Skip to main content
Log in

Effects of pine roots on microorganisms, fauna, and nitrogen availability in two soil horizons of a coniferous forest spodosol

  • Published:
Biology and Fertility of Soils Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

We investigated the effects of pitch pine seedling roots on extractable N, microbial growth rate, biomass C and N, and nematodes and microarthropods in microcosms with either organic (41% C, 1.14% N) or mineral (0.05% C, 0.01% N) horizon soils of a spondosol. Root quantity was manipulated by varying plant density (0, 1, 2, or 4 seedlings) and rhizosphere soil was separated from non-rhizosphere soil by a 1.2 μm mesh fabric. In the rhizosphere of organic soil horizons, moisture, microbial growth rate, biomass C and N, and extractable N declined as root density was increased, but there was little effect on nematodes or microarthropods. High levels of extractable N remained after 5 months, suggesting that N mineralization was stimulated during the incubation. In the rhizosphere of mineral soil horizons, microbial growth rate, and nematode and microarthropod abundances increased at higher root density, and in the absence of roots faunal abundance approached zero. Faunal activity was concentrated in the rhizosphere compared to non-rhizosphere soil. In organic soil horizons, roots may limit microbial activity by reducing soil moisture and/or N availability. However, in mineral soil horizons, where nutrient levels are very low, root inputs can stimulate microbial growth and faunal abundance by providing important substrates for microbial growth. Our results demonstrate a rhizosphere effect for soil fauna in the mineral soil, and thus extends the rhizosphere concept to components of the soil community other than microbes for forest ecosystems. Although our results need to be verified by field manipulations, we suggest that the effects of pine roots on nutrient cycling processes in coniferous forests can vary with soil nutrient content and, therefore, position in the soil profile.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Bååth E, Söderstrom B (1982) Seasonal and spatial variation in fungal biomass in a forest floor. Soil Biol Biochem 14:353–358

    Google Scholar 

  • Babel U (1977) Influence of high densities of fine roots of Norway spruce on processes in humus covers. Ecol Bull (Stockholm) 25:584–586

    Google Scholar 

  • Brown DA, Ul-Haq A (1984) A porous membrane-root culture technique for growing plants under controlled soil conditions. Soil Sci Soc Am J 48:692–695

    Google Scholar 

  • Clarholm M (1985) Possible roles for roots, bacteria, protozoa and fungi in supplying nitrogen to plants. In: Fitter AH (ed) Ecological interactions in soil. Blackwell Sci Publ, Oxford, pp 355–365

    Google Scholar 

  • Clarholm M, Rosswall T (1980) Biomass and turnover of bacteria in a forest soil and a peat. Soil Biol Biochem 12:49–57

    Google Scholar 

  • Clarholm M, Popovic B, Rosswall T, Söderstrom B, Sohlenius B, Staaf H, Wiren A (1981) Biological aspects of nitrogen mineralization in humus from a pine forest podsol incubated under different moisture and temperature conditions. Oikos 37:137–145

    Google Scholar 

  • Dighton J, Thomas ED, Latter PM (1987) Interactions between tree roots, mycorrhizas, a saprotrophic fungus and the decomposition of organic substrates in a microcosm. Biol Fertil Soils 4:145–150

    Google Scholar 

  • Elliott ET, Coleman DC, Cole CV (1979) The influence of amoebae on the uptake of nitrogen by plants in gnotobiotic soil. In: Harley JL, Russell RS (eds) The soil-root interface. Academic Press, London, pp 221–229

    Google Scholar 

  • Faber JH, Verhoef HA (1991) Functional differences between closelyrelated soil arthropods with respect to decomposition processes in the presence or absence of pine tree roots. Soil Biol Biochem 23:15–23

    Google Scholar 

  • Federle TW, Hullar MA, Ligingston RJ, Meeter DA, White DC (1983) Spatial distribution of biochemical parameters indicating biomass and community composition of microbial assemblies in estuarine mud flat sediments. Appl. Environ Microbiol 45:58–63

    Google Scholar 

  • Fisher FM, Gosz JR (1986a) Effects of trenching on soil processes and properties in a New Mexico mixed-conifer forest. Biol Fertil Soils 2:35–42

    Google Scholar 

  • Fisher FM, Gosz JR (1986b) Effects of plants on net mineralization of nitrogen in forest soil microcosms. Biol Fertil Soils 2:43–50

    Google Scholar 

  • Fisher RF, Stone EL (1969) Increased availability of nitrogen and phosphorus in the root zone of conifers. Soil Sci Soc Am Proc 33:955–961

    Google Scholar 

  • Forman RTT (1979) Pine barrens: Ecosystem and landscape. Academic Press, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Gadgil RL, Gadgil PD (1971) Mycorrhiza and litter decomposition. Nature (London) 233:133

    Google Scholar 

  • Gadgil RL, Gadgil PD (1975) Suppression of litter decomposition by mycorrhizal roots of Pinus radiata. NZ J For Sci 5:33–41

    Google Scholar 

  • Gadgil RL, Gadgil PD (1978) Influence of clearfelling on decomposition of Pinus radiata litter. NZ J For Sci 8:213–224

    Google Scholar 

  • Harmer R, Alexander IJ (1985) Effects of root exclusion on nitrogen transformations and decomposition processes in spruce humus. In: Fitter AH (ed) Ecological interactions in soil. Blackwell Sci Publ, Oxford, pp 267–277

    Google Scholar 

  • Haussling M, Marschner H (1989) Organic and inorganic soil phosphates and acid phosphatase activity in the rhizosphere of 80-year-old Norway spruce [Picea abies (L.) Karst.] trees. Biol Fertil Soils 8:128–133

    Google Scholar 

  • Hendrickson OQ, Robinson JB (1984) Effects of roots and litter on mineralization processes in forest soil. Plant and Soil 80:391–405

    Google Scholar 

  • Ingham RE, Trofymow JA, Ingham ER, Coleman DC (1985) Interactions of bacteria, fungi, and their nematode grazers: Effects on nutrient cycling and plant growth. Ecol Monogr 55:119–140

    Google Scholar 

  • Jenkinson DS (1966) Studies on the decomposition of plant material in soil. II. Partial sterilization of soil and the soil biomass. J Soil Sci 17:280–302

    Google Scholar 

  • Jenkinson DS, Powlson DS (1976) The effects of biocidal treatments on metabolism in soil: V. A method for measuring soil biomass. Soil Biol Biochem 8:209–213

    Google Scholar 

  • Kuikman PM, Van Veen JA (1989) The impact of protozoa on the availability of bacterial nitrogen to plants. Biol Fertil Soils 8:13–18

    Google Scholar 

  • Markus DK, McKinnon JP, Buccafuri AF (1985) Automated analysis of nitrite, nitrate, and ammonium nitrogen in soils. Soil Sci Soc Am J 49:1208–1215

    Google Scholar 

  • Merchant VA, Crossley DA Jr (1970) An inexpensive high-efficiency Tullgren extractor for soil microarthropods. J Georgia Entomol Soc 5:83–87

    Google Scholar 

  • Neal JL Jr, Bollen WB, Zak B (1964) Rhizosphere microflora associated with mycorrhizae of Douglas fir. Can J Microbiol 10:259–265

    Google Scholar 

  • Newman EI (1985) The rhizosphere: Carbon sources and microbial populations. In: Fitter AH (ed) Ecological interactions in soil. Blackwell Sci Publ, Oxford, pp 107–121

    Google Scholar 

  • Nurminen M (1967) Ecology of enchytraeids (Oligochaeta) in Finish coniferous forest soil. Ann Zool Fenn 4:147–157

    Google Scholar 

  • Poovarodom S, Tate RL III (1988) Nitrogen mineralization rates of the acidic, xeric soils of the New Jersey Pinelands: Laboratory studies. Soil Sci 145:337–344

    Google Scholar 

  • Robinson D, Griffiths B, Ritz K, Wheatley R (1989) Root-induced nitrogen mineralization: A theoretical analysis. Plant and Soil 117:185–193

    Google Scholar 

  • SAS Institute (1985) SAS user's guide: statistics, 5th edn. SAS Institute, Cary, North Carolina

    Google Scholar 

  • Sohlenius B (1979) A carbon budget for nematodes, rotifers and tardigrades in a Swedish coniferous forest soil. Holarct Ecol 2:30–40

    Google Scholar 

  • Tate RL III (1985) Carbon mineralization in acid, xeric forest soils: Induction of new activities. Appl Environ Microbiol 50:454–459

    Google Scholar 

  • Tate RL III, Parmelee RW, Ehrenfeld JG, O'Reilly L (1991) Nitrogen mineralization: Root and microbial interactions in pitch pine microcosms. Soil Sci Soc Am J 55:1004–1008

    Google Scholar 

  • Vance ED, Brookes PC, Jenkinson DS (1987) Microbial biomass measurements in forest soils: Determination of kc values and tests of hypotheses to explain the failure of the chloroform-fumigation incubation method in acid soils. Soil Biol Biochem 19:689–696

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Parmelee, R.W., Ehrenfeld, J.G. & Tate, R.L. Effects of pine roots on microorganisms, fauna, and nitrogen availability in two soil horizons of a coniferous forest spodosol. Biol Fertil Soils 15, 113–119 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00336428

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00336428

Key words

Navigation