Rapid response of soil protozoa to elevated CO2

Short-term changes in bacterial and protozoan populations from the soil of plants grown under elevated atmospheric CO₂ were quantified. We grew Brassica nigra at either ambient or twice-ambient CO₂ levels within open-top chambers in the field for 4 weeks. Plant biomass, above- and belowground, was unaffected by elevated CO₂. Direct count bacterial density was unchanged under elevated CO₂. Flagellate density tended to increase, whereas amoebal density significantly declined under elevated CO₂. This change in protozoan community structure suggests trophic transfer of the elevated CO₂ fertilization effect through the soil food chain. Received: 20 August 1996     

Different responses of soil CO2 and N2O emissions to simulated N deposition in forests with divergent N transformation characteristics

CO₂ and N₂O are important greenhouse gases that are related to soil mineralization–immobilization turnover and nitrification. To explore the responses of CO₂ and N₂O emissions to N deposition in forests with different N transformation characteristics, CO₂ and N₂O fluxes were measured in two NH₄NO₃ fertilized plots. One plot was in a temperate pine plantation in Heilongjiang Liangshui National Nature Reserve (LS) with slow and minimally coupled mineralization–immobilization turnover and a high nitrification rate. The other plot was in a subtropical bamboo forest in the Fujian Daiyun Mountain National Nature Reserve (DY) in China with rapid and coupled mineralization–immobilization turnover but a low nitrification rate. The results showed that CO₂ emissions in the DY with a high mineralization rate were greater than those in the LS. Cumulative CO₂ emissions were significantly enhanced by N addition in DY, but in LS, they were not affected. The mean N₂O fluxes in the control were 0.010 and 0.008 mg N m^?2 hr^?1 for LS and DY, respectively. High N addition stimulated N₂O emissions in both LS and DY, but the response ratio for N₂O flux in LS (8.6) was larger than that in DY (2.9). These results suggested that soils with rapid and coupled mineralization–immobilization turnover are beneficial to CO₂ emissions and their positive response to N deposition. A high nitrification rate contributed to high N₂O emissions and the sensitive response of N₂O emissions to N deposition.     

Responses of CO2 and N2O emissions from soil-plant systems to simulated warming and acid rain in cropland

Journal of Soils and Sediments - Climate warming is anticipated to change the terrestrial carbon/nitrogen cycle through its impact on the fluxes of greenhouse gases such as CO2 and N2O. This study...     

土壤微生物生物量和呼吸强度对大气CO2浓度升高的响应

随着全球环境变化对陆地生态系统的影响逐渐成为公众和科学界关注的热点,CO2作为一种重要的温室气体受到格外重视.大气CO2浓度升高将直接影响陆地植物的光合作用[1].植物的光合产物约有20% ～ 50%被运送到地下,通过根系分泌及死亡输入土壤[2],因此大气CO2浓度升高将会间接影响土壤生态系统.长期以来,关于大气CO2浓度升高对农作物地上部分的研究较多,但关于大气CO2浓度升高对土壤特别是土壤微生物的影响的研究报道较少.     

Soil tillage and cover crop on soil CO2 emissions from sugarcane fields

Soil tillage is an agricultural practice that directly affects the global carbon cycle. Our study sought to assess the implications of adopting sunn hemp cover crops with different tillage practices on CO₂ emissions for two soil types (clayey and sandy soil) cultivated with sugarcane in Brazil. The experimental design was a split‐plot with randomized blocks, with the main plots being with cover crop or fallow and sub‐plots being under conventional or minimum tillage. Our results indicate that during the first 50 days after soil tillage, the variation in soil CO₂ emissions was stimulated by cover crop and soil tillage, while after that, it became dominated by the root respiration of sugarcane plants. We also found that over the first 97 days after the tillage, the clayey soil showed differences between minimum tillage with cover crop and fallow. Conversely, for sandy soil over the first 50 days following, there were differences between the tillage systems under cover cropping. Emissions from sugarcane rows were found to be greater than those from inter‐row positions. We concluded that soils under different textural classes had distinct patterns in terms of soil CO₂ emissions. The correct quantification of CO₂ emissions during the sugarcane renovation period should prioritize having a short assessment period (~50 days after soil tillage) as well as including measurements at row and inter‐row positions.     

CO2 efflux from deciduous forest litter and soil in response to simulated acid rain treatment

Using both field and laboratory measurements of CO₂ evolution as an index of decomposer activity, forest microcosms were used to evaluate the impact of simulated acidic precipitation on decomposition. The following pH treatments: 5.7, 4.5, 4.0, and 3.5 annual average were applied for a 30 mo period. No statistically significant effect of treatment on decomposition could be found in the field measurements. When the microcosm was partitioned into 01 and 02 litter, mineral soil (A and B horizons), and roots within the mineral soil horizons for laboratory determination of CO₂ efflux, only the 02 litter exhibited a statistically significant decrease as a function of treatment. The data collected do not allow a complete evaluation of the potential impact of this decrease. However, efflux of CO₂ from the 02 layer was small compared to the other layers, and this may account for the failure to detect a significant response in the field measurements. Although the field data did not exhibit a significant response, there is sufficient question concerning the 02 response to warrant additional investigation, especially since many plants derive a major portion of their nutritional requirements directly from the 02 litter layer.     

Linkages between soil micro-site properties and CO2 and N2O emissions during a simulated thaw for a northern prairie Mollisol

Biologically derived emissions of carbon dioxide (CO₂) and nitrous oxide (N₂O) at 0 °C vary with soil depth during soil thawing. Micro-site soil properties, especially those which influence porosity and substrate availability, also vary with depth and may help explain gas emissions. Intact soil cores collected to a depth of 80 cm from an undisturbed prairie Mollisol in central North Dakota were uniformly subjected to distinct temperature steps during a simulated soil thaw (−15 to 5 °C) and sampled for CO₂ and N₂O emissions throughout the soil profile. Emission data were fit to a first order exponential equation (E = αe^βT). Cores were then analyzed in 10 cm depth increments for micro-site properties including root length and mass, aggregation, and organic substrate availability (available, aggregate-protected and mineral-bound pools). Both CO₂ and N₂O emissions at 0 °C declined exponentially with depth. Emissions of CO₂ and N₂O at 0 °C were strongly related to root length (R² = 0.80 and 0.76, respectively), root mass (R² = 0.56 and 0.74), large macroaggregate mass (R² = 0.63 and 0.54), and aggregate-protected organic matter (R² > 0.57), while available organic matter was related to CO₂ (R² > 0.60) and not N₂O. When CO₂ and N₂O emissions were normalized by available and aggregate-protected carbon pools, respectively, nutrient use efficiency increased significantly with depth. Results suggest CO₂ and N₂O emissions are (1) positively influenced by the rhizosphere and (2) differentially affected by substrate pool or location. CO₂ emissions were more positively affected by available substrate, while N₂O emissions were more positively affected by less labile, aggregate-protected substrate.     

Warming and elevated CO2 combine to increase microbial mineralisation of soil organic matter

The net annual exchange of carbon between the atmosphere and terrestrial ecosystems is of prime importance in determining the concentration of CO₂ ([CO₂]) in the atmosphere and consequently future climate. Carbon loss occurs primarily through soil respiration; it is known that respiration is sensitive to the global changes in [CO₂] and temperature, suggesting that the net carbon balance may change in the future. However, field manipulations of temperature and [CO₂] alter many important environmental factors so it is unclear how much of the observed alterations in soil respiration is due to changes of microbial function itself instead of changes to the physical and chemical environment. Here we focus on resolving the importance of changes in the microbial community in response to warming and elevated [CO₂] on carbon mineralisation, something not possible in field measurements. We took plant material and soil inocula from a long running experiment where native grassland had been exposed to both warming and elevated CO₂ and constructed a reciprocal transplant experiment. We found that the rate of decomposition (heterotrophic respiration) was strongly determined by the origin of the microbial community. The combined warming + elevated CO₂ treatment produced a soil community that gave respiration rates 30% higher when provided with shoot litter and 70% for root litter than elevated CO₂ treatment alone, with the treatment source of the litter being unimportant. Warming, especially in the presence of elevated CO₂, increased the size of the apparent labile carbon pool when either C₃ or C₄ litter was added. Thus, the metabolic activity of the soil community was affected by the combination of warming and elevated CO₂ such that it had an increased ability to mineralise added organic matter, regardless of its source. Therefore, soil C efflux may be substantially increased in a warmer, high CO₂ world. Current ecosystem models mostly drive heterotrophic respiration from plant litter quality, soil moisture and temperature but our findings suggest equal attention will need to be paid to capturing microbial processes if we are to accurately project the future C balance of terrestrial ecosystems and quantify the feedback effect on atmospheric concentrations of CO₂.     

CO2浓度升高与增施钾肥对土壤化学性质的影响

采用土培和开顶箱法,研究了大气CO_2浓度升高与增施K肥共同作用对土壤化学性质的影响.结果表明,土壤中N、P的含量在高CO_2浓度和高K肥水平下下降,K的含量随K肥用量增加而增加.高K(200、300 mg/kg)处理和高浓度CO_2下温室次生盐渍化土壤中的NO_3~(-)、PO_4~(3-)、Ca~(2+)、Mg~(2+) 含量也显著降低.因此,在未来CO_2浓度升高的环境中,更多的K肥供应能促进作物对此生盐渍化土壤中养分的吸收,降低此生盐渍化土壤中盐分的积累.     

大气CO2浓度升高对土壤碳库的影响

土壤碳库是输入、输出土壤碳量的平衡:大气CO2浓度升高有可能通过生态系统中的各种生理过程来增加输入土壤的碳量,输入土壤碳量的增加使土壤成为一个潜在的碳汇,有可能缓解大气CO2浓度的升高;但另一方面输入土壤碳量的增加,为微生物的生长提供了能量,从而提高了微生物的活性,因此土壤呼吸增强,土壤碳输出增加.本文综述了大气CO2浓度升高对土壤碳输入、输出的影响以及目前研究中存在的争论,并提出有待进一步研究的领域和方向.     

The contribution of biogas residues to soil organic matter formation and CO2 emissions in an arable soil

The biogas production process generates as side-products biogas residues containing microbial biomass which could contribute to soil organic matter formation or induce CO₂ emissions when applied to arable soil as fertilizer. Using an isotope labelling approach, we labelled the microbial biomass in biogas residues, mainly G⁺ bacteria and methanogenic archaea via KH¹³CO₃, and traced the fate of microbial biomass carbon in soil with an incubation experiment lasting 378 days. Within the first seven days, 40% of the carbon was rapidly mineralized and after that point mineralization continued, reaching 65% by the end of the experiment. Carbon mineralization data with 93% recovery could be fitted to a two-pool degradation model which estimated proportions and degradation rate constants of readily and slowly degrading pools. About 49% of the carbon was in the slowly degrading pool with a half-life of 1.9 years, suggesting mid-term contribution to living and non-living soil organic matter formation. Biogas residues caused a priming effect at the beginning, thus their intensive application should be avoided.     

冻融交替对土壤CO2及N2O释放效应的研究进展

在秋冬交替和冬春交替时期高纬度地区和高海拔生态系统表层土壤常有冻融交替频繁发生。由于冻融交替作用通过改变土壤水热性质而对土壤物理、化学、生物学特性产生效应。冻结通常导致土壤团聚体破裂、微生物细胞及细根死亡,释放出活性较高的有机物,增强随后融解的土壤的反硝化和呼吸活性,从而影响土壤生物、生物化学过程以及生物地化循环。已有对苔原、泰加林等北极和亚北极生态系统的研究表明,土壤冻融交替次数、冻融极端温度、土壤水分、土壤团聚体结构变化等对CO2和N2O的释放通量影响较为显著,一般在冻融的最初几个循环温室气体排放会增加,随后会降至一个较为稳定的水平。目前,冻融循环变化背景下的温室气体排放研究主要是针对北方高纬度地区,而且对冻融交替影响土壤温室气体排放的机理研究也不够。我国面积广大的青藏高原高海拔地带在全球增温背景下,轻微增温会导致季节性冻土表层冻融交替次数增加,甚至冻土季节消失,加强全球增温背景下我国高山亚高山季节性冻土生态系统效应和过程研究,特别是土壤暖化导致的温室气体排放变化通量和变化机理的研究,对揭示全球变化的区域效应以及高海拔生态系统的管理都具有重要作用。     

Biogenic emissions of CO2 and N2O at multiple depths increase exponentially during a simulated soil thaw for a northern prairie Mollisol

The fate of carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) belowground is important to current and future climate models as soils warm in northern latitudes. Currently, little is known about the sensitivity of microbial respiration to temperature changes at depths below 15 cm. We used whole-core (7.6 cm dia. × 90 cm) laboratory incubations to determine if temperature response quotients (Q₁₀) for CO₂ and N₂O varied with depth for undisturbed prairie while plants were senescent and clipped at the surface. We collected intact soil cores from an undisturbed prairie in central North Dakota and uniformly subjected them to freezing (5 to ?15 °C) and thawing (?15 to 5 °C). We measured rates of CO₂ and N₂O emissions at 5 °C temperature increments at 0, 15, 30, 45, 60, and 75 cm depths. During freezing, active and sterilized core emissions occurred only between 0 and ?10 °C. During thawing, a simple first-order exponential model, E = αe^βT, fit observed CO₂ and N₂O emissions (R² = 0.91 and 0.99, respectively). Parameter estimates for β were not significantly different across depths for CO₂ and for N₂O (Q₁₀ = 4.8 and 13.7, respectively). Parameter estimates for α (emissions when temperature is 0 °C) exponentially declined with depth for both gases for similar depth-response curves. Stepwise regressions of soil properties on α parameter estimates indicated emissions of CO₂ and N₂O at 0 °C during thawing were positively correlated (R² > 0.6) with soil porosity. Results indicate pedogenic properties associated with depth may not necessarily influence temperature response curves during thawing but will affect emissions at 0 °C for both CO₂ and N₂O.     

Grassland rehabilitation significantly increases soil carbon stocks by reducing net soil CO2 emissions

Restoration of degraded grasslands through improved management is among the possible sustainable solutions to compensate for anthropogenic soil carbon (C) emissions. While several studies have shown a positive effect of rehabilitation on soil C, the impact on soil CO₂ emissions is still uncertain. Therefore, this study aimed at quantifying the impact of grassland rehabilitation on soil CO₂ emissions in a degraded grassland, South Africa. Commonly used rehabilitation practices were considered, that is rotational grazing (RG), livestock exclosure with fertilizer application (EF) and annual burning (AB), all being compared with traditional free grazing (FG). A total of 2880 in situ measurements of CO₂ emissions were performed over 2.5 years under field conditions simultaneously with aboveground biomass, soil temperature, water content and soil organic C (SOC) to understand the changes in C fluxes. The RG performed the best under degraded grasslands by decreasing net CO₂ emissions (per g of C) by 17% compared to FG, while EF increased emissions by 76% and AB had similar emissions to FG. The lower net emission under RG is associated with an increase in SOC stocks by 50% and aboveground biomass by 93%, after three years of implementation. Soil CO₂ emissions were correlated positively to aboveground biomass and topsoil temperature (r = 0.91 and 0.60, respectively), implying a high effect of grass cover on soil microclimate and microbial activity. These results suggested RG as a potential cost-effective nature-based soil management strategy to increase SOC stocks into degraded grassland. However, long-term trials replicated in different environments are still required.     

Studies of precipitation contamination levels over the north-western forests of Russia subject to emissions from the two nickel smelters

The results of investigations carried out in the forests of Kola peninsula subject to long-term air pollution by the nickel industrial enterprises are presented. Samples of rainwater from the open sites, from under the coniferous (pine) trees crowns and of the stemflow were collected at various distances from the emission sources. The highest levels in pollution of rainwater are detected over the area adjacent to the smelters. Researches of contamination of the precipitation in the vicinity of the two nickel enterprises of Kola peninsula show that concentrations of pollutants vary significantly (up to an order of magnitude) depending upon the meteorological conditions. The area of impact on forests of Kola peninsula is restricted by the radius of 30–40 km from the emission sources.     

Plastic mulching increased soil CO2 concentration and emissions from an oasis cotton field in Central Asia

Although previous researchers suggest that carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions are influenced by plastic mulching, the effects of this method on soil CO₂ concentration and emissions remain uncertain. Soil CO₂ concentration and emissions from ridge and furrow soils under mulched and nonmulched treatments in 2014 and 2015 were measured. The soil CO₂ concentration was observed using modified diffusion equilibrium samplers, and the soil CO₂ emissions were measured using a closed‐chamber method. In the ridge soil, although the plastic mulching increased the CO₂ concentration by 49% (0–40 cm), no significant difference in CO₂ emissions was found between the mulched and nonmulched treatments. Accordingly, the relationship between soil CO₂ concentration and CO₂ emissions was affected by plastic mulching, with a lower slope of the linear equation found in the mulched treatment compared to the nonmulched treatment. In the furrow soil, the plastic mulching increased the CO₂ concentration and emissions by 15% and 21%, respectively. In conclusion, plastic mulching significantly increased the CO₂ concentration in both the ridge and furrow soils and increased the cumulative CO₂ emissions by 8%. The temperature sensitivity of the soil CO₂ concentration increased with soil depth, whereas the plastic mulching only influenced the temperature sensitivity of the soil CO₂ concentration in both the ridge and furrow soils at a depth of 40 cm. Our results suggest that the temperature sensitivity of the soil CO₂ concentration not only reflects the effects of temperature on CO₂ production but also indicates poor diffusion in the deep profile.     

Multiscale spatial variability of CO2 emissions and correlations with physico-chemical soil properties

Spatial variability of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from agricultural lands is not well known although it has a great impact on the accuracy of GHG budget.The objectives of this study were to assess the spatial variability of CO₂ emission fluxes (CO_2-flux) and correlate these emissions with soil physico-chemical properties at two spatial scales and at different depths using a new geostatistical approach (coregionalization analysis with a drift, CRAD) that performs multiscale spatial analysis.Two agricultural sites with sandy and loamy soils were instrumented at 108 geo-referred sampling points and at two depths during spring 2007 where soil surface CO_2-flux and soil physico-chemical parameters were measured. The CO_2-flux presented spatial patterns characterized by different scales (i.e., non-spatial, small spatial and large spatial scale components), each describing a different fraction of its variability. About a quarter of CO_2-flux variability at the first site and one fifth at the other site was attributed to the non-spatial component. Strongest correlations were obtained between CO_2-flux and soil temperature, water saturation (S_w), elevation, electrical conductivity, soil bulk density, and the C/N ratio, but with differences between sites. Correlations were much stronger at large scale. Analyzing correlations between CO_2-flux and soil properties without discriminating for scales can miss important scale-dependent processes controlling soil gas emissions. Scales at which these processes vary should therefore be taken into account.     

Short-term effects of aglime on inorganic- and organic-derived CO2 emissions from two acid soils amended with an ammonium-based fertiliser

Purpose

Aglime application can promote carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions from acid soils. However, the controlling mechanisms are still poorly understood, particularly the role of fertiliser-ammonium oxidation. This study therefore assessed the effects of aglime on soil inorganic C (SIC)– and soil organic C (SOC)–derived CO₂ emissions from acid soils amended with ammonium.

Materials and methods

Ammonium at three N rates [0% (A0), 0.005% (A1), and 0.2% (A2) w/w] and labelled aglime (Ca¹³CO_3,¹³C 5.94% aa) at three rates [0% (L1), 0.067% (L1), and 0.392% (L2) w/w] were applied to two contrasting acid soils (Nariva series, Mollic Fluvaquents; and Piarco series, Typic Kanhaplaquults) and incubated in 1-l media bottles for 23 days. A calcareous soil (Princes Town series, Aquentic Eutrudepts, carbonate δ¹³C of ??4.79‰) was included as a control that only received ammonium at the three rates.

Results and discussion

The application of ammonium at the A2 rate significantly (p?<?0.05) increased cumulative SIC-CO₂ emissions by 15.8 and 27.1% in comparison to the A0 rate for the Nariva and Piarco soils, respectively, when they were limed at the L2 rate. The lower rate of ammonium (A1), however, had no effect on these emissions, which suggests that enough acidity may not have been generated at this rate to significantly enhance the release of SIC-CO₂. Furthermore, no effect of ammonium rates was observed on SIC-CO₂ emissions from the calcareous soil, which refutes the hypothesis that this amendment plays a greater role in regulating these emissions from calcareous soils compared with acid soils. Also, in contradiction to another hypothesis, the aglime-induced priming effect on SOC decomposition was more apparent in the low-C Piarco soil. This effect was also significantly (p?<?0.05) greater at the L2 rate (above the lime requirement for Piarco), which demonstrates the negative impact that over-liming could have on the sequestration of C in this soil. Our results also showed that ammonium addition may also help to reduce the magnitude of the aglime-induced priming effect in the Piarco soil when it is not over-limed.

Conclusions

Overall, the findings of this study suggest that ammonium fertiliser broadcast at conventional rates may not serve as a significant regulator of SIC-CO₂ emissions from highly to moderately acidic soils amended with aglime. Our findings also indicate a need to consider nitrogen management as an important factor regulating the effects of aglime on SOC-CO₂ emissions.

     

表面风速和模拟降水对奶牛粪便堆放过程中N2O排放的影响

奶牛场粪便的自然堆放过程中会造成大量的温室气体排放,排放过程和排放量受表面风速和自然降水等环境因素的影响显著。该文针对中国常用的奶牛粪便管理方式,采用动态箱法研究了不同表面风速(0.5、0.8、1.2、1.6 m/s)和模拟降水(降水量9.9 mm)对奶牛粪便自然堆放过程中典型的温室气体氧化亚氮(N2O)排放的影响。结果表明,在0.5~1.2 m/s风速范围内,奶牛粪便自然堆放过程中的N2O排放量随风速升高逐渐增加,1.2 m/s达到最大值,且不同风速下N2O的排放量存在显著差异。模拟降水后N2O排放量在短时间内急剧升高,之后迅速下降至降水前的排放水平,整个过程持续约10 h。由于降低了二氧化碳(CO2)和甲烷(CH4)的排放,与降水前一天相比2次降水分别降低了12.9%和10.9%的温室气体排放量。     

Interactions between earthworms and mesofauna has no significant effect on emissions of CO2 and N2O from soil

Soil fauna can significantly affect soil CO₂ and N₂O emissions, but little is known about interactions between faunal groups and their relative contribution to such emissions. Over a 64-day microcosm incubation, we studied the effects of an epigeic earthworm (Eisenia fetida), mesofauna (Collembola plus oribatid mites) and their combinations on soil CO₂ and N₂O emissions under two faunal densities. Earthworms significantly enhanced soil CO₂ and N₂O emissions, while mesofauna only increased N₂O emissions. Soil CO₂ and N₂O emissions were significantly affected by earthworm density, but not by mesofauna density. No significant interactive effects between earthworms and mesofauna were found on soil CO₂ and N₂O emissions. Our results indicate that earthworms probably play the dominant roles in determining soil CO₂ and N₂O emissions where they coexist with soil mesofauna.