Applied Soil Ecology最新文献

{"title":"Forest conversion alters microbial decomposition of soil organic matter","authors":"Xinjing Qu ,&nbsp;Jiahuan Guo ,&nbsp;Haiyun Zi ,&nbsp;Yakov Kuzyakov ,&nbsp;Biao Zhu ,&nbsp;Xiaogang Li","doi":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106336","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106336","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Soil microorganisms are critical to maintain carbon (C) balance by decomposition of plant residues and microbial necromass. The effects of deforestation on mechanisms and factors of microbially mediated decomposition of organic compounds in soil remain unclear. Topsoil (0–20 cm) was sampled from native forests, plantations, and croplands at six sites in subtropical China using space-for-time substitution. Metagenomic sequencing combined with the Carbohydrate-Active Enzymes (CAZyme) database was used to trace microbial C-degradation potentials under deforestation. Forest conversion altered the community composition of C-degrading microorganisms, leading to a shift from oligotrophic Acidobacteria to dominance of other low-abundance taxa. The effects of forest conversion to cropland on microbial C-degradation potentials was stronger than that of conversion to plantations. After forest conversion to cropland, the abundance of genes involved in the degradation of plant-derived hemicellulose and cellulose and bacteria-derived peptidoglycan increased by 11 %–19 %, whereas the abundance of genes encoding the degradation of plant-derived lignin and fungi-derived glucans decreased by more than 20 %. This indicated a shift in microbial C-degradation preference from recalcitrant compounds to labile substrates. The increase in total phosphorus content in soil and pH, and the decrease in the carbon-to‑nitrogen ratio after deforestation, were the most important factors driving the change of CAZyme C-degradation genes. The C-degradation genes partially explained microbial enzyme activities, such as decreased of GH39 (β-xylosidase) with the corresponding enzyme activities. Overall, changes in microbial C-degradation genes and soil properties after forest conversion shifts microbial C-degradation preferences and impact soil C cycling by land-use change.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8099,"journal":{"name":"Applied Soil Ecology","volume":"214 ","pages":"Article 106336"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2025-07-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144672501","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":"Bacterial communities driving cabbage yield increases and pathogenic risks reduces following wastewater irrigation: Effects of nitrification inhibitors on different soil-vegetable systems","authors":"Manyun Zhang ,&nbsp;Minzhe Zhou ,&nbsp;Xinlin Zhao ,&nbsp;Shahla Hosseini Bai ,&nbsp;Hua Wang ,&nbsp;Bin Ma ,&nbsp;Tangrong Zhou ,&nbsp;Yan Wang ,&nbsp;Zhenrong Huang ,&nbsp;Benliang Zhao ,&nbsp;Wenhui Tang ,&nbsp;Falin Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106324","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106324","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Wastewater irrigation has the potential to enhance crop productivity but could have negative impacts on soil-vegetable systems health. This study was conducted to explore the effects of wastewater and nitrification inhibitors dicyandiamide (DCD), and 3,4-dimethylpyrazole phosphate (DMPP) on the soil potential pathogenicity and vegetable yield in different soil-vegetable systems. The extra DMPP significantly increased cabbage yield by improving vegetable quality, increasing the endophytic bacterial community diversity, and enhancing <em>nir</em>B gene abundance, compared with wastewater irrigation alone. Compared with control treatment, wastewater irrigation alone increased soil potential pathogenicity by 17.39 % and 2.58 % in neutral and acidic soils, respectively. Relative to the wastewater irrigation alone, the extra DMPP could reduce soil potential pathogenicity in neutral and acidic soils by 2.87 % and 5.50 % via increasing the endophytic bacterial community stability and increasing the proportions of soil <em>Myxococcota</em>, <em>Gemmatimonadota</em>, <em>Actinobacteriota</em> and <em>Proteobacteria</em>, respectively.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8099,"journal":{"name":"Applied Soil Ecology","volume":"214 ","pages":"Article 106324"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2025-07-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144672181","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":"Initial litter quality modulates the positive effects of soil fauna on litter mass and component loss: a global synthesis","authors":"Guiqing Zhu ,&nbsp;Fuzhong Wu ,&nbsp;Cuihuan Li ,&nbsp;Kai Yue ,&nbsp;Jun Su ,&nbsp;Chaoxiang Yuan ,&nbsp;Hongrong Guo ,&nbsp;Jielu Wu ,&nbsp;Xue Zhang ,&nbsp;Yan Peng","doi":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106332","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106332","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Soil fauna plays a crucial role in litter decomposition, but its contribution to the loss of mass and the associated litter components such as carbon (C), nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), lignin, and cellulose, as well as litter stoichiometry (e.g., C:N, C:P, N:P, and lignin:N ratio) are not clear. Here, we performed a meta-analysis using 7973 paired observations from 198 peer-reviewed publications to fill this knowledge gap. These observations were from litterbags including and excluding soil fauna, using physical methods (mesh sizes ≤0.1 mm, from 0.1 up to 2 mm, and &gt; 2 mm) or chemical techniques. We found that soil fauna showed an overall positive effect on litter decomposition, increasing the loss of litter mass, C, N, P, and lignin by 24.9, 15.3, 19.9, 19.2, and 20.9 % on average, respectively, but decreasing the C:P ratio by 12.3 %. Plant functional type and exclusion technique had significant impacts on C loss. Exclusion technique and leaf litter shape also significantly influenced the C:N ratio. The effect of soil fauna on the loss of litter mass and components increased along with the decomposing process. Initial litter quality, especially C concentration, C:N ratio, and lignin:N ratio, was the dominant factor controlling litter mass, N, and P loss. Our findings highlight the critical role of soil fauna in regulating litter decomposition and the associated C and nutrient loss processes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8099,"journal":{"name":"Applied Soil Ecology","volume":"213 ","pages":"Article 106332"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2025-07-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144665635","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":"Log decomposition and forest gaps synergistically shape the structure and function of wood-inhabiting microbial communities in forest ecosystems","authors":"Qin Wang ,&nbsp;Zhuang Wang ,&nbsp;Josep Peñuelas ,&nbsp;Rui Cao ,&nbsp;Lifeng Wang ,&nbsp;Wanqin Yang","doi":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106316","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106316","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Understanding the intricate relationships between microbes, log decomposition, and forest disturbance is vital for conserving microbial diversity and maintaining the health of forest ecosystems. However, the successional dynamics of wood-inhabiting microbial communities across different decay stages and their responses to varying forest gap positions remain poorly understood. Here, we present results from a 6-year in-situ experiment using Minjiang fir (<em>Abies faxoniana</em>) logs across five decay classes (I–V, representing increasing levels of decay) placed in gap centers, gap edges and under a closed canopy on the eastern Tibetan Plateau, China. Using high-throughput sequencing coupled with FUNGuild and Functional Annotation of Prokaryotic Taxa (FAPROTAX) analyses, we identified a total of 6193 fungal and 10,530 bacterial operational taxonomic units (OTUs). Fungal diversity in decaying logs initially increased, peaking in class III (maximum increase: 64 %), before declining in later stages. In contrast, bacterial diversity increased continuously, reaching its highest levels in decay classes IV and V (maximum increase: 27 %). Both fungal and bacterial species richness in decaying logs were greater at the center of forest gaps than under the closed canopy. Highly decayed logs favored specific fungal functional groups, such as ectomycorrhizal and saprotrophic fungi. Bacterial functional groups associated with the carbon cycle peaked in highly decayed logs (class V), whereas those linked to the nitrogen cycle were more abundant under the closed canopy. The dominant phyla, genera, and functional groups of fungi and bacteria were primarily driven by changes in log water content mediated by forest gaps, and the resulting pH and nutrient dynamics, rather than by temperature. These results highlight the pivotal roles of decaying logs and forest gaps in shaping the structural and functional succession of microbial communities. Therefore, maintaining coarse woody debris across various decomposition stages, particularly advanced decay classes, along with moderate gap disturbance, promotes the conservation of wood-inhabiting microbial diversity in forest ecosystems. Our study provides in-depth insights into the positive effects of forest disturbances, which are essential for informing sustainable forest management practices and preserving ecosystem health.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8099,"journal":{"name":"Applied Soil Ecology","volume":"213 ","pages":"Article 106316"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2025-07-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144653603","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":"Synergistic effects of PGPR and organic fertilizer on soil fertility, enzyme activities, and microbial community composition in saline-alkali rice systems","authors":"Mingfeng Guo ,&nbsp;Junzhu Gao ,&nbsp;Man Yang ,&nbsp;Yawen Liu,&nbsp;Jiahui Fu,&nbsp;Rui Ma,&nbsp;Feng Xiong,&nbsp;Tingyu Zhang,&nbsp;Xuesheng Liu,&nbsp;Yu Jin,&nbsp;Juanjuan Qu","doi":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106327","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106327","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Soil salinization presents a significant global challenge to agricultural productivity and food security. This study explores the synergistic effects of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) and organic fertilizer in remediating saline-alkali soils for rice cultivation. Four salt-tolerant PGPR strains—<em>Bacillus</em> sp. RM-1/RM-2, <em>Aspergillus</em> sp. SV-1, and <em>Penicillium</em> sp. SV-2—were isolated from the rice rhizosphere in saline-alkali soils and combined with either sterilized (SOF) or unsterilized (UOF) cow manure compost. Rice cultivation experiments under mild (1.0 % Na₂CO₃) and moderate (1.5 % Na₂CO₃) salinity stress demonstrated that the UOF + PGPR treatment significantly improved soil fertility and enzyme activities during the grain-filling stage. Compared to the control, UOF + PGPR increased soil organic matter by 218.99 %, available potassium by 1036.20 %, available phosphorus by 563.13 %, catalase activity by 100.00 %, urease activity by 340.98 %, and sucrase activity by 251.03 % under moderate salinity conditions. Microbial community analysis revealed that PGPR combined with organic fertilizer reduced the abundance of <em>Acidobacterium</em> while increasing the relative abundance of <em>Firmicutes</em>, <em>Bacteroidetes</em>, and <em>Ascomycota</em>, leading to decreased soil salinity and enhanced soil nutrient content, ultimately improving rice productivity. This study introduces an innovative PGPR-organic fertilizer formulation that not only enhances native microbial functions but also reduces soil pH and soluble salt accumulation. However, the findings are currently limited to controlled pot experiments. Further research is necessary to validate these results in field conditions and assess long-term ecological impacts. We recommend large-scale field trials of the UOF + PGPR combination in salinized areas, the development of crop-specific PGPR consortia with drought resistance and heavy metal remediation properties, and the establishment of soil health monitoring protocols to track carbon sequestration and salt reaccumulation over time.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8099,"journal":{"name":"Applied Soil Ecology","volume":"213 ","pages":"Article 106327"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2025-07-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144653607","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":"Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi modulate soil microbial network complexity via microbial interactions in different vegetation ecosystems","authors":"Xiaojun Qi ,&nbsp;Xuerong Wang ,&nbsp;Mengyao Zheng ,&nbsp;Lijuan Zhao ,&nbsp;Baofeng Chai ,&nbsp;Tong Jia","doi":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106330","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106330","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) establish symbiotic partnerships with diverse plant roots, profoundly shaping the structure of soil microbial communities. However, the complex mechanisms governing the influence of AMF on microbial interactions remain unclear. The aim of this research was to elucidate the dynamics of AMF community assembly across distinct ecosystems (grass, shrub, and forest) on Luya Mountain and the related implications for multidomain soil microbial network structures. AMF community diversity, composition, and microbial network structure varied significantly among the vegetation types. The results revealed that the inclusion of AMF in microbial networks substantially simplified network complexity in shrub and forest ecosystems. Stochastic processes within the AMF community increased the complexity of the microbial networks. Notably, AMF enhanced the robustness of soil microbial networks while reducing their vulnerability, underscoring their role in increasing network stability. Moreover, the inclusion of AMF in the networks altered the composition and reduced the quantity of keystone taxa, indirectly fostering trophic cascades mediated by protozoa and nematodes, thereby modulating the complexity of the soil multidomain networks. The impact of AMF on bacterial network structure was significantly greater than that on other microbial network structures. Taken together, these findings provide critical insights into the mechanisms through which AMF communities influence soil microbial networks while offering a scientific foundation for ecosystem management and restoration practices.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8099,"journal":{"name":"Applied Soil Ecology","volume":"213 ","pages":"Article 106330"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2025-07-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144663277","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":"Distinct responses of fungal and bacterial denitrification genes to seasonal changes, nitrogen deposition and precipitation reduction in subtropical forest soils","authors":"Qirun Chen ,&nbsp;Fengyi Han ,&nbsp;Maokui Lyu ,&nbsp;Zhiwei Zeng ,&nbsp;Yanjiang Cai ,&nbsp;Yuheng Cheng ,&nbsp;Zi-Yang He ,&nbsp;Milin Deng ,&nbsp;Jinsheng Xie ,&nbsp;Yongxin Lin","doi":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106322","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106322","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>China's subtropical forests are widely recognized as one of the world's largest natural sources of nitrous oxide (N₂O), primarily due to high nitrogen (N) deposition from anthropogenic activities. Climate change has made precipitation reduction increasingly common in subtropical regions, significantly influencing N₂O emissions. Denitrification is the main process contributing to N₂O emissions in subtropical forest soils; however, most previous studies have focused on bacterial denitrification, often overlooking fungal denitrification. In this study, a factorial experiment was conducted using a randomized complete block design with four replicates per treatment, in a subtropical forest soil. We examine the effects of simulated N deposition, precipitation reduction, and their combination on the abundance of genes encoding nitrite reductase enzymes, including bacterial (<em>nirK</em>, <em>nirS</em>) and fungal (<em>nirK</em>) variants, with a focus on their seasonal dynamics during summer and winter. N deposition and precipitation reduction treatments showed distinct effects. N deposition significantly reduced fungal and bacterial <em>nirK</em> abundance in winter and decreased bacterial <em>nirS</em> abundance in summer. Precipitation reduction further suppressed bacterial <em>nirK</em> and <em>nirS</em> abundance in winter but had no effect on fungal <em>nirK</em>. In addition to treatment effects, seasonal variation also shaped gene abundances, with higher fungal <em>nirK</em> levels in winter and higher bacterial <em>nirK</em> in summer, while bacterial <em>nirS</em> remained seasonally stable. Predictor analysis using random forest models identified available phosphorus (AP) as the strongest driver of fungal <em>nirK</em> abundance. In contrast, bacterial <em>nirK</em> was primarily influenced by soil pH and AP, while ammonium was the key regulator of bacterial <em>nirS</em>. These results highlight the distinct responses of fungal and bacterial denitrifiers to seasonal changes, nitrogen deposition, and precipitation reduction, emphasizing the need to consider both microbial groups when examining biogeochemical cycles and their environmental controls under future climate scenarios. These insights are crucial for refining predictive models of N₂O fluxes and for designing informed management practices in subtropical forest ecosystems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8099,"journal":{"name":"Applied Soil Ecology","volume":"213 ","pages":"Article 106322"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2025-07-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144663276","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":"Impact of plant protection product applications on soil microbial nitrogen cycle function not fully captured by gene quantification","authors":"Laura Å. Medici ,&nbsp;Pascal A. Niklaus ,&nbsp;Florian Walder ,&nbsp;Miriam Langer","doi":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106297","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106297","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The widespread use of plant protection products (PPPs) in agriculture raises concerns about their long-term impact on soil health and nitrogen (N) cycling. Current regulatory assessments focus mostly on single active ingredients and microbial mineralisation, ignoring the complexities of formulated PPPs and their influence on microbial functions. We investigated the effects of realistic PPP application scenarios on soil N cycling using a controlled incubation experiment with increasing PPP intensities, measuring potential nitrification (PN), denitrifying enzyme activity (DEA), and N₂O reduction capacity (NRC), alongside molecular analyses of key microbial genes involved in N-cycling. Functional assays were more sensitive to PPP exposure than gene abundances, indicating severe disruptions to N cycling. Among measured processes, PN was the most PPP-sensitive, showing substantial reductions across treatments. DEA and NRC were also strongly inhibited, exhibiting complex temporal patterns. While gene abundances were less responsive, there were significant positive correlations between the gene abundance of archaeal and bacterial ammonia monooxygenase (amoA) and PN, as well as between nitrite reductase (nirK) and DEA. Our findings underscore the importance of updated risk assessments that integrate both molecular and functional indicators. We propose a tiered approach, using gene quantification as an initial screening tool, followed by functional assays to capture biologically relevant changes. Post-registration monitoring of PPP mixtures under field conditions is likewise essential to address cumulative and long-term impacts. Overall, this study highlights the vulnerability of soil N cycling to PPP exposure and provides a framework to enhance environmental risk assessments aimed at safeguarding soil ecosystem functions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8099,"journal":{"name":"Applied Soil Ecology","volume":"213 ","pages":"Article 106297"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2025-07-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144653604","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":"Toxicity of polyethylene microplastics and atrazine to microorganisms in soil and gut of earthworms","authors":"Hao Jia ,&nbsp;Siqi Zhou ,&nbsp;Ning Lei ,&nbsp;Guanghui Sun ,&nbsp;Ming Li","doi":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106319","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106319","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Nowadays, microplastics (MPs) extensively exist in soil environment, atrazine is an extensively utilized herbicide which residues accumulate in soil. The harmful effects of atrazine on earthworms are well investigated, however, the toxicity of co-exposure of MPs and atrazine to bacterial community in soil and gut of earthworms was unclear. Herein, the changes of bacterial communities in the soil and the gut of earthworms exposed to binary pollutants (MPs and atrazine) were investigated. The results showed that atrazine increased relative abundance of some soil indigenous atrazine-degrading bacteria (<em>Pseudomonas</em>, <em>Flavobacterium</em>) and gut-colonizing bacteria (<em>Algoriphagus</em>, <em>Aeromonas</em>) in the soil after 28 days, however, the relative abundance of <em>Verminephrobacter</em> and <em>Muribaculaceae</em> in earthworm gut decreased from 5.6 % to 1.0 % and from 7.3 % to 2.2 %, respectively. After introducing MPs, the relative abundance of <em>Verminephrobacter</em> and <em>Aeromonas</em> (intestinal dysbiosis markers) in earthworm gut enhanced from 5.6 % to 13.5 % and from 0.2 % to 3.1 %, respectively. Co-exposure to atrazine and MPs increased the relative abundance of <em>Bacteroidota</em>. Single or binary of atrazine and MPs have adverse effects on metabolism of gut microbiota. The results revealed the adverse effects of MPs and atrazine on microorganisms in soil and earthworm gut, deepening the knowledge of the influence of MPs and atrazine on soil ecology.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8099,"journal":{"name":"Applied Soil Ecology","volume":"213 ","pages":"Article 106319"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2025-07-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144653605","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":"Advances on microbial mechanisms of nitrogen transformation during nitrification and denitrification at soil aggregates scale","authors":"Haidi Wang ,&nbsp;Zhengjun Cui ,&nbsp;Yuhong Gao ,&nbsp;Bin Yan ,&nbsp;Bing Wu ,&nbsp;Yifan Wang ,&nbsp;Xingkang Ma ,&nbsp;Jing Han ,&nbsp;Yali Li","doi":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106326","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106326","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Soil aggregate is a basic structural unit of soil, consisting of primary particles (sand, silt, clay), cementing materials and pores. Specific and independent microhabitats composed of soil aggregates of different particle sizes are biochemical reactors for soil nitrogen transformation. Differences in the physical and chemical properties of microhabitats lead to different microbial differentiation characteristics, which further influence key processes of the nitrogen cycle. The fixation and transformation of nitrogen is carried out by large, small and micro-aggregates together. However, the relative contribution of aggregates of different particle sizes to the key process of the nitrogen cycle is not clear, nor is the interception and retention of different forms of nitrogen. This paper reviews studies on nitrogen transformation during nitrification and denitrification at the soil aggregate scale. We summarize recent advances in aggregate-microbe interactions and key nitrogen cycling processes within aggregates, with emphasis on microbial differentiation patterns. Future research should prioritize two directions: (1) Enhancing the monitoring and quantification of in−situ soil, particularly through ¹⁵N isotope tracing technology to clarify the fate of exogenous nitrogen and plant-microbe competition for nitrogen forms; (2) Development of predictive models for aggregate spatial distribution based on microbial environmental thresholds. These efforts will promote long-term supply and efficient utilization of soil nitrogen, and provide a solid scientific foundation for advancing the theory of micro-scale nitrogen cycling.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8099,"journal":{"name":"Applied Soil Ecology","volume":"213 ","pages":"Article 106326"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2025-07-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144653600","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}