Soil development on Late Quaternary river terraces in a high montane valley in Bhutan,Eastern Himalayas

We examined the geochemistry and micromorphology of the soils on a suite of morphologically well-defined and visually distinct fluvial terraces, up to 40 m elevation above the current riverbed, at Thangbi in the upper Bumthang Valley, Bhutan. The alluvia forming each of the terraces are lithologically and structurally similar, with shallow or moderately deep, clast-free sandy loam overbank deposits capping deep clast-supported beds of rounded boulders and interstitial sand. The topsoils on the 40 m terrace have more silt than those on the lower terraces. The soils are interpreted mainly as a monoclinal post-incisive chronosequence. Features that indicate progressive pedogenesis with increasing elevation include subsoil rubefaction, crystallinity of free Fe sesquioxides, and weathering of susceptible primary minerals, such as biotite and hornblende. However other soil attributes show no systematic trends and the overall impression is of limited pedogenesis, even in the soils on the higher terraces. We examine possibilities that the immaturity of the soils is due to pedogenic rejuvenation by post-incision additions to the soil parent materials.     

Evaluation of elemental depletion weathering rate estimation methods on acid-sensitive soils of north-eastern Alberta, Canada

Immobile element-based weathering estimation methods assume that Zr (or Ti) is an immobile element, and that weathering rates of other elements can be estimated according to the enrichment of Zr in weathered horizons relative to an unweathered parent material. This approach was used to estimate base cation weathering rates for 33 soil profiles on acid-sensitive terrain in north-eastern Alberta. Zirconium generally showed enrichment within the rooting zone, but the deepest (subsoil) samples were not always associated with the lowest Zr concentrations. Weathering rates estimated with the Zr depletion and Pedological Mass Balance (PMB) methods were generally low (ranges: 0-51 and 0-58 mmol_c m^− 2 yr^− 1, respectively); however, low base cation oxide concentrations and heterogeneity within soil profiles complicated weathering rate calculations and net base cation gains were calculated for several (six) sites. Evaluation of the Zr depletion and PMB weathering estimates against those calculated with the process-oriented PROFILE model at a subset (n = 9) of the sites indicated the estimates were poorly related, with PROFILE rates typically being higher. The effects-based emissions management strategy for acid precursors in this region requires spatial coverage of soil properties (including weathering rates) across a large area, but the apparent limitations associated with the immobile element based methods in this region: identifying representative parent soils and deriving weathering rate estimates comparable to more robust methods are arguments against their candidacy for future use.     

Long term impact of mineral amendment on the distribution of the mineral weathering associated bacterial communities from the beech Scleroderma citrinum ectomycorrhizosphere

Liming is a known forest management procedure used to amend nutrient-poor soils such as soils of acidic forests to rectify cation deficiencies and to restore soil pH. However, although this procedure is well known for its beneficial effect on the forest trees, its relative impact on the functional and taxonomic diversity of the soil bacterial communities has been poorly investigated. In this study, we characterized the ability of the soil bacteria to weather soil minerals and to hydrolyze chitin. A collection of 80 bacterial strains was isolated from the Scleroderma citrinum ectomycorrhizosphere and the adjacent bulk soil in two stands of mature beeches (Fagus sylvatica) developed on very acidic soil and presenting two levels of calcium (Ca) availability: a control plot as well as a plot amended with Ca in 1973. All the bacterial isolates were identified by partial 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis as members of the genera Burkholderia, Bacillus, Dyella, Kitasatospora, Micrococcus, Paenibacillus, Pseudomonas, and Rhodanobacter. Using a microplate assay for quantifying the production of protons and the quantity of iron released from biotite, we demonstrated that the bacterial strains from the amended plot harbored a significant higher mineral weathering potential that the ones isolated from the control plot. Notably, the weathering efficacy of the ectomycorrhizosphere bacterial isolates was significantly greater than that of the bulk soil isolates in the control treatment but not in the amended plot. These data reveal that forest management, here mineral amendment, can strongly affect the structure of bacterial communities even over the long term.     

Interactions between mycorrhizal fungi and mycorrhizosphere bacteria during mineral weathering: Budget analysis and bacterial quantification

The impact of ectomycorrhizal fungi or rhizosphere bacteria on tree seedling growth and nutrient uptake is well known. However, few studies have combined those microorganisms in one experiment to clarify their relative contribution and interactions in nutrient acquisition. Here, we monitored the respective contributions of pine roots, two ubiquitous forest ectomycorrhizal fungi Scleroderma citrinum and Laccaria bicolor, and two S. citrinum-mycorrhizosphere bacterial strains of Burkholderia glathei and Collimonas sp., on mineral weathering, nutrient uptake, and plant growth. Pinus sylvestris plants were grown on quartz–biotite substrate and inoculated or not with combinations of mycorrhizal fungi and/or bacterial strains. Magnesium and potassium fluxes were measured and nutrient budgets were calculated. Both ectomycorrhizal fungi significantly increased Mg plant uptake. No significant effects of the two bacterial strains were detected on the K and Mg budgets, but co-inoculating the mycorrhizal fungus S. citrinum and the efficient mineral-weathering B. glathei bacterial strain significantly improved the Mg budget. Similarly, co-inoculating S. citrinum with the Collimonas sp. bacterial strain significantly improved the pine biomass compared to non-inoculated pine plants. In order to better understand this process, we monitored the survival of the inoculated bacterial strains in the quartz–biotite substrate, the pine rhizosphere, and the mycorrhizal niche. The results showed that the two bacterial strains harboured different colonization behaviours both of which depended on the presence of the ectomycorrhizal partner. The populations of the Burkholderia strain were maintained in all these environments with a significantly higher density in the mycorrhizal niche, especially of S. citrinum. In contrast the population of the Collimonas strain reached the detection level except in the treatment inoculated with S. citrinum. These results highlight the need for taking into account the ecology of the microorganisms, and more specifically the fungal–bacterial interactions, when studying mineral weathering and plant nutrition.     

Base Cation Fluxes in Mountain Landscapes of Lake Baikal Southern Shore

Abstract

Assessing base cation [calcium (Ca²⁺), magnesium (Mg²⁺), potassium (K⁺)] fluxes is necessary for determining ecosystem stability. This study was conducted in the Osinovka River catchment located on the Khamar‐Daban Ridge, South Baikal, which is characterized by high precipitation (more than 1700 mm per annum). The contributions of different ecosystem components such as atmospheric deposition, soil exchange pool, minerals, vegetation, surface water, and groundwater into the total base cations flux were evaluated, combining the strontium isotope approach and budget study. Results show the leading role of atmosphere in ecosystem supply with base cations. The atmosphere contributes 48% of total base cations flux, and its contributions to plant‐available nutrition pools of both organic and mineral horizons are equal to 50%. This makes the vitality of vegetation, to a great extent, dependent on the stability of atmospheric chemistry.     

南京小龙山植物内生与土壤微生物群落差异及其矿物风化功能的研究计划项目

以南京小龙山植株海州香薷、根际土壤与非根际土壤作为材料得到可培养的植物内生细菌、根际细菌与非根际细菌,通过研究样品间的群落差异,来分析所得菌种对植株、土壤的作用与影响.将可培养细菌加入钾长石中,通过测定分析不同生境细菌对矿物的风化能力,筛选出具有高效释放矿质元素能力的菌株.该研究有助于丰富微生物资源库,了解植物内生细菌与不同土壤微生物的作用与联系,为深入阐明细菌的矿物风化作用机制打下基础.     

煤矿复垦区重构土壤溶解性有机碳空间分布特征

为探究煤矿复垦区重构土壤中溶解性有机碳(DOC)含量的空间分布特征,以淮南潘一矿区煤矸石山和周边复垦区林地土壤为研究对象,从空间分布和颗粒组成上,分析了煤矸石山山顶、山腰和山脚的煤矸石风化物及周边林地土壤中DOC的含量。结果表明:自上而下山顶、山腰、山脚的煤矸石风化物中DOC含量呈递减趋势,并随采样深度的增加而增大;但林地土壤中DOC含量随采样深度的增加而减少。不同粒径颗粒物中DOC含量分布不同,煤矸石风化物和林地土壤均以细砂(0.2~0.05 mm)DOC含量最高,石砾(10~2 mm)DOC含量最低。在雨水淋溶作用下,煤矸石风化物对周边土壤DOC含量贡献较大,距离山脚1~100 m范围,随着距离的增加,土壤中DOC含量由325.46 mg/kg减少至177.89 mg/kg,煤矸石风化物对周边土壤DOC含量的贡献率由85.78%降低到1.54%,在距离山脚100 m处土壤中DOC含量已接近正常对照土壤含量。     

西拉木伦河流域地表沉积物粒度、化学元素分布特征

通过对内蒙古西拉木伦河流域沉积物的采样分析,结果表明:西拉木伦河地表沉积物的粒度组成以63~250μm粒径为主,粒度特征表现出一定的风成特点;化学组成以Si、Al为主,与上陆壳平均化学组成相比,除Si O_2、Co、As Ni、Ba、Ce等元素外,均处于不同程度的亏损;不同河段沉积物粒度参数、化学元素的分布具有一定相似性,且化学元素含量之间存在高度的相关性,均表明其具有相似的的物源;不同河段A-CN-K图解及CIA(化学蚀变指数)揭示了西拉木伦河不同河段地表物质化学风化程度均较低,处于较弱的去Na、Ca阶段。不同河段化学风化程度差异与其局地气候及地貌格局息息相关;不同地貌单元沉积物粒度组成、地球化学过程的递变规律与距河道远近、地貌、植被等因素有关;西拉木伦河平均粒径与一些元素的相关性,说明粒度和化学元素之间存在一定关系。总之,在不同空间尺度上,西拉木伦河地表沉积物理化特征的分异实质上反映了风动力和水动力的差异性分选。该研究对于构建风水两相沉积物综合判别指标等问题有着重要的意义。     

自然降水条件下煤矸石坡土壤含水量及径流变化

为了防止矸石山水土流失,促进煤矿废弃地植被恢复,对自然降水条件下煤矸石坡面含水量及径流变化进行观测,研究降水量及风化年限对煤矸石坡面各层含水量及产流量的影响.结果表明:1)在小雨(＜10 mm/d)条件下,煤矸石坡地表、地下径流量接近;在中雨(≥10 mm/d,＜25 mm/d)及大雨(≥25 mm/d)条件下,降雨主要以地下径流的形式流失.在小雨情况下,煤矸石坡产生的地表径流、地下径流量均较少;中雨的发生频率和累计降水量最高,累计产生的地表径流量最高;大雨发生频率最低,累计产生的地下径流量和总径流量最高.2)地表径流量与降水量显著正相关,地下径流量与最大降雨强度、平均降雨强度显著正相关.3)由于风化程度增加,与2013年相比,2014年次小雨产生的地表径流、地下径流和总径流分别降低50％、100％、80％,次中雨产生的地表径流、地下径流和总径流分别降低88％、82％、97％.4)煤矸石具有一定的蓄水能力,20 ～ 30 cm含水量最高.随着风化程度增加,10 ～ 30 cm含水量增加.尽管10 cm风化程度高,但是由于表层蒸发,含水量较低.5)由于煤矸石颗粒粗大、渗透性强,在小雨、中雨、大雨条件下,矸石坡产生的地表径流量均小于土坡,分别为土坡的4％、26％、19％.     

崩岗发生区岩土类型分析

本文应用岩土工程的试验方法及其分类标准,对崩岗发生区的风化壳岩土进行分析.结果表明:1)依据地质成因和风化程度,风化壳可划分为坡积层和风化岩土层;其中,风化岩土层又分为残积土层、全风化层、强风化层,并以粘、石英含量高、粉、长石含量高分别为各自的典型特征.2)依据土的颗粒组成、塑性指数、颗粒的矿物组成,可将风化壳的岩土分为六大类:粘性土、石英砾砂、粉土类、粉砂、长石砾砂和角砾;且对应的风化壳层次分别为坡积层,残积土层,全风化层,强风化层上部、强风化层中部、强风化层底部.3)坡积层与风化岩土层的性质变化大,界限明显;风化岩土层中各层次之间为渐变过渡关系.