Abstract

Microbial diversity and their activity in the rhizosphere and bulk soil areas were measured in a long-term field trial (started in 1956), where maize has been grown for the last 20 years with and without N fertilisation. Various microbial groups and their substrate feeding strategies (i.e. demonstrating activities) were identified through phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs) analysis and their δ¹³C values. Microbial abundance (esp. fungi) remained unaffected by long-term N fertilisation. However, fungi dominated over bacteria with 2–3 times higher biomass in the rhizosphere than bulk soil. The δ¹³C of PLFAs showed that fungi had the highest values, particularly in fertilised rhizosphere areas, indicating that this was the most active group (than any other microbial group) for assimilation of maize rhizodeposits.

Keywords

C3/C4 vegetation; carbon isotopes; soil organic matter; PLFAs; soil microorganisms

Published in

European Journal of Soil Biology
2021, Volume: 102, article number: 103264

SLU Authors

• Shahbaz, Muhammad

  • Department of Soil and Environment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    
  • Lund University

• Börjesson, Gunnar

  • Department of Soil and Environment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

UKÄ Subject classification

Soil Science


Publication identifier

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejsobi.2020.103264

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/109148