Abstract

Nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) additions can affect soil microbial carbon (C) accumulation. However, the mechanisms that drive the changes in residual microbial C that occur after N and P additions have not been well-defined for Chinese fir plantations in subtropical China. We set up six different treatments, viz. a control (CK), two N treatments (N1: 50 kg ha−1 a−1; N2: 100 kg ha−1 a−1), one P treatment (P: 50 kg ha−1 a−1), and two combined N and P treatments (N1P: 50 kg ha−1 a−1 of N + 50 kg ha−1 a−1 of P; N2P: 100 kg ha−1 a−1 of N + 50 kg ha−1 a−1 of P). We then investigated the influences of N and P additions on residual microbial C. The results showed that soil pH and microbial biomass decreased after N additions, while microbial biomass increased after P additions. Soil organic carbon (SOC) and residual microbial C contents increased in the N and P treatments but not in the control. Residual microbial C accumulation varied according to treatment and declined in the order: N2P > N1P > N2 > N1 > P > CK. Residual microbial C contents were positively correlated with available N, P, and SOC contents, but were negatively correlated with soil pH. The ratio of residual fungal C to residual bacterial C increased under P additions, but declined under combined N + P additions. The ratio of residual microbial C to SOC increased from 11 to 14% under the N1P and N2P treatments, respectively. Our results suggest that the concentrations of residual microbial C and the stability of SOC would increase under combined applications of N and P fertilizers in subtropical Chinese fir plantation soils.

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