Kongcao Xiao

Dynamics of soil organic carbon and nitrogen following agricultural abandonment in a karst region

Agricultural abandonment is regarded as a major driver of soil organic carbon (C) dynamics, but the mechanisms underlying the direction and magnitude of soil C dynamics following agricultural abandonment are poorly understood. Here dynamics of soil C and N contents during postagricultural succession were investigated in areas underlain by dolomite or limestone by using a space-for-time substitution approach in a karst region, southwest China. One hundred twenty-five sites from cropland, grassland, shrubland, and secondary forest were selected to represent different succession stages. Overall, soil C and N contents were greater (P < 0.05) over limestone than over dolomite mainly due to significantly greater contents of soil C and N in the cropland and grassland underlain by limestone. Both soil C and N contents were lowest in the cropland while highest in the forest. Further analysis indicated that the patterns of soil C and N dynamics differed between the two lithology types. Soil C and N contents increased significantly from cropland to forest over dolomite, while varied insignificantly among succession stages over limestone. Exchangeable calcium explained most of soil C and N variance. We proposed that higher dissolution rate of limestone could replenish the lost calcium so that the calcium levels, and in turn soil C and N contents, were stable from the cropland to the forest. Nevertheless, due to relatively low dissolution rate for dolomite, the calcium level was depleted in the cropland. Following agricultural abandonment, calcium level recovered due to decreased loss, which in turn resulted in recovery of soil C and N.

Resource limitation of soil microbes in karst ecosystems

Knowledge about resource limitation to soil microbes is crucial for understanding ecosystem functions and processes, and for predicting ecosystem responses to global changes as well. Karst ecosystems are widespread in the world, and play a key role in regulating the global climate, however, the patterns of and mechanisms underlying microbial resource limitation in karst ecosystems remain poorly known. Here we investigated the microbial resource limitation in a karst region, by selecting four main land-use types, i.e. cropland, grassland, shrubland and secondary forest, in areas underlain by two lithology types, i.e. dolomite and limestone, in southwest China. Ecoenzymatic stoichiometry was used as an indicator of microbial resource limitation. Overall, soil microbes in karst ecosystems were more limited by carbon and phosphorus, rather than by nitrogen. Further analyses revealed that the patterns of carbon and phosphorus limitation were different among land-use or lithology types. Microbial carbon limitation was greatest in cropland and forest but lowest in grassland, and was greater under dolomite than under limestone. Microbial phosphorus limitation decreased from secondary forest to cropland under dolomite areas, but showed no difference among ecosystem types under limestone areas, indicating that lithology controls the pattern of microbial phosphorus limitation along the post-agriculture succession. Our study describes a general pattern of microbial resource limitation in karst ecosystems, and we suggest that lithology may provide a new mechanism for explaining the variations of microbial resource limitation along the post-agriculture succession in different regions.

Differences in the bioaccumulation of selenium by two earthworm species (Pheretima guillemi and Eisenia fetida)

Information on the bioaccumulation of selenium (Se) in soil invertebrates (e.g. earthworms) is rather scarce. In the present study, bioaccumulation of Se in two eco-physiologically different earthworms, namely anecic Pheretima guillemi and epigeic Eisenia fetida, was determined after 28 days exposure to a successive doses of Se-spiked soil, specifically 0.5, 5, 50, and 200 μg Se g-1 soil. The results showed that Se concentration in earthworms elevated with increasing exposure levels, and maximums were up to 54.6 and 83.0 μg g-1 dry weight in Pheretima guillemi and Eisenia fetida, respectively, after 4 weeks exposure to 200 μg Se g-1 soil. Exposure to Se caused significant inhibition on earthworm growth, with the fresh weight loss ranging from 8.9% to 80.5%. Bioaccumulation factors (BAFs), empirically-derived and non-steady state, ranged from 0.12 to 4.17 and generally declined at higher exposure levels. Moreover, BAFs of Pheretima guillemi were higher than those of Eisenia fetida in low-dose Se-spiked soils, but the opposite was true in high-dose soils, indicating there is a species-specific response to exposure of Se between different earthworms. Further research is thus needed to reveal the accumulation pattern of Se in a wider range of earthworm species other than Eisenia fetida, which allows a better risk assessment of excessive Se to soil invertebrates and higher order organisms.