Grouping of soil bacteria by analysis of colony formation on agar plates

Summary The colony formation of soil bacteria was studied in relation to incubation time. The process was simulated by a colony-forming curve (CFC) which was a superposition of several component curves (cCFC) given theoretically by the first-order reaction (FOR) model. This model had been previously proposed to define the colony formation of cells of a single culture. Soil bacteria were divided into several groups by these cCFC, as different types of bacteria produced their own colonies. Bacteria belonging to a single group grew at a similar rate on the plating medium and each group was characterized by a different growth rate. Most copiotrophic bacteria were fast growers and most oligotrophic bacteria slow growers.     

Calcareous amendments in truffle culture: A soil nutrition hypothesis

Several statistical studies have indicated that a high concentration of active carbonate in the soil favours Tuber melanosporum fruit body production. The amount of active carbonate is significantly higher and the total carbonate is significantly lower inside than outside the T. melanosporum brûlés. These statistical patterns and other works show that T. melanosporum mycelia may acidify their immediate soil environment and solubilise carbonated fractions. Subsequently, the particular environmental conditions of brûlé soils may favour a secondary carbonate precipitation with a net increase in active carbonate which would in turn favour T. melanosporum mycelia. The greater brûlé size and fruiting are simultaneously both related to how well the fungus is growing, suggesting that the model which best explains the cause-effect of all these observations is a feedback process. Other statistical studies suggest that active carbonate favours increased fruiting of T. melanosporum as compared with Tuber aestivum, Tuber mesentericum and Tuber rufum, which has led to the use of calcareous amendments in truffle culture. We have studied the carbonated fractions of 46 soil samples from T. melanosporum plantations contaminated and uncontaminated with Tuber brumale (a serious problem in truffle culture), and it appears that the use of calcareous amendments does not serve to eradicate T. brumale from these plantations. However, we have observed the positive effect of calcareous amendments on the production of fruit bodies of both species. The similar response by T. melanosporum and T. brumale to soil active carbonate may be related to the close phylogenetic relationships between both species. Based on these findings, we propose a new soil nutrition hypothesis as a guide for research procedures in truffle soil ecology. Soils which are high in active carbonate lead to host plant chlorosis, which is a symptom of an underlying nutrient deficiency. This nutrient deficiency could lead to greater colonisation of T. melanosporum ectomycorrhizas and favour the growth of mycelia, fruit body production and brûlé development, which in turn encourages the formation of new amounts of active carbonate on the basis of the proposed feedback model.     

气候变化背景下华北平原夏玉米各生育期水热时空变化特征

气候变化背景下,华北平原气候资源也发生了相应变化。研究作物生长季各生育期的水热时空变化特征,对适应气候变化技术与政策的制定有重要意义。本文基于华北平原49个气象站点的逐日气象数据和27个农业气象试验站的物候期数据,分析了1961—2010年在夏玉米营养生长期、并进期、生殖生长期和全生育期的生长度日(GDD)、高温度日(HDD)、降水量及气候倾向率的时空分布。结果显示,华北平原夏玉米各生育期GDD、HDD均呈东北-西南走向的递增趋势,降水量呈东南-西北递减趋势。华北平原夏玉米在全生育期GDD倾向率、HDD倾向率、降水量倾向率分别为8.14℃·d·10a-1、-2.45℃·d·10a-1、-10.75 mm·10a-1。华北北部GDD在营养生长期呈递减趋势,在并进期、生殖生长期以及全生育期呈递增趋势,而华北南部GDD变化趋势与之相反;HDD在各生育期均呈现北部递增,南部递减趋势。降水量在各生育期均表现为北部降低,南部增加趋势。因此,河北省北部、北京市和天津市等华北北部地区夏玉米生产高温风险与干旱风险呈增加趋势,而河南省大部、山东省南部等华北南部地区高温风险与干旱风险呈降低趋势。     

植物群体受光结构与光截获研究综述

植物群体受光结构与光截获的研究是冠层小气候研究重要领域之一.较为系统地讨论了植物群体受光结构参数及参数获取的新技术新方法、光截获模型及受光结构参数与光截获的关系.在对已有成果综合分析的基础上,探讨了植物群体受光结构与光截获研究中亟待解决的问题.     

Limitations of colony morphology and antibiotic resistance in the identification of a Bradyrhizobium sp. (Lotus) strain in soil

Summary We investigated the reliability of antibiotic resistance and colony morphology of clones of a Bradyrhizobium sp. (Lotus) strain for strain identification in nodulation competitiveness experiments in soil. There was no difference in nodulation competitiveness between the wild type strain and each of five mutants resistant to streptomycin and spectinomycin at the time of their isolation from antibiotic-containing media. However, these mutants were significantly less competitive when tested 4 months later. The apparent instability of the newly isolated mutants and their subsequently decreased nodulation competitiveness show that mutants must be examined carefully after being allowed time to stabilize. Two clones of the Bradyrhizobium sp. (Lotus) strain that differed in colony morphology on yeast mannitol medium did not differ in antigenic properties, whole cell protein electrophoresis profiles, mean cell generation times in yeast mannitol medium, N₂-fixing ability, nodulation of Lotus pedunculatus in growth pouches, or in nodulation competitiveness. Both clones retained their colony morphology after numerous transfers on yeast mannitol agar over 3 years and after at least 6 months in soil. A limiting factor, which may restrict the use of colony morphology as a marker for strain identification in competition experiments, is the problem of detecting double-infected nodules when the small colony type comprises a relatively small portion of the total nodule population.     

Alkali-extractable soil organic matter: An important factor affecting the mycelial growth of ectomycorrhizal fungi

Significant effects of two fractions of alkali-extractable soil organic matter (AEOM) extracted from three different soils (agricultural soil, soil from deciduous forest, soil from spruce monoculture) on mycelial growth of 17 isolates of ectomycorrhizal fungi were observed. Growth of Lactarius deterrimus, Meliniomyces bicolor and one of the isolates of Leccinum aurantiacum was significantly stimulated by acid-insoluble fraction extracted from all three soils. The stimulatory effects were frequent but inhibition of mycelial growth of some isolates was also observed. The fungal response to the presence of the organic extract in the nutrient medium was isolate-specific rather than species-specific. Organic matter extracted from different source soils affected differently the mycelial growth, the largest number of stimulatory effects being observed in an experiment where the extract was richest in trace elements Zn and Cu. At the same time, the observed stimulatory effects were not attributable to increased concentrations of trace elements in the nutrient medium. The results indicate that soil may be used as a source of extractable organic fractions which, when used as a cultivation medium additive, may significantly improve the growth of responsive fungal isolates. Under natural conditions, AEOM (traditionally designated humic substances) represent a potential factor affecting the composition of cenosis of ectomycorrhizal fungi in soil.     

旱地小麦群体生理变量对氮素供应量的响应

试验研究不同N肥处理对旱作小麦群体结构参数、光合生理特性、产量及水分利用效率的调控效应结果表明,在一定N肥范围内小麦群体结构、分蘖数、光合速率、水分利用效率和产量均随施N肥量的增加而改善,但当N肥用量超过一定量时反而不利于群体结构和功能的改善。旱作农业生产中水肥间有明显耦合关系,肥料对作物增产作用依赖于土壤水分的优劣。     

Cellulase dynamics in a desert soil

A field study was conducted in the Negev Desert over three seasons: June (summer), October (autumn), and April (spring). Cellulose of plant or paper origin was added to the study soils. The concentration of cellulase in the soil was determined by monitoring the rate of solubilization of chromophoric molecules covalently linked to artificial insoluble cellulose (cellulose-azure). The amount of CO₂ evolved from the soil was also evaluated at 60-day intervals.In this paper, we demonstrate that significant differences (p<0.01) in the cellulase concentration in desert soils are mainly due to the time period during which organic matter was incorporated into the soil. Data are presented showing changes in cellulase concentrations in the soil as a response to different cellulose sources (plant and paper origin) throughout the year.The results of our field experiments show that the cellulase concentration in the soil surrounding cellulose (paper) is higher during the summer than during the other seasons. The concentration of cellulase associated with fresh organic matter was found to be double that associated with paper. CO₂ evolution was higher in soil samples supplemented with organic matter than in control samples. This study demonstrates that the concentration of cellulase in desert soil changes over the year and is influenced by the cellulose source and by the quality of the cellulose incorporated in the soil.     

Spatiotemporal distribution of soil moisture in gully facies

Gully erosion is one of the most important forms of land degradation in many regions of the world. Understanding the process of gully erosion therefore is important for better management of the watersheds prone to gully erosion. However, many different aspects of gully erosion, like hydrological behavior, are still not fully understood. The present study investigates the spatial distribution of soil moisture content (SMC), as one of the hydrological factors, at different depths and points across the cross section in the vicinity of the headcut of three gullies located in the Kalat County, Khorasan Razavi Province, Iran. SMCs were measured at depths of 10, 20, 30, 50, 70 and 100 cm at each seven points across the study cross sections one to three days after occurrence of three rain events. Two sampling points were symmetrically located at a distance of 50 cm outside the gully banks, two at the vertex of the sidewalls, two in the middle of the sidewalls and one at the center of gully cross section. SMCs were measured using a weighted method. Results of the study revealed a broad range of changes in SMCs at various depths and points. The minimum and maximum SMCs were found to be about 2% and 38%, respectively, for the study period and gullies under consideration. The coefficient of variation (CV) had drastic changes for various gullies and storm events from 2 to 107%. Results further indicated that SMC moved from the sidewalls towards the floor of the cross section. Accordingly, the maximum SMC for storm events was associated with the point located in the center of gullies, which indicated the role of gully system in draining soil moisture. The findings of this study will help watershed managers understand the important role of gully facies in changing water content of the soil that affects other ecohydrological processes.     

黄土丘陵区小流域土壤有效水空间变异及其季节性特征

基于213个样点土壤有效水数据,从流域、坡面和沟道三个尺度分析了黄土丘陵区典型小流域土壤有效水在春、夏、秋三个季节的空间变异特征。结果表明,土壤有效水均呈较强空间变异性,其中沟道土壤有效水均值和空间变异强度(标准差和变异系数)均显著高于坡面,坡面和沟道土壤有效水正态性明显好于流域尺度。不同尺度土壤有效水空间变异程度随均值发生变化,变异系数随均值增加呈指数递减趋势。流域和坡面尺度土壤有效水与坡向呈显著正相关关系且相关系数高于其与坡度和高程,而沟道尺度与各地形因子相关关系均较弱。土壤有效水空间变异呈现明显的季节性特征,秋季土壤有效水均值最高而空间变异性最低,夏季土壤有效水均值最低但变异系数最大。流域尺度夏季土壤有效水与高程相关系数显著高于春秋两季,而坡面尺度则相反。此外,土壤有效水抽样不确定性和估算误差随样点数量增加呈非线性递减变化趋势,当样点数超过20个时,增加样点数量的作用有限。     

Soil organic matter status of Chernozem soil in North Kazakhstan: effects of summer fallow

In North Kazakhstan there is concern about the degradation of Chernozem soil and agricultural sustainability by the inclusion and frequency of summer fallows in crop rotations in terms of their influence on the changes of soil organic matter (SOM) quality and quantity. We examined five fallow-wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cropping systems with different frequencies of the fallow phase in Chernozem soil of North Kazakhstan; continuous wheat (CW), 6-y rotation (6R), 4-y rotation (4R), 2-y rotation (2R) and continuous fallow (CF). Soil samples were collected from the two phases of each rotation, pre- and post-fallow, and analyzed for potentially mineralizable C (PMC) and N (PMN), ‘light fraction’ organic matter (LF-OM), C (LF-C) and N (LF-N). Potentially mineralizable C was inversely proportional to the frequency of fallow and was highest in CW. Mineral N (min-N) and PMN were more responsive to rotation phase than other indices of SOM. Mineral N was higher in the post-fallow phase while PMN was higher in the pre-fallow phase. Light fraction organic matter was negatively correlated to the frequency of fallow and was higher in the pre-fallow than in the post-fallow phase in a rotation. The results suggested that the yearly input of plant residue in a less frequently fallowed system built up more PMC, whereas PMN was closely correlated to recent inputs of substrate added with plant residues. We conclude that a frequent fallow system may deplete SOM via accelerated mineralization. Also that LF-OM, PMC and PMN are more sensitive to detect subtle changes in SOM quality than total SOM. Our results may provide prediction of SOM response to fallow frequency in wheat-based rotation systems in Chernozem soils of semi-arid regions.     

内盖夫荒漠中小型土壤节肢动物群落的时空变化

Desert ecosystems are characterized by sparse vegetation that affects both abiotic parameters and soil biota along the soil profile.This study was conducted in 2010–2011 in a loess plain in the northern Negev Desert highlands, Israel, to test two main hypotheses:1) the abundance and diversity of microarthropods would vary seasonally in the top 30-cm soil layer, but would be relatively stable at soil depths between 30 and 50 cm and 2) soil microarthropods would be more abundant in soils under shrubs with large litter accumulations than under shrubs with less litter or bare soil. Soil samples were collected each season from the 0–50 cm profile at10-cm intervals under the canopies of Hammada scoparia and Zygophyllum dumosum and from the bare interspaces between them.Soil moisture and soil organic carbon in the top 30-cm layers varied seasonally, but there was little variation in the soil layers deeper than 30 cm. Soil mites were most abundant in the top 30-cm soil layer in autumn and winter, with the highest number of families found in winter. There were no differences in soil microarthropod abundance attributable to the presence or absence of shrubs of either species. The microarthropod communities of the microhabitats studied consisted of Acari, Psocoptera, and Collembola. The Acari were mostly identified to the family level and were dominated by Oribatida(55%) and Prostigmata(41%) in all seasons and microhabitats, while the psocopterans were most abundant in summer. These results are opposite to those obtained in other studies in similar xeric environments. Moreover, our findings were not in line with our hypothesis that a better microhabitat played a major role in microarthropod community composition, diversity, and density.     

稻草覆盖对红壤旱坡地水力性质及水分状况的影响

为探明红壤旱坡地应用稻草覆盖的雨季和旱季保水作用,在湖北省咸宁市第四纪红色黏土母质发育的红壤8°坡地上开展田间试验,以不覆盖为对照,研究稻草覆盖对红壤的持水性、水分有效性、供水性、导水性、含水量及储水量的影响。结果表明:稻草覆盖改善了土壤的持水性和水分有效性,覆盖当年土壤田间持水量、凋萎系数和有效水容量分别比对照提高6.0%、7.3%和4.4%;稻草覆盖显著减缓了雨季红壤表层饱和导水率的下降幅度,尤其是大雨期间保护地表饱和导水性的作用更明显,102.8 mm的降雨结束之后,稻草覆盖的土壤平均饱和导水率是对照的2.7倍;稻草覆盖对土壤的供水性及非饱和导水性的影响表现为低吸力段增强,高吸力段减弱;土壤储水量在集中降雨阶段的上升幅度和在降雨间歇期的下降幅度都表现为稻草覆盖对照。总体上,土壤储水量均表现为稻草覆盖对照;稻草覆盖增加雨季土壤储水量主要通过增加入渗,而增加旱季土壤储水量主要通过减少蒸散发;稻草覆盖增加雨季土壤储水量的作用有限,且保水作用雨季旱季。因此,稻草覆盖在红壤旱坡地上的雨季和旱季的保水途径、特点及作用大小都不同。     

淮北气候条件对夏大豆生长的影响

利用淮北地区宿州站1994-2007年14a的夏大豆生长发育和农业气象观测资料,采用C值逼近法和决定系数(R2)最大化法拟合夏大豆的生长曲线,分析了影响夏大豆生长的关键气象因子和生育阶段。结果显示:夏大豆开花-鼓粒期对气象因子的变化最敏感,生长量与气象因子间的拟合效果达到极显著水平;平均气温日较差、降水量和降水天数是开花-鼓粒期的主导影响因子。其它时期对气象因子不很敏感。     

Dissolved organic nitrogen dynamics in a Mediterranean vineyard soil

Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and nitrogen (DON) have been hypothesized to play a central role in nutrient cycling in agricultural soils. The aim of this study was to investigate the annual dynamics of DOC and DON in a Greek vineyard soil and to assess the potential role of DON in supplying N to the vines. Our results indicated that significant quantities of DOC and DON existed in soil throughout the year and that peaks in concentration appeared to correlate with discrete agronomic events (e.g. onset of irrigation and plowing). Both field and laboratory experiments showed that free amino acids were rapidly mineralized in soil and that consequently free amino acids represented only a small proportion of the soil's total soluble N. Due to rapid nitrification the soil solution N was dominated by NO₃⁻. Based upon the calculation of a plant-soil N budget and previous studies on N uptake in Vitis vinifera L., it is likely that DON uptake does not directly supply significant amounts of N to the plant. As the soil was not N limited we hypothesize that amino acids are used by the microbial community more as a source of C rather than a source of N. While we conclude that DON constitutes a significant N pool in vineyard soils further work is required to chemically characterize its constituent units and their relative bioavailability so that their overall role in N cycling can be determined.     

除草剂和土壤改良剂对热带农业生态系统中微生物生物量动态的影响

The influences of herbicide alone and in combination with the soil amendments with contrasting resource qualities on dynamics of soil microbial biomass C (MBC), N (MBN), and P (MBP) were studied through two annual cycles in rice-wheat-summer fallow crop sequence in a tropical dryland agroecosystem. The experiment included application of herbicide (butachlor) alone or in combination with various soil amendments having equivalent amount of N in the forms of chemical fertilizer, wheat straw, Sesbania aculeata, and farm yard manure (FYM). Soil microbial biomass showed distinct temporal variations in both crop cycles, decreased from vegetative to grain-forming stage, and then increased to maximum at crop maturity stage. Soil MBC was the highest in herbicide + Sesbania aculeata treatment followed by herbicide + FYM, herbicide + wheat straw, herbicide + chemical fertilizer, and herbicide alone treatments in decreasing order during the rice-growing period. During wheat-growing period and summer fallow, soil MBC attained maximum for herbicide + wheat straw treatment whereas herbicide + FYM, herbicide + Sesbania, and herbicide + chemical fertilizer treatments showed similar levels. The overall trend of soil MBN was similar to those of soil MBC and MBP except that soil MBN was higher in herbicide + chemical fertilizer treatment over the herbicide + wheat straw treatment during rice-growing period. In spite of the addition of equivalent amount of N through exogenous soil amendments in combination with the herbicide, soil microbial biomass responded differentially to the treatments. The resource quality of the amendments had more pronounced impact on the dynamics of soil microbial biomass, which may have implications for long-term sustainability of rainfed agroecosystems in dry tropics.     

添加表面活性剂土壤中蒽的去除以及矿质态氮动态研究

Surfactants, such as non-ionic Surfynol 485 （ethoxylated 2,4,7,9-tetramethyl-5-decyne-4,7-diol）, have been applied to accelerate removal of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from soil. This study investigated the dissipation of anthracene, and carbon （C） and nitrogen （N） mineralization in soil amended with non-ionic Surfynol 485 at different rates. Soil samples of a Typic Fragiudept taken from Otumba, Mexico were spiked with anthracene at a final concentration of 520 mg kg^-1 dry soil using acetone as solvent, amended with 0.0, 24.9, 49.8 or 124.4 g kg^-1 soil of the surfactant and incubated in the laboratory. The soil not amended with anthracene, acetone and the surfactant was used as a control. Dynamics of C and N and the concentration of anthracene were monitored for 56 d. After 56 d of incubation, 38% of the anthracene was removed from the unamended soil, and 47%, 55% and 66% of the anthracene were removed when 24.9, 49.8 and 124.4 g kg^-1 of the surfactant were applied, respectively. Application of acetone, anthracene or surfactant increased the emission of CO2, but decreased the mineral N compared to the unamended control. Applying the surfactant to the acetone or anthracene-amended soil reduced emission of CO2, but increased the mineral N at the lower application rates of the surfactant. It was found that the application of the non-ionic surfactant increased the bioavailability of anthracene and thus its removal from soil, increased C mineralization, but decreased N miaeralization. Consequently, the application of non-ionic surfactant could be easily used to accelerate the removal of pollutants from hydrocarbon-contaminated soils, but mineral N in the soil would decrease, which might inhibit plant growth.     

太阳能供电的土壤剖面水分动态原位自动监测系统的研制

目前,商业化的土壤水分传感器在野外观测土壤剖面含水率时仍然存在测量深度不可调节、多传感器探头之间的互换误差、野外长期监测供电困难、成本较高等问题.为此,该研究设计并研制了一种太阳能供电的可实现野外长期工作的介电管式土壤剖面水分原位自动监测系统.该系统组成包括:传感器模块、主控模块、太阳能供电模块和参数设置软件.测量时,...     

Characterization of nitrogen dynamics in a pasture soil by electromagnetic induction

The aim of this study was to investigate how electromagnetic induction can be used to improve the characterization of N dynamics in a 1.2 ha pasture. The soil apparent electrical conductivity (ECa) was measured by electromagnetic induction using an EM38DD. At 116 locations, soil samples were taken according to a clustered sampling design, three times during one winter, and analyzed for the NO₃^––N content in the topsoil (0–60 cm). Management zones were delineated using a fuzzy k-means classification of the interpolated ECa measurements. Two ECa zones were found, reflecting mainly differences in soil texture. Since the mean NO₃^––N content was different for the two ECa zones (24 and 65 kg/ha in November 2002), the residuals were interpolated using stratified simple kriging. This allowed evaluating the NO₃^– dynamics during the winter in both zones; one ECa zone showed a higher risk for NO₃^– losses than the other calling for a site-specific N management. As a validation, NO₃^––N was interpolated using ordinary kriging without stratification. This resulted in similar zones confirming the usefulness of the ECa measurements to assess N-specific management zones, even within small fields.