The breakdown of malathion in soil and soil components

The disappearance of the organophosphorus insecticide, malathion, from a silt loam soil and from its organic and inorganic components was examined. Half-lives and the time taken for 90% decomposition in nonsterile, sodium azide-treated, and 2.5 Mrad-irradiated soils were similar (3/4–1 1/2 days and 4–6 days, respectively) but breakdown in autoclaved soils was negligible. Decay in nonsterile sand, silt, and clay minus organic matter fractions was 3–6 times slower than that recorded in the original soil. Breakdown of malathion in the clay plus organic matter fraction (organo-mineral complex) was rapid (half-life, 1 day), as was the case in the separated organic matter (half-life, 1 3/4 days). Filter-sterilized organic matter was not as effective in catalyzing the breakdown of malathion (half-life, 4 days), and no loss occurred from any of the autoclaved components. Irradiation doses of 2.5 and 5.0 Mrad had little influence on the ability of soil to degrade malathion. Thereafter, increases up to 20 Mrad had a more drastic, though far from totally inhibitory, effect. Our results suggest that either the colloidal organic matter itself, or a fraction associated with it, is the most important single factor concerned with the rapid breakdown of malathion in the soil studied. Direct microbial metabolism is a slower process and may have a significant role in malathion disappearance in coarsetextured soils low in colloidal organic matter. The catalytic component of the organic matter is suggested to be a stable exoenzyme and is supportive of reports by other workers. The quantitative effect of organo-mineral complex (containing the active degradative ingredient) additions to sand and silt fractions on the rate of subsequent malathion decay is also described.     

Available soil nitrogen in relation to fractions of soil nitrogen and other soil properties

The available N of 27 soils from England and Wales was assessed from the amounts of N taken up over a 6-month period by perennial ryegrass grown in pots under uniform environmental conditions. Relationships between availability and the distribution of soil N amongst various fractions were then examined using multiple regression. The relationship: available soil N (mg kg^–1 dry soil)=(N_min×0.672)+(N_inc×0.840)+(N_mom×0.227)–5.12 was found to account for 91% of the variance in available soil N, where N_min=mineral N, N_inc=N mineralized on incubation and N_mom=N in macro-organic matter. The N mineralized on incubation appeared to be derived largely from sources other than the macro-organic matter because these two fractions were poorly correlated. When availability was expressed in terms of available organic N as % of soil organic N (N_ao) the closest relationship with other soil characteristics was: N_ao=[N_inc×(1.395–0.0347×CN_mom]+[N_mom×0.1416], where CN_mom=CN ratio of the macro-organic matter. This relationship accounted for 81% of the variance in the availability of the soil organic N.The conclusion that the macro-organic matter may contribute substantially to the available N was confirmed by a subsidiary experiment in which the macro-organic fraction was separated from about 20 kg of a grassland soil. The uptake of N by ryegrass was then assessed on two subsamples of this soil, one without the macro-organic matter and the other with this fraction returned: uptake was appreciably increased by the macro-organic matter.     

Estimating respiration of roots in soil: Interactions with soil CO2, soil temperature and soil water content

Little information is available on the variability of the dynamics of the actual and observed root respiration rate in relation to abiotic factors. In this study, we describe I) interactions between soil CO₂ concentration, temperature, soil water content and root respiration, and II) the effect of short-term fluctuations of these three environmental factors on the relation between actual and observed root respiration rates. We designed an automated, open, gas-exchange system that allows continuous measurements on 12 chambers with intact roots in soil. By using three distinct chamber designs with each a different path for the air flow, we were able to measure root respiration over a 50-fold range of soil CO₂ concentrations (400 to 25000 ppm) and to separate the effect of irrigation on observed vs. actual root respiration rate. All respiration measurements were made on one-year-old citrus seedlings in sterilized sandy soil with minimal organic material.Root respiration was strongly affected by diurnal fluctuations in temperature (Q₁₀ = 2), which agrees well with the literature. In contrast to earlier findings for Douglas-fir (Qi et al., 1994), root respiration rates of citrus were not affected by soil CO₂ concentrations (400 to 25000 ppm CO₂; pH around 6). Soil CO₂ was strongly affected by soil water content but not by respiration measurements, unless the air flow for root respiration measurements was directed through the soil. The latter method of measuring root respiration reduced soil CO₂ concentration to that of incoming air. Irrigation caused a temporary reduction in CO₂ diffusion, decreasing the observed respiration rates obtained by techniques that depended on diffusion. This apparent drop in respiration rate did not occur if the air flow was directed through the soil. Our dynamic data are used to indicate the optimal method of measuring root respiration in soil, in relation to the objectives and limitations of the experimental conditions.     

Analysis of the life cycle of the soil saprophyte Bacillus cereus in liquid soil extract and in soil

Bacillus is commonly isolated from soils, with organisms of Bacillus cereus sensu lato being prevalent. Knowledge of the ecology of B. cereus and other Bacillus species in soil is far from complete. While the older literature favors a model of growth on soil-associated organic matter, the current paradigm is that B. cereus sensu lato germinates and grows in association with animals or plants, resulting in either symbiotic or pathogenic interactions. An in terra approach to study soil-associated bacteria is described, using filter-sterilized soil-extracted soluble organic matter (SESOM) and artificial soil microcosms (ASM) saturated with SESOM. B. cereus ATCC 14579 displayed a life cycle, with the ability to germinate, grow, and subsequently sporulate in both the liquid SESOM extract and in ASM inserted into wells in agar medium. Cells grew in liquid SESOM without separating, forming multicellular structures that coalesced to form clumps and encasing the ensuing spores in an extracellular matrix. Bacillus was able to translocate from the point of inoculation through soil microcosms as shown by the emergence of outgrowths on the surrounding agar surface. Microscopic inspection revealed bundles of parallel chains inside the soil. The motility inhibitor L-ethionine failed to suppress outgrowth, ruling out translocation by a flagellar-mediated mechanism such as swimming or swarming. Bacillus subtilis subsp. subtilis Marburg and four Bacillus isolates taken at random from soils also displayed a life cycle in SESOM and ASM and were all able to translocate through ASM, even in presence of L-ethionine. These data indicate that B. cereus is a saprophytic bacterium that is able to grow in soil and furthermore that it is adapted to translocate by employing a multicellular mode of growth.     

土壤氟形态与氟污染土壤修复

我国土壤氟污染问题严峻,给部分地区人体健康和生态安全造成严重威胁,但土壤氟污染与防治问题仍没有受到人们的广泛关注.本文概述了土壤中氟的存在形态以及发生的主要化学反应,综述了近年来国内外有关氟污染土壤修复的研究进展,提出了今后氟污染土壤修复的研究方向,以期为氟污染土壤的修复提供借鉴和参考.土壤中氟主要分为5种形态,其中90%以上以残渣态存在,土壤溶液中的氟主要发生沉淀-溶解、络合-解离和吸附-解吸等反应来维持水-土系统中的氟平衡.目前,氟污染土壤修复技术研究主要集中在化学固定修复技术、化学淋洗技术、电动修复技术以及植物修复技术.今后需要重点研究氟在土壤中的赋存形态及其影响因子,筛选功能微生物和植物,开发联合修复技术以修复氟污染土壤.     

黄土丘陵区植被恢复的土壤碳水效应

黄土高原大规模植被恢复显著影响了这一区域土壤水分和有机碳(SOC),从而影响其承载的土壤水源涵养和固碳服务。明确深层土壤水分和有机碳对植被恢复的响应特征是当前黄土高原地区生态水文与生态系统服务研究的一个重要科学问题,其中植被类型以及生长年限是这一过程的重要影响因素。然而,目前关于深层土壤有机碳和土壤水分对植被恢复的响应及二者关系的研究较少。通过对陕北典型黄土丘陵区不同植被类型和生长年限下0—5 m土壤水分与有机碳的监测,分析了深层土壤水分和有机碳对植被恢复的响应及其特征。研究发现:(1)植被恢复后0—5 m土层均出现水分亏缺,土壤水分亏缺在表层1 m最低,2—3 m最高;对于不同恢复方式,林地土壤水分亏缺在恢复至21—30a时显著高于前一阶段(11—20a),而在恢复31a后水分开始恢复,而灌木、草地土壤水分亏缺程度则随恢复年限延长不断增加。(2)林地、灌木、草地0—5 m平均土壤有机碳含量为1.97、1.77、1.72 g/kg;林地土壤固碳量随恢复年限的增加而增加,并且在恢复20a时固碳量与对照农田相比出现净增;灌木土壤固碳量随恢复年限先增加后降低;草地土壤固碳量则随退耕年限增加呈下降趋势并且低于对照农田。(3)表层0—1 m土壤水分随恢复年限增加变化不显著,深层土壤水分则随恢复年限增加显著降低;相比而言,随恢复年限增加,土壤有机碳随年限的变化在各层土壤中均不显著。深层土壤水分与土壤有机碳呈现显著的正相关,且土壤有机碳的增加速率低于土壤水分,研究认为,深层土壤固碳与土壤水分关系密切,且深层土壤固碳需要充足水分参与。深层土壤水分亏缺可能限制植被细根的发展,使深层土壤有机碳输入减少。     

Effects of soil frost on soil respiration and its radiocarbon signature in a Norway spruce forest soil

Apart from a general increase of mean annual air temperature, climate models predict a regional increase of the frequency and intensity of soil frost with possibly strong effects on C cycling of soils. In this study, we induced mild soil frost (up to −5 °C in a depth of 5 cm below surface) in a Norway spruce forest soil by removing the natural snow cover in the winter of 2005/2006. Soil frost lasted from January to April 2006 and was detected down to 15 cm depth. Soil frost effectively reduced soil respiration in the snow removal plots in comparison to undisturbed control plots. On an annual basis 6.2 t C ha⁻¹ a⁻¹ were emitted in the control plots compared with 5.1 t C ha⁻¹ a⁻¹ in the snow removal plots. Only 14% of this difference was attributed to reduced soil respiration during the soil frost period itself, whereas 63% of this difference originated from differences during the summer of 2006. Radiocarbon (Δ¹⁴C) signature of CO₂ revealed a considerable reduction of heterotrophic respiration on the snow removal plots, only partly compensated for by a slight increase of rhizosphere respiration. Similar CO₂ concentrations in the uppermost mineral horizons of both treatments indicate that differences between the treatments originated from the organic horizons. Extremely low water contents between June and October of 2006 may have inhibited the recovery of the heterotrophic organisms from the frost period, thereby enhancing the differences between the control and snow removal plots. We conclude that soil frost triggered a change in the composition of the microbial community, leading to an increased sensitivity of heterotrophic respiration to summer drought. A CO₂ pulse during thawing, such as described for arable soils several times throughout the literature, with the potential to partly compensate for reduced soil respiration during soil frost, appears to be lacking for this soil. Our results from this experiment indicate that soil frost reduces C emission from forest soils, whereas mild winters may enhance C losses from forest soils.     

Variations of soil structure and microbial population in a compost amended soil

Changes in soil structure and in microbial population were recorded in a long term field experiment over the growing season of maize (June–November). Determinations were made on samples from plots which had received, for two years, the following treatments: mineral fertilizers, farmyard manure and three rates of compost. Seasonal variations were observed for the stability of soil aggregates, total porosity, pore size distribution, mycorrhizal infection and aerobic cellulolytic microorganisms. The stability of the soil aggregates changed in a similar way to that found for both mycorrhizal infection and the number of aerobic cellulolytic microorganisms. Physical characteristics were not affected in any instance by the organic dressings and microbiological populations were generally influenced only by the higher doses of compost.     

A method for collecting soil percolate and soil solution in the field

Summary A soil-water extractor is described which uses an absorbent sponge material for sampling soil percolate and solution. Good agreement existed between soil extracts (1:5 soil:water) and extracts obtained from the extractor sponge after equilibration at low water tensions (pF 0–2.5) in the range, 0–100 g/g soil (0–1400 g/ml solution) for solute anions (Cl^-, NO₂ ^- and NO₃ ^–, R² > 0.98), and for ammonium ions (NH₄ ⁺, R²=0.93).Percolate was recovered in a field soil in volumes sufficient to permit analysis of constituents. Concentrations of solute Cl^- ions in these percolates were similar to those in the added water and in percolate from a zero-tension lysimeter. Poor relationships were obtained in the field between soil solution extracts from the sponge and 1:10 soil water extracts. For the present, the soil extractor may be used for sampling and monitoring movement of percolate and solute fronts, in the wetter range of soil water content.     

Aerobic biotransformation of 2,4-dinitroanisole in soil and soil Bacillus sp.

2,4-Dinitroanisole (DNAN) is a low sensitive melt-cast chemical being tested by the Military Industry as a replacement for 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) in explosive formulations. Little is known about the fate of DNAN and its transformation products in the natural environment. Here we report aerobic biotransformation of DNAN in artificially contaminated soil microcosms. DNAN was completely transformed in 8 days in soil slurries supplemented with carbon and nitrogen sources. DNAN was completely transformed in 34 days in slurries supplemented with carbons alone and persisted in unamended microcosms. A strain of Bacillus (named 13G) that transformed DNAN by co-metabolism was isolated from the soil. HPLC and LC–MS analyses of cell-free and resting cell assays of Bacillus 13G with DNAN showed the formation of 2-amino-4-nitroanisole as the major end-product via the intermediary formation of the arylnitroso (ArNO) and arylhydroxylamino (ArNHOH) derivatives, indicating regioselective reduction of the ortho-nitro group. A series of secondary reactions involving ArNO and ArNHOH gave the corresponding azoxy- and azo-dimers. Acetylated and demethylated products were identified. Overall, this paper provides the evidence of fast DNAN transformation by the indigenous microbial populations of an amended soil with no history of contamination with explosives and a first insight into the aerobic metabolism of DNAN by the soil isolate Bacillus 13G.     

土壤种子库的分类系统和种子在土壤中的持久性

对国际上已经发表的10个土壤种子库分类系统的内容进行了总结和阐述,并对土壤种子库分类系统进行了评述,其中Thompson ＆ Grime在1979年提出的把土壤种子库分为短暂土壤种子库（Transient soil seed bank）和持久土壤种子库（Persistent seed bank）的二元分类系统以及Thompson等人提出的把土壤种子库分为（1）短暂土壤种子库,（2）短期持久土壤种子库（Short term persistent seed bank）,（3）长期土壤种子库（Long termp ersistent seed bank）的三元分类系统在生态学文献中已被广泛采用。在此分类的基础上产生了植物种子在土壤中的持久性（Persistence）概念,持久性是指植物的一种特性,是指植物的种子在土壤中能够存活超过1a的特性;植物种子的持久性被认为是一种对环境的进化适应,它可以在多个生长季节萌发从而分担环境震荡的风险,持久土壤种子库不仅在不稳定的环境里占有优势;即使在稳定的环境里,也被认为能够减少种内和种间的竞争;造成持久性的原因可分为环境因子和种子本身的特性比如休眠等两个方面,持久土壤种子库的出现使得土壤种子库的研究与进化生物学结合起来,使得土壤种子库的研究进入一个新的领域,更易激发人们的兴趣。关于种子的大小、形状及持久性的关系问题已经引起了相当的争论,基本上有4种格局：一是种子大小和形状与种子在土壤中的持久性有关,小而圆或扁的种子在土壤易存活持久;二是种子大小与种子在土壤中的持久性有关,小种子在土壤中易存活持久,但种子形状与持久性无关;三是种子大小、形状与种子在土壤中的持久性无关;四为较大的种子在土壤易存活持久,而种子形状与种子在土壤中的持久性无关。影响种子在土壤中的持久性因子比较复杂,总结过去的文献发现主要有以下几个因子：①种子的散布方式,②捕食,③植被的物种组成,④风,⑤土壤基质,⑥火,⑦干扰等。通过比较分析和研究,提出影响种子大小和在土壤中的持久性关系格局的关键因子是气候,特别是生态系统所在地的雨量;湿润气候下容易产生前两种格局,而干旱环境下的生境容易产生后两种格局。     

Effects of environmental variables and soil characteristics on virus survival in soil

Because of the increasing emphasis placed upon land application as a means of wastewater disposal, it is important to evaluate the influences of different factors upon virus survival in soil. The objective of this study was to measure the effects of various environmental variables on virus persistence. Test samples of soil were placed in vials, and the soil was wetted with suspensions of virus in either distilled water, unchlorinated secondary sewage effluent, or mixtures of effluent and water. The viruses used were coxsackieviruses A9 and B3, echovirus 1, poliovirus 2, rotavirus SA11, and bacteriophages T2 and MS2. The rate of virus inactivation was evaluated statistically with regard to conditions under which the vials were incubated and to the soil characteristics. The factors that were found to influence virus survival were temperature, soil moisture content, presence of aerobic microorganisms, degree of virus adsorption to the soil, soil levels of resin-extractable phosphorus, exchangeable aluminium, and soil pH. Overall, temperature and virus adsorption to soil appeared to be the most important factors affecting virus survival.     

三种苦苣苔对石灰土和红壤的适应性分析

为探讨苦苣苔科植物对其岩溶生境的适应性,该研究选取黄花牛耳朵(Primulina lutea)、紫花报春苣苔(Pri.purpurea)和桂林蛛毛苣苔(Paraboea guilinensis)三种苦苣苔科植物,将其栽种在石灰土及红壤两种不同类型的土壤中,观测记录其生长性状并对其叶片元素含量进行测定和比较。植株采集过程中,同时采集自然生境中三种苦苣苔科植物叶片及取样植物基部土壤,并对叶片及土壤元素的含量进行测定,作为今后苗圃试验的参照。结果表明:三种苦苣苔科植物在两种土壤上的生长状况及适应性具有差异,其在石灰土上生长良好,在红壤上生长较差;在两种不同土壤中,除N外,桂林蛛毛苣苔的叶片其他元素(P、K、Mn、Mg、Ca、Zn、Cu)差异极显著(P0.01);除P外,紫花报春苣苔的叶片其他元素(N、K、Mn、Mg、Ca、Zn、Cu)差异极显著(P0.01);除N、Cu、Ca外,黄花牛耳朵的叶片元素(P、K、Mn、Mg、Zn)差异极显著(P0.01);三种植物的叶片元素比值,除少数值没有差异外,大部分指标差异都极显著;对叶片元素与栽培土壤元素的相关性分析,发现植物叶片Mn元素与土壤中N、Ca、Mg、Zn、Mn、有机质含量等呈正相关,土壤P元素与叶片中N、P元素呈正相关,而与叶片中Zn元素呈负相关关系。在其他栽培条件一致的条件下,土壤因素及物种差别是造成黄花牛耳朵、紫花报春苣苔和桂林蛛毛苣苔适应性产生差异的主要原因。     

Plant and soil nematode population changes in wheat grown continuously in ploughed and in unploughed soil

In general, more migratory plant-parasitic nematodes are found in soil under cereals drilled after ploughing than in unploughed land drilled after being sprayed with weed-killer; but some non-parasitic nematodes are more numerous in the unploughed, herbicide-sprayed soil. Spraying a mixture of DDT, diazinon, chlordane and thionazin on the soil before drilling did not affect populations of soil nematodes.     

稳定性铵态氮肥在黑土和褐土中的氮素转化特征

以稳定性氯化铵为氮源,采用室内培养的方法,研究0.20、0.50、1.00 g N·kg^-1干土3种浓度的稳定性铵态氮肥在黑土、褐土中的氮素转化特征.结果表明: 在褐土中,随着氯化铵添加量的增加,土壤中发生硝化作用的时间逐渐推迟,添加0.20、0.50 g N·kg^-1干土处理开始发生明显硝化反应的时间分别为第3、7天,在高浓度氮量(1.00 g N·kg^-1干土)添加下硝化作用受到明显抑制;在黑土中,各浓度氮量添加处理开始发生硝化反应的时间相同,均为第3天,且随着添加量的增加,硝化作用潜势逐渐减弱.只加铵态氮肥的处理中,添加0.20 g N·kg^-1干土的氯化铵氮肥在褐土和黑土中的硝化反应时间分别可维持3周和2周左右;添加0.50 g N·kg^-1干土的氯化铵氮肥在褐土和黑土中的硝化反应时间分别可维持4周和3周左右.与单施氯化铵相比,黑土和褐土在0.20、0.50 g N·kg^-1干土添加浓度下,按纯氮量的1.0%添加3,4-二甲基吡唑磷酸盐(DMPP)、4.0%添加二氰二胺(DCD)均能显著抑制硝化作用,降低硝态氮的含量,抑制硝化作用潜势.综上,在褐土中,随着氯化铵添加浓度增加,土壤硝化作用受到抑制效果大于黑土.在0.20、0.50 g N·kg^-1干土外源铵态氮时,添加抑制剂可以显著抑制铵态氮的硝化作用.因此室内硝化抑制剂培养试验时,建议铵态氮添加量不超过1.00 g N·kg^-1干土,以0.50 g N·kg^-1干土效果最好.     

Effects of plant hedgerows on soil erosion and soil fertility on sloping farmland in the purple soil area

Effect of using plant hedgerows on controlling soil and water losses has received wide recognition and this technology has been applied in many areas in the world. Yet, studies on the effect of using plant hedgerows on soil fertility on sloping lands are rare. Carrying out an eight-year fixed field experiment, the authors investigated the effect of two different hedgerows against the control treatment on soil fertility. Results showed that clay particles tended to accumulate in front of the plant hedgerows and began to erode downward below the hedgerows along the contour lines across the field. Distribution of soil organic matter and all plant nutrients except potassium (K) showed the same pattern as the clay particles. Potassium, however, was evenly distributed in the field without any noticeable influence from the hedgerows. Since the fixed experiment started, soil phosphorus (P) kept accumulating, while soil organic matter and K were in depletion. The results accordingly suggested better nutrient management practices on the sloping lands by using properly reduced rates of P and increased rates of farm manure and K. Taking the sloping field as a whole, special attention in nutrient management should be given to the soil strips —the portions below the plant hedgerows suffering from more serious soil erosion.