Microbial Response to Soil Liming of Damaged Ecosystems Revealed by Pyrosequencing and Phospholipid Fatty Acid Analyses

Abstract

AimsTo assess the effects of dolomitic limestone applications on soil microbial communities’ dynamics and bacterial and fungal biomass, relative abundance, and diversity in metal reclaimed regions.Methods and ResultsThe study was conducted in reclaimed mining sites and metal uncontaminated areas. The limestone applications were performed over 35 years ago. Total microbial biomass was determined by Phospholipid fatty acids. Bacterial and fungal relative abundance and diversity were assessed using 454 pyrosequencing. There was a significant increase of total microbial biomass in limed sites (342 ng/g) compared to unlimed areas (149 ng/g). Chao1 estimates followed the same trend. But the total number of OTUs (Operational Taxonomic Units) in limed (463 OTUs) and unlimed (473 OTUs) soil samples for bacteria were similar. For fungi, OTUs were 96 and 81 for limed and unlimed soil samples, respectively. Likewise, Simpson and Shannon diversity indices revealed no significant differences between limed and unlimed sites. Bacterial and fungal groups specific to either limed or unlimed sites were identified. Five major bacterial phyla including Actinobacteria, Acidobacteria, Chloroflexi, Firmicutes, and Proteobacteria were found. The latter was the most prevalent phylum in all the samples with a relative abundance of 50%. Bradyrhizobiaceae family with 12 genera including the nitrogen fixing Bradirhizobium genus was more abundant in limed sites compared to unlimed areas. For fungi, Ascomycota was the most predominant phylum in unlimed soils (46%) while Basidiomycota phylum represented 86% of all fungi in the limed areas.ConclusionDetailed analysis of the data revealed that although soil liming increases significantly the amount of microbial biomass, the level of species diversity remain statistically unchanged even though the microbial compositions of the damaged and restored sites are different.Significance and Impact of the studySoil liming still have a significant beneficial effects on soil microbial abundance and composition > 35 years after dolomitic limestone applications.

Efficiency of Drainage Practices for Improving Water Quality in Lithuania

“…Improvements in the infiltration capacity of the trench fill improve the water and air regime, which in turn improves conditions for the development of microorganisms, which are directly involved in the mineralization of slurry organic matter. Lime application increases the number of ammonifying and nitrifying microorganisms, which increases the soil nutrient reserves and ensures good conditions for plant growth (Bambara and Ndakidemi, 2010;Moreira and Kumar Fageria, 2010;Jokubauskaite et al, 2015;Narendrula-Kotha and Nkongolo, 2017). In our research, the NO 3 -N concentrations in drainage water decreased by 52% with the application of lime compared to the control treatment.…”

Effects of Lime Application and Understory Removal on Soil Microbial Communities in Subtropical Eucalyptus L’Hér. Plantations

“…Soil microorganisms play essential roles in regulating ecosystem processes and maintaining ecosystem functions and services, such as litter decomposition [1], nutrient cycling [2], primary production, and climate regulation [3]. Both biotic and environmental factors drive the activity, structure, and diversity of soil microbial communities, which are controlled by many factors including edaphic conditions [4]. Soil microbes generally respond quickly to environmental changes.…”

“…Lime application is one of the most widely applied management practices for amending Acrisol [8]. In addition to lowering soil acidity, lime application could improve soil structure, and thus typically promote agriculture and forest productivities [4,9]. Lime application also affects soil biological and biochemical properties, including microbial activities and carbon and nitrogen mineralization [7].…”

Impact of fertilization on cover crops and microbial community on a bauxite‐mined soil undergoing reclamation

“…Typically, after clearing the local vegetation, topsoil horizons are deep‐stripped and remains stockpiled as the mining activities proceed ( Schwenke et al., ). Consequently, soil structure is degraded and nutrients and soil organic matter (SOM) can be lost ( Mensah , ). These aspects impose significant constraints for the reestablishment of vegetation and biological processes in the soil even when the stockpiled overburden can be retrieved and used in the reclamation program ( Schwenke et al., ).…”

“…In this context, phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs) analyses have been used to obtain the profiling of the active microbial community in soils (Willers et al, 2015;Schmidt et al, 2017). Thus, PLFAs analyses could help to obtain an assessment of the impact of mining and soil stockpiling on the microbial community (Birnbaum et al, 2017), and also an assessment of the response of soil microbes to reclamation practices (Narendrula-Kotha and Nkongolo, 2017). This also would allow the identification of microbes most sensitive to the impact of mining or those most responsive to the reclamation practices applied.…”