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Impact of faunal complexity on microbial biomass and N turnover in field mesocosms from a spruce forest soil

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Abstract

In a field study using soil mesocosms in an acid spruce forest soil we investigated the effects of mesofauna and macrofauna on microbial biomass, dissolved organic matter, and N cycling. Intact soil monoliths were taken from the ground, defaunated by deep-freezing, and wrapped in nets of various mesh-sizes to control re-immigration of different faunal size-classes. The monoliths were then replanted in the field. Three treatments of mesocosms were prepared: (1) with only microbiota, (2) microbiota and mesofauna, and (3) microbiota, mesofauna, and macrofauna (= complex fauna). After 8 months of exposure the mesocosms and the unmanipulated control plots (treatment 4) were destructively sampled. We estimated microbial biomass by substrate-induced respiration and the chloroform fumigation-extraction method. N cycling was measured by monitoring microbial N mineralization, the NH sup+inf4 content, and selected amino acids and the activities of protease, urease, and deaminase. The results from the L/F layer showed that the pool of the microbial biomass was not changed by the activity of the mesofauna. However, the mesofauna and macrofauna together enhanced SIR. An increase in microbial N mineralization was only observed in treatment 3 (microbiota + complex fauna). Protease activity and NH sup+inf4 content increased in treatments 2 (microbiota + mesofauna) and 3 (microbiota + complex fauna). The complex fauna induced a soil pH increase in treatment 3 as opposed to treatment 1 and the control. This increase was presumably due to excretory NH sup+inf4 . Principal component analysis revealed that the complex fauna in treatment 3 caused a significantly higher N turnover per unit of microbial biomass.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Soil Management, Federal Agency and Research Centre for Agriculture, Spargelfeldstr. 191, A-1220, Vienna, Austria

    Birgit Vedder & Ellen Kandeler

  2. Institute of Zoology, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, A-1090, Vienna, Austria

    Christian Kampichler

  3. Institute of Plant Physiology, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, A-1090, Vienna, Austria

    Gert Bachmann

  4. Institute of Zoology, University of Agriculture, Gregor-Mendel-Strasse 33, A-1180, Vienna, Austria

    Alexander Bruckner

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  1. Birgit Vedder
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  2. Christian Kampichler
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  3. Gert Bachmann
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  4. Alexander Bruckner
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  5. Ellen Kandeler
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Vedder, B., Kampichler, C., Bachmann, G. et al. Impact of faunal complexity on microbial biomass and N turnover in field mesocosms from a spruce forest soil. Biol Fert Soils 22, 22–30 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00384428

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00384428

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