Non-additive effects of mixing different sources of dissolved organic matter on its biodegradation

To examine the potential impact of plant species richness on ecosystems, we studied non-additive effects of different plant litters on the biodegradation rate of dissolved organic matter (DOM) when mixing plant leaf-derived DOM derived from different plant species. A full factorial biodegradation experiment (31 possible singular and multiple combinations of five litter type-derived DOM sources) was conducted using plant litters from the five most abundant plant species in a subtropical watershed ecosystem, from which dissolved organic carbon (DOC) disappearance was measured. Loss of DOC over time was considered biodegradable DOC. We tested whether DOM diversity, measured as source species richness and composition, would affect biodegradation rates. Overall, we found significant non-additive (synergistic) effects of DOM diversity on biodegradation rates of DOM, which were explained both by plant species richness and composition. Across all treatments, a significantly higher biodegradation rate was correlated with the presence of DOM from higher nitrogen (N) containing plant litters; conversely, the presence of lower N decreased these rates. The N content and chemical characteristic of DOM might influence the magnitude of the synergistic effect. Our results suggest that loss of plant litter species diversity would not affect DOC biodegradation rate, provided that at least two species are conserved. However, the variability in DOC biodegradation rate across the treatments decreased with increased DOM diversity at three incubation time points. Our results also indicate that in an ecosystem with low plant biodiversity, loss of key species such as Lophostemon confertus could reduce the synergistic effects on DOC biodegradation rate.     

Differences in chemical composition of soil organic matter in natural ecosystems from different climatic regions - A pyrolysis-GC/MS study

Soil organic matter (SOM) is a key factor in ecosystem dynamics. A better understanding of the global relationship between environmental characteristics, ecosystems and SOM chemistry is vital in order to assess its specific influence on carbon cycles. This study compared the composition of extracted SOM in 18 topsoil samples taken under tundra, taiga, steppe, temperate forest and tropical forest using pyrolysis-GC/MS. Results indicate that SOM from cold climates (tundra, taiga) still resembles the composition of litter, evidenced by high quantities of levosugars and long alkanes relative to N-compounds and a clear odd-over-even dominance of the longer alkanes. Under temperate conditions, increased microbial degradation generally results in a more altered SOM chemistry. SOM formed under temperate coniferous forests shows an accumulation of aromatic and aliphatic moieties, probably induced by substrate limitations. Tropical SOM was characterized by an SOM composition rich in N-compounds and low in lignins, without any accumulation of recalcitrant fractions (i.e. aliphatic and aromatic compounds). Lignin composition moreover varies according to vegetation type. Results were validated against 13 new samples. The humic signature of topsoil organic matter formed under different biomes indicates a dominating effect of (i) SOM input composition related to vegetation, and (ii) SOM breakdown reflecting both climate and input quality. No evidence was found for a chemically stabilized SOM fraction under favorable decomposition conditions (temperate or warm climate with broadleaved vegetation).     

Carbohydrate and amino acid composition of dissolved organic matter leached from soil

Low molecular weight organic substances (LMWOS) in soil and soil solution include mainly amino acids, carboxylic acids, and carbohydrates. Due to their high bioavailability they play a crucial role in the cycles of C and nutrients in soils. The variety of soil processes that involve LMWOS requires identifying their composition to elucidate reactions and transformations. In most studies, LMWOS are extracted under artificial conditions, e.g. batch experiments, which may overestimate the actual concentrations. This study measures the composition of carbohydrates and amino acids in solution of a Haplic Luvisol leached in a column experiment. A combined system for simultaneous leaching and blowout of CO₂ was used to estimate LMWOS decomposition. ¹⁴C-labeled glucose was added as a highly sensitive tracer to control the efficiency of the LMWOS extraction by leaching and to estimate LMWOS decomposition during leaching. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), optimized for soil extracts, was used to analyze LMWOS composition. For HPLC optimization, different preparations of leached solutions (filtration vs. centrifugation, and drying vs. no-drying) were compared. For sugar determination, drying had no influence on the solution concentrations. In contrast, amino acid concentrations significantly decreased by drying LMWOS eluted substances. Combining the HPLC identification of eluted substances with ¹⁴C tracer application revealed that about 5% of the glucose could be leached unchanged within 786 min (13.1 h), whereas about 84% remained in the soil, 9% were decomposed to CO₂, and 2% were transformed to other LMWOS and recovered in the soil solution. The total amino acid concentration (TAC) in soil solution was about 8.2 μmol l⁻¹, dominated by alanine (14.4% of TAC), glycine (13.4%), glutamic acid (9.9%), serine (9.4%), and leucine (9.3%). The total carbohydrate concentration was about 2.4 μM, dominated by glucose (29.9%), glucuronic acid (26.8%), and galacturonic acid (17.3%). Ratios of hexoses to pentoses, amino sugars glucosamine to galactosamine, and neutral sugars to uronic acids were determined. All three parameters pointed to the dominant influence of plants as the source of LMWOS in the leached soil solution. Within the small contribution of microorganisms, bacteria dominated over fungi. These used biomarker ratios as well as LMWOS concentrations differed widely from the ones obtained with conventional batch extraction. More research is necessary to evaluate the application of these biomarkers to soil solutions.     

不同来源有机肥释放的溶解有机质粒径分布与光谱特征

  【目的】  研究不同来源有机肥释放的溶解有机质 (DOM) 的粒径分布与光谱特征,为有机肥在农业生产中的应用及DOM后续环境行为的研究提供理论指导。  【方法】  本研究选择海藻、羊粪、虾肽以及小麦秸秆生物炭4种有机肥,提取有机肥中的DOM (<0.7 μm)。利用超滤分级技术对提取的DOM进一步区分为 <1 kDa、1～100 kDa、100 kDa～0.2 μm和0.2～0.7 μm 4个粒级,使用总有机碳 (TOC) 分析仪测定各粒径DOM的含量并使用傅里叶变换红外光谱 (FTIR)、紫外?可见吸收光谱 (UV-Vis) 和三维荧光光谱 (3D-EEM) 进行光谱表征。  【结果】  从全量 (粒径<0.7 μm) 溶解有机碳(DOC)来看,小麦秸秆生物炭 (308 mg/kg)<虾肽 (1060 mg/kg)<海藻 (1266 mg/kg)<羊粪 (2989 mg/kg)。供试有机肥中不同粒径的DOC所占比例和含量差异明显,均以最小粒径 (<1 kDa) 所占比例最高,除海藻为47%外,其余有机肥处理皆达到50%及以上。4种不同来源有机肥DOM的紫外和荧光特征值表明,4种有机肥的荧光指数 (FI) 和自生源指数(BIX)随着DOM粒径的减小而增大,而SUVA₂₅₄、SUVA₂₆₀和腐殖化指数 (HIX)随着DOM粒径的减小而减小。虾肽DOM各粒径的类蛋白组分含量高且主要为内源DOM,自生来源有机质丰富,生物可利用性高;羊粪DOM各粒径受人类活动影响较大;而小麦秸秆生物炭的DOM大粒径(>100 kDa)组分的FI<1.4,表明其大粒径DOM主要为外源性的,自身生产和微生物活动贡献相对较低。此外,尽管海藻、羊粪和虾肽各粒径的DOM的HIX值随着粒径的减小而逐渐减小,除虾肽DOM的<1 kDa组分外,其腐殖化程度依旧较高 (HIX>10),而小麦秸秆生物炭小粒径DOM的HIX<4,表明小麦秸秆生物炭的小粒径DOM疏水组分含量高,腐殖化程度相对较低。荧光组分和红外光谱表明了4种不同来源有机肥DOM以类腐殖质物质为主,且含有大量氨基酸N—H键、O—H键和C—O键等官能团。  【结论】  依据有机肥释放的DOM的粒径分布和光谱特征,海藻、羊粪、虾肽有机肥中的DOM主要以小粒径为主,其腐殖化程度高,蛋白组分含量较低。小麦秸秆生物炭DOM的生物稳定性要高于其他有机肥,生物可利用性较低,因此,施加过量的生物炭不利于微生物对土壤DOM的降解利用;而虾肽来源有机肥的DOM类蛋白组分贡献最大,生物可利用性高,施用虾肽有机肥可能有利于微生物对土壤DOM的降解利用。     

Factors controlling the partitioning of pyrene to dissolved organic matter extracted from different soils

The mobility of hydrophobic organic compounds (HOCs) in soils can be influenced by the presence of dissolved organic matter (DOM). While numerous studies have determined interactions of HOCs with humic and fulvic acids, only few data exist on the partitioning of HOCs to natural, non‐fractionated DOM as it occurs in soil solutions. In this study, DOM was extracted from 17 soil samples with a broad range of chemical and physical properties, originating from different land uses. The partition coefficients of pyrene to DOM were determined in all soil extracts and for two commercial humic acids using the fluorescence quenching method. For the soil extracts, log K_DOC values ranged from 3.2 to 4.5 litres kg^?1. For the Aldrich and Fluka humic acids, log K_DOC was 4.98 and 4.96 litres kg^?1, respectively, thus indicating that they are not representative for soil DOM. After excluding these two values, the statistical analysis of the data showed a significant negative correlation between log K_DOC and pH. This was also shown for one sample where the pH was adjusted to values ranging from 3 to 9. A multiple regression analysis suggested that ultraviolet absorbance at 280 nm (an indicator for aromaticity) and the E4:E6 ratio (an indicator for molecular weight) had additional effects on log K_DOC. The results indicate that the partitioning of pyrene to DOM is reduced at alkaline pH, probably due to the increased polarity of the organic macromolecules resulting from the deprotonation of functional groups. Only within a narrow pH range was the K_DOC of pyrene mainly related to the aromaticity of DOM.     

A comparison of methods to determine the biodegradable dissolved organic carbon from different terrestrial sources

The importance of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in many soil processes is determined in large part by its availability to microbial uptake and decomposition, as this biodegradation can yield both energy and limiting nutrients. Despite its importance in soil ecology, there are no standard approaches to measuring the biodegradable fraction of DOC (BDOC) in soils. Here, we evaluate the comparability and reproducibility of methods employed in six laboratories including batch, kinetic, and bioreactor methods. Solutions from a variety of sources (throughfall, soil solution and soil extracts) were analysed using methods typically employed in each of the six participating laboratories. Our results show that the precision of various BDOC methods was similar (5-15%) across a broad range of BDOC (from 12% to 56% of total DOC). Differences in mean BDOC for the various test solutions were statistically significant when results were pooled across all the methods, and only a 90-day incubation resulted in consistently higher values for BDOC than the other methods. For 4 of 6 test solutions, measured BDOC increased by 6-13% with added nutrients. Current methods produce largely comparable results, providing the justification for comparisons among existing data sets collected with different methodologies. We recommend two standard methods for future studies: (1) a rapid determination of relatively labile DOC (measurement of DOC removal after 7 days of incubation with added nutrients) and (2) a 42-day incubation with repeated analysis of CO₂ production when determination of decomposition rate constants and a labile and relatively refractory component of DOC is desired.     

Characterization of dissolved organic matter derived from rice straw at different stages of decay

Purpose  

Returning of rice straw into paddy field, which not only can increase the organic carbon content of soil but also can introduce dissolved organic matter (DOM) into soil, is a popular farm management strategy. However, chemical and structural heterogeneities of DOM derived from rice straw are not well characterized. The aim of this paper was to study the chemical and structural characteristics of DOM derived from rice straw at the different stages of decay.     

Changes in the chemical composition of soil organic matter after application of compost

Is the composition of soil organic matter changed by adding compost? To find out we incubated biowaste composts with agricultural soils and a humus‐free mineral substrate at 5°C and 14°C for 18 months and examined the products. Organic matter composition was characterized by CuO oxidation of lignin, hydrolysis of cellulosic and non‐cellulosic polysaccharides (CPS and NCPS) and ¹³C cross‐polarization magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (CPMAS ¹³C‐NMR) spectroscopy. The lignin contents in the compost‐amended soils increased because the composts contained more lignin, which altered little even after prolonged decomposition of the composts in soil. A pronounced decrease in lignin occurred in the soils amended with mature compost only. Polysaccharide C accounted for 14–20% of the organic carbon at the beginning of the experiment for both the compost‐amended soils and the controls. During the incubation, the relative contents of total polysaccharides decreased for 9–20% (controls) and for 20–49% (compost‐amended soils). They contributed preferentially to the decomposition as compared with the bulk soil organic matter, that decreased between < 2% and 20%. In the compost‐amended agricultural soils, cellulosic polysaccharides were decomposed in preference to non‐cellulosic ones. The NMR spectra of the compost‐amended soils had more intense signals of O–alkyl and aromatic C than did those of the controls. Incubation for 18 months resulted mainly in a decline of O–alkyl C for all soils. The composition of the soil organic matter after compost amendment changed mainly by increases in the lignin and aromatic C of the composts, and compost‐derived polysaccharides were mineralized preferentially. The results suggest that decomposition of the added composts in soil is as an ongoing humification process of the composts themselves. The different soil materials affected the changes in soil organic matter composition to only a minor degree.     

The sorption of Cd and Zn by different soils in the presence of dissolved organic matter from sludge

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) is one of the important factors affecting metal mobility and phytotoxicity in the soils receiving sewage sludge. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of DOM from anaerobically digested dewatered sludge on Cd and Zn sorption by three different soil types (calcareous clay loam, calcareous sandy loam and acidic sandy loam) of different physico-chemical properties through batch studies. The addition of DOM significantly reduced the Cd and Zn sorption capacity by a factor of 2.1–5.7 for Cd and 2.3–13.7 for Zn for these three soils as seen by their K values in the Freundlich equation compared to the control receiving no DOM, suggesting that DOM had a stronger inhibitory effect on Zn sorption than that of Cd. The reduction in metal sorption caused by DOM was very apparent in the pH range of 5 to 8, with a maximum inhibition on metal sorption occurring at pH 7–7.5 especially for Zn but the effect was minimal at lower pH. At a DOM concentration of < 200 mg C l^− 1, Cd and Zn sorption by all the three soils decreased with an increase in DOM concentration. At each given DOM concentration, the inhibition of metal sorption of the different soil types increased in the following order: acidic sandy loam < calcareous sandy loam < calcareous clay loam. DOM derived from sludge would significantly reduce metal sorption and increase its mobility through the formation of soluble DOM–metal complexes and poses risk of metal leaching and phytotoxicty in near-neutral and alkaline soils.     

Biochemical properties and biodegradation of dissolved organic matter from soils

Various biologically mediated processes are involved in the turnover of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in soil; however, relatively little is known about the dynamics of either the microbial community or the individual classes of organic molecules during the decomposition of DOM. We examined the net loss of DOC, the mineralisation of C to CO₂ and the degradation of DOC from six different soils by soil microorganisms. We also quantified the changes in the concentrations of protein, carbohydrate and amino acid C during microbial biodegradation. Over a 70-day incubation period at 20°C, the mineralisation of DOC to CO₂ was described by a double exponential model with a labile pool (half-life, 3–8 days) and a stable pool (half-life, 0.4–6 years). However, in nearly all cases, the mass loss of DOC exceeded the C released as CO₂ with significant deviations from the double exponential model. Comparison of mass DOC loss, CO₂ production and microbial cell counts, determined by epifluorescence microscopy, showed that a proportion of the lost DOC mass could be accounted for by microbial assimilation. Carbohydrate and protein C concentrations fluctuated throughout the incubation with a net change of between 3 to 13 and −30 to 22.4% initial DOC, respectively. No amino acid C was detected during the incubation period (level of detection, 0.01 mg C l⁻¹).     

不同蛋白源有机肥分解过程中组成性质变化特征

不同商品有机肥在组成和性质上存在极大差异,决定着其在土壤环境中分解规律的不同.采用元素分析、热重分析(TG)、傅里叶变换红外光谱(FTIR)等光谱技术,分析了3种蛋白源的商品(豆粕、骨粉、虾肽)有机肥分解过程中物质组成、官能团组成、元素组成以及理化性质的变化.经过12个月的矿化分解,3种有机肥的pH值、CEC和灰分含量...     

黄土丘陵区不同植被下土壤可溶性有机物的荧光特征研究

【目的】土壤水溶性有机质的组成和结构是土壤质量的重要判别指标,具有重要的生态意义。研究黄土丘陵地区不同植被下土壤水溶性有机物的数量和荧光结构特征,可以为该地的植被修复及土壤质量评价提供科学依据。【方法】利用传统荧光和三维荧光技术,选取激发发射荧光光谱、 同步荧光光谱得到的腐殖化指标对土壤水溶性有机物的来源和结构进行评估,通过三维荧光技术探究不同植被下土壤水溶性有机物之间组分的差异。【结果】辽东栎(Quercus liaotungensis)和油松林(Pinus tabulaeformia)地具有较高的水溶性有机物含量,含量均为0.16 mg/g; 而荒坡地和农地的水溶性有机物较低,分别为0.04和0.05 mg/g,灌木荆条(Vitex negundo var. heterophylla )和狼牙刺(Sophora viciifolia)林地的含量介于两者之间。发射激发荧光光谱、 同步荧光光谱以及三维荧光光谱表明土壤水溶性有机物大多来源于植物和微生物的混合作用; 油松林地的水溶性有机物结构较简单、 腐殖化程度较低; 而灌木林地的水溶性有机物结构较为复杂、 腐殖化程度较高。从不同植被下土壤水溶性有机物的组成来看,蛋白类的物质差异不明显; 油松和辽东栎林地土壤水溶性有机物的类酪氨酸蛋白质、 类色氨酸蛋白质、 类溶解性微生物代谢产物含量较高,灌木林地较低。最主要的差异是富里酸类和胡敏酸类物质,油松林地的水溶性小分子量的富里酸类物质占主导地位,而灌木林地的水溶性有机物芳香化程度较高,农地和抛荒地类富里酸物质和类胡敏酸类物质含量的比值最低,其水溶性腐殖质的缩聚度高。油松、 辽东栎林地水溶性有机物由于植物残体分解形成的富里酸较易被氧化,同时阴坡林地较高的含水量使得这些产物较难缩合; 而灌木林地和农田及荒地较为干旱,枯枝落叶少,腐殖酸有充分时间进行缩合,导致了水溶性有机物的高芳香化和腐殖化。【结论】不同植被下的土壤水溶性有机物的组成和结构是存在差异的,同时说明荧光技术可用于揭示水溶性有机物的组成和缩合特性研究。     

Cycling downwards – dissolved organic matter in soils

Dissolved organic matter has been recognized as mobile, thus crucial to translocation of metals, pollutants but also of nutrients in soil. We present a conceptual model of the vertical movement of dissolved organic matter with soil water, which deviates from the view of a chromatographic stripping along the flow path. It assumes temporal immobilization (sorptive or by co-precipitation), followed by microbial processing, and re-release (by desorption or dissolution) into soil water of altered compounds. The proposed scheme explains well depth trends in age and composition of dissolved organic matter as well as of solid-phase organic matter in soil. It resolves the paradox of soil organic matter being oldest in the youngest part of the soil profile – the deep mineral subsoil.     

Fractionation of dissolved organic matter on the XAD resin

Analytical fractionation conditions on the resin XAD-7H of organic substances from gravitational soil moisture influence the proportion and the yield of the extracted fractions. Increasing the column capacity factor k’ is accompanied by a decreased yield of hydrophobic fraction and the change in its composition. The sorption column capacity factor of k’ = 30 is sufficient for the extraction of all hydrophobic components from a soil solution with a concentration of C_DOM of ～25 mg/L.     

Effect of the chemical composition of industrial dusts on forest floor organic matter accumulation

The influence of dusts from aluminium (AP), zinc and lead (ZP1, ZP2), sintering (SP) and power (PP) plants on organic matter accumulation on the forest floor of a mixed oak-pine forest was studied in Niepo?omice Forest near Kraków, Poland. An artificial application of the dusts on experimental plots was used corresponding to 100, 500, 1000, 2000, and 5000 t km^?2. Increased organic matter accumulation was observed 5 yr following the addition of AP, ZP1 and ZP2 dusts, while SP and PP dusts at levels > 100 t km^?2 caused a slight decrease in litter accumulation. Statistical analysis indicated that Cd, Mn, Pb and Zn present in industrial dusts were responsible for the increase in litter accumulation, while some nutrients (e.g. K, Mg, Na) contained in the dusts might decrease organic matter storage to some extent.     

Acid-base analysis of dissolved organic matter in surface waters

A mono-protic multi-site model is developed to obtain a pK(acid) — concentration distribution. Dense and equal interval pH data are required for an accurate characterization. A computer driven titrimetric system is used to obtain the data. The technique is applied to dissolved organic carbon (> 15 mg C L^-1) samples from the Kejimkujik region, Nova Scotia. A calculation shows that the acidic (pH=4.6) dystrophic waters can result from mixing 15 mg C L^-1 of the organic acids with an initial inorganic system of about 75 peq L^-1 alkalinity.     

Properties of dissolved organic matter derived from silver birch and Norway spruce stands: Degradability combined with chemical characteristics

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) derived from the humus layer under silver birch (Betula pendula Roth), Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.), and mixed stands, and from senescent birch leaves and from spruce needles of the four oldest year-growth were characterized microbiologically and chemically. Samples were collected in the autumn and the solutions were obtained by centrifugation-drainage technique. The degradability of DOM, the availability of DOM to bacteria and fungi, concentrations of phenolic compounds and carbohydrates, and the distribution of carbon and nitrogen into fractions according to the chemical nature and the molecular size were studied. DOM derived from leaves and needles was clearly more labile than DOM derived from the humus layer indicating the importance of studying the DOM originating from fresh litter when assessing the turnover of DOM.DOM derived from spruce needles appeared to differ chemically greatly from all other samples. It had very high concentrations of carbohydrates, probably due to the sampling time, and phenolic compounds. The chemical composition of DOM derived from humus layer did not reflect the composition of DOM derived from needles and leaves. DOM derived from birch leaves degraded more than DOM derived from spruce needles and DOM derived from humus layer collected at the birch sites degraded more than DOM derived from humus layer collected at the spruce sites. The degradability of different compound groups of DOC and DON was studied in a short-term incubation (20 d) of DOM solutions by characterizing the solutions initially and after the incubation. Almost all compound groups appeared to degrade but weak hydrophobic acids, bases, hydrophilic neutrals, the smallest molecular size compounds, carbohydrates, and phenolic compounds degraded the most.     

Release of glucose from dissolved and mineral-bound organic matter by enzymatic hydrolysis

Sorption of dissolved organic matter (DOM) by poorly crystalline minerals during their formation may protect large amounts of carbon in soils from mineralization. We investigated the bioavailability of carbohydrates in DOM and after co-precipitation with short-range ordered aluminosilicates. Carbohydrates originated from soil solutions collected in situ at two depths of a Dystric Cambisol, and from litter extracts. Quantification of substrate-specific degradability was achieved by the addition of β-glucosidase at an optimal concentration and subsequent determination of glucose release. Depending on DOM composition, 0.6–41.4 mg g⁻¹ C⁻¹ of glucose was enzymatically released from dissolved carbohydrates. Co-precipitated carbohydrates were partially accessible, resulting in a glucose release of 0.7–5.2 mg g⁻¹ C⁻¹. Restricted enzymatic depolymerization due to co-precipitation may contribute to accumulation of easily degradable substrates in soils.     

Efficiency of diethylaminoethyl cellulose in the isolation of dissolved organic matter from forest soil solutions

Abstract

Diethylaminoethyl cellulose (DEAE cellulose), a weak anion exchange resin, has been used to isolate dissolved organic matter (DOM) from soil solutions collected from three different soil types, to investigate the amount of DOM isolated from soil solutions of various origin, and the extent to which inorganic ions are isolated together with DOM. The concentration of DOM in the various soil solutions ranged from 2.5 to 32.8 mg#lbL^‐1 DOC. More than 80% of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) was usually isolated with DEAE cellulose. High concentrations of aluminum (Al) and sulfate (SO₄ ^2‐) in the soil solutions have reduced DOC recovery. More than 90% of potassium (K⁺), calcium (Ca²⁺), and magnesium (Mg²⁺), were removed during the isolation procedure, but 10 to 20% of Al and 30 to 40% of iron (Fe) were isolated together with the DOC, probably due to strong complexation to DOM. The advantages of using DEAE cellulose were that the use of strong acids and bases was limited and that pH adjustments of the sample, leading to chemical modification of DOM, was not required.