Effects of successive soil freeze-thaw cycles on soil microbial biomass and organic matter decomposition potential of soils

Abstract

Effects of soil freeze-thaw cycles on soil microbial biomass were examined using 8 soil samples collected from various locations, including 4 arable land sites and 2 forest sites in temperate regions and 2 arable land sites in tropical regions. The amounts of soil microbial biomass C and N, determined by the chloroform fumigation and extraction method, significantly decreased by 6 to 40% following four successive soil freeze-thaw cycles (- 13 and 4°C at 12 h-intervals) compared with the unfrozen control (kept at 4°C during the same period of time as that of the freeze-thaw cycles). In other words, it was suggested that 60 to 94% of the soil microorganisms might survive following the successive freeze-thaw cycles. Canonical correlation analysis revealed a significantly positive correlation between the rate of microbial survival and organic matter content of soil (r = 0.948*). Correlation analysis showed that the microbial survival rate was also positively correlated with the pore-space whose size ranged from 9.5 to 6.0 μm (capillary-equivalent-diameter; r = 0.995**), pH(KCI) values (r = 0.925**), EC values (r = 0.855*), and pH (H₂O) values (r = 0.778*), respectively. These results suggested that the soil physicochemical properties regulating the amount of unfrozen water in soil may affect the rate of microbial survival following the soil freeze-thaw cycles. The potential of organic matter decomposition of the soils was examined to estimate the effects of the soil freeze-thaw cycles on the soil processes associated with the soil microbial communities. The soil freeze-thaw cycles led to significant 6% increase in chitin decomposition and 7% decrease in rice straw decomposition (p < 0.05), suggesting that the partial sterilization associated with the soil freeze-thaw cycles might disturb the soil microbial functions.     

氮素浓度和水分对水稻土硝化作用和微生物特性的影响

为了明确不同氮素浓度和水分对土壤硝化作用和微生物特性的影响,特别是高氮素浓度下的响应特异性,以红壤水稻土为供试土壤,设置4个硫铵用量水平[0(CK)、120 mg(N).kg-1(A1)、600 mg(N).kg-1(A2)、1 200 mg(N).kg-1(A3)],调节土壤水分为饱和持水量(WHC)的40%、60%和80%,研究了短期内不同氮素浓度和不同水分条件下土壤硝化作用、微生物生物量碳和微生物功能多样性的变化。结果表明:在40%、60%和80%WHC水分条件时,硫铵A2、A3浓度处理土壤硝化率和硝化速率普遍较低,硫铵A1浓度处理硝化率和硝化速率随土壤含水量的升高而升高;同含水量时随硫铵用量的升高而显著降低。在40%、60%和80%WHC水分条件时,微生物生物量碳随硫铵浓度的升高而降低;同浓度硫铵用量水平时,微生物生物量碳的变化基本表现为:60%WHC80%WHC40%WHC。分析发现不同水分和硫铵处理之间存在交互作用。BIOLOG分析显示:不同氮素浓度和不同水分处理,60%WHC下A1处理的平均吸光值(AWCD)和Shannon、Simpson、McIntosh指数最大,其次为60%WHC的硫铵CK处理,而不同水分下硫铵A2、A3处理,其AWCD值和Shannon、Simpson、McIntosh多样性指数都较低,进一步说明过量施肥导致微生物活性降低。不同氮素浓度和水分条件下土壤微生物和生化性状不同,过量施用化肥后将有可能造成土壤微生物性状和生化功能衰减。     

A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF NITRIFICATION IN SOILS FROM ARID AND SEMI-ARID AREAS OF ISRAEL

The influence of different factors on the nitrification of an added ammonium salt and inherent soil-N in soils from arid and semi-arid areas of Israel was investigated. Nitrification of ammonium-N proceeded rapidly at 28°C but was inhibited partially or completely in soils incubated at 37·40°C. In contrast, nitrate formation from inherent soil-N proceeded better at 37·40 °C than at 28 °C. Bacteriological examination showed that a temperature of 37·40 °C had an injurious effect on the population of nitrifiers, especially the nitrate-forming bacteria. Nitrification by the Nitrosomonas-Nitrobacter group in culture media was also markedly inhibited at 37 °C as compared with that at 28 °C. Chloromycetin at a concentration of 25 mg per 100 g soil, and potassium chlorate at a concentration of 10^-3m suppressed the formation of nitrate from ammonium, but did not exert any appreciable effect upon nitrate formation from inherent soil nitrogen. Sodium sulphacetamide inhibited the production of nitrate from ammonium-N more strongly than that from inherent soil-N. Marked differences in the two nitrification processes in the soils investigated provided good evidence that the greater part of nitrate originating from soil-N is produced by some process other than that which is responsible for nitrification of ammonium-N.     

Effect of rewetting air-dried soils on pH and accumulation of mineral nitrogen

The effect of rewetting a number of air-dried soils on pH and on accumulation of mineral-N was examined in a laboratory incubation study. When rewetted-soils were incubated at 25°C three patterns of change in soil _pH and in accumulation of mineral-N were observed. Ammonification and nitrification proceeded together in soils with pH values greater than 6.0; soil pH decreased whilst concentrations of nitrate rose and those of ammonium remained low. By contrast, in soils with pH values less than 5.0, although ammonification proceeded there was no appreciable nitrification; soil pH increased whilst concentrations of ammonium rose and those of nitrate remained very low. In a third group of soils with pH values between 5.0 and 5.5, there was a delay in nitrification, but ammonification was not retarded; soil _pH initially rose as concentrations of ammonium increased, but when nitrification subsequently commenced the _pH decreased, concentrations of nitrate rose and those of ammonium declined. When microbial activity in rewetted soils was inhibited by incubation at 3°C, or in a chloroform atmosphere at 25°C, there was little change in concentrations of ammonium and nitrate, and soil pH remained relatively constant.
Such changes in soil _pH, induced by ammonification and nitrification, are likely to have important consequences to soil chemical studies where _pH-dependent reactions are being studied using rewetted soils. Changes in pH can be minimized by using field moist rather than air-dried soils.     

Effects of afforestation on ammonification and nitrification rates in former agricultural soils

Abstract. The effects of afforestation on potential nitrification, nitrification and ammonification rates were studied at an experimental site in NE Scotland 4½ years after afforestation of former arable land. The site had been planted with three tree species (Sitka spruce, sycamore and hybrid larch) at three different planting densities, with half the plots treated with inorganic NPK fertilizer. Laboratory measurements of potential nitrification, nitrification and ammonification rates, measured using a perfusion system, were compared between the unforested control and combinations of the various treatments. Differences in soil pH and soil moisture content were also investigated.
Potential nitrification rates measured in plantation soils were significantly lower than in the unplanted control soil. Nitrification and ammonification rates were also consistently lower, although these differences were only significant in a few of the treatments. Soils planted with a normal tree density had a tendency to show higher nitrification rates compared to soils planted with a high tree density.
The results suggest that afforestation of former agricultural soils may cause changes in important parts of the soil N cycle soon after planting. At this early stage in the life of the plantation this appears to be unrelated to changes in soil pH or moisture content, even though soils beneath the trees are drier. The apparent change may be the result of differences in the soil microbial community associated with the type of organic matter substrate present in the unplanted and planted soils.     

Is the decline of soil microbial biomass in late winter coupled to changes in the physical state of cold soils?

During winter when the active layer of Arctic and alpine soils is below 0 °C, soil microbes are alive but metabolizing slowly, presumably in contact with unfrozen water. This unfrozen water is at the same negative chemical potential as the ice. While both the hydrostatic and the osmotic components of the chemical potential will contribute to this negative value, we argue that the osmotic component (osmotic potential) is the significant contributor. Hence, the soil microorganisms need to be at least halotolerant and psychrotolerant to survive in seasonally frozen soils. The low osmotic potential of unfrozen soil water will lead to the withdrawal of cell water, unless balanced by accumulation of compatible solutes. Many microbes appear to survive this dehydration, since microbial biomass in some situations is high, and rising, in winter. In late winter however, before the soil temperature rises above zero, there can be a considerable decline in soil microbial biomass due to the loss of compatible solutes from viable cells or to cell rupture. This decline may be caused by changes in the physical state of the system, specifically by sudden fluxes of melt water down channels in frozen soil, rapidly raising the chemical potential. The dehydrated cells may be unable to accommodate a rapid rise in osmotic potential so that cell membranes rupture and cells lyse. The exhaustion of soluble substrates released from senescing plant and microbial tissues in autumn and winter may also limit microbial growth, while in addition the rising temperatures may terminate a winter bloom of psychrophiles.Climate change is predicted to cause a decline in plant production in these northern soils, due to summer drought and to an increase in freeze-thaw cycles. Both of these may be expected to reduce soil microbial biomass in late winter. After lysis of microbial cells this biomass provides nutrients for plant growth in early spring. These feedbacks, in turn, could affect herbivory and production at higher trophic levels.     

Carbon and nitrogen turnover in two acid forest soils of southeast Australia as affected by phosphorus addition and drying and rewetting cycles

The effects of adding P and of drying and rewetting were studied in two acid forest soils from southeast Australia. The soils were a yellow podzolic with a low soil organic matter content (3.75% C) and a red earth with a high organic matter content (13.5% C). C and N mineralization and microbial C and N contents were investigated in a laboratory incubation for 151 days. Microbial C and N were estimated by a hexanol fumigation-extraction technique. Microbial C was also determined by substrate-induced respiration combined with a selective inhibition technique to separate the fungal and the bacterial biomass. The results obtained by the selective inhibition technique were not conclusive. Adding P to the soil and drying and rewetting the soil reduced microbial N. This effect was more pronounced in rapidly and frequently dried soils. Microbial C was generally less affected by these treatments. Compared with the control, the addition of P caused a reduction in respiration in the red earth (-13%) but an increase in the yellow podzolic soil (+12%). In the red earth net N mineralization was highest following the addition of P. In the yellow podzolic soil highest N mineralization rates were obtained when the soil was subjected to drying and rewetting cycles. In both soils increased N mineralization was associated with a decrease in microbial N, indicating that the mineralized N was of microbial origin. Nitrification decreased with rapid drying and rewetting. The addition of P promoted heterotrophic nitrification in both soils.     

Nitrification in two coniferous forest soils after different fertilization treatments

The effects of seven different fertilization treatments on nitrification in the organic horizons of a Myrtillus-type (MT) and a Calluna-type pine forest in southern Finland were studied. No (NO^?₃ + NO^?₂)-N accumulated in unfertilized soils during 6 weeks at 14 or 20°C in the laboratory. Net nitrification was stimulated by urea in both soils (but more in the MT pine forest soil) and to a lesser degree by wood ash but not by ammonium nitrate or nitroform (ureaformaldehyde). Nitrification was not detected in nitroform fertilized soils although ammonium accumulation was high during incubation. In the MT pine forest soil, net nitrification appeared to be stimulated by apatite, biotite and micronutrients. Nitrapyrin inhibited nitrification indicating that it was carried out by autotrophic nitrifiers. In the urea-fertilized MT pine forest soil, nitrification took place at an incubation temperature of 0°C. Accumulation of (N0^?₃ + NO^?₂)-N was highest in soil sampled at < 10°C.     

冻融作用对三江平原有机土吸附铵根离子及其分配系数的影响

冻融过程会影响土壤团聚体结构及微孔隙,进而影响土壤对阳离子的吸附。然而有关冻融过程对土壤吸附阳离子影响的研究很少。以典型湿地表层有机土壤为对象,通过室内模拟实验,研究了土壤饱和含水量下,冻融过程对有机土吸附低浓度铵根离子的影响。结果表明,冻融作用一般提高了有机土对铵根离子的吸附量,线性方程能较好的拟合低浓度范围氨氮的吸附,而且冻融作用降低了铵根离子吸附量为0时土壤溶液中氨氮的浓度。随着初始氨氮浓度从8.6mg·L-1升高到43.0mg·L-1,冻融条件下氨氮的分配系数从10.3L·kg-1升高到25.6L·kg-1;非冻融对照条件下氨氮的分配系数从7.0L·kg-1升高到19.8L·kg-1。冻融作用导致氨氮的分配系数增加了29.9%~47.3%,但氨氮的分配系数没有出现随冻融次数增加而升高的趋势。     

Potential mineralization and nitrification in volcanic grassland soils in Chile

Abstract

A proportion of the nitrogen (N) applied to grasslands as organic or inorganic fertilizers can be lost to water courses as nitrate and to the atmosphere as nitrous and nitric oxides. Volcanic soils from Chile are not generally prone to leaching, possibly due to net immobilization of nitrate and/or ammonium, and/or due to inhibition of nitrification by either chemical or physical processes. In laboratory studies we found large mineralization potentials in soils from three different Chilean soils after 17 weeks of incubation, totalling 215 and 254 mg kg^?1 dry soil for two Andisols and 127 mg kg^?1 dry soil in an Ultisol. Nitrification occurred after a short period, and was lowest in the Ultisol. In addition, microbial analysis showed nitrifiers to be present in all three soils. Adsorption of ammonium was two-fold stronger than for nitrate, ranging from 29 to 180 kg N ha^?1. The highest potential for N adsorption in the 0–60 cm soil profile was with the Ultisol (398 kg N ha^?1), but was similar in both Andisols (193 and 172 kg N ha^?1, respectively). The combination of ammonium retention together with delayed nitrification could account for the low leaching rates in these soils.     

Factors Affecting Nitrification in Soils

Abstract

Nitrification in soil converts relatively immobile ammonium‐nitrogen (N) to highly mobile nitrate‐N (via nitrite), and this has implications for N‐use efficiency by agricultural systems as well as for environmental quality, especially in situations where the potential for loss of soil or added N is high following nitrate formation. The literature on various physical, environmental, and chemical factors and their interactions on nitrification in soil is reviewed and discussed with examples from natural and agro‐ecosystems. Among the various factors, soil matrix, water status, aeration, temperature, and pH have strong influence on nitrification. The information on factors that influence nitrification is useful when developing strategies for regulating nitrification in soils by employing chemical or biological nitrification inhibitors.     

四川盆地酸性紫色水稻土硝化作用的类型及氧化锰的影响

酸性土壤中的硝化活性存在很大空间变异,并且其硝化类型也因土壤环境条件而异。锰氧化物作为土壤矿物的一种,可能通过其生物毒性及作用土壤氮矿化等影响硝化过程。本研究在四川盆地分别采集pH为4.6,4.9两种酸性紫色水稻土,通过添加乙炔或锰氧化物,探究四川盆地酸性水稻土硝化作用的主要类型以及锰氧化物对硝化作用的影响。结果表明:酸性水稻土中存在显著的硝化活性,加入乙炔后,pH4.9空白对照和pH4.9加硫酸铵处理的两种酸性紫色水稻土的净硝化速率均显著下降,分别从0.46 mg kg~(-1)d~(-1),0.58 mg kg~(-1)d~(-1)降至-0.08 mg kg~(-1)d~(-1),-0.15 mg kg~(-1)d~(-1),证明酸性水稻土的硝化作用主要以自养硝化作用为主;pH4.6,4.9土样加入锰氧化物后,净硝化速率分别从2.07 mg kg~(-1)d~(-1),3.17 mg kg~(-1)d~(-1)下降到0.60 mg kg~(-1)d~(-1),2.71 mg kg~(-1)d~(-1),表明锰氧化物对酸性水稻土硝化作用的净效应是抑制作用,可能的原因是酸性条件下锰氧化物对硝化微生物的毒性所致。     

Nitrification in forest soil of different pH as affected by urea,ammonium sulphate and potassium sulphate

Nitrification was inhibited by ammonium sulphate and potassium sulphate added to soil from the organic horizon (pH 4.7) of a Myrtillus-type pine forest. Urea did not inhibit nitrification. Soil pH was slightly decreased by the salts but increased by urea. The salts increased soil electrical conductivity more than urea did. The inhibition of nitrification following salt treatments was probably due to a decrease in soil pH and not to osmotic effects. In acid conditions, the salts had a less inhibitory effect on CO₂ production than on nitrification, indicating that nitrifying bacteria were more sensitive than other organisms to the salts.     

Einfluß langjähriger Düngung mit verschiedenen N-Formen auf pH-Wert,Humusfraktionen, biologische Aktivität und Stickstoffdynamik einer Acker-Braunerde

Influence of long-term fertilizing with different forms of nitrogen fertilizer on pH, humic fractions, biological activity and dynamics of nitrogen of an arable brown earth The evaluation of soil characteristics in a 53 years field trial (arable brown earth, sandy silty loam, eff. field cap. 160mm, pH 5,9, total C 0,9 %, total N 0,1 %, CEC 15 meq/100 g soil) gave the following results: Fertilizing with ammonium sulfate decreased pH in topsoil down to 4.9. The acidification reached a depth of 50cm. Liming in addition to ammonium sulfate could not keep pH on the same level as calcium cyanamide did. The other treatments showed pH-values between 5.8 and 6.0. Total carbon and nitrogen in treatments with farm manure, calcium cyanamide and ammonium sulfate were 0.91 to 0.98 % C, in the treatments without N and with nitrate 0.81 resp. 0.87 % C. Farm manure and calcium cyanamide produced a higher content of humic acids in organic matter than ammonium and nitrate fertilization did. Ammonium fertilization increased the content of fulvic acids. Biological activity of soils, measured as activity of 5 enzymes and 02-consumption depends mainly on pH. Highest activity is found in the soil of treatment calcium cyanamide (except catalase). The proportion of hydrolysable and non-hydrolysable nitrogen (12 % non-hydrolysable N) was not changed by fertilizing (except in the plot with farm manure which increased non-hydrolysable N to 14%). Nitrogen mineralisation in laboratory incubation trials were closely correlated with total N (r = 0.94). Lower correlation was found in plant experiments (r = 0.72 to 0.79). Other factors influencing nitrogen mineralisation are discussed.     

Nitrification and denitrification in submerged Maahas clay soil

A laboratory experiment showed that the oxidized layer of submerged soil has high nitrifying activity. Denitrification was active in soil below the soil surface. Tracer technique indicated that the nitrification and the subsequent denitrification of ammonium sulfate was most active in the layer about 2 cm below the soil surface, and that the activities extended to a depth of about 5 cm, Nitrification Inhibitors reduced the nitrogen lost through nitrification and subsequent denitrification.     

双氰胺对不同质地红壤中碳酸氢铵的硝化抑制作用研究

通过室内好气培养试验,研究了双氰胺(DCD)对施入不同质地红壤中碳酸氢铵的硝化抑制作用。结果表明,添加DCD明显提高了相应处理的铵态氮含量,降低了硝态氮含量。无论加入DCD与否,砂壤土中碳酸氢铵的硝化时间大约都需7周;轻粘土中碳酸氢铵的硝化时间为35.d,加入硝化抑制剂后硝化时间可延长2周;而中壤土中至培养结束时仍有较高的铵态氮,故铵的硝化时间有待进一步研究。DCD对碳酸氢铵的硝化抑制效果中壤土优于砂壤土、轻粘土;在砂壤土和轻粘土中,DCD对低浓度铵态氮处理的硝化抑制效果好;而在中壤土中对高浓度的抑制效果好。     

Nitrification,acidification, and nitrogen leaching from subtropical cropland soils as affected by rice straw-based biochar: laboratory incubation and column leaching studies

Purpose

Few studies have examined the effects of biochar on nitrification of ammonium-based fertilizer in acidic arable soils, which contributes to NO₃ ^? leaching and soil acidification.

Materials and methods

We conducted a 42-day aerobic incubation and a 119-day weekly leaching experiment to investigate nitrification, N leaching, and soil acidification in two subtropical soils to which 300 mg N kg^?1 ammonium sulfate or urea and 1 or 5 wt% rice straw biochar were applied.

Results and discussion

During aerobic incubation, NO₃ ^? accumulation was enhanced by applying biochar in increasing amounts from 1 to 5 wt%. As a result, pH decreased in the two soils from the original levels. Under leaching conditions, biochar did not increase NO₃ ^?, but 5 wt% biochar addition did reduce N leaching compared to that in soils treated with only N. Consistently, lower amounts of added N were recovered from the incubation (KCl-extractable N) and leaching (leaching plus KCl-extractable N) experiments following 5 wt% biochar application compared to soils treated with only N.

Conclusions

Incorporating biochar into acidic arable soils accelerates nitrification and thus weakens the liming effects of biochar. The enhanced nitrification does not necessarily increase NO₃ ^? leaching. Rather, biochar reduces overall N leaching due to both improved N adsorption and increased unaccounted-for N (immobilization and possible gaseous losses). Further studies are necessary to assess the effects of biochar (when used as an addition to soil) on N.     

Nitrification in soils incubated with pig slurry or ammonium sulphate

The effects of temperature, moisture content and the addition of pig slurry on nitrification in two soils were studed. There was no accumulation of NO₂^?-N under the incubation conditions investigated and the accumulation of NO₃^?-N was linear for additions of 50–250 μg NH₄⁺-N g^? soil, either as ammonium sulphate or as pig slurry. Nitrate formation was treated as a single step, zero order process to enable a rate constant to be calculated. Nitrification rate increased with increasing moisture content up to the highest level tested, soil water potential ?8.0 kPa, corresponding to approximately 60% of water holding capacity in both soils. Measurable nitrification was found in both soils at the lowest moisture content (soil water potential ?1.5 MPa) and temperature (5° C) tested. The nitrification rate constant in soils treated with 50 μg NH₄⁺-N g^? soil was not significantly affected (P = 0.05) by the form of ammonium added. Addition of 250 μg NH₄⁺-N as ammonium sulphate caused a marked inhibition of nitrification at all moisture contents and temperatures. Addition of 250 μg NH₄⁺-N as pig slurry caused a marked increase in nitrification rate, the increase being greater at the higher temperatures and moisture contents.     

冻融状态和初始含水率对土壤力学性能的影响

冻融状态影响土壤的抗剪强度从而威胁季节性冻土地区的工程安全、边坡稳定以及土壤流失。通过直剪试验测定了不同冻融状态和初始含水率对青藏地区（S1）和北京地区（S2）土体抗剪强度的影响。结果显示,2种土在未冻和已融状态下的抗剪强度相似,且均随着土含水率的增加而减小,但S1土抗剪强度比S2土大7.5%～9.7%;在冻融状态下,S1土抗剪强度随着土含水率的增加而增大,而S2土则随之减小。S1冻融土抗剪强度在低含水率（≤13.5%）时小于未冻土和已融土,而在高含水率（≥24.5%）时则反之;S2冻融土抗剪强度小于未冻土和已融土。在冻融状态下2种测试土的内摩擦角显著小于未冻土和已融土,而黏聚力整体上则大于未冻土和已融土。与未冻土或已融土相比,2种土在冻融状态下的强度相对较低,宜作为季节性冻土地区工程设计以及土壤流失防治的基本状态。     

Organic matter available for denitrification in different soil fractions: effect of freeze/thaw cycles and straw disposal

The 0 to 20-cm surface layer of a sandy loam soil was sampled in early autumn from plots where straw had either been removed or incorporated annually for 22 years. Denitrification in whole soils, 1–2-mm wet-stable aggregates, clay and silt size fractions was determined by acetylene blocking during anaerobic incubation with excess nitrate. Thus available organic matter was the limiting factor. Samples were exposed to one or two freeze/thaw cycles, or used unfrozen. K₂SO₄-extractable carbon (C) was determined before and after CHCI, fumigation. Freeze/thaw increased denitrification in whole soils and in aggregates. In aggregates and in whole soil without straw the increase in denitrification was similar following two freeze/thaw cycles, and well above the amount that could be fed by extractable soil C. In whole soils with straw addition, an extra denitrification increase occurred at first thaw only. This straw-induced denitrification surplus was matched by a decline in soil microbial biomass. For other samples and treatments, the freeze/thaw released C from additional organic matter sources. The availability of C in clay for denitrification was twice that of silt-associated C. Straw disposal generally had no effect on the bioavailability of particle-bound C. In contrast to whole soils and aggregates, the availability of organic matter in clay and silt after one freeze/thaw cycle was only half that observed from unfrozen samples. The effect of freeze/thaw on whole soils and aggregates may be to release organic matter available for denitrification by killing the microbial biomass and by disintegrating aggregates. However, the impact of freeze/thaw on completely dispersed samples such as clay and silt may be to promote the formation of granular structures (micro-aggregation) in which organic matter may become less accessible to denitrifiers.