Birch invasion of heather moorland increases nematode diversity and trophic complexity

To determine whether successional changes in plant communities may influence belowground community structure, we quantified nematode abundance, trophic structure and diversity along two separate chronosequences from heather moorland to birch woodland in the Scottish uplands. Tree invasion markedly altered plant community composition, and hence litter inputs, both directly, and indirectly through changes in understorey species. In turn, these changes in detrital inputs were reflected in consistent changes in nematode community structure. Nematode abundance increased from moorland to birch woodland, with moorland soils being dominated by a few taxa, notably root-hair and fungal feeders, compared to the more diverse composition of the birch woodland soils. Trophic structure was altered through an increase in the abundance of bacterial feeding relative to fungal-feeding nematodes, and an increase in the abundance of predatory nematodes. The increase in predators during the succession from moorland to woodland was associated with an increase in soil pH, highlighting that not only changes in the plant community, but also changes in soil properties associated with tree invasion may influence soil nematodes. Nematode diversity increased from moorland to birch woodland, with nematode richness being positively related to both plant species richness and soil pH. These results suggest that trees may control soil community structure through the manipulation of resources and the soil physico-chemical environment, promoting greater nematode diversity and trophic complexity.     

藏北高寒草甸植物群落对土壤线虫群落的影响

2011年5月—11月,对西藏北部高寒草甸3种典型植物群落下0～30 cm范围内不同深度土层的土壤线虫群落进行调查,浅盆法收集土壤线虫,应用个体密度、多样性指数等特征值来分析高寒环境下土壤线虫群落的组成、分布特征与多样性。调查共分离得到33 038条土壤线虫,隶属于2纲6目51科93属;线虫个体密度平均为847条100 g-1干土;表聚性明显。研究结果表明,不同植物群落间的土壤线虫群落组成存在一定差异,土壤线虫数量的大小顺序为委陵菜植物群落<藏北嵩草植物群落<高山嵩草植物群落,土壤线虫数量差异显著(p<0.05);土壤线虫数量随生长季变化发生明显波动,返青期最多,盛长期次之,枯草期最低;不同植物群落的优势属种类不同。生物多样性为委陵菜植物群落>高山嵩草植物群落>藏北嵩草植物群落,这可能是放牧干扰强度不同,以及植物群落影响下的土壤性质分异所导致的结果。总之,不同植物群落下土壤线虫群落特征的分异初步显示出线虫指示环境因子影响土壤生态系统的潜力。     

黄土残塬沟壑区利用阔叶树种枯落叶对针叶林土壤极化的防治效应

人工纯林的长期连续生长或连栽所引起的土壤极化是导致土壤退化和影响人工林生态系统稳定及可持续发展的重要原因,防治的根本途径是引入其他树种形成针阔混交林或者利用其他树种枯落叶进行根系附近的局部客置。针对在黄土残塬沟壑区的针叶纯林,通过野外采集典型林地腐殖质层土壤和不同森林和城市道路绿化阔叶树种当年枯落叶后进行室内混合培养试验,研究表明:(1)油松枯落叶会引起土壤有机质、有效磷含量、微生物数量增加和脱氢酶、磷酸酶、多酚氧化酶等多种酶活性增强的正向极化,但同时却会引起土壤碱解氮含量和脲酶、蔗糖酶活性降低的负向极化。与小叶杨和沙棘混交或将其枯落叶客置可以明显改善油松林地土壤性质,而柠条、刺槐和辽东栎则反会恶化土壤性质。客置七叶树、紫叶李、泡桐枯落叶可以明显改善油松林地土壤性质,其次为银杏,而其他树种均不适宜。(2)侧柏枯落叶会引起土壤有效磷、速效钾含量、微生物数量增加和蔗糖酶、脱氢酶、磷酸酶、蛋白酶、多酚氧化酶活性增强的正向极化,但同时却会引起土壤碱解氮含量和脲酶活性降低的负向极化。与辽东栎、刺槐混交或将其枯落叶客置可以明显改善侧柏林地土壤性质,其次是沙棘和柠条,而小叶杨则反会恶化土壤性质。客置玉兰、七叶树、法桐枯落叶可以明显改善侧柏林地土壤性质,其次为杜仲、五角枫,而其他树种均不适宜。该研究结果将对于大面积人工纯林改造、混交林营建等方面具有重要的理论指导和实践意义。     

Effects of soil invertebrates on the survival of some genetically engineered bacteria in leaf litter and soil

Seven bacterial strains, most of them bearing natural or recombinant plasmids, were introduced in oak leaf litter or soddy-podzolic soil. In these substrata, which contained litter-dwelling diplopods and isopods, or endogenic earthworms, bacteria survival was followed. In the absence of the animals, the numbers of introduced strains gradually decreased. In the presence of the animals, plasmid-bearing strains of Pseudomonas putida survived at 10⁵–10⁷ CFUs g^-1 up to 1.5 months in both leaves and soil. The total numbers of bacteria found in excrements from the soil macrofauna were 5–15 times higher than in the food. The numbers of P. putida in the excrements were equal to or higher than in the food. The numbers of Pseudomonas stutzeri JM302 (pLV1013) and Azospirillum brasiliense ATCC29710 (pFACII) in the excrements were always 2–10 times lower than in the food. The digestive fluid taken from the middle part of the gut of the diplopod Pachyiulus flavipes showed a strong antibacterial activity. Those bacteria with lower survival in the gut appeared to be more sensitive to digestion by the midgut fluid. In contrast, the hindgut fluid did not suppress the viability of P. stutzeri JM302 (pLV1013). We postulate that the introduced bacteria partially survive the midgut passage and then multiply with a high growth rate in the hindgut of the animals. The environmental consequences of the interactions between soil invertebrates and the released bacteria are discussed.Dedicated to Professor J. C. G. Ottow on the occasion of his 60th birthday     

长期施用有机肥对红壤旱地土壤线虫群落的影响

基于红壤旱地(玉米)的长期施肥试验,研究长期施用有机肥对土壤线虫分布特征及群落结构的影响。田间试验处理包括:CK(对照)、ON1(低量有机肥)、ON2(高量有机肥)和ON2L(高量改良有机肥)。结果表明,施肥8a后,红壤旱地中共鉴定出15科、29属土壤线虫,包括8属植物寄生线虫、9属食细菌线虫、3属食真菌性线虫和9属捕食杂食性线虫,短体属(Pratylenchus)、小杆属(Rhabditis)和原杆属(Pro-torhabditis)为优势属。不同施肥处理中,土壤线虫总数的大小顺序为ON2>ON1>ON2L>CK。线虫群落生态指数对于施用有机肥有不同的响应:除SI外,其他虫群落生态指数均有显著差异,通过线虫群落结构的变化很好地反映了土壤的肥力变化状况,土壤线虫可以作为施有机肥过程中指示土壤健康质量的一个重要的生物学指标。     

Direct and indirect effects of tree diversity drive soil microbial diversity in temperate deciduous forest

We investigated the link between aboveground and belowground diversity in temperate deciduous forest ecosystems. To this end, we determined the effects of the tree species composition on the biomass and composition of the soil microbial community using phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) profiles in the Hainich National Park, a deciduous mixed forest on loess over limestone in Central-Germany. We investigated the effects of the leaf litter composition on the microbial community, hypothesizing that distinctive leaf litter compositions increase signature PLFAs. In addition, we studied the impact of clay content, pH and nutrient status of the soil on the microbial community in different surface soil layers. Consequently, soil was sampled from depths of 0-5 cm, 5-10 cm and 10-20 cm. Plots with highest leaf litter diversity had the largest total amounts of fatty acids, but only PLFA 16:1ω5, which is a common marker for arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, was significantly increased. In the uppermost soil layer, the pH explained most of the variance in microbial composition. In the deeper surface soil layers, nutrients such as carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus determined the microbial abundances and composition. Our results suggest that the soil microbial community is mainly indirectly influenced by aboveground diversity. Changes in soil pH or the soil nutrient status that are driven by specific plant traits like leave litter quality drive these indirect changes. Specific direct interactions are most reasonable for mycorrhizal fungi.     

Determinants of leaf litter patchiness in mixed species New Jersey pine barrens forest and its possible influence on soil and soil biota

 We have identified the importance of ground layer ericaceous shrub density as a determinant of leaf litter patch size in upland oak/pine communities of the New Jersey pine barrens. Litter patch area is directly proportional to the number of ericaceous stems. This observation has been confirmed by experimentation where leaf litter patches accumulated under artificial stems for a period of 2 years. Leaf litter patches of different sizes contain differing proportions of leaf species. Large patches contain a significantly higher proportion of oak leaves than small patches. Difference in physical structure of large and small patches, due to leaf species composition and due to differential leaf chemistries, result in differences in soil characteristics and soil biota under the patches. Soil moisture and organic matter content of upper soil layers are greater under large litter patches than under small ones. We have preliminary evidence that these changes influence the community structure of ectomycorrhizae developing under patches of different sizes. Received: 12 April 1999     

Do plant species encourage soil biota that specialise in the rapid decomposition of their litter?

Plants are often nutrient limited and soil organisms are important in mediating nutrient availability to plants. Thus, there may be a selective advantage to plants that alter the soil community in ways that enhance the decomposition of their litter and, hence, their ability to access nutrients. We incubated litter from three tree species (Fagus sylvatica, Acer pseudoplatanus and Picea sitchensis) in the presence of biota extracted from soil beneath a stand of each species to test the hypothesis that litter decomposes fastest in the presence of biota derived from soil where that species is locally abundant. We found that respiration rate, a measure of decomposer activity and carbon mineralisation, was affected by litter type and source of soil biota, whereas, mass loss was only affected by litter type. However, litter from each tree species did not decompose faster in the presence of indigenous soil biota. These findings, therefore, provide no support for the notion that woodland plants encourage the development of soil communities that rapidly decompose their litter.     

栽培对黑土线虫营养群体的空间分布的影响

Geostatistics combined with GIS was applied to assess the spatial distribution of nematode trophic groups following two contrasting soil uses in the black soil region of Northeast China.Two plots,one with fallow for 12 years and the other cultivated,were marked on regular square grids with 2-m spacing.Soil samples were collected from each sampling point,nematodes were extracted from these samples and classified into four trophic groups:bacterivores,fungivores,plant parasites,and omnivores/predators.The numbers of total nematodes and trophic groups analyzed had normal distributions on both fallow and cultivated plots.The absolute abundances of total nematodes and trophic groups were observed to be much nore homogeneous on cultivated plot than on fallow one.Geostatistical analysis showed that the densities of total nematodes and trophic groups on both fallow and cultivated plots exhibited spatial dekpendence at the sampled scale and their experimental semivariograms were adjusted to a spherical or exponential model,except those of bacterivores and fungivores oncultivated plot.The spatial distribution of nematode trophic groups was found to be different for the two land uses,indicating that cultivation changed the native condition for soil nematode activities.     

麦地土壤线虫群落结构对有机肥和秸秆还田的响应

通过猪粪有机肥的施用和秸秆还田,研究其对农田土壤线虫数量、属的种类及群落结构的影响。田间试验处理为CK(不施肥对照)、HF(施化肥)、ZH(猪粪堆肥 化肥)、JHB(秸秆 化肥 秸秆伴侣)、ZHJ(猪粪堆肥 化肥 秸秆)、ZDH(猪粪堆肥有机无机复合肥 化肥)6个处理。结果表明：在6个施肥处理中共鉴定出4目11科22属线虫,其中食细菌线虫9属,食真菌线虫5属,植食线虫4属,杂食-捕食线虫4属。JHB、ZHJ和ZDH处理的土壤线虫数量显著高于CK和HF处理,而HF与CK处理之间没有显著差异;化肥、有机肥和秸秆配施可以增加食细菌线虫的丰度,抑制植食线虫垫刃属和螺旋属的繁殖;除了ZDH外,其他4个处理的植食线虫丰度明显低于CK。 JHB、ZHJ和ZDH的线虫通路比值(NCR)显著高于CK,表明有机管理的农田土壤腐屑食物网的分解途径主要依靠细菌分解途径。CK、JHB、ZHJ和ZDH的的成熟指数(MI)显著高于HF,表明单施化肥对土壤环境干扰较大。多样性指数(H′)、优势度指数(λ)、均匀度指数(J) 和瓦斯乐斯卡指数(WI)在6个处理中均没有显著差异。在6个施肥处理中,均以c-p 2类群的土壤线虫比例最高,其次是c-p 3-5,c-p 1类群比例最低。通过线虫营养类群、群落结构及生态指数综合分析得出,JHB和ZHJ为最佳施肥方式。     

Effect of desert plant ecophysiological adaptation on soil nematode communities

Nutrient source limitation in desert ecosystems enhances competition among plant communities, leading to creation of microhabitats beneath the shrubs that can determine composition and abundance of soil organisms. The aim of the study was to determine the effect of plant ecophysiological adaptation on soil nematode communities in the rhizosphere of tightly interweaving shrubby communities. Soil samples were collected monthly under the canopies of three perennial desert shrubs: Artemesia herba-alba, possessing the allelopathic ability to dominate in relationships with other plants; Reaumuria negevensis, a salt-resistant plant; and Noea mucronata, a typical dry desert shrub. An inter-plant area was used as a control. The results demonstrated that soil water content (SWC) and total organic carbon (C_org) were significantly different under different plants and inter-plant areas, with the highest values found under R. negevensis (SWC) and N. mucronata and R. negevensis (C_org). Plant parasite and omnivore-predator nematodes were more sensitive to the ecophysiological individual features of observed plants versus the total number of nematodes and bacteria- and fungi-feeding nematodes. Generally accepted ecological indices such as Wasilewska (WI), trophic diversity (T), maturity (MI, MMI), basal (BI), enrichment (EI), structure (SI), and channel (CI), pointed to specific ecological conditions under canopies of the observed plants.     

Abundance of soil mites under four agroforestry tree species with contrasting litter quality

 Populations of soil-dwelling mites were monitored in monoculture plots of four agroforestry tree species, Gliricidia sepium, Leucaena leucocephala, Dactyladenia barteri and Treculia africana, and compared to those in grass and secondary forest plots in the dry season (December 1993 to January 1994) and in the wet season (April to June 1994) in southwest Nigeria. Mite populations were very low in all plots during the dry season (500–3000 m^–2), compared to those during the wet season (10 000–30 000 m^–2). The highest mite population was observed in Gliricidia plots (3 044 m^–2) for the dry season and Leucaena plots (30 240 m^–2) for the wet season. Mite genera that were dominant in all the experimental plots were Annectacarus, Haplozetes, Machadobelba, Scheloribates and members of the Galumnidae, Dermanyssidae and Parasitidae. The community structure of mites was similar in the soil for Treculia and Gliricidia plots and for Leucaena and Dactyladenia plots. There were more taxonomic groups of mites under Leucaena than in the other agroforestry plots. Based on the density, diversity and complexity of the mite communities, Leucaena was considered to be better than other agroforestry species in encouraging the growth of mite populations. Received: 28 April 1998     

Effects of long-term soil warming and fertilisation on microarthropod abundances in three sub-arctic ecosystems

Soil microarthropod responses to long-term soil warming and increased fertilisation by addition of NKP or litter were assessed in three subarctic ecosystems. The experiment was carried out at three different field sites, where temperature and fertilisation manipulations had been running for 3–5 years (glade), 11 years (fellfield), and 12 years (heath) at the time of sampling. In the glade soil, warming led to decreases in Collembola and Gamasida, and increases in Oribatida, although effects were inconsistent between years. Actinedida densities were increased by fertilization, while Acaridida had higher densities in the treatment with both fertilisation and warming. In the fellfield, we found increased densities of Oribatida, Gamasida and Actinedida in the fertilised treatments, and some increases in Oribatida and decreases in Collembola and Gamasida in warming treatments. In the heath, there were increased densities of Collembola, Oribatida and Actinedida in the fertilised treatments, but we found no strong effects of warming. We suggest that the responses found in this study comply with the assumption that soil microarthropods are bottom-up controlled, and the observed changes are probably linked to changes in food availability more than direct climatic influences.     

Insights into the effects of serpentine soil conditions on the community composition of fungal symbionts in the roots of Onosma echioides

In this study, we investigated the impact of the extreme edaphic conditions of serpentine soils on the community structure of fungal symbionts in the roots of the perennial herb Onosma echioides (Boraginaceae). Sixteen root systems of O. echioides were obtained from two serpentine and two non-serpentine sites in the region of Tuscany (Italy) and the associated fungal communities were characterized by 454 pyrosequencing of fungal internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1) amplicon libraries. Clustering analysis of 173,639 sequence reads yielded a total of 699 non-singleton operational taxonomic units (OTUs), with the number of non-singleton OTUs per fungal community varying between 65 and 225. The richness of the fungal communities did not appear to be affected by the edaphic conditions of serpentine soils but the compositions of the serpentine and non-serpentine communities differed significantly, even though community structures were mainly influenced by strong spatial effects at low-to-medium distance scales. Whereas non-serpentine communities were dominated, at least in terms of sequence read abundance, by OTUs assigned to the genera Rhizophagus and Glomus (Glomeromycota), serpentine communities were dominated by OTUs assigned to the genera Ceratobasidium and Coprinellus (Basidiomycota). The functional roles of these basidiomycetous species in the roots of serpentine O. echioides specimens are, however, unclear and although their presence may affect the serpentine tolerance of the host plant, they may also be opportunistic symbionts that benefited from the reduced abundance of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi to colonize the roots of O. echioides in serpentine environments.     

Effect of introduced exotic tree litter on consumption patterns of the introduced exotic isopod Armadillidium vulgare

The feeding preferences and consumption rates of the exotic woodlouse Armadillidium vulgare were measured on litters from the autochthonous Rio Grande cottonwood and the exotic Russian olive. When offered a choice between five litter types (green and shed leaves of Russian olive and cottonwood, and fruits of Russian olive), the isopods consumed more of the exotic plant litter (green leaves and the fruits of Russian olive) than of the autochthonous cottonwood. When offered only one diet, consumption rates of green leaves and fruits of Russian olive were again the highest. Feeding was related with N and C:N ratios of the litter, with highest consumption of diets with low and high C:N ratios and lowest consumption of diets with intermediate C:N ratios. The N content was highest (and C:N ratios lowest) on isopods feeding shed leaves of Russian olive. Growth was not related to the amount or the C:N ratio of the food consumed, being highest for animals feeding on shed leaves of cottonwood. Our results show that the consumption patterns and the C and N body composition of the exotic woodlouse A. vulgare are altered when fed with Russian olive litter, suggesting that the replacement of the autochthonous cottonwood by the exotic Russian olive may negatively affect the maintenance of the population of these exotic detritivores in the area.     

Effects of a one-year rainfall manipulation on soil nematode abundances and community composition

Soil nematodes play a crucial role in the terrestrial nitrogen cycle by accelerating the release of ammonium from microorganisms (bacteria and fungi). As aquatic organisms, nematodes are likely to be affected by predicted changes in precipitation patterns and soil moisture during the 21st century. The objective of this study was to measure the response of soil nematodes to a one-year rainfall manipulation in the sandy, forest soils of the New Jersey Pinelands (USA). We excluded all rain from four replicate field plots and applied double the amount of natural rainfall to four additional plots. We then assessed the impact of these precipitation treatments on nematode abundance and community composition. We found that total nematode abundance increased with more precipitation, and were highly sensitive to annual precipitation amount. This is in contrast to microbial biomass which was previously found to be insensitive to precipitation change. We suggest that any increased microbial growth in high rainfall plots was consumed by microbivorous nematodes. We further suggest that nematodes in the freely draining, sandy soils we studied may be unsuccessful at surviving drought because few water-filled pore spaces remain, as compared to more aggregated soils. All nematode families were sensitive to drought, but the effect was greatest on the Plectidae, while no significant effects were found for the Cephalobidae and Qudsianematidae. While not directly measured, these results provide insight into the relative anhydrobiotic abilities of these families. We found that bacterial-feeding nematodes were most sensitive to drought, suggesting that grazer-induced alterations to the nitrogen cycle are possible if precipitation patterns change in the future.     

A single application of Cu to field soil has long-term effects on bacterial community structure, diversity, and soil processes

Long-term diversity-disturbance responses of soil bacterial communities to copper were determined from field-soils (Spalding; South Australia) exposed to Cu in doses ranging from 0 through to 4012 mg Cu kg⁻¹ soil. Nearly 6 years after application of Cu, the structure of the total bacterial community showed change over the Cu gradient (PCR-DGGE profiling). 16S rRNA clone libraries, generated from unexposed and exposed (1003 mg Cu added kg⁻¹ soil) treatments, had significantly different taxa composition. In particular, Acidobacteria were abundant in unexposed soil but were nearly absent from the Cu-exposed sample (P<0.05), which was dominated by Firmicute bacteria (P<0.05). Analysis of community profiles of Acidobacteria, Bacillus, Pseudomonas and Sphingomonas showed significant changes in structural composition with increasing soil Cu. The diversity (Simpsons index) of the Acidobacteria community was more sensitive to increasing concentrations of CaCl-extractable soil Cu (Cu_Ext) than other groups, with decline in diversity occurring at 0.13 Cu_Ext mg kg⁻¹ soil. In contrast, diversity in the Bacillus community increased until 10.4 Cu_Ext mg kg⁻¹ soil, showing that this group was 2 orders of magnitude more resistant to Cu than Acidobacteria. Sphingomonas was the most resistant to Cu; however, this group along with Pseudomonas represented only a small percentage of total soil bacteria. Changes in bacterial community structure, but not diversity, were concomitant with a decrease in catabolic function (BioLog). Reduction in function followed a dose-response pattern with Cu_Ext levels (R²=0.86). The EC₅₀ for functional loss was 0.21 Cu_Ext mg kg⁻¹ soil, which coincided with loss of Acidobacteria diversity. The microbial responses were confirmed as being due to Cu and not shifts in soil pH (from use of CuSO₄) as parallel Zn-based field plots (ZnSO₄) were dissimilar. Changes in the diversity of most bacterial groups with soil Cu followed a unimodal response - i.e. diversity initially increased with Cu addition until a critical value was reached, whereupon it sharply decreased. These responses are indicative of the intermediate-disturbance-hypothesis, a macroecological theory that has not been widely tested in environmental microbial ecosystems.     

Distribution of monoterpenes between organic resources in upper soil horizons under monocultures of Picea abies, Picea sitchensis and Pinus sylvestris

The aim of this study was to compare the monoterpene content and distribution in litters and roots of three conifer species: Picea abies (L.) Karst, Picea sitchensis (Bong.) Carr. and Pinus sylvestris (L.). We analysed the monoterpene content of green needles, needle litter, F (fermentation) layer material and roots collected from monoculture plots. The rate of loss of monoterpenes from freshly fallen litter in the field was also studied at two monthly intervals over 10 months, to assess the length of time that monoterpenes entering the litter layer remain. Monoterpene analysis was carried out by extracting homogenised samples in hexane and identifying and quantifying the resulting monoterpenes using gas chromatography with flame ionisation detection (GC-FID) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Mean total monoterpene concentrations varied significantly between the three species examined (e.g. in freshly fallen litter 1531 ± 96, 100 ± 5 and 1175 ± 122 μg g⁻¹ d. wt for P. abies, P. sitchensis and P. sylvestris); each species had distinctive and consistent monoterpene profiles associated with each type of tissue, and total monoterpene concentrations in green needles varied between individual trees of the same species, particularly for P. sitchensis. A substantial proportion of the monoterpene content of green needles remained in the needles after litter fall for P. abies (42%), P. sitchensis (11%) and P. sylvestris (30%). Although rates of monoterpene loss from needle litters varied initially (P. sylvestris > P. abies > P. sitchensis), the majority of the monoterpene content was lost after 4-6 months. Maximum monoterpene emission rates from decaying litter were calculated of 39 (P. abies), 1.7 (P. sitchensis) and 39 μg m⁻² h⁻¹ (P. sylvestris). Monoterpene concentrations in F layer material were very low (<10 μg g⁻¹ d. wt). Roots, particularly in P. sylvestris, represented a significant pool of monoterpenes (185 ± 16, P. abies; 258 ± 54, P. sitchensis; 2133 ± 200 μg g⁻¹ d. wt, P. sylvestris). The monoterpene profile was similar between roots and litter of P. sylvestris (α-pinene most abundant), and for P. sitchensis, (limonene and α-pinene most abundant), although a different pattern was observed between needle litter (most abundant β-pinene) and roots (most abundant myrcene) of P. abies. The relatively high concentrations and different profiles of monoterpenes characterised in upper organic soil horizons here emphasise the need for their influence on soil ecological processes to be assessed.     

Effects of nitrogen enrichment on belowground communities in grassland: Relative role of soil nitrogen availability vs. soil acidification

Terrestrial ecosystems worldwide are receiving increasing amounts of biologically reactive nitrogen (N) as a consequence of anthropogenic activities. This intended or unintended fertilization can have a wide range of impacts on the above- and belowground communities. An increase in high N availability has been assumed to be a major mechanism enhancing the abundance of above- and belowground communities. In addition to increasing available N, however, N enrichment causes soil acidification, which may negatively affect above- and belowground communities. The relative importance of increased N availability vs. increased soil acidity for above- and belowground communities in natural ecosystems experiencing N enrichment is unclear. In a 12-year N enrichment experiment in a semi-arid grassland, N enrichment substantially increased both above- and belowground plant biomass mainly via the N availability-induced increase in biomass of perennial rhizome grasses. N enrichment also dramatically suppressed bacterial, fungal, and actinobacteria biomass mainly via the soil acidification pathway (acidification increased concentrations of H⁺ ions and Al³⁺ and decreased concentrations of mineral cations). In addition, N enrichment also suppressed bacterial-, fungal-feeding, and omnivorous + carnivorous nematodes mainly via the soil acidification pathway (acidification reduced nematode food resources and reduced concentrations of mineral cations). The positive effects resulting from the increase in belowground carbon allocation (via increase in quantity and quality of plant production) on belowground communities were outweighed by the negative effects resulting from soil acidification, indicating that N enrichment weakens the linkages between aboveground and belowground components of grassland ecosystems. Our results suggest that N enrichment-induced soil acidification should be included in models that predict biota communities and linkages to carbon and nitrogen cycling in terrestrial ecosystems under future scenarios of N deposition.     

The role of tree leaf mulch and nitrogen fertilizer on turfgrass soil quality

 The influence of tree leaf amendment and N fertilization on soil quality in turfgrass environments was evaluated. Our objective was to assess changes in soil quality after additions of leaf materials and N fertilization by monitoring soil chemical and physical parameters, microbial biomass and soil enzymes. Established perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) plots were amended annually with maple (Acer spp.) leaves at three different rates (0, 2240, and 4480 kg ha^–1 year^–1) and treated with three nitrogen rates (0, 63, and 126 kg N ha^–1 year^–1). Tree leaf mulching did not significantly affect water infiltration or bulk density. However, trends in the data suggest increased infiltration with increasing leaf application rate. Tree leaf mulching increased total soil C and N at 0–1.3 cm depth but not at 1.3–9.0 cm. Extracted microbial phospholipid, an indicator of microbial biomass size, ranged from 28 to 68 nmol phospholipid g^–1 soil at the 1.3–9.0 cm depth. The activity of β-glucosidase estimated on samples from 0–1.3 cm and 1.3–9.0 cm depths, and dehydrogenase activity estimated on samples from 1.3–9.0 cm were significantly increased by leaf mulching and N fertilizer application. Changes in microbial community composition, as indicated by phospholipid fatty acid methyl ester analysis, appear to be due to seasonal variations and did not reflect changes due to N or leaf amendment treatments. There were no negative effects of tree leaf mulching into turfgrass and early data suggest this practice will improve soil chemical, physical, and biological structure. Received: 10 December 1997