Compensatory growth of Phanerochaete velutina mycelial systems grazed by Folsomia candida (Collembola)

Phanerochaete velutina is a major agent of wood decomposition in temperate forests. It grows out of woody resources in search of other resources and is then vulnerable to grazing by invertebrates. The aim of this study was to determine how continuous grazing and grazing for only 2 days by different densities of collembola, Folsomia candida, affect mycelial development (radial extension, hyphal coverage and fractal dimension) of P. velutina growing across non-sterile soil. High density (80 collembola) continuous grazing resulted in different mycelial foraging patterns compared to controls and lower density (20 and 40 collembola) continuous grazing: radial extension rate was reduced from 8.4 mm day(-1) (control) to 6.9 mm day(-1) (80 collembola), hyphal coverage was reduced to 81% of controls and mass fractal dimension increased from 1.68 (control) to 1.72 (80 collembola). There was evidence of over-compensatory growth: when high density grazing ceased the new growth was considerably greater (38%) than in controls. Grazing also resulted in growth stimulation: at low density continuous grazing (20 collembola) hyphal coverage was 15.6% greater than in controls. The ecological implications of compensatory and stimulatory growth in fungal-invertebrate interactions are considered.     

Effect of soil and litter type on outgrowth patterns of mycelial systems of Phanerochaete velutina

Abstract: The outgrowth patterns of Phanerochaete velutina from woody resources varied depending on the soil/litter type. There were clear differences in mycelial extension rate, time between contact with and emergence from baits, mycelial biomass, and extra-resource mycelial responses to contact with new resources depending on soil type, though there was little difference between fractal dimension, i.e. space filling, of mycelia with time or soil/litter type. In a few replicates, particularly in components from the Lawson's cypress stand, mycelia sometimes became brownish colour, ceased growth and eventually disintegrated. In litter the pattern of mycelial development was quite different from that in soil due to subsurface growth in which needles were often colonised. In humus, mycelial development was somewhat similar to that in soil.     

Carbohydrate partitioning, photosynthesis and growth in Lemna gibba G3. II. Effects of phosphorus limitation

The relationship between CO₂ assimilation rate, growth and partitioning of carbon among starch, sucrose, glucose and fructose were studied in phosphorus (P_i)-limited Lemna gibba L. G3. Two experimental models were used: 1) Cultures were grown at various stable, suboptimal rates regulated by the supply of P_i; 2) cultures growing at optimal rates were transferred to P_i-free medium. The response to a P_i deficiency can be divided into two phases. Phase I is characterized by hyperactivity of the sucrose synthesis pathway, leading to high levels of glucose and fructose. Phase II is characterized by starch accumulation associated with a decrease in the cytoplasmic pools of soluble sugars owing to inhibition of carbon export from the chloroplast. A strong negative correlation was found between the CO₂ assimilation rate and starch levels. No significant correlation was found between assimilation and ATP levels and decrease in relative growth rate did not significantly affect the adenylate energy charge (EC). The regulatory aspects of the partitioning of carbon among soluble sugars and starch as well as the negative correlation between carbohydrate levels and CO₂ assimilation at P_i-limited growth are discussed.     

Phosphatase activity and phosphorus partitioning in nodules of developing mungbean

The acid and alkaline phosphatase activities were determined in bacteroid free fraction of nodules during development, using different phosphorylated substrates. Both enzymes change their substrate specificities with nodule development. Alkaline phosphatase, 20 days after sowing (DAS), showed negligible activity with ATP while at later stages maximum activity with ATP was observed. Invariably fructose 1,6 bisphosphate was a better substrate compared to fructose-6-phosphate and glucose-6-phosphate. Using Sephadex G-150 column chromatography, only one peak of acid phosphatase around Ve/Vo of 2.2 to 2.3 was observed at 20 and 30 DAS stages while at 40 DAS stage an additional ATP specific peak at around Ve/Vo of 2.9 was also observed. There was only one alkaline phosphatase peak at 20 and 30 DAS. However, at 40 DAS additional ATP specific peaks of phosphatases were observed at Ve/Vo of 1.4 and 2.6. Alkaline phosphatase could not be detected in the bacteroids whereas activity of acid phosphatase was about 5–7 % of that observed in the bacteroid free preparation. A low activity of both acid and alkaline phytases was observed at all stages of nodule development. However, phytic acid could not be detected. Increase in phosphorus content of water soluble organic phosphate at late stage of nodule development appears to be related with low level of phosphatase activity.     

Allocation of carbon in a mature eucalypt forest and some effects of soil phosphorus availability

Pools and annual fluxes of carbon (C) were estimated for a mature Eucalyptus pauciflora (snowgum) forest with and without phosphorus (P) fertilizer addition to determine the effect of soil P availability on allocation of C in the stand. Aboveground biomass was estimated from allometric equations relating stem and branch diameters of individual trees to their biomass. Biomass production was calculated from annual increments in tree diameters and measurements of litterfall. Maintenance and construction respiration were calculated for each component using equations given by Ryan (1991a). Total belowground C flux was estimated from measurements of annual soil CO₂ efflux less the C content of annual litterfall (assuming forest floor and soil C were at approximate steady state for the year that soil CO₂ efflux was measured). The total C content of the standing biomass of the unfertilized stand was 138 t ha^-1, with approximately 80% aboveground and 20% belowground. Forest floor C was 8.5 t ha^-1. Soil C content (0–1 m) was 369 t ha^-1 representing 70% of the total C pool in the ecosystem. Total gross annual C flux aboveground (biomass increment plus litterfall plus respiration) was 11.9 t ha^-1 and gross flux belowground (coarse root increment plus fine root production plus root respiration) was 5.1 t ha^-1. Total annual soil efflux was 7.1 t ha^-1, of which 2.5 t ha^-1 (35%) was contributed by litter decomposition.The short-term effect of changing the availability of P compared with C on allocation to aboveground versus belowground processes was estimated by comparing fertilized and unfertilized stands during the year after treatment. In the P-fertilized stand annual wood biomass increment increased by 30%, there was no evidence of change in canopy biomass, and belowground C allocation decreased by 19% relative to the unfertilized stand. Total annual C flux was 16.97 and 16.75 t ha^-1 yr^-1 and the ratio of below- to aboveground C allocation was 0.43 and 0.35 in the unfertilized and P-fertilized stands, respectively. Therefore, the major response of the forest stand to increased soil P availability appeared to be a shift in C allocation; with little change in total productivity. These results emphasise that both growth rate and allocation need to be estimated to predict changes in fluxes and storage of C in forests that may occur in response to disturbance or climate change.     

Effects of soil phosphorus availability,temperature and moisture on soil respiration in Eucalyptus pauciflora forest

Rates of soil respiration (CO₂ efflux) were measured for a year in a mature Eucalyptus pauciflora forest in unfertilized and phosphorus-fertilized plots. Soil CO₂ efflux showed a distinct seasonal trend, and average daily rates ranged from 124 to 574 mg CO₂ m^–2 hr^–1. Temperature and moisture are the main variables that cause variation in soil CO₂ efflux; hence their effects were investigated over a year so as to then differentiate the treatment effect of phosphorus (P) nutrition.Soil temperature had the greatest effect on CO₂ efflux and exhibited a highly significant logarithmic relationship (r² = 0.81). Periods of low soil and litter moisture occurred during summer when temperatures were greater than 10 °C, and this resulted in depression of soil CO₂ efflux. During winter, when temperatures were less than 10 °C, soil and litter moisture were consistently high and thus their variation had little effect on soil CO₂ efflux. A multiple regression model including soil temperature, and soil and litter moisture accounted for 97% of the variance in rates of CO₂ efflux, and thus can be used to predict soil CO₂ efflux at this site with high accuracy. Total annual efflux of carbon from soil was estimated to be 7.11 t C ha^–1 yr^–1. The model was used to predict changes in this annual flux if temperature and moisture conditions were altered. The extent to which coefficients of the model differ among sites and forest types requires testing.Increased soil P availability resulted in a large increase in stem growth of trees but a reduction in the rate of soil CO₂ efflux by approximately 8%. This reduction is suggested to be due to lower root activity resulting from reduced allocation of assimilate belowground. Root activity changed when P was added to microsites within plots, and via the whole tree root system at the plot level. These relationships of belowground carbon fluxes with temperature, moisture and nutrient availability provide essential information for understanding and predicting potential changes in forest ecosystems in response to land use management or climate change.     

Elevated carbon dioxide increases soil nitrogen and phosphorus availability in a phosphorus‐limited Eucalyptus woodland

Free‐air CO₂ enrichment (FACE) experiments have demonstrated increased plant productivity in response to elevated (e)CO₂, with the magnitude of responses related to soil nutrient status. Whilst understanding nutrient constraints on productivity responses to eCO₂ is crucial for predicting carbon uptake and storage, very little is known about how eCO₂ affects nutrient cycling in phosphorus (P)‐limited ecosystems. Our study investigates eCO₂ effects on soil N and P dynamics at the EucFACE experiment in Western Sydney over an 18‐month period. Three ambient and three eCO₂ (+150 ppm) FACE rings were installed in a P‐limited, mature Cumberland Plain Eucalyptus woodland. Levels of plant accessible nutrients, evaluated using ion exchange resins, were increased under eCO₂, compared to ambient, for nitrate (+93%), ammonium (+12%) and phosphate (+54%). There was a strong seasonality to responses, particularly for phosphate, resulting in a relatively greater stimulation in available P, compared to N, under eCO₂ in spring and summer. eCO₂ was also associated with faster nutrient turnover rates in the first six months of the experiment, with higher N (+175%) and P (+211%) mineralization rates compared to ambient rings, although this difference did not persist. Seasonally dependant effects of eCO₂ were seen for concentrations of dissolved organic carbon in soil solution (+31%), and there was also a reduction in bulk soil pH (‐0.18 units) observed under eCO₂. These results demonstrate that CO₂ fertilization increases nutrient availability – particularly for phosphate – in P‐limited soils, likely via increased plant belowground investment in labile carbon and associated enhancement of microbial turnover of organic matter and mobilization of chemically bound P. Early evidence suggests that there is the potential for the observed increases in P availability to support increased ecosystem C‐accumulation under future predicted CO₂ concentrations.     

施磷对川西北高寒草地土壤磷形态及有效性的影响

以川西北高寒草地为研究对象,采用随机区组设计,设置0、10、20、30、40、50、60 g/m²的过磷酸钙(P₂O₅,16%)施肥试验,分析土壤不同形态磷含量和有效磷(Olsen-P)含量变化特征,探究施磷对川西北高寒草地土壤磷形态及有效磷的影响。结果表明：(1)随施磷量增加,土壤总磷(TP)含量先增加后趋于平稳而Olsen-P含量减少。高水平(50、60 g/m²)施磷下氢氧化钠有机磷(NaOH-Po)及残留磷(Residual-P)是高寒草地主要的磷素累积形态,其含量显著高于不施磷处理;(2)树脂交换态磷(Resin-Pi)、碳酸氢钠无机磷(NaHCO₃-Pi)、碳酸氢钠有机磷(NaHCO₃-Po)和氢氧化钠无机磷(NaOH-Pi)含量随施磷量增加整体呈先增加后降低趋势,表层土壤30 g/m²磷肥用量下其值均为最高,分别为21.54、22.94、65.86、64.48 mg/kg。酸溶性无机磷(HCl-Pi)随施磷量增加整体呈下...