Application of Novel Fulvic Acid-Coated Magnetite Nanoparticles for CO<Subscript>2</Subscript><Superscript>−</Superscript>-Mediated Photoreduction of Cr(VI)

We here isolate fulvic acids from vermicompost to prepare and characterize novel fulvic acid-coated magnetite nanoparticles. UV-A irradiation of suspensions of the nanoparticles under different experimental conditions led to photo-reduction of Cr(VI). In anoxic conditions in the presence of formic acid, after 60 min of irradiation ca. 100% of Cr(VI) was reduced. Under these conditions, the carbon dioxide radical anions, CO₂ ^.- , mediated the photo-reduction of Cr(VI). However, the high reduction potential of Cr(VI) and the variety of reactive species generated upon UV-A irradiation make this nanomaterial also suitable for Cr(VI) photo-reduction also under aerobic conditions in the presence of formic acid or under anoxic conditions without the addition of formic acid. The possible photodegradation routes involved are discussed in detail.     

Temporal in situ dynamics of N<Subscript>2</Subscript>O reductase activity as affected by nitrogen fertilization and implications for the N<Subscript>2</Subscript>O/(N<Subscript>2</Subscript>O + N<Subscript>2</Subscript>) product ratio and N<Subscript>2</Subscript>O mitigation

In vitro, high nitrate (NO₃ ^?) concentrations significantly inhibit N₂O reductase activity. However, little information is available on the in situ temporal effects of excessive N fertilization on soil N₂O reductase activity and the regulation of the N₂O/(N₂ + N₂O) product ratio in agricultural soil. This study examined the monthly in situ dynamics of NO₃ ^? concentration, N₂O reductase activity, and N₂O/(N₂ + N₂O) product ratio for 2 years in loamy soil that had received either continuous N fertilizer at 400 kg N ha^?1 year^?1 for 15 years (N400) or no N fertilizers (CK). N₂O reductase activity was significantly lower under the N400 treatment than under the CK and correlated negatively with soil NO₃ ^? concentration. The decrease in N₂O reductase activity resulted in the N₂O/(N₂ + N₂O) product ratio increasing. These results demonstrate that excessive N fertilization has the potential to increase N₂O emissions by reducing N₂O reductase activity in soils. These results highlight the need for N₂O mitigation options to embrace the reduction of soil NO₃ ^? concentrations.     

For how long does the quality and quantity of residues in the soil affect the carbon compartments and CO<Subscript>2</Subscript>-C emissions?

Purpose

The mineralization/immobilization of nutrients from the crop residues is correlated with the quality of the plant material and carbon compartments in the recalcitrant and labile soil fractions. The objective of this study was to correlate the quality and quantity of crop residues incubated in the soil with carbon compartments and CO₂-C emission, using multivariate analysis.

Materials and methods

The experiment was conducted in factorial 4?+?2?+?5 with three replicates, referring to three types of residues (control, sugarcane, Brachiaria, and soybean), and two contributions of the crop residues in constant rate, CR (10 Mg ha^?1 residue), and agronomic rate, AR (20, 8, and 5 Mg ha^?1 residue, respectively, for sugarcane, soybean, and Brachiaria), evaluated five times (1, 3, 6, 12, and 48 days after incubation). At each time, we determined the CO₂-C emission, nitrogen and organic carbon in the soil, and the residues. In addition, the microbial biomass and water-soluble, labile, and humic substance carbons fractionated into fulvic acids, humic acids and humin were quantified.

Results and discussion

Higher CO₂-C emissions occurred in the soil with added residue ranging from 0.5 to 1.1 g CO₂-C m^?2 h^?1 in the first 6 days of incubation, and there was a positive correlation with the less labile organic soil fractions as well as residue type. In the final period, after 12 days of soil incubation, there was a higher relation of CO₂-C emission with carbon humin. The sugarcane and soybean residue (20 Mg ha^?1) promoted higher CO₂-C emission and the reduction of carbon residue. The addition of residue contributed to an 82.32 % increase in the emission of CO₂-C, being more significant in the residue with higher nitrogen availability.

Conclusions

This study shows that the quality and quantity of residue added to soil affects the carbon sequestration and CO₂-C emission. In the first 6 days of incubation, there was a higher CO₂-C emission ratio which correlates with the less stable soil carbon compartments as well as residue. In the final period of incubation, there is no effect of quality and quantity of residue added to soil on the CO₂-C emission.

     

Relationships between soil–litter interface enzyme activities and decomposition in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pinus massoniana</Emphasis> plantations in China

Purpose

Enzyme activities in decomposing litter are directly related to the rate of litter mass loss and have been widely accepted as indicators of changes in belowground processes. Studies of variation in enzyme activities of soil–litter interface and its effects on decomposition are lacking. Evaluating enzyme activities in this layer is important to better understand energy flow and nutrient cycling in forest ecosystems.

Materials and methods

Litter decomposition and the seasonal dynamics of soil–litter enzyme activities were investigated in situ in 20- (younger) and 46-year-old (older) Pinus massoniana stands for 540 days from August 2010 to March 2012 by litterbag method. We measured potential activities of invertase, cellulase, urease, polyphenol oxidase, and peroxidase in litter and the upper mineral soils, and evaluated their relationships with the main environment factors.

Results and discussion

Remaining litter mass was 57.6 % of the initial weights in the younger stands and 61.3 % in the older stands after 540-day decomposition. Levels of enzyme activity were higher in the litter layer than in the soil layer. Soil temperature, litter moisture, and litter nitrogen (N) concentration were the most important factors affecting the enzyme activities. The enzyme activity showed significantly seasonal dynamics in association with the seasonal variations in temperature, water, and decomposition stages. Remaining litter dry mass was found to be significantly linearly correlated with enzyme activities (except for litter peroxidase), which indicates an important role of enzyme activity in the litter decomposition process.

Conclusions

Our results indicated the important effects of biotic (litter N) and abiotic factors (soil temperature and litter moisture) on soil–litter interface enzyme activities. Overall significant linear relationship between remaining dry mass and enzyme activities highlighted the important role of enzyme activity in affecting litter decomposition processes, which will further influence nutrient cycling in forest ecosystems. Our results contributed to the better understanding of the mechanistic link between upper soil–litter extracellular enzyme production and litter decomposition in forest ecosystems.

     

Are the biogeochemical cycles of carbon,nitrogen, sulfur,and phosphorus driven by the “Fe<Superscript>III</Superscript>–Fe<Superscript>II</Superscript> redox wheel” in dynamic redox environments?

Purpose  

Iron’s fluctuation between the II (ferrous) and III (ferric) oxidation states has been coined as the “Fe^III–Fe^II redox wheel.” Numerous studies have coupled the “iron redox wheel” with the biogeochemical cycle of carbon (C), nitrogen (N), sulfur (S), or phosphorus (P) individually in soils or sediments, but evidence suggests that the Fe^III–Fe^II redox wheel drives the biogeochemical cycles interactively in a fluctuating redox microenvironment. The interactions of the Fe^III–Fe^II redox wheel with the biogeochemical cycles of C, N, S, and P in the fluctuating redox environments were reviewed in this paper.     

Microbial activity,organic C accumulation and <Superscript>13</Superscript>C abundance in soils under alley cropping systems after 9 years of recultivation of quaternary deposits

The impact of alley cropping on post-lignite mine soils developing from quaternary deposits after 9 years of recultivation was evaluated on the basis of microbial indicators, organic C and total N contents, and the isotope characteristics of soil C. Soils were sampled at the 0 to 3, 3 to 10, and 10 to 30 cm depths under black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.), poplar (Populus spp.), the transition zone and in the middle of alley under rye (Secale cereale). There was no significant effect of vegetation on microbial properties presumably, due to the high variability, whereas organic C and total N contents at the 0- to 3-cm layer were significantly higher under black locust and poplar than in the transition zone and rye field. Organic C total N contents, and basal respiration, microbial biomass, and microbial quotient decreased with soil depth. Soil organic C and total N contents were more than doubled after 9 years of recultivation, with annual C and N accretion rate of 162 g C _org m⁻² year⁻¹ and 6 g N _t m⁻² year⁻¹. Microbial properties indicated that the soils are in early stages of development; the C isotope characteristics confirmed that the sequestered C was predominantly from C3 plants of the alley cropping.