Ecological Environment and Microbial Community of Agricultural Soils

A special issue of Agriculture (ISSN 2077-0472). This special issue belongs to the section "Agricultural Soils".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 October 2023) | Viewed by 6223

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Winogradsky Institute of Microbiology, Research Center of Biotechnology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117 901 Moscow, Russia
Interests: soil microbiology; ecology of methanotrophs; anthropogenic disturbed soils; plant-microbe interactions

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Guest Editor
Laboratory of Soil Carbon and Microbial Ecology, Dokuchaev Soil Science Institute, Pyzhyovskiy Lane 7 Building 2, 119017 Moscow, Russia
Interests: soil microbiome; soil metagenomics; soil organic matter; soil phytopathogens; soil assessment; agroecosystems; manure microbiome; plant rhizosphere

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Guest Editor
Department of Soil Biology and Biochemistry, Dokuchaev Soil Science Institute, Pyzhyovskiy Lane 7 Building 2, 119017 Moscow, Russia
Interests: soil biology; soil bacteria; nitrogen cycle; glyphosate; bioremediation; qPCR; metabarcoding; phosphorous cycle; phytopathogens; soil remediation

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The agricultural soil environment is a complex system that includes various physical, chemical, and biological components that have an impact on the development and activity of soil microbial communities. Agricultural practices such as plowing, fertilizer, crop rotation, and the use of pesticides can reduce microbial diversity and alter microbial activity. Modern ecologically sound agriculture depends on the preservation of robust, diversified populations and productive microbial communities in the soil, as well as the development of management techniques that support these ecosystems.

The goals of this Special Issue are to describe the progress in the relationship between the ecological environment and the microbial community of agricultural soils, to show how the microbiome and soil function are intertwined, to examine the factors that affect crop productivity, nutrient cycling, and soil health, and to provide ecological insights into bioindicators of soil properties that are important to soil health. In this Special Issue, we invite submissions of research articles and reviews that incorporate studies from several fields (for example, agricultural sciences, biology, environmental sciences, and data science) and interdisciplinary research that expands our understanding of the complex interactions between agricultural management, soil ecology, and microbial communities.

Dr. Irina K. Kravchenko
Dr. Mikhail V. Semenov
Dr. Alena D. Zhelezova
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Agriculture is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

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Keywords

  • soil health
  • land use
  • microbial diversity
  • microbial interactions
  • nutrient cycling
  • agricultural impact
  • soil amendments
  • biocontrol

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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21 pages, 2489 KiB  
Article
Influence of Soil Type, Land Use, and Rootstock Genotype on Root-Associated Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Communities and Their Impact on Grapevine Growth and Nutrition
by Rosalba O. Fors, Emilia Sorci-Uhmann, Erika S. Santos, Patricia Silva-Flores, Maria Manuela Abreu, Wanda Viegas and Amaia Nogales
Agriculture 2023, 13(11), 2163; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture13112163 - 17 Nov 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1458
Abstract
Soil characteristics, land management practices, and plant genotypes influence arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) communities, leading to the proliferation of AMF taxa with different growth and nutritional outcomes in their hosts. However, the specific patterns driving these relationships are still not well understood. This [...] Read more.
Soil characteristics, land management practices, and plant genotypes influence arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) communities, leading to the proliferation of AMF taxa with different growth and nutritional outcomes in their hosts. However, the specific patterns driving these relationships are still not well understood. This study aimed to (1) evaluate the influence of soil characteristics, land use, and rootstock on AMF diversity and community structure and (2) assess the effect of those AMF communities on grapevine growth and nutrition. Soil samples were collected from vineyard and non-agricultural areas in Lisbon and Pegões, Portugal, and trap cultures established using Richter 110 and 1103 Paulsen rootstocks. After 3.5 months growth under greenhouse conditions, root-associated AMF communities were assessed by amplicon metagenomic sequencing using AMF-specific primers. Alpha diversity was only influenced by the soil type, while in β-diversity, an interaction was found between the soil type and land use. Both diversity measures were positively correlated with foliar K and negatively with leaf Mn and Mg. Notably, the concentrations of these nutrients were highly correlated with the relative abundance of operational taxonomic units (OTUs) within the genera Glomus, Rhizophagus, and Claroideoglomus. These results are valuable for supporting AMF selection for improved plant nutrition based on varying soil types and land uses. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecological Environment and Microbial Community of Agricultural Soils)
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13 pages, 2592 KiB  
Article
Effects of Continuous Manure Application on the Microbial Community and Labile Organic Carbon Fractions
by Han Yan, Wei Fan and Jinggui Wu
Agriculture 2023, 13(11), 2096; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture13112096 - 04 Nov 2023
Viewed by 1212
Abstract
The application of organic materials contributes to the sustainable development of agriculture. Increased manure inputs have a fundamental effect on the composition and dynamics of soil organic carbon (SOC). In this study, we conducted a 10-year field experiment in Changchun, Jilin, Northeast China, [...] Read more.
The application of organic materials contributes to the sustainable development of agriculture. Increased manure inputs have a fundamental effect on the composition and dynamics of soil organic carbon (SOC). In this study, we conducted a 10-year field experiment in Changchun, Jilin, Northeast China, to investigate the effects of manure addition on soil organic carbon components and soil microorganisms. Specifically, we established four treatments: (i) chemical fertilizer or no addition of manure (CK), (ii) pig manure with chemical fertilizer (ZF), (iii) cow manure with chemical fertilizer (NF), and (iv) chicken manure with chemical fertilizer (JF). The results showed that the JF treatment significantly increased the soil organic carbon (SOC), dissolved organic carbon (DOC), and readily oxidized organic carbon (ROC) content by 20.36%, 105.9%, and 61.32%, respectively, relative to CK. The microbial biomass carbon (MBC) content in JF, ZF, and NF treatments were significantly higher than that of CK, which increased by 107.24%, 116.45%, and 96.71%, respectively. The particulate organic carbon (POC) content in NF and JF treatments differed significantly, increasing by 25.61% and 19.01%, respectively, relative to CK. Redundancy analysis showed that continuous manure application had a positive effect on soil microbial community diversity and abundance, which was favorable for the accumulation of soil carbon. We also found that soil fungi were more sensitive than bacteria to changes in soil carbon composition following manure application. In conclusion, adding different organic materials can better support biodiversity conservation and realize ecosystem services of surface carbon storage and soil conservation. Our results reveal the importance of microbial fixation in soil carbon dynamics according to the different distribution of active organic carbon pools, which will help enhance our understanding of the carbon cycle. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecological Environment and Microbial Community of Agricultural Soils)
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11 pages, 2997 KiB  
Article
Effects of Variations in Soil Moisture and Phosphorus Concentrations on the Diversity of the Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Community in an Agricultural Ecosystem
by Yizhen Shao, Zhao Wang, Wenjun Liu, Xintong Zhang, Jing Wang and Peng Guo
Agriculture 2023, 13(6), 1272; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture13061272 - 20 Jun 2023
Viewed by 1199
Abstract
In farmland ecosystems, phosphorus and water have crucial roles. To elucidate the effects of phosphorus concentration and water management on arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), field experiments were conducted in a farmland ecosystem (China). We examined the effects of different treatments, including drought and [...] Read more.
In farmland ecosystems, phosphorus and water have crucial roles. To elucidate the effects of phosphorus concentration and water management on arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), field experiments were conducted in a farmland ecosystem (China). We examined the effects of different treatments, including drought and normal phosphorus, normal water and normal phosphorus, drought and low phosphorus, and normal water and low phosphorus, on the AM fungal biomass, diversity, and community. Results showed great differences in the AMF under different water and phosphorus concentrations. When under a suitable drought treatment, the AMF became more abundant and more conducive to plant growth. The abundance of AMF varied with different phosphorus treatments, and the abundance of AMF in low-phosphorus treatments was higher, which is more suitable for plant growth. In conclusion, as water and phosphorus concentrations change, the community structure of AMF constantly changes. Only under the appropriate water and phosphorus concentration processing can AMF play its role well. Understanding the influence of different phosphorus concentrations and the moisture contents of AMF can play a role in the agricultural production of AMF, and it can also provide improved theoretical support. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecological Environment and Microbial Community of Agricultural Soils)
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Review

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39 pages, 2640 KiB  
Review
Biochar Functions in Soil Depending on Feedstock and Pyrolyzation Properties with Particular Emphasis on Biological Properties
by Polina Kuryntseva, Kamalya Karamova, Polina Galitskaya, Svetlana Selivanovskaya and Gennady Evtugyn
Agriculture 2023, 13(10), 2003; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture13102003 - 15 Oct 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1868
Abstract
Biochar effects are strongly dependent on its properties. Biochar improves physical soil properties by decreasing bulk density and increasing medium and large aggregates, leading to faster and deeper water infiltration and root growth. Improvement of the chemical properties of soil is connected with [...] Read more.
Biochar effects are strongly dependent on its properties. Biochar improves physical soil properties by decreasing bulk density and increasing medium and large aggregates, leading to faster and deeper water infiltration and root growth. Improvement of the chemical properties of soil is connected with pH neutralization of acidic soils, increase of cation exchange capacity and base saturation, providing a larger surface for sorption of toxicants and exchange of cations. Biochar increases the stocks of macro- and micronutrients in soil and remains sufficient for decades. Biochar effects on (micro)biological properties are mainly indirect, based on the improvements of habitat conditions for organisms, deeper root growth providing available C for larger soil volume, higher crop yield leading to more residues on and in the topsoil, better and deeper soil moisture, supply of all nutrients, and better aeration. Along with positive, negative effects of biochar while used as a soil conditioner are discussed in the review: presence of PAH, excessive amounts of K, Ca and Mg, declination of soil pH. In conclusion, despite the removal of C from the biological cycle by feedstock pyrolysis, the subsequent application of biochar into soil increases fertility and improves physical and chemical properties for root and microbial growth is a good amendment for low fertility soils. Proper use of biochar leads not only to an increase in crop yield but also to effective sequestration of carbon in the soil, which is important to consider when economically assessing its production. Further research should be aimed at assessing and developing methods for increasing the sequestration potential of biochar as fertilizer. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecological Environment and Microbial Community of Agricultural Soils)
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