Effect of Different Fertilizer Treatments on Quantity of Soil Microbes and Structure of Ammonium Oxidizing Bacterial Community in a Calcareous Purple Paddy Soil

The quantity of soil microbes and the structure of ammonium oxidizing bacterial （AOB） community were analyzed using the dilution plate counting and most probable number method （MPN）, and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis （DGGE）, respectively. Fertilizer application tended to increase the number of soil microbes and alter the AOB community compared to the control with no fertilizer application （CK）. Among the eight fertilizer treatments, soil samples from the treatments of mineral fertilizers （e.g., N, P, K） in combination with farmyard manure （M） had greater number.s of soil microbes and more complex structure of AOB community than those receiving mineral fertilizers alone. The principal component analyses （PCA） for ammonium oxidizing bacterial community structure showed that the eight fertilizer treatments could be divided into two PCA groups （PCA1 and PCA2）. For the soil sampled after rice harvest, PCA1 included NP, NM, NPM and NPKM fertilizer treatments, while PCA2 was consisted of CK, N, M and NPK fertilizer treatments. For soil samples collected after wheat harvest, PCA1 was consisted of M, NM, NPM and NPKM fertilizer treatments, while PCA2 was composed of CK, N, NP and NPK fertilizer treatments. For a given rotation, the richness of AOB community in PCA1 was greater than that in PCA2. In addition, AOB community structure was more complex in the soil after rice harvest than that after wheat harvest. The results indicated that different fertilizer treatments resulted in substantial changes of soil microbe number and AOB community. Furthermore, mineral fertilizers （N, NP, NPK） combined with farmyard manure were effective for increasing the quantity of soil microbes, enriching AOB community, and improving the soil biofertility.

Identification of candidate soil microbes responsible for small-scale heterogeneity in strawberry plant vigour

Studies were conducted to identify candidate soil microbes responsible for observed differences in strawberry vigour at a small spatial scale, which was not associated with visual disease symptoms. Samples were obtained from the soils close to the rhizosphere of ‘big＇ and ‘small＇ plants from small plots which exhibited large local heterogeneity in plant vigour. A metabarcoding approach was used to profile bacterial and fungal compositions, using two primer pairs for 16 S ribosomal RNA genes（16S r DNA） and one for the fungal internal transcribed spacer（ITS） region. Of the two 16 S r DNA primer sets, the 341F/805 R resulted in sequences of better quality. A total 28 operational taxonomic units（OTUs） had differential relative abundance between samples from ‘big＇ and ‘small＇ plants. However, plausible biological explanation was only possible for three fungal OTUs. Two were possible phytopathogens： Verticillium spp. and Alternaria alternata although the latter has never been considered as a main pathogen of strawberry in the UK. For samples from ‘small＇ plants, the abundance of these OTUs was much greater than from ‘big＇ plants. The opposite was true for a mycorrhizal OTU. These results suggest that soil microbes related to crop production can be identified using metabarcoding technique. Further research is needed to assess whether A. alternata and Verticillium spp. could affect strawberry growth in the field.

Long-term effects of gravel-sand mulch thickness on soil microbes and enzyme activities in semi-arid Loess Plateau,Northwest China

In semi-arid areas of China,gravel and sand mulch is a farming technique with a long history.In this study,a sample survey was conducted on long term gravel sand mulch observational fields in the Northwest Loess Plateau to determine the effects of long term mulch on soil microbial and soil enzyme activities.We found that after long term gravel-sand mulch,compared with bare ground,soil organic matter,alkali nitrogen,conductivity decreased,while pH and soil moisture increased.Urease,saccharase and catalase decreased with increased mulch thickness,while alkaline phosphatase was reversed.The results of Illumina MiSeq sequencing shows that after gravel-sand mulch,the bacterial and fungal community structure was different from bare land,and the diversity was reduced.Compared with bare land,the bacteria Proteobacteria and Acidobacteria abundance increased with increased thickness,and Actinobacteria was opposite.Also,at the fungal genus level,Fusarium abundance was significantly reduced,and Remersonia was significantly increased,compared with bare land.Redundancy analysis(RDA)revealed that soil environmental factors were important drivers of bacterial community changes.Overall,this study revealed some of the reasons for soil degradation after long term gravel-sand mulch.Therefore,it is recommended that the addition of exogenous soil nutrients after long term gravel-sand can help improve soil quality.

Soil microbes-mediated enzymes promoted the secondary succession in post-mining plantations on the Loess Plateau,China

The diversity of vegetation configuration is the key to ecological restoration in open-pit coal mine dump.However,the recovery outcomes of different areas with the same vegetation assemblage pattern are completely different after long-term evolution.Therefore,understanding the causes of differential vegetation recovery and the mechanism of plant succession is of great significance to the ecological restoration of mines.Three Pinus tabulaeformis plantations with similar initial site conditions and restoration measures but with different secondary succession processes were selected from the open-pit coal mine dump that has been restored for 30 years.Soil physicochemical properties,enzyme activities,vegetation and microbial features were investigated,while the structural equation models were established to explore the interactions between plants,soil and microbes.The results showed that original vegetation configuration and soil nutrient conditions were altered due to secondary succession.With the advancement of the secondary succession process,the coverage of plants increased from 34.8%to 95.5%(P<0.05),soil organic matter increased from 9.30 g kg^(-1)to 21.13 g kg^(-1)(P<0.05),and total nitrogen increased from 0.38 g kg^(-1)to 1.01 g kg^(-1)(P<0.05).The activities of soil urease and p-glucosidase were increased by 1.7-fold and 53.26%,respectively.Besides,the secondary succession also changed the soil microbial community structure and function.The relative abundance of Nitrospira genus which dominates the nitrification increased 5.2-fold.The results showed that urease andβ-glucosidase promoted the increase of vegetation diversity and biomass by promoting the accumulation of soil organic matter and nitrate nitrogen,which promoted the ecological restoration of mine dumps.

Effects of land-use patterns on soil microbial diversity and composition in the Loess Plateau,China

In the Loess Plateau of China,land-use pattern is a major factor in controlling underlying biological processes.Additionally,the process of land-use pattern was accompanied by abandoned lands,potentially impacting soil microbe.However,limited researches were conducted to study the impacts of land-use patterns on the diversity and community of soil microorganisms in this area.The study aimed to investigate soil microbial community diversity and composition using high-throughput deoxyribonucleic acid(DNA)sequencing under different land-use patterns(apricot tree land,apple tree land,peach tree land,corn land,and abandoned land).The results showed a substantial difference(P<0.050)in bacterial alpha-diversity and beta-diversity between abandoned land and other land-use patterns,with the exception of Shannon index.While fungal beta-diversity was not considerably impacted by land-use patterns,fungal alpha-diversity indices varied significantly.The relative abundance of Actinobacteriota(34.90%),Proteobacteria(20.65%),and Ascomycota(77.42%)varied in soils with different land-use patterns.Soil pH exerted a dominant impact on the soil bacterial communities'composition,whereas soil available phosphorus was the main factor shaping the soil fungal communities'composition.These findings suggest that variations in land-use pattern had resulted in changes to soil properties,subsequently impacting diversity and structure of microbial community in the Loess Plateau.Given the strong interdependence between soil and its microbiota,it is imperative to reclaim abandoned lands to maintain soil fertility and sustain its function,which will have significant ecological service implications,particularly with regards to soil conservation in ecologically vulnerable areas.

Effect of Autotoxicity and Soil Microbes in Continuous Cropping Soil on Angelica sinensis Seedling Growth and Rhizosphere Soil Microbial Population

Objective To study the effect of autotoxicity and the co-effect of autotoxicity and soil microbes from continuous cropping soil on Angelica sinensis growth, root yield and content of essential oils, and soilmicrobalpopulation. Methods The pot experiments were conducted upon A. sinensis seedlings in continuous cropping soil. At the different growth stages, we determined the seedlings in growth parameters, root yield, content of essential oils, ethanol extract, and cultivable microbial populations in rhizosphere soil. Results A. sinensis seedlings were significantly inhibited in growth, root yield and quality. Compared with the control, the composition and structure of soil microbes were changed and the diversity indexes of bacteria functional groups were reduced in rhizosphere soil ofA. sinensis. A. sinensiscropping problems were more seriously after the treatment with combination of autotoxicity and soil microbes than with autotoxicity alone. Conclusion The autotoxicityand soil microbes from continuous cropping soil of A. sinensis could cause the continuous cropping obstacle together.

Effects of vegetation type on soil microbial community structure and catabolic diversity assessed by polyphasic methods in North China

Soil microbes play a major role in ecological processes and are closely associated with the aboveground plant community. In order to understand the effects of vegetation type on the characteristics of soil microbial communities, the soil microbial communities were assessed by plate counts, phospholipid fatty acid （PLFA） and Biolog microplate techniques in five plant communities, i.e., soybean field （SF）, artificial turf （AT）, artificial shrub （AS）, natural shrub （NS）, and maize field （MF） in Jinan, Shandong Province, North China. The results showed that plant diversity had little discernible effect on microbial biomass but a positive impact on the evenness of utilized substrates in Biolog microplate. Legumes could significantly enhance the number of cultural microorganisms, microbial biomass, and community catabolic diversity. Except for SF dominated by legumes, the biomass of fungi and the catabolic diversity of microbial community were higher in less disturbed soil beneath NS than in frequently disturbed soils beneath the other vegetation types. These results confirmed that high number of plant species, legumes, and natural vegetation types tend to support soil microbial communities with higher function. The present study also found a significant correlation between the number of cultured bacteria and catabolic diversity of the bacterial community. Different research methods led to varied results in this study. The combination of several approaches is recommended for accurately describing the characteristics of microbial communities in many respects.

Field released transgenic papaya effect on soil microbial communities and enzyme activities

Soil properties, microbial communities and enzyme activities were studied in soil amended with replicase （RP）-transgenic or non-transgenic papaya under field conditions. Compared with non-transgenic papaya, significant differences （P〈0.05） were observed in total nitrogen in soils grown with transgenic papaya. There were also significant differences （P〈0.05） in the total number of colony forming units （CFUs） of bacteria, actinomycetes and fungi between soils amended with RP-transgenic plants and non-transgenic plants. Compared with non-transgenic papaya, the total CFUs of bacteria, actinomycetes and fungi in soil with transgenic papaya increased by 0.43-1.1, 0.21-0.80 and 0.46-0.73 times respectively. Significantly higher （P〈0.05） CFUs of bacteria, actinomycetes and fungi resistant to kanamycin （Km） were obtained in soils with RP-transgenic papaya than those with non-transgenic papaya in all concentrations of Km. Higher resistance quotients for Km＇ （kanamycin resistant） bacteria, actinomycetes and fungi were found in soil planted with RP-transgenic papaya, and the resistance quotients for Km＇ bacteria, actinomycetes and fungi in soils with transgenic papaya increased 1.6-4.46, 0.63-2.5 and 0.75-2.30 times. RP-transgenic papaya and non-transgenic papaya produced significantly different enzyme activities in arylsulfatase （5.4-5.9x）, polyphenol oxidase （0.7-1.4x）, invertase （0.5-0.79x）, cellulase （0.23-0.35x） and phosphodiesterase （0.16-0.2x）. The former three soil enzymes appeared to be more sensitive to the transgenic papaya than the others, and could be useful parameters in assessing the effects of transgenic papaya. Transgenic papaya could alter soil chemical properties, enzyme activities and microbial communities.

Effects of reclaimed water irrigation and nitrogen fertilization on the chemical properties and microbial community of soil

The ecological effect of reclaimed water irrigation and fertilizer application on the soil environment is receiving more attention.Soil microbial activity and nitrogen（N）levels are important indicators of the effect of reclaimed water irrigation on environment.This study evaluated soil physicochemical properties and microbial community structure in soils irrigated with reclaimed water and receiving varied amounts of N fertilizer.The results indicated that the reclaimed water irrigation increased soil electrical conductivity（EC）and soil water content（SWC）.The N treatment has highly significant effect on the ACE,Chao,Shannon（H）and Coverage indices.Based on a 16S ribosomal RNA（16S rRNA）sequence analysis,the Proteobacteria,Gemmatimonadetes and Bacteroidetes were more abundant in soil irrigated with reclaimed water than in soil irrigated with clean water.Stronger clustering of microbial communities using either clean or reclaimed water for irrigation indicated that the type of irrigation water may have a greater influence on the structure of soil microbial community than N fertilizer treatment.Based on a canonical correspondence analysis（CCA）between the species of soil microbes and the chemical properties of the soil,which indicated that nitrate N（NO3-–-N）and total phosphorus（TP）had significant impact on abundance of Verrucomicrobia and Gemmatimonadetes,meanwhile the p H and organic matter（OM）had impact on abundance of Firmicutes and Actinobacteria significantly.It was beneficial to the improvement of soil bacterial activity and fertility under 120 mg kg^-1 N with reclaimed water irrigation.

Soil microorganisms alleviate the allelopathic effect of Eucalyptus grandis × E. urophylla leachates on Brassica chinensis

Soil microbes may be critical players in determining the allelopathic potential of some plants. Low levels of plant community biodiversity in Eucalyptus plantations have been attributed to the allelopathic potential of these tree species. The role of soil microbes in the allelopathic effect of leaf leachates of the hybrid tree Eucalyptus grandis x E. urophylla, was tested in Petri dish assays with Brassica chinensis as a receiver plant. Soils were collected from either a local garden (soil A) or a Eucalyptus plantation (soil B) and half of each soil was sterilized to remove microbes. These soils were then treated with E. grandis x E. urophylla leachates for 0-72 h. Seed germination of B. chinensis was significantly inhibited in soils treated with leaf leachates relative to untreated soils. The inhibitory effect of the leaf leachates was more pronounced in sterilized soils. Total phenolic content was obvious lower in nonsterile leachate-treated soils than in sterile soils. Biomass of B. chinensis was negatively correlated with the total phenolic content in soils. Our findings suggest that soil microbes can alleviate the allelopathic potential of Eucalyptus and thereby its negative impact on plant growth.

Variations of Microbial Communities and the Contents and Isotopic Compositions of Total Organic Carbon and Total Nitrogen in Soil Samples during Their Preservation

Semi-sealed preservation of soil samples at different moisture of 4% and 23 %, respectively, was simulated to observe the variations of soil microbial communities and determine the contents and isotopic compositions of the total organic carbon and total nitrogen on the 7th and 30th day, respectively. The results show that during preservation, the quantity of microbial communities tended to increase first and then decrease, with a wider variation range at higher moisture （23%）. At the moisture content of 23 %, the microbial communities became more active on the 7th day, but less after 30 days, and their activity was stable with little fluctuation at the moisture content of 4%. However, there were no significant changes in the contents and isotopic compositions of the total organic carbon and total nitrogen. During preservation, the responses of soil microbes to the environment are more sensitive to changes in the total nitrogen and organic carbon contents. It is thus suggested that the variations of microbial communities have not exerted remarkable impacts on the isotope compositions of the total nitrogen and total organic carbon.

Effects of Transgenic Bt+CpTI Cotton Cultivation on Functional Diversity of Microbial Communities in Rhizosphere Soils

[Objective] This study aimed to investigation the effects of tranagenic Bt ＋ CpTI cotton cultivation on functional diversity of microbial communities in rhizospbere soils. E Method] By using the Biolog method, a comparative study was conducted on the utilization level of single carbon source by microbes in the rhi- zosphere soils of transgenic Bt ＋ CpTI cotton sGK321 and its parental conventional cotton ＇ Shiyuan 321＇ at different growth stages. [ Result ] The results showed that, compared with the parental conventional cotton, the average well-color development （AWCD） value of micmhial communities in rhizospbere soils of transgenie Bt ＋ CpTI cotton were significantly higher （P 〈 O. 05） at seedling stage and budding stage while significantly lower at flower and boll stage and bell opening stage. Shannon-Wiener diversity index （H） and Simpson dominance index （D） of microbial communities in rhlzesphere soils of transgenic cotton and conventional cotton varied with the different growth stages, whereas the Shannon-Wiener evenness index （E） showed no significant difference between transgenie cotton and convention- al cotton at four growth stages. Principal component analysis indicated that the patterns of carbon source utilization by microbial communities in rhizospbere soils were similar among transgenic cotton at seeding stage and flower and boll stage and parental conventional cotton at seeding stage and budding stage, which were also similar between tranagenic cotton at budding stage and parental conventional cotton at flower and boll stage. [ Conclusion] Analysis of different carbon sources indi- cated that the main carbon sources utilized by soil microbes were carbohydrates, amino acids, carboxylie acids and polymers.

Effects of Different Gravel Mulched Years on Soil Microbial Flora and Physical and Chemical Properties in Gravelsand Mulched Fields

Soil microbial flora and influencing factors of soil microbes in soil and gravel-sand mixed layer（ SGSML）,roots denseness layer（ RDL）,eluviate layer（ EL） and calcium accumulation layer（ CAL） in gravel-sand mulched fields（ GSMFs） with different gravel mulched years（ 1,6,12,19 and 25 years） were studied. The results showed that in the composition of soil microbes in the GSMFs,the quantity of bacteria was the largest,followed by actinomycetes,while the number of fungi was the smallest. The total quantity of soil microorganisms in the GSMFs dropped rapidly with the increase of soil depth,which was related to the sudden decrease in the quantity of bacteria. The number of microbes in the RDL was larger than that in the SGSML with few roots due to the effects of root distribution. The number of bacteria and actinomycete in the growing season was larger than that in the non-growing season,while the quantity of fungi in the growing season was smaller than that in the non-growing season. The quantity of bacteria and fungi was the largest in the GSMFs which had been mulched with gravel for 6-12 years. With the increase of mulching time,the GSMFs aged gradually,so their quantity reduced gradually. The quantity of actinomycetes was the smallest in the GSMFs which had been mulched with gravel for 6-12 years and increased with the increase of mulching time. The number of soil microbes in the GSMFs had a good correlation with soil moisture content,p H and mulching time. Soil total carbon content was an important factor restricting the quantity of soil microbes in the GSMFs.

Assessment of residual chlorine in soil microbial community using metagenomics

Chlorine-containing disinfectants have been widely used around the world for the prevention and control of the COVID-19 pandemic.However,at present,little is known about the impact of residual chlorine on the soil micro-ecological environment.Herein,we treated an experimental soil-plant-microbiome microcosm system by continuous irrigation with a low concentration of chlorine-containing water,and then analyzed the influence on the soil microbial community using metagenomics.After 14-d continuous chlorine treatment,there were no significant lasting effect on soil microbial community diversity and composition either in the rhizosphere or in bulk soil.Although metabolic functions of the rhizosphere microbial community were affected slightly by continuous chlorine treatment,it recovered to the original status.The abundance of several resistance genes changed by 7 d and recovered by 14 d.According to our results,the chlorine residue resulting from daily disinfection may present a slight long-term effect on plant growth(shoot length and fresh weight)and soil micro-ecology.In general,our study assisted with environmental risk assessments relating to the application of chlorine-containing disinfectants and minimization of risks to the environment during disease control,such as COVID-19.

Interactive effects of elevation and land use on soil bacterial communities in the Tibetan Plateau

The Tibetan Plateau of China is uniquely vulnerable to the global climate change and anthropogenic disturbances.As soil bacteria exert a considerable influence on the ecosystem function,understanding their response to different climates and land-use types is important.Here,we characterized the bacterial community composition and diversity across three major ecosystems(cropland,forest,and grassland)in the Sygera Mountains of Tibet,along a typical elevational gradient(3300–4600 m).The abundance of taxa that preferentially inhabit neutral or weak alkaline soil environments(such as Actinobacteria,Thermoleophilia,and some non-acidophilus Acidobacteria)was significantly greater in the cropland than in the forest and grassland.Furthermore,the diversity of soil bacterial communities was also significantly greater in the cropland than in the forest and grassland.We observed a unimodal distribution of bacterial species diversity along the elevation gradient.The dominant phyla Acidobacteria and Proteobacteria exhibited consistent elevational distribution patterns that mirrored the abundance of their most abundant classes,while different patterns were observed for Acidobacteria and Proteobacteria at the class level.Soil pH was the primary edaphic property that regulated bacterial community composition across the different land-use types.Additionally,soil pH was the main factor distinguishing bacterial communities in managed soils(i.e.,cropland)from the communities in the natural environments(i.e.,forest and grassland).In conclusion,land use(particularly anthropogenic disturbances such as cropping)largely controlled soil environment,played a major role in driving bacterial community composition and distribution,and also surpassed climate in affecting bacterial community distribution.

Two-year interactions between invasive Solidago canadensis and soil decrease its subsequent growth and competitive ability

Aims Plant-soil interaction(PsI)has been implicated as a causative mechanism promoting plant invasions,and some mechanisms underlying PsI effects remain unclear.Here,we attempted to address how altered soil microbes and nutrients influence PsI effects.Methods soil was cultured by an invasive forb Solidago canadensis for two years.We conducted an experiment,in which S.canadensis and Chinese natives were grown either alone or together in control and cultured soils,and determined the growth of S.canadensis and five natives and the competitive ability of S.canadensis.We ana-lyzed the microbial community composition and nutrients of two types of soils.Important Findings Compared to the control soil,the soil cultured by S.canadensis decreased the subsequent growth of S.canadensis and five Chinese natives,as well as the competitive ability of S.canadensis against Chinese natives.soil microbial community composition was significantly altered due to soil culturing.Total fatty acids,bacte-ria,gram-negative bacteria and gram-positive bacteria had no responses to soil culturing;fungi,aerobic bacteria and fungi/bacteria ratio significantly decreased with soil culturing;anaerobes and gram-negative/positive bacteria ratio greatly increased with soil culturing.soil nitrogen(N)dramatically decreased with soil culturing,whereas soil phosphorus(P)was unchanged.These results suggest that negative PsI effects may be linked to decreases in soil fungi,aerobic bacteria and soil N and increases in soil anaerobic bacteria and the ratio of gram-negative/positive bacteria.our find-ings provide an initial indication that S.canadensis-soil interaction alone could exhibit limited contributions to its success in the early stage of invasion.

Assessment of soil microbial and enzyme activity in the rhizosphere zone under different land use/cover of a semiarid region, India

Background:Land use/cover and management practices are widely known to influence soil organic matter(SOM)quality and quantity.The present study investigated the effect of different land use,i.e.,forests viz.mixed forest cover(MFC),Prosopis juliflora(Sw.)DC-dominated forest cover(PFC),and cultivated sites viz.agriculture field(AF),vegetable field(VF),respectively,on soil parameter,microbial activity,and enzymes involved in soil nutrient cycle in a semiarid region of India.Results:The results showed a significant reduction(P<0.05)in soil carbon(SC),soil nitrogen(SN)content(~30–80%)and consequently the soil microbial biomass carbon(SMBC)(~70–80%),soil basal respiration(SBR),soil substrate-induced respiration(SSIR),and soil enzyme activities(β-glucosidase,acid phosphatase,and dehydrogenase)under cultivated sites in comparison with forest sites.Pearson’s correlation showed that a positive correlation of SC with SMBC,SBR,SSIR(P<0.01),and enzymatic activities(i.e.,β-glucosidase,dehydrogenase)(P<0.05)may imply the critical role of SC in regulating microbial and enzymatic activity.Also,a positive correlation of soil moisture with urease activity(P<0.01)was found suggesting it as a significant abiotic factor for soil biological functions.Additionally,based on the PCA analysis,we observed the clustering of SMBC/SC ratio and qCO_(2) nearby AF.Conclusion:Our study suggests that soil microbial parameters(SMBC,SBR,SSIR,SMBC/SC,qCO_(2))and enzyme activity are key indicators of soil health and fertility.Land use/cover alters the SOM content and soil microbial functions.The management strategies focusing on the conservation of natural forest and minimizing the land disturbances will be effective in preventing soil carbon flux as CO_(2) and maintaining the SC stock.

Soil moisture controls the spatio-temporal pattern of soil respiration under different land use systems in a semi-arid ecosystem of Delhi,India

Background:Soil respiration(S_(R))is a critical process for understanding the impact of climatic conditions and land degradation on the carbon cycle in terrestrial ecosystems.We measured the S_(R) and soil environmental factors over 1 year in four land uses with varying levels of disturbance and different vegetation types viz.,mixed forest cover(MFC),Prosopis juliflora(Sw.)forest cover(PFC),agricultural field(AF),and vegetable field(VF),in a semi-arid area of Delhi,India.Our primary aim was to assess the effects of soil moisture(S_(M)),soil temperature(S_(T)),and soil microbial activity(S_(MA))on the S_(R).Methods:The S_(R) was measured monthly using an LI-6400 with an infrared gas analyser and a soil chamber.The S_(M) was measured using the gravimetric method.The S_(T)(10 cm)was measured with a probe attached to the LI-6400.The S_(MA) was determined by fluorescein diacetate hydrolysis.Results:The S_(R) showed seasonal variations,with the mean annual S_(R) ranging from 3.22 to 5.78μmol m^(−2) s^(−1) and higher S_(R) rates of~15-55%in the cultivated fields(AF,VF)than in the forest sites(MFC,PFC).The VF had significantly higher S_(R)(P<0.05)than the other land uses(AF,PFC,MFC),which did not vary significantly from one another in S_(R)(P<0.05).The repeated measures ANOVA evaluated the significant differences(P<0.05)in the S_(R) for high precipitation months(July,August,September,February).The S_(M) as a single factor showed a strong significant relationship in all the land uses(R^(2)=0.67-0.91,P<0.001).The effect of the S_(T) on the S_(R) was found to be weak and non-significant in the PFC,MFC,and AF(R^(2)=0.14-0.31;P>0.05).Contrasting results were observed in the VF,which showed high S_(R) during summer(May;11.21μmol m^(−2) s^(−1))and a significant exponential relationship with the S_(T)(R^(2)=0.52;P<0.05).The S_(R) was positively related to the SMA(R2=0.44-0.5;P<0.001).The interactive equations based on the independent variables S_(M),S_(T),and S_(MA) explained 91-95%of the seasonal variation in S_(R) with better model performance in the cultivated land use sites(AF,VF).Conclusion:S_(M) was the key determining factor of the S_(R) in semi-arid ecosystems and explained~90%of the variation.Precipitation increased S_(R) by optimizing the S_(M) and microbial activity.The S_(MA),along with the other soil factors S_(M) and S_(T),improved the correlation with S_(R).Furthermore,the degraded land uses will be more susceptible to temporal variations in S_(R) under changing climatic scenarios,which may influence the carbon balance of these ecosystems.

Invasion by Conyza sumatrensis alters soil microbial community structure in urban ecosystems

Introduction:Whether invasive plants stimulate or inhibit the soil microbial diversity is still an open question.Despite large-scale invasion by Conyza sumatrensis(Retz.)E.Walker in the urban ecosystems of the Srinagar city of the Kashmir Himalayan region,limited information exists on its impact,particularly,on the belowground microbial diversity.The present study was thus conducted to compare the soil microbial(bacterial and ascomycetous fungal)diversity between the sites invaded by C.sumatrensis and un-invaded(control)sites.Methods:Soil metagenome was extracted from C.sumatrensis invaded and un-invaded plots at the three study sites.A total of six plots(5×5 m each in size),including three invaded by C.sumatrensis and three un-invaded plots were nested within each study site.DNA after amplification was subject to denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis(DGGE);the bands were extracted from the DGGE gel,re-amplified,and sequenced for identification of the species.Results:The number of bacterial species was reduced in the invaded plots at two out of the three sites while as it was relatively higher in the un-invaded plots with many species exclusively found in these plots.Fungal species richness was higher in the invaded plots compared to the un-invaded plots at all the three sites.Also,more fungal species were found to occur exclusively in the invaded plots without being represented in the un-invaded plots.Conclusions:Invasion by C.sumatrensis alters soil microbial community structure in the urban ecosystems in the Kashmir Himalaya.How this species does so and what benefits does it draw from such alteration promise to be an interesting future discourse.

Soil biotic and abiotic conditions negate invasive species performance in native habitat

Background:Most studies on plant invasion consider the enemy release hypothesis when analyzing native habitats.However,the lower performance of invasive species in the native habitats can be the result of unfavorable soil conditions in the native habitats.While soil biotic and abiotic factors have a potential to restrict the growth of invasive species in their native habitats,our understanding of belowground environment of invasive species in their native habitats is very limited.In this study,we analyzed soil characteristics associated with an exotic invasive plant,Old World Climbing Fern(Lygodium microphyllum),in its native habitat in Australia and the recipient habitat in South Florida.Rhizosphere soil samples from both habitats were analyzed for soil physical,chemical and biological characteristics.Results:Soil characteristics in the recipient habitats were significantly different compared to those in the native habitats.Soil samples from the native habitat had low soil pH,and high concentrations of elements such as aluminum and zinc which are phytotoxic in acidic soil environments.Additionally,mycorrhizal fungi spores were more diverse in the recipient habitat in Florida compared to the native habitat in Australia.Conclusion:Overall,our results indicate that growth of an invasive plant in its native habitats could be restricted by the toxic effects associated with strong soil acidity.Results from this study indicate that invasive plants not only escape from their natural herbivores but also from toxic soil environment in their native habitats.