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Effects of Fertilization on Soil Enzyme Activities and Water-soluble Organic Carbon and Nitrogen Content in Farmland on Hilly Loess Plateau
Received:May 29, 2015  
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KeyWord:Loess Plateau;fertilization;enzyme activity;water soluble organic carbon;enzyme activities per unit carbon
Author NameAffiliationE-mail
DING Shao-nan College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China  
XUE Sha Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Chinese Academy of Sciences and Ministry of Water Resources, Yangling 712100, China  
LIU Guo-bin Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Chinese Academy of Sciences and Ministry of Water Resources, Yangling 712100, China gbliu@ms.iswc.ac.cn 
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Abstract:
      Changes of soil enzyme activities and water soluble organic matter content were examined under different fertilizer regimes in a long-term experiment located in an alluvial terrace farmland at the Ansai Field Research Station in the hilly Loess Plateau region. The fertilization treatments included chemical nitrogen(N), chemical phosphorus(P), manure(M), N+P, N+M, P+M, N+P+M, CK(control, no fertilization) and BL(bare land). Soil samples were collected from 0~20 cm and 20~40 cm depths. Soil urease, invertase, alkaline phosphatase and catalase activities, water soluble organic carbon(WSOC) and water soluble total nitrogen(WSTN) content were determined. Soil urease, invertase and alkaline phosphatase activities were higher in surface soils than in deeper soils and greater under long-term organic fertilization than under inorganic fertilization. Long-term application of organic manure increased the content of WSOC and WSTN. The ratio of WSOC:WSTN was more sensitive to different fertilizers than C:N ratio was. WSOC, WSTN, organic matter, total nitrogen and available nitrogen were significantly positively correlated with urease, invertase and alkaline phosphatase. Applying inorganic fertilizers did not influence soil enzyme activities significantly, while supplying organic manure significantly increased enzyme activities and WSOC and WSTN content. The responses of enzyme activities per unit carbon to different fertilization were not consistent with previous research results. Further research should be conducted to understand the mechanisms of responses of soil enzyme activities to fertilization.