Long-term phosphorus limitation changes the bacterial community structure and functioning in paddy soils

Abstract

The effects of phosphorus (P) availability on soil microbial community and its functional responses have not been widely explored till date. The present study involved high throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA to investigate the bacterial community structure, size and function in long-term fertilized paddy soils that received P fertilizers (+ P) and compared with soils without P fertilizer (− P) application. Data analysis revealed that changes in P availability in the soil significantly influenced the phylogenetic composition of bacterial communities and their functional profiles. The populations of bacterial phyla Verrucomicrobia, Bacteroidetes, Acidobacteria, Chloroflexi, and Cyanobacteria were significantly induced in (− P) treatment when compared with (+ P). The bacterial genus Geobacter reported to use high-affinity P transporter during P limitation and Massilia known as a prominent P solubilizer were significantly more abundant in (− P) soils. The functional profile analysis demonstrated (− P) soils were characterized by more abundant enzymes related to P cycling. The present study enabled us to characterize the dominant indigenous microbiome of (− P) soils and also provided a better insight into the ecological and evolutionary responses of microbes in P limited soils.