Similar spatial patterns of soil quality indicators in three poplar-based silvo-arable alley cropping systems in Germany

Beuschel, René; Piepho, Hans‐Peter; Joergensen, Rainer Georg; Wachendorf, Christine

doi:10.1007/s00374-018-1324-3

Cited by 48 publications

(42 citation statements)

References 93 publications

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“…Thus, it is likely that trees integrated in agroforestry systems affect soil microbial communities on both structural and functional levels. For example, a recent study in three poplar-based temperate agroforestry systems found greater soil fungal C-to-bacterial C ratios in the tree rows than the crop rows [17], probably due to increased input of lignin- and suberin-rich tree residues. Soil enzymatic activities and substrate utilization patterns of soil microbial communities also indicate that microbial communities in the tree and crop rows of agroforestry systems are functionally different [11,18,19].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Conversion of monoculture cropland and open grassland to agroforestry alters the abundance of soil bacteria, fungi and soil-N-cycling genes

et al. 2019

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Integration of trees in agroforestry systems can increase the system sustainability compared to monocultures. The resulting increase in system complexity is likely to affect soil-N cycling by altering soil microbial community structure and functions. Our study aimed to assess the abundance of genes encoding enzymes involved in soil-N cycling in paired monoculture and agroforestry cropland in a Phaeozem soil, and paired open grassland and agroforestry grassland in Histosol and Anthrosol soils. The soil fungi-to-bacteria ratio was greater in the tree row than in the crop or grass rows of the monoculture cropland and open grassland in all soil types, possibly due to increased input of tree residues and the absence of tillage in the Phaeozem (cropland) soil. In the Phaeozem (cropland) soil, gene abundances of amoA indicated a niche differentiation between archaeal and bacterial ammonia oxidizers that distinctly separated the influence of the tree row from the crop row and monoculture system. Abundances of nitrate ( napA and narG ), nitrite ( nirK and nirS ) and nitrous oxide reductase genes ( nosZ clade I) were largely influenced by soil type rather than management system. The soil types’ effects were associated with their differences in soil organic C, total N and pH. Our findings show that in temperate regions, conversion of monoculture cropland and open grassland to agroforestry systems can alter the abundance of soil bacteria and fungi and soil-N-cycling genes, particularly genes involved in ammonium oxidation.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Conversion of monoculture cropland and open grassland to agroforestry alters the abundance of soil bacteria, fungi and soil-N-cycling genes

et al. 2019

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“…In Germany, a greater abundance of saprotrophic fungi and ectomycorrhizal fungi, as well as a greater fungalC:bacterialC ratio were found in tree rows of the silvopasture [100]. In Canada, phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) measured fungal abundance was greater in a tree-based system compared to adjacent cropping systems [101].…”

Section: Agroforestry and Soil Microbial Diversitymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In another study, Chifflot et al [102] observed significantly greater spatial differences and diversity of fungi pores on tree based intercropping sites compared to a monoculture. As the system matures shifting towards saprotrophic and ectomycorrhizal fungi occurs and this shift was attributed to more complex and diverse organic material, reduced soil disturbance, and soil pore geometry [100]. Studying three AF systems using molecular techniques, Zhang et al [103] mentioned that fungal diversity was greater in the rhizosphere compared to bulk soil, but differences were not significant among systems.…”

Section: Agroforestry and Soil Microbial Diversitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Agroforestry and Biodiversity

2019

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Declining biodiversity (BD) is aecting food security, agricultural sustainability,and environmental quality. Agroforestry (AF) is recognized as a possible partial solution forBD conservation and improvement. This manuscript uses published peer-reviewed manuscripts,reviews, meta-analysis, and federal and state agency documents to evaluate relationships betweenAF and BD and how AF can be used to conserve BD. The review revealed that floral, faunal, and soilmicrobial diversity were significantly greater in AF as compared to monocropping, adjacent croplands, and within crop alleys and some forests. Among the soil organisms, arbuscular mycorrhizaefungi (AMF), bacteria, and enzyme activities were significantly greater in AF than crop and livestockpractices. Agroforestry also creates spatially concentrated high-density BD near trees due to favorablesoil-plant-water-microclimate conditions. The greater BD was attributed to heterogeneous vegetation,organic carbon, microclimate, soil conditions, and spatial distribution of trees. Dierences in BDbetween AF and other management types diminished with time. Evenly distributed leaves, litter,roots, dead/live biological material, and microclimate improve soil and microclimate in adjacentcrop and pasture areas as the system matures. Results of the study prove that integration of AFcan improve BD in agricultural lands. Selection of site suitable tree/shrub/grass-crop combinationscan be used to help address soil nutrient deficiencies or environmental conditions. Future studieswith standardized management protocols may be needed for all regions to further strengthen thesefindings and to develop AF establishment criteria for BD conservation and agricultural sustainability.

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“…Over the past 20 years, a number of studies investigated soil microorganisms in temperate agroforestry systems by using enzyme assays, substrate-induced respiration or microbial biomass determination (e.g., Seiter et al, 1999;Lee and Jose, 2003;Mungai et al, 2005;Udawatta et al, 2008Udawatta et al, , 2009Rivest et al, 2013;Weerasekara et al, 2016;Sun et al, 2018;Beuschel et al, 2019). Agroforestry has been shown to increase functional diversity of enzyme activities (Seiter et al, 1999;Mungai et al, 2005;Udawatta et al, 2008Udawatta et al, , 2009Unger et al, 2013;Weerasekara et al, 2016).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In contrast to these results, Saggar et al (2001) reported a strong suppression of soil microbial biomass by pine (Pinus radiata) trees planted in grassland. Increased fungi-to-bacteria ratios were reported in the tree row compared to the crop row of agroforestry systems (Beuschel et al, 2019) and the analysis of phospholipid fatty acids showed increased abundance of gram-positive, gram-negative and anaerobic soil bacteria in agroforestry as compared to cropland soil (Unger et al, 2013). Additionally, the integration of trees into agricultural fields decreased the metabolic quotient indicating a greater substrate-use efficiency of soil microorganisms (Rivest et al, 2013;Beuschel et al, 2019).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Poplar Rows in Temperate Agroforestry Croplands Promote Bacteria, Fungi, and Denitrification Genes in Soils

et al. 2020

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Agroforestry, which is the integration of trees into monoculture cropland, can alter soil properties and nutrient cycling. Temperate agroforestry practices have been shown to affect soil microbial communities as indicated by changes in enzyme activities, substrate-induced respiration, and microbial biomass. Research exploring soil microbial communities in temperate agroforestry with the help of molecular tools which allow for the quantification of microbial taxa and selected genes is scarce. Here, we quantified 13 taxonomic groups of microorganisms and nine genes involved in N cycling (N 2 fixation, nitrification, and denitrification) in soils of three paired temperate agroforestry and conventional monoculture croplands using real-time PCR. The agroforestry croplands were poplar-based alley-cropping systems in which samples were collected in the tree rows as well as within the crop rows at three distances from the tree rows. The abundance of Acidobacteria, Actinobacteria, Alpha-and Gammaproteobacteria, Firmicutes, and Verrucomicrobia increased in the vicinity of poplar trees, which may be accounted for by the presence of persistent poplar roots as well as by the input of tree litter. The strongest population increase was observed for Basidiomycota, which was likely related to high soil moisture, the accumulation of tree litter, and the absence of tillage in the tree rows. Soil microorganisms carrying denitrification genes were more abundant in the tree rows than in the crop rows and monoculture systems, suggesting a greater potential for nitrate removal through denitrification, which may reduce nitrate leaching. Since microbial communities are involved in critical soil processes, we expect that the combination of real-time PCR with soil process measurements will greatly enhance insights into the microbial control of important soil functions in agroforestry systems.

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Similar spatial patterns of soil quality indicators in three poplar-based silvo-arable alley cropping systems in Germany

Cited by 48 publications

References 93 publications

Conversion of monoculture cropland and open grassland to agroforestry alters the abundance of soil bacteria, fungi and soil-N-cycling genes

Conversion of monoculture cropland and open grassland to agroforestry alters the abundance of soil bacteria, fungi and soil-N-cycling genes

Agroforestry and Biodiversity

Poplar Rows in Temperate Agroforestry Croplands Promote Bacteria, Fungi, and Denitrification Genes in Soils

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