Soil Microbial Biomass Nitrogen and Its Relationship to Uptake of Nitrogen by Plants

The contents of the soil microbial biomass nitrogen (SMBN) in the soils sampled from the Loess Plateau of China were determined using chloroform fumigation aerobic incubation method (CFAIM), chloroform fumigation anaerobic incubation method (CFANIM) and chloroform fumigation-extraction method (CFEM).The N taken up by ryegrass on the soils was determined after a glasshouse pot experiment. The flushes of nitrogen (FN) of the soils obtained by the CFAIM and CFANIM were higher than that by the CFEM, and there were significantly positive correlations between the FN obtained by the 3 methods. The N extracted from the fumigated soils by the CFAIM, CFANIM and CFEM were significantly positively correlated with the N uptake by ryegrass. The FN obtained by the 3 methods was also closely positively correlated with the plant N uptake. The contributions of the SMBN and mineral N and mineralized N during the incubation period to plant N uptake were evaluated with the multiple regression method. The results showed that the N contained in the soil microbial biomass might play a noticeable role in the N supply of the soils to the plant.

Effect of Ammonium Fixation on Determination of N Mineralized from Soil Microbial Biomass

Two soils with relatively high (Soil 1) and low (Soil 2) ammonium fixation capacities were used in thisstudy to extalne the effect of ammonium fixation on the determination of N mineralised from soil ndcrobialbiomass. organism suspellsioll was quantitatively introduced to Soil 1 at various rates. Both fumigation-incubation (FI) and fumigation-ext raction (FE ) met hods were used to t reat t he soil. The amount of ffeedNH4+-N increased with increasing rate of organism-N addition. A close correlation was found between theamoun of fixed aznmonium and the rate of organism-N addition. The net increso of fixed NH4+-N wereequivalent to 38% and 12% of the added organism-N for FI and FE treatments, respectively in this specificsoil. To provide isotopic evidence, 15N-labelled organism-N was added to Soils 1 and 2 at 121.4 mg N kg-1.In FI treatment, 22 and 3 mg N kg-1 of labelled N were found in the fraction of fixed NH4+-N in Soils 1 and2 respectively; while in FE treatment, 9 mg N kg-1 of labelled N was found in the fraction of fixed NH4+-Nin Soil 1 only. There was no labelled N in the fraction of fixed NH4+-N in Soil 2. In all of the unfumigated(check) soils, there was little or no labelled N in the fixed fractions, probably because the organism-N addedwas easily mineralized and nitrified. A mean of 0.64 for KN value, the fraction of N ndneralized in the killedmicrobial biomass, was obtained with inclusion of the net increase of fixed NH4+-N. The corresponding valuecalculated with exclusion of the net increase of fixed NH4+-N was 0.46. It was concluded that ammniumfixation was a problem in determination of KN, particularly for soils with a high ammonium fixation capacity.Results also showed that microbial biomass N measurement by FE method was less affected by ammoniumprocess than that by FI method.

Effects of Lanthanum on Microbial Biomass Carbon and Nitrogen in Red Soil

The result of soil. culture experiment shows that lanthanum has inhibitory effect on the microbial biomass C and N in red soil, and the inhibition is strengthened with increasing concentration of La. The result of rice pot culture experiment shows that low concentration of La has slight stimulative effect on the microbial biomass C and N in red soil, but its high concentration has inhibitory effect and the inhibition is strengthened with increasing concentration of La. Soil microbial biomass is an important indicator for evaluating rare earths-polluted soil. It is assumed that the critical La concentration is 100 mg.kg(-1) at which red soil tends to be polluted.

Influence of chlorsulfuron herbicide on size of microbial biomass in the soil

A laboratory incubation experiment was conducted to study the effect of chlorsulfuron herbicide on the size of the microbial in loamy sand soil. The herbicide was applied, at four levels that were control, field rate 0\^01 (FR), 0\^1 (10FR) and 1 (100FR) μg/g. Determinations of microbial biomass C content and microbial biomass N content were carried out 1, 3, 5, 7, 10, 15, 25 and 45 days after herbicide application. In comparison to untreated soil, the microbial biomass carbon and biomass nitrogen decreased significantly in soil treated with herbicide in levels 10FR and 100FR within the first 10 days incubation. A more considerable increase in the microbial biomass C∶N ratio was observed in the herbicide treated soil than the non treated control. This effect was transitory and only at the higher rates of chlorsulfuron was significant.

How Physical Disturbance and Nitrogen Addition Affect the Soil Carbon Decomposition?

The decomposition of soil organic carbon(SOC)plays a critical role in regulating atmospheric CO_(2)concentrations and climate dynamics.However,the mechanisms and factors controlling SOC decomposition are still not fully understood.Here,we conducted a 60 days incubation experiment to test the effects of physical disturbance and nitrogen(N)addition on SOC decomposition.N addition increased the concentration of NO3-by 51%in the soil,but had little effect on the concentration of NH4+.N addition inhibited SOC decomposition,but such an effect differed between disturbed and undisturbed soils.In disturbed and undisturbed soils,application of N decreased SOC decomposition by 37%and 15%,respectively.One possible explanation is that extra N input suppressed microbial N mining and/or increased the stability of soil organic matter by promoting the formation of soil aggregates and incorporating part of the inorganic N into organic matter,and consequently decreased microbial mineralization of soil organic matter.Physical disturbance intensified the inhibition of N on SOC decomposition,likely because physical disturbance allowed the added N to be better exposed to soil microbes and consequently increased the availability of added N.We conclude that physical disturbance and N play important roles in modulating the stability of SOC.

Soil Aggregates, Organic Matter, and Labile C and N Fractions after 37 Years of N, P and K Applications to an Irrigated Subtropical Soil under Maize-Wheat Rotation

Abstract： Physical, chemical and biological soil properties in surface （0-5 cm） and subsurface soil （5-15 cm） were determined in a field experiment conducted with seven treatments consisted of different combinations of fertilizer N （0, 100 and 200 kg N ha^-1）, P （0, 22 and 44 kg P2O5 ha^-1） and K （0, 41 and 82 kg K2O ha^-1） applied both to summer-grown maize （Zea mays L.） and winter-grown wheat （Triticum aestivum L.） crops continuously for 37 years under irrigated subtropical conditions. Application of N, P and K significantly increased water stable aggregates and had profound effects in increasing the mean weight diameter as well as the formation of macro-aggregates, which were highest in both surface （81%） and subsurface （74%） soil layers with application of 100 kg N ＋ 22 kg P2O5 ＋ 41 kg K2O ha^-1 （N100P22K41）. The N100P22K41 treatment also enhanced total organic C （TOC） from 4.4 g kg^-1 in no-NPK control to 4.8 g kg^-1in surface layer and from 3.3 to 4.1 g kg1 in subsurface layer leading to the 20% higher TOC stocks in 0-15 cm soil. The labile C and N fractions such as water soluble C, particulate and light fraction organic matter, potentially mineralizable N and microbial biomass were also highest under the optimized balanced application of N100P22K41. Relatively higher increase in all labile fractions of C and N as proportion of TOC and total N, respectively suggested that these are potential indicators to reflect changes in management practices long before changes in TOC and TN are detectable. These results demonstrated that optimized balanced application of N, P and K is crucial for improving soil health ensuring long-term sustainability of farming systems in semiarid subtropical soils.

Soil type and wetting intensity control the enhancement extent of N_(2)O efflux in soil with drought and rewetting cycles

Climate change alters the intensity and frequency of drought and rewetting(D/W)events;however,the influence patterns of D/W on soil N_(2)O efflux in the water-limited area were not fully understood.Therefore,the impacts of D/W cycles varying in different extent of rewetting and frequency to N_(2)O efflux in two kinds of soil on the Loess Plateau were investigated.The incubation conditions consisted of 1)D/W treatments with four 7-day cycles from 10%water holding capacity(WHC)to 60%WHC or 90%WHC,2)constant moisture of 60%WHC and 90%WHC.The pulse of N_(2)O efflux rate under 10-60%WHC treatment was higher than that under 10-90%WHC treatment in calcic cambisols,while opposite trend was observed in earth-cumuli-orthic anthrosols.Meanwhile,the pulse of N_(2)O efflux rate decreased as cycle number increased for different wetting intensities and soil types.The direct N_(2)O efflux under 10-60%WHC and 10-90%WHC treatments were 5.49 and 1.89μg N_(2)O-N g^(-1)soil in calcic cambisols,with those being 1.92 and 10.85μg N_(2)O-N g^(-1)soil in earth-cumuli-orthic anthrosols,respectively.The N loss in earth-cumuli-orthic anthrosols was approximately 5.74 times greater than that in calcic cambisols under 10-90%WHC treatment,whereas the N loss under 10-60%WHC treatment was about 2.86 times greater in calcic cambisols than that in earth-cumuli-orthic anthrosols.This study suggested that extreme rainfall events can enhance the N_(2)O efflux and N loss in agricultural soils on the Loess Plateau in terms of soil type and wetting intensity,which should not be ignored in the N fertilizer management.

Plant residues differing in C/N ratio in mulch and soil-the effect of the mulch on nutrient availability and microbial biomass is more pronounced with higher leaching amount

This study investigated the effect of C/N ratio,placement of plant residues,and leaching amounts on soil respiration,microbial biomass,and nutrient availability within four weeks after amendment.Young faba bean shoots(FB,C/N 7)and mature wheat straw(WH,C/N 80)were used as low and high C/N residue,respectively.Soil was unamended,mulched with FB or WH only,or mulched with one residue and mixed with the other residue.Leaching with 5 or 25 mL water was carried out on days 4,12,and 20.Cumulative respiration and microbial biomass N were higher with 25 than 5 mL only in treatments with two residues.WH under FB mulch reduced N availability compared to FB mulch alone,whereas FB under WH increased N availability compared toWHmulch alone.When soils were leached with 25 mL water,available N in FB mulch over WH was lower on day 12,but higher later,compared to WH mulch over FB.In contrast,in WH mulch over FB microbial biomass N increased over time whereas available N decreased.In conclusion,the effect of C/N ratio of the mulch on soil available and microbial biomass N was greater with the higher leaching amount.