Effects of wood char and activated carbon on the hydrolysis of cellobiose by β-glucosidase from Aspergillus niger

Biochar amendments to soils have been suggested as a strategy to sequester carbon and therefore mitigate global climate change. The enrichment of soils with charred materials also increases their fertility. This fertilising effect of biochar may be caused by various mechanisms; an acceleration of nutrient cycling has been suggested as one such mechanism. The rate-limiting step in nutrient cycling is thought to be the extracellular enzymatic attack on biological macromolecules. In this study, therefore, the effects of chestnut wood char (specific surface area 2.0 m² g⁻¹) and of activated carbon (specific surface area approximately 900 m² g⁻¹) on an extracellular enzymatic reaction involved in the degradation of cellulose (i.e., hydrolysis of cellobiose by β-glucosidase from Aspergillus niger) were investigated. Cellobiose was not adsorbed by chestnut wood char, whereas activated carbon absorbed more than 97% of it. Both charred materials adsorbed more than 99% of β-glucosidase. For chestnut wood char, adsorption of the enzyme caused a decrease of approximately 30% in the reaction rate, whereas for activated carbon, the nearly complete absorption of both substrate and enzyme entirely inhibited the reaction. These results show that β-glucosidase from A. niger retains most of its activity when adsorbed to chestnut wood char and that the reaction it catalyses in nature is only slightly affected by this charred material. On the other hand, a material characterised by a high specific surface area and high porosity, such as activated carbon, can make even a highly soluble substrate unavailable for soil enzymes and therefore completely inhibit the reaction. Thus, charred materials may affect nutrient cycling mainly by regulating the availability of substrates: the degradation of highly soluble substrates may be accelerated by materials with low specific surface area, which maintain an active and protected enzyme pool, whereas materials with high specific surface and high porosity may slow down the degradation by making substrates unavailable.     

Short term soil priming effects and the mineralisation of biochar following its incorporation to soils of different pH

The aim of this work was to determine the magnitude of the priming effect, i.e. short-term changes in the rate (negative or positive) of mineralisation of native soil organic carbon (C), following addition of biochars. The biochars were made from Miscanthus giganteus, a C4 plant, naturally enriched with ¹³C. The biochars were produced at 350 °C (biochar350) and 700 °C (biochar700) and applied with and without ryegrass as a substrate to a clay-loam soil at pH 3.7 and 7.6. A secondary aim was to determine the effect of ryegrass addition on the mineralisation of the two biochars.After 87 days, biochar350 addition caused priming effects equivalent to 250 and 319 μg CO₂-C g⁻¹ soil, in the low and high pH soil, respectively. The largest priming effects occurred at the start of the incubations. The size of the priming effect was decreased at higher biochar pyrolysis temperatures, which may be a way of controlling priming effects following biochar incorporation to soil, if desired. The priming effect was probably induced by the water soluble components of the biochar. At 87 days of incubation, 0.14% and 0.18% of biochar700 and 0.61% and 0.84% of biochar350 were mineralized in the low and high pH soil, respectively. Ryegrass addition gave an increased biochar350 mineralisation of 33% and 40%, and increased biochar700 at 137% and 70%, in the low and high pH soils, respectively. Certainly, on the basis of our results, if biochar is used to sequester carbon a priming effect may occur, increasing CO₂-C evolved from soil and decreasing soil organic C. However, this will be more than compensated for by the increased soil C caused by biochar incorporation. A similar conclusion holds for accelerated mineralisation of biochar due to incorporation of fresh labile substrates. We consider that our results are the first to unequivocally demonstrate the initiation, progress and termination of a true positive priming effect by biochar on native soil organic C.     

小麦–玉米轮作体系长期施肥对塿土微生物量碳、氮及酶活性的影响

以20年塿土小麦玉米轮作体系长期肥料定位试验为平台,探讨不同施肥模式下土壤化学肥力要素、微生物量碳氮及酶活性的响应。试验包括不施肥（CK）、单施氮肥（N）、氮磷（NP）、磷钾（PK）、氮磷钾（NPK）、NPK+秸秆（SNPK）以及不同量有机肥+NPK（M1NPK、M2NPK）等8种施肥模式。结果表明,与CK相比,长期施用NP提高土壤有机碳含量达34.0%、全氮34.0%、全磷58.5%、速效磷608.9%、微生物量碳23.3%、微生物量氮54.0%、蔗糖酶53.9%、脲酶132.6%、碱性磷酸酶29.9%以及脱氢酶40.9%。长期施用NPK与NP效果相似,钾素效果甚微。作物秸秆还田配合氮磷钾化肥与氮磷钾相比没有明显影响土壤有机碳、氮和磷水平,但是显著提高微生物量碳的含量（29.5%）、碱性磷酸酶（23.0%）和脱氢酶（26.9%）的活性。有机肥配合氮磷钾与其它施肥处理相比,显著提升土壤化学肥力要素、微生物量碳氮和酶活性,特别是引起了磷素的大量富集（速效磷含量大于150 mg/kg）。因此,塿土不施有机物情况下,氮磷配合可以提高土壤化学和生物肥力,作物秸秆还田配合氮磷钾化肥的培肥效果优于氮磷钾化肥配合,而合理的有机无机肥配合是塿土提升化学肥力和保证生物健康的最佳施肥模式。     

广西喀斯特次生林地表碳库和养分库特征及季节动态

以自然保护区原生林为对照,调查了广西喀斯特区处于同一次生演替序列中的灌丛、藤刺灌丛、乔灌丛3个群落的地表凋落物存量,同时对凋落物层和土壤表层(0-5 cm)的有机碳,全氮、磷、钾等养分元素的含量、贮量状态及其雨季前后的变化进行了研究.结果表明:地表凋落物存量及有机碳、全氮贮量随演替阶段上升均呈增高趋势;除全磷外,土壤的有机碳和养分元素含量与凋落物层贮量相关性显著(p<0.05);雨季期间,凋落物迅速分解,地表凋落物的分解量要大于当季凋落量,并且次生林的凋落物分解与养分释放量显著高于原生林;雨季后,各群落有机碳和养分的凋落物层贮量以及土壤含量均有所降低.其中凋落物层贮量下降显著的是藤刺灌丛与乔灌丛.土壤养分含量则在灌丛与原生林阶段下降更为明显.在从灌丛向顶级群落演替的进程中,森林的自养能力可能存在一个先增高再降低的过程.     

东北黑土区不同耕作方式土壤养分与酶活性的时空变化

通过田间试验研究了东北黑土区玉米不同耕作方式的土壤养分与酶活性的时空变化规律.结果表明,整个生育期不同处理在各个土层均有较高的碱解氮含量,而在播种前常规耕作高于宽窄行,玉米生长中期则是宽窄行高于常规耕作,收获后各处理含量水平基本一致.有效磷不同处理均表现出养分表聚现象,且宽窄行在各个生育期的不同土层内均高于常规耕作.速效钾含量随着土层的加深降低不十分明显,处理间没有表现出明显的差异,体现了钾素养分移动性大的特点.玉米生长关键期的全量氮、磷、钾变化幅度不大,处理问含量水平一致;有机质含量在2%～3%之间;pH值不同处理均随着土层的加深逐渐升高的趋势,说明不同的耕作措施都有促进土壤表层酸化的现象.不同耕作方式土壤酶活性在整个生育期变化趋势相同,无明显差异.     

冻融循环对黑土容重和孔隙度影响的试验研究

反复的冻融循环会通过改变土壤容重、孔隙度等物理性质而使其侵蚀加剧,该文探讨了土壤容重及孔隙度在冻融循环作用下的变化.试从机理上分析冻融作用对土壤抗蚀性的影响规律.以东北黑土为研究对象,考虑冻融温差和土壤含水率两个影响因素.通过室内冻融试验研究了黑土容重及孔隙度的变化规律.结果表明:随着冻融循环次数的增大,土壤的容重和孔隙度分别呈现缓慢减小及增大趋势,且变化幅度越来越小,最后达到基本稳定的状态;冻融温差越大,冻结温度越低,同一含水率土壤的容重变得更低,而孔隙度相对较高,并且两者的变化量最大;在同一冻融温差下,高含水率土壤经过冻融循环后较低含水率土壤容重更低,而孔隙度更高,且数值的变化量最大.     

中国农田表土有机碳含量变化特征——基于国家耕地土壤监测数据

通过对299个国家级耕地土壤监测点20余年数据的统计分析,评价了我国农田表土有机碳含量变化情况和固碳潜力。结果表明,全国约80％试验点有机碳年平均相对增长率（Average relative annual increment,ARAI）在-1．5％～7．5％。中国农田表土有机碳含量整体呈上升趋势。东北、华北等6个地理区域分析得出,华北、华东、西南农田表土有机碳含量显著增加;华东地区有机碳增加的农田面积占全国农田比例最大,东北最小。旱地和水田有机碳含量增加显著;水田有机碳增加的试验点所占比例大于旱地;对ARAI与初始有机碳含量进行相关分析得出,我国旱地和水田有机碳潜在储存能力估计值分别为17．2和27．7g·kg^-1。农田土壤类型中水稻土和褐土有机碳含量增加显著;黑土有机碳含量下降样本所占比例最高。对我国各典型种植制度分析得出,双季稻、麦-稻、麦-玉、单季小麦种植制度下农田有机碳有了显著增加;麦玉轮作较其他种植制度的农田有机碳年平均相对增长率高。     

淮河流域典型农田生态系统碳通量变化特征

为了准确评价农田生态系统在全球碳平衡中的作用,利用涡度相关技术对安徽省寿县冬小麦／水稻生态系统进行了碳通量的监测,并在数据校正、剔除和插补的基础上,研究生长季农田净生态系统碳交换（NEE）的变化特征。结果显示,2008年寿县农田生态系统CO2通量的日变化进程为单峰型,冬小麦和水稻最大的CO2吸收速率分别为2．45和2．48mg·m^-2·s^-1。从物候期的角度来看,冬小麦在抽穗期碳通量值最小,乳熟期最大;水稻拔节时期碳通量值最小,即固碳能力最强。冬小麦,水稻生态系统不同月份碳通量月均日变化也呈U型曲线,作物生命活动越旺盛,NEE峰值越高,夜间CO2排放则在8月份达到最高值。2008年冬小麦和水稻月平均最大日CO2吸收峰分别出现在4月和8月,分别为1．30和1．07mg·m^-2．s^-1。冬小麦生态系统NEE的日最大累积吸收量出现在4月16日．可达11．76gC·m^-2·d^-1,水稻生态系统的出现在8月3日,为10．40gC·m^-2·d^-1。冬小麦从拔节到成熟时间段内的固碳能力为326．87gC·m^-1,水稻从返青到成熟时间段内的固碳能力也达到了300．05gC·m^-2。     

乌梁素海和岱海上覆水中碳的形态分布及其制约机制

以乌梁素海和岱海2个不同类型湖泊上覆水中TIC、DIC、TOC、DOC的地球化学特征为基础,分析和探讨了2个湖泊上覆水的水化学特征和TIC、DIC、TOC、DOC的空间分布格局及其制约机制。结果表明,乌梁素海和岱海湖泊的水化学特征均属蒸发-浓缩类型,湖泊水体离子组分特征受控于流域的蒸发-浓缩作用及蒸发盐岩的风化作用;岱海TIC、DIC、TOC、DOC的含量范围分别为（0.93-1.16）×10^4、（0.78-0.90）×10^4、（0.07-0.63）×10^4、（0.07-0.48）×10^4 μmol·L^-1,乌梁素海TIC、DIC、TOC、DOC的含量范围分别为（0.18-1.00）×10^4、（0.03-0.81）×10^4、（0.10-0.51）×10^4、（0.04-0.32）×10^4 μmol·L^-1,2个湖泊上覆水中TIC和DIC含量的差异性是湖泊富营养化类型、自然地理区划、水文地质背景及水量收支方式等因素综合作用的结果;岱海上覆水中DIC、TIC、DOC、TOC受N、P、Si等3种营养盐的共同影响,乌梁素海上覆水中DIC、TIC、DOC、TOC主要受N的影响。     

碳氮源对复合木质素降解菌木质素降解能力及相关酶活的影响

白腐真菌所具有的降解木质素能力源于其所产生的酶系统,碳源和氮源是其降解木质素和产酶的一个极为重要的影响因素。通过室内小麦秸秆固态发酵试验,研究了不同的碳、氮源对两株侧耳属真菌Tf1（P.pulmonarius）和JG1（P.cornucopiae）产酶活力、木质素降解和粗蛋白含量的影响。结果表明,Lip和MnP是参与复合木质素降解菌Tf1＋JG1降解小麦秸秆重要的木质素降解酶。以葡萄糖为碳源,酒石酸铵为氮源能显著提高复合木质素降解菌对木质素的降解能力,发酵9 d后小麦秸秆的失重率为14.87%,木质素含量为8.68%,木质素降解率为22.95%;粗蛋白含量为7.28%,比未发酵麦秸提高了36.84%（P〈0.05）;Lip和MnP活力分别为629.11 U.g-1和622.22 U.g-1。