Litter decomposition plays a key role in nutrient cycling across ecosystems. The presence of Epichloë endophytes in grass plants affects litter decomposition. The overall effects of leaf litter containing Epichloë endophytes on the chemical and biological properties in non-rhizosphere soils have not previously been examined. The current study is aimed to understand the effect of direct incorporation of leaf litter from Epichloë endophyte-infected perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) on soil chemical characteristics, and fungal and bacterial biodiversity. Firstly, fresh leaf litter of the endophyte Epichloë festucae var. lolii-infected (E+) and endophyte-free (E−) L. perenne were incorporated into the soil, and then samples were collected from E+ and E− litter incorporated soil at T₀, T₁, T₂ and T₃ (0, 120, 240 and 360 days) for chemical and sequencing analyses. The Epichloë-containing leaf litter incorporation changed the soil microbial environment by enhancing the soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus, NH₄⁺–N and NO₃⁻–N contents, and acidifying soil pH. The endophyte had stronger effects on soil bacteria than soil fungi when the litter was determined with and without the endophyte. Litter containing the Epichloë endophyte significantly increased the absolute abundance of the 16S rRNA gene and relative abundances of the Actinobacteria, Nitrospirae and Gemmatimonadetes, while significantly decreasing the relative abundances of the Planctomycetes and Rokubacteria and the diversity in soil bacteria community. There was no significant effect of endophyte-containing leaf litter incorporation on the absolute abundance and diversity of the soil fungal community except the increment in the relative abundance of Rozellomycota. Soil pH and the SOC-to-TN ratio (C:N) were the main factors influencing the soil bacterial community, and the presence of E. festucae var. lolii was directly and positively related to the soil bacterial diversity. The current study established that Epichloë endophyte-infection altered the abundance and diversity of the soil bacterial community by affecting leaf litter quality and increasing soil chemical properties after litter incorporation.

中文翻译：

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土壤真菌和细菌群落通过掺入含有真菌内生菌的落叶而改变

凋落物分解在整个生态系统的养分循环中起着关键作用。草本植物中Epichloë内生菌的存在会影响凋落物分解。含有Epichloë内生菌的落叶对非根际土壤的化学和生物学特性的总体影响以前没有被研究过。本研究旨在了解直接掺入Epichloë内生菌感染的多年生黑麦草 ( Lolium perenne ) 落叶对土壤化学特征、真菌和细菌生物多样性的影响。首先，内生菌Epichloë festucae var.的新鲜落叶。lolii感染 (E+) 和无内生菌 (E-)将L. perenne掺入土壤中，然后在 T ₀、T ₁、T ₂和 T ₃（0、120、240 和 360 天）从 E+ 和 E- 凋落物掺入土壤中收集样品，用于化学和测序分析。含有Epichloë的落叶层掺入通过提高土壤有机碳 (SOC)、总氮 (TN)、总磷、NH ₄ ⁺ -N 和 NO ₃ ^- -N 含量以及酸化土壤 pH 值来改变土壤微生物环境。在有和没有内生菌的情况下测定凋落物时，内生菌对土壤细菌的影响比土壤真菌更强。包含Epichloë的垃圾内生菌显着增加了 16S rRNA 基因的绝对丰度以及放线菌、硝化螺菌和宝石单胞菌的相对丰度，同时显着降低了 Planctomycetes 和 Rokubacteria 的相对丰度以及土壤细菌群落的多样性。含内生菌的凋落物掺入对土壤真菌群落的绝对丰度和多样性没有显着影响，只是增加了罗泽菌门的相对丰度。土壤 pH 值和 SOC 与 TN 比 (C:N) 是影响土壤细菌群落的主要因素，而E. festucae var. 萝莉与土壤细菌多样性直接正相关。目前的研究表明，Epichloë内生菌感染通过影响落叶质量和增加凋落物掺入后的土壤化学性质来改变土壤细菌群落的丰度和多样性。