Applied Soil Ecology最新文献

{"title":"Microbial traits mediate the functional components of soil organic carbon under long-term fertilization","authors":"Yanhong Yuan ,&nbsp;Jiachang Zhang ,&nbsp;Zhanrong Feng ,&nbsp;Qi Zhang ,&nbsp;Zihan Zhao ,&nbsp;Qiang Li ,&nbsp;Shuiqing Zhang ,&nbsp;Gehong Wei ,&nbsp;Xinhui Han ,&nbsp;Minggang Xu ,&nbsp;Andong Cai ,&nbsp;Chengjie Ren","doi":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2026.106798","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2026.106798","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Microbial physiological traits are key determinants of soil organic carbon (SOC) accumulation under long-term fertilization, yet their adaptability to carbon (C) and nutrient gradients, and the corresponding C feedback effects, remain largely unexplored. Here, we conducted a 33-year field experiment with mineral and mineral-organic combined fertilization (NPKM) across two contrasting soil types (nutrient-rich vs. nutrient-poor). The ¹⁸O-H₂O tracer method and amino sugar biomarker approaches were used to explore the trends of microbial C use efficiency (CUE) and microbial C pump efficacy (MCP), while metagenomic analysis and environmental variables were integrated to clarify the intrinsic and extrinsic effects of long-term fertilization on these microbial traits. Our results revealed divergent responses of SOC fractions to NPKM across soil types: relative to the control (CK), NPKM increased particulate organic carbon (POC) by 130% in nutrient-rich soils, the 33.46% rise in mineral-associated organic carbon (MAOC); in contrast, only MAOC exhibited a significant increase (80.86%) in nutrient-poor soils. Further analysis confirmed that microbial physiological traits drove the changes in POC and MAOC depending on soil nutrient status under long-term fertilization. Specifically, in nutrient-poor soils, NPKM enhanced MAOC by increasing CUE (100%) and MCP (45.34%), an effect mediated by C-degradation functional genes. In nutrient-rich soils, NPKM promoted POC by improving CUE (48.48%), a process regulated by abiotic factors. These findings highlight that initial nutrient levels regulate microbial physiological traits, thereby dictating the accumulation dynamics of different C fractions, which offers a theoretical basis for targeted agricultural C management strategies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8099,"journal":{"name":"Applied Soil Ecology","volume":"219 ","pages":"Article 106798"},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145974000","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Soil amendment with biomass-derived carbon dots enhances rhizosphere organic matter, nutrient turnover, and microbial metabolism for maize growth","authors":"Yadong Li ,&nbsp;Qianying Han ,&nbsp;Lihaonan Chen ,&nbsp;Shang Lei ,&nbsp;Congli Ma ,&nbsp;Hongjie Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2026.106804","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2026.106804","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Soil degradation necessitates reducing the application of agrochemicals, while advancements in nanotechnology present growing opportunities in agriculture. Herein, this study synthesized a calcium- and nitrogen-co-doped carbon dots (Ca,N-CDs) with a high yield of 79.97% using the biomass of a submerged plant <em>Potamogeton crispus</em>. The soil application of Ca,N-CDs (100 mg/kg) significantly enhanced the growth (7.27–71.69%), photosynthesis, and antioxidant activity (29.49–173.20%) of maize (<em>Zea mays</em> L.). In the rhizosphere microenvironment, the application of Ca,N-CDs enhanced soil pH and the turnover of organic matter and nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) by regulating related soil enzyme activities. Metagenome analysis revealed that Ca,N-CDs enhanced the diversity and evenness of the rhizosphere microbial community, particularly increasing the abundance of archaea, eukaryotes, and some beneficial bacterial groups (<em>Actinomycetes</em>, <em>Longimicrobia</em>, and <em>Micrococcales</em>). KEGG functional analysis, combined with metabolomics analysis, demonstrated that the microbial metabolic processes related to growth and reproduction were significantly enhanced by Ca,N-CDs. Changes in microbial communities and metabolism showed positive correlations with soil properties. Co-occurrence network analysis indicated that Ca,N-CDs changed the dominant microorganisms in the maize rhizosphere and strengthened their associations among themselves and with soil properties. The rhizosphere responses synergistically promoted the maize growth and development. These findings present a promising alternative for improving soil health and fertility as well as promoting sustainable agricultural production.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8099,"journal":{"name":"Applied Soil Ecology","volume":"219 ","pages":"Article 106804"},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145974062","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Biological and mineral amendments synergistically coordinate soil micro-food web to enhance multifunctionality","authors":"Baijing Zhu ,&nbsp;Huaxiu Chen ,&nbsp;Han Li ,&nbsp;Qiang Zhu ,&nbsp;Wenfeng Tan ,&nbsp;Jiao Feng ,&nbsp;Yu-Rong Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106748","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106748","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Multiple trophic groups in soil food web drive various ecosystem functions. However, it remains unclear how multitrophic interactions and associated multifunctionality respond to integrated agricultural management practices, especially the combination of mineral and biological amendments. Here, we conducted multifactor interactive experiment to explore how essential biological (microbial inoculants), mineral (fly ash addition), organic amendment, and tillage type (conventional tillage vs. deep tillage) influence soil micro-food web structure and soil multifunctionality. Our results showed that microbial inoculants and fly ash addition significantly influenced the structure of soil micro-food web and enhanced soil multifunctionality, while organic amendment and deep tillage had no significant effects. Specifically, microbial inoculants improved soil structural stability, reduced the proportion of fungal plant pathogens while enhancing the complexity of soil micro-food web. In contrast, fly ash increased soil nutrients and the relative abundance of predatory protists, and strengthened the relationship between soil food web complexity and multifunctionality. Notably, the combined application of microbial inoculants and fly ash exerted synergistic effects on both food web complexity and multifunctionality (increased by 14.6–15.7 %). These synergies were achieved predominantly by improving soil physical structure and nutrient levels, along with a reduced proportion of harmful microbes and an increase in higher trophic-level soil organisms. Overall, our findings highlight the potential of integrating biological and mineral amendments as a synergistic management strategy to enhance soil multi-trophic complexity and multifunctionality, thereby providing a novel theoretical basis for optimizing diversified soil management practices to improve soil health and support sustainable agriculture.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8099,"journal":{"name":"Applied Soil Ecology","volume":"219 ","pages":"Article 106748"},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145974001","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Plant-derived biochars ameliorate acidity and reshape microbial communities to enhance tea productivity and quality in acidic soils","authors":"Zhangtao Li ,&nbsp;Yu Pan ,&nbsp;Jun Meng ,&nbsp;Meiqi Zhao ,&nbsp;Zhiyuan Yao ,&nbsp;Minjun Hu ,&nbsp;Shengdao Shan ,&nbsp;Huaihai Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2026.106805","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2026.106805","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Chronic over-acidification (pH &lt; 4.5) of tea garden soils induces nutrient depletion, aluminum toxicity, and suppressed microbial diversity, threatening tea productivity. To address this, we evaluated the efficacy of three plant-derived biochars (corn straw, rice straw, and bamboo; applied at 45 t·ha⁻¹) in ameliorating soil acidity and its associated negative impacts on soil fertility, microbial communities, and plant health. Biochar application significantly increased soil pH by 0.8–1.2 units and reduced exchangeable aluminum and hydrogen by 40–79%. The effects were feedstock-dependent as corn- and rice-straw biochars enhanced nutrient availability, whereas bamboo biochar more effectively decreased the availability of certain metals. Consequently, biochar reshaped soil microbial communities, increasing bacterial and fungal diversity by 35–129% and driving taxonomic shifts, notably elevating the abundances of Bacteroidota, Verrucomicrobiota, and Tremellomycetes with significant declines in Proteobacteria, Eurotiomycetes, and Leotiomycetes. Structural equation modeling identified soil pH and nutrients as primary regulators of microbial diversity, with metal availability exerting selective pressure on fungi. These improvements led to agronomic benefits, with fresh leaf yields increasing by 13–22%. Corn-straw biochar performed the best, yielding the highest production alongside improved quality (e.g., polyphenols and free amino acids). Our findings demonstrate that selecting appropriate biochar feedstocks can effectively ameliorate soil acidity, reshape microbial communities, and enhance tea productivity and quality, providing a targeted strategy for sustainable soil management in acidic tea gardens.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8099,"journal":{"name":"Applied Soil Ecology","volume":"219 ","pages":"Article 106805"},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145974061","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Solid and liquid fractions of digestate: manure or slurry just like any others?","authors":"Florian Vautrin ,&nbsp;Mario Cannavacciuolo ,&nbsp;Camille Chauvin ,&nbsp;Pascal Piveteau ,&nbsp;Pierre Barré ,&nbsp;Cécile Villenave ,&nbsp;Daniel Cluzeau ,&nbsp;Kevin Hoeffner ,&nbsp;Pierre Mulliez ,&nbsp;Vincent Jean-Baptiste ,&nbsp;Gregory Vrignaud ,&nbsp;Aurélien Cottin ,&nbsp;Julie Tripied ,&nbsp;Samuel Dequiedt ,&nbsp;Pierre-Alain Maron ,&nbsp;Lionel Ranjard ,&nbsp;Sophie Sadet-Bourgeteau","doi":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2026.106788","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2026.106788","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Biogas digestates are increasingly used as organic fertilizers. However, their impact on soil microbiota quality remains debated. Indeed, little is known about soil microbial communities responses to a given digestate depending on i) the fraction applied – whole (FYM_WD), liquid (FYM_LD), or solid (FYM_SD) – and/or ii) the physicochemical properties of the receiving soil. In a 42-day microcosm experiment, we applied different fractions of a same digestate to three soils with contrasting physicochemical and climatic characteristics and compared their effects on the abundance and diversity of the soil microbial communities. The experiment also included four additional treatments: cattle manure (CM), cattle slurry (CS), a mineral fertilizer, and an unfertilized control. Forty-two days after application, a significant ‘treatment’ effect was observed on soil microbial indicators for the two coarser-textured soils (<em>P &lt;</em> 0.05). In the sandy loam-textured soil, FYM_SD resulted in a 40 % greater soil microbial biomass than FYM_WD or FYM_LD (<em>P</em> = 0.05). The effect of FYM_SD on soil microbial biomass was equivalent to that of CM or CS (<em>P</em> &gt; 0.05), whereas the effect of FYM_LD more closely resembled that of CS. Moreover, FYM_SD input resulted in a significantly different prokaryotic community structure compared to FYM_LD-fertilized soil, but was equivalent to that of the CM-fertilized soil (P &gt; 0.05). In the loam-textured soil, FYM_SD input resulted in a 20 % lower prokaryotic richness than FYM_LD. Similarly, the fungal community structure was affected the digestate fraction (<em>P</em> = 0.04), and the effects of FYM_SD and CM on fungal community structure were comparable (P &gt; 0.05). Overall, these results demonstrate that digestate fraction influence soil microbial communities in a soil-type dependent manner.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8099,"journal":{"name":"Applied Soil Ecology","volume":"219 ","pages":"Article 106788"},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145974082","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Biodegradable microplastics as mediators of iron‑carbon decoupling: Enhanced soil carbon mineralization in wetland","authors":"Xinyi Huang ,&nbsp;Yuan Pan ,&nbsp;Xiansheng Zhang ,&nbsp;Teng Li ,&nbsp;Ting Wu ,&nbsp;Shanqing Tang ,&nbsp;Yunze Wang ,&nbsp;Junhao Chen ,&nbsp;Juanjuan Huang ,&nbsp;Zhifeng Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2026.106806","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2026.106806","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Wetlands, recognized as significant carbon reservoirs within ecosystems, have recently been identified as sinks for microplastics (MPs). While iron (Fe)-mediated organic carbon (OC) preservation is pivotal for soil carbon sequestration, the role of MPs in modulating Fe-OC interactions remains unclear. Here, we demonstrated that biodegradable MPs (polybutylene succinate, PBS) act as mediators to decouple Fe-OC interactions, thereby accelerating carbon mineralization in wetland soils. Through anaerobic incubation experiments with conventional (polyethylene terephthalate, PET) and biodegradable MPs (PBS), we reveal that PBS-MPs increased cumulative CO₂ emissions by 25.7–39.2% compared to the control, while suppressing cumulative CH₄ emissions by 62.3–75.4%. However, PET-MPs had no significant effect on the emissions of CO₂ and CH₄. As a material with a high carbon content, PBS-MPs directly increased soil organic carbon (SOC) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) levels. Metagenomic and chemical analyses indicated that PBS-MPs enriched Fe-reducing bacteria and generated redox-active surface groups to facilitate electron transfer during dissimilatory Fe reduction. This process led to the uncoupling of amorphous Fe oxides and their bound organic carbon and resulted in a 54% reduction in amorphous Fe-OC. PBS-MPs enhanced humification of soil dissolved organic matter, thus providing the electron transfer capacity for the soil mineralization and dissimilatory Fe reduction. We further discovered that the competitive relationship between Fe-reducing bacteria and methanogens, as well as the promotion of anaerobic methane oxidation gene expression, led to a reduction in methane emissions. Our findings uncover a previously overlooked mechanism whereby biodegradable MPs exacerbate wetland carbon emissions via Fe-OC decoupling.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8099,"journal":{"name":"Applied Soil Ecology","volume":"219 ","pages":"Article 106806"},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145974008","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Maize straw-driven phosphorus mobilization in two alkaline soils: Microbial community shifts and agronomic implications","authors":"Aminu Darma ,&nbsp;Yang Jianjun ,&nbsp;Liu Jin ,&nbsp;Sun Meili ,&nbsp;Chen Jiaqi ,&nbsp;Elke Bloem ,&nbsp;Chen Tianwen","doi":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106780","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106780","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Straw incorporation enhances soil fertility; however, a clear gap remains regarding how varying rates of maize straw incorporation simultaneously influence P mobilization and the dynamics of P-solubilizing bacterial communities in alkaline soils. Therefore, a pot trial was conducted to examine the impacts of 1 % and 2 % maize straw (MS) application on soil P availability, bacterial community composition, and uptake by wheat crops in an irrigation (XA) and industrial (XI) alkaline polluted soils. The study findings demonstrated that incorporating 2 % MS considerably (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05) increased soil P availability in both soil types, rising from 21.91 to 22.91 mg kg⁻¹ in XIM-2 % and from 25.15 to 34.73 mg kg⁻¹ in XAM-2 %. The 2 % MS application promoted the proliferation of key P-solubilizing bacterial groups, specifically <em>Proteobacteria, Bacteroidota, Arthrobacter</em> and <em>Bacillus</em> in both soils, indicating strong microbial shifts associated with MS decomposition. These shifts in bacterial consortium were associated with increased production of dissolved organic carbon and pH fluctuations, facilitating P solubilization. This, therefore, enhanced grain P uptake in XIM-2 % (169.42 mg kg⁻¹) and XAM-2 % (338.82 mg kg⁻¹), suggesting that 2 % MS application can effectively promote bacterial functions to improve P transformation and its uptake by wheat grains. These chemical and bacterial improvements produced clear agronomic gains, with the 2 MS% amendments enhancing wheat yield components compared with the control. The ranking of different MS application rates using the Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to the Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) method (XIM-2 % = 1.00; XAM-2 % = 1.00) reinforced that 2 % MS is the optimal application rate for augmenting the bioavailability of P in these soil systems. These offer an important perspective for the emergence of viable residue management practices to optimize P availability and enhance soil fertility in alkaline agricultural systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8099,"journal":{"name":"Applied Soil Ecology","volume":"219 ","pages":"Article 106780"},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145974063","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Rhizosphere filtering drives the diversity and assembly of soil rotifer communities","authors":"Fangfang Li ,&nbsp;Xiaoyan Jiao ,&nbsp;Anqi Sun ,&nbsp;Ju-Pei Shen ,&nbsp;Yong Zheng ,&nbsp;Ji-Zheng He ,&nbsp;Hang-Wei Hu","doi":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2026.106783","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2026.106783","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Soil rotifers, a phylum of microscopic, multicellular animals, play a critical role in various important functions across global ecosystems. However, our understanding of the processes shaping the large-scale distribution of soil rotifers, particularly in relation to plants and environmental factors, remains limited. Through the analysis of 570 soil samples collected across China, we found that α-diversity of rotifers was significantly higher in rhizosphere soils than in bulk soils, and their β-diversity also exhibited significant differences, highlighting the critical role of the rhizosphere effect in shaping rotifer community structures. The β-diversity of rotifers in rhizosphere soils was primarily driven by geographical location, whereas rotifer communities in bulk soils showed weaker responses to environmental variables. Stochastic processes predominantly shaped the community assembly of rotifer communities in both rhizosphere and bulk soils. Our study provides new insights into the rotifer community assembly in agricultural ecosystems and suggests that plant hosts can have significant impacts on soil rotifer communities.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8099,"journal":{"name":"Applied Soil Ecology","volume":"219 ","pages":"Article 106783"},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145923383","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Microbial carbon-cycling processes drives soil organic carbon accumulation during afforestation in hyper-arid regions","authors":"Xinping Dong ,&nbsp;Yanju Gao ,&nbsp;Akash Tariq ,&nbsp;Corina Graciano ,&nbsp;Zhihao Zhang ,&nbsp;Mengfei Cong ,&nbsp;Guangxing Zhao ,&nbsp;Taotao Wang ,&nbsp;Weiqi Wang ,&nbsp;Jordi Sardans ,&nbsp;Josep Peñuelas ,&nbsp;Fanjiang Zeng","doi":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106647","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106647","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Soil microbes represent an important driving force of biogeochemical cycles and are closely related to the soil carbon (C) cycle during afforestation process. Despite their ecological significance, the paucity characterized the mechanistic role of soil microbial C-cycling processes (MCCPs) in hyper-arid regionslimits our ability to assess soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics and terrestrial C feedbacks to climate change. The present study integrates metagenomics to quantitatively evaluate the MCCPs dynamics across soil profiles (topsoil vs subsoil) in both uncultivated land (0 Y) and <em>Populus alba</em> var. <em>pyramidalis</em> Bunge shelterbelts of different afforestation years (7-, 12-, 22-years-old) along the Taklimakan Desert periphery. Results showed that C fixation was the predominant MCCPs, influenced by afforestation years and soil depth. Shelterbelt establishment significantly increased the concentration of SOC (+57.57 %), the relative abundance of microbial C fixation process (+16.35 %) and methanogenic process (+11.00 %) across both soil layers compared to 0Y, while exhibiting depth-dependent C decomposition patterns (topsoil +12.83 % vs subsoil −8.92 %). Microbial communities demonstrated increased Simpson diversity in topsoil but maintained subsoil stability post-afforestation. Interestingly, network analysis revealed an intensification of positive edges in C fixation process (+127.44 %) and a reduction in negative edges in C decomposition process (−28.47 %). Energy optimization strategies emerged, with microbial communities preferentially utilizing low-energy C fixation pathways under nutrient-deficient conditions. Crucially, afforestation-induced modifications in key edaphic parameters (soil nutrient condition (−49.96 %) and electrical conductivity (−74.42 %)) were identified as primary drivers of MCCPs enhancement and subsequent SOC accumulation. However, despite sustained SOC accumulation in late afforestation stages (22-year period), the marked EC elevation underscores the critical need to integrate secondary salinization control into plantation management frameworks. This study establishes MCCPs as pivotal biological mediators of C sink formation during ecological restoration. We recommend that future afforestation projects in hyper-arid regions simultaneously enhance microbial C fixation pathways and soil nutrient availability to maximize C sequestration.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8099,"journal":{"name":"Applied Soil Ecology","volume":"219 ","pages":"Article 106647"},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145923370","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Higher density of earthworms (Pheretima guillelmi) enhances soil carbon sequestration and carbon pool management index in a subtropical forest","authors":"Yufeng Qiu ,&nbsp;Yue Zhuang ,&nbsp;Tanja Trakić ,&nbsp;Ronggui Tang ,&nbsp;Yihong Liu ,&nbsp;Youchao Chen ,&nbsp;Xie Wang ,&nbsp;Yanjiang Cai ,&nbsp;Scott X. Chang","doi":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2026.106787","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2026.106787","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Earthworms play a crucial role in maintaining soil health by influencing biological and ecological processes, particularly in soil organic carbon (SOC) and soil quality restoration. However, many studies on soil quality focus on the impacts of land management practices while overlooking the role of earthworms. This study conducted a one-year field experiment in a subtropical Moso bamboo forest located in Anji, Zhejiang province, China, using homogenized soil (Ferrisol) to investigate the effects of different endogeic earthworm (<em>Pheretima guillelmi</em>) densities, including CK (control, removal of earthworms), OE (original density), DE (double original density), on soil organic carbon stock (SOCS) and carbon pool management index (CPMI, an indicator of soil restoration and the quality of soil carbon pools) in the 0–15 cm and 15–30 cm layers. The results showed that earthworms significantly promoted litter decomposition, leading to increased carbon input into the soil. The SOC and labile organic carbon (LOC) were markedly higher in the 0–15 cm layer compared to the 15–30 cm layer, along with more pronounced earthworm effects. Specifically, in the 0–15 cm layer, SOC concentrations increased by 15.0 % and 19.5 % for the OE and DE treatments, respectively, while SOCS rose by 2.3 % and 7.5 %. Furthermore, earthworms significantly increased the CPMI of the 0–15 cm layer, with increases of 35.9 % in the OE treatment and 62.9 % in the DE treatment. This study highlights the critical role of earthworms in regulating soil carbon inputs and carbon management in both 0–15 cm and 15–30 cm layers, providing valuable insights into the potential of managing earthworm density to enhance sustainable soil carbon management, support long-term soil health, and promote the sustainability of the forest ecosystem.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8099,"journal":{"name":"Applied Soil Ecology","volume":"219 ","pages":"Article 106787"},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145923373","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}