Denitrifying Bacteria in Paddy Soils of the Taihu Lake Basin,China

This study attempted to determine the characteristics of the communities, the ecological factors, and the denitrifying enzyme activity for denitrifying bacteria found in the paddy soils of the Taihu Lake Basin, China. Samples of the six main soil types of the basin were taken from paddy fields with different fertilities. The total numbers of bacteria and denitrifying bacteria in the high fertility soils were much more than those in low fertility soils, and the number of denitrifying bacteria accounted for 49% to 80% of the total number of bacteria. The O2 content was an important ecological factor that affected denitrification. Of test the strains isolated from the paddy soils in the Taihu Lake Basin, some (e.g., Pseudomonas spp.) grew well under low oxygen partial pressure, while others (e.g., Bacillus spp.) had no strict predilection with O2 content. Another critical ecological factor was the nitrogen concentration. Three selected denitrifying bacteria grew better in aculture medium with 135 instead of 276mg L^-1 nitrogen. At the same time 67% of the test strains were able to reduce NO3^- to NO2^- and 56% had N2O reductase.

Fixed Ammonium in Major Types of Paddy Soils in Hunan Province, China

The contents, affecting factors, seasonal changes and availability of fixed ammonium in major types ofpaddy soils derived from different parent materials in Hunan Province, China, were studied using the Silva-Bremner method by laboratory and pot experiments. Results showed that the content of fixed ammoniumin the plough horizons ranged from 88.3 mg kg-1 to 388.1 mg kg-1, with 273.2 ± 77.7 mg kg-1 on average,accounting for 11.2% of total soil N on average. Content of fixed ammonium decreased in the order of newlylacustrine clayey paddy soil ＞ alluvial sandy paddy soil ＞ purple clayey paddy soil ＞ newly alluvial sandypaddy soil ＞ yellow clayey paddy soil ＞ reddish-yellow clayey paddy soil ＞ granitic sandy paddy soil. Therewere four distribution patterns of fixed ammonium in the profiles to 1-m depth, i.e., increase with the depth,decrease with increasing depth, no distinct change with the depth, and abrupt increase or decrease in somehorizon. Percentage of fixed ammonium in total N increased with the depth in most of the soils. Fixationof NH4+ by soil was higher at 30 ℃ than at 20 ℃ and 40 ℃, and continuous submergence benefited thefixation of NH4+ in newly alluvial sandy paddy soil, purple clayey paddy soil and alluvial sandy paddy soil,while alternating wetting and drying contributed to the fixation of NH4+ in yellow clayey paddy soil mostly.Fixed ammonium content in the test paddy soils was significantly correlated with ＜ 0.01 mm clay content(P ＜ 0.05), but not with ＜ 0.001 mm clay content, total N, organic N and organic matter. Fixed ammoniumcontent varied with rice growth stages. Application of N fertilizer promoted fixation of NH4+ by soil, and Nuptake by rice plant promoted release of fixed ammonium from the soil. Recently fixed ammonium in paddysoil after N fertilizer application was nearly 100% available to rice plant, while native fixed ammonium wasonly partly available, varying with the soil type and rice type.