Ecological enzyme activities are closely relevant to the carbon and nitrogen decomposition and mineralization of paddy soils, which can reflect the growth and metabolism of microorganisms. In order to clarify the response to nitrogen application by different enzymes in the rhizosphere and bulk soil of rice, the rhizosphere and bulk soil were identified using a rhizosphere bag. In addition, the β-1,4-glucosidase (BG) enzyme; β-1,4-N-acetylglucosaminidase (NAG) enzyme; and the effects of the rhizosphere, nitrogen application, and growth period on soil enzyme activities were analyzed. The results showed that the activity of the BG enzyme decreased by 7.4-13.5 nmol·(g·h)-1 in the jointing stage and increased by 7.0-31.4 nmol·(g·h)-1 in the maturity stage, and the activity of the BG enzyme in the rhizosphere and bulk soil also changed with the growth period of rice.compared with no nitrogen fertilizer, nitrogen application increased NAG enzyme activity by 1.1 times and rhizosphere soil by 0.3 times in the bulk soil in the maturity stage. Nitrogen application and growth period had significant effects on soil BG enzyme activity, whereas the interaction within rice growth stage, nitrogen application, and rhizosphere effect had significant effects on NAG enzyme activity. The result of RDA showed that the soil microbial biomass carbon (MBC) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) contents mainly affected the activity of extracellular enzymes in the rice rhizosphere soil, whereas the activities of enzymes in the rhizosphere soil were mainly affected by microbial biomass nitrogen (MBN) and NH4+-N. The relationships between soil enzyme activity and various factors are complex, and the effects of nitrogen addition on microbial community composition needs to be considered after accounting for plant physiological characteristics, soil enzyme activity, and soil characteristics.
Keywords: extracellular enzyme activity; nitrogen application; paddy soil; rhizosphere soil; rice growth period.