, toluene, to prevent bacterial growth during the assay. We found no consistent toluene effect (P>0.4), probably because the assays were of short duration and microbial growth was minimized. Finally, we looked at the incubation time necessary to produce reliable results. Phosphatases, with relatively high activities could reliably be determined in 2 h incubations, but the other enzymes had much lower activities and required longer incubation times for reliable determination. For the enzymes we looked at, 4 h was a good standard time for determining the activity of even the lowest activity enzymes. The results of this study provide practical guidelines for applying these enzyme assays in the degraded tropical soils.