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Acta Prataculturae Sinica ›› 2023, Vol. 32 ›› Issue (1): 89-98.DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2021494

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Effects of long-term monocropping on soil microbial metabolic activity and diversity in topsoil and subsoil horizons of Lycium barbarum fields

Tong PENG1,2(), Shao-lan MA3, Cai-xia MA3, Yan-fang SONG1,2, Na GAO1,2, Kai-le LI1,2, Chuan-ji ZHANG1,2, Jing-wen LI4, Xiao-fan NA1,2, Li-guang WANG4()   

  1. 1.School of Life Sciences,Lanzhou University,Lanzhou 730000,China
    2.Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations,Lanzhou 730000,China
    3.School of Life Sciences,Ningxia University,Yinchuan 750021,China
    4.Institute of Biotechnology,Gansu Academy of Agricultural Sciences,Lanzhou 730070,China
  • Received:2021-12-28 Revised:2022-04-09 Online:2023-01-20 Published:2022-11-07
  • Contact: Li-guang WANG

Abstract:

The diversity and activity of soil microbial communities are essential for maintenance of the stability and function of the soil ecosystem. However, long-term monocropping of Lycium barbarum has caused biodiversity loss and alteration of soil microbial community composition. It is still unclear how such management affects soil microbial metabolic activity. This research explored the impacts of long-term monocropping on soil microbial metabolic activity in L. barbarum fields. We investigated the variation of microbial community-level physiological profiles (CLPP) in the topsoil (0-20 cm) and subsoil (20-40 cm) horizons of L. barbarum fields using Biolog EcoPlate methodology. Soil enzyme activities and abiotic properties were measured to explore the factors driving variation in CLPP. It was found that L.barbarum monocropping promoted the microbial metabolic activity of topsoil (P<0.05), but did not affect that of the subsoil nor the metabolic diversity index of either soil horizon. With increase in stand age, the utilization rates of Tween 80 and itaconic acid increased in topsoil, while those of D-glucosaminic acid and phenylethylamine decreased significantly in subsoil (P<0.05). The utilization of polymers significantly decreased with the increase in stand age in both soil depths (P<0.05), indicating that long-term monocropping affects the ability of soil microorganisms to degrade complex organic matter. Variance partitioning analysis further suggested that soil abiotic properties and fungal abundance were the major factors driving the variation in soil microbial metabolic diversity in L. barbarum fields. The data show that long-term monocropping disturbed the metabolic activity and the decomposition rates of complex soil organic matter, particularly in the subsoil. We propose that the subsoil quality of L. barbarum fields should be monitored and supervised under monocropping.

Key words: Lycium barbarum, soil sickness, microorganism, metabolic activity, Biolog EcoPlate