Responses of butachlor degradation and microbial properties in a riparian soil to the cultivation of three different plants

A pot experiment was conducted to investigate the biodegradation dynamics and related microbial ecophysiological responses to butachlor addition in a riparian soil planted with different plants such as Phragmites australis, Zizania aquatica, and Acorus calamus. The results showed that there were significant differences in microbial degradation dynamics of butachlor in the rhizosphere soils among the three riparian plants. A. calamus displays a significantly higher degradation efficiency of butachlor in the rhizosphere soils, as compared with Z aquatica and P. australis. Half-life time of butachlor degradation in the rhizospheric soils of P. australis, Z aquatica, and A. calamus were 7.5, 9.8 and 5.4 days, respectively. Residual butachlor concentration in A. calamus rhizosphere soil was 35.2% and 21.7% lower than that in Z aquatica and P. australis rhizosphere soils, respectively, indicating that A. calamus showed a greater improvement effect on biodegradation of butachlor in rhizosphere soils than the other two riparian plant. In general, microbial biomass and biochemical activities in rhizosphere soils were depressed by butachlor addition, despite the riparian plant types. However, rhizospheric soil microbial ecophysiological responses to butachlor addition significantly (P < 0.05) differed between riparian plant species. Compared to Z aquatica and P. australis, A. calamus showed significantly larger microbial number, higher enzyme activities and soil respiration rates in the rhizosphere soils. The results indicated that A. calamus have a better alleviative effect on inhibition of microbial growth due to butachlor addition and can be used as a suitable riparian plant for detoxifying and remediating butachlor contamination from agricultural nonpoint pollution.