Adaptive Development of Soil Bacterial Communities to Ecological Processes Caused by Mining Activities in the Loess Plateau, China

Microorganisms are the driving force behind the circulation and transformation of the soil substance. The development of soil bacterial communities is critical for ecosystem restoration and evolution. In the Loess Plateau, coal mining activities have aggravated the deterioration of the fragile local...

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Main Authors: Zhanbin Luo, Jing Ma, Fu Chen, Xiaoxiao Li, Qi Zhang, Yongjun Yang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2020-03-01
Series:Microorganisms
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/8/4/477
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author Zhanbin Luo
Jing Ma
Fu Chen
Xiaoxiao Li
Qi Zhang
Yongjun Yang
author_facet Zhanbin Luo
Jing Ma
Fu Chen
Xiaoxiao Li
Qi Zhang
Yongjun Yang
author_sort Zhanbin Luo
collection DOAJ
description Microorganisms are the driving force behind the circulation and transformation of the soil substance. The development of soil bacterial communities is critical for ecosystem restoration and evolution. In the Loess Plateau, coal mining activities have aggravated the deterioration of the fragile local ecological environment. The adaptive development of soil bacterial communities in response to different ecological processes caused by coal mining activities was explored through high-throughput sequencing technology and an ecological network analysis of the mining subsidence area of the Daliuta Coal Mine and vegetation rehabilitation area of the Heidaigou Coal Mine in the Loess Plateau. The results showed that while mining subsidence was inhibited, vegetation rehabilitation promoted the soil physicochemical properties. Soil organic matter, available phosphorus and available potassium in the subsidence area decreased significantly (<i>P < 0.05</i>), while soil organic matter, soil water, pH and EC in the vegetation rehabilitation area increased significantly (<i>P < 0.05</i>). The diversity index in the subsidence area decreased by about 20%, while that in the vegetation rehabilitation area increased by 63%. Mining subsidence and vegetation rehabilitation had a distinct influence on the molecular ecological networks of the soil bacteria, which tended to be more complex after the mining subsidence, and the number of connections in the network increased otherwise significantly enhanced interactive relationships. After the vegetation rehabilitation, the number of modules in the ecological network increased, but the contents of modules tended to be simpler. Soil bacterial communities adapted to the changes by changing the relationships between bacteria in response to different ecological processes. This study provides new insights into the monitoring and abatement of the damaged ecological environment in mines.
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spelling doaj.art-6de4e7e8b50f489e873e1a3871098a632023-11-16T14:26:37ZengMDPI AGMicroorganisms2076-26072020-03-018447710.3390/microorganisms8040477Adaptive Development of Soil Bacterial Communities to Ecological Processes Caused by Mining Activities in the Loess Plateau, ChinaZhanbin Luo0Jing Ma1Fu Chen2Xiaoxiao Li3Qi Zhang4Yongjun Yang5School of Environment Science and Spatial Informatics, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221008, ChinaLow Carbon Energy Institute, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221008, ChinaSchool of Environment Science and Spatial Informatics, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221008, ChinaSchool of Environment Science and Spatial Informatics, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221008, ChinaSchool of Environment Science and Spatial Informatics, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221008, ChinaSchool of Environment Science and Spatial Informatics, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221008, ChinaMicroorganisms are the driving force behind the circulation and transformation of the soil substance. The development of soil bacterial communities is critical for ecosystem restoration and evolution. In the Loess Plateau, coal mining activities have aggravated the deterioration of the fragile local ecological environment. The adaptive development of soil bacterial communities in response to different ecological processes caused by coal mining activities was explored through high-throughput sequencing technology and an ecological network analysis of the mining subsidence area of the Daliuta Coal Mine and vegetation rehabilitation area of the Heidaigou Coal Mine in the Loess Plateau. The results showed that while mining subsidence was inhibited, vegetation rehabilitation promoted the soil physicochemical properties. Soil organic matter, available phosphorus and available potassium in the subsidence area decreased significantly (<i>P < 0.05</i>), while soil organic matter, soil water, pH and EC in the vegetation rehabilitation area increased significantly (<i>P < 0.05</i>). The diversity index in the subsidence area decreased by about 20%, while that in the vegetation rehabilitation area increased by 63%. Mining subsidence and vegetation rehabilitation had a distinct influence on the molecular ecological networks of the soil bacteria, which tended to be more complex after the mining subsidence, and the number of connections in the network increased otherwise significantly enhanced interactive relationships. After the vegetation rehabilitation, the number of modules in the ecological network increased, but the contents of modules tended to be simpler. Soil bacterial communities adapted to the changes by changing the relationships between bacteria in response to different ecological processes. This study provides new insights into the monitoring and abatement of the damaged ecological environment in mines.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/8/4/477soil bacteriamolecular ecological networkmining subsidencevegetation rehabilitationLoess Plateau
spellingShingle Zhanbin Luo
Jing Ma
Fu Chen
Xiaoxiao Li
Qi Zhang
Yongjun Yang
Adaptive Development of Soil Bacterial Communities to Ecological Processes Caused by Mining Activities in the Loess Plateau, China
Microorganisms
soil bacteria
molecular ecological network
mining subsidence
vegetation rehabilitation
Loess Plateau
title Adaptive Development of Soil Bacterial Communities to Ecological Processes Caused by Mining Activities in the Loess Plateau, China
title_full Adaptive Development of Soil Bacterial Communities to Ecological Processes Caused by Mining Activities in the Loess Plateau, China
title_fullStr Adaptive Development of Soil Bacterial Communities to Ecological Processes Caused by Mining Activities in the Loess Plateau, China
title_full_unstemmed Adaptive Development of Soil Bacterial Communities to Ecological Processes Caused by Mining Activities in the Loess Plateau, China
title_short Adaptive Development of Soil Bacterial Communities to Ecological Processes Caused by Mining Activities in the Loess Plateau, China
title_sort adaptive development of soil bacterial communities to ecological processes caused by mining activities in the loess plateau china
topic soil bacteria
molecular ecological network
mining subsidence
vegetation rehabilitation
Loess Plateau
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/8/4/477
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