不同氮处理下速生柳对水体氮的吸收、分配及生理响应

采用水培法,研究了旱柳苗在外源添加不同氮水平(贫氮、中氮、富氮、过氮)的铵态氮(NH+4-N)和硝态氮(NO-3-N)的生长、氮吸收、分配和生理响应。结果表明:一定范围氮浓度的增加能够促进旱柳苗的生长,但过量氮会抑制其生长,且NH+4-N的抑制作用大于NO-3-N;两种氮处理下,旱柳表现出对NH+4-N的吸收偏好,在同一氮水平时,旱柳各部位氮原子百分含量Atom%15N(AT%)、15N吸收量和来自氮源的N%(Ndff%)均为NH+4-N处理大于NO-3-N处理,且随着氮浓度的增加,差异增大,且在旱柳各部位的分布为根﹥茎﹥叶;2种氮素过量和不足均会对旱柳根和叶生理指标产生不同的影响,其中在过氮水平时,NH+4-N和NO-3-N处理下根系活力比对照减少了50.61%和增加了19.53%;在过氮水平时,NH+4-N处理柳树苗根总长、根表面积、根平均直径、根体积和侧根数分别对照下降了30.92%、29.48%、19.44%、27.01%和36.41%,NO-3-N处理柳树苗相应的根系形态指标分别对对照下降了1.66%、5.65%、1.49%、5.06%和25.72%。可见,高浓度NH+4-N对旱柳苗的胁迫影响大于NO-3-N,在应用于水体氮污染修复时可通过改变水体无机氮的比例,削弱其对旱柳的影响,从而提高旱柳对水体氮污染的修复效果。     

有机物料在维持土壤微生物体氮库中的作用

采用室内和田间培养试验,研究了有机物料矿化过程中土壤微生物体氮的变化,测定结果表明,有机物料对矿化过程和微生物体氮的影响,既与有机物料本身性质和组成有关,也与土壤肥力水平和施氮与否有关。加入Ｃ／Ｎ比高的有机物料后,微生物对矿质氮的净固定持续时间长,而加入Ｃ／Ｎ比小的则固定时间短;高肥力土壤上的固定时间比低肥力土壤短。不同有机物料对土壤微生物体氮的影响不同。从加绿豆茎叶、小麦茎叶、未腐解马粪、腐熟马粪、腐熟猪粪到厩肥,土壤微生物体氮依次减小,提供的有效能源物质丰富（如绿豆茎叶）或Ｃ／Ｎ比较高（如小麦茎叶）时影响效果突出。土壤肥力不同,有机物料对微生物体的影响效果不同,在低肥力土壤的效果突出,约为高肥力土壤的４倍,因此,在评价有机物料对土壤微生物体氮的影响时,既考虑有有机物料的性质和组成,也考虑土壤力水平、矿质氮含量和培养时期。     

不同肥力棕壤溶解性有机碳、氮生物降解特性

溶解性有机碳、氮在土壤全碳、全氮含量中所占的比例很小,但却是土壤有机质中最为重要和活跃的部分。研究利用土壤溶解性有机碳、氮生物降解的测定方法,分别选取沈阳农业大学试验站不同肥力及与定位试验地紧密相连的自然林地棕壤为研究对象,开展棕壤溶解性有机碳、氮的生物降解特性的研究,为了解溶解性有机碳、氮在土壤生态系统碳、氮循环中的作用,探讨棕壤溶解性有机碳、氮与土壤肥力的关系提供理论依据。研究结果表明,棕壤林地溶解性有机碳、氮的含量最高,高肥处理次之,低肥处理含量最低。棕壤溶解性有机碳、氮与全碳、全氮和微生物量碳、氮的相关性达到极显著水平,与土壤肥力紧密相关,可以作为指示土壤肥力的重要指标。不同肥力棕壤溶解性有机碳、氮的降解速率在培养初期较快,而后逐渐减慢,降解数据符合双指数衰变模型。棕壤溶解性有机碳分别由降解速率不同的两个库组成：周转时间在1d的易分解部分和周转时间大约为400d的难分解部分。棕壤溶解性有机氮是由周转速率大约为2d的易降解部分和周转速率在99～105d左右的难分解部分组成． 经过42d的培养,浸提液中剩余溶解性有机质碳氮比值较培养前有所增加。     

添加玉米残体对土壤-植物系统中氮素转化的影响

采用盆栽试验和^15N示踪技术对黑土添加玉米残体(秸秆和根茬)土壤-植物系统中氮素转化进行了研究,结果表明,玉米残体还田能够增加土壤氮素含量,减轻因其作为燃烧材料而造成的氮素损失和对大气的污染,玉米残体施入土壤,增加了土壤微生物氮含量,提高土壤氮活性,有利于土壤氮素养分的协调供应,玉米残体配施氮肥与氮肥单施相比,玉米植株氮素累积量相近,但氮素在玉米植株不同器官中的分配比例不同;添加玉米残体能够促进氮素从营养器官向籽粒中转移,提高氮素养分的利用效率,同时,添加玉米残体还可以降低土壤NO^-3-N的累积,减少肥料氮的损失4．7％～5．6％。     

氮沉降对温带森林土壤甲烷氧化菌的影响

大量研究显示氮沉降影响森林甲烷吸收量,但其中的微生物驱动机制仍缺乏研究。基于长白山典型温带森林长期氮沉降模拟实验平台样地,采用定量PCR和克隆测序技术,研究了长期施加不同形态氮((NH_4)_2SO_4、NH_4Cl和KNO_3)处理下森林土壤甲烷氧化菌的数量和群落组成随季节变化的特征。结果表明,夏季,森林土壤甲烷氧化菌pmo A基因丰度在不同施氮处理之间无显著性差异(每克干土1.54×10~6-3.20×10~6拷贝数);秋季,pmo A基因丰度在施加NH_4Cl和(NH_4)_2SO_4处理小区(每克干土1.93×10~5-7.6×10~5拷贝数)与对照(每克干土(4.03×10~6±1.2×10~6)拷贝数)相比有所降低,尤其在(NH_4)_2SO_4处理小区(每克干土(4.61×10~5±2.61×10~5)拷贝数)显著降低;无论夏季还是秋季,施加不同形态氮处理土壤甲烷氧化菌均以Type I型为主(相对丰度在70.6%-85.4%之间),并以Methylobacter-group(Type I)为优势类群,占Type I型的55.1%-91.7%;Methylobacter-group(Type I)的相对丰度在夏季不同形态氮处理土壤样品中无显著差异,但秋季样品中在施加(NH_4)_2SO_4(52.7%±6.5%)和NH_4Cl(56.1%±8.9%)的处理显著低于对照土壤(77.0%±2.9%),Methylococcus-group(Type I)的相对丰度则在(NH_4)_2SO_4和NH_4Cl处理土壤呈增加的趋势。这些结果表明铵态氮肥添加对温带森林土壤甲烷氧化菌的生长具有抑制作用并导致其群落结构发生改变,受夏季温度和水分的影响,这种抑制作用在秋季表现更明显,而NO_3~--N添加对土壤甲烷氧化菌的群落组成和丰度无显著影响。这些结果解释了以往观测到的施铵态氮肥显著降低秋季温带林地土壤甲烷净吸收量,而在夏季无显著影响的观测结果,解释了长期氮沉降影响森林土壤甲烷吸收的微生物机制。     

植被恢复过程中芒萁覆盖对侵蚀红壤氮组分的影响

氮素是限制陆地生态系统生产力的重要因子。采用时空代换法,以红壤侵蚀区未治理、恢复12年和30年的马尾松林为研究对象,对比分析了林下芒萁覆盖地与裸地表层土壤之间氮同位素、不同形态氮组分含量以及不同组分氮含量所占比例之间的差异。结果表明:在所有马尾松林中,芒萁覆盖增加了表层土壤的全氮含量,δ~(15)N值则比林下裸地显著降低了33. 8%—83.1%(P0.05)。随着恢复年限增加,林下芒萁覆盖地表层土壤δ~(15)N值显著下降,而林下裸露地δ~(15)N值没有显著变化(P0.05)。不同恢复年限马尾松林的芒萁覆盖地表层土壤微生物生物量氮、可溶性有机氮和铵态氮含量显著高于林下裸地(P 0.05),而硝态氮含量则显著低于林下裸地(P0.05)。随恢复年限增加,表层土壤微生物生物量氮、可溶性有机氮、铵态氮含量均呈增加趋势,而硝态氮含量则呈下降趋势,不同形态氮占全氮比例表现为:微生物生物量氮铵态氮可溶性有机氮硝态氮。相关分析表明土壤δ~(15)N值与硝态氮极显著正相关,与其他氮组分极显著负相关(P0.01)。由此可见,与林下裸地相比,芒萁覆盖在植被恢复过程中有助于提高表层土壤中全氮、微生物生物量氮、可溶性有机氮和铵态氮含量,降低硝态氮的淋溶损失风险,促进土壤氮保持和积累,从而有利于退化红壤生态系统的恢复。     

云杉碳氮化学计量比对土壤水分和氮有效性的响应

以西南亚高山针叶林优势种——粗枝云杉(Picea asperata)为研究对象,探究不同土壤水分状况和氮添加下云杉碳氮化学计量比的变化及其响应过程。采用两因素(水分×氮素)随机区组实验,设置5个土壤水分梯度和3个氮添加浓度,其中土壤水分梯度分别是土壤田间持水量的40%(W1)、50%(W2)、60%(W3)、80%(W4)和100%(W5),氮添加浓度分别为0(N0)、20(N1)、40(N2)gNm^-2 a^-1。结果表明:(1)土壤水分和氮添加显著影响了云杉碳氮化学计量比(P<0.05),具体为:云杉植株和器官碳氮比在N0W4处理下最大值,随土壤水分有效性的降低而减小,随氮添加浓度的增加而降低。(2)随土壤水分有效性的降低,根和叶的碳含量显著升高(P<0.05),茎和叶的碳含量随着氮添加浓度的增加而降低。此外,土壤水分有效性的降低显著提高了根和茎的氮含量(P<0.05),各器官的氮含量随着氮添加浓度的增加而增加。在相同水分和氮添加浓度处理下表现为碳含量:叶>茎>根,氮含量:叶>根>茎。(3)云杉净光...     

不同施氮处理玉米根茬在土壤中矿化分解特性

以黄土高原南部地区7a定位试验不同氮肥处理玉米根茬为研究对象,通过室内培养试验研究了施氮量分别为0、120和240 kg N/hm2处理玉米根茬(分别用R0、R120、R240表示)在15-20 cm和45-50 cm土层土壤中有机碳矿化及其对土壤微生物量碳、可溶性有机碳和矿质态氮含量的影响.结果表明,不同处理玉米根茬C/N为R0＞R240 ＞R120.培养条件下,R120和R240根茬的碳矿化速率高于R0根茬,R120与R240根茬之间差异不显著.不同处理根茬C/N与其培养过程中碳素累积表观矿化量呈极显著负相关关系.3种施氮量处理的玉米根茬在培养过程中有机碳矿化率、潜在碳矿化量、土壤微生物量碳、可溶性有机碳含量均为添加R120根茬的处理最高,R240次之,R0最低.添加R120和R240根茬显著提高了培养起始时土壤矿质态氮含量.R0、R120和R240根茬在15-20 cm土层土壤中的碳矿化率分别比其在45-50 cm土层土壤中高51.70％、26.41％和27.84％.在评价根茬还田对农田生态系统碳、氮等养分循环的作用时,应同时考虑施肥对根茬分解和转化的影响.     

淹水培养条件下土壤微生物生物量碳、氮和可溶性有机碳、氮的动态

以洞庭湖区2个典型水稻土(红黄泥和紫潮泥)为对象,研究了25 ℃、淹水培养条件下稻草-硫铵配施和单施硫铵处理土壤微生物生物量碳、氮(SMBC、SMBN)和可溶性有机碳、氮(SDOC、SDON)的动态变化.结果表明,SMBC、SMBN和SDOC、SDON在培养前期达到峰值,之后降低,并趋于稳定.添加底物后,2种土壤不同处理土壤微生物生物量碳与有机碳(SMBC/TC)和土壤微生物生物量氮与全氮(SMBN/TN)的平均值都在2%～3%之间变化;可溶性碳与全碳(SDOC/TC)的平均值为1%左右,可溶性氮与全氮(SDON/TN)平均值为5%～6%.2种土壤中SMBC峰值单施硫铵处理最大,但与稻草-硫铵配施处理差异均不显著;SMBN、SDOC和SDON峰值稻草-硫铵配施最大.稻草-硫铵配施与单施硫铵处理中,低肥力红黄泥的SMBN、SDOC和SDON峰值差异显著;而高肥力紫潮泥SMBN和SDOC峰值差异不显著.前7 d,SMBC/SMBN＜10;14 d后,同一时刻单施硫铵处理SMBC/SMBN＞稻草-硫铵配施.不同处理的SDOC/SDON 3 d时最大,28 d时最小.     

氮沉降下纳帕海草甸植被与土壤变化对微生物生物量碳氮的影响

为探明高原草甸土壤微生物对短期氮沉降的响应,以纳帕海典型高寒草甸云雾薹草群落为对象,野外原位布设低氮(5 g N·m^-2·a^-1)、中氮(10 g N·m^-2·a^-1)和高氮(15 g N·m^-2·a^-1)3种施氮处理,研究氮沉降引起高寒草甸植物多样性及土壤性质变化对微生物生物量碳氮的影响。结果表明：氮添加显著增加土壤微生物生物量碳氮及其熵值,中氮处理下微生物生物量碳增量最高,达139.3%;微生物生物量碳氮的垂直变化表现为沿土层显著降低,降幅为24.1%～75.1%。氮添加显著提高群落地上生物量,降低Shannon和Simpson多样性,变幅达6.6%～65.4%;氮添加显著降低土壤pH,增加土壤有机质、全氮、铵态氮和硝态氮含量,且在中氮处理下变幅(7.0%～511.1%)最大;土壤pH随土层加深而增大,而其他理化指标则沿土层加深而显著减少,变幅达19.5%～91.2%。结构方程模型表明,土壤铵态氮、硝态氮和有机质对微生物生物量起促进作用,而土壤pH和植...     

Effects of nitrogen addition on litter decomposition, soil microbial biomass, and enzyme activities between leguminous and non-leguminous forests

Anthropogenic nitrogen (N) deposition is an expanding problem that affects the functioning and composition of forest ecosystems, particularly the decomposition of forest litters. Legumes play an important role in the nitrogen cycle of forest ecosystems. Two litter types were chosen from Zijin Mountain in China: Robinia pseudoacacia leaves from a leguminous forest (LF) and Liquidambar formosana leaves from a non-leguminous forest (NF). The litter samples were mixed into original forest soils and incubated in microcosms. Then, they were treated by five forms of N addition: NH₄ ⁺, NO₃ ^?, urea, glycine, and a mixture of all four. During a 6-month incubation period, litter mass losses, soil microbial biomass, soil pH, and enzyme activities were investigated. Results showed that mixed N and NO₃ ^?-N addition significantly accelerated the litter decomposition rates of LF leaves, while mixed N, glycine-N, and urea-N addition significantly accelerated the litter decomposition rates of NF leaves. Litter decomposition rates and soil enzyme activities under mixed N addition were higher than those under single form of N additions in the two forest types. Nitrogen addition had no significant effects on soil pH and soil microbial biomass. The results indicate that nitrogen addition may alter microbial allocation to extracellular enzyme production without affecting soil microbial biomass, and then affected litter decomposition process. The results further reveal that mixed N is a more important factor in controlling litter decomposition process than single form of N, and may seriously affect soil N cycle and the release of carbon stored belowground.     

Long-term effects of elevated nitrogen on forest soil organic matter stability

Nitrogen addition may alter the decomposition rate for different organic-matter pools in contrasting ways. Using a paired-plot design, we sought to determine the effects of long-term elevated N on the stability of five organic-matter pools: organic horizons (Oe+a), whole mineral soil (WS), mineral soil fractions including the light fraction (LF), heavy fraction (HF), and a physically recombined fraction (RF). These substrates were incubated for 300 days, and respiration, mineralized N, and active microbial biomass were measured. Samples with elevated N gave 15% lower cumulative respiration for all five substrates. Over the 300-day incubation, the Oe+a gave twice the cumulative respiration (gCkg^–1 initial C) as the LF, which gave slightly higher respiration than the HF. Respiration was 35% higher for the WS than for the RF. Mineralized N was similar between N treatments and between the LF and HF. Net N mineralized by the LF over the course of the 300-day incubation decreased with higher C:N ratio, due presumably to N immobilization to meet metabolic demands. The pattern was opposite for HF, however, which could be explained by a release of N in excess of metabolic demands due to recalcitrance of the HF organic matter. Mineralized N increased with respiration for the HF but showed no pattern, or perhaps even decreased, for the LF. WS and RF showed decreasing active microbial biomass near the end of the incubation, which corresponded with decreasing respiration and increasing nitrate. Our results show that long-term elevated N stabilized organic matter in whole soil and soil fractions.     

氮磷添加对巨桉幼苗生物量分配和C:N:P化学计量特征的影响

巨桉(Eucalyptus grandis)是一种优良的速生用材树种, 了解氮(N)和磷(P)对巨桉生长、养分限制、化学计量特征的影响对于科学合理施肥具有重要意义。该实验以巨桉无性系组培苗为研究对象, 通过在酸性紫色土中设置不同施N或施P梯度, 研究巨桉幼苗各器官(根、茎、叶)生物量及碳(C)、N、P的分配和化学计量特征以及巨桉生长的养分限制状况。结果表明: 施N处理对巨桉根茎叶及总生物量的影响极显著, 增加了地上部分的生物量比例而显著降低了根系的生物量比例; 施P对巨桉幼苗总生物量影响不显著, 但显著提高了根的生物量分配比例, 对茎和叶的生物量分配没有显著影响。施N或施P显著改变了巨桉幼苗的N、P含量和化学计量比, 同时也显著影响了土壤与植物N:P的关系。施N可以促使酸性紫色土条件下巨桉对N的吸收而抑制对P的吸收, 施P则促进巨桉幼苗对P的吸收。施N对巨桉幼苗根茎叶的C、N、P分配特征有极显著影响, 而施P对巨桉幼苗根茎叶的C、N、P分配没有显著影响。施N极显著降低了巨桉幼苗N的利用率, 显著提高了P的利用率, 而施P处理极显著降低了巨桉幼苗P的利用率。从巨桉生物量沿施肥梯度和N:P的变化规律可以判断, 当叶片N:P < 15时, 巨桉的生长主要受到N的限制作用。施N可以显著地提高根茎叶的N:P比值, 缓解巨桉缺N的现象, 施P则进一步加剧了N元素的缺乏。     

长期施肥对玉米生育期土壤微生物量碳氮及酶活性的影响

以小麦-玉米轮作长期肥料定位试验为平台,探讨不同养分管理对玉米生育期塿土微生物量碳、氮和酶活性动态变化的影响。试验包括6个处理,分别为不施肥(CK)、单施氮肥(N)、氮磷配合(NP)、氮磷钾配合(NPK)、NPK+秸秆(SNPK)以及有机肥+NPK(MNPK)。结果表明玉米生育期土壤微生物量碳、氮变化显著。不同施肥管理下土壤微生物量碳、氮的高低显著性分别为MNPK>SNPK、NP、NPK>N、CK。玉米生育期内土壤酶活性也变化显著,蔗糖酶、脲酶和纤维素酶在玉米抽雄期达到活性高峰,而磷酸酶在玉米拔节期出现活性高峰。不同施肥管理对土壤酶活性的影响总体表现为MNPK处理最高,其次为SNPK处理,再次为NPK和NP处理,N和CK处理最低。不同施肥处理间土壤微生物量碳、氮以及酶活性与土壤有机碳、全氮、速效磷水平密切相关。塿土长期施用氮磷或氮磷钾化肥可以提高土壤微生物量碳、氮以及酶活性。一季作物秸秆还田配合氮磷钾化肥与氮磷钾相比有提高土壤微生物量碳、氮以及酶活性的趋势。在等氮量下,有机肥配合化肥与其他施肥模式相比,均显著提升土壤化学肥力因素、微生物量碳氮和酶活性。因此,塿土上建议进行有机无机肥配合以提高土壤肥力,保持土壤生物健康。     

Dry season groundnut stover management practices determine nitrogen cycling efficiency and subsequent maize yields

It is generally thought that grain legume residues make a substantial net N contribution to soil fertility in crop rotation systems. However, most studies focus on effects of residues on crops immediately sown after the legume crop while in fact in many tropical countries with a prolonged dry season there is a large gap before planting the next crop with potential for nutrient losses. Thus the objectives of this study were* to improve the efficiency of groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) stover-N (100 kg N ha ^–1) recycling by evaluating the effect of dry season stover management, i.e. surface application and immediate incorporation after the legume crop or storage of residues until next cropping in the rainy season. N dynamics (litterbags, mineral N, microbial biomass N, N ₂O emissions) were monitored and ¹⁵N labelled residues were applied to assess the fate of residue N in the plant–soil (0–100 cm) system during two subsequent maize crops. Recycling groundnut stover improved yield of the subsequent maize (Zea mays L.) crop compared to treatment without stover. A higher N recycling efficiency was observed when residues were incorporated (i.e. 55% total ¹⁵N recovery after second maize crop) than when surface applied (43% recovery) at the beginning of the dry season. This was despite the faster nitrogen release of incorporated residues, which led to more mineral N movement to lower soil layers. It appears that a proportion of groundnut stover N released during the dry season was effectively captured by the natural weed population (54–70 kg N ha ^–1) and subsequently recycled particularly in the incorporation treatment. Despite the presence of weeds major leaching losses occurred during the onset of the rainy season while N ₂O emissions were relatively small. There was a good correlation between soil microbial biomass N and first crop maize yield. Incorporation of groundnut residues led to small increases in economic yield, i.e., 3120 versus 3528 kg ha ^–1 over two cropping cycles in the surface versus incorporation treatments respectively, with corresponding residue ¹⁵N uptakes of 4 and 8%, while ¹⁵N recovery in water stable aggregates (9–15%) was not significantly different. In contrast, when stover was removed and applied before the first crop, yield benefits were highest with cumulative maize yields of 4350 kg ha ^–1 and residue utilization of 12%. However, N recycling efficiency was not higher than in the early incorporation treatment due to an asynchrony of N release and maize N demand during the first crop.     

减量施氮对玉米-大豆套作系统下作物氮素吸收和利用效率的影响

为探索玉米-大豆套作系统中作物对N素吸收的差异特性,揭示减量施N对玉米-大豆套作系统的N高效利用机理。利用15N同位素示踪技术,结合小区套微区多年定位试验,研究了玉米单作(MM)、大豆单作(SS)、玉米-大豆套作(IMS)及不施N(NN)、减量施N(RN:180 kg N/hm2)、常量施N(CN:240 kg N/hm2)下玉米、大豆的生物量、吸N量、N肥利用率及土壤N素含量变化。结果表明,与MM(SS)相比,IMS下玉米茎叶及籽粒的生物量、吸N量降低,15N%丰度及15N吸收量增加,大豆籽粒及植株的生物量、吸N量及15N吸收量显著提高;IMS下玉米、大豆植株的N肥利用率、土壤N贡献率、土壤15N%丰度降低,15N回收率显著增加。施N与不施N相比,显著提高了单、套作下玉米、大豆植株的生物量、吸N量、15N丰度及15N吸收量;RN与CN相比,IMS下,RN的玉米、大豆植株总吸N量提高13.4%和12.4%,N肥利用率提高213.0%和117.5%,土壤总N含量提高12.2%和11.6%,土壤N贡献率降低12.0%和11.2%,玉米植株15N吸收量与15N回收率提高14.4%和52.5%,大豆的则降低57.1%和42.8%,单作与套作的变化规律一致。玉米-大豆套作系统中作物对N素吸收存在数量及形态差异,减量施N有利于玉米-大豆套作系统对N肥的高效吸收与利用,实现作物持续增产与土壤培肥。     

Pulse additions of soil carbon and nitrogen affect soil nitrogen dynamics in an arid Colorado Plateau shrubland

Biogeochemical cycles in arid and semi-arid ecosystems depend upon the ability of soil microbes to use pulses of resources. Brief periods of high activity generally occur after precipitation events that provide access to energy and nutrients (carbon and nitrogen) for soil organisms. To better understand pulse-driven dynamics of microbial soil nitrogen (N) cycling in an arid Colorado Plateau ecosystem, we simulated a pulsed addition of labile carbon (C) and N in the field under the canopies of the major plant species in plant interspaces. Soil microbial activity and N cycling responded positively to added C while NH₄⁺–N additions resulted in an accumulation of soil NO₃⁻. Increases in microbial activity were reflected in higher rates of respiration and N immobilization with C addition. When both C and N were added to soils, N losses via NH₃ volatilization decreased. There was no effect of soil C or N availability on microbial biomass N suggesting that the level of microbial activity (respiration) may be more important than population size (biomass) in controlling short-term dynamics of inorganic and labile organic N. The effects of C and N pulses on soil microbial function and pools of NH₄⁺–N and labile organic N were observed to last only for the duration of the moisture pulse created by treatment addition, while the effect on the NO₃⁻–N pool persisted after soils dried to pre-pulse moisture levels. We observed that increases in available C lead to greater ecosystem immobilization and retention of N in soil microbial biomass and also lowered rates of gaseous N loss. With the exception of trace gas N losses, the lack of interaction between available C and N on controlling N dynamics, and the subsequent reduction in plant available N with C addition has implications for the competitive relationships between plants species, plants and microbes, or both.     

The decomposition of sugar beet residues: mineralization versus immobilization in contrasting soil types

The leaves and crowns from ¹⁵N-labelled sugar beets were incubated in either a silty clay loam or sand soil for almost one year. Four additions of fresh, chopped residues mixed with soil were tested: ¹⁵N-labelled leaves alone, ¹⁵N-labelled leaves plus unlabelled crowns, unlabelled leaves plus ¹⁵N-labelled crowns, and ¹⁵N-labelled crowns alone; a control with no addition was also incubated. The C:N ratio of the leaves was 11 and that of the crowns 40. Incubations were carried out in pots kept at 20 °C and optimal moisture conditions. The leaves mineralized N from the start of the experiment but the addition of crowns to soil at first caused immobilization of nitrogen followed eventually by mineralization after 6 or 12 weeks depending on soil type. The extra amounts of mineral N found in soil at the end of the experiment where additions were made corresponded to the sum of the background mineralization and the addition; no priming effects were encountered. Very slight differences only were found between the initial rates of mineralization of C in all of the treatments. Although there was also little difference between the sand and silty clay loam soils in the direct mineralization of nitrogen from the sugar beet leaves, where N was first immobilized (i.e. from crowns or a mixture) re-release of N took place more quickly in the sand soil. The total recovery of¹⁵ N found in soils after 24 weeks incubation ranged from 70% to 90% with least being lost from the sugar-rich but N-deficient crowns. Where leaves plus crowns were incubated together both residues contributed to the microbial biomass N.In practice, immobilization of this magnitude and duration (expressed as a temperature sum) could exceed the growth period of a spring sown crop. The actual immobilization found in any one field is likely to depend on the C:N ratio of the residues and could account for much of the variation in the residual benefit of sugar beet residues reported in the literature.     

The Effects of Crop Rotation and Nitrogen Fertilization on Soil Chemical and Microbial Properties in a Guinea Savanna Alfisol of Nigeria

The impacts of crop rotation and inorganic nitrogen fertilization on soil microbial biomass C (SMBC) and N (SMBN) and water-soluble organic C (WSOC) were studied in a Guinea savanna Alfisol of Nigeria. In 2001, fields of grain legumes (soybean and cowpea), herbaceous legume (Centrosema pascuorum) and a natural fallow were established. In 2002, maize was planted with N fertilizer rates of 0, 20, 40 and 60 kg N ha⁻¹ in a split-plot arrangement fitted to a randomized complete block design with legumes and fallow as main plots and N fertilizer levels as subplots. Surface soil samples were taken at 4 weeks after planting and tasselling stage of the maize. Inorganic N fertilization had no significant (P>0.05) effect on SMBC, SMBN and WSOC, while crop rotation significantly (P<0.0001) affected both SMBC and WSOC. These results demonstrate that crop rotation do not necessarily influence the gross soil microbial biomass, but may affect physiologically distinct subcomponent of the microbial biomass. The soils under the various rotations had a predominance of fungi community as indicated by their wide biomass C/N ratio ranging from 9.2 to 20.9 suggesting fungi to be mainly responsible for decomposition in these soils. Soil microbial biomass and WSOC showed significant (P<0.05) correlation with both soil pH and organic carbon but no relationship with total N. Based on these results, it appears that the soil pH and organic carbon determined the flux of the soil microbial biomass and amount of WSOC in these soils.     

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.