How Soil Microbes Change as the Invasive Plant Spreads

Jim Crocker
7th August, 2024

How Soil Microbes Change as the Invasive Plant Spreads

Image Source: Natural Science News, 2024

Key Findings

  • The study in Pu’er city, Yunnan Province, found that soil microbial communities differ significantly between the rhizosphere (soil around roots) and bulk soil
  • Bacterial diversity is higher in bulk soil compared to the rhizosphere, while fungal and archaeal communities show no significant difference between these soil types
  • Key soil nutrients like total potassium, total phosphorus, and available nitrogen are major factors influencing the structure of soil microbial communities
The colonization of alien plants in new habitats is often facilitated by microorganisms present in the soil environment. However, the diversity and structure of these microbial communities, particularly in relation to the latitudinal spread of alien plants, remain unclear. A recent study conducted by the Chinese Academy of Sciences aimed to address this knowledge gap by examining the soil microbial communities associated with the invasive plant Chromolaena odorata across different latitudes in Pu’er city, Yunnan Province[1]. The researchers collected rhizosphere (the soil region influenced by plant roots) and bulk soil samples from five different latitudes. They then used amplicon sequencing to analyze the diversity and structure of the archaeal, bacterial, and fungal communities in these samples. The study found significant differences in the richness indices and community structures of these microorganisms along the latitudinal gradient. Additionally, there were notable differences in the bacterial Shannon index (a measure of diversity) and the structures of bacterial and fungal communities between the rhizosphere and bulk soils. Interestingly, despite the small spatial scale, the latitudinal variation trends in the archaeal, bacterial, and fungal communities were not pronounced. However, the study identified key soil nutrients—total potassium, total phosphorus, available nitrogen, available potassium, and total nitrogen—as important driving factors affecting the soil microbial community structure. The findings also highlighted differences in the complexity and modularity of microbial co-occurrence networks between the rhizosphere and bulk soils. Specifically, rhizosphere microbial networks were found to be less complex but more modular and positively connected compared to bulk soil networks. This aligns with previous research indicating that the rhizosphere selects microorganisms from bulk soil to function as a seed bank, reducing microbial diversity but increasing modularity[2]. The study also revealed that arbuscular mycorrhizae and soil saprotrophs (fungi that decompose organic matter) were more abundant in the bulk soil. This suggests that the invasion of C. odorata significantly impacts soil environments by altering the microbial community composition. These findings are consistent with earlier studies showing that invasive plants can affect soil conditions and microbial communities, potentially leading to altered soil functionality[3]. Moreover, the significant differences in soil microbiota along latitudinal gradients, along with specific driving factors, demonstrate distinct nutrient preferences among archaea, bacteria, and fungi. This indicates complex microbial responses to soil nutrient elements following the invasion of C. odorata. Previous research has shown that changes in soil microbial communities can have long-term consequences for ecosystem functioning and resilience to future disturbances[4]. Overall, this study provides valuable insights into the microbial dynamics associated with the invasion of alien plants and underscores the importance of considering microbial community structure and diversity in managing invasive species. By revealing how soil microbial communities respond to the invasion of C. odorata, this research contributes to a better understanding of the ecological impacts of biological invasions and offers potential strategies for mitigating their effects.

EnvironmentEcologyPlant Science

References

Main Study

1) Rhizosphere microbial community construction during the latitudinal spread of the invader Chromolaena odorata

Published 6th August, 2024

https://doi.org/10.1186/s12866-024-03450-x

Related Studies

2) Rhizosphere bacteriome structure and functions.

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-28448-9

3) Impacts of Invasive Australian Acacias on Soil Bacterial Community Composition, Microbial Enzymatic Activities, and Nutrient Availability in Fynbos Soils.

https://doi.org/10.1007/s00248-021-01683-1

4) Soil bacterial networks are less stable under drought than fungal networks.

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-018-05516-7


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