Priming effect of the addition of maize to a Japanese volcanic ash soil and its temperature sensitivity: a short-term incubation study

ABSTRACT

The response of soil organic matter (SOM) to global warming is a crucial subject. However, the temperature sensitivity of SOM turnover remains largely uncertain. Changes in the mineralization of native SOM, i.e., priming effect (PE) may strongly affect the temperature sensitivity of SOM turnover in the presence of global warming. We investigated the direction and magnitude of the PE in a Japanese volcanic ash soil at different temperatures (15°C, 25°C, and 35°C) using a natural ¹³C tracer (C4-plant, maize leaf) in a short-term (25 days) incubation study. In addition, we evaluated the temperature sensitivity expressed as Q₁₀ value with and without the addition of maize to the soil and their relations to PE. We found that positive PE occurred at each temperature condition and tended to increase with decreased temperature, and these PE results were consistent with the microbial biomass at the end of the incubation period. CO₂ emission from control soil (without maize) increased with increasing temperature (Q₁₀ = 2.6), but CO₂ emission from the soil with added maize did not significantly change with increasing temperature (Q₁₀ = 1.0). This was caused by the suppression of CO₂ emission from the soil with increasing temperature (Q₁₀ = 0.9). On the other hand, soil-originated CO₂ emission clearly increased with increasing temperature (Q₁₀ = 3.4) when Q₁₀ values were calculated on the assumption that the temperature and substrate supply increase at the same time (from 25°C). These results suggest that not only the temperature increase but also the labile carbon supply may be important for the temperature sensitivity of Japanese volcanic ash soil.     

不同轮作制度下土壤中不稳定有机碳组分的变化

Taking Kenli County in the Yellow River Delta, China, as the study area and using digital satellite remote sensing techniques, cultivated land use changes and their corresponding driving forces were explored in this study. An interactive interpretation and a manual modification procedure were carried out to acquire cultivated land information. An overlay method based on classification results and a visual change detection method which was supported by land use maps were employed to detect the cultivated land changes. Based on the changes that were revealed and a spatial analysis between cultivated land use and related natural and socio-economic factors, the driving forces for cultivated land use changes in the study area were determined. The results showed a decrease in cultivated land in Kenli County of 5321.8 ha from 1987 to 1998, i.e., an average annual decrement of 483.8 ha, which occurred mainly in the central paddy field region and the northeast dry land region. Adverse human activities, soil salinization and water deficiencies were the driving forces that caused these cultivated land use changes.     

Dynamics of maize (Zea mays L.) leaf straw mineralization as affected by the presence of soil and the availability of nitrogen

An incubation experiment was carried out with maize (Zea mays L.) leaf straw to analyze the effects of mixing the residues with soil and N amendment on the decomposition process. In order to distinguish between soil effects and nitrogen effects for both the phyllospheric microorganisms already present on the surface of maize straw and soil microorganisms the N amendment was applied in two different placements: directly to the straw or to the soil. The experiment was performed in dynamic, automated microcosms for 22 days at 15 °C with 7 treatments: (1) untreated soil, (2) non-amended maize leaf straw without soil, (3) N amended maize leaf straw without soil, (4) soil mixed with maize leaf straw, (5) N amended soil, (6) N amended soil mixed with maize leaf straw, and (7) soil mixed with N amended maize leaf straw. ¹⁵NH₄¹⁵NO₃ (5 at%) was added. Gas emissions (CO₂, ¹³CO₂ and N₂O) were continuously recorded throughout the experiment. Microbial biomass C, biomass N, ergosterol, δ¹³C of soil organic C and of microbial biomass C as well as ¹⁵N in soil total N, mineral N and microbial biomass N were determined in soil samples at the end of the incubation. The CO₂ evolution rate showed a lag-phase of two days in the non-amended maize leaf straw treatment without soil, which was completely eliminated when mineral N was added. The addition of N generally increased the CO₂ evolution rate during the initial stages of maize leaf straw decomposition, but not the cumulative CO₂ production. The presence of soil caused roughly a 50% increase in cumulative CO₂ production within 22 days in the maize straw treatments due to a slower decrease of CO₂ evolution after the initial activity peak. Since there are no limitations of water or N, we suggest that soil provides a microbial community ensuring an effective succession of straw decomposing microorganisms. In the treatments where maize and soil was mixed, 75% of microbial biomass C was derived from maize. We concluded that this high contribution of maize using microbiota indicates a strong influence of organisms of phyllospheric origin to the microbial community in the soil after plant residues enter the soil.     

Dynamics of labile and recalcitrant soil carbon pools in a sorghum free-air CO2 enrichment (FACE) agroecosystem

Experimentation with dynamics of soil carbon pools as affected by elevated CO₂ can better define the ability of terrestrial ecosystems to sequester global carbon. In the present study, 6 N HCl hydrolysis and stable-carbon isotopic analysis (δ¹³C) were used to investigate labile and recalcitrant soil carbon pools and the translocation among these pools of sorghum residues isotopically labeled in the 1998-1999 Arizona Maricopa free air CO₂ enrichment (FACE) experiment, in which elevated CO₂ (FACE: 560 μmol mol⁻¹) and ambient CO₂ (Control: 360 μmol mol⁻¹) interact with water-adequate (wet) and water-deficient (dry) treatments. We found that on average 53% of the final soil organic carbon (SOC) in the FACE plot was in the recalcitrant carbon pool and 47% in the labile pool, whereas in the Control plot 46% and 54% of carbon were in recalcitrant and labile pools, respectively, indicating that elevated CO₂ transferred more SOC into the slow-decay carbon pool. Also, isotopic mixing models revealed that increased new sorghum residue input to the recalcitrant pool mainly accounts for this change, especially for the upper soil horizon (0-30 cm) where new carbon in recalcitrant soil pools of FACE wet and dry treatments was 1.7 and 2.8 times as large as that in respective Control recalcitrant pools. Similarly, old C in the recalcitrant pool under elevated CO₂ was higher than that under ambient CO₂, indicating that elevated CO₂ reduces the decay of the old C in recalcitrant pool. Mean residence time (MRT) of bulk soil carbon at the depth of 0-30 cm was significantly longer in FACE plot than Control plot by the averages of 12 and 13 yr under the dry and wet conditions, respectively. The MRT was positively correlated to the ratio of carbon content in the recalcitrant pool to total SOC and negatively correlated to the ratio of carbon content in the labile pool to total SOC. Influence of water alone on the bulk SOC or the labile and recalcitrant pools was not significant. However, water stress interacting with CO₂ enhanced the shift of the carbon from labile pool to recalcitrant pool. Our results imply that terrestrial agroecosystems may play a critical role in sequestrating atmospheric CO₂ and mitigating harmful CO₂ under future atmospheric conditions.     

Modification of the original chloroform fumigation extraction technique to allow measurement of δC of soil microbial biomass carbon

In studies of the soil microbial biomass C by the chloroform fumigation extraction (CFE) technique, biomass C is routinely extracted using 0.5 M K₂SO₄ solution. The excessive amounts of salts contained in the extracting solution pause a significant challenge in using ¹³C isotope techniques to study the nature of C in the soil microbial biomass. This is because the salts can affect the oxidation process and therefore hamper accurate mass spectromic analysis of dried extracts. In spite of this, no standard protocol exists for preparing the K₂SO₄ extracts for ¹³C isotope analysis. We have modified the original CFE method to allow measurement of the δ¹³C of soil microbial biomass C by using 2 M KCl instead of the usual 0.5 M K₂SO₄ solution to extract biomass C. Excess salts were removed by dialysis in 100 molecular weight cut off membranes, after which the extracts were freeze-dried and their δ¹³C measured using a mass spectrometer. The soil microbial biomass C and δ¹³C of 2 M KCl extracts were compared with those of 0.5 M K₂SO₄ extracts. There was excellent agreement between organic C and δ¹³C estimates for dialyzed 2 M KCl and 0.5 M K₂SO₄ extracts, but the speed of dialysis for the latter was very slow, making use of the former more rapid. These results suggest that in procedures where oxidation with potassium dichromate is not critical to analysis of soluble C, 2 M KCl may be used in place of 0.5 M K₂SO₄ to extract soil microbial biomass C for δ¹³C measurements. The new procedure is relatively easy and rapid for obtaining indices for both pool sizes and turnover rates of soil microbial biomass C and provides a promising approach to study soil organic C.     

Soil carbon stocks and their primary origin at mature mangrove ecosystems in the estuary of Fukido River,Ishigaki Island,southwestern Japan

ABSTRACT

Mangrove ecosystems play an important role in carbon (C) accumulation in tropical and subtropical regions. Below-ground deep anoxic soil is especially important for C accumulation. However, quantitative data on below-ground soil C stocks in mangrove ecosystems are lacking compared with data on above-ground biomass. In addition, soil C accumulation processes in mangrove ecosystems have not been sufficiently clarified. In this study, we quantified soil C stocks and focused on the mass of fallen litter and below-ground roots, which are produced by tree and that may directly influence soil C stocks in a mature subtropical mangrove in the estuary of Fukido River, Ishigaki Island, southwestern Japan. The principal species in this study site were Bruguiera gymnorhiza and Rhizophora stylosa, and total above-ground biomass at the site was 80.7 ± 1.3 (mean ± SD) Mg C ha^?1 over the period from 2014 to 2016. Litter was collected in six litter traps from May 2013 to November 2016, it ranged from 7.8 to 11.5 Mg C ha^?1, with the major proportion of litter being from foliage (leaves and stipules). The root C density at 90-cm depth was 27.1 ± 11.3 Mg C ha^?1. The soil C stock in the mangrove forest at a depth of 90 cm at the study site was 251.0 ± 34.8 Mg C ha^?1, and it seems to be lower value in the tropical region but it to be higher in subtropical East Asian mangrove sites. Dead roots, especially dead fine roots, but not fallen litter, were significantly positively correlated with soil C stocks. The δ¹³C values obtained from soils ranged from ?29.3‰ to ?27.0‰; these values are consistent with those for below-ground fine roots. These results strongly suggest that dead fine roots could be a main factor controlling soil C stocks at this study site.     

Impacts of land use and cropland management on soil organic matter and greenhouse gas emissions in the Brazilian Cerrado

The Brazilian Cerrado is a large and expanding agricultural frontier, representing a hotspot of land-use change (LUC) from natural vegetation to farmland. It is known that this type of LUC impacts soil organic matter (SOM) dynamics, particularly labile carbon (C) pools (living and non-living), decreasing soil health and agricultural sustainability, as well as increasing soil greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and accelerating global climate change. In this study, we quantified the changes in the quantity and quality of SOM and GHG fluxes due to changes in land use and cropland management in the Brazilian Cerrado. The land uses studied were native vegetation (NV), pasture (PA) and four croplands, including the following management types: conventional tillage with a single soybean crop (CT), and three no-tillage systems with two crops cultivated in the same year (i.e., soybean/sorghum (NT_SSo), soybean/millet (NT_SMi) and maize/sorghum (NT_MSo)). Soil and gases were sampled in the rainy season (November, December and January) and dry season (May, July and September). The highest soil C and nitrogen (N) stocks (6.7 kg C m⁻² and 0.5 kg N m⁻², 0–0.3-m layer) were found under NV. LUC reduced C stocks by 25% in the CT and by 10% in the PA and NT. Soil N stocks were 30% lower in the PA and NT_MSo and 15% lower in the croplands with soybean compared to NV. δ¹³C values clearly distinguished between the C-origin from NV (−25‰) and that from other land uses (−16‰). Soil (0–0.1 m) under NV also presented higher labile-C (625 g C m⁻²), microbial-C (70 g C m⁻²) and microbial-N (5.5 g N m⁻²), whereas other land uses presented values three times lower. GHG emissions (expressed as C-equivalent) were highest in the NV (1.2 kg m⁻² year⁻¹), PA (1.3 kg m⁻² year⁻¹) and NT_MSo (0.9 kg m⁻² year⁻¹) and were positively related to the higher SOM turnover in these systems. Our results suggest that in order to maintain SOM, it is necessary to adopt “best” management practices, that provide large plant residue inputs (above- and belowground). This can be seen as a pathway to achieving high food production with low GHG emissions.     

Integrated agricultural management practice improves soil quality in Northeast China

ABSTRACT

Sustainable agricultural management practices have attracted increasing attention due to their significant roles in benefiting the functions and sustainability of agro-ecosystems. An integrated agricultural practice (IP) in a maize cropping system was developed by changing row spacing, adopting no-tillage and residue return in the Northeast China. A 12-year field study was carried out to evaluate the effect of IP and conventional practice (CP) on soil physical properties, microbial biomass and enzyme activity during the cropping season. The results showed that soil organic matter under IP was increased by 17.4, 9.88 and 6.69% in June, August and October, respectively, than CP. IP enhanced microbial biomass C (by 31.7, 25.1 and 30.4% in June, August and October) and activities of invertase, urease and phosphatase (by 27.2–38.0, 78.9–182 and 9.8–29.0%) compared to CP, possibly attributing to an increase in the soil microbial community. Furthermore, the soil pH, water content, nitrogen and phosphorus contents, microbial biomass and some specific enzyme activities varied with sampling time. It is concluded that IP improved soil quality and health by increasing organic matter content and microbial biomass and activity in maize field in Northeast China, suggesting that IP is a feasible management technology for sustainable agriculture.     

Switchgrass Influences on Soil Biogeochemical Processes in the Dryland Region of the Pacific Northwest

Switchgrass and other perennial grasses have been promoted as biomass crops for production of renewable fuels. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of biomass removal on soil biogeochemical processes. A 3-year field study consisting of three levels of net primary productivity (NPP; low, medium, and high growing season precipitation) and two biomass crops (winter wheat and switchgrass) was conducted near Pendleton, Oregon. Switchgrass increased soil carbon (C)–nitrogen (N) ratio, but the effect varied with net primary productivity (NPP) and soil depth. In situ soil respiration (carbon dioxide; CO₂) rate from switchgrass increased with NPP level but switchgrass had greater cumulative flux than wheat in medium and low NPP. Nitrogen mineralization and microbial biomass carbon were significantly greater under switchgrass than under wheat at high and medium NPP. Introduction of switchgrass initiates major changes in soil nutrient dynamics through organic-matter input.     

Natural abundance δN and δC of DNA extracted from soil

We report the first simultaneous measurements of δ¹⁵N and δ¹³C of DNA extracted from surface soils. The isotopic composition of DNA differed significantly among nine different soils. The δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N of DNA was correlated with δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N of soil, respectively, suggesting that the isotopic composition of DNA is strongly influenced by the isotopic composition of soil organic matter. However, in all samples DNA was enriched in ¹³C relative to soil, indicating microorganisms fractionated C during assimilation or preferentially used ¹³C enriched substrates. Enrichment of DNA in ¹⁵N relative to soil was not consistently observed, but there were significant differences between δ¹⁵N of DNA and δ¹⁵N of soil for three different sites, suggesting microorganisms are fractionating N or preferentially using N substrates at different rates across these contrasting ecosystems. There was a strong linear correlation between δ¹⁵N of DNA and δ¹⁵N of the microbial biomass, which indicated DNA was depleted in ¹⁵N relative to the microbial biomass by approximately 3.4‰. Our results show that accurate and precise isotopic measurements of C and N in DNA extracted from the soil are feasible, and that these analyses may provide powerful tools for elucidating C and N cycling processes through soil microorganisms.     

Microbial community abundance and structure are determinants of soil organic matter mineralisation in the presence of labile carbon

Altered rates of native soil organic matter (SOM) mineralisation in the presence of labile C substrate (‘priming’), is increasingly recognised as central to the coupling of plant and soil-biological productivity and potentially as a key process mediating the C-balance of soils. However, the mechanisms and controls of SOM-priming are not well understood. In this study we manipulated microbial biomass size and composition (chloroform fumigation) and mineral nutrient availability to investigate controls of SOM-priming. Effects of applied substrate (¹³C-glucose) on mineralisation of native SOM were quantified by isotopic partitioning of soil respiration. In addition, the respective contributions of SOM-C and substrate-derived C to microbial biomass carbon (MBC) were quantified to account for pool-substitution effects (‘apparent priming’). Phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) profiles of the soils were determined to establish treatment effects on microbial community structure, while the ¹³C-enrichment of PLFA biomarkers was used to establish pathways of substrate-derived C-flux through the microbial communities. The results indicated that glucose additions increased SOM-mineralisation in all treatments (positive priming). The magnitude of priming was reduced in fumigated soils, concurrent with reduced substrate-derived C-flux through putative SOM-mineralising organisms (fungi and actinomycetes). Nutrient additions reduced the magnitude of positive priming in non-fumigated soils, but did not affect the distribution of substrate-derived C in microbial communities. The results support the view that microbial community composition is a determinant of SOM-mineralisation, with evidence that utilisation of labile substrate by fungal and actinomycete (but not Gram-negative) populations promotes positive SOM-priming.     

外源碳输入对华北平原农田和湿地土壤有机碳矿化及其温度敏感性的影响

研究外源碳输入和气候变暖对土壤有机碳矿化的影响,对于深入理解土壤有机碳的稳定和积累机制以及其对全球变化的响应具有重要意义。通过为期35 d的室内培养试验,利用~(13)C稳定同位素标记技术,研究了华北平原典型农田和湿地土壤在15℃和25℃下的土壤有机碳矿化及激发效应。结果表明,土地利用类型(农田/湿地)、温度(15℃/25℃)和葡萄糖添加[0.4mg(C)·g~(-1)]对土壤有机碳矿化均具有显著影响。在相同培养温度下,未添加葡萄糖的农田和湿地土壤有机碳矿化无显著差异,而添加葡萄糖处理下农田土壤有机碳矿化显著高于湿地土壤。除湿地土壤在15℃下培养外,添加葡萄糖显著促进了农田和湿地土壤有机碳矿化,农田土壤有机碳矿化的激发效应显著高于湿地土壤。温度升高显著促进了农田和湿地土壤有机碳矿化,培养过程中土壤有机碳矿化温度敏感性Q10为1.2～1.6,土地利用类型和葡萄糖添加对土壤有机碳矿化温度敏感性的影响都不显著。在温度升高和外源碳输入的共同作用下,农田土壤有机碳矿化显著高于湿地土壤。     

玉米秸秆炭还田对黑土土壤肥力特性和氮素农学效应的影响

【目的】探索玉米秸秆炭对东北黑土土壤肥力特性和氮素农学效应的影响,可为东北玉米集约化生产区秸秆资源利用和培肥土壤提供理论和实际应用基础。【方法】本研究以东北典型黑土区春玉米种植体系为研究对象,通过连续两年的田间原位试验,研究了添加500℃厌氧条件热解的玉米秸秆炭对土壤养分含量、 微生物和酶活性的影响及玉米秸秆炭对作物产量和氮素农学效应的影响。试验设三个处理: 1)PK+4 t/hm2秸秆还田(CK); 2)NPK+4 t/hm2秸秆还田; 3)NPK+4 t/hm2秸秆还田+2 t/hm2秸秆生产秸秆碳,在玉米成熟期取020 cm土壤样品和植株样品,采用常规方法进行相关项目的测定。【结果】 1)土壤养分分析结果。与秸秆还田相比,秸秆炭处理在2013和2014年土壤碱解氮含量(AN)分别提高了10.1%和9.7%,均达到显著水平(P0.05); 土壤速效磷含量(AP)分别提高了13.7%和27.3%,在2014年达到显著水平(P0.05); 土壤微生物量碳含量(SMBC)分别提高了13.5%和26.9%,土壤脲酶活性(URE)分别提高了22.3%和31.8%,2014年SMBC和URE升高均达显著(P0.05)。秸秆炭对土壤有机质(OM)、 全氮(TN)、 速效钾(AK)、 土壤微生物量氮(SMBN)和蔗糖酶活性(SUC)的提升效果在两年试验中均没有达到显著水平, 2)氮素农学效应影响结果。与处理2相比,处理3肥料氮偏因子生产力(PFPN)分别提高了3.3%和9.6%,肥料氮经济效益(EBN)分别提高了12.9%和27.5%,均在2014年表现出显著提高(P0.05); 而两年间处理3的玉米产量分别提高3.3%和9.5%、 肥料氮利用率(UEN)分别提高了3.9%和14.0%、 肥料氮农学效率(AEN)分别提高了11.6%和23.9%,但均未达显著水平。【结论】2年试验初步表明施用玉米秸秆炭可以提高土壤微生物活性和土壤酶活性,调节土壤与作物之间的养分供需,改善土壤养分状况,对提升氮素农学效应有作用。因此,玉米秸秆炭可作为秸秆资源高效利用的有效形式,其长期效果还需进一步试验。     

Three-source partitioning of CO2 efflux from soil planted with maize by C natural abundance fails due to inactive microbial biomass

A theoretical approach to the partitioning of carbon dioxide (CO₂) efflux from soil with a C₃ vegetation history planted with maize (Zea mays), a C₄ plant, into three sources, root respiration (RR), rhizomicrobial respiration (RMR), and microbial soil organic matter (SOM) decomposition (SOMD), was examined. The δ¹³C values of SOM, roots, microbial biomass, and total CO₂ efflux were measured during a 40-day growing period. A three-source isotopic mass balance based on the measured δ¹³C values and on assumptions made in other studies showed that RR, RMR, and SOMD amounted to 91%, 4%, and 5%, respectively. Two assumptions were thoroughly examined in a sensitivity analysis: the absence of ¹³C fractionation and the conformity of δ¹³C of microbial CO₂ and that of microbial biomass. This approach strongly overestimated RR and underestimated RMR and microbial SOMD. CO₂ efflux from unplanted soil was enriched in ¹³C by 2.0‰ compared to microbial biomass. The consideration of this ¹³C fractionation in the mass balance equation changed the proportions of RR and RMR by only 4% and did not affect SOMD. A calculated δ¹³C value of microbial CO₂ by a mass balance equation including active and inactive parts of microbial biomass was used to adjust a hypothetical below-ground CO₂ partitioning to the measured and literature data. The active microbial biomass in the rhizosphere amounted to 37% to achieve an appropriate ratio between RR and RMR compared to measured data. Therefore, the three-source partitioning approach failed due to a low active portion of microbial biomass, which is the main microbial CO₂ source controlling the δ¹³C value of total microbial biomass. Since fumigation-extraction reflects total microbial biomass, its δ¹³C value was unsuitable to predict δ¹³C of released microbial CO₂ after a C₃-C₄ vegetation change. The second adjustment to the CO₂ partitioning results in the literature showed that at least 71% of the active microbial biomass utilizing maize rhizodeposits would be necessary to achieve that proportion between RR and RMR observed by other approaches based on ¹⁴C labelling. The method for partitioning total below-ground CO₂ efflux into three sources using a natural ¹³C labelling technique failed due to the small proportion of active microbial biomass in the rhizosphere. This small active fraction led to a discrepancy between δ¹³C values of microbial biomass and of microbially respired CO₂.     

Long-term nitrogen additions increased surface soil carbon concentration in a forest plantation despite elevated decomposition

Forests cover one-third of the Earth’s land surface and account for 30-40% of soil carbon (C). Despite numerous studies, questions still remain about the factors controlling forest soil C turnover. Present understanding of global C cycle is limited by considerable uncertainty over the potential response of soil C dynamics to rapid nitrogen (N) enrichment of ecosystems, mainly from fuel combustion and fertilizer application. Here, we present a 15-year-long field study and show an average increase of 14.6% in soil C concentration in the 0-5 cm mineral soil layer in N fertilized (defined as N+ hereafter) sub-plots of a second-rotation Pinus radiata plantation in New Zealand compared to control sub-plots. The results of ¹⁴C and lignin analyses of soil C indicate that N additions significantly accelerate decomposition of labile and recalcitrant soil C. Using an annual-time step model, we estimated the soil C turnover time. In the N+ sub-plots, soil C in the light (a density < 1.70 g cm⁻³) and heavy fractions had the mean residence times of 23 and 67 yr, respectively, which are lower than those in the control sub-plots (36 and 133 yr in the light and heavy fractions, respectively). The commonly used lignin oxidation indices (vanillic acid to vanillin and syringic acid to syringaldehyde ratios) were significantly greater in the N+ sub-plots than in the control sub-plots, suggesting increased lignin decomposition due to fertilization. The estimation of C inputs to forest floor and δ¹³C analysis of soil C fractions indicate that the observed buildup of surface soil C concentrations in the N+ sub-plots can be attributed to increased inputs of C mass from forest debris. We conclude that long-term N additions in productive forests may increase C storage in both living tree biomass and soils despite elevated decomposition of soil organic matter.     

砂姜黑土有机碳与微生物群落特性之间的关系

砂姜黑土是我国典型的中低产土壤,提升土壤有机质是砂姜黑土改良的重要环节,然而砂姜黑土有机质与微生物之间的关联关系尚不明确。本文采集40个代表性苏北平原砂姜黑土样品,测定土壤有机碳、全氮、可溶性有机碳、微生物生物量碳氮,利用稳定性同位素13C标记的谷氨酸测定微生物碳利用率、16SrRNA基因高通量测序分析微生物群落结构,研究苏北平原砂姜黑土有机质及关键微生物的关联关系。结果显示:苏北平原砂姜黑土有机碳含量为15.82 g/kg,可溶性有机碳占土壤有机碳含量的2‰,表明有机质的碳有效性较低;砂姜黑土优势菌门为变形菌门,优势菌科以黄单胞菌科、Gaiellaceae、酸杆菌科细菌为主,但高效的碳转化菌群(如酸杆菌纲和放线菌)较少;微生物碳利用率普遍较低,在0.07～0.20之间,与有机碳、可溶性有机碳和微生物生物量碳含量显著相关。因此,较低的微生物碳利用率、较低的碳转化菌群组成比例制约了砂姜黑土有机质的形成与提升。     

Carbon mineralization in soils of different textures as affected by water-soluble organic carbon extracted from composted dairy manure

The water-soluble organic C in composted manure contains a portion of labile C which can stimulate soil microbial activity. The objective of this experiment was to evaluate the effects of water-soluble organic C extracted from composted dairy manure on C mineralization in soil with different textures. Three soils with textures varying from 3 to 54% clay were amended with 0 to 80 mg water-soluble organic C kg^–1 soil extracted from a composted dairy manure and incubated for 16 weeks at 23°C. The total amount of C mineralized was greater than the amount of C added in the three soils. Differences in mineralizable C with and without added water-soluble organic C were approximately 13–16 times, 4.8–8 times, and 7.5–8 times greater than the amount of C added to clay, loam, and sand soils, respectively. The results of this experiment suggest that immediately following composted manure applications, C mineralization rates increase, and that most of the C mineralized comes mainly from the indigenous soil organic C pool.CLBRR contribution No. 94-71     

The influence of precipitation pulses on soil respiration - Assessing the “Birch effect” by stable carbon isotopes

Sudden pulse-like events of rapidly increasing CO₂-efflux occur in soils under seasonally dry climates in response to rewetting after drought. These occurrences, termed “Birch effect”, can have a marked influence on the ecosystem carbon balance. Current hypotheses indicate that the “Birch” pulse is caused by rapidly increased respiration and mineralization rates in response to changing moisture conditions but the underlying mechanisms are still unclear. Here, we present data from an experimental field study using straight-forward stable isotope methodology to gather new insights into the processes induced by rewetting of dried soils and evaluate current hypotheses for the “Birch“-CO₂-pulse. Two irrigation experiments were conducted on bare soil, root-free soil and intact vegetation during May and August 2005 in a semi-arid Mediterranean holm oak forest in southern Portugal. We continuously monitored CO₂-fluxes along with their isotopic compositions before, during and after the irrigation. δ¹³C signatures of the first CO₂-efflux burst, occurring immediately after rewetting, fit the hypothesis that the “Birch” pulse is caused by the rapid mineralization of either dead microbial biomass or osmoregulatory substances released by soil microorganisms in response to hypo-osmotic stress in order to avoid cell lyses. The response of soil CO₂-efflux to rewetting was smaller under mild (May) than under severe drought (August) and isotopic compositions indicated a larger contribution of anaplerotic carbon uptake with increasing soil desiccation. Both length and severity of drought periods probably play a key role for the microbial response to the rewetting of soils and thus for ecosystem carbon sequestration.     

Stable carbon isotope ratios of water-extractable organic carbon affected by application of rice straw and rice straw compost during a long-term rice experiment in Yamagata,Japan

ABSTRACT

Hot-water- and water-extractable organic matter were obtained from soil samples collected from a rice paddy 31 years after the start of a long-term rice experiment in Yamagata, Japan. Specifically, hot-water-extractable organic carbon and nitrogen (HWEOC and HWEON) were obtained by extraction at 80°C for 16 h, and water-extractable organic carbon and nitrogen (WEOC and WEON) were obtained by extraction at room temperature. The soil samples were collected from surface (0–15 cm) and subsurface (15–25 cm) layers of five plots that had been treated with inorganic fertilizers alone or with inorganic fertilizers plus organic matter, as follows: PK, NPK, NPK plus rice straw (RS), NPK plus rice straw compost (CM1), and NPK plus a high dose of rice straw compost (CM3). The soil/water ratio was 1:10 for both extraction temperatures. We found that the organic carbon and total nitrogen contents of the bulk soils were highly correlated with the extractable organic carbon and nitrogen contents regardless of extraction temperature, and the extractable organic carbon and nitrogen contents were higher in the plots that were treated with inorganic fertilizers plus organic matter than in the PK and NPK plots. The HWEOC and WEOC δ¹³C values ranged from ?28.2% to ?26.4% and were similar to the values for the applied rice straw and rice straw compost. There were no correlations between the HWEOC or WEOC δ¹³C values and the amounts of HWEOC or WEOC. The δ¹³C values of the bulk soils ranged from ?25.7% to ?23.2% and were lower for the RS and CM plots than for the PK and NPK plots. These results indicate that HWEOC and WEOC originated mainly from rice plants and the applied organic matter rather than from the indigenous soil organic matter. The significant positive correlations between the amounts of HWEOC and HWEON and the amount of available nitrogen (P < 0.001) imply that extractable organic matter can be used as an index for soil fertility in this long-term experiment. We concluded that the applied organic matter decomposed more rapidly than the indigenous soil organic matter and affected WEOC δ¹³C values and amounts.     

Microbial assimilation of plant-derived carbon in soil traced by isotope analysis

The flow of new and native plant-derived C in the rhizosphere of an agricultural field during one growing season was tracked, the ratios in different soil C pools were quantified, and the residence times (s) were estimated. For this the natural differences in ¹³C abundances of: (1) C₄ soil (with a history of C₄ plant, Miscanthus sinensis, cultivation), (2) C₃ soil (history of C₃ plant cultivation), and (3) C_4/3 soil (C₄ soil, planted with a C₃ plant, Triticum aestivum) were used. Total amounts and ¹³C values of total soil C, non-hydrolysable C, light fraction C, water-soluble C, microbial biomass C, and phospholipid fatty acids (PLFA) were determined. Using the ¹³C values of soil C in a mixing and a 1-box model enabled the quantification of relative contributions of C₃ plant and C₄ plant C to the total amount of the respective C pools in the C_4/3 soil and their s. Compared to early spring (March), the percentage of C₃ plant C increased in all pools in June and August, showing the addition of new C to the different soil C fractions. In August the contribution of new C to microbial biomass C and water-soluble C reached 64 and 89%, respectively. The s of these pools were 115 and 147 days. The ¹³C values of the dominant soil PLFA, 18:17c, cy19:0, 18:19c, 16:0, and 10Me16:0, showed wide ranges (–35.1 to –13.0) suggesting that the microbial community utilized different pools as C sources during the season. The ¹³C values of PLFA, therefore, enabled the analysis of the metabolically active populations. The majority of ¹³C values of PLFA from the C_4/3 soil were closely related to those of PLFA from the C₃ soil when T. aestivum biomass contributions to the soil were high in June and August. Specific populations reacted differently to changes in environmental conditions and supplies of C sources, which reflect the high functional diversity of soil microorganisms.