Changes to water repellence of soil aggregates caused by substrate-induced microbial activity

Soil microbes produce exudates which upon drying become water-repellent, thus altering hydraulic properties. The influence of microbial activity caused by adding plant nutrients on the hydraulic characteristics of soil aggregates is reported. Soil aggregates were collected from a field that had been fertilized with different amounts of nitrogen. Aggregates were also incubated with different nutrient treatments in the laboratory. Their sorptivity, hydraulic conductivity and water repellency were measured with a new device. Adding nitrogen was found to decrease sorptivity and hydraulic conductivity because of increased water repellency in the field. In the laboratory studies, the addition of nutrients caused severe water repellency in the soil aggregates. Respiration studies identified a large increase in biological activity following nutrient amendment which produces water-repellent materials.     

Thermal shock and rain effects on soil surface characteristics: A laboratory approach

In addition to its direct impact on soil physical and chemical soil properties, fire produces a sudden change in plant cover. The post-fire impact of falling raindrops on unprotected soil surfaces is a major cause of detachment of aggregates, physical degradation and erosion of soils. The aim of this work was to analyse the effects of burning intensity and rain under factor-controlled conditions using unaltered soil samples. Assessed variables were soil organic carbon, aggregate stability and water repellency (0–1 cm mineral soil), as well as soil surface compaction and hydraulic conductivity. Unaltered topsoil cores were obtained in a mature Mediterranean gorse shrubland. We applied two successive treatments: burning (unburned, low and high burning levels) and rain (77 mm/h). The soil properties studied were scarcely affected by burning. However, soils showed high vulnerability to raindrop impact: a) aggregate stability and organic carbon were not significantly affected by burning; b) low intensity burning increased the frequency of samples with moderate water repellency, whereas unburned together with high burning showed more cases of low and extreme water repellency; c) the rain treatment produced a significant decrease in hydraulic conductivity although this response was independent of burning level; d) the highest reduction in hydraulic conductivity was observed in the samples with highest values prior to the rain treatment, and this was related to the highest organic carbon contents, and e) the reduction in hydraulic conductivity could be explained by the development of a thin and friable surface crust, although the cone penetrometer was not sensitive enough to detect this observed phenomenon.     

Structure properties and pore dynamics in aggregate beds due to wetting–drying cycles

Aggregate hierarchy and porosity changes in aggregate beds as a consequence of wetting–drying cycles were studied in two Andisols and one Mollisol from Chile, collected at two depths. Bulk density and indirect tensile strength were measured in aggregates of different sizes. Aggregate beds were prepared in cylinders with two size classes. Six wetting–drying cycles between 0 and –60 hPa were applied. Bulk density (Db) of soil matrix was controlled after each cycle, and the macroporosity was calculated. A repellency index was measured in one of the Andisols. In addition, also the air permeability was measured after the sixth cycle. It could be proofed, that the aggregate strength is an appropriate parameter to evaluate the aggregate hierarchy, and this parameter is also more sensitive than aggregate Db to discriminate between the effects of land‐use intensity. Aggregate strength is furthermore well correlated with changes in pore water pressure and can be applied to relate strength values with aggregate development level. Only if the predrying exceeds pF > 3.0, aggregate strength correlates with Db. The more pronounced is the land‐use, the higher is the increase of Db values for aggregate beds. The decrease of coarse porosity during wetting–drying cycles can be explained by mass differences between saturated and equilibrated water conditions that considers the water around aggregates and within the contact area. Nevertheless, the relation of relative macroporosity change, calculated by P_exped where D_agg is the Db measured by clod method, and the relative Db change, is useful to explain possible presence of coarse pores inside the aggregates. The newly formed porosity prevents the water repellency, but after six cycles of drying, the repellency index increased in the topsoil while we could detect a decrease in the subsoil samples (under defined conditions in the laboratory) which we assume to be caused by microbial activity. The approaching of aggregates by drying cycles generates in Andisols a reduced area to air fluxes, with low values of air permeability.     

Structure and hydraulic properties of the boreal clay soil under differently managed buffer zones

Vegetated buffer zones (BZs) between arable fields and bodies of water are commonly established to reduce erosion and run‐off of particle‐bound nutrients. Functioning of a BZ depends on soil structure, as it is important for water infiltration. Therefore, it is vital to understand how varying management practices affect soils of BZs. We studied the structural and hydraulic properties of three differently managed BZs established in a boreal Vertic Stagnic Cambisol (clay, 51%). The three management practices for vegetation were as follows: natural with no treatment, harvested yearly and grazed by cattle. We used bulk density and macroporosity, together with a pore geometry index (air permeability per unit air‐filled porosity), to describe the soil structural properties. Hydraulic properties were measured at different length scales by means of an aggregate sorptivity test, saturated hydraulic conductivity of the core samples and field‐saturated hydraulic conductivity. Vegetation management markedly affected the physical properties in the top 5 cm of the soil. Properties were least favourable for infiltration at the grazed site, with the greatest bulk density, least macroporosity and hydraulic conductivity or greatest pore tortuosity. In general, spatial variation in zones with restricted and good hydraulic conductivity together with reduced aggregate sorptivity in the deeper horizons made the soil prone to preferential flow when initially dry. Prolonged wetness, on the other hand, reduced saturated hydraulic conductivity significantly, resulting in surface run‐off. Harvesting was considered the best management practice due to its inherent capacity for reducing the soil nutrient content and because it has minor implications for soil physical properties.     

Characterizing organic matter of soil aggregate coatings and biopores by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy

In some soils, aggregate coatings and walls of biopores differ in the content of clay and organic carbon from that of the aggregate interiors or the soil matrix. The composition of the organic matter on aggregates and on the surfaces of biopores is largely unknown. We have compared the composition of organic matter between inner and outer parts of aggregates and between biopore walls and the soil matrix in a loamy arable soil and a sandy forest one. Hot‐water‐ and sodium‐pyrophosphate‐extractable organic matter was analysed by Fourier transform infrared (FT‐IR) spectroscopy. For the sandy forest soil, the FT‐IR spectra showed that organic matter from the walls of root channels contains fewer functional groups with absorption bands at 1740–1710 cm^?1 and 1640–1600 cm^?1 than that from burrow fillings. For the arable soil, the content of these functional groups in hot‐water‐soluble organic matter from the coatings is less than in that from the interiors in the topsoil, and the reverse is so in the subsoil, probably because water‐soluble organic matter containing these functional groups has moved from topsoil to subsoil. The results indicate that root channels in the forest soil have more reactive zones in an otherwise relatively inert sandy matrix, whereas aggregate coatings in the arable subsoil have a greater cation exchange capacity and a greater sorption potential for hydrophobic substances than the aggregate interiors.     

Impact of land‐use changes on soil hydraulic properties of Calcaric Regosols on the Loess Plateau,NW China

Vegetation restoration efforts (planting trees and grass) have been effective in controlling soil erosion on the Loess Plateau (NW China). Shifts in land cover result in modifications of soil properties. Yet, whether the hydraulic properties have also been improved by vegetation restoration is still not clear. The objective of this paper was to understand how vegetation restoration alters soil structure and related soil hydraulic properties such as permeability and soil water storage capacity. Three adjacent sites with similar soil texture, soil type, and topography, but different land cover (black locust forest, grassland, and cropland) were selected in a typical small catchment in the middle reaches of the Yellow River (Loess Plateau). Seasonal variation of soil hydraulic properties in topsoil and subsoil were examined. Our study revealed that land‐use type had a significant impact on field‐saturated, near‐saturated hydraulic conductivity, and soil water characteristics. Specifically, conversion from cropland to grass or forests promotes infiltration capacity as a result of increased saturated hydraulic conductivity, air capacity, and macroporosity. Moreover, conversion from cropland to forest tends to promote the creation of mesopores, which increase soil water‐storage capacity. Tillage of cropland created temporarily well‐structured topsoil but compacted subsoil as indicated by low subsoil saturated hydraulic conductivity, air capacity, and plant‐available water capacity. No impact of land cover conversion on unsaturated hydraulic conductivities at suction > 300 cm was found indicating that changes in land cover do not affect functional meso‐ and microporosity. Our work demonstrates that changes in soil hydraulic properties resulting from soil conservation efforts need to be considered when soil conservation measures shall be implemented in water‐limited regions. For ensuring the sustainability of such measures, the impact of soil conversion on water resources and hydrological processes needs to be further investigated.     

Die Bestimmung der Wasserspannungs- /Wasserleitfähigkeits-Beziehung von Bodenaggregaten

Determination of the unsaturated hydraulic conductivity of soil aggregates by use of microtensiometers The hydraulic properties of single aggregates were measured with the use of microtensiometers. They are small enough (tip diameter 1 mm, length 1–2 mm) that two of them can be installed inside an aggregate within a distance of 1–3 mm. The changes of water suction are measured with pressure transducers and recorded by a micro-computer. Results obtained for different aggregates show, that at the same water suction, the hydraulic conductivity of single aggregates is up to 2 orders of magnitude smaller than that of the bulk soil. The cross-over-suction value for aggregates can also be derived.     

Soil microbial community structure affected by 53 years of nitrogen fertilisation and different organic amendments

The Ultuna long-term soil organic matter experiment in Sweden (59′82° N, 17′65° E) was started in 1956 to study the effects of different N fertilisers and organic amendments on soil properties. In this study, samples were taken from 11 of the treatments, including unfertilised bare fallow and cropped fallow, straw with and without N addition, green manure, peat, farmyard manure, sawdust, sewage sludge, calcium nitrate and ammonium sulphate, with n = 4 for each treatment. Samples were taken from topsoil (0–20 cm) and subsoil (27–40 cm depth) and analysed for concentrations of phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs), organic C, total N and pH. The results showed that the subsoil samples reflected the total PLFA content of the topsoil, but not the microbial community structure. Total PLFA content was well correlated with total organic C and total N in both topsoil and subsoil. Total PLFA content in topsoil samples was highest in the sewage sludge treatment (89 ± 22 nmol PLFA g dw⁻¹). This contradicts earlier findings on microbial biomass in this sewage sludge-treated soil, which indicated inhibition of microorganisms, probably by heavy metals added with sludge. A switch towards microbial growth and faster decomposition of organic matter occurred around 2000, coinciding with lowered heavy metal content in the sludge. According to the PLFA data, the microbial community in the sewage sludge treatment is now dominated by Gram-positive bacteria. A lack of Gram-negative bacteria was also observed for the ammonium sulphate treatment, obviously caused by a drop in pH to 4.2.     

Topsoil and subsoil potassium as affected by long‐term potassium fertilization of corn‐soybean rotations

Abstract

Long‐term potassium (K) fertilization practices are likely to affect the K content of soils. This study assessed the effect of long‐term K fertilization strategies for corn (Zea mays L.) and soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] rotations on extractable K in the soil profile of a major Iowa soil type at two locations. The soil type was a Webster fine‐loamy, mixed, mesic, Typic Haplaquoll at both sites. Soil samples were collected from the 0–15, 15–30, 30–60, and 60–90 cm depths after 17 years (Site 1) or 19 years (Site 2) of K fertilization with combinations of two initial rates and four annual rates. The initial rates were 0 and 1,344 or 1,120 kg K ha^‐1 at Site 1 and 2, respectively, and the annual rates ranged from 0 to 100 kg K ha^‐1. Samples were analyzed for ammonium acetate‐extractable K (STK) and nitric acid (HNO₃)‐extractable nonexchangeable K (HNO₃‐K). Concentrations of STK and HNO₃‐K in the top 0–15 cm soil layer at the two sites were higher for the high initial K rates and were linearly related with the annual K rate. Results for the subsoil layers varied between sites and extractants. At Site 1, annual rates of 30 kg K ha^‐1 or higher resulted in a relative accumulation of HNO₃‐K in the 15–30 cm layer. At Site 2, these rates resulted in relative accumulations of STK in the 30–60 cm layer and of HNO₃‐K in the 60–90 cm layer, but with relative depletions of STK in the 15–30 and 60–90 cm layers. Thus, use of one extractant may not always be sufficient to evaluate cropping and fertilization effects on subsoil K. Long‐term K fertilization of corn and soybean rotations affected extractable K of both the topsoil and subsoil. The effects on subsoil K, however, were smaller compared with effects on the topsoil and varied markedly between sites, subsoil layers, and extractants.     

渭北旱塬管理措施对冬小麦地土壤剖面物理性状的影响

【目的】研究黄土高原旱作农业区不同施肥覆盖措施对冬小麦地0—40 cm土壤剖面物理性质的影响,可为保持良好的土壤物理性状,探求适合渭北旱塬可持续的田间管理措施提供参考。【方法】基于设在渭北旱塬15年的田间定位试验,选取NP (N 150 kg/hm^2+P 75 kg/hm^2)、NPK (NP+K 30 kg/hm^2)、NPB (NP+biochar 14.0t/hm^2)、NPFFT (NP配合地膜夏闲期覆盖)、NPFGT (NP配合地膜生育期覆盖)和NPFWT (NP配合地膜全年覆盖)共6个处理。于2017年冬小麦收获期采集剖面土样,对0—10 cm、10—20 cm、20—30 cm和30—40 cm土层土壤含水量、土壤容重、饱和导水率和水稳定性团聚体等相关土壤物理性质进行测定与分析。【结果】与NP相比,NPK处理降低了收获期0—20 cm土壤容重,增加了耕层土壤总孔隙度和0—40 cm土层> 2 mm水稳定性团聚体含量,0—10 cm土层> 2 mm水稳定性团聚体含量显著提高了1.3倍(P <0.05);NPB处理,收获期耕层土壤容重降低,土壤总孔隙度增加,表层土壤饱和导水率显著降低27.9%,剖面土壤含水量和> 2 mm水稳定性团聚体含量均增加,且表层> 2 mm水稳定性团聚体含量显著提高了1.0倍;NPFFT处理收获期剖面土壤含水量降低,耕层土壤容重增加,总孔隙度降低;NPFGT处理收获期耕层土壤容重和剖面土壤含水量均增加,耕层总孔隙度降低,剖面土壤饱和导水率降低,尤其表层显著降低60.2%;NPFWT处理收获期耕层土壤容重增加,总孔隙度降低,表层土壤饱和导水率降低,但10—40 cm土壤饱和导水率平均提高57.5%,剖面土壤含水量、> 2 mm水稳定性团聚体含量、平均重量直径和几何平均直径均增加。受当地传统耕作深度的影响,不同施肥覆盖措施对土壤容重、饱和导水率和孔隙度的影响主要集中在0—20 cm土层,对20—40 cm土层影响较小。【结论】在氮磷肥配施的基础上,增施钾肥、生物炭和地膜全年覆盖均有利于改善试验农田土壤物理性质,但从经济投入和对土壤物理性状改良程度方面考虑,增施钾肥和地膜全年覆盖这两种处理是保持渭北旱塬良好土壤剖面物理性质的有效措施。     

再生水灌溉对农田土壤水流运动影响的研究进展

再生水灌溉农田既可节约宝贵的水资源、缓解农业用水紧缺,同时再生水中的多种营养元素和微量元素可促进作物生长、提高粮食产量。但再生水中的物质进入农田后将引起土壤孔隙结构、团聚体结构、黏粒分散特征和水土作用关系等一系列的变化,进而引起土壤入渗性能和导水性能的改变,增大环境污染风险。该文综述了再生水中的悬浮无机固体、大分子有机质、油脂、表面活性剂和盐分对农田土壤水流运动的影响及其作用机理,指出受灌农田土壤结构性质演化过程与驱动机制、受灌农田土壤与灌溉入渗水流之间的相互作用关系为该领域亟需开展的2个研究方向。文章对再生水农田灌溉制度制定、污染风险控制和生态环境保护均有参考价值。     

Transport of zinc,copper, and lead in a sewage sludge amended calcareous soil

The application of sewage sludge on farmland is practised in many countries since sludge is rich in macro- and micro- nutrients. However, increasing use of sewage sludge on farmland has raised concerns about the potential transport of heavy metals into food chains and groundwater. This study determined for a calcareous soil the effects of sludge application on soil physical properties and transport of zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), and lead (Pb). Secondary anaerobic digested sewage sludge was applied at rates of 0, 25, 50, and 100 t/ha (on a dried weight basis) for four consecutive years and mixed in the top 20-cm of soil. Corn (Zea mays L.) was planted as a spring crop, followed by wheat (Triticum aestivum) as a winter crop. Sludge application increased the dissolved organic matter content and modified the soil structure, increased the soil infiltration rate, saturated hydraulic conductivity, and aggregate stability, and decreased the bulk density. Sludge application greatly increased DTPA (diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid)-extractable soil metal concentrations to 50 cm depth and significantly to 1 m. In the plots that received four application of 100 t/ha sewage sludge, the mean concentrations of Zn, Cu, and Pb in subsoil increased by 1600, 7, and 4.5 times, respectively, compared with the control. The results indicate that a combination of enhanced soil physical properties, heavy and inefficient irrigation and high organic matter content with heavy metals cause significant metal mobility. High sludge applications pose risks of groundwater and food chain contamination and rates are best restricted to those reflecting the nutrient demand of crops (20 t/ha every 4 to 5 yr or an average of 4 to 5 t/ha/yr).     

Effect of fire severity on water repellency and aggregate stability on Mexican volcanic soils

A field study was conducted in order to study the effects of different wildfire severities on [1] soil organic matter content, [2] soil water repellency, and [3] aggregate stability; [4] the distribution of soil water repellency in aggregate sieve fractions (1–2, 0.5–1, 0.25–0.5 and < 0.25 mm) was also studied. Five similar burned sites and two long-unburned control sites were selected under mixed fir and pine forests in volcanic highlands from Michoacán, Mexico. Soil water repellency was observed in soil samples from all sites, although changes were influenced by fire severity. Sites affected by low severity fires did not show important changes in burned soils in comparison with controls, while high severity fires caused different responses: water repellency was increased or destroyed probably due to temperatures below or above 200–250 °C during burning. The degree of wettability/repellency from the fine earth fraction of burned soils seems to be conditioned by < 0.5 mm aggregates, more than coarser aggregates which always showed a higher degree of wettability. It is suggested that destruction of organic matter during burning occurs principally in coarse aggregates, where combustion can be more intense. Aggregate stability (measured using pre-wetted aggregates between 4 and 4.8 mm) did not change under low severity burning but it was considerably reduced in the case of a high fire severity. Losses of organic matter and destruction of water repellency seem to be the reasons for that reduction in this type of soil in contrast to previous studies, where aggregate stability increased after burning. Changes in both properties (water repellency and aggregate stability) are expected to induce modifications in runoff and soil loss rates at the hillslope scale.     

蓄水坑入渗表层土壤体积质量和饱和导水率的变化

表层土壤体积质量和导水率是影响土壤入渗及水分运动的重要物理参数。该文采用土壤切片技术和数字图像分析技术,分析了蓄水坑灌条件下入渗水头对砂壤土表层土壤体积质量的影响,进行了不同入渗水头、土壤体积质量对砂壤土表层土壤饱和导水率的试验研究,并对蓄水坑侧向水平入渗湿润锋变化的试验结果与数值模拟结果进行对比分析。结果表明：该研究试验条件下（土壤体积质量为1.345 g/cm3）,入渗水头对土壤体积质量和表层土壤饱和导水率有较明显的影响。随着入渗水头的增大,其作用下的表层土壤体积质量趋于增大,土壤结构趋于密实,表层土壤的饱和导水率趋于减小;表层土壤饱和导水率与入渗水头和土壤体积质量之间呈乘幂关系,且表层土壤饱和导水率对土壤体积质量的变化较为敏感,当土壤体积质量达到某一程度时（1.466 g/cm3）,入渗水头对表层土壤饱和导水率的影响甚微。研究成果揭示了入渗水头影响蓄水坑土壤入渗的微观机制,为进一步研究蓄水坑灌法提供了理论依据。     

碳酸氢根与水肥同层对玉米幼苗生长和吸收养分的影响

把水分(NaHCO3溶液或纯水)供应于底施了铵态或硝态N肥的土层内,以研究HCO3-及水肥供应方式对石灰性土壤上玉米生长及养分吸收的影响。结果表明,在限制灌水量的条件下,在土壤上层供应HCO3-显著抑制根系生长,但在下层供应对生长无明显影响;当施用不同形态N素时,HCO3-对N素吸收并无明显影响;此外,供应HCO3-溶液能明显提高灌水土层的土壤pH。总体来看,在供试条件下,HCO3-对玉米幼苗生长量、根系分布及养分吸收量的影响均较为有限,而后三者主要受施肥灌水层次的影响,即:在土壤上层施肥灌水,幼苗生长量显著降低;而在下层施肥灌水是一种节水节肥的水肥供应方式。但下层施肥灌水不利于植株的直立性。因为下层施肥灌水时根系主要分布在下层,在上层分布数量极少;而上层施肥灌水根系在上下两层中的分布无明显差异;下层施肥灌水的玉米植株,其N、P、K吸收量远高于上层施肥灌水的植株。     

Percolation characteristics of a water-repellent sandy forest soil

In a tracer experiment TDR transect measurements were made to study percolation behaviour in a 120‐year‐old pine stand (Pinus sylvestris) on a water‐repellent sandy soil (Haplic Arenosol). The experiment (with potassium iodide) showed an 80% labelling of the total flow in organic layers, whereas the area of transport in the mineral soil was sharply reduced to 12–30%. The average diameters of these preferential flow paths were about 8–15 cm. The TDR measurements indicate a homogeneous flow only for a short period from February until April. At this time of the year preferential flow is insignificant, because the soil is at approximately field capacity and not repellent to water. During summer (May to September) the soil dries out, and most precipitation results in preferential flow during this period. For any daily rainfall exceeding 10 mm, water infiltrates down to 1 m depth in the soil, which nevertheless, is still within the root zone. This kind of deep percolation results in the subsoil’s wetting to field capacity (pF 1.8) earlier than the topsoil. A one‐dimensional numerical model (SWAP) was used to simulate mean water balance with hydraulic functions with and without a water‐repellency term. From the results of our tracer experiment we showed that the de‐watering process in spring could be simulated well using the traditional piston flow concept, while the rewetting behaviour could be described more realistically using the mobile–immobile concept for water repellency.     

A study of the effects of land use changes on soil physical properties and organic matter

Changes in land use can significantly affect soil properties. This study was conducted in the Taleghan watershed of Tehran Province, Iran, to determine the effects of land use changes on soil organic matter (SOM) and soil physical properties including soil aggregate stability, saturated hydraulic conductivity, infiltration rate, available water content, total porosity and bulk density (BD). In the present study, two sites contained adjacent land uses of natural pasture and dryland farming were selected. Soil samples were taken from depths of 0–15 and 15–30 cm for each land use. The results indicated that the conversion of natural pasture to dryland farming led to a significant decrease in SOM at 0–30 cm in the first and second sites (24.7 and 44.2%, respectively). In addition, a significant increase in BD was observed at a depth of 0–30 cm in dryland farm soils (1.39 g cm^–3) compared to pastureland (1.20 g cm^–3) at the first site. An increase in BD was also observed at the same depth of dryland farm soils (1.46 g cm^–3) and pastureland soils (1.42 g cm^–3) at the second site. In addition, total porosity, mean‐weight diameter of aggregates, saturated hydraulic conductivity, available water content and estimated final infiltration rate showed significant differences between land uses. The results showed that the conversion of natural pasture to dryland farming alters soil properties that negatively affect soil productivity and erodibility. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Aspects of the adsorption and degradation of isoproturon in a heavy clay soil

Abstract. Degradation of isoproturon in a heavy clay soil followed first-order reaction kinetics with half-lives at 15 °C of 27 and 208 days in the topsoil and subsoil, respectively. Adsorption when shaken with 3 mm sieved samples of the soil fitted the empirical Freundlich relationship with k values of 3.25 in the topsoil and 1.06 in the subsoil. Adsorption in a static system with different sized aggregates of soil did not reach equilibrium, even after 24 hours contact, and the rate of adsorption was slower with larger aggregates. Following an adsorption period of 24 hours, desorption equilibrium was reached more rapidly with larger (6–10 mm) than with smaller (<3 mm) aggregates. Adsorption isotherms measured in a static system with a soil:water ratio typical of field conditions in winter also indicated less adsorption than that measured in shaken, laboratory systems with low soil:water ratios. The rate of change in water extractable residues of the herbicide was more rapid than that of total extract-able residues following application of isoproturon to the heavy clay soil in the field. The implications of the results for isoproturon leaching under field conditions are discussed.     

Soil‐phosphorus distribution and availability as affected by greenhouse subsurface irrigation

Vertical distribution and plant availability of soil P under subsurface irrigation were investigated in a 5‐year tomato‐grown‐greenhouse experiment. Irrigation was applied when soil water condition reached the predefined maximum allowable depletion (MAD) for different treatments, e.g., –10 kPa, –16 kPa, –25 kPa, –40 kPa, and –63 kPa. Results show that P distribution with soil depth was significantly affected by irrigation schedules. The general trend is that concentrations of soil total P and inorganic P were greater in topsoil than in subsoil, whereas the concentrations of soil organic P were larger at the depths of 0–10 cm, 30–40 cm, and 40–60 cm than at other soil depths. Comparison of different irrigation schedules indicates that more soil organic P was retained in the soils under the MAD of –25 kPa, –40 kPa, and –63 kPa, implying that irrigation of relatively low frequency and large water quantity of each irrigation event favored the accumulation of organic P in soils. In addition, we found that the concentrations of plant‐available P decreased with soil depth and were largest under the MAD of –16 kPa and –25 kPa. This result suggests that irrigation of relatively high frequency and low water quantity of each irrigation event led to greater P availability for plant uptake. Overall, this study suggests that the transformation and plant availability of soil P can be manipulated, to some degree, by soil‐water management. Maximum allowable depletion controlled between –16 kPa and –25 kPa could result in high availability of soil P in clay‐textured soils.     

生物有机肥对潮土物理性状及微生物量碳、氮的影响

[目的]研究生物有机肥对潮土不同土层土壤物理特性及微生物碳氮的影响,为生物有机肥在土壤改良、水土保持和促进设施农业可持续发展等方面提供科学依据。[方法]采用田间小区试验的方法,研究生物有机肥对潮土0—15和15—30cm土层土壤水力学性质、土壤团聚体及微生物量碳、氮的改善效果,其中生物有机肥施用量分别为0,10,20t/hm~2。[结果]施用生物有机肥可显著降低土壤容重,提高土壤孔隙度和各水力学指标,其中土壤容重降低了10.37%~19.26%,田间持水量和饱和导水率提高了13.12%~32.25%和37.28%~67.11%;生物有机肥可提高土壤大团聚体含量和平均质量直径,降低分形维数;生物有机肥提高了土壤微生物量碳、氮含量,增幅分别为33.66%~52.67%和11.52%~22.64%;土壤物理特性与微生物量碳、氮具有明显相关性。[结论]生物有机肥可有效改善潮土土壤结构和水力学特性,增加土壤蓄水供水能力,提高土壤大团聚体含量、稳定性和微生物量碳、氮含量。