Soil pH determines microbial utilization strategy for straw-derived hydrophilic and hydrophobic fractions in a Ferralsol

Xiaodong Zheng; Anna Gunina; Yunying Fang; Lukas Van Zwieten; Nanthi Bolan; Xiang Li; Lan Wei; Lianxi Huang; Yufen Huang; Qimei Lin; Hailong Wang; Zhongzhen Liu

doi:10.1007/s44246-023-00075-z

Carbon Research (Dec 2023)

Soil pH determines microbial utilization strategy for straw-derived hydrophilic and hydrophobic fractions in a Ferralsol

Xiaodong Zheng,
Anna Gunina,
Yunying Fang,
Lukas Van Zwieten,
Nanthi Bolan,
Xiang Li,
Lan Wei,
Lianxi Huang,
Yufen Huang,
Qimei Lin,
Hailong Wang,
Zhongzhen Liu

Affiliations

Xiaodong Zheng: Key Laboratory of Plant Nutrition and Fertilizer in South Region, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nutrient Cycling and Farmland Conservation, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Environment, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences
Anna Gunina: Department of Environmental Chemistry, University of Kassel
Yunying Fang: Australian Rivers Institute and School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Nathan Campus
Lukas Van Zwieten: Australian Rivers Institute and School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Nathan Campus
Nanthi Bolan: School of Agriculture and Environment, The UWA Institute of Agriculture, The University of Western Australia
Xiang Li: Key Laboratory of Plant Nutrition and Fertilizer in South Region, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nutrient Cycling and Farmland Conservation, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Environment, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences
Lan Wei: Key Laboratory of Plant Nutrition and Fertilizer in South Region, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nutrient Cycling and Farmland Conservation, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Environment, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences
Lianxi Huang: Key Laboratory of Plant Nutrition and Fertilizer in South Region, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nutrient Cycling and Farmland Conservation, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Environment, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences
Yufen Huang: Key Laboratory of Plant Nutrition and Fertilizer in South Region, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nutrient Cycling and Farmland Conservation, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Environment, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences
Qimei Lin: Key Laboratory of Plant Nutrition and Fertilizer in South Region, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nutrient Cycling and Farmland Conservation, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Environment, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences
Hailong Wang: Biochar Engineering Technology Research Center of Guangdong Province, School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Foshan University
Zhongzhen Liu: Key Laboratory of Plant Nutrition and Fertilizer in South Region, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nutrient Cycling and Farmland Conservation, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Environment, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s44246-023-00075-z
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 2, no. 1
pp. 1 – 12

Abstract

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Abstract Lime is commonly used to neutralize acidic soil in practical farmland management. This study aimed to examine the effect of soil pH change by liming in acidic soil on the mineralization and microbial assimilation of 13C-labelled maize straw-derived hydrophilic and hydrophobic fractions in a 60-d incubation experiment. Our results showed a higher cumulative mineralization of hydrophilic fraction in acidic (34.5%) than neutralized Ferralsol (22.3%), related to lower microbial substrate use efficiency under low soil pH. The cumulative mineralization of hydrophobic fraction was similar between acidic and neutralized Ferralsol. Soil pH affected substrate (hydrophilic and hydrophobic fractions) utilization by actinomycetes and bacteria, but not fungi. The utilization of hydrophilic fraction followed the order: bacteria (57–68%) > actinomycetes (10–19%) > fungi (4.2–5.5%). In contrast, utilization of hydrophobic fraction was the highest for fungi (24–38%), followed by bacteria (21–29%) and actinomycetes (3.2–15%). Actinomycetes showed a greater preference for hydrophilic fraction in neutralized than acidic Ferralsol; bacteria preferred to utilize hydrophilic fraction in both soils, while fungi favored hydrophobic fraction. Also, various substrate uses were found in specific phospholipid fatty acids, which showed that some individual species harbor particular organic C metabolization strategies. In conclusion, soil pH regulates the mineralization of hydrophilic fraction and variously determines the preferential utilization of hydrophilic and hydrophobic fractions by fungi, bacteria, and actinomycetes. Graphical Abstract

Published in Carbon Research

ISSN: 2731-6696 (Online)
Publisher: Springer
Country of publisher: Singapore
LCC subjects: Technology: Electrical engineering. Electronics. Nuclear engineering: Production of electric energy or power. Powerplants. Central stations; Geography. Anthropology. Recreation: Environmental sciences
Website: https://www.springer.com/journal/44246

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