CO2浓度升高对不同水分条件下冬小麦生长和水分利用的影响

以CO₂浓度升高为主要特征的气候变化对作物生长发育及产量形成的影响日益受到重视。冬小麦是我国主要粮食作物之一, 主要分布在干旱及半干旱地区, 且生长期内多干旱少雨。研究不同水分条件下冬小麦的生长变化及水分利用对CO₂浓度升高的响应具有重要的科学和实践意义。本研究在封顶式生长室中对2个土壤水分水平[适宜水分: 70%~80%田间持水量; 干旱胁迫: 50%~60%田间持水量]的盆栽冬小麦进行了CO₂熏蒸试验[背景大气浓度: (396.1±29.2) μmol·mol^-1; 升高的浓度: (760.1±36.1)μmol·mol^-1]。对小麦植株生理指标、生物量、产量、耗水量和水分利用效率(WUE)等的研究结果表明, 与背景大气CO₂浓度相比, CO₂浓度升高可促进冬小麦生长, 其地上生物量显著增加, 适宜水分和干旱胁迫条件下分别增加了28.6%和18.6%; 籽粒产量显著增加, 适宜水分和干旱胁迫条件下分别增加了32.6%和22.6%; CO₂浓度升高主要通过增加穗粒数提高籽粒产量, 穗粒数在适宜水分条件下提高24.3%, 干旱胁迫条件下提高15.5%, 对千粒重没有显著影响。CO₂浓度升高使群体和产量WUE显著提高, 在适宜水分条件下提高幅度较大, 分别提高17.7%和24.8%。CO₂浓度升高显著提高了叶片光合速率(P_n)、降低了气孔导度(G_s)和蒸腾速率(T_r); 在适宜水分和干旱胁迫下P_n分别提高15.6%与12.9%, G_s分别降低22.7%与18.2%, T_r分别降低8.9%与7.5%。CO₂浓度升高提高了叶片水势及叶绿素含量; 在适宜水分条件下叶片水势提高幅度较大, 为7.7%; 叶片叶绿素含量在2种水分条件分别提高7.5%与3.8%。由以上试验结果可得出: CO₂浓度升高对冬小麦的生长、产量及水分利用效率均具有促进作用, 而且在土壤水分状况较好时, 这种作用效果更明显; CO₂浓度升高主要通过增加穗粒数来促进产量提高。     

不同水分条件下CO2浓度升高对冬小麦碳氮转运的影响

CO2浓度升高对作物的影响日益受到重视,水分是作物生长的必要条件之一。冬小麦是我国的主要粮食作物之一,阐明高CO2浓度和水分条件互作对冬小麦碳氮转运的影响,对客观认识气候变化背景下作物的水分管理及肥料施用具有实际指导意义。本研究利用开放式CO2富集系统(FACE)平台,以冬麦品种‘中麦175’为试验材料,采用盆栽试验方法,研究了不同CO2浓度[正常浓度(391±40)μmol·mol?1和高浓度(550±60)μmol·mol?1]及水分条件(湿润条件和干旱条件,即75%和55%田间土壤最大持水量)的冬小麦花前碳氮积累及花后碳氮转运的规律特征。结果表明:湿润条件下,与正常CO2浓度相比,高CO2浓度促进冬小麦地上部干物质及碳氮积累,开花期增幅分别为18.1%、16.5%、14.9%,成熟期增幅分别为6.6%、1.3%、4.5%,并提高碳氮转运能力及对籽粒贡献率,转运量、转运率及对籽粒贡献率的增幅碳素依次为39.3%、20.0%、30.0%,氮素依次为19.1%、3.8%、10.8%。干旱条件下,与正常CO2浓度相比,高CO2浓度对地上部碳氮积累有一定的促进作用,开花期和成熟期碳积累量分别增加3.0%和10.7%,氮积累量分别增加0和15.8%;但高CO2浓度阻碍了碳氮的转运,转运量、转运率降幅碳素分别为10.2%、12.8%,氮素分别为7.2%、7.1%;碳氮对籽粒贡献率则变化不同,碳降低14.4%,而氮升高31.3%。干旱及高CO2浓度互作与湿润条件正常CO2浓度处理相比,冬小麦碳素转运对籽粒贡献率降低更明显,地上部碳素转运量、转运率及对籽粒贡献率降幅分别为36.2%、16.9%、22.3%,但提高了氮素转运对籽粒贡献率,氮素转运量及转运率分别降低35.7%、15.2%,对籽粒贡献率增加7.0%。综合而言,高CO2浓度可促进冬小麦碳氮积累及其在花后向籽粒的转运,水分不足可能成为主要的物质转运障碍因子,限制CO2促进作用发挥。     

Impact of elevated CO2 on mycorrhizal associations and implications for plant growth

The impact of increasing concentrations of atmospheric CO₂ upon plant physiology has been widely investigated. Plant, and in particular root, growth is nearly always enhanced as a direct consequence of CO₂ enrichment, with C₃ species generally more responsive than C₄ species. Such alterations in plant productivity will have consequence for below-ground processes and increased carbon allocation to the roots may favour symbiotic relationships. This paper discusses the current information available for the consequences of these changes upon mycorrhizal relationships. Generally mycorrhizal plants grown under CO₂ enrichment show enhanced phosphorus uptake but nitrogen uptake is unaffected. This increased nutrient uptake is not correlated with increased mycorrhizal colonization of the roots. Similarly root exudation does not increase under CO₂ enrichment but qualitative differences have yet to be assessed. However, it is predicted that total rhizodeposition of materials will increase as will litter inputs, although mineral and biochemical alterations to these plant derived inputs may occur. The consequences of such changes within the rhizosphere are discussed and future research     

高CO2浓度和遮荫对小麦叶片光能利用特性及产量构成因子的影响

CO2和光能是植物光合作用的动力和底物,它们的变化必然引起植物光合特性和生长的变化。研究大气CO2浓度和光强变化对植物光合生理的影响,有利于认识作物对全球生态变化的生理响应机制。试验以高大气CO2浓度和遮荫为处理手段,通过测定小麦(Triticum aestivum)旗叶的光合气体交换参数、光强光合速率响应曲线和产量构成因子,分析光强光能利用效率之间的关系,研究高大气CO2浓度(760μmol.mol 1)和遮荫对小麦叶片光合特性及产量构成因子的影响。结果表明,高大气CO2浓度下,小麦叶片的净光合速率(Pn)增加;同时最大净光合速率(Pnmax)、光饱和点(LSP)、光补偿点(LCP)显著升高;遮荫处理使小麦叶片的Pnmax、LSP、LCP降低。正常光照下大气CO2浓度升高使小麦叶片呼吸速率(Rd)显著下降,遮荫后大气CO2浓度升高对Rd无显著影响。大气CO2浓度升高能显著提高小麦叶片表观量子效率(AQY),而遮荫对AQY的影响因大气CO2浓度而异,高大气CO2浓度下遮荫使AQY显著提高,正常大气CO2浓度下遮荫则使AQY明显下降。高大气CO2浓度下遮荫使小麦株高、穗长增加,而穗粒数、单株穗粒重、千粒重减小。受光合特性的变化和光强限制,高大气CO2浓度下遮荫使小麦叶片呼吸增强,导致Pn下降,不利于干物质积累和籽粒产量的形成。     

大气CO2浓度升高和氮肥水平对麦田土壤有机碳更新的影响

依托FACE（Free air carbon dioxide enrichment）技术平台,采用稳定¹³C同位索法,通过将C₃作物小麦种植于长期单作玉米的C₄土壤上,研究了大气CO₂浓度升高和不同氮肥水平对水稻-小麦轮作制中冬小麦生长季土壤有机碳更新的影响。结果表明,种植一季小麦后土壤有机碳的δ¹³C值显著降低,小麦生长改变了土壤有机碳的组成,大气CO₂浓度增加促进作物向土壤中输入更多的碳。大气CO₂浓度升高增加了麦田土壤有机碳的更新率,使土壤有机碳的更新率由3.61%(施氮量为150 kg hm^-2,LN)～4.59%(施氮量为250 kg hm^-2,HN)提高至6.72%（LN）～8.55%（HN）,分别增加72.7%和86.1%。结果表明,大气CO₂浓度升高和提高氮肥用量将加快农田土壤有机碳的更新。     

Nitrogen rhizodeposition of young wheat plants under elevated CO<Subscript>2</Subscript> and drought stress

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of drought stress and elevated CO₂ concentrations around the shoots on N rhizodeposition of young wheat plants. In a pot experiment, the plant N pool was labeled through ¹⁵NH₃ application to shoots at nontoxic NH₃ concentrations, and the impact of low water supply (40% field capacity), elevated CO₂ (720 μmol mol⁻¹ CO₂), and the combination of both factors on the ¹⁵N distribution was studied. Total ¹⁵N rhizodeposition ranged from 5 to 11% of the total ¹⁵N recovered in the plant/soil system. Elevated CO₂ concentration as well as drought stress increased the belowground transport of N and increased the relative portion of N rhizodeposition on total ¹⁵N in the plant/soil system. However, while the increased N rhizodeposition with elevated CO₂ was the result of increased total belowground N transport, drought stress additionally increased the portion of ¹⁵N found in rhizodeposition vs roots. Elevated CO₂ intensified the effect of drought stress. The percentage of water soluble ¹⁵N in the ¹⁵N rhizodeposition was very low under all treatments, and it was significantly decreased by the drought-stressed treatments.     

大气CO2浓度升高和温升对水稻纹枯病侵染后的相关蛋白和防御酶的影响

纹枯病（sheath blight）作为一种土传病害,其发生和发展严重威胁到水稻（Oryza sativa L.）的生产。目前,大气CO2浓度（[CO2]）和温度升高如何影响感病植株内病程相关蛋白（pathogenesis related proteins, PR蛋白）和防御酶尚不清楚。本研究以纹枯病易感品种（Lemont）和抗性品种（YSBR1）为实验材料,利用田间开放式自由大气[CO2]和温度升高（T-FACE）平台设置四个处理：对照、[CO2]升高（[CO2]升高至590 μmol·mol-1）、温升（冠层温度升高2 ℃）及[CO2]升高和温升交互,通过人工接种R. solani,探究不同抗性品种叶片和茎鞘PR蛋白与防御酶活性,以及土壤基本理化性状的响应。研究结果表明：高[CO2]和温升下耕作土制成的土壤浸提液培养基中R. solani生长速率无显著差异,接种R. solani后病斑发展速率与土壤基本理化性状无关。水稻植株感病后,两个品种叶片和茎鞘中PR蛋白和相关防御酶表现出明显差异,且在高[CO2]和温升条件下,该差异进一步增大。对于茎鞘中的PR蛋白和防御酶,高[CO2]和温升交互处理明显增加Lemont和YSBR1茎鞘中过氧化氢酶（CAT）、苯丙氨酸解氨酶（PAL）、β-1,3-葡聚糖酶（GLU）和超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）活性。对于两个水稻品种,当R. solani入侵后,在各处理下,YSBR1叶片中PR蛋白和相关防御酶以及茎鞘中SOD和CAT活性均显著高于Lemont,且YSBR1病斑发展速率显著低于Lemont。在整个发病过程中,温升处理及其与高[CO2]互作处理均显著增加易感品种Lemont的病斑发展速率（增加了21% ~ 45%）,而对抗性品种YSBR1的病斑发展速率无显著影响。相关性分析结果表明,各处理下Lemont和YSBR1植株纹枯病病斑的发展速率均与其茎鞘中GLU活性存在显著正相关。因而,在R. solani侵染后,抗病品种中较高的PR蛋白和防御酶活形成的防卫反应,能够有效减轻未来高[CO2]和温升条件对纹枯病病斑发展速度的影响。研究结果对选育纹枯病抗性品种来适应未来气候变化背景下的水稻生产提供重要的借鉴意义。     

Increased moisture and methanogenesis contribute to reduced methane oxidation in elevated CO2 soils

Awareness of global warming has stimulated research on environmental controls of soil methane (CH₄) consumption and the effects of increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂) on the terrestrial CH₄ sink. In this study, factors impacting soil CH₄ consumption were investigated using laboratory incubations of soils collected at the Free Air Carbon Transfer and Storage I site in the Duke Forest, NC, where plots have been exposed to ambient (370 μL L⁻¹) or elevated (ambient + 200 μL L⁻¹) CO₂ since August 1996. Over 1 year, nearly 90% of the 360 incubations showed net CH₄ consumption, confirming that CH₄-oxidizing (methanotrophic) bacteria were active. Soil moisture was significantly (p < 0.01) higher in the 25–30 cm layer of elevated CO₂ soils over the length of the study, but soil moisture was equal between CO₂ treatments in shallower soils. The increased soil moisture corresponded to decreased net CH₄ oxidation, as elevated CO₂ soils also oxidized 70% less CH₄ at the 25–30 cm depth compared to ambient CO₂ soils, while CH₄ consumption was equal between treatments in shallower soils. Soil moisture content predicted (p < 0.05) CH₄ consumption in upper layers of ambient CO₂ soils, but this relationship was not significant in elevated CO₂ soils at any depth, suggesting that environmental factors in addition to moisture were influencing net CH₄ oxidation under elevated CO₂. More than 6% of the activity assays showed net CH₄ production, and of these, 80% contained soils from elevated CO₂ plots. In addition, more than 50% of the CH₄-producing flasks from elevated CO₂ sites contained deeper (25–30 cm) soils. These results indicate that subsurface (25 cm+) CH₄ production contributes to decreased net CH₄ consumption under elevated CO₂ in otherwise aerobic soils.     

大气CO2浓度升高与氮肥互作对玉米光合特性及产量的影响

为阐明大气CO_2浓度升高和氮肥交互作用对C4作物玉米光合生理和产量的影响,本研究利用自由大气CO_2富集(FACE)平台,以玉米品种‘郑单958’为试验材料,在不同施氮量[常氮180kg(N)×hm~(-2)、低氮72kg(N)×hm-2]下比较大气CO_2浓度[(400±15)μmol×mol-1]和高CO_2浓度[(550±15)μmol×mol-1]对玉米生长的影响。结果表明:1)大气CO_2浓度升高使玉米苗期叶片叶绿素浓度显著(P=0.025)增加9.5%,抽雄期净光合速率显著(P=0.009)增加9.0%;低氮和常氮下,高CO_2浓度使玉米各主要生育期胞间CO_2浓度分别显著增加34.8%～48.5%和40.0%～49.4%,气孔导度在大口期和抽雄期分别显著下降21.6%(P=0.015)和22.1%(P=0.010),玉米叶片水分利用效率在大口期、抽雄期和灌浆期分别显著增加12.9%(P=0.002)、 9.8%(P=0.019)和18.8%(P=0.001);高CO_2浓度使玉米非光化学淬灭呈降低趋势、PSII有效光化学量子产量有增加趋势;相同氮水平下,高CO_2浓度对玉米产量没有显著影响。2)高CO_2浓度和合理施氮交互作用对玉米功能叶叶绿素含量、净光合速率、PSⅡ有效光化学量子产量增加有一定的促进作用,如在大口期和抽雄期,常氮+高CO_2浓度处理叶绿素含量比低氮+大气CO_2浓度处理增加17.3%和10.7%,高CO_2浓度和合理施氮量交互作用有增加玉米产量的潜力,合理增加施氮量促进了CO_2肥效的发挥。在未来大气CO_2浓度升高条件下合理施氮对C4作物玉米生长发育有促进作用。     

大气CO2浓度升高对土壤碳库的影响

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

Denitrification in grass swards is increased under elevated atmospheric CO2

Emissions of N₂O and N₂ were measured from Lolium perenne L. swards under ambient (36 Pa) and elevated (60 Pa) atmospheric CO₂ at the Swiss free air carbon dioxide enrichment experiment following application of 11.2 g N m⁻² as ¹⁵NH₄¹⁵NO₃ or ¹⁴NH₄¹⁵NO₃ (1 at.% excess ¹⁵N). Total denitrification (N₂O+N₂) was increased under elevated pCO₂ with emissions of 6.2 and 19.5 mg ¹⁵N m⁻² measured over 22 d from ambient and elevated pCO₂ swards, respectively, supporting the hypothesis that increased belowground C allocation under elevated pCO₂ provides the energy for denitrification. Nitrification was the predominant N₂O producing process under ambient pCO₂ whereas denitrification was predominant under elevated pCO₂. The N₂-to-N₂O ratio was often higher under elevated pCO₂ suggesting that previous estimates of gaseous N losses based only on N₂O emissions have greatly underestimated the loss of N by denitrification.     

基于APSIM模型旱地春小麦产量对温度和CO2浓度升高的响应

为了探索气候变化对旱地春小麦生长的影响机理,在田间试验的基础上通过调试APSIM模型参数,并对模型进行检验,用APSIM模型模拟7个温度水平和7个CO2浓度水平组合设计下的春小麦产量,并采用二次多项回归和通径分析研究春小麦产量对温度和CO2浓度升高的响应。结果表明:当温度不变,CO2浓度每升高100 mol·mol-1,春小麦平均增产4.9%,最大增产可达到14.6%;春小麦产量随CO2浓度升高呈递增型二次抛物线变化,但春小麦产量会出现报酬递减。当CO2浓度不变时,温度每升高1℃,春小麦平均减产6.1%,最大减产幅度高达14.2%;春小麦产量随温度升高呈递减型二次抛物线变化。温度和CO2浓度同时升高对春小麦产量存在正的协同作用,但温度对春小麦产量负效应大于CO2浓度对春小麦产量的正效应。温度和CO2浓度同时升高会对旱地春小麦产量形成不利。     

大气CO2 浓度升高对绿豆生长及C、N 吸收的影响

研究大气CO₂ 浓度升高对绿豆生长及C、N 吸收的影响, 有助于了解未来气候变化下绿豆养分平衡的变化。利用FACE (Free Air CO₂ Enrichment)系统在大田条件下研究了CO₂ 浓度升高对绿豆生物量及C、N 吸收的影响。结果表明: 大气CO₂ 浓度升高使绿豆叶、茎、荚、根、地上部分生物量、总生物量及根冠比增加。各发育期地上部分含N 量下降10.39%~21.06%, 含C 量增加0.41%~1.13%, C/N 增加12.23%~26.68%; 籽粒中N、C 含量及C/N 无显著变化。植株地上部分吸N 量和吸C 量分别增加1.99%~50.87%和14.43%~92.69%。未来大气CO₂ 浓度升高条件下, 绿豆将通过生物量的增加固定更多的C, 并增加对N 素的吸收, 未来的绿豆生产应考虑增加土壤的施肥水平以保证其养分供应。     

Rhizodeposition-induced decomposition increases N availability to wild and cultivated wheat genotypes under elevated CO2

Elevated CO₂ may increase nutrient availability in the rhizosphere by stimulating N release from recalcitrant soil organic matter (SOM) pools through enhanced rhizodeposition. We aimed to elucidate how CO₂-induced increases in rhizodeposition affect N release from recalcitrant SOM, and how wild versus cultivated genotypes of wheat mediated differential responses in soil N cycling under elevated CO₂. To quantify root-derived soil carbon (C) input and release of N from stable SOM pools, plants were grown for 1 month in microcosms, exposed to ¹³C labeling at ambient (392 μmol mol⁻¹) and elevated (792 μmol mol⁻¹) CO₂ concentrations, in soil containing ¹⁵N predominantly incorporated into recalcitrant SOM pools. Decomposition of stable soil C increased by 43%, root-derived soil C increased by 59%, and microbial-¹³C was enhanced by 50% under elevated compared to ambient CO₂. Concurrently, plant ¹⁵N uptake increased (+7%) under elevated CO₂ while ¹⁵N contents in the microbial biomass and mineral N pool decreased. Wild genotypes allocated more C to their roots, while cultivated genotypes allocated more C to their shoots under ambient and elevated CO₂. This led to increased stable C decomposition, but not to increased N acquisition for the wild genotypes. Data suggest that increased rhizodeposition under elevated CO₂ can stimulate mineralization of N from recalcitrant SOM pools and that contrasting C allocation patterns cannot fully explain plant mediated differential responses in soil N cycling to elevated CO₂.     

盐胁迫下大气CO2浓度升高对黄瓜幼苗生长、光合特性及矿质养分吸收的影响

采用营养液培养和开顶箱法,研究了盐胁迫下CO2浓度升高对黄瓜幼苗生长、光合特性及矿质养分吸收的影响。结果表明,黄瓜生长在80mmol/L NaCl下,其生物量、光合速率、气孔导度、蒸腾速率均显著下降,而胞间CO2浓度明显升高;CO2浓度升高可增加盐胁迫下黄瓜幼苗生物量,使光合速率、气孔导度、蒸腾速率升高。表明CO2浓度升高能减轻盐胁迫对光合功能的不利效应。80mmol/L NaCl可使黄瓜幼苗体内总N和K 的浓度降低,而使Na 浓度增加;CO2浓度升高具有提高盐胁迫下总N和K 浓度,降低Na 浓度的效应,说明CO2浓度升高可减轻盐胁迫的毒害作用,提高黄瓜幼苗生物量。     

大气CO2浓度升高对植物根系形态的影响及其调控机理

大气CO2浓度升高会对植物根系形态产生明显的影响,尤其是根的长度、分枝、产量、周转以及根与枝的分配模式等方面,从而有助于植物从土壤中摄取更多的养分及水分,更好地适应大气CO2浓度升高后的环境。目前,该领域研究,如在CO2浓度升高条件下,根系形态变化的内部调控机制,以及由其引起的物质分配和能量流动等仍存在较大争议。本文综述了近年来关于CO2浓度升高及与外界环境因素的共同作用对根系形态影响的研究,以期为阐明CO2浓度升高对植物根系生长发育带来的影响及其机制提供理论指导。     

Effect of elevated carbon dioxide and water stress on gas exchange and water use efficiency in corn

CO₂ has been predicted to increase in the future, and thus leading to possible changes in precipitation patterns. The objectives of this study were to investigate water use and canopy level photosynthesis of corn plants, and to quantify water use efficiency in corn plants under two different CO₂ levels combined with four different water stress levels. Corn plants were planted in sunlit plant growth chambers and a day/night temperature of (28/18 °C) was applied. From 21 days after emergence (DAE), the eight treatments including two levels of carbon dioxide concentrations (400 and 800 μmol mol⁻¹) and four levels of water stress (well-watered control, “mild”, “moderate”, and “severe” water stress) treatments at each CO₂ level were imposed. Height, number of leaves, leaf lengths, and growth stages of corn plants were monitored from nine plants twice a week. Corn plants were separately collected, dried, and analyzed for the biomass accumulation at 21 and 60 DAE. Soil water contents were monitored by a time domain reflectometry (TDR) system (15 probes per chamber). The “breaking points” (changes from high to low rates of soil water uptake) were observed in the bottom of soil depth for the water stressed conditions, and the “breaking points” under ambient CO₂ appeared 6-9 days earlier than under elevated CO₂. Although approximately 20-49% less water was applied for the elevated CO₂ treatments than for ambient CO₂ from 21 DAE, higher soil water contents were recorded under elevated CO₂ than under ambient CO₂. However, corn growth variables such as height, leaf area, and biomass accumulation were not significantly different in CO₂ or water stressed treatments. This result may be explained by considering that significant differences in canopy level gross photosynthesis among the water stress treatments was observed only toward the end of the experiment. The higher soil water contents observed under elevated CO₂ resulted mainly from less water use than under ambient CO_2. WUE (above ground biomass per water use since 21 DAE) at the final harvest was consistently higher and varied with a smaller range under elevated CO₂ than under ambient CO₂. This study suggests that less water will be required for corn under high-CO₂ environment in the future than at present.     

Gross fluxes of nitrogen in grassland soil exposed to elevated atmospheric pCO2 for seven years

Plant response to increasing atmospheric CO₂ partial pressure (pCO₂) depends on several factors, one of which is mineral nitrogen availability facilitated by the mineralisation of organic N. Gross rates of N mineralisation were examined in grassland soils exposed to ambient (36 Pa) and elevated (60 Pa) atmospheric pCO₂ for 7 years in the Swiss Free Air Carbon dioxide Enrichment experiment. It was hypothesized that increased below-ground translocation of photoassimilates at elevated pCO₂ would lead to an increase in immobilisation of N due to an excess supply of energy to the roots and rhizosphere. Intact soil cores were sampled from Lolium perenne and Trifolium repens swards in May and September, 2000. The rates of gross N mineralisation (m) and NH₄⁺ consumption (c) were determined using ¹⁵N isotopic dilution during a 51-h period of incubation. The rates of N immobilisation were estimated either as the difference between m and the net N mineralisation rate or as the amount of ¹⁵N released from the microbial biomass after chloroform fumigation. Soil samples from both swards showed that the rates of gross N mineralisation and NH₄⁺ consumption did not change significantly under elevated pCO₂. The lack of a significant effect of elevated pCO₂ on organic N turnover was consistent with the similar size of the microbial biomass and similar immobilisation of applied ¹⁵N in the microbial N pool under ambient and elevated pCO₂. Rates of m and c, and microbial ¹⁵N did not differ significantly between the two sward types although a weak (p<0.1) pCO₂ by sward interaction occurred. A significantly larger amount of NO₃⁻ was recovered at the end of the incubation in soil taken from T. repens swards compared to that from L. perenne swards. Eleven percent of the added ¹⁵N were recovered in the roots in the cores sampled under L. perenne, while only 5% were recovered in roots of T. repens. These results demonstrate that roots remained a considerable sink despite the shoots being cut at ground level prior to incubation and suggest that the calculation of N immobilisation from gross and net rates of mineralisation in soils with a high root biomass does not reflect the actual immobilisation of N in the microbial biomass. The results of this study did not support the initial hypothesis and indicate that below-ground turnover of N, as well as N availability, measured in short-term experiments are not strongly affected by long-term exposure to elevated pCO₂. It is suggested that differences in plant N demand, rather than major changes in soil N mineralisation/immobilisation, are the long-term driving factors for N dynamics in these grassland systems.     

C and N in soil organic matter density fractions under elevated atmospheric CO2: Turnover vs. stabilization

Turnover of C and N in an arable soil under Free Air Carbon Dioxide (FACE) experiment was studied by the use of ¹³C natural abundance and ¹⁵N-labeled fertilizers. Wheat was kept four growing seasons under ambient and elevated CO₂ concentrations and fertilized for three growing seasons. Density fractionation of soil organic matter (SOM) allowed to track ¹³C and ¹⁵N in free particulate organic matter (fPOM; <1.6 g cm⁻³), particulate organic matter occluded within aggregates with two densities (oPOM 1.6, oPOM 1.6-2.0 g cm⁻³), and in mineral-associated organic matter (>2.0 g cm⁻³) fractions. Elevated CO₂ and N fertilization did not significantly affect C and N contents in the bulk soil. Calculated mean residence time (MRT) of C and N revealed the qualitative differences of SOM density fractions: (i) the shortest MRT_C and MRT_N in fPOM confirmed high availability of this fraction to decomposition. Larger C/N ratio of fPOM under elevated vs. ambient CO₂ indicated an increasing recalcitrance of FACE-derived plant residues. (ii) There was no difference in MRT of C and N between lighter and heavier oPOMs probably due to short turnover time of soil aggregates which led to oPOM mixing. The increase of MRT_C and MRT_N in both oPOMs during the experiment confirmed the progressive degradation of organic material within aggregates. (iii) Constant turnover rates of C in the mineral fraction neither confirmed nor rejected the assumed stabilization of SOM to take place in the mineral fraction. Moreover, a trend of decreasing of C and N amounts in the Min fraction throughout the experiment was especially pronounced for C under elevated CO₂. Hence, along with the progressive increase of C_FACE in the Min fraction the overall losses of C under elevated CO₂ may occur at the expense of older “pre-FACE” C.     

Microbial assimilation of atmospheric CO2 into soil organic matter revealed by the incubation of paddy soils under 14C-CO2 atmosphere

Similar to higher plants, microbial autotrophs possess photosynthetic systems that enable them to fix CO₂. To measure the activity of microbial autotrophs in assimilating atmospheric CO₂, five paddy soils were incubated with ¹⁴C-labeled CO₂ for 45 days to determine the amount of ¹⁴C-labeled organic C being synthesized. The results showed that a significant amount of ¹⁴C-labeled CO₂ incorporated into microbial biomass was soil specific, accounting for 0.37%–1.18% of soil organic carbon (¹⁴C-labeled organic C range: 81.6–156.9 mg C kg^?1 of the soil after 45 days). Consequently, high amounts of C-labeled organic C were synthesized (the synthesis rates ranged from 86 to 166 mg C m^?2 d^?1). The amount of atmospheric ¹⁴CO₂ incorporated into microbial biomass (¹⁴C-labeled microbial biomass) was significantly correlated with organic C components (¹⁴C-labeled organic C) in the soil (r = 0.80, p < 0.0001). Our results indicate that the microbial assimilation of atmospheric CO₂ is an important process for the sequestration and cycling of terrestrial C. Our results showed that microbial assimilation of atmospheric CO₂ has been underestimated by researchers globally, and that it should be accounted for in global terrestrial carbon cycle models.