Responses of microbial activities and soil physical-chemical properties to the successional process of biological soil crusts in the Gurbantunggut Desert,Xinjiang

Biological soil crusts(BSCs) are capable of modifying nutrient availability to favor the establishment of biogeochemical cycles. Microbial activities serve as critical roles for both carbon and nutrient transformation in BSCs. However, little is known about microbial activities and physical-chemical properties of BSCs in the Gurbantunggut Desert, Xinjiang, China. In the present research, a sampling line with 1-m wide and 20-m long was set up in each of five typical interdune areas selected randomly in the Gurbantunggut Desert. Within each sampling line, samples of bare sand sheet, algal crusts, lichen crusts and moss crusts were randomly collected at the depth of 0–2 cm. Variations of microalgal biomass, microbial biomass, enzyme activities and soil physical-chemical properties in different succession of BSCs were analyzed. The relationships between microalgal biomass, microbial biomass, enzymatic activities and soil physical-chemical properties were explored by stepwise regression. Our results indicate that microalgal biomass, microbial biomass and most of enzyme activities increased as the BSCs developed and their highest values occurred in lichen or moss crusts. Except for total K, the contents of most soil nutrients(organic C, total N, total P, available N, available P and available K) were the lowest in the bare sand sheet and significantly increased with the BSCs development, reaching their highest values in moss crusts. However, pH values significantly decreased as the BSCs developed. Significant and positive correlations were observed between chlorophyll a and microbial biomass C. Total P and N were positively associated with chlorophyll a and microbial biomass C, whereas there was a significant and negative correlation between microbial biomass and available P. The growth of cyanobacteria and microorganism contributed C and N in the soil, which offered substrates for enzyme activities thus increasing enzyme activities. Probably, improvement in enzyme activities increased soil fertility and promoted the growth of cyanobacteria, eukaryotic algae and heterotrophic microorganism, with the accelerating succession of BSCs. The present research found that microalgal-microbial biomass and enzyme activities played important roles on the contents of nutrients in the successional stages of BSCs and helped us to understand developmental mechanism in the succession of BSCs.     

农牧交错带不同植被群落对土壤微生物量碳氮磷的影响

为了解荒漠化土地植被恢复对土壤微生物量的影响,以地处毛乌素沙地南缘的榆林市沙生植物园植被恢复30年的乔木、灌木和草地3种植被群落下土壤为研究对象,分析了植被恢复对土壤微生物量碳、氮、磷含量及比值的影响及其与土壤理化性质的相关性。结果表明,农牧交错带荒漠化土地植被恢复可以明显提高表层土壤微生物碳、氮、磷的含量。土壤微生物量碳以灌木林地为最高,含量为288.35 mg·kg-1,显著高于草地和乔木,分别是乔木林地和草地的3.99和2.10倍;土壤微生物磷在三种植被群落间差异不明显;三种植被群落下土壤微生物碳氮比的高低为乔木林地草地灌木林地,土壤微生物碳磷比表现为草地略高于乔木林地和灌木林地。相关性分析结果显示微生物量碳、氮、磷与土壤理化性质相关性极为密切,其中与土壤养分各指标大多呈现极显著相关,与土壤容重多为极显著负相关。说明土壤微生物量可以作为评价土壤质量的生物学指标。     

黄土高原南部植被恢复对土壤理化性状与土壤酶活性的影响

利用退耕区域不同植被恢复类型为试点,研究不同植被恢复年限、不同恢复类型土壤理化性状和土壤酶活性动态变化。结果表明,随着恢复年限增加,土壤容重先增加后逐渐下降;pH降低,降幅为1.47%~5.52%;土壤有机质、全氮逐渐增加,增幅分别为9.76%~71.54%、17.39%~62.32%;全磷含量除30 a刺槐比对照增加了12.92%外,其它植被类型均低于对照;速效养分略有增加,趋势不明显;酶活性逐渐增强,尿酶、过氧化氢酶、碱性磷酸酶、蔗糖酶增幅分别为39%~229%、34%~96%、25%~149%、74%~250%。相关性分析表明,各种酶活性与有机质及全氮含量显著相关。因此,实施退耕还林植被恢复有利于土壤理化性状改善,酶活性增强。     

Stand structure and height-diameter relationship of a degraded Populus euphratica forest in the lower reaches of the Tarim River,Northwest China

Understanding stand structure and height-diameter relationship of trees provides very useful information to establish appropriate countermeasures for sustainable management of endangered forests. Populus euphratica, a dominant tree species along the Tarim River watershed, plays an irreplaceable role in the sustainable development of regional ecology, economy and society. However, as the result of climate changes and human activities, the natural riparian ecosystems within the whole river basin were degraded enormously, particularly in the lower reaches of the river where about 320 km of the riparian forests were either highly degraded or dead. In this study, we presented one of the main criteria for the assessment of vitality of P. euphratica forests by estimating the defoliation level, and analyzed forest structure and determined the height-diameter(height means the height of a tree and diameter means the diameter at breast height(DBH) of a tree) relationship of trees in different vitality classes(i.e. healthy, good, medium, senesced, dying, dead and fallen). Trees classified as healthy and good accounted for approximately 40% of all sample trees, while slightly and highly degraded trees took up nearly 60% of total sample trees. The values of TH(tree height) and DBH ranged from 0–19 m and 0–125 cm, respectively. Trees more than 15 m in TH and 60 cm in DBH appeared sporadically. Trees in different vitality classes had different distribution patterns. Healthy trees were mainly composed more of relatively younger trees than of degraded tress. The height-diameter relationships differed greatly among tress in different vitality classes, with the coefficients ranging from 0.1653 to 0.6942. Correlation coefficients of TH and DBH in healthy and good trees were higher than those in trees of other vitality classes. The correlation between TH and DBH decreased with the decline of tree vitality. Our results suggested that it might be able to differentiate degraded P. euphratica trees from healthy trees by determining the height-diameter correlation coefficient, and the coefficient would be a new parameter for detecting degradation and assessing sustainable management of floodplain forests in arid regions. In addition, tree vitality should be taken into account to make an accurate height-diameter model for tree height prediction.     

Changes in soil carbon stocks and related soil properties along a 50-year grassland-to-cropland conversion chronosequence in an agro-pastoral ecotone of Inner Mongolia, China

Land use change significantly influences soil properties.There is little information available on the long-term effects of post-reclamation from grassland to cropland on soil properties.We compared soil carbon(C) and nitrogen(N) storage and related soil properties in a 50-year cultivation chronosequence of grassland in the agro-pastoral ecotone of Inner Mongolia.Field surveys on land use changes during the period of 1955-2002 were conducted to build a chronosequence of cropland of different ages since the conversion from grassland.The results showed that soil C and N storage,soil texture,and soil nutrient contents varied with land use types and cropland ages(P<0.01).In the 0-30 cm soil layer,the soil organic carbon(SOC) density was significantly lower in the croplands(3.28 kg C/m2 for C50 soil) than in the grasslands(6.32 kg C/m2).After 5,10,15,20,35,and 50 years of crop planting(years since the onset of cultivation),the SOC losses were 17%,12%,19%,47%,46%,and 48%,respectively,compared with the grasslands.The soil total nitrogen(TN) density of the grasslands was 65 g N/m2,and TN density of the cropland soil was 35 g N/m2 after 50 years of crop planting.Both the SOC and TN densities could be quantitatively determined by a negative exponential function of cropland age(P<0.0001,R2=0.8528;P<0.0001,R2=0.9637).The dissolved organic carbon(DOC) content,soil available potassium(AK) content,clay content,and pH value were decreased;and the soil bulk density and sand content were increased since the conversion of grassland into cropland during the 50-year period.Our results show soil nutrients were higher in grassland than in cropland.The conversion of grasslands to croplands induced a loss of soil C storage and changes of related soil properties.The reclamation time of cultivated soil(cropland age) had significant effects on soil properties in the study area.     

Effects of artificially cultivated biological soil crusts on soil nutrients and biological activities in the Loess Plateau

Biological soil crusts （BSCs） play an important role in the early succession of vegetation restoration in the Loess Plateau, China. To evaluate the effects of artificially cultivated BSCs on the soil surface micro-envir- onment, we obtained natural moss crusts and moss-lichen crusts from the Loess Plateau of Shaanxi province, and subsequently inoculated and cultivated on horizontal and sloping surfaces of loess soil in a greenhouse. The chemical and biological properties of the subsoil under cultivated BSCs were determined after 10 weeks of cul- tivation. The results indicated that BSCs coverage was more than 65% after 10 weeks of cultivation. Moss crust coverage reached 40% after 5 weeks of cultivation. Compared with the control, soil organic matter and available nitrogen contents in moss crust with the horizontal treatments increased by 100.87% and 48.23%, respectively; increased by 67.56% and 52.17% with the sloping treatments, respectively; they also increased in moss-lichen crust with horizontal and sloping treatments, but there was no significant difference. Available phosphorus in cultivated BSCs was reduced, soil pH was lower and cationic exchange capacity was higher in cultivated BSCs than in the control. Alkaline phosphatase, urease and invertase activities were increased in artificially cultivated BSCs, and alkaline phosphatase activity in all cultivated BSCs was obviously higher than that in the control. Numbers of soil bacteria, fungi and actinomycetes were increased in the formation process of cultivated BSCs. These results indicate that BSCs could be formed rapidly in short-term cultivation and improve the mi- cro-environment of soil surface, which provides a scientific reference for vegetation restoration and ecological reconstruction in the Loess Plateau. China.     

Assessment of organic compost and biochar in promoting phytoremediation of crude-oil contaminated soil using Calendula officinalis in the Loess Plateau,China

The Loess Plateau, located in Gansu Province, is an important energy base in China because most of the oil and gas resources are distributed in Gansu Province. In the last 40 a, ecological environment in this region has been extremely destroyed due to the over-exploitation of crude-oil resources. Remediation of crude-oil contaminated soil in this area remains to be a challenging task. In this study, in order to elucidate the effects of organic compost and biochar on phytoremediation of crude-oil contaminated soil(20 g/kg) by Calendula officinalis, we designed five treatments, i.e., natural attenuation(CK), planted C. officinalis only(P), planted C. officinalis with biochar amendment(PB), planted C. officinalis with organic compost amendment(PC), and planted C. officinalis with co-amendment of biochar and organic compost(PBC). After 152 d of cultivation, total petroleum hydrocarbons(TPH) removal rates of CK, P, PB, PC and PBC were 6.36%, 50.08%, 39.58%, 73.10% and 59.87%, respectively. Shoot and root dry weights of C. officinalis significantly increased by 172.31% and 80.96% under PC and 311.61% and 145.43% under PBC, respectively as compared with P(P0.05). Total chlorophyll contents in leaves of C. officinalis under P, PC and PBC significantly increased by 77.36%, 125.50% and 79.80%, respectively(P0.05) as compared with PB. Physical-chemical characteristics and enzymatic activity of soil in different treatments were also assessed. The highest total N, total P, available N, available P and SOM(soil organic matter) occurred in PC, followed by PBC(P0.05). C. officinalis rhizospheric soil dehydrogenase(DHA) and polyphenol oxidase(PPO) activities in PB were lower than those of other treatments(P0.05). The values of ACE(abundance-based coverage estimators) and Chao 1 indices for rhizospheric bacteria were the highest under PC followed by PBC, P, PB and CK(P0.05). However, the Shannon index for bacteria was the highest under PC and PBC, followed by P, PB and CK(P0.05). In terms of soil microbial community composition, Proteiniphilum, Immundisolibacteraceae and Solimonadaceae were relatively more abundant under PC and PBC. Relative abundances of Pseudallescheria, Ochroconis, Fusarium, Sarocladium, Podospora, Apodus, Pyrenochaetopsis and Schizothecium under PC and PBC were higher, while relative abundances of Gliomastix, Aspergillus and Alternaria were lower under PC and PBC. As per the nonmetric multidimensional scaling(NMDS) analysis, application of organic compost significantly promoted soil N and P contents, shoot length, root vitality, chlorophyll ratio, total chlorophyll, abundance and diversity of rhizospheric soil microbial community in C. officinalis. A high p H value and lower soil N and P contents induced by biochar, altered C. officinalis rhizospheric soil microbial community composition, which might have restrained its phytoremediation efficiency. The results suggest that organic compost-assisted C. officinalis phytoremediation for crude-oil contaminated soil was highly effective in the Loess Plateau, China.     

风沙半干旱区果粮立体复合模式下土壤水分与微生物量碳变化特征及产量效益评价

选择科尔沁沙地南缘7种果粮立体复合模式(模式A1:大扁杏//花生/玉米/花生//大扁杏;模式A2:大扁杏//谷子/玉米/谷子//大扁杏;模式A3:大扁杏//大豆/玉米/大豆//大扁杏;模式B1:大扁杏//玉米//大扁杏;模式B2:大扁杏//花生//大扁杏;模式B3:大扁杏//谷子//大扁杏;模式B4:大扁杏//大豆//大扁杏),分析比较7种果粮立体复合模式土壤水分含量与微生物量碳的变化,评价不同模式区的经济效益.结果表明:果粮立体复合模式区玉米地在整个生长季(0～60 cm)平均含水量为:模式A1>模式A2>模式A3>模式B1,模式A1、A2、A3对矮棵作物0～20 cm土壤含水量影响不显著.不同立体复合模式区玉米地(0～20 cm)土壤微生物量碳的含量顺序为,模式A3>模式A1>模式B1>模式A2;矮棵作物(0～20 cm)土壤微生物量碳的含量状况为:模式A1、A3中的花生与大豆高于模式B2、B4,说明玉米与豆科作物带状间作模式可增加其微生物量碳的含量.不同立体复合模式玉米单位面积产量顺序为:模式A1>模式A3>模式A2>模式B1.模式A1、A2、A3的矮棵作物(花生、谷子、大豆)产量比模式B2、B3、B4略有减产,减产幅度均小于5%,差异不显著.从不同果粮立体复合模式的经济效益分析,模式A1与模式B2经济效益较高.因此,模式A1与模式B2在风沙半干旱区表现较好.     

碘甲磺隆钠盐对土壤中几种生物学指标的影响

通过模拟实验研究了除草剂碘甲磺隆钠盐对土壤中脲酶、过氧化氢酶、呼吸作用及土壤微生物生物量碳的影响。结果表明:碘甲磺隆钠盐在田间施用量(1 mg/kg)下对土壤脲酶和微生物生物量碳的影响呈现为显著的抑制-恢复过程;对土壤过氧化氢酶的影响呈现出轻微的抑制-激活-恢复过程。碘甲磺隆钠盐施用初期对土壤呼吸作用也有一定的影响,浓度愈大,对土壤呼吸强度的抑制愈强,但随着时间的推移,逐步由抑制作用转为一定程度的激发作用,到12 d后施药土壤与对照组土壤的呼吸强度基本上趋于一致。统计分析结果表明,碘甲磺隆钠盐属于低毒或无实际危害的农药。     

施氮和覆膜对旱作春玉米农田土壤微生物量和土壤酶活性的影响

为研究长期不同施氮水平和覆膜对黄土高原旱作春玉米高产体系土壤微生物活性的影响,设置田间试验包含施氮水平和覆膜2个因子,施氮量分别为0（N0）、100 kg·hm^-2（N100）、250 kg·hm^-2（N250）和400 kg·hm^-2（N400）,每个施氮水平下分别有覆膜（F）与不覆膜（B）处理,供试玉米品种为先玉335。2014年采集0~10 cm和10~20 cm土层土壤样品,测定土壤微生物量和酶活性,分析微生物量计量学特征并进行综合评价。结果表明,无论覆膜与否,土壤微生物量碳、氮和磷均随施氮量的增加而增加（除不覆膜时N400处理）,施氮量高于250 kg·hm^-2时土壤微生物量增加不显著。覆膜对土壤微生物量碳、氮无显著影响,而显著增加土壤微生物量磷;覆膜在一定程度上降低N0、N100和N400处理土壤微生物量碳氮比,施氮则显著增加微生物量碳氮比和微生物量氮磷比。0~10 cm土层脲酶活性随施氮量的增加而增加,但覆膜对脲酶活性无显著影响。覆膜和施氮均显著增加碱性磷酸酶活性,0~10 cm和10~20 cm土层覆膜N400处理碱性磷酸酶活性在相应土层最大,分别为1.49 mg·g^-1·d^-1和1.61 mg·g^-1·d^-1。主成分分析结果表明施氮量为250 kg·hm^-2时土壤微生物活性最强。研究表明无论覆膜与否,250 kg·hm^-2的施氮量是该地区适宜的施氮量。     

Effects of rodent-induced disturbance on eco-physiological traits of Haloxylon ammodendron in the Gurbantunggut Desert,Xinjiang, China

Disturbance by rodents alters the morphologies and nutrients of plants as well as the physical-chemical properties of the soils. Changes in plants are considered to be mechanisms of defense against the disturbance by rodents. Rodents gnaw on the assimilating branches of Haloxylon ammodendron(CA Mey.) Bunge and burrow under the bushes in the desert ecosystems of Xinjiang, China. However, eco-physiological responses of different age groups of H. ammodendron to the disturbance by rodents are not well understood. In this study, soil physical-chemical properties under the shrubs and the above-ground morphological, physiological and biochemical features of assimilating branches of H. ammodendron of different age groups(i.e., young, 30-100 cm; middle-aged, 100-200 cm; and mature, 200 cm) in burrowed and non-burrowed(control) areas were studied in 2018. We found that disturbance by rodents significantly increased the crown width and total branching rates of young and middle-aged H. ammodendron. Photosynthetic pigment contents of assimilating branches of H. ammodendron were significantly reduced under the disturbance by rodents. In term of plant nutrients, the main differences among different age groups of H. ammodendron under the disturbance by rodents occurred in the total soluble sugar and reducing sugar contents that decreased in young plants, increased in middle-aged plants, and did not affect in mature plants. Crude protein and phosphorus contents significantly increased, while crude fiber and calcium contents significantly decreased in young plants. Crude fat and calcium contents significantly decreased in middle-aged plants. Soil organic matter(SOM), total nitrogen(TN), available nitrogen(AN) and available potassium(AK) contents in the topsoil(0–20 cm), which are conducive to forming 'fertile islands' ', also increased under the disturbance by rodents. In particular, soil AN and AK were the major factors affecting the above-ground morphological characteristics of H. ammodendron in burrowed areas. Overall, the response and defense strategies of H. ammodendron to the disturbance by rodents differed among different age groups, and the effect of the disturbance by rodents on H. ammodendron gradually weakened with the increasing plant age.     

旱作区环保型材料覆盖对马铃薯生长的影响及其降解特性

2015年在宁夏南部旱作区进行了垄上覆盖普通地膜结合内覆盖不同材料(普通地膜、玉米秸秆、生物降解膜、麻地膜及液体地膜)的降解特性及其土壤水温效应对马铃薯生长的影响研究。结果表明,不同覆盖材料对马铃薯生育期土壤水温状况的调节作用表现为:生物降解膜覆盖处理0~25 cm土层平均土壤温度较不覆盖处理(对照)提高1.4℃,而秸秆和液态地膜覆盖处理在整个生育期分别低于对照1.5℃和0.7℃;地膜和秸秆覆盖处理在马铃薯生育期具有较强保墒作用,地膜、秸秆、生物降解膜、麻地膜覆盖处理下0~200 cm土层平均土壤贮水量较对照分别增加5.1%、6.2%、3.7%、3.1%;在生育前期,地膜、生物降解膜和秸秆覆盖处理植株株高及茎粗显著高于对照,而生育中后期麻地膜和秸秆覆盖处理显著高于对照,在整个生育期液体地膜覆盖处理马铃薯生长与不覆盖无差异。地膜、秸秆和麻地膜覆盖处理下马铃薯增产显著,分别较对照增产34.3%、56.1%、11.3%;秸秆、地膜和液态膜覆盖处理商品薯率分别较对照提高4.7%、3.4%、3.0%,以秸秆覆盖处理的纯收益最高(19 676.1元·hm-2)。在马铃薯收获期液态地膜可完全降解,70%以上麻地膜发生降解,生物降解膜次之。覆盖秸秆措施通过调节土壤水温状况可实现增产增收,是宁南旱区马铃薯覆盖栽培的有效措施。     

全膜覆土穴播种植技术对旱地冬小麦土壤微生物活性的影响

在甘谷地区采用田间试验方法,以传统耕作方式为对照,设全膜覆土穴播、全膜不覆土穴播2种不同覆膜方式,研究了全膜覆土穴播种植对冬小麦土壤微生物活性、养分及产量的影响。结果表明:1全膜穴播种植方式能明显提高冬小麦各生育期的土壤微生物量C、N。与传统耕作相比,全膜覆土穴播种植方式和全膜不覆土穴播种植方式土壤微生物量C、N含量平均提高29.87%,21.42%和20.59%,16.57%。2全膜覆土穴播种植方式各生育期小麦的土壤脲酶和蔗糖酶活性均明显高于传统耕作的,而碱性磷酸酶活性有所不同。3各处理土壤微生物量和酶活性与冬小麦的生长发育呈正相关。4全膜覆土穴播种植方式明显提高冬小麦产量和土壤速效养分含量。因此,全膜覆土穴播种植方式是适合该区旱作农业可持续发展的有效模式之一。     

Impact of enclosure management on soil properties and microbial biomass in a restored semi-arid rangeland,Kenya

Rangeland degradation is a serious problem throughout sub-Saharan Africa and its restoration is a challenge for the management of arid and semi-arid areas. In Lake Baringo Basin of Kenya, communities and individual farmers are restoring indigenous vegetation inside enclosures in an effort to combat severe land degradation and address their livelihood problems. This study evaluated the impact of enclosure management on soil properties and microbial biomass, being key indicators of soil ecosystem health. Six reseeded communal enclosures using soil embankments as water-harvesting structures and strictly regulated access were selected, varying in age from 13 to 23 years. In six private enclosures, ranging from 3 to 17 years in age, individual farmers emulated the communal enclosure strategy and restored areas for their exclusive use. Significant decreases in bulk density, and increases in the soil organic carbon, total nitrogen and microbial biomass contents and stocks were found in the enclosures as compared with the degraded open rangeland. In the private enclosures, the impact of rehabilitation on the soil quality was variable, and soil quality was in general lower than that obtained under communal management. The significant increase of absolute stocks of carbon, nitrogen and microbial biomass compared to the degraded open rangeland indicates the potential for the restoration of soil quality through range rehabilitation. Over-sowing with indigenous legume fodder species could improve total nitrogen content in the soil and nutritional value of the pastures as well.     

Cultivation effects on soil texture and fertility in an arid desert region of northwestern China

In arid desert regions of northwestern China, reclamation and subsequent irrigated cultivation have become effective ways to prevent desertification, expand arable croplands, and develop sustainable agricultural production. Improvement in soil texture and fertility is crucial to high soil quality and stable crop yield. However, knowledge on the long-term effects of the conversion of desert lands into arable croplands is very limited. To address this problem, we conducted this study in an arid desert region of northwestern China to understand the changes in soil physical-chemical properties after 0, 2, 5, 10, 17, and 24 years of cultivation. Our results showed that silt and clay contents at the 17-year-old sites increased 17.5 and 152.3 folds, respectively, compared with that at the 0-year-old sites. The soil aggregate size fraction and its stability exhibited an exponential growth trend with increasing cultivation ages, but no significant change was found for the proportion of soil macroaggregates (>5.00 mm) during the 17 years of cultivation. The soil organic carbon (SOC) content at the 24-year-old sites was 6.86 g/kg and increased 8.8 folds compared with that at the 0-year-old sites. The total (or available) nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium contents showed significant increasing trends and reached higher values after 17 (or 24) years of cultivation. Changes in soil physical-chemical properties successively experienced slow, rapid, and stable development stages, but some key properties (such as soil aggregate stability and SOC) were still too low to meet the sustainable agricultural production. The results of this long-term study indicated that reasonable agricultural management, such as expanding no-tillage land area, returning straw to the fields, applying organic fertilizer, reducing chemical fertilizer application, and carrying out soil testing for formula fertilization, is urgently needed in arid desert regions.     

围栏禁牧对毛乌素沙地土壤理化特征的影响

过度放牧导致干旱半干旱区毛乌素沙地草地严重退化。通过禁牧措施排除放牧干扰,使草地自然恢复,作为一种低投入的措施在世界各国退化草地生态系统恢复中得到广泛采用。文中对毛乌素沙地三种不同管理类型(持续放牧、围栏5年和围栏16年)土壤理化性状进行了研究,研究结果显示:围栏禁牧5年对0～30cm土壤颗粒组成和容重没有显著影响;围栏禁牧16年0～10cm土壤容重显著小于持续放牧区,而极细沙、粉粒和粘粒含量显著高于持续放牧区;围栏5年显著增加了0～5cm土壤有机碳,而0～30cm的全氮均没有显著增加。围栏16年土壤有机碳较放牧区在0～5cm、5～10cm、10～30cm分别显著增加了231%、81%、55%;全氮含量的变化趋势与之相同。结果表明,围栏5年对土壤粘粉粒、全氮含量的恢复基本没有效果;围栏16年能显著增加表层土壤粘粉粒含量和有机碳、全氮,但土壤碳、氮水平还是在比较低的水平(有机碳:4.30g.kg-1;全氮:0.74g.kg-1),即长期禁牧可以逐渐改善土壤质地和提高土壤肥力。研究结果为半干旱退化沙质草地生态系统的恢复、重建及管理提供科学依据。     

地表覆盖对黄土高原土壤有机碳及其组分的影响

基于中国科学院长武黄土高原农业生态实验站2008年开始田间定位试验资料,分析研究秸秆覆盖与地膜覆盖对黄土高原土壤有机碳（SOC）及其组分的影响,试验包括5个处理：对照不覆盖（CK）、作物生育期9000 kg ·hm-2秸秆覆盖（M1）、作物生育期4500 kg·hm-2秸秆覆盖（M2）、夏闲秸秆覆盖（SF）、作物生育期地膜覆盖（PM）。2010（干旱年）、2012（丰水年）两次测定结果表明：0～30 cm土层平均,与CK相比,2012年土壤有机碳（SOC）含量M1处理提高了7．4％,潜在矿化碳（PCM）含量M1、M2、SF处理分别提高了37．8％、23．9％、7．2％,微生物量碳（MBC）含量M1和M2处理分别提高了59．9％和42．3％,碳库管理指数（CMI）M1、M2、SF 处理分别提高了53．1％、35．6％、13．9％;2010年M1处理CMI较CK提高了16．1％（P＜0．05）,其余处理土壤有机碳各指标与CK差异两年均不显著。不同覆盖方式对表层土壤有机碳及各项指标影响较大,随土层加深影响减弱,其中秸秆覆盖4年后碳库管理指数均有显著提高。两种活性有机碳的相对含量与其各自绝对含量的变化基本一致,且有机碳各指标间显著相关。综合来看,高量秸秆覆盖能够提高表层土壤有机碳及其组分含量,地膜覆盖对土壤有机碳及其组分积累影响不大。     

Effects of spring fire and slope on the aboveground biomass,and organic C and N dynamics in a semi-arid grassland of northern China

The aboveground primary production is a major source of carbon(C) and nitrogen(N) pool and plays an important role in regulating the response of ecosystem and nutrient cycling to natural and anthropogenic disturbances. To explore the mechanisms underlying the effect of spring fire and topography on the aboveground biomass(AGB) and the soil C and N pool, we conducted a field experiment between April 2014 and August 2016 in a semi-arid grassland of northern China to examine the effects of slope and spring fire, and their potential interactions on the AGB and organic C and total N contents in different plant functional groups(C_3 grasses, C_4 grasses, forbs, Artemisia frigida plants, total grasses and total plants).The dynamics of AGB and the contents of organic C and N in the plants were examined in the burned and unburned plots on different slope positions(upper and lower). There were differences in the total AGB of all plants between the two slope positions. The AGB of grasses was higher on the lower slope than on the upper slope in July. On the lower slope, spring fire marginally or significantly increased the AGB of C_3 grasses, forbs, total grasses and total plants in June and August, but decreased the AGB of C_4 grasses and A.frigida plants from June to August. On the upper slope, however, spring fire significantly increased the AGB of forbs in June, the AGB of C_3 grasses and total grasses in July, and the AGB of forbs and C_4 grasses in August. Spring fire exhibited no significant effect on the total AGB of all plants on the lower and upper slopes in 2014 and 2015. In 2016, the total AGB in the burned plots showed a decreasing trend after fire burning compared with the unburned plots. The different plant functional groups had different responses to slope positions in terms of organic C and N contents in the plants. The lower and upper slopes differed with respect to the organic C and N contents of C_3 grasses, C_4 grasses, total grasses, forbs, A. frigida plants and total plants in different growing months. Slope position and spring fire significantly interacted to affect the AGB and organic C and N contents of C_4 grasses and A. frigida plants. We observed the AGB and organic C and N contents in the plants in a temporal synchronized pattern. Spring fire affected the functional AGB on different slope positions, likely by altering the organic C and N contents and, therefore,it is an important process for C and N cycling in the semi-arid natural grasslands. The findings of this study would facilitate the simulation of ecosystem C and N cycling in the semi-arid grasslands in northern China.     

施肥对旱作免耕土壤酶活性与CO_2排放量的影响

通过对不同施肥处理的免耕土壤酶活性和CO2排放通量测定分析,研究北方农牧交错区施肥对旱作免耕农田土壤酶活性、CO2排放量的影响及其相互关系,为提高土壤质量、实现固碳减排和可持续利用提供理论依据。结果表明:免耕施肥土壤酶活性和CO2排放通量高于不施肥处理;氮肥对脲酶、碱性磷酸酶、蔗糖酶活性和CO2排放通量的增加影响最大,其次是磷肥,钾肥最小;过氧化氢酶活性的增加受钾肥影响最大,磷肥次之,氮肥最小;氮磷或氮磷钾肥配施更能增加土壤酶活性和CO2排放通量,单施钾肥土壤过氧化氢酶活性高于氮磷肥配施。蔗糖酶和脲酶活性与土壤CO2排放量呈显著正相关,碱性磷酸酶和过氧化氢酶与土壤CO2排放量之间相关性不显著。     

Effect of vegetation on soil bacteria and their potential functions for ecological restoration in the Hulun Buir Sandy Land,China

To date, much of research on revegetation has focused on soil microorganisms due to their contributions in the formation of soil and soil remediation process. However, little is known about the soil bacteria and their functions respond to the diverse vegetational types in the process of vegetation restoration. Effects of dominated vegetation, i.e., Artemisia halodendron Turcz Ex Bess, Caragana microphylla Lam., Hedysarum fruticosum Pall. and Pinus sylvestris L. on bacterial community structures and their potential functions in the Hulun Buir Sandy Land, China were determined using high-throughput 16 S r RNA gene sequencing and phylogenetic investigation of communities by reconstruction of unobserved states(PICRUSt) in 2015. Although the dominant phyla of soil bacterial community among different types of vegetation, including Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Acidobacteria, Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes, were similar, the relative abundance of these dominant groups significantly differed, indicating that different types of vegetation might result in variations in the composition of soil bacterial community. In addition, functional genes of bacterial populations were similar among different types of vegetation, whereas its relative abundance was significantly differed. Most carbon fixation genes showed a high relative abundance in P. sylvestris, vs. recalcitrant carbon decomposition genes in A. halodendron, suggesting the variations in carbon cycling potential of different types of vegetation. Abundance of assimilatory nitrate reduction genes was the highest in P. sylvestris, vs. dissimilatory nitrate reduction and nitrate reductase genes in A. halodendron, indicating higher nitrogen gasification loss and lower nitrogen utilization gene functions in A. halodendron. The structures and functional genes of soil bacterial community showed marked sensitivities to different plant species, presenting the potentials for regulating soil carbon and nitrogen cycling.