森林土壤是个复杂多样的系统，分解过程是在极小体量的热点区域完成的，其驱动力主要来自系统的生物胞外分解酶。搞清这一胞外酶活性动力学特征对于理解系统的生态学过程具有重要理论价值。一种全新的土壤酶活性原位观测方法由Spohn等创立以来，相继在玉米、水稻等农田开展研究，取得了非常满意的结果，而有关森林土壤方面研究，鲜见报道。本项目基于土壤酶活性原位直接观察方法结合核磁共振技术，通过对森林土壤热点区域的原位直接观察测量研究，试图阐明亚热带马尾松林和栓皮栎林土壤凋落物热点区域、根系热点区域及动物热点区域的分解酶活性空间特征及变化规律；阐明亚热带森林生态系统土壤热点区域与非热点区域、针叶林土壤与阔叶林土壤热点区域分解酶动力学特征的空间差异性；揭示亚热带代表性森林生态系统土壤分解酶活性特征变化规律及驱动机制；为亚热带森林土壤生态学过程及养分循环机制研究及森林经营提供理论依据。

Forest soil ecosystem is very complex in structure and function. The biological decomposition process is taking place in a very limited volume, namely hotspot. The process of the system is driven by extracellular decay enzymes. Thus, it is very important to study a distribution of extracellular enzymatic activities in the hotspots of the soils where controlling the nutrients cycling in the system. A novel in situ method, zymography method, to map the extracellular enzymatic activity distribution in the soils was developed by Spohn et al. And some related works used the method in the agriculture soils such as mays and rice etc. have been reported since then. The works showed very nice results. However, the work is almost not found focusing on forests to date. Aim of this proposal is to map the distribution of extracellular decay enzymatic activities of the hotspots, detritusphere, rhizosphere and biosphere, in the subtropical Pinus massoniana and Querus variablis forest soils using this novel method combined with NMR analysis; to evaluate the difference of extracellular enzymatic activities between the hotspots and other areas, between the coniferous forest and the broad leaf forest; to exploit the formation and driven mechanisms of the distribution. The data and results will be very valuable for understanding ecological process, nutrient cycling and management of the forests.