Phosphorus Fertilization Boosts Mineral-Associated Soil Organic Carbon Formation Associated with Phagotrophic Protists.

Lin Chen, Xiuli Xin, Jingwang Li, Changdong Han, Wu Xiong, Yu Luo, Ruibo Sun, Jiabao Zhang

Journal: Microbial ecology 2023;86(4):2541-2551

PMID: 37401933

Abstract

Long-term fertilization affects soil organic C accumulation. A growing body of research has revealed critical roles of bacteria in soil organic C accumulation, particularly through mineral-associated organic C (MAOC) formation. Protists are essential components of soil microbiome, but the relationships between MAOC formation and protists under long-term fertilization remain unclear. Here, we used cropland soil from a long-term fertilization field trial and conducted two microcosm experiments with C-glucose addition to investigate the effects of N and P fertilizations on MAOC formation and the relationships with protists. The results showed that long-term fertilization (especially P fertilization) significantly (P < 0.05) increased C-MAOC content. Compared with P-deficient treatment, P replenishment enriched the number of protists (mainly Amoebozoa and Cercozoa) and bacteria (mainly Acidobacteriota, Bacteroidota, and Gammaproteobacteria), and significantly (P < 0.001) promoted the abundances of bacterial functional genes controlling C, N, P, and S metabolisms. The community composition of phagotrophic protists prominently (P < 0.001) correlated with the bacterial community composition, bacterial functional gene abundance, and C-MAOC content. Co-occurrence networks of phagotrophic protists and bacteria were more connected in soil with the N inoculum added than in soil with the NP inoculum added. P replenishment strengthened bacterial C assimilation (i.e., C-phospholipid fatty acid content), which negatively (P < 0.05) correlated with the number and relative abundance of phagotrophic Cercozoa. Together, these results suggested that P fertilization boosts MAOC formation associated with phagotrophic protists. Our study paves the way for future research to harness the potential of protists to promote belowground C accrual in agroecosystems.

Address: Fengqiu Experimental Station of National Ecosystem Research Network of China, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, East Beijing Road No. 71, Nanjing, 210008, Jiangsu Province, China.; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.; College of Land and Environment, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, 110866, China.; Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab of Solid Organic Waste Utilization, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Solid Organic Wastes, Educational Ministry Engineering Center of Resource-Saving Fertilizers, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China.; Institute of Soil and Water Resources and Environmental Science, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Agricultural Resources and Environment, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China.; Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Farmland Conservation and Pollution Prevention, School of Resources and Environment, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, 230036, China.; Fengqiu Experimental Station of National Ecosystem Research Network of China, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, East Beijing Road No. 71, Nanjing, 210008, Jiangsu Province, China. [email protected].; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China. [email protected].; College of Land and Environment, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, 110866, China. [email protected].

DOI: 10.1007/s00248-023-02258-y

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https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00248-023-02258-y

MeSH Terms: Soil, Phosphorus, Carbon, Soil Microbiology, Minerals, Bacteria, Fertilizers, Fertilization