Journal of Ecology and Rural Environment ›› 2021, Vol. 37 ›› Issue (11): 1487-1496.doi: 10.19741/j.issn.1673-4831.2020.0923

Previous Articles    

Effects of High Nitrogen Load Liquid Digestate Irrigation on Nitrogen Accumulation, Leaching and Microbial Diversity in Purple Soil

WANG Kang-ting1, WU Fu-lin1, ZHOU Zhong-bo1,2, CHEN Yu-cheng1,2   

  1. 1. College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, China;
    2. Chongqing Engineering Research Center of Rural Cleaner Production/Key Laboratory of Agricultural Soil Pollution Risk Management and Control for Ecological Environment in Chongqing, Chongqing 400716, China
  • Received:2020-11-18 Online:2021-11-25 Published:2021-11-18

Abstract: Liquid digestate returning to the field is an important method for the disposal of animal manure and wastewater, but it will also increase the risk of soil and water nitrogen pollution. In this work, liquid digestate was used to irrigate the soil column for 78 days to investigate the changes in soil nitrogen accumulation and in leaching solutions at the bottom of the soil column as well as the changes of soil microbial diversity and community structure. Several testing conditions were set as equal amount liquid digestate irrigation by one-time (T1), equal amount liquid digestate irrigation divided into 6 times (T2), planting ryegrass under equal amount liquid digestate irrigation by one-time (T3), with field compound fertilizer (CK1) and water (CK2). The nitrogen accumulation in the soil surface layer (0-20 cm) and middle layer (>20-40 cm) could be shown in all the three treatments in the early stage of liquid digestate irrigation, and till the late stage (78 d), the nitrogen accumulation in the lower layer (>40-60 cm) was shown in the irrigation treatment of liquid digestate. In terms of nitrogen leaching, there was a surge at 42 and 60 d for T1 and T2, while the cumulative irrigation amount was 6 and 24 days later than that of the field compound fertilizer treatment, respectively. However, the surge of nitrogen leaching was not observed in T3. The nitrate nitrogen content of leaching solution under T1, T2 and T3 treatments reached the peak value after 60 d of irrigation. The ratio of nitrate nitrogen to the total nitrogen in the leaching solution was much higher than the ratio of ammonium nitrogen to the total nitrogen. Soil microorganism Chao 1 index was ordered as:T3 > T1 > CK1 > CK2 > T2; and Shannon index:CK2 > T3 > T1 > T2 > CK1. The results of the heatmap show that T2 was the farthest from other treatments. Fisher's exact test results show that the relative abundance of Sphingomonas in T2 treatment was significantly lower than those in the rest treatments, while the relative abundance of norank_o__Saccharimonadales was significantly higher. Overall, planting crops can delay nitrogen migration to groundwater and reduce the risk of nitrogen leaching. Compared with compound fertilizer, liquid digestate irrigation can improve the species richness and diversity of the soil microbial community, especially for the T3 treatment. The irrigation of liquid digestate in the equal amount and divided times has the most obvious influence on the structure of microbial communities.

Key words: liquid digestate, nitrogen, soil, leachate, microorganism

CLC Number: