Applied Soil Ecology最新文献

{"title":"Insights into soil carbon metabolism and carbon sequestration capacity under organic fertilizer substitution model","authors":"Zirui Zhou ,&nbsp;Yan Liao ,&nbsp;Qian Zhang ,&nbsp;Zicong Xiong ,&nbsp;Junwei Tang ,&nbsp;Jing Tian ,&nbsp;Xiaolong Chang ,&nbsp;Huailin Zhang ,&nbsp;Junyu Xiang ,&nbsp;Ziyuan Lin ,&nbsp;Chaolan Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106235","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106235","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Organic fertilizer substitution is important for improving soil carbon stocks and soil quality. However, the mechanisms underlying changes in soil microbe-mediated carbon sequestration capacity under organic fertilizer substitution remain unclear. In this study, we investigated the associations between soil properties, enzyme activities, soil carbon fixation genes and C-degradation genes including chemical fertilizer (CF), low-ratio organic fertilizer substitution (MF), high-ratio organic fertilizer substitution (AF), organic fertilizer (WF) and no fertilizer control (CK). The results showed that the application of chemical fertilizer significantly increased the degradation of plant-derived C; the exogenous organic carbon from organic fertilizer was mainly stored in easily degradable particulate organic carbon (POC), alleviating microbial carbon metabolic limitation; and the balanced nutrient structure in the low-ratio organic fertilizer substitution stimulated the microbial degradation of chitin in the bulk soil, thus improving the efficiency of soil carbon source utilization. The combined application of organic and chemical fertilizers stimulated the growth of Pseudomonadota in the rhizosphere soil, which played an important role in organic matter sequestration and carbon fixation. From the results of the structural equation model, the overall total effect of C-degradation gene (0.61) and carbon metabolic limitation (−0.67) on microbial carbon use efficiency were higher compared to soil properties (0.09), highlighting the key role of microorganisms in regulating soil carbon sequestration capacity. This study provides a scientific basis to guide the use of organic fertilizer substitution techniques to enhance soil carbon storage potential and soil quality.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8099,"journal":{"name":"Applied Soil Ecology","volume":"213 ","pages":"Article 106235"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2025-06-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144241255","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":"Elevated hydrolase activity rather than oxidase activity enhances the accumulation of organic matter in black soil under maize stover retention","authors":"Shuqiang Wang ,&nbsp;Hongli Xu ,&nbsp;Yulan Zhang ,&nbsp;Zhenhua Chen ,&nbsp;Hongtu Xie ,&nbsp;Nan Jiang ,&nbsp;Lijun Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106205","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106205","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Stover incorporation is a widely practice enhancing soil organic matter (SOM), improve soil quality, and support agricultural sustainability. However, the specific enzymatic mechanisms driving SOM accumulation under different maize stover incorporation modes (SIMs) in black soils remain poorly understood. In this study, we investigated soil humus fractions, the activities of hydrolase and oxidase enzymes, and the abundance of functional genes related to SOM transformation under five-year SIMs, including stover removal (CK), direct incorporation of chopped stover (SD), stover mulching with no-tillage (NT), and biochar application derived from an equivalent amount of stover (BC). The results showed that SOM content in the 0–10 cm soil layer increased under SD, NT, and BC treatments. Both SD and NT significantly elevated the levels of fulvic acid (FA), humic acid (HA), and humus structural complexity (as indicated by the HA/FA ratio and PQ value) in the surface soil. These treatments also significantly enhanced the activities of soil cellobiohydrolase, α-glucosidase and β-1,4-<em>N</em>-acetyl-glucosaminidase. Notably, the SD treatment increased the abundance of <em>GH3</em>-Bacteria, <em>GH3</em> - Fungi, <em>amy</em>A, <em>chi</em>A, and <em>lig</em> genes in the surface soil, while the NT treatment increased <em>amy</em>A gene abundance. In contrast, the BC treatment reduced <em>GH3</em>-Bacteria gene abundance in the subsoil layer (10–20 cm). In addition, <em>exg</em> gene abundance was positively correlated with BG activity in the surface soil. FA and HA contents were positively correlated with hydrolase activities (BG, BGal, NAG, and CBH; <em>P</em> &lt; 0.05). Overall, stover incorporation enhanced SOM and humus carbon contents by stimulating cellulose-degrading enzyme activities and promoting related functional gene expression, with the SD and NT treatments showing the most pronounced effects in surface soil.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8099,"journal":{"name":"Applied Soil Ecology","volume":"213 ","pages":"Article 106205"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2025-06-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144229840","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 impact of alfalfa intercropping and conventional tillage on N-cycling microbes: A Tuscan vineyard case study","authors":"Agnese Bellabarba ,&nbsp;Gergely Ujvári ,&nbsp;Matteo Daghio ,&nbsp;Filippo Rocchi ,&nbsp;Claudia Becagli ,&nbsp;Roberta Pastorelli ,&nbsp;Giacomo Buscioni ,&nbsp;Carlo Viti","doi":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106240","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106240","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Vineyards, like other agroecosystems, face great challenges in preventing soil fertility decline and achieving sustainability goals. Addressing soil erosion, the loss of organic matter and nutrient deficiencies are therefore the focal points for future agricultural development. In this study, we evaluated the long-term effects of conventional soil management versus the interrow cultivation of alfalfa on soil physico-chemical properties and on the abundance of key microbial groups involved in the nitrogen (N) cycle along a Tuscan vineyard slope. Under alfalfa covers, qPCR data revealed a significant (<em>p</em> &lt; 0.05) decrease in soil nitrifying and denitrifying bacterial populations carrying the <em>amo</em>A-AOB and <em>nos</em>Z genes, respectively; however, interactions with the hill position were also relevant. Quantitative, functional gene-based predictions showed that alfalfa intercropping induced a higher N₂O production (increment of 142.38 % and 107.47 % at the top and bottom of vineyard, respectively), and a lower N₂O reduction across the vineyard slope (63.42 % at the top and 63.48 % at the bottom) compared to the conventional tillage, influenced by the vineyard slope. The abundance of N-transforming microbial guilds correlated with soil texture and chemical features, such as total organic carbon (TOC), TN and particle size fractions, varying based on management type and slope position. Integrated strategies are needed for ensuring the long-term soil resilience and nutrient balance in Mediterranean viticultural systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8099,"journal":{"name":"Applied Soil Ecology","volume":"213 ","pages":"Article 106240"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2025-06-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144229838","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 intensive agricultural management on soil biota in mountain ecosystems of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest","authors":"Cyndi dos Santos Ferreira ,&nbsp;Sandra Santana de Lima ,&nbsp;Maura Santos Reis de Andrade da Silva ,&nbsp;Aurea Pinto dos Ramos ,&nbsp;Cristiane Figueira da Silva ,&nbsp;Tiago Paula da Silva ,&nbsp;Nivaldo Schultz ,&nbsp;Marcos Gervasio Pereira ,&nbsp;Irene da Silva Coelho","doi":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106224","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106224","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Mountain ecosystems in tropical regions are increasingly vulnerable to human activities, with changes in soil management significantly impacting the structure and activity of edaphic communities. This study adopts an integrative approach to assess soil quality by combining classical biological indicators with high-resolution molecular tools in areas under intensive agricultural management within a mountainous region of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. Three sites were selected: two agricultural areas cultivated with tomato (<em>Solanum lycopersicum</em> L.) and maize (<em>Zea mays</em> L.), and a secondary forest with minimal anthropogenic disturbance. Soil macrofauna, the activity of β-glucosidase and arylsulfatase, and the abundance of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) were evaluated. Bacterial and fungal communities were characterized through high-throughput sequencing of the 16S rDNA and ITS regions. Macrofauna richness was highest in the forest and maize areas, while the tomato area exhibited the lowest species richness and density. Enzymatic activity varied across areas: β-glucosidase activity peaked in maize cultivation, while arylsulfatase proved to be a more sensitive indicator of soil degradation, decreasing with increased soil management intensity. Bacterial networks revealed more competitive interactions in cultivated areas, whereas cooperative associations dominated in the forest area. Fungal networks were more connected and structurally stable in the forest area, indicating higher ecological integrity. Overall, biological attributes effectively distinguished intensively managed agricultural soils from forest soils. The combined use of functional biological indicators and high-resolution molecular tools provides a sensitive, detailed assessment of soil biological responses to intensive agriculture in fragile mountain ecosystems, underscoring its detrimental effects on soil functional biodiversity.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8099,"journal":{"name":"Applied Soil Ecology","volume":"213 ","pages":"Article 106224"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2025-06-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144229727","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":"Species interactions mediate arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi successional dynamics and glomalin-related soil protein accumulation in volcanic ecosystems","authors":"Pengfei Wang,&nbsp;Xinyan Liu,&nbsp;Yaxin Zheng,&nbsp;Hanting Qu,&nbsp;Jingpeng Li,&nbsp;Ruiping Wang,&nbsp;Yu Ji,&nbsp;Da Xu,&nbsp;Fucheng Ding,&nbsp;Peng Zhang,&nbsp;Haijing Liu,&nbsp;Yuying Bao","doi":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106236","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106236","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Volcanic ecosystems provide a valuable model for studying microbial succession and soil formation following intense environmental changes. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and their metabolic product, glomalin-related soil protein (GRSP), play critical roles in ecosystem restoration and soil carbon sequestration. However, the changes and drivers of GRSP accumulation and AMF community succession in volcanic ecosystems remain poorly understood. In this study, soil samples were collected from different areas of the Huitengxile volcanic clusters to investigate the AMF community at various successional stages. We found that AMF diversity was significantly lower in early and middle successional stages compared to late successional stages, with the dominant genus shifting from <em>Claroideoglomus</em> to <em>Glomus</em>. The content of GRSP was relatively low in early successional stages, but its contribution to SOC was higher compared to other stages. Through network and cohesion analysis, we found that the proportion of negative cohesion, reflecting competitive interactions, increased with successional progression. In addition, late successional networks exhibited a more modular structure and greater robustness. These changes in network topology reflect the enhanced stability of the AMF network during succession. Phylogenetic analysis and the null model results indicated that AMF communities in late successional stages were phylogenetically clustered, dominated by deterministic processes, with variable selection playing a primary role. Biotic and abiotic factors jointly regulate AMF community assembly and GRSP contents, with the influence of AMF species interactions such as network complexity and network cohesion playing a dominant role. Overall, our study highlights the importance of AMF species interactions in regulating AMF community succession and GRSP production, and provides new insights for using AMF for ecosystem restoration.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8099,"journal":{"name":"Applied Soil Ecology","volume":"213 ","pages":"Article 106236"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2025-06-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144229839","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":"Orchard soils exhibit the highest microbial CO2 fixation potential and contribution to soil organic carbon across land-use types in Qaidam Basin","authors":"Fadan Lei ,&nbsp;Yimei Huang ,&nbsp;Qian Huang ,&nbsp;Wenqian Han ,&nbsp;Chenming Guo ,&nbsp;Baorong Wang ,&nbsp;Pan Wang ,&nbsp;Penghui Jia ,&nbsp;Wei Guo ,&nbsp;Shaoshan An","doi":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106231","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106231","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Soil organic carbon content varies across different land-use types. Elucidating CO₂-fixing microorganisms and their fixation potential is pivotal for accurately evaluating and improving soil carbon sinks and enriching the theory of microbial carbon sequestration. However, the CO₂ fixation potential, driving factors and mechanism of soil CO₂-fixing microorganisms in different land-use types are still unclear. This study investigated the CO₂ fixation potential (CFP) and sequestration mechanism in 0–10 cm topsoil (36 soil samples) of typical grassland (GL), facility farmland (FAL), farmland (FL) and orchard (OD) in the Qaidam Basin by ¹³CO₂ isotope tracer incubation method (61 d), metagenomic sequencing and partial least squares method. The ¹³CO₂-fixing rates (26.7 mg ¹³C m⁻² d⁻¹) in OD were 2.26, 1.24 and 1.31 times those of GL, FAL and FL, respectively (<em>p</em> &lt; 0.05). Correspondingly, 160 unique CO₂-fixing species were observed in OD, mainly including <em>methanogenic archaeon</em> ISO4-H5, <em>Leptospira alstonii</em>, Candidatus <em>Saccharibacteria</em> bacterium GW2011 GWA2 46 10 and <em>Bacillus encimensis</em>, with few unique species in other soils. GL showed higher relative abundances of the Calvin (8.78 %) and C4-Dicarboxylic acid (3.89 %) cycles (<em>p</em> &lt; 0.05). CFP was directly affected by metabolic pathways and soil properties, and indirectly by microbial communities (<em>p</em> &lt; 0.05), with ammonium ion, total nitrogen, and particulate organic carbon as key determinants. In conclusion, CFP can be improved by regulating soil physical-chemical factors. Our findings clarify the structural and functional variations of CO₂-fixing microbial communities across land uses, offering theoretical support for exploring novel CO₂-fixing microbes and optimizing CO₂ fixation capacity.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8099,"journal":{"name":"Applied Soil Ecology","volume":"213 ","pages":"Article 106231"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2025-06-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144223530","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 efficacy of Perilla frutescens rotation and Trichoderma harzianum application in mitigating continuous cropping challenges of Panax notoginseng","authors":"Yan WANG ,&nbsp;Yingpin LIU ,&nbsp;Guobing TIAN ,&nbsp;Shengchao YANG ,&nbsp;Junwen CHEN ,&nbsp;Shuhui ZI ,&nbsp;Wei FAN ,&nbsp;Qiaoran MA ,&nbsp;Jiamin LIU ,&nbsp;Ping ZHAO ,&nbsp;Shuran HE","doi":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106228","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106228","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Prolonged continuous cropping has the potential to negatively impact soil health, leading to a disruption in the natural succession of <em>Panax notoginseng</em>. Sustainable agricultural practices, such as crop rotation and the application of biological agents, have been shown to enhance soil health and productivity. However, there is a paucity of information on the efficacy of combining these strategies for enhancing soil health. This study pioneered the use of <em>Perilla frutescens</em> rotation in plots with <em>P. notoginseng</em> continuous cropping soil. After crushing the harvested perilla and returning it to the plots, <em>Trichoderma harzianum</em> Rifai strain TH7 was applied. Fallow and continuous <em>P. notoginseng</em> cultivating plots served as controls. One - year - old <em>P. notoginseng</em> seedlings were then transplanted. The mechanism of perilla residues and <em>T. harzianum</em> application in shaping soil microbial communities was also analyzed. Results showed that the perilla aqueous extract with <em>T. harzianum</em> effectively controlled key P<em>. notoginseng</em> pathogens like <em>Fusarium solani</em>, <em>Fusarium oxysporum</em>, and <em>Cylindrocarpon destructans</em>, without inhibiting TH7 growth. The soil quality index (SQI) of fallow soil exhibited a significant increase of 149.16 % compared to that of continuously cropped soil. By contrast, the SQI increased by 161.70 % following perilla rotation, residue return, and subsequent application of <em>T. harzianum</em>. The survival rate of replanted <em>P. notoginseng</em> was about 19 % after fallow or perilla rotation, versus 5.38 % under continuous cropping. However, it rose to 29.23 % with <em>T. harzianum</em> application post- perilla rotation and residue return. These results highlight the effectiveness of integrated agricultural practices in restoring soil health and productivity. This approach of applying <em>T. harzianum</em> post-perilla rotation and incorporating perilla residues significantly improved soil health, enhancing microbial activity and nutrient availability. It also greatly boosted the survival rate of replanted <em>P. notoginseng</em>, offering a new strategy to overcome <em>P. notoginseng</em> continuous cropping obstacles and being highly significant for sustainable agricultural development. The combined effects of crop rotation and biological agent application not only address the immediate challenges of soil degradation but also promote long-term soil fertility and resilience. This integrated strategy represents a promising advancement in sustainable farming practices, particularly for high-value crops like <em>P. notoginseng</em> that are sensitive to soilborne diseases and nutrient imbalances.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8099,"journal":{"name":"Applied Soil Ecology","volume":"212 ","pages":"Article 106228"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2025-06-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144212490","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":"Relative contributions of abiotic properties, soil microbes, and management practices to soil health in intensively managed rice paddies","authors":"Junjiang Chen ,&nbsp;Min Wang ,&nbsp;Magkdi Mola ,&nbsp;Nikolaos Monokrousos ,&nbsp;Tien Ming Lee ,&nbsp;Stavros D. Veresoglou","doi":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106223","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106223","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Preserving the health of soils worldwide is the grounds on which we can solidify human progress. Soil health describes the capacity of soils to function and depends on both abiotic properties and soil biota. The degree to which soil properties or soil microbes dictate soil health, as well as whether the contributions of soil properties and soil biota to soil health overlap, remain uncertain. We address here the relative contributions of abiotic properties, PLFAs and management practices in determining soil health, which we assessed via three ecosystem processes. We specifically evaluated how the abiotic variables (0–10 cm depth) and common phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) markers determined soil health over a network of 36 intensively managed smallholder farms. The experimental design was a block design with three blocks (i.e. three villages) and one manipulation, whether the farms undergone an intermediate fallow period. We abstracted soil health in relation to three ecosystem processes (proxies of ecosystem functioning), crop yield (kg/mu), water stable aggregation (WSA, %) and decomposition, assessed using the in situ 30-day weight loss of green and rooibos tea bags, assayed twice in November 2022, and August 2023. We subsequently questioned the degree to which these three proxies of soil health depended on biotic and abiotic properties of the soils. Across the 36 rice farms, key soil properties exhibited substantial variation, with pH ranging from 3.94 to 7.37, sand content from 9.06 % to 53.50 %, soil organic carbon from 0.53 to 3.39 g/kg, phosphorus from 7.77 to 57.68 mg/kg. We observed that PLFA markers were predominantly driven by soil nutrient availability of C (Soil organic carbon), N (Total nitrogen and NH₄⁺-N) and P, as well as soil pH and sand content. The soil properties accounted for 4.6 % of the variability in PLFA markers and were strongly associated with them. Briefly, high nutrient availability of C, N and P would increase the abundance of soil microbes. In addition, abiotic soil properties (pH, Olsen-Phosphorus, ammonium and soil sand content) and PLFA markers (arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, fungi; bacteria; total microbial biomass) made comparable (13.3 and 11.7 %, respectively) contributions (i.e. variation partitioning) to the functioning of the ecosystems. We thus propose that maintaining soil health requires the simultaneous consideration of both abiotic and biotic variables.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8099,"journal":{"name":"Applied Soil Ecology","volume":"212 ","pages":"Article 106223"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2025-06-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144212421","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":"Microbial community composition and interactions in saline biocrusts: Insights into cyanobacterial inoculation for soil restoration","authors":"Wenfei Li ,&nbsp;Peng Liu ,&nbsp;Yadong Jin ,&nbsp;Lu Chen ,&nbsp;Mingquan Zhao ,&nbsp;Li Wu ,&nbsp;Shubin Lan","doi":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106225","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106225","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Biocrusts play a pivotal role in maintaining ecosystem functions in arid and semi-arid saline environments. While inoculated cyanobacteria have been extensively studied for their contribution to biocrust development, the effects of high salinity on the composition and metabolic functions of cyanobacterial communities remain underexplored. In this study, we investigated the microbial community structure and interactions of biocrusts at three characteristic sites along a natural salinity gradient in the eastern Qubqi Desert, aiming to characterize microbial salinity preferences, particularly those of cyanobacteria, with a view toward informing inoculation strategies for saline soil restoration. Our findings demonstrate that although increased salinity reduced microbial diversity, microbial taxa exhibit varying responses to salinity, with Actinobacteria and Bacteroidota increasing in abundance at higher salinity levels, indicating their strong salt tolerance. While the whole nitrogen-fixing cyanobacteria were progressively replaced by other bacterial taxa, such as Pseudomonadota, in more saline environments, <em>Scytonema</em>, a nitrogen-fixing cyanobacterial genus, was found across all soil types, highlighting its adaptability to varying salinity levels. Additionally, the cyanobacterial genera <em>Microcoleus</em> and <em>Oscillatoria</em> showed notable resilience and growth in saline conditions, while new, unidentified cyanobacterial species emerged in high-salinity sites. Network analysis further revealed that increasing salinity led to greater complexity in microbial interactions, suggesting enhanced cooperative relationships within the microbial communities. These results underscore the significant role of environmental salinity in shaping microbial community structure and interactions, and highlight the potential of utilizing salt-tolerant cyanobacteria, in conjunction with other bacteria (e.g., nitrogen-fixing Pseudomonadota), for biocrust-based soil restoration in saline ecosystems, providing valuable insights for developing effective microbial inoculation strategies to rehabilitate saline soils.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8099,"journal":{"name":"Applied Soil Ecology","volume":"212 ","pages":"Article 106225"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2025-06-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144205732","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":"Functional contributions of biological soil crust microorganisms to nitrogen and carbon cycling across diverse habitats on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau","authors":"Yuang Ding ,&nbsp;Yuchen Geng ,&nbsp;Weicheng Zhou ,&nbsp;Dunhai Li","doi":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106222","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106222","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The Qinghai–Tibet Plateau (QTP) is highly sensitive to global climate change and plays a pivotal role in global nitrogen and carbon cycles. However, the mechanisms by which biological soil crusts (BSCs) in diverse QTP habitats participate in nitrogen and carbon cycling, as well as the influence of habitat differences on BSC functional dynamics, remain poorly understood. This study investigates the functional contributions of BSC microorganisms across various habitats on the QTP. As ecosystems grow more stable and complex, nitrogen fixation, ammonia assimilation, and mineralization in the BSC nitrogen cycle gradually decrease, while nitrification and denitrification increase. These nitrogen cycling processes are primarily driven by factors such as total nitrogen (TN), nitrate (NO₃⁻), and pH. In the carbon cycling process, the contribution of BSC microorganisms in alpine deserts and Gobi habitats was significantly greater than in shrub meadows and forest grasslands. In alpine deserts and Gobi habitats, organic carbon shifts from recalcitrant to labile forms to regulate soil nutrients, whereas BSCs in shrub meadows and forest grasslands are more efficient at storing stable organic carbon to enhance carbon storage. Compared to the nitrogen cycle, the carbon cycle is more strongly influenced by the plateau environment. Furthermore, network analysis revealed a strong positive correlation between the nitrogen and carbon cycles. These findings provide valuable scientific insights into the functional roles of BSC microorganisms under future climate change scenarios.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8099,"journal":{"name":"Applied Soil Ecology","volume":"212 ","pages":"Article 106222"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2025-06-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144205733","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}