Ecosystem assessment to support innovative advancements in soil sustainability in the major land resource areas of Mississippi through geochemical and metagenomics studies.

In the present study, the ecosystem of Roebuck (RF) and Nesbit blueberry plantation (NBP) farms in Mississippi state, USA that differed by type of fertilizer treatment was assessed using soil samples through geophysical-chemical parameters and metagenomics studies. Soil geophysical-chemical parameters such as pH, moisture, organic content, nutrients, and toxic metal concentrations were measured. Metagenomic analysis was performed to identify the bacterial communities in the soil samples. The results revealed that the pH of the NBP farm (organic fertilizer) was lower than that of the RF farm (chemical fertilizer). The NBP soil samples exhibited higher moisture and organic contents than the RF soil samples. The tested heavy metal concentrations in both farm soil samples were within the limits recommended by the EPA (United States Environmental Protection Agency). Different concentrations of nutrients were observed between these two farms soil samples. RF soil indicated greater species richness and a more balanced distribution of species abundances. Proteobacteria, Bacteroidota, and Actinobacteriota were the most abundant phyla observed in RF soil, whereas Proteobacteria, Acidobacteriota, and Actinobacteriota were the most abundant phyla observed in NBP soil. This study clearly demonstrated the effects of fertilizer type on the soil through variations in geophysical-chemical parameters, which subsequently changed the microbial communities. This study suggests that organic fertilizer application could be an effective method for sustainable soil quality as the organic fertilized soils exhibited higher moisture and organic content that promotes plant growth.