Effects of a Diatom–<i>Bacillus megatherium</i> Biocrust on Nutrient Limitation and Ryegrass Growth in Fluvo-Aquic Soil Along the Yellow River
Xuejia Zheng,
Jiachen Pan,
Zhongjin Sun,
Zhencui Jiang,
Shiwei Chen,
Yanhui Liu,
Yuyang Li,
Xin Li,
Xiaoting Sun,
Ning Ma,
Chen Li,
Yang Li,
Jiaxin Wei,
Congzhi Zhang,
Zhi Dong,
Qicong Wu
Affiliations
Xuejia Zheng
Co-Innovation Center of Soil and Water Conservation and Forest and Grass Ecological Conservation in the Yellow River Basin of Shandong Province, College of Forestry, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an 271018, China
Jiachen Pan
Co-Innovation Center of Soil and Water Conservation and Forest and Grass Ecological Conservation in the Yellow River Basin of Shandong Province, College of Forestry, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an 271018, China
Zhongjin Sun
Shandong Provincial Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources No.2 Geological Brigade, Shandong Provincial Lunan Geology and Exploration Institute, Jining 272100, China
Zhencui Jiang
Yantai Agricultural Technology Extension Center, Yantai 264000, China
Shiwei Chen
Shandong Rural Science and Technology Education and Training Center, Shandong Agricultural Radio and Television School, Jinan 250100, China
Yanhui Liu
Jingtai County Agricultural Technology Extension and Service Center, Baiyin 730400, China
Yuyang Li
Co-Innovation Center of Soil and Water Conservation and Forest and Grass Ecological Conservation in the Yellow River Basin of Shandong Province, College of Forestry, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an 271018, China
Xin Li
Co-Innovation Center of Soil and Water Conservation and Forest and Grass Ecological Conservation in the Yellow River Basin of Shandong Province, College of Forestry, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an 271018, China
Xiaoting Sun
Co-Innovation Center of Soil and Water Conservation and Forest and Grass Ecological Conservation in the Yellow River Basin of Shandong Province, College of Forestry, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an 271018, China
Ning Ma
Co-Innovation Center of Soil and Water Conservation and Forest and Grass Ecological Conservation in the Yellow River Basin of Shandong Province, College of Forestry, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an 271018, China
Chen Li
Co-Innovation Center of Soil and Water Conservation and Forest and Grass Ecological Conservation in the Yellow River Basin of Shandong Province, College of Forestry, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an 271018, China
Yang Li
Co-Innovation Center of Soil and Water Conservation and Forest and Grass Ecological Conservation in the Yellow River Basin of Shandong Province, College of Forestry, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an 271018, China
Jiaxin Wei
Co-Innovation Center of Soil and Water Conservation and Forest and Grass Ecological Conservation in the Yellow River Basin of Shandong Province, College of Forestry, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an 271018, China
Congzhi Zhang
State Experimental Station of Agro-Ecosystem in Fengqiu, State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 211135, China
Zhi Dong
Co-Innovation Center of Soil and Water Conservation and Forest and Grass Ecological Conservation in the Yellow River Basin of Shandong Province, College of Forestry, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an 271018, China
Qicong Wu
Co-Innovation Center of Soil and Water Conservation and Forest and Grass Ecological Conservation in the Yellow River Basin of Shandong Province, College of Forestry, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an 271018, China
Biological soil crusts (biocrusts) promote plant growth by regulating soil nutrient dynamics and enhancing soil structure through the microorganisms they host. However, their impact on microbial nutrient limitation, a critical factor in nutrient cycling, remains underexplored. This study hypothesized that different types of biocrusts modulate soil nutrient limitations, influencing plant growth. A pot experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of four treatments—control, diatom, Bacillus megatherium, and diatom–B. megatherium biocrusts—on soil structure, nutrient availability, microbial nutrient limitation, and ryegrass growth after 40 days of cultivation. The results indicated that the B. megatherium treatment exacerbated microbial C and N limitations and reduced available phosphorus (by 41.80%) and ryegrass biomass (by 29.19%) compared to the control. The diatom-B. megatherium treatment alleviated nutrient limitations but increased nutrient competition between soil microbes and plants, impairing plant performance. In contrast, the diatom treatment enhanced soil structure, alleviated microbial nutrient limitations, and significantly improved total capillary porosity (by 10%), available phosphorus (by 22.91%), saturated water content (by 21.81%), and ryegrass biomass (by 76.05%) while reducing soil bulk density (by 9.63%). These findings provide practical insights and a theoretical foundation for utilizing biocrusts to improve fluvo-aquic soil quality and promote sustainable plant growth.
