Organic Mulching Increases Microbial Activity in Urban Forest Soil
Interactions between C accumulation, resulting from plant residue mulching, and the accelerated decomposition of litter and soil organic matter due to higher enzyme activities remain poorly understood, particularly in urban forests. Here, the activities of four enzymes associated with carbon (C) and...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-08-01
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| Series: | Forests |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/13/9/1352 |
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| author | Xiaodan Sun Yuqian Ye Jiahui Liao Andrey V. Soromotin Pavel V. Smirnov Yakov Kuzyakov |
| author_facet | Xiaodan Sun Yuqian Ye Jiahui Liao Andrey V. Soromotin Pavel V. Smirnov Yakov Kuzyakov |
| author_sort | Xiaodan Sun |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Interactions between C accumulation, resulting from plant residue mulching, and the accelerated decomposition of litter and soil organic matter due to higher enzyme activities remain poorly understood, particularly in urban forests. Here, the activities of four enzymes associated with carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) cycling after organic mulching were investigated in the rhizosphere and bulk soil of a 15-year-old <i>Ligustrum lucidum</i> urban forest. The enzymatic activities in the rhizosphere were closely correlated to those in bulk soil, however, they were more strongly affected by organic mulching and exhibited faster C and nutrient cycling. Moreover, the activity of urease in the rhizosphere and peroxidase in the bulk soil in autumn, as well as invertase in the rhizosphere in spring, decreased. Microbial C and N were most responsible for the observed increase in invertase activity in spring, during which microorganisms exhibited rapid growth and the highest activities, whereas soil organic C regulated urease activity in winter. Additionally, the activity of dehydrogenase increased by up to 75%; the degree of increase was typically dependent on the mulching amount. Generally, invertase and dehydrogenase activity increased with the abundance of dissolved organic matter and microbial biomass, whereas peroxidase exhibited the opposite trend. Taken together, these findings indicate that organic mulching efficiently increases enzymatic activity, particularly within the rhizosphere, thus accelerating soil C and N cycling. Hence, mulching may represent an effective measure for urban forest management and soil conservation. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T00:01:18Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-65a5ec36584b4f1cbb8899bb7d33f1f5 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1999-4907 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T00:01:18Z |
| publishDate | 2022-08-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Forests |
| spelling | doaj.art-65a5ec36584b4f1cbb8899bb7d33f1f52023-11-23T16:16:00ZengMDPI AGForests1999-49072022-08-01139135210.3390/f13091352Organic Mulching Increases Microbial Activity in Urban Forest SoilXiaodan Sun0Yuqian Ye1Jiahui Liao2Andrey V. Soromotin3Pavel V. Smirnov4Yakov Kuzyakov5Marine Ecology Research Center, First Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Qingdao 266061, ChinaCollege of Biology and the Environment, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, ChinaCollege of Biology and the Environment, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, ChinaResearch Institute of Ecology and Natural Resources Management, University of Tyumen, 625003 Tyumen, RussiaResearch Institute of Ecology and Natural Resources Management, University of Tyumen, 625003 Tyumen, RussiaDepartment of Soil Science of Temperate Ecosystems, Department of Agricultural Soil Science, University of Goettingen, 37073 Göttingen, GermanyInteractions between C accumulation, resulting from plant residue mulching, and the accelerated decomposition of litter and soil organic matter due to higher enzyme activities remain poorly understood, particularly in urban forests. Here, the activities of four enzymes associated with carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) cycling after organic mulching were investigated in the rhizosphere and bulk soil of a 15-year-old <i>Ligustrum lucidum</i> urban forest. The enzymatic activities in the rhizosphere were closely correlated to those in bulk soil, however, they were more strongly affected by organic mulching and exhibited faster C and nutrient cycling. Moreover, the activity of urease in the rhizosphere and peroxidase in the bulk soil in autumn, as well as invertase in the rhizosphere in spring, decreased. Microbial C and N were most responsible for the observed increase in invertase activity in spring, during which microorganisms exhibited rapid growth and the highest activities, whereas soil organic C regulated urease activity in winter. Additionally, the activity of dehydrogenase increased by up to 75%; the degree of increase was typically dependent on the mulching amount. Generally, invertase and dehydrogenase activity increased with the abundance of dissolved organic matter and microbial biomass, whereas peroxidase exhibited the opposite trend. Taken together, these findings indicate that organic mulching efficiently increases enzymatic activity, particularly within the rhizosphere, thus accelerating soil C and N cycling. Hence, mulching may represent an effective measure for urban forest management and soil conservation.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/13/9/1352C–N cyclenutrient mobilizationorganic mulchingrhizosphere processurban forest |
| spellingShingle | Xiaodan Sun Yuqian Ye Jiahui Liao Andrey V. Soromotin Pavel V. Smirnov Yakov Kuzyakov Organic Mulching Increases Microbial Activity in Urban Forest Soil Forests C–N cycle nutrient mobilization organic mulching rhizosphere process urban forest |
| title | Organic Mulching Increases Microbial Activity in Urban Forest Soil |
| title_full | Organic Mulching Increases Microbial Activity in Urban Forest Soil |
| title_fullStr | Organic Mulching Increases Microbial Activity in Urban Forest Soil |
| title_full_unstemmed | Organic Mulching Increases Microbial Activity in Urban Forest Soil |
| title_short | Organic Mulching Increases Microbial Activity in Urban Forest Soil |
| title_sort | organic mulching increases microbial activity in urban forest soil |
| topic | C–N cycle nutrient mobilization organic mulching rhizosphere process urban forest |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/13/9/1352 |
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