Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in northern Greece and influence of soil resources on their colonization

Abundance of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in the roots of plant species was assessed in two areas in Greece in a 4-year study (2004–2007). The field experiment was conducted in a mountainous and herbaceous grassland in Greece in which both nitrogen (N)- and phosphorus (P)-limited plant community productivity. In 2006, data were also collected from a pot experiment in which 14 herbaceous plant species were grown as monocultures in P-limited soil. A factorial design of two levels of N and P was established in the mountainous field to test plant response to nutrient additions with respect to AMF colonization levels. Effects of fungicides were also investigated over year in the pot experiment and over three years in the field experiment. In addition, the effect of irrigation on AMF colonization was determined in a 1-year field study. Measurements included estimating the level of plant species specific hyphal colonization of roots according to the McGonicle et al. [McGonigle, T.P., Miller, M.H., Evans, D.G., Fairchild, D.L., Swan, J.A., 1990. A new method which gives an objective measure of colonization of roots by vesicular–arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. New Phytol. 115, 495–501] method. AMF colonization was highest in the leguminous species, intermediate in the forbs and lowest in the grasses. AMF responses to N and P additions were not uniform. P addition in the field experiment increased the colonization level of the high P demanding annual forb (non-leguminous dicot) Galium lucidum, decreased hyphal abundance of the forb Plantago lanceolata and the grass Agrostis capillaris, and appeared to have a negligible effect on the forb Prunella vulgaris and on leguminous species. Effects of N addition were influenced by P addition and were only significant in plots not enriched with P where N addition increased the AMF colonization. Irrigation increased colonization of the tested species A. capillaris and P. lanceolata but only significantly increased that of P. lanceolata. There was interannual variation in the effects of fungicides on AMF colonization, which was partly due to differences in the active ingredient and formulation used. Among the tested species, A. capillaris was the most susceptible to fungicides.     

Development of microbial community during primary succession in areas degraded by mining activities

Together with plants, soil microbial communities play an essential role in the development of stable ecosystems on degraded lands, such as postmining spoil heaps. Our study addressed concurrent development of the vegetation and soil fungal and bacterial communities in the course of primary succession in a brown coal mine spoil deposit area in the Czech Republic across a chronosequence spanning 54 years. During succession, the plant communities changed from sparse plants over grassland and shrubland into a forest, becoming substantially more diverse with time. Microbial biomass increased until the 21st year of ecosystem development and later decreased. Although there was a close association between fungi and vegetation, with fungi mirroring the differences in plant community assemblages, the development of the bacterial community was different. The early succession community in the barren nonvegetated soil largely differed from that in the older sites, especially in its high abundance of autotrophic and free‐living N₂‐fixing bacteria. Later in succession, bacterial community changes were minor and reflected the chemical parameters of the soil, including pH, which also showed a minor change with time. Our results show that complex forest ecosystems developed over 54 years on the originally barren soil of the temperate zone and indicate an important role of bacteria in the initial stage of soil development. Although the arrival of vegetation affects substantially fungal as well as bacterial communities, it is mainly fungi that respond to the ongoing development of vegetation.     

Abundance of endomycorrhizas and root-surface microorganisms on three grasses grown separately and in mixtures

Three grasses of acid, infertile soils,Agrostis tenuis, Deschampsia flexuosa and Festuca ovina were grown in pots separately and in two-species mixtures. After 8 months the abundance of internal mycorrhizal infection and of bacteria and fungi on the root surfaces was determined by microscopic examination of stained root segments.Abundance of bacteria, fungi and mycorrhizas all differed between “host” species. Abundance of bacteria was not affected by which other grass species (“partner”) was present, but fungal abundance was consistently lowest when the partner species was Agrostis and highest when it was Festuca. As a result, in two-species mixtures fungal abundance was always intermediate between the two corresponding monoculture values. Mycorrhizal infection was also influenced by the partner species, but in a less regular manner.     

A mixture of grass and clover combines the positive effects of both plant species on selected soil biota

The introduction of N₂-fixing white clover (Trifolium repens) in grassland is a management measure that may contribute to sustainable grassland systems by making them less dependent on inorganic fertilizers. However, little is known about the impact of this measure on soil biota and ecosystem services. We investigated earthworms, nematodes, bacteria and fungi in an experiment in which white clover-only and a mixture of grass and white clover without fertilization were compared with grass-only with and without fertilization.In comparison with grass-only, white clover-only had a lower total root biomass and a lower C/N-ratio in the above- and below-ground plant biomass. These plant characteristics resulted in a lower bacterial biomass, a lower fungal biomass, a higher proportion of bacterivorous nematode dauerlarvae, a lesser proportion of herbivorous nematodes and a greater abundance of earthworms in clover-only.The quantity and quality (C/N-ratio) of the above- and below-ground plant biomass in the mixture of grass and white clover (20–30% clover in the DM) was comparable with grass fertilized with 150 kg N ha⁻¹ of inorganic fertilizer. Differences between these treatments might show specific clover effects in the grass–clover mixture on soil biota other than quantity and C/N-ratio of the litter. However, the only differences were a higher proportion of bacterivorous nematode dauerlarvae and a different nematode community composition in grass–clover.The soil structure in white clover-only showed a higher proportion of angular blocky elements, a lower penetration resistance, a higher number of earthworm burrows, a higher potential N-mineralization and respiration than the soil in grass-only. This suggests that clover stimulates the ecosystem services of water infiltration and supply of nutrients, but is less conducive to soil structure maintenance. The grass–clover mixture differed from grass-only in a higher respiration and from clover-only in a higher percentage of soil crumbs. We suggest that when clover is introduced in grassland to reduce the reliance on inorganic fertilizer, the mixture of grass and clover maintains the positive impact of grass roots on soil structure and increases the supply of nutrients via the soil food web. Thus, a grass–clover mixture combines the agronomic benefits of the two plant types.     

Iron Nutrition of Peanut Enhanced by Mixed Cropping with Maize: Possible Role of Root Morphology and Rhizosphere Microflora

Abstract

Field observations have indicated that Fe deficiency chlorosis symptoms in peanut are more severe and widespread in monoculture than intercropped with maize in calcareous soils of northern China. Here we report a pot experiment that investigated the mechanisms underlying the marked improvement in Fe nutrition of peanut grown in mixture with maize. Iron deficiency chlorosis occurred in the young leaves of peanut in monoculture and was particularly obvious at the flowering stage, while the young leaves of peanut grown in mixture with maize remained green throughout the experiment. The chlorophyll and HCl‐extractable Fe concentrations in young leaves of peanut grown in mixture were much higher than those in monoculture, indicating that maize may have markedly improved the peanut Fe nutrition. Growth in mixture was associated with greatly altered root morphology and microbial populations in the rhizosphere of peanut. Visual observation of peanut roots in monoculture showed that they were larger in diameter and shorter than those in mixture. Moreover, peanut roots in mixture with maize produced more lateral roots and had increased root length compared with plants in monoculture. Peanut grown together with maize showed obvious rhizodermal transfer cells in the subapical root zone, but cells with cell wall ingrowths were poorly developed in peanut in monoculture. Mixed culture resulted in a significantly decreased abundance of bacteria in the rhizosphere of peanut compared with monoculture, and electron microscope observations indicated that this was associated with a thicker mucigel layer on the root surface of peanut in mixture with maize. Several root morphological and rhizosphere microbial factors may thus have contributed to the improvement in Fe nutrition of peanut in mixed culture.     

丛枝菌根真菌对羊草气体交换和δ~(13)C、δ~(15)N的组成影响

采用盆栽方法研究接种两种丛枝菌根真菌Glomus intraradices,Glomus claroidum对内蒙古典型草原优势种羊草(Leymus chinensis)的气体交换和稳定性同位素组成的影响,对羊草生长第45、60和75天的测定结果表明,丛枝菌根真菌能提高植株的含磷量、叶片的气孔导度和光合速率,降低植株δ15N值,但对羊草的内在水分利用效率和δ13C的组成未产生显著影响;植株生长的不同时期对其气体交换和稳定性同位素δ13C、δ15N均产生显著影响;时间和接种的相互作用显著影响植株的光合速率、δ13C和δ15N;羊草气孔导度和光合速率的提高归因于菌根真菌改善植株磷营养和增加根系碳分配所致;而植株内在水分利用效率和δ13C无显著性差异是因为气孔导度和光合速率总是发生同方向变化造成的;菌根植物具有较低δ15N是源于菌根真菌吸收N,并富集15N,转运给植株贫化的15N所致。试验结果为认识草原植物的碳水平衡和N循环提供了新的思路和借鉴。     

土施维生素B6对苹果园土壤微生物多样性的影响

【目的】 土壤微生物是影响根系生态环境的重要因素,维生素B₆具有提高果实品质的功效。本试验通过高通量测序的方法,研究土施不同剂量维生素B₆ (VB₆) 对土壤微生物多样性的影响,从而揭示土施维生素B₆提质功效的机理。 【方法】 2015年4月,在距富士苹果主干1 m处土施不同剂量的维生素B₆,同年10月,在撒入维生素B₆处采集土样,提取基因组DNA,通过PCR扩增建立文库,通过高通量测序技术并结合相关生物信息学方法,对土壤细菌16S rRNA基因V4+V5区域和真菌ITS1+ITS2区域的丰富度、多样性及群落结构进行检测。 【结果】 从9个土壤样品中共获得530714个有效细菌序列数和434886个有效真菌序列数,从每个样品中平均可获得1920个细菌群落 (OTUs) 和374个真菌群落 (OTUs),每个样品中有566个相同的细菌群落 (OTUs) 和73个相同的真菌群落 (OTUs),丰富度指数 (Ace指数和Chao指数) 分析显示,维生素B₆ 5g/株处理提高了细菌丰富度,其Ace指数显著提高了62.6%,Chao指数显著提高了71.6%,降低了真菌丰富度,其Chao指数显著降低了18.6%,维生素B₆ 10 g/株处理对细菌和真菌丰富度无显著影响。多样性指数 (Simpson指数和Shannon指数) 显示,维生素B₆ 5 g/株处理提高了细菌的多样性,其Shannon指数显著提高了22.3%,降低了真菌的多样性,其Simpson和Shannon指数显著降低了29.2%和34.4%,维生素B₆ 10 g/株处理对细菌和真菌的多样性无显著影响。在门分类水平上,变形菌门 (Proteobacteria)、放线菌门 (Actinobacteria)、拟杆菌门 (Bacteroidetes) 和酸杆菌门 (Acidobacteria) 是优势细菌,其相对丰度之和超过80%,子囊菌门 (Ascomycota)、担子菌门 (Basidiomycota)、接合菌门 (Zygomycota) 是优势真菌,其相对丰度之和超过98%,维生素B₆ 5 g/株处理降低了细菌中拟杆菌门 (Bacteroidetes) 的相对丰度,提高了真菌中子囊菌门 (Ascomycota) 的相对丰度,降低了担子菌门 (Basidiomycota) 和接合菌门 (Zygomycota) 的相对丰度,维生素B₆ 10 g/株处理提高了细菌中的变形菌门 (Proteobacteria) 和放线菌门 (Actinobacteria) 的相对丰度,降低了拟杆菌门 (Bacteroidetes) 和酸杆菌门 (Acidobacteria) 的相对丰度,提高了真菌中担子菌门 (Basidiomycota) 的相对丰度,降低了接合菌门 (Zygomycota) 的相对丰度。 【结论】 维生素B₆可以改变土壤中细菌和真菌的丰富度和多样性,改变土壤中门水平的细菌和真菌的相对丰度。维生素B₆作为一种良好的根系生态调节剂,具有推广价值。      

南亚热带杉木林改造对土壤及凋落物持水能力的影响

对杉木林进行改造,是提高林分质量和生态效能的重要措施。该文研究了杉木林改造前期对土壤及凋落物持水能力的影响。结果表明,在杉木林改造前期,不同林龄段试验林间土壤容重、孔隙度和土壤持水量差异不显著（P > 0.05）,但随林龄的增加呈上升趋势,土壤涵养水源能力有所增加。凋落物量及其持水能力随改造林龄的增加呈上升趋势,9～11 a林龄试验林凋落物及持水能力显著高于3～5 a林龄试验林（P < 0.05）,而其凋落物持水能力与5～7 a林龄试验林差异不显著（P > 0.05）。浸水试验表明,凋落物持水率随浸泡时间的增加呈对数曲线增长,吸水速率与浸泡时间呈反函数关系。凋落物最大持水量远小于土壤最大持水量,仅为土壤的0.18%,0.11%和0.08%,土壤为森林涵养水源的主体。通过分析试验林土壤和凋落物持水能力发现,杉木+米老排+阴香+山杜英+枫香、杉木+火力楠+米老排+阴香+红荷和杉木+木荷+山杜英+香椿+山黄麻改造模式对土壤和凋落物持水能力影响效果较好,其水文功能较高。     

Bacteria and fungi on roots of different barley varieties (Hordeum vulgare L.)

Summary We investigated the abundance of bacteria and fungi on roots of different barley varieties grown in soil and in a nutrient solution. Measurements were made on the rhizoplane and, for soil-grown plants, also in the rhizosphere soil. Further, the influence of plant age was investigated. Barley variety, had a significant influence both for plants grown in soil and in the nutrient solution, and the effects were most pronounced on the rhizoplane. There were no significant differences among varieties in fungal hyphal lengths on the roots. Bacterial abundance on the rhizoplane was significantly decreased with increasing plant age. Varietal differences were maintained over different plant ages.     

邛崃山岩-土-植系统重金属元素平衡动态分析

通过对邛崃山境内的杉木、桢南、落叶栎类等10余种树种及其立地环境调查,以及岩石、土壤、植物样品的采集,并在室内测试分析的基础上,探索岩—土—植系统中重金属元素之间的相互关系。结果表明:As元素岩石库风化对土壤地质潜在输入最高的是广柑林地,最低的是四川桤木林地,Hg元素最高的是杜仲林地,而最低的是桤木林地;Pb元素最高的是柳杉林地,最低的是桤木林地和柑桔林地;Al,Cd元素岩石库风化对潜在土壤地质输入最高的林地类型是柑桔林地和柚子林地。落叶栎类、杉木、桢楠林内枯枝落叶对As,Hg,Pb,Cd元素归还较大,柑桔、柚类归还偏低,Al元素归还能力较强的为杉木、茶树等,柑桔类和杜仲相对归还能力较小。从单个元素库存来看,茶树、落叶栎类、马尾松等对重金属元素的吸收较大,而柳杉、杉木吸收较小。As,Hg,Al,Cd元素的土壤库变化量均有所增加,表明植物的富集量低于地质背景岩石体的风化输入量,反映了该区土壤中污染物的浓度有增加趋势;而Pb元素则有增有减。     

连作香蕉园生态熏蒸剂的筛选及其对土壤微生物群落结构的影响

通过对多年连作后发香蕉枯萎病土壤进行熏蒸处理,应用传统涂布计数法,结合变性凝胶电泳(Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis,DGGE)技术,较为全面地研究了不同熏蒸剂对病原菌的杀灭效果以及对土壤微生物区系的影响,为连作蕉园的可持续栽培提供了理论依据。试验通过研究石灰、碳铵、石灰碳铵联用、二氧化氯、次氯酸钠、过氧化氢和氨水处理对水体病原菌孢子、土壤中尖孢镰刀菌的杀灭作用,逐步筛选出适合连作蕉园灌溉水和土壤的熏蒸剂种类。结果表明:上述熏蒸剂对水体或土壤中尖孢镰刀菌均具有杀灭作用,土壤中氨水、石灰碳铵联用处理效果更加显著,被选择为发病蕉园土壤熏蒸剂。不同用量氨水、石灰碳铵联用处理熏蒸土壤,随着熏蒸剂施用量的增加,土壤中尖孢镰刀菌数量下降幅度逐渐增大;两种熏蒸剂对土壤中可培养总细菌和总真菌均有杀灭效果,随着用量的增加,总真菌数量下降幅度显著高于总细菌。DGGE结果显示,氨水、石灰碳铵联用处理对土壤中总真菌种类的影响也显著高于总细菌,随着熏蒸剂用量的增加,总细菌有少许条带的增加或减少,总真菌条带丰富度急剧减少。与对照相比,各熏蒸剂处理后总细菌物种多样性指数均有所降低,随着用量的增加,总体呈下降趋势,在氨水、石灰碳铵联用用量分别为2.67 ml/kg和(3.33+1.67)g/kg时各项指数最高。综上,所有熏蒸剂均能作为水体病原菌杀灭剂,其中氨水、石灰碳铵联用是良好的连作蕉园土壤熏蒸剂,最适用量分别为2.67 ml/kg、(3.33+1.67)g/kg。     

Plant species influence microbial diversity and carbon allocation in the rhizosphere

Plant species effects on microbial communities are attributed to changes in microbial community composition and biomass, and may depend on plant species specific differences in the quality of resources (carbon) inputs. We examined the idea that plant-soil feedbacks can be explained by a chance effect, which is the probability of a highly productive or keystone plant species is present in the community and will influence the functions more than the number of species per se. A ¹³C pulse labelling technique was applied to three plant species and a species mixture in a greenhouse experiment to examine the carbon flow from plants to soil microbial communities. The ¹³C label was given as CO₂ to shoots of a legume (Lotus corniculatus), a forb (Plantago lanceolata), a grass (Holcus lanatus) and a mixture of the three species. Microbial phospholipid fatty acids (PLFA) was analysed in order to determine the biomass and composition of the soil microbial community. The incorporation of the stable isotope into soil microorganisms was determined through GC-IRMS analyses of the microbial PLFAs. Plant species identity did not influence the microbial biomass when determined as total carbon of microbial phospholipid fatty acids. However, the labelled carbon showed that the grass monoculture (H. lanatus) and the plant mixture allocated more ¹³C into bacteria and actinomycete biomass than the other plant species. H. lanatus monocultures had also the highest amounts of ¹³C allocated to AM-fungi and saprophytic fungi. The carbon allocation from plants to soil microorganisms in a plant species mixture can thus be explained by the presence of a highly productive species that influence soil functions.     

微白黄链霉菌对谷子萌发及拔节期生长的作用及机制

为探究外源放线菌对谷子种子萌发、拔节期植株生长的影响,本研究以一株微白黄链霉菌（Streptomyces albidoflavus）T4为供试菌株,以无菌水为对照,通过培养皿试验分析T4发酵液原液、10、100、1 000倍稀释液对谷子种子萌发的影响;以无菌剂添加处理作为对照,通过盆栽试验探究T4活菌制剂包衣和拌土对拔节期谷子植株生长及根际微生物的作用。结果表明,T4发酵液处理提高了谷子种子的萌发率,尤其以培养前期的提高幅度较大。T4发酵液的原液、10和100倍稀释液处理使谷子培养24 h后的萌发率与无菌水对照相比分别增加了5.8、6.7和9.2个百分点,100倍稀释液使谷子的发芽势、发芽指数和胚根长较对照分别提高了9.2个百分点、23.1%和13.4%。盆栽试验中,与无菌剂对照相比,包衣施加T4菌剂处理拔节期谷子地上植株生物量和根系生物量分别提高了22.5%和32.7%;根尖数和根分叉数分别增加了90.9%和66.9%;根际细菌（B）数量和微生物总数分别增加了95.1%和49.5%;真菌（F）数量减少了52.1%;放线菌（A）与真菌的数量比值（A/F）、细菌与真菌的数量比值（B/F）...     

甘蔗宿根矮化病感病与非感病植株养分含量、根系生长及内生细菌群落的差异

  【目的】  分析甘蔗宿根矮化病 (ratoon stunting disease, RSD) 感病植株与非感病植株不同部位氮、磷、钾吸收量、根系生长和内生细菌群落结构特征,旨在探明甘蔗宿根矮化病的感染与危害机制,为构建生态防控RSD栽培管理技术体系生态防控RSD提供理论依据。  【方法】  以甘蔗RSD感病植株为试材,RSD非感病植株为对照,采集甘蔗RSD感病植株和非感病植株叶片、根系和茎部组织为样品,利用传统和现代高通量测序技术分析了甘蔗RSD感病植株和非感病植株叶片、茎中氮、磷、钾含量,根系生长以及内生细菌群落结构特征。  【结果】  甘蔗RSD感病植株不同部位氮、磷、钾吸收量显著低于RSD非感病植株;而且RSD感病植株根长、总根表面积、总根体积和根尖数等反映植株根系生长状况的指标,以及指示植株内生细菌多样性的Shannon指数显著低于RSD非感病植株;同时,Simpson指数显著高于相应的RSD非感病植株;基于门分类水平,RSD感病植株内生细菌的部分优势菌门,如绿弯菌门 (Chloroflexi) 和酸杆菌门 (Acidobacteria) 细菌的丰度占比急剧增加,而厚壁菌门 (Firmicutes) 和门分类水平中属于其它 (other) 菌门的细菌占比下降;属分类水平,RSD感病植株内生细菌部分优势菌属的丰度占比、排位顺序与对照相比,发生了明显变化,而且诸如Pseudarthrobacter、红游动菌属 (Rhodoplanes) 等部分优势菌属缺失。  【结论】  甘蔗罹患RSD病后,根长、总根表面积、总根体积和根尖数均显著下降,致使植株氮、磷、钾吸收量显著降低。氮、磷、钾吸收量的减少,尤其是钾吸收量的急剧下降,又会影响RSD感病植株的生长,最终导致甘蔗产量和品质下降。与非感病植株相比,RSD感病植株内生细菌多样性下降、特有内生细菌优势菌属和菌种数量减少是甘蔗植株抗性降低的重要原因。与非感病植株相比,RSD感病植株内生细菌的部分优势菌门的丰度发生了明显变化,诸如绿弯菌门 (Chloroflexi) 和酸杆菌门 (Acidobacteria) 细菌的丰度占比急剧增加,而厚壁菌门 (Firmicutes) 和属于门分类水平中其它 (other) 的细菌占比下降。与非感病植株相比,RSD感病植株内生细菌部分优势菌属的丰度占比、排位顺序也发生了明显变化,如Pseudarthrobacter、红游动菌属 (Rhodoplanes) 等部分非感病植株中丰度占比大于1%的优势菌属缺失。     

浦阳江下游江岸草本植物根系对土壤抗冲性的影响

采用7级目测法对浦阳江下游江岸草本植物进行了调研,筛选出了当地的优势草本,并对其根系密度、土壤抗冲性增强效应进行了分析,补充了植物根系对江岸土壤抗冲性影响的基础资料。研究发现:（1）浦阳江下游江岸的优势草本植物是狗牙根、水蓼、芦苇、芒、双穗雀稗;（2）5种草本植物根系（d≤1.0 mm）在土壤表层（0—30 cm）均有较多分布,根系密度随着土层的垂直分布深度增加而减少,其规律服从指数函数关系分布;（3）5种优势草本根系均能增强浦阳江下游江岸土壤的抗冲性,增强值分别如下:芦苇14.16,芒12.53,狗牙根5.39,双汇雀稗5.01,水蓼4.41。5种优势草本均能在浦阳江消落带植被构建中发挥土壤抗冲性增强效应,尤其是芦苇与芒的增强效应最为明显。     

Microbiology of roots infected with the take-all fungus (Gaeumannomyces graminis var. tritici) in phased sequences of winter wheat

Bacteria with possible relevance to the growth of the take-all fungus were counted from surfaces of lesioned and healthy roots of wheat growing in soil from a field monoculture system. Numbers showed short-term seasonal and long-term monocultural changes, which seemed to be genuinely associated with the monoculture. Bacteria were more numerous on lesioned than healthy roots. Only bacteria inhibitory to growth of Gaeumannomyces graminis on agar and Pseudomonas spp showed consistent changes irrespective of the source of the roots. Relationships were considered between the microflora on lesioned tissue and (a) severity of disease on roots supplying the lesions, and (b) infection produced on axenic seedlings inoculated with the lesioned tissue. Only total bacterial counts on the lesions from tillering and mature plants were positively correlated with disease on the donor roots. Only inhibitory bacteria on lesions from tillering and mature plants were positively correlated with disease on test seedlings. Pseudomonas spp showed no correlations. Interpretation of data differed with age of plant and the sequence in the monoculture from which plants or soil came.     

丛枝菌根真菌(AMF)对玉米/蚕豆和玉米/稗草互作体系植物生长的反馈调节

【目的】丛枝菌根真菌(arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi,简称AMF)对农田生态系统中作物的生长起着重要作用。不同宿主植物和作物种植方式对土壤中菌根真菌具有一定的选择性,从而影响菌根真菌对后茬植物生长的反馈效应。间作体系是农业生产中增产增效的一种重要的种植模式,明确AMF在间作体系中对植物生长的反馈作用,对理解间作体系地上-地下相互作用具有重要的意义。【方法】本试验采用三种常见的AMF(Funneliformis mosseae、Rhizophagus intraradices和Claroideoglomus claroideum)混合接种剂,在单作(玉米,蚕豆,稗草)和间作(玉米/蚕豆和玉米/稗草)条件下,通过两个阶段(AMF驯化及反馈)的反馈试验,模拟研究了三种植物在单作和间作中的反馈强度及AMF的调节作用。【结果】在驯化阶段,玉米/稗草间作体系中,与单作相比,间作玉米地上部生物量减少了64.0%,间作稗草地上部生物量增加了47.8%。玉米/蚕豆间作体系中,与单作相比,两者作物地上部生物量增量分别达21.7%和38.3%。反馈阶段中,单作时,与灭菌处理相比接种AMF后玉米、稗草和蚕豆的地上部生物量分别增加602.3%、 80.6%和21.1%; 间作时,与灭菌处理相比接种AMF后玉米地上部生物量平均增加613.1%,稗草增加80.7%, 蚕豆增加21.4%。单作玉米存在负到零反馈作用,与灭菌处理相比,接种AMF后玉米负反馈作用减弱至零反馈作用。从单作到间作,玉米的反馈作用由负变为零到正反馈作用。【结论】玉米和稗草之间是竞争关系,玉米处于竞争弱势稗草处于竞争优势。玉米对AMF的响应最为强烈,其次是稗草,最后是蚕豆。接种AMF或与其它植物间作后均减弱玉米的负反馈作用,表明丛枝菌根真菌可通过减弱单作玉米的负反馈实现间作增产。     

Plant community composition affects the biomass, activity and diversity of microorganisms in limestone grassland soil

The diversity and functional type of plants can affect the microbial biomass in the soil, its respiratory activity and the diversity of its bacterial population. We have studied these effects in microcosms of reconstituted limestone grassland containing (i) a 12‐species mixture of graminoids and forbs, (ii) a monoculture of the sedge Carex flacca, (iii) a monoculture of the grass Festuca ovina, and (iv) similar soil without plants. Microbial biomass was significantly greater in soil under monocultures of F. ovina than in the other microcosms. Basal respiration was largest in the F. ovina and mixed‐species treatments where values were more than double those in the C. flacca and bare soil microcosms. The basal respiration was strongly linearly related to plant productivity (r = 0.89). Analysis of the active bacterial population by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis of 16S rRNA revealed its diversity to be significantly greater in the C. flacca and bare soil treatments than in the F. ovina or mixed‐species microcosms. This suggests that the functional type of plants has a strong influence on the composition of the bacterial community. We hypothesize that the discriminating functional attribute leading to a reduction of bacterial diversity in these microcosms was the presence in the F. ovina and mixed‐plant communities of an active arbuscular–mycorrhizal mycelium that is absent from bare soil and monocultures of C. flacca.     

Defoliation effects on Plantago lanceolata resource allocation and soil decomposers in relation to AM symbiosis and fertilization

Plants can mediate interactions between aboveground herbivores and belowground decomposers as both groups depend on plant-provided organic carbon. Most vascular plants also form symbiosis with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), which compete for plant carbon too. Our aim was to reveal how defoliation (trimming of plant leaves twice to 6 cm above the soil surface) and mycorrhizal infection (inoculation of the fungus Glomus claroideum BEG31), in nutrient poor and fertilized conditions, affect plant growth and resource allocation. We also tested how these effects can influence the abundance of microbial-feeding animals and nitrogen availability in the soil. We established a 12-wk microcosm study of Plantago lanceolata plants growing in autoclaved soil, into which we constructed a simplified microfood-web including saprotrophic bacteria and fungi and their nematode feeders. We found that fertilization, defoliation and inoculation of the mycorrhizal fungus all decreased P. lanceolata root growth and that fertilization increased leaf production. Plant inflorescence growth was decreased by defoliation and increased by fertilization and AMF inoculation. These results suggest a negative influence of the treatments on P. lanceolata belowground biomass allocation. Of the soil organisms, AMF root colonization decreased with fertilization and increased with defoliation. Fertilization decreased numbers of bacterial-feeding nematodes, probably because fertilized plants produced less root mass. On the other hand, bacterial feeders were more abundant when associated with defoliated than non-defoliated plants despite defoliated plants having less root mass. The AMF inoculation per se increased the abundance of fungal feeders, but the reduced and increased root AM colonization rates of fertilized and defoliated plants, respectively, were not reflected in the numbers of fungal feeders. We found no evidence of plant-mediated effects of the AM fungus on bacterial feeders, and against our prediction, soil inorganic nitrogen concentrations were not positively associated with the concomitant abundances of microbial-feeding animals. Altogether, our results suggest that (1) while defoliation, fertilization and AMF inoculation all affect plant resource allocation, (2) they do not greatly interact with each other. Moreover, it appears that (3) while changes in plant resource allocation due to fertilization and defoliation can influence numbers of bacterial feeders in the soil, (4) these effects may not significantly alter mineral N concentrations in the soil.