Decomposition of cellulose,soil organic matter and plant litter in a temperate grassland soil |
| |
Authors: | D W Hopkins D M Ibrahim A G O'donnell R S Shiel |
| |
Institution: | (1) Department of Agricultural and Environmental Science, The University, NE1 7RU Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK.;(2) Present address: Department of Biological Sciences, The University, DD1 4HN Dundee, UK;(3) Department of Soil Science, University of Maiduguri, Nigeria |
| |
Abstract: | The formation of mor humus in an experimental grassland plot, which has been acidified by long-term fertiliser treatment,
has been studied by comparing the rates of cellulose, soil organic matter and plant litter decay with those in an adjacent
plot with near-neutral pH and mull humus. The decomposition of cellulose filter paper in litter bags of 5 mm, 1-mm and 45-μm
mesh size buried at 3 to 4 cm depth the plots was followed by measuring the weight loss and changes in glucose content over
a 6 month period. Soil pH was either 5.3 or 4.3. Decomposition of native soil organic matter and plant litter in soil from
the same plots were followed using CO2 evolution in laboratory microcosms. Cellulose weight loss at pH 5.3 was greatest from the 5-mm mesh bags and least from the
45-um mesh bags. At pH 4.3 there was little weight loss from bags and no significant differences in weight loss between bags
with different sized mesh. There was, however, a reduction in the glucose content of the hydrolysed and derivatised filter
paper with time. The decomposition rate of native soil organic matter in the low pH soil was increased to that observed in
the less acid soil when the pH of the former was increased from 4.3 to 5.3. The increase in decomposition rate of added plant
litter in the more acid soil as a result of CA(OH)2 addition was only 60% of that observed in the soil with pH 5.3. These data support the hypothesis that the absence of soil
animals and the restricted microbial decomposition in the acidic soil was responsible for mor humus formation. |
| |
Keywords: | ,cellulose,decomposition,litter bags,microcosms,organic matter,sugar analysis |
本文献已被 SpringerLink 等数据库收录! |
|