Do cover crops change the lability of phosphorus in a clayey subtropical soil under different phosphate fertilizers?

Plants have developed different mechanisms to absorb and solubilize phosphorus (P) in the soil, especially in environments with low P availability. This study evaluated the effects of different winter cover crops on soil P availability in a clayey subtropical (Hapludox) soil receiving soluble P fertilizer and a rock phosphate applied to the summer crop, under no‐tillage. The experiment was carried out over 3 yrs (2009–2011) with five different cover crop species: common vetch, fodder radish, ryegrass, black oat, white clover and fallow as control. The soil was sampled after the third year of cover crop cultivation and analysed for inorganic and organic P forms according to the well‐established Hedley fractionation procedure. Phosphate fertilizers promoted accumulation of both labile and nonlabile P pools in soil in the near surface layer, especially under rock phosphate. Fertilizer applications were not able to change P fractions in deeper layers, emphasizing that the Brazilian clayey soils are a sink of P from fertilizer and its mobility is almost nil. Although the cover crops recycled a great amount of P in tissue, in a short‐term evaluation (3 yrs) they only changed the content of moderately labile P in soil, indicating that long‐term studies are needed for more conclusive results.     

Limited effects of land use on soil dissolved organic matter chemistry as assessed by excitation–emission fluorescence spectroscopy and molecular weight fractionation

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) in soil solution represents a complex mixture of organic molecules and plays a central role in carbon and nitrogen cycling in plant–microbial–soil systems. We tested whether excitation–emission matrix (EEM) fluorescence spectroscopy can be used to characterize DOM and support previous findings that the majority of DOM is of high molecular weight (MW). EEM fluorescence spectroscopy was used in conjunction with MW fractionation to characterize DOM in soil solution from a grassland soil land management gradient in North Wales, UK. Data analysis suggested that three distinct fluorescence components could be separated and identified from the EEM data. These components were identified as being of humic‐like or fulvic‐like origin. Contrary to expectations, the majority of the fluorescence signal occurred in the small MW (<1 kDa) fraction, although differences between soils from the differently managed grasslands were more apparent in larger MW fractions. We conclude that following further characterization of the chemical composition of the fluorophores, EEM has potential as a sensitive technique for characterizing the small MW phenolic fraction of DOM in soils.     

The combined effects of cover crops and symbiotic microbes on phosphatase gene and organic phosphorus hydrolysis in subtropical orchard soils

P deficiency is a major obstacle for crop production in subtropical red soils in South China, and the hydrolysis of organic P (Po) is of great significance in these soils due to the immobilization of P by Fe and Al. Cover cropping in orchards and symbiotic microbial inoculation are considered to improve soil quality, including P status, however, their effects on the hydrolysis of Po is little known. In this study, five soil managements were established in a guava orchard in South China for two and a half years, including clean culture (CC), cover cropping with Paspalum natatu (PN), PN with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal inoculation (PNA), cover cropping with Stylosanthes guianensis (SG), SG with rhizobial inoculation (SGR). Soil chemical, biochemical and microbial properties were analyzed. Results indicate that soil pH and SOM content tended to increase following cover cropping alone or with microbial inoculation. Po content was significantly elevated in PNA. Po fractionation revealed that cover cropping alone or with microbial inoculation significantly affected the contents of moderately labile Po (MLPo) and moderately resistant Po (FAPo). Enzyme assay indicated that cover cropping with microbial inoculation increased the activities of acidic phosphomonoesterase (ACP), neutral phosphomonoesterase (NP) and alkaline phosphomonoesterase (ALP), with ALP the most sensitive, although ACP activity dominated in red soils. Correlation analysis suggested a significantly positive relationship between ALP activity and MLPo or FAPo. PCR-DGGE profile of the alp-harboring bacterial community showed that cover cropping with S. guianensis and mycorrhizal inoculation to P. natatu promoted the bacterial diversity and/or species richness. For almost all the measured parameters, PN and SG were comparable, however, PNA was superior to SGR, indicating the stronger additive effect of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus than that of rhizobia. Cat-PCA indicated that MLPo was the most influential factor on phosphomonoesterase. In general, this study suggests that, in subtropical orchards with red soil, cover cropping with microbial inoculation can improve the Po hydrolysis via the promoted alp-harboring bacterial community and then ALP activity. Our results also suggest that the combination of P. natatu and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus is better than S. guianensis and rhizobia, which possesses practical significance for sustainable production in these orchards.     

Can differences in 15N natural abundance be used to quantify the transfer of nitrogen from legumes to neighbouring non-legume plant species?

Natural variations in the stable isotope ¹⁵N are often exploited in studies of N cycling in ecosystems. Lower ¹⁵N natural abundance in non-legume plants growing in association with legumes, compared with the non-legume grown alone in pure stands have been observed in cropping, forage, and agroforestry systems. Such observations have frequently been attributed to the transfer of biologically-fixed nitrogen (N) from the legume to the companion non-legume, and various methodologies have been employed to calculate the extent of the N transfer. While some of these ¹⁵N natural abundance-based estimates of N transfer were within the range previously reported using equivalent ¹⁵N-enriched techniques (<20% of non-legume plant N and <10 kg N ha⁻¹ derived from fixed N contributed by neighbouring legumes), many of the values obtained using natural abundance were much higher (30%–83% of the non-legume N derived from fixed N representing up to 30–40 kg N ha⁻¹) than generally measured by ¹⁵N-enriched methods; with even greater estimates being determined where data were available to allow N transfer to be re-calculated on the basis of total legume N rather than fixed N (42% to >100%, and up to 110 kg N ha⁻¹ per year). This review raises concerns about the assumptions behind the natural abundance approach, and provides some alternative interpretations for the observed differences in natural ¹⁵N abundance between plants grown in the presence and absence of legumes. It was concluded that simple comparative measures of non-legume δ¹⁵N alone cannot provide a quantitative estimate of N transfer between plant species if the dominant source and the isotopic identity of the transferred N cannot be validated, and if the extent of any isotopic fractionation associated with relevant N transformations occurring during transfer cannot be defined. To date this information is not forthcoming. There is a need to greatly improve our understanding of the transfer processes before the real value of the δ¹⁵N technology can be realized. In the first instance this will primarily be achieved by carefully executed experiments under controlled conditions, and in the field, employing both ¹⁵N natural abundance and enrichment approaches so estimates of transfer can be compared, and the data interrogated using modelling approaches to explore isotopic fractionation.     

Importance of Noncrystalline Hydroxide Phases in Sequential Extractions to Fractionate Antimony in Acid Soils

Abstract

Sequential extraction techniques have been used to make inferences about speciation of phosphorus (P) and to a lesser extent arsenic (As) in soils. However, sequential extraction studies on the less‐abundant group V element, antimony (Sb), are limited. In this work, a widely used P sequential extraction scheme was modified and used to extract P, As, and Sb from two acidic soils from the Macleay River floodplain, NSW, that were enriched with Sb (26.9 and 23.0 mg kg^?1). An ammonium oxalate–oxalic acid step was included in the extraction sequence to dissolve the noncrystalline iron (Fe) and aluminium (Al) hydroxide phase. It extracted 30 to 47% of Sb, indicating the importance of this fraction, which may be mobilized in the floodplain by acid sulfate soil processes and periodic waterlogging. The original method overestimated P, As, and Sb in the residual fraction (30–71%). Relative efficiency values of extracts for P, As, and Sb were compared, and inferences about phase distributions were made. The results suggest some potential in using extractions to assess bioavailability of Sb in soil.     

海南胶园不同母质发育砖红壤磷素形态特征研究

采用Hedley磷分级方法对海南胶园5种母质15个砖红壤磷素形态进行了研究。结果表明:由于变幅较大,砂页岩、花岗岩、片麻岩、浅海沉积物和玄武岩5种母质砖红壤Resin-P含量间、NaHCO3-Pi含量间、NaOH-Pi含量间和HCl-P含量间差异均不显著。所有土壤各级磷中残余态磷含量和百分比均最高,且玄武岩发育砖红壤上残余态磷含量和百分比含量均显著高于其他4种母质砖红壤。5种母质砖红壤中浅海沉积物发育砖红壤有机磷总量最低,所有土壤有机磷占全磷百分比的平均值为14.67%;除浅海沉积物发育砖红壤外,其他4种母质发育砖红壤上有机磷均以NaOH-Po为主,其占有机磷总量百分比的平均值为83.68%。Resin-P、NaHCO3-Pi、NaOH-Pi和HCl-P 4个无机磷组分含量间显著或极显著水平正相关,且均与土壤Bray 2提取态磷呈极显著的正相关。NaHCO3-Po和NaOH-Po两个有机磷组分含量间呈极显著正相关,NaHCO3-Po、土壤有机磷总量均与土壤有机质含量呈显著正相关。     

不同利用方式红壤磷素有效性的深度变化——以江西省余江县孙家小流域为例

在江西省鹰潭市余江县孙家红壤小流域的典型红壤区随机选取了具有代表性的林地(F)、花生旱地(PU)、新稻田(NP,<30 a)和老稻田(OP,> 200 a),在0~40 cm深度每隔5 cm采集分层土样,分析了土壤全磷(TP)、有效磷(Bray P)、磷素活化系数(PAC)及有机磷(Po)、无机磷(Pi)与各组分磷的深度变化,探讨了土壤pH与土壤有机质(SOM)对红壤磷素有效性的影响。研究结果表明:孙家小流域不同利用方式红壤TP含量大小依次为:老稻田>新稻田>林地>花生旱地;除林地外,花生旱地与稻田土壤TP、Bray P、Pi和Po含量随着土壤深度的增加呈显著降低趋势,且稻田土壤Po含量及其占全磷的比例显著高于林地和花生旱地。花生旱地与稻田0~20 cm土壤中极有效磷(EAP)、中等有效磷(MAP)及EAP、MAP中的无机磷与有机磷的比值均显著高于林地土壤。林地转为旱地和稻田,尤其是长期植稻可以促进土壤非有效磷(NAP)向利于作物吸收的EAP与MAP转化,因而提高土壤磷素有效性。相关分析表明,随着SOM累积量的增加,四种利用方式红壤中EAP、MAP含量均显著提高。     

稳定碳、氮同位素在牛肉加工过程中的分馏效应

为了探究牛肉及副产物中稳定碳、氮同位素在加工过程中的变化规律,确证稳定碳、氮同位素在牛肉加工制品产地溯源中的稳定性和有效性。本试验通过对牛肉进行不同时间的水煮、烤制和油炸3种处理,其中水煮和烤制加工时间分别为5、10、15、20、25和30 min,油炸加工时间分别为1、2、3、4和5 min;采用元素分析仪-稳定同位素比率质谱仪(EA-IRMS)测定脱脂牛肉、粗脂肪及副产物中δ¹³C和δ¹⁵N值。结果表明,脱脂牛肉中δ¹³C值在水煮、烤制和油炸3种加工方式不同加工时间之间均无显著差异,水煮和烤制后粗脂肪中δ¹³C值无显著变化,油炸后的牛肉粗脂肪δ¹³C值主要受植物油的影响,加工方式及加工时间对其无显著影响;水煮脱脂牛肉δ¹⁵N值在加工25、30 min时与对照组牛肉存在显著差异,但平均差值仅为0.3‰~0.9‰。牛肉稳定碳、氮同位素在不同加工过程中分馏效应较小,可有效用于牛肉加工半成品及成品的原产地溯源。     

长期施肥对红壤不同有机碳库及其周转速率的影响

通过土壤有机质物理分组和室内培养的方法,研究了长期定位施肥对红壤不同有机碳库及其周转速率的影响。结果表明:平衡施肥(NPK、2NPK)和施用有机肥(OM、NPKOM)显著提高玉米产量,降低产量年际变异系数,同时也显著提高了土壤有机碳(SOC)和活性有机碳(LOC)的含量。根据有机碳物理分组方法,将SOC分成五部分,其中,与矿物结合的有机碳占绝对优势,微团聚体中的粉黏粒(s+c_mM)和大团聚体中的粉黏粒(s+c_M)分别占SOC的31%～53%和28%～38%,其次为微团聚体间的细颗粒有机质(fPOM)和微团聚体中的细颗粒有机质(iPOM_mM),分别占8%～15%和7%～21%,粗颗粒有机质(cPOM)仅占5%～12%。施有机肥(OM、NPKOM)显著提高了颗粒有机碳组分,包括cPOM、fPOM和iPOM_mM组分碳的数量,但是对矿物结合态碳(s+c_M、s+c_mM)影响不明显。施无机肥对有机碳库组成(除s+c_mM外)影响不显著。在有机肥处理中(OM、NPKOM)土壤有机碳周转速率最快,相应的半衰期最短,是CK处理的0.47倍～0.70倍,是无机肥处理的0.11倍～0.95倍。原土有机碳周转时间与LOC/SOC呈显著正相关(r=0.66*)。研究表明平衡施肥和有机肥能提高土壤地力,同时还有利于土壤有机碳的积累。