Microbial degradation and resynthesis of proteins during incubation of beech leaf litter in the presence of mineral phases

 Organic N constitutes more than 90% of total N in surface soil horizons. Amino acids, peptides and proteins represent the most abundant N species. There are indications that clay minerals influence the degradation of proteins, but little is known about the effect of oxides and hydroxides on protein decay. We therefore conducted an incubation experiment with mixtures of beech leaf litter and Fe oxide, Al hydroxide, Mn oxide or quartz sand. The protein amounts (quantified as α-NH₂–N) during the 498-day experiment were recorded. During the first 90–239 days, plant-derived proteins were decomposed, resulting in a decline of protein amounts to about 60% of the initial value. Later in the experiment, the protein amounts increased again to between 70% and 90% of the initial amount, because microbial resynthesis of proteins outweighed decomposition. The change from dominating decomposition to prevailing microbial resynthesis occurred when the microorganisms had to adapt to less favourable conditions and therefore built new, protein-rich biomass. Although the mineral phases did not influence protein decomposition initially, Fe oxide and Al hydroxide stabilized plant-derived proteins. Al hydroxide reduced protein resynthesis in the second phase of the experiment, probably due to a reduction of microbial activity. Mn oxide increased protein decomposition and lowered microbial resynthesis due to its oxidative properties. The mineral phases therefore resulted in a shift of the relative intensities of protein decomposition and microbial resynthesis. Received: 26 August 1998     

Different responses of ash and beech on nitrate versus ammonium leaf labeling

The effects of tree species on the N cycle in forest systems are still under debate. However, contradicting results of different ¹⁵N labeling techniques of trees and N tracers in the individual studies hamper a generalized mechanistic view. Therefore, we compared Ca(¹⁵NO₃)₂ and ¹⁵NH₄Cl leaf‐labeling method to investigate: (1) N allocation patterns from aboveground to belowground, (2) the cycles of N in soil‐plant systems, and (3) to allow the production of highly ¹⁵N enriched litter for subsequent decomposition studies. 20 beeches (Fagus sylvatica ) and 20 ashes (Fraxinus excelsior ) were ¹⁵N pulse labeled from aboveground with Ca(¹⁵NO₃)₂ and 40 beeches and 40 ashes were ¹⁵N pulse labeled from aboveground with ¹⁵NH₄Cl. ¹⁵N was quantified in tree compartments (leaves, stem, roots) and in soil after 8 d. Beech and ash incorporated generally more ¹⁵N from the applied ¹⁵NH₄Cl compared to Ca(¹⁵NO₃)₂ in all measured compartments, except for ash leaves. Ash had highest ¹⁵N incorporation [45% of the applied with Ca(¹⁵NO₃)₂] in its leaves. Both tree species kept over 90% of all fixed ¹⁵N from Ca(¹⁵NO₃) in their leaves, whereas only 50% of the ¹⁵N from the ¹⁵NH₄Cl tracer remained in the leaves and 50% were allocated to stem, roots, and soil. There was no damage of the leaves by both salts, and thus both ¹⁵N tracers enable long‐term labeling in situ field studies on N rhizodeposition and allocation in soils. Nonetheless, the ¹⁵N incorporation by both salts was species specific: the leaf labeling with ¹⁵NH₄Cl results in a more homogenous distribution between the tree compartments in both tree species and, therefore, ¹⁵NH₄Cl is more appropriate for allocation studies. The leaf labeling with Ca(¹⁵NO₃)₂ is a suitable tool to produce highly enriched ¹⁵N leaf litter for further long term in situ decomposition and turnover studies.     

Transformations of phosphorus during incubation of beech leaf litter in the presence of oxides

Some minerals have large PO₄^3? sorption capacities. However, we do not know how these mineral phases influence the speciation of organic P when organic matter decomposes. To characterize the interactions between mineral phases and organic P species, we incubated mixtures of beech leaf litter and Fe oxide, Al hydroxide, birnessite, and quartz sand. The samples were extracted with NaOH-NaF and analysed by ³¹P nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Phosphate mono-and diesters gave the most prominent signls in the ³¹P NMR spectra. During incubation, the proportion of the monoester P decreased, whereas that of the diester P increased. Since NMR intensities assigned to teichoic acids increased, it seems that microbial P accumulated during incubation. The synthesis of microbial compounds was strongest in the presence of Fe oxide. All mineral phases investigated gave rise to a resonance in the ³¹P NMR spectra which was not present in the control treatment to which the mineral phases had not been added. The resonance was tentatively assigned to sugar diesters, which probably originated from organo-mineral interactions.     

Nutrient changes in decomposing beech leaf litter assessed using a solution flux approach

The decomposition of beech (Fagus sylvatiea L.) leaf litter was examined in lysimeters. The experiment allowed comparison of data from mass changes of bioelements in leaf litter and the solution flux balance of through fall input and lysimeter output over a two-year period (1983 and 1984). The annual C loss from the leaf litter was 19%. Na and K concentrations in this leaf litter decreased in the first year and remained constant in the second, while those of Ca and Mg showed no significant changes. N and S amounts per ha increased during the first year by about 7 kg N ha^?1 and 0.5 kg S ha^?1. Ash, Fe, Mn and Al amounts per ha increased to 470, 130 and 240% of their initial levels. These net increases in the first year of decomposition are discussed. The mean annual water and element input by through fall during the experiment corresponded approximately to the long-term average. Thirty to 40 mm more water was evaporated from the litter layer in the drier year (1983) than in 1984. Total N, NO, Na and C1 flux rates of through fall inputs and lysimeter outputs were equal. NH, input rates were greater and organic N smaller than the output rates of the lysimeters. Water balance data indicated that the lysimeter output of K, Mg, Ca and SO, exceeded through fall input. Probable reasons for these differences are discussed.     

Effects of organic chemical quality and mineral nitrogen addition on lignin and holocellulose decomposition of beech leaf litter by Xylaria sp.

Mycobiota and chemical composition of bleached and non-bleached portions were studied on leaf litter of beech (Fagus crenata Blume). By surface sterilization method, two xylariaceous species Xylaria sp. and Geniculosporium sp.1 were dominantly isolated in both portions. Frequency of occurrence of Xylaria sp. was significantly higher in the bleached portion than in the non-bleached portion. In the bleached portion, lignin concentration was lower than in the non-bleached portion, indicating that Xylaria sp. and Geniculosporium sp.1 took part in lignocellulose decomposition in the study site. Effects of organic chemical quality of litters and exogenous mineral nitrogen (NH₄ and NO₃) addition were then investigated on in vitro lignin decomposition by Xylaria sp. Weight loss of lignin was significantly related to lignocellulose index (LCI) for four litter types tested. In NH₄ and NO₃ addition treatments, lignin decomposition was completely and partially suppressed, respectively. Xylaria sp. produced bleaching spots on beech leaf litter in vitro in which lignin concentration was lower than in the non-bleached portion. These results suggest that heterogeneous distribution of carbon and nitrogen resources may control lignin decomposition on the litter by the fungus.     

Stand-scale spatial patterns of soil microbial biomass in natural cold-temperate beech forests along an elevation gradient

This study focuses on spatial heterogeneity in the soil microbial biomass (SMB) of typical climax beech (Fagus crenata) at the stand scale in forest ecosystems of the cold-temperate mountain zones of Japan. Three beech-dominated sites were selected along an altitudinal gradient and grid sampling was used to collect soil samples at each site. The highest average SMB density was observed at the site 1500 m a.s.l. (44.9 gC m⁻²), the lowest was recorded at the site 700 m a.s.l. (18.9 gC m⁻²); the average SMB density at the 550 m site (36.5 gC m⁻²) was close to the overall median of all three sites. Geostatistics, which is specifically designed to take spatial autocorrelation into account, was then used to analyze the data collected. All sites generally exhibited stand-scale spatial autocorrelation at a lag distance of 10-18 m in addition to the small-scale spatial dependence noted at <3.5 m at the 550 m site. Correlation analysis with an emphasis on spatial dependency showed SMB to be significantly correlated with bulk density at the 550 and 1500 m sites, dissolved organic carbon (DOC) at the 700 and 1500 m sites, and nitrogen (N) at the 550 and 700 m sites. However, no soil parameter showed a significant correlation with SMB at every site, and some variables were also differently correlated (negative or positive) with SMB at different sites. This suggests that the factors controlling the spatial distribution of SMB are very complex and responsive to local in situ conditions. SMB regression models were generated from both the ordinary least-squares (OLS) and generalized least-squares (GLS) models. GLS performance was only superior to OLS when cross-variograms were accurately fitted. Geostatistics is preferable, however, since these techniques take the spatial non-stationarity of samples into account. In addition, the sampling numbers for given minimum detectable differences (MDD_s) are provided for each site for future SMB monitoring.     

Partitioning of carbon and nitrogen during decomposition of 13C15N‐labeled beech and ash leaf litter

The aim of this study was to determine the influence of leaf‐litter type (i.e., European beech—Fagus sylvatica L. and European ash—Fraxinus excelsior L.) and leaf‐litter mixture on the partitioning of leaf‐litter C and N between the O horizon, the topsoil, the soil microbial biomass, and the CO₂ emission during decomposition. In a mature beech stand of Hainich National Park, Thuringia, Germany, undisturbed soil cores (?? 24 cm) were transferred to plastic cylinders and the original leaf litter was either replaced by ¹³C¹⁵N‐labeled beech or ash leaf litter, or leaf‐litter‐mixture treatments in which only one of the two leaf‐litter types was labeled. Leaf‐litter‐derived CO₂‐C flux was measured every second week over a period of one year. Partitioning of leaf‐litter C and N to the soil and microbial biomass was measured 5 and 10 months after the start of the experiment. Ash leaf litter decomposed faster than beech leaf litter. The decomposition rate was negatively related to initial leaf‐litter lignin and positively to initial Ca concentrations. The mixture of both leaf‐litter types led to enhanced decomposition of ash leaf litter. However, it did not affect beech leaf‐litter decomposition. After 5 and 10 months of in situ incubation, recoveries of leaf‐litter‐derived C and N in the O horizon (7%–20% and 9%–35%, respectively) were higher than in the mineral soil (1%–5% and 3%–8%, respectively) showing no leaf‐litter‐type or leaf‐litter‐mixture effect. Partitioning of leaf‐litter‐derived C and N to microbial biomass in the upper mineral soil (< 1% of total leaf‐litter C and 2%–3% of total leaf‐litter N) did not differ between beech and ash. The results show that short‐term partitioning of leaf‐litter C and N to the soil after 10 months was similar for ash and beech leaf litter under standardized field conditions, even though mineralization was faster for ash leaf litter than for beech leaf litter.     

Beech leaf degradation in laboratory experiments: Effects of eight detritivorous invertebrate species

This work addresses the impact of eight detritivorous species of soil macro-invertebrates (three millipedes, two woodlice and three earthworms) on short-term carbon mineralization and mechanical breakdown of beech leaves. The production rate, size class distribution and OM content of invertebrate faeces were also measured. Hierarchical clustering (HC) and multivariate analysis were performed to find relevant functional groups among the species studied.Our results identified three groups of macro-invertebrates on the basis of their impacts on beach leaf degradation (hierarchical clustering): (1) invertebrates that produce fresh faeces with high N contents compared with other species (i.e. polydesmidae and a single species of lumbricidae); (2) other lumbricidae that fragment litter into fine particles in their faeces and actively stimulate CO₂ release; (3) other arthropods that fragment litter into coarse particles and have weak impacts on OM mineralization. These groups over-ride taxonomy, and are proposed as a tentative functional classification of litter dwelling invertebrates. On the other hand, an idiosyncratic impact of species was observed in each group, highlighting how much empirical data are still needed to propose a robust functional classification of litter invertebrates.     

Production of lignocellulose-degrading enzymes and degradation of leaf litter by saprotrophic basidiomycetes isolated from a Quercus petraea forest

Due to the production of lignocellulose-degrading enzymes, saprotrophic basidiomycetes can significantly contribute to the turnover of soil organic matter. The production of lignin- and polysaccharide-degrading enzymes and changes of the chemical composition of litter were studied with three isolates from a Quercus petraea forest. These isolates were capable of fresh litter degradation and were identified as Gymnopus sp., Hypholoma fasciculare and Rhodocollybia butyracea. Within 12 weeks of incubation, H. fasciculare decomposed 23%, R. butyracea 32% and Gymnopus sp. 38% of the substrate dry mass. All fungi produced laccase and Mn-peroxidase (MnP) and none of them produced lignin peroxidase or other Mn-independent peroxidases. There was a clear distinction in the enzyme production pattern between R. butyracea or H. fasciculare compared to Gymnopus sp. The two former species caused the fastest mass loss during the initial phase of litter degradation, accompanied by the temporary production of laccase (and MnP in H. fasciculare) and also high production of hydrolytic enzymes that later decreased. In contrast, Gymnopus sp. showed a stable rate of litter mass loss over the whole incubation period with a later onset of ligninolytic enzyme production and a longer lasting production of both lignin and cellulose-degrading enzymes. The activity of endo-cleaving polysaccharide hydrolases in this fungus was relatively low but it produced the most cellobiose hydrolase. All fungi decreased the C/N ratio of the litter from 24 to 15-19 and Gymnopus sp. also caused a substantial decrease in the lignin content. Analytical pyrolysis mass spectrometry of litter decomposed by this fungus showed changes in the litter composition similar to those caused by white-rot fungi during wood decay. These changes were less pronounced in the case of H. fasciculare and R. butyracea. All fungi also changed the mean masses of humic acid and fulvic acid fractions isolated from degraded litter. The humic acid fraction after degradation by all three fungi contained more lignin and less carbohydrates. Compared to the decomposition by saprotrophic basidiomycetes, litter degradation in situ on the site of fungal isolation resulted in the relative enrichment of lignin and differences in lignin composition revealed by analytical pyrolysis. It can most probably be explained by the participation of non-basidiomycetous fungi and bacteria during natural litter decomposition.     

Crossing the thresholds: human ecology and historical patterns of landscape degradation

In discussions of landscape sensitivity, human activities have generally been regarded as external forces contributing to landscape change, with a focus on the impacts of cultivation methods, fertiliser practices, grazing pressures and atmospheric pollution. However, there has been comparatively little study undertaken that integrates physical and social systems in a historic context to explain the basis of human activity in sensitive landscapes. Where such attempts have been made, the manner of common land management has figured prominently, with ‘tragedy of the commons’ concepts used to explain land degradation and to provide a foundation for policy response. This has also been the case in Southern Iceland and in this paper we assess the extent to which common land domestic grazing pressures were the primary external force causing soil erosion and land degradation during the period of occupation from ca. 874 AD. We first provide field observation of soil erosion, temporally defined by tephrochronology, to highlight the extent of land degradation during this period. The ‘tragedy of the commons’ explanation of degradation is then assessed by evaluating historic documentary sources, and by environmental reconstruction and modeling of historic grazing pressures. These analyses indicate that regulatory mechanisms were in place to prevent overgrazing from at least the 1200s AD and suggest that there was sufficient biomass to support the numbers of domestic livestock indicated from historic sources. We suggest that failure to remove domestic livestock before the end of the growing season and an absence of shepherding were more likely to contribute to land degradation than absolute numbers. Lack of appropriate regulation of domestic livestock on common grazing areas can be attributed to limited cultural knowledge of changing and rapidly fluctuating environmental conditions.     

Earthworm communities in temperate beech wood forest soils affected by liming

To monitor the effects of liming on forest ecosystems, experimental plots were installed in forests in mid-western Germany. In addition to soil chemical indices, earthworm communities were investigated on these plots about 15 years after first lime applications took place. As a “natural reference”, communities were compared to earthworm records that derived from a beech forest on limestone. In the non-acidified plots that had never been limed only epigeic earthworms were detected in small numbers and low species richness. Forest liming caused higher pH and a higher base saturation in the mineral topsoils. To a large extent, epigeic earthworm species seemed to benefit from this and had increased in number and biomass at all three different locations selected for the investigations. The epigeic dominated communities were completed by anecic Lumbricus terrestris that was rarely found in some of the samples from one location and a number of endogeic species that showed a very patchy distribution in limed plots. In contrast to this, the soil of the beech forest on limestone showed a different community composition. It was dominated by endogeic species in abundance and by anecic species in biomass. On limestone the total biomass of earthworms clearly exceeded the biomass values from all other plots. In conclusion, a long-term support of forest earthworm fauna due to liming was detected. This support was mainly effective for epigeic species, but in some cases for endogeic and anecic species, too.     

不同草粮轮作方式对退化苜蓿草地水分恢复的影响

2003－2005年在黄土高原宁南旱区10年生退化苜蓿草地上进行了连续3 a不同作物组合方式的轮作试验,轮作作物为春小麦、马铃薯和谷子,为研究比较不同轮作方式对退化苜蓿土壤水分的恢复状况和作物产量效益,优化出较为合理的草粮轮作模式。试验结果表明,轮作地0～60 cm土层土壤易受降水和地面蒸发影响,60～120 cm土层土壤水分主要被轮作作物利用,而120～200 cm土层土壤水分相对较为稳定,受降水和地面蒸发影响很小,并随轮作年限的增加,基本上表现出不断恢复趋势。通过草粮轮作可以增加苜蓿地120～200 cm土层土壤水分,且显著高于撂荒地和对照苜蓿地,同时可获得一定作物产量。相对于其他轮作方式而言,马铃薯-马铃薯-春小麦（PPW）轮作处理能够充分利用有限的降水资源,对土壤水分具有较好的恢复作用,其作物总产量和水分利用效率均较高,分别为5214.5 kg/hm2和9.38 kg/(hm2·mm-1),与轮作前苜蓿地相比,120～200 cm土层土壤水分净恢复量为24.73 mm。     

Soil degradation by erosion

Soil degradation by accelerated erosion is a serious problem and will remain so during the 21st century, especially in developing countries of the tropics and subtropics. Yet, its extent, severity, and economic and environmental impacts are debatable. Estimates of global and regional land area affected are tentative and subjective. Results of field measurements are often technique‐dependent. Considerable progress has been made in modeling soil erosion, yet field validation of these models remains to be done for principal soils and ecoregions. Similar to the land area affected, estimates of erosional impacts on crop yield, productivity and soil quality are tentative and subjective. Further, erosion‐induced losses on crop yield are scale‐dependent because of the compensatory beneficial effects on yields from depositional sites, and technology‐dependent because of the masking effects of input such as fertilizers and irrigation. Erosion caused changes in soil carbon dynamics and non‐point source water pollution are important environmental impacts. While erosion (e.g., detachment and transport) can lead to emission of trace gases into the atmosphere, deposition can bury and sequester some of the carbon. In addition to improving the database on the land area affected, there is also a need to assess erosional impacts on productivity and soil C balance at the watershed, regional, and global scale. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Origin of the nitrogen assimilated by soil fauna living in decomposing beech litter

We investigated the nitrogen source for main taxa of soil fauna in two beech forests of contrasted humus type using ¹⁵N-labelled beech litter and ¹⁵N analysis of soil fauna. ¹⁵N-labelled beech litter was deposited on the topsoil in December 2000 in four stands of different ages at Leinefelde (Germany) with mull humus and in one mature stand at Sorø (Denmark) with moder humus. The fate of the tracer isotope was measured in litter and soil, as well as in the soil fauna, and for each taxa, we calculated the proportion of N in the animal derived from the labelled substrate. Of the original N contained in the litter, 20-41% was lost after 9 months at Leinefelde, and only 10% at Sorø. This loss was counterbalanced by the incorporation of 24-31% external N at Leinefelde, and 31% at Sorø, partly originating from fungal colonisation of the added litter. The proportion of N assimilated from the labelled litter by the different soil animals varied in relation to their mobility and feeding preferences. Large and mobile soil animals, especially predators, derived on average less ¹⁵N because they were also able to feed outside the labelled litter boxes. Detritivores assimilated at most 15% of their nitrogen content at Leinefelde and 11% at Sorø from the decomposing labelled litter. The most labelled taxa at Leinefelde were small fungivorous and coprophagous species, mainly isotomid Collembola such as Isotomiella and Folsomia. At Sorø, best labelled taxa were saprophagous species such as Enchytraeidae, Glomeridae and Phthiracaroidea. These low rates of ¹⁵N assimilation indicate that fresh litter is not directly the main N source for soil animals. The results obtained suggest that soil fauna fed preferentially upon microorganisms colonising the litter at Leinefelde (mull) and from litter itself at Sorø (moder).     

Adsorption of cellulase components by leaf litter

The competitive adsorption of Trichoderma viride cellulase components to leaf litter was investigated to further elucidate the role of extracellular enzymes as mediators of decomposition processes. Litter analogs were prepared by acid-detergent digestion of senescent Pinus strobus (white pine), Quercus prinus (chestnut oak) and Cornus florida (flowering dogwood) leaves. Enzymatic cellulose digestion was used to produce litter analogs of higher lignin content. The white pine litter analogs had a high affinity for exocellulase and β-glucosidase. Chestnut oak litter preferentially bound endocellulase components and flowering dogwood litter displayed intermediate trends. Natural mixed-deciduous and white pine litters and humus had less capacity for immobilizing cellulase components. The adsorption data are consistent with available information on the binding of cellulase components to purified cellulose and with information on the cellulase activity patterns of decomposing leaf litter.     

Effect of p-chlorophenyl dimethyl urea on the degradation of chlorophyll in detached rice leaf in the light

It was observed previously that, when a fully developed leaf of the rice plant (Oryza sativa) was detached and kept in the light, more rapid loss of chlorophyll took place than in the dark during their incubation. Since this had been considered to be associated with photosynthesis, the effects of CMU (p-chlorophenyl dimethyl urea) and other compounds on the degradation of chlorophyll were studied. CMU had a significant effect in retarding the degradation of chlorophyll in the light irrespective of the presence of sucrose, whereas monoiodo acetic acid was far less effective. The degradation of chlorophyll was greatly promoted, especially in the light, when a detached leaf was kept in oxygen gas, but was delayed in nitrogen gas.

Electron microscopic observation showed that grana fret-work system and chlorophyll membrane were maintained in a healthy condition for the first few days during treatment with CMU. But they were completely degraded without CMU, and the disorganization of chloroplasts was accompanied by a rapid degradation of chlorophyll. It was assumed that oxygen evolved in photosynthetic reaction causes light-induced degradation of chlorophyll, and CMU represses degradation by inhibiting oxygen evolution in the light reaction of photosynthesis. A suggestion was made as to the scheme of light-induced degradation of chlorophyll relative to photosynthetic reaction and the mode of action of CMU.     

Boron uptake by peach leaf slices

The objective of this study was to determine if plasma‐lemma transport is a limiting step for boron (B) uptake by peach leaf. Only about 0.3% of the B applied could be absorbed by peach (Prunus persica L. Batsch) leaves when enriched ¹⁰B‐boric acid was used as a tracer.

Boron uptake increased proportionally to the external B concentration in the range of 1 mM to 20 mM. The highest B content was found in the 20 mM treatment. Boron uptake was rapid for the initial 6 to 8 hours, but it then slowed down steadily until the end of the experiment. A linear correlation between the external B concentration and leaf B content was obtained (y =‐8.98 + 46.1×, R² = 0.999). pH had a profound effect on B uptake by peach leaf slices with pH 7 and 8 had the highest B absorption.

Boron uptake was strongly dependent on temperature over the 2°C to 40°C range. Peach leaf slices had the highest B absorption at 40°C. B uptake decreased sharply when the temperature dropped to 2°C. Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) increased B uptake significantly in the range from 1 to 2 mM. ATP concentrations higher or lower than this range did not affect B uptake. Diethylstilbestrol (DES) and 2,6 ‐ Diiodo ‐4‐ nitrophenol (DNP) both inhibited B uptake with DNP the more effective inhibitor than DES. It is suggested that plasmalemma transport is not the rate limiting step in B absorption by peach leaves. Boron uptake by peach leaf slices involves both an active and a passive process with the active uptake as a major component.     

Surface phosphatase activity of mycorrhizal roots of beech

Mycorrhizal roots of beech possess active surface acid phosphatases catalysing hydrolysis of p-nitrophenyl phosphate, glucose-6-phosphate, β-glycerophosphate, inositol hexaphosphate, inositol triphosphate and inorganic pyrophosphate. The products of hydrolysis of inositol hexaphosphate include free inositol, orthophosphate and intermediate esters.These observations are discussed in relation to the utilization of complex phosphates by mycorrhizas in general and to their capacity to exploit marginal habitats.