不同林龄杉木根际与非根际土壤微生物群落特征

为探究中亚热带杉木土壤微生物群落随林龄变化特征,以中亚热带7,24,34 a生杉木人工林为研究对象,采用磷脂脂肪酸(PLFA)法分析其根际和非根际土壤微生物数量和群落结构及驱动土壤微生物变化的主要土壤环境因子。结果表明：随着杉木林龄的增长,非根际土壤各类微生物数量不断减少,根际土壤微生物数量不断增加,34 a生杉木人工林细菌含量、革兰氏阴性菌含量、Cy∶MONO根际土壤显著高于非根际土壤,而其他各类微生物在根际和非根际土壤间均没有显著差异。相关分析和冗余分析结果表明：土壤环境因子对杉木土壤微生物群落有显著影响,其中有效磷和铵态氮含量对土壤微生物群落的影响较大,有效磷含量与土壤微生物群落呈正相关,土壤铵态氮含量与其呈负相关。因此,在杉木人工林管理过程中,可适当增加磷的输入,以增加土壤微生物数量,提高土壤质量,促进杉木的生长。     

甘薯连作对根际土壤微生物群落结构的影响

为探究甘薯连作后根际土壤微生物群落结构变化,以徐薯18(耐连作品种)和遗字138(不耐连作品种)为试验材料,连作2年,于栽植初期和收获前期分别采集根际土壤,利用磷脂脂肪酸法(PLFA)分析其根际土壤微生物群落结构变化。结果表明,连作后,2个品种根际土壤的总PLFA含量均有所提高,与2015年相比,2016年栽植初期遗字138根际土壤真菌和放线菌PLFA的增加量分别是徐薯18的3.5倍和1.24倍,且均达到显著水平;F/B和G⁺/G^-在不同采样时期有所不同;主成分分析提取的2个主成分解释了89.05%的变异,其中PC1解释了76.91%的变异,PC2解释了12.14%的变异。2个品种连作前后差异明显。休闲期甘薯根际土壤微生物含量增多,这可能有助于缓解连作障碍。综上,甘薯连作导致甘薯根际土壤微生物群落结构失衡,特别是不耐连作品种连作后导致真菌数量明显增加。本研究结果为应用生态防控技术缓解连作障碍提供了理论依据。     

喀斯特生态系统中乔木和灌木林根际土壤微生物生物量及其多样性的比较

我国喀斯特区域面积分布较广,而喀斯特生态系统的退化已成为当前西南地区面临的严重的生态问题。本研究选取贵州中部两种不同植被类型的生态系统—乔木林和灌木林,以乔木林中的白栎、园果化香和灌木林中的火棘、竹叶椒等主要优势树种为对象,研究不同的植物树种对根际土壤微生物生物量及其细菌群落结构的影响。结果显示:乔木林系统中根际土壤微生物生物量碳、氮显著性高于灌木林,植物的根际效应在乔木林中表现更为显著;同时乔木林中的优势树种通过根系分泌物的作用显著提高根际土壤细菌多样性指数,而灌木林中优势树种的根际土壤微生物量及多样性均未表现出明显的根际效应。因此,植被的演替通过改变土壤微生物的特性影响植物-微生物-土壤之间的物质和能量循环,进一步影响喀斯特生态系统的稳定和健康功能。     

不同作物根际土壤微生物的群落结构特征分析

为探究根际微生物群在支持植物生长、发育和健康方面的重要作用,本研究在2017年7月采集同一农田中大豆[Glycine max (L.) Merr.]、玉米[Zea mays)、花生(Arachis hypogaea L.]、四季豆[Phaseolus vulgaris L.]、豇豆[Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp]、番薯[Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam.]和芋艿[Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schoot]7种不同作物,通过Illumina MiSeq测序技术和磷脂脂肪酸(PLFA)对这7种不同作物的根际微生物群落结构和组成进行了分析。结果显示,不同作物根际土壤微生物的PLFA种类和组成差异显著,但均以表征革兰氏阴性菌、革兰氏阳性菌和真菌的特征脂肪酸为主。花生根际土中微生物的PLFAs含量最高,花生根际土中的真菌细菌比(F/B)显著高于其他作物,且其革兰氏阳性菌与革兰氏阴性菌比(G⁺/G^-)最低。尽管在门水平,变形菌门、放线菌门、酸杆菌门和厚壁菌门是7种作物根际微生物的主要优势门,但是在纲水平和目水平不同作物根际微生物组成存在差异。Alpha多样性分析表明,大豆根际的OTU丰富度(Chao1,P<0.001)和细菌群落多样性(Shannon,P<0.001)在7种作物中最高。非度量多维尺度分析(NMDS)表明,根际微生物群落结构在OTU和PLFAs水平下均以不同作物形成聚类,不同聚类间的差异显著。根际敏感微生物的筛选和比较进一步说明不同作物对根际微生物的选择具有差异性,群落中某些特定菌群优势度存在区别,不同作物具有不同敏感微生物的选择倾向。本研究为构建健康的植物根际微生物群落以促进植物育种提供了基础。     

磷脂脂肪酸分析方法及其在土壤微生物多样性研究中的应用

磷脂脂肪酸（PLFA）是活体微生物细胞膜的重要组分，不同类群的微生物可通过不同的生化途径合成不同的PLFA。一些PLFA可作为分析微生物量和微生物群落结构变化的“生物标记”。在土壤微生物分析中，越来越多地采用了PLFA方法。本文介绍了表征微生物的一些PLFA、从土壤中提取PLFA的方法以及用GC-MS分析PLFA的原理。本文还将常用的研究微生物多样性的几种方法进行了比较；传统的分析土壤微生物群落的方法依赖于培养技术，只能培养和分离出一小部分微生物群落；Biolog方法可用于研究土壤微生物群落生理多样性，即可反映微生物群落如何利用各种碳源底物，但对快速生长和适合在Biolog实验条件下生长的小部分群落成员有强烈的选择性；核酸分析方法的主要缺点是不能对土壤微生物进行定量分析；而PLFA方法相对于上述几种方法有诸多优势。本文通过一些实例证明PLFA方法的特色或独到之处，也分析了其缺点。采用PLFA方法并结合其他方法有助于获取土壤微生物群落多样性的更多和更全面而完整的信息。     

大气中臭氧浓度增加对根际和非根际土壤微生物的影响

在大田试验下,研究了冬小麦在不同的臭氧浓度下根际和非根际土壤细菌、真菌、放线菌数量的动态变化。结果表明,随着生育时期的推进,微生物数量呈现规律性的变化,其中微生物总量在抽穗期达最大。根际、非根际土壤细菌和真菌数量均随着生育期的推进呈先增大后降低的变化趋势,分别在抽穗期和孕穗期达最大。根际、非根际土壤放线菌数量随生育期呈下降的趋势,整个生育期内臭氧浓度的升高降低了土壤微生物的数量,不同的臭氧浓度处理间细菌数量差异达显著性水平,真菌数量差异只在成熟期达显著,放线菌差异不显著。     

地膜覆盖对土壤微生物群落结构的影响

采用磷脂脂肪酸(PLFA)法测定了沈阳农业大学棕壤长期定位试验站地膜覆盖条件下土壤微生物磷脂脂肪酸图谱及群落结构。结果表明:在玉米苗期,长期施氮肥处理土壤覆膜后大部分脂肪酸含量都有所提高;施有机肥处理的土壤覆膜后脂肪酸的含量有降低的趋势;有机无机肥配合施用处理的土壤覆膜会增加真菌的含量,但却降低了其他脂肪酸的含量;在不施肥处理的土壤中,覆膜会使一些支链脂肪酸的含量降低。抽雄期,施有机肥的土壤覆膜后除单饱和脂肪酸含量有所下降外,其他脂肪酸都会提高;不施肥土壤覆膜处理双不饱和支链脂肪酸及放线菌标志性脂肪酸10Me18:0的含量会有所提高。成熟期,施氮肥的土壤覆膜处理大部分脂肪酸的含量降低;有机肥处理土壤中各种脂肪酸如:15∶0,a17∶0,i17∶0,i19∶0,18∶0,10Me18∶0含量覆膜高于裸地;有机无机配施处理土壤中17∶0,br17∶0,18∶0,18∶2w6,10Me18∶0含量覆膜处理高于裸地;对照土壤中i15∶0,16∶0,17∶0,a17∶0,18∶0,18∶2w6,19∶0含量覆膜高于裸地。另外,从脂肪酸的变化看出,覆膜处理土壤微生物群落整体结构发生了改变,没有表现出明显的种群优势。但是,尽管土壤的施肥处理不同,覆膜处理土壤微生物群落结构有一致化发展的趋势。     

PLFA方法研究连作对加工番茄根际土壤微生物群落结构的影响

通过在石河子大学农学院试验站开展加工番茄连作定点微区试验,采用氯仿熏蒸和磷脂脂肪酸(PLFA)法相结合,研究了不同连作处理(种植1 a、连作3 a、5 a和7 a)对新疆加工番茄花果期和成熟期根际土壤微生物群落结构及土壤微生物量的影响。结果表明,连作导致土壤微生物量碳(SMBC)、微生物量氮(SMBN)和微生物熵(q MB)下降,SMBC/SMBN升高,而微生物量磷(SMBP)随连作年限和生育期的变化而不同。连作显著增加了真菌PLFAs含量,降低了细菌PLFAs含量、土壤PLFAs总量及细菌/真菌PLFAs的比值,而放线菌PLFAs含量变化无规律。连作7 a时,成熟期的细菌PLFAs含量、土壤PLFAs总量较对照分别减少62.9%、50.3%(P0.05),而真菌PLFAs含量较对照升高60.2%(P0.05)。从多样性指数分析看,Shannon-Wiener指数、Simpson指数、Brillouin指数和Pielou指数均随连作年限的延长呈先升后降的变化,其中连作3 a时各项指数最大,连作7 a时最小,表明在本试验年限范围内,连作使得微生物群落多样性与均匀程度皆出现了一定程度的降低。相关性分析表明,土壤微生物各类群PLFAs量、微生物量及土壤肥力之间存在相关性,说明土壤微生物量与土壤肥沃程度相关,可作为评价土壤肥力的生物学指标。可见,加工番茄连作改变了土壤微生物群落结构,降低了土壤微生物量,最终在根际土壤微生态系统和环境因子等因素的综合作用下产生连作障碍。     

叶面补铁对喀斯特土壤小白菜生长、土壤养分及微生物的影响

为探究喷施铁肥对喀斯特地区石灰性土壤上蔬菜生长以及微生物多样性的影响,利用盆栽试验,清水作为对照(CK),研究了 0.05%硫酸亚铁(Y0)和有机铁肥(浓度梯度分别为0.05%、0.03%、0.025%、0.02%,记为 Y1、Y2、Y3、Y4)对小白菜生物量、叶片抗氧化酶、土壤养分及微生物的影响,结果表明:0.05%硫酸亚铁对小白菜的地上部生物量具有抑制作用,比对照减少了 14.16%,有机铁肥对小白菜的生物量表现出不同程度的促进,且 Y3、Y4处理增加显著,分别比对照增加了 54.26%和 57.86%。与对照相比,有机铁肥不同程度增加了叶片抗氧化酶活性,其中超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)影响最大。除 Y3、Y4处理外,其余处理均增加了丙二醛(MDA)含量。随有机铁肥浓度的减小,土壤碱解氮、有效磷及速效钾含量均呈下降趋势,而有机质呈上升趋势,土壤养分在 Y4处理时有显著差异。Y4处理细菌、真菌及放线菌数量最高,分别为 4.27、0.85和 0.39 nmol·g -1,Y1处理最低,分别为1.18、0.20和 0.12 nmol·g -1。主成分分析表明,硫酸亚铁处理和有机铁肥处理之间土壤微生物群落结构有明显差异,Y0处理相对提高了革兰氏阴性菌(16∶1ω9c,18∶1ω7c)与放线菌(10Me17∶0,10Me18∶0)的丰度,Y3、Y4处理相对提高了革兰氏阳性菌(a17∶0,i18∶0)的丰度。通过对产量与多个因素的相关分析,结果表明小白菜产量与丙二醛呈显著负相关关系,与速效钾含量呈极显著负相关关系,而与土壤有机质含量呈显著正相关关系,但与不同微生物之间无显著相关性。综合比较,喷施 0.02%有机铁肥对喀斯特地区小白菜产量及微生物多样性具有最佳效果,研究成果可为喀斯特岩溶地区生态农业发展提供参考。     

玉米品种对根际微生物利用光合碳的影响

通过温室盆栽试验,以玉米品种郑单958(ZD)和陕单8806(SD)为对象,采用磷脂脂肪酸(PLFA)联合~(13)CO_2标记技术对不同品种玉米光合同化碳在玉米—根际土壤系统的分配特征以及利用新光合同化碳的微生物群落进行了定量研究。结果表明:ZD的生物量及其植株和根际土壤的~(13)C含量均显著高于相应的SD处理,说明玉米品种能够显著影响光合同化碳的分配。根际土壤中部分PLFA-C百分比和PLFA-~(13)C百分比在两品种间显著不同,且ZD种植土壤中表征细菌(包括革兰氏阳性菌(G~+)和革兰氏阴性菌(G~-))和真菌的PLFA-C及PLFA-~(13)C含量均显著高于种植SD土壤。ZD土壤中表征G~+、G~-、真菌和放线菌的PLFA-~(13)C含量分别占总PLFA-~(13)C的2.4%、33%、35%和0.3%,而上述参数在SD土壤中的值分别为5.9%、55%、11%和1.1%。ZD处理较SD处理提高了真菌/细菌比值,降低了环丙脂肪酸/前体比值。本研究表明根际微生物对光合同化碳的利用受玉米品种的显著影响,G~-和真菌是利用光合同化碳的主要群落。     

堆肥缓解土壤镉的植物毒性: 对白菜生长的影响

The growth performance of pakchoi (Brassica chinensis L.) in relation to soil cadmium (Cd) fractionations was investigated to evaluate the remediating effect of poultry manure compost on Cd-contaminated soil. A yellow-brown soil (Alfisol) treated with various levels of Cd (0–50 mg Cd kg-1 soil) was amended with increasing amounts of compost from 0 to 120 g kg-1 . Compost application transformed 47.8%–69.8% of soluble/exchangeable Cd to the organic-bound fraction, and consequently decreased Cd uptake of pakchoi by 56.2%–62.5% as compared with unamended soil. Alleviation of Cd bioavailability by compost was attributed primarily to the increase of soil pH and complexation of Cd by organic matter including dissolved organic matter. In general, the improvement of pakchoi performance was more pronounced in higher Cd-contaminated soil. Addition of large amount of compost also favored the anti-oxidative capability of pakchoi against Cd toxicity. This low cost remediation method seems to be very effective in the restoration of Cd-contaminated soils.     

不同青菜品种对铜毒性的响应

Two pot experiments with a completely random design and 4 replications were performed in a greenhouse to examine the response difference of 17 cultivars of pakchoi (Brassica chinensis L.) grown in a Cu-spiked and a clean soil to Cu.The response of pakchoi to Cu toxicity varied with the cultivars. The biomass in cultivars of ‘Caogengbai‘, ‘Siyueman‘ and ‘Suzhouqing‘ were sensitive to soil Cu pollution, but the cultivars of ‘Heixinwu‘, ‘Huoqingcai‘ and ‘HKcaixin‘ were relatively tolerant. When the 17 cultivars of pakchoi grew in clean garden soil, the Cu concentrations in the aboveground part were positively correlated (r = 0.6693) with their root Cu concentrations. However, when they grew in the Cu-spiked soil a highly negative correlation coefficient (r = -0.5376) was obtained in the Cu concentration between the aboveground part and the root. This meant that the Cu tolerant cultivars had a weak ability to transfer Cu from their root to their aboveground part, and therefore stored much more Cu in their root than the Cu sensitive cultivars.     

丛枝菌根真菌对万寿菊生长、吸镉及生理特性的影响

A pot experiment was carried out to study the effects of three arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), including Glomus intraradices, Glomus constrictum and Glomus mosseae, on the growth, root colonization and Cd accumulation of marigold (Tagetes erecta L.) at Cd addition levels of 0, 5 and 50 mg kg-1 in soil. The physiological characteristics, such as chlorophyll content, soluble sugar content, soluble protein content and antioxidant enzyme activity, of Tagetes erecta L. were also investigated. The symbiotic relationship between the marigold plant and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi was well established under Cd stress. The symbiotic relationship was reffected by the better physiobiochemical parameters of the marigold plants inoculated with the three AMF isolates where the colonization rates in the roots were between 34.3% and 88.8%. Compared with the non-inoculated marigold plants, the shoot and root biomass of the inoculated marigold plants increased by 15.2%- 47.5% and 47.8%-130.1%, respectively, and the Cd concentration and accumulation decreased. The chlorophyll and soluble sugar contents in the mycorrhizal marigold plants increased with Cd addition, indicating that AMF inoculation helped the marigold plants to grow by resisting Cd stress. The antioxidant enzymes reacted differently with the three AMF under Cd stress. For plants inoculated with G. constrictum and G. mosseae, the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) increased with increasing Cd addition, but peroxidase (POD) activity decreased with increasing Cd addition. For plants inoculated with G. intraradices, three of the antioxidant enzyme activities were significantly decreased at high levels of Cd addition. Overall, the activities of the three antioxidant enzymes in the plants inoculated with AMF were higher than those of the plants without AMF inoculation under Cd stress. Our results support the view that antioxidant enzymes have a great influence on the biomass of plants, and AMF can improve the capability of reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging and reduce Cd concentration in plants to alleviate Tagetes erecta L. from Cd stress.     

NO浓度对小白菜生长和品质的影响

【目的】研究不同浓度NO气体对小白菜生物量、营养及抗氧化品质的影响,以期为大气NO污染的植物生态响应研究及农业生产提供理论依据。【方法】以小白菜为研究对象,采用密闭体系内土培的种植方式,研究浓度 (0、100、200和400 nL/L) 外源NO气施对小白菜生物量以及营养品质 (硝酸盐、可溶性糖和可溶性蛋白) 和抗氧化品质 (总酚、总黄酮和抗坏血酸) 的影响。【结果】1) 100、200和400 nL/L外源NO气体处理下,小白菜鲜重分别比对照增加了64%、42%和10%;干重增加了88%、61%和49%,以施加NO 100 nL/L最有利于的小白菜生长。2) 与不施加NO对照相比,施加外源NO气体100、200和400 nL/L使小白菜叶片硝酸盐含量分别减少了59%、76%和94%。NO气体也有利于小白菜可溶性糖以及可溶性蛋白含量的积累,并以100 nL/L时的促进效果最佳。3) 与对照相比,100、200和400 nL/L外源NO气体均促进了小白菜体内总酚、总黄酮及抗坏血酸的含量。【结论】适量外源NO气体对小白菜的生物量及品质均有一定的促进效果。综合来看,在蔬菜大棚生产中,施加NO 100 nL/L提高小白菜生长和品质的效果最好。     

接种菌根真菌影响青菜中铅镉的累积和迁移

Heavy metal(HM) contamination in soils is an environmental issue worldwide that threatens the quality and safety of crops and human health. A greenhouse experiment was carried out to investigate the growth, mycorrhizal colonization, and Pb and Cd accumulation of pakchoi(Brassica chinensis L. cv. Suzhou) in response to inoculation with three arbuscular mycorrhizal(AM) fungi(AMF), Funneliformis mosseae, Glomus versiforme, and Rhizophagus intraradices, aimed at exploring how AMF inoculation affected safe crop production by altering plant-soil interaction. The symbiotic relationship was well established between pakchoi and three AMF inocula even under Pb or Cd stress, where the colonization rates in the roots ranged from 24.5% to 38.5%. Compared with the non-inoculated plants, the shoot biomass of the inoculated plants increased by 8.7%–22.1% and 9.2%–24.3% in Pb and Cd addition treatments, respectively. Both glomalin-related soil protein(GRSP) and polyphosphate concentrations reduced as Pb or Cd concentration increased. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi inoculation significantly enhanced total absorbed Pb and Cd(except for a few samples) and increased the distribution ratio(root/shoot) in pakchoi at each Pb or Cd addition level. However, the three inocula significantly decreased Pb concentration in pakchoi shoots by 20.6%–67.5% in Pb addition treatments, and significantly reduced Cd concentration in the shoots of pakchoi in the Cd addition treatments(14.3%–54.1%), compared to the non-inoculated plants.Concentrations of Pb and Cd in the shoots of inoculated pakchois were all below the allowable limits of Chinese Food Safety Standard.The translocation factor of Pb or Cd increased significantly with increasing Pb or Cd addition levels, while there was no significant difference among the three AMF inocula at each metal addition level. Meanwhile, compared with the non-inoculated plants, AMF inocula significantly increased soil p H, electrical conductivity, and Pb or Cd concentrations in soil organic matter in the soils at the highest Pb or Cd dose after harvest of pakchoi, whereas the proportion of bioavailable Pb or Cd fraction declined in the AMF inoculated soil. Our study provided the first evidence that AM fungi colonized the roots of pakchoi and indicated the potential application of AMF in the safe production of vegetables in Pb or Cd contaminated soils.     

不同橡胶生长期土壤中的微生物生物量碳和有机碳

Soil samples were collected from different rubber fields in twenty-five plots selected randomly in the Experimental Farm of the Chinese Academy of Tropical Agriculture Sciences located in Hainan, China, to analyse the ecological effect of rubber cultivation. The results showed that in the tropical rubber farm, soil microbial biomass C (MBC) and total organic C (TOC) were relatively low in the content but highly correlated with each other. After rubber tapping, soil MBC of mature rubber fields decreased significantly, by 55.5%, compared with immature rubber fields. Soil TOC also decreased but the difference was not significant. Ratios of MBC to TOC decreased significantly. The decreasing trend of MBC stopped at about ten years of rubber cultivation. After this period, soil MBC increased relatively while soil TOC still kept in decreasing. Soil MBC changes could be measured to predict the tendency of soil organic matter changes due to management practices in a tropical rubber farm several years before the changes in soil TOC become detectable.     

小白菜镉耐性形成的生理生化机理研究

以50μmol/L Cd胁迫培养13个品种的小白菜,通过形态指标和生理生化指标的测定,探讨其Cd耐性形成的生理生化应答机制。结果表明:Cd胁迫下,供试材料生长和生理生化代谢均不同程度受到抑制,但与其茎叶Cd累积量无直接关系,且不同品种小白菜对Cd耐性不同。对供试材料Cd耐性指数(Tolerance index,TI)分析表明,基于植株干物质累积的耐性指数(TI-P)与基于茎叶生长的耐性指数(TI-S)极显著相关(R2=0.686),而前者与基于根系生长的耐性指数(TI-R)的显著相关(R2=0.349)。可见,以基于茎叶生长的耐性指数比基于根系生长的更能反映小白菜的Cd耐性。Cd胁迫条件下,供试材料体内脯氨酸(Pro)、丙二醛(MDA)含量以及抗坏血酸过氧化物酶(AsA-POD)和超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)活性都有不同程度的提高。Cd胁迫下,各品种叶片脯氨酸增量、SOD活性增量均与供试小白菜Cd耐性正相关,二者可作为供试材料Cd耐性的生化指标。     

Microbial biomass and activity under oxic and anoxic conditions as affected by nitrate additions

Soil microbial activity, biomass, and community structure were examined during the transition from oxic to anoxic conditions after the addition of glucose and with or without nitrate addition. In two sets of treatments, samples were incubated for up to 35 d in closed ampoules either aerobically until oxygen was depleted or anoxically throughout the experiment. Heat‐flow rate was monitored to indicate microbial activity. Microbial biomass and community structure were measured by adenylate and phospholipid fatty acid (PFLA) content, and adenylate energy charge (AEC) was used to monitor the physiological status of the microbial biomass. Microbial activity was highest under oxic conditions and abruptly decreased under anoxic conditions. Activity peaks were observed after about 9 d of anoxic conditions probably triggered by increased nutrient availability from dying microbial biomass, but these peaks were smaller after initial oxic incubation or nitrate addition. Microbial biomass was unchanged under oxic conditions but decreased under anoxic conditions. Most surviving microbes switched into dormancy. Changes in the microbial‐population structure were small and occurred only after 9 d of anoxic incubation. The results show that the nutrient status and the availability of electron acceptors such as nitrate were important factors ruling the direction and the extent of shifts in the microbial activity and community structures due to anoxic conditions.     

Growth,phosphorus uptake,and rhizosphere microbial‐community composition of a phosphorus‐efficient wheat cultivar in soils differing in pH

In a pot experiment, the P‐efficient wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivar Goldmark was grown in ten soils from South Australia covering a wide range of pH (four acidic, two neutral, and four alkaline soils) with low to moderate P availability. Phosphorus (100 mg P kg^–1) was supplied as FePO₄ to acidic soils, CaHPO₄ to alkaline, and 1:1 mixture of FePO₄ and CaHPO₄ to neutral soils. Phosphorus uptake was correlated with P availability measured by anion‐exchange resin and microbial biomass P in the rhizosphere. Growth and P uptake were best in the neutral soils, lower in the acidic, and poorest in the alkaline soils. The good growth in the neutral soils could be explained by a combination of extensive soil exploitation by the roots and high phosphatase activity in the rhizosphere, indicating microbial facilitation of organic‐P mineralization. The plant effect (soil exploitation by roots) appeared to dominate in the acidic soils. Alkaline phosphatase and diesterase activities in acidic soils were lower than in neutral soils, but strongly increased in the rhizosphere compared with the bulk soil, suggesting that microorganisms contribute to P uptake in these acidic soils. Shoot and root growth and P uptake per unit root length were lowest in the alkaline soils. Despite high alkaline phosphatase and diesterase activities in the alkaline soils, microbial biomass P was low, suggesting that the enzymes could not mineralize sufficient organic P to meet the demands of plants and microorganisms. Microbial‐community composition, assessed by fatty acid methylester (FAME) analysis, was strongly dependent on soil pH, whereas other soil properties (organic‐C or CaCO₃ content) were less important or not important at all (soil texture).     

Microbial biomass and C mineralization in agricultural soils as affected by atrazine addition

This study examines the effects of atrazine on both microbial biomass C and C mineralization dynamics in two contrasting agricultural soils (organic C, texture, and atrazine application history) located at Galicia (NW Spain). Atrazine was added to soils, a Humic Cambisol (H) and a Gleyic Cambisol (G), at a recommended agronomic dose and C mineralization (CO₂ evolved), and microbial biomass measurements were made in non-treated and atrazine-treated samples at different time intervals during a 12-week aerobic incubation. The cumulative curves of CO₂–C evolved over time fit the simple first-order kinetic model [Ct = Co (1 − e ^−kt )], whose kinetic parameters were quantified. Differences in these parameters were observed between the two soils studied; the G soil, with a higher content in organic matter and microbial biomass C and lower atrazine application history, exhibited higher values of the total C mineralization and the potentially mineralizable labile C pool than those for the H soil. The addition of atrazine modified the kinetic parameters and increased notably the C mineralized; by the end of the incubation the cumulative CO₂–C values were 33–41% higher than those in the corresponding non-added soils. In contrast, a variable effect or even no effect was observed on the soil microbial biomass following atrazine addition. The data clearly showed that atrazine application at normal agricultural rates may have important implications in the C cycling of these two contrasting acid soils.