Below ground carbon turnover and greenhouse gas exchanges in a sub-arctic wetland

Here we present results from a field experiment in a sub-arctic wetland near Abisko, northern Sweden, where the permafrost is currently disintegrating with significant vegetation changes as a result. During one growing season we investigated the fluxes of CO₂ and CH₄ and how they were affected by ecosystem properties, i.e., composition of species that are currently expanding in the area (Carex rotundata, Eriophorum vaginatum and Eriophorum angustifolium), dissolved CH₄ in the pore water, substrate availability for methane producing bacteria, water table depth, active layer, temperature, etc. We found that the measured gas fluxes over the season ranged between: CH₄ 0.2 and 36.1 mg CH₄ m⁻² h⁻¹, Net Ecosystem Exchange (NEE) −1000 and 1250 mg CO₂ m⁻² h⁻¹ (negative values meaning a sink of atmospheric CO₂) and dark respiration 110 and 1700 mg CO₂ m⁻² h⁻¹. We found that NEE, photosynthetic rate and CH₄ emission were affected by the species composition. Multiple stepwise regressions indicated that the primary explanatory variables for NEE was photosynthetic rate and for respiration and photosynthesis biomass of green leaves. The primary explanatory variables for CH₄ emissions were depth of the water table, concentration of organic acid carbon and biomass of green leaves. The negative correlations between pore water concentration and emission of CH₄ and the concentrations of organic acid, amino acid and carbohydrate carbon indicated that these compounds or their fermentation by-products were substrates for CH₄ formation. Furthermore, calculation of the radiative forcing of the species expanding in the area as a direct result of permafrost degradation and a change in hydrology indicate that the studied mire may act as an increasing source of radiative forcing in future.     

Identification of ergosterol in vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizae

Summary Ergosta-5,7,22-tri-3-enol (ergosterol) was identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry in roots of berseem (Trifolium alexandrinum L., cv. Landsorte) and sweet corn (Zea mays L., cv. Honeycomb-F1) infected with the vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal (VAM) fungus Glomus intraradices. The fungal-derived compound ergosterol was determined quantitatively in root extracts using reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography. The concentrations of ergosterol in VAM-infected roots reached 72 g^-1 dry material in berseem and 52 g^-1 in sweet corn after 80 days of growth, whereas concentrations in non-infected roots remained below 8 g^-1 dry weight. Additionally, phytosterols such as -sitosterol, campesterol, and stigmasterol were detected in both infected and non-infected roots. Ergosterol, as a characteristic fungal substance, is proposed as an indicator of fungal biomass in the early stages of VAM infection.     

Response of potatoes to different nutrient solution management in a closed hydroponic system

Ion control of nutrient solutions to control nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) was developed for Superior (medium-to-early maturing) and Atlantic (mid-late) potato cultivars grown in closed hydroponic systems in which solutions were replenished and recirculated. Results were compared with conventional nutrient solution management strategies. In the “solution replacement” treatment, nutrient solutions were completely replaced each week. In the “electrical conductivity (EC) control” treatment, water use by potato plants was compensated by adding ground water to achieve the original volume (water replenishment) and the diluted EC of the solution was adjusted to the target levels using stock solution. In “ion control” treatment, ammonium dihydrogen phosphate (NH₄H₂PO₄) and potassium nitrate (KNO₃) were added to the EC-controlled nutrient solution. The amounts increased with plant age in both cultivars. The concentrations of nitrate (NO₃), P, and K in the ion control nutrient solution could be maintained at target levels. In water replenishment, recycling of nutrient solution resulted in a progressive decrease in EC and an increase in pH. Root activity increased by 93% and 59% in the Superior and Atlantic cultivars, respectively, compared with the nutrient solution replacement. These changes decreased photosynthesis, plant growth, water use, and thus tuber growth in the Superior cultivar. Decreased growth of shoots and tubers occurred without affecting photosynthesis in the Atlantic cultivar. Although there were no significant differences in root activity, photosynthesis, or plant growth between the ion control treatment and the EC control treatment, increased tuber growth was observed in the ion control treatment, possibly as a result of the constant supply of nutrients. High tuber growth and the capability to maintain solution nutrient concentration in the ion control treatment are highly desirable for closed hydroponic systems.     

Structural studies on soil nitrogen by Curie-point pyrolysis — gas chromatography/mass spectrometry with nitrogen-selective detection

Curie-point pyrolysis-gas chromatography mass spectrometry with N-selective detection was used to characterize the structure of organic N compounds in four mineral soils. The technique was found suitable for the fast, sensitive, and highly specific identification of N-containing pyrolysis products from whole soils with total N contents between 0.08 and 0.46%. In order to optimize the methodology, one agricultural soil was pyrolyzed at final temperatures of 573, 773, and 973 K. Almost no chemical alterations to identifiable pyrolysis products were observed when the final pyrolysis temperature was increased from 573 to 973 K. More than 50 N-containing pyrolysis products were identified, and were divided into compound classes chracterized by specific molecular-chemical structures. These included pyrroles, imidazoles, pyrazoles, pyridines, pyrimidines, pyrazines, indoles, quinolines, N derivatives of benzene, alkyl nitriles, and aliphatic amines. Three additional soil samples different in origin and N content were analyzed at 773 K and each showed a specific thermosensitive N-selective chromatogram. Many N-containing pyrolysis products were identified in all samples, which indicated general qualitative regularities in the thermal release of N-containing pyrolysis products from the four soils. In the pyrolyzates of the investigated soils a number of compounds were identified, which is usually not detectable in pyrolysis-gas chromatography spectrometry analyses with N-selective detection of plants and microorganisms. Among these were N derivatives of benzene and long-chain alkyl nitriles, which appear to be soil-specific and suggest significant transformations of organic N in soils. Thus, our results contribute to a better understanding of the molecular-chemical structure of unknown N.     

Soil phosphorus dynamics in cropping systems managed according to conventional and biological agricultural methods

The effects of conventional and biological farming systems on soil P dynamics were studied by measuring some microbiological parameters after 13 years of different cropping systems. The treatments included control, biodynamic, bio-organic, and conventional plots and a mineral fertilizer treatment. The farming systems differed mainly in the form and quantity of nutrients applied and in the plant protection strategies. The results of a sequential fractionation procedure showed that irrespective of the form of P applied, neither 0.5 M NaHCO _inf3 ^sup- nor 0.1 M NaOH-extractable organic P, but only the inorganic fractions, were affected. The residual organic P, not extracted by NaHCO₃ or NaOH was increased in the biodynamic and bio-organic plots. The soil microbial biomass (ATP content) and the activity of acid phosphatase were also higher in both biologically managed systems. These results were attributed to the higher quantity of organic C and organic P applied in these systems, but also to the absence of or severe reduction in chemical plant protection. The relationship between acid soil phosphatase and residual organic P was interpreted as an indication that this fraction might be involved in short-term transformations. The measurement of the intensity, quantity, and capacity factors of available soil P using the ³²P isotopic exchange kinetic method showed that P could not be the factor limiting crop yield in the biological farming systems. The kinetic parameters describing the ability of P ions to leave the soil solid phase, deduced from isotopic exchange, were significantly higher for the biodynamic treatment than for all other treatments. This result, showing a modification of chemical bonds between P ions and the soil matrix, was explained by the higher Ca and organic matter contents in this system.     

Trace element release from forest floor can be monitored by ion exchange resin tubes

Risk assessment of heavy metal input into forest ecosystems requires information about metal fluxes from the forest floor (organic layer) into the mineral soil. Common methods for the monitoring of element fluxes are generally time‐consuming and expensive. Additionally, the reliability of the results is in part contested especially for trace elements, showing very low concentrations which are sometimes even below analytical detection limit. We used ion exchange resin tubes installed below the forest floor to determine heavy metal and As fluxes at 25 forest monitoring sites in Germany. Chloride tracer experiments and the comparison of our data with throughfall and lysimeter data, determined within the Level II monitoring network, proved the accuracy of our method. Mean trace element fluxes based on the resin method were 50 g As ha^–1 yr^–1, 2 g Cd ha^–1 yr^–1, 168 g Cu ha^–1 yr^–1, 176 g Ni ha^–1 yr^–1, and 186 g Pb ha^–1 yr^–1.The results show that the organic layer may change into a source of heavy metals after emission has decreased.     

Retention of dissolved organic matter by illitic soils and clay fractions: Influence of mineral phase properties

The dependency of the retention of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) on mineral phase properties in soils remains uncertain especially at neutral pH. To specifically elucidate the role of mineral surfaces and pedogenic oxides for DOC retention at pH 7, we sorbed DOC to bulk soil (illitic surface soils of a toposequence) and corresponding clay fraction (< 2 μm) samples after the removal of organic matter and after removal of organic matter and pedogenic oxides. The DOC retention was related to the content of dithionite‐extractable iron, specific surface area (SSA, BET‐N₂ method) and cation exchange capacity (pH 7). The reversibility of DOC sorption was determined by a desorption experiment. All samples sorbed 20–40 % of the DOC added. The DOC sorption of the clay fractions explained the total sorption of the bulk soils. None of the mineral phase properties investigated was able to solely explain the DOC retention. A sorption of 9 to 24 μg DOC m^–2 indicated that DOC interacted only with a fraction of the mineral surface, since loadings above 500 μg m^–2 would be expected for a carbon monolayer. Under the experimental conditions used, the surface of the silicate clay minerals seemed to be more important for the DOC sorption than the surface of the iron oxides. The desorption experiment removed 11 to 31 % of the DOC sorbed. Most of the DOC was strongly sorbed.     

Short-term changes in nitrogen availability, gas fluxes (CO2, NO, N2O) and microbial biomass after tillage during pasture re-establishment in Rondônia, Brazil

Anthropogenic conversion of primary forest to pasture for cattle production is still frequent in the Amazon Basin. Practices adopted by ranchers to restore productivity to degraded pasture have the potential to alter soil N availability and N gas losses from soils. We examined short-term (35 days) effects of tillage prior to pasture re-establishment on soil N availability, CO₂, NO and N₂O fluxes and microbial biomass C and N under degraded pasture at Nova Vida ranch, Rondônia, Brazilian Amazon. We collected soil samples and measured gas fluxes in tilled and control (non tilled pasture) 12 times at equally spaced intervals during October 2001 to quantify the effect of tillage. Maximum soil NH₄⁺ and NO₃⁻ pools were 13.2 and 6.3 kg N ha⁻¹ respectively after tillage compared to 0.24 and 6.3 kg N ha⁻¹ in the control. Carbon dioxide flux ranged from 118 to 181 mg C–CO₂ m² h⁻¹ in the control (non-tilled) and from 110 to 235 mg C–CO₂ m² h⁻¹ when tilled. Microbial biomass C varied from 365 to 461 μg g⁻¹ in the control and from 248 to 535 μg g⁻¹ when tilled. The values for N₂O fluxes ranged from 1.22 to 96.9 μg N m⁻² h⁻¹ in the tilled plots with a maximum 3 days after the second tilling. Variability in NO flux in the control and when tilled was consistent with previous measures of NO emissions from pasture at Nova Vida. When tilled, the NO/N₂O ratio remained <1 after the first tilling suggesting that denitrification dominated N cycling. The effects of tilling on microbial parameters were less clear, except for a decrease in qCO₂ and an increase in microbial biomass C/N immediately after tilling. Our results suggest that restoration of degraded pastures with tillage will lead to less C matter, at least initially. Further long-term research is needed.     

淹水土壤有机酸积累与秸秆碳氮比及氮供应的关系

有机酸积累和毒害是稻田秸杆还田中受到广泛关注的问题。本文以水稻与小麦秸杆为材料，采用淹水培养研究了甲酸、乙酸、丙酸及丁酸在士壤中的积累及其与秸秆碳氮比、氮肥添加量的关系。结果表明，在不施用氮肥的情况下。随秸秆用量的增加，秸秆处理的有机酸积累均显著增多。与稻秸处理相比，麦秸处理的有机酸（尤其足丙酸）积累量显著较高，土壤溶液中NH4^＋浓度显著较低。加入尿素明显减少有机酸积累，促进CH4排放，但对CO2的排放无显著影响；氮素的影响在麦秸处理中表现的尤为明显。上述结果说明麦秸的高碳氮比增加了无机氮的生物固定，抑制有机酸向CH4转化，从而导致麦秸处理有机酸积累量高于稻秸处理。施用氮肥是减少麦秸还田后有机酸积累的有效措施之一，但此措施将可能促进CH4的排放。     

Foliar Applied Phosphorous Enhanced Growth,Chlorophyll Contents,Gas Exchange Attributes and PUE in Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

A pot experiment was conducted to evaluate the foliar applied phosphorous with and without pre-plant dose (50 kg hac.^?1) of phosphorous on growth, chlorophyll contents, gas exchange parameters and phosphorous use efficiency (PUE) of wheat. The experiment was conducted in net house at Department of Crop Physiology, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Pakistan. Two promising wheat cultivar AARI 2011 and FSD 2008 were used as a test crop with 5 foliar phosphorus (P) rates (0, 2, 4, 6, 8 kg ha^?1). The foliar applied P with pre-plant performed better than without pre-plant and control treatments. Foliar treatment of phosphorus at 6 kg ha^?1 P proved to be the best among other foliar treatments followed by 8 kg ha^?1 P. The foliar application of phosphorous at 6 kg hac.^?1 with pre-plant soil applied P increased the shoot length, root length, shoot fresh weight, root fresh weight, shoot dry weight and root dry weight. The chlorophyll contents (Chl. a and b) were increased with the foliar application of phosphorous. The gas exchange parameters (net carbon dioxide (CO₂) assimilation rate, transpiration rate, stomatal conductance and sub-stomatal CO₂ rate) were significantly improved by foliar applied P. The maximum values of net CO₂ assimilation rate (5.27 μ mol m^?2 sec.^?1), transpiration rate (3.44 μ mol m^?2 sec.^?1), stomatal conductance (0.81 μ mol m^?2 sec.^?1) and sub-stomatal CO₂ (271.67 μ mol m^?2 sec.^?1), were recorded in the treatment where P was foliar applied at 6 kg hac.^?1 with pre-plant soil applied Phosphorous. The foliar application of phosphorous with pre-plant soil applied P enhanced Phosphorous use efficiency (PUE) in both varieties. The maximum value of PUE (15.42%) was recorded in the treatment where foliar feeding of P was done at 6 kg hac.^?1 with pre-plant soil applied P in both genotypes.