Biodiv Sci ›› 2023, Vol. 31 ›› Issue (4): 22585.  DOI: 10.17520/biods.2022585

Special Issue: 土壤生物与土壤健康

• Original Papers: Microbial Diversity • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Effects of soil microbial community characteristics on soil multifunctionality in sand-fixation shrublands

Yuanyuan Xiao1, Wei Feng1,2, Yangui Qiao1, Yuqing Zhang1,2,*(), Shugao Qin1,2   

  1. 1. Yanchi Research Station, School of Soil and Water Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083
    2. Key Laboratory of State Forestry Administration on Soil and Water Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083
  • Received:2022-10-18 Accepted:2022-12-08 Online:2023-04-20 Published:2023-04-20
  • Contact: *E-mail: zhangyqbjfu@gmail.com

Abstract:

Aims: Over the past 30 years, a range of ecological restoration measures such as aerial seeding and grazing prohibition have been conducted for desertification control in the Mu Us Desert, and significant vegetation greenness have been achieved in improving the regional ecological environment; however, the changes in soil multifunctionality after vegetation restoration are still unclear, in particular the influence of soil microorganisms on soil multifunctionality.

Methods: In this study, soils of shrublands established at the same time in the Mu Us Desert, and dominated by Artemisia ordosica, Salix psammophila, Caragana korshinskii, respecitively, were investigated. Soil microbial community structure was determined using high-throughput sequencing, and soil multifunctionality was calculated by the Z-score method.

Results: There were significant differences in soil organic carbon content, total nitrogen content, total phosphorus content, microbial biomass carbon content, and microbial biomass nitrogen content among three shrub soils (A. ordosica shrubland > S. psammophila shrubland > C. korshinskii shrubland). Soil invertase activity, alkaline phosphatase activity, and multifunctionality were significantly higher in A. ordosica and S. psammophila shrubland than that in C. korshinskii shrubland. Soil microbial Chao 1 index, observed species number and Shannon index in A. ordosica shrubland was significantly higher than that in C. korshinskii shrubland. The net relatedness index of soil microbes in C. korshinskii shrubland was significantly lower than that in the other two types of lands. Shannon index, Faith’s phylogenetic diversity and network topology properties (nodes, edges, linkage density) in the three shrublands and the net relatedness index in C. korshinskii shrubland were positively correlated with soil multifunctionality. Soil microbial network topological properties, species diversity, and phylogenetic diversity explained 24.46%, 19.72%, and 5.92% of the variation in soil multifunctionality, respectively. Structural equation modeling showed that soil microbial diversity increased soil multifunctionality indirectly by promoting network structure.

Conclusion: The results indicate that different shrub soils have different effects on soil microorganisms and multifunctionality, and soil microbial diversity influence soil ecosystem functions mainly through positive regulation of microbial interspecific relationships. The results of the study help to understand the effects of different vegetation restoration measures on soil functions from the perspective of soil microorganisms, and can provide a theoretical basis for the selection of plant species for desertification control.

Key words: sand-fixation shrubs, co-occurrence network, Mu Us Desert, soil multifunctionality, microbial phylogenetic diversity, microbial species diversity