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Extraction and Analysis of Microbial Phospholipid Fatty Acids in Soils
Published on: August 26, 2016
Phosphorus Fertilization Boosts Mineral-Associated Soil Organic Carbon Formation Associated with Phagotrophic
Lin Chen1, Xiuli Xin1, Jingwang Li1,2
1Fengqiu Experimental Station of National Ecosystem Research Network of China, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, East Beijing Road No. 71, Nanjing, 210008, Jiangsu Province, China.
Abstract:
Long-term fertilization affects soil organic C accumulation. A growing body of research has revealed critical roles of bacteria in soil organic C accumulation, particularly through mineral-associated organic C (MAOC) formation. Protists are essential components of soil microbiome, but the relationships between MAOC formation and protists under long-term fertilization remain unclear. Here, we used cropland soil from a long-term fertilization field trial and conducted two microcosm experiments with 13C-glucose addition to investigate the effects of N and P fertilizations on MAOC formation and the relationships with protists. The results showed that long-term fertilization (especially P fertilization) significantly (P < 0.05) increased 13C-MAOC content. Compared with P-deficient treatment, P replenishment enriched the number of protists (mainly Amoebozoa and Cercozoa) and bacteria (mainly Acidobacteriota, Bacteroidota, and Gammaproteobacteria), and significantly (P < 0.001) promoted the abundances of bacterial functional genes controlling C, N, P, and S metabolisms. The community composition of phagotrophic protists prominently (P < 0.001) correlated with the bacterial community composition, bacterial functional gene abundance, and 13C-MAOC content. Co-occurrence networks of phagotrophic protists and bacteria were more connected in soil with the N inoculum added than in soil with the NP inoculum added. P replenishment strengthened bacterial 13C assimilation (i.e., 13C-phospholipid fatty acid content), which negatively (P < 0.05) correlated with the number and relative abundance of phagotrophic Cercozoa. Together, these results suggested that P fertilization boosts MAOC formation associated with phagotrophic protists. Our study paves the way for future research to harness the potential of protists to promote belowground C accrual in agroecosystems.
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