Pub Date : 2026-01-06DOI: 10.1016/j.apsoil.2026.106784
Tao Yang , Mu Yang , Jinxing Zhou , Xiawei Peng
Lithological can strongly regulate soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics by shaping mineral protection and microbial metabolic pathways, yet the mechanisms linking microbial carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZyme) mediated organic matter metabolism to the formation and stabilization of microbial necromass, remain largely unresolved. Here, we quantified microbial necromass C, SOC functional fractions, and CAZyme gene abundances involved in the degradation of plant- and microbe-derived C across paired karst (carbonate-rich) and non-karst (carbonate-free) conifer forests. Our findings showed that karst soils contained higher SOC contents and a higher mineral-associated organic C to particulate organic C ratio (MAOC/POC, a key indicator of SOC stability) than non-karst soils, driven primarily by an approximately three-fold higher MAOC content, whereas exhibiting comparable POC contents. Total microbial necromass C were significantly higher in karst (6.64 g/kg−1) than non-karst (1.45 g/kg−1) soils and were positively related to MAOC in both systems; however, it was positively associated with SOC only in karst soils (R2 = 0.22, P < 0.05). These results suggest that microbial necromass is more tightly linked to SOC accumulation in carbonate-rich karst soils, consistent with enhanced mineral-mediated stabilization. Microbial CAZyme genes targeting the degradation of bacterial-, fungal-, and plant-derived components were 108.58 %, 142.56 %, and 122.27 % higher, respectively, in non-karst than in karst soils. Correlation and structural equation modeling analyses further indicated that, in non-karst soils, CAZyme gene profiles were closely linked to microbial necromass and MAOC, yet these relationships did not translate into a detectable increase in total SOC. In contrast, in karst soils, CAZyme genes related to the degradation of plant- and bacterial-derived components were consistently and positively associated with SOC and its fractions, supporting a mechanistic linkage between CAZyme functional potential and subsequent SOC sequestration. Overall, the results suggest a lithology-dependent pathway linking CAZyme-mediated organic matter processing to microbial necromass stabilization and SOC persistence.
{"title":"Lithological controls on SOC fractions through the coupling of microbial CAZyme genes and necromass in karst and non-karst forests","authors":"Tao Yang , Mu Yang , Jinxing Zhou , Xiawei Peng","doi":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2026.106784","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2026.106784","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Lithological can strongly regulate soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics by shaping mineral protection and microbial metabolic pathways, yet the mechanisms linking microbial carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZyme) mediated organic matter metabolism to the formation and stabilization of microbial necromass, remain largely unresolved. Here, we quantified microbial necromass C, SOC functional fractions, and CAZyme gene abundances involved in the degradation of plant- and microbe-derived C across paired karst (carbonate-rich) and non-karst (carbonate-free) conifer forests. Our findings showed that karst soils contained higher SOC contents and a higher mineral-associated organic C to particulate organic C ratio (MAOC/POC, a key indicator of SOC stability) than non-karst soils, driven primarily by an approximately three-fold higher MAOC content, whereas exhibiting comparable POC contents. Total microbial necromass C were significantly higher in karst (6.64 g/kg<sup>−1</sup>) than non-karst (1.45 g/kg<sup>−1</sup>) soils and were positively related to MAOC in both systems; however, it was positively associated with SOC only in karst soils (<em>R</em><sup>2</sup> = 0.22, <em>P</em> < 0.05). These results suggest that microbial necromass is more tightly linked to SOC accumulation in carbonate-rich karst soils, consistent with enhanced mineral-mediated stabilization. Microbial CAZyme genes targeting the degradation of bacterial-, fungal-, and plant-derived components were 108.58 %, 142.56 %, and 122.27 % higher, respectively, in non-karst than in karst soils. Correlation and structural equation modeling analyses further indicated that, in non-karst soils, CAZyme gene profiles were closely linked to microbial necromass and MAOC, yet these relationships did not translate into a detectable increase in total SOC. In contrast, in karst soils, CAZyme genes related to the degradation of plant- and bacterial-derived components were consistently and positively associated with SOC and its fractions, supporting a mechanistic linkage between CAZyme functional potential and subsequent SOC sequestration. Overall, the results suggest a lithology-dependent pathway linking CAZyme-mediated organic matter processing to microbial necromass stabilization and SOC persistence.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8099,"journal":{"name":"Applied Soil Ecology","volume":"219 ","pages":"Article 106784"},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145923264","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}
Pub Date : 2026-01-06DOI: 10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106778
Xiaochun Yuan , Quanxin Zeng , Qiufang Zhang , Cheng-Chung Liu , Junjian Wang , Liang Zeng , Kaimiao Lin , Chaoliang Chen , Weifeng Guo , Jiacong Zhou , Juyan Cui , Xiaoli Gao , Xiaoting Fu , Yuehmin Chen
Interactions between soil microorganisms and dissolved organic matter (DOM) represent critical processes in soil carbon cycle. Yet, the effects of nitrogen (N) addition on these interactions remain unclear. Over three years, we investigated bacterial communities and DOM quantity and quality at two soil depths under varying N addition rates. While N addition reduced dissolved organic carbon content and humification indices in surface soils, bacterial diversity, life-history strategies, and DOM molecular diversity remained largely unchanged. Network analysis revealed a shift from specialist to generalist taxa within bacterial–DOM associations, yet overall network complexity indicators (node number, average degree, path length) remained stable. Structural equation modeling showed that a positive covariation between bacterial diversity and DOM molecular diversity; the neutral response of both DOM molecular diversity and bacterial life-history strategies to N inputs stabilized network complexity. Our findings highlight that bacterial functions are more closely tied to DOM quality than quantity and support the “diversity begets diversity” framework. This study provides novel insights into the microbial mechanisms stabilizing soil carbon pools under N deposition.
{"title":"Stable network complexity between bacterial community and dissolved organic matter remains under three-year consecutive nitrogen addition","authors":"Xiaochun Yuan , Quanxin Zeng , Qiufang Zhang , Cheng-Chung Liu , Junjian Wang , Liang Zeng , Kaimiao Lin , Chaoliang Chen , Weifeng Guo , Jiacong Zhou , Juyan Cui , Xiaoli Gao , Xiaoting Fu , Yuehmin Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106778","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106778","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Interactions between soil microorganisms and dissolved organic matter (DOM) represent critical processes in soil carbon cycle. Yet, the effects of nitrogen (N) addition on these interactions remain unclear. Over three years, we investigated bacterial communities and DOM quantity and quality at two soil depths under varying N addition rates. While N addition reduced dissolved organic carbon content and humification indices in surface soils, bacterial diversity, life-history strategies, and DOM molecular diversity remained largely unchanged. Network analysis revealed a shift from specialist to generalist taxa within bacterial–DOM associations, yet overall network complexity indicators (node number, average degree, path length) remained stable. Structural equation modeling showed that a positive covariation between bacterial diversity and DOM molecular diversity; the neutral response of both DOM molecular diversity and bacterial life-history strategies to N inputs stabilized network complexity. Our findings highlight that bacterial functions are more closely tied to DOM quality than quantity and support the “diversity begets diversity” framework. This study provides novel insights into the microbial mechanisms stabilizing soil carbon pools under N deposition.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8099,"journal":{"name":"Applied Soil Ecology","volume":"219 ","pages":"Article 106778"},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145923315","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}
Pub Date : 2026-01-06DOI: 10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106777
Na Zhang , Yimei Xie , Yujuan Wang , Naoise Nunan , Yun Wang , Zhiyuan Ma , Jizhong Zhou , Jiabao Zhang , Yuting Liang
Modern coexistence theory quantifies niche and fitness differences to elucidate species competition mechanisms, yet its application to temperature-driven shifts in soil microbial competitive outcomes remains limited. Here, we observed that high temperatures intensified competition among abundant bacterial genera in soil incubation experiments, particularly leading to the competitive dominance of Pseudomonas over Rhodococcus. Specifically, in competitive experiments involving Rhodococcus erythropolis NSX2 and Pseudomonas aeruginosa SB, SB successfully outcompeted NSX2, achieving a dominance of 61.6 % at 32 °C. This competitive dominance correlated with increased niche differences (from 0.45 to 0.88) and reduced fitness differences (from 0.83 to 0.35) at higher temperatures. Additionally, single-cell Raman spectroscopy and metabolite analysis revealed that high temperature enhanced cross-feeding, resulting in the production of more beneficial metabolites and fewer antibacterial quinolones. When metabolites served as the sole carbon source under high-temperature conditions, the growth and population density of SB were significantly promoted. These findings underscore the pivotal role of temperature in shaping soil microbial competitive dominance by regulating metabolic interactions. This study advances our understanding of soil microbial competition within the framework of modern coexistence theory. By integrating the theory with metabolic analysis, this work highlights the importance of temperature-dependent microbial interactions in changing ecosystems.
{"title":"Temperature promotes soil microbial competitive dominance by modulating metabolic interactions","authors":"Na Zhang , Yimei Xie , Yujuan Wang , Naoise Nunan , Yun Wang , Zhiyuan Ma , Jizhong Zhou , Jiabao Zhang , Yuting Liang","doi":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106777","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106777","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Modern coexistence theory quantifies niche and fitness differences to elucidate species competition mechanisms, yet its application to temperature-driven shifts in soil microbial competitive outcomes remains limited. Here, we observed that high temperatures intensified competition among abundant bacterial genera in soil incubation experiments, particularly leading to the competitive dominance of <em>Pseudomonas</em> over <em>Rhodococcus</em>. Specifically, in competitive experiments involving <em>Rhodococcus erythropolis</em> NSX2 and <em>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</em> SB, SB successfully outcompeted NSX2, achieving a dominance of 61.6 % at 32 °C. This competitive dominance correlated with increased niche differences (from 0.45 to 0.88) and reduced fitness differences (from 0.83 to 0.35) at higher temperatures. Additionally, single-cell Raman spectroscopy and metabolite analysis revealed that high temperature enhanced cross-feeding, resulting in the production of more beneficial metabolites and fewer antibacterial quinolones. When metabolites served as the sole carbon source under high-temperature conditions, the growth and population density of SB were significantly promoted. These findings underscore the pivotal role of temperature in shaping soil microbial competitive dominance by regulating metabolic interactions. This study advances our understanding of soil microbial competition within the framework of modern coexistence theory. By integrating the theory with metabolic analysis, this work highlights the importance of temperature-dependent microbial interactions in changing ecosystems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8099,"journal":{"name":"Applied Soil Ecology","volume":"219 ","pages":"Article 106777"},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145923263","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}
Pub Date : 2026-01-06DOI: 10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106758
Nazir Ahmed , Zhengzhou Yang , Lihua Zhong , Zahoor Ahmed , Abdul Khalique , Zameer Hussain , Saqib Hussain , Bilquees Bozdar , Mehar-un-Nisa Narejo , Muzammil Hussain , Zhengjie Zhu
Agricultural nitrogen (N) losses remain a major global concern, with substantial fractions of applied fertilizer escaping as nitrate (NO3−) leachate, ammonia (NH3) emissions, and nitrous oxide (N2O), thereby reducing nitrogen use efficiency and contributing to climate and water quality degradation. Strategies that retain ammonium and moderate biological oxidation are central for mitigating these losses. This review provides an integrative assessment of two major approaches to suppress nitrification: synthetic nitrification inhibitors and plant-derived root exudates. We evaluate their mechanisms, performance across contrasting soils, and associated trade-offs, including microbial guild shifts and the risk of increased NH3 volatilization. We further examined emerging innovations such as exudate-responsive fertilizers, nanomaterial-enhanced delivery systems, precision sensing technologies, and the breeding or engineering of crops with elevated biological inhibition capacity. Building on these developments, we proposed a conceptual framework linking root exudation, soil physicochemical filters, microbial functional groups, and field-scale N outcomes. Key challenges include rapid exudate transformation, soil-dependent efficacy, regulatory barriers, and the need to recalibrate monitoring tools in ammonium-enriched rhizosphere. Together, these insights outline a multi-scale pathway to improve N retention, enhance crop N-use efficiency, and more resilient agroecosystems.
{"title":"Root exudate-mediated plant–microbe interactions and next-generation strategies for sustainable nitrogen management in agricultural soils","authors":"Nazir Ahmed , Zhengzhou Yang , Lihua Zhong , Zahoor Ahmed , Abdul Khalique , Zameer Hussain , Saqib Hussain , Bilquees Bozdar , Mehar-un-Nisa Narejo , Muzammil Hussain , Zhengjie Zhu","doi":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106758","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106758","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Agricultural nitrogen (N) losses remain a major global concern, with substantial fractions of applied fertilizer escaping as nitrate (NO<sub>3</sub><sup>−</sup>) leachate, ammonia (NH<sub>3</sub>) emissions, and nitrous oxide (N<sub>2</sub>O), thereby reducing nitrogen use efficiency and contributing to climate and water quality degradation. Strategies that retain ammonium and moderate biological oxidation are central for mitigating these losses. This review provides an integrative assessment of two major approaches to suppress nitrification: synthetic nitrification inhibitors and plant-derived root exudates. We evaluate their mechanisms, performance across contrasting soils, and associated trade-offs, including microbial guild shifts and the risk of increased NH<sub>3</sub> volatilization. We further examined emerging innovations such as exudate-responsive fertilizers, nanomaterial-enhanced delivery systems, precision sensing technologies, and the breeding or engineering of crops with elevated biological inhibition capacity. Building on these developments, we proposed a conceptual framework linking root exudation, soil physicochemical filters, microbial functional groups, and field-scale N outcomes. Key challenges include rapid exudate transformation, soil-dependent efficacy, regulatory barriers, and the need to recalibrate monitoring tools in ammonium-enriched rhizosphere. Together, these insights outline a multi-scale pathway to improve N retention, enhance crop N-use efficiency, and more resilient agroecosystems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8099,"journal":{"name":"Applied Soil Ecology","volume":"219 ","pages":"Article 106758"},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145923316","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}
Pub Date : 2026-01-06DOI: 10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106768
Zikang Zhang , Junyue Wang , Yang Chen , Yanzheng Gao , Chao Qin , Wanting Ling
The continuous input of the steroid estrogen 17β-estradiol (17β-E2) into agricultural soils via organic fertilizers is increasing annually; however, the environmental effects of such inputs on soil microbial communities and functions remain unclear. We aimed to examine the impacts of low- and high-concentration 17β-E2 treatments (LT and HT, respectively) on microbial communities and metabolism in three agricultural soils: yellow-brown earth (YBS), red soil (RS), and black soil (BS). After 4 weeks, the microbial responses varied with both soil type and 17β-E2 concentration. In the LT group, the microbial α-diversity indices of the different soils did not show significant changes, whereas in the HT group, the α-diversity indices of YBS, BS, and RS decreased by 30.68–34.56 %, 35.56–48.43 %, and 14.48–31.11 %, respectively. Distinct phylum-level responses were noted, with Bacillota dominating in YBS, Bacteroidota dominating in BS, and Actinobacteria (LT) shifting to Pseudomonadota (HT) in RS. Differential metabolites strongly correlated with these microbial shifts (r > 0.6, p < 0.05). LT downregulated metabolites in the ABC transporter, phosphotransferase system, and starch/sucrose metabolism pathways. HT further suppressed metabolites in the cutin, suberin, and wax metabolism pathways. In BS and RS, HT also impaired metabolites linked to carbon and nitrogen cycling and amino acid metabolism. These findings suggest that low-concentration 17β-E2 exposure may shift microbial metabolism toward more recalcitrant carbon, whereas high-concentration exposure may further disrupt complex organic degradation and nitrogen-related functions. This study provides critical insights into the effects of steroid estrogens on soil microbiomes and biogeochemical processes.
{"title":"Soil-specific functional perturbations of microbiota induced by 17β-estradiol: An integrated microbiomics and metabolomics analysis","authors":"Zikang Zhang , Junyue Wang , Yang Chen , Yanzheng Gao , Chao Qin , Wanting Ling","doi":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106768","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106768","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The continuous input of the steroid estrogen 17β-estradiol (17β-E2) into agricultural soils via organic fertilizers is increasing annually; however, the environmental effects of such inputs on soil microbial communities and functions remain unclear. We aimed to examine the impacts of low- and high-concentration 17β-E2 treatments (LT and HT, respectively) on microbial communities and metabolism in three agricultural soils: yellow-brown earth (YBS), red soil (RS), and black soil (BS). After 4 weeks, the microbial responses varied with both soil type and 17β-E2 concentration. In the LT group, the microbial α-diversity indices of the different soils did not show significant changes, whereas in the HT group, the α-diversity indices of YBS, BS, and RS decreased by 30.68–34.56 %, 35.56–48.43 %, and 14.48–31.11 %, respectively. Distinct phylum-level responses were noted, with Bacillota dominating in YBS, Bacteroidota dominating in BS, and Actinobacteria (LT) shifting to Pseudomonadota (HT) in RS. Differential metabolites strongly correlated with these microbial shifts (<em>r</em> > 0.6, <em>p</em> < 0.05). LT downregulated metabolites in the ABC transporter, phosphotransferase system, and starch/sucrose metabolism pathways. HT further suppressed metabolites in the cutin, suberin, and wax metabolism pathways. In BS and RS, HT also impaired metabolites linked to carbon and nitrogen cycling and amino acid metabolism. These findings suggest that low-concentration 17β-E2 exposure may shift microbial metabolism toward more recalcitrant carbon, whereas high-concentration exposure may further disrupt complex organic degradation and nitrogen-related functions. This study provides critical insights into the effects of steroid estrogens on soil microbiomes and biogeochemical processes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8099,"journal":{"name":"Applied Soil Ecology","volume":"219 ","pages":"Article 106768"},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145923265","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}
Pub Date : 2026-01-05DOI: 10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106765
Jinghan Yue , Yuejiao He , Wenjing Ma , Cancan Zhao , Yinzhan Liu , Li Zhang , Guoyong Li , Yaojun Zhang
Microplastic pollution increasingly threatens soil health in agroecosystems, while arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) offer potential mitigation strategies. However, the combined effects of AMF and microplastic on soil nematodes remain poorly understood. This study evaluates the individual and interactive effects of AMF inoculation (0.96 % w/w) and microplastic contamination (0–0.60 % w/w) on soil nematode communities in peanut croplands. The results showed that among 57 identified nematode genera, AMF increased the maturity index of plant-parasitic nematodes (PPI) by 89.8 % and amplified metabolic footprints of fungivorous (Fu) and plant-parasitic (PP) groups, indicating enhanced energy channeling via root exudate-mediated pathways. Microplastics exhibited concentration-dependent impacts: low doses (0.06 %) elevated total nematode abundance by 74.4 % and bacterivore (Ba) metabolic activity, likely through microplastic-surface bacterial colonization. Higher concentrations (0.30–0.60 %) reduced total nematode abundance by 27.3–27.9 %, reflecting physical toxicity from sub-50 μm fragments. Soil pH and available phosphorus emerged as key factors driving community restructuring, with pH negatively correlating with nematode diversity, and available phosphorus positively influencing trophic group composition. These findings demonstrate AMF's dual role in enhancing plant-parasite resistance under microplastic stress while exacerbating nutrient imbalances at high contamination levels. We propose AMF application as a bioremediation tool for soils with ≤0.30 % microplastic contamination, coupled with regulatory thresholds to curb trophic cascade disruptions. This work advances strategies for sustainable soil management in plastic-polluted agroecosystems.
{"title":"Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi mitigate microplastic-induced shifts in soil nematode communities","authors":"Jinghan Yue , Yuejiao He , Wenjing Ma , Cancan Zhao , Yinzhan Liu , Li Zhang , Guoyong Li , Yaojun Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106765","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106765","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Microplastic pollution increasingly threatens soil health in agroecosystems, while arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) offer potential mitigation strategies. However, the combined effects of AMF and microplastic on soil nematodes remain poorly understood. This study evaluates the individual and interactive effects of AMF inoculation (0.96 % <em>w</em>/w) and microplastic contamination (0–0.60 % w/w) on soil nematode communities in peanut croplands. The results showed that among 57 identified nematode genera, AMF increased the maturity index of plant-parasitic nematodes (PPI) by 89.8 % and amplified metabolic footprints of fungivorous (Fu) and plant-parasitic (PP) groups, indicating enhanced energy channeling via root exudate-mediated pathways. Microplastics exhibited concentration-dependent impacts: low doses (0.06 %) elevated total nematode abundance by 74.4 % and bacterivore (Ba) metabolic activity, likely through microplastic-surface bacterial colonization. Higher concentrations (0.30–0.60 %) reduced total nematode abundance by 27.3–27.9 %, reflecting physical toxicity from sub-50 μm fragments. Soil pH and available phosphorus emerged as key factors driving community restructuring, with pH negatively correlating with nematode diversity, and available phosphorus positively influencing trophic group composition. These findings demonstrate AMF's dual role in enhancing plant-parasite resistance under microplastic stress while exacerbating nutrient imbalances at high contamination levels. We propose AMF application as a bioremediation tool for soils with ≤0.30 % microplastic contamination, coupled with regulatory thresholds to curb trophic cascade disruptions. This work advances strategies for sustainable soil management in plastic-polluted agroecosystems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8099,"journal":{"name":"Applied Soil Ecology","volume":"219 ","pages":"Article 106765"},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145923266","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}
Plastics offer significant benefits but also pose serious environmental concerns, especially in areas of intensive livestock production where they frequently coexist in soil with veterinary drugs such as albendazole (ABZ), a broad-spectrum anthelmintic. ABZ can enter soil ecosystems either directly through cattle excretion or indirectly via the application of contaminated manure, raising concerns about its potential harmful effects on soil health. Collembola play a vital role in soil ecosystems through organic matter decomposition and nutrient cycling and the species Folsomia candida is widely used in ecotoxicological studies due to its sensitivity to pollutants. This study examined the individual and combined effects of 28-day exposure to low-density polyethylene (LDPE) microplastics (MPs) at 0 and 0.1 w/w% (0 and 1000 mg kg−1), alone or in combination with ABZ at 0, 0.0001, 0.1, and 1 w/w % (0, 1, 1000, and 10,000 mg kg−1) on F. candida in a sandy soil (LUFA 2.2.). Results showed that LDPE alone had no lethal or reproductive effects on F. candida, while ABZ, either alone or with MPs, significantly reduced the insect reproduction, pointing at ABZ as the key driver of the adverse effects. Reproductive inhibition was observed even at 1 mg kg−1, suggesting that ABZ may affect soil mesofauna at concentrations that can occur in manure-amended agricultural soils. The absence of differences in F. candida survival and reproduction suggests no synergistic effects between ABZ and MPs, nor any potential co-action mechanisms influencing ABZ behaviour under the specific experimental conditions, including soil substrate characteristics.
塑料带来了巨大的好处，但也带来了严重的环境问题，特别是在集约化畜牧生产地区，塑料经常与阿苯达唑（ABZ）等兽药共存于土壤中，这是一种广谱驱虫剂。ABZ可以通过牛的排泄物直接进入土壤生态系统，也可以通过施用受污染的粪便间接进入土壤生态系统，这引起了人们对其对土壤健康潜在有害影响的担忧。弹线虫通过有机物分解和养分循环在土壤生态系统中起着至关重要的作用，假丝酵母菌因其对污染物的敏感性而被广泛应用于生态毒理学研究。本研究考察了低密度聚乙烯（LDPE）微塑料（MPs）在0和0.1 w/w%（0和1000 mg kg - 1）下单独或与ABZ在0、0.0001、0.1和1 w/w%（0、1、1000和10000 mg kg - 1）下暴露28天对沙质土壤中假丝酵母的个体和组合影响（LUFA 2.2）。结果表明，LDPE单独对假丝酵母菌没有致死和繁殖作用，而ABZ单独或与MPs联合使用均显著降低了假丝酵母菌的繁殖，表明ABZ是其不良作用的关键驱动因素。即使在1 mg kg−1的浓度下也观察到生殖抑制，这表明ABZ可能在肥料改良的农业土壤中对土壤中系动物产生影响。假丝酵母菌的存活和繁殖没有差异，这表明ABZ和MPs之间没有协同效应，也没有任何潜在的共同作用机制影响ABZ在特定实验条件下的行为，包括土壤基质特征。
{"title":"Ecotoxicological impact of Albendazole and low-density polyethylene microplastics on the collembola Folsomia candida (Willem, 1902)","authors":"Bartolo Forestieri , Diego Voccia , Lucrezia Lamastra , Esperanza Huerta Lwanga , Dimitrios G. Karpouzas , Cristina Nuzzi , Ilaria Negri","doi":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106764","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106764","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Plastics offer significant benefits but also pose serious environmental concerns, especially in areas of intensive livestock production where they frequently coexist in soil with veterinary drugs such as albendazole (ABZ), a broad-spectrum anthelmintic. ABZ can enter soil ecosystems either directly through cattle excretion or indirectly via the application of contaminated manure, raising concerns about its potential harmful effects on soil health. Collembola play a vital role in soil ecosystems through organic matter decomposition and nutrient cycling and the species <em>Folsomia candida</em> is widely used in ecotoxicological studies due to its sensitivity to pollutants. This study examined the individual and combined effects of 28-day exposure to low-density polyethylene (LDPE) microplastics (MPs) at 0 and 0.1 <em>w</em>/w% (0 and 1000 mg kg<sup>−1</sup>), alone or in combination with ABZ at 0, 0.0001, 0.1, and 1 w/w % (0, 1, 1000, and 10,000 mg kg<sup>−1</sup>) on <em>F. candida</em> in a sandy soil (LUFA 2.2.). Results showed that LDPE alone had no lethal or reproductive effects on <em>F. candida</em>, while ABZ, either alone or with MPs, significantly reduced the insect reproduction, pointing at ABZ as the key driver of the adverse effects. Reproductive inhibition was observed even at 1 mg kg<sup>−1</sup>, suggesting that ABZ may affect soil mesofauna at concentrations that can occur in manure-amended agricultural soils. The absence of differences in <em>F. candida</em> survival and reproduction suggests no synergistic effects between ABZ and MPs, nor any potential co-action mechanisms influencing ABZ behaviour under the specific experimental conditions, including soil substrate characteristics.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8099,"journal":{"name":"Applied Soil Ecology","volume":"219 ","pages":"Article 106764"},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145923268","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}
Pub Date : 2026-01-05DOI: 10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106756
Dongli Li , Zhenghu Zhou , Ruihan Li , Ying Jin , Chunhua Lv
Plant-fungus interactions in the rhizosphere play a vital role in regulating soil ecosystem processes, yet the coordination between fine root and fungal traits and their impact on rhizosphere soil multifunctionality remains poorly understood. Here, we compared fine root and fungal traits of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) and ectomycorrhizal (ECM) tree species in northeast China and assessed their influence on rhizosphere soil multifunctionality. The results showed that ECM tree species exhibited a more conservative root strategy, with greater root diameter, higher tissue density, and lower specific root length and nitrogen content compared with AM tree species. Fungal communities in ECM rhizosphere also showed a slower strategy, with higher fungal oligotroph/copiotroph ratio, greater relative abundance of mycorrhizal fungi, larger genome sizes, and smaller body sizes than those in AM rhizosphere. The positive correlation between the first principal component of fine root traits and that of rhizosphere fungal traits indicates a coordinated strategy, where faster acquisitive fine-root strategies select for faster fungal strategies in the rhizosphere, characterized by lower relative abundance of mycorrhizal fungi, smaller genomes, and larger body sizes of copiotrophic fungi. Notably, rhizosphere soil multifunctionality was significantly higher in AM tree species compared with ECM tree species, likely driven by the fast resource-acquisition strategies of both fine roots and rhizosphere fungal communities. These findings collectively highlight the pivotal roles of fine root and fungal traits in shaping rhizosphere soil multifunctionality in temperate forests.
{"title":"Linking fine root and fungal traits to rhizosphere soil multifunctionality in a temperate forest","authors":"Dongli Li , Zhenghu Zhou , Ruihan Li , Ying Jin , Chunhua Lv","doi":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106756","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106756","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Plant-fungus interactions in the rhizosphere play a vital role in regulating soil ecosystem processes, yet the coordination between fine root and fungal traits and their impact on rhizosphere soil multifunctionality remains poorly understood. Here, we compared fine root and fungal traits of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) and ectomycorrhizal (ECM) tree species in northeast China and assessed their influence on rhizosphere soil multifunctionality. The results showed that ECM tree species exhibited a more conservative root strategy, with greater root diameter, higher tissue density, and lower specific root length and nitrogen content compared with AM tree species. Fungal communities in ECM rhizosphere also showed a slower strategy, with higher fungal oligotroph/copiotroph ratio, greater relative abundance of mycorrhizal fungi, larger genome sizes, and smaller body sizes than those in AM rhizosphere. The positive correlation between the first principal component of fine root traits and that of rhizosphere fungal traits indicates a coordinated strategy, where faster acquisitive fine-root strategies select for faster fungal strategies in the rhizosphere, characterized by lower relative abundance of mycorrhizal fungi, smaller genomes, and larger body sizes of copiotrophic fungi. Notably, rhizosphere soil multifunctionality was significantly higher in AM tree species compared with ECM tree species, likely driven by the fast resource-acquisition strategies of both fine roots and rhizosphere fungal communities. These findings collectively highlight the pivotal roles of fine root and fungal traits in shaping rhizosphere soil multifunctionality in temperate forests.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8099,"journal":{"name":"Applied Soil Ecology","volume":"219 ","pages":"Article 106756"},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145923320","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}
Pub Date : 2026-01-05DOI: 10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106761
Mona Merkle , Stefan Scheu
Biodiversity loss threatens ecosystem functions, including decomposition and nutrient cycling. We investigated whether Collembola (springtails), key soil decomposers, adjust their trophic positions in response to plant diversity in a long-term temperate grassland experiment (the Jena Experiment). Using stable isotope analysis (13C, 15N), we examined trophic positions of five Collembola families across a gradient of plant species richness and plant- and soil-history treatments. In June 2021, Collembola and plant material were sampled across 240 plots. Collembola families spanned about one trophic level, forming part of the first two trophic levels of the soil food web with relatively narrow basal resource use. Our results demonstrate that Collembola trophic niches were significantly affected by soil history and legume presence. Plant diversity had a weak effect on Collembola trophic niches. Notably, the trophic position of Onychiuroidea increased from monocultures to 60 species plots by about one trophic level in new soil, suggesting a dietary shift from root feeding to microbial consumption. By contrast, the trophic position of Isotomidae decreased by about 1/3 trophic level, likely reflecting a shift towards more detrital food. Overall, the trophic level (Δ15N values) of Collembola was more strongly affected than their use of basal resources (Δ13C values). Importantly, this study is the first to document how Collembola shift trophic roles due to changes in plant diversity and soil history — offering new insights into soil food web dynamics. The findings highlight trophic flexibility of belowground detritivores, with implications for ecosystem functioning under biodiversity loss and land-use change.
{"title":"Plant diversity changes the trophic position of Collembola in temperate grassland","authors":"Mona Merkle , Stefan Scheu","doi":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106761","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106761","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Biodiversity loss threatens ecosystem functions, including decomposition and nutrient cycling. We investigated whether Collembola (springtails), key soil decomposers, adjust their trophic positions in response to plant diversity in a long-term temperate grassland experiment (the Jena Experiment). Using stable isotope analysis (<sup>13</sup>C, <sup>15</sup>N), we examined trophic positions of five Collembola families across a gradient of plant species richness and plant- and soil-history treatments. In June 2021, Collembola and plant material were sampled across 240 plots. Collembola families spanned about one trophic level, forming part of the first two trophic levels of the soil food web with relatively narrow basal resource use. Our results demonstrate that Collembola trophic niches were significantly affected by soil history and legume presence. Plant diversity had a weak effect on Collembola trophic niches. Notably, the trophic position of Onychiuroidea increased from monocultures to 60 species plots by about one trophic level in new soil, suggesting a dietary shift from root feeding to microbial consumption. By contrast, the trophic position of Isotomidae decreased by about 1/3 trophic level, likely reflecting a shift towards more detrital food. Overall, the trophic level (Δ<sup>15</sup>N values) of Collembola was more strongly affected than their use of basal resources (Δ<sup>13</sup>C values). Importantly, this study is the first to document how Collembola shift trophic roles due to changes in plant diversity and soil history — offering new insights into soil food web dynamics. The findings highlight trophic flexibility of belowground detritivores, with implications for ecosystem functioning under biodiversity loss and land-use change.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8099,"journal":{"name":"Applied Soil Ecology","volume":"219 ","pages":"Article 106761"},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145923270","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}
Pub Date : 2026-01-05DOI: 10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106754
Yue Zhang , Zenghui Jia
<div><h3>Context</h3><div>Accurate farmland soil organic carbon (SOC) modeling in space and time, and the prediction of its future carbon sequestration potential, can help improve soil quality, increase grain yield, and plan farm management strategies in response to climate changes.</div></div><div><h3>Research question</h3><div>Process-based models simulate soil carbon at the site scale, while the widely applied machine learning (ML) based digital soil mapping (DSM) techniques cannot incorporate the carbon cycle process on the land surface. Therefore, reliable monitoring of spatio-temporal SOC storage in agricultural soils remains constrained.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>In this study, we collected 249 paired SOC observations under different farm managements from 35 published articles conducted in the Central Jilin Province of China during 1980–2004, to evaluate SOC simulation results from the DeNitrification-DeComposition (DNDC) model. Furthermore, a total of 1947 farmland SOC data (0–20 cm) was collected in 2005, 2010, 2015, 2020, and 2024. Twenty-one environmental variables including topography, climate, soil, parent material, vegetation, and farm management, were selected as the covariates for the random forest (RF) model. Then, the DNDC-RF framework was established by integrating the annual DNDC outputs (e.g., SOC and CO<sub>2</sub>) into the RF model, extending the site-scale simulations to the spatio-temporal dynamics of farmland SOC over the period of 2005–2024. Based on the DNDC-RF results, SOC sequestration potential was predicted under two future climate scenarios (RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5) and diverse farm managements, spanning the period from 2025 to 2100. Four management categories were designed for these future SOC predictions, including tillage [no tillage (NT), reduced tillage (RT), and deep tillage (DT)], straw return (SR), manure fertilization (MF), and chemical fertilization (CF).</div></div><div><h3>Results and conclusions</h3><div>The DNDC-RF framework exhibited good prediction accuracies in the spatio-temporal SOC prediction, with relatively high R<sup>2</sup> values (0.78, 0.75, 0.80, 0.85, and 0.79) and low root-mean-square error (RMSE) (1.15, 1.21, 1.09, 0.99, and 1.09 g kg<sup>−1</sup>) for the validation dataset in 2005, 2010, 2015, 2020, and 2024, respectively. Under different managements, MF and its related practices showed the highest increasing rates of SOC under future climate scenarios from 2025 to 2100. The highest increasing rate was observed under MF + CF + SR, with 1386–4999, 640–2099, and 494–1622 kg C ha<sup>−1</sup> yr<sup>−1</sup> for short-term (<3 y), mid-term (3–10 y), and long-term (>10 y) periods, respectively.</div></div><div><h3>Significance</h3><div>Our hybrid framework improved the spatio-temporal soil carbon mapping approach in terms of physical mechanism and spatial extension. These findings highlighted the importance of selecting optimal management strategies to enhance soil carbon
准确的农田土壤有机碳（SOC）时空模型及其未来固碳潜力预测，有助于改善土壤质量、提高粮食产量和制定应对气候变化的农业管理策略。研究问题：基于过程的模型模拟场地尺度的土壤碳，而广泛应用的基于机器学习（ML）的数字土壤制图（DSM）技术无法将地表的碳循环过程纳入其中。因此，农业土壤有机碳时空存储的可靠监测仍然受到限制。方法利用1980-2004年在吉林省中部地区发表的35篇论文中249组不同农场经营方式下的有机碳观测数据，对反硝化分解（DNDC）模型的模拟结果进行评价。2005年、2010年、2015年、2020年和2024年共收集了1947个0 ~ 20 cm农田土壤有机碳数据。选取地形、气候、土壤、母质、植被和农场管理等21个环境变量作为随机森林（RF）模型的协变量。在此基础上，通过将土壤有机碳和二氧化碳等土壤有机碳的年度输出数据整合到土壤有机碳模型中，建立了土壤有机碳-土壤有机碳模型框架，并将场地尺度的模拟扩展到2005-2024年农田土壤有机碳的时空动态。基于DNDC-RF结果，预测了2025 - 2100年两种气候情景（RCP 4.5和RCP 8.5）和不同农场管理模式下的碳固存潜力。为预测未来碳含量，设计了4个管理类别，包括免耕（NT）、免耕（RT）和深耕（DT）、秸秆还田（SR）、粪肥施肥（MF）和化学施肥（CF）。结果与结论DNDC-RF框架在2005年、2010年、2015年、2020年和2024年验证数据的时空SOC预测中具有较高的R2值（0.78、0.75、0.80、0.85和0.79）和较低的均方根误差（RMSE）（1.15、1.21、1.09、0.99和1.09 g kg−1）。在不同的管理方式下，MF及其相关实践在2025 - 2100年的未来气候情景下显示出最高的SOC增长率。MF + CF + SR的增加速率最高，短期（3年）、中期（3 - 10年）和长期（10年）的增加速率分别为1386-4999、640-2099和494-1622 kg C / ha−1年−1。本文的混合框架在物理机制和空间扩展方面改进了土壤碳时空制图方法。这些发现强调了选择最佳管理战略以加强土壤固碳以支持未来气候减缓目标的重要性。
{"title":"DNDC-RF framework based regional soil organic carbon modeling and carbon sequestration potential prediction under climate and farm management scenarios","authors":"Yue Zhang , Zenghui Jia","doi":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106754","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106754","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Context</h3><div>Accurate farmland soil organic carbon (SOC) modeling in space and time, and the prediction of its future carbon sequestration potential, can help improve soil quality, increase grain yield, and plan farm management strategies in response to climate changes.</div></div><div><h3>Research question</h3><div>Process-based models simulate soil carbon at the site scale, while the widely applied machine learning (ML) based digital soil mapping (DSM) techniques cannot incorporate the carbon cycle process on the land surface. Therefore, reliable monitoring of spatio-temporal SOC storage in agricultural soils remains constrained.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>In this study, we collected 249 paired SOC observations under different farm managements from 35 published articles conducted in the Central Jilin Province of China during 1980–2004, to evaluate SOC simulation results from the DeNitrification-DeComposition (DNDC) model. Furthermore, a total of 1947 farmland SOC data (0–20 cm) was collected in 2005, 2010, 2015, 2020, and 2024. Twenty-one environmental variables including topography, climate, soil, parent material, vegetation, and farm management, were selected as the covariates for the random forest (RF) model. Then, the DNDC-RF framework was established by integrating the annual DNDC outputs (e.g., SOC and CO<sub>2</sub>) into the RF model, extending the site-scale simulations to the spatio-temporal dynamics of farmland SOC over the period of 2005–2024. Based on the DNDC-RF results, SOC sequestration potential was predicted under two future climate scenarios (RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5) and diverse farm managements, spanning the period from 2025 to 2100. Four management categories were designed for these future SOC predictions, including tillage [no tillage (NT), reduced tillage (RT), and deep tillage (DT)], straw return (SR), manure fertilization (MF), and chemical fertilization (CF).</div></div><div><h3>Results and conclusions</h3><div>The DNDC-RF framework exhibited good prediction accuracies in the spatio-temporal SOC prediction, with relatively high R<sup>2</sup> values (0.78, 0.75, 0.80, 0.85, and 0.79) and low root-mean-square error (RMSE) (1.15, 1.21, 1.09, 0.99, and 1.09 g kg<sup>−1</sup>) for the validation dataset in 2005, 2010, 2015, 2020, and 2024, respectively. Under different managements, MF and its related practices showed the highest increasing rates of SOC under future climate scenarios from 2025 to 2100. The highest increasing rate was observed under MF + CF + SR, with 1386–4999, 640–2099, and 494–1622 kg C ha<sup>−1</sup> yr<sup>−1</sup> for short-term (<3 y), mid-term (3–10 y), and long-term (>10 y) periods, respectively.</div></div><div><h3>Significance</h3><div>Our hybrid framework improved the spatio-temporal soil carbon mapping approach in terms of physical mechanism and spatial extension. These findings highlighted the importance of selecting optimal management strategies to enhance soil carbon ","PeriodicalId":8099,"journal":{"name":"Applied Soil Ecology","volume":"219 ","pages":"Article 106754"},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145923267","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}
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