Trees adjust nutrient acquisition strategies across tropical forest secondary succession.

Nutrient limitation may constrain the ability of recovering and mature tropical forests to serve as a carbon sink. However, it is unclear to what extent trees can utilize nutrient acquisition strategies - especially root phosphatase enzymes and mycorrhizal symbioses - to overcome low nutrient availability across secondary succession. Using a large-scale, full factorial nitrogen and phosphorus fertilization experiment of 76 plots along a secondary successional gradient in lowland wet tropical forests of Panama, we tested the extent to which root phosphatase enzyme activity and mycorrhizal colonization are flexible, and if investment shifts over succession, reflective of changing nutrient limitation. We also conducted a meta-analysis to test how tropical trees adjust these strategies in response to nutrient additions and across succession. We find that tropical trees are dynamic, adjusting investment in strategies - particularly root phosphatase - in response to changing nutrient conditions through succession. These changes reflect a shift from strong nitrogen to weak phosphorus limitation over succession. Our meta-analysis findings were consistent with our field study; we found more predictable responses of root phosphatase than mycorrhizal colonization to nutrient availability. Our findings suggest that nutrient acquisition strategies respond to nutrient availability and demand in tropical forests, likely critical for alleviating nutrient limitation.

Global change progressively increases foliar nitrogen-phosphorus ratios in China's subtropical forests.

Globally increased nitrogen (N) to phosphorus (P) ratios (N/P) affect the structure and functioning of terrestrial ecosystems, but few studies have addressed the variation of foliar N/P over time in subtropical forests. Foliar N/P indicates N versus P limitation in terrestrial ecosystems. Quantifying long-term dynamics of foliar N/P and their potential drivers is crucial for predicting nutrient status and functioning in forest ecosystems under global change. We detected temporal trends of foliar N/P, quantitatively estimated their potential drivers and their interaction between plant types (evergreen vs. deciduous and trees vs. shrubs), using 1811 herbarium specimens of 12 widely distributed species collected during 1920-2010 across China's subtropical forests. We found significant decreases in foliar P concentrations (23.1%) and increases in foliar N/P (21.2%). Foliar N/P increased more in evergreen species (22.9%) than in deciduous species (16.9%). Changes in atmospheric CO2 concentrations ( P CO 2 $$ {\mathrm{P}}_{{\mathrm{CO}}_2} $$ ), atmospheric N deposition and mean annual temperature (MAT) dominantly contributed to the increased foliar N/P of evergreen species, while P CO 2 $$ {\mathrm{P}}_{{\mathrm{CO}}_2} $$ , MAT, and vapor pressure deficit, to that of deciduous species. Under future Shared Socioeconomic Pathway (SSP) scenarios, increasing MAT and P CO 2 $$ {\mathrm{P}}_{{\mathrm{CO}}_2} $$ would continuously increase more foliar N/P in deciduous species than in evergreen species, with more 12.9%, 17.7%, and 19.4% versus 6.1%, 7.9%, and 8.9% of magnitudes under the scenarios of SSP1-2.6, SSP3-7.0, and SSP5-8.5, respectively. The results suggest that global change has intensified and will progressively aggravate N-P imbalance, further altering community composition and ecosystem functioning of subtropical forests.

Impact of long-term tillage management on utilization of microbial carbon sources in rhizosphere and non-rhizosphere soils under a double-cropping rice paddy field.

In order to reveal the mechanism of microbial carbon (C) sequestration in paddy soil under different tillage management and to provide an important theoretical basis for perfecting the mechanism of C sequestration in paddy soil. C can indicate changes of soil nutrient content and soil microbial community, but more research is needed to study how C sources utilization characteristics respond to different tillage management under a double-cropping rice (Oryza sativa L.) paddy field in southern China. Hence, the impact of long-term (2005-2018) tillage management on utilization of microbial carbon sources in rhizosphere and non-rhizosphere soils under a double-cropping rice paddy field was studied by using 18O-H2O method in this study. The tillage treatments were included: (1) moldboard plow with all crop residue removed as a control (CT), (2) moldboard plow with all crop residue incorporated (CTS), (3) no-tillage with all crop residue retained on the soil surface (NTS), and (4) rotary tillage with all crop residue incorporated (RTS). The results indicated that Richness, Shannon, and McIntosh indices were increased by application of crop residue management, compared with treatment without crop residue, and soil microbial growth rate, soil microbial biomass C content, and soil microbial basal respiration with CT treatment were significantly lower (p < 0.05) than that of NTS, RTS, and CTS treatments. And the soil C utilization efficiency in rhizosphere soil with NTS, RTS, and CTS treatments was significantly lower (p < 0.05) than that of CT treatment. Compared with CT and CTS treatments, the metabolic capacity of soil microorganisms to exogenous C sources with NTS and RTS treatments was increased, and the different types of exogenous C sources were showed as following: complex compounds < carbohydrate < amino acid < carboxylic acids. The redundancy analysis results showed that utilization characteristics of soil microorganisms to exogenous C sources were significantly changed under tillage and crop residue incorporated conditions. Hence, this result indicated that characteristics of soil C sources utilization were significantly increased combined applied with tillage and crop residue incorporated management.

Functional diversity of rhizosphere soil microbial communities in response to different tillage and crop residue retention in a double-cropping rice field.

Microbial community functional diversity is a sensitive indicator of soil quality, soil management such as tillage and crop residue which can affect the microbial community functional diversity of paddy field. However, there is still limited information about the influence of different tillage and crop residue management on rhizosphere soil microbial community functional diversity in a double-cropping rice (Oryza sativa L.) field. Therefore, four tillage treatments were set up in paddy field, tillage treatments were included: conventional tillage with residue incorporation (CT), rotary tillage with residue incorporation (RT), no-tillage with residue retention (NT), and rotary tillage with residue removed as control (RTO). And the effects of CT, RT, NT, and RTO treatments on the average well color development (AWCD), genetic diversity indices and carbon source utilization of rhizosphere soil were studied in the present paper. The results showed that the values of AWCD with CT, RT and NT treatments were higher than that of RTO treatment. It was implied that application of crop residue management resulted in the variation of the carbon utilization efficiency of rhizosphere soil microbial communities. At maturity stages of early and late rice, the Richness indices, Shannon indices and McIntosh indices with CT treatment were significantly higher than that of RTO treatment, and with the order as CT>RT>NT>RTO. Principal component analysis (PCA) results indicated that there were significant differences in carbon substrate utilization patterns among different tillage treatments. Carbohydrates and amino acids were the main carbon resources utilized by rhizosphere soil microbes. Therefore, the combined application of tillage with crop residue management could significantly increase the rhizosphere soil microbial community functional diversity in the double-cropping paddy field of southern China.

Effects of winter covering crop residue incorporation on CH4 and N2O emission from double-cropped paddy fields in southern China.

Residue management in cropping systems is useful to improve soil quality. However, the studies on the effects of residue management on methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) emission from paddy field in southern China are few. Therefore, the emissions of CH4 and N2O were investigated in double cropping rice (Oryza sativa L.) systems with different winter covering crops using the static chamber-gas chromatography technique to assess the effects of different covering crops on the emissions of greenhouse gases. The experiment was established in 2004 in Hunan Province, China. Three winter cropping systems were used: rice-rice-rape (Brassica napus L.) (T1), rice-rice-potato with straw mulching (Solanum tuberosum L.) (T2), and rice-rice with winter fallow (CK). A randomized block design was adopted in plots, with three replications. The results showed that T2 plots had the largest CH4 emissions during the early and late rice growing season with 12.506 and 32.991 g m(-2), respectively. When compared to CK, total N2O emissions in the early rice growth period and the emissions of the gas increased by 0.013 g m(-2) in T1 and 0.045 g m(-2) in T2, respectively. Similar results were obtained in the late rice growth period; the total N2O emissions increased by 0.027 g m(-2) in T1 and 0.084 g m(-2) in T2, respectively. The mean value of global warming potentials (GWPs) of CH4 and N2O emissions over 100 years was in the order of T2 > T1 > CK, which indicated CK and T1 was significantly lower than T2 (P < 0.05). This suggests that adoption of T1 would be beneficial for greenhouse gas emission mitigation and could be a good option cropping pattern in double rice cropped regions.

[Effects of long-term tillage and rice straw returning on soil nutrient pools and Cd concentration].

The objective of this study was to assess the effects of tillage and straw returning on soil nutrient and its pools, and soil Cd concentration, and to identify the strategies for rational tillage and remediation of Cd contaminated paddy fields. The experiment was established with no-tillage with straw retention (NTS) , rotary tillage with straw incorporation (RTS) , conventional plow tillage with straw incorporation (CTS), conventional plow tillage with straw removed ( CT) from 2005 to 2013. The results indicated that tillage and rice straw retention had a great impact on soil properties at 0-10 cm soil depth. The soil aeration, and concentrations of soil nutrient and soil Cd increased under CTS, CT, and RTS. Due to the shallow plow layers, soil nutrient pools and the Cd concentration in rice shoot decreased in long-term tilled soil. Under long-term no-tillage, the soil bulk, soil nutrient pools and Cd concentration in rice shoot increased, but concentrations of soil nutrients decreased. In addition, rice straw returning significantly increased the soil nutrient concentrations, cation exchange capacity, depth of plow layer, and soil nutrient pools. However, the Cd in the rice straw was also returned to the soil by rice straw returning, which would not benefit the remediation of soil Cd. Therefore, it is necessary to improve tillage and straw retention practices due to the disadvantages of long-term continuous single tillage method and rice straw returning practices. Some recommended managements (e.g., rotational tillage or subsoiling, reducing straw returning amount, and rotational straw returning) could be good options in enhancing soil fertility and remedying soil pollution.

Effects of winter cover crops straws incorporation on CH4 and N2O emission from double-cropping paddy fields in southern China.

Residue management in cropping systems is believed to improve soil quality. However, the effects of residue management on methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from paddy field in Southern China have not been well researched. The emissions of CH4 and N2O were investigated in double cropping rice (Oryza sativa L.) systems with straw returning of different winter cover crops by using the static chamber-gas chromatography technique. A randomized block experiment with three replications was established in 2004 in Hunan Province, China, including rice-rice-ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum L.) (Ry-R-R), rice-rice-Chinese milk vetch (Astragalus sinicus L.) (Mv-R-R) and rice-rice with winter fallow (Fa-R-R). The results showed that straw returning of winter crops significantly increased the CH4 emission during both rice growing seasons when compared with Fa-R-R. Ry-R-R plots had the largest CH4 emissions during the early rice growing season with 14.235 and 15.906 g m(-2) in 2012 and 2013, respectively, when Ry-R-R plots had the largest CH4 emission during the later rice growing season with 35.673 and 38.606 g m(-2) in 2012 and 2013, respectively. The Ry-R-R and Mv-R-R also had larger N2O emissions than Fa-R-R in both rice seasons. When compared to Fa-R-R, total N2O emissions in the early rice growing season were increased by 0.05 g m(-2) in Ry-R-R and 0.063 g m(-2) in Mv-R-R in 2012, and by 0.058 g m(-2) in Ry-R-R and 0.068 g m(-2) in Mv-R-R in 2013, respectively. Similar result were obtained in the late rice growing season, and the total N2O emissions were increased by 0.104 g m(-2) in Ry-R-R and 0.073 g m(-2) in Mv-R-R in 2012, and by 0.108 g m(-2) in Ry-R-R and 0.076 g m(-2) in Mv-R-R in 2013, respectively. The global warming potentials (GWPs) from paddy fields were ranked as Ry-R-R>Mv-R-R>Fa-R-R. As a result, straw returning of winter cover crops has significant effects on increase of CH4 and N2O emission from paddy field in double cropping rice system.

[Effects of winter cover crop on methane and nitrous oxide emission from paddy field].

Static chamber-GC technique was employed to study the effects of different treatment winter cover crops, including no-tillage and directly sowing ryegrass (T1), no-tillage and directly sowing Chinese milk vetch (T2), tillage and transplanting rape (T3), no-tillage and directly sowing rape (T4), and fallowing (CK), on the CH4 and N2O emission from double cropping rice paddy field. During the growth period of test winter cover crops, the CH4 and N2O emission in treatments T1-T4 was significantly higher than that in CK (P < 0.01). Treatments T1 and T3 not only had the largest CH4 emission (0.60 and 0.88 g x m(-2)), but also had the largest N2O emission (0.20 and 0.23 g x m(-2), respectively). After the winter cover crops returned to field, the CH4 emission from early and late rice fields in treatments T1, T2, T3, and T4 was larger than that in CK. In early rice field, treatments T1 and T2 had the largest CH4 emission (21.70 and 20.75 g x m(-2)); while in late rice field, treatments T3 and T4 had the largest one (58.90 and 54.51 g x m(-2) respectively). Treatments T1-T4 also had larger N2O emission from early and late rice fields than the CK did. The N2O emission from early rice field in treatments T1, T2, T3, and T4 was increased by 53.7%, 12.2%, 46.3%, and 29.3%, and that from late rice field in corresponding treatments was increased by 28.6%, 3.8%, 34.3%, and 27.6%, respectively, compared with CK.