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Wang J, Zhang X, Wang H, Liu T, Fayyaz A, Gonzalez NCT, Wang J, Chen X, Zhao J, Yan W. Leguminous crop restores the carbon flow attenuation from nitrogen loading within soil nematode food web in a Camellia oleifera plantation. J Environ Manage 2024; 349:119580. [PMID: 37979388 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.119580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2023] [Revised: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 11/20/2023]
Abstract
Excessive nitrogen (N) loading poses a substantial risk to soil biodiversity and disrupts carbon (C) flows within the soil food web. Intercropping with legumes is often considered a sustainable way to maintain soil N availability and mitigate the associated detrimental effects. However, it remains unclear whether and how legume crops restore energetic attenuation caused by N loading within the soil food web. Here, we conducted a two-year field experiment using randomized block design in a subtropic Camellia oleifera plantation with high wet N deposition. We examined the effects of applying N fertilizers at normal or half levels (168 or 84 kg N ha-1yr-1) and intercropping legumes (Arachis hypogaea or Cassia tora) on the soil nematode food web. We observed that N fertilization suppressed the majority of nematode trophic groups, weakened the stability of food web structure, and diminished the C flows across the bacterial and fungal energy channels. Conversely, intercropping with legumes (particularly with C. tora) bolstered the densities of bacterivore and fungivore nematodes. This enhancement facilitated interactions within the soil micro-food web, and subsequently augmented the C flows within their respective channels. Model predictions suggested that the detrimental effects of N fertilizers on the nematode food web are primarily linked to decreased soil pH resulting from soil N accumulation. Notably, higher soil organic C was found to mitigate these effects. Furthermore, N-enriched legume substrates played a beneficial role in stimulating soil microbial activities and facilitating C flows through bottom-up control. Our findings emphasize the positive impacts of legume crops on mitigating soil biodiversity loss and restoring energetic attenuation within soil food web under N-saturated soil conditions. These findings provide valuable insights for agroforestry management practices aimed at sustaining soil health and ecosystem resilience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiachen Wang
- National Engineering Laboratory for Applied Technology of Forestry & Ecology in South China, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, 410004, China; Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, 410004, China; Key Laboratory of Agro-ecological Processes in Subtropical Region, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changsha, 410125, China
| | - Xuyuan Zhang
- National Engineering Laboratory for Applied Technology of Forestry & Ecology in South China, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, 410004, China; College of Forestry, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, 410004, China; College of Landscape Architecture, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, 410004, China.
| | - Hailun Wang
- National Engineering Laboratory for Applied Technology of Forestry & Ecology in South China, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, 410004, China; Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, 410004, China
| | - Ting Liu
- National Engineering Laboratory for Applied Technology of Forestry & Ecology in South China, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, 410004, China; Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, 410004, China
| | - Amna Fayyaz
- Department of Plant Pathalogy, University of California, Davis, 95616, USA
| | - Norela C T Gonzalez
- College of Forestry, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, 410004, China
| | - Jun Wang
- National Engineering Laboratory for Applied Technology of Forestry & Ecology in South China, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, 410004, China; Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, 410004, China
| | - Xiaoyong Chen
- Division of Science, College of Arts and Sciences, Governors State University, University Park, IL, 60484, USA
| | - Jie Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Agro-ecological Processes in Subtropical Region, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changsha, 410125, China
| | - Wende Yan
- National Engineering Laboratory for Applied Technology of Forestry & Ecology in South China, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, 410004, China; Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, 410004, China.
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