Influence of soil compaction on carbon and nitrogen mineralization of soil organic matter and crop residues

 We studied the influence of soil compaction in a loamy sand soil on C and N mineralization and nitrification of soil organic matter and added crop residues. Samples of unamended soil, and soil amended with leek residues, at six bulk densities ranging from 1.2 to 1.6 Mg m^–3 and 75% field capacity, were incubated. In the unamended soil, bulk density within the range studied did not influence any measure of microbial activity significantly. A small (but insignificant) decrease in nitrification rate at the highest bulk density was the only evidence for possible effects of compaction on microbial activity. In the amended soil the amounts of mineralized N at the end of the incubation were equal at all bulk densities, but first-order N mineralization rates tended to increase with increasing compaction, although the increase was not significant. Nitrification in the amended soils was more affected by compaction, and NO₃ ^–-N contents after 3 weeks of incubation at bulk densities of 1.5 and 1.6 Mg m^–3 were significantly lower (by about 8% and 16% of total added N, respectively), than those of the less compacted treatments. The C mineralization rate was strongly depressed at a bulk density of 1.6 Mg m^–3, compared with the other treatments. The depression of C mineralization in compacted soils can lead to higher organic matter accumulation. Since N mineralization was not affected by compaction (within the range used here) the accumulated organic matter would have had higher C : N ratios than in the uncompacted soils, and hence would have been of a lower quality. In general, increasing soil compaction in this soil, starting at a bulk density of 1.5 Mg m^–3, will affect some microbially driven processes. Received: 10 June 1999     

Climatic effects on soil organic nitrogen fractions and amino acid chirality in paddy soils

Soil organic nitrogen (ON) accounts for more than 90%of the total nitrogen (TN) in paddy soils. Inadequate understanding of the different ON fractions in paddy soils and their corresponding bioavailability under different climatic conditions has constrained the development of appropriate nutrient management strategies for rice production. In this study, we applied a modified Bremner method coupled with high-performance liquid chromatography to characterize how soil ON fractions and amino acid ch...     

Long-term effect of tillage and manure application on soil organic fractions and crop performance under Sudano-Sahelian conditions

Human-induced degradation of natural resources in general and of soil in particular, is a major problem in many regions, including the Sudano-Sahelian zone. The combined effects of tillage and manure application on Lixisol properties and on crop performance were investigated at Saria, Burkina Faso, to find efficient soil management practices to improve soil fertility. A randomized block design with four treatments (hand hoeing only, hand hoeing+manure, ploughing only, oxen ploughing+manure) in three replications was started in 1990. Ten years later, total soil organic (SOC), particulate organic matter and C mineralization were measured. Initial SOC concentration was 4 mg/g and dropped to 2.1 mg/g soil in ploughed plots without manure and to 2.5 mg/g soil in hoed plots without manure. Manure addition mitigated the decrease of SOC in ploughed plots and even built up SOC in hoed plots, where it increased to 5.8 mg/g soil. Manure had a large effect on the fractions in which SOC was stored. In ploughed plots, a large amount of SOC was stored in physical particles >0.25 mm, while in hand hoed plots the maximum SOC was stored in finer fractions. In the topsoil, hoeing and manure resulted in a higher SOC than ploughing with no manure. However, in the 15–25 cm layer, particularly in September, particulate organic matter was greater in ploughed plots with manure than in hoed plots with manure. Crop yields were highest on ploughed+manure plots and lowest on ploughed plots with no manure. We conclude that applying manure annually mitigates the negative effect of ploughing and hand hoeing on SOC and related properties and therefore can contribute to the sustainability of the agricultural system in the Sudano-Sahelian zone.     

Quantifying soil water effects on nitrogen mineralization from soil organic matter and from fresh crop residues

A loamy sand was incubated with and without addition of carrot leaves at six different water contents ranging from 6% to 20% (g 100 g^-1 dry soil) and N mineralization was monitored during 98 days. We calculated zero- and first-order rates for mineralization in the unamended soil and first-order rates for N mineralization in the residue-amended soil. Although N mineralization was strongly affected by soil moisture, rates were still important at 6% water content (corresponding to permanent wilting point), particularly in the residue-amended soil. Soil water content was recalculated as soil water tension and as percent water-filled pore space (%WFPS) and a parabolic, a logistic and a Gaussian-type function were fitted to the relation between N mineralization rates and water content, %WFPS or pF. Water potential was a less suitable parameter than either %WFPS or water content to describe the soil water influence on N mineralization, because N mineralization rates were extremely sensitive to changes in the water potential in the range of pF values between 1.5 and 2.5. In the residue-amended soil the Gaussian model yielded an optimum %WFPS of 56% for N mineralization, which is slightly lower than optimum values cited in literature. N mineralization in the unamended soil was more influenced by soil water than N mineralization from fresh crop residues. This could be explained by less water limitation of the microbial population decomposing the residues, due to the water content of the residues. The effect of the water contained in the residues was most pronounced in the lowest water content treatments. The water retention curves of both undisturbed and repacked soil were determined and suggested that extrapolation of results obtained during laboratory incubations, using disturbed soil, to field conditions will be difficult unless soil bulk density effects are accounted for, as is the case with the use of %WFPS.     

Dynamics of dissolved and extractable organic nitrogen upon soil amendment with crop residues

Dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) is increasingly recognized as a pivotal pool in the soil nitrogen (N) cycle. Numerous devices and sampling procedures have been used to estimate its size, varying from in situ collection of soil solution to extraction of dried soil with salt solutions. Extractable organic N (EON) not only consists of DON but contains also compounds released from soil biomass and desorbed organic matter. There is no consensus whether DON or EON primarily regulates N mineralisation in soil, and their contribution to N mineralisation has not been quantified simultaneously. We evaluated three sampling procedures on their ability to determine the dynamic of dissolved organic N pools. The three procedures were the determination of DON in 1) soil solution collected by centrifugation, and the determination of EON in 2) a 0.01 M CaCl₂ extract of field moist or 3) dried soil. We added unlabeled leek and ¹⁵N-labeled ryegrass residues to a loamy sandy soil to create a temporarily increase in DON and EON, to stimulate microbial activity, and to test whether the source and dynamics of the three pools differ. We also tested whether the flow of N through DON or EON was associated with the production of inorganic N using ¹⁵N isotope tracing. Sampling procedures significantly affected the amount, but not the dynamics and origin of the three organic N pools. DON and EON (determined on field-moist and dried soils) showed all a significant increase upon crop amendment and returned to their background concentrations within 10 to 30 days. The fraction of DON and EON originating from the crop residue slightly decreased over 138 days and was not different for DON and EON. Field moist extraction of a loamy sandy soil with 0.01 M CaCl₂ gave a reliable estimate of the concentration of in situ dissolved organic N. In contrast, extraction of dried soil significantly increased EON compared to DON. The agreement in dynamics, ¹⁵N enrichment and C-to-N ratio’s indicate that dissolved and extracted organic N have a similar role in N mineralisation. Our results also suggest that they make a minor contribution to N mineralisation; changes in the turnover rate of EON were not associated with changes in the net N mineralisation rate.     

长期不同施肥潮土活性有机氮库组分与酶活性对外源牛粪的响应

【目的】研究不同施肥制度下潮土中活性有机氮库及酶活性对新添加有机物料的响应机制,可深入理解不同施肥制度培肥土壤、提高土壤基础地力的机理。【方法】供试土壤采集于从1986年开始的长期定位试验处理,包括CK (不施肥)、OF (常量有机肥)、CF (常量化肥)、OCF (常量有机无机配施) 4个处理。通过室内恒温培养试验,研究添加等氮量牛粪后长期不同施肥潮土有机氮库组分(微生物量氮、可溶性有机氮和颗粒有机氮)含量及土壤酶(α-葡萄糖苷酶、β-葡萄糖苷酶、β-木糖苷酶、纤维二糖水解酶、磷酸酶、过氧化物酶和酚氧化酶)活性的变化特征。【结果】首先,无论添加牛粪与否,土壤全氮、可溶性有机氮和颗粒有机氮含量均随培养时间呈上升趋势或与初始时期差异不显著;添加牛粪的长期不施肥与施化肥处理土壤微生物量氮含量显著低于相同处理不添加牛粪的土壤微生物量氮含量。其次,培养结束后,添加牛粪增加了长期不同施肥潮土全氮、可溶性有机氮和颗粒有机氮含量,分别提高了5.43%~15.49%、5.83%~69.42%及9.75%~42.29%,却降低了土壤微生物量氮含量16.91%~62.10%。另外,施肥、添加牛粪及其交互作用对土壤酶活性具有显著影响(P <0.05);无论添加牛粪与否,不同施肥处理土壤氧化酶(过氧化物酶和酚氧化酶)活性显著低于不施肥处理,不同施肥处理的土壤水解酶活性却呈现不同的变化趋势。不添加牛粪情况下,长期施肥显著提高了除β-葡萄糖苷酶以外的土壤水解酶活性;其中与长期不施肥处理相比,长期施用化肥土壤β-木糖苷酶和β-纤维素酶分别提高了208.74%和180.75%。添加牛粪情况下长期施用有机肥土壤β-葡萄糖苷酶和β-纤维素酶比不施肥分别提高了201.40%和308.04%;冗余分析(redundancy analysis,RDA)显示,添加与不添加牛粪条件下土壤酶活性的关键环境驱动因子不同,在不添加牛粪时为可溶性有机氮,添加后其关键驱动因子为全氮和可溶性有机氮。【结论】不同施肥制度下土壤微生物量氮、可溶性有机氮、颗粒有机氮与土壤全氮之间呈显著正相关;室内好气培养条件下,添加牛粪显著提高了长期不同施肥潮土的全氮、可溶性有机氮、颗粒有机氮含量,却显著降低了土壤微生物量氮含量;不同施肥制度下土壤酶活性差异显著,牛粪的添加改变了影响长期不同施肥潮土酶活性的关键环境因子。     

不同有机肥料对土壤生物活性有机质组分的动态影响

研究了红砂土中加入稻草秸秆和猪粪后土壤中微生物生物量碳、水溶性有机碳、溶解性酚等活性有机质组分的动态变化。有机肥处理一周后 ,微生物生物量碳、水溶性有机碳、溶解性酚等都达到最高值。随着培养时间的推移 ,不同处理的土壤中微生物生物量碳和水溶性有机碳含量都逐渐下降 ,而溶解性酚含量在整个培养过程中基本保持不变。相关分析表明 ,土壤中微生物生物量碳与水溶性有机碳和溶解性酚的含量都呈极显著正相关 ,而水溶性有机碳和溶解性酚的含量不相关。     

Influence of crop rotation, intermediate crops, and organic fertilizers on the soil enzymatic activity and humus content in organic farming systems

The influence of crop rotation systems with different portions of nitrogen-fixing crops, intermediate crops, and organic fertilizers on the enzymatic activity and humus content of soils in organic farming was studied. The highest activity of the urease and invertase enzymes was determined in the soil under the crop rotation with 43% nitrogen-fixing crops and with perennial grasses applied twice per rotation. The application of manure and the growing of intermediate crops for green fertilizers did not provide any significant increase in the content of humus. The activity of urease slightly correlated with the humus content (r = 0.30 at the significance level of 0.05 and r = 0.39 at the significance level of 0.01).     

Influence of tillage, crop rotation and nitrogen fertilization on soil organic matter and nitrogen under rain-fed Mediterranean conditions

The long-term effects of cropping systems and management practices on soil properties provide essential information for assessing sustainability and environmental impact. Field experiments were undertaken in southern Spain to evaluate the long-term effects of tillage, crop rotation and nitrogen (N) fertilization on the organic matter (OM) and mineral nitrogen (N_min) contents of soil in a rain-fed Mediterranean agricultural system over a 6-year period. Tillage treatments included no tillage (NT) and conventional tillage (CT), crop rotations were of 2 yr with wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)-sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) (WS), wheat-chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) (WP), wheat-faba bean (Vicia faba L.) (WB), wheat-fallow (WF), and in addition, continuous wheat (CW). Nitrogen fertilizer rates were 50, 100, and 150 kg N ha⁻¹. A split-split plot design with four replications was used. Soil samples were collected from a depth of 90 cm at the beginning of the experiment and 6 yr later. Soil samples were also collected from a depth of 30 cm after 4 yr. These samples, like those obtained at the beginning of the experiment, were subjected to comprehensive physico-chemical analyses. The soil samples that were collected 6 yr later were analyzed for OM, NH₄⁺---N and NO₃⁻---N at the 0–30, 30–60 and 60–90 cm soil depths. The tillage method did not influence the OM or N_min contents of the soil, nor did legume rotations increase the OM content of soil relative to CW. A longer period may have been required for differences between treatments to be observed owing to the small amount of crop residue that is returned to soil under rain-fed conditions of semi-arid climates. The WF rotation did not raise the N_min content of the soil relative to the other rotations. The consistent significant interaction between tillage and crop rotation testifies to the differential effect of the management system on the OM content and N status of the soil. The ammonium levels clearly exceeded those of NO₃⁻---N throughout the soil profile. The high N_min content of the soils reveals the presence of abundant N resources that should be borne in mind in establishing N fertilization schemes for crops under highly variable climatic conditions including scant rainfall such as those of the Mediterranean region.     

Long-term fertilization, manure and liming effects on soil organic matter and crop yields

Yield decline or stagnation and its relationship with soil organic matter fractions in soybean (Glycine max L.)–wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cropping system under long-term fertilizer use are not well understood. To understand this phenomenon, soil organic matter fractions and soil aggregate size distribution were studied in an Alfisol (Typic Haplustalf) at a long-term experiment at Birsa Agricultural University, Ranchi, India. For 30 years, the following fertilizer treatments were compared with undisturbed fallow plots (without crop and fertilizer management): unfertilized (control), 100% recommended rate of N, NP, NPK, NPK+ farmyard manure (FYM) and NPK + lime. Yield declined with time for soybean in control (30 kg ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹) and NP (21 kg ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹) treatments and for wheat in control (46 kg ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹) and N (25 kg ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹) treatments. However, yield increased with time for NPK + FYM and NPK + lime treatments in wheat. At a depth of 0–15 cm, small macroaggregates (0.25–2 mm) dominated soil (43–61%) followed by microaggregates (0.053–0.25 mm) with 13–28%. Soil microbial biomass carbon (SMBC), nitrogen (SMBN) and acid hydrolysable carbohydrates (HCH) were greater in NPK + FYM and NPK + lime as compared to other treatments. With three decades of cultivation, C and N mineralization were greater in microaggregates than in small macroaggregates and relatively resistant mineral associated organic matter (silt + clay fraction). Particulate organic carbon (POC) and nitrogen (PON) decreased significantly in control, N and NP application over fallow. Results suggest that continuous use of NPK + FYM or NPK + lime would sustain yield in a soybean–wheat system without deteriorating soil quality.     

Influence of long-term fertilization with farmyard manure on soil organic matter: Characteristics of particle-size fractions

Summary The influence of more than 100 years of fertilization with farmyard manure on soil organic matter in comparison to unfertilized soil was studied in particle-size fractions using elemental (C and N) analyses and pyrolysis-field ionization mass spectrometry. Distinct differences in C and N concentrations and distribution and in the quality of organic matter between the size fractions and the fertilization treatments were observed. Clay-associated C and N were relatively higher in the unfertilized treatment, whereas the application of farmyard manure preferentially increased soil organic matter associated with the fine and medium silt fractions. Pyrolysis-field ionization mass spectrometry of soil fractions <20 m showed increasing values for lignin monomers and dimers and fatty acids with larger equivalent diameters, whereas the proportion of N compounds, mono- and polysaccharides and phenolics decreased in the larger size fractions. Sand fractions were particularly rich in lignin fragments, mono- and polysaccharides, and alkanes/alkenes. These relationships seemed to be independent of management practices. In the same size fractions of the different treatments, however, a higher relative abundance of N-compounds, mono- and polysaccharides, phenolics, lignin monomers, and alkanes/alkenes was observed in the unfertilized variant. Lignin dimers and fatty acids were more abundant in the farmyard manure treatment. Both trends together imply that soil enrichment in organic matter due to the application of farmyard manure largely reflects an increase in lignin building blocks and partly reflects an increase in lipids such as fatty acids in the silt fractions. Therefore these constituents are of particular importance in assessing the positive effects of farmyard manure on soil fertility.     

Long-term application of organic manure and nitrogen fertilizer on N2O emissions, soil quality and crop production in a sandy loam soil

A long-term field experiment was established to determine the influence of mineral fertilizer (NPK) or organic manure (composed of wheat straw, oil cake and cottonseed cake) on soil fertility. A tract of calcareous fluvo-aquic soil (aquic inceptisol) in the Fengqiu State Key Experimental Station for Ecological Agriculture (Fengqiu county, Henan province, China) was fertilized beginning in September 1989 and N₂O emissions were examined during the maize and wheat growth seasons of 2002-2003. The study involved seven treatments: organic manure (OM), half-organic manure plus half-fertilizer N (1/2 OMN), fertilizer NPK (NPK), fertilizer NP (NP), fertilizer NK (NK), fertilizer PK (PK) and control (CK). Manured soils had higher organic C and N contents, but lower pH and bulk densities than soils receiving the various mineralized fertilizers especially those lacking P, indicating that long-term application of manures could efficiently prevent the leaching of applied N from and increase N content in the plowed layer. The application of manures and fertilizers at a rate of 300 kg N ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ significantly increased N₂O emissions from 150 g N₂O-N ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ in the CK treatment soil to 856 g N₂O-N ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ in the OM treatment soil; however, there was no significant difference between the effect of fertilizer and manure on N₂O emission. More N₂O was released during the 102-day maize growth season than during the 236-day wheat growth season in the N-fertilized soils but not in N-unfertilized soils. N₂O emission was significantly affected by soil moisture during the maize growth season and by soil temperature during the wheat growth season. In sum, this study showed that manure added to a soil tested did not result in greater N₂O emission than treatment with a N-containing fertilizer, but did confer greater benefits for soil fertility and the environment.     

Long-term effects of fallow, tillage and manure application on soil organic matter and nitrogen fractions and on sorghum yield under Sudano-Sahelian conditions

Abstract. Soil organic matter (SOM) controls the physical, chemical and biological properties of soil and is a key factor in soil productivity. Data on SOM quantity and quality are therefore important for agricultural sustainability. In 1990, an experiment was set up at Saria, Burkina Faso on a sandy loam Lixisol to evaluate long-term effects of tillage (hand hoeing or oxen ploughing) with or without 10 t ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ of manure and fallowing on SOM and N concentrations and their distribution in particle size fractions. The field was sown annually to sorghum ( Sorghum bicolor [L.] Moench). Ten years later, total organic C and total N, SOM fractions and their N concentrations, and sorghum yield were determined. Continuous sorghum cultivation without organic inputs caused significant losses of C and N in the hoed and ploughed plots. However, addition of manure to hoed plots was effective in maintaining similar levels of C and N to fallow plots. Without manure, SOM was mainly stored in the size-fraction <0.053 mm (fine organic matter, FOM). SOM was mainly stored in the size-fraction between 0.053 and 2 mm (particulate organic matter, POM). In plots with manure and in fallow plots, the addition of manure more than doubled POM concentrations, with levels in tilled plots exceeding those of the fallow plots, and the highest levels in manually hoed plots. Nitrogen associated with POM (POM-N) followed a similar trend to POM. Hoeing and ploughing led to a decline in sorghum grain yield. Manure application increased yields by 56% in the hoed plots and 70% in the ploughed plots. Grain yield was not correlated with total SOM but was positively correlated with total POM. This study indicated that POM was greatly affected by long-term soil management options.     

长期定位施肥对潮土有机氮组分和有机碳的影响

利用河南封丘潮土的13年长期施肥试验,采用Bremner法研究了潮土耕层有机氮组成的变化,分析了长期施肥对土壤有机氮组份和有机碳含量的影响。与不施肥和单施化肥相比,施有机肥或有机肥与化肥配施显著提高了土壤全氮、酸解有机氮、酸解铵态氮、氨基酸态氮、非酸解有机氮和有机碳的含量。有机氮主要由酸解铵态氮和氨基酸态氮组成,其次为酸解未知态氮和非酸解有机氮,氨基糖态氮含量最小。施有机肥尤其利于氨基酸态氮和非酸解有机氮的形成。施肥处理的酸解有机氮占全氮的比例减小,主要是由氨基酸态氮、酸解铵态氮占全氮的比例减小所致。与1989年试验开始时的土壤初始值相比,施有机肥能提高土壤全氮含量和有机质含量。在供应等氮磷钾的情况下,有机无机配施增加了土壤供氮能力、有机质含量和作物产量,是维持土壤肥力和保护环境最优的施肥方式。     

外源化肥氮素在土壤有机氮库中的转化及关系

【目的】本研究旨在探明外源化肥氮在土壤不同有机氮库中的动态转化及关系,为实现化肥氮素养分高效利用的有效调控提供理论依据。【方法】利用15N示踪技术(15N标记尿素,丰度10.3%),以江西红壤性水稻土为研究对象,通过土壤培养试验,研究农民习惯施肥水平下,水稻不同生育期外源化肥氮在土壤有机氮库(氨基酸态氮、 氨基糖态氮、 酸解铵态氮、 酸解未知氮和非酸解有机氮)中的转化及关系。采用通径分析方法,评估来自外源化肥氮的有机氮各组分之间的转化关系。【结果】 1)土壤中氨基酸态氮和氨基糖态氮中来自外源的化肥氮(氨基酸态氮-15N和氨基糖态氮-15N)含量从分蘖期到拔节期显著升高(P0.05),从拔节期到灌浆期显著降低(P0.05),全生育期两个组分中来自外源化肥氮的含量最高值分别为26.5和8.4 mg/kg,均出现在分蘖期和拔节期之间;酸解性铵态氮中来自外源的化肥氮(酸解性铵态氮-15N)含量从分蘖期到成熟期逐渐降低,全生育期的动态转化符合指数递减方程;酸解未知态氮中来自外源的化肥氮(酸解未知态氮-15N)含量随着生育期的延长逐渐达到动态平衡,最大值接近12.8 mg/kg;非酸解性有机氮中来自外源的化肥氮(非酸解性有机氮-15N)含量在全生育期的变化符合对称方程,最低值7.9 mg/kg出现在拔节期和灌浆期之间。2)在水稻营养生长阶段的分蘖期和拔节期,外源化肥氮分别以酸解性铵态氮和氨基酸态氮为主要方式结合到土壤有机氮库中,其含量分别占施入化肥氮的21.5%和14.8%;在水稻营养生长和生殖生长并进阶段(灌浆期)和生殖生长阶段(成熟期),外源化肥氮主要结合到非酸解性有机氮库中,分别占施入化肥氮的8.7%和12.7%。3)土壤各有机氮库中来自外源的化肥氮之间存在相互转化的关系,酸解性铵态氮库起到了“暂时库”的作用,生育前期在土壤中固持氮,当可利用性氮受限时,又可以作为有效氮库释放氮供作物吸收;在整个生长期中氨基酸态氮库对外源化肥氮的转化积累起到了“过渡库”的作用,固持在氨基酸中的化肥氮可以转化成酸解性铵态氮和氨基糖态氮。4)灌浆期和成熟期植物吸收的来自外源的化肥氮与氨基酸态氮-15N和酸解铵态氮-15N的关系更密切。【结论】外源化肥氮在土壤中转化的过程中酸解性铵态氮起到了“暂时库”的作用,氨基酸态氮起到了“过渡库”的作用,非酸解性有机氮可作为氮素的“稳定库”存在,外源氮在这几个主要的氮库中动态转换以保持土壤-作物体系中氮素的循环。     

Long-term manure application increased soil organic carbon and nitrogen mineralization through accumulation of unprotected and physically protected carbon fractions

Soil organic carbon(SOC) and nitrogen(N) mineralization are important biogeochemical processes associated with soil fertility. These processes are influenced by physically, chemically, and biologically stabilized SOC fractions, the mechanisms of which are not well known. The present study was conducted to evaluate the combined effect of manure and mineral fertilizers on the contents of SOC fractions to promote the mineralization of SOC and N.Treatments included: i) no fertilizer control(CK); ii)...     

Kinetics of amino sugar formation from organic residues of different quality

Amino sugars are key compounds of microbial cell walls, which have been widely used as biomarker of microbial residues to investigate soil microbial communities and organic residue cycling processes. However, the formation dynamics of amino sugar is not well understood. In this study, two agricultural Luvisols under distinct tillage managements were amended with uniformly ¹³C-labeled wheat residues of different quality (grain, leaf and root). The isotopic composition of individual amino sugars and CO₂ emission were measured over a 21-day incubation period using liquid chromatography–isotope ratio mass spectrometry (LC–IRMS) and trace gas IRMS. Results showed that, the amount of residue derived amino sugars increased exponentially and reached a maximum within days after residue addition. Glucosamine and galactosamine followed different formation kinetics. The maxima of residue derived amino sugars formation ranged from 14 nmol g⁻¹ dry soil for galactosamine (0.8% of the original concentration) to 319 nmol g⁻¹ dry soil for glucosamine (11% of the original concentration). Mean production times of residue derived amino sugars ranged from 2.1 to 9.3 days for glucosamine and galactosamine, respectively. In general, larger amounts of amino sugars were formed at a higher rate with increasing plant residue quality. The microbial community of the no-till soil was better adapted to assimilate low quality plant residues (i.e. leaf and root). All together, the formation dynamics of microbial cell wall components was component-specific and determined by residue quality and soil microbial community.     

有机物料对酸性红壤铝毒的缓解效应

利用盆栽试验研究了施用不等量稻草对酸性红壤旱耕地铝毒的缓解效应。结果表明,添加不等量的秸秆碳(C)后,土壤pH值显著提高,土壤交换性铝和吸附态羟基铝的含量则明显降低,土壤有机络合态铝的含量也呈增加趋势。添加铝盐并不影响秸秆碳对降低土壤交换性铝和吸附态羟基铝含量的作用。在本研究中,土壤pH值与土壤交换性铝和土壤吸附态羟基铝均呈显著负相关,方程分别为y=-2193.9x+11545,R2=0.9798**,y=-655.34x+9748,R2=0.7837**。土壤交换性铝和吸附态羟基铝与玉米主根长,地上部磷、钾含量均呈显著负相关,是抑制玉米吸收养分的主要限制因素,土壤吸附态羟基铝是次于交换性铝的又一活性较大的铝化合物。     

Long-term effect of chemical fertilizer,straw, and manure on labile organic matter fractions in a paddy soil

To assess the effect of long-term fertilization on labile organic matter fractions, we analyzed the C and N mineralization and C and N content in soil, particulate organic matter (POM), light fraction organic matter (LFOM), and microbial biomass. Results showed that fertilizer N decreased or did not affect the C and N amounts in soil fractions, except N mineralization and soil total N. The C and N amounts in soil and its fractions increased with the application of fertilizer PK and rice straw. Generally, there was no significant difference between fertilizer PK and rice straw. Furthermore, application of manure was most effective in maintaining soil organic matter and labile organic matter fractions. Soils treated with manure alone had the highest microbial biomass C and C and N mineralization. A significant correlation was observed between the C content and N content in soil, POM, LFOM, microbial biomass, or the readily mineralized organic matter. The amounts of POM–N, LFOM–N, POM–C, and LFOM–C closely correlated with soil organic C or total N content. Microbial biomass N was closely related to the amounts of POM–N, LFOM–N, POM–C, and LFOM–C, while microbial biomass C was closely related to the amounts of POM–N, POM–C, and soil total N. These results suggested that microbial biomass C and N closely correlated with POM rather than SOM. Carbon mineralization was closely related to the amounts of POM–N, POM–C, microbial biomass C, and soil organic C, but no significant correlation was detected between N mineralization with C or N amounts in soil and its fractions.     

Free amino sugar reactions in soil in relation to soil carbon and nitrogen cycling

Amino sugars represent a major constituent of microbial cell walls and hydrolyzed soil organic matter. Despite their potential importance in soil nitrogen cycling, comparatively little is known about their dynamics in soil. The aim of this study was therefore to quantify the behaviour of glucosamine in two contrasting grassland soil profiles. Our results show that both free amino sugars and amino acids represented only a small proportion of dissolved organic N and C pool in soil. Based upon our findings we hypothesize that the low concentrations of free amino sugars found in soils is due to rapid removal from the soil solution rather than slow rates of production. Further, we showed that glucosamine removal from solution was a predominantly biotic process and that its half-life in soil solution ranged from 1 to 3 h. The rates of turnover were similar to those of glucose at low substrate concentrations, however, at higher glucosamine concentrations its microbial use was much less than for glucose. We hypothesized that this was due to the lack of expression of a low affinity transport systems in the microbial community. Glucosamine was only weakly sorbed to the soil's solid phase (K_d=6.4±1.0) and our results suggest that this did not limit its bioavailability in soil. Here we showed that glucosamine addition to soil resulted in rapid N mineralization and subsequent NO₃⁻ production. In contrast to some previous reports, our results suggest that free amino sugars turn over rapidly in soil and provide a suitable substrate for both microbial respiration and new biomass formation.