秸秆还田对黑土亚表层微生物群落结构的影响特征及原因分析

为明确切碎秸秆与秸秆颗粒对黑土亚表层土壤微生物群落结构的影响效应,从而评价不同秸秆还田方式对亚表层的培肥效果,该研究于2016—2018年在东北黑土区进行一次性玉米秸秆深埋还田试验,设置切碎秸秆低量(QS1)、切碎秸秆高量(QS5)、秸秆颗粒低量(KL1)与秸秆颗粒高量(KL5)4种秸秆还田处理,并与秸秆不还田(CK)进行对比,于每年玉米收获季对土壤理化指标及微生物菌群结构进行监测。结果表明,1)秸秆还田第1年,切碎秸秆处理显著提高土壤总磷脂脂肪酸含量及真菌摩尔百分数,其高量处理较CK最高增加71.0%和120.5%,而秸秆颗粒处理对细菌、革兰氏阳性菌和革兰氏阴性菌的摩尔百分数增幅更显著,其高量处理最高增加41.6%、29.7%和26.3%;还田第2年高量处理显著提高各菌群磷脂脂肪酸含量,且切碎高量处理的真菌摩尔百分数含量显著高于颗粒高量处理21.0%;还田第3年仅高量处理下的菌群结构有显著分异。2)还田初期切碎秸秆处理显著提高真菌:细菌比值,而低量还田则对革兰氏阳性菌和革兰氏阴性菌比有提高,随还田时间的增加,高量还田比值提高更显著,利于长期维持生态系统稳定性。3)秸秆高量还田可显著改...     

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。     

土壤微生物群落结构对凋落物组成变化的响应

凋落物分解是陆地生态系统养分循环的关键过程,明确凋落物多样性如何影响土壤微生物群落构成和多度,继而潜在地改变凋落物分解的微生物学机制有助于认识生物多样性和森林生态系统功能的关系。通过小盆模拟试验,应用磷脂脂肪酸谱图的方法研究了我国南方红壤丘陵区典型物种马尾松和湿地松的凋落物分别与白栎和青冈的凋落物混合,与单一针叶凋落物分解时相比,针阔混合凋落物分解过程中土壤微生物群落结构的变化,结果显示:(1)针阔混合凋落物分解时土壤微生物群落磷脂脂肪酸(Phospholipidfatty acids,PLFA)总量低于单一针叶处理,细菌和放线菌的相对多度高于单一针叶处理,真菌则相反,群落真菌/细菌低于单一针叶处理,土壤微生物生物量的差异主要来自于真菌;(2)主成分分析表明:针阔混合凋落物分解与单一针叶凋落物分解的土壤微生物群落结构差异显著,两个时期(分解9个月和18个月)主成分一分别可以解释65.74%和89.63%的变异,第一主成分主要包括18∶2ω6,9、18∶1ω9c、17∶0和10Me18∶0等磷脂脂肪酸;(3)土壤微生物群落结构受凋落物初始C/N和木质素/N调控,土壤微生物群落细菌的相对多度与凋落物初始C/N和木质素/N显著负相关,真菌则与凋落物初始C/N和木质素/N显著正相关,群落真菌/细菌与凋落物初始C/N和木质素/N显著正相关。针阔凋落物混合分解通过改变凋落物C/N和木质素/N,提供了对分解者更为有利的微环境。     

Changes in the soil microbial community structure with latitude in eastern China, based on phospholipid fatty acid analysis

Phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) profiles were measured in soils from 14 sites in eastern China representing typical geographic zones of varying latitude from north (47.4°N) to south (21.4°N). Amounts of soil microbial biomass, measured as total amounts of PLFAs, showed no regular trend with latitude, but were positively correlated with soil organic carbon content, the concentration of humic acid and amorphous iron oxide. Soil microbial community structure showed some biogeographical distribution trends and was separated into three groups in a cluster analysis and principal coordinate analysis of log transformed PLFA concentrations (mol%). Soils in the first group came from northern China with medium mean annual temperature (1.2–15.7 °C) and rainfall (550–1021 mm). Soils in the second group originated from southern China with a relatively higher mean annual temperature (15.7–21.2 °C) and rainfall (1021–1690 mm). Soils clustered in the third group originated from the most southerly region. The northern soils contained relatively more bacteria and Gram-negative PLFAs, while the southern soils had more fungi and pressure indexed PLFAs. These differences in soil microbial community structure were largely explained by soil pH, while other site and soil characteristics were less important.     

Substrate inputs and pH as factors controlling microbial biomass, activity and community structure in an arable soil

Our aim was to determine whether the smaller biomasses generally found in low pH compared to high pH arable soils under similar management are due principally to the decreased inputs of substrate or whether some factor(s) associated with pH are also important. This was tested in a soil incubation experiment using wheat straw as substrate and soils of different pHs (8.09, 6.61, 4.65 and 4.17). Microbial biomass ninhydrin-N, and microbial community structure evaluated by phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs), were measured at 0 (control soil only), 5, 25 and 50 days and CO₂ evolution up to 100 days. Straw addition increased biomass ninhydrin-N, CO₂ evolution and total PLFA concentrations at all soil pH values. The positive effect of straw addition on biomass ninhydrin-N was less in soils of pH 4.17 and 4.65. Similarly total PLFA concentrations were smallest at the lowest pH. This indicated that there is a direct pH effect as well as effects related to different substrate availabilities on microbial biomass and community structure. In the control soils, the fatty acids 16:1ω5, 16:1ω7c, 18:1ω7c&9t and i17:0 had significant and positive linear relationships with soil pH. In contrast, the fatty acids i15:0, a15:0, i16:0 and br17:0, 16:02OH, 18:2ω6,9, 17:0, 19:0, 17:0c9,10 and 19:0c9,10 were greatest in control soils at the lowest pHs. In soils given straw, the fatty acids 16:1ω5, 16:1ω7c, 15:0 and 18:0 had significant and positive linear relationships with pH, but the concentration of the monounsaturated 18:1ω9 PLFA decreased at the highest pHs. The PLFA profiles indicative of Gram-positive bacteria were more abundant than Gram-negative ones at the lowest pH in control soils, but in soils given straw these trends were reversed. In contrast, straw addition changed the microbial community structures least at pH 6.61. The ratio: [fungal PLFA 18:2w6,9]/[total PLFAs indicative of bacteria] indicated that fungal PLFAs were more dominant in the microbial communities of the lowest pH soil. In summary, this work shows that soil pH has marked effects on microbial biomass, community structure, and response to substrate addition.     

Interactions between microbial community structure and the soil environment found on golf courses

Approximately 0.6% of the total UK land surface is occupied by golf courses, but little investigation into the biological properties of the soil under this type of amenity turf has been reported. The soil microbiota has a significant role within the majority of nutrient cycles. In order to analyse how golf course management affects the soil microbial community, an investigation of the phenotypic microbial community structure using phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) analysis was carried out. Principal component analysis of PLFA biomarkers indicated that there were consistent relationships between the tees, fairways and greens and the soil microbial community structure. No conclusive mechanism could be demonstrated in one-way analysis with corresponding physical parameters (P>0.05 in all cases). Cannonical correlation analysis (CCA) using 28 PLFA biomarkers concurrently with 9 physicochemical parameters showed a highly significant relationship on different playing surfaces at all of the golf courses surveyed (P<0.01). The construction and maintenance of specific areas of a golf course, irrespective of geographical location, closely reflect the physicochemical status of the soil microbial habitat.     

Changes in microbial biomass after continuous application of azolla and rice straw in soil

A model experiment was conducted under tropical conditions with a view to evaluating the changes in microbial biomass and nutrient dynamics in upland soil through the continuous application of azolla and rice straw (2 g C kg^-1 soil per each application). Flush decomposition of C was observed immediately after each application and the rate of mineralization did not change appreciably during this period. After flush decomposition, the rate of C mineralization from azolla was higher than that from rice straw until 9 to 13 weeks after each application and thereafter the mineralization rate was similar. The amount of inorganic N released from azolla increased following each application, whereas inorganic N in rice straw plot was immediately immobilized and the rate of immobilization increased until the 3rd application and did not increase further after the 4th application. The amounts of biomass C and N increased immediately after residue incorporation, reached the maximum level one week after each application and declined thereafter. Maximum biomass formation increased until the 2nd application and then the level remained constant. Maximum biomass N formation was higher in azolla than in rice straw after the 1st application, but after repeated applications, the difference became less pronounced: Continuous increase in biomass in a certain week after each application was observed, probably because of the cumulative effects of the previous applications. The increase suggests that continuous application of organic materials may enable to improve the amount of soil microbial biomass.     

复合菌系预处理稻秆半连续厌氧发酵产甲烷性能

利用复合菌系预处理稻秆进行半连续厌氧发酵,通过高通量测序和宏基因组技术,研究复合菌系降解稻秆产酸效果,并对微生物菌群结构及功能进行解析,进而将其用于半连续厌氧发酵产甲烷。结果表明:复合菌系对稻秆的降解主要发生在前3 d,稻秆的降解率达到64.05%,复合菌系预处理稻秆12 d,稻秆的降解率达到89.02%,半纤维素、纤维素和木质素的降解率分别达到88.73%、80.51%和62.68%;复合菌系预处理稻秆的代谢产物以乙酸和丁酸为主,其含量分别占总VFAs挥发性脂肪酸的54.51%和29.02%。复合菌系主要由Cellulosilyticum、Prevotella、Pseudomonas、Mobilitalea、Lysinibacillus、Clostridium和Oscillibacter等组成,它们对碳代谢的相对贡献度均在45%以上,其中,Prevotella和Cellulosilyticum对果糖、甘露糖代谢和戊糖转化的相对贡献度最大,分别达到20.90%和11.98%,Pseudomonas对木质素降解的相对贡献度最大,达到7.5%。利用复合菌系预处理稻秆进行半连续厌氧发酵,日产气量、甲烷含量和日甲烷产量分别较对照增加了11.34%、25.24%和34.10%,日甲烷产量始终保持在200 mL/d左右。复合菌系预处理稻秆能有效提高稻秆厌氧发酵产甲烷的效率。     

根结线虫病土引入秸秆碳源对土壤微生物群落结构的影响

【目的】微生物生物量及群落结构对农业管理措施极为敏感,土壤微生物数量和多样性的大小是土壤肥力状况的重要生物学指标,秸秆还田影响着土壤微生物的种群和数量。由于不合理的耕作,引起严重的根结线病虫害,尤以连作的番茄土壤十分普遍,研究连作条件下添加秸秆碳源对根结线虫（Meloidogyne spp.）病害严重土壤中土壤微生物生物量和群落结构的影响,探讨添加秸秆碳源加入量与土壤微生物量、群落结构及其真菌/细菌比值的相互关系、变化规律,可为病土的生态修复奠定一定的理论基础。【方法】本试验采用室内盆栽方法,试验设置4个小麦秸秆添加量0、 2.08、 4.16和8.32 g/kg,分别记为S0、 S1、 S2和S3,供试作物为番茄。采用磷脂脂肪酸法（PLFA）估算真菌生物量、细菌生物量和微生物生物总量。【结果】与不加秸秆的对照相比,秸秆碳源的施入显著增加了土壤微生物总生物量（MTB）、细菌生物量（MB）、真菌生物量（FB）。S3、 S2和S1处理的MTB、 MB、 FB分别为30.17、 28.42和22.72 nmol/g; 24.27、 23.12和22.97 nmol/g; 5.90、 5.30和4.93 nmol/g; 不同秸秆添加量处理之间,微生物总生物量和细菌生物量之间差异不显著,但真菌生物量差异达显著水平。添加秸秆处理使土壤中微生物群落结构发生了变化,真菌/总生物量（FB/MTB）、真菌/细菌（F/B）比值显著提高。S3、 S2和S1处理的FB/MTB和F/B分别为19.56%、 18.65%和17.78%; 24.34%、 22.94%和21.68%;S3和S2的比值之间差异不显著,两个处理的比值与S1处理之间差异显著。秸秆的添加对细菌生物量在微生物总量中的比例有降低作用,细菌在微生物总量中占据绝大比例,在S0、 S1、 S2、 S3个处理中分别为83.10%、 82.22%、 81.35%和80.44%,F/B比值分别为20.30%、 21.68%、 22.94%和24.34%。【结论】随着秸秆施入量的的增加,微生物总生物量、细菌和真菌生物量和F/B比值均有升高的趋势,特别是有利于F/B比值增加,说明秸秆碳源的施入改变F/B比值,从而改善病土食物网结构和土壤生态系统食物网营养结构。秸秆添加量以4.16和8.32 g/kg更为有效。     

Experimental warming effects on the microbial community of a temperate mountain forest soil

Soil microbial communities mediate the decomposition of soil organic matter (SOM). The amount of carbon (C) that is respired leaves the soil as CO₂ (soil respiration) and causes one of the greatest fluxes in the global carbon cycle. How soil microbial communities will respond to global warming, however, is not well understood. To elucidate the effect of warming on the microbial community we analyzed soil from the soil warming experiment Achenkirch, Austria. Soil of a mature spruce forest was warmed by 4 °C during snow-free seasons since 2004. Repeated soil sampling from control and warmed plots took place from 2008 until 2010. We monitored microbial biomass C and nitrogen (N). Microbial community composition was assessed by phospholipid fatty acid analysis (PLFA) and by quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) of ribosomal RNA genes. Microbial metabolic activity was estimated by soil respiration to biomass ratios and RNA to DNA ratios. Soil warming did not affect microbial biomass, nor did warming affect the abundances of most microbial groups. Warming significantly enhanced microbial metabolic activity in terms of soil respiration per amount of microbial biomass C. Microbial stress biomarkers were elevated in warmed plots. In summary, the 4 °C increase in soil temperature during the snow-free season had no influence on microbial community composition and biomass but strongly increased microbial metabolic activity and hence reduced carbon use efficiency.     

植物促生菌接种对中国芥蓝根际固有微生物群落结构的影响

Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) have been widely recognized as an important agent,especially as a biofertilizer,in agricultural systems.The objectives of this study were to select efective PGPR for Chinese kale (Brassica oleracea var.alboglabra) cultivation and to investigate the efect of their inoculation on indigenous microbial community structure.The Bacillus sp.SUT1 and Pseudomonas sp.SUT19 were selected for determining the efficiency in promoting Chinese kale growth in both pot and field experiments.In the field experiment,PGPR amended with compost gave the highest yields among all treatments.The Chinese kale growth promotion may be directly afected by PGPR inoculation.The changes of microbial community structure in the rhizosphere of Chinese kale following PGPR inoculation were examined by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) and principal coordinate analysis.The DGGE fingerprints of 16S rDNA amplified from total community DNA in the rhizosphere confirmed that our isolates were established in the rhizosphere throughout this study.The microbial community structures were slightly diferent among all the treatments,and the major changes depended on stages of plant growth.DNA sequencing of excised DGGE bands showed that the dominant species in microbial community structure in the rhizosphere were not mainly interfered by PGPR,but strongly influenced by plant development.The microbial diversity as revealed by diversity indices was not diferent between the PGPR-inoculated and uninoculated treatments.In addition,the rhizosphere soil had more influence on eubacterial diversity,whereas it did not afect archaebacterial and fungal diversities.     

不同培肥方式对土壤有机碳与微生物群落结构的影响

为揭示旱作区耕地土壤有机碳累积规律及其与土壤微生物群落间的相互作用机制,试验采用磷脂脂肪酸(PLFA)指纹图谱及土壤腐殖质形态分组的方法,通过田间定位试验,研究了马铃薯-马铃薯-油用向日葵-马铃薯-油用向日葵轮作模式下,有机、无机肥配施(不施肥、单施化肥、化肥配施牛粪、化肥配施羊粪、化肥配施生物有机肥、化肥配施黄腐酸钾)对土壤有机碳累积、土壤腐殖质形态的影响及其与土壤微生物群落结构间的相互关系。结果表明:在连续培肥5年间,随培肥时间延长,土壤有机碳呈波动性上升趋势。与对照相比,化肥配施牛粪、化肥配施羊粪处理土壤有机碳以年6.61%和8.97%的增长率累积增加,不同处理外源有机碳含量及有机肥种类的差异影响了土壤有机碳的累积速率。化肥配施高量有机肥(化肥+羊粪、化肥+牛粪)处理显著提高了土壤稳结态、松结态腐殖质含量及松结态/紧结态腐殖质的比例,且以PLFA表征的土壤细菌、真菌、放线菌、原生动物、土壤微生物群落总生物量与对照处理间均有显著性差异(P0.05)。与对照相比,各施肥处理的革兰氏阳性菌/革兰氏阴性菌(G+/G-)值均呈降低趋势;但不同有机无机相结合的土壤培肥方式对土壤G+/G-的比例没有显著差异。多元分析表明,基于土壤微生物主要类群磷脂脂肪酸含量的排序轴与基于土壤有机碳、腐殖质形态的排序轴之间相关性(P1=0.568,P2=0.611)较好,累积变量在98.69%上揭示不同有机无机培肥措施影响下的土壤微生物群落生物量与环境因子间的相互关系。土壤松结态腐殖质含量与土壤G+/G-比值正相关。外源有机碳的施入促进了土壤紧结态腐殖碳向稳结态、松结态腐殖质转化;较高量外源有机碳施入有助于提升土壤细菌、真菌的生物量。总体而言,土壤微生物群落结构的变化是受有机无机培肥措施所引起的土壤有机碳含量、腐殖质形态变化驱动;化肥配施牛粪和化肥配施羊粪有利于土壤有机碳积累和松结态腐殖质的形成,促进土壤中微生物生物量提高。研究结果可为宁夏中部干旱区土壤合理培肥提供科学依据。     

Abundance of the earthworm Lumbricus terrestris in relation to subsurface drainage pattern on a sandy clay field

Subsurface drainage induces systematic spatial variability in soil properties which may be reflected in the abundance and distribution of soil organisms. We compared the population density of the deep burrowing earthworm Lumbricus terrestris L. above and between tile subdrains in 41 sample pairs on an eight hectare grass field. Above the drains the median number of  individuals was twice as high and their total fresh mass five times as high as between the drains (4.5 vs. 2.1 individuals m^-2  and 9.6 vs. 1.9 g m^-2, respectively). The mean difference (above drain – between drains) was 2.5 individuals m^-2  (95% CI = 1.0 to 4.0) and 6.6 grams m^-2 (95% CI = 3.6 to 9.6). The relatively larger difference in fresh mass was due to a high proportion of adult individuals above drains. One likely explanation for the pattern of abundance is that the lowered water table level near the drains provides an environment beneficial for the population growth of L. terrestris. Due to the role of L. terrestris burrows as flow paths of percolating water the observations may have implications on subdrain function.     

半纤维素分解菌群HMC的微生物群落结构及功能

为明确半纤维素分解菌群HMC（hemicellulolytic microbial consortium）的微生物群落结构及其在半纤维素降解中的潜在功能;该研究测定了其在降解半纤维素主链木聚糖及玉米芯的典型理化指标,并利用16S rDNA测序技术及生物信息学手段对其微生物群落结构及功能注释进行了宏基因组学分析。结果表明,HMC在7d内能高效降解木聚糖和玉米芯,降解率达80%,木聚糖降解产生的高值产物包括还原糖、甲酸、乳酸及乙酸,最高浓度分别为1.30、0.50、1.19与1.23 mg/mL,HMC降解玉米芯时可累积挥发性脂肪酸浓度高达3.54 mg/mL。HMC是由厚壁菌门Firmicutes的多个属的微生物组成的复合微生物菌群,宏基因组分析揭示了HMC在木聚糖降解过程中的关键碳水化合物活性酶系;HMC的半纤维素降解酶系完整,包括19个木聚糖分解及下游产物代谢相关的酶;同时涵盖了乙酸、乳酸等半纤维素关键分解产物代谢相关的通路。HMC蕴含半纤维素及玉米芯高值生物转化的潜力,该研究为深入探究半纤维素在生物降解应用中的分子机制提供了重要线索,有助于推动天然半纤维素生物降解技术的发展。     

盐地碱蓬根际土壤细菌群落结构及其功能

盐地碱蓬作为生物改良盐碱地的理想材料,其根际土壤微生物对土壤改良发挥着重要作用。为了深入探索环渤海滨海盐碱地碱蓬根际土壤细菌群落结构组成及其功能,采用Illumina Misep高通量测序平台对环渤海地区滨海盐碱地盐地碱蓬根际土壤和裸地土壤进行测序。从16个样本中获得有效序列734 792条, 4 285个OTUs,归属于41门、100纲、282目、400科、892属、1 577种。盐地碱蓬根际土壤细菌群落由变形菌门(Proteobacteria)、放线菌门(Actinobacteria)、绿弯曲门(Chloroflexi)、拟杆菌门(Bacteroidetes)、芽单胞菌门(Gemmatimonadetes)、酸杆菌门(Acidobacteria)、厚壁菌门(Firmicutes)、蓝藻细菌门(Cyanobacteria)、髌骨细菌门(Patescibacteria、浮霉菌门(Planctomycetes)组成。Alpha多样性计算结果表明,盐地碱蓬根际土壤细菌群落结构多样性高并与裸地土壤间差异显著;LEfSe(LDAEffectSize)分析发现,盐地碱蓬与裸地差异指示种明显不同。PCoA与相关性Heatmap表明,盐地碱蓬、速效氮、速效钾、速效磷、电导率是影响土壤细菌目类水平群落组成的主要因子。PICRUSt(Phylogenetic InvestigationofCommunitiesbyReconstructionofUnobserved States)分析表明微生物群落在新陈代谢等40个功能方面盐地碱蓬根际土壤比裸地土壤高。本研究表明盐地碱蓬覆盖能够降低土壤盐分,增加土壤养分,对土壤细菌群落多样性及其功能有积极作用。     

Changes in soil bacterial community structure and microbial function caused by straw retention in the North China Plain

ABSTRACT

The effects of straw retention on soil bacterial community structure, microbial function, and biochemical properties were assessed. Terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) and community-level physiological profile (CLPP) assays were used to assess the bacteria community structure and microbial function respectively. Treatments included straw removal with conventional tillage (CT), straw retention with conventional tillage (SRCT) and straw retention with no tillage (SRNT). SRCT and SRNT significantly (p < 0.05) increased soil organic carbon by 8.9% and 9.7%, and microbial biomass carbon by 44.7% and 330.8%, respectively, compared with CT. T-RFLP analysis indicated that straw retention had no favourable effect on soil bacterial diversity, and SRCT significantly (p < 0.05) decreased bacterial diversity compared to CT. Among the three treatments, SRNT had the highest activity of urease, invertase, cellulase, and β-glucosidase. SRCT significantly (p < 0.05) increased the activity of invertase and β-glucosidase compared to CT treatment. CLPP analysis showed that microbial functional diversity was significantly (p < 0.05) increased by straw retention. Enzyme activity and microbial functional diversity were not correlated with bacterial diversity. Therefore, according to this study, SRNT is a better farming practice because it improves soil fertility and biological quality.     

Functional resilience of soil microbial communities depends on both soil structure and microbial community composition

The effects of soil structure and microbial community composition on microbial resistance and resilience to stress were found to be interrelated in a series of experiments. The initial ability of Pseudomonas fluorescens to decompose added plant residues immediately after a copper or heat stress (resistance) depended significantly on which of 26 sterile soils it was inoculated into. Subsequent studies showed that both the resistance and subsequent recovery in the ability of P. fluorescens to decompose added plant residues over 28 days after stress (resilience) varied significantly between a sandy and a clay-loam soil. Sterile, sandy and clay-loam soil was then inoculated with a complex microbial community extracted from either of the soils. The resulting microbial community structure depended on soil type rather than the source of inoculum, whilst the resistance and resilience of decomposition was similarly governed by the soil and not the inoculum source. Resilience of the clay-loam soil to heat stress did not depend on the water content of the soil at the time of stress, although the physical condition of the soil when decomposition was measured did affect the outcome. We propose that soil functional resilience is governed by the physico-chemical structure of the soil through its effect on microbial community composition and microbial physiology.     

Effects of tree identity dominate over tree diversity on the soil microbial community structure

This study investigated the possible effects of tree species diversity and identity on the soil microbial community in a species-rich temperate broad-leaved forest. For the first time, we separated the effects of tree identity and tree species diversity on the link between above and belowground communities in a near-natural forest. We established 100 tree clusters consisting of each three tree individuals represented by beech (Fagus sylvatica L.), ash (Fraxinus excelsior L.), hornbeam (Carpinus betulus L.), maple (Acer pseudoplatanus L.), or lime (Tilia spec.) at two different sites in the Hainich National Park (Thuringia, Germany). The tree clusters included one, two or three species forming a diversity gradient. We investigated the microbial community structure, using phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) profiles, in mineral soil samples (0–10 cm) collected in the centre of each cluster.The lowest total PLFA amounts were found in the pure beech clusters (79.0 ± 23.5 nmol g⁻¹ soil dw), the highest PLFA amounts existed in the pure ash clusters (287.3 ± 211.3 nmol g⁻¹ soil dw). Using principle components analyses (PCA) and redundancy analyses (RDA), we found only for the variables ‘relative proportion of beech trees’ and ‘living lime fine root tips associated with ectomycorrhiza’ a significant effect on the PLFA composition. The microbial community structure was mainly determined by abiotic environmental parameters such as soil pH or clay content. The different species richness levels in the clusters did not significantly differ in their total PLFA amounts and their PLFA composition. We observed a tendency that the PLFA profiles of the microbial communities in more tree species-rich clusters were less influenced by individual PLFAs (more homogenous) than those from species-poor clusters.We concluded that tree species identity and site conditions were more important factors determining the soil microbial community structure than tree species diversity per se.