Afforestation increases microbial diversity in low-carbon soils

Afforestation has an important role in biodiversity conservation and ecosystem function improvement.A meta-analysis was carried out in China,which has the largest plantation area globally,to quantify the effects of plantings on soil microbial diversity.The results showed that the overall effect of afforestation on soil microbial diversity was positive across the country.Random forest algorithm suggested that soil carbon was the most important factor regulating microbial diversity and the positive response was only found with new plantings on low-carbon bare lands but not on high-carbon farmlands and grasslands.In addition,afforestation with broadleaved species increased microbial diversity,whereas planting with conifers had no effect on microbial diversity.This study clarified the effects of plantings on soil microbial diversity,which has an important implication for establishing appropriate policies and practices to improve the multiple functionalities(e.g.,biodiversity conservation and climate change mitigation)during plantation establishment.

Advances in Research on Synthetic Microbial Communities

The synthetic microbial community is a synthetic microbial system co-cultured with multiple species, which has the characteristics of clear composition and strong controllability. Compared with a single colony, it can achieve more complex functions and adapt to the changing environment more easily, so as to meet a wide range of needs. In this paper, the contents and concepts of microbial community and synthetic microbial community are briefly introduced, the principles that should be followed in the construction of microbial community are expounded, the methods and mathematical models used in the construction of synthetic microbial community are introduced, and the applications of synthetic microbial community in various fields are summarized. Finally, the challenges in the research of synthetic microbial communities are briefly described.

The competition between Bidens pilosa and Setaria viridis alters soil microbial composition and soil ecological function

Bidens pilosa is recognized as one of the major invasive plants in China.Its invasion has been associated with significant losses in agriculture,forestry,husbandry,and biodiversity.Soil ecosystems play an important role in alien plant invasion.Microorganisms within the soil act as intermediaries between plants and soil ecological functions,playing a role in regulating soil enzyme activities and nutrient dynamics.Understanding the interactions between invasive plants,soil microorganisms,and soil ecological processes is vital for managing and mitigating the impacts of invasive species on the environment.In this study,we conducted a systematic analysis focusing on B.pilosa and Setaria viridis,a common native companion plant in the invaded area.To simulate the invasion process of B.pilosa,we constructed homogeneous plots consisting of B.pilosa and S.viridis grown separately as monocultures,as well as in mixtures.The rhizosphere and bulk soils were collected from the alien plant B.pilosa and the native plant S.viridis.In order to focus on the soil ecological functional mechanisms that contribute to the successful invasion of B.pilosa,we analyzed the effects of B.pilosa on the composition of soil microbial communities and soil ecological functions.The results showed that the biomass of B.pilosa increased by 27.51% and that of S.viridis was significantly reduced by 66.56%.The organic matter contents in the bulk and rhizosphere soils of B.pilosa were approximately 1.30 times those in the native plant soils.The TN and NO_(3)^(-)contents in the rhizosphere soil of B.pilosa were 1.30 to 2.71 times those in the native plant soils.The activities of acid phosphatase,alkaline phosphatase,and urease in the rhizosphere soil of B.pilosa were 1.98-2.25 times higher than in the native plant soils.Using high-throughput sequencing of the16S rRNA gene,we found that B.pilosa altered the composition of the soil microbial community.Specifically,many genera in Actinobacteria and Proteobacteria were enriched in B.pilosa soils.Further correlation analyses verified that these genera had significantly positive relationships with soil nutrients and enzyme activities.Plant biomass,soil p H,and the contents of organic matter,TN,NO_(3)^(-),TP,AP,TK,and AK were the main factors affecting soil microbial communities.This study showed that the invasion of B.pilosa led to significant alterations in the composition of the soil microbial communities.These changes were closely linked to modifications in plant traits as well as soil physical and chemical properties.Some microbial species related to C,N and P cycling were enriched in the soil invaded by B.pilosa.These findings provide additional support for the hypothesis of soil-microbe feedback in the successful invasion of alien plants.They also offer insights into the ecological mechanism by which soil microbes contribute to the successful invasion of B.pilosa.Overall,our research contributes to a better understanding of the complex interactions between invasive plants,soil microbial communities,and ecosystem dynamics.

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.

Depositional model of the Member Deng-2 marginal microbial mound-bank complex of the Dengying Formation in the southwestern Sichuan Basin, SW China: Implications for the Ediacaran microbial mound construction and hydrocarbon exploration

Recent advances in hydrocarbon exploration have been made in the Member Deng-2 marginal microbial mound-bank complex reservoirs of the Dengying Formation in the western Sichuan Basin, SW China,where the depositional process is regarded confusing. The microfacies, construction types, and depositional model of the Member Deng-2 marginal microbial mound-bank complex have been investigated using unmanned aerial vehicle photography, outcrop section investigation, thin section identification,and seismic reflections in the southwestern Sichuan Basin. The microbialite lithologic textures in this region include thrombolite, dendrolite, stromatolite, fenestral stromatolite, spongiostromata stone,oncolite, aggregated grainstone, and botryoidal grapestone. Based on the comprehensive analysis of“depositional fabrics-lithology-microfacies”, an association between a fore mound, mound framework,and back mound subfacies has been proposed based on water depth, current direction, energy level and lithologic assemblages. The microfacies of the mound base, mound core, mound flank, mound cap, and mound flat could be recognized among the mound framework subfacies. Two construction types of marginal microbial mound-bank complex have been determined based on deposition location, mound scale, migration direction, and sedimentary facies association. Type Jinkouhe microbial mound constructions(TJMMCs) develop along the windward margin owing to their proximity to the seaward subfacies fore mound, with a northeastwardly migrated microbial mound on top of the mud mound,exhibiting the characteristics of large-sized mounds and small-sized banks in the surrounding area. Type E'bian microbial mound constructions(TEMMCs) primarily occur on the leeward margin, resulting from the presence of onshore back mound subfacies, with the smaller southwestward migrated microbial mounds existing on a thicker microbial flat. The platform margin microbial mound depositional model can be correlated with certain lateral comparison profile and seismic reflection structures in the 2D seismic section, which can provide references for future worldwide exploration. Microbial mounds with larger buildups and thicker vertical reservoirs are typically targeted on the windward margin, while small-sized microbial mounds and flats with better lateral connections are typically focused on the leeward margin.

Metagenomic analysis revealing the metabolic role of microbial communities in the free amino acid biosynthesis of Monascus rice vinegar during fermentation

Free amino acid(FAA)is the important component of vinegar that infl uences quality perception and consumer acceptance.FAA is one of the major metabolites produced by microorganisms;however,the microbial metabolic network on FAA biosynthesis remains unclear.Through metagenomic analysis,this work aimed to elucidate the roles of microbes in FAA biosynthesis during Monascus rice vinegar fermentation.Taxonomic profiles from functional analyses showed 14 dominant genera with high contributions to the metabolism pathways.The metabolic network for FAA biosynthesis was then constructed,and the microbial distribution in different metabolic pathways was illuminated.The results revealed that 5 functional genera were closely involved in FAA biosynthesis.This study illuminated the metabolic roles of microorganisms in FAA biosynthesis and provided crucial insights into the functional attributes of microbiota in vinegar fermentation.

Coupled multiphysical model for investigation of influence factors in the application of microbially induced calcite precipitation

The study presents a comprehensive coupled thermo-bio-chemo-hydraulic(T-BCH)modeling framework for stabilizing soils using microbially induced calcite precipitation(MICP).The numerical model considers relevant multiphysics involved in MICP,such as bacterial ureolytic activities,biochemical reactions,multiphase and multicomponent transport,and alteration of the porosity and permeability.The model incorporates multiphysical coupling effects through well-established constitutive relations that connect parameters and variables from different physical fields.It was implemented in the open-source finite element code OpenGeoSys(OGS),and a semi-staggered solution strategy was designed to solve the couplings,allowing for flexible model settings.Therefore,the developed model can be easily adapted to simulate MICP applications in different scenarios.The numerical model was employed to analyze the effect of various factors,including temperature,injection strategies,and application scales.Besides,a TBCH modeling study was conducted on the laboratory-scale domain to analyze the effects of temperature on urease activity and precipitated calcium carbonate.To understand the scale dependency of MICP treatment,a large-scale heterogeneous domain was subjected to variable biochemical injection strategies.The simulations conducted at the field-scale guided the selection of an injection strategy to achieve the desired type and amount of precipitation.Additionally,the study emphasized the potential of numerical models as reliable tools for optimizing future developments in field-scale MICP treatment.The present study demonstrates the potential of this numerical framework for designing and optimizing the MICP applications in laboratory-,prototype-,and field-scale scenarios.

PLFA Analysis of Soil Microbial Community Structure in Different Forest Types

Soil soluble organic matter is an important component in the study of carbon and nitrogen cycling in terrestrial ecosystems. Soil microorganisms, as soil decomposers, participate in soil biogeochemical processes and play an important role in maintaining the balance of soil ecosystems. As a typical subtropical regional unit, Queensland, Australia, is a relatively concentrated distribution area of forests in Australia. It is very sensitive to climate change and plays an important role in Australian climate and even global climate change. Its unique natural environment and ecosystem occupy a special position in the world. However, the knowledge of available carbon and nitrogen pool and microbial activity in forest soil is still very limited. Pinus elliottii, Araucaria cunninghamii and Agathis australis are the three most important forest types in southern Queensland, Australia. In our research, the function and structural diversity of soil microbial communities of these three forest types were studied using biochemical and molecular biological methods, and the effective carbon and nitrogen pools of soil of different forest types and related microbial processes were discussed, which has important theoretical guiding significance for further research on the structure and function of soil ecosystem. The number of PLFAs in the soil of P. elliottii was 45, the number of PLFAs in the soil of Araucaria cunninghamii and Agathis australis was 39 and 35, respectively. The number and content of PLFAs monomer in P. elliottii were higher than those in the other two kinds of forest soil.

Assessment of Physico-Chemical and Microbial Quality of Sugarcane Juice Sold by Street Vendors in Three Regions of Bangladesh

Sugar cane juice is a popular refreshing drink in most part of Bangladesh. It has great taste and health benefits;also it is available most of the public places at reasonable prices which consumed by road side customers including general public, shopping personals, tourists, students. In our country, street vendors crushing sugarcane between roller crusher and sold without any heat treatment or preservative, also served with or without added ice and lemon juice. The study aimed to identify and compare the physico-chemical and microbial quality of sugarcane juice. The chemical qualities of juices including moisture, PH, ash, total soluble solid, total sugar, reducing sugar and titrable acidity were found slightly different in Mymensingh, Gazipur and Narayangonj areas. The highest and lowest value of moisture, ash, PH, total soluble solids, total sugar, reducing sugar and titrable acidity were found in 84.33% - 79.26% (Gazipur-Mymensingh), 0.57% - 0.04% (Mymensingh-Gazipur), 5.9 - 2.9 (Gazipur-Narayangonj), 17.48% - 4.98% (Mymensingh-Narayangonj), 21.9% - 6.56% (Mymensingh-Gazipur), 3.7 - 2.1 (Gazipur-Mymensingh) and 0.523% - 0.007% (Narayangonj-Gazipur) respectively. For microbiological analysis, the total viable count of sugar cane juice in Mymensingh, Gazipur and Narayangonj were ranged from 0.6 × 105 - 43.6 × 105 cfu/ml, 4.6 × 105 - 21.6 × 105 cfu/ml and 3.6 × 105 - 36.6 × 105 cfu/ml respectively, where the permitted value is 1.0 × 104 cfu/ml, whereas the total coliform count was ranged from 0.4 × 105 - 6.4 × 105 cfu/ml, 0.6 × 105 - 8.4 × 105 cfu/ml and 0.00 - 8.4 × 105 cfu/ml, where the permitted value is 100 cfu/ml and total fungal count was ranged from 5.5 × 105 - 56.5 × 105 cfu/ml, 21.5 × 105 - 54.5 × 105 cfu/ml and 32.5 × 105 - 68.5 × 105 cfu/ml, where the permitted value is 1000 cfu/ml. According to the Gulf standard, the microbiological parameters of all the collected sugar cane juice were out of the permitted standards, so that a serious health outbreak can be caused anytime.

Afforestation with an age-sequence of Mongolian pine plantation promotes soil microbial residue accumulation in the Horqin Sandy Land, China

Land use change affects the balance of organic carbon(C)reserves and the global C cycle.Microbial residues are essential constituents of stable soil organic C(SOC).However,it remains unclear how microbial residue changes over time following afforestation.In this study,16-,23-,52-,and 62-year-old Mongolian pine stands and 16-year-old cropland were studied in the Horqin Sandy Land,China.We analyzed changes in SOC,amino sugar content,and microbial parameters to assess how microbial communities influence soil C transformation and preservation.The results showed that SOC storage increased with stand age in the early stage of afforestation but remained unchanged at about 1.27-1.29 kg/m2 after 52 a.Moreover,there were consistent increases in amino sugars and microbial residues with increasing stand age.As stand age increased from 16 to 62 a,soil pH decreased from 6.84 to 5.71,and the concentration of total amino sugars increased from 178.53 to 509.99 mg/kg.A significant negative correlation between soil pH and the concentration of specific and total amino sugars was observed,indicating that the effects of soil acidification promote amino sugar stabilization during afforestation.In contrast to the Mongolian pine plantation of the same age,the cropland accumulated more SOC and microbial residues because of fertilizer application.Across Mongolian pine plantation with different ages,there was no significant change in calculated contribution of bacterial or fungal residues to SOC,suggesting that fungi were consistently the dominant contributors to SOC with increasing time.Our results indicate that afforestation in the Horqin Sandy Land promotes efficient microbial growth and residue accumulation in SOC stocks and has a consistent positive impact on SOC persistence.

Dietary eubiotics of microbial muramidase and glycan improve intestinal villi,ileum microbiota composition and production trait of broiler

Background Optimal gut health is important to maximize growth performance and feed efficiency in broiler chickens.A total of 1,365 one-day-old male Ross 308 broiler chickens were randomly divided into 5 treatments groups with 21 replicates,13 birds per replicate.The present research investigated effects of microbial muramidase or a precision glycan alone or in combination on growth performance,apparent total tract digestibility,total blood carotenoid content,intestinal villus length,meat quality and gut microbiota in broiler chickens.Treatments included:NC:negative control(basal diet group);PC:positive control(basal diet+0.02%probiotics);MR:basal diet+0.035%microbial muramidase;PG:basal diet+0.1%precision glycan;and MRPG:basal diet+0.025%MR+0.1%PG,respectively.Results MRPG group increased the body weight gain and feed intake(P<0.05)compared with NC group.Moreover,it significantly increased total serum carotenoid(P<0.05)and MRPG altered the microbial diversity in ileum contents.The MRPG treatment group increased the abundance of the phylum Firmicutes,and family Lachnospiraceae,Ruminococcaceae,Oscillospiraceae,Lactobacillaceae,Peptostreptococcaceae and decreased the abundance of the phylum Campilobacterota,Bacteroidota and family Bacteroidaceae.Compared with the NC group,the chickens fed MRPG showed significantly increased in duodenum villus length at end the trial.Conclusion In this study,overall results showed that the synergetic effects of MR and PG showed enhancing growth performance,total serum carotenoid level and altering gut microbiota composition of broilers.The current research indicates that co-supplementation of MR and PG in broiler diets enhances intestinal health,consequently leading to an increased broiler production.

Research status, hot spots, difficulties and future development direction of microbial geoengineering

Microbial geoengineering technology,as a new eco-friendly rock and soil improvement and reinforcement technology,has a wide application prospect.However,this technology still has many deficiencies and is difficult to achieve efficient curing,which has become the bottleneck of large-scale field application.This paper reviews the research status,hot spots,difficulties and future development direction microbial induced calcium carbonate precipitation(MICP)technology.The principle of solidification and the physical and mechanical properties of improved rock and soil are systematically summarized.The solidification efficiency is mainly affected by the reactant itself and the external environment.At present,the MICP technology has been preliminarily applied in the fields of soil solidification,crack repair,anti-seepage treatment,pollution repair and microbial cement.However,the technology is currently mainly limited to the laboratory level due to the difficulty of homogeneous mineralization,uneconomical reactants,short microbial activity period and large environmental interference,incidental toxicity of metabolites and poor field application.Future directions include improving the uniformity of mineralization by improving grouting methods,improving urease persistence by improving urease activity,and improving the adaptability of bacteria to the environment by optimizing bacterial species.Finally,the authors point out the economic advantages of combining soybean peptone,soybean meal and cottonseed as carbon source with phosphogypsum as calcium source to induce CaCO3.

Spatiotemporal variations of sand hydraulic conductivity by microbial application methods

The spatiotemporal distributions of microbes in soil by different methods could affect the efficacy of the microbes to reduce the soil hydraulic conductivity.In this study,the specimens of bio-mediated sands were prepared using three different methods,i.e.injecting,mixing,and pouring a given microbial so-lution onto compacted sand specimens.The hydraulic conductivity was measured by constant-head tests,while any soil microstructural changes due to addition of the microbes were observed by scan-ning electron microscope(SEM)and mercury intrusion porosimetry(MIP)tests.The amount of dextran concentration produced by microbes in each type of specimen was quantified by a refractometer.Results show that dextran production increased exponentially after 5-7 d of microbial settling with the supply of culture medium.The injection and mixing methods resulted in a similar amount and uniform dis-tribution of dextran in the specimens.The pouring method,however,produced a nonuniform distri-bution,with a higher concentration near the specimen surface.As the supply of culture medium discontinued,the dextran content near the surface produced by the pouring method decreased dramatically due to high competition for nutrients with foreign colonies.Average dextran concentration was negatively and correlated with hydraulic conductivity of bio-mediated soils exponentially,due to the clogging of large soil pores by dextran.The hydraulic conductivity of the injection and mixing cases did not change significantly when the supply of culture medium was absent.

Tailoring Iron-Ion Release of Cellulose-Based Aerogel-Coated Iron Foam for Long-Term High-Power Microbial Fuel Cells

The presence of iron(Fe) has been found to favor power generation in microbial fuel cells(MFCs). To achieve long-term power production in MFCs, it is crucial to effectively tailor the release of Fe ions over extended operating periods. In this study, we developed a composite anode(A/IF) by coating iron foam with cellulose-based aerogel. The concentration of Fe ions in the anode solution of A/IF anode reaches 0.280 μg/mL(Fe^(2+) vs. Fe^(3+) = 61%:39%) after 720 h of aseptic primary cell operation. This value was significantly higher than that(0.198 μg/mL, Fe^(2+) vs. Fe^(3+) = 92%:8%) on uncoated iron foam(IF), indicating a continuous release of Fe ions over long-term operation. Notably, the resulting MFCs hybrid cell exhibited a 23% reduction in Fe ion concentration(compared to a 47% reduction for the IF anode) during the sixth testing cycle(600-720 h). It achieved a high-power density of 301 ± 55 mW/m^(2) at 720 h, which was 2.62 times higher than that of the IF anode during the same period. Furthermore, a sedimentary microbial fuel cell(SMFCs) was constructed in a marine environment, and the A/IF anode demonstrated a power density of 103 ± 3 mW/m^(2) at 3240 h, representing a 75% improvement over the IF anode. These findings elucidate the significant enhancement in long-term power production performance of MFCs achieved through effective tailoring of Fe ions release during operation.

Characteristics of the microbial communities regulate soil multi-functionality under different cover crop amendments in Ultisol

The use of cover crops is a promising strategy for influencing the soil microbial consortium,which is essential for the delivery of multiple soil functions(i.e.,soil multifunctionality).Nonetheless,relatively little is known about the role of the soil microbial consortium in mediating soil multifunctionality under different cover crop amendments in dryland Ultisols.Here,we assessed the multifunctionality of soils subjected to four cover crop amendments(control,non-amended treatment;RD,radish monoculture;HV,hairy vetch monoculture;and RDHV,radish-hairy vetch mixture),and we investigated the contributions of soil microbial richness,network complexity,and ecological clusters to soil multifunctionality.Our results demonstrated that cover crops whose chemical composition differed from that of the main plant crop promoted higher multifunctionality,and the radish-hairy vetch mixture rendered the highest enhancement.We obtained evidence that changes in soil microbial richness and network complexity triggered by the cover crops were associated with higher soil multifunctionality.Specifically,specialized microbes in a key ecological cluster(ecological cluster 2)of the soil microbial network were particularly important for maintaining soil multifunctionality.Our results highlight the importance of cover crop-induced variations in functionally important taxa for promoting the soil multifunctionality of dryland Ultisols.

Metagenomic Insight Reveals the Microbial Structure and Function of the Full-Scale Coking Wastewater Treatment System:Gene-Based Nitrogen Removal

Microbial communities play crucial roles in pollutant removal and system stability in biological systems for coking wastewater(CWW)treatment,but a comprehensive understanding of their structure and functions is still lacking.A five month survey of four sequential bioreactors,anoxic 1/oxic 1/anoxic 2/oxic 2(A1/O1/A2/O2),was carried out in a full-scale CWW treatment system in China to elucidate operational performance and microbial ecology.The results showed that A1/O1/A2/O2 had excellent and stable performance for nitrogen removal.Both total nitrogen(TN;(17.38±6.89)mgL1)and ammonium-nitrogen(NH4 t-N;(2.10±1.34)mg·L^(-1))in the final biological effluent satisfied the Chinese national standards for CWW.Integrated analysis of 16S ribosome RNA(rRNA)sequencing and metagenomic sequencing showed that the bacterial communities and metagenomic function profiles of A1 and O1 shared similar functional structures,while those of A2 significantly varied from those of other bioreactors(p<0.05).The results indicated that microbial activity was strongly connected with activated sludge function.Nitrosospira,Nitrosomonas,and SM1A02 were responsible for nitrification during the primary anoxic-oxic(AO)stage and Azoarcus and Thauera acted as important denitrifiers in A2.Nitrogen cycling-related enzymes and genes work in the A1/O1/A2/O2 system.Moreover,the hao genes catalyzing hydroxylamine dehydrogenase(EC 1.7.2.6)and the napA and napB genes catalyzing nitrate reductase(EC 1.9.6.1)played important roles in the nitrification and denitrification processes in the primary and secondary AO stages,respectively.The mixed liquor suspended solids(MLSS)/total solids(TS),TN removal rate(RR),total organic carbon(TOC)(RR),and NH_(4)^(+)t-N(RR)were the most important environmental factors for regulating the structure of core bacterial genera and nitrogen-cycling genes.Proteobacteria were the potential main participants in nitrogen metabolism in the A1/O1/A2/O2 system for CWW treatment.This study provides an original and comprehensive understanding of the microbial community and functions at the gene level,which is crucial for the efficient and stable operation of the full-scale biological process for CWW treatment.

The microbial community,nutrient supply and crop yields differ along a potassium fertilizer gradient under wheat-maize double-cropping systems

Soil microorganisms play critical roles in ecosystem function.However,the relative impact of the potassium(K)fertilizer gradient on the microbial community in wheat-maize double-cropping systems remains unclear.In this long-term field experiment(2008-2019),we researched bacterial and fungal diversity,composition,and community assemblage in the soil along a K fertilizer gradient in the wheat season(K0,no K fertilizer;K1,45 kg ha^(-1) K_(2)O;K_(2),90 kg ha^(-1)K_(2)O;K3,135 kg ha^(-1)K_(2)O)and in the maize season(K0,no K fertilizer;K_(1),150 kg ha^(-1) K_(2)O;K_(2),300 kg ha^(-1)K_(2)O;K_(3),450 kg ha^(-1)K_(2)O)using bacterial 16S rRNA and fungal internally transcribed spacer(ITS)data.We observed that environmental variables,such as mean annual soil temperature(MAT)and precipitation,available K,ammonium,nitrate,and organic matter,impacted the soil bacterial and fungal communities,and their impacts varied with fertilizer treatments and crop species.Furthermore,the relative abundance of bacteria involved in soil nutrient transformation(phylum Actinobacteria and class Alphaproteobacteria)in the wheat season was significantly increased compared to the maize season,and the optimal K fertilizer dosage(K2 treatment)boosted the relative bacterial abundance of soil nutrient transformation(genus Lactobacillus)and soil denitrification(phylum Proteobacteria)bacteria in the wheat season.The abundance of the soil bacterial community promoting root growth and nutrient absorption(genus Herbaspirillum)in the maize season was improved compared to the wheat season,and the K2 treatment enhanced the bacterial abundance of soil nutrient transformation(genus MND1)and soil nitrogen cycling(genus Nitrospira)genera in the maize season.The results indicated that the bacterial and fungal communities in the double-cropping system exhibited variable sensitivities and assembly mechanisms along a K fertilizer gradient,and microhabitats explained the largest amount of the variation in crop yields,and improved wheat?maize yields by 11.2-22.6 and 9.2-23.8%with K addition,respectively.These modes are shaped contemporaneously by the different meteorological factors and soil nutrient changes in the K fertilizer gradients.

Impact of Storage Temperature on Microbial Diversity and Probiotic Effect of Liquid Brewers’ Yeast

Using probiotics as animal feed additives instead of antibiotics is gaining momentum to avert adverse negative effects on human health. Liquid brewers yeast (LBY) is an industrial by-product containing probiotic microorganisms and is also used as a protein supplement for dairy animals. Nevertheless, value chain actors lack of appropriate handling practices compromises the by-products quality and safety. This study aimed to determine the effect of variation in temperature on microbial diversity and probiotic effects during the storage time of LBY sampled from distributors and farmers from Githunguri sub-county of Kenya. The samples were stored at 20C, 25C and 30C, then tested on 0, 5, 10, 15 and 20 days. The studys parameters involved determining the pH levels, lactic acid bacteria (LAB), total coliform count (TCC), mould, and yeast in LBY. The rate (k) of the reaction kinetics model was used to extrapolate the expected probiotic shelf life. The LAB and yeast populations were reduced in a first-order reaction at all storage temperatures. The rate of reduction in the numbers of LAB reduced with an increase in temperature (k = 0.019 and 0.023) at 20C and 30C, respectively. Yeasts highest rate of growth reduction was 25C (k = 0.009) and least at 30C (k = 0.043). The minimum effective concentration for probiotics of 106 CFU/mL needed to observe the beneficial physiological impact on farm animals was achieved between 34.9 and 35.5 days at the tested storage temperatures. The study provides insight into the unexploited low-cost probiotic potential of LBY in dairy production. Conversely, handling practices and environmental microbial contamination along the value chain can compromise product quality and safety. There is a need to advocate its use in dairy for improved productivity and sensitize farmers to appropriate hygienic measures along the LBY value chain.

Structure and functional heterogeneity of soil microbial communities in different farmland types on the Loess Plateau

Background,aim,and scope Soil microbes are important drivers of nutrient transformation and energy f low.Reclaiming forest land for agricultural use may have profound effects on soil properties and microbial communities.However,the response of soil microbial communities to soil reclamation in the dryland agroecosystem is less understood.Therefore,it is necessary to investigate the changes of soil microbial communities driven by land use conversion to promote nutrient cycling in reclaimed farmland.Materials and methods Based on the metagenomic technique,we evaluated the microbial composition and function of the newly created farmland(NF)after reclamation with two types of traditional farmland(slope farmland(SF),checkdam farmland(CF))on the Loess Plateau,and explored the response of nutrient cycling function to dominant genera and soil properties.Results The results showed that Proteobacteria,Actinobacteria,and Acidobacteria were prevalent in the three types of farmlands.Compared with SF and CF,NF increased the relative abundance of Actinobacteria and Nocardioides,as well as genes related to amino acid metabolism and carbohydrate metabolism.The relative abundance of functional genes related to carbon and nitrogen cycling in the NF was higher than that in the traditional farmland(SF and CF).The relative abundance of nutrient cycling functional genes was positively correlated with dominant genera in the three types of farmlands.Except for pH,soil physicochemical factors were negatively correlated with genes related to amino acid metabolism and carbon cycle.Discussion Previous studies have shown that the nutrient conditions of the soil may intensify the competition between the eutrophic and oligotrophic microbial populations.After long-term cultivation and fertilization,the soil properties of traditional farmland were significantly different from those of NF,leading to the differentiation of dominant microbial groups.Microbes usually have functional redundancy to cope with changing environments.Soil microbes in traditional farmland may contain more genes related to replication and repair,cell growth and death,and environmental adaptation in response to disturbances caused by agricultural practices.On the contrary,the NF was less disturbed by agricultural activities,and the soil properties were more similar to forest land,so the carbon and nitrogen cycle function genes were more abundant.The nutrient cycling function was affected by the abundance of microbial dominant groups and soil properties,which may be related to the availability of soil nutrients and agricultural disturbance in different farmlands.Aspects of soil microbial-driven nutrient cycling in agriculture could be regulated in sustainable method.Conclusions The change from forest land to farmland kept more carbon and nitrogen cycling function in the newly created farmland,while long-term agricultural activities have drastically changed the functional structure of traditional farmland,resulting in the nutrient cycling function more concentrated to meet the needs of crop growth.Recommendations and perspectives Hence,it is necessary to apply sustainable agricultural method to regulate microbial-driven nutrient cycling.The insights are meaningful for sustainable agricultural development and land management in arid areas.

Solid-state NMR of the retinal protonated Schiff base in microbial rhodopsins

Rhodopsin is a seven-helical transmembrane protein with a retinal chromophore covalently bound to a conserved lysine in helix G via a retinal protonated Schiff base(RPSB).Microbial rhodopsins absorb light through chromophore and play a fundamental role in optogenetics.Numerous microbial rhodopsins have been discovered,contributing to diverse functions and colors.Solid-state NMR spectroscopy has been instrumental in elucidating the conformation of chromophores and the three-dimensional structure of microbial rhodopsins.This review focuses on the 15N chemical shift values of RPSB and summarizes recent progress in the field.We displayed the correlation between the 15N isotropic chemical shift values of RPSB and the maximum absorption wavelength of rhodopsin using solid-state NMR spectroscopy.