Species richness of ectomycorrhizal hyphal necromass increases soil CO2 efflux under laboratory conditions

The ectomycorrhizal mycelium is a large component of boreal and temperate forest soil microbial biomass and the resulting necromass is likely to be an important source of nutrients for saprotrophic microorganisms. Here we test the effects of species richness of ectomycorrhizal mycelial biomass on short-term CO₂ efflux by amending forest soil with necromass from 8 fungal species added separately and in mixtures of 2, 4 and 8 species. All additions of necromass rapidly increased soil CO₂ efflux compared to unamended controls but CO₂ efflux increased significantly with species richness. Efflux of CO₂ did not correlate with the carbon (C) or nitrogen (N) contents or the C:N ratio of the added necromass. The study demonstrates that species diversity of dead ectomycorrhizal fungal hyphae can have important consequences for soil CO₂ efflux, and suggests decomposition of hyphae is regulated by specific constituents of the nutrient pools in the necromass rather than the total quantities added.     

Impact of plant cell wall network on biodegradation in soil: Role of lignin composition and phenolic acids in roots from 16 maize genotypes

Residue quality is a key factor governing biodegradation and the fate of C in soil. Most investigations of relationships existing between crop residue quality and soil decomposition have been based on determining the relative proportions of soluble, cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin components. However, cell wall cohesion is increased by tight interconnections between polysaccharides and lignin that involve cross-linking agents (phenolic acids). The aim of this study was to determine the role of lignin composition and phenolic acids on short- to medium-term decomposition of maize roots in soil. Sixteen maize genotypes, presenting a range of chemical characteristics related to root lignin and phenolic acids, were used. The main components were characterized by Van Soest (VS) extraction and cell wall acid hydrolysis, and the non-condensed Syringyl and Guaicyl lignin monomers, esterified phenolic acids and etherified phenolic acids were determined. Maize roots were then incubated in soil under controlled conditions (15 °C, −80 kPa moisture) for 796 days. Results showed that VS extraction over-estimated the structural hemicellulose content and that VS lignin was more recalcitrant than Klason lignin. The tremendous effect of cell wall chemical characteristics was shown by marked variations (almost two-fold differences in C mineralization), between the 16 maize roots. Decomposition was controlled by soluble residue components in the short term whereas lignin and the interconnections between cell wall polymers were important in the long-term. Notably the cell wall domain rich in non-condensed lignin and esterified phenolic acids was prone to decomposition whereas the presence of etherified ferulic acids seemed to hamper cell wall decomposition.     

Controls on soil carbon accumulation during woody plant encroachment: Evidence from physical fractionation, soil respiration, and δC of respired CO2

Woody plant encroachment into grasslands and savannas is a globally extensive land-cover change that alters biogeochemical processes and frequently results in soil organic carbon (SOC) accrual. We used soil physical fractionation, soil respiration kinetics, and the isotopic composition of soil respiration to investigate microbial degradation of accrued SOC in sandy loam soils along a chronosequence of C₃woody plant encroachment into a C₄-dominated grassland in southern Texas. Our previous work in this system demonstrated significant changes in the chemistry and abundance of lignin and aliphatic biopolymers within particulate soil fractions during the first 40 yrs of woody plant encroachment, indicating selective accrual of purportedly more recalcitrant plant chemicals. However, during the long-term soil laboratory incubation presented herein, a greater proportion of SOC was mineralized in soils from older woody stands (34-86 yrs) than in soils from younger woody stands (14-23 yrs) and grasslands, providing no evidence for greater biochemical recalcitrance as a controlling mechanism for SOC accrual. In addition, δ¹³C values of respired CO₂ indicate that the mineralized SOC was predominately of C₃ origin from all woody stands along the chronosequence, and that respired CO₂ was primarily derived from the free light fraction (density <1.0 g/cm³) and macroaggregate-sized soil fraction. Our data suggested that the location of SOC among soil fractions was more important than plant polymer chemistry in determining SOC turnover rates during incubation. Surprisingly, estimates of the size and turnover rate of the active SOC pool based on respiratory kinetics did not increase with woody encroachment, and the turnover rate of the slower SOC pool decreased, again supporting the notion that increases in biochemically recalcitrant biopolymers did not hinder decomposition in the lab. These data indicate environmental conditions that may allow for C accrual in the field were alleviated during the controlled incubation. Therefore, C accrual in these sandy loam soils following woody encroachment should not be assumed stable, and this factor should be taken into account when considering responses of SOC to climate change or when making management decisions regarding land cover impacts on SOC.     

Modeling soil metabolic processes using isotopologue pairs of position-specific C-labeled glucose and pyruvate

Most organic carbon (C) in soils eventually turns into CO₂ after passing through microbial metabolic pathways, while providing cells with energy and biosynthetic precursors. Therefore, detailed insight into these metabolic processes may help elucidate mechanisms of soil C cycling processes. Here, we describe a modeling approach to quantify the C flux through metabolic pathways by adding 1-¹³C and 2,3-¹³C pyruvate and 1-¹³C and U-¹³C glucose as metabolic tracers to intact soil microbial communities. The model calculates, assuming steady-state conditions and glucose as the only substrate, the reaction rates through glycolysis, Krebs cycle, pentose phosphate pathway, anaplerotic activity through pyruvate carboxylase, and various biosynthesis reactions. The model assumes a known and constant microbial proportional precursor demand, estimated from literature data. The model is parameterized with experimentally determined ratios of ¹³CO₂ production from pyruvate and glucose isotopologue pairs. Model sensitivity analysis shows that metabolic flux patterns are especially responsive to changes in experimentally determined ¹³CO₂ ratios from pyruvate and glucose. Calculated fluxes are far less sensitive to assumptions concerning microbial chemical and community composition. The calculated metabolic flux pattern for a young volcanic soil indicates significant pentose phosphate pathway activity in excess of pentose precursor demand and significant anaplerotic activity. These C flux patterns can be used to calculate C use efficiency, energy production and consumption for growth and maintenance purposes, substrate consumption, nitrogen demand, oxygen consumption, and microbial C isotope composition. The metabolic labeling and modeling methods may improve our ability to study the biochemistry and ecophysiology of intact and undisturbed soil microbial communities.     

Interactive effects of warming, soil humidity and plant diversity on litter decomposition and microbial activity

Human activity has induced a multitude of global changes that are likely to affect the functioning of ecosystems. Although these changes act in concert, studies on interactive effects are scarce. Here, we conducted a laboratory microcosm experiment to explore the impacts of temperature (9, 12 and 15 °C), changes in soil humidity (moist, dry) and plant diversity (1, 4, 16 species) on soil microbial activity and litter decomposition.We found that changes in litter decomposition did not mirror impacts on microbial measures indicating that the duration of the experiment (22 weeks) may not have been sufficient to determine the full magnitude of global change effects. However and notably, changes in temperature, humidity and plant litter diversity/composition affected in a non-additive way the microbial parameters investigated. For instance, microbial metabolic efficiency increased with plant diversity in the high moisture treatment but remained unaffected in low moisture treatment suggesting that climate changes may mask beneficial effects of biodiversity on ecosystem functioning. Moreover, litter decomposition was unaffected by plant litter diversity/composition but increased with increasing temperature in the high moisture treatment, and decreased with increasing temperature in the low moisture treatment.We conclude that it is inevitable to perform complex experiments considering multiple global change agents in order to realistically predict future changes in ecosystem functioning. Non-additive interactions highlight the context-dependency of impacts of single global change agents.     

干旱区农田灌溉前后土壤水盐时空变异性研究

通过田间土壤剖面取样,测定了新疆奇台县干旱区农田灌溉前、灌溉后1 周和3 周土壤水盐的时空变异特征。结果表明: 灌溉前, 剖面各层土壤含水量较低(15.25%~16.70%), 且呈中等(偏弱)变异性; 剖面上部(40 cm 以上)土壤盐分呈强变异性, 而下部为中等(偏强)变异性。灌溉后1 周, 除0~20 cm(弱变异性)外, 其他土层水分及剖面下部盐分变异性未变, 但变异系数均减小, 上部土壤盐分转为中等(偏强)变异性; 剖面平均土壤含水量升高10.51%, 脱盐率达8.94%, 其中, 表层(0~20 cm)土壤水分增加率(118.48%)及脱盐率(20.86%)最大, 底层(100~120 cm)水分增加率(40.54%)及脱盐率(-6.93%)最小。灌溉后3 周与1 周相比, 各层(除80~100 cm 土层)水分及盐分的变异性保持不变, 但水分的变异系数增大, 而盐分的变异系数减小; 剖面平均含水量减少5.20%, 表层(0~20 cm)失水率(36.47%)最大, 80~100 cm 失水率(7.31%)最小; 表层土壤积盐率(4.55%)约为20~40 cm 土层的12 倍; 而40 cm 土层以下仍处于脱盐阶段, 40~80 cm 土壤脱盐率减小, 80~120 cm 土层脱盐率(9.03%)增大。     

复合型PGPR和苜蓿对新垦地土壤培肥效果研究

研究了利用根际有益微生物和豆科植物相结合培肥新垦地土壤的效果。试验采用裂区设计法研究了重庆北碚新垦坡耕地中性土壤上种植紫花苜蓿并接种根瘤菌和其他根际有益微生物(PGPR)(如联合固氮菌、解磷菌和解钾菌等)对土壤养分的影响。结果显示:接种根瘤菌+其他PGPR的处理对土壤有机质、全氮、全磷、全钾、有效磷和速效钾的提高均达到显著水平,较只接种根瘤菌的处理分别提高33.5%、22.7%、3.8%、11.5%、11.4%和22.3%,较不接种根瘤菌和PGPR的处理分别高42.2%、58.8%、8%、12.6%、37.2%和40.2%,接种根瘤菌+其他PGPR的效果优于只接种根瘤菌和不接种的。同时,上述处理对豆科植物苜蓿植株瘤重、株高、根鲜重、地上部鲜重以及植株全氮含量的提高均达到显著水平,比只接种根瘤菌的处理分别高44.5%、33.2%、77.3%、76.7%和17.7%。将苜蓿和相应的PGPR两者联合使用有更好的土壤改良效果,加速了新垦地贫瘠土壤的培肥过程。     

双季稻田马铃薯不同覆盖栽培对土壤酶活性的影响

为探讨双季稻区春马铃薯不同覆盖模式下稻田土壤酶活性的变化情况, 在大田条件下, 以露地处理为对照, 设置稻草、无纺布、稻草+无纺布、黑膜、稻草+黑膜5 种覆盖处理。结果表明: 地表覆盖显著影响土壤酶活性。其中, 稻草覆盖显著(P<0.05)提高碱性磷酸酶、芳基硫酸酯酶和脱氢酶酶活性, 分别较对照提高17.55%、24.77%和87.2%; 稻草+无纺布覆盖显著(P<0.05)提高芳基酰胺酶和脱氢酶活性, 分别较对照提高8.03%和71.05%; 黑膜覆盖显著(P<0.05)提高β-葡萄糖苷酶、碱性磷酸酶、芳基硫酸酯酶和脱氢酶活性, 分别较对照提高23.44%、22.70%、37.43%和146.30%; 稻草+黑膜覆盖显著(P<0.05)提高β-葡萄糖苷酶、芳基酰胺酶、碱性磷酸酶、芳基硫酸酯酶和脱氢酶活性, 分别较对照提高34.76%、19.31%、19.03%、51.98%和125.62%。由此得出, 覆盖稻草并加盖黑膜可显著提高与土壤养分循环有关的主要土壤酶活性, 利于提高土壤质量。     

基于集对分析与三角模糊数耦合的土壤重金属污染评价模型

土壤重金属污染程度综合评价问题是一个前沿的、复杂的不确定性问题。本文尝试利用集对分析方法描述土壤重金属污染评价过程中的确定性和不确定性特征,并应用角模糊数刻画集对差异度系数以改进集对分析方法,进而提出了基于集对分析与三角模糊数耦合的土壤重金属污染综合评价新模型。实例应用结果及与其他方法对比分析表明:该模型评价过程直观、计算简便、结果客观合理,在土壤重金属污染评价中具有参考价值。