Specificity of soil hydrolytically microbial complex under different moisture conditions

It has been established that soil moisture has a significant impact on the activity of chitinolytic microbial processes, rather than pectinolytic processes. The degradation of polysaccharides with an increase in soil moisture in microbial complex markedly increases the role of prokaryotic microorganisms, especially actinomycetes. For the first time, using the FISH method, the amount of detected phylogenetic composition of a metabolically active hydrolytic complex of humus horizons of grey forest and gley and weakly podzolic soil and humus has been estimated depending on the humidity. At optimum moisture, phylogenetic groups Actinobacteria and Firmicutes dominated in the chitinolytic process. An increase in the proportion of proteobacteria is observed with an increase in humidity. The role of gamma- and alphaproteobacteria and actino-bacteria is heightened with the drying of soil in the hydrolytic complex. A quantitative estimate of the rate of degradation of polysaccharides (pectin and chitin) in different types of soils at different levels of moisture is given. The dependence of the phylogenetic composition of an active microbial hydrolytic complex of humus horizons of grey forest and gley, weakly podzolic soils and humus on humidity is revealed.     

不同轮作模式对砂田土壤微生物区系及理化性状的影响

砂田是干旱半干旱地区具有综合效能的旱作覆盖技术,有明显改良和调节农田小环境的功效,近年来随着砂田产业化的快速发展,西瓜连作现象非常普遍,连作障碍明显。针对砂田西瓜连作障碍明显的现状, 基于定位试验, 研究了西瓜连作(对照, CK)和西瓜→花豆、西瓜→辣椒、西瓜→南瓜3种轮作方式对砂田土壤微生物群落和理化性状的影响, 结果表明: 与连作相比, 3种轮作模式均可改善土壤微生物区系结构, 增加土壤微生物多样性指数, 增加细菌、放线菌数量及细菌数量与真菌数量比值(B/F), 减少真菌数量; 其中以与辣椒轮作效果最为明显, 多样性指数(McIntosh指数, 0.247)较CK(0.146)显著增加, 放线菌数量比例(31.98%)较CK (14.22%)显著增加, 但真菌数量及占总菌数的比例(0.06%)相对CK(0.43%)明显降低。轮作能改变土壤微生态环境, 提高砂田土壤微生物多样性, 缓解西瓜的连作障碍,西瓜与辣椒轮作是有效预防和克服连作障碍的较佳种植制度。     

多菌灵重复施药对其持久性及土壤微生物群落功能多样性的影响

选择浙江大学华家池校区大棚蔬菜试验田,研究了多菌灵(以active ingredient,a.i.计)0.94、1.88和4.70 kg hm-2三种剂量重复施药对其持久性及土壤微生物功能多样性的影响。结果表明,第1次施药后,多菌灵在土壤中的降解速率分别为0.11、0.25、0.74 mg kg-1d-1;第4次施药后,多菌灵在土壤中的降解速率分别达到0.18、0.39、1.00 mg kg-1d-1。随着施药次数的增加,多菌灵的降解速率逐渐增大。初次施药后,土壤微生物群落AWCD值明显低于对照,土壤微生物群落的Shannon、Simpson和McIntosh指数也均低于对照水平。第4次施药后,三个处理土壤微生物群落的AWCD值、Shannon、Simpson和McIntosh指数均恢复到对照水平。     

Computed leaching of pesticides from soil under field conditions

With a computer model, pesticide behavior in soil after spring application to a sandy loam field with a potato crop, was simulated. Special attention was paid to the risk of leaching through the upper meter of soil in catchment areas. Unsaturated water flow resulting from rainfall was modeled in some detail. Uptake of water and solute by the developing root system of the annual crop was included in the model. The computations were carried out for hypothetical pesticides with first-order decomposition rate constants in soil of 0.03, 0.01, 0.003, and 0.001 day^–1 at 20°C. Adsorption decreased with increasing soil depth and the adsorption coefficient for the top layer ranged from 0.0 to 10.0. For 20 combinations of decomposition rates and adsorption strengths, the extent of leaching from a top layer 1 m thick was computed. With a decomposition rate constant at 20°C of 0.03 day^–1 or higher, leaching was extremely low; with 0.01 days^–1 leaching was 1.7% of the dosage or lower. For compounds with a high persistence and mobility, leaching from the soil ranged up to about 10% of the dosage or more. Besides decomposition, uptake by plants was an important factor in reducing leaching, particularly for the weakly adsorbed and comparatively persistent compounds.     

Biotite weathering in podzolic soil under conditions of a model field experiment

The biotite changes in the 1–5 μm fraction after its occurrence in the F, H, AE, and E horizons of a pale-podzolic soil for five years under conditions of a model field experiment were assessed by X-ray diffraction analysis. It was found that the main changes of the biotite in all the horizons included the degradational transformation of its crystal lattice to interstratified mica-vermiculite structures and vermiculite. The intensity of this process gradually decreased from the F horizon down the profile in parallel with the decrease in the amount of roots and the abundance and activity of microbiota. Chloritized structures were present among the products of the biotite weathering in the H, AE, and E horizons; the degree of chloritization gradually increased from the H horizon to the E horizon. The main identified products of the biotite weathering in the AE and E horizons formed during the 5 years of the model experiment were identified in the clay and fine-silt fractions from these horizons of the native pale-podzolic soils. Therefore, the vermiculite, soil chlorite, and mixed-layer illite-vermiculite minerals in the soils studied could be considered as products of the recent soil functioning. The obtained results and literature data showed that the weathering of biotite resulted in the formation of K- and Al-buffer systems.     

Structural and functional features of microbial communities in a soddy-podzolic soil under self-remediation conditions

The microbial component is one of the key factors responsible for soil fertility and soil quality. The sensitivities of some structural and functional parameters of soil microbial communities in soddy-podzolic soils under long-term self-remediation conditions were compared. The suitability of the parameters studied for quantifying the resilience of soil biota to agricultural intervention was studied.     

Fate of a phenylpyrazole in vegetation and soil under tropical field conditions

The fate of fipronil, a phenylpyrazole insecticide, and its metabolites under tropical conditions was studied in soil and in vegetation after treatment for locust control. Two different plots were treated with a formulation of fipronil at doses of 5 and 10 g of active ingredient ha(-)(1), respectively. Vegetation and soil at depths of 0-5 and 5-20 cm were sampled for up to 2 months after treatment. After extraction and purification on fipronil immunoaffinity cartridges, residues were analyzed by gas chromatography using electron capture and mass detectors. In soil, a rapid initial decrease of fipronil was observed with a rapid formation of the sulfone and the photodegradate; the amide and the sulfide were not detected. In vegetation, a rapid initial decrease of fipronil was also observed with a rapid formation of mostly the sulfone; the photodegradate and the sulfide were also detected but at much lower concentrations. The metabolites resulting from the degradation of fipronil were similar in both soil and vegetation, but their relative concentrations were different.     

Decomposition kinetics of straw saccharides and synthesis of microbial saccharides under field conditions

The decomposition of rice and barley straw saccharides under field conditions was well represented by the first-order kinetics model of Y_t=C₁e^?k1t+C₂e^?k2t, where Y_t is the remaining amount at time t, k₁ and k₂ are the decomposition rate constants (time^?1) for the labile fraction (C₁) and the non-labile fraction (C₂), respectively. About 82% of the total saccharide content of the rice straw was in the labile fraction with a rate constant 0.64–0.81, the values for the barley straw being 70–92% and 0.50–0.61, respectively. The non-labile fraction appeared to persist for a long time, with a half-value period of 9–59 months. Barley straw and its saccharides decomposed at a slower rate than rice straw. Much more favourable initial decomposition was observed in a paddy field than in an upland field. Mannose, fucose, rhamnose and ribose were synthesized in parallel with the flush of decomposition of straw saccharides.     

Bentonite variations in a peaty-podzolic-gleyish soil under the field model experiment conditions

Changes in bentonite were estimated after having kept it in hor. T2, H, Eih, and E of peaty-podzolic-gleyish (PPG) soil for 1, 3, and 5 years as part of a model field experiment. In the first variant, when montmorillonite is heated at 350°C, its X-ray patterns demonstrate a diffuse scattering (1.0–1.4 nm), which is probably due to the formation of the brucite layer fragments in the interpacket gaps at the expense of magnesium in the initial crystal lattice. When kept in the organogenic layers of soil for 3 and 5 years, it develops a considerable amount of the mineral, which does not swell after being saturated with glycerine. The diffuse scattering at 1.0–1.4 nm disappears after heating at 350°C, but the reflex at 1.0 nm during this treatment remains asymmetric with a gentle sloping towards the smaller angles θ. It can be explained by the partial dilution of the brucite fragments, which developed in the first year, under the conditions of an acidic medium. The changes in the diffraction pattern of hor. Eih, which took place over 1, 3, and 5 years, were similar to those in the organogenic horizons. They were caused by the same reasons as in the organogenic horizons. In the former case, however, thermodynamic measurements allow for the formation of aluminum hydroxide interlayers in the interpocket gaps of montmorillonite as its hydrocomplexes come from the superficial solution. In hor. E, changes in montmorillonite as a result of being kept in soil were marked only by the signs of early chloritization in the sample, which was kept in the soil for 5 years.     

Carbon flow from C-labeled straw and root residues into the phospholipid fatty acids of a soil microbial community under field conditions

To better understand how residue quality and seasonal conditions influence the flow of C from both root and straw residues into the soil microbial community, we followed the incorporation of ¹³C-labeled crimson clover (Trifolium incarnatum) and ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum) root and straw residues into the phospholipid fatty acids (PLFA) of soil microbial biomass. After residue incorporation under field conditions in late summer (September), the ¹³C content of soil PLFA was measured in September, October, and November, 2002, and April and June, 2003. Multivariate non-metric multidimensional scaling techniques showed that the distribution of ¹³C among microbial PLFA differed among the four primary treatments (ryegrass straw and roots, clover straw and roots). Regardless of treatment, some PLFA remained poorly labeled with ¹³C throughout much of the study (16:1ω5, 10Me17:0; 0-5%), whereas other PLFA consistently contained a larger percentage of residue-derived C (16:0; 18:1ω9, 18:2ω6,9; 10-25%). The distribution of residue ¹³C among individual PLFA differed from the relative contributions of individual PLFA (mol%) to total PLFA-C, suggesting that a subset of the soil biomass was primarily responsible for assimilating residue-derived C. The distribution of ¹³C among soil PLFA differed between the sampling times, indicating that residue properties and soil conditions influenced which members of the community were assimilating residue-derived C. Our findings will provide the foundation for further studies to identify the nature of the community members responsible for residue decomposition at different times of the year, and what factors account for the dynamics of the community involved.     

Biotite weathering in peaty-podzolic gleyic soil under conditions of a model field experiment

Changes in biotite (fraction 1–5 μm) after exposure in the T2, H, Eih, and E horizons of peatypodzolic gleyic soil under conditions of a model field experiment were studied by X-ray diffraction. It was found that the main transformations of the biotite in all horizons included the degradation of its crystal lattice into regularly interstratified biotite-vermiculite and randomly interstratified biotite-smectite structures and vermiculite. The transformation intensity decreased down the profile simultaneously with a reduction in the content of organic matter, roots, and microbiota population and activity. Chloritized structures were also present among the biotite weathering products in the E horizon. The main identified products of biotite weathering formed in horizons Eih and E over a five-year period of the model experiment were detected in the clay and fine silt fractions of these horizons and in native peaty-podzolic gleyic soils. This suggests that vermiculite and soil chlorite in the soils studied are products of soil functioning. It follows from the results, with consideration for literature data, that the weathering of biotite results in the formation of a potassium-buffering system.     

微集水种植技术的农田水分调控效果模拟研究

农田微集水种植技术是提高旱区农田作物生产力的一项重要的技术选择，带型(沟垄的宽度比例和数值)的优化设计是其研究和开发所面临的关键问题之一。该研究利用模拟降水等方法，通过降水在沟垄间的分配比例、在沟土中水平分布的不均匀程度，在沟内的最大下渗深度及在沟内的垂直分布特征值4个描述降水在沟垄间分布特征参数对同一沟垄宽度比例的不同宽度值处理对农田水分调控的效果进行了比较分析。结果表明：各种降水处理下，对同一沟垄宽度比值，随着带型的窄化(宽度变窄)，降水向垄中的侧渗作用增强，在沟内水平分布的不均匀性降低，在沟内的垂直下渗略有减弱；在蓄水保墒效果上，窄带型要优于同一沟垄比值下的宽带型。     

Estimation of microbial biomass potassium in paddy field soil

Abstract

Potassium (K) in microbial cells, microbial biomass K, in soil has been recently recognized as a K pool for plant growth. We determined soil microbial biomass K in paddy fields to reveal its importance as a K pool in paddy field soil for the first time. Microbial biomass K ranged from 5 to 21 mg K kg^?1 in the soil samples periodically collected from a paddy field and the value corresponded to 41% of the exchangeable K on average. Both microbial biomass K and exchangeable K increased conspicuously due to the long-term application of livestock manure compost or rice straw compost. Biomass K was higher than exchangeable K under K-deficient conditions in the long-term experimental plots without K application. The present study revealed that the microbial biomass contained considerable amounts of K in paddy field soil, indicating the need for evaluation of the microbial biomass K as a source and a stock of K in soil that has been overlooked.     

Straw management and tillage effects on soil water storage under field conditions

Abstract. A two year field study was conducted to evaluate the effects of straw management and tillage on the soil profile (1.5m) water storage, nature of the moisture profile, infiltration and sorptivity as influenced by rainfall, evaporativity (E₀) and soil texture. The straw mulch treatment stored more moisture under low E₀ rainy conditions in three coarse to medium textured soils. Straw incorporation treatment was better under low E₀ rain free conditions, as well as under high E₀ rainy conditions in the two coarser textured soils. In the coarsest textured soil, tillage and straw mulching were not effective in maintaining greater soil water storage under high E₀ because of the very open nature of the soil. The soil moisture profiles showed a sharper increase in water content below the tilled layer in the tillage and straw- incorporation treatments than the untreated and straw mulch treatments. Tillage and straw incorporation treatments increased the sorptivity of the soil compared with untreated and straw mulch treatments respectively. The results of this study suggest that when selecting a suitable soil water conservation practice to increase water storage in the soil profile, information on soil texture and weather (rain and evaporativity) must be considered.     

玉米生长后期的根系分布研究

为了研究玉米生长后期根系的生长发育规律,利用中国气象局固城农业气象试验站大型根剖面系统,采用微根管观测系统及方形整段标本法和地下根系室玻璃窗,对‘屯玉46号’玉米根系的生长状况进行了试验研究。结果表明:垂直方向上,方形整段标本法和微根管法测得的根长密度占整层总根长密度比例的变化趋势一致,相关系数分别为0.987和0.717,且两种方法在0~20 cm土层的根长密度比例均为最大。0~60 cm土层为玉米根系生长活跃区,方形整段标本法测得根长密度生长量为其余层的4倍。两种方法测得的根长密度无显著差异,相关系数为0.830,均匀性水平较好。玉米成熟期根系的水平幅度较乳熟期窄,下层根系仍处于生长中,垂直深度增加。玻璃窗与方形整段标本法观测的根深测定结果存在差异,这可能与观测环境条件不一致有关。     

Influence of inorganic fertilizers and organic amendments on soil organic matter and soil microbial properties under tropical conditions

 Soil organic matter level, mineralizable C and N, microbial biomass C and dehydrogenase, urease and alkaline phosphatase activities were studied in soils from a field experiment under a pearl millet-wheat cropping sequence receiving inorganic fertilizers and a combination of inorganic fertilizers and organic amendments for the last 11 years. The amounts of soil organic matter and mineralizable C and N increased with the application of inorganic fertilizers. However, there were greater increases of these parameters when farmyard manure, wheat straw or Sesbania bispinosa green manure was applied along with inorganic fertilizers. Microbial biomass C increased from 147 mg kg^–1 soil in unfertilized soil to 423 mg kg^–1 soil in soil amended with wheat straw and inorganic fertilizers. The urease and alkaline phosphatase activities of soils increased significantly with a combination of inorganic fertilizers and organic amendments. The results indicate that soil organic matter level and soil microbial activities, vital for the nutrient turnover and long-term productivity of the soil, are enhanced by use of organic amendments along with inorganic fertilizers. Received: 6 May 1998     

Changes in microbial biomass C, soil carbohydrate composition and aggregate stability induced by growth of selected crop and forage species under field conditions

The effects of growth of various crop and forage species on microbial biomass C, soil carbohydrate content and monosaccharide composition, and mean weight diameter (MWD) were investigated in two field experiments. One experiment was conducted over one growing season (4 months) whereas the other had been conducted for three consecutive growing seasons (32 months). In the four-month experiment, aggregate stability (estimated as MWD) of soil from experimental plots followed the order Italian ryegrass > prairie grass > phacelia = pea = maize. At the 32-month site the order was perennial ryegrass > annual ryegrass > perennial white clover = barley. At both sites crops with the greatest root mass and root length density had the greatest effect on increasing MWD. In all cases, rhizosphere soil had a significantly higher microbial biomass and MWD than non-rhizosphere soil. However, organic C, total content of acid-hydrolysable carbohydrate and content of individual monosaccharides in acid hydrolysates were similar in rhizosphere and non-rhizosphere soil. The fraction of soil carbohydrate extractable with hot water (representing about 6-8% of the total carbohydrate content) was significantly higher in the rhizosphere soil. This fraction has a galactose plus mannose over arabinose plus xylose ratio of 2.1–2.3 indicating that it was predominantly of microbial origin. It is suggested that the carbohydrate fraction extractable with hot water is made up of exocellular microbial polysaccharides that are involved in stabilizing soil aggregates in the rhizosphere. By comparison with arable crop species, grass species have a larger root mass and root length density, and therefore a higher microbial biomass and larger production of carbohydrate extractable with hot water. As a result they have a more marked effect on improving soil aggregate stability.     

Soil microbial biomass and activity in soil from different grassland management treatments stored under controlled conditions

Soil taken during summer from permanent pasture on a clay loam in S.W. England which had been under four different N management treatments for at least 3 yr was stored under aerobic conditions at 18°C. Total soil microbial biomass (SMB), measured by fumigation-extraction, was higher in the unfertilized grass and grass–clover treatments than in the fertilized grass and clover treatments and these differences persisted for 30 weeks. Over this period total SMB decreased by 25% in all the treatments, soil respiration also decreased, but more rapidly and to a greater extent (50%). The respiration response of the biomass to glucose, estimating “active” biomass, was measured by a substrate induced respiration (SIR) procedure; it showed no differences between the four treatments but was reduced by 66% over 30 weeks. Concentrations of NO₃⁻–N increased progressively in each treatment by more than 15-fold. At the end of the 30 weeks addition of available C in the form of glucose resulted in a small increase in total SMB and respiratory activity and a large decrease in NO₃⁻–N in all treatments: the SIR response of the biomass was completely restored. It is suggested that the differences in total SMB in the management treatments throughout the incubation were attributable to the “inactive” fraction of the biomass.     

The relative immobility of fertilizer and native copper in an organic soil under field conditions

Twelve profiles were obtained from a 2 ha field, 6 from where Cu had been applied for 15 yr and 6 from areas not fertilized with Cu. The 30 to 50 cm layers in the profiles in both areas contained similar amounts of Cu indicating a lack of vertical migration of the fertilizer metal under field conditions. A buried layer of humified material was found mostly between 50 and 60 cm depth. Of the mineral elements which enriched this layer during degradation and humification, perhaps a few thousand years ago, Cu, Pb and Mn were apparently retained more than Ca, Fe, Ni, Al, Mg, Zn and K.