Nematode succession and microfauna-microorganism interactions during root residue decomposition

The quality of plant material affects the vigor of the decomposition process and composition of the decomposer biota. Root residues from hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth), rye (Secale cereale L.) and vetch+rye, packed in litterbags were placed in pots of soil at 15 C and the content of the bags was analyzed after 2, 4, 8 and 12 weeks. Bacterial biomass did not differ between residues with contrasting composition. Among bacterivores groups of nematodes that require high bacterial production dominated in fast decomposing resources whereas flagellates with smaller requirements prevail in slower decomposing resources. Biomass of bacterial feeding nematodes correlated positively with early phase (0-2 wk) decomposition that increased in the order: rye< vetch+rye<vetch. Bacterial biomass therefore seems to be under top-down (predation) control during early decomposition. In contrast, the fungal biomass differed between resources with highest values for rye. Moreover, this increase in fungal biomass occurred later during succession and was correlated with decomposition activity for rye in that period. Fungal biomass therefore seems to be under bottom-up (resource) control. The composition of the nematode assemblages (composed of 25 taxa) showed a clear relationship to initial plant resource quality as well as decomposition phase. Early successional microbivorous nematodes vary according to resource quality with demanding bacterivores+predators (Neodiplogasteridae) dominating in vetch and less demanding bacterivores (Rhabditidae) and fungivores (Aphelenchus) being equally common in vetch and rye. Later in the succession (2-4 wk) bacterivorous Cephalobidae and fungivorous Aphelenchoides prevailed similarly on the different root materials whereas bacterivorous protozoa and the amoebal fraction thereof dominated in rye. At week 12 no species dominated the nematode assemblages that were similar between the resources. The differences between nematode assemblages among plant resources at 2 week were similar to the results of a field study sampled after 6 weeks with the same soil and plant resources. This lends support to the relevance of the successional patterns observed in this incubation study.     

Effects of sod-cutting on the nematode community of a secondary forest of Pinus sylvestris L.

Atmospheric S and N compounds accumulate in the surface layers of the forest soil environment, where they affect soil biota and nutrient availability for tree growth. In addition to measures to reduce the input of atmospheric deposition, removal of the ectorganic layers by sod-cutting may contribute to the recovery of the soil ecosystem. In this study, we examined the effects of sod-cutting on the nematode fauna of a Scots pine forest, 1 and 3 years after treatment. Sod-cutting reduced the total numbers of nematodes, nematode taxa, and Maturity Index. The first taxa that colonized the newly developing organic layers after sod-cutting had low colonizer-persister (c-p) values, and appeared to have originated from the tree canopy and mineral soil. Colonization, presumably from nearby untreated plots, was observed 3 years after the sod-cutting. The initial (after 1 year) nematode community of the new organic layer comprised hyphal-, bacterial-, and algal-feeding nematodes, whereas plant-feeders, predators, and omnivores were not detected. The composition of the nematode fauna in the ectorganic layers 15 and 39 months after sod-cutting was highly similar to that of the nematode fauna of the early stages of a primary succession of Scots pine forest in a reference area in the Netherlands. In the mineral soil only insect parasites were negatively affected by sod-cutting.     

碳氮比对鸡粪堆肥腐熟度和臭气排放的影响

为确定鸡粪堆肥最优碳氮比（C/N比）,该研究以新鲜鸡粪为堆肥原料,添加玉米秸秆调节初始C/N比为14、18和22进行好氧堆肥,研究不同C/N比对鸡粪堆肥腐熟度和臭气排放（NH3和H2S）的影响。结果表明：C/N比为14的处理堆肥产品未腐熟,C/N比为18和22的处理均达到腐熟。C/N比为18的处理NH3累积排放量和总氮（TN）损失率最高;C/N比为18～22时,C/N比越高,NH3累积排放量和TN损失率越低。C/N比为14的处理H2S累积排放量和总硫（TS）损失率最高;C/N比为18和22的2个处理,H2S累积排放量显著降低,且无显著差异。此外,C/N比为18处理的微生物群落多样性在整个堆肥过程中显著高于C/N比为14和22处理。堆肥的理化指标、臭气排放与微生物群落之间的相关性分析表明,高温、高pH值和缺氧环境会增加Firmicutes丰度,进而促进NH3和H2S的排放,相反地,低温、低pH和氧气充足的环境更有利于Actinobacteria增殖,有利于减少NH3和H2S的排放。综合考虑堆肥产品腐熟度和臭气减排效果,建议低C/N比鸡粪堆肥的初始C/N比为18～22。当秸秆资源不足时,建议初始C/N比为18;秸秆资源充足时,建议初始C/N比为22。     

Contrasting development of soil microbial community structure under no-tilled perennial and tilled cropping during early pedogenesis of a Mollisol

A range of agricultural practices influence soil microbial communities, such as tillage and organic C inputs, however such effects are largely unknown at the initial stage of soil formation. Using an eight-year field experiment established on exposed parent material (PM) of a Mollisol, our objectives were to: (1) to determine the effects of field management and soil depth on soil microbial community structure; (2) to elucidate shifts in microbial community structure in relation to PM, compared to an arable Mollisol (MO) without organic amendment; and (3) to identify the controlling factors of such changes in microbial community structure. The treatments included two no-tilled soils supporting perennial crops, and four tilled soils under the same cropping system, with or without chemical fertilization and crop residue amendment. Principal component (PC) analysis of phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) profiles demonstrated that microbial community structures were affected by tillage and/or organic and inorganic inputs via PC1 and by land use and/or soil depth via PC2. All the field treatments were separated by PM into two groups via PC1, the tilled and the no-tilled soils, with the tilled soils more developed towards MO. The tilled soils were separated with respect to MO via PC1 associated with the differences in mineral fertilization and the quality of organic amendments, with the soils without organic amendment being more similar to MO. The separations via PC1 were principally driven by bacteria and associated with soil pH and soil C, N and P. The separations via PC2 were driven by fungi, actinomycetes and Gram (−) bacteria, and associated with soil bulk density. The separations via both PC1 and PC2 were associated with soil aggregate stability and exchangeable K, indicating the effects of weathering and soil aggregation. The results suggest that in spite of the importance of mineral fertilization and organic amendments, tillage and land-use type play a significant role in determining the nature of the development of associated soil microbial community structures at the initial stages of soil formation.     

根结线虫病土引入秸秆碳源对土壤微生物群落结构的影响

【目的】微生物生物量及群落结构对农业管理措施极为敏感,土壤微生物数量和多样性的大小是土壤肥力状况的重要生物学指标,秸秆还田影响着土壤微生物的种群和数量。由于不合理的耕作,引起严重的根结线病虫害,尤以连作的番茄土壤十分普遍,研究连作条件下添加秸秆碳源对根结线虫（Meloidogyne spp.）病害严重土壤中土壤微生物生物量和群落结构的影响,探讨添加秸秆碳源加入量与土壤微生物量、群落结构及其真菌/细菌比值的相互关系、变化规律,可为病土的生态修复奠定一定的理论基础。【方法】本试验采用室内盆栽方法,试验设置4个小麦秸秆添加量0、 2.08、 4.16和8.32 g/kg,分别记为S0、 S1、 S2和S3,供试作物为番茄。采用磷脂脂肪酸法（PLFA）估算真菌生物量、细菌生物量和微生物生物总量。【结果】与不加秸秆的对照相比,秸秆碳源的施入显著增加了土壤微生物总生物量（MTB）、细菌生物量（MB）、真菌生物量（FB）。S3、 S2和S1处理的MTB、 MB、 FB分别为30.17、 28.42和22.72 nmol/g; 24.27、 23.12和22.97 nmol/g; 5.90、 5.30和4.93 nmol/g; 不同秸秆添加量处理之间,微生物总生物量和细菌生物量之间差异不显著,但真菌生物量差异达显著水平。添加秸秆处理使土壤中微生物群落结构发生了变化,真菌/总生物量（FB/MTB）、真菌/细菌（F/B）比值显著提高。S3、 S2和S1处理的FB/MTB和F/B分别为19.56%、 18.65%和17.78%; 24.34%、 22.94%和21.68%;S3和S2的比值之间差异不显著,两个处理的比值与S1处理之间差异显著。秸秆的添加对细菌生物量在微生物总量中的比例有降低作用,细菌在微生物总量中占据绝大比例,在S0、 S1、 S2、 S3个处理中分别为83.10%、 82.22%、 81.35%和80.44%,F/B比值分别为20.30%、 21.68%、 22.94%和24.34%。【结论】随着秸秆施入量的的增加,微生物总生物量、细菌和真菌生物量和F/B比值均有升高的趋势,特别是有利于F/B比值增加,说明秸秆碳源的施入改变F/B比值,从而改善病土食物网结构和土壤生态系统食物网营养结构。秸秆添加量以4.16和8.32 g/kg更为有效。     

Structure and function of the soil microbial community in a long-term fertilizer experiment

The effect of organic and inorganic fertiliser amendments is often studied shortly after addition of a single dose to the soil but less is known about the long-term effects of amendments. We conducted a study to determine the effects of long-term addition of organic and inorganic fertiliser amendments at low rates on soil chemical and biological properties. Surface soil samples were taken from an experimental field site near Cologne, Germany in summer 2000. At this site, five different treatments were established in 1969: mineral fertiliser (NPK), crop residues removed (mineral only); mineral fertiliser with crop residues; manure 5.2 t ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹; sewage sludge 7.6 t ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ or straw 4.0 t ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ with 10 kg N as CaCN₂ t straw⁻¹. The organic amendments increased the C_org content of the soil but had no significant effect on the dissolved organic C (DOC) content. The C/N ratio was highest in the straw treatment and lowest in the mineral only treatment. Of the enzymes studied, only protease activity was affected by the different amendments. It was highest after sewage amendment and lowest in the mineral only treatment. The ratios of Gram+ to Gram− bacteria and of bacteria to fungi, as determined by signature phospholipid fatty acids, were higher in the organic treatments than in the inorganic treatments. The community structure of bacteria and eukaryotic microorganisms was assessed by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) and redundancy discriminate analyses of the DGGE banding patterns. While the bacterial community structure was affected by the treatments this was not the case for the eukaryotes. Bacterial and eukaryotic community structures were significantly affected by C_org content and C/N ratio.