Organic and mineral fertilization, respectively, increase and decrease the development of external mycelium of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in a long-term field experiment

Effects of long-term mineral fertilization and manuring on the biomass of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) were studied in a field experiment. Mineral fertilization reduced the growth of AMF, as estimated using both measurements of hyphal length and the signature fatty acid 16:1ω5, whereas manuring alone increased the growth of AMF. The results of AMF root colonization followed the same pattern as AMF hyphal length in soil samples, but not AMF spore densities, which increased with increasing mineral and organic fertilization. AMF spore counts and concentration of 16:1ω5 in soil did not correlate positively, suggesting that a significant portion of spores found in soil samples was dead. AMF hyphal length was not correlated with whole cell fatty acid (WCFA) 18:2ω6,9 levels, a biomarker of saprotrophic fungi, indicating that visual measurements of the AMF mycelium were not distorted by erroneous involvement of hyphae of saprotrophs. Our observations indicate that the measurement of WCFAs in soil is a useful research tool for providing information in the characterization of soil microflora.     

Soil disturbance alters plant community composition and decreases mycorrhizal carbon allocation in a sandy grassland

We have studied how disturbance by ploughing and rotavation affects the carbon (C) flow to arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi in a dry, semi-natural grassland. AM fungal biomass was estimated using the indicator neutral lipid fatty acid (NLFA) 16:1ω5, and saprotrophic fungal biomass using NLFA 18:2ω6,9. We labeled vegetation plots with ¹³CO₂ and studied the C flow to the signature fatty acids as well as uptake and allocation in plants. We found that AM fungal biomass in roots and soil decreased with disturbance, while saprotrophic fungal biomass in soil was not influenced by disturbance. Rotavation decreased the ¹³C enrichment in NLFA 16:1ω5 in soil, but ¹³C enrichment in the AM fungal indicator NLFA 16:1ω5 in roots or soil was not influenced by any other disturbance. In roots, ¹³C enrichment was consistently higher in NLFA 16:1ω5 than in crude root material. Grasses (mainly Festuca brevipila) decreased as a result of disturbance, while non-mycorrhizal annual forbs increased. This decreases the potential for mycorrhizal C sequestration and may have been the main reason for the reduced mycorrhizal C allocation found in disturbed plots. Disturbance decreased the soil ammonium content but did not change the pH, nitrate or phosphate availability. The overall effect of disturbance on C allocation was that more of the C in AM fungal mycelium was directed to the external phase. Furthermore, the functional identity of the plants seemed to play a minor role in the C cycle as no differences were seen between different groups, although annuals contained less AM fungi than the other groups.     

Growth of ectomycorrhizal mycelia and composition of soil microbial communities in oak forest soils along a nitrogen deposition gradient

Deciduous forests may respond differently from coniferous forests to the anthropogenic deposition of nitrogen (N). Since fungi, especially ectomycorrhizal (EM) fungi, are known to be negatively affected by N deposition, the effects of N deposition on the soil microbial community, total fungal biomass and mycelial growth of EM fungi were studied in oak-dominated deciduous forests along a nitrogen deposition gradient in southern Sweden. In-growth mesh bags were used to estimate the production of mycelia by EM fungi in 19 oak stands in the N deposition gradient, and the results were compared with nitrate leaching data obtained previously. Soil samples from 154 oak forest sites were analysed regarding the content of phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs). Thirty PLFAs associated with microbes were analysed and the PLFA 18:2ω6,9 was used as an indicator to estimate the total fungal biomass. Higher N deposition (20 kg N ha⁻¹ y⁻¹ compared with 10 kg N ha⁻¹ y⁻¹) tended to reduce EM mycelial growth. The total soil fungal biomass was not affected by N deposition or soil pH, while the PLFA 16:1ω5, a biomarker for arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi, was negatively affected by N deposition, but also positively correlated to soil pH. Other PLFAs positively affected by soil pH were, e.g., i14:0, a15:0, 16:1ω9, a17:0 and 18:1ω7, while some were negatively affected by pH, such as i15:0, 16:1ω7t, 10Me17:0 and cy19:0. In addition, N deposition had an effect on the PLFAs 16:1ω7c and 16:1ω9 (negatively) and cy19:0 (positively). The production of EM mycelia is probably more sensitive to N deposition than total fungal biomass according to the fungal biomarker PLFA 18:2ω6,9. Low amounts of EM mycelia covaried with increased nitrate leaching, suggesting that EM mycelia possibly play an important role in forest soil N retention at increased N input.     

The growth of external AM fungal mycelium in sand dunes and in experimental systems

We estimated the biomass and growth of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) mycelium in sand dunes using signature fatty acids. Mesh bags and tubes, containing initially mycelium-free sand, were buried in the field near the roots of the dune grass Ammophila arenaria L. AM fungal mycelia were detected at a distance of about 8.5 cm from the roots after 68 days of growth by use of neutral lipid fatty acid (NLFA) 16:1ω5. The average rate of mycelium extension during September and October was estimated as 1.2 mm day⁻¹. The lipid and fatty acid compositions of AM fungal mycelia of isolates and from sand dunes were analysed and showed all to be of a similar composition. Phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs) can be used as indicators of microbial biomass. The mycelium of G. intraradices growing in glass beads contained 8.3 nmol PLFAs per mg dry biomass, and about 15% of the PLFAs in G. intraradices, G. claroideum and AM fungal mycelium extracted from sand dunes, consisted of the signature PLFA 16:1ω5. We thus suggest a conversion factor of 1.2 nmol PLFA 16:1ω5 per mg dry biomass. Calculations using this conversion factor indicated up to 34 μg dry AM fungal biomass per g sand in the sand dunes, which was less than one tenth of that found in an experimental system with Glomus spp. growing with cucumber as plant associate in agricultural soil. The PLFA results from different systems indicated that the biomass of the AM fungi constitutes a considerable part of the total soil microbial biomass. Calculations based on ATP of AM fungi in an experimental growth system indicated that the biomass of the AM fungi constituted approximately 30% of the total microbial biomass. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Field assessment of soil biological and chemical quality in response to crop management practices

Soil microbiological and chemical aspects were evaluated to determine the effects of conservation tillage and crop rotation on soil fertility over a 16-year period. A field trial was established to compare two cropping systems (continuous soybean and maize/soybean, soybean/maize rotation). In addition, maize (Zea mays L.) and soybean (Glycine max L., Merr) were grown in two different tillage systems: no tillage and reduced tillage. Soil populations of Trichoderma spp., Gliocladium spp. and total fungi were more abundant when maize or soybean were under conservation tillage and in the maize/soybean and soybean/maize rotation, than in continuous soybean. Furthermore, higher levels of microbial respiration and fluorescein diacetate hydrolysis (FDA), were recorded under no tillage systems. However, soil counts of Actinomycetes and Pythium spp., and Pythium diversity together with soil microbial biomass were not affected by the field treatments. To establish a correlation with soil biological factors, soil chemical parameters, such as pH, organic matter content, total N, electrical conductivity, N–NO₃ ⁻ and P were also quantified, most of the correlations being significantly positive. Under no tillage there was a clear increase of the amount of crop residues and the C and N soil content due to the presence of residues. Also the distribution of crop residues in surface soil due to zero tillage and the quality of these residues, depending on the crop rotation employed, improved on soil biological and chemical characteristics. Crop yield was also enhanced by zero tillage through the management of residues. Although yield values were not directly associated with the development of microorganisms, both yield and microorganisms were influenced by crop management. These results suggest that measuring soil properties over a long period helps to define effective management strategies in order to preserve soil conditions.     

Do Botanical Pesticides Alter the Structure of the Soil Microbial Community?

The effects of synthetic pesticides on the soil microbial community have been thoroughly investigated in the past mostly by culture-dependent methods and only few recent studies have used culture-independent approaches for this purpose. However, it should be noted that most of these studies have been conducted in microcosms where the soil microbial community is exposed to unrealistic concentrations of the pesticides, providing an unrealistic exposure scheme for soil microorganism. On the other hand, little is known regarding the potential impact of botanical pesticides on the soil microbial community. Therefore, a laboratory study and a field study were conducted to investigate the effects of synthetic (metham sodium [MS], sodium tetrathiocarbonate [SoTe], and fosthiazate) and botanical pesticides (azadirachtin, quillaja, and pulverized Melia azedarach fruits [PMF]) on the soil microbial community using phospholipid fatty acids (PLFA) analysis. Principal component analysis (PCA) on the results of the laboratory study indicated that the application of PMF resulted in significant changes in the soil microbial community. This was obvious by the proportional increase in the abundance of fatty acids 18:1ω9cis, 18:1ω9trans, which are common in gram-negative bacteria and saprotrophic fungi, and 18:2ω6,9, which is a fungal indicator. This response was attributed to the release of copious amounts of organic carbon and nutrients in the soil by the PMF. On the other hand, MS inhibited fungi and gram-negative bacteria, while fosthiazate and the botanical pesticides quillaja and azadirachtin did not impose significant changes in the soil microbial community. Similar results were obtained by the field study where application of the fumigants MS and SoTe significantly altered the structure of the soil microbial community with the former having a more prominent effect. Fosthiazate imposed mild changes in the soil microbial community, whereas quillaja and azadirachtin again did not show a significant effect. Overall, botanical pesticides, at their recommended dose, did not alter the structure of the soil microbial community compared to synthetic nonfumigant and fumigant pesticides which induced significant changes.     

小麦和大豆茬口对黄瓜土壤微生物生态特征的影响

采用常规稀释平板法和BIOLOG ECO微平板反应系统,研究了小麦和大豆茬口对黄瓜土壤微生物生态特征的影响.结果表明,两种茬口均显著提高了黄瓜土壤微生物真菌、细菌和放线菌的数量,显著降低了尖孢镰刀菌黄瓜专化型的数量(P<0.05);显著提高了土壤微生物群落的Shannon-Wiener指数、均匀度指数、Simpson指数和McIntosh指数(P<0.05)、以及土壤微生物生物量碳,降低了土壤基础呼吸和代谢商(P<0.05),改变了土壤微生物对单一碳源的利用能力.此外,两种茬口还显著提高了土壤中速效磷和速效钾含量,以及黄瓜产量.说明小麦和大豆茬口改善了土壤微生态环境.     

Influence of selected soil saprotrophes on gas exchange,growth and yield of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Solanum tuberosum</Emphasis>

The influence of saprotrophic soil fungi: Aspergillus versicolor, Penicillium frequentans, Penicillium verrucosum var. cyclopium, and Trichocladium asperum on development, wholesomeness, gas exchange and yield of potato cv. Mila was studied in pot experiments during 1998–2000. The presence of each of the mentioned fungi species in soil accelerated potato germination and stimulated growth of overground plant parts in comparison with control plants. Additionally, the presence of the tested saprotrophes in soil prologed the potato growing period by inhibiting chloroses of necroses. The tested saprotrophic fungi also modified plant physiological processes, such as transpiration and assimilation. The contact of plant root system with soil saprotrophes diminished significantly assimilation and transpiration intensity of overground parts in comparison with the control plants, in all the years of the experiment. However, this response did not reduce the yield of tubers.     

Spatial distribution of microbial biomass,activity, community structure,and the biodegradation of linear alkylbenzene sulfonate (LAS) and linear alcohol ethoxylate (LAE) in the subsurface

The vertical distribution of microbial biomass, activity, community structure and the mineralization of xenobiotic chemicals was examined in two soil profiles in northern Wisconsin. One profile was impacted by infiltrating wastewater from a laundromat, while the other served as a control. An unconfined aquifer was present 14 meters below the surface at both sites. Biomass and community structure were determined by acridine orange direct counts and measuring concentrations of phospholipid-derived fatty acids (PLFA). Microbial activity was estimated by measuring fluorescein diacetate (FDA) hydrolysis, thymidine incorporation into DNA, and mixed amino acid (MAA) mineralization. Mineralization kinetics of linear alkylbenzene sulfonate (LAS) and linear alcohol ethoxylate (LAE) were determined at each depth. Except for MAA mineralization rates, measures of microbial biomass and activity exhibited similar patterns with depth. PLFA concentration and rates of FDA hydrolysis and thymidine incorporation decreased 10–100 fold below 3 m and then exhibited little variation with depth. Fungal fatty acid markers were found at all depths and represented from 1 to 15% of the total PLFAs. The relative proportion of tuberculostearic acid (TBS), an actinomycete marker, declined with depth and was not detected in the saturated zone. The profile impacted by wastewater exhibited higher levels of PLFA but a lower proportion of TBS than the control profile. This profile also exhibited faster rates of FDA hydrolysis and amino acid mineralization at most depths. LAS was mineralized in the upper 2 m of the vadose zone and in the saturated zone of both profiles. Little or no LAS biodegradation occurred at depths between 2 and 14 m. LAE was mineralized at all depths in both profiles, and the mineralization rate exhibited a similar pattern with depth as biomass and activity measurements. In general, biomass and biodegradative activities were much lower in groundwater than in soil samples obtained from the same depth.     

Physiological Status and Community Composition of Microbial Mats of the Ebro Delta, Spain, by Signature Lipid Biomarkers

Abstract Physiological status of microbial mats of the Ebro Delta (Tarragona, Spain) based on the extraction of lipids considered ``signature lipid biomarkers' (SLB) from the cell membranes and walls of microorganisms has been analyzed. Data from a day–night cycle show significant differences in viable cells countings (PLFA cells counts) ranging from 1.5 × 10¹⁰ to 5.0 × 10¹⁰ cells g⁻¹ of sediment. Minimum values were observed at 18:00 and 6:00, when physicochemical conditions change drastically. The diversity of the microbial community was assessed by GC/MS analysis of phospholipid fatty acids (PLFA). The ratio of PLFA, representative of Gram-negative bacteria, comprises 47.8% of the total PLFA of the microbial mat community. The remaining PLFA was representative of Gram-positive (10.0%), anaerobic (5.7%), and eukaryotic microorganisms (5.7%), and other common lipids. Two different approaches were used as a comparative study to assess the physiological status of the microbial mats. Two parameters (cyclopropane fatty acids/ω7c monoenoic fatty acids, and measurement of the trans/cis monoenoic PLFA ratio) showed a minimum at midnight, suggesting the highest microbial activity. Higher values were observed at 18:00 and 6:00, coinciding with lower PLFA cell counts. Received: 14 May 1999; Accepted: 6 September 1999; Online Publication: 24 March 2000     

13C and 15N in microarthropods reveal little response of Douglas-fir ecosystems to climate change

Understanding ecosystem carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) cycling under global change requires experiments maintaining natural interactions among soil structure, soil communities, nutrient availability, and plant growth. In model Douglas-fir ecosystems maintained for five growing seasons, elevated temperature and carbon dioxide (CO₂) increased photosynthesis and increased C storage belowground but not aboveground. We hypothesized that interactions between N cycling and C fluxes through two main groups of microbes, mycorrhizal fungi (symbiotic with plants) and saprotrophic fungi (free-living), mediated ecosystem C storage. To quantify proportions of mycorrhizal and saprotrophic fungi, we measured stable isotopes in fungivorous microarthropods that efficiently censused the fungal community. Fungivorous microarthropods consumed on average 35% mycorrhizal fungi and 65% saprotrophic fungi. Elevated temperature decreased C flux through mycorrhizal fungi by 7%, whereas elevated CO₂ increased it by 4%. The dietary proportion of mycorrhizal fungi correlated across treatments with total plant biomass (n= 4, r²= 0.96, P= 0.021), but not with root biomass. This suggests that belowground allocation increased with increasing plant biomass, but that mycorrhizal fungi were stronger sinks for recent photosynthate than roots. Low N content of needles (0.8–1.1%) and A horizon soil (0.11%) coupled with high C : N ratios of A horizon soil (25–26) and litter (36–48) indicated severe N limitation. Elevated temperature treatments increased the saprotrophic decomposition of litter and lowered litter C : N ratios. Because of low N availability of this litter, its decomposition presumably increased N immobilization belowground, thereby restricting soil N availability for both mycorrhizal fungi and plant growth. Although increased photosynthesis with elevated CO₂ increased allocation of C to ectomycorrhizal fungi, it did not benefit plant N status. Most N for plants and soil storage was derived from litter decomposition. N sequestration by mycorrhizal fungi and limited N release during litter decomposition by saprotrophic fungi restricted N supply to plants, thereby constraining plant growth response to the different treatments.     

Stimulated saprotrophic fungi in arable soil extend their activity to the rhizosphere and root microbiomes of crop seedlings

Saprotrophic fungi play an important role in ecosystem functioning and plant performance, but their abundance in intensively managed arable soils is low. Saprotrophic fungal biomass in arable soils can be enhanced with amendments of cellulose-rich materials. Here, we examined if sawdust-stimulated saprotrophic fungi extend their activity to the rhizosphere of crop seedlings and influence the composition and activity of other rhizosphere and root inhabitants. After growing carrot seedlings in sawdust-amended arable soil, we determined fungal and bacterial biomass and community structure in roots, rhizosphere and soil. Utilization of root exudates was assessed by stable isotope probing (SIP) following ¹³CO₂-pulse-labelling of seedlings. This was combined with analysis of lipid fatty acids (PLFA/NLFA-SIP) and nucleic acids (DNA-SIP). Sawdust-stimulated Sordariomycetes colonized the seedling's rhizosphere and roots and actively consumed root exudates. This did not reduce the abundance and activity of bacteria, yet higher proportions of α-Proteobacteria and Bacteroidia were seen. Biomass and activity of mycorrhizal fungi increased with sawdust amendments, whereas exudate consumption and root colonization by functional groups containing plant pathogens did not change. Sawdust amendment of arable soil enhanced abundance and exudate-consuming activity of saprotrophic fungi in the rhizosphere of crop seedlings and promoted potential beneficial microbial groups in root-associated microbiomes.     

森林次生演替和土壤层次对微生物群落结构的影响

森林次生演替与生态系统结构和功能的动态变化密切相关。大多数研究主要关注植物群落以及土壤有机碳(SOC)的变化,然而土壤微生物群落如何响应森林次生演替还需要进一步探究。本研究以长白山森林次生演替序列(20、80、120、200和≥300年)和两个土壤层次为对象,采用磷脂脂肪酸微生物标志物,探究温带森林次生演替过程中地下微生物群落结构变化。森林次生演替改变了土壤微生物群落结构,主要归因于某些特定微生物类群的变化,演替前期革兰氏阴性菌和腐生真菌占主导,而在演替后期革兰氏阳性菌和丛枝菌根真菌占主导。另外,土壤有机质数量和质量差异是影响微生物群落结构和生物量的主要环境因素。森林演替前期和中期增加的SOC含量促进了微生物生物量,而演替后期增加的难分解芳香族有机组分抑制了微生物生物量合成。土壤层次间理化性质的差异导致微生物群落变化,有机质层高的SOC以及氮含量导致更多微生物生物量的合成。微生物群落在时间和空间尺度的变化及其驱动因素反映了生态系统结构和功能对环境变化的响应。     

High turnover of fungal hyphae in incubation experiments

Soil biological studies are often conducted on sieved soils without the presence of plants. However, soil fungi build delicate mycelial networks, often symbiotically associated with plant roots (mycorrhizal fungi). We hypothesized that as a result of sieving and incubating without plants, the total fungal biomass decreases. To test this, we conducted three incubation experiments. We expected total and arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungal biomass to be higher in less fertilized soils than in fertilized soils, and thus to decrease more during incubation. Indeed, we found that fungal biomass decreased rapidly in the less fertilized soils. A shift towards thicker hyphae occurred, and the fraction of septate hyphae increased. However, analyses of phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs) and neutral lipid fatty acids could not clarify which fungal groups were decreasing. We propose that in our soils, there was a fraction of fungal biomass that was sensitive to fertilization and disturbance (sieving, followed by incubation without plants) with a very high turnover (possibly composed of fine hyphae of AM and saprotrophic fungi), and a fraction that was much less vulnerable with a low turnover (composed of saprotrophic fungi and runner hyphae of AMF). Furthermore, PLFAs might not be as sensitive in detecting changes in fungal biomass as previously thought.     

不同种植模式对作物根系生长、产量及根际土壤微生物数量的影响

采用多年大田试验研究了小麦-大豆(A1)、小麦-甘薯(A2)、玉米(A3)、小麦/玉米/大豆(A4)和小麦/玉米/甘薯(A5)5种种植模式的根际环境变化特征和根系生长特性.结果表明:与A1、A2、A3和A5相比,A4提高了小麦、玉米、大豆在开花期和成熟期的生物量、根系活力和根干质量,提高了各作物根际土壤细菌、真菌和放线菌数量.各种植模式之间,植株生物量和根际微生物数量的变化规律为套作＞单作、大豆茬口＞甘薯茬口、边行＞中行.小麦/玉米/大豆(A4)套作模式通过改善3种作物的根际环境,促进了作物地下部根系生长和地上部生物量的增加,从而实现作物增产.     

Insights into nitrogen and carbon dynamics of ectomycorrhizal and saprotrophic fungi from isotopic evidence

The successful use of natural abundances of carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) isotopes in the study of ecosystem dynamics suggests that isotopic measurements could yield new insights into the role of fungi in nitrogen and carbon cycling. Sporocarps of mycorrhizal and saprotrophic fungi, vegetation, and soils were collected in young, deciduous-dominated sites and older, coniferous-dominated sites along a successional sequence at Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska. Mycorrhizal fungi had consistently higher δ¹⁵N and lower δ¹³C values than saprotrophic fungi. Foliar δ¹³C values were always isotopically depleted relative to both fungal types. Foliar δ¹⁵N values were usually, but not always, more depleted than those in saprotrophic fungi, and were consistently more depleted than in mycorrhizal fungi. We hypothesize that an apparent isotopic fractionation by mycorrhizal fungi during the transfer of nitrogen to plants may be attributed to enzymatic reactions within the fungi producing isotopically depleted amino acids, which are subsequently passed on to plant symbionts. An increasing difference between soil mineral nitrogen δ¹⁵N and foliar δ¹⁵N in later succession might therefore be a consequence of greater reliance on mycorrhizal symbionts for nitrogen supply under nitrogen-limited conditions. Carbon signatures of mycorrhizal fungi may be more enriched than those of foliage because the fungi use isotopically enriched photosynthate such as simple sugars, in contrast to the mixture of compounds present in leaves. In addition, some ¹³C fractionation may occur during transport processes from leaves to roots, and during fungal chitin biosynthesis. Stable isotopes have the potential to help clarify the role of fungi in ecosystem processes. Received: 7 January 1998 / Accepted: 9 November 1998     

The effect of low temperatures on fatty acid composition of crops with different cold resistance

The study was focused on fatty acid (FA) composition of lipids from the seedlings and roots of crops having different cold resistance and grown at 27°C or 4°C. Biosynthesis of FA in the lipids of seedlings and roots of cold-susceptible maize (Zea mays L.) at both growth temperatures was controlled by chloroplast ω6 desaturase and microsomal ω6 desaturase, respectively. The content of linoleic acid was 56.2% and 43.3% in the coleoptiles of maize seedlings grown at 4 and 27°C, respectively, and in the roots it was 52.2% and 38.5%, respectively. The content of α-linolenoic acid in the coleoptiles was 6.7–6.8% at both temperatures, while in the root lipids it was higher at low temperature (3.15% at 27°C vs. 4.7% at 4°C). FA biosynthesis in the seedling coleoptiles of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and Siberian wild rye (Elymus sibiricus L.) grown at low temperature was controlled by the chloroplast ω3 desaturase. A minor increase in the content of α-linolenoic acid was observed at low temperature: 29.7% to 30.2% in wheat and 22.8% to 25.8% in wild rye. In the root tissues of these species, the biosynthesis of α-linolenoic acid was controlled by the microsomal ω3 desaturase. The content of α-linolenoic acid was higher at low temperature: in wheat it was 6.1% at 27°C and 17.1%, and 4°C, while in Siberian wild rye, 7.1% and 12.0% at 4 and 27°C, respectively.     

Discrimination of microbial diversity by fatty acid profiles of phospholipids and lipopolysaccharides in differently cultivated soils

The effects of long-term management practices on the diversity of the microbial community were examined by analyzing the composition of fatty acids (FAs) in phospholipids (PL) and lipopolysaccharides (LPS). According to the Principal Component Analysis (PCA) of total fatty acids the soils were divided in two groups: a) Black fallow soil (1) and soils cropped with potatoes (3, 4), and b) green fallow soil (2), soils cropped with wheat (5, 6), crop rotation (7) and grassland (8). The PCA for saturated FAs and for hydroxy FAs of both PL and LPS shows that the green fallow soil (2) can be distinguished from the other soils. For monounsaturated FAs the grassland soil (8) and for polyunsaturated FAs the wheat with vetch soil (6) clearly differed from the other soils. Fatty acids with biomarker quality such as 15:0 for bacteria and 18:26 for fungi were used for determining the ratio between bacteria and fungi: the black fallow soil (1) and the soil managed with crop rotation (7) contained significantly higher proportions of bacteria than the other soils. The largest proportion of the indicator fatty acid il5:0 for Gram-positive bacteria was measured in the black fallow soil (1), while the-hydroxy FAs indicative of Gram-negative bacteria most frequently occurred in manured potato cropped soil (4). Both indicator fatty acids 18:26 for fungi and cy19:0 for anaerobic bacteria had their highest concentrations in the manured potato cropped soil (4).     

Soil microbiological indicators of soil quality in four rice rotations systems

Rice may have negative effects on the soil due to intensive levelling tasks required for flood irrigation. Therefore, rotations including rice influence soil physical, chemical and biological properties differently. In our study, the effects of rotations with rice on biological properties were evaluated and associated with the capacity of the soil to supply N to crops. Furthermore, the relationships among the variables were studied and those most sensitive to detect the resulting changes were determined. The study was conducted on four crop sequences over a 4-year period: rice monoculture (RR), rice–soybean (RS), rice–soybean–maize–soybean (RSMS) and rice–pasture (RP). The four rotations evaluated had a strong effect on soil properties. Principal components analysis showed that RR and the RP rotation were discriminated clearly, while RSMS and RS were in the middle of the biplot, forming two different groups. Microbial biomass N (MBN), potential of N mineralization measured by anaerobic incubations (PMN-AI) and the microbial biomass C to N ratio were the variables that differed most the studied rotations. The PMN-AI variable was positively associated with MBN, microbial biomass C, organic C, total N, urease, and fluorescein diacetate hydrolysis (FDA) variables. The potential of N mineralization measured with hot KCl neither evidenced differences among the evaluated situations nor was associated to the other variables. This is why it is assumed this is not a good soil quality indicator. The differences found in microbial analysis indicate that microbiological variables (MBC, MBN), nitrogen availability index (PNM-AI), and biochemical variables (FDA) were sensitive variables to evaluate soil rotations’ effects and they might be used as good soil quality indicators once their critical values have been determined for different conditions.     

Contrasting effects of extracts from invasive Reynoutria japonica on soil microbial biomass,activity, and community structure

Invasive plants may modify soil properties through the release of phenolic compounds. The effects of phenolics produced by a noxious invader, Reynoutria japonica, on soil microorganisms have rarely been studied in experimental conditions. We performed a laboratory experiment to assess the influence of extracts from R. japonica on soil microbial activity, biomass, and community structure. Two types of extracts (shoots and rhizomes) were added in four concentrations (control—no extract, low—extract diluted 100 times, medium—extract diluted ten times, and high—undiluted extract) to soil collected under native plant species. Concentrations of 12 phenolic compounds, namely catechin, chlorogenic acid, emodin, epicatechin, hyperoside, quercetin, physcion, piceatannol, polydatin, procyanidin B3, resveratrol, and resveratroloside were analyzed in the extract and soil. We measured the activity of five enzymes, namely acid and alkaline phosphatases, β-glucosidase, phenoloxidase, peroxidase, the activity of bacteria on Biolog Ecoplates, as well as the biomass of bacteria, saprotrophic fungi, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), and microbial community structure using phospholipid (PLFA) and neutral (NLFA) fatty acid analysis. Many microbial parameters, namely phosphatase activities, total microbial, AMF, and G?+?bacterial biomass, were reduced following the addition of extracts. This was likely related to phenolics as concentrations of these compounds in soil increased with the concentration of extract added. In contrast, saprotrophic fungi and G- bacteria were largely positively affected by extract addition. Shoot and rhizome extracts had relatively similar effects on the soil properties. The changes in soil biota caused by R. japonica invasion may have implications for restoration of invaded areas.