Impacts of long-term fertilizer reduction and organic substitution on microbe-mediated multi-nutrient in agricultural ecosystems

Summary

This long-term field study employed metagenome analysis to characterise how reduction of chemical fertilisers combined with organic amendment application (alternating green manure and manure) affects soil health and microbe-mediated nutrient cycling in agricultural ecosystems. Organic substitution significantly enhanced soil organic matter, pH, available phosphorus, total nitrogen and cation exchange capacity whilst reshaping microbial community structure and altering key nutrient cycling pathways—notably stimulating carbon fixation whilst suppressing methanogenesis and nitrification, and enhancing phosphorus mineralisation potential. The findings contribute to mechanistic understanding of how soil amendments influence agroecosystem function and microbial-driven nutrient transformations.

Regional applicability

The study geography is not specified in the abstract provided. The relevance to United Kingdom farming would depend on climate, soil type and cropping system alignment; the findings on organic amendment-driven shifts in microbial nutrient cycling are likely transferable to temperate arable and mixed systems, though local validation would be warranted given differences in baseline soil communities and management practices.

Key measures

Soil organic matter content, pH, available phosphorus, total nitrogen, cation exchange capacity, microbial community structure (16S/18S rRNA metagenomics), functional genes for carbon fixation (Wood-Ljungdahl Pathway), methanogenesis, sulfate oxidation, phosphorus solubilisation and mineralisation, nitrogen fixation and nitrification

Outcomes reported

The study measured soil physicochemical properties, microbial community structure, and nutrient cycling processes in response to fertilizer reduction and organic amendment substitution using metagenome analysis. Key outcomes included changes in soil organic matter, pH, available phosphorus, total nitrogen, cation exchange capacity, and functional gene abundance related to carbon fixation, methanogenesis, sulfate oxidation, phosphorus mineralisation, and nitrogen fixation.

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