长期施肥对旱地红壤细菌群落的影响

为探讨长期不同施肥对旱地红壤细菌群落的影响,以中国农业科学院祁阳红壤实验站的冬小麦—夏玉米定位试验为研究对象,选取不施肥(CK)、单施氮肥(N)、施化学氮磷钾肥(NPK)和化学氮磷钾+有机肥配施(NPKM)4个处理,于试验开展25年(2015年)小麦收获后采集各处理0~20 cm的土壤样品,利用Illumina MiSeq高通量测序技术对土壤细菌群落进行测定,并深入揭示影响旱地红壤细菌群落的关键因素。结果表明:(1)长期不同施肥显著改变了旱地红壤的化学性质,N和NPK处理的土壤pH显著降低至4.02和4.15,而NPKM处理的土壤pH显著上升至5.99。NPK和NPKM处理均显著改善土壤肥力,但后者效果明显优于前者,而N处理对土壤肥力的提升效果微弱。(2)长期不同施肥改变了旱地红壤优势菌的相对丰度,非度量多维度分析(NMDS)和相似性分析(ANOSIM)表明不同处理的土壤细菌群落发生显著变化。(3)与CK相比,N处理的4种多样性指数(物种丰富度、Chao1指数、系统发育多样性和香农指数)显著降低了21.4%~49.4%,而NPKM处理显著增加了7.0%~66.9%,NPK处理也会使系统发育多样性和香农指数显著降低10.3%和13.0%。(4)逐步回归分析表明土壤pH是决定优势菌相对丰度及4种多样性指数的首要因素,多元回归树分析(MRT)探明土壤pH共解释了83.1%的细菌群落变异,不同处理间细菌群落转变均由土壤pH驱动。(5)STAMP分析发现,N、NPK和NPKM处理与CK分别有11、14和8个显著差异细菌属。综上所述,长期施肥后旱地红壤细菌群落主要受土壤pH的影响,而土壤肥力的作用相对较弱,长期施用化学氮肥造成的红壤酸化的负面效应已远超肥力改善的正面效应。因此,旱地红壤施肥应以防治土壤酸化为前提,长期化肥有机肥配施是一项适宜的施肥措施。     

不同秸秆还田方式对旱地红壤细菌多样性及群落结构的影响

为明确不同秸秆还田方式下土壤细菌群落结构变化特征，以南方典型旱地红壤为研究对象，基于中国科学院鹰潭红壤生态实验站玉米单作系统不同秸秆还田方式的长期试验，利用高通量测序明确了不同秸秆还田方式对土壤细菌多样性及群落结构的影响。结果表明：1）秸秆还田对土壤肥力提升显著，以秸秆猪粪配施（NPKSM）提升效果最佳；2）常规化肥处理（NPK）对细菌多样性无显著影响，但秸秆还田（NPKS）、秸秆猪粪配施（NPKSM）以及生物质炭（NPKB）处理均显著提升土壤细菌多样性；3）速效磷（AP）和土壤有机碳（SOC）变化是影响细菌多样性指数的主要因素，而速效钾（AK）、pH、总磷（TP）以及总氮（TN）均显著驱动细菌群落结构变异。研究结果从培育红壤肥力与微生物多样性的角度，为农业生态系统生物功能和土壤健康的协同提升提供了科学依据。     

长期单施化肥和有机无机配合条件下红壤蔗区土壤生物学性状及细菌多样性差异

【目的】分析红壤区长期施肥的蔗区土壤生物学性状和细菌多样性,旨在提出提升红壤蔗区土壤肥力与健康的施肥方案。【方法】试验从1995年开始,于广西来宾市蒙村镇那洪村甘蔗长期试验站进行。试验设置不施肥(CK)、 长期单一施用化肥(NPK)和长期化肥配施有机肥(NPKM)3个处理。采用聚合酶链式反应-变性梯度凝胶电泳(PCR-DGGE)以及稀释平板法等传统和现代分析技术,比较分析了3种长期不同施肥处理对蔗区土壤生物学指标、 细菌多样性等指示土壤肥力与健康状况指标的影响。【结果】施肥处理导致甘蔗产区土壤pH下降,NPK处理下降幅度大于NPKM处理。土壤中可培养微生物数量(细菌、 真菌和放线菌)均以NPKM处理为最高,NPK处理真菌数量显著高于CK,放线菌数量却显著低于CK土壤,细菌数量两者间无显著差异。微生物量碳、 氮以及涉及碳、 氮、 磷循环的土壤酶活性均以NPKM处理土壤为最高,与NPK和CK土壤差异显著。NPK处理土壤中β-葡糖苷酶活性以及微生物量碳高于CK土壤,但蛋白酶、 磷酸酶活性以及微生物量氮显著低于CK土壤。NPKM处理土壤中细菌多样性指数(H)、 丰富度(S)以及均匀度(EH)指数等同样表征土壤肥力与质量的敏感指标均高于NPK和CK土壤。【结论】长期施肥可不同程度地导致红壤蔗区土壤pH下降,长期单一施用化肥处理下降幅度高于化肥与有机肥配施处理。长期单一施用化肥加剧了土壤肥力下降与质量劣化,化肥配施有机肥是减缓红壤甘蔗产区土壤pH下降、 提升土壤肥力和保持土壤健康的有效措施。     

施肥及秸秆还田对砂姜黑土细菌群落的影响

利用Illumina平台Miseq高通量测序技术对小麦分蘖期砂姜黑土耕层土壤细菌进行高通量测序,结合相关生物信息学分析,探讨了不施化肥秸秆不还田(CK)、施化肥秸秆不还田(F)以及不施化肥秸秆还田(W)3种处理土壤细菌群落组成、多样性和结构的变化。结果显示,测序共获得14 873个OTUs,计173 323条读数,平均读长439 bp。砂姜黑土细菌优势门(相对丰度10%)为变形菌门(Proteobacteria)、酸杆菌门(Acidobacteria)、放线菌门(Actinobacteria)和拟杆菌门(Bacteroidetes);优势纲(相对丰度10%)为α-变形菌纲(Alphaproteobacteria)、β-变形菌纲(Betaproteobacteria)、酸杆菌纲(Acidobacteria)、鞘脂杆菌纲(Sphingobacteriia)和γ-变形菌纲(Gammaproteobacteria);优势属(相对丰度1%)共47个,3个处理中均有分布的优势属21个,F处理的细菌优势属的种类最多,为39个。相对丰度最大的门、纲和属分别是变形菌门(38.7%~43.1%)、α-变形菌纲(14.5%~18.1%)和鞘氨醇单胞菌属(Sphingomonas)(4.6%~7.7%)。F处理细菌丰富度指数(Chao1指数和ACE指数)显著低于CK及W处理,W处理和CK处理土壤细菌丰富度指数无显著差异,与CK处理相比,F处理ACE指数降低22.8%。W处理土壤细菌Shannon多样性指数显著大于CK及F处理,W处理Shannon指数较CK处理提高4.1%,而F处理土壤细菌Shannon指数与CK处理无显著差异。F处理Simpson指数显著高于CK及W处理;F处理Simpson指数较CK处理提高38.1%,而W处理细菌Simpson指数最小,显著低于CK处理,较CK降低23.8%。分层聚类图显示在属的水平上,W处理和CK处理土壤细菌群落结构相似性较高,F处理与CK处理及W处理细菌群落结构差异较大。施化肥对土壤细菌优势类群组成、相对丰度及群落结构的影响大于秸秆还田,施化肥显著降低了土壤细菌丰富度,秸秆还田显著提高了土壤细菌的多样性。     

秸秆与有机无机肥配施对潮土关键微生物及小麦产量的影响

秸秆与化肥和鸡粪配施改变了土壤微生物群落结构及微生物间的相互作用关系,但这种变化与小麦产量间的关系尚不清楚。本研究依托7年长期定位试验,选取5个施肥处理：不施化肥+秸秆离田（N0S0）、不施化肥+秸秆还田（N0S）、常规施化肥+秸秆离田（NS0）、常规施化肥+秸秆还田（NS）和施化肥+秸秆还田+鸡粪替代20%氮肥（NSM）,研究了不同施肥方式对细菌-真菌共现网络中微生物组成的影响,以及关键微生物与小麦产量间的相关关系。结果表明,与N0S0处理相比,NS0、NS和NSM处理的小麦籽粒产量分别提升539.20%、611.56%和676.56%,而N0S处理无显著变化。细菌和真菌群落组成均可分成显著不同的3组,分别为N0S0+N0S、NS0以及NS+NSM,即微生物群落组成在是否施用化肥之间显著不同;相同施用化肥情况下,在是否有施用有机物料之间显著不同。将重要性从高到低排序,有效磷（AP）、电导率（EC）、微生物生物量氮（MBN）、土壤有机碳（SOC）、易氧化有机碳（ROC）和颗粒有机碳（POC）是导致不同处理细菌群落结构变化的主要土壤理化性质,EC、MBN、ROC、POC、AP和SOC是导致不同处理真菌群落结构变化的主要土壤理化性质。细菌-真菌共现网络中,两个关键模块（模块1和模块4）与小麦产量变化显著相关。NS+NSM处理提升了模块4中与小麦产量正相关的类诺卡氏菌属（Nocardioides）、纤维单胞菌属（Cellulomonas）、Pir4_lineage、金孢子菌属（Chrysosporium）、无茎真菌属（Acaulium）和裂壳菌属（Schizothecium）等有益菌的相对丰度,它们可降解纤维素和木质素、促进养分转化和循环或抑制病原菌生长;并显著降低了模块1中与小麦产量负相关的葡萄穗霉属（Stachybotrys）、无色穗孢属（Achroiostachys）和Fusicolla的相对丰度,它们为不利于土壤健康和作物生长的植物病原真菌。因此,化肥配施秸秆及化肥配施秸秆和鸡粪利于关键有益微生物增加及病原真菌减少,关键微生物的功能和相对丰度对小麦产量具有影响。     

等碳投入的有机肥和生物炭对红壤微生物多样性和土壤呼吸的影响

施用有机肥是快速培育瘠薄土壤的一个重要措施。针对中亚热带第四纪红黏土发育的红壤旱地,建立了玉米和花生单作系统等碳量投入有机肥和生物炭的田间试验,利用聚合酶链式反应—变性梯度凝胶电泳(polymerase chain reaction-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis,PCR-DGGE)方法研究了土壤细菌和真菌群落组成和多样性的变化,分析了土壤呼吸速率(CO2通量)的变化及其与微生物多样性的关系。两年的试验表明,不同施肥方式导致微生物群落结构显著分异,施用有机肥和生物炭显著增加了细菌多样性,但施肥第二年真菌多样性有下降趋势。秸秆和猪粪配施显著增加了土壤呼吸速率,土壤呼吸速率与细菌和真菌多样性呈显著正相关,细菌多样性对土壤呼吸的影响(相对贡献率为71%)显著高于真菌(29%)。土壤磷素(全磷和速效磷)含量的变化是驱动红壤微生物多样性变化的主导因素,其对细菌和真菌多样性的相对贡献率分别为44.8%和47.4%。因此,合理配施秸秆和猪粪可以快速提高瘠薄红壤的生物功能。     

秸秆还田与施肥方式对稻麦轮作土壤细菌和真菌群落结构与多样性的影响

为探索秸秆还田与施肥方式2种农田措施对水稻-小麦(稻麦)轮作土壤微生物群落的影响,阐释其对土壤细菌和真菌群落结构和多样性的影响机制,本研究通过7年稻麦轮作长期定位监测试验,设置无肥空白(CK)、常规施肥(RT)、秸秆还田+常规施肥(RS)和秸秆还田+缓释肥(SS) 4个处理,采用Illumina Miseq高通量测序技术,分析土壤细菌和真菌群落结构和多样性,探索影响微生物群落的主控环境因子。结果表明, SS作物产量在2016年和2017年分别比RT显著提高11.6%和8.2%(水稻)、4.8%和3.6%(小麦),与RS无显著差异。相比RT,秸秆还田处理显著降低了土壤pH,提升了土壤有机碳和铵态氮含量;与RS相比,SS处理提高了铵态氮含量。秸秆还田处理提升了真菌群落多样性,但对细菌群落多样性无显著影响。SS与RS在细菌真菌群落多样性方面均无显著差异。相关性分析表明,细菌群落多样性与土壤pH呈负相关,与总氮含量呈正相关;真菌群落多样性则与土壤有机碳含量显著正相关。NMDS分析表明,施肥对于细菌群落结构影响较大(55.61%),真菌群落结构则对秸秆还田响应更明显(26.94%)。与RT相比,秸秆还田显著提升了细菌放线菌门、绿弯菌门、厚壁菌门的相对丰度,同时显著提升了真菌中子囊菌门的相对丰度,降低了担子菌门和接合菌门的相对丰度,加强了土壤碳氮循环能力并抑制了病原菌。SS与RS相比,仅提升了真菌中子囊菌门的相对丰度。综上,秸秆还田配施缓释肥有助于维持或者提高土壤养分有效性、作物产量及细菌真菌群落多样性,可以促进土壤碳氮循环。     

化肥配施有机肥对花生根际细菌群落结构及共存网络的影响

为评估化肥配施有机肥对花生根际细菌群落的影响，田间试验条件下研究了不施肥(CK)、施化学氮磷钾肥(NPK)和化学氮磷钾肥+有机肥配施(NPKM)对花生根际细菌群落多样性、结构和共存网络的影响。结果表明：NPKM处理下花生根际土养分状况明显改善，特别是有效磷的含量，较CK和NPK处理分别提高了5.31倍～12.16倍和3.24倍～6.50倍；而NPK处理下花生根际土养分状况并没有明显提升；Source Tracker分析显示，NPKM处理下根际细菌群落中只有2.1%～5.5%的物种来源于有机肥自身，但其花生根际细菌群落多样性在生育期前期要明显高于CK和NPK处理，而CK和NPK处理下根际细菌群落多样性差异不大；限制性主成分分析(CAP)显示，施肥措施和生育期均对根际细菌群落结构产生了显著影响，NPKM处理下花生根际土中富集了属于根瘤菌目(Rhizobiales)、梭菌目(Clostridiales)和芽孢杆菌目(Bacillales)这一类根际促生菌，根际细菌共存网络结构更加复杂，且网络中重要连接点的比例要也明显高于CK和NPK处理网络。可见，化肥配施有机肥有助于构建一个健康稳定的根际细...     

麦地土壤线虫群落结构对有机肥和秸秆还田的响应

通过猪粪有机肥的施用和秸秆还田,研究其对农田土壤线虫数量、属的种类及群落结构的影响。田间试验处理为CK(不施肥对照)、HF(施化肥)、ZH(猪粪堆肥 化肥)、JHB(秸秆 化肥 秸秆伴侣)、ZHJ(猪粪堆肥 化肥 秸秆)、ZDH(猪粪堆肥有机无机复合肥 化肥)6个处理。结果表明：在6个施肥处理中共鉴定出4目11科22属线虫,其中食细菌线虫9属,食真菌线虫5属,植食线虫4属,杂食-捕食线虫4属。JHB、ZHJ和ZDH处理的土壤线虫数量显著高于CK和HF处理,而HF与CK处理之间没有显著差异;化肥、有机肥和秸秆配施可以增加食细菌线虫的丰度,抑制植食线虫垫刃属和螺旋属的繁殖;除了ZDH外,其他4个处理的植食线虫丰度明显低于CK。 JHB、ZHJ和ZDH的线虫通路比值(NCR)显著高于CK,表明有机管理的农田土壤腐屑食物网的分解途径主要依靠细菌分解途径。CK、JHB、ZHJ和ZDH的的成熟指数(MI)显著高于HF,表明单施化肥对土壤环境干扰较大。多样性指数(H′)、优势度指数(λ)、均匀度指数(J) 和瓦斯乐斯卡指数(WI)在6个处理中均没有显著差异。在6个施肥处理中,均以c-p 2类群的土壤线虫比例最高,其次是c-p 3-5,c-p 1类群比例最低。通过线虫营养类群、群落结构及生态指数综合分析得出,JHB和ZHJ为最佳施肥方式。     

长期有机与无机肥配施的黄壤稻田土壤细菌群落结构特征

  【目的】  比较长期施用不同肥料黄壤稻田土壤细菌群落结构的差异,剖析不同肥料维持土壤细菌群落多样性的作用及其机理,为农田施肥管理提供理论依据。  【方法】  以农业农村部贵州耕地保育与农业环境科学观测试验站为依托,采用高通量测序技术,分析连续24年不施肥(CK)、全量化肥(NPK)、1/4牛厩肥+3/4化肥(1/4M+3/4NP)、1/2牛厩肥+1/2化肥(1/2M+1/2NP)和全量牛厩肥(M)处理黄壤稻田土壤细菌群落组成及多样性,并揭示其主要环境影响因子。  【结果】  不同施肥处理土壤细菌α多样性指数分析结果显示,长期施用有机肥提高了土壤细菌多样性指数(Shannon)、优势度指数(Simpson)和均匀度指数(Pielou),对丰富度指数(Chao1)影响较小。与CK相比,长期施肥不同程度地提高了变形菌门(Proteobacteria)的相对丰度,化肥的作用更明显。与CK和NPK相比,施用有机肥处理降低了棒状杆菌门(Rokubacteria)和亚硝酸盐氧化菌门(Nitrospinae)相对丰度,提高了拟杆菌门(Bacteroidetes)相对丰度,其他菌门变化不明显(P<0.05)。土壤细菌群落结构主成分分析结果表明,施用有机肥1/4M+3/4NP和1/2M+1/2NP处理土壤环境较为相似,细菌群落组成相似度较高,而CK和NPK处理土壤环境相似,细菌群落组成相似度高。土壤细菌群落结构组成与土壤环境因子冗余分析显示,土壤理化性质对细菌群落结构的影响重要性由大到小依次为全氮、碱解氮、速效钾、pH、有效磷、全磷,其中全氮、碱解氮和速效钾是关键因素。  【结论】  长期施用有机肥能够提高黄壤稻田土壤肥力,改变细菌生长环境,进而改变细菌群落结构组成,提高细菌群落多样性,促进土壤生态系统稳定和健康。     

Growth promotion and increased potassium uptake of cotton and rape by a potassium releasing strain of Bacillus edaphicus

A potassium-releasing bacterial strain Bacillus edaphicus NBT was examined for plant-growth-promoting effects and nutrient uptake on cotton and rape in K-deficient soil in pot experiments. Inoculation with bacterial strain B. edaphicus NBT was found to increase root and shoot growth of cotton and rape. Strain NBT was able to mobilize potassium efficiently in both plants when illite was added to the soil. In cotton and rape growing in soils treated with insoluble potassium and inoculated with strain NBT, the potassium content was increased by 30 and 26%, respectively. Bacterial inoculation also resulted in higher N and P contents of above ground plant components. The bacterial isolate was also able to colonize and develop in the rhizosphere soil of cotton and rape after root inoculation.     

Bioavailability of DOC in leachates, soil matrix solutions and soil water extracts from beech forest floors

The biodegradability of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in different fractions from the forest floor was studied. Soil leachate (SL, the soil solution in macropores which is freely drained from forest floor after rainfall), the soil matrix solution (SMS, the soil solution in meso-/micropores of the soil matrix), and soil water extracts (SWE) from two different beech forest floors were compared. Zero-tension and tension lysimeters were used to collect SL and SMS, respectively. Loss of DOC (during 21 days) and respiration of CO₂-C (during 7 days) were used as conventional measures of the availability of DOC. Bacterial production, measured using the leucine incorporation technique, and bacterial growth efficiency were also estimated. All methods were used to study differences in biodegradability between plots with and without ground flora (Deschampsia flexuosa or Anemone nemorosa) and different type of forest floor (with an organic (O) horizon or a mull (A) horizon). There were no differences in bioavailability of DOC from soil solutions extracted from plots with and without ground flora. The bioavailability of DOC in the different collected soil solutions varied, however. DOC in SWE was the most available, with a mean of 39% of DOC-loss in 21 days, and 18% of DOC being respired in 7 days. DOC in soil matrix solution was the least available of the soil solutions (7% respired), significantly less than DOC in soil leachate (11% respired). The methods measuring biodegradation of DOC, DOC-loss and CO₂-C respiration gave similar results and were comparable to bacterial production and bacterial growth efficiency, with the exception of SWE from the O-horizon at the D. flexuosa site, which had low bacterial production and bacterial growth efficiency, indicating a limitation of the bacterial growth. This study is one of the first to use bacterial production and bacterial growth efficiency for measuring bioavailability in terrestrial environments, giving an extra dimension for the process of biodegradation of DOC.     

健康与罹患青枯病的番茄土壤细菌群落特征比较

应用实时荧光定量PCR及MiSeq高通量测序技术,全面地研究了连作番茄田块中健康与感染青枯病植株周围土体及根际土壤细菌群落结构和组成。结果表明:健康番茄土体土壤的pH及全碳含量显著高于感病番茄土体土壤;土体及根际土壤的细菌群落结构和组成明显不同于感病番茄土体及根际土壤细菌群落。与感病番茄根际相比,健康番茄根际细菌的数量显著升高而青枯菌数量显著降低;细菌群落的Shannon多样性指数显著增高;拟杆菌门及其所含的噬几丁质菌属、金杆菌属、动杆菌属、黄杆菌属及Taibaiella的相对丰度显著增高而变形菌门及其所含的青枯菌属的相对丰度显著降低。综上,抑制土传青枯病发生的番茄根际土壤细菌群落特征明显,其生物量及多样性高,土著有益菌群数量多而病原菌数量少,为番茄土传青枯病的生物防控提供了指导方向与理论依据。     

用高压脉冲电场杀细菌孢子

在高压脉冲电场中，大部分细菌孢子能被杀死。其效率与脉冲电场处理参数有关，处理时间长，杀死的孢子数多；脉冲频率与脉冲宽度均对处理结果有影响     

Effect of calcium carbonate, sand, and organic matter levels on mortality of five species of Azospirillum in natural and artificial bulk soils

 Five bacterial strains, one from each of the five known species of the plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) Azospirillum (A. brasilense, A. lipoferum, A. amazonense, A. halopraeference, and A. irakense) were inoculated into two natural, semiarid soils (terra rosa and loessial sandy) from Israel, and two artificial soils constructed to simulate the native soils. Within 60 days, the populations of all five Azospirillum species declined significantly in a linear fashion, in both the native soils and in the homologous artificial soils. Increased levels of CaCO₃, and fine and rough sand, had significant detrimental effects on the survival of the five Azospirillum species, whereas increased organic matter content improved survival. In contrast, when the bacterial strains were incubated in the rhizosphere of tomato seedlings grown in the artificial soils, manipulation of these soil variables had only a marginal effect on bacterial survival; all Azospirillum species survived well in the tomato rhizosphere under conditions that are otherwise detrimental. This study indicates that most cells of the strains of five known species of Azospirillum died out linearly over time in two semiarid soils, and that only the major soil components affected Azospirillum survival in soil. Because mortality was similar in native soils and in artificial homologous soils, artificial soils can be used to study the soil behavior of Azospirillum. Received: 9 April 1999     

Two-dimensional single strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) of 16S rRNA gene fragments reveals highly dissimilar bacterial communities in an acidic fen

Genetic fingerprinting methods such as denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) and single strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) are only able to separate about 20–40 well-distinguishable bands (signals) within each sample. As a result, the diversity of 16S rRNA genes within biological samples may be underestimated, because multiple sequences can migrate at the same rate to form a single band. This study reports a two-dimensional SSCP fingerprinting method that has the capability to resolve hundreds of signals in a single fingerprint by using different gel temperatures in the two dimensions of the separation (20 °C and 30 °C, respectively). Unlike previous two-dimensional approaches, the method presented in this study does not rely on DNA products of variable lengths but is able to separate 16S rRNA gene fragments of the same length. To demonstrate the effectiveness of this new method, DNA samples from oxic and anoxic zones of an acidic fen were examined. Whereas one-dimensional SSCP fingerprints indicated high similarity (>93%) between 16S rRNA gene fragments from oxic and anoxic zones of the fen, the two-dimensional SSCP approach virtually found no similarities.     

菌泥对作物生长影响的研究

农田作物施入菌泥试验结果表明，在风沙土和草甸土施用菌泥玉米可增产25.0%-26.3%，大豆增产8.93%-10.0%，可改良土壤结构、增加有机质含量和微生物量，菌泥可作为1种生物活性有机肥应用于农业。     

Rapid effects of plant species diversity and identity on soil microbial communities in experimental grassland ecosystems

Changes in plant community structure, including the loss of plant diversity may affect soil microbial communities. To test this hypothesis, plant diversity and composition were experimentally varied in grassland plots cultivated with monocultures or mixtures of 2, 3 or 4 species. We tested the effects of monocultures versus mixtures and of plant species composition on culturable soil bacterial activity, number of substrates used and catabolic diversity, microbial biomass N, microbial respiration, and root biomass. These properties were all measured 10 months after seeding the experiment. Soil bacterial activity, number of substrates used and catabolic diversity were measured in the different plant communities using BIOLOG GN and GP microplates, which are redox-based tests measuring capacity of soil culturable bacteria to use a variety of organic substrates. Microbial biomass N, microbial respiration, and root biomass were insensitive to plant diversity. Culturable soil microbial activity, substrates used and diversity declined with declining plant diversity. Their activity, number of substrates used and diversity were significantly higher in plots with 3 and 4 plant species than in monocultures and in plots with 2 species. There was also an effect of plant species composition. Culturable soil microbial activity and diversity was higher in the four-species plant community than in any of the plant monocultures suggesting that the effect of plant diversity could not be explained by the presence of a particular plant species. Our results showed that changes in plant diversity and composition in grassland ecosystems lead to a rapid response of bacterial activity and diversity.     

Bacterial communities from soil sediments of a mountain oasis in northern Oman

Paleoecological records of a 20 meter deep profile near an oasis settlement in northern Oman have yielded a chronosequence providing insights into relationships between vegetation, the environment and development of human settlements in this area over a period of time spanning 19,000 years. In conjunction with analysis of the chemical and physical properties of this profile, we hypothesized that bacterial community structures associated with this chronosequence may also constitute a part of the biogeochemical record of the climate history that has been preserved at this site. To examine this hypothesis, we studied the composition of the community as revealed by profiling of 16S rRNA genes at 1 meter intervals along the entire profile. The results of our study show distinct changes in bacterial communities with increasing depth that correspond with differences in the climatic record as indicated by the occurrence of micro-charcoal particles. Sequencing of 16S rRNA genes proved the presence of Acidobacteria, Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria, Gemmatimonadetes, Chloroflexi and representatives from the candidate divisions SPAM, NC10, and OP10. Differences in the communities support the hypothesis that the bacterial species compositions in the sediment reflect properties of the organic matter and vegetation at the time they were deposited.     

Azospirillum brasilense mitigates water stress imposed by a vascular disease by increasing xylem vessel area and stem hydraulic conductivity in tomato

Water stress, with its negative consequences on plant growth and survival, can be mitigated by Azospirillum brasilense inoculation. In tomato, A. brasilense delays wilting caused by a vascular pathogen, Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis, by yet unknown mechanisms. We studied morphological, anatomical and physiological changes induced by A. brasilense in tomato that relate to water stress tolerance, which could explain the deferral in symptom expression. For this purpose, tomato seeds were treated or not with A. brasilense BNM65, and 5 weeks later plants were challenged with C. michiganensis subsp. michiganensis or mock inoculated with water. There was a large growth promotion associated to Azospirillum: treated plants had higher total biomass and leaf area. In relation to water stress tolerance, Azospirillum treated plants had larger xylem vessel area, higher stem specific hydraulic conductivity, thicker stems, and lower shoot/root dry matter and specific leaf area. These changes were opposite to those induced by C. michiganensis subsp. michiganensis. We conclude that A. brasilense favoured a better adjustment of plant-water relations by several mechanisms, and thus, transitorily alleviated symptoms expression of a vascular disease.