Abstract
Agricultural practices have proven to be unsuitable in many cases, causing considerable reductions in soil quality. Land management practices can provide solutions to this problem and contribute to get a sustainable agriculture model. The main objective of this work was to assess the effect of different agricultural management practices on soil microbial community structure (evaluated as abundance of phospholipid fatty acids, PLFA). Five different treatments were selected, based on the most common practices used by farmers in the study area (eastern Spain): residual herbicides, tillage, tillage with oats and oats straw mulching; these agricultural practices were evaluated against an abandoned land after farming and an adjacent long term wild forest coverage. The results showed a substantial level of differentiation in the microbial community structure, in terms of management practices, which was highly associated with soil organic matter content. Addition of oats straw led to a microbial community structure closer to wild forest coverage soil, associated with increases in organic carbon, microbial biomass and fungal abundances. The microbial community composition of the abandoned agricultural soil was characterised by increases in both fungal abundances and the metabolic quotient (soil respiration per unit of microbial biomass), suggesting an increase in the stability of organic carbon. The ratio of bacteria:fungi was higher in wild forest coverage and land abandoned systems, as well as in the soil treated with oat straw. The most intensively managed soils showed higher abundances of bacteria and actinobacteria. Thus, the application of organic matter, such as oats straw, appears to be a sustainable management practice that enhances organic carbon, microbial biomass and activity and fungal abundances, thereby changing the microbial community structure to one more similar to those observed in soils under wild forest coverage.
Highlights
Soils represent the most diverse and important ecosystem on the planet [1]
Chemical and biochemical properties All properties analysed were significantly higher in the soil treated with oat straw mulch compared to the other management systems, reaching similar values than the soil with wild forest coverage (Table 1)
Because all these variables depend on soil organic matter (SOM) content, SOM content largely accounts for variations in microbial community composition in terms of management practices
Summary
Soils represent the most diverse and important ecosystem on the planet [1]. Most of the biodiversity of agroecosystems is found in the soil [2], and the functions performed by soil biota have considerable direct and indirect effects on crop growth and quality, nutrient cycle quality and the sustainability of soil productivity [1]. Agricultural land management is one of most significant anthropogenic activities that greatly alters soil characteristics, including physical, chemical, and biological properties [6] This fact is relevant in Mediterranean environments, where unsuitable land management together with climatic constraints (scarce and irregular rainfall and frequent drought periods) can contribute to increased rates of erosion and other degradation processes of agricultural land [7]. These conditions can lead to a loss in soil fertility and a reduction in the abundance and diversity of soil microorganisms.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
