Skip to main content
Log in

Effect of vegetation manipulation of abandoned arable land on soil microbial properties

  • ORIGINAL PAPER
  • Published:
Biology and Fertility of Soils Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

 The effect of vegetation composition on various soil microbial properties in abandoned arable land was investigated 2 years after agricultural practice had terminated. Microbial numbers and processes were determined in five replicate plots of each of the following treatments: continued agricultural practice (monoculture of buckwheat in 1997), natural colonization by the pioneer community (arable weeds), and manipulated colonization from low (four species, three functional groups: grasses, forbs and legumes) or high diversity (15 species, three functional groups) seed mixtures from plant species that are characteristic of abandoned fields in later successional stages. The results indicated that differences in above-ground plant biomass, plant species composition and plant species diversity had no significant effect on soil microbial processes (net N mineralization, short-term nitrification, respiration and Arg ammonification), microbial biomass C and N (fumigation-incubation) or colony-forming units of the major microbial groups. Hence, there were no indications that soil microbial processes responded differently within 2 years of colonization of abandoned arable land by later successional plants as compared to that by plants from the natural pioneer weed community. Therefore, it seems that during the first few years after arable field abandonment, plants are more dependent on the prevailing soil microbiological conditions than vice versa.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Additional information

Received: 8 April 1999

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Malý, S., Korthals, G., Van Dijk, C. et al. Effect of vegetation manipulation of abandoned arable land on soil microbial properties. Biol Fertil Soils 31, 121–127 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1007/s003740050634

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s003740050634

Navigation