The distribution of nematodes and soil microbial communities across soil aggregate fractions and farm management systems

We hypothesized that nematode and microbial communities vary between soil aggregate fractions due to variations in physical and/or resource constraints associated with each fraction and that this, in turn, contributes to management impacts on whole soil food webs. Nematode and microbial communities were examined within three soil fractions: large macroaggregates (LM; >1000 μm), small macroaggregates (SM; 250-1000 μm) and inter-aggregate soil and space (IS; <250 μm) isolated from soils of four agricultural management systems: conventional tomato (CON), organic tomato (ORG), a minimum till grain-legume intercrop with continuous cover (CC) and an unmanaged riparian corridor (RC). Aggregate fractions appeared to influence nematode assemblages more than did management system. In general the IS and LM fractions contained higher densities of all nematode trophic groups than did SM. Management × fraction interactions for bacterivores and fungivores, however; suggested a non uniform trend across management systems. The IS fraction exhibited stronger trophic links, per the nematode structure index (SI), while the LM and SM fractions had more active fungal decomposition channels as indicated by the channel index (CI). Higher adult to juvenile ratios in the LM and IS than the SM fraction, and a positive correlation between nematode density in the IS fraction and the proportion of macroaggregates in the soil, indicated an association between soil structure and nematode distribution. Microbial communities varied across both aggregate fractions and management systems. Phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) analysis suggested that the LM fraction contained greater microbial biomass, gram positive bacteria, and eukaryotes than the IS fraction, while SM contained intermediate PLFA associated with these groups. Total PLFA was greater under RC and ORG than under CC or CON. Total PLFA was positively correlated with % C in soil fractions while nematode abundance exhibited no such relationship. Our findings suggest that microbial communities are more limited by resource availability than by habitable pore space or predation, while nematode communities, although clearly resource-dependent, are better associated with habitable pore space for the soil fractions studied here.     

Soil carbon fractions and relationship to soil quality under different tillage and stubble management

Effect of 19 years of different tillage (direct drilled vs. conventional tillage) and stubble management (stubble retained vs. burnt) on soil carbon fractions were studied in a red earth, an Oxic Paleustalf at Wagga Wagga, NSW. The changes in carbon fractions were related to observed changes in soil structural stability and nitrogen availability. Significant differences in total organic carbon (TOC) were detected to 0.20 m depth, but the largest differences existed in the top 0.05 m where a difference of 8.0 g/kg (equivalent to 5.2 t ha⁻¹) was found between the extreme treatments (direct drilled/stubble retained (DD/SR) vs. conventional cultivation/stubble burnt (CC/SB)). Tillage had a much greater effect in reducing total carbon than stubble burning accounting for 80% of the total difference between the extreme treatments in 0–0.05 m layer. Tillage and stubble burning resulted in lower levels of different organic carbon fractions with tillage preferentially reducing the particulate organic carbon (POC) (>53 μm) (both free and associated POCs), whereas stubble burning reduced the incorporated organic carbon (<53 μm). We also found that tillage and stubble burning both significantly lowered the water stability of aggregate >2 mm, whereas stubble burning was related to the reduction of water stability of aggregates <50 μm. Furthermore, tillage was related to the decline in mineralisable nitrogen (MN) due to the loss of POC, especially the free POC fraction. POC was a more sensitive indicator of soil quality changes under different tillage and stubble management than TOC.     

Influence of soil tillage systems on aggregate stability and the distribution of C and N in different aggregate fractions

Soil aggregation is influenced by the tillage system used, which in turn affects the amount of C and N in the different aggregate fractions. This study assessed the impact of different tillage systems on soil aggregates by measuring the aggregate stability, the organic carbon (C_org) and the total nitrogen (N_tot) contents within different aggregate fractions, and their release of dissolved organic carbon (DOC). Soil samples were collected from the top 0 to 10 cm of a long-term tillage experiment at Fuchsenbigl (Marchfeld, Austria) where conventional tillage (CT), reduced tillage (RT), and minimum tillage (MT) treatments were applied to a Chernozem fine sandy loam. The stable aggregates (1000–2000 μm) were subject to dispersion by the soil aggregate stability (SAS or wet sieving) method after Kemper and Rosenau (1986), and the ultrasonic method of Mayer et al. (2002). Chemical analysis of the soil was obtained for the aggregate fractions 630–1000, 250–630 and 63–250 μm gathered from the ultrasonic method. Using the SAS method, CT and RT had the least amounts of stable aggregates (18.2% and 18.9%, respectively), whereas MT had twice as much stable aggregates (37.6%). Using the ultrasonic method, MT also had the highest amount of water stable aggregates in all three fractions (1.5%, 3.7%, and 35%, respectively), followed by RT (1%, 2.3%, 32.3%), and CT (0.8%, 1.7%, 29.1%). For comparison, a reference soil, EUROSOIL 7 (ES-7) was also analysed (40%, 6.7%, and 12.1%). The highest amounts of C_org and N_tot were measured under MT in all three fractions, with 8.9%, 3.8%, and 1.3% for C_org, and 0.4%, 0.3%, and 0.1% for N_tot. Apart from the fraction 630–1000 μm, the aggregates of RT and CT contained <50% of the C_org and N_tot values of MT. The C/N ratio was least favourable for CT (42.6) in the aggregate fraction 630–1000 μm. The DOC release from stable aggregates after 10 min of ultrasonic dispersion was highest from MT soil (86.7 mg l⁻¹). The values for RT and CT were 21% and 25% below this value. The results demonstrate that tillage type influences both aggregate stability and aggregate chemical composition. This research confirms that CT interferes more with the natural soil properties than RT and MT. Furthermore, MT has the highest potential to sequester C and N in this agriculturally used soil.     

外源新碳在不同类型土壤团聚体中的分配规律

通过室内模拟实验,利用δ13C方法研究外源新碳(13C标记的水稻秸秆)在不同类型土壤(红壤、黄红壤和草甸土)团聚体中的分配规律。培养温度为25°C,培养时间为360 d。结果表明:在三种类型土壤中,外源新碳进入到土壤团聚体中的数量由大到小顺序依次为250～2 000μm、50～250μm和<50μm。而进入到土壤中的外源新碳,56.8%～59.6%残留在250～2 000μm团聚体中,25.9%～28.7%残留在50～250μm团聚体中,11.7%～17.3%残留在<50μm团聚体中,表明新进入的外源碳主要分配在大团聚体中。     

不同耕作措施下土壤孔隙的多重分形特征

首先利用数字图像处理技术提取了东北黑土区长期免耕(no tillage,NT)和翻耕(moldboardtillage,MT)制度下土壤切片中的孔隙信息,然后应用矩方法研究了两种耕作制度下土壤孔隙结构的多重分形特征。结果表明,免耕降低了表层(0~5 cm)大孔隙度(500μm),但是提高了10~15 cm和20~25 cm深度的孔隙度和大孔隙度。土壤孔隙结构在64~1 024像素尺度上具有多重分形特征。广义维(Dq)和多重分形谱(f(α))及相关参数能够反映切片中孔隙结构的特征。表层土壤孔隙多重分形谱明显右偏,随深度增加趋于对称。在同一深度下,免耕处理的Δα(α-10-α10)和ΔD(D-10-D10)均大于翻耕处理,免耕处理增加了孔隙结构的复杂程度,尤其是10~15 cm和20~25 cm深度下的孔隙结构。     

Endogeic earthworms differentially influence bacterial communities associated with different soil aggregate size fractions

Endogeic earthworm activities can strongly influence soil structure. Although soil microorganisms are thought to be central to earthworm-facilitated aggregate formation, how and where within the soil matrix earthworm-facilitated influences on soil microbial communities are manifested is poorly defined. In this study we used 16S rRNA gene-based terminal restriction fragment polymorphism (T-RFLP) analyses to examine bacterial communities associated with different aggregate size fractions (macroaggregates, microaggregates-within-macroaggregates and inner-microaggregates-within-macroaggregates) of soils incubated for 28 d with and without earthworms. We hypothesized that bacterial communities in different soil aggregate size fractions are differentially influenced by earthworm activities. Our results indicate significantly enhanced aggregate formation (both macroaggregates and microaggregates within macroaggregates) in earthworm-worked soils relative to soils receiving only plant litter. Although significant differences were found between bacterial communities of earthworm and litter-only treatments for all soil fractions, communities associated with earthworm-worked macroaggregate fractions exhibited the least similarity to all other soil fractions regardless of treatment. In addition to differences in terminal restriction fragment (T-RF) size distributions, T-RFLP profiles of earthworm-worked soil macroaggregates had significantly fewer T-RF sizes, further suggesting less species evenness and more extensive alteration of bacterial communities within this fraction. These findings suggest that, due to rapid occlusion of organic materials, microbial communities associated with microaggregates-within-macroaggregates formed during or shortly after passage through the earthworm gut are relatively inactive, and therefore change relatively little over time compared to macroaggregate populations as a whole.     

Changes in some soil properties in a Vertic Argiudoll under short-term conservation tillage

The purpose of this work was to determine whether some soil physical and chemical properties, and microbial activity were affected by two conservation tillage systems in a Chernozemic clay loam soil (Vertic Argiudoll), after 5 years of trial initiation. Two crop sequences, corn (Zea mays L.)–wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)/soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) and wheat/soybean, under chisel plowing (ChP) and no till (NT) were evaluated. Physical and chemical properties were also analyzed taking the same soil without disturbance as reference. The Hénin instability index (HI) was larger in ChP than in NT in both corn–wheat/soybean (C–W/S) and wheat/soybean (W/S) sequences (P≤0.05). The C–W/S sequence differed from W/S (P≤0.01) in total organic carbon (TOC). As regards organic carbon fractions, no differences were found in labile organic carbon (LOC), while W/S under ChP showed the lowest value (P≤0.01) of humified organic carbon (HOC). No differences were found in microbial respiration either in crop sequences or in tillage systems. Soil physical and chemical properties differentiated crop sequences and tillage treatments from the undisturbed soil when a Student’s t-test was performed. Five years elapsed since the beginning of this trial was time enough to detect changes in some of the soil properties as a consequence of management practices. An important reduction in the soil structural stability was observed as related to the undisturbed soil. However, the C–W/S sequence under NT resulted in lower soil degradation with respect to the other treatments.     

The influence of tillage systems on soil organic matter and soil hydrophobicity

Management practices including various tillage systems influence quantity and composition of soil organic matter (SOM). Parameters for evaluating both the SOM quantity (organic C [C_ox], total N [N_t]) and quality (microbial biomass C, hydrophobic and hydrophilic organic components) were determined in soil samples, taken from two soil depths (0–0.1 m and 0.1–0.3 m) in a field experiment in the period 2001–2007, with different tillage systems. The experiment, founded in 1995 in Prague-Ruzyně, includes conventional soil tillage (CT) plus some selected methods of conservation tillage: (a) no tillage (NT), (b) no tillage + mulch (NTM), and (c) minimum tillage with pre-crop residues incorporated (MTS). C_ox and microbial biomass C contents increased significantly with conservation tillage as compared to CT in 0–0.1 m layer, non-significant increase was found in 0.1–0.3 m layer. N_t increased non-significantly in both layers. Along with the depth of sampling, the content of the characterized parameters decreased in all variants; but the decrease in the conventionally tilled variant was, for the most part, lower than in the conservation tillage. The functional hydrophobic and hydrophilic groups of soil organic matter were identified by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and the hydrophobic/hydrophilic group intensities ratio was calculated as the parameter of soil hydrophobicity. A higher soil hydrophobicity existed in all three conservation tillage treatments compared to CT due to the significantly higher content of hydrophobic organic components. C_ox correlated significantly with microbial biomass C, N_t, hydrophobic components, and soil hydrophobicity (R = 0.552–0.654; P < 0.05). Hydrophilic components did not correlate with other soil characteristics, with the exception of hydrophobic components. These data show that shifting from CT to the conservation tillage systems increased the content of SOM in top soil layer in relatively short time, improved the SOM quality and increased soil hydrophobicity in the condition of experiment.     

Manuring and rotation effects on soil organic carbon concentration for different aggregate size fractions on two soils in northeastern Ohio, USA

Soil carbon (C) sequestration is important to the mitigation of increasing atmospheric concentration of CO₂. This study was conducted to assess soil aggregation and C concentration under different management practices. The effects of crop rotation, manure application and tillage were investigated for 0–5 and 5–10 cm depths on two silt loam soils (fine-loamy, mixed, active, mesic Aquic Fragiudalfs and fine-loamy, mixed, active, mesic Aeric Fragiadalf) in Geauga and Stark Counties, respectively, in northeastern Ohio, USA. Wet sieve analysis and gravity fractionation techniques were used to separate samples in aggregate and particle size groups, respectively. In the Stark County farms water stable aggregate (WSA) is higher in wooded (W) controls (WSA = 94.8%) than in cultivated soils with poultry manure (PM, 78.7%) and with chemical fertilizers (CF, 79.0%). Manure applications did not increase aggregation compared to unmanured soils. The C concentrations (%) within aggregates (C_agg) are higher in W than in cultivated soils (W = 5.82, PM = 2.11, CF = 1.96). Soil C (%) is enriched in the clay (W = 9.87, PM = 4.17, CF = 4.21) compared to silt (4.26, 1.04 and 0.98, respectively) and sand (0.93, 0.14 and 0.32, respectively) fractions. In the Geauga County farm, continuous corn (CC) with conventional tillage has lower WSA (83.1%) than soils with rotations (R) (93.9%), dairy manure (DM) application (93.2%) and no-till (NT) (91.1%). The C concentrations within macroaggregates (C_agg) were higher in W soils (4.84%) than in cultivated soils (ranging from 2.65 to 1.75%). The C (%) is enriched in clay (W = 8.56, CC = 4.18, R = 5.17, DM = 5.73, NT = 4.67) compared to silt (W = 2.35, CC = 0.90, R = 0.96, DM = 1.57, NT = 1.06) and sand (W = 0.44, CC = 0.33, R = 0.13, DM = 0.41, NT = 0.18). Cultivation decreased C concentration whereas reduced tillage, rotation and manure enhanced C concentration in soil.     

保护性耕作对丘陵区水稻土团聚体稳定性的影响

长期保护性耕作通过增加土壤有机碳而成为稻田土壤结构改良的一项有效措施,而保护性耕作对土壤团聚体稳定机制的影响尚未完全清楚。本文供试土样采自耕作制定位试验水旱轮作、冬水免耕、垄作免耕和厢作免耕耕层（0～ 20 cm）土壤,土样经过糊化作用、湿润作用和再次糊化作用等预处理,用以阐明稻田土壤团聚体的破碎机制。研究结果表明：糊化作用和湿润作用后紫色水稻土团聚体稳定性差异不明显,而保护性耕作显著影响团聚体的稳定性。糊化作用后团聚体水稳性强弱顺序为：垄作免耕＞厢作免耕＞冬水免耕＞水旱轮作,湿润作用后团聚体水稳性强弱顺序为：厢作免耕＞垄作免耕＞冬水免耕＞水旱轮作。糊化作用下团聚体稳定性与有机碳浓度相关性不显著（r＝0.432,p＞0.05）,湿润作用下团聚体稳定性与有机碳浓度呈极显著正相关（r＝0.626,p＜0.01）。因此,研究结果说明保护性耕作有利于紫色水稻土大团聚体有机碳含量提高,进而增强团聚体的水稳性。     

土壤健康与农业绿色发展: 机遇与对策

  目的  为探明有机物料还田配合优化施氮对石灰性潮土土壤有机碳（SOC）及其活性组分、土壤团聚体的形成与稳定性的影响。  方法  依托长期定位试验,设置农民习惯施氮（CF_N）、优化施氮（OF_N）、秸秆还田 + 优化施氮（S_N）和生物炭 + 优化施氮（BC_N）四个处理开展土壤有机碳固定效果与机制的研究。  结果  四种施肥方式下,BC_N处理对土壤有机碳的提升效果最明显,达到18.68 g kg⁻¹,其次依次为S_N、CF_N和OF_N处理。与CF_N处理相比,有机物料还田配合优化施氮能够显著增加土壤微生物量碳（MBC）、可溶性有机碳（DOC）、颗粒态有机碳（POC）和易氧化有机碳（EOC）的含量,增幅分别为128.26%、96.62%、219.72%和45.42%;同时,> 0.25 mm团聚体的比例与土壤团聚体平均重量直径（MWD）显著提高,S_N与BC_N较CF_N处理> 0.25 mm团聚体的比例分别增加132.44%和91.45%,MWD值分别增加89.79%和66.87%。这主要得益于土壤交换性Ca^{2 +} 、Mg^{2 +} 、K ⁺ 和Na ⁺ ,以及铁铝氧化物含量的改善对大团聚体形成与稳定的驱动作用。OF_N处理较CF_N处理显著减少了氮肥投入量（261 vs. 480 kg N hm⁻² yr⁻¹）,但所测定的各指标均未表现出显著差异。  结论  尽管长期（12年）秸秆与秸秆生物炭等碳量还田配合优化施氮提高土壤有机碳含量、改善土壤团聚体结构的效果存在差异,但均显著优于单施氮肥处理。研究结果可为华北平原石灰性潮土农田碳氮协同调控策略促进土壤健康提供理论支撑。     

Cover crop effect on soil carbon fractions under conservation tillage cotton

Cover crops may influence soil carbon (C) sequestration and microbial biomass and activities by providing additional residue C to soil. We examined the influence of legume [crimson clover (Trifolium incarnatum L.)], nonlegume [rye (Secale cereale L.)], blend [a mixture of legumes containing balansa clover (Trifolium michelianum Savi), hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth), and crimson clover], and rye + blend mixture cover crops on soil C fractions at the 0–150 mm depth from 2001 to 2003. Active fractions of soil C included potential C mineralization (PCM) and microbial biomass C (MBC) and slow fraction as soil organic C (SOC). Experiments were conducted in Dothan sandy loam (fine-loamy, kaolinitic, thermic, Plinthic Kandiudults) under dryland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) in central Georgia and in Tifton loamy sand (fine-loamy, siliceous, thermic, Plinthic Kandiudults) under irrigated cotton in southern Georgia, USA. Both dryland and irrigated cotton were planted in strip tillage system where planting rows were tilled, thereby leaving the areas between rows untilled. Total aboveground cover crop and cotton C in dryland and irrigated conditions were 0.72–2.90 Mg C ha⁻¹ greater in rye + blend than in other cover crops in 2001 but was 1.15–2.24 Mg C ha⁻¹ greater in rye than in blend and rye + blend in 2002. In dryland cotton, PCM at 50–150 mm was greater in June 2001 and 2002 than in January 2003 but MBC at 0–150 mm was greater in January 2003 than in June 2001. In irrigated cotton, SOC at 0–150 mm was greater with rye + blend than with crimson clover and at 0–50 mm was greater in March than in December 2002. The PCM at 0–50 and 0–150 mm was greater with blend and crimson clover than with rye in April 2001 and was greater with crimson clover than with rye and rye + blend in March 2002. The MBC at 0–50 mm was greater with rye than with blend and crimson clover in April 2001 and was greater with rye, blend, and rye + blend than with crimson clover in March 2002. As a result, PCM decreased by 21–24 g CO₂–C ha⁻¹ d⁻¹ but MBC increased by 90–224 g CO₂–C ha⁻¹ d⁻¹ from June 2001 to January 2003 in dryland cotton. In irrigated cotton, SOC decreased by 0.1–1.1 kg C ha⁻¹ d⁻¹, and PCM decreased by 10 g CO₂–C ha⁻¹ d⁻¹ with rye to 79 g CO₂–C ha⁻¹ d⁻¹ with blend, but MBC increased by 13 g CO₂–C ha⁻¹ d⁻¹ with blend to 120 g CO₂–C ha⁻¹ d⁻¹ with crimson clover from April 2001 to December 2002. Soil active C fractions varied between seasons due to differences in temperature, water content, and substrate availability in dryland cotton, regardless of cover crops. In irrigated cotton, increase in crop C input with legume + nonlegume treatment increased soil C storage and microbial biomass but lower C/N ratio of legume cover crops increased C mineralization and microbial activities in the spring.     

Responses of soil nematode community structure to soil carbon changes due to different tillage and cover crop management practices over a nine-year period in Kanto,Japan

The response of the soil food web structure to soil quality changes during long-term anthropogenic disturbance due to farming practices has not been well studied. We evaluated the effects of three tillage systems: moldboard plow/rotary harrow (MP), rotary cultivator (RC), and no-tillage (NT), three winter cover-crop types (fallow, FL; rye, RY; and hairy vetch, HV), and two nitrogen fertilization rates (0 and 100 kg N ha⁻¹ for upland rice, and 0 and 20 kg N ha⁻¹ for soybean production) on changes in nematode community structure. Sixty-nine taxa were counted, total nematode abundance (ALL), bacterial feeders (BAC), predators (PRD), omnivores (OMN), and obligatory root feeders (ORF) were more abundant in NT than in MP and RC, but fungal feeders and facultative root feeders (FFR) were more abundant in RC than in NT and MP. Cover crop also influenced nematode community structure; rye and hairy vetch were always higher in ALL, BAC, FFR, ORF, and OMN than fallow. Seasonal changes in nematode community structure were also significant; in particular, as soil carbon increased, nematode abundance also increased. The relationship between nematode indices and soil carbon was significant only in NT, but not in MP and RC. In NT, with increasing soil carbon, enrichment index and structure index (SI) were positive and significant and channel index was negative. Bulk density was significantly negatively correlated with FFR and ORF. Seasonal difference in nematode community between summer and autumn was larger in an upland rice rotation than in a soybean rotation. Over the nine-year experiment, SI increased not only in NT but also in MP and RC, suggesting that repeated similar tillage inversions in agroecosystems may develop nematode community structures adapted to specific soil environmental conditions. Because NT showed the highest values of both SI and soil carbon, the increase of soil carbon in NT is expected to have a great impact on developing a more diverse nematode community structure.     

Cropping diversity with rice influences soil aggregate formation and nutrient storage under different tillage systems

Background : The soils under continuous rice monocropping are currently facing a serious threat of accelerated soil and environmental quality degradation. Aims : Examining the impact of tillage and cropping diversity on soil aggregate stability and associated nutrients in a sub‐tropical rice ecosystem. Methods : A split‐plot experiment with tillage (minimum, MT vs. conventional, CT) as a main plot and cropping diversity [mustard (Brassica napus)–rice (Oryza sativa)–rice (M–R–R), wheat (Triticum aestivum)–rice–rice (W–R–R), and lentil (Lens esculenta)–rice–rice (L–R–R)] as a sub‐plot was repeated for four years. Soil aggregate properties were measured using wet sieving techniques. Soil organic carbon (SOC) and nutrients were measured in different aggregate size groups as well as in the bulk soil samples. Results : Results show that all the aggregate size groups were similar in both MT and CT, except in 0.85–0.30 mm. Likewise, cropping diversities increased soil aggregation, being higher aggregate size of < 0.053 mm in M–R–R relative to the W–R–R and L–R–R, where the latter two were alike. By contrast, > 2 mm aggregates were higher in L–R–R than in M–R–R and W–R–R, where the latter two were similar. The MT increased aggregate mean weight diameter (MWD) by 14% in W–R–R, and by 29% in L–R–R. Soil organic carbon (SOC), total N (TN), and available P were higher in MT than in CT, while it was alike for exchangeable K and available S. While W–R–R had a higher aggregate‐associated SOC, available P, and available S, L–R–R had a higher TN, and M–R–R had a higher exchangeable K. While SOC, TN, and exchangeable K accumulated more in the > 0.85 mm size aggregates, the available P, in contrast, accumulated more in < 0.85 mm size aggregates. Conclusion : Wheat–rice–rice diversity, coupled with minimum tillage, has a higher potential for soil fertility sustenance and crop productivity through better nutrient protection.     

Stratification of soil aggregation and organic matter under conservation tillage systems in Africa

Soil degradation due to tillage has been reported Africa-wide. Other main causes of soil degradation are overgrazing, extensive cultivation of marginal lands, widespread clearing of vegetation for agriculture, deforestation, exploitation of unsuitable agricultural technologies, mis-management of arable lands, and frequent drought. Hence, declining soil fertility and increasing population pressure on lands are fragile bases on which to build expectations for improved crop production. This paper recognizes conservation tillage systems as one means for preventing food shortages and natural resources degradation throughout the continent. Conservation tillage has the potential for increasing soil organic matter content and enhancing soil aggregation. Conservation tillage systems can create an aggregated, fertile surface layer that is important from a soil erosion reduction perspective and thus for a sustainable agriculture in Africa. Some indigenous tillage systems in Africa can be adapted to meet objectives of conservation tillage systems. Further, recent technological developments in tillage and seeding machinery will certainly enhance the rate of farmer’s acceptance and adoption of conservation tillage.     

Effects of fertilizer placement on solute leaching under ridge tillage and no tillage

Elevated nitrate concentrations in ground water can be a problem in agricultural areas, especially where soils are sandy. Tillage operations, such as ridge tillage (RT) and no tillage (NT) can reduce runoff and erosion but leaching of soluble nutrients could adversely impact groundwater. In a 2-year study, Br was used to trace the effects of fertilizer placement on solute movement under corn (Zea mays L.) in RT and NT systems on a Monmouth fine sandy loam (Typic Hapludult) in Maryland. Treatments included 120 kg ha⁻¹ of Br⁻ or NO₃⁻-N applied in a narrow band near the ridge top (RT-RA) or in the furrow (RT-FA) with ridge tillage, or in the inter-row with NT. Two-dimensional arrays of tensiometers and suction lysimeters were used to follow the movement of water and solutes during and after the corn-growing season. Tillage and fertilizer placement did not significantly affect N uptake when averaged across years. A pronounced argillic horizon beginning at 60 cm depth caused lateral movement of Br. It appears that Br leaching in RT-RA increased slightly due to the crop canopy funneling rain towards the ridge top. Therefore, when fertilizer is applied near the row, rain occurring after full corn canopy may cause greater solute leaching in RT-RA compared to other treatments. Rain during the beginning of the growing season or after harvest caused less leaching in RT-RA. Corn yield could be maximized and N leaching minimized by applying fertilizer to the upper portion of the ridge in RT.     

Soil microbial dynamics in maize-growing soil under different tillage and residue management systems

The long-term impact of tillage and residue management on soil microorganisms was studied over the growing season in a sandy loam to loamy sand soil of southwestern Quebec, growing maize (Zea mays L.) monoculture. Tillage and residue treatments were first imposed on plots in fall 1991. Treatments consisted of no till, reduced tillage, and conventional tillage with crop residues either removed from (−R) or retained on (+R) experimental plots, laid out in a randomized complete block design. Soil microbial biomass carbon (SMB-C), soil microbial biomass nitrogen (SMB-N) and phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) contents were measured four times, at two depths (0-10 and 10-20 cm), over the 2001 growing season. Sample times were: May 7 (preplanting), June 25, July 16, and September 29 (prior to corn harvest). The effect of time was of a greater magnitude than those attributed to tillage or residue treatments. While SMB-C showed little seasonal change (160 μg C g⁻¹ soil), SMB-N was responsive to post-emergence mineral nitrogen fertilization, and PLFA analysis showed an increase in fungi and total PLFA throughout the season. PLFA profiles showed better distinction between sampling time and depth, than between treatments. The effect of residue was more pronounced than that of tillage, with increased SMB-C and SMB-N (61 and 96%) in +R plots compared to −R plots. This study illustrated that measuring soil quality based on soil microbial components must take into account seasonal changes in soil physical and chemical conditions.     

不同耕作措施下江苏省稻田土壤固碳潜力的模拟研究

以江苏省稻田为对象,整合DNDC和1:100万土壤数据库,以土壤图斑为基本模拟单元,定量估算少耕、免耕和综合措施（少耕 + 30% 秸秆还田）下江苏省稻田土壤的固碳潜力（0 ~ 30 cm）。模拟结果表明：相对于传统耕作,采用少耕、免耕和少耕 + 30% 秸秆还田均可明显地增加稻田SOC的积累,其在2009—2050年间的固碳潜力分别为24.5、47.7和43.8 Tg。免耕和少耕 + 30% 秸秆还田条件下稻田固碳速率大约是少耕的2倍。结合实际情况,少耕 + 30% 秸秆还田将是最可行的固碳措施之一。     

草甸黑土团聚体稳定性对耕作与炭基肥施用的响应

为了阐明东北草甸黑土典型区域短期耕作深度及炭基肥料施入对土壤团聚体稳定性影响,2016－2018年连续3 a翻耕秸秆全量还田玉米地上,设置深耕（DCF）与旋耕(SCF),配施有机肥(M)和生物炭(C),共6个处理：DCF、DCF+M、DCF+B、SCF、SCF+M、SCF+B。利用干湿筛法获得土壤团聚体6个粒级组,分析了平均重量直径（mean weight diameter,MWD）、水稳性团聚体比例（water-stable aggregate,WSA）、团聚体破坏度（percentage of aggregate destruction,PAD）、水稳性团聚体几何直径（geometric mean diameter,GMD）以及土壤团聚体有机碳组成和游离结晶态铁铝氧化物（FeDCB和AlDCB）、无定性态铁铝氧化物（Feoxa和Aloxa）。结果表明,耕作方式和施肥显著影响土壤团聚体组成,影响程度表现为旋耕＞深耕,增施有机肥＞常规施肥＞增施生物炭。不同形态铁铝氧化物质量分数在0.10～2.45 g/kg之间,游离结晶态铁铝氧化物含量显著高于无定形态铁铝氧化物含量。除FeDCB外,DCF处理铁铝氧化物含量均高于DCF+B处理,SCF处理Aloxa含量显著高于SCF+M、SCF+B处理19.35%和12.12%; Feoxa和Aloxa与>0.25 mm团聚体、WSA相关性大于其他影响因素,Feoxa对变异解释贡献率为61.3%。土壤有机碳含量与<0.25 mm团聚体负相关,而与>0.25 mm团聚体成正相关,其贡献率为33.0%。AlDCB、Aloxa及>0.25 mm团聚体的形成呈正相关关系,二者总贡献率为9.3%;铁铝氧化物及有机碳改变共同解释74.9%土壤团聚体稳定性和粒级分布,铁铝氧化物单独贡献率为7.9%,有机碳组分单独贡献率为9.2%;综上所述,短期耕作与炭基肥料施入对土壤结构稳定性影响显著,SCF+M是比较理想的耕作模式,在草甸黑土改良中具有一定应用价值。     

Organic and inorganic phosphorus in Mollisol soil under different tillage practices

The distribution of soil phosphorus (P) between different organic and inorganic forms depends on, among other factors, the tillage systems. The evaluation of soil P fractions is essential to determine if they are related to available P. The objective was to characterize the P forms from a soil under no tillage (NT) and conventional tillage (CT). Soil samples were taken at 0–5, 5–10 and 10–20 cm depth from a fine, mixed, thermic Petrocalcic Paleoudoll, after 8 years under NT and CT. Inorganic and organic P was measured in the anion exchange membrane (AEM), NaHCO₃, NaOH, NaOH after sonication, HCl and residual fractions extracted sequentially. Microbial P was determined by fumigating with chloroform after P extraction with AEM. The tillage systems did not affect the total P content but the distribution of P among fractions changed between NT and CT. No tillage system had significantly higher microbial P at all soil depths and ranged from 34 mg P kg⁻¹ at 0–5 cm to 10 mg P kg⁻¹ at 10–20 cm. In the upper 10 cm of soil, NT tended to have higher AEM-Pi and NaHCO₃-Pi comparing to CT system. The increase in AEM-Pi was closely related to organic carbon increases and pH decreases. The was a consistently higher concentration of NaOH-Po but the increase was significant al 5–10 and 10–20 cm, and represented on average about 35% of total P. The residual P which was considered mostly organic was also an important pool in both NT and CT, and accounted for about 30% of total P. Therefore, P availability is mainly controlled by organic P which makes up a larger proportion of total P.