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Updated: Sep 18, 2025

Experimental Protocol for Manipulating Plant-induced Soil Heterogeneity
Published on: March 13, 2014
Response of biological nitrogen-fixation to polychlorinated biphenyls varies with soil type and associated
Wenbo Hu1, Xiaomi Wang1, Yongfeng Xu1
1State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 211135, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 211135, China.
Abstract:
Biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) by diazotrophs is a fundamental process that sustains life on Earth and represents a critical natural source of bioavailable nitrogen in nitrogen-limited, organically polluted soils. However, there is limited knowledge regarding the effects of organic pollutants on the structure and function of diazotrophic communities across different soil types. This study investigated the relationship between changes in the structure and function of the soil diazotrophs and the effects of the representative pollutant tetrachlorobiphenyl (PCB52) across three soil types, paddy soil (PS), black soil (BS), and red soil (RS), corresponding to Anthrosols, Mollisols, and Ultisols, respectively, using soil microcosms. Specifically, short-term PCB52 exposure induced differential nitrogenase responses: activity in PS and RS increased significantly by 51 % and 66 %, respectively, while RS and BS exhibited a characteristic inhibition-recovery pattern overall. Diazotrophic abundance across all soils demonstrated a biphasic response to PCB52 contamination, characterized by transient suppression preceding subsequent proliferation. Soil type exhibited a greater influence on the structure and diversity of the soil diazotrophic community compared to PCB52 contamination, with the diazotrophic community in BS showing greater stability than those in PS and RS. Furthermore, PCB52-enriched diazotrophs across soils exhibited organic pollutant degradation potential, particularly Cyanophyceae demonstrating time-dependent positive responses. These findings elucidate the BNF dynamics and diazotrophic mechanisms under PCB stress across different soil types, providing a scientific foundation of bioremediation strategies for contaminated soil.
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