施肥和淹水管理对水稻土氨氧化微生物数量的影响

全程氨氧化细菌(Completeammoniaoxidizers,Comammox)的发现被认为是氮循环研究的重要进展,但复杂土壤中Comammox与氨氧化细菌(Ammonia-oxidizing bacteria, AOB)和氨氧化古菌(Ammonia-oxidizingarchaea,AOA)共存的环境驱动机制尚不清楚。针对紫色水稻土长期定位试验的植稻淹水(夏季植稻施肥并且全年淹水)管理、休耕冬干(不植稻、不施肥,仅在夏季植稻期间淹水,冬季排水落干)管理,研究了施肥和水分管理对水稻土硝化潜势及氨氧化微生物类群丰度的影响。结果表明,植稻淹水土壤的硝化潜势显著高于休耕冬干,分别为25.0 mg·kg~(-1)·d~(-1)、2.11mg·kg~(-1)·d~(-1),相差可达12倍之多。实时荧光定量PCR分析表明,两种管理方式下水稻土中均能检测到Comammox、AOA和AOB,并且其数量均为ComammoxAOAAOB。植稻淹水中Comammox丰度分别为AOA的8.5倍、AOB的77.3倍,而休耕冬干中Comammox丰度分别为AOA的4.1倍、AOB的490.3倍。相比于休耕冬干管理,植稻淹水刺激了Comammox分支A(Clade A)、AOA和AOB的生长,三者增长倍数分别为9、3、42,但Comammox分支B(Clade B)的降幅高达两倍之多。这些结果表明,与休耕冬干管理相比,28年长期植稻淹水,可能导致水稻土氨氧化微生物类群长期处于低O_2胁迫,并选择性促进了Comammox Clade A和AOA的生长,高强度施肥则显著促进了AOB生长,而Comammox Clade A和AOA则具有更广的铵态氮底物适应范围。未来应通过稳定性同位素示踪DNA技术,明确水稻土中数量上占优势的Comammox的功能意义及其与AOA和AOB的相对重要性。     

青藏高原三种典型生境中硝化微生物分布和群落结构

以青藏高原3种典型生境(荒漠草地、湿地和盐碱地)为研究对象，通过amoA功能基因qPCR和16SrRNA基因扩增子测序，研究了其氨氧化古菌(ammonia-oxidizingarchaea,AOA)、氨氧化细菌(ammonia-oxidizingbacteria,AOB)、亚硝酸盐氧化菌(nitrite-oxidizing bacteria,NOB)和完全硝化细菌(complete ammonia oxidizer,CMX)的分布与群落结构特征。qPCR结果表明，荒漠草地和盐碱地中3种氨氧化微生物，其丰度顺序为AOA>CMX>AOB，而在湿地中则为CMX≥AOA>AOB。各生境中AOA主要类群为土壤类群(即group 1.1b)，且其中约半数属于Nitrosocosmicus属分支，该分支在北极冻土中也有分布。荒漠草地和湿地中AOB主要为亚硝化螺菌属(Nitrosospira spp.,71.21%～100%)，而盐碱地主要为亚硝化单胞菌属(Nitrosomonas spp.,75.51%～88.71%)。3种生境中NOB主要类群均为硝化螺菌属(Nitrospira ...     

围垦对崇明东滩湿地全程氨氧化微生物的影响

全程氨氧化微生物（comammox）的发现根本改变了学术界对硝化过程的认识，但其地理分异规律及对氮转化过程的贡献仍不清楚。本研究选择长江口崇明东滩不同围垦年限（0、27、51、86年）稻田表层耕作土壤，采用好氧培养试验测定土壤硝化潜力；通过标靶功能基因amoA实时荧光定量硝化微生物的数量变异特征，包括全程氨氧化细菌（comammox）、氨氧化细菌（AOB）和古菌（AOA）。结果表明，与围垦0年的自然滩涂湿地相比，围垦27、51、86年的水稻土净硝化速率从2.24mg N /(kg·d)分别增加至19.3、11.6和11.4mg N /(kg·d)，增幅高达5.1-8.7倍。土壤氨氧化古菌AOA的丰度与围垦年限显著正相关。自然滩涂湿地中氨氧化古菌AOA和AOB的数量分别为0.34×107 copies/g和1.14×107 copies/g，围垦86年后增幅最高可达27.9倍。自然滩涂湿地中comammox Clade A和Clade B amoA基因拷贝数高于围垦稻田土壤，且Clade A随着围垦年限增加其丰度显著增加。统计分析发现，氨氧化细菌AOB与土壤硝化速率显著正相关，可能在围垦水稻土氨氧化过程中发挥了重要作用；而全程硝化细菌comammox Clade A和Clade B与土壤总有机碳（TOC）、铵含量（NH4+）呈显著负相关关系，可能更适应于营养贫瘠的滩涂自然湿地土壤。     

稻虾共作模式下稻田土壤氨氧化微生物丰度和群落结构的特征

【目的】研究稻虾共作模式下土壤氨氧化微生物数量、群落多样性及群落结构,深入了解该模式下的土壤微生态环境的演变。【方法】试验点在湖北省荆州市长江大学农学院基地,设置稻虾共作模式 (CR) 与常规中稻种植模式 (MR),借助荧光定量PCR技术与Illumina Miseq高通量测序平台,分析了土壤氨氧化细菌 (AOB) 与古菌 (AOA) 丰度、多样性及群落结构。【结果】与MR模式相比,CR模式显著提高了土壤硝态氮、总碳及总氮含量,对土壤pH、碱解氮及土壤碳氮比无显著影响。CR模式土壤AOA与AOB amoA基因拷贝数为3.13 × 105和7.01 × 105 copies/g干土,MR模式土壤AOA、AOB amoA基因拷贝数为1.41 × 105和3.87 × 105 copies/g干土,两个模式土壤AOB的数量均显著高于AOA,CR模式土壤AOA、AOB的数量均显著高于MR模式 (P < 0.05)。α群落多样性指数表明,相比MR,CR模式显著降低了土壤AOA群落多样性,对AOB群落多样性无显著影响。Venn结果分析,CR模式增加了AOA amoA基因的物种,改变了AOB amoA基因的物种组成,且AOB amoA物种数量下降。在属水平上,norank_c_environmental_samples_p_Thaumarchaeota、unclassified_k_norank_d_Archaea、norank_c_environmental_samples_p_Crenarchaeota、norank_p_environmental_samples_k_norank为AOA的优势类群,相对丰度占AOA amoA基因总序列的99.25%～99.46%,CR模式显著提高了norank_c_environmental_samples_p_Crenarchaeota在AOA群落属水平的相对丰度;unclassified_k_norank_d_Bacteria、norank_f_environmental_samples、norank_o_environmental_samples_c_Betaproteobacteria、unclassified_o_Nitrosomonadales为AOB的优势类群,相对丰度共占97.78%～98.49%,且CR模式显著增加了norank_o_environmental_samples_c_Betaproteobacteria与unclassified_o_Nitrosomonadales在AOB群落属水平的相对丰度。冗余分析 (RDA) 结果显示,土壤基本理化性质对于土壤AOA、AOB群落结构影响有着相似的趋势,其中对AOA、AOB群落结构影响最大的因子是硝态氮,其次分别为总碳、铵态氮、碱解氮、pH。根据RDA投影距离分析,稻虾共作模式对土壤AOA群落结构的影响大于AOB,且MR与稻虾共作模式土壤AOB的群落结构具有一定的相似度。【结论】稻虾共作模式显著降低了AOA群落多样性,而对AOB群落无显著影响;稻虾共作模式显著增加了AOA与AOB的丰度并显著影响了群落结构组成。土壤硝态氮、总碳、铵态氮、碱解氮、pH含量是导致土壤微生物数量、多样性及群落结构变化的主要原因。     

有机碳氮添加对酸性森林土壤氨氧化过程的影响

以亚热带酸性森林土壤为研究对象,开展了微宇宙室内培养实验,设置了有机碳和有机氮添加处理,分析了土壤硝化活性和氨氧化古菌(Ammonia-oxidizing archaea,AOA)、氨氧化细菌(Ammonia-oxidizing bacteria,AOB)的功能基因丰度,研究了外源有机碳和有机氮对酸性森林土壤氨氧化过程的影响规律。结果表明:外源有机氮添加显著刺激了酸性森林土壤硝化活性,乙炔抑制实验表明自养氨氧化对酸性森林土壤硝化过程的贡献率90%。有机碳添加对土壤硝化活性未有显著影响,同时添加有机碳和无机铵态氮也未显著提高土壤硝化活性,而外源有机氮添加提高了土壤矿化速率并导致土壤NH3浓度升高,可能是土壤硝化活性、AOA和AOB数量显著增加的主要原因。     

长期施肥对棕壤氨氧化细菌和古菌丰度的影响

【目的】氨氧化是氮转化过程的限速步骤,其由氨氧化微生物所驱动。本研究旨在探明 37 年玉米–大豆轮作施肥条件下影响棕壤氨氧化微生物丰度的主要影响因子及变化规律。【方法】以沈阳农业大学棕壤肥料长期定位试验耕层土壤 (0—20 cm) 为材料,选取其中 9 个施肥处理进行取样分析:不施肥 (CK)、低量氮肥 (N₁)、高量氮肥 (N₂)、氮磷肥 (N₁P)、氮磷钾肥 (N₁PK)、高量有机肥 (M₂)、高量有机肥 + 低量氮肥 (M₂N₁)、高量有机肥 + 氮磷肥 (M₂N₁P)、高量有机肥 + 氮磷钾肥 (M₂N₁PK)。采用实时荧光定量 PCR 技术测定其氨氧化微生物丰度,通过对土壤基本化学性质和氨氧化微生物丰度的冗余分析找出影响氨氧化微生物丰度的主要因素。【结果】施用有机肥处理的土壤 pH、有机质、全氮、碱解氮、速效钾、速效磷、铵态氮、硝态氮含量明显高于不施肥和单施化肥处理。各施肥处理土壤有机质、全氮、碱解氮、速效钾、速效磷的含量总体呈现有机肥处理 > 化肥处理 > CK;与不施肥处理 (CK) 相比,单施化肥处理显著降低了土壤 pH 值,施用有机肥处理显著提高了土壤 pH 值,其中 N₂ 处理的土壤 pH 最低,M₂ 处理的土壤 pH 最高。不同施肥处理氨氧化细菌 (AOB) 的丰度为 0.94 × 106～5.77 × 106 copies/g 干土,氨氧化古菌 (AOA) 的丰度为 3.56 × 106～1.22 × 107 copies/g 干土;施用有机肥处理 AOB 和 AOA 丰度显著高于不施肥和单施化肥处理,其中 M₂ 处理的 AOB 和 AOA 丰度最高,单施氮肥处理的 AOB 和 AOA 丰度最低。冗余分析 (RDA) 表明,影响棕壤 AOB 和 AOA 丰度的主要环境因子有土壤 pH、有机质、全氮、碱解氮、速效磷、速效钾,且与 AOB 和 AOA 丰度呈正相关关系。【结论】长期轮作施肥显著改变了棕壤的化学性质,从而对氨氧化微生物的丰度产生了显著影响。长期施用有机肥显著提高了土壤养分含量及 AOB 和 AOA 的丰度,对维持土壤氨氧化微生物的数量起到十分重要的作用;同时试验结果也为今后通过改变土壤 pH、有机质、全氮、碱解氮、速效磷、速效钾等性质对 AOB 和 AOA 进行调节提供了依据。     

石灰性紫色土硝化作用及硝化微生物对不同氮源的响应

土壤中发生的硝化作用是对p H高度敏感的典型过程。本文采用室内恒温培养法,结合定量PCR和高通量测序,研究石灰性紫色土硝化作用以及氨氧化细菌(Ammonia-oxidizing bacteria,AOB)、氨氧化古菌(Ammonia-oxidizing archaea,AOA)、亚硝酸盐氧化细菌(Nitrite-oxidizing bacteria,NOB)的丰度与群落结构对不同氮源的响应。结果表明:不同氮源均刺激土壤硝化作用的发生,CO(NH2)2处理下的净硝化速率最大,约是CK处理的4.76倍,(NH_4)2SO4和NH_4Cl处理下的净硝化速率分别为N 3.88和3.34 mg kg-1d-1。相比于(NH_4)2SO4和CO(NH2)2处理,NH_4Cl处理降低了硝态氮的累积量,抑制了铵态氮的减少量。AOB amo A基因拷贝数在28 d培养过程中变化显著(p0.05),在(NH_4)2SO4和CO(NH2)2处理中呈先增长后降低趋势,在NH_4Cl处理中呈持续增长趋势;而AOA amo A基因拷贝数无显著变化(p0.05)。说明石灰性紫色土硝化作用的主要推动者是AOB,而不是AOA。在28 d培养过程中,亚硝酸盐氧化细菌占总微生物的比例高于氨氧化细菌和古菌,意味着石灰性紫色土中可能存在全程氨氧化微生物(Comammox)。高通量测序的结果表明:石灰性紫色土中AOB的优势种群为亚硝化螺菌Nitrosospira Cluster 3,AOA的优势种群是土壤古菌Group 1.1b,NOB的优势种群是硝化螺菌Nitrospira。     

硝化微生物在土壤团聚体中的分布及其对种植方式的响应

【目的】硝化微生物在农田土壤氮转化过程发挥重要作用，深入开展团聚体中硝化微生物分布研究，有助于揭示土壤结构-微生物-土壤营养元素循环间的相互影响机制。【方法】选取旱地黄棕壤为研究对象，比较了玉米连作（M-M）和玉米/花生轮作（M-P）两种种植方式下土壤团聚体的性质和硝化潜势（NP）的变化，并通过荧光定量PCR和高通量测序研究了团聚体中不同类型硝化微生物功能基因的丰度和群落组成差异。【结果】与M-M相比，M-P能够显著提高团聚体pH、NH4+和全碳（TC）含量。M-P使NP显著提高，但团聚体粒径对NP无显著影响。氨氧化细菌（AOB）amoA基因丰度在M-P中高于M-M，且在较小粒级团聚体中分布更多，而氨氧化古菌（AOA）和全程氨氧化细菌（Comammox）amoA基因的分布模式与AOB大致相反，表明AOB更能适应较小团聚体环境，而AOA和Comammox倾向在较大团聚体中占据竞争优势。此外，与M-M相较，M-P团聚体间AOA/AOB和Comammox/AOB比值的差异减小，表明轮作促使土壤硝化微生物在不同粒级间的分布更加均匀。进一步对属水平土壤团聚体硝化菌群落组成分析，结果显示M-P提高了Nitrolancea属亚硝酸盐氧化细菌（NOB）和Candidatus Nitrosocosmicus属AOA的占比，降低了Nitrospira属NOB的占比，对AOB各属无显著影响。而团聚体粒径仅对Nitrosospira属AOB的占比产生显著影响。NH4+含量和pH是影响土壤团聚体NP和硝化微生物群落变化的最主要因子。NP与AOB amoA基因丰度显著正相关，与AOA amoA基因丰度负相关。但在群落组成上，Nitrosospira属AOB，Candidatus Nitrosocosmicus属AOA和Nitrospira属NOB均与NP呈现正相关。【结论】土壤团聚体粒径和种植方式能较大程度影响硝化微生物的分布，然而，不同硝化微生物在团聚体间分异机制具有明显差异，该研究为完善禾豆轮作下土壤硝化微生物在微域环境的生态适应机制提供了理论支持。     

滨海盐渍化土壤中氨氧化微生物丰度和多样性特征

为探究滨海盐土不同盐度梯度下氨氧化微生物的丰度和多样性特征,利用土壤化学和分子生态学手段(定量PCR、T-RFLP)对莱州湾南岸及黄河口4个河口断面(黄河、白浪河、堤河、胶莱河)14个不同盐度(6.4‰～51.1‰)盐渍化土壤样品的氨氧化古菌(AOA)和氨氧化细菌(AOB)的硝化潜势、丰度及多样性进行了分析。结果发现：土壤硝化潜势在高盐度(34.7‰～51.1‰)条件下被显著抑制,主要受土壤盐度、p H和NO₃^–-N水平显著影响;AOA-amoA基因丰度比AOB-amoA高出两个数量级,在中盐度时丰度最高(9.92×10⁶ copies/g土),在高盐度时受到显著抑制(5.28×10⁶ copies/g土,P<0.05);AOB-amoA基因丰度受盐度的影响,低盐度时显著高于中、高盐度条件;然而AOA和AOB的多样性和群落结构受盐度梯度影响不大。相关分析表明,硝化潜势与AOA和AOB丰度均无显著相关性,而与AOA/AOB比值以及AOA的Shannon指数显著负相关。由此可见,滨海盐土中,盐度的...     

不同生育期苹果园土壤氨氧化微生物丰度研究

【目的】大量施氮引起的土壤酸化问题已严重制约苹果的安全生产。氨氧化微生物驱动的土壤硝化作用是土壤氮素循环的重要环节,探析苹果园土壤中氨氧化微生物氨单加氧酶基因(amoA)丰度与土壤硝化强度(Potential Nitrification,PN)和土壤理化性质的相关性,有助于评价土壤氨氧化微生物类群在苹果园土壤生态系统中的作用。【方法】本研究以辽宁省丹东东港地区‘寒富’苹果园土壤为研究对象,采用实时荧光定量PCR(Real-time PCR)技术,检测苹果树不同生育时期, 4月28日(萌芽期)、 7月24日(新梢停长期)、 10月23日(落叶期)的两个苹果园(分别编号为D1和D2)的土壤理化性质、 土壤硝化强度、 氨氧化古菌(Ammonia-oxidizing archaea, AOA)和氨氧化细菌(Ammonia-oxidizing bacteria, AOB)的amoA基因丰度,并分析了氨氧化微生物丰度与土壤理化性质和土壤硝化强度之间的关系。【结果】不同生育时期‘寒富’苹果园土壤理化因子差异较大。所有供试土壤的硝态氮(NO-3-N)、 速效磷(AP)和速效钾(AK)含量在4月份最高,铵态氮(NH+4-N)含量在7月最高,NO-3-N、 NH+4-N、 AP和AK含量在10月多为最低。且所有供试土壤pH值均在4.25~6.09之间。同一生育时期内,D2土壤pH均显著高于D1土壤,但其NO-3-N和NH+4-N含量则不同程度地低于D1土壤。不同采样时期的果园土壤硝化强度随季节变化表现出先降后增的趋势,除7月D2土壤硝化强度显著高于D1土壤外,4月与10月D2土壤硝化强度均显著低于D1土壤。尽管不同采样时期的土壤AOA与AOB丰度随生育期而各异,所有供试土壤中AOA丰度均显著高于AOB丰度。同一时期内,D2土壤AOA和AOB丰度均显著高于D1土壤。尽管土壤pH、 NO-3-N与AOA、 AOB均表现出显著相关性,土壤PN仅与AOA丰度明显正相关。【结论】长期施肥导致苹果园土壤pH值降低,pH值的改变是影响AOA与AOB丰度的重要因子,果园土壤的硝化过程主要由AOA来完成,土壤硝化强度与季节变化引起的温度和土壤环境因子等的改变密切相关。苹果园无机氮肥混合有机肥的施入,同时结合自然生草、 人工刈割等管理制度,在一定程度上可改变土壤氮素的含量与种类,减缓土壤酸化。     

Ammonia-oxidizing archaea are more important than ammonia-oxidizing bacteria in nitrification and NO3 −-N loss in acidic soil of sloped land

As part of a long-term sloped land use experiment established in 1995 at Taoyuan Agro-ecosystem Research Station (111°26′ E, 28°55′ N) in China, soil samples were collected from three land use types, including cropland (CL), natural forest, and tea plantation. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction and terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism were used to determine the abundance and community composition of amoA-containing bacteria (AOB) and archaea (AOA). The results indicate that land use type induced significant changes in soil potential nitrification rate and community composition, diversity, and abundance of AOB and AOA. Both AOB and AOA community compositions were generally similar between upper and lower slope positions (UP and LP), except within CL. The LP soils had significantly (p?<?0.05) higher diversity and abundance of both AOB and AOA than in the UP. Potential nitrification rate was significantly correlated (p?<?0.05) with diversity and abundance of AOA, but not with AOB. Among land use types, the NO₃ ^? and amoA-containing AOA runoff loss was greatest in CL. Nitrate-N runoff loss was significantly correlated (p?<?0.05) with the loss of AOA amoA copies in the runoff water. Furthermore, relationships between NO₃ ^?-N runoff loss and abundance of AOA but not of AOB at both slope positions were significantly correlated (p?<?0.05). These findings suggest that AOA are more important than AOB in nitrification and NO₃ ^?-N runoff loss in acidic soils across sloped land use types.     

The relative contribution of nitrifiers to autotrophic nitrification across a pH-gradient in a vegetable cropped soil

Purpose

Microbial nitrification plays an important role in nitrogen cycling in ecosystems. Nitrification is performed by ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA), ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB), and nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB) including complete ammonia oxidizers. However, the relative importance of nitrifiers in autotrophic nitrification in relation to soil pH is still unclear.

Materials and methods

Combining DNA-based stable isotope probing (SIP) and molecular biological techniques, we investigated the abundance, structure, and activity of AOA, AOB, and NOB along a pH-gradient (3.97–7.04) in a vegetable cropped soil.

Results and discussion

We found that AOA abundance outnumbered AOB abundance and had a significantly negative relationship with soil pH. The abundances of NOB Nitrospira 16S rRNA, nxrB gene, and Nitrobacter nxrA gene were affected by soil pH. Incubation of soil with ¹³CO₂ and DNA-SIP analysis demonstrated that significant ¹³CO₂ assimilation by AOA rather than by AOB occurred in the acidic soils, whereas the labeled ¹³C level of AOA was much less in the neutral soil than in the acidic soils. There was no evidence of ¹³CO₂ assimilation by NOB except for Nitrobacter with NxrB gene at pH 3.97. Phylogenetic analysis of AOA amoA gene in the ¹³C- and ¹²C-labeled treatments showed that the active AOA mainly belonged to Nitrososphaera in the acidic soils.

Conclusions

These results suggested that the main performer of nitrification was AOA in the acidic soils, but both AOA and AOB participated in nitrification in the neutral soil with low nitrification activity. NOB Nitrospira and Nitrobacter did not grow in the soils with pH 4.82–7.04 and other populations of NOB were probably involved in nitrite oxidation in the vegetable cropped soil.

     

Shift in abundance and structure of soil ammonia-oxidizing bacteria and archaea communities associated with four typical forest vegetations in subtropical region

Purpose

Nitrogen (N) is one of the most important elements that can limit plant growth in forest ecosystems. Ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and archaea (AOA) are considered as the key drivers of global N biogeochemical cycling. Soil ammonia-oxidizing microbial communities associated with subtropical vegetation remain poorly characterized. The aim of this study was to determine how AOA and AOB abundance and community structure shift in response to four typical forest vegetations in subtropical region.

Materials and methods

Broad-leaved forest (BF), Chinese fir forest (CF), Pinus massoniana forest (PF), and moso bamboo forest (MB) were widely distributed in the subtropical area of southern China and represented typical vegetation types. Four types of forest stands of more than 30 years grew adjacent to each other on the same soil type, slope, and elevation, were chosen for this experiment. The abundance and community structure of AOA and AOB were characterized by using real-time PCR and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE). The impact of soil properties on communities of AOA and AOB was tested by canonical correspondence analysis (CCA).

Results and discussion

The results indicated that AOB dominated in numbers over AOA in both BF and MB soils, while the AOA/AOB ratio shifted with different forest stands. The highest archaeal and bacterial amoA gene copy numbers were detected in CF and BF soils, respectively. The AOA abundance showed a negative correlation with soil pH and organic C but a positive correlation with NO₃ ^??N concentration. The structures of AOA communities changed with vegetation types, but vegetation types alone would not suffice for shaping AOB community structure among four forest soils. CCA results revealed that NO₃ ^??N concentration and soil pH were the most important environmental gradients on the distribution of AOA community except vegetation type, while NO₃ ^??N concentration, soil pH, and organic C significantly affected the distribution of the AOB communities.

Conclusions

These results revealed the differences in the abundance and structure of AOA and AOB community associated with different tree species, and AOA was more sensitive to vegetation and soil chemical properties than AOB. N bioavailability could be directly linked to AOA and AOB community, and these results are useful for management activities, including forest tree species selection in areas managed to minimize N export to aquatic systems.     

Long-term fertilization effects on active ammonia oxidizers in an acidic upland soil in China

The effects of long-term fertilization of acidic soils on ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) and bacteria (AOB) communities and its ecological implications remain poorly understood. We chose an acidic upland soil site under long-term (27-year) fertilization to investigate ammonia oxidizer communities under four different regimes: mineral N fertilizer (N), mineral NPK fertilizer (NPK), organic manure (OM) and an unfertilized control (CK). Soil net nitrification rates were significantly higher in OM soils than in CK, N or NPK soils. Quantitative analysis of the distribution of amoA genes by DNA-based stable isotope probing revealed that AOA dominate in CK, N and NPK soils, while AOB dominate in OM soils. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis and clone library analyses of amoA genes revealed that Group 1.1a-associated AOA (also referred to as Nitrosotalea) were the most dominant active AOA population (>92%), while Nitrosospira Cluster 3 and Cluster 9 were predominant among active AOB communities. The functional diversity of active ammonia oxidizers in acidic soils is affected by long-term fertilization practices, and the responses of active ammonia oxidizers to mineral fertilizer and organic manure are clearly different. Our results provide strong evidence that AOA are more highly adapted to growth at low pH and low substrate availability than AOB, and they suggest that the niche differentiation and metabolic diversity of ammonia oxidizers in acidic soils are more complex than previously thought.     

Diversity of anammox bacteria and abundance of functional genes for nitrogen cycling in the rhizosphere of submerged macrophytes in a freshwater lake in summer

Purpose

Submerged plants make an important contribution to nitrogen cycling in lakes including in the rhizosphere microenvironment through microbial activities. The main objective of this study was to investigate the abundance of functional genes for nitrogen cycling and the ecological relationship between these genes in the rhizosphere sediment of a freshwater lake in summer.

Materials and methods

Sediment from the rhizosphere of four submerged macrophytes (Ceratophyllum demersum, Hydrilla verticillata, Potamogeton maackianus, and Vallisneria spiralis) was sampled in Lake Liangzi, China, in summer. The anammox bacteria community structure and abundance of five functional genes for nitrogen cycling, ammonia monooxygenase (amoA) of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA), anammox 16S rRNA, and nitrite reductase genes (nirK and nirS) in the sampled sediment, were determined.

Results and discussion

A total of 100 anammox gene sequences were grouped into eight operational taxonomic units (OTUs) and genus Ca. Kuenenia was the dominant species in Lake Liangzi in summer. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) revealed that gene copies of AOA amoA (2.42?×?10⁶ copies g^?1) were more than one order of magnitude higher than those of AOB amoA (1.98?×?10⁵ copies g^?1). The nirS gene (4.13?×?10⁸ copies g^?1) was more abundant than the nirK gene (7.28?×?10⁷ copies g^?1). There was no significant difference in the abundance of the AOB amoA gene among the rhizosphere of the four macrophytes. Redundancy analysis (RDA) showed a positive correlation between the abundance of the anammox 16S rRNA gene, AOA amoA and AOB amoA, which suggested two of these microbes may have provided a substrate for anammox bacteria in summer.

Conclusions

The diversity of anammox in the rhizosphere of submerged macrophytes of the freshwater lake in summer was very low, but the plant species could affect the abundance of most nitrogen circulating bacteria, especially for anammox bacteria. Anammox 16S rRNA gene was positively correlated with four other functional genes, indicating that all four genes had significant effects on anammox bacteria.

     

两种农田土壤中的氨氧化细菌和氨氧化古菌对硝化抑制剂DCD和DMPP的响应-盆栽试验

Taking two important agricultural soils with different pH, brown soil （Hap-Udic Luvisol） and cinnamon soil （Hap-Ustic Luvisol）, from Northeast China, a pot culture experiment with spring maize （Zea mays L.） was conducted to study the dynamic changes in the abundance and diversity of soil ammonia-oxidizing bacteria （AOB） and ammonia-oxidizing archaea （AOA） populations during maize growth period in response to the additions of nitrification inhibitors dicyandiamide （DCD） and 3,4-dimethylpyrazole phosphate （DMPP） by the methods of real-time polymerase chain reaction （PCR） assay, PCR-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis （DGGE）, and construction of clone library targeting the amoA gene. Four treatments were established, i.e., no urea （control）, urea, urea plus DCD, and urea plus DMPP. Both DCD and DMPP inhibited growth of AOB significantly, compared to applying urea alone. Soil bacterial amoA gene copies had a significant positive linear correlation with soil nitrate content, but soil archaeal amoA gene copies did not. In both soils, all AOB sequences fell within Nitrosospira or Nitrosospira-like groups, and all AOA sequences belonged to group 1.1b crenaxchaea. With the application of DCD or DMPP, community composition of AOB and AOA in the two soils had less change except that the AOB community composition in Hap-Udic Luvisol changed at the last two growth stages of maize under the application of DCD. AOB rather than AOA likely dominated soil ammonia oxidation in these two agricultural soils.     

pH-dependent distribution of soil ammonia oxidizers across a large geographical scale as revealed by high-throughput pyrosequencing

Purpose

Ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) and bacteria (AOB) are ubiquitous and important for nitrogen transformations in terrestrial ecosystems. However, the distribution patterns of these microorganisms as affected by the terrestrial environments across a large geographical scale are not well understood. This study was designed to gain insights into the ecological characteristics of AOA and AOB in 65 soils, collected from a wide range of soil and ecosystem types.

Materials and methods

Barcoded pyrosequencing in combination with quantitative PCR was employed to characterize the relative abundance, diversity, and community composition of archaeal 16S rRNA gene, and AOA and AOB amoA genes in 65 soil samples.

Results and discussion

The operational taxonomic unit richness and Shannon diversity of Thaumarchaeota, AOA, and AOB were highly variable among different soils, but their variations were best explained by soil pH. Soil pH was strongly correlated with the overall community composition of ammonia oxidizers, as measured by the pairwise Bray–Curtis dissimilarity across all sites. These findings were further corroborated by the evident pH-dependent distribution patterns of four thaumarchaeal groups (I.1a-associated, I.1b, I.1c, and I.1c-associated) and four AOB clusters (2, 3a.1, 10, and 12). The ratios of AOA to AOB amoA gene copy numbers significantly decreased with increasing pH, suggesting a competitive advantage of AOA over AOB in acidic soils.

Conclusions

These results suggest that the distribution of ammonia oxidizers across large-scale biogeographical settings can be largely predicted along the soil pH gradient, thus providing important indications for the ecological characteristics of AOA and AOB in different soils.     

Abundance and community structure of ammonia oxidizing bacteria and archaea in a Sweden boreal forest soil under 19-year fertilization and 12-year warming

Purpose

Boreal forests are considered to be more sensitive to global climate change compared with other terrestrial ecosystems, but the long-term impact of climate change and forest management on soil microbial functional diversity is not well understood. Ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and archaea (AOA) are the most important players in nitrogen (N) cycling-associated processes in terrestrial ecosystems. This study investigated the separate and combined impacts of long-term soil warming and fertilization on soil AOB and AOA community structures and abundances in a Norway spruce stand in northern Sweden.

Materials and methods

The soil-warming experiment was established in the buffer zones of two irrigated plots (I) and complete nutrient solution plots (IL) since 1995. The warming treatment started in April each year by maintaining soil temperature on warmed plots at 5°C above the temperature in unwarmed plots using heating cables. In August 2006, soil samples were collected from eight subplots for molecular analysis. The abundance of bacterial and archaeal amoA genes was determined by quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Similarly, total bacterial and archaeal population sizes have also been determined. The diversity of AOB and AOA was assessed by constructing amoA gene clone libraries, and different genotypes were screened with restriction fragment length polymorphism.

Results and discussion

Results showed that fertilization did not significantly affect the abundance of the bacterial amoA gene under either warming or non-warming conditions; however, warming decreased the abundance under fertilization treatments. No significant effects of fertilization and soil warming were observed on the number of thaumarchaeal amoA gene copies across all treatments. In this study, amoA gene abundance of AOB was significantly higher than that of AOA across all treatments. The community structure of both AOB and AOA was strongly influenced by fertilization. For bacterial amoA genes, Nitrosospira cluster 2 was present across all treatments, but the only genotype was observed in the fertilization treatments while, for thaumarchaeal amoA genes, the relative abundance of soil cluster 5 increased in fertilization treatments. By comparison, soil-warming effects on AOB and AOA community structure were not significant. Canonical correspondence analysis showed a positive correlation between fertilization and both dominant genotypes of AOB and AOA.

Conclusions

These results indicated that the abundance of AOA and AOB was not affected by fertilization or warming alone, but the interaction of fertilization and warming reduced the abundance of AOB. The community composition of ammonia-oxidizers was more affected by the nutrient-optimized fertilization than the soil warming.     

石灰和双氰胺对红壤酸化和硝化作用的影响及其机制

施用石灰是改良酸性土壤的重要措施,但其对土壤硝化作用的增强不仅加速土壤酸化,也增加硝态氮流失风险.传统的硝化抑制剂双氰胺(Dicyandiamide,DCD)能否在石灰改变pH的条件下始终有效抑制硝化是当前红壤区生产中亟需解决的问题.采用短期土壤培养试验,探讨了不同用量石灰与DCD配合施用对土壤酸化和硝化作用的影响及其...     

亚热带松林中强酸性土壤自养和异养硝化作用的研究

The occurrence of nitrification in some acidic forest soils is still a subject of debate. Identification of main nitrification pathways in acidic forest soils is still largely unknown. Acidic yellow soil (Oxisol) samples were selected to test whether nitrification can occur or not in acidic subtropical pine forest ecosystems. Relative contributions of autotrophs and heterotrophs to nitrification were studied by adding selective nitrification inhibitor nitrapyrin. Soil NH₄⁺-N concentrations decreased, but NO₃^--N concentrations increased significantly for the no-nitrapyrin control during the first week of incubation, indicating that nitrification did occur in the acidic subtropical soil. The calculated net nitrification rate was 0.49 mg N kg^-1 d^-1 for the no-nitrapyrin control during the first week of incubation. Nitrapyrin amendment resulted in a significant reduction of NO₃^--N concentration. Autotrophic nitrification rate averaged 0.28 mg N kg^-1 d^-1 and the heterotrophic nitrification rate was 0.21 mg N kg^-1 d^-1 in the first week. Ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) abundance increased slightly during incubation, but nitrapyrin amendment significantly decreased AOB amoA gene copy numbers by about 80%. However, the ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) abundance showed significant increases only in the last 2 weeks of incubation and it was also decreased by nitrapyrin amendment. Our results indicated that nitrification did occur in the present acidic subtropical pine forest soil, and autotrophic nitrification was the main nitrification pathway. Both AOA and AOB were the active biotic agents responsible for autotrophic nitrification in the acidic subtropical pine forest soil.