根际微型土壤动物——原生动物和线虫的生态功能

从养分释放、土壤有机碳积累和稳定、根系激素效应、微生物多样性和功能稳定性、地上部多营养级关系及污染土壤生物修复概述了根际微型土壤动物(原生动物和线虫)对根际生态功能的影响,特别针对微型土壤动物与微生物和根系的相互作用探讨了可能的机制。微型土壤动物的选择取食、主动迁移和代谢分泌行为,不仅贡献根际生态功能,而且对土壤整体及地上部群落有强烈的影响。总之,不考虑根际微型土壤动物与微生物和根系的相互作用,就不可能对根际生态功能和调控机制有全面的认识。     

土壤原生动物群落及其生态功能

土壤原生动物是土壤微生物区系的重要组成部分。在土壤生态系统中 ,由于微生物与微动物的生命活动及其相互作用 ,从而形成了土壤的物质循环和能量转化。土壤原生动物既参与了微生物所介导的物质转化和能量循环 ,又参与了动物对微生物的捕食作用。由于原生动物具有丰富的种类和多样性以及巨大的生物量 ,所以土壤原生动物的群落及其生态功能 ,已引起了人们的广泛关注 ,并且研究理论与方法日益深入。但我国在这方面的研究报道较少 ,本文拟从群落与生态功能方面的进展做一概述。1　土壤原生动物的群落特征土壤与淡水原生动物最早是由Ａｎｔｏｎ…     

褐飞虱对水稻苗期生长及地下部土壤活性碳氮的影响

地上部植食者对地下部土壤生态系统的影响引起了陆地生态学者的浓厚兴趣。报道了盆栽条件下褐飞虱取食不同品种水稻后对水稻苗期生长和土壤活性碳氮的影响。土壤活性碳氮水平的评价采用了土壤微生物生物量碳和氮、可溶性碳和氮及无机氮等指标,它们是反映土壤生态过程的重要变量。结果表明,褐飞虱侵害降低了苗期水稻茎叶、根系的生物量及根冠比,并与水稻品种的抗褐飞虱能力存在交互作用。褐飞虱也显著影响土壤活性碳氮水平(P0.05),并强烈依赖于水稻品种特性。一般的,褐飞虱导致感虫品种广四的土壤微生物生物量碳、可溶性碳下降,而对抗虫品种IR36的影响则相反。在褐飞虱的危害下,抗虫品种水稻对土壤微生物生物量氮、可溶性氮及硝态氮的促进程度较大。中感品种汕优63与汕优559在褐飞虱作用下对水稻茎叶、根系生物量及土壤活性碳氮的影响也不相同。汕优63的影响趋势与感虫品种广四一致,而汕优559的影响与抗虫品种IR36更接近。总之,土壤活性碳氮组分对褐飞虱危害的响应程度和趋势因水稻品种不同而不同,特别是抗虫品种在褐飞虱侵害时有利于土壤活性碳氮水平的维持,提高土壤生物活性,从而可能进一步促进土壤生态功能的发挥。     

冰川前缘土壤微生物原生演替的生态特征——以乌鲁木齐河源1号冰川为例

为了解冰川前缘土壤微生物在原生演替过程中的生态特征及其影响因素,用空间距离代替时间序列,以乌鲁木齐河源1号冰川终碛堤为起点,沿6个不同演替时期(0,4,15,31,43a和对照)的样带采集土样,以冰川附近发育良好的土壤为对照,测定土壤酶活性、微生物氮矿化与脱氨作用以及微生物生物量。结果表明,土壤脲酶、蛋白酶、酸性磷酸酶、芳基硫酸酯酶、蔗糖酶活性、微生物氮矿化及脱氨作用随演替时间而增加,微生物生物量碳和氮变化呈波动状,趋势不明显。相关分析表明,土壤有机质与酶活、微生物生物量存在极显著正相关(P0.01)。1号冰川前缘微生物多样性指数随着演替时间持续增加,但目前仍未达稳定状态。     

模拟火干扰对森林土壤微生物活性及氮矿化的影响

火干扰产生热能从而诱导土壤有机质的化学氧化,改变碳和氮转换,对土壤的结构与功能产生严重影响,影响程度取决于火强度、火干扰持续时间和热渗透。在湖南省株洲市高枧林场选取马尾松次生林火烧迹地,按两种土壤、3个温度和3种土壤水势进行试验设计与方差分析,探讨火干扰对土壤微生物及氮矿化的影响。结果表明:无机氮的浓度与火强度和初始土壤有机质含量呈正相关关系;火干扰后短期内土壤碳和氮浓度较高,微生物生物量碳和潜在可矿化氮较低,温度和土壤水势对基础呼吸速率没有显著影响;当土壤温度达160℃时,未受火干扰土壤中潜在可矿化氮浓度迅速不稳定增加,温度达350℃时破坏90%的非微生物组织;土壤加热后水势对氮矿化过程有显著影响,水势越高,潜在可矿化氮损失越大,火干扰土壤的含水量与硝态氮之间呈正相关关系;培养14d期间,土壤火灾历史、热处理和土壤水势对微生物活性、碳和氮矿化有显著影响,-1.5 MPa水势下加热到380℃后两种土壤的微生物生物量碳含量最高,土壤水势和可溶性糖呈负相关关系;水势和火干扰之间的交互作用显著影响微生物活性和氮转换,低水势土壤中的微生物生物量碳、可溶性糖和潜在可矿化氮浓度较高。     

高寒草甸退化对祁连山土壤微生物生物量和氮矿化速率的影响

为深入了解高寒草甸退化对草原生态系统中土壤微生物碳氮量、土壤氮矿化及土壤微生物相关酶的变化特征,以祁连山东缘4个不同退化程度(未退化、轻度退化、中度退化和极度退化)的高寒草甸为研究对象,采集了深度为0—10 cm的土壤样品,并对不同退化程度高寒草甸中植物因子、土壤理化性质、土壤氨化速率、土壤硝化速率、土壤净氮矿化速率以及转化氮素的相关酶和微生物进行了相关研究。结果表明:(1)随退化程度的加剧,高寒草甸土壤中氨化速率和净氮矿化速率逐渐降低,硝化速率逐渐升高;(2)高寒草甸的退化降低了有关氮素转化相关酶,如土壤蛋白酶、脲酶、亮氨酸氨基肽酶的活性,而β-乙酰葡糖胺糖苷酶的活性呈先下降后上升趋势,且在极度退化草地活性最高;(3)随退化程度的加剧,高寒草甸土壤中微生物生物量碳和氮的含量逐渐降低,同时土壤基础呼吸、土壤微生物熵和代谢熵的指数也呈下降趋势。RDA分析表明,高寒草甸中氨化速率和净氮矿化速率与微生物生物量碳、微生物生物量氮、土壤基础呼吸、植物高度、植被盖度、地上生物量、蛋白酶、脲酶以及亮氨酸氨基肽酶呈显著正相关,而硝化速率则表现为负相关性。因此,高寒草甸退化对土壤微生物特性以及氮素转化和循环具有重要影响。     

草甸草原土壤碳/氮矿化潜力及土壤微生物水分敏感性对极端干旱的响应

土壤碳、氮矿化是生态系统养分循环的关键过程,受到水分供给的强烈影响。本研究对极端干旱处理(连续3年生长季减少66%降水)的内蒙古草甸草原野外取土,采用超低温冻干后再调节土壤水分至3%、8%、13%、18%、25%和35% 6个水平进行室内培养,研究极端干旱处理后土壤碳/氮矿化潜力以及土壤微生物对水分变化的敏感性。结果表明: 与对照(自然降雨)相比,极端干旱处理后,6个培养水平的平均土壤氮矿化潜力显著提高14.2%,但未显著影响土壤碳矿化潜力。极端干旱显著提高土壤微生物生物量氮和土壤可溶性有机碳26.8%和26.9%。无论是对照还是极端干旱处理,土壤氮矿化潜力、碳矿化潜力和微生物生物量碳和氮均随着土壤含水量增加而增加,而可溶性有机碳从较低水分的培养水平(3%和8%)到较高水分的培养水平(>13%)显著降低,表明底物的扩散起到重要作用。极端干旱处理显著提高了碳矿化初始脉冲强度,表明极端干旱提高了土壤微生物对水分的敏感性。极端干旱显著降低了土壤碳矿化潜力/氮矿化潜力的比值,表明长期干旱可能会降低土壤碳、氮循环过程的耦合作用。极端干旱对土壤碳矿化和氮矿化过程的影响存在差异,激发了土壤微生物对水分的敏感性,弱化了碳、氮循环过程的耦合关系,并进一步影响中国北方草甸草原生态系统的生物地球化学循环过程及草地生产力。     

帽儿山地区不同土地利用方式下土壤-微生物-矿化碳氮化学计量特征

土地利用方式的变化导致土壤碳氮含量及其化学计量关系的变化,然而土壤微生物化学计量及其驱动的碳氮矿化过程如何响应这种变化仍不明确。以帽儿山地区天然落叶阔叶林、人工红松林、草地和农田4种不同土地利用类型为对象,测定其土壤有机碳(C_(soil))、全氮(N_(soil))、微生物生物量碳和氮(C_(mic)和N_(mic))、土壤碳和氮矿化速率(C_(min)和N_(min)),旨在比较不同土地利用方式对土壤、微生物碳氮化学计量特征及矿化速率的影响,探索土壤-微生物-矿化之间碳氮化学计量特征的相关性,揭示微生物对土壤碳氮化学计量变化的响应和调控机制。结果显示:C_(soil)、N_(soil)、C_(mic)、N_(mic)和C_(min)均呈现天然落叶阔叶林人工红松林草地农田,而天然落叶阔叶林和草地的N_(min)显著高于人工红松林和农田。土地利用方式显著影响土壤和微生物碳氮比(C∶N_(soil)和C∶N_(mic)),均呈现农田最高。不同土地利用方式的数据综合分析发现:碳氮矿化速率比与C∶N_(mic)呈负相关,而和微生物与土壤碳氮化学计量不平衡性(C∶N_(imb))显著正相关。单位微生物生物量的碳矿化速率(qCO_2)随着C∶N_(mic)的增加而降低,而单位微生物生物量的氮矿化速率(qAN)随着C∶N_(mic)的增加而增加。C∶N_(imb)与qCO_2正相关,与qAN负相关。以上结果表明,微生物会通过改变自身碳氮化学计量、调整碳氮之间相对矿化速率,以适应土地利用变化导致的土壤碳氮及其化学计量的变异性,以满足自身生长和代谢的碳氮需求平衡。     

镜泊湖岩溶台地不同植被类型土壤微生物群落特征

为了探讨不同演替阶段植被类型土壤微生物群落特征,分别选取镜泊湖岩溶台地草本、矮灌木、高灌木、小乔木与灌木混生(简称混生)群落、落叶阔叶林及针阔混交林6种典型植被类型,进行植物群落调查和对土壤微生物生物量、群落结构和多样性指标、土壤物理化学性质的测定。结果表明：从土壤微生物量、土壤微生物群落组成、土壤微生物代谢动力学过程和代谢功能多样性的角度来看,各种植被类型土壤微生物群落具有明显的差异。演替前期的草本群落土壤微生物量碳氮、细菌生物量、真菌生物量,代谢活性及丰富度指数均最低,但Shannon-Wiener多样性指数和均匀度指数显著(P<0.05)高于其他植被类型。矮灌木土壤微生物群落组成显著受植被类型的影响。高灌木群落和混生(小乔木与灌木混生)群落具有极强的相似性, 但在碳源利用类型上两者表现出一定的差异。落叶阔叶林代谢活性最高,碳源利用能力最强,能利用BIOLOG微孔板中的所有31种碳源,这与其具有较高的微生物量碳氮和细菌生物量一致,其代谢功能丰富度最高。演替后期的针阔混交林下的土壤pH最低,真菌比例升高,在碳源丰富的条件下具有极强的竞争优势(仅次于落叶阔叶林),但在碳源贫瘠的条件下其利用碳源能力较弱(仅高于草本)。植被可能主要通过土壤全磷和有机质影响土壤微生物代谢功能多样性。     

黄土丘陵沟壑区典型人工林下土壤微生物功能多样性

对典型黄土丘陵沟壑区陕西延安羊圈沟小流域刺槐(Robinia pseudoacacia)、沙棘(Hippophae reamnoides)和杏树(Prunus armeniaca)人工林下土壤微生物功能多样性进行监测研究,旨在揭示不同的人工林对土壤微生物生物量及多样性的影响.研究结果如下:(1)3种人工林中刺槐林土壤微生物生物量碳(MBC)和微生物生物量氮(MBN)含量显著高于其他两种林地;(2)表征土壤微生物代谢活性的平均颜色变化率(AWCD)与微生物生物量碳的高低表现一致,依次为刺槐林>沙棘林>杏树林,相关分析表明其与微生物生物量、总氮及土壤水分等存在显著相关性;(3)土壤微生物的功能多样性3种人工林间未见显著差异,Shannon-Winner多样性指数(H′)表现为刺槐林>杏树林>沙棘林,与土壤理化性质和微生物生物量间均未见显著相关性.总之,3种人工林相比较,种植刺槐林与其它两种人工林相比更有利于提高微生物的量及代谢活性,微生物的功能多样性受不同树种的影响较小.     

Modelling the effects of loss of soil biodiversity on ecosystem function

There are concerns about whether accelerating worldwide loss of biodiversity will adversely affect ecosystem functioning and services such as forage production. Theoretically, the loss of some species or functional groups might be compensated for by changes in abundance of other species or functional groups such that ecosystem processes are unaffected. A simulation model was constructed for carbon and nitrogen transfers among plants and functional groups of microbes and soil fauna. The model was based on extensive information from shortgrass prairie, and employed stabilizing features such as prey refuges and predator switching in the trophic equations. Model parameters were derived either from the literature or were estimated to achieve a good fit between model predictions and data. The model correctly represented (i) the major effects of elevated atmospheric CO₂ and plant species on root and shoot biomass, residue pools, microbial biomass and soil inorganic nitrogen, and (ii) the effects on plant growth of manipulating the composition of the microbial and faunal community. The model was evaluated by comparing predictions to data not used in model development. The 15 functional groups of microbes and soil fauna were deleted one at a time and the model was run to steady state. Only six of the 15 deletions led to as much as a 15% change in abundance of a remaining group, and only two deletions (bacteria and saprophytic fungi) led to extinctions of other groups. Functional groups with greater effect on abundance of other groups were those with greater biomass or greater number of consumers, regardless of trophic position. Of the six deletions affecting the abundance of other groups, only three (bacteria, saprophytic fungi, and root‐feeding nematodes) caused as much as 10% changes in indices of ecosystem function (nitrogen mineralization and primary production). While the soil fauna as a whole were important for maintenance of plant production, no single faunal group had a significant effect. These results suggest that ecosystems could sustain the loss of some functional groups with little decline in ecosystem services, because of compensatory changes in the abundance of surviving groups. However, this prediction probably depends on the nature of stabilizing mechanisms in the system, and these mechanisms are not fully understood.     

Linking soil food web structure to above‐ and belowground ecosystem processes: a meta‐analysis

Soil fauna can be an important regulator of community parameters and ecosystem processes, but there have been few quantitative syntheses of the role of soil fauna in terrestrial soil communities and ecosystems. Here, we conducted a meta‐analysis to investigate the impacts of invertebrate soil micro‐ and mesofauna (grazers and predators) on plant productivity and microbial biomass. Overall our results indicate that an increase in the biomass of soil fauna increased aboveground plant productivity across ecosystems by 35% and decreased microbial biomass by 8%. In addition, we found no evidence for trophic cascades in terrestrial soil food webs, but the bacterivorous component of soil fauna influenced plant productivity and microbial biomass more than did the fungivorous component. Furthermore, changes in the biomass of soil fauna differentially affected plant productivity among plant functional groups: a higher biomass of soil fauna increased aboveground productivity by 70% in coniferous systems. However, in ecosystems dominated by legumes, a functional group with lower inorganic nitrogen requirements, there was no response of aboveground productivity to increases in the biomass of soil fauna. In sum, the results of this meta‐analysis indicate that soil fauna help to regulate ecosystem production, especially in nutrient‐limited ecosystems.     

Influence of decomposer food web structure and nitrogen availability on plant growth

We studied the sensitivity of soil microbial communities and ecosystem processes to variation in the vertical and horizontal structure of decomposer food web under nitrogen poor and N-enriched conditions. Microcosms with humus and litter layer of boreal forest floor, birch seedlings infected with mycorrhizal fungi, and decomposer food webs with differing trophic group and species composition of soil fauna were constructed. During the second growing period for the birch, we irrigated half of the microcosms with urea solution, and the other half with de-ionised water to create two levels of N concentration in the substrate. During the experiment night time respirations of the microcosms were measured, and the water leached through the microcosms was analysed for concentration of mineral N, and nematode numbers. The microcosms were destructively sampled after 37 weeks for plant biomass and N uptake, structure of soil animal and microbial community (indicated by PLFA profiles), and physical and chemical properties of the humus and litter materials. Predatory mites and nematodes had a negative influence on the biomass of their microbivorous and microbi-detritivorous prey, and microbi-detritivores affected the biomass and community structure of microbes (indicated by PLFA-analysis). Moreover, predatory mites and nematodes increased microbial biomass and changed the microbial community structure. The decomposer food web structure affected also N uptake and growth of plants. Microbi-detritivorous fauna had a positive effect, whereas predators of microbial and detritus feeding fauna exerted a negative influence on plant N uptake and biomass production. The impact of a trophic group on the microbes and plant was also strongly dependent on species composition within the group. Nitrogen addition magnified the influence of food web structure on microbial biomass and plant N uptake. We suggest that addition of urea-N to the soil modified the animal-microbe interaction by increasing microbial growth and altering community structure of microbes. The presence of microbi-detritivores and predators reduced loss of carbon from the microcosms, and the food web structure influenced also water holding capacity of the materials. The changes in plant growth, nutrient cycling, size of N and C pools, and in the physical properties of the soil emphasize the importance and diversity of indirect consequences of decomposer food web structure. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Grazing simplifies soil micro‐food webs and decouples their relationships with ecosystem functions in grasslands

Livestock grazing often alters aboveground and belowground communities of grasslands and their mediated carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) cycling processes at the local scale. Yet, few have examined whether grazing‐induced changes in soil food webs and their ecosystem functions can be extrapolated to a regional scale. We investigated how large herbivore grazing affects soil micro‐food webs (microbes and nematodes) and ecosystem functions (soil C and N mineralization), using paired grazed and ungrazed plots at 10 locations across the Mongolian Plateau. Our results showed that grazing not only affected plant variables (e.g., biomass and C and N concentrations), but also altered soil substrates (e.g., C and N contents) and soil environment (e.g., soil pH and bulk density). Grazing had strong bottom‐up effects on soil micro‐food webs, leading to more pronounced decreases at higher trophic levels (nematodes) than at lower trophic levels (microbes). Structural equation modeling showed that changes in plant biomass and soil environment dominated grazing effects on microbes, while nematodes were mainly influenced by changes in plant biomass and soil C and N contents; the grazing effects, however, differed greatly among functional groups in the soil micro‐food webs. Grazing reduced soil C and N mineralization rates via changes in plant biomass, soil C and N contents, and soil environment across grasslands on the Mongolian Plateau. Spearman's rank correlation analysis also showed that grazing reduced the correlations between functional groups in soil micro‐food webs and then weakened the correlation between soil micro‐food webs and soil C and N mineralization. These results suggest that changes in soil micro‐food webs resulting from livestock grazing are poor predictors of soil C and N processes at regional scale, and that the relationships between soil food webs and ecosystem functions depend on spatial scales and land‐use changes.     

施氮肥对落叶松和水曲柳人工林土壤动物群落的影响

土壤动物对环境变化反应敏感, 全球变化导致土壤氮(N)有效性增加将影响土壤动物群落结构和功能。本文以落叶松(Larix gmelinii)和水曲柳(Fraxinus mandshurica)人工林为研究对象, 通过施肥处理, 在不同季节和土层取样, 研究土壤N有效性增加对土壤动物的数量、类群数和不同功能团的影响。结果表明: (1) 施肥影响两林分土壤动物密度, 导致当年密度增加, 翌年则下降, 这种先增加后降低的趋势在不同土层中均表现出来; (2) 施肥增加了两林分土壤动物类群数, 其中落叶松林分从34类增加到43类, 水曲柳林分从43类增加到48类; (3) 施肥改变了两林分不同食性土壤动物的密度, 腐食性土壤动物数量降低、植食性数量增加、捕食性数量变化不明显。这些结果说明: 土壤N有效性增加显著影响两林分土壤动物群落结构, 可能改变地下碳分配格局和养分循环过程。     

食微线虫对植物生长及土壤养分循环的影响

近二十多年来,土壤动物的生态功能受到广泛重视。越来越多的证据表明,土壤动物和微生物间的相互作用对土壤生态系统过程和植物生长起着重要的调节作用。本文综述了食细菌线虫和食真菌线虫对土壤微生物、土壤氮矿化和植物生长的影响。大量研究发现,食细菌线虫和食真菌线虫都有助于土壤氮素等养分矿化,从而促进植物生长。这种作用主要是线虫通过取食活动加速微生物周转,并通过代谢分泌和释放微生物所固持的养分而实现的。但这种作用会因不同的线虫、微生物和植物的种类以及土壤基质的C/N营养状况而异,此外还受线虫的营养类群及其与其他土壤动物之间复杂关系的影响。今后应该加强以下几方面的研究:(1)深入研究线虫、微生物和植物之间相互作用的机制;(2)增加控制实验系统的复杂性,研究线虫不同功能群之间及其与其他土壤动物之间的关系;(3)加强长期实验和观察,在较长的时间尺度上了解线虫的生态功能;(4)加强对不同生态系统的研究,在更大的空间尺度上综合了解土壤线虫的生态功能;(5)在全球气候变化的背景下了解土壤线虫的响应,并预测土壤线虫对全球变化的反馈。     

Identification of bacterial micropredators distinctively active in a soil microbial food web

The understanding of microbial interactions and trophic networks is a prerequisite for the elucidation of the turnover and transformation of organic materials in soils. To elucidate the incorporation of biomass carbon into a soil microbial food web, we added 13C-labeled Escherichia coli biomass to an agricultural soil and identified those indigenous microbes that were specifically active in its mineralization and carbon sequestration. rRNA stable isotope probing (SIP) revealed that uncultivated relatives of distinct groups of gliding bacterial micropredators (Lysobacter spp., Myxococcales, and the Bacteroidetes) lead carbon sequestration and mineralization from the added biomass. In addition, fungal populations within the Microascaceae were shown to respond to the added biomass after only 1 h of incubation and were thus surprisingly reactive to degradable labile carbon. This RNA-SIP study identifies indigenous microbes specifically active in the transformation of a nondefined complex carbon source, bacterial biomass, directly in a soil ecosystem.     

Identification of Bacterial Micropredators Distinctively Active in a Soil Microbial Food Web

The understanding of microbial interactions and trophic networks is a prerequisite for the elucidation of the turnover and transformation of organic materials in soils. To elucidate the incorporation of biomass carbon into a soil microbial food web, we added ¹³C-labeled Escherichia coli biomass to an agricultural soil and identified those indigenous microbes that were specifically active in its mineralization and carbon sequestration. rRNA stable isotope probing (SIP) revealed that uncultivated relatives of distinct groups of gliding bacterial micropredators (Lysobacter spp., Myxococcales, and the Bacteroidetes) lead carbon sequestration and mineralization from the added biomass. In addition, fungal populations within the Microascaceae were shown to respond to the added biomass after only 1 h of incubation and were thus surprisingly reactive to degradable labile carbon. This RNA-SIP study identifies indigenous microbes specifically active in the transformation of a nondefined complex carbon source, bacterial biomass, directly in a soil ecosystem.     

Soil ecological interactions: comparisons between tropical and subalpine forests

Soil fauna can influence soil processes through interactions with the microbial community. Due to the complexity of the functional roles of fauna and their effects on microbes, little consensus has been reached on the extent to which soil fauna can regulate microbial activities. We quantified soil microbial biomass and maximum growth rates in control and fauna-excluded treatments in dry and wet tropical forests and north- and south-facing subalpine forests to test whether soil fauna effects on microbes are different in tropical and subalpine forests. Exclusion of fauna was established by physically removing the soil macrofauna and applying naphthalene. The effect of naphthalene application on the biomass of microbes that mineralize salicylate was quantified using the substrate induced growth response method. We found that: (1) the exclusion of soil fauna resulted in a higher total microbial biomass and lower maximum growth rate in the subalpine forests, (2) soil fauna exclusion did not affect the microbial biomass and growth rate in the tropical forests, and (3) the microbial biomass of salicylate mineralizers was significantly enhanced in the fauna-exclusion treatment in the tropical wet and the south-facing subalpine forests. We conclude that non-target effects of naphthalene on the microbial community alone cannot explain the large differences in total microbial biomass found between control and fauna-excluded treatments in the subalpine forests. Soil fauna have relatively larger effects on the microbial activities in the subalpine forests than in tropical dry and wet forests.     

Effects of the Conversion of Native Vegetation to Farmlands on Soil Microarthropod Biodiversity and Ecosystem Functioning in a Desert Oasis

Increased demand for food due to the rapidly growing human population has led to extensive conversion of native steppes at the margins of oases in arid lands of northwest China into intensively managed farmlands. However, the consequences of this land-use change for soil microarthropod biodiversity and ecosystem functioning remain unknown. Here we assessed how conversion of a native steppe to irrigated farmlands of different ages affects the abundance and composition of soil microarthropods and how changes in soil microarthropod biodiversity could scale up to influence soil carbon and nitrogen stocks. We sampled microarthropod communities over two growing seasons from native steppes and cultivated soils of a 27-year-old irrigated farmland and a 90-year-old irrigated farmland, both of which were converted from the native steppe. Topsoil properties and bulk and labile pools of carbon and nitrogen, including soil organic carbon, dissolved organic carbon (DOC), microbial biomass carbon (MBC), total nitrogen (TN), inorganic nitrogen (IN), and microbial biomass nitrogen (MBN), were also measured. The conversion of native steppe to either of the two farmlands significantly increased the abundance and taxa richness of three taxonomic groups (mites, collembolans, and others) and four trophic groups (herbivores, predators, detritivores, and fungivores); this effect was greater in the 90-year-old farmland for the abundance of all taxonomic and trophic groups except for herbivores and was similar between the two farmlands for the richness of all taxonomic and trophic groups. Taxonomic and trophic composition of the microarthropod community showed strong shifts in response to conversion of native steppe to either of the two farmlands. Compositional changes were largely mediated by changes in soil environments. Changes in soil carbon and nitrogen stocks due to conversion of native steppe to farmlands followed similar patterns to soil microarthropod biodiversity, but the greater storage of DOC, MBC, TN, IN, and MBN occurred in the 90-year-old farmland. Our results suggest that soil microarthropod communities are affected positively by native steppe conversion to farmland and farmland age, and that increased microarthropod biodiversity significantly improved the ability of soils to retain carbon and nitrogen.