Influence of compost and lime on population structure and element concentrations of forest soil invertebrates

Summary We tested the effects of two organic fertilizers (composts) and lime on the soil fauna of a spruce stand. One compost was obtained from chopped wood and the other from household garbage. At the time of distribution the pH of the control plots averaged 3.2, the garbage compost had a pH of 7.5, and the wood compost of 6.2. During the experimental period the pH of the compost layers decreased. The pH of the former litter layer beneath the composts showed a steep increase after 5 months, but beneath the treatment with wood compost this effect did no persist. Liming increased the pH only slightly in the litter layer. The two types of compost, the litter layer, and lumbricids (Lumbricus rubellus) were analyzed for concentrations of essential and potentially toxic elements. The element burden was highest in the garbage compost with 7- to 11-fold concentrations of Zn, Cd, Pb, Mg, and Cu compared to the needle litter. K, Ba, and Ca were 4 times more concentrated. L. rubellus showed an increased Cu concentration after extraction from the highly contaminated sites of garbage compost. Despite the differences in Pb contamination in the needle litter and in the two compost types, all investigated individuals of L. rubellus contained similar concentrations of Pb. In contrast to Pb, Cd accumulated in this lumbricid. Seasonal fluctuations of microarthropods, their total abundance, and differences in the colonization of the compost layers were observed. Collembola abundance was significantly increased in the garbage compost plots in July 91. There were generally more Prostigmata in the control and limed plots than in the compost plots. Oribatid numbers fell under all treatments compared to the controls. Mesostigmata were identified to species level and 33 species were found in the experimental areas. Certain species, such as Arctoseius cetratus and Uropoda minima, were only found in the treated sites.     

Tillage, mineralization and leaching: phosphate

Phosphate is usually the limiting nutrient for the formation of algal blooms in freshwater bodies, so tillage practices must minimize phosphate losses by leaching and surface run-off from cultivated land. Mineral soils usually contain 30–70% of their phosphate in organic forms, and both organic and inorganic phosphate are found in the soil solution. Some organic phosphates, notably the inositol phosphates, are as strongly sorbed by soil as inorganic phosphates, and this decreases their susceptibility to mineralization. The strength with which both categories are sorbed lessens the risk of their being leached as solutes but makes it more likely that they will be carried from the soil on colloidal or particulate matter, and the greatest losses of phosphate from the soil usually occur by surface run-off and erosion. Recent studies at Rothamsted have, however, shown substantial concentrations of phosphate in drainage from plots that have long received more phosphate as fertilizer than is removed in crops. These losses probably occurred because preferential water flow carried the phosphate rapidly from the surface soil to the field drains. For lessening losses of phosphate by leaching and run-off, the prime requirement of tillage is that it should encourage flows of water through the soil that help it to retain phosphate. Primary and secondary tillage should ensure that the surface roughness and porosity of the top-soil encourage the flow of water into the soil matrix where it will move relatively slowly and allow phosphate to be sorbed, thereby avoiding problems from run-off and preferential flow. Inversion tillage can be useful for lessening the loss of phosphate by run-off and erosion. Secondary tillage could be used to decrease the size of the aggregates and increase the surface area for sorption. Although tillage will increase the mineralization of organic phosphate, pulses of mineralization are unlikely to be so rapid or to lead to such large losses as with nitrate. The strength with which phosphate is sorbed also lessens the problem. As with nitrate, the key to managing phosphate is basically good husbandry.     

Soil microbial biomass carbon and nitrogen as affected by cropping systems

 The impacts of crop rotations and N fertilization on microbial biomass C (C_mic) and N (N_mic) were studied in soils of two long-term field experiments initiated in 1978 at the Northeast Research Center (NERC) and in 1954 at the Clarion-Webster Research Center (CWRC), both in Iowa. Surface soil samples were taken in 1996 and 1997 from plots of corn (Zea mays L.), soybeans (Glycine max (L.) Merr.), oats (Avena sativa L.), or meadow (alfalfa) (Medicago sativa L.) that had received 0 or 180 kg N ha^–1 before corn and an annual application of 20 kg P and 56 kg K ha^–1. The C_mic and N_mic values were determined by the chloroform-fumigation-extraction method and the chloroform-fumigation-incubation method, respectively. The C_mic and N_mic values were significantly affected (P<0.05) by crop rotation and plant cover at time of sampling, but not by N fertilization. In general, the highest C_mic and N_mic contents were found in the multicropping systems (4-year rotations) taken in oats or meadow plots, and the lowest values were found in continuous corn and soybean systems. On average, C_mic made up about 1.0% of the organic C (C_org), and N_mic contributed about 2.4% of the total N (N_tot) in soils at both sites and years of sampling. The C_mic values were significantly correlated with C_org contents (r≥0.41**), whereas the relationship between C_mic and N_tot was significant (r≤0.53***) only for the samples taken in 1996 at the NERC site. The C_mic : N_mic ratios were, on average, 4.3 and 6.4 in 1996, and 7.6 and 11.4 in 1997 at the NERC and CWRC sites, respectively. Crop rotation significantly (P<0.05) affected this ratio only at the NERC site, and N fertilization showed no effect at either site. In general, multicropping systems resulted in greater C_mic : C_org (1.1%) and N_mic : N_tot (2.6%) ratios than monocropping systems (0.8% and 2.1%, respectively). Received: 9 February 1999     

不同措施对滨海盐渍土壤呼吸、电导率和有机碳的影响

在苏北滩涂围垦区的轻度和中度盐渍土上,通过田间试验,研究了不同农田管理措施(传统耕作、施用有机肥、氮肥增施、秸秆还田和免耕)对土壤盐分、呼吸和有机碳等的影响。结果表明,0~40cm土层平均电导率在玉米种植季明显升高,小麦种植季出现小幅降低,轻度盐渍土的电导率为4.57~8.20 d S m~(~(-1)) ,中度盐渍土为4.89~10.13 d S m~(~(-1)) ,处理之间秸秆还田最低,免耕最高,秸秆还田和施用有机肥有效减少了土壤盐分含量。与中度盐渍土相比,轻度盐渍土的呼吸强度较高,在夏玉米和冬小麦种植季节分别高约16%和18%。有机肥、氮肥增施、秸秆还田处理的土壤呼吸均高于对照,而免耕较低。两组试验的土壤有机碳和微生物生物量碳均有缓慢增加,其中施用有机肥和秸秆还田可以大幅提高其含量。轻度盐渍土壤代谢熵高于中度盐渍土,总体上对照最高,免耕最低。     

不同有机物料对连作大豆土壤养分及团聚体组成的影响

为探究不同有机物料对连作大豆土壤养分和团聚体组成的影响,采用大田试验方法,研究了在连作7年条件下,腐熟鸡粪(JF)、玉米秸秆(JG)和木耳菌渣(JZ)三种不同类型有机物料对连作大豆土壤养分、产量、团聚体组成和稳定性的影响。结果表明:与CK相比有机物料能有效提高连作大豆土壤养分含量,显著影响土壤团聚体组成,0.25~2 mm粒级团聚体含量明显增加。畜禽粪便类的鸡粪(JF)对碱解氮的提高作用最明显,较CK提高13.85%;天然类的秸秆(JG)对速效磷含量提高作用显著,较CK提高4.13%;JF对提高速效钾含量效果最好,较CK提高8.97%;JG对提高有机质含量效果最好,较CK提高7.28%。半腐解类的菌渣(JZ)较CK相比土壤养分含量也有明显的提高,但不如JF和JG效果明显。有机物料能提高连作大豆产量,JF效果显著。所有有机物料对改善土壤团聚体组成,增加0.25 mm水稳性团聚体含量效果均比较显著,对土壤水稳性团聚体平均重量直径以及土壤团聚体的稳定性指数有显著提高作用。     

皖南宣城市广德县农用地土壤有机质含量演变

有机质含量是决定土壤肥力的一个重要属性。本文对比分析了皖南宣城市广德县1980s的第二次土壤普查和2008年的测土配方施肥项目获取的农用地土壤有机质含量,分析了其变化的机制,提出了提高土壤有机质含量的对策。20多年来广德县农业用地土壤有机质含量总体上升高了1.48g/kg,升幅为6.10%。县南部和中部土壤有机质含量呈提高的趋势,而北部地区呈降低的趋势。灌溉水田、望天田、旱地、园地的土壤有机质含量均有所提高。为提高土壤有机质含量,应继续实施秸秆还田和适度的少耕/免耕,加强畜禽粪便施用和绿肥种植。     

Effect of lithological substrate on microbial biomass and enzyme activity in brown soil profiles in the northern Apennines (Italy)

The aim of the present study was to investigate the microbial activity along forest brown soil profiles sequence developed on different lithological substrates (carbonate or non-carbonated cement in sandstone formations) at different altitudes. The main question posed was: does carbonate affect the biochemical activity of brown soil profiles at different altitudes? For the purpose of this study, four soil profiles with different amounts and compositions of SOM developed on different lithological substrates were selected: two with carbonate (MB and MZ) and the other two with non-carbonated cement in the sandstone formations (MF1 and MF2). Chemical and biochemical properties of soil were analysed along soil profiles in order to assess the SOM quantity and quality, namely total organic C (C_org), water extractable organic C (WEOC) and humification indices (HI, DH, HR). Microbial biomass (C_mic and N_mic) content, as well as the specific activities of acid phosphatase, β-glucosidase and chitinase enzymes were chosen as indicators of biochemical activity. The soil biochemical properties provided evidence of better conditions for microorganisms in MB than in MF1, MF2 and MZ soil profiles, since patterns of microbial biomass content and activity might be expected in response to the amount and quality of organic substances. The different lithological substrates did not show any clear effect on soil microbial biomass content, since similar values were obtained in MF1, MF2 (with non-carbonated cement) and MZ (with carbonate). However, the specific activities of acid phosphatase (per unit of C_org and per unit of C_mic) were higher in soils with no carbonate (MF1 and MF2) than in soils with carbonate (MB and MZ). In conclusion, the biochemical activity along brown soil profiles was mainly regulated by different soil organic matter content and quality, while the two different lithological substrates (with carbonate or non-carbonated cement in the sandstone formations) did not show any direct effect on microbial biomass and its activity. However, the activity of acid phosphatase per unit of C was particularly enhanced in soil with non-carbonate cement in the sandstone formations.     

沙蒿生物质炭在沙土中的降解特征

为明确不同炭化条件下沙蒿生物质炭的有机组分、炭化过程和降解特性。于不同炭化条件下无氧炭化制备沙蒿生物质炭并进行沙地封存。结果表明:H、O和N元素的质量分数及H/C、O/C和(N+O)/C均随炭化温度的升高和炭化时间的延长呈先降低后稳定的变化趋势,升温速率对其无显著影响。而C则呈相反趋势且均在炭化温度600℃、炭化时间60 min以后基本达定值,上述指标(H、O、N、H/C、O/C、(N+O)/C和C)的稳定值分别约为29.3 g/kg、79.8 g/kg、11.2 g/kg、0.40、0.07、0.08和879.7 g/kg。生物质炭的降解速率随着炭化温度的升高、炭化时间的延长和施用量的增大而降低,其半衰期为2~12年。综上,沙蒿的炭化既是有机组分富碳、去极性官能团的过程,同时也是芳香性增强、亲水性和极性减弱的过程,施用量和炭化温度是影响生物质炭降解的决定性因素。     

连续秸秆还田对水稻土中钾素形态的影响

湖北省武穴市、荆州市和武汉市三个水旱轮作长期定位试验的基础上,研究了连续秸秆还田(三地秸秆还田时间分别为9、5和3年)对不同层次(0~20 cm和20~40 cm)土壤中各形态钾素(水溶性钾、特殊吸附钾、非特殊吸附钾、非交换性钾、矿物钾、全钾)的影响。结果表明:秸秆还田能显著增加0~20 cm土层中特殊吸附钾和非特殊吸附钾的含量,两者的增量分别为9.92%~138.35%和35.57%~143.79%,其中武穴试验点的增加效果相对最好。20~40 cm土层,各处理之间变化规律不明显。土壤全钾含量表现为武穴试验点最低(2.59~3.15 g kg~(-1)),与荆州和武汉试验点差异性较大(9.45~11.91 g kg~(-1))。武穴和荆州试验点供钾能力较低(速效钾含量100 mg kg~(-1)),武汉试验点供钾能力为中等(速效钾含量在100~150 mg kg~(-1))。矿物钾和全钾呈极显著正相关(武穴、荆州和武汉试验点的相关系数分别为0.994**、0.999**、1.000**),速效钾中各组分与速效钾的相关性在三个试验点存在差异,其中还田时间越长相关性越好。     

Carbon and nitrogen stocks in the soils of Central and Eastern Europe

Abstract. Soil organic carbon and total nitrogen stocks are presented for Central and Eastern Europe. The study uses the soil geographic and attribute data held in a 1:2 500 000 scale Soil and Terrain (SOTER) database, covering Belarus, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Poland, Romania, the Russian Federation (west of the Urals), Slovakia, and Ukraine. Means and coefficients of variation for soil organic carbon and total nitrogen are presented for each major FAO soil grouping. The mean content of organic carbon, to a depth of 1 m, ranges from 3.9 kg C m^–2 for coarse textured Arenosols to 72.9 kg C m^–2 for poorly drained Histosols. Mean carbon content for the mineral soils, excluding Arenosols, is 15.8 kg C m^–2. The top 1 m of soil holds 110 Pg C (Pg=10¹⁵ g), which corresponds to about 7% of the global stock of soil organic carbon. About 44% of this carbon pool is held in the top 0.3 m of the soil, the layer that is most prone to be changed by changes in soil use and management. About 166 million ha in Central and Eastern Europe have been degraded by compaction, erosion of topsoil, fertility decline and crusting. The achievable level of carbon sequestration for these soils, upon adoption of 'best' management practices or restorative measures, is estimated.