Abstract
Soil quality is usually determined by its physical-chemical characteristics without taking into account the bacterial communities that play a fundamental role in the chemical decomposition of plant nutrients. In this context, the objective of the study was to evaluate bacterial diversity in high Andean grassland soils disturbed with Lepidium meyenii cultivation under different gradients of use (first, second and third use) and crop development (pre-sowing, hypocotyl development and post-harvest). The sampling was carried out in the Bombón plateau in the central Andes of Peru, during the rainy and low water seasons, by the systematic method based on a specific pattern assigned in a geometric rectangular shape at a depth of 0 - 20 cm. The characterization of the bacterial communities was carried out through the metagenomic sequencing of the 16S rRNA. 376 families of bacteria were reported, of which it was determined that there was a significant change in bacterial composition and distribution in relation to use pressure. There were no major changes due to the development of Lepidium meyenii. The families most sensitive to use pressure and soil poverty indicators were Verrucomicrobiaceae, Acidobacteraceae and Aakkermansiaceae.
Highlights
Microorganisms constitute two-thirds of the soil’s biological diversity and play a vital role in regulating ecological processes and the biogeochemical cycle (Amundson et al, 2015)
As a result of increased land use pressure, bacterial diversity changes radically according to their composition and distribution
Compared to a one-time land use pressure the differences at a two- or three-time higher land use pressure are 20% unequal to the familiar configuration of changing bacteria occurring in the control field
Summary
Microorganisms constitute two-thirds of the soil’s biological diversity and play a vital role in regulating ecological processes and the biogeochemical cycle (Amundson et al, 2015). The biological activity of the soil and the composition of the communities are influenced by natural factors such as water, type of vegetation, quality of organic matter, availability of nutrients, soil pH, soil type and climate, as well as by anthropogenic factors such as agriculture and livestock (Carini et al, 2016; Hsu et al, 2019). Huaraca-Meza, F. et al.2018), drove land use change in the central Andes of Peru. In fragile ecosystems such as high Andean grasslands, they have been replaced by monocultures with high nutritional and functional demands such as Lepidium meyenii (maca) (Yaranga et al, 2014), displacing high Andean grasslands that play an important socio-economic role for livestock societies, wildlife livelihoods and important environmental services (Caro et al, 2014)
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