The Composition of Nitrogen-Fixing Microorganisms Correlates With Soil Nitrogen Content During Reforestation: A Comparison Between Legume and Non-legume Plantations
Numerous reforestation projects have been conducted to improve soil fertility in degraded forests, often causing alterations to the soil microbial communities. However, it remains unclear whether microbial functional groups are affected and how these groups correlate with an increase in the nutrient...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2019-03-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Microbiology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fmicb.2019.00508/full |
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| author | Jie Chen Weijun Shen Han Xu Han Xu Yide Li Tushou Luo |
| author_facet | Jie Chen Weijun Shen Han Xu Han Xu Yide Li Tushou Luo |
| author_sort | Jie Chen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Numerous reforestation projects have been conducted to improve soil fertility in degraded forests, often causing alterations to the soil microbial communities. However, it remains unclear whether microbial functional groups are affected and how these groups correlate with an increase in the nutrient contents during reforestation. We investigated the abundance and composition of free-living nitrogen-fixing microorganisms (diazotrophs) by quantifying and sequencing the marker gene nifH in bulk soils from five reforestation approaches, including legumes and non-legumes, in subtropical China. The relationships between diazotrophic community attributes and soil nitrogen (N) content [NO3−, NH4+, and microbial biomass N (MBN)] were examined under various approaches. Abundance of diazotrophs was highest in the native tree plantation (Schima spp. and Michelia macclurei) and Acacia mangium monoculture (AM), and lowest in the Pinus massoniana monoculture. The diazotrophic abundance correlated positively with soil organic matter and water content while there was a negative correlation to pH. The composition of diazotrophic community differed significantly among the five reforestation approaches examined and was closely correlated with variations in soil pH, NH4+ and water content. Diazotrophic community composition was closely related to soil NH4+ content, whereas abundance was not. The AM contained higher NH4+, NO3− and MBN contents than the other reforestation approaches, which may be associated with the indicator species of diazotrophs (Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria, and Firmicutes). However, there were more indicator species of Proteobacteria in the mixed Acacia plantation (Acacia mangium and Acacia crassicarpa) than in AM, which might have contributed to the remarkedly lower N content compared to AM. Overall, the soil N content under reforestation appeared to be more related to the composition of diazotroph community than to the abundance of diazotrophs. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-11T08:22:28Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e47faa42e0a9439dbfc1b4710551ac93 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-302X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-11T08:22:28Z |
| publishDate | 2019-03-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Microbiology |
| spelling | doaj.art-e47faa42e0a9439dbfc1b4710551ac932022-12-22T01:14:39ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Microbiology1664-302X2019-03-011010.3389/fmicb.2019.00508424945The Composition of Nitrogen-Fixing Microorganisms Correlates With Soil Nitrogen Content During Reforestation: A Comparison Between Legume and Non-legume PlantationsJie Chen0Weijun Shen1Han Xu2Han Xu3Yide Li4Tushou Luo5Research Institute of Tropical Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Guangzhou, ChinaKey Laboratory of Vegetation Restoration and Management of Degraded Ecosystems, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, ChinaResearch Institute of Tropical Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Guangzhou, ChinaResearch Institute of Subtropical Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Hangzhou, ChinaResearch Institute of Tropical Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Guangzhou, ChinaResearch Institute of Tropical Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Guangzhou, ChinaNumerous reforestation projects have been conducted to improve soil fertility in degraded forests, often causing alterations to the soil microbial communities. However, it remains unclear whether microbial functional groups are affected and how these groups correlate with an increase in the nutrient contents during reforestation. We investigated the abundance and composition of free-living nitrogen-fixing microorganisms (diazotrophs) by quantifying and sequencing the marker gene nifH in bulk soils from five reforestation approaches, including legumes and non-legumes, in subtropical China. The relationships between diazotrophic community attributes and soil nitrogen (N) content [NO3−, NH4+, and microbial biomass N (MBN)] were examined under various approaches. Abundance of diazotrophs was highest in the native tree plantation (Schima spp. and Michelia macclurei) and Acacia mangium monoculture (AM), and lowest in the Pinus massoniana monoculture. The diazotrophic abundance correlated positively with soil organic matter and water content while there was a negative correlation to pH. The composition of diazotrophic community differed significantly among the five reforestation approaches examined and was closely correlated with variations in soil pH, NH4+ and water content. Diazotrophic community composition was closely related to soil NH4+ content, whereas abundance was not. The AM contained higher NH4+, NO3− and MBN contents than the other reforestation approaches, which may be associated with the indicator species of diazotrophs (Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria, and Firmicutes). However, there were more indicator species of Proteobacteria in the mixed Acacia plantation (Acacia mangium and Acacia crassicarpa) than in AM, which might have contributed to the remarkedly lower N content compared to AM. Overall, the soil N content under reforestation appeared to be more related to the composition of diazotroph community than to the abundance of diazotrophs.https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fmicb.2019.00508/fullnitrogen-fixationforest restorationsubtropical forestlegumenifH gene |
| spellingShingle | Jie Chen Weijun Shen Han Xu Han Xu Yide Li Tushou Luo The Composition of Nitrogen-Fixing Microorganisms Correlates With Soil Nitrogen Content During Reforestation: A Comparison Between Legume and Non-legume Plantations Frontiers in Microbiology nitrogen-fixation forest restoration subtropical forest legume nifH gene |
| title | The Composition of Nitrogen-Fixing Microorganisms Correlates With Soil Nitrogen Content During Reforestation: A Comparison Between Legume and Non-legume Plantations |
| title_full | The Composition of Nitrogen-Fixing Microorganisms Correlates With Soil Nitrogen Content During Reforestation: A Comparison Between Legume and Non-legume Plantations |
| title_fullStr | The Composition of Nitrogen-Fixing Microorganisms Correlates With Soil Nitrogen Content During Reforestation: A Comparison Between Legume and Non-legume Plantations |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Composition of Nitrogen-Fixing Microorganisms Correlates With Soil Nitrogen Content During Reforestation: A Comparison Between Legume and Non-legume Plantations |
| title_short | The Composition of Nitrogen-Fixing Microorganisms Correlates With Soil Nitrogen Content During Reforestation: A Comparison Between Legume and Non-legume Plantations |
| title_sort | composition of nitrogen fixing microorganisms correlates with soil nitrogen content during reforestation a comparison between legume and non legume plantations |
| topic | nitrogen-fixation forest restoration subtropical forest legume nifH gene |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fmicb.2019.00508/full |
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