Occurrence of Platyarthrus schoblii (Isopoda, Oniscidea) and its ant hosts in Hungary

The myrmecophilous Platyarthrus schoblii Budde-Lund, 1885 is widely distributed and native in the Mediterranean region. In Hungary it was first found at Budapest, in 2001, in a colony of Lasius neglectus van Loon, Boomsma and Andrásfalvy, 1990 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). This invasive and polygynous ant species is dispersing in an antropochorous way throughout Europe. There are 16 known colonies of L. neglectus in Hungary. Fourteen of them have been surveyed for the isopod, which was detected in eight cases (57%). In addition to L. neglectus, the isopod has been recently found with other native ant species [Lasius niger (Linnaeus, 1758), Lasius emarginatus (Olivier, 1791) and Tetramorium caespitum (Linnaeus, 1758)] in the country. We have also found the joint occurrence of P. hoffmannseggii Brandt, 1833 and P. schoblii. The co-occurrence and joint expansion of the ranges of L. neglectus and P. schoblii indicates their co-habitation and antropochorous dispersal while the appearance with L. emarginatus, L. niger and T. caespitum supports our hypothesis about possible adoption by different ant species.     

Intermediate tidal stress promotes the detritivore-mediated decomposition of Spartina litter

Saltmarshes, functionally important habitats in the marine–terrestrial ecotone that are regularly affected by tidal inundation, are mainly detritus-based in terms of fluxes of nutrients and energy. With respect to the mediating influence of saltmarsh detritivores on microbial colonisation of detritus and on decomposition processes, we tested whether the “intermediate disturbance hypothesis” (IDH) is also applicable to the effects of stress in this stressful environment. Decomposition experiments with litter of the cordgrass, Spartina anglica, and with terrestrial [Porcellio scaber (Isopoda)] and marine/semi-terrestrial [Orchestia gammarellus (Amphipoda)] detritivores as well as animal-free controls were carried out in an artificial saltmarsh system. Different daily flooding regimes served as experimental levels of stress. Both litter mass loss and microbial respiration were mostly higher under aquatic than under terrestrial conditions, no matter whether detritivores were present or not. Considering the intertidal zone, low to intermediate daily inundation rates resulted in increased microbial respiration and an increased influence of detritivores on litter mass loss in early stages of cordgrass decomposition with high rates of detritus mass loss, and intermediate tidal stress led to higher microbial cell counts throughout the entire experiment. Summarised over 3 months, regression analyses suggested that microbial activity and detritus mass loss show a trend towards highest values at low inundation rates and under permanent inundation, although microbial density was higher under longer daily inundation. Access to detritus by detritivores enhanced both litter mass loss and microbial respiration, especially in later decomposition stages, whereas microbial density was reduced by detritivores. In conclusion, we predict that overall the decomposition of cordgrass detritus in saltmarshes is promoted in the intermediate to high area of the intertidal zone with daily inundation of ca. 4–10 hours where both marine and terrestrial detritivores have access to promote decomposition processes through feeding and mediating microbial activity.     

Acute and chronic isopod testing using tropical Porcellionides pruinosus and three model pesticides

An approach for testing acute and chronic ecotoxicological effects of pesticides on isopods in the laboratory is presented. Laboratory cultures of tropical Porcellionides pruinosus were used. The pesticides Benomyl, Carbendazim and lambda-Cyhalothrin served as model chemicals. The toxicity tests were done with five to six concentrations and one untreated control in four replicates containing 10 individuals per vessel. The test was performed at 28 °C, in permanent darkness and it lasted 14 days. Each chemical was mixed in 250 g DW per vessel of OECD artificial, LUFA 2.2 standard, tropical artificial or tropical natural soil in acute tests. Chronic tests were performed using 150 g DW OECD artificial or LUFA 2.2 standard soil. Both adult mortality and number of juveniles showed a high sensitivity of P. pruinosus towards lambda-Cyhalothrin while Carbendazim and Benomyl had a very low and no toxicity, respectively. Further research and optimization of the chronic test design are required.     

Survival of faecal coliforms in four different types of sludge-amended soils in Botswana

This study aimed at identifying the factors that affected the survival of faecal coliforms as measured by E. coli in four types of soils in Botswana which were amended with sewage sludge. Physico-chemical and biochemical properties and coliform population in the different soils, sludge, and soil/sludge mixtures were determined after sampling, on composing the soil/sludge mixtures, and 90 days after composing. Coliform population in the different soil/sludge mixtures decreased by about 90% after 90 days. The age of the sludge used and the rate at which it was applied to the soils initially determined the population of E. coli in each soil/sludge mixture, but after 90 days, differences inherent in the different soil types were the main determinants of the E. coli population. Percentage reduction of coliforms in Type 1 sludge mixtures were lower (38%) than in Type 2 sludge mixtures (57%). Up to 79.8% of the reduction observed in E. coli population in the Barolong luvisol-sludge mixtures after 90 days was caused by reduction in pH and moisture content, while 72.6%, 84.5% and 55.1% of the reduction in E. coli population in Tuli luvisol-, arenosol- and vertisol-sludge mixtures, respectively, was accounted for by the reduction in moisture content and Olsen P concentration. Coliform survival rates varied with soil types being 12%, 6.4%, 5.3% and 5.8% for the vertisol, arenosol, Barolong luvisol and Tuli luvisol, respectively. A minimum period of 90 days should be allowed between when sludge is applied to similar soils and when seeds are sown. The exact period should, however, be determined by the properties of the soil with fine-textured soils requiring a longer period than coarse-textured soils.     

Pre-symbiotic and symbiotic interactions between Glomus intraradices and two Paenibacillus species isolated from AM propagules. In vitro and in vivo assays with soybean (AG043RG) as plant host

Two indole-producing Paenibacillus species, known to be associated with propagules of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi, were examined for their mycorrhization helper bacteria activity at pre-symbiotic and symbiotic stages of the AM association. The effects were tested under in vitro and in vivo conditions using an axenically propagated strain of the AM fungus Glomus intraradices and Glycine max (soybean) as the plant host. The rates of spore germination and re-growth of intraradical mycelium were not affected by inoculation with Paenibacillus strains in spite of the variation of indole production measured in the bacterial supernatants. However, a significant promotion in pre-symbiotic mycelium development occurred after inoculation of both bacteria under in vitro conditions. The Paenibacillus rhizosphaerae strain TGX5E significantly increased the extraradical mycelium network, the rates of sporulation, and root colonization in the in vitro symbiotic association. These results were also observed in the rhizosphere of soybean plants grown under greenhouse conditions, when P. rhizosphaerae was co-inoculated with G. intraradices. However, soybean dry biomass production was not associated with the increased development and infectivity values of G. intraradices. Paenibacillus favisporus strain TG1R2 caused suppression of the parameters evaluated for G. intraradices during in vitro symbiotic stages, but not under in vivo conditions. The extraradical mycelium network produced and the colonization of soybean roots by G. intraradices were promoted compared to the control treatments. In addition, dual inoculation had a promoting effect on soybean biomass production. In summary, species of Paenibacillus associated with AM fungus structures in the soil, may have a promoting effect on short term pre-symbiotic mycelium development, and little impact on AM propagule germination. These findings could explain the associations found between some bacterial strains and AM fungus propagules.     

Diversity of Paenibacillus polymyxa populations in the rhizosphereof wheat (Triticum durum) in Algerian soils

The diversity of Paenibacillus polymyxa populations associated with the rhizosphere of durum wheat was investigated in Algerian soils sampled in regions where wheat had been cultivated for 5 and 26 years (Hamiz, H5 and Z26), 70 years (Algiers, D70), and more than 2 000 years (Tiaret, T2000 and K2000). A total of 111 strains were isolated by immunotrapping and identified as P. polymyxa using an API50CHB kit and restriction analysis of the amplified 16S rDNA gene. The phenotypic characteristics of the P. polymyxa populations were compared and the strains found not to cluster according to their origin. The longer the history of wheat cultivation, the lower the phenotypic diversity and the higher the frequency of nitrogen-fixing strains. Population genetic diversity, evaluated by ERIC-PCR, showed the same trends as phenotypic diversity. The distribution of ERIC genotypes among the different populations studied were compared using Pearson’s Chi-squared test. The strains isolated in D70, Z26, and H5 derived from soil populations sharing the same genetic structure, but those isolated in T2000 and K2000 each stemmed from a population with a specific genetic structure. These data suggest that the genetic structure of P. polymyxa populations has been affected by long-term wheat cultivation.     

Comparison of different strategies for isolation and preliminary identification of Azotobacter from soil samples

Due to the role of azotobacteria in nitrogen fixation and to their potential biotechnological applications, there is some challenge in developing an effective strategy for the selective isolation of these micro-organisms from soil. One hundred ninety-six Gram-negative strains were isolated from 35 soils sampled in central Italy, by using and comparing three different methods. The screening of soil samples by means of soil paste-plate method combined with isolation on mannitol-agar proved to be the best strategy in terms of reliability and selectivity. Moreover, preliminary recognition of free-living nitrogen-fixing isolates on differential LG medium revealed to be extremely accurate, since the majority of the isolates with Azotobacter-like morphology on such a medium were presumptively identified as members of the family Azotobacteraceae, by means of amplified ribosomal DNA restriction analysis.     

三七收获后不同年限土壤微生物代谢多样性分析

采用Biolog技术,对云南省砚山县的盘龙、阿猛、干河3个乡镇进行了三七历年种植地的调查研究,以未种植过三七的土壤为对照,研究三七收获后1~6 a不同年限对土壤养分、土壤微生物对碳源利用以及土壤微生物多样性的影响。结果表明,反映土壤微生物活性的平均颜色变化率(AWCD)并未随年限增加呈现明显变化规律;微生物培养96 h活性旺盛。对Biolog板31种碳源吸光度值聚类分析表明,3个乡镇所取三七收获后1 a和6 a土壤微生物碳源利用均可聚为一类,其土壤微生物碳源利用特征相似,其余不同年限土壤微生物碳源利用聚类并未出现一定规律;与未种植过三七的土壤相比,三七收获后1 a、6 a土壤微生物均对碳水化合物类、聚合物类、羧酸类和酚类碳源的利用分别高出25.97%~55.59%和53.14%~65.68%;随着三七收获后年限的增加,土壤微生物对碳水化合物、氨基酸类、羧酸类碳源利用呈收获后2 a升高、4 a和5 a下降趋势。收获三七后1~6 a土壤与未种植过三七的土壤相比,氮、磷、钾及有机质含量差异均不显著。除干河乡外,阿猛乡和盘龙乡收获三七后1~6 a土壤微生物与未种植过三七的相比,Shannon-Wiener指数、丰富度指数、Simpson指数均值总体差异不明显。试验说明三七轮作至少需6 a以上时间,土壤微生物对不同碳源的优势利用可反映出三七连作障碍与土壤微生物群落结构差异有密切联系。     

Mechanisms of arsenite elimination by Thiomonas sp. isolated from Carnoulès acid mine drainage

Weathering of the arsenopyrite-rich tailings of the Carnoulès abandoned mining site (Gard, France) results in the formation of acid mine waters heavily loaded with arsenic. Dissolved arsenic present in the seepage waters is precipitated within a few meters from the bottom of the tailing dam by microorganisms. From these effluents, we have isolated and characterized a Gram negative bacterium involved in this bioremediation process. This bacterium, which belongs to the Thiomonas genus, is very efficient in removing arsenite from contaminated acidic waters by oxidizing it to arsenate, which precipitates.     

土壤微生物对紫茎泽兰生长与竞争的反馈: 不同灭菌方法的比较

土壤微生物去除是验证土壤微生物反馈调节入侵植物竞争排斥本地植物群落的重要手段。为了确定土壤微生物反馈效应的最佳土壤微生物去除方法,以及土壤微生物对紫茎泽兰与本地植物竞争中的反馈作用,本试验比较了添加蛭石和未添加蛭石下,3种常见土壤微生物灭菌方式(干热灭菌、湿热灭菌、辐照灭菌)处理的紫茎泽兰单优群落根际土壤对紫茎泽兰与本地植物香茶菜生长的影响。结果表明:与未灭菌处理土壤相比,3种灭菌处理土壤均显著抑制了紫茎泽兰和香茶菜的生长;添加蛭石灭菌的土壤相对于未添加蛭石的灭菌土壤显著促进了2种植物的生长;灭菌土壤添加蛭石的情况下辐照灭菌土壤的两种植物的生物量显著地高于干热灭菌和湿热灭菌土壤两种植物的生物量,其中辐照灭菌下紫茎泽兰的生物量分别比干热灭菌和湿热灭菌条件下增加30.8%和66.5%,香茶菜生物量分别显著增加109.5%和63.4%。辐照灭菌土壤添加蛭石的处理方式最接近真实地反映土壤微生物对植物生长的反馈效应。进一步进行辐照灭菌土壤添加蛭石处理与未灭菌土壤添加蛭石处理的紫茎泽兰与香茶菜混种的盆栽试验,结果显示,土壤微生物显著增强了紫茎泽兰对香茶菜的竞争优势,相对竞争优势度增加16.0%,说明土壤微生物在紫茎泽兰竞争排斥本地植物的入侵过程中具有正反馈偏利调节作用     

Growth of Lumbricus terrestris and Aporrectodea caliginosa in an acid forest soil, and their effects on enchytraeid populations and soil properties

A laboratory experiment was carried out to test the hypothesis that the earthworms Lumbricus terrestris and Aporrectodea caliginosa are able to maintain their populations and reproduce in the acid forest soil of a deciduous forest where no lumbricids were found in the field. The experiment was conducted in 45-l containers in which layers of mineral subsoil, humus and organic topsoil collected from the site were established. Both species survived and at least L. terrestris reproduced during the 60 weeks’ incubation. Burrows and middens of L. terrestris were recorded and quantities of litter were consumed. The presence of lumbricids increased the organic matter content of humus, reduced the acidity of the topsoil and humus layers, and suppressed the population of the enchytraeid Cognettia sphagnetorum. A dense population of Enchytraeus albidus was found in L. terrestris middens. It is concluded that edaphic factors do not explain the absence of earthworms, but isolation from cultural landscapes and lack of opportunity to colonize the site from the surroundings is the decisive factor.     

Genetic diversity and phylogeny of pink-pigmented facultative methylotrophic bacteria isolated from the phyllosphere of tropical crop plants

Genetic diversity of pink-pigmented facultative methylotrophic bacteria belonging to the genus, Methylobacterium, was assessed using 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene sequencing, amplified ribosomal DNA restriction analysis (ARDRA), and differential carbon-substrate utilization profile in the phyllosphere of cotton, maize, sunflower, soybean, and mentha plants. Methylobacterium populi, Methylobacterium thiocyanatum, Methylobacterium suomiense, M. aminovorans, and Methylobacterium fujisawaense were identified to colonize the phyllosphere of these crop plants. Among these, M. populi found to be the dominating species followed by M. aminovorans. The diversity indices like Shannon index of diversity, Pielou index of evenness, and Margalef index of richness calculated based on combined data of ARDRA, 16S rRNA gene sequence, and differential carbon-substrate utilization revealed that sunflower leaves showed richest methylobacterial diversity, followed by soybean, while cotton and mentha leaves recorded the lowest diversity. The outcome of this study indicates that diversity of Methylobacterium in phyllosphere depends upon the host plant species colonized.     

Screening of Streptomyces strains helping arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis against pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) Phytophthora blight

Mycorrhiza helper bacteria (MHB) can promote the formation and functioning of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) symbiosis, but their role and application potential in coping with soil-borne diseases are still unclear. A 14-week greenhouse pot experiment was conducted to obtain several actinomycete strains helping AM symbiosis in suppressing the Phytophthora blight of pepper (Capsicum annuum L.), using a soil inoculated with Phytophthora capsici after sterilization. Five Streptomyces strains, including S. pseudogriseolus, S. albogriseolus, S. griseoaurantiacus, S. tricolor, and S. tendae, as well as the AM fungus (Funneliformis caledonium) were tested. The Phytophthora blight severity reached 66% at full productive stage in the uninoculated control, and inoculation of F. caledonium, S. griseoaurantiacus, and S. tricolor alone significantly decreased (P ＜ 0.05) it to 47%, 40%, and 35%, respectively. Compared to F. caledonium alone, additional inoculation of S. tricolor or S. tendae, which were isolated from the rhizosphere of a healthy individual in an infected field, significantly elevated (P ＜ 0.05) root mycorrhizal colonization, root biomass, fruit yield, and total K acquisitions of pepper and further significantly decreased (P ＜ 0.05) blight severity. According to the feature of enhancing disease-suppression by AM symbiosis, both S. tricolor and S. tendae were confirmed as MHB strains here. Specifically, S. tendae had a stronger performance in directly accelerating mycorrhization, while S. tricolor antagonist to the pathogenic P. capsici. Furthermore, S. griseoaurantiacus with the independent disease-suppression function was not an MHB strain here. The redundancy analyses demonstrated that when AM fungus was present, root mycorrhizal colonization replaced soil pH becoming the main factor affecting pepper Phytophthora blight. Thus, S. tricolor and S. tendae seemed to have the value of preparation and application in the future to help AM symbiosis against pepper Phytophthora blight.     

Maintenance of Squash (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Cucurbita</Emphasis> spp.) Landrace Diversity by Farmers' Activities in Mexico

Squash (Cucurbita spp.) is a common component in traditional cropping systems in Mexico, mainly in the agroecosystem known as the “milpa”, in which squash is cultivated in association with maize (Zea mays), the main crop. Using a questionnaire, 80 farmers were interviewed about crop production and selection practices in order to understand how these factors affect genetic diversity of local squash populations. We found that the most of the farmers who cultivate squash were elderly 59.8 ± 14.5 (mean ± SD; n = 78) years old. Squash varieties in the area were exclusively locally adapted landraces, and had not been replaced by modern squash cultivars. Two cultivated squash species, C. argyrosperma ssp. argyrosperma and C. moschata, had been grown intercropped with maize by 97.5% of the interviewed farmers, but only 50.0% were still producing squash at the time of the study. Farmers recognize typical characteristics of particular varieties within each of the local cultivated squash species, and selection is directed to maintain their identity. Nearly two thirds of the farmers (62.0%) had exchanged seeds of squash for planting, a practice that serves to increase genetic variability in the populations. All of the interviewed farmers were conscious of the possible hybridization between the wild gourd (C. argyrosperma ssp. sororia) and their cultivated squash. Despite various natural and human managed factors identified as contributing to enhancement of genetic diversity in these populations, results of the study show that genetic erosion of Cucurbita is likely in the region in the near future.     

紫茎泽兰和黄顶菊入侵对土壤微生物群落结构和旱稻生长的影响

为比较入侵植物与本地植物对土壤微生态影响的差异, 探索外来植物入侵的土壤微生物学机制, 本研究通过同质园试验, 比较分析了2种入侵菊科植物(紫茎泽兰、黄顶菊)和2种本地植物(马唐、猪毛菜)对土壤肥力和微生物群落的影响, 并通过盆栽反馈试验验证入侵植物改变后的土壤微生物对本地植物旱稻生长的反馈作用。同质园试验结果表明: 2种入侵植物和2种本地植物分别对土壤微生态产生了不同的影响, 尤其是紫茎泽兰显著提高了土壤有效氮、有效磷和有效钾含量,紫茎泽兰根际土壤中有效氮含量为39.80 mg·kg^-1,有效磷含量为48.52 mg·kg^-1。磷脂脂肪酸指纹图谱结果表明, 2种入侵植物与2种本地植物相比, 较显著增加了土壤中放线菌数量, 而紫茎泽兰比其他3种植物显著增加了细菌和真菌数量。盆栽结果表明: 黄顶菊生长过的土壤灭菌后比灭菌前旱稻株高增加113%, 紫茎泽兰也使旱稻的株高增加17%。由以上结果可知, 紫茎泽兰和黄顶菊可能通过改变入侵地土壤的微环境, 形成利于其自身生长扩散的微生态环境从而实现其成功入侵。     

Responses of co-occurring populations of Dendrobaena octaedra (Lumbricidae) and Cognettia sphagnetorum (Enchytraeidae) to soil pH, moisture and resource addition

Dendrobaena octaedra (Lumbricidae) and Cognettia sphagnetorum (Enchytraeidae) are the two most dominating soil invertebrates in terms of biomass in boreal coniferous forest soils. A microcosm experiment was set up in order to study the influence of pH, moisture and resource addition on D. octaedra and C. sphagnetorum when both species are simultaneously present. Two kinds of coniferous forest humus were used as substrate, pine stand humus (pH 4.2), and spruce stand humus (pH 4.6); in the third treatment the pine stand humus was adjusted with slaked lime (CaOH₂) to the same initial pH as the spruce stand humus. Each substrate was adjusted to water contents of 25%, 42.5% and 60% of WHC (referred to as ‘dry’, ‘moist’ and ‘wet’). In the second part of the experiment, spruce needle litter and birch leaf litter were separately added into the pine stand humus (‘moist’, unlimed) and compared with a control without litter. The microcosms were plastic jars with 75 g (d.m.) of humus, into which 4 specimens of D. octaedra and 70 specimens of C. sphagnetorum were added. D. octaedra showed the highest biomass and C. sphagnetorum the lowest biomass in the spruce stand humus with higher pH. Moisture did not affect earthworms, while C. sphagnetorum thrived best at the highest moisture. Addition of both kinds of litter increased the numbers and biomass of D. octaedra, while on C. sphagnetorum resource addition had little effect. The results help to explain the abundance of these two species in coniferous forests differing in soil acidity, moisture and fertility.     

Changes in agricultural management drive the diversity of Burkholderia species isolated from soil on PCAT medium

In order to assess the diversity of culturable Burkholderia populations in rhizosphere and bulk soil and to evaluate how different agricultural management regimes and land use history affect this diversity, four treatments were evaluated: permanent grassland; grassland converted into maize monoculture; arable land and arable land converted into grassland. Burkholderia isolates obtained on PCAT medium were grouped in 47 clusters using 16S ribosomal RNA gene based PCR-DGGE combined with BOX genomic fingerprinting (DGGE-BOX). The distribution of the isolates in the DGGE-BOX clusters was used to calculate the Shannon diversity index per treatment. Interestingly, we observed that the Burkholderia diversity was affected by changes in the agricultural management, since the highest diversity was observed in permanent grassland and in continuous arable land. In addition, the diversity tended to be higher in the rhizosphere than in the corresponding bulk soil. The use of species abundance models indicated that rhizosphere communities had more even distributions than communities collected from the bulk soil. Identification of isolates revealed that only 2% of these belonged to the B. cepacia complex and that the majority was assigned to either (1) new Burkholderia species or (2) Burkholderia species that had originally been isolated from soil. Isolates classified as B. hospita, B. caledonica and Burkholderia sp. ‘LMG 22934’ and ‘LMG 22936’ were found mainly in the arable land, while isolates belonging to Burkholderia sp. ‘LMG 22929’ and B. phytofirmans were associated with the grassland area. Another potentially new Burkholderia species, ‘LMG 22932’, was found in both areas, in close association with the maize rhizosphere.     

Earthworms of different functional groups affect the fate of the Bt-toxin Cry1Ab from transgenic maize in soil

The fate of the insecticidal Cry1Ab protein from crop residues (leaves and roots) of the transgenic maize variety MON810 was studied in the presence and absence of two earthworm species (Lumbricus terrestris, Aporrectodea caliginosa; separate incubations) in soil microcosms. The recombinant Cry1Ab protein was quantified using a highly sensitive ELISA. Control microcosms received corresponding non-transgenic plant material. All earthworms survived in the microcosms over a period of 5 weeks, irrespective of whether they received MON810 or non-transgenic plant material. Weight loss was observed for both earthworm species, independent of the plant material or transgenic modification. A strong decline of immunoreactive Cry1Ab in plant residues (mean initial concentration approx. 5000 ng g⁻¹) of MON810 was observed in all treatments, but in microcosms with earthworms this decline was significantly higher with less than 10% of the initial Cry1Ab concentration remaining after 5 weeks. Cry1Ab concentrations in casts were only 0.1% of those found in remaining plant material of the respective microcosms. No immunoreactive Cry1Ab proteins were found in earthworm tissues (threshold of detection: 0.58 ng g⁻¹ fresh weight). No further decline was found for Cry1Ab concentrations in casts of A. caliginosa during a subsequent period of 3 months of incubation in bulk soil (<0.1 ng g⁻¹) after removal of the earthworms from the microcosms, while in casts of L. terrestris the concentration decreased from 0.4 to below 0.1 ng g⁻¹. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that earthworms enhance the decline of immunoreactive Cry1Ab proteins from maize residues.     

Defoliation effects on Plantago lanceolata resource allocation and soil decomposers in relation to AM symbiosis and fertilization

Plants can mediate interactions between aboveground herbivores and belowground decomposers as both groups depend on plant-provided organic carbon. Most vascular plants also form symbiosis with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), which compete for plant carbon too. Our aim was to reveal how defoliation (trimming of plant leaves twice to 6 cm above the soil surface) and mycorrhizal infection (inoculation of the fungus Glomus claroideum BEG31), in nutrient poor and fertilized conditions, affect plant growth and resource allocation. We also tested how these effects can influence the abundance of microbial-feeding animals and nitrogen availability in the soil. We established a 12-wk microcosm study of Plantago lanceolata plants growing in autoclaved soil, into which we constructed a simplified microfood-web including saprotrophic bacteria and fungi and their nematode feeders. We found that fertilization, defoliation and inoculation of the mycorrhizal fungus all decreased P. lanceolata root growth and that fertilization increased leaf production. Plant inflorescence growth was decreased by defoliation and increased by fertilization and AMF inoculation. These results suggest a negative influence of the treatments on P. lanceolata belowground biomass allocation. Of the soil organisms, AMF root colonization decreased with fertilization and increased with defoliation. Fertilization decreased numbers of bacterial-feeding nematodes, probably because fertilized plants produced less root mass. On the other hand, bacterial feeders were more abundant when associated with defoliated than non-defoliated plants despite defoliated plants having less root mass. The AMF inoculation per se increased the abundance of fungal feeders, but the reduced and increased root AM colonization rates of fertilized and defoliated plants, respectively, were not reflected in the numbers of fungal feeders. We found no evidence of plant-mediated effects of the AM fungus on bacterial feeders, and against our prediction, soil inorganic nitrogen concentrations were not positively associated with the concomitant abundances of microbial-feeding animals. Altogether, our results suggest that (1) while defoliation, fertilization and AMF inoculation all affect plant resource allocation, (2) they do not greatly interact with each other. Moreover, it appears that (3) while changes in plant resource allocation due to fertilization and defoliation can influence numbers of bacterial feeders in the soil, (4) these effects may not significantly alter mineral N concentrations in the soil.     

Meta-analysis of the effects of management factors on Miscanthus × giganteus growth and biomass production

Biomass crops in the U.S. have the potential to reduce the dependence on foreign energy supply, to lower net greenhouse emissions, and to diversify agroecosystems. Miscanthus × giganteus has been extensively researched in Europe but the response to key agronomic management factors has not been summarized. In this study we have collected most of the relevant and up to date European literature on the response of dry biomass production to planting density and nitrogen (N) fertilizer and we provide quantitative estimates of the effect of these practices. The data were analyzed through non-linear mixed models which take into account the hierarchical structure of the data due to variability among countries, locations and years. M. × giganteus responded to N fertilizer only after the third growing season and planting density only had a significant effect on the second growing season. The similarity among growth curves, when dry biomass production was analyzed as function of thermal time, shows the stability of the cropping system against other environmental factors.