Spatiotemporal variation and correlation of soil enzyme activities and soil physicochemical properties in canopy gaps of the Tianshan Mountains,Northwest China

The study of the heterogeneity of soil enzyme activities at different sampling locations in canopy gaps will help understand the influence mechanism of canopy gaps on soil ecological processes.In this paper,we analyzed the spatiotemporal variation of soil enzyme activities and soil physicochemical properties at different sampling locations(closed canopy,expanded edge,canopy edge,gap center)in different sampling time(December,February,April,June,August,and October)on the northern slope of the Tianshan Mountains,Northwest China.The results showed that soil catalase,cellulase,sucrase,and acid phosphatase activities were relatively high from June to October and low from December to April,and most of soil enzyme activities were higher at closed canopy than at gap center.Soil urease activity was high during December-February.The soil temperature reached the highest value during June-August and was relatively high at gap center in October,December,and February.Soil water content was significantly higher in December and April than in other months.Soil bulk density was higher at gap center than at closed canopy in December.Soil pH and soil electrical conductivity in most months were higher at closed canopy than at gap center.Soil organic carbon,soil total nitrogen,and soil total phosphorus were generally higher at gap center than at closed canopy.Furthermore,sampling time played a leading role in the dynamic change of soil enzyme activity.The key factors affecting soil enzyme activity were soil temperature and soil water content,which were governed by canopy gaps.These results provide important support for further understanding the influence mechanism of forest ecosystem management and conservation on the Tianshan Mountains.

Impact of Different Rates of Nitrogen Supplementation on Soil PhysicochemicalProperties and Microbial Diversity in Goji Berry

Goji berry(Lycium barbarum L.)is substantially dependent on nitrogen fertilizer application,which can signifi-cantly enhance fruit yield and Goji berry industrial development in Ningxia,China.This study aimed to analyze the functions of differential nitrogen application rates including low(N1),medium(N2),and high(N3)levels in soil microbial community structure(bacterial and fungal)at 2 diverse soil depths(0-20,20-40 cm)through high-throughput sequencing technology by targeting 16S RNA gene and ITS1&ITS2 regions.All the observed physicochemical parameters exhibited significant improvement(p<0.05)with increased levels of nitrogen and the highest values for most parameters were observed at N2.However,pH decreased(p<0.05)gradually.The alpha and beta diversity analyses for bacterial and fungal communities’metagenome displayed more similarities than differences among all groups.The top bacterial and fungal phyla and genera suggested no obvious(p>0.05)differences among three group treatments(N1,N2,and N3).Furthermore,the functional enrichment analysis demonstrated significant(p<0.05)enrichment of quorum sensing,cysteine and methionine metabolism,and transcriptional machinery for bacterial communities,while various saprotrophic functional roles for fungal communities.Conclusively,moderately reducing the use of N-supplemented fertilizers is conducive to increasing soil nitrogen utilization rate,which can contribute to sustainable agriculture practices through improved soil quality,and microbial community structure and functions.

Influence of soil microorganisms and physicochemical properties on plant diversity in an arid desert of Western China

Soil microorganisms and physicochemical properties are considered the two most influencing factors for maintaining plant diversity.However,the operational mechanisms and which factor is the most influential manipulator remain poorly understood.In this study,we examine the collaborative influences of soil physicochemical properties(i.e.,soil water,soil organic matter(SOM),salinity,total phosphorus and nitrogen,pH,soil bulk density and fine root biomass)and soil microorganisms(fungi and bacteria)on plant diversity across two types of tree patches dominated by big and small trees(big trees:height≥7 m and DBH≥60 cm;small trees:height≤4.5 m and DBH≤20 cm)in an arid desert region.Tree patch is consists of a single tree or group of trees and their accompanying shrubs and herbs.It was hypothesized that soil physicochemical properties and microorganisms affect plant diversity but their influence differ.The results show that plant and soil microbial diversity increased with increasing distances from big trees.SOM,salinity,fine root biomass,soil water,total phosphorus and total nitrogen contents decreased with increasing distance from big trees,while pH and soil bulk density did not change.Plant and soil microbial diversity were higher in areas close to big trees compared with small trees,whereas soil physicochemical properties were opposite.The average contribution of soil physicochemical properties(12.2%-13.5%)to plant diversity was higher than microbial diversity(4.8%-6.7%).Salinity had the largest negative affect on plant diversity(24.7%-27.4%).This study suggests that soil fungi constrain plant diversity while bacteria improve it in tree patches.Soil physicochemical properties are the most important factor modulating plant diversity in arid desert tree patches.

Soil and water conservation practice effects on soil physicochemical properties and crop yield in Ethiopia:review and synthesis

Background:Land degradation is an urgent agenda that requires great effort and resources to ameliorate.It worsens soil components through disrupting ecological functions and threatens agriculture production.To overcome it,different soil and water conservation(SWC)practices have been undertaken in numerous parts of Ethiopia.This paper aims to review the effects of SWC practices on soil physicochemical properties and crop yield.Data were collected from secondary sources via a computer library using various databases based on developed criteria.The collected data were organized,categorized,and analyzed through descriptive statistics.The mean difference of selected soil physicochemical properties obtained from treated and untreated farmland was tested using paired t-test.Factors influencing crop yield on treated farmland were determined by a multiple linear regression model.Results:SWC practices influenced the soil physicochemical properties and crop yield either positively or negatively.The mean values of available phosphorus(10.6 ppm,8.7 ppm),total nitrogen(0.5%,0.4%),soil pH(6.0%,5.8%),soil organic matter(4.4%,3.8%),and soil organic carbon(2.2%,1.8%)were on treated and untreated farmland under physical SWC practices,respectively.Similarly,the mean values of these variables were higher on treated farmland than untreated farmland under both biological and integrated SWC practices.The mean value of bulk density was higher on untreated farmland than treated one and statistically significant under all SWC practices.Fanya juu and stone-faced soil bund constantly increased crop yield,whereas soil bund and stone bund did not.Conclusion:Proper implementation of SWC technologies through integrating physical and biological measures will boost the effectiveness of the practice in restoring soil physicochemical properties and improving crop yield.Meanwhile,government due attention paid for land resources management in Ethiopia,whereby the annual SWC and tree planting campaign underwent for a couple of decades,entails further scientific support for its efficacy.

Effect of corylus clusters on the physicochemical properties of soil

Soil sample plots were specified and the soil in layer A0, A1 and AB were collected in Maoershan-Forest Experiment Farm of Northeast Forestry University for study of the effect of corylus clusters on soil in 1999. The result shows that the pH value, contents of organic matter, total nitrogen, alkali-discomposed nitrogen and total phosphorus under the corylus clusters are higher than that under the non-corylus clusters, except the available phosphorus content. The number of soil granular aggregates or the water stable aggregates under corylus clusters is more than that under the non-corylus clusters. The corylus clusters play an important role in improving the physicochemical properties of the soil, which should be conserved and developed in the forestry production.

Effects of Different Modes of Returning Farmland to Forest on Physicochemical Properties of Soil in Bashang Area of Northern Hebei Province

[Objective]The research aimed to understand the change rules of physicochemical properties of soil in the different modes of returning farmland to forest.[Method]The physicochemical properties of soil in three different types of returning farmland to forest(Hippophae rhamnoides Linn.forest,Caragana korshinskii forest and Ulmus pumila L.forest)were analyzed by taking the enclosed grassland as comparison in Bashang area of northern Hebei Province.[Result]The results showed that there were significant differences among different types.Order of the bulk density of soil:H.rhamnoides Linn.forest(1.17 g/cm^3)<U.pumila L.forest(1.24 g/cm^3)<C.korshinskii forest(1.26 g/cm^3)<enclosed grassland(1.61 g/cm^3);order of the total porosity of soil:H.rhamnoides Linn.forest(55.29%)>U.pumila L.forest(52.55%)>C.korshinskii forest(51.93%)<enclosed grassland(38.85%);order of the organic matter content of soil:H.rhamnoides Linn.forest(3.191%)>C.korshinskii forest(3.128%)>U.pumila L.forest(2.804%)>enclosed grassland(2.536%).[Conclusion]After returning farmland to forest,vegetation played a positive role in physicochemical properties of soil.There were significant differences in physicochemical properties of soil among different modes of returning farmland to forest,and the improvement effect of H.rhamnoides Linn.forest on physicochemical properties of soil was the best.

Effects of three coniferous plantation species on plant-soil feedbacks and soil physical and chemical properties in semiarid mountain ecosystems

Background:Large-scale afforestation can significantly change the ground cover and soil physicochemical properties,especially the soil fertility maintenance and water conservation functions of artificial forests,which are very important in semi-arid mountain ecosystems.However,how different tree species affect soil nutrients and soil physicochemical properties after afforestation,and which is the best plantation species for improving soil fertility and water conservation functions remain largely unknown.Methods:This study investigated the soil nutrient contents of three different plantations(Larix principis-rupprechtii,Picea crassifolia,Pinus tabuliformis),soils and plant-soil feedbacks,as well as the interactions between soil physicochemical properties.Results:The results revealed that the leaves and litter layers strongly influenced soil nutrient availability through biogeochemical processes:P.tabuliformis had higher organic carbon,ratio of organic carbon to total nitrogen(C:N)and organic carbon to total phosphorus(C:P)in the leaves and litter layers than L.principis-rupprechtii or P.crassifolia,suggesting that higher C:N and C:P hindered litter decomposition.As a result,the L.principis-rupprechtii and P.crassifolia plantation forests significantly improved soil nutrients and clay components,compared with the P.tabuliformis plantation forest.Furthermore,the L.principis-rupprechtii and P.crassifolia plantation forests significantly improved the soil capacity,soil total porosity,and capillary porosity,decreased soil bulk density,and enhanced water storage capacity,compared with the P.tabuliformis plantation forest.The results of this study showed that,the strong link between plants and soil was tightly coupled to C:N and C:P,and there was a close correlation between soil particle size distribution and soil physicochemical properties.Conclusions:Therefore,our results recommend planting the L.principis-rupprechtii and P.crassifolia as the preferred tree species to enhance the soil fertility and water conservation functions,especially in semi-arid regions mountain forest ecosystems.

Coastal afforestation effects on soil properties at Hatiya in Bangladesh

An exploratory study was conducted in the coastal plantation （12- and 17-year-old Sonneratia apetala） of Char Alim and Char Piya and on their adjacent barren lands at Char Rehania and Char Nurul Islam in Hatiya of Noakhali district, in Bangladesh to determine afforestation effects on soil properties. At soil depths of 0-10, 10-30 and 30-40 cm across three different land strips viz. inland, middle and sea side in 12- and 17-year-old keora （Sonneratia apetala） plantations, soil moisture, particle density, organic matter and C, total N, pH, available P, K, Na, Ca and Mg were significantly （p≤0.05, p≤0.01, p≤0.001） higher, and soil salinity significantly （p〈0.001） lower than that in their adjacent barren lands. Soil moisture, particle density, organic matter and C, total N, pH, soil salinity, available P, K, Na, Ca and Mg of surface soil in Char Alim plantation at inland were 31.09%, 2.24 g.cm^-3, 2.41%, 4.14%, 0.58%, 7.07, 0.09 dS＇cm^-1, 28.06 mg.L^-1, 0.50 mg-L^- 1 11.5 mg-L^-1, 3.30 mg·L^-1 and 2.7 mmol.kg^-1, respectively. Their corresponding values for the same depth and land position at adjacent Char Rehania barren land were 16.69%, 1.25g.cm^-3, 0.43%, 0.74%, 0.25%, 6.57, 0.13 dS.cm^-1, 13.07mg-L^-1, 0.30 mg.L^-1, 1.4 mg.L^-1, 0.30 mmol·kg^-1 and 0.50 mg.L^-1, respectively. Soil moisture, particle density, organic matter and C, total N, pH, available P, K and Ca decreased, and soil salinity, available Na and Mg increased from inland towards sea side in the plantations. Although soil texture did not differ in most soil depths between plantation and adjacent barren land, proportion of sand particle was significantly （p≤0.01） lower and silt particle significantly （p〈0.001） in the plantations higher than that in their adjacent barren lands. In the study, evaluation of all the parameters was also done for the other pair of lands.

Effect of rice-rice-rape rotation on physicochemical property and bacterial community of rhizosphere soil

Through collecting rhizosphere soil sample from a 30-year long-term fixed location test site that use“rice-ricerape”crop rotation(RRR)and“rice-rice-fallow”continuous cropping systems(RRF),this paper investigated effects of long-term crop rotation on physicochemical property and bacterial community of rhizosphere soil.Results showed that total nitrogen(TN),total phosphorus(TP)and available potassium(AK)contents in rhizosphere soil under long-term RRR were decreased by 28.09%,15.69%and 6.25%respectively.Alkali-hydrolyzable nitrogen(AN)and available phosphorus(AP)contents were 10.59%and 13.25%higher than those of soil in RRF respectively.Three soil samples collected during different periods also showed that RRR resulted in a lower rhizosphere soil pH than RRF.Clone library analysis revealed that significant difference in rhizosphere soil bacterial community was observed between RRR and RRF continuous cropping.Abundance ofα-Proteobacteria,β-Proteobacteria andγ-Proteobacteria were higher in rhizosphere soil of RRR compared to RRF.pH of rhizosphere soil was significantly correlated with Acidobacteria level,while total organic carbon(TOC)content was significantly correlated with Proteobacteria level.Long-term RRR enhanced conversion of N and P in rhizosphere soil,increased bio-availability to crop,and promoted diversity of soil bacterial community.Bacterial diversity in RRR could be ecological significance in maintaining soil fertility and functionality.

The effects of fire and seasonal variations on soil properties in Juniperus excelsa M.Bieb.stands in the Alborz Mountains,Iran

This study was conducted in Juniperus excels a stands on the southern slopes of Iran’s Alborz Mountains,to determine the effects of fire and seasonal variations on soil physicochemical properties and enzyme activities.A total of 64 composite soil s amples were randomly collected in the spring and fall from two burned and unburned sites at depths of 0-10 and 10-20 cm.The results of a two-way ANOVA analysis indicate that fire increased the organic carbon(OC),total nitrogen(TN),and available phosphorus(P_(ava)) contents of the soil by 16%,59%,and 53%,respectively.Similarly,when burned sites were compared to unburned sites,the activities of acid phosphatase(ACP) and urease enzymes increased by 73% and 12%,respectively.Nevertheless,fire did not affect soil texture,bulk density(BD),pH,electric conductivity(EC),exchangeable potassium(Kexc),or the activities of alkaline phosphatase(ALP) and dehydrogenase.According to two-way ANOVA results,OC,TN,P_(ava),K_(exc),and EC values were significantly higher in the fall,whereas pH and ALP values were significantly higher in the spring.Additionally,phosphorous and dehydrogenase activity were significantly different in selected soil factors at 0-10 and10-20 cm depths.The interaction of fire,season,and soil depth were significant for phosphorous and urease.Moreover,the activity of ALP correlated well with pH(r=0.68),P(r=-0.74),OC(r=-0.53),and TN(r=-0.37),whereas the activity of ACP correlated significantly with OC(r=0.64) and TN(r=0.71).Two years after the fire,soil properties in J.excels a stands had either improved or remained unaffected,returning to pre-fire levels.Additionally,soil chemical properties varied significantly across sampling seasons,which should be considered when comparing and interpreting soil data in future research.

Decomposition effects of Lanzhou lily(Lilium davidii var.unicolor)flowers on soil physical and chemical properties and microbial community diversity

Timely removal of the flower is a key agricultural measure to ensure the concentrated supply of nutrients for the growth of underground bulbs and to increase the yield of lilies. Removing flowers and returning them to the field is one of the tradi‐tional ways of treatment, and field litter is formed at this time. Previous study showed that the decomposition of litter changes the soil properties. In order to study the effects of lily litter decomposition on soil physical and chemical proper‐ties and microbial structure, three treatments were set up in reference to the Decomposition Bag Method: control (CK), Lanzhou lily flower treatment (LZF), and Zhongbai No.1 flower treatment (ZBF). The effects of lily decomposition on soil physical and chemical properties and microbial community composition were studied in order to provide a scientific basis and theoretical guidance for the planting process of Lanzhou lily. The results show that the decomposition of lily flowers significantly increased the contents of soil organic matter, soil total nitrogen, soil total phosphorus and soil avail‐able potassium, and decreased soil pH. RDA shows that soil available nutrients and pH were the driving factors for the change of the soil microbial community. A short-term change of soil microenvironment caused by the decomposed lily flower is beneficial to growing the Lanzhou lily. However, under the correlation analysis of environmental factors, the long-term effects of returning the Lanzhou lily flower to the field, such as the trend of soil acidification, need to be further studied.

Soil-plant co-stimulation during forest vegetation restoration in a subtropical area of southern China

Background: Soil and vegetation have a direct impact on the process and direction of plant community succession, and determine the structure, function, and productivity of ecosystems. However, little is known about the synergistic influence of soil physicochemical properties and vegetation features on vegetation restoration. The aim of this study was to investigate the co-evolution of soil physicochemical properties and vegetation features in the process of vegetation restoration, and to distinguish the primary and secondary relationships between soil and vegetation in their collaborative effects on promoting vegetation restoration in a subtropical area of China.Methods: Soil samples were collected to 40 cm in four distinct plant communities along a restoration gradient from herb(4–5 years), to shrub(11–12 years), to Pinus massoniana coniferous and broadleaved mixed forest(45–46 years), and to evergreen broadleaved forest(old growth forest). Measurements were taken of the soil physicochemical properties and Shannon–Wiener index(SD), diameter at breast height(DBH), height(H), and biomass. Principal component analysis, linear function analysis, and variation partitioning analysis were then performed to prioritize the relative importance of the leading factors affecting vegetation restoration.Results: Soil physicochemical properties and vegetation features showed a significant trend of improvement across the vegetation restoration gradient, reflected mainly in the high response rates of soil organic carbon(SOC)(140.76%), total nitrogen(TN)(222.48%), total phosphorus(TP)(59.54%), alkaline hydrolysis nitrogen(AN)(544.65%),available phosphorus(AP)(53.28%), species diversity(86.3%), biomass(2906.52%), DBH(128.11%), and H(596.97%).The soil properties(pH, SOC, TN, AN, and TP) and vegetation features(biomass, DBH, and H) had a clear coevolutionary relationship over the course of restoration. The synergistic interaction between soil properties and vegetation features had the greatest effect on biomass(55.55%–72.37%), and the soil properties contributed secondarily(3.30%–31.44%). The main impact factors of biomass varied with the restoration periods.Conclusions: In the process of vegetation restoration, soil and vegetation promoted each other. Vegetation restoration was the cumulative result of changes in soil fertility and vegetation features.

Adaptive mechanisms of Ardisia crenata var.bicolor along an elevational gradient on Gaoligong Mountain,Southwest China

Plants overcome environmental stress by generating metabolic pathways.Thus,it is crucial to understand the physiological mechanisms of plant responses to changing environments.Ardisia crenata var.bicolor has an important ornamental and medicinal value.To reveal the impact of elevational gradient on the habitat soil and plant physiological attributes of this species,we collected root topsoil(0–20 cm)and subsoil(20–40 cm)samples and upper leaves at the initial blooming phase,in a survey of six elevations at 1,257 m,1,538 m,1,744 m,1,970 m,2,135 m,and 2,376 m,with 18 block plots,and 5sampling points at each site.Temperature decreases with an increase in elevation,and soil variables,and enzymatic activities fluctuated in both the topsoil and subsoil,with all of them increasing with elevation and decreasing with soil depth.Redundancy analysis was conducted to explore the correlation between the distribution of A.crenata var.bicolor along the elevational gradient and soil nutrients and enzyme activities,the soil properties were mainly affected by p H at low elevations,and governed by total phosphorus(TP)and available nitrogen(AN)at high elevations.The levels of chlorophyll,carbohydrates,and enzymatic activity except for anthocyanin in this species showed significant variation depending on physiological attributes evaluated at the different collection elevations.The decline in chlorophyll a and b may be associated with the adaptive response to avoid environmental stress,while its higher soluble sugar and protein contents play important roles in escaping adverse climatic conditions,and the increases in activities of antioxidant enzymes except peroxidase(POD)reflect this species’higher capacity for reactive oxygen scavenging(ROS)at high elevations.This study provides supporting evidence that elevation significantly affects the physiological attributes of A.crenata var.bicolor on Gaoligong Mountain,which is helpful for understanding plant adaptation strategies and the plasticity of plant physiological traits along the elevational gradients.

Urban land-use impacts on composition and spatiotemporal variations in abundance and biomass of earthworm community

Soil fauna can sensitively respond to alterations in soil environment induced by land-use changes.However,little is known about the impact of urban land-use changes on earthworm communities.In this study,three land-use types(i.e.,forest,nursery and abandoned lands)were chosen to identify differences in diversity,abundance and biomass of earthworm community in Kunming City.Urban land-use had a pronounced difference in species composition,evenness and diversity of earthworm communities.Forest land had the highest density,biomass and diversity of the earthworm communities.Total abundance was dominated by endogeic species in nursery land(70%)and abandoned land(80%),whereas in the forest land,the earthworm community comprised epigeic,endogeic and anecic species.Temporal changes in earthworm density and biomass were also significantly affected by land-use change.Total density and biomass of earthworms in the forest and nursery lands were highest in September,but highest in the abandoned land in October.The influence of soil physicochemical properties on the earthworm density and biomass also varied with land-use types.Soil temperature significantly affected earthworm density and biomass in the three land-use types.Soil pH was positively correlated with earthworm biomass in the forest land,but negatively associated with earthworm density in the abandoned land.Soil organic matter was positively correlated only with density and biomass of earthworms in the nursery and abandoned lands.Our results suggest that the species composition,abundance and biomass of earthworm communities can be determined by the modification of soil properties associated with urban land-use type.

Downed logs improve soil properties in old-growth temperate forests of northern Iran

Dead trees, particularly downed logs, play an important role in the dynamics of forest ecosystem. Contribution of decaying wood to C and nutrient pools of forest soils depends on the tree species and degree of wood decay. However, the extent to which the downed logs affect the soil properties of temperate forests has rarely been evaluated. In this study, a mixed beech forest was selected in Liresar region of Mazandaran Province, northern Iran, to investigate if and how the presence of downed logs affected soil quality and function by comparing soils underneath degraded logs and nearby soils of the two dominant tree species(beech and hornbeam). We then explored how these effects occurred as downed logs decomposed by comparing the woods of both tree species at four degrees of decomposition. Degree of decay of downed logs was classified into four classes(DC1–DC4). Eight dead trees of each tree species were selected at the center of each sample plot. Three composite soil samples underneath each decaying log and 100 cm away from a decaying log were collected at two soil depths(0–15 and 15–30 cm) to analyze soil main physicochemical properties and microbial activity. The results revealed that downed logs affected soil physical(5% wetter than control soils), chemical(2% lower pH, 100% increase in organic C and total N in the case of hornbeam, and 2% increase in P), and biological characteristics(soil microbial respiration enhanced by 10%, and microbial biomass C 620 and 351.5 mg kg-1 and microbial biomass N 66.47 and 32.18 mg kg-1, respectively, in the cases of beech and hornbeam), thus resulting in significantly different soil microsites from those without downed logs. Presence of downed logs increased soil microbial activity and soil fertility as wood decayed. Thus, the presence of downed logs is an important factor influencing forest soils and should be taken into consideration in forest management practices.

Long-term cattle manure application to saline-sodic soil increases maize yield by decreasing key obstacle factors in the black soil region of Northeastern China

Poor soil physical properties, serious salinization and low soil nutrients are the limiting factors for crop yield in saline-sodic soil. Long-term cattle manure application is an important measure that can affect the physicochemical properties and increase the maize yield of saline-sodic soil. This experiment included five treatments according to the history of cattle manure application: a control treatment with no cattle manure (CK) and treatments with cattle manure application for 14 years (14 a), 17 years (17 a), 20 years (20 a), and 25 years (25 a). The results indicated that compared with the CK treatment, long-term cattle manure application to saline-sodic soil resulted in significant increases in soil organic matter (SOM), soil total nitrogen (TN) and available nutrients at the 0-20 cm and 20-40 cm depths (p<0.05). The soil physical properties improved significantly, and cattle manure application significantly decreased the soil bulk density (ρb) and soil density (ρd) and increased the soil total porosity (ft) and water-holding capacity (WHC). With the number of years of cattle manure application, the soil pH, electrical conductivity (EC), exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP) and sodium adsorption ratio (SAR1:5) decreased significantly, and the maize yield gradually increased over time from 8690 kg/hm2 in the CK treatment to 14 690 kg/hm2 in the 25a treatment. There were significant differences among all treatments (p<0.05). The results showed that long-term cattle manure application decreased the soil ρb and saline-alkaline properties, which was the main factor that affected the maize yield in the saline-sodic soil, especially for soil ρb.

Soil bacterial communities under slash and burn in Mozambique as revealed by a metataxonomic approach

The slash-and-burn system is a subsistence agronomical practice widespread in tropical areas worldwide.This system has been extensively studied,especially for its impacts on agronomical aspects and soil physicochemical properties;however,knowledge of soil microbial diversity under slash and bum is scarce.In this study,for the first time,soil bacterial diversity of three locations from Central Mozambique,where slash and burn has been practiced for different durations of the forest fallow period(ca.25,35,and 50 years),was elucidated through a metataxonomic approach.Bacterial communities were evaluated in the genetic horizons of soils under charcoal kilns,crop fields,and forests.The aim of this study was to examine the influence of spatial(location and land use),temporal(forest fallow period),and vertical(horizon)variations on bacterial community structure in relation to soil physicochemical properties.Metataxonomic analysis detected 25 different phyla whose distribution varied horizontally and vertically in relation to soil properties(i.e.,p H,easily oxidizable organic carbon,total nitrogen,and available phosphorus),as well as particle size distribution and mineralogical composition.Such properties were strongly affected and altered by land-use management;in particular,charcoal kilns exhibited better soil properties and greater differences in bacterial community than crop fields and forests,which were quite similar.This might suggest the inability of a forest fallow period shorter than 50 years to improve soil fertility and induce changes in bacterial community.The uncommon application of the pedological approach for microbial evaluation facilitated the detection of a clear separation in bacterial composition along the soil profile,with eutrophic bacteria mainly located in the A horizon whereas oligotrophic bacteria were found in the Bo horizon.These horizontal and vertical heterogeneities in the same study represent a novelty for bacterial metataxonomic analysis.

Straw return influences the structure and functioning of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal community in a rice-wheat rotation system

Straw return is a sustainable soil fertility-building practice,which can affect soil microbial communities.However,how straw return affects arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi(AMF)is not well explored.Here,we studied the impacts of different straw management treatments over eight years on the structure and functioning of AMF communities in a rice-wheat rotation system.The straw management treatments included no tillage with no straw(NTNS),rotary tillage straw return(RTSR),and ditch-buried straw return(DBSR).The community structure of AMF was characterized using high-throughput sequencing,and the mycorrhizal functioning was quantified using an in situ mycorrhizal-suppression treatment.Different straw management treatments formed unique AMF community structure,which was closely related to changes in soil total organic carbon,available phosphorus,total nitrogen,ammonium,and nitrate.When compared with NTNS,RTSR significantly increased Shannon diversity in 0–10 cm soil layer,while DBSR increased it in 10–20 cm soil layer;DBSR significantly increased hyphal length density in the whole ploughing layer(0–20 cm),but RTSR only increased it in the subsurface soil layer(10–20 cm).The mycorrhizal responses of shoot biomass and nutrient(N and P)uptake were positive under both straw return treatments(RTSR and DBSR),but negative under NTNS.The community composition of AMF was significantly correlated to hyphal length density,and the latter was further a positive predictor for the mycorrhizal responses of plant growth and nutrient uptake.These findings suggest that straw return can affect AMF community structure and functioning,and farmers should manage mycorrhizas to strengthen their beneficial effects on crop production.

Exogenous rare earth element-yttrium deteriorated soil microbial community structure

In this study, we selected yttrium as the representative of REEs to investigate the impacts of exogenous yttrium on soil physicochemical properties and microbiota. The results showed that exogenous yttrium has no significant effect on soil physical properties but a significantly negative impact on soil chemical properties. The results of high-throughput sequencing demonstrate that exogenous yttrium significantly decreases the number of OTUs, ACE, Chao 1, and Shannon indices while increases the Simpson index（P 〈 0.05）, indicating the low soil microbial diversity. The relative abundances of soil microbes are significantly changed at phylum and genus level. Principal component analysis（PCA） showed the significant difference of microbial community between yttrium treatments（YCl_3-250 and YCl_3-500） and non-yttrium treatment（CK） and the similarity of that between YCl_3-250 and YCI_3-500. Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes are found to be the most tolerant phyla to exogenous yttrium while Verrucomicrobia the most sensitive phylum. Redundancy analysis（RDA） results suggest that exogenous yttrium affects soil microbiota only through changing the soil chemical properties but not soil physical properties, and C/N ratio is the key environmental factor.

The relative importance of soil moisture in predicting bacterial wilt disease occurrence

Soil-borne plant diseases cause major economic losses globally.This is partly because their epidemiology is difficult to predict in agricultural fields,where multiple environmental factors could determine disease outcomes.Here we used a combination of field sampling and direct experimentation to identify key abiotic and biotic soil properties that can predict the occurrence of bacterial wilt caused by pathogenic Ralstonia solanacearum.By analyzing 139 tomato rhizosphere soils samples isolated from six provinces in China,we first show a clear link between soil properties,pathogen density and plant health.Specifically,disease outcomes were positively associated with soil moisture,bacterial abundance and bacterial community composition.Based on soil properties alone,random forest machine learning algorithm could predict disease outcomes correctly in 75%of cases with soil moisture being the most significant predictor.The importance of soil moisture was validated causally in a controlled greenhouse experiment,where the highest disease incidence was observed at 60%of maximum water holding capacity.Together,our results show that local soil properties can predict disease occurrence across a wider agricultural landscape,and that management of soil moisture could potentially offer a straightforward method for reducing crop losses to R.solanacearum.