Soil Microbial Community Structure in Diverse Land Use Systems:A Comparative Study Using Biolog,DGGE,and PLFA Analyses

Biolog, 16S rRNA gene denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis （DGGE）, and phospholipid fatty acid （PLFA） analyses were used to assess soil microbial community characteristics in a chronosequence of tea garden systems （8-, 50-, and 90- year-old tea gardens）, an adjacent wasteland, and a 90-year-old forest. Biolog analysis showed that the average well color development （AWCD） of all carbon sources and the functional diversity based on the Shannon index decreased （P 〈 0.05） in the following order： wasteland 〉 forest 〉 tea garden. For the DCCE analysis, the genetic diversity based on the Shannon index was significantly lower in the tea garden soils than in the wasteland. However, compared to the 90-year-old forest, the tea garden soils showed significantly higher genetic diversity. PLFA analysis showed that the ratio of Gram positive bacteria to Cram negative bacteria was significantly higher in the tea garden soils than in the wasteland, and the highest value was found in the 90-year-old forest. Both the fungal PLFA and the ratio of fungi to bacteria were significantly higher in the three tea garden soils than in the wasteland and forest, indicating that fungal PLFA was significantly affected by land-use change. Based on cluster analysis of the soil microbial community structure, all three analytical methods showed that land-use change had a greater effect on soil microbial community structure than tea garden age.

Distribution of Aluminum and Fluoride in Tea Plant and Soil of Tea Garden in Central and Southwest China

The distribution of Al and F contents and the relationship between Al and F in tea plants and soils of 12 tea gardens in Central and Southwest China were investigated from October 31 to November 14, 2006. The results show that there were differences in pH, CEC, the contents of organic matter （OM）, Al and F in the different soils of the tea gardens. The Al content ranged from 1196 to 7976mg/kg for old leaf, 370 to 2681mg/kg for young leaf and 285 to 525mg/kg for stem, whereas the content of F ranged from 221 to 1504mg/kg for old leaf, 49 to 602mg/kg for young leaf and 13.5 to 77.5mg/kg for stem. The concentrations of labile Al varied obviously in the different soils, but the distribution law of labile Al content for the same garden was Alexchangeable≈AlFe.Mn oxide〉Alorganic〉mlwater.soluble. The contents of different labile F fractions varied slightly in the different soils and the different soil layers, though the exchangeable F content was lowest among the labile F in the soils. The concentrations of Al and F in tea plants increased with increasing amount of water-soluble Al or F, especially the amount of water-soluble fractions in the soil layer of 0-20cm. The correlation between Al content and F content in the tea leaf was more significant than that in the tea stem. Furthermore, the correlation between Al content and F content in whole tea plant was strongly significant （r=0.8763, p〈0.01, n=36）. There were evident tendency that Al concentration increased with the increase of F concentration in different soil layers. The correlation of water-soluble Al with water-soluble F in all soils was also strongly significant （r=0.7029, p〈0.01, n=34）. The results may provide a proof that Al and F are jointly taken up by tea plants to some extent in natural tea gardens.

Leaching of Copper and Zinc in a Garden Soil Receiving Poultry and Livestock Manures from Intensive Farming

The leaching characteristics of a garden soil may be greatly affected by application of poultry and livestock manures from intensive farming. Packed soil columns of a garden soil （CK） and the soils after respectively receiving 2% pig manure （PM）, chicken manure （CM）, and commercial organic manure （OM） were leached with 0.05 mol L^-1 Ca（NO3）2 and 0.01 mol L 1 EDTA solutions. The leachate EC （electric conductivity） values gradually increased at the beginning and then reached a stable value when the soil columns were leached with 0.05 mol L^-1 Ca（NO3）2 solution. The leachate EC values showed a peak-shape when leached with 0.01 mol L^-1 EDTA solution. In all the soil columns, the pH values of the leachates decreased with increase of displacement volumes when the Ca（NO3）2 solution was used. The total amounts of Cu and Zn eluted from the four soil columns were significantly correlated with the extracted soil Cu and Zn concentrations by 1.0 mol L^-1 NH4NO3, but were not correlated with the leachate dissolved organic carbon （DOC） contents. The Zn concentration in the leachate of the PM-treated soil column with 0.05 mol L^-1 Ca（NO3）2 solution was above the Quality Standard III for Ground Water of China （GB/T 14848-93, Zn 〈 1.0 mg L^-1）. When compared with 0.05 mol L^-1 Ca（NO3）2, the EDTA solution significantly accelerated Cu and Zn elutions in the manure-treated columns. This suggested that applying poultry and livestock manures from intensive farming to farmland might pose a threat to the groundwater quality.

Analysis of pH Value and Primary Nutrients in Blueberry Garden Soil

In order to explore the soil nutrient characteristics and put forward the improvement measures, a field experiment was arranged and performed. The experiment was conducted to evaluate the pH value and primary nutrient status in blueberry garden soil by means of collecting 21 soil samples from the main production base of blueberries in Qingdao, according to the specific requirements of blueberries for soil pH and organic matter and the second national soil survey nutrient classification standard. Results showed that the blueberry garden soil had the following characteristics： acidic soil, low organic matter content with significant differences among different bases, moderate total nitrogen and alkaline hydrolysis nitrogen contents, high available phosphorus content and above moderate available potassium content. Then, it is found that the primary causes were the differences in soil basic fertility, excessive use of sulfur, inadequate inputs of organic matter, not thorough soil improvement, and imperfect fertilizer management in the blueberry gardens. Finally, the corresponding improvement measures were put forward, for example, increasing organic fertilizer and organic matter covering, as well as the application of CaCO_3 and formulated fertilization.

The Ecological Value and Feasibility of Composting Technology for Garden Soil Improvement

Soil quality of garden plants is an important factor for good growth of garden plants.Based on the analysis of the current situation of garden soil,the ecological value and feasibility of composting technology applied in garden soil improvement were discussed.This study provided a basis for strengthening the quality management of garden soil,improving the standard of garden soil improvement,and helping the healthy and sustainable development of modern garden greening.

Responses of Different Pakchoi (Brassica chinensis L.) Cultivars to Cu Toxicity

Two pot experiments with a completely random design and 4 replications were performed in a greenhouse to examine the response difference of 17 cultivars of pakchoi (Brassica chinensis L.) grown in a Cu-spiked and a clean soil to Cu. The response of pakchoi to Cu toxicity varied with the cultivars. The biomass in cultivars of Gaogengbai , Siyueman and Suzhouqing were sensitive to soil Cu pollution, but the cultivars of Heixinwu , Huoqingcai and HKcaixin were relatively tolerant. When the 17 cultiva…