Plant species richness does not attenuate responses of soil microbial and nematode communities to a flood event

Human activities are causing climatic changes and alter the composition and biodiversity of ecosystems. Climate change has been and will be increasing the frequency and severity of extreme climate events and natural disasters like floods in many ecosystems. Therefore, it is important to investigate the effects of disturbances on ecosystems and identify potential stabilizing features of ecological communities. In this study, soil microbial and nematode communities were investigated in a grassland biodiversity experiment after a natural flood to investigate if plant diversity is able to attenuate or reinforce the magnitude of effects of the disturbance on soil food webs. In addition to community analyses of soil microorganisms and nematodes, the stability indices proportional resilience, proportional recovery, and proportional resistance were calculated. Generally, soil microbial biomass decreased significantly due to the flood with the strongest reduction in gram-negative bacteria, while gram-positive bacteria were less affected by flooding. Fungal biomass increased significantly three months after the flood compared to few days before the flood, reflecting elevated availability of dead plant biomass in response to the flood. Similar to the soil microbial community, nematode community structure changed considerably due to the flood by favoring colonizers (in the broadest sense r-strategists; c–p 1, 2 nematodes), particularly so at high plant diversity. None of the soil microbial community stability indices and few of the nematode stability indices were significantly affected by plant diversity, indicating limited potential of plant diversity to buffer soil food webs against flooding disturbance. However, plant diversity destabilized colonizer populations, while persister populations (in the broadest sense K-strategists; c–p 4 nematodes) were stabilized, suggesting that plant diversity can stabilize and destabilize populations depending on the ecology of the focal taxa. The present study shows that changes in plant diversity and subsequent alterations in resource availability may significantly modify the compositional shifts of soil food webs in response to disturbances.     

Soil water availability strongly alters the community composition of soil protists

Drought and heavy rainfall are contrasting conditions expected to result from increasingly extreme weather during climate change; and both scenarios will strongly affect the functioning of soil systems. However, little is known about the specific responses of soil microorganisms, whose functioning is intimately tied to the magnitude of the water-filled pore space in soil. Soil heterotrophic protists, being important aquatic soil organisms are considered as key-regulators of microbial nutrient turnover. We investigated the responses of distinct protist taxa to changes in soil water availability (SWA) using a modified enumeration technique that enabled quantification of protist taxa up to genus level. Our study revealed a non-linear shift of protist abundance with decreasing SWA and this became apparent at a maximum water-filled pore size of ≤40 μm. Generally, taxa containing large specimen were more severely affected by drought, but responses to either drought or rewetting of soils were not uniform among taxa. Changes in water availability may thus affect the functioning of key taxa and soil ecosystems long before aboveground “drought” effects become apparent.     

Changes in variability of soil moisture alter microbial community C and N resource use

Grassland ecosystems contain ∼12% of global soil organic carbon (C) stocks and are located in regions where global climate change will likely alter the timing and size of precipitation events, increasing soil moisture variability. In response to increased soil moisture variability and other forms of stress, microorganisms can induce ecosystem-scale alterations in C and N cycling processes through alterations in their function. We explored the influence of physiological stress on microbial communities by manipulating moisture variability in soils from four grassland sites in the Great Plains, representing a precipitation gradient of 485-1003 mm y⁻¹. Keeping water totals constant, we manipulated the frequency and size of water additions and dry down periods in these soils by applying water in two different, two-week long wetting-drying cycles in a 72-day laboratory incubation. To assess the effects of the treatments on microbial community function, we measured C mineralization, N dynamics, extracellular enzyme activities (EEA) and a proxy for substrate use efficiency. In soils from all four sites undergoing a long interval (LI) treatment for which added water was applied once at the beginning of each two-week cycle, 1.4-2.0 times more C was mineralized compared to soils undergoing a short interval (SI) treatment, for which four wetting events were evenly distributed over each two-week cycle. A proxy for carbon use efficiency (CUE) suggests declines in this parameter with the greater soil moisture stress imposed in LI soils from all four different native soil moisture regimes. A decline in CUE in LI soils may have been related to an increased effort by microbes to obtain N-rich organic substrates for use as protection against osmotic shock, consistent with EEA data. These results contrast with similar in situ studies of response to increased soil moisture variability and may indicate divergent autotrophic vs. heterotrophic responses to increased moisture variability. Increases in microbial N demand and decreases in microbial CUE with increased moisture variability observed in this study, regardless of the soils’ site of origin, imply that these systems may experience enhanced heterotrophic CO₂ release and declines in plant-available N with climate change. This has particularly important implications for C budgets in these grasslands when coupled with the declines in net primary productivity reported in other studies as a result of increases in precipitation variability across the region.     

Responses of soil microarthropods to warming and increased precipitation in a semiarid temperate steppe

Soil microarthropods are an important component in soil food webs and their responses to climate change could have profound impacts on ecosystem functions. As part of a long-term manipulative experiment, with increased temperature and precipitation in a semiarid temperate steppe in the Mongolian Plateau which started in 2005, this study was conducted to examine effects of climate change on the abundance of soil microarthropods. Experimental warming had slightly negative but insignificant effects on the abundance of mites (−14.6%) and Collembola (−11.7%). Increased precipitation greatly enhanced the abundance of mites and Collembola by 117 and 45.3%, respectively. The response direction and magnitude of mites to warming and increased precipitation varied with suborder, leading to shifts in community structure. The positive relationships of mite abundance with plant cover, plant species richness, and soil microbial biomass nitrogen suggest that the responses of soil microarthropods to climate change are largely regulated by food resource availability. The findings of positive dependence of soil respiration upon mite abundance indicate that the potential contribution of soil fauna to soil CO₂ efflux should be considered when assessing carbon cycling of semiarid grassland ecosystems under climate change scenarios.     

沼液淹没土壤抑制根结线虫及对土壤线虫群落的影响

为探索沼液抑制根结线虫的效果,本研究通过盆栽试验,以番茄为试供作物,对比了种植前沼液淹没土壤(BSS)、种植期间浇灌沼液(BS)和加热(HE)3种方法对根结线虫的防控效果。结果表明,与不采取任何措施的对照(CK)处理相比, BSS处理抑制根结线虫效果最为明显,防效高达97.1%,根结指数分别比HE和BS处理降低96.9%和92.9%。HE处理尽管在处理土壤后显著降低了根结线虫数量,但在最后破坏性取样时(结束试验)出现反弹,根结线虫数量甚至高于CK处理。对于土壤线虫群落,CK处理中以植食性线虫为主(81.8%);两个沼液处理中食细菌线虫占优势(平均78.3%),且其中的杂食捕食性线虫在土壤前处理后消失,在试验结束时又重新出现,但所占比例依然非常低。沼液淹水方式的高效防控效果揭示了利用沼液防控根结线虫的关键期在于线虫入侵到植物根部之前的幼虫期。然而,在盆栽系统中,沼液淹水的方式也对作物生长表现出了一定的抑制趋势。高量沼液施用防控病害的同时引发的植物毒害作用以及环境污染风险,需要进一步开展田间研究。     

Impact of expected increase in precipitation intensities on soil loss—results of comparative model simulations

The impact of the expected climate change on the frequency and extent of soil erosion processes is hardly assessable so far. This is mainly because available models of climate change reliably produce at best mean daily precipitation data, whereas erosion is the result of extreme but short time rainfall and runoff events, normally lasting no longer than a few hours. The frequency and intensity of these extreme rainfall events are expected to increase in some regions, which could lead to increased erosion rates. Mathematical models are able to describe erosion rates under conditions of these extreme events, however, so far prognostic meteorological data necessary for the application of these models are not available.The use of a new method for the projection of meteorological time series and their extremes using global climate simulations [Enke and Spekat, 1997, Enke, 2000, Enke, 2003, Enke et al., 2005 and Enke et al., in press] permits for the first time an approximation of future soil loss.This research is based on simulated, high resolution data for extreme rainfall events in the period of 2031–2050, which reproduces the mean frequency, intensity and duration of future events with high precipitation intensities relevant to erosion within the investigated seasonal period from June to August. The simulations are performed for two exemplary sites in Saxony, based on the EROSION 2D model (Schmidt, J., 1990. A mathematical model to simulate rainfall erosion, Catena, Suppl. 19), which is a process-based soil erosion model for simulating soil erosion and deposition by water on single slopes. Simulated precipitation for the 2031–2050 time period is used to model soil loss, and results are compared to soil loss based on 20 years of measured precipitation from 1981 to 2000.The simulation results allow the impacts of climate change on erosion rates to be quantified by comparing current climate with predicted, future climate. However, expected changes in land use due to changed economic conditions are not taken into account in this analysis.     

Biocrusts modulate warming and rainfall exclusion effects on soil respiration in a semi-arid grassland

Soil surface communities composed of cyanobacteria, algae, mosses, liverworts, fungi, bacteria and lichens (biocrusts) largely affect soil respiration in dryland ecosystems. Climate change is expected to have large effects on biocrusts and associated ecosystem processes. However, few studies so far have experimentally assessed how expected changes in temperature and rainfall will affect soil respiration in biocrust-dominated ecosystems. We evaluated the impacts of biocrust development, increased air temperature and decreased precipitation on soil respiration dynamics during dry (2009) and wet (2010) years, and investigated the relative importance of soil temperature and moisture as environmental drivers of soil respiration, in a semiarid grassland from central Spain. Soil respiration rates were significantly lower in the dry than in the wet year, regardless of biocrust cover. Warming increased soil respiration rates, but this response was only significant in biocrust-dominated areas (>50% biocrust cover). Warming also increased the temperature sensitivity (Q₁₀ values) of soil respiration in biocrust-dominated areas, particularly during the wet year. The combination of warming and rainfall exclusion had similar effects in low biocrust cover areas. Our results highlight the importance of biocrusts as a modulator of soil respiration responses to both warming and rainfall exclusion, and indicate that they must be explicitly considered when evaluating soil respiration responses to climate change in drylands.     

Seasonal influence of climate manipulation on microbial community structure and function in mountain soils

Microbial communities drive soil organic matter (SOM) decomposition through the production of a variety of extracellular enzymes. Climate change impact on soil microbial communities and soil enzymatic activities can therefore strongly affect SOM turnover, and thereby determine the fate of ecosystems and their role as carbon sinks or sources.To simulate projected impacts of climate change on Swiss Jura subalpine grassland soils, an altitudinal soil transplantation experiment was set up in October 2009. On the fourth year of this experiment, we measured microbial biomass (MB), microbial community structure (MCS), and soil extracellular enzymatic activities (EEA) of nine hydrolytic and oxidative extracellular enzymes in the transplanted soils on a seasonal basis.We found a strong sampling date effect and a smaller but significant effect of the climate manipulation (soil transplantation) on EEA. Overall EEA was higher in winter and spring but enzymes linked to N and P cycles showed higher potential activities in autumn, suggesting that other factors than soil microclimate controlled their pool size, such as substrate availability. The climate warming manipulation decreased EEA in most cases, with oxidative enzymes more concerned than hydrolytic enzymes. In contrast to EEA, soil MB was more affected by the climate manipulation than by the seasons. Transplanting soils to lower altitudes caused a significant decrease in soil MB, but did not affect soil MCS. Conversely, a clear shift in soil MCS was observed between winter and summer. Mass-specific soil EEA (EEA normalized by MB) showed a systematic seasonal trend, with a higher ratio in winter than in summer, suggesting that the seasonal shift in MCS is accompanied by a change in their activities. Surprisingly, we observed a significant decrease in soil organic carbon (SOC) concentration after four years of soil transplantation, as compared to the control site, which could not be linked to any microbial data.We conclude that medium term (four years) warming and decreased precipitation strongly affected MB and EEA but not MCS in subalpine grassland soils, and that those shifts cannot be readily linked to the dynamics of soil carbon concentration under climate change.     

Response of soil microbial communities and the production of plant-available nitrogen to a two-year rainfall manipulation in the New Jersey Pinelands

Projected changes in precipitation patterns in the northeastern U.S. may alter soil moisture dynamics and cause a shift in the structure and function of soil microbial communities. We studied the potential for such changes by manipulating annual precipitation amount in an oak-pine forest of the New Jersey Pinelands. During a two-year field study we tested the effects of a complete rain exclusion, as well as a doubling of rainfall, on soil microbial biomass, community composition (phospholipid fatty acid analysis) and the production of plant-available nitrogen (nitrogen mineralization + amino-acid production). We found that neither microbial biomass nor community composition was affected by the experimental manipulations. Despite having studied the organic horizon, the relatively high sand content appeared to influence this response by limiting the extent to which soil moisture increased in response to elevated rainfall. Furthermore, a strong correlation between soil moisture and the physiological status of Gram-negative bacteria suggested that soil microbes in the New Jersey Pinelands are well adapted to soil drying. We observed a sustained accumulation of ammonium in drought plots that was more than four times the value of all other treatments after one year. The relationship between soil moisture and nitrogen mineralization changed with season, suggesting that the effect of changing rainfall patterns on nitrogen cycling will depend upon microbial physiological demand and substrate diffusion. Based on available estimates of foliar N concentration in the New Jersey Pinelands, we conclude that neither the accumulation of ammonium in drought plots, nor the changes in nitrogen mineralization rates in response to high and low soil moisture will affect plant nitrogen demand. However, if the ammonium pool in dry soil had been mobilized by precipitation, a shift towards a higher bacteria:fungi ratio - and therefore higher nitrogen mineralization rates - may have occurred.     

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

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

Long-term experimental warming reduces soil nematode populations in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica

Climate models predict significant future warming in polar regions. In the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica, projected summer climate warming is expected to increase snow and glacial melt, resulting in higher stream discharge, rising lake levels, and an increase in areas of moist soil, but the potential influence of warming and associated changes in hydrology on the soil ecosystem is poorly understood. To examine the effects of soil warming and changes in the availability of liquid water on populations of soil invertebrates and their habitat, we established a full-factorial warming and water addition experiment at one experimental site in each of the three hydrologic basins of Taylor Valley, Antarctica, and measured responses over 8 years. We hypothesized that an increase in temperature and moisture together would enhance habitat suitability for soil invertebrates thereby increasing abundance, biomass and diversity of the soil animal communities. Instead, warming treatments had an overall negative effect on density and body size of the microbial-feeding nematode Scottnema lindsayae, the dominant animal in the dry valleys, which decreased by 42% in warmed plots. While experimental moisture additions as a single annual pulse had no effect on nematodes, the surface flooding of one site from rapid melting of upslope subsurface ice (the result of an unusual natural warming event) drastically altered soil moisture, salinity, and animal communities; mortality of S. lindsayae increased and densities decreased. This extreme soil wetting event also resulted in an increase in chlorophyll a and populations of Eudorylaimus spp, a nematode species that prefers moist to wet habitats and feeds on soil micro-algae. Our results suggest that warming in the dry valleys could significantly affect soil nematode populations and species composition both directly and indirectly by altering species-specific habitat suitability for soil biota.     

Near infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) could be used for characterization of soil nematode community

Studying soil nematofauna provides useful information on soil status and functioning but requires high taxonomic expertise. Near infrared reflectance (NIR) spectroscopy (NIRS) has been reported to allow fast and inexpensive determination of numerous soil attributes. Thus the present study aimed at assessing the potential of NIRS for determining the abundance and diversity of soil nematodes in a set of 103 clayey topsoil samples collected in 2005 and 2006 from agricultural soils in the highlands of Madagascar.The morphological characterization of soil nematofauna involved extraction through elutriation then counting under binoculars and identification at family or genus level using microscopy, on ca. 150-g fresh soil samples. Taxa were assigned to five trophic groups, namely bacterial feeders, fungal feeders, obligate plant feeders, facultative plant feeders, and omnivores and predators (together). In addition, four ecological indexes were calculated: the Enrichment index, Structure index, Maturity index, and Plant parasitic index.Oven-dried (40 °C) < 2-mm sieved 5-g soil subsamples were scanned in the NIR range (1100-2500 nm), then spectra were fitted to nematofauna data using partial least square regression. Depending on the sample set considered (year 2005, year 2006, or both years), NIRS prediction of total nematode abundance was accurate (ratio of standard deviation to standard error of cross validation, i.e. RPD ≥ 2) or acceptable (RPD ≥ 1.6). Predictions were accurate, acceptable, or quasi-acceptable (RPD ≥ 1.4) for several of the six most abundant taxa, and to a larger extent, for most trophic groups (except facultative plant feeders); but they could not be made for taxa present in a small number of samples or at low abundance. By contrast, NIRS prediction of relative abundances (in proportion of total abundance) was poor in general, as was also the prediction of ecological indexes (except for the 2006 set). On the whole, these results were less accurate than NIRS predictions of soil attributes often reported in the literature. However, though not very accurate, NIRS predictions were worthwhile considering the labor-intensity of the morphological characterization. Most of all, NIRS analyses were carried out on subsamples that were probably too small (5 g) to allow representative sampling of nematofauna. Using larger samples for NIRS (e.g. 100 g) would likely result in more accurate predictions, and is therefore recommended. Scanning un-dried samples could also help improve prediction accuracy, as morphological characterization was carried out on samples not dried after sampling.Examining wavelengths that contributed most to NIRS predictions, and chemical groups they have been assigned to, suggested that NIRS predictions regarding nematofauna depended on constituents of both nematodes and preys’ food. Predictions were thus based on both nematofauna and soil organic properties reflected by nematofauna.     

Dwarf mistletoe effects on soil basidiomycete community structure, soil fungal functional diversity, and soil enzyme function: Implications for climate change

We used a combination of molecular, culture and biochemical methods to test the hypothesis that severe infection of pine by dwarf mistletoe (genus Arceuthobium) has significant effects on structure and function of soil fungal communities, and on carbon cycling in soils. PCR and DNA sequencing of the basidiomycete communities in paired blocks of uninfected and infected trees revealed: (1) that the top, organic soil layer in this system is inhabited almost exclusively by ectomycorrhizal fungi; (2) no difference in species richness (6 species core⁻¹ in both) or Shannon-Wiener evenness (0.740 and 0.747 in uninfected and infected blocks respectively), however Shannon-Wiener diversity was significantly greater in infected blocks (1.19 vs 1.94 in uninfected and infected blocks respectively, P < 0.05); (3) significant differences in basidiomycete species composition, with nearly complete absence of two system co-dominant Russula species in infected blocks, and replacement of one co-dominant Piloderma species with another in infected plots, indicating physiological variability within the genus. Soil fungal physiological diversity measured using the Fungilog system was significantly greater in terms of both number of carbon substrates used by culturable soil fungi (both ascomycetes and basidiomycetes) in infected blocks, and the rate at which these substrates were used. Soil enzyme assays revealed greater laccase, peroxidase, and cellulase activities in soils associated with infected trees. Thus, event cascades associated with severe dwarf mistletoe infection not only significantly affected soil fungal species composition and increased species diversity, but also impacted on carbon-related function and functional diversity. Given the geographic range of this pathogen, and forecasts that epidemics of this disease will increase in range in severity with global climate change, these effects have the potential to significantly impact local and global carbon budgets.     

Integrated management reduces Globodera rostochiensis abundance and enhances nematode community composition

The potato cyst nematode is a major threat to potato production worldwide. In the highlands of Veracruz State, Mexico, potato cultivation has been the main economic activity during the last seven decades, and it is severely affected by the high abundance of Globodera rostochiensis. In this study, the field efficacy of chemical nematicides, nematophagous fungi, crop rotation and the combination of the latter two strategies were assessed on G. rostochiensis abundance while also considering their effects on the free-living nematode community. Integrated management combining the use of nematophagous fungi and crop rotation was the most effective strategy for decreasing the abundance of G. rostochiensis (up to 13%). Additionally, high diversity, low disturbance, and a slightly higher structure were observed in the nematode community in the integrated management treatment. Although nematophagous fungi and crop rotation separately were less effective in reducing G. rostochiensis abundance (41% and 23%, respectively), the free-living nematode community was not drastically affected. Chemical control was not only less effective in reducing the abundance of G. rostochiensis (up to 37%) but also affected the free-living nematode community to a greater extent. Our results suggest integrated management not only reduces G. rostochiensis abundance but also enhances free-living nematode community.     

Traits explain the responses of a sub-arctic Collembola community to climate manipulation

Ecosystems at high northern latitudes are subject to strong climate change. Soil processes, such as carbon and nutrient cycles, which determine the functioning of these ecosystems, are controlled by soil fauna. Thus assessing the responses of soil fauna communities to environmental change will improve the predictability of the climate change impacts on ecosystem functioning. For this purpose, trait assessment is a promising method compared to the traditional taxonomic approach, but it has not been applied earlier.In this study the response of a sub-arctic soil Collembola community to long-term (16 years) climate manipulation by open top chambers was assessed. The drought-susceptible Collembola community responded strongly to the climate manipulation, which substantially reduced soil moisture and slightly increased soil temperature. The total density of Collembola decreased by 51% and the average number of species was reduced from 14 to 12. Although community assessment showed species-specific responses, taxonomically based community indices, species diversity and evenness, were not affected. However, morphological and ecological trait assessments were more sensitive in revealing community responses. Drought-tolerant, larger-sized, epiedaphic species survived better under the climate manipulation than their counterparts, the meso-hydrophilic, smaller-sized and euedaphic species. Moreover it also explained the significant responses shown by four taxa. This study shows that trait analysis can both reveal responses in a soil fauna community to climate change and improve the understanding of the mechanisms behind them.     

Microbial community changes in heathland soil communities along a geographical gradient: interaction with climate change manipulations

Climate change constitutes a serious threat for European heathlands as unlike other sources of damage, such as over-grazing, local remediation is not a possibility. Within the large pan-European projects, CLIMOOR and VULCAN, the effect of periodic drought and increased temperature were investigated in four heathland ecosystems along a geographical and climatic gradient across Europe. Fluorogenically labelled substrates for four enzymes (glucosidase, sulphatase, phosphatase, leucine amino peptidase) were used to measure extra-cellular enzyme activity in soil samples from each of the CLIMOOR sites. Microbial extra-cellular enzyme production is linked to microbial activity as well as soil physico-chemical properties, making soil enzymes one of the more reactive components of terrestrial ecosystems and potentially excellent indicators of soil microbial functional status and diversity.Across all sites and over all the substrates, organic matter content was exponentially, inversely related to enzyme activity. Although the increase in temperature produced by the CLIMOOR roofs was small (on average 0.9 °C), this was sufficient to increase enzyme activity in all sites (on average by 45%). The increase was within the range of seasonal variability at each of the sites. The effect of drought on enzyme activity was more pronounced in the Northern European sites than the southern European, and most moisture limited, site. This suggests that the effect of temperature increases may be observed across all regions; however, the soils of northern Europe may be more sensitive to changes in rainfall patterns than more moisture limited Southern European soils.     

藏北高寒草甸植物群落对土壤线虫群落的影响

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

Annual and long-term fluctuations of the nematode fauna in a Swedish Scots pine forest soil

Samples from an old Scots pine forest at Ivantjärnsheden in the middle of Sweden were used to study predictability and patterns of variation of soil nematode communities. There were two annual sampling series (1974–75 and 1977–78) and one long-term series sampled in September ten times over a period of 25 years. The abundance and the composition of the fauna fluctuated rather considerably in both the annual and long-term series. In the annual series abundance and species composition varied in a way which can partly be explained by changes in temperature and moisture. Total nematode abundance was influenced by soil water contents as indicated by co-variations with precipitation. Although the variations in abundance and fauna composition were large no systematic changes could be detected during 25 years. The differences in faunal structure between the two annual series were greater than between the annual and the long-term series.In all series there was a distinct vertical stratification of the fauna. In the superficial moss and litter layers species belonging to Adenophorea (Plectus) dominated. In deeper layers members of Rhabditida (Acrobeloides) contributed a greater proportion of the fauna. Variations of the annual series indicate that coexistence of different nematode species is facilitated by differences in response to temperature and moisture. The abundance of fungal and bacterial feeders changed in a regular way. During the summer the proportions of fungal and bacterial feeders were almost equal, but during the wet and cold winter the proportion of bacterial feeders increased. Rapidly growing bacterial feeding species belonging to Rhabditida were common in late summer and early autumn, whereas the more slowly growing bacterial feeders belonging to Adenophorea were most abundant during the winter. Although the community fluctuated rather much the average values indicated a rather high degree of predictability and also a high similarity with nematode faunas of other pine forest soils.     

Exotic earthworms alter soil microbial community composition and function

Exotic earthworms can profoundly alter soil carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) dynamics in northern temperate forests, but the mechanisms explaining these responses are not well understood. We compared the soil microbial community (SMC) composition (measured as PLFAs) and enzyme activity between paired earthworm-invaded and earthworm-free plots in northern hardwood forests of New York, USA. We hypothesized that differences in SMCs and enzyme activity between plots would correspond with differences in soil C content and C:N ratios. Relative abundance of several bacterial (mostly gram-positive) PLFAs was higher and that of two fungal PLFAs was lower in earthworm compared to reference plots, largely because of earthworm incorporation of the organic horizon into mineral soil. In surface mineral soil earthworms increased arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and gram-positive bacterial PLFAs, and decreased fungal (mostly saprotrophic) and several bacterial (gram-negative and non-specific) PLFAs. Earthworms also increased the activities of cellulolytic relative to lignolytic enzymes in surface mineral soil, and the relationships between enzyme activities and components of the SMC suggest a substrate-mediated effect on the SMC and its metabolism of C. A highly significant relationship between components of the SMC and soil C:N also suggests that earthworms reduce soil C:N through functional and compositional shifts in the SMC. Finally, changes in AMF abundances were linked to phosphatase activity, suggesting that earthworms do not necessarily inhibit P-acquisition by AMF-associated plants in our study system. We conclude that the combined influence of earthworm-related changes in physical structure, accessibility and chemistry of organic matter, and relative abundance of certain groups of fungi and bacteria promote C metabolism, in particular by increasing the activities of cellulolytic vs. lignolytic enzymes.     

Enzymic involvement in the biogeochemical responses of a Welsh peatland to a rainfall enhancement manipulation

 Microbial enzyme activities were followed during a field-based experimental simulation of the effects of higher rainfall in a Welsh peatland. The treatment did not significantly affect the activities of the carbon cycling enzymes, β-glucosidase, esterase or xylosidase. In contrast, the activity of the enzyme sulphatase decreased by 44% (P<0.001) in response to the wetter conditions. The manipulation suggests that should climate change cause conditions to become wetter in peatlands, then (with the exception of sulphatase) current levels of wetness may be sufficient to limit decomposition processes, and thus any further increase in wetness is unlikely to induce a further decrease in decomposition rates. Correlations were found between the esterase activity and both nitrous oxide flux (r=–0.44, P<0.05), and methane release (r=0.53, P<0.01). Likewise, there was a correlation between xylosidase activity and both carbon dioxide emission (r=0.52, P<0.01) and aluminium concentration (r=0.58, P<0.01). All of the enzymes correlated positively with dissolved organic carbon (range r=0.53, P<0.01 sulphatase to r=0.61, P<0.001 glucosidase). Together, the correlations lend support to recent hypotheses suggesting that enzymes exert an influence over wetland biogeochemical properties. Received: 29 May 1997