Files and links (1)
CC BY V4.0, Open Access
Journal article
Microbial competition for nitrogen and carbon is as intense in the subsoil as in the topsoil
Soil biology & biochemistry, Vol.117, pp.72-82
2018
Abstract
Most studies on plant nutrition tend to focus on the topsoil (plough layer) and frequently neglect subsoil processes. However, cereal roots can potentially acquire nutrients including organic and inorganic nitrogen (N) from deep in the soil profile. Greater knowledge on the interaction of plants and microbes in subsoil environments is required to evaluate whether deep rooting traits in cereals will achieve greater nutrient use efficiency and greater soil carbon (C) storage in cropping systems. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between root distribution, organic and inorganic N availability and potential N supply at the critical growth period during the wheat cropping cycle in a sand textured Eutric Cambisol. Our results provide evidence of significant microbial capacity in the subsoil. The rate of plant residue turnover and the mineralization of organic C and N substrates (glucose, amino acids, peptides, protein) declined slightly with increasing soil depth; however, these rates were not correlated with basal soil respiration, microbial biomass or community structure. This suggests that the microbial population in subsoil is more C limited but that its activity can be readily stimulated upon C substrate addition. A significant potential for organic and inorganic N turnover was also demonstrated at depth with a similar abundance of ammonifiers and ammonia oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and archaea (AOA) throughout the soil profile. Again, N mineralization in subsoils appears to be substrate limited. Root density declined rapidly down the soil profile with few roots present past 50 cm; suggesting that this is the major factor limiting C recharge of soil organic matter and microbial activity in subsoils. Greater root proliferation at depth could allow greater capture of water and the recapture of N lost by leaching; however, our results suggest that plant-microbial competition for C and N is as intense in the subsoil as in the topsoil. We conclude that while deeper rooting may improve nutrient and water use efficiency it may not lead to much greater C sequestration in subsoils, at least in the short term.
Details
- Title
- Microbial competition for nitrogen and carbon is as intense in the subsoil as in the topsoil
- Authors/Creators
- D.L. Jones - Bangor UniversityE.A. Magthab - Bangor UniversityD.B. Gleeson - Institute of Subtropical AgricultureP.W. Hill - Bangor UniversityA.R. Sánchez-Rodríguez - Bangor UniversityP. Roberts - Bangor UniversityT. Ge - Institute of Subtropical AgricultureD.V. Murphy - The University of Western Australia
- Publication Details
- Soil biology & biochemistry, Vol.117, pp.72-82
- Publisher
- Elsevier Ltd
- Identifiers
- 991005560328107891
- Copyright
- © 2017 The Author(s).
- Murdoch Affiliation
- Centre for Sustainable Farming Systems
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article
UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
This output has contributed to the advancement of the following goals:
Metrics
58 Record Views
InCites Highlights
These are selected metrics from InCites Benchmarking & Analytics tool, related to this output
- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- International collaboration
- Citation topics
- 3 Agriculture, Environment & Ecology
- 3.45 Soil Science
- 3.45.112 Soil Carbon Dynamics
- Web Of Science research areas
- Soil Science
- ESI research areas
- Agricultural Sciences