Isaac Scientific Publishing

Ecology and Sustainable Development

Response of Soil Microbial Community to Organic and Conventional Taiwanese Tea Farming

Download PDF (637.3 KB) PP. 18 - 30 Pub. Date: August 1, 2018

DOI: 10.22606/esd.2018.11003

Author(s)

  • Yu-Chieh Piao (Stacy)
    Department of Life Sciences, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
  • Ping-Chun Lucy Hou
    Department of Life Sciences, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
  • Song Bin Chang
    Department of Life Sciences, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
  • Yosef Steinberger*
    The Mina & Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan 5290002, Israel

Abstract

The organic certification process is financially impossible for many tea-farm producers. Differences in soil physicochemical properties, microbial physiological variables, and community structure were investigated in organic and conventional agroecosystems in Nantou County, central Taiwan. Soil samples were collected monthly in 2011 from two study sites: below tea shrub canopies (TI) and between tea shrubs (TII). Abiotic and biotic soil parameters were analyzed using two-way ANOVA to determine the impact of farming type and sampling location. Microbial-community structure and functional diversity were determined based on substrate-induced respiration, indicating the metabolic potential of the microbial community. The results indicate that organic farming can reduce the metabolic quotient (qCO2) and basal respiration, and increase microbial-community functional diversity and catabolic ability, especially with amino acids and carbohydrates. The addition of fertilizers will decrease the metabolic function of bacterial communities. We attribute these results to the continuous supply of fresh organic matter that maintains long-term carbon bioavailability, improving nutrient supply to yield production.

Keywords

Carbon availability, conventional farming, organic farming, soil microbial community, tea farming.

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