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Long-term biosolids application alters the composition of soil microbial groups and nutrient status in a pine plantation

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Abstract

Tree nutrient concentrations, root biomass, soil nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) contents, and enzyme activities were determined in a radiata pine plantation (Pinus radiata D. Don) on a sandy loam soil receiving 19 years of repeated biosolids applications, and the composition of soil microbial groups was assessed using phospholipid fatty acid analysis. Biosolids application significantly increased soil organic N, available P and foliar N concentration, but had no significant impact on foliar P concentration over the long term. Biosolids application improved aboveground tree growth but reduced fine-root biomass. Repeated biosolids applications also altered the composition of soil microbial community and increased the potential activities of N-acetyl-β-glucosaminidase and acid phosphomonoesterase. Changes in soil N and P availability were better explained by variations in the composition of bacterial groups than those of fungal groups. The fungi-to-bacteria ratios were not changed, but arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi were suppressed possibly due to elevated soil P caused by biosolids application. The ratios of Gram-positive to Gram-negative bacteria were significantly increased by biosolids application and were linked to increased N mineralisation rates. In addition, it is evident that variations in soil P availability and the composition of soil microbial groups following biosolids application were not significantly related to foliar P status. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the effects of biosolids application on microbial-mediated soil N and P processes.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank PF Olsen Limited, Tasman District Council, the Nelson Regional Sewerage Business Unit and the New Zealand Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment for funding (contract no. C03X0902) or in-kind support; Doug Graham, Alan Leckie and David Henley for foliage and soil sampling; Peter Wilks at PF Olsen for trial maintenance; and all those who have contributed to the project over the years. We also thank Dr. Ruth Falshaw, the Editor of the New Zealand Journal of Forestry Science at Scion, for her very constructive comments and for improving this manuscript. The authors acknowledge Gerty J. Gielen, Zaipeng Yu and Paolo Nannipieri for their constructive comments, and also acknowledge Jennifer Talbot, Steven Allison and Kathleen Treseder for their kind help in the enzyme assays. The research was also supported by the National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars (31625007), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (41371269 and 31600495) and the National ‘973’ Program of China (2014CB954002).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory for Subtropical Mountain Ecology, Ministry of Science and Technology and Fujian Province Funded, College of Geographical Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, China

    Minhuang Wang & Zhiqun Huang

  2. Scion (New Zealand Forest Research Institute), PO Box 29237, Riccarton, Christchurch, 8440, New Zealand

    Minhuang Wang & Jianming Xue

  3. ESR (Institute of Environmental Science and Research Limited), PO Box 50348, Porirua, 5240, New Zealand

    Jacqui Horswell

  4. Scion (New Zealand Forest Research Institute), Private Bag 3020, Rotorua, 3046, New Zealand

    Mark O. Kimberley

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  1. Minhuang Wang
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Wang, M., Xue, J., Horswell, J. et al. Long-term biosolids application alters the composition of soil microbial groups and nutrient status in a pine plantation. Biol Fertil Soils 53, 799–809 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00374-017-1219-8

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