农田土训螨群落变化与环境因素关系的研究

对中国农业大学实验站农田土壤螨群落变化与环境因素的关系研究结果表明,土壤螨种类与数量随土壤养分的增加而增加,随土壤容重和pH值的增大而减少;长期施用EM堆肥,土壤孔隙多,通气性好,土壤耕层增厚,有机质含量提高,土壤螨种类与数量最多。     

百草清除草剂对农田生态系统土壤动物群落结构的影响

用百草清除草剂对农田生态系统土壤动物进行染毒模拟实验,共获得土壤动物967个,隶属3门,6纲,10目。其中弹尾目、甲螨亚目为优势类群,其余为常见类群和稀有类群。实验结果表明,百草清除草剂处理组的动物种类和数量与对照组相比较明显减少,动物种类的减少主要取决于常见种类和稀有种类,动物数量的变化则主要是优势类群的数量消长。并且随着百草清溶液处理浓度的增加,土壤动物的种类和数量显著减少,但上、下层动物随染毒历时递减规律有所不同。     

地黄对土壤动物数量和群落结构的影响

为研究地黄对土壤小型动物数量和群落结构的影响,本试验通过在地黄种植田采用人为移除地黄凋落物、添加地黄凋落物和移除地黄根系等处理,定期调查了土壤小型动物的数量变化以及其与环境因子的相关性。结果表明,去除根系使土壤螨类的数量减少26.9%,对跳虫和线虫的数量没有影响;添加凋落物导致螨类和跳虫的数量分别增加73.0%和121.9%;去除凋落物对土壤动物的数量没有影响。螨类和跳虫的数量在9月份和10月份较其他月份多,而线虫的数量在5月份的数量高于其他月份。线性相关分析表明,土壤螨类的数量随着土壤pH值的增加而降低。综上可知,地黄根系对土壤动物的影响大于地上凋落物,且主要通过改变土壤环境起作用。同时,由于不同土壤动物种类对添加凋落物和去除根系响应不同,从而使土壤动物的群落结构也发生了改变。本研究结果为解决地黄连作障碍提供了新的研究思路。     

豆科牧草根际土壤脲酶活性的研究

研究结果表明:土壤脲酶活性与养分含量呈极显著相关,可作为评价土壤肥力的生物学指标;脲酶活性的垂直分布随土层深度而递减;土壤脲酶活性数量随作物生长与根系生物量的增强而增加,与土壤微生物数量显著相关;根际土壤脲酶活性高于近根际土壤;不同种类豆科牧草,根际土壤脲酶活性存在明显差异。深根豆科牧草苜蓿、草木樨可留给深层土壤大量根系残留物,从而有利于提高土壤深层脲酶活性与综合供肥能力。     

小兴安岭天然林土壤革螨的生态分布特征

对小兴安岭云冷杉林、兴安落叶松林、赤杨林、白桦林和阔叶红松林五种天然林生境土壤革螨的水平和垂直分布进行了调查研究。结果表明 ,广泛分布各生境的为峰革赛螨和小兴安岭螨 ,仅存在一种生境的种类较多 ,各生境仅存的种类越多 ,生境差异性就越明显。通过Jaccard相似性指数比较分析 ,兴安落叶松林和赤杨林生境土壤革螨群落最相似 ,云冷杉林和赤杨林生境及赤杨林和白桦林生境土壤革螨群落极不相似。土壤革螨的垂直分布总体上表现为表聚性 ,但各生境存在差异。土壤有机质和全氮含量高的土壤 ,土壤革螨的种类和数量都多。多数土壤革螨适宜在微酸性的条件下生存。     

重金属污染对农田土壤无脊椎动物群落结构的影响

研究了土壤无脊椎动物对土壤重金属污染程度的响应。群落多样性指数随土壤重金属污染程度的加重而降低,井灌田、荒草田、黄灌田的群落多样性最高,而长期污灌田的群落多样性最低。重金属污染田土壤无脊椎动物的优势类群是蜱螨目和弹尾目,两类无脊椎动物具有较强的耐污染能力。在同一季节土壤无脊椎动物的种群数量主要受土壤污染程度的影响,污染程度越高其种群数量越低。不同季节间土壤无脊椎动物的数量存在极显著差异,不同污染程度的农田总群落、弹尾目和蜱螨目的个体数量均以7月为最多,10月次之,4月最少。     

甲基对硫磷对红壤地区土壤微生物数量的影响

有机P农药是我国最重要一种农药类型,在农业生产上使用广泛。采用室内模拟方法,研究了甲基对硫磷对红壤地区不同类群土壤微生物数量的影响。研究结果表明,甲基对硫磷对土壤微生物数量的影响随甲基对硫磷添加的浓度、微生物类群和培养时间的不同而变化。添加100 mg/L和500 mg/L浓度甲基对硫磷能明显增加土壤细菌的数量,细菌数量的最大值出现在第10天左右;低浓度甲基对硫磷对土壤微生物数量影响不大。平板混合菌体培养实验证明,甲基对硫磷通过抑制或者杀灭某些种类土壤细菌,从而大大促进土壤生态系统中部分种类细菌数量的增殖。     

设施栽培条件下土壤养分及有机质组成变化趋势的研究

以黄泛平原壤质潮土不同年限的设施栽培土壤为研究对象,探讨了设施栽培条件对土壤养分及土壤有机质组成的影响。结果表明,设施栽培土壤碱解氮、速效磷、速效钾、盐分含量均明显高于大田,其含量主要取决于施用化学肥料的种类和数量,随栽培年限的增加而增加;土壤有机质、腐殖酸、胡敏酸含量随种植年限有升高趋势;HA/FA与栽培年限显著相关,表示设施栽培条件下,土壤熟化程度随有机肥料的逐年施用而有所提高,但HA/FA变化幅度不大,这可能与设施栽培形成的高温高湿条件及施用有机肥料中难分解物质的含量有关。     

耕作方式对土壤螨类群落结构的影响

土壤螨类是土壤生态系统中重要的指示生物之一。为探讨耕作方式对土壤螨类数量、类群数、群落结构以及垂直分布的影响, 试验选取位于东北黑土区中国科学院海伦农田生态系统国家野外科学观测研究站中5种耕作方式(免耕耕作、少耕耕作、平翻耕作、组合耕作和旋耕耕作)试验区内土壤螨类为研究对象, 采用改良干漏斗(Modified Tullgren)法, 于2009年5月、6月和7月3个时期分离0~15 cm土层中的土壤螨类。结果表明: 耕作方式对土壤螨类数量和类群数存在显著影响, 3个时期共捕获土壤螨类2 441只, 免耕耕作、少耕耕作、组合耕作、旋耕耕作和平翻耕作分别捕获土壤螨类366只、436只、553只、819只和267只, 分别隶属于13科、18科、13科、14科和11科。传统的旋耕耕作具有最高的土壤螨类个体数量, 而保护性耕作中的少耕耕作具有最高的土壤螨类类群数。不同时期耕作方式对土壤螨类垂直分布的影响不同, 5月除免耕耕作外其他4种耕作方式均较好地保持了土壤螨类垂直分布的表聚特征, 即0~5 cm土层中土壤螨类的数量显著(P<0.05)高于其他两层(5~10 cm, 10~15 cm), 其中组合耕作和少耕耕作在3个时期中均较好地保持了土壤螨类的表聚特征, 且少耕耕作较好地保持了土壤螨类的多样性。MGP分析结果表明: 土壤甲螨群落随季节的变化在组成上发生变化, 从最初的高等甲螨为优势类群转化为低等甲螨为优势类群, 免耕和少耕的这种趋势较其他耕作方式更为明显, 少耕耕作3个时期土壤甲螨的组成类型分别为P型、G型和O型, 而免耕耕作3个时期土壤甲螨的组成类型分别为P型、O型和G型。少耕和免耕两种保护耕作方式较其他耕作方式更有利于土壤螨类群落结构的稳定性及多样性的保持, 有利于农田土壤生态环境的保护。     

Cd胁迫下长白落叶松幼苗根系有机酸的分泌研究

用A1层暗棕壤栽植长白落叶松幼苗(1 a生和2 a生),1个月后用CdCl2溶液对土壤进行Cd胁迫处理,使土壤Cd2+浓度分别达1、2、4、8 mg kg-1,在胁迫处理后第3 d、10 d和30 d,分别采集上述两种幼苗的根际土壤样品,研究不同Cd胁迫程度(水平)和胁迫时间处理后,长白落叶松幼苗根系分泌的有机酸种类和数量,以期为系统研究有机酸在森林生态系统中的作用提供理论依据。结果表明,Cd胁迫促进1 a生苗根系分泌有机酸种类和数量增加,增加量因胁迫时间和胁迫程度而异;增加有机酸种类数量的胁迫时长顺序为30 d 3 d 10 d,即在一定胁迫程度范围内,苗木受胁迫时间较短、胁迫较重时新检出有机酸的种类较多。同样,在一定胁迫程度和胁迫时长内,苗木根系分泌有机酸总量随胁迫程度提高而增加,达到最大值后胁迫程度继续提高则分泌有机酸的总量降低。在其它条件一定时,随胁迫时间延长,根系有机酸分泌总量降低。在不同的胁迫时间,有机酸分泌量大多以3 d增幅最大;对于不同种类有机酸,苹果酸分泌量增幅最大,其次为柠檬酸或草酸。对于2 a生苗,大多数Cd胁迫处理也增加其根系分泌的有机酸种类数量,且在一定胁迫程度内有机酸分泌总量随胁迫程度增加而增加。     

Effect of Alkaline Deposition on the Mites (Acari) associated with Young Scots Pine Forests in Poland

The effect of alkaline deposition produced by the ‘Kujawy’ cement and lime factory in Bielawy, Poland, on the mites in young Scots pine forests (plants class Vaccinio-Piceetea) was investigated. The concentration of calcium in tree bark and epiphytes, which provide a habitat for mites, as well as in soil was the lowest in the control plot, and increased in the direction of the factory. A high concentration of calcium correlated with an absence of lichens from tree bark, but a medium concentration was associated with a higher species number of lichens. The density of arboreal mites and the species number of Oribatida were the highest in the control plot and decreased when getting closer to the factory. In a highly contaminated plot, the density of soil mites was lower, while in a medium contaminated plot it was higher than in the control plot. In the contaminated plots, the species number of soil Oribatida and Gamasida was lower than in the control plot, except in a least contaminated plot where the number of gamasid species was higher than in the control plot. Some species were sensitive to calcium, others were sensitive to a high concentration but tolerated medium and small concentrations of this element, and yet others tolerated calcium. The arboreal mites reacted to alkaline deposition more distinctly than soil mites.     

Tree identity surpasses tree diversity in affecting the community structure of oribatid mites (Oribatida) of deciduous temperate forests

The role of tree diversity and identity as determinants of soil animal community structure is little understood. In a mature deciduous forest dominated by beech we identified clusters of one, two and three tree species of beech, ash and lime allowing to investigate the role of tree species diversity and identity on the density and community structure of oribatid mites. To relate oribatid mite community structure to environmental factors we measured leaf litter input, fine root biomass, mass of organic layers, topsoil pH and C and N content. We expected oribatid mite density to increase with increasing tree diversity, but we expected the effects of tree species identity to override effects of tree diversity. Further, we hypothesized the density of oribatid mites to be reduced by the presence of beech but increased by the presence of lime and ash. As expected tree diversity little affected oribatid mite communities, whereas tree species identity strongly altered density and community structure of oribatid mites. However, in contrast to our expectations the density of oribatid mites was highest in presence of beech indicating that many oribatid mite species benefit from the presence of recalcitrant litter forming thick organic layers. Especially Oppioidea benefited from the presence of beech presumably due to an increased availability of food resources such as fungi and nematodes. Lower density of oribatid mites in monospecific clusters of lime and ash suggests that oribatid mites did not benefit from high quality litter of these species. Notably, large and strongly sclerotized oribatid mite species, such as Steganacarus magnus and Chamobates voigtsi, benefited from the presence of ash and lime. Presumably, these large species better resist harsh microclimatic conditions in shallow organic layers.     

The effect of some air pollutants on the vertical distribution of mites (Acari) in soils of young Scots pine forests in Poland

The effect of heavy metals and nitrogen air pollution on the vertical distribution of mites in soils in about 20 year old Scots pine forests was investigated. A high concentration of heavy metals greatly reduced the density and species richness of mites, especially in the Of/h and AEes horizons, whereas a low concentration increased the density in all soil horizons, compared with the control plots. A high concentration of nitrogen pollution reduced slightly the density of mites in all soil horizons, while lower concentrations increased their density: a medium concentration in the Ol and Of/h horizons, and a low concentration in the Ol horizon.     

Diversity of soil mite communities when managing plant communities on set-aside arable land

When restoring former agricultural land to more low-nutrient input ecosystems, the establishment of a plant community can be enhanced by sowing desirable species. In this study our aim was to determine whether management of the plant community influences the microarthropod community. We carried out a field experiment in three European countries on set-aside arable land and determined soil mites from the sites in Sweden, The Netherlands and Spain. Experimental plots on set-aside arable land were sown with high (15 species) or low (4 species) plant species seed mixtures; other plots were colonized naturally. A field with continued agricultural practices and a later successional site (target site) were used for comparison with the experimental plots. Soil from the later successional site was inoculated into half of the plots. Abandoning agricultural practices increased the density of mites at one site while the number of mite species was not affected. Sowing plant seeds had no effect on mite densities at any of the sites. The community composition of mites changed in response to management of the plant community, as shown by canonical correspondence analysis. Among the functional groups of mites, saprophytes generally dominated on all plots at all sites. Mites parasitic on insects were not present on fields with continued agricultural practice in Sweden and The Netherlands, and might thus be regarded as an indicator of an increase in trophic complexity in the sown and naturally colonized treatments. Predatory and plant parasitic mites showed no consistent pattern in relation to the treatments of the three sites. Soil inoculation treatment had only a minor impact on the soil mite communities.     

Responses of soil microarthropods to warming and increased precipitation in a semiarid temperate steppe

Soil microarthropods are an important component in soil food webs and their responses to climate change could have profound impacts on ecosystem functions. As part of a long-term manipulative experiment, with increased temperature and precipitation in a semiarid temperate steppe in the Mongolian Plateau which started in 2005, this study was conducted to examine effects of climate change on the abundance of soil microarthropods. Experimental warming had slightly negative but insignificant effects on the abundance of mites (−14.6%) and Collembola (−11.7%). Increased precipitation greatly enhanced the abundance of mites and Collembola by 117 and 45.3%, respectively. The response direction and magnitude of mites to warming and increased precipitation varied with suborder, leading to shifts in community structure. The positive relationships of mite abundance with plant cover, plant species richness, and soil microbial biomass nitrogen suggest that the responses of soil microarthropods to climate change are largely regulated by food resource availability. The findings of positive dependence of soil respiration upon mite abundance indicate that the potential contribution of soil fauna to soil CO₂ efflux should be considered when assessing carbon cycling of semiarid grassland ecosystems under climate change scenarios.     

More sex at higher altitudes: Changes in the frequency of parthenogenesis in oribatid mites in tropical montane rain forests

We investigated changes in density, proportion of parthenogenetic species and individuals, and community structure of oribatid mites (Oribatida, Acari) along an altitudinal gradient in tropical montane rain forests in southern Ecuador. We hypothesized that the proportion of parthenogenetic species and individuals increases whereas density decreases with increasing altitude due to increased harshness of abiotic conditions known to favor parthenogenetic reproduction. In contrast to our hypothesis, the number of parthenogenetic species and individuals decreased toward higher altitudes indicating that changes in environmental conditions with altitude favor sexual rather than parthenogenetic reproduction. Low density of oribatid mites at high altitudes suggest that high frequency and density of sexual species is favored by the availability of resources and not by factors related to harsh abiotic conditions, finding mating partners or tight coupling with parasites or pathogens. Cosmopolitan decomposer taxa tended to be more frequent at higher altitudes indicating that these species are euryoecious. Overall, our data support the view that the reproductive mode of soil animals is predominantly controlled by the availability and accessibility of resources.     

Top-down control of soil microarthropods - Evidence from a laboratory experiment

Predator-prey interactions are of eminent importance as structuring forces for animal communities. The present study investigates if and how strongly the density of soil microarthropods is controlled by top-down forces, i.e. predation by mesostigmate mites (Mesostigmata, Acari). We set up a laboratory experiment running for ten weeks with undisturbed soil cores taken from the field using two densities of predatory mesostigmate mites: (1) ambient density (control) and (2) increased density (addition of seven Pergamasus septentrionalis and eight Lysigamasus sp. individuals). Increased predator density resulted in a decrease in the density of Oribatida, Collembola and Protura whereas the density of other taxa including Astigmata, Prostigmata and Uropodina was not significantly affected. Additionally, the species number of Oribatida was also not significantly affected. Taxa of Oribatida and Collembola were differently affected by increased predator density. Among Collembola, densities of Poduridae and Sminthuridae were reduced, whereas Entomobryidae were not affected. Among Oribatida, densities of Oppiidae and Suctobelbidae were reduced whereas Desmonomata, Poronota and Tectocepheus were not affected. Grouping of Oribatida into different size classes and into classes differing in sclerotization suggests that smaller mites (200-300 μm) and mites with less sclerotization were more heavily affected than larger mites and mites with strong sclerotization. The results indicate that predatory mesostigmate mites have the potential to control the density of certain taxa of soil microarthropods. In particular, small and little sclerotized prey is susceptible to predator control indicating that predator defense is an important component of the life history tactics of soil microarthropods, especially of Oribatida.     

Changes in spatial distribution of fungal propagules associated with invertebrate activity in soil

Soil fungal species density and aggregation had changed 6 months after spring burning and raking in a Wisconsin prairie. Fungal species density had increased by 29% in burned relative to raked or undisturbed plots; species density was highest at the soil surface in burned and raked plots, and lowest at the surface in undisturbed plots. Fungal propagules of the same species were less aggregated in burned and raked plots than in undisturbed. These changes imply greater mixing of fungal propagules in soil of burned and raked plots than in undisturbed plots. The physical effects of burning and raking and the properties of fungal spores do not account for the changes. It is argued that soil invertebrates are responsible for the mixing because: (1) at any depth in soil, density of mites and collembola increased concurrently with fungal species density; and (2) path analysis shows that fungal species density is equally associated with microarthropod density and root biomass after burning, but after raking, fungal species density was more strongly associated with root biomass than microarthropods.     

Influence of three different land management practices on soil mite (Arachnida: Acari) densities in relation to a natural soil

Intensification of agricultural practices is leading to an increased rate of severe soil degradation in the central area of Argentina, with large areas being converted to arable lands. The application of different management practices to soil impacts edaphic mite populations by altering the organic inputs and by influencing the soil microhabitat. The objective of this paper was to evaluate the influence of three different land management practices on soil mite density in temperate agroecosystems of Córdoba, Argentina, in comparison with a natural soil. Standard abiotic soil properties were also analyzed. Six samples per plot and per sampling date were taken at bimonthly intervals from August 1999 to June 2001. A gradient of increasing soil degradation was evident in physical, chemical and physicochemical soil properties from natural to agricultural plots. Total mite density decreased as soil cultivation increased. However, different responses to land management were observed when comparing the different suborders of mites. Oribatida and Mesostigmata were more sensitive to the agricultural practices than Prostigmata and Astigmata. Densities of the last two suborders seemed to be unaffected by soil cultivation in some periods. Oribatida, Mesostigmata and pooled mite density showed a hump-backed relationship with management intensity, with a maximum in the cattle management. It is concluded that the influence of soil cultivation on soil mites as a whole was negative, with more intensively managed systems tending to reduce mite density, although different suborders were differentially affected by agricultural intensification. We suggest that the reduction of total mite, Oribatida and Mesostigmata densities in the high-input managements is mainly explained by the perturbations produced by conventional agricultural practices and by environmental soil conditions present in the intensively managed sites that were unfavorable for these groups of mites. The implication of the changes reported in mite abundances on soil processes is discussed.     

Suitability of wheat straw decomposition,cotton strip degradation and bait-lamina feeding tests to determine soil invertebrate activity

The activities of earthworms, springtails and mites in the decomposition of different substrates were examined by applying three different test methods: wheat straw degradation, the cotton-strip assay and the bait-lamina test. The main aim was to determine the potential of these three methods to describe the (direct and indirect) contribution of soil invertebrates to decomposition processes in soil. Animals were introduced at different densities to mesocosms consisting of intact soil cores taken from grassland. Wheat straw mass loss, determined after 27 days, and cotton tensile strength loss, measured after 14 days, did not significantly differ for the different densities of earthworms, springtails and mites. These findings indicate that cellulose degradation and wheat straw decomposition are more dependent on microbial activity, rather than on the abundance and activity of soil invertebrates. Soil microbial activity, measured as dehydrogenase activity at the end of the 75-day incubation period, did not show any correlation with animal density. Bait-lamina consumption rate was highest for the mesocosms containing earthworms, and increased with increasing earthworm density. Bait-lamina consumption in the mesocosms inoculated with springtails or mites only was not significantly different from that in the controls without animals. In the case of the mites this might at least partly be explained by the low densities used in this experiment. It may be concluded that whilst the bait-lamina test gives the best reflection of the biological activity of soil animals, in particular earthworms, wheat straw and cotton strip decomposition rates are more indicative of microbial activity in the soil.