Differences in the activity and bacterial community structure of drained grassland and forest peat soils

The microbial activity and bacterial community structure were investigated in two types of peat soil in a temperate marsh. The first, a drained grassland fen soil, has a neutral pH with partially degraded peat in the upper oxic soil horizons (16% soil organic carbon). The second, a bog soil, was sampled in a swampy forest and has a very high soil organic carbon content (45%), a low pH (4.5), and has occasional anoxic conditions in the upper soil horizons due to the high water table level. The microbial activity in the two soils was measured as the basal and substrate-induced respiration (SIR). Unexpectedly, the SIR (μl CO₂ g⁻¹ dry soil) was higher in the bog than in the fen soil, but lower when CO₂ production was expressed per volume of soil. This may be explained by the notable difference in the bulk densities of the two soils. The bacterial communities were assessed by terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) profiling of 16S rRNA genes and indicated differences between the two soils. The differences were determined by the soil characteristics rather than the season in which the soil was sampled. The 16S rRNA gene libraries, constructed from the two soils, revealed high proportions of sequences assigned to the Acidobacteria phylum. Each library contained a distinct set of phylogenetic subgroups of this important group of bacteria.     

Effect of LDPE microplastics on chemical properties and microbial communities in soil

The accumulation of plastics in the soil ecosystem poses an increasing environmental concern worldwide. However, little is known about the effect of plastic concentrations on soil properties and soil biota. In this study, we investigated the effect of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) microplastics (MPs) on the chemical and microbial properties of agricultural soil using a set of microcosm experiments. The soil was incubated for 100 days with LDPE at concentrations of 0%, 0.1%, 1%, 3%, 5%, and 7% at 25°C with 70% water-holding capacity. Along with soil chemical analysis, we conducted an analysis of soil microbial properties on the first day and again after 100 days of incubation. LDPE concentrations of ≥1% significantly (p < .05) decreased the pH but increased the electrical conductivity of the soil in comparison with the control (0% LDPE at 100 days). Increasing the LDPE concentration did not affect the soil exchangeable cation content or the available Pb concentration. Firmicutes were the most abundant phyla in the soil on the first day, whereas Proteobacteria, Firmicutes and Actinobacteria became dominant in all treatments after 100 days. An increasing LDPE concentration increased the abundance of Actinobacteria and decreased Proteobacteria. Principal component analysis demonstrated that only 7% LDPE was positively correlated with Actinobacteria, indicating that higher concentrations of LDPE contributed to the growth of this phylum. The findings of this study imply that MP contamination could affect soil chemical properties and microbial activity and that these effects primarily depend on MP concentrations in soil.     

三氯异氰尿酸对马铃薯连作障碍土壤微生物群落组成的影响

采用盆栽试验,选择三氯异氰尿酸(TCCA)为土壤消毒剂,研究不同施用量TCCA对马铃薯连作障碍土壤微生物群落组成的影响。TCCA施用量设置分别为：0(CK),30 kg/hm²(S₃₀),60 kg/hm²(S₆₀)和120 kg/hm²(S₁₂₀)。结果表明：与CK处理相比,S₆₀和S₁₂₀处理显著提高土壤p H(P<0.05),分别提高0.15个和0.26个单位;显著增加土壤可溶性有机碳含量(P<0.05),增幅分别为30.4%和83.5%;显著提高土壤铵态氮含量(P<0.05),分别提高3.3倍和9.7倍。同时,S₆₀和S₁₂₀处理显著影响了土壤微生物优势菌属的相对丰度(P<0.05)。与CK处理相比,在门水平上,S₆₀和S₁₂₀处理下土壤变形菌门(Proteobacteria)的增幅达55.3%...     

Carbon addition reduces labile soil phosphorus by increasing microbial biomass phosphorus in intensive agricultural systems

Accumulation of inorganic and labile organic phosphorus (P) in intensive agricultural systems leads to P loss from soil which can cause serious environmental problems. Soil microbes are important in mobilizing soil non-available P, however, little is known about the role of soil microbes in immobilizing P to reduce P loss. Here, we test whether stimulating microbial biomass to immobilize P could reduce the amount of labile P available for leaching. The distribution characteristics of Olsen P, organic P and microbial biomass P were determined in three intensive agricultural systems. In addition, we conducted a pot experiment with three P and four carbon (C) levels. CaCl₂ extractable P was measured and used to indicate the risk of P leaching. We found that there was a positive relationship between soil organic C and microbial biomass P. Carbon addition drove the process of P immobilization and reduced CaCl₂ extractable P. Microbial biomass P increased by 64% (p < .05) with the addition of C, and Olsen P and CaCl₂ extractable P decreased by 28% and 17%, respectively. Our results show that C addition increased microbial immobilization of P and reduced forms of labile P susceptible to leaching. Stimulating microbes to immobilize P by adding C to soils may have the potential to reduce P loss from intensive agricultural systems, reducing their environmental impact.     

Mycorrhizal colonization associated with roots of field-grown maize does not decline with increasing plant-available phosphorus

Maize roots are colonized by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, but less mycorrhizal symbiosis is expected as the plant-available phosphorus (P) concentration of soil increases, based on greenhouse and growth bench experiments. The objective of this study was to evaluate maize root colonization by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in a sandy loam soil with a gradient of plant-available P concentrations resulting from P fertilizer inputs. The field experiment received inorganic and organic P fertilizers for 3 years, and this created a 20-fold difference in the plant-available P concentration, from 12 to 204 mg Mehlich-3 extractable P kg⁻¹. The proportion of maize roots colonized with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi increased from 26 ± 2% during vegetative growth (V8 and VT growth stages) to 46 ± 2% in the reproductive R2 and R6 stages. The P fertilizer input did not affect maize root colonization by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. More arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi colonization of maize roots occurred in soil with increasing plant-available P concentrations (r = .12, p = .05, n = 237), and this was associated with greater P uptake in the maize shoots (r = .53, p < .001, n = 240). We conclude that the root-mycorrhizal symbiosis was more strongly related to maize growth than the plant-available P concentration under field conditions.     

Effects of phosphorus addition on soil microbial biomass and community composition in three forest types in tropical China

Elevated nitrogen (N) deposition in humid tropical regions may aggravate phosphorus (P) deficiency in forest on old weathered soil found in these regions. From January 2007 to August 2009, we studied the responses of soil microbial biomass and community composition to P addition (in two monthly portions at level of 15 g P m^?2 yr^?1) in three tropical forests in southern China. The forests were an old-growth forest and two disturbed forests (mixed species and pine dominated). The objective was to test the hypothesis that P addition would increase microbial biomass and change the composition of the microbial community, and that the old-growth forests would be more sensitive to P addition due to its higher soil N availability. Microbial biomass C (MBC) was estimated twice a year and the microbial community structure was quantified by phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) analysis at the end of the experiment. Addition of P significantly increased the microbial biomass and altered the microbial community composition in the old-growth forest, suggesting that P availability is one of the limiting factors for microbial growth. This was also reflected by significant increases in soil respiration after P addition. In contrast, P addition had no effect on the microbial biomass and the microbial community composition in the pine forests. Also in the mixed forest, the microbial biomass did not significantly respond to P addition, but soil respiration and the ratio of fungal-to-bacteria was significantly increased.     

Deep incorporation of corn straw benefits soil organic carbon and microbial community composition in a black soil of Northeast China

‘Deep incorporation of corn straw’ (CSDI) is to concentrate the burial of corn straw into the subsurface soil layer (20–40 cm) and to break the plough pan, thereby creating a loosened plough layer (0–20 cm) and a fertile subsurface soil layer. However, its impacts on soil organic carbon (SOC) and the microbial community remain poorly understood. A field experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of 1-year CSDI (CD1), 3-year CSDI (CD3) and 5-year CSDI (CD5) on soil aggregates and aggregate-associated SOC, as well as bacterial and fungal community characteristics (examined by the high-throughput gene sequencing method). The results demonstrated that SOC and soil fungal diversity were decreased by CD1, but increased by CD3 and CD5. Compared with the control, CD5 promoted 2–0.25 mm soil macroaggregation, significantly increased SOC by 8.94% and aggregate-associated SOC by 5.96%–8.84%, consequently improving the physical protection of SOC by soil aggregates. CD3 and CD5 enhanced the richness and diversity of soil bacteria and fungi, and altered community composition. For soil bacteria, the relative abundance of Acidobacteria and Chloroflexi was increased, while that of Firmicutes, Gemmatimonadetes, Sphingomonas and Bacillus was decreased. For soil fungi, the relative abundance of Ascomycota, Zygomycota, Mortierella and Fusarium was greatly improved, but that of Basidiomycota was reduced. These obvious variations in microbial community structure were beneficial to straw degradation and SOC accumulation. Overall, the optimization of microbial community with CSDI plays a positive role in promoting soil organic matter, nutrient cycling and carbon sequestration, and thus improving soil fertility.     

Examining soil organic carbon in the mountainous peat swamps of the Zoigê Plateau in China's Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

Mountainous peatlands are one of the most important terrestrial ecosystems for carbon storage and play an important role in the global carbon cycle. An insight into the carbon cycle of peat swamps located in mountainous regions can be obtained by studying the distribution of soil organic carbon (SOC) and its relationships with environmental factors. This study focused on the development conditions of peat swamps in the Gahai wetlands, located on the Zoigê Plateau, China, with four different altitudinal gradients as experimental sample sites. The distribution of SOC and its relationship with environmental factors were analysed through vegetation surveys and a generalized additive model (GAM). The results show that with increasing altitude, soil temperature decreased while the soil pH and bulk density initially decreased then increased. On the contrary, the topographic wetness index (TWI), SOC content, above-ground biomass and litter count initially increased then decreased. The SOC content of the 0–30 cm soil layer was in the range 226–330 g·kg⁻¹ (coefficient of variation (CV) = 21.4%), and the 30–60 cm layer was 178–257 g·kg⁻¹ (CV = 17.5%) and was significantly correlated (p < .05) with above-ground biomass and litter count. Meanwhile, the SOC content in the 60–90 cm soil layer was in the range 132–167 g·kg⁻¹ (CV = 9.2%) with a significant correlation (p < .05) with soil temperature, pH, bulk density and topographic moisture index. The study showed that the SOC content exhibited more pronounced spatial patterns with increasing altitude, with the peak value in the shallow soil layer appearing in lower elevation areas compared with the deep soil layer. The level of variation changed from medium to low, reflecting the stable mechanism for maintaining SOC within the heterogeneous peat swamp environment.     

Wetland-type conversion drives the C,N and P stoichiometry change of soil in river plain of lower of the Yellow River

Land use conversion on river plain has profound impacts on soil characteristics and elemental stoichiometry. Four wetland types (Riparian lower-beach wetland [RLW], Riparian higher-beach wetland [RHW], Cultivated wetland [CW] and Mesophytic wetland [MW]) were selected in the lower Yellow River area to investigate the consequence of wetland type conversion on soil carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) stoichiometry. The results demonstrated that wetland conversion induced significant spatio-temporal variations in soil C, N and P stoichiometry and physicochemical characteristics in soil. Frequent agricultural activities (fertilizer input) raised the nutrient content of natural wetland, particularly in surface soil (0–30 cm). Soil volumetric water content (VWC), soil bulk density (SBD), pH and soil enzyme activity varied significantly in different wetlands. Total carbon (TC) and total nitrogen (TN) contents in MW decreased with increasing soil depth (<40 cm layers), as did TN and total phosphorus (TP) contents in CW. On the other hand, TC, TN and TP contents in RLW and RHW did not change significantly with soil depth. However, the contents of TOC, ${\mathrm{NO}}_3^{-}–\mathrm{N}$ and Fe/Al-P, etc., varied among soil layers and among wetland types. Furthermore, the stoichiometric characteristics changed significantly in some soil layers, with mean values being less than the Chinese average. Statistically, significant positive correlations were determined between TC and TN (r = .56), TDC and TP (r = .62), N:P and pH (r = .57) (p < .05) and ${\mathrm{NO}}_3^{-}–\mathrm{N}$ and pH (r = .66, p < .01). VWC was negatively correlated with pH (r = −.56, p < .05), while C/P was negatively associated with soil temperature (ST) and SBD (r = −.55, r = −.64, p < .05). TDC, IP, TN, Fe/Al-P and ST were identified as the dominant factors, with the percentage of variance 41%, 20%, 12%, 9% and 6% respectively. These findings have a great scientific significance for the ecological conservation of wetlands in the lower Yellow River area.     

三种城市景观竹土壤微生物群落结构特征

为探究城市景观竹林对土壤微生物群落的影响,选取上海辰山植物园种植的3种景观竹,利用Illumina MiSeq高通量测序结合土壤理化指标分析研究了不同景观竹林对土壤理化性质和微生物群落结构特征的影响。结果表明：不同竹林土壤全磷、有效磷、有机质、全氮、全钾含量和电导率存在显著差异(P<0.05);土壤细菌丰富度和多样性指数在毛竹林土壤中最高,在淡竹林土壤中最低;土壤细菌优势门为放线菌门(Actinobacteriota)、变形菌门(Proteobacteria)、酸杆菌门(Acidobacteriota)和绿弯菌门(Chloroflexi),真菌优势门为子囊菌门(Ascomycota),其中放线菌门和绿弯菌门在淡竹林土壤中的相对丰度最高,且显著高于其他竹林,而变形菌门、粘球菌门(Myxococcota)的相对丰度在毛竹林土壤中最高,土壤真菌优势门在不同竹林间的差异不显著。此外,土壤细菌群落结构和丰度受土壤p H、硝态氮、电导率、全磷、铵态氮、含水率、速效钾和微生物生物量碳影响显著,而真菌群落变化受全磷、电导率和全钾影响显著。     

Parent material and vegetation influence bacterial community structure and nitrogen functional genes along deep tropical soil profiles at the Luquillo Critical Zone Observatory

Microbial communities mediate every step of the soil nitrogen cycle, yet the structure and associated nitrogen cycle functions of soil microbial communities remain poorly studied in tropical forests. Moreover, tropical forest soils are often many meters deep, but most studies of microbial nitrogen cycling have focused exclusively on surface soils. The objective of our study was to evaluate changes in bacterial community structure and nitrogen functional genes with depth in soils developed on two contrasting geological parent materials and two forest types that occur at different elevations at the Luquillo Critical Zone Observatory in northeast Puerto Rico. We excavated three soil pits to 140 cm at four different sites representing the four soil × forest combinations (n = 12), and collected samples at ten-centimeter increments from the surface to 140 cm. We used bacterial 16S rRNA gene-DGGE (denaturant gradient gel electrophoresis) to fingerprint microbial community structures, and quantitative PCR to measure the abundance of five functional genes involved in various soil nitrogen transformations: nifH (nitrogen fixation), chiA (organic nitrogen decomposition), amoA (ammonia oxidation), nirS (nitrite reduction) and nosZ (nitrous oxide reduction). Multivariate analyses of DGGE fingerprinting patterns revealed differences in bacterial community structure across the four soil × forest types that were strongly correlated with soil pH (r = 0.69, P < 0.01) and nutrient stoichiometry (r² ≥ 0.36, P < 0.05). Across all soil and forest types, nitrogen functional genes declined significantly with soil depth (P < 0.001). Denitrification genes (nirS and nosZ) accounted for the largest proportion of measured nitrogen functional genes. Measured nitrogen functional genes were positively correlated with soil carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations (P < 0.001) and all genes except amoA were significantly more abundant in the Inceptisol soil type compared with the Oxisol soil type (P < 0.03). Greater abundances and a stronger vertical zonation of nitrogen functional genes in Inceptisols suggest more dynamic nitrogen transformation processes in this soil type. As the first study to examine bacterial nitrogen functional gene abundances below the surface 20 cm in tropical forest soils, our work provides insight into how pedogenically-driven vertical gradients control the nitrogen-cycling capacity of soil microbial communities. While previous studies have shown evidence for redox-driven hotspots in tropical nitrogen cycling on a watershed scale, our study corroborates this finding on a molecular scale.     

Bacterial diversity and community structure along different peat soils in boreal forest

Bacteria in peat forest soil play important role in global carbon cycling. The distribution of bacteria population in different peat soils as a whole and how forest management practices alter the bacterial populations are still poorly known. Using pyrosequencing analysis of 16S rRNA gene, we quantified the diversity and community structure of bacteria in eight peat forest soils (pristine and drained) and two mineral forest soils from Lakkasuo, Finland with either spruce-dominant or pine-dominant tree species. In total, 191,229 sequences which ranged from 15,710 to 22,730 per sample were obtained and affiliated to 13 phyla, 30 classes and 155 genera. The peat forest soils showed high bacterial diversity and species richness. The tree species seems to have more strong impact on the bacterial diversity than the type of peat soil, which drives the changes in bacterial community structure. The dominant taxonomic groups across all soils (>1% of all sequences) were Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria, Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Planctomycetes and Verrucomicrobia. The relative abundance of bacteria phylum and genus differed between soil types and between vegetation. Significant differences in relative abundance of bacteria phyla were only found for Gemmatimonadetes and Cyanobacteria between the pristine and the drained peat forest soils. At genus level, the relative abundance of several genera differed significantly between the peat soils with same or different tree species, including Burkholderia, Caulobacter, Opitutus, Mucilanginibacter, Acidocella, Mycobacterium, Bradyrhizobium, Dyella and Rhodanobacter.     

Culture-dependent and culture-independent microbial investigation of pine litters and soil in subtropical Australia

Background, aim, and scope  Forest plantations, widely grown for wood production, involve the selective promotion of single-tree species or replacement of natural species by exotic tree species. Slash pine (Pinus elliottii) has been chosen for reforestation of infertile sandy soils in southeast Queensland, Australia. These exotic pine plantations minimize soil and water losses and are important scientific study sites. The soil environment of these plantations, though devoid of sufficient nutrients, organic carbon and other factors, harbors innumerable bacteria that may play a crucial role in maintaining soil quality and ecosystem functions. These soil microorganisms also have the potential for use as sensitive biological indicators to reflect environmental changes. It is therefore essential to understand the interrelationships among bacterial communities and their environment by assessing their structural and functional diversity and their responses to disturbances. The main aim of our investigation was to determine the diversity of bacterial communities in forest litters and soil during the forest leaf litter decomposition using culture-dependent and culture-independent techniques. Materials and methods  A 25-cm (diameter) × 40-cm core sample was collected and fractionated into three subsamples designated E1 (L leaf litter layer), E2 (F leaf litter layer), and E5 (0–10 cm soil layer). Both culture-dependent and culture-independent methods were applied in this study. In the culture-independent study, a strategy of whole-community DNA extraction, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification followed by cloning and 16S rDNA sequence analysis was used; for culture-dependent study, the strategy included sample plating and bacteria isolating, DNA extraction, PCR amplification, and 16S rDNA sequence analysis. The diversity similarities between two bacterial communities and two methods are quantified using Jensen–Shannon divergence. Results  From culture-dependent study, 336 colonies in total were isolated and grouped from the three subsamples, and the 16S rRNA sequence analysis from a representative isolate from each morphogroup (21 isolates) indicated that they belonged to the phyla Actinobacteria, Firmicutes, and Proteobacteria. Culture-independent assessment based on 16S rRNA gene library comprising 194 clones revealed that members of the phylum Actinobacteria were absent in the culture-independent studies. Clones in libraries from E1 consisted exclusively of members of the Firmicutes. The majority of clones from E2 were related to Firmicutes (79%) and Proteobacteria (21%). Clones derived from E5 were mostly affiliated with Acidobacterium (42%), followed by unclassified bacteria (27%), Verrucomicrobiales (12%), Proteobacteria (11%), and Planctomycetes (8%). Discussion  This study showed that bacterial culturabilities in different fractions of leaf litters were similar, and both of them were higher than the bacterial culturability in the soil. Unculturable bacterial diversity in the soil, however, was much higher than the leaf litter bacterial diversity. The bacterial diversity on the top layer of leaf litters was slightly less than that on the bottom layer of leaf litters. This might indicate that forest soils are a more complex environment than leaf litters are and also that they might inhabit more unculturable microorganisms in the forest soils, which would need to be further investigated. The leaf litter layer samples also demonstrate the significant difference between the bacterial community diversity discovered by these two methods in this study. The information provided by assessing the different fractions of leaf litters and forest soil has improved our understanding of the bacterial community distributions within the forest soil and the above-leaf litters in an exotic pine plantation of subtropical Australia. Conclusions  This study represents the first attempt to examine the bacterial community in the different fractions of forest leaf litters and soil in subtropical Australia. The data from this study show that the 16S rDNA clone libraries provided more comprehensive phylogenetic diversity in the soil and leaf litter samples than the culture collections provided, and both the culture-dependent and culture-independent studies revealed that the bacterial diversity present in the leaf litters was very different to that present in the soil. The comparative analysis of bacterial communities in different fractions of leaf litters and soil samples has also provided important baseline information about the bacterial diversity and composition in the exotic pine forest plantations. Recommendations and perspectives  The experimental data provided important information on the bacterial diversity in forest leaf litter and soil samples, though additional surveys and comparisons at different locations would be needed to further characterize. In addition, combined methods that can provide different parts of information on bacterial diversity are encouraged to be used in bacterial community study. The established libraries of diverse 16S rRNA gene fragments from slash pine leaf litters and forest soil can be used to construct specific DNA primers and probes to target bacterial groups of interest. It may then be possible to study the ecology of these bacterial communities and the role of specific bacterial groups that contribute to the many interesting properties of these environments.     

CO<Subscript>2</Subscript> Emission and Organic Carbon Pools in Soils of the Northern Taiga Ecosystems of Western Siberia under Different Geocryological Conditions

Statistical analysis of a vast body of data collected during five field seasons (2011–2015) was performed to characterize the biological activity of soils in the northern taiga ecosystems of Western Siberia. Automorphic forest soils, hydromorphic (oligotrophic bog) soils, and semihydromorphic (flat-topped and large peat mounds) soils were characterized. Statistically significant differences of average levels of CO₂ emission from the soils were identified at the ecosystem level. The CO₂ emission from podzols of automorphic forest ecosystems at the peak of the growing season (205 ± 30 to 410 ± 40 mg CO₂/(m² h)) was significantly higher than the emission from semihydromorphic soils of peat mounds (70 ± 20 to 116 ± 10 mg CO₂/(m² h)). The presence and depth of permafrost was a significant factor that affected ecosystem diversity and biological activity of northern taiga soils. Statistically significant differences in the total, labile, and microbial carbon pools were observed for the studied soils. Labile and microbial carbon pools in the organic layer (10 cm) of forest podzols amounted to 0.19 and 0.66 t/ha, respectively; those in the organic layer (40 cm) of peat cryozems of flat-topped peat mounds reached 1.24 and 3.20 t/ha, and those in the oligotrophic peat soils (50 cm) of large peat mounds were 2.76 and 1.35 t/ha, respectively. The portion of microbial carbon in the total carbon pool (C_micr/C_tot, %) varied significantly; according to the values of this index, the soils were arranged into the following sequence: oligotrophic peat soil < peat cryozem < podzol.     

Microbial communities of Lumbricus terrestris L. middens: structure, activity, and changes through time in relation to earthworm presence

Background, aim, and scope  Earthworms make a major contribution to decomposition in ecosystems where they are present, mainly acting in the drilosphere, that is, galleries, burrows, casts, and middens. Earthworm middens are hot-spots of microbial activity and nutrient dynamics and represent a suitable model for studying earthworm-mediated influences on soil microbial communities by alteration of the patch structure of the microbial environment. We studied the structure and activity of the microbial communities in the soil system formed by middens of Lumbricus terrestris and the soil below and surrounding them and the role of earthworms in maintaining these structures through time. Material and methods  We set up an experiment in which middens were either left (control) or removed from their original place (translocated) and left in a nearby area free of earthworm activity for 2 months. After 1 and 2 months we sampled middens, soil below them, and surrounding soil. We analyzed the phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) profiles and measured respiratory fluxes of CO₂ and CH₄. Results  Microbial communities of middens clearly differed from those of soil below and surrounding soil samples, showing higher bacterial and fungal PLFAs (p < 0.0001 and p < 0.01, respectively); furthermore, changes in microbial communities were stronger in control middens than in translocated middens. Moreover, gram positive and negative bacterial PLFAs were greater in translocated than control middens (p < 0.0001 and p < 0.001, respectively), as well as total organic carbon (p < 0.001). Microbial activity was higher in middens than in soil below and surrounding soil samples both for CO₂ (p < 0.0001) and CH₄ (p < 0.0001). Discussion  Soil bioturbation by the earthworm L. terrestris was strong in their middens, but there was not any effect on soil below and surrounding soil. Microbial communities of middens maintain their biomass and activity when earthworms were not present, whereas they decreased their biomass and increased their activity when earthworms were present. Conclusions  Earthworms strongly enhanced microbial activity measured as CO₂ production in middens, which indicates that there are hot spots for soil microbial dynamics and increasing habitat heterogeneity for soil microorganisms. Moreover, our data strongly support the fact that the impact of this earthworm species in this soil is restricted to their middens and increasing soil heterogeneity. Recommendations and perspectives  Our data indicate that it is not clear if earthworms enhance or depress microbial communities of middens since the microbial activity increased, but did not modify their biomass and this was not dependent on soil organic C content. These results indicate no competence for C pools between this anecic earthworm and microorganisms, which has been found for other earthworm species, mainly endogeics. Conversely, they suggest some type of facilitation due to the release of additional nutrient pools in middens when earthworms are present, through the digestion of middens' material or the addition of casts produced from other food sources.     

The influence of different types of urban land use on soil microbial biomass and functional diversity in Beijing,China

Soil microbes in urban ecosystems are affected by a variety of abiotic and biotic factors resulting from changes in land use. However, the influence of different types of land use on soil microbial properties and soil quality in urban areas remains largely unknown. Here, by comparing five types of land use: natural forest, park, agriculture, street green and roadside trees, we examined the effects of different land uses on soil microbial biomass and microbial functional diversity in Beijing, China. We found that soil properties varied with land uses in urban environments. Compared to natural forest, soil nutrients under the other four types of urban land use were markedly depleted, and accumulation of Cu, Zn, Pb and Cd was apparent. Importantly, under these four types of land use, there was less microbial biomass, but it had greater functional diversity, particularly in the roadside‐tree soils. Furthermore, there were significant correlations between the microbial characteristics and physicochemical properties, such as organic matter, total nitrogen and total phosphorus (P < 0.05), suggesting that lack of nutrients was the major reason for the decrease in microbial biomass. In addition, the larger C/N ratio, Ni concentration and pool of organic matter together with a higher pH contributed to the increase in microbial functional diversity in urban soils. We concluded that different land uses have indirect effects on soil microbial biomass and microbial community functional diversity through their influence on soil physicochemical properties, especially nutrient availability and heavy metal content.     

Microbial physiology and necromass regulate agricultural soil carbon accumulation

Strategies for mitigating soil organic carbon (SOC) losses in intensively managed agricultural systems typically draw from traditional concepts of soil organic matter formation, and thus emphasize increasing C inputs, especially from slowly decomposing crop residues, and reducing soil disturbance. However these approaches are often ineffective and do not adequately reflect current views of SOC cycling, which stress the important contributions of microbial biomass (MB) inputs to SOC. We examined microbial physiology as an alternate mechanism of SOC accumulation under organic (ORG) compared to conventional (CT) agricultural management practices, where ORG is accumulating C despite fewer total C inputs and greater soil tillage. We hypothesized that microbial communities in ORG have higher growth rates (MGR) and C use efficiencies (CUE) and that this relates to greater MB production and ultimately higher retention of new C inputs. We show that ORG had 50% higher CUE (±8 se) and 56% higher MGR (±22 se) relative to CT (p < 0.05). From in situ ¹³C substrate additions, we show that higher CUE and MGR are associated with greater rates and amounts of ¹³C glucose and phenol assimilation into MBC and mineral-associated SOC pools in ORG up to 6 mo after field substrate additions (p < 0.05). ORG soils were also enriched in proteins and lipids and had lower abundances of aromatic compounds and plant lipids (p < 0.05). These results illustrate a new mechanism for SOC accumulation under reduced C inputs and intensive soil disturbance and demonstrate that agricultural systems that facilitate the transformation of plant C into MB may be an effective, often overlooked strategy for building SOC in agricultural soils.     

Soil organic matter in soil physical fractions in adjacent semi-natural and cultivated stands in temperate Atlantic forests

Changes from natural tree species to rapidly growing exotic species as well as intensification of forestry operations with heavy machinery can lead to changes in the quantity and quality of organic matter inputs to soil and to disruption of soil physical structure. These two ecosystem properties are tightly linked to organic matter dynamics. Five adjacent forest stands were selected to study soil organic matter dynamics in soil physical fractions. On one hand, two semi-natural broadleaved forests (Quercus robur, Fagus sylvatica) and an adult radiata pine plantation (40-year-old,) in order to study the effect of species change on these parameters, and on the other, a chronosequence of Pinus radiata plantations (40-year-old; 3-year-old; 16-year-old), to study the effect of mechanization during harvesting and intense site preparation. Samples of intact topsoil (0-5 cm) were collected and aggregate-size distribution, mean weight diameter (MWD), total C and N, particulate organic matter (POM)-C, POM-N and microbial biomass-C were determined in each aggregate size fraction. Microbial respiration and nitrogen mineralization were also assessed in each aggregate size fraction, during a 28 day incubation period.Losses of POM-C and POM-N in the bulk soil due to mechanical site preparation were high relative to total soil C and N, which suggests that POM is a sensitive parameter to the effect of mechanization. The ratio C-POM:SOM was significantly related to MWD (R² = 0.75, P < 0.001) reflecting that POM may play a key role in the topsoil aggregate formation in these stands. Semi-natural stands had a higher proportion of macroaggregates (0.25-2 mm) than the cultivated adult one. Megaaggregates (>2 mm) were the most abundant class in mature stands (82-92%), whereas macro- and microaggregates (<2 mm) were the most abundant ones in the intensely soil prepared P. radiata plantation (49%).Indicators for sustainable forest management related to soil organic matter should not only be assessed in terms of total C stocks but also with respect to sensitive organic matter and its degradability in different size classes.     

Foliage application of nitrogen has less influence on soil microbial biomass and community composition than soil application of nitrogen

Purpose

Many studies have shown the simulated effects of nitrogen (N) deposition on soil microbial community composition by adding N directly to the forest floor but have ignored the N retention process by the canopy. This study was conducted to compare the responses of soil microbial biomass and community composition between soil application of N (SAN) and foliage application of N (FAN).

Materials and methods

A pot experiment was designed with (1) two N application methods (SAN and FAN), (2) three N application levels (5.6, 15.6 and 20.6 g N m^?2 year^?1), and (3) two tree species (Schima superba Gardn. et Champ. and Pinus massoniana Lamb.) following a nested factorial design. Soil microbial biomass and community composition were determined using phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs) techniques after 1 and 1.5 years of treatments.

Results and discussion

Nitrogen addition increased (P?<?0.05) soil NH₄⁺-N content and soil NO₃^?-N content and decreased (P?<?0.05) soil pH and soil microbial (bacterial, fungal, and actinomycete) biomass for both N application methods. Compared with the SAN treatment, the FAN treatment had higher (P?<?0.05) pH and lower (P?<?0.05) contents of soil NH₄⁺-N and soil NO₃^?-N. Soil microbial biomass and community composition were significantly different between the different N addition levels under the SAN treatment, but they showed no significant difference (P?<?0.05) between the different N addition levels under the FAN treatment. The soil microbial biomass in the S. superba soil was higher (P?<?0.05) than that in the P. massoniana soil for the FAN treatment, with the opposite trend observed under the SAN treatment. Moreover, redundancy analysis showed that soil microorganisms were significantly correlated with soil pH, soil water content, NH₄⁺-N, and NO₃^?-N.

Conclusions

The results showed that N addition affected soil properties, microbial biomass, and the composition of microbial communities; however, the FAN treatment had less influence on soil properties and soil microorganisms than did the SAN treatment over short time scales, and the extent of this effect was different between coniferous and broadleaf trees.

     

Effects of forest plantations on rainfall redistribution and erosion in the red soil region of Southern China

To evaluate the effects of different forest plantations on rainfall redistribution, we measured throughfall, stemflow, interception loss, surface runoff and soil loss from July 2004 to September 2005 in the three types of forest plantations Eucommia ulmoides, Vernicia fordii and Pinus massoniana. The results showed that differences in throughfall and stemflow between the three forest plantations were significant (p < 0·05). Throughfall was highest in the V.fordii plantation and stemflow was highest in the E.ulmoides plantation. Throughfall plus stemflow below the E.ulmoides canopy was greater than that underneath the other forest types. Moreover, significant spatial variation in throughfall was observed. Throughfall in P.massoniana was 28·0–39·7% higher at a stem distance < 60 cm or 11·5% lower at a stem distance > 120 cm than in the other forests, but the difference was not significant between E.ulmoides and V.fordii. Moreover, the difference in throughfall at stem distances 60–120 cm was not significant between the different forest plantations. For E.ulmoides, throughfall under the peripheral crown part was 16·1% higher than that close to the stem. In contrast to E.ulmoides, P.massoniana had 26·8% lower throughfall under the peripheral crown part than close to the stem. No significant difference was found in throughfall for the various stem distances underneath V.fordii. Stemflow in E.ulmoides was 2–3 times higher than in the other forests (p < 0·01). Interception loss accounted for 19·9% of gross rainfall for E.ulmoides, 20·8% for V.fordii and 27·2% for P.massoniana. Surface runoff and soil loss differed considerably among the three types of forest plantations. Annual runoff and total soil loss were lowest in the P.massoniana forest and highest in the V.fordii forest. This study indicated that P.massoniana, as a reforestation tree species, had the most positive effect on soil and water conservation among the three forest plantations. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.