The Effects of Mixed <i>Robinia pseudoacacia</i> and <i>Quercus variabilis</i> Plantation on Soil Bacterial Community Structure and Nitrogen-Cycling Gene Abundance in the Southern Taihang Mountain Foothills

Mixed forests often increase their stability and species richness in comparison to pure stands. However, a comprehensive understanding of the effects of mixed forests on soil properties, bacterial community diversity, and soil nitrogen cycling remains elusive. This study investigated soil samples fr...

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Main Authors: Yi Yang, Jing Chen, Yiwei Zheng, Rui Jiang, Yuqiang Sang, Jinsong Zhang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-08-01
Series:Microorganisms
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/12/9/1773
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author Yi Yang
Jing Chen
Yiwei Zheng
Rui Jiang
Yuqiang Sang
Jinsong Zhang
author_facet Yi Yang
Jing Chen
Yiwei Zheng
Rui Jiang
Yuqiang Sang
Jinsong Zhang
author_sort Yi Yang
collection DOAJ
description Mixed forests often increase their stability and species richness in comparison to pure stands. However, a comprehensive understanding of the effects of mixed forests on soil properties, bacterial community diversity, and soil nitrogen cycling remains elusive. This study investigated soil samples from pure <i>Robinia pseudoacacia</i> stands, pure <i>Quercus variabilis</i> stands, and mixed stands of both species in the southern foothills of the Taihang Mountains. Utilizing high-throughput sequencing and real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR, this study analyzed the bacterial community structure and the abundance of nitrogen-cycling functional genes within soils from different stands. The results demonstrated that Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria, and Actinobacteria were the dominant bacterial groups across all three forest soil types. The mixed-forest soil exhibited a higher relative abundance of Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes, while Nitrospirae and Crenarchaeota were most abundant in the pure <i>R</i>. <i>pseudoacacia</i> stand soils. Employing FAPROTAX for predictive bacterial function analysis in various soil layers, this study found that nitrogen-cycling processes such as nitrification and denitrification were most prominent in pure <i>R</i>. <i>pseudoacacia</i> soils. Whether in surface or deeper soil layers, the abundance of AOB <i>amoA</i>, <i>nirS</i>, and <i>nirK</i> genes was typically highest in pure <i>R</i>. <i>pseudoacacia</i> stand soils. In conclusion, the mixed forest of <i>R</i>. <i>pseudoacacia</i> and <i>Q</i>. <i>variabilis</i> can moderate the intensity of nitrification and denitrification processes, consequently reducing soil nitrogen loss.
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spelling doaj-art-c65b025d4c3f4d798836ecd3d22228fe2025-08-20T01:55:41ZengMDPI AGMicroorganisms2076-26072024-08-01129177310.3390/microorganisms12091773The Effects of Mixed <i>Robinia pseudoacacia</i> and <i>Quercus variabilis</i> Plantation on Soil Bacterial Community Structure and Nitrogen-Cycling Gene Abundance in the Southern Taihang Mountain FoothillsYi Yang0Jing Chen1Yiwei Zheng2Rui Jiang3Yuqiang Sang4Jinsong Zhang5College of Forestry, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, ChinaCollege of Forestry, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, ChinaCollege of Forestry, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, ChinaCollege of Forestry, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, ChinaCollege of Forestry, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, ChinaHenan Xiaolangdi Forest System National Research Station, Jiyuan 459000, ChinaMixed forests often increase their stability and species richness in comparison to pure stands. However, a comprehensive understanding of the effects of mixed forests on soil properties, bacterial community diversity, and soil nitrogen cycling remains elusive. This study investigated soil samples from pure <i>Robinia pseudoacacia</i> stands, pure <i>Quercus variabilis</i> stands, and mixed stands of both species in the southern foothills of the Taihang Mountains. Utilizing high-throughput sequencing and real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR, this study analyzed the bacterial community structure and the abundance of nitrogen-cycling functional genes within soils from different stands. The results demonstrated that Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria, and Actinobacteria were the dominant bacterial groups across all three forest soil types. The mixed-forest soil exhibited a higher relative abundance of Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes, while Nitrospirae and Crenarchaeota were most abundant in the pure <i>R</i>. <i>pseudoacacia</i> stand soils. Employing FAPROTAX for predictive bacterial function analysis in various soil layers, this study found that nitrogen-cycling processes such as nitrification and denitrification were most prominent in pure <i>R</i>. <i>pseudoacacia</i> soils. Whether in surface or deeper soil layers, the abundance of AOB <i>amoA</i>, <i>nirS</i>, and <i>nirK</i> genes was typically highest in pure <i>R</i>. <i>pseudoacacia</i> stand soils. In conclusion, the mixed forest of <i>R</i>. <i>pseudoacacia</i> and <i>Q</i>. <i>variabilis</i> can moderate the intensity of nitrification and denitrification processes, consequently reducing soil nitrogen loss.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/12/9/1773high-throughput sequencingpure forestmixed forestsoil bacterial communitynitrogen-cycling functional genes
spellingShingle Yi Yang
Jing Chen
Yiwei Zheng
Rui Jiang
Yuqiang Sang
Jinsong Zhang
The Effects of Mixed <i>Robinia pseudoacacia</i> and <i>Quercus variabilis</i> Plantation on Soil Bacterial Community Structure and Nitrogen-Cycling Gene Abundance in the Southern Taihang Mountain Foothills
Microorganisms
high-throughput sequencing
pure forest
mixed forest
soil bacterial community
nitrogen-cycling functional genes
title The Effects of Mixed <i>Robinia pseudoacacia</i> and <i>Quercus variabilis</i> Plantation on Soil Bacterial Community Structure and Nitrogen-Cycling Gene Abundance in the Southern Taihang Mountain Foothills
title_full The Effects of Mixed <i>Robinia pseudoacacia</i> and <i>Quercus variabilis</i> Plantation on Soil Bacterial Community Structure and Nitrogen-Cycling Gene Abundance in the Southern Taihang Mountain Foothills
title_fullStr The Effects of Mixed <i>Robinia pseudoacacia</i> and <i>Quercus variabilis</i> Plantation on Soil Bacterial Community Structure and Nitrogen-Cycling Gene Abundance in the Southern Taihang Mountain Foothills
title_full_unstemmed The Effects of Mixed <i>Robinia pseudoacacia</i> and <i>Quercus variabilis</i> Plantation on Soil Bacterial Community Structure and Nitrogen-Cycling Gene Abundance in the Southern Taihang Mountain Foothills
title_short The Effects of Mixed <i>Robinia pseudoacacia</i> and <i>Quercus variabilis</i> Plantation on Soil Bacterial Community Structure and Nitrogen-Cycling Gene Abundance in the Southern Taihang Mountain Foothills
title_sort effects of mixed i robinia pseudoacacia i and i quercus variabilis i plantation on soil bacterial community structure and nitrogen cycling gene abundance in the southern taihang mountain foothills
topic high-throughput sequencing
pure forest
mixed forest
soil bacterial community
nitrogen-cycling functional genes
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/12/9/1773
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