南美蟛蜞菊、蟛蜞菊和杂交蟛蜞菊土壤磷组分特征及其影响因素

为探究入侵植物南美蟛蜞菊土壤磷转化过程与驱动机制,采用野外控制试验,比较研究了南美蟛蜞菊、蟛蜞菊和杂交蟛蜞菊土壤磷组分、微生物生物量磷以及酸性磷酸酶和碱性磷酸酶活性。结果表明：3种蟛蜞菊土壤易分解态磷仅占全磷的2.2%~6.3%,且全碳与有机磷的比例大于200,表明本研究区受到磷限制。有机磷是土壤磷库的主要组分,在南美蟛蜞菊、蟛蜞菊和杂交蟛蜞菊土壤中分别占全磷的28.7%、17.6%和25.0%。相关分析表明,三种蟛蜞菊土壤有机磷磷组分矿化主要受碱性磷酸酶影响,受酸性磷酸酶影响较小,且碱性磷酸酶与有机磷呈显著负相关,与易分解态磷呈显著正相关。因此,在缺磷的亚热带地区,碱性磷酸酶对有机磷的分解可能是该地区入侵植物对磷限制的适应机制。     

黄顶菊(Flaveria bidentis)入侵对土壤微生物功能多样性的影响

外来植物入侵对土壤生物多样性的影响已成为生态学领域的研究热点之一。运用Biolog技术和氯仿熏蒸浸提法研究了黄顶菊入侵对土壤微生物群落功能多样性及土壤微生物量的影响。结果表明,黄顶菊入侵后土壤微生物代谢活性显著升高;土壤微生物群落平均吸光值(AWCD)的变化趋势为:入侵地根际土(RPS)入侵地根围土(BS)未入侵地(CK),且差异显著;而CK的功能多样性指数(H)高于BS,RPS亦高于BS,差异均显著(P0.05)。主成分分析结果表明,黄顶菊入侵使土壤微生物群落的碳源利用方式和代谢功能发生改变。对不同碳源利用的分析结果表明,糖类、氨基酸类、羧酸类和聚合物为土壤微生物利用的主要碳源。入侵样地BS和RPS的微生物量碳分别比CK高27.05%、121.52%;BS和RPS的微生物量氮分别比CK高37.40%、79.80%。相关性分析表明,AWCD与微生物量碳和微生物量氮均呈极显著正相关(P0.01)。由此可知,黄顶菊入侵增强了入侵地土壤微生物代谢活性,降低了土壤微生物群落的功能多样性,增加了土壤微生物量碳、氮水平。     

银北盐碱区植物根际土壤酶活性及微生物群落特征

开展盐碱区耐盐植物根际微生物群落多样性研究,对于盐碱土壤的植被恢复和生态修复具有重要意义。运用Biolog微平板技术,对宁夏银北盐碱区6种耐盐植物根际土壤酶活性及微生物群落代谢功能多样性进行研究。结果表明:不同植物根际土壤理化性质和酶活性存在一定的差异。与裸地相比,6种植物能显著提高盐碱地土壤酶活性,苜蓿根际土壤三种酶活性显著高于其他植物。土壤平均颜色变化率(AWCD)随培养时间的延长而逐渐增加,大小顺序依次为苜蓿(MX)、芨芨草(JJC)、柽柳(CL)、柳枝稷(LZJ)、苦豆子(KDZ)、枸杞(GQ)和裸地土壤(CK),根际土壤与盐碱裸地土壤之间差异显著(P0.05)。土壤微生物群落香农指数、辛普森指数和麦金塔指数均以苜蓿根际土壤最高,芨芨草次之,二者较其他土壤差异显著(P0.05)。不同植物根际土壤微生物碳源利用能力存在差异,苜蓿根际土壤微生物的利用率显著高于其他土壤(P0.05),碳水化合物类是根际土壤微生物的主要碳源,其次为氨基酸类和羧酸类,胺类的利用率最小。主成分分析显示,对PC1和PC2起分异作用的主要碳源为碳水化合物类和羧酸类。综合各项指标,均表现为植物根际土壤优于盐碱裸地,其中苜蓿和芨芨草能显著提高土壤微生物群落功能多样性,对盐碱地根际微环境的养分循环具有积极意义。     

陇东黄土高原油污土壤环境因子对场地生态修复的季节响应

[目的]探讨陇东黄土高原地区油污土壤场地修复过程中土壤环境因子对季节变化的响应机制,为油污土壤植物微生物联合生态修复的推广应用提供参考。[方法]利用陇东适生植物"金盏菊"联合土著石油降解菌剂开展为期285d的场地原位修复试验,采用常规方法测定不同季节土壤理化特性、酶活性和微生物群落特性等环境指标。[结果](1)场地修复过程中土壤TPHs降解率在夏(24.62%±3.96%)秋(29.93%±1.94%)两季明显高于春(3.82%±0.91%)冬(9.24%±0.87%)两季;(2)季节变化和强化处理对油污土壤酶活性和理化特性存在显著交互效应(p0.05)。土壤pH值、含盐率和有机质含量在秋季明显降低(p0.05),而土壤速效养分均在夏秋含量最高(p0.05);(3)春季土壤微生物群落Evenness指数偏低(p0.05),夏季Richness指数明显增加(p0.05),Shannon-Wiener指数在夏秋两季明显高于其他季节(p0.05);(4)NMDS排序结果显示,夏秋两季分异于其他季节主要与土壤微生物群落Richness指数(r2=0.706 3,p=0.002)和速效磷(r2=0.615 7,p=0.005)有关;(5)低温季节影响土壤TPHs降解率的因素主要是土壤理化特性和土壤酶活性的叠加效应(54%),而夏秋两季土壤理化特性、土壤酶活性和土壤微生物特性三者的共同作用可解释土壤TPHs降解率变异的74%。[结论]土壤微生物群落Evenness指数和土壤酶活性偏低是造成春冬两季土壤TPHs降解率偏低,而土壤微生物群落ShannonWiener指数、Richness指数、速效磷含量和生物强化处理有效化水平是陇东地区夏秋两季土壤TPHs降解率明显增加的主要环境因素。     

入侵杂草五爪金龙的除草剂植物筛选

本文报道了具有化感作用或潜在抑草活性的17种植物叶片水浸液对华南地区入侵杂草五爪金龙幼苗生长的化感作用,以期获得对五爪金龙有较强抑制作用的植物种类,为植物源除草剂的开发奠定基础。结果显示,17种供体植物中有12种能够抑制五爪金龙幼苗生长,抑制强度依次为假臭草〉飞机草〉黄帚橐吾〉艾蒿〉披针叶黄华〉微甘菊〉马缨丹〉鸡矢藤〉牧荆〉南美蟛蜞菊〉胜红蓟〉隆缘桉。且假臭草、艾蒿、飞机草、黄帚橐吾和披针叶黄华5种供体植物对五爪金龙的4项生长指标均产生显著或极显著影响,其中假臭草、飞机草、黄帚橐吾作用浓度较低,且资源丰富,可成为天然除草剂主要的资源植物。     

甘肃中部沿黄灌区马铃薯连作对土壤化学和生物学性质的影响

甘肃中部沿黄灌区是全国重要的加工型马铃薯和种薯生产基地,但集约化种植带来的连作障碍问题已严重影响到产业的健康发展。设置不同连作年限(0~5年)马铃薯种植处理,通过田间试验评估连作对土壤化学和生物学性质的影响,探讨马铃薯连作的土壤障碍因子。结果表明:土壤有机碳含量随连作年限延长逐渐降低,而碱解氮和速效钾含量以及电导率与之相反;连作显著增加土壤速效磷含量,但对全氮含量、碳氮比和p H无明显影响。长期连作(3~5年)较非连作(0年)土壤平均酶活性显著降低33.07%~61.78%,脲酶、蔗糖酶和脱氢酶活性亦随连作年限延长逐渐降低。长期连作降低土壤微生物生物量碳含量,土壤基础呼吸量和FDA水解活性与连作年限呈极显著负相关。Biolog ECO分析显示,长期连作显著降低土壤微生物总活性和功能多样性,Shannon多样性指数较非连作降低11.75%~13.65%。碳源利用图谱分析表明,连作明显改变土壤微生物群落结构,碳水化合物是区分不同连作年限土壤微生物群落结构差异的最敏感碳源类型;长期连作显著降低土壤微生物对碳水化合物类、氨基酸类、羧酸类和胺类碳源的相对利用率,且土壤微生物对单一碳源的利用呈现集中化的趋势。线性逐步回归分析和通径分析表明,土壤微生物群落结构、微生物生物量碳、全氮和脱氢酶对块茎产量有显著影响,以微生物群落结构贡献最大,微生物生物量碳次之。土壤微生物因子变化可能是导致甘肃中部沿黄灌区马铃薯连作障碍发生的重要原因。     

生物有机肥对秦巴山区核桃园土壤微生物群落和酶活性的影响

采用大田试验,探讨生物有机肥对秦巴山区核桃园土壤微生物群落结构及其代谢、 酶活性和土壤理化性质的影响。结果表明,施入生物有机肥可改变土壤微生物群落结构,改变微生物对各大类碳源的利用,提高微生物碳源利用率、物种多样性和丰富度,常规施肥对土壤微生物群落结构影响不显著。生物有机肥可显著提高土壤蔗糖酶、酸性磷酸酶和脱氢酶活性,但对过氧化氢酶的影响不显著;常规施肥可提高土壤脲酶和脱氢酶活性,对其他酶活性没有显著影响。生物有机肥可显著提高土壤有机质, 全量氮、磷、钾和速效磷含量,提高土壤pH值,使土壤理化性质得到改善;常规施肥也可在一定程度上提高土壤养分含量,但其效果不如生物有机肥。     

加拿大一枝黄花入侵对杭州湾湿地围垦区土壤养分及活性有机碳组分的影响

加拿大一枝黄花(Solidago canadenis)是我国危害最严重的外来入侵植物之一,为了阐明其对入侵地生态系统的影响,以浙江省慈溪市杭州湾湿地围垦区内自然分布的加拿大一枝黄花群落和3种土著植物群落:束尾草(Phacelurus Griseb)群落、白茅(Imperata cylindrica)群落和芦苇(Phragmites australis)群落为研究对象,采用野外样地实验的方法,研究了加拿大一枝黄花入侵对土壤氮、磷和钾含量以及有效性和活性有机碳组分含量的影响。结果表明加拿大一枝黄花的入侵显著降低了土壤的p H(P0.05),对土壤全氮、全磷、全钾、有效磷、速效钾和钾含量没有显著影响(P0.01),但显著提高了碱解氮、铵态氮和硝态氮的含量(P0.01),其中加拿大一枝黄花0~10 cm土层碱解氮含量分别是束尾草、白茅和芦苇的1.72倍、2.35倍和2.00倍。加拿大一枝黄花入侵对土壤总有机质含量无显著影响(P0.01),但是却改变了活性有机碳组分,与束尾草、白茅和芦苇相比,加拿大一枝黄花群落0~10 cm表层土壤中微生物生物量碳的含量分别提高了196.72%、180.21%和41.47%;可溶性碳0~10 cm土层分别降低了27.27%、40.78%和4.00%,10~20 cm土层分别降低了41.36%、39.49%和29.63%;易氧化碳含量在两个土层中均显著降低(P0.01)。上述结果表明加拿大一枝黄花的入侵降低了土壤p H,提高了土壤氮素的有效性,改变了活性有机碳组分。     

黄顶菊入侵对土壤微生物、土壤酶活性及土壤养分的影响

通过采样分析,研究了外来植物黄顶菊入侵对非耕地和耕地,以及对玉米根系土壤微生物、土壤酶活性、土壤速效养分的影响,旨在揭示黄顶菊入侵农田和贫瘠荒地的机制。本试验比较了距根系不同距离土壤的微生态变化;分析了根系土壤3大微生物类群结构、5种土壤理化性质以及5种土壤酶活性之间的相关性。结果表明,非耕地黄顶菊根表速效氮、速效磷、速效钾的含量分别为对照的4.44、6.88、2.64倍,耕地中分别为对照的5.31、13.78、7.56倍;非耕地黄顶菊根表土壤细菌、真菌、放线菌数量分别为对照的13.23、6.67、21.40倍,耕地中分别为对照的9.27、2.15、2.24倍,可见黄顶菊对非耕地土壤中可培养的细菌、真菌、放线菌数量的影响更为明显;非耕地中黄顶菊根表土壤碱性磷酸酶、酸性磷酸酶、脲酶、脱氢酶、蔗糖酶的活性分别为对照的19.44、5.39、1.64、1.74、4.62倍,说明细菌非常活跃。耕地中分别为对照的2.26、3.45、1.53、0.95、4.89倍。另外在玉米与黄顶菊互作时,其根表土壤速效氮、磷、钾分别为非互作条件下的63.54%、64.70%、80.71%、,黄顶菊入侵明显降低了玉米根表速效养分。综上,黄顶菊入侵增加了其根系周围可培养土壤微生物数量、土壤酶活性及土壤速效养分含量;降低了附近玉米根表土壤中可培养微生物数量、土壤酶活性和速效养分含量。     

棉隆熏蒸与微生物有机肥联用对西瓜枯萎病的防控研究

通过田间试验评估了土壤熏蒸和微生物有机肥联用对西瓜枯萎病的防控效果及对西瓜产量与品质的影响。试验设置3个处理:对照(CK)、棉隆熏蒸结合普通有机肥处理(OF)、棉隆熏蒸结合微生物有机肥处理(BOF)。结果发现:与CK相比,BOF处理和OF处理均显著降低西瓜枯萎病发生率,病害防治效果分别为65.8%和54.1%;BOF处理还显著增加连作西瓜产量(增幅达33.4%),提高西瓜中心糖含量(增幅达15.9%)和糖酸比(增幅达13.4%)。棉隆熏蒸处理土壤细菌和真菌数量均显著低于CK,尖孢镰刀菌数量下降3个数量级;土壤脲酶、蔗糖酶、荧光素二乙酸酯酶活性以及土壤微生物碳源利用多样性指数、均一性指数较CK均显著降低。棉隆熏蒸后施用有机肥可使土壤微生物数量、土壤酶活性及微生物碳源利用多样性逐步恢复,其中BOF处理土壤微生物数量和酶活性恢复速度和强度更大、病原菌数量及病原菌与真菌数量比最低、微生物碳源利用多样性指数最高。结果表明,利用棉隆对连作西瓜土壤熏蒸20 d能显著减少病原菌数量,配合施用微生物有机肥,能快速改善土壤微生物区系和恢复土壤酶活性,降低枯萎病的发生,并有效促进西瓜生长,提高西瓜产量及品质。     

Exotic annuals reduce soil heterogeneity in coastal sage scrub soil chemical and biological characteristics

Exotic plant invasions alter ecosystem structure and function above- and below-ground through plant–soil feedbacks. The resistance of ecosystems to invasion can be measured by the degree of change in microbial communities and soil chemical pools and fluxes, whereas their resilience can be measured by the ability to recover following restoration. Coastal sage scrub (CSS) is one of the most highly invaded ecosystems in the US but the response of CSS soils to exotic plant invasion is little known. We examined resistance and resilience of CSS soil chemical and biological characteristics following invasion of exotic annual grasses and forbs and restoration of the native plant community. We hypothesized that invasion of exotic plant species would change biological and chemical characteristics of CSS soils by altering soil nutrient inputs. Additionally, we expected that if exotic plants were controlled and native plants were restored, native soil characteristics would recover. We sampled two locations with invaded, restored and native CSS for plant community composition, soil chemistry and microbial communities, and phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) profiles. Communities invaded by exotic annuals were resistant to some measured parameters but not others. Extractable nitrogen pools decreased, nitrogen cycling rates increased, and microbial biomass and fungal:bacterial ratios were altered in invaded soils, and these effects were mediated by the phenological stage of the dominant plant species. The largest impact of invasion on soils was an overall reduction of spatial heterogeneity in soil nutrients, nutrient cycling and microbial communities. Restored plots tended to recover in most biotic and chemical parameters including increased resource heterogeneity compared to invaded plots, suggesting that CSS soils are resilient but not resistant to invasion.     

An aboveground–belowground assessment of ecosystem properties associated with exotic annual brome invasion

Exotic annual brome invasion has been well studied in western North American rangelands, particularly for Bromus tectorum L. invasion in sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata) grasslands. We examined both aboveground and belowground properties in native sagebrush grassland and adjacent areas dominated by exotic annual bromes (B. tectorum L. and Bromus japonicus Thunb.) to better understand the fundamental ecological differences between native and invaded areas. Field sites were located in north central Wyoming, USA, and plots were established in areas that had been historically subject to wildfire and either (1) recolonized by native sagebrush grassland vegetation or (2) invaded by exotic annual bromes. We employed measures of vegetation community structure as well as soil physical, chemical, and microbiological properties. Plots with greater than 20 % exotic annual brome cover had significantly less cover of all native vegetation functional groups resulting in lower richness and evenness than native plots. Invaded plots also had low diversity plant communities that were continuous and uniform across space. Soils beneath invaded plant communities had higher infiltration rates, higher levels of total nitrogen, and a lower C/N ratio than the native soils. Invaded soils also had 90–96 % lower abundance of all soil microbial groups measured by phospholipid fatty acid. We conclude that areas dominated by exotic annual bromes display different aboveground and belowground properties compared to the native community, and these changes possibly include spatial and temporal shifts in soil resources and organic matter processing.     

Effects of the invader Solidago canadensis on soil properties

A perennial goldenrod weed, Solidago canadensis, is rapidly spreading in China and now poses a serious threat to native ecosystem structure and function. Little is known about the effects of S. canadensis invasion on rhizosphere physico-chemical properties and microbial communities. The objective of this study was to compare the soil physico-chemical properties and microbial communities of invaded (two ecotone sites and one monoculture site) and native plant rhizospheres in field areas of Zhejiang Province, Eastern China. Compared with those in the native site, soil total nitrogen, total phosphorus, NO₃-N, available phosphorus content, and aggregate stability consistently decreased with S. canadensis invasion, while soil organic carbon, NH₄-N content, pH, and bulk density in the invaded sites significantly increased. Soil microbial biomass (expressed by carbon, nitrogen, or phosphorus content), activity (basal respiration and substrate induced respiration), and functional diversity (calculated from the average well color development (AWCD) of 31 carbon sources in a BIOLOG Ecoplate) significantly increased with S. canadensis invasion. Microbial utilization of carbohydrate groups significantly increased in the invaded sites, while the utilization of carboxylic acids and amines/amides groups significantly decreased. Principal components analysis (PCA) of the AWCD data indicated that the heavily invaded site (monoculture) was clearly separated from the native site. Redundancy analysis (RDA) indicated that soil organic carbon, NH₄-N, NO₃-N, and pH significantly impacted the dynamics of microbial parameters across the invaded sites. These results suggested that several soil chemical properties (e.g., organic carbon, NH₄-N, and pH) and microbial parameters (e.g., microbial biomass, basal respiration, substrate induced respiration, and functional diversity) might be used as indicators of S. canadensis invasion density.     

氨氧化基因丰度和潜在氨氧化速率对加拿大一枝黄花入侵和土壤类型的响应

  【目的】  土壤类型和植物入侵影响土壤微生物群落结构和功能,基于此,我们研究加拿大一枝黄花 (Solidago canadensis) 入侵两种类型土壤后,土壤中氨氧化古细菌 (AOA) 和氨氧化细菌 (AOB) 的基因丰度和潜在氨氧化速率 (PAOR) 的变化规律及影响机理。  【方法】  云南和浙江是加拿大一枝黄花入侵的重点地区,本研究在云南省滇池周边的海东湿地公园、捞鱼河湿地公园和安乐村 (土壤类型均为冲积土) 以及浙江省东部的杭州湾湿地公园、临海上盘镇和路桥镇峰江村 (土壤类型均为黄泥田土),分别选择一块采样地,面积为100～150 m2。在每块采样地加拿大一枝黄花入侵 (Mono) 和未入侵 (Nat) 之处,划出0.5 m × 0.5 m,采集土壤和植物样品。Mono和Nat地块相距10～20 m,每个地块重复3次。采用qPCR和室内培养技术分析土壤中AOA、AOB基因丰度和PAOR,用植物生态和土壤化学方法分析植物生物量和土壤化学性状。  【结果】  加拿大一枝黄花入侵后,冲积土中AOA丰度和PAOR显著下降,黄泥田土中AOA丰度和PAOR却显著提高,而AOB丰度在两种类型土壤中均显著提高。Nat冲积土中AOA丰度和PAOR大于黄泥田土,而Mono条件下冲积土中AOA丰度和PAOR小于黄泥田土,AOB丰度在两种土壤类型中均变化较小。Mono样地植被地上部分和地下部分生物量、土壤有机质含量和pH是影响冲积土和黄泥田土AOA丰度和PAOR的重要因素。与AOA不同,冲积土AOB丰度仅受植物地下部分生物量的影响,而黄泥田土AOB丰度同时受植物地下部分生物量、土壤总磷含量和pH影响。  【结论】  加拿大一枝黄花入侵大大增加了植被地上部和地下部生物量,进而为微生物提供了大量的碳源,同时提高了土壤pH,因此,氨氧化细菌AOB的丰度显著增加。土壤类型仅影响AOA的丰度,对AOB和氨氧化潜力没有显著影响,而加拿大一枝黄花入侵显著影响两类土壤中的AOA、AOB丰度以及氨氧化潜力。     

Plant invasion of native grassland on serpentine soils has no major effects upon selected physical and biological properties

Plant invasions alter soil microbial community composition; this study examined whether invasion-induced changes in the soil microbial community were reflected in soil aggregation, an ecosystem property strongly influenced by microorganisms. Soil aggregation is regulated by many biological factors including roots, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal hyphae, and microbially-derived carbon compounds. We measured root biomass, fungal-derived glomalin-related soil protein (GRSP), and aggregate mean weight diameter in serpentine soils dominated by an invasive plant (Aegilops triuncialis (goatgrass) or Centaurea solstitialis (yellow starthistle)), or by native plants (Lasthenia californica and Plantago erecta, or Hemizonia congesta). Root biomass tended to increase in invaded soils. GRSP concentrations were lower in goatgrass-dominated soils than native soils. In contrast, starthistle dominated soil contained a higher amount of one fraction of GRSP, easily extractable immunoreactive soil protein (EE-IRSP) and a lower amount of another GRSP fraction, easily extractible Bradford reactive soil protein (EE-BRSP). Soil aggregation increased with goatgrass invasion, but did not increase with starthistle invasion. In highly aggregated serpentine soils, small increases in soil aggregation accompanying plant invasion were not related to changes in GRSP and likely have limited ecological significance.     

外来植物水花生和苏门白酒草入侵对土壤碳氮过程的影响

外来入侵植物对土壤生态系统的影响已成为入侵生态学研究的热点问题。以我国典型入侵植物水花生（Alternanthera philoxeroides,Ap）和苏门白酒草（Conyza sumatrensis,Cs）为对象,选取撂荒的稻田为试验样地,以土著优势物种马唐（Digitaria sanguinalis,Ds）为参照,通过对入侵植物和土著植物的根际土壤进行采样分析,研究了入侵植物对入侵地土壤特性及土壤碳氮过程的影响。结果表明,与土著物种Ds相比,Ap和Cs入侵分别使土壤有机质含量增加106和27,全氮量增加63和97,铵态氮含量增加97和94,硝态氮含量增加71和243,微生物量碳增加123和225,微生物量氮增加225和399,氮净矿化速率增加2.1倍和3.8倍,反硝化速率增加1.0倍和0.8倍,酶的活性和硝化速率亦显著增加;矿化过程中Cs和Ap的CO2平均排放速率分别增加2.3倍和2.6倍,土壤N2O的平均排放速率分别增加1.9倍和2.2倍。由此可见,入侵植物显著地改变了入侵地土壤的理化特性,加速了土壤碳氮转化过程,呈现正反馈效应。     

Influence of land management on soil nutrients and microbial biomass in the central loess plateau,northwest China

Loss of soil organic matter under cropping systems is often considered one of the most serious forms of agriculturally induced soil degradation. Therefore, understanding how to improve or maintain soil fertility is of importance for sustainable systems of agriculture. This study deals with the effects of succession fallow and fertilization combined with crop rotation on the chemical properties and microbial biomass of soil in the central Loess Plateau, China. In order to create a more uniform experimental environment and avoid the influence of different crop residues, wheat/potato (W/P) rotation was selected as a fertilization treatment. The results showed that with increasing fallow time organic carbon (Corg) and total nitrogen (TN) slightly increased, microbial biomass carbon (MBC) and MBC/Corg gradually decreased, and microbial biomass nitrogen (MBN) remained unchanged. However, only MBC/Corg among all the microbial parameters measured showed significant differences at various stages of fallow. Although there was a decrease in organic carbon and total nitrogen in the fertilized plots, MBC was not significantly different in the various fallow and fertilized plots except for one‐year‐old fallows, which had the highest MBC. MBN, MBC/Corg and MBN/TN in fertilized plots were higher than for plots at different stages of fallow. Fertilization can increase organic carbon, total nitrogen, MBC and MBN content (compared to the control). It was concluded that appropriate land management, such as fertilization combined with crop rotation and reducing one‐year‐old fallow, would be useful ways to improve or maintain soil fertility. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Elevated CO2 differentially alters belowground plant and soil microbial community structure in reed canary grass-invaded experimental wetlands

Several recent studies have indicated that an enriched atmosphere of carbon dioxide (CO₂) could exacerbate the intensity of plant invasions within natural ecosystems, but little is known of how rising CO₂ impacts the belowground characteristics of these invaded systems. In this study, we examined the effects of elevated CO₂ and nitrogen (N) inputs on plant and soil microbial community characteristics of plant communities invaded by reed canary grass, Phalaris arundinacea L. We grew the invasive grass under two levels of invasion: the invader was either dominant (high invasion) at >90% plant cover or sub-dominant (low invasion) at <50% plant cover. Experimental wetland communities were grown for four months in greenhouses that received either 600 or 365 μl l⁻¹ (ambient) CO₂. Within each of three replicate rooms per CO₂ treatment, the plant communities were grown under high (30 mg l⁻¹) or low (5 mg l⁻¹) N. In contrast to what is often predicted under N limitation, we found that elevated CO₂ increased native graminoid biomass at low N, but not at high N. The aboveground biomass of reed canary grass did not respond to elevated CO₂, despite it being a fast-growing C3 species. Although elevated CO₂ had no impact on the plant biomass of heavily invaded communities, the relative abundance of several soil microbial indicators increased. In contrast, the moderately invaded plant communities displayed increased total root biomass under elevated CO_2, while little impact occurred on the relative abundance of soil microbial indicators. Principal components analysis indicated that overall soil microbial community structure was distinct by CO₂ level for the varying N and invasion treatments. This study demonstrates that even when elevated CO₂ does not have visible effects on aboveground plant biomass, it can have large impacts belowground.