The effect of three fungicides on nitrification and ammonification in soil

Three fungicides, Captan, Thiram and Verdasan were added at varying concentrations to soil amended with ammonium sulphate, and their effect upon nitrification and ammonification was studied over 28 days. Two general effects of addition of fungicides on nitrification were apparent. At very low concentrations all three fungicides stimulated or did not affect this process. The stimulation was most marked after treatment with Thiram at 10 μg a.i./g soil. At higher concentrations the fungicides led to a progressive decrease in nitrate production. The concentration at which nitrification was inhibited was for Verdasan 10 μg, Thiram 100 μg and Captan above 250 μg a.i./g soil.At low concentration all three fungicides did not greatly affect ammonification. At increasing concentrations, however, there was a marked increase of NH⁺₄-N, compared with the controls. The lowest rates of application of the three fungicides resulted in most nitrification and least ammonification. The results are discussed in relation to the differential effects of the fungicides on the soil microbial population.     

Effects of successive soil freeze-thaw cycles on nitrification potential of soils

Abstract

In our previous report (Yanai et al. 2004: Soil Sci. Plant Nutr., 50, 821–829), we demonstrated that soil freeze-thaw cycles caused a partial sterilization of the soil microbial communities and exerted limited effects on the potential of organic matter decomposition of soils. In the present study, the effects of soil freeze-thaw cycles on the nitrification potential of soils were examined and the impacts of the freeze-thaw cycles on the nitrifying communities were analyzed. Samples of surface soils (0 to 10 cm depth) were collected, from tropical arable land sites, temperate forest, and arable land sites~ Nitrification potential was assayed by the incubation of soils with or without the addition of 200 fig N of ammonium sulfate per g soil to reach a moisture content adjusted to 60% of maximum water-holding capacity at 27~wC following four successive soil freeze-thaw cycles (-13 and 4°C at 12 h-intervals). Nitrification potential of the soils, in which the decrease in the microbial biomass following the freeze-thaw cycles was less appreciable, was not inhibited by the soil freeze-thaw cycles. On the other hand, the nitrification potential of the soils, in which the decrease in the microbial biomass following the soil freeze-thaw cycles was relatively more appreciable, was clearly inhibited by the freeze-thaw cycles or was undetectable even in the unfrozen control. Surprisingly, nitrate production in the samples of an arable soil collected from Vietnam was inhibited by the addition of ammonium sulfate, and thus the effects of counter-anions of ammonium salts on the nitrification potential of the soils were examined. Since a much larger amount of nitrate was produced in the Vietnam soil with the addition of ammonium acetate and ammonium hydrogen carbonate than that in the soil with the addition of ammonium sulfate, it was considered that ammonium sulfate inhibited nitrification in the soil. These results indicated that ammonium sulfate may not always be a suitable substrate for estimating the nitrification potential of soils. Relationship between soil physicochemical properties and the effect of the soil freeze-thaw cycles on the nitrification potential was evaluated and it was considered that the soil pH(KCI) was likely to be responsible for the difference in the responses among soils, assuming that the pH values changed in unfrozen water under the frozen conditions of soils.     

The effect of young biochar on soil respiration

The low temperature pyrolysis of organic material produces biochar, a charcoal like substance. Biochar is being promoted as a soil amendment to enhance soil quality, it is also seen as a mechanism of long-term sequestration of carbon. Our experiments tested the hypothesis that biochar is inert in soil. However, we measured an increase in CO₂ production from soils after biochar amendment which increased with increasing rates of biochar. The ∂¹³C signature of the CO₂ evolved in the first several days of the incubation was the same as the ∂¹³C signature of the biochar, confirming that biochar contributed to the CO₂ flux. This effect diminished by day 6 of the incubation suggesting that most of the biochar C is slowly decomposing. Thus, aside from this short-term mineralization increasing soil C with young biochar may indeed be a long-term C storage mechanism.     

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.     

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.     

Gross nitrogen mineralization and nitrification rates and their relationships to enzyme activities and the soil microbial biomass in soils treated with dairy shed effluent and ammonium fertilizer at different water potentials

 Gross N mineralization and nitrification rates and their relationships to microbial biomass C and N and enzyme (protease, deaminase and urease) activities were determined in soils treated with dairy shed effluent (DSE) or NH₄ ⁺ fertilizer (NH₄Cl) at a rate equivalent to 200 kg N ha^–1 at three water potentials (0, –10 and –80 kPa) at 20  °C using a closed incubation technique. After 8, 16, 30, 45, 60 and 90 days of incubation, sub-samples of soil were removed to determine gross N mineralization and nitrification rates, enzyme activities, microbial biomass C and N, and NH₄ ⁺ and NO₃ ^– concentrations. The addition of DSE to the soil resulted in significantly higher gross N mineralization rates (7.0–1.7 μg N g^–1 soil day^–1) than in the control (3.8–1.2 μg N g^–1 soil day^–1), particularly during the first 16 days of incubation. This increase in gross mineralization rate occurred because of the presence of readily mineralizable organic substrates with low C : N ratios, and stimulated soil microbial and enzymatic activities by the organic C and nutrients in the DSE. The addition of NH₄Cl did not increase the gross N mineralization rate, probably because of the lack of readily available organic C and/or a possible adverse effect of the high NH₄ ⁺ concentration on microbial activity. However, nitrification rates were highest in the NH₄Cl-treated soil, followed by DSE-treated soil and then the control. Soil microbial biomass, protease, deaminase and urease activities were significantly increased immediately after the addition of DSE and then declined gradually with time. The increased soil microbial biomass was probably due to the increased available C substrate and nutrients stimulating soil microbial growth, and this in turn resulted in higher enzyme activities. NH₄Cl had a minimal impact on the soil microbial biomass and enzyme activities, possibly because of the lack of readily available C substrates. The optimum soil water potential for gross N mineralization and nitrification rates, microbial and enzyme activities was –10 kPa compared with –80 kPa and 0 kPa. Gross N mineralization rates were positively correlated with soil microbial biomass N and protease and urease activities in the DSE-treated soil, but no such correlations were found in the NH₄Cl-treated soil. The enzyme activities were also positively correlated with each other and with soil microbial biomass C and N. The forms of N and the different water potentials had a significant effect on the correlation coefficients. Stepwise regression analysis showed that protease was the variable that most frequently accounted for the variations of gross N mineralization rate when included in the equation, and has the potential to be used as one of the predictors for N mineralization. Received: 10 March 1998     

Impacts of continuous excessive fertilization on soil potential nitrification activity and nitrifying microbial community dynamics in greenhouse system

Purpose

Sampling and analysis of greenhouse soils were conducted in Shouguang, China, to study continuous excessive fertilization effect on nitrifying microbial community dynamics in greenhouse environment.

Materials and methods

Potential nitrification activity (PNA), abundance, and structure of nitrifying microbial communities as well as the correlations with soil properties were investigated.

Results and discussion

Short-term excessive fertilization increased soil nutrient contents and the diversity of nitrifying microbial communities under greenhouse cultivation. However, the abundance and diversity of nitrifying communities decreased greatly due to the increase of soil acidity and salinity after 14 years of high fertilization in greenhouse. There was a significant positive correlation between soil PNA and the abundance of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) but not that of ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) in topsoil (0–20 cm) when pH ≥7. Soil PNA and AOB were strongly influenced by soil pH. The groups of Nitrososphaeraceae, Nitrosomonadaceae, and Nitrospiraceae were predominant in the AOA, AOB, and nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB) communities, respectively. Nitrifying community structure was significantly correlated with soil electrical salinity (EC), organic carbon (OC), and nitrate nitrogen (NO₃ ^?–N) content by redundancy analysis (RDA).

Conclusions

Nitrification was predominated by AOB in greenhouse topsoil with high fertilizer loads. Soil salinity, OC, NO₃ ^?–N content, and pH affected by continuous excessive fertilization were the major edaphic factors in shaping nitrifying community structure in greenhouse soils.

     

Dicyandiamide effects on nitrification and total inorganic soil nitrogen in sandy soils

Abstract

Inhibition of nitrification in soil results in a decreased ratio of nitrate‐nitrogen (NO₃‐N) to ammonium‐nitrogen (NH₄‐N). If the conditions for NO₃‐N loss by leaching or denitrification exist, nitrification inhibitors should increase concentrations of total inorganic soil nitrogen (N) (TISN) (NH₄‐N + NO₃‐N). This can then result in plants taking up more N and developing more crop yield or biomass. This study examined whether inhibition of nitrification by dicyandiamide (DCD) would result in increased concentrations of TISN under field conditions. The effects of DCD on soil N were evaluated in hyperthermic sandy soils planted to potato (Solanum tuberosum L., cv. Atlantic). Treatments were factorial combinations of N as ammonium nitrate (NH₄NO₃) at 67, 134, and 202 kg N ha^‐1 and DCD at 0, 5.6, and 11.2 kg DCD ha^‐1. Soil NH₄‐N, NO₃‐N, and TISN concentrations were determined for up to five potato growth stages at two locations for two years for a total of 16 determinations (cases), i.e., four were not determined. The N form ratio [NO₃‐N/(NH₄‐N + NO₃‐N] x 100 was decreased in 10 of 16 cases, indicating that nitrification was inhibited by DCD. With two of these 10 cases, TISN concentration increased, but with four others, TISN concentration decreased with at least one N rate. With four of these 10 cases, inhibition of nitrification had no effect on TISN concentration. Under the conditions of these field studies, DCD inhibited nitrification more often than not. Inhibition of nitrification was, however, more likely to reduce TISN concentration than to increase it. This may have been due to DCD effects on immobization of applied NH₄‐N.     

Temperature dependence of nitrification,denitrification, and turnover of nitric oxide in different soils

Summary The temperature dependence of the NO production rate and the NO consumption rate constant was measured in an Egyptian soil, a soil from the Bavarian Forest, and a soil from the Donau valley, together with the temperature dependence of the potential rates of ammonium oxidation, nitrite oxidation, and denitrification, and the temperature dependence of the growth of NH _inf4 ^sup+ -oxidizing, NO _inf2 ^sup- -oxidizing, and NO _inf3 ^sup- -reducing bacteria in most probable number assays. In the acidic Bavarian Forest soil, NO production was only stimulated by the addition of NO _inf3 ^sup- but not NH _inf4 ^sup+ . However, NO production showed no temperature optimum, indicating that it was due to chemical processes. Most probable numbers and potential activities of nitrifiers were very low. NO consumption, in contrast, showed a temperature optimum at 25°C, demonstrating that consumption and production of NO were regulated individually by the soil temperature. In the neutral, subtropical Egyptian soil, NO production was stimulated only by the addition of NH _inf4 ^sup+ but not NO _inf3 ^sup- . All activities and most probable numbers showed a temperature optimum at 25° or 30°C and exhibited apparent activation energies between 61 and 202 kJ mol^-1. However, a few nitrifiers and denitrifiers were also able to grow at 8° or 50°C. Similar temperature characteristics were observed in the Donau valley soil, although it originated from a temperate region. In this soil NO production was stimulated by the addition of NH _inf4 ^sup+ or of NO _inf3 ^sup- . Both NO production and consumption were stimulated by drying and rewetting.     

Impact of biochar on mineralisation of C and N from soil and willow litter and its relationship with microbial community biomass and structure

Using a laboratory experiment, we investigated the effect of applying willow biochar to short rotation coppice soil on C and N dynamics and microbial biomass and community composition, in the presence and absence of willow litter. Application of biochar at a rate of 0.5 % had no effect on net CO₂ mineralisation in the presence or absence of litter. However at a rate of 2 %, net CO₂ mineralisation was reduced by 10 and 20 % over a 90-day period in the absence and presence of litter respectively. Biochar reduced N mineralisation when applied at both 0.5 and 2 % concentrations. pH was increased by application of 2 % biochar to soil. Phospholipid fatty acid analysis demonstrated that both concentrations of biochar affected microbial community composition, although the effect of biochar was not as great as the effect of time or litter application in shaping community structure. In particular, the amount of bacterial biomass was increased by biochar application to soil, and there was evidence for increased abundance of Gram-negative bacteria and actinobacteria following biochar application. The data is discussed in the context of microbial mechanisms underlying impacts of biochar on C cycling in soil, and the coupling of C and N cycles following amendment of soil with biochar.     

Effects of phosphorus addition on soil microbial biomass and community composition in three forest types in tropical China

Elevated nitrogen (N) deposition in humid tropical regions may aggravate phosphorus (P) deficiency in forest on old weathered soil found in these regions. From January 2007 to August 2009, we studied the responses of soil microbial biomass and community composition to P addition (in two monthly portions at level of 15 g P m^?2 yr^?1) in three tropical forests in southern China. The forests were an old-growth forest and two disturbed forests (mixed species and pine dominated). The objective was to test the hypothesis that P addition would increase microbial biomass and change the composition of the microbial community, and that the old-growth forests would be more sensitive to P addition due to its higher soil N availability. Microbial biomass C (MBC) was estimated twice a year and the microbial community structure was quantified by phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) analysis at the end of the experiment. Addition of P significantly increased the microbial biomass and altered the microbial community composition in the old-growth forest, suggesting that P availability is one of the limiting factors for microbial growth. This was also reflected by significant increases in soil respiration after P addition. In contrast, P addition had no effect on the microbial biomass and the microbial community composition in the pine forests. Also in the mixed forest, the microbial biomass did not significantly respond to P addition, but soil respiration and the ratio of fungal-to-bacteria was significantly increased.     

Effects of the herbicide Topogard on soil respiration, nitrification, and denitrification in potato-cultivated soils differing in pH

We investigated the effects of Topogard 50 WP (3 kg ha^–1) on soil respiration, mineral N content, and number of denitrifying and total bacteria in four coarse-textured volcanic soils for 91 days. Topogard application decreased CO₂ evolution in acid soils (Tepedibi and Karaçakl) whereas soil respiration was initially increased in neutral and alkaline soils (Kaba and Balar). The herbicide application significantly stimulated ammonification in Kaba and Balar soils, while Tepedibi and Karaçakl soils showed significantly lower NH₄⁺-N contents than the control. The treatment inhibited the activity of nitrifying microorganisms and, thus it decreased the NO₃^–-N content in Tepedibi, Karaçakl, and Kaba soils, whereas the NO₃^–-N content was increased in Balar soil. The NO₂^–-N content of soils was not affected by the treatment. The activity of denitrifying bacteria was stimulated by the addition of herbicide in all soils, whereas the total number of bacteria was not influenced. It may be concluded that the effects of Topogard on the microbiological characteristics of coarse-textured soils are likely to be dependent on soil pH.     

Surface and subsurface microbial biomass, community structure and metabolic activity as a function of soil depth and season

Microbial biomass, size and community structure along with an estimate of microbial activity and soil chemical parameters were determined at three depths in two soils (e.g. sandy loam Ultic Hapludalf and silt loam Mollic Hapludalf) replicated three times under one winter and summer season. Microbial biomass and community structure were estimated from phospholipid-PO₄ content and fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) measurements. Microbial activity and assimilative capacity were estimated using a ³H-acetate incorporation into phospholipids and by incubating the soil samples at the average winter and summer temperatures, 3 and 20 °C, respectively. We found that the size of the microbial biomass in both the surface and the subsurface soils was not significantly affected by the seasonal variation but activity increased by as much as 83% at the summer temperatures in the surface soil. We demonstrated using FAME analysis that for both soils seasonal changes in the subsurface microbial community occurred. These findings suggest that winter conditions will shift the population activity level in both the surface and subsurface systems and the biochemical structure of the community in the subsurface. In all cases, the inorganic chemical properties of the soil, as a function of season, remained constant. The greatly increased activity of microbial population at the higher temperature will favor the capacity of the system to utilize nutrients or organic materials that may enter soil. During low temperature seasons the capacity of either surface or subsurface soils to assimilate materials is generally diminished but the reduction reflects changes in metabolism and not a reduced biomass size.     

Effect of temperature on soil microbial biomass and its metabolic quotient in situ under different tillage systems

Variations in the microbial biomass and the in situ metabolic quotient (qCO₂) due to climatic conditions were determined in a typical soil from the Argentine Rolling Pampa. Microbial C was evaluated by fumigation-incubation and qCO₂ was calculated using soil respiration in the field. An inverse relationship between microbial C and soil temperature was fitted to a model (r ²=0.90, P=0.01). No significant association with the soil water content was detected because the soil was generally near field capacity and thus water availability did not limited microbial growth and activity. Values of qCO₂ increased (r ²=0.89, P=0.01) as the result of metabolic activatìon, likely induced by a higher maintenance energy requirement at high temperatures. The highest values of qCO₂ were obtained when microbial C was the lowest, which was attributed to self consumption of microbial C in the presence of high temperatures. Consequently, microbial C was generally higher (P=0.05) in winter than in summer. Therefore, when microbial C is used as an index of soil biological activity, the influence of temperature should be taken into account.     

Short term soil priming effects and the mineralisation of biochar following its incorporation to soils of different pH

The aim of this work was to determine the magnitude of the priming effect, i.e. short-term changes in the rate (negative or positive) of mineralisation of native soil organic carbon (C), following addition of biochars. The biochars were made from Miscanthus giganteus, a C4 plant, naturally enriched with ¹³C. The biochars were produced at 350 °C (biochar350) and 700 °C (biochar700) and applied with and without ryegrass as a substrate to a clay-loam soil at pH 3.7 and 7.6. A secondary aim was to determine the effect of ryegrass addition on the mineralisation of the two biochars.After 87 days, biochar350 addition caused priming effects equivalent to 250 and 319 μg CO₂-C g⁻¹ soil, in the low and high pH soil, respectively. The largest priming effects occurred at the start of the incubations. The size of the priming effect was decreased at higher biochar pyrolysis temperatures, which may be a way of controlling priming effects following biochar incorporation to soil, if desired. The priming effect was probably induced by the water soluble components of the biochar. At 87 days of incubation, 0.14% and 0.18% of biochar700 and 0.61% and 0.84% of biochar350 were mineralized in the low and high pH soil, respectively. Ryegrass addition gave an increased biochar350 mineralisation of 33% and 40%, and increased biochar700 at 137% and 70%, in the low and high pH soils, respectively. Certainly, on the basis of our results, if biochar is used to sequester carbon a priming effect may occur, increasing CO₂-C evolved from soil and decreasing soil organic C. However, this will be more than compensated for by the increased soil C caused by biochar incorporation. A similar conclusion holds for accelerated mineralisation of biochar due to incorporation of fresh labile substrates. We consider that our results are the first to unequivocally demonstrate the initiation, progress and termination of a true positive priming effect by biochar on native soil organic C.     

Effects of nitrification inhibitor 3,4-dimethylpyrazole phosphate and fungicide iprodione on soil fungal biomass and community: based on internal transcribed spacer region

Purpose

Nitrification inhibitors that impact soil nitrifying microorganisms have been widely applied in agricultural soils to enhance the efficiency of nitrogen fertilizers. However, little is known about their combined impact with other chemical applications, such as fungicides, on soil fungi. This study specifically examined the effects of the nitrification inhibitor 3,4-dimethylpyrazole phosphate (DMPP), alone or together with the fungicide iprodione, on fungi biomass and community in a typical farmland soil.

Materials and methods

Four treatments were set: (1) control of zero agrochemical applications (CK), (2) a single DMPP application (DAA), (3) repeated iprodione applications (4×IPR), and (4) combined applications of DMPP and iprodione (DAA+4×IPR). The agrochemicals were applied at the recommended intervals, and the soil samples were incubated in the dark for 28 days. During the incubation, soil sample DNA was extracted, and the effects of DMPP and iprodione applications on soil fungal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) abundances were determined with quantitative PCR (qPCR). At the end of the incubation, Illumina MiSeq method was employed to assess soil fungal community diversity and structure.

Results and discussion

DMPP application had a negligible effect on fungal ITS abundance. However, repeated iprodione applications significantly decreased fungal ITS abundances. After 28 days of incubation, the fungal ITS abundances in the 4×IPR and DAA+4×IPR treatments were 43.6 and 56.2% of that measured from the CK treatment, respectively. Shannon indices of fungal communities demonstrated the treatment-induced gradients, with the DAA+4×IPR treatment harboring the highest Shannon index. Fungal community structures following the DAA and 4×IPR treatments remained overlapping with that in the CK treatment, but repeated iprodione applications markedly enriched the family Teratosphaeriaceae. Relative to the CK treatment, fungal community structure in the DAA+4×IPR treatment was significantly changed, with the families Cephalothecaceae, Hypocreaceae, and Cordycipitaceae harboring a linear discriminant analysis value >3.

Conclusions

DMPP application had negligible effects on soil fungal biomass, community diversity, and structure, potentially indicating that the DMPP is “bio-safe.” Conversely, repeated iprodione applications significantly decreased fungal ITS abundances. Moreover, the family Teratosphaeriaceae could be further investigated as a potential biomarker of the impacts of iprodione on soil fungi. The combined applications of DMPP and iprodione stimulated the Shannon diversity index and markedly changed soil fungal community structure.

     

The effect of glyphosate on soil microbial activity,microbial community structure,and soil potassium

The herbicide, glyphosate [N-(phosphonomethyl) glycine] is extensively used worldwide. Long-term use of glyphosate can cause micronutrient deficiency but little is known about potassium (K) interactions with glyphosate. The repeated use of glyphosate may create a selection pressure in soil microbial communities that could affect the nutrient dynamics such as K. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of single or repeated glyphosate applications on microbial and K properties of soils. A 54 day incubation study (Exp I) had a 3 × 5 factorial design with 3 soils (silt loam: fine, illitic, mesic Aeric Epiaqualf) of similar physical and chemical characteristics, that varied in long-term glyphosate applications (no, low, and high glyphosate field treatments) and five glyphosate rates (0, 0.5×, 1×, 2×, and 3× recommended field rates applied once at time zero). A second 6 month incubation study (Exp II) had a 3 × 3 factorial design with three soils (as described above) and three rates of glyphosate (0, 1×, and 2× recommended field application rates applied monthly). For each study microbial properties [respiration; community structure measured by ester linked fatty acid methyl ester (EL-FAME) analysis and microbial biomass K] and K fractions (exchangeable and non-exchangeable) were measured periodically. For Exp I, glyphosate significantly increased microbial respiration that was closely related to glyphosate application rate, most notably in soils with a history of receiving glyphosate. For Exp II, there was no significant effect of repeated glyphosate application on soil microbial structure (EL-FAME) or biomass K. We conclude that glyphosate: (1) stimulates microbial respiration particularly on soils with a history of glyphosate application; (2) has no significant effect on functional diversity (EL-FAME) or microbial biomass K; and (3) does not reduce the exchangeable K (putatively available to plants) or affect non-exchangeable K. The respiration response in soils with a long-term glyphosate response would suggest there was a shift in the microbial community that could readily degrade glyphosate but this shift was not detected by EL-FAME.     

Influence of vegetation types and soil properties on microbial biomass carbon and metabolic quotients in temperate volcanic and tropical forest soils

Abstract

There is limited knowledge about the differences in carbon availability and metabolic quotients in temperate volcanic and tropical forest soils, and associated key influencing factors. Forest soils at various depths were sampled under a tropical rainforest and adjacent tea garden after clear-cutting, and under three temperate forests developed on a volcanic soil (e.g. Betula ermanii and Picea jezoensis, and Pinus koraiensis mainly mixed with Tilia amurensis, Fraxinus mandshurica and Quercus mongolica), to study soil microbial biomass carbon (MBC) concentration and metabolic quotients (qCO₂, CO₂-C/biomass-C). Soil MBC concentration and CO₂ evolution were measured over 7-day and 21-day incubation periods, respectively, along with the main properties of the soils. On the basis of soil total C, both CO₂ evolution and MBC concentrations appeared to decrease with increasing soil depth. There was a maximal qCO₂ in the 0–2.5 cm soil under each forest stand. Neither incubation period affected the CO₂ evolution rates, but incubation period did induce a significant difference in MBC concentration and qCO₂ in tea soil and Picea jezoensis forest soil. The conversion of a tropical rainforest to a tea garden reduced the CO₂ evolution and increased the qCO₂ in soil. Comparing temperate and tropical forests, the results show that both Pinus koraiensis mixed with hardwoods and rainforest soil at less than 20 cm depth had a larger MBC concentration relative to soil total C and a lower qCO₂ during both incubation periods, suggesting that microbial communities in both soils were more efficient in carbon use than communities in the other soils. Factor and regression analysis indicated that the 85% variation of the qCO₂ in forest soils could be explained by soil properties such as the C:N ratio and the concentration of water soluble organic C and exchangeable Al (P < 0.001). The qCO₂ values in forest soils, particularly in temperate volcanic forest soils, decreased with an increasing Al/C ratio in water-soluble organic matter. Soil properties, such as exchangeable Ca, Mg and Al and water-soluble organic C:N ratio, were associated with the variation of MBC. Thus, MBC concentrations and qCO₂ of the soils are useful soil parameters for studying soil C availability and microbial utilization efficiency under temperate and tropical forests.