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.

Soil fungistasis and its relations to soil microbial composition and diversity:A case study of a series of soils with different fungistasis

Fungistasis is one of the important approaches to control soil-borne plant pathogens.Some hypotheses about the mechanisms for soil fungistasis had been established,which mainly focused on the soil bacterial community composition,structure,diversity as well as function.In this study,the bacterial community composition and diversity of a series of soils treated by autoclaving,which coming from the same original soil sample and showing gradient fungistasis to the target soil-borne pathogen fungi Fusarium grami...

Screening of Composite Microbial Agents for Promoting the Decomposition of Aging Dunnage

To explore the influence of microbial agems on the decomposition of aging dunnage of the fermentation bed, this paper took the aging dunnage as the raw materials, obtained microbial strains of different types through isolation and purification, chose dominant groups to make compound microbial agents, and adopted composting decomposition experiment. The results showed that Bacillus subtilis of different ratios was added, Trichoderma koningii and Thermo actinomycetaceac could promote the decomposition of aging dunnage, especially composite microbial agents （Kc：Kn：Gf = 1：1：1 ） had the best effect of decomposition, the high tem- perature was kept for 13 days. In the end of composting, degradation rate of cellulose, degradation rate of lignin, GI, and C/N were 47.6%, 30. 2%, 98.5%, and 18.5%. Bacillus coli was not detected.

Microbial Compositions and Enzymes of a Forest Ecosystem in Alabama: Initial Response to Thinning and Burning Management Selections

Prescribed burning and tree thinning are commonly used restoration practices for US forests management to increase forest productivity and enhance plant and animal diversity. The impact of these practices in Alabama’s Bankhead National Forest (BNF) to soil microbial components and overall forest soil health are unknown. We hypothesized that microbial assemblages and enzyme activities are continuously changing in forest ecosystems especially due to management selections. Therefore, the objective of this study was to assess changes in microbial community compositions (fungal vs bacterial populations) via fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) profiling and several enzyme activities (β-glucosaminidase, acid phosphatase, arylsulfatase, β-glucosidase, xylanase, laccase, and manganese peroxidase) critical to soil organic matter (SOM) dynamics and biogeochemical cycling. In this forest, heavily-thinned plots without burning or less frequent burning treatments seemed to provide more favorable conditions (higher pH and lower C:N ratios) for C and N mineralization. This may explain a slight increase (by 12%) detected in fungi:bacteria (F:B) ratio in the heavily-thinned plots relative to the control. Thinned (lightly and heavily) plots showed greater ligninolytic (laccase and MnP) activities and lower β-glucosidase and β-glucosaminidase activities compared to the no-thinned plots probably due to increase depositions of woody recalcitrant C materials. We observed significant but negative correlations between the ligninolytic laccase and manganese peroxidase (Lac and MnP) enzymes respectively, with MBC (?0.45* and ?0.68** respectively) and MBN (?0.43* and ?0.65** respectively). Prescribed burning treatment reduced microbial biomass C and N of the 9-yr burned plot/lightly thinned plotsprobably due to depletion of labile C sources with the high temperatures, leaving mostly recalcitrant C sources as available soil substrates. Gram-positive bacteria (i15:0, a15:0, i17:0, and a17:0), actinomycetes (10-Me17:0, 10-Me18:0), AMF (16:1ω5c), and saprophytic fungi (18:1ω9c), largely contributed to the microbial compositions. This study bridges knowledge gaps in our understanding of microbial community compositions and enzyme-mediated processes in repeatedly burned and thinned forest ecosystems.

Screening of a Composite Microbial System and Its Characteristics of Wheat Straw Degradation

To accelerate the decomposition of wheat straw directly returned to soil, we constructed a microbial system （ADS-3） from agricultural soil containing rotting straw residues using a 40-wk limited cultivation. To assess its potential use for accelerating straw decomposing, the decomposing characteristics and the microbial composition of ADS-3 were analyzed. The results indicated that it could degrade wheat straw and filter paper by 63.8 and 80%, respectively, during 15 d of incubation. Straw hemicellulose degraded dramatically 51.2% during the first 3 d, decreasing up to 73.7% by the end of incubation. Cellulose showed sustained degradation reaching 53.3% in 15 d. Peak values of xylanase and cellulase activities appeared at 3 and 11 d, with 1.32 and 0.15 U mL-1, respectively. Estimated pH averaged 6.4-7.6 during the degradation process, which approximated acidity and alkalinity of normal soils. The microbial composition of ADS-3 was stable based on denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis （DGGE） analysis. By using bacterial 16S rRNA and fungal 26S rRNA gene clone library analysis, 20 bacterial clones and 7 fungal clones were detected. Closest identified relatives of bacteria represented by Bacillus fusiformis, Cytophaga sp., uncultured Clostridiales bacterium, Ruminobacillus xylanolyticum, Clostridium hydroxybenzoicum, and uncultured proteobacterium and the fungi were mainly identified as related to Pichia sp. and uncultured fungus.

Degradation of corn stalk by the composite microbial system of MC1

The composite microbial system of MC1 was used to degrade corn stalk in order to determine properties of the degraded products as well as bacterial composition of MC1. Results indicated that the pH of the fermentation broth was typical of lignocellulose degradation by MC1, decreasing in the early phase and increasing in later stages of the degradation. The microbial biomass peaked on the day 3 after degradation. The MC1 efficiently degraded the corn stalk by nearly 70% during which its cellulose content decreased by 71.2%, hemicellulose by 76.5% and lignin by 24.6%. The content of water-soluble carbohydrates （WSC） in the fermentation broth increased progressively during the first three days, and decreased thereafter, suggesting an accumulation of WSC in the early phase of the degradation process. Total levels of various volatile products peaked in the third day after degradation, and 7 types of volatile products were detected in the fermentation broth. These were ethanol, acetic acid, 1,2-ethanediol, propanoic acid, butanoic acid, 3- methyl-butanoic acid and glycerine. Six major compounds were quantitatively analysed and the contents of each compound were ethanol （0.584 g/L）, acetic acid （0.735 g/L）, 1,2-ethanediol （0.772 g/L）, propanoic acid （0.026 g/L）, butanoic acid （0.018 g/L） and glycerine （4.203 g/L）. Characterization of bacterial cells collected from the culture solution, based on 16S rDNA PCR-DGGE analysis of DNAs, showed that the composition of bacterial community in MC1 coincided basically with observations from previous studies. This indicated that the structure of MC1 is very stable during degradation of different lignocellulose materials.

Hydrogen production performance of the non⁃platinum⁃based MoS_(2)/CuS cathode in microbial electrolytic cells

MoS_(2)/CuS composite catalysts were successfully synthesized using a one-step hydrothermal method with sodium molybdate dihydrate,thiourea,oxalic acid,and copper nitrate trihydrate as raw materials.The hydrogen pro-duction performance of MoS_(2)/CuS prepared with different molar ratios of Mo to Cu precursors(n_(Mo)∶n_(Cu))as cathodic catalysts was investigated in the two-chamber microbial electrolytic cell(MEC).X-ray diffraction(XRD),X-ray pho-toelectron spectroscopy(XPS),scanning electron microscopy(SEM),transmission electron microscope(TEM),linear scanning voltammetry(LSV),electrochemical impedance analysis(EIS),and cyclic voltammetry(CV)were used to characterize the synthesized catalysts for testing and analyzing the hydrogen-producing performance.The results showed that the hydrogen evolution performance of MoS_(2)/CuS-20%(nMo∶nCu=5∶1)was better than that of platinum(Pt)mesh,and the hydrogen production rate of MoS_(2)/CuS-20%as a cathode in MEC was(0.2031±0.0237)m^(3)_(H_(2))·m^(-3)·d^(-1) for 72 h at an applied voltage of 0.8 V,which was slightly higher than that of Pt mesh of(0.1886±0.0134)m^(3)_(H_(2))·m^(-3)·d^(-1).The addition of a certain amount of CuS not only regulates the electron transfer ability of MoS_(2) but also increases the density of active sites.

Pyrolyzed Iron Phthalocyanine-Modified Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes as Composite Anode in Marine Sediment Microbial Fuel Cells and Its Electrochemical Performance

Improving the performance of anode is a crucial step for increasing output power of marine sediment microbial fuel cells(MSMFCs)to drive marine monitor to work for a long term on the ocean floor.A pyrolyzed iron phthalocyanine modified multi-walled carbon nanotubes composite(FePc/MWCNTs)has been utilized as a novel nodified anode in the MSMFC.Its structure of the composite modified anode and electrochemical performance have been investigated respectively in the paper.There is a substantial improvement in electron-transfer efficiency from the bacteria biofilm to the modified anode via the pyrolyzed FePc/MWCNTs composite based on their cyclic voltammetry(CV)and Tafel curves.The electron transfer kinetic activity of the FePc/MWCNTs-modified anode is 1.86 times higher than of the unmodified anode.The maximum power density of the modified MSMFC was 572.3±14 m W m^-2,which is 2.6 times larger than the unmodified one(218.3±11 m W m^-2).The anodic structure and cell scale would be greatly minimized to obtain the same output power by the modified MSMFC,so that it will make the MSMFC to be easily deployed on the remote ocean floor.Therefore,it would have a great significance for us to design a novel and renewable long term power source.Finally,a novel molecular synergetic mechanism is proposed to elucidate its excellent electrochemical performance.

Microbiological Status and Nutritional Composition of Spices Used in Food Preparation

The present study showed significant initial microbial load, as well nutritional value of ten spices used widely across the world in food preparation. The microbiological tests demonstrated that sumac and cloves had the highest antimicrobial activity with respect to total plate counting and spore forming count. Results showed that chemical composition of the spices and herbs varied significantly. Dry matter content ranged between 83.6% and 92.4%. The highest ash content 10.4% was found in sweet cumin, protein 21.2% in cumin, fat 19.7% in sumac, fiber 59.2% in turmeric and carbohydrates 27.3% in sumac. These spices were also differing in their minerals content. Substantial amounts of Ca, Na, K and Mg were found, while Cu, Fe, P, Mn and Zn were present in trace amounts in all investigated spices.

Degradation of Cry1Ab Protein Within Transgenic Bt Maize Tissue by Composite Microbial System of MC1

Environmental safety issues involved in transgenic plants have become the concern of researchers, practitioners and policy makers in recent years. Potential differences between Bt maize（ND1324 and ND2353 expressing the insecticidal Cry1Ab protein） and near-isogenic non-Bt varieties（ND1392 and ND223） in their influence on the composite microbial system of MC1 during the fermentation process were studied during 2011-2012. Cry1Ab protein in Bt maize residues didn＇t affect characteristics of lignocellulose degradation by MC1, pH of fermentation broth decreasing at initial stage and increasing at later stage of degradation. The quality of various volatile products in fermentation broth showed that no signifi cant difference of residues fermentation existed between Bt maize and non-Bt maize. During the fermentation MC1 efficiently degraded maize residues by 83%-88%, and cellulose, hemicelluloses and lignin content decreased by 70%-72%, 72%-75% and 30%-37%, respectively. Besides that, no consistent difference was found between Bt and non-Bt maize residues lignocellulose degradation by MC1 during the fermentation process. MC1 degraded 88%-89% Cry1Ab protein in Bt maize residues, and in the fermentation broth of MC1 and bacteria of MC1 Cry1Ab protein was not detected. DGGE profi le analyses revealed that the microbial community drastically changed during 1-3 days and became stable until the 9th day. Though the dominant strains at different fermentation stages had signifi cantly changed, no difference on the dominant strains was observed between Bt and non-Bt maize at different stages. Our study indicated that Cry1Ab protein did not infl uence the growth characteristic of MC1.

The Phragmites Root-Inhabiting Microbiome: A Critical Review on Its Composition and Environmental Application

As widespread wetland plants,Phragmites play a vital role in water purification and are widely utilized in constructed wetlands(accounting for 15.5%of applied wetland plants)as a natural alternative to wastewater treatment.However,despite such common applications,current understanding of the basic composition of the Phragmites root-inhabiting microbiome and the complex functions of each member of this microbiome remains incomplete,especially regarding pollution remediation.This review summa-rizes the advances that have been made in ecological and biochemical research on the Phragmites root microbiome,including bacteria,archaea,and fungi.Based on next-generation sequencing,microbial com-munity compositions have been profiled under various environmental conditions.Furthermore,culture-based methods have helped to clarify the functions of the microbiome,such as metal iron stabilization,organic matter degradation,and nutrient element transformation.The unique community structure and functions are highly impacted by Phragmites lineages and environmental factors such as salinity.Based on the current understanding of the Phragmites root microbiome,we propose that synthetic microbial com-munities and iron–manganese plaque could be applied and intensified in constructed wetlands to help promote their water purification performance.

Analysis of composition of gut microbial community in a rat model of functional dyspepsia treated with Simo Tang(四磨汤)

OBJECTIVE: To investigate composition of gut microbial community in a rat model of functional dyspepsia(FD) and to explore the interventional effects of Simo Tang(四磨汤, SMT). METHODS: A rat model of FD was established through the tail-clamping stimulation method. The rat model of FD was assessed by the state of rats, their weight, sucrose preference rate, and intestinal propulsion rate. The DNA was extracted from stool samples after treatment with SMT. Amplified polymerase chain reaction(PCR) products of the 16S r DNA were sequenced using Novase Q6000 after construction of libraries. Composition of gut microbial community in the stool samples was determined and analyzed by cluster analysis, bioinformatic analysis, and analysis of α-diversity and β-diversity.RESULTS: The rat model of FD was successfully established using the tail-clamping stimulation method. The statistical results of cluster analysis of operational taxonomic units(OTUs) showed that the relative abundance of OTUs in the FD group was the lowest, while it was the highest in the normal(N) group. The composition of microbiome in the four groups was similar at phyla level. Compared with the FD group, the abundance of Firmicutes was downregulated, and the abundance of Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes was upregulated in the Simo Tang(SMT) and high-dose Simo Tang(SMT.G) groups. The ratio of Bacteroidetes/Firmicutes was also elevated. According to the analysis of α-diversity and β-diversity, the abundance of flora in FD rats was significantly reduced. The treatment using SMT appeared beneficial to improve the diversity of flora. SMT could improve the intestinal flora in FD rats. The results showed that FD rats had intestinal flora imbalance, and species diversity increased. The results suggested that SMT could regulate the disorders of intestinal flora caused by FD. CONCLUDIONS: SMT could restore gut homeostasis and maintain gut flora diversity by modulating the gut microbiota and its associated metabolites in rats, thereby treating gastrointestinal diseases.

Soil microbial characteristics and yield response to partial substitution of chemical fertilizer with organic amendments in greenhouse vegetable production

Greenhouse vegetable production has been characterized by high agricultural inputs, high temperatures, and high cropping indexes. As an intensive form of agriculture, nutrient cycling induced by microbial activities in the greenhouses is relatively different from open fields in the same region. However, the responses of soil microbial biomass carbon （MBC） and nitrogen （MBN）, enzyme activities, microbial community composition, and yield to organic amendment are not well understood. Therefore, a 5-year greenhouse tomato （Solanum lycopersicum Mill.）-cucumber （Cucumis sativus L.） rotation experiment was conducted. The field experiment comprised 5 treatments： 4/4CN （CN, nitrogen in chemical fertilizer）, 3/4CN＋1/4MN （MN, nitrogen in pig manure）, 2/4CN＋2/4MN, 2/4CN＋1/4 MN＋1/4 SN （SN, nitrogen in corn straw） and 2/4CN＋2/4SN. The amounts of nitrogen （N）, phosphorus （P2O5）, and potassium （K2O） were equal in the five treatments. Starting with the fourth growing season, the optimal yield was obtained from soil treated with straw. MBC, MBN, phospholipid fatty acid （PLFA） profiles, and enzyme activities were significantly changed by 5 years of substitution with organic amendments. Redundancy analysis showed that MBC accounts for 89.5 and 52.3％ of the total enzyme activity and total community variability, respectively. The activities of phosphomonoesterase, N-acetyl-glucosaminidase, and urease, and the relative abundances of fungi, actinomycetes, and Gram-negative bacteria were significantly and positively related to vegetable yields. Considering the effects of organic amendments on soil microbial characteristics and vegetable yield, 2/4CN＋1/4MN＋1/4SN can improve soil quality and maintain sustainable high yield in greenhouse vegetable production.

Dynamics of microbial diversity during the composting of agricultural straw

The dynamic changes in microbial diversity during the aerobic composting of agricultural crop straw with additives were evaluated using high-throughput sequencing at four phases of composting(mesophilic,thermophilic,cooling and maturation phases).In addition,the physicochemical parameters of the composting system were determined in this study.The fermentation time of the thermophilic period was prolonged with the addition of urea or urea combined with a microbial agent.The ratio of C/N and germination index variation indicated that the additives were favorable for composting,because the additives directly changed the physicochemical properties of the compost and had effects on the diversity and abundance of bacteria and fungi.The abundance of operational taxonomic units(OTUs),diversity index(Shannon)and richness index(Chao1)of fungi and bacteria were found to significantly increase when urea+microbial agents were added to straw in the thermophilic phase.The relative abundance of the predominant bacteria and fungi at the phylum and genus levels differed during different composting phases.The abundance of the phyla Firmicutes and Proteobacteria declined in the order of treatments SNW>SN>S(S is straw only compost;SN is straw+5 kg t^(–1) urea compost;and SNW is straw+5 kg t^(–1) urea+1 kg t^(–1) microbial agent compost)in the thermophilic phase.The abundance of the genera Staphylococcus,Bacillus and Thermobifida followed the same order in the mesophilic phase.Ascomycota accounted for more than 92%of the total fungal sequences.With the progression of the composting process,the abundance of Ascomycota decreased gradually.The abundance of Ascomycota followed the order of S>SN>SNW during the thermophilic phase.The abundance of Aspergillus accounted for 4–59%of the total abundance of fungi and increased during the first two sampling periods.Aspergillus abundance followed the order of SNW>SN>S.Additionally,principal component analysis(PCA)revealed that the community compositions in the straw and straw+urea treatments were similar,and that the bacterial communities in treatments S,SN and SNW in the mesophilic phase(at day 1)were different from those observed in three other phases(at days 5,11,and19,respectively),while the fungal communities showed only slight variations in their structure in response to changes in the composting process.Canonical correlation analysis(CCA)and redundancy analysis(RDA)showed that total carbon(TC),NO_(3)^(–)-N(NN),electrical conductivity(EC)and p H were highly correlated with community composition.Therefore,this study highlights that the additives are beneficial to straw composting and result in good quality compost.

Influences of Microbial Oxidation/Reduction on Mineral Transformation in Sulfide Tailings and Environmental Consequence in Shizishan Cu-Au Mine, Tongling, Eastern China

Mining activities have created great wealth, but they have also discharged large quantities of tailings. As an important source of heavy metal contamination, sulfide tailings are usually disposed of in open-air impoundments and thus are exposed to microbial oxidation. Microbial activities greatly enhance sulfide oxidation and result in the release of heavy metals and the precipitation of iron (oxy) hydroxides and sulfates. These secondary minerals in turn influence the mobility of dissolved metals and play important roles in the natural attenuation of heavy metals. Elucidating the microbe–mineral interactions in tailings will improve our understanding of the environmental consequence of mining activities.

Effects of long-term partial substitution of inorganic fertilizer with pig manure and/or straw on nitrogen fractions and microbiological properties in greenhouse vegetable soils

Partial substitution of inorganic fertilizers with organic amendments is an important agricultural management practice.An 11-year field experiment(22 cropping periods)was carried out to analyze the impacts of different partial substitution treatments on crop yields and the transformation of nitrogen fractions in greenhouse vegetable soil.Four treatments with equal N,P_(2)O_(5),and K_(2)O inputs were selected,including complete inorganic fertilizer N(CN),50%inorganic fertilizer N plus 50%pig manure N(CPN),50%inorganic fertilizer N plus 25%pig manure N and 25%corn straw N(CPSN),and 50%inorganic fertilizer N plus 50%corn straw N(CSN).Organic substitution treatments tended to increase crop yields since the 6th cropping period compared to the CN treatment.From the 8th to the 22nd cropping periods,the highest yields were observed in the CPSN treatment where yields were 7.5-11.1%greater than in CN treatment.After 11-year fertilization,compared to CN,organic substitution treatments significantly increased the concentrations of NO_(3)^(-)-N,NH_(4)^(+)-N,acid hydrolysis ammonium-N(AHAN),amino acid-N(AAN),amino sugar-N(ASN),and acid hydrolysis unknown-N(AHUN)in soil by 45.0-69.4,32.8-58.1,49.3-66.6,62.0-69.5,34.5-100.3,and 109.2-172.9%,respectively.Redundancy analysis indicated that soil C/N and OC concentration significantly affected the distribution of N fractions.The highest concentrations of NO_(3)^(-)-N,AHAN,AAN,AHUN were found in the CPSN treatment.Organic substitution treatments increased the activities ofβ-glucosidase,β-cellobiosidase,N-acetyl-glucosamidase,L-aminopeptidase,and phosphatase in the soil.Organic substitution treatments reduced vector length and increased vector angle,indicating alleviation of constraints of C and N on soil microorganisms.Organic substitution treatments increased the total concentrations of phospholipid fatty acids(PLFAs)in the soil by 109.9-205.3%,and increased the relative abundance of G^(+)bacteria and fungi taxa,but decreased the relative abundance of G-bacteria,total bacteria,and actinomycetes.Overall,long-term organic substitution management increased soil OC concentration,C/N,and the microbial population,the latter in turn positively influenced soil enzyme activity.Enhanced microorganism numbers and enzyme activity enhanced soil N sequestration by transforming inorganic N to acid hydrolysis-N(AHN),and enhanced soil N supply capacity by activating non-acid hydrolysis-N(NAHN)to AHN,thus improving vegetable yield.Application of inorganic fertilizer,manure,and straw was a more effective fertilization model for achieving sustainable greenhouse vegetable production than application of inorganic fertilizer alone.

Effects of Fermentation on the Proximate Composition of Irish (<i>Solanum tuberosum</i>) and Sweet Potato (<i>Ipomoea batatas</i>) Peels

Fermentation has been exploited to improve agricultural waste products. Fermentation of Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) and Irish potato (Solanum tuberosum) peels was carried out by soaking in clean water for 96 hours at room temperature during which samples were collected daily for microbial, physico-chemical and proximate analysis. Microbial load of both peels ranged from 9.0 × 105 to 8.6 × 106 cfu/ml;1.5 × 106 to 7.4 × 106 sfu/ml and 1.2 × 106 to 2.0 × 106 sfu/ml for bacteria, fungi and yeast respectively. The pH value of both peels decreased significantly (P ≤ 0.05) with corresponding increase in the total titratable acidity (TTA) (P ≤ 0.05) and temperature (P ≥ 0.05) with time during fermentation. The percentage composition of moisture, ash, fat and protein content of both peels increased insignificantly (P ≥ 0.05) with values ranging from 8.91ab ± 0.62 to 12.19b ± 0.51, 3.69a ± 0.41 to 5.77a ± 0.58, 1.86a ± 0.54 to 4.57c ± 0.51 and 4.55a ± 0.45 to 7.74b ± 0.51 respectively, while the crude fiber and carbohydrate composition decreased insignificantly (P ≥ 0.05) with values ranging from 2.16a ± 0.43 to 3.97bc ± 0.64 and 41.83a ± 2.64 to 70.05bc ± 2.55 respectively, until the last day of fermentation as compared with the unfermented peels at 0 hour. However, there was no significant difference (P ≥ 0.05) in the proximate composition of both peels. The results obtained from this study revealed that fermentation can bring about desirable changes in the nutrient composition of potato peels.

3-Aminopropyltriethoxysilane Complexation with Iron Ion Modified Anode in Marine Sediment Microbial Fuel Cells with Enhanced Electrochemical Performance

Anode modification plays a key role in higher power output in marine sediment microbial fuel cells(MSMFCs).A low-molecular organosilicon compound(3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane)was grafted onto the surface of carbon felt using chemical method and a composite modified anode was prepared through organic ligands coordination Fe^(3+)for better electro-chemical per-formance.Results show that the biofilm resistance of the composite modified anode(2707Ω)is 1.3 times greater than that of the unmodified anode(2100Ω),and its biofilm capacitance also increases by 2.2 times,indicating that the composite modification pro-motes the growth and attachment of electroactive bacteria on the anode.Its specific capacitance(887.8 Fm^(−2))is 3.7 times higher than that of unmodified anode,generating a maximum current density of 1.5Am^(−2).In their Tafel curves,the composite modified anodic exchange current density(5.25×10^(−6)Acm^(−2))is 5.8 times bigger than that of unmodified anode,which suggests that the electro-chemical activity of redox,anti-polarization ability and electron transfer kinetic activity are significantly enhanced.The marine sediment microbial fuel cell with the composite modified anode generates the higher power densities than the blank(203.8mWm^(−2) versus 45.07mWm^(−2)),and its current also increases by 4.4 times.The free amino groups on the anode surface expands a creative idea that the modified anode ligates the natural Fe(Ⅲ)ion in sea water in the MSMFCs for its higher power output.

Residue Return Effects Outweigh Tillage Effects on Soil Microbial Communities and Functional Genes in Black Soil Region of Northeast China

Conservation tillage as an effective alternative to mitigate soil degradation has attracted worldwide attention,but the influences of conservation tillage on soil microbial community and especially function remain unclear.Shotgun metagenomics sequencing was performed to examine the taxonomic and functional community variations of black soils under three tillage regimes,namely no-tillage with residue(maize straw)return(NTS),moldboard plow with residue return(MPS),and moldboard plow without residue return(MPN)in Northeast China.The results revealed:1)Soil bacterial and archaeal communities differed significantly under different tillage regimes in contrast to soil fungal community.2)The overlay of less tillage and residues return under NTS led to unique soil microbial community composition and functional composition.Specifically,in contrast to other treatments,NTS increased the relative abundances of some taxa such as Bradyrhizobium,Candidatus Solibacter,and Reyranella,along with the relative abundances of some taxa such as Sphingomonas,Unclassified Chloroflexi and Nitrososphaera decreased;NTS had a unique advantage of increasing the relative abundances of genes involved in‘ATP-binding cassette(ABC)transporters’and‘quorum sensing(QS)’pathways,while MPN favored the genes involved in‘flagellar assembly’pathway and some metabolic pathways such as‘carbon’and‘glyoxylate and dicarboxylate’and‘selenocompound’metabolisms.3)Significantly different soil bacterial phyla(Acidobacteria,Gemmatimonadetes,and Chloroflexi)and metabolic pathways existed between MPN and another two treatments(NTS and MPS),while did not exist between NTS and MPS.4)Dissolved organic carbon(DOC)and soil bulk density were significantly affected(P<0.05)by tillage and accounted for the variance both in microbial(bacterial)community structure and functional composition.These results indicated that a change in tillage regime from conventional to conservation tillage results in a shift of microbial community and functional genes,and we inferred that residue return played a more prominent role than less tillage in functional shifts in the microbial community of black soils.

Assessment of Bacteria, Morphological Characteristics, and Elemental Composition of Dust Fallout

Dust fallout can have diverse impacts ranging from major health problems to environmental concerns. It can harbour disease-causing microorganisms and toxic heavy metals, and it is therefore critical to establish the microbial and the mineral compositions of the dust fallout in a particular site and elucidate the possible related health implications for humans and the entire environment. In this study, dust fallout samples were collected from Arandis, a town in the Erongo region (Namibia), using the American Society for Testing and Materials standard method (ASTM D1739) for collection and analysis of dust fallout (settleable particulate matter). The identification of present viable bacteria was done through culturing and isolation techniques and the morphological characteristics, and the elemental composition of the dust fallout were determined using the Stereomicroscope and the X-ray fluorescence, respectively. The results showed that the most dominant bacteria contained in the fallout dust were the Bacillus species. The morphological characterisation revealed that the present particles were mixed black, brownish, greenish, and crystal particles with irregular, cubical, flocks and flake shapes. The elemental investigations indicated that the dust fallout contained Hg, As, Fe, Ni, Cr, Mn, Al and Pb occurring in varying concentrations and the status of pollution of the dust fallout ranged from low to severe concerning the inconsistent heavy metal indices that are the contamination factor, pollution load index and the enrichment factor.