Planting Suaeda salsa improved the soil properties and bacterial community diversity in a coastal mudflat

Abstract

Planting halophytes is an effective strategy to improve saline soils and prevent soil degradation. However, the effects of planting halophytes on saline soil biochemical properties and bacterial communities remain largely unexplored. In this study, soils were sampled from a field where Suaeda salsa was planted over a three‐year (TY) and one‐year (OY) period on a coastal saline mudflat to investigate the effects of S. salsa growth on soil chemical and biological properties. The results showed that OY and TY significantly reduced soil EC by 76.59% to 79.45% (0–10 cm soil layer) and 31.85% to 43.40% (10–20 cm soil layer) in comparison with the control without S. salsa planting (control). For the characteristics of soil enzyme activity, the alkaline phosphatase activity of TY was significantly reduced in the 0–10 cm soil layer (39.76%) and increased in the 10–20 cm layer (13.37%) relative to control. Alkaline phosphatase activity was the predominant factor affecting soil bacterial community composition. Moreover, the relative abundances of Proteobacteria and Chloroflexi were increased in both the OY and TY treatments compared to control, and were positively correlated with soil organic matter and available nitrogen. The complexity of the soil microbial network and the bacterial community diversity and richness were higher in OY and TY than in control. Our findings suggested that planting S. salsa benefited saline soil in coastal land by reducing soil salt stress, preventing salt soil degradation, and increasing soil bacterial community diversity.

Effect of Intertidal Vegetation (Suaeda salsa) Restoration on Microbial Diversity in the Offshore Areas of the Yellow River Delta

“…The main reason for this is that during the beginning of the restoration, the operation was not able to change the ecological environment and biological processes enough to accelerate the process of elemental cycling and energy transfer right now, which led to an increase in the diversity of bacteria in the summer season, further effectively degrading the richness of the organic matter in the soil and promoting the growth of some archaea; however, the persistence of the high environmental stresses of high salinity suppressed the more varied changes in the soil. In the Suaeda salsa planting area, the alkaline phosphatase activity on the surface soil layer was reduced, and the 10–20 cm layer increased the control, which was the predominant factor affecting soil bacterial community compositions [ 7 ]. Moreover, the aboveground parts of Suaeda salsa can extract salt, which dramatically decreases the topsoil layer’s salinity [ 39 ].…”

“…Suaeda salsa is the major component of intertidal plant habitats in Northeast Asia [ 7 ]. It could grow with the help of internal water by increasing self-tolerance to the salinity in nearshore tidal flats.…”

“…The shadows created by saltmarsh plants could prevent direct sunlight on the coast, reducing transpiration and helping desalinate the soil from precipitation, tides, and river flushes. Moreover, Suaeda salsa could also significantly increase the soil’s microbial diversity and improve metabolic function by improving the processes of the habitat [ 7 , 8 ]. Even after being planted for one year, Suaeda salsa still benefited coastal land by reducing saltness, preventing degradation, and increasing bacterial diversity [ 7 ].…”

“…Moreover, Suaeda salsa could also significantly increase the soil’s microbial diversity and improve metabolic function by improving the processes of the habitat [ 7 , 8 ]. Even after being planted for one year, Suaeda salsa still benefited coastal land by reducing saltness, preventing degradation, and increasing bacterial diversity [ 7 ]. In particular, at different stages of vegetation colonization, the soil’s total phospholipid fatty acid content increased, which affected the total content and composition of microorganisms.…”