Impact of poplar on soil organic matter quality and microbial communities in arable soils

C. Baum, K.-U. Eckhardt, J. Hahn, M. Weih, I. Dimitriou and P. Leinweber
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C. Baum: SoilScience, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany
K.-U. Eckhardt: SoilScience, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany
J. Hahn: Landscape Ecology and Site Evaluation, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany
M. Weih: Department of Crop Production Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences,
I. Dimitriou: Department of Crop Production Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences,
P. Leinweber: SoilScience, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany

Plant, Soil and Environment, 2013, vol. 59, issue 3, 95-100

Abstract: Poplars grown in short rotation coppice on agricultural land are a promising bioenergy crop. This study aimed to evaluate the soil organic matter (SOM) quality and viable microbial consortium under six-years-old poplar (Populus maximowiczii) and under wheat (Triticum aestivum) at a test site in central Germany. The SOM molecular composition and stability was determined by pyrolysis-field ionization mass spectrometry (Py-FIMS). The microbial consortium was assessed in terms of microbial phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) profiles. Py-FIMS and the PLFAs agreed in showing crop-specific differences in the SOM quality and in the associated microbial communities. Higher proportions of carbohydrates, long-chained fatty acids, sterols and suberins at the expense of N-containing compounds under poplar than under wheat were associated with lower concentrations of microbial PLFAs in the organic matter. A higher ratio of total fungal to bacterial (f/b) PLFAs, a lower ratio of Gram-positive to Gram-negative bacterial PLFAs and lower biomass of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in the organic matter were revealed under poplar than under wheat. Lower N- and increased C-availability in the SOM promoted fungal vs. bacterial colonization, increased the SOM stability by a lower decomposability and caused SOM accumulation under poplar.

Keywords: bioenergy; soil carbon storage; phospholipid fatty acid profiles; Populus; short rotation coppice (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2013
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:caa:jnlpse:v:59:y:2013:i:3:id:548-2012-pse

DOI: 10.17221/548/2012-PSE

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