Biodiversity and trophic structure of soil nematode communities are altered following woody plant invasion of grassland

Woody plant encroachment is an important land cover change in dryland ecosystems throughout the world, and frequently alters above and belowground primary productivity, hydrology, and soil microbial biomass and activity. However, there is little known regarding the impact of this geographically widespread vegetation change on the biodiversity and trophic structure of soil fauna. Nematodes represent a major component of the soil microfauna whose community composition and trophic structure could be strongly influenced by the changes in ecosystem structure and function that accompany woody encroachment. Our purpose was to characterize nematode community composition and trophic structure along a grassland to woodland chronosequence in the Rio Grande Plains of southern Texas. Research was conducted at the La Copita Research Area where woody encroachment has been documented previously. Soil cores (0–10 cm) were collected in fall 2006 and spring 2007 from remnant grasslands and woody plant stands ranging in age from 15 to 86 years, and nematodes were extracted by sugar centrifugation. Neither nematode densities (3200–13,800 individuals kg⁻¹ soil) nor family richness (15–19 families 100 g⁻¹ soil) were altered by woody encroachment. However, family evenness decreased dramatically in woody stands >30 years old. This change in evenness corresponded to modifications in the trophic structure of nematode communities following grassland to woodland conversion. Although root biomass was 2–5× greater in wooded areas, root-parasitic nematodes decreased from 40% of all nematodes in grasslands to <10% in the older wooded areas, suggesting the quality (C:N or biochemical defenses) of woody plant root tissue could be limiting root-parasites. In contrast, bacterivores increased from 30% of nematodes in grasslands to 70–80% in older woody patches. This large increase in bacterivores may be a response to the 1.5–2.5× increase in soil microbial biomass (bacteria + fungi) following woody encroachment. Therefore, while energy flow through grassland nematode communities appears to be distributed nearly equally among herbivory, fungivory and bacterivory, the energy flow through nematode communities in wooded areas appears to be based primarily on bacterivory. We speculate that these shifts in nematode community composition and trophic structure could have important implications for ecosystem patterns and processes. First, the low abundance of root-parasitic nematodes (and presumably root herbivory) under woody plants may be one mechanism by which woody plants are able to establish and compete effectively with grasses during succession from grassland to woodland. Second, the large increase in bacterivores following woody encroachment likely accelerates microbial turnover and the mineralization of N, thereby providing a feedback that enables the persistence of N-rich woody plant communities.     

Phenotypic diversity for qualitative and phenologic characters in germplasm collections of tef (Eragrostis tef)

A total of 3600 entries of tef [Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter] germplasm collections representing 36 populations from six regions of Ethiopia were evaluated for phenotypic diversity in six qualitative and phenologic characters. High values of Shannon–Weaver diversity index ( ) were recorded for most characters in each population. Monomorphism was high for anther color (purple) and panicle form (loose). Larger variances for were obtained among regions than among populations within a region from hierarchical analysis of variance. Significant (P<0.05) to highly significant (P<0.01) t-values were observed among values of some regions for seed color, panicle form and days to maturity. A substantial level of variance (P<0.05) was obtained for populations within altitudinal zones only for days to maturity. Altitudinal zones exhibited similar levels of diversity across characters for these collections. Generally, considerable variations important for tef improvement work have been observed and regions with highest diversity for some traits have been suggested for future in situ or ex situ germplasm conservation works. Although similar mean diversity indices were obtained among regions, they were non overlapping.     

Assessing spatial variability of soil enzyme activities in pasture topsoils using geostatistics

The purpose of this study was to assess the spatial variability of the activity of three hydrolytic enzymes, i.e. urease activity (UAc), alkaline phosphatase activity (APAc), and arylsulfatase activity (ASAc), in pasture topsoils using geostatistics. Enzyme activities along a transect in a 1.35-ha pasture were determined using 77 soil samples from the upper 20 cm of soil. UAc varied from 101.0 to 182.7 μg N g⁻¹ soil h⁻¹; APAc varied from 1.56 to 3.62 μg p-nitrophenol g⁻¹ soil h⁻¹; and ASAc varied from 1.50 to 3.26 μg p-nitrophenol g⁻¹ soil h⁻¹. The linear models fit the best semivariogram models for UAc, APAc, and ASAc. Semivariograms for enzyme activities exhibited spatial dependence with ranges of influence of approximately 124.7 m.     

Diversity of halophytes and identification of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi colonising their roots in an abandoned and sustained part of Sečovlje salterns

Sečovlje salterns are an important protected area of biotic diversity in the Mediterranean. They represent an extreme environment with high salinity and drought that severely influence the growth of organisms. In the present study, diversity of plant halophytes and their mycorrhizal status were screened at eight different locations, which were mostly dikes and salt ponds, and which were deliberately selected for their distinct properties (e.g. soil salinity ranging from 105 to 2627 μS cm⁻¹, vegetation type and management practice of the salterns).Twelve different halophytic plant species were recorded, of which eleven are designated as vulnerable. With few exceptions, they were found at the abandoned (Fontanigge) and sustained (Lera) locations of the Sečovlje salterns, distributed according to their tolerance to the salinity and waterlogging. The highest diversity of halophytes was listed at Fontanigge, in the abandoned, periodically flooded and gradually overgrown salt ponds. All of the examined species were colonised with either arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and/or dark septate endophytes (DSEs). High levels of colonisation were however detected only for species belonging to the Asteraceae and Plantaginaceae families. Higher root colonisation frequencies were generally seen for plants growing in the abandoned parts, when compared to the managed parts, whereas there was little correlation of the colonisation parameters with physicochemical parameters of rhizospheric soil properties.Molecular analysis by temporal temperature gradient gel electrophoresis (TTGE) of roots of halophytic plant species with confirmed AMF colonisation (arbuscules present) revealed the occurrence of at least six different AMF species, related to Glomus geosporum, Glomus caledonium and Glomus intraradices, and to different Glomus sp. clades and the Diversispora clade. This is to the best of our knowledge the first report of AMF and DSE mycorrhizal status of most of the halophyte plant species examined and of the brother scale identification of AMF species based on molecular analyses of roots of diverse halophytes from high saline environments.     

Effect of desert plant ecophysiological adaptation on soil nematode communities

Nutrient source limitation in desert ecosystems enhances competition among plant communities, leading to creation of microhabitats beneath the shrubs that can determine composition and abundance of soil organisms. The aim of the study was to determine the effect of plant ecophysiological adaptation on soil nematode communities in the rhizosphere of tightly interweaving shrubby communities. Soil samples were collected monthly under the canopies of three perennial desert shrubs: Artemesia herba-alba, possessing the allelopathic ability to dominate in relationships with other plants; Reaumuria negevensis, a salt-resistant plant; and Noea mucronata, a typical dry desert shrub. An inter-plant area was used as a control. The results demonstrated that soil water content (SWC) and total organic carbon (C_org) were significantly different under different plants and inter-plant areas, with the highest values found under R. negevensis (SWC) and N. mucronata and R. negevensis (C_org). Plant parasite and omnivore-predator nematodes were more sensitive to the ecophysiological individual features of observed plants versus the total number of nematodes and bacteria- and fungi-feeding nematodes. Generally accepted ecological indices such as Wasilewska (WI), trophic diversity (T), maturity (MI, MMI), basal (BI), enrichment (EI), structure (SI), and channel (CI), pointed to specific ecological conditions under canopies of the observed plants.     

N2O and NO fluxes between a Norway spruce forest soil and atmosphere as affected by prolonged summer drought

Global change scenarios predict an increasing frequency and duration of summer drought periods in Central Europe especially for higher elevation areas. Our current knowledge about the effects of soil drought on nitrogen trace gas fluxes from temperate forest soils is scarce. In this study, the effects of experimentally induced drought on soil N₂O and NO emissions were investigated in a mature Norway spruce forest in the Fichtelgebirge (northeastern Bavaria, Germany) in two consecutive years. Drought was induced by roof constructions over a period of 46 days. The experiment was run in three replicates and three non-manipulated plots served as controls. Additionally to the N₂O and NO flux measurements in weekly to monthly intervals, soil gas samples from six different soil depths were analysed in time series for N₂O concentration as well as isotope abundances to investigate N₂O dynamics within the soil. N₂O fluxes from soil to the atmosphere at the experimental plots decreased gradually during the drought period from 0.2 to −0.0 μmol m⁻² h⁻¹, respectively, and mean cumulative N₂O emissions from the manipulated plots were reduced by 43% during experimental drought compared to the controls in 2007. N₂O concentration as well as isotope abundance analysis along the soil profiles revealed that a major part of the soil acted as a net sink for N₂O, even during drought. This N₂O sink, together with diminished N₂O production in the organic layers, resulted in successively decreased N₂O fluxes during drought, and may even turn this forest soil into a net sink of atmospheric N₂O as observed in the first year of the experiment. Enhanced N₂O fluxes observed after rewetting up to 0.1 μmol m⁻² h⁻¹ were not able to compensate for the preceding drought effect. During the experiment in 2006, with soil matric potentials in 20 cm depth down to −630 hPa, cumulative NO emissions from the throughfall exclusion plots were reduced by 69% compared to the controls, whereas cumulative NO emissions from the experimental plots in 2007, with minimum soil matric potentials of −210 hPa, were 180% of those of the controls. Following wetting, the soil of the throughfall exclusion plots showed significantly larger NO fluxes compared to the controls (up to 9 μmol m⁻² h⁻¹ versus 2 μmol m⁻² h⁻¹). These fluxes were responsible for 44% of the total emission of NO throughout the whole course of the experiment. NO emissions from this forest soil usually exceeded N₂O emissions by one order of magnitude or more except during wintertime.     

Abundance of the earthworm Lumbricus terrestris in relation to subsurface drainage pattern on a sandy clay field

Subsurface drainage induces systematic spatial variability in soil properties which may be reflected in the abundance and distribution of soil organisms. We compared the population density of the deep burrowing earthworm Lumbricus terrestris L. above and between tile subdrains in 41 sample pairs on an eight hectare grass field. Above the drains the median number of  individuals was twice as high and their total fresh mass five times as high as between the drains (4.5 vs. 2.1 individuals m^-2  and 9.6 vs. 1.9 g m^-2, respectively). The mean difference (above drain – between drains) was 2.5 individuals m^-2  (95% CI = 1.0 to 4.0) and 6.6 grams m^-2 (95% CI = 3.6 to 9.6). The relatively larger difference in fresh mass was due to a high proportion of adult individuals above drains. One likely explanation for the pattern of abundance is that the lowered water table level near the drains provides an environment beneficial for the population growth of L. terrestris. Due to the role of L. terrestris burrows as flow paths of percolating water the observations may have implications on subdrain function.     

土壤线虫群落对过量施用农用化学品的响应

为研究施用过量的农用化学品对土壤线虫群落组成及多样性的影响,采用定点试验的方法,在哈尔滨市呼兰区选择典型农田生态系统进行试验,对比研究土壤线虫群落对施用过量的氮肥、磷肥、钾肥、除草剂及杀虫剂的响应。在试验田中共鉴定出土壤线虫27科45属,其中Cephalobus和Aphelenchus为优势属。施用不同浓度的各类农用化学品对土壤线虫群落组成、多样性均产生一定影响。线虫总数及食细菌线虫、食真菌线虫、植物寄生线虫数量在不同处理间均存在显著差异(P<0.05);其中,植物寄生线虫的相对丰度随化肥施用量的升高呈增加趋势。从土壤线虫的生态指数来看,除PPI(植物寄生线虫成熟指数)外,其他生态指数[MI(成熟度指数)、F/B(食真菌线虫与食细菌线虫数量比值)、Evenness(均匀度指数)、SR(丰富度指数)、H’(多样性指数)]在施用不同农用化学品处理之间也存在显著差异,并且,MI随着施用钾肥、氮肥浓度的增加而降低。土壤线虫可以作为揭示施用农用化学品过程中土壤质量变化的生物学指标,其群落及多样性的变化表明土壤线虫群落对农用化学品的过量施用产生了响应,过量施用农用化学品会增加土壤生态系统的干扰,对土壤环境造成威胁。     

Impact of tillage, stubble management and crop rotation on nematode populations in a long-term field experiment

The population abundance of free-living and plant-parasitic nematodes was investigated in a long-term rotation/tillage/stubble management experiment at Wagga Wagga Agricultural Institute, New South Wales (NSW), Australia. The treatments were a combination of two crop rotations: wheat (Triticum aestivum)–wheat and wheat–lupin (Lupinus angustifolius); two tillage systems: conventional cultivation (CC) and direct drill (DD); and two stubble management practices: stubble retention (SR) and stubble burnt (SB). Plots of one of the wheat–wheat treatments received urea at 100 kg N ha⁻¹ during the cropping season. Soil samples from 0–5 and 5–10 cm depths were collected in September (maximum tillering), October (flowering) and December (after harvest), 2001, to analyse nematode abundance. Soil collected in September was also analysed for concentrations of total and labile C, and pH levels.Three nematode trophic groups, namely bacteria-feeders (primarily Rhabditidae), omnivores (primarily Dorylaimidae excluding plant-parasites and predators) and plant-parasites (Pratylenchus spp. and Paratylenchus spp.) were recorded in each soil sample. Of them, bacteria-feeders (53–99%, population range 933–2750 kg⁻¹ soil) dominated in all soil samples. There was no difference in nematode abundance and community composition between the 0–5 cm and 5–10 cm layers of soil. The mean population of free-living and plant-parasitic nematodes varied significantly between the treatments in all sampling months. In most cases, total free-living nematode densities (Rhabditidae and Dorylaimidae) were significantly (P < 0.001) greater in wheat–lupin rotation than the wheat–wheat rotation irrespective of tillage and stubble management practices. In contrast, a greater population of plant-parasitic nematodes was recorded from plots with wheat–wheat than the wheat–lupin rotation. For treatments with wheat–wheat, total plant-parasitic nematode (Pratylenchus spp. and Paratylenchus spp.) densities were greater in plots without N-fertiliser (295–741 kg⁻¹ soil) than the plots with N-fertiliser (14–158 kg⁻¹ soil).Tillage practices had significant (P < 0.05) effects mostly on the population densities of plant-parasitic nematodes while stubble management had significant effects (P < 0.05) on free-living nematodes. However, interaction effects of tillage and stubble were significant (P < 0.01) for the population densities of free-living nematodes only. Population of Rhabditidae was significantly higher in conventional cultivated plots (7244 kg⁻¹ soil) than the direct drilled (3981 kg⁻¹ soil) plots under stubble retention. In contrast, plots with direct drill and stubble burnt had significantly higher populations of Dorylaimidae than the conventional cultivation with similar stubble management practice. No correlations between abundance of free-living nematodes, and concentration of total C and labile C in soil were observed in this study. These results showed that stubble retention contributed for enormous population density of free-living (beneficial) nematodes while conventional cultivation, irrespective of stubble management, contributed for suppressing plant-parasitic nematodes.     

Significant changes in soil microfauna in grazed pasture under elevated carbon dioxide

Soil microfauna in 0- to 10-cm soil under grazed pasture on a sand (Mollic Psammaquent) was assessed quarterly in free air CO₂ enrichment (FACE) rings that were at either ambient CO₂ or had been exposed to 475 l l^–1 CO₂ for 4–5 years. There were significant increases in nematode (1.5×) and rotifer (4.1×) abundance in soils subjected to elevated CO₂. Ten nematode taxa were significantly more abundant under elevated CO₂. The greatest increase was 4.3× in root-feeding Longidorus; three other root-feeders showed no increase in population densities at elevated CO₂. Bacterial-feeding Cervidellus was the only nematode with a significant decrease (0.4×). The abundance of all nematode feeding groups increased significantly in soils subjected to elevated CO₂. The relative increases in abundance of feeding groups (bacterial-feeders 1.3×, root-feeders 1.3×, plant-associated 1.5×, fungal-feeders 1.6×, omnivores 2.0×, predators 2.1×) suggest marked increases in fluxes through microbial-feeding nematodes and a multitrophic response among the soil biota to the increase in atmospheric CO₂ above ambient. Data from the site suggest soil microbial biomass C and N pools were unchanged over the sampling period. Of eight nematode indices only total maturity index increased (2.9 to 3.2), reflecting the increased proportion of the large Longidorus. Further work on microbial-microfaunal interactions and their micro-scale relation to roots is needed to better understand the impact of increasing atmospheric CO₂ on soil processes.     

Effect of di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) on microbial biomass C and enzymatic activities in soil

The effects of di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) at five different doses from 10 to 1000 mg kg⁻¹ soil on biological properties were investigated over a period of 56 days. Meanwhile, the dissipation of DEHP was also monitored. The results indicated that the microbial biomass C (C_mic) fluctuated at around 70 mg kg⁻¹ soil for the control, whereas the C_mic varied significantly for the soil samples contaminated by DEHP. The catalase activities in all five treatments were stimulated at most time, and the activities of phosphatase in the soils treated by DEHP with 500 mg kg⁻¹ or 1000 mg kg⁻¹ were significantly higher than the other treatments from the 20th day. Urease was more sensitive and inhibited significantly during the initial period of incubation. Additionally, the dose–response relationship of invertase was presented in the later phase of incubation. The activities of urease and invertase might indicate soil perturbations caused by the introduction of DEHP. The dissipation of DEHP was found to follow the pseudo first-order kinetics behavior.     

Soil microbial activity and a free-living nematode community in the playa and in the sandy biological crust of the Negev Desert

The effect of environmental factors and soil properties on microbial and soil free-living nematode communities was investigated in two desert soil formations, a playa and sandy biological crust. Soil samples were collected from October 2007 to September 2008 from the upper (0–10 cm) soil layers in the Negev Desert area. Unlike microorganisms, soil free-living nematodes were found to be negatively dependent on monthly rain and positively dependent on water evaporation. We suggest that water evaporation from pore caves in both soil formations increases the predation success of soil free-living nematodes, while daily rain increases the survival potential of soil microorganisms since the predators require more time to find their prey. Soil properties were found to have a different influence on microbial and soil free-living nematode communities in the two soil formations. Microbial respiration and biomass were negatively correlated with calcium and potassium in the playa area and with sodium in the sandy biological crust area. The free-living nematode community exhibited a negative correlation with electrical conductivity and sodium and a positive correlation with potassium in the playa samples, while no dependence on soil properties was found in the sandy biological crust samples. It can, therefore, be concluded that soil properties affect predation rate in the playa samples through changes in porosity. Generally accepted ecological indices such as trophic diversity (T), Simpson’s dominance (λ), Shannon–Weaver (H′), maturity (MI), and basal (BI) indices pointed to specific ecological conditions at the two observed soil formations.     

Biological effects of native and exotic plant residues on plant growth, microbial biomass and N availability under controlled conditions

The leaf litter of six tropical tree species (Acacia holosericea, Acacia tortilis, Azadirachta indica, Casuarina equisetifolia, Cordyla pinnata and Faidherbia albida) frequently used in agroforestry plantations in Sahelian and Soudano-Sahelian areas were tested for their influence on soil nitrogen content, microbial biomass and plant growth under controlled greenhouse conditions. Half of the soil was planted with onion (Allium cepa L.) seedlings and the other half was not. Two herbaceous species, Andropogon gayanus and Eragrostis tremula, were also studied. Co-inertia analysis (CIA) and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) analysis showed that C. pinnata and F. albida leaf powder amendment induced the highest plant growth, whereas leaf powder of E. tremula is associated to higher microbial biomass and NH₄⁺ content. Higher onion seedlings growth is associated with higher concentration of nitrogen and lignin in leaf powders. Conversely, lower plant growth is associated to higher rates of cellulose, hemicellulose and phenols in leaves. Higher rates of cellulose and hemicellulose are associated with higher microbial biomass and NH₄⁺, whereas phenols are associated to lower microbial biomass. The results showed that amendment of A. holosericea leaf powder (high concentrations of phenol) to the soil resulted in a lower microbial biomass and lower onion seedlings growth. Data showed that the plant residue quality index (PRQI) could be a useful tool to predict the effects of litter materials on root growth in glasshouse conditions. The highest values on soil and plant parameters were recorded with C. pinnata litter. While powdered leaf material increased the accessibility of substrates to microbes, more research with C. pinnata leaf litter (under a wider range of ecological conditions) is needed. It could add deeper on its agronomic impact in the tropics.     

The utility of process-based models for simulating N2O emissions from soils: A case study based on Costa Rican coffee plantations

Soil moisture and gaseous N-flux (N₂O, N₂) dynamics in Costa Rican coffee plantations were successively simulated using a mechanistic model (PASTIS) and two process-based models (NGAS and NOE). Two fertilized (250 kg N ha⁻¹ y⁻¹) coffee plantations were considered, namely a monoculture and a system shaded by the N₂ fixing legume species Inga densiflora. In situ N₂O fluxes were previously measured in these plantations. NGAS and NOE used specific microbial activities for the soils. To parameterize NGAS, we estimated N mineralization via in situ incubations and the contribution of heterotrophic soil respiration to total soil respiration. Potential denitrification rates and the proportion of denitrified N emitted as N₂O were measured in the laboratory to define the values of NOE parameters, as well as nitrification rates and related N₂O production rates for parameterizing both models. Soil moisture and both NGAS and NOE N₂O fluxes were best modelled on an hourly time step. Soil moisture dynamics were satisfactorily simulated by PASTIS. Simulated N₂O fluxes by both NGAS and NOE (3.2 and 2.1 kg N ha⁻¹ y⁻¹ for NGAS; 7.1 and 3.7 kg N ha⁻¹ y⁻¹ for NOE, for the monoculture and shaded plantations respectively) were within a factor of about 2 of the observed annual fluxes (4.3 and 5.8 kg N ha⁻¹ y⁻¹, for the monoculture and shaded plantations respectively). Statistical indicators of association and coincidence between simulated and measured values were satisfactory for both models. Nevertheless, the two models differed greatly in describing the nitrification and denitrification processes. Some of the algorithms in the model NGAS were apparently not applicable to these tropical acidic Andosols. Therefore, more detailed information about microbial processes in different agroecosystems would be needed, notably if process-oriented models were to be used for testing strategies for mitigating N₂O emissions.     

Ecophysiology of the cave isopod Mesoniscus graniger (Frivaldszky, 1865) (Crustacea: Isopoda)

Feeding biology and thermal adaptations of the terrestrial isopod Mesoniscus graniger were studied. M. graniger is a depigmented isopod mainly inhabiting cave systems, although it has also been reported in endogeic (soil) habitats. Physiological adaptations are expected to reflect the unique environmental characteristics of caves, including restricted food sources, and stable microclimate with temperatures not exceeding about 10 °C and high relative humidity. The M. graniger from Domica and Ardovská caves (Slovakian Karst) were investigated. We identified organic deposits with associated microorganisms as sources exploited by M. graniger and assessed how these might supply essential polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) in its nutrition. Algae, fungi and bat guano were found as the most important potential resources of PUFA for isopods. Digestive enzymes amylase, trehalase, saccharase and maltase were confirmed in the whole body homogenates of isopods; neither cellulolytic activity nor activities against xylan, laminaran and lichenan were observed. Amylase, maltase and cellobiase activities were also observed in bacterial strains isolated and cultured from isopod midgut, and may account for the measured whole-animal activities. In an artificial temperature gradient, M. graniger selected temperature 3.5 ± 5.4 °C with lower and upper extremes of –1.5 and 18.5 °C. Respiration, as measured by VO₂, was almost independent of temperature between 5 and 10 °C, then increased between 10 and 30 °C. These ecophysiological measures are consistent with adaptation to a stenothermal environment.     

Soil and sediment properties affecting the accumulation of mercury in a flood control reservoir

Mercury accumulations in some fish species from Grenada Lake in north Mississippi exceed the Food and Drug Administration standards for human consumption. This large flood control reservoir serves as a sink for the Skuna and Yalobusha River watersheds whose highly erodible soils contribute to excessively high sediment yields and impaired water quality. This study was conducted to characterize the distribution of total Hg in watershed soils and determine the relationship between the easily transportable clay, organic C (OC), and Fe oxide fractions and the movement of Hg from upland sources to reservoir sinks. Cores were collected from soils, of different land-use, representative of the three soil orders (Alfisols, Entisols, and Vertisols) found in the watersheds. Sediment cores were collected from the Yalobusha River and Grenada Lake. In the laboratory, soil cores were sampled by horizon while sediment cores were sampled in 10 cm increments. These samples were characterized for total Hg, particle size distribution, OC, Fe oxide contents, and pH. Mercury concentrations ranged from 10 to 112 µg kg^− 1 in the soil profiles, with average regression coefficient (r²) values of 0.104, 0.362, and 0.06 for Hg versus clay, OC, and Fe oxides, respectively. River sediment cores had Hg concentrations ranging from 0 to 38 µg kg^− 1, and significant (1% level) r² values of 0.611, 0.447, and 0.632 versus clay, OC, and Fe oxides, respectively. Mercury concentrations in the lake sediment ranged from 0 to 125 µg kg^− 1. The r² values for Hg versus clay, OC, and Fe oxides in the lake sediment were 0.813, 0.499, and 0.805, respectively, all significant at the 1% level. These results indicate that total Hg is poorly correlated with the clay, OC, and Fe oxide fractions at depth in the soil profiles because maximum Hg concentrations occur in the surface horizons due to atmospheric in-fall. The statistically significant r² values for Hg versus these components in the sediment cores are the result of particulate clay, Fe oxides, and finely divided OC sorption of Hg from solution during the runoff and sediment transport process. The higher correlations for the lake sediment reflect an enrichment of the Hg-laden clay fraction relative to stream sediment through flocculation and sedimentation processes in the slack-water environment of the reservoir.     

The role of tephra covers on soil moisture conservation at Haleakala's crater (Maui, Hawai'i)

The influence of tephra covers on soil water was studied in Haleakala (Maui, Hawai'i) during two summers; eight sites with tephra layers and silverswords (Argyroxiphium sandwicense DC.) were sampled at 2415–2755 m. At each site, eight paired-sample sets were obtained in bare soils and under adjacent tephra, at three depths. Tephra were sharply separated from underlying soils and showed prominent vertical stratification. Tephra clast size-distribution was assessed by photosieving and on interstitial-gravel samples; stones included 45.6% cobbles, 29.4% pebbles, and 25% blocks.Moisture content increased with depth in both positions, but soils below tephra had more water at all depths than exposed areas. Surface soils beneath tephra contained 83% more water than bare ground. Soils at 5–10 cm had  106% greater moisture under rocks, but only  70% at 10–15 cm. Differences between plots were statistically significant ( p < 0.001) for surface soils, but less pronounced for subsoils. Soils above 2650 m had greater water content than at lower elevations, and moisture disparity between sample pairs increased with altitude.All soils were coarse, with  20% gravel and  94% sand; most fine material (≤ 0.063 mm) was silt, as clay content was negligible. Organic-matter percentage was low (1.65%). Bulk density and porosity were associated with moisture variation both in tephra-insulated and bare soils; 80% of field moisture was statistically (p < 0.001) accounted for by pore space. Air and soil temperatures were recorded at three sites during  one-week periods prior to moisture sampling. Tephra substantially decreased soil maxima and daily thermal amplitude in underlying soils, but did not noticeably affect nightly minima. Thin (5–6 cm) tephra layers were nearly as effective as thicker (9–15 cm) deposits in depressing soil maxima. Possible water-conservation mechanisms under tephra include: decreased evaporation due to ground shielding and lower maxima; reduced capillary flow; greater infiltration depth; nocturnal dew condensation; and fog interception by blocks.     

Diversity of Paenibacillus polymyxa populations in the rhizosphereof wheat (Triticum durum) in Algerian soils

The diversity of Paenibacillus polymyxa populations associated with the rhizosphere of durum wheat was investigated in Algerian soils sampled in regions where wheat had been cultivated for 5 and 26 years (Hamiz, H5 and Z26), 70 years (Algiers, D70), and more than 2 000 years (Tiaret, T2000 and K2000). A total of 111 strains were isolated by immunotrapping and identified as P. polymyxa using an API50CHB kit and restriction analysis of the amplified 16S rDNA gene. The phenotypic characteristics of the P. polymyxa populations were compared and the strains found not to cluster according to their origin. The longer the history of wheat cultivation, the lower the phenotypic diversity and the higher the frequency of nitrogen-fixing strains. Population genetic diversity, evaluated by ERIC-PCR, showed the same trends as phenotypic diversity. The distribution of ERIC genotypes among the different populations studied were compared using Pearson’s Chi-squared test. The strains isolated in D70, Z26, and H5 derived from soil populations sharing the same genetic structure, but those isolated in T2000 and K2000 each stemmed from a population with a specific genetic structure. These data suggest that the genetic structure of P. polymyxa populations has been affected by long-term wheat cultivation.     

Temporal evolution of salts in Mediterranean soils transect under different climatic conditions

The research was conducted in Israel at three sites along a south–north axis, characterized by increasing annual rainfall, from 310 mm at site LAV in the south through 600 mm at site MAT (600), to 800 mm at site EIN in the north. At each site soil samples were taken during several seasons (September 2001 through April 2003), in three dominant microenvironments at 0–2 cm and 5–10 cm. The following microenvironments were selected at LAV and MAT: “Under Shrub” (US), “Between Shrubs” (BS), and “Under Rock fragments” (UR). At EIN the selected microenvironments were US, BS, and “Under Tree” (UT). In each soil sample electrical conductivity (EC), pH, and concentrations of several ions were determined. The objective was to analyze the effects of soil microenvironments and climatic conditions on the temporal dynamics of salt concentrations. In all microenvironments at all sites the minimal values of EC were found in the rainy season (January or April), and the maximal values in the dry season (September). In the rainy season the temporal variability of EC in the topsoil was regulated by: (1) clay, which restricted the leaching of salts from the topsoil when EC was low; and (2) surface features (microenvironment), when EC was high. In the UT, US, and UR microenvironments the rainy season could be divided into two periods with respect to their effect on salt movement in the topsoil: at the beginning of the rainy season (September–January) the reduction in EC was relatively moderate, especially with regard to ions involved in biotic activity (Mg⁺⁺ and K⁺), whereas, late in the rainy season (January–April) there was enhanced reduction in EC. In contrast, in BS the regulation of salt movement was weak at all sites. Hence, in this microenvironment the salts concentration (mainly Na⁺ and Cl⁻) responded rapidly to changes in rain amount and soil moisture and temperature. In the dry season (April–September) the temporal variation in EC varied not only between microenvironments but also between sites. In US, where local surface features were similar at all sites (the same shrub), the rise in EC was maximal at LAV (mainly Ca⁺⁺ and Na⁺), and gradually diminished toward EIN. Thus, the contribution of regional sources to the salts added to the soil diminished toward the humid site, EIN, where the EC hardly changed in any microenvironment. In BS and UR microenvironments the rise in EC (mainly in Ca⁺⁺, Na⁺, and K⁺) was greatest at site MAT, and decreased toward LAV and EIN. It seems that this pattern was affected also by changes in local biotic activity.     

The role of hydropedologic vegetation zones in greenhouse gas emissions for agricultural wetland landscapes

Net greenhouse gas (GHG) source strength for agricultural wetland ecosystems in the Prairie Pothole Region (PPR) is currently unknown. In particular, information is lacking to constrain spatial variability associated with GHG emissions (CH₄, CO₂, and N₂O). GHG fluxes typically vary with edaphic, hydrologic, biologic, and climatic factors. In the PPR, characteristic wetland plant communities integrate hydropedologic factors and may explain some variability associated with trace gas fluxes at ecosystem and landscape scales. We addressed this question for replicate wetland basins located in central North Dakota stratified by hydropedologic vegetation zone on Jul 12 and Aug 3, 2003. Data were collected at the soil-atmosphere interface for six plant zones: deep marsh, shallow marsh, wet meadow, low prairie, pasture, and cropland. Controlling for soil moisture and temperature, CH₄ fluxes varied significantly with zone (p < 0.05). Highest CH₄ emissions were found near the water in the deep marsh (277,800 μg m^− 2 d^− 1 CH₄), which declined with distance from water to − 730 μg m^− 2 d^− 1 CH₄ in the pasture. Carbon dioxide fluxes also varied significantly with zone. Nitrous oxide variability was greater within zones than between zones, with no significant effects of zone, moisture, or temperature. Data were extrapolated for a 205.6 km² landscape using a previously developed synoptic classification for PPR plant communities. For this landscape, we found croplands contributed the greatest proportion to the net GHG source strength on Jul 12 (45,700 kg d^− 1 GHG-C equivalents) while deep marsh zones contributed the greatest proportion on Aug 3 (26,145 kg d^− 1 GHG-C equivalents). This was driven by a 30-fold reduction in cropland N₂O–N emissions between dates. The overall landscape average for each date, weighted by zone, was 462.4 kg km^− 2 d^− 1 GHG-C equivalents on Jul 12 and 314.3 kg km^− 2 d^− 1 GHG-C equivalents on Aug 3. Results suggest GHG fluxes vary with hydropedologic soil zone, particularly for CH₄, and provide initial estimates of net GHG emissions for heterogeneous agricultural wetland landscapes.