Background and aims

Agriculture is using litter inputs (such as straw) as an alternative to inorganic fertilization; however, little is known about how these inputs can alter the microbiome of our soils. Earthworms are major ecosystem engineers and play a critical role in decomposing litter in terrestrial ecosystems, assisted by their gut microbiomes. However, very little is known about how litter types and combinations, and their associated quality (labile vs recalcitrant), regulate the microbiome of earthworms.

Methods

Here, we conducted a 42-day microcosm experiment to investigate the influence of two litter (straw) types, with contrasting recalcitrance, and its combination in driving the microbiome associated with different earthworm compartments, including soils, casts and guts. In each compartment, samples were collected every 14 days, and the microbiome was measured by16S rRNA amplicon sequencing.

Results

We found that the labile peanut straw initially decreased bacterial richness with this effect being diluted with time. Litter quality and earthworm compartment independently and significantly affect the resultant bacterial community composition (P ≤ 0.01). Litter inputs also resulted in unique microbiomes, which differ across compartments, including soils, casts and guts.

Conclusion

Litter quality can result in contrasting soil and earthworms’ microbiomes in cropping fields, and these may act as indicators of management story with consequences for the conservation of soil microbiomes and fertility under litter fertilization.

中文翻译：

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垫料质量控制农田中的蚯蚓微生物组

背景和目标

农业正在使用废弃物投入物（例如秸秆）作为无机肥料的替代品；然而，人们对这些投入如何改变土壤微生物组知之甚少。蚯蚓是主要的生态系统工程师，在肠道微生物群的帮助下，在陆地生态系统中分解垃圾方面发挥着关键作用。然而，人们对垫料类型和组合及其相关质量（不稳定与顽固）如何调节蚯蚓微生物组知之甚少。

方法

在这里，我们进行了一项为期 42 天的微观实验，以研究两种具有对比顽抗性的垫料（秸秆）类型的影响，及其组合对驱动与不同蚯蚓隔室（包括土壤、铸件和肠道）相关的微生物组的影响。在每个隔间中，每 14 天收集一次样本，并通过 16S rRNA 扩增子测序来测量微生物组。

结果

我们发现不稳定的花生秸秆最初会降低细菌丰富度，但这种影响会随着时间的推移而减弱。垫料质量和蚯蚓隔室独立且显着地影响最终的细菌群落组成（P≤0.01  ）。垃圾输入还产生了独特的微生物组，这些微生物组在不同的隔间（包括土壤、管型和肠道）之间有所不同。

结论

凋落物质量可以导致农田中土壤和蚯蚓微生物群落的对比，这些可以作为管理故事的指标，对凋落物施肥下土壤微生物群落和肥力的保护产生影响。