Effect of glyphosate on the microbial activity of two Romanian soils

Glyphosate applied to soils potentially affect microbial activity. A series of field and laboratory experiments assessed the effect of this herbicide on soil microorganisms. The aim of experiments was to evaluate the effect of glyphosate application on the soil microbial community structure, function and their activity. We studied "in vitro", changes in the microbial activity of typical Chernozem and Gleysol soils, with and without applied glyphosate. The herbicide was applied at a rate of 2, respectively 4 mg kg(-1) of soil and microbial activity were measured by fluorescein diacetate (FDA) hydrolysis. We found an increase of 9 to 13% in FDA hydrolyses in the presence of glyphosate in rate of 2 mg kg (-1) compared with the same type of soil which had never received herbicide. The double quantity of glyphosate decrease soil microbial activity; the amount of hydrolyzed fluorescein is lower than the addition of 2 ppm. The greater decrease was observed in the Gleysol type where the fluorescein hydrolyzed is with 4, 85% lower than version control without glyphosate. Chemical characters of soil, influence soil biological activity when herbicide is added. In Chemozem case, rich in humus, whose predominant micro flora is represented by actinomycetes through glyphosate treatment these organisms growths of as major producers of antibiotics actinomycetes determine an inhibitory effect on eubacteria and micromycetes growth, which is highlighted by estimating a relatively small number of them. After 10 days, once with decreasing of glyphosate content in soil, decreases the number of active actinomycetes, therefore we are witnessing to a numerical growth of bacterial population. In Gleysol type the indigenous micro flora is represented by eubacteria, so when the glyphosate is added it was registered a high growth of these organisms fraction.     

Soil microbial and faunal responses to herbicide tolerant maize and herbicide in two soils

A glasshouse experiment was set up to compare processes and organisms in two soils planted with genetically modified (GM) herbicide tolerant (HT) maize treated with appropriate herbicides. This was part of a wider project (ECOGEN) looking at the consequences of GM cropping systems on soil biology using a tiered approach at laboratory, glasshouse and field scales. Soil for the experiment was taken from field sites where the same maize cultivars were grown to allow comparison between results under glasshouse and field conditions. The maize cultivars T25 (GM HT glufosinate-ammonium tolerant), Orient (non HT near isogenic control for T25) and Monumental (a conventional, non HT variety) were grown in contrasting sandy loam and clay loam soils, half were sprayed with the appropriate herbicide as used in the field and soil samples were taken at the five-leaf and flowering plant growth stage. The main effects on all measured parameters were those of soil type and plant growth stage, with four categories of subsequent interaction: (1) there were no effects of herbicide on plant growth or soil microarthropods: (2) the maize cultivar (but not the GM HT trait) had effects on the decomposition of cotton strips and the nematode community; (3) herbicide application in general altered the community level physiological profile of the microbial community and reduced both soil basal respiration and the abundance of protozoa; and (4) the specific application of glufosinate-ammonium to T25 maize altered soil microbial community structure measured by ester linked fatty acids. The results from this glasshouse experiment support the findings from the field that there are effects of herbicide application on the soil microbial and meso-faunal community but that, compared to other standard agricultural practices, the differences are relatively small.     

Soil microbial communities in restored and unrestored coastal dune ecosystems in California

Most restoration projects involving invasive plant eradication tend to focus on plant removal with little consideration given to how these invasives change soil microbial communities. However, soil microorganisms can determine invasibility of habitats and, in turn, be altered by invasives once established, potentially inhibiting native plant establishment. We studied soil microbial communities in coastal dunes with varying invasion intensity and different restoration approaches (herbicide, mechanical excavation) at Point Reyes National Seashore. Overall, we found evidence of a strong link between bacterial and fungal soil communities and the presence of invasives and restoration approach. Heavily invaded sites were characterized by a lower abundance of putatively identified nitrifiers, fermentative bacteria, fungal parasites, and fungal dung saprotrophs and a higher abundance of cellulolytic bacteria and a class of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (Archaeosporomycetes). Changes in soil microbiota did not fully dissipate following removal of invasives using herbicide, with exception of reductions in cellulolytic bacteria and Archaeosporomycetes abundance. Mechanical restoration effectively removed both invasives and soil legacy effects by inverting or “flipping” rhizome‐contaminated surface soils with soils from below and may have inadvertently induced other adverse effects on soils that impeded reestablishment of native dune plants. Land managers should consider additional measures to counteract lingering legacy effects and/or focus restoration efforts in areas where legacy effects are less pronounced.     

Importance of the type of soil for the induction of micronuclei and the growth of primary roots of Vicia faba treated with the herbicides atrazine, glyphosate and maleic hydrazide.

Research was carried out on the genotoxic effects (induction of micronucleated cells in primary root tips) and toxic effects (reduction in primary root growth) in young plants of Vicia faba grown in soils with different organic matter contents and treated with the herbicides atrazine, glyphosate and maleic hydrazide. The data obtained show that the genotoxic effects are noticeably influenced by the interactions between the herbicide and the type of soil in which the Vicia faba have grown. While maleic hydrazide proved to be highly clastogenic for young plants grown in both soils, atrazine was genotoxic only in young plants grown in soil poor in organic matter. Glyphosate did not induce micronuclei under either soil condition, but induced a significant toxic effect.     

“使它隆”对玉米根部不同微生环境细菌群落多样性的影响

【目的】研究除草剂"使它隆"施用后对玉米根部不同微生环境细菌群落结构和多样性的影响。【方法】利用Illumina Miseq高通量测序技术,对玉米根系内生菌、根际和非根际土壤细菌16S rRNA的V4–V5可变区序列进行测定,分析不同生长期喷施除草剂使它隆对玉米土壤细菌及根系内生菌群落结构和多样性的影响。【结果】本研究15个样品共得到544393条有效序列,333565条优质序列。多样本共有OTU分析表明,非根际和根际土壤的群落结构更为相似,在一定程度上说明玉米根部相关细菌的定殖具有选择性并且是从根际到根系逐步专一化。丰度等级曲线和Alpha多样性结果显示非根际和根际土壤群落的丰富度和均匀度较高,而玉米根系内生菌群落的丰富度和均匀度都比较低,且成熟期玉米根系内生菌群落的丰富度在施用除草剂使它隆后下降比较剧烈。群落组成分析发现,使它隆除草后,玉米根部相关细菌各时期在门及属水平上的分布都发生了较大变化。菌群代谢功能预测结果表明玉米生长从苗期到成熟期,微生物的生长压力逐渐加大,需要消耗更多的能量用于新陈代谢和环境适应。【结论】施用除草剂使它隆后会降低玉米根部土壤细菌群落的多样性,使它隆对成熟期玉米根系内生菌群落影响最为显著。     

Role of Microniches in Protecting Introduced Rhizobium leguminosarum biovar trifolii against Competition and Predation in Soil

The importance of microniches for the survival of introduced Rhizobium leguminosarum biovar trifolii cells was studied in sterilized and recolonized sterilized loamy sand and silt loam. The recolonized soils contained several species of soil microorganisms but were free of protozoa. Part of these soil samples was inoculated with the flagellate Bodo saltans, precultured on rhizobial cells. The introduced organisms were enumerated in different soil fractions by washing the soil, using a standardized washing procedure. With this method, free organisms and organisms associated with soil particles or aggregates >50 μm were separated. The total number of rhizobia was influenced slightly (silt loam) or not at all (loamy sand) by the recolonization with microorganisms or by the addition of flagellates alone. However, when both flagellates and microorganisms were present, numbers of rhizobia decreased drastically. This decrease was more than the sum of both effects separately. Nevertheless, populations of rhizobia were still higher than in natural soil. In the presence of flagellates, higher percentages of rhizobia and other microorganisms were associated with soil particles or aggregates >50 μm than in the absence of flagellates. In recolonized soils, however, the percentages of particle-associated rhizobia were lower than in soils not recolonized previous to inoculation. Thus, the presence of other microorganisms hindered rhizobial colonization of sites where they are normally associated with soil particles or aggregates.     

Impact of an Herbicide Combination of Bromoxynil and Prosulfuron on Soil Microorganisms

Soil microcosm experiments were used to investigate the effects on growth and activity of soil microorganisms of an herbicide combination (60% bromoxynil + 3% prosulfuron) frequently used to provide a broad spectrum control of weed species. Culturable aerobic bacteria, fungi, and actinomycetes, the fundamental groups of heterotrophic microorganisms, and nitrifiers, considered a very sensitive group to these compounds, were evaluated. Since herbicides have been found to inhibit decomposition of cellulose in soil, the effects on cellulolytic bacteria and fungi were determined. Dehydrogenase activity as a measure of microbial activity was another parameter considered. The results emphasized a tendency of reversible stimulatory/inhibitory effects of the tested compounds on soil microorganisms, with fungi as an exception. A long-lasting negative action on the activity of the dehydrogenase (DHA), commonly used as an index of the overall microbial activity in soil, was found. The magnitude of these effects were dependent on the assayed concentrations of the herbicides mixture. We concluded that the presence of bromoxynil + prosulfuron could induce significant changes in the microbial populations of the soil, concerning the activity and balance of microbial community. Possible environmental risks must be considered. Dehydrogenase activity was shown to be an important indicator of side-effects attributed to these herbicides.     

Interaction between lindane and micorbes in soils.

Three lindane (gamma-1,2,3,4,5,6-hexachlorocyclohexane) treated soils were studied under laboratory conditions to determine the interaction between lindane and the soil microorganisms. Microbial populations and respiration were monitored to study insecticide effects. Formation of lindane degradation products and chloride content were examined to determine effects of the microorganisms. Some populations in lindane treated soils showed temporary declines but all ultimately recovered to at least the level of the controls in 16 weeks. Respiration was stimulated over a 9-week period especially in the sandy and clay loams, suggesting the possibility of microbial degradation of the insecticide. Lindane degradation products separated and identified by TLC included gamma-2,3,4,5,6-pentachloro-1-cyclohexene (gamma-PCCH), gamma-3,4,5,6,-tetrachloro-1-cyclohexene (gamma-TCCH), gamma-3,4,5,6-tetrachloro-1-cyclohexene (gamma-TCCH), and pentachlorobenzene (PCB). Chloride production increased in soils treated with higher levels of lindane.     

天然林转人工林对亚热带森林土壤团聚体中亚硝酸盐还原基因丰度的影响

我国亚热带地区大面积天然林已转变为人工林,对森林生态系统结构和功能产生了极大影响。为揭示森林土壤团聚体中N₂O产生的关键基因亚硝酸盐还原基因(nirK和nirS)对森林转换后的响应特征,本研究选取中亚热带米槠天然林、杉木人工林和马尾松人工林为对象,分析了3种林分土壤和团聚体中nirK和nirS基因丰度。结果表明: 天然林转变成人工林后,土壤pH值升高,但铵态氮含量下降。森林转换对土壤团聚体结构组成影响不大,但不同粒径团聚体中nirK和nirS基因丰度存在差异,以小团聚体分布最多,粉-黏颗粒分布最少。各林分土壤中nirK基因丰度均显著高于nirS基因丰度,表明nirK在酸性森林土壤中占主导。天然林转人工林显著增加全土和团聚体中nirK及nirS基因丰度,表明森林转换有利于提高nirK和nirS基因丰度,这可能与pH值的提高有关。综上,天然林转变为杉木或马尾松人工林显著提高了土壤和团聚体中nirK和nirS丰度,但对团聚体质量分数无显著影响。     

High abundance and role of antifungal bacteria in compost-treated soils in a wildfire area

Compost has been widely used in order to promote vegetation growth in post-harvested and burned soils. The effects on soil microorganisms were scarcely known, so we performed the microbial analyses in a wildfire area of the Taebaek Mountains, Korea, during field surveys from May to September 2007. Using culture-dependent and -independent methods, we found that compost used in burned soils influenced a greater impact on soil fungi than bacteria. Compost-treated soils contained higher levels of antifungal strains in the genera Bacillus and Burkholderia than non-treated soils. When the antifungal activity of Burkholderia sp. strain O1a_RA002, which had been isolated from a compost-treated soil, was tested for the growth inhibition of bacteria and fungi isolated from burned soils, the membrane-filtered culture supernatant inhibited 19/37 fungal strains including soil fungi, Eupenicillium spp. and Devriesia americana; plant pathogens, Polyschema larviformis and Massaria platani; an animal pathogen, Mortierella verticillata; and an unidentified Ascomycota. However, this organism only inhibited 11/151 bacterial strains tested. These patterns were compatible with the culture-independent DGGE results, suggesting that the compost used in burned soils had a greater impact on soil fungi than bacteria through the promotion of the growth of antifungal bacteria. Our findings indicate that compost used in burned soils is effective in restoring soil conditions to a state closer to those of nearby unburned forest soils at the early stage of secondary succession.     

除草剂二氯喹啉酸对水稻田土壤中微生物种群的影响

对好氧微生物采用平板稀释法,厌氧微生物采用最大或然计数法和滚管法研究土壤中施入0．33、0．67、1．00、1．33、2．00μg·g^-1干土除草剂二氯喹啉酸后对土壤可培养微生物种群数量的影响。结果表明,各种微生物对二氯喹啉酸的反应随其施加浓度的不同而有差异．二氯喹啉酸对水稻田土壤中好氧性细菌、水解发酵细菌、反硝化细菌数量的影响都是短暂的,第33d时均能恢复至接近对照水平,浓度在1．33μg·g^-1干土以下时二氯喹啉酸促进真菌数量增加,高于该浓度时则具有抑制作用．施用各浓度二氯喹啉酸初期,对土壤中放线菌和产甲烷菌有一定程度的抑制效应,但低浓度时抑制效应在培养后期消失．正常土壤施用量的二氯喹啉酸(即0．67μg·g^-1干土)对水田土壤微生物各种群无实质危害级农药。     

中性糖在土壤中的来源与分布特征

糖类(即碳水化合物)是土壤有机质的重要组成部分, 经生物化学降解形成不同结构的单糖。土壤中的中性单糖也叫中性糖, 主要包括木糖、核糖、阿拉伯糖、葡萄糖、半乳糖、甘露糖、岩藻糖和鼠李糖。其中, 植物来源的糖主要为五碳糖, 如木糖和阿拉伯糖; 微生物来源的糖主要包括半乳糖、甘露糖、岩藻糖、鼠李糖等六碳糖。研究中常利用六碳糖和五碳糖的比例指示微生物和植物对土壤有机碳的相对贡献。中性糖是微生物重要的碳源和能量来源, 在团聚体的形成过程中扮演着重要角色。该文整合了近30年土壤中性糖的研究进展, 对比了提取中性糖的常用方法, 分析了不同土地利用类型和不同土壤组分中中性糖的含量、来源和周转特征, 综述了影响中性糖含量和分布的主要环境因素。结果表明, 中性糖在耕地土壤中的绝对含量和相对含量均显著低于针叶林、阔叶林、草地和灌丛4种土地利用类型。(半乳糖+甘露糖)/(阿拉伯糖+木糖)(GM/AX)在不同土地利用间差异不显著, 而(鼠李糖+岩藻糖)/(阿拉伯糖+木糖)(RF/AX)则表明草地土壤中的微生物来源的中性糖含量高于针叶林和耕地。不同密度的土壤组分中, 轻质组分中中性糖的含量比重质组分高, 重质组分中微生物来源的中性糖较多; 就不同粒径(或团聚体)而言, 黏粒(或微团聚体)中微生物来源的中性糖含量更丰富。有关影响土壤中性糖含量和分布的因素的研究, 目前主要集中在人为活动(如耕种和放牧等), 而有关温度、降水等自然环境因素影响的研究较少。     

东北黑土水稳性团聚体及其结合碳分布特征

以东北黑土区32对自然和耕作黑土为研究对象,对比研究了两种土壤水稳性团聚体及其结合碳的分布特征.结果表明：自然土壤0～30 cm水稳性大团聚体（>0.25 mm）质量分数及其结合碳均高于微团聚体;随着土层深度的增加,大团聚体及其结合碳逐渐降低,而微团聚体（<0.25 mm）及其结合碳显著增加（P<0.01）.耕作土壤团聚体分布特征与自然土壤相反,与自然土壤相比,耕作土壤大团聚体数量及其结合碳急剧降低,且>1 mm的大团聚体降低幅度远大于其他粒级团聚体.自然土壤大团聚体质量分数与土壤有机碳（SOC）存在明显的正相关关系（P<0.01）,尤其是>1 mm大团聚体;耕作土壤>1 mm大团聚体质量分数与土壤总SOC相关不显著;自然与耕作土壤总SOC与各级团聚体结合碳呈极显著正相关（P<0.01）.与自然土壤相比,耕作土壤大团聚体结合碳明显降低,而微团聚体结合碳增加了37.1%,总SOC含量下降了29.5%,表明大团聚体在总SOC变化中起主要作用.水稳性大团聚体对管理措施响应迅速,可以作为评价农业管理措施转变对土壤肥力和土壤质量影响的指标.     

Outdoor evaluation of herbicide resistant strains of Anabaena variabilis as biofertilizer for rice plants

Application of diazotrophic cyanobacteria, Anabaena variabilis, as biofertilizer for rice cultivation has a beneficial effect on crop productivity and maintenance of soil fertility. However, periodic applications of herbicides used to obtain high crop productivity are not only detrimental to weeds but to biofertilizer strains of cyanobacteria also. Therefore, research was undertaken to isolate four herbicide resistant strains (Arozin-R, Alachlor-R, Butachlor-R and 2,4-D-R) and a multiple herbicide resistant strain (MHR) of natural isolates of A. variabilis exhibiting resistance against these common rice field herbicides. The outdoor survivability of mutant strains and the productivity of rice crop (IR-36) were evaluated by inoculating the wild type and herbicide resistant mutant strains of A. variabilis in the presence and absence of recommended field dosages of test herbicides. No difference in survival and biofertilizer potentials of the herbicide resistant strains was observed in herbicide treated or in untreated conditions. Highest survivability (87%) was exhibited by MHR relative to other mutants. Highest growth and grain yield (76%) were recorded in plants treated with MHR as compared to uninoculated control rice plants. In conclusion, the mutant strains of A. variabilis had stable resistance to herbicides under outdoor conditions in flooded soils. Not only did the herbicide resistance strains increase growth of rice relative to the uninoculated pots, they were more beneficial for rice growth than the wild type strain. Responsible Editor: Richard W. Bell.     

Introduction of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid into soil with solvents and resulting implications for bioavailability to microorganisms

Slow equilibration of introduced chemicals through tortuous pore space limits uniform substrate distribution in soil biodegradation studies. The necessity of introducing poorly soluble xenobiotics via organic solvents, the volume of which is minimized to limit toxicity, likely also affects xenobiotic distribution. Our objective was to investigate relative effects of carrier solvent choice and volume on xenobiotic distribution, apparent solvent toxicity, and soil degradation of 2,4-dichlorophenoxy acetic acid. Incubations using four carrier solvents ranging in properties showed that the fraction of 2,4-D mineralized was a hyperbolic function of solvent volume used (0.02–10 μl g⁻¹), attributed to compensating effects of herbicide bioavailability and solvent toxicity. Substrate concentration influenced mineralization of herbicide introduced with organic carriers, but not water. Fraction of material readily desorbed increased when water was the carrier. Results suggest that solvent toxicity should be balanced with uniformity of substrate distribution when using organic carriers in soils. Substrate bioavailability is a ubiquitous issue in terrestrial microbiology research, thus limitations observed herein broadly apply to microbiology questions about introduced substances in soil. We advocate the development of tools to characterize variable conditions among soil compartments, estimates of substrate bioavailability, and linkage of this information to microbial data.     

喀斯特山区土地利用对土壤团聚体有机碳和活性有机碳特征的影响

通过选取喀斯特山区火龙果园、草丛、花椒林、乔木林和灌草丛为研究对象,对其土壤团聚有机碳和团聚体活性有机碳分布与积累特征进行研究,结果表明:各土地利用方式下的团聚体组成均以＞0.5 mm团聚体为主,其含量可占团聚体总量的82.57％-94.79％;各粒级团聚体中有机碳和活性有机碳的含量均以乔木林最高,花椒林和火龙果园相对居中,而以草丛和灌草丛较低,随土壤团聚体粒径降低,有机碳和活性有机碳的峰值基本出现在＜0.25 mm粒级团聚体,但该粒径对土壤有机碳和活性有机碳的贡献率却不足6％和4％;土壤有机碳和活性有机碳的累积均受5-1 mm团聚体中有机碳和活性有机碳含量增加的影响,该粒级团聚体对有机碳和活性有机碳的贡献率也分别达28.70％-49.47％和34.13％-47.47％,可将5-1 mm粒径团聚体作为喀斯特山区的土壤有机碳固定的特征团聚体;土壤团聚体活性有机碳含量与土壤团聚体总有机碳含量呈极显著正相关关系(r=O.8768),表明团聚体活性有机碳可以作为衡量喀斯特山区土壤团聚体有机碳动态的一个敏感性指标.     

Phytohormones in soil after atrazine application

The herbicide atrazine influences the content of phytohormones (auxins, gibberellins, cytokinins) in maize-cultivated soils. The effect is probably related to variations in the metabolism of hormones in soil microorganisms.     

Effect of Zytron and Its Degradation Products on Soil Microorganisms

There was no adverse effect of Zytron, o-2,4-dichlorophenyl o-methyl isopropyl phosphoramidothioate, a herbicide, upon molds, actinomycetes, and soil bacteria in field plots, or upon selected soil microorganisms in model systems. 2,4-Dichlorophenol, a degradation product, was found to be toxic at levels above 10 ppm to molds, but levels this high were not found in soil from treated plots. Aspergillus clavatus degraded both Zytron and 2,4-dichlorophenol. Sodium o-methyl isopropyl phosphoramidothioate, another degradation product of Zytron, stimulated the growth of a species of Penicillium.     

Degradation of 2,4-DB in Argentinean agricultural soils with high humic matter content

The dissipation of 4-(2,4-dichlorophenoxy) butyric acid (2,4-DB) in high-humic-matter-containing soils from agricultural fields of the Argentinean Humid Pampa region was studied, employing soil microcosms under different experimental conditions. The added herbicide was dissipated almost completely by soils with and without history of herbicide use by day 28. At 500 ppm, both soils showed the same degradation rates; but at 5-ppm concentration, the chronically exposed soil demonstrated a faster degradation of the herbicide. 2,4-DB addition produced increases in herbicide-degrading bacteria of three and 1.5 orders of magnitude in soils with and without history of herbicide use, respectively, in microcosms with 5 ppm. At 500-ppm concentration, the increase in 2,4-DB degraders was five orders of magnitude after 14 days, independent of the history of herbicide use. No differences were observed in either 2,4-DB degradation rates or in degrader bacteria numbers in the presence and absence of alfalfa plants, in spite of some differential characteristics in patterns of 2,4-DB metabolite accumulation. The main factor affecting 2,4-DB degradation rate would be the history of herbicide use, as a consequence of the adaptation of the indigenous microflora to the presence of herbicides in the field.     

Herbicide Selection Promotes Antibiotic Resistance in Soil Microbiomes

Herbicides are one of the most widely used chemicals in agriculture. While they are known to be harmful to nontarget organisms, the effects of herbicides on the composition and functioning of soil microbial communities remain unclear. Here we show that application of three widely used herbicides—glyphosate, glufosinate, and dicamba—increase the prevalence of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and mobile genetic elements (MGEs) in soil microbiomes without clear changes in the abundance, diversity and composition of bacterial communities. Mechanistically, these results could be explained by a positive selection for more tolerant genotypes that acquired several mutations in previously well-characterized herbicide and ARGs. Moreover, herbicide exposure increased cell membrane permeability and conjugation frequency of multidrug resistance plasmids, promoting ARG movement between bacteria. A similar pattern was found in agricultural soils across 11 provinces in China, where herbicide application, and the levels of glyphosate residues in soils, were associated with increased ARG and MGE abundances relative to herbicide-free control sites. Together, our results show that herbicide application can enrich ARGs and MGEs by changing the genetic composition of soil microbiomes, potentially contributing to the global antimicrobial resistance problem in agricultural environments.