3D geometric structures and biological activity: Application to microbial soil organic matter decomposition in pore space

During the past 10 years, soil scientists have started to use 3D Computed Tomography in order to gain a clearer understanding of the geometry of soil structure and its relationships with soil properties. We propose a geometric model for the 3D representation of pore space and a practical method for its computation. Our basic idea consists in representing pore space using a minimal set of maximal balls (Delaunay spheres) recovering the shape skeleton. In this representation, each ball could be considered as a maximal local cavity corresponding to the “intuitive” notion of a pore as described in the literature. The space segmentation induced by the network of balls (pores) was then used to spatialize biological dynamics. Organic matter and microbial decomposers were distributed within the balls (pores). A valuated graph representing the pore network, organic matter and distribution of micro-organisms was then defined. Microbial soil organic matter decomposition was simulated by updating this valuated graph. The method was implemented and tested using real CT images. The model produced realistic simulated results when compared with data in the literature in terms of the water retention curve and carbon mineralization. A decrease in water pressure decreased carbon mineralization, which is also in accordance with findings in the literature. From our results we showed that the influence of water pressure on decomposition is a function of organic matter distribution in the pore space. As far as we know, this is the approach to have linked pore space geometry and biological dynamics in a formal way. Our next goal will be to compare the model with experimental data of decomposition using different soil structures, and to define geometric typologies of pore space shape that can be attached to specific biological and dynamic properties.     

生物质炭微生物矿化稳定性机制研究进展

生物质炭在碳封存和土壤改良等方面的应用潜力取决于其在土壤中的微生物矿化稳定性.明确生物质炭在土壤中微生物矿化稳定性是推进生物质炭在土壤固碳、改良等领域应用的关键.基于生物质炭在土壤中的微生物矿化稳定性研究进展,本文系统总结了不同类型生物质炭的微生物矿化速率和在土壤中的平均驻留时间,探讨了不同因素(生物质炭特性、土壤特性和外源不稳定有机质的添加等)对生物质炭微生物矿化稳定性的影响,阐述了生物分解过程中生物质炭的性质变化及其与土壤微生物/有机质/矿物质的交互作用,简述了生物质炭中内源矿物质和外源土壤矿物质对其矿化稳定性的影响机理.最后,总结现有研究的不足,并提出今后的研究重点.     

Effects of restoration and reflooding on soil denitrification in a leveed Midwestern floodplain.

River floodplains have the potential to remove nitrate from water through denitrification, the anaerobic microbial conversion of nitrate to nitrogen gas. An important factor in this process is the interaction of river water with floodplain soil; however, many rivers have been disconnected from their historic floodplains by levees. To test the effect of reflooding a degraded floodplain on nitrate removal, we studied changes in soil denitrification rates on the Baraboo River floodplain in Wisconsin, USA, as it underwent restoration. Prior to this study, the site had been leveed, drained, and farmed for more than 50 years. In late fall 2002, the field drainage system was removed, and a gate structure was installed to allow controlled flooding of this site with river water. Soil moisture was extremely variable among zones and months and reflected local weather. Soil organic matter was stable over the study period with differences occurring along the elevation gradient. High soil nitrate concentrations occurred in dry, relatively organic-poor soil samples and, conversely, all samples with high moisture soils characterized by low nitrate. We measured denitrification in static cores and potential denitrification in bulk samples amended with carbon and nitrogen, one year before and two years following the manipulation. Denitrification rates showed high temporal and spatial variability. Static core rates of individual sites ranged widely (from 0.00 to 16.7 microg N2O-N x [kg soil](-1) x h(-1), mean +/- SD = 1.10 +/- 3.02), and denitrification enzyme activity (DEA) rates were similar with a slightly higher mean (from 0.00 to 15.0 microg N2O-N x [kg soil](-1) x h(-1), 1.41 +/- 1.98). Denitrification was not well-correlated with soil nitrate, organic matter content, or moisture levels, the three parameters typically thought to control denitrification. Static core denitrification rates were not significantly different across years, and DEA rates decreased slightly the second year after restoration. These results demonstrate that restored agricultural soil has the potential for denitrification, but that floodplain restoration did not immediately improve this potential. Future floodplain restorations should be designed to test alternative methods of increasing denitrification.     

A model on the carbon cycling in Lake Taihu, China

A model of the carbon cycling in Lake Taihu was developed based on the previous developed model EcoTaihu Model, which couples the hydrology, the nutrient cycling and a number of biological processes. The carbon cycling model (abbreviated CCM) has in addition to the states variables of the EcoTaihu Model, the carbon in phytoplankton, zooplankton, fish, macroplant, hydrogen carbonate carbon, carbonate carbon, dissolved carbon, abiotic organic carbon in water, organic carbon in sediment, soluble organic carbon in pore water, inorganic carbon in sediments, soluble inorganic carbon in pore water and pH. The calibration and validation of the CCM showed that the model results are in good accordance with the observations (from the period February17 to December. 5, 2003). It implies that the model can be used to assess the variation of the carbon dioxide flux at the water-air interface, and to find the pH value of the lake water as function of time. According to the model, the carbon dioxide flux at the water-air interface has clear, diurnal variations. Eutrophied water is a sink for the atmospheric carbon dioxide due to the phytosynthesis during the summer. Due to the terrestrial input of carbon to the lake, Lake Taihu is, however, a source of atmospheric carbon dioxide. The total annual flux is almost equal to the terrestrial input of carbon to the lake.     

Unexpected control of soil carbon turnover by soil carbon concentration

Soils are a key component of the terrestrial carbon cycle as they contain the majority of terrestrial carbon. Soil microorganisms mainly control the accumulation and loss of this carbon. However, traditional concepts of soil carbon stabilisation failed so far to account for environmental and energetic constraints of microorganisms. Here, we demonstrate for the first time that these biological limitations might have the overall control on soil carbon stability. In a long-term experiment, we incubated ¹³C-labelled compost with natural soils at various soil carbon concentrations. Unexpectedly, we found that soil carbon turnover decreased with lower carbon concentration. We developed a conceptual model that explained these observations. In this model, two types of particles were submitted to random walk movement in the soil profile: soil organic matter substrate and microbial decomposers. Soil carbon turnover depended only on the likelihood of a decomposer particle to meet a substrate particle; in consequence, carbon turnover decreased with lower carbon concentration, like observed in the experiment. This conceptual model was able to simulate realistic depth profiles of soil carbon and soil carbon age. Our results, which are simply based on the application of a two-step kinetic, unmystify the stability of soil carbon and suggest that observations like high carbon ages in subsoil, stability of carbon in fallows and priming of soil carbon might be simply explained by the probability to be decomposed.     

海南岛甘什岭低地次生雨林土壤有机碳及影响因素

热带雨林是世界上最复杂的森林生态系统,在全球碳循环中发挥着重要作用。热带低地次生雨林是受人类干扰较为严重的雨林类型,而关于其土壤有机碳库的研究甚少。以海南岛甘什岭热带低地次生雨林为研究对象,通过野外调查采样与室内分析相结合等方法,研究了经人为采伐干扰后自然更新恢复形成的3种林分类型(Ⅰ为较大采伐强度下恢复的灌丛与低矮乔木,Ⅱ为经中等采伐强度恢复成林分密度较大的次生雨林,Ⅲ为因交通条件不便,受采伐干扰较小的次生雨林)的土壤有机碳含量、碳密度的垂直分布特征及其影响因素,旨在为热带低地次生雨林恢复与土壤固碳能力研究提供科学依据。研究结果表明:(1)3种类型低地次生雨林的土壤有机碳含量均随土层深度的增加而降低,垂直分布特征为0—20 cm土层有机碳含量最高(3.07—4.49 g·kg^?1),在类型Ⅲ的变异系数最大为5.60%;(2)土壤有机碳密度的分布特征与有机碳含量基本一致,0—100 cm土层土壤有机碳密度为4.14—6.42 kg·m^?2,仅为全国平均水平的50.8%;(3)土壤有机碳与土壤全氮、碱解氮、有效磷均呈极显著正相关性(P<0.01),与林分凋落物厚度和物种丰富度呈显著正相关性(P<0.05)。热带雨林特有的水热条件、物种丰富度、土壤质地和极度缺磷现象的综合作用是形成其土壤有机碳积累特征的主要因素,加强受干扰破坏热带雨林的保护与修复,有助于土壤有机碳的积累。     

农田土壤固碳作用对温室气体减排的影响

温室气体排放引起的全球气候变暖和平流层臭氧空洞已成为当前人们关注的环境问题之一。土壤碳库作为地表生态系统中最活跃的碳库之一,是甲烷、二氧化碳、一氧化二氮等温室气体的重要释放源,也是重要的吸收汇。因此,寻找农田土壤系统碳管理的有效方法已经成为缓解温室效应的重要科学问题。西方发达国家已将固碳农业作为环境管理的重要导向,应用颗粒分组13CNMR或CPMAS-NMR技术对土壤碳固定的机制研究指出微团聚体与矿物-粘粒复合体的相互作用是土壤有机碳稳定存在的主要方式,揭示了土壤有机碳的腐殖质转化及其与土壤矿物、金属氧化物结合的微观水平,且从土壤物理结构、化学组成和生物学特性等多学科交叉研究土壤有机碳的固定机理及其稳定机制。长期传统的土地利用方式和管理措施所导致的土壤有机碳含量、密度及垂直分布的变化是造成土壤碳库损失的主要原因,为了增加农业生态系统土壤有机碳的含量,土地利用方式和农业管理措施应该从增加有机碳输入量和减少有机碳矿化两方面着手,加强对农业土壤固碳潜力和土壤碳库稳定性影响因素的多角度研究。     

The environmental fate of thymol,a novel botanical pesticide,in tropical agricultural soil and water

In this study, the environmental fate of thymol, including hydrolysis, aqueous photolysis, soil sorption and soil degradation, was studied under conditions that simulated the tropical agricultural environment. This study was undertaken to supply basic information for evaluating the environmental risks of applying this new botanical pesticide to tropical crop production. The results showed that the hydrolysis of thymol was pH-dependent and accelerated by acidic conditions and high temperatures. However, the hydrolysis rate was far lower than the aqueous photolysis rate, indicating that direct photolysis is an important dissipation pathway for thymol in water. The sorption of thymol by three tropical soils was consistently well described by the Freundlich model, and the sorption coefficients increased in the order sandy soil < loamy soil < clay soil, a characterization that depended on the organic carbon contents of the soil. The soil degradation rate of thymol decreased in the order sandy soil > loamy soil > clay soil, which has a negative correlation with the sorption of thymol in soils. We concluded that the degradation rates of thymol in tropical soil and water are fast: thymol in water is photodegraded (50%) by sunlight within 28 h, and the thymol in soils is degraded (50%) within 8.4 d. Therefore, the environmental risk to the surrounding soils and water of thymol application for tropical crop production is low.     

耕作方式对土壤微生物和土壤肥力的影响

通过2年田间定位试验,对比研究了免耕+秸秆覆盖、旋耕+秸秆覆盖和传统耕作:三种耕作方式对土壤温度、土壤呼吸速率、土壤微生物数量和土壤肥力状况的影响.结果表明:秸秆覆盖对地温的影响存在"双重效应";土壤温度、土壤呼吸速率和土壤微生物量碳三者之间存在凸面关系;秸秆还田后耕作措施对土壤0～10和10～20 cm的微生物数量的影响不同,但均能增加土壤微生物量;土壤微生物能够加快秸秆中的有机碳向土壤有机质的转化速率;土壤微生物量碳可以作为反映土壤生产力状况的重要生物学指标之一.     

崇明岛典型土地利用方式对土壤有机碳和酶活性的影响

为了研究上海崇明岛不同土地利用方式对土壤有机碳以及酶活性的影响,对冬小麦地、蔬菜地、柑桔地和冬绿肥地4种土地利用方式的土壤进行了调查、样品测定和分析。结果表明,土地利用方式对有机碳和4种酶活性的影响极显著。冬小麦地总有机碳和活性有机碳质量分数均最高,分别为19.23g·kg^-1和2.26mg·g^-1,柑桔地土壤脲酶、碱性磷酸酶、纤维素酶和蛋白酶等4种酶活性均高于其他3种土地利用方式,表明采用秸秆还田式的冬小麦地,可以增加土壤总有机碳和活性有机碳质量分数;常年处于免耕状态的柑桔地可以使土壤酶活性增强。     

岩溶山区不同土地利用方式对土壤活性有机碳动态的影响

对贵州茂兰自然保护区内三种典型土地利用方式(林地、草地和耕地)下土壤活性有机碳组分(土壤溶解有机碳和土壤微生物量碳)的月变化及其对环境因子的响应进行了研究,结果表明在不同的土地利用方式下上覆植被类型不同,其凋落物数量、质量及分解行为不同,有机质的输入量及质量也不相同,从而形成不同的土壤溶解有机碳含量差异,土壤有机碳的大小也存在较大差别。研究结果显示:从全年平均值来看,林地土壤溶解有机碳分别比草地和耕地高25%、48%;从3月到8月,三者均随气温的上升呈增加的趋势,林地和耕地在8月均达到最大值,而草地则在10月达到最大值;林地和草地土壤微生物量碳分别高于耕地81%和45%,林地和草地在10月达到最大值。不同的土地利用方式导致土壤活性有机碳的差异较大,这说明岩溶生态系统中土地利用方式对土壤碳库的大小有较大影响。不同土地利用方式下土壤活性有机碳对环境因子的响应也各不相同,这表明土壤活性碳受众多因素的制约而呈现出一种动态平衡关系,进一步的机理仍需要进行深入研究。     

SOMPROF: A vertically explicit soil organic matter model

Most current soil organic matter (SOM) models represent the soil as a bulk without specification of the vertical distribution of SOM in the soil profile. However, the vertical SOM profile may be of great importance for soil carbon cycling, both on short (hours to years) time scale, due to interactions with the soil temperature and moisture profile, as well as on long (years to centuries) time scale because of depth-specific stabilization mechanisms of organic matter. It is likely that a representation of the SOM profile and surface organic layers in SOM models can improve predictions of the response of land surface fluxes to climate and environmental variability. Although models capable of simulating the vertical SOM profile exist, these were generally not developed for large scale predictive simulations and do not adequately represent surface organic horizons. We present SOMPROF, a vertically explicit SOM model, designed for implementation into large scale ecosystem and land surface models. The model dynamically simulates the vertical SOM profile and organic layer stocks based on mechanistic representations of bioturbation, liquid phase transport of organic matter, and vertical distribution of root litter input. We tested the model based on data from an old growth deciduous forest (Hainich) in Germany, and performed a sensitivity analysis of the transport parameters, and the effects of the vertical SOM distribution on temporal variation of heterotrophic respiration. Model results compare well with measured organic carbon profiles and stocks. SOMPROF is able to simulate a wide range of SOM profiles, using parameter values that are realistic compared to those found in previous studies. Results of the sensitivity analysis show that the vertical SOM distribution strongly affects temporal variation of heterotrophic respiration due to interactions with the soil temperature and moisture profile.     

喀斯特土壤微生物和活性有机碳对生态恢复的快速响应

喀斯特地区普遍面临生态退化的问题,退耕还林作为其重要的生态恢复措施之一而备受关注。土壤活性有机碳通常较总有机碳对环境变化和干扰更加敏感,此外土壤微生物对环境变化和干扰亦十分敏感。然而,关于喀斯特不同时间尺度退耕还林土壤活性有机碳和微生物的系统研究尚少见报导。为了揭示土壤活性有机碳和微生物对喀斯特生态恢复的快速指示作用,为喀斯特生态恢复评价和生态环境治理提供科学依据,以广西古周村典型喀斯特景观为代表,采用空间代替时间的方法,选取不同年限（2 a、4 a、8 a、12 a）退耕还林地和玉米耕地对照样地,研究了表层土壤微生物指标和活性有机碳指标随退耕还林的变化特征。研究结果显示,较耕地对照相比,退耕还林8 a后,土壤总有机碳（TOC）质量分数才发生显著变化,提升24%;而还林2 a后,土壤水溶性有机碳（WSOC）、颗粒有机碳（POC）和易氧化有机碳（KMnO4-C）的绝对含量便分别显著提高62%、36%和38%,相对含量分别显著提升60%、34%和36%,且随还林年限的延长呈升高趋势;退耕还林2 a后,土壤微生物生物量碳（MBC）、基础呼吸（BR）和微生物商（MBC︰TOC）分别显著增加56%、27%和54%,并随还林年限的延长呈逐渐升高趋势;土壤微生物代谢熵（qCO2）在退耕还林2 a后显著降低19%,之后随还林年限延长呈下降趋势。本研究表明,土壤活性有机碳及土壤微生物指标可以作为喀斯特生态恢复的早期指示者。     

耕作和施肥扰动下土壤团聚体稳定性影响因素研究

稳定的土壤团聚结构对种子发芽、根系发育、作物生长以及有机碳保护有着重要的影响,深入了解人为扰动下土壤团聚体稳定性影响因素有着重要意义.选择两种不同母质发育土壤上长期施用畜禽粪便和化肥5个田块耕层土壤团聚体为供试土壤,采用相关分析、因子分析和回归分析方法探讨了土壤有机碳库、土壤养分和理化性质与团聚体稳定性间的关系.研究结果表明,与施用化肥比较,施用畜禽粪便显著提高了土壤团聚体稳定性;不同母质类型土壤上,海相沉积物母质土壤上团聚体稳定性显著高于河相冲积物母质土壤.相关分析结果表明溶解性有机碳(包括DOC和HWOC)和总磷含量与土壤团聚体稳定性显著或极显著相关;因子分析结果显示,土壤化学因子是第一影响因素,土壤碳库因子是第二影响因素,其中海相沉积物母质土壤上团聚体稳定性主要受土壤化学因子影响;河相冲积物母质土壤团聚体稳定性主要受土壤碳库因子影响,施用化肥土壤受两个因素影响均较小.回归分析结果显示热水提取态有机碳和钙是本研究条件中影响土壤团聚体稳定性的主要因素.     

基于地理探测器的中国陆地生态系统土壤有机碳空间异质性影响因子分析

中国陆地生态系统土壤有机碳库对全球生态系统碳平衡具有显著影响.为揭示土壤碳库空间分布的潜在主控因子并为今后建立碳库空间分布模型提供依据,利用地理探测器对中国陆地生态系统表层土壤(0—20 cm)有机碳密度的影响因子(气温、降水量、DEM、NDVI、陆地生态系统类型、人口密度)进行空间分异性探测和定量归因.结果表明:自然...     

高寒沙区两种典型固沙植物改良土壤的策略

植被恢复与重建是退化土地生态修复的重要途径,植物与土壤环境的关系一直是热点科学问题,但对高寒沙区尚缺乏系统性的研究。为探明不同沙生植物对高寒沙地土壤的改良策略,以青海共和盆地中间锦鸡儿(Caragana intermedia)和乌柳(Salix cheilophila)两种典型固沙植物为研究对象,通过对比细根分布规律分析其环境适应性,结合林地土壤物理性质、有机碳含量和土壤含水量等要素,分析两种植物对土壤的改良作用。结果表明,(1)两种植物的细根主要集中在0-60 cm土层,中间锦鸡儿水平方向分布更多,且细根平均生物量密度和有机碳含量都高于乌柳。(2)乌柳人工林各深度土壤有机碳密度均高于中间锦鸡儿,其累计百分比在0-40 cm土层较高,中间锦鸡儿在40-120 cm较高。(3)两种人工林的土壤容重、最大持水量和毛管持水量均值差异不显著。中间锦鸡儿林地土壤容重在0-40 cm土层大于乌柳,在40-120 cm小于乌柳;其最大持水量和毛管持水量在0-60 cm小于乌柳,在60-120 cm大于乌柳。(4)两种人工林土壤含水量和土壤温度都呈表层高,随土壤深度递减趋势。乌柳林地各深度土壤含水量均高于中间锦鸡儿,土壤温度均低于中间锦鸡儿。研究表明,中间锦鸡儿的环境适应性和固沙能力较强,倾向于深层土壤改良和固碳策略;乌柳人工林的固碳作用和涵养水源能力较强,倾向于表层土壤改良和固碳策略;同时,两种人工林都倾向于表层保水的策略。该文通过对比分析不同沙生植物改良土壤的策略,为长期研究高寒沙区生态修复与优良固沙植物筛选等工作提供理论依据。     

施肥对落叶松人工林林地土壤肥力的可持续性的影响

以14年生和34年生落叶松人工林为研究对象，对该林分所在的白浆化暗棕壤林地进行施肥试验。设置了9个施肥处理和1个无肥对照，运用土壤生物和养分指标讨论了不同林龄落叶松人工林林地土壤肥力可持续性指数。结果表明：(1)不同施肥处理对土壤肥力可持续性指数影响不同；(2)同一施肥处理对不同林龄的土壤可持续性指数影响也不同；在林木生长最快的幼龄期施肥，提高土壤肥力可持续性指数的效果要明显高于在林木近熟期施肥；(3)施用有机肥有利于提高生物管理指数，单施化肥可增加土壤氮、磷的管理指数；(4)有机肥和化肥混施是提高林地土壤可持续性指数的最好施肥方式。     

三峡库区不同植被覆盖对土壤碳的影响

植被覆盖变化对三峡库区生态环境产生重要影响.土壤有机碳在陆地生态系统的发育和运行等方面均起着极其重要的作用,所以本课题研究宜昌点军区柏树地,橘树地以及菜地的土壤性质状况.结果表明:土壤含水量是柏树林最大.菜地的最小,而土壤容重的大小顺序是:柑橘树地>柏树地>菜地.土壤有机碳、易氧化碳和二者的比值都是柏树地的最大,柑橘地的最小,菜地的处于中间状态.而微生物碳和微生物墒含量大小顺序是柏树地>柑橘树>菜地;微生物代谢墒的大小顺序是:柑橘地>菜地>柏树地.由此说明柏树生长有利于土壤活性碳源含量的提高和土壤质量的改善.     

浙北典型稻作区近30年表层土壤碳氮含量变化

农业土壤碳库作为表生碳库的重要组成部分,对研究陆地生态系统碳循环具有重要意义。水稻土作为农业土壤的重要类型之一,其固碳能力研究对研究陆地生态系统碳循环具有现实意义。文章通过嘉善县20世纪80年代、2002年、2008年3次土壤调查数据,对嘉善县表层土壤中有机碳、氮含量及分布进行了分析,有机碳平均值在80年代到2002年呈下降趋势,2002—2008年微弱上升。全氮的平均值在80年代到2002年亦呈下降趋势,2002—2008年呈较快上升。以高密度网格化（1点/4km2）实测数据,计算得到2008年表层土壤有机碳、氮平均密度为44.36t·hm-2和5.3t·hm-2,平均容量为22.182kg·m-3和2.67kg·m-3,总储量分别为1.122×109kg和0.135×109kg,依据2002年、2008年两次可对比的实测数据,采用GIS和地统计学工具,进行了含量的空间分析,以1点/4km2精度,计算了2002—2008年县域内农用地表层土壤的有机碳、氮的变化。2002—2008年每年平均储碳速率为30.8kg·hm-2,储氮速率为156kg·hm-2。2002—2008年碳氮比平均值下降了2.3,依据土壤粒级数据和Hassink的碳保持容量公式,计算出嘉善县土壤平均固定容量为2.478%,初步估算,全县耕地表层土壤还具有42.43万t的固碳潜力,影响表土有机碳储汇的自然因素主要为土壤含水量和质地。