Effect of Monospecific and Mixed Sea-Buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides) Plantations on the Structure and Activity of Soil Microbial Communities

This study aims to evaluate the effect of different afforestation models on soil microbial composition in the Loess Plateau in China. In particular, we determined soil physicochemical properties, enzyme activities, and microbial community structures in the top 0 cm to 10 cm soil underneath a pure Hippophae rhamnoides (SS) stand and three mixed stands, namely, H. rhamnoides and Robinia pseucdoacacia (SC), H. rhamnoides and Pinus tabulaeformis (SY), and H. rhamnoides and Platycladus orientalis (SB). Results showed that total organic carbon (TOC), total nitrogen, and ammonium (NH₄⁺) contents were higher in SY and SB than in SS. The total microbial biomass, bacterial biomass, and Gram⁺ biomass of the three mixed stands were significantly higher than those of the pure stand. However, no significant difference was found in fungal biomass. Correlation analysis suggested that soil microbial communities are significantly and positively correlated with some chemical parameters of soil, such as TOC, total phosphorus, total potassium, available phosphorus, NH₄⁺ content, nitrate content (NH₃⁻), and the enzyme activities of urease, peroxidase, and phosphatase. Principal component analysis showed that the microbial community structures of SB and SS could clearly be discriminated from each other and from the others, whereas SY and SC were similar. In conclusion, tree species indirectly but significantly affect soil microbial communities and enzyme activities through soil physicochemical properties. In addition, mixing P. tabulaeformis or P. orientalis in H. rhamnoides plantations is a suitable afforestation model in the Loess Plateau, because of significant positive effects on soil nutrient conditions, microbial community, and enzyme activities over pure plantations.     

Mixed plantations of Metasequoia glyptostroboides and Bischofia polycarpa change soil fungal and archaeal communities and enhance soil phosphorus availability in Shanghai,China

Soil degradation has been found in urban forests in Shanghai, especially in the pure plantations. Mixed plantations are considered to improve soil quality because they can stimulate organic matter cycling and increase soil carbon and nutrient content. Although soil microbes play crucial roles in regulating soil biogeochemical processes, little is known about how mixed plantations affect soil microbial communities, including bacteria, archaea, and fungi. Here, we evaluated soil chemical properties, abundances and compositions of soil bacterial, archaeal, and fungal communities, and enzyme activities in pure and mixed Metasequoia glyptostroboides and Bischofia polycarpa plantations, located in Shanghai, China. The results showed that soil available phosphorus content in the mixed plantation of M. glyptostroboides and B. polycarpa was significantly higher than that in pure plantations, while no significant difference was observed in the content of soil organic carbon, total and available nitrogen, total and available potassium among the three studied plantations. We found higher fungal abundance in the mixed plantation, when compared to both pure plantations. Moreover, fungal abundance was positively correlated with the content of soil available phosphorus. No significant difference was found in the abundance and diversity of bacterial and archaeal community among the three studied plantations. A similarity analysis (ANOSIM) showed that mixed plantation significantly altered the community composition of archaea and fungi, accompanied with an increase of alkaline phosphatase activity. However, ANOSIM analysis of bacterial communities showed that there was no significant group separation among different plantations. Overall, results from this study indicated that fungal and archaeal communities were more sensitive to aboveground tree species than bacterial community. Moreover, mixed plantations significantly increased the activity of alkaline phosphatase and the content of soil available phosphorus, suggesting that afforestation with M. glyptostroboides and B. polycarpa is an effective way to alleviate phosphorus deficiency in urban forests in Shanghai, China.     

Soil Microbial Community Structure and Metabolic Activity of Pinus elliottii Plantations across Different Stand Ages in a Subtropical Area

Soil microbes play an essential role in the forest ecosystem as an active component. This study examined the hypothesis that soil microbial community structure and metabolic activity would vary with the increasing stand ages in long-term pure plantations of Pinus elliottii. The phospholipid fatty acids (PLFA) combined with community level physiological profiles (CLPP) method was used to assess these characteristics in the rhizospheric soils of P. elliottii. We found that the soil microbial communities were significantly different among different stand ages of P. elliottii plantations. The PLFA analysis indicated that the bacterial biomass was higher than the actinomycic and fungal biomass in all stand ages. However, the bacterial biomass decreased with the increasing stand ages, while the fungal biomass increased. The four maximum biomarker concentrations in rhizospheric soils of P. elliottii for all stand ages were 18:1ω9c, 16:1ω7c, 18:3ω6c (6,9,12) and cy19:0, representing measures of fungal and gram negative bacterial biomass. In addition, CLPP analysis revealed that the utilization rate of amino acids, polymers, phenolic acids, and carbohydrates of soil microbial community gradually decreased with increasing stand ages, though this pattern was not observed for carboxylic acids and amines. Microbial community diversity, as determined by the Simpson index, Shannon-Wiener index, Richness index and McIntosh index, significantly decreased as stand age increased. Overall, both the PLFA and CLPP illustrated that the long-term pure plantation pattern exacerbated the microecological imbalance previously described in the rhizospheric soils of P. elliottii, and markedly decreased the soil microbial community diversity and metabolic activity. Based on the correlation analysis, we concluded that the soil nutrient and C/N ratio most significantly contributed to the variation of soil microbial community structure and metabolic activity in different stand ages of P. elliottii plantations.     

Inoculation with Pisolithus tinctorius may ameliorate acid rain impacts on soil microbial communities associated with Pinus massoniana seedlings

Human activities accelerate acidification, particularly as acid rain, which may have lasting impacts on soil abiotic and biotic parameters. However, the effects of acidification on aboveground vegetation, belowground communities, and carbon cycling remains unresolved. We examined the effects of long-term acidic treatments and Pisolithus tinctorius inoculation on plants, soils, and microbial communities in pine (Pinus) plantations and found that exposure to severely-acidic treatments diminished plant performance, altered microbial communities, and decreased organic matter, nitrate, and available phosphorus. Although we did not detect any benefits of P. tinctorius inoculation for Pinus seedlings impacted by severely-acidic treatments, when these severe treatments were inoculated with P. tinctorius, both soil properties and microbial community composition shifted. We posit that inoculation with P. tinctorius may alleviate stressful environmental conditions, and change the structure of mycorrhizal fungal communities. Although acidification may alter biogeochemical cycles and constrain aboveground and belowground communities, P. tinctorius inoculation may provide benefits to some components of forested ecosystems.     

Negative feedback on a perennial crop: Fusarium crown and root rot of asparagus is related to changes in soil microbial community structure

The dynamic equilibrium of an ecosystem is driven by mutual feedback interactions between plants and soil microorganisms. Asparagus exerts a particularly strong influence on its soil environment through abundant production of persistent phenolic acids, which impact selectively soil microorganisms and may be involved in Fusarium crown and root rot (FCRR) of asparagus. In a survey of 50 asparagus plantations of the province of Québec, we found that FCRR was associated with a profound cultivar-specific, reorganization of the soil microbial community, as revealed by phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) profiling. According to PLFA indicators, microbial biodiversity as well as bacterial and fungal abundance dropped sharply with the onset of FCRR in fields planted with the cultivar Guelph Millenium. This drop was followed by a similar drop in the arbuscular mycorrhizal population. Biodiversity and microbial population size then increased to finally reach a new equilibrium. Discriminant analysis of PLFA profiles obtained from soil samples also indicated a shift in soil microbial community structure associated with FCRR development in fields planted with the cultivar Jersey Giant. Different soil biological conditions, as indicated by microbial biomass C and N and soil enzyme activities, were associated with different cultivars. Preceding crop, manure application, geographical location and tillage depth also influenced the structure of soil microbial communities in asparagus plantations, as determined by PLFA profiling. If higher FCRR incidence is a consequence of the soil microbial community reorganization, means to reduce FCRR incidence in asparagus plantations may be found among practices such as soil organic fertilization, soil tillage and intercropping strategies that would dilute the negative influence of asparagus on the soil microbial community. Finally, FCRR outbreaks were generally promoted by a previous crop of maize. It seems that maize and asparagus host a F. proliferatum teleomorph (Gibberella fujikoroi) of the same mating type.     

Drought‐resistant fungi control soil organic matter decomposition and its response to temperature

Microbial‐mediated decomposition of soil organic matter (SOM) ultimately makes a considerable contribution to soil respiration, which is typically the main source of CO₂ arising from terrestrial ecosystems. Despite this central role in the decomposition of SOM, few studies have been conducted on how climate change may affect the soil microbial community and, furthermore, on how possible climate‐change induced alterations in the ecology of microbial communities may affect soil CO₂ emissions. Here we present the results of a seasonal study on soil microbial community structure, SOM decomposition and its temperature sensitivity in two representative Mediterranean ecosystems where precipitation/throughfall exclusion has taken place during the last 10 years. Bacterial and fungal diversity was estimated using the terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism technique. Our results show that fungal diversity was less sensitive to seasonal changes in moisture, temperature and plant activity than bacterial diversity. On the other hand, fungal communities showed the ability to dynamically adapt throughout the seasons. Fungi also coped better with the 10 years of precipitation/throughfall exclusion compared with bacteria. The high resistance of fungal diversity to changes with respect to bacteria may open the controversy as to whether future ‘drier conditions’ for Mediterranean regions might favor fungal dominated microbial communities. Finally, our results indicate that the fungal community exerted a strong influence over the temporal and spatial variability of SOM decomposition and its sensitivity to temperature. The results, therefore, highlight the important role of fungi in the decomposition of terrestrial SOM, especially under the harsh environmental conditions of Mediterranean ecosystems, for which models predict even drier conditions in the future.     

Successional changes in the soil microbial community along a vegetation development sequence in a subalpine volcanic desert on Mount Fuji, Japan

Aims

To study the relationship between vegetation development and changes in the soil microbial community during primary succession in a volcanic desert, we examined successional changes in microbial respiration, biomass, and community structure in a volcanic desert on Mount Fuji, Japan.

Methods

Soil samples were collected from six successional stages, including isolated island-like plant communities. We measured microbial respiration and performed phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) analysis, denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analysis, and community-level physiological profile (CLPP) analysis using Biolog microplates.

Results

Microbial biomass (total PLFA content) increased during plant succession and was positively correlated with soil properties including soil water and soil organic matter (SOM) contents. The microbial respiration rate per unit biomass decreased during succession. Nonmetric multidimensional scaling based on the PLFA, DGGE, and CLPP analyses showed a substantial shift in microbial community structure as a result of initial colonization by the pioneer herb Polygonum cuspidatum and subsequent colonization by Larix kaempferi into central areas of island-like communities. These shifts in microbial community structure probably reflect differences in SOM quality.

Conclusions

Microbial succession in the volcanic desert of Mt. Fuji was initially strongly affected by colonization of the pioneer herbaceous plant (P. cuspidatum) associated with substantial changes in the soil environment. Subsequent changes in vegetation, including the invasion of shrubs such as L. kaempferi, also affected the microbial community structure.     

Changes in fungal diversity and composition along a chronosequence of Eucalyptus grandis plantations in Ethiopia

Eucalyptus tree species are widely used in Ethiopian plantations, but the impact of these plantations on the soil fungal communities is still unknown. We assessed the changes in diversity, species composition and ecological guilds of the soil fungal communities across tree ages of Eucalyptus grandis plantations by DNA metabarcoding of ITS2 amplicons. Changes in soil fungal species composition, diversity and ecological guilds were related to stand age but also to fertility changes. The relative abundance of saprotrophs and pathogens were negatively correlated with stand age, and positively with soil fertility. In contrast, the relative abundance and diversity of ectomycorrhizal species were higher in older, less fertile stands, including well-known cosmopolitan species but also species associated with Eucalyptus, such as Scleroderma albidum and Descomyces albellus. We show that soil fungal community changes are linked to progressive soil colonization by tree roots but are also related to soil fertility changes.     

Comparison of Bacterial and Fungal Communities Between Natural and Planted Pine Forests in Subtropical China

To improve our understanding of the changes in bacterial and fungal diversity in natural pine and planted forests in subtropical region of China, we examined bacterial and fungal communities from a native and a nearby planted pine forest of the Mt. Lushan by constructing clone libraries of 16S and 18S rRNA genes. For bacterial communities, Proteobacteria and Acidobacteria were dominant bacterial taxa in both two types of forest soils. The Shannon–Wiener diversity index, rarefaction curve analysis, and LibShuff analysis suggest that these two forests contained similar diversity of bacterial communities. Low soil acidity (pH ≈ 4) of our study forests might be one of the most important selection factors determining growth of acidophilic Acidobacteria and Proteobacteria. However, the natural forest harbored greater level of fungal diversity than the planted forest according to the Shannon–Wiener diversity index and rarefaction curve analysis. Basidiomycota and Ascomycota were dominant fungal taxa in the soils of natural and planted forests, respectively. Our results suggest that fungal community was more sensitive than the bacterial community in characterizing the differences in plant cover impacts on the microbial flora in the natural and planted forests. The natural and planted forests may function differently due to the differences in soil fungal diversity and relative abundance.     

Soil microbial properties under different vegetation types on Mountain Han

This study investigated the influence of broadleaf and conifer vegetation on soil microbial communities in a distinct vertical distribution belt in Northeast China.Soil samples were taken at 0-5,5-10 and 10-20 cm depths from four vegetation types at different altitudes,which were characterized by poplar(Populus davidiana)(1250-1300 m),poplar(P.davidiana) mixed with birch(Betula platyphylla)(1370-1550 m),birch(B.platyphylla)(1550-1720 m),and larch(Larix principis-rupprechtii)(1840-1890 m).Microbial biomass and community structure were determined using the fumigation-extraction method and phospholipid fatty acid(PLFA) analysis,and soil fungal community level physiological profiles(CLPP) were characterized using Biolog FF Microplates.It was found that soil properties,especially soil organic carbon and water content,contributed significantly to the variations in soil microbes.With increasing soil depth,the soil microbial biomass,fungal biomass,and fungal catabolic ability diminished;however,the ratio of fungi to bacteria increased.The fungal ratio was higher under larch forests compared to that under poplar,birch,and their mixed forests,although the soil microbial biomass was lower.The direct contribution of vegetation types to the soil microbial community variation was 12%.If the indirect contribution through soil organic carbon was included,variations in the vegetation type had substantial influences on soil microbial composition and diversity.     

Distinct microbial communities associated with buried soils in the Siberian tundra

Cryoturbation, the burial of topsoil material into deeper soil horizons by repeated freeze–thaw events, is an important storage mechanism for soil organic matter (SOM) in permafrost-affected soils. Besides abiotic conditions, microbial community structure and the accessibility of SOM to the decomposer community are hypothesized to control SOM decomposition and thus have a crucial role in SOM accumulation in buried soils. We surveyed the microbial community structure in cryoturbated soils from nine soil profiles in the northeastern Siberian tundra using high-throughput sequencing and quantification of bacterial, archaeal and fungal marker genes. We found that bacterial abundances in buried topsoils were as high as in unburied topsoils. In contrast, fungal abundances decreased with depth and were significantly lower in buried than in unburied topsoils resulting in remarkably low fungal to bacterial ratios in buried topsoils. Fungal community profiling revealed an associated decrease in presumably ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungi. The abiotic conditions (low to subzero temperatures, anoxia) and the reduced abundance of fungi likely provide a niche for bacterial, facultative anaerobic decomposers of SOM such as members of the Actinobacteria, which were found in significantly higher relative abundances in buried than in unburied topsoils. Our study expands the knowledge on the microbial community structure in soils of Northern latitude permafrost regions, and attributes the delayed decomposition of SOM in buried soils to specific microbial taxa, and particularly to a decrease in abundance and activity of ECM fungi, and to the extent to which bacterial decomposers are able to act as their functional substitutes.     

Effect of monospecific and mixed Cunninghamia lanceolata plantations on microbial community and two functional genes involved in nitrogen cycling

Conversion of native broadleaf forest (NF) and introduction of broadleaf species into monospecific Cunninghamia lanceolata plantations are silvicultural practices driven by the increasing demand for timber production. This study was conducted to evaluate the impacts of successive planting of C. lanceolata and mixed plantations (C. lanceolata-Michelia macclurei, CFM; C. lanceolata-Alnus cremastogyne, CFA; C. lanceolata-Kalopanax septemlobus, CFK) on microbial community diversity. Microbial biomass (MBC) was assessed using chloroform fumigation-extraction. Using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE), we examined the biodiversity within eubacterial (16S rRNA gene) and fungal (28S rRNA gene) species and two genes involved in N cycling: nifH and amoA. Microbial community diversities and microbial biomass decreased as NF was substituted by successive plantings of C. lanceolata plantations, whereas the trend reversed after introducing the broadleaf, M. macclurei, into pure C. lanceolata plantations. A strong positive correlation between MBC changes and total organic C (TOC), total organic N (TON), available N and extractable C (C_ext) were seen, which suggests that MBC was tightly coupled with the content of soil organic matter. The Shannon index showed that bacterial diversity and two functional genes (nifH and amoA) diversities associated with monospecific C. lanceolata plantations were lower than that of NF or mixed C. lanceolata plantations, such as CFM and CFA, whereas the opposite was seen for fungal diversity. Bacterial diversity was positively correlated with pH, TOC, TON, C_ext and NH ₄ ⁺ -N; while fungal diversity was positively correlated with C/N ratio and negatively correlated with pH. Both nitrogen fixing and ammonia oxidizing bacterial diversities were positively correlated with pH. Thus, soil pH was not only significantly positively correlated with bacterial diversity (r?=?0.502, P?<?0.05), nifH gene diversity (r?=?0.564, P?<?0.01) and amoA gene diversity (r?=?0.659, P?<?0.001), but also negatively correlated with fungal diversity (r?=?? 0.505, P?<?0.05), which seemed to be responsible for the discrimination of the soil microbial communities among these plantations. These findings suggest that different silvicultural practices have significant impacts on the soil microbial community through influences on soil chemical properties.     

Different Degrees of Plant Invasion Significantly Affect the Richness of the Soil Fungal Community

Several studies have shown that soil microorganisms play a key role in the success of plant invasion. Thus, ecologists have become increasingly interested in understanding the ecological effects of biological invasion on soil microbial communities given continuing increase in the effects of invasive plants on native ecosystems. This paper aims to provide a relatively complete depiction of the characteristics of soil microbial communities under different degrees of plant invasion. Rhizospheric soils of the notorious invasive plant Wedelia trilobata with different degrees of invasion (uninvaded, low-degree, and high-degree using its coverage in the invaded ecosystems) were collected from five discrete areas in Hainan Province, P. R. China. Soil physicochemical properties and community structure of soil microorganisms were assessed. Low degrees of W. trilobata invasion significantly increased soil pH values whereas high degrees of invasion did not significantly affected soil pH values. Moreover, the degree of W. trilobata invasion exerted significant effects on soil Ca concentration but did not significantly change other indices of soil physicochemical properties. Low and high degrees of W. trilobata invasion increased the richness of the soil fungal community but did not pose obvious effects on the soil bacterial community. W. trilobata invasion also exerted obvious effects on the community structure of soil microorganisms that take part in soil nitrogen cycling. These changes in soil physicochemical properties and community structure of soil microbial communities mediated by different degrees of W. trilobata invasion may present significant functions in further facilitating the invasion process.     

Effect of biofumigation and chemical fumigation on soil microbial community structure and control of pepper Phytophthora blight

Soil biofumigation with brassica plant residues has been shown to significantly suppress soilborne pathogen. However, little published data reported the impact of biofumigation on microbial community structure in pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) production systems under field conditions. Biofumigation with rapeseed (Brassica napus ‘Dwarf Essex’) meal and chemical fumigation with dazomet were tested to control the pepper disease caused by Phytophthora capsici. BF treatment showed the lowest disease incidence among these treatments. Effects on soil bacterial and fungal communities were assessed by denaturating gradient gel electrophoresis and the results showed that the biofumigation increased bacterial diversity and decreased fungal diversity. There was a negative correlation between soil bacterial diversity and disease incidence and a positive correlation between soil fungal diversity and disease incidence. Cloning of the microbial community showed that the microbial community structures were altered by biofumigation. Soil was also evaluated for their chemical properties. Biofumigation increased soil content of total N, NO₃ ^?–N, available P and available K. A significant correlation between soil microbial community structures and soil chemical properties was found. Overall, these results indicated that biofumigation reduced disease incidence of pepper through altering soil microbial community structures.     

Spatial and Temporal Variation of Archaeal,Bacterial and Fungal Communities in Agricultural Soils

Background

Soil microbial communities are in constant change at many different temporal and spatial scales. However, the importance of these changes to the turnover of the soil microbial communities has been rarely studied simultaneously in space and time.

Methodology/Principal Findings

In this study, we explored the temporal and spatial responses of soil bacterial, archaeal and fungal β-diversities to abiotic parameters. Taking into account data from a 3-year sampling period, we analyzed the abundances and community structures of Archaea, Bacteria and Fungi along with key soil chemical parameters. We questioned how these abiotic variables influence the turnover of bacterial, archaeal and fungal communities and how they impact the long-term patterns of changes of the aforementioned soil communities. Interestingly, we found that the bacterial and fungal β-diversities are quite stable over time, whereas archaeal diversity showed significantly higher fluctuations. These fluctuations were reflected in temporal turnover caused by soil management through addition of N-fertilizers.

Conclusions

Our study showed that management practices applied to agricultural soils might not significantly affect the bacterial and fungal communities, but cause slow and long-term changes in the abundance and structure of the archaeal community. Moreover, the results suggest that, to different extents, abiotic and biotic factors determine the community assembly of archaeal, bacterial and fungal communities.     

黄土高原西部3个降水量梯度近成熟油松人工林碳库特征

森林在陆地生态系统吸收碳素方面起着主要作用,了解其固碳特征对研究地区之间的碳循环至关重要。油松人工林是黄土高原地区一种典型的退耕还林树种,研究其固碳特征有利于综合分析评价油松人工林的生态效益。为了研究黄土高原西部地区油松人工林碳储量及碳密度空间分布特征因降水量不同引起的差异,以黄土高原西部地区3个典型栽培区域的近成熟油松人工林为对象,研究了群落内各组成部分的生物量和碳库特征。乔木层生物量的估算采用以胸径和树高为基础变量的生物量方程,灌木、草本、凋落物采用样方收获法,土壤碳库依据土壤剖面(1 m)和土钻取样相结合的方法测算。结果表明:在兰州官蘑滩地区(372 mm)、太子山(519 mm)和小陇山(632 mm)3个不同降水量区域,油松人工林生物量碳密度分别为(49.08±2.86)t/hm~2、(73.90±9.36)t/hm~2和(82.55±7.36)t/hm~2。小陇山地区的生态系统总碳密度和生物量碳密度与兰州地区存在显著性差异。在3个不同降水量区域,土壤有机碳密度仅在表层土壤(0—10 cm)差异达到显著水平(P0.05),而土壤总碳密度间差异未达到显著水平(P0.05)。黄土高原半干旱区近成熟油松人工林的生物量碳密度与年均降水量间呈现出显著正相关关系。在半干旱地区,降水量可能成为影响油松人工林生产力和碳固存的关键因素。     

中亚热带地区米槠天然林土壤微生物群落结构的多样性

为了解土壤微生物群落的结构,采用磷脂脂肪酸方法对武夷山和建瓯的米槠(Castanopsis carlesii)天然林土壤微生物群落的结构多样性进行了研究。结果表明,两地米槠天然林的土壤微生物群落组成十分丰富,多样性指数、丰富度指数和均匀度指数分别为2.92~3.01、25.84~28.23 和0.88~0.90。0~10 cm土层的磷脂脂肪酸总量、细菌特征脂肪酸、真菌特征脂肪酸、放线菌特征脂肪酸、革兰氏阳性菌和阴性菌特征脂肪酸含量均高于10~20 cm土层的,且建瓯万木林自然保护区的高于武夷山国家级自然保护区。10~20 cm土层的革兰氏阳性菌/革兰氏阴性菌高于0~10 cm土层的;细菌特征脂肪酸含量显著高于真菌,表明细菌在土壤微生物群落结构中处于优势地位。主成分分析表明,土壤微生物群落结构的差异主要是由采样地点的不同引起。     

Variations in Soil Microbial Communities and Residues Along an Altitude Gradient on the Northern Slope of Changbai Mountain,China

Altitudinally-defined climate conditions provide specific vegetation types and soil environments that could influence soil microbial communities, which in turn may affect microbial residues. However, the knowledge is limited in terms of the degree to which microbial communities and residues present and differ along altitude. In this study, we examined the soil microbial communities and residues along the northern slope of Changbai Mountain, China using phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) and amino sugar analysis, respectively. Soil samples were taken from five different vegetation belts defined by climates. Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed substantial differences in soil microbial community composition among study sites, appeared to be driven primarily by soil pH and C/N ratio on the first principal component (PC1) which accounted for 50.7% of the total sample variance. The alpine tundra was separated from forest sites on the second principal component (PC2) by a signifiscantly higher amount of fungal PLFA (18:2ω6,9). Soil pH and C/N ratio were also correlated with the ratios of Gram-positive to Gram-negative bacteria (Gm⁺/Gm⁻), glucosamine to galactosamine (GluN/GalN), and glucosamine to muramic acid (GluN/MurA). Both total PLFAs and amino sugars were positively correlated with soil organic carbon, inorganic nitrogen, available phosphorus and potassium. We concluded that soil pH and C/N ratio were the most important drivers for microbial community structure and amino sugar pattern, while substrate availability was of great importance in determining the concentrations of microbial communities and residues. These findings could be used to facilitate interpretation of soil microbial community and amino sugar data derived from measurements in latitude or managed forests.     

Nutrient addition affects AM fungal performance and expression of plant/fungal feedback in three serpentine grasses

Plant/soil microbial community feedback can have important consequences for species composition of both the plant and soil microbial communities, however, changes in nutrient availability may alter plant reliance on mycorrhizal fungi. In this research, we tested whether plant/soil community feedback occurs and if increased soil fertility altered the plant/soil community interactions. In two greenhouse experiments we assessed plant and AM fungal performance in response to different soils (and their microbial communities), collected from under three co-occurring plants in serpentine grasslands, and nutrient treatments. The first experiment consisted of two plant species (Andropogon gerardii, Sorghastrum nutans), their soil communities, and three nutrient treatments (control, calcium, N-P-K), while the second experiment used three plant species (first two and Schizachyrium scoparium), their soil communities collected from a different site, and two nutrient treatments (control, N-P-K). Plant/soil community feedback was observed with two of the three species and was significantly affected by nutrient enrichment. Negative Sorghastrum/soil feedback was removed with the addition of N-P-K fertilizer at both sites. Andropogon/soil feedback varied between sites and nutrient treatments, while no differential Schizachyrium growth relative to soil community was observed. Addition of N-P-K fertilizer to the nutrient poor serpentine soils increased plant biomass production and affected plant/soil community interactions. Calcium addition did not affect plant biomass, but was associated with significant increases in fungal colonization regardless of plant species or soil community. Our results indicate that nutrient enrichment affected plant/soil community feedback, which has the potential to affect plant and soil community structure.     

不同林龄油松(Pinus tabulaeformis)人工林植物、凋落物与土壤C、N、P化学计量特征

在陕西省北部延安市境内子午岭林区,采用时空互代的方法选取9、23、33、47年生油松(Pinus tabuliformis)人工林为研究对象,比较油松不同器官(叶、枝、干、根)、凋落物及土壤C、N、P含量及其比值的差异,探讨它们随林龄的变化及其相互间的关系,以期为油松人工林的生产、改善和林木生长环境的调节提供参考。结果表明:除根中C含量在林龄间差异不显著外,其它器官C、N、P含量及其比值在林龄间均差异显著且随林龄增加变化趋势不尽相同。9、23、33、47年生油松林C、N、P含量及N∶P比值均在叶中最高;C∶N比值均在干中最高,根中次之;C∶P比值均在干中最高,其它器官大小次序不一。除33年生油松林叶中N∶P比值大于14外,其它各器官各林龄N∶P比值均小于14,且N∶P比值随林龄先增加后减少,故可判断油松在该区域受N限制较为严重,且随林龄的增加受N限制的情况有所缓解。不同林龄土壤和凋落物C、N、P含量及其比值差异显著,且后者均大于前者。土壤与凋落物C、P含量及C∶N、C∶P、N∶P比值随林龄增加变化趋势完全一致,表明土壤与凋落物之间有着密切的关系。叶片与凋落物N、P含量及C∶N、C∶P、N∶P比值之间显著相关,表明凋落物的养分承自植物叶片,二者之间关系紧密;植物和土壤的C、N、P含量之间均不存在显著相关性,说明土壤C、N、P供应量对乔木叶片C、N、P含量影响不大。