Impact of faunal complexity on microbial biomass and N turnover in field mesocosms from a spruce forest soil

In a field study using soil mesocosms in an acid spruce forest soil we investigated the effects of mesofauna and macrofauna on microbial biomass, dissolved organic matter, and N cycling. Intact soil monoliths were taken from the ground, defaunated by deep-freezing, and wrapped in nets of various mesh-sizes to control re-immigration of different faunal size-classes. The monoliths were then replanted in the field. Three treatments of mesocosms were prepared: (1) with only microbiota, (2) microbiota and mesofauna, and (3) microbiota, mesofauna, and macrofauna (= complex fauna). After 8 months of exposure the mesocosms and the unmanipulated control plots (treatment 4) were destructively sampled. We estimated microbial biomass by substrate-induced respiration and the chloroform fumigation-extraction method. N cycling was measured by monitoring microbial N mineralization, the NH _inf4 ^sup+ content, and selected amino acids and the activities of protease, urease, and deaminase. The results from the L/F layer showed that the pool of the microbial biomass was not changed by the activity of the mesofauna. However, the mesofauna and macrofauna together enhanced SIR. An increase in microbial N mineralization was only observed in treatment 3 (microbiota + complex fauna). Protease activity and NH _inf4 ^sup+ content increased in treatments 2 (microbiota + mesofauna) and 3 (microbiota + complex fauna). The complex fauna induced a soil pH increase in treatment 3 as opposed to treatment 1 and the control. This increase was presumably due to excretory NH _inf4 ^sup+ . Principal component analysis revealed that the complex fauna in treatment 3 caused a significantly higher N turnover per unit of microbial biomass.     

Turnover of grain legume N rhizodeposits and effect of rhizodeposition on the turnover of crop residues

The turnover of N derived from rhizodeposition of faba bean (Vicia faba L.), pea (Pisum sativum L.) and white lupin (Lupinus albus L.) and the effects of the rhizodeposition on the subsequent C and N turnover of its crop residues were investigated in an incubation experiment (168 days, 15 °C). A sandy loam soil for the experiment was either stored at 6 °C or planted with the respective grain legume in pots. Legumes were in situ ¹⁵N stem labelled during growth and visible roots were removed at maturity. The remaining plant-derived N in soil was defined as N rhizodeposition. In the experiment the turnover of C and N was compared in soils with and without previous growth of three legumes and with and without incorporation of crop residues. After 168 days, 21% (lupin), 26% (faba bean) and 27% (pea) of rhizodeposition N was mineralised in the treatments without crop residues. A smaller amount of 15–17% was present as microbial biomass and between 30 and 55% of mineralised rhizodeposition N was present as microbial residue pool, which consists of microbial exoenzymes, mucous substances and dead microbial biomass. The effect of rhizodeposition on the C and N turnover of crop residues was inconsistent. Rhizodeposition increased the crop residue C mineralisation only in the lupin treatment; a similar pattern was found for microbial C, whereas the microbial N was increased by rhizodeposition in all treatments. The recovery of residual ¹⁵N in the microbial and mineral N pool was similar between the treatments containing only labelled crop residues and labelled crop residues + labelled rhizodeposits. This indicates a similar decomposability of both rhizodeposition N and crop residue N and may be attributable to an immobilisation of both N sources (rhizodeposits and crop residues) as microbial residues and a subsequent remineralisation mainly from this pool.Abbreviations C or N_dec C or N decomposed from residues - C or N_mic microbial C or N - C or N_micres microbial residue C or N - C or N_min mineralised C or N - C or N_input added C or N as crop residues and/or rhizodeposits - dfr derived from residues - dfR derived from rhizodeposition - Ndfr N derived from residues - NdfR N derived from rhizodeposition - N_loss losses of N derived from residues - SOM soil organic matter - WHC water holding capacity     

Model of apparent and real priming effects: Linking microbial activity with soil organic matter decomposition

The most frequently used models simulating soil organic matter (SOM) dynamics are based on first-order kinetics. These models fail to describe and predict such interactions as priming effects (PEs), which are short-term changes in SOM decomposition induced by easily available C or N sources. We hypothesized that if decomposition rate depends not only on size of the SOM pool, but also on microbial biomass and its activity, then PE can be simulated. A simple model that included these interactions and that consisted of three C pools - SOM, microbial biomass, and easily available C - was developed. The model was parameterized and evaluated using results of ¹²C-CO₂ and ¹⁴C-CO₂ efflux after adding ¹⁴C-labeled glucose to a loamy Haplic Luvisol. Experimentally measured PE, i.e., changes in SOM decomposition induced by glucose, was compared with simulated PE. The best agreement between measured and simulated CO₂ efflux was achieved by considering both the total amount of microbial biomass and its activity. Because it separately described microbial turnover and SOM decomposition, the model successfully simulated apparent and real PE.The proposed PE model was compared with three alternative approaches with similar complexity but lacking interactions between the pools and neglecting the activity of microbial biomass. The comparison showed that proposed new model best described typical PE dynamics in which the first peak of apparent PE lasted for 1 day and the subsequent real PE gradually increased during 60 days. This sequential decomposition scheme of the new model, with immediate microbial consumption only of soluble substrate, was superior to the parallel decomposition scheme with simultaneous microbial consumption of two substrates with different decomposability. Incorporating microbial activity function in the model improved the fit of simulation results with experimental data, by providing the flexibility necessary to properly describe PE dynamics. We conclude that microbial biomass should be considered in models of C and N dynamics in soil not only as a pool but also as an active driver of C and N turnover.     

Twenty years of intensive fertilization and competing vegetation suppression in loblolly pine plantations: Impacts on soil C, N, and microbial biomass

Silvicultural treatments of fertilization (F) and competing vegetation suppression (H) have continued to increase as demands for forest products have grown. The effects of intensive annual F and H treatments on soil C, N, microbial biomass, and CO₂ efflux were examined in a two-way factorial experiment (control, F, H, FxH) in late-rotation (20+ years) loblolly pine stands. This study is unique in testing the cumulative effects of continual H and repeated F treatments for the first 20 years of stand growth, an uncommon operational practice, and in having treatments replicated upon four different soil types in the state of Georgia, USA. Annual fertilization included applications of N, P, K and periodic additions of micronutrients while competing vegetation suppression was maintained for all non-pine vegetation with herbicides throughout the rotation. Measurements included total O-horizon (forest floor) organic matter, C, and N, and 0-10 cm mineral soil pH, C, N, microbial biomass C and N, and surface CO₂ efflux. Sample collections and analyses were conducted seasonally for 1.5 yrs. Competing vegetation suppression was associated with a decrease of total soil C, soil microbial biomass C and N, and soil surface CO₂ efflux, while increasing O-horizon C:N. The fertilization treatment greatly reduced soil microbial biomass C and N, soil pH, and O-horizon C:N, while increasing O-horizon mass, N content, and soil carbon. No significant interactions between F and H were found. The combination of F and H treatments acted additively to achieve the greatest loss of soil microbial biomass, which may possibly have negative implications for long-term soil fertility.     

Nitrogen turnover in a repeatedly manured arid subtropical soil: Incubation studies with 15N isotopes

Under the hot and moist conditions of irrigated agriculture in the arid subtropics, turnover of organic matter is high, which can lead to considerable carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) losses. Therefore, sustainable use of these soils requires regular manure application at high rates. To investigate the contribution of consecutive manure applications to an arid sandy soil to various soil N pools, goat manure was isotopically labeled by feeding ¹⁵N‐enriched Rhodes grass hay and applied to the soil during a two‐year field experiment. In the first year, soils received ¹⁵N‐labeled manure to distinguish between soil‐derived and manure‐derived N. In the second year, these plots were split for the application of either ¹⁵N‐labeled or unlabeled manure to discriminate N derived from previous (first year) and recent (second year) manure application. Soil samples (of control and ¹⁵N‐manured soil) were collected at the end of the first and the second year, and incubated in two laboratory experiments with labeled or unlabeled manure. At the beginning of Experiment 1, 7% of total N, 11% of K₂SO₄ extractable N, and 16% of microbial biomass N were derived from previously field‐applied manure. While the application of manure during incubation increased microbial biomass N by 225% and 410% in the control soil and the previously field‐manured soil, respectively, N₂O emissions were more affected on the control soil, releasing considerable amounts of the soil N‐pool (80% of total emissions). In Experiment 2, 4% of total N, 7% of K₂SO₄ extractable N, and 7% of microbial biomass N derived from previously applied manure, and 4%, 8%, and 3% from recently applied manure, respectively. Microbial biomass N and N₂O‐N derived from manure declined with time after manure application, whereas in Experiment 1 this tendency was only observed for microbial biomass N.     

Soil microbial biomass and activity under a potato crop fertilised with N with and without C

Summary A range of soil microbiological parameters were measured at intervals throughout the growing season of a potato crop. Treatments applied to the soil at sowing were zero N fertilisation of N fertilisation at 120 kg N ha^–1, either alone or supplemented with straw or sucrose at 1200 kg C ha^–1. C and N flushes determined by fumigation-incubation and fumigation-extraction, and substrate-induced respiration, were measured as indicators of microbial biomass. Microbial activity was measured as respiration (CO₂ production) and dehydrogenase activity (formazan production). The greatest effects were obtained from the addition of N plus sucrose. Both biomass size and activity were significantly stimulated for up to 25 days after incorporation, with the magnitude of the effects consistently diminishing over time. By 125 days after planting, there was no detectable legacy from any of the treatmentson any of the biomass parameters that were measured, and all values had reverted to those prevalent at planting. There was no consistent effect from adding N, either alone or supplemented with straw, on any of the biomass parameters. There was no evidence for crop-induced stimulation of the biomass. The experiment demonstrates that biomass is only influenced where the quantity, quality, and rate of incorporation of C into the soil is appropriate, in this case, only by adding C as a pulse of sucrose.     

Changes in soil microbial biomass, metabolic quotient, and organic matter turnover under Hieracium (H. pilosella L.)

 In New Zealand Hieracium is an opportunistic plant that invades high country sites more or less depleted of indigenous vegetation. To understand the invasive nature of this weed we assessed the changes in soil C, N and P, soil microbial biomass C, N and P contents, microbial C : N and C : P ratios, the metabolic quotient, and turnover of organic matter in soils beneath Hieracium and its adjacent herbfield resulting from the depletion of tussock vegetation. The amounts of soil organic C and total N were higher under Hieracium by 25 and 11%, respectively, compared to soil under herbfield. This change reflects an improvement in both the quantity and quality of organic matter input to mineral soil under Hieracium, with higher percentage organic C and a lower C : N ratio. The microbial biomass C, N and P contents were also higher under Hieracium. The amount of C respired during the 34-week incubation indicated differences in the nature of soil organic matter under Hieracium, the unvegetated "halo" zone surrounding Hieracium patches, and herbfield (depleted tussock grassland). Decomposition of organic matter in these zones showed that the Hieracium soil had the greatest rate of CO₂ respired, and the halo soil had the lowest. We relate the enhanced organic C turnover to the invasive nature of Hieracium. Net N mineralization was significantly lower from the Hieracium soil (57 mg N g^–1 soil N) than from herbfield and halo soils (74 and 71 mg N g^–1 soil N, respectively), confirming that the nature of organic N in Hieracium soil is different from adjoining halo and herbfield soils. It seems plausible that specific compounds such as polyphenols and lignins released by Hieracium are not only responsible for increased organic N, but also control the form and amount of N released during organic matter transformations. We conclude that the key to the success of Hieracium in the N-deficient South Island high country of New Zealand lies in its ability to control and sequester N supply through modifying the soil organic matter cycle. Received: 1 December 1998     

A comparison of soil and microbial carbon,nitrogen, and phosphorus contents,and macro-aggregate stability of a soil under native forest and after clearance for pastures and plantation forest

Total, extractable, and microbial C, N, and P, soil respiration, and the water stability of soil aggregates in the F-H layer and top 20 cm of soil of a New Zealand yellow-brown earth (Typic Dystrochrept) were compared under long-term indigenous native forest (Nothofagus truncata), exotic forest (Pinus radiata), unfertilized and fertilized grass/clover pastures, and gorse scrub (Ulex europaeus). Microbial biomass C ranged from 1100 kg ha^-1 (exotic forest) to 1310kg ha^-1 (gorse scrub), and comprised 1–2% of the organic C. Microbial N and P comprised 138–282 and 69–119 kg ha^-1 respectively, with the highest values found under pasture. Microbial N and P comprised 1.8–7.0 and 4.9–18% of total N and P in the topsoils, and 1.8–4.4 and 23–32%, respectively, in the F-H material. Organic C and N were higher under gorse scrub than other vegetation. Total and extractable P were highest under fertilized pasture. Annual fluxes through the soil microbial biomass were estimated to be 36–85 kg N ha^-1 and 18–36 kg P ha^-1, sufficiently large to make a substantial contribution to plant requirements. Differences in macro-aggregate stability were generally small. The current status of this soil several years after the establishment of exotic forestry, pastoral farming, or subsequent reversion to scrubland is that, compared to levels under native forest, there has been no decline in soil and microbial C, N, and P contents or macro-aggregate stability.     

Gross nitrogen mineralisation rates in pastural soils and their relationships with organic nitrogen fractions, microbial biomass and protease activity under glasshouse conditions

In this study, gross nitrogen (N) mineralisation rates were determined in six pasture soils (Fleming, Kairanga, Karapoti, Lismore, Templeton and Waikoikoi) from three different regions of New Zealand. The soils were kept under controlled soil water potential (–10 to –30 kPa) and temperature (12–20°C) conditions in a glasshouse. The gross N mineralisation rates ranged from 0.76 to 5.87 g N g^–1 soil day^–1 in the six soils and were positively correlated with the amount of amino acid-N (AA-N), ammonia-N (NH₃-N), total hydrolysable-N (TH-N), microbial biomass-carbon (MB-C), microbial biomass-N (MB-N), protease activity and organic C and N. A stepwise regression was used to generate equations that could best describe gross N mineralisation rates. Microbial biomass-carbon and AA-N were included in the equation that best described the gross N mineralisation rate:

Plant biomass, soil water content and soil N:P ratio regulating soil microbial functional diversity in a temperate steppe: A regional scale study

Soil microorganisms are influenced by various abiotic and biotic factors at the field plot scale. Little is known, however, about the factors that determine soil microbial community functional diversity at a larger spatial scale. Here we conducted a regional scale study to assess the driving forces governing soil microbial community functional diversity in a temperate steppe of Hulunbeir, Inner Mongolia, northern China. Redundancy analysis and regression analysis were used to examine the relationships between soil microbial community properties and environmental variables. The results showed that the functional diversity of soil microbial communities was correlated with aboveground plant biomass, root biomass, soil water content and soil N: P ratio, suggesting that plant biomass, soil water availability and soil N availability were major determinants of soil microbial community functional diversity. Since plant biomass can indicate resource availability, which is mainly constrained by soil water availability and N availability in temperate steppes, we consider that soil microbial community functional diversity was mainly controlled by resource availability in temperate steppes at a regional scale.     

Cultivation effects on biochemical properties, C storage and N natural abundance in the 0–5 cm layer of an acidic soil from temperate humid zone

Changes in some soil chemical, including ¹⁵N values, and biochemical properties (microbial C, FDA hydrolysis, glucosidase and urease activities) due to two tillage systems, conventional tillage (CT) and no-tillage (NT), were evaluated in an acid soil from temperate humid zone (NW of Spain) and compared with values obtained for a reference forest soil. The results showed that in the surface layer (0–5 cm depth) tillage tended to increase soil pH and to decrease organic matter levels and microbial biomass and activity values. The data also indicated that 8 years of NT, compared to CT, resulted in greater organic matter content and increased microbial biomass and activity, the changes being more pronounced for the microbial properties. Adoption of NT resulted in an increase of soil C storage of 1.24 Mg C ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ with regard to CT. The suitability of ¹⁵N as a potential tracer of land-use in this acid soil was also confirmed.     

Black carbon decomposition and incorporation into soil microbial biomass estimated by C labeling

Incomplete combustion of organics such as vegetation or fossil fuel led to accumulation of charred products in the upper soil horizon. Such charred products, frequently called pyrogenic carbon or black carbon (BC), may act as an important long-term carbon (C) sink because its microbial decomposition and chemical transformation is probably very slow. Direct estimations of BC decomposition rates are absent because the BC content changes are too small for any relevant experimental period. Estimations based on CO₂ efflux are also unsuitable because the contribution of BC to CO₂ is too small compared to soil organic matter (SOM) and other sources.We produced BC by charring ¹⁴C labeled residues of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne). We then incubated this ¹⁴C labeled BC in Ah of a Haplic Luvisol soil originated from loess or in loess for 3.2 years. The decomposition rates of BC were estimated based on ¹⁴CO₂ sampled 44 times during the 3.2 years incubation period (1181 days). Additionally we introduced five repeated treatments with either 1) addition of glucose as an energy source for microorganisms to initiate cometabolic BC decomposition or 2) intensive mixing of the soil to check the effect of mechanical disturbance of aggregates on BC decomposition. Black carbon addition amounting to 20% of C_org of the soil or 200% of C_org of loess did not change total CO₂ efflux from the soil and slightly decreased it from the loess. This shows a very low BC contribution to recent CO₂ fluxes. The decomposition rates of BC calculated based on ¹⁴C in CO₂ were similar in soil and in loess and amounted to 1.36 10⁻⁵ d⁻¹ (=1.36 10⁻³% d⁻¹). This corresponds to a decomposition of about 0.5% BC per year under optimal conditions. Considering about 10 times slower decomposition of BC under natural conditions, the mean residence time (MRT) of BC is about 2000 years, and the half-life is about 1400 years. Considering the short duration of the incubation and the typical decreasing decomposition rates with time, we conclude that the MRT of BC in soils is in the range of millennia.The strong increase in BC decomposition rates (up to 6 times) after adding glucose and the decrease of this stimulation after 2 weeks in the soil (and after 3 months in loess) allowed us to conclude cometabolic BC decomposition. This was supported by higher stimulation of BC decomposition by glucose addition compared to mechanical disturbance as well as higher glucose effects in loess compared to the soil. The effect of mechanical disturbance was over within 2 weeks. The incorporation of BC into microorganisms (fumigation/extraction) after 624 days of incubation amounted to 2.6 and 1.5% of ¹⁴C input into soil and loess, respectively. The amount of BC in dissolved organic carbon (DOC) was below the detection limit (<0.01%) showing no BC decomposition products in water leached from the soil.We conclude that applying ¹⁴C labeled BC opens new ways for very sensitive tracing of BC transformation products in released CO₂, microbial biomass, DOC, and SOM pools with various properties.     

Estimating microbial biomass N in soils with and without living roots: Limitations of a pre-extraction step

Special net-closed soil containers were used in a pot experiment with low and high plant densities to give soil samples with and without roots. Soils from the containers were analysed either by the fumigation-extraction method or by a modified procedure starting with a pre-extraction and sieving step to remove plant roots from the samples. In the extracts NO ₃ ^- -N, NH ₄ ⁺ -N, organic N, and total N were measured. Microbial biomass N was calculated from the differences in total N in fumigated and unfumigated soils. Different plant densities had almost no influence on the values of the N compounds using either method. In soils with roots, significantly more organic N (and total N) was found by the fumigation-extraction method compared to soils without roots while no differences were obtained using pre-extractions and sieving. Though the organic N content in pre-extracts from soils with roots was significantly higher than from soils without roots, the NO ₃ ^- -N and NH ₄ ⁺ -N content was lower. Significant differences in biomass N in soils with and without roots were found only with the fumigation-extraction method. Biomass N levels calculated using the results after pre-extraction and sieving were about 50% lower than levels detected using fumigation-extraction alone. With the use of special net-closed soil containers, not only were soil samples produced with and without roots, but it was also possible to induce a rhizophere in the soils. A comparison of the two methods using these soils clearly demonstrated that the method used has profound influence on the final biomass N results. While higher biomass levels were found by fumigation-extraction in soils with roots, because root N becomes extractable after fumigation, the use of a pre-extraction and a sieving step may underestimate the total biomass N content due to the pre-extraction of microbial N (especially from rhizosphere microorganisms) from the sample. Nevertheless, pre-extraction and sieving followed by fumigation-extraction does seem to be the preferable method for biomass N measurement in comparative studies, because in most cases only minor errors will occur.     

Tillage systems for a cotton–peanut rotation with winter-annual grazing: Impacts on soil carbon, nitrogen and physical properties

Integrating livestock with cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) and peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) production systems by grazing winter-annuals can offer additional income for producers provided it does not result in yield-limiting soil compaction. We conducted a 3-year field study on a Dothan loamy sand (fine-loamy, kaolinitic, thermic plinthic kandiudults) in southern Alabama, USA to determine the influence of tillage system prior to cotton–peanut planting on soil properties following winter-annual grazing. Two winter-annual forages [oat (Avena sativa L.) and annual ryegrass (Lolium mutiflorum L.)] and four tillage practices [chisel + disk, non-inversion deep tillage (paratill) with and without disking and no-till] were evaluated in a strip-plot design of four replications. We evaluated cone index, bulk density, infiltration, soil organic carbon (SOC), and total nitrogen (N). Paratilling prior to cotton or peanut planting, especially without surface soil tillage, reduced compaction initially to 40 cm and residually to 30 cm through the grazing period in winter. There were no significant differences in cone index, bulk density, or infiltration between forage species. No-tillage resulted in the greatest bulk density (1.65 Mg m⁻³) and lowest infiltration (36% of water applied), while paratilling increased infiltration in no-tillage to 83%. After 3 years, paratilling increased SOC 38% and N 56% near the soil surface (0–5 cm), as compared to concentrations at the beginning of the experiment, suggesting an improvement in soil quality. For coastal plain soils, integrating winter-annual grazing in a cotton–peanut rotation using a conservation tillage system of non-inversion deep tillage (paratill) with no surface tillage can improve soil quality by reducing cone index, increasing infiltration, and increasing SOC in the soil surface.     

Carbon dynamics determined by natural C abundance in microcosm experiments with soils from long-term maize and rye monocultures

Understanding carbon dynamics in soil is the key to managing soil organic matter. Our objective was to quantify the carbon dynamics in microcosm experiments with soils from long-term rye and maize monocultures using natural ¹³C abundance. Microcosms with undisturbed soil columns from the surface soil (0-25 cm) and subsoil (25-50 cm) of plots cultivated with rye (C₃-plant) since 1878 and maize (C₄-plant) since 1961 with and without NPK fertilization from the long-term experiment ‘Ewiger Roggen’ in Halle, Germany, were incubated for 230 days at 8 °C and irrigated with 2 mm 10⁻² M CaCl₂ per day. Younger, C₄-derived and older, C₃-derived percentages of soil organic carbon (SOC), dissolved organic carbon (DOC), microbial biomass (C_mic) and CO₂ from heterothropic respiration were determined by natural ¹³C abundance. The percentage of maize-derived carbon was highest in CO₂ (42-79%), followed by C_mic (23-46%), DOC (5-30%) and SOC (5-14%) in the surface soils and subsoils of the maize plots. The percentage of maize-derived C was higher for the NPK plot than for the unfertilized plot and higher for the surface soils than for the subsoils. Specific production rates of DOC, CO₂-C and C_mic from the maize-derived SOC were 0.06-0.08% for DOC, 1.6-2.6% for CO₂-C and 1.9-2.7% for C_mic, respectively, and specific production rates from rye-derived SOC of the continuous maize plot were 0.03-0.05% for DOC, 0.1-0.2% for CO₂-C and 0.3-0.5% for C_mic. NPK fertilization did not affect the specific production rates. Strong correlations were found between C₄-derived C_mic and C₄-derived SOC, DOC and CO₂-C (r≥0.90), whereas the relationship between C₃-derived C_mic and C₃-derived SOC, DOC and CO₂-C was not as pronounced (r≤0.67). The results stress the different importance of former (older than 40 years) and recent (younger than 40 years) litter C inputs for the formation of different C pools in the soil.     

Interactions between litter quality, decomposition and soil fertility: a laboratory study

Leaf litters from beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) and oak (Quercus robur L.) trees were collected from mixed, deciduous woodlands growing on three soil types that varied in mineral nutrient concentrations and N mineralisation potential. Litter quality, including %N, %Mn, %P, acid detergent fibre, cellulose, Klason lignin, phenylpropanoid constituents of lignin, hexose and pentose sugar (mainly from hemicelluloses) varied within species according to soil type. However, oak and beech showed the opposite responses to soil nutrient status for most of these variables. The litters were incubated in the laboratory for 12 months (at 18 °C and constant moisture) on beds of forest floor material from two soils of contrasting high nutrient material (HNM) or low nutrient material (LNM) nutrient status to investigate litter quality and substrate interactions. At 4, 8 and 12 months there were significant differences in mass losses from oak and beech litters from all sites, and for each litter type exposed to the HNM and LMN soils. At 12 months mean mass losses were higher for HNM treatment (38.7% oak, 27.8% beech) than for the LNM treatment (30.6% oak, 25.5% beech). However, the beech and oak litters from the different sites consistently responded in opposite ways on the same soil treatment reflecting site-related effects on litter quality. Initial concentration of Klason lignin was the best predictor for mass losses from litter species and litter types. Intra-specific variation in rates of litter decomposition of beech and oak litters from different sites, and differences in their interactions with the two forest floor materials, illustrate the complexities of proximate controls on decomposition that are often masked in system-level studies.     

Sources and mechanisms of priming effect induced in two grassland soils amended with slurry and sugar

The mechanisms and specific sources of priming effects, i.e. short term changes of soil organic matter (SOM) decomposition after substance addition, are still not fully understood. These uncertainties are partly method related, i.e. until now only two C sources in released CO₂ could be identified. We used a novel approach separating three carbon (C) sources in CO₂ efflux from soil. The approach is based on combination of different substances originated from C₃ or C₄ plants in different treatments and identical transformation of substances like C₃ sugar (from sugar beet) and C₄ sugar (from sugar cane). We investigated the influence of the addition of two substances having different microbial utilizability, i.e. slurry and sugar on the SOM or/and slurry decomposition in two grassland soils with different levels of C_org (2.3 vs. 5.1% C). Application of slurry to the soil slightly accelerated the SOM decomposition. Addition of sugar lead to changes of SOM and slurry decomposition clearly characterized by two phases: immediately after sugar addition, the microorganisms switched from the decomposition of hardly utilizable SOM to the decomposition of easily utilizable sugar. This first phase was very short (2-3 days), hence was frequently missed in other experiments. The second phase showed a slightly increased slurry and SOM decomposition (compared to the soil without sugar). The separation of three sources in CO₂ efflux from grassland soils allowed us to conclude that the C will be utilized according to its utilizability: sugar>slurry>SOM. Additionally, decomposition of more inert C (here SOM) during the period of intensive sugar decomposition was strongly reduced (negative priming effect). We conclude that, priming effects involve a chain of mechanisms: (i) preferential substrate utilization, (ii) activation of microbial biomass by easily utilizable substrate (iii) subsequent increased utilization of following substrates according to their utilizability, and (iv) decline to initial state.     

Contribution of sorption,DOC transport and microbial interactions to the 14C age of a soil organic carbon profile: Insights from a calibrated process model

Profiles of soil organic carbon (SOC) are often characterized by a steep increase of ¹⁴C age with depth, often leading to subsoil ¹⁴C ages of more than 1000 years. These observations have generally been reproduced in SOC models by introducing a SOC pool that decomposes on the time-scale of millennia. The overemphasis of chemical recalcitrance as the major factor for the persistence of SOC was able to provide a mechanistic justification for these very low decomposition rates. The emerging view on SOC persistence, however, stresses that apart from molecular structure a multitude of mechanisms can lead to the long-term persistence of organic carbon in soils. These mechanisms, however, have not been incorporated into most models. Consequently, we developed the SOC profile model COMISSION which simulates vertically resolved SOC concentrations based on representations of microbial interactions, sorption to minerals, and vertical transport. We calibrated COMISSION using published concentrations of SOC, microbial biomass and mineral-associated OC (MOC), and in addition, ¹⁴C contents of SOC and MOC of a Haplic Podzol profile in North-Eastern Bavaria, Germany. In order to elucidate the contribution of the implemented processes to the ¹⁴C age in different parts of the profile, we performed model-experiments in which we switched off the limitation of SOC decomposition by microbes, sorptive stabilization on soil minerals, and dissolved OC (DOC) transport. By splitting all model pools into directly litter-derived carbon and microbe-derived organic carbon, we investigated the contribution of repeated microbial recycling to ¹⁴C ages throughout the profile. The model-experiments for this site lead to the following implications: Without rejuvenation by DOC transport, SOC in the subsoil would be on average 1700 ¹⁴C years older. Across the profile, SOC from microbial recycling is on average 1400 ¹⁴C years older than litter-derived SOC. Without microbial limitation of depolymerization, SOC in the subsoil would be on average 610 ¹⁴C years younger. Sorptive stabilization is responsible for relatively high ¹⁴C ages in the topsoil. The model-experiments further indicate that the high SOC concentrations in the Bh horizon are caused by the interplay between sorptive stabilization and microbial dynamics. Overall, the model-experiments demonstrate that the high ¹⁴C ages are not solely caused by slow turnover of a single pool, but that the increase of ¹⁴C ages along a soil profile up to ages >1000 years is the result of different mechanisms contributing to the overall persistence of SOC. The dominant reasons for the persistence of SOC are stabilization processes, followed by repeated microbial processing of SOC.     

Turnover of soil organic matter and of microbial biomass under C3-C4 vegetation change: Consideration of C fractionation and preferential substrate utilization

Two processes contribute to changes of the δ¹³C signature in soil pools: ¹³C fractionation per se and preferential microbial utilization of various substrates with different δ¹³C signature. These two processes were disentangled by simultaneously tracking δ¹³C in three pools - soil organic matter (SOM), microbial biomass, dissolved organic carbon (DOC) - and in CO₂ efflux during incubation of 1) soil after C₃-C₄ vegetation change, and 2) the reference C₃ soil.The study was done on the Ap horizon of a loamy Gleyic Cambisol developed under C₃ vegetation. Miscanthus giganteus - a perennial C₄ plant - was grown for 12 years, and the δ¹³C signature was used to distinguish between ‘old’ SOM (>12 years) and ‘recent’ Miscanthus-derived C (<12 years). The differences in δ¹³C signature of the three C pools and of CO₂ in the reference C₃ soil were less than 1‰, and only δ¹³C of microbial biomass was significantly different compared to other pools. Nontheless, the neglecting of isotopic fractionation can cause up to 10% of errors in calculations. In contrast to the reference soil, the δ¹³C of all pools in the soil after C₃-C₄ vegetation change was significantly different. Old C contributed only 20% to the microbial biomass but 60% to CO₂. This indicates that most of the old C was decomposed by microorganisms catabolically, without being utilized for growth. Based on δ¹³C changes in DOC, CO₂ and microbial biomass during 54 days of incubation in Miscanthus and reference soils, we concluded that the main process contributing to changes of the δ¹³C signature in soil pools was preferential utilization of recent versus old C (causing an up to 9.1‰ shift in δ¹³C values) and not ¹³C fractionation per se.Based on the δ¹³C changes in SOM, we showed that the estimated turnover time of old SOM increased by two years per year in 9 years after the vegetation change. The relative increase in the turnover rate of recent microbial C was 3 times faster than that of old C indicating preferential utilization of available recent C versus the old C.Combining long-term field observations with soil incubation reveals that the turnover time of C in microbial biomass was 200 times faster than in total SOM. Our study clearly showed that estimating the residence time of easily degradable microbial compounds and biomarkers should be done at time scales reflecting microbial turnover times (days) and not those of bulk SOM turnover (years and decades). This is necessary because the absence of C reutilization is a prerequisite for correct estimation of SOM turnover. We conclude that comparing the δ¹³C signature of linked pools helps calculate the relative turnover of old and recent pools.