Metabolic and anabolic responses of arable and forest soils to nutrient addition§

The increase in microbial C content, cumulative respiration and changes in ”︁available” C were determined after adding glucose (2 mg glucose-C (g soil)^—1, ”︁C”), glucose + nitrogen (”︁C+N”) or glucose + nitrogen + phosphorus (”︁C+N+P”) to four soils. In two sandy soils, one agricultural and the other from a beech forest in Germany, available C was still present approximately 7 days after C addition. The supplement N and N+P decreased the content of available C and stimulated respiration rate and microbial growth. In two loamy forest soils from Italy, which had a high native content of microbial C, available C was present in the beech soil but not in a silver fir soil treated with C+N. In the Italian beech and fir soil, microbial growth was highest with C+N+P and C+N addition respectively. Available C remaining in the soil was related to some extent to the native microbial C content. However, microbial growth and respiration response varied between soil and treatment. The respiratory coefficient, that is the ratio of assimilated to respired C, varied between 0.0 and 1.45 μg C_mic (μg CO₂-C)^—1 and was generally higher when a large amount of native biomass was present. The eco-physiological strategy of the soil microbiota in using C seemed to shift according to the biomass content, the added concentration and composition of available substrates, and emergent system properties.     

Nitrogen and phosphorus limitation of soil microbial respiration in two tropical agroforestry parklands in the south-Sudanese zone of Burkina Faso: The effects of tree canopy and fertilization

We studied nutrient limitation and availability for soil microbial respiration after additions of glucose (C), in combination with nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) in soil samples taken from parklands of Vitellaria paradoxa and Faidherbia albida. We hypothesized that in these P-fixing soils: (i) after C addition, respiration will be limited by P, but P-limitation will be lower under tree canopies; and (ii) the maximum respiration rates after adding C will be higher with than without applications of inorganic fertilizer (NPK) in the field. The study site was located in the south-Sudanese zone of Burkina Faso. Microbial respiration was measured as CO₂ evolution from soil samples incubated under laboratory conditions. Two microbial growth peaks were observed after addition of C plus P to the soil samples. When P was added together with C, the initial increase in the microbial respiration rate was higher than when N and C were added, and the maximum respiration rate was also reached earlier. We conclude that P limited the initial rate of respiration. Under the tree canopy the P and N availability, was higher under both F. albida and V. paradoxa trees, than in areas beyond their canopies. NPK fertilization in the field resulted in higher soil reserves of N and P, but these nutrients had low availability in the short term. Results indicated that more P is available in forms that are immediately accessible to microorganisms under tree canopies, than outside the cover of their canopies.     

Using perlite as a substrate carrier for measuring microbial available phosphorus by respiration kinetics in soils

The release of CO₂ by soil microorganisms after the addition of nitrogen and glucose in excess and calibration additions of phosphorus has successfully been used to assess microbial available P, assuming the native soil P pool is then limiting respiration. However, in P-fixing soils and soils with high P content, carbon can be exhausted before the available soil P pool. It is not possible to simply increase the amount of glucose as then the glucose concentration would be lethal for microorganisms. A modified method was tested where soil is mixed with perlite. It was hypothesised that perlite, having a high water holding capacity, would dilute the concentration of glucose, while maintaining the bioavailability of added nutrients, thus avoiding carbon limitation. Factorial combinations of amount of soil and perlite (both adjusted to −25 kPa water potential) were tested to examine if perlite as such had any effect on the respiration. Five tropical soil samples with a sharp gradient in P availability and one N-limited compost material were used. The method successfully reduced the risk of carbon limitation. Microbial indices, such as basal respiration, substrate-induced respiration and maximum P-limited respiration, were directly proportional to the amount of soil in the experiments but unrelated to the amount of perlite, showing that perlite did not affect microbial measurements.     

无机氮和葡萄糖添加对土壤微生物生物量和活性的影响

以黄淮海平原潮土为研究对象,通过室内恒温恒湿培养方法,比较研究了土壤中纤维素是否存在时,外源无机氮和葡萄糖添加对土壤微生物生物量及其活性的影响变化。实验设8个处理,包括不加任何物质的对照(CK)、添加无机氮(N)、葡萄糖(G)、纤维素(C)处理及葡萄糖和无机氮同时添加(G+N)处理,以及在纤维素存在基础上添加无机氮(C+N)、葡萄糖(C+G)、葡萄糖和无机氮同时添加(C+G+N)处理。在33天培养时间内,分别在不同的时间间隔内测定了土壤CO2累积释放量、微生物生物量碳(Cmic)、及脱氢酶(DHD)、β-葡萄糖苷酶(GLU)、过氧化氢酶(CAT)、碱性磷酸酶(APH)活性。结果表明,所有测定的微生物性质在CK与C处理间均没有显著性差异。与CK和C处理相比,其他所有处理的土壤CO2累积释放量均显著增加,其中C+G+N处理达最大值;G、G+N、C+G、C+G+N处理的土壤Cmic含量及DHD和APH活性显著提升,尤其在培养的前14天,而N和C+N处理则与CK处理相似,表示添加葡萄糖可显著增加上述处理生物活性水平,而添加无机氮则不能。添加无机氮和葡萄糖对GLU和CAT的影响不明显,大部分情况下它们在处理间没有表现出显著性差异。相关性分析表明,CO2释放速率始终与APH活性成显著正相关,但与Cmic和其他酶活性之间的相关关系则随着培养时间的不同而发生变化,这可能与不同培养时间的微生物组成或微生物利用底物的模式发生改变有关。聚类分析结果进一步表明,8个处理的土壤微生物活性水平可明显分成3组,其中活性水平最高的组只包含C+G+N处理,该结果提示在难分解纤维素存在时,无机氮和易利用有机碳的同时添加对提升土壤微生物活性的重要性。     

莎草诱导土壤有机碳的激发效应

为了探索添加莎草后土壤有机碳的激发效应发生机制,采用室内控制试验,向培育土壤内添加莎草碎片、增施氮磷元素,测定土壤有机碳(SOC)含量、微生物量、土壤δ_(13)C值,计算土壤中"新碳"(源于莎草的)和"旧碳"(土壤原有的)的含量。结果表明,75 d后,对照组SOC降低了11 mg·kg~(-1),氮磷营养组SOC降低了10 mg·kg~(-1),莎草组SOC含量先升高而后下降(最终降低了44 mg·kg~(-1)),莎草+氮磷营养组SOC含量先升高而后下降(最终增加了75 mg·kg~(-1))。土壤δ_(13)C值的变化说明土壤添加莎草后,"旧碳"分解速率加快,诱导了激发效应的发生。添加莎草组中,77.8%的莎草被微生物呼吸作用消耗掉,22.2%转化成"新碳"固定到土壤中。除去激发效应消耗的土壤碳(144 mg·kg~(-1)),土壤总有机碳含量降低了30 mg·kg~(-1);莎草+氮磷处理中,64.0%的莎草被呼吸作用消耗掉,36.0%被固定于土壤中,除去激发效应消耗的94 mg·kg~(-1),总土壤有机碳增加了68 mg·kg~(-1)。莎草处理中,土壤激发效应损失的碳量占莎草分解碳量的37.0%,植物+氮磷处理仅占29.3%,土壤激发效应损失的"旧碳"量远低于莎草呼吸作用损失的碳量。本研究结果为进一步探究土壤添加莎草后激发效应机理提供了参考依据。     

Potential microbial nitrogen and phosphorus availability in forest floors

The potential availability of nitrogen and phosphorus to microorganisms in forest floors was studied by means of a bioassay. Microbial N and P availability was assessed by analyzing the respiration rate response to addition of different amounts of N and P when glucose and other nutrients were added in excess. Forest floors of Norway spruce, Sitka spruce, Douglas-fir, beech, and oak from three sites of different nutrient status were studied. Oak forest floors had higher microbial N and P availability than forest floors of the other species, and P availability was lowest in Norway spruce forest floors. Sites differed only slightly in microbial P availability. The site with the most P rich soil also had the highest P availability in forest floors. The microbially-available proportion of total P was very high, and much higher than the available proportion of total N. Microbially-available N was not significantly related to KCl-extractable N, total N concentrations or C-to-N ratios, nor was microbially-available P related to concentrations of total P or C-to-P ratios. Basal respiration rates were positively related to microbial N and P availability. The bioassay assessed simple organic N compounds fairly well when these were added to forest floor material in low amounts. Microbial N and P availability in forest floors may be more dependent on other quality variables than total N and P concentrations, e.g. the organic forms of N and P.     

Changes in soil chemical and microbial properties after a wildfire in a tropical rainforest in Sabah, Malaysia

Changes in soil caused by drought and wildfire in a Dipterocarp rainforest in Sabah, Malaysia were assessed by phosphorus fractionation, extractable nitrogen and nutrient limited respiration kinetics (after addition of glucose+N or P). Fire increased the concentration of total phosphorus (P) in the litter layer (per ha and per dry soil) by raising the 0.2 M NaOH extractable-P. In the soil organic layer, membrane exchangeable P was reduced by fire while 1.0 M HCl extractable-P, and 0.5 M NaHCO₃ extractable-P increased. Microbially available P increased after the fire and was most closely related to NaOH extractable-P that has been considered available to plants only over long time-scales. Total nitrogen (N) increased in the litter layer (per ha and per dry soil) due to post-fire litter fall, while the NO₃⁻ increased up to 10-fold down to the 10 cm mineral soil. In contrast, the microbially available N decreased by 50%. Basal respiration and substrate-induced respiration increased in the litter layer and decreased in the organic horizon (per dry soil and per organic matter). P limited microbial growth resulted in a slow and non-exponential increase in respiration, presumably reflecting the P-fixing nature of the soils, while N limitation resulted in a fast exponential increase. However, higher respiration rates were eventually achieved under P limitation than under N limitation.     

Respiration of Louisiana Freshwater Floating Marsh Soils Amended with Ammonium,Phosphate, and Sulfate

Wetland soils of the freshwater coastal deltaic regions of Louisiana have developed under decreasing influence from the Mississippi River, which has resulted in lower available nutrient conditions and sediment input relative to other coastal marshes. A laboratory soil respiration experiment was conducted to measure cumulative carbon dioxide (CO₂) and methane (CH₄) production in soils from a floating freshwater marsh in response to additions of added ammonium (N), phosphate (P), ammonium (N) + phosphate (P), and sulfate (S). CO₂ respiration was significantly greater over a 28-day period than controls following ammonium N, phosphorus, and sulfate addition at 10 mg L^?1. Nitrogen and phosphorus addition at 10 mg L^?1 also increased methane production. The lower sulfate amendment (10 mg L^?1) did not significantly increase CH₄ production. In contrast, the greatest sulfate treatment (100 m l^?1) significantly reduced total carbon (C) production by inhibiting CH₄ production. The fact that soil C/N (20.2) and C/P (355) ratios were both relatively low may partially explain why both N and P colimited microbial activity and respiration. While microbial activity of freshwater floating marsh soils was stimulated over the short term with increased ammonium, nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfate exposure, it is unclear whether the increase would be the same over extended periods or would increase in plant productivity from nutrient additions compensate for any loss in soil carbon.     

A method for determining microbially available N and P in an organic soil

Summary A bioassay of microbially available soil N and P is described. It is based on the addition of glucose together with N or P to soil, followed by monitoring of the respiration rate. The addition of glucose + N resulted in an immediate increase in the soil respiration rate followed by a short period of exponential increase, reflecting the growth of microorganisms on the added substrate. The exponential phase levelled off, when lack of P prevented further growth of the soil microorganisms. The soil respiration rate then remained constant for several hours before decreasing, when glucose became limiting. The addition of glucose + P resulted in a lower plateau of the soil respiration rate, indicating that microbial growth was more limited by N than P in this forest soil (0.28 and 0.79 mg CO₂ g^-1 organic matter h^-1, respectively). Additions of the limiting nutrient resulted in a proportional increase in the constant level of the soil respiration rate. This was used to calculated the increase in the soil respiration rate per mg N (0.71 mg CO₂ h^-1) or mg P (4.6 mg CO₂ h^-1) added to this particular soil. Microbially available N was then calculated in two ways from the regression equation (0.15 or 0.40 mg g^-1 organic matter) and P (0.13 or 0.17 mg g^-1 organic matter). A comparison with 2 M KCl extraction showed that in nutrient-poor forest soils the microbially available N was 6.3 or 18.5 times higher than the KCl extractable N.     

Litter, warming and plants affect respiration and allocation of soil microbial and plant C, N and P in arctic mesocosms

In a mesocosm experiment, we studied decomposition rates as CO₂ efflux and changes in plant mass, nutrient accumulation and soil pools of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P), in soils from a sub-arctic heath. The soil was incubated at 10 °C and 12 °C, with or without leaf litter and with or without plants present. The purpose of the experiment was to analyse decomposition and nutrient transformations under simulated, realistic conditions in a future warmer Arctic.Both temperature enhancement and litter addition increased respiration rates. Temperature enhancement and surprisingly also litter addition decreased microbial biomass carbon (C) content, resulting in a pronounced increase of specific respiration. Microbial P content increased progressively with temperature enhancement and litter addition, concomitant with increasing P mineralisation, whereas microbial N increased only in the litter treatment, at the same time as net N mineralisation decreased. In contrast, microbial biomass N decreased as temperature increased, resulting in a high mobilisation of inorganic N.Plant responses were closely coupled to the balance of microbial mineralisation and immobilisation. Plant growth and N accumulation was low after litter addition because of high N immobilisation in microbes and low net mineralisation, resulting in plant N limitation. Growth increased in the temperature-enhanced treatments, but was eventually limited by low supply of P, reflected in a low plant P concentration and high N-to-P ratio. Hence, the different microbial responses caused plant N limitation after litter addition and P limitation after temperature enhancement. Although microbial processes determined the main responses in plants, the plants themselves influenced nutrient turnover. With plants present, P mobilisation to the plant plus soil inorganic pools increased significantly, and N mobilisation non-significantly, when litter was added. This was presumably due to increased mineralisation in the rhizosphere, or because the nutrients in addition to being immobilised by microbes also could be absorbed by plants. This suggests that the common method of measuring nutrient mineralisation in soils incubated without plants may underestimate the rates of nutrient mobilisation, which probably contributes to a commonly observed discrepancy of measured lower rates of net nutrient mineralisation than uptake rates in arctic soils.     

Salinity reduces the ability of soil microbes to utilise cellulose

An incubation experiment was conducted to determine the response of soil microbial biomass and activity to salinity when supplied with two different carbon forms. One nonsaline and three saline soils of similar texture (sandy clay loam) with electrical conductivities of the saturation extract (EC_e) of 1, 11, 24 and 43 dS m^?1 were used. Carbon was added at 2.5 and 5 g C kg^?1 (2.5C, 5C) as glucose or cellulose; soluble N and P were added to achieve a C/N ratio of 20 and C/P ratio of 200. Soil microbial activity was assessed by measuring CO₂ evolution continuously for 3 weeks; microbial biomass C and available N and P were determined on days 2, 7, 14 and 21. In all soils, cumulative respiration was higher with 5C than with 2.5C and higher with glucose than with cellulose. Cumulative respiration was highest in the nonsaline soil and decreased with increasing EC, whereas the decrease was gradual with glucose, there was a sharp drop in cumulative respiration with cellulose from the nonsaline soil to soil with EC11 with little further decrease at higher ECs. Microbial biomass C and available N and P concentrations were highest in the nonsaline soil but did not differ among the saline soils. Microbial biomass C was higher and available N was lower with 5C than with 2.5C. The C form affected the temporal changes of microbial biomass and available nutrients differentially. With glucose, microbial biomass was highest on day 2 and then decreased, whereas available N showed the opposite pattern, being lowest on day 2 and then increasing. With cellulose, microbial biomass C increased gradually over time, and available N decreased gradually. It is concluded that salinity reduced the ability of microbes to decompose cellulose more than that of glucose.     

Changes in Chemical,Physical and Biological Properties Of Passively-Aerated Cocomposted Poultry Litter And Municipal Solid Waste Compost

Cocomposting of poultry litter with municipal solid waste compost (MSW) was evaluated as a means to stabilize nitrogen and phosphorus in poultry litter and to produce a stable organic soil amendment. Four passively aerated compost piles were established by mixing fixed weight ratios of MSW and composted poultry litter (21:1, 6:1, 3:1, 1:1); moisture was adjusted to 50 percent by weight at pile establishment. These ratios represented a range of initial C:N (26-12) and C:P (150-50) ratios. Composting process parameters monitored over eight months included temperature, oxygen and moisture contents, pH, electrical conductivity, C:N:P ratios, microbial respiration and diversity. Initial feedstock ratios had no significant effect on temperature in the thermophilic phase of composting. After one year of composting, microbial respiration in 21:1 and 6:1 mixtures was high relative to 3:1 and 1:1 mixtures suggesting slow maturation in piles with high MSW content. Salmonella sp. and coliform organisms were detectable for up to 47 days. Results suggest that MSW has potential as a carbon feedstock for poultry litter composting when used in moderate amounts.     

碳源和巨大芽孢杆菌添加对土壤微生物环境及N2O、CH4排放的影响

2014年9-10月设计小麦盆栽试验,设置常规施氮处理（CK）、氮肥添加葡萄糖（G）、氮肥添加葡萄糖和巨大芽孢杆菌（Bacillus megaterium,GY）、氮肥添加秸秆（S）、氮肥添加秸秆和巨大芽孢杆菌（SY）5种处理,通过观测小麦苗期温室气体排放、土壤碳氮环境以及微生物菌群等变化,以分析研究不同碳源和巨大芽孢杆菌对土壤温室气体排放和微生物的影响。结果表明：（1）在施氮的同时增施葡萄糖（G）以及葡萄糖和巨大芽孢杆菌处理（GY）,对土壤微生物碳含量变化影响不显著,但降低土壤观测物种数与物种多样性;明显抑制硝态氮和铵态氮的增加,继而抑制N2O排放量的增加,同时促进了旱地土壤对CH4的吸收。（2）若用秸秆代替葡萄糖,在施氮的同时增施秸秆（S）,显著减少小麦苗期土壤硝态氮含量,但对N2O排放影响不显著。与秸秆相比,葡萄糖能快速提供有机碳,作为碳源更能体现巨大芽孢杆菌改善土壤微生物菌群、减少硝态氮生成及N2O气体排放的效果。     

Estimating Soil Carbon,Nitrogen, and Phosphorus Mineralization from Short‐Term Carbon Dioxide Respiration

The measurement of soil carbon dioxide (CO₂) respiration is a means to gauge biological soil fertility. Test methods for respiration employed in the laboratory vary somewhat, and to date the equipment and labor required have limited more widespread adoption of such methodologies. A new method to measure soil respiration was tested along with the traditional alkali trap and titration method. The new method involves the Solvita gel system, which was originally designed for CO₂ respiration from compost but has been applied in this research to soils with treatments of increasing dairy manure compost. The objectives of this research are to (1) examine the relationship between the CO₂ release after 1 day of incubation from soils amended with dairy manure compost that have been dried and rewetted as determined using the titration method and the Solvita gel system, and (2) compare water‐soluble organic nitrogen (N), as well as carbon (C), N, and phosphorus (P) mineralization after 28 days of incubation with 1‐day CO₂ release from the titration method and Solvita gel system. One‐day CO₂ from both titration and the Solvita gel system were highly correlated with cumulative 28‐day CO₂ as well as the basal rate from 7–28 days of incubation. Both methods were also highly correlated with 28‐day N and P mineralization as well as the initial water‐extractable organic N and C concentration.

The data suggest that the Solvita gel system for soil CO₂ analysis could be a simple and easily used method to quantify soil microbial activity and possibly provide an estimate of potential mineralizable N and P. Once standardized soil sampling and laboratory analysis protocols are established, the Solvita method could be easily adapted to commercial soil testing laboratories as an index of soil microbial activity.     

添加外源碳调节植烟土壤氮素供应降低上部烟叶烟碱含量的研究

  【目的】  我国烤烟上部烟叶仍存在因烟碱含量较高而影响其品质的问题。向土壤中添加有效碳源可刺激微生物同化作用,进而能够调控土壤中有效氮含量。因此,本研究尝试利用外源碳降低烤烟上部叶全氮和烟碱含量。  【方法】  设置盆栽试验,烤烟品种为NC55,供试外源碳为葡萄糖 (G) 和木屑 (S)。试验设9个处理:在烤烟移栽后第90天,分别向植烟土壤中添加葡萄糖C 2000 mg/kg (G2)、5000 mg/kg (G5);在移栽后第90和120天依次添加葡萄糖C 2000 mg/kg和10000 mg/kg (G2+G10),和依次添加葡萄糖C 5000 mg/kg和10000 mg/kg (G5+G10);在移栽后第90天分别添加木屑C 2000 mg/kg (S2) 和5000 mg/kg (S5);在移栽后第90和120天依次添加木屑C 2000 mg/kg和葡萄糖C 10000 mg/kg (S2+G10),和依次添加木屑C 5000 mg/kg和葡萄糖C 10000 mg/kg处理 (S5+G10);对照 (CK)为常规施肥处理,在移栽后不添加外源碳。比较不同处理土壤氮素水平、烟叶全氮和烟碱含量。  【结果】  烤烟生长后期添加外源碳可明显降低植烟土壤氮素供应,降低幅度随外源碳添加量的增加而增大,添加二次比添加一次效果更明显,葡萄糖和木屑配合添加较单纯添加葡萄糖更有效。添加二次可降低上部叶的烟碱和全氮含量分别达0.62～1.40个百分点和0.71～1.22个百分点,比添加一次效果更为明显。  【结论】  烤烟生长后期在土壤中分别添加一定量的葡萄糖和木屑,能有效调节土壤碳氮比,抑制烤烟吸收过量的氮素,进而降低烤烟上部叶烟碱和全氮含量,提高烟叶品质。     

Organic amendments decomposability influences microbial activity in saline soils

Organic amendments with contrasting biochemical properties were investigated by conducting an incubation experiment in soils irrigated with different levels of saline water. Soil samples were taken from a long-term experimental field plots irrigated with normal water and saline water having electrical conductivity (EC) 6 and 12 dS m^?1, respectively. Finely ground biochar, rice straw (RS), farm yard manure (FYM) and glucose were added at two rates (1% and 2.5% carbon basis) and incubated for 8 weeks at 25°C. Cumulative respiration (CR), microbial biomass carbon and available nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) were negatively correlated with EC, irrespective of the source and amount of added carbon (C). Compared with non-saline soil, at EC 12, relative decrease in CR was lowest with glucose (21.0%) followed by RS (32.0%), FYM (46.0%) and biochar (55.0%). Dissolved organic carbon was positively correlated with salinity and its concentration was higher in treatments with higher rate of C addition (2.5% C). This study showed decomposability of organic amendments and their rate of addition determines microbial activity in saline soils. Further, lower nitrogen (N) release from amendments under saline conditions limits microbial ability to utilize available C for satisfying their energy needs.     

Soil microorganisms are less susceptible than crop plants to potassium deficiency

To evaluate the relationship between the potassium (K) status in the microbial community and the exchangeable K concentration in soils, the effects of K addition on microbial activity were assessed in cultivated Andisols not having received K fertilizer. Potassium limitation was not observed in the microbial community, even in a soil amended with only nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) but not K since 1938, though crop plants in this soil showed severe K deficiency symptoms. Furthermore, in a soil amended with NP + compost, microbial activity was limited by K only after limitation of carbon (C) and N. These results suggest that soil microorganisms demand more C and N than K, even in soils with low K availability, and also that the soil microbial community is less susceptible to K deficiency than are crop plants.     

Microbial Activity Is Constrained by the Quality of Carbon and Nitrogen under Long-term Saline Water Irrigation

Most important, yet least understood, question, how microbial activity in soil under saline water irrigation responds to carbon (C) varying qualitatively (most labile form to extreme recalcitrant form) with or without maintaining C/N ratio was investigated in an incubation experiment. Soil samples from a long-term saline-water (electrical conductivity, EC ≈ 0, 6, and 12 dS m^?1)- irrigated field were incorporated with three different C substrates, viz., glucose, rice straw (RS), and biochar with or without nitrogen (N as ammonium sulfate, NH₄SO₄) and were incubated at 25 °C for 56 days. Cumulative respiration (CR), microbial biomass carbon (MBC), microbial biomass nitrogen (MBN), and dehydrogenase activity (DEA) concentrations decreased with increasing EC (P < 0.05), but less so in soils amended with glucose followed by RS and biochar. The addition of N to soils amended with different C substrates significantly decreased CR, MBC, DEA, and available phosphorus (P) concentrations at a given EC level.     

Soil Properties and Maize Growth in Saline and Nonsaline Soils using Cassava‐Industrial Waste Compost and Vermicompost with or Without Earthworms

The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of compost and vermicompost as soil conditioners in alleviating salt‐affected soils and increasing maize productivity. A greenhouse trial, consisting of seven soil amendment treatments in a completely randomized design with three replications, was carried out at Khon Kaen University, Thailand, during the rainy season of 2011. Plant height and total dry matter of maize increased in treatments with compost and vermicompost application when compared with the control (no fertilizer) in two types of soils (saline and nonsaline) during the growing season. Soil pH and electrical conductivity in saturation paste extracts were decreased by compost and vermicompost amendments with or without earthworms when compared with unamended treatments in the saline soil. Compost and vermicompost amendments improved cation exchange capacity, soil organic carbon, total nitrogen and extractable phosphorus in both soils. These amendments also increased exchangeable K⁺, Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ while decreasing exchangeable Na⁺ in the saline soil, which suggested that Ca²⁺ was exchanged for Na⁺, exchangeable Na⁺, then leached out, and soil salinity reduced as a result. Soil microbial activities including microbial C and N and basal soil respiration were improved by the application of compost and vermicompost amendments with or without earthworms when compared with the control in both soils. This experiment showed that the compost and vermicompost were effective in alleviating salinity and improving crop growth. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

嗜热复合菌对堆肥品质及微生物群落演替的影响

  【目的】  研究嗜热复合菌对畜禽粪污堆肥理化特性和腐熟度的影响,探讨嗜热菌影响堆肥过程的微生物机制。  【方法】  堆料由75%羊粪和25%养鸡发酵床垫料构成,初始原料C/N为28,堆料量1.2 t,高度70～90 cm,开放条垛式堆沤。处理组为堆肥添加0.1%嗜热菌B. fordii FJAT-51578和U. thermosphaericus FJAT-51579等比混合的发酵液,对照组为添加1%市售枯草芽孢杆菌堆肥菌剂(Bacillus subtilis)。堆肥时间为2021年9月18日—10月14日,每两天检测1次温度。堆肥前15天,每两天进行一次翻抛,后期每5天进行一次翻抛,保持堆肥含水量50%～60%,直至高温期结束。在堆肥开始后第1、9和26天取堆肥样品,分析氮磷含量、硝化指数和种子发芽指数。结合扩增子测序,分析堆肥细菌群落结构变化,并揭示其主要环境影响因子。采用PICRUSt分析堆肥有效氮和有效磷代谢的微生物机制。  【结果】  嗜热复合菌添加促进堆肥硝化指数的降低和种子发芽指数的升高,促进堆肥腐熟;堆肥产物碱解氮和有效磷的含量分别比市售菌剂组高11.8%和7.7%。同时,嗜热复合菌的添加改变了细菌群落的分布,降低了堆肥细菌的多样性和丰富度,提高了糖单胞菌、链霉菌和嗜热葡萄孢菌等降解菌的丰度。RDA分析表明,pH和C/N是影响堆肥微生物群落多样性的主要因素,碱解氮与芽孢杆菌和糖单胞菌属丰度正相关,有效磷与嗜热裂孢菌、直丝菌属和马杜拉放线菌属丰度正相关。氮、磷代谢相关京都基因和基因组百科全书同源基因(KO)的PICRUSt分析显示,微生物氮磷循环相关KO的丰度随着堆肥进程均有所增加。添加嗜热菌剂提高了氨化、铵同化、硝酸盐同化、同化/异化硝酸盐还原等氮循环相关KO,及无机磷溶解、酸性磷酸酶和碱性磷酸酶等磷循环相关KO。  【结论】  在畜禽粪污堆肥中添加嗜热复合菌剂加快并延长了高温期,降低了C/N,提高了堆肥中碱解氮和有效磷含量,其中C/N、硝化指数和GI指数等指标在堆肥中期达腐熟程度标准,促进堆肥腐熟。堆肥中添加嗜热复合菌剂增加了细菌氮磷代谢相关KO的表达,提高了腐熟中期堆肥中嗜热菌的丰度和种类,碱解氮与芽孢杆菌和糖单胞菌属丰度呈正相关,有效磷与嗜热裂孢菌、直丝菌属和马杜拉放线菌属丰度正相关。因此,添加嗜热复合菌促进了堆肥有效氮磷的含量。