Sindhu Jagadamma

Microbial dormancy improves development and experimental validation of ecosystem model

Climate feedbacks from soils can result from environmental change followed by response of plant and microbial communities, and/or associated changes in nutrient cycling. Explicit consideration of microbial life-history traits and functions may be necessary to predict climate feedbacks owing to changes in the physiology and community composition of microbes and their associated effect on carbon cycling. Here we developed the microbial enzyme-mediated decomposition (MEND) model by incorporating microbial dormancy and the ability to track multiple isotopes of carbon. We tested two versions of MEND, that is, MEND with dormancy (MEND) and MEND without dormancy (MEND_wod), against long-term (270 days) carbon decomposition data from laboratory incubations of four soils with isotopically labeled substrates. MEND_wod adequately fitted multiple observations (total C–CO2 and 14C–CO2 respiration, and dissolved organic carbon), but at the cost of significantly underestimating the total microbial biomass. MEND improved estimates of microbial biomass by 20–71% over MEND_wod. We also quantified uncertainties in parameters and model simulations using the Critical Objective Function Index method, which is based on a global stochastic optimization algorithm, as well as model complexity and observational data availability. Together our model extrapolations of the incubation study show that long-term soil incubations with experimental data for multiple carbon pools are conducive to estimate both decomposition and microbial parameters. These efforts should provide essential support to future field- and global-scale simulations, and enable more confident predictions of feedbacks between environmental change and carbon cycling.

Activation Energy of Extracellular Enzymes in Soils from Different Biomes

Enzyme dynamics are being incorporated into soil carbon cycling models and accurate representation of enzyme kinetics is an important step in predicting belowground nutrient dynamics. A scarce number of studies have measured activation energy (Ea) in soils and fewer studies have measured Ea in arctic and tropical soils, or in subsurface soils. We determined the Ea for four typical lignocellulose degrading enzymes in the A and B horizons of seven soils covering six different soil orders. We also elucidated which soil properties predicted any measurable differences in Ea. β-glucosidase, cellobiohydrolase, phenol oxidase and peroxidase activities were measured at five temperatures, 4, 21, 30, 40, and 60°C. Ea was calculated using the Arrhenius equation. β-glucosidase and cellobiohydrolase Ea values for both A and B horizons in this study were similar to previously reported values, however we could not make a direct comparison for B horizon soils because of the lack of data. There was no consistent relationship between hydrolase enzyme Ea and the environmental variables we measured. Phenol oxidase was the only enzyme that had a consistent positive relationship between Ea and pH in both horizons. The Ea in the arctic and subarctic zones for peroxidase was lower than the hydrolases and phenol oxidase values, indicating peroxidase may be a rate limited enzyme in environments under warming conditions. By including these six soil types we have increased the number of soil oxidative enzyme Ea values reported in the literature by 50%. This study is a step towards better quantifying enzyme kinetics in different climate zones.

Effects of topsoil depth and soil amendments on corn yield and properties of two Alfisols in central Ohio.

Continued loss of topsoil due to erosion is a threat to sustaining row-crop production in soils of the US Cornbelt. The on-site impacts of soil erosion under natural field conditions, despite the confounding effects of many interacting factors, can be simulated by creating a range of topsoil depths (TSD) through soil removal from or addition to the existing soil surface. Thus, this study was conducted on two Alfisols in central Ohio, located at Waterman Farm of the Ohio State University, Columbus (site 1) and Western Agricultural Experiment Station of the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center at South Charleston (site 2) with the objectives to assess (1) impacts of differences in TSD after 10 years of creating simulated erosion on crop yields and soil properties and (2) effectiveness of using organic manure and synthetic fertilizer in restoring the quality of eroded soil. The treatments included (1) three levels of TSD including removal of 20 cm (8 in) of topsoil, undisturbed soil, and addition of 20 cm (8 in) of topsoil; and (2) two amendment types including organic manure and synthetic fertilizer. The results indicated that at site 1, the grain yield response followed the order: topsoil removal (3.1 Mg ha-1 [1.38 tn ac-1]) < undisturbed control (5.6 Mg ha-1 [2.5 tn ac-1]) < topsoil addition (7.8 Mg ha-1 [3.48 tn ac-1]). At site 2, topsoil removal significantly reduced corn grain yield (8.2 Mg ha-1 [3.66 tn ac-1]) as compared to topsoil addition (9.3 Mg ha-1 [4.15 tn ac-1]). The response of soil organic carbon (SOC) pool to different TSD levels was not statistically significant for 0- to 10-cm (0- to 4-in) depth. However, SOC pool was the lowest for “soil removal” treatment at both sites for 10- to 20-cm (4- to 8-in) depth (15.3 Mg ha-1 [6.82 tn ac-1] at site 1 and 13.4 Mg ha-1 [5.98 tn ac-1] at site 2) and at site 1 for 20 to 30 cm (8 to 12 in) depth (4.99 Mg ha-1 [3.66 tn ac-1]). Across TSD treatments, the SOC pool was significantly higher for plots receiving compost than those receiving synthetic fertilizer: 36.6 Mg ha-1 (16.3 tn ac-1) versus 27.8 Mg ha-1 (12.4 tn ac-1) for site 1 and 36.2 Mg ha-1 (16.1 tn ac-1) versus 22.9 Mg ha-1 (10.2 tn ac-1) for site 2. In addition, application of compost decreased soil bulk density, increased SOC concentration in different aggregate size fractions, and retained more soil moisture content when compared with the plots receiving synthetic fertilizer. Among the TSD levels, the exposed subsoil of the desurfaced treatment was more responsive to application of organic manure than synthetic fertilizer, leading to higher mean weight diameter and water stability of aggregates. The soil properties identified as corn grain yield predictors by multiple regression analysis varied only slightly between the two sites. The data obtained enhances the understanding of long-term changes in crop production and soil properties by erosional processes simulated by varying TSD in the US Cornbelt region.

Selective Sorption of Dissolved Organic Carbon Compounds by Temperate Soils

Background Physico-chemical sorption onto soil minerals is one of the major processes of dissolved organic carbon (OC) stabilization in deeper soils. The interaction of DOC on soil solids is related to the reactivity of soil minerals, the chemistry of sorbate functional groups, and the stability of sorbate to microbial degradation. This study was conducted to examine the sorption of diverse OC compounds (D-glucose, L-alanine, oxalic acid, salicylic acid, and sinapyl alcohol) on temperate climate soil orders (Mollisols, Ultisols and Alfisols). Methodology Equilibrium batch experiments were conducted using 0–100 mg C L−1 at a solid-solution ratio of 1∶60 for 48 hrs on natural soils and on soils sterilized by γ-irradiation. The maximum sorption capacity, Qmax and binding coefficient, k were calculated by fitting to the Langmuir model. Results Ultisols appeared to sorb more glucose, alanine, and salicylic acid than did Alfisols or Mollisols and the isotherms followed a non-linear pattern (higher k). Sterile experiments revealed that glucose and alanine were both readily degraded and/or incorporated into microbial biomass because the observed Qmax under sterile conditions decreased by 22–46% for glucose and 17–77% for alanine as compared to non-sterile conditions. Mollisols, in contrast, more readily reacted with oxalic acid (Qmax of 886 mg kg−1) and sinapyl alcohol (Qmax of 2031 mg kg−1), and no degradation was observed. The reactivity of Alfisols to DOC was intermediate to that of Ultisols and Mollisols, and degradation followed similar patterns as for Ultisols. Conclusion This study demonstrated that three common temperate soil orders experienced differential sorption and degradation of simple OC compounds, indicating that sorbate chemistry plays a significant role in the sorptive stabilization of DOC.

Spatial arrangement of organic compounds on a model mineral surface: implications for soil organic matter stabilization.

The complexity of the mineral-organic carbon interface may influence the extent of stabilization of organic carbon compounds in soils, which is important for global climate futures. The nanoscale structure of a model interface was examined here by depositing films of organic carbon compounds of contrasting chemical character, hydrophilic glucose and amphiphilic stearic acid, onto a soil mineral analogue (Al2O3). Neutron reflectometry, a technique which provides depth-sensitive insight into the organization of the thin films, indicates that glucose molecules reside in a layer between Al2O3 and stearic acid, a result that was verified by water contact angle measurements. Molecular dynamics simulations reveal the thermodynamic driving force behind glucose partitioning on the mineral interface: The entropic penalty of confining the less mobile glucose on the mineral surface is lower than for stearic acid. The fundamental information obtained here helps rationalize how complex arrangements of organic carbon on soil mineral surfaces may arise.

In situ mobility of uranium in the presence of nitrate following sulfate-reducing conditions

Reoxidation and mobilization of previously reduced and immobilized uranium by dissolved-phase oxidants poses a significant challenge for remediating uranium-contaminated groundwater. Preferential oxidation of reduced sulfur-bearing species, as opposed to reduced uranium-bearing species, has been demonstrated to limit the mobility of uranium at the laboratory scale yet field-scale investigations are lacking. In this study, the mobility of uranium in the presence of nitrate oxidant was investigated in a shallow groundwater system after establishing conditions conducive to uranium reduction and the formation of reduced sulfur-bearing species. A series of three injections of groundwater (200 L) containing U(VI) (5 μM) and amended with ethanol (40 mM) and sulfate (20 mM) were conducted in ten test wells in order to stimulate microbial-mediated reduction of uranium and the formation of reduced sulfur-bearing species. Simultaneous push-pull tests were then conducted in triplicate well clusters to investigate the mobility of U(VI) under three conditions: 1) high nitrate (120 mM), 2) high nitrate (120 mM) with ethanol (30 mM), and 3) low nitrate (2 mM) with ethanol (30 mM). Dilution-adjusted breakthrough curves of ethanol, nitrate, nitrite, sulfate, and U(VI) suggested that nitrate reduction was predominantly coupled to the oxidation of reduced-sulfur bearing species, as opposed to the reoxidation of U(IV), under all three conditions for the duration of the 36-day tests. The amount of sulfate, but not U(VI), recovered during the push-pull tests was substantially more than injected, relative to bromide tracer, under all three conditions and further suggested that reduced sulfur-bearing species were preferentially oxidized under nitrate-reducing conditions. However, some reoxidation of U(IV) was observed under nitrate-reducing conditions and in the absence of detectable nitrate and/or nitrite. This suggested that reduced sulfur-bearing species may not be fully effective at limiting the mobility of uranium in the presence of dissolved and/or solid-phase oxidants. The results of this field study confirmed those of previous laboratory studies which suggested that reoxidation of uranium under nitrate-reducing conditions can be substantially limited by preferential oxidation of reduced sulfur-bearing species.

Response of Soil Surface Greenhouse Gas Fluxes to Crop Residue Removal and Cover Crops under a Corn–Soybean Rotation

Excessive crop residue returned to the soil hinders farm operations, but residue removal can affect soil quality. In contrast, cover cropping can return additional residue to the soil and improve soils and environmental quality compared with no cover cropping. Residue and cover crop impacts on soil surface greenhouses gas (GHG) emissions are undetermined and site specific. Thus, the present study was conducted to investigate the impacts of corn ( L.) residue management and cover cropping on GHG fluxes. The fluxes were measured from 2013 to 2015 using static chamber under corn and soybean [ (L.) Merr.] rotation initiated in 2000 at Brookings, SD. Treatments included two residue management levels (residue returned [RR] and residue not returned [RNR]) and two cover cropping (cover crops [CC] and no cover crops [NCC]). Results showed that RR under corn and soybean phases significantly reduced cumulative CO fluxes (2681.3 kg ha in corn and 2419.8 kg ha in soybeans) compared with RNR (3331.0 kg ha in corn and 2755.0 kg ha in soybeans) in 2013. The RR emitted significantly less cumulative NO fluxes than RNR from both the phases in 2013 and 2014, but not in 2015. The CC treatment had significantly lower cumulative NO fluxes than the NCC for corn and soybean phases in 2013 and 2014. We conclude that crop residue retention and cover cropping can mitigate the GHG emissions compared with residue removal and no cover cropping.