Role of perennial plants in determining the activity of the microbial community in the Negev Desert ecosystem

Perennial plants are known to be one of the most influential parameters in desert ecosystems affecting microbial activity. In this study, we examined the importance of these perennial shrubs and attempted to determine the most influential factor that contributes the most to the ecosystem by separating the physical part and the organic contribution of perennial plants. The study site is located in the northern Negev Desert, Israel, where 50 Hammada scoparia shrubs and 50 artificial plants were randomly marked to be used as a tool for the above objectives. Soil samples were collected monthly in the vicinity of the canopies of both shrubs while control samples were collected from the open areas between the shrubs. All samples were collected from the upper (0–10 cm) and the deeper (10–20 cm) soil layers. The contribution to microbial activity was measured by evaluation of the microbial community functions in soil. The results of the research showed a trend of a strong influence of the perennial H. scoparia shrubs on microbial community function. The functional aspects of the microbial community that were measured were CO₂ evolution, microbial biomass, microbial functional diversity, and the physiological profile of the community. High values for all parameters were observed under the vicinity of the H. scoparia shrubs, while the artificial plants were found to have a weaker effect on the community according to soil depth. The upper-soil layer at both locations (artificial plant canopy and control samples) showed higher values of the functioning parameters than that of the deeper soil layer. The results indicate the importance of the organic contribution (plant litter) in comparison to the physical part of desert shrubs.     

Soil microbial activity and free-living nematode community in the upper soil layer of the anticline erosional cirque,Makhtesh Ramon,Israel

The physical–chemical peculiarity of soil rock formations is one of the leading factors determining diversity and abundance of soil biota. The main aim of the present research was to study soil microbial and free-living nematode abundance and diversity on different soil rock formations (basalt, sandstone, limestone, granite and gypsum) of the Makhtesh Ramon erosional cirque. The obtained results showed the strong effect of soil features of different soil formations on microbial biomass and respiration as well as on the soil free-living nematode communities and its trophic and species composition. The Sorenson-Czenkanowski similarity index indicated significant differences between soil properties as well as between soil biota in observed soil formations. The qCO₂, which is known to increase according to the level of environmental stress, reached maximal values in the sandstone soil formation. The values of ecological indices such as Simpson's dominance index, maturity index and modification and species richness pointed to a specific ecological condition in the studied soil formations dependent on low content of an essential soil matter as soil moisture, organic matter and cations.     

Carbon utilization, microbial biomass, and respiration in biological soil crusts in the Negev Desert

Biological soil crusts (BSCs) and the soils directly below crusts (SDBCs) (0–5 mm) were collected in the Negev Desert (Israel) during the wet and dry seasons of 2007 and 2008, gently separated, and microbial basal respiration, microbial biomass carbon (C_mic), carbon (C) source utilization rates, and catabolic diversity were analyzed using MicroResp^TM plates. The seasonal-change patterns of these parameters were similar to those of soil organic C (C_org) in the BSCs, i.e., increases were observed during the dry seasons relative to the wet seasons. Few seasonal variations in qCO₂ and C_mic/C_org in the BSCs indicated that the increases in crustal organism basal respiration and C source utilization rates can be attributed to microbial propagation as a result of the increases in available C during the dry seasons. High frequency of rain events, with precipitation higher than 0.1 mm during spring, can enable crustal organisms to maintain photosynthetic activity and can facilitate microbial propagation and C_org accumulation in the BSCs. The seasonal dynamics of the four biotic parameters in the SDBCs were the opposite of those of the BSCs, and C source utilization rates and catabolic diversity were higher than in the BSCs during the wet seasons. Downward migration of exopolysaccharides, crustal organism cell contents, and intracellular solutes with water infiltration can increase C and nutrient availability and enhance microbial catabolic activities and propagation in the SDBCs.     

Response by soil nematode populations and the soil microbial biomass to a rain episode in the hot,dry Negev Desert

Since the amount, intensity, and frequency of rainfall in desert regions vary strongly over space and time, the response by soil biota to this variability is of great importance. We conducted a study in the Negev desert in order to examine the immediate response by the soil nematode populations and the microbial biomass to varying amounts of water applied in a single pulse. Soil samples from the 0–10-cm depth were collected from areas undergoing four different wetting treatments, comprising 5, 10, 15, and 20 mm of water, and from a non-irrigated control soil. There was a correlation between diurnal variations in nematode populations and the diurnal fluctuations in soil moisture. The greatest abundance of nematodes was found in the soil treated with 20 mm water (970 individuals 100 g^-1 dry soil) which was 2, 4, 5, and 14 times larger than that found in the soil treated with 15, 10, 5, and 0 mm of water, respectively. Bacterialfeeding and fungal-feeding nematodes accounted for approximately 95% of the total nematode population found in all treatments. The microbial biomass examined in the current study exhibited an immediate response to the wetting which was greater in soil treated with, 10, 15, and 20 mm of water compared with 0 and 5 mm. However, after 4 days (96 hours) the microbial biomass stabilized again at the basic level of the 0-mm control. However, our results indicated that the major trigger for changes in the nematode populations, and in the microbial biomass, was diurnal fluctuations in soil moisture, since peaks in nematode populations and in the microbial biomass were observed at various times of the day.     

Millimeter-scale microrelief affecting runoff yield over microbiotic crust in the Negev Desert

The negative effect of microrelief upon runoff yield, explained by the increase in water storage and the slowdown in flow velocity, is a known phenomenon. However, research concerning surface roughness hitherto focused on decimeter- or centimeter-scale microrelief. Owing to the heterogeneous character of many natural plots, the effect of centimeter-scale microrelief was mainly shown under controlled sprinkling experiments, whereas no data was yet made available concerning the possible effect of a millimeter-scale microrelief upon runoff yield under natural field conditions.     

以色列阿拉瓦谷内盖夫沙漠中的土壤生物区

Soil microorganism biomass and respiration and the soil nematode community were observed in the hypersaline desert valley that is found between the Dead Sea and the Red Sea. The lowest point of the valley is approximately 400 m below sea level, and is the lowest point on earth. Soil samples (n = 72) were collected from the 0-10 and 10-20 cm soil layers at different altitudes (from -400 to +100 m) in the open spaces between plants during one of the most extreme xeric periods. Both soil microbial respiration ...     

科尔沁沙地流动沙丘土壤线虫群落组成与多样性研究

本文对科尔沁沙地流动沙丘不同坡位(丘间地、过渡带、迎风坡中部、坡顶、背风坡上部和下部)和不同土层深度(0 ～ 20、20 ～ 40和40 ～ 60 cm)的土壤线虫群落组成与多样性进行了比较研究.研究结果表明,流动沙丘土壤线虫具有显著的坡位效应,而垂直分布特征不显著.丘间地和背风坡下部具有较高数量和较多种类的土壤线虫,而过渡带和迎风坡中部土壤线虫数量较低、种类也较少.不同坡位土壤线虫总数、食细菌线虫、食真菌线虫和植物寄生线虫数量存在显著差异.除食细菌线虫外,不同土层土壤线虫总数及其各营养类群均无显著差异.土壤含水量和电导率是影响土壤线虫群落空间分布格局的主要因素.土壤线虫群落分布格局的变化反映了流动沙丘土壤微环境的变化,对土壤质量具有一定的指示作用.     

Spatial heterogeneity of a microbial community in a sandy soil ecosystem

A fieldwork was carried out in Caesarea sand dunes, Israel, to determine the influence of fine-scale landscape-patch abiotic-factor heterogeneity on microbial activity in a Mediterranean region. Soil organisms in terrestrial systems are unevenly distributed in time and space, and are often aggregated. Spatio-temporal patchiness in the soil environment is thought to be crucial for the maintenance of soil biodiversity, providing diverse microhabitats that are tightly interwoven with resource partitioning. Determination of a ‘scale unit’ to help understand ecological processes has become one of the important and most debatable problems in recent years. To better understand the distribution of soil microbial communities at multiple spatial scales, a survey was conducted to examine the spatial organization of the community structure in two sandy soil ecosystems. One-hundred forty-four soil samples were collected from two patches 4000 m apart from each other. Basal respiration (CO₂ evolution without the addition of any external substrate), microbial biomass, functional diversity, and community-level physiological profile (CLPP) in soil were measured with a MicroResp? system. Soil abiotic analysis was performed by soil standard analytical methods. The results demonstrated that bacterial distributions can be highly structured, even within a habitat that appears to be relatively homogeneous at the plot and field scale. Different subsets of the microbial community were distributed differently across the plot. This is due to spatial heterogeneity associated with soil physical, chemical, and biological properties. Although spatial variability in the distribution of soil microorganisms is generally regarded as random, this variability often has a predictable spatial structure. This study provided evidence that a spatially explicit approach to soil ecology can enable the identification of factors that drive the spatial heterogeneity of populations and activities of soil organisms, at scales ranging from meters to hundreds of meters. Furthermore, there is increasing evidence that spatial soil ecology can yield new insights into the factors that maintain and regulate soil biodiversity, as well as on how the spatial distribution of soil organisms influences plant growth and plant community structure.     

Response of the soil microbial biomass and nematode population to a wetting event in nitrogen-amended Negev desert plots

 Water and N availability are the major limiting factors of primary production in desert ecosystems, and the response of soil biota to these two factors is of great importance. We examined the immediate response of soil nematodes and the microbial biomass to a single pulse of water amendment in N-treated plots in the Israeli Negev desert. Plots were treated with 0, 50 and 100 kg NH₄NO₃ ha^–1 in December 1992, and at the end of the summer period (August 1993) the plots were exposed to a 15 mm water. Soil samples from the 0–10 cm layer were collected daily and analysed soil moisture, total soluble N, nematode populations and microbial biomass. Soil moisture increased to 8.5%, then gradually decreased to 2% during the 11 days of the study. Microbial biomass, soil respiration and metabolic quotient values did not exhibit any significant correlation with soil N levels. Free-living nematode population levels in the different plots were found to increase from a mean level of 45 500 to a mean level of 92 300 individuals m^–2. N treatment was found to affect the patterns of free-living nematode population dynamics. The results of this study demonstrated the importance of moisture availability levels and the ability to mobilize previous N inputs into available N which, occurring in pulses, can affect the microbial ecophysiological status, nematode population dynamics and the interrelationship between these two important components in the desert soil milieu. Received: 5 November 1998     

Responses of soil microbial biomass and community composition to biological soil crusts in the revegetated areas of the Tengger Desert

As a key component of desert ecosystems, biological soil crusts (BSCs) play an important role in dune fixation and maintaining soil biota. Soil microbial properties associated with the colonization and development of BSCs may indicate soil quality changes, particularly following dune stabilization. However, very little is known about the influence of BSCs on soil microbes in sand dunes. We examined the influence of BSCs on soil microbial biomass and community composition in revegetated areas of the Tengger Desert. BSCs increased soil microbial biomass (biomass C and N), microbial phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) concentrations and the ratio of fungal to bacterial PLFAs. The effects varied with crust type and crust age. Moss crusts had higher microbial biomass and microbial PLFA concentrations than cyanobacteria-lichen crusts. Crust age was positively correlated with microbial biomass C and N, microbial PLFA concentrations, bacterial PLFA concentrations, fungal PLFA concentrations and the ratio of fungal to bacterial PLFAs. BSCs significantly affected microbial biomass C and N in the 0–20 cm soil layers, showing a significant negative correlation with soil depth. The study demonstrated that the colonization and development of BSCs was beneficial for soil microbial properties and soil quality in the revegetated areas. This can be attributed to BSCs increasing topsoil thickness after dunes have been stabilized, creating suitable habitats and providing an essential food source for soil microbes.     

Soil microbial properties under N and P additions in a semi-arid, sandy grassland

Surface (0–15 cm) soil samples were collected from a semi-arid, sandy grassland in Keerqin Sandy Lands, Northeast China to study changes in soil microbial and chemical properties after five consecutive years of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) additions. Nitrogen and P additions and their interactions negligibly affected soil organic carbon and total N contents, while P addition significantly increased soil total P content. Soil pH was significantly decreased by N addition, which significantly increased net nitrification rate, whereas it did not affect net N mineralization rate. No significant effects of N and P additions and their interactions on basal respiration were detected. In addition, N addition significantly decreased microbial biomass C (MBC) and N, and thus microbial quotient, but increased dissolved organic C and microbial metabolic quotient due to the significant decrease of MBC. Our results suggest that in the mid-term the addition of N, but not P, can change soil microbial properties, with a possible decline in soil quality of semi-arid, sandy grasslands.     

Soil microbial activity and community composition: Impact of changes in matric and osmotic potential

As saline soils dry, the salt in the remaining solution phase is concentrated and the microbes are subjected to both water and osmotic stress. However, little is known about the interactive effect of matric potential (MP) and osmotic potential (OP) on microbial activity and community structure. We conducted an experiment in which two non-saline soils, a sand and a sandy loam, were pre-incubated at optimal water content (for microbial activity) but different osmotic potentials achieved by adding NaCl. The EC of the saturated paste (ECe) ranged between 1.6 and 11.6 dS m⁻¹ in the sand and between 0.6 and 17.7 dS m⁻¹ in the sandy loam. After the 14-day pre-incubation, the soils were dried to different water contents: 25-35 g kg⁻¹ in the sand and 95-200 g kg⁻¹ in the sandy loam. Water potential (WP, the sum of osmotic + matric potential) ranged from −0.7 to −6.8 MPa in the sand and from −0.1 to −4.4 MPa in the sandy loam. After addition of ground pea straw to increase the concentration of readily available substrate, respiration was measured over 14 days and microbial community composition was assessed by phospholipid fatty acid analysis (PLFA) at the end of the experiment. In both soils, cumulative respiration at a given soil water content (WC) decreased with decreasing osmotic potential, but the effect of decreasing water content differed between the two soils. In the sand, cumulative respiration at the two lowest water contents (WC25 and WC28) was always significantly lower than that at the highest water content (WC35). In the sandy loam, cumulative respiration was significantly lower at the lowest water content (WC95) compared to the highest water content (WC200) only in treatments with added salt. The reduction of cumulative respiration at a given WP was similar in the two soils with a 50% reduction compared to the control (optimal water content, no salt added) at WP −3 MPa. In the sand at WP <−2 MPa, the reduction in fungal fatty acids was greater than that of bacterial fatty acids whereas in the sandy loam, the response of bacteria and fungi to decreasing WP was similar. In both soils, microbial biomass decreased by 35-50% as WP decreased to about −2 MPa but then remained stable with further decreases of WP. Microbial community composition changed with WP in both soils. Our results suggest that there are two strategies by which microbes respond to water potential. A decrease in WP up to −2 MPa kills a proportion of the microbial community, but the remaining microbes adapt and maintain their activity per unit biomass. At lower WP however, the adaptation mechanisms are not sufficient and although the microbes survive, their activity per unit biomass is reduced.     

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.     

Differential hydrological response of biological topsoil crusts along a rainfall gradient in a sandy arid area: Northern Negev desert,Israel

Drylands are regarded as highly sensitive to climatic change. The putative positive relationship between average annual rainfall and runoff, assumed for areas between 100 and 300 mm ignores the fact that climatic change in drylands is not limited to climatic factors alone, but is often accompanied by a parallel change in surface properties. Data on rainfall, runoff and soil moisture regime were collected at five monitoring sites in a sandy area, along a rainfall gradient from 86 to 160 mm. Despite the uniform sandy substratum the frequency and magnitude of runoff declined with increasing annual rainfall. Under wetter conditions a thick topsoil biological crust develops. This crust is able to absorb and retain large rain amounts, limiting the depth to which water can penetrate, and therefore water availability for the perennial vegetation. In the drier area, the thin crust can absorb only limited rain amounts, resulting in surface runoff and deeper water infiltration at run-on areas. Our findings demonstrate the important role played by different types of biological soil crusts along the rainfall gradient considered, and question the generally held belief that higher rainfall necessarily leads to deeper water infiltration in sandy arid areas; and higher water availability for the perennial vegetation.     

The contribution of stone cover to biological activity in the Negev desert,Israel

Ancient valley agriculture in the northern Negev highlands was based on the principle of directed collection of water and eroded material from the slopes and their consequent flow towards the valleys. The stones on these slopes were therefore removed and/or collected into piles known as ‘grape mounds’. The aim of this study was to understand the contribution of stone cover and slope‐facing to biological activity in soil. Soil samples from a depth of 0–5 mm from the soil surface were collected during the study period (December 1994–March 1996) from northern and southern hill slopes, from under limestones and between stones. Soil moisture, organic matter, chlorophyll‐a and soil respiration were determined. The results obtained in field and laboratory studies demonstrated differences between the northern and southern slopes. The stone cover on the northern slope made up 33 per cent and in the southern slope 23 per cent, stone size ranging from 15–50 cm² and 15–35 cm², respectively. Soil moisture content varied from 12 per cent in December 1994 on both slopes to one‐quarter of the initial value during the dry period. Organic matter content reached a maximal level of 14 per cent and 16 per cent on the northern and southern slopes, respectively. Values of chlorophyll‐a on both the northern and southern slopes were 0.38 μg g⁻¹ dry soil during the wet season, decreasing to 0.05 μg g⁻¹ dry soil during the dry period. Soil samples from under the stones on both slopes produced high levels of CO₂, ranging between 50 and 100 μg CO₂ g;⁻¹ dry soil h⁻¹, whereas in the control samples the levels ranged between 30 and 70 μg CO₂ g⁻¹ dry soil h⁻¹. In conclusion, the stone cover apparently plays an important role in the maintenance of biological activity through its contribution to slope biotope stability. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

库布齐沙漠东缘荒漠藻人工生物结皮的光谱特性简

为了探明库布齐沙漠东缘荒漠藻人工生物结皮的光谱特性,采用HR1024地物光谱仪,测定研究区包括荒漠藻在内的主要地物光谱数据,分析内蒙古林业科学研究院达拉特旗沙漠综合科学研究站不同年份接种的荒漠藻黑色、绿色结皮及裸沙、沙打旺、油蒿、沙柳的光谱特性及其变化规律.结果表明：1）沙打旺、油蒿、沙柳3种绿色植物光谱曲线与健康植被光谱曲线相近,“红边”位置明显,但荒漠藻黑色、绿色结皮及裸沙的光谱反射率变化比较平缓.2）荒漠藻绿色结皮表现出绿色植物所具有的光谱曲线变化特点;荒漠藻黑色结皮与绿色结皮光谱反射率相比,总的变化趋势为,在350～ 710 nm波段之间,黑色结皮光谱反射率较绿色结皮高,在710～1350nm波段之间,黑色比绿色结皮的光谱反射率低.     

地中海农业生态系统中土壤自生线虫种群多样性及动态研究

To determine the effect of agricultural management on the dynamics and functional diversity of soil nematode communities in a carrot field at Kibbutz Ramat Hakovesh, Israel, soil samples from 0--10 cm and 10--20 cm depths were collected during the growing season of carrot. Indices were used to compare and assess the response of soil free-living nematode communities to agricultural management. Eighteen nematode families and 20 genera were observed during the growing period, with Cephalobus, Rhabditidae, Aphelenchus, Tylenchus, and Dorylaimus being the dominant genera/families. During the planting, mid-season and post-harvest periods the total number of nematodes at both depths was significantly lower (P < 0.01) in the carrot treatment than in the control plots, while during the harvest period at both depths total nematodes and bacterivores were significantly higher in the treatment plots (P < 0.01). The values of the maturity index (MI) at both depths were found to be significantly lower in the treatment plots than in the control plots during the pre-planting period (P < 0.05). Overall, WI, MI and PPI were found to be more sensitive indicators than other ecological indices for assessing the response of nematode communities to agricultural management in a Mediterranean agroecosystem.     

Properties and spatial distribution of microbiotic crusts in the Negev Desert,Israel

Playing a cardinal role in surface stabilization and in carbon and nitrogen fixation, microbiotic crusts play a crucial role in arid regions where they may serve as useful biomarkers for wind power and wetness duration. This is especially the case on relatively unstable and infertile sand dunes in the Negev Desert where high correlations between the crust chlorophyll content and the daytime wetness duration were found. Yet, only scarce data are available as to the possible link between the chlorophyll content and other physical (color, thickness, strength, crack density, surface roughness and infiltrability) and biological (protein, carbohydrate, organic matter and species composition) factors, which determine, in turn, the crust type and its effect upon geomorphological and ecological processes. No data are available on crust type distribution. These were the aims of the current research.     

Soil microbial biomass, activity and community composition in adjacent native and plantation forests of subtropical Australia

Purpose

Soil nitrogen (N) availability is a critical determinant of plantation productivity in subtropical Australia and is influenced by the soil microbial community. The size, structure and function of the soil microbial community can be impacted by land-use change and residue management. The objectives of this study were to examine the impact of land-use change from (1) native forest (NF) to first rotation (1R) hoop pine plantation and (2) 1R hoop pine plantation to second rotation (2R) hoop pine plantation on the soil microbial community. The impact of residue management on the soil microbial community was also investigated in the 2R forest, where soil microbial parameters were measured in tree rows (2R-T) and windrows (2R-W). In addition, relationships between soil microbial parameters and soil N parameters were investigated.

Materials and methods

Each of the four treatments (NF, 1R, 2R-T and 2R-W) had five 24-m² replicate plots from which 15 soil cores were collected and bulked at three depths (0–10, 10–20, 20–30 cm). Microbial biomass carbon (MBC) and N (MBN) and soil respiration were measured on field moist soils. In addition, carbon (C) source utilisation patterns were assessed using the whole soil MicroResp? technique (Campbell et al. 2003).

Results and discussion

Results indicate that the land-use change from NF to 1R hoop pine plantation significantly reduced MBC, respiration rate, soil total C and total N. Furthermore, the land-use change appeared to have a significant impact on the soil microbial community composition measured using MicroResp? profiles. Land-use change from 1R to 2R hoop pine plantation resulted in a decline in total C and MBN and a shift in microbial community composition. When compared to the 2R-T soils, the 2R-W soils tended to have a greater microbial biomass and respiration rate. Residue management also influenced the microbial community composition measured in the MicroResp? profiles.

Conclusions

Results indicate that land-use change had a significant impact on the soil microbial community, which was likely to be related to shifts in the quality and quantity of organic inputs associated with the change in land use. This may have significant implications for the long-term productivity of the soil resource. Further studies are required to confirm a difference in microbial community composition associated with residue management. In addition, long-term experiments in subtropical Australia are necessary to verify the results of this snapshot study and to improve our understanding of the impact of single-species plantation forestry and residue management on the soil microbial community, soil N dynamics and ultimately the long-term sustainability of the soil resource.