Effects of afforestation on phosphorus dynamics and biological properties in a New Zealand grassland soil

Selected chemical, biochemical and biological properties of mineral soil (0–30 cm) were measured under a 19 year old forest stand (mixture of Pinus ponderosa and Pinus nigra) and adjacent unimproved grassland at a site in South Island, New Zealand. The effects of afforestation on soil properties were confined to the 0–10 cm layer, which reflected the distribution of fine roots (< 2 mm) in the soil profile. Concentrations of organic C, total N and P and all organic forms of P were lower under the forest stand, while concentrations of inorganic P were higher under forest compared with grassland, supporting the previously described suggestion that afforestation may promote mineralisation of soil organic matter and organic P. On the other hand, microbial biomass C and P, soil respiration and phosphatase enzyme activity were currently all lower and the metabolic quotient was higher in soil under forest compared with grassland, which is inconsistent with increased mineralisation in the forest soil. Reduced biological fertility by afforestation may be mainly attributed to changes in the quantity, quality and distribution of organic matter, and reduction in pH of the forest soil compared with the grassland soil. We hypothesize that the lower levels of C, N and organic P found in soil under forest are due to enhanced microbial and phosphatase activity during the earlier stages of forest development. Forest floor material (L and F layer) contained large amounts of C, N and P, together with high levels of microbial and phosphatase enzyme activity. Thus, the forest floor may be an important source of nutrients for plant growth and balance the apparent reduction in C, N and P in mineral soil through mineralisation and plant uptake. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

黄土丘陵区植被类型对土壤微生物量碳氮磷的影响

选择黄土丘陵区延河流域4种典型植被类型下的土壤为研究对象,测定了土壤微生物量碳、氮、磷和相关基本理化性质。结果表明,在此流域的典型天然草地、人工灌木林、人工乔木林和农地中土壤微生物量碳(MBC)的含量范围分别为315.15-400.89、246.56-321.25、267.76-347.05和118.96-245.14 mg/kg,土壤微生物量氮(MBN)的含量范围分别为35.87-47.63、27.63-42.89、24.66-36.20和15.64-22.56 mg/kg,土壤微生物量磷(MBP)的含量范围分别为14.14-22.96、12.89-19.75、11.54-14.40和7.23-11.59 mg/kg;土壤微生物量总体呈现出天然草地最高、人工乔、灌木林次之,且均显著高于农地的趋势,表明退耕还林还草对土壤微生物生物量有明显的促进作用。不同植被类型下,土壤微生物量碳氮比和碳磷比的变化范围分别为7.49-10.87和16.27-24.11,土壤微生物量碳、氮、磷占土壤有机碳(SOC)、全氮(TN)、全磷(TP)百分比的范围分别为2.70%-4.85%、2.56%-4.45%、2.08%-5.34%。其中天然草地、人工灌木林和农地土壤的微生物量碳氮比、碳磷比均显著小于人工乔木林(P < 0.05); MBC/SOC在不同植被类型下的差异不显著,MBN/TN和MBP/TP均呈现出天然草地>人工灌木林>人工乔木林和农地的趋势,且差异显著(P < 0.05)。微生物量碳、氮、磷与土壤有机碳、全氮和土壤含水率呈现极显著或显著相关性,与土壤pH值呈现出不同程度的负相关性,表明植被类型对这些与土壤微生物量紧密相关的理化性质也有显著影响。     

Nitrogen and phosphorus requirement of the microbiota in soils of the Bornhöved Lake district

Estimating in situ N and P status of the soil microbiota is complicated because microbiological features reflect potentials rather than field conditions. Complementary microbiological assays were, therefore, combined to evaluate the N and P requirement of the microbiota in seven agricultural, grassland and forest topsoils of the Bornhöved Lake district as follows: (i) the sensitivity of the substrate-induced respiration (SIR) to supplemental addition of N and P was monitored during microbial growth and (ii) soil protease and phosphatase activities were analysed and related to soil mass and microbial biomass content. Nitrogen addition increased the maximal SIR rate in all except one soil indicating that the growth of organisms is restricted by this element when easily degradable C source is present. Supplemental N (and in some cases also P) retarded the respiratory response within the first 24 h which suggests microbial sensitivity and/or greater anabolic efficiency. With additional N the maximal SIR rate was most strongly enhanced in topsoils of the beech forest and the dystric alder forest. Thus, the microbial growth in these soils that were below litter horizons seems to be mostly restricted by N. Supplemental P positively affected respiratory response of soils under monoculture, wet grassland and dystric alder forest. In the dystric alder forest soil, high rates of alkaline and unbuffered phosphatase activity were observed when activity was related to either soil mass or microbial biomass content. The data of proteolytic and phospholytic enzymes are discussed with reference to nutrient deficiency and microbial strategy for N and P adsorption.     

Experimental litterfall manipulation drives large and rapid changes in soil carbon cycling in a wet tropical forest

Global changes such as variations in plant net primary production are likely to drive shifts in leaf litterfall inputs to forest soils, but the effects of such changes on soil carbon (C) cycling and storage remain largely unknown, especially in C‐rich tropical forest ecosystems. We initiated a leaf litterfall manipulation experiment in a tropical rain forest in Costa Rica to test the sensitivity of surface soil C pools and fluxes to different litter inputs. After only 2 years of treatment, doubling litterfall inputs increased surface soil C concentrations by 31%, removing litter from the forest floor drove a 26% reduction over the same time period, and these changes in soil C concentrations were associated with variations in dissolved organic matter fluxes, fine root biomass, microbial biomass, soil moisture, and nutrient fluxes. However, the litter manipulations had only small effects on soil organic C (SOC) chemistry, suggesting that changes in C cycling, nutrient cycling, and microbial processes in response to litter manipulation reflect shifts in the quantity rather than quality of SOC. The manipulation also affected soil CO ₂ fluxes; the relative decline in CO ₂ production was greater in the litter removal plots (?22%) than the increase in the litter addition plots (+15%). Our analysis showed that variations in CO ₂ fluxes were strongly correlated with microbial biomass pools, soil C and nitrogen (N) pools, soil inorganic P fluxes, dissolved organic C fluxes, and fine root biomass. Together, our data suggest that shifts in leaf litter inputs in response to localized human disturbances and global environmental change could have rapid and important consequences for belowground C storage and fluxes in tropical rain forests, and highlight differences between tropical and temperate ecosystems, where belowground C cycling responses to changes in litterfall are generally slower and more subtle.     

Impacts of forest gaps on soil properties and processes in old growth northern hardwood-hemlock forests

We examined the influence of treefall gaps on soil properties and processes in old growth northern hardwood-hemlock forests in the upper Great Lakes region, USA. We found significantly greater solar radiation, soil moisture contents and soil temperatures in gaps compared to adjacent closed canopy plots. Gaps had significantly less exchangeable base cations (K, Ca, and Mg) compared to forest plots in the upper mineral soil (0–25 cm). Gaps also had significantly more dissolved organic N and extractable nitrate at depth (25–50 cm), indicating increased nutrient leaching in gaps. In-situ N mineralization was significantly greater in gaps and edge plots compared to forest plots. We found significantly greater potential N mineralization (measured in the laboratory at 25°C and 40% water holding capacity) in forest compared to gap plots. Microbial biomass N was significantly greater (ca. two-fold) in the gap edge compared to both gaps and closed forest. Using principal component analyses we found that edge plots were positively correlated with all principal components, indicating increased in-situ and potential N mineralization, microbial biomass N, soil NO₃⁻ and NH₄⁺, and soil organic matter. The gap edge may be a region of optimal microclimate and substrate to enhance microbial biomass and activity within these forest ecosystems. Responsible Editor: Bernard Nicolardet     

Soil microbial parameters and stability of soil aggregate fractions under different grassland communities on the Loess Plateau,China

Over-grazing and large-scale monocultures on the Loess plateau in China have caused serious soil erosion by water and wind. Grassland revegetation has been reported as one of the most effective counter measures. Therefore, we investigated soil aggregation, aggregate stability and soil microbial activities as key parameters for soil remediation through grassland revegetation. The results showed that soil microbial biomass carbon (Cmic) and microbial biomass nitrogen (Nmic) increased under revegetated grass communities compared to cropland and overgrazed pastures and were higher in surface layers (0–10 cm) than in the subsurface (10–20 cm). Although there are variations between the four investigated grassland communities, their values were 10 to 50 times higher in comparison to the cropland and overgrazed pastures, similar to the increase in soil enzyme activities, such as β-glucosidase and β-glucosaminidase. Soil aggregate stability (SAS) showed clear differences between the different land uses with two main soil aggregate fractions measured by ultra sound: < 63 μm and 100–250 μm, with approximately 70% and 10% of the total soil volume respectively. We also found positive correlations between SAS and soil microbial parameters, such as Cmic, Nmic, and soil enzyme activities. From this, we concluded that revegetation of eroded soils by grasses accelerates soil rehabilitation.     

渤海泥质海岸典型防护林土壤微生物量季节动态变化

土壤微生物生物量碳、氮是研究土壤肥力、土壤养分转化、循环以及环境变化的重要指标。研究渤海泥质海岸白榆、刺槐、白蜡、群众杨、辽宁杨纯林和辽宁杨刺槐混交林及当地自然生灌草地土壤微生物生物量碳、氮的季节动态及与土壤养分含量变化的关系,以期为沿海防护林树种的选择及林地管理提供科学依据。结果表明:造林能显著增加土壤微生物生物量含量,其中白榆(25 a)土壤微生物生物量碳、氮最高,是对照的2.50倍和2.09倍。0—10 cm土壤层微生物生物量碳、氮大于10—30 cm土层,季节动态变化差异显著。在0—10 cm土层内,渤海泥质海岸典型防护林土壤微生物生物量碳、氮季节动态多表现为春秋两季较高,夏季较低的"V"字型变化;在10—30 cm土层内,防护林土壤微生物生物量碳季节变化规律与0—10 cm土层一致,表现为夏季较低春秋较高的"V"字型,微生物生物量氮主要表现有"V"字型、倒"V"字型与直线型3种变化形式。在0—30 cm土层内,白榆(25 a)、刺槐、白蜡、群众杨、辽宁杨刺槐混交林、白榆(10 a)、辽宁杨及灌草地微生物生物量碳对土壤有机碳的平均贡献率分别为1.59%、1.68%、1.42%、1.54%、2.29%、1.80%、2.02%和1.12%,土壤微生物生物量氮对土壤全氮的平均贡献率分别为1.85%、1.30%、1.08%、1.35%、2.49%、1.57%、2.08%和2.32%。不同类型防护林地土壤微生物量碳、氮之间显著正相关,它们与土壤全氮、有机碳显著正相关,与土壤电导率显著负相关,另外,土壤微生物量碳还与土壤速效磷含量显著正相关。从不同土层微生物量碳、氮季节动态来看,造林可以增加泥质海岸土壤微生物生物量,但是夏季地下水位升高,盐碱上扬,加之树木生长大量利用养分,土壤微生物生物量夏季较低。综合分析土壤微生物生物量和土壤营养库的贡献率,白榆纯林和辽宁杨刺槐混交林更有利于泥质海岸土壤微生物群落功能恢复和营养固定。     

Carbon dynamics and microbial activity in tallgrass prairie exposed to elevated CO2 for 8 years

Alterations in microbial mineralization and nutrient cycling may control the long-term response of ecosystems to elevated CO₂. Because micro-organisms constitute a labile fraction of potentially available N and are regulators of decomposition, an understanding of microbial activity and microbial biomass is crucial. Tallgrass prairie was exposed to twice ambient CO₂ for 8 years beginning in 1989. Starting in 1991 and ending in 1996, soil samples from 0 to 5 and 5 to 15 cm depths were taken for measurement of microbial biomass C and N, total C and N, microbial activity, inorganic N and soil water content. Because of increased water-use-efficiency by plants, soil water content was consistently and significantly greater in elevated CO₂ compared to ambient treatments. Soil microbial biomass C and N tended to be greater under elevated CO₂ than ambient CO₂ in the 5–15 cm depth during most years, and in the month of October, when analyzed over the entire study period. Microbial activity was significantly greater at both depths in elevated CO₂ than ambient conditions for most years. During dry periods, the greater water content of the surface 5 cm soil in the elevated CO₂ treatments increased microbial activity relative to the ambient CO₂ conditions. The increase in microbial activity under elevated CO₂ in the 5–15 cm layer was not correlated with differences in soil water contents, but may have been related to increases in soil C inputs from enhanced root growth and possibly greater root exudation. Total soil C and N in the surface 15 cm were, after 8 years, significantly greater under elevated CO₂ than ambient CO₂. Our results suggest that decomposition is enhanced under elevated CO₂ compared with ambient CO₂, but that inputs of C are greater than the decomposition rates. Soil C sequestration in tallgrass prairie and other drought-prone grassland systems is, therefore, considered plausible as atmospheric CO₂ increases. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Transport of Carbon and Nitrogen Between Litter and Soil Organic Matter in a Northern Hardwood Forest

We used sugar maple litter double-labeled with ¹³C and ¹⁵N to quantify fluxes of carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) between litter and soil in a northern hardwood forest and the retention of litter C and N in soil. Two cohorts of litter were compared, one in which the label was preferentially incorporated into non-structural tissue and the other structural tissue. Loss of ¹³C from this litter generally followed dry mass and total C loss whereas loss of ¹⁵N (20–30% in 1 year) was accompanied by large increases of total N content of this decaying litter (26–32%). Enrichment of ¹³C and ¹⁵N was detected in soil down to 10–15 cm depth. After 6 months of decay (November–May) 36–43% of the ¹³C released from the litter was recovered in the soil, with no differences between the structural and non-structural labeled litter. By October the percentage recovery of litter ¹³C in soil was much lower (16%). The C released from litter and remaining in soil organic matter (SOM) after 1 year represented over 30 g C m⁻² y⁻¹ of SOM accumulation. Recovery of litter ¹⁵N in soil was much higher than for C (over 90%) and in May ¹⁵N was mostly in organic horizons whereas by October it was mostly in 0–10 cm mineral soil. A small proportion of this N was recovered as inorganic N (2–6%). Recovery of ¹⁵N in microbial biomass was higher in May (13–15%) than in October (about 5%). The C:N ratio of the SOM and microbial biomass derived from the labeled litter was much higher for the structural than the non-structural litter and for the forest floor than mineral SOM, illustrating the interactive role of substrates and microbial activity in regulating the C:N stoichiometry of forest SOM formation. These results for a forest ecosystem long exposed to chronically high atmospheric N deposition (ca. 10 kg N ha⁻¹ y⁻¹) suggest possible mechanisms of N retention in soil: increased organic N leaching from fresh litter and reduced fungal transport of N from soil to decaying litter may promote N stabilization in mineral SOM even at a relatively low C:N ratio.     

土壤细菌呼吸对西双版纳热带森林恢复的响应

揭示不同恢复阶段热带森林土壤细菌呼吸季节变化及其主控因素,对于探明土壤细菌呼吸对热带森林恢复的响应机制具有重要的科学意义。以西双版纳不同恢复阶段热带森林(白背桐群落、崖豆藤群落和高檐蒲桃群落)为研究对象,运用真菌呼吸抑制法及高通量宏基因组测序技术分别测定土壤细菌呼吸速率和细菌多样性,并采用回归分析及结构方程模型揭示热带森林恢复过程中土壤细菌多样性、pH、土壤碳氮组分变化对土壤细菌呼吸速率的影响特征。结果表明：1)不同恢复阶段热带森林土壤细菌呼吸速率表现为：高檐蒲桃群落((1.51±0.62)CO₂ mg g^-1 h^-1)显著高于崖豆藤群落((1.16±0.56)CO₂ mg g^-1 h^-1)和白背桐群落((0.82±0.60)CO₂ mg g^-1 h^-1)(P<0.05)。2)不同恢复阶段土壤细菌呼吸速率呈显著的单峰型季节变化(P<0.05),最大值均出现在9月：高檐蒲桃群落((...     

Effects of Single Chinese Fir and Mixed Leaf Litters on Soil Chemical, Microbial Properties and Soil Enzyme Activities

The quality of leaf litter can control decomposition processes and affect the nutrient availability for plant uptake. In this study, we investigated the effect of single leaf litter (Chinese fir – Cunninghamia lamcealata (Lamb.) Hook) and mixed leaf litters (C. lamcealata, Liquidamba formosana Hance and Alnus cremastogyne Burk) on soil chemical properties, soil microbial properties and soil enzyme activities during 2 years decomposition. The results showed that soil microbial biomass C, the ratio of soil microbial biomass C to total soil organic C (soil microbial quotient, Cmic/Corg) and soil enzymes (urease, invertase, dehydrogenase) activities increased significantly in mixed leaf litters treatments whereas soil chemical properties remained unchanged. However, soil microbial metabolic quotient (qCO₂) values and soil polyphenol oxidase activity were higher in the single Chinese fir leaf litter treatment that had a higher C:N (carbon:nitrogen) ratio (79.53) compared with the mixed leaf litter (C:N ratios of 76.32, 56.90, 61.20, respectively). Our results demonstrated that the mixed leaf litter can improve forest soil quality, and that soil microbial properties and soil enzyme activities are more sensitive in response to litter quality change than soil chemical properties.     

科尔沁沙地草地营造樟子松人工林对土壤化学和生物学性状的影响

以科尔沁沙地东南缘沙质草地和不同年龄樟子松（Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica）人工林（15、24和30年生）为对象,研究草地造林对土壤pH,土壤C、N、P含量,无机N（铵态氮、硝态氮）含量,C、N矿化速率,微生物生物量C含量以及土壤酶（脲酶、转化酶和过氧化氢酶）活性的影响.结果表明：草地造林初期,林地土壤C、N、P含量逐渐降低,随着林龄增加而逐渐恢复;与草地相比,24年生樟子松人工林土壤C、N、P含量最低,分别下降29%、34%和33%,而30年生樟子松人工林土壤C和N含量与草地差异不显著.草地造林能够影响土壤无机N存在形式,使土壤铵态氮含量逐渐增加,硝态氮含量下降.草地造林对土壤潜在N矿化速率和硝化速率影响不显著,但能够改变土壤C矿化速率,不同林龄樟子松人工林土壤C矿化速率依次为：24年生>30年生>草地>15年生.草地造林初期,土壤微生物生物量C含量和土壤转化酶活性明显降低,随着林龄的增加又逐渐增加;草地造林对土壤脲酶活性影响不显著,而使土壤过氧化氢酶活性逐渐增加.科尔沁沙地草地造林能够显著改变土壤化学和生物学性状,且随着林龄的变化而有所差异.     

Effects of forest-pasture edge on C,N and P associated with <Emphasis Type="Italic">Caesalpinia eriostachys</Emphasis>, a dominant tree species in a tropical deciduous forest in Mexico

Forest fragmentation in tropical ecosystems can alter nutrient cycling in diverse ways. We have analysed the effects of the forest-pasture edge on nutrient soil dynamics in a tropical deciduous forest (TDF) in Mexico. In two remnant forest fragments, both larger than 10 ha, litterfall, litter and soil samples associated to the tree Caesalpinia eriostachys were collected at five distances from the pasture edge into the inner forest (10 m in the pasture and 0–10, 30–40, 70–80 and 100–110 m towards the forest interior). We measured the concentrations of carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) in litterfall, surface litter and soil, and soil microbial C (C_mic) and microbial N (N_mic). Soil nutrient concentrations and C_mic and N_mic were lower in the pasture soils than in the forest soil samples. Total C and N pools, and C_mic and N_mic in the pasture were lower than in the forest. In contrast, net N immobilization and the increase in N_mic from rain to dry season increased from the edge to the inner forest. Soil P concentration was lower in the pasture and at the first distance class in the forest margin (0–10 m) than in the sites located further into the forest, while litter P concentration had the inverse pattern. Litterfall P was also reduced near the edge and increased towards the forest interior. As a consequence, litterfall C:P and N:P ratios decreased from the edge to the inner forest. These results suggest that the forest–pasture edge disrupts P dynamics within the first 10 m in the forest. Thus, plants' use of nutrients and productivity could be altered in the edge of fragmented forests.     

祁连山3种典型生态系统土壤微生物活性和生物量碳氮含量

 测定分析了祁连山高寒草甸、山地森林和干草原土壤中微生物活性、生物量碳氮含量。结果显示：就土壤微生物生物量碳含量,森林比干草原和高寒草甸中分别高60%和120%以上,干草原比高寒草甸中高40%以上(p<0.05)。就土壤微生物生物量氮含量,0～5 cm土层,森林比高寒草甸和干草原中分别高64%和111%以上,高寒草甸比干草原中高29%;5～15 cm土层,森林比干草原和高寒草甸中分别高7%和191%以上,干草原比高寒草甸中高171% 以上(p<0.05)。森林和干草原中土壤微生物生物量碳比例比高寒草甸中高32%以上,0～5和5～15 cm土层,森林和干草原中土壤微生物生物量氮比例比高寒草甸中高150%以上（p<0.05）。就土壤微生物活性,0～5和5～15 cm土层,森林和高寒草甸比干草原中高26%以上;15～35 cm土层,森林比干草原和高寒草甸中高28%以上 (p<0.05)。土壤微生物生物量碳氮含量与有机碳含量及微生物生物量氮含量和比例与微生物生物量碳含量和比例呈现正相关（r²>0.30,p<0.000 1）。土壤微生物生物量氮含量、微生物生物量碳氮含量比例、微生物活性与土壤pH值呈显著负相关,土壤微生物生物量碳氮含量及其比例、微生物活性与土壤湿度呈正相关。说明祁连山3种生态系统土壤中微生物生物量和活性受气候要素、植被、有机碳、pH值和湿度等因素 的共同影响。     

Redox Fluctuations Frame Microbial Community Impacts on N-cycling Rates in a Humid Tropical Forest Soil

Fluctuating soil redox regimes may facilitate the co-occurrence of microbial nitrogen transformations with significantly different sensitivities to soil oxygen availability. In an upland humid tropical forest, we explored the impact of fluctuating redox regimes on gross nitrogen cycling rates and microbial community composition. Our results suggest that the rapidly fluctuating redox conditions that characterize these upland soils allow anoxic and oxic N processing to co-occur. Gross nitrogen mineralization was insensitive to soil redox fluctuations. In contrast, nitrifiers in this soil were directly affected by low redox periods, yet retained some activity even after 3–6 weeks of anoxia. Dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA) was less sensitive to oxygen exposure than expected, indicating that the organisms mediating this reductive process were also tolerant of unfavorable (oxic) conditions. Denitrification was a stronger sink for NO₃⁻ in consistently anoxic soils than in variable redox soils. Microbial biomass and community composition were maintained with redox fluctuation, but biomass decreased and composition changed under static oxic and anoxic soil regimes. Bacterial community structure was significantly correlated with rates of nitrification, denitrification and DNRA, suggesting that redox-control of soil microbial community structure was an important determinant of soil N-cycling rates. Specific nitrogen cycling functional groups in this environment (such as nitrifiers, DNRA organisms, and denitrifiers) appear to have adapted to nutrient resources that are spatially and temporally variable. In soils where oxygen is frequently depleted and re-supplied, characteristics of microbial tolerance and resilience can frame N cycling patterns.     

Decomposition of14C- and15N-labeled organisms in soil under anaerobic conditions

Carbon and nitrogen mineralized from soil under waterlogged conditions may come from the soil microbial biomass pool and potentially could be used for biomass estimations.¹⁴C and¹⁵N labeled cells added to soil were monitored for decomposition under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. Under aerobic conditions 12–42% of the added organism C was mineralized and 1–30% of the N. Under waterlogged conditions 13–33% of the C and 4–13% of the N was mineralized. The mineralized organism C as a percent of the total C evolved was consistent for both aerobic and anaerobic conditions, however the nitrogen showed extreme variations     

Impact of Ecosystem Management on Microbial Community Level Physiological Profiles of Postmining Forest Rehabilitation

We investigated the impacts of forest thinning, prescribed fire, and contour ripping on community level physiological profiles (CLPP) of the soil microbial population in postmining forest rehabilitation. We hypothesized that these management practices would affect CLPP via an influence on the quality and quantity of soil organic matter. The study site was an area of Jarrah (Eucalyptus marginata Donn ex Sm.) forest rehabilitation that had been mined for bauxite 12 years previously. Three replicate plots (20 × 20 m) were established in nontreated forest and in forest thinned from 3,000–8,000 stems ha⁻¹ to 600–800 stems ha⁻¹ in April (autumn) of 2003, followed either by a prescribed fire in September (spring) of 2003 or left nonburned. Soil samples were collected in August 2004 from two soil depths (0–5 cm and 5–10 cm) and from within mounds and furrows caused by postmining contour ripping. CLPP were not affected by prescribed fire, although the soil pH and organic carbon (C), total C and total nitrogen (N) contents were greater in burned compared with nonburned plots, and the coarse and fine litter mass lower. However, CLPP were affected by forest thinning, as were fine litter mass, soil C/N ratio, and soil pH, which were all higher in thinned than nonthinned plots. Furrow soil had greater coarse and fine litter mass, and inorganic phosphorous (P), organic P, organic C, total C, total N, ammonium, microbial biomass C contents, but lower soil pH and soil C/N ratio than mound soil. Soil pH, inorganic P, organic P, organic C, total C and N, ammonium, and microbial biomass C contents also decreased with depth, whereas soil C/N ratio increased. Differences in CLPP were largely (94%) associated with the relative utilization of gluconic, malic (greater in nonthinned than thinned soil and mound than furrow soil), l-tartaric, succinic, and uric acids (greater in thinned than nonthinned, mound than furrow, and 5–10 cm than 0–5 cm soil). The relative utilization of amino acids also tended to increase with increasing soil total C and organic C contents but decreased with increasing nitrate content, whereas the opposite was true for carboxylic acids. Only 45% of the variance in CLPP was explained using a multivariate multiple regression model, but soil C and N pools and litter mass were significant predictors of CLPP. Differences in soil textural components between treatments were also correlated with CLPP; likely causes of these differences are discussed. Our results suggest that 1 year after treatment, CLPP from this mined forest ecosystem are resilient to a spring prescribed fire but not forest thinning. We conclude that differences in CLPP are likely to result from complex interactions among soil properties that mediate substrate availability, microbial nutrient demand, and microbial community composition.     

Changes in soil greenhouse gas fluxes by land use change from primary forest

Primary forest conversion is a worldwide serious problem associated with human disturbance and climate change. Land use change from primary forest to plantation, grassland or agricultural land may lead to profound alteration in the emission of soil greenhouse gases (GHG). Here, we conducted a global meta‐analysis concerning the effects of primary forest conversion on soil GHG emissions and explored the potential mechanisms from 101 studies. Our results showed that conversion of primary forest significantly decreased soil CO₂ efflux and increased soil CH₄ efflux, but had no effect on soil N₂O efflux. However, the effect of primary forest conversion on soil GHG emissions was not consistent across different types of land use change. For example, soil CO₂ efflux did not respond to the conversion from primary forest to grassland. Soil N₂O efflux showed a prominent increase within the initial stage after conversion of primary forest and then decreased over time while the responses of soil CO₂ and CH₄ effluxes were consistently negative or positive across different elapsed time intervals. Moreover, either within or across all types of primary forest conversion, the response of soil CO₂ efflux was mainly moderated by changes in soil microbial biomass carbon and root biomass while the responses of soil N₂O and CH₄ effluxes were related to the changes in soil nitrate and soil aeration‐related factors (soil water content and bulk density), respectively. Collectively, our findings highlight the significant effects of primary forest conversion on soil GHG emissions, enhance our knowledge on the potential mechanisms driving these effects and improve future models of soil GHG emissions after land use change from primary forest.     

三峡库区消落带重建植被下土壤微生物生物量碳氮含量特征

为探究三峡库区消落带植被重建后,土壤微生物生物量含量特征及影响因素,对忠县消落带人工重建植被土壤及裸地土壤(作为对照)微生物生物量碳氮含量进行了调查研究。结果表明:(1)在消落带165-175 m高程土壤微生物生物量碳含量草地林地农耕地裸地,微生物生物量氮含量规律与微生物生物量碳一致,农耕地明显提高;土壤微生物生物量总体呈现出草地最高、林地和农耕地次之,裸地最低的趋势,表明进行消落带植被恢复对土壤微生物生物量有显著的促进作用。(2)不同植被类型下,土壤微生物生物量碳氮比变化范围为8.02-10.25,土壤微生物生物量碳、氮占土壤有机碳、全氮的百分比范围分别是2.40%-4.60%和2.13%-3.58%,其中林地对土壤碳、氮库贡献显著高于裸地(P0.05)。(3)土壤微生物生物量碳、氮与土壤有机碳、全氮和pH值呈现显著相关性,与土壤含水量呈现极显著相关性,说明消落带重建植被土壤的这些理化性质对土壤微生物生物量碳、氮含量有强烈的影响。因此,在三峡库区消落带进行植被恢复重建能显著提高土壤微生物生物量及土壤质量,对加强三峡库岸生态系统的稳定性具有重要意义。     

Patterns of restoration of soil physciochemical properties and microbial biomass in different landslide sites in the sal forest ecosystem of Nepal Himalaya

The pattern of natural restoration in soil components and processes was documented in five landslide-damaged (1–58-year-old) sites in the moist tropical sal (Shorea robusta) forest ecosystem of Nepal Himalaya. Comparisons were made with an undisturbed forest site in the same region. Concentrations of soil organic C, total N, total P and extractable nutrients (Ca, Mg and K) increased with the age of sites. The 58-year-old site showed concentrations of soil organic C, total N and total P that were 75–89% of concentrations in the undisturbed sal forest. The soil microbial biomass, the active fraction of soil organic matter, showed similar seasonal variations at all sites. The amount of mean microbial biomass (expressed as C, N and P contents) increased 4–5 times at the 58-year-old site relative to the 1-year-old site, and the bulk increase occurred within the initial 15 year. The increase in the C/N ratio of soil microbial biomass with age (9.4–11.6 years) reflected change in its composition. Although the net N-mineralization rate increased consistently until 58 years of age, the proportion of nitrification rate relative to ammonification rate distinctly decreased beyond 40 years. On the other hand, the soil available-N (both NO₃⁻ and NH₄⁺) concentrations increased from 1 to 40 year and then declined; with age the proportion of NH₄⁺ increased, however. Rates of restoration in soil properties were faster in the early successional stages (1–15 year) than late stages. Among different soil properties the restoration of soil microbial biomass (C and N) was faster than soil organic C and total N. Best fit power function models showed that the estimated times for the 58-year-old site to reach the level of the undisturbed, mature sal forest would be about 30–35 year for microbial biomass (C and N) and about 100–150 year for organic C and total N. Higher accumulation of soil microbial biomass and high N-mineralization rate at late successional stages indicated the re-establishment of enriched soil and restitution of nutrient cycling during the course of ecosystem restoration.