Effects of Biological Nitrogen Fixation and Nitrogen Deposition on Soil Microbial Communities in Karst Grassland Ecosystems
Diverse exogenous nitrogen (N) sources have a considerable impact on microbial community structure in terrestrial ecosystems. Legume plants and N deposition can relieve N limitations and increase net primary productivity. However, the differences in their effects on soil microbial communities remain...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2024-11-01
|
| Series: | Microorganisms |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/12/12/2429 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| Summary: | Diverse exogenous nitrogen (N) sources have a considerable impact on microbial community structure in terrestrial ecosystems. Legume plants and N deposition can relieve N limitations and increase net primary productivity. However, the differences in their effects on soil microbial communities remain unclear. Here, the responses of the soil microbial community to a legume-planting system and simulated N deposition were examined in karst grasslands in Southwest China over five years by analyzing soil microbial phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs). The experiment included three treatments—legume plant introduction (N<sub>L</sub>, <i>Indigofera atropurpurea</i>), N deposition (N<sub>D</sub>, NH<sub>4</sub>NO<sub>3</sub>:10 g N m<sup>−2</sup> yr<sup>−1</sup>), and a control with no treatment. The effects of N<sub>L</sub> and N<sub>D</sub> on soil microbial community composition differed significantly. N<sub>D</sub> significantly reduced the biomass of bacteria, actinobacteria, and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. N<sub>L</sub> insignificantly increased the biomass of all microbial groups. However, the total amounts of PLFAs and fungal biomass were significantly higher in N<sub>L</sub> than in N<sub>D</sub>. The effect of legume plant introduction on soil microbial community composition was more powerful than that of N<sub>D</sub>. Overall, the introduction of legume plants is beneficial in terms of increasing the biomass of the soil microbial community and stabilizing the soil microbial community structure in karst grassland ecosystems. |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 2076-2607 |