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Changes in soil Cd contents and microbial communities following Cd-containing straw return
Haojie Xu1, Yu Huang1, Xinquan Xiong1
1Institute of Soil and Water Resources and Environmental Science, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China; Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Agricultural Resources and Environment, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
Adding cadmium (Cd)-contaminated rice straw to soil significantly increases soil Cd levels and alters microbial communities. This practice poses environmental risks by releasing bioavailable Cd and impacting soil biodiversity.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Soil Science
- Microbiology
Background:
- Soil cadmium (Cd) contamination poses risks to food safety and human health.
- Crop straws from contaminated soils can accumulate significant amounts of Cd, potentially impacting soil environments upon application.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of Cd-contaminated rice straw on soil Cd dynamics.
- To analyze the impact of Cd-containing straw on soil microbial community structure and diversity.
Main Methods:
- Rice straw with varying Cd concentrations was added to soil at 5% (w/w).
- Soil Cd dynamics, including total and bioavailable Cd, were monitored.
- Soil microbial communities (bacterial and fungal) were analyzed for diversity and abundance changes.
Main Results:
- Decomposition of Cd-containing straw released substantial amounts of Cd, increasing total soil Cd above screening values.
- Alpha-diversity of bacterial and fungal communities decreased with Cd-containing straw application.
- Cd-containing straw altered microbial community composition, increasing Cd-tolerant species like Acidobacteria, Proteobacteria, Basidiomycota, and Fusarium, while decreasing others like Firmicutes.
Conclusions:
- Direct application of Cd-containing rice straw increases soil Cd bioavailability and poses environmental risks.
- Cd-contaminated straw application significantly restructures soil microbial communities, favoring Cd-tolerant taxa.
