川西3种亚高山针叶林的养分和凋落物格局分析

Investigations were conducted to quantify litterfall, and litter and nutrient accumulation in forest floor, and to acquire information on litter decomposition and nitrogen and phosphorus release patterns in three different subalpine coniferous forests, a plantation （P1）, a secondary forest （SF）, and a primitive forest （PF）, in western Sichuan, China. The litter trap method was used to evaluate litterfall with the litterbag method being utilized for litter decomposition. Seasonal patterns of litterfall were similar in the three forests, with two peaks occurring in September-November and March-May. The plantation revealed an annual litterfall of 4.38 x 103 kg ha-1, which was similar to those of SF and PF, but P1 had a lower mass loss rate and a higher C/N ratio. The C/N ratio may be a sound predictor for the decomposition differences. N concentrations of leaf litter in both the secondary forest and primitive forest increased first and then decreased, and the percentages of their final/initial values were 108.9% and 99.9%, respectively. P concentration in the three forests increased by the end of the study. The results of litterfall and decomposition indicated that in the plantation the potential to provide nutrients for soil organic matter was similar to those of SF and PF; however, its slower decomposition rate could result in a somewhat transient accumulation of litter in the forest floor.     

中国亚热带两种竹林凋落物输入量、凋落物分解和养分释放动态

Bamboos are one of the fast-growing and multiple use species in the world, and thus bamboo forests/plantations play an important role in C sequestration at regional and global levels. We studied aboveground litterfall, litter decomposition and nutrient dynamics for two years in two subtropical bamboo ecosystems in Southwest China so as to test the hypothesis that litter quality determine the rate and nutrient dynamics during decomposition of different litter fractions. Mean annual total aboveground litter production ranged from 494 to 434 g m-2 in two bamboo stands （P stand, dominated by Pleioblastus amarus and H stand, hybrid bamboo dominated by Bambusa pervariabilis x Dendrocalamopsis daii）. Bulk （-80%） of litter production was contributed by leaf litter in two stands followed by twigs and sheathes. Different litter fractions represented considerable variations in the rates of mass loss and nutrient release. Variation of the mass remaining after 2 years of decomposition was significantly explained by initial C/N ratio and initial P concentration. Initial concentrations of N, P, Ca, and Mg explained 57.9%, 95.0%, 99.8% and 98.1%, respectively, of the variations of these elements mass remaining after 2 years of decomposition. The patterns of nutrient dynamics and the final amount remaining were mainly determined by their initial litter substrate quality in tl~ese two subtropical bamboo plantations.     

三种耕作制度下密西西比州两种加入家禽垫料的土壤上磷动态研究

An experiment arranged in a randomized complete block design with three replications was conducted on a Lexington soil (fine-silty, mixed, active, thermic, Ultic Hapludalfs) and a Loring soil (fine-silty, mixed, active, thermic, Oxyaquic Fragiudalfs) in Mississippi from September 1997 to September 2000 on 18 runoff plots under natural rainfall condition to study the phosphorus (P) dynamics in poultry litter amended soils under three management systems combining tillage and planting date treatments to identify effective management practices in southern U. S. A. The management systems in the study were:1) tillage in the fall prior to litter application followed by a delayed planting of fall forages (CT-DP); 2) tillage followed by immediate planting of the fall forage with subsequent litter application (CT-IP); and 3) no-till with planting prior to litter application (NT-IP). The results indicated that there was significant increase in soil P after 3 years of poultry litter application for both Lexington and Loring soils (P <0.05). Based on P budget analysis, the majority of P from poultry litter application (> 90%), was accumulated in both soils. In Loring soil, soluble P mass in the runoff was significantly higher from NT-IP than from CT-DP and CT-IP over the entire study period (P <0.01). For both soils, there were no significant differences in sediment P mass between management systems. For Loring soil, CT-DP and CT-IP were effective management practices to mitigate negative effects due to poultry litter application.     

中国东北休闲期稻田温室气体排放

CH4, N2O and CO2 emissions from northeast Chinese rice fields were measured in the fallow season （November to March） to investigate the effects of freezing-thawing on the emissions. Both CH4 emission from and atmospheric CH4 oxidation by the soil occurred, but the flux was small. During the fallow season, rice fields acted as a minor source of atmospheric CH4, which accounted for about 1% of the CH4 emission during the rice growing period. The field was also a substantial source of atmospheric N20, which ranged between 40 to 77 mg m-2 and eu=counted for 40%-50% of the annual N20 emission. The largest N20 flux was observed in the thawing period during the fallow season. Laboratory incubation tests showed that the largest N20 flux came from the release of N20 trapped in frozen soil. Tillage and rice straw application （either mulched on the soil surface or incorporated in the soil） stimulated the CH4 and CO2 emissions during the fallow season, but only straw application stimulated N2O emission substantially.     

模拟氮沉降对亚热带竹林不同凋落物组分分解的影响

As an important component of the global carbon (C) budget, litter decomposition in terrestrial ecosystems is greatly affected by the increasing nitrogen (N) deposition observed globally. We hypothesized that different litter fractions derived from a single tree species may respond to N deposition differently depending on the quality of the litter substrate. To test the hypothesis, a two-year field experiment was conducted using the litterbag method in a Pleioblastus amarus plantation in the rainy region of Southwest China. Four N treatment levels were applied: control (no N added), low-N (50 kg N ha-1 year-1), medium-N (150 kg N ha-1 year-1), and high-N (300 kg N ha-1 year-1). We observed different patterns of mass loss for the three P. amarus litter fractions (leaves, sheaths, and twigs) of varying substrate quality in the control plots. There were two decomposition stages with different decay rates (fast rate in early stages and slow rate in the later stages) for leaves and sheaths, while we did not observe a slower phase for the decay of twigs during the 2-year study period. The annual decomposition rate (k) of twigs was significantly lower than that of leaves or sheaths. Addition of N slowed the decomposition of leaves and twigs in the later stages of decomposition by inhibiting the decay of lignin and cellulose, while addition of N did not affect the mass loss of sheaths during the study period. In the decomposition of all three litter fractions, experimental N deposition reduced the net N accumulation in the early stages and also decreased the net N release in the later stages. The results of this study suggest that litter substrate quality may be an important factor affecting litter decomposition in a bamboo ecosystem affected by N deposition.     

土壤磁效应的研究

A study on the effect of applied magnetic field was performed with six types of soils collected from northeastern China.Magnetic field was found to cause changes of soil physico-chemical properties and soil enzyme activities.An appropriate applied magnetic field could cut down soil zeta-potential,soil specific surface,soil water potential and soil swelling capacity;raise the charge density on soil colloids and the activities of invertase,hydrogen peroxidase and amylase in the soils;enhance soil aggregation and improve soil structural status and soil water-releasing capability.     

Ammonia Volatilization from Urea Applied to Acid Paddy Soil in Southern China and Its Control

Results showed that ammonia loss from urea broadcast into floodwater and incorporated into soil at transplanting was as high as 40% of applied N,and the corresponding total nitrogen (N) loss was 56%.Ammonia loss was measured with simplified micrometeorological method (ammonia sampler),and total N loss was concurrently measured using ^15N balance technique.The experiment was conducted under strong sunshine conditions on acid paddy soil derived from Quaternary red clay.The ammonia loss in this particular condition was much greater than those obtained from previous studies when urea was also applied to acid paddy soil but under cloudy conditions.It is concluded that the strong sunshine conditions with high temperature and shallow floodwater during the period of present experiment favoured ammonia volatilization.Application of stearyl alcohol on the surface of the floodwater reduced ammonia loss to 23% of applied N.However,the effect of stearyl alcohol was short-lived,probably due to the microbiological decomposition.     

秸秆投放、矿物氮施用及翻耕措施对玉米(Zea mays L.)和棉花(Gossypium hirsutum L.)秸秆分解的影响

With the present understanding that decomposing straw may not only affect soil properties,but possibly greenhouse gas emissions as well,focus among cnvironmental researchers has gradually expanded to include understanding of decomposition rate and stability of straw of different plants in different soils under different management conditions.Against such a background,a short-term(60 days)greenhouse simulation experiment was carried out to study the effects of straw placement,external mineral N source and tillage on straw decomposition of maize and cotton in two contrasting soils,a red soil(Ferrasol)and a black soil(Acrisol).The treatments included straw addition only(T1);straw addition mineral N(T2);and straw addition tillage(T3).Straw was either buried in the soil or placed on the surface.Sampling was done every 15 days.Placement,addition of external mineral N sources(Urea,46% N),straw type,soil type and exposure duration(15,30,45 and 60 dyas)affected straw decomposition.Decomposition was more in buried straw than in surface-placed straw at all sampling dates in red soil.The addition of an external N source significantly increased decomposition.The study could not,however,fully account for the effect of tillage on straw decomposition because of the limited effect of our tillage method due to the artificial barrier to mechanical iaterference supplicd by the mesh bags.     

真菌群落沿气候梯度与植物凋落物分解之间的关系研究

The decomposition of plant litter is a major process of equivalent status to primary production in ecosystem functioning. The spatiotemporal changes in the composition and dynamics of litter fungal community along a climate gradient ranging from arid desert to humid-Mediterranean regions in Israel was examined using wheat straw litter bags placed at four selected sites along the climate gradient, arid, semi-arid, Mediterranean, and humid-Mediterranean sites. Litter samples were collected over a two-year decomposition period to evaluate litter weight loss, moisture, C：N ratio, fungal composition, and isolate density. The litter decomposition rate was found to be the highest during the first year of the study at the Mediterranean and arid sites. Although the Shannon-Wiener index values of the fungal communities in the litter samples were the highest at the humid-Mediterranean site, the number of fungal species was not significantly different between the four study sites. Different fungal groups were found to be related to different study sites： Basidiomycota, Mucoromycotina, and teleomorphic Ascomycota were associated with the humid-Mediterranean site, while Coelomycetes were mostly affected by the arid site. Our results indicate that climate factors play an important role in determining the structure of saprotrophic fungal communities in the decomposing litter and in mediating plant litter decomposition processes.     

玉米根鞘改变土壤粒径及养分有效性

Root exudates,microorganism colonization and soil aggregates together form the rhizosheath,a special cylinder of micro-ecosystem adhering to the root surface.To study how the rhizosheath affects soil structure and nutrient distribution,we analyzed the impact of maize rhizosheath on soil particle size and nutrient availability in pot and field experiments.The results showed that there was a significant size decrease of soil particles in the rhizosheath.Meanwhile,the soil mineral nitrogen in the rhizosheath was significantly higher than that in the rhizosphere or bulk soil at tasseling and maturity stages of maize.The contents of Fe and Mn were also differentially altered in the rhizosheath.Rhizosheath development,indicated by a dry weight ratio of rhizosheath soil to the root,was relatively independent of root development during the whole experimental period.The formation of maize rhizosheath contributed to the modulation of soil particle size and nutrient availability.The subtle local changes of soil physical and chemical properties may have profound influence on soil formation,rhizospheric ecosystem initiation,and mineral nutrient mobilization over the long history of plant evolution and domestication.     

Are survival and reproduction of Enchytraeus albidus (Annelida: Enchytraeidae) at risk by feeding on Bt-maize litter?

Enchytraeids are saprophagous soil organisms, appearing in high abundances and contributing to ecological processes within the soil. For decades they have been used as model species for biological research. In the framework of research on genetically modified plants, however, they have not been considered to date. Following the ISO/DIS guideline, survival and reproduction of Enchytraeus albidus, fed with diets containing Bt-maize (N4640Bt Cry1Ab, DKC5143Bt Cry3Bb1) leaf material were analysed. For comparison, diets with the corresponding untransformed near-isolines (N4640, DKC5143) were examined. Additionally a high quality control diet (oat flakes) was included. Survival and reproduction showed no significant differences between the Cry3Bb1 treatment and the treatment with the untransformed counterpart. For the Cry1Ab treatment survival was significantly higher than for the treatment with the corresponding near-isoline. In contrast, reproduction was significantly lower for the Cry1Ab treatment compared to that for the isoline. For the Cry3Bb1 treatment, no effect was shown on survival or reproduction. For the Cry1Ab variety and its untransformed counterpart, a contrasting result was detected, which is unlikely to be caused by the Bt-protein but rather by differences in other plant components. Overall survival and reproduction were highest for the control.     

Fate of Cry1Ab protein in agricultural systems under slurry management of cows fed genetically modified maize (Zea mays L.) MON810: a quantitative assessment

The objective of the study was to track the fate of recombinant Cry1Ab protein in a liquid manure field trial when feeding GM maize MON810 to dairy cows. A validated ELISA was applied for quantification of Cry1Ab in the agricultural chain from GM maize plants, feed, liquid manure and soil to crops grown on manured fields. Starting with 23.7 μg of Cry1Ab g(-1) dry weight GM maize material, a rapid decline of Cry1Ab levels was observed as 2.6% and 0.9% of Cry1Ab from the GM plant were detected in feed and liquid manure, respectively. Half of this residual Cry1Ab persisted during slurry storage for 25 weeks. After application to experimental fields, final degradation of Cry1Ab to below detectable levels in soil was reported. Cry1Ab exhibited a higher rate of degradation compared to total protein in the agricultural processes. Immunoblotting revealed a degradation of the 65 kDa Cry1Ab into immunoreactive fragments of lower size in all analyzed materials.     

Risk assessment of the cultivation of a stacked Bt-maize variety (MON89034 × MON88017) for nematode communities

Genetically modified Bt-maize MON89034 × MON88017 contains three different genes derived from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) which enable protection against insect pests, due to expression of three different insecticidal crystal proteins (Cry proteins), i.e., Cry1A.105 and Cry2Ab2 against the European corn borer and Cry3Bb1 against the Western corn root worm. Nematodes are important organisms in agricultural soil ecosystems, and on fields with Bt-maize cultivation they will be exposed to Cry proteins released into the soil from roots or plant residues. The objective of this study was to analyze in a field experiment the effect of Bt-maize MON89034 × MON88017 on nematodes as non-target organisms. Nematode communities from soil planted with the Bt-maize were compared to those from soil planted with the near-isogenic cultivar (with and without chemical insecticide treatment) and two conventional maize cultivars. The experimental field consisted of 40 plots in a completely randomized block design (eight plots for each treatment), which were monitored over two growing seasons (2008 and 2009) at six sampling dates for nematode diversity at the genus level in the rhizosphere soil. Physicochemical soil properties and Cry protein concentrations were also analyzed. Nematodes showed very high abundances, as well as a high diversity of taxa and functional guilds, indicating the relevance of maize fields as their habitat. Neither Bt-maize cultivation, nor insecticide treatment adversely affected abundance or community structure of nematode assemblages in field plots compared to several non-Bt cultivars including a near-isogenic cultivar. This confirmed the risk estimations based on the analyzed soil concentrations of extractable Cry protein, not exceeding 4.8 ng g⁻¹ soil dry weight and thus revealing a safe toxicity-exposure ratio of >20.     

Earthworm populations in a northern U.S. Cornbelt soil are not affected by long-term cultivation of Bt maize expressing Cry1Ab and Cry3Bb1 proteins

Earthworms, which play a key role in biogeochemical processes in soil ecosystems, could be negatively affected by the cultivation of transgenic Bt crops. Studies to date have found few effects of Bt maize on earthworm species. If adverse effects occur, they are likely to be chronic or sub-lethal and expressed over large spatial and temporal scales. Our objective in the present study was to investigate potential effects on earthworm populations in soil cultivated with Bt maize in a large multiple-year field study. We surveyed the earthworm populations in 0.16-ha experimental field plots of two varieties of Cry1Ab Bt maize, one variety of Cry3Bb1 Bt maize, and three non-transgenic control varieties cultivated for four years. Four earthworm species were found in our sample: Aporrectodea caliginosa, Aporrectodea trapezoides, Aporrectodea tuberculata (collectively, the A. caliginosa species complex), and Lumbricus terrestris. We found no significant differences in the biomass of juveniles and adults for all four species between Bt and non-Bt maize varieties. From this and previous studies, we conclude that the effects of Cry1Ab and Cry3Bb1 Bt maize on the A. caliginosa species complex and L. terrestris are small. Nonetheless, general conclusions about the effects of Bt maize on earthworm populations are not warranted due to the small number of species tested. In future laboratory studies, earthworm species should be selected according to their association with a Bt crop and the impact of that species to valued soil ecosystem processes.     

Neither transgenic Bt maize (MON863) nor tefluthrin insecticide adversely affect soil microbial activity or biomass: A 3-year field analysis

Laboratory and greenhouse studies on transgenic Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) maize have drawn attention to the persistence and activity of the Cry proteins in soil and their potential effects on soil microorganisms, but there have been few field assessments that evaluate the effects of Bt maize with those of insecticides on soil microbial populations. This study was conducted to determine the effects of Cry3Bb Bt maize with those of the insecticide tefluthrin on soil microbial biomass and activity in the field over a 3-year cropping cycle. The recently commercialized maize variety YieldGard^® Rootworm (MON863), which produces the Cry3Bb protein, was grown along with a non-Bt isoline with and without tefluthrin applied at planting. Microbial biomass, nitrogen (N) mineralization potential, short-term nitrification rate, and respiration rate were measured in rhizosphere and bulk soil samples collected from three replicate field plots just before planting, at anthesis, and at harvest in each year. There were clear seasonal effects on microbial biomass and activity in the field soils—as represented by the consistent changes in all measured variables across years and sampling times. Differences in the measured variables were also sometimes observed between bulk and rhizosphere soil. However, there were no adverse effects of either the Bt or non-Bt maize with insecticide applied compared to the non-Bt controls; on the contrary, microbial biomass and soil respiration data suggested a stimulatory effect of the Bt genotype, particularly in comparison to the non-Bt isoline. Although ‘higher’ does not necessarily mean ‘better’, the higher microbial biomass and respiration rates observed in the Bt and insecticide-applied soils compared to non-Bt soils does allay concerns that either the Bt protein or the tefluthrin typically used to control the corn rootworm reduce microbial biomass or its respiratory activity in field soils. Similarly, the higher N mineralization potential and nitrification rates observed in some soil samples from the Bt and tefluthrin-treated plots indicate higher activity of N-mineralizing microorganisms, a potentially positive consequence as both ammonium and nitrate are effective N sources for maize during grain filling. Our data suggest that cropping MON863 Bt maize is unlikely to adversely affect soil ecology in the short term. Longer-term monitoring of transgenic cropping systems should assure that the biotic functioning of the soil is maintained as a part of studies on overall ecosystem integrity.     

First application of a microsphere-based immunoassay to the detection of genetically modified organisms (GMOs): quantification of Cry1Ab protein in genetically modified maize

An innovative covalent microsphere immunoassay, based on the usage of fluorescent beads coupled to a specific antibody, was developed for the quantification of the endotoxin Cry1Ab present in MON810 and Bt11 genetically modified (GM) maize lines. In particular, a specific protocol was developed to assess the presence of Cry1Ab in a very broad range of GM maize concentrations, from 0.1 to 100% [weight of genetically modified organism (GMO)/weight]. Test linearity was achieved in the range of values from 0.1 to 3%, whereas fluorescence signal increased following a nonlinear model, reaching a plateau at 25%. The limits of detection and quantification were equal to 0.018 and 0.054%, respectively. The present study describes the first application of quantitative high-throughput immunoassays in GMO analysis.     

Earthworms of different functional groups affect the fate of the Bt-toxin Cry1Ab from transgenic maize in soil

The fate of the insecticidal Cry1Ab protein from crop residues (leaves and roots) of the transgenic maize variety MON810 was studied in the presence and absence of two earthworm species (Lumbricus terrestris, Aporrectodea caliginosa; separate incubations) in soil microcosms. The recombinant Cry1Ab protein was quantified using a highly sensitive ELISA. Control microcosms received corresponding non-transgenic plant material. All earthworms survived in the microcosms over a period of 5 weeks, irrespective of whether they received MON810 or non-transgenic plant material. Weight loss was observed for both earthworm species, independent of the plant material or transgenic modification. A strong decline of immunoreactive Cry1Ab in plant residues (mean initial concentration approx. 5000 ng g⁻¹) of MON810 was observed in all treatments, but in microcosms with earthworms this decline was significantly higher with less than 10% of the initial Cry1Ab concentration remaining after 5 weeks. Cry1Ab concentrations in casts were only 0.1% of those found in remaining plant material of the respective microcosms. No immunoreactive Cry1Ab proteins were found in earthworm tissues (threshold of detection: 0.58 ng g⁻¹ fresh weight). No further decline was found for Cry1Ab concentrations in casts of A. caliginosa during a subsequent period of 3 months of incubation in bulk soil (<0.1 ng g⁻¹) after removal of the earthworms from the microcosms, while in casts of L. terrestris the concentration decreased from 0.4 to below 0.1 ng g⁻¹. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that earthworms enhance the decline of immunoreactive Cry1Ab proteins from maize residues.     

Bt水稻杀虫蛋白时空变化及秸秆还田后在土壤中的持留规律

以Bt抗虫水稻华池B6、TT51及其非转基因水稻亲本嘉早935、明恢63,以及与它们亲缘较远但农艺性状相近的水稻品种中九B、R9311为试验材料,研究了田间种植条件下Bt抗虫水稻杀虫蛋白的时空变化及其在根际土中的持留规律,同时,还研究了秸秆还田后Bt蛋白在土壤中的持留规律。结果表明：1）Bt抗虫水稻华池B6植株各个部位...     

Succession of collembolan communities during decomposition of leaf and root litter: Effects of litter type and position

Little is known about the collembolan community involved in the decomposition of fine root (≤2.0 mm in diameter) litter, which is largely different from leaves in both litter quality and position. The collembolan communities involved in root and leaf litter decomposition were compared in a litterbag experiment in a coniferous forest of Chamaecyparis obtusa. A two-factor experiment (litter type × litter position) was conducted to evaluate the relative effects of litter quality and position. Litterbags of roots and leaves were each placed at two positions (on the soil surface and in the soil), and were collected at seven different times over three years. Abundance and biomass of Collembola involved in root decomposition in the soil were higher than those involved in leaf decomposition on the soil surface, and the collembolan community composition largely differed between these two types of litterbag. Differences between root and leaf decomposition were mainly caused by litter position, but effects of litter type were also detected at species-level. Species that preferred roots were abundant at an early stage of litter decomposition in the soil. Because the early stage of decomposition in the soil is naturally achieved only by root litter initially deposited in the soil, root litter may function as an essential resource for certain species. The results of this study indicate that root litter contributes to collembolan community organization as a spatially and qualitatively different resource than leaf litter. This also suggests that root litter is decomposed via different soil faunal processes than leaf litter.     

Effects of temperature, water content and pH on degradation of Cry1Ab protein released from Bt corn straw in soil

We investigated the effects of soil temperature (15 °C, 25 °C, 35 °C), water content (20%, 33%, 50%) and pH (4.5, 7.0, 9.0) on the degradation of Cry1Ab protein released from the straw of Bt corn varieties 34B24 and 1246 × 1482 both expressing Cry1Ab protein. Our results showed that Cry1Ab protein released from both 34B24 and 1246 × 1482 straw was degraded in a similar way in all treatments, which demonstrated a rapid decline in the early stage but a slow decline in the middle and late stages. In the late stage (180 days after the experiment commenced) 0.03%-1.51% and 0.02%-0.91% of initial Cry1Ab protein released from 34B24 and 1246 × 1482 straw was detected in soil. In addition, degradation dynamics of Cry1Ab protein under different environmental conditions was well described by the shift-log model. DT₅₀ of Cry1Ab protein released from 34B24 and 1246 × 1482 straw was 0.97-9.97 d and 0.75-10.89 d, respectively, and DT₉₀ was 4.66-162.45 d and 6.44-57.46 d, respectively. The results suggested that soil temperature had significant effects on the degradation of Cry1Ab protein, with a higher degradation rate at higher temperature, but soil water content and pH had no obvious effects on the degradation of Cry1Ab protein.