毒死蜱对棉花根际土细菌群落多样性和结构的影响

通过室内盆栽试验模拟自然环境条件,采用高效液相色谱(HPLC)和末端限制性片段长度多态性(T-RFLP)技术,研究了土壤使用推荐剂量(5 mg·kg~(-1))及推荐剂量的2倍、3倍和4倍(10 mg·kg~(-1)、15 mg·kg~(-1)、20 mg·kg~(-1))毒死蜱对棉花根际土壤细菌群落多样性和结构的影响,以不施用毒死蜱的土壤为对照。结果表明,5 mg·kg~(-1)、10 mg·kg~(-1)、15 mg·kg~(-1)和20 mg·kg~(-1)毒死蜱在土壤中的半衰期分别为10.04 d、11.36 d、11.55 d和12.16 d,60 d时基本完全降解。毒死蜱处理60 d后,棉花生物量显著降低;毒死蜱浓度越高,棉花生物量越低。无毒死蜱条件下不同取样时间根际细菌多样性无显著差异,毒死蜱处理组前30 d细菌多样性均显著降低,60 d时毒死蜱处理组细菌多样性恢复到正常水平。研究发现毒死蜱浓度越高对细菌多样性抑制作用越显著,恢复越缓慢。主成分分析结果发现,第10 d、30 d和60 d毒死蜱处理组与对照组细菌群落结构差异显著,其中60 d时20 mg·kg~(-1)毒死蜱处理组差异最显著,即使土壤中毒死蜱完全降解,根际细菌群落结构仍不会恢复到正常水平。60 d时,被毒死蜱抑制的细菌有硝化刺菌属(Nitrospina sp.)和Cellulophaga sp.等,被激活的有芽孢杆菌属(Bacillus sp.)和链霉菌属(Streptomyces sp.)等。可见,毒死蜱的引入,重新构建了土壤细菌群落结构,显著影响棉花生长,对棉花根际土壤微生态环境冲击较大,应对其生态安全性予以重视。     

菇菜套作对土壤微生物群落的影响

套作是防治连作障碍的有效方法之一,但是蔬菜和可食用菌之间的套作机理研究鲜见报道,尤其是其土壤微生物学机制。本研究建立菇菜套作体系,利用实时荧光定量PCR和PCR-DGGE技术研究土壤细菌和真菌群落的变化。结果表明,菇菜套作显著提高了番茄生物量,且其番茄果实产量最高,硝酸盐含量最低。与对照相比,菇菜套作下土壤细菌和真菌基因拷贝数量均无显著变化;DGGE指纹图谱表明,不同处理下的细菌群落无明显差异,但是菇菜套作下真菌群落结构发生了分异,主要表现为尖孢镰刀菌(Fusarium oxysporum)和稻黑孢菌(Nigrospora oryzae)代表型条带的强度的下降。     

不同深度土壤控水对稻田土壤微生物区系及细菌群落多样性的影响

为研究不同深度土壤控水对壤土稻田土壤水势、微生物区系和细菌群落多样性的影响,通过土培池栽试验,在水稻生育后期设置土壤深度0~5 cm（S05）、0~10 cm（S10）和0~15 cm（S15）控水处理,以保持水层为对照,分析了不同深度控水处理下5 cm、10 cm、15 cm深土壤水势与土壤微生物区系、细菌群落多样性的变化。结果表明：土壤5 cm、10 cm、15 cm深度的水势随着控水深度增加而降低,S05控水处理主要影响上层（5 cm）土壤水势,S10控水处理影响上、中层（10 cm）土壤水势,S15控水处理土壤水势随土层深度的增加而升高。花后8 d和32 d,S05控水处理上层土壤细菌数量显著高于S10、S15控水处理;花后16~24 d,S05控水处理中层、下层（15 cm）土壤细菌数量均显著高于S15控水处理;土壤水势与水稻生育后期中、下层土壤细菌数量呈极显著正相关关系。S05控水处理10 cm、15 cm土层的细菌丰富度Chao指数均显著高于S15控水处理及CK。3个控水处理中,5 cm土层细菌的多样性Shannon指数以S05控水处理最低。优势细菌菌群分析发现,优势群落主要为变形菌门、绿弯菌门、酸杆菌门、拟杆菌门,四者总相对丰度在80%以上;S15控水处理中层土壤变形菌门相对丰度低于S05和S10控水处理。3个控水处理土壤样品中优势纲（相对丰度大于2%）达15个,主要包括α-变形菌纲、β-变形菌纲、δ-变形菌纲、厌氧绳菌纲等,这4个纲的总相对丰度在47%以上,其中厌氧绳菌纲相对丰度最高;上层土壤中S05控水处理的β-变形菌纲相对丰度显著低于S10和S15控水处理。因此,不同深度土壤控水对壤土土壤水势、细菌数量存在影响,改变了细菌的多样性及丰富度,对土壤细菌优势菌种类无显著影响。     

设施种植模式对土壤细菌多样性及群落结构的影响

为了研究有机和常规设施种植模式及轮作对土壤细菌多样性和群落结构的影响,本研究采用Illumina平台Hiseq 2500高通量测序技术,于2016年6月(作物处于收获期)对北京市顺义区不同设施种植模式(分别为有机设施种植模式和常规设施种植模式下的叶菜连作、茄果连作和叶茄轮作)下土壤细菌进行16S r RNA测序。测序质控后共获得17 278个操作分类单元(operational taxonomic units,OTUs),共计318 851条有效序列。比较不同种植模式和轮作下土壤细菌多样性、细菌群落结构组成、相对丰度及土壤理化性质与细菌群落多样性关系的差异性。结果表明:土壤微生物群落结构在有机和常规设施种植模式下差异明显,有机设施种植土壤细菌多样性高于常规设施种植;有机设施种植下轮作与连作土壤细菌群落结构表现出明显差异,而常规设施种植下,两者没有明显差异;有机种植模式下,轮作土壤细菌群落多样性高于连作土壤;设施种植土壤细菌群落主要属于鞘氨醇单胞菌属(Sphingomonas,5.05%)和芽孢杆菌属(Bacillus,4.84%),相对丰度大于0.5%的共有14个属。有机设施种植土壤含有较多促进植物生长、有机质分解的细菌,常规设施种植土壤中降解化学杀虫剂、防治土壤病害、促进硝化过程的细菌较多。RDA分析结果显示土壤细菌群落主要受全磷、速效磷、有机质的影响。Tumebacillus、Candidatus Solibacter和Acidothermus都是分解有机质、利用碳源的细菌属,与土壤有机质含量呈正相关关系。由此可见,设施条件下,有机和常规种植土壤微生物群落结构的差异性主要源于肥料使用、有害生物防治措施和管理方式的不同。有机设施种植模式下,轮作更有利于发挥其改良土壤营养循环和防治土壤病虫害的作用。上述结果为在微生物水平上研究设施条件下不同种植模式的土壤生态质量差异提供了参考。     

Development of pollution-induced community tolerance is linked to structural and functional resilience of a soil bacterial community following a five-year field exposure to copper

Copper (Cu) is accumulating in agricultural soils worldwide creating concern for adverse impacts on soil microbial communities and associated ecosystem services. In order to evaluate the structural and functional resilience of soil microbial communities to increasing Cu levels, we compared a Cu-adapted and a corresponding non-adapted soil microbial community for their abilities to resist experimental Cu pollution. Laboratory soil microcosms were set-up with either High-Cu soil from Cu-amended field plots (63 g Cu m⁻²) or with Low-Cu control soil from the same five-year field experiment. Laboratory treatments consisted of Cu amendments in the presence or absence of pig manure. Microbial activities (soil respiration, substrate-induced respiration, [³H]leucine incorporation), bacterial community structure (terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism, T-RFLP), community-level physiological profiles, and pollution-induced bacterial community tolerance (PICT detected using the [³H]leucine incorporation technique) were monitored for 12 weeks. The High-Cu and Low-Cu soil microbial communities initially exhibited almost identical structure and function and could only be distinguished from each other by their differential Cu tolerance. Experimental Cu pollution inhibited microbial activities, affected bacterial community structure, and induced further bacterial community tolerance to Cu. However, Low-Cu and High-Cu soil microbial communities showed essentially identical responses. Manure amendment did not protect against Cu toxicity and slightly increased Cu bioavailability as measured by a Cu-specific whole-cell bacterial biosensor. Our results indicate convergence of bacterial community structure and function in the High-Cu and Low-Cu soils during the five-year field experiment. We conclude that soil bacterial communities can exhibit structural and functional resilience to a five-year Cu exposure by virtue of their ability to develop Cu tolerance without affecting overall community structure. The observed increased Cu tolerance may involve phenotypic adaptation or selection at the micro-diversity level, for example an increased proportion of Cu-resistant strains within each bacterial species, which go undetected by T-RFLP community fingerprinting. Finally, our results indicate that Cu-dissolved organic matter complexes contribute to microbial toxicity in manure-amended soils implying that free Cu may comprise a poor predictor of metal toxicity.     

不同土地利用方式对三峡库区消落带土壤细菌和真菌多样性的影响

  目的  明确不同土地利用方式下第四纪古红土细菌和真菌群落特征,为古红土健康评价提供重要的生物性状数据,并为古红土资源的合理利用和科学管理提供指导。  方法  以疏林荒草地、荒草地、林地、耕地第四纪古红土和附近处于同一地层的埋藏第四纪古红土为研究对象,并以埋藏古红土作为对照组,利用高通量测序技术对不同土地利用方式下第四纪古红土细菌和真菌群落的丰富度、多样性和群落组成的变化进行分析,结合古红土理化性状,系统揭示不同土地利用方式下第四纪古红土细菌和真菌的群落特征。  结果  ①不同土地利用方式下第四纪古红土间微生物α 多样性指数存在显著差异,较埋藏古红土,疏林荒草地、荒草地、林地和耕地古红土的细菌丰富度指数和多样性指数以及真菌的丰富度指数均显著增加,耕地的真菌多样性指数显著降低。②埋藏古红土出露地表后不同利用方式下第四纪古红土细菌和真菌优势菌群的相对丰度发生显著变化。较埋藏古红土,其他不同土地利用方式下古红土中变形菌门的相对丰度均显著降低,酸杆菌门、绿弯菌门和芽单胞菌门的相对丰度均显著增加;疏林荒草地、荒草地和林地的子囊菌门的相对丰度显著降低,疏林荒草地和耕地的担子菌门的相对丰度显著增加,林地的被孢霉门的相对丰度显著增加。③古红土细菌和真菌群落的主坐标分析以及层次聚类分析显示,不同土地利用方式下第四纪古红土细菌和真菌群落结构发生变化,其中,荒草地与林地的群落结构最为相近。  结论  埋藏古红土出露地表后不同土地利用方式下第四纪古红土细菌和真菌丰富度、多样性以及群落组成都发生显著变化。研究结果可为开展古红土健康状况评价提供重要的生物性状数据,并为科学地管理与利用古红土资源奠定基础。     

三种不同种植模式对土壤细菌群落多样性的影响

采用变性梯度凝胶电泳(DGGE )技术,研究了不同种植模式对土壤细菌群落多样性的影响。结果表明,不同种植模式下DGGE图谱条带的数量及亮度有较大区别,且有几条特征性条带发生了明显的变化。0—15 cm土层细菌群落的丰富度、多样性指数及均匀度指数均表现为:“菜稻菜模式”（RVCs） “休闲轮作模式”（FRCs） “蔬菜连作模式”（VCCs）;15—30 cm土层细菌群落的丰富度、多样性指数及均匀度指数均表现为:FRCs RVCs VCCs。UPGMC聚类分析表明,RVCs 处理的细菌群落结构相似性较低。主成分分析表明,对各主成分起分异作用的主要是 RVCs和FRCs;与主成分因子1 正相关程度较高的种植模式为:RVCs和VCCs,与主成分因子2 正相关程度较高的是 FRCs。可见,水稻土细菌群落多样性与种植模式密切相关,这些变化对土壤细菌群落有重要的调节作用。     

菜-菌轮作模式下土壤微生物群落结构及多样性的变化

为明确菜-菌轮作模式对土壤微生物的影响,基于高通量测序技术,对4种轮作模式下的土壤微生物群落结构与多样性进行了研究,结果显示：不同轮作模式下土壤样品中真菌和细菌OUT总数分别是2298和15840条,相较于常规轮作模式A,菜-菌轮作模式B、C、D下真菌的OUT总数、ACE指数、Chao1指数、Shannon指数降低显著,Simpson指数增加明显,但细菌的各参数没有显著的差异;其土壤全氮、碱解氮、速效钾、有机质含量显著高于常规轮作模式A;真菌的优势群落是子囊菌门,相对丰度在66%以上,枝孢属、镰刀菌属两类致病菌群的丰度在菜-菌轮作模式B、C、D中降低明显;细菌的优势群落是变形菌门、放线菌门、绿弯菌门以及酸杆菌门,鞘氨醇单胞菌属、伯克霍尔德氏菌属丰度在菜-菌轮作模式B、C、D中显著提高;聚类分析表明菜-菌轮作模式C、D下微生物群落结构相似度最高,常规轮作模式A可划分为区别于菜-菌轮作模式B、C、D的单独类群。综上所述,菜-菌轮作可降低真菌群落丰度,改变土壤微生物群落的结构组成,同时提高土壤中有益菌群的丰度,降低有害菌群的丰度。     

多氯联苯复合污染土壤的微生物群落结构多样性变化

土壤微生物群落结构多样性是指示土壤生态系统稳定性及其功能的重要传感器。采用磷脂脂肪酸（Phospholipid fatty acids,PLFAs）方法,对长江三角洲地区某POPs高风险区PCBs长期复合污染土壤的微生物群落结构多样性进行了初步研究。结果表明,PCBs重度污染土壤中格兰氏阴性菌（16：1w9、cy17：0等）和厌氧微生物（18：1w7）的PLFAs组分含量较多,而格兰氏阳性菌（如i15：0、i17：0等）、放线菌（16：0（10Me））及真菌（18：2ω6,9）和好氧性微生物的PLFAs含量较低,表明PCBs污染土壤中微生物群落结构与组成发生了明显变化。这一结果为PCBs降解微生物资源的定向筛选提供了科学依据。     

Changes in soil microbial substrate utilization in response to altered litter diversity and precipitation in a Mediterranean shrubland

This study aimed at quantifying the consequences of reduced precipitation and plant diversity on soil microbial community functioning in a Mediterranean shrubland of southern France. Across a natural gradient of shrub species diversity, we established a total of 92 plots (4 × 4 m) with and without a moderate rain exclusion treatment of about 12 % of total precipitation. Shrub diversity included all possible combinations of the four dominant species (Cistus albidus, Quercus coccifera, Rosmarinus officinalis, and Ulex parviflorus). Respective leaf litter mixtures of these species combinations were exposed in all plots over 2 years. We quantified how litter species richness and the reduction in precipitation affected the soil microbial substrate utilization (measured by CO₂ evolution using the MicroResp method) on soil samples collected underneath each individual litter mixture after 1 and 2 years of decomposition. Moderate precipitation reduction had a minor impact, but litter species richness and the dissimilarity in phenolic concentrations (estimated using Rao’s quadratic entropy) showed a positive effect on the diversity of substrates metabolized by the microbial communities. Moreover, litter species richness increased soil microbial activity by increasing the catabolic diversity of the soil microbial community. These effects were mostly driven by the presence of Quercus and Ulex leaf litter, which at the same time reduced microbial metabolic dominance, while the presence of Rosmarinus had opposite effects. Our data suggest that plant species loss can have stronger effects on the functioning of soil microbial communities than moderate drought, with potentially important feedbacks on biogeochemical cycling in Mediterranean shrubland ecosystems.     

植烟土壤提取物质对烟株生长及根际土壤细菌多样性的影响

对盆栽烟草外源添加不同浓度植烟土壤提取物质(T1:40μg·mL-1;T2:120μg·mL-1;CK:蒸馏水对照),探讨植烟土壤提取物质对烟草生长及土壤细菌多样性的影响。结果表明,植烟土壤提取物处理使烟株生长受抑制,且随处理浓度的增加受抑制程度显著提高,具体表现为烟株变矮,叶面积变小,光合作用能力降低,且烟草的保护酶系统受到破坏,丙二醛含量随处理浓度加大而增加,T2处理的丙二醛含量是对照的3.44倍。对外源添加物质处理后烟草根际土壤微生物T-RFs分析发现,在对照检测到17个门24个纲,T1处理有14个门21个纲,T2有10个门17个纲;丰富度指数的变化也和门纲的变化一致,随着处理浓度的增加而显著降低。可见外源添加物质处理后,根际土壤细菌群落减少,多样性水平下降。对各处理的根际土壤微生物T-RFs变化与烟株生长变化进行相关性分析表明,在外源添加物质处理的土壤中存在较多的负相关T-RFs片段,且这些片段中较多为病原菌;而正相关的T-RFs片段主要存在于对照土壤中,其中有较多与土壤营养元素循环相关的微生物。本研究结果显示,在外源添加植烟土壤提取物质处理下,烟草的生长受抑制,烟草根际土壤的微生态受到破坏,且随浓度的提升而加重。因此,连作土壤中自毒物质的富集是造成烟草连作障碍的主要原因。关键词烟草连作障碍根际细菌自毒作用T-RFLP     

玉米秸秆生物炭对褐土微生物功能多样性及 细菌群落的影响

生物炭施入土壤被认为是一种有效的固碳减排措施,可增加土壤有机碳及矿质养分含量,提高土壤的持水能力及保肥能力。为探明其施入土壤后对土壤微生物活性及多样性的影响,本文在盆栽试验条件下,采用Biolog与高通量测序相结合的方法,研究了CK(不施生物炭)和施用5 g·kg~(-1)、10 g·kg~(-1)、30 g·kg~(-1)、60 g·kg~(-1)玉米秸秆生物炭对土壤微生物碳源利用能力(AWCD)、功能多样性指数以及土壤细菌的丰度和多样性的影响。结果表明,随着生物炭施用量的增加,表征土壤微生物活性的AWCD值呈下降趋势,表现为:5 g·kg~(-1)处理≈CK10 g·kg~(-1)处理30 g·kg~(-1)处理60 g·kg~(-1)处理,其中CK和5 g·kg~(-1)处理间差异不显著(P0.05),而10 g·kg~(-1)、30 g·kg~(-1)和60 g·kg~(-1)处理在整个培养期间的AWCD值显著低于CK处理(P0.05);土壤微生物群落代谢功能多样性指数(H′)、碳源利用丰富度指数(S)均随生物炭施用量的增加而呈下降趋势,但均匀度指数(E)表现出相反趋势,5g·kg~(-1)、10 g·kg~(-1)、30 g·kg~(-1)、60 g·kg~(-1)各处理的H′较CK处理分别增加0.16%、-0.88%、-3.14%、-11.09%,S分别增加-2.82%、-11.27%、-18.31%、-47.89%,E分别增加1.14%、3.00%、3.73%和13.76%。主成分分析表明,与CK处理比较,5 g·kg~(-1)处理对土壤微生物群落碳源利用方式没有显著影响(P0.05),而10 g·kg~(-1)、30 g·kg~(-1)和60g·kg~(-1)处理对土壤微生物群落碳源利用方式影响显著(P0.05)。随着生物炭施用量的增加,土壤细菌OTU数目及丰富度指数(Chao1)呈增加趋势,5 g·kg~(-1)处理与CK处理差异不显著,而10 g·kg~(-1)、30 g·kg~(-1)、60 g·kg~(-1)处理的OTU数目较CK处理分别增加1.09%、5.26%、24.42%,Chao1分别增加5.73%、10.21%、37.68%。土壤中施用生物炭后土壤细菌变形菌门(Proteobacteria)的丰度在CK处理和5 g·kg~(-1)处理间差异不显著(P0.05),而10g·kg~(-1)、30 g·kg~(-1)、60 g·kg~(-1)处理较CK处理分别增加32.3%、21.1%、16.7%,拟杆菌门(Bacteroidetes)的丰度随着生物炭施用量的增加各处理较CK处理分别减少22.1%、55.3%、66.8%、50.5%。生物炭施入土壤后降低了土壤可培养微生物的活性,减少或改变了土壤微生物碳源利用的种类,使土壤原有微生物群落组分发生改变,生物炭也影响了土壤细菌各菌群在土壤中的丰度,使其分布的均匀性降低。为了不影响微生物群落结构和功能,石灰性褐土上生物炭一次还田量不能超过5 g·kg~(-1)(干土)。     

长期施肥对旱作区农田土壤细菌群落组成和多样性的影响

为阐明长期有机、无机施肥对旱作区土壤细菌群落组成及多样性的影响机制,以农田土壤生态系统为研究对象,采用单因素随机区组设计,利用长期定位试验(11年)和高通量测序的方法,研究了不施肥(对照,T0)、单施化肥(T1)、化肥配施羊粪有机肥(T2)和化肥配施生物有机肥(T3)对土壤的影响,分析了处理间土壤细菌群落组成及多样性的差异,探究了驱动土壤细菌群落组成及多样性变化的主要土壤环境因子。结果表明:与T0相比,羊粪有机肥、生物有机肥与化肥配施能显著提高土壤全氮、全磷、有机质、碱解氮、有效磷和铵态氮的含量,其中T2处理效果最显著(P<0.05)。各施肥处理下土壤放线菌门(Actinobacteria)、变形菌门(Proteobacteria)、绿弯菌门(Chloroflexi) 细菌为优势菌门;羊粪有机肥、生物有机肥与化肥配施处理降低了土壤放线菌门的相对丰度,增加了绿弯菌门、拟杆菌门和厚壁菌门的相对丰度,T2处理与T0处理间有显著差异(P<0.05)。与T1处理相比,羊粪有机肥、生物有机肥与化肥配合施用使土壤硝化螺旋菌门的相对丰度显著降低。类诺卡氏菌属(Nocardioides)、KD4-96和Subgroup_6为土壤细菌群落的优势菌属。T2处理较T3处理更显著地降低了土壤类诺卡氏菌属(41.15%)、芽球菌属(41.67%)和红杆菌属(27.45%)的相对丰度。与T0处理相比,T2处理更显著增加了细菌群落物种数、群落辛普森指数、香农指数和Chao1 指数(P<0.05)。冗余分析表明,土壤有机质(P=0.001)、pH(P=0.003)是驱动土壤细菌群落组成及多样性变化的主要因素。土壤pH以及有机质含量高低对驱动旱作区土壤细菌群落组成以及土壤细菌多样性变化均产生直接效应。因此,化肥与羊粪有机肥相结合的长期施肥管理是优化旱作区区域农田养分管理、提升土壤肥力的有效途径。     

A single application of Cu to field soil has long-term effects on bacterial community structure, diversity, and soil processes

Long-term diversity-disturbance responses of soil bacterial communities to copper were determined from field-soils (Spalding; South Australia) exposed to Cu in doses ranging from 0 through to 4012 mg Cu kg⁻¹ soil. Nearly 6 years after application of Cu, the structure of the total bacterial community showed change over the Cu gradient (PCR-DGGE profiling). 16S rRNA clone libraries, generated from unexposed and exposed (1003 mg Cu added kg⁻¹ soil) treatments, had significantly different taxa composition. In particular, Acidobacteria were abundant in unexposed soil but were nearly absent from the Cu-exposed sample (P<0.05), which was dominated by Firmicute bacteria (P<0.05). Analysis of community profiles of Acidobacteria, Bacillus, Pseudomonas and Sphingomonas showed significant changes in structural composition with increasing soil Cu. The diversity (Simpsons index) of the Acidobacteria community was more sensitive to increasing concentrations of CaCl-extractable soil Cu (Cu_Ext) than other groups, with decline in diversity occurring at 0.13 Cu_Ext mg kg⁻¹ soil. In contrast, diversity in the Bacillus community increased until 10.4 Cu_Ext mg kg⁻¹ soil, showing that this group was 2 orders of magnitude more resistant to Cu than Acidobacteria. Sphingomonas was the most resistant to Cu; however, this group along with Pseudomonas represented only a small percentage of total soil bacteria. Changes in bacterial community structure, but not diversity, were concomitant with a decrease in catabolic function (BioLog). Reduction in function followed a dose-response pattern with Cu_Ext levels (R²=0.86). The EC₅₀ for functional loss was 0.21 Cu_Ext mg kg⁻¹ soil, which coincided with loss of Acidobacteria diversity. The microbial responses were confirmed as being due to Cu and not shifts in soil pH (from use of CuSO₄) as parallel Zn-based field plots (ZnSO₄) were dissimilar. Changes in the diversity of most bacterial groups with soil Cu followed a unimodal response - i.e. diversity initially increased with Cu addition until a critical value was reached, whereupon it sharply decreased. These responses are indicative of the intermediate-disturbance-hypothesis, a macroecological theory that has not been widely tested in environmental microbial ecosystems.     

Changes in soil microbial community composition in response to fertilization of paddy soils in subtropical China

Repeated fertilizer applications to cultivated soils may alter the composition and activities of microbial communities in terrestrial agro-ecosystems. In this study, we investigated the effects of different long term fertilization practices (control (CK), three levels of mineral fertilizer (N₁P₁K₁, N₂P₂K₂, and N₃P₃K₃), and organic manure (OM)) on soil environmental variables and microbial communities by using phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) biomarkers analysis in subtropical China. Study showed that OM treatment led to increases in soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) contents, while the mineral fertilizer treatment led to increases in dissolved organic carbon (DOC) content. Changes in soil microbial communities (eg. bacteria, actinomycetes) were more noticeable in soils subjected to organic manure applications than in the control soils or those treated with mineral fertilizer applications. Fungal PLFA biomarkers responded differently from the other PLFA groups, the numerical values of fungal PLFA biomarkers were similar for all the OM and mineral fertilizer treatments. PCA analysis showed that the relative abundance of most PLFA biomarkers increased in response to OM treatment, and that increased application rates of the mineral fertilizer changed the composition of one small fungal PLFA biomarker group (namely 18:3ω6c and 16:1ω5c). Further, from the range of soil environmental factors that we examined, SOC, TN and TP were the key determinants affecting soil microbial community. Our results suggest that organic manure should be recommended to improve soil microbial activity in subtropical agricultural ecosystems, while increasing mineral fertilizer applications alone will not increase microbial growth in paddy soils.     

Changes in soil nutrient content and bacterial community after 12 years of organic amendment application to a vineyard

An interesting alternative to landfills for disposing of organic residues is their addition to soil as composted organic residues. There is little information available about the long‐term benefits following prolonged periods of application. After 12 years of annual incorporation of organic amendments to the soil of a vineyard, three soil characteristics were analysed: mineral content, bacterial community and soil greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The organic amendments were (i) a pelletized organic compost (PEL) made from plant, animal and sewage sludge residues, (ii) a compost made from the organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OF‐MSW) and (iii) a stabilized sheep manure compost (SMC). Mineral fertilizer (NPK) and an unaltered control treatment were also included. Our results showed that long‐term application of treated residues as compost changed soil nutrient content, bacterial community and gas emission rates. For instance, SMC increased nutrients and soil organic matter (OM) throughout the experiment. There was a change in bacterial community structure, with an increase in the phylum Proteobacteria observed for all four treated soils, and an increase in the phylum Bacteroidetes for PEL, OF‐MSW and SMC treatments. Among the organically‐amended soils, the amount of Adhaeribacter increased by a factor of 2.5 times more than the control, which reported a total of 2.0% of the bacterial community compared with 5.6% for PEL, 5.2% for OF‐MSW and 5.0% for SMC. Adhaeribacter may be a genus that specializes in the degradation of residues in the different composts. The SMC treatment had the largest Chao1 estimator and was the most biodiverse of all treatments. These changes in bacterial community structure did not correlate with the observed GHG fluxes from the sampling day. The application of amendments did not affect N₂O fluxes. However, the application of treatments slightly reduced the capacity for CH₄ sequestration by soil with respect to the untreated soils. Compost is an effective method to increase soil fertility. Soil GHG emissions should be further evaluated.     

Long-term fertilization regimes affect bacterial community structure and diversity of an agricultural soil in northern China

Background, Aims, and Scope  Knowledge about shifts of microbial community structure and diversity following different agricultural management practices could improve our understanding of soil processes and thus help us to develop sound management strategies. A long-term fertilization experiment was established in 1989 at Fengqiu (35°00′N, 114°24′E) in northern China. The soil (sandy loam) is classified as aquic inceptisols and has received continuous fertilization treatments since then. The fertilization treatments included control (CK, no fertilizer), chemical fertilizers nitrogen (N) and potassium (K) (NK), phosphorous (P) and K (PK), NP, NPK, organic manure (OM), and half chemical fertilizers NPK plus half organic manure (1/2NPKOM). The objective of this study was to examine if the microbial community structure and diversity were affected by the long-term fertilization regimes. Materials and Methods  Soil samples were collected from the long-term experimental plots with seven treatments and four replications in April 2006. Microbial DNAs were extracted from the soil samples and the 16S rRNA genes were PCR amplified. The PCR products were analyzed by DGGE, cloning and sequencing. The bacterial community structures and diversity were assessed using the DGGE profiles and the clone libraries constructed from the excised DGGE bands. Results  The bacterial community structure of the OM and PK treatments were significantly different from those of all other treatments. The bacterial community structures of the four Ncontaining treatments (NK, NP, NPK and 1/2NPKOM), as well as CK, were more similar to each other. The changes in bacterial community structures of the OM and PK treatments showed higher richness and diversity. Phylogenetic analyses indicated that Proteobacteria (30.5%) was the dominant taxonomic group of the soil, followed by Acidobacteria (15.3%), Gemmatimonadetes (12.7%), etc. Discussion  Irrespective of the two fertilization treatments of OM and PK, the cluster analysis showed that bacterial communities of the remaining five treatments of CK, NK, NP, NPK and 1/2NPKOM seemed to be more similar to each other, which indicated the relatively weak effects of the four N-containing treatments on soil bacterial communities. N fertilizer may be considered as a key factor to counteract the effects of other fertilizers on microbial communities. Conclusions  Our results show that long-term fertilization regimes can affect bacterial community structure and diversity of the agricultural soil. The OM and PK treatments showed a trend towards distinct community structures, higher richness and diversity when compared to the other treatments. Contrasting to the positive effects of OM and PK treatments on the bacterial communities, N fertilizer could be considered as a key factor in the soil to counteract the effects of other fertilizers on soil microbial communities. Recommendations and Perspectives  Because of the extremely high abundance and diversity of microorganisms in soil and the high heterogeneity of the soil, it is necessary to further examine the effects of fertilization regimes on microbial community and diversity in different type soils for comprehensively understanding their effects through the appropriate combination of molecular approaches. ESS-Submission Editor: Chengrong Chen, PhD (c.chen@griffith.edu.au)