Abstract
Applying phytotechnologies with energy crops on lands contaminated with trace elements provides cellulosic biomass and improves soil health. The process can be reflected in changes in the soil nematode community structure. This study assessed the nematode community composition of soil with Miscanthus grown with different agronomic practices. The research was conducted at Fort Riley, Kansas, USA, in soil with aged contamination by Pb at 1000 to 1500 mg/kg. The experimental design was a randomized complete block composed of four replications of five treatments: Control-undisturbed mixed plant cover and four conditions of Miscanthus growth, which consisted of No-till, Till (immediately before planting), Till + P, and Till + biosolids. Analysis of abundance, diversity, and community functional status indicators showed differential sensitivity of nematode taxa to agronomic treatments. Significant transformations in the nematode trophic group structure occurred under Miscanthus cultivation compared with the undisturbed mixed plant cover. Shannon and Pielou index response to agronomic treatments illustrated decreasing nematode community diversity with all Miscanthus agronomic conditions. However, agronomic practices led to increasing nematode community maturity, but those effects varied between spring and fall seasons. Increasing herbivores and omnivore-predators were the primary drivers of the observed changes in the nematode community due to planting Miscanthus. The nematode ecological structure indicators suggested that growth in Pb-contaminated land using different agronomical practices likely affects essential soil processes. More study is needed to define the effects of pre-plant tillage and amendments to soil nematode communities and Miscanthus yield over multiple growing seasons of this perennial crop.
Highlights
The sterile, triploid perennial grass, Miscanthus (Greef et Deu), is considered one of the most promising second-generation biofuel crops
Among all taxa across treatments, including the Control, the highest abundance of 1522 individuals/100 g of soil and 61% of relative abundance was found for Haplolaimidae.Haplolaimidae total abundance and relative abundance were greatest in Till+biosolids and 12-fold less in the Control (135 individuals/100 g of soil and 18%)
The obtained results showed that the nematode community Pielou diversity index was lower for the Control case compared to all treatments including Miscanthus, mainly due to decreased herbivores
Summary
The sterile, triploid perennial grass, Miscanthus (Greef et Deu), is considered one of the most promising second-generation biofuel crops. That Miscanthus produces a high yield on marginal and contaminated lands and can be used for phytostabilisation of soils contaminated by trace elements of different anthropogenic origins, including marginal [4,5], post-mining [6,7,8], and military [9]. In 2016, a long-term study was initiated to explore the potential of sustainable Miscanthus production in aged soil contaminated primarily by Pb on a former tallgrass prairie zone at Fort Riley, KS [10]. The long-term study was designed to evaluate how different establishment methods and soil amendments affect plant productivity, Pb accumulation by biomass, and soil Pb stability, including chemical speciation. Different soil treatments and amendments are commonly applied to increase Miscanthus productivity on marginal/polluted land [1], which may impact nematode populations in different ways
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