光合产物传输方向对蓉城竹根际微生物过程的影响

Effects of transportation direction of photosynthate on soil microbial processes in the rhizosphere of Phyllostachys bissetii

分株间光合产物的整合作用对克隆植物适应生存环境具有重要作用,但有关光合产物传输方向对克隆植物根际土壤微生物过程的影响尚不清楚。该研究以根状茎克隆植物蓉城竹(Phyllostachys bissetii)为研究对象,通过剪除分株地上部分控制光合产物传输方向(顶向传输和基向传输),研究光合产物传输方向对蓉城竹分株根际土壤微生物过程的影响,其中顶向传输组是将远端分株地上部分剪除(保留地面以上20cm),近端分株自然生长;基向传输组则是将近端分株地上部分剪除(保留地面以上20cm),远端分株自然生长。两组实验中保持根状茎连接或切断处理。测定了地上部分被剪除分株根际土壤中碳和氮有效性、微生物生物量参数以及氮转化相关土壤胞外酶活性等指标。结果表明:光合产物顶向传输中,根状茎保持连接的远端分株根际土壤总有机碳(TOC)、溶解性有机碳(DOC)、溶解性有机氮(DON)、铵态氮(NH4^+-N)、硝态氮(NO3^--N)含量显著高于切断的远端分株,N-乙酰基-β-D-氨基葡萄糖苷酶(NAGase)、多酚氧化酶(POXase)和脲酶(Urease)活性显著升高,光合产物的顶向传输对远端分株根际碳、氮有效性和根际微生物过程产生了显著性影响;光合产物的基向传输中,根状茎保持连接的近端分株根际与切断分株相比具有更高的微生物生物量氮(MBN)含量、Urease、POXase活性,较低的NAGase活性和NH4^+-N、NO3^--N含量,但碳的有效性无显著性差异。蓉城竹分株间光合产物的非对称性传输对根际微生物过程的影响可能是对动物取食或人为砍伐等干扰的有益权衡,这有助于理解克隆植物对生存环境的种群适应机制。

Aims Clonal integration contributes greatly to the adaption of clonal plants to heterogeneous habitats. However, effects of transportation direction of photosynthate on microbial processes need to be further investigated in the rhizosphere. The purpose of this study is to determine the effects of directional differences in photosynthate transport on microbial processes in the rhizosphere of clonal plant Phyllostachys bissetii.Methods By removing the aboveground parts of the ramets, acropetal treatment and basipetal treatment were applied in this study to control the transportation direction of photosynthate. In acropetal treatment, aboveground parts of distal ramets were cut off (with 20 cm above ground kept), and proximal ramets were left intact. While in basipetal treatment, aboveground parts of proximal ramets were cut off (with 20 cm above ground kept), and distal ramets were left intact. Rhizomes between the two ramets were either connected or severed. Carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) availabilities, and enzyme activities in the rhizosphere soils were measured.Important findings In acropetal treatment, total organic carbon (TOC), dissolved organic carbon (DOC), dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) and soil inorganic nitrogen (NH4^+-N and NO3^--N) content in the rhizosphere soil of distal ramets with connected rhizomes were significantly higher than those with severed rhizome. The activities of urease, polyphenol oxidase (POXase), N-acetyl-β-D-Glucosaminidase (NAGase) were significantly enhanced. Further, clonal integration had a significant effect on C and N availability, and microbial processes in the rhizosphere soil of neighbouring ramets. In basipetal treatment, clonal integration did not show a significant effect on C availability in the rhizosphere soil of proximal ramets, but microbial processes along with soil enzyme activities were altered accordingly. Effects of transportation direction of photosynthate on microbial processes in the rhizosphere of P. bissetii provides insights into the adaptation mechanisms of clonal plant populations.