尿素和生物炭施用对菜地土壤氨氧化作用的影响

研究将生物炭(40000 kg hm~(-2))和不同用量的尿素(0, 150, 300, 450 kg hm~(-2))施用于酸性红壤中,连续种植四季作物后采集菜地土壤样品,通过定量PCR方法测定添加硝化抑制剂后土壤氨氧化微生物数量和土壤氨氧化潜势的变化,并分析氨氧化古菌(AOA)和氨氧化细菌(AOB)对土壤氨氧化潜势的相对贡献,深入探讨生物炭和氮肥添加对菜地土壤氨氧化微生物和氨氧化潜势的影响。结果表明,与未添加生物炭相比,添加生物炭处理土壤容重降低了7.1%～11.5%,pH值提高了0.20～0.56个单位,有机质含量增加了13.5%～19.1%;与未施氮肥处理相比,无机氮的含量增加了38.5%～77.8%(未添加生物炭)和17.1%～59.5%(添加生物炭)。添加生物炭和氮肥处理AOA的基因拷贝数没有显著差异(P 0.05),氮肥添加提高了AOB的基因拷贝数147.5%～385.6%(未添加生物炭)和69.5%～514.0%(添加生物炭)。添加生物炭处理,随氮肥施用量的增加,氨氧化潜势降低了13.4%～20.7%。因此,本研究中氮肥添加使AOB的amoA基因拷贝数显著增加、氨氧化潜势显著下降,对AOA没有显著影响(P 0.05);AOA对氨氧化潜势起到了主导作用;生物炭和尿素添加通过改变土壤的无机氮含量、pH、有机质含量影响土壤氨氧化过程。     

氮肥施加条件下增温对硝化菌活性和丰度的影响

温度在多种生物地球化学过程中起到关键的调节作用,是影响土壤硝化作用和微生物分布的重要因素之一。硝化过程的第1个步骤由氨氧化细菌(AOB)和氨氧化古菌(AOA)催化,然而,不同施氮量下,增温对硝化菌活性和丰度的影响尚不清楚。本研究基于2008年10月起设立于太行山山前平原的长期增温试验平台(高于地表2m的红外加热器使土壤温度升高1.5℃),于2018年5月对不施氮(N0)和施氮[N1,240kg(N)·hm-2·a-1]下增温分别对0～10 cm和10～20 cm土壤硝化潜势(PNR)、AOA和AOB丰度的影响进行了研究。硝态氮(NO3--N和铵态氮(NH4+-N)含量用分光光度法测量,应用缓冲液培养法测定土壤PNR,提取土壤DNA后用实时荧光定量PCR技术测定功能基因AOA和AOB的丰度。结果表明:温度升高显著增加N1条件下PNR和NO3--N含量(P0.05),降低了N0条件下PNR和NO3--N含量,但差异不显著。N1条件下,增温土壤AOB丰度显著提高(P0.05); N0条件下,增温土壤AOA丰度显著降低(P0.05)。与N0相比, N1条件下的AOA/AOB比值明显降低,表明增温加氮肥处理对AOB的生长刺激更强烈。在增温加施氮条件下,细菌(AOB)表现显著的正反应,在增温不施氮条件下,古菌(AOA)和AOB表现显著的负反应。本研究结果可为全球增温背景下进一步了解硝化活性和氨氧化微生物对增温和氮有效性的响应提供科学依据。     

水氮耦合对设施农田土壤自养和异养硝化作用的影响

水氮措施影响设施土壤氮素的转化及硝化微生物活性,但水氮耦合对设施土壤自养和异养硝化作用差异的影响尚不明确。以连续8年设施水氮耦合田间定位试验土壤为研究对象,控制不同土壤田间持水量(WHC)(40%WHC、60%WHC和80% WHC)进行室内微宇宙培养试验,通过添加乙炔抑制剂抑制自养硝化途径,研究水氮耦合对设施土壤自养和异养硝化速率及参与自养硝化的氨氧化微生物的影响,分析氨氧化微生物氨氧化古细菌(AOA)和氨氧化细菌(AOB)对自养硝化作用的贡献。结果表明,水氮耦合下,不同硝化途径NH4+-N、NO^3--N含量以及参与自养硝化的AOA amoA和AOB amoA基因拷贝数均有显著差异。无乙炔培养7 d后,NO^3--N含量显著增加,而NH4+-N含量显著降低,AOA amoA和AOB amoA的基因丰度显著增加。添加乙炔后,NO^3--N、NH4+-N含量基本保持恒定,AOA amoA和AOB amoA基因丰度显著减少。水氮耦合显著影响自养和异养硝化速率,冗余分析(RDA)表明,NH4+-N含量、AOB amoA、NO^3--N-C2H2、AOA amoA可分别解释自养和异养硝化速率变异的68.9%、34.9%、32.8%和24.4%。设施土壤存在自养硝化和异养硝化两种途径,60%～80%WHC各施氮处理均以自养硝化为主,占总硝化速率的65%～86%;仅40%WHC下,氮纯养分量300和525 kg·hm-2处理以异养硝化为主,占总硝化速率的61%～77%。AOB和AOA共同驱动自养硝化,且AOB贡献更大。     

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。     

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。     

亚硝化球菌属(Nitrososphaera)可能是酸性土壤硝化作用的重要驱动者

选择初始pH相近的两个酸性土壤(JX-3和JX-7)样品进行培养试验,探讨了氨氧化古菌(ammonia-oxidizing archaea,AOA)和氨氧化细菌(ammonia-oxidizing bacteria,AOB)在酸性土壤硝化过程中所发挥的作用。结果显示,经过50 d的培养,JX-7样品硝化速率显著高于JX-3,且明显降低土壤pH。培养后,两个土壤样品AOB丰度均增加,但样品间没有显著差异;JX-7土壤AOA丰度显著增加,而JX-3无显著变化。两个土壤样品AOA群落组成本身存在分异,但对于同一样品培养前后均无显著分异;AOB群落组成在两土壤间没有分异,但培养前后分别有分异。培养后,JX-7样品中AOA优势属Nitrososphaera和某些未知微生物的个别OTUs绝对丰度显著增加,而两样品AOB中Nitrosospira属的一些OTUs的绝对丰度均显著增加。因此,所研究的酸性土壤样品中AOA是硝化作用的主要贡献者,而且AOA主要通过提高Nitrososphaera属中个别OTUs的丰度,而不是整个群落来调控硝化作用。     

长期施用含氯化肥对棕壤硝化作用及氨氧化微生物的影响

【目的】氨氧化微生物是氨氧化过程的主要驱动者,氨氧化过程作为硝化作用的限速步骤对氮循环具有重要作用。本研究以沈阳农业大学棕壤含氯化肥长期定位试验的土壤为研究对象,探讨了连续34年施用高氯和低氯化肥对棕壤硝化作用及氨氧化微生物的影响。【方法】该长期试验在等量氮、磷、钾条件下,设置高氯和低氯处理,共8个处理:T1(不施肥);T2(单施尿素);T3(尿素+氯化钾);T4(尿素+过磷酸钙);T5(尿素+过磷酸钙+氯化钾);T6(尿素+磷酸一铵+氯化钾);T7(尿素+氯磷铵+氯化钾);T8(硝酸磷肥+过磷酸钙+氯化钾),T7为高氯处理。采集0—20cm土壤样品,利用荧光定量PCR技术测定氨氧化细菌(AOB)和古菌(AOA)丰度,并结合土壤硝化潜势和基本化学性质,分析长期施用含氯化肥对棕壤硝化作用及氨氧化微生物丰度的影响及影响氨氧化微生物丰度的主要环境因素。【结果】长期施肥降低了土壤pH值,高氯处理降低得最多,显著低于其他处理;高氯处理的土壤硝化潜势也显著低于其他处理,且除高氯处理外,配施磷肥的处理土壤硝化潜势显著高于不施磷处理。各处理土壤中AOA丰度均显著高于AOB,高氯处理土壤中AOA、AOB丰度均显著低于其他处理,土壤硝化潜势与AOA和AOB均呈显著正相关关系。【结论】连续施用高氯化肥34年显著降低了棕壤AOA和AOB丰度,抑制了硝化潜势。该结果可为通过含氯化肥的合理施用来调节土壤AOA和AOB,进而调控土壤氮素循环提供参考。     

基于宏基因组学的酸性森林土壤氨氧化微生物群落特征研究

全球30%以上陆地面积是酸性土壤(pH5.5),而酸性土壤中氨氧化微生物群落特征研究是破译其硝化过程微生物学机理的基础。尤其随着完全硝化微生物(Complete ammonia oxidizer,comammox)的发现,亟需重新认知酸性土壤中氨氧化微生物类群。以酸性马尾松林为研究对象,综合利用荧光定量PCR(qPCR)、凝胶电泳半定量和宏基因组测序等技术研究土壤中氨氧化古菌(Ammonia-oxidizing archaea,AOA)、氨氧化细菌(Ammonia-oxidizing bacteria,AOB)和Comammox的相对丰度以及群落组成特征。研究发现AOA和AOB amoA基因丰度分别为2.61×106 copies·g~(-1)和1.45×106copies·g~(-1);而comammoxamoA基因qPCR结果存在显著的非特异性扩增,导致其丰度被高估,而经凝胶电泳半定量矫正后,约为(1.38～1.47)×106copies·g~(-1),该结果和土壤宏基因测序揭示的comammox相对丰度基本吻合。此外,宏基因组分析发现经典嗜酸group1.1a-associated仅占AOA总类群的12%,而group1.1b则占88%,尽管目前仍未有嗜酸group 1.1b AOA纯菌株的报道。AOB主要类群为Nitrosospira(约64%),而Nitrosomonas约占36%。Comammox主要类群为clade B(约64%),而clade A仅占36%且均隶属于clade A.1亚枝,这暗示clade B与已报道的嗜中性comammox clade A纯菌株有极大的生理代谢差异。总之,本研究提供了综合利用qPCR、半定量和宏基因组分析土壤氨氧化微生物群落的策略,并建议优化comammox的qPCR引物,同时本研究系统分析了酸性马尾松林土壤中氨氧化微生物的相对丰度和群落组成特征。     

氮肥形态对香蕉种植土壤中氨氧化细菌与古菌的影响

氨氧化微生物通过影响氮素在土壤中的转化而间接影响作物对不同氮素形态的吸收。因此,本实验采集了海南省种植香蕉的滨海土壤,通过施用硫酸铵和硝酸钙,研究了氨氧化细菌(AOB)和氨氧化古菌(AOA)的数量与群落的变化,并测定了香蕉的生长与氮营养状况。通过构建氨氧化细菌和古菌的功能基因amo A文库后发现:施用硫酸铵的土壤中AOB的amo A基因拷贝数显著高于施用硝酸钙的土壤和不施肥的土壤,而AOA的拷贝数低于硝酸钙与不施肥处理。但是氨氧化古菌AOA的绝对数量都高于AOB。施用硫酸铵的土壤中AOB的群落多样性和丰富度明显增加,而施用硝酸钙的土壤却没有发生显著变化。施用硫酸铵和硝酸钙的土壤中AOA群落结构相似,但丰富度和多样性均高于不施肥处理。从施肥效果看,相比硫酸铵,硝酸钙显著提高了香蕉植株的生物量和全氮含量。上述结果表明,在南方酸性土壤中AOA占优势,虽然施用铵态氮肥可以促进AOB的丰度与多样性,但是很可能会抑制AOA的数量。因此,在海南滨海土中施用铵态氮肥后,通过硝化作用以满足香蕉吸收硝态氮的需求达不到理想的效果,应直接补充硝态氮肥来促进香蕉生长。     

秸秆直接还田与炭化还田对潮土硝化微生物的影响

为比较秸秆直接还田和炭化还田对黄淮海平原小麦/玉米轮作体系典型潮土硝化作用及硝化微生物群落的影响,设置4个处理:全量小麦秸秆还田(S)、全量秸秆炭化还田(B)、半量秸秆半量生物质炭还田(SB)和不进行秸秆或生物质炭还田的对照(CK),连续进行3 a田间试验。对小麦、玉米两个生长季土壤理化性质进行分析,用末端限制性片段长度多态性(Terminal-restriction length polymorphism,T-RFLP)技术和克隆文库技术对氨氧化古菌(Ammonia-oxidizing archaea,AOA)和氨氧化细菌(Ammonia-oxidizing bacteria,AOB)群落结构和多样性进行分析。结果表明,在小麦季,与S处理相比,B处理显著降低了土壤容重,提高了土壤pH、有机碳(SOC)和速效钾(AK)含量(P0.05),但并未显著影响土壤水分、铵态氮(NH_4~+-N)和硝态氮(NO_3~--N)含量;B和SB处理的硝化潜势(Potential nitrification rate,PNR)分别为0.58、0.49μg·h~(-1)·g~(-1)(以NO_2~-计,下同),显著高于CK,与S处理(0.40μg·h~(-1)·g~(-1))差异不显著。玉米季,B处理显著提高了土壤水分、SOC和AK(P0.05),各处理玉米季的PNR整体低于小麦季,B处理最高(0.27μg·h~(-1)·g~(-1)),显著高于CK和S处理(P0.05)。小麦季PNR分别与AK、NH_4~+浓度和土壤容重显著相关(P0.05),与AOA和AOB群落组成均无显著关系;玉米季PNR仅与理化因子SOC显著相关,但该季节PNR与AOB群落结构显著相关。冗余分析(RDA)表明,土壤SOC、容重、pH和AK是显著影响硝化微生物群落结构的主要因子,对AOA和AOB群落结构总变异的解释量分别为76.4%和75.5%。系统发育树分析表明,AOA大部分属于土壤古菌Group1.1b,AOB多属于亚硝化螺菌Nitrosospira簇3。综上,与秸秆直接还田相比,炭化还田提高土壤硝化活性,改善部分土壤理化性质,引起土壤硝化微生物群落结构变化。     

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.     

Responses of bacterial and archaeal ammonia oxidizers to soil organic and fertilizer amendments under long-term management

Ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) co-exist in soil, but their relative distribution may vary depending on the environmental conditions. Effects of changes in soil organic matter and nutrient content on the AOB and AOA are poorly understood. Our aim was to compare effects of long-term soil organic matter depletion and amendments with labile (straw) and more recalcitrant (peat) organic matter, with and without easily plant-available nitrogen, on the activities, abundances and community structures of AOB and AOA. Soil was sampled from a long-term field site in Sweden that was established in 1956. The potential ammonia oxidation rates, the AOB and AOA amoA gene abundances and the community structures of both groups based on T-RFLP of amoA genes were determined. Straw amendment during 50 years had not altered any of the measured soil parameters, while the addition of peat resulted in a significant increase of soil organic carbon as well as a decrease in pH. Nitrogen fertilization alone resulted in a small decrease in soil pH, organic carbon and total nitrogen, but an increase in primary production. Type and amount of organic matter had an impact on the AOB and AOA community structures and the AOA abundance. Our findings confirmed that AOA are abundant in soil, but showed that under certain conditions the AOB dominate, suggesting niche differentiation between the two groups at the field site. The large differences in potential rates between treatments correlated to the AOA community size, indicating that they were functionally more important in the nitrification process than the AOB. The AOA abundance was positively related to addition of labile organic carbon, which supports the idea that AOA could have alternative growth strategies using organic carbon. The AOB community size varied little in contrast to that of the AOA. This indicates that the bacterial ammonia oxidizers as a group have a greater ecophysiological diversity and potentially cover a broader range of habitats.     

Responses of bacterial and archaeal ammonia oxidisers of an acidic luvisols soil to different nitrogen fertilization rates after 9?years

It is still not clear which group of ammonia-oxidizing microorganisms plays the most important roles in nitrification in soils. Change in abundances and community compositions of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) under long-term different nitrogen (N) fertilization rates were investigated in an acidic luvisols soil using real-time polymerase chain reaction and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis, respectively, based on the ammonia monooxygenase a-subunit gene. The experimental plan included the following treatments: control without N fertilization (N_CK), low N fertilization rate, middle N fertilization rate, and high N fertilization rate as 0, 100, 150, and 250?kg urea-N?ha^?1, respectively. Long-term different N fertilization rates did not significantly alter the total C and N contents of soil while it significantly decreased soil pH, which ranged from 5.60 to 5.20. The AOB abundance was more abundant in the N fertilization treatments than the N_CK treatment; the AOA abundance decreased by the increasing N fertilization rates, as did the ratios of AOA/AOB. The large differences in the potential nitrification rates among four treatments depended on the changes in AOA abundance but not to changes in AOB abundance. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the AOB communities were dominated by Nitrosospira clusters 1, 3, and 9 while all AOA sequences were grouped into soil/sediment cluster except for one sequence. Taken together, these results indicated that AOB and AOA preferred different soil N conditions and AOA were functionally more important in the nitrification than AOB in the acidic luvisols soil.     

长期施肥对水稻土剖面氨氧化古菌和细菌丰度及组成的影响

长期施肥影响稻田土壤理化性质和硝化微生物群落,但长期施肥对稻田不同土层氨氧化古菌(AOA)和氨氧化细菌(AOB)群落结构的影响尚不明确.以湖南宁乡稻田不同施肥制度长期定位试验为平台,选取不施肥(CK)、施秸秆有机肥(ST)、有机-无机肥配施(OM)和施全量化肥(NPK)4个处理,采用实时荧光定量PCR和Illumina...     

Responses of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria and archaea to nitrogen fertilization and precipitation increment in a typical temperate steppe in Inner Mongolia

As the first and rate-limiting step of nitrification, ammonia oxidation can be realized either by ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) or archaea (AOA). However, the key factors driving the abundance, community structure and activity of ammonia oxidizers are still unclear, and the relative importance of AOA and AOB in ammonia oxidation is unresolved. In the present study, we examined the effects of long-term (6 years) nitrogen (N) addition and simulated precipitation increment on the abundance and community composition of AOA and AOB based on a field trial in a typical temperate steppe of northern China. We used combined approaches of quantitative PCR, terminal-restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) and clone library analyses of amoA genes. The study objective was to determine (1) AOA and AOB diversity and activity in response to N addition and increased precipitation and (2) the relative contributions of AOA and AOB to soil ammonia oxidation in the typical temperate steppe. The results showed that the potential nitrification rate (PNR) increased with N addition, but decreased with increased precipitation. Both N addition and increased precipitation significantly increased AOB but not AOA abundance, and a significant correlation was only observed between PNR and AOB amoA gene copies. The T-RFLP analysis showed that both N and precipitation were key factors in shaping the composition of AOB, while AOA were only marginally influenced. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that all AOA clones fell within the soil and sediment lineage while all AOB clones fell within the Nitrosospira. The study suggested that AOA and AOB had distinct physiological characteristics and ecological niches. AOB were shown to be more sensitive to N and precipitation than AOA, and the ammonia oxidation process was therefore supposed to be mainly driven by AOB in this temperate steppe.     

Soil pH and plant diversity drive co-occurrence patterns of ammonia and nitrite oxidizer in soils from forest ecosystems

In this study, we investigated how co-occurrence patters of ammonia and nitrite oxidizers, which drive autotrophic nitrification, are influenced by tree species composition as well as soil pH in different forest soils. We expected that a decline of ammonia oxidizers in coniferous forests, as a result of excreted nitrification inhibitors and at acidic sites with low availability of ammonia, would reduce the abundance of nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB). To detect shifts in co-occurrence patterns, the abundance of key players was measured at 50 forest plots with coniferous respectively deciduous vegetation and different soil pH levels in the region Schwäbische Alb (Germany). We found ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) and Nitrospira-like NOB (NS) to be dominating in numbers over their counterparts across all forest types. AOA co-occurred mostly with NS, while bacterial ammonia oxidizers (AOB) were correlated with Nitrobacter-like NOB (NB). Co-occurrence patterns changed from tight significant relationships of all ammonia and nitrite oxidizers in deciduous forests to a significant relationship of AOB and NB in coniferous forests, where AOA abundance was reduced. Surprisingly, no co-occurrence structures between ammonia and nitrite oxidizers could be determined at acidic sites, although abundances were correlated to the respective nitrogen pools. This raises the question whether interactions with heterotrophic nitrifiers may occur, which needs to be addressed in future studies.     

长期施肥对酸性土壤氨氧化微生物群落的影响

【目的】 长期施肥显著影响着酸性土壤的pH,研究由此引起的土壤中氨氧化古菌 (ammonia-oxidizing archaea,AOA) 和氨氧化细菌 (ammonia-oxidizing bacteria,AOB) 的变化,为土壤培肥提供理论依据。 【方法】 供试土壤为27年长期定位施肥试验的红壤,供试作物为玉米。选择不施肥对照 (CK)、氮肥120 kg/(hm2·a)(N)、氮磷钾肥 (NPK) 和猪粪2000 kg/(hm2·a)(OM) 4个处理采集土壤样品,测定了土壤基本理化性状;利用qPCR、PCR-DGGE方法,分析土壤AOA和AOB群落丰度与组成。 【结果】 1) 长期定位施肥导致土壤pH值发生显著变化,N处理的土壤pH值最低,仅为4.03,其次是NPK和CK处理的土壤,OM处理土壤pH值最高,接近中性达6.40。2) 与CK相比,长期施肥提高了土壤有机质、全氮、铵态氮和硝态氮含量。3)OM处理显著提高了土壤NH₃浓度,而其它处理对NH₃浓度无显著影响。4) 施肥显著增加了土壤AOA的丰度,OM处理提升幅度最大;AOA丰度与土壤有机质碳、全氮呈极显著正相关 (P < 0.01),与铵态氮、土壤NH ₃浓度呈显著正相关 (P < 0.05),与土壤pH、硝态氮关系不显著 ( P > 0.05);施肥改变了AOA的群落结构,CK、N、NPK处理的群落结构差异不显著,OM处理与另外三个处理差别较大。主要AOA类群是Group 1.1b,少数属于Group 1.1a-associated。RDA分析表明,土壤pH值、有机质、总氮、铵态氮、土壤中NH ₃浓度是导致AOA群落变化的主要环境因子。5) 仅OM处理对AOB丰度和群落产生了显著影响,主要类群是Nitrosospira Cluster 3,少数属于Nitrosospira Cluster 9。AOB丰度与土壤NH₃浓度呈极显著正相关 (P < 0.01),与有机质碳、全氮呈显著正相关关系 ( P < 0.05),与土壤pH、铵态氮、硝态氮关系均不显著 ( P > 0.05)。 【结论】 长期施用不同肥料对酸性土壤的理化性质影响差异大,AOA和AOB的丰度和群落结构也发生了明显变化,尤其是施加有机肥之后。来自不同处理的大部分AOA属于Group 1.1b类群,少数属于Group 1.1a-associated类群。仅在OM处理中检测到AOB类群,大部分属于Nitrosospira Cluster 3,少数属于Nitrosospira Cluster 9。      

Different roles of rhizosphere effect and long-term fertilization in the activity and community structure of ammonia oxidizers in a calcareous fluvo-aquic soil

Ammonia oxidation is a critical step in the soil nitrogen (N) cycle and can be affected by the application of mineral fertilizers or organic manure. However, little is known about the rhizosphere effect on the function and structure of ammonia-oxidizing bacterial (AOB) and archaeal (AOA) communities, the most important organisms responsible for ammonia oxidation in agricultural ecosystems. Here, the potential nitrification activity (PNA), population size and composition of AOB and AOA communities in both the rhizosphere and bulk soil from a long-term (31-year) fertilizer field experiment conducted during two seasons (wheat and maize) were investigated using the shaken slurry method, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis. N fertilization greatly enhanced PNA and AOB abundance, while manure application increased AOA abundance. The community structure of AOB exhibited more obvious shifts than that of AOA after long-term fertilization, resulting in more abundant AOB phylotypes similar to Nitrosospira clusters 3 and 4 in the N-fertilized treatments. Moreover, PNA was closely correlated with the abundance and community structure of AOB rather than that of AOA among soils during both seasons, indicating that AOB play an active role in ammonia oxidation. Conversely, the PNA and population sizes of AOB and AOA were typically higher in the rhizosphere than the bulk soil, implying a significant rhizosphere effect on ammonia oxidation. Cluster and redundancy analyses further showed that this rhizosphere effect played a more important role in shaping AOA community structure than long-term fertilization. Overall, the results indicate that AOB rather than AOA functionally dominate ammonia oxidation in the calcareous fluvo-aquic soil, and that rhizosphere effect and fertilization regime play different roles in the activity and community structures of AOB and AOA.     

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.