土壤食物网中的真菌/细菌比率及测定方法

土壤食物网对有机质的分解有两条途径,即真菌途径和细菌途径。在不同的土壤生态系统中,由于提供能源的有机物其分解的难易程度不同,这两条途径所起的作用也不同。以细菌分解途径为主导的土壤,有机质降解快,氮矿化率高,有利于养分供应。以真菌途径为主的土壤,氮和能量转化比较缓慢,有利于有机质存贮和氮的固持。因此,土壤食物网的细菌∕真菌比率,反映了整个土壤食物网的结构和功能对不同土壤条件的响应。细菌∕真菌比率的常规测定方法有显微镜计数法,选择性呼吸抑制法,麦角甾醇法,氨基葡萄糖/胞壁酸法等。磷酸脂肪酸分析法(PLFA)是一种测定微生物群落结构的新方法,所测定的真菌和细菌脂肪酸分子团相对量(摩尔浓度)是一个有用的指标,但由于真菌与细菌的细胞个体存在很大差异,要把它换算成真菌与细菌生物量碳的绝对比例,还存在一定困难。对土壤条件和整个食物网结构的了解有助于确定有关转换参数。

Loss of total phenols from leaf litter of two shrub species: dual responses to alpine forest gap disturbance during winter and the growing season

Aims Alpine forest gaps can control understory ecosystem processes by manipulating hydrothermal dynamics.Here,we aimed to test the role of alpine forest gap disturbance on total phenol loss(TPL)from the decomposing litter of two typical shrub species(willow,Salix paraplesia Schneid.,and bamboo,Fargesia nitida(Mitford)Keng f.).Methods We conducted a field litterbag experiment within a representative fir(Abies faxoniana Rehd.)forest based on‘gap openness treatments’(plot positions in the gap included the gap center south,gap center north,canopy edge,expanded edge and closed canopy).The TPL rate and litter surface microbial abundance(fungi and bacteria)of the two shrub species were measured during the following periods over 2 years:snow formation(SF),snow cover(SC),snow melting(ST),the early growing season(EG)and the late growing season(LG).Important Findings At the end of the study,we found that snow cover depth,freeze–thaw cycle frequency and the fungal copies g−1 to bacterial copies g−1 ratio had significant effects on litter TPL.The abundances of fungi and bacteria decreased from the gap center to the closed canopy during the SF,SC,ST and LG periods and showed the opposite trend during the EG periods.The rate of TPL among plot positions closely followed the same trend as microbial abundance during the first year of incubation.In addition,both species had higher rates of TPL in the gap center than at other positions during the first winter,first year and entire 2-year period.These findings suggest that alpine forest gap formation accelerates litter TPL,although litter TPL exhibits dual responses to gap disturbance during specific critical periods.In conclusion,reduced snow cover depth and duration during winter warming under projected climate change scenarios or as gaps vanish may slow litter TPL in alpine biomes.

Greater soil microbial biomass loss at low frequency of N addition in an Inner Mongolia grassland

Soil microbial biomass is critical for biogeochemical cycling and serves as precursor for carbon(C)sequestration.The anthropogenic nitrogen(N)input has profoundly changed the pool of soil microbial biomass.However,traditional N deposition simulation experiments have been exclusively conducted through infrequent N addition,which may have caused biased effects on soil microbial biomass compared with those under the natural and continuous N deposition.Convincing data are still scarce about how the different N addition frequencies affect soil microbial biomass.By independently manipulating the frequencies(2 times vs.12 times N addition yr^(–1))and the rates(0–50 g N m^(−2) yr^(−1))of N addition,our study aimed to examine the response of soil microbial biomass C(MBC)to different N addition frequencies with increasing N addition rates.Soil MBC gradually decreased with increasing N addition rates under both N addition frequencies,while the soil MBC decreased more at low frequency of N addition,suggesting that traditional studies have possibly overestimated the effects of N deposition on soil microbial biomass.The greater soil microbial biomass loss with low N frequency resulted from the intensifed soil acidifcation,higher soil inorganic N,stronger soil C and N imbalance,less net primary production allocated to belowground and lower fungi to bacteria ratio.To reliably predict the effects of atmospheric N deposition on soil microbial functioning and C cycling of grassland ecosystems in future studies,it is necessary to employ both the dosage and the frequency of N addition.