Interactive effects of pH and leaf litter on a shredder, the scirtid beetle, Helodes pulchella, inhabiting tree-holes

1. Scirtid beetles (Coleoptera: Scirtidae) are common inhabitants of water-filled treeholes and interact with other detritivores in a processing chain commensalism. The strength of the commensalism is determined by resource quantity and the organisms involved have different tolerances to low pH. To determine the effects and interactions of resource quantity and pH on one of these leaf-shredding scirtid beetles, Helodes pulchella (Guerin), leaf litter and pH were varied independently in experimental microcosms which mimic treehole habitats.
2. Helodes pulchella growth was affected by both resources and pH in two similar experiments conducted in different years. Scirtid larvae grew more slowly in low resource treatments and also grew more slowly in low pH treatments. Scirtid survival was not affected by pH, but was lower in high resource microcosms in the 1997 experiment. Consumption of leaf litter was much higher in high resource microcosms, even though not all leaf litter was consumed in low leaf litter treatments.
3. Thus, water chemistry and leaf litter quantity could have strong effects on resource availability through effects on these beetle facilitators, in turn affecting other insects living in these detritus-based communities.     

Factors influencing macroinvertebrate colonization of seasonal wetlands: responses to emergent plant cover

1. We conducted field experiments to examine factors influencing macroinvertebrate colonization of seasonally flooded marshes. Few macroinvertebrate species were found aestivating in soils within non-flooded wetlands indicating that most taxa colonize these marshes from other flooded habitats.
2. We manipulated amounts of salt grass ( Distichlis spicata ) to examine how emergent plant cover affects aerial colonization by macroinvertebrates. Areas mowed 3 weeks before flooding had low plant cover, areas mowed 5 and 9 weeks before flooding had medium and high plant cover, respectively, and non-mowed control areas had the most plant cover. Macroinvertebrate numbers and biomass were generally higher in mowed treatment areas than in control areas, but overall diversity was generally higher in high plant cover and control areas than in low plant cover areas.
3. Mosquitoes (Culicidae), brine flies (Ephydridae) and hover flies (Syrphidae) were positively correlated with amount of plant cover, and waterboatmen (Corixidae), midges (Chironomidae) and water scavenger beetles (Hydrophilidae) were negatively correlated with plant cover. Species assemblages changed seasonally among treatment areas because these taxa colonize wetlands at different times in the year.
4. These results demonstrate that invertebrate communities may be different within plant stands with heterogeneous amounts of emergent cover, and management practices that alter the structure of wetland vegetation can influence macroinvertebrate communities colonizing seasonal marshes.     

Cellulase activity of leaf litter and stream-dwelling,shredder macroinvertebrates

The magnitude and temporal variability of exocellulase (-1,4-exoglucanase) activity in leaf litter and guts of shredding macroinvertebrates was determined over one year in four streams in Virginia, USA. The streams flowed in three physiographic provinces and hence varied as to geomorphology, hydrology, water chemistry and riparian landscape. No significant difference in exocellulase activity occurred between streams over the year. Considerable temporal variation in activity did occur in all streams, with peaks in autumn-early winter and again in spring, corresponding to the primary periods of input of fresh allochthonous organic matter. Litter bag studies showed that peak exocellulase activity occurred after about one month of processing. Exocellulase activity in the guts of shredders was generally correlated with activity in their detrital food, suggesting that gut enzyme activity was acquired.     

凋落物多样性及组成对凋落物分解和土壤微生物群落的影响

凋落物分解是生态系统营养物质循环的核心过程,而土壤微生物群落在凋落物分解过程中扮演着极其重要且不可替代的角色。随着生物多样性的丧失日益严峻,探讨凋落物多样性及组成对凋落物分解和土壤微生物群落的影响,不仅有助于了解凋落物分解的内在机制,而且可为退化草原生态系统的恢复提供参考。以内蒙古呼伦贝尔草原退化恢复群落中的草本植物为研究对象,依据植物多度、盖度、频度和物种的重要值及其在群落中的恢复程度筛选出排序前4的羊草（Leymus chinensis）、茵陈蒿（Artemisia capillaris）、麻花头（Serratula centauroides）、二裂委陵菜（Potentilla bifurca）的凋落物为实验材料,通过设置3种凋落物多样性水平（1,2,4）,包括11种凋落物组合（单物种凋落物共4种,两物种凋落物混合共6种,四物种凋落物混合共1种）,利用磷脂脂肪酸（PLFA）方法来研究分解60 d后凋落物多样性及组成对凋落物分解和土壤微生物群落的影响。结果表明：（1）凋落物物种多样性仅对C残余率具有显著影响,表现在两物种混合凋落物C残余率显著低于单物种凋落物,而凋落物组成对所观测的4个凋落物分解参数（质量、C、N残余率以及C/N）均具有显著影响;（2）凋落物物种多样性对细菌（B）含量具有显著影响,而凋落物组成对真菌（F）含量具有显著影响,两者对F/B以及微生物总量均无显著影响;（3）冗余分析结果表明凋落物组成与凋落物分解相关指标（凋落物质量、C、N残余率及C/N）和土壤微生物（真菌、细菌含量）的相关关系高于凋落物多样性。（4）进一步建立结构方程模型（Structural Equation Model,SEM）发现,凋落物初始C含量对凋落物质量、C、N残余率及C/N有显著正的直接影响;凋落物木质素含量对凋落物质量、C、N残余率有显著正的直接影响;凋落物初始N含量对N残余率有显著正的直接影响,而对C残余率及C/N有显著负的直接影响;凋落物初始C/N对凋落物质量、N残余率有显著正的直接影响,而对C/N有显著负的直接影响。此外,凋落物初始C、N、木质素含量及C/N均对真菌含量具有显著正影响,并可通过真菌对凋落物质量分解产生显著负的间接影响。以上结果表明该退化恢复区域优势种凋落物分解以初始C、木质素为主导,主要通过土壤真菌影响凋落物的分解进程,这将减缓凋落物的分解速率进而减慢草原生态系统的进程。这些结果为凋落物多样性及组成对自身分解和土壤微生物群落的影响提供了实验依据,也为进一步分析凋落物分解内在机制以及草原生态系统的恢复提供了数据参考。     

Sediment microbial enzyme activity as an indicator of nutrient limitation in Great Lakes coastal wetlands

1. We compared the extracellular enzyme activity (EEA) of sediment microbial assemblages with sediment and water chemistry, gradients in agricultural nutrient loading (derived from principal component analyses), atmospheric deposition and hydrological turnover time in coastal wetlands of the Laurentian Great Lakes. 2. There were distinct increases in nutrient concentrations in the water and in atmospheric N deposition along the gradient from Lake Superior to Lake Ontario, but few differences between lakes in sediment carbon (C), nitrogen (N) or phosphorus (P). Wetland water and sediment chemistry were correlated with the agricultural stress gradient, hydrological turnover time and atmospheric deposition. 3. The N : P ratio of wetland waters and sediments indicated that these coastal wetlands were N‐limited. Nutrient stoichiometry was correlated with the agricultural stress gradient, hydrological turnover time and atmospheric deposition. 4. Extracellular enzyme activity was correlated with wetland sediment and water chemistry and stoichiometry, atmospheric N deposition, the agricultural stress gradient and the hydrological turnover time. The ratios of glycosidases to peptidases and phosphatases yielded estimates of nutrient limitation that agreed with those based solely on nutrient chemistry. 5. This study, the first to link microbial enzyme activities to regional‐scale anthropogenic stressors, suggests that quantities and ratios of microbial enzymes are directly related to the concentrations and ratios of limiting nutrients, and may be sensitive indicators of nutrient dynamics in wetland ecosystems, but further work is needed to elucidate these relationships.     

长期模拟升温对崇明东滩湿地土壤微生物生物量的影响

以崇明东滩芦苇湿地为对象,采用开顶室生长箱(Open top chambers OTCs)原位模拟大气升温试验,研究了连续升温8a对崇明东滩湿地0—40cm土层土壤微生物生物量碳氮含量的影响。结果表明:连续升温显著提高了崇明东滩湿地土壤微生物生物量碳氮含量,从土壤表层到深层(0—10,10—20,20—30,30—40cm),微生物生物量碳分别增加了39.32%、70.79%、65.20%、74.09%,微生物生物量氮分别增加了66.46%、178.27%、47.24%、64.11%。但升温对土壤微生物生物量的影响因不同土层和不同季节并未表现出统一的规律,长期模拟升温显著提高4月0—20cm土层和7月0—40cm土层微生物生物量碳氮含量,对10月0—40cm土层微生物生物量碳含量没有影响,但是显著提高了10月0—40cm土层微生物生物量氮含量,同时,微生物生物量碳氮比在7月也显著提高。相关分析表明:无论在升温条件还是在对照条件下,土壤温度、含水量、总氮与土壤微生物生物量碳氮及微生物生物量碳氮比均无相关关系,升温条件下,有机碳与微生物生物量碳氮含量以及微生物生物量碳氮比呈显著正相关,但是在对照条件下有机碳与微生物生物量碳氮含量以及微生物生物量碳氮比呈显著负相关。因此,土壤有机碳是影响土壤微生物生物量碳氮含量对长期模拟升温响应的重要生态因子。     

Effects of burial on leaf litter quality,microbial conditioning and palatability to three shredder taxa

Summary 1. Heterotrophic microorganisms are crucial for mineralising leaf litter and rendering it more palatable to leaf‐shredding invertebrates. A substantial part of leaf litter entering running waters may be buried in the streambed and thus be exposed to the constraining conditions prevailing in the hyporheic zone. The fate of this buried organic matter and particularly the role of microbial conditioning in this habitat remain largely unexplored. 2. The aim of this study was to determine how the location of leaf litter within the streambed (i.e. at the surface or buried), as well as the leaf litter burial history, may affect the leaf‐associated aquatic hyphomycete communities and therefore leaf consumption by invertebrate detritivores. We tested the hypotheses that (i) burial of leaf litter would result in lower decomposition rates associated with changes in microbial assemblages compared with leaf litter at the surface and (ii) altered microbial conditioning of buried leaf litter would lead to decreased quality and palatability to their consumers, translating into lower growth rates of detritivores. 3. These hypotheses were tested experimentally in a second‐order stream where leaf‐associated microbial communities, as well as leaf litter decomposition rates, elemental composition and toughness, were compared across controlled treatments differing by their location within the streambed. We examined the effects of the diverse conditioning treatments on decaying leaf palatability to consumers through feeding trials on three shredder taxa including a freshwater amphipod, of which we also determined the growth rate. 4. Microbial leaf litter decomposition, fungal biomass and sporulation rates were reduced when leaf litter was buried in the hyporheic zone. While the total species richness of fungal assemblages was similar among treatments, the composition of fungal assemblages was affected by leaf litter burial in sediment. 5. Leaf litter burial markedly affected the food quality (especially P content) of leaf material, probably due to the changes in microbial conditioning. Leaf litter palatability to shredders was highest for leaves exposed at the sediment surface and tended to be negatively related to leaf litter toughness and C/P ratio. In addition, burial of leaf litter led to lower amphipod growth rates, which were positively correlated with leaf litter P content. 6. These results emphasise the importance of leaf colonisation by aquatic fungi in the hyporheic zone of headwater streams, where fungal conditioning of leaf litter appears particularly critical for nutrient and energy transfer to higher trophic levels.     

Early stages of leaf decomposition are mediated by aquatic fungi in the hyporheic zone of woodland streams

1. Leaf litter constitutes the major source of organic matter and energy in woodland stream ecosystems. A substantial part of leaf litter entering running waters may be buried in the streambed as a consequence of flooding and sediment movement. While decomposition of leaf litter in surface waters is relatively well understood, its fate when incorporated into river sediments, as well as the involvement of invertebrate and fungal decomposers in such conditions, remain poorly documented. 2. We tested experimentally the hypotheses that the small interstices of the sediment restrict the access of the largest shredders to buried organic matter without compromising that of aquatic hyphomycetes and that fungal decomposers in the hyporheic zone, at least partly, compensate for the role of invertebrate detritivores in the benthic zone. 3. Alder leaves were introduced in a stream either buried in the sediment (hyporheic), buried after 2 weeks of exposure at the sediment surface (benthic‐hyporheic), or exposed at the sediment surface for the entire experiment (benthic). Leaf decomposition was markedly faster on the streambed surface than in the two other treatments (2.1‐ and 2.8‐fold faster than in the benthic‐hyporheic and hyporheic treatments, respectively). 4. Fungal assemblages were generally less diverse in the hyporheic habitat with a few species tending to be relatively favoured by such conditions. Both fungal biomass and sporulation rates were reduced in the hyporheic treatment, with the leaves subject to the benthic‐hyporheic treatment exhibiting an intermediate pattern. The initial 2‐week stage in the benthic habitat shaped the fungal assemblages, even for leaves later subjected to the hyporheic conditions. 5. The abundance and biomass of shredders drastically decreased with burial, except for Leuctra spp., which increased and was by far the most common leaf‐associated taxon in the hyporheic zone. Leuctra spp. was one of the rare shredder taxa displaying morphological characteristics that increased performance within the limited space of sediment interstices. 6. The carbon budgets indicated that the relative contributions of the two main decomposers, shredders and fungi, varied considerably depending on the location within the streambed. While the shredder biomass represented almost 50% of the initial carbon transformed after 80 days in the benthic treatment, its contribution was <0.3% in the hyporheic one and 2.0% in the combined benthic‐hyporheic treatment. In contrast, mycelial and conidial production in the permanently hyporheic environment accounted for 12% of leaf mass loss, i.e. 2–3 times more than in the two other conditions. These results suggest that the role of fungi is particularly important in the hyporheic zone. 7. Our findings indicate that burial within the substratum reduces the litter breakdown rate by limiting the access of both invertebrate and fungal decomposers to leaves. As a consequence, the hyporheic zone may be an important region of organic matter storage in woodland streams and serve as a fungal inoculum reservoir contributing to further dispersal. Through the temporary retention of litter by burial, the hyporheic zone must play a significant role in the carbon metabolism and overall functioning of headwater stream ecosystems.     

三江源地区高寒湿地土壤微生物生物量碳氮磷及其化学计量特征

微生物生物量及其化学计量特征是土壤养分循环的重要参数, 对预测气候变化和提高模型准确性及理解陆地生态系统养分循环都起到重要作用。为了明晰高寒生态系统土壤微生物生物量碳(MBC)、微生物生物量氮(MBN)、微生物生物量磷(MBP)浓度及其化学计量特征, 该研究通过在三江源区高寒湿地连续两年的野外调查和室内培养, 分析了50个样点的数据, 探究三江源高寒湿地MBC、MBN、MBP浓度及其化学计量特征, 明确了土壤理化特性和微生物群落特征对其影响。结果表明: (1)三江源高寒湿地MBC、MBN和MBP浓度分别为105.11、3.79和0.78 mmol·kg^-1, MBC:MBN、MBC:MBP、MBN:MBP和MBC:MBN:MBP分别为50.56、184.89、5.42和275:5:1。高寒湿地土壤的MBC浓度显著高于高寒草甸土壤, 而MBN和MBP浓度在高寒湿地和高寒草甸土壤之间没有显著差异; 高寒湿地土壤的MBC:MBN和MBC:MBP显著高于高寒草甸土壤, 而MBN:MBP在高寒湿地和高寒草甸土壤之间差异不显著。(2)土壤理化特性与MBC、MBN和MBP浓度具有显著相关性。土壤含水率与MBC:MBN和MBC:MBP存在显著负相关关系, 而土壤密度与MBC:MBN和MBC:MBP浓度存在显著正相关关系, 土壤全氮含量和MBC:MBP存在显著负相关关系, 而与MBC:MBN的相关关系不显著。土壤理化特性对MBN:MBP的影响不显著。(3)整体而言, 微生物群落结构与MBC、MBN和MBP浓度之间存在显著的相关性。微生物群落结构和MBC:MBN、MBC:MBP的关系是相似的, 总磷脂脂肪酸(PLFA)含量、革兰氏阳性菌、革兰氏阴性菌、细菌、放线菌、丛枝菌根真菌浓度和其他PLFA含量与MBC:MBN和MBC:MBP存在显著负相关关系, 而真菌:细菌与MBC:MBN和MBC:MBP之间存在显著正相关关系, 真菌浓度与MBC:MBN和MBC:MBP之间的相关关系不显著。除丛枝菌根真菌外, MBN:MBP与微生物群落结构均无显著相关关系。     

油松-辽东栎混交林地表凋落物与氮添加对土壤微生物生物量碳、氮及其活性的影响

2010年9月-2011年10月,在山西省灵空山油松和辽东栎混交林样地采取随机区组设计,研究了地表凋落物和氮添加处理对土壤微生物生物量碳、氮和微生物活性的影响.凋落物处理包括:剔除凋落物(N)、叶凋落物加倍(L)、枝果凋落物加倍(B)和混合凋落物加倍(LB);氮添加量分别为0(N0)、5 g· m-2·a-1(N1)和10 g·m-2·a-1(N2).结果表明:剔除地表凋落物且无氮添加时,油松和辽东栎混交林地的土壤有机碳(SOC)含量显著降低,其他试验处理间对SOC的影响无显著差异.土壤微生物生物量碳(MBC)、氮(MBN)及其活性(MR)的变化范围依次为:262.42 ～ 873.16 mg·kg-1、73.55 ～ 173.85 mg·kg-1和2.38～3.68mg·kg-1·d-1.MBC、MBN和MR两两间呈极显著正相关.氮添加对MBC、MBN和MR均无显著影响;凋落物处理对MR影响显著,表现为混合凋落物加倍处理的MR最高,叶凋落物加倍处理次之,剔除凋落物处理最低,而对MBC和MBN无显著影响.凋落物和氮添加处理在整个试验过程中未表现出交互作用.短期的氮添加处理和森林地表凋落物变化对土壤微生物过程的影响有限.     

Habitat structure and fish predation: effects on invertebrate colonisation and breakdown of stream leaf packs

1. We investigated the effects of two features of leaf‐pack habitat structure (i.e. mass of a leaf pack and surface area of leaves comprising a leaf pack) and fish predation on colonisation of shredders and leaf breakdown rates in a coldwater stream. Packs were constructed of red maple (Acer rubrum) leaves. 2. A 2 × 3 × 3 factorial experiment was used to manipulate fish predation (exclusion and control cage), leaf‐pack mass (1, 3 and 5 g dry mass) and leaf surface area (small: approx. 17.9 cm², medium: approx. 34.6 cm², large: approx. 65.6 cm²). Exclusion cages had mesh on all sides, whereas control cages lacked mesh on two sides to provide access to fish. 3. Common shredders were Gammarus pseudolimnaeus, Pycnopsyche and Lepidostoma. Shredder biomass per leaf pack increased with the mass of a leaf pack (P < 0.001), but biomass per unit mass of leaf pack did not differ with leaf‐pack mass (P = 0.506). Shredder densities did not respond to the exclusion of fish (P > 0.7) or leaf surface area (P > 0.7), and interactions among treatment factors were not significant (P > 0.2). 4. Breakdown rates were lower for leaf packs comprised of small leaves (P < 0.001) and leaf packs with high mass (P = 0.001). Excluding fish did not significantly affect leaf breakdown rates (P = 0.293), and interactions among treatment factors were not significant (P > 0.3). Breakdown rates were highest when packs consisted of few leaves (i.e. leaf packs with large leaves and low mass) and were colonised by many shredders. 5. Fish predation was not an important factor controlling shredder densities in leaf packs over the spatiotemporal scale of our experiment. Nevertheless, we found shredder colonisation was proportional to leaf‐pack mass and breakdown rates were affected by leaf‐pack size (i.e. number of leaves in a pack). We suspect that fragmentation is the primary mechanism causing the breakdown rates to be dependent on leaf‐pack size.     

凋落物多样性及组成对凋落物分解及土壤微生物群落的影响——二氧化碳倍增条件下

受全球变化的影响生物多样性的丧失日益严重,及时了解凋落物物种多样性及其组成如何直接或者通过调节微生物群落来间接影响凋落物分解已经成为生态学领域的热点问题之一。在呼伦贝尔典型草原区,羊草（Leymus chinensis）为原生群落建群种,茵陈蒿（Artemisia capillaris）、麻花头（Serratula centauroides）、二裂委陵菜（Potentilla bifurca）在退化及恢复群落中的多度均较大,本研究以此4种植物的凋落物为研究对象,在两倍于当前大气CO₂浓度（800 μmol/mol）条件下,通过嵌套实验设计来研究凋落物多样性（凋落物组成）对凋落物质量、C、N残余率和残余C/N的影响,并深入分析凋落物初始性质以及土壤革兰氏阳性菌（G⁺）、革兰氏阴性菌（G^-）、细菌（B）、真菌（F）及土壤总微生物磷脂脂肪酸（Phospholipid Fatty Acid,PLFA）含量和F/B对凋落物分解的影响。结果表明：（1）凋落物多样性及组成对凋落物质量、C、N残余率以及残余C/N均具有显著影响;凋落物组成对G⁺ PLFAs含量具有显著影响;（2）冗余分析（Redundancy Analysis,RDA）结果表明凋落物组成对凋落物分解和土壤微生物群落相关指标的影响高于凋落物多样性;（3）结构方程模型（Structural Equation Model,SEM）结果表明凋落物初始木质素含量和初始C/N均对凋落物分解具有显著影响,其中凋落物初始木质素含量起主导作用,其还可通过对土壤真菌PLFAs含量的影响来间接影响凋落物N残余率和残余C/N。所得结果可为大气CO₂浓度升高条件下退化草原生态系统的物质循环特征的预测乃至草原生态系统功能的合理评估提供数据支持。     

Availability of mineralized N from microbial biomass and organic matter after drying and heating of grassland soils

A dwarf bamboo-type grassland soil (Thick High-humic Andosol) was nitrogen-limited for grass despite the presence of a considerable amount of microbial biomass N. By either treatments of air-drying and subsequent heating, the content of mineral N in the soil was increased by 3.7 g N and 11.7 g N m^-2, respectively, after a 55-day incubation period. The efficiency of mineralized N for growth of orchardgrass was compared with nitrate-N added just before cultivation. The dry matter content of the grass increased from 81.7 g (control) to 169 g and to 337 g m^-2 in the dried and in the heated soils, respectively, when N application was omitted. Of the mineral N released by air-drying and heating of the soil, 84% and 77% were absorbed by the grass, and 30% and 20% was assumed to be derived from microbial biomass, respectively. In contrast the grass apparently absorbed 54–56% of the 5 g nitrate-N m^-2 added to the control and the air-dried soils. It was also noted that fungal biomass N had decreased by 1.5–1.9 g m^-2 in the control soil after addition of 10 g nitrate-N m^-2.     

Effects of litter size and quality on processing by decomposers in a tropical savannah stream

Litter fragment size and quality can have profound effects on ecosystem functioning and global biogeochemical cycling due to differential utilization by decomposers. Here we study the influence of these factors on decomposers from two guilds found in a tropical savannah stream: invertebrate shredders of the genus Phylloicus and microorganisms. Containers (16 × 16 × 12 cm, ~ 3L) with either Phylloicus (cases removed; N = 16) or stream water containing microorganisms (N = 16) were supplied with litter from the species Inga laurina, Maprounea guianensis, and Richeria grandis, and cut into disks of 18.7, 13.2, and 8.1 mm in diameter (3 sizes × 3 species = 9 disks per container). Relative decomposition was greater for smaller leaf disks and disks of higher quality in microbial‐only cultures. Phylloicus preferentially harvested large fragments for case building, also preferring the leaves of M. guianensis and R. grandis, likely due increased robustness for case formation. Microbial decomposition resulted in ~20% litter mass loss compared to 30% in Phylloicus (of which 8% was used for case building and 24% for food). Thus, changes to input litter size, such as a decrease in leaf size after drought, may alter microbial decomposition and potentially affect shredder populations by limiting the availability of casing material.     

Invertebrate colonization and processing of maple leaf litter in a forested and an agricultural reach of a stream

Processing of maple leaf (Acer saccharum Marsh) packs, their colonization by invertebrates and nutrient dynamics in leaves were investigated in a forested reach and agricultural reach of Canagagigue Creek, Ontario. Shredders, Pycnopsyche, and collectors, Ephemerella subvaria, Stenonema vicarium and Baetis were significantly more numerous in packs at the forest site than in packs at the agricultural site, whereas filter feeders, especially blackflies, were significantly more numerous in packs at the agricultural site. Weight loss of litter packs was nearly equivalent at the two sites. However, there were major differences in the mechanism of processing between the sites. Physical abrasion and microbial activity governed weight loss of maple leaf packs at the agricultural site, whereas processing was governed mainly by microbial and invertebrate activity and, to a much lesser extent, by physical abrasion at the forest site. Both shredders and collector species played an important role in the processing of leaf material at the forest site. Greater uptake of N and P (P<0.05 in spring) and higher C concentrations were observed in leaf packs at the forest site than the agricultural site. Therefore, the results support the concept of retention of nutrients in forested areas and their export in deforested (agricultural) areas. Findings also indicated that the processing of leaf litter is not an efficient means of monitoring changes in stream ecosystems since leaf processing is affected by many factors, particularly physical abrasion.     

胶州湾滨海湿地凋落物分解对土壤有机碳矿化的影响

通过室内培养试验和三维荧光光谱技术(3D-EEMs),开展了胶州湾滨海湿地碱蓬、芦苇和互花米草的分解对土壤有机碳矿化的影响研究。结果表明,凋落物的添加提高了土壤有机碳矿化速率和累积矿化量,具体表现为碱蓬互花米草芦苇空白对照;乘幂曲线模型能较好地描述有机碳矿化速率和累积矿化量的变化趋势。光谱分析表明,分解过程中类蛋白荧光强度始终大于类腐殖酸荧光强度;利用荧光区域积分进行定量分析表明,不同处理下类蛋白质物质占比最高,类腐殖质物质次之;荧光参数表明,土壤有机碳的芳香化程度在培养期间先升高后降低。凋落物分解通过增加土壤中的营养物质,提高了土壤中微生物活性,从而改变了土壤有机碳的结构和化学组分,且凋落物的植被特征决定了其对土壤有机碳矿化影响程度的大小。     

杨树和桤木落叶混合分解对土壤微生物生物量的影响

通过室内培养,研究了杨树和江南桤木落叶混合分解过程中两种落叶的混合比例及落叶添加方式对土壤微生物生物量的影响.结果表明:落叶混合比例对土壤微生物生物量碳(MBC)、氮(MBN)均有显著的影响.培养30 d,江南桤木落叶比例为50％以上的土壤MBC和MBN显著高于纯杨树落叶处理及对照;75 d时,江南桤木落叶比例≥40％的土壤MBC和≥30％的土壤MBN均显著高于纯杨树落叶处理及对照;135 d后,江南桤木落叶比例≥20％的土壤MBC和≥40％的土壤MBN均显著高于纯杨树落叶处理及对照.不同混合比例的土壤MBC/MBN无显著差异,总体呈前期增长后期下降的变化趋势.杨树和江南桤木落叶混合分解对土壤MBC和MBN有显著的协同促进作用.在整个培养过程中,落叶添加方式对土壤MBC、MBN和MBC/MBN无显著影响.     

杉木根系和凋落物对土壤微生物学性质的影响

通过模拟试验,研究了杉木根系和凋落物及其交互作用对土壤微生物学性质的影响.结果表明：杉木根系和凋落物在土壤生态过程中发挥的作用有所不同.与对照相比,杉木根系处理的土壤微生物生物量碳（MBC）、土壤基础呼吸、土壤有机碳（TOC）和微生物熵显著增加,土壤呼吸熵（qCO₂）显著降低（P<0.05）;凋落物处理中,仅土壤基础呼吸和qCO₂显著降低（P<0.05）,而MBC、TOC和微生物熵没有显著变化（P>0.05）.杉木根系和凋落物对土壤基础呼吸和qCO₂的影响具有显著的交互作用.qCO₂与土壤可溶性碳（R²=0.325）及TOC（R²=0.209）含量呈显著正相关,说明微生物对碳的利用效率随土壤有机碳数量的增加而降低.与凋落物相比,杉木根系在土壤生态过程中发挥着更重要的作用.     

老化和风干处理对蚓粪微生物学性质和结构稳定性的影响

蚓粪水稳性团聚体含量是结构稳定性表征之一,蚓粪中水稳性团聚体含量与其微生物学性质是紧密联系的,并且受到老化时问和有机质等因素的影响。国内将蚓粪水稳性团聚体含量与其微生物学性质联系,并结合施用不同有机物处理的研究很少见报道。研究通过室内短期培养试验,研究了在不同碳氮比有机物施用下蚓粪老化和风干处理对其微生物生物量、微生物活性和结构稳定性变化的影响。研究结果表明蚓粪经过老化处理后真菌数量、微生物生物量碳和微生物活性都显著降低。不同有机物的施用对蚓粪微生物学性质的影响主要表现在施用牛粪的处理中蚓粪细菌数量高于施用秸秆的处理,真菌数量相反。新鲜蚓粪经过老化处理后总的水稳性团聚体含量（〉0．053mm）增加,主要表现在水稳性大型大团聚体（〉2mm）含量增加,且在施用牛粪的处理中达到显著,可能是与牛粪比秸秆能分解产生更多的粘结物质有关。蚓粪的风于处理也显著增加各个处理中总水稳性团聚体含量,且风干后蚓粪中水稳性团聚体主要以微团聚体（0．25～0．053mm）形式存在。施用秸秆的处理中,新鲜蚓粪0．25～0．053mm粒级的水稳性团聚体含量显著高于施用牛粪的处理。经风干后,施用秸秆的处理0．25～0．053mm的水稳性团聚体含量显著低于施用牛粪的处理,而水稳性大型大团聚体含量显著高于施用牛粪的处理。蚓粪的不同粒级水稳性团聚体含量和蚓粪的生物学性质之间存在良好的相关性。