Inconsistent Responses of Rhizosphere Microbial Community Structure and Extracellular Enzyme Activity to Short-Term Nitrogen and Phosphorus Additions in Chinese Fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata) Plantations

Abstract

Rhizosphere is a hot zone formed by root–microbial interaction, and microbial activities in this zone differ from those in bulk soil. Nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) inputs are able to change forest soil nutrient availability, affecting microbial communities and extracellular enzyme secretion. However, the impact of N and P additions on the structure and functions of rhizosphere microbial community in Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata (Lamb.) Hook) plantations are not yet clear. To reveal the impact of short-term N and P inputs on microbial community structure and functions in rhizosphere soil, soil physicochemical properties, phospholipid fatty acids, and seven hydrolytic enzyme activities were measured in Chinese fir rhizosphere soil after one year of nutrient addition. N addition reduced the rhizosphere’s pH and increased ammonium N, but the rhizosphere’s available N (AN) initially wentdown and then up along the P-addition gradient. The rhizosphere fungi:bacteria ratio showed a decline after N addition, while a concave peak change occurred as rhizosphere AN under P addition. Moreover, rhizosphere extracellular enzyme activities and microbial C limitation climbed markedly with N addition rates, while this also showed an obviously unimodal pattern along the P-addition gradient. P addition did not alleviate rhizosphere microbial P limitation. Our findings suggest inconsistent responses of rhizosphere microorganisms of Chinese fir soil to N and P additions. Rhizosphere N availability can regulate microbial community structure and extracellular enzymes by influencing microbial C limitation. The study provides more knowledge on microbial activities in rhizosphere soil of subtropical forests under global changes.