Soil nitrogen availability alters rhizodeposition carbon flux into the soil microbial community

Purpose

Soil microorganisms are important in the cycling of plant nutrients. Soil microbial biomass, community structure, and activity are mainly affected by carbon substrate and nutrient availability. The objective was to test if both the overall soil microbial community structure and the community-utilizing plant-derived carbon entering the soil as rhizodeposition were affected by soil carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) availability.

Materials and methods

A ¹³C-CO₂ steady-state labeling experiment was conducted in a ryegrass system. Four soil treatments were established: control, amendment with carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), amendment with ammonium nitrate (NF), combined CMC and NF. Soil phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) and ¹³C labeling PLFA were extracted and detected by isotope ratio mass spectrometer.

Results and discussion

The combined CMC and NF treatment with appropriate C/N ratio (20) significantly enhanced soil microbial biomass C and N, but resulted in lower soil inorganic N concentrations. There was no significant difference in soil PLFA profile pattern between different treatments. In contrast, most of the ¹³C was distributed into PLFAs 18:2ω6,9c, 18:1ω7c, and 18:1ω9c, indicative of fungi and gram-negative bacteria. The inorganic-only treatment was distinct in ¹³C PLFA pattern from the other treatments in the first period of labeling. Factor loadings of individual PLFAs confirmed that gram-positive bacteria had relatively greater plant-derived C contents in the inorganic-only treatment, but fungi were more enriched in the other treatments.

Conclusions

Amendments with CMC can improve N transformation processes, and the ryegrass rhizodeposition carbon flux into the soil microbial community is strongly modified by soil N availability.

     

Pyruvate dehydrogenase activity is important for colonization of seeds and roots by Enterobacter cloacae

Enterobacter cloacae is a plant-beneficial bacterium that shows promise for suppression of damping-off of cucumber and other crops caused by Pythium ultimum. We have been using a mutational approach to determine the E. cloacae genes important in bacterial-plant and bacterial-pathogen interactions in the spermosphere and rhizosphere. E. cloacae M43 is a transposon mutant of E. cloacae 501R3 that was significantly impaired in colonization of seeds and roots of diverse crop plants. Strain M43 did not increase in population on cucumber, sunflower, and wheat seeds and was significantly reduced in growth on pea seeds relative to strain 501R3. Populations of M43 were also dramatically lower than those of strain 501R3 in cucumber, pea, sunflower, and wheat rhizosphere in 42 d experiments. Molecular characterization of M43 demonstrated that there was a single transposon insertion in the genome of this strain and that this insertion was in a region of the E. cloacae genome with a high degree of DNA sequence identity with aceF. aceF encodes the dihydrolipoamide acetyltransferase subunit of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDHC). Cell lysates from strain 501R3 grown on minimal medium plus 50 mM glycerol and 2 mM acetate contained 0.011±0.0036 U pyruvate dehydrogenase activity while cell lysates from M43 grown under identical conditions contained no detectable pyruvate dehydrogenase activity. Additionally, the nutritional use profile of M43 under aerobic and anaerobic conditions was as expected for an ace mutant. Experiments reported here strongly suggest a role for aceF and the PDHC in colonization of seeds and roots of diverse crop plants by E. cloacae.     

Diurnal and seasonal variations in CH4 flux from termite mounds in tropical savannas of the Northern Territory, Australia

Termites are estimated to contribute between <5 and 19% of the global methane (CH₄) emissions. These estimates have large uncertainties because of the limited number of field-based studies and species studied, as well as issues of diurnal and seasonal variations. We measured CH₄ fluxes from four common mound-building termite species (Microcerotermes nervosus, M. serratus, Tumulitermes pastinator and Amitermes darwini) diurnally and seasonally in tropical savannas in the Northern Territory, Australia. Our results showed that there were significant diel and seasonal variations of CH₄ emissions from termite mounds and we observed large species specific differences. On a diurnal basis, CH₄ fluxes were least at the coolest time of the day (∼07.00 h) and greatest at the warmest (∼15.00 h) for all species for both wet and dry seasons. We observed a strong and significant positive correlation between CH₄ flux and mound temperature for all species. A mound excavation experiment demonstrated that the positive temperature effect on CH₄ emissions was not related to termite movement in and out of a mound but probably a direct effect of temperature on methanogenesis in the termite gut. Fluxes in the wet season were 5-26-fold greater than those in the dry season. A multiple stepwise regression model including mound temperature and mound water content described 70-99% of the seasonal variations in CH₄ fluxes for different species. CH₄ fluxes from M. nervosus, which was the most abundant mound-building termite species at our sites, had significantly lower fluxes than the other three species measured. Our data demonstrate that CH₄ flux estimates could result in large under- or over-estimation of CH₄ emissions from termites if the diurnal, seasonal and species specific variations are not accounted for, especially when flux data are extrapolated to landscape scales.     

不同生物质炭输入水平下旱作农田温室气体排放研究

在陇中黄土高原干旱半干旱区,采用小区定位试验,对不同生物质炭输入水平下春小麦农田土壤温室气体(CO_2、N_2O和CH_4)的排放通量进行全生育期连续观测,并分析其影响因子。结果表明:6个生物质炭输入水平处理下[0 t·hm~(-2)(CK)、10 t·hm~(-2)、20 t·hm~(-2)、30 t·hm~(-2)、40 t·hm~(-2)、50 t·hm~(-2)],旱作农田土壤在春小麦全生育期内均表现为CH_4弱源、N_2O源和CO_2源。全生育期各处理CH_4平均排放通量依次为:0.005 7 mg·m~(-2)·h~(-1)、0.0047 mg·m~(-2)·h~(-1)、0.003 6 mg·m~(-2)·h~(-1)、0.003 3 mg·m~(-2)·h~(-1)、0.002 7 mg·m~(-2)·h~(-1)和0.000 4 mg·m~(-2)·h~(-1),N_2O平均排放通量依次为:0.230 5 mg·m~(-2)·h~(-1)、0.144 1 mg·m~(-2)·h~(-1)、0.135 3 mg·m~(-2)·h~(-1)、0.098 9 mg·m~(-2)·h~(-1)、0.125 0 mg·m~(-2)·h~(-1)和0.151 3mg·m~(-2)·h~(-1),CO_2平均排放通量依次为:0.449 2μmol·m~(-2)·s~(-1)、0.447 0μmol·m~(-2)·s~(-1)、0.430 3μmol·m~(-2)·s~(-1)、0.391 4μmol·m~(-2)·s~(-1)、0.408 0μmol·m~(-2)·s~(-1)和0.416 4μmol·m~(-2)·s~(-1)。土壤CH_4排放通量随生物质炭输入量的增加而减小;当生物质炭输入量小于30 t·hm~(-2)时,土壤N_2O、CO_2排放通量随其输入量增加而显著减小,但当其输入量超过30 t·hm~(-2)时,N_2O、CO_2排放通量则呈显著增大趋势。各处理在5~15 cm土层平均土壤温度差异显著(P0.05),在5~10 cm土层平均土壤含水量差异显著(P0.05),土壤温度及含水量受生物质炭影响明显;且CK处理不同土层的土壤温度及含水量波动最大,生物质炭输入可在一定程度上降低不同土层土壤的水热变化幅度;N_2O、CO_2排放通量与10~15 cm土层土壤温度呈显著性负相关,与20~25 cm土壤温度呈显著性正相关;CH_4平均排放通量与5~10 cm土层土壤温度呈显著性负相关,与其含水量呈显著性正相关;N_2O平均排放通量与15~20 cm土层土壤温度呈显著性正相关;CH_4、N_2O、CO_2平均排放通量与0~5 cm土层土壤水分呈显著性负相关。生物质炭的输入能够减小温室气体的排放,且会因其输入量的不同而异,因此适量应用生物质炭有利于旱作农田生育期内增汇减排。     

Onondaga Lake and the dynamics of chloride in the Oswego River

The temporal distribution of chloride concentration in the Oswego River was determined at 6 hr intervals for a 3 mo period during the summer of 1982. The dynamics of relative flow and chloride contributions from the three major sources forming the Oswego River, and the dynamics of flow releases from one of the sources, chloride-polluted Onondaga Lake, were determined from the above measurements, available chloride concentrations, and flow data for the system, through application of a simple mass balance on chloride. The chloride concentration and load in the Oswego River were found to be highly variable with time, and largely due to the dynamics of flow release from Onondaga Lake. The chloride distribution in the Oswego River, with its unique dynamics and chemically conservative nature, make it a valuable hydraulic tracer for the system.     

Functional and Nutritional Characteristics of Soft Wheat Grown in No‐Till and Conventional Cropping Systems

The effects of no‐till versus conventional farming practices were evaluated on soft wheat functional and nutritional characteristics, including kernel physical properties, whole wheat composition, antioxidant activity, and end‐product quality. Soft white winter wheat cultivar ORCF 102 was evaluated over a two‐year period from three long‐term replicated no‐till versus conventional tillage studies in Oregon. Wheat from the no‐till cropping systems generally had greater test weight, kernel diameter, and kernel weight and had softer kernels compared with wheat from the conventional tillage systems. Compared with the conventional systems, no‐till whole wheat flour had lower protein and SDS sedimentation volume. Ash content as well as most minerals measured (calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, and zinc), except for manganese and phosphorus, were generally slightly lower in no‐till than in conventional wheat. Whole wheat flour from the no‐till cropping systems generally had slightly lower total phenolic content and total antioxidant capacity. Milling properties, including flour yield, break flour yield, and mill score, were not affected by tillage systems. Refined flour from no‐till systems had lower protein, SDS sedimentation volume, and lactic acid and sucrose solvent retention capacities compared with flour from conventional tillage. No‐till wheat generally had greater sugar‐snap cookie diameter than conventionally tilled wheat. In conclusion, no‐till soft white winter wheat generally had slightly reduced nutritional properties (protein, ash, most minerals, and total antioxidant content) compared with wheat from conventionally tilled systems, and it had equivalent or sometimes superior functional properties for baking cookie‐type products.     

Essential oil composition of diploid and tetraploid clones of ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe) grown in Australia

Ginger oil, obtained by steam distillation of the rhizome of Zingiber officinale Roscoe, is used in the beverage and fragrance industries. Ginger oil displays considerable compositional diversity, but is typically characterized by a high content of sesquiterpene hydrocarbons, including zingiberene, ar-curcumene, beta-bisabolene, and beta-sesquiphellandrene. Australian ginger oil has a reputation for possessing a particular "lemony" aroma, due to its high content of the isomers neral and geranial, often collectively referred to as citral. Fresh rhizomes of 17 clones of Australian ginger, including commercial cultivars and experimental tetraploid clones, were steam distilled 7 weeks post-harvest, and the resulting oils were analyzed by GC-MS. The essential oils of 16 of the 17 clones, including the tetraploid clones and their parent cultivar, were found to be of substantially similar composition. These oils were characterized by very high citral levels (51-71%) and relatively low levels of the sesquiterpene hydrocarbons typical of ginger oil. The citral levels of most of these oils exceeded those previously reported for ginger oils. The neral-to-geranial ratio was shown to be remarkably constant (0.61 +/- 0.01) across all 17 clones. One clone, the cultivar "Jamaican", yielded oil with a substantially different composition, lower citral content and higher levels of sesquiterpene hydrocarbons. Because this cultivar also contains significantly higher concentrations of pungent gingerols, it possesses unique aroma and flavor characteristics, which should be of commercial interest.     

Spatial prediction with left-censored observations

Environmental monitoring of contaminants often involves left-censored observations falling below the minimum detection limits (MDLs) of the instruments used to assay their concentrations. Statistical procedures for handling left-censored observations generally assume that the observations are independently distributed. However, data collected over a spatial network of sample sites are likely to be spatially correlated. This correlation structure can be exploited to obtain improved imputations of left-censored observations, and hence improved estimates of environmental parameters. This article applies a Robbins-Monro algorithm for estimating the parameters of a spatial regression model. This algorithm uses importance sampling to obtain conditional simulations of left-censored observations. A predictor for data at unsampled sites is obtained by taking the weighted mean of kriging predictors computed from independent importance samples. The proposed methods are illustrated using data from the South Florida Ecosystem Assessment Project.     

Movement patterns of Brook Trout in a restored coastal stream system in southern Massachusetts

Coastal Brook Trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) populations are found from northern Canada to New England. The extent of anadromy generally decreases with latitude, but the ecology and movements of more southern populations are poorly understood. We conducted a 33‐month acoustic telemetry study of Brook Trout in Red Brook, MA, and adjacent Buttermilk Bay (marine system) using 16 fixed acoustic receivers and surgically implanting acoustic transmitters in 84 individuals. Tagged Brook Trout used the stream, estuary (50% of individuals) and bay (10% of individuals). Movements into full sea water were brief when occurring. GAMM models revealed that transitions between habitat areas occurred most often in spring and fall. Environmental data suggest that use of the saline environment is limited by summer temperatures in the bay. Movements may also be related to moon phase. Compared to more northern coastal populations of Brook Trout, the Red Brook population appears to be less anadromous overall, yet the estuarine segment of the system may have considerable ecological importance as a food resource.     

Veterinary antibiotic sorption to agroforestry buffer,grass buffer and cropland soils

The potential of veterinary antibiotics (VAs) to impact human and environmental health requires the development and evaluation of land management practices that mitigate VA loss from manure-treated agroecosystems. Vegetative buffer strips (VBS) are postulated to be one management tool that can reduce VA transport to surface water resources. The objectives of this study were to (1) investigate oxytetracycline (OTC) and sulfadimethoxine (SDT) sorption to agroforestry buffer, grass buffer, and cropland soils, (2) evaluate differences in VA sorption to soils collected from different vegetative management and soil series, and (3) elucidate relationships between soil properties and VA sorption. Sorption/extraction isotherms for OTC were well-fitted by the Freundlich isotherm model (r ² > 0.86). OTC was strongly adsorbed by all soils and the VA was not readily extractable. OTC and SDT solid to solution partition coefficients (K _d) values are significantly greater for soils planted to VBS relative to grain crops. Significant differences in OTC and SDT K _d values were also noted among the soil series studied. Linear regression analyses indicate that clay content and pH were the most important soil properties controlling OTC and SDT adsorption, respectively. Results from this study suggest that agroforestry and grass buffer strips may effectively mitigate antibiotic loss from agroecosystems, in part, due to enhanced antibiotic sorption properties.