Forests

Research

13 pages, 5452 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Production of Bamboo Source Microbial Fertilizer and Evaluate Its Effect on Soil Organic Carbon Fractions in Moso Bamboo Plantations in South China

by Qiaoling Li, Zhiyuan Huang, Zheke Zhong, Fangyuan Bian and Xiaoping Zhang

Forests 2024, 15(3), 455; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15030455 - 28 Feb 2024

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Abstract

Bamboo shoot processing wastewater (BBPW) is rich in organic matter and organic acids and can be used as a nutrient source for microbial growth and biofertilization. In this study, Pseudomonas K22-D and Terribacillus goriness CS3 were isolated from bamboo forest soil with plant [...] Read more.

Bamboo shoot processing wastewater (BBPW) is rich in organic matter and organic acids and can be used as a nutrient source for microbial growth and biofertilization. In this study, Pseudomonas K22-D and Terribacillus goriness CS3 were isolated from bamboo forest soil with plant growth-promoting properties. Biofertilizers were prepared by inoculating bacteria into BBPW, and the effects of their application in a bamboo forest were evaluated. The chemical oxygen demand, TOC, TN, and NH₄-N contents decreased after inoculation, indicating that the bacteria were able to degrade macromolecules in BBPW. The BBPW biofertilizer produced by mixed bacteria (CS3 + K22-D) significantly improved the soil organic carbon and mineral-associated organic carbon content and reduced the pH, alkali-hydrolysable nitrogen, available phosphorus, and available potassium content of the soils in the bamboo forest, which might be attributed to the high C:N ratio and microbial synergism in the biofertilizer and the fast growth period of bamboo shoots. Notably, the CS3 biofertilizer significantly increased soil-available phosphorus (90.25%), and the K22-D biofertilizer significantly decreased soil-available phosphorus (70.33%) compared with CK, suggesting that the presence of inorganic phosphorus-solubilizing bacteria can promote soil P. We believe that the return of inoculated bamboo shoot processing wastewater to bamboo plantations can be an eco-friendly, sustainable practice for bamboo forest management. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diversity, Taxonomy and Functions of Forest Microorganisms)

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17 pages, 3568 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Influence of Bioclimates and Soil Physicochemical Properties on Bacterial and Archaeal Communities from Forest Ecosystems in Côte d’Ivoire (West Africa)

by Anicet E. T. Ebou, Dominique K. Koua, Romain Kouakou Fossou, Chiguié Estelle Raïssa Amon and Adolphe Zézé

Forests 2024, 15(3), 396; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15030396 - 20 Feb 2024

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Abstract

Archaea and bacteria communities play pivotal roles in tropical forest ecosystems’ functioning, especially nutrient cycling, plant phenology, and health. The objective of this study was to explore the diversity of archaeal and bacterial communities in forest soil ecosystem of Côte d’Ivoire and to [...] Read more.

Archaea and bacteria communities play pivotal roles in tropical forest ecosystems’ functioning, especially nutrient cycling, plant phenology, and health. The objective of this study was to explore the diversity of archaeal and bacterial communities in forest soil ecosystem of Côte d’Ivoire and to identify abiotic factors that influence their composition. Using high-throughput amplicon sequencing targeting the V4V5 hypervariable region of the 16S ribosomal RNA gene, we analyzed 22 soil samples taken from the 2 main forest areas of Côte d’Ivoire, namely the semi-deciduous moist forest and the evergreen moist forest, both of which are located in the humid and sub-humid areas of the country. The analysis revealed that the biodiversity at the phyla level was congruent with previous studies. Richness and Shannon diversity indices revealed the dominance of bacteria over archaea in all studied soils. Moreover, the predominant bacterial community consisted of Proteobacteria (29.8%), Acidobacteria (15.5%), and Actinobacteria (14.2%), while the archaeal community was dominated by Thaumarchaeota (1.93%). However, at the genus level, patterns emerged. The most abundant and ubiquitous members at the genus level included Bradyrhizobium, Rhodoplanes, Bacillus (bacteria), and Nitrosophaera (archaea). While bacterial core microbiome members were found in almost all soils, Nitrososphaera genus were selective to sub-humid bioclimate and cropland land use. These patterns were correlated to the soils’ physicochemical characteristics, bioclimate, and land use. This study sheds light on the intricate relationships between abiotic factors and microbial communities in Côte d’Ivoire’s forest soils and helps to identify keys species for future soil management. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diversity, Taxonomy and Functions of Forest Microorganisms)

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15 pages, 6338 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Identification of Cytospora Species Isolated from Branch Canker Diseases of Woody Plants in Tibet, China

by Jie-Ting Li, Jiang-Rong Li and Ning Jiang

Forests 2024, 15(1), 121; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15010121 - 08 Jan 2024

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Abstract

Branch canker diseases are important in forest ecosystems, causing economic and ecological losses. Members of Cytospora are common on cankered branches and associated with the diseases. Investigations on Cytospora cankers were conducted in Tibet, China, during 2022 and 2023. Samples were collected from [...] Read more.

Branch canker diseases are important in forest ecosystems, causing economic and ecological losses. Members of Cytospora are common on cankered branches and associated with the diseases. Investigations on Cytospora cankers were conducted in Tibet, China, during 2022 and 2023. Samples were collected from Euonymus japonicus, Larix gmelinii, Malus pumila, M. spectabilis and Rosa omeiensis f. pteracantha, and cultures were obtained and identified by morphological features and molecular phylogeny of a combination of internal transcribed spacer region rDNA (ITS), the partial actin (act) region, RNA polymerase II second largest subunit (rpb2) gene, the translation elongation factor 1-alpha (tef1) gene and the partial beta-tubulin (tub2) gene. As a result, a new species is proposed herein named Cytospora lhasaensis and four known species are described for the first time from Tibet, viz. C. euonymina, C. gigaspora, C. mali and C. schulzeri. The current research enhances our understanding of the Cytospora species associated with woody host diseases in Tibet, China. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diversity, Taxonomy and Functions of Forest Microorganisms)

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17 pages, 3025 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Nematofauna of the Natural Park “Devil’s Town”

by Violeta Oro, Boris Pisinov, Nenad Trkulja, Rade Stanisavljevic, Svetlana Belosevic, Marijenka Tabakovic and Zoran Ž. Sekulic

Forests 2023, 14(11), 2241; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14112241 - 14 Nov 2023

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Abstract

“Devil’s Town” is a natural park dominated by broadleaf deciduous trees, and made up of two rare natural phenomena in the world: earthen statues, as specific forms of relief, and two springs of highly acidic water with high mineralization. Devil’s Town is a [...] Read more.

“Devil’s Town” is a natural park dominated by broadleaf deciduous trees, and made up of two rare natural phenomena in the world: earthen statues, as specific forms of relief, and two springs of highly acidic water with high mineralization. Devil’s Town is a “biodiversity star” with a unique ambient, flora, fauna, and microbiome. The research aimed to: investigate the concentration of chemical parameters in the soil of the natural park, identify nematodes that can survive in extreme conditions, explore feeding habits of nematodes, and infer phylogenetic relationships of nematodes based on 28S rRNA sequences. Soil samples were collected from two sites, designated Soil under vegetation and Saxon mine soil, from which nematodes were discovered. Phylogenetic analyses were performed with 28S rRNA gene primers, using Maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference. The presence of minerals and heavy metals, combined with high acidity created extreme environmental conditions in which specific nematode species can survive. These circumstances favored fast-moving species with teeth and spears, such as mononchids and dorylaimids, enabling them to adopt predatory feeding behavior. In contrast, Acrobeloides, Prismatolaimus, Rhabditis spp. etc., are saprobionts adapted to specific chemical pollutants, and they tolerate high levels of Pb, Zn, Fe, Cu, Cd and As. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diversity, Taxonomy and Functions of Forest Microorganisms)

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16 pages, 4841 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Soil Microbial Community and Their Relationship with Soil Properties across Various Landscapes in the Mu Us Desert

by Lihua Wang and Xuewu Li

Forests 2023, 14(11), 2152; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14112152 - 29 Oct 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1049

Abstract

Soil microorganisms play crucial roles in maintaining material circulation and energy flow in desert ecosystems. However, the structure and function of soil microorganisms in different forestlands are currently unclear, restricting the use of sand-fixing plants and the understanding of forest ecosystem functions. In [...] Read more.

Soil microorganisms play crucial roles in maintaining material circulation and energy flow in desert ecosystems. However, the structure and function of soil microorganisms in different forestlands are currently unclear, restricting the use of sand-fixing plants and the understanding of forest ecosystem functions. In this study, Artemisia ordosica, Caragana korshinskii, and Salix psammophila, three types of sand-fixing forests widely distributed in the Mu Us Sandy Land, were used to explore the effects of sand-fixing forests on soil physicochemical properties, soil enzyme activity, soil microbial biomass, microbial community structure, and inter-microbial species relationships. Soils of forestlands showed higher soil organic carbon (SOC), total phosphorus (TP), and total nitrogen (TN) contents than bare sandy land. The SOC in bare sandy soil was only 0.84 g kg⁻¹, while it remained 1.55–3.46 g kg⁻¹ in forestland soils. The TN in bare sandy land soil was 0.07 g kg⁻¹, which was significantly lower than that in forestland soils (0.35–0.51 g kg⁻¹). The TP in bare sandy soil was 0.18 g kg⁻¹, significantly lower than that in forestland soils (0.46–0.69 g kg⁻¹). Afforestation of bare sandy land improved soil microbial carbon and nitrogen contents and increased microbial enzyme activities of acid phosphatase and N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase. Significant differences were observed between the three forestlands and bare sandy land in terms of soil microorganisms and community composition. With the establishment of a sand-fixing forest, the alpha diversity of soil bacteria significantly improved, whereas that of soil fungi remained stable. The bacterial community comprised 33 phyla, 106 classes, 273 orders, 453 families, and 842 genera. While five fungal phyla were detected by OTUs at a similarity of 97%, bacterial and fungal community structures were affected by the organic carbon content, sand particle content, soil pH, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus contents of soils. This study is helpful for vegetation construction and protection on sandy lands from the perspective of plant-microbe interactions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diversity, Taxonomy and Functions of Forest Microorganisms)

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11 pages, 2168 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Molecular Characterization and Functional Analysis of GPCR Gene Bx-srh-1 in Pinewood Nematode (Bursaphelenchus xylophilus)

by Yefan Cao, Xizhuo Wang, Laifa Wang, Xiang Wang, Yanzhi Yuan, Xiangchen Cheng and Chunhe Lv

Forests 2023, 14(7), 1282; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14071282 - 21 Jun 2023

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Abstract

Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, also known as the pine wood nematode (PWD), which causes pine wilt disease (PWD), is one of the most devastating diseases affecting pine forests globally. G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are crucial in many biological processes and serve as privileged points [...] Read more.

Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, also known as the pine wood nematode (PWD), which causes pine wilt disease (PWD), is one of the most devastating diseases affecting pine forests globally. G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are crucial in many biological processes and serve as privileged points of communication between cells and the surrounding environment. α-pinene has been found to play a crucial role in combating the infection, colonization, and early stages of pathogenesis caused by B. xylophilus. In this study, we investigated the molecular characteristics and biological functions of the GPCR gene Bx-srh-1 in B. xylophilus. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) was performed to determine the spatial expression patterns of Bx-srh-1 in B. xylophilus. The results indicated that Bx-srh-1 is expressed in the intestine and subcutaneous tissues of J2 and J3 juveniles and in the spicules of adult males and vulvae of adult females. RNA interference (RNAi) was used to analyze Bx-srh-1 gene function, and we examined the expression patterns of Bx-srh-1 in B. xylophilus under α-pinene stress. The RNA interference indicated that Bx-srh-1 was involved in the reproductive ability and pathogenicity of B. xylophilus; the expression levels of Bx-srh-1 significantly increased after the exposure to α-pinene for 12 h, and they peaked at 48 h. Silencing Bx-srh-1 may therefore lead to a reduction in B. xylophilus reproduction and pathogenicity. These results demonstrate that Bx-srh-1 is related to the feeding behavior, reproduction, pathogenicity, and resistance to α-pinene process of B. xylophilus. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diversity, Taxonomy and Functions of Forest Microorganisms)

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17 pages, 3745 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Taxonomic Description and Complete Genome Sequencing of Pseudomonas silvicola sp. nov. Isolated from Cunninghamia laceolata

by Longyan Tian, Yanfeng Zhang, Hua Yang, Qian Zhao, Hualong Qiu, Jinzhu Xu and Changsheng Qin

Forests 2023, 14(6), 1089; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14061089 - 24 May 2023

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Abstract

The Pseudomonas strain T1-3-2^T isolated from the cone of Cunninghamia laceolata exhibited growth-promoting and antifungal activity. Strain T1-3-2^T was characterized by a polyphasic taxonomy and complete genome sequencing analysis to explore its taxonomic position and biocontrol potentials fully. The results revealed [...] Read more.

The Pseudomonas strain T1-3-2^T isolated from the cone of Cunninghamia laceolata exhibited growth-promoting and antifungal activity. Strain T1-3-2^T was characterized by a polyphasic taxonomy and complete genome sequencing analysis to explore its taxonomic position and biocontrol potentials fully. The results revealed that strain T1-3-2^T shares a high degree of similarity with Pseudomonas eucalypticola and is distinct from any known Pseudomonas species. The G + C content was 61.65%, and the difference was greater than 1 compared to “P. eucalypticola”. Additionally, values of the average nucleotide identity blast (ANIb), average nucleotide identity MUMmer (ANIm), and DNA-DNA hybridization (DDH) between T1-3-2^T and its closest known related species, “P. eucalypticola”, were below the thresholds necessary for species delineation. Furthermore, the T1-3-2^T strain exhibited the distinctions with the multiple polar flagella and the specific quinone system with MK8 compared with that of “P. eucalypticola”. Collectively, these findings affirm the designation of strain T1-3-2^T as a new Pseudomonas species, proposed to be named Pseudomonas silvicola, with T1-3-2^T as the type strain. Genomic analyses revealed strain T1-3-2^T contains three circular DNA contigs, including a 7,613,303 bp chromosome and two plasmids (952,764 bp and 84,880 bp). Bioinformatics analyses further offered potential insight into the molecular mechanisms whereby this strain can promote plant growth and control disease, revealing encoded genes related to antibiotic and secondary metabolite production, the uptake and biosynthesis of siderophores, and pyoverdine biosynthesis. These genomic data offer a valuable foundation for future efforts to apply the T1-3-2^T strain in research contexts. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diversity, Taxonomy and Functions of Forest Microorganisms)

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10 pages, 2590 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Species Diversity of Phaeobotryon Associated with Tree Canker and Dieback Diseases in Xinjiang, China

by Haiying Jia, Mengyao Li, Caixia Wang and Rong Ma

Forests 2023, 14(5), 864; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14050864 - 23 Apr 2023

Viewed by 1067

Abstract

Withered branch disease is a major threat to the health of forest trees, resulting in the death of susceptible branches and even the whole plant. Botryosphaeriaceae members (e.g., Phaeobotryon spp.) are common pathogenic fungi that cause withered branches, canker and dieback disease symptoms [...] Read more.

Withered branch disease is a major threat to the health of forest trees, resulting in the death of susceptible branches and even the whole plant. Botryosphaeriaceae members (e.g., Phaeobotryon spp.) are common pathogenic fungi that cause withered branches, canker and dieback disease symptoms in woody plants. This study aimed to identify the Phaeobotryon species inhabiting tree species with canker and dieback symptoms in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, China, based on both morphological and phylogenetic approaches. In the current study, branches and twigs showing typical symptoms of canker and dieback were collected from Elaeagnus angustifolia, Juglans regia, Malus pumila, Malus ‘Royalty’, Prunus armeniaca (wild apricot) and Rhus typhina growing on Tianshan Mountain in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of China. Phaeobotryon species isolated from these samples were characterized based on methods of morphology and molecular phylogeny. As a result, two species were identified: P. rhoinum and a new species Phaeobotryon mali sp. nov. Here, we provide a description and illustrations of this new species for science. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diversity, Taxonomy and Functions of Forest Microorganisms)

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