The natural recovery of soil microbial community and nitrogen functions after pasture abandonment in the Amazon region

Author(s)

Pedrinho, Alexandre ^{[1, 2]} ; Mendes, Lucas William ^[1] ; Merloti, Luis Fernando ^[1] ; Andreote, Fernando Dini ^[2] ; Tsai, Siu Mui ^[1]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Ctr Nucl Energy Agr CENA, Cell & Mol Biol Lab, Ave Centenario 303, BR-13416000 Piracicaba, SP - Brazil

^[2] Univ Sao Paulo, Luiz Queiroz Coll Agr ESALQ, Soil Microbiol Lab, Ave Padua Dias 11, BR-13418900 Piracicaba, SP - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: FEMS MICROBIOLOGY ECOLOGY; v. 96, n. 9 SEP 2020.
• Web of Science Citations: 3

Abstract

We assessed the impacts of forest-to-pasture conversion on the dynamic of soil microbial communities, especially those involved in the N-cycle, and their potential functions, using DNA-metagenomic sequencing coupled with the quantification of marker genes for N-cycling. We also evaluated whether the community's dynamic was reestablished with secondary forest growth. In general, the microbial community structure was influenced by changes in soil chemical properties. Aluminum and nitrate significantly correlated to community structure and with 12 out of 21 microbial phyla. The N-related microbial groups and their potential functions were also affected by land-use change, with pasture being clearly different from primary and secondary forest systems. The microbial community analysis demonstrated that forest-to-pasture conversion increased the abundance of different microbial groups related to nitrogen fixation, including Bacteroidetes, Chloroflexi and Firmicutes. In contrast, after pasture abandonment and with the secondary forest regeneration, there was an increase in the abundance of Proteobacteria taxa and denitrification genes. Our multi-analytical approach indicated that the secondary forest presented some signs of resilience, suggesting that the N-related microbial groups and their potential functions can be recovered over time with implications for future ecological restoration programs. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 17/02635-4 - Microcosms and microbiota activity of the methane and n (N2O) cycle under the influence of moisture in soils from Eastern Amazon
• Grantee: Alexandre Pedrinho
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• FAPESP's process: 14/50320-4 - Dimensions US-BIOTA - São Paulo: collaborative research: integrating dimensions of microbial biodiversity across land use change in tropical forests
• Grantee: Tsai Siu Mui
• Support Opportunities: BIOTA-FAPESP Program - Thematic Grants
• FAPESP's process: 17/16757-4 - Insights into the effect of forest-to-pasture conversion and soil moisture on N2O emission and denitrifying community
• Grantee: Alexandre Pedrinho
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Master's degree