The Influence of Kerosene on Microbiomes of Diverse Soils

Abstract

One of the most important challenges for soil science is to determine the limits for the sustainable functioning of contaminated ecosystems. The response of soil microbiomes to kerosene pollution is still poorly understood. Here, we model the impact of kerosene leakage on the composition of the topsoil microbiome in pot and field experiments with different loads of added kerosene (loads up to 100 g/kg; retention time up to 360 days). At four time points we measured kerosene concentration and sequenced variable regions of 16S ribosomal RNA in the microbial communities. Mainly alkaline Dystric Arenosols with low content of available phosphorus and soil organic matter had an increased fraction of Actinobacteriota, Firmicutes, Nitrospirota, Planctomycetota, and, to a lesser extent, Acidobacteriota and Verrucomicobacteriota. In contrast, in highly acidic Fibric Histosols, rich in soil organic matter and available phosphorus, the fraction of Acidobacteriota was higher, while the fraction of Actinobacteriota was lower. Albic Luvisols occupied an intermediate position in terms of both physicochemical properties and microbiome composition. The microbiomes of different soils show similar response to equal kerosene loads. In highly contaminated soils, the proportion of anaerobic bacteria-metabolizing hydrocarbons increased, whereas the proportion of aerobic bacteria decreased. During the field experiment, the soil microbiome recovered much faster than in the pot experiments, possibly due to migration of microorganisms from the polluted area. The microbial community of Fibric Histosols recovered in 6 months after kerosene had been loaded, while microbiomes of Dystric Arenosols and Albic Luvisols did not restore even after a year.

Potential effect of key soil bacterial taxa on the increase of rice yield under milk vetch rotation

“… Hu et al (2022) found that Chloroflexi was negatively correlated with TN content, consistent with our results of lower Chloroflexi abundance in the NPK and NPKGM treatments. As typical copiotrophic taxa, both Acidobacteria and Planctomycetota usually dominate in barren conditions ( Fierer et al, 2007 ; Shelyakin et al, 2022 ) and thus were enriched in our CK treatment.…”

Data on the temporal changes in soil properties and microbiome composition after a jet-fuel contamination during the pot and field experiments

“…Two soil samples (20 kg, natural moisture) of the A-horizons of Dystric Arenosols and Albic Luvisols were sieved using sieves with a mesh of 3 mm, cleaned of roots and other coarse fraction, dried to the air-dry state in the lab. Then, they were moistened by distilled water added in small portions to a level of 60% of the maximum field capacity using a dispenser [4] . Addition of water was estimated by gravimetrically.…”

“…In 288 soil samples, kerosene concentration was determined using the method thoroughly described in [4 , 9] and briefly in Table 6 . In 96 soil samples (one mixed sample of the triplicate replicas, Fig.…”

“…Filtration. Gas chromatography: the Agilent 7890 V gas chromatograph by Agilent Technologies (the USA) equipped with the 5977 A quadrupole mass-spectrometric detector [4 , 9] Soil organic carbon Wet dichromate oxidation and spectrocolorimetery [10] pH Soil: water ratio 1:5. Potentiometry: pH-meter ‘I-160MI’ (Izmeritelnaya technika, Russia) [10] NO 3 – Soil: water ratio 1:5.…”

Protocol of conjugate evaluation of the biological activity of soils in terms of cellulolytic activity and biological consumption of oxygen

“…The proposed method gives reproducible and reliable results on the biochemical activity of soil microorganisms in a wide range of soils, e.g. Retisols, Arenosols, Chernozems, Histosols, Regosols, Technosols [ 5 , 25 ], including those under hydrocarbon pollution [ 6 , 26 , 27 ].…”