Capacity of fatty acid profiles and substrate utilization patterns to describe differences in soil microbial communities associated with increased salinity or alkalinity at three locations in South Australia

 Fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) profiles, together with Biolog substrate utilization patterns, were used in conjunction with measurements of other soil chemical and microbiological properties to describe differences in soil microbial communities induced by increased salinity and alkalinity in grass/legume pastures at three sites in SE South Australia. Total ester-linked FAMEs (EL-FAMEs) and phospholipid-linked FAMEs (PL-FAMEs), were also compared for their ability to detect differences between the soil microbial communities. The level of salinity and alkalinity in affected areas of the pastures showed seasonal variation, being greater in summer than in winter. At the time of sampling for the chemical and microbiological measurements (winter) only the affected soil at site 1 was significantly saline. The affected soils at all three sites had lower organic C and total N concentrations than the corresponding non-affected soils. At site 1 microbial biomass, CO₂-C respiration and the rate of cellulose decomposition was also lower in the affected soil compared to the non-affected soil. Biomarker fatty acids present in both the EL- and PL-FAME profiles indicated a lower ratio of fungal to bacterial fatty acids in the saline affected soil at site 1. Analysis of Biolog substrate utilization patterns indicated that the bacterial community in the affected soil at site 1 utilized fewer carbon substrates and had lower functional diversity than the corresponding community in the non-affected soil. In contrast, increased alkalinity, of major importance at sites 2 and 3, had no effect on microbial biomass, the rate of cellulose decomposition or functional diversity but was associated with significant differences in the relative amounts of several fatty acids in the PL-FAME profiles indicative of a shift towards a bacterial dominated community. Despite differences in the number and relative amounts of fatty acids detected, principal component analysis of the EL- and PL-FAME profiles were equally capable of separating the affected and non-affected soils at all three sites. Redundancy analysis of the FAME data showed that organic C, microbial biomass, electrical conductivity and bicarbonate-extractable P were significantly correlated with variation in the EL-FAME profiles, whereas pH, electrical conductivity, NH₄-N, CO₂-C respiration and the microbial quotient were significantly correlated with variation in the PL-FAME profiles. Redundancy analysis of the Biolog data indicated that cation exchange capacity and bicarbonate-extractable K were significantly correlated with the variation in Biolog substrate utilization patterns. Received: 8 March 2000     

Soil quality variables in organically and conventionally cultivated field sites

This study aimed to answer the following questions (a) which of the soil variables (chemical, biological, enzyme activities and potential metabolic profile based on the Biolog method) could be used as indicators reflecting differences in soil quality between organically and conventionally managed asparagus fields, (b) how the duration of organic management affects these soil variables and (c) in what extent the soil quality in organic fields is comparable to that in hedgerows. The study included four organically cultivated fields which differed in the time they enter organic treatment: 6 years (O6), 5 years (O5), 3 years (O3) and 2 years (O2), the closest to them hedgerow (Ho), a conventionally managed field (CF) and its adjacent hedgerow (Hc). Among the chemical and biological variables, those contributing for most to the discrimination of the organic and conventional fields were mainly microbial biomass C (MBC) and N (MBN) and secondly variables related to N-cycle (NO₃, N organic, rate of N mineralization). MBC and MBN were higher in organic and conventional areas, respectively, reflecting differences in the structure of their microbial communities. The chemical and biological variables did not differ among O3, O5 and O6 fields, while low values of organic N, rate of N mineralization and extractable P was recorded in O2 area. The enzyme activities of amidohydrolases (l-asparaginase,l-glutaminase, urease) and phosphatases (alkaline and acid phosphatase) were by far higher in organic areas than in the conventional one. The activities of amidohydrolases and alkaline phosphatase changed in a similar way, exhibiting higher values in O3 and O5 areas while between the oldest (O6) and the newest (O2) area no differences were recorded. While the suppress of enzyme activities in O2 was related to low inputs due to transition, the negative feedback between supply of N and P and activities in O6 was a possible explanation. The activity of acid phosphatase increased from the newest to oldest organic areas. The potential functional diversity and substrate evenness did not differ among sampling areas. Differences between areas were recorded only in relation to the carbohydrates' consumption. The soil quality of hedgerows seems to be completely different than that of the arable land in terms of all studied variables. Also, significant differences were recorded between the two hedgerows, a fact that could be related to the different management practices applied in the neighboring fields.     

Replant diseases: Bacterial community structure and diversity in peach rhizosphere as determined by metabolic and genetic fingerprinting

Peach tree replant disease, though reported on in the literature for more than two centuries, has yet to have its causes clearly defined. Decline in peach productivity has been attributed to toxic agents, insects, nutritional disturbances, spray residues, fungi and nematodes. Bacteria has also been indicated as a contributing factor.Peach replant disease was reproduced by using two successive cultures on the same soil. Bacterial communities were isolated and characterized from healthy and diseased peach trees. The potential role of cyanide production by rhizobacteria in the replant problem of peaches was studied. Culture-dependent (evaluation of the number of culturable bacteria, metabolic activities, Biolog^® GN2) and independent (ribosomal intergenic spacer analysis, RISA) methods were used, in order to compare bacterial community structure and diversity in healthy and sick soils and to evaluate the possible role of cyanide.Bacterial densities were significantly increased in sick soils. Metabolic activities (Biolog^® GN2) and genetic structure, observed through RISA, were also significantly modified in sick soils. Changes in the composition of individual microbial groups in the rhizosphere of peach trees excavated from healthy or sick soil indicated the involvement of rhizobacteria in the etiology of the replant sickness of peach soil. More than 60% of the strains isolated from healthy soils corresponded to Pseudomonas sp. and 58% of the isolates from sick soils were Bacillus sp. This study determined that Bacillus were able to produce in vitro HCN. It also appeared that in sick soil, there was a shift in the structure of bacterial communities with an increase noted in phytotoxic microorganisms capable of producing HCN compounds.     

Long-term impacts of infrequent biosolids applications on chemical and microbial properties of a semi-arid rangeland soil

A plot study was conducted to quantify long-term (>12 years) impacts of a single biosolids application, and short-term impacts (<2 years) of a repeated application, on semi-arid rangeland soil chemical and microbial parameters. In 2003 and 2004, plots which had received 0, 2.5, 5, 10, 21, or 30 Mg biosolids ha⁻¹ once in 1991 (long-term plots), or again in 2002 (short-term plots), were sampled and analyzed for soil chemical parameters, microbial biovolumes, C and N mineralization activities, Biolog EcoPlate substrate utilization potential, and plant productivity and tissue quality. Repeated applications temporarily exacerbated differences in soil chemical properties among treatments, but after 2 years, soil chemistry trends were similar between short-term and long-term plots. Soils which received a repeated application of 21 or 30 Mg biosolids ha⁻¹ had greater bacterial biovolumes and C and N mineralization activities. In long-term plots, mineralization activities were stimulated only at the highest rate. Biosolids-amended soil communities also utilized Biolog substrates more quickly compared to communities from control plots. Plant biomass increased, whereas plant diversity and plant C/N ratio decreased with increasing application rate for both short- and long-term plots. Infrequent biosolids application had positive ecosystem effects in terms of site management objectives, with relatively low extractable metal levels in soil and greater plant biomass and tissue quality despite reduced species richness.     

Fate, tree growth effect and potential impact on soil microbial communities of mycorrhizal and bacterial inoculation in a forest plantation

The knowledge of the survival of inoculated beneficial fungal and bacterial strains in the field and the effects of their release on the indigenous microbial communities has been of great interest since the practical use of selected natural or genetically modified microorganisms has been developing. The aim of this study was to monitor, 4 years after plantation into the field site, the effects of Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) co-inoculation with the mycorrhiza helper bacterial strain Pseudomonas fluorescens BBc6R8 and/or the fungal strain Laccaria bicolor S238N on seedling growth and on the indigenous bacterial and ectomycorrhizal communities using quantitative and qualitative approaches. The field persistence of the inoculated strains was also monitored. The seedling shoot volume estimate was statistically significantly higher in the fungal inoculated plots in comparison to the non-inoculated plots but no treatment-related changes in the quantitave or qualitative microbial measurements were observed and the inoculated strains could not be detected after 4 years.     

Soil microbial community characteristics along an elevation gradient in the Laguna Mountains of Southern California

We sampled soil at four sites in the Laguna Mountains in the western Sonoran Desert to test the effects of site and sample location (between or beneath plants) on fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) and carbon substrate ulilization (Biolog) profiles. The four sites differed in elevation, soil type, plant community composition, and plant percent cover. Soil pH decreased and plant density increased with elevation. Fertile islands, defined as areas beneath plants with greater soil resources than bare areas, are present at all sites, but are most pronounced at lower elevations. Consistent with this pattern, fertile islands had the greatest influence on FAME and Biolog profiles at lower elevations. Based on the use of FAME biomarker and principal components analyses, we found that soil microbial communities between plants at the lowest elevation had proportionally more Gram-negative bacteria than all other soils. At the higher elevation sites there were few differences in FAME profiles of soils sampled between vs. beneath plants. Differences in FAME profiles under plants among the four sites were small, suggesting that the plant influence per se is more important than plant type in controlling FAME profiles. Since microbial biomass carbon was correlated with FAME number (r=0.85,P<0.0001) and with FAME named (r=0.88,P<0.0001) and total areas (r=0.84,P<0.0001), we standardized the FAME data to ensure that differences in FAME profiles among samples were not the result of differences in microbial biomass. Differences in microbial substrate utilization profiles among sampling locations were greatest between samples taken under vs. between plants at the two lower elevation sites. Microbial substrate utilization profiles, therefore, also seem to be influenced more by the presence of plants than by specific plant type.     

一株具有抗菌活性有丝真菌092902的鉴定

[目的]对一株具有抗菌活性的有丝真菌092902进行鉴定.[方法]采用典型形态特征、生理生化碳源同化及ITS序列3种鉴定方法.[结果]从形态方面,菌株092902与标准菌株黑曲霉As3.40菌落形态和显微形态观察极为相似,初步判断菌株092902属于黑曲霉;从Biolog微生物鉴定仪碳源同化方面,鉴定结果是黑曲霉;从菌株ITS序列进一步确认菌株092902与NCBI数据库中黑曲霉相似率达到100％.[结论]从这3个方面共同对菌株092902作出鉴定,该菌属于黑曲霉.     

典型血吸虫病疫区河滩地五氯酚污染土壤微生物特征——以松滋老陈镇庙河为例

采用现场采样及室内分析方法,对长期施用五氯酚（PCP）作为钉螺杀灭剂的典型血吸虫病流行疫区河滩地的土壤微生物特征进行了初步调查研究。结果表明,长期大量施用PCP对河滩裸地土壤微生物种群造成了一定程度的伤害,降低了微生物的总体活性;而种植杨树有利于恢复土壤微生物生物量碳,对修复PCP污染土壤有一定的促进作用。Biolog结果显示土壤微生物利用单一碳源能力的大小顺序为杨树林地〉对照〉河滩裸地,表明有机污染在一定程度上抑制了土壤微生物的生长。主成分分析显示对照、杨树林与河滩裸地的碳源利用能力差异显著,表明PCP污染对微生物的碳源利用造成了显著影响。土壤微生物对不同种类碳源利用计算结果表明,种植杨树导致林地土壤环境条件发生变化,杨树林地土壤微生物对碳源的利用也发生了明显变化。     

转cry1Ie基因抗虫玉米对根际微生物群落碳代谢的影响

转基因作物对土壤生态系统的影响日益引起人们的广泛关注。采用Biolog ECO微平板对转基因抗虫玉米IE09S034及其对应的受体玉米根际微生物群落碳代谢功能进行了比较研究。结果表明,转基因抗虫玉米IE09S034对根际微生物碳代谢功能无显著性影响,且发现年份和生育期是引起根际微生物碳代谢情况变化的主要因素。本文为转基因抗虫玉米IE09S034的环境安全性评估提供了新的依据。     

转基因玉米双抗12-5对根际土壤酶活性及 微生物多样性的影响

采用田间试验研究了转基因玉米瑞丰1号-双抗-12-5(RF1-12-5)种植对根际土壤酶活性、微生物群落的影响,可为RF1-12-5的环境释放和商业化应用提供科学的安全性评价数据支持。研究结果表明:①在5个生育期内,RF1-12-5与其非转基因对照品种瑞丰1号(RF1)根际土壤碱性蛋白酶、脲酶和酸性转化酶活性均没有显著性差异;RF1-12-5根际土壤过氧化氢酶活性在收获期、碱性磷酸酶活性在乳熟期显著低于RF1,其他生育期差异不显著。②在5个生育期内,RF1-12-5与RF1根际土壤微生物群落的Shannon多样性指数、McIntosh均匀度指数和Simpson优势度指数均不存在显著性差异,主成分分析未发现RF1-12-5与RF1根际微生物功能多样性存在规律性差异。