Influence of erosion on soil microbial biomass,abundance and community diversity

This study aimed to determine microbial biomass carbon and microbial abundance immediately after, and two years after, forest soil erosion, so as to estimate the degree of damage, including the rate of recovery of microorganisms, in each area. It also aimed to determine the community diversity, and to establish relationships between microbial biomass, microbial abundance and the physico‐chemical properties of the soil. Three different study areas in Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan, were used. One undisturbed area and two eroded areas (one immediately after and one two years after erosion). The analysis of variance showed a highly significant difference in microbial biomass carbon and abundance between the study areas. The undisturbed area showed the highest value, followed by the area eroded two years ago, then lastly the area studied immediately after the erosion. The biomass carbon was highly correlated with gram positive bacteria with r² = 0·983, p < 0·01. The biomass carbon and microbial population were shown to be significantly correlated to the soil's physico‐chemical properties, such as pH, moisture content, water‐holding capacity and CN ratio. However, CN ratio proved to be closely correlated to biomass carbon with r² = −0·978, p < 0·01, to Gram‐positive bacteria with r² = −0·977, p < 0·01, to Gram‐negative bacteria with r² = −0·989, p < 0·01 and to fungi with r² = −0·977, p < 0·01. The undisturbed area showed a highly diverse community in both of the restriction enzymes used, followed by the area affected by erosion two years ago, then the area immediately after erosion. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Actinobacteria-enhanced plant growth, nutrient acquisition, and crop protection: Advances in soil, plant, and microbial multifactorial interactions

Agricultural areas of land are deteriorating every day owing to population increase, rapid urbanization, and industrialization. To feed today’s huge populations, increased crop production is required from smaller areas, which warrants the continuous application of high doses of inorganic fertilizers to agricultural land. These cause damage to soil health and, therefore, nutrient imbalance conditions in arable soils. Under these conditions, the benefits of microbial inoculants (such as Actinobacteria) as replacements for harmful chemicals and promoting ecofriendly sustainable farming practices have been made clear through recent technological advances. There are multifunctional traits involved in the production of different types of bioactive compounds responsible for plant growth promotion, and the biocontrol of phytopathogens has reduced the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. There are some well-known groups of nitrogen-fixing Actinobacteria, such as Frankia, which undergo mutualism with plants and offer enhanced symbiotic trade-offs.In addition to nitrogen fixation, increasing availability of major plant nutrients in soil due to the solubilization of immobilized forms of phosphorus and potassium compounds, production of phytohormones, such as indole-3-acetic acid, indole-3-pyruvic acid, gibberellins, and cytokinins, improving organic matter decomposition by releasing cellulases, xylanase, glucanases, lipases, and proteases, and suppression of soil-borne pathogens by the production of siderophores, ammonia, hydrogen cyanide, and chitinase are important features of Actinobacteria useful for combating biotic and abiotic stresses in plants.The positive influence of Actinobacteria on soil fertility and plant health has motivated us to compile this review of important findings associated with sustaining plant productivity in the long run.     

海带渣菌肥作为土壤添加剂对土壤抑制病原真菌活性影响的研究

试验以海带渣固体发酵微生物菌肥作为土壤添加剂为研究对象,以土壤浸出液抑制植物病原真菌寄生曲霉的活性来表示土壤自身抑制植物病原真菌的活性。试验通过Tip-culture定量检测方法对不同处理组的不同时期土壤浸出液抑制病原真菌寄生曲霉活性进行定量的测定。试验表明, 海带渣固体发酵微生物菌肥能显著提高土壤抑制植物病原真菌活性的能力。花生盆栽试验结果表明, 海带渣固体发酵微生物菌肥能极显著地提高土壤抑制病原真菌寄生曲霉的能力,其抑制活性对比未添加的CK对照组的抑菌活性提高了37.67%。海带渣固体发酵微生物菌肥作为土壤添加剂提高了土壤抑制病原真菌活性的能力,可用于特异抑菌土壤的培育。     

Short-term effects of biochar amendment on soil microbial community in humid tropics

Biochar is known to ameliorate soil fertility and improve crop production but information regarding soil microbiota responses on biochar amendment remains limited. The experiment was conducted to study the effect of biochars from palm kernel (pyrolysed at 400°C) and rice husk (gasified at 800°C) in a sandy loam Acrisol from Peninsular Malaysia. The soil was amended with palm kernel shell biochar (PK), rice husk biochar (RH), palm kernel biochar with fertilizer (FPK), rice husk biochar with fertilizer (FRH), fertilizer and control soil. Soil samples were taken during maize harvesting and were analysed for physico-chemical properties, microbial biomass, microbial abundance and microbial diversity. Increase in pH, moisture content, CEC, organic C, and labile C were recorded in all biochar amended soils. Microbial biomass C was 65% and 36% higher in RH and FRH, respectively, than control. Microbial biomass N was greatest in FPK and FRH with respective increment of 359% and 341% than control. β-glucosidase and xylanase activities were significantly increased in all biochar treated soils than control. A shift in microbial diversity was not detected. The biochar affects the microbial community by altering the soil environment and increasing labile active carbon sources in the short-term amendment.     

Impact of deforestation on soil physicochemical characteristics,microbial biomass and microbial activity of tropical soil

The study dealt with the assessment of the impact of deforestation on tropical soil through a comparative analysis of physicochemical and microbiological parameters of natural forest and a deforested barren site. With significant decline in clay, texturally the soil of the deforested barren site was observed to be different from that of natural forest. Bulk density and porosity data revealed structural deterioration of deforested barren soil. The soil hydrological regime was also adversely affected by the deforestation. Levels of soil organic carbon, total nitrogen, microbial biomass C, N and microfungal biomass also exhibited significant decline in deforested site. Analysis of microbial respiratory quotient (q CO₂) was also observed to be impaired in the deforested site. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Effect of indaziflam on microbial activity and nitrogen cycling processes in an orchard soil

Indaziflam is a preemergent herbicide widely used for the control of weeds in pecan (Carya illinoinensis) orchards in the southwestern region of the United States. Given the paucity of data regarding the effect of indaziflam on the biochemical properties of soils supporting pecan production, this study was conducted to evaluate the effects of different application rates of indaziflam on soil microbial activity, diversity, and biochemical processes related to nitrogen (N) cycling. During two consecutive growing seasons (2015 and 2016), soil samples were obtained from experimental mesocosms consisting of soil-filled pots where pecan saplings were grown and treated with indaziflam applied at two different rates (25 and 50 g active ingredient (ai) ha^-1, with the higher rate being slightly lower than the recommended field application rate of 73.1 g ai ha^-1). Soil samples were collected approximately one week before and one week after herbicide application for determination of soil microbial biomass and diversity, N mineralization, and β-glucosaminidase activity. Soil samples collected from the control mesocosms without herbicide application were treated in the laboratory with two rates of indaziflam (75 and 150 g ai ha^-1) to determine the immediate effect on microbial activity. No significant effect of herbicide treatment on soil respiration and microbial biomass was detected. The results showed a slight to moderate decrease in microbial diversity (7% in 2015 and 44% in 2016). However, decreased β-glucosaminidase activity with herbicide treatment was observed in soils from the mesocosms (33%) and soils treated with indaziflam in the laboratory (45%). The mineral N pool was generally dominated by ammonium after indaziflam application, which was consistent with the drastic decrease (75%) in nitrification activity measured in the laboratory experiment. The results of this study indicate that indaziflam, even when applied at higher than recommended rates, has limited effects on soil microbial activity, but may affect N cycling processes.     

通过纯培养蛋白质组学跟踪研究石油污染的土壤上微生物群落的变化

Hydrocarbon contamination may affect the soil microbial community, in terms of both diversity and function. A laboratory experiment was set-up, with a semi-arid control soil and the same soil but artificially contaminated with diesel oil, to follow changes in the dominant species of the microbial community in the hydrocarbon-polluted soil via proteomics. Analysis of the proteins extracted from enriched cultures growing in Luria-Bertani (LB) media showed a change in the microbial community. The majority of the proteins were related to glycolysis pathways, structural or protein synthesis. The results showed a relative increase in the complexity of the soil microbial community with hydrocarbon contamination, especially after 15 days of incubation. Species such as Ralstonia solanacearum, Synechococcus elongatus and different Clostridium sp. were adapted to contamination, not appearing in the control soil, although Bacillus sp. dominated the growing in LB in any of the treatments. We conclude that the identification of microbial species in soil extracts by culture-dependent proteomics is able to partially explain the changes in the diversity of the soil microbial community in hydrocarbon polluted semi-arid soils, but this information is much more limited than that provided by molecular methods.     

猪粪和土壤样品中微生物DNA提取方法的比较

猪粪施于土壤可能会对土壤微生物多样性造成影响，为选用同一种DNA提取方法用于土壤和猪粪微生物DNA的提取，该文采用了化学裂解法和试剂盒法同时从土壤和猪粪样品中提取微生物DNA，并对这两种方法的提取DNA的效果进行了比较。结果表明，试剂盒法不能用于提取土壤中的微生物DNA；可以从猪粪中提取到DNA，PCR扩增能得到目的产物，但重复性不高。化学裂解法提取的土壤微生物DNA浓度高但纯度低，纯化后纯度增加，但DNA有所损失，用于PCR扩增时结果不理想；处理猪粪样品，提取的DNA浓度较低但纯度较高，PCR扩增结果比较理想。由此可见，化学裂解法用来提取猪粪样品中的微生物DNA是可行的，但需寻求更好的土壤样品微生物DNA的提取方法。     

BIOLOG法测定土壤微生物群的一些局限性

Reduction of Cr(VI)to Cr(Ⅲ）were studied in a fresh wheat rhizosphere soil(Kuroboku,high humicandosol) pretreated with a basal fertilizer consisting of (NH4)2SO4,P2O5 and KH2PO4 and with K2Cr2O7 by using a rhizobox system.It was found that rhizosphere exerted a positive effect on Cr(VI) reduction.Part of the reason was the decrwease of pH in the rhizosphere due to application of (NH4)2SO4,implying that application of physiologically acid fertilizers would reduce Cr(VI) toxicity to plants.     

Deep incorporation of corn straw benefits soil organic carbon and microbial community composition in a black soil of Northeast China

‘Deep incorporation of corn straw’ (CSDI) is to concentrate the burial of corn straw into the subsurface soil layer (20–40 cm) and to break the plough pan, thereby creating a loosened plough layer (0–20 cm) and a fertile subsurface soil layer. However, its impacts on soil organic carbon (SOC) and the microbial community remain poorly understood. A field experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of 1-year CSDI (CD1), 3-year CSDI (CD3) and 5-year CSDI (CD5) on soil aggregates and aggregate-associated SOC, as well as bacterial and fungal community characteristics (examined by the high-throughput gene sequencing method). The results demonstrated that SOC and soil fungal diversity were decreased by CD1, but increased by CD3 and CD5. Compared with the control, CD5 promoted 2–0.25 mm soil macroaggregation, significantly increased SOC by 8.94% and aggregate-associated SOC by 5.96%–8.84%, consequently improving the physical protection of SOC by soil aggregates. CD3 and CD5 enhanced the richness and diversity of soil bacteria and fungi, and altered community composition. For soil bacteria, the relative abundance of Acidobacteria and Chloroflexi was increased, while that of Firmicutes, Gemmatimonadetes, Sphingomonas and Bacillus was decreased. For soil fungi, the relative abundance of Ascomycota, Zygomycota, Mortierella and Fusarium was greatly improved, but that of Basidiomycota was reduced. These obvious variations in microbial community structure were beneficial to straw degradation and SOC accumulation. Overall, the optimization of microbial community with CSDI plays a positive role in promoting soil organic matter, nutrient cycling and carbon sequestration, and thus improving soil fertility.     

Differentiating microbial and stabilized β-glucosidase activity relative to soil quality

Previous research has shown that β-glucosidase activity can detect soil management effects and has potential as a soil quality indicator, but mechanisms for this response are not well understood. A significant amount of hydrolytic enzyme activity comes from extracellular (abiontic) activity that is bound and protected by soil colloids. This study was conducted to determine how management affects the kinetics of this enzyme (K_m, substrate affinity, and V_max, maximum reaction velocity) and its degree of stabilization on soil colloids. Soils were sampled from three sites in Oregon, with a paired comparison within each site of a native, unmanaged soil, and a matching soil under agricultural production (>50 years). Microwave radiation (MW) stress was used to denature the β-glucosidase fraction associated with viable microorganisms in these soils as an estimate of abiontic activity. Total activity and V_max were decreased by both management and MW. The results showed that β-glucosidase activity is sensitive to soil management on a variety of soils and environments (135 vs. 190, 80 vs. 111 and 80 vs. 134 μg PNP g⁻¹ h⁻¹ for managed and unmanaged treatments, respectively, at the three study sites in Oregon). The evidence suggests that this sensitivity to management is not (or minimally) due to differences in isoenzymes (K_m generally was unaffected) but rather due to an overall reduction in the amount of enzyme present (V_max decreased) and that this reduction in activity is reflected more from the activity of enzymes in the stabilized fraction than that associated with viable microbial population. Although β-glucosidase activity after MW irradiation appears to be limited as a soil quality indicator, it maybe useful as research tool to separate abiontic from microbial activity ‘biomass’ β-glucosidase activity correlated with microbial biomass C (r=0.42, P<0.05) but MW irradiated, abiontic, activity did not (r=−0.20^NS).     

猪粪和土壤样品中微生物DNA提取方法的比较

猪粪施于土壤可能会对土壤微生物多样性造成影响,为选用同一种DNA提取方法用于土壤和猪粪微生物DNA的提取,该文采用了化学裂解法和试剂盒法同时从土壤和猪粪样品中提取微生物DNA,并对这两种方法的提取DNA的效果进行了比较。结果表明,试剂盒法不能用于提取土壤中的微生物DNA;可以从猪粪中提取到DNA,PCR扩增能得到目的产物,但重复性不高。化学裂解法提取的土壤微生物DNA浓度高但纯度低,纯化后纯度增加,但DNA有所损失,用于PCR扩增时结果不理想;处理猪粪样品,提取的DNA浓度较低但纯度较高,PCR扩增结果比较理想。由此可见,化学裂解法用来提取猪粪样品中的微生物DNA是可行的,但需寻求更好的土壤样品微生物DNA的提取方法。     

植物源有机物料对果园土壤微生物群落多样性的影响

【目的】苹果园土壤肥力持续下降,禽畜废弃物肥源严重不足,施用植物源有机肥成为生产中改善果园土壤状况的重要措施之一。本试验利用BIOLOG微平板技术研究了盆栽条件下添加植物源有机物料及其腐殖化过程驱动因子对果园土壤微生物群落多样性的影响,探讨葡萄糖、 尿素和蚯蚓在植物源有机物料向土壤碳库转化中的作用,为揭示果园土壤质量的演变机制提供参考。【方法】取苹果园020 cm土层土壤,与苹果枝条、 玉米秸秆和果园杂草粉碎物混合,栽植2a生苹果砧木山定子幼苗,分别添加尿素、 葡萄糖和蚯蚓,利用BIOLOG微平板技术进行土壤微生物群落多样性分析。不同处理的土壤浸提液在 BIOLOG生态测试板中培养,取培养96 h时微平板光密度值进行多样性指数计算,分别用丰富度指数S 表示被微生物群落利用的基质数量,多样性指数表示反应孔与对照孔光密度值之差和整块板总差的比值,均匀度指数 E表示可培养微生物的种类均匀度,优势度指数Ds用于评估某些最常见种的优势度。对土壤微生物群落利用BIOLOG微平板中六类碳源（碳水化合物类、 氨基酸类、 羧酸类、 多聚物类、 芳香族类和胺类）的情况进行主成分分析,明确不同处理微生物对碳源利用能力的差异。【结果】有机物料种类、 小分子有机物和蚯蚓数量均对平均吸光值（AWCD值）有显著影响,在培养0~24 h,玉米秸秆+葡萄糖+12条蚯蚓（T4）和果园杂草+葡萄糖（T9）处理的AWCD值明显高于其他处理,微生物群落的活性较强,碳源开始利用较早。2496 h时,AWCD呈指数增长,120 h后趋于平缓,以玉米秸秆+葡萄糖+12条蚯蚓（T4）、 苹果枝条+葡萄糖+6条蚯蚓（T2）、 果园杂草+葡萄糖（T9）处理斜率最大,其次为玉米秸秆+尿素+6条蚯蚓（T6）和苹果枝条+尿素（T1）处理; 小分子有机物种类对微生物群落丰富度指数（S）和优势度指数（Ds）的影响显著,丰富度指数（S）以苹果枝条+葡萄糖+6条蚯蚓（T2）最大,优势度指数（Ds）以玉米秸秆+葡萄糖+12条蚯蚓（T4）最大,各处理的多样性指数（H）和均一度指数（E）差异不显著; 对碳源利用主成分起分异作用的主要是碳水化合物类和多聚物类。【结论】与秸秆和杂草处理相比,苹果枝条处理土壤微生物群落多样性较丰富,加入葡萄糖为土壤微生物提供可迅速利用的碳源,微生物功能多样性也显著增加; 蚯蚓活动对微生物群落多样性的影响比葡萄糖小,尿素对微生物群落多样性的影响也较小,但同时添加尿素和葡萄糖有助于微生物多样性的增加。     

聚丙烯酸盐类土壤改良剂对燕麦土壤微生物量氮及酶活性的影响

以燕麦田土壤为研究对象,探讨了聚丙烯酸盐类土壤改良剂及其复配(聚丙烯酸钾、聚丙烯酰胺、腐植酸钾、聚丙烯酸钾+腐植酸钾、聚丙烯酰胺+腐植酸钾)对燕麦田土壤微生物量氮及土壤酶活性的影响。结果表明,不同土壤改良剂均能提高土壤有机质、碱解氮、速效磷和速效钾的含量,各指标分别比对照增加了8.24%～30.22%、7.60%～19.29%、5.15%～29.45%和27.86%～68.86%;土壤改良剂能促使燕麦全生育期内0～10、10～20和20～40 cm各土层的土壤微生物量氮含量显著提高,聚丙烯酸钾+腐植酸钾和聚丙烯酰胺+腐植酸钾复配处理较其各单施效果显著,随土壤深度的增加土壤微生物量氮逐层递减;与对照相比,土壤改良剂能显著提高燕麦全生育期各土层过氧化氢酶活性,在抽穗期活性最高,且以聚丙烯酸钾+腐植酸钾较高;但对于脲酶,聚丙烯酸钾+腐植酸钾、聚丙烯酰胺+腐植酸钾和腐植酸钾3个处理在苗期显著低于对照,在抽穗期和成熟期高于对照,两种酶活性均随土壤深度的增加逐渐降低。     

一季中晚稻的稻菜轮作模式对土壤酶活性及可培养微生物群落的影响

通过不同地点的小区试验,研究不同轮作模式对土壤酶活性及可培养微生物群落的影响。结果表明,一季中晚稻的稻菜轮作模式和休闲轮作模式明显提高了土壤蔗糖酶和酸性磷酸酶的活性。其中稻菜轮作模式的效果又优于休闲轮作模式;与蔬菜连作模式相比,土壤蔗糖酶和酸性磷酸酶活性平均提高了48.1％和27.2％,有效降低土壤过氧化氢酶和多酚氧化酶活性。在可培养的土壤微生物群落中,不同种植模式完成一个周期后,稻菜轮作模式改善了微生物群落的组成,明显提高土壤细菌和放线菌数量,减少真菌数量,对维持土壤生产能力的可持续性具有显著的现实意义。     

不同秸秆还田方式对和田风沙土土壤微生物 多样性的影响

秸秆还田是有效利用秸秆资源的重要途径,能够提高土壤养分含量、调节土壤微生物的群落结构和多样性,但目前还缺乏不同秸秆还田方式对新疆沙化土壤肥力和微生物多样性影响的系统报道。为探索新疆沙化土壤肥力可持续提升模式,于2010—2012年在和田风沙土土壤上设置秸秆直接还田(NPKS)、过腹还田(NPKM,15.0 t×hm~(-2))和炭化还田(NPKB1,2.5 t×hm~(-2);NPKB2,15.0 t×hm~(-2))定位试验,研究不同秸秆还田处理对和田风沙土土壤养分、微生物数量、土壤酶活性和Biolog碳源利用的影响。结果表明:1)与单施化肥(NPK)相比,不同秸秆还田方式均能显著提高风沙土土壤养分含量,其中NPKM处理效果最好,其次是NPKB2处理,NPKS和NPKB1处理分别为第3和第4。2)不同秸秆还田方式对土壤微生物数量影响差异显著,均增加了土壤中细菌、放线菌和生理菌群的数量,与NPK处理相比,细菌数量NPKB2处理最高,放线菌数量NPKM处理最高,分别显著提高了413.16%和574.19%。但NPKB1和NPKB2处理对生理菌群数量的提升效果好于NPKS处理和NPKM处理。土壤酶活性,不同秸秆还田方式总体好于NPK处理,NPKM处理的提升效果最好。3)Biolog碳源利用分析表明不同秸秆还田方式均能提高风沙土土壤微生物活性和丰富度指数。主成分分析表明,不同秸秆还田方式土壤微生物群落明显不同,起分异作用的碳源主要为羧酸类和糖类。聚类分析显示NPKB2和NPKM处理之间、NPKB1和NPKS处理之间土壤微生物功能相似。由此可以看出,不同秸秆还田方式均能显著提高和田沙化土壤微生物活性和功能多样性,但不同方式的增效不同。从3年定位试验结果看,秸秆过腹还田和炭化还田的效果较好,秸秆直接粉碎还田有增加土传病害的风险。该结果将为南疆沙化土壤肥力可持续提升提供一定的理论指导。     

土壤基质吸力与土壤微生物活性关系的研究

研究了土壤微生物活性与土壤基膜吸力的关系，将土壤发泡点，即土壤导气率由0突变为非0时的基质吸力，与微生物的最高呼吸活性相联系，试图证明土壤微生物的最高活性发生于略高于土壤发泡点的基模吸力。对粗沙土、细沙土和砂壤土三种轻质地土壤的测定表明，土壤微生物的最高呼吸活性发生在略高于土壤发泡吸力的基质吸力。土壤基模吸力较小时微生物活性到达最高值的速度较慢，土壤基模吸力在发泡点附近时，微生物活性到达最高值的速度较快。     

棉花连作对北疆土壤酶活性、致病菌及拮抗菌多样性的影响

本文通过测定土壤酶活性与微生物PCR-DGGE指纹图谱研究了北疆棉区5年棉花连作(CtN5)、10年棉花连作(CtN10)及15年棉花连作(CtN15)对土壤过氧化氢酶、蔗糖酶、芳基硫酸酯酶、脱氢酶和蛋白酶酶活性的影响,分析了土壤细菌、真菌、镰刀菌和枯草芽孢杆菌群落结构多样性对北疆棉田长期连作的响应。结果表明:过氧化氢酶、蔗糖酶、脱氢酶活性随棉花连作年限延长而下降。CtN15处理的过氧化氢酶、蔗糖酶和脱氢酶活性分别比CtN10处理下降15.0%、6.4%和12.0%,比CtN5处理下降16.8%、58.6%和49.5%(P0.05);芳基硫酸酯酶与蛋白酶活性随连作年限的增加呈先下降后升高的特点。土壤细菌、真菌多样性指数随连作年限的增加明显下降。CtN15的细菌条带数比CtN10下降7.41%,Ct N10比CtN5降低1.72%。CtN15真菌条带数和Shannon-Wiener多样性指数分别为78和3.22,比CtN5处理低17.02%和5.29%。土壤镰刀菌和枯草芽孢杆菌的条带数、多样性指数均表现为先下降后升高。CtN15枯草芽孢杆菌Shannon-Wiener和Simpson指数分别比CtN10处理高54.8%和14.5%。北疆长期连作棉田的土壤酶活性和土壤微生物群落多样性总体呈下降趋势,长期连作对棉田土壤生物性状有明显负面影响。     

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.