Change in soil microbial biomass and regulating factors in an alpine meadow site on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

ABSTRACT

The change in soil microbial biomass (SMB) content and its direct links to soil organic matter (SOM) and environmental factors are not well understood for high-elevation regions. Therefore, this research investigated the temporal variation of SMB and its relationship with SOM and environmental factors in an alpine meadow site on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. The soil organic carbon (SOC) and total nitrogen (TN) contents in alpine meadows showed monthly and seasonal variations and were higher in colder months, and the soil C/N ratio was higher in winter and in autumn than it was in the other seasons (P < 0.05). In addition, the changes in the SMB C and SMB N contents were notable at monthly and seasonal scales, whereas the SMB C and SMB N contents were higher in the winter and spring than they were in the other seasons (P < 0.05); the ratio of SMB C/SOC was higher in spring than it was in the other seasons; the ratio of the SMB N/TN content was higher in cold or cool months than it was in the other months; and the ratio of the SMB C/SMB N was highest in August (P < 0.05). Moreover, the SMB C and SMB N contents were significantly positively correlated to the SOC and TN contents (P < 0.01), and the SMB content was also significantly positively correlated to soil water content and air temperature (P < 0.05), or to soil bulk density and soil pH (P < 0.05). The results suggested that the change in the SMB in the alpine meadows was highly regulated by the SOC and TN and by monthly and seasonal changes in the soil bulk density, the soil pH, soil moisture, and air temperatures.     

太阳能加热防治根结线虫时覆膜、土壤类型与有机物对土壤温度的影响

试验研究了覆膜方式(双层膜、单层膜和不覆膜)、土壤类型(中壤土、砂壤土)与有机物(添加牛粪和不添加牛粪)对太阳能加热时土壤温度的影响。覆盖透明膜可显著提高土壤日平均温度和日最高温度,10 cm2、0 cm和30 cm深度土壤日平均温度分别达40℃、38℃和36℃以上,日最高温度分别达43.3℃、39.0℃和36.5℃以上。覆盖透明膜可明显延长土壤高温(≥35℃)持续时间并提高土壤日温差,土壤温度超过35℃的累计时间达22.5h以上,10 cm、20 cm和30 cm深度土壤日温差分别在7.1℃、2.6℃和0.8℃以上。覆盖双层膜土壤日平均温度、日最高温度、高温持续时间及日温差比单层膜高,且在10 cm深度尤为突出。除20 cm深度外,土壤类型对日平均温度和日最高温度没有影响。添加牛粪能使0~20 cm土层土壤日平均温度提高2℃以上,显著高于不添加对照。故覆盖透明膜和添加牛粪可显著提升30 cm深度内的土壤温度,利用太阳能加热可望降低土壤中根结线虫种群数量。     

南京典型利用方式土壤中球囊霉素含量及剖面分布特征

采用Brad-ford染色法研究了南京市5种典型利用方式土壤不同土层中(0~10、10~20、20~40 cm)球囊霉素的含量。结果表明:土壤中总球囊霉素含量为1.96~3.12 mg/g,占土壤有机碳的12.5%~29.0%,所占比例随土壤有机碳含量的增加而降低。林地和草地土壤中球囊霉素和有机碳的含量均高于3种耕作土壤(水稻田、茶园土和菜园土)。随着土层深度(0~40 cm)的增加,5种不同利用方式土壤中总球囊霉素和有机碳的含量均减小;与其他土层相比,0~10 cm土层总球囊霉素和有机碳含量均最大。耕作土壤中易提取球囊霉素更易于向总球囊霉素转化。发现5种土地利用方式下土壤中总球囊霉素含量与土壤有机碳含量极显著正相关,与土壤p H显著负相关;易提取球囊霉素与土壤有机碳含量极显著负相关。总球囊霉素和易提取球囊霉素可作为评价土壤丛枝菌根真菌活性和土壤质量的重要指标。     

沼泽湿地开垦对土壤水热条件和性质的影响

湿地具有重要的生态和环境功能.三江平原沼泽湿地的大面积垦殖,已对区域生态平衡及气候环境产生了一定的影响.湿地开垦后,土壤水、热条件发生较大变化,土壤温度的增高及氧化-还原条件的改变,促进了土壤有机质的分解和土壤呼吸通量的增大.土壤有机碳、氮素含量随湿地开垦及开垦年限的增加而不断降低.沼泽湿地开垦初期5～7年,土壤有机碳及其它营养元素的含量变化幅度较大,持续耕作15～20年后,土壤有机碳损失曲线趋于平缓.湿地开垦后,土壤有机质输入量的减少及分解作用加强导致土壤容重和比重的增大,其变化趋势与土壤有机碳损失趋势相一致.     

有机物料对砂姜黑土的改良效应及其机制

通过田间定位试验、温室培育试验和一系列物理、化学性质的测定 ,探讨了三种有机物料对淮北低产土壤—砂姜黑土的改良效果及机理。结果表明 ,有机物料回归土壤能增加土壤孔隙度 ,降低容重 ,改善土壤通透性和保水保肥性能 ,提高土壤的缓冲性。同时提供多种有效养分 ,培肥土壤 ,并表现为增加作物产量。其机理不仅在于所提供的腐殖质能降低砂姜黑土中含量过高的蒙脱石矿物的剪切应力 ,抑制其胀缩性 ,而且还在于它们能提供形成有机无机复合团聚体所必须的活性有机胶体 ,以及其有机酸能溶解土中原有的CaCO3成为活性的Ca2 离子 ,后者是形成复合团聚体的桥梁 ,从而改善了土壤的结构性能等。     

Initial results from long-term field studies at three sites on the effects of heavy metal-amended liquid sludges on soil microbial activity

In a long‐term study of the effects on soil fertility and microbial activity of heavy metals contained in sewage sludges, metal‐amended liquid sludges each with elevated Zn, Cu or Cd concentrations were applied over a 3‐year period (1995–1997) to three sites in England. The experiments were sited adjacent to experimental plots receiving metal‐rich sludge cakes enabling comparisons to be made between the effects of heavy metal additions in metal‐amended liquid sludges and sludge cakes. The liquid sludge additions were regarded as ‘worst case’ treatments in terms of likely metal availability, akin to a long‐term situation following sewage sludge additions where organic matter levels had declined and stabilised. The aim was to establish individual Zn (50–425 mg kg^?1), Cu (15–195 mg kg^?1) and Cd (0.3–4.0 mg kg^?1) metal dose–response treatments at each site, but with significantly smaller levels of organic matter addition than the corresponding sludge cake experiments. There were no differences (P > 0.05) in soil respiration rates, biomass carbon concentrations or most probable numbers of clover Rhizobium between the treatments at any of the sites at the end of the liquid sludge application programme. Soil heavy metal extractability differed between the metal‐amended liquid sludge and metal‐rich sludge cake treatments; Zn and Cd extractabilities were higher from the liquid sludge additions, whereas Cu extractability was higher from the sludge cake application. These differences in metal extractability in the treated soil samples reflected the contrasting NH₄NO₃ extractable metal contents of the metal‐amended liquid sludges and sludge cakes that were originally applied.     

Stability of desiccated rhizosphere soil aggregates of mycorrhizal Juniperus oxycedrus grown in a desertified soil amended with a composted organic residue

Adequate soil structural stability favours the establishment and viability of a stable plant cover, protecting the soil against water erosion in desertified Mediterranean environments. We studied the effect of soil drying-rewetting, inoculation with a mixture of three exotic arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi (Glomus intraradices Schenck & Smith, Glomus deserticola (Trappe, Bloss. & Menge) and Glomus mosseae (Nicol & Gerd.) Gerd. & Trappe) and addition of a composted organic residue on aggregate stabilisation of the rhizosphere soil of Juniperus oxycedrus. The AM fungi and composted residue produced similar increases in plant growth, independently of the water conditions. Under well-watered conditions, the highest percentages of stable aggregates were recorded in the amended soil, followed by the soil inoculated with AM fungi. Excepting microbial biomass C, the soil drying increased labile C fractions (water soluble C, water soluble and total carbohydrates), whereas the rewetting decreased significantly such C fractions. Desiccation caused a significant increase in aggregate stability of the rhizosphere soil of all plants, particularly in the amended and inoculated plants. In all treatments, the aggregates formed after soil drying were unstable, since, in the rewetting, they disappear, reaching the initial levels before soil drying. Our results suggest that the aggregation mechanisms developed by rhizosphere microbial community of the amended and inoculated plants under water stress can be particularly relevant in desertified soils exposed to long desiccation periods.     

Soil properties in organic olive groves compared with that in natural areas in a mountainous landscape in southern Spain

This study evaluates soil properties in organically managed olive groves and natural zones in a mountainous area of Andalusia, Spain. Two soil types (Eutric Regosol and Eutric Cambisol) and the most common soil management methods (tillage and two intensities of grazing) were studied. Both soil types in the groves had values not much lower than those in the natural areas. Average (±SE) values in the groves were 1.58 ± 0.71% for organic carbon, 323 ± 98 g kg^?1 for macroaggregate stability, 1.11 ± 0.16 g cm^?3 for bulk density, 3.5 ± 1.6 mm h^?1 for saturated hydraulic conductivity and 1209 ± 716 mg CO₂ kg^?1 for soil respiration. Overall, these values tended to be lower in the tilled compared with that in the grazed groves. The average phosphorus soil content (5.83 ± 5.22 mg kg^?1) was low for olive production and within adequate ranges for N (0.12 ± 0.05%) and K (142 ± 81 mg kg^?1). Soil erosion was high in the tilled groves (35.5 ± 18.2 t ha^?1 year^?1) with soil loss correlating with indicators of soil degradation such as organic carbon content and water stable macroaggregates. In the grazed groves, soil loss was moderate with no clear indications of soil degradation. Overall, there was significant farm‐to‐farm variability within the same soil and land management systems. Olive production had a moderate effect on soil degradation compared with natural areas and olive cultivation could be sustained in future if cover crop soil management replaced tillage, especially in the most sloping areas.     

Temporal and spatial dynamics of soil solution C and N concentrations during Lolium perenne L. sward establishment and the effects of elevated CO2 and N additions

There is now clear evidence for a prolonged increase in atmospheric CO₂ concentrations and enrichment of the biosphere with N. Understanding the fate of C in the plant-soil system under different CO₂ and N regimes is therefore of considerable importance in predicting the environmental effects of climate change and in predicting the sustainability of ecosystems. Swards of Lolium perenne were grown from seed in a Eutric Cambisol at either ambient (ca. 350 μmol mol⁻¹) or elevated (700 μmol mol⁻¹) atmospheric pCO₂ and subjected to two inorganic N fertilizer regimes (no added N and 70 kg N ha⁻¹ month⁻¹). After germination, soil solution concentrations of dissolved organic C (DOC), dissolved inorganic N (DIN), dissolved organic N (DON), phenolics and H⁺ were measured at five depths down the soil profile over 3 months. The exploration of soil layers down the soil profile by roots caused transient increases in soil solution DOC, DON and phenolic concentrations, which then subsequently returned to lower quasi-stable concentrations. In general, the addition of N tended to increase DOC and DON concentrations while exposure to elevated pCO₂ had the opposite effect. These treatment effects, however, gradually diminished over the duration of the experiment from the top of the soil profile downwards. The ambient pCO₂ plus added N regime was the only treatment to maintain a notable difference in soil solution solute concentration, relative to other treatments. This effect on soil solution chemistry appeared to be largely indirect resulting from increased plant growth and a decrease in soil moisture content. Our results show that although plant growth responses to elevated pCO₂ are critically dependent upon N availability, the organic chemistry of the soil solution is relatively insensitive to changes in plant growth once the plants have become established.     

Near‐infrared spectroscopy can predict the composition of organic matter in soil and litter

The usefulness and limitations of near‐infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) for the assessment of several soil characteristics are still not sufficiently explored. The objective of this study was to evaluate the ability of visible and near‐infrared reflectance (VIS‐NIR) spectroscopy to predict the composition of organic matter in soils and litter. Reflectance spectra of the VIS‐NIR region (400–2500 nm) were recorded for 56 soil and litter samples from agricultural and forest sites. Spectra were used to predict general and biological characteristics of the samples as well as the C composition which was measured by ¹³C‐CPMAS‐NMR spectroscopy. A modified partial least‐square method and cross‐validation were used to develop equations for the different constituents over the whole spectrum (1st to 3rd derivation). Near‐infrared spectroscopy predicted well the C : N ratios, the percentages of O‐alkyl C and alkyl C, the ratio of alkyl C to O‐alkyl C, and the sum of phenolic oxidation products: the ratios of standard deviation of the laboratory results to standard error of cross‐validation (RSC) were greater than 2, the regression coefficients (a) of a linear regression (measured against predicted values) ranged from 0.9 to 1.1, and the correlation coefficients (r) were greater than 0.9. Satisfactorily (0.8 ≤ a ≤ 1.2, r ≥ 0.8, and 1.4 ≤ RSC ≤ 2.0) assessed were the contents of C, N, and production of DOC, the percentages of carbonyl C and aromatic C and the ratio of alkyl C to aromatic C. However, the N‐mineralization rate and the microbial biomass were predicted unsatisfactorily (RSC < 1.4). The good and satisfactory predictions reported above indicate a marked usefulness of NIRS in the assessment of biological and chemical characteristics of soils and litter.