Applied Soil Ecology最新文献

{"title":"Microbially mediated mechanisms underlie N2O mitigation by bio-organic fertilizer in greenhouse vegetable production system","authors":"Lijun Ren ,&nbsp;Lili Dong ,&nbsp;Guopeng Liang ,&nbsp;Yanyu Han ,&nbsp;Jiaqi Li ,&nbsp;Qingfeng Fan ,&nbsp;Dan Wei ,&nbsp;Hongtao Zou ,&nbsp;Yulong Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106114","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106114","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Bio-organic fertilizer substitution for chemical fertilizer is an important action for nature-based solutions to identify optimal management practices at reducing soil N₂O emissions. However, the current understanding of the underlying microbial mechanisms in response to bio-organic fertilizer substitution for chemical fertilizer is primitive, particularly in greenhouse vegetable production system. Herein, we present the field experiment that spans five years and encompasses four treatments, including no fertilizer (CK), chemical fertilizer (CF), bio-organic fertilizer (OF), and chemical fertilizer combined with bio-organic fertilizer (COF) in the greenhouse vegetable production system. We aimed to investigate the effects of replacing chemical fertilizer with bio-organic fertilizer on soil N₂O emissions and nitrogen-cycling microbial communities. The OF and COF treatments reduced soil N₂O emissions by 70.2 % and 32.3 %, respectively, compared with the CF treatment. The substitution of chemical fertilizer with bio-organic fertilizer led to a reduction in residual nitrate and dissolved organic nitrogen levels in the soil. Additionally, it enhanced the abundance of functional genes associated with both soil assimilatory nitrate reduction and dissimilatory nitrate reduction processes. These changes likely facilitated the conversion of nitrate nitrogen to ammonium nitrogen and mitigated soil denitrification. Additionally, bio-organic fertilizer significantly (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05) decreased the activity of soil-denitrifying microorganisms and increased the abundance of soil nitrogen-fixing genes to reduce N₂O emissions. These results indicate the potential of using bio-organic fertilizer instead of chemical fertilizer to reduce reactive nitrogen emissions in greenhouse vegetable production system, which can contribute to the development of environmentally friendly fertilization strategies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8099,"journal":{"name":"Applied Soil Ecology","volume":"211 ","pages":"Article 106114"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2025-04-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143850150","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":"Introducing intercropping into rotation system altered the structure, function and network complexity of soil microbial communities in farmlands of the North China Plain","authors":"Gaoyuan Liu ,&nbsp;Ailing He ,&nbsp;Zhanping Yang ,&nbsp;Jinling Lv ,&nbsp;Xiuyan Pan ,&nbsp;Nian Zheng ,&nbsp;Jun Du","doi":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106094","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106094","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Although diversified crop rotation systems can enhance crop productivity, the impact of such practices on soil microorganisms remains unclear. Therefore, we conducted a 4 - year field experiment in the North China Plain, involving 3 crop rotation systems: wheat - maize (WM), wheat - soybean (WS), and wheat - maize / soybean (‘/’ means intercropping, WMS), to analyze the structure, function and network complexity of soil microbial communities. The results indicated that compared to WM, the microbial abundance and diversity significantly increased in WMS, as evidenced by the rise in chao and shannon indices and the decrease in simpson index, which were not observed in WS. The microbial community structure also varied among different treatments, with significant increases observed in the total number of differential eutrophic bacteria in WMS and the total number of differential pathogenic fungi and archaea linked to Fe(II) oxidation and methane emission in WS. The abundance of microbial genes, encoding Glycoside hydrolases, Glycosyltransferases, Garbohydrate esterases, and Auxiliary activities, as well as those involved in Metabolism, Cellular processes and Genetic information processing, were clearly higher than those in WM or WS. Microbial co - occurrence network in WMS exhibited a greater number of nodes and edges, more positive edges, and higher average degrees and clustering coefficients when compared to WM or WS. For Hub nodes of these networks, they belonged to p_Proteobacteria in WM and WS, while in WMS they belonged to p_Actinobacteria. Organic carbon, alkaline hydrolysis nitrogen, and available phosphorus emerged as the predominant factors regulating the community composition of soil microorganisms. Consequently, we conclude the wheat - maize / soybean rotation system improves the abundance and diversity of soil microbial communities, strengthens microbial degradation and metabolism, and synthesis capabilities, thereby facilitating the establishment of favorable soil environment for crop growth.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8099,"journal":{"name":"Applied Soil Ecology","volume":"211 ","pages":"Article 106094"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2025-04-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143844027","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 role of fungal keystone taxa in soil multifunctionality across subtropical forests","authors":"Huaxiang Wang ,&nbsp;Shuoxing Wei ,&nbsp;Zhihui Wang ,&nbsp;Dian Tian ,&nbsp;Zhifeng Lu ,&nbsp;Hanbiao Ou ,&nbsp;Feng Gao ,&nbsp;Shiqi Ren ,&nbsp;Lijun Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106108","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106108","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Soil multifunctionality plays a crucial role in ecosystems, not only supporting nutrient cycling and plant productivity but also preserving biodiversity, thus ensuring the health and stability of the ecosystem. Forest soils harbor highly diverse microbial communities which fundamentally regulate the global elemental cycle and ecosystem multifunctionality. Keystone taxa act as “goalkeeper” in microbial community, which deeply portray community composition and functions. However, the mechanisms through which keystone taxa of soil microbes influence the dynamics of soil multifunctionality remain insufficiently elucidated within forest ecosystems. Our study analyzed the soil microbial community structures, soil properties and multifunctionalities of three typic forest stands in subtropic areas in south China, and identified the keystone taxa of bacteria and fungi by constructing co-occurrence networks, respectively. Further, partial least squares path modeling (PLS-PM) was conducted to explore the impact of different microbial taxa on soil multifunctionality. Our findings revealed considerable changes in soil multifunctionality across various forest types, with broad-leaved forest being the highest, then the mixed forest, and then followed by the coniferous forest. Compared with bacterial communities, soil fungal microbial networks in forest ecosystems had higher network nodes and higher module aggregation. Comparative analyses revealed that fungi exhibited greater type heterogeneity relative to bacteria inter-forest, with fungal keystone taxa demonstrating a pronounced influence on the multifaceted functional capacities of soil ecosystems. PLS-PM analysis further confirmed that soil properties (SOC, TN, and MBC) and fungal keystone taxa diversity (<em>r</em> = 0.319, <em>p</em> &lt; 0.05) exert significant direct effects on soil multifunctionality. Furthermore, the total effects analysis highlighted fungal keystone taxa diversity and soil properties were critical determinants of soil multifunctionality. Additionally, this study emphasizes the significance of keystone fungal species in controlling soil multifunctionality in forest ecosystems. Promoting the diversity and abundance of fungal keystone taxa is essential for maintaining and enhancing soil multifunctionality, thereby supporting forest ecosystem health and productivity.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8099,"journal":{"name":"Applied Soil Ecology","volume":"211 ","pages":"Article 106108"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2025-04-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143844028","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":"Divergent responses of soil respiration to biocrusts during the nongrowing and growing seasons in a dryland shrubland ecosystem","authors":"Chao Guan ,&nbsp;Xinyang Song ,&nbsp;Shiyan Zhou ,&nbsp;Yifan Jiang ,&nbsp;Linjie Qiao ,&nbsp;Xiaojun Ma ,&nbsp;Ning Chen ,&nbsp;Changming Zhao","doi":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106113","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106113","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Biocrusts, which are distinctive elements in arid and semiarid ecosystems, stand out as pivotal regulators of soil respiration. However, the intricate seasonal variability in the response of soil respiration to diverse biocrust types has not been determined. Using three years of continuous field measurements taken at hourly intervals, we explored the seasonal (nongrowing and growing seasons) responses of soil respiration to cyanobacteria-, lichen- and moss-dominated biocrusts in a shrubland on the Loess Plateau in China. Our results revealed that the effects of cyanobacteria-dominated biocrusts on total soil respiration varied between the nongrowing and growing seasons, whereas the effects of moss- and lichen-dominated biocrusts on total soil respiration showed no significant seasonal differences. Notably, the effect of biocrusts on seasonal soil respiration fluctuations was associated with the biocrust type, with biocrust layer respiration increasing mostly in the following order: cyanobacteria &lt; lichen &lt; moss. The magnitude of this effect was influenced not only by the biocrust type but also by the nongrowing and growing seasons. Soil temperature emerged as a primary driver of total soil respiration during the nongrowing season, whereas soil moisture predominated during the growing season. Moreover, annual precipitation dynamics may have shifted the roles of biocrusts and the key determinants of soil respiration. Collectively, our findings emphasize the importance of considering the nongrowing and growing seasons independently, as well as the specific biocrust type, when assessing the responses of soil respiration in arid and semiarid ecosystems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8099,"journal":{"name":"Applied Soil Ecology","volume":"211 ","pages":"Article 106113"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2025-04-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143844025","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":"Shrub removal suppresses the effects of warming on nematode communities in an alpine grassy ecosystem","authors":"Zi Yang ,&nbsp;Jingwei Chen ,&nbsp;Jiajia Wang ,&nbsp;Ziyang Liu ,&nbsp;Lihua Meng ,&nbsp;Hanwen Cui ,&nbsp;Sa Xiao ,&nbsp;Anning Zhang ,&nbsp;Kun Liu ,&nbsp;Lizhe An ,&nbsp;Shuyan Chen ,&nbsp;Uffe N. Nielsen","doi":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106117","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106117","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Climate warming is a key driver of changes in ecosystem structure and function, with well-documented effects on the vegetation aboveground. Warming can also influence soil organisms both directly and indirectly through impacts on vegetation composition and edaphic properties. The predicted increase in shrub encroachment in grassy alpine ecosystems on the Tibetan plateau due to warming is therefore likely to cause significant impacts belowground. We explored how a dominant shrub moderates the effect of warming on soil nematode richness and abundance in a grassy ecosystem on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. We used structural equation modelling (SEM) to examine effects on nematode assemblages through shifts in understory composition, edaphic properties, and soil microbial communities. We found that warming increased nematode richness and abundance, but only when shrubs were present. Similarly, warming changed nematode community composition, mainly due to increased abundance of fungivores and omnivores, only when shrubs were present. In addition, warming impacted nematode-based indices indicative of changes in ecosystem structure and function. The SEM revealed that warming and shrub removal interactively reduced nematode richness and the enrichment index directly. Shrub removal thus suppresses the positive effects of warming on nematode richness, abundance, and nematode-based indices in alpine grassy ecosystems. By inference, our results indicate that the effect of warming on soil fauna community diversity and structure in grassy alpine ecosystems will be exacerbated by shrub encroachment.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8099,"journal":{"name":"Applied Soil Ecology","volume":"211 ","pages":"Article 106117"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2025-04-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143844130","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":"Pseudomonas taxonomic and functional microdiversity in the wheat rhizosphere is cultivar-dependent and links to disease resistance profile and root diameter","authors":"Courtney Horn Herms ,&nbsp;Rosanna Catherine Hennessy ,&nbsp;Frederik Bak ,&nbsp;Ying Guan ,&nbsp;Patrick Denis Browne ,&nbsp;Tue Kjærgaard Nielsen ,&nbsp;Lars Hestbjerg Hansen ,&nbsp;Dorte Bodin Dresbøll ,&nbsp;Mette Haubjerg Nicolaisen","doi":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106116","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106116","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Diversity within lower taxonomic units in microbial communities is a key trait, giving rise to important ecological functions. In the rhizosphere, these functions include disease suppression and pathogen inhibition. However, limited effort has been given to defining the importance of rhizosphere intragenus microdiversity, despite the increasing homogeneity of agricultural systems. Through an integrative approach combining culture-dependent and -independent methods, we generated a strain library of 373 pseudomonads, benchmarked to long-read 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing, from two modern winter wheat cultivars. Representative isolates were genome sequenced to provide a <em>Pseudomonas</em> pangenome of 112 genomes. The isolates were used to demonstrate cultivar-dependent taxonomic and functional microdiversity between two closely related winter wheat cultivars. A <em>Fusarium-</em>resistant cultivar demonstrated increased <em>Pseudomonas</em> taxonomic diversity but not biosynthetic diversity when compared to the susceptible cultivar, coinciding with a thinner root diameter of the resistant cultivar. We found enrichment of <em>Pseudomonas</em> isolates capable of antagonizing <em>Fusarium</em> as well as chitinase-encoding genes and pyoverdine gene clusters in the resistant cultivar. Across closely related <em>Pseudomonas</em> isolates from the two cultivars, there were differences in genomic content and biosynthetic gene clusters. Ultimately, we highlight the need for fine-scale analysis to uncover the hidden microdiversity within rhizosphere <em>Pseudomonas</em>.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8099,"journal":{"name":"Applied Soil Ecology","volume":"211 ","pages":"Article 106116"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2025-04-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143844129","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":"Cessation of manure application diminishes the dissemination potential of antibiotic resistance genes by altering bacterial interaction patterns in soil–lettuce systems","authors":"Ruochen Li ,&nbsp;Xin Pei ,&nbsp;Ming Zhang ,&nbsp;Xuhui Deng ,&nbsp;Chengyuan Tao ,&nbsp;Jiabao Wang ,&nbsp;Xueli Chen ,&nbsp;Nicholas Clarke ,&nbsp;Lidia Sas-Paszt ,&nbsp;Zongzhuan Shen ,&nbsp;Rong Li ,&nbsp;Qirong Shen","doi":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106100","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106100","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The application of livestock manure is a common waste utilization measure that can increase soil fertility and crop yields, but the antibiotics and resistance genes involved result in a potential threat to human health and animal welfare. Here, lettuce, a widely popular edible vegetable, was selected as a model with which to investigate the effects of long-term application (FM) and temporary cessation (cessation) of fresh chicken manure on the distribution and movement of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in the soil-root-plant system to elucidate the bottleneck in assessing the health risks of manure application. ARGs associated with 13 antibiotics and 384 subtypes in soil were quantitatively analyzed via high-throughput qPCR, and the results revealed that cessation treatment significantly affected the patterns of bacteria, mobile genetic elements (MGEs) and ARGs in the soil, leaves and roots in the soil–lettuce cropping system compared with FM treatment. Cessation of manure application reduced the abundance of ARGs by 34.0 %, 53.7 %, and 23.9 % in the bulk soil, rhizosphere soil, and leaves, respectively. Correlation network and source-tracking analyses of ARGs and bacteria within leaves and roots revealed that cessation treatment reduced the diffusion of ARGs and bacteria within leaves and roots into adjacent sites, and partial least squares path model (PLSPM) analysis indicated that FM treatment indirectly affected the pattern of ARGs in soil by influencing the bacterial community and soil properties, which play key roles in the distribution of ARGs. In summary, we investigated the driving mechanism of the effects of manure on the microbial community and ARG spectrum in a soil–lettuce planting system, and the results can support strategies for managing the spread of ARGs in the soil.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8099,"journal":{"name":"Applied Soil Ecology","volume":"211 ","pages":"Article 106100"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2025-04-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143844026","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":"Organic carbon mineralization and its temperature response of soil organic matter fractions in the Yellow River estuary wetland","authors":"Guowei Lu ,&nbsp;Jisong Yang ,&nbsp;Qixuan Wang ,&nbsp;Wei Zhao ,&nbsp;Zhikang Wang ,&nbsp;Xuehong Wang ,&nbsp;Bo Guan ,&nbsp;Di Zhou ,&nbsp;Kai Ning","doi":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106109","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106109","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The temperature response of carbon dynamics varies with soil organic matter (SOM) fractions, which is of great significance for a better understanding of carbon–climate feedback. However, it is currently unclear how the mineralization-temperature response of SOM fractions occurs and what the main factors are in estuary wetlands. For this purpose, we collected three typical wetland soils in the Yellow River Estuary: freshwater wetland soil (FW), saltmarsh wetland soil (SW), and paddy field soil (PF); obtained two SOM fractions, particulate organic matter (POM) and mineral-associated organic matter (MAOM); investigated carbon mineralization (C_min) and temperature sensitivity (Q₁₀) of two fractions; and determined the effects of soil properties, iron oxides, and substrate quality. Over the 70-d incubation period, both C_min and Q₁₀ differed significantly among the soil types and fractions. The means of C_min and Q₁₀ were 40.1–431.0 μg C·g⁻¹ and 1.04–2.51, respectively, with higher values for FW and PF soils than those for SW soil. Across SOM fractions, POM had higher C_min and Q₁₀ compared to MAOM. Substrate quality (organic carbon in SOM fractions), iron oxides (Fe_o and Fe_d), and soil properties (pH and electrical conductivity (EC)) all exhibited significant effects on carbon mineralization and temperature response. Specifically, pH and EC had negative, and iron oxides positively affected C_min and Q₁₀. However, SOM fraction quality had the opposite effect, with POM having a positive effect on C_min and MAOM having a negative effect on Q₁₀. Among all the factors, the effects of POM on C_min and MAOM on Q₁₀ were dominant. These results suggest that effectively distinguishing the different contributions of SOM fractions is crucial for predicting the carbon–climate feedback in estuary wetlands.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8099,"journal":{"name":"Applied Soil Ecology","volume":"210 ","pages":"Article 106109"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2025-04-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143835292","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 quality changes in cashew orchard production in Brazilian semiarid areas: a comprehensive field survey across locations, seasons, tree types, and management practices","authors":"Arlene Santisteban Campos ,&nbsp;Ederson da Conceição Jesus ,&nbsp;Paulo Furtado Mendes Filho ,&nbsp;Arthur Prudêncio de Araújo Pereira ,&nbsp;Ana Cecília Ribeiro de Castro ,&nbsp;Arthur Cesar Mina Albuquerque Coelho ,&nbsp;Patricia do Nascimento Bordallo ,&nbsp;Wardsson Lustrino Borges ,&nbsp;Ana Cristina Portugal Pinto de Carvalho","doi":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106102","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106102","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The cashew tree (<em>Anacardium occidentale</em> L.) plays a critical role in tropical agriculture. Although the impact of intensive cashew production on soil quality is recognized, it remains poorly understood. This study investigates how location, management practices, tree type (common and dwarf), and seasons affect soil quality indicators in cashew orchards in Brazilian semiarid. Soil samples (0–40 cm) were collected from four municipalities in Northeast Brazil (Beberibe and Pacajus, Ceará state; Pio IX, Piauí state; and Serra do Mel, Rio Grande do Norte state) during dry and rainy seasons, under managed and unmanaged soil conditions in orchards of dwarf and common cashew trees. Biological indicators, such as microbial biomass carbon, soil basal respiration, metabolic quotients, and enzymatic activities (β-glucosidase, arylsulfatase, acid, and alkaline phosphatases), were assessed. Results revealed significant spatial variability, with location as the main factor influencing soil attributes. Dwarf cashew cultivation reduced nutrient losses by enhancing microbial efficiency, particularly in low-fertility, aluminum-rich soils. All analyzed enzymatic activities were closely linked to total organic carbon, soil fertility, or pH, highlighting their potential as soil health indicators. Seasonal variations influenced microbial activity, especially in iron-rich soils like those in Serra do Mel municipally. Based on these findings, we recommend site-specific management practices, such as maintaining organic residues around dwarf cashew trees and targeting soil acidity correction, to optimize microbial processes and improve soil resilience. Cultivating dwarf cashew trees is encouraged due to their enhanced nutrient use efficiency, which reduces soil nutrient losses and supports microbial activity, particularly in low-fertility soils.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8099,"journal":{"name":"Applied Soil Ecology","volume":"211 ","pages":"Article 106102"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2025-04-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143834359","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":"Maize stalk mulching significantly influences the cyanobacterial communities and alpha diversity in artificial cyanobacterial crusts in arid sandy areas","authors":"Yu-Chao Lian ,&nbsp;Yi-Xue Zhao ,&nbsp;Wen-Wen Xu ,&nbsp;Yan-Qiao Zhao ,&nbsp;Yang Zhao","doi":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106093","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106093","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Biological soil crusts are biotic soil layers formed by interactions between cyanobacteria, other microorganisms, and soil particles. Cyanobacterial crust represents the primary stage of biological soil crust succession and performs crucial ecological functions within desert ecosystems. These crusts play a vital role in ecological sustainability by not only enhancing surface soil stability and water regulation but also by contributing significantly to soil nutrient cycling and carbon/nitrogen fixation. Cyanobacteria are key pioneer species in newly-established cyanobacterial crust, and cyanobacterial communities and alpha diversity are strongly influenced by surface microenvironmental conditions. Maize straw mulching can improve the surface microenvironment (<em>e.g.,</em> sum of effective wetting time, accumulated temperature) in arid sandy areas. However, its effects on cyanobacterial communities and alpha diversity in artificial cyanobacterial crusts are still unknown. Here, the effects of five different rates of maize stalk mulch coverage (0, 25 %, 50 %, 75 %, 100 %) + biocrust inoculation were tested in an artificial cyanobacterial crust cultivation experiment on the southeastern edge of the Tengger Desert, China. The drivers of changes in cyanobacterial communities and alpha diversity were explored by monitoring microenvironmental variation. It was found that dominant cyanobacterial species varied with maize stalk mulch coverage rate. Community composition was the most similar between the biocrust inoculum and artificial crusts under 25 %, 50 %, and 75 % mulch coverage (0.7; 0.6; 0.7); Cyanobacteria species abundance and richness first increased before decreasing with increasing mulch coverage, whereas evenness exhibited the opposite pattern. Additionally, sum of effective wetting time, average light intensity, average temperature and accumulated temperature significantly influenced (<em>p</em> &lt; 0.05) cyanobacterial communities and alpha diversity. These results suggest that 25–50 % maize straw coverage improves the surface microenvironment and facilitates the growth and development of key cyanobacterial taxa. As such, this coverage rate may be ideal to support efforts to stabilize sand using artificial cyanobacterial crusts.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8099,"journal":{"name":"Applied Soil Ecology","volume":"211 ","pages":"Article 106093"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2025-04-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143834353","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}