New perspectives under heterogeneity: mechanism of nutrient heterogeneity on Cd-induced hormesis of soil respiration

Hormesis is a phenomenon in which low doses of toxins stimulate organisms, while high doses have inhibitory effects. Soil heterogeneity nutrient spatial profoundly influences community structure and stress responses by altering the microenvironment around microorganisms. Studies on hormesis in soil...

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Main Authors: Qian Gao, Jiangshan Yang, Junyang Wu, Yongli Zhu, Diwu Fan, Jiangang Han
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-08-01
Series:Frontiers in Microbiology
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2025.1647658/full
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author Qian Gao
Jiangshan Yang
Junyang Wu
Yongli Zhu
Yongli Zhu
Diwu Fan
Jiangang Han
Jiangang Han
author_facet Qian Gao
Jiangshan Yang
Junyang Wu
Yongli Zhu
Yongli Zhu
Diwu Fan
Jiangang Han
Jiangang Han
author_sort Qian Gao
collection DOAJ
description Hormesis is a phenomenon in which low doses of toxins stimulate organisms, while high doses have inhibitory effects. Soil heterogeneity nutrient spatial profoundly influences community structure and stress responses by altering the microenvironment around microorganisms. Studies on hormesis in soil ecosystems have made significant progress, but most of them have overlooked the impact of soil nutrient spatial heterogeneity on hormesis. To examine the effects of nutrient spatial heterogeneity on the hormesis of soil ecosystem under cadmium (Cd) stress, we constructed three patches with different spatial nutrient distribution but the same total nutrient content through different spatial discharge patterns. Different levels of Cd stress were applied to the patches, and after incubation, soil respiration rate, content of dissolved organic matter (DOM) and metagenomic characteristics were measured. The results indicated that higher nutrient spatial heterogeneity enhanced the tolerance of soil respiration to Cd stress (the maximum stimulating dose increased from 0.03 to 3.0 mg·kg−1), and simultaneously improved the compensation capacity (Horzone increased from 0.04 to 21.59). The results also revealed that Cd stress had the least impact on soil microbial diversity of the high heterogeneity samples. The content of DOM initially displayed a hormesis-like phenomenon with increasing Cd stress, followed by a linear increase. Notably, the biphasic change trend became more pronounced as the degree of spatial heterogeneity increased (The maximum stimulation rate of DOM content increases from 10.8 to 22.9%). The hormetic response of soil respiration to nutrient spatial heterogeneity offers novel insights for the identification and mitigation of Cd pollution in ecosystems.
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institution Kabale University
issn 1664-302X
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publishDate 2025-08-01
publisher Frontiers Media S.A.
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spelling doaj-art-293712e0098c4e53aa8b8c8876a63dbc2025-08-20T04:02:41ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Microbiology1664-302X2025-08-011610.3389/fmicb.2025.16476581647658New perspectives under heterogeneity: mechanism of nutrient heterogeneity on Cd-induced hormesis of soil respirationQian Gao0Jiangshan Yang1Junyang Wu2Yongli Zhu3Yongli Zhu4Diwu Fan5Jiangang Han6Jiangang Han7Co-Innovation Center for the Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, College of Ecology and Environment, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, ChinaCo-Innovation Center for the Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, College of Ecology and Environment, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, ChinaCo-Innovation Center for the Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, College of Ecology and Environment, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, ChinaCo-Innovation Center for the Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, College of Ecology and Environment, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, ChinaNational Positioning Observation Station of Hung-tse Lake Wetland Ecosystem in Jiangsu Province, Hongze, ChinaCo-Innovation Center for the Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, College of Ecology and Environment, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, ChinaNational Positioning Observation Station of Hung-tse Lake Wetland Ecosystem in Jiangsu Province, Hongze, ChinaSchool of Chemical Engineering and Materials, Changzhou Institute of Technology, Changzhou, ChinaHormesis is a phenomenon in which low doses of toxins stimulate organisms, while high doses have inhibitory effects. Soil heterogeneity nutrient spatial profoundly influences community structure and stress responses by altering the microenvironment around microorganisms. Studies on hormesis in soil ecosystems have made significant progress, but most of them have overlooked the impact of soil nutrient spatial heterogeneity on hormesis. To examine the effects of nutrient spatial heterogeneity on the hormesis of soil ecosystem under cadmium (Cd) stress, we constructed three patches with different spatial nutrient distribution but the same total nutrient content through different spatial discharge patterns. Different levels of Cd stress were applied to the patches, and after incubation, soil respiration rate, content of dissolved organic matter (DOM) and metagenomic characteristics were measured. The results indicated that higher nutrient spatial heterogeneity enhanced the tolerance of soil respiration to Cd stress (the maximum stimulating dose increased from 0.03 to 3.0 mg·kg−1), and simultaneously improved the compensation capacity (Horzone increased from 0.04 to 21.59). The results also revealed that Cd stress had the least impact on soil microbial diversity of the high heterogeneity samples. The content of DOM initially displayed a hormesis-like phenomenon with increasing Cd stress, followed by a linear increase. Notably, the biphasic change trend became more pronounced as the degree of spatial heterogeneity increased (The maximum stimulation rate of DOM content increases from 10.8 to 22.9%). The hormetic response of soil respiration to nutrient spatial heterogeneity offers novel insights for the identification and mitigation of Cd pollution in ecosystems.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2025.1647658/fullhormesiscadmiumspatial heterogeneity of soil nutrientssoil respirationbacterial community composition
spellingShingle Qian Gao
Jiangshan Yang
Junyang Wu
Yongli Zhu
Yongli Zhu
Diwu Fan
Jiangang Han
Jiangang Han
New perspectives under heterogeneity: mechanism of nutrient heterogeneity on Cd-induced hormesis of soil respiration
Frontiers in Microbiology
hormesis
cadmium
spatial heterogeneity of soil nutrients
soil respiration
bacterial community composition
title New perspectives under heterogeneity: mechanism of nutrient heterogeneity on Cd-induced hormesis of soil respiration
title_full New perspectives under heterogeneity: mechanism of nutrient heterogeneity on Cd-induced hormesis of soil respiration
title_fullStr New perspectives under heterogeneity: mechanism of nutrient heterogeneity on Cd-induced hormesis of soil respiration
title_full_unstemmed New perspectives under heterogeneity: mechanism of nutrient heterogeneity on Cd-induced hormesis of soil respiration
title_short New perspectives under heterogeneity: mechanism of nutrient heterogeneity on Cd-induced hormesis of soil respiration
title_sort new perspectives under heterogeneity mechanism of nutrient heterogeneity on cd induced hormesis of soil respiration
topic hormesis
cadmium
spatial heterogeneity of soil nutrients
soil respiration
bacterial community composition
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2025.1647658/full
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