土壤健康的生物学表征与调控

如何有效判定土壤健康状态是实现农业绿色发展的基本问题。在现有的土壤健康评价体系中,很少考虑土壤生物在维持土壤健康方面的作用。基于此,本文论述了土壤健康的内涵,从土壤生物健康的角度,总结了土壤健康的生物学表征指标,阐述了土壤微生物、土壤酶活性、土壤微食物网及蚯蚓对土壤健康的指示作用。基于上述生物指标,从作物和土壤管理等方面探讨了不同农田管理措施对土壤健康状况的调控途径,并对土壤生物健康的未来发展趋势进行了展望。本文旨在增强科学家和决策者对维护土壤生物健康的认识,充分发挥土壤生物在生态系统服务中的重要作用。     

下辽河平原农田土壤线虫群落组成的季节变化

下辽河平原农田生态系统在管理过程中频繁的耕作、施肥以及农用化学品施用等引发了一系列问题, 如土壤退化、耕地数量减少以及生产力下降等, 不可避免地对土壤生物健康产生影响。为探究农田土壤人工管理对土壤生物群落动态的影响, 本研究在辽宁沈阳农田生态系统国家野外科学观测研究站开展了农田土壤线虫群落组成的季节变化研究, 对4个季节农田和废弃农田(对照)的土壤线虫群落组成、多度以及多样性等进行了比较分析。研究结果表明, 土壤线虫总多度在废弃农田中显著高于农田, 但季节间差异不显著。季节变化主要显著影响了自由生活线虫的多度, 其在9月达到最高; 季节变化也显著影响了属的数量, 其在非生长季的11月最低。与废弃农田相比, 农田管理显著降低了杂食捕食线虫和食真菌线虫的多度, 土壤食物网结构相对稳定; 而废弃的农田更易受到季节波动的影响, 土壤食物网也受到一定的干扰。     

农田土壤食物网管理的原理与方法

土壤食物网在维持生态系统生产力和健康等方面起着重要作用,但现代农业中,化肥农药等外部投入已经改变或部分替代了土壤食物网的功能,由此也造成一系列的环境问题。为了协调作物高产与环境保护的利益,需要对土壤食物网进行管理,使土壤食物网符合作物生长的需要,即建立健康土壤食物网。管理土壤食物网有两种方式:(1)直接方式,即通过调节食物网各个功能群的组成来管理土壤食物网;(2)间接方式,即根据农田土壤食物网以自下而上调控方式为主、强调低营养阶层的资源限制的原理,通过调节碎屑的数量和质量来管理食物网。在这两种调控方式中,都需要对被管理的食物网进行监测,监测的方式也分两种,一种是直接测定食物网各功能群的数量和生物量,另外一种方式即以线虫为工具来反应土壤食物网的结构。     

土壤生物对地上生物的反馈作用及其机制

长期以来对陆地生态系统的研究主要集中于地上部分。由于测度上的困难, 人们对地下部分(belowground)的认识还处于相当模糊的状态。当今的生态学家已经越来越强烈地认识到, 地上生态系统与地下生态系统存在着不可分割的相互联系。100多年来的研究表明, 作为地下生态系统最活跃部分的土壤生物, 是联结地上部分与地下部分物质循环和能量流动的纽带, 对地上部分的结构、功能及过程起着重要的反馈调控作用。土壤生物受资源的时空异质性、营养的可获得性以及非生物因素的选择性所驱动, 通过直接作用于根系, 或通过改变养分的矿化速率及其在土壤中的空间分布, 改变植物根际的激素状况以及土壤环境等间接作用方式, 对地上生物产生正、负反馈作用。因此, 从土壤生物和地上生物的相互作用过程、土壤生物功能群及土壤食物网等角度分析土壤生物反馈作用的时空尺度、生物组织形式、方式、模型、驱动因素及其机制, 能为理解地下生态学过程、维持生态系统稳定性以及制定生物多样性保护策略提供参考, 并有助于理解全球变化下陆地生态系统结构及功能的动态和响应过程。     

农田土壤线虫多样性研究现状及展望

目前土壤生物多样性已成为土壤生态学研究的热点问题之一。土壤生物以不同的方式改变着土壤的物理、化学和生物学特性。在农田生态系统中, 土壤动物是分解作用和养分矿化作用等生态过程的主要调节者。线虫作为土壤中数量最丰富的后生动物, 其生活史和取食类型多样, 在生态系统中发挥着重要作用。本文介绍了农田生态系统中影响线虫多样性的主要因素; 回顾了土壤线虫的物种多样性、营养类群多样性、生活史多样性和功能多样性的研究现状; 并提出了今后农田生态系统线虫多样性研究的重点。建议通过综合土壤线虫的生活史策略和营养类群等信息, 深入了解其生物多样性和土壤生态系统功能, 从而更好地发挥土壤线虫对农田生态系统变化的生物指示作用。     

西南喀斯特石漠化区域生态系统退化与恢复探讨

中国西南喀斯特石漠化区域生态系统的退化和恢复受到人为干扰的直接影响, 并受到植被、土壤、土壤生物的协同调控。生态环境的脆弱性和持续石漠化, 增加了石漠化治理和退化生态系统恢复的难度。采用持续稳定的生态恢复长效措施, 减少不合理的生产方式, 充分发挥草本植物在生态系统恢复初期的突出优势, 重视凋落物对水土保持和生态恢复的促进作用, 有利于驱动喀斯特退化生态系统的自然恢复。     

基于土壤食物网的生态系统复杂性-稳定性关系研究进展

复杂性-稳定性关系是生态学核心问题之一。作为模式食物网,土壤食物网在探索生态系统复杂性-稳定性关系中起了极大的作用。总结了以Moore、de Ruiter、Neutel等为代表的理论生态学家以土壤食物网为工具研究生态系统复杂性-稳定性关系的方法、结论及不足之处,并展望了未来的发展方向。Moore、de Ruiter、Neutel等将土壤食物网功能群生物量数据、土壤食物网Lotka-Volterra模型和面向过程模型三者结合起来,描述相互作用强度大小格局、分室、能流组织形式等复杂性特征;将土壤食物网Lotka-Volterra模型与群落矩阵结合起来分析局域稳定性,进而探讨生态系统复杂性-稳定性关系的一般规律。在此基础上,Moore、de Ruiter、Neutel等证明了与随机食物网相比,真实食物网的相互作用强度格局、分室等复杂性特征提高了生态系统稳定性,生产力与稳定性共同决定了食物链的长度,并指出建立在平衡态基础上的静态土壤食物网模型在探索生态系统复杂性-稳定性关系方面具有较大的不足,动态土壤食物网是未来以土壤食物网为工具研究生态系统复杂性-稳定性关系的发展方向。     

土壤微生物:可持续农业和环境发展的新维度

可持续农业在当今世界至关重要,因为它有潜力满足我们的农业需求,而这是传统农业无法做到的。这种类型的农业采用一种特殊的耕作技术,既能充分利用环境资源,又能保证不造成任何危害。因此,该技术对环境友好,保证了农产品的安全和健康。微生物种群对推动农业生态系统稳定和生产力的基本过程起着重要作用。若干调查旨在增进对土壤微生物群落的多样性、动态和重要性及其在农业生产力中的有益合作。综述了部分土壤微生物及其对可持续农业生产的重要性。     

我国农业生态学当前需要研究的几个问题

我国农业生态学当前需要研究的几个问题孙鸿良（中国农业科学院作物育种栽培研究所,北京１０００８１）１农业生物品质生态的研究如山地不同垂直带的生态环境对果树、作物、畜禽、药材等产品品质的影响;不同干燥度气候条件对小麦品质的影响;施用有机肥对果树品味的影响;以及食物农产品的非污染品质等;这皆是当前“三高”农业中“优质”目标的主要内容,有的还需通过分子生态学的手段来测试。２农田生物种群（或群落）合理结构的研究如农田多生物种群共生互惠或“相居而安”的合理配置机理的研究（如稻鱼共生、“混林农业”、玉米与平菇互惠等）;农田多作物种群根系“他感作用”的相克关系的研究与应用;区域性“立体农业”主要模式及其效益的研究;优化农田生物结构提高土地承载力的生态学机理研究等。３农田生态系统功能的研究如高产高效农田生态系统功能优化特征与指标定量化研究;不同耕作条件下土壤有机质动态的研究;灾害性农田生态系统生物信息捕获及早期警报的研究;养分循环的调节与提高再利用效率的研究等。４农业生物多样性评估度量方法及生物多样性保护技术的研究５生态位理论与方法在农业生态系统中应用的研究如研究优良农业生物品种的生态位宽度与重迭问题;主要作物单项因子生态位     

盐碱地生境中丛枝菌根真菌多样性与功能变化特征

丛枝菌根(AM)真菌广泛分布于土壤生态系统中,是土壤生物重要的功能组分,对促进土壤演化、保持土壤健康与可持续生产力具有不可替代的作用.盐碱地属于特殊生境之一,在人类活动对自然界的影响、硫和氮沉降增大、臭氧增加、温室效应增强、气候异常、外来生物入侵等一系列因素影响下,盐碱土壤的盐渍化、土壤生物多样性与功能也必然随之变化,进而影响到农林牧业生产和生态系统生产力的可持续发展.在简要介绍全球变化背景下盐碱地面积与次生盐渍化变化特点的基础上,重点综述了盐碱地生境中AM真菌多样性及其功能的变化特征;分析了影响AM真菌多样性与功能的因子及其变化特点,旨在为进一步探讨全球变化背景下盐碱地生境中AM真菌的地位、角色和作用,为有效修复盐碱地农田生态系统提供新的思路和途径.     

Intensive agriculture reduces soil biodiversity across Europe

Soil biodiversity plays a key role in regulating the processes that underpin the delivery of ecosystem goods and services in terrestrial ecosystems. Agricultural intensification is known to change the diversity of individual groups of soil biota, but less is known about how intensification affects biodiversity of the soil food web as a whole, and whether or not these effects may be generalized across regions. We examined biodiversity in soil food webs from grasslands, extensive, and intensive rotations in four agricultural regions across Europe: in Sweden, the UK, the Czech Republic and Greece. Effects of land‐use intensity were quantified based on structure and diversity among functional groups in the soil food web, as well as on community‐weighted mean body mass of soil fauna. We also elucidate land‐use intensity effects on diversity of taxonomic units within taxonomic groups of soil fauna. We found that between regions soil food web diversity measures were variable, but that increasing land‐use intensity caused highly consistent responses. In particular, land‐use intensification reduced the complexity in the soil food webs, as well as the community‐weighted mean body mass of soil fauna. In all regions across Europe, species richness of earthworms, Collembolans, and oribatid mites was negatively affected by increased land‐use intensity. The taxonomic distinctness, which is a measure of taxonomic relatedness of species in a community that is independent of species richness, was also reduced by land‐use intensification. We conclude that intensive agriculture reduces soil biodiversity, making soil food webs less diverse and composed of smaller bodied organisms. Land‐use intensification results in fewer functional groups of soil biota with fewer and taxonomically more closely related species. We discuss how these changes in soil biodiversity due to land‐use intensification may threaten the functioning of soil in agricultural production systems.     

Agroecology: the key role of arbuscular mycorrhizas in ecosystem services

The beneficial effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi on plant performance and soil health are essential for the sustainable management of agricultural ecosystems. Nevertheless, since the ‘first green revolution’, less attention has been given to beneficial soil microorganisms in general and to AM fungi in particular. Human society benefits from a multitude of resources and processes from natural and managed ecosystems, to which AM make a crucial contribution. These resources and processes, which are called ecosystem services, include products like food and processes like nutrient transfer. Many people have been under the illusion that these ecosystem services are free, invulnerable and infinitely available; taken for granted as public benefits, they lack a formal market and are traditionally absent from society’s balance sheet. In 1997, a team of researchers from the USA, Argentina and the Netherlands put an average price tag of US $33 trillion a year on these fundamental ecosystem services. The present review highlights the key role that the AM symbiosis can play as an ecosystem service provider to guarantee plant productivity and quality in emerging systems of sustainable agriculture. The appropriate management of ecosystem services rendered by AM will impact on natural resource conservation and utilisation with an obvious net gain for human society.     

Crop Management for Soil Carbon Sequestration

Reducing emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) from agriculture is related to increasing and protecting soil organic matter (SOM) concentration. Agricultural soils can be a significant sink for atmospheric carbon (C) through increase of the SOM concentration. The natural ecosystems such as forests or prairies, where C gains are in equilibrium with losses, lose a large fraction of the antecedent C pool upon conversion to agricultural ecosystems. Adoption of recommended management practices (RMPs) can enhance the soil organic carbon (SOC) pool to fill the large C sink capacity on the world's agricultural soils. This article collates, reviews, and synthesizes the available information on SOC sequestration by RMPs, with specific references to crop rotations and tillage practices, cover crops, ley farming and agroforestry, use of manure and biosolids, N fertilization, and precision farming and irrigation. There is a strong interaction among RMPs with regards to their effect on SOC concentration and soil quality. The new equilibrium SOC level may be achieved over 25 to 50 years. While RMPs are being adapted in developed economies, there is an urgent need to encourage their adoption in developing countries. In addition to enhancing SOC concentration, adoption of RMPs also increases agronomic yield. Thus, key to enhancing soil quality and achieving food security lies in managing agricultural ecosystems using ecological principles which lead to enhancement of SOC pool and sustainable management of soil and water resources.     

Regenwürmer als Partner bei der Bodennutzung

Earthworms as partners in rural land use Within the soil food web, earthworms are very important for the provision of numerous ecosystem services. They promote soil structure formation, soil health, nutrient availability, aeration, water storage and resilience of soils. By this means, earthworms play a substantial role to improve the fertility of agricultural soils in the long-term. Conservation and promotion of earthworms through soil-protecting management measures is therefore essential to make best use of the natural capacity of earthworms. Agricultural soil management of farmers and the beneficial activities of earthworms can be seen as synergistic interaction, which provides a promising approach for the design of sustainable cropping systems ensuring future agricultural productivity and yield.     

植物-土壤反馈理论及其在自然和农田生态系统中的应用研究进展

植物-土壤反馈理论最早源于农业生产,近年来已成为生态学上研究植被动态变化、群落组成和功能,以及生态系统响应人为干扰、气候变化等众多热点问题的重要理论和方法支撑。总结了植物-土壤反馈定义和类型,分析了反馈机制,在此基础上综述了该理论在自然生态系统中的应用,包括物种入侵、群落演替、植物共存及多样性形成、植物多样性-生产力关系、多营养级交互作用以及响应气候变化等关键生态学命题。探讨了植物-土壤反馈理论在农田生态系统中的应用,介绍了该理论在提高多样化种植体系生产力、土壤污染修复、种植体系设计等方面的进展和潜在应用价值。提出了植物-土壤反馈理论在未来发展中进一步研究的方向,对应用该理论提高生态系统服务功能,促进可持续发展等方面进行了展望。     

Introduced earthworms in agricultural and reclaimed land: their ecology and influences on soil properties, plant production and other soil biota

Accidental and deliberate introductions of earthworms into agricultural and reclaimed land are natural experiments that provide opportunities to understand the attributes of successful invaders and their impacts on local biota and ecosystem processes. We consider various case studies (e.g., earthworm invasions in agricultural soils in Australia and Brazil) and deliberate introductions of earthworms into reclaimed mine sites, landfills and cutaway peat in the U.K. and Ireland. Invasions of exotic earthworms, such as European Lumbricidae in Australia, have been geographically extensive, but remain very patchy at regional and field scales. Their impacts on soil properties, plant production and other biota are therefore also likely to be patchy. Various methods have been developed to deliberately inoculate exotic earthworms into disturbed lands, with varying degrees of success. The factors controlling success are, in general, poorly understood. A broad range of impacts of invasive earthworms on soil properties (e.g., soil structure, nutrient availability, burial of surface materials, incidence of root diseases) and plant yield and quality have been reported. Less is known of the impacts of invasive earthworms on other soil fauna, but they are likely to occur due to alterations in food availability and habitat structure. Influences on other biota are likely to extend to aboveground communities as well as those belowground. Introductions of earthworms to disturbed lands can yield substantial benefits in agricultural productivity and amelioration of soil degradation. However, the potential impact of the promotion or control of such introductions on non-target biota and ecosystem processes in pristine ecosystems nearby should be considered.     

Coupled biochar amendment and limited irrigation strategies do not affect a degraded soil food web in a maize agroecosystem,compared to the native grassland

Climate change is predicted to increase climate variability and frequency of extreme events such as drought, straining water resources in agricultural systems. Thus, limited irrigation strategies and soil amendments are being explored to conserve water in crop production. Biochar is the recalcitrant, carbon‐based coproduct of biomass pyrolysis during bioenergy production. When used as a soil amendment, biochar can increase soil water retention while enhancing soil properties and stimulating food webs. We investigated the effects of coupled biochar amendment and limited irrigation on belowground food web structure and function in an irrigated maize agroecosystem. We hypothesized that soil biota biomass and activity would decrease with limited irrigation and increase with biochar amendment and that biochar amendment would mitigate the impact of limited irrigation on the soil food web. One year after biochar addition, we extracted, identified, and estimated the biomass of taxonomic groups of soil biota (e.g., bacteria, fungi, protozoa, nematodes, and arthropods) from wood‐derived biochar‐amended (30 Mg ha^?1) and nonamended soils under maize with limited (two‐thirds of full) and full irrigation. We modeled structural and functional properties of the soil food web. Neither biochar amendment nor limited irrigation had a significant effect on biomass of the soil biota groups. Modeled soil respiration and nitrogen mineralization fluxes were not different between treatments. A comparison of the structure and function of the agroecosystem soil food web and a nearby native grassland revealed that in this temperate system, the negative impact of long‐term conventional agricultural management outweighed the impact of limited irrigation. One year of biochar amendment did not mitigate nor further contribute to the negative effects of historical agricultural management.     

Monitoring the dead as an ecosystem indicator

Dead animal biomass (carrion) is present in all terrestrial ecosystems, and its consumption, decomposition, and dispersal can have measurable effects on vertebrates, invertebrates, microbes, parasites, plants, and soil. But despite the number of studies examining the influence of carrion on food webs, there has been no attempt to identify how general ecological processes around carrion might be used as an ecosystem indicator. We suggest that knowledge of scavenging and decomposition rates, scavenger diversity, abundance, and behavior around carrion, along with assessments of vegetation, soil, microbe, and parasite presence, can be used individually or in combination to understand food web dynamics. Monitoring carrion could also assist comparisons of ecosystem processes among terrestrial landscapes and biomes. Although there is outstanding research needed to fully integrate carrion ecology and monitoring into ecosystem management, we see great potential in using carrion as an ecosystem indicator of an intact and functional food web.