Hirsch Penny R, Jhurreea Deveraj, Williams Jennifer K, Murray Philip J, Scott Tony, Misselbrook Tom H, Goulding Keith W T, Clark Ian M
1Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, Hertfordshire AL5 2JQ UK.
2Rothamsted Research, North Wyke, Okehampton, Devon EX20 2SB UK.
Plant Soil. 2017;412(1):283-297. doi: 10.1007/s11104-016-3068-x. Epub 2016 Sep 30.
Soil degradation is a major global problem; to investigate the potential for recovery of soil biota and associated key functions, soils were monitored during the early years of conversion between permanent grassland, arable cropping and bare fallow (maintained by regular tilling). Distinct differences in soil properties had become apparent 50 years after a previous conversion.
Subplots on previously permanent grassland, arable and bare fallow soil were converted to the two alternatives, generating 9 treatments. Soil properties (soil organic carbon, mesofauna, microbial community structure and activity) were measured.
After 2 years, mesofauna and microbial abundance increased where plants were grown on previously bare fallow soils and declined where grassland was converted to bare fallow treatment. Overall prokaryote community composition remained more similar to the previous treatments of the converted plots than to the new treatments but there were significant changes in the relative abundance of some groups and functional genes. Four years after conversion, SOC in arable and bare fallow soils converted to grassland had increased significantly.
Conversion to permanent grassland effectively replenished C in previously degraded soil; the soil microbiome showed significant conversion-related changes; plant-driven recovery was quicker than C loss in the absence of plants.
土壤退化是一个全球性的重大问题；为了研究土壤生物群及其相关关键功能的恢复潜力，在永久草地、耕地种植和裸地休耕（通过定期耕作维持）之间转换的最初几年对土壤进行了监测。在之前一次转换50年后，土壤性质的明显差异已经显现出来。
将先前永久草地、耕地和裸地土壤上的小区转换为另外两种状态，产生9种处理方式。对土壤性质（土壤有机碳、中型土壤动物、微生物群落结构和活性）进行了测量。
两年后，在先前的裸地土壤上种植植物的地方，中型土壤动物和微生物数量增加，而草地转换为裸地休耕处理的地方数量减少。总体而言，原核生物群落组成与转换地块之前的处理方式相比，与新处理方式更相似，但一些类群和功能基因的相对丰度有显著变化。转换四年后，转换为草地的耕地和裸地土壤中的有机碳显著增加。
转换为永久草地有效地补充了先前退化土壤中的碳；土壤微生物群落显示出与转换相关的显著变化；植物驱动的恢复比没有植物时碳的损失更快。
