In our second assay (Fig. 2),microbial resilience in both systemswas
positive at the windbreak site and negative at the tree-based
intercropping site. Again, this result may demonstrate effects of contrasting
soil parent material between sites. For instance, Royer-Tardif
et al. (2010) found higher microbial resilience in forested clay soil
plots than in till plots. The authors attributed this phenomenon to a
higher fungal/bacterial ratio on acidic and coarse-textured plots, as
slower fungal growth rates may hinder resilience, or to lower carbon
and nutrient availability limiting the growth rate of resistant microbial
cells. Yet, there are clear indications that potential microbial growth
rates and nutrient availability were substantially more limiting at the
tree-based intercropping than at the windbreak site (Table 1).