Abstract
To investigate the effects of long-term fertilization on microbial decomposition of residues and priming effect (PE), 13C-labeled maize (Zea mays L.) residues were supplied to arable soils with a 20-year application of compost (COM), mineral NPK fertilizer (NPK), or without any treatments, the no-fertilizer control (NF). The soils that had been stored for 6 years were used in the present incubation experiment. The release of CO2–C and the microbial incorporation of residue-derived C determined by phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs) analysis were monitored over a 90-day incubation period. Residue additions significantly increased cumulative CO2–C emission and induced positive PE. Cumulative residue-derived CO2-C emission and PE mainly occurred within the first 15 days. The COM soil had significantly higher cumulative residue-derived CO2–C emission but lower PE than the NF and NPK soils. Residue additions significantly increased microbial abundance and changed the composition of main microbial groups. The COM soil showed a significantly lower relative fungal abundance (mol%) but a higher relative actinomycetes abundance than the NF and NPK soils. The incorporation of residue-derived C within fungi was the highest among all the main microbial groups and decreased from 15 to 45 days, while the incorporation of residue-derived C within actinomycetes increased with time in three soils. The incorporation of residue-derived C within fungi was the highest in the COM soil over the course of incubation. The long-term compost input promoted fungal use of residue C and stimulated residue decomposition.
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We thank editor-in-chief Prof. Nannipieri and three anonymous reviewers for their constructive comments and suggestions that improved the manuscript greatly.
Funding
This work was financially supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2016YFD0200107 and 2016YFD0300802), National Natural Sciences Foundation of China (41701331), and the China Agriculture Research System (CARS-03).
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Li, Z., Song, M., Li, D. et al. Effect of long-term fertilization on decomposition of crop residues and their incorporation into microbial communities of 6-year stored soils. Biol Fertil Soils 56, 25–37 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00374-019-01398-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00374-019-01398-z