Bacterial communities from soil sediments of a mountain oasis in northern Oman

Paleoecological records of a 20 meter deep profile near an oasis settlement in northern Oman have yielded a chronosequence providing insights into relationships between vegetation, the environment and development of human settlements in this area over a period of time spanning 19,000 years. In conjunction with analysis of the chemical and physical properties of this profile, we hypothesized that bacterial community structures associated with this chronosequence may also constitute a part of the biogeochemical record of the climate history that has been preserved at this site. To examine this hypothesis, we studied the composition of the community as revealed by profiling of 16S rRNA genes at 1 meter intervals along the entire profile. The results of our study show distinct changes in bacterial communities with increasing depth that correspond with differences in the climatic record as indicated by the occurrence of micro-charcoal particles. Sequencing of 16S rRNA genes proved the presence of Acidobacteria, Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria, Gemmatimonadetes, Chloroflexi and representatives from the candidate divisions SPAM, NC10, and OP10. Differences in the communities support the hypothesis that the bacterial species compositions in the sediment reflect properties of the organic matter and vegetation at the time they were deposited.     

Adequate supply of potassium improves plant water‐use efficiency but not leaf water‐use efficiency of spring wheat

Enhancing crop water‐use efficiency (WUE) is a major research objective in water‐scarce agroecosystems. Potassium (K) enhances WUE and plays a crucial role in mitigating plant stress. Here, effects of K supply and PEG‐induced water deficit on WUE of spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L. var. Sonett), grown in nutrient solution, were studied. Plants were treated with three levels of K supply (0.1, 1, 4 mM K⁺) and two levels of PEG (0, 25%). WUE was determined at leaf level (WUE_L), at whole‐plant level (WUE_P), and via carbon isotope ratio (δ¹³C). Effects of assimilation and stomatal conductance on WUE_L were evaluated and compared with effects of biomass production and whole‐plant transpiration (E_P) on WUE_P. Adequate K supply enhanced WUE_P up to 30% and by additional 20% under PEG stress, but had no effect on WUE_L. E_P was lower with adequate K supply, but this effect may be attributed to canopy microclimate. Shoot δ¹³C responded linearly to time‐integrated WUE_L in adequately supplied plants, but not in K‐deficient plants, indicating negative effects of K deficiency on mesophyll CO₂ diffusion. It is concluded that leaf‐scale evaluations of WUE are not reliable in predicting whole‐plant WUE of crops such as spring wheat suffering K deficiency.     

Water use efficiency and must quality of irrigated grapevines of north-eastern Portugal

This is an experiment to study the effect of water supply on the quality of the must produced by grapevines, and to determine the water use efficiency (WUE) of different irrigation strategies to give farmers a tool to optimize irrigation, reducing water use with the least negative effect on production. WUE was based on the ratio between a given parameter (yield, different must solubes) and the water used by plant transpiration plus evaporation from soil. The experiment was a completely randomized design with six irrigation treatments (non-irrigated, irrigated from flowering to veraison at rates of 4 and 8 mm day^?1, irrigated from veraison to commercial maturation at rates of 4 and 8 mm day^?1, and irrigated from flowering to commercial maturation at a rate of 8 mm day^?1) in three replications over three seasons (2004–2006). Irrigation significantly increased grapevine yield and, because the plants produced larger berries, there was a dilution of colour, aroma and soluble solids that corresponded to a lower quality of the must. The higher WUE was achieved with no irrigation but yield was very low, albeit with an outstanding quality, that might not be profitable. The best strategy is to balance the water stress of the vines that best combines yield and berry quality and this was achieved by irrigating from flowering to veraison at a rate of ～50% of the potential evapotranspiration. This strategy might conserve water, an increasingly scarce resource that we are pressed to use with the utmost efficiency.     

Nitrogen metabolism is related to improved water‐use efficiency of nodulated alfalfa grown with sewage sludge under drought

Leguminous plants grown in sewage sludge–amended soils can acquire nitrogen by assimilation of nitrate and ammonium from the soil solution or from atmospheric‐dinitrogen (N₂) fixation through association with N₂‐fixing bacteria. We proposed that operation of both metabolic processes could contribute to alleviate the impact of drought in sludge‐treated plants. A greenhouse experiment was conducted to evaluate the involvement of nodule metabolism in the use efficiency of water and N in sludge‐treated plants. Treatments comprised (1) plants inoculated with rhizobia and amended with sewage sludge; (2) plants inoculated with rhizobia without any amendment; and (3) noninoculated plants supplied with ammonium nitrate, each under well‐watered and drought conditions. Under drought, sludge‐treated plants had increased plant growth and higher photosynthetic and water‐use efficiencies than untreated plants. Drought stimulated nitrate reductase and GS/GOGAT activities but did not affect the activities of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase and malate dehydrogenase or the leghemoglobin concentration. The results suggest that under drought conditions, both N₂ fixation and nitrate assimilation in nodules of sludge‐treated plants contributed to improve plant N supply and to increase the drought tolerance of alfalfa.     

不同粮食作物光能利用效率研究

作物产量高低主要取决于作物的光能利用效率,明确不同作物光合、光截获能力与光能利用效率的差异性,对提高作物资源利用效率和种植结构调整有重要意义。该研究以吉林省梨树县玉米、春小麦、大豆、谷子和马铃薯5种主要粮食作物为研究对象,通过2 a田间试验,分析研究了不同作物不同生育阶段的光合特性、光截获能力和光能利用效率。结果表明：玉米和谷子在营养及生殖生长阶段的最大净光合速率均不低于28.34 μmol/(m2·s),高于其他作物,且光合作用适宜光强范围较其他作物更宽。对比作物光合有效辐射截获能力可知,玉米、大豆和谷子的光截获能力明显优于其他作物,但基于光截获能力分析需适当减小种植密度,避免种植密度过大影响作物中下部叶片发育;马铃薯和小麦则可在充分考虑水分、肥料等限制条件后适当增加种植密度来提升作物群体光截获能力;作物上部最大光截获由营养生长阶段向生殖生长阶段的过渡时期最高,对作物光能利用率的提高有重要影响。马铃薯、玉米及谷子的全生长季光能利用率显著高于小麦和大豆;马铃薯、玉米及谷子在营养生长到生殖生长过渡时期的光能利用率较其他生育期高。仅考虑产量最高,吉林梨树县优先种植玉米、马铃薯和谷子。     

Low nitrogen supply decreases water‐use efficiency of oriental tobacco

Most studies indicating positive effects of nitrogen (N) supply on biomass water‐use efficiency (WUE) used two contrasting levels of N supply and monitored some of the relevant traits being associated with WUE. In order to investigate N effects on WUE over a wider range of N‐supply levels, oriental tobacco was cultivated in pots under six (Exp. 1) and four (Exp. 2) N levels until flowering stage. Water‐use efficiency, intrinsic water‐use efficiency (A/g), carbon isotope discrimination (CID), average daily canopy transpiration rate (E_C; from 12 to 7 d before harvest), and biomass‐partitioning parameters were determined. Water‐use efficiency increased from the lowest to the highest N level and was positively correlated with biomass. Intrinsic water‐use efficiency was positively correlated with leaf N and chlorophyll concentration. Whole‐plant CID was significantly less negative under high compared to low N supply. Biomass‐partitioning parameters were only slightly affected by N supply except for leaf‐area ratio, which significantly increased with N supply. The low planting density of Exp. 2 resulted in an increase of WUE and substantially less negative whole‐plant CID compared to Exp. 1. In both experiments, E_C was lower under high compared to low N supply and was negatively correlated with WUE. It is concluded that plants under high N supply realized a higher WUE via increases of A/g and a reduction of E_C.     

调亏灌溉对苜蓿水分利用效率和品质的影响

从高产、优质和高效的三重目标出发，在甘肃秦王川灌区通过大田试验研究了调亏灌溉对苜蓿水分利用效率和品质的影响。结果表明：轻度水分亏缺下(土壤含水率为60%～65%田间持水量)苜蓿产量较充分灌溉(土壤含水率为65%～70%田间持水量)没有显著差异，而苜蓿的水分利用效率、粗蛋白含量与其余各处理间存在显著差异，其值均达到了最大，分别达2.10 kg/m³和13406.7 ug/g。     

Soil salinity dynamics in irrigated fields and its effects on paddy‐based rotation systems in southern Kazakhstan

Agricultural production in southern Kazakhstan has experienced significant economic difficulty since the 1980s, accelerating agronomic problems including the salinization of irrigated fields. A thorough understanding of the up‐to‐date situation of soil salinization and its effects on cropping systems is necessary in order to establish sustainable agricultural systems with avoiding land degradation for the region. This study examined the relationships between soil salinity, crop yield and affecting factors including local terrain for two farms. Both farms are characterised by a gentle slope, flat area and localised depressions. Most of the paddy fields showed wash‐out of salts during the irrigation period except in waterlogged fields situated in depressions. Rice yield was adversely affected by the remaining soil salinity, deep ponding water and insufficient drainage capacity in the lower part of the irrigation system. Salt accumulation in the upland fields appeared to increase with cropping years, and was associated with groundwater depth that became shallower at the lower parts of the irrigation systems, adversely affecting the crop growth in most fields. Since the cropping patterns had recently changed in the region, each pattern was compared against the recommendation of this study. Most patterns were concluded to be potentially effective for preventing soil salinization if conducted under an optimum economic and social system. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The effects of potassium fertilization on water‐use efficiency in crop plants

The supplies of water and nitrogen to a plant during its critical stages of growth are the main factors that define crop yield. A crop experiences irregular water deficits during its life cycle in rain‐fed agriculture. An effective anti‐stress‐oriented approach therefore ought to focus on increasing the units of water productivity. The main objective of this conceptual review is to confirm that adequate K management can be used as an important tool to alleviate the negative effects of water deficit on plant growth, yield‐component formation, and yield. The French and Schultz approach of using the water‐limited yield (WLY) was modified in this review into a graphical form and was used to discriminate between yield fractions that depended on the volume of transpired water from those that were induced by K fertilizer. By using this method, it was possible to demonstrate the extent of several crop (winter wheat, spring triticale, maize, sugar beet) responses to the K supply. Yield increases resulting from K application mostly appeared under conditions of mild water deficit. As described for sugar beet, finding the critical period of crop K sensitivity is a decisive step in understanding its impact on water‐use efficiency. It has been shown that an insufficient supply of K during crucial stages in the yield formation of cereals (wheat, spring triticale), maize, and sugar beet coincides with a depressed development in the yield components. The application of K fertilizer to plants is a simple agronomic practice used to increase crop tolerance to a temporary water shortage. It may be that the improvement of a plant's access to K during mild water‐deficiency stress will increase water uptake by the root cells, which in turn increases their osmotic potential and thereby allows extension growth. This growth in turn promotes access to other mineral elements (including nitrogen) and water, which favor plant growth and yield.     

土下覆膜与适宜灌水提高冬小麦水分利用率

为缓解河北平原区水资源匮乏与小麦生产水分高耗的特征性矛盾,该文采用大田试验方法,设置土下微膜覆盖结合拔节期灌水75 mm、抽穗期灌水75 mm、灌浆期灌水75 mm、雨养,露地条件下雨养和常规生产(CK)共6个处理,定位研究了连续3个生长季的土下微膜覆盖与不同时期灌水对冬小麦用水与产量形成的效果。结果表明,采用土下微膜覆盖种植小麦,基本苗数和有效穗数较CK分别降低了8.6%~12.0%和7.4%~11.7%,拔节至抽穗期75 mm灌水保证了覆盖下小麦生物产量形成及穗粒数、粒重的提高。土下微膜覆盖并适时灌水75 mm,开花后营养器官干物质向籽粒转运量比CK提高37.2%~57.3%,对籽粒贡献率提高4.7%~10.1%。土下微膜覆盖结合抽穗前一次灌水,全生育期田间耗水减少99.9~118.9 mm,用占CK 3/4的耗水量生产了与其相当的籽粒产量,水分利用效率提高26.1%~34.5%。回归分析表明,土下微膜覆盖下拔节-抽穗田间耗水118 mm可获得最高的生物产量,抽穗-灌浆耗水78 mm可获得15个以上的结实小穗数和灌浆期不小于5的叶面积指数,从而籽粒产量得以有效维持。2 m土体贮水随小麦生育进程和种植年限的推进而呈现亏损态势,而且趋近地表土壤水分亏损就越多。从第2季开始,持续干旱导致覆盖下灌浆期灌水对提高产量已不具有作用,反而增加耗水,灌溉时间前移可增加产量并提高水分利用效率。播种时土壤贮水较上季小麦收获时大幅增加,播种-拔节期间土壤贮水保蓄是小麦节水生产的关键,土下微膜覆盖则可实现麦田土壤贮水的秋冬保蓄、春季供应的跨季节调用。在河北省小麦产区,土下微膜覆盖结合春季适时少量灌水是有效降低小麦耗水、提高水分利用效率和维持小麦产量的新型种植方法。     

水肥耦合对番茄光合、产量及水分利用效率的影响

为研究大棚膜下滴灌灌溉上限与施肥量耦合对番茄光合、产量及水分利用效率的影响,以金鹏1号番茄为试材,按照二元二次正交旋转组合设计原理,建立了光合与产量指标的数学模型,分析了水肥两因子的耦合效应。试验结果表明,所建模型达到显著水平;水对光合的影响大于肥,对产量的影响小于肥,水肥对光合和产量的耦合分别存在显著的负效应和正效应;光合速率随灌溉上限的上升表现出明显的上升趋势,超过一定范围后开始下降;不论灌溉上限高低,光合速率均随施肥量的增加表现出先降低后升高的趋势,变化趋势缓慢;番茄的产量随灌溉上限和施肥定额的增加而显著增加,超过一定范围后产量逐渐降低。得出合理的灌溉施肥指标:灌溉下限为田间持水量的50%,灌溉上限为田间持水量的80%~82%,施肥N 313.75~439.75 kg/hm2、P2O5156.55~219.19 kg/hm2、K2O 313.75~439.75 kg/hm2。此时,番茄的产量达到124 t/hm2、水分利用效率达到43.2 kg/m3。     

不同畦长灌溉对冬小麦产量及水分利用特性的影响

为探讨畦长对冬小麦耗水及产量和水分利用特性的影响,本试验以冬小麦品种‘科农2011’为试验材料,在2014—2015年中国科学院栾城农业生态系统试验站小麦生长季,畦宽为5 m条件下,设置4 m、5 m、10 m(农民习惯畦长)、50 m、100 m共5个畦田长度,各处理均在拔节期和灌浆期用塑料软管从机井口引水到畦首灌水,塑料软管出水口安装水表计量灌水量,用秒表计量灌溉用时,研究不同畦长处理对冬小麦耗水特性、灌溉定额及灌溉用时、畦田内不同部位土壤含水量差异、籽粒产量以及产量和灌溉水利用效率的影响。结果表明:随着畦长增加,灌水量和总耗水量逐渐增加,灌水量占总耗水量的比例逐渐增加;籽粒产量虽逐渐增加,但未达到显著水平。土壤储水消耗量、产量水分利用效率和灌溉水利用效率随着畦长增加逐渐降低。与农民习惯的畦长10 m相比,4 m畦长处理的灌水量减少34.50%,多消耗深层土壤贮水58.92 mm,总耗水量降低1.61%,产量水分利用效率提高1.15%,灌溉水利用效率提高51.96%,次灌溉用时减少42.75%。100 m畦长处理在产量没有显著提高的基础上,总耗水量增加9.58%,灌溉水增加38.08%,产量水分利用效率降低9.88%,灌溉水利用效率降低26.20%,次灌溉用时增加65.61%。综合考虑籽粒产量、灌水量和水分利用效率,4 m畦长是本试验条件下兼顾高产与节水的最优畦长处理。     

有机管理对绿洲灌区土壤肥力和甜瓜生产的影响

在石羊河流域下游露地生产条件下,对比研究了不同年限有机管理甜瓜(Cucumis melon Linn.)田的土壤养分、酶活性、微生物数量及甜瓜果实产量和品质,评价有机管理对绿洲灌区土壤肥力和甜瓜生产的影响。结果发现,有机管理可显著提高土壤有机质、碱解氮、速效磷、速效钾含量,实施有机管理1年、2年、3年的甜瓜田土壤有机质含量比传统管理农田分别高36.48%、71.54%、124.21%。3年有机管理田耕层土壤碱解氮含量、速效磷含量、速效钾含量显著高于传统管理农田,分别高49.04 mg.kg 1、65.68 mg.kg 1、214.62 mg.kg 1。有机管理田土壤真菌、细菌、放线菌数量显著高于传统管理农田,土壤脲酶活性和碱性磷酸酶活性也显著提高。有机管理田与传统管理田甜瓜果实产量无显著差异,但实施2年以上有机管理的甜瓜果实折光糖含量显著提高。以上结果表明,有机管理能有效改善土壤理化性质、活化土壤养分、促进微生物活动、提高土壤酶活性和提高作物品质。     

毛管埋深和层状质地对番茄滴灌水氮利用效率的影响

为了确定不同质地土壤中地下滴灌的适宜毛管埋深,通过两年日光温室滴灌施肥灌溉试验,研究了毛管埋深、土壤层状质地和施氮量对番茄产量、品质及水分利用效率（WUE）、氮肥表观利用率（AFUE）和氮肥偏生产力（PFP）的影响。研究结果表明,均质壤土中,毛管埋深、施氮量及其交互作用对番茄产量和WUE影响不显著,地下滴灌番茄Vc含量比地表滴灌低;番茄AFUE随毛管埋深增加而降低,施氮量由150 kg/hm2增加到225 kg/hm2时,番茄PFP显著降低。对均质壤土,建议毛管埋深15 cm、施氮量150 kg/hm2,以获得较高的PFP。土壤的层状质地结构明显降低番茄的产量、WUE和PFP,与均质壤土处理相比,上砂下壤和砂土夹层处理WUE分别低32%和11%,产量和PFP分别低33%和12%,从提高水氮利用效率的角度出发,建议在上粗下细（上砂下壤）的层状土壤中慎重使用地下滴灌。     

Carbon dioxide and gaseous nitrogen emissions from biochar‐amended soils under wastewater irrigated urban vegetable production of Burkina Faso and Ghana

To quantify carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) losses in soils of West African urban and peri‐urban agriculture (UPA) we measured fluxes of CO₂‐C, N₂O‐N, and NH₃‐N from irrigated fields in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, and Tamale, Ghana, under different fertilization and (waste‐)water regimes. Compared with the unamended control, application of fertilizers increased average cumulative CO₂‐C emissions during eight cropping cycles in Ouagadougou by 103% and during seven cropping cycles in Tamale by 42%. Calculated total emissions measured across all cropping cycles reached 14 t C ha^?1 in Ouagadougou, accounting for 73% of the C applied as organic fertilizer over a period of two years at this site, and 9 t C ha^?1 in Tamale. Compared with unamended control plots, fertilizer application increased N₂O‐N emissions in Ouagadougou during different cropping cycles, ranging from 37 to 360%, while average NH₃‐N losses increased by 670%. Fertilizer application had no significant effects on N₂O‐N losses in Tamale. While wastewater irrigation did not significantly enhance CO₂‐C emissions in Ouagadougou, average CO₂‐C emissions in Tamale were 71% (1.6 t C ha^?1) higher on wastewater plots compared with those of the control (0.9 t C ha^?1). However, no significant effects of wastewater on N₂O‐N and NH₃‐N emissions were observed at either location. Although biochar did not affect N₂O‐N and NH₃‐N losses, the addition of biochar could contribute to reducing CO₂‐C emissions from urban garden soils. When related to crop production, CO₂‐C emissions were higher on control than on fertilized plots, but this was not the case for absolute CO₂‐C emissions.     

大气CO2浓度增加对作物光合性能及叶片水分利用效率的影响

利用可精准控制CO_2浓度的大型气候箱设置2个CO_2浓度400和800μmol/mol,研究CO_2浓度升高对大豆(Glycine max (L.) Merr.)、冬小麦(Triticum aestivum L.)、草地早熟禾(Poa pratensis L.)、黑麦草(Lolium perenne L.)和高羊茅(Festuca arundinacea Schreb.)生理特性及叶片水分利用效率的影响。结果表明,大气CO_2浓度升高对大豆、冬小麦、草地早熟禾和高羊茅叶片的净光合速率没有产生显著影响,但却使黑麦草叶片的净光合速率显著增加43%(P0.05)。升高CO_2浓度增加冬小麦、黑麦草和高羊茅的最大羧化速率,而对大豆和草地早熟禾的最大羧化速率和最大电子传递速率没有产生显著的影响。另外,提高大气CO_2浓度导致黑麦草蒸腾速率的降低;同时,草地早熟禾、黑麦草和高羊茅的水分利用效率分别提高161%、175%和74%。不同作物水分利用效率对升高CO_2浓度的响应存在明显差异,3种草坪草的适应能力均高于大豆和冬小麦2种作物。研究结果有助于深入理解CO_2浓度倍增下不同农作物发生光合下调现象的潜在机理,为未来大气CO_2浓度升高情形下生态系统适应性管理提供理论支持。     

花后脱叶对冬小麦产量形成和水分利用效率的影响

受水资源日益短缺的影响,提高作物水分生产效率显得越来重要,通过调控冠层大小减少蒸腾水分消耗是其中的一个手段。该文通过水分胁迫条件下不同程度脱叶和不同水分条件下脱叶-不脱叶的田间试验（附以相应盆栽试验）,研究了减少蒸腾器官对冬小麦光合特性、干物质转移、产量和水分利用效率的影响。结果表明：脱叶增强了保留叶片的光合能力;水分胁迫下的脱叶促进了干物质由保留叶片和茎向籽粒产量的转移,其中30%和60%脱叶最为显著;30%和60%脱叶水平没有对产量产生明显影响,而90%脱叶造成产量大幅降低;水分胁迫条件下脱叶减少了对土壤储水的消耗,但高强度的脱叶（90%）产量降低明显,反而降低了水分利用效率。研究结果显示,干旱缺水条件下,适度减少蒸腾器官的数量,可以实现在不影响产量条件下减少蒸腾耗水,增加土壤储水量,有利于作物度过水分胁迫期。     

干旱胁迫对河西走廊边缘绿洲甜高粱产量、品质和水分利用效率的影响

为研究能源作物甜高粱在干旱区不同土壤水分条件下的生产力和水分利用状况, 在甘肃河西走廊边缘绿洲区, 对3 种土壤水分(正常水分、中度干旱和重度干旱)条件下甜高粱产量、品质和水分利用效率进行分析。结果表明: 中度干旱胁迫下甜高粱茎秆和整个地上部生物产量最高, 其鲜重分别为77.3 t·hm^-2 和101.1 t·hm^-2, 干重分别为27.6 t·hm^-2 和34.9 t·hm^-2。3 种土壤水分条件下茎秆汁液锤度分别为21.9%(正常水分)、22.1%(中度干旱)和22.4%(重度干旱), 但差异不显著。中度干旱胁迫下甜高粱的水分利用效率最高, 为4.72 kg·m^-3。说明适度的土壤水分亏缺, 不仅有利于甜高粱生产力和品质的提高, 而且更有利于节约水资源。     

调亏灌溉对冬小麦生理机制及水分利用效率的影响

在人工控制试验条件下，采用子母盆栽土培法，以冬小麦为试验材料进行了调亏灌溉试验研究。结果表明，适时适度的水分调亏显著抑制蒸腾速率，而光合速率下降不明显，复水后光合速率又具有超补偿效应，光合产物具有超补偿积累，且有利于向籽粒运转与分配；抑制营养生长，促进生殖生长。冬小麦调亏灌溉的适宜时段为三叶—返青，调亏度为40%～60%田间持水率(θ_F)，历时约55 d；平均比对照增产0.88%～8.25%，节水12.80～18.55%，水分利用效率提高15.96%～32.98%。     

Changes in amino acid enantiomers and microbial performance in soils from a subtropical mountain oasis in Oman abandoned for different periods

An important feature of maintaining the agricultural stability in millennia-old mountain oases of northern Oman is the temporary abandonment of terraces. To analyse the effects of a fallow period on soil microbial performance, i.e. microbial activity and microbial biomass, samples of eight terrace soils abandoned for different periods were collected in situ, assigned to four fallow age classes and incubated for 30 days in the laboratory after rewetting. The younger fallow age classes of 1 and 5 years were based on the records of the farmers recollections, the two older fallow age classes of 10–20 and 25–60 years according to the increase in the d -to- l ratio of valine and leucine enantiomers. The increase in these two ratios was in agreement with that of the d -to- l ratio of lysine. The strongest relationship was observed between the increase in the d -to- l ratio of lysine and the decrease in soil microbial biomass C. However, the most stringent coherence between the increase in fallow age and soil properties was revealed by the decreases in cumulative respiration and net N mineralisation rates with decreasing availability of substrate to soil microorganisms. During the 30-day incubation following rewetting, relative changes in microbial activity (respiration and net N mineralisation) and microbial biomass (C and N) indices were similar in the eight terrace soils on a fallow age-class-specific level, indicating that the same basic processes occurred in all of the sandy terrace soils investigated.