Impact of the rhizosphere on soil microarthropods in agroecosystems on the Georgia piedmont

We pulse-labeled corn (Zea mays) and weed plants with photosynthetically fixed Carbon-14 to investigate the importance of the rhizosphere as a food source for soil microarthropod food webs. In field samples, we followed the movement of ¹⁴C from plant shoots to roots to microarthropods. In conventionally tilled (CT) agroecosystems, the soil microarthropods accumulated radioactive tracer and reached concentrations as high as those in roots. In no-tillage (NT) agroecosystems, radioisotope concentrations in microarthropods were not as high. The CT systems lack surface organic litter, an alternate food base for microarthropods. Results suggest that feeding in the rhizosphere is more important in CT systems. Weeds transferred higher concentrations of tracer into the rhizosphere than did crop plants, suggesting that weeds in CT systems may be important in fueling food webs.     

Effect of No‐Tillage and Conventional Tillage Systems on the Chemical Composition of Soil Solid Phase and Soil Solution of Brazilian Savanna Oxisols

No‐tillage (NT) cropping systems are becoming increasingly important in the Brazilian savanna. To evaluate their sustainability we compared soil chemical properties in 1‐ to 3‐year‐old NT systems following 9 to 11 years of conventional tillage (CT) with systems where CT was continuously in place for 12 years. In the rainy season 1997/98, NT was cropped with soybean and CT with corn while in the rainy season 1998/99 both systems were cropped with soybean. Soil solid phase samples were taken from the 0—0.15, 0.15—0.3, 0.3—0.8, 0.8—1.2, and 1.2—2 m layers on three spatially separated plots under each of NT and CT. Soil solution samples were collected weekly at 0.15, 0.3, 0.8, 1.2, and 2 m soil depth during two rainy seasons (14 October to 28 April 1997/98 and 1998/99). We determined soil moisture contents, pH, the concentrations of exchangeable cations, the electrical conductivity (EC) of the soil solution, and the concentrations of Al, C, Ca, Cl^—, K, Mg, Mn, Na, NH₄⁺, NO₃^—, P, S, and Zn in solid soil and soil solution samples. Differences in soil solid phase properties and moisture content between NT and CT were small, few were significant. Under NT, the average solution pH was significantly lower (5.5), Al (26 μg l^—1), Mn (17 μg l^—1) and total organic C concentrations (TOC, 6.5 mg l^—1) were higher than under CT (pH: 6.0, Al: 14μg l ⁻¹, Mn: 14μg l ⁻¹, TOC: 5.5 mg l ⁻¹). Irrespective of the different crops in the first rainy season, under NT, the EC (205 μS cm^—1), Ca (17 mg l^—1), and Mg (2.9 mg l^—1) concentrations at 0—0.3 m depth were lower than under CT (EC: 224 μS cm^—1, Ca: 25 mg l^—1, Mg: 5.6 mg l^—1). At 1.2—2 m depth, the reverse order was observed (EC: 124 μS cm^—1 under NT and 84 μS cm^—1 under CT, Ca: 11 mg l^—1 under NT and 7.5 mg l^—1 under CT, Mg: 3.1 mg l^—1 under NT and 1.8 mg l^—1 under CT). Our results indicate that enhanced soil acidification because of higher rates of organic matter mineralization and a more pronounced nutrient leaching because of increased pore continuity may limit the sustainability of NT.     

Isotopic detection of recent photosynthate carbon flow into grassland rhizosphere fauna

In this study, we measured the incorporation of recent photosynthate-C inputs into active rhizosphere fauna (earthworms, enchytraeids, mites and collembolans) in an upland grassland soil under natural environmental conditions. This was achieved by means of a ¹³CO₂ pulse-chase experiment made during the growing season, followed by a 20-day dynamic sampling of soil fauna for ¹²C/¹³C analysis by IRMS. The effect of post-¹³C labelling defoliation (cutting) on fauna ¹²C/¹³C ratios was also examined.Results showed that earthworms made up over 93% of the extracted fauna biomass, while mites, collembolans and enchytraeids together accounted for less than 7%. All fauna groups showed evidence of tracer ¹³C in their tissues within a week of ¹³CO₂ pulse labelling in both control and cut treatments. Cutting significantly increased the amount of tracer ¹³C entering the organisms (P=0.0002). Similarly, the fauna group also had a significant effect (P=0.0001). Time did not have any effect on fauna ¹³C content between groups as differences were only significant at the last sampling occasion. The interaction time×animal group, however, had a significant effect (P=0.0054).Collembolans accounted for most of the tracer ¹³C measured within the fauna biomass, i.e. mean±standard deviation of 44.78±12.75% and 44.29±14.69% of fauna ¹³C in control and cut treatments, respectively. Mites and earthworms contained between 22.13% and 28.45%, and enchytraeids less than 6% of the tracer ¹³C. We conclude that, during the growing season, there was a rapid incorporation of recent photosynthate-C into rhizosphere mesofauna. This carbon transfer was most significantly increased by defoliation in mites and collembolans (P<0.01). These results provide evidence that soil foodweb carbon dynamics are not solely underpinned by detrital decomposition but are also affected by short-term plant rhizodeposition patterns.     

Budgets for root-derived C and litter-derived C: comparison between conventional tillage and no tillage soils

Placement of plant residues in conventional tillage (CT) and no-tillage (NT) soils affects organic matter accumulation and the organization of the associated soil food webs. Root-derived C inputs can be considerable and may also influence soil organic matter dynamics and soil food web organization. In order to differentiate and quantify C contributions from either roots or litter in CT and NT soils, a ¹⁴C tracer method was used.To follow root-derived C, maize plants growing in the field were ¹⁴C pulse-labeled, while the plant litter in those plots remained unlabeled. The ¹⁴C was measured in NT and CT soils for the different C pools (shoots, roots, soil, soil respiration, microbial biomass). Litter-derived C was followed by applying ¹⁴C labeled maize litter to plots which had previously grown unlabeled maize plants. The ¹⁴C pools measured for the litter-derived CT and NT plots included organic matter, microbial biomass, soil respiration, and soil organic C.Of the applied label in the root-derived C plots, 35–55, 6–8, 3, 1.6, and 0.4–2.4% was recovered in the shoots, roots, soil, cumulative soil respiration, and microbial biomass, respectively. The ¹⁴C recovered in these pools did not differ between CT and NT treatments, supporting the hypothesis that the rhizosphere microbial biomass in NT and CT may be similar in utilization of root-derived C. Root exudates were estimated to be 8–13% of the applied label. In litter-derived C plots, the percentage of applied label recovered in the particulate organic matter (3.2–82%), microbial biomass (4–6%), or cumulative soil respiration (12.5–14.7%) was the same for CT and NT soils. But the percentage of ¹⁴C recovered in CT soil organic C (18–69%) was higher than that in NT (12–43%), suggesting that particulate organic matter (POM) leaching and decomposition occurred at a higher rate in CT than in NT. Results indicate faster turnover of litter-derived C in the CT plots.     

Soil CO2 emission and its relationship to soil properties under different tillage systems

There is a lack of understanding as to which soil property is the most important at regulating the temporal variability of soil CO₂ emissions on China’s Loess Plateau. The objective of this study was to evaluate the CO₂ emissions and their relationships to certain soil properties in a winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) field subject to no-till (NT) and conventional tillage (CT) practices. The CO₂ emissions were signi?cantly higher in the CT (257.6 mg CO₂ m^?2 h^?1), compared with the NT (143.8 mg CO₂ m^?2 h^?1), treatment. Soil organic matter content and carbon stock were 8% and 14% higher, respectively, in the NT, compared with the CT, treatment. Regression analyses between the CO₂ emissions and soil properties, including soil temperature and carbon stock, explained up to 88% and 60% of the temporal variability in CO₂ emissions in the NT and CT treatments, respectively. Linear correlations between the soil temperature and CO₂ emissions were recorded in both the NT and CT treatments. Soil temperature was the most important factor in terms of understanding the temporal variability in CO₂ emissions in wheat fields of the study area.     

Effect of various mulches on soil microarthropods under a maize crop

Soil microarthropod populations in maize plots mulched with the prunings of three woody agroforestry plant residues (Acioa barteri, Gliricidia sepium and Leucaena leucocephala) and two crop residues [maize (Zea mays) stover (leaves and stems) and rice (Oryza sativa) straw] were monitored throughout the 1991 growing season and compared with those in fallow, bare fallow and unmulched control plots with three rates of nitrogen application. The mean densities of detritivore and phytophage microarthropods in the experimental plots decreased in the following order: rice straw > Gliricidia prunings > Leucaena prunings > maize stover > Acioa prunings > control 2 (90 kg N ha^-1 year^-1) > fallow > control 3 (135 N) > control 1 (45N) > bare fallow. Mulching also affected the population dynamics of predatory microarthropods and omnivorous ants. The chemical composition of plant residues probably influenced the densities of detritivore and phytophage microarthropods, which in addition were also greatly influenced by microclimatic conditons imposed by vegetation cover. Extremely low densities of microarthropods were recorded in the bare fallow plots probably as a result of the combined effects of absence of plant residues and vegetation cover. The potential of mulching as a component of farming practice for increasing the density of microarthropods and for influencing their species composition and population dynamics in agroecosystems is discussed.     

Is it necessary to adjust nitrogen recommendations for tillage and wheat residue management in irrigated sweet corn?

ABSTRACT

Conservation tillage practices have gained interests. A 2-year field study (2014–2015) was conducted to evaluate four N rates (0, 69, 138, and 207 kg N ha^?1) effects on irrigated sweet corn (Zea mays L.) grown with or without wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) residue removal and conventional (CT), reduced (RT), or no-tillage (NT) practices near Shiraz, Iran. After 2 years, maximum marketable yield occurred at 156 and 159 kg N ha^?1 under CT and NT, respectively, while yield was tended to be increased with increasing N rates under RT. Increasing N rate increased total plant N uptake, shoot, and grain N accumulation. The lowest nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) was obtained under NT, while RT and CT either showed similar effects or RT was superior over CT. Soil total N was greater under CT and residue retention showed 18% and 14% higher N concentration than residue removal in 2014 and 2015, respectively. Soil organic matter was the highest (2.59%) under RT with residue retention and 138 kg N ha^?1. Conservation tillage needs more N rather than CT during transition from conventional to conservation agriculture practices, but it is based on the short-term results and evaluation of long-term experiment is highly recommended.     

Effect of density and species richness of soil mesofauna on nutrient mineralisation and plant growth

The aim of this study was to test the relative importance of changes in density and species richness of soil mesofauna as determinants of nutrient mineralisation and plant growth. The experiment was carried out using microcosms containing a mixture of plant litter and soil in which seedlings of Lolium perenne were planted, and a range of combinations of levels of density and species richness of microarthropods added. Over the duration of the experiment, nutrient release, measured as concentrations of NO₃ ^--N and total N in leachates, increased significantly with increasing microarthropod density, but decreased with increasing species richness. Leachate concentrations of NH₄ ⁺-N, dissolved organic N and C (DON and DOC) were not affected by the faunal treatments. Soil respiration, a measure of microbial activity, decreased with increasing density of microarthropods, whereas microbial biomass was not affected by microarthropods. Increasing density of soil animals had a negative effect on the shoot biomass of L. perenne while the effect of species richness was positive. Neither the species richness nor density of soil microarthropods was found to significantly influence root biomass. We conclude that variations in animal density had a greater influence on soil nutrient mineralisation processes than did species richness. Possible reasons for these opposing effects of animal density and diversity on soil N mobilization are discussed.     

Impacts of Smallholder Land Use on Physical-Based Soil Organic Matter Fractions in Soils with Varying Texture in Ecotopes of Eastern Cape Province,South Africa

Physical-based fractions of SOM were examined. Soil carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) across ecotopes were 17.22 g kg^?1 and 3.73 g kg^?1, respectively. Soil C and N were higher in conventional tillage (CT) than no-till (NT) by 2.94% and 0.94%, respectively. Soil C ranged from 11.09 g kg^?1 in silt to 18.02 g kg^?1 in coarse sand; from 12.89 g kg^?1 in fine sand to 18.88 g kg^?1 in clay under NT and CT, respectively. Soil N ranged from 4.54 g kg^?1 in silt to 5.55 g kg^?1 in clay; from 5.06 g kg^?1 in coarse sand to 5.56 g kg^?1 in silt under NT and CT, respectively. Soil N in bulk soil changed by ?3.24% while soil C in bulk soil changed by ?11.87%. The silt + clay was saturated; hence, studies on soil C and N dynamics in these ecotopes are advocated.     

Changes in the community composition and trophic structure of microarthropods in sporocarps of the wood decaying fungus Fomitopsis pinicola along an altitudinal gradient

Soil microarthropods colonize a wide range of habitats including microhabitats such as earthworm burrows, ant nests, tree trunks, moss mats and wood decaying fungi. While many of these microhabitats have been investigated intensively, the role of wood decaying fungi as a habitat and food resource for microarthropods found little attention. We investigated the density, community structure, reproductive mode and trophic structure of microarthropods, in particular oribatid mites, in the wood decaying fungus Fomitopsis pinicola (Schwarts: Fr) Karst. along an altitudinal gradient in Germany spanning from 350 m to 1160 m. Microarthropods were extracted from sporocarps, and stable isotope ratios (¹⁵N/¹⁴N; ¹³C/¹²C) of the fungus and the microarthropods were measured. Densities of most microarthropod taxa were highest at lower altitudes and decreased with increasing altitude. Oribatid mites were the dominant animal taxon. Their community structure gradually changed with altitude. Stable isotope ratios indicated that oribatid mite and other arthropod species occupy distinct trophic niches but most do not feed on F. pinicola. Notably, species of the same genus, e.g. Carabodes, occupied different trophic niches. Most oribatid mite species in F. pinicola reproduced sexually which is similar to the bark of trees but in contrast to the soil where most species reproduce via parthenogenesis. The findings indicate that (1) at high altitudes microarthropod density in fungal fruiting bodies is limited by low temperatures reducing animal metabolism and reproduction, and this also affects oribatid mite community structure, (2) despite the uniform habitat trophic niches of oribatid mite species differ and this also applies to morphologically similar species of the same genus, and (3) feeding on F. pinicola or associated resources facilitates the dominance of sexual reproducing species.     

Impact of perennial pasture and tillage systems on carbon input and soil quality indicators

Soil degradation associated with tillage is a major problem in Uruguayan agriculture. Either rotation of crops with pastures (ROT) or no-till (NT) cropping have been proposed as alternatives to minimize the impact of agriculture on soil quality. The combined impact on soil properties of ROT and NT has not been evaluated. In this study, we report results of the first 12 years of a long-term experiment established on a clay loam soil in western Uruguay. The objective was to determine the influence of conventional tillage (CT) and NT on systems under continuous cropping (CC, two crops per year) or ROT (3.5-year annual crops/2.5-year pastures). Soil samples taken at the beginning of the experiment in 1994 and in 2004 were analyzed for organic carbon (SOC), total organic carbon (TSOC) and total nitrogen content (STN), and for water-stable aggregation (WAS). Soil loss and erodibility indicators were studied using microrain simulator. With 12 years, the cumulative carbon (C) inputs of aboveground biomass were similar between tillage, but C input in CC was 50% higher than ROT. This difference was explained because 84% of the pastures dry matter was consumed by animals. Nevertheless we estimated a higher below ground biomass in ROT compared to CC systems (24.9 Mg ha⁻¹ vs. 10.9 Mg ha⁻¹). NT presented 7% higher SOC than CT (0–18 cm) with no differences between rotation systems. While all treatments declined in STN during 12 years, ROT had 11% and 58% higher STN and WAS than CC systems, with a large impact of the pasture under CT. Runoff and erosion were minimized under NT in both rotations systems. Thus, including pastures in the rotation, or switching from CT to NT improved soil quality properties. The expected benefit of combining NT and ROT will likely require more years for the cumulative effect to be detectable in both C input and soil properties.     

Trophic niche differentiation in soil microarthropods (Oribatida, Acari): evidence from stable isotope ratios (N/N)

The large number of animals that coexist in soil without any clear niche differentiation has puzzled biologists for a long time. We investigated stable isotope ratios (¹⁵N/¹⁴N) in a diverse group of soil microarthropods, oribatid mites, to evaluate trophic niche differentiation. The natural variation of the stable isotopes ¹⁵N/¹⁴N was measured in 36 species/taxa from four beech and beech-oak forests. Signatures of δ¹⁵N formed a gradient spanning over 12 δ units suggesting that (a) different species occupy different trophic niches and (b) oribatid mites span three to four trophic levels. This study for the first time documented strong trophic niche differentiation in decomposer microarthropods. The results suggest that trophic niche differentiation within taxonomic groups significantly contributes to the high diversity of soil animal taxa.     

Physico-chemical indicators and microarthropod communities as influenced by no-till, conventional tillage and nitrogen fertilisation after four years of continuous maize

A multidisciplinary study was carried out over four years in Northern Italy on a silt loam under continuous maize. The experimental design was a split-plot with four replicates; the main factor was the soil management system, conventional tillage (CT) or no-tillage (NT), while the secondary factor was N fertilisation. At the end of the trial, soil samples were taken from all plots at four depths (from 0 to 20 cm). In these samples the following were determined: pH, soil organic carbon (SOC), total N, available P, exchangeable K, cation exchange capacity (CEC), electrical conductivity (EC) and water aggregate stability (WAS). Soil compaction was measured during the last three years, after maize harvesting. To study the microarthropod community, soil samples (0–10 cm depth) were taken six times over the four years. Our results show that NT significantly increased SOC (+15.8%), total N (+9.6%), C/N (+5.3%), exchangeable K (+37.1%) and WAS (+64.8%). The stratification ratio for exchangeable K reached 2.15 for NT plots. N fertilisation, on the other hand, had no significant effect on most of the physico-chemical indicators, except for pH, CEC and EC. Soil compaction was significantly higher for NT compared with CT up to a depth of 25–30 cm. During the last year, interesting reductions in soil penetration resistance for NT were measured, up to 300–430 kPa in the 2.5–12.5 cm layer. As for the microarthropods, Acari were more sensitive to tillage compared with Collembola, and the Wardle V index proved to be a good indicator of the response to tillage. N fertilisation with 300 kg N ha⁻¹ had a negative effect on the total microarthropod abundance. The Shannon diversity index gave fluctuating and significantly different results: over the years results were split alternately between the two tillage systems. The QBS-ar index, calculated for all the four years of the study, ranged between 48 and 72, values typical of intensively cultivated soils. The results obtained suggested that it was not influenced by the tillage system. Therefore, this index seems to be unsuitable for detecting the influence of tillage management and N fertilisation on the microarthropod community.     

Tillage,lime, and poultry litter effects on soil zinc,manganese, and copper

Abstract

Long‐term no‐tillage has profound effects on soil properties which can affect the availability of plant nutrient elements. The objectives were to study the effects of tillage and lime treatments on soil pH and extractable soil micronutrients where poultry litter was used as a nitrogen (N) source. Surface soil samples were taken in the spring and fall for two years from a long‐term tillage experiment that had been in place for nine years. There were two tillage treatments [conventional (CT) and no‐tillage (NT)] and six lime/ gypsum treatments (control, 8,960 kg gypsum ha^‐1 every fourth year, 4,480 kg lime ha^‐1 every fourth year, and three treatments of 8,960 kg lime ha^‐1 in a four‐year period divided by application times into 1, 2, and 4 treatments per year). Poultry litter was applied each year of the two‐year experiment at a rate of 8.96 Mg ha^‐1 on a dry weight basis. The crop was corn (Zea maize L.). Soil samples were analyzed for pH and Mehlich‐1 zinc (Zn), manganese (Mn), and copper (Cu). Soil pH was higher for NT than CT and was higher in the spring than in the fall. Lime rates resulted in soil pH increases, but showed less difference for CT than NT. The three 8,960 kg ha^‐1 per four yr treatments caused an interaction in that for CT the pH increased more for 2,240 kg ha^‐1each year than for 8,960 kg ha^‐1 every fourth year and the opposite was true for NT. Extractable Zn, Mn, and Cu all responded to this interaction being lower for the higher pH plots. Extractable Zn was higher for NT possibly due to high Zn from the poultry litter and non‐incorporation for NT. Extractable Cu was lower for NT as expected from the soil pH, whereas extractable Mn was not affected by tillage. Extractable Zn and Cu both increased over time due to inputs from the poultry litter. Neither extractable Zn nor Mn responded to increasing lime rates, however Cu decreased with increasing lime rate. Extractable Cu was influenced mainly by soil pH differences due to tillage and lime. Extractable Zn was influenced much more by tillage and from inputs by the poultry litter and not as much by pH differences. Extractable Mn was the least responsive to tillage and lime treatments of the three micronutrients studied.     

No tillage and crop rotation effects on soil aggregation and organic carbon in a Rhodic Ferralsol from southern Brazil

In Brazil, no tillage (NT) is a soil conservation practice now widely adopted by farmers, including smallholders. The effect of NT and conventional tillage (disc ploughing followed by two light disc harrowings, CT) was investigated on the aggregation properties of a clayey Rhodic Ferralsol from southern Brazil under different crop rotations. The same soil type under secondary forest was used as reference. Macro- and microaggregate classes were separated by wet sieving using a series of eight sieves (8, 4, 2, 1, 0.5, 0.25, 0.125, 0.053 mm) at four sampling layers (0–5, 5–10, 10–20, 20–30 cm). The soil in general had high structural stability. At 0–5 cm, meanweight diameter (MWD, 11.1 mm) and total organic C in macroaggregates (TOC, 39 g kg⁻¹ soil) were highest for the forest soil. Soil under NT had a more similar distribution of aggregate size classes and TOC to the forest soil than CT. The most pronounced difference between tillage systems was observed in the surface soil layer (0–5 cm). In this layer, NT had higher aggregate stability (AS_NT: 96%; AS_CT: 89%), had higher values of aggregate size distribution (MWD_NT: 7.9 mm, MWD_CT: 4.3 mm), and had on average 28% greater TOC in all aggregate size classes than CT. Soil under NT had greater TOC in macroaggregates (NT: 22 g kg⁻¹; CT: 13 g kg⁻¹). Crop rotation did not have a significant effect on soil aggregate distribution and TOC. By increasing macroaggregation NT increased organic carbon accumulation in soil.     

Soil carbon improvement under long‐term (36 years) no‐till sorghum production in a sub‐tropical environment

Soil organic matter (SOM) is considered an important indicator of soil quality, which can be impacted by crop production practices such as tillage. In this study, two long‐term tillage regimes (conventional tillage [CT] and no tillage [NT], conducted for 36 years) were compared in continuous sorghum production in a sub‐tropical environment in southeast Texas. The positive effects of long‐term NT practice were more conspicuous at the soil surface compared with the deeper soil profiles. The SOC was greater (1.5 t C ha^?1 greater) in the NT system compared with the CT system. Results from an incubation study indicate that the rate of C‐min at 0–5 cm soil depth was significantly greater (164 μg of CO₂–C g^?1 of soil greater) in NT than that of CT, but this trend was reversed at 10–20 cm depth wherein the C‐min rates were 106 μg of CO₂–C g^?1 of soil greater in CT compared with NT, which is likely because of soil disturbance during the study. Soil cumulative CO₂‐C emissions were greater in the CT system (7.28 g m^?2) than in the NT system (5.19 g m^?2), which is primarily attributed to high soil temperature conditions in the CT system. Sorghum grain yield however was not influenced by the differences in SOC content in this long‐term experiment. Overall, the present study found that long‐term conservation tillage improved SOC stock and reduced carbon loss, thus had a positive impact on soil health and sustainability.     

Snap bean response to soil tillage management and cover crops

Abstract

Snap beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) were grown using conventional tillage (CT) and no‐tillage (NT) soil management following either hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth) or rye (Secale cereale L.) in 1992 and 1993 in the mountain regions of Georgia near Blairsville. Soil bulk density and inorganic nitrogen content as well as crop dry matter production and yield were monitored. Soil bulk density of the surface (0 to 10 cm) layer under NT exceeded that under CT at planting by as much as 0.33 Mg/m³. However, growth‐limiting bulk densities (values>1.45 Mg/m³) did not occur under either tillage regime. Inorganic soil nitrogen to a depth of 30 cm at planting and at five weeks after planting was similar for the two tillage systems. However, soil nitrogen (N) tended to be greater following hairy vetch than following rye. There were no significant effects of tillage or cover crop on plant stand or plant dry weight. Total yields were generally similar regardless of tillage or cover crop. A notable exception was that early yield in 1992 was 62% greater using NT. These results indicate great potential for use of conservation tillage and cover crops in the production of snap beans in the mountain regions of the southeastern United States.     

The fate of glucose,a low molecular weight compound of root exudates,in the belowground foodweb of forests and pastures

Increasing evidence suggests that much of belowground, heterotrophic activity in terrestrial ecosystems is fueled by inputs of low molecular weight carbon compounds (LMWCCs). Root exudation (rhizodeposition) is a primary source of these inputs and will likely increase with rising atmospheric CO₂. Yet the fates of these compounds belowground, as well as the environmental factors that influence them, are relatively unexplored. Using stable isotopes we track the fate of one dominant LMWCC, glucose, in three pasture and three forest sites located in South Carolina, USA. We resolve glucose-derived C in CO₂, dissolved and soil organic C (DOC, SOC), microbial biomass, and microarthropods (Collembola, oribatid and mesostigmatid mites). After 72 h, the greatest proportions of glucose-C are in microbial biomass and SOC, followed by CO₂, DOC, and microarthropods. Within this short time frame, glucose-C propagates through the foodweb to the highest trophic level, predatory mesostigmatid mites. The biomass of these predators is the only variable that explains the relative partitioning across sites of glucose-C, with higher biomass associated with reduced partitioning of glucose-C to respiration and hence greater retention belowground. Our results suggest that LMWCCs entering belowground systems may propagate through soil foodwebs rapidly, and that their partitioning belowground may potentially be determined by higher trophic levels.     

Population Studies of Limonium stocksii (Plumbaginacea) from a Salt Desert Near the Arabian Sea Coast

Abstract

A population of Limonium stocksii was studied for one year at the upper end of Manora Creek along the Arabian Sea coast, near Karachi, Pakistan. The community was divided into three zones. Soil pH varied from 8.1 to 8.5. Soil conductivity was highest (191 dS m^?1) in September and lowest (55 dS m^?1) in June. Soil water content was relatively low and varied from 1.6% in February to 9.5% in June. Limonium stocksii maintained a persistent seed bank, which peaked at 5,887 seeds m^?2 in May. Very slow growth was observed; however, plants in the intermediate zone showed better growth than the other two zones. Stem and leaf tissue water content were affected by salinity fluctuations, but root tissue water remained unaffected. Sodium (Na⁺) and chloride (Cl^?) accumulated in stems and leaves more than other ions. Leaves also accumulated a very high amount of magnesium (Mg⁺⁺) compared to roots and stems.     

Carbon fluxes in soil food webs of increasing complexity revealed by C labelling and C natural abundance

Soil food webs are mainly based on three primary carbon (C) sources: root exudates, litter, and recalcitrant soil organic matter (SOM). These C sources vary in their availability and accessibility to soil organisms, which could lead to different pathways in soil food webs. The presence of three C isotopes (¹²C, ¹³C and ¹⁴C) offers an unique opportunity to investigate all three C sources simultaneously. In a microcosm experiment we studied the effect of food web complexity on the utilization of the three carbon sources. We choose an incomplete three factorial design with (i) living plants, (ii) litter and (iii) food web complexity. The most complex food web consisted of autochthonous microorganisms, nematodes, collembola, predatory mites, endogeic and anecic earthworms. We traced C from all three sources in soil, in CO₂ efflux and in individual organism groups by using maize grown on soil developed under C₃ vegetation and application of ¹⁴C labelled ryegrass shoots as a litter layer. The presence of living plants had a much greater effect on C pathways than food web complexity. Litter decomposition, measured as ¹⁴CO₂ efflux, was decreased in the presence of living plants from 71% to 33%. However, living plants increased the incorporation of litter C into microbial biomass and arrested carbon in the litter layer and in the upper soil layer. The only significant effect of food web complexity was on the litter C distribution in the soil layers. In treatments with fungivorous microarthropods (Collembola) the incorporation of litter carbon into mineral soil was reduced. Root exudates as C source were passed through rhizosphere microorganisms to the predator level (at least to the third trophic level). We conclude that living plants strongly affected C flows, directly by being a source of additional C, and indirectly by modifying the existing C flows within the food web including CO₂ efflux from the soil and litter decomposition.