黄河三角洲刺槐根际与非根际细菌结构及多样性

为精确分析黄河三角洲刺槐根际与非根际土壤细菌群落定殖情况,本研究采用高通量测序方法对刺槐根际与非根际土壤细菌结构及多样性进行了研究。研究表明,根际土壤细菌共有36门214属,非根际土壤细菌共有33门153属。变形菌门(Proteobacteria)、放线菌门(Actinobacteria)、酸杆菌门(Acidobacteria)细菌丰度超过15%,是根际与非根际土壤中的优势菌落。根际与非根际土壤中酸杆菌门、硝化螺旋菌门(Nitrospirae)丰度差异显著。根际土壤中红游动菌属(Rhodoplanes)、溶杆菌属(Lysobacter)、热单胞菌属(Thermomonas)、链霉菌属(Streptomyces)及非根际土壤中红游动菌属、溶杆菌属、链霉菌属、Kaistobacter细菌丰度超过4%。根际土壤中固氮菌丰度显著高于非根际土壤,解磷、解钾细菌丰度差异不显著。根际与非根际土壤细菌Chao丰富度分别为2 054、2 376,差异显著。根际与非根际土壤细菌之间的权重(Weighted Unifrac)距离在0.12~0.25之间。综上所述,黄河三角洲刺槐根际与非根际土壤细菌结构具有一定差异,多样性差异显著。     

健康与罹患青枯病的番茄土壤细菌群落特征比较

应用实时荧光定量PCR及MiSeq高通量测序技术,全面地研究了连作番茄田块中健康与感染青枯病植株周围土体及根际土壤细菌群落结构和组成.结果表明:健康番茄土体土壤的pH及全碳含量显著高于感病番茄土体土壤;土体及根际土壤的细菌群落结构和组成明显不同于感病番茄土体及根际土壤细菌群落.与感病番茄根际相比,健康番茄根际细菌的数量...     

Rhizosphere effects on soil bacterial abundance and diversity in the Yellow River Deltaic ecosystem as influenced by petroleum contamination and soil salinization

In this study, we compared the differences of bacterial abundance and diversity between rhizosphere and surrounding bulk soils under soil salinization and petroleum contamination in the Yellow River Delta on a 110-km-distance scale. In comparison with bulk soils, rhizosphere soils were mainly characterized by lower salinity and higher water content in saline soils. For bacterial abundance, the numbers of total bacteria and hydrocarbon degraders were significantly higher in rhizosphere soils than those in bulk soils. Although there was no significant difference in total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) concentration between the two types of soils, TPH had distinctly different effects on bacterial abundance in rhizosphere and bulk soils. TPH concentration was the major determinant of total bacterial abundance and had positive effects on abundances of hydrocarbon degraders. However, the abundances of total bacteria and hydrocarbon degraders in bulk soils were primarily determined by soil salinity and water content. Great abundance of rhizosphere bacteria suggested that plant roots could alleviate the stresses from soil salinization and provide more favorable microhabitats for bacterial growth. TPH had positive effects on bacterial diversity of both rhizosphere and bulk soils. Our results support the view that petroleum in the environments functions as both toxic chemicals and carbon sources to soil bacteria. Great abundance and diversity of total bacteria in plant rhizospheres would potentially improve the roles of bacteria in maintaining ecosystem functioning in the degraded ecosystems. Our results would improve our understanding of the relationships between rhizosphere effects and multiple environmental stresses that control the development of bacterial community in fragile anthropologically-affected ecosystems.     

Plant growth promoting bacteria increases biomass,effective constituent,and modifies rhizosphere bacterial communities of Panax ginseng

Purpose: The main aim of this study was to introduce and explore plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) indigenous to ginseng, and to evaluate their ability to improve production and quality, and effect on rhizosphere niche in ginseng.

Materials and methods: Endophytic bacteria were isolated from root, stem, and leaf of ginseng from different sites and genotype in China and Korea, screened based on their beneficial properties as PGPB. Nine bacterial isolates were selected according to their plant growth properties including soluble phosphate and potassium, ammonia, auxin and siderophore producing, ACC deaminase, and antagonistic pathogen as well. Changes in ginseng after PGPB inoculation were evaluated with respect to the non-inoculated control.

Results and Conclusions: The PGPB isolates were identified as genera Bacillus, Lysinibacillus, Rhizobium, Stenotrophomonas, Erwinia, Ochrobactrum, Enterobacter and Pantoea based on 16S rRNA sequences. Inoculation of G209 and G119 increased not only plant height, root length, fresh weight, and dry weight, but also root activity and the amount of ginsenosides significantly. In particular, using the Illumina Miseq platform, the native bacterial community of rhizospheric soil maintained high community diversity and increased abundance of specific bacteria. Therefore, they may be play a crucial role in sustainable ginseng cultivating in farmland.     

Rhizosphere microbiota assemblage associated with wild and cultivated soybeans grown in three types of soil suspensions

Soil microbial community composition is determined by the soil type and the plant species. By sequencing the V3-V4 region of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene amplicons, the current study assessed the bacterial community assemblage in rhizosphere and bulks soils of wild (Glycine soja) and cultivated (Glycine max) soybeans grown in the suspensions of three important soil types in China, including black, red and soda-saline-alkali soils. The alpha-diversity of the bacterial community in the rhizosphere was significantly higher than that of the bulk soils suggesting that bulk soil lacks plant nurturing effect under the current study conditions. Black and red soils were enriched with nitrifying and nitrogen-fixing bacteria but the soda-saline-alkali soil suspension had more denitrifying bacteria, which may reflect agronomic unsuitability of the latter. We also observed a high abundance of Bradyrhizobium and Pseudomonas, enriched cellulolytic bacteria, as well as a highly connected molecular ecological network in the G. soja rhizosphere soil. Taken all, the current study suggest that wild soybeans may have evolved to recruit beneficial microbes in its rhizosphere that can promote nutrients requisition, biostasis and disease-resistance, therefore ecologically more resilient than cultivated soybeans.     

Rhizosphere microbial communities and organic acids secreted by aluminum-tolerant and aluminum-sensitive soybean in acid soil

This study aimed to investigate the correlation between organic acids secreted by two soybeans genotypes, BX10 [aluminum (Al) tolerant] and BD2 (Al sensitive) and rhizosphere microbial communities in acid soil. The organic acids secreted by BX10 and BD2 were significantly different at each growth stage. Both fungi/bacteria and gram-negative bacteria/gram-positive bacteria ratio values were affected by the two soybean genotypes at different growth periods. Compared with BD2, phospholipid fatty acid of BX10 showed higher Shannon diversity at the seedling and flowering stages, but had lower Shannon diversity at the pod-setting stage. Redundancy analysis and canonical correspondence analysis revealed that the organic acids including tartaric acid, lactic acid, and citric acid significantly affected rhizosphere bacterial communities. Sequence analysis indicated that uncultured Acidobacterium, Chloroflexi, and actinomycete enriched in BD2, whereas some uncultured bacteria enriched in BX10. The two soybean genotypes exhibit distinct rhizosphere microbial communities; root organic acid exudates may affect composition of microbial communities of rhizosphere soil: tartaric acid may negatively affect rhizosphere bacteria at the seedling stage, lactic acid may positively affect rhizosphere actinomycetes at the flowering stage, and succinic acid may stimulate fungi at the pod-setting stage.     

水稻根际和周围土壤中微生物功能基因丰度与碳、氮状况及其通量之间的关系

Rapid nitrogen（N） transformations and losses occur in the rice rhizosphere through root uptake and microbial activities. However,the relationships between rice roots and rhizosphere microbes for N utilization are still unclear. We analyzed different N forms（NH＋4,NO-3, and dissolved organic N）, microbial biomass N and C, dissolved organic C, CH4 and N2O emissions, and abundance of microbial functional genes in both rhizosphere and bulk soils after 37-d rice growth in a greenhouse pot experiment. Results showed that the dissolved organic C was significantly higher in the rhizosphere soil than in the non-rhizosphere bulk soil, but microbial biomass C showed no significant difference. The concentrations of NH＋4, dissolved organic N, and microbial biomass N in the rhizosphere soil were significantly lower than those of the bulk soil, whereas NO-3in the rhizosphere soil was comparable to that in the bulk soil. The CH4 and N2O fluxes from the rhizosphere soil were much higher than those from the bulk soil. Real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis showed that the abundance of seven selected genes, bacterial and archaeal 16 S rRNA genes, amoA genes of ammonia-oxidizing archaea and ammonia-oxidizing bacteria, nosZ gene, mcrA gene, and pmoA gene, was lower in the rhizosphere soil than in the bulk soil, which is contrary to the results of previous studies. The lower concentration of N in the rhizosphere soil indicated that the competition for N in the rhizosphere soil was very strong, thus having a negative effect on the numbers of microbes. We concluded that when N was limiting, the growth of rhizosphere microorganisms depended on their competitive abilities with rice roots for N.     

黑土区大豆基因型的根际细菌群落结构时空动态变化

The dynamics of rhizosphere microbial communities is important for plant health and productivity, and can be influenced by soil type, plant species or genotype, and plant growth stage. A pot experiment was carried out to examine the dynamics of microbial communities in the rhizosphere of two soybean genotypes grown in a black soil in Northeast China with a long history of soybean cultivation. The two soybean genotypes, Beifeng 11 and Hai 9731, differing in productivity were grown in a mixture of black soil and siliceous sand. The bacterial communities were compared at three zone locations including rhizoplane, rhizosphere, and bulk soil at the third node (V3), early flowering (R1), and early pod (R3) stages using polymerase chain reaction-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE) of 16S rDNA. The results of principal component analyses (PCA) showed that the bacterial community structure changed with growth stage. Spatially, the bacterial communities in the rhizoplane and rhizosphere were significantly different from those in the bulk soil. Nevertheless, the bacterial communities in the rhizoplane were distinct from those in the rhizosphere at the V3 stage, while no obvious differences were found at the R1 and R3 stages. For the two genotypes, the bacterial community structure was similar at the V3 stage, but differed at the R1 and R3 stages. In other words, some bacterial populations became dominant and some others recessive at the two later stages, which contributed to the variation of the bacterial community between the two genotypes. These results suggest that soybean plants can modify the rhizosphere bacterial communities in the black soil, and there existed genotype-specific bacterial populations in the rhizosphere, which may be related to soybean productivity.     

基于高通量测序的两种植被恢复类型根际土壤细菌多样性研究

为研究库布齐沙地生态恢复过程中不同植被恢复类型土壤微生物细菌群落结构、多样性的变化特征,以流动沙地为对照,运用高通量测序技术,对自然恢复的油蒿群落、人工种植的中间锦鸡儿群落根际和非根际土壤细菌多样性进行了研究,并分析了土壤理化性质对其分布的影响。结果表明:(1)与流沙对照相比,两种植被恢复类型对细菌多样性产生了正效应,细菌群落丰度、多样性和均匀度明显增加。其中,自然恢复的油蒿群落土壤细菌丰度高于人工种植的中间锦鸡儿群落;(2)变形菌门、酸杆菌门和放线菌门为研究区土壤中的优势细菌类群,其中变形菌门在各样地丰度比例最高,变形菌的4个亚群变化趋势一致,α-变形菌相对含量在油蒿和中间锦鸡儿群落根际土壤中明显增加,尤其是自然恢复的油蒿群落根际土壤中α-变形菌得到了很好的恢复;(3)土壤有机质、全氮、速效氮、速效钾含量和土壤含水量是影响土壤细菌群落丰度和多样性的主要土壤因子,典型相关分析表明土壤有机质、全氮、全钾、速效钾、速效氮含量对于研究区土壤细菌群落遗传多样性的变化起着重要作用。     

Soil microbial biomass, functional diversity and enzyme activity in glyphosate-resistant wheat-canola rotations under low-disturbance direct seeding and conventional tillage

As glyphosate-resistant (GR) crops are becoming common in agro-ecosystems, their effects on non-target soil organisms need to be monitored. We evaluated soil microbial biomass C (MBC), bacterial functional diversity and community structure, and dehydrogenase enzyme activity in a field experiment conducted at six sites on the Canadian prairies. Treatments consisted of a factorial arrangement of three GR wheat and GR canola crop frequencies and two tillage systems. GR crop frequencies were arranged in 4-yr wheat-canola-wheat-pea rotations, with GR wheat and GR canola in zero of four, two of four, or three of four possible GR crop frequencies. The two tillage systems were either low soil-disturbance direct-seeding (LDS) or conventional tillage (CT). MBC increased with increasing frequency of GR crops in two of 20 site-years in the rhizosphere, and had no effects in bulk soil. Depending on tillage, GR crop frequency also affected the functional diversity of rhizosphere soil bacteria in only two of 20 site-years, and had no effects in bulk soil. Shifts in the structures of bacterial communities related to GR crop frequency were detected, but they were few and inconsistent. In three of 22 cases (10 in rhizosphere+12 in bulk soil), the activity of dehydrogenase enzyme decreased with increasing frequency GR crops in both the rhizosphere and bulk soil. In five of 20 site-years, soil MBC in the rhizosphere was greater under CT than under LDS, regardless of GR crop frequency. In bulk soil, tillage affected soil MBC in five site-years, three of which had greater MBC under CT than LDS, and vice versa in the other two. Tillage affected the functional diversity of soil bacteria in the rhizosphere in three site-years, but the effects were not consistent. Similar inconsistent tillage-related patterns were observed in the community structures of bacteria. There were no tillage effects on bacterial diversity in bulk soil. Dehydrogenase enzyme activity was greater under LDS than under CT in three of four cases in which tillage had significant effects. Overall, GR crop frequency effects on soil microorganisms were minor and inconsistent over a wide range of growing conditions and crop management.     

Soil properties and habitats determine the response of bacterial communities to agricultural wastewater irrigation

Increasing temperatures and variability of precipitation events due to climate change will lead in the future to higher irrigation demands in agroecosystems.However,the use of secondary treated wasterwater(TWW)could have consequences for the receiving soil environment and its resident microbial communities.The objective of this study was to characterize the importance of soil properties and habitats to the response of soil bacteria and archaea to irrigation with TWW.Two agricultural soils with contrasting textures(loamy sand or silt loam)and,for each,three variants differing in soil organic carbon and nitrogen,as generated by long-term fertilization,were analyzed.For each of these six soils,prokaryotic communities from two habitats,i.e.,root-free bulk soil and the rhizosphere of developing cucumber plants in the greenhouse,were characterized.Communities were analyzed by the quantity and diversity of their polymerase chain reaction(PCR)-amplified 16S rRNA genes.To account for TWW-associated nutrient effects,potable water(PW)served as a control.Amplicon sequence analysis showed that prokaryotic communities mainly consisted of bacteria(99.8%).Upon irrigation,regardless of the water quality,prokaryotic diversity declined,p H increased,and no bacterial growth was detected in bulk soil.In contrast,the growth of cucumbers was stimulated by TWW,indicating that plants were the main beneficiaries.Moreover,strong responses were seen in the rhizosphere,suggesting an indirect effect of TWW by altered rhizodepositions.The main bacterial responders to TWW were Proteobacteria,Bacteroidetes,Actinobacteria,and Planctomycetes.Changes in bacterial communities due to TWW were less pronounced in all variants of the silt loam,indicating the importance of clay and soil organic carbon for buffering effects of TWW on soil bacterial communities.Hence,soil organic carbon and soil texture are important parameters that need to be considered when applying TWW in agriculture.     

连作对再植枸杞根际细菌群落多样性和群落结构的影响研究

受枸杞道地产区土地资源等因素限制,连作障碍已成为影响枸杞产业发展的重要原因之一,导致严重的经济损失.研究连作条件下枸杞农田土壤生态系统微生物群落的演替规律对枸杞产业的可持续发展具有重要的理论意义.以宁夏银川市南梁农场连作多年的枸杞地为研究对象,利用Illumina MiSeq测序技术分析了连作对再植枸杞根际/非根际细菌群落的影响.结果表明,连作地显著抑制再植枸杞苗地径的增加,且其土壤pH较对照样地显著降低(p<0.05).测序结果证实,与对照样地相比,连作地再植枸杞根际土壤细菌物种数显著降低(p<0.05),细菌群落α多样性下降(p>0.05).主坐标分析表明,连作和对照样地间枸杞非根际细菌群落结构无明显差异,但连作显著改变再植枸杞根际细菌的群落结构.对细菌群落丰度的统计分析发现,连作地枸杞根际浮霉菌门、非根际假单胞菌门的相对丰度较对照样地显著降低(p<0.05).此外,冗余分析结果表明:枸杞园土壤pH和有效磷含量是影响枸杞非根际土壤细菌群落结构变化的主要因素,分别解释了41.8%和35.4%的群落结构变化(p<0.05),其他土壤因子无统计学意义,但土壤理化因子对再植枸杞根际细菌群落结构变化的影响均未达显著水平.这些结果证实连作能够显著抑制再植枸杞生长、影响再植枸杞根际细菌群落结构和多样性,干扰枸杞与土壤细菌群落间的互作关系.这些研究结果将为解析枸杞连作障碍机制提供理论基础.     

Growth,P uptake and rhizosphere properties of wheat and canola genotypes in an alkaline soil with low P availability

The aim of the present study was to assess the role of soil type on growth, P uptake and rhizosphere properties of wheat and canola genotypes in an alkaline soil with low P availability. Two wheat (Goldmark and Janz) and two canola genotypes (Drum and Outback) were grown in a calcareous soil (pH 8.5) at two P levels [no P addition (0P) or addition of 200 mg kg⁻¹ P as Ca₃(PO₄)₂ (200P)] and harvested at flowering or maturity. Shoot and root dry weight, root length and shoot P content were greater in the two canola genotypes than in wheat. There were no consistent differences in available P, microbial P and phosphatase activity in the rhizosphere of the different genotypes. Shoot P content was significantly positively correlated with root length, pH and phosphatase activity in the rhizosphere. The microbial community composition, assessed by fatty acid methylester analysis, of the canola genotypes differed strongly from that of the wheat genotypes. The weight percentage bacterial fatty acids, the bacteria/fungi (b/f) ratio and the diversity of fatty acids were greater in the rhizosphere of the canolas than in the rhizosphere of the wheat genotypes. In contrast to the earlier studies in an acidic soil, only small differences in growth and P uptake between the genotypes of one crop were detected in the alkaline soil used here. The results confirmed the importance of root length for P uptake in soils with low P availability and suggest that the rhizosphere microbial community composition may play a role in the better growth of the canola compared to the wheat genotypes.     

Distribution of phosphatase activity and various bacterial phyla in the rhizosphere of Hordeum vulgare L. depending on P availability

Despite the importance of the rhizosphere for nutrient turnover, little is known about the spatial patterns of organic phosphorus mineralization by plants and by microorganisms in the rhizosphere. Therefore, the distribution of acid and alkaline phosphatase activity and the abundance of bacteria belonging to various bacterial phyla were investigated in the rhizosphere of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) as dependent on the availability of inorganic P. For this purpose, we conducted a greenhouse experiment with barley growing in inclined boxes that can be opened to the bottom side (rhizoboxes), and applied soil zymography and fluorescence-in situ-hybridization (FISH). Acid phosphatase activity was strongly associated with the root and was highest at the root tips. Due to P fertilization, acid phosphatase activity decreased in the bulk soil, and less strongly in the rhizosphere. Alkaline phosphatase activity, i.e., microbial phosphatase activity was high throughout the soil in the control treatment and was reduced due to inorganic P fertilization especially in the rhizosphere and less strongly in the bulk soil. P-fertilization slightly increased the total number of bacteria in the rhizosphere. Moreover, P-fertilization decreased the abundance of Firmicutes and increased the abundances of Beta- and Gamma-Proteobacteria. The total number of bacterial cells was significantly higher at the root surface than at the root tip and at a distance of 30 μm from the root surface. Our results show that alkaline phosphatase activity decreased more strongly in the rhizosphere than in the bulk soil due to P fertilization, which might be because of greater C deficiency in the bulk soil compared to the rhizosphere. Furthermore, the results indicate a spatial separation between hotspots of acid phosphatase activity and hotspots of bacteria in the rhizosphere of H. vulgare. Taken together, our study shows that bacteria and phosphatase activity were very heterogeneously distributed in soil, and that the effects of P fertilization on phosphatase activity differed strongly between bulk soil and rhizosphere as well as between various zones of the rhizosphere.     

崇明西红花根际土壤和球茎微生物多样性分析

为研究崇明西红花栽培地根际土壤和球茎中微生物多样性,采用Illumina MiSeq高通量测序技术对其微生物群落组成进行了比对分析。结果表明,西红花根际土壤和球茎中细菌和真菌在门类水平上菌群类别差异不显著,但在丰富度和多样性方面根际土壤明显高于球茎;在属和种水平上差异显著;在种水平上,根际土壤或球茎均有各自特有的细菌或真菌,且具有较高的相对丰度。西红花致病真菌瓶霉(Phialophora)和背芽突霉(Cadophora)在崇明西红花球茎大量存在。因此,推测西红花病害发生,除与土壤菌群相关外,与其内生细菌和真菌也紧密相关。本研究结果初步分析了崇明栽培地西红花根际土壤和球茎中微生物多样性及群落结构组成,为进一步筛选合适的崇明西红花栽培地土壤和种球杀菌剂提供了理论依据。     

Phosphate solubilizing microorganisms isolated from rhizosphere of maize cultivated in an oxisol of the Brazilian Cerrado Biome

Many soil microorganisms are able to transform insoluble forms of phosphorus to an accessible soluble form, contributing to plant nutrition as plant growth-promoting microorganisms (PGPM). The objective of this work was to isolate, screen and evaluate the phosphate solubilization activity of microorganisms in maize rhizosphere soil to manage soil microbial communities and to select potential microbial inoculants. Forty-five of the best isolates from 371 colonies were isolated from rhizosphere soil of maize grown in an oxisol of the Cerrado Biome with P deficiency. These microorganisms were selected based on the solubilization efficiency of inorganic and organic phosphate sources in a modified Pikovskaya's liquid medium culture containing sodium phytate (phytic acid), soybean lecithin, aluminum phosphate (AlPO₄), and tricalcium phosphate (Ca₃(PO₄)₂). The isolates were identified based on nucleotide sequence data from the 16S ribosomal DNA (rDNA) for bacteria and actinobacteria and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) rDNA for fungi. Bacteria produced the greatest solubilization in medium containing tricalcium phosphate. Strains B17 and B5, identified as Bacillus sp. and Burkholderia sp., respectively, were the most effective, mobilizing 67% and 58.5% of the total P (Ca₃(PO₄)₂) after 10 days, and were isolated from the rhizosphere of the P efficient L3 maize genotype, under P stress. The fungal population was the most effective in solubilizing P sources of aluminum, phytate, and lecithin. A greater diversity of P-solubilizing microorganisms was observed in the rhizosphere of the P efficient maize genotypes suggesting that the P efficiency in these cultivars may be related to the potential to enhance microbial interactions of P-solubilizing microorganisms.     

Significance of Silver Birch and Bushgrass for Establishment of Microbial Heterotrophic Community in a Metal-Mine Spoil Heap

Differences in the culturable fractions of total and metal-tolerant bacteria inhabiting bulk soil of a metal-mine spoil heap and the rhizosphere of silver birch (Betula pendula) or bushgrass (Calamagrostis epigejos), completed with changes in total microbial community structure in the soil, were assessed by MIDI-FAME (fatty acid methyl ester) profiling of whole-cell fatty acids. In addition, the abundance of metal-tolerant populations among the culturable bacterial communities and their identity and the metal-tolerance patterns were determined. The high proportions of Cu- and Zn-tolerant bacteria that ranged from 60.6% to 94.8% were ascertained in the heap sites. Within 31 bacterial isolates obtained, 24 strains were Gram-positive and Arthrobacter, Bacillus, Rathayibacter, Brochothrix, and Staphylococcus represented those identified. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) data indicated that several strains developed multi-metal tolerance, and the highest tolerance to Cu (10 mM) and Zn (12 mM) was found for Pseudomonas putida TP3 and three isolated strains (BS3, TP12, and SL16), respectively. The analysis of FAME profiles obtained from the culturable bacterial communities showed that Gram-positive bacteria predominated in bulk soil of all heap sites. In contrast, the rhizosphere communities showed a lower proportion of the Gram-positive group, especially for silver birch. For the total microbial community, mostly Gram-negative bacteria (e.g., Pseudomonas) inhabited the heap sites. The results suggest that the quantitative and qualitative development of heterotrophic microbiota in the soil of the metal-mine spoil heap seems to be site-dependent (i.e., rhizosphere vs. bulk soil), according to differences in the site characteristics (e.g., enrichment of nutrients and total metal concentrations) and impact of plant species.     

Effects of silver nanoparticles on soil microorganisms and maize biomass are linked in the rhizosphere

Silver nanoparticles hold great promise as effective anti-microbial compounds in a myriad of applications but may also pose a threat to non-target bacteria and fungi in the environment. Because microorganisms are involved in extensive interactions with many other organisms, these partner species are also prone to indirect negative effects from silver nanoparticles.Here, we focus on the effects of nanosilver exposure in the rhizosphere. Specifically, we evaluate the effect of 100 mg kg⁻¹ silver nanoparticles on maize plants, as well as on the bacteria and fungi in the plant's rhizosphere and the surrounding bulk soil. Maize biomass measurements, microbial community fingerprints, an indicator of microbial enzymatic activity, and carbon use diversity profiles are used. Hereby, it is shown that 100 mg kg⁻¹ silver nanoparticles in soil increases maize biomass, and that this effect coincides with significant alterations of the bacterial communities in the rhizosphere. The bacterial community in nanosilver exposed rhizosphere shows less enzymatic activity and significantly altered carbon use and community composition profiles. Fungal communities are less affected by silver nanoparticles, as their composition is only slightly modified by nanosilver exposure. In addition, the microbial changes noted in the rhizosphere were significantly different from those noted in the bulk soil, indicated by different nanosilver-induced alterations of carbon use and community composition profiles in bulk and rhizosphere soil.Overall, microorganisms in the rhizosphere seem to play an important role when evaluating the fate and effects of silver nanoparticle exposure in soil, and not only is the nanosilver response different for bacteria and fungi, but also for bulk and rhizosphere soil. Consequently, assessment of microbial populations should be considered an essential parameter when investigating the impacts of nanoparticle exposure.     

Community structure of prokaryotes and their functional potential in subsoils is more affected by spatial heterogeneity than by temporal variations

Spatial and temporal dynamics of microbial community structure and function in subsoils have been rarely studied in the past. In this paper we present data on how bacterial communities as well as selected functional groups of microbes change in the rhizosphere, the drilosphere, and in bulk soil over time in topsoil as well as in subsoil. We show that the overall richness of bacteria and abundance of nitrifiers and denitrifiers decreases in bulk soil with soil depth. However, these effects were not or to a much lower degree observed in the rhizosphere and the drilosphere. Temporal fluctuations contributed by far less than spatial factors to the dynamics of bacterial communities and abundance of nitrifiers and denitrifiers in all compartments independent from the soil depth.     

Amendment of degraded desert soil with wastewater debris containing immobilized Chlorella sorokiniana and Azospirillum brasilense significantly modifies soil bacterial community structure, diversity, and richness

The main goal of this study was to expand our knowledge of what happens to the soil bacterial community in an eroded desert soil when improvement of soil fertility is derived from the application of debris of tertiary wastewater treatment containing immobilized microalgae Chlorella sorokiniana and the plant growth-promoting bacterium (PGPB) Azospirillum brasilense. We hypothesized that an “improved” non-agricultural desert soil will exhibit substantial changes in the structure of the bacterial community in a relatively short time after amendment. To assess the effect of the amendments, microalgae and PGPB alone or combined, on the structure of the rhizosphere bacterial community, changes in species richness and bacterial diversity over time were based on sequence differences in the 16S rRNA gene, performed with PCR–denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) and then analyzed by similarity test and non-metric multidimensional scaling analysis. Root surface colonization and persistence in the rhizosphere of A. brasilense was monitored by fluorescent in situ hybridization and sequencing of DGGE bands. Application of waste debris significantly changed the rhizosphere bacterial population structure, whether comparisons were made over time, between inoculated and non-inoculated soil, and among different inoculated microorganisms. Species richness and diversity increased when the waste debris contained the microalgae–bacteria association and also over time. Even as its secondary role as an inoculant after wastewater treatment, A. brasilense colonized the root surface profusely and persisted within the rhizosphere bacterial community. This study demonstrated that small organic amendment to desert soil significantly changed soil bacterial community compared to the original soil and also 2 months after amendments were added.