Plant enhanced degradation of phenanthrene in the contaminated soil

The degradative characteristics ofphenanthrene, microbial biomass carbon, plate counts ofheterotrophic bacteria and most probable number （MPN） of phenanthrene degraders in non-rhizosphere or rhizosphere soils with uninoculating or inoculating phenanthrene degraders were measured. At the initial concentration of 20 mg phenanthrene/kg soil, the half-lives of phenanthrene in uninoculated non-rhizosphere soil, uninoculated rhizosphere soil, inoculated non-rhizosphere soil, and inoculated rhizosphere soil were measured to be 81.5, 47.8, 15.1 and 6.4 d, respectively, and corresponding kinetic data fitted first-order kinetics. The highest degradation rate of phenanthrene was observed in inoculated rhizosphere soil. The degradative characteristics of phenanthrene were closely related to the effects of vegetation on soil microbial process. Vegetation could enhance the magnitude of rhizosphere microbial communities, microbial biomass content, and heterotrophic bacterial community, but barely influence those community components responsible for phenanthrene degradation. Results suggested that combination of vegetation and inoculation with degrading microorganisms of target organic contaminants was a better pathway to enhance degradation of the organic contaminants in soil.     

Effect of heavy metals on soil microbial activity and diversity in a reclaimed mining wasteland of red soil area

The microbial biomass, basal respiration and substrate utilization pattern in copper mining wasteland of red soil area, southern China, were investigated. The results indicated that soil microflora were obviously different compared with that of the non-mine soil. Microbial biomass and basal respiration were negatively affected by the elevated heavy metal levels. Two important microbial ecophysiological parameters, namely, the ratio of microbial biomass C（ Cmic ）/organic C（ Corg ） and metabolic quotient（qCO2 ） were closely correlated to heavy metal stress. There was a significant decrease in the Cmic/Corg ratio and an increase in the metabolic quotient with increasing metal concentration. Multivariate analysis of Biolog data for sole carbon source utilization pattern demonstrated that heavy metal pollution had a significant impact on microbial community structure and functional diversity. All the results showed that soil microbiological parameters had great potential to become the early sensitive, effective and liable indicators of the stresses or perturbations in soils of mining ecosystems.     

Bacterial diversity in soils around a lead and zinc mine

Five samples of soil collected from a lead and zinc mine were used to assess the effect of combined contamination of heavy metals on soil bacterial communities using a polyphasic approach including characterization of isolates by culture method, community level catabolic profiling in BIOLOG GN microplates, and genetic community fingerprinting by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis of 16S rDNA fragments amplified by PCR from community DNA （PCR-DGGE）. The structure of the bacterial community was affected to a certain extent by heavy metals. The PCR-DGGE analysis of 16S rRNA genes showed that there were significant differences in the structure of the microbial community among the soil samples, which were related to the contamination levels. The number of bacteria and the number of denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis （DGGE） bands in the soils increased with increasing distance from the lead and zinc mine tailing, whereas the concentration of lead （Pb） and cadmium （Cd） was decreased. Heavily polluted soils could be characterized by a community that differs from those of lightly polluted soils in richness and structure of dominating bacterial populations. The clustering analysis of the DGGE profiles showed that the bacteria in all the five samples of soil belonged to three clusters. The data from the BIOLOG analysis also showed the same result. This study showed that heavy metal contamination decreased both the biomass and diversity of the bacterial community in soil.     

Effect of copper on phospholipid fatty acid composition of microbial communities in two red soils

The phospholipid fatty acid （PLFA） composition was analyzed in two red soils experimentally contaminated with copper at different concentrations. The total amounts ofphospholipid fatty acids （PLFAs） in both red soils were significantly correlated with soil microbial biomass C and N, which decreased consistently with increasing levels of copper. The relative quantities of the PLFAs 17：0 （10 Me）, i16：0, il 5：0 and 16：1w5c, decreased with increasing heavy metal concentration, while those of cyl7：0, which is an indicator of gram-negative bacteria, increased. The Shannon index calculated from the PLFA data indicated that Cu addition in the red soils decreased the population diversity of soil microbial communities. Multivariate analysis of PLFA data demonstrated that high levels of Cu application had a significant impact on microbial community structure and there is a threshold metal concentration for PLFA composition. Comparatively higher toxic effect on microbial biomass and community structure were found in the red sandy soil than those in the red clayey soil. The differential effect of Cu addition on microbial communities in the two soils may be due to differences in soil texture and cation exchange capacity.     

Plant growth and soil microbial community structure of legumes and grasses grown in monoculture or mixture

A greenhouse pot experiment was conducted to investigate the in?uence of soil moisture content on plant growth and the rhizosphere microbial community structure of four plant species (white clover, alfalfa, sudan grass, tall fescue), grown individually or in a mixture. The soil moisture content was adjusted to 55% or 80% water holding capacity (WHC). The results indicated that the total plant biomass of one pot was lower at 55% WHC. At a given soil moisture, the total plant biomass of white clover and tall ...     

Plant species coexistence alleviates the impacts of lead on Zea mays L.

Whether plant coexistence can reduce the impacts of lead (Pb) on crops in agroecosystems has not been well understood. We conducted a factorial experiment to investigate the effects of weeds coexisting with maize (Zea mays L.) on Pb accumulation in maize and soil microbes at two Pb levels (ambient and 300 mg/kg). Elevated Pb tended to increase the Pb concentration in maize and decreased soil microbial activity (indicated by the average well color development, AWCD), functional group diversity, as well as arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) colonization and vesicle number of maize. Compared to the monoculture, weeds coexisting with maize reduced the Pb concentrations in the root, leaf, sheath and stem of maize at both seedling and mature stages. In maize-weed mixtures, soil microbial activity and functional group diversity tended to increase for both Pb treatments relative to the monoculture. Furthermore, principal component analysis revealed that the soil microbial community structure changed with the introduction of weeds. The highest Pb accumulation in weeds occurred for the elevated Pb treatment in a three species mixture. The results suggest that multiple plant species coexistence could reduce lead accumulation in crop plants and alleviate the negative impacts on soil microbes in polluted land, thereby highlighting the significance of plant diversity in agroecosystems.     

Effects of litter removal on plant species diversity: a case study in tropical Eucalyptus forest ecosystems in South China

The removal of litterfall in the Eucalyptus plantations in South China affected the plant biodiversity in these ecosystems was found based on the field observation and lab analysis.The protection times of species diversity of three Eucalyptus communities were different (Community Ⅰ with no protection,Community Ⅱ with 7-year-protection,Community Ⅲ with 35-year-protection).The total numbers of species in these communities(from Community Ⅰ to Ⅱ to Ⅲ)are 1,6,and 17,respectively.The tesults showed that the protection of litterfall from being taken out of the ecosystem is important and can increase plant species diversity.This study ombined biomass data,the chemical and physical properties of the soil,and the diversity of microbes in the communities.It is concluded that the mechanism of the effects of litter removal on biodiversity includes three factors:removing the suitable habitat of microbe and animal,decreasing the soil mutrient, and changing the special habitat for the germination and growth of invading plants.These results should have important implications for managing these Eucalyptus forest ecosystems in South China.     

Effects of combination of plant and microorganism on degradation of simazine in soil

The degradative characteristics of simazine （SIM）, microbial biomass carbon, plate counts of heterotrophic bacteria and most probably number （MPN） of SIM degraders in uninoculated non-rhizosphere soil, uninoculated rhizosphere soil, inoculated non- rhizosphere soil, and inoculated rhizosphere soil were measured. At the initial concentration of 20 mg SIM/kg soil, the half-lives of SIM in the four treated soils were measured to be 73.0, 52.9, 16.9, and 7.8 d, respectively, and corresponding kinetic data fitted first-order kinetics. The experimental results indicated that higher degradation rates of SIM were observed in rhizosphere soils, especially in inoculated rhizosphere soil. The degradative characteristics of SIM were closely related to microbial process. Vegetation could enhance the magnitude of rhizosphere microbial communities, microbial biomass content, and heterotrophic bacterial community, but did little to influence those community components responsible for SIM degradation. This suggested that rhizosphere soil inoculated with microorganisms-degrading target herbicides was a useful pathway to achieve rapid degradation of the herbicides in soil.     

A review of diversity-stability relationship of soil microbial community: What do we not know?

The impact of decreased biodiversity on ecosystem stability, or the diversity-stability (D-S) relationship, is one of the major concerns of modern ecological studies. Studies on the D-S relationship for soil microbial communities began in 2000 when the fumigation method was developed to generate different levels of soil microbial biodiversity. The studies used various measures and levels of biodiversity, and covered several functional parameters. Due to the lack of general concepts and reliable approaches to define microbial species, studies on the D-S relationship of soil microbial communities concentrate on genetic diversity and functional diversity more than species diversity. Contradictory results were observed in various studies on D-S relationship with possible factors affecting or even changing the directions of the D-S relationship including: (1) the methods of stability measurement, (2) the techniques in microbial diversity measurement, (3) the measures and levels of diversity, (4) the type and strength of disturbance, (5) the traits of functions, and (6) the hidden treatments stemming from diversity manipulation. We argue that future studies should take diversity, species composition and interaction, and soil environmental conditions holistically into account in D-S studies to develop modeling to predict soil functional stability. We also suggest that studies should be carried out on a wider range of disturbance types and functional parameters, and efforts be shifted towards long-term field studies.     

Alteration of microbial properties and community structure in soils exposed to napropamide

The effect of pesticide napropamide (N,N-diethyl-2-(1-naphthalenyloxy) propanamide) on soil microorganisms for long-term (56 d) was assessed by monitoring changes in soil microbial biological responses. Soils were treated with napropamide at 0, 2, 10, 20, 40, and 80 mg/kg soil and sampled at intervals of 1, 3, 7, 14, 28, 42, and 56 d. The average microbial biomass C declined in napropamide-treated soils as compared to control. The same trend was observed on microbial biomass N after napropamide application.We also determined the basal soil respiration (BSR) and observed a high level in soils treated with napropamide during the first 7 d of experiment. But with the passage of incubation time, BSR with napropamide decreased relatively to control. Application of napropamide at 2–80 mg/kg soil had inhibitory e ects on the activity of urease and invertase. Activity of catalase was enhanced during the initial 7 d of napropamide application, but soon recovered to the basal level. The depressed enzyme activities might be due to the toxicity of napropamide to the soil microbial populations. To further understand the e ect of napropamide on microbial communities, a PCRDGGE- based experiment and cluster analysis of 16S rDNA community profiles were performed. Our analysis revealed an apparent di erence in bacterial-community composition between the napropamide treatments and control. Addition of napropamide apparently increased the number of bands during the 7–14 d of incubation. These results imply that napropamide-induced toxicity was responsible for the disturbance of the microbial populations in soil.     

复垦红壤中牧草根际微生物群落功能多样性

通过盆栽试验研究了浙江省诸暨铜矿区复垦红壤牧草根际微生物生物量及群落功能多样性的变化.结果表明,种植不同牧草使矿区土壤根际微生物生物量碳发生了显著的变化,其影响大小因矿区土壤污染程度而异.无污染和轻度污染土壤根际微生物生物量碳变化表现为黑麦草+三叶草>三叶草>黑麦草>未种植土壤,处理间差异均达显著水平(P<0.05),重度污染环境下各处理间差异不明显.Biolog数据分析显示,种植不同牧草的矿区土壤根际微生物群落结构和功能多样性也发生了相应改变,根际土壤微生物群落代谢剖面(AWCD)均显著高于未种植牧草土壤,处理间差异达极显著水平(P<0.001).典型变量分析揭示了不同牧草根际微生物群落利用碳源种类和数量存在明显差异.     

土壤生态系统微生物多样性技术研究进展

土壤微生物多样性主要研究土壤环境中微生物种群的类别、丰度、分布、结构变化及微生物群落功能的多样性,是土壤生物多样性研究的主体部分。19世纪末,传统的微生物分离培养方法应用于土壤微生物多样性解析。至20世纪70年代,建立了以磷脂脂肪酸图谱分析法(PLFA)和BIOLOG微量分析法为代表的对土壤微生物群落多样性评价的生物化学方法。20世纪90年代后期,随着分子生物学技术的快速发展,建立了变性梯度凝胶电泳(DGGE)、末端限制性片段长度多样性(TRFLP)、克隆文库和高通量测序等土壤微生物多样性研究方法。本文综述了土壤微生物多样性研究技术的原理、进展,并对不同技术的优缺点及应用进行探讨,并对相关领域研究提出思考。     

抗生素废水批量处理的pH调控及其影响

在不同pH水平下进行了抗生素废水的批量处理,试验结束时利用扫描电镜(SEM)、荧光原位杂交-流式细胞术联用技术(FISH-FCM)分析了不同pH条件下获得的降解菌群中酵母和细菌的构成,基于Biolog方法比较了不同降解菌群的代谢多样性,并考察了降解菌群构成的变化对抗生素废水批量处理效果的影响.结果表明,批量处理过程的pH调控显著影响了降解菌群中酵母和细菌的比例,并进而影响了废水处理效果.当批量处理过程的pH值分别控制在4～5、5～6、6.5～7.5时,降解菌群中酵母构成比例分别达到88.20%、54.43%、1.75%,同时细菌的构成比例相应呈逆向变化;Biolog FF微平板分析表明,3种pH条件下的降解菌群具有类似的代谢多样性,但酵母占优势时降解菌群的代谢活性较低;随着酵母比例的下降或细菌比例的上升,批量处理的COD去除率分别为34.8%、44.8%和61.2%.     

石油污染土壤的生物修复技术及微生物生态效应

利用投菌法和生物刺激法对陕北子长石油污染土壤进行微生物修复研究.通过利用红外分光光度法测定不同处理方法对石油烃的去除效果确定了修复陕北石油污染土壤的最佳方案.修复过程中利用最大可能计数法(MPN)、PCR-琼脂糖电泳法、PCR-DGGE法分别测定了石油烃降解菌数目、催化基因、土壤微生物多样性对土壤微生物生态效应进行研究.结果发现石油污染土壤不同生物处理修复效果为:生物刺激(加入N、P营养物质)生物强化(投加降解菌)其他.土壤中石油烃降解率与可降解石油烃的催化基因含量之间存在正相关关系,修复过程中土壤中的石油烃和烷烃降解菌数量显著多于多环芳烃降解菌数量,投加外源降解菌SZ-1可以显著提高土壤细菌群落的多样性.研究结果有助于深入理解生物修复石油土壤过程中的微生物生态效应变化.     

Nitrogen deposition alters soil chemical properties and bacterial communities in the Inner Mongolia grassland

Nitrogen deposition has dramatically altered biodiversity and ecosystem functioning on the earth; however, its effects on soil bacterial community and the underlying mechanisms of these effects have not been thoroughly examined. Changes in ecosystems caused by nitrogen deposition have traditionally been attributed to increased nitrogen content. In fact, nitrogen deposition not only leads to increased soil total N content, but also changes in the NH₄⁺-N content, NO₃^--N content and pH, as well as changes in the heterogeneity of the four indexes. The soil indexes for these four factors, their heterogeneity and even the plant community might be routes through which nitrogen deposition alters the bacterial community. Here, we describe a 6-year nitrogen addition experiment conducted in a typical steppe ecosystem to investigate the ecological mechanism by which nitrogen deposition alters bacterial abundance, diversity and composition. We found that various characteristics of the bacterial community were explained by different environmental factors. Nitrogen deposition decreased bacterial abundance that is positively related to soil pH value. In addition, nitrogen addition decreased bacterial diversity, which is negatively related to soil total N content and positively related to soil NO₃^--N heterogeneity. Finally, nitrogen addition altered bacterial composition that is significantly related to soil NH₄⁺-N content. Although nitrogen deposition significantly altered plant biomass, diversity and composition, these characteristics of plant community did not have a significant impact on processes of nitrogen deposition that led to alterations in bacterial abundance, diversity and composition. Therefore, more sensitive molecular technologies should be adopted to detect the subtle shifts of microbial community structure induced by the changes of plant community upon nitrogen deposition.     

黄土高原植被演替不同阶段植物系数的变化与适应性评价

用4年长期定位试验资料,利用植物系数、蒸散量、土壤含水量和土壤水分对植物的有效性等指标,研究了黄土高原植被群落不同演替阶段(草本群落→灌木群落→早期森林群落→顶级群落)的耗水特性与生态适应性。结果表明:不同演替阶段,群落实际蒸散量主要受降水控制,群落间差异不显著(P＞0.05);土壤含水量是早期森林群落明显高于其它群落,草本群落明显高于灌木群落(P＜0.05);植物系数是灌木群落＞草本群落＞乔木群落,而顶级群落大于早期森林群落;土壤水分对植物的有效性是早期森林和顶级群落明显高于草本和灌木群落(P＜0.05)。因此,进行植被建设不但要考虑植物系数还要考虑土壤水分对不同植物的有效性。     

广东海丰湿地生态恢复进程中不同生境的土壤微生物特征分析

土壤微生物能够敏感反应湿地生态系统质量变化及功能演变.为了探索土壤微生物在生态恢复措施下的变化及响应机制,采用高通量测序技术研究了广东海丰湿地在生态恢复进程中4种不同生境(植被恢复区、乡土植被区、潮沟和光滩)的土壤微生物群落结构与多样性特征及其影响因素.结果表明,4种不同生境土壤理化性质差异显著,表现为潮沟土壤TC、TN、TOC和TK含量最高,且植被恢复区土壤的TC、TN和TP含量显著高于光滩.潮沟和光滩上EC值显著高于植被恢复区和乡土植被区.细菌在潮沟中多样性指数和丰度最高,且植被恢复区土壤细菌丰度和多样性显著高于光滩;古菌群落结构在潮沟中比其他3种生境显著复杂,多样性与丰度更高;而真菌在乡土植被区的多样性指数和丰度显著高于其他生境,群落结构也最为复杂.TN和TC是影响细菌群落的主要因素;TN和EC是影响古菌群落的主要因素,而pH、TP和TN是影响真菌群落关键性因素.由此可见,在生态恢复过程中,光滩上植被的定植增加了土壤微生物群落多样性和丰富度,生态恢复初见成效,研究结果可为光滩生态修复策略的选择提供理论依据.     

土壤-青菜系统中铅污染对土壤微生物活性及多样性的影响

采用盆栽方法研究了青菜种植条件下2种不同类型的人为铅污染土(黄松田土和黄红壤)中不同处理对土壤微生物生物量、生理生态参数以及群落结构的影响.结果表明,2种土壤在外源铅含量为100和300 mg·kg-1时,土壤微生物生物量有微小增加,而高浓度铅污染使土壤微生物生物量显著降低.在高浓度铅污染土壤中,微生物生理生态参数发生明显变化,微生物生物量碳/土壤有机质碳(Cmic/Corg)逐渐下降,代谢熵(qco2)明显上升,表明土壤微生物群落处于胁迫状态.结果还显示,铅污染对土壤微生物的影响与不同的管理方式(青菜种植情况)以及土壤中有机质、粘粒含量等有关,在种植青菜、有机质和粘粒含量高的土壤中,土壤微生物各项参数变化要小.对21种磷脂脂肪酸(PLFA)的图谱进行分析,结果表明,受铅污染土壤的微生物群落结构组成伴随着功能参数的变化而发生了改变;随着铅污染程度的增强,指示真菌和放线菌类的脂肪酸增加,而革兰氏阳性菌与革兰氏阴性菌脂肪酸比值下降.