Because potassium(K)is a rock-derived essential element that can be depleted in highly-weathered tropical soils,K availability may limit some portion of soil microbial activity in tropical forest ecosystems.In this pa...Because potassium(K)is a rock-derived essential element that can be depleted in highly-weathered tropical soils,K availability may limit some portion of soil microbial activity in tropical forest ecosystems.In this paper we tested if K limits microbial activity in the condition of sufficient labile C supply.An incubation experiment was performed using surface soil samples(0–10 cm depth)obtained from four permanent ecological research plots in a natural sub-tropical forest in southern China.Soil samples were taken in September 2016.Heterotrophic soil respiration rates and microbial biomass were measured after the addition of glucose(both D and L)with and without K(potassium chloride).We did not observe any effects of K addition on soil microbial respiration,suggesting that K does not limit the microbial activity in the condition of sufficient labile C supply.The lack of microbial response to added K can be attributed to the high mobility of K in forest ecosystems,which may have provided sufficient K to microbes in our soil samples(already provided at the beginning of the incubation).However,at the present stage,we cannot conclude that K is not a limiting factor of soil microbial activity in other tropical forest ecosystems because of the heterogeneity of tropical forest ecosystems and few observations.The hypothesis needs to be tested in larger numbers of tropical forests.展开更多
To address how the ratios of nitrogen and phosphorus (N:P ratios) in soil affect plant growth, we performed a two-factor (soil available N:P ratios and plant density) randomized block pot experiment to examine the rel...To address how the ratios of nitrogen and phosphorus (N:P ratios) in soil affect plant growth, we performed a two-factor (soil available N:P ratios and plant density) randomized block pot experiment to examine the relationships between soil N:P ratios, and the N:P ratios and growth rate of Artemisia ordosica seedlings. Under moderate water stress and adequate nutrient status, both soil N:P and plant density influenced the N:P ratios and growth rates of A. ordosica. With the increase of soil N:P ratios, the growth rates of A. ordosica seedlings decreased significantly. With the increase of soil N:P ratios, N:P ratios in A. ordosica seedlings increased significantly. While the nitrogen concentrations in the plant increased slightly, the phosphorus concentrations significantly decreased. With the increase of plant density, the shoot N:P ratios and growth rates significantly decreased, which resulted from soil N:P ratios. Thus, soil N:P ratios influenced the N:P ratios in A. ordosica seedlings, and hence, influenced its growth. Our results suggest that, under adequate nutrient environment, soil N:P ratios can be a limiting factor for plant growth.展开更多
Botanical, soil chemistry and soil microbiology variables were tested as predictors of in situ soil respiration rate in the various terrestrial habitats on sub-Antarctic Marion Island (47oS, 38oE). Inorganic P and tot...Botanical, soil chemistry and soil microbiology variables were tested as predictors of in situ soil respiration rate in the various terrestrial habitats on sub-Antarctic Marion Island (47oS, 38oE). Inorganic P and total N concentration were the best predictors amongst the chemistry variables and bacteria plate count the best of the microbiology variables. However, while these chemistry and microbiology variables could accurately predict soil respiration rate for particular habitats, they proved inadequate predictors across the whole range of habitats. The best suite of predictors comprised only botanical variables (relative covers of five plant guilds) and accounted for 94% of the total across-habitat variation in soil respiration rate. Mean field soil respiration rates (2.1 - 15.5 mmol CO2 m-2 h-1) for habitats not influenced by seabirds or seals are similar to rates in comparable Northern Hemisphere tundra habitats. Seabird and seal manuring enhances soil respiration rates to values (up to 27.6 mmol CO2 m-2 h-1) higher than found at any tundra site. Glucose, N, P or N plus P were added to three habitats with contrasting soil types;a fellfield with mineral, nutrient-poor soil, a mire with organic, nutrient-poor soil and a shore-zone herbfield heavily manured by penguins and with organic, nutrient-rich soil. Glucose addition stimulated soil respiration in the fellfield and mire (especially the former) but not in the coastal herbfield soil. N and P, alone or together, did not stimulate respiration at any of the habitats, but adding glucose to fellfield soils that had previously been fortified with P or NP caused a similar increase in respiration rate, which was greater than the increase when adding glucose to soils fortified only with N. This suggests that fellfield soil respiration is limited by P rather than N, and that there is no synergism between the two nutrients. For the mire and coastal herbfield, adding glucose to soils previously fortified with N, P or NP did not enhance rates more than adding glucose to soils that had received no nutrient pre-treatment.展开更多
基金financially supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China(NO.41731176,41650110484,)Grant-in-Aid for JSPS Postdoctoral Fellowships for Research Abroad(28 601)the Youth Innovation Promotion Association,CAS(No.2015287)
文摘Because potassium(K)is a rock-derived essential element that can be depleted in highly-weathered tropical soils,K availability may limit some portion of soil microbial activity in tropical forest ecosystems.In this paper we tested if K limits microbial activity in the condition of sufficient labile C supply.An incubation experiment was performed using surface soil samples(0–10 cm depth)obtained from four permanent ecological research plots in a natural sub-tropical forest in southern China.Soil samples were taken in September 2016.Heterotrophic soil respiration rates and microbial biomass were measured after the addition of glucose(both D and L)with and without K(potassium chloride).We did not observe any effects of K addition on soil microbial respiration,suggesting that K does not limit the microbial activity in the condition of sufficient labile C supply.The lack of microbial response to added K can be attributed to the high mobility of K in forest ecosystems,which may have provided sufficient K to microbes in our soil samples(already provided at the beginning of the incubation).However,at the present stage,we cannot conclude that K is not a limiting factor of soil microbial activity in other tropical forest ecosystems because of the heterogeneity of tropical forest ecosystems and few observations.The hypothesis needs to be tested in larger numbers of tropical forests.
基金supported in part by the National Basic Re-search Program of China (2009CB421303)supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (30970546)
文摘To address how the ratios of nitrogen and phosphorus (N:P ratios) in soil affect plant growth, we performed a two-factor (soil available N:P ratios and plant density) randomized block pot experiment to examine the relationships between soil N:P ratios, and the N:P ratios and growth rate of Artemisia ordosica seedlings. Under moderate water stress and adequate nutrient status, both soil N:P and plant density influenced the N:P ratios and growth rates of A. ordosica. With the increase of soil N:P ratios, the growth rates of A. ordosica seedlings decreased significantly. With the increase of soil N:P ratios, N:P ratios in A. ordosica seedlings increased significantly. While the nitrogen concentrations in the plant increased slightly, the phosphorus concentrations significantly decreased. With the increase of plant density, the shoot N:P ratios and growth rates significantly decreased, which resulted from soil N:P ratios. Thus, soil N:P ratios influenced the N:P ratios in A. ordosica seedlings, and hence, influenced its growth. Our results suggest that, under adequate nutrient environment, soil N:P ratios can be a limiting factor for plant growth.
文摘Botanical, soil chemistry and soil microbiology variables were tested as predictors of in situ soil respiration rate in the various terrestrial habitats on sub-Antarctic Marion Island (47oS, 38oE). Inorganic P and total N concentration were the best predictors amongst the chemistry variables and bacteria plate count the best of the microbiology variables. However, while these chemistry and microbiology variables could accurately predict soil respiration rate for particular habitats, they proved inadequate predictors across the whole range of habitats. The best suite of predictors comprised only botanical variables (relative covers of five plant guilds) and accounted for 94% of the total across-habitat variation in soil respiration rate. Mean field soil respiration rates (2.1 - 15.5 mmol CO2 m-2 h-1) for habitats not influenced by seabirds or seals are similar to rates in comparable Northern Hemisphere tundra habitats. Seabird and seal manuring enhances soil respiration rates to values (up to 27.6 mmol CO2 m-2 h-1) higher than found at any tundra site. Glucose, N, P or N plus P were added to three habitats with contrasting soil types;a fellfield with mineral, nutrient-poor soil, a mire with organic, nutrient-poor soil and a shore-zone herbfield heavily manured by penguins and with organic, nutrient-rich soil. Glucose addition stimulated soil respiration in the fellfield and mire (especially the former) but not in the coastal herbfield soil. N and P, alone or together, did not stimulate respiration at any of the habitats, but adding glucose to fellfield soils that had previously been fortified with P or NP caused a similar increase in respiration rate, which was greater than the increase when adding glucose to soils fortified only with N. This suggests that fellfield soil respiration is limited by P rather than N, and that there is no synergism between the two nutrients. For the mire and coastal herbfield, adding glucose to soils previously fortified with N, P or NP did not enhance rates more than adding glucose to soils that had received no nutrient pre-treatment.
