ABSTRACT
We conducted a 512-day incubation experiment to study the dynamics of microbial necromass and soil carbon fraction in the 'litter-soil' transformation interface soil layer (TIS) during litter decomposition, using a perennial C3 herb, Stipa bungeana, in the loess hills. The results showed that soil microbial necromass was dominated by fungi in the early and middle stages, and by bacteria in the late stage. The contribution of fungal necromass C to mineral-associated organic C (MAOC) was significantly higher (38.7%-75.8%) than that of bacteria (9.2%-22.5%) and 2-3 times more than the contribution rate of bacterial necromass. Soil organic C (SOC) content was decreasing during litter decomposition. The input of plant C resources stimulated microbial utilization of soil C fractions. The continuous decrease in particulate organic C during the early and late stages of decomposition was directly responsible for the decrease in SOC content. In contrast, the fluctuating changes in microbial necromass C and MAOC played an indirect role in the reduction of SOC. The increase in soil microbial necromass C caused by a single exogenous addition of litter did not directly contribute to SOC accumulation.
Subject(s)
Carbon , Soil , Dust , PoaceaeABSTRACT
We explored the effects of vegetation restoration on the soil nutrients and microbial pro-perties of soil aggregates with different particle size by comparing soils in a natural grassland which had been restored for nearly 30 years and in cropland in the loess hilly regions of Ningxia. We analyzed the soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (TN), microbial biomass carbon (MBC), microbial biomass nitrogen (MBN), soil basal respiration (CO2-C) and respiratory quotient (qCO2) of different particle size soil aggregates collected from cropland and natural grassland. The results showed that soil aggregates of natural grassland had more micro-aggregates (particle size <0.25 mm), higher nutrient concentrations (SOC, TN and available K) and C/N than that of cropland. The highest concentrations of SOC and TN in 1-2 mm aggregates and higher C/N in natural grassland and cropland suggested that vegetation restoration could improve the capacity of soil aggregates to reduce nutrient loss and accumulate organic matter, with the highest nutrient accumulation in 1-2 mm aggregates. Microbial biomass (MBC, MBN) and CO2-C in natural grassland were higher than in cropland, but the qCO2 was significantly lower, suggesting that vegetation restoration could effectively improve soil microbial biomass and activity, and make soil habitats more stable. The magnitude of responses of the microbial characteristics of different particle aggregates to vegetation restoration varied due to the differences in nutrient characteristics. The MBC of 1-2 mm aggregates, the MBN of <0.25 mm, 0.25-1 mm and 1-2 mm aggregates, the microbial activity of 1-2 mm and >5 mm aggregates were more sensitive than the rest of the particle aggregates of vegetation restoration. In conclusion, vegetation restoration could effectively improve the fertility and structural characteristics of soil aggregates, and the most prominent improvement was in 1-2 mm particle size aggregates.
