Relationship between soil enzyme activities, nutrient cycling and soil fungal communities in a northern hardwood forest

Soil fungi are highly diverse and act as the primary agents of nutrient cycling in forests. These fungal communities are often dominated by mycorrhizal fungi that form mutually beneficial relationships with plant roots and some mycorrhizal fungi produce extracellular and cell-bound enzymes that catalyze the hydrolysis of nitrogen (N)- and phosphorus (P)- containing compounds in soil organic matter. Here we investigated whether the community structure of different types of mycorrhizal fungi (arbuscular and ectomycorrhizal fungi) is correlated with soil chemistry and enzyme activity in a northern hardwood forest and whether these correlations change over the growing season. We quantified these relationships in an experimental paired plot study where white-tailed deer (access or excluded 4.5 yrs) treatment was crossed with garlic mustard (presence or removal 1 yr). We collected soil samples early and late in the growing season and analyzed them for soil chemistry, extracellular enzyme activity and molecular analysis of both arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) and ectomycorrhizal/saprotrophic fungal communities using terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (TRFLP). AM fungal communities did not change seasonally but were positively correlated with the activities of urease and leucine aminopeptidase (LAP), enzymes involved in N cycling. The density of garlic mustard was correlated with the presence of specific AM fungal species, while deer exclusion or access had no effect on either fungal community after 4.5 yrs. Ectomycorrhizal/saprotrophic fungal communities changed seasonally and were positively correlated with most soil enzymes, including enzymes involved in carbon (C), N and P cycling, but only during late summer sampling. Our results suggest that fine scale temporal and spatial changes in soil fungal communities may affect soil nutrient and carbon cycling. Although AM fungi are not generally considered capable of producing extracellular enzymes, the correlation between some AM taxa and the activity of N acquisition enzymes suggests that these fungi may play a role in forest understory N cycling.     

Soil organic matter, microbial biomass and enzyme activities in a tropical agroforestry system

 The effects of growing trees in combination with field crops on soil organic matter, microbial biomass C, basal respiration and dehydrogenase and alkaline phosphatase activities were studied in soils under a 12-year-old Dalbergia sissoo (a N₂-fixing tree) plantation intercropped with a wheat (Triticum aestivum) – cowpea (Vigna sinensis) cropping sequence. The inputs of organic matter through D. sissoo leaf litter increased and crop roots decreased with the increase in tree density. Higher organic C and total N, microbial biomass C, basal soil respiration and activities of dehydrogenase and alkaline phosphatase were observed in treatments with tree-crop combination than in the treatment without trees. Soil organic matter, microbial biomass C and soil enzyme activities increased with the decrease in the spacing of the D. sissoo plantation. The results indicate that adoption of the agroforestry practices led to an improved organic matter status of the soil, which is also reflected in the increased nutrient pool and microbial activities necessary for long-term productivity of the soil. However, tree spacing should be properly maintained to minimize the effects of shading on the intercrops. Received: 21 February 1997     

Lasting influence of biochemically contrasting organic inputs on abundance and community structure of total and proteolytic bacteria in tropical soils

The SOM field experiments in Kenya, which have been initiated in 2002 on two contrasting soils (clayey Humic Nitisol (sand: 17%; silt: 18%; clay: 65%) at Embu, sandy Ferric Alisol (sand: 66%; silt: 11%; clay: 22%) at Machanga), were used for exploring the effect of nine year annual application of biochemically contrasting organic inputs (i.e., Zea mays (ZM; C/N ratio: 59; (lignin + polyphenols)-to-N ratio: 9.8); Tithonia diversifolia (TD; 13; 3.5); Calliandra calothyrsus (CC; 13; 6.7)) on the soil bacterial decomposer community. Soil samples were taken at the onset of the rainy season before application of fresh organic inputs in March 2011. We studied the abundance (quantitative PCR) and community structure (T-RFLP analysis) of the total (i.e., 16S rRNA gene) and specifically proteolytic (i.e., npr gene encoding neutral metalloproteases) bacteria. Alterations of the soil microbial decomposer community were related to differences of quantity (i.e., soil carbon (TC)) and particularly composition of SOC, where mid-infrared spectroscopic (DRIFTS) information, and contents of extractable soil polyphenol (PP) and the newly introduced PP-to-TC ratio served as SOC quality indicators. For total bacteria, effect of organic input quality was minor in comparison to the predominant influence of soil texture. Elevated soil PP content, driven by polypheneol rich organic inputs, was not suppressive for overall bacterial proliferation, unless additional decomposable C substrates were available as indicated by PP-to-TC ratios. In contrast to the total bacterial community, biochemical quality of organic inputs exposed a stronger effect on functionally specialized bacterial decomposers, i.e., proteolytic bacteria. The npr gene abundance was depressed in the TD treated soils as opposed to soils receiving CC, and showed a positive correlation with soil PP. It was suggested that the high presence of lignin and polyphenol relative to the N content in organic inputs was increasing the npr gene abundance to counteract most likely the existence of polyphenol–protein complexes aggravating protein degradation. We concluded from our study that integration of spectroscopic, geochemical (i.e., soil PP) and molecular soil data provides a novel pathway to enhance our understanding of the lasting effect of organic input quality induced SOC quality changes on bacterial decomposers and particularly proteolytic bacteria driving soil organic N cycling.     

Pasture degradation impacts soil phosphorus storage via changes to aggregate-associated soil organic matter in highly weathered tropical soils

Maintaining the productivity of tropical pastures is a major challenge for the sustainable management of tropical landscapes around the globe. To address this issue, we examined linkages between soil organic matter (SOM), aggregation, and phosphorus (P) dynamics by comparing productive vs. degraded pastures in the deforested Amazon Basin of Colombia. Paired plots of productive (dominated by planted Brachiaria spp.) vs. degraded pasture were identified on nine farms in the Department of Caquetá and sampled during the rainy season of 2011. Aboveground pasture biomass production and nutrient content were measured. Surface soils (0–10 cm) were also fractionated by wet sieving, and C, ¹³C, N and P contents were analyzed for the bulk soil and various aggregate size classes. Productive pastures yielded more than double the aboveground biomass compared to degraded pastures (during a 35 day regrowth period following cutting), with over 60% higher N and P contents in this material. Similar trends were observed for the standing litter biomass and nutrient contents. Soil aggregate stability was found to differ between pasture types, with a mean weight diameter of 3590 vs. 3230 μm in productive vs. degraded pastures, respectively. Productive pastures were found to have 20% higher total soil C and N contents than degraded pastures. While there was no difference in total P content between pasture types, organic P was found to be nearly 40% higher in soils of productive vs. degraded pastures. Differences in total SOM between pasture types were largely explained by a higher C content in the large macroaggregate fraction (>2000 μm), and more specifically in the microaggregates (53–250 μm) occluded within this fraction. These findings confirm the role of microaggregates within macroaggregates as a preferential site for the physical stabilization of SOM, and furthermore, suggest that it may serve as a useful diagnostic fraction for evaluating management impacts on SOM in tropical pasture systems. Similar to trends observed for C and N, total P content was 25% higher in the microaggregates within large macroaggregates of productive vs. degraded pasture soils. This correspondence between C and total P contents in large macroaggregate fractions, along with elevated levels of organic P in productive pastures, suggests that this P is likely in an organic form and that there is a close link between soil structure, SOM dynamics and the maintenance of organic P in these soils. Given the potential relevance of organic P for efficient P cycling in these soils, our findings offer critical new insight for the management of SOM and aggregate-associated P pools in tropical pasture systems.     

小分子有机物对土壤酶活性及微生物多样性的影响

目前对小分子有机物的研究主要集中在叶面肥方面,较少在土壤肥料的应用方面,而对土壤酶活性以及微生物功能多样性的研究就更少。以分别添加葡萄糖、甘油以及甘氨酸的土壤(25℃培养)为试材,采用酶活性(每15 d取样)测定方法与Biolog-Eco板技术(取培养45 d的土样),研究小分子有机物对土壤微生物及酶活性的影响。结果表明,3种小分子有机物处理土壤的4种酶活性在15～75 d内,变化规律基本一致;在45 d时葡萄糖处理土壤的过氧化氢酶活性显著高于清水对照(CK)、甘油以及甘氨酸,而碱性磷酸酶活性显著低于其它处理。与CK、葡萄糖以及甘氨酸相比,甘油处理土壤微生物平均吸光度值和功能多样性指标(除指数D外)显著提高,而CK、葡萄糖以及甘氨酸处理之间没有显著性差异。葡萄糖、甘油以及甘氨酸处理改变了土壤的微生物功能多样性以及碳源利用比分,其中甘氨酸和葡萄糖处理土壤胺类利用百分比(AM)几乎为零。土壤微生物多样性与酶活性冗余分析表明,碱性磷酸酶与微生物功能多样性指数S、U、H′、碳水化合物利用百分比以及AM呈显著正相关,相关系数分别为0.588、0.669、0.616、0.678及0.603,与指数D及蔗糖酶活性呈显著负相关,相关系数分别为-0.737和-0.741。由此可知,不同种类小分子有机添加物对土壤酶活性以及微生物功能多样性影响不一,其中甘油显著提高了土壤微生物代谢活性以及多样性指数(除指数D外),而土壤酶活性与微生物功能多样性的主成分分析表明甘氨酸与另外两种小分子有机物存在明显差别。     

Evaluation of soil enzyme activities and microbial communities in tomato continuous cropping soil treated with jerusalem artichoke residues

ABSTRACT

Jerusalem artichoke (JY) (Helianthus tuberosus L.) has been reported to have a strong inhibitory effect on weed growth and root knot nematodes, but little information is available on the effects on soil ecosystems, especially soil microorganisms and soil enzyme activities. Understanding the dynamics of soil microbes and soil enzyme activities in cropping systems can help determine how agricultural practices influence soil processes mediated by JY residues. This study used a pot experiment, with five-year continuous cropping soil of tomato plants as the experimental material and 2% (w/w) JY residue as the treatment material in the soil. The treatment was compared to continuously monocropped tomato soil that was not treated with JY residues. The results of 16S high-throughput sequencing showed that both fungal and bacterial community structure and composition varied significantly at each stage of JY treatment. The analysis showed that the major phyla in the soil fungal community included Ascomycota, Zygomycota and Basidiomycota. Chytridiomycota was dominant in only the JY-treated soil. At the genus level, the abundances of Mortierella, Cephaliophora, Cryptococcus and Fusarium notably changed at each stage of JY treatment. In the bacterial community in the JY-treated group, the abundance of Proteobacteria increased significantly, while that of Firmicutes decreased significantly, compared to the control group. JY enhanced the activity of soil sucrase and urease. In addition, the soil sucrase activity showed a strong negative correlation with Fusarium and Bacillus. Overall, our results revealed that JY residues changed both the soil bacterial and fungal community composition and the soil enzyme activities.     

热带地区强风化土壤表面的化学反应以及土壤管理的合理建议

Highly weathered soils are distributed in the humid and wet-dry tropics, as well as in the humid subtropics. As a result of strong weathering, these soils are characterized by low activity clays, which develop variable surface charge and related specific properties. Surface reactions regarding base exchange and soil acidification, heavy metal sorption and mobility, and phosphorus sorption and availability of the tropical highly weathered soils are reviewed in this paper. Factors controlling surface reactivity towards cations and anions, including ion exchange and specific adsorption processes, are discussed with consideration on practical implications for rational management of these soils. Organic matter content and pH value are major basic factors that should be controlled through appropriate agricultural practices, in order to optimise favorable effects of colloid surface properties on soil fertility and environmental quality.     

Soil amendments with organic wastes reduce the toxicity of nickel to soil enzyme activities

The effects of adding a crushed cotton gin compost (CCGC) and poultry manure (PM) on the biological properties of a Typic Xerofluvent soil contaminated with Ni were studied in the laboratory. Urease, BBA-protease, alkaline phosphatase, β-glucosidase and arylsulfatase activities were measured in soils containing seven concentrations (100, 250, 500, 1000, 2500, 5000 and 8000 mg kg⁻¹ soil) of Ni after four incubation times (1 day, 7 days, 15 days and 45 days). The resulting inhibition was compared with that of the enzymatic activities in the same soil containing similar concentrations of the Ni but amended with crushed cotton gin compost and poultry manure. The 50% ecological dose (ED₅₀) values were calculated by the two kinetic models used by Speir et al. [T.W. Speir, H.A. Kettles, A. Parshotam, P.L. Searle, L.N.C. Vlaar, A simple kinetic approach to derive the ecological dose value, ED50, for the assessment of Cr(VI) toxicity to soil biological properties, Soil Biol. Biochem. 27 (1995) 801–810] and by the sigmoidal dose–response model used by Haanstra et al. [L. Haanstra, P. Doelman, J.H. Oude Voshaar, The use of sigmoidal dose response curves in soil ecotoxicological research, Plant Soil 84 (1985) 293–297]. The urease, BBA-protease, β-glucosidase, alkaline phosphatase and arylsulfatase activities were higher in the organic amended soils (76%, >99.7%, >95.7%, >27.6% and >87.2%, respectively) than in the control soil. Also, the enzymatic activities were higher in CCGC-amended soils than in the PM-amended soils (51%, 20%, 11.2%, and 11.3% increase for urease, BBA-protease, β-glucosidase and alkaline phosphatase, respectively). For all soil enzymatic activities and at the end of the period of incubation, the ED₅₀ values were lowest in control soil, followed by PM and CGCC-amended soils. This may have been due to the adsorption capacity of Ni being higher in the humic acid (CGCC) than in the fulvic acid-amended soil (PM).     

有机无机复混肥施用量对热带水稻土微生物群落和酶活性的影响

[目的]研究一次性施用不同量的有机无机复混肥对热带地区水稻产量及土壤微生物群落与酶活性的影响,为该区域水稻高效肥料管理提供科学依据.[方法]水稻田间试验连续进行了3季(2018年早稻-晚稻,2019年早稻).施肥设5个处理:不施肥对照(CK),常规化肥分3次施用(CF),采用一次性基施的等量、减10％和减20％氮磷钾养...     

Changes in the structure of fungal communities of soil treated with sewage sludge

The influence of a single addition of sewage sludges to soils on the composition of fungal communities, soil pH (physical factor) and presence of Eschericha coli (sanitary factor) during 1 year was studied. Only the pH of soil treated with limed sewage sludge increased significantly from 7.01 to 7.58 after 3 months. E. coli was still present in soil 1 year after application of sewage sludge. Fungal numbers increased in the sewage-sludge-treated soil up to 6 months after application (maximum value was 7.5 times that of the control) and then decreased to reach values comparable to those of the control. Treated soils showed different fungal communities to the control with presence of keratinolytic fungi (Sporothrix schenckii, Microsporum sp.), yeasts (Geotrichum candidum, Candida sp., Rhodotorula sp. Cryptococcus sp.), and other potential pathogenic fungi (Aspergillus niger, Fusarium solani). The results indicate that fungi belonging to the genus Candida could be used as specific indicator organisms of the sanitary condition of soils treated with sewage sludge.     

Evaluation of soil microbial communities and enzyme activities in cucumber continuous cropping soil treated with spent mushroom (Flammulina velutipes) substrate

Journal of Soils and Sediments - This study aimed to assess the effects of spent Flammulina velutipes substrate (SFS) amendment on microbial properties of cucumber continuous cropping soil. A...     

Dryland cropping systems influence the microbial biomass and enzyme activities in a semiarid sandy soil

Indicators of soil quality, such as microbial biomass C and N (MBC, MBN) and enzyme activities (EAs), involved in C, P, N, and S cycling, as affected by dryland cropping systems under conventional (ct) and no tillage (nt) practices were evaluated for 5?years. The soil is sandy loam with an average of 16.4% clay, 67.6% sand, and 0.65?g kg^?1 OM at 0?C10?cm. The crops evaluated were rotations of grain sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) or forage sorghum (also called haygrazer), cotton (Gossypium hirsutum), and winter rye (Secale cereale): grain sorghum?Ccotton (Sr_g?CCt), cotton?Cwinter rye?Csorghum (Ct?CRye?CSr_g), and forage sorghum?Cwinter rye (Sr_f?CRye). The tillage treatments did not affect soil MB and EAs of C cycling (i.e., ??-glucosidase, ??-glucosaminidase, ??-galactosidase), P cycling (alkaline phosphatase, phosphodiesterase), and S cycling (arylsulfatase)??except for separation due to tillage for Sr_f?CRye and Ct?CRye?CSr_g observed in PCA plots when all EAs were evaluated together. After 3?years, rotations with a winter cover crop history (Ct?CRye?CSr_g and Sr_f?CRye) enhanced soil MBN (up to 63%) and EAs (21-37%) compared to Sr_g?CCt. After 5?years, Sr_g?CCt and Ct?CRye?CSr_g showed similar soil MBC, MBN, EAs, total carbon (TC), and organic carbon (OC). A comparison of Sr_g?CCt plots with nearby continuous cotton (Ct?CCt) research plots in the same soil revealed that it took 5?years to detect higher TC (12%), MBC (38%), and EAs (32?C36%, depending on the enzyme) under Sr_g?CCt. The significant improvements in MB and EAs found, as affected by dryland cropping systems with a history of winter cover crops and/or higher biomass return crops than cotton, can represent changes in soil OM, nutrient cycling, and C sequestration for sandy soils in the semiarid Texas High Plains region. It is significant that these soil changes occurred despite summer crop failure (2003 and 2006) and lack of winter cover crops (2006) due to lack of precipitation in certain years.     

Micro-scale distribution of microorganisms and microbial enzyme activities in a soil with long-term organic amendment

Microbial ecology is the key to understanding the function of biodiversity for organic matter cycling in the soil. We have investigated the impacts of farmyard manure added over 120 years on organic matter content, enzyme activities, total microbial biomass and structure of microbial populations in several particle‐size fractions of a Luvic Phaeozem a few kilometres northeast of Halle, Germany. We compared two treatments: no fertilization (control) and 12 t farmyard manure (FYM) ha^?1 year^?1 since 1878. The fine fractions contained most C and N, microbial biomass, total amount of phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs) and greatest invertase activity. Xylanase activity as well as fungal biomass increased only gradually with diminishing particle size, whereas the relative abundance of fungi decreased with diminishing particle size. The least diversity of the soil microbial community, indicated by the smallest Shannon index based on the abundance and amount of different PLFAs and small number of terminal restriction fragments (T‐RFs) of 16S rRNA genes, was in the sand fractions. The results supported the hypothesis that this microhabitat is colonized by a less complex bacterial community than the silt and clay fractions. Addition of FYM had enhanced the amount of organic matter, total microbial biomass, and xylanase and invertase activity, and induced a shift of the microbial community towards a more bacteria‐dominated community in the coarse sand fraction. Microbial communities in finer fractions were less affected by addition of FYM.     

Soil structure changes induced by the tropical earthworm Pontoscolex corethrurus and organic inputs in a Peruvian ultisol

Inoculation of Pontoscolex corethrurus (Glossoscolecidae, Oligochaeta) in a Peruvian ultisol under several treatments (without or with organic input) has been previously shown to increase macroaggregation and bulk density and to decrease water infiltration and soil moisture. In the present study, we used image analysis of thin sections of soil to understand the impact of earthworm on the structure of the upper layer of the soil. Morphological analysis allowed to quantify the abundance of casts, soil compactness, pore morphology and connections between different pore classes. This approach was applied to experiments carried out at Yurimaguas (Peru), in four plots. Two of them had been inoculated with Pontoscolex corethrurus. In each case, one control plot was conducted without organic input, the other with crop residues and legume green manure. Morphological parameters were measured in fourteen horizontal sections within the first 3 cm. They showed compaction of soil surface due to cast coalescence in plots with earthworms but without organic input and illustrated the typical crumb structure induced by earthworms in plots with organic input.     

Soil bacterial and fungal communities along a soil chronosequence assessed by fatty acid profiling

Microbial communities are important components of terrestrial ecosystems. The importance of their diversity and functions for natural systems is well recognized. However, a better understanding of successional changes of microbial communities over long time scales is still required. In this work, the size and composition of microbial communities in soils of a deglaciation chronosequence at the Damma glacier forefield were studied by fatty acid profiling. Soil fatty acid concentrations clearly increased with soil age. The abundances of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), bacteria and other soil fungi, however, were more affected by abiotic soil parameters like carbon content and pH than by soil age. Analysis of ratios of the different microbial groups (AMF, fungi, bacteria) along the soil chronosequence indicated that: i) the ratios of AMF to bacteria and AMF to fungi decreased with soil age; and ii) the ratio of fungi to bacteria remained unchanged along the soil chronosequence. These two pieces of evidence suggest that the evolution of this ecosystem proceeds at an uneven pace over time and that the role of AMF is less important in older, more organic and acidified soils than in mineral soils. In contrast to other studies, no successional replacement of bacteria with fungi in more acidified and organic soil was observed.     

Microbial community composition and enzyme activities in a sandy loam soil after fumigation with methyl bromide or alternative biocides

A sandy loam soil was fumigated in microcosms for 24 h with methyl bromide and chloropicrin (MeBr+CP), propargyl bromide (PrBr), combinations of 1,3-dichloropropene and CP (InLine), iodomethane and CP (Midas), an emulsifiable concentrate of CP (CP-EC), or methyl isothiocyanate (MITC). The effects of these pesticides on fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) profiles and selected enzymatic activities were evaluated in fumigated soils and a nonfumigated control at 1, 3, 7, 14, 21, 28, and 90 days post-fumigation. Bacterial (a15:0, i15:0, i16:0, cy17:0, a17:0 and i17:0) and fungal (18:2ω6, 18:3ω6, 18:1ω9) FAMEs were initially (1 day post-fumigation) reduced by fumigation with CP-EC, InLine, and Midas. Microbial communities of soils fumigated with MeBr+CP, MITC, and PrBr resembled those of the control soil. At 14-28 days post-fumigation, FAME profiles were changed in all fumigated soils relative to the control, with the exception of soils treated with MITC. At 90 days post-fumigation, FAME profiles suggested that actinomycetes (10 Me 16:0, 10 Me 17:0, 10 Me 18:0) and Gram-positive bacteria may recover preferentially after fumigation with most of the pesticides studied. Among the fumigants tested, InLine, Midas, and CP-EC had a higher potential to alter the microbial community structure in the longer term than MeBr+CP, PrBr and MITC, with MITC having the least effect. Soil enzyme activities in fumigated microcosms were significantly (P≤0.037) different from the nonfumigated soil, with the exception of β-glucosidase in soils treated with PrBr and MITC, and dehydrogenase in MeBr+CP-fumigated soils. Over the 90-day study, soil fumigation (average of all fumigants and sampling dates) reduced the activities of arylsulfatase (62%), dehydrogenase (35%), acid phosphatase (22%), and β-glucosidase (6%), suggesting that S mineralization in soils and the total oxidative potential of microorganisms were more affected by fumigation than P and C mineralization. This study also indicates that soil fumigation with MeBr+CP alternative biocides has the potential to alter microbial communities and important key reactions involved in nutrient transformation.     

黄顶菊入侵对土壤微生物、土壤酶活性及土壤养分的影响

通过采样分析,研究了外来植物黄顶菊入侵对非耕地和耕地,以及对玉米根系土壤微生物、土壤酶活性、土壤速效养分的影响,旨在揭示黄顶菊入侵农田和贫瘠荒地的机制。本试验比较了距根系不同距离土壤的微生态变化;分析了根系土壤3大微生物类群结构、5种土壤理化性质以及5种土壤酶活性之间的相关性。结果表明,非耕地黄顶菊根表速效氮、速效磷、速效钾的含量分别为对照的4.44、6.88、2.64倍,耕地中分别为对照的5.31、13.78、7.56倍;非耕地黄顶菊根表土壤细菌、真菌、放线菌数量分别为对照的13.23、6.67、21.40倍,耕地中分别为对照的9.27、2.15、2.24倍,可见黄顶菊对非耕地土壤中可培养的细菌、真菌、放线菌数量的影响更为明显;非耕地中黄顶菊根表土壤碱性磷酸酶、酸性磷酸酶、脲酶、脱氢酶、蔗糖酶的活性分别为对照的19.44、5.39、1.64、1.74、4.62倍,说明细菌非常活跃。耕地中分别为对照的2.26、3.45、1.53、0.95、4.89倍。另外在玉米与黄顶菊互作时,其根表土壤速效氮、磷、钾分别为非互作条件下的63.54%、64.70%、80.71%、,黄顶菊入侵明显降低了玉米根表速效养分。综上,黄顶菊入侵增加了其根系周围可培养土壤微生物数量、土壤酶活性及土壤速效养分含量;降低了附近玉米根表土壤中可培养微生物数量、土壤酶活性和速效养分含量。     

Effects of irrigation and nitrogen fertilizer on yield,carbon inputs from above ground harvest residues and soil organic carbon contents of a sandy soil in Germany

To better understand the complex interactions between irrigation and nitrogen fertilizer application on soil organic carbon content, the results from long‐term field experiments over a period of 40 years were analysed. The combined effect of irrigation and nitrogen fertilizer rates on crop yields, carbon input by above ground harvest residues and soil organic carbon content has been investigated at a site on a sandy soil in northeast Germany. Combined with nitrogen fertilizer application, irrigation has frequently had a significantly positive effect on crop yield and carbon inputs from above ground harvest residues. However, enhanced carbon inputs to the soil under irrigation did not lead to significantly greater soil organic carbon contents. As the combination of irrigation and nitrogen also improved microbial decomposition by changing of above ground harvest residues C/N ratio and soil moisture, the effect of an additional input of carbon from above ground harvest residues was nullified.     

Plant roots and species moderate the salinity effect on microbial respiration,biomass, and enzyme activities in a sandy clay soil

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of plant absence or presence on microbial properties and enzyme activities at different levels of salinity in a sandy clay soil. The treatments involved five salinity levels—0.5 (control), 2.5, 5, 7.5, and 10 dS m^?1 which were prepared using a mixture of chloride salts—and three soil environments (unplanted soil, and soils planted with either wheat or clover) under greenhouse conditions. Each treatment was replicated three times. At the end of the experiment, soil microbial respiration, substrate-induced respiration (SIR), microbial biomass C (MBC), and enzyme activities were determined after plant harvest. Increasing salinity decreased soil microbial properties and enzyme activities, but increased the metabolic quotient (qCO₂) in both unplanted and planted soils. Most microbial properties of planted soils were greater than those of unplanted soils at low to moderate salinity levels, depending upon plant species. There was a small or no difference in soil properties between the unplanted and planted treatments at the highest salinity level, indicating that the indirect effects of plant presence might be less important due to significant reduction of plant growth. The lowered microbial activity and biomass, and enzyme activities were due to the reduction of root activity and biomass in salinized soils. The lower values of qCO₂ in planted than unplanted soils support the positive influence of plant root and its exudates on soil microbial activity and biomass in saline soils. Nonetheless, the role of plants in alleviating salinity influence on soil microbial activities decreases at high salinity levels and depends on plant type. In conclusion, cultivation and growing plant in abandoned saline environments with moderate salinity would improve soil microbial properties and functions by reducing salinity effect, in particular planting moderately tolerant crops. This helps to maintain or increase the fertility and quality of abandoned saline soils in arid regions.     

长期有机无机肥配施对东北黑土真菌群落结构的影响

【目的】分析长期有机无机肥配施对土壤真菌丰度、多样性及其群落特征的影响,探讨东北黑土真菌群落变化与施肥的相关性,为进一步调节土壤微生物结构,改善其生态功能提供参考依据。【方法】依托黑龙江省农业科学院36年长期定位试验站,选取4个不同施肥处理:不施肥处理（CK）、有机肥处理（M）、氮磷钾无机肥处理（NPK）和有机肥配施无机肥处理（MNPK）的耕作层土壤为研究对象,以真菌ITS基因为分子标靶借助qPCR技术和Illumina Miseq高通量测序平台,研究不同施肥处理对黑土中真菌群落丰度、多样性和组成的影响,并与土壤化学性质进行偶联分析,揭示群落与施肥的相关性。【结果】长期施用无机肥显著降低土壤pH,而有机无机配施可以有效缓解土壤酸化。NPK处理的ITS基因丰度显著高于MNPK;MNPK处理的细菌/真菌比值（26.91104）显著大于NPK,各处理比值由高到低为MNPK M CK NPK。细菌/真菌比值与土壤pH正相关;MNPK处理的真菌多样性指数值略大于NPK。Ascomycota和Zygomycota为土壤中主要真菌门,不同施肥处理之间真菌组成的相对丰度存在显著差异,对照处理Ascomycota的相对丰度为45.35%,MNPK和NPK处理分别为50.93%和56.16%。有机肥有利于降低病原真菌相对丰度,具有高度侵染性的Cochliobolus在MNPK（0.41%）和M（0.39%）中的相对丰度显著小于CK（3.25%）和NPK（2.08%）。CCA分析表明,土壤理化性质共解释土壤真菌群落结构变化的73.3%,有效磷（贡献量为32.4%,P=0.002）、铵态氮（贡献量为14.8%,P=0.01）和硝态氮（贡献量为16.2%,P=0.048）是3个重要的影响因子。【结论】不同施肥条件下土壤真菌丰度、多样性,以及菌群组成特征不同。与无机肥相比,有机肥无机肥配施能够有效改善真菌群落结构,降低真菌的丰度,增加真菌多样性,并提高土壤pH,减缓土壤酸化。土壤有效磷、铵态氮和硝态氮含量是影响黑土土壤真菌群落结构变化重要因素。