C and N natural abundance of the soil microbial biomass

Stable isotope analysis is a powerful tool in the study of soil organic matter formation. It is often observed that more decomposed soil organic matter is ¹³C, and especially ¹⁵N-enriched relative to fresh litter and recent organic matter. We investigated whether this shift in isotope composition relates to the isotope composition of the microbial biomass, an important source for soil organic matter. We developed a new approach to determine the natural abundance C and N isotope composition of the microbial biomass across a broad range of soil types, vegetation, and climates. We found consistently that the soil microbial biomass was ¹⁵N-enriched relative to the total (3.2 ‰) and extractable N pools (3.7 ‰), and ¹³C-enriched relative to the extractable C pool (2.5 ‰). The microbial biomass was also ¹³C-enriched relative to total C for soils that exhibited a C3-plant signature (1.6 ‰), but ¹³C-depleted for soils with a C4 signature (−1.1 ‰). The latter was probably associated with an increase of annual C3 forbs in C4 grasslands after an extreme drought. These findings are in agreement with the proposed contribution of microbial products to the stabilized soil organic matter and may help explain the shift in isotope composition during soil organic matter formation.     

中国亚热带红壤旱坡地花生系统尿酸氮素去向

A field experiment was conducted to study the outcome of N using isotope-labeled urea with a peanut cropping system in a Udic Ferrosol on a 7% slope at the Ecological Experimental Station of Red Soil, Chinese Academy of Sciences. The micro-plots were designed in two sets with three replicates and four N treatments. An iron frame with its edge 10 cm above the ground was used to control soil erosion and runoff in set A, but in set B the upper edge of the frame was level with the ground. Randomly positioned ^15N fertilized micro-plots were established along the contour. At harvest on August 13, 2002, which was four months after urea application, the peanuts had absorbed 30.6%-38.0% of the urea, transpired 13.1%-22.4% to the atmosphere, lost 6.4%-8.4% through soil erosion and surface runoff, and maintained 40.7%-48.9% in the 0-60 cm soil layer with 0.5%-5.0% below 60 cm.     

Irrigation practices may affect denitrification more than nitrogen mineralization in warm climatic conditions

Predicting the impact of irrigation practices on soil N mineralization and N balance is an important issue to optimize N fertilization and reduce the N losses towards the environment. The effect of summer irrigation on N dynamics was investigated in two arable fields in Southern France. Net N mineralization was assessed by combining frequent measurements of water and mineral N contents in soil and the use of a calculation model (LIXIM). It was first calculated assuming that denitrification was negligible. This hypothesis led to inconsistent results, apparent net N mineralized being smaller under irrigated than non-irrigated conditions and net mineralization kinetics being erratic. The occurrence of denitrification was confirmed by the use of ¹⁵NO₃ tracing in an experiment carried out in summer, including three irrigated treatments. The average ¹⁵N recovery varied from 45% to 85% and was smallest in the most frequently irrigated treatment. Over the 8-week experiment, the N losses varied from 30 to 38 kg ha⁻¹ in the irrigated treatments. They were satisfactorily simulated by a simple denitrification model (NEMIS). Combining the LIXIM model and the simulated or calculated denitrification allowed to predict satisfactorily the evolution of soil mineral N accounting for the effects of temperature and moisture. The net N mineralized for 8 weeks varied from 34 kg N ha⁻¹ in the un-irrigated to 46 kg N ha⁻¹ in the irrigated treatments. The drying–rewetting cycles did not induce a flush of N mineralization. Our results suggest that denitrification has to be accounted for in irrigated systems, particularly in warm conditions and when the topsoil contains high nitrate contents.     

Dinitrogen and N2O emissions in arable soils: Effect of tillage, N source and soil moisture

A laboratory investigation was performed to compare the fluxes of dinitrogen (N₂), N₂O and carbon dioxide (CO₂) from no-till (NT) and conventional till (CT) soils under the same water, mineral nitrogen and temperature status. Intact soil cores (0-10 cm) were incubated for 2 weeks at 25 °C at either 75% or 60% water-filled pore space (WFPS) with ¹⁵N-labeled fertilizers (100 mg N kg⁻¹ soil). Gas and soil samples were collected at 1-4 day intervals during the incubation period. The N₂O and CO₂ fluxes were measured by a gas chromatography (GC) system while total N₂ and N₂O losses and their ¹⁵N mole fractions in the soil mineral N pool were determined by a mass spectrometer. The daily accumulative fluxes of N₂ and N₂O were significantly affected by tillage, N source and soil moisture. We observed higher (P<0.05) fluxes of N₂+N₂O, N₂O and CO₂ from the NT soils than from the CT soils. Compared with the addition of nitrate (NO₃⁻), the addition of ammonium (NH₄⁺) enhanced the emissions of these N and C gases in the CT and NT soils, but the effect of NH₄⁺ on the N₂ and/or N₂O fluxes was evident only at 60% WFPS, indicating that nitrification and subsequent denitrification contributed largely to the gaseous N losses and N₂O emission under the lower moisture condition. Total and fertilizer-induced emissions of N₂ and/or N₂O were higher (P<0.05) at 75% WFPS than with 60% WFPS, while CO₂ fluxes were not influenced by the two moisture levels. These laboratory results indicate that there is greater potential for N₂O loss from NT soils than CT soils. Avoiding wet soil conditions (>60% WFPS) and applying a NO₃⁻ form of N fertilizer would reduce potential N₂O emissions from arable soils.     

~(15)N示踪的水稻氮肥利用率细分

以粳稻武运粳23和超级杂交籼稻Y两优2号为供试品种,应用15N示踪方法研究不同时期施肥对水稻不同阶段氮肥利用率的影响,以确定不同时期施肥的最佳阶段氮肥利用率。结果表明,基肥在基肥阶段(移栽后的8 d左右)的吸收利用较低,2012年水稻基肥氮(15N)吸收量不到5 kg hm–2,2013年最大为7.5 kg hm–2,回收利用率在1.5%~11.5%之间;基肥主要是在蘖肥阶段(分蘖肥与穗肥之间)被吸收,其回收利用率在6.6%~24.9%之间,平均为15.6%;穗肥阶段(穗肥后到成熟)基本不再吸收基肥。基肥氮的总体恢复利用效率不高,在9.1%~22.8%之间,品种及氮肥运筹对基肥氮的总体恢复利用效率影响不显著。蘖肥主要在蘖肥阶段发生作用,施穗肥后水稻基本不再吸收蘖肥。蘖肥的总体恢复吸收利用率和基肥相当,在17%~34%之间,Y两优2号高于武运粳23。穗肥的回收效率最高,在54.0%~82.1%之间,武运粳23低于Y两优2号。水稻在整个生育期的总体氮肥恢复效率随氮肥用量的增加而下降,变化在32%~64%之间。水稻一生中吸收积累的氮素中,基肥的贡献占4.13%~10.59%(平均6.92%),蘖肥占3.98%~11.75%(平均7.58%),穗肥占13.32%~37.56%(平均26.02%),土壤的贡献在45.71%~70.83%(平均59.91%)之间。基蘖肥用量越大,其损失也越大,总体氮肥利用率也越低。研究结果证明,在水稻氮肥管理中必须考虑水稻各阶段对不同时期施肥的吸收利用情况,从而提高水稻氮肥利用效率,保证产量的同时减少不必要的损失。     

20%哒虱威乳油等15种农药防治柑桔木虱田间药效试验

控制柑桔木虱是柑桔黄龙病综合防治最重要的技术措施。柑桔木虱成虫的高效传病性、近距离扩散性、终生带毒性和快速传病性,决定了用来防治柑桔木虱成虫的农药要求速效性好、防效高（药后24h的防效＞95%）。由于受到试验地虫源和试验条件的限制,柑桔木虱的有效防治药剂筛选严重滞后。2006—2007年我们做了15种农药的田间药效试验,结果表明：哒虱威EC 200mg(a.i)/L、丁硫克百威EC 400mg(a.i)/L对柑桔木虱成虫药后24h的防效＞95％;防效在94.9%~90％的有异丙威200mg(a.i)/L、133mg(a.i)/L、丁硫克百威EC 250mg(a.i)/L;噻嗪酮250mg(a.i)/L的防效只有30.8%;防效低于30％的药剂有灭多威200mg(a.i)/L、鱼藤酮150mg(a.i)/L、机油乳剂9500mg(a.i)/L、阿维菌素20mg(a.i)/L和石硫合剂1波美度。机油乳剂与哒虱威混用无增效作用。     

A yield-independent, 15N-isotope dilution method to estimate legume symbiotic dependence without a non-N2-fixing reference plant

The proportional contribution of atmospheric N₂ to the N nutrition of lupin (P _atm) was estimated in a field experiment following addition of NH₄Cl of KNO₃ to unconfined microplots (1.5 m²) at 2.5 g N m^-2 (10 atom% ¹⁵N). The integrated ¹⁵N enrichment, or 157157l9u527252/xxlarge8216.gif" alt="lsquo" align="BASELINE" BORDER="0">mean pool abundance157157l9u527252/xxlarge8217.gif" alt="rsquo" align="BASELINE" BORDER="0">, of nitrate extracted from 0- to 15-cm samples taken under the lupin crop on eight occasion between 28 and 190 days after sowing was used as the reference criterion to estimate P _atm by the ¹⁵N-isotope dilution technique. Estimates of P _atm were similar to those obtained using canola as a non-fixing reference plant, but were higher than estimates obtained using a yield-dependent model. Use of 157157l9u527252/xxlarge8216.gif" alt="lsquo" align="BASELINE" BORDER="0">mean pool abundance157157l9u527252/xxlarge8217.gif" alt="rsquo" align="BASELINE" BORDER="0"> obviates the need for a non-fixing reference plant, and the frequent sampling and isotope-ratio analysis of the legume biomass required with the yield-dependent model is unnecessary. However, further work is needed to validate a sampling strategy commensurate with the growth of the legume roots.     

鸭梨不同施氮期肥料氮的平衡及其效应

以3年生初结果的鸭梨/杜梨为试材,用~(15)N示踪技术探讨了秋施、春施及夏施肥料氮在土壤-植物中的平衡及其效应。结果表明,肥料氮损失量与植株吸收量之比表现为夏施>秋施>春施;肥料氮利用率以春施最高,秋施次之,夏施最低。肥料氮在植株体内的分配基本上随生长中心的转移而转移,无果中、短枝有优先累积肥料氮的效应。以秋施肥料氮的分配与植株生长节奏最吻合,并能刺激生长势弱的植株吸收利用肥料氮。显示出秋施氮对植株的效应最好。     

Evolution of dinitrogen and nitrous oxide from the soil to the atmosphere through rice plants

Summary It is commonly assumed that a large fraction of fertilizer N applied to a rice (Oryza sativa L.) field is lost from the soil-water-plant system as a result of denitrification. Direct evidence to support this view, however, is limited. The few direct field, denitrification gas measurements that have been made indicate less N loss than that determined by ¹⁵N balance after the growing season. One explanation for this discrepancy is that the N₂ produced during denitrification in a flooded soil remains trapped in the soil system and does not evolve to the atmosphere until the soil dries or is otherwise disturbed. It seems likely, however, that N₂ produced in the soil uses the rice plants as a conduit to the atmosphere, as does methane. Methane evolution from a rice field has been demonstrated to occur almost exclusively through the rice plants themselves. A field study in Cuttack, India, and a greenhouse study in Fort Collins, Colorado, were conducted to determine the influence of rice plants on the transport of N₂ and N₂O from the soil to the atmosphere. In these studies, plots were fertilized with 75 or 99 atom % ¹⁵N-urea and ¹⁵N techniques were used to monitor the daily evolution of N₂ and N₂O. At weekly intervals the amount of N₂+N₂O trapped in the flooded soil and the total-N and fertilized-N content of the soil and plants were measured in the greenhouse plots. Direct measurement of N₂+N₂O emission from field and greenhouse plots indicated that the young rice plant facilitates the efflux of N₂ and N₂O from the soil to the atmosphere. Little N gas was trapped in the rice-planted soils while large quantities were trapped in the unplanted soils. N losses due to denitrification accounted for only up to 10% of the loss of added N in planted soils in the field or greenhouse. The major losses of fertilizer N from both the field and greenhouse soils appear to have been the result of NH₃ volatilization.     

Effect of successive cuttings on uptake and partitioning of 15N among plant parts of Leucaena leucocephala

Summary We studied the effect of three successive cuttings on N uptake and fixation and N distribution in Leucaena leucocephala. Two isolines, uninoculated or inoculated with three different Rhizobium strains, were grown for 36 weeks and cut every 12 weeks. The soil was labelled with 50 ppm KNO₃ enriched with 10 atom % ¹⁵N excess soon after the first cutting. Except for the atom % ¹⁵N excess in branches of K28 at the second cutting, both the L. leucocephala isolines showed similar patterns of total N, fixed N₂, and N from fertilizer distribution in different parts of the plant at each cutting. The Rhizobium strain did not influence the partitioning of ¹⁵N among the different plant parts. Significant differences in ¹⁵N enrichment occurred in different parts. Live nodules of both isolines showed the lowest atom % ¹⁵N excess values (0.087), followed by leaves (0.492), branches (0.552), stems (0.591), and roots (0.857). The roots contained about 60% of the total plant N and about 70% of the total N derived from fertilizer over the successive cuttings. The total N₂ fixed in the roots was about 60% of that fixed in the whole plant, while the shoots contained only 20% of the fixed N₂. We conclude that N reserves in roots and nodules constitute another N source that must be taken into account when estimating fixed N₂ or the N balance after pruning or cutting plants. ¹⁵N enrichment declined up to about fivefold in the reference and the N₂-fixing plants over 24 weeks following the ¹⁵N application. The proportion and the amounts of N derived from fertilizer decreased, while the amount derived from N₂ fixation increased with time although its proportion remained constant.