Summary
This field study characterised the bacterial communities associated with the Olifants River Cycad (Encephalartos lanatus) in nutrient-deficient grassland soils and quantified their contribution to soil nutrient cycling. Rhizosphere soils demonstrated significantly higher phosphatase and nitrate reductase activities than bulk soils, alongside elevated concentrations of key nutrients, suggesting that nutrient-cycling bacteria hosted in cycad coralloid roots play a functional role in improving soil fertility. The findings address a knowledge gap regarding grassland cycad microbiota and may inform conservation strategies for this slow-growing plant species.
Regional applicability
This study was conducted in South African grasslands and may have limited direct applicability to United Kingdom conditions, which differ substantially in climate, soil type and native flora. However, the mechanistic insights into plant-microbe nutrient cycling via coralloid root associations could inform research on nutrient-cycling partnerships in UK grassland ecosystems and inform restoration of nutrient-deficient soils.
Key measures
Soil nutrient concentration (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, manganese); acid phosphatase and nitrate reductase enzyme activity; bacterial community composition by 16S rRNA identification
Outcomes reported
The study identified bacterial communities in Encephalartos lanatus coralloid roots, rhizosphere and bulk soils, and assessed soil nutrient concentrations and extracellular enzyme activities across these compartments. Rhizosphere soils showed significantly higher acid phosphatase and nitrate reductase activities, and elevated magnesium and manganese concentrations compared to bulk soils.
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