Summary
This field study examined how chronic elevation of tropospheric ozone affects the intricate interactions between soybean plants, soil microorganisms, and soil health. Elevated ozone significantly disrupted soil fungal communities and bacteria-fungi associations, reduced arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi contributions to plant performance, and accelerated soil carbon depletion through increased saprotrophic fungal activity. Whilst free-living nitrogen-fixing bacteria showed some acclimation under elevated ozone, the overall effect was substantially negative for agroecosystem functioning, suggesting that future ozone scenarios pose a significant threat to agricultural productivity and soil health.
Regional applicability
This research was conducted in the United States and may have limited direct applicability to United Kingdom agroecosystems, which typically experience lower baseline ozone concentrations and different climatic conditions. However, the mechanistic findings regarding ozone disruption of plant-microbe interactions and soil carbon cycling are transferable in principle, particularly to regions in Europe and North America where tropospheric ozone pollution is increasing or projected to increase under climate change scenarios.
Key measures
Belowground soil microbiome composition and diversity; bacterial-fungi interactions; fungal community assembly; arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal abundance and function; fungal saprotroph proliferation; soil organic matter decomposition rates; soil carbon pools; nitrogen fixation capacity; plant physiological properties
Outcomes reported
The study evaluated the long-term effects of elevated tropospheric ozone on soil microbiomes, soil quality, and plant-microbe-soil interactions in two soybean genotypes with contrasting ozone sensitivity grown in field plots. Measurements included bacterial-fungal interactions, fungal diversity and community assembly, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi contribution, fungal saprotroph proliferation, soil organic matter decomposition, and nitrogen fixation by free-living diazotrophs.
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