Effects of Long-Term Combined Application of Organic and Mineral Fertilizers on Microbial Biomass, Soil Enzyme Activities and Soil Fertility

Soil health is important for the sustainable development of terrestrial ecosystem. In this paper, we studied the relationship between soil quality and soil microbial properties such as soil microbial biomass and soil enzyme activities in order to illustrate the function of soil microbial properties as bio-indicators of soil health. In this study, microbial biomass C and N contents (Cmic & Nmic). soil enzyme activities, and soil fertility with different fertilizer regimes were carried out based on a 15-year long-term fertilizer experiment in Drab Fluvo-aquic soil in Changping County, Beijing, China. At this site, 7 different treatments were established in 1991. They were in a wheat-maize rotation receiving either no fertilizer (CK). mineral fertilizers (NPK). mineral fertilizers with wheat straw incorporated (NPKW+), mineral fertilizers with incremental wheat straw incorporated (NPKW+), mineral fertilizers plus swine manure (NPKM), mineral fertilizers plus incremental swine manure (NPKM+) or mineral fertilizers with maize straw incorporated (NPKS). In different fertilization treatments Cmic changed from 96.49 to 500.12 mg kg−1, and Nmic changed from 35.89 to 101.82 mg kg−1. Compared with CK, the other treatments increased Cmic & Nmic, Cmic/Corg (organic C) ratios, Cmic/Nmic, urease activity, soil organic matter (SOM). soil total nitrogen (STN), and soil total phosphorus (STP). All these properties in treatment with fertilizers input NPKM+ were the highest. Meantime, long-term combined application of mineral fertilizers with organic manure or crop straw could significantly decrease the soil pH in Fluvo-aquic soil (the pH around 8.00 in this experimental soil). Some of soil microbial properties (Cmic/Nmic. urease activity) were positively correlated with soil nutrients. Cmic/Nmic was significantly correlated with SOM and STN contents. The correlation between catalase activity and soil nutrients was not significant. In addition, except of catalase activity, the soil pH in this experiment was negatively correlated with soil microbial properties. In conclusion, soil microbial properties reflect changes of soil quality and thus can be used as bio-indicators of soil health.