Article
Engineering, Environmental
Yunyun Li, Shu-Shen Dai, Jiating Zhao, Zhi-Cheng Hu, Qin Liu, Jiao Feng, Qiaoyun Huang, Yuxi Gao, Yu-Rong Liu
Summary: This study explored the effects of carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and sulfur (S) on microbial production of methylmercury (MeHg) in two different paddy soils. Results showed that the addition of C alone significantly increased MeHg production, but this effect was mitigated when N and C were added together. S had a buffering effect on C-facilitated MeHg production in one soil type but not the other. MeHg production was correlated with the abundance of specific bacteria in both soils, and changes in the Hg methylating community influenced MeHg production. The study provides important insights into microbe-driven Hg conversion in paddy and wetland ecosystems.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Zihao Li, Tantan Wang, Xu Yang, Xin Wen, Wenhao Chen, Yubo He, Zhigang Yu, Chang Zhang
Summary: This study compares the microbial communities and their functions in oxygen-depleted and oxygen-limited paddy soil. It finds that oxygen-limited soil has a higher concentration of methylmercury and enhances microbial activity, especially in metabolic pathways related to methylation. The research suggests that insufficient oxygen input in flooded paddy soil increases the risk of human exposure to methylmercury from rice consumption.
ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Mahmoud A. Abdelhafiz, Jiang Liu, Tao Jiang, Qiang Pu, Muhammad Wajahat Aslam, Kun Zhang, Bo Meng, Xinbin Feng
Summary: Rice paddies provide optimal conditions for methylmercury (MeHg) production, with paddy soil being the main source of MeHg in rice grains. The role of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in controlling MeHg production in rice paddy systems is not well understood. This study investigated the variations in soil DOM and the influence of DOM concentration and optical characteristics on MeHg production in paddy soils from different cultivation sites in China. The results showed that MeHg production is correlated with the consumption of lower molecular weight DOM and the humic components of DOM play a significant role in MeHg variability in paddy soil. The study also revealed that allochthonous DOM limits Hg bioavailability in contaminated soils and autochthonous DOM enhances MeHg production in uncontaminated soils.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Yun-Yun Hao, Hui -Wen Liu, Jiating Zhao, Jiao Feng, Xiuli Hao, Qiaoyun Huang, Baohua Gu, Yu-Rong Liu
Summary: Microplastics (MPs) in agricultural ecosystems can influence the conversion of mercury (Hg) to neurotoxic methylmercury (MeHg), but the mechanism is poorly understood. This study evaluated the effects of MPs on Hg methylation in paddy soils and found that MPs significantly increased MeHg production. The microbial communities associated with Hg methylation were different in the plastisphere (region around the MPs) compared to the bulk soil, and these differences could contribute to the distinct MeHg production ability.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jingying Xu, Van Liem-Nguyen, Moritz Buck, Stefan Bertilsson, Erik Bjorn, Andrea G. Bravo
Summary: The study identified diverse clades of potential Hg-II methylators in wetland soils, including various bacteria and archaea. It also found that local physicochemical conditions are crucial for shaping the structure of Hg methylating microbial communities in wetlands.
FRONTIERS IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Chi Zhang, Xian Xiao, Yuan Zhao, Jizhong Zhou, Bo Sun, Yuting Liang
Summary: The diversity and abundance of arsenic detoxification genes in paddy soils varied significantly across different climatic zones in China, mainly influenced by factors such as soil pH, average annual temperature, and arsenic contents. These functional genes were mainly carried by bacteria, archaea, and eukaryotes.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Yuwei An, Rui Zhang, Shu Yang, Yangqing Wang, Yu Lei, Shaohong Peng, Liyan Song
Summary: This study investigated the levels and distribution of mercury and methylmercury in waste samples from a large-scale landfill in China, revealing high concentrations of both in the middle depths of the landfill. The findings indicate a strong positive correlation between THg concentration, MeHg concentration, and the relative abundance of hgcA, suggesting an important role of THg in microbial Hg methylation. The presence of hgcA genes and mer operon in the landfill samples further support the potential for mercury methylation by Archaea Methanofollis within landfills.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jiang Liu, Benqi Lu, Alexandre J. Poulain, Rui Zhang, Tong Zhang, Xinbin Feng, Bo Meng
Summary: Rice consumption is a major pathway for human methylmercury exposure in inland China, especially in mercury contaminated regions. However, high levels of methylmercury are still found in rice, calling for reconsideration of the bioavailability of mercury species in paddy soils. Incubation experiments showed that different Hg(II) species have varying impacts on mercury methylation at different mercury concentrations, emphasizing the importance of considering site-specific characteristics and the nature of mercury substrates for determining net methylmercury production.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Xu Yang, Zihao Li, Chi Ma, Zhongzhu Yang, Jingjing Wei, Tantan Wang, Xin Wen, Wenhao Chen, Xiaohong Shi, Yi Zhang, Chang Zhang
Summary: Microplastics were found to decrease bioavailable methylmercury concentrations in soils possibly through impacting DOM composition, altering soil properties, and influencing the abundance of specific microbial populations. The study highlights the importance of investigating the effects of microplastics on specific contaminants to develop effective environmental remediation strategies in polluted paddy soils.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Jiangtao Qiao, Jingyu Liu, Alejandro Palomo, Benjamin C. C. Bostick, Kongkea Phan, Yan Zheng, Fangbai Li
Summary: Microbially mediated inorganic-methylated arsenic transformation is crucial to rice safety. Bacteria harbor the most genes related to arsenic biotransformation, and some bacteria contain both arsM and arsI genes. The presence of the methylated arsenic pool and the arsenic methylation-demethylation cycle should be considered in paddy fields for rice safety.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jisu Park, Hyeyoun Cho, Seunghee Han, Sung-Uk An, Ayeon Choi, Hyeonji Lee, Jung -Ho Hyun
Summary: The impact of invasive vegetation on mercury cycles in Ganghwa intertidal sediments was investigated. It was found that vegetated mud flats (VMF) inhabited by invasive Spartina anglica (SA) had higher sulfate reduction rate (SRR) and rate constants of Hg(II) methylation (Km) and methyl-Hg demethylation (Kd) compared to unvegetated mud flats (UMF). Both Km and Kd were correlated with SRR and the abundance of sulfate-reducing bacteria. Furthermore, analysis of the hgcA gene revealed diverse Hg(II)-methylating microorganisms in coastal sediments.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2023)
Article
Soil Science
Fazhu Zhao, Jieying Wang, Yi Li, Xiaofeng Xu, Liyuan He, Jun Wang, Chengjie Ren, Yaoxing Guo
Summary: The study investigated the metagenomic basis of the priming effect in forest soils along an elevational gradient. It found positive priming effects at five forest sites and a positive correlation between the abundance of microbial C decomposition genes and priming effects. The study also identified the microbial functional genes driving the positive priming effects and the association of certain bacterial species with the priming effect.
SOIL BIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Xiao-Min Li, Long-Jun Ding, Dong Zhu, Yong-Guan Zhu
Summary: This study investigated the responses of electrotrophic communities in paddy soil to different long-term fertilization practices, revealing significant changes in the community structure. The dominant electrotrophs were identified as Streptomyces genus in the CK, M, and MNPK soils, while Proteobacteria and Firmicutes were major electrotrophs in the NPK soil. Furthermore, it was found that electrotrophs enhanced dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA) for all soils.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Wenli Tang, Junru Chu, Huan Zhong
Summary: Accurately measuring the concentration of methylmercury (MeHg) is crucial for mercury (Hg) research. In this study, we compared two widely used methods for extracting MeHg from paddy soils, namely acid extraction and alkaline extraction. Through evaluation and quantification, we found that alkaline extraction is the optimal choice for paddy soils, with minimal MeHg artifact and consistently high extraction efficiency compared to acid extraction. Our findings emphasize the importance of suitable pre-treatment and quality controls in measuring MeHg concentrations.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Carol Kim, Lorie W. Staver, Xuan Chen, Ashley Bulseco, Jeffrey C. Cornwell, Sairah Y. Malkin
Summary: We investigated the succession of soil microbial communities in newly constructed salt marshes using 16S rRNA amplicon sequences. The alpha diversity of subsurface horizons recovered to reference levels within 3 years, while alpha diversity in surface soils remained unchanged. Microbial community succession was faster in surface soils and slower in subsurface horizons. We found important taxa driving the trajectories towards reference conditions and observed co-development of sulfide and methane removal metabolisms in marsh soils.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Eric Capo, Benjamin D. Peterson, Minjae Kim, Daniel S. Jones, Silvia G. Acinas, Marc Amyot, Stefan Bertilsson, Erik Bjoern, Moritz Buck, Claudia Cosio, Dwayne A. Elias, Cynthia Gilmour, Marisol Goni-Urriza, Baohua Gu, Heyu Lin, Yu-Rong Liu, Katherine McMahon, John W. Moreau, Jarone Pinhassi, Mircea Podar, Fernando Puente-Sanchez, Pablo Sanchez, Veronika Storck, Yuya Tada, Adrien Vigneron, David A. Walsh, Marine Vandewalle-Capo, Andrea G. Bravo, Caitlin M. Gionfriddo
Summary: Researchers have proposed a standardized protocol for detecting, identifying, and quantifying hgc genes from metagenomes, and have created a database containing information on hgc genes. They have also developed a user-friendly bioinformatic pipeline for accurately characterizing hgc genes from environmental samples. The results show that both approaches have similar efficiency in most environments, except for high diversity environments where the coassembly approach is preferred.
MOLECULAR ECOLOGY RESOURCES
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Hao Liao, Xiuli Hao, Fei Qin, Manuel Delgado-Baquerizo, Yurong Liu, Jizhong Zhou, Peng Cai, Wenli Chen, Qiaoyun Huang
Summary: Microbial communities have critical roles in fixing carbon from the atmosphere and fixing it in the soils, but their large-scale variations and drivers are poorly understood. This study conducted a large-scale survey in China and found that soil autotrophic organisms, such as bacteria and protists, are crucial for explaining CO2 fluxes from the atmosphere to soils. The fixation rates of CO2 were significantly correlated to the variations in autotrophic bacteria and phototrophic protists.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Guiyao Zhou, Manuel Esteban Lucas-Borja, Shengen Liu, Hang-Wei Hu, Ji-Zheng He, Xinxin Wang, Zheng Jiang, Xuhui Zhou, Manuel Delgado-Baquerizo
Summary: This study provides new insights into the patterns and functional trade-offs in the multidimensional rewilding of Mediterranean forests, highlighting the importance of biodiversity for long-term restoration efforts.
FUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Cui-Jing Zhang, Yu-Rong Liu, Guihong Cha, Yang Liu, Xin-Quan Zhou, Zhongyi Lu, Jie Pan, Mingwei Cai, Meng Li
Summary: Methylmercury (MeHg) is a potent neurotoxin that bioaccumulates along food chains. The diversity and distribution of putative microbial Hg-methylators in mangrove ecosystems were investigated using metagenomic and metatranscriptomic analyses. Asgard archaea, including Lokiarchaeota, were identified as potential novel Hg-methylating microorganisms. These findings suggest the important role of Asgard archaea in hgcA evolution and MeHg production.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Li Bi, Li-Li Han, Shuai Du, Dan-Ting Yu, Ji-Zheng He, Li-Mei Zhang, Hang-Wei Hu
Summary: Viruses can influence the composition and functions of host communities, as well as enhance host pathogenicity by transporting virus-encoded virulence genes. The contribution of viral communities to the dissemination of virulence genes across various biomes is largely unknown. In this study, we identified a wide variety of virulence genes in soil viruses, suggesting their potential role in driving the pathogenesis of their hosts in terrestrial ecosystems.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Kunkun Fan, Haiyan Chu, David J. J. Eldridge, Juan J. J. Gaitan, Yu-Rong Liu, Blessing Sokoya, Jun-Tao Wang, Hang-Wei Hu, Ji-Zheng He, Wei Sun, Haiying Cui, Fernando D. D. Alfaro, Sebastian Abades, Felipe Bastida, Marta Diaz-Lopez, Adebola R. R. Bamigboye, Miguel Berdugo, Jose L. Blanco-Pastor, Tine Grebenc, Jorge Duran, Javier G. G. Illan, Thulani P. P. Makhalanyane, Arpan Mukherjee, Tina U. U. Nahberger, Gabriel F. F. Penaloza-Bojaca, Cesar Plaza, Jay Prakash Verma, Ana Rey, Alexandra Rodriguez, Christina Siebe, Alberto L. L. Teixido, Pankaj Trivedi, Ling Wang, Jianyong Wang, Tianxue Yang, Xin-Quan Zhou, Xiaobing Zhou, Eli Zaady, Leho Tedersoo, Manuel Delgado-Baquerizo
Summary: In urban greenspaces, soil biodiversity is positively correlated with multiple ecosystem functions, while plant diversity indirectly influences multifunctionality. Conserving soil biodiversity is crucial for supporting multiple dimensions of ecosystem functioning in urban ecosystems.
NATURE ECOLOGY & EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Biology
Jiao Feng, Dailin Yu, Robert L. L. Sinsabaugh, Daryl L. L. Moorhead, Mathias Neumann Andersen, Pete Smith, Yanting Song, Xinqi Li, Qiaoyun Huang, Yu-Rong Liu, Ji Chen
Summary: Biochar amendment is a promising agricultural approach to combat climate change by enhancing soil carbon sequestration. It was found that biochar addition increased soil ligninase activity targeting complex phenolic macromolecules, but suppressed cellulase activity degrading simpler polysaccharides. These shifts in enzyme activities explained variations in soil carbon sequestration in different conditions, and the ligninase:cellulase ratio correlated negatively with soil C sequestration. Short-term biochar addition reduced cellulase activity and increased soil organic C sequestration, while long-term addition enhanced ligninase activity and ligninase:cellulase ratio, resulting in a smaller increase in soil organic C sequestration. This research provides evidence for the diminished long-term soil C sequestration with biochar addition.
BIOLOGICAL REVIEWS
(2023)
Article
Soil Science
Song Wan, Yongxin Lin, Jianbo Fan, Hang-Wei Hu, Jinbo Zhang, Sheng-Sheng Jin, Milin Deng, Christoph Mueller, Ji-Zheng He
Summary: Long-term lime and manure amendment can have different impacts on N2O emissions due to their differential effects on autotrophic and heterotrophic nitrification. Lime amendment increased N2O emissions by promoting autotrophic nitrification, while manure amendment decreased N2O emissions by reducing both heterotrophic and autotrophic nitrification. These results provide important insights for the sustainable management of acidic arable soils.
SOIL BIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Soil Science
Linfang Wu, Bingzhang Zou, Sirong Wang, Luhong Zhou, Yong Zheng, Zhiqun Huang, Ji-Zheng He
Summary: Multispecies restoration is a feasible approach to tackle the decline in ecosystem services provided by monocultures. However, limited understanding exists on how multispecies restoration influences microbial catabolic and anabolic pathways in coniferous monocultures. This study assesses the microbial resource limitation and carbon use efficiencies in topsoil and subsoil after multispecies restoration, revealing trade-offs between nutrient acquisition and carbon use efficiency.
SOIL BIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY
(2023)
Correction
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Yu-Rong Liu, Marcel G. A. van der Heijden, Judith Riedo, Carlos Sanz-Lazaro, David J. J. Eldridge, Felipe Bastida, Eduardo Moreno-Jimenez, Xin-Quan Zhou, Hang-Wei Hu, Ji-Zheng He, Jose L. Moreno, Sebastian Abades, Fernando Alfaro, Adebola R. R. Bamigboye, Miguel Berdugo, Jose L. Blanco-Pastor, Asuncion de los Rios, Jorge Duran, Tine Grebenc, Javier G. G. Illan, Thulani P. P. Makhalanyane, Marco A. A. Molina-Montenegro, Tina U. U. Nahberger, Gabriel F. F. Penaloza-Bojaca, Cesar Plaza, Ana Rey, Alexandra Rodriguez, Christina Siebe, Alberto L. L. Teixido, Nuria Casado-Coy, Pankaj Trivedi, Cristian Torres-Diaz, Jay Prakash Verma, Arpan Mukherjee, Xiao-Min Zeng, Ling Wang, Jianyong Wang, Eli Zaady, Xiaobing Zhou, Qiaoyun Huang, Wenfeng Tan, Yong-Guan Zhu, Matthias C. C. Rillig, Manuel Delgado-Baquerizo
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Matthias C. Rillig, Marcel G. A. van der Heijden, Miguel Berdugo, Yu-Rong Liu, Judith Riedo, Carlos Sanz-Lazaro, Eduardo Moreno-Jimenez, Ferran Romero, Leho Tedersoo, Manuel Delgado-Baquerizo
Summary: The authors investigate the relationship between soil stressors exceeding critical thresholds and ecosystem services. They find that multiple stressors crossing a high-level threshold reduce soil functioning and can predict ecosystem functioning. Increasing environmental stressors may decrease ecosystem functioning in soils. However, this relationship has not been globally assessed. Using global field surveys and natural and human factors, the authors test the relationship between stressors exceeding different critical thresholds and ecosystem services maintenance. Their analysis shows that multiple stressors, especially those crossing a high-level threshold, significantly reduce soil biodiversity and functioning globally. The number of stressors exceeding the >75% threshold consistently predicts multiple ecosystem services, enhancing the prediction of ecosystem functioning.
NATURE CLIMATE CHANGE
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Manuel Delgado-Baquerizo, Pablo Garcia-Palacios, Mark A. Bradford, David J. Eldridge, Miguel Berdugo, Tadeo Saez-Sandino, Yu-Rong Liu, Fernando Alfaro, Sebastian Abades, Adebola R. Bamigboye, Felipe Bastida, Jose L. Blanco-Pastor, Jorge Duran, Juan J. Gaitan, Javier G. Illan, Tine Grebenc, Thulani P. Makhalanyane, Durgesh Kumar Jaiswal, Tina U. Nahberger, Gabriel F. Penaloza-Bojaca, Ana Rey, Alexandra Rodriguez, Christina Siebe, Alberto L. Teixido, Wei Sun, Pankaj Trivedi, Jay Prakash Verma, Ling Wang, Jianyong Wang, Tianxue Yang, Eli Zaady, Xiaobing Zhou, Xin-Quan Zhou, Cesar Plaza
Summary: This study compared soil samples from urban and natural ecosystems and found that the soil microbiome is an essential driver of soil carbon in urban greenspace under warming. This research is significant in highlighting the importance of considering the soil microbiome in urban management strategies to maintain soil carbon and related ecosystem services.
NATURE CLIMATE CHANGE
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Qin Liu, Siyuan Liu, Xin-Quan Zhou, Yu-Rong Liu
Summary: This study investigated the degradation of methylmercury (MeHg) in eight typical paddy soils and analyzed the relationship between soil physiochemical properties and microbial degradation efficiency of MeHg. The results showed that soil type played an important role in MeHg degradation, with high clay content soils exhibiting higher degradation efficiency and red paddy soils showing lower efficiency. In addition, specific soil physiochemical properties were found to influence MeHg degradation by regulating microbial communities.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Haoran He, Jingxiong Zhou, Yunqiang Wang, Shuo Jiao, Xun Qian, Yurong Liu, Ji Liu, Ji Chen, Manuel Delgado-Baquerizo, Albert C. Brangari, Li Chen, Yongxing Cui, Haibo Pan, Renmao Tian, Yuting Liang, Wenfeng Tan, Raul Ochoa-Hueso, Linchuan Fang
Summary: This study investigated microbial communities in the semi-arid forest ecosystems of China's Loess Plateau. It was found that the diversity of deep soil microbiota is influenced by aridity, but their functional potential remains relatively stable. The study also highlighted the importance of considering soil depth and moisture in understanding dryland ecosystems under future climate scenarios.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2023)
