Parent Material and Vegetation Influence Soil Microbial Community Structure Following 30-Years of Rock Weathering and Pedogenesis

Abstract

The process of pedogenesis and the development of biological communities during primary succession begin on recently exposed mineral surfaces. Following 30 years of surface exposure of reclaimed surface mining sites (Appalachian Mountains, USA), it was hypothesized that microbial communities would differ between sandstone and siltstone parent materials and to a lesser extent between vegetation types. Microbial community composition was examined by targeting bacterial and archaeal (16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA)) and fungal (internal transcribed spacer (ITS)) genes and analyzed using Illumina sequencing. Microbial community composition significantly differed between parent materials and between plots established with tall fescue grass or pitch x loblolly pine vegetation types, suggesting that both factors are important in shaping community assembly during early pedogenesis. At the phylum level, Acidobacteria and Proteobacteria differed in relative abundance between sandstone and siltstone. The amount of the heavy fraction carbon (C) was significantly different between sandstone (2.0 mg g(-1)) and siltstone (5.2 mg g(-1)) and correlated with microbial community composition. Soil nitrogen (N) cycling was examined by determining gene copy numbers of ureC, archaeal amoA, and bacterial amoA. Gene quantities tended to be higher in siltstone compared to sandstone but did not differ by vegetation type. This was consistent with differences in extractable ammonium (NH4 (+)) concentrations between sandstone and siltstone (16.4 vs 8.5 μg NH4 (+)-N g(-1) soil), suggesting that nitrification rates may be higher in siltstone. Parent material and early vegetation are important determinants of early microbial community assembly and could be drivers for the trajectory of ecosystem development over longer time scales.

The Effects of Various Land Reclamation Scenarios on the Succession of Soil Bacteria, Archaea, and Fungi Over the Short and Long Term

“…Dimitriu et al (2010) showed that reclamation-mediated effects on microbial properties are mainly attributable to changes in abiotic properties such as soil pH; however, the composition of soil bacterial and fungal communities in forest soil is largely determined by dominant trees (Urbanová et al, 2015). Both parent material (sandstone and siltstone) and nutrient addition (including nitrogen and phosphorus fertilization) affected the rate of succession because of the differences in resource availability (Knelman et al, 2014;Yarwood et al, 2015). In severely degraded soil, microbial community structure and generation were mediated by soil aggregation via the protection afforded by soil organic carbon (Zhang et al, 2010).…”

“…Soil factors and vegetation are important determinants of microbial community composition and could determine the trajectory of ecosystem development (Yarwood et al, 2015). Dimitriu et al (2010) showed that reclamation-mediated effects on microbial properties are mainly attributable to changes in abiotic properties such as soil pH; however, the composition of soil bacterial and fungal communities in forest soil is largely determined by dominant trees (Urbanová et al, 2015).…”

Soil microbial communities associated with giant sequoia: How does the world’s largest tree affect some of the world’s smallest organisms?

“…For example, parent material and vegetation type interacted to affect soil macroaggregate 84 size, and both factors also shaped microbial community structure following 30 years of 85 surface exposure of reclaimed surface mining sites (Yarwood et al, 2015). The degree to 86 which this occurs with the iconic giant sequoia, however, remains unknown.…”

Restoration of soil-vegetation cover and soil microbial community at the Pechurki limestone quarry (Leningrad region, Russia)

“…The spontaneous succession of plant communities in quarries with various substrates has been studied in sufficient detail. Much of the research is devoted to various aspects of succession of the vegetation cover (Kopceva 2005, Neshataev et al 2012, Sumina 2013, the processes of pedogenesis have been analyzed quite thoroughly (Abakumov et al 2013, Yarwood et al 2015. However, complex observations on the restoration of the soil and vegetation cover and the connection of these components remain small.…”