Soil microbial diversity and community structure across a climatic gradient in western Canada

Soil microbial functional diversity was assessed along a climatic gradient in Western Canada. Mineral soil samples were collected from jack pine (Pinus banksiana Lamb.) stands along an 800km transect between Prince Albert, Saskatchewan and Gillam, Manitoba. Microbial communities were isolated from the soil samples, washed and inoculated into wells of Gram-negative Biolog microplates. Optical density values were used to calculate Shannon diversity indices and to perform principal component analysis. Colour development rank plots (CDR) were created by expressing optical density values as a percentage of total colour development and plotting the wells in descending order. Soil microbial functional diversity decreased with increasing latitude and correlated positively with measures of atmospheric temperature and pH. Soil microbial diversity may be lower in northern sites due to decreased productivity, nutrient limitation and higher acidity. CDR plots are consistent with a trend of increasing environmental harshness moving north along the transect.     

Nitrate depletion in the riparian zone of a small woodland stream

Field enrichments with nitrate in two spring-fed drainage lines within the riparian zone of a small woodland stream near Toronto, Ontario showed an absence of nitrate depletion. Laboratory experiments with riparian substrates overlain with nitrate enriched solutions revealed a loss of only 5–8% of the nitrate during 48 h incubation at 12°C. However, 22–24% of the initial nitrate was depleted between 24 and 48 h when a second set of substrate cores was incubated at 20°C. Short-term (3 h) incubations of fresh substrates amended with acetylene were used to estimate in situ denitrification potentials which varied from 0.05–3.19 g N g^–1 d^–1 for organic and sandy sediments. Denitrification potentials were highly correlated with initial nitrate content of substrate samples implying that low nitrate levels in ground water and riparian substrates may be an important factor in controlling denitrification rates. The efficiency of nitrate removal in spring-fed drainage lines is also limited by short water residence times of < 1 h within the riparian zone. These data suggest that routes of ground water movement and substrate characteristics are important in determining nitrate depletion within stream riparian areas.     

Nitrate depletion in the riparian zone and stream channel of a small headwater catchment

A mass balance procedure was used to determine rates of nitrate depletion in the riparian zone and stream channel of a small New Zealand headwater stream. In all 12 surveys the majority of nitrate loss (56–100%) occurred in riparian organic soils, despite these soils occupying only 12% of the stream's border. This disproportionate role of the organic soils in depleting nitrate was due to two factors. Firstly, they were located at the base of hollows and consequently a disproportionately high percentage (37–81%) of the groundwater flowed through them in its passage to the stream. Secondly, they were anoxic and high in both denitrifying enzyme concentration and available carbon. Direct estimates ofin situ denitrification rate for organic soils near the upslope edge (338 mg N m^–2 h^–1) were much higher than average values estimated for the organic soils as a whole (0.3–2.1 mg N m^–2 h^–1) and suggested that areas of these soils were limited in their denitrification activity by the supply of nitrate. The capacity of these soils to regulate nitrate flux was therefore under-utilized. The majority of stream channel nitrate depletion was apparently due to plant uptake, with estimates of thein situ denitrification rate of stream sediments being less than 15% of the stream channel nitrate depletion rate estimated by mass balance.This study has shown that catchment hydrology can interact in a variety of ways with the biological processes responsible for nitrate depletion in riparian and stream ecosystems thereby having a strong influence on nitrate flux. This reinforces the view that those seeking to understand the functioning of these ecosystems need to consider hydrological phenomena.     

Tree species, root decomposition and subsurface denitrification potential in riparian wetlands

Patches of organic matter have been found to be important `hotspots' of denitrification in both surface and subsurface soils, but the factors controlling the formation and maintenance of these patches are not well established. We compared the concentration of patches of organic matter and root biomass in the subsurface (saturated zone) beneath poorly drained riparian wetland soils at four sites in Rhode Island, USA - two dominated by red maple (Acer rubrum) and two dominated by white pine (Pinus strobus). Denitrification enzyme activity (DEA) and carbon (C) content of patch material were compared between sites and between patches with different visual characteristics. Root decomposition was measured in an 8-week ex-situ incubation experiment that compared the effects of water content, root species, and soil matrix origin on CO₂ evolution. We observed significantly greater concentrations of patches at 55 cm at one red maple site than all other sites. DEA and percent C in patches was generally higher in patches than matrix soil and did not vary between sites or by patch type. White pine roots decomposed at a faster rate than red maple roots under unsaturated conditions. Our results suggest that faster root decomposition could result in lower concentrations of patches of organic material in subsurface soils at sites dominated by white pine. Tree species composition and root decomposition may play a significant role in the formation of patches and the creation and maintenance of groundwater denitrification hotspots in the subsurface of riparian wetlands. Abbreviations: DEA – denitrification enzyme activity; DOC – dissolved organic carbon; PD – poorly drained; RM-1 – red maple-1 site; RM-2 – red maple-2 site; WP-1 – white pine-1 site; WP-2 – white pine-2 site.     

Subsurface denitrification in a forest riparianzone: Interactions between hydrology and supplies ofnitrate and organic carbon

The influence of hydrology andpatterns of supply of electron donors and acceptors onsubsurface denitrification was studied in a forestriparian zone along the Boyne River in southernOntario that received high nitrogen inputs from a sandaquifer. Two hypotheses were tested: (1) subsurfacedenitrification is restricted to localized zones ofhigh activity; (2) denitrification zones occur atsites where groundwater flow paths transportNO₃ ^– to supplies of available organiccarbon. A plume of nitrate-rich groundwater withconcentrations of 10–30 mg N L^–1 flowed laterallyat depths of 1.5–5 m in sands beneath peat for ahorizontal distance of 100–140 m across the riparianzone to within 30–50 m of the river. In situ acetyleneinjections to piezometers revealed that significantdenitrification was restricted to a narrow zone ofsteep NO₃ ^– and N₂O decline at theplume margins. The location of these denitrificationsites in areas with steep gradients of groundwater DOCincrease supported hypothesis 2. Many of thesedenitrification hotspots occurred near interfacesbetween sands and either peats or buried river channeldeposits. Field experiments involving in situadditions of either glucose or NO₃ ^– topiezometers indicated that denitrification wasC-limited in a large subsurface area of the riparianzone, and became N-limited beyond the narrow zone ofNO₃ ^– consumption. These data suggest thatdenitrification may not effectively removeNO₃ ^– from groundwater transported at depththrough permeable riparian sediments unlessinteraction occurs with localized supplies of organicmatter.     

塔河源荒漠河岸林群落物种组成、结构与植物区系特征

为了更好地了解荒漠河岸林植被动态与生物多样性维持机制,于塔里木河干流源头荒漠河岸林内建立6个1 hm 2样地,对群落物种组成、数量特征和空间格局等进行综合分析。结果表明,塔河源荒漠河岸林群落结构简单、物种多样性低,共有物种12科15属16种,杨柳科重要值最大(28. 97%),是群落优势建群科。取样面积在0. 04 hm 2时,包括了87. 5%的物种;样地内稀有种和偶见种均占所有物种的12. 5%。植物区系贫乏,单种科、属多,温带成分占绝对优势,古地中海成分也占有重要地位,具典型温带区系性质。样地内 DBH ≥ 1 cm 的活木本个体有2497株,灰胡杨多度占92. 95%,胸高断面积和重要值最大,在群落中占绝对优势地位。群落内科、属、种的数量随植株高度级的增加而减少,垂直结构层次分明,由乔木层、灌木层和草本层构成。样地内所有树种平均胸径15. 57 cm,径级与高度级结构均呈偏正态分布,缺乏高度≤ 2 m的个体,群落更新不良。优势种灰胡杨、胡杨径级结构均呈单峰型,其中胡杨幼树出现断层,灰胡杨幼苗向幼树发展过程中死亡率极高(92. 56%),均为衰退型种群。两个优势种空间格局呈聚集分布,不同生境下随径级增大空间分布格局变化不同;且两个优势种在空间上相互排斥而占据不同生境,暗示着种间竞争与生境异质性是影响荒漠河岸林物种空间分布格局和物种共存的重要因素。     

Nitrogen dynamics of storm runoff in the riparian zone of a forested watershed

The influence of storm runoff processes on stream nitrogen dynamics was investigated in a headwater riparian swamp on the Oak Ridges moraine in southern Ontario. Hydrologic data were combined with analysis of an isotopic tracer (¹⁸0) and nitrogen (NH ₄ ⁺ , NO ₃ ^– ) concentrations in saturation overland flow and stream discharge. Storm runoff was separated into its event and pre-event components using¹⁸O in order to examine the effect of water source on nitrogen chemistry. Laboratory experiments were also used to study nitrogen transformation associated with storm runoff-surface substrate interactions in the swamp. In most storms N0₃-N and NH₄-N concentrations in the initial 3–4 mm throughfall increment were 10–20x and 20–100x higher respectively than stream base flow concentrations. Maximum stream N0₃-N concentrations were < 2x to 6x higher than base flow concentrations and preceded or coincided with peak stream discharge. Storm-to-storm variations in stream N0₃-N behaviour also occurred during the hydrograph recession phase. NH₄-N concentrations attained an initial peak on the rising hydrograph limb, or at peak stream discharge. A second NH₄-N increase occurred during the late recession phase 3–5 h after maximum stream discharge. Inorganic-N concentrations in surface runoff were similar to peak streamflow.The close agreement between observed N0₃-N concentrations and values predicted from a chemical mixing model indicate that stream N0₃-N variations were controlled mainly by the mixture of throughfall and groundwater in surface stormflow from the swamp. Laboratory experiments also indicated that N0₃-N in surface runoff behaved conservatively when mixed with swamp substrates. With the exception of the late hydrograph recession phase, observed stream NH₄-N concentrations were much lower than concentrations predicted by the chemical mixing model. The rapid loss of NH₄-N from mixtures of surface stormflow and swamp substrates in laboratory experiments and the absence of uptake in sterilized substrates indicated that NH₄-N retention in surface storm runoff was due to biotic processes.     

Global trends and uncertainties in terrestrial denitrification and N2O emissions

Soil nitrogen (N) budgets are used in a global, distributed flow-path model with 0.5° × 0.5° resolution, representing denitrification and N₂O emissions from soils, groundwater and riparian zones for the period 1900–2000 and scenarios for the period 2000–2050 based on the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment. Total agricultural and natural N inputs from N fertilizers, animal manure, biological N₂ fixation and atmospheric N deposition increased from 155 to 345 Tg N yr⁻¹ (Tg = teragram; 1 Tg = 10¹² g) between 1900 and 2000. Depending on the scenario, inputs are estimated to further increase to 408–510 Tg N yr⁻¹ by 2050. In the period 1900–2000, the soil N budget surplus (inputs minus withdrawal by plants) increased from 118 to 202 Tg yr⁻¹, and this may remain stable or further increase to 275 Tg yr⁻¹ by 2050, depending on the scenario. N₂ production from denitrification increased from 52 to 96 Tg yr⁻¹ between 1900 and 2000, and N₂O–N emissions from 10 to 12 Tg N yr⁻¹. The scenarios foresee a further increase to 142 Tg N₂–N and 16 Tg N₂O–N yr⁻¹ by 2050. Our results indicate that riparian buffer zones are an important source of N₂O contributing an estimated 0.9 Tg N₂O–N yr⁻¹ in 2000. Soils are key sites for denitrification and are much more important than groundwater and riparian zones in controlling the N flow to rivers and the oceans.     

The unaccounted yet abundant nitrous oxide-reducing microbial community: a potential nitrous oxide sink

Nitrous oxide (N₂O) is a major radiative forcing and stratospheric ozone-depleting gas emitted from terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. It can be transformed to nitrogen gas (N₂) by bacteria and archaea harboring the N₂O reductase (N₂OR), which is the only known N₂O sink in the biosphere. Despite its crucial role in mitigating N₂O emissions, knowledge of the N₂OR in the environment remains limited. Here, we report a comprehensive phylogenetic analysis of the nosZ gene coding the N₂OR in genomes retrieved from public databases. The resulting phylogeny revealed two distinct clades of nosZ, with one unaccounted for in studies investigating N₂O-reducing communities. Examination of N₂OR structural elements not considered in the phylogeny revealed that the two clades differ in their signal peptides, indicating differences in the translocation pathway of the N₂OR across the membrane. Sequencing of environmental clones of the previously undetected nosZ lineage in various environments showed that it is widespread and diverse. Using quantitative PCR, we demonstrate that this clade was most often at least as abundant as the other, thereby more than doubling the known extent of the overall N₂O-reducing community in the environment. Furthermore, we observed that the relative abundance of nosZ from either clade varied among habitat types and environmental conditions. Our results indicate a physiological dichotomy in the diversity of N₂O-reducing microorganisms, which might be of importance for understanding the relationship between the diversity of N₂O-reducing microorganisms and N₂O reduction in different ecosystems.     

High diversity and community permeability: the riparian Collembola (Insecta) of a Pyrenean massif

This work deals with the structure of Collembolan communities in riparian habitats. Sixty samples collected along running waters in a Pyrenean massif have been analysed. Diversity was much higher than for any comparable habitat studied in the literature. The proportion of rare species was particularly high, and explained a large part of the observed diversity. The contribution of specialized hydrophilous species to overall diversity was low: they were 5 times less numerous than non-hydrophilous species for a similar global abundance. Correspondence analysis showed that the riparian community was loosely structured, without any strong determining factor. Epigeomorphic species of hydrophilous Collembola were, however, clustered in a well-defined group. The forest type, of major importance for soil fauna diversity in the area, was a poor predictor of diversity in the riparian habitats. Conversely, richness was significantly related to distance from water, in spite of the samples having been all collected from permanently water-saturated substrates. The importance of non-hydrophilous species for the diversity of riparian habitats along running water is interpreted as reflecting the ecological permeability of the hydrophilous community, resulting from the spatial organisation of the habitat in narrow strips, and its frequent disturbance by flooding. Finally, the riparian habitat may act as a refuge for a significant proportion of the soil species affected by reafforestation, presently the most severe disturbance of Pyrenean ecosystems.     

生态学的多样性指数:功能与系统发育

生物多样性是生态学的核心问题。传统的多样性指数仅包含物种数和相对多度的信息,这类基于分类学的多样性指数并不能很好地帮助理解群落构建和生态系统功能。不同物种对群落构建和生态系统功能所起到的作用类型和贡献也不完全相同,且物种在生态过程中的作用和贡献往往与性状密切相关,因此功能多样性已经成为反映物种群落构建、干扰以及环境因素对群落影响的重要指标。同时,由于亲缘关系相近的物种往往具有相似的性状,系统发育多样性也可以作为功能多样性的一个替代。功能多样性和系统发育多样性各自具有优缺点,但二者均比分类多样性更能揭示群落和生态系统的构建、维持与功能。     

Temporal dynamics of soil organic carbon after land‐use change in the temperate zone – carbon response functions as a model approach

Land‐use change (LUC) is a major driving factor for the balance of soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks and the global carbon cycle. The temporal dynamic of SOC after LUC is especially important in temperate systems with a long reaction time. On the basis of 95 compiled studies covering 322 sites in the temperate zone, carbon response functions (CRFs) were derived to model the temporal dynamic of SOC after five different LUC types (mean soil depth of 30±6 cm). Grassland establishment caused a long lasting carbon sink with a relative stock change of 128±23% and afforestation on former cropland a sink of 116±54%, 100 years after LUC (mean±95% confidence interval). No new equilibrium was reached within 120 years. In contrast, there was no SOC sink following afforestation of grasslands and 75% of all observations showed SOC losses, even after 100 years. Only in the forest floor, there was carbon accumulation of 0.38±0.04 Mg ha^?1 yr^?1 in afforestations adding up to 38±4 Mg ha^?1 labile carbon after 100 years. Carbon loss after deforestation (?32±20%) and grassland conversion to cropland (?36±5%), was rapid with a new SOC equilibrium being reached after 23 and 17 years, respectively. The change rate of SOC increased with temperature and precipitation but decreased with soil depth and clay content. Subsoil SOC changes followed the trend of the topsoil SOC changes but were smaller (25±5% of the total SOC changes) and with a high uncertainty due to a limited number of datasets. As a simple and robust model approach, the developed CRFs provide an easily applicable tool to estimate SOC stock changes after LUC to improve greenhouse gas reporting in the framework of UNFCCC.     

河岸带不同植被类型土壤氮素转化过程对冻融交替的响应

河岸带是水陆交错地带氮素生物地球化学循环的热点区域,春季融雪时期的气温变化引起的冻融交替是影响土壤氮素转化过程和氮素流失重要因素之一.通过室内模拟,研究了河岸带珍珠梅、落叶松和农田3种植被类型土壤可溶性氮含量与净氮矿化速率对不同冻结温度和冻融频次的响应.结果表明,冻融频次对3种植被类型河岸带土壤可溶性氮影响显著(P＜0.05),不同植被类型土壤可溶性氮含量变化趋势相似,在第1次冻融之后达到峰值,在第10次冻融之后稳定.3种植被类型土壤无机氮含量受冻融交替影响显著升高(P＜0.05).冻融温度对土壤净氮矿化速率影响显著(P＜0.05),土壤净氮矿化速率在第1次冻融之后达到最大值,随冻融次数增加而下降.3种植被类型土壤受冻融交替影响均有一定程度的氮素流失风险,农田土壤无机氮含量本底值较高,土壤氮素随冰雪融水流失风险较大.     

玉米秸秆还田对黑土微生物群落功能多样性的影响

为了解玉米秸秆还田对土壤微生物群落功能多样性的影响,采用ECO-Biolog微平板法,分析了以无玉米秸秆还田为对照(CK),6000 kg·hm^-2(S1)、9000 kg·hm^-2(S2)、12000 kg·hm^-2(S3)和15000 kg·hm^-2(S4)四个秸秆还田量的土壤微生物碳源代谢特征。结果表明:随着玉米秸秆还田量的增加,土壤微生物平均颜色变化率(AWCD)也随之增加,24~96 h的AWCD值变化迅速,96 h后进入平稳期,S4处理AWCD值始终大于其他处理;秸秆还田对Shannon指数与Simpson指数没有显著影响(P>0.05),但与CK相比,S4处理McIntosh指数显著增加了57.5%(P<0.05);主成分分析结果显示,秸秆还田影响着土壤微生物群落碳代谢能力,S1、CK、S2和S3处理在PC1和PC2上出现显著的分异,糖类、多聚物类、羧酸类碳源是研究区域内土壤微生物利用的主要碳源。因此,在东北黑土区增加玉米秸秆还田量能够提高土壤微生物对碳源的利用能力,提升黑土肥力。     

Effects of smoke, heat, darkness and cold stratification on seed germination of 40 species in a cool temperate zone in northern Japan

The effects of smoke, heat, darkness and cold stratification on seed germination were examined for 40 species with various life history attributes. These species establish in early successional stages on a volcano and are distributed in cool temperate zones of northern Japan. Smoke decreased seed germination in 11 species and increased it in one species, Leucothoe grayana . Germination of Polygonum longisetum was enhanced by a combination of smoke and cold, and that of Aralia elata by smoke and heat. Heat increased germination for three species and decreased it for one. Cold stratification broke dormancy in seeds of 11 species. Continuous darkness decreased germination of 22 species and did not increase germination for any species, showing that approximately half of the species require light for maximum germination. Although most species are sun plants that establish in early stages of succession and/or in disturbed areas, smoke and heat do not enhance germination of these species after disturbance, even when the disturbance is fire. Germination of slender and/or large seeds tends to be decreased more by smoke, probably because of their larger surface area. Light is more important than smoke and heat for detection of disturbance and for seed germination in this region. However, despite the low fire frequency in the region, germination of a few species was increased by fire-derived stimuli.     

Relationship between plant species diversity and soil microbial functional diversity along a longitudinal gradient in temperate grasslands of Hulunbeir,Inner Mongolia,China

Numerous experiments have been established to examine the effect of plant diversity on the soil microbial community. However, the relationship between plant diversity and microbial functional diversity along broad spatial gradients at a large scale is still unexplored. In this paper, we examined the relationship of plant species diversity with soil microbial biomass C, microbial catabolic activity, catabolic diversity and catabolic richness along a longitudinal gradient in temperate grasslands of Hulunbeir, Inner Mongolia, China. Preliminary detrended correspondence analysis (DCA) indicated that plant composition showed a significant separation along the axis 1, and axis 1 explained the main portion of variability in the data set. Moreover, DCA-axis 1 was significantly correlated with soil microbial biomass C (r = 0.735, P = 0.001), microbial catabolic activity (average well color development; r = 0.775, P < 0.001) and microbial functional diversity (catabolic diversity: r = 0.791, P < 0.001 and catabolic richness: r = 0.812, P < 0.001), which suggested thatsome relationship existed between plant composition and the soil microbial community along the spatial gradient at a large scale. Soil microbial biomass C, microbial catabolic activity, catabolic diversity and catabolic richness showed a significant, linear increase with greater plant species richness. However, many responses that we observed could be explained by greater aboveground plant biomass associated with higher levels of plant diversity, which suggested that plant diversity impacted the soil microbial community mainly through increases in plant production.     

大亚湾潮间带软体运动的物种多样性初步研究

1999年7月在大亚湾潮间带4种不同生境（岩石岸、砾石滩、泥沙滩、沙滩）10个样方采集软体动物38种,隶属于23个科。采用丰富度指数和多样性指数对不同生境软体动物的多样性进行研究。研究结果表明,大亚湾软体动物物种丰富度指数砾石滩、岩石岸(D=4.328～9.378)>泥沙滩(D=4.328～6.493)>沙滩(D=2.886)。多样性指数也显示砾石滩、岩石岸(H′=0.429～0.842)>泥沙滩(H′=0.315～0.450)>沙滩(H′=0.182)。对上述样方聚类结果表明,软体动物种类分布及数量受底质、浪击和污染的影响。     

The influence of riparian vegetation on macroinvertebrate community structure and functional organization in six new Guinea streams

Information on the ecology of New Guinea streams is meagre, and data are needed on the trophic basis of aquatic production in rivers such as the Sepik in Papua New Guinea which have low fish yields. This study investigates the relationship between riparian shading (from savanna grassland to primary rainforest), algal and detrital food, and macroinvertebrate abundance and community structure in 6 Sepik River tributary streams. A particular aim was to elucidate macroinvertebrate community responses to changes in riparian conditions. All streams supported diverse benthic communities, but morphospecies richness (overall total 64) was less than in streams on the tropical Asian mainland; population densities of benthic invertebrates, by contrast, were similar to those recorded elsewhere. Low diversity could reflect limited taxonomic penetration, but may result from the absence of major groups (Plecoptera, Heptageniidae, Ephemerellidae, Psephenidae, Megaloptera, etc.) which occur on the Asian mainland. Population densities of all 19 of the most abundant macroinvertebrate taxa varied significantly among the 6 study streams, but community composition in each was broadly similar with dominance by Baetidae and (in order of decreasing importance), Leptophlebiidae, Orthocladiinae, Elmidae and Hydropsychidae. Principal components analysis (PCA) undertaken on counts of abundant macroinvertebrate taxa clearly separated samples taken in two streams from the rest. Both streams contained high detrital standing stocks and one was completely shaded by rainforest. Stepwise multiple-regression analysis indicated that population densities of the majority of abundant taxa (11 out of 19) across streams (10 samples per stream; n = 60) were influenced by algae and/or detritus, although standing stocks of these variables were not clearly related to riparian conditions. When regression analysis was repeated on mean counts of taxa per stream (dependent variables) versus features of each stream as a whole (thus n = 6), % shading and detritus were the independent variables yielding significant regression models most frequently, but pH, total-nitrogen loads and algae were also significant predictors of faunal abundance. Further regression analysis, undertaken separately on samples (n = 10) from each stream, confirmed the ability of algae and detritus to account for significant portions of the variance in macroinvertebrate abundance, but the significance of these variables varied among streams with the consequence that responses of individual taxa to algae or detritus was site-specific.Community functional organization — revealed by investigation of macroinvertebrate functional feeding groups (FFGs) — was rather conservative, and streams were codominated by collector-gatherers (mean across 6 streams = 43%) and grazers (36%), followed by filter-feeders (15%) and predators (7%). The shredder FFG was species-poor and comprised only 0.4% of total macroinvertebrate populations; shredders did not exceed 2% of benthic populations in any stream. PCA of FFG abundance data was characterized by poor separation among streams, although there was some evidence of clustering of samples from unshaded sites. The first 2 PCA axes accounted for 84% of the variation in the data suggesting that the poor separation resulted from the general similarity of FFG representation among streams. Although stepwise multiple-regression analysis indicated that algae and detritus accounted for significant proportions of the variations in population density and relative abundance of some FFGs, the response of community functional organization to changes in riparian conditions and algal and detrital food base was weak — unlike the deterministic responses that may be typical of north-temperate streams.