Purpose The Spartina alterniflora invasion across the southeast coast in China significantly reduced vegetation diversity and generated associated ecological problems. Sulfur (S) is a vital nutrient, while sulfide is phytotoxic and the impact of S. alterniflora invasion on soil S cycle remains unclear. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the impacts of S. alterniflora invasion on the S cycle

Background and aims It has been confirmed that the declines in arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) populations and agroecosystem diversity are largely due to nutrient enrichment caused by fertilization. Replacing chemical-only fertilization with organic fertilization is widely considered a possible approach for maintaining soil biodiversity and a healthy functioning ecosystem. Here we aim to examine

Aims To investigate phylogenetic and phenotypic diversity of resident chickpea-nodulating rhizobia from Australian cropping soils. Methods Eighty Mesorhizobium strains collected from across Australian cropping regions were analysed in a pot experiment to evaluate nodulation and symbiotic effectiveness (SE%) in chickpea plants. In vitro testing of these strains tolerant to specific stresses (pH, temperature

Purpose Root growth, respiration, water uptake as well as root exudation induce biogeochemical patterns in the rhizosphere that can change dynamically over time. Our aim is to develop a method that provides complementary information on 3D root system architecture and biogeochemical gradients around the roots needed for the quantitative description of rhizosphere processes. Methods We captured for the

Aims Functional traits play key role in plant resource-use strategy, but the intraspecific variation of root traits particularly of anatomy along large-scale environmental gradient has been poorly understood. Methods Here, we examined 16 morphological, anatomical, and chemical traits of leaves and absorptive roots (i.e., the first-order roots) for two wide-planted tree species, Ginkgo biloba and Eucommia

Aims Laser micromanipulation such as dissection or optical trapping enables remote physical modification of the activity of tissues, cells and organelles. To date, applications of laser manipulation to plant roots grown in soil have been limited. Here, we show laser manipulation can be applied in situ when plant roots are grown in transparent soil. Methods We have developed a Q-switched laser manipulation

Background and aims Overaccumulation of allelochemicals in soil from trees has a negative effect on the growth of Panax notoginseng and cause root rot. Many plant secreted phenols are water-soluble substances that can be depleted by leaching. However, comprehensive understanding of the effect of leaching of phenols in Chinese fir soil on P. notoginseng root rot disease is still lacking. Methods Soil

Aims Gypsum soils are P-limited atypical soils that harbour a rich endemic flora. These singular soils are usually found in drylands, where plant activity and soil nutrient availability are seasonal. No previous studies have analysed the seasonality of P nutrition and its interaction with the arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi (AMF) colonisation in gypsum plants. Our aim was to evaluate the seasonal changes

Aims The stability of hillslopes is an essential ecosystem service, especially in alpine regions with soils prone to erosion. One key variable controlling hillslope stability is soil aggregate stability. We aimed at identifying dominant controls of vegetation parameters on aggregate stability and analysed their importance for soil aggregate stability during landscape development. Methods We quantified

Purpose The purpose of this study was to investigate the response characteristics and potential mechanisms of soil organic matter (SOM) mineralization to the ten years partial substitution of chemical fertilizer with green manure in paddy soil. Methods The mineralization of SOM in paddy soil treated with no fertilizer, complete chemical fertilizer, and chemical fertilizer partially substituted with

Aims Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi are intimately associated with fine roots and are involved in nutrient acquisition. However, little information is available on the links between roots of individual orders and fungus colonization and community structure. Our aim was to elucidate AM fungal communities in the fine root systems of the temperate coniferous tree species, Cryptomeria japonica (Cupressaceae)

Purpose The short growing season and cold climate of the boreal forest can restrict soil nitrogen availability, limiting plant growth and ecosystem productivity. Vascular nitrogen-fixing plants should have an advantage in low nitrogen environments. Yet, their abundance in the boreal forest is low. How nitrogen fixation is affected when temperature differences occur between the soil and air, especially

Aims The rhizosphere microbiome plays an important role in plant growth and behavior during phytoremediation. This work aims to explore how hyperaccumulating plant performance (shoot biomass and Cd uptake) and rhizosphere bacterial community are driven by plant development under a Cd concentration gradient and their relationship during plant growth. Methods A pot experiment was conducted using the

Purpose Agronomic practices are one of the reasons for the increasing accumulation of elements in the soil, including manganese (Mn). Our previous studies have shown that selenium (Se) ions can reduce the toxic actions of metal stress. Those, we studied the effects of Mn—treated as a stressor and Se – as a potential defense in plants. Methods Mn ions (10 mM) or/and Se (15 μM) were added into hydroponic

Background and aims There is little information about the role of fungal endophytes on plant performance under oxygen-limited conditions. This study aimed to investigate the effect of Epichloë endophyte symbiosis on tall fescue responses to oxygen stress in a greenhouse experiment. Methods The experiment was conducted with seven air-filled porosity levels in a sandy loam soil using genotypes (75C and

Background Increasing nitrogen (N) deposition has altered plant communities globally, however the changes in species abundances with short-term vs. long-term N enrichment remains unclear. Stoichiometric homeostasis, quantified by the homoeostatic regulation coefficient (H) is a key trait predictive of plant species dominance and species responses to short-term global changes. It is unknown whether

Purpose Bacterial quantification by qPCR is considered the gold standard for microbial molecular diagnosis. However, a fundamental pre-requisite in this methodology is the designing of specific primers for the bacterium of interest. With the increase in bacterial genome sequencing data in the recent years, it has become possible to design specific primers that can be used to quantify different strains

Aims To investigate the effects of the spatial distribution of rice root systems on dissolved CH4 and CH4 emissions and the CH4 transport efficiency of aboveground plant parts in paddy fields. Methods A two-year field and leaf cutting experiment was conducted on seven rice varieties, and we determined the dynamics of CH4 emissions, root system traits and dissolved CH4 concentrations in different soil

Aims UK-DNDC model was modified to (1) enhance the estimates of soil temperature and N2O emissions in Denitrification Decomposition (DNDC) model by considering snow melt and frozen and unfrozen conditions along with the impacts of water flux density, thermal diffusivity, crop-canopy, snowmelt routine and snow-depth on N2O emission and (2) validate the modified DNDC model against measured data from

Aims This study was conducted over 10 years using an open top chamber experiment in the Sanjiang Plain to explore the impact of environmental parameters and bacterial community composition and structure under long-term conditions of elevated CO2 concentrations (eCO2, 550 μmol·mol−1). Methods Illumina sequencing of 16S rRNA was used to determine soil bacterial communities over the long-term in the Sanjiang

Background Mg is a macronutrient for plant growth. Mg deficiency has become an important limiting factor in intensive agricultural production, resulting in reduced crop yield and quality. Given that Mg is also essential for human and animals’ diets, Mg nutrition in plants has become an important issue not only for food security but also for human health. Scope We review recent progress in physiological

Aims Nickel (Ni) and zinc (Zn) interactions during their uptake and root-to-shoot translocation and the potential role of histidine therein were studied in different populations of the Ni/Zn hyperaccumulator Noccaea caerulescens and the Ni hyperaccumulator Odontarrhena corsica. Methods The effect of exogenous L-histidine supply on Ni and Zn uptake and translocation in N. caerulescens and O. corsica

Purpose Soil nematodes play a fundamental role in regulating ecosystem carbon and nutrient cycling. It is widely recognized that soil nematode community composition is sensitive to nutrient enrichment, but the linkage between community assembly processes and functional changes under nutrient enrichment condition remains poorly understood. Methods We examined the compositional and functional responses

Background and Aim Drought is the main abiotic stress affecting Mediterranean forests. Root systems are responsible for water uptake, but intraspecific variability in tree root morphology is poorly understood mainly owing to sampling difficulties. The aim of this study was to gain knowledge on the adaptive relevance of rooting traits for a widespread pine using a non-invasive, high-throughput phenotyping

Aims Understanding the contributions of abiotic and biotic conditions to soil microbial diversity, structure, and function, remains a central focus in soil biology and biogeochemistry. Here we aim to determine how geography and host plant identity influence these different components of rhizosphere bacterial communities and endosymbionts associated with Acacia heterophylla on Réunion island (Mascarene

Purpose Common scab of potatoes (CS) is influenced by plant-microbe-soil interactions, which are locally specific. The study aims to identify any common trends in such interactions across a landscape differentiated by soil pH and CS severity. Methods The 33 sites and 17 cultivars were characterized using soil and periderm nutrient contents and microbial communities. Quantitative PCR and Illumina amplicon

Aims The mechanism by which species diversity drives productivity in different ecosystems is controversial, possibly due to the confounding effects of key environmental variables. Karst ecosystems are fragile and are at great risk of species loss. In these ecosystems, soil depth is a key driver of community diversity and productivity. However, the influence of soil depth on the relationship between

Aim Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) has been used for estimating root biomass, estimating pull-out resistance force of roots, and reconstructing root system architecture. Although GPR can estimate the diameter of a single root, it has not yet been verified whether it can successfully estimate the diameters of adjacent roots or whether rock fragments occurring in the soil matrix can be misidentified

Backgrounds Vegetation dynamics play a dominant role in the global carbon cycle and climate, especially in vulnerable karst ecosystem. Many studies have examined the past several decades changes in vegetation greenness and the associated with climate drivers. Yet, few studies have analyzed the vegetation change in global karst regions particularly in the last decades when climate change and anthropogenic

Background and aims Endophytic bacteria from legume roots and nodules play important roles in regulating plant growth and health. Therefore, the aim is to focus on the community structure and network of pea root endophytes throughout the plant life cycle. Methods We collected five edible pea cultivars to study the endophytic bacterial community during the whole developmental period using Illumina sequencing

Aims Since gravitropism is one of the primary determinants of root development, facilitating root penetration into soil and subsequent absorption of water and nutrients, we studied this response in rice. Methods The gravitropism of 226 Chinese rice micro-core accessions and drought-resistant core accessions were assessed through the modified gravity-bending experiment and genome-wide association analysis

Aims Sugars in soils play vital roles in soil aggregation and microbial activity, which is easily affected by environmental factors. Here, we investigated the accumulation of total sugars and monosaccharides in the rhizosphere soil of black locust seedlings exposed to the contamination of elevated atmospheric CO2 (eCO2) and cadmium (Cd) and its driving factors. Results Under eCO2 + Cd compared to Cd

Purpose Arsenic (As) cycling in flooded rice paddies is driven by soil microbes which among other transformations can cause conversion between inorganic and organic As species. Silicon (Si)-rich soil amendments cause increased methylated As species, particularly DMA, in grain likely because they influence the microbial community responsible for As methylation, but the mechanism remains unclear. Methods

Aims Grafting is an effective strategy to reduce the accumulation of cadmium (Cd) from the soil to the aerial plant parts. However, few studies have investigated the mechanisms involved. Methods DNA methylation and high-throughput sequencing were used to explore the mechanism of the Cd reduction in grafted eggplants (Solanum melongena) on Torubamu (Solanum torvum) as a rootstock. Results Compared to

Purpose Rhizodeposition shapes soil microbial communities that perform important processes such as soil C mineralization, but we have limited understanding of the plant genetic regions influencing soil microbes. Here, barley chromosome regions affecting soil microbial biomass-C (MBC), dissolved organic-C (DOC) and root biomass were characterised. Methods A quantitative trait loci analysis approach

Background and aims The application of chemical fungicides is the first strategy to control plant fungal diseases. This approach is highly polluting for the environment and affects human health. The artificial introduction of beneficial rhizobacteria into the soil can be an economical and practical way to control phytopathogenic fungi in commercial greenhouses. Here, we recount the travel of a rare

Background Soil salinity adversely affects plant growth. Microbial infection and exogenous polyamine application are effective approaches to ameliorate salt injury in plants. Our previous study showed that Epichloë endophytes play an important role in improving wild barley (Hordeum brevisubulatum) salinity tolerance through polyamine metabolism modification. However, the effects of polyamine (Spd)

Aims Desert regions are regarded as highly sensitive to climatic changes. In arid and semi-arid desert, photosynthetic organisms from biological soil crusts are poikilohydric and sensitive to fluctuations in precipitation. How do physiological properties such as concentration of biochemical constituents and enzymes respond to a precipitation gradient from semi-arid to arid desert regions? Methods We

Background and aims Litter-derived dissolved organic carbon (DOC) biodegradation is critical to forest ecosystem structure and function. However, it is unclear whether mixing overstory and understory litter-derived DOC could produce non-additive effects on biodegradation in forests. Methods We extracted DOC from leaf litter of two coniferous trees, four broadleaf trees, and four understory ferns in

Purpose Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is an important signaling molecule in prokaryotes and eukaryotes. In higher plants, H2S regulates different processes throughout development and stress responses. Here, we investigated the underlying mechanism of H2S in modulating hypoxia response signaling in Arabidopsis. Methods DAB (3,3-diaminobenzidine) and fluorescent probes were used to detect the accumulation of

Aims Cracks and biopores in compacted soil such as plough pans could aid deep rooting, mitigating constraints to seasonal upland use of paddy fields for rice production. This research investigated how soil macropores through a simulated plough pan affects root growth of contrasting deep and shallow rooting rice genotypes. Methods Deep rooting Black Gora and shallow rooting IR64 rice varieties were

Purpose Diversification practices such as intercropping in woody cropping systems have recently been proposed as a promising management strategy for addressing problems related to soil degradation, climate change mitigation and food security. In this study, we assess the impact of several diversification practices in different management regimes on the main carbon fluxes regulating the soil carbon

Purpose The lack of synchronous studies on fine roots and fungal hyphae makes it difficult to gain insight into changes in how mycorrhizal trees search for nutrients under reduced precipitation and increased nitrogen deposition. Methods We applied a modified version of the ingrowth bag approach to estimate the community-level responses of fine roots and fungal hyphae to long-term changes in nitrogen

Aims Soil processes in arid ecosystems are strongly controlled by resource scarcity. Grazing intensification can induce changes in ecosystem processes through multiple pathways, adding new constraints to those of local conditions. We focus on grazing-induced changes in litter traits and soil environment that may affect litter decomposition and N dynamics in temperate grass-shrub steppes. Methods We

Aims Grazing is a key driver of plant communities and soil functions in grassland ecosystems. Soil nematodes play a vital role in soil ecological functions. The aim of this study was to explore how grazing shapes soil nematode community in different soil layers. Methods We investigated the composition, abundance, diversity, metabolic footprint, and food web metrics of soil nematodes over a gradient

Aims We aimed to explore the effects of Fallopia multiflora–Andrographis paniculata intercropping model on yield, quality, soil nutrition and rhizosphere microorganisms of F. multiflora, an important raw material of a traditional Chinese medicine. The data will provide empirical evidence for the application and promotion of the system in agricultural production. Methods F. multiflora’s yield, potential

Background and aims Salix integra has a high tolerance to lead (Pb) stress, and has been applied in the phytostabilization of Pb-Zn mine tailings in East China. Mechanisms for Pb sequestration and detoxification were poorly understood in Salix plants. The present study aimed to elucidate where Pb was localized and how Pb was combined in roots of S. integra for a better understanding of Pb tolerance

Background Silicon (Si) is increasingly recognized as a pivotal beneficial element for plants in ecology and agricultural sciences, but soil-plant Si cycling has been considered mostly through the prism of abiotic mineral weathering, whilst numerous biological processes have been overlooked. Leveraging ecological processes that impact soil-plant Si cycling in cropping systems might improve crop Si

Purpose Push–pull is an intercropping technology that is rapidly spreading among smallholder farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa. The technology intercrops cereals with Desmodium to fight off stem borers, eliminate parasitic weeds, and improve soil fertility and yields of cereals. The above-ground components of push–pull cropping have been well investigated. However, the impact of the technology on the soil

Aims To study how ectomycorrhizas (ECMs) mediate plant performance and rhizosphere soil bacterial communities via altered physiological characteristics and root carbon exudation. Methods Tuber melanosporum-colonized and uncolonized Quercus mongolica seedlings were grown on a substrate consisting of 41% peat, 41% pumice, 9% pine bark and 9% lime. Gas exchange fluorescence system, inductively coupled

Background and aims The plant growth promoting rhizobacteria have been extensively implicated in plant responses to changing environments. However, the action mechanisms still need to be elucidated. This study addressed the effect of Paraburkholderia sp. GD17 on rice seedlings in responses to salt stress. Methods The experiment consisted of GD17-inoculated and non-inoculated plants, with or without

Purpose Electrical capacitance (EC) is widely used to measure root traits especially in hydroponic and wet soil environments, but its feasibility was recently questioned due to the possible leakage of electrical current before entering the root system. To investigate whether the current can travel deeper in woody roots, EC was evaluated in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) grown under different soil moisture

Background and aims Plant carbon (C), nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) levels and their stoichiometry and N uptake strategies are important aspects influencing vegetation composition and C dynamics in boreal peatlands. However, C, N and P levels and N sources of different plants remain poorly understood, which prevents a better assessment of plant responses to projected increasing N availability in boreal

Aims The litter decomposition rate is strongly related to litter chemical quality, which is altered by increased nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) availability induced by global changes and human activity in plantation forest ecosystems. However, the effects of litter cell wall carbohydrate composition on litter decomposability after long-term N and P additions remain unclear. Methods A field nutrient

Background and aims An integrated understanding of the ecophysiological mechanisms of persistence of buried seeds is essential for understanding plant community dynamics and improving our ability to accurately predict seed persistence. However, little is known about how the interaction of precipitation and microorganisms affects persistence of buried seeds and how well seed traits predict seed persistence

Background and aims Biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) in paddy systems is impacted by nitrogen application levels and irrigation strategies, but the extent to which these factors influence BNF and its distribution in soil and rice is largely unclear. This study investigates this influence. Methods An airtight, transparent growth chamber based 15N-labelling system was used to investigate how different

Aims We studied the regeneration dynamics of woodlands and abandoned old fields in a landscape dominated by Quercus suber in its lower limits of rainfall and temperature. Two hypotheses were established: (1) regeneration of Quercus species is strongly favored by the presence of tree cover; and (2) growth of Q. suber is driven by the climatic variables that represent the lower ecological limit of its