Short-term effects of prescribed burning on phosphorus availability in a suburban native forest of subtropical Australia

Purpose

Prescribed burning can alter nutrient availability to plants. Plant growth in tropical and subtropical forests is frequently phosphorus (P) limited. Soil P availability is influenced by a combination of multiple factors including soil chemical and biological properties. The aims of this study were to investigate the short-term effects of prescribed burning on soil P status and to evaluate the key drivers responsible for the variation in soil P fractions.

Materials and methods

Soil samples were collected at a depth of 0–10 cm at two sites in a suburban native forest. One site (the burnt site) was burned on 11 August 2011. The other site (the control site) was not burned but served as a reference. Sampling was conducted at four times: before burning, 12 days after burning (T1), 1 week after T1 (T2), and 1 month after T2 (T3). Soil pH, P fractions, microbial biomass carbon (C) and P, and activities of acid and alkaline phosphatase were measured.

Results and discussion

Total P was relatively low at both sites compared with other subtropical forests. Microbial biomass P accounted for approximately 10 % of soil total P at the two sites, suggesting that the turnover of microbial biomass is critical for soil P availability. Soil properties at the control site remained unchanged over the time. Soil organic forms of P at the burnt site were decreased by the prescribed burning, and the greatest reduction was found in moderately labile organic P (e.g., NaOH-extractable fractions). Soil inorganic forms of P, however, were not correspondingly increased by the prescribed burning. Microbial biomass P was closely related to the shifts in P fractions. These effects were only detected immediately after the fire.

Conclusions

Microbial biomass could serve as a sink of P in P-impoverished soils and play an important role in soil P transformation. Our results indicate that microbial biomass is an important factor that governs P status after prescribed burning. The rapid recovery of microbial biomass P could be beneficial to the P requirement for plant regrowth after prescribed burning.     

Biological nitrogen fixation by two Acacia species and associated root-nodule bacteria in a suburban Australian forest subjected to prescribed burning

Purpose

Prescribed burning is a forest management practice which can lead to nitrogen (N)-limited conditions. This study aimed to explore whether biological N₂ fixation (BNF) remained the main source of N acquisition for two understorey Acacia species in a Eucalyptus-dominated suburban forest of subtropical Australia, 3 to 6 years after prescribed burning. Root-nodule bacteria associated with these acacias were also characterised to unravel the differences in rhizobial communities between sites and species.

Material and methods

Two sites, burned 3 and 6 years before sample collection, were selected within a dry subtropical forest of south-east Queensland, Australia. Leaves were collected from individuals of Acacia disparrima and A. leiocalyx at each site to determine leaf total carbon (C) and N content, C and N isotope composition (δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N) and the percentage of N derived from atmospheric N₂. Nodules were harvested from both acacia species at each site to isolate root nodule bacteria. Bacterial isolates were processed for 16S rDNA gene sequencing.

Results and discussion

Generally, no differences were found in plant physiological variables between the two acacia species. Six years after the fire, both species still depended upon BNF for their N supply, with a higher dependence in winter than in summer. Fire, although of low intensity, was likely to have created a N-limited environment which induced the reliance of legumes on BNF. Root nodule bacteria were dominated by non-rhizobial endophytes, mainly from the Firmicutes phylum. No difference in nodule bacterial diversity was found between sites. The relative abundance of rhizobial genera varied amongst plant species and sites, with a shift in dominance from Bradyrhizobium to Rhizobium species between sites 1 and 2.

Conclusions

Our results show that even 6 years after burning, ecosystem remained under N stress and BNF was still the main mechanism for N acquisition by the understorey legumes.

     

Carbon dynamics in subtropical forest soil: effects of atmospheric carbon dioxide enrichment and nitrogen addition

Purpose  

The levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration ([CO₂]) are rapidly increasing. Understanding carbon (C) dynamics in soil is important for assessing the soil C sequestration potential under elevated [CO₂]. Nitrogen (N) is often regarded as a limiting factor in the soil C sequestration under future CO₂ enrichment environment. However, few studies have been carried out to examine what would happen in the subtropical or tropical areas where the ambient N deposition is high. In this study, we used open-top chambers to study the effect of elevated atmospheric [CO₂] alone and together with N addition on the soil C dynamics in the first 4 years of the treatments applied in southern China.     

Residue retention mitigated short-term adverse effect of clear-cutting on soil carbon and nitrogen dynamics in subtropical Australia

Purpose

This study aimed to investigate the benefits of retaining harvest residues on the dynamics of soil C and N pools following clear-cut harvesting of a slash pine plantation in South East Queensland of subtropical Australia.

Materials and methods

Immediately following clear-cut harvesting, macro-plots (10?×?10 m) were established on a section of the plantation in a randomised complete block design with four blocks and three treatments: (1) residue removal (RR₀), (2) single level of residue retention (RR₁) and (3) double level of residue retention (RR₂). Soils were sampled at 0, 6, 12, 18 and 24 months following clear-cutting and analysed for total C and N, microbial biomass C (MBC) and N (MBN), hot water–extractable organic C (HWEOC), hot water–extractable organic N (HWEON), NH₄⁺–N and NO_x^?–N.

Results and discussion

The study showed that although soil total C decreased in the first 12 months following clear-cutting, harvest residue retention increased soil total C and N by 45% (p?<?0.001) and 32% (p?<?0.001), respectively, over the 12–24 months. NH₄⁺–N, HWEOC, HWEON and MBC showed initial surges in the first 6 months irrespective of residue management, which declined after the 6th month. However, residue retention significantly increased HWEOC and HWEON over the 12–24 months (p?<?0.001).

Conclusions

This study demonstrated that harvest residue retention during the inter-rotation period can minimise large changes in C and nutrient pools, and can even increase soil C and nutrient pools for the next plantation rotation.

     

Glomalin-related soil protein responses to elevated CO2 and nitrogen addition in a subtropical forest: Potential consequences for soil carbon accumulation

According to the economy theory, plants should preferentially allocate photosynthate to acquire below-ground resources under elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide (eCO₂) but decrease below-ground C allocation when nitrogen (N) is sufficient for plant growth. Arbuscular mycorrhizae (AM) represent a critical mechanism of below-ground nutrient acquisition for plants. The dynamics of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) could therefore reflect the response of plant C allocation under eCO₂ and N addition. We examined the responses of glomalin-related soil protein (GRSP) to eCO₂ (approximately 700 μmol mol⁻¹ CO₂) and/or N addition (100 kg N ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ as NH₄NO₃) in a modeled subtropical forest to better understand its potential influence on soil C storage. We hypothesized that GRSP would increase under eCO₂ and decrease under N addition. Furthermore, the positive effects of eCO₂ on GRSP would be offset by extra N addition, and GRSP would remain unchanged under combined eCO₂ and N addition. Our results showed that the mean concentrations of easily extractable GRSP (EE-GRSP) and total GRSP (T-GRSP) were 0.35 ± 0.05 and 0.72 ± 0.13 mg C cm⁻³, respectively, which accounted for 2.76 ± 0.53% and 5.67 ± 0.92% of soil organic carbon (SOC) in the 0–10 cm soil layer. Elevated CO₂ significantly increased T-GRSP by 35.02% but decreased EE-GRSP by 5.09% in the top 10 cm soil layer. The opposite responses of T-GRSP and EE-GRSP to eCO₂ might result from an unchanged photosynthate investment to AMF with possible changes in their decomposition rates. The effect of N on GRSP was contrary to our hypothesis, i.e., there was a 1.72%–48.49% increase in T-GRSP and a slightly increase in EE-GRSP. Both EE-GRSP and T-GRSP concentrations increased under the combination of eCO₂ and N addition, which was inconsistent with our hypothesis. The significant increase of EE-GRSP under the combination of eCO₂ and N addition was partly caused by more rapid plant growth and reduced microbial diversity, and the marginal increase of T-GRSP indicated that the interaction between eCO₂ and N addition offset their independent effects. In addition, the relatively higher accumulation ratios of GRSP (22.6 ± 13.6%) compared with SOC (15.9 ± 9.4%) indicated that more rapid GRSP deposition in the soil might accelerate SOC accumulation under eCO₂ and N addition. Our results will improve the understanding of the functioning of GRSP in soil C sequestration under global environmental change scenarios.     

Gross nitrogen transformations in adjacent native and plantation forests of subtropical Australia

The impact of land-use change on soil nitrogen (N) transformations was investigated in adjacent native forest (NF), 53 y-old first rotation (1R) and 5 y-old second rotation (2R) hoop pine (Araucaia cunninghamii) plantations. The ¹⁵N isotope dilution method was used to quantify gross rates of N transformations in aerobic and anaerobic laboratory incubations. Results showed that the land-use change had a significant impact on the soil N transformations. Gross ammonification rates in the aerobic incubation ranged between 0.62 and 1.78 mg N kg⁻¹ d⁻¹, while gross nitrification rates ranged between 2.1 and 6.6 mg N kg⁻¹ d⁻¹. Gross ammonification rates were significantly lower in the NF and the 1R soils than in the 2R soils, however gross nitrification rates were significantly higher in the NF soils than in the plantation soils. The greater rates of gross nitrification found in the NF soil compared to the plantation soils, were related to lower soil C:N ratios (i.e. more labile soil N under NF). Nitrification was found to be the dominant soil N transformation process in the contrasting forest ecosystems. This might be attributed to certain site conditions which may favour the nitrifying community, such as the dry climate and tree species. There was some evidence to suggest that heterotrophic nitrifiers may undertake a significant portion of nitrification.     

Response of soil respiration to nitrogen addition in two subtropical forest types

Anthropogenic activities have increased nitrogen (N) deposition in terrestrial ecosystems, which directly and indirectly affects soil biogeochemical processes, including soil respiration. However, the effects of the increases in N availability on soil respiration are not fully understood. In this study, soil respiration was measured using an infrared gas analyzer system with soil chambers under four N treatments (0, 5, 15, and 30 g N m^-2 year^-1 as control, low N (LN), moderate N (MN), and high N (HN), respectively) in camphor tree and slash pine forests in subtropical China. Results showed that soil respiration rates decreased by 37% in the camphor tree forest and 27% in the slash pine forest on average on an annual base, respectively, in the N-fertilized treatments when compared with the control. No significant differences were found in the soil respiration rate among the LN, MN, and HN treatments in both forest types as these fertilized plots reached an adequate N content zone. In addition, soil microbial biomass carbon (C) content and fine root biomass declined in N-treated plots compared to the control. Our results indicated that elevated N deposition might alter the tree growth pattern, C partitioning, and microbial activity, which further affect soil C sequestration by reducing soil respiration in subtropical forests of China.     

森林生态系统中土壤有机质组分的固态13C核磁共振波谱表征

Forest management practices such as prescribed burning and thinning in forest ecosystems may alter the properties of soil organic matter (SOM).In this study,surface soils from field plots in the Bankhead National Forest,Alabama,USA,were used to investigate possible SOM transformations induced by thinning and burning.Elemental analysis and solid-state 13C cross polarization magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (13C CPMAS NMR) spectroscopy were used to characterize SOM fractions in whole soils,humic substances,and density fractions.Our data revealed that the changes in SOM fractions due to the repeated burning carried out in the forest ecosystem studied were involved mainly with alkyl C,O-alkyl C,and carbohydrate functional groups,implying that most prominent reactions that occurred involved dehydrogenation,de-oxygenation,and decarboxylation.In addition,burning and thinning might have also affected the distribution and composition of free and occluded particulate SOM fractions.The limited structural changes in SOM fractions suggested that low-intensity prescribed fire in the forest ecosystem studied will not create major structural changes in SOM fractions.     

Soluble organic nitrogen pools in adjacent native and plantation forests of subtropical Australia

Soil soluble organic nitrogen (SON) can play an important role in soil nitrogen (N) cycling in forest ecosystems. This study examined the effect of land-use change from a native forest (NF) to a first rotation (1R) and subsequent second rotation (2R) hoop pine (Araucaria cunninghamii) plantation on soil SON pools. The impact of residue management on SON pools was also investigated in the 2R forest, where SON was measured in tree rows (2R-T) and windrows (2R-W). Various extraction techniques were used to measure SON pool size in the 0-10, 10-20 and 20-30 cm layers of soil. The results showed that land-use change had a significant impact on soil SON pools. In the 0-10 cm layer, 3.2-8.7, 14-23, 20-28, 60-160 and 127-340 mg SON kg⁻¹ were extracted by water, 0.5 M K₂SO₄, 2 M KCl, hot water and hot 2 M KCl, respectively. The size of the SON pools and the potential production of SON (PPSON) were generally highest in the NF soil and lowest in the 2R-T soil, and in all forest types decreased with soil depth. The larger SON pools in the NF soil coincided with lower soil, litter and root C:N ratios, suggesting that the difference in the size of SON pools between the NF and 1R soil may be related to differences in the quality of organic matter input under the different forest ecosystems. Differences in the size of SON pools between the 1R soil and the 2R soils and between the 2R-T soil and the 2R-W soil may be related to the quantity of organic matter input and time since disturbance. Significant relationships were found between the SON extracted by 0.5 M K₂SO₄ (SON_ps) and 2 M KCl (SON_KCl), and also among the SON extracted by hot 2 M KCl (SON_hKCl), hot water (SON_hw) and water (SON_w), suggesting that the organic N released by these groups of extracts may be at least partly from similar pools.     

Land-use history,forest conversion,and soil organic carbon in pine plantations and native forests of south eastern Australia

Land-use history – the number, type, and duration of previous land uses – is relevant to many questions regarding land-use effects on soil carbon, but is infrequently reported. We examine the importance of land-use history variables, as well as topographic and edaphic variables, on soil C in a range of forest types – native forest, pine plantations, secondary forest and rehabilitated forest – at three contrasting locations in south eastern Australia. Our comparisons include a novel forest conversion of exotic pine plantations to native, broadleaf forest.Using nested ANOVAs, we detected few differences in soil C concentration indices (total C, microbial biomass C, K₂SO₄–C) and C content among eucalypt-dominated vegetation and pine plantations within each location (0–10 cm depth). However, planned contrasts indicated a 30% decrease in soil C content with conversion of native forest to pine plantation of age 37 years. The reverse land-use change – pine plantation to native, broadleaf forest – was associated with a decrease in soil C concentration and content at one location (40%; age 12–13 years) and no detectable changes at another (to age 7 years). Variable effect between locations of this novel land-use change on soil C could be due to differences in potential productivity, conifer species, and plantation age.We used correlation coefficients and general linear models to identify widely applicable variables for predicting soil C concentration and content at local scales (≤ 20 km²). Within-location relationships with topographic variables were weak and infrequent relative to those with edaphic and land-use history variables. Soil texture was strongly correlated with soil C at each location, although the relative significance of different particle size fractions differed among locations. Electrical conductivity appeared more widely applicable since it was included in C models at two locations. Combining land-use history and edaphic variables produced strong predictive models for soil C concentrations and content at two locations (total r² 0.83 to 0.95). Positive relationships were indicated between soil C and ‘age of current vegetation’ at one location, and negative relationships were indicated with ‘number of land uses’ at another. These data highlight a potential predictive role for land-use history variables in local-scale assessments of soil C in forested landscapes.     

Response of nitrogen transformation to glucose additions in soils at two subtropical forest types subjected to simulated nitrogen deposition

Journal of Soils and Sediments - Soil nitrogen (N) transformation is an important phenomenon in forest ecosystems and it is regulated by carbon (C) input. This study aimed to evaluate the impacts...     

How environmental and vegetation factors affect spatial patterns of soil carbon and nitrogen in a subtropical mixed forest in Central China

Purpose

Soil properties are highly heterogeneous in forest ecosystems, which poses difficulties in estimating soil carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) pools. However, little is known about the relative contributions of environmental factors and vegetation to spatial variations in soil C and N, especially in highly diverse mixed forests. Here, we examined the spatial variations of soil organic carbon (SOC) and total nitrogen (TN) in a subtropical mixed forest in central China, and then quantified the main drivers.

Materials and methods

Soil samples (n = 972) were collected from a 25-ha forest dynamic plot in Badagonshan Nature Reserve, central China. All trees with diameter at breast height (DBH) ≥1 cm and topography data in the plot were surveyed in detail. Geostatistical analyses were used to characterize the spatial variability of SOC and TN, while variation partitioning combined with Mantel’s test were used to quantify the relative contribution of each type of factors.

Results and discussion

Both surface soil (0–10 cm) and subsurface soil (10–30 cm) exhibited moderate spatial autocorrelation with explainable fractions ranged from 31 to 47 %. The highest contribution to SOC and TN variation came from soil variables (including soil pH and available phosphorus), followed by vegetation and topographic variables. Although the effect of topography was weak, Mantel’s test still showed a significant relationship between topography and SOC. Strong interactions among these variables were discovered. Compared with surface soil, the explanatory power of environmental variables was much lower for subsurface soil.

Conclusions

The differences in relative contributions between surface and subsurface soils suggest that the dominating ecological process are likely different in the two soil depths. The large unexplained variation emphasized the importance of fine-scale variations and ecological processes. The large variations in soil C and N and their controlling mechanisms should be taken into account when evaluating how forest managements may affect C and N cycles.

     

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.     

Effects of nitrogen deposition on soil organic carbon fractions in the subtropical forest ecosystems of S China

Experiments were conducted between 2003 and 2008 to examine how N additions influence soil organic C (SOC) and its fractions in forests at different succession stages in the subtropical China. The succession stages included pine forest, pine and broadleaf mixed forest, and old‐growth monsoon evergreen broadleaf forest. Three levels of N (NH₄NO₃)‐addition treatments comprising control, low‐N (50 kg N ha^–1 y^–1), and medium‐N (100 kg N ha^–1 y^–1) were established. An additional treatment of high‐N (150 kg N ha^–1 y^–1) was established in the broadleaf mixed forest. Soil samples were obtained in July 2008 for analysis. Total organic C (TOC), particulate organic C (POC, > 53 μm), readily oxidizable organic C (ROC), nonreadily oxidizable organic C (NROC), microbial biomass C (MBC), and soil properties were analyzed. Nitrogen addition affected the TOC and its fractions significantly. Labile organic‐C fractions (POC and ROC) in the topsoil (0–10 cm) increased in all the three forests in response to the N‐addition treatments. NROC within the topsoil was higher in the medium‐N and high‐N treatments than in the controls. In the topsoil profiles of the broadleaf forest, N addition decreased MBC and increased TOC, while no significant effect on MBC and TOC occurred in the pine and mixed forests. Overall, elevated N deposition increased the availability of labile organic C (POC and ROC) and the accumulation of NROC within the topsoil irrespective of the forest succession stage, and might enhance the C‐storage capacity of the forest soils.     

Effects of changed litter inputs on soil labile carbon and nitrogen pools in a eucalyptus-dominated forest of southeast Queensland,Australia

Purpose

The quantity and quality of litter inputs to forest soils are likely to be changed as a result of the climate change and human disturbances. However, the effects of changed litter inputs on soil labile carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) pools still remain unclear.

Materials and methods

A 15-month in situ field experiment was conducted within both high and low litter quality site in a eucalyptus-dominated native forest of Queensland, Australia. Three rates of litter inputs were applied, including (i) no litter (NL); (ii) single litter (SL), representing the average condition of the surrounding forest floor; and (iii) double litter (DL). Water-extractable organic C (WEOC) and total N (WETN), hot water-extractable organic C (HWEOC) and total N (HWETN), microbial biomass C (MBC), and N (MBN) were analyzed in the 0–5-cm soil layer seasonally.

Results and discussion

Litter input rates had no significant effects on litter decomposition at both sites (P?>?0.05). After 15-month of decomposition, mean litter mass loss was 46.3% and 31.2% at the HQ and LQ sites, respectively. Changed litter quantity had no significant effects on any of the soil labile C and N pools, regardless of litter quality. However, soil labile C and N pools significantly varied with sampling times, and the samples of different sampling times were clearly separated at both sites according to the redundancy analysis (RDA). WEOC peaked in summer, declined in autumn and winter, and increased again in spring, while the concentrations of HWEOC and MBC peaked in the winter period. The seasonal trends of MBN were opposite to the trends of WETN, which might be due to the temporal partitioning of N between plants and microbes.

Conclusions

The findings indicated that soil labile C and N pools in the eucalyptus-dominated forest of subtropical Australia were resistant to a short-term change in aboveground litter inputs. Future research should expand on these findings by keeping observing over a longer time period and considering the influence of changed belowground litter inputs.

     

Effect of labile and recalcitrant carbon on heterotrophic nitrification in a subtropical forest soil

Carbon (C) is an important factor controlling heterotrophic nitrification in soil, but the effect of individual C components (e.g., labile and recalcitrant C) is largely unclear. We carried out a C amendment experiment in which either labile C (glucose) or a recalcitrant C (cellulose and biochar) was added to a subtropical forest soil. A ¹⁵N-, ¹³C-tracing and MiSeq sequencing study was performed to investigate soil gross heterotrophic nitrification rates, carbon utilization for soil respiration and microbial biomass production and microbial composition, respectively. After 2 days, results showed a significant increase of gross heterotrophic nitrification rate in glucose (GLU) (on average 3.34 mg N kg⁻¹ day⁻¹), cellulose (CEL) (on average 0.21 mg N kg⁻¹ day⁻¹) and biochar (BIO) (on average 0.13 mg N kg⁻¹ day⁻¹) amendment in comparison with the unamended soil (CK) (on average 0.01 mg N kg⁻¹ day⁻¹; p < 0.05). The contribution of heterotrophic nitrification to total soil nitrification was significantly larger in GLU (average 85.86%), CEL (average 98.52%) and BIO (average 81.25%) treatments compared with CK (average 33.33%; p < 0.01). After 2-month amendment, the gross rates remarkably decreased in GLU (average 0.02 mg N kg⁻¹ day⁻¹), and the contribution to total nitrification (average 8.73%) were significantly lower than that in CK (p < 0.05). A decrease in the proportion of heterotrophic nitrification to total nitrification in soil was also observed in CEL (average 38.40%) and BIO (6.74%) treatments. Nevertheless, BIO amendment (compared to CK, GLU and CEL) showed the highest gross heterotrophic nitrification rate, accompanied by a notably higher abundance of specific heterotrophic nitrifiers, i.e. Trichoderma, Aspergillus and Penicillium. These results point to a stimulatory effect of C addition on soil heterotrophic nitrification in the short term, while the stimulatory impact of C amendment diminishes with the decline in easily available C. In addition, a shift of the microbial composition in the long term can possibly be sustained for longer if additional recalcitrant C is available to heterotrophic nitrifiers. The dynamic response of heterotrophic nitrification to labile and recalcitrant C in this study offered an explanation for the positive effect of plantation and plant root exudation on the process.     

Different impacts of native and exotic earthworms on rhizodeposit carbon sequestration in a subtropical soil

Earthworms are known to regulate the sequestration of soil and leaf litter carbon (C). However, their impacts on the more accessible rhizospheric C, which represents a major energy source for soil food webs and an essential factor for C sequestration, are still unclear. Previous studies indicate that earthworms regulate the dynamics of SOC and leaf litter-C by increasing C accessibility to microbiota. However, in the case of labile rhizodeposit-C, microbiota might not require any pre-conditioning by earthworms and may rapidly metabolize most of this root-derived C. Consequently, potential pathways by which earthworms may affect the fate of rhizodeposit-C would be to regulate the biomass and/or activity of rhizosphere microbiota and, further, to mineralize/stabilize microbial products. A ¹³CO₂ labelling experiment was performed to determine the impacts of four different earthworm species on the fate of tree rhizodeposit-C in a subtropical soil. We hypothesized that endogeic earthworm species, representing primarily geophagous species, would closely interact with soil microbiota and sequester the microbially metabolized rhizodeposit-C more efficiently than epigeic and anecic earthworm species. We found that irrespective of ecological group affiliation, the three native earthworms did not affect rhizodeposit-C sequestration. In contrast, the exotic endogeic species stimulated the immobilization of rhizodeposit-C in the biomass of root-associated bacteria and/or arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and, further, accessed the microbiota-metabolized rhizodeposit-C more efficiently. As a consequence, the exotic endogeic earthworm species transiently tripled rhizodeposit-C retention in soil. We propose that the weak linkages between native earthworms and rhizodeposits-related microbiota limit earthworm impacts on rhizodeposit-C sequestration. However, the exotic endogeic species Pontoscolex corethrurus may potentially alter rhizodeposit-C dynamics in invaded areas by shifting rhizosphere microbial community composition. This work highlights a distinct mechanism by which earthworms can regulate C dynamics and indicates a significant contribution of invasive earthworm species to belowground processes.     

不同施肥管理对红壤性水稻土有机碳、氮形态的影响

A long-term experiment beginning in 1981 in Jinxian County of Jiangxi Province, subtropical China, was conducted in a paddy field under a double rice cropping system with four different fertilization regimes, including 1) no fertilizer as control (CK), 2) balanced chemical N, P, and K fertilizers (NPK), 3) organic manure using milk vetch and pig manure in the early and late rice growing season, respectively (OM), and 4) balanced chemical fertilizers combined with organic manure (NPKM). Samples (0-17 cm) of the paddy field soil, which was derived from Quaternary red clay, were collected after the late rice harvest in November 2003 for determination of total organic carbon (TOC) and total nitrogen (TN) and fractions of organic C and N. Results showed that TOC and TN in the NPKM and OM treatments were significantly higher than those in other two treatments (CK and NPK). Application of organic manure with or without chemical fertilizers significantly increased the contents of all fractions of organic C and N, whereas chemical fertilizer application only increased the contents of occluded particulate organic C (oPOC) and amino acid N. In addition, application of organic manure significantly enhanced the proportions of free particulate organic carbon (fPOC) and oPOC in total C, and those of amino sugar N and amino acid N (P < 0.01) in total N. In contrast, chemical fertilizer application only increased the proportions of oPOC and amino acid N (P < 0.05). There were no significant differences in either contents or proportions of soil organic C and organic N fractions between the NPKM and OM treatments. These indicated that organic manure application with or without chemical fertilizers played the most significant role in enhancing soil organic C and N quantity and quality in the paddy field studied.     

Soil carbon and nutrient pools, microbial properties and gross nitrogen transformations in adjacent natural forest and hoop pine plantations of subtropical Australia

Background, Aims, and Scope  An improved understanding of important soil carbon (C) and nutrient pools as well as microbial activities in forest ecosystems is required for developing effective forest management regimes underpinning forest productivity and sustainability. Forest types and management practices can have significant impacts on soil C and nutrient pools as well as biological properties in forest ecosystems. Soil C and nutrient pools were assessed for adjacent natural forest (NF), first rotation (1R) (50-year-old), and second rotation (2R) (1-year-old) hoop pine (Araucaria cunninghamii Ait. ex D. Don) plantations in southeast Queensland of subtropical Australia. Materials and Methods  Five transects spaced 3 m apart with 9 sampling points along each transect were selected (9.6 m × 12.0 m each site), with 45 soil cores (7.5 cm in diameter) collected and separated into 0–10 and 10–20 cm depths. These soils were analysed for total C, total nitrogen (N), C (δ¹³C) and N (δ¹⁵N) isotope composition. The 0–10 cm soils were analysed for pH, CEC, exchangeable cations, total P and total K, and assayed for microbial biomass C and N, respiration, metabolic quotient, potential mineralizable N (PMN), gross N mineralization (M) and immobilization (I). Results  Total C and N in 0–10 cm soils were higher under NF and 1R plantation than under 2R plantation, while they were highest in 10–20 cm soils under NF, followed by the 1R and then 2R plantation. δ¹³C was lower under NF than under the plantations, while δ¹⁵N was higher under NF than under the plantations. Total P was the highest under NF, followed by the 1R and then 2R plantation, while total K was higher under the 2R plantation. No significant differences were detected for pH, CEC, exchangeable cations, microbial C and N, respiration and metabolic quotient among the 3 sites. PMN and M were higher under NF, while I was the highest under the 2R plantation, followed by the NF and then 1R plantation. Discussion  Soil total C and N in 0–10 cm depth were significantly lower under 2R hoop pine plantation than those under NF and 1R hoop pine plantation. There were significant reductions in soil total C and N from NF to 1R and from 1R to 2R hoop pine plantations in 10–20 cm depth. This highlights potential N deficiency in the 2R hoop pine plantations, and application of N fertilizers may be required to improve the productivity of 2R hoop pine plantations. There were no significant differences in other soil chemical and physical properties in 0–10 cm depth among the 3 sites under NF, 1R and 2R hoop pine plantations, except for soil total P and K. Soil microbial biomass C, CO₂ respiration and metabolic quotient did not differ among the 3 sites assessed, perhaps mainly due to these biological variables being too sensitive to variations in soil chemical and physical properties and thereby being associated with a larger variability in the soil biological properties. However, soil potential mineralizable N, gross N mineralization and immobilization were rather sensitive to the conversion of NF to hoop pine plantation and forest management practices. Conclusions  Total C and N in the top 20 cm soil were highest under NF, followed by 1R and then 2R hoop pine plantations, indicating that N deficiency may become a growth-limiting factor in the 2R hoop pine plantations and subsequent rotations of hoop pine plantation. The sample size for soil δ¹³C seems to be much smaller than those for soil total C and N as well as δ¹⁵N. The significant reductions in soil total P from NF to 1R and then from 1R to 2R hoop pine plantations highlight that P deficiency might become another growth-limiting factor in the second and subsequent rotations of hoop pine plantations. Soil microbial properties may be associated with large spatial variations due to these biological properties being too sensitive to the variations in soil chemical and physical properties in these forest ecosystems. Recommendations and Perspectives  Soil potential mineralizable N, gross N mineralization and immobilization were useful indices of soil N availability in response to forest types and management practices. The sampling size for soil δ¹³C was much smaller than the other soil chemical and biological properties due to the different patterns of spatial variation in these soil properties.     

Short-term effects of tillage on mineralization of nitrogen and carbon in soil

Tillage is known to decrease soil organic nitrogen (N) and carbon (C) pools with negative consequences for soil quality. This decrease is thought partly to be caused by exposure of protected organic matter to microbial degradation by the disturbance of soil structure. Little is known, however, about the short-term effects of tillage on mineralization of N and C, and microbial activity. We studied the short-term effects of two types of tillage (conventional plough- and a non-inverting-tillage) on mineralization and microbial N and C pools in a sandy loam under organic plough-tillage management. The release of active and protected (inactive) N by tillage was further studied in the laboratory by use of ¹⁵N labelling of the active pool of soil N followed by simulation of tillage by sieving through a 2 mm sieve. Results showed that the two types of tillage as well as the simulation of tillage had very few effects on mineralization and microbial pools. The simulation of tillage caused, however, a small release of N from a pool which was otherwise protected against microbial degradation. The use of soil crushing for disruption of larger macroaggregates (>425 μm) and chloroform fumigation for perturbation of the microbial biomass increased the release from both active and protected N pools. The relative contribution from the protected N pool was, however, similar in the three treatments (22-27%), thus the pools subjected to mineralization were characterised by similar degree of protection. On the basis of isotopic composition the pools of N mineralised were indistinguishable. This suggests that the released N originated from the same pool, that is the soil microbial biomass. The study points to the microbial pool as the main source of labile N which may be released by tillage, and thus to its importance for sustained soil fertility in agricultural systems.