Microbial communities play a critical role in the functioning of soil and represent a very susceptible index of soil quality. Among the factors driving differences in soil bacterial community structure, anthropogenic activities and seasonal temperature changes are very important. In this work, we aimed at determining the effects of land use intensification along with seasonal variations on soil bacterial community. Five different land-use units, characterized by different use and management with growing human impact, were chosen in Sardinia (Italy): cork-oak forest (coded Su), hayland-pasture rotation (Pa), semi-natural grassland (Er), and ploughed (VL) and grass covered vineyard (Vi). The sampling sites were selected inside the same environmental unit, with neutro-acidophylous cork-oak forest as potential vegetation. At each site, five separate sub-samples were collected from the top 20 cm depth of soil in spring and autumn. Along this land-use gradient, soil physic-chemical properties and bacterial communities were analyzed. All the soils resulted to be sandy-loam, presented pH reaction sub-acid and very low organic matter content that showed the highest values in soils with a lower human impact. Cluster analysis of the banding patterns obtained by culturedependent denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (CD-DGGE) revealed that soil bacterial communities clearly differed depending on season. Within each season, subgroups including bacterial communities associated to different land uses with increasing level of intensification were observed. All these data are in agreement with those resulting from Terminal Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (T-RFLP, cultivation-independent method). Phylogenetic analysis of 16S ribosomal RNA gene revealed that cultivable bacteria included members of Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes groups, with a prevalence of certain taxonomic units in a defined season (i.e. Burkholderiales in Autumn). Investigation of the relationships between soil physic-chemical properties and microbial biodiversity is in progress. In conclusion, different microbial biodiversity among samples and shifts in soil microbial community structure can be ascribed to seasonal changes, even if anthropogenic activity can also affect soil microbial community. The positive selection of Proteobacteria and the absence of Acidobacteria indicates a good state of health for the soils examined in the present study. The high prevalence of Proteobacteria could be used as an indicator of soil health.

Response of soil bacterial community to agricultural land uses and seasonal changes / P. Paganin; M. Sampedro Pellicer; L. Ledda; M. C. Papaleo; R. Fani; A. Benedetti; C. Dalmastri; A. Bevivino. - In: ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING AND MANAGEMENT JOURNAL. - ISSN 1582-9596. - STAMPA. - 11:(2012), pp. S137-S137.

Response of soil bacterial community to agricultural land uses and seasonal changes

PAPALEO, MARIA CRISTIANA;FANI, RENATO;
2012

Abstract

Microbial communities play a critical role in the functioning of soil and represent a very susceptible index of soil quality. Among the factors driving differences in soil bacterial community structure, anthropogenic activities and seasonal temperature changes are very important. In this work, we aimed at determining the effects of land use intensification along with seasonal variations on soil bacterial community. Five different land-use units, characterized by different use and management with growing human impact, were chosen in Sardinia (Italy): cork-oak forest (coded Su), hayland-pasture rotation (Pa), semi-natural grassland (Er), and ploughed (VL) and grass covered vineyard (Vi). The sampling sites were selected inside the same environmental unit, with neutro-acidophylous cork-oak forest as potential vegetation. At each site, five separate sub-samples were collected from the top 20 cm depth of soil in spring and autumn. Along this land-use gradient, soil physic-chemical properties and bacterial communities were analyzed. All the soils resulted to be sandy-loam, presented pH reaction sub-acid and very low organic matter content that showed the highest values in soils with a lower human impact. Cluster analysis of the banding patterns obtained by culturedependent denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (CD-DGGE) revealed that soil bacterial communities clearly differed depending on season. Within each season, subgroups including bacterial communities associated to different land uses with increasing level of intensification were observed. All these data are in agreement with those resulting from Terminal Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (T-RFLP, cultivation-independent method). Phylogenetic analysis of 16S ribosomal RNA gene revealed that cultivable bacteria included members of Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes groups, with a prevalence of certain taxonomic units in a defined season (i.e. Burkholderiales in Autumn). Investigation of the relationships between soil physic-chemical properties and microbial biodiversity is in progress. In conclusion, different microbial biodiversity among samples and shifts in soil microbial community structure can be ascribed to seasonal changes, even if anthropogenic activity can also affect soil microbial community. The positive selection of Proteobacteria and the absence of Acidobacteria indicates a good state of health for the soils examined in the present study. The high prevalence of Proteobacteria could be used as an indicator of soil health.
2012
P. Paganin; M. Sampedro Pellicer; L. Ledda; M. C. Papaleo; R. Fani; A. Benedetti; C. Dalmastri; A. Bevivino
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Utilizza questo identificatore per citare o creare un link a questa risorsa: https://hdl.handle.net/2158/613381
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