Soil biological activity and their seasonal variations in response to long-term application of organic and inorganic fertilizers

Abstract

The objectives of this study were to explore the effects of long-term and continued application of fertilizers and manures on microbial biomass, soil biological activity and their seasonal variations in surface and subsurface soils in relation to soil fertility. For this, soils were sampled in spring, summer and autumn from Shenyang Long-term Experimental Station, northeastern China. The results showed that soil total nitrogen (N), organic carbon (C), basal respiration, microbial biomass and enzymatic activity increased in manure-amended surface soils, but decreased with soil depth. Long-term application of inorganic fertilizers significantly decreased soil pH value, sucrase activity and microbial biomass C, but increased soil metabolic quotient (qCO2). However, no significant effect of inorganic fertilizers on soil total N, urease activity and microbial biomass N was observed in comparison with CK0 (neither tillage nor fertilization) and CK (no fertilizers). There was no significant difference between CK0 and CK in soil total N, organic C and microbial activity in surface