古水稻土与现代水稻土硝化活性的比较

根据最新的考古发现，中国种植水稻的历史可以追溯到公元前4000多年。据考证，位于长江三角洲的昆山市正仪镇绰墩山古水稻土遗址的地下42～57cm与100～116cm均为古水稻土层，历史耕作时间分别距今约3320a和6280a。硝化细菌在耕作土中的数量及其硝化强度被认为是土壤肥力的指标之一，在土壤氮素循环中起着重要作用，氨氧化细菌在硝化作用过程中将铵氧化为亚硝酸盐，实现亚硝化作用，是硝化过程中必不可少的步骤，同时也是其限速反应。本试验比较研究古水稻土与现代水稻土硝化活性的差别，观察氨氧化细菌沿土壤深度的分布规律，对揭示古水稻土在长期埋藏于土壤深层后的硝化功能演变具有积极的指示意义。     

红壤稻田不同生育期土壤氨氧化微生物群落结构

以福建省红壤稻田土壤为对象,通过提取土壤总DNA,利用特异引物进行PCR(聚合酶链反应)扩增和DGGE(变性梯度凝胶电泳)并结合DNA克隆测序,研究了水稻生长过程中稻田土壤氨氧化细菌和氨氧化古菌群落结构的变化。结果显示:稻田土壤具有丰富的氨氧化细菌和氨氧化古菌资源。水稻生长过程中土壤氨氧化细菌群落组成较为稳定,只表现出水稻生长前期(苗期、分蘖期)和中后期(孕穗期、成熟期)间存在一定差异。而土壤氨氧化古菌群落组成变化较大,在水稻生长的苗期、分蘖期、孕穗期和成熟期4个时期间均存在一定差异。在水稻生长过程中,土壤氨氧化细菌群落多样性指数无显著性变化,但氨氧化古菌群落多样性指数随水稻生长明显提高,孕穗期后才达到平稳。水稻生长前期土壤硝化势也具有显著上升趋势,孕穗期时达到最高,而后有所下降。土壤硝化势与氨氧化古菌群落多样性指数具有显著正相关性,与氨氧化细菌没有相关性。研究表明,氨氧化古菌对红壤稻田土壤硝化作用的影响程度较大,证实了氨氧化微生物尤其是氨氧化古菌在稻田土壤微生物组成及其生态系统功能中的重要性。     

红壤稻田不同生育期土壤氨氧化微生物群落结构和硝化势的变化

以福建省红壤稻田土壤为对象,通过提取土壤总DNA,利用特异引物进行PCR(聚合酶链反应)扩增和DGGE(变性梯度凝胶电泳)并结合DNA克隆测序,研究了水稻生长过程中稻田土壤氨氧化细菌和氨氧化古菌群落结构的变化。结果显示:稻田土壤具有丰富的氨氧化细菌和氨氧化古菌资源。水稻生长过程中土壤氨氧化细菌群落组成较为稳定,只表现出水稻生长前期(苗期、分蘖期)和中后期(孕穗期、成熟期)间存在一定差异。而土壤氨氧化古菌群落组成变化较大,在水稻生长的苗期、分蘖期、孕穗期和成熟期4个时期间均存在一定差异。在水稻生长过程中,土壤氨氧化细菌群落多样性指数无显著性变化,但氨氧化古菌群落多样性指数随水稻生长明显提高,孕穗期后才达到平稳。水稻生长前期土壤硝化势也具有显著上升趋势,孕穗期时达到最高,而后有所下降。土壤硝化势与氨氧化古菌群落多样性指数具有显著正相关性,与氨氧化细菌没有相关性。研究表明,氨氧化古菌对红壤稻田土壤硝化作用的影响程度较大,证实了氨氧化微生物尤其是氨氧化古菌在稻田土壤微生物组成及其生态系统功能中的重要性。     

长期施肥对黄棕壤性水稻土氨氧化细菌多样性的影响

以湖北省农科院长期施肥试验站的黄棕壤性水稻土为研究对象,采用PCR-DGGE方法,研究了氮肥（N）、氮磷（NP）、氮磷钾（NPK）、有机肥（M）、有机肥+氮磷钾（MNPK） 长期施用对土壤氨氧化细菌遗传多样性的影响。结果表明,与长期不施肥处理（CK）相比,长期施肥提高了黄棕壤性水稻土有机质、全氮、微生物量碳氮（SMB-C、SMB-N）含量,并改变了氨氧化细菌的群落结构。其中有机肥与化肥长期配施下氨氧化细菌的多样性高于化肥处理。氨氧化细菌聚类分析表明,稻麦收获后土壤氨氧化细菌DGGE图谱分别聚为一个族群;同一作物收获后,M和MNPK聚为一类,N、NP、NPK和CK聚为一类,后者内部分类在两季作物间有差别。DGGE指纹图谱条带序列分析表明,供试土壤的优势氨氧化细菌为-变形菌纲的亚硝化单胞菌和亚硝化螺旋菌。     

代谢指纹评估苯噻草胺对水稻土微生物群落的短期影响

本文探讨了酰胺类除草剂苯噻草胺对水稻土微生物群落功能多样性的短期影响。本研究采用微生物群落基质利用潜力测定（Biolog法）评估生物群落。结果表明，苯噻草胺污染引起了水稻田微生物群落功能多样性的下降，降低了微生物对单-碳源底物的利用能力，但这种影响是短暂的，在试验最终没有导致土壤微生物群落功能多样性下降。多食鞘氨醇杆菌Y1（Sphingobacterium multiuorum）的添加有利于提高水稻土微生物群落的功能多样性。3个处理土壤的群落代谢剖面值与培养时间之间呈非线性关系，其变化过程符合微生物种群生长动态模型（S形）。模型模拟分析表明，动力学参数a和x0能更灵敏地表征苯噻草胺和Y1菌株处理对水稻土微生物群落功能多样性的影响。在本实验研究中，多样性指标指数Shannon（H）能灵敏而有效地指示污染环境的微生物学变化，但群落丰富度指标颜色变化孔数（S）提供的信息较片面。     

不同类型水稻土微生物群落结构特征及其影响因素

选取基于我国土壤地理发生分类的不同类型土壤发育的四种水稻土,利用¹⁵N₂气体示踪法测定生物固氮速率,采用实时荧光定量PCR（Real-time PCR）技术测定细菌丰度,通过16S rRNA基因高通量测序分析微生物群落组成和多样性。结果表明：变形菌门（Proteobacteria）、酸杆菌门（Acidobacteria）、绿弯菌门（Chloroflexi）和蓝藻门（Cyanobacteria）是水稻土中优势微生物类群。四种类型土壤发育的水稻土细菌群落结构差异显著（Stress<0.001）,群落结构分异（NMDS1）与土壤pH存在极显著正相关关系（P<0.01）。土壤有机碳和碱解氮含量显著影响水稻土中细菌丰度和群落多样性（P<0.01）。红壤发育的水稻土细菌16S rRNA基因拷贝数显著高于其他三种类型水稻土,但OTU数量、Chao1指数和PD指数均低于其他三种类型水稻土。土壤pH对水稻土生物固氮速率有显著影响（P<0.01）,紫色土发育的水稻土具有最高的生物固氮速率（3.2±0.7 mg×kg^-1×d^-1）,其中优势类群细鞘丝藻属（Leptolyngbya）可能是生物固氮的主要贡献者。研究结果丰富了对水稻土微生物多样性的认识,为通过调控土壤pH和微生物群落组成来提高稻田生物固氮潜力提供了理论依据。     

不同品种水稻土壤氨氧化细菌和氨氧化古菌群落结构组成

本研究通过提取土壤总DNA,利用特异引物进行PCR扩增和变性梯度凝胶电泳(DGGE),研究了不同品种水稻对稻田土壤氨氧化细菌和氨氧化古菌群落结构组成的影响.结果显示:稻田土壤具有丰富的氨氧化细菌和氨氧化古菌,且氨氧化古菌种类更多;不同品种水稻氨氧化细菌群落结构组成差异较大,其中以"天A/Km71"、"闽优1027"和"Km62/1027"3个品种相似性较高,且明显不同于其余3个品种:而氨氧化古菌群落结构组成在不同土层间表现出较大差异,其中以"天A/Km71"和"Km62/1027"的表土与根际土氨氧化古菌群落组成差异最大.研究表明不同水稻品种及土壤层次对氨氧化微生物群落结构组成具有一定影响,证明氨氧化微生物尤其是氨氧化古菌在稻田土壤生态系统中占有重要地位.     

转基因水稻秸秆还田对土壤硝化反硝化微生物群落的影响

转基因作物可能通过根系分泌物和植株残体组成的改变及外源基因的转移释放令土壤微生物群落产生变化,影响土壤微生物的生态功能。氨氧化细菌和反硝化细菌是驱动土壤硝化和反硝化过程的关键微生物,其群落结构的变化直接关系土壤氮素的转化与利用。本研究利用荧光定量PCR和PCR-DGGE技术分析了转cry1Ac/cpti双价抗虫基因水稻‘Kf8’秸秆还田降解过程中,土壤氨氧化细菌和反硝化细菌群落丰度与组成的变化,探讨转基因水稻是否存在影响稻田土壤氮素转化与N2O排放的可能。结果显示:无论是氨氧化细菌amo A基因还是反硝化细菌nirS基因,其丰度在转基因水稻‘Kf8’与非转基因水稻‘Mh86’的秸秆还田土壤中都没有显著差异;转基因水稻‘Kf8’和非转基因水稻‘Mh86’秸秆还田降解过程中0~10 cm土层中的amo A基因丰度均显著高于10~20 cm及20~30 cm土层(P0.05);各深度土层中的nirS基因丰度均存在随秸秆还田时间延长而增加的趋势。水稻秸秆还田降解过程中,转基因水稻‘Kf8’的土壤氨氧化细菌和反硝化细菌的群落多样性指数及组成,均与非转基因水稻‘Mh86’没有显著差异。相关分析结果表明土壤氨氧化细菌和反硝化细菌群落组成均与水稻秸秆还田时间存在显著相关性(P=0.002),反硝化细菌群落组成还与土层深度显著相关(P=0.024)。本研究表明转cry1Ac/cpti抗虫基因水稻秸秆还田对稻田土壤硝化和反硝化关键微生物群落不会产生明显影响。就土壤微生物群落而言,转cry1Ac/cpti抗虫基因水稻秸秆还田不存在影响土壤氮素转化与N2O排放的可能。     

铜胁迫对抗虫转基因水稻根际土壤微生物的影响

根际土壤微生物群落是联系土壤环境与作物生长的重要纽带,也是转基因作物环境安全评价的主要指标,而Cu胁迫对转基因水稻根际土壤微生物的影响目前尚不清楚。本研究基于盆栽试验,采用高通量测序等技术研究Cu胁迫(Cu含量100 mg/kg)对抗虫转基因水稻华恢1号(HH)及其亲本非转基因水稻明恢63(MH)农艺性状及成熟期根际土壤微生物的影响,并以不施加Cu胁迫处理为对照。结果显示:Cu胁迫显著降低了水稻株高、生物量及产量;Cu胁迫改变了水稻根际土壤总氮、铵态氮含量及氧化还原电位值,而种植转基因水稻仅降低了根际土壤氧化还原电位值;Cu胁迫没有影响水稻根际土壤细菌丰度,但降低了细菌群落Alpha-多样性,改变了水稻根际土壤细菌群落组成和群落结构;相同Cu含量胁迫下,HH和MH水稻生长指标及根际土壤细菌群落结构及组成差异较小。上述研究表明,Cu胁迫抑制了水稻农艺性状及根际土壤细菌群落,但种植抗虫转基因水稻没有影响水稻植株及根际土壤细菌群落对Cu胁迫的抗性。     

不同施氮水平下配施硅肥对水稻根部周围土壤微生物群落结构的影响

为研究不同水平氮肥、硅肥配施对水稻根部周围土壤微生物群落结构影响,为水稻的硅肥、氮肥合理配施提供参考。以Na₂SiO₃作为硅肥硅源,设置了6组硅肥、氮肥处理组,采用变性梯度凝胶电泳（PCR-DGGE）技术探究不同施氮水平下配施硅肥处理对水稻根部周围土壤细菌、真菌和古细菌群落结构的影响。结果显示在施加低氮和中氮处理组中水稻根部周围土壤细菌群落多样性没有显著变化,施高氮处理组的细菌群落多样性呈上升趋势,但在不同施氮水平下加硅处理对细菌的群落结构影响不明显。施低氮水平和中氮水平下硅对水稻根部周围土壤真菌群落结构的影响亦不明显;与施中低氮水平相比,在施高氮水平下,水稻根部周围土壤中真菌的多样性显著下降,但施硅能显著提高水稻根部周围土壤真菌的多样性,能促进真菌类群（Coniochaeta prunicola）、粉质拟青霉（Paecilomyces farinosus）、子囊菌（Ascomycota sp.）与浅黄褐色嗜热菌（Thermothelomyces hinnuleus）等类群的生长,同时抑制水稻病原真菌木贼镰刀菌（Fusarium equiseti）类群的生长。随着施加的氮水平升高,古细菌群落多样性呈升高趋势,各氮水平下加硅处理对水稻根部周围土壤的古细菌群落结构没有显著影响。研究表明,在不同施氮水平下,施加以Na₂SiO₃为硅源的硅肥对水稻根部周围土壤的细菌、古细菌群落结构没有显著影响;但在施加高氮水平后,加硅肥能显著提高水稻根部周围土壤真菌群落的多样性。     

“绿色革命”以来大气CO2浓度升高对C3作物营养品质的影响

自20世纪60年代"绿色革命"以来,育种技术和农耕技术的发展促进了农作物产量的大幅提升,然而作物的营养品质出现下降趋势。在相似的遗传背景下,大气CO_2浓度升高会使单位体积农作物产品的营养元素含量下降,因此"绿色革命"至今,农作物产品的营养元素下降可能受大气CO_2浓度升高影响。通过植物生长箱模拟"绿色革命"初期和目前的大气CO_2浓度水平(310μmol/mol和400μmol/mol),针对主要C_3作物水稻、小麦和大豆,研究"绿色革命"以来大气CO_2浓度升高对其籽粒的C、N、Fe、Zn元素含量的影响,结果表明:CO_2浓度升高对3种作物籽粒的C元素含量几乎没有影响,变化幅度在±1.5%之间;籽粒的N、Fe、Zn元素含量普遍呈现下降趋势,但均未达到显著水平。     

Potential of wild species for genetic enhancement of some semi-arid food crops

Discovery and incorporation of genes from wild species provide means to sustain crop improvement, particularly when levels of resistance in the cultigens are low and virulent strains of pests and pathogens overcome the host plant resistance. The extent of utilization and the potential of the wild genepool for genetic enhancement were reviewed in five important food crops viz. sorghum, pearl millet, chickpea, pigeonpea and groundnut grown in the semi-arid tropics. Introgression from compatible wild germplasm in the primary gene pool resulted in transfer of new cytoplasmic male sterility systems in pearl millet and pigeonpea, development of high protein, cleistogamous flower and dwarf pigeonpea lines and foliar disease resistant groundnut cultivars. Utilization of wild species in secondary and tertiary gene pools has been generally limited due to sterility, restricted recombination or cross incompatibility. Nevertheless, these species are extremely important as they contain high levels of resistance to several important biotic and abiotic stresses. Several of them, like those belonging to the Parasorghum section and the rhizomatous Arachis species are sources of multiple resistances and hold great promise to sustain crop productivity.     

Faculty positions:Center for Agricultural Resources Research,Chinese Academy of Sciences

正The Center for Agricultural Resources Research(CARR),the Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology(IGDB),Chinese Academy of Sciences,invites applicants for several research group leader positions.CARR is one of the research organizations in Chinese Academy of Sciences(CAS).We seek nominations and applications     

Collection and preliminary evaluation of native turfgrass accessions in Italy

Despite a raising interest on turfs in Italy, all theavailable varieties of this kind in the Country are of foreign origin, and areoften poorly adapted to the prevailing climatic conditions. This prompted tobegin a collection activity of indigenous turfgrass species, with the ultimategoal of identifying promising materials for future breeding based on localgenetic resources. The collection was carried out in three areas of Italy, viz.the northern Po Plain, the coastal region of Liguria, and the island of Sardiniathat are characterised, respectively, by subcontinental, warm temperate, andtypical Mediterranean climate. Altogether, 141 sites were visited, yielding 226accessions belonging to eight species of potential interest for turfs:Poa pratensis, Poa trivialis,Festuca rubra, Festuca arundinacea,Lolium perenne, Agrostis stolonifera,Agrostis tenuis, and Cynodon dactylon,this last being a warm-season grass. Poa pratensis andCynodon dactylon were mostly collected in northern Italyand Sardinia, respectively, whereas Festuca arundinacea andLolium perenne were rather ubiquitous. The collection sitesranged from 0 to 1040 m asl, but sites over 750 m wereonly visited in the inner part of Sardinia. All the accessions, collected aswhole plants, were transplanted at Lodi, northern Italy, where they are beingevaluated. Their preliminary evaluation for traits of importance for turf use,such as sward colour and overall quality, highlighted the great variation andthe occurrence of interesting accessions in all species. Other characters wererecorded, bearing specific importance in individual species, and in all casespromising accessions were identified. The germplasm of Festucarubra, Festuca arundinacea, and Loliumperenne proved highly infected by endophytic (symbiotic) fungi of thegenus Neotyphodium.     

Leaf position and genotype differences for mineral element concentrations in sorghum grown on tropical acid soil 1

Mineral element deficiencies and toxicities are common problems associated with sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] production on acid soils. To better understand some of the mineral element problems and the analysis of plant tissue of sorghum plants grown on acid soils, four sorghum genotypes were grown on an acid Oxisol at Carimagua, Colombia limed with dolomite at 2 and 6 Mg ha^‐1.

Samples for mineral element analyses were obtained from leaves at different positions on the four genotypes. Concentrations of P and Mg were highest in the flag leaf (Leaf No. 1) and decreased as the position on the plant declined from the top of the plant for plants grown at 2 Mg lime ha^‐1. Similar decreases in P, Mg, K, and Zn concentrations occurred in plants grown with 6 Mg lime ha^‐1. Concentrations of Ca, S, Si, Mn, Fe, Cu, and Al increased as leaf position declined from the flag leaf for plants grown at 2 and 6 Mg lime ha^‐1. The higher lime supply enhanced Ca and reduced Mn and Fe concentrations in leaves. Differences in mineral element concentrations for the four genotypes used were fairly extensive. The elements to show the greatest range among genotypes were Al and Si and the elements to show the least range among genotypes were P, K, and S. Care should be used in collecting leaf samples for plant analysis and genotypic differences for accumulation of mineral elements should be considered in interpretation of results.     

Short-term variation in the concentration of selected ions within individual tropical rainstorms

Rainwater was collected at the campus of the University of Brunei Darussalam in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam, using a funnel-in-bottle sampler. Polypropylene bottles were changed at intervals during rainstorm events. The pH and conductivity were determined immediately after collection on aliquots of the sample. Samples were refrigerated at 5°C for subsequent chemical analysis. Analyses for Na, Mg, Ca, Zn and Fe were carried out by means of inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES); Cu and Mn were analysed by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectroscopy (GFAAS); K was analysed using flame atomic emission spectroscopy (FAES); and Cl^–, NO₃ ^– and SO₄ ^2– were analysed by ion chromatography (IC). Concentration versus time profiles are reported for three rainstorm events. All ions exhibited a decrease in concentration during the rainstorm. The first sample contained the highest concentration of ions, consistent with a first-flush effect. The contribution of the initial stages of the shower to the total quantity of ion deposited during the entire rainstorm is quite overwhelming; in many cases 20 to 30% of the mass was deposited in less than 5% of rainstorm duration. On the other hand, the pH and conductivity variation during rainstorms did not exhibit a consistent pattern.     

The 5S rRNA gene diversity in the genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Secale</Emphasis> and determination of its closest haplomes

We analyzed 127 rDNA sequences (5S DNA units) obtained from 23 seed accession samples from more or less 10 taxa in wild and cultivated rye, genus Secale L. The sequences fell into two known groups, here assigned to two unit classes, viz. long R1 and short R1 (designations to reflect on R haplome of rye). The different taxa could not be fully differentiated based on the 5S DNA units. We searched for 5S DNA sequences from known unit classes most closely similar to the long R1 and the short R1. One set with the long R1 unit class contained sequences of the long P1 unit class from Agropyron (P haplome) and from Kengyilia (StYP haplome), long J1 from Thinopyrum (J haplome), whereas the set with the short R1 included the long S1 from Pseudoroegneria (St haplome) and Kengyilia (StYP haplome), the short J1 from Thinopyrum (J haplome) and the short V1 from Dasypyrum (V haplome). Each of the two sets was analyzed separately by maximum likelihood (ML) phylogenetic analysis from which we were able to infer that the 5S DNA units of Secale differentiated in a non-clock fashion and followed the HKY substitution model in the gene tree with the long R1 unit class and the HKY + G in the gene tree with the short R1 unit class. A complementary Bayesian analysis yielded identical tree topologies to the ML ones for each of the two sequence sets. In the tree with the long R1 units the long P1 and long J1 unit classes were closest to the long R1 unit class, whereas in the tree with the short R1 units the long S1 and short J1 unit classes were closest to the short R1 unit class, indicating possibly a close relationship between the St, J and R haplomes.     

Leaf litter selection by detritivore and geophagous earthworms

Summary Litterbag experiments with 10 different kinds of leaf litter showed that detritivore (Lumbricus species) and geophagous (Aporrectodea species) earthworms prefer certain litter types over others, since different numbers of worms were found below the litter after 50–52 days of exposure in a pasture. The detritivores preferred Fraxinus, Tilia, and predecomposed Ulmus and Fagus litter to Fagus litter and paper, while geophages preferred Tilia litter to Alnus and Ulmus litter, so that the two groups of earthworms showed different preferences. The detritivores seemed to be more selective than the geophages. The palatability of the litter was examined in relation to the C: N ratio, the lignin concentration and the initial and final polyphenol concentration. The numbers of detritivores were significantly correlated with the C: N ratio and the final polyphenol concentration, so that selection of litter seems to be related to palatability. The numbers of geophages were not significantly correlated with any of the parameters for palatability. The disappearance of litter after 50–52 days appeared to be due to detritivore activity, since the numbers found below the litter were positively and significantly correlated with the litter disappearance. There was no significant correlation with geophage activity. This indicates that detritivores use litter as food, and therefore influence the composition of the litter layer.     

Nematode succession and microfauna-microorganism interactions during root residue decomposition

The quality of plant material affects the vigor of the decomposition process and composition of the decomposer biota. Root residues from hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth), rye (Secale cereale L.) and vetch+rye, packed in litterbags were placed in pots of soil at 15 C and the content of the bags was analyzed after 2, 4, 8 and 12 weeks. Bacterial biomass did not differ between residues with contrasting composition. Among bacterivores groups of nematodes that require high bacterial production dominated in fast decomposing resources whereas flagellates with smaller requirements prevail in slower decomposing resources. Biomass of bacterial feeding nematodes correlated positively with early phase (0-2 wk) decomposition that increased in the order: rye< vetch+rye<vetch. Bacterial biomass therefore seems to be under top-down (predation) control during early decomposition. In contrast, the fungal biomass differed between resources with highest values for rye. Moreover, this increase in fungal biomass occurred later during succession and was correlated with decomposition activity for rye in that period. Fungal biomass therefore seems to be under bottom-up (resource) control. The composition of the nematode assemblages (composed of 25 taxa) showed a clear relationship to initial plant resource quality as well as decomposition phase. Early successional microbivorous nematodes vary according to resource quality with demanding bacterivores+predators (Neodiplogasteridae) dominating in vetch and less demanding bacterivores (Rhabditidae) and fungivores (Aphelenchus) being equally common in vetch and rye. Later in the succession (2-4 wk) bacterivorous Cephalobidae and fungivorous Aphelenchoides prevailed similarly on the different root materials whereas bacterivorous protozoa and the amoebal fraction thereof dominated in rye. At week 12 no species dominated the nematode assemblages that were similar between the resources. The differences between nematode assemblages among plant resources at 2 week were similar to the results of a field study sampled after 6 weeks with the same soil and plant resources. This lends support to the relevance of the successional patterns observed in this incubation study.     

Cycling of extracellular DNA in the soil environment

Upon entering the soil environment, extracellular DNA is subjected to dynamic biological, physical, and chemical factors that determine its fate. This review concerns the fate of both recombinant and non-recombinant sources of DNA. A schematic of DNA cycling coupled with genetic transformation is presented to understand its behavior in soil. Extracellular DNA may persist through cation bridging onto soil minerals and humic substances, be enzymatically degraded and restricted by DNases of microbial origin, and/or enter the microbial DNA cycle through natural transformation of competent bacteria. Lateral gene transfer may disseminate DNA through the microbial community. An understanding of DNA cycling is fundamental to elucidating the fate of extracellular DNA in the soil environment.