Changes in soil physico-chemical properties following vegetation restoration mediate bacterial community composition and diversity in Changting, China

摘要

Changes in microbial communities and drivers of their composition in different restoration approaches are largely unexplored. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of different ecosystem restoration approaches on bacterial community diversity and whether changes in soil physico-chemical properties are driving bacterial community dynamics. Soil samples were collected from restored lands covered with grass, coniferous forest, young conifer-broadleaf forest, mature conifer-broadleaf forest, and natural broad-leaved forest and bare land. The bacterial community was determined by 16S rDNA sequencing while soil physico-chemical properties were determined using standard methodologies. We found that the physico-chemical properties of degraded red soil were improved following re-vegetation. Soil bulk density and soil pH decreased while soil moisture content increased in restored sites compared to bare land. Soil organic carbon, total P, K, N, and available P and K contents were the highest in conifer-broadleaved forest soil. Soil bacterial community diversity significantly increased following restoration of degraded landscape, with Chloroflexi, Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Cyanobacteria, WPS-2, Acidobacteria, Verrucomicrobia, Actinobacteria, and Bacteroidetes being dominant. The major bacteria phyla were positively correlated with soil chemical properties, but negatively correlated with soil physical properties and pH. It can be concluded that favorable changes in soil physico-chemical properties following restoration mediate bacterial community diversity, depending on vegetation cover types used to restore the degraded land.