Soil pH: a key edaphic factor regulating distribution and functions of bacterial community along vertical soil profiles in red soil of pomelo orchard

Abstract Background Soil microbes exist throughout the soil profile and those inhabiting topsoil (0–20 cm) are believed to play a key role in nutrients cycling. However, the majority of the soil microbiology studies have exclusively focused on the distribution of soil microbial communities in the to...

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Main Authors: Muhammad Atif Muneer, Wei Hou, Jian Li, Xiaoman Huang, Masood ur Rehman Kayani, Yuanyang Cai, Wenhao Yang, Liangquan Wu, Baoming Ji, Chaoyuan Zheng
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2022-02-01
Series:BMC Microbiology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12866-022-02452-x
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author Muhammad Atif Muneer
Wei Hou
Jian Li
Xiaoman Huang
Masood ur Rehman Kayani
Yuanyang Cai
Wenhao Yang
Liangquan Wu
Baoming Ji
Chaoyuan Zheng
author_facet Muhammad Atif Muneer
Wei Hou
Jian Li
Xiaoman Huang
Masood ur Rehman Kayani
Yuanyang Cai
Wenhao Yang
Liangquan Wu
Baoming Ji
Chaoyuan Zheng
author_sort Muhammad Atif Muneer
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Soil microbes exist throughout the soil profile and those inhabiting topsoil (0–20 cm) are believed to play a key role in nutrients cycling. However, the majority of the soil microbiology studies have exclusively focused on the distribution of soil microbial communities in the topsoil, and it remains poorly understood through the subsurface soil profile (i.e., 20–40 and 40–60 cm). Here, we examined how the bacterial community composition and functional diversity changes under intensive fertilization across vertical soil profiles [(0–20 cm (RS1), 20–40 cm (RS2), and 40–60 cm (RS3)] in the red soil of pomelo orchard, Pinghe County, Fujian, China. Results Bacterial community composition was determined by 16S rRNA gene sequencing and interlinked with edaphic factors, including soil pH, available phosphorous (AP), available nitrogen (AN), and available potassium (AK) to investigate the key edaphic factors that shape the soil bacterial community along with different soil profiles. The most dominant bacterial taxa were Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria, Actinobacteria, Chloroflexi, Crenarchaeota, and Bacteriodetes. Bacterial richness and diversity was highest in RS1 and declined with increasing soil depth. The distinct distribution patterns of the bacterial community were found across the different soil profiles. Besides, soil pH exhibited a strong influence (pH ˃AP ˃AN) on the bacterial communities under all soil depths. The relative abundance of Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Crenarchaeota, and Firmicutes was negatively correlated with soil pH, while Acidobacteria, Chloroflexi, Bacteriodetes, Planctomycetes, and Gemmatimonadetes were positively correlated with soil pH. Co-occurrence network analysis revealed that network topological features were weakened with increasing soil depth, indicating a more stable bacterial community in the RS1. Bacterial functions were estimated using FAPROTAX and the relative abundance of functional bacterial community related to metabolic processes, including C-cycle, N-cycle, and energy production was significantly higher in RS1 compared to RS2 and RS3, and soil pH had a significant effect on these functional microbes. Conclusions This study provided the valuable findings regarding the structure and functions of bacterial communities in red soil of pomelo orchards, and highlighted the importance of soil depth and pH in shaping the soil bacterial population, their spatial distribution and ecological functioning. These results suggest the alleviation of soil acidification by adopting integrated management practices to preserve the soil microbial communities for better ecological functioning.
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spelling doaj.art-ca98e29a283744239e8e9cdd67ed06652022-12-21T20:22:01ZengBMCBMC Microbiology1471-21802022-02-0122111610.1186/s12866-022-02452-xSoil pH: a key edaphic factor regulating distribution and functions of bacterial community along vertical soil profiles in red soil of pomelo orchardMuhammad Atif Muneer0Wei Hou1Jian Li2Xiaoman Huang3Masood ur Rehman Kayani4Yuanyang Cai5Wenhao Yang6Liangquan Wu7Baoming Ji8Chaoyuan Zheng9College of Resources and Environment, International Magnesium Institute, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry UniversityCollege of Resources and Environment, International Magnesium Institute, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry UniversityCollege of Resources and Environment, International Magnesium Institute, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry UniversityCollege of Resources and Environment, International Magnesium Institute, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry UniversityCenter for Microbiota and Immunological Diseases, School of Medicine, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Institute of Immunology, Shanghai Jiao Tong UniversityCollege of Resources and Environment, International Magnesium Institute, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry UniversityCollege of Resources and Environment, International Magnesium Institute, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry UniversityCollege of Resources and Environment, International Magnesium Institute, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry UniversityCollege of Grassland Science, Beijing Forestry UniversityCollege of Resources and Environment, International Magnesium Institute, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry UniversityAbstract Background Soil microbes exist throughout the soil profile and those inhabiting topsoil (0–20 cm) are believed to play a key role in nutrients cycling. However, the majority of the soil microbiology studies have exclusively focused on the distribution of soil microbial communities in the topsoil, and it remains poorly understood through the subsurface soil profile (i.e., 20–40 and 40–60 cm). Here, we examined how the bacterial community composition and functional diversity changes under intensive fertilization across vertical soil profiles [(0–20 cm (RS1), 20–40 cm (RS2), and 40–60 cm (RS3)] in the red soil of pomelo orchard, Pinghe County, Fujian, China. Results Bacterial community composition was determined by 16S rRNA gene sequencing and interlinked with edaphic factors, including soil pH, available phosphorous (AP), available nitrogen (AN), and available potassium (AK) to investigate the key edaphic factors that shape the soil bacterial community along with different soil profiles. The most dominant bacterial taxa were Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria, Actinobacteria, Chloroflexi, Crenarchaeota, and Bacteriodetes. Bacterial richness and diversity was highest in RS1 and declined with increasing soil depth. The distinct distribution patterns of the bacterial community were found across the different soil profiles. Besides, soil pH exhibited a strong influence (pH ˃AP ˃AN) on the bacterial communities under all soil depths. The relative abundance of Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Crenarchaeota, and Firmicutes was negatively correlated with soil pH, while Acidobacteria, Chloroflexi, Bacteriodetes, Planctomycetes, and Gemmatimonadetes were positively correlated with soil pH. Co-occurrence network analysis revealed that network topological features were weakened with increasing soil depth, indicating a more stable bacterial community in the RS1. Bacterial functions were estimated using FAPROTAX and the relative abundance of functional bacterial community related to metabolic processes, including C-cycle, N-cycle, and energy production was significantly higher in RS1 compared to RS2 and RS3, and soil pH had a significant effect on these functional microbes. Conclusions This study provided the valuable findings regarding the structure and functions of bacterial communities in red soil of pomelo orchards, and highlighted the importance of soil depth and pH in shaping the soil bacterial population, their spatial distribution and ecological functioning. These results suggest the alleviation of soil acidification by adopting integrated management practices to preserve the soil microbial communities for better ecological functioning.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12866-022-02452-xRed soilBacterial diversityFunctional analysisSoil pHSpatial distribution
spellingShingle Muhammad Atif Muneer
Wei Hou
Jian Li
Xiaoman Huang
Masood ur Rehman Kayani
Yuanyang Cai
Wenhao Yang
Liangquan Wu
Baoming Ji
Chaoyuan Zheng
Soil pH: a key edaphic factor regulating distribution and functions of bacterial community along vertical soil profiles in red soil of pomelo orchard
BMC Microbiology
Red soil
Bacterial diversity
Functional analysis
Soil pH
Spatial distribution
title Soil pH: a key edaphic factor regulating distribution and functions of bacterial community along vertical soil profiles in red soil of pomelo orchard
title_full Soil pH: a key edaphic factor regulating distribution and functions of bacterial community along vertical soil profiles in red soil of pomelo orchard
title_fullStr Soil pH: a key edaphic factor regulating distribution and functions of bacterial community along vertical soil profiles in red soil of pomelo orchard
title_full_unstemmed Soil pH: a key edaphic factor regulating distribution and functions of bacterial community along vertical soil profiles in red soil of pomelo orchard
title_short Soil pH: a key edaphic factor regulating distribution and functions of bacterial community along vertical soil profiles in red soil of pomelo orchard
title_sort soil ph a key edaphic factor regulating distribution and functions of bacterial community along vertical soil profiles in red soil of pomelo orchard
topic Red soil
Bacterial diversity
Functional analysis
Soil pH
Spatial distribution
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12866-022-02452-x
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