Effects of continuous cucumber cropping and alternative rotations under protected cultivation on soil microbial community diversity

The diversity of soil microbial communities as affected by continuous cucumber cropping and alternative rotations under protected cultivation were evaluated using community level physiological profiles (CLPP) and random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis. The soils were selected from six cucumber cropping systems, which cover two cropping practices (rotation and continuous cropping) and a wide spectrum for cucumber cropping history under protected cultivation. Shannon–Weaver index and multivariate analysis were performed to characterize variations in soil microbial communities. Both CLPP and RAPD techniques demonstrated that cropping systems and plastic-greenhouse cultivation could considerably affect soil microbial functional diversity and DNA sequence diversity. The open-field soil had the highest Shannon–Weaver index (3.27 for CLPP and 1.50 for RAPD), whereas the lowest value occurred in the 7-year continuous protected cultivation soil (3.27 for CLPP and 1.50 for RAPD). The results demonstrated that continuous plastic-greenhouse cultivation and management can cause the reduction in the species diversity of the biota. Higher Shannon–Weaver index and coefficients of DNA sequence similarity were found in soils under rotation than those under continuous cropping. Cluster analysis also indicated that microbial community profiles of continuous cultivation soils were different from profiles of rotation soils. The reduction in diversity of microbial communities found in continuous cultivation soils as compared with rotation soils might be due to the differences in the quantity, quality and distribution of soil organic matter. Section Editor: D. E. Crowley     

The Effect of Mixing Prunings of Two Tropical Shrub Legumes (Calliandra Houstoniana and Indigofera zollingeriana) with Contrasting Quality on N Release in the Soil and Apparent N Degradation in the Rumen

Lack of synchronization between N released from prunings applied to the soil as green manures and crop uptake as well as optimization of protein digestibility for ruminants, remain major research objectives for the selection of multipurpose tree and shrub legumes (MPT) for mixed smallholder systems in the tropics. Prunings of the high tannin, low quality MPT Calliandra houstoniana CIAT 20400 (Calliandra) and the tannin free, high quality MPT Indigofera zollingeriana (Indigofera) were mixed in the proportions 100:0, 75:25, 50:50, 25:75, and 0:100 (w/w) in order to measure the aerobic rate and extent of N release in a leaching tube experiment, and the anaerobic extent of N degradation in an in vitro gas production experiment. Parameters measured in Calliandra:Indigofera mixtures were compared to theoretical values derived from single species plant material (i.e. 100:0 and 0:100). Aerobic N release and apparent anaerobic N degradation increased with increasing proportion of the high quality legume (Indigofera) in the mixture. While N release in the soil was lower than theoretical values in the mixture 50% Calliandra/50% Indigofera, this was not the case with apparent anaerobic N degradation with the same mixture. Aerobic N immobilization was more pronounced for the mixture 75% Calliandra/25% Indigofera than for 100% Calliandra and negative interaction was observed with apparent anaerobic N degradation in the mixture 75% Calliandra/25% Indigofera. Plant quality parameters that best correlated with aerobic N release and apparent anaerobic N degradation in the rumen were lignin + bound condensed tannins (r=−0.95 and −0.95 respectively, P<0.001). In addition, a positive correlation (r=0.89, P<0.001) was found between aerobic N release in the leaching tube experiment and apparent N degradation in the in vitro anaerobic gas production experiment. Results show that mixing prunings of MPT materials with contrasting quality is an effective way to modify aerobic N release pattern as well as apparent anaerobic N degradation and could possibly be applied to minimize N losses in the rumen and in the soil. In addition, apparent anaerobic N degradation was identified as good predictor of aerobic N release in the soil, which has resource saving implications when screening MTP to be used as green manures.     

Effects of water additions,chemical amendments,and plants on in situ measures of nutrient bioavailability in calcareous soils of southeastern Utah,USA

Barren, subgrade serpentine substrates are difficult to revegetate due to N, P, and K deficiencies, low Ca:Mg molar ratios, potentially high levels of heavy metals including Ni, Cr, and Co, low organic matter, low CEC, and poor water holding capacity. Several large, bare roadcuts exist in the North Coast Ranges along the west coast of California, USA. Substrate was collected from a large roadcut that has remained barren for more than a decade despite conventional surface amendment with NPK fertilizer and seeding with a mix including nonserpentine grasses and herbs. Although serpentine plant communities have been studied globally in great detail, very little information exists on how to effectively restore these communities after drastic disturbance (removal of topsoil and loss of biological activity). This rhizotron study examined how surface layering and mixing yard waste compost into serpentine substrate affected biomass production, rooting distribution, and tolerance of native, as well as invasive grass species that grow on serpentine. Roots of less serpentine-tolerant species became necrotic upon contact with the serpentine substrate in the layered compost application treatment. The roots of highly serpentine-tolerant species, however, displayed a superior tolerance to the serpentine substrate and were able to grow through its entire depth. Mixing the compost into the serpentine substrate significantly improved the Ca content of the growing medium, allowing the less serpentine-tolerant species to root through the entire depth. Although the compost surface layer treatment promoted growth of the highly serpentine-tolerant species in the serpentine substrate, mixing the compost amendment into the substrate would also permit additional desirable revegetation species to become established.     

Nutrient fluxes via litterfall and leaf litter decomposition vary across a gradient of soil nutrient supply in a lowland tropical rain forest

The extent to which plant communities are determined by resource availability is a central theme in ecosystem science, but patterns of small-scale variation in resource availability are poorly known. Studies of carbon (C) and nutrient cycling provide insights into factors limiting tree growth and forest productivity. To investigate rates of tropical forest litter production and decomposition in relation to nutrient availability and topography in the absence of confounding large-scale variation in climate and altitude we quantified nutrient fluxes via litterfall and leaf litter decomposition within three distinct floristic associations of tropical rain forest growing along a soil fertility gradient at the Sepilok Forest Reserve (SFR), Sabah, Malaysia. The quantity and nutrient content of small litter decreased along a gradient of soil nutrient availability from alluvial forest (most fertile) through sandstone forest to heath forest (least fertile). Temporal variation in litterfall was greatest in the sandstone forest, where the amount of litter was correlated negatively with rainfall in the previous month. Mass loss and N and P release were fastest from alluvial forest litter, and slowest from heath forest litter. All litter types decomposed most rapidly in the alluvial forest. Stand-level N and P use efficiencies (ratios of litter dry mass to nutrient content) were greatest for the heath forest followed by the sandstone ridge, sandstone valley and alluvial forests, respectively. We conclude that nutrient supply limits productivity most in the heath forest and least in the alluvial forest. Nutrient supply limited productivity in sandstone forest, especially on ridge and hill top sites where nutrient limitation may be exacerbated by reduced rates of litter decomposition during dry periods. The fluxes of N and P varied significantly between the different floristic communities at SFR and these differences may contribute to small-scale variation in species composition.     

Determining the Causes of Spatial and Temporal Variability of Wheat Yields at Sub-field Scale Using a New Method of Upscaling a Crop Model

Wheat yields in the Mediterranean climate of Western and Southern Australia are often limited by water. Our measurements on a 70 ha growers field showed linear relationships between grain yield and the plant available soil water storage capacity (PAWc) of the top 100 cm of the soil profile. PAWc was linearly related to apparent soil electrical conductivity measured by proximal sensing using electromagnetic induction (EM38). The APSIM wheat model also employs PAWc as one of the systems parameters and simulated linear relationships between PAWc and yield. These relationships were used to transform an EM38-derived PAWc map of the field into yield maps for three major season types (dry, medium and wet) and nitrogen (N) fertiliser management scenarios. The results indicated that the main cause of temporal and spatial yield variability within the field was due to interactions of seasonal rainfall, PAWc and N fertiliser applications. Spatial variability was low in low rainfall years when yields across the field were low and the higher soil water storage capacity sites were often underutilised. With adequate N, spatial variability increased with seasonal rainfall as sites with higher PAWc conserved more water in wet seasons to give higher yield response than sites with low PAWc. The higher yield response of high PAWc sites to rainfall gave rise to larger temporal variability compared with sites with low PAWc. Provision of adequate N is required for the water limited yield potential to be expressed and this increased both spatial and temporal variability. Sites with low PAWc performed poorly irrespective of rainfall and N application. PAWc is inherently low on deep coarse sands; these sites should be considered for a change in land use. Elsewhere, strategic management interventions should aim to improve PAWc through sub-soil amelioration and deep root growth to increase the capital asset of the farm. The resulting increase in yields will occur in favourable seasons and with adequate fertiliser provisions. The largest grain yield response to water and N will be obtained on sites with the highest PAWc and it is at those sites that the greatest profits from fertiliser use could be achieved in wet seasons.     

Soil Carbon, Nitrogen and Phosphorus Dynamics as Affected by Solarization Alone or Combined with Organic Amendment

Soil solarization, alone or combined with organic amendment, is an increasingly attractive approach for managing soil-borne plant pathogens in agricultural soils. Even though it consists in a relatively mild heating treatment, the increased soil temperature may strongly affect soil microbial processes and nutrients dynamics. This study aimed to investigate the impact of solarization, either with or without addition of farmyard manure, in soil dynamics of various C, N and P pools. Changes in total C, N and P contents and in some functionally-related labile pools (soil microbial biomass C and N, K₂SO₄-extractable C and N, basal respiration, KCl-exchangeable ammonium and nitrate, and water-soluble P) were followed across a 72-day field soil solarization experiment carried out during a summer period on a clay loam soil in Southern Italy. Soil physico-chemical properties (temperature, moisture content and pH) were also monitored. The average soil temperature at 8-cm depth in solarized soils approached 55 °C as compared to 35 °C found in nonsolarized soil. Two-way ANOVA (solarization×organic amendment) showed that both factors significantly affected most of the above variables, being the highest influence exerted by the organic amendment. With no manure addition, solarization did not significantly affect soil total C, N and P pools. Whereas soil pH, microbial biomass and, at a greater extent, K₂SO₄-extractable N and KCl-exchangeable ammonium were greatly affected. An increased release of water-soluble P was also found in solarized soils. Yet, solarization altered the quality of soluble organic residues released in soil as it lowered the C-to-N ratio of both soil microbial biomass and K₂SO₄-extractable organic substrates. Additionally, in solarized soils the metabolic quotient (qCO₂) significantly increased while the microbial biomass C-to-total organic C ratio (microbial quotient) decreased over the whole time course. We argued that soil solarization promoted the mineralization of readily decomposable pools of the native soil organic matter (e.g. the microbial biomass) thus rendering larger, at least over a short-term, the available fraction of some soil mineral nutrients, namely N and P forms. However, over a longer prospective solarization may lead to an over-exploitation of labile organic resources in agricultural soils. Manure addition greatly increased the levels of both total and labile C, N and P pools. Thus, addition of organic amendments could represent an important strategy to protect agricultural lands from excessive soil resources exploitation and to maintain soil fertility while enhancing pest control.     

Effects of Plant Species Diversity and Composition on Nitrogen Cycling and the Trace Gas Balance of Soils

Experiments addressing the role of plant species diversity for ecosystem functioning have recently proliferated. Most studies have focused on plant biomass responses. However, microbial processes involved in the production of N₂O and the oxidation of atmospheric CH₄ could potentially be affected via effects on N cycling, on soil diffusive properties (due to changes in water relations and root architecture) and by more direct interactions of plants with soil microbes. We studied ecosystem-level CH₄ and N₂O fluxes in experimental communities assembled from two pasture soils and from combinations of 1, 3, 6, 8 or 9 species typical for these pastures. The soils contrasted with respect to texture and fertility. N₂O emissions decreased with diversity and increased in the presence of legumes. Soils were sinks for CH₄ at all times; legume monocultures were a smaller sink for atmospheric CH₄ than non-legume monocultures, but no effect of species richness per se was detected. However, both the exchange of CH₄ and N₂O strongly depended on plant community composition, and on the interaction of composition with soil type, indicating that the functional role of species and their interactions differed between soils. N₂O fluxes were mainly driven by effects on soil nitrate and on nitrification while soil moisture had less of an effect. Soil microbial C and N and N mineralisation rates were not altered. The driver of the interactive soil type×plant community composition-effects was less clear. Because soil methanotrophs may take longer to respond to alterations of N cycling than the 1/2 year treatment in this study, we also tested species richness-effects in two separate 5-year field studies, but results were ambiguous, indicating complex interactions with soil disturbance. In conclusion, our study demonstrates that plant community composition can affect the soil trace gas balance, whereas plant species richness per se was less important; it also indicates a potential link between the botanical composition of plant communities and global warming.     

Effects of forest conversion into grassland on soil aggregate structure and carbon storage in Panama: evidence from soil carbon fractionation and stable isotopes

Land-use and land-cover strongly influence soil properties such as the amount of soil organic carbon (SOC), aggregate structure and SOC turnover processes. We studied the effects of a vegetation shift from forest to grassland 90 years ago in soils derived from andesite material on Barro Colorado Island (BCI), Panama. We quantified the amount of carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) and determined the turnover of C in bulk soil, water stable aggregates (WSA) of different size classes (<53 μm, 53–250 μm, 250–2000 μm and 2000–8000 μm) and density fractions (free light fraction, intra-aggregate particulate organic matter and mineral associated soil organic C). Total SOC stocks (0–50 cm) under forest (84 Mg C ha⁻¹) and grassland (64 Mg C ha⁻¹) did not differ significantly. Our results revealed that vegetation type did not have an effect on aggregate structure and stability. The investigated soils at BCI did not show higher C and N concentrations in larger aggregates, indicating that organic material is not the major binding agent in these soils to form aggregates. Based on δ¹³C values and treating bulk soil as a single, homogenous C pool we estimated a mean residence time (MRT) of 69 years for the surface layer (0–5 cm). The MRT varied among the different SOC fractions and among depth. In 0–5 cm, MRT of intra-aggregate particulate organic matter (iPOM) was 29 years; whereas mineral associated soil organic C (mSOC) had a MRT of 124 years. These soils have substantial resilience to C and N losses because the >90% of C and N is associated with mSOC, which has a comparatively long MRT.     

Bradford reactive soil protein in Appalachian soils: distribution and response to incubation, extraction reagent and tannins

Bradford reactive soil protein (BRSP) is thought to correlate to glomalin, an important soil glycoprotein that promotes soil aggregate formation and may represent a significant pool of stable soil organic matter (SOM). However, more information is needed about its importance in Appalachian soils and its relationships with other soil properties. We measured BRSP in 0–20 cm soil from pastures, hayfields, cultivated fields or forest areas in southern West Virginia. Highest amounts of BRSP were found near the soil surface and decreased significantly with depth for all land uses except cultivated sites. Forest and pasture sites contained more BRSP than hayfields or cultivated fields but these differences occurred only in the 0–5 cm depth. Overall averages of C and N in BRSP represented about 4.0 and 6.5% of the total soil C and N respectively. During a 395 day soil incubation, we found CO₂–C evolution rates comparable to other studies but only small changes in BRSP (<10%) including some evidence for increases during incubation. Sodium citrate, sodium pyrophosphate, and sodium oxalate recovered significantly more BRSP from soil than the other extractants we tested with highest extraction efficiencies observed for sodium citrate and pyrophosphate. Recovery of BRSP appears related to negative charge and buffering capacity of both the soil and extractant. Extractants with low negative charge had little buffering capacity and yielded little BRSP. Tannic acid appeared to increase extraction of BRSP but less soluble-N was recovered from tannin-treated samples than from untreated controls and E4/E6, the ratio of absorbance at 465 and 665 nm, decreased, evidence for the formation of larger or heavier molecules. Formation of dark-colored substances during extraction suggests the colorimetric Bradford assay may overestimate soil protein when tannins are present. Recovery of less soluble-N from soil extracts and lower E4/E6 ratios suggests tannins may bind with soil constituents themselves or form non-extractable N-containing complexes.     

Abiotic factors control invasion by Argentine ants at the community scale

1. A prominent and unresolved question in ecology concerns why communities differ in their susceptibility to invasion. While studies often emphasize biotic resistance, it is less widely appreciated how the physical environment affects community vulnerability to invasion. 2. In this study we performed field experiments to test how abiotic variation directly and indirectly influences the extent to which Linepithema humile Mayr (Argentine ants) invade seasonally dry environments in southern California. 3. In controlled and replicated experiments involving drip irrigation, we demonstrate (i) that elevated levels of soil moisture increased both the abundance of Argentine ants and their ability to invade native ant communities and (ii) that cessation of irrigation caused declines in the abundance of Argentine ants and led to their withdrawal from previously occupied areas. 4. Because drip irrigation stimulated plant growth, in an additional experiment we manipulated both soil moisture and plant cover to assess the direct vs. indirect effects of added water on the abundance of L. humile. 5. Local abundance of Argentine ants increased in irrigated plots but was 38% higher in irrigated plots with plants compared to irrigated plots where plant growth was suppressed. The results of this experiment thus argue for a direct role of soil moisture in influencing Argentine ant abundance but suggest that that the indirect effects of added water may also be important. 6. Our study illustrates more generally that fine-scale variation in the physical environment can control whether communities become invaded by non-native species and suggests that an understanding of community susceptibility to invasion will be improved by a better appreciation of interactions between the biotic and abiotic environment.