Article
Ecology
Patrick Thompson, Samuel Hurlemann, Florian Altermatt
Summary: Predicting how ecological communities will respond to environmental change based on current spatial relationships between species and the environment may be inaccurate due to the effects of species interactions, which can cause communities to respond differently to spatial versus temporal environmental changes.
AMERICAN NATURALIST
(2021)
Article
Agronomy
Qirong Hu, Jinbao Li, Yongzhi Wang, Pengcheng Huang, Xuemin He
Summary: This study investigated the characteristics and sources of heavy metal pollution in different grassland soil types in Altay. The results showed that natural grasslands were the most severely contaminated, with zinc and lead being the main pollutants. The sources of pollution were identified as natural and mining activity sources, industrial coal combustion and sewage sources, as well as an unknown source.
Article
Microbiology
Zhaojuan Zhang, Yingkun Yang, Jing Zhao, Yu Li, Steven L. Stephenson, Junzhi Qiu, Pu Liu
Summary: Dictyostelid communities in different regions of China were found to be significantly different, possibly due to different environmental factors. The highest species diversity of dictyostelids was observed in mixed forests. Soil pH, temperature, and elevation were identified as the primary factors affecting the distribution and occurrence of dictyostelids in Gansu and Guizhou Provinces. This study contributes to the understanding of soil microbiome diversity and highlights the importance of studying soil protists.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Guo-Jiao Yang, Yann Hautier, Zi-Jia Zhang, Xiao-Tao Lu, Xing-Guo Han
Summary: This study investigates the impact of nitrogen addition on the temporal stability of aboveground and belowground net primary productivity (ANPP and BNPP) in a grassland ecosystem. The results show that nitrogen addition decreases the stability of ANPP, but does not affect the stability of BNPP and NPP at the investigated scales. Additionally, spatial asynchrony of ANPP and BNPP among communities provides greater stability at a larger scale and is not affected by nitrogen addition.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Agronomy
Xiaojie Feng, Xiangyang Sun, Suyan Li, Junda Zhang, Nuo Hu
Summary: The bacterial communities in urban green spaces are closely related to soil physicochemical properties, serving as important biological indicators of soil quality. Our study revealed that soil moisture content, organic matter, total nitrogen, available nitrogen, available potassium, and other factors were significantly higher in park green space soils compared to attached green space soils. Actinobacteria was identified as the core microorganism in both park and attached green space soils, with taxonomic groups in park soils exhibiting more modularity and closer connections.
Article
Soil Science
Rasit Asiloglu, Keiko Shiroishi, Kazuki Suzuki, Oguz Can Turgay, Naoki Harada
Summary: Protists in alkaline paddy fields are predominantly composed of Amoebozoa, with consumers being the most dominant functional group. Soil properties have a more significant impact on protist community composition than the rhizosphere effect of rice. The rhizosphere effect of rice mainly affects phagotrophs and plant pathogens, indicating a top-down control relationship between phagotrophs and plant pathogens.
SOIL BIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Sumei Li, Ziyi Li, Jun Xue, Sha Chen, Hanbing Li, Jian Ji, Yixuan Liang, Jiaying Fei, Weiyi Jiang
Summary: In this study, 22 soil samples were collected from Qinghai Province, and microplastics (MPs) were detected in all samples. Various types, shapes, sizes, and colors of MPs were observed, with polyethylene terephthalate (PET) as the dominant polymer. MPs ranging from 10-50 μm accounted for 50% of all identified MPs, and pellets were the dominant shape. Colored MPs made up 64% of all MPs. This study reveals the presence of large quantities of MPs in grassland soils, including remote areas, and provides a reference for further studies on terrestrial MPs.
Article
Soil Science
Mayu Fujino, Kazuki Suzuki, Naoki Harada, Rasit Asiloglu
Summary: Bacterial communities in soil ecosystems, including paddy fields, are regulated by predatory protists. Current knowledge on this regulation comes solely from DNA-based methods which lack the ability to differentiate between alive and dead cells. This study compared DNA- and RNA-based sequencing methods to evaluate the impact of protists on bacterial community composition, and found that protists have a species-specific effect and soil type is an important factor in microbial trophic interactions.
BIOLOGY AND FERTILITY OF SOILS
(2023)
Article
Soil Science
Xing Huang, Jianjun Wang, Kenneth Dumack, Weiping Liu, Qichun Zhang, Yan He, Hongjie Di, Michael Bonkowski, Jianming Xu, Yong Li
Summary: Research showed that deterministic drivers played a more important role in influencing the assembly of soil fungal communities in high-latitude climatic zones, while stochastic processes were dominant in low-latitude climatic zones. Biotic factors had as much impact on fungal communities as abiotic factors, and were better predictors for the abundance of certain saprophytic and mycorrhizal fungi. The interactions between fungi and protist predators may stimulate the divergence of fungal communities, highlighting the significant effects of biotic factors on soil fungal community assembly across different climatic zones.
SOIL BIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Janine Moll-Mielewczik, Sonja G. Keel, Andreas Gubler
Summary: Long-term monitoring of soil organic carbon (SOC) content and stocks is crucial for climate change and carbon sequestration. Field data and models are used to report changes in SOC stocks and validate models. This study presents SOC measurements from 1985 to 2014 in Swiss grassland sites and compares them with predictions from the RothC model. While there was no general trend in measured data, the model showed a good fit in two-thirds of the cases.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Na Lei, Huanyuan Wang, Yang Zhang, Tianqing Chen
Summary: Seasonal changes in respiration were monitored in four reconstructed soil masses in a barren gravel land. The results showed that respiration and heterotrophic respiration increased with increasing soil temperatures, reaching a maximum in summer and decreasing to a minimum in winter. The proportion of autotrophic respiration to total respiration varied among the different reconstructed soils, with the highest percentage observed in soils with reconstituted meteorite.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Soil Science
Md Sainur Samad, Syaliny Ganasamurthy, Matthew P. Highton, Lars R. Bakken, Timothy J. Clough, Cecile A. M. de Klein, Karl G. Richards, Gary J. Lanigan, Sergio E. Morales
Summary: The study found that pH was not a significant regulator of N2O emissions in urine-amended soils. Instead, new variables emerged as regulators of N2O emissions in such soils, likely due to the unique environment created. The study also showed a linear correlation between the emission ratio of N2O and the rate of N-gas loss, as well as associations between O2 consumption and AOB in urine-affected soils.
SOIL BIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY
(2021)
Review
Cell Biology
Andrew Callan-Jones
Summary: Amoeboid motility refers to a spectrum of cell migration modes that enable cells to move without strong, specific adhesion. By switching to an amoeboid mode, cells can restructure their migration machinery at the cell scale and establish a close link between cell polarization and migration mediated by self-organizing mechanisms. Recent theoretical models aim to provide an integrative, physical understanding of amoeboid migration.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Fangfang Li, Anqi Sun, Xiaoyan Jiao, Li Bi, Yong Zheng, Ji-Zheng He, Hang-Wei Hu
Summary: This study investigated the impacts of inorganic fertilization regimes on protist communities in rhizosphere and bulk soils of sorghum plants. Results showed that protists were dominated by specific supergroups in both compartments, with significantly lower diversity in rhizosphere soils. Inorganic fertilization did not significantly impact protistan diversity or composition, but did change the relative abundances of specific taxa. Co-occurrence network analysis revealed intensive trophic interactions between protists, bacteria, and fungi in soil food webs. Soil properties and the community compositions of bacteria and fungi were important factors shaping protistan communities.
JOURNAL OF SOILS AND SEDIMENTS
(2021)
Article
Agronomy
Pei-Tzu Kao, Heather L. Buss, Steve P. McGrath, Tegan Darch, Helen E. Warren, Michael R. F. Lee
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the effect of applying different types of ruminant excreta in soils of different organic matter contents on selenium uptake by forage. The results showed that the application of excreta did not increase selenium concentration and accumulation in the perennial ryegrass. Therefore, supplementing selenium directly to animals is more recommended than applying animal manure to soil, as the application may lead to selenium reduction and decrease selenium uptake by grass.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Kenneth Dumack, Olga Ferlian, Deisy Morselli Gysi, Florine Degrune, Robin-Tobias Jauss, Susanne Walden, Husna Oeztoprak, Tesfaye Wubet, Michael Bonkowski, Nico Eisenhauer
Summary: Earthworm invasion affects the diversity of Cercozoa, with different forests showing distinct responses. The presence of 39 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) exclusively indicating earthworm invasion suggests an earthworm-associated community of Cercozoa. Particularly, the hyper-parasite Woronina pythii significantly increases in the presence of invasive earthworms, potentially impacting oomycete communities and forest health.
BIOLOGICAL INVASIONS
(2022)
Article
Agronomy
A. Schnepf, A. Carminati, M. A. Ahmed, M. Ani, P. Benard, J. Bentz, M. Bonkowski, M. Knott, D. Diehl, P. Duddek, E. Kroner, M. Javaux, M. Landl, E. Lehndorff, E. Lippold, A. Lieu, C. W. Mueller, E. Oburger, W. Otten, X. Portell, M. Phalempin, A. Prechtel, R. Schulz, J. Vanderborght, D. Vetterlein
Summary: This study investigates the importance and interconnectedness of rhizosphere processes across multiple scales using modeling and experimental methods. The results demonstrate the use of various modeling tools to explain the spatial and temporal distribution of rhizosphere components and show how different scales and processes can be linked.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
E. L. Slabbert, T. M. Knight, T. Wubet, A. Kautzner, C. Baessler, H. Auge, C. Roscher, O. Schweiger
Summary: Human-induced disturbances to ecosystems directly lead to biodiversity loss and affect the formation processes of ecosystems even after the disturbances stop. Understanding the long-term consequences of land use practices on agroecosystems is crucial. This study investigates the factors shaping communities in semi-natural grasslands and finds that abiotic factors have a higher impact on vascular plant and soil fungal communities compared to land management practices and land use intensity.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2022)
Article
Zoology
Mona van Schingen-Khan, Leon Marian Fynn Barthel, Dung Thi Kim Pham, Cuong The Pham, Truong Quang Nguyen, Thomas Ziegler, Michael Bonkowski
Summary: Climate change negatively impacts vertebrate biodiversity, especially tropical lizards with narrow temperature tolerances. The crocodile lizard, an ecologically specialized species, is at risk of extinction due to habitat loss and overharvesting. This study uses temperature data to assess the species' vulnerability and provides insights into its temperature preferences and seasonal variations, offering guidance for conservation measures.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Oscar Rindt, Christoph Rosinger, Michael Bonkowski, Christian Rixen, Nicolas Brueggemann, Tim Urich, Anna Maria Fiore-Donno
Summary: A study in the Central Alps found that the microbial biomass and dissolved C in the soil increased during snowmelt and from spring to summer. The absence of soil freezing in winter and the rise in dissolved C supported a continued growth of the microbial biomass, without any sudden collapse. These findings highlight the importance of the insulating effect of seasonal snow cover for microbial dynamics.
Article
Ecology
Remy Beugnon, Wensheng Bu, Helge Bruelheide, Andrea Davrinche, Jianqing Du, Sylvia Haider, Matthias Kunz, Goddert von Oheimb, Maria D. D. Perles-Garcia, Mariem Saadani, Thomas Scholten, Steffen Seitz, Bala Singavarapu, Stefan Trogisch, Yanfen Wang, Tesfaye Wubet, Kai Xue, Bo Yang, Simone Cesarz, Nico Eisenhauer
Summary: This study conducted in a Chinese subtropical forest experiment revealed a strong positive correlation between soil microbial biomass and soil carbon concentrations. It was found that an increase in tree productivity and tree root diameter led to an increase in soil carbon concentration, while an increase in litterfall C:N content resulted in a decrease in soil carbon concentration. Tree functional traits also modulated microenvironmental conditions, with significant consequences for soil microbial biomass.
ECOLOGICAL MONOGRAPHS
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Mahreen Yahya, Maria Rasul, Sayed Zajif Hussain, Adil Dilawar, Midrar Ullah, Lubna Rajput, Aftab Afzal, Muhammad Asif, Tesfaye Wubet, Sumera Yasmin
Summary: Climate change threatens wheat production, which may lead to a decline in crop production by 2030. Phosphorus (P) deficiency is also a major factor affecting yield. This study demonstrates the importance of an integrated approach to manage P nutrients and develop effective PSB consortia for wheat varieties, considering soil health and agro-climatic conditions. The results show that inoculated wheat plants with the designed consortia exhibited increased grain yield and seed P content.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Margot Neyret, Sophie Peter, Gaetane Le Provost, Steffen Boch, Andrea Larissa Boesing, James M. Bullock, Norbert Hoelzel, Valentin H. Klaus, Till Kleinebecker, Jochen Krauss, Joerg Mueller, Sandra Mueller, Christian Ammer, Francois Buscot, Martin Ehbrecht, Markus Fischer, Kezia Goldmann, Kirsten Jung, Marion Mehring, Thomas Mueller, Swen C. Renner, Peter Schall, Michael Scherer-Lorenzen, Catrin Westphal, Tesfaye Wubet, Peter Manning
Summary: This study provides a tool to quantify the social impact of land-use changes by combining broad ecological data with information on the ecosystem service priorities of multiple stakeholder groups. The research shows that most major land-use changes proposed for Europe could lead to social conflicts and reduced multifunctionality. However, moderate gains in multifunctionality and equity can be achieved by expanding and diversifying forests and de-intensifying grasslands.
NATURE SUSTAINABILITY
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Lioba Rueger, Minh Ganther, Jule Freudenthal, Jan Jansa, Anna Heintz-Buschart, Mika Tapio Tarkka, Michael Bonkowski
Summary: Plants have a significant impact on the development of microbial communities in their rhizosphere, and the role of root caps and specific root zones in microbial community assembly is still unclear. In this study, the composition of prokaryote and protist microbiomes along maize roots was compared between intact and decapped roots, as well as between wild type and root hairless mutant. The absence of root caps had a stronger effect on microbiome composition than the absence of root hairs, affecting microbial community composition at older root zones and higher trophic levels.
Article
Soil Science
Lioba Rueger, Kai Feng, Yan Chen, Ruibo Sun, Bo Sun, Ye Deng, Doris Vetterlein, Michael Bonkowski
Summary: Soil texture is critical to root growth and plays a significant role in the occurrence and distribution of soil microbiota. This study investigated the influence of soil texture on root morphology and the rhizosphere microbial composition of maize. The results showed a linear relationship between soil texture and root morphology, as well as a stronger selection effect of the rhizosphere in soils with a high sand fraction. This research highlights the importance of soil texture in shaping the rhizosphere microbiome of maize.
SOIL BIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jannik Martens, Carsten W. Mueller, Prachi Joshi, Christoph Rosinger, Markus Maisch, Andreas Kappler, Michael Bonkowski, Georg Schwamborn, Lutz Schirrmeister, Janet Rethemeyer
Summary: In Siberian permafrost sediments deposited during the Pleistocene, the presence of reactive iron leads to the mineral-bound organic carbon, which reduces microbial CO2 production after thawing. Rapid thaw of ice-rich Pleistocene-age permafrost can expose a large pool of organic matter to microbial degradation and greenhouse gas emissions, but protective physico-chemical mechanisms may restrict microbial accessibility and reduce decomposition, influenced by changing environmental conditions during sediment deposition. Study of different organic matter fractions in Siberian permafrost deposited during colder and warmer periods reveals that carbon preservation in mineral-associated organic matter is enhanced by reactive iron minerals, while warmer and wetter conditions reduce organic matter stabilization and increase CO2 production. The stability and bioavailability of Pleistocene-age permafrost carbon are important for predicting future climate-carbon feedback.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Bala Singavarapu, Jianqing Du, Remy Beugnon, Simone Cesarz, Nico Eisenhauer, Kai Xue, Yanfen Wang, Helge Bruelheide, Tesfaye Wubet
Summary: Loss of multifunctional microbial communities can negatively affect ecosystem services, especially forest soil nutrient cycling. Therefore, exploration of the genomic potential of soil microbial communities, particularly their constituting subcommunities and taxa for nutrient cycling, is vital to get an in-depth mechanistic understanding for better management of forest soil ecosystems.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Thi Bao-Anh Nguyen, Michael Bonkowski, Kenneth Dumack, Qing-Lin Chen, Ji-Zheng He, Hang-Wei Hu
Summary: This study investigated the response of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in soil to predation pressure from protists. The results showed that an increase in protistan predation pressure was associated with higher abundance and diversity of ARGs in the soil. High concentrations of protists significantly increased the abundance of genes encoding multidrug and tetracycline resistance, as well as the abundance of certain bacterial genera.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Christoph Rosinger, Johannes Rousk, Michael Bonkowski, Janet Rethemeyer, Andrea Jaeschke
Summary: Extreme environmental conditions in the Atacama Desert make it one of the most inhospitable habitats for life on Earth. This study investigated the physiological responses of soil microorganisms to a simulated precipitation event in these extreme soils. The results revealed that microbial growth did occur following rewetting, although at much lower rates compared to other soil systems. Carbon supplementation increased bacterial growth and respiration responses, indicating a carbon-limited microbial community. The study also found evidence of an active archaeal community in the hyper-arid soils upon rewetting.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)