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.     

不同施肥方式对红壤蔬菜田氨氧化细菌和氨氧化古菌群落的影响

通过构建氨单加氧酶基因(amoA)克隆文库,研究在红壤蔬菜田上只施用磷钾化肥(PK)、只施氮磷钾化肥(NPK)、施用腐熟有机肥(DNPK)和施用新鲜有机肥(FNPK)等4种不同施肥处理的土壤氨氧化细菌(AOB)和氨氧化古菌(AOA)群落多样性及与土壤脲酶活性的相关性。结果表明:施加有机肥处理(DNPK和FNPK)的蔬菜田土壤的AOB文库和AOA文库OTU数量和Shannon指数高于只施用无机肥(NPK和PK)处理的蔬菜田土壤;DNPK和FNPK处理的土壤优势AOB菌群为多形亚硝化叶菌(Nitrosolobus multiformis),比例分别为88.5%和68.5%,NPK和PK处理的土壤优势AOB菌群为亚硝化单胞菌属(Nitrosospirasp.),比例分别为54.8%和65.5%;DNPK、FNPK、NPK和PK处理土壤优势AOA菌群均为阿伯丁土壤亚硝化细杆菌侯选种(CandidatusNitrosotalea devanaterra),比例分别为90.9%、84.4%、77.8%和45.2%;施加有机肥处理(DNPK和FNPK)的土壤脲酶活性和氨氧化微生物的多样性指数都高于只施用无机肥处理(NPK和PK);AOA群落多样性指数与土壤脲酶活性呈显著正相关,而AOB群落多样性与土壤脲酶活性相关性不显著。总体来看,有机肥比无机肥处理提高了AOA和AOB群落多样性,且AOA在红壤蔬菜田土壤氨氧化过程中起着更为重要的作用。     

Cashew nut shell liquid potentially mitigates methane emission from the feces of Thai native ruminant livestock by modifying fecal microbiota

The methane-mitigating potency of cashew nutshell liquid (CNSL) was evaluated by investigating gas production from batch cultures using feces from Thai native ruminants that had been incubated for different periods. Feces was obtained from four Thai native cattle and four swamp buffaloes reared under practical feeding conditions at the Kasetsart University farm, Thailand. Fecal slurry from the same farm was also included in the analysis. CNSL addition successfully suppressed the methane production potential of feces from both ruminants by shifting short chain fatty acid profiles towards propionate production. Methane mitigation continued for almost 150 days, although the degree of mitigation was more apparent from Day 0 to Day 30. Bacterial and archaeal community shifts with CNSL addition were observed in feces from both ruminants; specifically, Bacteroides increased, whereas Lachnospiraceae and Ruminococcaceae decreased in feces to which CNSL was added. Fecal slurry did not show marked changes in gas production with CNSL addition. The findings showed that the addition of CNSL to the feces of ruminants native to the Southeast Asian region can suppress methane emission. Because CNSL can be easily obtained as a byproduct of the local cashew industry in this region, its on-site application might be ideal.     

Growth and morphologic response of rumen methanogenic archaea and bacteria to cashew nut shell liquid and its alkylphenol components

The growth and morphology of rumen methanogenic archaea (15 strains of 10 species in 5 genera, including 7 strains newly isolated in the present study) and bacteria (14 species in 12 genera) were investigated using unsupplemented in vitro pure cultures and cultures supplemented with cashew nut shell liquid (CNSL) and its phenolic compound components, anti-methanogenic agents for ruminant animals. Growth of most of the methanogens tested was inhibited by CNSL and alkylphenols at different concentrations ranging from 1.56 to 12.5 μg/ml. Of the alkylphenols tested, anacardic acid exhibited the most potent growth inhibition. Three gram-negative bacterial species involved in propionate production were resistant to CNSL and alkylphenols (>50 μg/ml). All the methanogens and bacteria that were sensitive to CNSL and alkylphenols exhibited altered morphology; disruption of the cell surface was notable, possibly due to surfactant activity of the tested materials. Cells division was inhibited in some organisms, with cell elongation and unclear septum formation observed. These results indicate that CNSL and alkylphenols, particularly anacardic acid, inhibit both rumen bacteria and methanogens in a selective manner, which could help mitigate rumen methane generation.     

Digestive physiology,metabolism and methane production of captive Linné's two‐toed sloths (Choloepus didactylus)

Sloths are renowned for their low metabolic rate, low food intake and low defecation frequency. We investigated factors of digestive physiology and energy metabolism in four captive individuals (mean body mass 10.0 ± SD 3.7 kg) of a hitherto mostly unstudied sloth species, Linné's two‐toed sloth (Choloepus didactylus), in a 2‐week digestion recording and 23‐h respiration experiment on animals fed a standard zoo diet of vegetables and starchy components. Dry matter intake, defecation frequency and particle mean retention time (MRT) in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) were 12 ± 3 g/(kg^0.75 day), once every 5 days and >140 h in three individuals, but 53 g/(kg^0.75 day), daily and 82 h in one individual that was apparently compensating for a period of weight loss prior to the experiment. In all animals, solute marker was eliminated at a faster rate than the particle marker, indicating ‘digesta washing’ in the sloths’ GIT. The overall metabolic rate calculated from oxygen consumption matched the metabolisable energy intake in three individuals [173 ± 22 vs. 168 ± 44 kJ/(kg^0.75 day)] but not in the fourth one [225 vs. 698 kJ/(kg^0.75 day)], supporting the interpretation that this animal was replenishing body stores. In spite of the low food intake and the low‐fibre diet (209 ± 26 g neutral detergent fibre/kg dry matter), methane production was rather high accounting for 9.4 ± 0.8% of gross energy intake (2.7% in the fourth individual), which exceeded literature data for ruminants on forage‐only diets. These results corroborate literature reports on low intake, low defecation frequency, low metabolic rate and long MRT in other sloth species. The long MRT is probably responsible for the comparatively high methane production, providing more opportunity for methanogenic archaea than in other non‐ruminant mammals to produce significant amounts of methane.     

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。     

模拟条件下土壤硝化作用及硝化微生物对不同水分梯度的响应

以江苏滨海县一植稻土壤为研究对象,在微宇宙培养条件下设置了不同水分处理(最大持水量的30%、60%、90%和淹水2 cm深),研究了硝化作用及硝化微生物对水分变化的响应特征。结果表明:淹水处理显著降低了土壤的氧化还原电位(Eh),但所有处理土壤Eh变化范围为330~500 m V,土壤整体处于氧化态。在每7天向土壤加入10 mg kg-1NH+4-N的连续培养过程中,各个水分处理均观察到明显的NH+4-N降低和NO-3-N累积的现象,60%WHC处理下土壤硝态氮累积最显著和迅速,90%WHC处理次之,随培养时间延长,30%WHC和淹水处理也观察到明显的硝化作用。淹水处理中氨氧化细菌(Ammonia-oxidizing bacteria,AOB)的数量显著高于非淹水处理,且淹水处理中AOB在DGGE图谱上的条带更加清晰明亮,而氨氧化古菌(Ammonia-oxidizing archaea,AOA)的群落组成和数量在不同水分处理间无明显变化。表明该土壤中AOB对水分条件变化响应灵敏,是该土壤的硝化作用、尤其是淹水条件下硝化作用发生的主要原因。     

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。