Phosphate Fertilizer Effects on Microbial Resource Limitations in Wheat Cropland: Evidence from Ecoenzymatic Stoichiometry

The application of phosphate fertilizers significantly influences soil microbial communities and nutrient cycling. Soil enzymes, which are sensitive to nutrient levels, play a critical role in microbial metabolism. However, the impact of phosphate fertilizers on nutrient limitations within the micro...

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Main Authors: Yonggang Li, Yanan Cheng, Fei Wang, Xing Liu, Wenwen Huang, Changwei Shen, Ying Zhang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-03-01
Series:Agronomy
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/15/3/731
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author Yonggang Li
Yanan Cheng
Fei Wang
Xing Liu
Wenwen Huang
Changwei Shen
Ying Zhang
author_facet Yonggang Li
Yanan Cheng
Fei Wang
Xing Liu
Wenwen Huang
Changwei Shen
Ying Zhang
author_sort Yonggang Li
collection DOAJ
description The application of phosphate fertilizers significantly influences soil microbial communities and nutrient cycling. Soil enzymes, which are sensitive to nutrient levels, play a critical role in microbial metabolism. However, the impact of phosphate fertilizers on nutrient limitations within the microbial metabolism of agricultural soils remains poorly understood. In this study, soil samples were collected from a depth of 0–20 cm from a wheat crop subjected to a three-year field experiment with six different phosphorus (P) application rates. Soil β-glucosidase (BG) and leucine aminopeptidase (LAP) activities were highest under the P3 (60 kg P<sub>2</sub>O<sub>5</sub> ha<sup>−1</sup>) treatment over the three-year study period. The responses of soil N-acetyl-β-glucosaminidase (NAG) and alkaline phosphatase (AKP) to increasing P additions varied across different years. The EES C:N, C:P, and vector length were significantly greater than 1. Soil nutrient characteristics accounted for 70.71% of the variation in soil enzyme stoichiometry. The vector length and angle of soil enzymes explained by soil nutrient characteristics were 0.65 and 0.73, respectively. Among these factors, ROC exhibited the largest direct and total effect on the soil enzyme vector length and angle. These research findings offer valuable insights for the management of agricultural fertilizers. Consequently, it is recommended to enhance soil carbon levels to alleviate carbon limitations and improve P utilization efficiency.
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spelling doaj-art-e6ad3c6f868c4b8dbf9072945323969c2025-08-20T02:41:51ZengMDPI AGAgronomy2073-43952025-03-0115373110.3390/agronomy15030731Phosphate Fertilizer Effects on Microbial Resource Limitations in Wheat Cropland: Evidence from Ecoenzymatic StoichiometryYonggang Li0Yanan Cheng1Fei Wang2Xing Liu3Wenwen Huang4Changwei Shen5Ying Zhang6School of Resource and Environmental Sciences, Henan Institute of Science and Technology, Xinxiang 453003, ChinaSchool of Resource and Environmental Sciences, Henan Institute of Science and Technology, Xinxiang 453003, ChinaSchool of Resource and Environmental Sciences, Henan Institute of Science and Technology, Xinxiang 453003, ChinaSchool of Resource and Environmental Sciences, Henan Institute of Science and Technology, Xinxiang 453003, ChinaSchool of Resource and Environmental Sciences, Henan Institute of Science and Technology, Xinxiang 453003, ChinaSchool of Resource and Environmental Sciences, Henan Institute of Science and Technology, Xinxiang 453003, ChinaSchool of Resource and Environmental Sciences, Henan Institute of Science and Technology, Xinxiang 453003, ChinaThe application of phosphate fertilizers significantly influences soil microbial communities and nutrient cycling. Soil enzymes, which are sensitive to nutrient levels, play a critical role in microbial metabolism. However, the impact of phosphate fertilizers on nutrient limitations within the microbial metabolism of agricultural soils remains poorly understood. In this study, soil samples were collected from a depth of 0–20 cm from a wheat crop subjected to a three-year field experiment with six different phosphorus (P) application rates. Soil β-glucosidase (BG) and leucine aminopeptidase (LAP) activities were highest under the P3 (60 kg P<sub>2</sub>O<sub>5</sub> ha<sup>−1</sup>) treatment over the three-year study period. The responses of soil N-acetyl-β-glucosaminidase (NAG) and alkaline phosphatase (AKP) to increasing P additions varied across different years. The EES C:N, C:P, and vector length were significantly greater than 1. Soil nutrient characteristics accounted for 70.71% of the variation in soil enzyme stoichiometry. The vector length and angle of soil enzymes explained by soil nutrient characteristics were 0.65 and 0.73, respectively. Among these factors, ROC exhibited the largest direct and total effect on the soil enzyme vector length and angle. These research findings offer valuable insights for the management of agricultural fertilizers. Consequently, it is recommended to enhance soil carbon levels to alleviate carbon limitations and improve P utilization efficiency.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/15/3/731phosphate fertilizersoil enzymesoil microbial metabolism limitationagricultural ecosystemwheat cropland
spellingShingle Yonggang Li
Yanan Cheng
Fei Wang
Xing Liu
Wenwen Huang
Changwei Shen
Ying Zhang
Phosphate Fertilizer Effects on Microbial Resource Limitations in Wheat Cropland: Evidence from Ecoenzymatic Stoichiometry
Agronomy
phosphate fertilizer
soil enzyme
soil microbial metabolism limitation
agricultural ecosystem
wheat cropland
title Phosphate Fertilizer Effects on Microbial Resource Limitations in Wheat Cropland: Evidence from Ecoenzymatic Stoichiometry
title_full Phosphate Fertilizer Effects on Microbial Resource Limitations in Wheat Cropland: Evidence from Ecoenzymatic Stoichiometry
title_fullStr Phosphate Fertilizer Effects on Microbial Resource Limitations in Wheat Cropland: Evidence from Ecoenzymatic Stoichiometry
title_full_unstemmed Phosphate Fertilizer Effects on Microbial Resource Limitations in Wheat Cropland: Evidence from Ecoenzymatic Stoichiometry
title_short Phosphate Fertilizer Effects on Microbial Resource Limitations in Wheat Cropland: Evidence from Ecoenzymatic Stoichiometry
title_sort phosphate fertilizer effects on microbial resource limitations in wheat cropland evidence from ecoenzymatic stoichiometry
topic phosphate fertilizer
soil enzyme
soil microbial metabolism limitation
agricultural ecosystem
wheat cropland
url https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/15/3/731
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AT yanancheng phosphatefertilizereffectsonmicrobialresourcelimitationsinwheatcroplandevidencefromecoenzymaticstoichiometry
AT feiwang phosphatefertilizereffectsonmicrobialresourcelimitationsinwheatcroplandevidencefromecoenzymaticstoichiometry
AT xingliu phosphatefertilizereffectsonmicrobialresourcelimitationsinwheatcroplandevidencefromecoenzymaticstoichiometry
AT wenwenhuang phosphatefertilizereffectsonmicrobialresourcelimitationsinwheatcroplandevidencefromecoenzymaticstoichiometry
AT changweishen phosphatefertilizereffectsonmicrobialresourcelimitationsinwheatcroplandevidencefromecoenzymaticstoichiometry
AT yingzhang phosphatefertilizereffectsonmicrobialresourcelimitationsinwheatcroplandevidencefromecoenzymaticstoichiometry