Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
William L. King, Terrence H. Bell
Summary: When developing and deploying microbial inoculants, integrating dispersal ability is necessary for increasing the predictability of success. Dispersal can impact various aspects of in-field survival and interactions.
TRENDS IN BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Ecology
Seema Sangwan, Radha Prasanna
Summary: The symbiotic relationship between plants and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) is now known to be influenced by mycorrhizal helper bacteria (MHB), which play a crucial role in promoting the development and functioning of AMF by influencing spore germination, mycelial growth, root colonization, metabolic diversity, and biocontrol of soil borne diseases; MHB also enhance the efficiency of arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis by triggering plant growth factors, leading to better nutrient uptake by plants.
Article
Soil Science
Yi Li, Wei Zhang, Jie Li, Feng Zhou, Xiaona Liang, Xuefeng Zhu, Hongbo He, Xudong Zhang
Summary: Plant residue serves as the ultimate source of soil organic matter, but the proportion of crop residue that accumulates as plant tissue versus microbial necromass in conservation agricultural systems remains uncertain. A 12-year experiment was conducted in Northeast China to examine the dynamics of microbial necromass and plant debris under different maize straw mulching treatments. The results showed that microbial contribution to soil organic matter increased significantly with prolonged conservation tillage duration, while fresh plant lignin was selectively retained to a larger extent. The study highlights the importance of functional complementation between microbial and plant-derived components in the buildup of soil organic carbon under conservation tillage.
SOIL BIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Anahi Cantoran, Francois Maillard, Petr Baldrian, Peter G. Kennedy
Summary: This study synthesizes information on the composition of bacterial and fungal communities on decomposing fungal necromass and identifies a diverse but common core necrobiome. The composition of the core necrobiome is dynamic over time.
FEMS MICROBIOLOGY ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Katilyn Beidler, Young E. Oh, Seth G. Pritchard, Richard P. Phillips
Summary: There is increasing evidence that plant roots and mycorrhizal fungi play a central role in soil carbon cycling, with their interactions influencing litter decay. The study found that oak roots had a stronger suppressive effect on decay, particularly when reducing soil nitrogen availability, which was associated with changes in enzyme activities. These interactions play an underappreciated role in soil organic matter accumulation and turnover in temperate forests.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Francois Maillard, Peter G. Kennedy, Bartosz Adamczyk, Jussi Heinonsalo, Marc Buee
Summary: The study showed that the microbial communities and enzyme activities on decomposing fungal necromass remain dynamic years after initial input, with roots and their associated fungal symbionts resulting in the slowing of microbial necromass turnover with time.
Article
Microbiology
Ruohui Zhang, Shanmin Qu, Bin Zhang, Ying Gao, Fu Xing
Summary: The interaction between poisonous weeds and neighboring plants is complex. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and plant pathogenic fungi (PPF) play important roles in the interspecific relationships of plants. This study found that the interaction between Leymus chinensis and Stellera chamaejasme significantly inhibited aboveground growth but promoted underground growth. As the proportion of S. chamaejasme increased, the nitrogen content and pH in the rhizosphere soil of L. chinensis decreased, while the relative abundance of AMF in L. chinensis rhizosphere soil increased. The study also revealed the regulatory role of AMF and PPF in the interactive effects of both plants.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Qingcheng Qiu, Dabing Xiang, Qiang Li, Hanlin Wang, Yan Wan, Qi Wu, Xueling Ye, Liangzhen Jiang, Yu Fan, Bingliang Liu, Yanxia Liu, Han Li, Changying Liu
Summary: This study investigated the effects of nitrogen fertilizer application on growth and rhizosphere microbial community of Tartary buckwheat. The results showed that nitrogen application promoted the growth and yield of Tartary buckwheat, and changed the diversity and abundance of rhizosphere microorganisms. Furthermore, specific enriched or depleted microorganisms in the rhizosphere soil of different Tartary buckwheat varieties were identified.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Yuan-Yuan Li, Margaux Boeraeve, Yu-Hsiu Cho, Hans Jacquemyn, Yung- Lee
Summary: Mycorrhizal associations play a crucial role in orchid germination and seedling establishment, potentially impacting the distribution and abundance of orchids in natural conditions. The mycoheterotrophic orchid Gastrodia confusoides displays random aboveground spatial patterns of distribution within bamboo forests, possibly due to the scattered distribution of litter-decaying fungi. Our study provides evidence that the abundance of litter-decaying fungi varies randomly within the bamboo forest and independently from G. confusoides adults.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Yinhang Xia, Xiangbi Chen, Shengmeng Zheng, Anna Gunina, Zhao Ning, Yajun Hu, Haiming Tang, Yichao Rui, Zhenhua Zhang, Hongbo He, Daoyou Huang, Yirong Su
Summary: This study revealed that incorporating organic materials in paddy soils can significantly increase total nitrogen content and enhance microbial involvement in nitrogen accumulation by activating N cycling genes. However, compared to rice straw, the addition of manure, although increasing biomass N in soil, showed a weaker relative microbial contribution to nitrogen accumulation.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Xiaolong Shi, Xinhua Zhao, Jinyao Ren, Jiale Dong, He Zhang, Qiqi Dong, Chunji Jiang, Chao Zhong, Yufei Zhou, Haiqiu Yu
Summary: This study found that plant types and soil salinity can affect the microbial community of the interspecific interaction zone. Plants under salt stress alter the composition and diversity of the microbial community. Interspecific interactions help maintain the stability and ecological functions of microbial communities by restructuring the core microbiome.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Chengjie Ren, Zhenghu Zhou, Yaoxin Guo, Gaihe Yang, Fazhu Zhao, Gehong Wei, Xinhui Han, Lun Feng, Yongzhong Feng, Guangxin Ren
Summary: The distribution patterns of microbial communities and enzyme activities in soil along an elevation gradient were studied, with results showing significant effects of elevation on bacterial, fungal, ectomycorrhizal, and saprotrophic fungal diversity, as well as enzyme activity dynamics. Climatic factors and soil properties played important roles in these differences, with climatic factors having a greater impact along the elevation gradient. These findings highlight the ecological importance of microbial communities in response to climate change.
Article
Microbiology
Xiaoxue Fang, Huaying Wang, Ling Zhao, Manqi Wang, Mingzhou Sun
Summary: This study analyzed the microbial communities in the rhizosphere soils of three types of ginseng using high-throughput sequencing. The results showed that bacterial diversity was higher and fungal diversity was lower in the rhizosphere soils of wild ginseng compared to farmland cultivated ginseng. The study also found that fungal communities were more affected than bacterial communities in all three types of ginseng. Furthermore, the relative abundance of Chloroflexi, Fusarium, and Alternaria was higher in farmland cultivated ginseng compared to wild ginseng and understory wild ginseng.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Zhengjun Feng, Huizhi Ren, Huiping Song, Yan Zou, Miroslav Vosatka, Shaobin Huang, Hainan Lu, Fangqin Cheng
Summary: This study investigated the effects of AMF on plant growth, Pb translocation, and bacteria community in rhizosphere and non-rhizosphere soils spiked with Pb. The results showed that AMF significantly increased the uptake of Pb by Paspalum notatum, and the concentration of soil exchangeable Pb was significantly reduced after plant cultivation, with further reduction observed with AMF application. The majority of the original exchangeable Pb was transformed into stabilized forms. The bacteria community exhibited differences between rhizosphere and non-rhizosphere soils, and both AMF and Pb were stronger impact factors affecting the beta-diversity of soil bacteria community than rhizosphere.
WATER AIR AND SOIL POLLUTION
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Cesar Marin, Roberto Godoy, Jens Boy, Maarja Opik
Summary: The mycorrhizal dominance of dominant trees likely influences other non-mycorrhizal fungal groups through soil resource partitioning and/or competition. The Chilean temperate rainforests, located in two mountain systems, have different geological histories and forest mycorrhizal dominance types. This study examined the effects of mountain system, forest mycorrhizal dominance, and edaphic conditions on soil fungal communities.
JOURNAL OF SOIL SCIENCE AND PLANT NUTRITION
(2023)
Article
Soil Science
Yue Cai, Tian Ma, Yiyun Wang, Juan Jia, Yufu Jia, Chao Liang, Xiaojuan Feng
Summary: The accumulation of microbial necromass relative to labile organic carbon consumption is influenced by various factors including soil mineral content and composition. Clay promotes microbial respiration and enhances amino sugar accumulation efficiency, while ferrihydrite increases microbial respiration rate but decreases amino sugar accumulation efficiency.
Editorial Material
Biodiversity Conservation
Pete Smith, Linda Beaumont, Carl J. Bernacchi, Maria Byrne, William Cheung, Richard T. Conant, Francesca Cotrufo, Xiaojuan Feng, Ivan Janssens, Hefin Jones, Miko U. F. Kirschbaum, Kazuhiko Kobayashi, Julie LaRoche, Yiqi Luo, Andrew McKechnie, Josep Penuelas, Shilong Piao, Sharon Robinson, Rowan F. Sage, David J. Sugget, Stephen J. Thackeray, Danielle Way, Stephen P. Long
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Jingjing Guo, Tian Ma, Nana Liu, Xinying Zhang, Huifeng Hu, Wenhong Ma, Zhiheng Wang, Xiaojuan Feng, Francien Peterse
Summary: Branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers (brGDGTs) are membrane lipids of certain soil bacteria and can be used to proxy air temperature and soil pH. This study evaluated the influence of soil pH and aridity on brGDGT distributions in grassland soils in Inner Mongolia. The relative abundance of 6-methyl brGDGTs increased with increasing soil pH and aridity, suggesting that soil pH reconstructions based on this compound may be more reliable. Additionally, different bacterial community compositions responded differently to aridity, indicating the complex factors influencing brGDGT production.
ORGANIC GEOCHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Yuqing Liu, Qiaodong Chi, Hui Cheng, Huanxin Ding, Teng Wen, Jun Zhao, Xiaojuan Feng, Jinbo Zhang, Zucong Cai, Guohua Liu
Summary: This study investigated the abundance and distribution of nitrogen functional genes (NFGs) in different soil layers in grassland habitats in northern China. The results showed that the distribution of NFGs was influenced by soil depth and grassland habitats, with vertical differences having a greater impact. Furthermore, redundancy analysis indicated that soil resource supply may control the vertical distribution of these microorganisms.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Soil Science
Guohua Dai, Shanshan Zhu, Yue Cai, Erxiong Zhu, Yufu Jia, Chengjun Ji, Zhiyao Tang, Jingyun Fang, Xiaojuan Feng
Summary: Plant and microbial residues are the main sources of soil organic carbon (SOC). This study found that forests have lower microbial necromass in SOC compared to grasslands, indicating a higher contribution of plant-derived components to forest SOC. Plant-derived lignin phenols do not play a major role in SOC accumulation, while leaf- and root-derived hydrolysable lipids make up a higher proportion of SOC in forests. Soil pH, reactive iron and aluminum contents, and lignin oxidation are factors that influence the accumulation of plant lipids and SOC in forest soils.
SOIL BIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Laura Castaneda-Gomez, Kate Lajtha, Richard Bowden, Fathima Nahidha Mohammed Jauhar, Juan Jia, Xiaojuan Feng, Myrna J. Simpson
Summary: Forest ecosystems as global soil carbon reservoirs are affected by climate change factors that change carbon inputs. This study integrated molecular composition data sets of soil organic matter and microbial communities to investigate the effects of detrital input and removal treatments on forest soil carbon dynamics. The results showed that long-term litter additions did not increase soil carbon content, while litter reductions negatively impacted soil carbon concentrations. This highlights the sensitivity of soil carbon biogeochemistry to changes in litter deposition.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Soil Science
Yue Cai, Xiaojuan Feng
Summary: Microbial necromass accrual via anabolism is an important process contributing to the formation and accumulation of stable soil organic C (SOC). Both substrates and microbial community traits impact the rate and efficiency of microbial biomass production, yet their effects on necromass accumulation patterns and efficiency remain unclear.
BIOLOGY AND FERTILITY OF SOILS
(2023)
Article
Soil Science
Ya Wang, Simin Wang, Chengzhu Liu, Erxiong Zhu, Juan Jia, Xiaojuan Feng
Summary: The relationship between soil organic matter (SOM) diversity and soil organic carbon (SOC) persistence is understudied in high-SOC soils such as wetlands. This study investigated shifts in SOM diversity after drainage in three wetland sites of varying SOC concentrations. The results showed that SOM diversity had a non-linear relationship with SOC concentration, with low-SOC wetlands exhibiting an increase in SOM diversity after drainage, while high-SOC wetlands did not show any change. Factors such as plant inputs and microbial processing influenced SOM diversity in high-SOC wetlands. These findings provide new insights into wetland SOC stability in the context of drainage.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Hongyan Bao, Ying Wu, Xiaoqian Zhan, Xiaona Wang, Robert G. M. Spencer, Peter J. J. Hernes, Xiaojuan Feng, Li-Chin Lee, Jr-Chuan Huang, Jingjing Zhang, Hongwei Zhao, Shuh-Ji Kao, Jing Zhang
Summary: The concentrations of dissolved lignin and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) were positively correlated globally, and were influenced by water discharge, mean basin slope, and forest coverage. The estimated global flux of dissolved lignin ranged from 0.58 to 1.2 Tg yr(-1), suggesting a significant impact of future land-cover changes on the land-to-ocean export of dissolved organic matter.
GLOBAL BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Xiaojuan Feng, Simin Wang
Summary: Microbe-mediated carbon transformation is crucial for soil carbon sequestration, serving as a key strategy for long-term carbon neutrality. Evaluating the efficiency of microbial necromass accumulation in relation to plant carbon input or microbial respiration can provide insights into promoting soil carbon sequestration from an ecosystem perspective.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Yunpeng Zhao, Chengzhu Liu, Xingqi Li, Lixiao Ma, Guoqing Zhai, Xiaojuan Feng
Summary: Sphagnum wetlands are important for carbon storage, as they accumulate decay-resistant litter and mineral-associated organic carbon (MAOC). This study found that Sphagnum promotes the accumulation of metal-bound OC through the activation of iron and aluminum oxides in the soil. The unique metabolites of Sphagnum further enhance metal-organic associations, leading to the dominance of metal-bound OC in soil MAOC. These findings demonstrate that Sphagnum acts as an efficient 'rust engineer' that boosts the rusty carbon sink in wetlands.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Editorial Material
Environmental Sciences
Marguerite A. Xenopoulos, Ben Bond-Lamberty, Deborah Huntzinger, Ankur R. Desai, Xiaojuan Feng, William M. Hammond, David J. P. Moore, Xuefeng Peng, Dork Sahagian, Cristina Santin, Rodrigo Vargas, Naomi S. Wells, Paige Wooden
Summary: We have committed to improving the inclusion of underrepresented members in our community in the publication pipeline of JGR: Biogeosciences. Our commitment includes regular updates on policies, concrete actions, and efforts to tackle biases and promote equitable research. Progress has been made in diversifying our editorial teams, increasing awareness of unconscious bias in peer-review, and fostering inclusion in global collaborations. Our update highlights gender disparities in manuscript submissions and decisions, and presents a pilot program to address ethical and equitable collaborations in resource-poor settings. Next steps include a thorough analysis of reviewer demographics.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-BIOGEOSCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Erxiong Zhu, Zongguang Liu, Simin Wang, Yiyun Wang, Ting Liu, Xiaojuan Feng
Summary: The binding of organic carbon (OC) to minerals is crucial for the persistence of soil organic carbon (SOC), which is necessary for long-term sequestration of atmospheric carbon dioxide into soils. However, the relative importance of metal oxides and silicate clay in SOC protection remains unclear, limiting our ability to predict and protect this important reservoir of persistent SOC.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-BIOGEOSCIENCES
(2023)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Huai Chen, Peijun Ju, Qiuan Zhu, Xingliang Xu, Ning Wu, Yongheng Gao, Xiaojuan Feng, Jianqing Tian, Shuli Niu, Yangjian Zhang, Changhui Peng, Yanfen Wang
Summary: The carbon and nitrogen cycling on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau has been influenced by atmospheric warming, cryosphere thaw, and intensified human activities. Despite the complexity of these changes, they largely offset each other. The plateau is predicted to continue functioning as a net carbon sink in the future, despite severe permafrost degradation, while nitrogen stocks are expected to remain relatively stable.
NATURE REVIEWS EARTH & ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Soil Science
C. Beraud, F. Piola, J. Gervaix, G. Meiffren, C. Creuze des Chatelliers, A. Delort, C. Boisselet, S. Poussineau, E. Lacroix, A. A. M. Cantarel
Summary: This study investigated the soil factors influencing the development of biological denitrification inhibition (BDI) and found that initial soil moisture, ammonium concentration, and the initial abundance of certain microbial genes play significant roles in BDI development. Additionally, the research highlighted the relevance of biotic factors in explaining BDI and proposed the use of procyanidin concentration from plant belowground system as a new proxy for measuring BDI intensity.
SOIL BIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY
(2024)
Article
Soil Science
Yizhu Qiao, Tingting Wang, Qiwei Huang, Hanyue Guo, He Zhang, Qicheng Xu, Qirong Shen, Ning Ling
Summary: Soil microbial community coalescence, the mixing and interaction of microbial communities, has been found to enhance the stability and complexity of rhizobacterial networks, leading to improved plant health and biomass. This study investigated the effects of different degrees of bacterial community coalescence on plant disease resistance by mixing soils from healthy and diseased habitats for watermelon planting. The results showed that mixing in more healthy soil reduced the plant disease index and increased biomass by improving the stability and complexity of the rhizobacterial network. Core taxa Nitrospirillum and Singulisphaera were enriched in the rhizosphere from healthy soils and played important roles in disease suppression and regulating the positive cohesion and modularity of the networks. Overall, these findings provide insights into the potential mechanism of microbial community coalescence for improving plant microbial community function and suggest new tools for enhancing plant fitness via soil microbiota mixing.
SOIL BIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY
(2024)
Article
Soil Science
Mengqiu He, Shending Chen, Lei Meng, Xiaoqian Dan, Wenjie Wang, Qinying Zhu, Zucong Cai, Jinbo Zhang, Pierfrancesco Nardi, Christoph Mueller
Summary: Maize genotypes directly affect gene expression and nitrogen uptake capacity. The feedback between maize genotypes and soil nitrogen transformations, as well as their regulations on nitrogen uptake capacity, have been studied. The findings suggest that maize genotypes play a central role in regulating these feedbacks, which are important for maize breeding and enhancing maize production.
SOIL BIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY
(2024)
Article
Soil Science
Ke Shi, Jiahui Liao, Xiaoming Zou, Han Y. H. Chen, Manuel Delgado-Baquerizo, Zhengming Yan, Tingting Ren, Honghua Ruan
Summary: Through rewilding, microbial extracellular and cellular residues can continuously accumulate in soils and significantly contribute to soil organic carbon sequestration. Extracellular residues are mainly driven by fine root biomass, while cellular residues are mainly driven by soil nitrogen and organic carbon content.
SOIL BIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY
(2024)
Article
Soil Science
Sensen Chen, Ying Teng, Yongming Luo, Eiko Kuramae, Wenjie Ren
Summary: This study comprehensively assesses the effects of NMs on the soil microbiome through a global meta-analysis. The results reveal significant negative impacts of NMs on soil microbial diversity, biomass, activity, and function. Metal NMs, especially Ag NMs, have the most pronounced negative effects on various soil microbial community metrics.
SOIL BIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY
(2024)
Article
Soil Science
Shareen K. D. Sanders, Gerard Martinez-De Leon, Ludovico Formenti, Madhav P. Thakur
Summary: Collembolans, the diverse group of soil invertebrates, are affected by anthropogenic climate warming, which alters their diversity and density. In addition to abiotic stressors, changes in food availability, specifically the abundance of saprotrophic and mycorrhizal fungi, influence Collembola responses to climate warming. Collembolans prefer saprotrophic fungi but rely on mycorrhizal fungi when food sources are scarce. Understanding the mechanisms behind these dietary shifts in warm-dry and warm-wet soil conditions is crucial for predicting the impact of climate change on Collembola-fungal interactions.
SOIL BIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY
(2024)
Article
Soil Science
Wimonsiri Pingthaisong, Sergey Blagodatsky, Patma Vityakon, Georg Cadisch
Summary: A study found that mixing high-C/N ratio rice straw with low-C/N ratio groundnut stover can improve the chemical composition of the input, stimulate microbial growth, decrease the loss of residue-derived carbon in the soil, and reduce native soil carbon and nitrogen consumption.
SOIL BIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY
(2024)
Article
Soil Science
Jiachen Wang, Jie Zhao, Rong Yang, Xin Liu, Xuyuan Zhang, Wei Zhang, Xiaoyong Chen, Wende Yan, Kelin Wang
Summary: Nitrogen is vital for ecosystem productivity, restoration, and succession processes. This study found that legume intercropping was more effective than chemical nitrogen fertilizers in promoting the complexity and stability of the soil micro-food web, as it increased microbial and nematode communities and enhanced energy flow patterns.
SOIL BIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY
(2024)