稗草对水稻及稻田土壤微生物的干扰作用

稗草对水稻的干扰一直是水稻生产中的难题，这种干扰不仅包括竞争和化感作用，而且还有土壤理化因子、土壤微生物和一些土壤酶的参与，所以本研究从水稻、稗草和土壤因子三者相互作用的角度探讨稗草对水稻的干扰作用，主要结论如下： 1、田间条件下，水稻和稗草共生土壤的各种养分在水稻根系附近的分布更丰富，稗草对养分的消耗能力强于水稻；共生处理，化感水稻品种PI312777根区养分含量明显升高，而普通水稻品种辽粳9根区土壤养分含量降低。 2、和稗草共生，PI312777和辽粳9根区土壤中微生物生物量C含量均显著下降，稗草受水稻的影响微生物生物量C含量也被抑制。化感水稻PI312777根系周围细菌和自生固氮菌数量显著增加，真菌、氨化细菌的数量明显下降，而放线菌无明显变化；普通水稻根系周围细菌、真菌、放线菌及氨化细菌数量均显著减少，自生固氮菌数量明显增加。 3、从脱氢酶、脲酶、转化酶和多酚氧化酶活性的变化比较两个水稻品种对抗稗草干扰的能力，化感品种PI312777的表现明显优于普通水稻辽粳9，稗草的存在显著诱导促进了PI312777根区土壤脲酶、转化酶和多酚氧化酶的活性。 4、稗草群体的生命活动对土壤主要微生物类群包括细菌、放线菌、自生固氮菌及氨化细菌的生长和繁殖均有促进作用，而对真菌数量表现为显著抑制。适当的稗草群体对土壤养分的活化作用明显，包括土壤中总N、总P和总K，提高了铵态氮、有效P及速效K的含量，而稗草密度过大则会过量消耗土壤养分。稗草群体的生命活动促进了土壤中脱氢酶、脲酶、转化酶和多酚氧化酶的活性。 5、稗草萌发液及稗草的伴生对三叶期化感水稻化感物质有诱导作用，而且稗草萌发液对水稻的萌发和生长均有抑制作用，尤其对普通水稻品种辽粳9，表明稗草萌发液对水稻有抑制作用。 6、稗草萌发液促进土壤细菌和放线菌的数量，随培养时间的延长，高浓度稗草萌发液的促进作用更明显；真菌和自生固氮菌被高浓度稗草萌发液抑制，而自生固氮菌在培养时间7天以后，适当的浓度可以促进其繁殖。

FACE对农田土壤微生物及VA菌根的影响

大气CO_2浓度升高对整个陆地生态系统产生巨大影响。微生物是土壤中重要而又活跃的组成部分，是自然界物质循环不可缺少的成员，行使着许多对陆地生命至关重要的功能。因此，了解土壤中微生物的变化，是了解整个陆地生态系统对大气CO_2浓度升高响应的关键。木文利用在江苏省无锡市建立的稻一麦轮作FACE系统研究平台，研究了CO_2浓度升高对农田土壤微生物及VA菌根的影响。结果发现在FACE条件下，土壤细菌、真菌和放线菌的数量都随着小麦和水稻的生长而发生变化，分别在小麦返青期和水稻拔节期偏大，随后均有所下降，与对照相比，CO_2浓度升高增加土壤细菌、真菌和放线菌的数量；小麦根区土壤中议菌根真菌的抱子以球囊霉属（Glomus）为优势属，以摩西球囊霉（Glomus mosseae）为优势种；在小麦拔节期和孕穗期观察到VA菌根真菌侵染，侵染率在拔节期偏高，后逐渐降低，CO_2浓度升高使小麦VA菌根侵染率增加，而在水稻根系没有观察到VA菌根真菌侵染；根系活力分别在小麦拔节期和水稻抽穗期偏高，到成熟期均降低，CO_2浓度升高使根系活力增强；小麦VA菌根侵染率与根系活力存在正相关关系。总之，大气CO_2浓度升高对农田土壤细菌、真菌和放线菌的数量、VA菌根侵染率及根系活力都表现出一定的促进作用。

土壤微生物和酶对大气CO2浓度与温度升高的响应

土壤微生物(Soil microbes)是生态系统的重要组成部分，它参与土壤中复杂有机物质的分解和再合成，也参与C、N、S、P等的循环。土壤酶(Soil enzyme)是土壤中具有生物活性的蛋白质，它与微生物一起推动着土壤的生物化学过程，并在树木营养物质的转化中起着重要的作用。鉴于土壤微生物和土壤酶对环境变化的敏感性，它们在CO2浓度和温度升高时的反应将在很大程度上影响森林生态系统的结构和功能。因此，要全面评价大气CO2浓度和温度升高对整个生态系统的影响，有必要对CO2浓度和温度升高条件下的土壤微生物的反应进行深入的研究与探讨。本文应用自控、封闭、独立的生长室系统，研究了川西亚高山岷江冷杉（Abies faxoniana）根际、非根际土壤微生物数量，红桦（Betula albosinensis）根际微生物数量以及根际、非根际土壤酶活性对大气CO2浓度(环境CO2浓度+350±25μmol·mol-1，EC)和温度(环境温度+2.0±0.5℃，ET)升高及两者同时升高(ECT)的响应。结果表明： 1) EC和ET显著增加岷江冷杉根际微生物数量，但不同微生物种类对EC和ET的反应有所差异。6、8和10月，岷江冷杉根际微生物数量与对照(CK)相比，EC处理的根际细菌数量分别增加了35%、164%和312%，ET处理增加了30%、115%和209%；EC和ET处理对根际放线菌和根际真菌数量影响不显著。ECT处理的根际放线菌数量分别增加了49%、50%和96%，根际真菌数量增加了151%、57%和48%；而ECT对根际细菌数量影响不显著。EC、ET和ECT处理对岷江冷杉土壤微生物总数的根际效应明显，其R/S值分别为1.93、1.37和1.46(CK的R/S值为0.81)。 2) 红桦根际微生物数量对EC、ET和ECT的响应不同。生长季节(5~10月)，高密度的红桦根际细菌数量与CK 相比，EC的根际细菌数量分别增加28%、33%、423%、65%、43%和79%，而低密度的红桦根际细菌数量增加不显著。ET能显著增加根际细菌数量(7~10月)，其中高密度的根际细菌数量分别增加了377%、107%、35%、22%，而低密度的根际细菌数量分别增加了27%、27%、64%、48%；ECT对两个密度水平下根际细菌数量均未产生有显著的影响。高、低密度的红桦根际放线菌和根际真菌数量与 CK 相比，EC显著增加了低密度的红桦根际放线菌数量，而对高密度的根际放线菌数量无显著影响；ET和ECT对高低密度的红桦根际放线菌数量均未产生显著影响。EC和ET对高低密度的根际真菌数量也无显著影响，而ECT却显著增加了高低密度的根际真菌数量。 3) EC、ET和ECT处理的低密度红桦根际微生物(细菌、放线菌和真菌)数量没有显著高于或低于高密度根际微生物数量，表明短期内密度对红桦根际微生物数量不产生影响。 4) 不同种类的氧化还原酶对EC、ET和ECT的响应不同。5~10月，EC的红桦根际过氧化氢酶活性是CK 的1.44、1.06、1.11、1.10、1.12和1.24倍，差异显著(6月除外)；ET和ECT处理根际过氧化氢酶活性无显著增加。EC的红桦根际多酚氧化酶活性比CK显著增加；ET的根际多酚氧化酶活性显著高于CK(8月除外)。ECT的根际多酚氧化酶活性高于CK，差异不显著。EC的根际脱氢酶活性分别增加了46%、40%、133%、48%、17%和26%，差异显著。5~7月，ET和ECT的根际脱氢酶活性高于CK的脱氢酶活性，而8~9月则相反，差异性均不显著。 5) EC、ET和ECT对不同种类的水解酶的影响不同。EC能显著增加红桦根际脲酶活性，5~10月分别增加了29%、42%，、70%、67%、59%和57%。ET和ECT 对根际脲酶活性未产生显著影响。EC显著提高根际转化酶活性，5、6和9月EC的根际转化酶活性分别比CK高51%、42%和40%。5和10月，ET的根际转化酶活性低于CK，而其余月份却高于CK，但均具有显著性差异。ECT的根际转化酶活性与CK的根际转化酶活性有显著性差异(9月除外)，5、6和7月的根际转化酶活性分别提高了94%、198%和67%。 6) 与CK相比，EC、ET和ECT的非根际土壤微生物数量以及非根际土壤酶活性均无显著提高。EC、ET和ECT的过氧化氢酶、脲酶的根际效应明显，而多酚氧化酶和脱氢酶根际效应不明显。EC和ECT的转化酶根际效应明显，而ET的转化酶根际效应不明显。 It is well known that atmospheric CO2 concentration and temperature are increasing as a consequence of human activities. In past decades, considerable efforts had been put into investigating the effects of climate change on processes of forest ecological system. In general, studies had been mainly focused on the effects of elevated atmospheric CO2 on plant physiology and development, litter quality, and soil microorganisms. Studies showed that there was variation in the responses of root development and below-ground processes to climate between different plant communities. Since the concentration of CO2 in soil was much higher (10~50 times) than in the atmosphere, increasing levels of atmospheric CO2 may not directly in fluence below ground processes. Betula albosinensis and Abies faxoniana, as the dominated tree species of subalpine dark coniferous forest in the western Sichuan province, which play an important role in the structure and function of this kind of forest ecosystem. In our study, effects of elevated atmospheric CO2 concentration (350±25μmol·mol-1), increased temperature (2.0±0.5℃) and both of the two on the number of rhizospheric microbe and rhizospheric enzyme activity were studied by the independent and enclosed-top chamber’ system under high-frigid conditions. Responses of rhizospheric bacteria, actinomycetes and fungi number of Betula albosinensis and Abies faxoniana under different densities(high density with 84 stems·m-2, low density with 28 stems·m-2 ), and rhizospheric enzyme activity of Betula albo-sinensis to elevated CO2 concentration and increased temperature were analyzed and discussed. The results are as the following, 1) In comparion with the control, the numbers of rhizospheric bacteria of Abies faxoniana were increased by 35%, 164% and 312% significantly in June, August and October respectively of EC, and were increased by 30%, 115% and 209% respectively of ET.However the effect of EC and ET on rhizospheric actinomycetes and fungi was not significant. The number of rhizospheric actinomycetes of ECT were increased significantly by 49%, 50% and 96% respectively, and the increment of rhizospheric fungi were 151%, 57% and 48% respectively .The effect of ECT on rhizospheric bacteria was not significant. Rhizospheric effect of soil microbe for all treatments was significant, with the R/S of 1.93, 1.27 and 1.46 for EC, ET and ECT, respectively. 2) Treatment EC improved the number of rhizospheric bacteria of Betula albosinensis under high density significantly in comparison with the control, over the growing season, the greatest increment of rhizospheric bacteria was from July. However, EC had no effect on the number of rhizospheric bacteria under low density. Except May and June, treatment ET improved the number of rhizospheric signifcantly. The effect of treatment ECT on the number of rhizospheric bacteria under different densities was not significant. Of treatment EC, the number of rhizospheric actinomycetes of Betula albosinensis under low density were increased significantly, however, treatment EC did not stimulate the number of rhizospheric actinomycetes under high density. Simultaneously, treatment ET and ECT did not stimulate the number of rhizospheric actinomycetes. Finally, in treatment ECT, the number of rhizospheric fungi under high density were increased significantly, however treatment EC and ET did not stimulate the number of rhizospheric fungi under different densities. 3) Of treatment EC, ET and ECT, the number of rhizospheric microbe of Betula albosinensis under low density were not more or fewer than that of microbe under hign density along the growing season, which showed that plant density had no effect on the nmber of microbe. 4) From May to October, 2004，rhizospheric catalase activity of Betula albosinensis of treatment EC was 1.44, 1.06, 1.11, 1.10, 1.12 and 1.24 times as treatment CK respectively, and the difference was statistically significant(except June). Treatment ET and ECT did not increase rhizospheric catalase activity significantly. In treatment EC, the rhizospheric pohyphenol oxidase activity was higher than treatment CK significantly. The rhizospheric pohyphenol oxidase activity of treatment ET was higher than CK significantly (except August). The rhizospheric pohyphenol oxidase activity of treatment ECT was higher than CK, but the difference was not statistically significant. Over the growing period, the rhizospheric dehydrogenase activity were increased 46%, 40%, 133%, 48%, 17% and 26% respectively by treatment EC, and the difference was statistically significant. From May to July, the rhizospheric dehydrogenase activity in treatment ET and ECT was higher than CK, but from August to October, the rhizospheric dehydrogenase activity was lower than CK, the difference was not significant. 5) Treatment EC increased rhizospheric urease activity significantly, from May to October, rhizospheric urease activity were increased 29%, 42%, 70%, 67%, 59% and 57% respectively by EC. Treatment ET and ECT had no effect on rhizospheric urease activity. Treatment EC improved rhizospheric invertase activity significantly, in May, June and September, the rhizospheric invertase activity of treatment EC were increased 51%, 42% and 40% in comparison with the control. Except May and October, the rhizospheric invertase activity of treatment ET was markly higher than CK. The rhizospheric invertase activity of treatment ECT was significantly different from CK (except September), in May, June and July treatment ECT increased rhizospheric invertase activity by 94%, 198% and 67% respectively. 6) In comparison with the control, treatment EC, ET, and ECT had no effect on the number of non-rhizospheric microbe and non-rhizospheric enzyme activity. Rhizospheric effect of catalase and urease for all treatments was significant, but rhizospheric effect of pohyphenol oxidase and dehydrogenase was not significant. Rhizospheric effect of invertase of EC and ECT was significant, but rhizospheric effect of invertase of ET was not significant.

花椒叶和土壤浸提液对土壤微生物、土壤酶及土壤化学性质的影响

花椒（Zanthoxylum bungeanum Maxim.）是川西地区重要的经济植物，化感作用是花椒连作障碍的原因之一，而花椒凋落物和根系分泌物对土壤质量的影响是花椒化感作用的一个重要方面。系统研究花椒如何影响土壤有助于深入理解和解决花椒连作障碍。本文主要以大红袍（10a生）花椒叶和种植过花椒的土壤的浸提液浇灌花椒幼苗进行试验，分析叶浸提液与土壤浸提液对非花椒生长土壤中土壤微生物、土壤酶及土壤化学性质的影响。主要结果如下： 1.花椒叶浸提液和土壤浸提液减少了土壤中微生物的种类、组成和数量。本试验中未施加浸提液的土样中根际微生物明显高于非根际区，在经过花椒叶浸提液处理后，根际细菌、真菌和放线菌数量以及微生物总数都有所减少，这样将会导致土壤中的有效养分的供给减少，进而可能影响植物的生长。 2．施加花椒叶浸提液和土壤浸提液，以及花椒幼苗的栽种，对不同土样中的土壤酶各有促进和抑制作用。在浸提液处理下，水解酶之间及氧化还原酶之间各存在相互促进作用。 3.施加花椒叶浸提液和土壤浸提液均抑制了根际土中全氮和有机质含量，叶浸提液还抑制了无苗土中全磷含量，土壤浸提液还抑制了无苗土中全氮含量与根际土全磷、有机质含量。但两种浸提液均促进了根际土中有效磷和水解性氮含量、根外土中全磷含量，叶浸提液促进了根际土中全磷含量，土壤浸提液促进了根外土中有效磷含量。全氮和有机质含量的下降可能对植物生长发育不利。 4．土壤化学性质与土壤酶活性在不同土样中有不同的相关性。全氮含量在施加叶浸提液的土样中与蛋白酶活性呈正相关。水解性氮含量在施加叶浸提液的土样中与蛋白酶活性、蔗糖酶活性呈正相关。全磷含量在施加叶浸提液的土样中与多酚氧化酶活性呈正相关；在施加土壤浸提液的土样中与蛋白酶活性、蔗糖酶活性呈正相关，与多酚氧化酶活性呈负相关。有效磷含量在施加叶浸提液的土样中与多酚氧化酶活性呈正相关，与蛋白酶活性呈负相关；在施加土壤浸提液的土样中与蛋白酶活性、过氧化氢酶活性呈正相关。有机质含量在施加叶浸提液的土样中与蛋白酶活性、蔗糖酶活性呈正相关。 Zanthoxylum bungeanum is one of the most important cash crops in Eastern Tibetan Plateau. Allelopathic effects could be one of reasons for Z. bungeanum’s continuous cropping impediment. The effects of secretion of leaf and root of Z. bungeanum on soil quality is a important way of Z. bungeanum’s allelopathic effects. However, allelopathic effect of Z.bungeanum on soil microbes, enzyme activities and chemical property were seldom studied. In this study, leaf and soil extracts of Da Hongpao(DHP), the most common varieties of Z.bungeanum in this area, were used to assess allelopathic effect of Z. bungeanum on soil biology and biochemistry by pot experiments . The main results showed that: 1. The irrigation of two kinds of extracts reduced the species, component and quantity of soil microbes. In rhizosphere soil which irrigated by distilled water, the quantity of soil microbes is significantly different from exoroot soil. In rhizosphere soil which irrigated by leaf extracts, the quantity of bacterial, fungi, actionmycete and gross of microbes were decreased, it may resulted in reduce of Available nutrient in soil, and influenced the growth of plants. 2．The irrigation of two kind of extracts reduced or enhanced the enzyme activities in different soils. Interaction between hydrolytic ferments and redoxases were promoted each other. 3. The irrigation of two kinds of extracts reduced the total N and organic matter in rhizosphere soil. Leaf extracts also reduced the total P in soil without seedling. Soil extracts reduced total N in soil without seedling and total P, organic matter in rhizosphere soil. But both extracts also enhanced available P and hydrolysable N in rhizosphere soil, total P in exoroot soil. Leaf extracts enhanced total P in rhizosphere soil. Soil extracts enhanced available P in exoroot soil. The reduction of total N and organic matter may influence growth of plants. 4．Positive correlations between total N and prolease, hydrolysable N and prolease, hydrolysable N and saccharase, total P and polyphenol oxidase, available P and polyphenoloxidase, organic matter and prolease, organic matter and saccharase, were studied in soil irrigated by leaf extracts. In soil irrigated by soil extracts, there are positive correlations between total P and prolease, total P and saccharase, available P and prolease, available P and catalase, while negative correlation between total P and polyphenoloxidase, available P and prolease, available P and catalase was found.

Reaping the benefits: science and the sustainable intensification of global agriculture

Food security is one of this century’s key global challenges. By 2050 the world will require increased crop production in order to feed its predicted 9 billion people. This must be done in the face of changing consumption patterns, the impacts of climate change and the growing scarcity of water and land. Crop production methods will also have to sustain the environment, preserve natural resources and support livelihoods of farmers and rural populations around the world. There is a pressing need for the ‘sustainable intensifi cation’ of global agriculture in which yields are increased without adverse environmental impact and without the cultivation of more land. Addressing the need to secure a food supply for the whole world requires an urgent international effort with a clear sense of long-term challenges and possibilities. Biological science, especially publicly funded science, must play a vital role in the sustainable intensifi cation of food crop production. The UK has a responsibility and the capacity to take a leading role in providing a range of scientifi c solutions to mitigate potential food shortages. This will require signifi cant funding of cross-disciplinary science for food security. The constraints on food crop production are well understood, but differ widely across regions. The availability of water and good soils are major limiting factors. Signifi cant losses in crop yields occur due to pests, diseases and weed competition. The effects of climate change will further exacerbate the stresses on crop plants, potentially leading to dramatic yield reductions. Maintaining and enhancing the diversity of crop genetic resources is vital to facilitate crop breeding and thereby enhance the resilience of food crop production. Addressing these constraints requires technologies and approaches that are underpinned by good science. Some of these technologies build on existing knowledge, while others are completely radical approaches, drawing on genomics and high-throughput analysis. Novel research methods have the potential to contribute to food crop production through both genetic improvement of crops and new crop and soil management practices. Genetic improvements to crops can occur through breeding or genetic modifi cation to introduce a range of desirable traits. The application of genetic methods has the potential to refi ne existing crops and provide incremental improvements. These methods also have the potential to introduce radical and highly signifi cant improvements to crops by increasing photosynthetic effi ciency, reducing the need for nitrogen or other fertilisers and unlocking some of the unrealised potential of crop genomes. The science of crop management and agricultural practice also needs to be given particular emphasis as part of a food security grand challenge. These approaches can address key constraints in existing crop varieties and can be applied widely. Current approaches to maximising production within agricultural systems are unsustainable; new methodologies that utilise all elements of the agricultural system are needed, including better soil management and enhancement and exploitation of populations of benefi cial soil microbes. Agronomy, soil science and agroecology—the relevant sciences—have been neglected in recent years. Past debates about the use of new technologies for agriculture have tended to adopt an either/or approach, emphasising the merits of particular agricultural systems or technological approaches and the downsides of others. This has been seen most obviously with respect to genetically modifi ed (GM) crops, the use of pesticides and the arguments for and against organic modes of production. These debates have failed to acknowledge that there is no technological panacea for the global challenge of sustainable and secure global food production. There will always be trade-offs and local complexities. This report considers both new crop varieties and appropriate agroecological crop and soil management practices and adopts an inclusive approach. No techniques or technologies should be ruled out. Global agriculture demands a diversity of approaches, specific to crops, localities, cultures and other circumstances. Such diversity demands that the breadth of relevant scientific enquiry is equally diverse, and that science needs to be combined with social, economic and political perspectives. In addition to supporting high-quality science, the UK needs to maintain and build its capacity to innovate, in collaboration with international and national research centres. UK scientists and agronomists have in the past played a leading role in disciplines relevant to agriculture, but training in agricultural sciences and related topics has recently suffered from a lack of policy attention and support. Agricultural extension services, connecting farmers with new innovations, have been similarly neglected in the UK and elsewhere. There is a major need to review the support for and provision of extension services, particularly in developing countries. The governance of innovation for agriculture needs to maximise opportunities for increasing production, while at the same time protecting societies, economies and the environment from negative side effects. Regulatory systems need to improve their assessment of benefits. Horizon scanning will ensure proactive consideration of technological options by governments. Assessment of benefi ts, risks and uncertainties should be seen broadly, and should include the wider impacts of new technologies and practices on economies and societies. Public and stakeholder dialogue—with NGOs, scientists and farmers in particular—needs to be a part of all governance frameworks.

Rooting theories of plant community ecology in microbial interactions

Predominant frameworks for understanding plant ecology have an aboveground bias that neglects soil micro-organisms. This is inconsistent with recent work illustrating the importance of soil microbes in terrestrial ecology. Microbial effects have been incorporated into plant community dynamics using ideas of niche modification and plant–soil community feedbacks. Here, we expand and integrate qualitative conceptual models of plant niche and feedback to explore implications of microbial interactions for understanding plant community ecology. At the same time we review the empirical evidence for these processes. We also consider common mycorrhizal networks, and propose that these are best interpreted within the feedback framework. Finally, we apply our integrated model of niche and feedback to understanding plant coexistence, monodominance and invasion ecology.

Perfil metagenômico de solo sob cultivo de cana-de-açúcar com perspectiva na produção de bioenergia

Pós-graduação em Microbiologia Agropecuária - FCAV

Eastern Temperate Forests

Human activity in the last century has led to a substantial increase in nitrogen (N) emissions and deposition. This N deposition has reached a level that has caused or is likely to cause alterations to the structure and function of many ecosystems across the United States. One approach for quantifying the level of pollution that would be harmful to ecosystems is the critical loads approach. The critical load is dei ned as the level of a pollutant below which no detrimental ecological effect occurs over the long term according to present knowledge. The objective of this project was to synthesize current research relating atmospheric N deposition to effects on terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems in the United States and to identify empirical critical loads for atmospheric N deposition. The receptors that we evaluated included freshwater diatoms, mycorrhizal fungi and other soil microbes, lichens, herbaceous plants, shrubs, and trees. The main responses reported fell into two categories: (1) biogeochemical, and (2) individual species, population, and community responses. The range of critical loads for nutrient N reported for U.S. ecoregions, inland surface waters, and freshwater wetlands is 1 to 39 kg N ha-1 y-1. This broad range spans the range of N deposition observed over most of the country. The empirical critical loads for N tend to increase in the following sequence for different life forms: diatoms, lichens and bryophytes, mycorrhizal fungi, herbaceous plants and shrubs, trees. The critical loads approach is an ecosystem assessment tool with great potential to simplify complex scientii c information and effectively communicate with the policy community and the public. This synthesis represents the i rst comprehensive assessment of empirical critical loads of N for ecoregions across the United States.

Are ectomycorrhizal fungi alleviating or aggravating nitrogen limitation of tree growth in boreal forests?

•Symbioses between plant roots and mycorrhizal fungi are thought to enhance plant uptake of nutrients through a favourable exchange for photosynthates. Ectomycorrhizal fungi are considered to play this vital role for trees in nitrogen (N)-limited boreal forests. •We followed symbiotic carbon (C)–N exchange in a large-scale boreal pine forest experiment by tracing 13CO2 absorbed through tree photosynthesis and 15N injected into a soil layer in which ectomycorrhizal fungi dominate the microbial community. •We detected little 15N in tree canopies, but high levels in soil microbes and in mycorrhizal root tips, illustrating effective soil N immobilization, especially in late summer, when tree belowground C allocation was high. Additions of N fertilizer to the soil before labelling shifted the incorporation of 15N from soil microbes and root tips to tree foliage. •These results were tested in a model for C–N exchange between trees and mycorrhizal fungi, suggesting that ectomycorrhizal fungi transfer small fractions of absorbed N to trees under N-limited conditions, but larger fractions if more N is available. We suggest that greater allocation of C from trees to ectomycorrhizal fungi increases N retention in soil mycelium, driving boreal forests towards more severe N limitation at low N supply.

Interactive effects of mycorrhizae and a root hemiparasite on plant community productivity and diversity

Plant communities can be affected both by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and hemiparasitic plants. However, little is known about the interactive effects of these two biotic factors on the productivity and diversity of plant communities. To address this question, we set up a greenhouse study in which different AMF inocula and a hemiparasitic plant (Rhinanthus minor) were added to experimental grassland communities in a fully factorial design. In addition, single plants of each species in the grassland community were grown with the same treatments to distinguish direct AMF effects from indirect effects via plant competition. We found that AMF changed plant community structure by influencing the plant species differently. At the community level, AMF decreased the productivity by 15-24%, depending on the particular AMF treatment, mainly because two dominant species, Holcus lanatus and Plantago lanceolata, showed a negative mycorrhizal dependency. Concomitantly, plant diversity increased due to AMF inoculation and was highest in the treatment with a combination of two commercial AM strains. AMF had a positive effect on growth of the hemiparasite, and thereby induced a negative impact of the hemiparasite on host plant biomass which was not found in non-inoculated communities. However, the hemiparasite did not increase plant diversity. Our results highlight the importance of interactions with soil microbes for plant community structure and that these indirect effects can vary among AMF treatments. We conclude that mutualistic interactions with AMF, but not antagonistic interactions with a root hemiparasite, promote plant diversity in this grassland community.

Organic nitrogen

Which forms of nitrogen (N) do plants acquire from soil? This question, central to understanding of plant function, was debated intensely a century ago. It was revitalized more recently with insights in plant–soil interactions and molecular biology, but the difficulties associated with dissecting rhizosphere processes – rapid absorption, uptake, conversion and release of N in the interfaces of soil, microbes and plants – have prevented resolution. In the recent past, inorganic redox reactions were discussed, while today's focus is transformations of organic N. Despite significant advances and relevance, views are diverging on the importance of organic N as a nutrient source for plants. A recent workshop brought together leading experts, early stage researchers and industry representatives to discuss and evaluate the current knowledge and on-going research to link from molecular function of plants to ecosystem processes.

The Role of Plant Primary and Secondary Metabolites in Root-Herbivore Behaviour, Nutrition and Physiology

Many insect herbivores feed on belowground plant tissues. In this chapter, we discuss how they have adapted to deal with root primary and secondary metabolites. It is becoming evident that root herbivores can use root volatiles and exudates for host location and foraging. Their complex sensory apparatus suggests a sophisticated recognition and signal transduction system. Furthermore, endogenous metabolites trigger attractive or repellent responses in root feeders, indicating that they may specifically fine-tune food uptake to meet their dietary needs. Little evidence for direct toxic effects of root secondary metabolites has accumulated so far, indicating high prevalence of tolerance mechanisms. Root herbivores furthermore facilitate the entry of soil microbes into the roots, which may influence root nutritional quality. Investigating the role of plant metabolites in an ecologically and physiologically relevant context will be crucial to refine our current models on root-herbivore physiology and behaviour in the future.

Shifts in microbial communities do not explain the response of grassland ecosystem function to plant functional composition and rainfall change

Ecosystem functioning in grasslands is regulated by a range of biotic and abiotic factors, and the role of microbial communities in regulating ecosystem function has been the subject of much recent scrutiny. However, there are still knowledge gaps regarding the impacts of rainfall and vegetation change upon microbial communities and the implications of these changes for ecosystem functioning. We investigated this issue using data from an experimental mesotrophic grassland study in south-east England, which had been subjected to four years of rainfall and plant functional composition manipulations. Soil respiration, nitrogen and phosphorus stocks were measured, and the abundance and community structure of soil microbes were characterised using quantitative PCR and multiplex-TRFLP analysis, respectively. Bacterial community structure was strongly related to the plant functional composition treatments, but not the rainfall treatment. However, there was a strong effect of both rainfall change and plant functional group upon bacterial abundance. There was also a weak interactive effect of the two treatments upon fungal community structure, although fungal abundance was not affected by either treatment. Next, we used a statistical approach to assess whether treatment effects on ecosystem function were regulated by the microbial community. Our results revealed that ecosystem function was influenced by the experimental treatments, but was not related to associated changes to the microbial community. Overall, these results indicate that changes in fungal and bacterial community structure and abundance play a relatively minor role in determining grassland ecosystem function responses to precipitation and plant functional composition change, and that direct effects on soil physical and chemical properties and upon plant and microbial physiology may play a more important role.

Diversity of Vancomycin Genes in Sub-tropical Soils

With the increased antibiotic exposure from anthropogenic sources, soil microbes are an ever-increasing ecological pool of resistant bacteria. This is the case with bacterial resistance to vancomycin through transfer of van-resistance genes by transposons. Studies show that bacterial species other than enteroccoci harbor genetic-like elements such as the Tn1546 transposon containing vancomycin-resistant genes. Overuse and misuse of antibiotics in hospital settings and agricultural practices have led to an increase in transferability of vancomycin-resistant genes among microbes. The objective of this project is to analyze the diversity of these genes found in the soil microbes from Miami-Dade County. Bacterial isolates were Gram-stained and the Kirby-Bauer antibiotic disk diffusion test was performed to determine the degree of resistance. Results showed that all bacterial isolates were resistant to penicillin at the 10 µg concentration and most were susceptible to varying vancomycin concentrations (10 µg, 20 µg, and 30 µg). A 1465 bp fragment was amplified from the 16S rDNA gene using 27F and 1492R universal primers from the multi-antibiotic resistant bacteria and sequenced to identify the isolates. Three Gram-negative bacteria genera were identified with the closest phylogenetic match to: Pseudomonas sp., Stenotrophomonas sp., Xanthomonas sp., as well as two Gram-positive bacteria genera: Bacillus sp. and Brevibacillus sp. The isolates’ vanA and vanB genes were amplified using the respective primers. Ongoing work is underway to sequence and compare these known van resistant genes, with the goal of revealing intrinsic vancomycin resistance present in soil bacteria.

The Roles of Phenotypic Plasticity and Plant-Microbe Interactions in the Evolution of Complex Traits in Boechera stricta

All organisms live in complex habitats that shape the course of their evolution by altering the phenotype expressed by a given genotype (a phenomenon known as phenotypic plasticity) and simultaneously by determining the evolutionary fitness of that phenotype. In some cases, phenotypic evolution may alter the environment experienced by future generations. This dissertation describes how genetic and environmental variation act synergistically to affect the evolution of glucosinolate defensive chemistry and flowering time in Boechera stricta, a wild perennial herb. I focus particularly on plant-associated microbes as a part of the plant’s environment that may alter trait evolution and in turn be affected by the evolution of those traits. In the first chapter I measure glucosinolate production and reproductive fitness of over 1,500 plants grown in common gardens in four diverse natural habitats, to describe how patterns of plasticity and natural selection intersect and may influence glucosinolate evolution. I detected extensive genetic variation for glucosinolate plasticity and determined that plasticity may aid colonization of new habitats by moving phenotypes in the same direction as natural selection. In the second chapter I conduct a greenhouse experiment to test whether naturally-occurring soil microbial communities contributed to the differences in phenotype and selection that I observed in the field experiment. I found that soil microbes cause plasticity of flowering time but not glucosinolate production, and that they may contribute to natural selection on both traits; thus, non-pathogenic plant-associated microbes are an environmental feature that could shape plant evolution. In the third chapter, I combine a multi-year, multi-habitat field experiment with high-throughput amplicon sequencing to determine whether B. stricta-associated microbial communities are shaped by plant genetic variation. I found that plant genotype predicts the diversity and composition of leaf-dwelling bacterial communities, but not root-associated bacterial communities. Furthermore, patterns of host genetic control over associated bacteria were largely site-dependent, indicating an important role for genotype-by-environment interactions in microbiome assembly. Together, my results suggest that soil microbes influence the evolution of plant functional traits and, because they are sensitive to plant genetic variation, this trait evolution may alter the microbial neighborhood of future B. stricta generations. Complex patterns of plasticity, selection, and symbiosis in natural habitats may impact the evolution of glucosinolate profiles in Boechera stricta.