Soil Carbon Dynamics Under Changing Climate——A Research Transition from Absolute to Relative Roles of Inorganic Nitrogen Pools and Associated Microbial Processes: A Review

It is globally accepted that soil carbon (C) dynamics are at the core of interlinked environmental problems,deteriorating soil quality and changing climate.Its management remains a complex enigma for the scientific community due to its intricate relationship with soil nitrogen (N) availability and moisture-temperature interactions.This article reviews the management aspects of soil C dynamics in light of recent advances,particularly in relation to the availability of inorganic N pools and associated microbial processes under changing climate.Globally,drastic alterations in soil C dynamics under changing land use and management practices have been primarily attributed to the variation in soil N availability,resulting in a higher decomposition rate and a considerable decline in soil organic C (SOC) levels due to increased soil CO2 emissions,degraded soil quality,and increased atmospheric CO2 concentrations,leading to climate warming.Predicted climate warming is proposed to enhance SOC decomposition,which may further increase soil N availability,leading to higher soil CO2 efflux.However,a literature survey revealed that soil may also act as a potential C sink,if we could manage soil inorganic N pools and link microbial processes properly.Studies also indicated that the relative,rather than the absolute,availability of inorganic N pools might be of key importance under changing climate,as these N pools are variably affected by moisture-temperature interactions,and they have variable impacts on SOC turnover.Therefore,multi-factorial studies are required to understand how the relative availability of inorganic N pools and associated microbial processes may determine SOC dynamics for improved soil C management.     

不同覆盖措施对黄土高原旱作农田N2O通量的影响

为研究秸秆和地膜覆盖条件下旱作冬小麦田N_2O通量变化及水热状况,在中国科学院长武农业生态试验站采用静态箱-气相色谱法测定了冬小麦种植期间无覆盖处理(CK)、地膜覆盖处理(PM)、全年覆盖秸秆处理4 500 kg·hm~(-2)(M4500)和全年覆盖秸秆9 000 kg·hm~(-2)处理(M9000)土壤N_2O排放通量,并同步测定了土壤水分、土壤温度和气温。研究表明:CK、PM、M4500和M9000处理生育期内N_2O通量范围分别为17.24~321.86、19.03~388.00、21.57~344.53μg·m-2·h-1和24.77~348.42μg·m-2·h-1,生育期内N_2O平均排放通量分别为110.64、146.48、131.31μg·m-2·h-1和142.26μg·m-2·h-1,与CK相比,PM、M4500和M9000处理N_2O平均排放通量分别提高了32.29%、18.68%和28.57%,其中,PM和M9000处理与CK之间差异达极显著水平(P0.01)。PM处理N_2O累积排放量(7.25 kg·hm~(-2))较CK处理(5.18 kg·hm~(-2))提高了40%(P0.05),秸秆覆盖处理M4500(6.30kg·hm~(-2))和M9000(7.17 kg·hm~(-2))N_2O累积排放量较CK处理分别提高23%和38%(P0.05),PM和M9000处理N_2O累积排放量显著高于M4500,PM和M9000处理之间无显著差异。不同覆盖条件下生育期N_2O通量表现出明显的季节变化特征,小麦生长季始末期较高中期较低,N_2O排放受降水影响明显。生育期N_2O累积通量主要源于冬小麦拔节期至收获期,PM、M4500和M9000处理拔节期至收获期N_2O排放量分别占整个生育期的41%、40%和43%,均高于CK(38%)处理。土壤温度变化可以解释69%~76%土壤N_2O通量变化,土壤水分仅解释了37%~51%的土壤N_2O通量变化。回归分析表明无覆盖时,土壤水分是影响土壤N_2O排放的关键因子,秸秆覆盖和地膜覆盖条件下土壤温度是影响土壤N_2O排放的关键因子。覆盖秸秆4 500 kg·hm~(-2)是黄土旱塬区较为适宜的冬小麦栽培模式。     

Influence of Storage Environment,Surface Coating,and Individual Shrink Wrapping on Quality Assurance of Guava (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Psidium guajava</Emphasis>) Fruits

Guava (Psidium guajava) fruits of cv. L-49 with individual shrink wrapping using 9 LLDPE film could be successfully stored up to 12 days at ambient and 18 days in evaporative cool chamber with negligible loss in vitamin C content. The untreated fruits lose 25–30% of ascorbic acid within 1week after harvest. Delay in senescence and metabolic activities as supported by less changes in soluble solids, sugars, acidity, respiration, and ethylene evaluation rate was also observed in individual shrink wrapped fruits in cool chamber. The spoilage of fruits by Fusarium rots was significantly less in cool chamber in individually shrink wrapped fruits followed by Sta-fresh treatment. Sta-fresh was more effective in cool chamber than ambient. Individually stored wrapped fruits scored a better value of sensory score than Sta-fresh under both the storage condition.     

Silicon and plant nutrition—dynamics,mechanisms of transport and role of silicon solubilizer microbiomes in sustainable agriculture: A review

Silicon (Si) is the second most abundant element in the Earth’s crust and has numerous roles in both soils and plants, although it is inaccessible to plants in its native state (insoluble silicate minerals). This inaccessibility can lead to insufficiency, which induces anomalies in plant growth and development.Specifically, Si alleviates various biotic and abiotic stresses in plants by enhancing tolerance mechanisms at different stages of uptake/deposition as a monosilicic acid. Exclusive utiliz...     

Properties and distribution of iron oxides and their association with minor elements in the soils of south-western Australia

Iron oxides from 39 soils derived from various parent materials in south-western Australia have been studied using a variety of techniques. Goethite and hematite were the only two Fe oxides present. The goethite/(goethite+hematite) ratio ranged from 0.18 to 1.0, and was highest in soils on acidic igneous rocks, decreasing for soils on alluvial and mafic parent materials. In a few soils derived from acid rocks only goethite was present. The redness rating of soils increased linearly with increasing amount of hematite. Al substitution in goethite ranged from 13 to 35 mol%, with higher values for soils on acid igneous rocks (median value = 26 mol%) than for soils on mafic (19 mol%) and alluvial (17 mol%) parent materials. Substitution of A1 in hematite ranged from 4 to 23 mol%, and was greatest in soils on mafic parent materials (median value = 12 mol% A1). A1 substitution in hematite was about half of that in associated goethite. The dehydroxylation temperature for goethite increased linearly with increasing A1 substitution. Goethite and hematite had similar crystal sizes (c. 20 nm), and both were in the form of irregular plates. Dissolution with 1 M HCl of iron oxides concentrated from the soils by 5 M NaOH digestion could be described both by the Cube Root Law and by Kabai's equation. Only one straight line was obtained for the dissolution data using Kabai's equation for samples containing both goethite and hematite, in contrast to the results of other workers. Major proportions of the Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni and Zn in the soils were concentrated with the iron oxides, and the dissolution kinetics of these elements indicate that some may be present in the structure of the iron oxides.     

Hepatic endogenous defense potential of propolis after mercury intoxication

Exposure to mercuric chloride (HgCl₂; 5 mg kg^?1 body weight; i.p.) induced oxidative stress in mice and substantially increased lipid peroxidation (LPO) and oxidized glutathione (GSSG) levels, decreased the level of reduced glutathione (GSH) and various antioxidant enzymes in liver and also increased the activities of liver marker enzymes in serum. Therapy with propolis extract, a resinous wax‐like beehive product (200 mg kg^?1 orally, after mercury administration), for 3 days inhibited LPO and the formation of GSSG and increased the level of GSH in the liver. Release of serum transaminases, alkaline phosphatase, lactate dehydrogenase and γ‐glutamyl transpeptidase were significantly restored after propolis treatment. The activities of antioxidant enzymes, that is, superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione‐S‐transferase and glucose‐6‐phosphate dehydrogenase, were also concomitantly restored towards normal levels after propolis administration. These observations clearly demonstrate that propolis treatment augments antioxidant defense against mercury‐induced toxicity and provide evidence that propolis has therapeutic potential as a hepatoprotective agent.     

Vegetative propagation of Dalbergia sissoo: effect of growth regulators, length, position of shoot and type of cuttings on rooting potential in stem cuttings

The effect of auxins (IAA or IBA at 100,200,500 mg L 1) on rooting and sprouting parameters differed significantly (p < 0.05).Rooting and sprouting percentages were higher in some treatments while other parameters were significantly higher in other treatments.The results of the present study revealed that rooting was significantly (p < 0.05) affected by the length of cuttings,as well as the position of shoots and type of cuttings.On average,86.0 per cent rooting was observed in the 30-cm long cuttings compared to the other two lengths of cuttings,i.e.,20 and 25 cm,irrespective of any auxin treatment.In a control set,without any auxin treatment,a maximum of 60.0% rooting was recorded in the 30-cm long cuttings and a minimum of 40.0% of the cuttings rooted in the 20-cm long cuttings.Similarly,cuttings collected from the lower and upper portions of shoots resulted in 72.5 and 52.5 per cent rooting respectively,irrespective of auxin treatments.Maximum rooting was observed in the lower portion (40.0%) of cutting compared to the upper portion (30.0%) in the control set without auxin treatment.Leafless branches produced maximum (72.0%) rooting compared to the leafy cuttings (35.0%),irrespective of the auxin treatment.The leafy cuttings produces a minimum of 15.0% sprouting and rooting in the control set.     

硫杆菌以及好养异养型硫氧化菌对元素硫的氧化

The prediction of the oxidation rate of elemental sulfur (S⁰) is a critical step in sulfur (S) fertilizer strategy to supply plant-available sulfur. An incubation experiment was conducted to determine the rate and amount of S⁰ oxidation in relation to the contribution of Thiobacillus spp. and aerobic heterotrophic S-oxidizing bacteria. After 84 days, 16.3% and 22.4% of the total S⁰ applied to the soil were oxidized at 20 and 30 ℃, respectively. The oxidation of S⁰ proved to be a two-step process with a rapid oxidation during the first 28 days and a slow oxidation from then on. The highest oxidation rate of 12.8 μg S cm^-2 d^-1 was measured during the first two weeks at 30 ℃. At 20 ℃ the highest oxidation rate of 10.2 μg S cm^-2 d^-1 was obtained from two to four weeks after start of the experiment. On an average the soil pH declined by 3.6 and 4.0 units after two weeks of experiment. At the same time the electric conductivity increased nine times. With the oxidation of S⁰ the population of Thiobacillus spp. and aerobic heterotrophic S-oxidizing bacteria increased. The corresponding values for Thiobacillus spp. and aerobic heterotrophic S-oxidizing bacteria increased from 2.9 × 10⁵ and 1.4 × 10⁵ g^-1 soil at the start of the experiment to 4 × 10⁸ and 5.6 × 10⁸ g^-1 soil 14 days after S⁰ application, respectively. No Thiobacillus spp. was present eight weeks after S⁰ application. The results suggested that oxidation of residual S⁰ completely relied on aerobic heterotrophic S-oxidizing bacteria.     

Management of root-knot disease of tomato by the application of fly ash in soil

The effects of fly ash at different concentrations (0, 10, 20, 30 … 100% vol./vol. in soil) on plant growth and yield were investigated in tomato plants infected or noninfected with root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne incognita (2000 juveniles per plant) in clay pots. An increase in fly ash concentration in the soil correspondingly increased the availability of carbonates, bicarbonates, sulphate, chlorides, B, P, K, Ca, Mg, Mn, Cu and Zn in the soil. The porosity, water-holding capacity, pH, conductivity and cation exchange capacity also increased progressively in the fly ash amended soil. Ash application enhanced plant growth, leaf pigment concentrations, fruit production, weight of fruit/plant and mean fruit weight of both nematode-infected and noninfected tomato plants, being maximum in the soil containing 50 or 60% fly ash. The yield enhancements were 93.6 (infected plants) and 84% (noninfected plants) at 50 and 60% fly ash levels, respectively. Fly ash treatments adversely affected root invasion by juveniles, disease intensity and reproduction of the nematodes. A gradual increase in the ash concentration in soil caused a corresponding decrease in the numbers of invading juveniles, galls and egg masses per root system and eggs/egg mass, being lowest at 100% fly ash i.e. 52, 16, 10 and 81 against 289, 137, 131 and 238 (control), respectively. Linear regression suggested 40% fly ash as the most economic level, enhancing yield of infected plants by 96% and suppressing the nematode disease and reproduction by 63 and 76%, respectively.