European Journal of Soil Biology最新文献

{"title":"Effects of black soldier fly larval frass addition on the winter wheat ecosystem: a mesocosm experiment","authors":"Anton A. Goncharov ,&nbsp;Alexander I. Bastrakov ,&nbsp;Olga L. Makarova ,&nbsp;Kirill A. Mashkov ,&nbsp;Valentina N. Maygurova ,&nbsp;Mikhail M. Karpukhin ,&nbsp;Maksim I. Kartashov ,&nbsp;Natalia A. Kuznetsova ,&nbsp;Ivan V. Sotnikov ,&nbsp;Ivan D. Tsvelev ,&nbsp;Azida K. Tkhakakhova ,&nbsp;Renat V. Khusainov ,&nbsp;Nina A. Ushakova","doi":"10.1016/j.ejsobi.2025.103734","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ejsobi.2025.103734","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Black Soldier Fly (<em>Hermetia illucens</em>) larval (BSFL) frass demonstrated a pronounced inhibitory effect <em>in vitro</em> on isolates of the soil-borne phytopathogenic fungus <em>Fusarium oxysporum</em>, the causal agent of Fusarium wilt. No studies have examined the influence of BSFL frass on Fusarium wilt in crops. To address this gap, we conducted a mesocosm experiment to assess the efficacy of BSFL frass (200 g m⁻²) added during two different stages of winter wheat seedling growth (simultaneously with sowing or at the tillering stage) on four parameters (study outcomes) that describe the development of Fusarium wilt: plant dry mass, Fusarium wilt incidence, number of <em>Fusarium</em> spp. gene copies in the soil, and biomass of <em>Fusarium</em> spp. in the soil. Soil chemical properties and abundance of key soil invertebrates (Nematoda, Acari and Collembola) were measured to describe mechanisms. <em>Fusarium</em> spp. biomass increased 132 % in the later BSFL frass addition treatment compared to the control (soil without BSFL frass amendment). Fusarium wilt incidence decreased non-significantly in both early (3 %) and later (8 %) addition treatments. Plant dry mass increased 27 % in the early addition treatment, while soil phosphorus concentration increased 21 % in the later addition treatment. Bacterial feeding and predatory nematodes increased 106 % and 65 %, respectively, in the later addition treatment. Mycophagous Acari increased 106 % in the early addition treatment, while predatory Acari showed five-fold growth in later addition treatments. The main mechanism of BSFL frass influence appears to be promoting saprotrophic mycobiota and increasing soluble phosphorus availability for plants.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12057,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Soil Biology","volume":"125 ","pages":"Article 103734"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-05-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144137916","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Variations in rainfall reduce the contribution of soil fauna to litter decomposition in subtropical mixed forests","authors":"Jian Feng ,&nbsp;Yunxing Bai ,&nbsp;Yunchao Zhou ,&nbsp;Haiyang Guan ,&nbsp;Manyi Fan ,&nbsp;Yaoxiong Wang ,&nbsp;Fenghua Tang ,&nbsp;Yang Peng","doi":"10.1016/j.ejsobi.2025.103733","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ejsobi.2025.103733","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The impacts of global climate change on terrestrial ecosystems are becoming increasingly obvious, particularly changes in rainfall patterns, which directly affect nutrient cycling in forest detrital-based food webs. However, how soil fauna affects litter decomposition and nutrient release under changing rainfall patterns remains to be further studied. We set up litterbag experiments in pure stands of <em>Pinus massoniana</em> (PM) and in mixed forests (PM + <em>Bretschneidera sinensis</em>, PM + <em>Cercidiphyllum japonicum</em>, PM + <em>Taxus wallichiana</em>, and PM + <em>Nageia nagi</em>) in subtropical China to determine how changes in rainfall, such as a 30 % increase or decrease and natural rainfall, affect litter decomposition by soil fauna. Our results indicated that although the effects of increased (promoting effect) and decreased rainfall (inhibiting effect) on the abundance and diversity of soil fauna in mixed litter varied, precipitation changes significantly reduce the contribution of soil fauna to litter decomposition. Compared to natural rainfall quantities, the increase and decrease in rainfall prolonged the time required for 95 % decomposition of litter by 9.93–37.24 % and 32.38–77.07 %, respectively. Soil fauna mitigated the inhibitory effect of reduced rainfall on carbon release from mixed litter, whereas in the case of increased rainfall, the enhanced release of nutrients such as carbon, phosphorus, and potassium from the litter is not attributed to soil fauna. Moreover, the effect of soil fauna on decomposition rates was more obvious in single litter, but rainfall variability had a greater impact on mixed litter. Rainfall changes were an indirect driver of litter decomposition rates, mediating soil fauna and nutrient release. This study demonstrates that litter decomposition is inhibited by changes in rainfall, which also reduces the contribution of soil fauna to litter decomposition. This adds new perspectives and insights for future research on material cycling and decomposer diversity protection in forest systems under climate change.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12057,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Soil Biology","volume":"125 ","pages":"Article 103733"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-05-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144068278","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The making of a (soil) star: phylogenetic relationships of the genus Lumbricus with insight into its evolution and biogeography","authors":"Daniel F. Marchán ,&nbsp;Alejandro Martínez Navarro ,&nbsp;Manuel Aira ,&nbsp;Thibaud Decaëns ,&nbsp;Sylvain Gérard ,&nbsp;Jorge Domínguez","doi":"10.1016/j.ejsobi.2025.103732","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ejsobi.2025.103732","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The widely distributed earthworm genus <em>Lumbricus</em> exhibits significant ecological and morphological diversity, playing essential roles in soil ecosystems. This study presents a comprehensive molecular phylogeny of the genus, incorporating eighteen taxa and four mitochondrial and anuclear marker. The aim was to clarify the phylogenetic relationships within <em>Lumbricus</em> and examine the evolutionary trajectory of bioturbation behaviour and geographic origins.</div><div>Phylogenetic analyses revealed three major clades within <em>Lumbricus</em>, with <em>Lumbricus baicalensis</em> emerging as the earliest branching species. Evolutionary relationships suggested that the common ancestor of the genus was an epigeic litter dweller, with epi-anecic traits appearing later in their evolutionary history. Ancestral area reconstruction indicated that the genus originated in France and Central Europe, aligning with previous hypotheses of an Alpine origin. Molecular phylogenetics reinforced the monophyly of the genus, confirming the species status of previously unassessed taxa, such as <em>Lumbricus meliboeus</em> and <em>Lumbricus polyphemus</em>. Additionally, high genetic divergence was found between some infraspecific taxa, suggesting that <em>Lumbricus castaneus</em> var. <em>disjunctus</em> and <em>Lumbricus rubellus castaneoides</em> may represent pseudocryptic species. Previous hypotheses about the giant endemic species <em>Lumbricus badensis</em> evolving from a common ancestor with <em>Lumbricus friendi</em> around the Last Glacial Maximum were not supported by our results.</div><div>These findings contributed an evolutionary and biogeographic background to understand the current ecology and distribution of invasive <em>Lumbricus</em> species such as <em>Lumbricus terrestris</em> or <em>Lumbricus castaneus</em>, potentially opening the way to improved management of these impactful species.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12057,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Soil Biology","volume":"125 ","pages":"Article 103732"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-05-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143941869","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Ant community composition defines nest mound dynamics across successional stages in desert restoration","authors":"Lei Zhou ,&nbsp;Rentao Liu ,&nbsp;Marcelo Sternberg ,&nbsp;Hui An ,&nbsp;Jiancai Sun ,&nbsp;Feiyue Zeng","doi":"10.1016/j.ejsobi.2025.103731","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ejsobi.2025.103731","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Ants play critical roles as ecosystem engineers in desert environments. This study investigates how ant community composition and diversity influence mound morphology and spatial distribution across a succession of revegetated areas in the Tengger Desert, China. We examined four stages of revegetation—5 years (5a), 8 years (8a), 34 years (34a), and 57 years (57a)—representing different stages in the successional process. Using a combination of sampling techniques, we found that ant abundance peaked in intermediate stages (8 years), while α and β diversity increased linearly with succession. Mound density and size decreased significantly after 34 years, and spatial distribution shifted from aggregated patterns in early and intermediate stages to a uniform distribution in the later stage (57 years). Notably, β diversity and the abundance of the dominant species, <em>Formica cunicularia</em>, were key drivers of these changes. This study highlights the importance of β diversity in influencing ecosystem engineering processes during long-term successional stages. These findings provide a theoretical basis for future restoration strategies that integrate ant community dynamics in desertified ecosystems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12057,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Soil Biology","volume":"125 ","pages":"Article 103731"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-05-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143935780","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The influences of iron plaque on nitrogen emissions from paddy soils under different water management practices","authors":"Ting Liu ,&nbsp;Mengting Liu ,&nbsp;Zixian Zhang ,&nbsp;Jinzhi Yao ,&nbsp;Shuping Qin ,&nbsp;Rongzhong Guo ,&nbsp;Xiao Xiao","doi":"10.1016/j.ejsobi.2025.103730","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ejsobi.2025.103730","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Iron plaque (IP), commonly found on rice roots, influences nitrogen emissions, particularly nitrous oxide (N₂O) and dinitrogen (N₂) gases, under different water management practices. However, the mechanisms underlying this influence remain unclear. In this study, the cylinder-in-cylinder method was employed to determine nitrogen emissions from rice soils under alternate wetting and drying or continuous flooding conditions in a laboratory pot experiment. The effects of iron plaque on N₂O and N₂ emissions were investigated. It was found that iron plaque increased N₂O and N₂ emissions, particularly under continuous flooding conditions. The abundance of <em>nosZ</em> gene was positively related to N₂ emission, and the relationship was significant under continuous flooding condition (<em>p ≤ 0.05</em>). The presence of iron plaque increased the richness of <em>nirS-</em> and <em>nosZ</em>-type denitrifiers (<em>p ≤ 0.001</em>) and led to alteration in denitrifier community composition. Specifically, the relative abundance of <em>Pseudomonas</em> was increased (<em>p ≤ 0.001</em>), which probably influenced N₂O and N₂ emissions. These findings help to better understand the effects of iron plaque on N emissions from agricultural ecosystems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12057,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Soil Biology","volume":"125 ","pages":"Article 103730"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-05-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143935779","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Drought and litter quality effects on the contribution of soil fauna to decomposition in a Mediterranean forest","authors":"Francisco L. Villazón-Orozco ,&nbsp;Miquel Ferrín ,&nbsp;Laura Márquez ,&nbsp;Jordi Sardans ,&nbsp;Romà Ogaya ,&nbsp;Josep Peñuelas ,&nbsp;Guille Peguero","doi":"10.1016/j.ejsobi.2025.103729","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ejsobi.2025.103729","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Soil animals accelerate leaf litter decomposition and nutrient mobilization; however, the combined effects of drought and litter quality on their contributions to these key ecosystem processes remain underexplored. We investigated the effects of experimental drought and litter quality on soil fauna communities’ contributions to leaf litter decomposition in a Mediterranean forest. Leaf litter from <em>Quercus ilex</em> and <em>Phillyrea latifolia</em>, was incubated for one year in litterbags with varying mesh sizes across eight 150-m² plots; half received long-term drought treatment. We measured litter biomass loss in each litterbag, leaf litterfall, nitrogen concentrations in leaves and litter, photosynthetically active radiation at each plot. Soil mesofauna were sampled three times during litterbag incubation. Our results showed that litter mass loss was greater for <em>P. latifolia</em> under experimental drought, while no significant differences were found in controlled conditions. Soil animals generally preferred <em>P. latifolia</em> over <em>Q. ilex</em> in both treatments, although overall contribution to litter decomposition was slightly lower under drought. Light extinction rate was lower in drought plots with reduced canopy height, indicating potential degradation of lignin and cellulose by solar radiation. Litter of <em>P. latifolia</em> contained higher nitrogen concentrations than <em>Q. ilex</em>, attributed to its lower resorption efficiency, possibly explaining its preference by soil fauna detritivores. Drought significantly impacted soil mesofauna abundance, reducing their density by 37.9 %. Our research indicates that direct impacts of drought on soil fauna communities might constrain their ability to facilitate litter decomposition, hindering their capacity to counteract nutrient cycling slowdown in Mediterranean ecosystems amid ongoing climate change.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12057,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Soil Biology","volume":"125 ","pages":"Article 103729"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-04-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143876574","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Regulation of soil microorganisms and phosphorus cycling genes on soil phosphorus availability in desert steppe under warming and phosphorus input","authors":"Lingxia Feng ,&nbsp;Bing Cao","doi":"10.1016/j.ejsobi.2025.103728","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ejsobi.2025.103728","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Climate warming can directly or indirectly influence soil phosphorus (P) availability. Soil microorganisms are essential driving forces of P cycling. However, how the soil microbes and P cycling genes respond to variations in soil P availability on climate warming in the P-limited desert steppe is unclear. In this study, we conducted a field experiment using two temperature levels (control, warming) and three P fertilizer addition rates (0, 5, 10 g P m⁻²·yr⁻¹) in the desert steppe. Microbiological and metagenomic analyses were used to explore the shifts in the relative abundance and compositions of soil microbial and P cycling genes in response to warming and P inputs. The results demonstrated that warming decreased soil labile P (7.04 %) by reducing the percentages of resin-P, NaHCO₃-Pi, and HCl-Pi in inorganic P (Pi). P inputs significantly increased soil TP, MBP, Pi, and inorganic P fractions contents, and further enhanced soil labile P (1.27–3.55 times), moderately labile P (7.04–17.59 %), and stable P (4.23-10.47 %). The interaction of warming and P addition increased NaHCO₃-Pi, the percentages of NaHCO₃-Pi in Pi, and improved soil labile P (1.68–2.05 times) and stable P (5.38–10.38 %). Soil P availability was mainly regulated by TP and MBP, which were positively correlated with the organic P mineralization gene (<em>phnW</em>). Our findings indicated that soil bacteria and fungi did not alter in response to changes in P availability under warming and P input. The <em>phnW</em> gene played an essential role in regulating soil P availability in the desert steppe.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12057,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Soil Biology","volume":"125 ","pages":"Article 103728"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-04-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143860172","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Soil potentially toxic elements promote carbon metabolism in alpine meadows on the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau","authors":"Sichen Pan ,&nbsp;Caiyun Luo ,&nbsp;Xin Chen ,&nbsp;Dongdong Chen ,&nbsp;Qi Li ,&nbsp;Fuquan He ,&nbsp;Yukun Zhang ,&nbsp;Li Zhang ,&nbsp;Liang Zhao","doi":"10.1016/j.ejsobi.2025.103727","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ejsobi.2025.103727","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Potentially toxic elements (PTEs) of soil are crucial for sustaining the equilibrium of grassland \"vegetation-soil-microorganism\" systems and influencing terrestrial biogeochemical cycles. This study investigated how PTEs influence microbial community structure and carbon metabolism by comparing soil microbial differences under fencing enclosure (FE), winter grazing (WG), and artificial unicast oat (AU) management practices. This was done in alpine meadows using metagenomic sequencing techniques. The results indicated that management measures significantly changed the distribution of the Cr, Hg, and As, with Cr and As being the highest in AU and Hg being the highest in FE. In the purine metabolic pathway, Hg had a significant positive effect on soil microbial biomass carbon (SMBC) metabolism, which was catabolized by the prokaryote Chloroflexi and the fungal organism Chytridiomycota during guanosine triphosphate (GTP) catabolism and xanthosine monophosphate (XMP) synthesis to promote soil SMBC cycling. Cr had a significant negative effect on soil organic carbon (SOC) and SMBC metabolism during the synthesis of xanthonsine, urate, 5-hydroxy-2-oxo-4-ureido-2,5-dihydro-1H-imidazole-5-carboxylate and CO₂. Additionally, the enrichment and decomposition of Cr by the prokaryotic organisms Proteobacteria and Verrucomicrobia, inhibited SMBC and SOC transformation and affected soil CO₂ emissions. Further, by comparing resistance genes, it was found that alpine meadows were more resistant to Hg and Cr and that fungal organisms were more tolerant to Cr than prokaryotes. Overall, Cr and Hg interact with microorganisms to influence SOC and SMBC metabolic processes and have a positive effect on carbon sequestration in alpine meadows.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12057,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Soil Biology","volume":"125 ","pages":"Article 103727"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143833564","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Changes in microbial communities in biological soil crusts along an altitudinal gradient in the northeastern Qinghai-Tibet plateau","authors":"Yuan Zhang ,&nbsp;Benli Liu ,&nbsp;Jianjun Qu","doi":"10.1016/j.ejsobi.2025.103726","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ejsobi.2025.103726","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Biological soil crusts (BSCs) cover approximately 12 % of the earth's terrestrial surface and play vital ecological roles in various dry habitats. However, most research on BSCs has focused on deserts in arid and semi-arid regions, with limited studies on BSCs under sensitive, fragile, and cold conditions, such as those found in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Notably, investigations into the complete successional stages of BSCs in these regions are exceedingly rare. In this study, we examined four successional stages of BSCs across five sites at elevations ranging from 2862 to 4274 m in the northeastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. High-throughput sequencing was used to analyze the bacterial, fungal, and archaeal communities in the soil, and their diversity, interactions, spatial distribution patterns, and influencing factors were investigated. Our results indicated that in alpine degraded grassland ecosystems, the altitude gradient played a significant role in shaping the distribution patterns of microbial communities during the succession of BSCs. At lower elevations (2862–3405 m), the successional patterns of α-diversity for the three microbial communities were relatively consistent. In contrast, α-diversity patterns at higher altitudes showed greater variability. Differences in bacterial composition between high-altitude areas (3760 m and 4274 m) increased with the development and succession of BSCs, while the differences between low-altitude areas (2862 m and 3405 m) showed opposite trend. The differences in fungal composition across all altitude regions gradually decreased with the succession of BSCs. Additionally, bacterial and fungal composition demonstrated more distinct altitudinal zonation characteristics compared to archaea. Within the bacterial, fungal, or archaeal communities, mutualistic interactions were stronger than competitive interactions, facilitating adaptation to the harsh high-altitude environment. Furthermore, mean annual precipitation, mean annual temperature, pH, and sand content collectively influenced the microbial community distribution patterns in alpine degraded grassland ecosystems. Our research provides scientific references for the distribution and resource protection of BSCs in the Qinghai-Tibet plateau.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12057,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Soil Biology","volume":"125 ","pages":"Article 103726"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-04-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143829800","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The hidden shift: The role of exotic plantations in modulating soil arthropod communities in an arid island","authors":"Adolfo Perdomo-González ,&nbsp;Raquel Pérez-Reverón ,&nbsp;Marta Goberna ,&nbsp;Heriberto López ,&nbsp;Paula Arribas ,&nbsp;J. Alfredo Reyes-Betancort ,&nbsp;Carmelo Andújar ,&nbsp;Francisco J. Díaz-Peña","doi":"10.1016/j.ejsobi.2025.103724","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ejsobi.2025.103724","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Reforestation with exotic species has often been used in arid and semiarid areas to restore degraded ecosystems. However, the effects of these plantations on soil biodiversity are still under debate. In the present study, we aimed to evaluate the long-term impacts (&gt;60 years) of exotic plantations with <em>Acacia cyclops</em> and <em>Pinus halepensis</em> on soil biodiversity in an insular arid ecosystem of high ecological value. To do so, we study soil quality and soil arthropod communities in patches of vegetation under uniform edaphoclimatic conditions. Soil quality assessment was carried out by developing an ad-hoc Soil Quality Index (SQI) across seven sites, including two plantations (<em>Pinus</em> or <em>Acacia</em>), two degraded areas with a low cover of native species, and three sites with a high cover of native species. Whole organism community DNA (wocDNA) metabarcoding and barcoding were used to analyse key soil arthropod groups (Coleoptera, Acari and Collembola) recognized as habitat quality and biodiversity indicators. Our findings show that exotic plantations improved soil quality compared to degraded sites, with a considerable increase in the organic carbon pool, macronutrients and microbiological activity (SQI = 0.53 ± 0.12 <em>vs.</em> 0.29 ± 0.06). This improvement did not reach the values recorded in soils with a high cover of preserved native flora (SQI = 0.65 ± 0.12), with some exceptions. Richness of mesofauna and Coleoptera was lower in degraded areas (4.4 ± 1.6 and 0.4 ± 0.7, respectively) followed by exotic plantations (9.5 ± 2.6 and 1.2 ± 0.9) and permanent native vegetation (14.1 ± 5.5 and 2.2 ± 1.8). Soil quality significantly explained up to 52 % and 17 % of the variance in the richness of mesofauna and Coleoptera, respectively. While exotic plantations appear to prevent further land degradation in terms of soil quality, multivariate analysis shows that the structure of soil arthropod communities, particularly in <em>Pinus</em> plantations and to a lesser extent in <em>Acacia</em> plantations, differs significantly from that of soils in ecosystems with remnant native flora. These results highlight the need for a careful balance between biodiversity conservation and soil health management, especially in areas susceptible to desertification.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12057,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Soil Biology","volume":"125 ","pages":"Article 103724"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-04-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143792634","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}