Effects of Biological Nitrogen Fixation and Nitrogen Deposition on Soil Microbial Communities in Karst Grassland Ecosystems
Diverse exogenous nitrogen (N) sources have a considerable impact on microbial community structure in terrestrial ecosystems. Legume plants and N deposition can relieve N limitations and increase net primary productivity. However, the differences in their effects on soil microbial communities remain...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2024-11-01
|
| Series: | Microorganisms |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/12/12/2429 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1850085127364804608 |
|---|---|
| author | Xin Liu Rong Yang Jie Zhao Dan Xiao Xunyang He Wei Zhang Kelin Wang Hongsong Chen |
| author_facet | Xin Liu Rong Yang Jie Zhao Dan Xiao Xunyang He Wei Zhang Kelin Wang Hongsong Chen |
| author_sort | Xin Liu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Diverse exogenous nitrogen (N) sources have a considerable impact on microbial community structure in terrestrial ecosystems. Legume plants and N deposition can relieve N limitations and increase net primary productivity. However, the differences in their effects on soil microbial communities remain unclear. Here, the responses of the soil microbial community to a legume-planting system and simulated N deposition were examined in karst grasslands in Southwest China over five years by analyzing soil microbial phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs). The experiment included three treatments—legume plant introduction (N<sub>L</sub>, <i>Indigofera atropurpurea</i>), N deposition (N<sub>D</sub>, NH<sub>4</sub>NO<sub>3</sub>:10 g N m<sup>−2</sup> yr<sup>−1</sup>), and a control with no treatment. The effects of N<sub>L</sub> and N<sub>D</sub> on soil microbial community composition differed significantly. N<sub>D</sub> significantly reduced the biomass of bacteria, actinobacteria, and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. N<sub>L</sub> insignificantly increased the biomass of all microbial groups. However, the total amounts of PLFAs and fungal biomass were significantly higher in N<sub>L</sub> than in N<sub>D</sub>. The effect of legume plant introduction on soil microbial community composition was more powerful than that of N<sub>D</sub>. Overall, the introduction of legume plants is beneficial in terms of increasing the biomass of the soil microbial community and stabilizing the soil microbial community structure in karst grassland ecosystems. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-10e2101d2e4c4a49ae5f32c43c53018d |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2076-2607 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Microorganisms |
| spelling | doaj-art-10e2101d2e4c4a49ae5f32c43c53018d2025-08-20T02:43:49ZengMDPI AGMicroorganisms2076-26072024-11-011212242910.3390/microorganisms12122429Effects of Biological Nitrogen Fixation and Nitrogen Deposition on Soil Microbial Communities in Karst Grassland EcosystemsXin Liu0Rong Yang1Jie Zhao2Dan Xiao3Xunyang He4Wei Zhang5Kelin Wang6Hongsong Chen7School of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, Weifang University, Weifang 261061, ChinaKey Laboratory of Agro-Ecological Processes in Subtropical Region, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changsha 410125, ChinaKey Laboratory of Agro-Ecological Processes in Subtropical Region, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changsha 410125, ChinaKey Laboratory of Agro-Ecological Processes in Subtropical Region, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changsha 410125, ChinaKey Laboratory of Agro-Ecological Processes in Subtropical Region, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changsha 410125, ChinaKey Laboratory of Agro-Ecological Processes in Subtropical Region, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changsha 410125, ChinaKey Laboratory of Agro-Ecological Processes in Subtropical Region, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changsha 410125, ChinaKey Laboratory of Agro-Ecological Processes in Subtropical Region, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changsha 410125, ChinaDiverse exogenous nitrogen (N) sources have a considerable impact on microbial community structure in terrestrial ecosystems. Legume plants and N deposition can relieve N limitations and increase net primary productivity. However, the differences in their effects on soil microbial communities remain unclear. Here, the responses of the soil microbial community to a legume-planting system and simulated N deposition were examined in karst grasslands in Southwest China over five years by analyzing soil microbial phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs). The experiment included three treatments—legume plant introduction (N<sub>L</sub>, <i>Indigofera atropurpurea</i>), N deposition (N<sub>D</sub>, NH<sub>4</sub>NO<sub>3</sub>:10 g N m<sup>−2</sup> yr<sup>−1</sup>), and a control with no treatment. The effects of N<sub>L</sub> and N<sub>D</sub> on soil microbial community composition differed significantly. N<sub>D</sub> significantly reduced the biomass of bacteria, actinobacteria, and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. N<sub>L</sub> insignificantly increased the biomass of all microbial groups. However, the total amounts of PLFAs and fungal biomass were significantly higher in N<sub>L</sub> than in N<sub>D</sub>. The effect of legume plant introduction on soil microbial community composition was more powerful than that of N<sub>D</sub>. Overall, the introduction of legume plants is beneficial in terms of increasing the biomass of the soil microbial community and stabilizing the soil microbial community structure in karst grassland ecosystems.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/12/12/2429legume plantsnitrogen depositionsoil microbial phospholipid fatty acidsoil C:N ratiokarst area |
| spellingShingle | Xin Liu Rong Yang Jie Zhao Dan Xiao Xunyang He Wei Zhang Kelin Wang Hongsong Chen Effects of Biological Nitrogen Fixation and Nitrogen Deposition on Soil Microbial Communities in Karst Grassland Ecosystems Microorganisms legume plants nitrogen deposition soil microbial phospholipid fatty acid soil C:N ratio karst area |
| title | Effects of Biological Nitrogen Fixation and Nitrogen Deposition on Soil Microbial Communities in Karst Grassland Ecosystems |
| title_full | Effects of Biological Nitrogen Fixation and Nitrogen Deposition on Soil Microbial Communities in Karst Grassland Ecosystems |
| title_fullStr | Effects of Biological Nitrogen Fixation and Nitrogen Deposition on Soil Microbial Communities in Karst Grassland Ecosystems |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effects of Biological Nitrogen Fixation and Nitrogen Deposition on Soil Microbial Communities in Karst Grassland Ecosystems |
| title_short | Effects of Biological Nitrogen Fixation and Nitrogen Deposition on Soil Microbial Communities in Karst Grassland Ecosystems |
| title_sort | effects of biological nitrogen fixation and nitrogen deposition on soil microbial communities in karst grassland ecosystems |
| topic | legume plants nitrogen deposition soil microbial phospholipid fatty acid soil C:N ratio karst area |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/12/12/2429 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT xinliu effectsofbiologicalnitrogenfixationandnitrogendepositiononsoilmicrobialcommunitiesinkarstgrasslandecosystems AT rongyang effectsofbiologicalnitrogenfixationandnitrogendepositiononsoilmicrobialcommunitiesinkarstgrasslandecosystems AT jiezhao effectsofbiologicalnitrogenfixationandnitrogendepositiononsoilmicrobialcommunitiesinkarstgrasslandecosystems AT danxiao effectsofbiologicalnitrogenfixationandnitrogendepositiononsoilmicrobialcommunitiesinkarstgrasslandecosystems AT xunyanghe effectsofbiologicalnitrogenfixationandnitrogendepositiononsoilmicrobialcommunitiesinkarstgrasslandecosystems AT weizhang effectsofbiologicalnitrogenfixationandnitrogendepositiononsoilmicrobialcommunitiesinkarstgrasslandecosystems AT kelinwang effectsofbiologicalnitrogenfixationandnitrogendepositiononsoilmicrobialcommunitiesinkarstgrasslandecosystems AT hongsongchen effectsofbiologicalnitrogenfixationandnitrogendepositiononsoilmicrobialcommunitiesinkarstgrasslandecosystems |