One-time phosphate fertilizer application to grassland columns modifies the soil microbiota and limits its role in ecosystem services

Abstract

This study evaluated the effect of one-time phosphate fertilization on the soil microbiota, its cycling of phosphorus (P) and grass growth. Soil columns were established in a greenhouse using a P-limited Irish soil (index 1), planted with Lolium perenne and fertilized with 0 (control), 5 (quarter), 10 (half) and 20 (full)kgPha as inorganic phosphate. Only traces of phosphate in soil solution were detected over the 14week experiment, even after phosphate fertilization. Grass dry matter yield between treatments was not significantly different. Full phosphate fertilization significantly reduced the arbuscular mycorrhization (AM) rate, bacterial- and fungal-feeding nematode population, bacterial phoD gene abundance, but increased alkaline and acid phosphatase activities at the time of harvest. Full and half P treatments significantly shifted the bacterial, fungal and AM community structures compared to the control. Furthermore, the control had a significantly higher relative abundance of bacterial genera including Bacillus, Bradyrhizobium, Paenibacillus, Nocardioides and Balneimonas, that have been associated with P mobilization in the past, when compared to the full phosphate treatment. These results suggest that a positive effect of a single phosphate application on plant growth in a soil can be cancelled out by its negative effect on the soil microbiota and their ecosystem services.

Pakchoi Antioxidant Improvement and Differential Rhizobacterial Community Composition under Organic Fertilization

“…Hydrogenophaga spp. is identified as a key player in promoting the nutrient cycle in the paddy topsoil [52], while members belonging to the other genera can enhance the phosphorus availability in soils [53][54][55]. These observations can be partially supported by the predicted functions analysis that most functions related to nutrient processes (i.e., energy metabolism, cofactor and vitamin metabolism, nucleotide metabolism, and enzyme family) have positive correlations with plant yield (Figure 4).…”

Long-term nutrient inputs shift soil microbial functional profiles of phosphorus cycling in diverse agroecosystems

“…To date, most findings from natural forests, short-term field trials or pot experiments have revealed that low-P conditions facilitate microbial P immobilization [5,20,21]. For instance, Spohn et al [20] reported that microbial P-uptake process was faster from relatively P-deficient than P-adequate soils planted with young beech trees.…”

Response of Soil Nematode Community to Phosphorous Amendment in a Subalpine Spruce Plantation

“…Combined to their highly sensitive response to disturbance, soil nematodes community characteristics including abundance, diversity, community structure, and metabolic footprints has been regarded as effective ecological indicators in soil health monitoring . To date, the responses of soil nematode community to nitrogen amendment have been extensively studied, and related studies towards P addition have also received increasing attention . There are many available studies having examined the effects of P amendment on soil nematodes in habitat types such as grasslands, agriculture, and forest systems, whereas still no conclusive knowledge has been acquired.…”

“…For example, Todd reported that the effects of P fertilization on soil nematodes were limited, and Sarathchandra found that P addition slightly increased the abundances of total nematodes, bacterivores, fungivores and omnivores whereas it did not alter nematode maturity index (MI) in pasture soils in New Zealand . By contrast, P fertilization reduced the abundance of bacterial‐ and fungal‐feeding nematodes in P‐limited grassland columns under greenhouse . On the other hand, even the two studies which have monitored the potential effects of P addition on soil nematodes in forests are from secondary tropical or subtropical evergreen broadleaved forest .…”