Microbial Properties of a Loess Soil as Affected by Various Nutrient Management Practices in the Loess Plateau of China

Microbial biomass phosphorus (MBP) and its relationships with other biological and chemical properties were studied on loess soil with an 11-year long-term fertilization experiment. The results indicated that inorganic fertilizers (F) improved soil microbial biomass carbon (MBC), nitrogen (MBN), and MBP levels and F plus maize stalk (SNPK) improved MBC and MBN. Manuring markedly increased soil MBC, MBN, and MBP levels. Fertilization decreased the ratios of MBC/MBN, MBC/MBP, and MBN/MBP. Microbial biomass phosphorus was positively and linearly correlated with MBC, MBN, organic carbon (SOC), total phosphorus (TP), water-soluble P, and Olsen P but negatively correlated with soil pH. Microbial biomass phosphorus constituted 2% of TP on control (CK) and inorganic fertilizer treatments and 12% on manure plots. Microbial biomass phosphorus to Olsen P ratios were 50% on CK, F, and SNPK and 80% on manure treatments. Measurements of MBP in soil containing high Olsen P were subject to analytical problems of unknown reasons.