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Iqbal S, Xu J, Arif MS, Worthy FR, Jones DL, Khan S, Alharbi SA, Filimonenko E, Nadir S, Bu D, Shakoor A, Gui H, Schaefer DA, Kuzyakov Y. Do Added Microplastics, Native Soil Properties, and Prevailing Climatic Conditions Have Consequences for Carbon and Nitrogen Contents in Soil? A Global Data Synthesis of Pot and Greenhouse Studies. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024; 58:8464-8479. [PMID: 38701232 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c10247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/05/2024]
Abstract
Microplastics threaten soil ecosystems, strongly influencing carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) contents. Interactions between microplastic properties and climatic and edaphic factors are poorly understood. We conducted a meta-analysis to assess the interactive effects of microplastic properties (type, shape, size, and content), native soil properties (texture, pH, and dissolved organic carbon (DOC)) and climatic factors (precipitation and temperature) on C and N contents in soil. We found that low-density polyethylene reduced total nitrogen (TN) content, whereas biodegradable polylactic acid led to a decrease in soil organic carbon (SOC). Microplastic fragments especially depleted TN, reducing aggregate stability, increasing N-mineralization and leaching, and consequently increasing the soil C/N ratio. Microplastic size affected outcomes; those <200 μm reduced both TN and SOC contents. Mineralization-induced nutrient losses were greatest at microplastic contents between 1 and 2.5% of soil weight. Sandy soils suffered the highest microplastic contamination-induced nutrient depletion. Alkaline soils showed the greatest SOC depletion, suggesting high SOC degradability. In low-DOC soils, microplastic contamination caused 2-fold greater TN depletion than in soils with high DOC. Sites with high precipitation and temperature had greatest decrease in TN and SOC contents. In conclusion, there are complex interactions determining microplastic impacts on soil health. Microplastic contamination always risks soil C and N depletion, but the severity depends on microplastic characteristics, native soil properties, and climatic conditions, with potential exacerbation by greenhouse emission-induced climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shahid Iqbal
- Department of Economic Plants and Biotechnology, Yunnan Key Laboratory for Wild Plant Resources, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650201, Yunnan, China
- Honghe Centre for Mountain Futures, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Honghe 654400, Yunnan, China
| | - Jianchu Xu
- Honghe Centre for Mountain Futures, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Honghe 654400, Yunnan, China
- CIFOR-ICRAF China Program, World Agroforestry (ICRAF), Kunming 650201, Yunnan, China
| | - Muhammad Saleem Arif
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Government College University Faisalabad, Allama Iqbal Road, Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan
| | - Fiona R Worthy
- Yunnan Key Laboratory for Fungal Diversity and Green Development, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650201, Yunnan, China
| | - Davey L Jones
- School of Natural Sciences, Environment Centre Wales, Bangor University, Bangor, Gwynedd LL57 2UW, U.K
- Soils West, Centre for Sustainable Farming Systems, Food Futures Institute, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA 6105, Australia
| | - Sehroon Khan
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Science and Technology Bannu, Main Campus Bannu-Township, Bannu 28100, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
| | - Sulaiman Ali Alharbi
- Department of Botany and Microbiology, College of Science, King Saud University, P.O Box 2455, Riyadh 11451, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Ekaterina Filimonenko
- Center for Isotope Biogeochemistry, University of Tyumen, Volodarskogo Str., 6, Tyumen 625003, Russia
| | - Sadia Nadir
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Science and Technology Bannu, Main Campus Bannu-Township, Bannu 28100, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
| | - Dengpan Bu
- Joint Laboratory on Integrated Crop-Tree-Livestock Systems, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR), and World Agroforestry Center (ICRAF), Beijing 100193, China
| | - Awais Shakoor
- Teagasc, Environment, Soils and Land Use Department, Johnstown Castle, Co., Wexford Y35 Y521, Ireland
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia
| | - Heng Gui
- Department of Economic Plants and Biotechnology, Yunnan Key Laboratory for Wild Plant Resources, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650201, Yunnan, China
- Honghe Centre for Mountain Futures, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Honghe 654400, Yunnan, China
| | - Douglas Allen Schaefer
- Department of Economic Plants and Biotechnology, Yunnan Key Laboratory for Wild Plant Resources, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650201, Yunnan, China
- Honghe Centre for Mountain Futures, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Honghe 654400, Yunnan, China
| | - Yakov Kuzyakov
- Department of Soil Science of Temperate Ecosystems, Department of Agricultural Soil Science, University of Goettingen, Goettingen 37077, Germany
- Peoples Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University), Moscow 117198, Russia
- Institute of Environmental SciencesKazan Federal University, Kazan 420049, Russia
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Kazan Federal University, 420049 Kazan, Russia
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Richter FJ, Suter M, Lüscher A, Buchmann N, El Benni N, Feola Conz R, Hartmann M, Jan P, Klaus VH. Effects of management practices on the ecosystem-service multifunctionality of temperate grasslands. Nat Commun 2024; 15:3829. [PMID: 38714701 PMCID: PMC11076620 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48049-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 05/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Human wellbeing depends on ecosystem services, highlighting the need for improving the ecosystem-service multifunctionality of food and feed production systems. We study Swiss agricultural grasslands to assess how employing and combining three widespread aspects of grassland management and their interactions can enhance 22 plot-level ecosystem service indicators, as well as ecosystem-service multifunctionality. The three management aspects we assess are i) organic production system, ii) an eco-scheme prescribing extensive management (without fertilization), and iii) harvest type (pasture vs. meadow). While organic production system and interactions between the three management aspects play a minor role, the main effects of eco-scheme and harvest type considerably shape single services. Moreover, the eco-scheme 'extensive management' and the harvest type 'pasture' enhance plot-scale ecosystem-service multifunctionality, mostly through facilitating cultural services at the expense of provisioning services. These changes in ecosystem-service supply occur mainly via changes in land-use intensity, i.e., reduced fertilizer input and harvest frequency. In conclusion, diversifying grassland management where this is currently homogeneous across farms and landscapes depicts an important first step to improve landscape-scale multifunctionality for sustainable grassland systems. To meet societal ecosystem services demand, the three studied management aspects can be systematically combined to increase ecosystem services that are in short supply.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franziska J Richter
- Grassland Sciences, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland.
| | - Matthias Suter
- Forage Production and Grassland Systems, Agroscope, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Andreas Lüscher
- Forage Production and Grassland Systems, Agroscope, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Nina Buchmann
- Grassland Sciences, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Nadja El Benni
- Sustainability Assessment and Agricultural Management, Agroscope, Ettenhausen, Switzerland
| | - Rafaela Feola Conz
- Sustainable Agroecosystems, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Martin Hartmann
- Sustainable Agroecosystems, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Pierrick Jan
- Managerial Economics in Agriculture, Agroscope, Ettenhausen, Switzerland
| | - Valentin H Klaus
- Grassland Sciences, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
- Forage Production and Grassland Systems, Agroscope, Zürich, Switzerland
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Das S, Mohapatra A, Sahu K, Panday D, Ghimire D, Maharjan B. Nitrogen dynamics as a function of soil types, compaction, and moisture. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0301296. [PMID: 38574046 PMCID: PMC10996285 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0301296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024] Open
Abstract
In this study, the complex interactions between soil types, compaction, and moisture on nitrogen (N) transformation processes such as ammonia (NH3) volatilization, ammonification, nitrification, and denitrification were examined over a 30-day period using a simulated column approach. Two soil types: loam, and sandy loam, were subjected to three compaction treatments-control, surface, and sub-surface compaction-and two moisture regimes, dry and wet. Liquid urea ammonium nitrate (32-0-0) was used as the N fertilizer source at a rate of 200 kg N ha-1. Key indicators of N transformations were measured, including residual concentrations of ammonium (NH4-N) and nitrate (NO3-N), NO3-N leaching, NH3 volatilization, and nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions. Findings revealed that compaction significantly increased residual NH4-N concentrations in deeper soil profiles, with the highest 190.80 mg kg-1 recorded in loam soil under sub-surface compaction and dry conditions. Nitrification rates decreased across both soil types due to compaction, evidenced by elevated residual NH4-N levels. Increased NO3-N leaching was observed in loam soil (178.06 mg L-1), greater than sandy loam (81.11 mg L-1), due to initial higher residual NO3- in loam soil. The interaction of compaction and moisture most affected N2O emissions, with the highest emissions in control treatments during dry weather at 2.88 kg ha -1. Additionally, higher NH3 volatilization was noted in moist sandy loam soil under control conditions at 19.64 kg ha -1. These results highlight the necessity of considering soil texture, moisture, and compaction in implementing sustainable N management strategies in agriculture and suggest recommendations such as avoiding broadcast application in moist sandy loam and loam soil to mitigate NH3 volatilization and enhance N use efficiency, as well as advocating for readjustment of fertilizer rate based on organic matter content to reduce potential NO3-N leaching and N2O emissions, particularly in loam soil.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saurav Das
- Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE, United States of America
| | - Ankita Mohapatra
- Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE, United States of America
- Department of Agronomy, Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology, Odisha, India
| | - Karubakee Sahu
- Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE, United States of America
- Department of Agronomy, Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology, Odisha, India
| | - Dinesh Panday
- Rodale Institute–Pocono Organic Center, Long Pond, PA, United States of America
| | - Deepak Ghimire
- Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE, United States of America
| | - Bijesh Maharjan
- Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE, United States of America
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Yan M, Yang D, He Y, Ma Y, Zhang X, Wang Q, Gao J. Alfalfa Responses to Intensive Soil Compaction: Effects on Plant and Root Growth, Phytohormones and Internal Gene Expression. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 13:953. [PMID: 38611482 PMCID: PMC11013635 DOI: 10.3390/plants13070953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2024] [Revised: 03/04/2024] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024]
Abstract
The perennial legume alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) is of high value in providing cheap and high-nutritive forages. Due to a lack of tillage during the production period, the soil in which alfalfa grows prunes to become compacted through highly mechanized agriculture. Compaction deteriorates the soil's structure and fertility, leading to compromised alfalfa development and productivity. However, the way alfalfa responses to different levels of soil compaction and the underlying molecular mechanism are still unclear. In this study, we systematically evaluated the effects of gradient compacted soil on the growth of different cultivars of alfalfa, especially the root system architecture, phytohormones and internal gene expression profile alterations. The results showed that alfalfa growth was facilitated by moderate soil compaction, but drastically inhibited when compaction was intensified. The inhibition effect was universal across different cultivars, but with different severity. Transcriptomic and physiological studies revealed that the expression of a set of genes regulating the biosynthesis of lignin and flavonoids was significantly repressed in compaction treated alfalfa roots, and this might have resulted in a modified secondary cell wall and xylem vessel formation. Phytohormones, like ABA, are supposed to play pivotal roles in the regulation of the overall responses. These findings provide directions for the improvement of field soil management in alfalfa production and the molecular breeding of alfalfa germplasm with better soil compaction resilience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingke Yan
- College of Grassland Agriculture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
| | - Dongming Yang
- College of Grassland Agriculture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
| | - Yijun He
- College of Grassland Agriculture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yonglong Ma
- College of Grassland Agriculture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
- School of Agronomy, Ningxia University, Yinchuan 750021, China
| | - Xin Zhang
- College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
| | - Quanzhen Wang
- College of Grassland Agriculture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
| | - Jinghui Gao
- College of Grassland Agriculture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
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Galindo-Castañeda T, Hartmann M, Lynch JP. Location: root architecture structures rhizosphere microbial associations. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2024; 75:594-604. [PMID: 37882632 PMCID: PMC10773995 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erad421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023]
Abstract
Root architectural phenotypes are promising targets for crop breeding, but root architectural effects on microbial associations in agricultural fields are not well understood. Architecture determines the location of microbial associations within root systems, which, when integrated with soil vertical gradients, determines the functions and the metabolic capability of rhizosphere microbial communities. We argue that variation in root architecture in crops has important implications for root exudation, microbial recruitment and function, and the decomposition and fate of root tissues and exudates. Recent research has shown that the root microbiome changes along root axes and among root classes, that root tips have a unique microbiome, and that root exudates change within the root system depending on soil physicochemical conditions. Although fresh exudates are produced in larger amounts in root tips, the rhizosphere of mature root segments also plays a role in influencing soil vertical gradients. We argue that more research is needed to understand specific root phenotypes that structure microbial associations and discuss candidate root phenotypes that may determine the location of microbial hotspots within root systems with relevance to agricultural systems.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Martin Hartmann
- Department of Environmental Systems Service, ETH Zürich, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Jonathan P Lynch
- Department of Plant Science, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
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Fuhrmann A, Wilde B, Conz RF, Kantengwa S, Konlambigue M, Masengesho B, Kintche K, Kassa K, Musazura W, Späth L, Gold M, Mathys A, Six J, Hartmann M. Residues from black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) larvae rearing influence the plant-associated soil microbiome in the short term. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:994091. [PMID: 36225364 PMCID: PMC9550165 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.994091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The larvae of the black soldier fly (BSFL, Hermetia illucens) efficiently close resource cycles. Next to the nutrient-rich insect biomass used as animal feed, the residues from the process are promising plant fertilizers. Besides a high nutrient content, the residues contain a diverse microbial community and application to soil can potentially promote soil fertility and agricultural production through the introduction of beneficial microbes. This research assessed the application of the residues on plant-associated bacterial and fungal communities in the rhizosphere of a grass-clover mix in a 42-day greenhouse pot study. Potted soil was amended with BSFL residues (BR+) or conventional compost (CC+) produced by Rwandan waste management companies in parallel to residues and compost sterilized (BR-, CC-) by high-energy electron beam (HEEB) as abiotic controls. The fertilizers were applied at a rate of 150 kg N ha−1. Soil bacterial and fungal communities in both fertilizer and soil were assessed by high-throughput sequencing of ribosomal markers at different times after fertilizer application. Additionally, indicators for soil fertility such as basal respiration, plant yield and soil physicochemical properties were analyzed. Results showed that the application of BSFL residues influenced the soil microbial communities, and especially fungi, stronger than CC fertilizers. These effects on the microbial community structure could partly be attributed to a potential introduction of microbes to the soil by BSFL residues (e.g., members of genus Bacillus) since untreated and sterilized BSFL residues promoted different microbial communities. With respect to the abiotic effects, we emphasize a potential driving role of particular classes of organic matter like fiber and chitin. Indeed, especially taxa associated with decomposition of organic matter (e.g., members of the fungal genus Mortierella) were promoted by the application of BSFL residues. Soil fertility with respect to plant yield (+17% increase compared to unamended control) and basal respiration (+16% increase compared to unamended control) tended to be improved with the addition of BSFL residues. Findings underline the versatile opportunities for soil fertility arising from the application of BSFL residues in plant production and point to further research on quantification of the described effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrian Fuhrmann
- Sustainable Agroecosystems Group, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
- Singapore-ETH Centre, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Benjamin Wilde
- Sustainable Agroecosystems Group, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Rafaela Feola Conz
- Sustainable Agroecosystems Group, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | | | | | | | - Kokou Kintche
- International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Kigali, Rwanda
| | - Kinfe Kassa
- Faculty of Water Supply and Environmental Engineering, Arba Minch University, Arba Minch, Ethiopia
| | - William Musazura
- School of Agricultural, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Kwazulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa
| | - Leonhard Späth
- Sustainable Agroecosystems Group, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
- Transdisciplinary Lab, Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Moritz Gold
- Sustainable Food Processing Laboratory, Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, Department of Health Science and Technology, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
- Department of Sanitation, Water and Solid Waste for Development (Sandec), Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Alexander Mathys
- Sustainable Food Processing Laboratory, Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, Department of Health Science and Technology, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Johan Six
- Sustainable Agroecosystems Group, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Martin Hartmann
- Sustainable Agroecosystems Group, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
- *Correspondence: Martin Hartmann,
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