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Characterization of the Microbial Community Structures, Soil Chemical Properties, and Enzyme Activity of Stellera chamaejasme (Thymelaeaceae) and Its Associated Forages in Alpine Grassland of Northwestern China

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Abstract

The invasion of toxic weeds was detrimental to the growth of original vegetation and speed up the degraded grasslands. The purpose of this study was to explore the difference in microbial community, soil physicochemical properties, and enzyme activity in the rhizosphere of Stellera chamaejasme and its associated forages (Stipa purpurea and Polygonum viviparum). The rhizosphere soil microbial communities of S. chamaejasme and its associated forages were determined by high-throughput sequencing technology, the physicochemical properties, and enzyme activities were also measured using soil chemical methods. We performed biological statistical analyses to explore the correlation of rhizosphere micro-ecological environment between the invading poisonous herb S. chamaejasme and its associated forages. The Ascomycota community in the rhizosphere soil of S. chamaejasme was significantly decreased when compared with its associated forages. S. chamaejasme and S. purpurea had a similar bacterial composition, while the rhizosphere of P. viviparum was associated with more Acidobacteria and Bacteroidetes. The RDA analysis showed S. chamaejasme had highly correlated with acid proteinase, invertase, polyphenol oxidase, cellulose, and neutral protease and S. purpurea had highly associated with N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase, β-D-Glucosidase, and the P. viviparum had highly associated with total phosphorus, total nitrogen, ammonium nitrogen, soil organic matter, pH, acid phosphatase, and catalase. Along with the invasion of S. chamaejasme, the microbial composition, soil physicochemical properties, and enzyme activity of the growing area changed considerably compared with the associated forages. Taken together, our results suggested that the composition and diversity of microbial communities associated with S. chamaejasme and its associated forages exhibited different patterns, and the rhizosphere soil microbial communities in different plants were regulated by different environmental factors in this alpine grassland ecosystem.

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Funding

The authors are grateful for the financial support provided by the Chinese Academy of Sciences Strategic Priority Science and Technology Special Program Class A (XDA26020201-3), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (22076195), and the Science and Technology Innovation Project of Yantai Zhongke Advanced Materials and Green Chemical Industry Technology Research Institute (No. AMGCE013).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Chemistry of Northwestern Plant Resources of Chinese Academy of Sciences/Key Laboratory for Natural Medicines of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 730000, Lanzhou, China

    Hui Jin, Jinan Cheng, Haoyue Liu, Xiaoyan Yang, Zuhua Yan, Deng Min, Xinxin Xu & Bo Qin

  2. Suiyang Bureau of Development and Reform, 563300, Zunyi, China

    Jinan Cheng

  3. Yantai Zhongke Research Institute of Advanced Materials and Green Chemical Engineering, 264006, Yantai, China

    Hui Jin

  4. Rushan Agricultural and Rural Affairs Service Center, 264500, Weihai, China

    Lu Dai

  5. Wendeng Agriculture and Rural Affairs Service Center, 264400, Weihai, China

    Xiancheng Huang

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  1. Hui Jin
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  3. Haoyue Liu
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  8. Deng Min
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Contributions

The present work was conceived and designed by HJ and BQ. HJ and JC performed all experiments and analysed the data. JC prepared the manuscript under the supervision of HJ and BQ. HL, XY, ZY, DM, and XX contributed to investigation and sample collection. LD and XH contributed to analyze the data and edit the manuscript. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript. All authors have approved the final version of the manuscript and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated resolved.

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Correspondence to Bo Qin.

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Jin, H., Cheng, J., Liu, H. et al. Characterization of the Microbial Community Structures, Soil Chemical Properties, and Enzyme Activity of Stellera chamaejasme (Thymelaeaceae) and Its Associated Forages in Alpine Grassland of Northwestern China. Curr Microbiol 81, 39 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00284-023-03554-z

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