Structural and Functional Relationships Between Plant and Soil Microbial Communities for the Management of Grasslands

摘要

Plant and soil microbial communities were dependent on each other being producer and decomposer, respectively, in the terrestrial ecosystems. Any change between these two communities was likely to alter the structure and function of the ecosystems. Grasslands were complex ecosystems where interactions occurred among plants, soil microbes, grazing animals and the human interventions. However, it remained unclear whether there was any pattern of relationship between plant and soil microbial communities in the grasslands. This study was aimed to study the structural and functional relationships between plant and soil microbial communities at both spatial and temporal scales. Data revealed significant effects of vegetation on the structure of soil microbial communities. Results also showed differences in microbial biomass and community composition between unimproved and improved grasslands indicating the influence of management activities. Although some studies showed significant effect of plant diversity on microbial diversity and community composition relatively less evidence were found in favor of a positive relationship between these two communities. Data also revealed the difference in soil microbial functions between grasslands with different disturbance regimes: soil microbes of the unimproved grasslands were more efficient in carbon and nitrogen mineralization than those in the improved grasslands. This review was relevant for the management and conservation of the grassland ecosystems as well as for enhanced knowledge about the ecological mechanisms by which diversity and composition of plant and soil microbial communities were regulated and maintained.