Fertilization is a key factor for sustaining productivity in agroecosystems. A long-term experiment in cambisol following periodical application of several types of fertilization has been running at the experimental site since 1954. In this study, we determined the impact of applied inorganic and/or organic fertilizers on the activity of soil enzymes and on the structure of microorganisms at depths of 0–30 cm and 30–60 cm. Single-factor comparison showed that use of inorganic and/or organic fertilizer had an insignificant effect on the activities of soil enzymes (at depths 0–30 cm and 30–60 cm) and also on the structure of microbial communities at both depths studied. Only soil respirations exhibited stimulation by combined fertilization. The results, irrespective of sampling depth (0–60 cm), showed that application of combined organic and inorganic fertilization stimulated the activity of glucosidases and use of inorganic fertilizer inhibited the activity of arylsulphatases. Respirations were stimulated by application of organic fertilizer and combined fertilization. Nevertheless, principal component analyses, which calculate with multidimensional data, revealed differences in samples treated by sole mineral fertilizer compared to other variants, especially in the lower layer. In general, our results indicate that use of combined fertilization may improve biological characteristics in deeper parts of soil profile and possibly increase biological activity in agroecosystems.

Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis, the scientific journal of the Mendel University in Brno, Czech Republic

The effect of mineral fertilizers and farmyard manure on winter wheat grain yield and grain quality | Ladislav Holík, Lukáš Hlisnikovský, Eva Kunzová | Agricultural Journals

The article deals with the reaction of soil environment to a violent deforestation resulting from a wind storm. As a material, permanent inventory plot located in Training Forest Enterprise Masaryk Forest Křtiny was selected. The plot represents beech high forest, where soil was sampled from four types of sample plots: (1) maternal forest representing situation before the storm; (2) zone of transition from the maternal forest to the open area; (3) reafforested clearing; (4) natural evolution. From each sample plot type, 6 mixed samples of Ah horizon were analysed to assess N-ammonium (N-NH₄⁺) and N-nitrates (NO₃⁻) content and respiration activity. The results show a significant difference between the respiration activities of the particular sample plots, as well as a significant difference in the content of N-ammonium and N-nitrate forms, the maternal forest representing a site of the lowest biological (and respiration) activity on the one hand, and, on the other hand, site of high N-ammonium and low N-nitrate content, respectively. From the results, intensive nitrification caused by the deforestation is evident. The results are to be used as a starting level for a long-term observation of reaction of the forest beech ecosystem to deforestation and selected types of forest management.

Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis, the scientific journal of the Mendel University in Brno, Czech Republic