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Chemistry and Microbial Functional Diversity Differences in Biofuel Crop and Grassland Soils in Multiple Geographies

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Abstract

We obtained soil samples from geographically diverse switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) and sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) crop sites and from nearby reference grasslands and compared their edaphic properties, microbial gene diversity and abundance, and active microbial biomass content. We hypothesized that soils under switchgrass, a perennial, would be more similar to reference grassland soils than sorghum, an annual crop. Sorghum crop soils had significantly higher NO3 − -N, NH4 + -N, SO4 2− -S, and Cu levels than grassland soils. In contrast, few significant differences in soil chemistry were observed between switchgrass crop and grassland soils. Active bacterial biomass was significantly lower in sorghum soils than switchgrass soils. Using GeoChip 4.0 functional gene arrays, we observed that microbial gene diversity was significantly lower in sorghum soils than grassland soils. Gene diversity at sorghum locations was negatively correlated with NO3 − -N, NH4 + -N, and SO4 2− -S in C and N cycling microbial gene categories. Microbial gene diversity at switchgrass sites varied among geographic locations, but crop and grassland sites tended to be similar. Microbial gene abundance did not differ between sorghum crop and grassland soils, but was generally lower in switchgrass crop soils compared to grassland soils. Our results suggest that switchgrass has fewer adverse impacts on microbial soil ecosystem services than cultivation of an annual biofuel crop such as sorghum. Multi-year, multi-disciplinary regional studies comparing these and additional annual and perennial biofuel crop and grassland soils are recommended to help define sustainable crop production and soil ecosystem service practices.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank their respective staff who participated in providing soil samples, photographs, GPS coordinates, and other background information for each of the crop and non-crop sampling locations. This research was funded in part by a United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) Office of Research and Development National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory intramural competitive award to LSW and RJF and by EPA contracts to Dynamac Corporation (EP-D-06-013 and EP-D-11–027). Mention of trade names or commercial products does not imply endorsement for use. The views of the authors do not necessarily reflect those of the Agency. This manuscript has undergone administrative and technical reviews to receive Agency approval for submission for publication in a peer-reviewed scientific journal.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. United States Environmental Protection Agency, 200 SW 35th Street, Corvallis, 97333, OR, USA

    Lidia S. Watrud, Jay R. Reichman, Michael A. Bollman, Bonnie M. Smith & E. Henry Lee

  2. Argonne National Laboratory Biosciences Division, 9700 South Cass Avenue, Argonne, 60439, IL, USA

    Julie D. Jastrow

  3. United States Department of Agriculture,-ARS, US Dairy Forage Research Center, 1925 Linden Drive, Madison, 53706, WI, USA

    Michael D. Casler

  4. United States Department of Agriculture-ARS, Vegetable and Forage Crops Research Unit, 24106 N. Bunn Road, Prosser, 99350, WA, USA

    Harold P. Collins

  5. Washington State University Irrigated Agriculture Research and Extension Center, 24106 N. Bunn Road, Prosser, 99350, WA, USA

    Steven Fransen

  6. United States Department of Agriculture-ARS, University of Nebraska, 35 Keim Hall, Lincoln, 68583, NE, USA

    Robert B. Mitchell

  7. Plant Science Department, South Dakota State University, 1110 Rotunda Lane North, 244C SNP, Brookings, Box 2140C, 57007, SD, USA

    Vance N. Owens

  8. Texas Agrilife Research and Extension Center, Texas A &M University, 6500 Amarillo Blvd. West, Amarillo, 79106, TX, USA

    Brent Bean

  9. Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, Texas A & M University, Foundation Seed Bldg., 405 Turk Road, College Station, 77843, TX, USA

    William L. Rooney

  10. West TN Research and Education Center, University Tennessee, 605 Airways Blvd, Jackson, 38301, TN, USA

    Donald D. Tyler

  11. Dynamac Corporation, 200 SW 35th Street, Corvallis, 97333, OR, USA

    George A. King

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  1. Lidia S. Watrud
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  2. Jay R. Reichman
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Correspondence to Lidia S. Watrud.

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Watrud, L.S., Reichman, J.R., Bollman, M.A. et al. Chemistry and Microbial Functional Diversity Differences in Biofuel Crop and Grassland Soils in Multiple Geographies. Bioenerg. Res. 6, 601–619 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12155-012-9279-y

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