While microorganisms are recognized for driving belowground processes that influence the productivity and fitness of plant populations, the vast majority of bacteria and fungi in soil belong to a seed bank consisting of dormant individuals. However, plant performance may be affected by microbial dormancy through its effects on the activity, abundance, and diversity of soil microorganisms. To test how microbial seed banks influence plant-soil interactions, we purified recombinant resuscitation promoting factor (Rpf), a bacterial protein that terminates dormancy. In a factorially designed experiment, we then applied the Rpf to soil containing field mustard (Brassica rapa), an agronomically important plant species. Plant biomass was ~33% lower in the Rpf treatment compared to plants grown with an unmanipulated microbial seed bank. In addition, Rpf reduced soil respiration, decreased bacterial abundance, and increased fungal abundance. These effects of Rpf on plant performance were accompanied by shifts in bacterial community composition, which may have diluted mutualists or resuscitated pathogens. Our findings suggest that changes in microbial seed banks may influence the magnitude and direction of plant-soil feedbacks in ways that affect above- and belowground biodiversity and function.

中文翻译：

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微生物种子库的复苏改变了植物与土壤的相互作用

虽然微生物被认为是驱动影响植物种群生产力和适应性的地下过程，但土壤中的绝大多数细菌和真菌都属于由休眠个体组成的种子库。然而，植物性能可能会通过微生物休眠对土壤微生物的活性、丰度和多样性的影响而受到影响。为了测试微生物种子库如何影响植物-土壤相互作用，我们纯化了重组复苏促进因子 (Rpf)，这是一种终止休眠的细菌蛋白质。在一个因子设计的实验中，我们然后将 Rpf 应用于含有芥菜 ( Brassica rapa)，一种重要的农艺植物物种。与使用未经处理的微生物种子库种植的植物相比，Rpf 处理中的植物生物量降低了约 33%。此外，Rpf 减少了土壤呼吸，减少了细菌丰度，增加了真菌丰度。Rpf 对植物性能的这些影响伴随着细菌群落组成的变化，这可能稀释了互惠者或复苏的病原体。我们的研究结果表明，微生物种子库的变化可能会以影响地上和地下生物多样性和功能的方式影响植物-土壤反馈的幅度和方向。