Monoterpenes and higher terpenes may inhibit enzyme activities in boreal forest soil

Plant secondary compounds, including terpenes, potentially play an important role in controlling the decomposition process in boreal forest soil. However, the role of terpenes is not well understood, and their direct influence on enzyme activity is not well-known. The aim of this study was to examine the possible effects of common monoterpenes and higher terpenes on the activity of enzymes crucial in C, N, P, S cycling, i.e. β-glucosidase, chitinase, protease, acid phosphatase and arylsulfatase. Monoterpenes (α-pinene, carene, myrcene), diterpenes (abietic acid and colophony), and triterpene (β-sitosterol) were used. Studies were done in two environments, in vitro (studies without soil) and in vivo (studies with soil). Soil experiments were conducted using humus layers of two different birch stands, the first N-poor with high organic matter content and the second N-rich with a lower organic matter content. In general, all the terpenes studied showed inhibitory potential against enzymes in in vitro studies. In the soil incubation studies, both of the measured enzymes, chitinase and β-glucosidase, showed some decrease in activity when exposed to different terpenes. Our study suggests that terpenes modify the enzyme machinery in boreal forest soil.     

Potential activities of enzymes involved in N,C, P and S cycling in boreal forest soil under different tree species

The aim of this study was to compare the potential activity of enzymes involved in N, C, P and S cycling in the humus layer under three tree species: silver birch, Norway spruce and Scots pine. For arylsulphatase and protease the highest activities were found under birch, whereas beta-glucosidase activity was highest under pine. Beta-glucosaminidase and acid phosphatase showed similar activities regardless of tree species. Our studies show that soils under these species may differ enzymatically from each other. Enzyme activity studies under different tree species need more attention as the activity of different enzymes influences on soil nutrient availability in boreal forest soil.     

Decoupled stoichiometric,isotopic, and fungal responses of an ectomycorrhizal black spruce forest to nitrogen and phosphorus additions

Many northern forests are limited by nitrogen (N) availability, slight changes in which can have profound effects on ecosystem function and the activity of ectomycorrhizal (EcM) fungi. Increasing N and phosphorus (P) availability, an analog to accelerated soil organic matter decomposition in a warming climate, could decrease plant dependency on EcM fungi and increase plant productivity as a result of greater carbon use efficiency. However, the impact of altered N and P availability on the growth and activity of EcM fungi in boreal forests remains poorly understood despite recognition of their importance to host plant nutrition and soil carbon sequestration. To address such uncertainty we examined above and belowground ecosystem properties in a boreal black spruce forest following five years of factorial N and P additions. By combining detailed soil, fungal, and plant δ¹⁵N measurements with in situ metrics of fungal biomass, growth, and activity, we found both expected and unexpected patterns. Soil nitrate isotope values became ¹⁵N enriched in response to both N and P additions; fungal biomass was repressed by N yet both biomass and growth were stimulated by P; and, black spruce dependency on EcM derived N increased slightly when N and P were added alone yet significantly declined when added in combination. These findings contradict predictions that N fertilization would increase plant P demands and P fertilization would further exacerbate plant N demands. As a result, the prediction that EcM fungi predictably respond to plant N limitation was not supported. These findings highlight P as an under appreciated mediator of the activity of denitrifying bacteria, EcM fungi, and the dynamics of N cycles in boreal forests. Further, use of δ¹⁵N values from bulk soils, plants, and fungi to understand how EcM systems respond to changing nutrient availabilities will often require additional ecological information.     

Modelling interacting effects of invasive earthworms and wildfire on forest floor carbon storage in the boreal forest

In forest ecosystems, earthworms and wildfire are two ecological agents that cause carbon (C) stored in the forest floor to be transferred to the atmosphere as greenhouse gases, either through heterotrophic respiration (earthworms) or through periodical combustion (wildfire). For centuries, wildfire has been an important ecological driver in the boreal forests of Canada where most fire emissions to the atmosphere originate from the forest floor. In contrast, earthworms are recent invaders, having been introduced to the Canadian boreal during the 20th century. Their spread is mainly associated with anthropogenic activities. We examined stand-level effects of earthworms and wildfire on forest floor C by adapting an earthworm-C simulation model for the boreal and using it in combination with a forest C accounting model. Because the overall impact of an invasive species depends on its areal extent, we used a spatial model of earthworm spread to calculate the total predicted change in C storage at the landscape-level following earthworm invasions in northeastern Alberta. Depending on the ecological groups of earthworms modelled in stand-level simulations, the forest floor C stock was reduced by 49.7–94.3% after 125 years, although the majority of this reduction occurred 35–40 years after initiation of the invasion. Because earthworm activities reduced the amount of forest floor C available for burning, emissions from wildfire were lower in the presence of earthworms. Spatial modelling of earthworm effects within the 5,905,400 ha Alberta–Pacific Forestry Management Area projected that forest floor C stocks in the invaded stands decreased 50,875 Mg C by 2006, and 2,706,354 Mg C by 2056, compared with the same area if earthworms were not present. Loss of forest floor C averaged over the 50 year simulation was 10 g m² yr⁻¹; similar in magnitude to estimates for C loss in the Canadian boreal due to wildfire or harvesting. These results indicate effects of non-native earthworms on the forest floor should be included in predictions of forest ecosystem C budgets to ensure accurate attribution of emissions to heterotrophic respiration versus combustion.     

Effects of long-term litter manipulation on soil carbon,nitrogen, and phosphorus in a temperate deciduous forest

Changes in above-ground litterfall can influence below-ground biogeochemical processes in forests. In order to examine how above-ground litter inputs affect soil carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) in a temperate deciduous forest, we studied a 14-year-old small-scale litter manipulation experiment that included control, litter exclusion, and doubled litter addition at a mature Fagus sylvatica L. site. Total organic C (TOC), total N (TN) and total P (TP), total organic P (TOP), bioavailable inorganic P (Pi), microbial C, N and P, soil respiration and fine root biomass were analyzed in the A and in two B horizons. Our results showed that litter manipulation had no significant effect on TOC in the mineral soil. Litter addition increased the bioavailable Pi in the A horizon but had no significant effect on N in the mineral soil. Litter exclusion decreased TN and TP in the B horizon to a depth of 10 cm. In the A horizon of the litter exclusion treatment, TP, TOP and bioavailable Pi were increased, which is most likely due to the higher root biomass in this treatment. The high fine root biomass seems to have counteracted the effects of the excluded aboveground litter. In conclusion, our study indicates that aboveground litter is not an important source for C in the mineral soil and that P recycling from root litter might be more important than from above-ground litter.     

Seasonal responses in microbial biomass carbon, phosphorus and sulphur in soils under pasture

The response of the soil microbial biomass to seasonal changes was investigated in the field under pastures. These studies showed that over a 9-month period, microbial biomass carbon, phosphorus and sulphur (biomass C, P, S), and their ratios (C:P, C:S, and P:S) responded differently to changes in soil moisture and to the input of fresh organic materials. From October to December (1993), when plant residues were largely incorporated into the soils, biomass C and S increased by 150–210%. Biomass P did not increase over this time, having decreased by 22–64% over the dry summer (July to September). There was no obvious correlation between biomass C, P, and S and air temperature. The largest amounts of biomass C and P (2100–2300μg and 150–190μgg^–1 soil, respectively) were found in those soils receiving farmyard manure (FYM or FYM+NPK) and P fertilizer, whereas the use of ammonium sulphate decreased biomass C and P. The C:P, C:S, and P:S ratios of the biomass varied considerably (9–276:1; 50–149:1; and 0.3–14:1, respectively) with season and fertilizer regime. This reflected the potential for the biomass to release (when ratios were narrow) or to immobilize (wide ratios) P and S at different times of the year. Thus, seasonal responses in biomass C, P, and S are important in controlling the cycling of C, P, and S in pasture and ultimately in regulating plant availability of P and S. The uptake of P in the pasture was well correlated with the sum of P in the biomass and soil available pools. Thus, the simultaneous measurement of microbial biomass P and available P provide useful information on the potential plant availability of P. Received: 25 May 1996     

秸秆粉碎和焚烧还田对石灰性紫色土耕层土壤孔隙和有机碳的影响

  目的  本研究通过对一系列物理、化学性质和微生物数量的测定,综合评价秸秆还田配施促腐菌剂对土壤质量的改善效果。  方法  采用大田小区方式,在秸秆还田条件下,设置不同菌剂施用量,考察水稻冬翻系统土壤理化性质及微生物数量变化,并通过灰色关联度分析综合评价得出秸秆配施菌剂最佳施用量。试验设空白处理（CK）、常规施肥 + 秸秆不还田处理（RT）、常规施肥 + 秸秆还田 + 7.5 kg ha⁻¹菌剂处理（M1）、常规施肥 + 秸秆还田 + 15 kg ha⁻¹剂处理（M2）、常规施肥 + 秸秆还田 + 30 kg ha⁻¹菌剂处理（M3）和常规施肥 + 秸秆还田处理（ST）。  结果  秸秆还田配施菌剂有效提高了秸秆腐解率,秸秆腐解率比ST平均提升了53.49%。配施促腐菌剂改善了土壤理化性质、提高了土壤细菌真菌数量。但是菌剂处理对不同指标提升效果仍有差异。对比ST,仅M1显著提升0 ~ 20 cm土壤有效钾含量和20 ~ 40 cm土壤全磷、碱解氮、有效钾含量,分别提升了49.45%、19.80%、19.34%和25.65%。仅M3显著提升了0 ~ 20 cm土壤 R_0.25（水稳性大团聚体数量）和真菌拷贝数,分别提升了16.34%和89.06%。M2和M3均显著增加了0 ~ 20 cm土壤 MWD（平均重量直径）和 GMD（几何平均直径）,且以M3数值最高。M2和M3处理均显著提升了20 ~ 40 cm土壤 R_0.25、MWD、GMD、有效磷和细菌基因拷贝数,除有效磷含量外,M3数值均为最高。采用灰色关联度分析,综合评价秸秆还田配施菌剂浓度的土壤改良效果,结果表明以M3处理效果最好。  结论  秸秆还田配施菌剂改善土壤质量的效果更好,且菌剂用量不同其效果各异,其中秸秆还田配施30 kg hm⁻¹微生物菌剂综合改善 0 ~ 20 cm与20 ~ 40 cm土壤质量的效果最佳。     

Temporal and spatial variability of soil respiration in a boreal mixedwood forest

Temporal and spatial variability of soil respiration (R_s) was measured and analyzed in a 74-year-old, mixedwood, boreal forest in Ontario, Canada, over a period of 2 years (August 2003–July 2005). The ranges of R_s measured during the two study years were 0.5–6.9 μmol CO₂ m⁻² s⁻¹ for 2003–2004 (Year 1) and 0.4–6.8 μmol CO₂ m⁻² s⁻¹ for 2004–2005 (Year 2). Mean annual R_s for the stand was the same for both years, 2.7 μmol CO₂ m⁻² s⁻¹. Temporal variability of R_s was controlled mainly by soil temperature (T_s), but soil moisture had a confounding effect on T_s. Annual estimates of total soil CO₂ emissions at the site, calculated using a simple empirical R_s–T_s relationship, showed that R_s can account for about 88 ± 27% of total annual ecosystem respiration at the site. The majority of soil CO₂ emissions came from the upper 12 to 20 cm organic LFH (litter–fibric–humic) soil layer. The degree of spatial variability in R_s, along the measured transect, was seasonal and followed the seasonal trend of mean R_s: increasing through the growing season and converging to a minimum in winter (coefficient of variation (CV) ranged from 4 to 74% in Year 1 and 4 to 62% in Year 2). Spatial variability in R_s was found to be negatively related to spatial variability in the C:N ratio of the LHF layer at the site. Spatial variability in R_s was also found to depend on forest tree species composition within the stand. R_s was about 15% higher in a broadleaf deciduous tree patch compared to evergreen coniferous area. However, the difference was not always significant (at 95% CI). In general, R_s in the mixedwood patch, having both deciduous and coniferous species, was dominated by broadleaf trees, reflecting changing physiological controls on R_s with seasons. Our results highlight the importance of discerning soil CO₂ emissions at a variety of spatial and temporal scales. They also suggest including the LFH soil layer and allowing for seasonal variability in CO₂ production within that layer, when modeling soil respiration in forest ecosystems.     

Exploring the enzymatic landscape: distribution and kinetics of hydrolytic enzymes in soil particle-size fractions

The location of extracellular enzymes within the soil architecture and their association with the various soil components affects their catalytic potential. A soil fractionation study was carried out to investigate: (a) the distribution of a range of hydrolytic enzymes involved in C, N and P transformations, (b) the effect of the location on their respective kinetics, (c) the effect of long-term N fertilizer management on enzyme distribution and kinetic parameters. Soil (silty clay loam) from grassland which had received 0 or 200 kg N ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ was fractionated, and four particle-size fractions (>200, 200-63, 63-2 and 0.1-2 μm) were obtained by a combination of wet-sieving and centrifugation, after low-energy ultrasonication. All fractions were assayed for four carbohydrases (β-cellobiohydrolase, N-acetyl-β-glucosaminidase, β-glucosidase and β-xylosidase), acid phosphatase and leucine-aminopeptidase using a microplate fluorimetric assay based on MUB-substrates. Enzyme kinetics (V_max and K_m) were estimated in three particle-size fractions and the unfractionated soil. The results showed that not all particle-size fractions were equally enzymatically active and that the distribution of enzymes between fractions depended on the enzyme. Carbohydrases predominated in the coarser fractions while phosphatase and leucine-aminopeptidase were predominant in the clay-size fraction. The Michaelis constant (K_m) varied among fractions, indicating that the association of the same enzyme with different particle-size fractions affected its substrate affinity. The same values of K_m were found in the same fractions from the soil under two contrasting fertilizer management regimes, indicating that the Michaelis constant was unaffected by soil changes caused by N fertilizer management.     

A soil quality index based on the equilibrium between soil organic matter and biochemical properties of undisturbed coniferous forest soils of the Pacific Northwest

Recent studies have suggested that the organic matter contents of undisturbed soils (under natural vegetation) are in equilibrium with biological and biochemical properties. Accordingly, we hypothesised that such equilibria should be disrupted when soils are subjected to disturbance or stress, and that measurement of this disruption can be expressed mathematically and used as a soil quality index. In this study, we evaluated these hypotheses in soils from the H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest in Oregon. Both O and A horizons were sampled from nine sites in Spring 2005 and Fall 2006. Soil samples were analyzed for enzyme activities (phosphatase, β-glucosidase, laccase, N-acetyl-glucosaminidase, protease and urease), and other biological and chemical properties including N-mineralization, respiration, microbial biomass C (MBC), soil organic carbon (SOC) and total nitrogen content. In addition, soil samples from one old-growth site were manipulated in the laboratory to either simulate chemical stresses (Cu addition or pH alteration) or physical disturbances (wet-dry or freeze-thaw cycles). The results showed variation in biological and biochemical soil properties that were closely correlated with SOC. Multiple regression analysis of SOC levels against all soil properties showed that a model containing only MBC and phosphatase activity could account for 97% of the SOC variation among the sites. The model fit was independent of spatial and temporal variations because covariates such as site, stand age, sampling date, and soil horizon were found to be not statistically significant. Although the application of stress/disturbance treatments inconsistently affected most of the individual biochemical properties, in contrast, the ratio of soil C predicted by the model (C_p), and soil C measured (C_m) was consistently reduced in soils submitted to at least one level of stress and disturbance treatments. In addition, C_p/C_m was more affected in soils submitted to wet-dry cycles and Cu contamination than to freeze-thaw cycles or shifts in soil pH. Our results confirm previous evidence of a biochemical balance in high quality undisturbed soils, and that this balance is disrupted when the soil is submitted to disturbances or placed under stress conditions. The C_p/C_m ratio provides a simple reference value against which the degrading effects of pollutants or management practices on soil quality can be assessed.     

Availability of nitrogen and phosphorus in forest soils in northeastern Tasmania

Summary Rates of N mineralization and of N uptake were measured in situ in three eucalypt forests and a cool-temperate rainforest, and were correlated with productivity. All of the soils had a high capacity for immobilization, and nitrification was insignificant. Changes in both organic and inorganic P fractions during in situ containment of soils were small. While the concentration of inorganic available P was not related to forest productivity, a measure of labile organic P was closely related both to productivity and to P in the microbial biomass. Estimates of inorganic- and organic-N availability were highly correlated with independent estimates of organic-P availability, and the results are discussed in relation to biological control of nutrient availability in the surface horizons of forest soils.     

Impact of anthropogenic induced nitrogen input and liming on phosphorus leaching in forest soils

Phosphorus (P) is essential for sustainable forest growth, yet the impact of anthropogenic impacts on P leaching losses from forest soils is hardly known. We conducted an irrigation experiment with 128 mesocosms from three forest sites representing a gradient of resin extractable P of the A‐horizon. On each site we selected a Fagus sylvatica and a Picea abies managed subsite. We simulated ambient rain (AR), anthropogenic nitrogen input (NI) of 100 kg (ha · a)^?1 and forest liming (FL) with a dolomite input of 0.3 Mg (ha · a)^?1. Soil solution was extracted from the organic layer, 10 cm depth and 20 cm depth of the mesocosms, and analyzed for molybdate reactive phosphorus (MRP) and molybdate unreactive phosphorus (MUP). Additionally, we separated colloids from the soil solution using Asymmetric Field Flow Fractionation for assessing the colloidal fraction of total element concentrations. NI increased MRP and MUP concentrations for all plots with one exception, while FL decreased MRP and MUP with the exception of another plot. While the irrigation treatments had little impact on the P‐richest site, MRP and MUP concentrations changed strongly at the poorer sites. The colloidal fraction of P in the soil solution equaled 38–47% of the total P load. Nitrogen input and liming also affected the Fe, Al, Ca, and Corg contents of the colloidal fraction.     

冻融循环对典型地带土壤速效氮磷及酶活性的影响

为了探寻冻融循环次数和冻结温度对典型地带性土壤（黑土、潮土、黄土）养分形态和酶活性的作用机制,应用室内冰柜模拟不同冻结温度（-20℃强冻和-10℃弱冻）,以及不同的冻融循环次数（1次和2次）。结果表明,经过冻融循环3种土壤NO3--N含量增加,增加量趋势为黄土＞潮土＞黑土,与冻结前相比黄土和潮土NO3--N含量分别达到5%显著水平;冻融循环3种土壤NH4+-N含量减少,减少量趋势为黑土＞黄土、潮土;黑土速效磷含量显著增加（P<0.05）;冻融循环增强了过氧化氢酶活性,却降低了脲酶活性;冻结温度对耕作土壤速效养分和酶活性影响不显著。建议耕作潮土和黄土应考虑冻融循环后养分总量,从而适当调整氮肥投入。     

黄土高原不同植物群落土壤团聚体中有机碳和酶活性研究

以黄土高原延河流域森林区3种典型植物群落为研究对象,研究了3种植物群落土壤团聚体中有机碳的含量、组分及土壤酶活性,分析了有机碳与酶活性的关系。结果表明:(1)3种植物群落,土壤团聚体各种形态有机碳和酶活性均表现为0~10 cm土层含量高于10~20 cm土层,辽东栎群落0~10 cm土层土壤多酚氧化酶活性却低于10~20 cm土层。(2)土壤团聚体有机碳含量在植物群落间表现为:辽东栎群落人工刺槐群落狼牙刺群落,酶活性在植被群落间的高低表现则不一致。土壤有机碳含量和酶活性在团聚体间均表现为随团聚体粒级的增大而增大,或先增大再减小的趋势。(3)蔗糖酶、纤维素酶以及β-D葡糖苷酶活性与各种形态有机碳均呈显著的正相关关系,多酚氧化酶和过氧化物酶与有机碳含量相关性不显著。(4)辽东栎群落和狼牙刺群落土壤团聚体蔗糖酶、纤维素酶、以及β-D葡糖苷酶活性在团聚体中表现为:|0.25 mm团聚体||2~0.25 mm团聚体||5~2 mm团聚体||5 mm团聚体|,其多酚氧化酶和过氧化物酶以及人工刺槐群落各种土壤酶活性均表现为2~0.25 mm粒级团聚体中最大。(5)β-D葡糖苷酶活性增大,能促进土壤各种有机碳含量增加;土壤蔗糖酶活性和β-D葡糖苷酶活性的提高有助于土壤活性有机碳含量增加;土壤多酚氧化酶活性的增大,有利于土壤腐殖质碳的积累。     

Hydrolytic enzyme activities in agricultural and forest soils. Some implications for their use as indicators of soil quality

Although a great deal of information exists about the effect of land use on soil enzyme activities, much of this is contradictory and brings into question the suitability of soil enzyme activities as indicators of how land use affects soil quality. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of land use on different soil biochemical properties, especially hydrolytic enzyme activities, with the aim of providing knowledge about the problems related to the use of enzymes as indicators of soil quality. The data presented derive from various studies in which a large number of soils under different types of forest or agricultural management were analysed by the same methods. All of the soil samples were characterized in terms of their main physical and chemical properties, the activity of several hydrolases, microbial biomass C and soil basal respiration. The results indicate that soil use causes a large reduction in organic matter content and that the effect on enzyme activity varies depending on the type of land use or management and the type of enzyme. Furthermore, the enzyme activities per carbon unit (specific activities) in soils affected by land use are almost always higher than in maximum quality soils (climax soils under oak vegetation or oak soils), and land use also generates greater increases in the specific activity as the C content decreases. The mechanism responsible for these increases probably involves loss of the most labile organic matter. Enzyme enrichment is not always produced to the same degree, as it varies as a function of the enzyme and the type of land use under consideration. It is concluded that the complexity of the behaviour of the soil enzymes raises doubts about the use of enzyme activities as indicators of soil degradation brought about by land use.     

Vertical distribution of total carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus in riparian soils of Walnut Creek, southern Iowa

Subsurface lithology plays an important role in many riparian zone processes, but few studies have examined how sediment nutrient concentrations vary with depth. In this study, we evaluated concentrations of nutrients (N, C and P) with depth in a riparian zone of the glaciated Midwest. A total of 146 sediment samples were collected from 24 cores that extended to a maximum depth of 3.6 m at eight sites in the riparian zone of Walnut Creek. Subsurface deposits were predominantly silt loam, becoming coarser and more variable with depth. Nitrogen and carbon content ranged from < 0.01 to 0.42% and < 0.01 to 7.08%, respectively, and exhibited a strong trend of decreasing nutrient content with depth. In contrast, P concentrations averaged 574 mg/kg and did not vary systematically. Systematic variations in texture and nutrient content with depth largely corresponded to stratigraphic differentiation among the Camp Creek, Roberts Creek and Gunder members of the regionally recognized Holocene-age DeForest Formation. Variations in subsurface nutrient content were not found to be significantly related to present land cover, but land cover may have influenced nutrient content at the time of original sediment accumulation. Subsurface lithology and stratigraphy should be considered an important component in riparian zone studies where nutrient losses to streams via streambank erosion or groundwater discharge are assessed.     

Dynamics and stratification of protozoa in the organic layer of a Scots pine forest

Fluctuations in soil biota abundance in different organic layers of a Scots pine forest in The Netherlands were studied by bimonthly counts during 2.5 years. The counts were made using litterbags which were placed in the litter (L), fragmentation (F) and humus (H) layers at the start of the experiment. Results from the L layer were also compared with results from litter which was renewed every 2 months (L′) to study colonisation. In this study the results for amoebae, flagellates and ciliates are presented. The highest numbers of soil protozoa were found in the L layer during most sampling occasions. The H layer contained the lowest numbers. The L layer also showed higher numbers than the L′ litterbags which were renewed every 2 months. Fluctuations in abundance could partly be explained by fluctuations in moisture content. Moisture content in the litterbags was rather constant throughout the experiment, although occasionally moisture contents of 10% and 80% were observed. Fluctuations in moisture content in the L layer were often larger than in the F and H layers. Flagellates were the most abundant group, reaching numbers of several hundred thousands to several millions per gram fresh weight on various occasions. Amoebae often reached numbers of between tens of thousands and several hundred thousands. Ciliates only reached numbers of up to several thousands. Received: 26 June 1997     

Quantification and depth distribution analysis of carbon to nitrogen ratio in forest soils using reflectance spectroscopy

Forest soils have large contents of carbon (C) and total nitrogen (TN), which have significant spatial variability laterally across landscapes and vertically with depth due to decomposition, erosion and leaching. Therefore, the ratio of C to TN contents (C:N), a crucial indicator of soil quality and health, is also different depending on soil horizon. These attributes can cost-effectively and rapidly be estimated using visible–near infrared–shortwave infrared (VNIR–SWIR) spectroscopy. Nevertheless, the effect of different soil layers, particularly over large scales of highly heterogeneous forest soils, on the performance of the technique has rarely been attempted. This study evaluated the potential of VNIR–SWIR spectroscopy in quantification and variability analysis of C:N in soils from different organic and mineral layers of forested sites of the Czech Republic. At each site, we collected samples from the litter (L), fragmented (F) and humus (H) organic layers, and from the A₁ (depth of 2–10 cm) and A₂ (depth of 10–40 cm) mineral layers providing a total of 2505 samples. Support vector machine regression (SVMR) was used to train the prediction models of the selected attributes at each individual soil layer and the merged layer (profile). We further produced the spatial distribution maps of C:N as the target attribute at each soil layer. Results showed that the prediction accuracy based on the profile spectral data was adequate for all attributes. Moreover, F was the most accurately predicted layer, regardless of the soil attribute. C:N models and maps in the organic layers performed well although in mineral layers, models were poor and maps were reliable only in areas with low and moderate C:N. On the other hand, the study indicated that reflectance spectra could efficiently predict and map organic layers of the forested sites. Although, in mineral layers, high values of C:N (≥ 50) were not detectable in the map created based on the reflectance spectra. In general, the study suggests that VNIR–SWIR spectroscopy has the feasibility of modelling and mapping C:N in soil organic horizons based on national spectral data in the forests of the Czech Republic.     

酸雨对土壤有机碳氮潜在矿化的影响

Acid rain is a serious environmental problem worldwide. In this study, a pot experiment using forest soils planted with the seedlings of four woody species was performed with weekly treatments of pH 4.40, 4.00, 3.52, and 3.05 simulated acid rain （SAR） for 42 months compared to a control ofpH 5.00 lake water. The cumulative amounts of C and N mineralization in the five treated soils were determined after incubation at 25 ℃ for 65 d to examine the effects of SAR treatments. For all five treatments, cumulative CO2-C production ranged from 20.24 to 27.81 mg kg^-1 dry soil, net production of available N from 17.37 to 48.95 mg kg^-1 dry soil, and net production of NO3-N from 9.09 to 46.23 mg kg^-1 dry soil. SAR treatments generally enhanced the emission of CO2-C from the soils; however, SAR with pH 3.05 inhibited the emission. SAR treatments decreased the net production of available N and NO3-N. The cumulative CH4 and N2O productions from the soils increased with increasing amount of simulated acid rain. The cumulative CO2-C production and the net production of available N of the soil under Acmena acuminatissima were significantly higher （P 〈 0.05） than those under Schima superba and Cryptocarya concinna. The mineralization of soil organic C was related to the contents of soil organic C and N, but was not related to soil pH. However, the overall effect of acid rain on the storage of soil organic matter and the cycling of important nutrients depended on the amount of acid deposition and the types of forests.     

Tree species effects on soil enzyme activities through effects on soil physicochemical and microbial properties in a tropical montane forest on Mt. Kinabalu, Borneo

Tree species influence on the soil mineralization process can regulate overall nutrient cycling in a forest ecosystem, which may occur through their effects on substrate quality, soil physicochemical properties and soil microbial community. We investigated tree species effects on soil enzyme activities in a tropical montane forest on Mt. Kinabalu, Borneo. Specifically, we analyzed C- and P-degrading enzyme activities, as well as the relationships among the enzyme activities, soil physicochemical properties, substrate quality (C, N, and P concentrations), and microbial composition in the top 5 cm soils beneath conifers (Dacrycarpus imbricatus and Dacrydium gracilis) and broadleaves (Lithocarpus clementianus, Palaquium rioence, and Tristaniopsis clementis). Activities of acid phosphatase and β-d-glucosidase were significantly different among the tree species. Soil moisture, total C and N content and microbial lipid abundance (a proxy for microbial composition) could influence the enzyme activities although the relative contributions of microbial composition to the enzyme activities might be smaller. A higher acid phosphatase activity beneath Dacrydium than those beneath the other tree species can compensate for a lower concentration of P in available fractions beneath Dacrydium. This localized mineralization activity could subsequently influence soil nutrient availability in this forest.