3rd Global Soil Biodiversity Conference

2023
Book of Abstracts
Oral Presentations
52
Climate warming reduces microbial biodiversity in a temperate grassland
Jizhong Zhou1
1
University Of Oklahoma, Norman, United States

The rapid loss of biodiversity due to human alternation of the global environment is threatening
ecosystem functioning. Despite the critical importance of belowground soil biodiversity in
maintaining ecosystem functions, whether and how climate change affects the richness and
abundance distribution of soil microbial (e.g., bacterial, archaeal, fungal, and protistan)
communities remains unresolved. Here, we examined the effects of warming, altered precipitation
and clipping (annual biomass removal) on grassland soil bacterial and fungal biodiversity in a long-
term multifactorial global change experiment. Our results based on long-term time-series
observations revealed that experimental warming played a predominant role in shaping microbial
biodiversity by decreasing the richness of soil bacteria (9.6%), archaea (1.4%), fungi (14.5%), and
protists (7.5%). The warming effects varied greatly among different microbial lineages, with strong
negative effects on slow-growing bacteria and arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi, but positive on fast-
growing bacteria. Also, warming significantly decreased soil moisture, which was the major driver of
microbial biodiversity reduction. Further analysis revealed significant positive linkages between
microbial biodiversity and associated ecosystem functional processes. These results imply that the
detrimental effects of biodiversity loss could be more severe in a warmer world, making future
ecosystems more vulnerable.
60
Soil invertebrates in an evolutionary transition zone
Nico M. van Straalen1
1
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands

Soil is an environment promoting the evolution of trait combinations that are uncommon in above-
ground terrestrial ecosystems. This is due to soil-specific characteristics, such as spatial restriction,
heterogeneity, resource limitation, abundant microbial life, stable abiotic conditions, and sharp
transitions in the profile. In a recent book on soil invertebrates, I review the unique evolutionary
aspects of soil biodiversity. First of all, soil invertebrates have population densities that are much
higher than is expected for terrestrial animals of similar body size. However, effective population
sizes are still small due to low dispersal rates, making genetic drift an important evolutionary
phenomenon. Genetic population structure on a larger scale is characterized by strong founder
effects and isolation. Passive long-range dispersal causes erratic patterns of genetic differentiation.
Biomass turnover of soil invertebrate populations depends only little on body size, not matching
allometric regressions established for above-ground communities. Uncommon trait combinations
are also apparent in life-histories. Almost all soil-living invertebrates are iteroparous and relatively
long-lived compared to their body size. The soil favours a K-selected life history, but this is
combined with small body size. The widespread occurrence of parthenogenesis in soil
invertebrates can be explained by constant resource availability, in line with Bell’s tangled bank
hypothesis, not by resource abundance like in above-ground parthenogens. In summary, the traits
of soil invertebrates are shaped by various evolutionary histories involving terrestrialization,
phylogenetic constraint and adaptation to soil conditions. This evolutionary history has made soil
invertebrates unique and often quite different from fauna in above-ground communities.
65
The long-term impact of urease and nitrification inhibitor use on microbial communities in
grassland soil
Aoife Duff1, Patrick Forrestal1, Israel Ikoyi2, John Murphy1, Fiona Brennan1
1
Teagasc, Wexford, Ireland, 2University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
Aim: Urease and nitrification inhibitors (UI and NI) applied in association with fertiliser have been
demonstrated to slow microbial N transformation rates, with resulting decreases in environmental N
losses. The specific objectives of this study were to assess whether there is an impact of 1)
individual or combined inhibitor use on non-target microbial community composition and
abundance; 2) the use of N inhibitors on the N functional community; and 3) applied N fertiliser type
(i.e. CAN or Urea) on microbial community composition and function. A 5 year inhibitor trial on
grassland was sampled in the southeast of Ireland.
Method: Treatments included a control (no N); CAN (Calcium ammonium nitrate); Urea; Urea & UI;
Urea & NI; and Urea & NI & UI. A combination of phenotypic assays; gene abundances of total,
nitrifiers and denitrifiers and 16S rRNA and ITS sequencing data were used to assess the
objectives.
Results: The results indicated there was no impact of either UI or NI use on non-target microbial
community composition or abundance; there was a significant impact by the use of NI to the
nitrogen cycling functional community compared to standard urea; and finally there was a
significant impact of fertiliser type (i.e. CAN or Urea) on the fungal community composition but no
impact for the bacterial community composition.
Conclusions: Overall, the results demonstrate the effect of fertilisation on the microbial community
is greater than the impact of inhibitor use.
72
Soil saprophages as an emerging global source for micronutrients
Konstantin Gongalsky1, Daniil Korobushkin1, Lyudmila Baratova2, Aleksander Bastrakov1, Maksim
Degtyarev1, Anastasia Gorbunova1, Alexander Ksenofontov2, Sergey Lapa3, Iurii Lebedev1, Andrey
Zaitsev1
1
Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russian
Federation, 2Belozersky Institute of Physicochemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University,
Moscow, Russian Federation, 3Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of
Sciences, Moscow, Russian Federation

Aim: "Hidden hunger" is the alarming phenomenon among both humans and livestock. It is
triggered by the lack of sufficient volume of micronutrients (microelements, irreplaceable
aminoacids and vitamins) in food and feed respectively and may cause serious diseases and
pathological conditions. Finding enough micronutrients is often problematic: they are either
obtained from limited external natural sources, or synthesised within organisms. Soil-dwelling
saprophages bear one of the largest shares of zoomass on Earth but remain surprisingly neglected
as potential sources of micronutrients. We analyzed soil saprophages as a potential source of
micronutrients with respect to their ability to concentrate vitamins, microelements and amino acids.
Method: We assessed the nutritional value with respect to micronutrients in 30 model invertebrate
species belonging to the major soil saprophage taxa. We used biochemical methods to assess
proteinogenic amino acids, microelements and vitamins.
Results: Taxonomic differences in the composition and ratio of micronutrients were determined. We
identified taxa enriched with micronutrients what makes them potentially interesting for further
testing as resources for producing food and feed supplements.
Conclusions: We found that several taxa of soil saprophages (especially insect larvae, millipedes,
and earthworms) are quite rich in micronutrients (amino acids, vitamins, and microelements), yet
staying, with the few exceptions, ignored as a valuable food and feed supplement raw material. Our
comparison in the micronutrient composition of the major soil saprophage taxa has demonstrated
that many of them are similar with this respect to conventional meat products.
75
Restructuring of soil food webs reduces carbon storage potential in boreal peatlands
Zoë Lindo1
1
University Of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada

Aim: Warming is anticipated to accelerate soil carbon release to the atmosphere, especially in
systems where aboveground productivity is low, such as boreal peatlands. Modeling how changes
in belowground biodiversity under climate warming affect soil carbon dynamics is an important first
step in predicting carbon storage potential in boreal peatlands under future climate scenarios.
Method: Using data from two large-scale field experiments (a sphagnum peatland vs a sedge
peatland) exposed to passive (+2 ºC) and active (+4 ºC) warming, we estimate carbon flux and
mineralization among trophic groups and the entire soil food web using the energetic food web
package {soilfoodwebs}.
Results: Warming decreased the overall biomass of living organisms at both fen sites with losses
largely due to declines in fungal biomass while bacterial biomass increased slightly. Carbon flux
and mineralization were strongly correlated with the dominant microbial group at each site.
Warming decreased carbon flux and mineralization by ~10% and 15% under passive and active
warming at the sphagnum site, but both increased at the sedge site.
Conclusions: Carbon loss is apparent under warming at the sedge site over the short-term because
of increases in bacterial biomass and turnover. At the sphagnum site, decreases in fungal biomass
reduce their contribution to carbon release, reducing carbon loss in the short-term. But in both
systems decreased metabolic efficiency reduces the long-term carbon storage potential.
76
Climate change impact on Collembola and their responses to predation: a synthesis of 6
experiments
Mathieu Santonja1, Adriane Aupic-Samain, Virginie Baldy
1
Aix Marseille University, France

Aim: Collembola is an abundant group of soil organisms playing a major role on litter decomposition
and nutrient cycling in forest ecosystems. Habitat structure and climatic conditions control their
demographic parameters and their interactions with predators. Thus, the ongoing climate change,
with decreasing precipitation, increasing temperature and altering tree species assemblages, may
strongly impact Collembola and their responses to predation.
Method: We therefore examined within 6 complementary experiments how decreasing soil
moisture, increasing air temperature and altering litter properties combined to the presence of
distinct predators affect Collembola communities.
Results: Generally, increasing temperature or decreasing soil moisture negatively affected
Collembola demographic parameters and the intensity of these effects were dependent on litter
properties. In addition, we evidenced that altered climatic conditions amplify the negative effect of
predation on Collembola whatever the predator considered.
Conclusions: These results point out that studying more complex systems appears essential to
predict Collembola responses to climate change.
84
Comparison of Soil Fauna (Earthworms, Nematodes, Beetles) Community and Diversity
under Perennial and Annual Wheat
Alena Förster1, Christoph Emmerling1, Adalbert Balog2, Konrad Martin3, Frank Rasche3, Karin
Hohberg4
1
University of Trier, Faculty of Regional and Environmental Sciences, Department of Soil Science,
Campus II, 54296 Trier, Germany, 2Sapientia Hungarian University of Transylvania, 4400112 Cluj-
Napoca, Romania, 3University of Hohenheim, Institute of Agricultural Sciences in the Tropics
(Hans-Ruthenberg-Institute), 70593 Hohenheim, Germany, 4Senckenberg Museum of Natural
History Görlitz, 02826 Görlitz, Germany

Aim:
Perennial cropping systems are known to highly support soil fauna and its diversity. This has been
investigated for grassland and bioenergy systems before. Upon recent development, perennial
wheat (Kernza®) is increasingly recognised throughout European agriculture. However, the impacts
on soil, soil processes governed by soil microbes as well as on soil faunal assemblages are not
well studied yet.
Method:
Within the EU-Biodiversa project NAPERDIV earthworm, nematode and beetle communities,
among other research areas, were investigated in a Pan-European transect from Sweden to
Belgium to South France representing a climatic gradient from south to north and variations in soil
conditions.
Results:
Perennial wheat is characterised by a higher number of individuals and biomass for earthworms,
resulting in a higher species diversity, with France having greater values than Belgium and
Sweden. The beetle data followed the same trend, with diversity indexes being greater for the
Kernza sites. Nematode data shows a distribution of lower c-p values (bacterivore) in annual
(disturbed) soils, while the higher c-p value individuals (predatory, fungivore) are found in the
perennial soil. The higher maturity index for perennial in comparison to annual soils further displays
the greater biodiversity under perennial wheat.
Conclusion:
The differences in earthworm data is caused by the no-till management of perennial cropping sites
and better food resources. Same goes for the beetle data. The earthworm distribution confirms the
biogeographic gradient within Mid-Europe. Nematode communities mainly reflect the impact of
land-use, tillage, fertilisation, and soil organic matter on their feeding behaviour.
88
The Global Distribution of Mycorrhizal Biodiversity
Michael Van Nuland1, Johan van den Hoogen1,2, Colin Averill1,2, Oleh Prylutskyi3, Justin Stewart1,4,
Thomas Crowther2, Leho Tedersoo5, Petr Kahout6, Petr Baldrian7, Toby Kiers1,4
1
Society For The Protection Of Underground Networks, 2ETH Zurich, 3Karazin Kharkiv National
University, 4Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 5Tartu University, 6Academy of Sciences of the Czech
Republic, 7Institute of Microbiology of the CAS, Prague, Czech Republic

Aim:
Mycorrhizal fungi form symbioses with plant roots and build extensive underground networks.
These fungi support the health of plant and soil systems globally, provide critical ecosystem
services, and help regulate the Earth’s climate. Past work has focused on the biogeography of
mycorrhizal associations within plant communities, identifying important environmental gradients
that structure these symbioses and highlighting their connection to biogeochemical cycles.
However, these efforts use aboveground vegetation surveys to assign plants a mycorrhizal
category which is treated as a constant. While this provides a picture of where certain mycorrhizal
symbioses are most dominant on the landscape, it does not necessarily show where fungal
communities are the most diverse. Documenting the spatial distribution of mycorrhizal diversity is
urgently needed because different mycorrhizal fungi are associated with different ecosystem
functions, like enhanced carbon storage, improved plant stress tolerance, and efficient nutrient
cycling.
Method:
Here, we present our efforts to map the diversity of mycorrhizal fungi at the global scale. In
collaboration with the Crowther Lab (ETH Zurich) and GlobalFungi, we developed machine learning
algorithms trained on a large fungal sequencing database encompassing nearly 10,000 soil and
root samples.
Results:
These models were used to predict underground biodiversity hotspots for arbuscular and
ectomycorrhizal fungi across the planet, revealing certain regions with extraordinarily diverse fungal
communities.
Conclusions:
We discuss how such diversity hotspots mark high priority areas to explore, especially in the
context of conservation and restoration of critical fungal interactions in underground ecosystems
that face intensifying threats from climate and land use change.
95
Global hotspots for soil nature conservation

Carlos A. Guerra1,2,4, Miguel Berdugo7, David J. Eldridge3, Nico Eisenhauer1,4, Brajesh K. Singh5,6,
Haiying Cui8,9, Sebastian Abades10, Fernando D. Alfaro10,11, Adebola R. Bamigboye12, Felipe
Bastida13, José L. Blanco-Pastor14, Asunción de los Ríos15, Jorge Durán16,37, Tine Grebenc17, Javier
G. Illán18, Yu-Rong Liu19, Thulani P. Makhalanyane20, Steven Mamet21, Marco A. Molina-
Montenegro22,23, José L. Moreno13, Arpan Mukherjee24, Tina U. Nahberger17, Gabriel F. Peñaloza-
Bojacá25, César Plaza26, Sergio Picó27, Jay Prakash Verma24, Ana Rey15, Alexandra Rodríguez16,
Leho Tedersoo33,34, Alberto L. Teixido28, Cristian Torres-Díaz29, Pankaj Trivedi30, Juntao Wang5,
Ling Wang8, Jianyong Wang8, Eli Zaady31, Xiaobing Zhou32, Xin-Quan Zhou19, Manuel Delgado-
Baquerizo35,36
1
German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany;
2
Institute of Biology, Martin Luther University Halle Wittenberg, Am Kirchtor 1, 06108 Halle(Saale),
Germany; 3 Centre for Ecosystem Science, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental
Sciences, University of NSW, Sydney, 2052 Australia; 4 Institute of Biology, Leipzig University,
Puschstrasse 4, 04103 Leipzig, Germany; 5 Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western
Sydney University, Penrith, New South Wales 2751, Australia; 6 Global Centre for Land-Based
Innovation, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia; 7 Institute of Integrative
Biology, Department of Environment Systems Science, ETH Zürich, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland; 8
Institute of Grassland Science, School of Life Science, Northeast Normal University, Key
Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology of the Ministry of Education, Jilin Songnen Grassland Ecosystem
National Observation and Research Station, Changchun, China; 9 Departamento de Sistemas
Físicos, Químicos y Naturales, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Sevilla, Spain; 10 GEMA Center for
Genomics, Ecology & Environment, Faculty of Interdisciplinary Studies, Universidad Mayor,
Camino La Pirámide 5750, Huechuraba, Santiago, Chile; 11 Instituto de Ecología & Biodiversidad
(IEB), Santiago, Chile; 12 Natural History Museum, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria; 13
CEBAS-CSIC, Campus Universitario de Espinardo, 30100, Murcia, Spain; 14 Department of Plant
Biology and Ecology, University of Seville. Avda. Reina Mercedes 6. ES-41012 Seville, Spain; 15
Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales. Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Serrano
115 bis, 28006, Madrid, Spain; 16 University of Coimbra, Centre for Functional Ecology, Department
of Life Sciences, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal; 17 Slovenian Forestry
Institute, Večna pot 2, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; 18 Department of Entomology. College of
Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences. Washington State University. Pullman, WA,
99164. USA; 19 College of Resources and Environment, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan
430070, China; 20 Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, University of Pretoria,
South Africa; 21 College of Agriculture and Bioresources Department of Soil Science. University of
Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5A8. Canada; 22 Laboratorio de Ecología Integrativa, Instituto
de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Talca, Talca, Chile; 23 CEAZA, Universidad Católica del
Norte, Coquimbo, Chile; 24 Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development, Banaras Hindu
University, Varanasi-221005, Uttar Pradesh, India; 25 Departamento de Botânica, Universidade
Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil; 26 Instituto de Ciencias Agrarias, Consejo
Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Madrid, Spain; 27 Departamento de Biología, Instituto
Universitario de Investigación Marina (INMAR), Universidad de Cádiz, 11510, Puerto Real, Spain;
28
Departamento de Botânica e Ecologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Federal de Mato
Grosso, Av. Fernando Corrêa, 2367, Boa Esperança, Cuiabá, 78060-900, MT, Brazil; 29 Grupo de
Investigación en Biodiversidad y Cambio Global (GI BCG), Departamento de Ciencias Básicas,
Universidad del Bío-Bío, Chillán, Chile; 30 Microbiome Network and Department of Agricultural
Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, USA 80523; 31 Department of Natural Resources,
Agricultural Research Organization, Institute of Plant Sciences, Gilat Research Center, Mobile Post
Negev, 8531100, Israel; 32 State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of
Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China; 33 Mycology and
Microbiology Center, University of Tartu, 14a Ravila, 50411 Tartu, Estonia; 34 College of Science,
King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 35 Laboratorio de Biodiversidad y Funcionamiento
Ecosistémico. Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de Sevilla (IRNAS), CSIC, Av. Reina
Mercedes 10, E-41012, Sevilla, Spain; 6 Unidad Asociada CSIC-UPO (BioFun). Universidad Pablo
de Olavide, 41013 Sevilla, Spain ;37 Misión Biolóxica de Galicia, Consejo Superior de
Investigaciones Científicas, 36143 Pontevedra, Spain.

Abstract

Soils are the foundation of all terrestrial ecosystems. However, unlike for plants and animals, a
global assessment of the hotspots for soil nature conservation is still lacking. This hampers our
ability to establish nature conservation priorities for the multiple dimensions supporting the soil
system: from soil biodiversity to ecosystem services. Here, we conducted a global field survey
including biodiversity (archaea, bacteria, fungi, protists, and invertebrates) and function (critical for
six ecosystem services) observations within 615 composite topsoil samples from a standardized
survey in all continents, to identify global hotspots for soil nature conservation. We found that each
of the different soil ecological dimensions (i.e., soil species richness [alpha diversity, measured as
ASVs], community dissimilarity, and ecosystem services) peaked in contrasting regions of the
planet, and were associated with different environmental factors. Temperate ecosystems showed
the highest species richness, while community dissimilarity peaked in the tropics, and colder high-
latitudinal ecosystems were identified as hotspots of ecosystem services. These findings highlight
the complexities of simultaneously protecting multiple soil ecological dimensions. We further show
that most of these hotspots are not properly covered by protected areas (over 70%), and are
vulnerable in the context of multiple global change scenarios. This first global estimation of soil
nature conservation priorities, highlights the fundamental importance of accounting for the
multidimensionality of soil biodiversity and ecosystem services to conserve soils for future
generations.
96
Soil Microbiological Quality: State Of The Art And Importance Of Microbial Communities For
Agricultural Soils.
Sebastien Terrat1, Christophe Djemiel1, Samuel Dequiedt1, Battle Karimi1, Aurélien Cottin1, Walid
Horrigue1, Nicolas Chemidlin Prévost-Bouré1, Pierre-Alain Maron1, Lionel Ranjard1
1
Agroécologie, InstitutAgro Dijon, INRAE, Univ. Bourgogne, Univ. Bourgogne Franche-Comté, F-
21000 Dijon, France, Dijon, France

Aim:
Soils are one of the major reservoirs of biological diversity on our planet, hosting a huge diversity of
microorganisms. Given the key role of soil microorganisms in the regulation of soil ecosystem
functions, the environmental factors driving soil microbial diversity need to be understood. In
France, we have the opportunity to benefit from a national soil survey (the French Soil Quality
Monitoring Network), which represents one of the most extensive and without a priori soil sampling
survey available to date, to decipher the spatial distribution of microbial diversity at the scale of
France.
Method:
We applied various analytical and geostatistical approaches combining the data on soil
microorganisms after amplicon sequencing targeting both 16S and 18S rRNA gene sequences, and
large-scale environmental description in order to conduct a comprehensive analysis of soil
microbial communities.
Results:
These analyses provided extensive maps of bacterial and fungal diversity, structure and
composition and reveals the heterogeneous and spatially structured distribution of microbial
communities at the nationwide scale. We also identified the ecological processes involved in the
biogeographical patterns of microbial communities, and developed co-occurring networks identified
within the relative abundance of bacterial taxa dataset to the scale of France.
Conclusions:
In a context of global change, first our results emphasize that the policies for biodiversity and
habitat conservation should now integrate soil microorganisms conceptually and technically. To
help them taking into account the microbiological part of soils, we also developed innovative tools
allowing a robust diagnosis of soil biological quality.
99
Temporal Dynamics of Soil Animal Abundance and Diversity as Influenced by Forest
Management
Melanie M. Pollierer1, André Junggebauer1, Sarah Bluhm1, Stefan Scheu1
1
Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Institut für Zoologie und Anthropologie, Göttingen, Germany

Aim:
Land-use intensification is one of the main causes of biodiversity decline. The abundance and
diversity of aboveground arthropods has declined significantly over the past 10-15 years. However,
belowground species diversity, particularly in forests, appears to be buffered against changes in
land-use intensity. As part of the open research platform 'biodiversity exploratories', we evaluated a
comprehensive long-term dataset of soil-dwelling meso- and macrofauna species in forests of
different management intensities. Our goal was to identify patterns and drivers of soil faunal
biodiversity over time as influenced by forest management.
Method:
We sampled soil fauna from four forest types representing different forest management intensities
in three regions in Germany. The abundance of soil-living meso-and macrofauna species was
recorded in three-year intervals, covering 12 years from 2008 to 2020. Changes in abundance and
species richness were analysed using linear mixed effects models with soil moisture, winter
temperature, microbial biomass and C-to-N ratio of leaf litter as well as forest management intensity
and the year as predictors.
Results:
While abundance and diversity of soil fauna in part differed between land-use types, we found no
generally declining trend, but mainly temporal variations related to soil moisture and to soil
temperature of the preceding winter months. Interestingly, this pattern was largely coherent among
different taxa and even between meso- and macrofauna.
Conclusions:
Our results contrast above-ground biodiversity declines and suggest different above- and below-
ground biodiversity dynamics. They may help to better understand the consequences of land-use
change and the corresponding driving factors for changes in soil biodiversity.
100
Diversity and Functions of Microorganisms in the Hyphosphere of a Grassland Soil
Ellen Kandeler1, Sven Marhan1, Anna Abrahão1,2
1
Institute of Soil Science and Land Evaluation, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany,
2
Departamento de Biologia, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, Brazil

Aim:
The hyphosphere is defined as a sphere where fungi release exudates and stimulate the growth of
specific bacterial communities. Consequently, the hyphosphere might bridge different microhabitats
and might contribute to the trilateral interaction between plants, roots, and soil microorganisms. The
aim of the study is to investigate the role of the hyphosphere for microbial colonization as well as C
and N transport between different organic substrates and the rhizosphere.
Method:
We used newly developed HYPHOBOXES consisting of different compartments (filled with sterile
soil) to separate the rhizosphere from the hyphosphere and a nutrient patch (13C and 15N labelled
arginine or litter), only available for fungi and bacteria.
Results:
Roots of the grassland community colonized the rhizosphere compartment and took up 15N
transported through hyphae from the N source. The carbon in saprotrophic fungi was up to 75%
litter derived but they transported this carbon only partly to other compartments. Temporal as well
as spatial pattern of carbon incorporated into bacterial PLFAs suggested that bacteria mainly used
fungal exudates as secondary users of litter derived C. The bulk soil was dominated by oligotrophic
bacterial groups (like acidobacteria and actinobacteria), whereas the newly established
microhabitats of the HYPOBOXES were characterised by a succession of different copiotrophic
bacteria (like alpha- and betaproteobacteria). Sequencing of fungal ITS will clarify which fungal
guilds are dominant colonizers of the different microhabitats.
Conclusions:
The experiment set up will allow to disentangle bacterial colonization, fungal exudation, and
microbial nutrient transport in the hyphosphere under field conditions.
101
Temperature and Precipitation Jointly Shape the Plant Rhizosphere and Root Microbiome
Dina in 't Zandt1,2,3, Anna Florianová1,4, Mária Šurinová1, Michiel in 't Zandt5, Vigdis Vandvik6,7,
Zuzana Münzbergová1,4
1
Institute Of Botany, Czech Academy Of Sciences, Průhonice, Czech Republic, 2Soil and
Environmental Microbiology, Teagasc, Johnstown Castle, Wexford, Ireland, 3Department of Plant
Ecology and Physiology, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental Sciences, Radboud
University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands, 4Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Charles
University, Prague, Czech Republic, 5Department of Soil Biology, Wageningen University and
Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands, 6Department of Biological Sciences, University of
Bergen, Bergen, Norway, 7Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research, Bergen, Norway

Aim: The ongoing change in climate extensively alters belowground interactions between plants
and soil microbiota. Plant-microbial interactions drive a large array of plant community processes
and changes in these interactions will therefore cascade into affecting whole ecosystem dynamics.
To be able to predict ecosystem change, we need to understand how plant-microbial interactions
are shaped by climatic factors.
Method: We tested how natural temperature and precipitation gradients shaped prokaryote and
fungal rhizosphere and root associated communities of Festuca rubra. To achieve this, we sampled
rhizosphere and root microbial communities as well as soil abiotic properties in the SEEDCLIM grid
in the fjords of Southern Norway and combined this data with data on temperature, precipitation,
soil moisture and whole plant community composition.
Results: We found that fungal and prokaryote rhizosphere communities were strongly shaped by
temperature and to a lesser extent by precipitation. These changes were largely related to changes
in soil resource cycling and overall plant community composition. Fungal and prokaryote root
associated communities were less strongly shaped by climate.
Conclusions: We conclude that climate change will profoundly impact rhizosphere processes, but
that root microbial interactions may remain relatively unaffected.
104
The soil microbiome governs the response of microbial respiration to warming across the
globe
Tadeo Saez Sandino, Pablo García-Palacios, Fernando T. Maestre, César Plaza, Emilio Guirado,
Brajesh K. Singh, Juntao Wang, Dra. Concha Cano Díaz, Nico Eisenhauer, Antonio Gallardo,
Manuel Delgado Baquerizo
1
Universidad Pablo De Olavide, Sevilla, Spain
Aim:
The temperature sensitivity of soil heterotrophic respiration (i.e., the factor by which soil microbial
respiration increases with a 10ºC rise in temperature; Q10) is a major source of uncertainty in
projecting the magnitude of the land C-climate feedback, as the factors driving Q10 patterns across
ecosystems have been assessed in isolation from each other.
Method:
Here, we report a warming experiment using soils from 332 sites across all continents and major
biomes to conduct the first simultaneous evaluation of the main drivers (i.e., substrate quantity,
mineral protection, biochemical recalcitrance, and soil microbiome) of Q10 patterns across the
globe.
Results:
Our analyses revealed that the soil microbiome (i.e., microbial biomass, richness, and microbial
community composition) accounted for 49% of the explained variation in Q10 values (R2=0.54),
being the factor that explained the largest portion of its variation. We also noted that an important
portion of Q10 variation is shared by the interactions between multiple factors (30%), suggesting
that Q10 has highly multifactorial drivers. Moreover, Random Forest analyses showed that soil
microbial biomass and soil community composition were the most important predictors determining
the global patterns of Q10.
Conclusions:
Our work provides a novel and important perspective on how soil C losses to the atmosphere in
response to warming are governed by soil microbiome across biomes. These findings provide solid
evidence that we need to monitor and conserve the diversity of soil microbiomes globally, as they
are critical drivers of essential ecosystem services.
105
Trait-mediated responses to aridity and experimental drought by springtail communities
across Europe
Guille Peguero1, Miquel Ferrin, Henning Petersen, Sandrine Salmon, Jean-François Ponge, Miquel
Arnedo, Bridget Emmett, Claus Beier, Inger K. Schmidt, Albert Tietema, Paolo de Angelis, Dario
Liberati, Edit Kovács-Láng, György Kröel-Dulay, Marc Estiarte, Mireia Bartrons, Josep Peñuelas
1
Universitat De Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain

Abstract
1. The capacity to forecast the effects of climate change on biodiversity largely rely on identifying
traits capturing mechanistic relationships with the environment through standardized field
experiments distributed across relevant spatial scales. The effects of short-term experimental
manipulations on local communities, may overlap with regional climate gradients that have been
operating during longer time periods. However, to the best of our knowledge, there are no studies
simultaneously assessing such long-term macroecological drivers with local climate manipulations.
2. We analyzed this issue with springtails (Class Collembola), one of the dominant soil fauna
groups, in a standardized climate manipulation experiment conducted across six European
countries encompassing broad climate gradients. We combined community data (near 20K
specimens classified into 102 species) with 22 eco-morphological traits and reconstructed their
phylogenetic relationships to track the evolution of adaptations to live at different soil depths, which
is key to cope with desiccation. We then applied joint species distribution models to investigate the
combined effect of the regional aridity gradient with the local experimental treatment (drought and
warming) over the assembly of springtail communities and tested for significant trait-environment
relationships mediating their community-level responses.
3. Our results show: (1) a convergent evolution in all three major collembolan lineages of species
adapted to inhabit at different soil strata; (2) a clear signature of aridity selecting traits of more
epigeic species at a biogeographic scale, and (3) the association of short-term experimental
drought with traits related to more euedaphic life-forms.
4. The hemiedaphic condition would be the plesiomorphic state for Collembola while the
adaptations for an epigeic life would have been secondarily gained. Epigeic springtails are more
resistant to drought but also have a higher dispersal capacity that allows them to seek more
favourable micro-habitats after experiencing drier conditions. The observed relative edaphization of
the springtail communities after short-term experimental drought may thus be a transient
community response.
5. The disparity between macroecological trends and fast community-level responses after climate
manipulations highlights the need of simultaneously assessing long-term and short-term drivers at
broad spatial scales to adequately interpret trait-environment relationships and better forecast
biodiversity responses to climate change.
122
Invasive Plant Control with Herbicide does not Impact Soil Microbial Biodiversity and
Activity
Elizabeth Bach1, Jonathan James2,3, Kaleb Baker4, Nicholas Barber5, Ryan Buck5, Maryam
Shahrtash2,3,6, Shawn Brown2,3
1
The Nature Conservancy, Franklin Grove, United States, 2Dept. Biological Sciences, University of
Memphis, Memphis, United States, 3Center for Biodiversity Research, University of Memphis,
Memphis, United States, 4Illinois Audubon Society, Springfield, United States, 5Dept. Biology, San
Diego State University, San Diego, United States, 6Dept. Biology, University of Mississippi, Oxford,
United States

Aim:
Invasive plant species are a major concern for terrestrial ecosystems around the world, causing
potential declines in biodiversity above- and belowground and shifts in nutrient and carbon cycling.
Herbicide application can be effective at killing undesired plants, but questions remain on possible
negative impacts to non-target species, including soil dwelling organisms.
Method:
In this study, we examined triclopyr oil-based herbicide control of invasive Amur honeysuckle bush
(Lonicera maackii) in a degraded savanna in Illinois, USA. During winter, eight replicate plants were
subjected to each treatment: control (no herbicide), oil (solvent, no active herbicide), and oil +
herbicide. We used next-generation sequencing techniques to examine soil fungal, prokaryotic, and
oomycotan diversity and community structure within 15cm of the treated plant. We microscopically
examined target plant roots for arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal colonization rates. We also examined
potential soil enzyme activity from a suite of carbon and nitrogen cycling enzymes.
Results:
Herbicide treatment killed 100% of plants to which it was applied. Soil microbial diversity and
community structure were not impacted by herbicide application. Furthermore, soil enzyme activity
and profiles did not differ among the treatments. Arbuscular mycorrhizal colonization rates on target
plants declined with herbicide treatment, likely due to host death.
Conclusions:
Together, these data suggest that dormant season triclopyr application does not impact soil
communities. Such an approach can be highly effective at removing Amur honeysuckle in highly
invaded systems with little to no negative impact to soil microbial taxa and their functioning.
125
Biogeographical survey of soil microbiomes across sub-Saharan Africa: structure, drivers,
and predicted climate-driven changes
Don Cowan1, Pedro Lebre1, Rolf Becker2, Alain Boulangé3, Frank Eckardt4, David Hopkins5,
Michelle Greve1, Jean-Baptiste Ramond6, Diana Wall7, Adolphe Zeze8
1
University Of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa, 2Namibia University of Science and Technology,
Windhoek, Namibia, 3UMR InterTryp, CIRAD-IRD, Montpellier, France, 4University of Cape Town,
Cape Town, South Africa, 5Scotland’s Rural College, Edinburgh, UK, 6Pontificia Universidad
Católica de Chile, , Chile, 7Colorado State University, Fort Collins, USA, 8Institut National
Polytechnique Houphouet-Boigny, Yamoussoukro, Cote d’Ivoire.

Aim:
Top-soil microbiomes make a vital contribution to the Earth’s ecology and harbour an
extraordinarily high biodiversity. While several recent studies have documented patterns in global
soil microbial ecology, these are biased towards widely studied regions and rely on models to
interpolate the microbial diversity of regions with a low data coverage. This is the case for sub-
Saharan Africa, where the number of regional microbial studies is very low in comparison to other
continents.
The aim of this study was to conduct an extensive biogeographical survey of sub-Saharan Africa’s
top-soil microbiomes, with a specific focus on investigating the environmental drivers of microbial
ecology across the region.
Method:
In this study, we sampled 810 sample sites across 9 sub-Saharan African countries and used
taxonomic barcoding to profile the microbial ecology of these regions.
Results:
Our results show that sub-Saharan top-soil microbiomes are shaped by a broad range of
environmental factors including pH, precipitation, and temperature. We also developed a structure
equation model to predict how soil microbial biodiversity in sub-Saharan Africa might be affected by
future climate change scenarios.
Conclusions:
This study represents the most extensive biogeographical survey of sub-Saharan top-soil
microbiomes to date. Importantly, this study allowed us to identify countries in sub-Saharan Africa
that might be particularly vulnerable to losses in soil microbial ecology and productivity due to
climate change. Considering the reliance of many economies in the region on rain-fed agriculture,
this study provides crucial information to support conservation efforts in the countries that will be
most heavily impacted by climate change.
126
Jardibiodiv: a digital community science tool on urban soil-surface dwelling invertebrates
Apolline Auclerc1
1
University of Lorraine, France, France

Aim: In a context of biodiversity erosion, a number of questions are currently being asked about soil
biodiversity in urban areas. While the urban ecosystem integrates humans and all the disturbances
they can induce, it is important to carry out a work of soil organism quantification and knowledge
transfer to citizens in order to increase their awareness and make them more responsible by
allowing them to better observe and understand the ecosystem around them. Developing a digital
community science tool on urban soil biodiversity seemed to be an ideal solution to connect
researchers and urban soil users. Jardibiodiv tool was born in France in 2017, with the objective of
quantifying the soil surface-dwellers invertebrates following a fun activity and with the participation
of as many people as possible.
Method: Several elements are available in this tool: simple protocols, a taxonomic identification
assistance tool, several organism description forms, and forms to fill online or on the smartphone
application to directly send observation to the scientist http://ephytia.inra.fr/en/P/165/JardiBiodiv.
Each user has the choice to observe the organisms hidden under small habitats (stones, wood
residues), or to install a cup buried into the soil to catch the organisms.
Results: Thanks to 830 smartphone application downloads and with online participation, 1214
forms were filled.
Conclusions: Thanks to the user observation, scientists can start to quantify the impact of
pressures on soil biodiversity in urban areas. This tool is constantly evolving through new
collaboration development and depending of the user needs following a process of co-construction.
127
Utilizing Different eDNA Fractions for Enhanced Insights into Soil Biodiversity
Magdalena Nagler1,2, Judith Ascher-Jenull2, Sabine Marie Podmirseg2, Sophia Strobl2, Michael
Steinwandter1, Julia Seeber1
1
Eurac Research, Bolzano, Italy, 2Universität Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria

Aim:
Environmental DNA (eDNA) can be split into an extracellular and intracellular fraction (exDNA vs.
iDNA), each bearing different characteristics regarding its inherent information but also persistence
in a given environment, such as the soil ecosystem. In our research, we aim to investigate how
these fractions can provide quantitative, qualitative, physiological, temporal and spatial information
on macro- and micro-organisms, and how they might contribute to define present, active, past or
allochthonous species.
Method:
Environmental samples (e.g., soil, water, biogas slurry) are subject to sequential washings with
buffers of increasing stringency, successively yielding free and surface-bound exDNA. Those
obtained fractions, and ultimately the fraction of iDNA, are used to perform classical DNA-
extraction, purification and respective downstream analyses.
Results:
Overall, we gained evidence that this fine-tuning eDNA approach (I) increases the sampling depth
of a single eDNA sample, (II) decreases the probability of false-positive detections in eDNA
monitoring by using the most appropriate fraction for the respective environment, (III) might be
suited to specifically tackle autochthonous or allochthonous species, and (IV) provides insights into
microbial activity, turn-over rate, and physiological state.
Conclusions:
Fine-tuning the extraction approach for eDNA by splitting it into exDNA and iDNA is an easy-to-
implement method with great potential to augment spatial, temporal, quantitative and qualitative
information retrievable from eDNA-studies. Past results were promising, and further research is
ongoing to define general requirements for differing environments.
128
Human drivers of soil microbial responses to drought
Stephanie Jurburg1
1
Helmholtz Centre For Environmental Research, Leipzig, Germany

Aim:
The frequency and intensity of drought events is expected to increase, threatening agricultural
systems where biodiversity is heavily managed. The soil microbiota play a central role in
maintaining the health and productivity these ecosystems in the face of environmental change, but
they are affected by agricultural management practices as well as the droughts themselves.
Understanding the interactive effects of these perturbations on the microbiome is essential to the
long-term maintenance of soil microbial communities, their functions, and agricultural fertility.
Method:
I will present a set of experiments where we manipulated agricultural management, aboveground,
and belowground (mycorrhizal) diversity in mesocosms exposed to simulated drought events.
Results:
Across experiments, we have found consistent responses in soil microbiomes exposed to drought,
as well as interactive effects of drought and aboveground diversity. In the above and belowground
diversity manipulation experiments, community responses were dependent on both above and
belowground diversity, as well as the identity of the plants aboveground and mycorrhizae
belowground. Importantly, mycorrhizal diversity and composition was a stronger driver of the soil
microbiome than aboveground diversity.
Conclusions:
Our findings suggest an additive effect of aboveground—and more importantly, mycorrhizal--
diversity on soil microbial resilience, and highlight the potential of mycorrhizal management to
bolster soil microbiomes in the face of climate change.
131
Nature restoration via bottom-up and top-down steering of soil organisms
Elly Morriën1, Casper Quist2, Emilia Hannula3
1
University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands, 2Wageningen University, Wageningen,
Netherlands, 3Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands

Restoring natural plant communities on abandoned agricultural fields can be challenging due to a
degraded soil community and a fertilizer legacy. We discovered that fungi are the initiators of a
tighter connected soil food web which restores the closed carbon and nutrients cycles in soils,
thereby accommodating species-rich plant communities in grasslands. Boosting the fungal channel
as a bottom-up approach could thus be used as a next-generation restoration measure. We show
data of soil inoculation experiments and trace the progression of change in the fungal community
via sequencing and functioning via community response profiles. We assessed the top-down
foraging of predators and consumers on the microbiome by analysing gut contents of consumers
and predators from different restoration stages. We also assessed the bottom-up steering of
microbial inocula from restored sites into agricultural soils and scored plant performance. In general
we found stronger evidence for bottom-up regulation than for top-down regulation in the soil food
chain. We will be able to show data on the effect of fungi and their higher trophic levels in
stimulating species-rich plant communities as well as give a prospect on the wider applications for
microbiome engineering.
132
Connecting above and below ground diversity in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest restoration
M.A. Luis Fernando Merloti1,2, Lucas William Mendes2, Wanderlei Bieluczyk2, Stefan Geisen3, Siu
Mui Tsai2, Ricardo Ribeiro Rodrigues2, Wim Van der Putten1
1
Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands, 2University of São
Paulo, Piracicaba, Brazil, 3Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands

Aim: The Brazilian Atlantic rainforest is considered an endangered biome and has only 12-16% of
its original cover vegetation. Most of his original areas were predominantly converted to different
land-use systems, such as pastures and sugarcane plantations. However, large-scale ecological
restoration programs in Brazil have begun to transform degraded lands into young native
ecosystems using different restoration strategies. However, there is little known about forest
restoration's impact on the soil microbiome and its functional role in this environment.
Method: Thus, we investigated the effect of Active and Assisted Forest restoration methodologies
with different time scales (Early-, Intermediate- and Late-stages) on soil microbial communities
(Fungi, Bacteria-Archaea, and Protist-Nematode) in the Atlantic Forest region in São Paulo state,
Brazil.)
Results: We found that the structure of the soil microbial communities still has not recovered by
resembling any of the reference forests chosen in this study. However, when the potential functions
displayed by these communities were accessed, it was found that Late-Assisted forests were
similar to the Native forest. Generally, the diversity below- and above-ground was much more
similar to degraded forests (like a Secondary Degraded and a Native Degraded). In addition, strong
correlations between the above-ground diversity and the soil characteristics and between and
between soil communities and soil characteristics.
Conclusions: Together, our results provide information to outline better methodologies to recover
the above and below-ground communities of tropical forests by unraveling the “soil black box” in
forest restoration.
133
Intensive grassland management disrupts below-ground multi-trophic resource transfers in
response to drought
Mathilde Chomel1,2, Jocelyn Lavallee1,3,4, Nil Alvarez-Segura5, Elizabeth Baggs6, Tancredi
Caruso7,8, Francisco de Castro7,9, Mark Emmerson7, Matthew Magilton7,10, Jennifer Rhymes1,11,
Franciska de Vries1,12, David Johnson1, RIchard Bardgett1
1
University of Manchester, Manchester, UK, 2FiBL France, Manchester, UK, 3Colorado State
University, Fort Collins, USA, 4Environmental Defense Fund, New York, USA, 5EURECAT,
Catalonia, Spain, 6University of Edinburgh, , UK, 7Queen’s University of Belfast, Belfast, UK,
8
University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland, 9AgriFood & Biosciences Institute, Belfast, UK,
10
University of Lincoln, Lincoln, UK, 11UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Bangor, UK,
12
University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherland

Aim:
Understanding how soil food webs and their functioning are impacted by global change is of critical
importance. Modification of soil food webs by historical land management may alter the response of
ecosystem processes to climate extremes, but empirical support for this is limited and the
mechanisms involved remain unclear. We hypothesized that land management alters the structure
of soil food webs, and this in turn influences the response of soil functions to drought.
Method:
Drought shelters were installed in paired intensively and extensively managed grasslands. After
removal of shelters, plants were pulse labelled with 13CO2 and 15N and the fate of 13C and 15N was
assessed by sequential sampling of plant tissue, soil organisms and greenhouse gas effluxes over
20 days. We quantified how historical grassland management modifies the transfer of recent
photosynthates and soil nitrogen through plants and soil food webs during a post-drought period.
Results:
We show that intensive management decreased plant carbon (C) capture, its transfer through key
components of food webs and soil respiration compared to extensive management. We observed a
legacy effect of drought on C transfer pathways mainly in intensively managed grasslands, by
increasing plant C assimilation but decreasing its transfer to plant roots, bacteria and Collembola.
Conclusions:
Our work provides insight into the interactive effects of land management and drought on C transfer
pathways, highlights that capture and rapid transfer of photosynthates through multi-trophic
networks is key for maintaining grassland resistance to drought and its legacy.
140
Niche breadth specialisation is a critical driver of microbial biodiversity and adaptation in
changing environments
Axel Aigle1, Leonel Herrera-Alsina1, James Prosser1, Cecile Gubry-Rangin1
1
University Of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom

Aim: Ecological theory predicts that the distribution and abundance of organisms depend on their
abilities to adapt to environmental change. Attempts to increase understanding of organismal
distribution have led to their classification as specialists (narrow niche breadth) and generalists
(broad niche breadth). Studies in eukaryotes showed that generalists dominate specialists following
environmental change, but this remains understudied in environmental prokaryotes. Here, we
aimed to determine if pH niche breadth specialisation drives microbial biodiversity and adaptation.
Method: These concepts were investigated in Thaumarchaeota using pH niche breadth as
specialisation factor, using empirical approaches (stable-isotope-probing and sequencing), and
reconstruction of state-dependent diversification by integrating phenotypic traits into molecular
phylogenies. We assessed microbial growth and activity following experimental soil pH perturbation
using short-term soil microcosms and long-term pH-maintained plots.
Results: Following determination of a microbial specialist and generalist database, we
demonstrated that generalists have greater environmental adaptation potential than specialists, due
to higher metabolic versatility, except for environmental changes leading to more extreme
conditions under which specialists are favoured. Environmental perturbations strongly influenced
the community composition of both resident and active microbes and induced increased dormancy
in perturbed ecosystems compared to native ones, influencing soil biodiversity. Finally, evolutionary
ancestral state reconstruction analysis revealed a similar speciation rate for both states but a higher
transition rate toward specialists.
Conclusions: Altogether, this study demonstrated a crucial ecological concept in prokaryotes and
improved our knowledge of archaeal adaptation to environmental change. We showed that
microbial niche breath specialisation is essential in driving soil biodiversity.
147
Drought Increases Root-exudate-induced Soil Respiration Rate Across 17 Common
Grassland Species
Fangbin Hou1, Leo Hinojosa1, Eileen Enderle1, Franciska De Vries1,2
1
University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands, 2The University of Manchester, Manchester,
UK

Aim:
Root exudates, highly dynamic mixtures of carbon (C) compounds that are continuously exuded by
roots, play an important role in ecosystem C cycling. Drought can alter the quality and quantity of
root exudation, which can potentially alter soil C cycling. Here, we tested how drought affects root
exudation across a range of temperate grassland species, and assessed their effects on soil
respiration.
Method:
Seventeen common grassland species across three functional groups (7 grasses, 6 forbs and 4
legumes) were grown for 2 months and subjected to a 2-week drought followed by one week of
recovery, after which root exudates of each individual plant were collected and analysed for their
total organic C content. We analysed root traits and assessed root-exudate-induced respiration.
Results:
We found that root exudation on a per plant basis was reduced by drought. Droughted root
exudates triggered the same amount of respiration as exudates from well-watered plants, but
specific respiration rate (respiration per ug root exudate C per hour) was higher in root exudates
from droughted plants, especially in forbs and legumes.
Conclusions:
Our findings suggest that drought might potentially reduce the soil C sink in temperate grasslands.
149
Soil bacterial communities and soil chemistry vary with plant species diversity in tallgrass
prairies
Jennifer Bell1,3, Emma Leavens1, Aislinn Geedey2, Andrew Hipp1, Wesley Swingley3, Meghan
Midgley1
1
The Morton Arboretum, Lisle, United States, 2Luther College, Decorah, United States, 3Northern
Illinois University, DeKalb, United States

Aim: We investigated the impacts of planted tallgrass prairie monocultures and polycultures on soil
chemistry and bacterial structure as well as soil nutrient pools and fluxes.
Method: Each of 127 plant species were planted in monocultures as well as 15 species polycultures
with varying levels of phylogenetic and trait diversity. To assess the bacterial community, we
sequenced the 16S rRNA gene from 2016, 2018, and 2021. We measured soil function using a
combination of extracellular enzyme assays and nitrogen mineralization and nitrification assays.
Soil chemistry was characterized using pH, organic matter content, organic carbon and nitrogen
(TOC and TN), inorganic N, as well as total carbon and nitrogen measurements.
Results: Bacterial communities varied between polycultures and monocultures (p = 0.03) Within
monocultures, the bacterial community differed by plant species and year (p < 0.01). Within
polycultures, bacterial communities did not vary by phylogenetic diversity or trait diversity (p ≥ 0.05)
but did vary by year (p = 0.001). TOC was higher in polycultures than in monocultures (p < 0.05). In
contrast, monocultures had larger total and inorganic N pools, as well as faster N mineralization
and nitrification rates than polycultures (p > 0.05). Soil function and chemistry did not differ in
polycultures by phylogenetic or trait diversity (p ≥ 0.05).
Conclusions: Species diversity influenced both bacterial community structure as well as soil
chemistry and function. This suggests that when planting tallgrass prairie restorations, including
more species diversity will alter bacterial communities and increase soil carbon more quickly.
151
The effect of earthworm ecological group on plant-plant interaction
Linlin Zhong1, Stefan Scheu1,2, Melanie Pollierer1
1
Johann Friedrich Blumenbach Institute of Zoology and Anthropology, University of Göttingen,
Göttingen, Germany, 2Centre of Biodiversity and Sustainable Land Use, University of Göttingen,
Göttingen, Germany

Aim: Earthworms are keystone organisms in soil ecosystem, playing an important role in nutrient
cycling and plant growth. Despite the effect of earthworms on plant growth is well recognized, little
is known about how different earthworm ecological groups modulate interactions between different
plant species.
Method: We conducted a mesocosm experiment with three earthworm ecological groups (epigeic,
anecic and endogeic) and three plant communities of different plant functional groups, including
legume, grass and their mixtures, to investigate the role of earthworm ecological groups in legume-
grass interactions.
Results: Compared to plant monocultures, a plant mixture increased the productivity of both
legumes and grasses, likely due to niche partitioning, with grass taking up nitrogen from the
legume, and the legume benefitting from reduced intraspecific competition. Despite earthworms
had no significant effect on plant growth, the presence of most earthworm species increased the
plant quality of grass, and, in case of A. chlorotica, also of legumes. In addition, endogeic
earthworms altered plant δ13C values, with A. caliginosa increasing the δ13C values of both
legumes and grasses and A. chlorotica decreasing the δ13C values of grasses, suggesting that
endogeic earthworms play a greater role than epigeic and anecic ones in mediating plant resource
acquisition.
Conclusions: The mixture of legume and grass facilitates the growth of both plant functional groups.
Although they did not directly affect the interspecific interactions of plants, earthworms, in particular
endogeic species, altered the resource acquisition of plants as indicated by shifts in plant quality
and carbon isotopic signatures.
153
Soil Biodiversity in Solar Photovoltaic Parks: the Important Role of Inter-row Area
Cristina Menta1, Fabio Gatti1, Sara Remelli1
1
University of Parma, Parma, Italy

Aim:
Ground-mounted solar panels are a strategic form of renewable energy production whose effects
are still largely unknown on soil health and biodiversity. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of
two photovoltaic plants (Northern Italy), characterised by partially different technical features and
soil managements, on soil arthropod biodiversity.
Method:
Three conditions were identified in each plant: under photovoltaic panel (R), in the area comprised
between the panel rows (IR) and around the photovoltaic plant (C), in spring and autumn 2021. Soil
pH and organic matter (SOM), soil arthropod community, biodiversity and quality indices (e.g. QBS-
ar index) were studied to evaluate the impact of photovoltaic panels, also depending on the
management of the plant to which they belong.
Results:
SOM and pH showed higher values in C, compared to R and IR. Soil fauna (both in terms of
density and diversity) and QBS-ar showed lower values in R compared to IR and C. Soil fauna
assemblages, were also affected by seasonality and the plant of origin. These differences are
determined mainly by: Acarina, Collembola, Hymenoptera and Hemiptera. These groups showed
lowest density in R and, especially for Acarina and Collembola, this result was more marked
depending on the photovoltaic plant.
Conclusions:
The results obtained for IR are more comparable to C than R, suggesting that the area between
panel rows can be considered a good hotspot of soil biodiversity. The adoption of tracking panels
could be a valid solution to reduce the negative effect of the panel on soil living community.
157
Deadwood mitigates the negative effect of forest gap formation on soil arthropods
André Junggebauer1, Melanie Pollierer1, Stefan Scheu1
1
University Of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany

Aim:
Extensive forest management practices lead to severe declines in arthropod diversity. Especially,
tree harvesting affects soil microclimate by forest gap formation. It also minimizes the supply of
deadwood, an important resource for above- and belowground taxa in forests. Here, we use the
“FOrest gap eXperiment (FOX)” as part of the research platform “Biodiversity Exploratories” to
investigate consequences of forest gap formation and deadwood on soil fauna in beech and spruce
forests in three regions of Germany.
Method:
To analyze effects of forest gaps and the presence of deadwood, a multi-site full-factorial study
design was established in three regions in Germany in 2020. Plots with forest gaps were
established with and without removal of deadwood, unlogged plots were enriched with deadwood
or left unaltered for control. After one year, we sampled macrofauna (Chilopoda, Diplopoda,
Isopoda, Lumbricidae) and mesofauna (Oribatida) and determined them to species. We used linear
mixed effect models to analyze treatment effects on the abundance and diversity of soil animals
and latent variable modelling to visualize changes in soil fauna communities.
Results:
Soil macrofauna differed significantly in abundance and community composition between regions.
Forest gaps caused declines in the abundance of earthworms, isopods and Oribatida. By contrast,
presence of deadwood positively affected the abundance of centipedes and isopods and mitigated
negative effects of gap formation for earthworms and Oribatida.
Conclusion:
We show that forest gaps from extensive forest management have immediate negative effects on
soil arthropods. We also highlight the value of deadwood enrichment as an important option for
future management practices.
161
Temperature and rainfall patterns constrain the multidimensional rewilding of global forests
Guiyao Zhou1,2, Manuel Delgado-Baquerizo2
1
German Centre For Integrative Biodiversity Research (idiv) Halle-jena-leipzig, Leipzig, Germany,
2
Laboratorio de Biodiversidad y Funcionamiento Ecosistémico. Instituto de Recursos Naturales y
Agrobiologie de Sevilla (IRNAS), CSIC, Sevilla, Spain

The long-term contribution of global forest restoration to support multiple dimensions of biodiversity
and ecosystem function remains largely illusive across contrasting climates and forest types. This
hampers our capacity to predict the future of forest rewilding under changing global climates. Here,
we synthesized 120 studies across five continents, and found that forest restoration promoted
multiple dimensions of biodiversity and ecosystem function such as soil fertility, plant biomass,
microbial habitat, and carbon sequestration across contrasting climates and forest types. Based on
global relationship between stand age and SOC stock, planting 350 million hectares of forest under
the UN Bonn Challenge could sequester >30 Gt soil C in the surface 20 cm over the next century.
However, our findings also indicate that predicted increases in temperature and reductions in
precipitation will constrain the positive effects of forest rewilding on biodiversity and ecosystem
function. Further, we found important tradeoffs in very old forests, with considerable disconnection
between biodiversity and ecosystem function. Together, our findings provide evidence of the
importance of the multidimensional rewilding of forests, suggesting that on-going climatic changes
may dampen our expectations of the positive effects of forest restoration on biodiversity and
ecosystem function.
Keywords: forest restoration, tradeoffs, carbon sequestration, climate change, biodiversity-
ecosystem function
166
Functional trait space of European earthworms: a trait database and definition of functional
groups
Pierre Ganault1,2, Sylvain Gérard3, Daniel F. Marchán4, Antonia D. Ludwig5,6, Helen R. P. Phillips7,8,
Thibaud Decaëns9, Nico Eisenhauer1,2, Mickael Hedde10
1
German Center for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv), Halle, Jena, Leipzig, Germany,
2
University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany, 3Eco&Sols, Institut Agro, IRD, INRAE, CIRAD, Univ
Montpellier, Montpellier, France, 4Biodiversity, Ecology and Evolution Department, Faculty of
Biology, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, , Spain, 5Helmholtz-Centre for Environmental
Research (UFZ), Leipzig, Germany, 6Remote Sensing Centre for Earth System Research
(RSC4Earth), Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany, 7Department of Terrestrial Ecology,
Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, Netherlands, 8Department of
Environmental Science, Saint Mary’s University, Halifax, Canada, 9CEFE, Univ Montpellier, CNRS,
EPHE, IRD, Montpellier, France, 10Eco&Sols, INRAE, IRD, CIRAD, Institut Agro, Univ Montpellier,
Montpeliler, France

Aim:
Based on earthworm morphological and ecological characteristics, ecological categories were
defined and represent the major lifestyles observed among earthworm species. These categories
were latter use to predict earthworm response to environmental drivers and their effect of
ecosystem functioning. However, this use goes beyond the initial goal of such categories. Using
traits of French earthworm species, recent work revisited these categories and stressed that every
earthworm species can be attributed a percentage of belonging to each category. The use of
continuous trait rather that discrete categories allows a more precise and mechanistic description of
earthworm diversity patterns and role in soil processes. To do so, harmonized trait data for a large
number of earthworm species is still lacking.
Method:
To address this issue, we gathered traits with a link to soil functions (i.e., functional traits) for a
large number of European earthworm species (~400 species), and performed multivariate analyses
to determine objective and trait-based functional groups.
Results:
This allowed us to identify taxonomic groups of particular functional interest (uniqueness) and
others with redundant traits. Using the most recent earthworm distribution dataset, we mapped
earthworm functional diversity at the European scale and identified hotspots of functional diversity.
We also explored how invasive vs native and peregrine vs endemic species are situated in the
functional trait space to identify traits potentially linked to earthworm colonization capacities.
Conclusions:

We provide an open source database and code to facilitate its standardized use to explore
earthworm functional diversity patterns and relationships between traits and functions.
173

Soil microbiome informs soil carbon storage and vulnerability in urban greenspaces
worldwide

Manuel Delgado Baquerizo1

1
IRNAS-CSIC, Sevilla, Spain

Aim:
Urban greenspaces support multiple nature-based services, including soil carbon (C) storage. Yet,
when compared with their natural analogues, little is known about the magnitude, environmental
drivers and microbial sensitivity of soil C pools in urban greenspaces worldwide.
Method:
Here, we combine measures of soil C concentration and size fractionation with metagenomics and
warming incubations across a global network of 56 paired urban greenspaces and natural
ecosystems from six continents.
Results:
We show that surface soils in urban greenspaces support similar soil carbon concentrations to
those in adjacent natural ecosystems. Moreover, soil C concentrations in natural and urban
ecosystems follow similar negative correlations with temperature. However, we also showed that
plant productivity and soil microbes contribute differently to explaining the global distribution of
surface soil C in natural and urban ecosystems, with soil microbes appearing central to soil C
storage and supporting greater sensitivity to warming in urban greenspaces worldwide.
Conclusions:
We show that urban greenspaces are important global reservoirs of surface soil C, supporting
similar concentrations to those in adjacent natural ecosystems. Common temperature but distinct
plant and microbial associations explain soil carbon in urban versus natural ecosystems globally.
Given the important role of soil microbes in controlling C fluxes under climate warming, our findings
suggest that urban soil C stocks might be particularly sensitive to climate warming.
174
Four Decades of Organic and Conventional Agriculture Promote Distinct Soil Microbiomes
with Contrasting Metabolic Potentials
Martin Hartmann1, Ralf Müller2, Martina Lori2, Franco Widmer3, Jochen Mayer3, Paul Mäder2, Hans-
Martin Krause2
1
ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland, 2Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL), Frick,
Switzerland, 3Agroscope, Zürich, Switzerland

Aim: Soil microorganisms deliver numerous ecosystem functions essential for crop production.
Changes in agricultural practices can alter soil microbial diversity and the underlying metabolic
potential encoded in their genomes. This offers opportunities to harness microbial resources for
developing sustainable cropping systems. Here, we explored how different organic and
conventional farming systems shape diversity and metabolic potential of the soil microbiome.
Method: Soils were collected from the DOK long-term field trial comparing five different farming
systems since 1978. The soil microbiome was characterized by DNA metabarcoding and shotgun
metagenomics. Extensive auxiliary data on soil properties, greenhouse gas emissions, and crop
performance from decades of research were integrated into a comprehensive system comparison.
Results: Organic fertilization as an integral part of organic farming increased diversity and altered
the taxonomic and functional structure of the soil microbiome compared to stockless systems. The
plant protection regime was of subordinate importance. Organic fertilization promoted microbial
guilds involved in degradation of complex organic compounds, whereas minerally fertilized systems
were characterized by oligotrophic communities adapted to carbon-limited environments.
Functional gene composition showed a gradual change based on the type of fertilizer inputs from
organic to conventional and unfertilized systems. Organically fertilized soils were characterized by
genes related to heterotrophic metabolism (e.g., tricarboxylic acid cycle), whereas minerally
fertilized soils showed enhanced potential for protein synthesis.
Conclusions: These results add to the emerging evidence that long-term organic and conventional
management can promote soil microbiomes with unique genetic capacities that might ultimately
alter key biogeochemical processes in agriculturally managed soils.
175
Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungal Communities Vary by Year and Soil Properties in an
Experimental Tallgrass Prairie
Emma Leavens1, Jennifer Bell1,2, Andrew Hipp1, Meghan Midgley1
1
The Morton Arboretum, Lisle, United States, 2Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, United States

Aim: In order to characterize the effects of restored plant communities on soil biodiversity, we
investigated the relationship between both phylogenetic and trait diversity of plant communities and
arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal (AMF) communities.
Method: We sampled soils prior to planting (year 0) and 2 and 5 years after establishing an
experimental tallgrass prairie composed of 127 prairie plant species. These species were
established by seed into 36 communities of 15 species each which vary in levels of both
phylogenetic and trait diversity in a full factorial block design. To assess AMF communities,
WANDA and AML2 primers were used to amplify the 18s region and sequenced on an Illumina
MiSeq. Reads were processed into 97% similarity OTUs using QIIME2 and the maarjAM database.
Results: AMF community composition did not vary with plant phylogenetic or trait diversity.
However, composition significantly differed by block in year 5 (p = 0.03). Both Shannon’s and
Simpson’s diversity varied among years (p < 0.001) with diversity being highest in year 2 and
slightly lower in year 5 while year 0 had the lowest diversity of the three years.
Conclusions: These results suggest that plant phylogenetic and trait diversity do not inform AMF
diversity. Rather, AMF communities were determined by and responsive to underlying soil
properties and time since plant establishment. That said, the increase in AMF diversity in year 2
followed by slight decreases over time mirror plant species diversity trends across the experiment
suggesting that AMF are responsive to other metrics of plant diversity.
178
Effects of Exposure to Non-exhaust Particulate in Soil-dwelling Collembola Species
Ilaria Negri1, Bartolo Forestieri1, Karen Power2, Paola Maiolino2, Giulia Papa1
1
Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Piacenza, Italy, 2University of Naples, Naples, Italy

Aim:
Road traffic is an important contributor of pollution in soils, and especially urban soils, due to both
exhaust (fossil fuel combustion) and non-exhaust (abrasion of vehicle components, e.g., braking
system, tires, and friction with road surfaces) emissions. Non-exhaust particulate emissions from
road transport, which are the main sources of heavy metal pollution in soils, are of much concern
due to the lack of regulations to mitigate them. In this study, we tested effects of long-term
exposure to metal-based particulate matter from brake pads of two species of Collembola, living in
different soil microhabitats and having different morphological and ethological characters.
Method:
The selected collembola species were Sinella curviseta (Entomobryidae), a surface-dwelling
springtail characterised by high mobility, well developed furca and appendages, scales, ocelli and
light brown pigmentation; and Onychiurus sinensis (Onychiuridae), a typical euedaphic species
living inside soil pores, with reduced mobility due to absence of furca and reduced appendages,
and no pigmentation.
Wear debris from brake pads were characterised chemically, morphologically and by size through a
scanning electron microscope provided with X-ray spectroscopy (SEM/EDX). Specimens were
subject to chronic exposure to high levels of heavy metal pollution and levels below the legal limit
set by Italian regulations for metals of toxicological relevance such as Cr, Ni, Cu, Sn, and Zn
(Decree Law 3/4/2006, n. 152 "Norme in materia ambientale", Gazzetta Ufficiale n. 88, 14/4/2006 -
Supplement n. 96).
SEM/EDX analysis was carried out on faeces to demonstrate ingestion of the PM pollutants. Data
on mortality and reproduction of treated specimens were collected and histopathological techniques
were also applied to highlight possible sub-lethal effects.
Results:
SEM/EDX analysis on wear debris from braking systems confirmed the presence of heavy metals
of toxicological relevance. Particle material including sub-micrometer PM from the braking systems
was found inside the gut and faeces of treated Collembola which displayed histopathological
abnormalities in specific tissues and organs, namely midgut, ovaries and fat bodies. Significant
differences in the survival of adults and reproduction were also found.
Conclusions:
Our data provide a framework for more complex field studies aimed at addressing potential threats
of non-exhaust emission sources from road traffic to soil biodiversity.
181
Global distribution of mycorrhizae is tightly linked to Earth microbial communities
Nadia Soudzilovskaia1,2, Peter van Bodegom2, Milagros Barcelo2, Riccardo Mancinelli2
1
Hasselt University, Hasselt, Belgium, 2Leiden university, Leiden, The Netherlands

Aim:
Mycorrhiza, a symbiotic relationship between plants and fungi, possessed by nearly all terrestrial
plant species, represents an important, yet poorly understood dimension of plant functional
diversity. Especially our understanding of spatial dynamics of mycorrhizal vegetation and
associated microbial communities and a joint response of those to environmental change, is still in
its infancy. The aim of this work is to advance our understating of global distribution of mycorrhizas
and their impacts on soil microbial communities
Methods:
We have assembled global maps of distribution of aboveground and root biomass of mycorrhizal
plants and intensity of root colonization by mycorrhizal fungi. Using these datasets, we assessed
impacts of mycorrhizal distributions on microbial communities through a set of linear models.
Results: The new, yet unpublished (in-press) global dataset and maps of spatial distribution of plant
mycorrhizal types and mycorrhizal fungal root colonization intensity reveal consistent relationships
between distribution of mycorrhizal types and fungal and bacterial biomass.
Conclusions: Our results indicate that globally spatial dynamics mycorrhizal types of vegetation
constitute a strong, yet poorly understood, driver of microbial biomass distributions. Altogether our
new data and the analyses outcomes suggest that that environmental change is likely to affect
distribution of soil biodiversity patterns, not only directly but also indirectly, via alteration of
distribution of mycorrhizal symbiosis.
184
Earthworms and soil mesofauna as early bioindicators for landfill restoration
Carlos Barreto1, Frank Ashwood2, Kevin Butt3, Martin Lampert3, Kieron Doick2, Elena Vanguelova2
1
Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, Sault Ste. Marie, Canada, 2Forest Research,
Farnham, UK, 3University of Central Lancashire, Preston, UK

Aim: Our aims were to identify the influence of reclamation practices on earthworm and mesofauna
communities, and evaluate their role as bioindicators of early landfill restoration success.
Method: We investigated soil physico-chemical parameters, and earthworm and soil mesofauna
communities at two newly restored landfill sites and the surrounding land uses. Alongside
traditional soil fauna community analyses, we applied the QBS-collembola (QBS-c) and QBS-
earthworm (QBS-e) index techniques for the first time in a reclaimed landfill setting.
Results: Natural colonisation of reclaimed landfill by earthworms occurred rapidly where original
site topsoil was stockpiled, reapplied, and revegetated. Soil compaction and absence of ground
vegetation cover were associated with extremely low earthworm populations. Both QBS-e and
QBS-c index indicated that the most disturbed sites generally had the lowest soil biological quality.
Mesofauna richness and abundance were generally high in the low-disturbance sites; overall,
reclaimed soils possessed lower springtail total abundance and species richness, and a mite
community dominated by disturbance-specialist groups in relation to the surrounding land.
Conclusions: Our findings demonstrate the value of recording a range of soil invertebrates during
the investigation of land reclamation, since different soil bioindicator groups respond to soil
disturbance in unique ways. The application of the QBS-c and QBS-e index techniques alongside
traditional soil macro- and mesofauna assessments reinforced our observed soil fauna responses
to reclamation practices. We encourage multitaxon soil monitoring, however where landfill
restoration was carried out to a poor standard, mesofauna are potentially better indicators of soil
status than earthworms.
187
Imaging the dynamics of symbiotic network architecture reveals a traveling-wave foraging
strategy for trade
Corentin Bisot1, Toby Kiers2, Tom Shimizu1, Loreto Oyarte Galvez1,2
1
Amolf, Amsterdam, Netherlands, 2Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, Netherlands

Aim: Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) are widespread symbiotic fungi colonizing the roots of the
vast majority of plant species. While the importance of mycorrhizal fungi for global soils is largely
recognized, the physical topology of these network has never been quantified across space or time.
This is surprising because the architecture of a mycorrhizal network is hypothesized to influence
both the diversity and functioning of soil ecosystems.
Method: We developed the first remotely controlled imaging robot to generate robust time-resolved
datasets of fungal topologies, including the tracking of tens of thousands of hyphal tips
simultaneously. In parallel, we can acquire videos of the transport of lipids within the network using
fluorescent microscopy.
Results: We find that the growth of hyphal network follows a consistent, morphogenetic program
that balances complex interdependencies of nutrient trade and resource foraging. This program
requires a constant supply of lipids that is enabled by high-speed, two-directional cytoplasmic flow.
Conclusions: We found that the morphology of a fungal trade network reflects a complex interplay
between exploitation, exploration, and resource transport strategies to meet demands, and
potentially align the interests, of both plant and fungal partners
189
Soil Mixing Disturbance Decreases Soil Bacterial Diversity
Jaimie West1, Thea Whitman1
1
University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, United States

Aim:
The patchy, disconnected web of soil microhabitats warrants ecological study in the context of
community coalescence—the combining and restructuring of the soil environment and its microbial
inhabitants. We hypothesized that frequent mixing disturbances would result in less diverse
bacterial communities, while demonstrating homogenizing community assembly processes.
Method:
By mixing soil at various frequencies over a 16-week incubation, we explored the effects of
community coalescence on soil’s vast bacterial diversity by characterizing mixing-driven changes to
community composition and ecological assembly processes using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. We
then inferred community assembly processes using phylogenetic distance and community
dissimilarity metrics in a null-modelling approach. We also tested our lab findings using real-world
soil mixing modalities (e.g., agricultural tillage and earthworm bioturbation).
Results:
Frequently mixed soil harbored less rich bacterial communities (>20% decrease) while exhibiting
community assembly patterns consistent with homogeneous selection and homogenizing dispersal.
Further, communities within mixed soil became increasingly similar to each other, yet maintained
dissimilarity from other soil communities subjected to similar treatment. These lab findings
resonated in agricultural tillage comparisons, though earthworm bioturbation comparisons
demonstrated more nuance.
Conclusions:
Our results imply that soil’s vast bacterial diversity is supported by the unmixed and spatially
heterogeneous nature of soil. This work also provides insight into the effects of physical
disturbances, such as tillage or bioturbation, on soil communities. Better understanding
relationships between spatial dysconnectivity, soil community composition, and ecological
assembly processes will improve prediction of changes to broad soil functions due to the impacts of
anthropogenic soil disturbances, such as land use or climate change.
190
What Are The Most Biodiversity-friendly Agricultural Practices?
Beillouin Damien1
1
Cirad, Le Lamentin, France

Aim:
Agricultural activities are one of the main drivers of ongoing biodiversity loss. Numerous agricultural
management practices impact plants, animals and micro-organisms abundance, richness or
evenness. These effects are now compiled in a growing number of meta-analyses, yet, identifying
the best agricultural options to preserve biodiversity remains a challenge.
Method:
We compiled the results of 191 meta-analyses integrating more than 58 000 paired-experiments.
We extracted the effect (negative/neutral/positive) of each agricultural practices on each
biodiversity indices and each taxa. We then used a cumulative link multilevel models to synthesize
the ordinal vote count findings, using a hierarchical model and a variance-covariance matrix to
consider possible common primary studies between meta-analyses.
Results:
Organic farming is 5 and 11 times more likely to benefit soil micro-organisms and vertebrates and
invertebrates animals than to detrimentally affect it. Conservation farming also results in a 8 times
more probable increase of animal biodiversity. Crop diversification could also play an important role
to protect cropland biodiversity (estimated effect of 5.5X and 8.8X on animals and microorganisms).
Drivers at the landscape scale also promote animal biodiversity (e.g. landscape complexification:
Estimated effect of 7X). We then details our results for abundance, richness and evenness
biodiversity indices.
Conclusions:
Alternative systems to conventional agriculture had large and positive effect on biodiversity. Our
study rank best promising options to preserve cropland biodiversity, and are useful to guide future
evidence based policy.
192
Ecological niche modeling predicts that soil fungi occupy a precarious climate space in
boreal forests
Clara Qin1, Peter Pellitier2, Michael Van Nuland3, Kabir Peay2, Kai Zhu4
1
University Of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, United States, 2Stanford University, Stanford,
United States, 3SPUN, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 4University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, United
States

Aim
We model the climate niches of soil fungi and predict the sensitivity of North American soil fungal
communities to climate change.
Method
We combine internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequences from two continental-scale sampling
networks spanning 113 sites in the USA and Canada. Using ecological niche models (ENMs), we
estimate the climate niches of species-level operational taxonomic units (OTUs, 97% similarity)
present in at least ten sites (n = 8,597). To describe the compositional turnover of soil fungal
assemblages with respect to climatic gradients, we construct a novel niche-based metric of climate
sensitivity, the Sørensen sensitivity index. We map climate sensitivity across major biomes in North
America.
Results
ENMs have a mean out-of-sample predictive accuracy of 75.5%, demonstrating good alignment
between fungal species distributions and climate, especially temperature. Niche edges display
clustering across temperature and precipitation gradients, which suggests common physiological
limits and predicts abrupt changes in composition. In general, soil fungi in North American climates
are more likely to be limited by cold and dry conditions than by warm and wet conditions, though
ectomycorrhizal fungi are limited to lower temperatures than saprotrophic fungi. Climate sensitivity
peaks in climates that correspond to boreal forests and northern temperate grasslands.
Conclusions
The boreal forest occupies an especially precarious region of climate space for fungal assemblages
across North America. The northward migration of boreal climates under climate change is
therefore projected to bring sweeping changes to the composition of soil fungal communities in
subarctic latitudes, characterized largely by the influx of warm-adapted species.
195
Soil biota of the temperate food forest – geographical location matters
Isabelle van der Zanden1
1
Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, Netherlands

Aim:
Food forests are an alternative agricultural system using a polyculture of perennial plants to
produce food. The system uses minimal management and little to no external inputs, potentially
resulting in the development of a diverse and complex belowground biota. As a novel agricultural
system in the temperate climate, little is nevertheless known about the belowground development
of food forests established on former agricultural fields. This study therefore aims at understanding
belowground biodiversity and species composition in temperate food forests.
Method:
We study soil biodiversity and community composition in 14 Dutch and Belgium food forests in
comparison to local reference sites (cropland, grassland and natural forests). We focus on bacteria,
fungi, protists, nematodes, and microarthropods using Phospholipid Fatty Acid (PLFA) analysis for
bacterial and fungal biomass and Next-Generation Sequencing for more information on bacterial,
fungal, protist, nematode and microarthropod species composition. Information on soil biodiversity
and composition are supplemented with data on soil properties (e.g. nutrient concentrations, soil
organic matter, pH) and field site information (e.g. management, external inputs, age).
Results:
PLFA results indicate that soil microbial community composition and biomass differs between food
forest and local reference sites, but the direction and magnitude of the difference is often
determined by geographical location. Multivariate analysis will unravel patterns of soil biodiversity
and species composition by various soil and field site properties.
Conclusions:
Results indicate that food forests show potential for restoring soil biodiversity, but soil type,
management and former land use are important characteristics determining final outcome.
203
Terrestrial isopods as model organisms to understand soil fauna distribution
Pallieter De Smedt1, Lander Baeten1, Pieter Sanczuk1, Katalin Szlavecz2, Kris Verheyen1
1
Forest & Nature Lab, Ghent University, Gontrode, Belgium, 2Earth & Planetary Sciences, Johns
Hopkins University, Baltimore, United States

Aim: Species distribution is shaped by (a)biotic factors, currently subject to rapid global
environmental changes inducing range shifts. Soil fauna is a crucial component of every terrestrial
ecosystem, thus changes in species distribution can affect functions such as litter decomposition
and nutrient cycling. Hence, understanding soil organisms’ responses to global change helps
predicting ecosystem functioning. Models of soil fauna distribution based on field data are generally
of limited spatial extent or of low spatial granularity due to challenges in consistent sampling and
species identification. Well-studied taxa can serve as model organisms to predict distribution of
other taxa.
Method: We use data on terrestrial isopods surveyed in every 10x10 km-square in Belgium to
model species ranges and to identify key climatic, soil and land use drivers. To validate the model
outcome, we extend our predictions to another region, the State of Maryland, USA. Maryland is
geographically independent but similar in size and its isopod fauna largely overlaps with Belgium’s
fauna, i.e., most species are of European origin. Based on their known ranges in Belgium, we
generated predictions for these non-native species in Maryland, and compare predicted with actual
distribution data based on a field sampling campaign in over 300 locations within the State.
Results: We found similar climatic and land use variables to be key drivers of species distribution
both in their native and introduced ranges.
Conclusions: This indicates the potential of expanding the model to other geographical regions and
other soil fauna taxa, however, predictability of species patterns proved to be very species specific.
206
Over 30 years of soil biodiversity monitoring in Germany – trends and drivers
Christian Ristok1,2, Nico Eisenhauer1,2, Kristin Paschke3
1
German Centre For Integrative Biodiversity Research (idiv) Halle-jena-leipzig, Leipzig, Germany,
2
Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany, 3University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany

Aim: The decline in biodiversity in conjunction with global and climate change poses a threat to
mankind and human well-being. Soil biodiversity represents a third of terrestrial biodiversity but our
knowledge of soil biodiversity change and their drivers is limited. Long-term monitoring data are
needed but are scarce or have not yet been analyzed. Here, we present time-series analyses of
over 30 years of soil biodiversity monitoring in Germany.
Method: In roughly 800 plots, distributed throughout Germany, physico-chemical and biological
parameters of soils have been monitored, partly since 1985. These plots were established in three
major land-use types, i.e., agriculture, forest, and grassland. All plots are monitored in set intervals
every few years. We have aggregated and harmonized all data and used time-series and meta-
analytical tools to statistically analyze the data.
Results: We show how earthworm diversity and abundance, soil microbial biomass, and organic
carbon changed over time. In addition, we link changes in these soil biodiversity variables to
important drivers, such as soil pH, nutrient concentrations, and eco-toxin concentrations. We are
able to show how these drivers interact with land-use type. Lastly, we present a statistical approach
to deal with heterogeneous monitoring data.
Conclusions: Taken together, we present the first time-series of soil biodiversity change for
Germany and make a case for the importance of soil monitoring. Furthermore, we show how our
results can inform assessments on the state and change of biodiversity, potentially resulting in
policies to protect and restore soil biodiversity.
208
Low Penetration of Edge Effects on Soil-Feeding Termites in a Neotropical Rainforest
Yves Roisin1, Pavel Babczenko1, Antoine Dumortier1, Édouard Duquesne1
1
Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium

Aim:
Habitat fragmentation may affect rainforest soil fauna through two processes, which are difficult to
disentangle: fragment size and edge effects. Here, we took advantage of a powerline clearing in an
otherwise continuous neotropical rainforest to assess the effects of an artificial edge on the termite
fauna, without fragment size constraints.
Method:
Sampling took place along the powerline clearing in the rainforest extending from Petit Saut dam,
French Guiana, to the coastal area. Standard rapid assessment transects for termites, each
comprising 25 quadrats of 5m², 10m distant from each other, were positioned in the forest parallel
to the edge at distances of 10m, 30m, 60m, 100m, 250m and 500m from it.
Results:
The termite assemblage composition 10m from the edge demarcated itself from other distances.
Species richness was lowest at 10m, especially for soil feeders. Wood feeders were more frequent
at 10m, in particular Heterotermes tenuis, a widespread, sometimes invasive species. There was
no detectable differences between transects 30m–500m from the edge.
Conclusions:
In a French Guiana rainforest, edge effects on the termite assemblage appear limited to a narrow
fringe of <30m when evaluated independently of fragment area constraints. As expected, proximity
to the edge favours widespread wood-feeding species but is detrimental to the frequency and
species richness of soil feeders.
217
The impact of global change on soil fauna communities - a meta-analytical approach
Helen Phillips1,2, Wim van der Putten1, Erin Cameron2, Léa Beaumelle3
1
Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, Netherlands, 2Saint Mary's
University, Halifax, Canada, 3CNRS, Université Toulouse III Paul Sabatier , Toulouse, France

Aim:
Human-induced changes to the environment have affected biodiversity. Previous meta-analyses
that investigate the patterns and magnitude of the impacts of different global changes on
biodiversity have often been focused on aboveground biodiversity and omitted soil biodiversity. Not
only is soil biodiversity incredibly important to many ecosystem functions and services, but by using
soil biodiversity data we are able to look at effects of additional global changes that are
understudied in other realms (e.g., pollution impacts).
Method:
We conducted a meta-analysis focused on the impact of six global changes (land-use
intensification, habitat fragmentation, climate change, nutrient enrichment, invasive species and
pollution), as well as some of their interactions, on soil fauna.
Results:
Land-use intensification and pollution had the largest negative impact on soil fauna communities.
Land use intensity impacts were expected based on previous work, however the extremely
negative impact of pollution is particularly worrying due to continually increasing levels of pollution,
and the fact that pollution is understudied relative to other drivers. Unfortunately, there is a lack of
data to investigate the interactive effects but preliminary analysis indicates that soil fauna is further
decreased with multiple global changes.
Conclusions:
Overall, this work shows the importance of including soil biodiversity in large-scale analyses as soil
organisms often do not show the same responses as organisms above-ground. It is important that
we understand how soil organisms may respond to continuing human pressures, due to their
importance in many of the services and functions that we rely on for our survival.
219
How Invasive Earthworms Alter Aboveground Arthropod Communities In A Northern North
American Forest
Malte Jochum1, Lise Thouvenot1, Olga Ferlian1, Romy Zeiss1, Bernhard Klarner2, Ulrich
Pruschitzki1, Edward A. Johnson3, Nico Eisenhauer1
1
iDiv / Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany, 2University of Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany,
3
University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada

Aim: Assessing aboveground impacts of a belowground invader.

Declining arthropod communities have recently gained a lot of attention with land use and habitat
loss among the most-commonly discussed drivers. Here, we focus on an underrepresented driver
of arthropod community decline: biological invasions. For ~12,000 years, earthworms have been
absent from most of northern North America, but they have been re-introduced. Most studies
investigating the impacts of this invasion focus on the belowground world. We present
observational data from a Canadian forest sampled in 2019 to assess the response of aboveground
(vegetation- and ground-associated) invertebrate communities to earthworm invasion.
Method: Suction sampling of aboveground forest arthropods.
We sampled earthworm and aboveground arthropod communities in 60 plots, split into three areas
with increasing invasion status (low, medium, high). We focused our analysis on arthropod
macrofauna, which resulted in a total count of ~13,000 individuals, dominated by Hemiptera,
Diptera, Araneae, Thysanoptera, and Hymenoptera.
Results: Earthworm invasion heavily reduced aboveground arthropods.
Total arthropod abundance, biomass, and species richness declined significantly from low to high
invasion-status areas with reductions of 61, 27, and 18 %, respectively. While predator abundance
(dominated by Linyphiid spiders) did not change, herbivore abundance (dominated by Cicadellidae,
Hemiptera) declined by 71% from low to high invasion-status areas.
Conclusions: Belowground invasions might be an underappreciated driver of aboveground
arthropod decline.
Our results illustrate how earthworm invasion alters aboveground arthropod communities in
northern North American forests and show that belowground invasions might be an
underappreciated driver of aboveground arthropod decline.
226
Food availability is the biggest driver of earthworm abundance not just habitat stability
Felicity Crotty1
1
Royal Agricultural University, Cirencester, United Kingdom

Aim:
Understanding how agricultural management effects earthworms and how they differ spatially
within fields and across farms is key to enhancing earthworm population and thus soil health.
Earthworms are often used as the emblem of soil health, having a large effect on the physical soil
environment – through burrowing, bioturbation mixing litter and soil, as well as being referred to as
ecosystem engineers.
Method:
Two experiments measuring earthworm abundance and how they vary in relation to food availability
were set up covering different agricultural systems. Within a grassland experiment earthworm
abundance was monitored over time in relation to the proximity to cow slurry “pats”, do these act as
an attractant or repugnant? Within an arable cover crop experiment, assessment of earthworm
abundance occurred in relation to different cover crop species at the field scale.
Results:
Within both experiments, earthworm abundance was found to significantly vary with food source
availability. Earthworm abundance varied with distance and time from the cow slurry “pats” and
showed movement of earthworms towards this food source over a short time period. Monitoring
over a longer timescale, a one year growing season, earthworm abundance changed and again
showed movement towards different cover crop food sources.
Conclusions:
The main agricultural management trade-offs relate to food source/availability and habitat
disturbance for earthworm abundance. Utilising both grassland and arable experiments, food
source/availability was monitored and the results suggest a lack of food rather than earthworm
feeding preferences are driving the changes in earthworm populations found.
232
A Global Perspective on Archaeal Diversity in Soils
Nadine Praeg1, Theresa Rzehak1, Mira Mutschlechner1, Svenja Trautmann2, Sigrid Neuhauser1,
PhD Manuel Delgado-Baquerizo3,4, Paul Illmer1
1
Universität Innsbruck, Department of Microbiology, Innsbruck, Austria, 2Universität Innsbruck,
Department of Geography, Innsbruck, Austria, 3Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de
Sevilla (IRNAS), Laboratorio de Biodiversidad y Funcionamiento Ecosistémico, Sevilla, Spain,
4
Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Unidad Asociada CSIC-UPO (BioFun), Sevilla, Spain

Aim:
High-throughput studies of soil microbiota reveal that the domain of archaea is a small, yet constant
member of the prokaryotic community in soil ecosystems. Metabarcoding is the most widely used
identification method in microbial ecology that has led to the discovery of an enormous prokaryotic
diversity. Still, archaeal diversity has been largely neglected in cross-biome investigations, possibly
due to limitations of available archaea specific primers.
Method:
A laboratory and analytical workflow to assess archaeal diversity in soils comprehensively was
optimised using diverse soils (grasslands, forests, mountain soils, wetlands) and different primer
pairs covering various variable regions of the 16S rRNA gene. Finally, a primer pair was selected
and used to characterize the community structure of archaea from approximately 100 soil samples
across contrasting terrestrial ecosystems including temperate forests, shrublands, grasslands, cold
forests, forblands, moss heaths, dry forests, and tropical forests.
Results:
Irrespective of soil type, two of four primers tested failed to detect archaea at all or reflected the
archaeal diversity poorly. Two primers shared many archaeal taxa found in all soil sites but still soil
specific differences were detected in terms of richness and taxon diversity. First results of the
global soil archaea assessment give novel insights into the community structure of soil archaea
across geographic and climatic zones and reveal key drivers of archaeal diversity.
Conclusions:
The results allow a more precise estimate of the diversity of soil archaea and enable to evaluate
how environmental parameters affect species richness and diversity across various biomes.
240
Functional Traits Inform Ecological Processes Underlying Global Collembola Diversity
Ting-Wen Chen2,1, Matty P. Berg4,11, Jonathan Bonfanti10, Jérôme Cortet10, Louis Deharveng3,
Sophie Joimel5, Ľubomír Kováč8, Mikhail B. Potapov6, Sandrine Salmon9, Xin Sun7, Anton M.
Potapov1,12,13
1
J.F. Blumenbach Institute of Zoology and Anthropology, University of Göttingen, Göttingen,
Germany, 2Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Soil Biology and
Biogeochemistry, České Budějovice, Czech Republic, 3ISYEB, Muséum National d’Histoire
Naturelle, Paris, France, 4Department of Ecological Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam,
Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 5UMR ECOSYS, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay,
Thiverval-Grignon, France, 6Institute of Biology and Chemistry, Moscow Pedagogical State
University, Moscow, Russia, 7Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban
Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen, China, 8Department of Zoology, Institute of
Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Science, Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice, Košice,
Slovakia, 9UMR 7179 MECADEV - AVIV department, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle,
Brunoy, France, 10UMR 5175 CEFE. Univ Paul Valery Montpellier 3, Univ. Montpellier, EPHE,
CNRS, IRD, Montpellier, France, 11Community and Conservation Ecology Group, Groningen
Institute of Evolutionary Life Science, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands, 12A.N.
Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia,
13
German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, University of
Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
Aim:
Niche differentiation is one mechanism allowing multiple soil invertebrate species to co-occur
locally. While ecological niches are represented by species traits, multidimensionality of functional
traits has yet been revealed in soil invertebrates. We used two unique global datasets,
#GlobalCollembola (43,601 communities) and trait data (1,384 taxa) to reveal assembly processes
– filtering and niche partitioning – in Collembola communities across different habitats at both
global and European scales.
Method:
We quantified trait responses using community weighted mean and mean pairwise distance among
coexisting species with seven traits: antenna-to-body ratio, body length, pigmentation, coloration
pattern, eye number, furca development and reproductive mode.
Results:
All these traits showed responses. At European scale woodland Collembola were smaller,
possessing fewer ommatidia but longer furca and antenna and more parthenogenetic individuals
than random expectations. In shrub habitats Collembola were less patterned and their antenna
were shorter. Furca development and eye number represented the traits filtered by habitats, while
reproductive mode revealed partitioning processes. Body length revealed filtering in shrubs but
partitioning in agricultural fields. Antenna-to-body ratio, by contrast, revealed filtering in shrubs
but partitioning in woodlands. Coloration pattern contributed to partitioning in agricultural fields but
filtering in grasslands, shrubs and woodlands. Body pigmentation, as a filtering trait, however, could
only be validated in shrubs. Putting all traits together, local Collembola communities were driven by
partitioning in agricultural fields but filtering in shrub habitats.
Conclusions:
Our study demonstrates multidimensional functional traits underlying community assembly of
Collembola. Applying trait-based methods improves our understanding of mechanisms regulating
soil biodiversity.
241
Denitrification dynamics of N2O emissions after re-flooding on dry paddy soils
Yijia Tang1,2, Budiman Minasny1,2, Alex McBratney1,2
1
School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia 2015,
2
Sydney Institute of Agriculture, Sydney, Australia 2006

In flooded paddies, peak greenhouse gas nitrous oxide (N2O) emission after rewetting the dry soils
is well known, but the relative contribution of biotic and abiotic factors to the emission is still
unclear. In this study, we used the isotope technique (δ18O and δ15NSP) and molecular-based
microbial analysis in an anoxic incubation experiment to evaluate the contributions of bacterial,
fungal, and chemical denitrification to N2O emissions. We collected eight representative paddy soils
across China for an incubation experiment. Results show that total N2O accumulations during the
10-day incubation period were mainly produced by fungal denitrification (58-77%) in six out of the
eight investigated flooded paddy soils. The contribution of fungal denitrification was equal to or less
than those of bacterial and chemical denitrification in the other two soil types. Moreover, around 11-
35% of the total N2O emissions were derived from chemical denitrification in all soil types,
suggesting its important role in N2O production. We further found that the initial soil organic carbon
was the main regulator for the pattern of N2O sources. Microbial interactions and gene expressions
could also be the potential explanation rather than denitrifier community composition. Overall, these
findings highlight the dominance of the fungal denitrification pathway for N2O production in flooded
paddy soils. This suggests that fungal contribution should be considered when optimising
agricultural management system timing to control N2O emissions in flooded paddy soil ecosystems,
and for the relevant establishment of predictive numerical models in the future.
242
Liquid Soil Models for Risk Assessment of Engineered Organisms in Soil
Alexis Rock1, Andres Felipe Carrillo Rincon1, Gabrielle Cabebe1, Lauren Abraham1, Kylie Hoar1,
Natalie Farny1
1
Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, United States

Aim:
Many engineered organisms have been developed for soil applications including biosensing and
bioremediation. However, it is difficult to predict the behaviour of a genetically engineered microbe
(GEM) in a given soil environment. Our goal is to create a rapid, scalable, and high-throughput
model system to predict GEM survival, and the effects of GEMs on the existing microbiome, in
target soils.
Method:
We developed an automatable and scalable liquid soil model for monitoring survival of the
genetically tractable soil bacterium Pseudomonas putida in the context of an existing soil
microbiome, using flow cytometry. We applied deep sequencing analysis (16S and ITS for bacteria
and fungi, respectively) to understand how the microbiome changes in response to the introduction
of the GEM. The results are compared to GEM survival in a solid soil sample, using both traditional
colony forming unit assays and flow cytometry.
Results:
Engineered P. putida survival was similar in both the solid soil and liquid soil models we measured.
Sequencing results showed that liquid soil models maintain a stable representation of the soil
microbial community over a 14-day culture period. These results indicate that our liquid soil extract
model is a flexible and scalable representation of the soil that enables prediction of GEM survival
and performance.
Conclusions:
Our novel liquid soil models offer a new approach to risk assessment for GEM use in soils. Our
results reveal important insights about the relationships between GEMs and native soil species,
and open the possibility of manipulating native microbiomes for GEM control.
247
Global knowledge and use of soil biodiversity: Lessons from a worldwide survey
George Brown1, Talita Ferreira1, Maria Elizabeth Correia2, Cintia Niva3, Ederson Jesus2, Maria Inês
Oliveira3, Luiz Fernando Antunes4, Lucília Parron1, Márcia Coelho2, Guilherme Chaer2, Juaci
Malaquias3, Ozanival Dario Silva3, Ieda Mendes3, Peter de Ruiter5, Carlos Guerra6, Zoe Lindo7, Jeff
Battigelli8, Gian Luca Bagnara9, Rosalina González10, Luca Montanarella11, Rosa Poch12, Diana
Wall13, Isabelle Verbeke14, Julia Mousquer14, Natalia Rodríguez Eugenio14, Ronald Vargas14, Rosa
Corona Cuevas14
1
Embrapa Forestry/ufpr, Colombo, Brazil, 2Embrapa Agrobiologia, Seropédica, Brazil, 3Embrapa
Cerrados, Planaltina, Brazil, 4Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, Seropédica, Brazil,
5
Wageningen UR, Wageningen, Netherlands, 6German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research
(iDiv) , Leipzig, Germany, 7Western University, London, Canada, 8University of Alberta, , Canada,
9
NETSOB, Forlì-Cesena, Italy, 10Universidad de La Salle, Bogotá, Colombia, 11European Union
Joint Research Centre, Ispra, Italy, 12Universitat de Lleida, Lleida, Spain, 13Colorado State
University, Fort Collins, USA, 14FAO, Rome, Italy

Aim:
Present the results of the Global Soil Biodiversity Survey, undertaken by the FAO/GSP in March
2022.
Method:
The online survey was created using Survey Monkey v. 11 and was sent out by e-mail with a link to
complete the survey to over 70 thousand persons. It included 122 questions in 11 sections
including parts related to public policies, monitoring, inventories, sampling methods for various taxa
and functions in soils, educational and communication activities, ecosystem services and economic
valuation.
Results:
The survey had 2696 respondents (4% response rate) from >1350 institutions and 139 countries,
mainly from Europe and Eurasia (39%), Asia (22%) and Latin American and the Caribbean (17%).
Most (75%) respondents worked on issues relating soil biodiversity to agriculture, forestry and
pastoral activities, and 75% worked with soil microbes, mostly bacteria (85%) and fungi (79%).
Much fewer respondents worked with microfauna (19%), mesofauna (22%), macrofauna (28%) or
megafauna (5%). The main purposes were to evaluate impacts of management practices/land use
systems, of organisms on soil properties/ecosystem services, taxonomy/biodiversity surveys, and
role as bioindicators, among others. Over 50% worked with ecosystem services related to soil
biodiversity, mainly nutrient cycling and biodiversity conservation. However, many respondents
(42%) had little knowledge of legal frameworks related to soil biodiversity and few countries had
monitoring programs or inventories.
Conclusions:
Increased support and recognition of soil biodiversity is needed, particularly of its value and the
need for its sustainable management and conservation, through appropriate policy and legal
measures at both national and international levels.
252
Continental-scale mapping of soil bacteria and fungi compositional heterogeneity
Mercedes Roman Dobarco1, Alexandre M.J-C. Wadoux1, Peipei Xue1, Budiman Minasny1, Alex
McBratney1
1
The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia

Soil microorganisms mediate a wide range of key processes and ecosystem services on which
humans depend. In this study, we report on the biogeography and spatial pattern of soil biota for
the Australian continent. We used as basis the DNA sequences from the Biome of Australia Soil
Environments (BASE) which were collected over a range of different sites across Australia. We
calculated the beta diversity of abundant taxa of soil bacteria and fungi, treating representative
sequence data (OTUs) as individual taxa. Two ordination methods were applied to investigate the
dissimilarities in microbial community composition, non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS)
and Uniform Manifold Approximation and Projection (UMAP) for dimension reduction. The NMDS
and UMAP used the weighted UniFrac distance for bacteria and Bray-Curtis dissimilarity for fungi
on taxa relative abundance. The results of the NMDS for bacteria indicated that the structure of the
data was captured fairly well, with a stress of 0.09. However, the stress of the fungi NMDS was
0.16, indicating that the fungi community composition was moderately well explained. We further
collected a large set of environmental covariates that control the biogeography of soil biota, such as
soil properties terrain attributes of vegetation indices, and of which maps are available. We fitted a
quantile regression forest machine learning model to exploit the quantitative relationship between
point-estimated values of beta diversity and environmental covariates, and used to model to predict
beta diversity across Australia along with an estimate of uncertainty. We show that soil property
and vegetation are the dominant controls of soil biota. The resulting maps also reveal the pattern of
soil biota which can further be used for regional assessment of soil biodiversity and from which
degradation induced by global changes can be monitored.
254
Forest-to-pasture conversion and cattle periodontal disease in the Brazilian Amazonia
Fernando Rocha1,2, Ana Carolina Borsanelli4,5, Cecilio Soares Filho5, Marcia Coelho1, Stefan
Schwab1, James Cole7, Adina Howe6, Aline de Oliveira3, Iverado Dutra5, Ederson Jesus1
1
Embrapa Agrobiologia, Seropédica, Brazil, 2Rural Federal University of Rio de Janeiro,
Seropédica, Brazil, 3Embrapa Solos, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 4Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia,
Brazil, 5UNESP, Araçatuba, Brazil, 6Iowa State University, Ames, United States of America,
7
Michigan State University, East Lansing, United States of America

Aim:
Periodontal disease in ruminant livestock has been linked to deforestation for introduction of new
pastures. Nonetheless, the ecological process triggering this disease has not yet been fully
elucidated. Therefore, we took advantage of the deforestation scenario in Amazonia to understand
which factors are related to this process.
Methods:
We assessed extensive livestock systems with recently reported cases of periodontal disease in
cattle across a gradient of soil fertility in Western Amazonia. We characterized the soil, forage, and
animals, as well as their bacterial communities. Pastures were classified as low and high severity
level systems (LSL and HSL, respectively) based on the prevalence of animals with periodontal
lesions.
Results:
HSL had increased bacterial alpha and gamma diversities in all components of the soil-plant-animal
continuum, suggesting dysbiosis at the ecosystem level. Keystone taxa possibly related to
microbial protection had their abundance decreased in HSL, disrupting microbial co-occurrence
network stability. These systems also showed higher soil C:N, indicating a system’s overall lower
nutritional capacity. Better soil and forage qualities were observed in LSL, especially higher Zn and
Cu content in forage and soil, respectively. Finally, in HSL, streptomycin biosynthesis genes were
more abundant in soil, forage, and cattle.
Conclusions:
Our findings point out that land-use intensification seems to trigger a cascade-effect that,
depending on the magnitude of the arrangement between biotic and abiotic factors, sets the ideal
conditions for the emergence of oral infections.
256
Mating grapes with aromatics: one option to reach soil biodiversity conservation and new
markets
Felix Dittrich1, Loredana Canfora2, Luigi Orrù3, Bei Liu4, Christoph Tebbe4, Sören Thiele-Bruhn1
1
Department of Soil Science,Trier University , Trier, Germany, 2Council for Agricultural Research
and Economics, Research Centre for Agriculture and Environment, Rome, Italy, 3Council for
Agricultural Research and Economics, Research Centre for Genomics and Bioinformatics,
Fiorenzuola d’Arda, Italy, 4Thünen Institute of Biodiversity, Federal Research Center for Rural
Areas, Forestry and Fisheries, Braunschweig, Germany

Aim:
Soil biota in vineyards face multiple stressors, e.g. frequent fungicide application and bare soil
management that goes along with intensive mechanical disturbance, erosion and organic matter
depletion. Permanently covered and mechanically undisturbed conditions, e.g. realized through the
mixed cultivation of grapevines and aromatic plants (AP), may help to alleviate adverse impacts on
soil biota and thus, protect soil biodiversity. Hence, this study aims to investigate the effects of
intercropping grapevines with AP on vineyard soil biota.
Method:
In a field experiment, Origanum vulgare and Thymus vulgaris were introduced to grapevine rows of
an organically managed vineyard in the Mosel area of Germany. Monocropped and regularly tilled
grapevine rows served as control. Topsoil (0-10 cm) samples were taken over three crop cycles to
analyse microbial community structure (16S and ITS metabarcoding), microbial biomass carbon
(after fumigation-extraction), microbial activity (basal respiration, enzymes) and soil chemical
properties.
Results:
There is evidence for an increase in soil organic matter in response to AP cultivation, whereas a
significant decline of total microbial biomass, respiration and C-/N-cycling enzymes was observed.
Other enzymes, e.g. those involved in S- and P-cycling increase under AP. This may be due to a
higher abundance of specialized bacterial and fungal taxa in the chemically altered and
mechanically undisturbed root zone of AP, such as arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi.
Conclusions:
Cultivating AP in vineyards constitutes a suitable measure to protect soil and increase habitat- and
organism diversity. A higher probability of implementation can be expected from the economic
value of AP.
257
Selection on the rhizosphere microbiome alters nitrogen use efficiency and seed yield in
Brassica rapa
Joshua Garcia1, Maria Gannett2, LiPing Wei2, Liang Cheng2, Shengyuan Hu3, Jed Sparks2, James
Giovannoni4, Jenny Kao-Kniffin2
1
UC Davis, Davis, United States, 2Cornell University, Ithaca, United States, 3Carnegie Mellon
University, Pittsburgh, United States, 4USDA Robert W. Holley Center, Ithaca, United States

Aim: Microbial communities in the rhizosphere influence several aspects of plant growth and
development. In recent years, interest has grown in manipulating the rhizosphere microbiome to
alter host plant traits and confer stress tolerance. Repeated selection for rhizosphere microbiomes
associated with target plant traits could alter microbial community composition and interactions in
the rhizosphere that impact the host plant. In the present study, we performed a multigeneration
growth chamber experiment in which we applied selection pressure on the rhizosphere microbiome
for consortia associated with enhanced plant productivity in Brassica rapa over nine generations of
plantings.
Method: The experiment consisted of three selection treatments: a high biomass selection
treatment where microbial communities were selected based on association with greater B. rapa
biomass production, a random selection treatment where microbial communities were selected at
random, and a control treatment consisting of no selection. Plant phenotypes and microbial
community composition were compared between the three treatments after each generation.
Results: After nine generations of plantings, we found B. rapa plants in the high biomass selection
treatment had significantly greater nitrogen use efficiency and seed yield compared to plants in the
control treatment. Sequencing of rhizosphere microbial communities showed bacterial communities
were distinct between the three treatments and extended local similarity analysis using sequencing
data showed that bacterial interaction networks were altered in the high biomass selection
treatment.
Conclusions: These data suggest microbial community composition and interaction networks in the
rhizosphere could be modified to impact target traits of a host plant.
258
Soil Biodiversity and Plant Diversity Interactions and Consequences for Ecosystem
Functions and Resilience
Brajesh Singh1
1
Western Sydney University, Penrith, Australia

AIM: Soil biodiversity is a critical contributor to terrestrial ecosystem functioning and resilience,
regulating key soil processes including nutrient cycling. However, relative contributions of biotic
interactions of soil- and aboveground biodiversity, and mechanistic understanding on impact of
biotic interaction on ecosystem functions remain largely unknown. This presentation aims to (1)
identify relative contribution of plant, soil biodiversity and their biotic interaction on individual
ecosystem functions and multifunctionality, and (2) determine the role of soil biodiversity in shaping
plant microbiome assemblages and consequences for ecosystem functions.
METHODS: This presentation combined data from global survey and manipulative glass house
experiment which simultaneously manipulate soil and plant biodiversity.
RESULTS: We provide evidence that plant and soil biodiversity independently account for a unique
portion of variation in above- and belowground ecosystem functioning and resilience. Further soil
fungal and invertebrate diversity influence both soil and aboveground functions. In addition, we
found the plant root microbiomes are strongly influenced by soil microbial diversity, but leaf
microbiomes are driven by the host identity.
CONCLUSIONS: Overall, we provide evidence for complex but predictable interactions between
plant and soil biodiversity, supporting the demand to conserve both above- and belowground
diversity to sustain ecosystem functions under rapid global changes.
261
Climate resilient restoration of degraded dryland biodiversity and function with biocrusts
Anita Antoninka1, Matthew Bowker1, Colin Tucker2, Peter F. Chuckran3, Rebecca Mau1, Sierra
Jech4, Sasha Reed5, Nichole Barger4, Mandy Slate4, Kirsten Coe6, Kirsten Fisher7, Mel Oliver8, Llo
Stark9, Brent D. Mishler3
1
Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, United States, 2U.S. Forest Service, , , 3U.C. Berkeley, , ,
4
U.C. Boulder, , , 5U.S. Geological Survey, , , 6Middlebury College, , , 7California State University, , ,
8
University of Missouri, , , 9University of Nevada Las Vegas, ,

Aim:
Biocrusts, diverse communities of bacteria, cyanobacteria, lichens, and bryophytes, provide key
ecosystem functions in low productivity systems. Climate change and land use are leading to
biocrust loss. We aimed to determine how biocrusts are affected by novel climates and how to do
climate-resilient restoration.
Method:
1) We set up three reciprocal common gardens with mature biocrust transplants along ~3000 m
elevational-climate gradient on the Colorado Plateau. 2) We set up a restoration experiment on the
Colorado Plateau using biocrust collected across a climatic gradient (Sonoran, Mojave and
Colorado Plateau). Biocrusts were cultivated on weed cloth, biodegradable paper or jute with ~1cm
of soil in the presence or absence of and harvested in 3 m x 1m sods, transported and installed on
field restoration sites. In both experiments we measured changes in biocrust visible cover, soil
stability, exopolysaccharides, Chlorophyll a and bacterial community after 1-2 years.
Results:
In both experiments biocrusts preferred milder climate over home conditions. Biocrusts cultivated
from the hotter deserts grew better than home sourced biocrusts, but establishment from all
sources was similar in the field. All sources benefited from shade. Solid bottom sods were good at
deterring weed establishment, and we saw some expansion of biocrusts into interspaces. The
bacterial community showed fidelity to its home site in the common gardens, but not in the
restoration experiment.
Conclusions:
Assisted migration of cultivated or mature biocrusts from hotter climates may be a viable method to
restore biocrust communities and functions in degraded landscapes as climate change continues.
262
Disentangling mechanisms of co-adaption between trees and soil food webs in response to
environmental perturbations
Matthew Meehan1, Mathilde Chomel1,2, Zhabiz Vilkiji1, Virginie Baldy3, Rob Mackenize4, David
Johnson1, Richard Bardgett1
1
University Of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom, 2FiBL France, Drôme, France, 3Aix-
Marseille University, Marseille, France, 4University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom

Aim: We tested how drought and elevated CO2 affect carbon flow from trees to soil food webs
through two pathways, litter (the ‘slow’ pathway) and roots (the ‘fast’ pathway).
Method: We constructed mesocosms with four trees species: Quercus robur, Quercus pubescens,
Pinus sylvestris, and Pinus halepensis. Trees were collected as saplings from the UK (Q. robur and
P. sylvestris) and France (Q. pubescens and P. halepensis) and planted into pots with native soil.
We maintained mesocosms under ambient moisture and CO2 conditions, drought (50% reduction in
watering), elevated CO2 (550 ppm) and drought x elevated CO2 in growth chambers for seven
months. In a subset of mesocosms, we added 13C labelled litter (at the beginning of the experiment)
and 13C pulse labelled (at the end of the experiment) to trace carbon flow from roots and litter,
respectively, into soil food webs.
Results: Preliminary results show that trees exhibit several species-specific responses to
perturbations. But in general, Pinus spp. had greater root biomass, while Q. robur and Q.
pubescens had greater trunk and leaf biomass, respectively, under elevated CO2. As well, microbial
biomass decreased under drought x elevated CO2 for all four tree species. Yet microbial
communities derive more carbon from roots when under elevated CO2; however, this effect was lost
with drought.
Conclusions: Drought and elevated CO2 can affect aboveground-belowground communities
through several means. But importantly, elevated CO2 can affect carbon flow into soil systems,
which may impact ecosystem functions these communities provide.
265
Invasive earthworms alter microbiomes and carbon dynamics in boreal forest soils
Justine Lejoly1,2, Sylvie Quideau2, Justine Karst2, Jérôme Laganière3, Christine Martineau3, Mathew
Swallow4, Charlotte Norris5, Abdul Samad3
1
Netherlands Institute of Ecology, Wageningen, Netherlands, 2University of Alberta, Edmonton,
Canada, 3Laurentian Forestry Centre - Natural Resources Canada, Québec City, Canada, 4Mount
Royal University, Calgary, Canada, 5Pacific Forestry Centre - Natural Resources Canada, Victoria,
Canada

Aim:
The ongoing invasion of exotic earthworms in North American forests might alter ecosystem
functioning and biodiversity. While most research on the topic has been carried out in the
temperate biome, little is known on the impact of these invasive earthworms on soils of the boreal
forest, the largest terrestrial carbon (C) reservoir. This study aimed at identifying and quantifying
the impacts of earthworm invasion on soil microbiomes and soil organic matter (SOM)
characteristics in boreal forests.
Method:
Using a space-for-time substitution, we compared earthworm-invaded and non-invaded soils across
the Canadian boreal forest. Soil microbiomes were characterized using phospholipid fatty acid
analysis and metabarcoding of the 16S rRNA gene and ITS2 region. After quantification of C stocks
for forest floors and surface mineral soils separately, C stability was estimated with a one-year
laboratory incubation and SOM chemical composition determined using pyrolysis-gas
chromatography-mass spectrometry.
Results:
In forest floors, earthworm invasion caused a decrease in C stocks, not compensated in the mineral
soils, where C stability was lower and microbiome composition shifted. Invasive earthworms
increased fungal biomass, mainly through their positive impact on ectomycorrhizal fungi, and
favoured copiotrophic (Bacteroidota) over oligotrophic (Acidobacteriota and Chloroflexi) bacteria.
While total microbial biomass did not significantly increase, fungal and bacterial diversity indices
were higher in earthworm-invaded soils, where SOM was overall more decomposed.
Conclusions:
By altering microbiome composition and SOM dynamics, invasive earthworms are likely to have a
long-term impact on nutrient cycling and vegetation development as the invasion progresses in
these boreal forests.
271
Diversity of true truffles (Tuber spp.) in European biodiversity hotspots, the role in soil
bioremediation
Zaklina Marjanovic1, Sergi Garcia Barreda2, Sergio Sánchez Durán2, Eva Tejedor Calvo2, Eva
Gómez3, Mara Rondolini4, Nicola Baldoni4, Leonardo Baciarelli Falini4, Gilberto Bragato5, Domizia
Donnini4
1
University Of Belgrade, Institute For Multidisciplinary Research, Belgrade, Serbia, 2Centro de
Investigación y Tecnología Agroalimentaria de Aragón (CITA), Av. de Montañana, 930, 50059
Zaragoza, Spain, 3Centro de Investigación y Experimentación en Truficultura (CIET), Diputación
Provincial de Huesca, Polígono Fabardo s/n, 22430, Graus, Spain, 4University of Perugia,
Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, Borgo XX Giugno, 74, 06121 –
Perugia, Italy, 5Council for Agricultural Research and Economics, Research Centre on Viticulture
and Enology , 34170 Gorizia, Italy

Aim: Truffles (Tuber spp) are the ectomycorrhizal fungi that produce highly valuable fruitbodies and
are the only obligatory fungal symbionts that are successfully produced in man-made plantations.
Few European species can be grown using special agroforestry practices that are also enabling the
development of functional forest soils/ ecosystems. For these reasons, truffles have attracted the
attention of the scientific consortium within the H2020-MSCA-RISE project INTACT, which is aimed
at evaluating their diversity, natural habitats, plantation possibilities, novel production techniques,
protection and policies in different countries.
Method: We analyze the state of the art of truffle diversity in three European biodiversity hot spots
(Spain, Italy, and Serbia) as connected to different ecological characteristics. We explore
possibilities for establishing truffle plantations in these regions as the rare exemplar of sustainable
remediation of forest soils and ecosystems. We present a new tool for studying truffles and their
habitats – Edaphobase, a database of soil biodiversity (https://portal.edaphobase.org/) that has
been upgraded to be able to host also fungal taxa and connect them to other soil communities and
common environmental traits.
Results: The significant diversity rates confirm the ecological suitability for different truffle
production in three European regions. COST Action 18237 outcomes enabled, for the first time, the
connection of specific fungal and soil mesofauna communities and their environments.
Conclusions: Managing techniques must be applied to natural truffle habitats in order to preserve
truffle production and supportive soil biodiversity. Edaphobase tools will enable monitoring of soil
biodiversity/environments not only in changing natural habitats (forests) but also in truffle
plantations (agroforests).
278
Soil biodiversity at Swiss long-term monitoring sites: from prokaryotes to the eukaryotic
micro- and mesofauna
Florian Gschwend1, María Fernández-Bravo1,2, Florine Degrune3,4,5, Jonathan Donhauser6,7, Janine
Moll-Mielewczik8, Beat Frey6, Thierry Heger3, Anna-Sofia Hug8, Jürg Enkerli1, Franco Widmer1
1
Molecular Ecology, Agroscope, Zürich, Switzerland, 2Agricultural Entomology, Department of
Agronomy, University of Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain, 3Soil Science and Environment Group,
University of Applied Sciences and Arts Western Switzerland, Nyon, Switzerland, 4Eco&Sols,
University Montpellier, CIRAD, INRAE, Institute Agro, IRD, Montpellier, France, 5CIRAD, UMR
Eco&Sols, Montpellier, France, 6Rhizosphere Processes, Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow
and Landscape Research WSL, Birmensdorf, Switzerland, 7Department of Biology, University of
Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark, 8Swiss Soil Monitoring Network, Agroscope, Zürich,
Switzerland

Aim: Soil biodiversity management and protection require the assessment of organisms from all
three domains of life. This can be achieved at high-resolution with metabarcoding using specific
markers. Analyses of responses to environmental changes may help to identify factors that promote
or threaten specific communities or populations.
Method: Metabarcoding of five groups of soil organisms, i.e., prokaryotes, fungi, protists,
nematodes, and arthropods, was performed on soil or arthropod DNA extracts derived from soil
cores from 28 sites of the Swiss Soil Monitoring Network covering arable land, grassland, and
forest.
Results: Overall, 15,387 prokaryotic, 7,852 fungal, 1,542 protistan, 384 nematode, and 9,205
arthropod amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) were obtained, of which 67.7%, 47.9%, 30.1%,
23.4%, and 50.2% remained unclassified below the family level revealing a large proportion of yet
undescribed organisms. The proportion of unclassified ASVs differed among land-use types and
sites, for instance, with higher proportions of unclassified fungi in arable land and higher
proportions of unclassified arthropods in forest, indicating group-specific hotspots of undescribed
diversity. Community composition significantly correlated among all groups (rho=0.47-0.76,
p<0.05), suggesting similar selective environmental factors for all groups. The main environmental
factors that correlated to community compositions were the C/N-ratio, pH, total and organic carbon
content, bulk density, and climatic factors.
Conclusions: Metabarcoding revealed a large diversity of prokaryotic and eukaryotic soil organisms,
with group-specific hotspots of undescribed biodiversity. Larger and more detailed surveys are
needed to identify environmental drivers of soil biodiversity that secure and promote specific
ecosystem services.
279
Soil compaction persistently alters microbial diversity and its functional potential in
agricultural fields
Manon Longepierre1,2, Franco Widmer3, Thomas Keller4,5, Peter Weisskopf3, Tino Colombi5, Johan
Six2, Martin Hartmann2
1
School of Biology and Environmental Science, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland,
2
Sustainable Agroecosystems, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland, 3Molecular Ecology, Agroscope,
Zurich, Switzerland, 4Soil Quality and Soil Use, Agroscope, Zurich, Switzerland, 5Soil Mechanics
and Soil Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden

Aim:

Soil compaction is a consequence of mechanized agriculture and affects approximately one quarter
of the global agricultural land. There is insufficient understanding on how this disturbance affects
soil microbiomes and ultimately sustainable crop production. In this study, we examined the
microbial response to compaction under three farming systems over four growing seasons by using
a long-term field experiment.
Method:
We assessed soil microbial diversity and its functional potential by metabarcoding and by shotgun
metagenome sequencing, respectively. We also monitored changes in soil physicochemical
properties and crop yield.
Results:
Soil compaction initially reduced crop yield (up to -90%), which largely recovered after three
seasons. Soil compaction increased soil bulk density (+15%), decreased air permeability (-94%),
and gas diffusion (-59%) without fully recovering after four seasons. Microbial diversity and its
functional potential were consistently altered by compaction throughout the four growing seasons.
Oxygen depletion in compacted soils favoured anaerobic taxa and genes associated with anaerobic
metabolism. Adaptive strategies to improve metabolic efficiency (e.g., molecule transport and
cofactors) or survival (e.g., mobility and sporulation) increased in compacted soils. Interestingly,
shifts in microbial diversity were farming system dependent, whereas shifts in functional potential
were uniform.
Conclusions:

We conclude that soil compaction induces long-lasting effects on the soil microbiome and that the
change in microbial functional potential is uniform regardless of the compaction- and farming
system-dependent change in microbial diversity. This consistent change from aerobic to anaerobic
microbiomes raises concerns about altered nutrient cycling, reduced capacity to degrade pollutants,
and increased greenhouse gas emissions in compacted agricultural soils.
281

Vegetation, Climate and Soil Properties Drive Soil Bacterial and Fungal Communities and
Functions Across Europe

Maëva Labouyrie1,2,3, Cristiano Ballabio2, Ferran Romero3, Panos Panagos2, Arwyn Jones2, Leho
Tedersoo4, Emanuele Lugato2, Marcel G.A. van der Heijden1,3, Alberto Orgiazzi2

1
Departement of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of Zurich , Zollikerstrasse 107, 8008 Zürich,
Switzerland, 2European Commission, Joint Research Centre Ispra (JRC Ispra), Via Enrico Fermi
2749, 21027 Ispra, Italy (VA), 3Plant-Soil-Interactions, Agroscope, Reckenholzstrasse 191, 8046
Zürich, Switzerland, 4Mycology and Microbiology Center, University of Tartu, Liivi 2, 50409, Tartu,
Estonia

Aim: Recent studies showed that factors like vegetation cover, climate, and soil properties drive the
assembly of soil microbial communities, but it is still poorly understood how this impacts microbial-
driven ecosystem functions, especially at large scales.
Method: Here, we analysed microbial taxonomic and functional diversity along a gradient of
increasing land-use perturbation, detecting over 84,000 bacterial and 25,000 fungal OTUs from 715
sites across Europe.
Results: Bacterial and fungal diversity was lowest in less-disturbed environments (forests) and
highest in highly-disturbed environments (e.g., croplands). Highly-disturbed environments
contained higher proportions of bacterial chemoheterotrophs, harbored a higher proportion of
fungal plant pathogens, and had less beneficial fungal plant symbionts compared to forests and
extensively-managed grasslands. Patterns of microbial communities and predicted functions were
best explained when interactions among major drivers (vegetation cover, climate and soil
properties) were considered.
Conclusions: We propose tools for environmental policy actions and argue that both taxonomical
and functional diversity should be considered for monitoring purposes.
282
Linking soil communities to arable management practices and soil functions using network
analysis
Sophie Q. Van Rijssel1, Doina Bucur2, Ciska Veen1, Wim van der Putten1
1
Netherlands Institute Of Ecology, Wageningen, Netherlands, 2University of Twente, Enschede,
Netherlands

A key challenge is to increase sustainability in agriculture. Soil functions like nutrient cycling and
disease suppression that could replace chemical inputs are driven by soil communities that are
steered by arable soil management like crop rotation, tillage and fertilization. So, in order to
enhance these soil functions, we need to understand the links between the soil microbiome, tillage,
amount of organic inputs, nutrient cycling and disease suppression. Reduction of the immense bulk
of sequencing data into one or two axes like alpha and beta diversity is probably too simplistic.
Instead network analyses might be a usable tool to get insight in which clusters of taxa are shifting
with specific management practices and enhanced nutrient cycling and disease suppression. We
sequenced bacteria, fungi, nematodes and protists in arable fields in the Netherlands and have
information on tillage, crop rotation and fertilization. We used network analyses to extract co-
occurring communities and subsequently try to find links between these sub-communities and
management practices and soil functions. We found that community composition of bacteria, fungi
and protists differed between organic and conventionally managed fields in clay but not in sandy
soils. We found multiple sub-communities of co-occurring species, although clusters are highly
overlapping. Mostly, species from the same group tend to cluster together, but there are also mixed
clusters. We hope to show links between management and functioning to clusters or to individual
taxa. Our findings will yield important insights how arable soil management is related to the
functioning of soil communities.
285
Resource sharing and mycorrhizal associations in the Mediterranean forest, from saplings
to mature trees
Ido Rog1,2, Stav Livne-Luzon2, Tamir Klein2
1
Plant-Soil Interactions Group, Agroscope, Zurich, Switzerland, 2Department of Plant &
Environmental Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

Mycorrhizal fungi can associated with multiple root tips of different trees to form mycorrhizal
networks. Much is known about the various network characteristics of forests in relatively wet
regions. However, mycorrhizal networks in water-limited areas, such as Mediterranean forests,
were given less attention.
Aim: To characterize the mycorrhizal community and the proportion of shared mycorrhizal species
in semi-arid forests and quantified resource sharing among the trees.
Method: The mixed Mediterranean forest is composed of trees from different phytogeography
origins in which different mycorrhizal guilds have evolved to live in proximity for many years. We
characterized the mycorrhizal community and level of transferred 13C pulse labelled carbon under
three experimental designs: (1) among five mature tree species in a diverse mixed forest, (2)
among saplings of these same species growing in communal containers, or (3) among saplings
growing in individual pots using soil from the mixed forest.
Results: The fungal communities of the different hosts were highly diverse, with higher diversity in
Pinus and Quercus. Surprisingly, some supposedly Arbuscular hosts, like Cupressus and Pistacia,
were also associated with several ectomycorrhizal fungi (e.g., Inocybe and Tuber) in the forest and
the communal containers. However, saplings potted individually are associated only with the
presumed compatible functional mycorrhizal fungi guild. Finally, we show asymmetric belowground
carbon transfer among the five tree species growing in the communal containers and the forest.
Conclusions: We investigated novel belowground interactions, potentially influencing forest
connectivity and resistance to future, predicted hot and dry, climates.
286
Soil Legacy Effects of Plant and Drought on Aboveground-Belowground Interactions in
Range-expanding Plant Communities
Ciska (G.F.) Veen1, 2, Jeffrey A. Harvey1,3, Wim H. van der Putten1,2
1
Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, the Netherlands, 2Wageningen
University, Wageningen, the Netherlands, 3Vrije University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the
Netherlands

Aim:
Soils contain biotic and abiotic legacies of previous conditions that may affect soil microbial
communities and thus have induction consequences on aboveground biodiversities, such as plant
biomass production and associated herbivores or pollinators. However, little is known about the
belowground legacies relative strengths and interactions on the aboveground plant-insect
interactions.
Method:
We used an outdoor mesocosm experiment, the soils were first inoculated with two soil origins
seven years ago, then historically created plant community legacies and extreme summer drought
legacies. This full-factorial experiment can allow us to investigate the legacy effects on the
belowground soil microbial community composition, and the aboveground plants, aphids, and
pollinators in range-expanding plant communities during the growing season.
Results:
We found the initial soil inoculation still affected soil bacterial, fungal and nematode compositions.
The effect of plant legacy faded away throughout the growing season, whereas the legacy effect of
previous years’ summer drought continued to influence fungal community composition. The biotic-
abiotic soil legacies also affected the aboveground dynamics. That the effects on plant biomass
productions were plant species genus-specific, and the effects on the abundance of aphids were
more strongly than pollinators which the pollinators were mostly driven by flower numbers.
Conclusions:
We conclude that climate warming-induced plant latitudinal range expansion and extreme drought
can be ‘memorized’ in the soil and influence the aboveground plant performance and aboveground
community interactions in the next growing season.
287
Plastic and Bioplastic Mulching: Relationship between Soil Properties and Microbiome After
One Year
Giorgia Santini1, Maraike Probst2, Marìa Gomez-Brandon3, Lucia Santorufo1,4, Giulia Maisto1,4
1
Department of Biology - University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy, 2Department of
Microbiology, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria, 3Grupo de Ecoloxía Animal (GEA),
Universidade de Vigo, Vigo, Spain, 4BAT Center - Center for Studies on Bioinspired Agro-
environmental Technology, Naples, Italy

The use of plastic mulches, aiming at improving crop productivity, has increased in recent decades.
Despite their advantages in agriculture, plastic mulches left on soils can be fragmented producing
microplastics (MPs). The effects of MPs on soil microbiome are still poorly investigated although
microorganisms are involved in key ecological roles linked to matter turnover. Aim: The present
study sought to compare the effects of polyethylene (plastic, P) and Mater-bi® (bioplastic, BP)
mulches on soil microbiome. Method: In mesocosm trials, soils covered by P and BP mulches for 6
(6M) and 12 (12M) months were analyzed for DNA yield, eubacterial DNA, fungal DNA, microbial
respiration and enzymatic activities such as hydrolase (HA), dehydrogenase (DHA), -glucosidase
( -GLU) and urease (URE). The DNA amount was quantified by qPCR and sequenced by
Novoseq. Results: Actinobacteriota and Proteobacteria were the most dominant phyla regardless
by time and treatment. The bacterial microbiome of 12M-BP samples had the highest richness and
diversity and the highest number of unique amplicon sequence variants (ASVs), and clustered
separately by the other samples. Differently by the bacteria, the fungal microbiome showed
significant differences due to the exposure time rather than the mulch types. The microbial activities
did not vary according to mulch types but showed different temporal behaviors. In fact, microbial
respiration, HA and -GLU increased, whereas DHA and URE decreased. Conclusions: The
application of bioplastic mulches after one year enhanced the richness and diversity of the soil
bacterial microbiome and stimulated respiration, HA and -GLU activities.
293
Plant diversity increases microbial resistance and resilience to drought in European
grasslands
Sara Winterfeldt1, Shangshi Liu2, Albert Brangarí1, Lettice Hicks1, Nico Eisenhauer3,4, Johannes
Rousk1
1
Microbial Ecology, Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden, 2School of Earth and
Environmental Sciences, Michael Smith Building, The University of Manchester, Manchester,
United Kingdom, 3German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig,
Leipzig, Germany, 4Institute of Biology, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany

Aim:
Higher plant diversity is thought to facilitate root niche partitioning, resulting in greater root
densities, deeper root exploration and a more active rhizosphere. The ability of microorganisms to
resist drying and recover after a drought, in turn, depends on the microbial access to rhizosphere
carbon resources. Yet, the influence of plant diversity on the microbial responses to drought cycles
remain unclear. We hypothesized that the microbial ability to resist drought and recover following
drought would increase with higher plant diversity.
Method:
To test this, we investigated how microbial communities maintained their growth during dry
conditions (resistance) and how fast growth rates recovered after rewetting (resilience). We used
soil samples from the Jena Experiment in Germany (1-60 grassland plant species in experimental
plots for 20 years) and two different soil depths (0-10 cm, 10-30 cm).
Results:
We found that the microbial resilience to drought increased with higher plant diversity in both soil
depths, where surface soils recovered faster after rewetting compared to deeper soil layers. In
addition, the microbial resistance to low moisture levels increased with higher plant diversity.
Conclusions:
The results show that microbial communities cope progressively better with drought as the plant
diversity increases, and suggest that grasslands with higher diversity can favour soil carbon
sequestration via microorganisms during drought.
295
What drives the changes of biotic communities after the global retreat of glaciers?
Francesco Ficetola1, Isabel Cantera1, Alessia Guerrieri1, Simone Giachello1, Mattia Falaschi1,
Filfried Thuiller2, Jerome Poulenard2, Silvio Marta1, Pierre Taberlet2, Alexis Carteron1
1
Univ. Milano, Milano, Italy, 2Univ. Savoie Mont Blanc, Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble &
Chambery, France

Aim:
Glaciers show a pattern of retreat at the global scale. Increasing areas are exposed and colonized
by multiple organisms, but lack of global studies hampers a complete understanding of the future of
recently deglaciated terrains. Multiple factors can determine biotic colonization of terrains exposed
after the retreat of glaciers, including time after glacier retreat, climatic differences, and the rapidly
evolving abiotic and abiotic features of these environments. In our research we combine innovative
methods and a global approach to boost our understanding of the evolution of soil communities in
recently deglaciated areas.
Method:
We investigazted chronosequences in glacier forelands ranging from recently deglaciated terrains
to late successional stages of soil pedogenesis, considering 48 glaciers from five continents.
Trough environmental DNA metabarcoding, we identified species from multiple taxonomic groups,
to obtain a complete reconstruction of soil communities along glacier forelands.
Results:
Soil features show strong modifications, with a consistent increase of carbon stock and organic
contents, and a faster accumulation of organic matter in warmer areas. Environmental DNA
provided information on all main components of soil biodiversity. Species richness tends to
increase with age after glacier retreat, but the pattern is not consistent across taxonomic groups.
Time since glacier retreat, microhabitat modifications and biotic interactions interplay to determine
the biodiversity changes occurring along the colonization of glacier forelands.
Conclusions:
Environmental DNA allows an all-inclusive community ecology, which reveals how complex biotic
interactions increase during primary successions, and will help to predict the impacts of climate
change on the whole ecosystems.
298
THE IMPACT OF FIRE ON MICROARTRHOPOD BIODIVERSITY VARIES WITH THE
VEGETATION COVER
Lucia Santorufo1, Valeria Memoli1, GIorgia Santini1, Rossella Barile2, Giulia Maisto2
1
Università of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy, 2Vesuvius National Park, Ottaviano (NA), Italy

Aim:
In Mediterranean area, fire is a recurrent factor of disturbance that affects soil biodiversity. Although
microarthropods are considered as bioindicators, they are often overlooked compared to vegetation
and surface species in studies focused on fire impact. The present research aimed at filling this gap
evaluating the changes in the assemblage of soil microarthropods in burnt soils covered by trees
and shrubs. Moreover, the functional traits and taxa resistant to fire were investigated.
Method:
To achieve the aims, surface soils were collected inside the Vesuvius National Park at unburnt and
burnt areas covered by trees and shrubs. Microarthropod were extracted by soil cores, identified
and described for some functional traits such as body length, mouthpart type and pigmentation
linked to resource acquisition and dispersion.
Results:
The results highlighted that fire alone did not impact the microarthropod community, but its impact
was strongly dependent on vegetation cover. In fact, fire reduced microarthropod density under
burnt trees, and Shannon index under shrubs trees. The abundances of Acarina and Diplura
increased under burnt shrubs and trees, respectively, whereas Symphyla and Pauropoda
abundances decreased under burnt shrubs. Fire reduced the abundances of large microarthropods
under burnt trees and shrubs and sucking mouth part type, typical of predaceous organisms, under
burnt shrubs. By contrast, fire increased the abundance of pigmented organisms under burnt
shrubs.
Conclusions:
These findings indicate that fire differently impacted microarthropod community under trees and
under shrubs. Functional traits of microarthropods can be profitably used to evaluate the impact of
fire on soil biodiversity.
300
The small-scale: Unravelling drivers of soil microbial diversity
Eva Simon1,2, Ksenia Guseva2, Sean Darcy1,2, Lauren Alteio Alteio2, Petra Pjevac2,3, Christian
Ranits1,2, Kian Jenab1,2, Christina Kaiser2
1
University of Vienna, Doctoral School in Microbiology and Environmental Science, Vienna, Austria,
2
University of Vienna, Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science, Vienna,
Austria, 3Joint Microbiome Facility of the Medical University of Vienna and the University of Vienna,
Vienna, Austria

Aim:
The soil microbiome is immensely diverse. What promotes this microbial diversity, has been
declared as one of the greatest challenges of soil ecology. To ultimately unravel drivers of microbial
diversity, we set out to link microbial communities and their immediate environment by studying
small soil volumes reflecting the scale of interconnected communities.
Method:
We collected 190 individual 2mm-sized aggregates from soil cores sampled in 0-5- and 15-20-
centimetres depth along an 80-meter-long transect in a temperate Beech forest. Of each
aggregate, we measured absolute abundances and composition of bacterial and fungal
communities together with water content, and isotopic signature and content of carbon and
nitrogen. We recorded spatial distance between aggregates, and obtained environmental variables
like pH and microbial composition from homogenised soil cores.
Results:
Aggregates strongly varied in bacterial and fungal richness, composition, and bacterial biomass, as
well as chemical-elemental composition. Compositional similarity was largest among microbial
communities of aggregates drawn from the same core. Beyond the centimetre-scale, spatial
distance did not affect community similarity, supporting our observation that communities are
influenced by local environmental conditions like pH. Richness and composition of microbial
communities, and bacterial biomass were strongly linked to aggregate-associated carbon and
nitrogen content, and natural abundance of carbon-13.
Conclusions:
We show that microbial community structure at the millimetre-scale is intimately linked with
microbial habitat characteristics. Our results strengthen the concept that the vast microbial diversity
in soils is promoted by the small-scale chemical heterogeneity, which results in multiple microbial
habitats and thus likely supports countless distinct microbial communities.
303
A Comprehensive Functional Classification for Soil Protists
Simone Giachello1,2, Alexis Carteron1, Isabel Cantera1, Alessia Guerrieri1, Silvio Marta1, Aurelie
Bonin3, Diego Fontaneto4, Isabella Moro5, Francesco Ficetola1,3
1
Department of Environmental Science and Policy, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy,
2
Department of Sciences, Technologies and Society, University School for Advanced Studies IUSS
Pavia, Pavia, Italy, 3Université Grenoble Alpes, Université Savoie Mont Blanc, CNRS, LECA,
Laboratoire d'Ecologie Alpine, Grenoble, France, 4Molecular Ecology Group, Water Research
Institute (IRSA), Italian National Research Council (CNR), Verbania , Italy, 5Department of Biology,
University of Padova, Padova, Italy

Aim:
Protists play a key role in influencing multiple ecosystem functions, although they are one of the
least studied components of soil biodiversity. Our work aims to compensate for the scarcity of
functional data and the lack of uniform guidelines, proposing a comprehensive functional
classification suitable to characterise the majority of soil protists.
Method:
The functional classification was defined by selecting traits that are: sensitive to environmental
drivers, easy-to-find in existing literature, and adaptable to most soil protists taxa. We then used the
classification to build a functional database from 570 protists taxa obtained from a global eDNA
survey including 1448 soil samples collected along 48 glacier forelands in five different continents.
Functional information was assigned by consulting specific datasets, atlas, handbooks,
monographies, and taxonomic articles.
Results:
The resulting classification consists of five broad functional typologies including eleven more
specific functional traits. For each trait, we report: the definition, the potential ecological relevance,
the functional categories, the availability in literature, and the main limitations. The assembly of the
functional database allowed us to functionally characterise soil protist communities and to analyse
the changes in functional diversity along the ecological successions occurring after glacier retreat.
Conclusions:
The proposed classification aims to be a basis for ecological studies concerning soil protists,
allowing a functional characterisation of this essential but too often neglected component of soil
biodiversity. Furthermore, the functional database represents a valuable collection of functional
information including traits for most of the major supergroups of soil protists.
304
Spatio-temporal fungal dynamics along a land-use gradient
Kezia Goldmann1, François Buscot1,2
1
UFZ - Helmholtz Centre For Environmental Research, Halle (Saale), Germany, 2German Centre
for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany

Aim: Currently very little is known about how land-use intensity impacts the highly diverse group of
soil fungi, which play a significant role in ecosystem functioning. They serve as symbionts,
saprobes or pathogens. Changes in soil fungal communities is influenced by soil physio-chemical
properties or plant composition at different scales. Yet, little is understood about functional shifts of
fungal communities in spatial and temporal context along land-use gradients.
Method: We are studying fungal communities in three temperate study sites across Germany
containing forests and grasslands. Our studies cover up to 300 experimental plots to understand
large- and small-scale as well as temporal distributions of fungi with different ecological values.
Those study sites were established by a large interdisciplinary consortium funded by the German
Science Foundation (DFG) called “Biodiversity Exploratories”. Furthermore, a broad range of land-
use and management regimes varying from almost natural to highly managed forests and
grasslands complete the design of the study sites. Targeting the fungal ITS2, we assessed the soil
fungal communities using amplicon sequencing.
Results: We show that fungal functional groups differ in their response to changes of
anthropogenic, biotic and/or abiotic factors. Plant-dependent groups, such as mycorrhizal or
pathogenic fungi, respond stronger towards changes in vegetation or land-use intensification than
saprotrophic fungi. Furthermore, fungi showed not just host plant preferences but also various
temporal appearance patterns at plot, local and regional scales.
Conclusions: Like plants, soil fungal communities are strongly affected by land-use changes, which
alters fungal-mediated functions and potentially weakens ecosystems.
305
Heathland management regime affects soil response to drought
Mariana Gliesch Silva1, Celia Martin1, Yahan Hu1, Leonardo Hinojosa Sanchez1, Evelien
Jongepier1, Albert Tietema1, Franciska de Vries1
1
University Of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands

Aim: Drought events can have a strong impact on ecosystem functioning through changes in plant-
soil interactions. This is particularly a threat for vulnerable ecosystems, such as heathlands, where
ongoing nitrogen deposition is altering plant dynamics by increasing the dominance of grasses over
the heather (Calluna vulgaris). These changes aboveground can, in turn, impact soil dynamics and
heathlands’ responses to drought. Here, we have determined whether legacy effects of drought on
heathland soils depended on heathland management practices. Specifically, we assessed whether
soil drought response differed under heather and grass, and under heather plants at different ages
as a result of mowing.
Method: We sampled soil from control and drought plots that were part of a 20-year drought
experiment in a heathland in Oldebroek, The Netherlands. Each plot was further subdivided into
three different mowing treatments, which led to a young, intermediary and an old heather
community. We measured nutrients and C pools and used amplicon sequencing to characterize soil
microbial communities.
Results: Our results show that soil carbon decreased under drought conditions but only underneath
grasses and old heather, while under young heather, soil C actually increased under drought when
compared to control conditions. Overall, bacterial and fungal community composition differed
between drought and control treatments and were not affected by plant species but by the age of
heather, and were directly related to changes in soil C.
Conclusions: Our data thus suggests that a younger and more heather-dominated plant community
might reduce soil C losses under drought conditions predicted by future climate change.
306
Protist-Bacteria Interactions within the Wheat Rhizosphere Microbiome
Anne Winding1, Christine Lorenzen Elberg1, Athanasios Zervas1, Rumakanta Sapkota1
1
Aarhus University, Roskilde, Denmark

Bacteria and fungi are known to drive the rhizobiome with a significant impact on plant growth, and
the plant microbiome is predominantly studied as plant-bacteria-fungi interactions. Unicellular
eukaryotic organisms as predatory protists are rarely included, despite they are significant
members of the belowground microbiome and predate on bacteria and fungi. In contrast to the well-
described impact of large predators on prey abundance and diversity above ground, much less is
known of how micro-predators as protists affect the soil microbiome and plant growth.
To understand this role of protists and their diversity in the wheat rhizobiome, we examined
rhizosphere, rhizoplane and soil collected from four winter wheat cultivars grown to the flag-leaf
stage for 141-146 days in mesocosms. Samples collected were used for diversity profiling of
protists and bacterial communities, and protist isolation. We isolated and identified >200 protists.
Bacterial metabarcoding (16S rDNA) of the isolated protist cultures showed a dominance of
Pseudomonas, while the protists Cercozoa had an influx of Pedobacter, and the protists
Ochrophyta an influx of Dyadobacter, showing that protist predation drive the bacterial community.
Profiling protist communities using metabarcoding (18S rDNA) revealed effects on the protist
diversity of rhizo-compartment and wheat cultivar with Cercozoa and Ciliophora dominating in
relative abundance. Excavata and Rhizaria showed a higher relative abundance in taller wheat
plants, suggesting positive effects on plant growth. Using correlation-based analysis, networks of
the protist and bacterial co-occurrence indicated that bacteria (profiled by 16S rDNA
metabarcoding) were driving the rhizobiome. Overall, our results highlight the importance of protists
in the wheat rhizosphere microbiome and provide evidence that protists significantly correlate with
bacterial communities and plant growth.
307
Succession in soil communities after glacier retreat: taxa replacement versus taxa addition
Isabel Cantera1, Alexis Carteron1, Alessia Guerrieri1,2, Aurélie Bonin1,2, Silvio Marta1, Francesco
Ficetola1
1
Department Of Environmental Science And Policy, University Of Milan, Milano, Italy, 2Argaly,
Sainte-Hélène-du-Lac, France

Aim:
The analysis of ecological succession is one of the bases of ecological theory, yet the mechanisms
driving succession are not fully understood. Succession is a complex process that can vary among
successional trajectories, geographical zones, or taxonomic groups. Here, we assessed the
succession of soil communities after glacier retreat to determine whether the differences in
composition and the relative importance of taxa versus replacement, change in a predictable global
pattern over time and among taxa.
Method:
We used environmental DNA metabarcoding to sample seven groups (plants, nematodes, bacteria,
fungi, collembolans, insects, and oligochaetes) in 240 dated sites along
chronosequences (representing 1 to 419 years of succession) in 46 forelands around the
world. Compositional variation was measured and decomposed into richness differences or
replacement processes.
Results:
For plants, nematodes, collembolans, insects, and oligochaetes taxa addition was the main driver
of compositional differences, while replacement was the main driver for bacteria and fungi.
Compositional differences, and the processes underlying it, varied progressively over time, without
breaking points. For plants, collembolans and insects, we found a shift in the dominance of the
processes shaping soil communities after ~50 years of succession.
Conclusions:
Succession was underlined either by a sequence of threshold-induced processes or linear
processes, pointing out the complexity of succession in harsh environments after glacier retreat.
Our study highlights the importance of global studies, covering both large spatial and temporal
scales, to define whether the processes that govern community assembly during succession and,
hence, generate biodiversity, can be generalised across successional sequences.
309
Cryptogamic Vegetation and Soil Development on Holocene Deposits on the Baltic Sea
Coast
Sandra Kammann1, Ulf Karsten1, Karin Glaser1, Ulf Schiefelbein2, Christian Dolnik3, Tatiana
Mikhailyuk4, Eduardo Demchenko4, Peter Leinweber5
1
Institute for Biological Sciences, Applied Ecology and Phycology, Rostock University , 18059
Rostock, Germany, 2University of Rostock, Botanical Garden, 18055 Rostock, Germany, 3Institute
for Natural Resource Conservation, Landscape Ecology, Kiel University, 24098 Kiel, Germany, 4M.
G. Kholodny Institute of Botany, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv UA-01601,
Ukraine, 5Soil Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Rostock University,
18051 Rostock, Germany

Aim:
Biological soil crusts (biocrusts) are microecosystems consisting of prokaryotic and eukaryotic
microorganisms growing on the topsoil. They are widely distributed pioneer communities in arid,
cold, or temperate regions.
This study characterizes shifts in the community structure of biocrust phototrophic organisms, their
areal coverage, and biomass accumulation along two dune chronosequence. The investigation
area in Mecklenburg-Western Pomeranian represents Holocene deposits on the Baltic Sea coast. A
further goal is a description of soil in its initial stages and further development.
Method:
A biodiversity survey on biocrusts followed by species determination was conducted. A drilling stick
(5 cm diameter) down to a depth of 30 cm was used for sediment samples. The analyses include:
analytical determination of basic pedological parameters like pH, moisture content, cation-
exchange capacity, and nutrient contents (carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus). Further: wet-chemical
determination of pedogenic oxides and sequential P-fractionations. The development of organic soil
substances is characterized using high-resolution mass spectrometry.
Results:
The results highlight a varying phototrophic community composition of biocrusts regarding the dune
successional stages. A shift from algae-dominated to lichen- and moss-dominated biocrusts in later
successional dune types was observed. Moreover, the study shows an enrichment with soil organic
matter, acidification and the formation of pedogenic oxides.
Conclusions:
The results enable a description of the effective weathering and soil genetic processes. The
development of biocrusts suggests them as key players in geochemical processes supporting
sediment moisture and stability. Moreover, it highlights these communities as ecosystem engineers
playing valuable part in nature protection i.e., preventing sediment erosion in coastal dune areas.
314
Diversity of RNA Virome in Soil
Rumakanta Sapkota1, Catia Carreira1, Anne Winding1
1
Aarhus University, Roskilde, Denmark

Viruses are the most abundant entities in the soil ecosystem, yet their role in the soil food web is
largely unknown. Soil viruses are suggested to shape the diversity and abundance of the soil
microbial communities, and be significant in soil nutrient cycling. Studies of soil viruses are mainly
focusing on DNA viruses, although there is an indication that the viral RNA community is quite
diverse. In this study, we determined the genomic diversity of the RNA viruses in four soil types
(beech and pine forest, grassland and agricultural) together with physicochemical variables. Viral
abundances were highest in the beech forest soil (4.1 ± 2.4 x 108 viruses g-1) and lowest in the
agricultural soil (1.8 ± 0.4 x 108 viruses g-1). Our results captured rather diverse viromes ranging
from bacteria, plants, to invertebrates and contrasted DNA-based studies, which are dominated by
bacteriophages. Pisuviricota, a phylum that includes plant and marine microbial hosts, was found in
higher proportion in the grassland soil that is occasionally flooded with marine water. Lenarviricota
virus dominated relatively in the forest and grassland soils, in particular the bacteriophage
Emesvirus, while the phylum Kitrinoviricota (mainly plant hosts) dominated relatively in the
agricultural soil. This study indicates that different soils harbor very different RNA viral communities,
but their impact on plant ecology still needs to be determined.
317
Coupling of Soil Microbial Networks Increase Soil Functioning Under Diversified Crop
Rotations
Lilia Serrano Grijalva1, Wim H. van der Putten1,2, Ciska G.F. Veen1, Lisa K. Tiemann3, A. Stuart
Grandy4, Marshall D. McDaniel5, Raul Ochoa-Hueso1,6
1
Department of Terrestrial Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), P.O. Box 50,
Wageningen 6700 AB The Netherlands., Wageningen, The Netherlands, 22Laboratory of
Nematology, Dept. Plant Sciences, Wageningen University (WUR), PO Box 8123, 6700 ES,
Wageningen, The Netherlands, 33Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences, Michigan State
University, East Lansing., Michigan, USA, 44Department of Natural Resources and the
Environment, University of New Hampshire., Durham, USA, 55Sustainable Agriculture, 2200
Osborn Drive, 137 Bessey Hall, Ames, IA, 50011, USA Agronomy, 716 Farm House Lane, 2104
Agronomy Hall., Ames, USA, 6Department of Biology, IVAGRO, University of Cádiz, Campus de
Excelencia Internacional Agroalimentario (ceiA3), Campus del Rio San Pedro, Puerto Real, Cádiz
11510, Spain, Puerto Real, Spain

Aim: We aimed to evaluate how crop rotation diversification (from monocultures to five species
rotations) affects soil microbial networks (bacteria and fungi) within three different aggregate size
classes (micro-, macro-, and mega-aggregates).
Method: We used a long-term rotational cropping diversity experiment located in the Kellogg
Biological Station, Michigan, United States. Soil samples were collected when all treatments were
under the same crop (corn). We measured the abundance of bacterial and fungal groups based on
phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) markers and used these data to build soil microbial networks at the
treatment and aggregate size level (18 networks) applying the concept of coupling. Coupling is
based on system-level correlations in absolute value and provides a measure of order within
ecosystems. We tested the effect of crop rotational diversity and aggregate size class on coupling
using a null modelling approach. We also investigated the association between the coupling of
networks and soil functioning (hydrolytic and oxidative enzymes).
Results: Greater diversity of crop rotations altered the composition of soil microbial communities in
micro and mega-aggregates. Against our expectations, we found no relationship between soil
microbial network coupling and crop rotational diversity, although coupling networks of low-diversity
treatments tended to be more coupled than the null model. We found a positive relationship
between microbial network coupling and the activity of hydrolytic enzymes. Moreover, the main
predictor of soil microbial coupling network was microbial biomass.
Conclusions: Our results suggest the important role of soil microbial interactions for soil functioning
regardless of crop rotational diversity.
319
Untangling Belowground Food Webs with Machine Learning
Janna M. Barel1,2, Owen L. Petchey3, Vincent E.J. Jassey1
1
Laboratoire Ecology Fontionelle et Environnement, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, Toulouse,
France, 2Department of Aquatic Ecology & Environmental Biology, Radboud University, Nijmegen,
Netherlands, 3Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich,
Zurich, Switzerland

Aim: Studying food webs can reveal how biodiversity and ecosystem functioning may respond to
enviro-climatic change. To answer such questions, however, we need time-efficient methods to
identify who-eats-whom belowground. This is especially challenging for microscopic organisms,
whose interactions are difficult to observe with classical approaches (i.e. behavior and gut contents
analysis). In such situations, trait-matching and machine learning approaches are promising for
successfully inferring feeding links.
Method: We tested six machine-learning algorithms for their ability to predict feeding links, based
on species traits and taxonomy. By incorporating organism speed, size and abundance into the
model predictions, we estimated the probability of feeding link to occur. Using an empirical case
study dataset from Sphagnum-dominated peatlands, we cross-validated the predictions for feeding
links observed for two testate amoebae species.
Results: We found that the boost-regression-tree algorithm predicted feeding links between
microbes best. Sensitivity analyses further showed that predictions were robust against false
feeding links and faulty predictors in the training set, and capable of predicting feeding links for
empirical datasets containing up to 5% of new taxa. The feeding habits of the two testate amoeba
species were comparable between microscopic observations and model predictions, although the
model slightly overestimated predation on other testate amoebae for one of the two test cases.
Conclusions: Machine learning algorithms offer a means to develop robust models for studying
microbial food webs. They offer a route to combine traditional observations with DNA-based
sampling strategies to upscale soil biodiversity research along ecological gradients.
328
The Threat of Non-Native Flatworms to Soil Fauna
Archie Murchie1, Florentine Spaans
1
Agri-food & Biosciences Institute, Belfast, Northern Ireland

Aim:
Terrestrial flatworms are predatory and feed on earthworms, molluscs and other soil invertebrates.
Several non-native species have become established in Europe, which pose a potential risk to
native soil fauna.
Method:
Pest Risk Analyses
Evaluating the potential impact of invasive flatworms on soil fauna is a prerequisite to establishing
control and management approaches. The impact of three species will be discussed:
Arthurdendyus triangulatus (an earthworm predator), Obama nungara (earthworm and mollusc
predator) and Platydemus manokwari (mollusc predator).
Results:
A field-based manipulation experiment demonstrated that A. triangulatus reduced earthworm
biomass by c. 20%, but more importantly anecic earthworm species were differentially predated
with a loss of c. 75% biomass in the highest flatworm-infested plots. Data from France have
demonstrated a rapid spread of O. nungara, throughout the country and in adjacent regions.
Platydemus manokwari is responsible for severe declines in endemic snails in the Pacific Islands.
Conclusions:
Non-native flatworms have established and spread in several countries in Europe. The impact on
soil fauna is largely unstudied, except for A. triangulatus – which reduces anecic earthworm
populations. Non-native flatworms are covered by invasive species legislation. The main pathway
for introduction and spread is containerised plants and plants-for-planting. There is a need for
enhanced biosecurity and awareness-raising in nurseries and garden centres to prevent spread of
these flatworm species and safeguard native soil fauna.
332
Pesticide Effects on Soil Fauna Communities - a Meta-analysis
Léa Beaumelle1, Nico Eisenhauer2, Jes Hines2, Céline Pelosi4, Lise Thouvenot2, Léa Tison5, Helen,
R. Phillips3
1
CNRS, Université Toulouse III Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France, 2German Centre for Integrative
Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany, 3Department of Environmental
Science, Saint Mary’s University , Halifax, Canada, 4INRAE, Avignon University, UMR EMMAH,
Avignon, France, 5INRAE, Bordeaux Science Agro, ISVV, UMR SAVE, Villenave d'Ornon, France

Aim: The wide use of pesticides to limit crop losses raises concerns about their impacts on
biodiversity. Soil fauna communities represent a significant portion of global biodiversity and play
crucial roles in terrestrial ecosystems, but there is currently no quantitative synthesis of their
response to pesticide use.
Method: Here, we compiled the results of 54 studies and 294 observations of pesticide impacts on
soil fauna communities and use meta-analysis to evaluate pesticides effects on their abundance
and diversity across a wide range of environmental contexts. We analyse the effects of different
types of pesticide application, exposure conditions and functional groups of soil fauna in order to
identify the most detrimental scenarios.
Results: We found that pesticides overall decrease the abundance and diversity of soil fauna
communities (Hedge’s d = -0.31 +/- 0.17), and have stronger negative effect on their diversity than
abundance. Scenarios with the most detrimental impacts involve multiple substances, broad
spectrum substances and insecticides. Our results further highlight important research gaps that
need to be filled to provide a full picture of pesticide effects on soil biodiversity.
Conclusions: Our findings demonstrate that pesticide use can threaten soil biodiversity. The
detrimental effects of multiple substances revealed here are particularly concerning given that
realistic pesticide use often involves combining several substances to tackle several kinds of pests
and pathogens over the crop season. Our study highlights that pesticide application has significant
detrimental non-target effects on soil biodiversity, eroding a substantial part of global biodiversity
and threatening ecosystem health.
333
Warming and Top Predator Interactively Affect Above-Belowground Interactions in a Long-
Term Experiment
Léa Beaumelle1, Lucie Zinger2, Anne-Sophie Benoiston1, Lucie di Gesu1, Elvire Bestion1, Félix
Pellerin1, Luis M. San-Jose1, Laurane Winandy1, Elodie Darnet1, Amaria Iribar1, Lucie Moreau1,
Uxue Suescun1, Julien Cote1
1
CNRS, Université Toulouse III Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France, 2Département de Biologie, Institut
de Biologie de l'ENS (IBENS), École Normale Supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, Université PSL, Paris,
France

Aim: Climate change causes context-dependent responses of terrestrial ecosystems that may be
prominently driven by biotic interactions. While several studies have addressed the effect of
warming in simplified soil food webs, few have considered the effects of climate-induced
aboveground trophic cascades. Here, we explore how a vertebrate top predator, the common
lizard, modulates the effects of warming on above-belowground linkages.
Method: Using a seven year-long warming experiment in outdoor, semi-natural, mesocosms, we
investigate the response of multi-trophic communities encompassing plants, aboveground
arthropods, soil invertebrates and microbes (metabarcoding), over time. Our design enables to test
the separate and interactive effects of lizards’ presence/absence and of +2/3°C warming compared
to present temperatures (IPCC projections for 21st-century).
Results: We found that strong responses of both the above and belowground communities to
warming depended on the presence of the top predator. Top predators tended to buffer or even
invert warming effects, depending on the taxonomic and functional group. Those shifts in
community composition of aboveground arthropods and subsequent trophic levels suggested
cascading effects of changes in top predators’ diet in response to warming, in line with previous
observation in our experiment.
Conclusions. Our findings demonstrate how trophic cascades can unravel the context-dependent
responses of above and belowground communities to warming. A more holistic view of terrestrial
communities will thus be crucial to improve future forecasts of the ecological consequences of
climate change.
338
sOilFauna - a global synthesis effort on the drivers of soil macrofauna communities and
functioning
Jérôme Mathieu1, Pierre Ganault2,3, Ana C. Antunes2,3, Ana E. Bonato Asato2,3, Marie L. C. Bartz4,5,
George Brown6, Irene Calderon-Sanou7, Steven J. Fonte8, Benoït Gauzens2,3, Konstantin B.
Gongalsky9, Carlos Guerra2,3, Raphael Marichal10, Henry Mehring2,3, Clara P. Peña-Venegas11,
Anton Potapov12,2,3, Elisa Thébaut1, Wilfried Thuiller7, Martijn Witjes13, Chi Zhang14, Nico
Eisenhauer2,3
1
Sorbonne Université, CNRS, IRD, INRAE, Université Paris Est Créteil, Université de Paris Cité,
iEES-Paris, Paris, France, 2German Center for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv), Leipzig,
Germany, 3University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany, 4Organic Farming - Agriculture and Organic
Production Partnership, Centre for Organic and Regenerative Agriculture, Idanha-a-Nova, Portugal,
5
Centre for Functional Ecology, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbr, Coimbra,
Portugal, 6Embrapa Forestry, Colombo, Brazil, 7Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Univ. Savoie Mont Blanc,
CNRS, LECA, Grenoble, France, 8Colorado State University, Fort Collins, USA, 9 A.N. Severtsov
Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences, , Russia, 10CIRAD, UMR ABsys,
Montpellier, France, 11Instituto Amazónico de Investigaciones Científicas SINCHI, Leticia,
Colombia, 12Johann Friedrich Blumenbach Institute of Zoology and Anthropology, University of
Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany, 13OpenGeoHub Foundation, , Netherlands, 14College of Natural
Resources and Environment, South China Agricultural University, , China

Aims:
Understanding global biodiversity change, its drivers, and its consequences on ecosystems
requires to include soil macrofauna, a highly diverse group involved in numerous ecosystem
processes. So far, our knowledge of both the factors that shape soil macrofauna communities and
the ecosystem effects of these organisms is limited at the global scale, while numerous local
studies exist.
Methods:
The project “sOilFauna” fosters the gathering of literature data on macrofauna communities and
produced the most comprehensive soil macrofauna database - the MACROFAUNA database -
which collates abundance and biomass data of 17 soil invertebrate groups assessed with a
standardized method at ~8700 sites around the world.
Results:
This dataset allows testing many important theories in macroecology such as latitudinal gradients
and productivity/perturbation-diversity relationships), as well as quantifying the responses of
functional and trophic groups of soil macrofauna to different climatic, edaphic, and human-induced
drivers (e.g. land use type and change). We will display preliminary results on macrofauna
abundance, diversity, and biomass, with the identification of their main drivers at a global scale.
Conclusions:
The sOilFauna project and consortium also aim at encouraging the global community of soil
ecologists to use and share standardized data for future research that will allow even further
increase of our knowledge on this understudied group.
341
Drivers of Soil Food Web Structure in the French Alps
Irene Calderon Sanou1, Marc Ohlmann1, Tamara Münkemüller1, Wilfried Thuiller1
1
Laboratoire d'Ecologie Alpine, Grenoble, France

Aim: Soil food webs are crucial for ecosystem functioning and associated services, but we largely
ignore what drives their spatial structure and complexity. While environmental conditions determine
the local abundance of different soil groups, such as earthworms or different fungal guilds, it is not
yet clear how this affects the overall structure of soil food webs. Here, we studied changes in soil
food web structure across environmental gradients to identify the key ecological drivers and the
importance of trophic interactions for group abundance.
Method: We apply network dissimilarity metrics to 451 local soil food webs along 24 elevation
transects in the French Alps.
Results: We found significant variation in soil food web structure both within and across alpine
habitats (grasslands, shrublands and forests). Across habitats, turnover of soil food webs was
characterized by turnover of specific 'co-structures' related to feeding channels: the relative
abundance of groups belonging to the "green channel" was higher in forests, while groups
belonging to the "brown channel" predominated in grasslands. The main ecological factors driving
structural variability differed between habitats. In forests, geographical isolation and physiological
constraints were most important, while in grasslands it was rather the taxonomic composition of
plants followed by physiological constraints.
Conclusions: Overall, our results showed that the spatial structure of soil food webs at large spatial
scales is driven by environmental filtering (i.e. trophic (co-)group sorting), plant-soil interactions and
geographic limitations, but is ultimately constrained by an universal backbone of soil trophic
interactions.
342
USE OF -OMICS TO DETERMINE MICROBIAL DIVERSITY OF HYDROCARBON POLLUTED
SOILS
Rocío Barros1, Kieran Germaine2, Daniel Garrizo-Sanz3, David Durán-Wendt3, Miguel Redondo-
Nieto3, Marta Martín3, David Dowling2, Robert Conlon2, Mutian Wang2, Juan Antonio Tamayo-
Ramos1, Carlos Rad1, Felipe Bastida4, Rafael Rivilla3
1
University Of Burgos, Burgos, Spain, 2IT Carlow, Carlow, Ireland, 3Universidad Autónoma de
Madrid, Madrid, Spain, 4CEBAS-CSIC, Murcia, Spain

Aim:
The present study aims to characterize the microbial diversity in three polluted soils to obtain
insights into the presence of active species involved in contaminants degradation.
Method:
Different omics technologies, namely 16S/18S amplicons sequencing, metagenomics sequencing
and metaproteomics analysis were employed to assess the microbial diversity and activity in the
studied samples.
Results:
We have analyzed microbial diversity (bacteria and fungi) in soils from distant locations with a long
term pollution history, with hydrocarbon levels from 2 to 30 g/Kg of soil. Samples were taken from
Spain (Site N), Ireland (Site C) and China (Site G). Soils microbiomes were determined by 16S
DNA (bacteria) and 18S DNA and ITS amplicons (fungi) sequencing. Alfa diversity showed that the
three soils had Shannon Indexes that were similar to those reported in the literature for clean soils.
However, specific populations were altered, specially at family and genus level. These results
allowed to determine a core community typical of polluted soils. Metagenomic DNA was also
sequenced and the presence of genes encoding enzymes implicated in hydrocarbon degradation
were shown to be very abundant in the three sites, suggesting that the soils have the microbial
potential for hydrocarbon degradation. Virtually all the genes encoding activities for the initial
degradation of aliphatic, aromatic and poly aromatic hydrocarbons were found in the three sites.
This analysis was complemented with a metaproteomic study, which confirmed the presence of a
number of enzymes being expressed in all contaminated soils involved in the contaminants
degradation.
Conclusions:
Results presented here show that there are specific populations of microorganisms which harbour
hydrocarbon pollution capacity in polluted soils, indicating that bioaugmentation with local
microorganisms can be a successful strategy for bioremediation.
347
Are drivers of nematode communities in agricultural soils, stochastic or deterministic?
Roy Neilson1, Anna Barclay1, Victoria Buswell1, Kate Colleran1, Linden Forster1, Madeline Giles1,
Kenneth Loades1, Aurora Lozano1, Katharine Preedy3, David Roberts1, Juani Hallet Sánchez1,
Araceli Torro-Galiana1, Tim Daniell2
1
The James Hutton Institute, Dundee, Scotland, 2University of Sheffield, Sheffield, England,
3
Biomathematics & Statistics Scotland, Edinburgh, Scotland

Aim: While it is recognised that nematodes are one of, if not the, most prevalent and abundant
phylum in agricultural soils, there is a knowledge deficit as to the drivers of their community
structure. In agricultural soils, to date, assessment of drivers has primarily been under either
controlled conditions (e.g., microcosms, mesocosms) or at a limited field scale and does not
adequately capture the level of biological variability that exists at scale. Using nematode community
data from agricultural soils collected at national scale (Great Britain), coupled with soil and
agronomic metadata, the aim is to ascertain the drivers of nematode community composition in
agricultural soils.
Method: Soil nematode communities from > 5000 agricultural soil samples were characterised
using DNA methodologies. Soils were analysed for micro- and macronutrients and common soil
chemical parameters (e.g., pH). A subset of soil samples (n=927) was characterised for a range of
soil physical measures. Agronomic data for the sampled crop and 5 years prior to sampling was
provided by farmers and included information on inputs, tillage management, and fertiliser type.
Results: A dual bioinformatic and statistical approach will identify whether the primary drivers of
nematode community in agricultural soils are either deterministic or stochastic and which drivers
have most influence in shaping nematode communities.
Conclusions: Knowledge gained will strengthen the evidence base to support and inform decision-
making, practice and uptake for sustainable management and minimization of degradation and loss
of agricultural soils.
348
Contribution of Plant and Soil Biodiversity to the Nematode-Associated Microbiome
Olivera Topalovic1,2, Mette Vestergård3, Holger Heuer4, Flemming Ekelund1, Stefan Geisen2
1
University Of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark, 2Wageningen University & Research,
Wageningen, The Netherlands, 3Aarhus University, Slagelse, Denmark, 4Julius Kuehn Institute,
Braunschweig, Germany

Aim: Nematode feeding on plant roots is accompanied by the changes in the root microbiota and
microbiomes associated with different life stages of nematodes. Here we investigated whether the
soil type and diversity of the host plants triggers specific nematode-microbiome assemblies that
may dampen nematode performance on plants.
Method: In the first approach, we tested the effects of soil type on microbial attachment to the
infective stages (J2s) of root-knot nematodes. We inoculated the J2s to tomato plants grown in soil
from nine different fields and determined nematode performance on roots. We also exposed the
J2s to the microbiome from different soils and characterized the composition of J2-attached
microbiomes using amplicon sequencing. In the second approach, we inoculated the J2s to ten
different host plants and collected different life stages of the root-knot nematodes. We used
amplicon sequencing to characterize the microbiome that associated with the developing
nematodes inside the roots over time.
Results: Microbiomes originating from nine fields differed in their ability to suppress nematode
performance on plant roots. Amplicon sequence data revealed that J2-associated microbiomes
from nematode-suppressive soils clustered together and were more diverse compared to the J2-
associated microbiomes from nematode-conducive soils, which may affect the J2 ability to invade
the roots. In addition, nematode infections altered the root endospheric microbiome.
Conclusions: The soil microbiome determines nematode survival and infectivity through attachment
to nematode skin. During development in roots of different host plants, nematodes associate with a
specific microbiome that have important functions in the nematode life cycle.
359
Do Millipedes Depend on their Gut Microbiome to Digest Leaf Litter?
Roey Angel1, Julius Eyiuche Nweze1, Shruti Gupta1, Terézia Horváthová1,2, Eva Petrová1, Vladimír
Šustr1
1
Biology Centre Cas, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic, 2Department of Aquatic Ecology,
EAWAG, Dübendorf, Switzerland

Aim:
Millipedes are an essential group of detritivores, eating voraciously to compensate for their poor
diet. Millipedes are considered keystone macrodetritivores in many terrestrial ecosystems after
termites and earthworms, devouring 10-36% of the annual litter. Therefore, they contribute to soil
formation and are essential ecosystem engineers.
Despite their ecological importance, it remains unclear whether millipedes are cellulolytic and what
is their microbiome's role in the diet.
Methods:
We evaluated to what degree tropical and temperate millipedes depend on their gut microbiome.
First, we charted the microbiome of 11 millipede species and measured their guts' redox potential.
Then, further experimented with two model species using chemical suppressors and RNA-SIP in
conjunction with metagenomics and metatranscriptomics to elucidate the metabolic potential of key
bacterial players in the hindgut.
Results:
Bacterial and archaeal communities were phylogenetically conserved while the fungi matched the
diet. Random forest analysis partitioned the microbiome into three distinct groups, closely matching
the gut's redox conditions. Chemical suppressors dramatically affected microbial functions, but with
only minimal effect on the millipedes.
In total, 305 high-quality MAGs consisting of 18 prokaryotic taxa were obtained, including various
novel bacteria. The results from reconstructed metabolic pathways indicate, in addition to
fermentation, ammonia oxidation and nitrogen fixation.
Conclusions:
Our results suggest that while the microbiome benefits the millipedes and its composition reflects
the prevailing conditions in the gut, it is not essential. As opposed to, e.g., termites or ruminants,
millipedes seem to feed on microbial biomass instead of fermentation products.
360
Community Assembly in Response to Glacial Retreat: A Meta-Analysis
Satyendra Kumar Pothula1, Byron Adams1
1
Brigham Young University, Provo, United States

Aim:
Our goal was to identify universal patterns and processes that drive ecological succession of soil
ecosystems in response to deglaciation.
Method:
We conducted a global meta-analysis of 88 published studies focused on the succession of various
taxa and soil physicochemical properties in glacier forefield soil communities along their
chronosequence.
Results:
Key soil properties and the abundance and richness of biota followed two conspicuous patterns: 1)
Some taxa and chemical properties demonstrate a persistent increase in abundance and richness
over the entire chronosequence (Proteobacteria, Zygomycota, omnivorous and plant-feeding
nematodes, springtails, mites, enchytraeids, Hymenoptera, lichens, vegetative cover, vascular and
non-vascular plants; CNP); 2) other taxa increase in abundance and richness during the first 50
years of succession, then gradually decline 50 years onward (Acidobacteria, Chloroflexi,
Planctomycetes, Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, bactivorous nematodes, Coleoptera, Opiliones,
Arachnida; EC)
Conclusions:
Soil properties and soil organisms intimately tied to vegetation followed the first pattern, consistent
with the idea that aboveground patterns of vegetation are coupled with processes that that drive
belowground biodiversity. The second pattern may be due to an initial increase and subsequent
decline in available nutrients and habitat suitability caused by increased biotic interactions,
including resource competition among soil biota. A consensus view of the patterns of historical and
contemporary soil ecosystem responses to deglaciation provides insight into the processes that
generate these patterns and informs predictions of ongoing and future responses to environmental
disturbance.
364
Soil biodiversity for educational diversity: Using soil organisms for diverse learning
outcomes with diverse audiences
Loren Byrne1
1
Roger Williams University, Bristol, United States

Aim:
Conservation and management of soil biodiversity (SBD) depend on people having SBD literacy,
defined as the scientific knowledge of soil organisms’ ecological relationships and roles, and use of
this knowledge for evidence-based decision making. Lack of such literacy is a threat to sustainable
use of SBD. Increasing societal SBD literacy requires expanding SBD education beyond soil and
environmental science classes. The objective of this presentation is to describe how SBD can be
used for diverse learning outcomes in many settings for a variety of audiences.
Method:
Examples of teaching and communicating about SBD were gathered from the literature and online
resources, and developed by the author as part of his teaching and outreach activities.
Results:
Because most people are unaware of many soil taxa or misunderstand their ecological
relationships, many SBD educational materials and programs aim to simply introduce SBD, as
through videos of living organisms, museum exhibits, and children’s books. To reach diverse
audiences, SBD has been connected to people’s daily lives (e.g., food, clean water), and varied
career and disciplinary interests (e.g., landscape architecture, anthropology). Soil life has been
used to help non-science students explore general ecological concepts in courses focused on
introductory biology, sustainability, and urban ecosystems.
Conclusions:
Helping more people become aware of the existence of SBD and its relevance to humanity should
be a primary goal of the SBD science community. Hopefully, examples from this talk will provide
inspiration for developing diverse educational efforts that increase everyone’s SBD literacy around
the world.
367
Epichloë Increases Root Endophyte Richness and Alters Root Endophyte Composition in a
Changing World
Kylea Garces1, Haley Sage1, Natalie Christian1, Sarah Emery1
1
University Of Louisville, Louisville, United States

Aim:
Plants harbour a variety of fungal symbionts both above- and belowground, yet little is known about
how these fungi interact within hosts, especially in a world where resource availability is changing
due to human activities. Systemic vertically-transmitted endophytes such as Epichloë spp. may
have particularly strong effects on the diversity and composition of later colonizing symbionts such
as root endophytes, especially in primary successional systems. We ask: Does colonization of the
host grass by Epichlöe alter root endophyte species richness or community composition? And if so,
does N addition intensify the effects of Epichlöe on the root endophyte community?
Method:
Utilizing a long-term field experiment in North American Great Lakes sand dunes, we tested
whether Epichloë colonization of the dune-building grass, Ammophila breviligulata, could alter root
endophyte species richness or community composition in host plants and whether nitrogen addition
intensified the effects of Epichlöe on the root endophyte community. The root endophyte
community was characterized by culture-based methods coupled with sanger sequencing.
Results:
We found that Epichloë increased richness of root endophytes in Ammophila by 17% overall, but
only shifted community composition of root endophytes in nitrogen enriched conditions.
Conclusions:
These results indicate that this systemic endophyte is acting as a key species within Ammophila,
changing diversity and composition of the root mycobiome and integrating above- and belowground
mycobiome interactions. Further, effects of Epichloë on root endophyte communities were
enhanced by N addition, indicating that this fungus may become even more important in future
environments.
368
Long-term Effects of Wood-Ash Fertilization on Soil Microbial Diversity in Boreal Peatland
Forests
Krista Peltoniemi1, Jenni Hultman1, Matilda Kattilakoski1, Hannu Fritze1, Hannu Hokka1, Raija
Laiho1, Paavo Ojanen1, Taina Pennanen1, Sannakajsa Velmala1, Päivi Väänänen1
1
Natural Resources Institute Finland (luke), Helsinki, Finland

Aim: Wood-ash is a commonly used fertilizer in peatland forests of boreal region. Wood-ash is
known to have long-term positive effects on soil properties promoting tree growth in peatland
forests. Ash raises the soil pH resulting in increasing the cation exchange capacity and
bioavailability of nutrients. It includes mineral nutrients required for tree growth but no nitrogen
which is not the limiting factor in peatland forests. Changes in pH alter the soil microbiomes.
However, still a very little is known about the effects of wood-ash on soil microbes even they are
major regulators of nutrient cycling and carbon storage. Shifts in microbe participating in the GHG
exchange, for instance, may eventually lead changes in soil carbon sink. For the first time,
metagenomic data was applied to study the role of soil microbial diversity in boreal peatland forests
applied with wood-ash.
Method: Samples were taken in autumn of 2021 from two boreal peatland forest sites applied with
wood-ash in 1997 and in 1985, respectively. Altogether 24 samples including 6 replicates from
wood-ash fertilized and control sites were taken both from the vicinity of total soil respiration
measurement and heterotrophic respiration measurement spots where roots were removed.
Samples were frozen at -20℃. DNA was extracted, and metagenomic libraries prepared and
sequenced with Novaseq platform.
Results & Conclusions: Metagenomic analyses are still under the process. We expect to have
groundbreaking knowledge about the role of compositional and functional soil microbial diversity
including novel metabolic traits in peatland forests after long-term wood-ash application.
373
Drought legacy affects soil fungi and functions in arable ecosystems
Emilia Hannula1
1
Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands

Aim:
The aim of this research is to quantify the effects of legacy of disturbances (drought and tillage) on
soil fungal community and functions they provide in arable soils.
Method:
Mesocosm experiment in which four soil inocula with varying levels of fungal biomass were added
to sterile soil was conducted in common-garden set-up. In a fully factorial design, half of the
mesocosms were subjected to severe naturally occurring summer drought of 2020 (while half
served as irrigated control). Another disturbance, tillage was performed in spring 2021 again to half
of the units making the number of treatments 4 (across 4 soils). Fungal biomass, community
structure and soil respiration were measured first monthly and later every 3 months throughout the
experiment. Functionality was measured by plant growth and nutrient content, decomposition and
finally by following the fate of 13C through the soil food-web (PLFA-SIP for microbes, EA-IRMS for
collembola) and its stabilization in stable soil aggregates (EA-IRMS).
Results:
We show that the legacy of the drought on fungal community structure diminishes in time but that
the changes in fungal community lead to difference in functions in long-term. Both decomposition
rates and carbon sequestration differed between soils that were exposed to the drought year prior
compared to well irrigated soils. The tillage/mixing affected the soils carbon budget further but the
effect was smaller than for drought and no interactive effect was noted.
Conclusions:
Legacy of a drought has long-term effects on soil fungal communities and functions including
decomposition and carbon sequestration.
375
Shotgun Metagenomics Reveals Decade-Scale Spatio-Temporal Dynamics of Entire Soil
Communities: Microbes and Soil Invertebrates
Judith Paetsch1,2, Gemma Elyse Collins2,3, Kathrin Theissinger2,3,4, Juliane Romahn2,3,5, Jun.-Henrik
Krehenwinkel1, Miklós Bálint2,3,5
1
University of Trier, Department of Biogeography, Trier, Germany, 2Senckenberg Biodiversity and
Climate Research Centre, Frankfurt/Main, Germany, 3LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity
Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Frankfurt/Main, Germany, 4University of Koblenz-Landau, Institute for
Environmental Sciences, Landau, Germany, 5Justus-Liebig University Gießen, Institute for Insect
Biotechnology, Gießen, Germany

Aim:
We explore decade-scale spatio-temporal dynamics of soil community composition and function
and their anthropogenic drivers.
Method:
We take advantage of an unique sampling scheme of the German Environmental Specimen Bank
(https://www.umweltprobenbank.de) to obtain soil environmental DNA (eDNA) time series collected
at 11 locations over Germany over 20 years. The sampling locations cover a variety of habitat types
that are representative of German land-use conditions. We use shotgun metagenomics to
representatively sequence eDNA fragments. Sequence assignment is supported by a newly
generated soil invertebrate genome library containing genomes from over 250 central-European
soil invertebrate species.
Results:
Soil communities react to outer conditions, such as temperature, water availability or pH-value. The
dataset generated here promises to capture the spatio-temporal dynamics components of the entire
soil biota. On the spatial scale, we expect a differentiation of soil biomes’ taxonomic composition
and function with land-use type, soil type and associated abiotic conditions. We also expect
temporal change in community composition and function as land-use, climate and chemical use
changed during the two decades of the sampling.
Conclusion:
The results allow to evaluate the ability of shotgun metagenomics to capture all living components
of the soil ecosystem. Combined with our new reference database, this allows to gain massive
amounts of comparable data rapidly and explore changes in soil invertebrate communities and their
associated microbiomes for a full community-level picture of compositional and functional changes
through time. The knowledge gained could refine predictions of future changes in soil community.
377
How does horticultural agriculture affect soil biodiversity? - a meta-analysis
Victoria J. Burton1, Andy Purvis1
1
Natural History Museum London, London, United Kingdom

Aim:
Horticultural agriculture – growing fruit and vegetables – is both important for a healthy diet and
(compared with mostly wind-pollinated cereals) more dependent on local biodiversity, including soil
biota; but most research into the biotic impacts of agriculture has focused on cereal crops. We have
synthesised comparisons of below-ground biodiversity in different horticultural agricultural systems
and semi-natural baselines, using matched environmental data to test responses between regions,
crops, and taxa.
Method:
Our literature search captured studies on horticultural agricultural systems and their effect on
biodiversity in Europe. We used papers that measured below-ground biodiversity in at least two
sites, comparing either different horticultural management types/intensities or horticultural
agriculture vs semi-natural land. Further sources came from relevant reviews and meta-analyses.
Effect sizes were calculated for each control-treatment pair. We constructed multi-level random
effects models to account for variation within studies.
Results:
A total of 915 paired observations were available for modelling, from 55 articles. Response
variables were abundance (84.04%, n=769), species richness (10.16%, n=93) and Shannon
diversity (5.79%, n=53). A large proportion of heterogeneity was attributable to study-level random
effects, but moderator analysis revealed that geographic effects, taxonomic identity of crop and
study taxa were also important, as – to a lesser extent – was management type.
Conclusions:
Analysis is still ongoing, but even our preliminary analyses show how using meta-analysis for
cross-study syntheses can complement synthetic multilevel modelling of raw biodiversity data. We
will be able to present an analysis of whether the effects of management practices differ among
taxonomic groups.
378
Seasonality Drives Soil Dynamics - Environmental DNA Metabarcoding Study on Soil
Communities
Juliane Romahn1,2,3, Otso Ovaskainen4,5,6, Berardino Cocchiararo1,7, Peter Haase8,9, Miklós
Bálint1,2,3
1
LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics, Frankfurt Am Main, Germany,
2
Senckenberg Biodiversity Climate Research Center, Frankfurt Am Main, Germany, 3Institute for
Insect Biotechnology, Justus Liebig University, Gießen, Germany, 4Department of Biological and
Environmental Science, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland, 5Organismal and Evolutionary
Biology Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of
Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland, 6Department of Biology, Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Norwegian
University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway, 7Conservation Genetics Section,
Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt, Gelnhausen, Germany,
8
Faculty of Biology and Centre for Water and Environmental Research, University of Duisburg-
Essen, Essen, Germany, 9Department of River Ecology and Conservation, Senckenberg Research
Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt, Gelnhausen, Germany

Aim:

The aim of our study is to investigate the effects of seasonality and other environmental conditions
on the eukaryotic community richness and composition.

Method:

A floodplain in Germany was biweekly sampled to collect soil environmental DNA (eDNA) for over a
year. Four different marker regions were amplified to and sequenced in a metabarcoding analysis:
plant trnL, eukaryotic 18S rRNA, macroinvertebrate cox1 and fungal ITS. Reads were clustered into
operational taxonomic units (OTUs) to examine community changes over time using joint species
distribution modelling.

Results:

We detected only a few abundant OTUs. Especially metazoan OTUs were rarely detected.
Seasonality was a stronger driver of community composition and richness than mean temperature
and precipitation of the two prior weeks. As expected, soil community richness was higher in
summer and decreased towards winter. We observed strong dissimilarity in community composition
even over short time periods. Consecutive summers differed greatly in soil community composition.
Conclusion:
Here we show that soil eDNA is able to capture seasonal signals in the properties of soil
communities. Joint species distribution models, in combination with the temporal resolution of
eDNA samples, promise a better understanding of soil communities, effects of abiotic factors, and
the temporal dynamics of interactions among plants, fungi and metazoan. The results also highlight
that further methodological improvements are necessary to capture soil biodiversity with eDNA, to
improve rare species detection in particular.
384
Biogeography of soil fungi and their associations to plants
Johanna Mayerhofer1, Dalinda Bouraoui1, Tobias Roth2, Reto G. Meuli3, Franco Widmer1
1
Molecular Ecology, Agroscope, Zürich, Switzerland, 2Hintermann & Weber Inc., Reinach,
Switzerland, 3Swiss Soil Monitoring Network, Zürich, Schweiz

Aim: Global soil biodiversity is driven by environmental factors such as soil pH, temperature and
precipitation. In Switzerland, which is characterized by two mountain ranges, large gradients of pH
(2.9-7.8), mean annual temperature (-3-12.2°C) and yearly precipitation (617-2,566 mm) exist over
relatively short distances. Using a regular grid of sites across Switzerland, we assessed
environmental drivers and plant associations structuring soil fungal communities.
Method: Fungal communities of 1,010 soil samples from 255 sites and the four land-use types
arable land, meadow, alpine grassland and forest, were determined using metabarcoding. Plant
communities were recorded at each site.
Results: In total, 28,085 fungal amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) were detected, of which one
third was assigned to the genus-level. Although, on average only 20.7% of the ASVs were detected
in all soil samples that were taken within few meters at a site, 78.7% of the soil samples
nevertheless revealed a site-specific fungal community structure. Fungal community structures
differed among land-use types (PERMANOVA; R2=8.8%). Fungal communities in forests were
better explained by plants (R2=19.1%) than by pH, elevation and variation of temperature (together
R2=12.0%). In alpine grasslands, plant communities were also stronger drivers of fungal
communities (R2=21.1%) than pH (R2=7.0%), while in meadows plant communities (R2=14.4%) and
pH as well as nutrient status (together R2=13.3%) explained similar fractions of variation.
Conclusions: Much of the diversity of soil fungi remains unknown and awaits detailed description.
Sites included heterogeneous but specific fungal communities. Plant communities were better
predictors of fungal communities than soil and climatic factors.
389
RNAseq analysis shows that Collembola affect Plant molecular processes.
Matthieu Chauvat1, Estelle Forey1, Helene Dauchel1, Caroline Berard1, Isabelle Boulogne1
1
University of Rouen-Normandie, Mont Saint Aignan, France

Aim

Biotic interactions taking place between above and belowground terrestrial ecosystems are
considered the backbone of biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, but depicting and
understanding such interactions is still a hot topic especially in soil ecology. Soil animals, like
Collembola, are known to directly or indirectly regulate plant physiology, architecture, growth and
flowering phenology. However, clear mechanisms through which a plant may respond to the
presence of Collembola are not elucidated. We hypothesized that RNAseq analysis of plant tissues
will help to understand molecular impact of the presence of Collembola microarthropods on plant
morphological and physiological changes.
Method:
Within soil microcosms, seedlings of Poa annua were grown in presence or not of a Collembolan
species (Folsomia candida) for 6 weeks. Transcriptomic analysis was performed on leaves, RNA
was collected and purified according to standard methods. Differential expression of genes analysis
has been conducted with DeSeq2. GO annotation and enrichment were performed using Blast2GO
and visualization thanks to WEGO.
Results:
Our analysis showed only 6 Differentially Expressed Genes (DEG) up-regulated and 1080 DEG
down-regulated for plants grown with Collembola. The 1080 DEG down-regulated are implicated in
75 biological processes with a high number of DEG implicated in organic substance metabolic
process, stress tolerance or nutrient efficiency.
Conclusions:
Soil fauna, like Collembola, exerts a strong regulation on molecular processes taking place in
plants by differentially regulating gene expression. It clearly demonstrates the predominant role that
can play soil animals in driving vegetation development.
390
How Scale Influences Conclusions About the Effects of Soil Biodiversity on Carbon Cycling
Mark Bradford1
1
Yale University, New Haven, United States

Aim:
There is a rich theoretical and empirical literature on ‘ecological inference fallacies’. These formal
fallacies arise from decisions about scale of data collection and analysis. These fallacies obfuscate
local effects of causes at broader scales. I test whether common design and analysis decisions for
soil studies inadvertently fall into this inference trap, thereby underestimating the importance of
biodiversity as an ecosystem control.
Method:
I collate four empirical datasets, where observations of soil carbon cycling, plant growth, abiotic,
and biotic controls were collected at high local densities and fine scales at multiple sites across
regional climate gradients. I use these data to quantify how decisions about scale of data collection
and analysis affect estimates of soil biodiversity on process rates. Specifically, I examine decisions
regarding observational grain, data aggregation, process knowledge and statistical modelling.
Results:
Common ways in which we design and analyse studies lead to false conclusions and often strong
underestimates of the influence of soil biodiversity on ecosystem carbon dynamics. For example, I
show that soil biodiversity effects can be entirely obscured through data aggregation – both as a
product of experimental design and of data analysis – and erroneously attributed to other causes
through process knowledge and statistical modelling decisions.
Conclusions:
There is high potential for awareness of ecological fallacies to reshape how we design and analyse
soil studies. Reshaping our scientific approaches will help build a robust foundation of data on
which to build policy and practice that leads to the sustainable use and conservation of soil
biodiversity.
395
Biogeographical characterization of the rhizosphere microbiome of crop wild progenitors in
their habitats of origin
María José Fernández Alonso1, Miguel de Celis2, Ignacio Belda3, Manuel Delgado-Baquerizo4,
Javier Palomino1, Luis Abdala-Roberts5, Fernando Alfaro6, Diego Angulo-Pérez5, Manojkumar
Arthikala7, Singh Brajesh8, Danteswari Chalasani9, Siddaiah Chandra Nayaka10, Jason Corwin11,
Gui-Lan Duan12, Antonio Hernandez-Lopez7, Babak Pasari13, TSSK Patro14, Appa Rao Podile9,
Teresa Quijano‐Medina5, Daniela S Rivera6, PVSRN Sarma9, Salar Shaaf13, Pankaj Trivedi11,
Juntao Wang8, Q Yang15, Eli Zaady16, Yong-Guan Zhu12, Pablo García-Palacios2, Ruben Milla1
1
Departamento de Biología y Geología, Física y Química Inorgánica, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos,
C/Tulipán s/n, Móstoles 28933, Spain, Madrid, Spain, 2Departamento de Suelo, Planta y Calidad
Ambiental; Instituto de Ciencias Agrarias; Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Madrid,
Spain, 3Department of Genetics, Physiology and Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, Complutense
University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain, 4Laboratorio de Biodiversidad y Funcionamiento Ecosistémico.
Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de Sevilla (IRNAS), CSIC, Sevilla, Spain,
5
Departamento de Ecología Tropical, Campus de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad
Autónoma de Yucatán, Apartado Postal 4-116, Itzimná, 97000, Mérida, México, 6GEMA Center for
Genomics, Ecology and Environment, Universidad Mayor, Camino La Piramide 5750, Huechuraba,
Chile, 7Ciencias Agrogenómicas, Escuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores Unidad León,
Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), C.P. 37689, Leon, México, 8Hawkesbury
Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, NSW 2751, , Penrith, Australia,
9
Department of Plant Sciences, School of Life Science, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad, India,
10
Department of Studies in Biotechnology, University of Mysore, Manasagangotri, Mysuru,
Karnataka, India, 11Microbiome Cluster and Department of Agricultural Biology, Colorado State
University, , USA, 12State Key Lab of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-
Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China, 13Department of Agronomy
and Plant Breeding, Sanandaj Branch, Islamic Azad University, Sanandaj, Iran, 14Agricultural
Research Station, Acharya N. G. Ranga Agricultural University, Vizianagaram, India, 15National Key
Facility for Crop Gene Resources and Genetic Improvement, Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese
Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China, 16Department of Natural Resources, Agricultural
Research Organization, Institute of Plant Sciences, Gilat Research Center, Mobile Post Negev, ,
Israel

Aim: Harnessing plant-microbiome interactions is one of the most promising strategies to guarantee
food security and agricultural sustainability. Exploring the microbiomes of crop wild progenitors and
their abilities to establish beneficial relationships with soil microorganisms at their native habitats is
an understudied avenue in this realm. We ecologically characterize the centres of origin of major
staple crops (maize, rice, wheat, potato, bean, little millet, barley, sunflower, soya and cotton) and
identify the core of the soil microbiome of the crop wild progenitors.
Method: We put together an international consortium (MICROWILD) and gathered a global
database containing the amplicon sequencing of the 18s, ITS, and 16s rRNA genes from bulk and
rhizosphere soil, as well as climatic and edaphic variables of ten crop wild progenitors. Each wild
progenitor was sampled in ten different populations along a soil-climate gradient at its distribution
range.
Results: We identified the core microbiome (representing 25-53% of all 18s/16s/ITS reads) of the
crop wild progenitors that is ubiquitous (>50% samples) and represents less than 4% of the total
number of phylotypes. The relative abundance of the core microbiome was similar in both
rhizosphere and bulk soil but showed unique patterns between different species and between
microbial groups (bacteria, fungi and protists). This may suggest different environmental
preferences of the core phylotypes of the ancestral crop microbiomes.
Conclusions: Our global, interspecific and multi-gene approach provides a valuable ecological
understanding of the ancestral microbiomes of major crops and identify potential phylotypes that
could be targeted for directing future research.
396
Yearly dynamics of microbial communities at the scale of an agricultural landscape
Laurie Dunn1, Sébastien Terrat1, Pierre-Alain Maron1, Lionel Ranjard1, Nicolas Chemimdlin
Prévost-Bouré1
1
UMR Agroecology, INRAE, Institut Agro Dijon, Univ. Bourgogne Franche Comté, Univ. Bourgogne,
Dijon, France

Aim
Soil microbial communities play a central role for sustainable soil use: their extreme diversity
supports soil functions and related ecosystem services. Today, non-random spatial distribution of
soil microbial diversity is well established from global to landscape scale but few studies focused
temporal variations. Here, the objectives were to evaluate if the spatial distribution of soil bacterial,
archaeal and fungal communities changed through time and if this was related to changes in the
subsequent environmental filters.
Method
Soil samples were collected at the scale of an agricultural landscape (1,200 ha, Fénay, France;
sampling grid 215x215m, 264 sites) during two campaigns in 2011 and 2019. Soil bacterial,
archaeal and fungal communities were characterized by a metabarcoding approach (Illumina®)
targeting either 16S or 18S rRNA genes, and variations in community composition were confronted
to soil physico-chemical characteristics, land-use and agricultural practices.
Results
Significant variations in microbial community compositions were observed between 2011 and 2019
while their spatial patterns remained stable. Per year, 15% to 34% of the spatial variations of soil
bacterial, archaeal or fungal communities were explained, first by soil characteristics and then by
land use type and agricultural practices. Between 2011 and 2019, soil physico-chemical
characteristics experienced little variations and had stable spatial patterns. Therefore, yearly
compositional changes in microbial communities could be related to changes in agricultural
practices: e.g. tillage reduction, diversification in crop rotation, perennial plant cover.
Conclusions
Soil characteristics may strongly determine the spatial distribution of soil microbial communities
while changes in agricultural practices contribute to temporal changes in community composition.
398
Exploring the biodiversity of the microbial resistome of pristine and anthropogenically
disturbed soils
Amanda Dougherty1, Linda van Diepen2
1
University Of Wyoming, Laramie, United States, 2University of Wyoming, Laramie, United States

Aim:
We assessed microbial antibiotic resistance in select local (Wyoming, USA) soils and how grazing
activity, as a proxy for anthropogenic disturbance, affects the diversity of microbial communities.
Method:
Soils from three locations with different levels of grazing activity (cattle grazed, bison grazed, or
glacier (no grazing)) were used for microbial culturing, qPCR, and high throughput and targeted
sequencing approaches for select antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). Cultured bacterial isolates
were tested for antibiotic resistance using a minimum inhibitory concentration assay (MIC).
Results:
Multivariate analysis of gene quantity of 13 ARGs showed differences by disturbance (grazing)
level, with cattle grazing locations being different from bison grazing and glacier soils. Several
ARGs showed differential abundances by disturbance level: intI1, intI2, intI3, blaVIM, qnrA, and
tetW. Genes in higher abundance represent resistance to several different classes of antibiotics
and resistance mechanisms. Of six different antibiotics tested in MIC assays, only tetracycline MIC
values were significantly different among different disturbance levels. Anthropogenically disturbed
soils exhibited a trend of more resistance as measured by MIC than undisturbed soils.
Conclusions:
Abundance measurements of ARGs, combined with assessment of the level of resistance through
MIC assays can help us to understand the historical levels of antibiotic resistance and measure the
impacts of anthropogenic disturbance on the microbial community. There are limitations to using
qPCR and MIC assays for the assessment of antibiotic resistant phenotypes from soil bacteria.
Targeted sequencing results in a comprehensive view of the biodiversity of ARGs present in soil
bacteria that may potentially threaten human or animal health.
403
Interactions Between Roots, Soil and Soil Biota in Agricultural Multi-Species Grasslands
Katie Martin1,2, Fiona Brennan2, Saoirse Tracy1, Olaf Schmidt1
1
University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland, 2Teagasc Environment Research Centre, Johnstown
Castle, Ireland

The diversification of plant species sown within agricultural grasslands has been shown to have
benefits compared to their monoculture counterparts. Lower fertiliser requirements, increased
biodiversity and improved stress resilience have all been reported in these multi-species
grasslands. However, changes to the plant communities has the potential to affect the soil structure
as well as the abundance, diversity and activity of the soil biota.
Aim: This project aims to assess the soil structure, soil microbial communities and root traits of
grassland plots within monocultures and mixtures of six grassland species.
Method: The soil, plant roots and microbial communities were assessed through X-ray computed
tomography, root image analysis, and molecular analysis of microbial communities.
Results: X-ray computed tomography revealed changes in macroporosity associated with different
grass communities as well as visualising biopore formation by root and earthworm activity. The
overall percentage porosity in mixed-plant communities tended to be higher than grass
monocultures. As the plant species included had diverse root architectures, root traits assessment
was used to understand root impacts on soil structure and plant resource uptake. Whilst the highest
root length density of monoculture plots was found in grasses, two and six-species mixtures were
not significantly different indicating that fine root production associated with nutrient uptake was
maintained. Further analysis of these samples aims to untangle the microbial diversity within these
different grassland communities.
Conclusions: Altering plant species diversity affects not only grassland agronomic potential but has
belowground effects on soil biotic interactions as well as soil physical properties.
411
The Resistance and Resilience of Soil Microbial Communities to drought in Multi Species
Grassland Swards.
Kerry Ryan1,2, Alexandre De Menezes2, John Finn1, Laura Byrne3, Caroline Brophy3, Fiona
Brennan1
1
Teagasc, Wexford, Ireland, 2National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Irealnd, 3Trinity
College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland

Aim: To study the impact of sward composition on the resistance and resilience to drought of soil
microbial community composition, diversity and function in agricultural grasslands.
Method: Microbial diversity and functional analyses were performed on soil samples taken from
varying plant community combinations within a six-species system during an in situ drought
treatment and six weeks after rewetting. Microbial drought resistance was defined as the ability of
the microbial community to retain normal structure and function during a drought. Microbial drought
resilience was defined as the ability of the microbial community to regain normal structure and
function when water is no longer limited, following a period of drought. Rainfed controls were used
in this study to define ‘normal’ conditions. Diversity Interactions modelling was used to analyse the
data.
Results: Soil microbial community abundance, composition and nitrogen cycling functions in
temperate agricultural grasslands were generally resistant and resilient to drought, regardless of
sward composition. However, where effects of drought were observed, microbial resistance and
resilience was in many cases mediated by plant identity. In contrast, plant interspecific interactions
generally had no influence on soil microbial drought resistance and resilience. The microbiome of L.
perenne monocultures with additional nitrogen fertiliser was found to be less resistant and resilient
to drought suggesting that additional nitrogen can make grassland microbiomes more vulnerable to
climate stress.
Conclusions: The soil microbiome in intensively managed, temperate, agricultural grasslands was
generally resistant and resilient to drought, regardless of plant species composition but was
impacted by N fertiliser application.
414
Farming Practices Shape Belowground Plant-Microbe Interactions with Consequences for
Aboveground Plant Performance
Doreen Babin1, Jan Helge Behr2, Loreen Sommermann3, Narges Moradtalab4, Soumitra Paul
Chowdhury5, Joerg Geistlinger3, Günter Neumann4, Kornelia Smalla1, Rita Grosch2
1
Julius Kühn Institute, Institute for Epidemiology and Pathogen Diagnostics, Braunschweig,
Germany, 2Leibniz Institute of Vegetable and Ornamental Crops (IGZ), Plant-Microbe Systems,
Großbeeren, Germany, 3Anhalt University of Applied Sciences, Department of Agriculture,
Ecotrophology and Landscape Development, Bernburg, Germany, 4University of Hohenheim,
Institute of Crop Science (340h), Stuttgart, Germany, 5Institute of Network Biology, Helmholtz
Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, München, Germany

Aim: Our aim is to improve plant growth and plant health by understanding how agricultural soil
legacies affect plant-microbe interactions.
Method: Root observation windows were installed in consecutive years in a long-term field
experiment (Bernburg/Germany) comparing plough (MP) vs. cultivator tillage (CT) and intensive vs.
extensive N-fertilization. Model crops were winter wheat and maize with the latter in addition
receiving inoculation with a consortium of beneficial microbes (Pseudomonas sp., Bacillus sp.,
Trichoderma sp.). Besides non-destructive root exudate analysis and recording of plant growth, the
expression of stress-induced genes and metabolites in leaf tissue and the rhizosphere microbiome
were investigated.
Results: Compared to MP, winter wheat grown under CT had more fine roots and exuded more
primary and secondary metabolites. Copiotrophic and potential plant-beneficial microbes (e.g.
Bacillus, Devosia, Trichoderma) were enriched in the rhizosphere under CT pointing to a stronger
plant selective effect. Tillage-affected belowground interactions resulted in differential aboveground
stress levels with winter wheat grown in CT soils exhibiting lower stress gene expression and
physiological stress indicators.
With respect to the inoculation, the agricultural legacy resulted in differential responses of the
maize rhizosphere microbiome. Yet, the consortium improved maize biomass independent of
farming history. Leave nutrient, metabolite, hormone and gene expression analyses pointed to a
common, farming-independent stress likely induced by drought during early growing season, which
was mitigated by the inoculants.
Conclusions: These multidisciplinary studies contribute to a better understanding of belowground
plant-microbe interactions in agroecosystems, which can be harnessed for a microbiome-based
sustainable crop production.
416
Elevation and Island Isolation as Drivers of Protist Endemicity
Guillaume Lentendu1, Estelle Bruni1, Claudine Ah-Peng2, Susan Cordell3, George Dahl4, Lea de
Nascimento5, José María Fernández-Palacios5, Rosalina Gabriel6, Junichi Fujinuma7,8, Yasuhiro
Kubota7, Juan Lorite9,10, Vojtech Novotny4,11, Rebecca Ostertag12, Julio Peñas9, Conor
Redmond4,11, Takayuki Shiono7, Shuyin Huang7, Dominique Strasberg2, Pascal Vittoz13, Edward A.
D. Mitchell1
1
Laboratory of Soil Biodiversity, University of Neuchâtel, Neuchâtel, Switzerland, 2UMR PVBMT,
University of La Réunion, Saint-Pierre, France, 3Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry, Pacific
Southwest Research Station, Hilo, USA, 4New Guinea Binatang Research Center, Madang, Papua
New Guinea, 5Azorean Biodiversity Group, University of the Azores, Terceira, Portugal, 6Island
Ecology and Biogeography Group, University of La Laguna, La Laguna, Spain, 7Faculty of Science,
University of the Ryukyus, Nishihara, Japan, 8Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of
Tartu, Tartu, Estonia, 9Department of Botany, University of Granada, Granada, Spain,
10
Interuniversity Institute for Earth System Research, University of Granada, Granada, Spain,
11
Department of Ecology, Institute of Entomology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Ceske Budejovice,
Czech Republic, 12Department of Biology, University of Hawaiʻi, Hilo, USA, 13Institute of Earth
Surface Dynamics, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland

Aim:
The island biogeography theory was developed based on the observation that species diversity of
macro-organisms declined and their rate of endemicity increased in relation to smaller island size
and higher distance to the nearest continent. It was latter applied to micro-organisms when the
definition of island in ecology was extended to any type of isolated habitats (e.g., lakes, tree holes).
To date, the original theory of MacArthur and Wilson was not tested for most eukaryotic micro-
organisms (i.e., protists) over continental and oceanic islands.
Method:
Here we present results of elevation gradients diversity analyses of soil protists in two main land
mountain ranges and five islands by soil eDNA HTS. The two main hypotheses evaluated are the
increase proportion of endemic taxa i) with increasing distance to continents, following the classical
island biogeography theory, and ii) at low elevation (i.e., in forest vs. alpine habitats) due to
increase wind-exposure and higher dispersal ability of soil protists.
Results:
The distance to the nearest continent appeared to be a strong driver of endemicity rate, which was
significantly higher in the forest than in the alpine habitats. Most clades also displayed a significant
linear increase in endemicity with distance to continent in forests, while only clades of larger protists
such as Ciliophora and Imbricatea showed also this trend in the alpine habitats.
Conclusions:
These results support the idea of a higher dispersal ability and adaptability of smaller protists in
alpine habitat, while most forest soils protists have restricted geographical distribution.
422
Critical Needs of Soil Biodiversity Science in the Age of Global Monitoring
Monica Farfan1,2, Diana Wall1,2
1
Colorado State University, Fort Collins, United States, 2Global Soil Biodiversity Initiative, Fort
Collins, United States

Aim:
Monitoring to quantify soil biodiversity change is increasing worldwide and some governmental
bodies, such as the European Union, now recognize that soil biota are critical for human well-being
because their activities underpin soil resources and the delivery of major ecosystem services.
These monitoring programs are the first step toward developing effective policies and land
management practices for the protection and restoration of soil biodiversity. Joint program efforts
target the lack of specialized taxonomic knowledge, protocol standardization for effective
monitoring, logistic complexities of large-scale monitoring, and navigation of legal procedures, such
as those resultant from the Nagoya Protocol. I will explore the impact of the GSBI transnational
scientist volunteers and policy-driven projects on the missions to raise awareness and develop
transorganizational ties to aid in research, monitoring, and protection of soil biodiversity, and recent
efforts to mobilize data. What monitoring programs are out there? How are different programs
integrated? And what research areas and capacity-building strategies do we need to hasten
monitoring?
Method:
Analysis of the monitoring programs, their integrated collaborations, and “Centers of Excellence” for
capacity-building that can be accessed for training and funding.
Results:
These findings are important for further advancement of large-scale soil biodiversity monitoring and
protective policies for soil biodiversity, which have been ignored up until recently.
Conclusions:
After, we suggest that future advancements include:
1. Development in taxonomic methods to ensure inclusive participation
1. Integration of advanced machine learning into data collection methods
2. Co-operation between monitoring programs to standardize and share knowledge
429
Impact of various fungicides on the number and species abundance of fungi in podzolized
chernozem
Oksana Naidonova1, Yana Hetman1
1
National Scientific Center “Institute for Soil Science and Agrochemistry Research named after O.N.
Sokolovsky”, Kharkiv, Ukraine

Aim: The aim of the study was to determine the effect of fungicides on the soil fungi community.
Method: In laboratory experiment the soil in containers was treated with the fungicides in
recommended doses. Six treatments were designed comprising three chemical fungicides based
on carbendazim, tebuconazole, azoxystrobin, and two biological fungicides based on antagonistic
fungi Trichodermin and Chaetomiс, and control. The number of fungi was counted 5, 20, 40 and
110 days after treatment using the Petri dish method. The species affiliation of the isolates was
determined by microscopy.
Results: After 20 days after treating, there was a significant decrease in the number of fungi by 25-
41%, after 40 days, their number remained smaller, after 110 days it approached the control. The
number of fungi decreased less and recovered faster when the soil was treated with biofungicides.
5 days after treating under the influence of carbendazim and Trichodermin, the abundance of
dominant species decreased slightly. Tebuconazole, azoxystrobin and Chetomic significantly
changed the structure of the fungal community, the abundance of species dominating in the control
decreased, and other species became dominant.
Conclusions: Studied fungicides temporarily reduced the total number of fungi in the soil and had
effect on structure of soil fungal community. The direct effect of fungicides is to suppress
phytopathogenic fungi in crop production. However, non-target fungi also may be affected. Some
fungicides have an adverse effect on the entire soil fungal community. This may lead to undesirable
changes in soil properties and a decrease in its fertility.
430
Understanding abiotic stress effects on plant-microbial interactions of an endangered
habitat
Daniel Revillini1,2, Aaron S. David3, Carolina Vigo2, Preston Allen2, Christopher A. Searcy2, Michelle
E. Afkhami2
1
Institute of Natural Resources and Agrobiology of Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain, 2University of Miami,
Coral Gables, USA, 3Archbold Biological Station, Venus, USA

Aim:
We aim to elucidate the ways that natural stressors – fire and allelopathy – can affect the structure
and function of microbial communities, as well as their subsequent impact on plant performance.
Plants in this habitat comprise a range of natural histories and can be common, endemic, or
endangered; therefore, a better working knowledge of microbial effects on their function under
native stress can translate into important applications for their preservation and restoration.
Method:
We performed two independent studies determining 1) the direct effects of fire or allelopathy on soil
microbial communities, and 2) the subsequent stress-selected microbiome effects on plant
germination, productivity, and biomass allocation. We utilized a prescribed burn in the field for our
fire treatment, or the direct application of the dominant allelochemical to native soils. We
sequenced for soil prokaryotic and fungal communities and used computational tools to identify
functional shifts, and finally carried out two large (>1,200 pots each) factorial grow room studies
with >11 native plant species.
Results:
Fire and allelopathy shifted bacterial but not fungal community composition, and allelopathy
increased bacterial nitrogen fixation gene abundance. Ultimately, prescribed fire selected a
microbiome that strongly decreased plant productivity across plant species, while allelopathy
selected a microbiome that weakly increased plant productivity.
Conclusions:
We propose an important way to approach plant-microbial interactions responses to stress through
the guiding principle of local adaption, where historical stress frequency linearly relates to the
strength of microbial-mediation of plant response.
441
Harnessing native soil microbes to reconnect plant and soil biodiversity and improve
restoration outcomes
Miriam Muñoz1,2, Nathali Machado de Lima2, Frederick Dadzie2, Todd Erickson3, David Merrit4,
Mark Ooi2
1
Department of Plant Biology and Ecology, University Of Seville, Sevilla, Spain, 2Center for
Ecosystem Science, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, Australia, 3School of Agriculture and Environment,
University of Western Australia, Crawley, Australia, 4Kings Park Science, Department of
Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, Kings Park, Australia

Aim:
Global environmental changes such as drought, intense fire and land degradation are rapidly
transforming the structure and functioning of ecosystems worldwide. These changes are leading to
a severe loss of above and belowground biodiversity and increased soil degradation. Soil
microorganisms control important ecosystem functions such as nutrient cycling, plant productivity
and climate regulation. Thus, microbially assisted conservation and restoration has the potential to
reconnect above and belowground dynamics, creating functional ecosystems that are more resilient
to climate change impacts.
Method:
In this research, we (i) assessed the responses of soil microbial communities to disturbance, e.g.,
severe fire, and extractive activities such as mining, and (ii) developed bioinoculants composed of
locally sourced soil bacteria from the rhizosphere and biocrust cyanobacteria, to promote plant
growth and soil fertility and enhance ecosystem capacity for global change adaptation.
Results:
This presentation will showcase some key findings of these studies conducted in contrasting
Australian ecosystems (shrubland-grassland in the arid zone, and subtropical/temperate forests).
These outcomes include the successful translocation of whole-soil communities for inhibiting
weeds, and the effective use of indigenous microbes (rhizobacteria and cyanobacteria
combinations) for soil carbon sequestration, nitrogen fixation, and growth promotion of key arid and
temperate plant species.
Conclusions:
Overall, our research demonstrates the benefits of using native microbial communities as
bioinoculants in ecosystem restoration. The emerging technologies used in our research, i.e. seed
enhancement through seed biopriming and biopellets, have a large potential for landscape-scale
conservation and restoration programs in the context of global change.
449
The role of molecules, morphology and methodology in determining patterns of soil mite
diversity
Marla Schwarzfeld1, Monica Young1, Victoria Nowell-Bampton1,2, Angeli Sahdra1,3, Ana Fernandez-
Galliano1,4, Lori Phillips5
1
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Ottawa, Canada, 2Natural Resources Canada, Ottawa,
Canada, 3University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada, 4University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Canada,
5
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Harrrow, Canada

Aim:
Mites are among the most diverse and abundant taxa in soil ecosystems; however, due to their
minuscule size, they are rarely included in soil biodiversity research. Metabarcoding is increasingly
proposed for studying soil biodiversity more comprehensively, yet many questions about best
practices remain. This research aims to explore methodology with respect to primer choice,
extraction method and DNA source to determine the most accurate and practical approach to
assessing soil mite diversity.
Method:
To assess the impact of biomass and primer bias, soil mites were extracted using Berlese funnels,
pre-sorted, non-destructively DNA-extracted, and Illumina sequenced using multiple primer sets.
We also compared metabarcoding results from eDNA extracted directly from soil with that of bulk
mesofaunal samples. Voucher specimens were also identified morphologically. Finally, we
compared soil DNA extraction methods to determine if standard microbial techniques would
successfully capture mesofaunal diversity.
Results:
Pre-sorting had minimal effect on the taxonomic coverage compared to mixed samples. While 18S
and COI provided similar OTU numbers, COI taxon assignment was more accurate due to more
comprehensive reference databases. Soil eDNA and bulk mesofauna sequencing both effectively
characterize sites; however, eDNA requires greater sequencing depth to fully capture mesofaunal
diversity. Standard microbial DNA extraction methods do not include enough soil to sufficiently
characterize the mesofauna.
Conclusions
Choice of method depends on the biodiversity research goals; however understanding the
advantages and limitations will assist researchers in making practical decisions. Ultimately, we
hope to contribute to standard protocols that encourage the exploration of soil mite diversity
worldwide.
451
Digitization and Automatic Characterization of Soil Invertebrates Community Samples Using
Macrophotography and Deep-Learning
Clément Schneider1, Stanislav Sys2, Stephan Weißbach2,3, Susanne Gerber2
1
Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung, Department of Soil Zoology, Görlitz, Germany,
2
Institute of Developmental Biology and Neurobiology, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz,
Mainz, Germany, 3Institute of Human Genetics, University Medical Center of the Johannes
Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany

Aim:
Soils communities of tiny invertebrates are essential to the functions of soils. Characterizing those
communities in terms of species diversity and species abundance is part of investigating soil
functions and response to perturbation. It involves an enormous amount of time, straining the
workflow of soil zoologists. Deep learning-based computer-vision approaches can assist in
automatizing the repetitive tasks of samples characterization.
Method:
We present an open-source prototype for such a computer-vision workflow. It includes a
macrophotography system for acquiring high-resolution pictures of small animals in fluid and a
deep learning-based application to train and evaluate models for the detection and classification of
those animals. We evaluated the workflow using a mix of specimens belonging to 12 species of
springtail and mite to train and test a Faster-RCNN object detector and classifier.
Results:
Our system is affordable and easy to build from parts. It allows the rapid digitization of soil samples
in a streamlined. The deep-learning model achieved good levels of Precision (0.940) and Recall
(0.918). The model showed a lower Recall for one species, but was performant on all others.
Conclusions:
Our prototype offers an operational workflow for the creation of soil fauna picture datasets needed
to train deep learning-based classifiers. Scaling up to the effective diversity of soil invertebrates will
require a large collaborative effort. Example of applications are: automatization of taxonomic
collection digitization, of soil biodiversity analysis and monitoring and assessment of bio-indicators.
453
Terrestrial Diatoms as Indicators of Soil Conditions
Carlos Wetzel1, Magdalena Calusinska1, Frédéric Rimet2, Jérôme Juilleret1, David Mann3,4
1
Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology, Belvaux, Luxembourg, 2French National Institute
for Agriculture Food and Environment (INRAE), Thonon-les-Bains, France, 3Royal Botanic Garden
Edinburgh, Edinburgh / Scotland, United Kingdom, 4Institute for Food and Agricultural Research
and Technology (IRTA), Sant Carles de la Ràpita, Spain

Aim: While diatoms (Bacillariophyta) are widely used as indicators of freshwater quality, their role
and presence in terrestrial systems are deeply neglected and poorly documented. We explored
diatoms (Bacillariophyta) as soil quality indicators, aiming to use these communities to indicate
anthropogenic disturbance levels and soil fertility classes.
Method: Traditional microscopic analysis and high-throughput sequencing (HTS) metabarcoding
(rbcL gene) techniques of four hundred forty-six samples collected in Luxembourg during the years
2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021 were analysed. Samples come from several localities with different
land use (i.e., arable, grassland and forest), soil textures and farming practices (i.e., BIO vs
conventional CONV).
Results: A total of 2552 amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) were identified as Bacillariophyta.
Their distribution is significantly controlled by soil texture and farming practices; the ecological
optimum and tolerances to nutritional parameters are shown. The congruence between the genetic
information and microscopic analysis was used to identify some key 'unclassified' taxa. The
surprising diversity and importance (in terms of genetic variants and total reads) of the genus
Mayamaea are highlighted.
Conclusions: The establishment of ecological preferences of ASV's for measured environmental
parameters and the development of an index that considers soil fertility classes and integrates
diversity components is discussed. Diatom responses can potentially inform the development of
nutritional criteria and decisions regarding manure management, land use and management
practices that target, for example, nutrient load reduction. Diatom measurements using relative
abundances of gene sequence readings could be incorporated into soil monitoring programmes.
455
Cellulase genes are widespread in soil invertebrates
Miklos Balint1,2,3, Gemma Collins2, Clément Schneider2,6, Ricarda Lehmitz2,6, Karin Hohberg2,6,
Peter Decker, Jörg Römbke4, Rüdiger Schmelz, Hannah Mülbaier5, Ingo Ebersberger2,5
1
Senckenberg Biodiversity And Climate Research Centre, Frankfurt Am Main, Germany, 2LOEWE
Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics, Frankfurt am Main, Germany, 3Justus-Liebig-
University, Gießen, Germany, 4ECT GmbH, Flörsheim am Main, Germany, 5Goethe University
Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany, 6 Senckenberg Museum of Natural History, Görlitz,
Germany

Aim:
We evaluated the taxonomic spread of endogenous (genome-encoded, not microbiome-conferred)
cellulases in soil invertebrates.
Method:
We screened ~250 newly generated soil invertebrate genomes (springtails, mites, myriapods,
nematodes, enchytraeids) for protein domains characteristic of cellulase genes already confirmed
in arthropods. We evaluated the presence of recorded cellulase genes among fungi and metazoa,
and reconstructed phylogenetic relationships of the cellulases.
Results:
We recorded the wide-spread presence of cellulase genes of the glycoside hydrolase family 45 in
the genomes of oribatid mites and springtails. We also recorded cellulase genes in nematodes and
tardigrades. The genes were completely missing from myriapods and enchytraeids. As expected,
cellulase genes were missing from the genomes of chordates, but they were frequently found in
different fungal families. Gene tree topology indicates independent horizontal gene transfers from
fungi into springtails, oribatid mites, and insects.
Conclusions:
Our results provide first evidence that endogenous cellulase genes are wide-spread across soil
invertebrates. The ability to decompose cellulose without support from microbial symbionts seems
to be common among these animals. The relative importance of microbial versus invertebrate
cellulase activity in soils remains to be evaluated, but our results raise the possibility that soil
invertebrates might play a role in terrestrial carbon cycling.
458
Scientific assessment of buried underpants as soil health indicator and awareness-raising
using citizen science
S. Franz Bender1,2, Marcel van der Heijden1,2
1
Agroscope, Zürich, Switzerland, 2University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland

Aim:
Soil life is a driver of ecosystem functioning. However, studying soil organisms and their activity can
be a tedious process, making large-scale investigations challenging. Moreover, awareness of soils
as living systems among land managers and the wider society is often rare. We conducted a citizen
science project systematically investigating soil biological activity and major driving factors on 1000
sites across Switzerland.
Method:
We adapted the idea of so-called ‘Soil Your Undies’ campaigns for the first time in a scientifically
structured way. We shipped 2000 standardized Cotton underpants and 12000 teabags to over 1000
citizen scientists (50% farmers and 50% private gardeners) from all parts of Switzerland.
Participants buried underpants and teabags in soil and collected soil samples following standard
protocols and entered site and management information into a specially designed App. After 1 or 2
months, underpants and teabags were retrieved, dried and returned to the lab. Underpants
degradation was assessed using gravimetric and imaging methods and teabags were used to
calculate the Tea Bag Index (TBI), an established method to assess soil decomposition processes.
Soil samples were comprehensive analyzed.
Results:
Results showed that management practices and soil properties were the strongest factors
explaining soil biological activity.
Conclusions:
Underpants degradation and TBI performed equally well as indicators for soil quality. Underpants,
in addition, provide a visual and haptic experience of living soils and serve particularly well for
raising awareness of soil biodiversity. The project aroused global media attention and
communicated the importance of healthy and living soils across the planet.
459
Land topography shapes AMF biogeography besides spatial distance and soil condition
Mengting Yuan1, Anne Kakouridis1, Erin Nuccio2, Jennifer Pett-Ridge2, Mary Firestone1
1
University Of California Berkeley, Berkeley, United States, 2Lawrence Livermore National
Laboratory, Livermore, United States

Aim:
Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are significant root biotrophs that promote carbon and nutrient
transfer across the plant-soil interface. But few reports have disentangled the drivers of AMF
biogeography from those of their plant hosts. We excluded host influence by studying AMF
associated with closely related plants, and evaluated the contributions of environmental filtering vs.
stochasticity on the beta-diversity of AMF.
Method:
We collected 156 soil samples (14 cm to >548 km apart) from areas dominated by closely related
host plants – Avena spp. (Wild Oat) – from three California Mediterranean grasslands that differ in
annual precipitation, soil conditions and land topography. Avena-associated AMF communities
were surveyed using ribosomal small subunit (SSU/18S) primers WANDA/AML2.
Results:
AMF communities differed significantly among grasslands; only 10% of the 1263 AMF OTUs were
present at all three sites. Community similarity exponentially decayed with distance. A null-model
analysis revealed dispersal limitation (35%) and other stochastic phenomena (56%) are the most
important assembly processes shaping AMF communities across grasslands. Differently within
each grassland (<1.7 km), AMF beta-diversity was significantly correlated with pH, soil texture,
mineral nutrients and microclimate. Dispersal limitation ranged from unimportant (<5%) in two of
the grasslands to surprisingly high (37%) in the other site, possibly mediated by variations in local
elevation and slope.
Conclusions:
Dispersal limitation of AMF is influenced by distance and land topography; it tends to be strong
across large spatial distances and heterogenous landscape. Environmental filtering by edaphic
conditions can directly influence AMF communities associated with the same host species.
468
Site and plant or soil niche strongly influence Lolium perenne pasture microbiota in New
Zealand
Nigel Bell1, Bernadette Prout1, Yeukai Mtandavari1, Sandra Young2, Emily Gerard2, Lee Aalders1,
David Hume3, Shengjing Shi2
1
AgResearch, Hamilton, New Zealand, 2AgResearch, Lincoln, New Zealand, 3AgResearch,
Palmerston North, New Zealand

Aim:
New Zealand’s primary-export driven economy relies on perennial ryegrass as the feed base for
most livestock farms. Microbiota have been demonstrated to be critically important for many soil
and plant functions, but the communities associated with perennial ryegrass in NZ are largely
unknown. This study aimed to determine ryegrass microbiota across several farming sites (and soil
types) and between plant and soil niches to determine to what extent they were drivers of
community structure.
Method:
Forty plots of three-year-old perennial ryegrass plants were sampled from each of four sites across
New Zealand. Samples were separated into below- (soil, rhizosphere soil, root) and above-ground
(shoots and phyllosphere) niches (ie 800 subsamples). Microbial communities were determined by
extracting DNA and analysing using 16S and ITS MiSeq amplicon sequencing.
Results:
Ryegrass bacterial alpha diversity was strongly influenced by niche with rhizosphere being the most
and phyllosphere the least diverse. Site had a significant effect on bacterial alpha diversity only for
bulk soil and shoots. Fungal alpha diversity was significantly driven by both niche and site with bulk
soil and rhizosphere being more diverse than shoots. Both bacterial and fungal beta diversity
showed a clear separation between below- and above-ground communities. There were few
microbial taxa shared across sites and niches.
Conclusions:
This work is a first step in understanding the below- and above-ground microbial diversity of an
important forage grass in NZ. It opens targeted approaches to manipulating microbiota for improved
ryegrass persistence via plant breeding, microbial isolations, or soil amendments.
474
Microbes that Matter: Stable Isotope Probing of Active Soil Microbiomes Throughout the
California Water Year
Jennifer Pett-Ridge1, Noah Sokol1, Megan Foley2, Alex Greenlon3, Ella Sieradzki3, Alexa Nicolas3,
Petar Penev3, Katerina Estera-Molina3, Mengting Yuan3, Javier Ceja-Navarro2, Jeffrey Kimbrel1,
Bruce Hungate2, Jill Banfield3, Mary Firestone3, Steven Blazewicz1
1
Lawrence Livermore National Lab, Berkeley, United States, 2Northern Arizona University,
Flagstaff, United States, 3University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, United States

Aim:
Soil microorganisms are frontline managers of the terrestrial carbon cycle and play key roles in soil
carbon turnover and stabilization but water availability constrains the structure and function of soil
microbial communities, and their impacts on soil C.
Method:
To understand how altered precipitation regimes in semi-arid systems affect the microbial
ecophysiological traits associated with soil organic matter formation, we are using quantitative
stable isotope probing (qSIP) to interrogate Who is where? and What are they doing? in wild soil
communities collected during multiple points in the Mediterranean climate water-year, from sites
with a range of soil moisture conditions.
Results:
Our SIP results indicate only a fraction of the microbial community is active at any moment or
location. At the growing season start, the growing portion was 28%, 48% and 58% at wet,
intermediate and dry sites. Taxonomic identity was a strong predictor of growth; a taxon’s growth at
one site predicted its growth at others. During plant growth, soils with restricted moisture had lower
microbial growth rates, significantly fewer active taxa (particularly eukaryotes), less formation of
new mineral-associated organic matter, and lower enzyme activity. During the ‘wet-up’ at the end of
the summer drought, only 4% of the community was immediately active (but responsible for ~10%
of ecosystem C mineralized) and viral-based bacterial mortality doubled in the 24 hours post
rewetting.
Conclusions:
Together, these findings show how changes in the timing and amount of rainfall can modify
microbial interactions and functions that shape C flow belowground.
475
Assessing the soil microbiome's role on soil health in the context of Napa Valley terroirs
Noelymar Gonzalez-Maldonado1, Kerri Steenwerth2, Mallika Nocco1, Joshua Garcia1, Erika Yao1,
Luisa Robles1, Cristina Lazcano1
1
University of California Davis, Davis, United States, 2United States Department of Agriculture
Agricultural Research Service, Davis, United States

Aim:
Soil microorganisms are protagonists of essential soil processes for plant growth including nutrient
cycling and carbon stabilization. However, we lack depth in understanding how soil microbial
diversity could influence functions for building healthy soils. In recent interviews, wine grape
growers expressed strong interest in learning about the soil microbiome diversity, especially about
their role in vineyard soil health. With today’s changing climate and all its associated challenges for
sustainable agriculture like intense drought and rainfall events, growers are willing to adopt more
sustainable management practices if practical information about soil microbial diversity is provided.
Our study aims to evaluate how soil microbial diversity influences soil health indicators across
different soil types of Napa Valley American Viticultural Areas.
Method:
Soils were sampled from 0-10 cm of depth from two locations, (vine row and interrow), across 32
red wine grape vineyards. The soil microbiome was assessed using 16S rRNA and ITS high
throughput amplicon sequencing. Soil health indicators analyzed include soil mineralizable carbon
(C), microbial biomass carbon, permanganate oxidizable C, aggregate stability, inorganic N, and
potentially mineralizable N. Supplemental information about soil taxonomy was collected from the
US Soil Web Survey.
Results:
We expect to see increased soil health values, especially for soil carbon indicators, in soils with
higher soil microbial diversity.
Conclusions:
This project will help growers learn about their vineyards soil microbial diversity and its relevance
for building healthy soils for wine-grape production.
476
Microbial diversity and soil quality across a range of cropping systems and soil textures
Thomas Jeanne1, Joël D'Astous-Pagé, Richard Hogue
1
Institut de Recherche et de Développement en Agroenvironnement , Québec, Canada

Aim:
The microbiome composition and diversity are linked to the soil quality and reflect the effects of
crop management in agricultural soils including the type of fertilization or the diversity of cultivated
plants. Pedoclimatic properties are major drivers of soil microbiome diversity which limits the
transfer of long-term experimental studies to producers' fields. It is important to document the
notion of variability of soil microbial diversity to allow the development of new omics-based models
to facilitate the monitoring of the impact of sustainable cropping systems on soil quality.
Method:
The soils of 1500 observed sites were characterized and categorized in terms of tillage, fertilization
management and cropping system. We evaluated the prokaryotes and fungi diversity using MiSeq
amplicon sequencing and assessed the diversity with the Shannon's index and weighted UniFrac
distance. On a sub-sample of 12 sites, we determined the technical, spatial and temporal sources
of variability in potato, field crops and grassland agricultural contexts.
Results:
A technical variability threshold was determined for Shannon index and weighted UniFrac distance
for both prokaryotes and fungi. This variability threshold allowed to compare spatial and temporal
variability and to observe a greater effect of the variability in grassland. Data from all sites made it
possible to determine the influence of soil types, pedoclimatic conditions and cropping system on
microbial diversity.
Conclusions:
The use of omics data at amplicon sequence variant, taxonomic and functional levels combined
with the evaluation of several machine learning approaches will allow developing predictive models
of soil quality.
478
Forest Restoration Treatments Alter Function and Community Composition of Soil
Mesofauna and Fungi
Kara Gibson1, Catherine Gehring1, Nancy Johnson1, Deborah Neher2, Anita Antoninka1
1
Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, United States, 2University of Vermont, Burlington, United
States

Aim:
Restoration of frequent-fire-adapted forests is a high priority for land managers in the western
United States, but effects of restoration treatments on soil communities and their ecological
functions remain largely unexamined. We aimed to illuminate responses of soil mesofauna and
fungi to thinning and prescribed fire in a Pinus ponderosa forest and to untangle direct and indirect
effects of these organisms on decomposition.
Method:
We used field mesocosms to manipulate soil mesofauna communities at the driplines of P.
ponderosa trees in untreated and thinned/burned forest management units. Our mesocosms
(N=96) were constructed to restrict the recolonization of defaunated soil according to animal size
while minimizing treatment side effects. After two growing seasons, we measured mass loss of
standard recalcitrant (wood) and labile (cellulose) substrates placed in the mesocosms and
characterized mesofauna and fungal communities.
Results:
Five years post-fire, the management units hosted different fungal and mesofauna communities.
Notably, ectomycorrhizal fungi were reduced in the thinned/burned unit. Structural equation models
indicated that mesofauna had no direct effect on decomposition, consistent with reports from other
moisture-limited systems. However, in the thinned/burned unit only, microarthropod abundance
correlated positively with the ratio of ectomycorrhizal to saprotrophic fungi (λ=0.35), which
correlated negatively with wood decomposition rate (λ=0.53)—consistent with the Gadgil effect.
Conclusions:
Forest restoration treatments can have lasting effects on soil fungi and their mesofauna consumers,
with potential implications for biogeochemical cycling. Our results add to existing evidence that the
Gadgil effect is dependent on both substrate recalcitrance and fungal community composition.
479
Analyzing the Fragility of Soil Microbial Biodiversity and Its Contributions to C and N
Cycling
Javier A. Ceja-navarro1, Petr Kosina2, Katerina Estera-Molina3, Mengting Maggie Yuan3, Susan E.
Celniker4, Steven W. Singer4, Daliang Ning5, Jennifer Pett-Ridge6, Mary K. Firestone3
1
Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, United States, 2University of California Agriculture and
Natural Resources, Davis, United States, 3University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, United
States, 4Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, United States, 5University of Oklahoma,
Norman, United States, 6Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, United States

Aim:
Even though the interactions among members of the soil microbiome, which include viruses,
bacteria, archaea, fungi, and protists, are recognized as essential for ecosystem functioning, their
responses to environmental change and resulting impacts on nutrient cycling are poorly
understood. Here we will discuss the responses of microbial trophic interactions to soil degradation
and how top-down control by protists and nematodes shape carbon and nitrogen availability.
Method:
Multi-marker metabarcoding, genome-resolved metagenomics, and network analyses were applied
to analyze the responses of soil microbial biodiversity to soil retrogression. 13C-labeling field
experiments coupled with quantitative isotope probing (qSIP) and laboratory trophic manipulation
assays were used to study the contributions of protists and nematodes to the distribution of plant-
derived C through the soil and to changes in N dynamics.
Results:
We show that soil biodiversity, community complexity, and metabolic potential decline with soil
retrogression. Prokaryotic and micro-eukaryotic metagenome-assembled genomes allowed
identifying putative key players and their genetic capacities for nutrient cycling. Our results also
indicate that bacteria, fungi, protists, and nematodes follow different community assembly
mechanisms across soil sites with different degrees of degradation. Finally, we also show that all of
these microbial groups contribute to the distribution of plant-derived carbon and that the top-down
control of protists and nematodes on prokaryotic communities increases ammonia oxidation and
nitrogen availability.
Conclusions:
Our results show that soil microbial biodiversity and microbial trophic networks are susceptible to
soil deterioration and provide proof of the critical contributions of protists and microfauna to shaping
C and N availability.
483
Shining light on the belowground eukaryotes: an EU-wide metabarcoding analysis on
environmental drivers
Julia Köninger, Cristiano Ballabio1, Panos Panagos1, Arwyn Jones1, Alberto Orgiazzi1, Maria J.I.
Briones2
1
European Commission - Joint Research Centre, Ispra, Italy, 2University Vigo, Vigo, Spain

Aim
Knowing the baseline of diversity is crucial for capturing the changes in diversity and prioritising
conservation efforts. Since few large-scale studies exist for soil eukaryotes other than fungi, we
assessed soil eukaryotes and their environmental drivers in an EU-wide study.
Method
We sequenced the 18S-rDNA gene for 787 samples across the European Union (EU). We
assessed the effect of environmental variables (soil properties and climatic variables) on diversity of
protists, fungi and soil fauna (split into micro-, meso- and macrofauna), and consider the ecosystem
type (cropland, grassland and woodland), and biological activities (basal respiration, microbial
biomass).
Results
We found edaphic properties to better predict α- and β-diversity compared to climatic variables.
With the exception of macrofauna, α-diversity was significantly different between ecosystem types,
with the highest diversity and richness found in croplands. Overall, environmental variables
explained 6 (protists) to 34% (macrofauna) of the β-diversity and 2 (macrofauna) to 18% (fungi) of
the α-diversity. Reasons for low macrofauna diversity and high data dispersion could be related to
the small volume of soil analysed (0.2g per sample). We found diversity overlaps in taxa between
ecosystem types (21-47%) which mirrored the gradual land use change from woodland over
grassland to cropland that occurred in Europe over the last centuries.
Conclusions
We conclude that the higher diversity in croplands is the result of a legacy of dormant and dead
organisms since their DNA can remain in soils over centuries. This study sets an important baseline
for comparisons in monitoring activities and future conservation activities.
488
Plant diversity and drought effects on community composition of Cercozoa and Oomycota
Marcel Dominik Solbach1, Cynthia Albracht2, Kenneth Dumack1, Anna Heintz-Buschart2, François
Buscot2, Anne Ebeling3, Alexandra Weigelt4, Nico Eisenhauer4, Michael Bonkowski1
1
University of Cologne, Terrestrial Ecology, Cologe, Germany, 2Helmholtz Center for Environmental
Research – UFZ Halle, Dept. Soil Ecology, Halle, Germany, 3Institute of Ecology and Evolution,
Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany, 4Institute of Biology, Leipzig University, Leipzig,
Germany

Aim: Due to climate change, European grasslands are increasingly affected by heavy droughts
during summer. Drought is known to negatively affect ecosystem functioning. On the other hand,
plant biodiversity is associated with increased ecosystem functioning. We investigated how plant
species richness and drought treatment influenced the diversity of two protistan taxa, Cercozoa
(Rhizaria) and Oomycota (Stramenopila), and whether increased plant diversity would lead to
resistance against the drought effects. These two protistan groups are functionally diverse and
include a wide range of plant parasites.
Method: The “Jena Experiment” is a long-term field experiment consisting of experimental plots with
varying plant communities ranging from 1 to 60 species. In 2008, a sub-experiment was established
that emulated repeated summer drought. On all plots, transparent roofs were installed for six weeks
in summer from 2008 to 2016. Soil was sampled one year after the last drought period. Cercozoa
and Oomycota were sequenced by amplicon sequencing (metabarcoding).
Results: Alpha diversity indices of Cercozoa decreased with increasing plant species richness and
increased in the drought treatment. Diversity indices of Oomycota also decreased with increasing
plant species richness but were unaffected by drought. These changes were mostly explained by
changes in evenness. Both protistan community compositions were strongly influenced by plant
species richness, but only the cercozoan community was significantly affected by drought. Overall,
no buffering effect of plant diversity against drought was observed.
Conclusions: Our results indicate that ecosystems will be increasingly challenged by plant
pathogens due to more frequent summer droughts and biodiversity loss.
489
Wide metatranscriptomic overview of seasonal changes in soil microbial food webs in the
Alps
Anna-Maria Fiore-Donno1,2, Christian Rixen3, Tim Urich4, Michael Bonkowski1,2
1
Terrestrial Ecology Group, Zoology Institute, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany, 2Center of
Excellence on Plant Sciences (CEPLAS), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany, 3WSL Institute
for Snow and Avalanche Research, Davos Dorf, Switzerland, 4Center for Functional Genomics of
Microbes, Institute of Microbiology, University of Greiswald, Greifswald, Germany

In alpine zones, soil microbial diversity and activity are strongly dependent on the annual patterns
of snowpack formation. It is under the insulating winter snowpack that a large and stable winter
microbial community thrives, which is believed to die during thaw, when temperatures start
fluctuating again. We investigated the dynamics of soil microbiomes along altitudinal gradients
above the tree line in three mountains in the Swiss Alps by an unusually large-scale
metatranscriptomics study covering the whole soil diversity. Soil sampling (160 samples in total)
took place before, during and immediately after snowmelt, and later in summer. Also vegetation,
and relevant edaphic and climatic parameters were recorded. We used Illumina Novaseq high-
throughput sequencing of RNAs (metatranscriptomics) to assess the whole community
composition, e.g. prokaryotes (Archaea, Bacteria) and eukaryotes (fungi, protists, nematodes,
microarthropods). From the c. 400 million sequences obtained, we found an overall diversity
differing from that usually retrieved using metabarcoding: Amoebozoa was the most abundant
protistan lineage, followed by Rhizaria and Alveolata. We annotated functional traits to the
taxonomic output, in particular feeding modes and living styles, to track soil food web dynamics. We
found a superactive food web under snow that differed strikingly from summer communities, strong
evidence for protists as major fungal consumers and myxobacteria being THE major bacterivores in
microbial food webs.
497
Symbiotic Control of Canopy Dominance in Forests
David Johnson1, Xubing Liu2, David Burslem3
1
University of Manchester, , United Kingdom, 2Sun Yat-Sen University, , China, 3University of
Aberdeen, UK

Aim:
Subtropical and tropical forests are some of the most species rich plant communities on Earth but
are at risk from pressures of land-use. Tropical and sub-tropical forests in Asia often have a distinct
structure whereby the canopy is dominated by a limited number of tree species that form
symbioses with ectomycorrhizal fungi, and an understorey comprising many species of arbuscular
mycorrhizal forming species. Here we explore how different types of mycorrhizal fungi, including the
hyphal networks they form, in addition to root-pathogenic fungi shape the structure of sub-tropical
and tropical forests.
Method:
We established field based and laboratory experiments to test how seedlings that form
ectomycorrhizas and arbuscular mycorrhizas respond to different forms of phosphorus, and survive
and grow in situations where the potential to form shared fungal networks with neighbouring adult
plants was manipulated. We also measured the presence of pathogens on seedling roots.
Results:
We found that ectomycorrhizal plants have greater capacity to use organic forms of phosphorus
than arbuscular mycorrhizal forming species, and the ability to form shared fungal networks also
had greater positive effects on their growth.
Conclusions:
We propose that ectomycorrhizal trees a) gain greater benefit from integration into shared fungal
networks in terms of survival and growth, b) have the capacity to acquire phosphorus from a range
of compounds including organic forms not available to arbuscular mycorrhizal plants, c) gain
protection from pathogens, and d) in reaching canopy dominance the superior photosynthetic
capacity enforces processes highlighted (a-c) through provisioning carbon to ectomycorrhizal fungi.
501
Non-native earthworms improve diet quality and population size of a woodland salamander
in Eastern Canada
Trevor Scott1, Patrice Bourgault1, Robert Bradley1
1
Département de biologie, Université De Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Canada

Aim:
Earthworms did not survive the Wisconsin glaciation period, which ended about 10,000 years ago.
Consequently, all species currently found in Eastern Canada were introduced by European settlers
over recent centuries. Studies show that non-native earthworms had substantial impacts on soil
microbial communities, nutrient cycling and plant diversity. Less is known, however, about their
impacts on higher faunal species. Here, we investigated the effects of non-native earthworms on
Plethodon cinereus, a common woodland salamander. We hypothesized that earthworms could
adversely affect P. cinereus by consuming the forest floor, thereby decreasing soil moisture and the
abundance of native preys. On the other hand, earthworms could positively affect P. cinereus by
providing refugia in their abandoned burrows as well as by being a nutritious novel prey.
Method:
In 2019, we installed 25 cover boards in 38 mature sugar maple (Acer saccharum) forests. Over the
next two years, we visited each site on nine occasions to quantify earthworm and salamander
populations, using hot mustard extractions and visible implant elastomers, respectively. At a subset
of four sites (i.e., with and without earthworms) we determined salamander diets using gastric
lavage techniques.
Results:
Forest floor depth decreased, whereas population density and body size of P. cinereus increased,
with earthworm abundance. Earthworms composed most of the salamander diet at sites with high
earthworm densities, volumetrically accounting for more than all other prey groups combined.
Conclusions:
Non-native earthworms improve diet quality and population size of P. cinereus in Eastern Canada,
which may in turn affect above and belowground food webs.
512
Carbon Supply by Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Shapes the Hyphosphere Community
Mary Firestone1, Anne Kakouridis1, Mengting Maggie Yuan1, Erin Nuccio2, Steve Blazewicz2,
Jeffery Kimbrel2, Jennifer Pett-Ridge2
1
University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, United States, 2Lawrence Livermore National
Laboratory, Livermore, United States

Aim:
Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) consume up to 20% of plant photosynthetic carbon (C); transfer
of this C into soil shapes the composition and function of AMF-associated microbial communities.
Method:
We used 13CO2-labelled plants to track C from the host Avena barbata, a widespread annual grass,
into the soil via Rhizophagus intraradices in two-chamber microcosms designed to isolate AMF in
soil. Hyphosphere DNA was analysed by both amplicon sequencing and Stable Isotope Probing
(SIP) metagenomics to identify metagenome assembled genomes (MAGs) that incorporated 13C.
Results:
After 6 weeks, we tracked AMF-13C flow into different fractions of soil, and found that a significant
portion went into the heavy fraction (25%). Amplicon sequencing indicated that AMF significantly
modified the soil prokaryote community, but not diversity; nineteen amplicon sequence variants
(ASVs) significantly increased in the presence of AMF, including Arthrobacter sp., Caulobacter sp.,
Rhizobium sp., Dongia sp., and Verrucomicrobia. SIP-metagenomics of hyphosphere soil identified
that the primary consumers of 13C imported via AMF hyphae were highly enriched (10-33 atom%
13
C). Of the 212 13C - MAGs, the taxa that assimilated the most13C were from the phyla
Myxococcota, Fibrobacterota, Verrucomicrobiota, and the ammonia oxidizing archaeon genus
Nitrososphaera.
Conclusions:
AMF rapidly transported 13C into both soil organic matter pools and the microbial community. While
amplicon-analyses yield a more representative fingerprint of the total soil community composition,
SIP and metagenomics allow us to focus on the specific taxa that are beneficiaries of AMF-
transported plant C and unravel the potential trophic interactions among these organisms.
514
Core microbial communities and their associations in sub-alpine Pinus cembra forests
Anusha Telagathoti1, Maraike Probst, Edoardo Mandolini, Ursula Peintner
1
University Of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria

Aim: Soil is a complex ecosystem that harbours a wide range of microbial communities. These
microbial communities affect soil functioning as well as nutrient turn-over and availability. Especially
in high-altitude alpine regions, the microbial communities are quite diverse and dynamic, i.e., they
likely follow a distinct seasonal pattern. However, there is limited knowledge on the latter. From
core microbial communities, i.e., microbes that are present in multiple ecosystems across regions,
and their associations and dynamics we can gain an understanding of the alpine soil ecosystem.
Therefore, we studied the effect of seasonal dynamics and environmental factors on these
microbial communities.
Method: We collected soil samples from 9 different locations (n > 180 soil samples) across high-
altitude sub-alpine Pinus cembra forests in and around Tyrol in both, summer (snow-free) and
winter (snow-covered). We then analysed the soil properties and identified the microbial
communities and their core using Illumina sequencing. Using network inference tools, we identified
microbial co-occurrences associated with the two different seasons.
Results: Our results demonstrate that different microbial communities reside under the snow cover
compared to the snow-free period. Although the microbial composition varied among habitats, there
was a large core community across regions, which revealed a range of cross-phyla and –kingdom
interactions.
Conclusions: Our results emphasize the dynamics and specificities of high-altitude sub-alpine
microbial communities. From their core, dynamics, and associations, we can gain an understanding
of how the soil ecosystem deals with seasonal and climatic changes.
516
Root Exudation in Crops and Their Wild Relatives
Catherine Preece1, Joan Llusià2, Josep Peñuelas2, Erik Verbruggen1
1
University Of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium, 2CREAF, Bellaterra, Spain

Aim:
Crops and wild plants are known to differ in many aboveground traits, but the effect of
domestication on roots is far less well studied. Root exudates are involved in many interactions with
the abiotic and biotic components of the soil, and investment in root exudation is predicted to be
lower in crops due to a trade-off with maximising yield. The aim of this study was to investigate the
composition and quantity of root exudates in crops and their wild relatives.
Method:
We set up a greenhouse experiment with 20 species, including 10 crops and their 10 respective
wild relatives. Plants were grown individually until maturity, when they were removed from the soil,
roots were cleaned, and then placed in aqueous solution to collect exudates. Exudate composition
was measured with non-targeted metabolomics analysis and exudate quantity was measured as
total organic carbon.
Results:
We will discuss if there is an overall domestication effect on exudate composition and quantity, or if
different crops respond in diverse ways. It will be of particular interest to see if compounds involved
in increasing nutrient availability in the soil are less prevalent in crops.
Conclusions:
Our results will be discussed in the context of searching for new beneficial traits in crop relatives
that could improve the sustainability of agricultural systems. Knowledge about root exudates that
interact with soil nutrients could lead to lower fertilizer use in the future.
517
Co-cultivation of Mortierellaceae with Pseudomonas helmanticensis affects both their
growth and volatilome
Maraike Probst1, Anusha Telagathoti1, Bianka Siewert1, Iuliia Khomenko2, Emanuela Betta2, Franco
Biasioli2, Ursula Peintner2
1
University Of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria, 2Fondazione Edmund Mach, San Michele all’Adige,
Italy

Aim: Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) might mediate microbial interactions, especially in
spatially structured environments, such as soil. However, the variety and specificity of volatilomes,
i.e. all VOCs produced, are poorly understood. Here, we investigated a potential phylogenetically
conserved relation of both, growth behaviour, and volatilome of different soil fungi during fungal-
bacterial-interactions, which these soil fungi might naturally encounter.
Method: We studied 25 Mortierellaceae strains belonging to the widespread genera Linnemannia
and Entomortierella in both pure and co-culture with the ubiquitous soil bacterium Pseudomonas
helmanticensis under laboratory conditions. We analysed both, the fungal growth depending on co-
cultivation, and the cultures’ volatilomes, applying proton-transfer-reaction time-of-flight and gas
chromatography-mass spectrometry (PTR-ToF-MS and GC-MS).
Results: In a strain-specific manner, we found the fungi’s radial growth rate, biomass production,
and colony morphology to be affected by the presence of P. helmanticensis. The fungus seemed to
generally reduce the bacterial growth. The volatilomes of the fungal and bacterial pure and co-
cultures were diverse. While the fungi frequently consumed VOCs, P. helmanticensis produced a
higher diversity and amount of VOCs than any fungal strain. Our results support that both, the pure
and co-culture volatilomes are taxonomically conserved. Moreover, the changes in volatilomes
induced by the co-plating of P. helmanticensis were correlated to the corresponding changes in
growth behaviour.
Conclusions: Taken together, our data support the relevance of VOCs in Mortierellaceae-P.
helmanticensis interaction. We also discuss individual VOCs that appear relevant in the interaction.
518
Fungal-bacterial interactions in glacier forefields around the world
Edoardo Mandolini1, PhD Maraike Probst1, PhD Anusha Telagathoti1, PhD Luis Miguel Rodriguez-
Rojas1, Ursula Peintner1
1
University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria

Aim:
Bacterial-fungal interactions in recently deglaciated ecosystems promote biogeochemical cycles,
mineral soil fertility, and pioneer plant growth, but the diversity of keystone microbes and the quality
of their interactions remain largely unexplored. Here, we investigated the diversity of both fungal
and bacterial communities to predict core microbial networks and to estimate conserved
interactions across comparable deglaciated systems.
Method:
We studied the soil fungal and bacterial communities at the early stages of soil development (0-25
years) in four receding calcareous glaciers of the Alps (>200 samples). High-resolution marker-
gene (16S and ITS) analysis were performed alongside detailed soil geochemical analysis.
Furthermore, we included 13 datasets from publicly available projects on forefields of receding
glaciers (world-wide) whose sequencing libraries resembled the criteria of our own dataset.
Network analysis (FlashWeave) was performed for each dataset. Then, core microbial interactions
were identified across glacier forefields.
Results:
Bacterial and fungal communities differed in a location-specific manner, sharing remarkably few
common taxa. We found extremely dense networks in all locations, with fungi clearly dominating
the keystone nodes for all major interactive clusters. We speculate that conserved interactions
across glacier forefields are rather based on trophic preferences than on phylogenetic diversity.
Conclusions:
Our data emphasize (i) the unique diversity of soil microbial communities in glacier forefields likely
depending on stochastic processes of dispersion, but provide (ii) evidence for common ecological
roles based on conserved microbial interactions.
521
A report of Haplotaxis gordioides from subsoil and first analysis of its trophic position
Agnieszka Józefowska1, Olaf Schmidt2
1
Department of Soil Science and Agrophysics, Faculty of Agriculture and Economics, University of
Agriculture in Kraków, Kraków, Poland, 2University College Dublin, School of Agriculture and Food
Science, Agriculture and Food Science, Dublin, Ireland

Aim:
Haplotaxis is an enigmatic genus of annelid worms. While it has a cosmopolitan distribution, it is
only sporadically recorded and it is believed to be predatory. There also is a debate reaching back
more than 150 years of whether these worms are aquatic or terrestrial. The aim of this study was to
report the discovery of Haplotaxis specimens from a terrestrial subsoil and to test its trophic
position.
Method:
Deep soil pits (0–60 cm) were excavated manually in a dry agricultural meadow soil in the Pieniny
Spiskie region, southern Poland. Soil samples were collected in layers from 0–60 cm, and soil
properties were measured (pH, texture, organic C, total N). Haplotaxis sp. and Lumbricidae were
collected manually, while other soil fauna (including Enchytraeidae) were extracted with suitable
laboratory methods. Freeze-dried animals were analysed by stable isotope ratio mass
spectrometry.
Results:
During two sampling campaigns in spring and autumn 2022, Haplotaxis sp. were recorded at about
60 cm depth in mineral soil layers of this Luvisol. Based on existing keys, the worms were identified
as Haplotaxis gordioides (they were donated for DNA based analysis and an ongoing taxonomic
revision of the Haplotaxidae). C and N stable isotope compositions will be used, for the first time, to
compare the presumed predatory trophic position of Haplotaxis sp. with that of co-existing
detritivorous worms.
Conclusions:
This paper presents a new, fully documented record of Haplotaxis sp. from subsoil layers of a
terrestrial mineral soil, plus isotopic comparisons with other oligochaetes.
525
How applied reclamation treatment affects soil fauna in the novel ecosystem
Agnieszka Józefowska1, Bartłomiej Woś2, Marek Pająk2, Edyta Sierka3, Agnieszka Kompała-Bąba,
Anna Klamerus- Iwan2, Marcin Chodak4, Marcin Pietrzykowski2
1
Department of Soil Science and Agrophysics, Faculty of Agriculture and Economics, University of
Agriculture in Kraków, Kraków, Poland, 2Department of Ecological Engineering and Forest
Hydrology, University of Agriculture in Krakow, Kraków, Poland, 3Faculty of Natural Sciences,
Institute of Biology, Biotechnology and Environmental Protection, University of Silesia in Katowice,
Katowice, Poland, 4Department of Environmental Management and Protection, AGH University of
Science and Technology, Kraków, Poland

Aim:
What is the relationship between the applied reclamation treatments, plant cover and soil fauna in
novel ecosystems?
Method:
The research was carried out on a mining spoil heap in Upper Silesia, Poland. Studies were
conducted on two types of materials bare rock (BR) and topsoil (TS) that covered BR during the
reclamation. Four variants were investigated: natural forest regeneration, i.e. succession on BR
(Succession_BR) and TS (Succession_TS), afforestation (Reclamation_TS) and afforestation with
Robinia pseudoacacia (Robinia_TS). Basic soil properties such as pH, soil organic carbon (SOC),
total nitrogen (TN) content, and soil texture were measured in 0-10 cm layers. Earthworms were
collected using the hand sorting method, and enchytraeids were collected using wet extraction with
the heating method.
Results:
The investigated soil had a varied pH from 5.3 in a Succession_BR to 7.2 in Robinia_TS. The
highest content of SOC and TN was in Succession_BR, and the lowest was in Succession_TS.
Enchytraeids density was in the following increasing order 275, 2982, 3001 and 4548 ind m-2 for
Succession_BR, Robinia_TS, Succession_TS and Reclamation_TS, respectively. Earthworms’
density ranged from 0 ind. m-2 in the Succession_BR through 109 ind m-2 and 134 ind m-2 in
Reclamation_TS and Succession_TS, respectively up to 178 ind m-2 in the Robinia_TS.
Conclusions:
Investigated soil fauna was positively related to pH value and clay content. The most stimulating
variant for the development of earthworms and enchytraeids was the topsoil application and
afforestation.
This study was financed by the National Science Centre, Poland (Grant No.
2020/39/B/ST10/00862).
528
Microbial Community Composition Impacted by Land Use Along a Precipitation Gradient of
the Central USA
Charles Rice1, Marcos Sarto1, Tiffany Poydras1, Terry Loeke2, Sharon Billings2, Benjamin Sikes2,
Ari Jumpponen1, James Bever2, Matthew Kirk1
1
Kansas State University, Manhattan, United States, 2University of Kansas, Lawrence, USA

Land use (LU) change from native prairie to agriculture has modified the original soil carbon and
microbial community composition. Many studies have focus on the changes of soil microbial
community on the topsoil, however, few have addressed the association between soil carbon and
microbiome at deeper layers. Eight native and eight agriculture sites were sampled across a long-
term gradient of precipitation ranging from 455 mm yr-1 to 1040 mm yr-1 in the central Great Plains,
USA. The LU change from native to agriculture affected the soil carbon and nitrogen content up to
a depth of 75 cm, but the mean annual precipitation at deeper layers (75-120 cm). Soil carbon and
nitrogen were greater in the native prairie than in agriculture site. Overall, soil carbon decreased
with MAP at 75-120 cm. The microbial biomass, gram +, gram -, actinomycetes, AMF and fungi
were greater at native prairie than in agriculture, but just gram – and fungi: bacteria ratio were
affected by MAP at 75-120 cm. In general, strong LU effects of both the SOC, total N, and soil
microbial community composition and the lesser impact of the MAP on soil microbial community
composition were observed. The soil microbial community composition also responded strongly to
LU in deep soil.
534
Role of small RNAs in Plant-Associated Bacteria, Azospirillum brasilense under Abiotic
Stress Conditions
Vatsala Koul
1
TERI, Delhi, India

Background:
For a long time, RNA was considered to be important as an information carrying intermediate
between DNA and the proteins, and as transfer and ribosomal RNA involved in protein synthesis,
but not to have any regulatory function. This view has changed dramatically in the last couple of
decades. Today, we know that RNAs can carry out many functions in the cell, such as catalysis and
gene regulation. In eukaryotes, processes such as gene silencing and developmental regulation, all
largely depend on such regulatory RNAs. Bacterial regulatory RNAs were identified prior to their
eukaryotic counterparts in Escherichia coli. This opened up a whole new field; that of small RNAs
(sRNAs) in bacteria. Most sRNAs base pair to the mRNAs to affect its translation and/or stability.
Now it appears that the majority of the sRNAs are stress-related, helping bacteria to respond to
changes in the environment. Different studies have been carried out to discover small RNAs in
plant associated bacteria (PAB) and have shown to play essential roles under abiotic stress
conditions like iron limitation, oxidative and salt stress, heat and cold shock, and accumulation of
glucose-phosphate.
We have undertaken a study to explore the presence of sRNAs in selected PAB, Azospirillum
brasilense Sp245 and the differential expression of the identified sRNAs in abiotic stress. Their role
in plant growth promotion has also been explored.
Results and Conclusion:
In our study, expression-based sRNA identification (RNA-seq) revealed the first list of ~ 468 sRNA
candidate genes in A. brasilense Sp245 that were differentially expressed in nitrogen starvation
versus non-starved (control) conditions. Altogether, putative candidates were stringently curated
from RNA-seq data based on known sRNA parameters (size, location, secondary structure, and
abundance). In total, ~ 59 significantly expressed sRNAs were identified in this study of which 53
are potentially novel sRNAs as they have no Rfam and BSRD homologs. Sixteen sRNAs were
randomly selected and validated for differential expression, which largely was found to be in
congruence with the RNA-seq data. In parallel, in silico tools also identified two of the above as
candidate sRNAs, sSp_p4 and sSp_p6, which were further selected for their functional
characterization.
Plant microbe interactions are generally not an outcome of standard gene interactions but are
usually a part of a multigenic response involving a multitude of sRNAs and their associated mRNA
targets. Target gene expression analysis of sSp_p4 confirmed that it influenced gene regulation
and plant growth-promoting traits such as poly-hydroxybutyrate synthesis, indole acetic acid
production, and biofilm formation. sSp_p4 was overexpressed, knocked-down and complemented
to characterize its physiological functions, and importance in plant growth-promoting traits. Its
expression in wild type and mutant strains studied in different nutrient conditions revealed variable
regulation of different targets. sSp_p6 expression was found to be modulated in carbon and
nitrogen stress while forming an interactive network with the target genes, vnfG (encoding
vanadium-dinitrogenase) and σ-54 (sigma factor, interaction region) thereby establishing an
essential role of this sRNA in biological nitrogen fixation by the strain. Additionally, plant-microbe
interaction studies between the host plant, sorghum and sRNA mutant strains, revealed increased
root length, lateral root growth and germination rate of the host plant, thus displaying improved
plant root morphology.
This study established the A. brasilense Sp245 sRNAs, sSp_p4 and sSp_p6 as the potential
candidates for improving abiotic stress enduring capability in this strain. Since this bacterial strain is
plant-growth promoting in nature, the modulation of the identified sRNAs will help improve the PGP
potential of the strain by its improved stress response and eventually contribute to sustainable
agriculture. With the change in the global climate, it is presumed that the existing abiotic stresses
faced by the plants will increase many folds and cause the development of complex environments
such as extreme temperatures, draught, salinity, accumulation of toxic compounds in the soil,
hypoxia, and exposure to UV and eventually cause substantial crop damage. The microbial
communities inhabiting the plant rhizosphere are known to aid plant survival and their ability to
withstand environmental stress attacks.
537
The ‘other’ mycorrhizas: Mucoromycotina ‘fine root endophytes’ form functional
mycorrhizal associations with flowering plants
Katie Field1, Grace Hoysted2, Besiana Sinanaj1, Christopher Bell3, Martin Bidartondo4,5, Silvia
Pressel6
1
University Of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom, 2University of Galway, Galway, Ireland,
3
University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom, 4Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom,
5
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, United Kingdom, 6Natural History Museum , London, United
Kingdom

Aim:
The majority of land plants form mycorrhizal associations with certain groups of soil fungi. Through
these partnerships, photosynthetically-fixed carbon is transferred from the plant host to the fungus
in return for fungal-acquired nutrients. Recently, it was shown that the fungal associates of plant
roots are more diverse than assumed, extending to Mucoromycotina fungi previously identified as
‘fine root endophytes’. These Mucoromycotina ‘fine root endophytes’ (MFRE) are widespread,
spanning a variety of habitats and plant hosts. MFRE generally co-colonise plant roots together
with Glomeromycotina arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). Until now, co-colonisation with AMF and
reliance on non-sterile, soil-based experimental systems has hindered direct determination of the
function of the MFRE symbiosis.
Method:
To overcome this major barrier, we developed new techniques for fungal isolation and culture and
established the first monoxenic in vitro cultures of MFRE, isolated from a lycophyte, colonising a
flowering plant - white clover. Using radio- and stable-isotope tracers in these in vitro systems, we
measured transfer of 33P, 15N and 14C between MFRE hyphae and the host plant.
Results:
Our results provide the first unequivocal evidence that MFRE fungi form nutritional mutualisms in a
flowering plant by showing that clover gained both 15N and 33P tracers directly from the fungus in
exchange for plant-fixed C in the absence of other microorganisms.
Conclusions:
Our findings and methods pave the way for a new era in mycorrhizal research, firmly establishing
Mucoromycotina ‘fine root endophytes’ as both mycorrhizal and functionally important in terrestrial
ecosystems.
540
A field exclusion experiment to assess the role of soil fauna in microbial community
assembly
Mathilde Jeanbille1, Sana Romdhane1, Marie-Christine Breuil1, David Bru1, Arnaud Mounier1, Aymé
Spor1, Laurent Philippot1
1
UMR Agroecology, INRAE , Dijon, France

Aim: While a large body of research showed how plants are affecting microbial communities, less
attention has been given to microbe-fauna interactions. We aim at determining how interactions
with the micro- and mesofauna influence bacterial and fungal community assembly.
Method: We used exclusion microcosms with windows covered with mesh of different pore sizes
(31, 50, 100, 250, 500, 1000 μm) and filled up with sterilized soil. Microcosms were buried in
grassland soil following a randomized design across adjacent blocks and harvested after 3, 9 and
12 months. Bacterial, fungal and faunal community composition in the exclusion microcosms was
monitored using high-throughput sequencing of the 16S and 18S rRNA genes.
Results: Bacterial, fungal and faunal phylogenetic diversity (PD), species richness and evenness
(Pielou index) increased and stabilized after 9 months. In comparison to the initial colonization of
the sterile soil, effects of mesh exclusion treatment were more pronounced for microcosms with
mesh pore size lower than 1000 μm after stabilization of the communities (9 months). We found
that mesh exclusion mostly increased the relative abundance of OTUs belonging to protists, while
the opposite was observed for bacterial and fungal OTUs. Network inference revealed that more
than 90% of mesh-specific negative links involving Cercozoa were connected to bacteria from the
Bacteroidetes phylum.
Conclusions: Altogether these findings provide important insights on how the soil fauna is shaping
microbial community assembly in a grassland field.
541
Ungulate effects on root fungi community at Mediterranean montane areas.
Elena Baraza1, Jennifer Adams Krumins2, Daniel Gambra3, INCREMENTO-Consortium, Ramon
Perea3
1
University of Balearic Island, Palma, Spain, 2Montclair State University, Montclair, USA, 3Madrid
Polytechnic, University School of Forestry Engineering and Natural Resources, Madrid, Spain

Aim: The ability of herbivores to alter the microbial communities of the soil and rhizosphere has
been the subject of study in recent decades. The ungulates can modify the fungi associated with
the roots directly by the consumption of plants, or indirectly by changing the soil physical and
chemical characteristics. In several areas of Spain, there is a high density of red deer that has led
to the construction of exclosures that allow the development of vegetation.
Method: In this study, the community of fungi associated with roots of plants with different
palatability has been analysed by Next Generation Sequencing, comparing areas excluded from
livestock for a long time (15 years), areas with controlled densities for 3 months and free grazing
areas at three different vegetation types. Sequences obtained from Ilumina amplification of root
DNA from the ITS regions were used to calculate alpha diversity index and beta diversity was
analyzed by nonmetric multidimensional scaling (nMDS) method.
Results: No effects were found on alpha diversity. However, the long-term exclosures presented
more obvious differences in their fungi composition. Interestingly, three months under various
grazing regimes are sufficient to affect the fungal communities of the root, for both highly consumed
species and less palatable species.
Conclusions: Ungulates have a strong impact on the composition of the fungal community
associated with plant roots in Mediterranean ecosystems. Short periods of intense grazing are
enough to affect the community of rhizosphere fungi.
543
Functional significance of Mucoromycotina ‘fine root endophyte’ fungi in plant nitrogen
nutrition
Nathan Howard1, Tim Daniel, Katie Field
1
University Of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
Mucoromycotina ‘fine root endophytes’ (MFRE) are widespread mutualistic fungal symbionts of
plant species. MFRE fungi facilitate host plant N acquisition from soil, but their capability to access
diverse sources of N remains unresolved. Similarly, the ‘costs’ to plants of hosting MFRE in terms
of photosynthetically-fixed carbon are also unknown. Using stable- (15N) and radioisotope tracers
(14C) we investigated the capacity and preference of MFRE in accessing, assimilating and
transferring 15N to their host plant, Plantago lanceolata, across a range of organic and inorganic N
sources. Initially, an axenic compartmentalised fungal ‘choice’ microcosm, was used to investigate
the symbiosis in the absence of confounding microbes. We found significantly more glycine was
transferred to host plants than all other N sources trialled in return for greater 14C allocation than
fungi treated with inorganic N sources received.
We used the same isotope tracers in non-sterile, soil-based experimental systems to investigate
the effect of a soil microbiome on C-for-nutrient exchanges between MFRE and P. lanceolata
across the same range of 15N sources as our previous experiment. We found that symbiotic transfer
of 15N to host plants does occur in soil systems. Our research provides new insights into the
importance of diverse soil fungal symbionts in plant nutrition, defining a new role for MFRE in
accessing and assimilating soil N by plants.
545
Revisiting microbial soil DNA pools and reevaluating the stories told
Sophia Felicitas Angelika Strobl1, Mag. Judith Ascher-Jenull1, Magdalena Nagler1,2, Univ.-Heribert
Insam1, Sabine Marie Podmirseg1
1
University Of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria, 2Eurac Research, , Italiy

Aim: The soil microbial metagenome is defined as the totality of the microbial genomes, or as the
entire microbial genetic material recovered from soil samples. This total soil DNA pool (totDNA) is
composed of its intracellular (iDNA) and extracellular fraction (exDNA) - actively or passively
released into the environment. exDNA can be further divided into free DNA, and DNA that is weakly
or tightly bound onto organic or mineral soil particles. Routine approaches based on totDNA are
potentially biased by a masking of iDNA by exDNA, affecting the gathered information on current
microbiome composition and activity.
Method: Here, we sequentially extracted all aforementioned DNA fractions (differently strong bound
exDNA vs. iDNA) from three different soil types with varying physico-chemical characteristics and
performed a comparative analysis with the directly extracted totDNA. We applied high throughput
NGS on all DNA types (exDNA vs. iDNA vs. totDNA) and correlated the respective results with
RNA-cDNA-based and dehydrogenase-based microbial activity proxies.
Results: DNA types varied in their quantity and molecular weight, with totDNA and iDNA achieving
the highest yields, and the exDNA fractions the lowest. Nonetheless, the exDNA fractions make up
a quantitatively and qualitatively important part of the soil totDNA that might blur the information
derived from iDNA.
Conclusions: Our findings will add to the correct interpretation and understanding of results from
previous and future microbial community studies.
547
Plant-Parasitic Nematode Infection Impacts The Quality And Quantity Of Plant-Carbon
Exchanged With Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi
Christopher Bell1, Emily Magkourilou1,2, P Urwin1, Katie Field2
1
University Of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom, 2University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom

Aim:
Plants interact with many biotrophic symbionts simultaneously, from mutualistic arbuscular
mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) to parasitic potato cyst nematodes (PCN). As obligate biotrophs, AMF rely
exclusively on their hosts for carbon in the form of carbohydrates and lipids. The impact of
competing symbionts on the regulation of carbon transfer from plant to AMF is unknown.
Method:
We examined the movement of host-fixed carbon resources to AMF symbionts of potato with
concurrent PCN infection, using a combination of radioisotope labelling, LC-MS and
transcriptomics.
Results:
We found that host resources were partitioned towards AMF-colonised, rather than PCN-infected
root tissues of the same plant. However, PCN infection disrupted movement of recently-fixed
carbon from plant roots to AMF, with AMF-colonised roots withholding recent photosynthate rather
than deliver to their beneficial fungal partners. LC-MS revealed that when PCN infected an AMF-
colonised host, the delivery of monosaccharide-based carbon to their fungal partners was
dramatically reduced, whilst delivery of carbon as fatty acids was maintained. Transcriptomic
analysis indicates that differential delivery of carbon resources to AMF is potentially plant-led rather
than AMF-regulated.
Conclusions:
When roots are concurrently parasitised by nematodes the supply of monosaccharides to AMF is
dramatically reduced yet lipid delivery is maintained. This may have evolved as a potential
mechanism for the host to promote beneficial symbiosis by supplying specific compounds to
specific regions of the root system where benefit is perceived. Assessment of AMF function
alongside additional soil organisms is vital to effectively determine their role in plant and soil
community structure and function.
556
Impact of Potato Cyst Nematodes on the Function of Mycorrhizal Networks
Emily Magkourilou1, Christopher Bell, Tim Daniell, Peter Urwin, Katie Field
1
The University Of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom

Aim:
Plants typically interact with multiple, co-occurring symbionts, including arbuscular mycorrhizal
fungi (AMF) which can connect plant neighbours via hyphal networks. The most studied aspect of
plant symbioses with AMF is the exchange of plant carbon-for-fungal-derived nutrients, with recent
findings suggesting that the presence of competing organisms such as aphids or potato-cyst
nematodes (PCN) can disrupt this exchange. However, the role of mycorrhizal networks connecting
multiple host plants, alongside additional competing organisms remains unknown.
Method:
We grew two neighbouring plants in the same container pot, separated by a root-excluding mesh
which allowed AMF hyphae to grow through. All plants were inoculated with AMF, but not all were
infected with PCN. We employed established isotope tracing techniques to track 33P allocation from
the fungus to the plant and 14C from the plant to the fungus.
Results:
In the treatment where one plant was infected with PCN, but its neighbouring plant was not, we
found evidence of preferential allocation of 33P to the PCN-free plant. Conversely, plant carbon
provision to the fungus did not differ between the treatments, suggesting there was no preferential
allocation to particular symbionts by the plants in any of our experiments.
Conclusions:
Our work suggests common mycorrhizal networks may be important in mediating multi-symbiont
interactions in plant-soil systems. Our findings highlight the importance of employing experimental
designs of increasing ecological relevance to more fully understand the carbon-for-nutrient
dynamics in AMF-plant networks.
562
Weak Effects of Long-term P Fertilization on Soil Nematodes in Agricultural Soils from
France
Margot Brondani1, Remi Arassus1, Alain Mollier2, Claude Plassard1, Mickaël Hedde1, Jean Trap1
1
Eco&Sols, IRD, INRAE, CIRAD, Institut Agro, Univ Montpellier, Montpellier, France, 2ISPA,
Bordeaux Sciences Agro, INRAE, Villenave d'Ornon , France

Aim: Soil nematodes are key components of the soil food web and play major functions at the soil-
plant interface. They are known to be affected by phosphorus (P) supply, and that this impact is
dependent to soil texture. While most of the studies investigated the short-term responses, here we
aimed at characterizing the long-term effects (more than 30 years) of soil nematode communities to
P fertilization.
Method: We studied the soil nematode communities from soil samples collected along two long-
term P-fertilization trials in southern France. Both field trials showed contrasting soil types (i.e.
sandy and clay-loamy texture) which will allow us to evaluate nematode response according to soil
texture.
Results: The abundance and alpha diversity of soil nematodes exhibited weak and insignificant
responses to P treatments in both field experiments. Similarly, the nematode indices (Maturity
Index, Enrichment and Structure indices) did not vary significantly among the P treatments. We
plan to analyze nematode functional traits (e.g., mass, P content) to account for other important
nematode metrics.
Conclusions: Our results show that, irrespective to soil texture, soil nematodes are highly resilient
against P addition at least at the community level. However, further deeper analyses based on
traits are required to validate this statement.
564
Grassland Degradation-Induced Declines in Soil Fungal Complexity Reduce Fungal
Community Stability and Ecosystem Multifunctionality
Shan Luo1,2,3, Kenny Png4,5, Nicholas J. Ostle1, Huakun Zhou6, Xiangyang Hou7, Chunling Luo6,
John N. Quinton1, Urs Schaffner8, Christopher Sweeney4, Dangjun Wang6, Jihua Wu9, Yuwei Wu9,
Richard D. Bardgett4
1
Lancaster University, Lancaster, United Kingdom, 2German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity
Research (iDiv), Leipzig, Germany, 3Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany, 4The University of
Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom, 5Nanyang Technological University, , Singapore,
6
Chinese Academy of Science, , China, 7Shanxi Agricultural University, , China, 8Centre for
Agriculture and Bioscience International, , Switzerland, 9Lanzhou University, , China

Aim:
Soil microorganisms are major regulators of ecosystem functioning and are under threat from
human-induced disturbances. Among these threats is grassland degradation, which is estimated to
affect 49% of the grassland area worldwide, threatening biodiversity and ecosystem functioning.
We aimed to test how grassland degradation influences belowground microbial communities, their
stability, and functioning, and how effective restoration efforts are for the recovery of these
important belowground properties.
Method:
We assessed soil fungal network complexity and a suite of ecosystem functions along a well-
characterised gradient of grassland degradation and restoration on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau,
and conducted an accompanying microcosm experiment designed to test the effects of complexity
on stability in soil fungal communities.
Results:
We found that with increasing levels of grassland degradation, soil fungal communities became
less complex and were less compositionally stable when confronted with drought under laboratory
conditions. Moreover, this degradation-induced reduction in fungal community complexity was
associated with lower ecosystem multifunctionality. However, fungal communities and ecosystem
multifunctionality failed to recover even after ten years of grassland restoration.
Conclusions:
Our results indicate that degradation-induced simplification of fungal communities can impair fungal
community stability and ecosystem multifunctionality, thereby highlighting the need to protect and
restore healthy grasslands with complex belowground microbial communities.
573
Evidence of ecological critical slowing-down in temperate soils
Fiona Fraser1, Ron Corstanje2, Lindsay Todman3, Diana Bello Currás4, Gary Bending5, James
Harris2, Sally Hilton6, Joanna Zawadka2, Andrew Whitmore7, Karl Ritz8
1
SRUC, Aberdeen, United Kingdom, 2Cranfield University, Cranfield, UK, 3University of Reading,
Reading, UK, 4University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain, 5University
of Warwick, Coventry, UK, 6Micropathology Ltd, Coventry, UK, 7Rothamsted Research, Harpenden,
UK, 8University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonnington, UK

Aim:
The resilience of ecological systems is crucially important, particularly in the context of climate
change. We present experimental evidence of critical slowing-down arising from perturbation of a
key function in a complex ecosystem, using a basic soil biological function (respiration) as an
exemplar.
Method:
Soils collected from across England and Wales were exposed to multiple drying:rewetting cycles
and respiration measured continuously during the wet stages. Data was analysed to look for
changes in variance and autocorrelation over 4 cycles. These metrics were used to classify soils
into different functional behaviours which were then compared to covariates to understand drivers
of resilience and map these at a national scale.
Results:
We found soils that could be classified as adaptive, resilient, fragile or non-resilient. The latter
involved increasing erratic behaviour (i.e. increasing variance), and the propagation of such
behaviour (i.e. autocorrelation), this was interpreted as a critical slowing-down of the observed
function. Soil microbial phenotype and land-use were predominantly related to variance and
autocorrelation respectively. No relationship was found between biodiversity and resilience, but the
ability of a community to be compositionally flexible rather than biodiversity per se appeared to be
key to retaining system function.
Conclusions:
Some soils from England and Wales have low levels of resilience to D:RW cycles, and that yet
more have potential to lose resilience when challenged by climate change. If this is true of English
and Welsh soils it will also likely be the case for other soils in other temperate regions, especially
those under intensive management.
579
Contribution of forest fungi to fungal necromass decomposition and soil carbon storage
Marc Buée1, François Maillard1, Elsa HILAIRE1, Nicolas ANGELI2, Aurélie CEBRON4, Michael
DANGER4, Christian HOSSANN2, Annegret KOHLER1, Francis MARTIN1, Laurent SAINT-ANDRE3,
Bernhard ZELLER2
1
Inrae, Université de Lorraine UMR IAM, Champenoux, France, 2Université de Lorraine,
AgroParisTech, INRAE, SILVA, F-54000 Nancy, France, 3INRAE, BEF, Champenoux, France,
4
CNRS-Université de Lorraine, LIEC, Vandoeuvre-les-Nancy, 54506

Aim: In forests, a large part of the carbon from plant organic matter is incorporated into the
microorganisms responsible for its decomposition, in particular fungi. These fungi produce a
necromass corresponding to a large stock of C in the soil. Our aim is to contribute to the
characterization of the microorganisms involved in the decomposition of fungal necromass and to
assess the impact of forest management on the functional diversity of fungi in terms of input or
export of carbon in soils.
Method: Through different tools (metabarcoding, transcriptomic, isotopic and enzymatic
approaches), we will shed new light on the potential role of fungi, in particular ectomycorrhizal
(EcM) fungi, in the decomposition of fungal necromass in soil forest.
Results: Through different experiments, we revealed that some EcM species had high nitrogen
mobilization capacities from exogenous fungal chitin, providing evidence that EcM fungi can
efficiently i) degrade fungal necromass, and ii) transfer organic N to their host plant. In this
communication, we will also illustrate the consequences of massive forest biomass export on the
diversity of microbial communities in soil forest and the associated functional changes. Following
this forest management, we have highlighted differences in fungal decomposition dynamics related
to changes in the structure of microbial communities (e.g. copiotrophic/oligotrophic bacteria ratio
and EcM/saprotrophic fungi ratio), as well as to the chemical quality of the necromass
(stoichiometric changes).
Conclusions: All these results reveal that soil fungi are central actors in the carbon input / output, or
its stabilization, in the forest soil.
584
Describing Succession of Decomposer Fungi on Coarse Woody Debris in a Central
European Virgin Forest
Tijana Martinovic1,2, Domen Finzgar1,3, Marko Bajc1, Hojka Kraigher1
1
Slovenian Forestry Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia, 2Institute of Microbiology of the CAS, Prague,
Czech Republic, 3Institute of Evolutionary Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United
Kingdom

Aim:
Species composition and interactions among species of decomposer fungi are constantly changing
during sequential decomposition of wood. Succession is not unidimensional - after a particular
decomposing species reaches its peak, it is not always replaced by the determined species.
Instead, succession follows different decomposition pathways. The aim of this study was to
describe the fungal succession in the decomposing wood in a virgin temperate forest (Rajehnavski
Rog) in Slovenia.
Method:
Following a 6-class description of decomposition stages, samples from coarse woody debris (CWD)
were collected from the first five stages. The wood dust was collected ex-situ and used for DNA
extraction. Fungal ITS2 region was used for amplicon sequencing on Ilumina MiSeq.
Results:
Early decomposition stages were characterized by a higher relative abundance of Basidiomycota
compared to Ascomycota (average 62% in the first decomposition stage), while Ascomycota
dominated in the later stages (average 93% in the last stage). While the genera Aureobasidium and
Purpureocillium (Ascomycota), both common soil fungi, were present in all decomposition stages,
genus Bjerkandera (Basidiomycota), comprising mainly white-rot species, was among the more
dominant genera in the first decomposition stage. In the second and third decomposition stages, a
greater relative abundance of the genus Fomes (Basidiomycota), which also consists of wood-
decomposing fungi, was observed.
Conclusions:
Our results complement previous records and provide great insight into understanding the
succession of fungal communities in decomposing wood and the limitations of different methods.
589
Do Soil Conservation Agriculture Permit Soil Biodiversity and Soil Properties Restoration.
Results from Farm Network
Guénola Pérès1, Cécile Richard1, Safya Menasseri1, Daniel Cluzeau2
1
Institut Agro, INRAe, UMR SAS, Rennes, France, 2University of Rennes 1, CNRS, UMR EcoBio,
Rennes, France

At farm scale, soil conservation agriculture includes several agricultural practices such as
mechanical reduced soil disturbance, use of cover crops, long crop rotation and organic matter
management. These systems are expected to be good alternatives to conventional systems which
have led to a decrease of soil biodiversity and multi-functionality. Many studies worldwide have
analyzed the impact of these systems on different soil properties, but most of them focusing on
isolated properties (physical, biological or chemical properties). Moreover, many studies have used
Long Term Experimental sites, where the effect on one or at least two practices (e.g. mechanical
reduced disturbance, organic matter management) are assessed, while an integrated view of the
impact of all practices applied under soil conservation agriculture is still lacking, especially in “real”
life. One aim of SoilMan project (https://ecobiosoil.univ-rennes1.fr) was to study how soil
conservation agriculture managed by farmers impact on soil biodiversity (earthworm community,
microbial biomass), soil properties (aggregate stability, nutrient content, hypha lengh) and
ecosystem services (water regulation, yield). Twelve fields managed by farmers and located in
Brittany (France) were studied in 2018, allowing the comparison of direct seeding and conventional
ploughing systems. The results highlighted that, despite the heterogeneity of soil texture, direct
seeding systems positively impacted earthworm abundance, biomass and diversity as well as
anecic abundance, and in a lesser extent epigiec and endogeic community (p>0.05). These
systems also improved microbial biomass, nitrogen and carbon rates in the first 10 centimeters of
soil. They increased aggregate stability at both depths [0-10; 10-20cm] for the fast wetting and
breakdown tests, linked to microbial biomass, carbon content, and length of hypha (for fast
wetting). Despite an increase of hydraulic conductivity at the first 10 cm [0-10 cm] for -0.5hPa, no
real effect was noticed for the water infiltration. Regarding provisioning service, wheat yields
obtained in direct seeding systems were not lower than those under conventional ploughing
system, demonstrating the capacity under direct seeding to maintain the yield. As a conclusion,
direct seeding systems by improving several soil functions and by the way several ecosystem
services such as soil biodiversity conservation, nutrient cycling and soil structure maintenance,
provide resilience capacity of this agroecological system and resistance against soil erosion.
Moreover, by maintaining yield, it reinforces the idea that these agroecological systems based on
three major pillars (no mechanical disturbance, length and divers crop rotation, fertilisation) give a
real opportunity for developing sustainable practices.
592
Soil Remediation Methods after Decades of Nitrogen Deposition
Henk Siepel1
1
Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, Netherlands

Nutrient-poor sandy soils (mostly spodosols) are susceptive of acidification by atmospheric

deposition. After decades of sulphate deposition, which declines now, deposition of oxidised and
reduced nitrogen, however, continues. Next to an acidifying aspect, nitrogen deposition has also an
nutrient unbalancing aspect, as N:P ratios increase. Traditional restoration methods such as sod-
cutting on heathlands increase the N:P ratio even more, while the usual method to combat
acidification, liming, binds phosphorus, resulting overall also in an increase of the N:P ratio.
Currently, we are investigating new methods to overcome both the acidification effect as well as to
restore a more balanced N:P ratio together. Rock dust application, especially those having a
significant amount of apatite as P source, seems a good candidate in fulfilling above promises, as it
has both the effect of pH increase as well as a slow-release of essential minerals which were
leached in the acidification process in soil. Moreover, the apatite containing sorts can supply the
limited amount of P in these soils. In a number of experiments we compared to addition of P,
traditional liming and addition of various types of rock dust by measuring the abundance and
diversity of soil microarthropods, all identified to the species level and grouped in life-history
strategies, size-classes or feeding guilds. The results revealed significant increases of herbivores
after P addition and like-wise declines after liming even on the long run. Rock dust application
seems to fulfil both the promise of pH increase (depending on the given amount) as well some
restoration of the nutrient balance. Long-term experiments, however, suffer from the continued N
deposition, which let positive initial effects disappear again. Moreover, we discuss, the potential
loss of species, essential in decomposition processes, during decades of unsuitable habitat and
food provisioning, due to a lower abundance of especially mycorrhizal fungi.
593
COMPARATIVE GENOMICS and EVOLUTIONARY HISTORY of NOD GENES of 38
BRADYRHIZOBIUM STRAINS SYMBIONTS of LEGUMES
Daniele Cabral Michel1, Teotonio Soares de Carvalho1, Konstantinos Konstantinidis2, Fatima Maria
De Souza Moreira1
1
Universidade Federal De Lavras, Lavras, Brazil, 2Georgia Institute of Technology, ,

The genus Bradyrhizobium stands out among the symbiotic N2-fixing bacteria due to the high
diversity and economic and environmental importance of its hosts in the Leguminosae family. The
genomes of 38 Bradyrhizobium strains and isolated from soybean (Glycine max), lima bean
(Phaseolus lunatus) and forage peanut (Arachis pintoi) of different Brazilian biomes were
sequenced for comparative genomic analysis and molecular phylogeny in comparison to the type
strains of the already described species of the genus. Strains from each of the three legume
species were assigned to clades with known Bradyrhizobium species as well as independent
clades likely representing novel species. The similarity matrix based on the average nucleotide
identity showed similar results to the phylogenetic tree constructed based on universal genes, and
allowed the identification of three new species isolated from the forage peanut, a new species from
the soybean and a new lima bean species. The phylogeny of each of the nodulation genes nodA,
nodB, nodC, nodD1, nodI, nodJ, nodN, nodZ and nodW showed very similar topologies and all
strains were grouped according to the host plants from which they were isolated. Besides, there
was no apparent effect of geographic origin on the tree clustering patterns. Therefore, the strains
showed a very similar evolutionary history based on whole-genome and nodulation genes,
indicating limited horizontal transfer of the latter genes. Collectively, our analysis showed high
diversity among Bradyrhizobium strains and species that are native to Brazilian soils and establish
symbiosis with different species of native or exotic legumes.
594
What are the Key Drivers (Environmental and Anthropic Parameters) of Earthworm
Community at Watershed Scale
Guénola Pérès1, Christian Walter1, Mathieu Emily3, Manuel Plantegenest2
1
Institut Agro, INRAe, UMR SAS, Rennes, France, 2Institut Agro, INRAe, UMR IGEPP, Rennes,
France, 3Institut Agro, INRAe, UP AM, Rennes, France

Soil biodiversity dynamic and spatial distribution are strongly influenced by anthropic parameters
(land use, agricultural practices) and by environmental factors (pedological, climate contexts). Many
researches have studied the drivers of earthworm community at fine scale (field) and by modelling
have identified divers at large scale (European, Global). However, there is still a lack about the
drivers at medium scale such as watershed scale reflecting the heterogeneity of agricultural
landscape, and models still need to be developed. In this context, SoilServ project (ANR project 16-
CE32-0005-01) carried in Brittany (France), collected biological, environmental and agronomical
data at watershed scale (5 km²) in order to identify which are the main drivers that affect earthworm
distribution. In march 2018, 92 points were sampled at Kervidy-Naizin watershed which is part of
ORE AgrHys supervised since 1993 by research institute INRAe and characterized by mixed crop-
livestock farming systems. Earthworms were sampled by hand-sorting combined by AITC
application. Earthworm communities were characterized the abundance, biomass, ecological
diversity (epigeic, epi-anecic, strict anecic, endogeic) and species diversity. Moreover, each
sampling point was characterized by i) soil properties (pH, C, N, P contents, texture, bulk density,
hydromorphic state), ii) land use (crop, inter-crop, permanent or temporary meadow), and iii)
agronomical past history since 2012 (crop rotation, ploughing actions, number of years of
meadows). Different models (RandomForest, Gradient Boosting Trees, Cubist, Generalised linear
mixed models) were applied and compared to test the relevance of the different drivers identified.
The application of these different models provided robust results and permitted, at watershed scale,
to i) reinforce the role played by pH and texture in earthworm spatial distribution, previously noticed
at European scale, ii) highlight new key drivers (bulk density, hydromorphic state), iii) precise
agricultural managements which affect biological distribution (land use, rotation), demonstrating the
crucial importance of the field agronomical history. It appears that the knowledge of agronomical
drivers (e.g. nb of years of meadow in crop rotation) is a real tool which could be addressed to
farmers in order to maintain/improve earthworm community and associated ecosystem services at
watershed scale.
595
Modest microturbellarians: revealing the undocumented biodiversity of limno-terrestrial
Rhabdocoela in the British Isles
Christopher Laumer1, Olwen Belgrove2
1
The Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom, 2University College London, London,
United Kingdom

Aim:
Most surveys of soil invertebrates focus on cuticle-bound organisms, but soils also contain soft-
bodied organisms, dominant among which are the microturbellaria, free-living flatworms <2 mm in
size. Their taxonomy is based principally on their internal reproductive organs, which are best
studied in live specimens. This fact, and a difficult taxonomic literature, has discouraged research:
most of the ca. 50 known species are type locality endemics. They are to date effectively unknown
in the British Isles.
Method:
We have sampled throughout the UK, mostly centred in SE England and greater London, extracting
meiofauna using a Whitehead-Hemming tray method. Live microturbellarians are isolated and
vouchered with photomicrograph series. These specimens will be subjected to a bespoke
transcriptome amplification method, producing pools of up to 96 libraries for sequencing using the
latest nanopore chemistry, which we anticipate will yield 100s of high-confidence gene sequences
which we intend to exploit for phylogenetic inference and multilocus species delimitation.
Results:
We have studied over 200 specimens, which fall into at least 35 provisional morphospecies, many
likely new to science. The validity of these species, and the prevalence of cryptic species, will be
tested using the aforementioned transcriptome-skimming protocol. This may be seen as a case
study for an accessible, cost-effective protocol for multilocus DNA taxonomy, suitable for a wide
variety of organismic groups.
Conclusions:
Microturbellarians are a ubiquitous but universally overlooked constituent of soil communities.
Rarefaction curves suggest that considerable diversity still remains to be observed. We hope to
highlight these organisms as worthy subjects for future research on fundamental, applied, and
conservation biology.
602
Dispersal Patterns of Oribatid Mites Across Habitats and Seasons
Peter Hans Cordes1, Mark Maraun1, Ina Schaefer1
1
JFB Institute of Zoology and Anthropology, University Of Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany

Aim:
To understand temporal and spatial shifts in biodiversity it is fundamental to investigate dispersal
patterns and species’ dispersal limitations structuring mesofauna communities. The aim of this
study was to investigate the importance of oribatid mite dispersal using Malaise traps to exclude
sole passive wind-dispersal. We hypothesized (1) that oribatid mite communities in the traps differ
between habitats, indicating habitat-limited dispersal. Further, we hypothesized (2) that oribatid
mite communities differ among seasons suggesting that dispersal varies due to changing
environmental conditions.
Method:
Oribatid mite communities were collected over a three-year period from five different habitats
(coniferous forests, deciduous forests, mixed forests, meadows, bog/heathlands sites) and three
different seasons (spring, summer, autumn) across Sweden. Mites entered traps either by walking
or by phoresy i.e., by being attached to flying insects.
Results:
The majority of the collected species were not typically soil-living species but rather from habitats
such as trees, lichens and mosses. Oribatid mite communities differed significantly between forest
habitats and bog/heathlands and meadows, i.e., species were restricted to their local habitats.
Oribatid mite communities were further significantly different across all seasons.
Conclusions:
The predominance of not typically soil-living species indicates that walking into the traps or entering
them via phoresy are of greater importance for aboveground than for soil-living species. Oribatid
mite communities collected in the traps likely originated from the surrounding local habitat
suggesting that long distance dispersal of oribatid mites is scarce. Significant differences among
seasons indicate higher dispersal during warm and dry periods of the year.
610
A DNA barcode reference library for terrestrial enchytraeids in Europe
Rüdiger Schmelz, Joaquín Vierna, Verónica Rojo, Antón Vizcaíno, Jörg Römbke, Stephan Jänsch,
Lukas Bender, Tamás Felföldi, Svante Martinsson, Mårten Klinth, Christer Erséus
1
freelance, A Coruña, Spain

We created a DNA barcode reference library for the majority of common European terrestrial
enchytraeid species.
The library is result of the joint work of several authors and laboratories. Backbone is the
Scandinavia Clitellate Library, established in the framework of National Taxonomy Initiatives of
Sweden and Norway. It covers 2267 specimens in 322 species hypotheses with 2262 COI
sequences, 1382 of 16S, 1087 of ITS, and 941 of H3. It is enriched by libraries of several hundred
specimens stemming from other research projects at the European level (e.g., EcoFinders,
SoilMan), apart from DNA sequences in the published databases. The specimens are from Sweden
and 13 further European countries.
Animals were heat-extracted from soil samples and identified to species. DNA was extracted from
the posterior half of each individual, the anterior half was maintained as voucher for further
morphological studies. Cytochrome oxidase I (COI) was sequenced in all specimens, ITSI, ITS II,
16S and/or H3 only in a subset of them.
Tagging of names to sequences was not always straightforward, and thorough taxonomic work is
ongoing, integrating new DNA-analytical methods and refined morphological investigations.
Paramount is the anchorage of a sequence in an extant physical specimen. Especially challenging
is the high number of new species, many of them cryptic. The most common nominal species,
Enchytraeus buchholzi, is also the most diverse, with so far 26 species hypotheses. These species
must be named, because only named species gain reality in biodiversity assessments.
618
From the Coast to the Andes; Analysing Pedology on Litter Decomposition and Soil
Microbial Decomposers.
Aurora Gaxiola1,2, José M Murúa3, Felipe A. Figueroa1,2, José A Morillo4, Juan J Armesto1,2
1
Pontificia Universidad Catolica De Chile, Santtiago De Chile, Chile, 2Instituto de Ecología y
Biodiversidad, , Chile, 3University of California, Irvine, USA, 4Estación Experimental en Zonas
Áridas, Almería, España

Soil nutrient availability can regulate shifts in plant species distribution patterns often predicted by
climate change models. However, soil nutrient availability can result from unbalanced rates of two
ecological processes; litter production (and quality) and litter decomposition.
Therefore, a mechanistic understanding of decomposition processes is key to making predictions
about future ecosystem dynamics. The inclusion of soil microbial decomposers is key if we aim to
predict changes in soil nutrient availability, ecosystem processes (e.g. litter decomposition), and
shifts in species distribution patterns. Accordingly, in this study, we evaluated the extent to which
litter traits have regulatory controls on soil microbial communities, litter decomposition and
potentially on soil nutrient availability.
For this, we established a longitudinal litter decomposition experiment using litter of 57 species
collected across 28 sites across Chile´s forest ecosystems. Forests on the Andes and the Coastal
Range have contrasting soil nutrient availabilities (due to contrasting pedology) and share several
dominant woody species. We quantified litter biomass loss, extracellular enzymatic activities, and
soil microbial composition via analyses of fungal and bacterial groups (e.g. DNA extractions and
analyses of 16s and ITS).
Our results show a strong effect of soil nutrient availability on litter decomposition, mainly via litter
quality. This suggests that living leaf tissues can have an “after life” effect on decomposition
processes. However, DNA analyses show that decomposers have high metabolic flexibility for
degrading plant litter irrespective of its origin and that several plant species (or ecological
strategies) select for microbial communities that preferentially decompose their own litter.

Fondecyt-Regular 1201643
622
Prairie restoration of marginal croplands does not increase diversity but shifts composition
of soil microfauna
Micaela Tosi, Dasiel Obregón1, Kevin MacColl2, Andrew MacDougall2, Hafiz Maherali2, Kari
Dunfield1
1
School of Environmental Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, Canada, 2Department of
Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Canada

Aim: Restoring native ecosystems in marginal lands of agricultural farms can recover biodiversity
and the provision of ecosystem services. Whereas the effects of ecosystem restoration on
aboveground diversity are well-known, effects on soil biota, particularly soil fauna, are less clear.
Here, we studied how grassland prairie restoration of marginal croplands affects the diversity and
composition of soil microfauna (protists, nematodes, tardigrades and rotifers).
Method: We analysed crop and neighbouring prairie sites in 5 productive farms from Ontario,
Canada. In each site, we collected soil samples (0-15 cm) from 5 randomly selected quadrats. After
DNA extraction, we carried out high-throughput sequencing targeting the 18S rRNA V4 region.
Amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) were classified taxonomically using the PR2 database and
non-target reads were removed.
Results: Depending on the farm, prairie restoration decreased or did not affect microfaunal ASV
alpha diversity. ASV community composition was affected by restoration, farm and their interaction.
Communities were dominated by Nematoda and protists from Cercozoa, Chlorophyta and Conosa.
Other less dominant taxa were Tardigrada and protists from Ciliophora, Lobosa, Apicomplexa and
Pseudofungi. Among crop soils, coarser textures presented higher dominance of Chlorophyta and
lower of Nematoda and Tardigrada. According to differential abundance analyses, prairie
restoration reduced Conosa and Lobosa (Amoebozoa), Discoba (Excavata) and Filosa-
Sarcomonadea (Rhizaria-Cercozoa). We will further explore how these changes in microfauna
relate to microbial communities.
Conclusions: Even though prairie restoration did not recover soil microfaunal diversity, it caused
marked shifts in community composition that could have functional implications, particularly for the
soil food web.
624
Standard metadata collection and data sharing via the National Microbiome Data
Collaborative
Montana Smith1, Chris Mungall, Mark Miller, Yuri Corilo, Sujay Patil, Julia Kelliher, Lee Ann McCue,
Emiley Eloe-Fadrosh
1
Pacific Northwest National Lab, Richland, United States

Aim:
The microbiome is a critical component of soil biodiversity. Modern omics technologies allow us to
assay multiple aspects of soil microbes, including their genome, the expression of gene products,
and metabolite profiles, giving us an insight into species composition and interactions. When
combined with other environmental and biodiversity data this is a powerful tool for understanding
soil biodiversity and community dynamics. However, the size and complexity of the data produced
presents huge challenges, particularly when it comes to integrating datasets together.
Method:
FAIR data principles, including the use of standardized metadata elements to describe soil
characteristics and sample processing, as well as standard ontologies such as the Environment
Ontology (ENVO) for soil types, are necessary to integrate these complex datasets. In this
presentation we describe the National Microbiome Data Collaborative (NMDC), a collaborative
effort to harness microbiome data in order to better understand the role of microbial communities in
environmental systems such as soil. We describe our work in the context of the Genomics
Standards Consortium (GSC) to harmonize soil data and metadata.
Results:
We invite discussion on how these standards can work hand in hand with broader FAIR data efforts
in soil biodiversity, including standards like Taxonomic Databases Working Group (TDWG,
Biodiversity Information Standards).
Conclusions:
This effort paired with community feedback will improve metadata capture, which in turn will elevate
science and the elucidation of soil biogeochemistry and biodiversity.
Posters
54
Long-term effects of phytomanagement with Populus sp. on soil biodiversity
Lur Epelde1, Erik Urionabarrenetxea1,2, Mikel Anza1, Michel Mench3, Helena Moreira4, Beatriz
Rodriguez-Garrido5, Juan Vilela6, Manu Soto2, Carlos Garbisu1
1
NEIKER, Basque Institute for Agricultural R&D, Derio, Spain, 2Research Centre for Experimental
Marine Biology and Biotechnology PIE-UPV/EHU, Plentzia, Spain, 3INRAE, Pessac cedex, France,
4
Universidade Católica Portuguesa, Porto, Portugal, 5MBG-CSIC , Santiago de Compostela, Spain,
6
CEA, Centro de Estudios Ambientales de Vitoria-Gasteiz, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain

Aim:
Soil metal contamination is a worldwide problem of great magnitude. Phytomanagement is based
on the use of plants to reduce and control risks arising from soil pollution while at the same time
restoring and generating other wider site services. The PHY2SUDOE project maintains a network
of contaminated sites that have been under phytomanagement for many years in Portugal, Spain
and France. The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term effects of phytomanagement with
Populus sp. on soil biodiversity and complexity at different levels of the trophic web.
Method:
Composite soil samples were taken in the contaminated sites ST Médard D’Eyrans (Gironde, FR),
Chaban-Delmas (Gironde, FR), Borralha (Montalegre, PT), Ariñez (Vitoria-Gasteiz, ES) and Touro
(Galicia, ES), both under phytomanagement and non-phytomanaged controls. Then,
metabarcoding analyses of 16S rRNA, ITS, 18s rRNA y COI genes were carried out.
Results:
The diversity, composition and complexity of the soil prokaryotic, fungal and invertebrate
communities were affected by the long-term phytomanagement practices. Site-specific soil
characteristics also had a significant influence on the edaphic biota.
Conclusions:
Given the essential functions it performs in contaminated soils, phytomanagement practices should
aim to restore soil biodiversity.
58
A Case Study on Restoring Soil Biodiversity: TalamhBeo’s Soil Biodiversity Literacy and
Enhancement EIP Project
Bridget Murphy1,
1
Talamh Beo Soil Biodiversity European Innovation Partnership Project, Dromard, Ireland

Aim:
This one-year project assess how farmers can successfully work towards soil biodiversity
restoration themselves if they are given access to knowledge, equipment, scientific support, and
each other.
Method:
The project was designed by farmers (a ground-up approach), led by farmers, and implemented by
farmers, with support from a soil scientist.
16 Irish farms were selected, covering different land & soil types and condition, geographical
locations and production systems. The farmers undertook a choice of educational courses,
including a microscopy certification component. A series of online Knowledge Transfer meetings
linked them to each other, and each farm hosted an event demonstrating their physical context and
journey to soil biodiversity regeneration. The soil scientist delivered soil sampling and testing, and
where farmers identified specific issues, she designed and assisted them running field trials.
Results:
The farmers can sample soil for chemical, physical and biological analysis, and physically identify
soil for health. They can interpret the scientific data and decide how to implement the
recommendations or experiment with amendments (eg bio-complete compost, inoculated biochar,
compost teas) or innovations to remediate. They have a group to share and refine their
experiences. The soil scientist has a list of research areas identified by need from the direct
engagement.
Conclusions:
Empowering farmers with knowledge, tools and access to scientific support helps them to restore
soil biodiversity and soil health. Topics requiring scientific research and support are identified by
need.
63
Overcoming Linnean shortfall in soil biodiversity: the case of soldierless termites from the
Amazon basin
Daniel Castro1, Tiago Carrijo2, Clara Peña-Venegas1
1
Instituto Amazonico De Investigaciones Cientificas Sinchi, Leticia, Colombia, 2Universidade
Federal do ABC, São Bernardo do Campo, Brasil

Aim:
This is an in-depth taxonomic study of soldierless termites (Apicotermitinae subfamily), to overcome
the Linnean shortfall in this group. It was estimated the bias of undescribed species, as well as
potential indicator species in Amazonian habitats.
Method:
Termite samples of the CATAC-SINCHI institute, Colombia, were examined. Samples were
collected using transect protocol, active search, and TSBF monoliths in 171 localities from the
Colombian Amazon, in seven natural and intervened habitats. Soldierless termites were identified
based on enteric valve and gut morphology. Most effective method for soldierless termites
according to their sampling effort were evaluated by rarefaction. Soldierless termite species as
indicator species of one or more habitats were obtained using IndVal values.
Results:
From 4.089 termite samples revised, 992 were soldierless (25%). From them, 201 termite species
were identified, being 54 soldierless (27%). From soldierless species, 29 were undescribed genera
and/or species. Rarefaction curves confirmed that TSBF (46 species, 53% undescribed) is the best
method for sampling soldierless termites and other soil-inhabiting termites, however, this implies a
very high sampling effort. In contrast, the transect method (33 species, 48%, undescribed) is better
when considering all termites species (no only soldierless). Analysing the IndVal results, 19
soldierless species were identified as indicator species for one or more habitats. From those, 10
species (53%) are still not yet described, and being found mainly as indicators of disturbed habitats.
Conclusions:
The unknown diversity of soldierless termites estimated by our study is high (54%), with 35% of
these undescribed species being potential indicators of different habitats. This highlights the
importance to study these species in soil ecology studies, where they are currently ignored. TSBF
method captures a high soil fauna diversity of undescribed species in the Amazonian habitats,
although the great sampling effort required.
64
The Importance of Soil Biodiversity in Sustainable Agriculture, Threats and Ways to
Conserve it
Mohamed Malas
1
Sudanese Environment Conservation Society, Khartoum , Sudan

Soil biodiversity is the variety of life that exists within the soil, including bacteria, fungi, Earthworms
and termites. We critically highlight some evidence for the importance of soil biodiversity and its
Sustainable management to sustaining (agro-)ecosystem. Soil biodiversity plays a critical role for
agriculture and food security through the services it Provides to the ecosystem. For example,
microorganisms in the soil convert organic and inorganic compounds, releasing Nutrients that
plants can feed on. These transformations are also necessary for the filtration And decomposition
of pollutants in water and soil. There is evidence that soil microbial diversity confers protection
against soil-borne disease, but crop and soil type and management also play a role. But human
activities, climate change and natural disasters can threaten the important role of Soil biodiversity in
ensuring sustainable agricultural food systems. The overuse and misuse of agrochemicals
continues to be one of the main causes of soil Biodiversity loss, thus reducing soil biodiversity
potential for sustainable agriculture and food Security. Preserving biodiversity requires many
efforts, agricultural land degradation must stop so that Agriculture can protect and restore
biodiversity within and around agricultural ecosystems. And organic Reducing the wasteful use of
pesticides and chemical fertilizers because of its Negative impact on biodiversity loss .
Environmental awareness and education may be among the important factors for the Protection of
soil biodiversity, by teaching farmers to use clean agriculture or integrated Control methods to
reduce pesticides and chemicals used and because of their harmful Impact On the environment
and health.
67
Plant roots fuel tropical soil animal communities
Zheng Zhou1, Jing-Zhong Lu1, Jooris Preiser1, Rahayu Widyastuti2, Stefan Scheu1,3, Anton
Potapov1,4
1
Johann Friedrich Blumenbach Institute of Zoology and Anthropology, University of Göttingen,
Göttingen, Germany, 2Department of Soil Sciences and Land Resources, Institut Pertanian Bogor
(IPB), Bogor, Indonesia, 3Centre of Biodiversity and Sustainable Land Use, Göttingen, Göttingen,
Germany, 4German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig,
Germany

Belowground life is traditionally considered to rely on leaf litter as the main basal resource, whereas
the importance of roots remains little understood, especially in the tropics. Here, we analysed the
response of 30 taxonomic groups of soil animals to root trenching and litter removal in rainforest
and plantations in Sumatra and found that roots are similarly important to soil fauna as litter.
Trenching effects were stronger in soil than in litter with animal abundance being overall decreased
by 42% in rainforest and by 30% in plantations. Litter removal little affected animals in soil, but
decreased the total abundance by 60% both in rainforest and rubber plantations but not in oil palm
plantations. Litter and root effects on faunal abundance were explained either by the body size or
vertical distribution of specific animal groups. Our findings provides the basis for animal-cantered
carbon modelling, ecosystem-friendly agricultural management, and conservation of soil animal
biodiversity in the tropics.
68
Distribution of Major Plant Parasitic Nematodes Associated with Tree Fruits within
Niagara/Southern Region of Canada
Tahera Sultana1, Jerry Akanwari1,2
1
Agriculture And Agri-food Canada, Vineland, Canada, 2Brock University, St. Catharines, Canada

Aim:
In Ontario, the fruit industry has a farm gate value of over $225 million, with the Niagara region
being the largest and most important fruit-growing area. Recently, fruit growers in the region are
witnessing considerable yield losses and the death of fruit trees which necessitated the need for
surveying for the presence of PPNs. Therefore, this study was conducted in year of 2019 and 2020
to determine the frequency of occurrence, prominent value (predominant species), and population
density of plant-parasitic nematodes in selected fruit orchards.
Method:
Soil samples were collected from different orchards and extracted using sieving and decanting,
followed by sugar centrifugal flotation method. Nematodes were morphologically and molecularly
identified.
Results:
The survey revealed the presence of Mesocriconema xenoplax, Pratylenchus penetrans,
Paratylenchus sp., Tylenchorynchus sp., and Helicotylenchus sp. The species Mesocriconema
xenoplax was the most predominant species found across the fruit crops. 100 % of surveyed fruit
orchards came positive with Mesocriconema xenoplax, where 83% had more than 200 nematodes
per kg. For the first time, the genera Paratylenchus is reported from fruit trees as the second most
predominant and abundant except in plums, where Xiphinema americanum was predominant and
abundant.
Conclusions:
Our data indicate that the Niagara region is witnessing an increase in the population of plant-
parasitic nematodes associated with fruit crops which requires attention. Generating awareness
among growers about the presence of plant-parasitic nematodes in their orchards and potential
yield loss due to this issue is ongoing.
70
Soil biodiversity and the regenerative farming movement in the UK
Anna Krzywoszynska1
1
University Of Oulu, Oulu, Finland

Aim: Understanding UK farmers’ perspective on soil biodiversity

There is an increasing interest in soil ecosystems in UK agriculture. A number of farming
movements and groups has emerged around the concept of ‘soil health’, promoting methods such
as regenerative agriculture. This paper present results of qualitative social science research with
farmers in the UK which investigated, firstly, what soil health related land management practices
are being taken up by farmers in the UK, and, secondly, how farmers understand and engage with
the concept of soil ecosystems.
Method: Survey and interview data, UK farmers
The paper presents data collected through 1. semi-structured interviews with 35 farmers in the UK
in 2017-2019, and 2. a survey of over 300 farmers in the UK conducted in 2019.
Results: A range of practices with no systemic focus; a desire to learn
The survey finds a wide uptake of soil health related land management practices in the UK. The
practices are not, however, combined to achieve systemic outcomes. Interview data indicates that
farmers in the UK have a strong interest in investigating soil ecosystems on their farms, and that
they use a variety of information and advice to strengthen their understanding. However, there is a
lack of place-specific support which would allow the farmers to achieve their learning objectives.
Conclusions: Mechanisms to enable greater collaboration between farming and research
communities
In conclusions, I outline a multi-scalar platform for intensifying farmers’ own research on soil
ecosystems while connecting with scientific research on soil biodiversity.
71
Tillage Effects on Ground Beetles in Temperate Climates
Moritz Nabel1, Phillip Müller2,3, Daniel Neuhoff2, Katja Schiffers2,4, Thomas Döring2
1
Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN), Bonn, Germany, 2Agroecology and Organic
Farming, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany, 3Energy and Mechanical Systems, Technical
University Cologne, Cologne, Germany, 4Horticultural Sciences, University of Bonn, Bonn,
Germany

Aim: Ground beetles (carabids) constitute an important functional component of biodiversity in

agroecosystems, mainly because of their role as predators of pests, but also as consumers of weed
seeds and as prey to other organisms. Over the past few decades, there has been a marked and
continuous decline of ground beetles in Europe, and many species of this insect family are
threatened by intensive agricultural practices. The effect of soil tillage, a standard technique in
arable farming, on carabids has been investigated in many experimental studies.
Method: review-study
Results: We show that the effects of intensive tillage on ground beetles—especially the use of
mouldboard ploughing—are extremely variable. Nonetheless, on balance across multiple studies,
greater tillage intensity tends to have a negative effect on abundance, species richness, and
diversity. The observed variability may partly be attributed to a change in species-specific food
availability or habitat conditions, induced by tillage. Tillage effects on dominant species tend to
have a strong impact on total carabid abundance. The high variability of carabid responses to
tillage is also a consequence of various modifying factors such as cover cropping, rotations, and
variations in weed control associated with tillage.
Conclusions: Because different modes of tillage tend to affect different carabid species, the
diversification of tillage operations within a farm or region may contribute to the overall diversity of
carabid communities.
77
Organic matter additions to horticultural soils: Management for enhancing soil microbial
function
Rachel Hasler1
1
Cranfield University, Machynlleth, United Kingdom

The type of soil organic amendment selected for addition to soil can have profound implications for
carbon cycling processes. Understanding the link between this choice and its effect on the soil
microbiome will improve our understanding of the capacity of these materials to improve carbon
sequestration and cycling dynamics. This research focused on utilising organic amendments to
alter the indigenous soil microbial community composition and function to improve the capacity of
the soil to cycle and store carbon in horticultural soils. The effects of the annual application of
various organic fertilisers (peat, bracken, bark, horse manure, garden compost) in a long-term
(10year) field experiment were explored. The response of soil microorganisms was assessed as
microbial biomass, community composition (Phospholipid Fatty Acid profiles), arbuscular
mycorrhizal fungi (neutral lipid biomarker 16:1ω5) and carbon functional cycling profiles (Multiple
Substrate Induced Respiration: MSIR); carbon was also quantified as total and hot water
extractable fractions. Microbial biomass measurements in soils amended with compost and horse
manure were significantly higher in quantity and composition to all other treatments and the control.
Peat provided the greatest shift of microbial community composition, bark increased the proportion
of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. All treatments significantly differed to the control in an analysis of
multiple substrate induced respiration. All treatments had a significant positive effect on hot water
extractable carbon and total carbon. More targeted application of resources will reduce waste and
ensure the legacy effects of organic matter applications are positive and support soil function.
83
Impact of subsoil warming due to electric transmission lines on soil organisms and their
activity
Christoph Emmerling1
1
University Of Trier, Soil Science Department, Trier, Germany

Aim:
In the future, electricity from wind power stations in the North Wadden Sea will be transported
through Germany via 380 kV underground electric transmission lines (UTL) at a soil depth of
140cm.
Naturally, soil temperature decrease with depth in line with respective temperature amplitudes.
During operation, UTL emit heat, thereby leading to temperature anomalies within the soil profile.
The study’s aim was to determine the impact of such operational subsoil warming on soil
organisms, microbes and earthworms.
Method:
The impact of UTL on soil temperature and moisture was modelled for a variety of soils and
evaluated against an existing UTL system. We determined soil microbial properties at various soil
temperatures and investigated earthworm burrowing activity by use of 2D Evans’ boxes of 160cm
hight.
Results:
Temperature increase through UTL operation relative to a control was on average 0.6, 1.1, 3.1 K in
30cm, 60cm and 140cm depth, respectively. As expected, microbial properties were subsequently
slightly enhanced. No significant differences were found for earthworm numbers, biomass, and
species composition. Results from Evans’ boxes revealed that anecic earthworms reduced
burrowing activity in heated subsoils (90 – 140cm) but increased their activity in the overlying soil.
However, no difference in burrowing activity was found.
Conclusions:
Operational soil warming by underground electric transmission lines has no significant impact on
soil micro-organisms and the earthworm community. Deep burrowing species, however, might be
affected in their burrowing activity. An overall evaluation scheme for the impact of soil temperature
on earthworms will be presented.
85
Organic Amendments Alter Soil Hydrology and Belowground Microbiome of Tomato
(Solanum lycopersicum)
Deborah Neher1, Taylor Readyhough1, Tucker Andrews1, Thomas Weicht1
1
University Of Vermont, Burlington, United States

Aim: Test the hypothesis that manure-based vermicompost promotes plant growth at least as well
as mineral fertilizer and is superior to windrow-based dairy manure compost or heat-treated poultry
pellets.
Method: Conducted a greenhouse experiment to grow tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) with three
organic amendment treatments (dairy manure compost: DMC, dairy manure-derived vermicompost:
VC, dehydrated poultry manure pellets: PP) and a conventionally fertilized control (C). We
measured plant growth and soil physical properties and characterized the bacterial and fungal
communities of the compartmentalized root microbiome using high-throughput amplicon
sequencing of 16S rRNA and ITS-1 spacer genes, respectively.
Results: Of manure-derived fertilizers amendments, only VC led to vigorous tomato growth
throughout the experiment, whereas DMC had mixed impacts on plant growth and PP was
detrimental. Organic amendments increased soil porosity and soil water holding capacity, but
delayed plant maturation and decreased plant biomass. Composition of bacterial communities were
affected more by organic amendment than fungal communities in all microhabitats. Composition of
communities outside roots (bulk soil, rhizosphere, rhizoplane) contrasted those within roots
(endosphere). Distinct microbial communities were detected for each treatment, with an abundance
of Massilia, Chryseolinea, Scedosporium, and Acinetobacter distinguishing the C, VC, DMC, and
PP treatments, respectively.
Conclusions: Plant growth is affected by the application of organic amendments not only because
of the soil microbial communities introduced, but also due to a synergistic effect on the physical soil
environment. Furthermore, there is a strong interaction between root growth and the spatial
heterogeneity of soil and root-associated microbial communities.
86
Effects of Microarthropod Density on the Composition of Soil Fungal Communities in
Nutrient-poor Ecosystems
Andrés A. Salazar-Fillippo1,2, Willem-Jan Emsens2, Seppe Strybos2, Charlotte van Diggelen2,
Ladislav Miko1,2,4, Jan Frouz1,4, Erik Verbruggen3, Rudy van Diggelen2
1
Institute for Environmental Studies, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech
Republic, 2Geobiology Research Group, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk,
Belgium, 3Plants and Ecosystems Research Group, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp,
Antwerp, Belgium, 4Institute of Soil Biology, Biological Centre Academy of Sciences of the Czech
Republic, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic

Aim:
Our aim was to study the effects of microarthropod (i.e. mites and springtails) density on fungal
communities in nutrient-poor ecosystems like heathlands and grasslands. This is highly relevant for
ecosystem functioning due to the contributions of such interactions to organic matter decomposition
during succession. Whereas microarthropods are likely to affect both the structure and function of
soil microbial communities, underlying processes remain poorly understood.
Method:
We conducted a 3-month in situ mesocosm experiment to determine the effects of soil
microarthropod density (low or high) on microbial decomposition and community composition of soil
fungi across a range of grasslands and heathlands in Belgium.
Results:
The mesocosms with higher microarthropod densities were characterized by a higher fungal
species richness and a higher number of fungal indicator species (i.e. 29 vs. 2). Moreover, fungal
community composition was clearly distinct from the low density treatment, regardless of
ecosystem type. However, the relative abundances of fungal functional groups and decomposition
rates remained unaffected by microarthropod density.
Conclusions:
Our study provided essential insight on the interactions within belowground communities. These
results suggest that microarthropods alter decomposition processes via alternative pathways, and
may thus eventually translate into practical management approaches favouring the development
and functioning of belowground communities.
87
Soil Microbial Community Responses to Two Years of Water Limitation in Scots Pine
Mesocosms
Astrid Jaeger1, Martin Hartmann1, Rafaela Feola Conz1, Johan Six1, Emily Solly1
1
Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland

Aim: We assessed the response of prokaryotic and fungal communities to different levels of
prolonged water deficit over two growing seasons of young Scots pine trees.
Method: A greenhouse experiment was conducted with mesocosms consisting of natural forest soil
and young Scots pine trees (Pinus Sylvestris L.). The mesocosms were adjusted to three soil
moisture levels for two years – control, intermediate, and severe water deficit (40% and 75%
reduction compared to control, respectively). DNA metabarcoding of fungal and prokaryotic
taxonomic markers combined with measurements of tree growth parameters and soil
physicochemical conditions was used to evaluate changes to water limitations on a seasonal
basis.
Results: Our results show that prokaryotic communities were less resistant to water limitation than
fungal communities. Water limitation promoted the proliferation of taxa known to be tolerant to
desiccation and prefer oligotrophic conditions, such as Acidobacteriota. Severe water deficit led to
a decline in the relative abundance of genera involved in nutrient cycling (e.g., Nitrospira) and
plant-growth promotion (e.g., Tuber and Paenibacillus). Moreover, a decrease in fresh carbon
inputs and an increase in residual complex organic compounds under water limitation induced a
shift from symbiont- to saprotroph-dominated communities. Water limitation favored the abundance
of saprotrophic Ascomycota (e.g., Penicillium) capable of decomposing dead plant material.
Conclusions: Our findings indicate that water limitation in forest soils will likely lead to a decrease in
the relative abundance of symbiotic microbial taxa, with cascading consequences for tree health
and forests affected by prolonged periods of drought.
90
Trophic interactions of Collembola at the soil pore scale
Jingzhong Lu1
1
University Of Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany

Aim: Soil pores serve as habitats for soil organisms interconnected by trophic interactions. Although
trophic interactions are essential for soil functioning, the drivers of trophic interactions remain
largely unknown. We studied how the physical structure of soil determines the trophic interactions
between food resources and consumers.
Method: In a microcosm experiment, we tested how the localisation of food resources at the soil
pore scale drives their accessibility to Collembola. We placed 13C-labelled sugar in four pore
classes (2–10, 10–50, 50–300, and >300 m) using the soil matric potential. Four collembolan
species with contrasting body sizes were incubated for four weeks, and their bulk and compound-
specific isotope composition in fatty acids were measured to assess the extent to which they
accessed food resources from pores.
Results: We expect that (i) soil pores < 50 m limit resource accessibility to all collembolan
species; (ii) resource accessibility varies with species, with larger species being more limited to
pores than smaller species, and (iii) fungi are the main food resource for Collembola and enable
them to access to resources in smaller pores via fungal hyphae.
Conclusions: Our interdisciplinary approach integrates soil physics and soil food web ecology to
test how size-based segregation of consumers and food resources drives trophic interactions in
dark and opaque soil.
92
Soil microbial community structures are shaped by agricultural systems revealing little
temporal variation
Aaron Fox1, Franco Widmer2, Andreas Luescher2
1
Teagasc, Wexford, Ireland, 2Agroscope, Zurich, Switzerland

Aim:
To determine if any differences in soil microbiome structures between both sharply contrasting,
slightly differing and quite similar agricultural systems persist through changing growth conditions.
Method:
Under field conditions, soil samples were taken from different agricultural systems; a sown
grassland to maize rotation (MC), an intensively managed permanent grassland (INT), as well as
extensively managed permanent grasslands with high (EXT_HP), low to sufficient (EXT_LP) and
deficient available P (EXT_DP), six times throughout the 2017 growing season. Soil DNA was
extracted, with the fungal internal transcribed spacer region (ITS2) and bacterial 16S rRNA gene
being PCR amplified and an amplicon-based Illumina Miseq sequence analysis conducted.
Results:
For both fungal and bacterial community structure, the influence of agricultural system (√CV =
0.256 and 0.145, respectively, both at least P < 0.01) was much greater than that of temporal
progression (√CV = 0.065 and 0.042, respectively, both P < 0.001). Importantly, nearly all
agricultural systems persistently harbored significantly distinct fungal community structures across
each of the six sampling events (all at least P < 0.05). There were not as many pairwise differences
in bacterial community structure between the agricultural systems, but some did persist (MC and
EXT_HP ~ EXT_DP, all P < 0.001).
Conclusions:
These results highlight the temporal stability of pairwise differences in soil microbiome structures
between established agricultural systems, even those with comparable management. This is a
highly relevant finding in informing the sampling strategy of studies in soil microbial ecology and for
designing efficient soil biodiversity monitoring systems.
93
Assessing taxonomic pipelines for analyses of soil metagenomic data
Niranjana Rose Edwin1,3, Orla O'Sullivan1, Fiona Brennan2, Florence Abram3
1
Teagasc, Moorepark Food Research Centre, Fermoy,, Ireland, 2Teagasc Johnstown Castle
Environmental Research Centre, , Ireland, 3Functional Environmental Microbiology, University of
Galway,, Ireland

Soil is recognized as one of the most diverse microbial habitats on earth. The soil microbiome is
critical to plant health, stress resistance, drought tolerance, and antimicrobial resistance, among
other things. With shotgun metagenomic sequencing it is now possible to detect and characterize
microbial species in unprecedented ways. The current state of the art for taxonomic classification of
shotgun metagenomes uses a variety of approaches resulting in different results or different levels
of identification depending on the sequenced environment. And as of now, pipelines for complex
datasets such as soil with a large number of uncultured microbes and much diversity are still in the
early stages.
In this study, we classified shotgun metagenome data from 133 soils collected across Ireland using
dominant taxonomic profilers including Kaiju and Kraken, as well as a custom Kraken database
built from GTDBTK genomes, and found that the results differed according to the pipelines used.
When standard pipelines for Kraken and Kaiju were compared, Kraken performed better at species-
level classification and at a lower computational cost. Creating a custom database increased the
percentage of reads classified to 34% per sample, compared to 17% and 19% for Kraken and
Kaiju. As a variety of software tools are currently available for taxonomic classification, it is vital to
develop, refine, and validate computational methods and bioinformatic tools to investigate soil
microbiomes effectively. Through fine-tuning pipelines available for soil metagenomics, we can gain
hitherto unattainable insights into the soil microbiome.
97
Evaluating the Impact of Conservation Agriculture on Soil Health
Joe Collins1, Laura Martinez-Chavez1, Simon Jeffery1
1
Harper Adams University, Newport, United Kingdom

Aim:
Many conventional agricultural practices, such as tillage, have been strongly linked with substantial
degradation of soil health. Conservation Agriculture (CA) is an agricultural system designed to
manage agro-ecosystems for improved and sustained productivity by conserving and enhancing
soil health and biota. The system is predicated on three key management principles: no-tillage crop
planting, permanent soil cover with crop residues or cover crops, and use of diversified crop
rotations.
Soil microarthropods play a vital role in soil ecosystem service provision, and thus its composition
can be used as an indicator for soil health. Here we apply the QBS-ar index to investigate the
impact of CA on soil health, compared to conventional methods, using a systems-level field
experiment with the aim of quantifying the impact of the different approaches on this soil health
metric
Method:
A systems-level field experiment has been established across 10 ha using two different cropping
systems (CA and conventional plough based), each managed independently by professional
agronomists with expertise in each system, with each system replicated five times across two
fields. Here we will focus on the results of microarthropods extracted from the soil will be used to
calculate EMI values to apply the QBS-ar index. This data will be used to test the hypothesis that
QBS-ar will indicate higher levels of soil health within the CA system. This will provide important
information on the impact of CA on soil health.
98
Plasma treated nitrogen enriched manure and the living dudes in the soil
Hesam Mousavi1, Thomas Cottis1, Reidun Pommeresche2, Peter Dörsch3, Svein Øivind Solberg1
1
Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Elverum, Norway, 2Norwegian Center for Organic
Agriculture, Tingvoll, Norway, 3Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Aas, Norway

Aim: Plasma treatment of animal manure is a new technology, enriching the manure with plant-
available nitrogen. Therefore, the product is termed Nitrogen Enriched Organic fertilizer (NEO). The
producer (N2Applied) claims that NEO can be a sustainable alternative to conventional fertilizers
used in agriculture. However, the effect of this product on soil-dwelling organisms is unknown.
Method: This study investigates and compares the effects of NEO on changes in soil fauna feeding
activity, the abundance of springtails, and the abundance and weight of earthworms to mineral
fertilizer and organic fertilizer (cattle slurry) in pot and field experiments with sandy clay loam.
Results: Early effect evaluation (week 7) indicated influences on soil fauna feeding activity; among
treatments, higher amounts of fertilizers went along with lower feeding activity, regardless of
fertilizer type. However, the initial fertilizer application stimulation was transient and stabilized with
time after fertilization towards mid-term (week 14) and late effect evaluations (week 21).
Accordingly, differences between feeding activities were less than five percent at late effect
evaluation. Similarly, none of the fertilizers used imposed adverse effects on the abundance of
springtails and the abundance and weight of earthworms; these parameters were almost identical
among all fertilizing treatments.
Conclusions: After two years of application in field trials and in a pot experiment, NEO and the other
used fertilizers seem not to harm the selected soil-dwelling organisms.
102
Microbial communities from different soil types respond differently to different digestate
fractions input
Florian Vautrin1, Pascal Piveteau2, Mario Cannavacciuolo3, Pierre Barré4, Camille Chauvin5, Cécile
Villenave5, Daniel Cluzeau6, Kevin Hoeffner6, Pierre Mulliez9, Vincent Jean-Baptiste7, Gregory
Vrignaud8, Aurélien Cottin1, Julie Triped1, Samuel Dequiedt1, Pierre-Alain Maron1, Lionel Ranjard1,
Sophie Sadet-bourgeteau1
1
Agroécologie, INRAE, Institut Agro Dijon, Univ. Bourgogne, Univ. Bourgogne Franche-Comté,
Dijon, France, 2INRAE, UR OPAALE Rennes, Rennes, France, 3USC 1432 LEVA, Ecole
Supérieure d’Agricultures (ESA), INRAE, Angers, France, 4Laboratoire de Géologie, Ecole normale
supérieure, CNRS, PSL Univ., IPSL, Paris, France, 5ELISOL Environnement, Congénies, France,
6
University of Rennes, CNRS, ECOBIO [(Ecosystèmes, biodiversité, évolution)] - UMR 6553,
Rennes, France, 7GRDF, Paris, France, 8ACE Méthanisation, Thouars, France, 9Chambre
d'Agriculture Pays de la Loire, Rennes, France

Biogas digestates are more and more used as organic fertilizers. However, their effect on soil
microbial quality is still debated. Moreover, little is known on how the response of soil microbial
community to a given digestate may depend on the fraction (whole (FYM_WD), liquid (FYM_LD) or
solid (FYM_SD)) of digestate applied, and/or on the physicochemical properties of the soil receiving
the input. Here, we performed a microcosm experiment (42 days of incubation) to compare the
effect of different fractions of the same digestate, each applied to 3 different soils types (contrasted
physicochemical and climatic characteristics), on the abundance and diversity of the soil microbial
communities. The experiment contained also three other modalities: cattle manure (CM), slurry
(CS) and mineral fertilizer (MIN). At the end of experiment, microbial biomass (MB) of coarse
textured soils was lower when FYM_WD or _LD was applied compared to FYM_SD (P<0.001). The
effect of FYM_LD and _WD on MB was similar to CS, and CS and MIN respectively. These
variations were explained by the quality of input (C/N) and soil parameter (clay content). Soil
prokaryotic diversity of coarse textured soils was higher when FYM_WD was applied compared to
FYM_SD (P<0.001). The effect of FYM_WD on soil prokaryotic diversity was similar to CS, CM and
MIN. These variations were explained by total organic carbon content of input. Our results suggest
that microbial communities of soils with a poor clay content would be more vulnerable to digestates
input, particularly the liquid fraction.
103
Effects of post-fire wood mulch on biocrust-forming mosses and soil fungal community
recovery
Minerva García Carmona1, Ana Isabel Sanchis1, Victoria Arcenegui1, Jorge Mataix-Solera1,
Fuensanta García-Orenes1
1
University Miguel Hernández, Elche, Spain

Aim:
The study aimed to evaluate the effects of the application of wood-based mulches on the
aboveground and belowground soil communities after a wildfire in a Mediterranean semiarid forest.
Despite the effectiveness in soil stabilization, the wood incorporation repercussion in soils is rarely
studied, in particular the effects on the biocrust-forming mosses and the fungal community
compositions, and the implication for the post-fire ecosystem recovery.
Method:
Two rates of wood soil cover (65% and 100%) were studied, during one year of application, in soils
affected by a wildfire and subsequent salvage logging, where an emergent moss biocrust
demonstrated to positively drive the ecosystem recovery in the short term. Fungal community
composition was studied based on ITS2 amplicon sequencing.
Results:
Mulch adversely affected biocrust development. The fungal community was altered in richness and
structure, and reacted to the application rates, in particular through changes in the soil moisture,
aggregate stability, nitrogen, and phosphorous. The dissimilarities thanks to the moss biocrust
disappeared after the mulch application, communities became more similar after one year. The
study of the dominant taxa revealed the strong legacies of the fire, the moss biocrust presence, and
the mulch application.
Conclusions:
The mulch application interfered with the passive restoration of soils by mosses. The effects of
biocrust on microbial diversity were diluted after the mulch application, and fungal communities
become transitorily highly stochastic and less diverse. Despite preventing soil erosion, wood mulch
did not help to restore microbial community and preserved ecosystem functionality after the wildfire.
107
Diversity and Functionalities Hidden Within the Mycorrhizal Fungal Microbiome
Mandira Kochar1, Vatsala Koul
1
The Energy And Resources Institute, Gurugram, India

Mycorrhiza is a soil fungus that establishes a mutualistic symbiotic association between a fungus
and host plant roots. Mycorrhizae contribute significantly to plant nutrition, particularly to
phosphorus uptake. They also contribute to the selective absorption of immobile (such as Zn) and
mobile (S, Ca, K, Fe, Mn, and N) elements from plants along with water uptake while providing
resistance against abiotic and biotic stresses. Bacteria are very closely associated with mycorrhizal
microbiome (as AMF-associated bacteria or AAB) and act as a third partner involved in
mycorrhizal-plant symbiosis. They are involved in influencing plant hosts directly and indirectly as
well as interact at varying levels to enhance mycorrhizal activity, nutrient uptake, and provide
resistance against various stresses. As part of the presented research work, we screened 33
geographically diverse AMF species from in vitro and in situ co-cultures. We isolated, purified,
characterized 231 AABs from the AMF microbiome based on 16S rDNA analysis. Ten plant growth-
promoting functional traits were tested with 109 AABs and it was observed that bacterial strains
possessed multifarious traits. Through microscopic techniques, the association of AABs with AMF
was confirmed in the form of aggregates, biofilms and as endobacteria.
AAB association was recreated with the model AMF, Rhizophagus irregularis using in vitro plant
experiments with hairy roots of Daucus carota to examine their effect on mycorrhization of plant
roots. The AABs were found to be associated with R. irregularis and were able to migrate along
with growing AMF hyphae and spores. AABs differentially influenced the growth of the AMF and its
functional capability of biofilm formation, phosphate solubilization, and nitrogen fixation. We
identified interaction as well as the synergistic relationship between the two cross-kingdom
microbial partners.
Understanding the role and mechanism of the functional co-existence of the mycorrhizal
microbiome diversity with host plants will aid in developing superior performing biofertilizers for
sustainable crop production. This will also help us in bringing the naturally existing microbial
diversity into functional applications for benefits to agriculture.
108
Soil BON Foodweb: A Global Standardized Monitoring of Soil Animal Communtities
Anton Potapov1, The SBF Team2
1
German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany,
2
Core team of 43 researchers from the following countries:, , Germany, Australia, Japan, France,
Netherlands, Brazil, Italy, Spain, China, Georgia, Ireland, Czechia, Canada, Argentina, Russia,
Greece, South Africa, Poland, New Zealand, Taiwan, Finland, Thailand, UK, Switzerland, US,
Morocco, Portugal, Chile, Croatia, Kenya, Malaysia, Luxembourg

Aim: Here we introduce the Soil BON Foodweb Team (SBF Team), a cross-continental
collaborative network that aims to deliver open global knowledge on the status and changes in soil
animal biomass, diversity, and functions.
Method: We established a network of volunteer researchers from over 30 countries who selected
sites for novel quantitative assessment of soil micro- meso- and macrofauna. These sites were
selected from the Soil BON pool and thus our animal assessment is linked to data on soil
properties, functions, and microbial communities with perspective of long-term monitoring (every
three years).
Results: At the initial phase, the SBF Team developed standard protocols to assess communities of
nematodes, enchytraeids, microarthropods, earthworms and other macrofauna by adapting
traditional and easy-in-use methods. The protocols supplemented with videos are openly available
online: https://soilbonfoodweb.org/protocols-and-manuals/. We further established a pipeline to
streamline counting, rough identification, and measurement of soil invertebrates using image
analysis. During 2022-2023, over 100 sites were assessed globally across the above-listed animal
groups using our standard protocols.
Conclusions: The SBF Team is established as a unique initiative in monitoring soil animal
communities across size classes and across the globe in association with soil functioning. It
represents a network to build transcontinental observation and experimental projects in soil ecology
and conservation. We advocate for the use of standard methods across different projects and
intend to deliver tools to streamline global soil ecological research.
109
Multifunctionality of Belowground Food Webs
Anton Potapov1
1
German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany

Aim: Belowground consumers create complex food webs that regulate functioning, ensure stability
and support biodiversity both below and above ground. My aim is to develop trait-based approach
of ‘multichannel’ soil food-web reconstruction that accounts for empirical evidence, tackles the soil
food web complexity, and delivers indicators related to animal functions.
Method: I build on a comprehensive state-of-the-art review of the feeding habits of soil-associated
consumers and infer weighted interactions among trophic guilds using feeding preferences, prey
protection, body size and spatial distributions, and biomasses. I then calculate energy fluxes to
quantify ‘trophic functions’ of soil animals and propose bulk indicators such as ‘trophic
multifunctionality’.
Results: The approach allowed me to connect soil protists, micro-, meso- and macrofauna
(invertebrates), and soil-associated vertebrates in a single interaction network, being reproduceable
across different communities. The multichannel reconstruction differed from traditional food-web
reconstruction and calculated trophic functions were consistent with some independently measured
ecosystem functions (e.g. herbivory, decomposition).
Conclusions: The ‘multichannel’ soil food-web reconstruction is a powerful, realistic, and
reproduceable approach. Further empirical validation of the food-web indicators in laboratory and
field experiments will establish this approach as an effective tool for understanding animal
diversity–ecosystem functioning relationships in soil.
111
Impact of soil faunal necromass on soil organic matter and microbial diversity
Stefanie Maaß1,2, Shin W. Kim1,2, Daniel R. Lammel1,2, Matthias C. Rillig1,2
1
Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany, 2Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity
Research, Berlin, Germany

All animals, regardless of trophic position, will ultimately have their biomass recycled in an
ecosystem upon their death, directly by their decomposition or indirectly by the decomposition of
the predator that consumed them. Most studies of faunal necromass refer to the decomposition of
vertebrates or aboveground animals, but little is still known about the necromass of soil fauna in
this context. Due to the high abundance of especially soil invertebrates, we have to expect a huge
input of faunal dead biomass throughout the year. We here discuss potential impacts that dead
faunal biomass can have on the soil and the soil community. Especially the provision of short-term,
high quality food sources for the microbial community does play a major role, as the presence of
available chitin might increase certain bacteria and fungi that are able to break down this
component. In addition, the microbial community originating from the cuticle and from the gut
system of the dead individual might, at least in the short-term, affect the soil microbial community.
Overall, due to its high numbers, dead faunal biomass has to be taken into account in local nutrient
turnover scenarios.
112
Community structure of known and previously unknown endobacteria associated with
spores of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi
Olga Lastovetsky1, Fiona Brennan2, David Wall2, Susanna Pylni1, Evelyn Doyle1
1
University College Dublin, Belfield, Ireland, 2Teagasc research centre, Johnstown Castle, Ireland

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi are ubiquitous plant root symbionts providing vital mineral nutrient to
their host while also housing their own endosymbiotic bacteria. Two different AMF endobacteria
have been characterized to date: Ca. Moeniiplasma glomeromycotorum (CaMg, Tenericutes) and
Ca. Glomeribacter gigasporarum (CaGg, β-proteobacteria), however, little is known about the
distribution and population structure of these endobacteria in natural AMF populations and whether
AMF can harbour other endobacteria. We isolated AMF spores from a natural dune ecosystem and
an agricultural grassland and surveyed the surface-sterilized spores for presence of endobacteria.
We found that CaMg were extremely common, found in 80% of spores and their populations were
highly diverse within AMF individuals. CaGg, on the other hand were very rare (2% of spores) and
their populations were homogenous within AMF individuals. Unexpectedly, we discovered an
additional and previously unknown level of bacterial diversity within AMF spores which extended
beyond the known CaMg and CaGg endosymbionts. We detected as many as 277 other bacterial
Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs) in individual spores. These reads belonged to diverse groups
of free-living, parasitic or plant-symbiotic bacteria which likely represent transient hitchhikers that
exploit the lipid-rich AMF spores as a source of shelter.
113
SOIL BIODIVERSITY ON PIANOSA ISLAND: PRELIMINARY RESULTS OF SOIL EVOLUTION
AFTER AN INTENSIVE AGRICULTURAL MANAGEMENT
Anita Maienza1, Romina Lorenzetti, Costanza Calzolari, Gherardo Biancofiore, Francesco Primo
Vaccari
1
IBE CNR, Firenze, Italy

Aim: The purpose of work was identify data gaps on soil biodiversity, applying a set of new tools for
monitoring biodiversity at the taxa at functional level, so to ensure that the right information is
available to scientists and end-users of biodiversity information. We focus for the first time on soil
quality and biodiversity of Pianosa Island, an excellent training ground for validating monitoring
tools and understanding the biological evolution of soils after intensive agronomic management.
Method: Pianosa is an island included in the National Park of Tuscan Archipelago in the Tyrrhenian
Sea that has been a correctional agricultural colony for more than one century. The Island is a
scientific research base and an eLTER site. Agricultural fields have been abandoned at the
beginning of the 90's, and the natural vegetation is now expanding. Three main ecosystems have
been identified in Pianosa: 1) abandoned agriculture fields, 2) abandoned pastures and 3)
mediterranean natural macchia at the island’s borders. Considering past studies, we focus on soil
quality and biodiversity identified along a renaturalization gradient. A set of soil quality indicators
(chemical and physical) were analyzed to soil characterization. In terms of biomonitoring, microbial
activity and mesofauna functional adaptation are extremely interesting thanks to the speed of
analysis and the related information.
Results: The work shows preliminary results from the first sampling campaign of “PianosaLAB2” -
Soil ecosystem hub Project of the Institute of Bioeconomy of National Research Council (IBE-
CNR).
Conclusions: Data obtained confirm how Pianosa Island is a perfect laboratory to study the soil
evolution after soil intensive management and detect threaths on biodiversity. Results clearly
support the use of microbial activity and mesofauna adaptation to have qualitative and quantitative
functional information to allow for evidence-based, data-driven policy and management decisions
114
Scanning soil biodiversity in a Silvopastoral system in Mediterranean area: results from
central Italy
Anita Maienza1, Stefano Ghignone, Erica Lumini
1
IBE CNR, Firenze, Italy, 2IPSP CNR, ,

Aim: Agroforestry, one of the most ancient agricultural practices of the Mediterranean culture and
partly lost due to agricultural intensification, has recently been reintroduced for its positive effects
on the SOC sequestration (FAO and ITP 2021). Long-term agroforestry (LTA) studies in
Mediterranean climate focusing on of the ecological drivers of organic carbon dynamics are
extremely interesting and deserve to be analyzed. This survey aims to provide monitoring tools for
the assessment of soil quality and to define appropriate biodiversity indicators useful for providing
functional information relating to ecosystem services.
Method: We analyzed mesofauna and microbial fungal communities in an LTA Silvopastoral farm.
The methodology was developed along a gradient based on land use (Mediterranean forestry,
Silvopastoral and Grassland) and on the intensity of grazing as a function of the maximum distance
that animals usually reach from the main feeding stations (high density pastures with lower distance
from the station feeder and low-density pasture at greater distance).Particular attention was given
to fungi and possible relationships with soil abiotic e biotic components.
Results: The first results showed a substantial trend in how some silvopastoral practices can better
preserve soil biodiversity, with a high level of abundance of mesofauna and fungal biodiversity, as
well as soil biological quality and ecological stability, if managed in a way rational. If forest pasture
is not properly managed and livestock is persistently on the ground, biodiversity levels drop
dramatically and the benefits of silvopastoral practice are not realized.
Conclusions: Further analyses will be necessary to 1) deepen understand and highlight the
complex interactions between biological communities and physicochemical variables, all of which
contribute to the overall quality of soils; 2) explore if interactions can be reliable enough to be
applied for soil quality monitoring and management.
116
The role of biodiversity for ecosystem functioning in forests
Hannah Griffiths1, Louise Ashton, Paul Eggleton, Kate Parr
1
University Of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom

Uncertainty in the behaviour of the carbon (C) cycle is one of the biggest limiting factors in
accurately predicting Earth's temperature into the 21st century. Forests are important ecosystems
for global C cycling because they sequester approximately half of the world’s atmospheric C; while
decomposition is the process by which the C locked up biomass is transferred to different pools in
the atmosphere, the soil, or the tissues of decomposer organisms. Yet, despite its importance for
carbon budgets, decomposition remains poorly understood compared with other key ecosystem
processes such as primary production. Surprisingly, we lack a fundamental understanding of the
mechanisms driving differences in decay rates across the globe. In this talk, I will: 1) demonstrate
the importance of termites in decay processes, showing that they create hotspots of decay in
canopy gaps and are able to decompose more than half of deadwood in tropical rainforests and 2)
introduce a new large-scale, long-term project designed to further our understanding of the role of
belowground biodiversity in mediating soil processes and ultimately tree productivity and C storage
in European forests.
117
Microbial functions after the application of nanostructured bio stimulant: activity from
"TERRE" project
Anita Maienza1, Francesca Ugolini, Cecilia Faraloni, Silvia Baronti, Antonella Macagnano
1
IBE CNR, Firenze, Italy, 2IIA CNR, Roma, Italy

Aim: The National Research Council project "TERRE" proposes innovative strategies for plant
growth, based on a combination of nanostructured bio-stimulants from organic waste and sensors
to improve technological infrastructure of agricultural practices while preserving natural resources
and soil ecosystem. In the framework of a specific work package, we are planning an experiment to
evaluate the effect of such nanostructured bio-stimulants on soil ecosystem quality and plant
growth with an eco-functional approach.
Method: After the chemical transformation of agro-industrial waste (e.g., dried fruits shells) into
nanostructured materials, microcosmos experiments will be set to detect the impact of these
nanomaterials – in different concentrations, on the ecological functions of the microbial consortium
of the growth substrate and on plant growth. We will use the innovative community level
physiological profile (CLPP) as a tool to evaluate the average metabolic response (AMC) and the
community metabolic diversity (CMD), and plant growth indexes.
Results: Although the results are still not available, the application of such bioactive products could
be powerful in improving the knowledge on how microbial consortium can act on plant and soil
relationships, but also in offering a circular and sustainable solution to crop productions,
contributing in fulfilling the demand for healthy and sustainable food.
Conclusion: We are hopeful that the results obtained from the experiments with organic
nanostructured materials will demonstrate a potential solution for preserving soil ecological
functions in crop productions, as this is the key for the transformation of actual agricultural systems
into more sustainable and competitive managements.
121
Effects of P-availability on Root Exudates and Rhizosphere Community of a Phosphite-
metabolizer N. tabacum
Isabel Siles Asaff1, Luis Herrera-Estrella1,2
1
CINVESTAV, Irapuato, Mexico, 2Texas Tech University, Lubbock, United States

The use of GMOs in agriculture has become necessary because they can improve crop yield, as
well as reduce the use of fertilizers and pesticides. Nonetheless, understanding plant-soil
interactions of these modified organisms is crucial to determine the impact they can have on agro-
ecosystems.
Therefore, we analysed the changes on root exudate composition and rhizosphere microbial
community across different phosphorous concentrations for phosphite metabolizer, ptxD-36
Nicotiana tabacum and its wild type counterpart.
Plants were grown in a growth chamber for 21 days, and later transfer to rhizotrons filled with a
soil/sand mix under different P-concentrations. After 28 days root exudates and soil rhizosphere
DNA were collected and DOC, MBC, and root morphology were quantified for each treatment.
123
Soil biodiversity on urban farms: composition and relationship with foodborne pathogen
survival
Lori Hoagland1, Alejandro Rodriguez-Sanchez1, Cristian Salinas1, Lily Berry1, Kathleen Zapf1
1
Purdue University, West Lafayette, United States

Urban farming has potential to provide a diverse set of social and ecological benefits. Soils on
urban farms are often degraded and, in some cases, contaminated. Urban farmers apply lots of
organic amendments such as compost to help restore degraded soils and supply nutrients,
dramatically altering many soil properties. The impact of these changes on the composition of soil
fauna and their capacity to carry out critical processes such as mediating the survival of foodborne
pathogens is not well understood. To address this knowledge gap, we collected soils from a diverse
set of 18 urban farms in 5 cities across the state of Indiana in the United States. Soils were
collected from both unmanaged and managed areas and characterized using a diverse set of soil
physical, chemical, and biological assays. The composition of soil bacterial, fungal, and nematode
communities were determined using next-generation sequencing and several bioinformatic
programs. A subset of the soils were amended with an attenuated strain of Escherichia coli
O157:H7 labeled with green fluorescent protein to determine how the soils could influence the
survival of this foodborne pathogen using laboratory mesocosm assays. Survival of the pathogen
was quantified using plate counts and qPCR. Preliminary results indicate that pathogen survival
varied dramatically among soils. Efforts are underway to identify potential correlations between
pathogen survival and soil physical, chemical and biological properties. Results will provide new
insights on how to manage urban soils on urban farms for soil, crop and human health.
124
Regenerative Agriculture Practices Changed Soil Microbial and Nematodes Communities in
a 29-years Long-Term Experimental Site
Jacynthe Masse1, Benjamin Mimee1, Noura Ziadi2
1
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Canada, 2Agriculture and Agri-Food
Canada, Québec city, Canada

Aim:
Increasing crop productivity and profitability, while keeping production environmentally sustainable,
is a challenge for agriculture worldwide. As a result of agriculture intensification, many soils are
highly degraded and depend on the massive use of chemical inputs. Agricultural systems have
significantly contributed to the perturbation of natural habitats and losses of biodiversity in addition
to being a major contributor to global anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions. Economic and
environmental costs of fertilizers and pesticides are increasing, while yields have reached a
plateau, warranting a transition to more sustainable practices.
Method:
Here we took advantage of long-term (29 years) corn (Zea mays L.)-soybean (Glycine max L.
Merr.) rotation to measure impacts of two regenerative agriculture practices – no-till and variable P-
and N-fertilization levels – on soil bacterial, fungal and nematodes communities.
Results:
While no-till led to no change in bacterial and fungal biodiversity levels, it did greatly shift the
structure of the communities with potential impacts on soil functions. Although less pronounced,
different levels of N-fertilization led to changes in both soil microbial biodiversity and structure while
different levels of P-fertilization did not have any impacts on soil microbial communities. The effects
on nematodes were more subtle but specific families were affected, revealing a change in the
structure of the micro-food web. This was further supported by co-occurrence correlation network
analyses.
Conclusions:
Because microbial communities are carrying a plethora of functions in soils, assessing long-term
impacts of regenerative practices on these communities is key to evaluate the impacts of those
practices on agroecosystems functions
129
Multi-trophic interactions between microbivorous and herbivorous mesofauna: implications
for N cycling and plant growth
Ummehani Hassi1, Junwei Hu1, Mesfin Tsegaye Gebremikael1,2, Wim Wesemael2, Steven Sleutel1,
Stefaan De Neve1
1
Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium, 2Institute for Agricultural and Fisheries Research, Merelbeke,
Belgium, 3Åarhus University, , Denmark

Aim:
Soil nematodes are composed of multiple feeding groups that control distinct energy channels and
strongly interact with plant growth, but to date most studies focused on bacterivorous nematodes,
largely neglecting the contribution of herbivorous and fungivorous nematodes. We conducted a
mesocosm experiment to investigate whether and how herbivorous and microbivorous microfauna,
separately and in combination, enhance N mineralization and plant growth.
Method:
Nutrient-poor loamy sand soil was selectively sterilized by gamma irradiation (6 kGy) and pre-
incubated for one month to recover the indigenous microbial community caused by the irradiation
effect. Pratylenchus zeae, Aphelenchus avena, and Rhabditis oxycera, representing herbivorous,
fungivorous, and bacterivorous nematodes respectively, (abbreviated as Hn, Fn, and Bn) were
inoculated in soils alone and all combinations, and Lolium multiflorum was used as a model plant.
After two months, plants were harvested and analyzed, and the soil was analyzed to explain the
mechanisms by which the trophic interactions affected plant growth.
Results:
The combination of all trophic groups of nematodes significantly increased the shoot and root
biomass (by 11.4 and 45.2%, respectively), but decreased total N concentration significantly by
15% for both shoot and root as compared to the control treatment (without nematodes). The
root/shoot ratio was higher in the HnBn and BnFnHn treatments than in the control. Contrary to our
expectation, there was no effect on the soil N mineralization and no significant change in microbial
activity (dehydrogenase, β-glucosaminidase, basal respiration) and MBC for all treatments.
Conclusions:
Combination of the three trophic channels increased plant growth but did not do so through
increased N mineralization. This unique study highlights the vital importance of taking into
account interactions between organisms explicitly when studying their roles in nutrient
cycling and plant growth.
134
Uncovering Trophic Variations in Collembola With Elevation Using Species Specific Bulk
Stable Isotopes
Johannes Lux1
1
Georg-August-University of Goettingen, Göttingen, Germany

Changbai Mountain extends along the border between the Chinese provinces Jilin and Liaoning,
and North Korea, where the "Changbaishan National Nature Reserve" was designated in 1979.
Due to its poor forestry history, the northern slope of the mountain to a large extend is covered by
primary forests. The temperate climate and the undisturbed forests make this mountainside
attractive for studying changes in forest ecosystems with increasing altitude allowing insight into
potential consequences of climatic changes on forest ecosystems. A number of invertebrate groups
receive increasing attention regarding their reactions to climate change, however, potential effects
on forest soil invertebrates are poorly investigated. Springtails (Collembola) dominate the
microarthropod community in litter and soil of forest ecosystems. They are important decomposers
and changes in temperature and soil moisture might alter their trophic interactions in the soil food
web. We investigated changes in the trophic structure of Collembola along a gradient of seven
altitudinal sites between 800 and 1700 m at Changbai Mountain. We measured bulk stable isotopes
of the most abundant species of Collembola and compared the results with previous studies in
which we measured bulk stable isotopes, and neutral lipid fatty acid and amino acid stable isotopes
of Collembola at the group level. As basis of the decomposer food web we also investigated
changes in potential food resources, such as bacteria and fungi, along the altitudinal gradient using
phospholipid fatty acid analysis and substrate induced respiration.
135
BioDivSoil - Unveiling the Food Spectrum of Epigean Predators (Coleoptera: Carabidae)
using DNA Metabarcoding
Lucas Stratemann1, Lukas Schröer1, Alexander Bach1, Moritz Nabel2, Johanna Oellers3, Andreas
Toschki3, Martina Roß-Nickoll1,3
1
Institute of Environmental Research, RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany, 2German Federal Agency
for Nature Conservation, Bonn, Germany, 3gaiac - Research Institute for Ecosystem Analysis and
Assessment e.V., Aachen, Germany

Aim
Carabids are important predators in soil ecosystems. They regulate the abundance of many
invertebrates and contribute to ecosystem stability. Previous studies mainly focused on barcoding
of individual carabids or targeted specific prey organisms. However, approaches to fully map the
dietary spectra of carabids are lacking. DNA metabarcoding of predator gut contents offers the
possibility to study predator-prey interactions in more detail.
Methods
Throughout the vegetation period in 2021, carabids were captured at 26 sites using pitfall traps.
Individuals were sorted on a species-specific basis. All individuals were washed in 13 % chlorine
bleach to remove external DNA. Beetles < 10 mm were processed completely, of beetles > 10 mm
only the guts were used. Nonspecific arthropod primers were applied.
Results
In addition to non-target organisms like earthworms and snails, consumption of a variety of carabid
species was also detected. A more diverse carabid community also resulted in a broader prey
spectrum. Further results promise insights into the food spectra of specifically foraging ground
beetles and should reveal possible interactions between above- and belowground biodiversity.
Conclusion
The results suggest that while earthworms and snails make up an enormous proportion of the
ground beetles' diet, the number of other prey species should not be underestimated. For example,
other carabid species make up an enormous part of the prey spectrum, which has not yet been
described. However, this is in accordance with the idea that the food of polyphagous carabids is
strongly related to the most abundant organisms of a site.
136
BioDivSoil – Evaluation of Patterns in Soil Animal Communities as a Method for Indicator
Development
Johanna Oellers1, Alexander Bach2, Moritz Nabel3, Martina Roß-Nickoll1,2, Lukas Schröer2, Lucas
Stratemann2, Andreas Toschki1
1
gaiac - Research Institute for Ecosystem Analysis and Assessment e.V., Aachen, Germany,
2
Institute for Environmental Research, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany, 3German
Federal Agency for Nature Conservation, Bonn, Germany

Aim:
Soil animals are involved in important soil processes and thus provide multiple ecosystem services,
such as crop growth and soil formation. In agroecosystems, soil organisms are directly exposed to
the impact of management, e. g. tillage and pesticide applications. The aim of the project is to
identify typical patterns in the species composition of several soil animal groups in different agrarian
habitat types. Subsequently, these patterns are evaluated to derive indicators that can be used for
the assessment of soil biodiversity, in order to support a sustainable agriculture.
Method:
Data sets of different arable sites, grasslands and field margins in various regions of Germany were
evaluated. They consist of data collections from previous projects as well as newly conducted
samplings from the year 2021. These included pitfall traps (Araneae, Carabidae), soil cores
(Collembola, Oribatida) and standardised hand sortings (Lumbricidae). In addition, various habitat
parameters were recorded, and literature data was taken into account.
Results:
The result is a close dataset containing the species spectra of different soil animal groups, that
were simultaneously recorded at the same sites. The overall pattern of the different taxa will be
presented exemplarily in relation to habitat parameters, management intensity, landscape
heterogeneity etc. Interrelationships among the various taxa, if apparent in the data set, are also
shown.
Conclusions:
The observed patterns allow conclusions to be drawn about the extent to which certain parameters
are suitable indicators of soil quality and biodiversity for use by the farmers or in scientific research
projects and monitoring programmes.
137
Unpredictable events and disturbance: probabilistic approaches to study the responses of
soil biodiversity to perturbations
Tancredi Caruso1, Zoe Lindo2, Tom Bolger1
1
University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland, 2University of Western Ontario, London , Canada

Aim: We synthesise how multiple sources of stochastic fluctuations contribute to soil biodiversity
and how these fluctuations can be modelled to improve our ability to predict the response of soil
biodiversity to global change factors, especially environmental unpredictability.
Method: we use the theory of stochastic processes and error propagation, and existing ecological
research that have used this theory, integrating it to our current understanding of the processes that
generate patterns in soil community structure and functions
Results: Major sources of stochasticity in soil are measurement errors and environmental
fluctuations. Measurement errors are due to the small size, high abundances, and broad
distributions of soil organisms, which limit sampling in space and especially over time. We argue
that positive autocorrelation is a main characteristic of soil environmental properties, which may
have important consequences on the response of soil biota to perturbations. This has
consequences also on aboveground-belowground interactions, for example plant-soil feedback
(PSF) dynamics. At a local scale, large populations of soil organisms also imply a minor role of
demographic stochasticity. Yet, we show that demographic stochasticity can be sizeable in some
datasets, but still much smaller than environmental stochasticity.
Conclusions: In general ecology, stochastic approaches mean probabilistic predictions in terms of
population growth, extinction, species coexistence and community structure. In soil, stochasticity
implies very variable responses to perturbation and soil feedback (e.g. PSF). Future studies will
have to identify the major sources of environmental stochasticity with a particular focus on the
interaction between multiple global change factors.
139
Soil Restoration with Organic Amendments at the Long-Term: A Case Study Focused on
Microbial Communities
Jose A. Siles1, Celia García-Díaz1, José L. Moreno1, Carlos García1, Felipe Bastida1
1
Department of Soil and Water Conservation and Organic Waste Management, CEBAS-CSIC,
Murcia, Spain

Aim:
The application of organic amendments into soil has been proposed as an effective way of
improving the quality and fertility of degraded soils and protecting the environment because their
use could be a strategy to eliminate and recycle massive amounts of waste. The lasting periods of
organic amendment effects on soil microbial communities have not been sufficiently investigated.
Method:
Here, a degraded soil located in a Mediterranean semiarid region was characterized 18 years after
being amended with sludge or compost (different stabilization degree) regarding: (i)
physicochemical properties, (ii) basal respiration and enzyme activities, and (iii) abundance (fatty
acids), taxonomic composition and functionality (shotgun metagenomics) of microbial communities.
Results:
Soil contents of macronutrients, basal respiration, β-glucosidase and phosphatase activities, and
bacterial and fungal abundances were higher in the amended treatments in comparison with the
unamended control soil. Differences between the two types of amendments were not observed.
Most of the annotated sequences in the metagenomic study were of bacterial origin. Although some
differences in taxonomic community structure between treatments were observed, the same
microbial phyla dominated in the three treatments. Differences in functional community structure
between treatments were not that large as initially expected. However, amended soils showed a
higher abundance of functions related to nutrient cycling at the lowest SEED subsystem levels.
Conclusions:
The beneficial effects of soil amendment application on nutrient contents, microbial abundance, and
enzyme activities remain after 18 years. However, the impact of soil amendments on microbial
taxonomy composition and functionality dilutes with time.
145
Soil Ciliated Protist Communities from Natural Sites and Agroecosystems in Italy
Antonietta La Terza1, Daizy Bharti1,2, Charan Kumar Basuri3, Aldo D'Alessandro1, Martina Coletta1,
Santosh Kumar2
1
University of Camerino (UNICAM),School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine , Camerino,
Italy, 2Zoological Survey of India, M- Block, New Alipore, Kolkata, India, 3National Centre for
Coastal Research, Ministry of Earth Sciences, NIOT Campus, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

Aim:
In this study, and for the first time in Italy, we have investigated the diversity and the community
structure of soil ciliates from natural sites and agroecosystems in Marche Region (Italy). The main
aims were: i) to evaluate the capacity of ciliates to discriminate between different types of land
uses; ii) farming management practices; and iii) to assess relationships among ciliate community
and abiotic parameters.
Method:
Soil samples were collected twice from 10 sites [5 natural sites: FORest (virgin soils); and 5
agricultural fields: 3 ORGanic (minimum tillage) and 2 CONventional (sod seeding)]. Ciliate
communities were studied by means of qualitative (non-flooded Petri dish method) and quantitative
methods. Soil chemical-physical parameters (texture, CEC NPK, OM, C/N, soil moisture,
temperature) were also measured.
Results:
Qualitative ciliate analysis allowed us to identify a total of 59 species representing 29 genera and
12 orders (including 10 species new to science). ORG sites were the richest in species followed by
CON and FOR. Multivariate analysis showed statistically significant differences between natural
sites (FORest) and agricultural sites, as well as between the ORGanic and CONventional
management farming systems. CCA analysis showed correlations between the distribution of
species with environmental parameters indicating the importance of these parameters in shaping
the ciliate communities in the different type sites.
Conclusions:
Altogether, these results showed the bioindicative potential of ciliate communities in discriminating
between natural sites (FORests) and agroecosystems, as well as their capacity to discriminate, at
least preliminary, between different soil management systems (ORG vs CON).
152
Energy Flux of the Belowground Food Web in Conventional and Organic Farm
June Wee1, Yun-Sik Lee1, Taewoo Kim2, Yongeun Kim1, Kijong Cho2
1
O-Jeong Eco-Resilience Institute, Korea University, , South Korea, 2Division of Environmental
Science and Ecological Engineering, Korea University, , South Korea

Aim: This study aimed to investigate the energy flux of the belowground food web in conventional
and organic farms for quantitatively assessing the effects of agricultural management practices on
soil biodiversity.
Method: Ten soil cores (diameter: 10 cm and height: 10 cm) were randomly collected in
conventional and organic peach farms located in Korea, respectively. Sampled soil cores were
transferred to the laboratory and individually placed in Tullgren funnels with a single 40-watt
incandescent bulb for the extraction of soil fauna. The extracted individuals were identified and
counted. Identification was done to order or family level, allowing the assignment of the animals to
trophic groups such as predators, herbivores, and decomposers. Additionally, the body lengths of
each individual were measured for calculating individual metabolic rates and energy flux of the
belowground food web.
Results: There was no significant difference in the density and biomass of predators, herbivores,
and omnivores between conventional and organic peach farms. However, significantly higher
density and biomass of decomposers were observed in the organic farm than in the conventional
farms. In energy flux analysis results, significant differences in energy flux related to decomposers
were detected between the farms that applied different agricultural management practices.
Conclusions: Our results suggested that agricultural management practices can affect not only the
biomass but also the energy flux of the belowground food web. Investigating the energy flux can be
a promising tool for assessing soil ecosystems.
154
Responses of Soil Arthropod Biodiversity to Extreme Events: First Signs of Change After
"Vaia" Storm
Sara Remelli1, Carlos Lozano Fondón2, Cristina Menta1
1
Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma,
Parma, Italy, 2Research Center for the Soil-Plant System, Viticulture and Oenology, Council for
Agricultural Research and Economics, Gorizia, Italy

Aim:
Climate change will increase the frequency and impacts of catastrophic events like “Vaia”, a storm
that hit the eastern sector of the Italian Alps in 2018, provoking extensive damages to forests.
Subsequent changes in habitat and resource availability are expected to affect soil living
communities and related ecosystem services. This research aims to highlight the shift in soil
arthropods community in “Vaia” impacted forests, to understand if it is moving toward a conversion
to meadow or if the wooded features still prevail.
Method:
Soil chemical parameters (pH, soil organic matter - SOM) and edaphic arthropod community
(abundance, biodiversity – Shannon and Simpson indices, composition) were studied, in Italian
Dolomites forests affected by the storm (W), in Intact forests (IF, control condition) close to W, and
in meadows (M) in the two years following “Vaia” storm (2019-2020).
Results:
In both years after “Vaia” event, SOM and arthropod total abundance were lower in M than in IF
and W. No differences in biodiversity indices were observed. However, the arthropod community
differed between M and forests (W and IF) in 2019 but differences in arthropod communities
persisted only between IF and M in 2020.
Conclusions:
The storm did not appear to have radically changed soil arthropod community one year after “Vaia”,
despite upheaval to vegetation cover. However, in impacted forests, results suggested that
community composition, unlike abundance and biodiversity, is prone to a progressive shift from the
woods to meadow condition, just two years after the catastrophic event.
155
Effect of cover crops on modern agricultural production of vineyard and cherry trees in
Chile
Francisco Javier Peris-Felipo1, Rodrigo Figueroa2, Fiorella Gattini3, Paul Amouroux2, Mauricio
Astorga2, B. Ipinza2, P. Candia2, G. Cordovez2, E. Arellano2, C. Bonomelli2, L. Godoy2, A. Perez2,
H. Valdes2, T. Zaviezo2, Constanza Echaiz2
1
Syngenta Crop Protection Ag, Basel, Switzerland, 2Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile,
Santiago, Chile, 3Syngenta S.A., Santiago, Chile

Aim:
The LivinGro® Chile project is based on the development of protocols to create optimal conditions
to enhance biodiversity above and below ground and safeguarding the soil for future generations
using cover crops. This study seeks to determine the effect on the use of cover crops in the inter-
row in three cherry orchards and three vineyards, located in the central Valley of Chile. LivinGro®
considers the effect of cover crops on biodiversity, soil health, nutrition, pathology, and crop quality.
In this presentation, we focus our research on the effect of cover crops on the soil invertebrate
biodiversity.
Method:
Monitoring was carried out by pitfall and subterranean soil traps every two months among
Sept.2020–Jul.2022. The abundance and diversity of individuals were determined for each field and
both treatments: control and cover crop.
Results:
Preliminary results show that cover crops have shown a very positive effect on soil fauna and
beneficial insects present in the area.
Conclusions:
The implementation of cover plants in agricultural landscapes results in biodiversity enhancements
through the attraction of soil fauna.
156
Greater Relative Increase of Ectomycorrhizal vs Saprotrophic Fungal Biomass with Tree
Stand Density
Steven De Goede1, Emilia Hannula2, Frank Sterck3, Wim van der Putten1, Ciska Veen1
1
Terrestrial Ecology, NIOO-KNAW, Wageningen, Netherlands, 2Institute of Environmental
Sciences, Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands, 3Forest Ecology and Forest Management,
Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, Netherlands

Aim: Forest management has been identified as an important tool to mitigate climate change
through storing carbon in trees and soils. Yet, relatively little is known about how different harvest
intensities affect soils and their carbon cycling. Ectomycorrhizal fungi play a major role in soil
organic carbon stabilization in European forests, and are likely strongly decreased in abundance by
tree harvesting. This negative impact may be reduced by only moderately reducing tree stand
density through thinning instead of clearcutting. Here, we studied how stand density affects the
biomass of ectomycorrhizal versus saprotrophic fungi. Method: In 15 Dutch 1-ha forest stands
(covering European beech, Douglas fir and Scots pine) located on poor sandy soils, four different
tree stand density treatments were created: 0%, 20%, 80%, and 100% of biomass harvested. We
used fungal in-growth bags to determine ectomycorrhizal biomass with ergosterol. From bulk soil
samples we measured total fungal biomass and calculated saprotrophic biomass. Results: Both
ectomycorrhizal and saprotrophic fungal biomass increased with tree stand density. However, the
effect of stand density is stronger for ectomycorrhizal fungi, leading to a greater relative increase
from clearcut to no-harvest treatments compared to saprotrophic fungal biomass. The effects are
most pronounced in the Scots pine and European beech. Conclusions: Tree harvesting leads to a
loss of fungal biomass which may lower rates of soil organic carbon stabilization, but this can be
minimized by applying low-intensity forest thinning.
158
Exploring alpine soil fauna communities: composition, biodiversity and functional groups in
a highly changing environment
Michael Steinwandter1, Helene Blasbichler1, Elia Guariento1, Julia Plunger1, Julian von Spinn1,2,
Julia Seeber1,2
1
Institute for Alpine Environment, Eurac Research, Bozen/Bolzano, Italy, 2Department of Ecology,
University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria

Aim: Although soil biodiversity studies are increasing, (high) alpine habitats, as can be found in the
European Alps, remain understudied. We aim to close these knowledge gaps by conducting basic
and experimental research on alpine soil fauna and species interactions with a highly changing
environment. Here, we give an overview on community and functional composition of soil
invertebrates, as well as biodiversity patterns.
Method: To assess the soil fauna, we used standard soil fauna samples and pitfall traps. Our study
sites are covering large parts of the European Alps, including more than 200 unique plots covering
20 habitat types. Further, methods such as stable isotope analyses, molecular approaches and
functional trait analyses were applied.
Results: The community composition seems to remain similar with increasing elevation, but show
decreasing abundances (i.e. density and activity). Biodiversity patterns differ for taxonomic groups
(linear vs. hump shaped) but generally taxa numbers decrease with increasing elevation; however,
rare taxa/species can be found predominantly in high elevation sites. As shown by stable isotope
analyses, taxa in high alpine soils show a high degree of omnivory.
Conclusions: Alpine soil fauna research still lacks data, especially for remote high elevation
habitats. However, putting together the available data, we identify some general patterns and
discuss responses to the fast-approaching climate and land-use changes. Against prevalent
perceptions, we found a quite high and well-adapted mountain soil fauna biodiversity, confirmed by
several rare and new species records for the regions.
162
The Differences in Soil Microarthropod Diversity Between Old Permanent Forests and
Young Forests
Joren Bruggink1, Marie-Charlott Petersdorf1, Henk Siepel1
1
Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands

Aim:
It is expected that many soil microarthropod species are benefitted by habitats that have been
around for a long time and encounter little disturbance. In order to learn more about pattern, we
studied datasets collected from old (permanent) forests and young forests (~150 years) across the
Netherlands and aimed to answer the following hypotheses:
• Old forests have a higher diversity than young forests
- Old forests have a higher number and density of fungivorous species
- Old forests will be able to support more large microarthropod species
Method:
We used datasets for 3 old forest stands, 10 old hedge rows (also permanent forest sites) and 19
young forests and compared the species richness, Shannon index and Simpson index across those
locations. Mite species and genera were assigned a feeding guild and size for a trait analysis
across the locations.
Results:
Old permanent forests had a higher species richness than young forests. However, we saw no
difference in the two diversity indexes across locations. Furthermore, there was a decrease of
fungivorous grazers from old forests to young forests. Lastly, hedge rows were able to support a
higher number of large species compared to old forest stands and young forests.
Conclusions:
Older forests have a higher species richness in microarthropods and the higher number of
fungivorous grazers is expected to benefit the decomposition process in the soil. These results
show that for the soil microarthropod diversity, it is important that soils are allowed to be stable for a
long period.
163
LivinGro™ a Holistic Approach to Enhance Soil Biodiversity and Conservation in
Agricultural Landscapes
Gina Swart1, Ana Lia Gayan, Michael Schade, Rudolf Gugger, Francisco Javier Peris-Felipo
1
Syngenta Crop Protection AG, Basel, Switzerland

While above-ground biodiversity has been a topic of significant public interest over the last
decades, soil biodiversity has not generated wide attention beyond the scientific and agronomic
world until recently. Syngenta’s initiative, LIVINGRO™ takes a holistic approach to improving all
dimensions of soil biodiversity related to agricultural activities in a given ecosystem.
The aim is to generate robust, comprehensive scientific data that reliably measures how agricultural
technologies and best farm management practices applied on crops grown in proximity to
multifunctional areas consisting of indigenous annual flowering plants, can boost both sustainable
food production and healthy, diverse ecosystems above and below ground, in and beyond the field.
Together with scientists from public and private research organizations, a comprehensive cross
regional, multidisciplinary project was initiated to study all soil fauna from the surface and below
ground. In addition, the soil microbiome and structure as well as its ability to make nutrients bio-
available for plants and to sequester carbon was assessed.
By taking a holistic view of biodiversity, including the soil microbiome, LIVINGRO™ has the
potential to provide scalable measures for sustainable farming systems and improved food
production sustainability in biodiverse, thriving, and healthy ecosystems, protecting our most
precious agricultural resources - soil and water.
165
Plant diversity and soil history effects on community assembly of arbuscular mycorrhizal
fungi
Cynthia Albracht1,2, Marcel Dominik Solbach3, François Buscot2,4, Anna Heintz-Buschart1
1
Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University Of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands,
2
Dept. Soil Ecology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Halle, Germany,
3
Institute for Zoology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany, 4German Centre for Integrative
Biodiversity Research (iDiv), Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Germany

Aim:
Research has shown that the relationship between plant biodiversity and ecosystem functioning
(BEF) strengthens over time. One potential underlying mechanism is the interaction with soil-borne
fungi, in particular arbuscular mycorrhiza (AMF), but further insight is scarce. It is unclear whether
the effect of plant diversity on AMF communities changes and the AMF-plant relationship
strengthens over time.
Method:
We made use of the long-term biodiversity study The Jena Experiment, by re-establishing its
grassland plots. The grasslands, varying in composition along a gradient of 1-60 species and 1-4
functional groups, were split to study common soil and plant history: We used existing plots (19
years shared history of plant and soil) and split-plots with new re-sown plants in old soil and others
with new re-sown plants and new soil. We sampled bulk soil from all split plots, and roots,
rhizosphere and root-free soil from 16 plant species all in old plots.
Results:
At the community level, alpha diversity of AMF increased with plant diversity, and this slope
flattened over time. Communities became more homogenous. Community structures were robust to
absence of common soil and plant history and plant diversity, but some genera, like Paraglomus,
accumulated over time. However, trends in root-associated AMF differed from bulk and rhizosphere
AMF: In roots, AMF diversity decreased with increasing surrounding diversity and roots, but not
soils, hosted species specific communities.
Conclusions:
These results demonstrate temporal changes in plant diversity on AMF communities. However, this
relationships looks different depending on the soil compartment and needs to be further examined.
168
Cascading effects of global change on plant invasion reshaped soil oribatid mite community
in alpine-tundra
Lichao Feng1,2, Zhiqi Du1, Karel Tajovský2, Ting-Wen Chen2,3, Qingfan Meng1
Beihua University, Jilin, China, 2Czech Academy of Science, České Budějovice, Czech Republic,
1
3
University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany

Global changes have promoted invasion of Deyeuxia angustifolia (Kom.) to cold regions (from low
to high altitudes/latitudes) with changes in microbial communities by altering soil physicochemical
properties. However, little is known about structure of soil fauna associated with plant invasion. In
this study, we focused on the effects of microbial-mediated changes due to plant invasion on soil
oribatid mites. We demonstrated that invasion of D. angustifolia reduced oribatid mite diversity and
reversed the altitudinal pattern of richness. Furthermore, altitude limited distribution of some
oribatid mite species but increased abundances of others. As compared with soil physicochemical
properties, soil microbial diversity explained more variation in oribatid mite community
compositions. Overall, changes in soil microbial compositions due to plant invasion determined
oribatid mite assemblages. Responses of alpine tundra ecosystems to global change should be
considered with bottom-up cascade effects of plant invasion on soil food web structure and
environments.
169
BioDivSoil - In Search of a More Complete Approach to Describing Ecological Soil Quality
Martina Roß-Nickoll1, Alexander Bach1, Moritz Nabel3, Lukas Schröer1, Lucas Stratemann1,
Andreas Toschki2, Johanna Oellers2
1
Institute for Environmental Research, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany, 2gaiac -
Research Institute for Ecosystem Analysis and Assessment e.V., Aachen, Germany, 3German
Federal Agency for Nature Conservation, , Germany

Aim
Increasing human populations lead to intensive land use in agriculture, which has direct and
indirect effects on soil organisms. A biodiverse soil community protects against the loss of
necessary soil functions. Conservation and assessment of soil organisms is complex but essential.
A combined approach of morphological- and DNA-based methods will provide a suitable data basis
for the assessment of soil biodiversity in agricultural systems.
Method
Twenty-six sites were sampled throughout the 2021 growing season using soil cores, pitfall traps,
and search by hand. Samples were processed using either morphological identifications or DNA-
based approaches. Oribatids, springtails, lumbricids, carabids, and spiders were morphologically
determined. In addition, bycatches in the traps, stomach contents of carabids and further soil cores
were subjected to metabarcoding. Furthermore, data on management practices and vegetation
occurrence were collected, soil mapping and aerial photo analysis were conducted and existing
datasets from previous data collections were included in the analyses.
Results
The combination of these methods opens up the possibility of a spatially, temporally and
methodologically condensed soil monitoring. It includes above- and below-ground interactions, the
enlightening of food webs, and the analysis of characteristic soil communities. The results are used
for functional assessment of communities based on their structure and composition.
Conclusions
This multidimensional approach provides the data basis for deriving indicators of ecologically good
soil quality and biodiversity. Furthermore, the integration of DNA-based methods into monitoring
studies is discussed and recommendations for sustainable agriculture or integrative nature
conservation will be developed.
170
Steering microbiomes by organic amendments towards climate-smart agricultural soils
Paul Bodelier1, Stijn van den Bergh1, Iris Chardon1, Gerard Korthals3, Kristof Brenzinger4, Wietse
de Boer1,2
1
Netherlands Institute Of Ecology, Wageningen, Netherlands, 2Soil Biology Group, Wageningen
University, Wageningen, Netherlands, 3Biointeractions and Plant Health, Wageningen Plant
Research, Wageningen, Netherlands, 4Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology,
Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Wurzburg, Germany

Aim:
Increasing carbon sequestration while lowering greenhouse gas emissions and maintaining crop
yields is one of the biggest societal and scientific challenges. We assessed the use of organic
fertilizers and mixtures thereof, to steer microbiomes towards higher contribution to carbon
sequestration and lowering of GHG emissions.
Method:
We executed mesocosm as well as field trials and assessed diversity and abundance of Archaea,
Bacteria and fungi as well as a large range of functional guilds involved in nitrogen and carbon
cycling under application of single or mixes of various organic residues (e.g. compost, digestate,
covercrop residues). GHG fluxes as well as soil physico-chemistry was assessed in parallel.
Results:
All organic amendments induced a shift in the diversity and abundances of key microbial groups
demonstrating the potential to not only lower GHG emissions by modifying the microbial community
abundance and composition, but also favor crop growth-promoting microorganisms. Interestingly,
some of these effects were facilitated by microbes already present in the residues. The latter was
most pronounced for the uptake of atmospheric methane uptake in agricultural soils, which was
significantly stimulated by compost application and the methane oxidizing bacteria already present
in the compost. Extensive molecular analysis showed that the methanotrophic species dominantly
present in compost, are significantly enriched in the methanotrophic communities of organic
residue-amended soils.
Conclusions:
Collectively, our results show that microbiomes can be modulated by sustainable green fertilizers
with positive implications for the global warming potential of agricultural soils.
171
Global Change Effects on Earthworms
Sven Marhan1, Juliette Blum1, Ellen Kandeler1, Lion Schöpfer1
1
University of Hohenheim, Institute of Soil Science and Land Evaluation, Soil Biology Department,
Stuttgart, Germany

Aim:
Earthworms play an important role in maintaining several soil functions and are suitable bio-
indicators for soils. Many environmental factors can affect earthworm activity and abundance. Due
to global change, some new factors have emerged or increased in strength (elevated soil
temperature, biochar, microplastic, agricultural management, etc.). However, our knowledge
whether and to which extent earthworms are affected by these factors is still limited. The
presentation gives a summary of several experiments in which the effects of these factors on
earthworms were studied.
Method:
Within several experiments in micro- and mesocosms, as well as in the field, we investigated the
influence of elevated soil temperature and atmospheric CO2 concentration, biochar and
microplastic, and field management practices on the activity and abundance of predominantly
endogeic earthworms. Furthermore, we investigated the contribution of earthworms on the
emission of greenhouse gases under the influence of some factors and whether anecic earthworms
contribute to the plastic input into soil.
Results:
We found that anecic earthworms transport plastic bag fragments into soil, that biochar has no or
negative effects on endogeic earthworm biomass and abundance and that the previous year's field
crop has more impact on earthworm abundance than a three-year pesticide abandonment.
Conclusions:
The presented effects of global change factors show that some are influencing earthworms but also
that earthworms can partially interact with them (plastic distribution in soil). However, this indicates
that earthworms are good bio-indicators of altered environmental conditions induced by global
change.
172
Short-term Effects of Cultivation Systems Without Chemical Synthetic Plant Protection on
Soil Organisms
Juliette Blum1, Romina Schuster2, Ellen Kandeler1, Sven Marhan1
1
Soil Biology Department, Institute of Soil Science and Land Evaluation, University of Hohenheim,
Stuttgart, Germany, 2Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research,
Bremerhaven, Germany

Aim:
The use of pesticides is increasingly criticized due to its significant impact on the environment. The
possible decrease in abundance and diversity of soil organisms might lead to a loss of soil
biological functions. The project “NOcsPS – Agriculture 4.0 without chemical synthetic plant
protection” is aiming to develop a sustainable, environment-friendly, yet productive cultivation
system.
In 2020, a field experiment with different cultivation systems was established at the University of
Hohenheim: (1) a conventional system with pesticide and mineral fertilizer application, (2) NOcsPS
systems without pesticide application, but mechanical weeding and mineral fertilizer application and
(3) an ecological system without pesticide application, but mechanical weeding and no mineral
fertilizer application.
Method:
The field experiment consists of a six-part crop rotation. Samplings of soil (0-20 cm) and soil
animals were conducted during the winter wheat vegetation period for three years. Soil samples
were analyzed regarding microbial abundance (CFE) and respiration (RMS), community structure
(PLFA) and enzyme activity (enzyme assay). Furthermore, the abundance of Collembola und
Gamasina as well as the abundance and diversity of earthworms was examined.
Results:
Soil microbial abundance, activity as well as community structure were not significantly influenced
by the cultivation system. Collembola abundance was highest in NOcsPS systems while
earthworms showed a higher abundance in conventional systems.
Conclusions:
In short-term, the cultivation system rather affected the soil animal than the microbial properties.
While some soil animals might benefit from not applying synthetic pesticides, others might in turn
be harmed by the consequently increased mechanical weeding.
179
Microbial Biodiversity Recovery after Steam Treatment of Nursery Soil.
Wolfgang Schweigkofler1, Sharifa Crandall2, Estelle Couradeau2
1
Dominican University Of California, San Rafael, United States, 2Pennsylvania State University,
University Park, USA

Aim:
Healthy soils are important for producing healthy plants. Whereas some soil microbes support plant
growth, many pathogens can kill plants or reduce yield and quality of crops. We developed a
steam-treatment method to control the invasive pathogen Phytophthora ramorum (Oomycetes),
causal agent of Sudden Oak Death in the US and Sudden Larch Death in Europe, in soil mixes
used at nurseries. We are interested to test the effects of our method on bacterial and fungal soil
communities and the dynamics of their recovery over time post-treatment. In addition, we analysed
the effect of steaming on plant nutrients present in the soil mix, which might impact not only plant
growth, but also microbial communities’ composition and ultimately function.
Method:
A soil mix was heat-treated using a top-down approach. Soil samples were collected at four time
points post-steaming (1-day, 30-days, 60-days, and 150 days). DNA was isolated from thirty-two
soil samples and 16SrRNA gene and ITS1,2 markers were used for amplicon-based sequencing
(metabarcoding) of bacterial and fungal soil communities.
Results:
Microbial diversity and composition changed overtime. On day 1 post-steaming the bacterial
community was dominated by endospore producing Firmicutes including the genus Bacillus spp.,
whereas 2 months and 5 months post-steaming a wide variety of phylogenetically diverse bacteria
were recovered. Fungal communities were mainly dominated by ascomycetes, but heat-resistant
Geminibasidiomycetes yeasts were abundant 2 months post-steaming.
Conclusions:
Soil steaming does not eliminate, but reduces the microbial soil biodiversity which will ‘bounce
back’ to pre-stress levels after a prolonged period of time.
182
A Diversified Cropping System: Benefiting to Crop Production and Soil Health in Southern
Ontario, Canada
Xueming Yang1, Craig Drury, Dan Reynolds
1
Harrow Research & Development Centre, Agriculture & Agri-food Canada, Harrow, Canada

Including cover crops in the cereal rotation would not only benefit the crop yield but also could
improve soil health. Cereal rotation, such as soybean-winter_wheat-corn rotation, is popular in
southwestern Ontario; however, this rotation leaves the soil bare for 15 – 16 months in one cycle of
rotation (3 years). While the soil is bare, it not only make nutrients (e.g. N and P) left in the soil
vulnerable to leaching, but it also destroys valuable organic matter in the soil. So this rotation is not
an ideal cropping system in term of soil fertility and biodiversity. A feasible way to help farmers
achieve the dual benefits of crop production and soil health is to grow crops, such as cover crops,
between the cash crops. Here, we investigated an evergreen farming practice in southern Ontario,
which included two seasons of legume cover crops in a 3-yr organically managed soybean-
winter_wheat-corn rotation. In this rotation one legume season (including crimson clover, hairy
vetch, and red clover treatments) were seeded after winter wheat harvest and another legume (a
mix of above three legumes) were inter-seeded into corn field at corn V5-7 stages. In this
production system, legume cover crops were used as the primary N source for the grains (corn and
winter wheat), also included was a conventional control (with synthetic fertilizers) without legume
cover crops as check. Growing two seasons of winter-hardy legume cover crops in rotation yielded
a system of 5 crop seasons in 3 years which provided year-round cover on cropland. Results
showed that compared to no cover crop CK, cover crops left less residual soil nitrogen (~50 kg
N/ha less) in the soil by late November, which were normally lost through over-winter leaching in
the region. In early May before corn planting, significant amounts of above-ground biomass N (150
- 200 kg N/ha) were incorporated into the soil as primary N nutrient for corn from the legumes
seeded into wheat stubble, and the same time about 5.5 - 8.5 Mg/ha biomass were incorporated
into the soil. The legumes seeded into corn fields showed a variable covering, some years with a
full cover and other years a patchy cover dependent open the weather (~40 kg N/ha and ~1.5 Mg
biomass/ha per year). In the three-year transition period, average corn grain yields (14.5% moist)
were 13.1 and 13. 0 Mg/ha for hairy vetch and red clover which were similar to check (13.8 Mg/ha).
In the four-year organic period after the transition, average corn grain yields were 11.3 Mg/ha, 11.1
Mg/ha and 9.9 Mg/ha for hairy vetch, crimson clover and red clover which were about 72 – 82% of
corn yield in check (13.7 Mg/ha). Soybean yields were similar among treatments in the year of
transition and by the four years after the transition, with an average of 3.2 Mg/ha. Over 8 years
(2022 data included) of the experiment, the average conventional winter wheat yield has been 5.1
Mg/ha and 4.1 Mg//ha for organic. The effects on selected soil health parameters are under study
will be presented at the 3rd Global Soil Biodiversity Conference. This study highlighted the impacts
of diversified and legume-based cropping on grain production and soil health in southwestern
Ontario.
183
Characterization of Soil Microbial Communities in Different Soil Profiles
Mélody Rousseau1, Andjin Siegenthaler1, Arjen de Groot2, Andrew Skidmore1
1
Faculty Of Geo-information Science And Earth Observation (ITC), University Of Twente,
Enschede, Netherlands, 2Wageningen Environmental Research, Wageningen UR, Wageningen,
Netherlands

Aim:
Soil microbial communities participate in biogeochemical cycles and therefore provide essential
ecosystem services. The drivers of soil microbial communities are well-known. Specific microbial
communities correlate with forest type, at least partly via the effect of forest stands on biochemical
conditions of the topsoil. For example, forest type is reflected through soil nutrient availability, with
deciduous forests having nutrient-rich soil compared with coniferous forests. However, soil
biodiversity between different topsoil remains poorly described, especially the associated soil
microbial communities. Our study aims to compare soil microbial community characteristics of
different topsoil types, which will be interpreted in terms of the ecosystem functions of their
composite microbial taxon.
Method:
We collected soil samples in two European temperate forests, measured their biochemical
properties, and used in-depth sequencing to produce microbial profiles. Microbial community
composition, structure and diversity were compared among topsoil types.
Results:
Despite acidic soils in both sites, microbial profiles differed between topsoil types. Relative
abundances of dominant bacterial and fungal phyla changed, reflecting both the nutrient status and
the chemical properties of the soil.
Conclusions:
This study contributes to the characterization of topsoil types based on their microbial profiles. With
climate change, monitoring ecosystem functions is important and the soil profile could give a quick
answer to the current status of a site.
185
Linking the Soil Microbiome to Crop Yield and Quality in a Long-term Intensive Potato Trial
Michael Hemkemeyer1, Sanja A. Schwalb1, Clara Berendonk2, Stefan Geisen3, Stefanie Heinze4,
Rainer Georg Joergensen5, Rong Li6, Peter Lövenich7, Xiong Wu6, Florian Wichern1
1
Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences, Kleve, Germany, 2Agricultural Chamber of North
Rhine-Westphalia, Kleve, Germany, 3Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, The
Netherlands, 4Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany, 5University of Kassel, Witzenhausen,
Germany, 6Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China, 7Agricultural
Chamber of North Rhine-Westphalia, Köln-Auweiler, Germany

Aim:
The current study investigates impacts of different potato cultivation methods on the soil
microbiome and its influence on yield and quality.
Method:
Practice-oriented treatments running from 2001 until 2019 differed in the order of the pre-crop
(winter wheat, silage maize), positioning of oil radish as cover crop within the crop rotation, and
type of fertiliser (mineral, straw, manure, slurry). Crop yield and quality data were obtained for all
rotation cycles, while soil samples were taken after the last potato harvest in 2019. Basic soil
physical, chemical, and microbiological parameters such as abundances, activities, and amplicon
sequence variances (ASVs) of prokaryotes, fungi, and protists were determined.
Results:
Long-term results indicated higher potato yields after wheat+oil radish. Pathogen-induced quality
losses were highest after maize. There were no differences in soil basic parameters and microbial
abundance, activity, and α-diversity. An exception was fungal abundance, which was highest after
wheat+oil radish with straw+slurry application and lowest after maize. β-diversity showed strongest
differences between treatments with wheat+oil radish as pre-crop fertilised with manure or
straw+slurry and maize as pre-crop. Fungi (4–38% of the sequences) and protists (11–18%) were
stronger drivers than prokaryotes (1.3–3.0%). Several ASVs identified as being associated with the
different treatments (59, 205, and 127, respectively) could be classified taxonomically.
Conclusions:
Potato yield was determined by the positioning of the cover crop within the crop rotation, while
potato quality was probably influenced by the microbial community composition. Thus, cultivation
techniques affect quality parameters via impacts of the soil microbiome.
188
The impact of re-rooting on soil rhizosphere microbiota at the level of amplicons and
proteomics
Debjyoti Ghosh1, Nico Jehmlich1, Jochen Ait Müller2
1
Helmholtz-Zentrum für Umweltforschung - UFZ, Leipzig, Germany, 2Karlsruher Institut für
Technologie, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany

Aim: Soil is a diverse domain that exhibits extensive diversity throughout its distinct strata. Global
warming and climate change have caused a significant impact on soil horizons. The idea of re-
rooting a cash crop using the deep root canals of a cover crop was to overcome a deficit of
nutrients in the topsoil and an increased risk of drought. The rhizospheres of a cash crop like maize
(Zea mays) and cover crops each have their own microbial identities and nutrient mobilities.
Method: Maize was grown in tandem with several cover crops, and noticeable differences are
visible in the rhizosphere between maize and the mixture of maize and cover crops when cultivated
in the same plot. In this study, these variants are investigated at the nucleic acids’ level using 16s
amplicon sequencing.
Results: The first results from amplicon sequencing data indicated a shift in the alpha diversity
between time points of the growth phase, treatment types, and root depths after testing nine
treatments against control (maize).
Conclusions: The variations amongst those combinations are mainly due to growing maize by re-
rooting using the remaining cover crop roots in the sub-soil layers, separate growth phases of
maize, and the depth of the root length influencing the functionality, the composition, and the role of
the existing microbiota. Further analysis of the soil proteome will provide information about the
dynamics of the bacteria and pathways in which they play a role in soil.
191
Response of Forest-floor Foodweb to Peregrine Earthworms in the American Northeast
Timothy McCay1, Sophie Pedzich1, Coco Xie1, Joy Tang1
1
Department of Biology, Colgate University, Hamilton, United States

Aim: Colonization of previously glaciated North America by exotic earthworms has been implicated
in changes in ecosystem structure and function. However, our understanding of the ways in which
earthworms interact with other members of the forest-floor food web is poor. Two waves of
peregrine earthworms have been introduced to North America: European lumbricids and Asian
megascolecids. We aimed to better understand the effect of both types of invasive earthworms on
animals of forest-floor food webs.
Method: We sampled locations in central New York State, USA, which was glaciated during the
Wisconsin Glaciation. At each location we sampled the earthworm community using fixed-area
mustard vermifuge and the forest-floor food web using extraction from litter. Sites included those
inhabited by lumbricids, megascolecids, and few (or no) earthworms.
Results: We found a strong, negative relationship between the biomass of earthworms and
abundance of other invertebrates in the litter layer. This pattern was true across a variety of taxa
and was likely mediated by the abundance of organic litter. Sites with only Bimastos rubidus had a
high mass of leaf litter and large numbers of leaf litter animals despite high densities of this putative
native earthworm.
Conclusions: Previously glaciated forests in North America were probably inhabited by few if any
earthworms in the years since deglaciation. The addition of peregrine earthworms into these
systems can lead to decreased diversity and abundance of other invertebrate animals. The
continued expansion of peregrine earthworms in the US Northeast may continue to have negative
consequences.
194
Dynamics of hypolithon development in the Namib Desert
Pedro Lebre1, Jason Bosch1, Eugene Marais2, Gillian Maggs-Kölling2, Don Cowan1
1
University Of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa, 2Gobabeb–Namib Research Institute, Walvis Bay,
Namibia

Aims:
Type I hypolithons are Cyanobacteria-dominated desert microbial communities that reside on
ventral surfaces of semi-transparent rocks such as quartz, where they find shelter from the abiotic
stresses of the desert soil surface. These communities are seen as key players in the nutrient
cycling of soils in desert biomes. However, despite their importance, very little is known about
hypolithon growth rates and community development pathways. The aim of this study was therefore
to understand the dynamics of hypolithon formation in the pavements of the Namib desert.
Methods:
Replicate arrays of sterile translucent (Quartz and Marble) and non-translucent (Travertine) rocks
was established in two areas of the Namib desert pavement with different annual precipitation
regimes, and annual sampling was done over a period of seven years. This was coupled with
eDNA extractions and 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing.
Results:
Our results show that in the area with higher precipitation, evidence of hypolithon formation could
be observed in the translucent rocks three years after the arrays were established. This observation
corresponded to a Cyanobacterial “bloom” in the microbial communities attached to these rocks at
year three, when compared to the communities under non-translucent rocks and control soils. By
comparison, no hypolithon development was observed in the area with lower precipitation, which
corresponded to an absence or low abundance of cyanobacterial taxa.
Conclusions:
This study showed that hypolith development is dependent on cyanobacterial “blooms”, which in
turn are driven by precipitation regimes. This study also determined three years to be the minimum
time required for hypolithon development.
197
Supporting a Sustainable Transition from Peat-Use in Mushroom Cultivation
Gabrielle Young1,2, Donal Gernon2, Helen Grogan2, Olaf Schmidt1, Lael Walsh2, Saoirse Tracy1
1
School of Agriculture and Food Science, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland, 2Horticulture
Development Department, Teagasc Ashtown Food Research Centre, Dublin , Ireland

Mushrooms are an important crop within Ireland. Due to the role of peat in current cultivation
practices, the industry is under increasing pressure to become more sustainable. Peat is a non-
renewable resource; its extraction damages bog habitats, driving biodiversity loss and releasing
greenhouse gases.
Peat functions as “casing”, gradually releasing moisture to the fungal mycelium. This is
essential for mushroom growth. Therefore, further to being sustainable, it is paramount that peat-
alternatives produce comparable mushroom yield and quality to that of industry standard. Such a
material will require similar physical, chemical and biological characteristics to peat. Despite
previous efforts assessing the performance of novel casing media, the general suitability of peat-
alternatives remains largely uncertain.
This research aims to determine the efficacy of peat-alternatives and how this may impact
commercial mushroom production. Trials to date, conducted at an experimental scale, but reflecting
commercial production practices, have focused on bark amended with chalk and sugar beet lime
(5% by mass). Initial results from two replicated experiments have been promising but inconsistent
and unpredictable. Mushroom biomass and quality were statistically comparable to peat-based
casing (P = <0.05). However, from a commercial perspective, the bark-based casing has affected
the timings of the mushroom emergence and the presence of other contaminant fungi, which are
not acceptable from a commercial perspective. Studies are continuing to refine the experimental
casing, focusing on better consistency of bark feedstock. Results obtained will contribute to
ongoing research to reduce the dependency of mushroom production on peat.
198
Assessing the Total Microbial Population and Soil Characterizations of Former Mining Land
for Agricultural Sustainability
Leviana Leviana1, Sabaruddin Kadir2, Marsi Marsi3, Huan Ping Chao4
1
Chung Yuan Christian University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, 2Sriwijaya University, Palembang, Indonesia,
3
Sriwijaya University, Palembang, Indonesia, 4Chung Yuan Christian University, Toayuan, Taiwan

Aim
The purpose of this research is to identify the limiting factors on degraded land after mining
activities that affect to soil biodiversity, as a basis for providing appropriate actions in the
implementation of land reclamations.
Method
The sampling method used is a semi-detailed survey with a scale of map 1: 100,000 and
characteristics of land assessment used Matching and Scoring method. The variables observed in
this study are 1) Total Microbial population (TMP) 2) Land Use; 3) pH; 4) Soil Texture; 6) Soil
Physic and Chemistry Properties.
Results
This research comparing the samples from the land-use categories, they are community
plantations, forestry, and former mining land. According to Government Regulation of Republic of
Indonesia Number 150 of 2000 concerning Control of Soil Damage for Biomass Production, TMP
threshold is 102 cfu/g. The TPM results for each land category are lower than the threshold, which
at 10-9 cfu/g. The former mining land sample (P.35) had a lowest result of 972x10-9 cfu/g. While the
highest result (P.21) at 4x10-3 cfu/g. This is coherent with the pH results, P.35 (4.99) and P.21
(5.24), which indicate that a lower pH can have an impact on the biodiversity of the soil.
Conclusions
The output of this study is a land damage status map which can be used for the next step of land
degraded improvement. The results demonstrated that soil biodiversity was significantly under the
threshold in all land use categories. It is concluded that continuous land activities have an impact
on soil biodiversity.
200
Effect of Increased Plant Species Diversity on Soil Nematode Faunal Assemblage in an
Intensively-Managed Grassland
Israel Ikoyi1,2, Guylain Grange2, John Finn2, David Wall2, Fiona Brennan2
1
University College Dublin, Dublin,, Ireland, 2Teagasc, Johnstown Castle, Ireland

Aim: Plant productivity, decomposition and nutrient cycling are controlled by plant-soil-biota
interactions. Previous studies have shown that increasing plant species diversity results in
increased biomass yields in intensively managed grasslands. In this study, we investigated how
plant species diversity affect the soil nematode community and their associated indices in an
intensively-managed grassland with the aim of studying aboveground-belowground interactions.
Method: Nematodes were extracted from 66 experimental plots differing in plant species diversity,
comprising of six plant species within three functional groups (FGs). The FGs included grasses:
ryegrass (Lolium perenne) and timothy (Phleum pratense); legumes: red clover (Trifolium pratense)
and white clover (Trifolium repens); herbs: chicory (Cichorium intybus) and plantain (Plantago
lanceolata).
Results: Results showed that the composition and diversity of the soil nematode differed
significantly among the levels of plant species diversity. Specifically, plots with all six-plant species
had a significantly higher nematode diversity, maturity index and proportion of sensitive taxa
(omnivore and predators) than the others. In addition, the abundance of plant-feeding nematodes
(herbivores) were significantly lower in the six species plots than in the monocultures. Also,
increased biomass yield were obtained from the high-diversity plant communities.
Conclusions: Overall, our results support the hypothesis that increasing plant diversity in intensively
managed grasslands will result in a positive effect on the belowground soil biota. Our findings
contribute to knowledge of the positive effects of increased aboveground plant diversity on the
belowground diversity of soil biota. This creates a pathway towards sustainability with reduced
fertilizer inputs.-
204
Home-field advantage effects in litter decomposition is largely linked to litter quality
Francisco I. Pugnaire1, Karoline H. Aares2, Mohamed Alifriqui3, Kari Anne Bråthen2, Christian
Schöb4,5, Esteban Manrique6
1
Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas (EEZA-CSIC), Almería, Spain, 2UiT Arctic University of
Norway, Tromso, Norway, 3Cadi Ayyad University, Marrakech, Morocco, 4ETH Zurich, Zurich,
Switzerland, 5Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Madrid, Spain, 6Royal Botanic Garden (RJB-CSIC),
Madrid, Spain

Aim:
Climate change affects plant communities, potentially decoupling links between plants and their
associated soil microbial communities. This may in turn affect processes like litter decomposition,
hence nutrient and carbon cycling and many other ecosystem processes. Microbial decomposers
have been proposed to specialise, being able to decompose easier litter from its ‘home’ community
than litter from other communities, in what is termed the home field advantage (HFA).
Method:
We carried out a litter decomposition experiment including four alpine meadow communities
ranging from the Atlas in Morocco to the Iberian Peninsula to the Swiss Alps. The experiment had a
factorial design, including soil and litter form all four high-elevation communities. We tested whether
litter decomposition rate would differ depending on litter and soil origin, expecting to find HFA in all
of four alpine communities.
Results:
HFA ranged from very negative to neutral to positive along our geographical gradient, which could
be attributed to the interaction between soil microbial communities, soil and plant traits, and
climate. Litter decomposition depended on litter quality and on the fungal community, which
seemed adapted to deal with poor-quality, recalcitrant litter, leading to positive HFA. Phyllosphere
communities competed with soil communities when in interaction, a fact that may have blurred
results of some previous HFA experiments.
Conclusions:
There seems to be positive HFA in systems with low-quality litter that requires a specialised fungal
community to maximize decomposition. By contrast, high-quality, easy to decompose litter would
be dealt with by any decomposer community, not showing positive HFAs.
207
Understanding the Drivers of Belowground Functional Diversity Across Europe
Doina Thais Constance Mani
1
Wageningen University And Research, Wageningen, Netherlands

Aim:

The recent trend of land use intensification within Europe poses a threat to the ability of the soil
community to sustain soil functions (nutrient cycling, carbon sequestration, water regulation,
disease suppression, and primary production). In order to predict soil functions and their resilience
to disturbance across the heterogeneous landscapes of Europe an increased understanding of the
drivers of the spatial distribution of belowground organisms is needed. Soil food-web dynamics and
community traits are much stronger predictors for soil functions than species diversity. Therefore,
shifting the focus from biogeography to functional biogeography could facilitate the link to soil
functions. Nematodes are present throughout the soil food-web and can thus function as indicators
for soil food-web dynamics. Within this study I aim to uncover how soil forming factors (climate,
organisms, relief, parent material and time) drive belowground functional diversity across Europe,
using nematode-based indices of soil food-web dynamics as a proxy of functional diversity.

Method:

Data on nematode diversity was obtained from open-source databases of nematode community
studies across Europe. Additionally, soil maps were consulted to gather data on environmental and
soil physical properties. I used structural equation modelling to assess the relative importance of
different soil forming factors in driving the functional diversity of nematodes.

Results:

The relationship between soil forming factors and nematode functional diversity differs for the
different nematode-based indices of soil food-web functioning.

Conclusions:

Soil forming factors play an important role in driving belowground diversity.

210
Soil microbes are passengers in the community development of early successional dune
ecosystems
Chenguang Gao1, T. Martijn Bezemer2,3, Peter van Bodegom1, Petr Baldrian4, Petr Kohout4,
Riccardo Mancinelli1, Harrie van der Hagen5, Nadia Soudzilovskaia1,6
1
Environmental Biology, Institute of Environmental Sciences, Leiden University, Leiden,
Netherlands, 2Institute of Biology, Above-belowground interactions group, Leiden University,
Leiden, Netherlands, 3Department of Terrestrial Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology, Leiden,
Netherlands, 4Laboratory of Environmental Microbiology, Institute of Microbiology of the Czech
Academy of Sciences, Praha, Czech Republic, 5Dunea duin & water, , Netherlands, 6Center for
Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Hasselt, Belgium

Aim:
We aim to answer the research question on plant-soil interactions: whether soil microorganisms are
“drivers” or “passengers” of ecosystem dynamics
Method:
A field experiment was conducted in an early successional dune ecosystem. We manipulated the
soil community by adding living and sterile soil inocula, originating from natural ecosystems, and
examined the responses of soil and plant communities to the soil inoculation treatments during
three years.
Results:
The experimental manipulations had a persistent effect on the soil microbial community with
divergent impacts of living and sterilized soil inocula. Plant community was also affected by soil
inoculation, but there was no difference between the impacts of living and sterile inocula.
There was also an increasing convergence of plant and soil microbial composition over time.
Conclusions:
Based on these results, we concluded that the soil microorganisms acted more as “passenger” (soil
microbial community dynamics followed changes in the plant community) rather than as “driver”
(soil microbial community patterns drive host plant community). These findings give valuable insight
into the further understanding of the community assembly of plant and soil microorganisms under
natural conditions, and are directly relevant for ecosystem management and restoration.
211
Impacts of climate change and land use on soil energy fluxes
Marie Sünnemann1,2, Nico Eisenhauer1,2, Andrew Barnes3
1
German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany,
2
Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany, 3University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand

Soil organisms and their diverse interactions provide essential ecosystem functions and services
through a variety of mechanisms, making them an important resource for human well-being.
However, global change drivers such as climate change and modern land use threaten to alter this
critical role, as they do not act in isolation from each other, making ecosystem consequences
difficult to predict. To address this knowledge gap, we used a large-scale field experiment to
investigate the interactive effects of climate change and land use type on the belowground food
web. We measured soil microbial activity, identified soil nematodes, mesofauna and macrofauna,
and measured their length and width to determine the energy flux of the belowground food web. We
tested food web responses in an ambient and future climate scenario (+0.6°C temperature increase
and changing precipitation patterns) in four land use types (conventional cropland, organic
cropland, intensive grassland and extensive grassland) to draw conclusions about changes in key
ecosystem functions such as decomposition, pest control, and belowground herbivory.
213
BioDivSoil: Evaluation of an eDNA Based Approach in Ecological Soil Monitoring
Lukas Schröer1, Lucas Stratemann1, Alexander Bach1, Moritz Nabel2, Johanna Oellers3, Andreas
Toschki3, Martina Roß-Nickoll1,3
1
Institute for Environmental Research, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany, 2German
Federal Agency for Nature Conservation, Bonn, Germany, 3gaiac - Research Institute for
Ecosystem Analysis and Assessment e.V., Aachen, Germany

Aim:
Currently, determining the composition of soil biodiversity often still ends at the boundary of
endogeic life. Lack of expertise and the high time effort, besides the disregard of endogeic
organisms, are the main reasons for this obvious gap in many monitoring projects. By directly
comparing a classical survey of endogeic soil organisms (oribatids, collembolans) and the
extraction of eDNA from soil cores, we aim to evaluate a possibility for a faster and less time-
consuming procedure for soil monitoring.
Method:
For the comparison of the two methods, a subset of five soil cores were pricked four times at each
of 26 sites, which were subsequently used for the extraction and sequencing of the eDNA. In
addition, 10 soil cores were taken at each site, from which oribatids and collembolans were
extracted and identified morphologically to species level.
Results:
Through the results, general statements can be made about the quality of the molecular biological
approach (eDNA) compared to the classical method used so far. Furthermore, due to the different
spatial proximity of the soil cores to each other, further conclusions for a standardised collection of
eDNA samples from soils can be derived to contribute to improved and comparable study designs
in the future.
Conclusions:
Correctly applied, eDNA sampling can play an important role in ecological research and
conservation. Due to the faster generation of results and the less stringent demands on the user's
prior training, this eDNA approach has promising and decisive advantages over current practice.
214
Effects of Enchytraeids on N Mineralization from Crop Residue in a Japanese Organic Field
Risako Kato1, Koki Toyota1
1
Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Koganei, Japan

Aim: To supply more N which is the main factor restricting yields of organic farming, promoting N
mineralization is one option. In preliminary experiments comparing 10 fields, there was a significant
relationship between enchytraeid population and the amount of available N, suggesting that
enchytraeids may promote N mineralization. In this study, we focused an organic field that had the
highest population of enchytraeids and amount of available N and aimed to evaluate the effects of
enchytraeids on N mineralization by microcosm experiments.
Method: We added 0.2% mung bean residue as a model organic matter and 6 individual (ind)
enchytraeids/45 g of soil and then set up 4 treatments: 1)(-)Enchytraeid, 2)(+)Enchytraeid, 3)Mung
bean(-)Enchytraeid, 4)Mung bean(+)Enchytraeid. After 4 and 12 weeks of incubation at 25ºC, we
destructively analyzed NO3-N, NH4-N, faunal populations (enchytraeids, nematodes, rotifers),
available N and mean weight diameter (MWD) of soil aggregates.
Results: Enchytraeids promoted N mineralization in the treatment added with mung bean by 23% at
12 weeks, but not at 4 weeks. The number of enchytraeids increased from 0 to 4 weeks and then
decreased from 4 to 12 weeks (236±102 ind/20g, 4±2 ind/20g, respectively). The addition of
enchytraeids had no effects on available N and MWD.
Conclusions: We concluded that enchytraeids promoted N mineralization from crop residue and it
took a long time such as 12 weeks. Furthermore, enchytraeids did not promote N mineralization
from soil organic matter. These results suggest that soils with diverse fauna including enchytraeids
have a high N-supplying ability.
215
Root Traits Explain Multitrophic Interactions of Belowground Microfauna on Soil N
Mineralization and Plant Productivity
Junwei Hu1, Ummehani Hassi1, Mesfin T. Gebremikael2, Kenneth Dumack3, Tom De Swaef4, Wim
Wesemael4, Steven Sleutel1, Stefaan De Neve1
1
Ghent University, Gent, Belgium, 2Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark, 3University of Cologne,
Köln, Germany, 4Flanders Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Melle, Belgium

Aim

Both herbivorous and bacterivorous microfauna have been proven to influence root development,
soil N mineralization, and plant productivity. Yet, our limited knowledge on these effects is mainly
based on investigations ignoring multitrophic interactions. Here, we aimed to investigate whether
and how herbivorous and bacterivorous microfauna, separately and in combination, affect plant
biomass through root traits and/or soil N mineralization.

Method

To do so, Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum) was cultivated in a full factorial experiment with the
absence and presence of herbivorous nematodes (Pratylenchus zeae), bacterivorous protists
(Acanthamoeba castellanii), and bacterivorous nematodes (Poikilolaimus oxycercus).

Results

Our results showed that root traits coordination in response to soil microfauna was consistent with
the root economics space concept with its two main dimensions: root diameter and specific root
length (RD-SRL); root nitrogen concentration and root tissue density (RNC-RTD). Bacterivorous
nematodes increased while herbivorous nematodes decreased plant productivity. The negative
interaction between herbivorous and bacterivorous nematodes on plant productivity at high
herbivorous nematodes infestation could be explained by reduced N mineralization and variation in
the RNC-RTD axis aligned with herbivorous nematode density in roots. Further, no conclusion
could be drawn on the effect of bacterivorous protists due to unsuccessful soil colonization.

Conclusions

This study revealed that herbivorous and bacterivorous nematodes interactively affect plant
performance via root traits coordination and N mineralization, and for the first time suggests the
value of the root economics space concept for interpreting phenotypic root plasticity and functioning
in response to local biotic factors.
218

Forest management impact on soil food web: the key role played by the understory
vegetation

Charlotte Biryol1, Virginie Baldy1, Jean Trap2, Claire Ménival1, Bernard Prevosto3, Mathieu
Santonja1

1
Aix Marseille University, Marseille, France, 2Institut de Recherche pour le Développement,
Montpellier, France, 3INRAE, Aix-en-Provence, France

Aim: Forest management methods contribute to maintain sustainable forests notably by increasing
their resistance and resilience to climate change. Forest thinning, one of the main management
practices, induces change in understory vegetation and microclimatic conditions which can have
cascading effects on soil biodiversity. This thinning treatment can be coupled to an understory
vegetation removal. During the past decades, a strong attention was paid on the responses of soil
microbial communities to these forest management practices, while our knowledge on their impacts
on soil fauna still very limited.
Method: we studied the whole soil food web (microorganisms-microfauna-mesofauna-macrofauna)
in a Pinus halepensis forest located in southern France along a tree cover gradient made up of
three pine densities (control, medium and high thinning intensities) with or without the presence of
an understory vegetation. In addition, we sampled the soil organisms in spring and at the end of the
summer period to study in which extend forest management practices mitigate the negative impact
of the summer drought period.
Results: First results highlight a decrease in soil fauna abundance and diversity with the increase of
thinning intensity. Whatever the thinning level considered, the presence of an understory vegetation
increases soil fauna abundance and diversity. Soil fauna community is more negatively affected by
the summer drought period in thinned plots while the presence of the understory vegetation
alleviates this negative effect.
Conclusions: These results point out the key role played by the understory vegetation in structuring
the soil food web and mitigating the negative impact of summer drought period.
220
Mycotron Experiment: a Common-garden Approach for the Quantification of Mycorrhizal
Interactions and Impacts
Olivier Nouwen1, Francois Rineau1, Nico Eisenhauer2,3, Natalie Beenaerts4, Petr Kohout5, Sofie
Thijs1, Jaco Vangronsveld1,6, Nadia Soudzilovskaia1,7
1
Centre for Environmental Sciences, Environmental Biology, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek,
Belgium, 2German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv), Halle-Jena-Leipzig,
Germany, 3Institute of Biology, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany, 4Centre for Environmental
Sciences, Zoology, Biodiversity and Toxicology, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium, 5Institute
of Microbiology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic, 6Department of Plant
Physiology and Biophysics, Institute of Biological Sciences, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University,
Lublin, Poland, 7Environmental Biology, Institute of Environmental Sciences, Leiden University,
Leiden, The Netherlands

Aim: Mutualistic relations between plants and soil fungi, mycorrhizae, control carbon fluxes
between atmosphere and soil. Mycorrhizal types differ in eco-physiological traits making
ecosystems dominated by vegetation featuring a particular mycorrhizal type to exhibit specific
biogeochemical properties. Due to the complexity of field studies, quantitative relationships
between mycorrhizal abundances, intensity between mycorrhizal interactions, and mycorrhizal
impacts on ecosystem functioning remain poorly understood. We present a field experiment
“Mycotron”, where we established vegetation series featuring three mycorrhizal types - Ericoid
(ERM), Ecto- (ECM) and arbuscular mycorrhiza (AM), in varying plant biomass proportions, to
quantitatively assess mycorrhizal impacts on ecosystem functioning.
Method: The experiment is located at Hoge Kempen National Park, in Belgium. Plant species
featuring AM, ECM, and ERM are planted in different combinations, creating the following
experimental treatments: three pure mycorrhizal types; six mixtures of two mycorrhizal types,
varying in levels of dominance; one mixture of three mycorrhizal types. Plant species were selected
to vary only in mycorrhizal types, but to feature similar eco-physiological traits.
Results: This experiment constitutes a unique testbed for quantitative assessments of mycorrhizal
impacts on a large variety of ecosystem functions. Examples of possible targeted experimental
assessments and techniques, enabled through this experimental setup, include soil food web
analyses, assessments of biochemical cycles, as well as functioning and abundance of mycorrhizal
fungi themselves.
Conclusions: Our approach allows addressing knowledge gaps of mycorrhizal functioning which are
impossible to cover with current field studies, and will aid quantitative assessments of the
significance of mycorrhizal types and their interactions.
222
Influence of graphene oxide nanoflakes on microbial communities of a metals and
hydrocarbons co-contaminated soil
Verónica Peña-Álvarez1,2,3, Alexander Prosenkov1,2, Diego Baragaño3, José Luis R. Gallego3, Ana
Isabel Peláez1,2
1
Area of Microbiology, Department of Functional Biology and Environmental Biogeochemistry and
Raw Materials Group, University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain, 2University Institute of Biotechnology of
Asturias (IUBA), University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain, 3Instituto de Recursos Naturales y
Ordenación del Territorio (INDUROT), Universidad de Oviedo, Mieres, Spain

Nowadays, nanomaterials are widely used as remediation approach. However, the effect of some
nanomaterials on soil components, whether biological or physicochemical, has not been well
clarified. In this regard, graphene oxide (nGOx) is a novel extremely oxidative form of graphene
with known capacity to remediate metals in different environments. Although, many studies have
reported that nGOx could have different effects over isolated microorganism, there are only few
studies describing the global changes on soil microorganisms. In addition, taking into account the
direct effect that nGOx may have on soil microbiome, it is also important to analyse how the
microorganism communities are affected by physicochemical changes caused by graphene oxide
addition. The main objective of this study was to conduct an in-depth study of microbial
communities changes caused by GOx addition in a co-contaminated soil. In order to elucidate
interactions mechanism of nGOx, polluted soil and microorganism, several assays were performed.
Four microcosms experiments with metals, arsenic and hydrocarbons co-contaminated soil were
designed (control, addition of nGOx, addition of nutrients, and combined addition of nutrients and
nGOx). Changes on pollutants and microbial communities were monitored for 90 days. The results
should facilitate a better understanding of the effects of GOx on soil and an advance in the analysis
of its usefulness in remediation technologies.
223
Textile Composting: An Avenue for Clothing Waste Management, Mitigating Climate
Change, and Regenerative Agriculture
Ericka Leigh1, Lacey Vasconcelos-Brogioli1
1
Sewn Apart, Tampa, United States

Abstract.
The average American throws away 82 pounds (lbs.) or 37 kilograms (kgs) of clothing per year for
a total of 17 million lbs./7.7 million kgs annually; 15% of that is donated or recycled while the other
85% is landfilled or burned, leaching toxins into the air, soil, and groundwater. Ericka Leigh of Sewn
Apart is leading a pilot project to explore solutions to textile waste management.
Aim.
Rather than landfilling fabrics or shipping them overseas, Sewn Apart in partnership with the Patel
College of Global Sustainability (PCGS) at the University of South Florida (USF) started a textile
composting project at Rosebud Continuum Sustainability Education Center to explore reducing
textile waste by composting it instead.
Method.
Textiles were composted two ways, one used whole cotton sheets as landscape fabric; the other
method used shredded fabric pieces mixed with food scraps, shredded paper, and mulch in a
compost pile.
Results.
Shredded bamboo fabric decomposed the quickest in the compost heaps and cotton landscape
fabric disintegrated in three months. At the time of this writing, we have composted 300 lbs/136 kgs
of textiles and 500 lbs/226 kgs of food and created over 250 lbs/114 kgs of soil organic carbon. The
composted clothing soil was tested and showed high levels of calcium, magnesium, and zinc.
Conclusion.
More testing needs to be done to determine carbon sequestration levels. All data suggest that
scaled appropriately, unwanted textiles made of natural fibers could be composted rather than
landfilled and have a net positive impact on the environment.
224
Microbial Communities in Different Components of an Alpine Grassland Ecosystem
Paul Illmer1, PhD Nadine Praeg1, Theresa Rzehak1, PhD Giulio Galla3, Filippo Colla2, PhD Heidi C.
Hauffe3, PhD Julia Seeber1,2
1
Universität Innsbruck, Department of Microbiology, Innsbruck, Austria, 2Eurac Research, Institute
for Alpine Environment, Bozen/Bolzano, Italy, 3Fondazione E. Mach, Conservation Genomics
Research Unit, Research and Innovation Centre, San Michele all’Adige, Italy

Aim:
Biodiversity is a central keyword of the 21st century and is gaining even increasing attention in the
light of global change. Whereas traditional concepts of studying microbial diversity consider
individual components or taxa in a given habitat (e.g. bulk soil, plants, earthworms), these concepts
neglect that complex interactions and co-occurrences of microbial communities may exist between
these components.
Methods:
The prokaryotic and fungal community composition of different sample types (components),
including bulk soil, rhizosphere soil of Carex spp. and Festuca spp., members of the micro-
(nematodes), meso- (collembolans), and macro- (earthworms, ground and rove beetles) fauna, as
well as fecal samples of wild mammals (hare, deer) and domestic livestock (cattle, equids) are
investigated by amplicon sequencing along an elevational gradient from 1000 to 2500 m a.s.l. A
meta-dataset of soil properties, soil microbial and meteorological data contributes to the
interpretation of the community data of the almost 2000 samples within the alpine grassland
ecosystem.
Results:
Soil, rhizosphere and faunal samples each have unique microbial communities, but these
microbiota overlap to different degrees, depending on functional traits, trophic relationships and
elevation. Our data indicate connections between microbial communities of different ecosystem
components and that certain animals can serve as vectors for various microorganisms. Generally,
results reveal key drivers for the microbial biodiversity within the different components of alpine
grasslands.
Conclusions:
Our data prove – even across the elevation gradient – connected microbial communities in alpine
pastures and allow conclusions about the sensitivity of the complex interactions especially in light of
climate change.
225
EUdaphobase - building bridges between cohabiting soil communities, environments, and
methodologies
Zaklina Marjanovic1, Achim Schmalenberger2, Beat Frey3, Fritz Oehl4, Peter Baldrian5, Serghei
Corcimaru6, Paul Henning Krogh7, Ting-Wen Chen8, Cristina Fiera9, Stephan Lesch10, David
Russell10
1
University Of Belgrade, Institute For Multidisciplinary Research, Kneza Viseslava 1,, 11 000
Belgrade, Serbia, 2University of Limerick, V94 T9PX, Limerick, Ireland, 3Swiss Federal Institute for
Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Zürcherstrasse 111, 8903 Birmensdorf, Switzerland,
4
AGROSCOPE, Müller-Thurgau-Strasse 29, 8820 Wädenswil, , Switzerland, 5Institute of
Microbiology of the Czech Academy of Science, v. v. i. Vídeňská 1083, 142 20 Prague 4 – Krč,
Czech Republic, 6The Institute of Microbiology and Biotechnology, the Republic of Moldova, 1
Academiei str.,, Chisinau, MD-2028, Republic of Moldova, 7Aarhus University, Department of
Ecoscience - Terrestrial Ecology, C.F. Møllers Allé 4, 8000 Aarhus , Denmark, 8J.F. Blumenbach
Institute of Zoology and Anthropology, University of Goettingen. Untere Karspüle 2, 37073
Goettingen, Germany, 9Institute of Biology Bucharest, Romanian Academy, Splaiul Independenței
296, București 060031, Romania, 10Department of Soil Zoology, Senckenberg Museum of Natural
History Görlitz, Postfach 300 154, 02806 Görlitz, Germany

Aim: Edaphobase is a database previously constructed by the Senckenberg Natural Museum in

Görlitz in Germany for the purpose of connecting soil invertebrate taxa to their environment. To
extend Edaphobase into a warehouse for data on soil biodiversity at the European level and
improve its usefulness, COST Action “EUdaphobase” was launched. Action gathers a network of
European specialists working on enlarging existing capacities, and improving the technical
capabilities, to provide a unique database that would be used by the different levels of stakeholders
(from farmers, research and education institutions to decision makers). Taxonomists, ecologists,
modelers of soil ecosystem processes, financial and IT specialists joined to form a holistic picture of
soil biodiversity and introduce it into the decision-making process in Europe.
Method: WG 7 of EUdaphobase is focused on two goals - to enable a framework for integrating the
data on fungi, bacteria and microeukaryotes, and collating the data derived by molecular methods
(metabarcoding, NGS-based, environmental DNA/RNA), on all soil organism groups.
Results: The highly demanding technical problems of incorporating fungal and molecular data into
the already existing framework of Edaphobase were resolved. The joint work of researchers
working on different soil organisms and techniques resulted in the unique possibility for a variety of
users to provide/analyze/use data that include cohabiting taxa, their environments, and mutual
relationships.
Conclusions: The outcome will enable the usage of the upgraded Edaphobase for holistic soil state
evaluation and monitoring, as well as monitoring of the dynamics of soil communities/environments
involved in different ecosystem services on the European level.
229
The impact of drought on the wheat microbiome and its consequences for soil functioning
Elena Kost1, Dominika Kundel2, Rafaela Feola Conz1, Paul Mäder2, Jochen Mayer3, Johan Six1,
Martin Hartmann1
1
Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zürich,
Zurich, Switzerland, 2Departement of soil science, Research Institute of Organic Agriculture, Frick,
Switzerland, 3Nutrient Flows, Institute for Sustainability Sciences, Agroscope, Zurich, Switzerland

Aim: Frequency and severity of drought are projected to increase due to climate change. Drought
can affect soil microbial communities, which are crucial to maintain soil functions that are relevant
for crop production. Conventional and conservational agricultural management systems promote
contrasting soil microbial communities with potentially different capacities to buffer soil functions
against drought. This project aims to better understand the effects of drought on the soil
microbiome and its cascading effects on soil functions under different agricultural management
practices to ultimately improve the climate resilience of cropping systems.
Method: An on-field drought simulation with rainout-shelters and a controlled climate chamber pot
experiment have been established to investigate effects of drought on the taxonomic and functional
diversity of root-associated microbiomes in wheat using metabarcoding and shotgun
metagenomics. The field experiment will assess the resilience of root-associated microbiomes to
drought in conventional and conservational agricultural systems. The plant, soil and microbiome
interplay during drought will be studied using stable isotope labelling and plant metabolome
profiling. To quantify the microbial contribution to plant drought tolerance, untreated and γ-irradiated
soils were compared in the climate chamber experiment.
Results: Data on both experiments have been generated and are currently analysed. Preliminary
results from the climate chamber experiment showed that microbial community composition
gradually shifted with a 50% and 75 % water reduction compared to the control.
Conclusions: The results from this project will help to elucidate the potential of different agricultural
systems to promote soil microbiomes that improve the climate-resilience of crop production
systems.
230
Temperate Alley-cropping Improves Soil Micro-arthropod Biodiversity and Biological Quality
on Arable Farms in Eastern England
Beth Evans1,2,3, Alexa Varah1, Mark Hodson2, Roy Neilson3
1
The Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom, 2University of York, York, United Kingdom,
3
The James Hutton Institute , Aberdeen, United Kingdom

Aim:
Conventional agriculture places unsustainable pressure on soil microarthropod communities,
threatening the essential soil processes and services they underpin. Alley-cropping, an agroforestry
practice incorporating parallel tree rows into agricultural fields, has been shown to enhance
biodiversity on agricultural land. However, there remains a distinct paucity of information on how
tree rows influence soil microarthropods despite their invaluable role in soil functioning, a literature
gap this study aimed to address.
Method:
Three composite soil samples (n = 6 per treatment) were collected in April–June 2022 from paired
arable alley-cropping and monoculture fields on five UK farms. Soil microarthropods were extracted
using Berlese-Tullgren funnels and identified morphologically to order/family level. Samples were
assigned a biological quality score according to the QBS-ar index. Microarthropod abundance,
diversity, and biological quality were compared between land-uses and as a function of tree row
distance (i.e., 0, 2, and 24 m).
Results:
Alley-cropping systems supported higher soil microarthropod abundances, α diversity, and
biological quality compared to their monoculture counterparts, with gains primarily concentrated in
the tree rows but extending into the crop alley. Multiple soil physical and chemical parameters
influenced by tree row presence regulated microarthropod communities.
Conclusions:
Tree rows improve soil biological quality and microarthropod biodiversity on arable farmland. This is
likely to be through reduced disturbance and beneficial alteration of soil environments by trees. The
greater potential for biological activity associated with higher soil biodiversity positions alley-
cropping as a more sustainable practice for arable farmers, capable of concurrently delivering
multiple ecosystem services.
231
Above- and Belowground Biodiversity Following Herbicide Application Post Wildfire
Tanner Hoffman1, Linda van Diepen1
1
University Of Wyoming, Laramie, United States

Aim:
Our aim is to understand responses of the soil microbial community structure and function to the
application of a pre-emergent cellulose biosynthesis inhibiting herbicide (indaziflam) immediately
post wildfire in a sagebrush steppe/shortgrass prairie ecosystem.
Method:
Following a wildfire in southeast Wyoming, USA, 21 sites were selected for soil sampling
representing burned and unburned ecosystems that have either been treated or not treated with the
herbicide indaziflam. A variety of biological, and chemical analyses are being performed to
compliment a surveying effort by the United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service, who
are looking at species level vegetation cover in order to observe the effectiveness of this herbicide,
and measure any unintended consequences on native vegetation. The soil analyses being
performed include amplicon sequencing to capture bacterial and fungal diversity, phospholipid fatty
acid analysis for microbial biomass analysis, extracellular enzyme assays for microbial functional
traits, and soil available nutrients, pH, and organic matter content.
Results:
Preliminary results from three months post herbicide treatment indicate minimal changes in soil
biological, chemical and physical properties. Alpha, and beta diversity for bacteria and fungi was
not affected by herbicide application, although the relative abundance of the bacterial phylum
Nitrospirae is negatively influenced by treatment with indaziflam.
Conclusions:
Soil Microbial diversity and function does not appear to be heavily impacted by the herbicide
indaziflam in the short term. Additional analyses over time will reveal potential residual effects of
indaziflam application on soil microbial and native plant community recovery following wildfire.
236
From Darwin to SOC-D: building rich earthworm metadatasets for predicting soil
biodiversity, functions and health
Aidan Keith1, Kelly Mason1, Frank Ashwood2, Jack Cosby, Olaf Schmidt3
1
UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Lancaster, United Kingdom, 2Forest Research, Roslin,, United
Kingdom, 3University College Dublin, School of Agriculture and Food Science, Agriculture and Food
Science, Belfield, Dublin, Republic of Ireland

Aim: The project aimed to build a compendium of data sources and rich metadatasets on
earthworms and associated environmental conditions in the British Isles and Ireland, to support
data analysis and modelling, and provide an open resource for the research community.
Method: Several international initiatives have collated earthworm and environmental data but none
have systematically gleaned the available data sources covering the British Isles and Ireland. A
systematic literature search was conducted to find data sources using Web of Science and Google
Scholar, as well as directly from original authors/data holders where possible. Meta-data recorded
covers the type of quantitative earthworm data (i.e. incidence, abundance, biomass, taxa),
methodological details (e.g. sampling method/s, location/s, whether sampled plots were natural or
experimental, sampling year/s), and environmental information (e.g. habitat/land-use, inclusion of
climate data and basic soil properties).
Results: The initial compendium of field-based earthworm data sources and associated meta-data
from across the United Kingdom and Ireland was published as an open resource (‘WormSource’). It
contained 257 sources published from 1891 to 2021. The most common habitat category across
data sources was grasslands (62%), followed by arable (32%) and woodland (22%). An R Shiny
app has been developed for researchers to explore the metadata in more detail.
Conclusions: Understanding how earthworms may respond to land use and climate change is vital
to predict impacts on soil functions and health. Our approach to systematically glean available data
sources has facilitated data extraction and synthesis for modelling, mapping and benchmarking of
earthworm communities.
237
Interaction Between Root Phenotypes and Microbiomes in Maize Under Nitrogen Deficiency
and Drought
Elena Giuliano1, Tania Galindo-Castañeda1, Jagdeep Singh Sidhu2, Ivan Lopez Valdivia2, Rafaela
Feola Conz1, Alexander Strigens3, Mark Mescher4, Jonathan Lynch2, Johan Six1, Martin Hartmann1
1
Sustainable Agroecosystems, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Environmental
System Science, ETH Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland, 2Roots Lab, Department of Plant Science,
Pennsylvania State University, University Park, USA, 3Delley seeds and plants Ltd, Delley,
Switzerland, 4Biocommunication Group, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Department of
Environmental System Science, ETH Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland

Aim: Plant performance under stress is influenced by the interaction between roots and associated
microbial communities. However, the synergism between root phenotypes (i.e., root architecture
and anatomy) and microbiomes has been poorly explored. The aim of this study was to identify and
characterize maize (Zea mays L.) genotypes with potentially favourable combinations of resource-
efficient root phenotypes and beneficial microbiomes under nitrogen deficiency and drought.
Method: We screened 28 maize inbred lines and 6 landraces for plant performance, root
phenotypes, and rhizosphere microbial community composition under nitrogen deficiency and
drought in the field. Laser ablation tomography for the evaluation of root anatomical traits and
metabarcoding of ribosomal markers for microbiome characterization were used. Promising
associations between root phenotypes and microbiomes identified in maize genotypes with
improved performance will be further characterized in greenhouse mesocosms by analysing plant
and soil metabolites, root phenotypes and functional traits of microbiomes under nitrogen deficiency
and drought combined.
Results: Preliminary results show that bacterial diversity in the rhizosphere decreased under
drought compared to the control conditions, and increased under nitrogen deficiency compared to
the optimally fertilized plots, with variability between genotypes. Moreover, drought had a stronger
influence on bacterial community structure compared to nitrogen deficiency.
Conclusions: Targeting potentially beneficial associations of root phenotypes and microbiomes
might be implemented in the future to develop more resistant and resilient cultivars under resource-
limiting conditions in the context of sustainable agriculture.
238
Global Soil Atlas: Bridging Biodiversity and Biotechnology with NGS
Emma Bolton1, Marlon Clark1, Phoebe Oldach1, Glen Gowers1
1
Basecamp Research, London, United Kingdom

Aim:
Basecamp Research is a company built on the belief that nature has already designed solutions to
our planet's greatest challenges. We are mapping global soil microbial biodiversity to ethically
discover biology-based solutions for a wide range of sustainable industries. While doing so, we
build academic, national, and land management partnerships to help partners better understand
and manage the biodiversity their land encompasses.
Method:
We partner with biodiversity guardians to develop ethical access and benefit sharing (ABS)
agreements to sequence DNA from around the world. Our field team uses mobile laboratories to
generate whole genome sequencing (WGS) data and environmental metadata (e.g. climate, land
use, soil chemistry) - this builds a knowledge graph for the identification of novel industrially-
relevant proteins.
Results:
We have collected >1000 samples with 40 different stakeholder groups across 16 countries to build
an open-source atlas of soil bacterial diversity, which we use to draw inferences on drivers of soil
microbiome composition and productivity. We have completed some of the largest microbial
biodiversity studies across National Parks internationally, such as the Azores - in which both
terrestrial and marine environments were sampled. We also work with specific landowner
questions, for example with rangeland landowners in Oregon, USA we are sampling soils in various
annual invasive grass colonisation states to address the impacts on soil microbial communities.
Conclusions:
We believe that connecting biodiversity and biotechnology will allow us to build a world that both
recognises the value of our planet’s biodiversity and learns from nature to build a cleaner, greener
future for all.
239
Linking Community, Trait and Phylogenetic Ecology in Soil Animal Diversity Research
Ting-Wen Chen1,2
1
J.F. Blumenbach Institute of Zoology and Anthropology, University of Göttingen, Göttingen,
Germany, 2Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Soil Biology and
Biogeochemistry, České Budějovice, Czech Republic

Aim:
Recent developments in molecular methods, phylogenetics and functional trait ecology have
overcome the perplexity of studying biodiversity in cryptic ecosystems, such as soil. Here I
demonstrate an analytical pipeline in R that integrates community, trait, phylogenetic and
environmental data in testing following hypotheses: (1) Traits are functional and informative, i.e.,
they differ in communities across environmental gradients or among different habitats. (2)
Assembly processes (e.g., filtering and partitioning) are revealed by similarities of traits in local
communities, but results depend on trait types and environmental contexts. (3) Different
combinations of traits represent multidimensional niches of species, revealing both filtering and
partitioning processes at work in the same communities. (4) Evolutions of traits are random
processes, i.e., no specific directions but following the Brownian Motion model, that result in a non-
random phylogenetic signal in trait values across species, but species evolutions in
multidimensional trait space show convergent patterns. (5) In multidimensional trait space rare
species occupy niches left behind by abundant species. (6) Partitioning over filtering processes
drive community assembly of rare species and especially in stable habitats with ample resources.
Method:
I used trait-based approaches in community ecology and phylogenetic comparative methods in
evolutionary biology to demonstrate both ecological and evolutionary processes of traits underlying
contemporary soil animal communities.
Results:
The results will be presented with several empirical datasets of soil animals.
Conclusions:
By providing complementary information to traditional taxonomy-based studies on soil biodiversity,
functional traits and phylogenetics of species help to predict soil animal responses to environmental
changes.
245
Root-associated microbiome network connectivity and composition linked to disease
resistance in strawberry plants
Cristina Lazcano1, M. Amine Hassani, Gerald Holmes, Omar Gonzalez, Kelly Ivors
1
University Of California Davis, Davis, United States

The diversity and interactions between root-associated microorganisms could play an essential role
in plant health and promote the resistance to soil-borne diseases in commercial crops. Yet,
evidence of these interactions under field conditions, relevant to commercial production, and
understanding of their main divers is still scarce. By characterizing the prokaryotic and fungal
community (via 16S rRNA and ITS, respectively) in the rhizosphere and roots of three strawberry
cultivars with different resistance to the soil-borne fungal pathogen Macrophomina phaseolina, we
tested the hypothesis that resistant cultivars assemble distinct bacterial and fungal communities
that foster microbial connectivity and mediate disease resistance. Our results show that the soil-
borne pathogen, M. phaseolina, does not perturb the rhizosphere and roots microbiome of three
different strawberry cultivars with varying degree of resistance to M. phaseolina. Microbiome
comparative analysis indicated that the highly susceptible cultivar Sweet Ann assemble a distinct
microbiome that shows poor network connectivity, whereas more resistant cultivars were enriched
in potential beneficial microbes and showed higher network connectivity. Collectively, these results
suggest of genetic traits in the plant host that could be involved in the assembly of beneficial
microbiome members. Our study reinforces the eminent role of the plant microbiome as trait of
selection in breeding programs and stresses further understandings of the genetic and biological
mechanisms that mediate microbiome assembly. Uncovering these mechanisms will be key for
future plant breeding programs and susceptibility in agriculture.
246
Soil Macrofauna State of Knowledge in the World Using Science Data Tools
Cintia Niva1, George Brown2, Talita Ferreira3, Juaci Malaquias1, Ozanival Dario Silva1, Maria
Elizabeth Correia4, Luiz Fernando Antunes5
1
Embrapa Cerrados, Brasilia, Brazil, 2Embrapa Forestry, Colombo, Brazil, 3FAPEG/ Embrapa
Forestry, Curitiba, Brazil, 4Embrapa Agrobiology, Seropedica, Brazil, 5FAPEG/ Embrapa
Abrobiology, Seropedica, Brazil

Aim: Estimate the state of knowledge of soil macrofauna in the world. Method: A dataset with
14,947 article records was obtained from a bibliographic search performed in Web of Science
between 2011 and February, 2022. A database with these records was built in PostgreSQL and
connected with the R statistical program enabling customized queries with keywords of interest and
elimination of redundant articles. The Microsoft Excel version 2019 was used to build graphs and
maps based on analysis of 8044 article records of authors from 94 different countries. Results: USA
and China standed out with >1000 articles, followed by India and Brazil with > 600 articles and
European countries such as France, Germany, United Kingdom and Italy. South Africa and
Australia appeared within the top 20 countries, but many African countries showed no records on
macrofauna studies. Earthworms are the most studied soil macrofauna organisms so far, present in
52% of the articles analyzed, followed by coleopterans (18%), ants (11%) and termites (6%).
Earthworms are mainly used as indicators, in soil quality, taxonomy, bioturbation and composting
studies and are also the most used in molecular studies and ecotoxicology. Coleopterans are the
most frequent in articles on biological control and pitfall method. Conclusions: The results reveal
there is a need to fill soil macrofauna knowledge on different taxons and especially in the tropical
region.
248
Effect of Epichloë endophyte on ryegrass plant and soil microbiome - a field study
Shengjing Shi1, Sandra Young1, Emily Gerard1, Russell Croy1, David Hume1
1
Agresearch, Selwyn District, New Zealand

Aim:
Perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) is the most common livestock forage species for pastures in
New Zealand and other temperate countries. It can form mutualistic symbiosis with a shoot
endophytic Epichloë fungus which produces a diverse range of alkaloid metabolites protecting
plants from invertebrate pest damage. There is limited understanding of the effect of Epichloë on
plant-associated and soil microbiomes. We aimed to address this knowledge gap and examine
whether such effects are Epichloë strain dependent.
Method:
A field trial was established with six ryegrass cultivar/ Epichloë strain combinations, enabling
comparison of Epichloë strain specific effects as well as cultivar/strain interactions on plant and soil
microbiomes. Samples were collected when plants were 4-month-old and at the peak of alkaloid
production. Microbiomes associated with bulk soil, rhizosphere soil, endophytic roots and shoots
were processed and analysed using MiSeq 16S and ITS sequencing. The microbiomes associated
with seeds used for the trial were also examined.
Results:
Strong Epichloë effects were detected for seed and ryegrass shoot microbiomes, and different
strains of Epichloë showed various impacts on specific microbial phylum and classes. Epichloë
effects were also detected in root, rhizosphere and soil microbiomes, particularly for bacterial
communities.
Conclusions:
The aboveground shoot endophyte Epichloë not only impacted shoot microbiome but also
belowground microbiomes (root, rhizosphere and soil). Some of the impacts were strain specific.
Other samples from various time points were collected to further investigate whether such impacts
are transient (e.g., during peak of alkaloid production) or long-lasting.
249
Spatial and temporal variation of soil microbiome across NZ dairy farms
Shengjing Shi1, Bryony Dignam1, Emily Gerard1, Lee Aalders1, Faith Mtandavari1, Nigel Bell1, Sean
Marshall1
1
Agresearch, Selwyn District, New Zealand

Aim: The soil microbiome plays critical roles for many soil functions. However, managing soil
microbiome for agriculture gains is a serious challenge, partly due to the highly dynamic nature of
soil microbes and unclear drivers of such variation. We aimed to understand soil microbial
variations in dairy farms across New Zealand (NZ).
Method: Soils from thirty farms over three regions across NZ were sampled. Two farms from each
region were sampled seasonally. Detailed spatial variability was determined from 32 soil cores
taken from a single field (100 × 50 m) in one region. DNA was extracted from soils and analysed
using MiSeq 16S and ITS sequencing.
Results: High microbial diversity was detected within NZ pasture soils. Region had a strong
influence on both soil bacterial and fungal communities, while seasons had a minor impact.
Approximately 15% of bacterial OTUs and 19% of fungal OTUs were present in all 30 sites. Spatial
variation of soil microbiome within a single field was greater than the seasonal variation in that
region. Several soil properties (e.g., soil pH, moisture, Olsen P and C/N ratio) and nematode
population significantly correlated to soil microbiomes.
Conclusions: Our study revealed the different scales of soil microbial variations and potential
drivers for soil microbiomes in NZ dairy farm soils. Common microbial taxa present across 30 sites
were also identified. This knowledge is important in designing robust sampling strategies for soil
microbiome studies and for moving towards managing soil microbiomes for productivity and
environmental gains.
250
The Importance of Organic Layers for Soil Microbial Diversity Preservation: The Case of
Brazilian Amazonia
Priscila Pereira Diniz1,2, Beatriz Maria Ferrari Borges3, Thiago Gonçalves Ribeiro1,7, Osnar Obede
da Silva Aragao6, Márcia Reed Rodrigues Coelho1, Maurício Rizzato Coelho4, Aline Pacobahyba
de Oliveira4, Adina Chuang Howe5, Siu Mui Tsai3, Ederson Jesus1
1
Embrapa Agrobiologia, Seropedica, Brazil, 2Federal University of Lavras, Lavras, Brazil, 3CENA-
University of São Paulo, Piracicaba, Brazil, 4Embrapa Solos, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 5Iowa State
University, Ames, United States of America, 6Federal Institute of Pará, Breves, Brazil, 7Rural
Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Seropedica, Brazil

Aim:
Despite its role as a source of energy and nutrients in tropical forests, soil organic layers have been
overlooked as essential habitats for soil microbes. We argue that bacterial diversity has been
underestimated by not taking them into account. We used a tropical forest in Eastern Amazon and
an adjacent pasture as model systems.
Method:
Seven distinct layers were identified on the forest floor, including the unfragmented and fragmented
litter, a transition between the fragmented litter and the H horizon (subdivided into three layers),
and the soil mineral layer. Four layers were identified in the pasture: the unfragmented and
fragmented litter, the soil mineral layer, and the rhizosphere soil. DNA was extracted, and the 16S
rRNA gene was sequenced with the Illumina platform. Functional groups involved in the N cycle
(nitrifiers, N2-fixing bacteria, denitrifiers) were quantified by qPCR.
Results:
Our results show a community composition gradient from the litter toward the soil mineral layer.
Taking the organic layers into account significantly increased the diversity estimated in both
systems. The most striking finding was the organic layers' higher bacterial diversity and abundance.
In the pasture, virtually all functional groups were more abundant in the fragmented litter; in the
forest, they were abundant in the H horizon, except for nitrifying bacteria, which were more
abundant in the litter.
Conclusions:
The results show that the organic layers in forest and pasture harbor significant bacterial diversity
and may be crucial for maintaining the N cycle in these systems.
251
Comparison of Microarthropod Faunal Indices Calculated from Urban Gradient Data
Edite Jucevica1, Vendija Grina1, Ugis Kagainis1,2, Ineta Salmane1, Viesturs Melecis1,3
1
Institute of Biology, University of Latvia, Riga, Latvia, 2Department of Zoology and Animal Ecology,
Faculty of Biology, University of Latvia, Riga, Latvia, 3Department of Environmental Science,
Faculty of Geography and Earth Sciences, University of Latvia, Riga, Latvia

For soil quality assessment - several methods based on use of faunistic indices have been
proposed. For soil microarthropods there exists two groups of methods: methods based on a single
taxonomic group such as Rusek's method for Collembola, Beger-Parker index for Oribatida, Ruf’s
maturity index for Mesostigmata, and methods using data from two or wider spectrum of taxonomic
groups such as Bachelier’s density ratio index, QBS, QBSar, and F’c. No comparison of these
methods has been performed so far. We compared various methods and faunistic indices
calculated from small sample sets collected in 21 urban habitats along the urban-rural gradient in
the city of Riga (Latvia). The vector of axis calculated by NMS, describing the effects of urban
environment on microarthropod community, was used as a measure of strength of anthropogenic
pressure on microarthropod community. Of all the tested indices, statistically significant (p<0)
correlations with this axis were found only for three indices (RF'c=0.946, RQBS=0.625, RBerger-Harper
=0.542). Although F'c showed the best results, it’s use can be limited by the high labour intensity
connected with the identification of the collected material to the species level. QBS was the most
optimal in this respect because its calculation for more easily identifiable higher-level taxa are used.
253
Species-specific eDNA analysis of the bioindicator species in soil ecosystem, Allonychiurus
kimi (Collembola: Onychiuridae)
Taewoo Kim, Yun-sik Lee1,5, Minhyung Jung2, June Wee3, Doo-Hyung Lee2, Youngeun Kim1,
Kijong Cho4, Cheolho Sim5
1
Ojeong Resilience Institute, Korea University, Seoul, South Korea, 2Department of Life Science,
Gachon University, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea, 3BK21 FOUR R&E Center for Environmental
Science and Ecological Engineering, Korea University, Seoul, South Korea, 4Division of
Environmental Science and Ecological Engineering, Korea University, Seoul, South Korea,
5
Department of Biology, Baylor University, Waco, USA

Aim:
Since the identification and counting the collembolans in the soil is a laborious and costly
procedure, environmental DNA (eDNA)-based biomonitoring was proposed as an analysis tool of
collembolan species found in the soil.
Method:
In this study, standard primer sets for the species-specific eDNA analysis using Allonychiurus kimi,
a soil bioindicator species was selected. Then, the primers were tested for specificity and sensitivity
from the soil samples. Two different eDNA samples were tested: 1) eDNA samples were extracted
from the soil with A. kimi individuals (intra-organismal eDNA). 2) the samples from the soil without
A. kimi individuals (extra-organismal eDNA).
Results:
The two primers were confirmed in their sensitivity and specificity to the two types of eDNA
samples selected. Ct-values from both intra- and extra-organismal eDNA showed the significant
correlations to the number of inoculated A. kimi (adj. R2 = 0.7453 – 0.9489).
Conclusions:
These results suggest that in excretion, egg, and other exuviae had a significant effect on eDNA
analysis from soil samples taken. Furthermore, our results suggest consideration of variables for
other inorganic environmental factors that should be considered when analyzing eDNA collected
from soil.
255
Assessing relationships between microbial communities and soil carbon across depths in
perennial cropping systems
Joshua Garcia1, Connie Wong1, Kelsey Fenn1, Luisa Robles1, Noelymar Gonzalez-Maldonado,
Bruna Vaz1, Cristina Lazcano1, Mallika Nocco1
1
UC Davis, Davis, CA, United States

Aim: Microbial communities in soils have a tremendous influence on soil biogeochemical cycles, yet
much remains unknown about their role in carbon sequestration, especially in subsurface soil
layers. Recent work suggests subsurface soil layers have a larger potential for long term carbon
sequestration due to differences in mineral composition and microbial community composition and
activity. However, these potential relationships have yet to be explored. In this study, we seek to
investigate how soil microbial communities along with soil carbon shift across subsurface layers in
two perennial semi-arid agroecosystems in California.
Method: Using Next-Generation Sequencing methods, we will compare bacterial and fungal
taxonomic composition and diversity across four soil layers (0-15cm, 15-30cm, 30-60cm, 60-
100cm) in grape and almond production systems. We will also measure CO2 respiration, microbial
biomass carbon, particulate organic carbon, and mineral-associated organic carbon to understand
linkages between soil microbial communities and soil carbon across these depths.
Results: Given the differences in soil physicochemical properties at different depths, we expect
microbial community composition, diversity, and activity will be altered at deeper soil layers with
corresponding changes to carbon sequestration potential. Specifically, we hypothesize with lower
microbial diversity and activity, the potential for carbon sequestration will be greater in deeper soil
layers in both production systems.
Conclusions: These data will yield insight into the linkages between soil microbial communities, soil
carbon pools, and land use histories at different depths in the soil environment, providing
mechanistic understanding of the factors that influence soil carbon sequestration at different depths
in agroecosystems.
260
Linking Volatile Organic Compounds from Agricultural Soil to the Microbiome
Phil Kay1, Morag Glen1, Caroline Mohammed1, Marcus Hardie1, Ian Hunt1
1
Tasmanian Institute Of Agriculture University of Tasmania, Sandy Bay, Australia

Aim: Linking Volatile Organic Compounds From Agricultural Soil to the Microbiome
Microbes emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that may be plant growth promoting or plant
growth inhibiting. Most studies are conducted with a single microbial species and focus on a single
VOC, however VOC emission may be affected by interactions among microbial species. There is
limited literature examining the associations between the soil microbiome and the VOC’s emitted
from agricultural soil. Our aim was to establish the potential for developing a device that land
managers could use to give an accurate ‘real-time’ indicator of soil microbial diversity and activity.
Method: Detecting Microbial VOCs & Microbiome Characterisation
The first experiment was based on soil in pots, and microbial activity manipulated by moisture
stress. The second experiment was based on a field trial of cover crops and mulches in an apple
orchard. Volatile detection was carried out via GCMS. Soil microbiomes were characterised by
DNA amplicon sequencing.
Results: In the pot experiment, changes in fungal and bacterial community composition, enzyme
activity and substrate utilisation linked to soil type and moisture content were reflected in changes
to soil VOCs. Preliminary results from the field trial show, measuring microbial biomass carbon
(MBC), a treatment effect on the size of the microbial communities, and on the composition of the
VOC’s detected.
Conclusions: VOCs offer the potential for real-time monitoring of soil microbial activity, though
analysis using artificial intelligence and calibration for soil type and land use will be needed.
267
Identification of Geoecological Factors Determing Truffle Sites in Central Europe
Andres Stucke1
1
University Of Hildesheim, Hildesheim, Germany

Truffles (Tuber spp.) live as hypogeous symbiotic fungi in most European soils. Recent reports
show the existence of wild truffles with the species Tuber aestivum in Denmark, Germany, Poland,
Serbia and Sweden. Most recent studies have focused mainly on the optimization of truffle
cultivation in orchards, while little is known about the microbial and spatial environment of truffles in
its natural habitat. To close this gap, our research will provide an overview of the interactions of
truffles (T. aestivum and T. uncinatum) and its environment.
Literature Review, Mapping, Sampling, Analysis
Our methods are divided in four sections. The research design of the first section involves data
collecting from literature including soil and side parameters influencing the natural distribution of T.
aestivum. Section two provides a concise analysis of the side conditions with field work and
samplings to confirm literature data. To enrich the data, part three is dedicated to laboratory
analysis of Ctot, Cmic, Ntot, Nmic, Ptot, Pmic, CaCO3, pH, Ktot, Stot, Mgtot in soil samples as well as PCR
analysis of the sample surroundings. In section four we identify the key factors behind the
geoecology of truffles and develop a species distribution model based on soil, vegetation,
topography and climate for Central Europe.
Poster Results and Conclusion
Our poster will show the outcome from the literature review. The results will enhance our ability to
identify suitable truffle sites and accurately determine site characteristics.
268
Can We Preserve Biodiversity in Extremely Touristic Areas?
Francesca Visentin1,2, Lingzi Mo4, Cristina Menta2, Sara Remelli2, Vitaliy Linnyk3, Guo-Liang Xu4,
Augusto Zanella3
1
University of Florence, Florence, Italy, 2Dipartimento SCVSA, University of Parma, Parma, Italy,
3
Dipartimento TESAF, University of Padua, Padua, Italy, 4School of Geographical Sciences,
Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, China

Aim:
It is estimated that at most 10% of the populations of soil microarthropods have been explored and
little is known about the drivers of the community composition. Noted the growing interest in using
them as bioindicators, there is a need in understanding how communities respond to different
disturbances. In this study, we investigated how microarthropods populations respond to anthropic
pressure in two neighbouring Italian coastal areas: the natural reserve of Porto Caleri and the
extremely touristic Albarella island.
Method:
We sampled 10 biotopes per area: 8 samples were taken along a transect from shore to forest
across the Mediterranean dunal system, and the last 2 samples in unique site-specific non-
matching biotopes. From each sample, edaphic microarthropods were extracted and their
community analysed.
Results:
Statistical analysis revealed no significant differences in arthropod abundance, taxa richness,
community composition, community diversity and QBS-ar index between the studied areas,
suggesting that soil microarthropods are more dependent on the complexity of the ecosystem
rather than on the level of anthropization.
Conclusions:
Natural habitats in Albarella island are extremely fragmented and eroded but scarcely mechanically
disturbed and this has been revealed to be sufficient, in this site, for the preservation of the
microarthropod community. This study suggests the importance, in artificial habitats, of the
maintenance of some areas of preserved natural vegetation that act as hotspots for soil
biodiversity. Further studies are needed to understand the minimum area necessary to preserve a
vital community and the potential of spatial colonization of edaphic microarthropods.
269
Impact of contrasting root architectures of spring wheat on soil microbial community
structure and activity
Adrian Lattacher1, Samuel Le Gall2, Chao Gao1, Youri Rothfuss2, Lobet Guillaume2, Moritz
Harings2, Ellen Kandeler1, Christian Poll1
1
University Of Hohenheim, Hohenheim, Germany, 2Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Jülich,
Germany

Aim:
Wheat variants with contrasting root architecture might play an increasing role in agriculture due to
their differences in hydraulic properties and the exploitation of nutrients. The aim was to investigate
the influence of root architecture of Triticum aestivum L. on the main microbial groups and the
enzymatic activities in top- and subsoil.
Method:
Two experimental spring wheat genotypes with strongly contrasting seminal root angles (UQR012:
RA° = 110°; UQR015: RA° = 66°) were grown as monocultures in RhizoTubes and destructively
sampled on a weekly basis from four weeks after sowing to seven weeks. Zymography was
performed on top- and subsoil samples to detect the spatial distribution of enzymatic activity and to
determine the location of microbial hotspots. Additionally, the PLFAs, NLFAs, and microbial
biomass (Cmic) were investigated.
Results:
The root system has a considerable effect on β-glucosidase activity. While the shallow-rooted
genotype showed a higher microbial activity in the topsoil than in the subsoil, the exact opposite
was observed for the deep-rooted genotype after 7 weeks of plant growth. During plant growth, an
increase in microbial activity was observed in the topsoil for the shallow-rooted genotype as well as
an increase in the subsoil for the deep-rooted genotype. The deep root system also led to an
increased formation of microbial hotspots in the subsoil compared to the shallow root system.
Conclusion:
The spatially explicit data on microbial function as well as abundance of soil microorganisms will be
used to integrate microbially controlled processes and properties into a rhizosphere-microbiome
model.
272
The Effects of Geographic Origin and Genotype on Fungal Diversity of Silver Birch (Betula
pendula)
Sanni Färkkilä1, Anu Valtonen2, Karita Saravesi3, Sten Anslan1, Annamari Markkola3, Sari
Kontunen-Soppela2
1
University Of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia, 2University of Eastern Finland, Joensuu, Finland, 3University of
Oulu, Oulu, Finland

Aim:
Fungi and plants interact to improve each other’s fitness and survival. Although plant genetic
variation affects ecosystem processes and functions, little is known about how interspecific genetic
variation of plants affects fungal diversity. Thus, we wanted to explore the existence and magnitude
of plant genotype effect on root fungal communities.
Method:
To determine the effect plant origin and genotype have on root fungal communities, we sequenced
roots from 64 clonally propagated silver birch (Betula pendula Roth) trees representing 16
genotypes from four different geographical origins across Finland, grown together in a common
garden.
Results:
We found that alpha and beta-diversity but not community composition of root fungi differ by B.
pendula genotype.
Conclusions:
Birch genotypes may vary in their plasticity with regard to their fungal interactions, and individuals
that are more plastic could thus be more robust against environmental changes.
274
Plants play a crucial role in revitalising remediated substrate after EDTA washing of metal-
contaminated soils
Irena Maček1, Sara Pintarič1, Nataša Šibanc2, Tatjana Rajniš2, Damijana Kastelec1, Domen
Leštan1, Marjetka Suhadolc1
1
University of Ljubljana, Biotechnical Faculty, Ljubljana , Slovenia, 2Slovenian Forestry Institute,
Ljubljana, Slovenia

Aim: To evaluate the importance of different factors (e.g. soil type, plant cover, inoculum) for
secondary succession and soil fungal community in remediated substrate.

Method: Two types of metal contaminated soils (calcareous and acidic) were washed with EDTA
(ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid) for soil remediation. The pots were seeded with perennial
ryegrass (Lolium perenne) and some were left without plant cover. Abundance of the total fungal
community, determined by ITS fungal marker genes, and root colonisation by arbuscular
mycorrhizal (AM) fungi were quantified.

Results: Four months after the start of the experiment, the abundance of ITS genes in the soil
clearly showed that the presence of plants was the main factor affecting the total fungal community,
which increased in most treatments in soils with plant cover, while it remained at a low level in soils
without plants. While fungal ITS genes were detected in the soil at the end of the first growing
season, arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) structures were scarce in plant roots in all treatments
throughout the first season. However, in the second season, AM fungal colonisation was detected
in plant roots in virtually all treatments, with the frequency of colonised root length ranging from
30% to > 75% in some treatments, including those with remediated soil.

Conclusions: This study demonstrates the importance of plants and rhizosphere in the development
and secondary succession of fungal communities in soil, which has important implications for the
revitalisation of remediated soils.
275
Changes in carabid species distribution, body traits and associated microbiota along an
elevational gradient
Julia Seeber1,2, Filippo Colla1, Theresa Rzehak2, Giulio Galla3, Nadine Praeg2, Heidi C. Hauffe3,
Paul Illmer2
1
Eurac Research, Bozen/Bolzano, Italy, 2Universität Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria, 3Fondazione
Edmund Mach, San Michele all'Adige, Italy

Aim:
Climate warming is affecting Alpine habitats through an above-global average increase in
temperature. Such rapid environmental change can affect biotic interactions, impacting ecosystem
stability and functionality; however, these processes in mountain regions are not well understood.
We used an elevation gradient ranging from 1000 to 2500 m a.s.l. as a proxy for climate change to
examine the diversity of carabid beetle species, body traits and microbiota.
Methods:
On 12 grazed pasture sites (3 replicate sites every 500 m of altitude), we installed and checked
pitfall traps for 24 hours every two weeks throughout the growing season. Almost 6000 individuals
were morphologically identified to species, and body length, wing development and sex were noted.
In June 2020, 182 carabid beetles were captured by hand, and used for microbial community
analysis.
Results:
Community composition, diversity, and the ratio between winged and wingless species of carabid
beetles changed significantly with elevation, but not in a linear pattern (ie. highest species
biodiversity at 1000 m; lowest diversity and largest body size at 2000 m). Carabids established
individual-specific but still elevation-dependent patterns in prokaryotic and fungal communities.
Prokaryotic communities were similar below 2000 m but changed at higher elevations and fungal
diversity was highest at 2000 m.
Conclusions:
We discuss how changes in species assemblages and body traits may alter the functional role of
carabid beetles in mountain ecosystems, and how alterations in their microbiota might impact their
ability to adapt to rapid environmental perturbation.
276
The European Atlas of Soil Fauna as a tool for the conservation of soil biodiversity
Maria Tsiafouli1, David Russel2, Anton Potapov3, Pierre Ganault3, Andrey Zaytsev2, Paul Henning
Krogh4, Jerome Cortet5
1
Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece, 2Senckenberg Museum of Natural
History , Görlitz, Germany, 3German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv), Leipzig,
Germany, 4Department of Ecoscience Aarhus University, Aarhus , Denmark, 5University Paul-
Velery Monpellier, Montpellier, France

Aim: The protection of soil biodiversity is essential for ensuring soil functioning and provisioning of
related ecosystem services, as well as the conservation of species per se. Designing efficient policy
regulations, conservation, management and monitoring schemes requires transformation of existing
knowledge into a guiding tool. Attempting to fill this gap, we initiated the “European Atlas of Soil
Fauna”. We aim to summarize current information, collect existing data, and map the distribution of
soil micro-, meso- and macrofauna taxa across biomes, soil types and land uses.
Method: We developed collaboration within the Cost Action EUdaphobase/CA18237. We structured
the Atlas into two parts: First part for summarizing current information and second part for creating
soil fauna maps based on available data. A platform/warehouse for data storage/analysis
(Edaphobase) is available. For identifying possible data sources we performed literature searches
and developed a questionnaire to approach possible data holders.
Results: Collaboration among over 20 motivated researchers was very efficient resulting into an
initial draft of the first part of the Atlas within few months. For the part concerning the maps, we
found through the literature search over 2000 soil fauna study sites across Europe. Most of them
have not yet been included in global reviews or meta-analysis studies.
Conclusions: The transformation of available data into soil fauna maps is a laborious task. It is
however feasible if data holders join this initiative and become co-creators of the Atlas. We ask for
contribution to this effort! The twitter account @soilfaunaAtlas serves as gate to join!
277
Community composition, habitat and soil associations of oribatid mites in Great Britain
Ainoa Pravia1, Aidan Keith2, Matthew Shepherd3, Frank Ashwood4, Carlos Baretto5, Frank Monson6
1
Forest Research, Roslin, United Kingdom, 2Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Lancaster
Environment Centre, United Kingdom, 3Natural England, Renslade House, United Kingdom, 4Forest
Research, Roslin, United Kingdom, 5Ontario Forest Research Institute, Sault Ste Marie, Canada,
6
National Museums Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom

Soil structure, community composition and abiotic variables such as moisture and temperature are
key determinants for species distribution and thus food web structure. Whilst mites are some of the
most abundant microarthropods in soils, their diversity and functionality remain poorly understood.
In undisturbed and organic-rich soils, oribatid mites tend to be the more abundant free-living mite
group. Their biological activity helps to maintain soil structure, and their life-history traits -
particularly slow development, low fecundity, and long adult lifespan - makes them sensitive to soil
disturbance and structural degradation. In this study, we investigated data on oribatid species
communities, alongside vegetation and soil parameters collected during national surveys and other
extensive monitoring programmes (e.g. Countryside Survey). We aimed to determine the
characteristic oribatid community composition of different British habitats and identify which biotic or
abiotic variables and soil associations might clarify the value of oribatids as indicators for habitat
and biodiversity monitoring. We applied multivariate techniques (IndVal, PermANOVA and PCA) to
analyse oribatid community composition and relation to environmental variables, model presence-
absence of prevalent taxa across soil property gradients, and integrated current knowledge of
oribatid trophic status. Our findings include the key environmental variables and species with
indicator potential which can be used in the monitoring of priority habitats, as well as the
maintenance and enhancement of biodiversity according to national policy frameworks.
283
Improving soil macro- and meso-fauna diversity of Mediterranean agrosystems: Application
to maize crops and vineyards
Ninon Delcourt1, Sofia Isabel Almeida Pereira2, Helena Moreira2, Paula Maria Lima Castro2,
Angeles Prieto-Fernández3, Lur Epelde4, Pr. Jérôme Cortet1
1
CEFE, Univ Montpellier, Cnrs, Ephe, Ird, Univ Paul Valéry, Montpellier, France, 2Universidade
Católica Portuguesa, CBQF — Centro de Biotecnologia e Química Fina, Laboratório Associado,
Escola Superior de Biotecnologia, Rua Arquiteto Lobão Vital, Apartado 2511, 4202–401, Porto,
Portugal, 3Instituto de Investigaciones Agrobiológicas de Galicia (IIAG), Consejo Superior de
Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Avda. de Vigo s/n, , Santiago de Compostela 15705, Spain,
4
NEIKER-Tecnalia, Basque Institute of Agrarian Research and Development, c/Berreaga 1, E-
48160 Derio, Spain

Aim: In a context of global change, Mediterranean agrosystems, already weakened by conventional

management practices (overuse of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, monoculture farming…), are
subject to increasing environmental pressures (i.e extreme heat events, depletion of water
resources). To face this climate crisis, it is essential to encourage agricultural practices that
contribute to the improvement of soil biodiversity, as a key attribute of a sustainable agricultural
system. In this context, ReCROP is an European project that aims to identify sustainable and
resilient agricultural production systems in the Mediterranean region through the combined use of
biotechnological tools, such as bioinoculants, and environmentally friendly agronomic practices. A
positive influence of mulching and organic farming is expected on soil fauna. The effect of various
bioinoculants will be compared since their influence on soil arthropods community has been little
explored.
Method: Two types of crops (vineyards, maize), subjected to a wide range of practices (organic
farming, bioinoculant, mulching, crop rotation), were investigated during spring 2022. A multi-taxa
approach (i.e springtails, ants, spiders) was used to assess the influence of these practices on the
abundance and diversity of soil fauna.
Results: We will present here the main results obtained on abundance, biomass, species richness
and diversity, by focusing also on functional traits.
Conclusions: Soil fauna have a key role in ecosystem processes leading to essential functions, like
predation of pests. This work will thus contribute to identify which practices are beneficial for the
resistance or resilience of soil fauna, thus improving the functioning of Mediterranean agricultural
soils.
284
Characterisation of a brown infrastructure for earthworm preservation in urban fragmented
areas
Guénola Pérès1,2, Alexane Leprisé2, Rebecca Dingkuhn1, Etienne Lénack3, Xavier Marié1, Kevin
Hoeffner2, Sarah Guillocheau2, Daniel Cluzeau2
1
Sol Paysage company, Orsay, France, 2University of Rennes 1, Rennes, France, 3Lambert Lénack
agency, Paris, France

Ecological continuities were widely studied for the aerial biodiversity through the concept of blue-
green infrastructure but the equivalent concept for soil biodiversity, the “brown infrastructure”,
remains unclearly identified especially for species with low dispersal rates such as earthworms.
Thus, we suggest defining the brown infrastructure as made up of pedological reservoirs and
corridors allowing the movements of species living all their life stages in the soil and with limited
dispersal abilities. In urban areas, the brown infrastructure is highly influenced by anthropic
activities which modify and fragment soils. We proposed a methodological approach of
characterisation and cartography of the brown infrastructure in urban areas in order to favour its
preservation or restoration in urban planning projects:
(1) A preliminary study from available georeferenced data aims to identify and to characterise the
built and unbuilt surfaces to draw the contours of a potential brown infrastructure. This first location
allows to define (i) reservoirs and corridors for earthworms, degrees of (ii) anthropisation and (iii)
isolation of soils of the study site;
(2) A field study aims to confirm and precise the previous cartography including (2.1) the
description of soil profiles and anthropic discontinuities allowing to cartograph types of soils of the
potential brown infrastructure, and (2.2) earthworm samplings allowing to cartograph earthworm
abundance and diversity;
(3) The cross-checking of the soil and earthworm data allows to discuss hypotheses made at the
first step and to provide a characterisation of the functionality of the existing brown infrastructure.
288
Soil biodiversity monitoring as a useful tool on the way to a sustainable, biodiversity-
friendly agriculture
Julia Plunger1, Elia Guariento1, Alexander Rief1, Julia Seeber1,2, Michael Steinwandter1, Ulrike
Tappeiner1,2, Andreas Hilpold1
1
Institute for Alpine Environment, Eurac Research, Bolzano, Italy, 2Department of Ecology,
University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria

Aim:
With installing a Soil Biodiversity Monitoring across a representative set of agricultural sites we aim
(1) to understand the effect of land-use type and intensity on soil biodiversity in general, (2) to
evaluate whether a soil module within a biodiversity monitoring program can be a useful tool to
identify sustainable agriculture practices that support soil biodiversity, and (3) to test whether land
use intensification effects can be detected already on a higher taxonomic level
Method:
For the northernmost province of Italy, South Tyrol, a biodiversity monitoring program has been set
up in 2019, including a module on soil and soil biodiversity. For the here presented study we
evaluated samples from 73 agricultural sites between 2019-2021, including apple orchards, crop
fields, vineyards, meadows of different management intensity and pastures. We installed two pitfall
traps on each site twice a year. Animals were sorted and identified to family level; spiders were
identified to species level.
Results:
Preliminary results show no differences in diversity indices on family level. However, community
composition varied between land-use types. Ongoing analysis will further define which taxa drive
community changes and test if higher a taxonomic resolution better detects land-use effects.
Conclusions:

Sustainable agricultural practices can help to weaken or even reverse the ongoing loss of soil
biodiversity resulting from intense land-use; however, changes over longer time periods have rarely
been studied. As a first step, our study allows to test which level of taxonomic resolution is required
for receiving a useful tool to a sustainable, biodiversity-friendly agriculture.
290
Biodiversity in mountain soils: current knowledge and research needs
Michael Steinwandter1, Paul Illmer2, Nadine Praeg2, Julia Seeber1,3, Mark Snethlage4, Bettina
Weber5, Davnah Urbach4
1
Institute for Alpine Environment, Eurac Research, Bozen/Bolzano, Italy, 2Department of
Microbiology, Universität Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria, 3Department of Ecology, Universität
Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria, 4Global Mountain Biodiversity Assessment, University of Bern, Bern,
Switzerland, 5Institute for Biology, University of Graz, Graz, Austria

Aim: Mountain soils fulfil important ecosystem functions, such as water filtration for lowlands and
carbon storage, but little is known about their soil biota diversity and related functions. The working
group “Mountain Soil Biodiversity” within the Global Mountain Biodiversity Assessment (GMBA)
platform aims to evaluate the current state of knowledge and identify future research needs.
Method: We established an analytical literature search tool to obtain an overview of available data
for biodiversity in mountain soils above the treeline in temperate zones for invertebrates, non-
vascular plants and microorganisms. We analysed the coverage of different regions and taxonomic
groups in existing studies. Further, we collated the data to provide a broader picture on diversity
distribution patterns.
Results: We showed that soil biodiversity studies are available mainly for the European Alps and
Tibetan Plateau, and some more for Australasia and the Scottish Highlands. Therefore, many
mountain regions remain un- and understudied (e.g. Rocky Mountains, Caucasus, Andes).
Biodiversity was found to be still high at high elevation, with many specialist taxa that have
developed adaptations (e.g. omnivory, life under snow) to cope with the more extreme
environmental conditions.
Conclusions: Knowledge on organisms living in and on mountain soils is still sparse. With the
current initiative, we aim to bring more attention to these habitats, as they represent a relevant
livelihood for many countries and people. The outcome of this first review allows us to define open
research questions and give recommendations for policymakers on the current status of soil
biodiversity and its preservation.
297
Modelling connectivity of microhabitats: You can run, but can you hide?
Sean Darcy1,2, Christina Kaiser1, Ksenia Guseva1
1
Centre Of Microbiology And Environmental System Science, University Of Vienna, Vienna, Austria,
2
Doctoral School in Microbiology and Environmental Science, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria

Aim:
Soils are complex systems made up of microhabitats of varying resource composition that are
colonized by diverse locally interacting communities. Habitat accessibility and suitability are key for
the propagation and thereby survival of soil microbes. Both are inherently linked to habitats spatial
arrangement and heterogeneity. We developed a theoretical model to explore how microbial
community composition is impacted by the spatial structure of habitat networks. We investigated
varying levels of network connectivity, resource diversity and distribution, as well as dispersal
mechanisms and transfer our analyses to real soil structure networks.
Method:
Our model simulates Generalized Lotka-Volterra population dynamics in local communities -
patches which make up nodes in a spatial network. Varying forms of repeated dispersal were
implemented and tested as well as levels of patch resource diversity, abundance and heterogeneity.
Our main focus was relating simulated habitat networks structure to community composition.
Analysis was also applied to soil pore networks constructed from micro-CT scans.
Results:
We found that connectivity impacts both diversity and community composition. Analysing the model
allowed us to characterize how dispersal dynamics influence communities on local and system
scales. Dispersal type, resource diversity and heterogeneity all shifted the shape of the relationship
between connectivity and communities.
Conclusions:
Our results show a strong impact of physical connectedness on community patterns and predict
that structural changes heavily influence community dynamics. Applying our model to soil pore
networks was exploratory, but more detailed data on the structure and heterogeneity of soil at the
microhabitat-scale could enable more realistic parametrization and interpretation.
301
The Impacts of Land Management on Soil Characteristics and Belowground Diversity in a Coastal
Ecosystem
Fanni Tanka1,2, Aidan Keith1, Jonathan Millett2, Laurence Jones1
1
UKCEH, , United Kingdom, 2Loughborough University, Loughborough, United Kingdom

Aim:
The study aimed to uncover the impacts of land management and hydrology on soil characteristics
and belowground biodiversity in a coastal sand dune system.
Method:
Soil samples were collected in autumn 2021 from sixty-three locations encompassing a range of
microhabitats in the Ainsdale Sand Dunes National Nature Reserve (dry dunes, dune slacks,
coniferous woodland, birch woodland and dune grassland cleared of trees in the 1990s). The
organic and mineral layers of soil cores were examined separately to build a robust dataset. Soils
were characterised by pH, bulk density and LOI. Nematodes and microarthropods were extracted
using Baermann and Tullgren funnels, respectively, and enumerated. Soil blocks were also
examined at the same locations across the site to collect earthworms for identification.
Results:
Regarding soil characteristics, the organic horizons of the coniferous woodland samples had the
lowest pH with no significant difference between the organic and mineral horizons in the other
microhabitats. LOI values were higher in organic horizons while bulk density was typically higher in
the mineral horizons for all sampled locations. The organic layers were also distinctly richer in soil
invertebrates with dry dune locations displaying the lowest soil mesofaunal diversity overall.
Conclusions:
This study highlights the importance of measuring and analysing distinct soil horizons separately to
account for varying profiles in coastal sand dune ecosystems. Furthermore, it is also suggests that
different habitats maintain distinct conditions that may harbour unique soil biodiversity composition
in the sand dune landscape.
302
The Genome-based Diversity and Ecological Plasticity of Truffles From Their Natural
Distribution Area
Tine Grebenc1, Cene Gostinčar2, Nataša Šibanc1
1
Slovenian Forestry Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia, 2University of Ljubljana, Biotechnical Faculty,
Department of Biology, Ljubljana, Slovenia

Aim:
Truffles are among the most prominent edible fungi and are considered as best characterised non-
timber forest products. Tuber aestivum is a broadly distributed commercial truffle species. Its
taxonomic diversity is well known while there were little correlations established between its
ecological variants and the genomic potential. The whole genome resequencing aimed to correlate
the basic genomic differences with selected environmental parameters relevant to truffle distribution
and cultivation of this species.
Methods:
A genome sequencing using Illiumina approach was used to re-sequence 60 whole genomes of
Tuber aestivum from 8 different countries, three climate types and most of its ectomycorrhizal
hosts. Various bioinformatic tools were applied for analysis of the obtained genome sequences.
Results:
The whole genomes sequence analysis resulted in a draft phylogenetic relationship among
analyzed samples. The origin of analyzed truffle was strongest selection parameter in separating
truffles. On the other hand, climate and ectomycorrhizal tree partner did not play role in separation
of genomes, in both cases with geographic distance as a co-variable.
Conclusions:
This is the first example of a whole-genome resequencing study in commercial truffle species. The
whole genomes comparison indicated the geographic distance of samples as the most important
criterion in diversification of Tuber aestivum. The ectomycorrhizal tree partner, however expected,
did not play a role in diversification. Based on these results, the crucial aspect a selection of truffles
for seedling inoculation and cultivation in agroforestry systems should focus on their geographic
origin and not necessarily on ectomycorrhizal tree.
308
Drought Legacy Effects on Grassland Functioning and Responses to a Subsequent Drought
Natalie Oram1,2, Nadine Praeg4, Richard D. Bardgett3, Fiona Brennan2, Paul Illmer4, Johannes
Ingrisch1, Michael Bahn1
1
Department of Ecology, University Of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria, 2Environment, Soils and Land
Use Department, Teagasc, Johnstown Castle, Ireland, 3Department of Earth and Environmental
Sciences,The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK, 4Department of Microbiology, University
of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria

Aim: Drought can have long-lasting effects on ecosystems, altering their functioning and responses
to subsequent droughts. How drought intensity mediates soil drought legacies is unknown. Our aim
was to determine how soil drought legacies across a gradient of drought intensity affect soil
functioning and plant growth in response to a subsequent, summer drought.
Method: We studied soil drought legacy effects in two model grassland communities with
contrasting resource acquisition strategies (fast/acquisitive and slow/conservative) that experienced
a gradient of drought intensity in summer 2020. We measured soil microbial community structure,
potential extra-cellular enzyme activities (EEA) related carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) cycling, and
plant productivity in the spring following the drought (2021), as well as during and after a summer
drought in 2021.
Results: We found that drought legacies mediated plant community resistance to and recovery from
the summer drought, and that this response differed between communities with contrasting
resource acquisition strategies. Increasing intensity of the 2020 drought decreased resistance to
the 2021 drought in the slow community only. Seven weeks after the 2021 drought ended, we
found that increasing intensity of the 2020 drought decreased recovery of the fast community, while
recovery of the slow community was unaffected. Drought legacy effects on EEAs were moderate -
N-acetylglucosaminidase decreased with increasing intensity of the 2020 drought- and effects on
soil microbial community structure are yet to be analysed.
Conclusions: Based on our preliminary results we conclude that drought intensity influences soil
drought legacies, altering soil functioning and plant community resilience.
311
Legume-rhizobium symbiosis and synthetic communities production for increasing crop
production under climate change challenges
Francesca Vaccaro1, Alessio Mengoni1
1
University Of Florence, Firenze, Italy

Aim: importance of rhizobium- legume symbiosis in climate change

In the last few years, climate change has gained importance due to its severe environmental
consequences. A promising strategy is represented by the rational use of the wide genetic and
functional diversity of the microorganisms that colonize plants. The rhizobia-legume plant symbiotic
interaction is a fundamental part of the input of fixed nitrogen in the agroecosystems. The
application of rhizobia as bioinoculants can be improved by the creation of synthetic microbial
communities.
Method: importance of systems biology and predictive models
The development of host-microbiome model systems for crop plants is needed to translate
laboratory-scale evidence of synthetic microbial communities to field application. Studies should be
extended to climate-resilient nonmodel crops, such as Amaranthus spp., Chenopodium quinoa
(quinoa), Eragrostis tef (teff) and Setaria italica (foxtail millet). Studies on core microbiome through
meta -omics approaches represent a valid tool for the understanding the most recurrent taxa
associated to a certain host phenotype. Multi- omics approaches, metagenome wide association
analysis, network analysis, genome mining reconstruction of transcriptional and regulatory
networks and statistical modelling approaches should be used to integrate different data.
Results: SynComs improving nitrogen fixation
Research projects are testing out consortia of rhizobia and PGPR for improving legume growth and
resilience toward climate change-related stress. The rational of many of these very small-scale
synthetic communities (indeed only two strains, a rhizobium and a PGPB) is to combine a good
nitrogen-fixing rhizobium with a plant hormone producer.
Conclusions: Perspectives and future challenges
predictive modelling and rational design of synthetic communities are critical and obliged steps to
accelerate the progress in bioinoculants development for increasing nitrogen fixation in harsh
conditions.
313
The Impact of Cover Crops on Microbial Activity and Community Composition in Stockpiled
Soils
Emma Duley1, Katy Jo Stanton1, Mark Nason1, Alexandra Wagstaffe1, Rachel Thomson1, Joseph
Jones1, Tim Pettitt1
1
Eden Project Learning, Bodelva, United Kingdom

Aim:
To examine the effect of cover crops on microbial activity and community composition over time in
stockpiled soil, and its relationship with carbon and nitrogen sequestration.
Method:
Soil was arranged into 12 windrow shaped piles sized approximately 6 x 4 x 2m. Piles were
randomly sown with one of 3 treatments; an amenity grass mix, a herbal ley seed mix or no seed.
Half of each stockpile were covered with a thin layer of mulched wood chip. Soil samples were
taken from each replicate (n=24) at depths of 0-30cm and 90-100cm, taken at T0, 1, 2, 4 and then
at 4 weekly intervals. Microbial activity in the soil was assessed by measuring CO2 flux in situ and
performing fluorescein diacetate assay (FDA) on the same day. Soil was processed for total
nitrogen, total organic carbon, pH, and soil organic matter. Microbial biomass and community
composition were measured at T0 and 4 weekly, using a Microbiometer in field kit and MinIon DNA
sequencing.
Results:
The experiment is in early stages with final samples to be taken March 2023. Hypothesis is that
herbal ley cover crops will have the most diverse microbial communities, enhancing or retaining soil
biodiversity in a situation where soil usually degrades.
Conclusions:
The impact of stockpiling soils on soil biodiversity is poorly understood; this study begins to address
this knowledge gap. The implications of our results could be incorporated into policy and best
practice advice for the sustainable use of soils on construction sites.
315
Determination of soil invertebrate diversity using morphological and DNA-based methods at
25 sites in Germany
Stephan Jänsch1, Paul Henning Krogh5, Daniela Alves2, Tiago Natal da Luz2,6, Verónica Rojo3,
Adam Scheffczyk1, Rüdiger M. Schmelz4, José Paulo Sousa6, Joaquín Vierna3, Antón Vizcaíno3,
Jörg Römbke1
1
ECT Oekotoxikologie GmbH, Flörsheim, Germany, 2CloverStrategy Lda, Coimbra, Portugal,
3
AllGenetics & Biology SL, A Coruña, Spain, 4Freelance researcher, A Coruña, Spain, 5Department
of Ecoscience, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark, 6Centre for Functional Ecology, Dep. Life
Sciences, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal

Aim:
In Germany, no regional coverage and comprehensive information regarding the biodiversity of soil
invertebrates is available. To improve this situation, the German Federal Environmental Agency
started a project in 2018 to develop recommendations for a standardized, comprehensive and
efficient programme to monitor selected soil invertebrate groups all over Germany.
Method:
Sampling was performed at 25 permanent soil monitoring sites, representing different soils, land
use forms and regions, for Lumbricidae, Enchytraeidae and Collembola, using ISO standards.
Species were identified morphologically and by metabarcoding of community DNA (comDNA) and
environmental DNA (eDNA).
Results:
For Lumbricidae, there was strong agreement between morphological and COI comDNA species
identification, with the latter also being able to identify lineages and cryptic diversity. 16S eDNA
metabarcoding on average yielded a similar number of species per site as the other two methods.
For Enchytraeidae, COI eDNA on average detected a slightly and not statistically significantly
higher number of species per site than morphological identification and COI comDNA
metabarcoding.
For Collembola, preliminary results suggest that morphological identification has a lower agreement
with COI comDNA and eDNA species identification than found for oligochaetes.
Conclusions:
No final conclusions can yet be given as the project is still in its final stages of evaluation (finished
by the time of the GSB conference). However, metabarcoding of eDNA is a promising method for
routine soil biodiversity monitoring of oligochaetes but it’s applicability for Collembola is currently
unclear. Some issues with the reference databases in particular for Enchytraeidae and Collembola
need to be resolved.
316
Seasonal effects of sward functional diversity on soil microbiological properties associated
with nitrogen mineralisation
Yahaya Jebril Amanor1,2, Fiona Brennan1, David P. Wall1, Nabla Kennedy2
1
Teagasc, Environment Research Centre, Johnstown Castle, Ireland, 2Department of Science,
SETU Waterford, Waterford, Ireland

Aim: There is lack of knowledge about soil microbial processes (e.g. nitrogen mineralisation) driving
the agronomic and environmental benefits of mixing plant species of different functional traits in
temperate managed grasslands. This study investigated seasonal effects of plant functional
diversity on soil microbiological properties associated with nitrogen (N) mineralisation. Method: The
study used three experimental trials on different soil types in Ireland (Johnstown: Gley soil; Curtins:
Brown earth; Lyons: Gleyic brown podzol) that consisted of swards of different functional diversity
levels: grass monoculture, grass-legume mixture and grass-legume-herb mixture. The fields were
sampled across four seasons as per grass growth pattern in temperate grasslands: Declining (DG),
No (NG), Increasing (IG) and Peak (PG) growth seasons, and analysed for potential net N
mineralisation (PNM), microbial biomass N (MBN) and C/N cycling enzyme activities (C: β-
glucosidase; N: Leucine aminopeptidase). Results: PNM was affected by both season and
functional diversity for the lighter and freer draining soils of Curtins but by season alone for the
heavier and more poorly draining soils of Lyons and Johnstown. Seasonally, PNM values for
Curtins were 1.1-1.5 fold and 1.8-2.0 fold greater than Johnstown and Lyons, respectively.
Regardless of functional diversity level, PNM values in DG and NG were generally lower than IG
and PG. The changes in PNM were strongly reflected in the MBN pool and to a lesser extent in β-
glucosidase activity. Conclusions: The results show microbial activity responded more strongly to
season than plant functional diversity and that seasonal plant growth stimulated changes in
microbial activity.
318
Grassland Degradation and Possibilities for Restoration in Inner Mongolia
Xu Han1, Wim van der Putten, Paul Struik
1
Nioo-knaw, Wageningen, Netherlands

Aim:
To analyse changes in vegetation and soil biota communities and relationships between
aboveground and belowground communities during degradation caused by overgrazing in the
grassland of Inner Mongolia, China, and explore the possibility of degraded grassland regeneration.
Method:
The experiment was established in 2014 with four grazing treatments in triplicate: ‘No grazing’,
‘Light grazing’ with 4 sheep per plot, ‘Moderate grazing’ with 8 sheep per plot and ‘High grazing’
with 12 sheep. The sheep had an individual body mass of 50 kg when treatments started. Grazing
lasted 170 days per year. Each plot was 1.33 ha. In each plot, 32 subplots were set up, each with a
2 m × 2 m cage for sampling. From June to July , the vegetation was surveyed within the 4 m2
quadrant in each plot. Five random soil cores were pooled for chemical analysis and per plot three
soil samples were taken to assess the soil microbe communities.
Results:
Continuous grazing reduced the converge of palatable species but increased the coverage of
unpalatable species. Plant community diversity showed a ‘U’ shape with the lowest at light
distribution. The soil biota communities varied among different grazing intensities and had
correlation with the aboveground changes.
Conclusions:
• The vegetation coverage declined significantly with an increase in grazing intensity and
changed the composition.
1. Vegetation diversity in higher grazing intensity treatments did not support the intermediate
disturbance hypothesis.
2. The light grazing disturbance promote the spatial homogeneity but strength the heterogeneity in
moderate grazing intensity treatment.
320
Mycorrhizal Fungi Dynamics and Drivers After Glacier Retreat Around the Globe
Alexis Carteron1, Isabel Cantera1, Alessia Guerrieri1,2, Silvio Marta1, Aurélie Bonin1,2, Gentile
Francesco Ficetola1
1
University of Milan, Milano, Italy, 2Argaly, Sainte-Hélène-du-Lac, France

Aim: Early development of soil is heavily dependent on mutualisms such as arbuscular mycorrhiza
and ectomycorrhiza, the two most widespread plant-fungal symbioses. The nutrient-poor and harsh
environments occurring in glacier forelands provide a unique model for studying primary succession
of early mycorrhizal fungal communities.
Method: To explore the dynamics and drivers of mycorrhizal fungi in primary succession, we
conducted a comprehensive inventory of 1251 plots in 265 forelands of 46 glaciers around the
globe, with sites spanning from 1 to 483 years since glacier retreat. For each plot, we assessed
fungal community using metabarcoding of soil environmental DNA. For a subset of 32 glaciers, we
also estimated plant community, productivity and microhabitat conditions.
Results: Both types of mycorrhizal fungi colonize the substrate a few years after the retreat of the
glaciers, although with a delay compared to the whole fungal community. Diversity of arbuscular
mycorrhizal fungi is largely driven by time and plant community, while microclimate and productivity
influence more strongly ectomycorrhizal fungi.
Conclusions: The establishment of mycorrhizal fungi is rapid with local dynamics driven by time
after glacier retreat but also plant community, productivity and microhabitat conditions. Changes in
the rate of ice melt and conditions such as microclimate could disrupt biotic colonization, potentially
by causing a mismatch between mycorrhizal partners which would slow soil development and
associated ecological processes. Further analyses using multi-trophic surveys are needed to
predict ecosystem-level impacts.
321
Land-use Changes Alter Multidimensionality of Diversity in Overwintering Collembola
Communities
Ting-Wen Chen2,1, Jo-Fan Chao1, Cao Hao3,4, Donghui Wu4,5
1
J.F. Blumenbach Institute of Zoology and Anthropology, University of Göttingen, Göttingen,
Germany, 2Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Soil Biology and
Biogeochemistry, České Budějovice, Czech Republic, 3State Environmental Protection Key
Laboratory of Wetland Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, School of Environment, Northeast
Normal University, Changchun, China, 4Key Laboratory of Wetland Ecology and Environment,
Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun,
China, 5Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology, Ministry of Education, Northeast Normal University,
Changchun, China

Aim:
Human activities have largely transferred natural vegetations to crop systems in the past decades,
resulting in decreases in biodiversity. Due to immigration policy natural wetlands and forests in
Sanjiang Plain (north-east China) have been transferred to arable fields and forest plantations, with
some natural habitats scattering in the mosaic landscape and likely functioning as refugia for soil
biota. Using trait-based and community phylogenetic approaches we investigated responses of the
overwintering Collembola communities to the land-use changes.
Method:
We sampled entomobryomorph and poduromorph Collembola under snow layer from typical
habitats of the region: wetlands, secondary natural forests, arable fields and forest plantations. We
used trait community weighted mean and pairwise phylogenetic and trait distance as community
attributes. We especially investigated responses of six traits to land-use changes: body length,
furca-to-body ratio, ommatidia number, surface brightness, color pattern and colors in RGB model.
We built an eco-morpho-space for traits and explored species evolution in the multidimensional
niche space.
Results:
Traits are functional – they differ in communities among habitats. Community assembly processes
depend on traits and habitats. Even in same communities, combinations of traits (representing
multidimensional niches) reveal both filtering and partitioning processes at work. Rare species
usually occupy the niches left behind by abundant species. Species evolutions in the
multidimensional niche space were convergent.
Conclusions:
Land-use changes threat soil biodiversity not only taxonomically but also functionally as
represented by community traits. Complementary to traditional biodiversity indices, trait and
phylogenetic parameters are informative in prediction of diversity loss resulted from human
impacts.
322
Investigating the function, persistence and biosafety of constructed microbiomes for
improved bioremediation of petroleum-impacted soil
Mutian Wang1
1
South East Technological University, Carlow, Ireland

Aim：
This project will construct an oil-degrading bacteria consortia and analysis for their safe use in
the environment, investigate the fate of the consortia in the soil and its effects on the soil
microbiome, and determine the key genes that are involved in the oil degradation process.
Method:
Analyzing the contaminated soil microbiome and the oil-degrading consortia microbiome to
determine the major bacterial members of these communities. Assessing the Biosafety /eco-
toxicity of the bacterial consortia. Inoculation of the consortia on trial plots. Examine the
correlations of the diversity and abundance of key degradation genes with the microbial
microbiome. Transcriptomic analysis of functional biodegradation genes.
Results:
Analysis of the Ecopile microbiome data and compare the changes in the Bacterial, Fungal, and
Nematoda communities in seven Ecopiles over a two-year period. Results show that in most
Ecopiles an increment in biodiversity was observed along the bioremediation process. Five types of
highly efficient Diesel degradation bacteria have been isolated and cultured in individuals, carrying
out degradation studies on individual bacterial and bacterial consortia. (ongoing)
Conclusions:
The Ecopiling method was successful in the biodegradation of hydrocarbon pollutants. The TPHs’
values decreased by 95.91% and 76.78% on average for aliphatics and aromatics, respectively.
For bacteria, the phylum Proteobacteria and more precisely the class Gammaproteobacteria, for
Fungi, the genera Mortierella , for Nematoda, the genera Rhabditida and Diplogasterida. Whose
relative abundance varied obviously with the TPHs’ levels and was the most abundant taxa, could
have played a major role in the degradation of these pollutants.
323
How does differentiated fertilization in organic farming affect soil biodiversity?
Isabel C. Kilian1, Daniel Neuhoff1, Frank Täufer1, Ameli Kirse2, Sarah J. Bourlat2, Moritz Nabel3,
Thomas F. Döring3
1
Agroecology and Organic Farming Group, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany, 2Leibniz Institute
for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change, Museum Koenig, Bonn, Germany, 3German Federal
Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN), Bonn, Germany

Many edaphic species are important ecosystem service providers (e.g. decomposers) or
valuable soil quality indicators in agricultural ecosystems. However, many soil-dwelling species and
their habitat and resource requirements still remain largely unknown. In particular, the effect of
different types of fertilizers on soil diversity is presently poorly understood. Current studies either
focus on a small number of different fertilizers or a limited range of taxa.
Aim: In the project DüNaMed we use two locations to study the effect of six different solid and liquid
fertilizers (cattle manure and slurry, straw, biogas digestate, compost, and mineral NPK) on
different edaphic organism groups and compare them to unfertilized controls.
Method: The meso- and macrofauna are sampled with pitfall traps, emergence traps, Berlese-
Tullgren funnels, and environmental DNA (eDNA), targeting a diverse group of taxa (mainly
Diptera, Coleoptera, Hymenoptera, Araneae, Collembola, and Acari).
Results: Preliminary results of the first sampling year show significant higher abundance of
Collembola in the plots with straw fertilization and Nematocera in the plots with cattle slurry
fertilization. Moreover, differences in carabid diversity are higher between locations than within
different fertilization treatments.
Conclusions: We expect that further identification at deeper taxonomic levels in combination with
eDNA metabarcoding will allow us to get a more comprehensive view of the relevance of fertilizers
for the conservation of edaphic biodiversity.
324
Restoring Polluted Soils Microbial Diversity with ECOPILES
Rafael Rivilla1, Ruben Martinez-Cuesta1, Robert Conlon2, Mutian Wang2, Esther Blanco-Romero1,
Daniel Garrido-Sanz1, David Duran1, Miguel Redondo-Nieto1, David Dowling2, Marta Martin1, Kieran
Germaine2
1
Universidad Autonoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain, 2enviroCORE research Centre, South East
Technological University, Carlow, Ireland

Aim: Ecopiling is a biodegradation method for hydrocarbons in soils. It derives from BIOPILES but
phytoremediation is added to biostimulation with nitrogen fertilizer and bioaugmentation with local
bacteria. We have constructed eight ECOPILES with soil heavily polluted with hydrocarbons in
Carlow (Ireland). The aim of the study was to analyze changes in the microbial community during
ecopiling.
Method: We have used metagenomic analysis of 16S (18S) amplicons to analyse the composition
of the microbial community
Results: In the course of 18 months, hydrocarbon values decreased in 95.91% and 76.78% on
average for aliphatics and aromatics, respectively, indicating a successful biodegradation.
Community analysis showed that microbial alfa diversity (Shannon Index) increased with the
degradation of hydrocarbons, with starting average value of 7.59 and final average value of 9.39.
For beta diversity, a PCoA ordination was performed using Bray-Curtis, where the two first principal
components (PCs) explain the 17% and 14% of the variance, respectively. Results show that
samples cluster by sampling time rather than by Ecopile. This clustering pattern is supported by
hierarchical clustering analysis, where most samples from the same timepoint clustered together.
We determined the differential abundance of bacterial populations in Ecopiles at the beginning and
end of the treatment. While TPHs degraders are abundant at the beginning, these populations are
substituted by populations typical of clean soils by the end of the process.
Conclusions: All data indicate that the bacterial community follows a succession along the
bioremediation process. This succession starts with a TPH degraders enriched community, and
finish with a bacterial community typical of clean soils.
325
Fungi as an Important Ecological Driver in a Panamanian Rainforest
Hilario Espinosa1,2,3,4, Nathan Malamud5, Krista McGuire5, Edwin Lebrija-Trejos6
1
Department of Evolutionary and Environmental Biology, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel,
2
Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama, Panama, 3Sistema Nacional de Investigación, ,
Panama, 4Departamento de Botánica, Universidad de Panamá, Panama, Panama, 5Institute of
Ecology & Evolution, University of Oregon, Eugene, USA, 6Department of Biology and the
Environment, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Haifa-Oranim, Tivon, Israel

Aim:
Reveal species-specific relationship of fungi taxa in soil and above-ground plant communities.
Method:

The study was performed in a permanent research plot (800 x 480 m) in Peninsula de Gigante of
Barro Colorado National Monument, Panama, Central America. Eleven different tree species were
surveyed, Soil (0-20 cm) and litter (Oi-e horizons) were separately collected from the four cardinal
directions of each tree and pooled for each sample. DNA extraction and PCR amplification, the ITS
marker gene was sequenced using the Illumina Hiseq platform. Bioinformartics analysis was done
to separate the ITS sequence reads into grouping of amplicon sequence variants (ASVs). The ASV
table was provided as input into FUNGuild. Our analysis focused on: mutualist, decomposers, and
pathogens. A pairwise PERMANOVA (Permutational Analysis of Variance) test evaluated
differences in fungal communities across tree species.
Results:

Plant pathogens were more abundant in litter samples than in soil samples, AMF (arbuscular
mycorrhizae) were more abundant in soil samples than in litter samples, and saprotrophic fungi
(decomposers) were roughly equal across both layers. Pathogenic and saprotrophic fungi
(decomposers) appear to exhibit the strongest patterns of tree host-specificity. Ordination plots for
these groups exhibited a high degree of within-group clustering and inter-group separation across
the 11 tree species.
Conclusions:
These results suggest that fungal pathogens and decomposers show strong patterns of community
divergence across tree species, thereby potentially validating their roles in shaping aboveground
plant community structure.
327
Novel Carbon Foam Amendments and Their Effects on Soil Prokaryotic Communities
Iria Janeiro-Tato1,2, Marina Riesgo-Mazaira2, Roberto Garcia1, Jose Luis Rodriguez Gallego2, Maria
Antonia Lopez-Anton1, Alexander Prosenkov2, Ana Isabel Pelaez2
1
Carbon Science and Technology Institute (INCAR-CSIC), Oviedo (Asturias), Spain, 2University of
Oviedo, Oviedo (Asturias), Spain

Aim:
Nowadays, different amendments are being developed to stabilize heavy metals in severely
contaminated soils, reducing metal availability and contributing to the restoration of soil
ecosystems. While some of these amendments were proven to be effective in chemical soil
remediation, several studies have confirmed their negative impact on soil biodiversity. This study
focuses on assessing the effects of novel carbon foam amendments upon soil prokaryotic and
fungal communities while proving that they can effectively reduce heavy metals availability in a
contaminated soil.
Method:
In this study, we applied two types of carbon foams (non-impregnated and impregnated with
goethite nanoparticles) obtained from molten sucrose in an environmentally realistic dose to a
heavy metal contaminated soil in a microcosm experiment. Changes in the metal availability were
monitored using the Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP) method and effects on
autochthonous prokaryotic and fungal communities were assessed by Automated Ribosomal
Intergenic Spacer Analysis (ARISA) and 16S/18S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing.
Results:
Results indicated not only significant changes in the mobility of some of the heavy metals, but also
slight shifts in the composition of microbial communities, as well as changes in alpha diversity and
taxonomic composition, depending on the applied amendment.
Conclusions:
This study emphasises further need to analyse specific interactions and possible cytotoxicity of
these new amendments for them to be effectively applied in contaminated soils at a larger scale.
331
The effect of deep-rooting cover crop mixtures on subsoil carbon allocation and microbial
hotspots
Yijie Shi1, Iris Zimmermann1, Michaela Dippold2,3, Sandra Spielvogel1
1
Institute of Plant Nutrition and Soil Science, Christian Albrechts University Kiel, Kiel, Germany,
2
Geo-Biosphere Interactions, Department of Geosciences Faculty of Sciences, University of
Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany, 3Biogeochemistry of Agroecosystems, Department of Crop
Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany

Aim: The subsoil is an important carbon (C) pool with a large potential for C sequestration. Deep-
rooting cover crops can accumulate organic C in their root pores and induce the microbial hotspots
of C turnover in the subsoil. However, there is still a knowledge gap about the niche complementary
effect of multiple cover crop species on root C allocation in the subsoil. This study aims to
optimization of deep-rooting and shallow-rooting cover crop mixtures (red clover, white clover, tall
fescue, ryegrass, oil radish, summer rapeseed) on C allocation and the microbial hotspots in the
maize rhizosphere.
Method: We used a 13C-pulse labelling approach to quantify the C allocation. The activities of soil
enzymes (β-glucosidase, leucine-aminopeptidase, and acid phosphatase) were measured by
fluorometric microplate assays. The soil hydrophobicity of the root channels was measured by the
sessile drop method.
Results: The 13C assimilated more in the three mixtures than the monocultures in cover crop
growing seasons. The 13C enrichment was significantly lower in the topsoil in the mixture of radish
and grass, and in red clover at maize growing stage BBCH 33, but the mixture of clover and grass
assimilated more 13C to the subsoil. Cover crops grown in monoculture had less effect on the
activities of maize rhizosphere C-, N- and P-cycling enzymes than cover crops grown in mixtures.
Conclusions: We quantified the C allocation in the subsoil optimized by cover crop mixtures and
proved the beneficial effects of cover crop derived-C on microbial hotspots of maize.
334
Is soil a source for deadwood-inhabiting fungi?
Julia Moll1, Claus Bässler2, François Buscot1, Björn Hoppe3, Harald Kellner4, Matthias Noll5, Kezia
Goldmann1
1
Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Department of Soil Ecology, Halle (Saale),
Germany, 2Goethe University Frankfurt, Institute for Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, Frankfurt am
Main, Germany, 3Julius Kühn-Institute - Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Institute for
National and International Plant Health, Braunschweig, Germany, 4Technische Universität Dresden,
International Institute Zittau, Department of Bio- and Environmental Sciences, Zittau, Germany,
5
Coburg University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Institute for Bioanalysis, Coburg, Germany

Aim:
Deadwood decomposition is a main process in terrestrial carbon cycling and is mainly attributed to
specialized wood-colonizers such as fungi. As lying deadwood is located on the forest floor and
thus is in direct contact with the soil surface it is considered as a main source for the diversity of
deadwood-inhabiting fungi. However, little is known about this relationship and its relative strength.
Here, we test whether the deadwood fungal community is correlated with the present soil
community, whether this potential relationship consistently exists for different deadwood substrates
and which drivers affect this relationship.
Method:
In order to explore these questions, wood blocks of three tree species (Fagus sylvatica, Pinus
sylvestris and Picea abies) were put on the floor of 150 forest and 150 grassland sites for one year.
The wood blocks had been sterilized for the inactivation of endophytes and thus to ensure
colonization activity only at the field site. Amplicon sequencing was applied to DNA extracts of
these wood blocks and soil samples taken from the respective site to identify fungal colonizers.
These two community matrices are used for Procrustes analysis to explore their relationship.
Results:
We expect a close association between both communities. Given a significant relationship, the
vector of Procrustean residuals will be used to test if the microclimate, the macroclimate or land-
use intensity explain the association between soil and deadwood fungi.
Conclusions:
This study contributes to better understand fungal colonization mechanisms and the role of soil
fungal diversity to the deadwood-inhabiting fungal community.
335
Soil-borne Plant Pathogens, Soil Microbiome and Disease Control
Arne Schwelm1,2, Stefan Geisen2
1
Teagasc, Environmental Research Centre, Johnstown Castle Co, Wexford, Ireland, 2Laboratory of
Nematology, Wageningen University, , Wageningen, The Netherlands

Aim:
Soil-borne plant diseases are a major obstacle to agriculture and especial difficult to manage. Many
soil-borne pathogens have very resilient survival structures . A prominent example is clubroot, a
global disease of Brassica crops, with no available efficient control and spores that survive in the
soil for decades. We aim to identify disease suppressive and disease conducive microbiome
members, including bacteria, fungi and protists.
Method:
We are performing complex plant and soil physicochemical analyses to decipher underlying drivers
of taxonomic and functional changes in the rhizobiome to clubroot infection including of trans-
European field samples and greenhouse experiments. A focus is on the identification of potential
predatory species of clubroot that could be involved in top-down control.
Results:
In this presentation we will provide the framework of the research and findings that provide first
ideas on the importance of the plant-clubroot-soilbiome connections. This includes the core-
Eukaryotic microbiome in connection to clubroot.
Conclusions:
By identifying pathogen suppressive and conducive soil biota and predator-prey relations, new
biocontrol applications can be developed that will also be useful to control other soil-borne
pathogens.
336
Ill Health of Ash Trees Causes Shift in Soil Communities
Florentine Spaans1,2, Tancredi Caruso1,3, Ian Montgomery1
1
Queen's University, Belfast, Belfast, United Kingdom, 2AFBI, Belfast, United Kingdom, 3UCD,
Dublin 4, Ireland

The hedgerow network of Northern Ireland covers some 11,648 km and consists of a mixture of
shrubs (mainly hawthorn (Crateagus monogyna)) and emergent trees (mainly common ash
(Fraxinus excelsior)). The presence of ash dieback, caused by the fungal pathogen
Hymenoscyphus fraxineus, means that many of the ash trees are expected to decline and
disappear due to disease in the short to medium term future. The soils of intensive agricultural
farmland are often biologically impoverished and characterized by high nitrogen inputs, rapid
turnover rates and poor soil structure. In many areas, however, extensive networks of hedgerows
acting as field boundaries exist and they form strips of soil with increased spatial structuring and
more diverse and complex food webs, influenced to some extent both by the species composition
and structuring of the hedgerows and the micro-environmental conditions they create. The health
status of hedgerow trees may also have an influence on associated soil communities.
This poster describes an early study of soil food webs under ash trees declining from a variety of
causes other than ash dieback. Soil samples were taken from under both healthy and declining ash
trees in hedgerows in order to examine fine-scale community structuring within the hedgerow and
the effects of poor tree health over four time points – two in summer and two in winter. Several
groups of soil biota from microbial to macro-arthropods were examined. While most groups showed
only subtle differences between soil communities associated with healthy and declining ash trees, a
notable increase in phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) markers for arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF)
was found. Although this study was rather limited in scope it suggests that ash trees often respond
to ill health by investing in below-ground symbionts, a relationship which can be further investigated
through future studies.
339
Biosensing Rhizosphere for the Biodiversity Finance
Drago Indjic2,3, Milorad Plavsic1
1
Tata-Cornell Institute, Ithaca, USA, 2Oxquant, Oxford, United Kingdom, 3University College
London, London, United Kingdom

Aim: The EU Soil Directive, various national and private funding policies are calling for significantly
improved assessment of soil health, state, and productivity. We anticipate availability of the soil
moisture and in-vivo microbiota sensing devices, capable of the autonomous operation. We target
the robust indicator species detection, facilitating the production of crops under the organic label
and assessing the microbiota distance to the pristine soil condition.
Method: Our initial study indicates that a swarm of the off-the-shelf biosensors integrated into Small
Robot Company (UK) and QualiSpot Biosens (Serbia) robotic vehicles can cost-effectively cover
the multi-Ha fields, performing fast, active soil health sampling targeting the required uncertainty
bounds. The economic soil production function is conditioned on the biodiversity, but soil and
biodiversity are not necessarily fungible from investment perspective.
Results: Targeted microbiota of particular interest is identified, that enhance soil health, either
through chemical reactions or through mechanical soil transformation. Such soils present vital
precondition for resilient and highly productive agriculture and improved capacities for carbon
storage.
Conclusions: The identified soil parameters are used to calibrate the soil quality and biodiversity
adjusted farmland valuation, producing the science-based, sustainability compliant investment rate
of return (IRR) estimate. In addition to soil biodiversity, the study of the farmland valuation is
expected to augment data on physical and chemical features of the plots. The combined approach
to investment addresses the main objectives of the EU Strategies 2030 as well as financial
instruments proposed by the Common Agricultural Policy.
343
Contribution to the understanding of invasiveness in Mediterranean ant species, Tapinoma
darioi and T. magnum
Alan VERGNES1, Marion Javal1, Aurélien Caries1, Juliette Genevet1, Baptiste Lecoq1, Annick
Lucas1, Killan Verlingue1, Bernard Kaufmann2, Rumsais Blatrix1
1
Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (CEFE, CNRS, Univ Montpellier, Univ Paul-Valéry
Montpellier 3), Montpellier, France, 2Laboratoire d'Ecologie des Hydrosystèmes Naturels et
Anthropisés (LEHNA, Univ Claude Bernard Lyon 1), Lyon, France

Aim: Biological invasions in urban areas often have negative consequences for both human
activities and local biodiversity, which is already heavily affected by urbanisation. On a global scale,
ants are among the invasive species with the worst environmental impact and the highest economic
cost. Recently, two other species of ants belonging to the T. nigerrimum group have been identified
as invasive at the European scale, and in particular in the Mediterranean region: Tapinoma darioi
and Tapinoma magnum.
Method: In order to relate the foraging activity of each of the species with the temperature in the soil
and on its surface, we measured these three parameters in the field at several colonies of both
species in Montpellier Region (France), repeatedly throughout the winter and summer of 2022 in
order to cover a wide range of values for the measured parameters.
Results: An almost continuous activity have been observed for the two Tapinoma species
compared to other species such as Pheidole pallidula, which could give them an advantage in the
field. The difference between T. darioi and T. magnum seemed more complex to identify than
expected.
Conclusions: The acquisition of information on the biology of these species will make it possible to
identify the factors that are favourable or unfavourable to them, and therefore, in the long term, to
act to limit their spread.
344
The BISES project: Urban soil biodiversity and ecosystem services
Alan VERGNES1, Apolline Auclerc4, Sandra Barantal1, Jérôme Cortet1, Robin Dagois8, Anne
Dozières6, Pr Romain Julliard6,10, Jean-Christophe Lata5, Pierre-Alain Maron2, Christophe
Schwartz4, Laure Turcati7, Laure Vidal-Beaudet3, Lionel Ranjard2, Alice Ardichvili5, Sébastien
Barot5, Marie Belin5, Matthias Brand1, Patrice Cannavo3, David Carmignac5, Camille Chauvin9,
Christophe Ducommun3, Louise Eydoux1, Emmanuel Gendreau5, Jacques Gignoux5, René
Guénon3, Quilina Lanfranci1, Annick Lucas1, Yoan Marcangeli, Ambre Mautuit1, Séverine
Planchais5, Alicia Sanchez10, Cécile Villenave9
1
Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (CEFE) / Univ Paul-Valéry Montpellier 3, Montpellier,
France, 2Agroécologie DIjon (INRAE), Dijon, France, 3Environnement physique de la plante
horticole (EPHOR) (Agrocampus Ouest), , France, 4 Laboratoire Sols et Environnement (LSE),
Nancy, France, 5Institut d’écologie et des sciences de l’environnement (IEES-P) , , France, 6Centre
des Sciences de la Conservation (CESCO), Paris, France, 7ECCE TERRA Observatoire des
Sciences de l’Univers, , France, 8Plante & cité, , France, 9Elisol Environnement, , France, 10Unité
de service Mosaic, Paris, France

Aim:
In order to remediate the negative impacts of urbanization, development policies are moving
towards sustainable cities. To achieve this, a leap in the knowledge of urban socio-ecosystem is
essential and critical. The BISES project (Biodiversity of urban soils and sustainable cities: state of
the art, interactions between productive and non-productive systems and importance for the
provision of ecosystem services) aims to understand the ecology of urban soil communities.
Method:
The project uses two complementary approaches based on academic collaborative and
participative research. For the academic collaborative part, our aim is to compare soil organisms
between productive (allotments, urban farms) and non-productive (parks, roadside linear and
roundabouts) vegetated areas and their indirect flows using spatially explicit methods. We selected
ca. 200 sites located in 4 different French cities located under contrasted climates (Montpellier,
Nantes, Nancy and Paris) based on their use and location along the urbanization gradient. For the
participatory science approach, we developed a new community science programme
entitled QUBS (www.qubs.fr). QUBS seeks to encourage city dwellers to set up, in their
garden or those of the community, simple and rigorous protocols to monitor macro-
biodiversity (i.e. earthworms, ants, spiders) and organic matter decomposition.
Results:
For the academic approach, preliminary results showed a contrasted response to urbanization
features. For the participatory science approach, participation will be analysed.
Conclusions:
The BISES Project already provides insights in the field of soil and urban ecology and will make it
possible to set a dashboard of indicators of the ecological quality of urban soils.
346
How Non-Tilling Practices Impact Soil Health across different Crops: a Microbiome
Approach
Alberto Acedo1, Marta Acin-Albiac1, Ifigenia Urbina1, Jacob Parnell1, Francisco Garcia-Verde2,
Diego Moreno1, Beatriz Garcia-Jimenez1, F.Javier Peris-Felipo3
1
Biome Makers Inc, West Sacramento, United States, 2Business Sustainability Syngenta España,
Madrid, Spain, 3Syngenta. Rosentalstrasse 67, Basel, Switzerland

Aim
Healthy soils are of utmost importance to pave the way for global sustainable agriculture. Soil
health quantification is still dominated by physico-chemical analysis, neglecting the fact soil
functions as a living biodiverse ecosystem. Hence, microbial communities should be considered as
a novel indicator of soil health status. No-tilling practices have been shown to decrease soil
erosion, while enhancing soil health and biodiversity. The aim of this study is to determine how
contrasting tilling practices impact soil microbiome composition and functional potential during three
time points when using different crops (wheat, pea and sunflower).
Method
A wide panel of Biome Makers soil health indexes (regarding biodiversity, hormones, biocontrol,
nutrient metabolism or stress impact) were modeled in terms of tilling practices, crop and time.
Next, a differential abundance approach was applied to profile beneficial and pathogenic taxa which
changed their abundance due to tilling practices over time in each crop.
Results
Our results showed that the effect of non-tilling is crop-dependent. Wheat index responses tended
to differ from pea and sunflower ones, especially those related to biocontrol agents and stress
adaptation. Non-tillage management increases fungal taxa, with a different effect on the abundance
of beneficial/pathogenic taxa depending on the crop. However, no-till practices significantly affected
carbon cycling index in a crop-independent manner.
Conclusion
The results presented here provided insights into non-tilling practices impact on soil health from a
novel microbial perspective. This may serve to better guide farmers and agribusiness decision-
making.
349
Effects Of Agricultural Management Practices On Soil Microbial Biodiversity
Sandra Tienda Serrano1, Marina López1, José Damián Ruiz1, Francisco M. Cazorla1, Javier Peris2,
Gina Swart2
1
Málaga University, Málaga, Spain, 2Syngenta Crop Protection, Basel , Switzerland

Aim:
Within the framework of the international LivinGro® project, promoted by Syngenta, this research
focuses on the effect of different soil practices that could preserve or increase biodiversity and soil
health on agricultural ecosystems.
Method:
This study was conducted on selected experimental plots of stone fruit and olive orchards located
in different geographical areas of Spain. In each area different management practices (treatments)
were considered. For each one, soil samples were collected during the two-years’ experiments to
unravel the soil characteristics, organic matter, basal respiration, nitrates, and porosity. Moreover,
the microbial biodiversity was also obtained from the same soil samples and estimated by the
relative abundance of Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic microorganisms. The alpha- and beta-diversity
was analysed, and putative microbial indicators of specific fields and soil management were
proposed.
Results:
Preliminary physico-chemical results indicate that both nitrate and basal respiration can be affected
by treatment. Biodiversity analysis showed higher Prokaryotic than Eukaryotic biodiversity in areas
with LivinGro® treatment, where all microorganisms were typical genera associated with
agricultural soils. Our first results pointed to a higher effect of the tree irrigation systems on
microbial biodiversity. However, some occasional effects of the soil practice in the microbiome
community have been observed.
Conclusions:
Despite the relevance of the irrigation in the soil microbial biodiversity, the proposed soil
management pointed to an effect on soil characteristics, with an increase in the relative abundance
of some specific microbial genera that could have a potential beneficial role for soil and plants.
350
Agricultural practices, bacterial and fungal diversity, and their interaction
Marco Signorini2, Giulio Genova1,2, Georg Niedrist1, Andreas Hilpold1, Michael Mitterer2, Stefano
Cesco2, Ulrike Tappeiner1,4, Tanja Mimmo2,3, Luigimaria Borruso2
1
Institute for Alpine Environment, Eurac Research, Bolzano, Italy , Bolzano, Italy, 2Faculty of
Science and Technology, Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, Italy, Bolzano, Italy, 3Competence
Centre for Plant Health, Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, Italy, Bolzano, Italy, 4Department of
Ecology, University of Innsbruck, Austria, Innsbruck, Austria

Aim:
In agricultural fields, the soil microbial diversity is impacted at multiple spatial and temporal scales.
Yet, the effect of agronomic management is controversial, and a holistic understanding of such
influence is needed. In the present work, more than 300 soil samples were taken from apple
orchards under conventional and organic management across an area of ~100 square kilometers.
Our objectives were first to investigate the effect of different agronomic managements on soil
bacterial and fungal alpha-diversity. Secondly, we aimed at finding a robust apple-related core soil
microbiome and redundant modules in microbial communities consistent among the apple orchards
or responding to the different edaphic conditions.
Method:
We investigated the soil biodiversity via DNA metabarcoding of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene and
the fungal ITS2. We paired these analyses with the assessment of chemical-physical soil properties
(e.g., pH, soil texture, soil organic matter, total nitrogen, total heavy metal content, and available
mineral nutrient content).
Results:
Preliminary results show no difference in soil chemical composition between conventional and
organic management. Specifically, only a limited pool of soil parameters distinguished soils based
on their management (i.e., soil pH, Fe, Ca) (p-value < 0.01). On the other hand, soil bacterial
communities had higher alpha diversity values (i.e., richness and Shannon, p-value < 0.01) in
organic apple orchards than the conventional ones.
Conclusions:
Further analysis will focus on the bacterial and fungal beta diversity. Additional analysis will
elucidate the species more consistently associated with conventional and organic farming through
multi-kingdom species ecological co-occurrence networks.
353
A Pseudomonas chlororaphis Synthetic Community as Model to Study Bacterial
Compatibility and Plant-Bacteria Interactions
Rafael Villar-Moreno1,2, José Antonio Gutiérrez Barranquero1,2, Sandra Tienda Serrano1,2, Antonio
de Vicente Moreno1,2, Eva Arrebola Díez1,2, Francisco M. Cazorla López1,2
1
Departamento de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Málaga., Málaga , Spain,
2
Instituto de Hortifruticultura Subtropical y Mediterránea "La Mayora", IHSM-UMA-CSIC., Málaga,
Spain

Aim:
The aim of this work is to study the compatibility of three different Pseudomonas chlororaphis (Pc)
strains (PCL1606, PCL1601 and PCL1607) isolated from avocado rhizosphere, to study their
interactions between them and with the plant rhizosphere to be considered as a potential synthetic
community (SynCom).
Method:
Phylogenetical analysis, comparative genomics and blast-based search of PGP related genes was
made. Compatibility and competitive in vitro and in vivo, phenotype dominance in colony
morphology and biofilm formation were analysed. Confocal laser microscopy was used to visualize
Pc distribution in biofilm and avocado roots. The biological control and stability of the Pc strains in
the avocado rhizosphere allowed determination of colonization and persistence abilities.
Results:
Even isolated from the same habitat, the selected Pc strains were genetically different.
Compatibility assays revealed competitive index (CI) modulated by the assayed medium or the
avocado root. The biofilm and colony morphology phenotypes were different between strains and
phenotype dominance correspond with the CI obtained in vitro. Strains can colonize and persist in
avocado roots as single inoculant but PCL1607 are excluded when inoculated together as
SynCom. No synergy among Pc strains was observed during biocontrol.
Conclusions:
CI values of Pc strains are modulated by environmental conditions (different in vitro and in vivo),
and compatibility of strains depends on environmental conditions and dominances between strains.
PCL1606 and PCL1601 are compatible and stable in avocado roots and can be stablished as base
for future SynCom studies, however PCL1607 is finally excluded.
354
Effects of multiple pesticides on soil microorganisms and glyphosate degradation
Philipp Mäder1, Fabian Stache1, Lisa Engelbart2, Carolin Huhn2, Ellen Kandeler1, Christian Poll1
1
Institute of Soil Science and Land Evaluation, Department of Soil Biology, University of
Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany, 2Institute for Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, Eberhard Karls
University Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany

Aim:
In the last years, the pressure on farmers to produce high quantities of high-quality food increased.
This often leads to intensive use of pesticides to ensure adequate yields. Next to the beneficial
effects of pesticides for the farmer, they can harm the environment and non-target organisms.
While studies on the effects of single pesticides are ample, studies that investigate the effects of
multiple pesticides are rare. As part of the Horizon2020 EU project SPRINT, we investigate the
effects of pesticide mixtures.
Method:
We incubated soil spiked with mixtures of 2-methyl-4-chlorophenoxyacetic acid (MCPA),
Difenoconazole and labelled Glyphosate for 56 days using concentrations close to field
applications. At seven timepoints, soil (pH 7.0, SOC 12.1 g kg-1 and silty loam) was analysed for
microbial biomass, phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs), pesticide residues and functional genes, as
well as 13C-partioning in microbial C, CO2 and PLFAs.
Results:
We found a significant negative effect of the pesticide mixture on bacterial abundance and CO2
release after 56 days. Although the Glyphosate degradation kinetics were similar in all treatments,
the addition of MCPA stimulated the 13CO2 release from labelled Glyphosate. Data on 13C
incorporation into microbial biomass will show whether this result is coupled with a change in
carbon use efficiency of microorganisms.
Conclusions:
Increased 13CO2 release from Glyphosate in combination with MCPA indicates an additional stress
induced response to a second pesticide. Therefore, mixtures of low concentrations of pesticides
exert stress on the microbial community in soils with different magnitudes depending on the
pesticide combinations.
357
Investigating changes in microbial diversity and abundance caused from phytoremediation
of petroleum hydrocarbon contaminated soil.
Robert Conlon1, Kieran Germaine1, David Dowling1
1
South East Technological University, Carlow, Ireland

Aim:
Contamination of soil caused by petroleum hydrocarbons is an ongoing issue of serious ecological
concern. Microbial and plant communities in affected soils are radically impacted by such
contamination, disrupting the ecosystem services that they supply and resulting in biodiversity loss.
Established methods for treatment of contaminated soil such as chemical or thermal treatment are
expensive and provide no benefit to the microbial communities or destroy them completely.
Phytoremediation is a passive, ecologically friendly and relatively cheap approach to remediating
contaminated soils. Selected plants are used for the process and by means of direct degradation,
co-metabolism and stimulation of the microbial community, work to degrade or sequester
environmental pollutants. It is becoming increasingly clear that understanding the complex plant-
microbe interactions, especially around the rhizosphere, are key to improving the efficacy of
phytoremediation. This project investigates the impact of phytoremediation on the microbial
communities in the soil before, during and after the process.
Method:
A randomized pot trial was established, consisting of a control, a high yield variety of perennial rye
grass (Lolium perenne), white mustard (Sinapis alba) and common chicory (Cichorium intybus).
The soil used was co-contaminated with petroleum hydrocarbons and heavy metals. Composite soil
samples were taken three times during the trial. DNA extractions were performed on the soil and
sent for 16s and 18s amplicon metagenomic sequencing. Oil was extracted from soil samples via
Soxhlet extraction and total petroleum hydrocarbon concentration was determined by GCFID. The
microbial data was analysed using the dada2 pipeline and Qiime2 to identify organisms based on
Amplicon sequence variants (ASVs). Further analysis was done using Rstudio packages such as
DESeq2 and pheatmap to create visualisations of changes in Alpha and beta diversity. The
microbial communities of the different treatments were investigated for microbes potentially
beneficial to the remediation process, such as plant growth promoters and saprotrophs.
Results:
Preliminary analysis of results showed increase in the abundance of both 16s and 18s organisms
throughout the progression of the trial. The mustard treatment, which saw the best overall
degradation of petroleum hydrocarbons by a statistically significant margin, also contained the most
unique ASVs compared to other treatments. Principle co-ordinate analysis of each treatment
showed difference in the microbial community between treatments.
Conclusion:
This pot trial suggests that there are significant differences between the microbiomes of different
plants species used in a phytoremediation pot trial. These difference in microbiomes could be the
key difference in phytoremediation performance outcomes. This is indicated by the strong
performance of the mustard treatment which contained the most unique 16s and 18s ASVs. The
alpha diversity of the of the mustard treatments also increased at a more rapid pace than the other
treatments, suggesting it may improve soil conditions more optimally that the other treatments.
358
Biodiversity of green roofs: current state of knowledge
Sekou Fanta Mady Coulibaly1, Christine Aubry, Fanny Provent, Sophie Rousset-Rouvière, Sophie
Joimel
1
Agroparistech, Paris, Saclay, France

Aim:
The objective of this study is to carry out a systematic review of the scientific literature on the whole
of the biodiversity of green roofs to (i) elucidate the role of green roofs in supporting biodiversity in
the city by focusing on quantitative data, (ii) and to explore the factors influencing the biodiversity of
green roofs.
Method:
We conducted our search in Web of Sciences using all available databases. The key words used
are: (“green roof*” or rooftop* or greenroof*) and (biodiversity* or plant* or fauna or wildlife). In total,
2392 articles came out as search results. A first selection was made based on titles and abstracts,
or even the entire article, to identify the articles that really fall within the subject. In total, 154 articles
were considered relevant for our study.
Results:
Our review shows:
- The lack of knowledge on the biodiversity of green roofs with recent consideration (around 2010).
- The important contribution of green roofs in maintaining urban biodiversity through three
influencing factors: characterization, uses, design.
- That there are very few studies concerning soil biodiversity, unlike aerial biodiversity (e.g. plants,
bees, birds) within green roofs.
Conclusions:
Green roof construction guidelines should integrate soil communities into their design and aim to be
heterogeneous at roof and landscape levels, with the aim of supporting soil biodiversity and
creating sustainable habitats.
362
Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Colonization and Root Exudation in Wheat Varieties Released
between 1965 and 2020
Ms Paula Paz1, Dalma Castillo2, Iván Matus2, Mauricio Schoebitz1
1
Facultad de Agronomía. Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile, 2Programa Mejoramiento
de Trigo. INIA Quilamapu, Chillán, Chile

Aim: to study arbuscular mycorrhizal colonization between 0 and 60 cm depths and carboxylate
exudation from root systems of wheat varieties released between 1965 and 2020.
Method: the study was carried out at the Santa Rosa Experimental Station (INIA, Chillán, Chile).
Fifty-six plots (14 treatments with 4 replications) were established in an Andisol. The soil
parameters were: pH 5.6; organic matter: 5.8%; available N: 32 mg kg-1; P-Olsen: 30 mg kg-1;
available K: 278 mg kg-1. To evaluate arbuscular mycorrhizal colonization, soil samples were taken
using a tractor-mounted hydraulic sampling tube (3.5 cm diameter), which reached a depth of 60
cm. Subsequently, roots were characterized and clarified with KOH (2.5 % w/v) and HCl (1% w/w),
and stained with trypan blue (0.05% w/v). Mycorrhizal structures were observed and quantified by
the line intercept method. To analyse root exudation, root systems were taken, the roots were
washed and incubated in CaSO4 (0.2 mM). The solution with exudates was filtered at 0.22 µm and
frozen at -20°C to be lyophilized. Finally, the lyophilized samples were resuspended in
chromatographic water and quantified in HPLC equipment (Hitachi Primaide).
Results: roots belonging to the first 20 cm of soil showed the lowest percentage of arbuscular
mycorrhizal colonization, with the Talafen and Tukan varieties having the lowest percentage
(approximately 3.5%) and the highest carboxylate exudation (9.4 and 7.3 µmol g-1 FW h-1).
Conclusions: plant genetics moderated arbuscular mycorrhizal colonization. Increased arbuscular
mycorrhizal colonization decreases carboxylate exudation. In addition, these processes are
promoted under nutrient-limiting soil conditions.
363
Interplay of tree genetics and soil heterogeneity regulate intraspecific growth in Norway
spruce (Picea abies)
Taina Pennanen1, Matti Salmela1, Leena Hamberg1, Sannakajsa Velmala1
1
Natural Resources Institute Finland, Helsinki, Finland

Aim: Trees interact with a vast selection of associated microbes, and we have found a positive
relationship between the ectomycorrhizal fungal (EMF) diversity and the growth rate of Norway
spruce (Picea abies) genotypes. As this correlation does not confirm any mechanistic link between
growth rate and EMF diversity, we studied fungal interactions of genetic representatives of
seedlings before any phenotypic differences in their growth rates were visible.
Methods and Results: We did not find inherent differences between EMF richness of small
seedlings, implying that their compatibility with EMF symbionts was not the reason for the
differences in later growth rates. Instead, we found a genetic control of the host on the early root
development; future fast-growing genotypes possessed more explorative root systems. Therefore,
we studied the legacy behind resource utilization of spruce genotypes and their progeny under
variable selection pressures; performance, microbial associates and root architecture of spruces
planted in “home” and “foreign” ecosystems i.e. spatially heterogeneous forest soil and
homogenous agricultural soils. This enabled us to measure genotypic variation and its dependence
on the environment in the field, as well as seedling functional trait variation in a subset of genotypes
grown in controlled treatments. Growth of saplings and adult trees showed genotypic variation in
the field, and significant genotype × location interactions indicated that location affected genotypic
rank order and the magnitude of genotypic variance.
Conclusions: Characterization of functional traits of progeny seedlings suggested that variation in
belowground conditions is likely to have brought about plastic responses in divergent shoot and
root traits also in the field.
365
Ecosystem services of soil biota in agriculture - Results from the SoilMan Project
Martin Potthoff1, Ilka Engell1, Elke Plaas2, Deborah Linsler1
1
University Of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany, 2Thünen Institut, Braunschweig, Germany

Aim
Soil biodiversity is pivotal for delivering food, fibre, biofuels, clean air, drinking water and carbon
storage to society. However, as stated by the European Commission Soil Thematic Strategy and
the Soil Framework Directive our understanding of how soil biodiversity is linked to soil functions
and ecosystem services is still very limited. SoilMan aimed to identify supporting impacts of land
use vs. soil biodiversity.
Method
Framed within the simple equation: A for B = B for A (if agriculture cares about soil biodiversity, soil
biodiversity will work for agriculture) SoilMan identified and quantified detracting vs soil biodiversity
supporting agricultural practises as well as threatening vs. beneficial impacts of soil biota on arable
farming.
Results
SoilMan was especially focused on agroecosystems as the majority of the European land area is
used for agriculture and land use is among the main global change factors detrimentally affecting
biodiversity. Via a broad ecological, economic and political valuation of soil biodiversity soil biota
was placed into a social-ecological context. SoilMan worked in 5 European countries and based on
the A for B = B for A – matrix transdisciplinary activities were carried out to mediate the win-win-
impacts of land use and soil biodiversity to stakeholders and policy.
Conclusions
SoilMan outcomes were presented in the Biodiversa - Policy brief: “How soil biodiversity can
strengthen resilience and ecosystem services in agricultural landscapes" summarising a number of
beneficial soil biodiversity impacts on sustainable land use
(www.biodiversa.org/1982)
366
Carrot Health, Storage Loss and Soil Microbial Communities of Carrot Fields
Sannakajsa Velmala1, Taina Pennanen1, Satu Latvala2, Minna Haapalainen3, Minna Pirhonen3,
Pirjo Kivijärvi4, Petteri Karisto2, Terhi Suojala-Ahlfors2
1
Natural Resources Institute Finland, Helsinki, Finland, 2Natural Resources Institute Finland,
Jokioinen, Finland, 3University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland, 4Natural Resources Institute Finland,
Jyväskylä, Finland

Aim: Crop rotation, variety selection and timing of harvest are important means of carrot Daucus
carota disease control. The harvest is often cold stored to ensure a year-round supply, but storage
diseases can cause significant losses. The importance of the soil's biological activity and microbial
communities in disease control has been emphasized, but not yet studied in boreal croplands.
Furthermore, the optimization of crop rotation cycles that support natural mycorrhization of carrot,
and the potential of soil “microbiome engineering” are linked to carrot health in various agricultural
soils.
Method: Carrot, rhizosphere and soil samples were collected from altogether 28 carrot fields from
three different cultivation areas. Storage loss and disease agents were evaluated twice during
storage. Fungal and bacterial microbial communities were assessed by amplicon sequencing of ITS
and 16S barcoding regions.
Result: The preservability of carrots varied considerably between the fields; the proportion of
healthy carrots varied between 35 and 95 percent. The composition of microbial communities
varied between fields and according to sample type. The microbiota of carrot fields suffering from
storage diseases included a large number of pathogens e.g. Mycocentrospora acerina and molds
belonging to the Mucor genus. In the soil that produced healthy carrots, molds of the genus
Trichoderma, AM mycorrhizal fungi, saprotrophic fungi of the Hygrophoropsis genus, fungi
belonging to the Chytridiomyces and Nectriaceae groups, and actinobacteria of the
Streptomycetaceae family were more abundant.
Conclusion: A diverse soil microbial community is resilient and seems to support crop plant health.
369
Influence of Organic and Conventional Management Systems on Soil Microarthropods in
Protected and Non-Protected Areas
Martina Coletta1, Aldo D'Alessandro1, Elena Vittadini1, Antonietta La Terza1
1
School Of Biosciences And Veterinary Medicine, University Of Camerino, Camerino, Italy

Aim:
The EU Biodiversity Strategy 2030 aims to increase land-protected areas at 30% and organic
farming at 25% of agricultural lands. But which measure could be more effective in preserving soil
biodiversity? The aim of the study is, therefore, to assess soil health of arable lands under organic
and conventional managements in Non-protected (NPAorg) and Protected (PAcon) areas of
Marche region (Italy) and compare the influence of the applied farming practices on soil
microarthropods in two seasons, characterized by different intensities of soil management
practices: spring (lower) and autumn (higher).
Method:
Soil health has been assessed through the Biological Quality of Soil index based on arthropods
(QBS-ar). Novel approaches (QBS-ab and FAI indices) which consider microarthropods’
abundance in the index calculation, have been also applied. Density (ind/m2), Acari/Collembola
ratio, % of Oribatid mites on total mites, biodiversity indices, correlations with chemical-physical
parameters, and ordination analysis (nMDS) have been evaluated.
Results:
In both seasons, different communities have been found according to management and,
particularly, PAcon sites showed significantly higher levels of biodiversity compared to NPAorg.
However, in autumn, microarthropod communities present higher stability in NPAorg sites, showing
an opposite trend and fewer fluctuations of the indices compared to PAcon.
Conclusions:
PA, even in conventional managed soils, seem to enhance soil biodiversity, while organic farming
in NPA, confers a higher resilience to soil, making microarthropod communities more stable.
Results showed that agricultural intensity reduction combined with the increased integration of
agroecosystems in protected areas may represent an effective, and sustainable measure to
preserve soil biodiversity and its ecological services.
370
Toward a National Assessment of Soil Biodiversity: A Framework for Microbiological Data
Collection
Tiffany Carter1, Skye Wills1, David Hoover1, David Lindbo2
1
USDA-NRCS, Lincoln, United States, 2USDA-NRCS, Washington, United States

Soil microbes play a key role in global nutrient cycling and provide various ecosystem services.
While biodiversity is known to vary by ecosystem and soil type, it has not been captured by most
soil and ecosystem hierarchies. Soil survey traditionally collects data related to physical and
chemical properties. There is growing interest in soil biology and biodiversity as a part of
conservation planning for soil health. US soil survey has expanded past traditional properties and
interpretations to include ecosystem hierarchies, ecological site information, and dynamic soil
properties that change with land use and management. However, to meet the increasing demand
for biological soil data there is a clear need for the development of efficient and cost-effective
methodology that can be used by the National Cooperative Soil Survey (NCSS). Methods
considered must be repeatable, economic, and produce data interoperability across laboratories
and locations. This presentation aims to provide a framework for the collection of soil
microbiological data across the conterminous US. Wide-ranging soils and land uses will be targeted
to provide consistent results across regions. Potential products and insights from this work will be
discussed.
371
Geographical Signal and Morphological Variability in Guadeloupe Endemic Earthworms
Samuel James1, Damhnait McHugh2
1
Maharishi International University, Fairfield, United States, 2Colgate University, Hamilton, United
States

Aim: investigate processes contributing to earthworm diversity

Method: Field collection of earthworms in the forested areas of Basse Terre, Guadeloupe, French
West Indies, followed by integrated taxonomic analysis of the material, including the standard DNA
barcode sequence.
Results: Analyses of DNA barcode sequences from 85 individuals belonging to ~12 putative
species of Dichogaster show a geographical pattern consistent with the ages of volcanic eruption
surfaces (older to younger from north to south on Basse Terre). The morphological variation within
these species is not always consistent with the barcode lineages detected, suggesting that
conventional taxonomy will be difficult.
Conclusions: This pattern indicates that colonization of younger surfaces by earthworms from older
surfaces occurred independently in several lineages. Many of these lineages occur today in
arboreal habitats (bromeliad leaf tanks, palm leaf axils, epiphyte-created suspended soils), a habit
which does not necessarily predispose the worms to travel on or within ordinary soils. Recent
earthworm diversification on these relatively young surfaces has not yet reached a state at which
conventional taxonomic methods can clearly differentiate taxa.
374
Effects of Land Use on Soil Health in Tropical Montane Forests
Yang Kai Tang1, Renee Sniegocki1, Abigail Rutrough3, Jessica Moon1,2, Jaya Seelean Sathiya
Seelan4, Kusum Nathani1
1
Department Of Biological Sciences, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, United States,
2
Department of Biological Sciences, Murray State University, Murry, United States, 3Department of
Biology, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, United States, 4Institute for Tropical Biology and
Conservation (ITBC), Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia

Land use, predominantly logging and forest conversion to agriculture, can affect soil health due to
modification of soil physicochemical and biological properties. Here, we used a land use gradient
consisting of six sites in Malaysian Borneo to understand how land use change can affect soil
properties and canopy structure. We asked: (1) do canopy and soil physicochemical properties vary
across land use types? and (2) does soil microbial community composition differ across different
land use types? We measured soil (top 5 cm) physicochemical and microbial (next generation DNA
sequencing) properties, and estimated understory and overstory canopy properties including
percent ground cover and canopy closure. Our results show that old growth forests accumulated
greater soil organic matter, had greater soil carbon and nitrogen ratio, were less acidic, and
harbored greater bacterial and fungal diversity compared to logged forests and agricultural sites.
Logged forests had soils that were more acidic and held the largest abundance of acidobacteria in
comparison to old growth forests and agriculture sites. Agriculture sites had open canopy, greater
soil temperature, greater percentage of grass ground coverage, and lower soil water content as
compared to logged and old growth forests. Our results suggest that land use not only affects the
soil microbial diversity, but also the microbial community composition.
376
Long-term mineral fertilizer application influences soil bacterial community structure,
diversity and functioning
Aaron Fox1, Stefanie Schulz2, Fiona Brennan1, Franco Widmer3, Olivier Huguenin-Elie3, Michael
Schloter2, Andreas Luescher3
1
Teagasc, Wexford, Ireland, 2Helmholtz Zentrum Munich, Munich, Germany, 3Agroscope, Zurich,
Switzerland

Aim:
How does the long-term (46 years) application of mineral fertilizer to a production grassland
influence bacterial community structure, diversity and functioning?
Method:
In 1972, a split-plot experiment was established in the Jura region (Switzerland), with four
treatments (n = 6). These included a non-fertilized control (Cont), 80 and 240 kg ha yr-1 of mineral P
and K, respectively (PK) and PK plus 75 (NPK) or 150 kg N ha yr-1 (NNPK). Soil DNA was
extracted, with the bacterial 16S rRNA gene being PCR amplified and an amplicon-based Illumina
Miseq sequence analysis conducted. Genes involved in soil nitrogen (chiA) and phosphorus
mineralization (phoD) were also quantified.
Results:
There was a significant difference between Cont and all three fertilized treatments in terms of soil
bacterial community structure (all P ≤ 0.05). There were also significant (P ≤ 0.05) differences
between the fertilized treatments, with the exception of PK~NPK. The Shannon diversity index was
significantly higher in PK (6.76) compared to Cont (6.56, P = 0.02), though this response was not
seen in NPK or NNPK. Lastly, there was significantly higher abundance of the mineralization genes
chiA and phoD in NNPK (4.75 x 104 and 1.27 x 105 gene copies g-1 dw, respectively) compared to
Cont (2.10 x 104 and 6.91 x 104 gene copies g-1 dw, respectively).
Conclusions:
Long-term mineral fertilizer application strongly influenced soil bacterial community structure, with
significant differences even being seen between different fertilized treatments. Soil bacterial
diversity and potential activity for soil nutrient turnover also significantly increased.
379
Assessing soil microbial community changes to address agricultural sustainable
management
Rossana Marzaioli1, Elisa Niro1, Marco Trifuoggi2, F.A. Rutigliano1
1
Department of Environmental Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies,
University of Campania, Caserta, , 2Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples
Federico II, via Cintia, 80126 Napoli,

Aim: We assayed changes in genetic bacterial diversity together with microbial activity and biomass
as indicators of soil quality in agricultural soils. Two studies were performed to evaluate the effects
on microbial variables of disturbance factors (in-field long-term exposition to varying concentrations
of trace elements As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, V, Zn) or possible sustainable pest management (in-
microcosm addition of the potential natural herbicide coumarin, derived by Melilotus neapolitana),
respectively.
Method: In Southern Italy agricultural soils, genetic bacterial diversity (as richness, Shannon index,
evenness) was assayed by the 16S rDNA PCR-DGGE technique, widely applied to evaluate
microbial response to disturbances. Microbial activity (as potential respiration by titration
procedure), total microbial biomass (Cmic, by fumigation-extraction method) and fungal mycelium
(by microscope counting) were determined and fungal fraction of microbial biomass (Cfung%Cmic)
was calculated.
Results: No negative effect of long-term exposition to varying trace element concentrations on
microbial variables was generally observed and bacterial diversity and Cmic were even favoured by
high Cr concentration. However, a change in the microbial community structure occurred being
Cfung%Cmic negatively affected by high Cr concentration. Coumarin addition to soil (100-300 mg kg-1)
had a positive effect on soil respiration and no effect on Cmic, but caused a bacterial richness
decrease, suggesting that further studies are necessary to better define coumarin doses to avoid any
negative effects on microbial community.
Conclusions: This study suggests that microbial diversity together with biomass and activity may
clarify the overall microbial response to ecological factor changes.
381
Soil Mesofauna Community Structure 20 Years after Distinct Restoration Efforts
Esther Kapinga1, Hlynur Óskarsson1, Erla Sturludóttir1, Guðmundur Halldórsson2
1
Agricultural University Of Iceland, Hvanneyri, Iceland, 2Soil Conservation Service of Iceland,
Gunnarsholt, Iceland

Aim:
After centuries of severe land degradation, Iceland has developed various restoration methods to
promote succession from deserts into well-developed vegetated ecosystems during the last
decade. We took advantage of a long-term restoration field experiment to study the effect of distinct
restoration efforts on soil mesofauna assemblages.
Method:
In 1999, the Landbót restoration experiment was established in a severely degraded area in
southern Iceland. We made use of four treatments (1 ha each, two replications); i) lupine sowing, ii)
grass and fertilizer, iii) birch seedlings, iv) willow cuttings and a control (desert). We sampled eight
soil cores per treatment, four times during July-October 2019, to a depth of five cm. Mesofauna
were extracted in a MacFadyen high gradient apparatus during 9 days. Collembola were identified
to species and mites to order.
Results:
20 years after revegetation efforts, all treatments had resulted in higher mesofauna abundances,
richness and diversity than untreated plots. Collembola abundance and species richness was
highest in lupine, whereas the willow islands hosted highest species diversity. Birch, willow and
lupine plots hosted higher mite abundances than grass and control plots, and the highest mean
number of mite orders was found in lupine.
Conclusions:
Revegetation of severely degraded areas has led to an increase in mesofauna densities and
taxonomic richness. Different restoration efforts may steer mesofauna community structures in
distinct directions. Further research is needed to disentangle the effect of vegetation (resource) and
improved abiotic conditions on mesofauna community structure development during ecosystem
restoration in harsh sub-arctic environments.
383
Assessing Soil Conservation of the Madrid Drove Roads Network, within the Life Cañadas
Project.
Paula Solascasas1, Raúl Ochoa-Hueso2, Francisco Martín-Azcárate3, Violeta Hevia4
1
Universidad Autónoma De Madrid, Madrid, Spain, 2Universidad de Cádiz, Cádiz, Spain,
3
Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain, 4Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid,
Spain

Aim:
To evaluate the state of soil conservation and its functionality, within the Madrid network of drove
roads (DRs), which are the traditional routes used by shepherds and livestock for seasonal
movements in search of the most productive pastures. Spanish DRs have suffered a progressive
abandonment and degradation, threatening their role as ecological corridors. For this reason, some
of them were selected in the LIFE CAÑADAS project, which aims at restoring and recovering its
functionality.
Method:
Three categories of DRs were established: (i) reference (adequately grazed and maintained) (ii)
abandoned (no livestock use, with biomass accumulation) and (iii) eroded drove roads. In this
contribution, we present a previous diagnosis using edaphic indicators before the development of
the restoration strategy. Samples were taken in summer 2020 and processed to obtain several
parameters like physical-chemical properties (pH, EC, %C, TN, P, K) or enzyme activity, which was
determined using a fluorometric method. We also developed the Tea Bag Index methodology, to
estimate plant litter decomposition.
Results:
Our preliminary results show that reference plots have higher mean values of enzyme activity than
abandoned and eroded DRs. Regarding the physical-chemical parameters determined, plots
suffering from erosion are significantly different than reference and overgrown plots. Data from the
TBI experiment are still being processed.
Conclusions:
These results indicate that two processes that are to some extent antagonistic, namely the loss of
vegetation cover through erosion and the excessive accumulation of biomass due to the cessation
of grazing, lead to a similar loss of soil functionality.
385
Nematode Diversity and Community Response to the Application of Recycling Derived
Fertilisers in Irish Grassland
Anna Karpinska1, Thomais Kakouli-Duarte1
1
South East Technological University, Carlow , Ireland

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of struvite and ash products, termed as
recycling derived fertilisers (RDFs), on soil nematode diversity and communities, and to conclude
on the ecological safety of RDF utilisation in Irish grassland.
Method: The RDF products have been recovered from phosphate-rich sources as part of the
INTERREG_NWE Project called ReNu2Farm. A three-year field experiment was conducted in
Teagasc, Johnstown Castle, Wexford, Ireland. For diversity and community analyses, nematode
DNA was extracted from soil samples, the 18S rRNA gene was sequenced and further
bioinformatic analysis were employed to reveal any significant differences between the treatments.
Results: In 2019, ash derived from sewage sludge showed the lowest number of observed
nematode species when compared with those in the unfertilised control. In 2020, the relative
abundance of sensitive to environmental disturbance dorylaimids was decreased when compared
with that in the unfertilised and mineral control treatment groups. In 2019 and 2020, order
Dorylaimida was the dominant taxon across the treatment groups, whereas in 2021, plant parasitic
and fungal feeding nematodes belonging to order Tylenchida, dominated across the treatments that
received phosphorous in the mineral or recycled form.
Conclusions: Neither struvite nor ash derived from poultry litter reduced the number of observed
nematode species, thus, maintained soil nematode biodiversity. The sewage sludge ash product
requires further investigation before recommending its regular application as fertiliser. Overall,
RDFs were identified as a valid source of recycled nutrients and a sustainable alternative to mineral
fertilisers.
386
The microbial diversity and heterogeneity hidden in the progenitors of major crops
Miguel De Celis1, Maria José Fernández-Alonso2, Ignacio Belda3, Manuel Delgado-Baquerizo4,5,
Juntao Wang6, Brajesh Singh6, Rubén Milla2, Pablo Garcia-Palacios1
1
Departamento de Suelo, Planta y Calidad Ambiental; Instituto De Ciencias Agrarias, Consejo
Superior De Investigaciones Científicas, Madrid, Spain, 2Departamento de Biología y Geología,
Física y Química Inorgánica, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Móstoles, Spain, 3Department of
Genetics, Physiology and Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, Complutense University of Madrid,
Madrid, Spain, 4Laboratorio de Biodiversidad y Funcionamiento Ecosistémico. Instituto de
Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de Sevilla (IRNAS), CSIC, Sevilla, Spain, 5Unidad Asociada
CSIC-UPO (BioFun), Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Sevilla, Spain, 6Global Centre for Land-Based
Innovation, Western Sydney University, Penrith, Australia

Aim: During evolution under domestication, the microbial diversity in the rhizosphere of crops has
been reduced, constraining our ability to select microbes with beneficial traits to increase crop
performance. The microbial diversity hidden in the rhizosphere of crop wild progenitors can be
explored to develop tools that improve crop yield and climate change resilience. Thus, we aim to
explore the microbial diversity and heterogeneity of the microbiota associated to the wild
progenitors of major crops.
Method: We explored the microbial community assembly (16S, ITS and 18S rRNA phylogenetic
markers) in the rhizosphere of ten species of crop wild progenitors in their centres of origin. We
sampled three plant individuals across 10-15 populations per wild progenitors following a soil-
climate gradient.
Results: We compared the influence of environmental factors in the rhizosphere community
assembly of bacteria, fungi and protists, and the cross-effects that may occur between them. We
also characterized the intra-specific rhizosphere diversity within each wild progenitor and found that
environmental and biotic factors drive ample variation in the ancestral microbiome of crops.
Conclusions: This work highlights the importance of several soil-climatic variables, and the effect of
different microbial groups, in the rhizosphere diversity of crop wild progenitors. Together with the
identification of key parameters that determine the heterogeneity of microbial communities along
environmental gradients, it provides a necessary starting point for the selection of microbial
phylotypes to improve crop performance worldwide.
388
Impacts of Solubilizing Microorganisms in a Three-year Crop Rotation System Under a
Mediterranean Climate
Eva Lloret1, Irene Ollio1, Virginia Sánchez-Navarro1, Diego Soto1, Manuel González1, Raúl
Zornoza1, Silvia Martínez-Martínez1, Juan A. Fernández1, David Fernández Calviño2
1
Polytechnic University of Cartagena, Cartagena, Spain, 2University of Vigo, , Spain

Aim:
Intensive agricultural systems including the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides may have
detrimental effects on soil productivity and health leading to soil nutrients depletion, loss of organic
matter and soil biodiversity and affect the delivery of ecosystem services. Soil microorganisms are
crucial for maintaining soil health, playing an essential role in nutrient cycling, degradation of
contaminants and suppression of soil-borne diseases. In the present study, a three-year crop
rotation system was tested with the aim to improve soil biodiversity, soil nutrient availability, soil
water retention as well as reducing external inputs, productions costs, soil- borne pests and
increasing crop production.
Method:
The experimental layout consisted of a randomized block design with the following treatments:
conventional fertilization; reduced fertilization with nutrient solubilizing bacteria; reduced fertilization
plus free-living fungi and bacteria; and just reduced fertilization. The crop rotation system consisted
of four cycles: potato (Solanum tuberosum. L. var. Spunta), broccoli (Brassica oleracea L. var.
italica), melon ‘Piel de Sapo’ (Cucumis melo L. var. saccharinus Chaud), and potato (Solanum
tuberosum. L. var. Spunta).
Results:
In order to monitor the effects of the addition of solubilizing biological agents on soil biodiversity and
other ecosystem services, soil physical-chemical properties, crop yield and quality, microbial
communities, and functional genes of the carbon and nitrogen cycles were assessed. This work
was funded by the H2020 SoildiverAgro-project (grant agreement 817819) which overarching goal
is the enhancement of soil biodiversity in European agroecosystems to promote their stability and
resilience together with the reduction of external inputs and crop performance increase.
391
Relationships of Acute and Chronic oak decline with soil biology and nutrient dynamics
Selva Dhandapani1, Bingyuan Lu2, Oliver Booth3, Luci Corbett1, James Lunn2, Adrian Nightingale2,
Xize Niu2, Tiina Roose2, Liz Shaw1
1
University Of Reading, Reading, United Kingdom, 2University of Southampton, Southampton,
United kingdom, 3Writtle Forest, Chelmsford, United Kingdom

Aim:
Acute oak decline (AOD) widely impacts oak woodlands across Europe. AOD is known to cause
rapid decline in tree health in a short span of 3-5 years. However, the interactions between such
oak decline and tree rhizosphere and associated soil nutrient dynamics are not fully explored,
despite indications that soil biotic and abiotic conditions are closely linked to cause-effect
interactions with oak tree health. We aim to explore those complex interactions though this
research.
Methods:
We have selected 3 oak trees each for 3 different treatments, consisting of trees that have 1. No
symptoms, 2. Acute oak decline symptoms and 3. Chronic oak decline symptoms, in Writtle
woodlands, Essex, UK. The selected trees will be the focus for quarterly rhizosphere soil sampling
(cores to depth of 50 cm). Soil samples will be characterised for their physico-chemical properties
and total nutrient contents. Soil nematodes and micro-arthropods will be measured using
Baermann funnel and Tullgren funnel methods respectively. Rhizosphere microbial communities
will be characterised using Phospholipid and Neutral lipid fatty acid analyses. Newly developed
state-of-the-art microdialysis instrumentation will be field-deployed to measure continuous real-time
changes in soil nitrate levels. Well established lab-based techniques will be used to validate the
nitrate level measured by the instrument, and to analyse ammonium and phosphate levels in the
rhizosphere. Nutrient addition through litterfall, and nutrient loss through N2O and leaching will be
measured bi-weekly. TreeTalkers will be used for continuous measurement of tree physiology.
Results and Conclusions:
We expect this research to provide insights into belowground dynamics of soil organisms and
nutrients in temperate woodlands and their interaction with symptoms of oak decline that are
manifested aboveground.
392
Challenges Below the Ground: Morphological and Genetic Species Boundaries
Ina Schaefer1, Stefan Scheu1
1
University of Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany

Aim:
Metabarcoding and metagenomics are the up-and-coming tools to assess and monitor biodiversity
of soil animal communities. This is for a good reason: communities can be analysed from bulk
samples, time-intensive sorting and determination can be automated and processed in
comparatively short time. Current drawbacks for a general application of HTS methods arise from
choosing standardized barcoding regions and primers, and the completeness of databases to
assess taxonomic diversity, but methodological shortcomings will disappear with time. However,
awareness to the intrinsic challenges of genetic diversity of soil fauna still needs to be raised while
establishing high-throughput sequencing technologies for screening soil animal diversity.
Method:
Sequences of the COI barcoding region were collected from morphotypes of Collembola and
oribatid mite species across different habitats and at large geographic scale and analysed for the
presence of a barcoding gap. Secondary barcoding genes were also sequenced for some species.
Results:
Genetic variance of morphotypes covered a continuum across habitats and space that
corresponded with multiple species, in several cases without clear barcoding boundaries.
Conclusions:
The investigated morphotypes covered a range of COI haplotypes that did not necessarily cluster in
distinct genetic groups. Accordingly, the identification of species based on genetic data was often
equivocal, which likely will result in a large fraction of ambiguous OTUs in metabarcoding studies.
For database build up, it is essential to include secondary barcode regions and collect samples
from different habitats and across large geographic ranges, in order to include all soil animal
diversity, instead of discarding unknown sequence reads.
399
Earthworms' and Gut Microbiome Diversity under Microplastics, Extreme Environmental
Conditions and Different Types of Soil
Esperanza Huerta Lwanga1, Dana Bashkir, Paolina Garbeva
1
Wageningen University, Wageningen, Netherlands, 2El Colegio de la Frontera Sur, Campeche,
Mexico

Aim: To observe how earthworms from agricultural areas and their gut microbiome diversity is
affected with microplastics under extreme conditions of moisture, temperature at different soil
types. Method: Multifactor experiments were established with epigeic, endogeic and anecics
earthworms at laboratory conditions with 3 types of plastics, 3 types of soils, 2 moisture and 2
temperature conditions. Microplastics were applied at 0.2% simulating hotspots inside the soil. The
experiment duration variated according to the sub-questions from 7, 14, and 55 days. Gut
microbiome was extracted and identified. Results: as preliminary results indicate how Eisenia
hortensis resist well extreme conditions of temperature with presence of microplastics, while E.
fetida expired faster. Endogeic earthworms support high moisture conditions, while anecic
earthworms as Lumbricus terrestris are the most sensitive to microplastics and environmental
extreme situations. Positive growth rates were observed in those experiments of 7 days when the
earthworms are adapting to the new/extreme conditions, while after a decrease in weight was
observed. Earthworms’ gut microbiome changed among extreme conditions. Conclusions:
Earthworms are influenced by soil, moisture, and temperature conditions, and when microplastics
are present different adapting procedures take place.
400
Soil microbial community composition and N2O emissions as a function of tillage and
fertilization practices
Anton Govednik1, Rok Mihelič1, Klemen Eler1, Marjetka Suhadolc1
1
University of Ljubljana, Biotechnical Faculty, Ljubljana, Slovenia

Aim:
The aim of this study was to determine the effects of tillage and fertilization on the soil microbial
community, particularly on the abundance of N cycling guilds, and to link them with measured N2O
emissions.
Method:
The study was conducted during the maize vegetation period on long-term combined tillage (no-till
(NT) vs. plough tillage (CT)) and fertilization (unfertilized, mineral and compost) field trial,
established in 1999. Gas samples were collected throughout the growing season using a static
chamber approach, and a composite soil sample was collected at 10 cm depth to perform
physicochemical analyses and quantification of microbial genes by qPCR (16S, ITS, nirS, nirK,
nosZI, nosZII, nrfA, amoA).
Results:
After 21 years, the data showed a clear increase of soil organic carbon in NT compared to CT at 0-
10 cm depth, depending on fertilization. Soil temperature conditions were comparable among tillage
treatments, while NT showed higher soil saturation with water. Rain events following fertilization
were the main triggers of N2O emission peaks. N2O emissions were the highest in mineral
fertilization, followed by compost and nonfertilized plots. In general, the genetic potential for N2O
emissions was increased in no-till (nosZ/nosZII ratio) and mineral fertilization (bacterial amoA/16S
ratio) and decreased in compost fertilization ((nirK+nirS)/(nosZ+nosZII) ratio).
Conclusions:
Both tillage and fertilization influenced the composition of the N-cycling community. The genetic
potential for N2O emissions was higher in NT and under mineral fertilization and lower in compost
amended soil. However, measured N2O emissions were the highest under mineral fertilization,
regardless of tillage.
402
The Potential of Biostimulant Use for Enhanced Nutrient Use Efficiency in Agricultural
Grasslands
Katie Martin1,2, Fiona Brennan2, Saoirse Tracy1, Olaf Schmidt1
1
University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland, 2Teagasc Environment Research Centre, Johnstown
Castle, Ireland

Agricultural grasslands are of great economic, environmental and cultural importance across the
globe. Rising intensification of these systems has led to large increases in fertiliser use, resulting in
adverse environmental impacts. Practices that reduce the reliance on fertiliser are therefore greatly
needed. One potential solution is the use of biostimulants, products which promote plant
processes, often reporting reduced fertiliser requirements. However, research thus far has focused
on horticultural and arable crops with little consensus on how they could best be used in grassland
systems.
Aim: This project aims to assess the current state of biostimulant literature, identify biostimulant
products which have evidence supporting their application to grasslands, and test selected
products through greenhouse and field experiments.
Method: A systematic scoping review of the available literature on biostimulant use on grasses and
grassland plant species has been performed, biostimulant products of interest identified during this
review are currently being tested in greenhouse experiments.
Results: Microbial biostimulants were tested in 59 out of the 115 publications included in the
scoping review, with certain microbial species appearing in several of these publications. This
includes the N-fixing bacterium Azospirillum brasilense and the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus
Rhizophagus irregularis which have been reported to have positive effects on grass nutrient use,
shoot and root growth.
These microbial biostimulants, along with two non-microbial biostimulants are currently being tested
for grass-growth promoting effects under reduced fertilisation.
Conclusions: The results of this study will hopefully provide insight into the potential applications of
soil microbes for more sustainable grassland agriculture.
404
Soil Biodiversity and Ecosystem Functioning (BEF) in Stone Coastal Terraced Vineyards
Elena Gagnarli1, Silvia Guidi1, Francesco Turillazzi1, Matteo Perrone2, Donatella Goggioli1, Franca
Tarchi1, Flavio Fornasier3,4, Sauro Simoni1
1
Crea - Council For Agricultural Research And Economics – Research Centre For Plant Protection
And Certification, Firenze, , 2Cinque Terre National Park, Via Discovolo snc, c/o Stazione Manarola
19017, Riomaggiore, , La Spezia, , 3Council for Agricultural Research and Economics - Research
Centre for viticulture and Enology (CREA VE), Via Trieste, 23, 34170, Gorizia, , 4Soliomics srl - Via
del Cotonificio 129/b 33100 , Udine ,

Aim: The terraced steep slopes to obtain strips of arable land, supported by kilometers of dry stone
walls became World Heritage Site in the Cinque Terre (North-Western Italy). In terms of soil
biodiversity, the evaluation of soil functionality in terraced vineyards is not usually considered.
Method: In the National Park area, 6 sites were selected at different altitudes and distances from
the sea. In 2020-2021, for each terraced plot (3-6 replicates/plot), soil samples were carried out in
inter-rows. Soil quality assessment was performed by chemical analysis (Corg, Ntot, CEC), soil
enzymatic analysis (12 enzyme activities), assessment of microbial biomass (dsDNA) and
ecological survey of edaphic arthropods. The arthropod communities were evaluated by abundance
and soil biological quality (QBSar index)
Results: Over all sites, soils exhibited high content of OM (53.6-72.2 g OM/kg soil) and microbial
biomass (60-123 mg dsDNA g-1 soil). Concerning biogeochemical processes, enzymes linked to P
cycle were abundant in vineyards at 200 m ASL x 300 m far from sea. In contrast, enzymes
involved in the decomposition process were particularly high in one site with undisturbed interrow
vineyard: here, microarthropod densities were highest too. The Acarofauna community represented
the 80% of soil microarthropods, followed by Collembola (14%) and other groups (Arachnida,
Crustacea, Myriapoda, Enthognata, Insecta). Topography did not affect arthropod abundances;
however, the higher vineyards showed low QBSar values and simplification of structure community.
Conclusions: Vineyards in altitude should increase the effort to maintain the soil biodiversity and
functionality.
405
Soil Microbial Diversity and Function along the Soil Depth Gradient in Multi Species Swards.
Kerry Ryan1,2, Alexandre De Menezes2, John A. Finn1, Fiona P. Brennan1
1
Teagasc, Wexford, Ireland, 2National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Irealnd

Aim: To investigate whether the presence of known deep rooting plant species in intensively
managed agricultural grasslands influenced microbial community composition, abundance and
function along the soil depth gradient.
Methods: Microbial diversity and functional analyses were performed on soil samples taken from
four soil horizons: A (0-15 cm), B (15-30 cm), C (30-60 cm) and D (60-90cm) in intensively
managed grasslands with manipulated plant diversity. Microbial functional capacity was measured
through enzymatic assays and substrate induced respiration assays. Microbial abundance was
quantified using qPCR and diversity was measured through sequencing of 16S and ITS genes.
Results: Soil microbial phylogenetic gene abundance and carbon cycling function was found to
decrease, and community composition was found to change, along the soil depth gradient,
regardless of plant identity. Soil microbial phylogenetic gene abundance was not significantly
influenced by plant identity along the soil depth gradient; however, 16S microbial community
composition was significantly influenced by plant identity in the top 15cm of soil and fungal
community composition was significantly influenced by plant identity between 15-30 cm in soil.
Selected carbon cycling enzymes were found to be significantly more active at depth when deep
rooting plant species were present.
Conclusions: Plant communities mediate the rate at which microbial carbon cycling, as measured
through enzymatic assays, decreases along the soil depth gradient. Plant communities influence
fungal community composition along the soil depth gradient.
406
Disturbed and Diverse - Management Practices Impact Urban Soil Microbial Communities in
Green-Wood Cemetery
Theodore Muth1,2
1
City University Of New York, Brooklyn, United States, 2The Graduate Center of the City University
of New York, Manhattan, United States

Aim: A better understanding of urban soil microbial communities will allow for effective
management practices that can support essential ecosystem services, such as nutrient cycling,
handling of stormwater runoff, and promoting plant and tree health in urban spaces. The managers
at Green-Wood Cemetery (Brooklyn, NY) have three levels of landscape management, intensive
turf management, minimally managed meadows, and unmanaged woodlands. We hypothesize that
there will be an inverse relationship between the level of management intensity and soil microbial
diversity.
Methods: We tested this hypothesis by collecting total soil DNA for 16S amplicon sequencing and
samples for community-level metabolic profiling using BioLog Ecoplates. We analyzed a total of 36
soil samples. The 16S amplicon DNA was sequenced on an Illumina MiSeq at Wright Labs, LLC.
The DNA sequence data were analyzed using QIIME2 and Nephele. Using the Ecoplates we
determined the utilization of 31 different carbon sources.
Results: Our preliminary data from the Ecoplates, and a subset of 16S amplicon samples, show
that there are distinct microbial communities at the two soil depths tested and from the three
management regimes. Consistent with results from other studies, we see greater soil biodiversity in
the shallow samples. However, we see lower levels of microbial diversity in the unmanaged sites
relative to the intensive and moderately managed sites.
Conclusions: Our work demonstrates that landscape management practices can impact soil
microbial communities. We found that urban soils have microbial diversity that is equivalent to soils
that experience lower levels of impact from human activity.
407
Early changes of several biological properties of vineyard soils managed with straw or
gorse mulching
Carmen Trasar-Cepeda1, Beatriz Rodriguez-Garrido1, Serafín González-Prieto1, Ángeles Prieto-
Fernández1
1
MBG sede Santiago-CSIC, Santiago de Compostela, Spain

Aim: The study compares the microbial activity and bacterial functional diversity in vineyard soils,
rich in organic matter, under conventional management with herbicides to control weeds, or under
management without herbicides and the application of straw or gorse biomass mulching.
Method: Soils receiving mulching in winter or herbicide in early spring were sampled at the
beginning of July, and characterised for their general physic-chemical properties. The evaluation of
biological properties included the analysis of the dehydrogenase activity, following standard
methods, and the determination of the bacterial functional diversity, using Biolog EcoPlates
Results: The application of straw or gorse mulching did not significantly affect the soil
dehydrogenase activity; however, the average degradation of the C substrates evaluated (AWCD)
as well as the Shannon (H´) and evenness (J´) diversity indexes increased in soils receiving gorse
mulching. Evenness also tended to increase in soils mulched with straw. The mulching with gorse
increased the degradation activity of soil bacteria of several carboxylic acids, phenylalanine,
phenylethylamine and glycogen, while the increases observed in soils receiving straw were
restricted to malic acid, phenylethylamine and glycogen. The degradation of glycyl-L-glutamic acid
was inhibited in mulched soils.
Conclusions: Mulching affected the bacterial functional diversity of the vineyard soils analysed,
although it did not significantly modify dehydrogenase activity. More detailed and long-lasting
research is needed to properly assess the impact of mulching with different materials on these soils
rich in organic C.
409
Legacy Effects of Drought on Grassland Microbial Communities Across the North American
Great Plains
J. Alexander Siggers1, Carina Donne1, Melinda Smith1, Pankaj Trivedi1
1
Colorado State University, Fort Collins, United States

Aim: We seek to assess the legacy effects of drought on plant-associated microbial communities in
grasslands.
Method: Four North American grassland sites spanning a broad precipitation gradient were
subjected to experimental growing season drought treatments for four years (2013-2017). The two
treatments included chronic (removal of 66% of each growing season precipitation event) and
intense (full precipitation exclusion throughout growing season) drought. Following a four-year
recovery period, we sampled the bulk soil and dominant species at each site. We conducted 16S &
ITS amplicon sequencing to assess bacterial and fungal communities in the bulk soil, rhizosphere,
endosphere, and phyllosphere compartments.
Results: We have data from two years into the experiment, the completion of the experiment, and
four years into recovery, allowing us to generate temporal insight regarding microbial response to
severe field drought and ambient recovery. Our results suggest that bacterial community
composition is highly responsive to drought, driven by alterations in Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria,
Acidobacteria, and Bacteroidetes. Increased levels of glycosyltransferase and B-glucanase were
found under both drought treatments. Fungal assessment was hindered by a lack of assigned
genomes, though we noted an increase in Glomeromycetes in droughted plots. Dominant plant
species’ rhizosphere and endosphere communities differed amongst sites and species.
Conclusions: Functional genes related to stress resistance increased in prevalence, suggesting soil
microbial communities will be primed for future drought events. Our results suggest that dominant
plant species recruit microbes that may enhance drought tolerance, with a legacy of altered
microbial composition.
410
Evolution and Assembly of Microbial Communities in Biochar-Amended Soils
Nikolaos Paranychianakis1, Rafaila - Nikola Mourgela1
1
Technical University Of Crete, Chania, Greece

Aim:
The overarching objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of biochar addition to the
microbiomes of organic farming greenhouse soils. Specifically, we tackled the evolution of basic
attributes of microbial communities in soils amended with biochar, a commonly used amendment
for soil health restoration of degraded soils.
Method:
Different rates of biochar (0, 2.5, 5, 10%), produced by municipal solid wastes, were applied in soil
microcosms collected from a greenhouse poor in SOM (0.9%). Following biochar incorporation,
soils were wetted and maintained to 70% of water holding capacity and were sampled at weekly
intervals. The last week a drying/rewetting step was applied to test the stability and resilience of
microbial communities. Bioinformatic analysis of microbial communities was performed with dada2
pipeline in the R environment.
Results:
Data analysis revealed that biochar dose had no effect on α and β diversity of soil microbial
communities. By contrast, the drying and rewetting cycle induced strong shifts on soil microbial
community composition and α and β diversity. Contrary to our expectations, the deviation of
microbial communities was stronger in soils treated with the highest biochar dose implying a higher
contribution of stochastic process in microbial community assembly, a finding that was confirmed
by the observed differences in the βNRI metric. Differences were also found in the properties of
microbial networks and keystone taxa.
Conclusions:
These findings indicate that biochar may induce significant shifts in soil microbial communities
following disturbance events posing barriers on the maintenance of engineered communities.
412
Facilitative Interactions in Soil Microbial Systems at the Polar Regions
Jesse Jorna1, Byron Adams1
1
Brigham Young University, Provo, United States

Aim:
Facilitative interactions are widespread in natural systems, yet the focus of community ecologists
has been primarily on the quantification of competitive and trophic drivers of diversity. The
belowground biodiversity of the polar regions offers an excellent toolbox to study the facilitative
interactions of microbial communities at small, heterogeneous scales to understand how these
interactions drive community diversity and function. We compare experiments and observations
from the Arctic and Antarctic to temperate dryland systems to understand the relative importance of
facilitative interactions across environmental gradients.
Method:
Active layer soil samples are collected above permafrost in the McMurdo Dry Valleys of Antarctica
and in the Canadian Arctic at Cambridge Bay. Whole soil communities are characterized by 16S
metabarcoding inventories. Co-occurrence methods are combined with phylogenetic
measurements to describe the relative proportion of positive interactions across a simplified
gradient of environmental stress in the form of water limitation. Other environmental drivers such as
organic matter, salinity and micronutrients are measured at each site to create a null-model to
which relative co-occurrence is compared.
Results:
Results for these experiments are pending – metabarcoding inventories will be compared to
datasets from the Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge. Our expectations are that microbial
interactions broadly follow a stress-gradient type distribution, with positive interactions becoming
more frequent in ecosystems under increased environmental stress in the form of higher water
limitation. Moreover, in the absence of plants facilitating belowground growth we expect facilitative
interactions between bacteria to be more important drivers of community structure in the Antarctic.
413
Diversity-function relationship in soil microbial community in Eucalyptus grandis plantation
from surface to deep horizons
Agnès Robin1,2,3, Brondani Margot2,4,5, Marchal Julie2,5, Pablo Anne-Laure1, Dezette Damien1, Mahé
Frédéric6,7, Desmarais Erick8, Cerqueira Frédérique8, Guillemot Joannès1,2,3, Brancalion Pedro3,
Fromin Nathalie4
1
CIRAD, UMR Eco&Sols, Montpellier, France, 2Eco&Sols, Univ Montpellier, CIRAD, INRA, IRD,
Montpellier, France, 3ESALQ, Univ São Paulo, 13418-900 Piracicaba , Brazil, 4CEFE, Univ
Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, Montpellier, France, 5Univ Montpellier, Montpellier, France,
6
CIRAD, UMR PHIM, Montepllier, France, 7PHIM Plant Health Institute, CIRAD, INRAE, Institut
Agro, IRD, Univ Montpellier, Montpellier, France, 8GenSeq – LabEx CeMEB, Montpellier, France

Tree plantations play a key role in carbon (C) sequestration. Yet, the mechanisms that underpin the
C cycling in these tree systems are poorly understood. Although Eucalyptus is the most widely
planted tree genus in the tropics, we miss estimates of its contribution to the soil C dynamics, its
variability and determinants. Here we characterized the heterogeneity of soil physico‐chemical and
microbial (molecular and metabolic) parameters at 51 locations on surface (0‐10 cm) and at 9
locations on 6 depths (at down to 4 meters) in a stand of E. grandis plantation installed 20 years
ago. We used Illumina sequencing and the MicroResp™ microplate‐based respiration system for
the molecular and functional characterization, respectively, of the soil microbial community. We
found substantial variations in the soil physico‐chemical and microbial parameters at the plot scale.
In the surface soil, the metabolic parameters (substrates used by the microbial community and their
respiration rates) were explained by both the soil abiotic parameters and the bacterial and fungal
community structure, but with a predominant role of bacterial composition. We also recorded
variation of microbial parameters with soil depth, with increasing metabolic diversity in deeper soil
layers. Collectively, our data suggest a strong heterogeneity of the soil respiration process across
the plantation, which has to be considered for future sampling strategies when studying the role of
tree plantations in the global C balance.
415
Comparative diversity patterns of vascular plants and testate amoebae along elevation
gradients in Hawaii
Edward Mitchell1, Clément Duckert1, Estelle P. Bruni1, Patricia C. Welton2, William Haus2, Kainoa
Pestana3, Robert Yagi4, Jacey Savage5, Rebecca Ostertag5, Susan Cordell6, Guillaume Lentendu1
1
Laboratory of Soil Biodiversity, Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Switzerland,
Neuchâtel, Switzerland, 2Haleakalā National Park, Maui, USA, 3Puʻu Kukui Watershed Preserve,
Puʻu Kukui , USA, 4Waikōloa Dry Forest Initiative, Kamuela, USA, 5Biology Department University
of Hawaii at Hilo, Hilo, USA, 6US Forest Service, Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry, Hilo, USA

Aim:
Soil protists respond to changes in abiotic conditions and vegetation type from plot to continental
scale. However comparative studies of plant and protist diversity are rare and the importance of
native and endemic plant diversity has not been assessed.

Method:
We recorded testate amoeba (TA) and plant species data along four elevation gradients in forests
(coast to treeline) and in the alpine zone (6 elevation each), on Maui and Big Island, Hawaii. We
compared TA vs. overall, native and introduced plant diversity patterns with elevation.
Results:
Species richness of native plants and TA generally increased from the coast to treeline. Above
treeline, TA richness declined with elevation. The diversity of introduced plants decreased with
elevation in forests and alpine plots. TA species richness was positively correlated to plant
richness, due entirely to the native and endemic component of plant diversity. TA community
composition was best explained by native plant richness, moss or rock cover, pH and C and N
content. Plant and TA communities showed highest and significant correlation in Mantel tests for
the two upper forest elevations.
Conclusions:

The observed patterns suggest a strong impact of vegetation type and native diversity on soil
microbial diversity. This patterns may however partly be due to the more favourable conditions for
testate amoebae and soil life in general, especially higher organic matter content and soil moisture.
The possible role of plant identity e.g. through litter chemistry effects should be further explored.
417

Plant Microbiome to Soil Microbiome: Soil Microbial Diversity and Function in Multi Species
Swards

Kerry Ryan1,2, John Finn1, Alexandre De Menezes2, Laura Byrne3, Caroline Brophy3, Fiona
Brennan1

1
Teagasc, Wexford, Ireland, 2National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Irealnd, 3Trinity
College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland

Aim: To quantify how plant diversity in intensively managed multi-species agricultural grasslands
affect soil microbial diversity and function.
Method: Microbial diversity and functional analyses were performed on soil samples taken from
systematically varying plant community combinations within a six-species experimental trial (1-6
species), at four time points throughout the growing season. We quantified the effect of different
plant species on microbial responses, and whether mixing the plant species resulted in
antagonistic, neutral or positive effects on microbial responses. Further, the effect of additional
nitrogen (N) fertiliser application on the soil microbiome of Lolium perenne monocultures was
measured.
Results: Plant species identity effects were the main drivers of microbial composition, diversity and
function in the soil, while effects of interspecific interactions among the plant species or functional
groups were rarely significant. Bacterial abundance, crenarchaeal abundance and substrate
induced respiration rates were lower on average in the L. perenne monocultures with 300 kg ha-1 yr-
1
N (300N) compared to the other plant communities with 300 kg ha-1 yr-1 N, suggesting that high
nitrogen treatments reduce microbial abundance and active microbial biomass. The 300N L.
perenne monoculture generally had significantly different soil microbial community composition
compared to all other plant monocultures.
Conclusions: Plant species identity effects, particularly those of legumes and herbs, affected the
community composition and function of the soil microbiome. Thus, diverse plant mixtures in
agricultural grasslands, compared to less diverse grasslands, can have a significant effect on the
soil microbiome. High levels of N fertilisation can negatively affect soil microbial communities.
418
The Impact of Management on Soil-borne Biodiversity in Austrian Agriculture
Markus Gorfer1, Gernot Bodner2, Sabine Huber2, Katharina Keiblinger2, Livio Antoniello1, Harald
Berger2, Markus Freudhofmaier3, Dragana Bandian1, Angela Sessitsch1
1
AIT Austrian Institute Of Technology Gmbh, Tulln, Austria, 2BOKU - University of Natural
Resources and Life Sciences, Tulln, Austria, 3RWA – Raiffeisen Ware Austria AG, Korneuburg,
Austria

Aim:
We were interested in the impact of agricultural management practices on soil properties, plant
performance and the soil-borne microbiome in Eastern Austria for a better understanding of the
connection between land management, belowground microbial biodiversity and ecosystem
services.
Method:
A set of experimental fields mainly run by Agricultural schools in Eastern Austria was established.
Soil properties were measured by standard procedures. Fungal and bacterial communities from the
topsoil were investigated by high-throughput sequencing of ITS2 and partial 16S amplicons,
respectively.
Results:
In a series of experiments carried out mainly in eastern Austria the effects of management
practices on soil properties, plant performance and the microbiome were investigated. Site, which
integrates soil type, cropping history and climate, together with season were the major factors
driving community composition. Intensively cropped arable land has distinct communities of fungi
and bacteria compared to adjacent wildflower strips. Intensity of tillage induces a gradient in the
microbiome from no-till with direct sowing to conventional ploughing. Some of the observed
changes can be related to changes in soil properties. A single addition of biostimulants, on the
other hand, does not induce any changes in properties of soil, plant or the microbiome.
Conclusions:
The findings are mostly in good agreement with results from other studies and help to predict
management effects on soil-borne diversity and should help in an improvement of ecosystem
services from agricultural sites through appropriate crop management.
419
SOILGUARD: Linking Soil Biodiversity and Agricultural Soil Management
Kerry Ryan1, John Finn1, Fiona Brennan1
1
Teagasc, Wexford, Ireland

Aim: SOILGUARD is a European project that aims to improve and standardise methods for
measuring soil biodiversity across different European regions. Soil microorganisms control a wide
range of ecosystem services, such as nitrogen and carbon cycling that are essential to agricultural
systems and are strongly influenced by land management. Therefore, it is important to understand
how soil biodiversity differs between land management practices so we can better maintain and
improve it.
Methods: Ireland is one of 17 countries participating in the SOILGUARD project. Soil biodiversity
was compared between high N input perennial ryegrass grasslands and low N input multispecies
grasslands farms in the south of Ireland. This was achieved by identifying and collaborating with
farming stakeholders, visiting their farms, and taking soil samples for biodiversity analyses. The
physical-chemical properties of the soil, such as pH and total carbon levels, were measured.
Species and communities of nematodes and micro-arthropods in the soil were identified and
quantified. Molecular assays were performed to investigate bacterial, archaeal, fungal and viral
community structure and diversity in the soil.
Results: Samples are currently being procressed
Conclusions: SOILGUARD will increase understanding of the effects of farm management on soil
biodiversity and ecosystem services in intensively managed agricultural grasslands. This will also
help us better understand and develop standard ways to measure soil biodiversity.
421
Tillage systems reflected in communities quantified by metabarcoding and abundance of
earthworms and collembolans
Paul Henning Krogh1, Jiayi Qin2
1
Department of Ecoscience, Aarhus Universityy, Aarhus C, Denmark, 2DLIMI, Copenhagen,
Denmark

Aim:
Investigating the capacity of eDNA and metagenomics to detect different soil communities as
observed for contrasting farming systems.
Method: An experimental long-term field design with tillage vs. no-tillage farming systems on a
loamy soil location and a sandy soil location was subject to sampling for earthworms and
collembolans. We employed two sets of primers to address minibarcodes of earthworms, 16S, and
microarthropods, COI, (mites and springtails). For the earthworms we employed a soil DNA
approach extracting a 1.5 kg composite soil sample with phosphate buffer and subsequent
NucleoSpin Soil Kit® extraction. For collembolans we employed a community DNA approach
creating a DNA soup of the animals using the NucleoSpin Soil Kit® for DNA extraction.
Results:
The well-established difference in soil biodiversity abundances between tillage systems was
confirmed. The large anecic earthworms Lumbricus herculeus and Aporrectodea longa and the
epigeic earthworms were most abundant in no-till systems. The microarthropods were positively
influenced with no-tillage, but the extreme weather conditions during the sampling occasions have
hidden some of the effects of the cultivation practices.
Conclusions: Although we cannot claim metabarcoding to be quantitative it reflected the structural
community differences between the tillage and no-tillage farming systems.
423
A novel method to assess nematode anhydrobiosis reveals ecologically relevant differences
across functional guilds
Miguel Talavera1, Jordi Moya-Laraño2, Pilar Gavín-Centol2, Antonio Archidona-Yuste1, Diana H.
Wall3, Sara Sánchez-Moreno4
1
IFAPA, Córdoba, Spain, 2EEZA-CSIC, Almería, Spain, 3Colorado State University, Fort Collins,
USA, 4INIA-CSIC, Madrid, Spain

Aim:
Soil nematodes are among the most abundant soil fauna. Their high taxonomic and functional
diversity make them excellent indicators of soil health, and a number of nematode-based ecological
indices have been developed to assess soil fertility, soil food web complexity, soil supressiveness,
and other relevant soil food web attributes and ecosystem services. However, some basic aspects
of nematode ecology remain understudied. Anhydrobiosis, the ability to survive extremely dry soil
conditions for long periods of time is a functional trait that influences nematode ability to survive dry
spells, and which might be especially important in future climate conditions and affect the role of
nematodes in soil processes. Although explored for specific nematode taxa, the extent of
anhydrobiotic abilities across taxa, trophic, and colonizer-persister (c-p) groups of free-living
nematodes remain unknown and deserve further attention.
Method: (heading must be in bold)
In this study, we developed a novel and efficient method to calculate anhydrobiotic rates across
nematode taxa and functional guilds in laboratory conditions.
Results:
Inducing an experimental drought, we found that total soil nematode abundances were reduced,
but the number of anhydrobiotic nematodes significantly increased. Nematodes across all trophic
and c-p groups entered anhydrobiosis, and while nematodes in lower trophic and c-p groups
responded quickly to water availability recovering mobility after drought, higher trophic and c-p
groups were slower to recover from anhydrobiosis.
Conclusions:
Such different abilities may determine the dynamics of soil nematode communities after drought
periods, thereby affecting all the associated ecosystem processes. Ecological implications of such
findings are discussed.
425
Innovative Spent Coffee Ground-Based Biofertilizer: Effects on Soil Microbiome and Crop
Health
Aldo D'alessandro1, Martina Coletta1, Marco Cespi1, Matteo Mozzicafreddo2, Giovanni Caprioli1,
Antonietta La Terza1
1
University of Camerino, Camerino, Italy, 2Marche Polytechnic University, Ancona, Italy

Aim:
Crop health is strictly related to soil biodiversity. The transition from chemical fertilizers to
biofertilizers may represent a sustainable way to restore soil biodiversity, improve crop health and
productivity.
Spent coffee ground (SCG) is a waste material with a high potential for the development of
innovative biofertilizers. However, previous research showed that the use of SCG as fertilizer
inhibits plants growth, mainly due to the presence of phytotoxic compounds. On the contrary, SCG-
treated plants showed high nutritional values with an increased content in antioxidants and mineral
elements.
The aim of this research was to test the effects of an innovative SCG-based biofertilizer (BF) on
salad crops (Lactuca sativa), and on their rhizosphere microbial communities. And thus, to evaluate
its potential in mitigating SCG’s negative effects.
Method:
A randomized block design experiment was carried to compare the effects of BF and SCG at 3
different concentrations, each with 5 replicates. Plants functional traits and nutritional values were
evaluated. 16S rRNA gene metabarcoding was used to assess the effects on rhizosphere
communities.
Results:
BF-treated plants showed a higher polyphenols level and less stress signs compared to the SCG-
treated and control ones. At the highest concentrations, BF modify bacterial communities with an
increase of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (e.g., Azospirillium, Arachidicoccus) and other
beneficial bacterial taxa, such as those involved in disease suppression, aromatic compounds
degradation, nutrients cycling.
Conclusions:
BF resulted capable of reducing SCG negative effects on plant health, promoting the growth of
plants beneficial microbial taxa and, therefore, favouring a healthier growth of crops.
426
MiRA FruiT-Microbial Resources for Agriculture, a FruiTful collaboration with a smallholder
fruit trees farmer
Erica Lumini1, Stefano Ghignone1, Samuele Voyron2,1
1
Italian National Research Council (CNR), Institute for Sustainable Plant Protection (IPSP), Turin,
Italy, 2University of Turin, Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology (DBIOS), Turin, Italy

Background: Tree crops are fundamental for human nutrition and warrant food security and stability
of many farms including smallholder ones. Being present on a time scale of years, and having a
persistent, deeper root system, the impacts of tree crops (e.g.,on nutrients mobilization, organic
matter accumulation, beneficials, parasites...) largely differ from annual crops and thus cannot be
considered as comparable. Moreover, due to the absence of annual rotation and lack of soil tillage,
perennial tree crops also represent a stable food source not only for building up consortia of
beneficial microbial communities but also for some root pathogens or parasites.
We hypothesized that plant rhizosphere is strongly influenced by plant species/genotype which is
able to select and recruit microbes that will then colonize the aboveground organs influencing plant
nutrition, development and fruit quality and exerting a strong influence on soil functionality.
In this context, we investigate whether two different fruit tree species: Mangifera indica, (mango)
and Punica granatum (pomegranate), cultivated in a family-run farm at Chandrika lake, district of
Ratnapura, Sri Lanka, influence differently the microbial recruitment from the surrounding soil. Both
interrow bulk soil (10-20 cm) and rhizosphere soil (10-20 cm) were analyzed in order to understand
the possible impact on plants nutrition, growth, pathogens tolerance, and healthy fruits productions.
Results: Metabarcoding analyses associated with soil physico-chemical characterization and
evaluation of microbial biomass, presence of pathogen and microbial phytohormone production,
have provided an exhaustive reference database on the biodiversity of bacteria and fungi thriving in
the farm soil, cultivated with Mango and Pomegranate, and their relative functions. Among them,
microbial markers of healthy productive plant species soils will be identified.
Conclusion: The results on the diversity and functional roles of this microbiota will be highly relevant
for soil conservation and they will represent an added value for the commercial product and may
provide farmers of this agriculture district with new tools (e.g. tailored microbial consortium) for
agronomic innovation.
431
Soil Bacterial and Fungal Community Response to Nitrogen Fertilising Materials Recovered
from Manure
Demi Ryan1, Kieran Germaine1, David Dowling1
1
South East Technological University, Carlow, Ireland

Aim: Soil bacteria and fungi provide a multitude of key ecosystem services and are central to the
successful production of agricultural crops. Using diversity as an indicator, the research aimed to
evaluate the response of soil bacterial and fungal communities to the application of sustainably
sourced nitrogen (N) recycling-derived fertilising materials (RDFs) recovered from animal manure,
as substitutes to synthetic N fertilisers.
Method: Soil samples were obtained from a one-year trial on field-scale application of N RDFs.
Total DNA was extracted and amplicon sequencing of bacterial 16S V4-V5, and fungal ITS1
regions, was performed on Illumina paired-end platform. Sequenced data was processed and
analysed using QIIME2 and R software.
Results: Soil with N RDFs applied displayed significantly higher levels of bacterial alpha diversity
and significantly different community structures (beta diversity) compared to reference treatments.
This liquid nature of the RDFs may have allowed microbial populations to flourish due to the
provision of rapidly available nutrients. Furthermore, the additional moisture may have influenced
communities due to a drought period experienced during the trial. Less variation was observed
among fungal communities, with diversity increases observed appearing to be a response to N
application in general, rather than specific forms.
Conclusions: The response of both bacterial and fungal communities to the application of RDFs
suggest that soil health and quality would be maintained, and possibly even improved (bacteria) by
utilisation of these sustainable alternatives to traditional synthetic N fertiliser. Further analysis after
longer periods would provide more insight into long-term effects.
434
Plants and Microbes Respond Differently to Fertilization and Environmental Factors in a
Kenyan Rice Field
Markus Gorfer1, Luigimaria Borruso2, Evi Deltedesco3, PhD Emily Gichuhi4, PhD Daniel Menge4,5,
Daigo Makihara5, Nadine Praeg6, Lutz Merbold7,8, Sonja Leitner7
1
AIT Austrian Institute Of Technology Gmbh, Tulln, Austria, 2Free University of Bolzano-Bozen,
Bozen/Bolzano, Italy, 3Laimburg Research Centre, Auer/Ora, Italy, 4KALRO - Kenya Agricultural
and Livestock Research Organization, Kimbibi, Kenya, 5Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan,
6
Universität Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria, 7ILRI - International Livestock Research Institute,
Nairobi, Kenya, 8Agroscope, Zürich, Switzerland

Aim:
In sub-Saharan Africa, rice is an important food crop and its demand is rising. Yields are, however,
well below the average in other countries. Intensification is necessary to secure domestic
production, but negative environmental impacts must be minimized.
Method:
At the KALRO station in Mwea, Kenya, an agronomic trial was conducted in a paddy rice field,
where manure and NPK fertilization were compared. Yield, soil properties and microbial
communities were investigated. Different groups of microbes were quantified by ddPCR and their
community composition was determined by high-throughput amplicon sequencing of appropriate
phylogenetic markers.
Results:
NPK fertilization gave rise to significantly higher grain and straw yield. SOC and TN decreased with
soil depth, but no fertilizer effect was obvious. Similarly, no fertilizer effects were observed on
concentrations of Nmin. For all investigated microbial groups, a significant decrease in abundance
was observed with soil depth at the reproductive plant stage. Microbial community compositions
responded in different ways to the environmental factors soil depth, plant stage or fertilization.
Additionally, an unintended spatial effect was observed which could have potentially masked more
subtle influences on microbial community composition.
Conclusions:
Increased NPK fertilization can substantially booster rice production in SSA, but costs are often too
high for local farmers. No negative environmental impacts of NPK fertilization at the applied dose
could be observed on soil properties, microbial abundances and belowground biodiversity. Manure
is of low quality and cannot provide the nutrients necessary for good yields, but a combination of
both could be promising option for rice yield increase at an affordable price.
437
From Roots to Pollinators: Do Above- and Below-ground Organisms Interact Through Plants?
Tara Dirilgen1,2, Eduard Mas-Claret4, Philip C. Stevenson3,4, Saoirse R. Tracy1,2, Dara A. Stanley1,2
1
School of Agriculture and Food Science, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland, 2Earth Institute,
University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland, 3Natural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich,
Kent, United Kingdom, 4Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Surrey, United Kingdom

Aim: This study investigates how soil biodiversity might alter plant traits and in turn affect pollinator
behaviour. It is one of the first to investigate soil-plant-pollinator interactions (i) in a multispecies
setting and (ii) incorporate the plant root system.
Method: A soil biodiversity gradient was created using the dilution-to-extinction approach, and
experimental microcosms created using the annual plant Phacelia tanacetifolia Benth. The effects
of soil biodiversity loss were explored by measuring above and below-ground plant traits, floral
signals and rewards. A pollinator choice experiment was carried out to investigate the preference of
a key group of pollinators, bumblebees (Bombus terrestris L.), for one plant treatment over another
in a semi-field setting.
Results: Soil biodiversity loss did not affect most plant traits such as biomass, plant height, as well
as floral signals such as total flower number and biomass. Bumblebees showed no preference for
what plant was chosen to be visited first. Floral reward such as nectar also appears to remain
unaltered in sugar concentration and chemical composition. Some biologically active secondary
compounds were detected in nectar across the differing soil biodiversity treatments.
Conclusions: Although soil biodiversity is crucial for functioning of terrestrial ecosystems, this study
shows that there were no measurable knock-on effects on floral choice by bumblebees. That said,
bee visitation rate will shed better light on any direct or indirect effects. These findings and more
are discussed in light of the effects on below-ground root biomass and the presence of a key taxa,
arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF).
439
Higher Spatial Than Temporal Variation In Soil Protist Beta-Diversity Along Elevation
Gradients
Estelle P. Bruni1, Juan Lorite2,3, Julio Peñas2, Matthieu Mulot1,4, Bertrand Fournier5, Pascal Vittoz6,
Edward A.D. Mitchell1, Guillaume Lentendu1
1
Laboratory of Soil Biodiversity, Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Neuchâtel,
Switzerland, 2Department of Botany, University of Granada, Granada, Spain, 3Interuniversity
Institute for Earth System Research, University of Granada, Granada, Spain, 4Réseau Hospitalier
Neuchâtelois, Neuchâtel, Switzerland, 5Institute of Environmental Sciences and Geography,
University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany, 6Institute of Earth Surface Dynamics, Faculty of
Geosciences and Environment, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland

Aim:
Biodiversity patterns along elevation gradients have long been studied for plants and animals, but
only quite recently for soil microorganisms, especially protists (i.e., Eukaryotes excluding plant,
animal or fungi). Micro-organisms have shorter generation times than macro-organisms and their
communities were shown to vary rapidly in response to abiotic factors. This represents a potential
bias for the study of elevation gradients if seasonal patterns are larger than spatial ones. To
address this, we investigated the relative importance of spatial versus temporal turnover of soil
protist community along elevation gradients.
Method:
We collected soil samples in forests and grasslands below the treeline along five elevation
gradients in the Spanish Sierra Nevada and the Swiss Alps for two consecutive seasons (spring
and summer). Using general eukaryotic primers and amplicon sequencing of soil eDNA, we
decomposed total protist diversity into local alpha- and beta-diversity components and identified
climatic and edaphic drivers of biodiversity patterns.
Results:
Soil protist communities varied spatially within and among transects but temporal variation was
comparatively low. Best edaphic drivers of community turnover were the same between spring and
summer, but their explanatory power varied among season.
Conclusions:
Altogether, our data showed a dominant spatial component of beta-diversity and suggest that
patterns of soil protist communities along elevation gradients are more driven by spatial
heterogeneity than inter-seasonal turnover. Such knowledge is pertinent for designing sampling for
microbial macroecology and biogeography, but also to better document the diversity patterns of
protists, one of the least known components of soil biodiversity.
442
Drivers of the composition of root-associated microbial communities in garrigue
ecosystems
Georgios Leventis1, Myrto Tsiknia1, Dimitra Stathopoulou1, Georgios Petrakis2, Constantinos
Ehaliotis1
1
Dep. of Natural Resources & Agricultural Engineering, Agricultural University of Athens, Athens,
Greece, 2Environmental Restoration, IMERYS GREECE SA, Milos, Greece

Aim:
Plants dominating garrique (phryganic) ecosystems of the Mediterranean are exposed to low-soil
fertility and seasonal high temperatures and drought-stress. Diversity and structure of root-
associated microbial communities of two typical plants was investigated. We aimed to identify
ecological drivers that determine community assembly processes of host-associated microbial
communities. We hypothesized soil properties, plant taxon and season as major drivers.
Method:
The roots, rhizosphere and adjacent bulk soil of early colonizer Hyparrhenia hirta (Poaceae) and
climax shrub Sarcopoterium spinosum (Rosaceae), both naturally occurring in undisturbed sites
nearby bentonite and perlite quarrying complexes in Milos island (Greece), were sampled after the
dry (autumn) and the rain (spring) period. Microbial communities were analysed by NGS of PCR-
amplified 16S and 18S rDNA genes. Extracellular enzyme activities, major soil functions and
community level catabolic profiles were analysed.
Results:
Initial results show that dry periods significantly constrain enzyme activities in the perlite bulk soil,
but not in the bentonite soil. Within the plant rhizosphere of the perlite soil, however, major enzyme
activities are not constrained by drought. Results will shed light on whether distinct microbial
community configurations are related to plant species (taxon), and how soil type and season
potentially shape these patterns. Final, results will be presented in the conference.
Conclusions:
Plants are expected to develop strong interactions with their associated rhizosphere/root microbiota
in multi-stressed ecosystems. In this work, we unravel the role of location/soil, plant taxon and
season as potentially major drivers of the assembly of microbial communities associated with
typical phryganic plants.
446
Relationship between Soil Microbial Community Composition and Soil Organic Carbon
Pools in Agricultural Grasslands
Omotola Odetayo1,2, Ron de Goede1, Cornelia Grace2, Jean Kennedy2, Olaf Schmidt3, Ellis
Hoffland1
1
Wageningen University and Research , Wageningen, The Netherlands, 2 Devenish Research
Development and Innovation Limited, Dowth, Ireland, 3University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland

Aim:
To assess the relationship between soil microbial community composition and functionally-different
soil organic carbon (SOC) pools.
Method:
The study was carried out in a grassland experiment established in Dowth, County Meath, Republic
of Ireland. The grassland swards studied are: six-species mixture, twelve-species mixture, highly
species-rich permanent pasture. A monoculture of perennial ryegrass was also included in the
treatment as reference. All the four grasslands communities were established on four replicated
blocks (n = 16) in a randomized complete block design. At the end of the first growing season,
composite soil samples in the 0–10 cm layer was collected and analysed to determine the soil
microbial community composition and biomass using phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) analysis.
Physical fractionation of soil samples was performed to determine the concentrations of particulate
organic matter carbon (POMC) and mineral-associated organic matter carbon (MAOMC).
Results:
Particulate organic matter carbon was positively related to total microbial biomass as well as gram
negative and gram positive bacterial biomass (p<0.05) but not significantly related to the fungal
biomass. However, there was no significant relationship between MAOMC and the biomass of any
of the soil microbial groups.
Conclusions:
Particulate organic matter carbon – a labile carbon pool that is plant-derived, relates to most of the
soil microbial groups identified in the PLFA analysis including gram positive and negative bacteria.
This further demonstrates that gram negative and gram positive bacteria have preference for labile
carbon sources emanating from plant origin.
448
'Digging a little deeper: a comparison of mycorrhizal communities between rewilded and
intensive agricultural soils.’
Jed Soleiman1, Laura M. Suz3, Jesús Aguirre-Gutiérrez1, Yadvinder Malhi1,2,4
1
School of Geography and the Environment, University Of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom,
2
Environmental Change Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom, 3Royal Botanic
Gardens, Kew, London, United Kingdom, 4Leverhulme Centre for Nature Recovery, Oxford, United
Kingdom

Mycorrhizal fungi have been recognised for their inter and intra-species role in facilitating
communication and resource sharing, forming symbiotic relationships with vegetation through
strands of mycelium. These belowground connections allow for nutrient transfers, kin recognition,
and defence signalling which ultimately impact ecosystem processes and vegetation structure.
Rewilding is a novel approach to ecological restoration, prioritising functionalism and ecosystem
autonomy, to return land to nature through low-impact interventions. In the UK, rewilding projects
often take place on degraded or low productivity farmland such as on the Knepp Castle Estate.
Whilst much research has focused on above-ground rewilding and reintroductions of charismatic
species, little attention has thus far been paid to rewilding’s impacts on soil biota, and specifically
mycorrhizal fungi. Through soil and vegetation analyses, this study looks to identify differences in
mycorrhizal communities between rewilded and intensive agricultural sites in the south east U.K.
Through comparison at different sites, the association between rewilding efforts and altered
mycorrhizal community structure can be ascertained, with potential consequences for ecosystem
functioning and recovery. Increased mycorrhizal diversity under rewilding conditions could indicate
improved ecosystem resiliency through increased functional redundancy. Therefore, this project
aims to understand if an association exists between rewilding and increased mycorrhizal diversity.
452
Does Plant Biostimulants Application Stimulate Soil Microbial Activities in Organic Potato
Production under Field Conditions?
Mesfin Gebremikael1, Thayna Mendanha1, Angelica Gomez1, Merete Edelenbos1, Hanne L.
Kristensen1
1
Department Of Food Sciences Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark

Aim:
To investigate the efficacy of commercially available biostimulants on soil microbial activities in
organic potato production under field conditions.
Method:
A factorial experimental design was set up under field conditions for two years at two locations
characterized by sandy clay (2021) and sandy (2022) soil texture at the experimental stations of
Aarhus University in Denmark. The two factors were nitrogen levels (100% and 50% of
recommended nitrogen) and biostimulants of different origins, namely, microbial origin (Proradix
and Vesta), plant extracts (Crop-set and Combi-set), seaweed extract (Acadian), humic and fulvic
acids (Humifirst). The biostimulants were applied at recommended rates, time, and methods of
application per the guidelines indicated on the product's label. Soil samples were collected to 0-25
cm depth before harvest and after removing the upper ground biomass. Two soil enzymes,
dehydrogenase (DHA) and β-glucosidase (BGA), were selected as indicators of soil microbial
activities.
Results:
There was no significant interaction effect of the biostimulants and nitrogen levels on both enzymes
and at the two locations. The 100% nitrogen level resulted in a significantly (p<0.05) higher DHA
than the 50% nitrogen level only in the sandy soil. The biostimulants did not significantly change the
DHA and BGA in sandy clay and sandy soil.
Conclusions:
In the current experiment, applying six different biostimulants to organic potato production did not
significantly change the dehydrogenase and β-glucosidase enzyme activities regardless of the
biostimulant origin and the soil texture. Additional parameters should be further determined to
understand the impacts of biostimulants on soil microorganisms.
457
Microarthropod Communities in Switchgrass Cropping Systems and Their Effects on Soil
Nitrogen
Allison Zahorec1,2, Violeta Matus Acuna2,3, Lisa Tiemann2,3, Douglas Landis1,2
1
Michigan State University - Dept of Entomology , Lansing, United States, 2Great Lakes Bioenergy
Research Center, Lansing , United States , 3Michigan State University - Dept of Plant, Soil, and
Microbial Sciences, Lansing , United States

Soil invertebrates has long been understood to have important influences on nitrogen (N)
dynamics, with their activity increasing N mineralization by an estimated ~30% globally (Verhoef &
Brussard, 1990). Their contributions to N mineralization are expected to be especially important in
N-limited, marginal soils such as those targeted for bioenergy crop production. As the amount of
land used for bioenergy crop production is expected to increase to help mitigate global climate
change, it will become increasingly necessary to understand the soil invertebrate communities
supported within these systems as well as their effects on N availability. To begin to address this in
the context of switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) cropping systems, we first surveyed litter- and soil-
dwelling microarthropods from switchgrass monocultures at the Kellogg Biological Station (Hickory
Corners, Michigan) in 2018 and 2019. Microarthropod sampling in 2018 focused on peak growing
season whereas sampling in 2019 occurred once in spring, peak growing season, and fall. To
investigate the community level effects of microarthropods under switchgrass, as well as those of
nematodes, on N dynamics, we then conducted a stable isotope tracing study using greenhouse
mesocosms to assess their effects, either individually or in combination, on N mineralization and
uptake by switchgrass. Field-collected microarthropods and/or nematodes were added to
mesocosms containing 15N-labeled litter with controls receiving no fauna. Mesocosms were then
harvested to assess 15N enrichment in switchgrass, microbial, and invertebrate biomass to trace the
flow of litter-derived N across pools in the presence or absence of microarthropods and nematodes.
462
Phylogeographic Analysis of Nematodes in the Dry Valleys of Antarctica
Abigail Borgmeier1, Byron Adams1
1
Brigham Young University, Provo, United States

Aim
The aim of this study is to examine the extent and distribution of genetic diversity within nematode
species in the Antarctic Dry Valleys and the Transantarctic Mountains. Glacial cycles since the
Pleistocene glaciations have isolated populations of the four soil-dwelling nematode species in the
Dry Valleys, resulting in genetic divergences. A phylogeographic analysis can show the locations
where nematode populations were isolated and where gene flow could occur during glacial
movement.
Method
The phylogeographic analysis used a shotgun metagenomic approach. Six locations were selected
in the Dry Valleys based on their location within a lake basin. Nematodes were extracted from 100g
of soil from each location using the sugar centrifugation method, then DNA was extracted from all
nematodes using the Qiagen DNeasy PowerSoil Kit. Each sample was sequenced using Illumina
NextSeq 2x150. The first set of samples were selected within a tight geographic range. Future
samples will be sequenced that extend into the Transantarctic Mountains and potential refugia sites
that were isolated by glacial movement.
Results
18S and mitochondrial COI sequences will be used to determine haplotype groups within the
populations of each species.
Conclusions
The distribution of haplotype groups can give evidence for the degree of connectivity between
previously isolated areas in Antarctica. Large-scale geologic disturbances, such as glacial cycles,
have been the driver of Antarctic nematode genetic diversity in the past. However, climate change
may increase connectivity in the Dry Valleys in the future, driving homogenization and subsequent
loss of genetic diversity.
463
Collembola diversity in agroecosystems in South Africa
Charlene Janion-Scheepers1
1
University Of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa

Aim:
To determine the taxonomic diversity of Collembola in agroecosystems in South Africa.
Method:
We sampled various agroecosystems such as orchards, maize, and canola under different
agricultural management practices, such as mulch and cover crops, to explore the Collembola
diversity.
Results:
Overall, Collembola diversity was high, with several introduced species widely distributed.
However, indigenous species from genera such as Capbrya and Parisotoma was also surprisingly
abundant. Collembola communities differ in sites using mulch compared to sites not using mulch.
Conclusions:
Mulch play an important role in buffering and maintaining Collembola populations throughout the
year. In addition to other soil biota indicators, Collembola are useful biological indicators of
ecosystem health in South African ecosystems.
464
Soil Fauna Bioturbation in Northern Hemishpere in Relation to Climate and Litter Quality
Jan Frouz1
1
Charles university, Praha, Czech Republic

Soil fauna bioturbation may affect various processes related to decomposition and stabilization of
organic matter, soil water retention, formation of habitat for soil biota and so on. In this contribution
we summarized in filed mesocosm experiment in which mesocosms containing litter and mineral
soil in two separate compartments were exposed in soil. These mesocosm were either accessible
to soil fauna or not which allow to measure removal of litter from soil surface as well as
accumulation of litter in mineral soil as well as overall loss of litter from the mesocosm. Mesocosm
were supplied in local litter and located in eighteen locations in all major biomes of northern
hemisphere from tundra to tropical rain forest. Overall fauna significantly increased litter removal
from litter surface and its accumulation in mineral soil the effect on overall loss was in significant.
The effect was higher in temperate and tropical climate and lover in cold and dry biomes.
465
Soil Functional Diversity Related to Aboveground Plant Biodiversity in a Grazed Island
Ecosystem in Denmark
Joanne O'Keeffe1, Carsten W. Müller1, Jeppe Aagaard Kristensen3, Camilla Fløjgaard2
1
University Of Copenhagen, København, Denmark, 2Aarhus University , Aarhus, Denmark ,
3
University of Oxford, , United Kingdom

Aim:
In this study, we will establish links between aboveground plant biodiversity and soil microbial
functional diversity on a summer grazed Danish island.
Method:
By connecting the geo- and biodiversity of the island with organic matter decomposition
functionalities of the soil community we identify links to soil carbon and nitrogen storage.
Specifically, thirty plots were marked out on the ca. 140 ha island at which plant biodiversity
analyses were conducted. The plots cover the island’s main habitats: salt meadows, meadows, and
developing dry grasslands. At each plot we sampled topsoils at 4 positions to represent local
variability. Soils were analysed for OC, total N, pH, and community level physiological profiles
(CLPP). The CLPPs were measured using the Microresp technique to make inferences about soil
microbial functional diversity and activities.
Results:
Preliminary assessments suggest that the more plant biodiverse plots also contained greater SOC
concentrations. We expect this will also correlate with increased soil microbial functional diversity
and activities, as some degree of coupling between aboveground diversity and belowground
functionality is often seen in grassland ecosystems, partly due to increased amounts and diversity
of rhizodeposits. Microbial activity is important for mediating the turnover of plant derived organic
matter into more stable soil OM pools, which is pertinent for soil carbon persistence.
Conclusions:
Linking plant biodiversity in a summer grazed pastures with belowground processes and the fate of
soil organic matter points to functionally important interactions between above- and below-ground
components of the ecosystem.
466
Multi-City Comparisons Belowground: Lessons Learned from GLUSEEN
Katalin Szlavecz1, Sarel Cilliers2, Elisabeth Hornung3, Johan Kotze4, Alessandro Ossola5, Richard
Pouyat6, Heikki Setälä,4, Zsolt Toth7, Stephanie Yarwood8, Ian Yesilonis9
1
Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, United States, 2North-West University , Potchefstroom ,
South Africa, 3University of Veterinary Medicine, Budapest , Hungary, 4University of Helsinki, Lahti,
Finland, 5University of California, Davis, United States, 6USDA Forest Service (emeritus) ,
Washington, United States, 7Institute for Soil Sciences ATK, Budapest, Hungary, 8University of
Maryland , College Park, United States, 9USDA Forest Service, Baltimore, United States

Aim:
In the first Global Soil Biodiversity Conference, we held a workshop to discuss the establishment of
a network focusing on urban soil ecology. GLUSEEN aimed to bring together scientists, educators,
and practitioners to 1) examine how soil communities in the urban are similar or different across the
globe and 2) develop an experimental design and unified methods to study urban soils.
Method:
First, we defined a matrix of urban habitat types based upon disturbance and management
intensity. In a pilot study, we conducted a "natural experiment" using three of the six types to
compare soil characteristics, microbial and earthworm community structure and decomposition in
five cities. Each habitat type was replicated five times, resulting in a total of 100 sites. The sixth city,
Melbourne contributed teabag decomposition data later.
Results:
While some soil characteristics, such as SOM, and pH supported the Urban Ecosystem Converge
Hypothesis, others, such as plant available nutrients, did not. Edaphic properties were important
drivers in microbial and mesofauna communities, but not for earthworms. Earthworm assemblages
were remarkably similar among the studies cities, but the mechanisms leading to this similarity
differed. The level of soil disturbance significantly reduced microarthropod diversity, but for
archaea, the trend was reverse.

Conclusions:
Despite limited funding, we produced a set of thought-provoking results and generated interest in
urban soil ecology. We also learned about the challenges when working in many countries
representing different cultures. To maintain and expand such a network requires both adequate
funding and the enthusiasm of local scientists.
467
Soil microbiomes biodiversity in agroecosystems
Magdalena Frac1, Jacek Panek1, Dominika Siegieda1, Agata Gryta1, Karolina Oszust1, Giorgia
Pertile1, Mateusz Mącik1, Michał Pylak1
1
Institute of Agrophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Lublin, Poland

Aim:
The soil microbiome is a complex structure, but with the advent of developments in the molecular
and bioinformatic fields, deeper insights into the importance, roles, and shifts under different
conditions and over time are becoming possible. The aim of the study was to determine the
biodiversity, structure and functionality of soil microbiomes in different agroecosystems on various
soil type and under biotic and abiotic stressors and other natural, environmental, or anthropogenic
factors including different compartments of soil and plants.
Method:
DNA extracted from collected soil and plant compartments was analysed via next generation
sequencing using ITS1 or ITS2 molecular marker to determine fungal community composition and
its trophic modes and guilds. Moreover 16S rDNA molecular marker was used for determination of
bacterial community structure.
Results:
We indicated different composition of bacterial and fungal community under various crops, stress
conditions (diseased plantations), soil type and tested compartments (bulk soil, rhizosphere, roots,
plants, fruits).
Conclusions:
The microbiome shifted under stress conditions caused by phytopathogens. The healthy samples
create more stable networks and are more resistant to stress conditions than networks observed in
unhealthy samples with dysbiosis state. The microbiome research can be useful for developing
agricultural crop strategy for sustainable agriculture.
This paper was financed by The National Centre for Research and Development in frame of the
project BIOSTRATEG, contract number BIOSTRATEG3/344433/16/NCBR /2018;
BIOSTRATEG3/347464/5/NCBR/2017; SUSCROP/I/POTATOMETABIOME/01/2019 and National
Science Center in frame of the project Opus 15, UMO-2018/29/B/NZ9/00982.
469
Investigation of the Microbial Composition of Organic and Conventional managed
Agricultural Soils across Europe.
Dennis Knuth1, Paula Harkes1, Jos Boekhorst2, Violette Geissen1
1
Soil Physics and Land Management Group, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen,
The Netherlands, 2Host Microbe Interactomics Group, Wageningen University & Research,
Wageningen, The Netherlands

Aim:
Residues of plant protection products (PPPs) as well as their mixtures are rather the rule than the
exception in European agricultural soils. The effects of these on ecosystem health are scrutinized in
the H2020 SPRINT project. In this study general differences in the microbial composition of soils
from both, organic and conventional managed farms from 11 case study sides (CSS) are
investigated. As an approach to assess soil health the abundances of plant pathogens are
examined.
Method:
Composite soil samples have been taken from approximately 20 fields (10 conventional and 10
organic managed) in all CSS. DNA was extracted with a lab made protocol. Subsequently,
metagenomic sequencing was performed by an external service provider. Illumina reads were
analysed with kraken 2 and bracken. The compositional data was examined for the abundance of
plant pathogens, common in the respective cropping systems.
Results:
Preliminary results show that the CSS is the main driver for differences found in the soil microbial
community. This indicates that the cropping system, abiotic factors and climate have a greater
influence on soil microbiome than the farm management system. When zooming in at individual
CSS, organic and conventional managed soils were distinct in their microbiome. But, no significant
differences in the abundances of plant pathogens have been observed.
Conclusions:
Using the abundance of soil pathogens as indicator for soil health, we do not see an negative effect
in organic managed farms. Suggesting that organic managed soils are in general able to avert crop
specific pathogens. Further data analysis is necessary.
471
Perchlorate reducing microbes in the McMurdo Dry Valleys drive soil ecosystem
biodiversity
Colin Robinson1, Byron Adams
1
Brigham Young University, Provo, United States

Perchlorate reducing microbes (PRM) have been shown to inhabit soils throughout the McMurdo
Dry Valleys. To the best of our knowledge, these PRMs represent the first such microbes isolated
from soil containing naturally occurring perchlorate. Perchlorate (ClO4-), a toxic anion that blocks
iodine uptake by the mammalian thyroid gland and prevents seed germination, is present in
abundance in Antarctic soil. In soils where PRMs are more abundant, we show that soil biodiversity
is bolstered as PRMs work to detoxify soils. These findings could be applied to bioremediate
contaminated waste sites where anthropogenically formed perchlorate salts have decimated
ecosystems and reduced biodiversity.
473
Opportunities to Assess Drivers of Soil Biodiversity via U.S. National Cooperative Soil
Survey Emerging Products
Sharon Perrone1, Skye Wills1
1
USDA-NRCS, Washington, D.C., United States

Aim:
Traditional soil survey maps provide information on soil properties that change over millenia (i.e.
inherent characteristics). However, soil survey users are interested in drivers of more dynamic soil
properties (DSPs) that may change on a shorter time scale according to land use and
management, including soil macro- and microbiota. The aim of this presentation is to share an
overview of the U.S. Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Dynamic Soil Properties
program to link DSPs to pedologic characteristics, land use and management information, and
ecological states.
Method:
The Soil and Plant Science Division of USDA-NRCS has amended its technical guidance to include
the collection and measurement of DSPs as part of standard soil survey procedures. To assist
NRCS in selecting DSPs and scaffolding data collection efforts, soil survey has implemented the
Dynamic Soil Properties for Soil Health (#DSP4SH) project. Standard methods were used by
sixteen cooperators across the U.S. to measure soil carbon, soil enzymes, phospholipid fatty acids,
and more. Each cooperator identified local fields that represented a “business-as-usual” agricultural
system, a soil health management system, and a reference ecosystem within unique soil map units.
Results:
Results will be used to investigate the impact of pedologic, vegetative, and management effects on
soil biodiversity that can then be used to inform and refine broader soil survey products.
Conclusions:
Simultaneously collecting pedologic, vegetative, and land management information as a routine
part of soil survey activities can provide integrated opportunities to assess drivers of soil
biodiversity through emerging national data products.
477
Long-term effect of crop management practices on clay soil properties and microbial
diversity.
Richard Hogue1, Thomas Jeanne1
1
Irda, Quebec, Canada

Aim:
The impact on soil properties and microbial diversity have been studied after 10 years of
conventional tillage (CT) vs no-till (NT) and of corn monoculture (Mon) vs soybean-wheat-corn
rotation (Rot) in unfertilized (UF) or mineral fertilized (F) replicated plots.
Methods:
Soil physical, chemical and biological indicators were determined by standard methods. Amplicons
sequence variants (ASV) were obtained by rRNA amplicon sequencing. Bacterial and eukaryotic
diversity were assessed using Shannon Index, ordinations of the compositions of ASV and by the
multivariate permutational analysis of variance on the Aitchison distance matrix.
Results:
The NT vs CT plots showed higher average values of soil gravimetric water content (+135%), mean
weight diameter of water-stable aggregates (MWDWAS) (+36%), total nitrogen (+42%), total
carbon (+26%), SR rates (+43%) and lower values of pH (-5%) while the NT-Rot plots showed the
highest corn yield. The treatments had no long-term effect on the Shannon Diversity Index. The
compositions of bacterial and eukaryotic communities in NT soils showed a strong correlation with
MWDWAS, total N, total C, active carbon and extractables P and K, while in CT soils, such strong
correlation was observed with the pH and the extractables elements Ca, Mg and Al. Specific ASVs
in 6 among 10 bacterial phyla and 5 among 12 eukaryotic phyla were impacted by tillage
management.
Conclusion:
Tillage management had major impact on soil physicochemical and biological properties, while the
magnitude of the tillage effect was influenced by whether or not mineral fertilizers were applied.
481
Responses of Soil Microbes to Whole Orchard Recycling: Microbial Community
Composition and N Cycling
David Robles1, Brent Holtz2, Suduan Gao3, Mae Culumber4, Kerri Steenwerth5, Amisha Poret-
Peterson5
1
Soils and Biogeochemistry Graduate Group, Davis, United States, 2San Joaquin County
Cooperative Extension, San Joaquin County, United States, 3Water Management Research,
Parlier, United States, 4Fresno County Cooperative Extension, Fresno, United States, 5Crops
Pathology and Genetics Research Unit, Davis, United States

As soil degradation drives the transfer of carbon (C) to the atmospheric pool, implementation of
organic management practices in agricultural ecosystems has increased in popularity worldwide.
Addition of organic amendments, such as wood chips from whole orchard recycling (WOR), may
favour the assimilation of nitrogen (N) into microbial biomass and induce changes in the microbial
community composition. Aim: Here, the soil microbial community was characterized over two years,
following WOR and applications of N-fertilizer. We hypothesize that WOR will shift the relative
abundances of N cycling microbial groups, such as archaeal ammonia oxidizers, fungal
nitrate/nitrite reducers, and bacterial N2O reducers. Method: Soil microbial community composition
and structure was characterized by 16S rRNA gene and fungal ITS amplicon sequencing on an
Illumina MiSeq platform. The sequences were processed via DADA2, classified using Silva (16S
rRNA genes) and UNITE (ITS), and analysed using vegan in R. Results: The most abundant
bacterial and archaeal families observed in the soils include Nitrosomonadaceae,
Nitrososphaeraceae, and Chitinophagaceae, while the most abundant fungal families were
Phanerochaetaceae, Filobasidiaceae, and Glomeraceae. Principal coordinate analysis (PCoA)
shows that the wood chip amended soil microbial communities are compositionally different from
the unamended control communities. Conclusions: Organic amendment by WOR induced shifts in
the soil microbial community composition, such that relative abundances of saprotrophs appear to
increase and ammonia-oxidizing bacteria and archaea appear to decrease. These microbial data
will be related to soil physicochemical data and placed in the context of other studies of woody
organic amendments in soils.
482
Driving factors of the archaeal communities in sediments and soils of Brazilian soda lakes
Yara Feitosa1, Fabiana Paula2, Thierry Pellegrinetti2, Dasiel Alvarez2, Robert Hanner2, Marli Fiore1,
Siu Tsai1
1
Center for Nuclear Energy in Agriculture, University of Sao Paulo, Piracicaba, Brazil, 2Department
of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Canada

An extreme environment is a habitat characterized by harsh abiotic conditions that are hostile or
even lethal to most life forms. Soda lakes are extreme environments found worldwide that contain
high concentrations of sodium (Na+) and carbonate species (HCO3– + CO32–) as dominant ions,
leading to elevated and stable pH levels. These environments provide a unique habitat for a diverse
haloalkaliphilic community and offer new research opportunities associated with extremophile life
and biotechnology. At the same time, tropical soda lakes are sources of greenhouse gas
emissions. Most known extremophiles belong to the Archaea domain and many of them thrive
under environmental extremes of pH and salinity. Archaea also play crucial roles in the global
carbon and nitrogen cycles and influence methane and nitrous oxide emissions. In this context, we
selected six sodas lakes with contrasting characteristics to explore part of the vast environmental
variability found in this ecosystem and evaluated the archaeal diversity in both dry and wet
seasons, using 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing. As these lakes are surrounded by sandy
shorelines and forests, samples of lake sediment and soil under adjacent forest were collected, in
order to investigate the interactions between archaeal groups inside and outside the lakes. Our first
results showed signatures from 11 archaeal phyla (Crenarchaeota, Euryarchaeota, Halobacterota,
Thermoplasmatota, Nanoarchaeota, Micrarchaeota, Asgardarchaeota, Hadarchaeota,
Aenigmarchaeota, Altiarchaeota and Iainarchaeota). Seasonality appears to have no effect on
archaeal communities and we observed higher richness of archaeal genera in sediment samples
compared to forest soil samples. In general, pH, salinity and N-total were significantly correlated to
the overall community structure. Ongoing investigations are exploring more deeply the interactions
between the microbiota, abiotic factors and greenhouse gas fluxes.
This research was supported by the São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) and Coordination
for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES).
484
Effects of Microalgae-based Biofertilizers on Soil Microbiota
Carlos Rad1, Evan. A.N. Marks1, Olimpio Montero2, Rocío Barros3
1
University of Burgos. Research Group in Composting (UBUCOMP). Faculty of Sciences. Pl. Misael
Bañuelos s/n, 09001 Burgos, Spain, 2Institute of Biology and Molecular Genetics (IBGM), Spanish
Council for Scientific Research (CSIC), Sanz y Forés Str. 3, 47003 Valladolid, Spain, 3International
Research Center in Critical Raw Materials for Advanced Industrial Technologies (ICCRAM). Pl.
Misael Bañuelos s/n., 09001 Burgos, Spain

Microalgae used in wastewater treatment may be applied to soil as a biofertilizer - this is a novel
strategy for recycling of nutrients in the circular economy. There is little information about how the
application of large concentrations of unicellular algae to soil will affect soil biochemistry,
particularly when they are living algal cells with the potential to form a soil biofilm, whereas soil
biofilms are expected to influence plant-microbe interactions.
Chlorophyte unicellular algae of the Chlorella genera are widely employed in algae-based water
treatment systems, and Chlorella sorokiniana has proven to be highly adaptable for this purpose.
We applied three filtrates of a Chlorella sorokiniana culture to soil microcosms, separating the
microalgae from other microorganisms, as well as a sterile control filtrate without biological activity.
Bacterial biomass in soils receiving the non-filtered (NF) slurry with viable algal cells was increased
by 25% in the soil surface (0–8 mm), and heterotrophic activity in those treatments increased as
measured by CO2-C evolution. Total soil carbon concentrations were increased in the treatment
with living algal cells (NF) by 0.4%, but no differences in organic carbon were measured; instead, it
was found that inorganic carbon (CaCO3) concentrations increased by 0.6% in the NF treatment
only. Soil phosphorus availability was also reduced in the surface of the NF treatment, indicating an
increased biological demand.
The results show that, when applied to soil, microalgae and associated biofilms will have relevant
direct and indirect effects on soil quality and nutrients of agricultural importance.
Active microalgae biomass from wastewater treatment may be given added value as a biofertilizer,
but little is known about how this may affect soil nutrient dynamics and biology. If the goal is to
recycle waste nutrients and matter. However, the potential persistence of unicellular green algae
after such an application is not known, nor the influence of their photosynthetic activity on soil
organic carbon - the aim of the present study was to probe these basic questions. In a controlled
laboratory microcosm experiment, suspensions of Chlorella sp. microalga culture and sterile
filtrates were applied to an agricultural soil and incubated for 42 days, whereas the effect of
darkness was also tested to understand the importance of photosynthetic activity of the algae.
Autotrophic microorganism development was 3.5 times higher in treatments with algae application
as measured by chlorophyll pigment concentration. Against expectations that increased
photosynthetic activity would decrease the CO2-C flux, the algal suspension with a photoperiod
significantly increased soil respiration compared to culture filtrates without algal cells, with
accumulated quantities of 1.8 and 0.7 g CO2-C m−2, respectively. Also, phospholipid fatty acid
(PLFA) analyses showed that the suspension accelerated the development of a stable community
of eukaryotic and prokaryotic microorganisms in the soil surface, whereas bacterial PLFA
biomarkers were significantly associated with eukaryote biomarkers on the study level.
Microalgae can be used in wastewater treatment to recover nutrients that can be thereafter applied
to soil as a biofertilizer, which constitutes a novel strategy in circular economy. Microalgae based
fertilizers are well known as nutrient suppliers to plant with important effect in trace element and
phytostimulation, live algae applied in a liquid slurry to soil may add both organic carbon and
nutrients while providing other benefits such as biological carbon fixation, but little is known about
how this may affect soil nutrient dynamics and biology. We applied three filtrates of a Chlorella
sorokiniana culture to soil microcosms, separating the microalgae from other microorganisms, as
well as a sterile control filtrate without biological activity. Bacterial biomass in soils receiving the
non-filtered (NF) slurry with viable algal cells was increased by 25% in the soil surface (0–8 mm),
and heterotrophic activity in those treatments increased as measured by CO2-C evolution. Total
soil carbon concentrations were increased in the treatment with living algal cells (NF) by 0.4%, but
no differences in organic carbon were measured; instead, it was found that inorganic carbon
(CaCO3) concentrations increased by 0.6% in the NF treatment only. Soil phosphorus availability
was also reduced in the surface of the NF treatment, indicating an increased biological demand.
monitorizando su efecto sobre su microbiota edáfica mediante secuenciación de fragmentos de los
genes 16S y 18S rRNA. La aplicación del cultivo de microalgas (NF) y sus correspondientes
filtrados sin algas (Ø<2.5 µm) y estéril (Ø<0.22 µm) a los microcosmos de suelo modifica
notablemente la microbiota del suelo, estableciendo una mayor predominancia no sólo de
microflora autótrofa, sino que también estimulando los géneros asociados al filo Cyanobacteria,
con capacidad de fijación de N, lo que supone la capacidad de incrementar los contenidos de C y
N en la superficie del suelo y la formación de biocostras con un efecto en la estabilización del
suelo.
The results show that, when applied to soil, microalgae and associated biofilms will have relevant
direct and indirect effects on soil quality and nutrients of agricultural importance
486
LIFE SySTEMIC: Soil microbiome in three different forest management systems of Fagus
sylvatica forests
Nataša Šibanc1, Marko Bajc1, Andrej Breznikar2, Rok Damjanić1, Natalija Dovč1, Tine Grebenc1,
Tanja Mrak1, Donatella Paffetti3, Tina Unuk Nahberger1, Cristina Vettori4, Hojka Kraigher1
1
Slovenian Forestry Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia, 2Slovenian Forestry Service, Ljubljana, Slovenia,
3
University of Florence, Florence, Italy, 4Institute of Biosciences and BioResources, Florence, Italy

Aim:

Assessing the sustainability of different types of forestry practices on soil biodiversity is complicated
because of variation both in the nature of the forest resource and in the impacts of different
management measures. The informed choice of a silvicultural system is a crucial step that can
have consequences for sustainability and forest ecosystem biodiversity. The project “LIFE
SySTEMiC” examines best close-to-nature forest managements regarding genetic resources of
forest trees and related soil biodiversity aiming to support stability and connectivity of forests in
changing climates, and their adaptability to future environments.
Method:

The study was performed in three different forest managements systems (unmanaged forest nature
reserve, low close-to-nature forestry, and medium combined system) across Fagus sylvatica
dominated forests in Slovenia, Italy, and Croatia. Soil microbiomes were analysed in mixed soil
cores using Ilumina sequencing with fungal, bacterial, and archaeal rRNA specific primers.
Results:
We will present the influence of forest management system on soil microbiome. The data will be
correlated with soil factors and genetic variability of F. sylvatica. We expect to observe a change
towards more stable, less diverse, and more specialised communities of analysed taxonomic
groups with decreasing the forest management intensity.
Conclusions:
The results will help to understand the importance of belowground processes when choosing the
best silvicultural practices for sustainable forest management. Currently, the implementation of the
soil biodiversity knowledge into forest practices rarely considers soil biota as a decision factor in
forest management.
492
Microbial Indicators of Soil Health in a Perennial Grain Crop
Hannah Rodgers1, Linda van Diepen1
1
University Of Wyoming, Laramie, United States

Aim:
Kernza (Thinopyrum intermedium), the first ever developed perennial grain crop, supports a robust
soil microbiome and can help build agricultural systems that are both resilient to and mitigate
climate change. However, there are gaps in our understanding of how soil microbial properties
should be interpreted, especially in semiarid regions. We aim to determine if and how soil microbial
properties can indicate changes in soil health and carbon sequestration in an annual wheat field
transitioning to a perennial grain crop.
Method:
Soil samples were collected from dryland wheat, Kernza, and perennial grassland fields in south-
eastern Wyoming, USA. Samples were collected before Kernza planting (spring 2021) and one
year after (spring 2022), and were analysed for a range of soil health parameters, including
microbial community composition (phospholipid fatty acids) and function (enzyme activities) and
eleven different carbon and nitrogen pools.
Results:
We found key differences between perennial grassland and annual wheat systems, including higher
surface (0-5cm) enzyme activity and labile organic matter pools, more stratification between depths
(0-5 and 5-15cm), and a higher proportion of fungi in the perennial grassland. In the field
transitioning to Kernza, several soil properties became more similar to the perennial system, such
as depth stratification of enzyme activity and labile organic matter pools.
Conclusions:
Transition to a perennial crop resulted in soil health changes, even in the first year. Going forward,
fast-responding soil microbial properties could provide sensitive indicators of changing soil health in
similar systems, and guide farmers and researchers in sustaining agricultural lands.
493
Resilience of ectomycorrhizal fungal communities of Quercus pubescens to drought and
wildfire
Tanja Mrak1, Nataša Šibanc1, Philip Brailey-Jones2, Ines Štraus1, Jožica Gričar1, Hojka Kraigher1
1
Slovenian Forestry Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia, 2The University of Georgia, Athens, USA

Aim:
Temporal studies that would offer insight into resilience of ectomycorrhizal (ECM) communities in
stress prone climates are scarce. Our study investigated vitality, community composition, diversity,
and function of Quercus pubescens ECM fungi in relation to environmental parameters in Sub-
Mediterranean Slovenia for two years (June 2016-May 2018), including two summer droughts
(2016, 2017) and a wildfire (August 2016).
Method:
ECM community was sampled every two months on three plots. Vital ECM root tips were morpho-
anatomically characterized and representative root tips sequenced. The ratio of vital to non-vital
ECM root tips was calculated. Vital ECM fungi were assigned to exploration types.
Results:
Altogether we identified 93 taxa of ECM fungi. The ratio of vital to non-vital ECM root tips dropped
below one in August 2016 after drought and wildfire and remained below one until January 2018.
ECM communities were varying significantly among the plots but were relatively stable in time.
Species richness and dominance varied with environmental variables. The most abundant
exploration type was short distance which was related to precipitation.
Conclusions:
Different lineages and functional groups of fungi may be important in this stress-prone environment
to maintain the nutritional status of Q. pubescens. High variability in vitality of ECM root tips over
time could be explained by the long-term decrease of carbohydrate flux belowground due to
sequence of droughts and wildfire. Temporal stability of ECM community is indicating relative stress
resilience of the fungal communities at the investigated site.
495
Nitrification Communities in Silage Corn Agroecosystems
Jeanette Norton1, Mussie Habteselassie2, Yang Ouyang1
1
Department of Plants, Soils and Climate, Utah State University, Logan, United States, 2Dept. of
Crop and Soil Sciences, University of Georgia-Griffin campus, Griffin, United States

Several long-term experiments were performed on agricultural sites in Northern Utah, USA and in
Watkinsville, Georgia USA over the last 20 years. The Utah soils are highly calcareous silt loams
with a pH of approximately 8.0. The Georgia soils are Cecil sandy loams with initial pH 5.3. We
compared the effects of contrasting nitrogen sources of varying quality and quantities on the
nitrification process and communities of the ammonia oxidizing bacteria (AOB), ammonia oxidizing
archaea (AOA) and nitrite oxidizing bacteria (NOB). Both the abundance and diversity of the AOB
were the most changed by fertilization with ammonium sulfate. Process rates and kinetics were
also changed by ammonium sulfate applications especially for the AOB while AOA were more
responsive to compost amendments. Kinetics of substrate availability and temperature were also
investigated. Modeling of nitrification needs to integrate both organism abundance and the kinetic
response to be applicable to realistic soil conditions. Metagenomic analysis organic amendments of
steer waste compost and poultry litter compost are compared to the soil communities at the
respective sites.
499
Use of X-ray microtomography imagens to support the teaching and research of the soil
arthropods
Gabriela Castaño-Meneses1, Abel Ibáñez Huerta1, José Guadalupe Palacios-Vargas2, María
Magdalena Vázquez González3, Arturo E. Hernández-Tirado1León Ibarra-Garibay1
1
UMDI-J, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Querétaro, Mexico,
2
DERN, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Coyoacán, México,
3
Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Quintana Roo, Chetumal, México

Aim:
Use images of X-ray microtomography in order to improve the knowledge of different arthropods of
soil fauna
Method:
Specimens of springtail, ricinulids, and ants were mounted in micropipette tips of 10 ul and
processed in an Xradia Versa 510 X-Ray microcomputarized Tomography System at the
Universitary Laboratory of X-Ray Microtromography (LUMIR), Centro de Geociencias (CGEO) of
the UNAM. Images and videos were performed to improve the teaching methods to the students
and the research of soil biology, and also to reach the soil fauna to general public.
Results:
The specimens were processed and generated images and videos of springtail, ricinulid and ant
that can use in teaching. Also, the files can be used to print 3D models and as well visualize in
immersion 3D device. This material shows structures that can be difficult to see with other
techniques but with the use of X-ray microtomography images morphology and anatomy can give
important information in the study of soil fauna.
Conclusions:
This technique innovation is useful to study some anatomic structures of the micro and mesofauna
of soil, that can be difficult to see and can innovate the teaching and research of soil fauna.
502
Belowground functional traits in dryland ecological restoration
Albert Barberán1
1
University Of Arizona, Tucson, United States

10–20% of drylands worldwide already defined as degraded, the United Nations has declared
restoring degraded drylands as a top priority for supporting human life in the coming decades.
Despite time-consuming and expensive efforts, dryland restoration success remains low. Although
soil microorganisms and plants are inextricably linked, researchers and restoration practitioners
rarely consider the soil microbiome in the design and deployment of management strategies, under
the assumption that aboveground restoration can trigger concomitant belowground restoration. I will
present my research group’s strategy of integrating the conceptual framework of functional ecology
(community-level traits, trade-offs, and life-history strategies) with tools of metagenomics to
harness the ecosystem-level role and applied potential of the soil microbiome for restoration.
504
How does Stoichiometric Imbalance in Foliage impacts Oribatid Mite Reproduction Sucess?
Marie-Charlott Petersdorf1, Henk Siepel1
1
Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands

Aim: Linking changed N:P ratios in foliage due to nitrogen deposition to reproduction success of
oribatid mites. Are oribatid mites are impacted by quality of food regarding stoichiometric
imbalance? If so, to which extent?
Method: Three common and representative oribatid mite species of forest stands are breed under
controlled lab-conditions in petri dishes. They are given food with varying N:P ratios to link egg-
production directly to food source. The control group does not receive any food to correct for eggs
laid from stored energy. Eggs in batches are counted, collected, and separated for monitoring.
Hatching-success gives information about egg quality and further future population sizes of oribatid
mites. Nutritional content of the given food is analysed and processed statistically to link certain
nutrients to number of laid eggs.
Results: In process of data analysis – It is possible to breed oribatid soil mites in captivity and to
collect eggs. Phosphorus is suspected to be a limiting factor in food for successful reproduction.
Conclusions: Shifted N:P ratios due to Nitrogen deposition impacts reproduction success and
therefore population size of oribatid mites. Since these group or microarthropods are the most
important secondary decomposers, effects are wide-ranging through terrestrial eco systems.
505
Environmental Impact of Two Planting Techniques on Edaphic Microarthropod Communities
in Tuscan Vineyards (Italy)
Elena Gagnarli1, Sauro Simoni1, Giuseppe Valboa2, Nadia Vignozzi2, Silvia Guidi1, Arturo Fabiani2,
Donatella Goggioli1, Franca Tarchi1, Edoardo A.C. Costantini3
1
Crea - Council For Agricultural Research And Economics – Research Centre For Plant Protection
And Certification, Firenze, Italy, 2Crea - Council for Agricultural Research and Economics -
Research Centre forAgriculture and Environment (CREA-AA), , Firenze , Italy, 3National Research
Council, Institute for BioEconomy (CNR-IBE)- Departement of Biology, Agriculture and Food
Sciences , Sesto Fiornetino - Firenze, Italy

Aim: The effects on soil ecosystem of two vineyards plantation techniques for soil preparation were
monitored and compared with old vineyards.
Method:
In Tuscany region (Central Italy), two hilly areas were selected based on different approaches of
vineyard plantation: site 1) soil levelling and deep ploughing after uprooting ancient vineyard,
monitored for 6 years (2011-2016); site 2) local trench for minimizing soil disturb and maintaining
the most of soil biological heritage of the antecedent meadow, monitored for 3 years (2014-2016).
In each site, the new vineyard was compared with an old one, by sampling 3 plots/new vs 3 plots/
old vineyard. Soil samples were taken from the upper 10 centimetres in spring/autumn and
analysed for physical - chemical and microarthropod features (abundance, taxa richness, QBSar
index) and evaluated by vineyard age, time evolution and plot location.
Results: In site 1, after three years from the plantation, the abundance and biological soil quality
showed lower values in the new than in the old vineyard. Over time, the community structure
resulted more complex; biological soil quality, basing on microarthropods, increased significantly
only after four years. In site 2, after few months from plantation, QBSar values were high (>100) in
all plots and similar in the old and new vineyard (Mann-Whitney test, P=0.334).
Conclusions: the top layer conservation is essential for soil biota and agricultural productive
capacity in Mediterranean regions, highly suffering from susceptibility to degradation. Planting a
new vineyard involves technical choices which are crucial for ecosystem services.
506
Soil microarthropod communites in the Western Alps: application of QBS-ar index to assess
soil quality
Tommaso Fusco1, Lorenzo Fortini1, Francesca Casale1, Carlo Jacomini2, Andrea Di Giulio1
1
Department of Science, University of Roma Tre, Rome, Italy, 2ISPRA - Istituto Superiore per la
Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale, Rome, Italy

Aim: Aim of this study was to assess soil quality using edaphic arthropod communities in different
areas of Alpi Marittime and Marguareis Natural Parks. Areas under forest management were
compared with areas of high naturalness, and differences between woodlands and open areas
such as grasslands and peatlands were evaluated. In addition, the impact of a forest fire occurred
in 2003 in Andonno (CN) on edaphic communities was assessed.
Method: Soil quality was calculated by analyzing microarthropod communities using the soil
biological quality index (QBS-ar). Soil samples were taken from 11 sites and then placed in a
Berlese- Tullgren funnel for extraction of microarthropods, which were then sorted, divided into
functional groups and each was assigned an EMI (eco-morphological index) score.
Results: The results confirmed that woodlands show higher QBS-ar values and microarthropod
communities typical of stable ecosystems, grasslands have variable, but significantly lower values
than forests. Peatlands showed the lowest QBS-ar values, but not significantly different compared
to grasslands. Forest management and forest type do not seem to influence QBS-ar values.
Interestingly, the fire-affected Andonno site showed high QBS-ar values, with no significant
difference between burned and unburned areas, indicating excellent soil quality.
Conclusions: Silvicultural management does not have an impact on the QBS-ar index or on soil
invertebrates. Results obtained at the Andonno site show that the soil can recover several years
after a fire to an optimal state of health. QBS-ar index is ideal for long-term monitoring and
assessing the impact of certain management practices and disturbances in different soils.
507
A global panorama on the uses of soil microorganisms
Ederson Jesus1, Marcia Coelho1, Guilherme Chaer1, Ieda Mendes2, Ozanival da Silva2, Juaci
Malaquias2, George Brown3
1
Embrapa Agrobiologia, Seropedica, Brazil, 2Embrapa Cerrados, Planaltina, Brazil, 3Embrapa
Florestas, Colombo, Brazil

Aim:
We aimed to determine the leading global players publishing in key topics related to the application
and use of soil microorganisms.
Method:
We searched the Web of Science and Patenscope for papers and patents, respectively, published
between 2011 and 2021 with a combination of queries including terms such as “Soil,” “Diversity,”
and words referring to major microbial groups. We built a database and implemented science data
tools to search for eleven uses of microbial biodiversity. The patent search was implemented in the
R software through the patentsview package.
Results:
China, the USA, Brazil, and India are among the top five countries in most of the evaluated uses.
Brazil was first on BNF and bioindicator research. India was first on PGPR and phosphate and
potassium solubilization. The USA stood on biological control and antibiotic resistance research,
and China on bioremediation, industry, antibiotics, and biodiversity. The other countries are most
countries from Europe and Asia.
Most Bacteria patents were deposited by institutions in North America, Europe, and Asia.
Exceptions were patents developed by Chile, Brazil, Australia, and New Zealand institutions. For
Archaea, most patents were concentrated in the USA, with a few distributed among Canada, Chile,
and Japan. Fungi-related patents were concentrated mainly in the United States and Europe.
Conclusions:
Developing countries are big players in soil microbiology-related research. Nevertheless, patents
are concentrated in institutions from North America, Europe, China, and Japan, pointing to a
potential asymmetrical translation of scientific research into patentable technologies.
508
Distribution and Ecological Preference of Complete Ammonia Oxidizers in Terrestrial
Ecosystems
Jizheng He1, Chaoyu Li1
1
The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia

The discovery of complete ammonia oxidizers, comammox Nitrospira, represents a breakthrough in

the history of nitrification research. Phylogenetic analyses demonstrate that the functionally
dominant comammox Nitrospira in terrestrial ecosystems are separated from most sequences
obtained from aquatic systems where nitrogen nutrients are low as oligotrophic environments. This
study was aimed to examine the ecological preference of comammox Nitrospira in terrestrial
ecosystems.
We collected soil samples from large scale environmental settings in Australia and determined the
abundances and community compositions of comammox Nitrospira and ammonia-oxidizing
bacteria (AOB) and archaea (AOA) by using real-time PCR and sequencing approaches. It was
found that comammox Nitrospira were more abundant than AOA and AOB in about one-quarter of
the soil samples. The analyses of soil variables and the abundance, diversity and composition of
comammox Nitrospira revealed the niche specialization and ecological preference of comammox
Nitrospira in the soils. Among all the tested soil properties, NH4+-N and C/N are the most important
factors in shaping the abundance and community composition of comammox Nitrospira. An
investigation of 130 forest soil samples with NH4+-N concentrations ranging from 0.30-59.62 mg kg-1
across eastern Australia revealed that clade A abundance was significantly and positively
correlated with NH4+, total N and pH, with NH4+ as the most important contributor. Our findings
suggest that comammox Nitrospira are not strictly oligotrophic but both oligotrophic and
copiotrophic with a broader ecological niche breadth. The different comammox Nitrospira
phylotypes may have evolved to thrive under different environmental conditions, including nitrogen-
rich agricultural ecosystems.
509
Designing a Nature-inspired Engineering Tool to Address Soil Pollution
Edith Eder1, Boris Jansen1, Frank Volkering3, Timo Heimovaara2
1
Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics (IBED), Amsterdam, Netherlands, 2TU Delft,
Delft, Netherlands, 3TAUW, Deventer, Netherlands

Aim:
Chlorinated volatile organic compounds (CVOCs) form one of the most wide-spread forms of soil
pollution on our planet. On industrial sites they can present as dense non-aqueous phase liquids
(DNAPLs) and spread in the soil and groundwater. This is why we propose to build a vertical flow
barrier by injecting metal – dissolved organic matter (DOM) flocs that will isolate the source zone
and limit the spread. These flocs should also react with the contaminants to stimulate their
microbial degradation through a dechlorination process, and remediate the soil pollution on the long
term.
Method:
In order to create the most efficient method, we have to understand the floc formation process and
identify which parameters influence their stability. Three types of metal combinations - based on
aluminum and iron (Al and Fe), that will serve as coagulants in the precipitation process - will be
tested at different pH values and molar metal/Carbon ratios in solution to measure the CO2
production and microbial decomposition under aerobic and anaerobic conditions over time.
Results:
These biodegradability experiments will help us unravel key chemical soil parameters and identify
the molecular interactions between coagulants and DOM that are critical for our nature-inspired
remediation tool.
Conclusions:
We will gain fundamental insights into flocculation and floc stability, that will support the design of
future applications to isolate and degrade CVOC contamination in soils.
513
Saline Soil Microbial Community Assessment Towards Improving Coastal Agriculture in
Cabusao, Camarines Sur, Philippines
Luis Angelo Cortez1, Edna Samar1, Jacqueline Rojales1, Vicky Dimaano1, Digna Allag1, Karen
Bautista1
1
Department Of Agriculture - Bureau Of Soils And Water Management, Quezon City, Philippines

Aim:
The main objective of this study was to quantify, characterize, and evaluate the soil halophilic
bacterial communities at Cabusao, Camarines Sur, Philippines.
Method:
Twenty (20) sampling points were determined, with five (5) points per salinity level (non-saline,
slight, moderate and severe). The sampling periods were July (dry season) and October (wet
season), 2019. From each point, composite surface soil samples (0-30-cm depth) were obtained
from nine (9) equidistant holes forming a square-shaped 1-ha area. The following parameters were
obtained: field EC and pH (1:1 soil-deionized H2O ratio), soil texture, Heterotrophic Plate Count
(HPC) in R2A agar supplemented with 3%, 5%, 9%, 15%, 20%, and 30%, and Shannon Diversity
(H) from sequenced 16S Metagenomic Data.
Results:
Seventeen (17) soil samples were classified as Clay, while the remaining were Silty Clay. Higher
pH was also observed during the wet season sampling, with the Severe Category being
substantially higher than the other categories. H values were found to be similar across seasons
and within salinity categories, regardless of obtained HPC counts. Some bacteria of interest
identified include Actinoallomorus luridus, Bellilinea caldifistulae, Ectothiorhodospira haloalkaliphila,
Flavobacterium weaverense, Planococcus maritimus, Pseudomonas azotoformans, and
Pseudomonas fluorescens.
Conclusions:
Cabusao soils appear to host a very diverse microbial community that can be potentially tapped as
inoculants to remediate saline soils. Such diversity was found to not be solely dependent on the just
the pH and EC of the soil and the season, but on certain other environmental factors (e.g. salt
concentration).
515
Screening for Crop and Cover Plant Traits with Potential to Restore Degraded Soils
Csilla Hudek1, John Quinton1, Ian Dodd1, Nick Ostle1
1
Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, United Kingdom

Aim: Within the international TUdi project we seek to identify characteristics of crop and cover
vegetation to mitigate and restore degraded agricultural soils, improve soil health and confer
resilience to future perturbations. Plant-soil feedback theory provides an important framework to
test the effect of plant types and their traits on soil properties which underpin sustainable yields.
Better understanding plant-soil feedbacks across degraded land will enhance trait selection to
mitigate damage and recover soil functionality.
Method: We used the plant functional trait approach to determine and combine plants for
restoration purposes. Plant functional traits and their associated soil impacts help us use ecological
strategies to overcome soil degradation issues. In this work, above/below-ground traits (biomass,
cover percentage, rooting depth, branching, root length, root diameter, rhizosheath) to restore
agricultural soils were determined using locally relevant crop and cover vegetation from different
food systems (grassland, orchard, vineyard and arable). Their traits were used to test and predict
effects on soil health. To test our hypotheses, we capitalised on long term datasets from different
cropping systems, and new data from sites across different climatic gradients.
Results: Data on soil degradation threats, their level and effect on yield as well as data on soil
properties and crop cover were provided. There is a need to collect data on some readily measured
root traits to further validate our findings.
Conclusions: Meaningful trait-based plant selection can improve farm scale resource use efficiency
by reducing the need for excessive use of external inputs and protecting soils.
519
Does context matter? The influence of surrounding land use type on key soil biology.
Matthew Magilton1, Samuel Eze1, Iain Gould2, Sandra Varga1, Daniel Magnone1, Theresa Mercer1,
Matthew Goddard1
1
University of Lincoln, Lincoln, United Kingdom, 2Lincoln Institute for Agri-Food Technology.,
Lincoln, United Kingdom

Aim: Land use conversion from one management type to another is known to effect various soil
biota groups. However, little is known about the potential influence of soil biota inhabiting
surrounding land use types on communities inhabiting newly converted land parcels. In addition,
most studies investigating effects of land use change only consider one component of the soil
community. To address these knowledge gaps, we test the hypothesis that there is no influence of
surrounding land use type on soil biota.
Methodology: Barcode metagenomics and taxonomic techniques will be employed to quantify four
biological components: bacteria, fungi, nematodes and microarthropods, each representing a key
component of the soil food web.
Results: Our transect-based field experiment quantifies how communities in surrounding land use
types contribute to the diversity and structure of communities inhabiting land in the early stages of
rewilding. We have compared the biology of rewilded sites that are either surrounded by woodland
or land with a history of agriculture. We also evaluated the effects of surrounding land use on
agricultural soil biodiversity health, and here compared soils from conventional arable agricultural
sites that are either surrounded by woodland(s), grass-leys, or conventional agriculture.
Conclusions: The primary goal of our experiment is to provide scientific evidence on whether biota
in surrounding land use types influence the type or restructuring and/or recovery of soil
communities, thus allowing land managers to make better informed decisions on which land parcels
to convert within a mosaic of land use types to maximise soil biodiversity.
522
Nitrogen Preference and Manipulation of Rhizosphere Nitrogen Cycling, an Aid to
Agricultural Sustainability.
Luke Fountain1, Susan Colby1, Robel Patwary1, Sara Moeskjaer1, Luke Ramsay2, Kelly Houston2,
Julie Gray1, Duncan Cameron1, Tim Daniell1
1
University Of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom, 2The James Hutton Institute, Dundee, United
Kingdom

Nitrogen is crucial for plant survival and commonly applied as synthetic fertiliser in the form of
NH4NO3 or urea in conventional agriculture. In soil, ammonium is rapidly converted to nitrate
through nitrification making the applied N more susceptible to loss. These losses typically occur via
leaching, runoff or emissions of the potent greenhouse gas nitrous oxide usually via denitrification.
Obviously, these losses reduce efficiency and increase costs to the farmer as well as causing
significant damage to the environment. Plants interact with the soil microbial community to generate
bespoke rhizosphere microbiomes with downstream effects on function. Previously, on a limited
number of cultivars, we observed variation in rates of both nitrification and denitrification between
different cultivars of a major arable crop, barley. This was associated with variation in the relevant
functional microbial communities associated with these processes. We have assessed if this may
be linked to the preference of cultivars to uptake ammonium or nitrate and performed a screen of
c200 cultivars, under different conditions, identifying significant variation across cultivars in these
two key processes. We are in the process of assessing if this variation in function is linked to
altered functional gene dynamics. Downstream these results will be used to assess if breeding for
altered preference or manipulation of nitrification and/or denitrification represent routes to improve
the sustainability of conventional agriculture.
523
Influence of different amendments on microbial communities in a soil with organic and
inorganic contamination.
Lucía Benavente-Hidalgo1, Verónica Peña-Álvarez1,2,3, Eduardo Rodríguez-Valdés2, Alexander
Prosenkov1,3, José Luis R. Gallego22,3, Ana Isabel Peláez1,3
1
Area of Microbiology, Department of Functional Biology and Environmental Biogeochemistry and
Raw Materials Group, University of Oviedo., Oviedo, Spain, 2Instituto de Recurso Naturales y
Ordenación del Territorio (INDUROT), University of Oviedo, Mieres, Spain, 3University Institute of
Biotechnology of Asturias (IUBA), University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain

Soil contamination is a problem with serious consequences that influences both ecological aspects
(including biodiversity conservation) and soil use. Anthropogenic activities cause the releases
diverse pollutants into the environmental compartments; for instance, the strong dependence on
fossil fuels generates significant spillage risks associated with notable environmental impacts and
substantial hazards for human health. In turn, soil contamination by heavy metals and metalloids is
also a cause for concern due to their persistence in the environment and their non-biodegradable
nature, which leads to their accumulation to toxic levels. The type and availability of contaminants is
strongly related with the biodiversity of the ecosystems, where microorganisms play an important
role, and this is especially relevant if soils are affected by mixtures of contaminants. Concurrent
contamination is indeed a challenge for the sustainable remediation of contaminated soils. In this
context, the objective of this work was to study the changes in the microbial population structure
when different amendments are used for the bioremediation of a multi-polluted soil (simultaneous
presence of hydrocarbons, heavy metal(loid)s, polychlorinated biphenyls, micro plastics, etc). The
experiment was conducted in field conditions on a pilot scale and monitored for 150 days. Together
with microbial diversity, the chemical degradation or immobilization of the contaminants was also
evaluated.
524
About Time: Temporal Dynamics of the Soil Microbiome in Agricultural Soil
Mevr. Lisa Joos1, Caroline De Tender1,2, Sarah Ommeslag1, Wouter Asselberg1, Lieven Clement2,
Jane Debode1, Bart Vandecasteele1
1
Flanders Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (ILVO), Plant Sciences Unit,
Merelbeke, Belgium, 2Ghent University, Department Applied mathematics computer sciences and
statistics, Belgium, Ghent, Belgium

Aim:
Soil biodiversity is under threat due to intensive land use and climate change. Soil microorganisms
might benefit from the use of compost or biochar. Numerous studies have investigated the potential
impact of these amendments, but often only a snapshot have been investigated whereby temporal
variability was neglected. Therefore, within this research we aim (1) to understand how rapid the
soil microbiome responds to amendments and/or seasonal changes, (2) to evaluate the dynamics
at different soil depths (3) to determine the representativeness of samples taken on a given time
point.
Method:
Two Flemish fields have been sampled on a monthly basis for one year at varying depth (Field 1: 0-
10cm, 10-30cm and Field 2: 0-25cm). The soils were subjected to either compost (Field 1: 0 vs 2
000 kg C ha-1y-1) or biochar (Field 2: 0 vs 10 900 C ha-1). The bacterial and fungal communities
were analysed using PLFA or and soil chemicals were characterized.
Results:
Certain bacterial and fungal species exhibited distinct temporal patterns. Compost effects were
time-dependent, while treatment effects caused by biochar affected the soil microbiome less. We
also found that the soil microbiome was less affected when deeper layers of the soil were studied.
Samples taken in a shorter time frame can be representative of the global soil microbiome, taking
into account potential field heterogeneity. However, large seasonal effects causing temperature or
soil moisture changes might hamper a representative sample.
Conclusions:
Time was the strongest driver of certain microbial groups, followed by the compost treatment.
527
An updated Key to UK Pauropoda
Dawid Martyniuk1 , M. Alejandra Perotti1
1
Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Section, School of Biological Sciences University of Reading,
Reading, United Kingdom

Aim: Pauropoda, the smallest myriapods, remain a neglected group, especially in the UK where
most experts have retired or passed away. Current attempts at a UK key are composed of
diagrams found in papers from the late 1900s. To raise interest and contribute to a future recording
scheme, we aimed at creating updated dichotomic and character matrix keys to species.

Method: Individuals were collected at the University of Reading via brush or Tullgren funnel from
rotting wood and soil, and their habitat information was recorded. Photographs of the live
specimens were taken with a Laowa 25mm F2.8 Macro lens and slide mounted individuals were
photographed via the Olympus BX63 compound microscope at 200x and 1000x magnification.
Electron micrographs of relevant structures for identification were also taken. Our new key was
composed in the style of the keys presented in Mangfotingar 2005.

Results: The University of Reading campus yielded seven species of pauropod, only one specimen
was acquired for each of two species, so not all structures could be imaged. We complemented 3
diagrams from Mangfotingar 2005 for structures we missed. The dichotomic key was saved as an
OpenOffice Writer document (ODT) and the Matrix keys as a tab-separate values (TSV) file.

Conclusions: This detailed but user-friendly key will serve as a useful resource for individuals
wishing to identify UK specimens. We recommend that specimens that do not fit our key be sent to
us, allowing us to add more species to our key, and eventually include all UK pauropod species.
529
Evaluating Grazing Pressure on Soil Springtail Community Composition and Diversity in
Canadian Garry Oak Meadows
Sarah Bird1, Nancy Shackelford1, Jeff Battigelli2
1
University Of Victoria, Victoria, Canada, 2Northern Alberta Institute of Technology, Edmonton,
Canada

Aim: The focus of my work is to evaluate grazing pressure on soil springtail community
composition, richness, and evenness in shallow-soil Garry oak meadows in British Columbia,
Canada.
Method: Two research sites on Salt Spring Island were used. There were established deer
exclosures at both sites, one with a 7-month-old fence enclosing a large area, and the other with
multiple 13-year-old 5 m2 exclosures. Both sites had six each of fenced and unfenced plots (5 m2,
24 total plots). I collected four soil cores (including the litter layer) from every plot at both sites (96
total) in October. Springtails were extracted using a high-efficiency Tullgren-type extractor. To
account for site-specific variation, the four soil cores were bulked for chemical analyses after
extraction and tested for pH, total carbon and nitrogen, available phosphorus, and potassium. Prior
to collecting soil cores, soil compaction, moisture, and temperature were measured using a
penetrometer and soil probe, respectively. The following spring, plant percent cover in a 0.5 m2 plot
at each sampling location (96) was determined.
Results: Since excess deer herbivory alters litter inputs through changes to the plant community, it
is expected to alter springtail communities. I will compare and discuss the influence of exclosures
on composition, richness, and evenness of soil springtail communities at each site.
Conclusions: Deer exclosures are common management tools to protect sensitive Garry oak
ecosystems at risk from excessive deer grazing. My research evaluates the influence of this tool on
belowground ecosystem diversity and community composition.
530
Diversity and Ecological Preference of Tardigrades from Selected Australia Soils
Zi-Yang He1, Hang-Wei Hu1, Anthony Weatherley1, Ji-Zheng He1
1
The University Of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia

Aim: Tardigrades, also known as 'water bear', a monophyletic group of microscopic ecdysozoans
best known for their ability to withstand extreme environmental conditions. They are widespread in
terrestrial or semi-terrestrial environments. However, due to the methodological challenges to
characterize their identity and diversity, the ecological preference, and their interaction with soil
microbiomes are poorly understood. This study aimed to investigate the diversity of and ecological
preference of tardigrades in selected Australian soils.
Method: We collected 195 soil samples along Australia south-east costal and some inland areas.
Soil physiochemical characteristics, including soil pH, total organic carbon (TOC), total carbon (TC),
total nitrogen (TN), ammonium, and nitrate were determined. Soil DNAs were extracted and
sequenced by targeting the 16S SSU rRNA, 18S SSU rRNA and ITS region to obtain the
information of bacteria, eukaryotes, and fungi communities respectively.
Results: After the genes sequencing, quality control and removal of plant and fungal sequences,
tardigrade sequences accounted for 5.99% of all sequences however no tardigrades sequences
were found in two-thirds of the samples. At least 14 types of tardigrade species were detected from
those samples and Eremobiotus alicatai were the most common species. The relative abundance
of tardigrades was significantly correlated with soil TC, TN. The tardigrades were most affected by
bacterial and fungal communities, and some precipitation index.
Conclusions: The findings from this study provides novel insights into the ecological characteristics
of tardigrades, bridge the gaps between soil microorganisms and soil micro-fauna, and call a need
of the new methodology in tardigrades research.
531
Soil nematode biodiversity as an indicator of soil functioning under municipal sewage
application
Lee Aalders1, Nigel Bell1, Nicole Schon2
1
AgResearch, Hamilton, New Zealand, 2AgResearch, Lincoln, New Zealand

Aim:
Disposal of municipal sewage to land is a common practice, particularly in small communities
where other options are not available. This study aimed to understand the impact of sewage
application on soil nematode biodiversity and the implications for soil functioning.
Method:
Soil samples from a municipal sewage application (treated) and a control site with similar slope and
aspect were collected from transects sampled during (2017) and 6 (2019) and 29 months (2021)
after sewage applications had ceased on the treated area. There were six replicate samples from
both transects. Nematodes were extracted from soil using trays and community composition
determined by microscopy.
Results:
During sewage application total nematode abundance was greater under the control than disposal
site but this effect disappeared once application had ceased. The disposal site during application
was characterised by having a higher nematode channel ratio (ratio of bacterial to fungal feeding
nematodes) with more bacterial feeders and predators. This effect persisted 6 months after
application had ceased (more bacterial feeders and fewer fungal feeders) but had disappeared by
29 months after application.
The proportion of predatory nematodes was significantly greater at the disposal site during
application but declined with time since application.
Conclusions:
The long-term application of sewage onto the land disposal site created a food web dominated by
bacterial feeding nematodes, reflecting faster nutrient cycling and potentially with greater losses of
nutrients to the environment. These differences declined with time since application reflecting
recovery of soil functioning at the disposal site towards untreated levels.
533
Soil Biodiversity, Soil Bioindication and Soil Policies
Elena Havlicek1, Anna Sofia Hug, Andreas Fliessbach, Gudrun Schwilch, Gaby von Rohr, Franco
Widmer
1
Federal Office for the Environment, Berne, Switzerland

Aim:
Soils and soil organisms form complex systems and therefore are obstructive to an analytic
approach that usually seeks to reduce a system to its elementary components and to direct
interactions among these components. Not surprisingly, so far soil policies have failed to capture
the complexity of soil and soil biodiversity. Despite the inherent difficulties of complexity, designing
simple effective policies and operative solutions is required for soil protection.
Method:
Soils and soil organisms are main drivers in organization and functioning of natural and anthropic
ecosystems as they shape the aboveground communities. In addition, soil organisms interact
directly and indirectly with each other through modifications of their environment and through soil
food webs. The simplification that is required to obtain relevant (bio)indicators must be developed in
a cooperative manner among the relevant stakeholders.
Results:
In Switzerland, the creation of a network of scientists and policymakers has enabled direct
exchange of strategical information (balance between policy needs and possible scientific results)
and the design of several applied research projects. The experts were also able to contribute to the
(ongoing) process of revising the current law on soil protection and advocate for the inclusion of soil
organisms’ direct protection and setting specific reference value for soil biodiversity.
Conclusions:
Cooperation carried out for over 30 years by a working group “Soil Biology Implementation” that
includes representatives of federal and cantonal administrations and research institutions has
proven to be an effective approach in designing soil biodiversity policies.
535
First Application of the SBVJS Method used for the Integrated Assessment of a Hazelnut
Orchard
Carmine Siniscalco1, Francesco Bigaran2, Laura Varone3, Giacomo Sartori2, Carlo Jacomini4
1
CSBEM, Nepi, Italy, 2Private researcher, Trento, Italy, 3Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy,
4
ISPRA/SNPA CN_LAB-BIO, Rome, Italy

Aim:
Mycological components, soil nature, vegetation, humus forms, soil microfauna and human
activities drive the evolutionary dynamics of the terrestrial environment. Various indicators from the
study of these components make it possible to assess the trends of habitat successions.
Method:
The method presented for the first time at the Global Symposium on Soil Biodiversity organized in
2021 by FAO in Rome, Italy, now called SBVJS (Synergic Biotic eValuation Joint System), allows to
expand the criteria for integrated assessment of soil and environmental quality, facilitating the use
of environmental data from different disciplines with the aim of their rationalization and practical use
for land managers.
Results:
In this first study using the SBVJS method, the biological quality of a 1.2 ha stand in the Vico Lake
Valley (Latium Region, Italy) cultivated with Corylus avellana L. in Cultivars: Tonda Gentile Romana
50% and Nocchione 50% is analysed.
Particular attention was paid to the agronomic management of the hazelnut grove and to the
number and type of pesticides used.
The results obtained confirm how useful the indicators used are to arrive at an integrated
assessment that allows a thorough estimate of the analysed territory without incurring in erroneous
interpretations derived from partial and incomplete data.
Conclusions:
The health status of a territory and its possible soil degradation can be monitored by integrating the
pre-existing soil quality indicators with the SBVJS Method, which, thanks to the study of five key
components of any terrestrial ecosystem, allows a complete and comprehensive assessment of
environmental quality.
538
Soil Health Improvement in Intensive Agrotechnologies by Use of Microbial Fertilizers in
Ukraine and Europe
Dmytro Yakovenko1
1
BTU-Center, Sofiyivska Borshchagivka, Ukraine

Restoring microbial biocenoses can solve two major issues: the soil fertility decline and the
increase amount of carbon in the atmosphere. Reduction in the diversity of saprophytic
microorganisms is the result of excessive use of mineral fertilizers, pesticides and soil-depleting
tillage. This occurs in the context of carbon cycle disruption when plant residues returned to the soil
are insufficient to feed beneficial microorganisms. The unique complex of saprotrophic fungi and
PGPR bacteria in the microbial preparation Ecostern has a positive effect on the composition of the
soil microbiota. The restored balance of microorganisms allows you to stop the loss of humus
compounds and even start their accumulation.
Nowadays the problem of accumulation of P and K inaccessible to plants in soils is acute for the
farmers’ community along with increasing application rates of nitrogen fertilizers. A drop in the use
of mineral fertilizers that is one of the key points of the European Green Deal requires alternative
ways to provide plants with macronutrients. The PGPR bacteria are always companions of the
plant's root system in resilient ecosystems, so they are the first candidates for improving the
efficiency of the plant's nutrition system in intensive but environmentally neutral farming. The
complex of bacteria developed by BTU-CENTER allows reducing the application of mineral
fertilizers by up to 30% without reduction in the yield due to prolongation of the bioavailability of the
nutrients used. Long-term studies show a positive aftereffect on agrocenoses even with a single
colonization of the soil.
542
Stimulating the Soil Microbiome in a Reconstructed Soil
Katy Jo Stanton1, Emma Duley1, Tim Pettitt1, Mark Nason1, Alexandra Wagstaffe1, Joseph Jones1,
Rachel Thompson1, George Littlejohn2, Michele Kiernan2
1
Eden Project Learning, Bodelva, United Kingdom, 2University of Plymouth, Plymouth, United
Kingdom

Aim:
By comparing microbial communities in an established and newly formed reconstructed soil, with
‘traditional’ soil preparation methods, we hope to understand how a soil microbiome is formed over
time. The botanic gardens at the Eden Project, UK were created from reconstructed soils 20 years
ago, thus providing an ideal comparison against newly created soils.
Method:
Reconstructed soil created from composted green waste, china clay sand, and composted bark,
was compared with double digging, mulch application, and no tillage treatments. Baseline eDNA
samples taken from each treatment and compared with samples taken 3 months later. These
samples were compared with an established reconstructed soil (20 years old), originally the same
recipe but with the addition of mulch applied every 2 years.
DNA analysis will be used to compare microbial community composition.
Results:
This is an ongoing experiment. Results are expected to show different communities at baseline
becoming more similar over time.
Conclusions:
By comparing microbial communities from an established and newly formed reconstructed soil, with
‘existing’ soil will increase our understanding of microbial community relationships in soil formation.
544
Seedling Emergence Bioassay to Determine Natural Disease Suppression of Reconstructed
Soils Against Pythium Damping Off.
Tim Pettitt1, Katy Jo Stanton1, Emma Duley1, Mark Nason1, Joseph Jones1, Rachel Thompson1,
Alexandra Wagstaffe1
1
Eden Project Learning, Bodelva, United Kingdom

Aim:
Use measurements of reconstructed soils’ capability to suppress phytopathogen growth and
pathogenicity as an indicator of soil wellbeing and fitness.
Method:
Seedling modules filled with reconstructed soil consisting of varying fractions of green waste, bark
and sand, were placed in sand oatmeal. In each experiment each treatment was set up in three
replicate inoculated and 3 replicate uninoculated control modules and these were arranged in three
randomised blocks. Inoculum was a Pythium isolate, 2000 cfu/g. Seeds of spinach were sown 5 per
module at depth of 10 mm. Germination and post emergence damping off, up to first true leaf were
measured in each replicate.
Results:
Additions of biologically active material, such as composted green waste, had a significant impact
on pathogen development and pathogenicity, resulting in reduced disease. The implications for this
phenomenon in the assessments of soil health are discussed. This is tempered by the potentially
negative impact of high microbially active materials on plant growth.
Conclusions:
The green waste fraction in reconstructed soils appears to drive resistance to Pythium. Further
research is recommended to understand the reasons behind this.
546
The best recipe for earthworms and plant crops in vermicomposting
Man Suet Michelle Law1, Oi Wan Melody Fung
1
The Chinese University Of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong

Aim:
Vermicomposting can be an environmental-friendly way to treat organic wastes and nurture the
soils in sustainable agriculture. The purpose of the study is to investigate how the composition of
domestic food wastes and Chinese herbal medicine residues affects the rate of production and
quality of vermicomposting on plant growth and earthworm fertility.
Method:
The study was conducted by 18 setting-up microcosms with six treatments of substance
compositions, which were: C-rich substance only, high C:N ratio, N-rich substance only, low C:N
ratio, residues of Chinese herbal medicine and the control. After 60 days of incubation, the quality
of vermicompost was examined through physicochemical properties analysis, Cress seed
germination test, planting growth test, and the body weight and mortality rate of earthworms.
Results:
All types of vermicasts are safe for planting crops as the germination indexes were over 80%
except the control. Vermicomposts with C- and N- substances were less acidic, increased in nitrate
and decreased in ammonium, while Chinese herbal medicine residue was more acidic but with a
higher concentration of nitrate. Treatment with low C:N not only shows the highest and most
significant increases in the number of earthworm and their cocoons, but also showed a significant
increase in shoot dry weight of crops. Treatment with high-N substances and Chinese herbal
medicine residue also shows beneficial impacts on earthworm growth and crop growth.
Conclusions:
To conclude, vermicompost with low C:N is more suitable for plant growth. It also provides good
environmental conditions for earthworms’ survival and reproduction, which confirms the
sustainability of vermicomposting.
548
Soil amendment on contaminated soils and impact on mesofauna in an agricultural context
Céline Pernin1, Sylvain Demuynck1, Fabien Grumiaux1
1
Université de Lille - LGCgE, Villeneuve d'Ascq, France

Aim: The north of France is rich of a flourishing industrial past which left traces at the level of the
quality of the grounds. Many agricultural areas are contaminated by metals and remediation
solutions must be found. The objective of the present work is to evaluate the effects of a biochar
elaborated from Miscanthus x giganteus cultivated on soils contaminated by the activities of the
former foundry Metaleurop Nord (Noyelles-Godault). The interest of miscanthus biochar was
evaluated in comparison with wheat and industrial hemp.
Method: Three agricultural plots located on a gradient of metallic contamination were monitored for
2 years. The plant biochar was amended at a dose of 2% m/m. The faunal communities, meso
(collembola) and macrofaunal (woodlice, carabid beetles and earthworms) were monitored
annually. The mesofauna was sampled by soil cores, the macrofauna by interception jar and the
worms by using a chemical extraction (AITC).
Results: Regarding collembola, no difference between the amended and unamended plots was
found regardless of the site considered. As expected on agricultural plots, epiphytic and hemiphytic
species were found, with or without biochar. Similarly, the macrofauna is not impacted by the
presence of biochar. Finally, although worm densities appear to be higher in plots without biochar
than in plots with biochar, no significant difference appears.
Conclusion: If the monitored fauna communities do not seem to be impacted by the plant biochar
amendments, the latter does not represent a hindrance to the recolonization of the soils, to the
presence and maintenance of these communities.
549
The Interplay of Biotic- and Abiotic Processes that Stabilizes Soil Organic Carbon During
Water Erosion
Nan Zhang1, Elly Morriën1
1
Department of Ecosystem and Landscape Dynamics, Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem
Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Sciencepark 904, 1098 XH,, The Netherlands

Soil erosion is a major threat for soil biodiversity. Especially, loess soils in hilly landscapes under
intensive agriculture practices face the risk to lose top-soil and valuable soil biodiversity. Currently,
we lack fundamental understanding how/if we can protect soil biodiversity from soil erosion by
stimulating a healthy soil community which will lead to increase in soil carbon stocks.
Aim:
Our research aims to unravel the interplay between biological components and inorganic phases in
stabilizing soil organic carbon(SOC) during water erosion in loess soil-grassland. We study: i) under
which circumstances erosion processes and SOC loss is minimized; ii) which biotic
components(plants, microbes) stabilize OC; iii) in which molecular form SOC is occluded in
aggregates.
Method:
We set up plant-soil systems with Trifolium pratense and Lolium perenne in loess soil of a low and
high SOC content. We grew the plants with mycorrhizal inoculum versus no-inoculum added in soil
of low SOC content to test if mycorrhiza is able to prevent soil erosion. The plants grew 8 weeks on
a slope followed by simulated rainfall. Runoff, root- and soil samples are collected; the related the
biological parameters: soil microbial biomass, extracellular polymeric substances, fungal biomass,
root AMF colonisation; and abiotic parameters: aggregate stability, SOC occluded in aggregates
and the molecular components (will) be measured.
Results:
We expect the two plant species could reduce soil erosion, and there could be a positive
relationship between microbes steered by plant exudates and aggregate stability. Especially, we
hope to reveal the fungal pathway to SOC stabilization.
550
Effects of Urban Park Management Practices on Mesofaune Communities
Tania De Almeida1,2, Sékou Coulibaly2, Antoine Tardif2, Sophie Joimel2
1
University of Lille, Laboratoire de Génie Civil et géo-Environnement, Lille, France, 2 Université
Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, UMR ECOSYS, Palaiseau, Paris

Aim: The increasing urbanisation of territories is at the heart of many societal and environmental
issues. In cities, green spaces and especially parks appear to be essential places for the
conservation of biodiversity. However, questions arise about how to manage urban parks in order
to satisfy the needs of citizens and above all to conserve biodiversity. Urban soils and their
biodiversity provide important ecosystem services, although they are still understudied. The
objective here was to compare the mesofauna communities, in terms of structure and composition,
according to three management practices in a Parisian urban park.
Method: The mesofauna was sampled in spring 2021 in Suzanne Lenglen Park (Paris, France) in
areas of lawn, heavily mown grassland, and lightly mown grassland. Mesofauna was extracted with
a MacFadyen extractor. Soil physico-chemical analyses were also carried out.
Results: The average springtails density values obtained are broadly in the same range as those
found in the literature. Springtails density did not differ significantly between the three management
practices, although there was a trend towards lower density in the heavily mown grassland.
Mesofauna community composition is still being processed. The management method did not affect
moisture in this study.
Conclusions: This preliminary study provides an overview of management methods' impact on
mesofauna communities. In order to verify these conclusions, we repeated the measurements in
2022 whose results are currently being analysed. In 2023 we will extend our sampling to more
Parisian parks with the same management practices.
551
Soil Community Changes Accompanying Semi-Natural Grassland Restoration
Ayesh Piyara Wipulasena Aleihela Yamannalage1, John Alexander Davison1, Tanel Vahter1, Mari
Moora1, Martin Zobel1
1
Plant Ecology Working Group, Department of Botany, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences,
University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia

Aim:
European dry calcareous grasslands are rare, species-rich habitats of semi-natural origin.
Significant changes in land use during the last century, including the abandonment of traditional
management, have caused profound changes in these plant communities. Following abandonment,
spontaneous succession leads to shrub and tree encroachment and the extinction of grassland
species. Attempts to restore semi-natural grassland involve the removal of woody vegetation and
reinstating mowing or grazing regimes. The importance of microbes in ecosystem restoration has
become increasingly appreciated in recent years. Owing to the fundamental link that soil microbiota
shares with plant community structure and wider ecosystem function and dynamics, characterising
these communities promises to inform our understanding of ecological progress towards reference
states.
Method:
We used environmental DNA (eDNA) from the soil of dry calcareous ‘alvar’ grasslands in western
Estonia to characterise soil communities in ecosystems experiencing restoration management.
Sampling was conducted at 36 sites. Each site comprised plots that had reached different stages of
abandonment (open vegetation, scrub encroachment, young forest) prior to restoration several
years previously; as well as a reference state control that had experienced continuous traditional
management. From each plot, a topsoil sample was collected for molecular analysis. High
throughput sequencing of eDNA (metabarcoding) was performed using different molecular markers
to characterise communities of prokaryotes, eukaryotes (general) and plants.
Results:
We measure alpha and beta diversity and the representation of different guilds and functional
groups among soil communities.
Conclusions:
The effects of grassland restoration on different soil biotic groups will be discussed.
552
Global survey and bibliometric analysis of economic valuation of ecosystem services
provided by soil biodiversity
Lucilia Parron Vargas1, Talita Ferreira1, George Brown1
1
Embrapa Forestry/ufpr, Colombo, Brazil

Aim:
Identify the main global players publishing in topics related to economic valuation of ecosystem
services provided by soil biodiversity.
Method:
In March 2022 we conducted an online global survey (GS) and a bibliometric analysis (BA) on soil
biodiversity. The BA embraced the period 2011-2021, using Web of Science database. We used a
combination of queries including terms related to ESSB and economic valuation. The bibliometrix
package from software R and a SQL protocol were used to analyze the data.
Results:
Of the 1791 GS respondents 52% work with ES. Of those, 69% work with nutrient cycling, while
52% with biodiversity conservation. About the organisms, 65% work with soil microbes. Diversity
indexes based on species richness and abundance are used by 46% of respondents. The BA
revealed a trend of increasing scientific production. A total of 2311 authors published 538 articles in
267 sources. Average citations per document were 16.5. Among the most 10 productive countries,
USA and Chinese authors participated in 85% of publications and Indian and Brazilian authors in
20%. The values obtained of ES are quite varied and both the GS and the BA showed that their
capture are associated with the method used.
Conclusions:
The research groups involved in economic valuation on ES are pioneers and indicate that further
studies are needed to bridge existing gaps. Economic valuation data are essential in order to
subsidize efforts for management and conservation of soils and their biodiversity.
553
Linear transport infrastructure as a relay for soil biodiversity
Céline Pernin1, Sylvain Demuynck1, Fabien Grumiaux1, Jérémy Duvivier1
1
Université De Lille, Villeneuve d'Ascq, France

Aim: Several studies have highlighted the impact of linear transportation infrastructures on the flows
of certain animal populations. These infrastructures have important ecological impacts on the
environment, as they contribute to the parcelling out of habitats of organisms. However, they can
also represent refuges in uniform landscapes, particularly for the soil fauna. This study is
particularly interested in the infrastructure of energy transport via the electric pylons.
Method: Three management modalities under pylons were studied: conventional agriculture,
grazed meadows and unmanaged. Five pylons distributed on 2 sites in the north of France,
Rhuminghem and Bailleul, were monitored. This monitoring focused on the meso (springtails) and
macrofaunal (woodlice, ground beetles and earthworms) communities of the soil. The sampling was
done under the pylon and at 5 and 15 m from the pylon.
Results: No significant refuge effect is visible for carabid beetles, which prefer open environments,
adapted to their way of life. The distribution of carabid beetles is little affected and seems to be
homogeneous on the cultivated plots. Similarly, the vegetation under the pylons does not seem to
influence their presence either. The only evidence in favor of this refuge effect is the greater
abundance of woolouse and worms under pylons in fallow areas compared to adjacent cultivated
plots.
Conclusion: The pylons monitored did not show an overall positive effect on the abundance and
composition of edaphic communities. The effects are punctual and limited to 1 or 2 taxa
(collembola, woodlouse). No influence on the most mobile taxa was observed.
554
Evolution of Fauna Communities on Newly Installed Rooftop Gardens
Tania De Almeida1,2, Claire Chenu2, Laure Vieublé2, Sophie Joimel2
1
University of Lille, Laboratoire de Génie Civil et géo-Environnement, Lille, France, 2Université
Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, UMR ECOSYS, Palaiseau, France

Aim: Over the past ten years, urban agriculture has developed considerably around the world. The
increasing urban population and the demand for fresh local produce are among the drivers of this
trend. Rooftop gardens, developed on Technosols, are one of the urban agriculture forms that are
rapidly expanding. Soils, which are at the heart of the functioning of these rooftop gardens, are
likely to provide a wide range of ecosystem services to the city, other than food production,
although these services are not really evaluated. Our project aims to conduct a combined study of
the evolution over time of soil quality, percolating water and biodiversity. Here we will focus on the
study of soil biodiversity.
Method: The monitoring was carried out the first year following the installation of three Technosols
with varying levels of organic matter. Samples of the macrofauna, mesofauna and microfauna were
collected once a month for one year between May 2021 and May 2022.
Results: A change in soil fauna density was observed, with a strong increase in the density of
mesofauna and microfauna during the first few months of Technosols installation. A change in
macrofaunal community composition was also observed between the beginning and end of the
experiment. Although some results remain to be analysed, no differences are currently observed
between the three modalities.
Conclusions: A fast dynamic of the faunal communities was observed during the first year of
Technosols installation. These results will also be compared to all the other measurements carried
out.
555
Soil fertility and corn plant productivity in a simulated Amazonian dark earth (Terra Preta
Nova)
George Brown1, Talita Ferreira1, Luis Cunha2, Antonio Carlos Motta3
1
Embrapa Forestry/ufpr, Colombo, Brazil, 2Centre for Functional Ecology, University of Coimbra,
Coimbra, Portugal, 3UFPR, Curitiba, Brazil

Aim:
Evaluate the impact of Terra Preta Nova practices on soil fertility and plant production in a nutrient
poor Latosol.
Method:
A fractional factorial experiment was installed using 160 pots with 4 kg soil (dry wt) each. In each
pot, each of the five components of ADEs (earthworms Pontoscolex corethrurus, OM horse
manure, Brazil nut biochar, ground fish bones and ceramics) were added or not, generating 32
treatments, and after 60 days plant height, above and below-ground (root) biomass, root length,
and soil fertility levels were assessed.
Results:
All of the ADE components used to create the Terra Preta Nova had significant impacts on maize
production. Surprisingly, biochar had a slightly negative impact and ceramics had a major positive
impact on shoot mass, while highest positive impacts overall on plant parameters (up to 26%
increase in shoot mass) were observed with addition of organic matter and fish bone meal, in
particular. Earthworms positively impacted both shoot and root mass. Several important two-way as
well as three-way interactions were detected.
Conclusions:
These results show the potential for wider use of household and farm refuses, such as bones,
manures and broken pottery in soil improvement, and the importance of interactive effects in
affecting plant growth, factors that need further attention in future soil fertility and management
schemes such as Terra Preta Nova technologies, based on the Amazonian Dark Earth concept.
557
Soil microbiota and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi buffer negative effects of drought on
Trifolium pratense productivity
Edoardo Mandolini1, Ursula Peintner1, Maraike Probst1, Elena Tella Garcia2, Georg Leitinger2, Erich
Tasser3
1
University Innsbruck, Institue of Microbiology, Innsbruck, Tyrol, 2University Innsbruck, Institue of
Ecology, Innsbruck, Tyrol, 3Institute for Alpine Environment, Eurac Research, , Bozen, Southtyrol

Aim: Plant rhizosphere is a biodiversity hot-spot with a multitude of intricated interactions. Many
studies focus on specific rhizosphere inhabitants only, but a more comprehensive overview is
required for recognizing key players and their functioning. We therefore investigated the effect of
drought and soil steam-sterilization on both the aboveground biomass productivity of red clover
(Trifolium pratense) and on the soil bacterial and fungal community.
Method: A greenhouse experiment with 24 pots and five T. pratense individuals, each, was set up
for investigating three fixed factors: water regime (moist vs. drought), soil treatment (steam-
sterilized vs. native soil), and inoculation with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) (inoculated vs.
non-inoculated). Plant biomass, Rhizobium root nodules, and AMF spore counts were assessed for
each pot. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) was used for a monitoring of fungal, rhizobial and
AMF biomass. The structure of soil microbiomes (fungi, AMF, bacteria) was addressed by
separate community-specific Illumina analyses.
Results: Plant biomass productivity increased in steam-sterilized soil, even under drought,
compared to native soil. Drought induced higher abundances and diversity of AMF, regardless of
the soil treatment, while root nodules decreased in steam-sterilized, drought affected soil only.
Steam-sterilization alleviated plant stress, and enhanced their performance due to lower nutrient
competition and pathogen pressure, and caused an increased of plant beneficial microbes,
especially AMF.
Conclusions: Our results clearly show that changes in plant performance are accompanied by
changes in the diversity and community composition of the soil microbiota. Responses to stressors
are regulated by both, plant and interacting microbes.
558
EMERGE Biology Integration Institute: Integrating Research and Education to Illuminate
EMergent Ecosystem Response to ChanGE
Brittany A Fonner1,3, Ruth K Varner2,3, Virginia Rich1,3
1
The Ohio State University, Columbus, United States, 2University of New Hampshire, Durham,
United States, 3EMERGE Biology Integration Institute , Columbus, United States

Aim: Understanding how biological systems – human and natural – interact with and influence each
other over time is a Grand Challenge of Biology. Resolving this challenge is essential to predicting
ecosystem response to change, to inform human action and policy in areas such as climate change
and land use. Yet it has been hampered because the Biological research community spans many
sub-fields, each with its own perspectives, approaches, and with little exposure to one another.
Method: The EMergent Ecosystem Responses to ChanGE (EMERGE) Biology Integration Institute
(BII) integrates 15 disciplines across 14 organizations, to integrate research and training, and field
observations and laboratory experiments, to understand a climate-critical case study: how a rapidly
warming Arctic is transforming some permafrost into wetlands, accelerating cycling of carbon, and
further affecting earth's climate. The EMERGE BII leverages a decade of system characterization of
a thawing permafrost peatland at Stordalen Mire, Sweden to produce a framework for evaluating
multi-level responses to changes in natural and engineered ecosystems. Results: By mapping the
diversity and carbon cycling roles of microbes, viruses, and mobile elements; uncovering the
interactions among them, plants, and soil organic matter; and connecting these to the
consequences for carbon gas emissions, under changing conditions; we are forging a framework
for understanding emergent ecosystem responses to change. Conclusions: This project is
improving the understanding of how thawing permafrost systems respond to and cause changes,
with a focus on carbon cycling, and laying a groundwork for a more generalizable model.
559
Land-use Influence on Belowground Plant-Parasitic Nematode Communities at the Regional
Scale
Rui Carvalho1, Carlos A. Guerra2, Sofia R. Costa1
1
Centre of Molecular and Environmental Biology, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal, 2German
Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv), Leipzig, Germany

Aim:
Plant parasites are among the biggest threats to food security worldwide. While there are several
studies on the topic, the distribution and main drivers of soilborne plant parasites are still unknown.
We aimed to assess effects of land use and the contribution of environmental factors in shaping
belowground herbivore communities at a regional scale.
Method:
We conducted a wide soil sampling campaign of the North of Portugal, using a 20-km grid design
that ensured coverage of the highly variable land-use, geography and climate. Six areas with
differing land use intensity were sampled per square: annual and perennial agriculture, pasture,
urban areas and exotic and native forests, in a total of 406 soil samples. Edaphoclimatic data was
obtained through European datasets (Lucas soils initiative, Copernicus,others). Plant-parasitic
nematodes (PPN) were extracted and identified to genus level, and their community analysed
through the NINJA software, followed by multivariate analysis to assess effects of land-use and
environmental factors.
Results:
Pastures supported significantly more diverse PPN communities, with higher alpha diversity,
biomass and herbivory footprint. Forestshad the lowest diversity, although more heterogenous
communities within sites. The influence of environmental factors such as soil properties, land cover
and climate on the distribution of PPN communities could not be established.
Conclusions:
The established relationship between land-use and the PPN communities has implications for the
management of below-ground herbivory pressure and soil conservation. Finer studies incorporating
local abiotic conditions rather than broader estimates will allow further inferences on the impacts of
specific edaphoclimatic conditions on the PPN communities.
560
Temporal dynamics of soil microbiome in a Majorcan vineyard
Arnau Miralles-Ferrer1, Dra. Arantzazu Molins1, Josefina Bota, Elena Baraza1
1
Research Group in Plant Biology in Mediterranean Conditions, INAGEA, Department of Biology,
University of the Balearic Islands, Palma, Spain

Aim: The microbial composition of the soil is an important factor to consider in viticulture. It can
influence on the "terroir" and on the organoleptic properties of wine. Knowing the soil microbiome
composition can help to adjust treatments in the vineyard. However, microbial communities can
change over time. The aim of this work was to study the soil microbiome at different phenological
states of the vines in order to know its temporal variation.
Method: The study has been carried out in a vineyard in Binissalem, Mallorca, Spain. Soil samples
from rhizospheric zone of 18 vines were taken in January, June and September of 2021. We
analysed the soil microbial communities using the data obtained from NGS of soil DNA from the
16S (bacteria) and ITS (fungi) regions using BeCrop® technology. Sequences obtained from
Illumina amplification were used to calculate diversity index and analysed by nonmetric
multidimensional scaling method.
Results: The results reveal that the microbiota is unstable over a full growing season. Edaphic
microbial diversity associated with the rhizosphere increases during the seasonal period, being
lower in January and higher in September. On the other hand, it can be observed that commnuty
coposition varies with species that appear only in one moment.
Conclusions: In conclusion, for integrated management based on the rhizospheric soil microbiome,
the seasonal changes must be taken into account. It’s important to sampling at different vine
phenologycal stages and study the impact of soil management on microbiota over the season to
ensure beneficial effects on the agroecosystem.
561
Analysis of the interaction between arbuscular mycorrhiza and potato nematodes using X-
ray Computed Tomography technique
Eric C. Pereira1, Christopher Bell2, Katie J. Field3, Emily Magkourilou3, P. E. Urwin2, Saoirse Tracy1
1
University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland, 2University of Leeds, Leeds, UK, 3The university of
Sheffield, Sheffield, UK

Plants are typically the central component of multipartite associations in the field. Roots are often
colonized simultaneously by pathogenic and mutualist symbionts that compete for plant resources,
potentially impacting plant root development. Understanding how plants interact with both
symbionts is important to unravel the network strategies and potential influence on plant
performance and ecosystem evolution and function. The latest X-ray Computed Tomography (CT)
techniques make it possible to visualize plant roots and soil organisms in situ in 3-dimensions,
enabling the impact of the interaction of microorganisms on plants to be observed.
Potato cyst nematodes (PCN) establish parasitic interactions with potato roots causing significant
impacts on plant physiology. Potatoes are also highly mycorrhizal, benefitting from associations
with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). Using X-ray CT techniques, I determined the impact of the
interaction of both microorganisms on potato root development and architecture. A positive impact
caused by AMF was observed, resulting in a significantly improved root development and volume
(p<0.01) suggesting increased resource allocation to roots. Conversely, PCN had a negative effect,
resulting in a less dense root architecture (p<0.01). However, in the presence of both symbionts at
same time, the decrease density and root volume was less accentuated (p<0.05) than in PCN-only
colonised plants.
These results provide important insights into the belowground dynamics of plant–AMF-PCN
interactions through their effects on root architecture. The imaging technique provides a framework
to study root architecture which can be used to improve our understanding of plant resource
allocation to each competing symbiont.
568
Conservation Agriculture Enhances Soil Fauna Richness and Abundance in Low Input Systems:
Examples From Kenya
Fredrick Ayuke1, Fredrick Ayuke2, Job Kihara3, George Ayaga4, Alfred Micheni5
1
University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya, 2Rwanda institute for Conservation Agriculture, Kigali,
Rwanda, 3International Centre for Tropical Agriculture, Nairobi, Kenya, 4Kenya Agricultural and
Livestock Research Organization, Busia, Kenya, 5Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research
Organization, Embu, Kenya

Conservation agriculture (CA) (zero tillage + organic inputs as surface residue) is believed to
improve soil nutrient status, soil structure, control soil erosion, and also enhance soil fauna
diversity. Despite the widespread interest in CA, empirical evidence of the benefits of CA on soil
fauna diversity is limited, especially in low-input systems of sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).
Consequently, the magnitude and effect by CA on soil fauna remains unquantified. The aim of this
study was to evaluate the effect of CA and associated management practices on soil fauna
richness and abundance. We hypothesized that CA and mixed cropping would positively influence
soil fauna richness and abundance. We compared CA with conventional till (CT; with or without
residues) in sole maize and maize-bean cropping systems. Soil macrofauna and mesofauna were
sampled across the treatments in medium-term (6 years) trials in Embu, Central Kenya, and
Kakamega (6 years) and a long-term trial in Nyabeda (15 years) using soil monoliths and core
samplers, respectively. In agreement with our hypothesis, higher macrofauna taxonomic richness
and mesofauna was recorded in CA than in CT without residues. This study demonstrated that: (1)
medium to long-term addition of organic residues enhances soil fauna richness and abundance, (2)
CA increases soil fauna taxonomic richness and abundance compared with CT, and (3) CA under
maize-bean intercropping, rotation and sole maize cropping systems promote soil fauna richness
and abundance compared with sole legume (common beans). We conclude that adoption of CA is
important in enhancing richness of soil fauna. Given the numerous challenges faced by smallholder
farmers of SSA in the adoption of CA, who in most cases rarely practice all the three CA principles
simultaneously, we propose a further study that will determine the effects and interactions between
each of the CA components on soil fauna richness and abundance.
Keywords: tillage, organic resources, soil fauna, richness, abundance
570
Cover crop mixtures assemble a soil microbiota similar to that of monocultures
Jose G. Macia-Vicente1, Sara Cazzaniga1, Carin Lombaers1, Johnny Visser1, Geert Elzes2, Arjan
van der Vinne3, Peter-Jan Jongenelen4, Leendert Molendijk1, Liesje Mommer1, Johannes Helder1,
Joeke Postma1
1
Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, Netherlands, 2Vandinter Semo , , Netherlands,
3
DSV Zaden, , Netherlands, 4Joordens, Neer, Netherlands
Aim:
Cover crops are used in cropping systems to enhance ecosystem services such as soil protection
against erosion or soil microbial activity. Different cover crops are selected to steer specific
processes, but whether cover crop mixtures have added value over monocultures remains debated.
Here, we tested the hypothesis that cover crop mixtures accumulate a distinct soil microbiota than
monocultures, which could promote more varied microbially-driven soil functions.
Method:
We performed a field experiment at three locations in The Netherlands with distinct soil types. At
each location, we grew nine monocultures of different cover crop species, two mixtures of five and
eight species, and a fallow control using a block design with four replicated 6x2 m plots. After three
months, we measured crop biomass and profiled the soil bacterial and fungal communities via high-
throughput amplicon sequencing.
Results:
Distinct cover crop species had similar biomass production patterns in monoculture across
locations, and mixtures had an average productivity as compared to monocultures. The diversity,
community structure, and composition of soil microbial communities was primarily determined by
the geographical location, and then by cover crop treatment within each site. In all cases, fungal
communities more readily responded to cover crop treatments than bacterial communities, but
cover crop mixtures did not increase microbial diversity nor assembled distinct microbial
communities as compared to monocultures.
Conclusions:
Although distinct cover crop species had disparate effects on the soil microbiome, cover crop
mixtures did not assemble a markedly distinct soil microbiota as compared to monocultures.
571
Long-term Management Practices Promoting Plant Species Richness May Improve Stability
of Ecosystem Functions to Drought
Adam Bilton1, David Johnson, Richard Bardgett
1
University Of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom

Aim: Drivers such as land use change and increased climate extreme frequency have led to a
reduction in grassland biodiversity globally. Experimental evidence suggests a positive impact of
biodiversity on the stability of numerous ecosystem functions but there is little research describing
this relationship under field conditions, especially for long term experiments. If this relationship
holds true for real world environments it would have huge implications for the protection and
management of future grasslands. Here, I use a long-term (30 year) grassland study site applying
treatments to promote plant species richness to determine if they lead to an increase in stability of
ecosystem functions as measured by temporal stability as well as resistance to and recovery from
drought. Method: Using treatments which produced the largest difference in plant species richness
over 30 years (addition of seed and cessation of fertiliser), I measure pools of plant available and
microbial carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus as well as greenhouse gas fluxes and enzyme activity
fortnightly for a period of 5 months to assess temporal stability. Further, an imposed 6-week
drought event in summer also allowed for analysis of resistance and recovery. Results: Preliminary
analysis of CO2 fluxes indicates that treatments with low species richness suffered a reduction in
temporal stability under drought, measured as the inverse coefficient of variation, when compared
high species richness control treatments which remained stable. Conclusions: Long-term
management strategies targeting the improvement of plant species richness may promote stability
of ecosystem processes and therefore resilience to future environmental perturbations.
574
Soil-borne fungal pathogen diversity and host selectivity in a grassland community
Jose G. Macia-Vicente1, Sofia I.F. Gomes2, Eline Ampt1, Jasper van Ruijven1, Liesje Mommer1
1
Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, Netherlands, 2Leiden University, Leiden,
Netherlands

Aim:
Soil-borne pathogens are thought to drive plant community dynamics, controlling dominant plant
populations and promoting plant diversity. Despite this important function, there’s little knowledge
about the diversity of pathogens in natural habitats and the factors that determine their effects on
plant performance. We aimed to characterize the soil-borne fungal pathogens in a grassland
community and reveal how their colonization of, and impacts on different plant species depend
upon the plant diversity context.
Method:
We planted forb and grass phytometers in 105 experimental 70×70 cm grassland plots with varying
levels of plant species and functional richness, in the context of a long-term biodiversity experiment.
After three months, we measured the specific plant biomass in each plot and profiled fungal
communities in roots of phytometer and resident plants, as well as in bulk soil. We investigated the
relationship between the occurrence of putative fungal pathogens and measures of plant richness,
composition, and productivity.
Results:
Fungal communities in roots of phytometer and resident plants were primarily determined by host
plant identity, with forbs and grasses assembling distinct communities, and were comparably little
affected by plant richness. Likewise, host identity drove the occurrence of selected, dominant
fungal pathogens in phytometers, but in this case the composition of resident plant communities
also significantly predicted pathogen abundance.
Conclusions:
Our results show that plant community composition is an important determinant of the local
distribution of soil-borne fungal pathogens in grassland communities. The links between the
occurrence of such pathogens and grassland primary productivity will be discussed.
576
Understanding the role of the soil microbiome on soil health in a young almond orchard
Kelsey Fenn1, Joshua Garcia1, Cristina Lazcano1, Mallika Nocco1
1
University of California, Davis, Davis, United States

Aim: In California, 660,000 hectares of soil are occupied by almond orchards, giving almond
growers substantial opportunities to achieve long term soil health and biodiversity throughout the
state. Biological soil indicators, such as microbial respiration and active carbon, have increasingly
been included in assessing soil health. However, a knowledge gap still exists in understanding how
the diversity and potential function of the microbiome can be related to soil health indicators. We
hypothesize that the soil microbiome is linked to soil health in perennial orchard systems by
providing nutrition, drought resilience and carbon storage throughout the lifetime of an orchard. The
objective of our study was to determine how soil health corresponds to the microbiome in the
surface and subsurface soil layers of a young almond orchard.
Method: We collected soil cores from 24 locations throughout the orchard in depth layers at 0-15
cm, 15-46 cm, 46-76 cm, and 76-122 cm. A comprehensive assessment of soil health was
performed for physical, chemical, and biological indicators. The microbiome was characterized by
using fungal and bacterial gene markers and measuring extracellular enzyme activity.
Results We suggest biological soil health indicators illuminate how biotic communities affect soil
function in an orchard system throughout the soil profile.
Conclusions: Few studies examine biological soil properties deeper than 30 cm where roots
systems are present. Assessing these parameters up to 76 cm provides an often understudied
opportunity to assess how microbial communities impact subsoil layers and what influence they
have on the biogeochemistry of achieving healthy soils.
577
Impact of Long-term Phytomanagement of Cu/Pb Mine Tailings on Soil Biochemical
Functionality
Ángeles Prieto-Fernandez1, Beatriz Rodríguez-Garrido1, Carmela Monterroso2, Carmen Trasar-
Cepeda1
1
MBG-CSIC Sede Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain, 2Dpto. Edafoloxía e
Química Agrícola, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain

Aim: The study evaluates the long-term effects on soil functionality of different phytomanagement
options in a former Pb/Zn mine (Rubiais) established in the frame of the PhytoSUDOE and
Phy2SUDOE (SOE4/P5/E1021) projects in the temperate-humid zone of Spain.
Methods: The long-term influence of willow (Salix smithiana Willd) plants, either as monoculture or
intercropped with alder (Alnus sp.), and soil amendments based on organic residues (green
compost) or inorganic fertilization (NPK) on several soil enzyme activities was evaluated in samples
collected in 2021 form field trials established in 2011 in a Pb/Zn/Cd contaminated site. Results from
phytomanaged soils are compared with those obtained in unplanted soils, untreated or treated with
compost.
Results: In the absence of compost amendment, the soil enzymatic activities in the willow
monoculture plots (with near neutral pH) tended to be even lower than in the unplanted plots. The
addition of compost led to an increase in soil organic matter and in all enzyme activities. The
highest values were observed in compost amended plots cultivated with willow in co-cropping with
alder. When activity values are expressed per carbon unit, the positive effect of compost tended to
disappear, except in intercropped plots.
Conclusions: The addition of green compost combined with intercropping of willow (S. simthiana)
with alder (Alnus sp.), appears to be a suitable management to increase and maintain in the long
term the functionality of mine tailings soils contaminated with Pb, Zn and Cd and with pH close to
neutrality.
581
Nematode Biodiversity and Community Structure under Heavy Metal Stress in an Irish
Mining Site
Thomais Kakouli-Duarte1, Van Than Nguyen1
1
South East Technological University, Carlow, Ireland

Aim:
The aim of this study was to observe the effects of heavy metal (cadmium, lead and zinc)
contamination on terrestrial nematode biodiversity and community structure in Silvermines, Co.
Tipperary, in Ireland.
Method:
Four contaminated sites were sampled in the area over three years (2008, 2009, 2010) and the
nematode biodiversity and community were analysed from the upper soil layer (0-20 cm); a non-
contaminated site was also sampled, approximately 5 miles away from the core contamination
area. Nematodes were identified morphologically and various ecological indices were calculated.
Results:
Significant differences in soil variables (soil moisture, organic matter content, pH and heavy metal
levels) were detected between the contaminated and non-polluted sites. Similarly, there were
significant changes in nematode community in correspondence to the levels of contamination and
the soil conditions. Nematode biodiversity in Silvermines was detrimentally affected by high levels
of cadmium and zinc (compared to that at the non-contaminated site), but not by lead. In total 57
species of 56 genera were identified, belonging to 27 families of nine orders. Changes in the
structure of functional groups did not relate to the heavy metal contaminants under investigation.
Conclusions:
The total maturity index ( MI), the total maturity index 2-5 ( MI2-5), the fungivore/bacterivore ratio
(f/b), and the % c-p groups were found to be good indicators for temporal soil recovery from heavy
metal contamination in the investigated area. These findings are significant, especially in the
context of the Silvermines Rehabilitation Project.
583
Long Term Tillage Changes Size and Structure of Prokaryote Communities in a Chernozem
Soil
Horia Domnariu1, Carmen Postolache1, Florina Botez1
1
University Of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania

Aim:
Assess the effects of tillage upon size and structure of soil prokaryote communities in the context of
a temperate climate agroecosystem under maize monocrop.
Method:
We investigated a long term tillage experiment located in the Eastern Romanian Danube plain. The
experiment was established in 1976 and comprises three treatments: no till, disk and mouldboard
plough. Microbial biomass carbon measured through fumigation direct extraction was used as an
indicator for community size. Diversity and composition of Archaea and Bacteria communities were
measured through 16S rRNA gene amplification followed by Illumina MiSeQ sequencing.
Results:
Our findings show that in the case of topsoil (0-20 cm) there is significantly less microbial biomass
carbon across the tillage disturbance gradient. Furthermore, the increase in microbial biomass that
characterizes no till treatment can be observed even in the case of subsoil (20-50 cm), way below
the ploughed layer.
We also found that there were no differences across treatments when diversity idexes (Richness,
Shannon Diversity and Evenness) were calculated at the ASV level. However, when indexes were
calculated at phylum level, we noticed higher richness coupled with lower Shannon evenness in the
case of no till. NMDS ordination followed by PERMANOVA test revealed distinct prokaryotic
communities among all three tillage systems.
Conclusions:
Community size and composition differ among various tillage treatments. Contrary to findings of
other scholars, in our experiment Shannon evenness at phylum level was found to be lower for no
till.
585
Soil eDNA shows promise as a method for terrestrial mammal surveys
Nadia Barsoum1, Robin Gill1, Hayley Craig2, Hannah Flintham2, Jack Forster1, Lynsey Harper2,
Jenny Williams3
1
Forest Research, Farnham, United Kingdom, 2Nature Metrics, Guildford, United Kingdom, 3Natural
England , , United Kingdom

Aim: A wide variety of methods for surveying terrestrial mammals have been developed, including
conventional live traps, line transects, thermal imaging, camera traps and track and sign surveys.
However, these methods can be invasive and are typically time-intensive, leading to high
associated costs per unit sample effort. In recent years, water bodies have proved to be a good
source of environmental DNA (eDNA) to detect terrestrial mammals inhabiting a watershed using
metabarcoding. This method has been found to detect more species at lower costs compared to
conventional methods, but is only useful in areas where there is a suitable water body present.
Method: In this study we collected both woodland soil and pond water samples for eDNA analysis
from open and closed canopy woodland habitats at each of three sites at six timepoints. Cameras
were installed to provide a complementary method of woodland mammal detection. Results: The
overall number of taxa detected was the same in water and soil samples, but there were some
differences in what taxa were detected, and fewer water samples were needed to detect that
number of species. Conclusions: This demonstrates the potential for using soil DNA for mammal
surveys in areas where water sources are not present. Further research is required to optimise
sampling strategies.
586
Global diversity of viruses in legume nodules is driven by dominant nitrogen fixing
symbiont
Ella Tali Sieradzki1,2, Brandon Lee Matsumoto1, Alex Greenlon3, Laura Margarita Perilla Henao1,
Douglas Cook1, Joanne B Emerson1
1
University Of California Davis, Davis, USA, 2École centrale de lyon, Ecully, France, 3Sound
Agriculture, Berkeley, USA

Environmental phages have been shown to heavily affect biogeochemical cycles and to use
laterally transferred genes to control host metabolism in aquatic environments. Based on surveys
of phage genomes in other environments, the current paradigm is that phages may have a similar
role in soil, rhizosphere, hydrothermal vents etc., and are therefore important players which may
affect and be affected by microbial diversity and environmental parameters.
Here we present a surprising discovery of phage communities in nitrogen-fixation nodules of the
legume chickpea (Cicer spp.), which display a biogeographic signal across eight countries in four
continents. This signal is likely related to the dominant nitrogen-fixing bacterial phylotype which is
at least in part determined by agricultural management practices, and is recruited from the
surrounding soil or inoculated during sowing. Roughly a third of the nodules contained phage
communities. The low diversity of those communities likely reflects the microbial diversity of
potential hosts within the nodule.
The diversity of phage communities identified in a single country or in two or more countries
ranged from a single phage to almost 40. The highest phage richness was identified in Ethiopia
and India, where agricultural management is minimal. Three phages were identified in every
country sampled, implying potential vertical transmission. Roughly one third of the phages
identified were lysogenic.
Although nodules often contain a microbial community, these phages likely infect Mesorhizobium,
the nitrogen-fixing bacteria associated with chickpea, as the dominant strain of Mesorhizobium has
a significant effect on the phage community composition within a nodule. While the exact role
phages play in the structure and function of the nodule microbial community, their consistent
presence, seemingly counterproductive to the symbiosis of nitrogen fixing bacteria and plant,
implies that they are not destructive to the nodule.
590
Soil Mesofauna Biodiversity State of Knowledge in Last Decade Revealed by a
Bibliographic Study
Maria Elizabeth Correia1, Luiz Fernando Antunes3, George Brown5, Talita Ferreira4, Ozanival Dario
Silva2, Juaci Malaquias2, Cintia Niva2
1
Embrapa Agrobiology, Seropedica, Brazil, 2Embrapa Cerrados, Planaltina, Brazil, 3FAPEG/
Embrapa Agrobiology, Seropedica, Brazil, 4FAPEG/ Embrapa Forestry, Colombo, Brazil, 5Embrapa
Forestry, Colombo, Brazil

Aim: Evaluate the research effort dedicated to soil mesofauna in the last decade in the world.
Method: A bibliographic study was carried out based on the search in the Web of Science database
for soil mesofauna, Collembola, soil mites, Enchytraeidae and Symphyla and possible similar
terms, between 2011 and February, 2022. A database was built in PostgreSQL, and connected
with the R statistical program enabling customized queries with keywords of interest and elimination
of redundant articles. The Microsoft Excel version 2019 was used to build graphs and maps based
on analysis of 1812 article records of authors from 65 different countries. Results: The top 20
countries with the highest number of publications account for 82% of the scientific production on the
subject. USA leads the ranking with 174 publications, with almost 10% of the records, followed by
Brazil, China, Spain, Germany, France, Italy, Poland, Australia and the United Kingdom.
Collembola is the most studied soil mesofauna group with 56% of the studies, followed by soil mites
with 38% and Enchytraeidae with 5.6%. The main objectives of the studies were related to
bioindication, soil quality assessment and ecotoxicology. Conclusions: Large geographic gaps in
knowledge of soil mesofauna biodiversity were observed, as well as a large disparity in the number
of publications between the groups surveyed.
591
Effect of Nitrogen Source, Rate and Timing on Soil Bacterial and Fungal Communities in
Soybean
Tandra Fraser1, Dan MacEachern1, Sherry Fillmore2
1
Charlottetown Research and Development Centre, Agriculture And Agri-food Canada,
Charlottetown, Canada, 2Kentville Research and Development Centre, Agriculture And Agri-food
Canada, Kentville, Canada

Although soybeans (Glycine max [L.]) form a symbiotic relationship with Rhizobium japonicum
bacteria, enabling N fixation, additional N fertilizer is routinely applied to increase yield and protein
content in seed. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of N source, rate and timing on
soil microbial communities in a soybean crop and identify potential feedback on plant and soil
health. Method: Trials were conducted in 2017-2019 to evaluate different N fertilizer sources
(ammonium nitrate AN, ammonia sulphate AS, urea), rates (0, 30, 50 or 70 kg N ha-1) and timing
(R1 beginning bloom or R3 beginning pod). Soils were analysed for NH4/NO3, total C and N, and
Mehlich extractable nutrients at seeding, R5 (beginning seed) and harvest. Bacterial and fungal
communities were assessed using 16S and ITS1 amplicon sequencing. Results: The N source and
rate had a significant effect on soil NH4, NO3, total N, pH at 0-15 cm at the R5 sampling stage. The
application timing also had an effect on NH4 at R5 and NH4 and NO3 at harvest. For the microbial
communities, there was a significant effect of N source on 16S Shannon diversity with urea
treatments having higher diversity than AN and AS. For the fungal communities, timing and N
source had a significant effect on the number of ITS OTUs observed, Chao and ACE estimates, but
not on Shannon diversity indices. Microbial community data is being further explored for effects on
predicted bacterial and fungal functional groups using FAPROTAX and FUNGuild.
597
Monitoring the Soil Microbial Diversity in Young Florests
Sofia Coimbra1,2,3, Lucía Pérez-Pardal1,2,3, Miguel Porto1,2,3, Pedro Beja1,2,3, Francisco Moreira1,2,3,4,
Albano Beja-Pereira1,2,3,5
1
CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório
Associado Campus de Vairão, Universidade do Porto, Vairão/Porto, Portugal, 2CIBIO, Centro de
Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Instituto
Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de Lisboa, Tapada da Ajuda/Lisboa, Portugal, 3BIOPOLIS
Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Campus de Vairão, Vairão/Porto,
Portugal, 4Estação Biológica de Mértola (EBM), CIBIO, Praça Luís de Camões, Mértola, Portugal,
5
DGAOT, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal

: Characterize and monitoring the soil microbiome of a reforested area from planting up to five
years. Test whether there is an association between tree species and microbiome diversity and its
contribution for the sequestration of carbon.
Method: A total of 80 soil samples from 64 reforest locations (experimental group) and 16 non-
reforest locations (control group) from Mangualde (Viseu) were collected. The species of the
reforest locations differentiate between Pine and Quercus and only Pine, and all sampled sites
were examined at two different depths (10-20 and 20-30 centimeters). The DNA was extracted with
Qiagen DNeasy PowerSoil following manufacturer’s instructions, and the taxonomical profile of
each sample was assessed through metagenomics sequencing of 16S, 18S and ITS rRNA gene,
using a standard library preparation protocol with subsequent analysis through QIIME v.2-2022.2
pipeline.
Results: In control samples a total of 257 archaea and bacteria, 88 eukaryota and 195 fungi were
identified, and the most abundant bacteria, eukaryota and fungi were Conexibacteraceae and
Solibacteraceae; Magnoliophyta and Alphaproteobacteria; Penicilium and Martierella, respectively.
The analysis of microbial diversity among samples and depths was performed, indicating a
significative difference in the fungal microbiome between samples, and a higher microbiome
diversity in the samples collected from 10 to 20 centimetres of depth.
Conclusions: This study was able to characterize the non-reforest soil microbiome and found
differences in the microbiome diversity between depths. However, more samples need to be
processed to compare these results with reforested soil samples and see if there is correlation with
replanted species.
598
Bacterial colonization shaped by soil texture and OM type during early-stage soil structure
formation
Tongyan Yao1, Franziska Bucka2, Ingrid Kögel-Knabner2,3, Claudia Knief1
1
Institute of Crop Science and Resource Conservation (INRES), Molecular Biology of the
Rhizosphere, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany, 2Weihenstephan Department of Ecology and
Ecosystem Management, TUM School of Life Sciences Weihenstephan, Technical University of
Munich, Munich, Germany, 3Institute for Advanced Study, Technical University of Munich, Munich,
Germany

Aim: The interactions among microorganisms, organic matter (OM) and minerals in soil play
important roles in aggregate formation. However, little is known about these interactions because of
the inherent complexity of soil. We aimed to test the effects of soil texture and OM type on the
development of the bacterial community during soil aggregation.
Method: An artificial soil incubation experiment was conducted with different mineral compositions
to simulate different soil textures (clay loam, loam and sandy loam) and OM types, including
bacterial necromass (Bacillus subtilis) or milled hay litter as particulate organic matter (POM) of
different size (POM: 0.63–2 mm, sPOM: < 63 μm). The bacterial community abundance and
structure were determined after 30 days of incubation by real time PCR and Illumina sequencing of
the 16S rRNA gene.
Results: The abundance of the bacterial community in the clay loam was significantly lower than in
the loam and sandy loam, indicating a weaker bacterial proliferation in clay loam. No effects of soil
texture on the structure of the bacterial communities were determined. Adding necromass resulted
in a bacterial community with high abundance and low diversity; adding POM resulted in a
community with low abundance and high diversity; adding sPOM supported an intermediately sized
and composed community.
Conclusions: OM types exerted stronger effects on bacterial 16S rRNA gene abundance and
diversity compared to soil texture. The species and complexity of OM was the main determinant of
bacterial development in soil, which in turn can influence aggregate formation.
599
Can Mathematical Corrections Compensate Differences of Earthworm Biodiversity
Estimations Issued from Different Sampling Methods?
Marc Roucaute1, Kévin Hoeffner2, Sarah Guillocheau3, Daniel Cluzeau2, Guénola Pérès1
1
Institut Agro, INRAe, UMR SAS, Rennes, France, 2University of Rennes 1, CNRS, UMR ECOBIO ,
Rennes, France, 3Micro-company, Mauron, France

Assessing earthworm biodiversity at wide geographical scales relies on meta analysis of existing
data and new large scale surveys. But those sources often rely on different sampling methods
which may not give comparable results. Previous studies have already explored differences on
abundance, biomass or functions of communities sampled with different methods and how they
respond to different cultural practices. In thus study we focus on the ability of two sampling
methods based on ISO standard (ISO 23611-1:2018) to characterize biodiversity. We explore if
mathematical corrections developed to overcome sampling bias in biodiversity estimations allow for
a better comparison between them. We open perspectives for future earthworms biodiversity
surveys. We used data which were recorded during previous projects and we compared i) hand
sorting (HS method) of soil monoliths and ii) chemical extraction (formaldehyde) followed by hand
sorting of soil monoliths (CE method). Both methods were applied simultaneously on the same
plots, The dataset comes from different studies covering 31 plots distributed on 7 different sites in
France. They were sampled in 2013, 2014 and 2017. The plots cover different soil uses: grassland,
crop field, agroforestry, orchard and forest. Our study showed that chemical extraction associated
with hand sorting (CE) better captures rare species (low abundance) and observed richness value
is close to the asymptotical one: CE seems to provide a good estimation of true richness. Our
results highlight that merging data issued from different sampling methods may induce bias in data
analysis. Standardization to a fix sample size improves the concordance of species richness
estimation. Despite the fact that Shannon and Simpson diversity are more consistent between
methods even without correction, we should have expected a better correlation because these
metrics are considered as not very sensitive to sampling effort. Simpson diversity index, especially,
shows an overestimation in HS compared to CE for the most diverse communities. This ends to
different community structure evaluation by the two sampling methods. Anecic species as well as
Octolasion cyaneum are the most frequently missing taxa in HS as compared to CE. Considering
those results, chemical extraction (AITC replacing formaldehyde) followed by hand sorting should
be favoured in surveys aiming at measuring earthworm biodiversity.
601
Recovery of Ectomycorrhizal Fungi Community during Natural Forest Regeneration after
Barkbeetle Induced Dieback
Michal Choma1, Eva Kaštovská1, Jiří Kaňa1,2, Radek Bače3, Karolina Tahovská1, Petr Čapek1, Jiří
Kopáček2
1
Dept. of Ecosystem Biology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice,
Czech Republic, 2Institute of Hydrobiology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, České
Budějovice, Czech Republic, 3Dept. of Forest Ecology, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Science,
Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic

Aim:
Between 2004 and 2008, a forest dieback in the Plešné lake watershed (National Park Šumava,
Czech Republic) caused by barkbeetle outbreak resulted in >90% loss of Norway spruce trees
accompanied by a decrease of abundance of ectomycorrhizal fungi (EMF). The advance of natural
forest regeneration is variable due to the legacy of pre-disturbance forest structure and microsite
heterogeneity. Thus, a gradient from open sites with retarded regeneration, through places with
high density of young trees to fragmented remnants of survived mature forests occurs within the
catchment. We asked whether is the forest succession mirrored in EMF community composition.
Method:
In 2019, we sampled soil DNA at 41 sites within the catchment and identified soil fungal community
composition.
Results:
The relative representation of EMF within the fungal community ranged from ~2% in the plots with
the least successful regeneration to >70% in the survived forest fragments. The EMF proportion
was positively related to amount of survived (or grown-up) mature trees and/or regeneration
density. While species richness was positively related to density of mature trees, the EMF species
composition was not substantially and unequivocally driven by the grown trees and regeneration
counts.
Conclusions:
Within this highly heterogeneous catchment ecosystem, EMF community composition is probably
determined by micro-site specific properties including pre-disturbance state and history rather than
sole stand progression within the forest-life cycle. The heterogeneous forest resulting from natural
regeneration ensured by non-intervention regime provides wide variety of microhabitats that allows
maintaining diverse EMF community even after stand replacing disturbance.
604
The German National Center for Biodiversity Monitoring: Ongoing Work on Soil Biodiversity
Christina Weißbecker1, Lina Weiß1, Helen Ballasus1, David Eichenberg1, Roxanne Rhein1, Ursula
Nigmann1, Andreas Krüß1
1
Federal Agency for Nature Conservation, National Centre for Biodiversity Monitoring, Leipzig,
Germany

Aim:
The German National Center for Biodiversity Monitoring exists since spring 2021 and is affiliated
with the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation. The German Monitoring Center was
commissioned by the German government with the advancement of the nationwide biodiversity
monitoring. For this purpose, it is developing an overall concept in interagency coordination and
close cooperation with the stakeholders involved from monitoring practice, science, nature
conservation associations, state and federal authorities. In the future, this will allow for more
comprehensive and nationwide statements on the status and trends of biodiversity in Germany and
create the data basis for researching the causes of biodiversity changes as well as developing
measures for conservation and monitoring their success.
Method:
The German National Center for Biodiversity Monitoring has convened an expert committee
"Monitoring of Soil Biodiversity and its Functions" that is currently developing basic principles and
criteria as well as initial proposals for the establishment of nationwide basic monitoring modules of
soil biodiversity.
Results:
The results from the two-year work of the expert panel will be published at the end of 2023, when
the establishment phase of the Monitoring Center is completed. The results will be incorporated into
the overall concept for a nationwide biodiversity monitoring.
Conclusions:
In Germany, the monitoring of soil biodiversity and its functions has not yet been integrated into a
systematic cross-national environmental monitoring and the identification of synergy potentials of
existing monitoring programs is a field of work of the expert panel.
605
COI Metabarcoding of Soil Oomycetes Associated with Industrial Hemp Production in
Southcentral Pennsylvania, USA
Jaime Blair1, Wenrong Wu1
1
Franklin & Marshall College, Lancaster, United States

Aim:
The reemergence of industrial hemp cultivation in Pennsylvania after a roughly 80-year absence
poses novel challenges for disease management under modern, sustainable agricultural conditions.
While hemp is susceptible to multiple root and foliar diseases, this project focuses on soilborne
oomycetes, which are associated with pre- and post-emergent damping off of seeds and seedlings.
The aim of this study is to establish a baseline assessment of oomycete biodiversity associated
with industrial hemp production utilizing culture-based and environmental DNA sequencing
methods.
Method:
Six production areas were selected for study and included both fiber and CBD hemp cultivars. Soil
samples were collected prior to planting and approximately mid-season; soil nutrient levels were
determined for pre-planting samples. Oomycetes were directly baited from soil samples, grown on
selective agar, and identified using mitochondrial COI sequencing. In addition, bulk environmental
DNA was extracted in duplicate from all soil samples for high-throughput Illumina sequencing of the
COI barcode utilizing optimized oomycete-specific primers.
Results:
Culture-based identifications revealed an abundance of common soil Pythium species, such as P.
heterothallicum and Phytopythium vexans, which are not known to cause significant disease. Other
abundant species such as P. ultimum and P. irregulare are known to cause root rot in other hosts
and may be important potential pathogens to monitor in hemp. COI metabarcoding analysis is on-
going and will be analyzed in conjunction with soil chemical data.
Conclusions:
Given the growing interest in industrial hemp production, this study provides crucial baseline data
on soilborne oomycetes and their potential impacts on yield.
607
Effects of pristine and UV-aged polyethylene microplastics on the survival and reproduction
of soil mesofauna
Elise Quigley1, Sónia Chelinho2, Patrício Silva2, Paulo Sousa2, Maria J I Briones1
1
University Of Vigo, Vigo, Spain, 2Universidade de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal

Aim:
The persistent residence of microplastics (MiPs) in soils is of increasing concern, yet little is known
about their impacts on soil fauna. In this study we explored the impacts of pristine and UV-aged
polyethylene (PE) particles at environmentally relevant concentrations on soil mesofauna
(enchytraeids and collembolans) in a microcosm incubation experiment.
Method:
We exposed 10 individuals of Enchytraeus crypticus, 10 Folsomia candida and 20 Proisotoma
minuta to pristine and UV-aged PE (40–48 μm) added to an organic farm soil at concentrations of
0, 0.2, 2, 20, 200 and 2000 mg/kg to assess their survival and reproduction rates.
Results:
We observed a general a decrease in survival but an increase in reproduction of E. crypticus when
exposed to both pristine and UV-aged PE. In contrast, F. candida showed the opposite response,
with increased survival and decreased reproduction rates when growing in the MiP contaminated
soils. Despite these trends, significant effects of MiPs exposure were observed for P. minuta only,
with 34% and 31% survival rates at 20 mg/kg UV-aged PE and 2000 mg/kg pristine PE,
respectively, and reproduction rates of 39% at 200 mg/kg UV-aged PE, respectively. After 28d
incubation, we found significant differences in survival and reproduction was found when comparing
the endpoints between each species across all of the species and for both PE types.
Conclusions:
Our results suggest that MiPs have contrasting effects on individual species of soil mesofauna,
which need to be taken into account for understanding the effects of plastic pollution on soil
population dynamics and community structure.
609
Which bacteria from soil and earthworm microbiomes are producers of phytohormone-like
molecules under coffee?
Marycruz. Álvarez-Jiménez1,2, Regina Medina-Sauza1,3, Itzel A. Solís García3, Juan Luis Monribot2,
Roger Guevara4, Manuel Bluoin5, Isabelle Barois1, Frédérique Reverchon3, José Antonio Guerrero-
Analco2
1
Red de Ecología funcional, Instituto De Ecología A. C., Xalapa, Mexico, 2Red de Estudios
Moleculares Avanzados, Instituto de Ecología A.C., Xalapa , Mexico, 3Red de Estudios Moleculares
Avanzados, Instituto de Ecología A.C., Patzcuaro, Mexico, 4Red deBiología Evolutiva, Instituto de
Ecología A.C., Xalapa , Mexico, 5Agroécologie, AgroSup Dijon, CNRS, INRA, Univ. Bourgogne
Franche-Comté, Dijon, France

Earthworms are known to stimulate plant growth. This stimulation is the result of their interactions
with soil microorganisms. The aim of this work is to determine which bacteria are producers of
phytohormone -like molecules, using data that were generated from the study of the bacterial and
metabolic diversity in different soil compartments with and without earthworms (Pontoscolex
corethrurus) under two coffee species (Coffea arabica and C. canephora). The bacterial and
metabolome diversity were studied in the bulk and rhizosphere soils and in the earthworm gut
content and casts. The bacteria were identified through 16S rDNA amplicon sequencing on a
MiSeq Illumina platform. The bioinformatic analysis of sequences was performed in QIIME2. The
presence and abundance of phytohormone-like compounds were determined by untargeted
metabolomic analysis based on accurate mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS-QTOF) of soil samples
from the four sites. The identification of bacterial taxa producing phytohormone-like molecules will
be done with the review of libraries that refer to bacteria and their respective phytohormone-like
molecules production. Up to now we have the database of the bacteria diversity in the different soil
compartments as well as the metabolic profile. From this we have notice already the presence of
these bacteria Bacillus, Pseudomonas, Sphingomonas which are hormone-like producers. In the
metabolic profile we putatively identified phytohormone-like compounds as dioxindole-3-acetic acid,
hydroxyindole-3-acetic acid (E)-ribosylzeatin 5 '' - phosphate and dihydrojasmonic acid in the gut
content. The review of the libraries is in process, and we expect to make the relation between these
compounds and the bacterial taxa present that should produce them. These results will bring more
clarity to explain how the presence of earthworms promote the plant growth.
611
Effect of Bioinoculants and Biochar on Grapevine-Associated Soil Microbial Communities
Sofia Pereira1, Helena Moreira1, Joaquim Cunha1, Alberto Vega1, Marta Alves1, Eng. António
Graça2, Natacha Fontes2, Eng. João Porto2, Paula Castro1
1
Universidade Católica Portuguesa, CBQF - Centro de Biotecnologia e Química Fina – Laboratório
Associado, Escola Superior de Biotecnologia, Rua Arquiteto Lobão Vital, Apartado 2511, 4202-401,
Porto, Portugal, 2Sogrape Vinhos S.A., Aldeia Nova, 4430-809 Avintes, Vila Nova de Gaia,
Portugal

Aim:
To assess the effect of microbial inoculants and biochar on the structure and diversity of fungal and
bacterial communities colonizing the rhizosphere of grapevines planted in a new vineyard in the
North of Portugal.
Method:
Alvarinho grapevines grafted onto R110 rootstocks were planted in pots containing 8L of substrate
and 10% of biochar. Grapevines were inoculated with a mixture of the plant growth promoting
rhizobacteria (PGPR) Pseudomonas fluorescens S3X and Pseudomonas sp. EAV and the
arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) Rhizophagus irregularis (INOQ Agri, Germany) according to the
following schme (5 replicates): C - control (without inoculation and/or biohar); B – PGPR; F - AMF;
MIX – PGPR+AMF; Ch – biochar; ChB – biochar+PGPR; ChF – biochar+AMF; ChMIX –
biochar+PGPR+AMF. Pots were maintained under greenhouse conditions for 1 yr and transplanted
to the field. After 2 years, composite soil samples were collected from the rhizosphere of each
grapevine and the fungal and bacterial communities analysed using Illumina MiSeq sequencing.
Results: The most abundant phyla were Ascomycota and Basidiomycota, for fungi and
Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Planctomycetes and Bacteroidetes for bacteria. The inoculation of
AMF decreased both the diversity and the equitability of rhizospheric fungal communities. Biochar
and the Mix bacterial inocula influenced the diversity of the fungal communities, however no effect
was observed for bacteria. The structure of both microbial communities was significantly influenced
by biochar addition and bioinoculation.
Conclusions: Grapevine-associated microbial communities showed high genera diversity. In
general, the applied microbial inocula and/or the supplementation with biochar influenced the
structure and diversity of the microbial communities colonizing the rhizosphere of grapevines grown
under field conditions.
613
Diversity and ecology of the Dendrobaena genus (Oligochaeta: Megadrili) from Iran
Robabeh Latif2, Atabak Roohi Aminjan3, Maria J I Briones1
1
University Of Vigo, Vigo, Spain, 2Semnan University, Semnan, Iran, 3Bu-Ali Sina University,
Hamedan,

Aim:
To date, seven species belonging to the Dendrobaena genus have been described in Iran, which
show high intraspecific variability. Therefore, the aim of this study is to gain ecological knowledge
about this lumbricid genus, with the widest geographical distribution in Iran.
Method:
The georeferenced information of all sampling sites was obtained using the global positioning
system (GPS). The distribution models were constructed based on five bioclimatic variables from
Worldclim (http://www.worldclim.org).
Results:
Mean Temperature and Mean Temperature of Coldest Quarter were the best predictors of species
occurrence. Accordingly, the most suitable habitats for the Iranian Dendrobaena species are limited
in Northwest regions of the country and restricted to Mountainous areas.
Conclusions:
Low temperature oscillations may have promoted population sizes in those areas with more
precipitation in. Probably another reason for the higher abundance of these species in these
regions is their low active dispersal capabilities and the effect of mountains as physical barriers.
614
Two distinct ecological behaviours within anecic earthworm species in temperate climates
Kevin Hoeffner1, Kevin Butt2, Cécile Monard1, Joana Frazão3, Guénola Pérès3, Daniel Cluzeau1
1
University Of Rennes 1, Paimpont, France, 2University of Central Lancashire - School of Natural
Sciences, Preston, United Kingdom, 3UMR SAS, INRAE, Institut Agro Rennes, Rennes, France

Aim: We present a comprehensive review of the scientific literature and synthesize the relationships
between anecic earthworms and plant-derived materials in temperate climates, focusing on the
distinctions between Lumbricus centralis (Bouché, 1972), Lumbricus terrestris (Linnaeus, 1758),
Aporrectodea longa longa (Ude, 1885) and Aporrectodea giardi (Ribaucourt, 1901), four of the most
widespread and studied anecic species.
Method: The following combinations of keywords were used in the ISI-Web of Science research
database: ((“lumbricus centralis” OR “lumbricus terrestris” OR “aporrectodea longa” OR
“aporrectodea giardi”) AND (feed* OR plant* OR organic matter* OR mass* OR weight* OR growth*
OR burrow* OR gallery*)) which returned 1272 publications. After carefully checking all generated
results, 102 references published between 1963 and 2022 were selected.
Results: In this review we highlight that within anecic earthworms, Lumbricus anecic species (here
after “LAS”) mainly consume fresh plant-derived materials on the soil surface modifying the quantity
and spatial organisation of said materials. By contrast, Aporrectodea anecic species (here after
“AAS”) consume mainly aged plant-derived materials already incorporated into the soil and only a
small proportion of surface-available plant-derived materials. Linked to this contrasting feeding
behaviour, we highlighted that AAS have a denser and more complex burrow network than LAS.
This burrowing behaviour suggest that AAS burrow into the soil to search for soil organic matter
incorporated in the soil whereas the LAS essentially focus on burying the surface litter into their
burrow. Consequently, LAS seem to benefit from easily assimilated elements, grow faster and
reach maturity in a shorter time span than AAS species.
617
Bacterial and Macro/mesofauna Diversity of a Portuguese Mine Tailing
Ana Sofia Sousa1, Sofia Pereira1, Helena Moreira1, Joaquim Cunha1, Álvaro Sousa2, Tiago Natal-
Luz2, Rita Tentugal2, Daniela Alves2, Paula Castro1
1
Universidade Católica Portuguesa, CBQF - Centro de Biotecnologia e Química Fina – Laboratório
Associado, Escola Superior de Biotecnologia, Rua Arquiteto Lobão Vital, Apartado 2511, 4202-401,
Porto, Portugal, 2CloverStrategy, Instituto Pedro Nunes, Rua Pedro Nunes, Edifício C 3030-199 , ,
Portugal

Aim:
- Assess the culturable metallophyte-associated bacterial strains and macro and mesofauna
diversity in a Portuguese mine tailing
- Characterize the plant-growth promoting traits of the most metal- tolerant bacterial strains
Method:
Culturable bacteria were isolated from the rhizosphere of the five most abundant metallophytes
(Agrostis capillaris, Cytisus striatus, Erica arborea, Pinus pinaster, Rubus ulmifolius, and Salix
caprea) of the mine tailings.Thirty-seven strains were identified by 16S rRNA sequencing and their
tolerance to Cu, Cd, and Zn was assessed. The most tolerant strains were screened for various
growth-promoting traits, such as the production of siderophores and indoleacetic acid (IAA), ACC-
deaminase activity, and phosphate solubilization capacity. For the best-performing strains, GenIII
MicroplatesTM-Biolog were used to complete their characterization. To evaluate the effect of metal
contamination on the mesofauna and macrofauna diversity, pitfalls traps were set up in the mine
tailing and in a reference zone near the mine.
Results:
Over 80% of the bacterial strains were Gram-positive, with 45% being Bacilli. Along with Bacillus,
the most predominant genera were Pristea sp., Arthrobacter sp., Rhodococcus sp. and Burkolderia
sp. All bacterial strains were able to produce IAA and siderophores, but only 50% showed ability to
solubilize P. A higher macro and mesofauna diversity was obtained in the reference zone when
compared with the tailing, although the number of individuals was higher in the latter.
Conclusions:
Mine tailings harbor a high bacterial diversity, with most of the strains presenting plant-growth-
promoting traits. These strains can be used for bioaugmentation under phytoremediation
approaches. Macro and mesofauna diversity was affected by metal contamination, with the tailing
presenting the most tolerant species.
619
Temporal response of organic matter indices in semi-arid biomes in Benfontein Nature
Reserve, South Africa
Isaac Gura1, Elmarie Kotze1, Johan J Van Tol1
1
The University Of The Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa

Aim:
The aim of the study was to investigate temporal changes of the selected soil organic matter (SOM)
indices viz soil carbon (C), nitrogen (N), C:N ratio and microbial biomass (MB) in the Benfontein
Nature Reserve which hosts a wide range of ecological diversity.
Method:
Benfontein Nature Reserve has three major biomes namely Nama-Karoo, Savanna, and
Grassland. These biomes have unique different ecological systems with similar climatic conditions.
Soil samples were taken in 2022 in all three biomes during autumn and winter of 2022, within two
soil layers (0-10 and 10-20 cm) to investigate the selected SOM indices namely SOM, soil C and N
and MB.
Results:
Generally, the Grassland biome had higher values for SOM, total C and N, and C:N ratio in both
soil layers when compared to the other two biomes for both seasons. This can be attributed to
grasses with a significant root system in this biome. Lower values for MB were found in the
Grassland biome for both seasons due to elevated C:N ratio values. Conversely, elevated values
for MB were found in the Savanna biome probably due to N from the seed pods of the Acacia
erioloba trees stimulating microbial activity. Lower values for all SOM indices were found in the
deeper soil layers, particularly in the Savanna biome.
Conclusions:
The Grass biome had higher values of the SOM, total C and N as well as higher C:N ratios. Higher
MB were found in the Savanna biome. This study is still under further investigation.
620
How to model and map soil biodiversity patterns and functions across Europe with Minotaur
project
Lorenzo D'Avino1, Cristina Aponte2, Guenola Peres3, Rajasekaran Murugan4, Stefano Mocali1
1
Crea Research Centre For Agriculture And Environment, Florence, Italy, 2CONSEJO SUPERIOR
DE INVESTIGACIONES CIENTÍFICAS Departamento de Medio Ambiente y Agronomía, Madrid,
Espana, 3Institut Agro, INRAe, UMR SAS , Rennes, France, 4University of Natural Resources and
Life Sciences of Vienna –BOKU, Vienna, Austria

Aim:
This work reports first results of Minotaur project (within European Joint Program SOIL) that aims to
provide models, maps and policy-relevant indicators with validated reference values for monitoring
soil biodiversity and associated functions in relation to climate change. In particular the selected
harmonized indicators were described with referred data and metadata, sampling and first results
from 11 long term (at least 10 years) cereal experiments (LTE) across Europe were reported, to
relate climate and soil types with soil cultivation practices and fertilization types.
Method:
Validation of selected indicators with targeted measurement was assessed by experimental design
with randomized parcels in LTE. The protocol provides samples to assess microbiota, -micro -meso
and -macrofauna with indicators related to ecosystem functions, as regulation of SOC, nutrients
and water, and disease suppression, by soil C and nutrients content, enzymatic activities,
aggregate stability, soil infiltration and soil pathogens.
Results:
Sampling and soil fauna and flora extraction carried out in autumn 2022 were described. First
results regarding effect of different tillage methods on abundance and community structure of
microarthropods (QBS-ar) and density of earthworms, related to infiltration and aggregate stability,
were reported. This results will be implemented in Minotaur inventory of soil biodiversity data
sources, by a template with standardized metadata, compliant with Eudaphobase structure.
Conclusions:
This interdisciplinary approach, comparing selected indicators in LTE seems interesting to provide
information for mapping and modelling soil biodiversity in Europe. Data are still in elaboration,
promising to increase existing databases, using common metadata.
621
Rhizobacterial Isolates from the Metal Hyperaccumulator Noccaea caerulescens Growing in
a Ni Enriched Soil
Ángeles Prieto-Fernandez1, Helena Moreira2, Sofia I.A. Pereira2, Paula M.L. Castro2, Petra Kidd1,
Beatriz Rodríguez-Garrido1
1
MBG-CSIC Sede Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain, 2Universidade
Católica Portuguesa, CBQF - Centro de Biotecnologia e Química Fina – Laboratório Associado,
Escola Superior de Biotecnologia, Porto, Portugal

Aim: The study is dedicated to analysing the diversity of cultivable bacteria in the rhizosphere of the
metal hyperaccumulating plant Noccaea caerulescens growing in ultramafic soil. The aim of the
work is contributing to the valorisation of the endemic biodiversity in metal enriched environments
and was carried out in the frame of the project Phy2SUDOE (SOE4/P5/E1021).
Methods: Bacterial strains were isolated from the rhizosphere of individuals of the metal
hyperaccumulating Noccaea caerulescens (J.Presl & C.Presl) F.K. Mey. collected in an
environment naturally enriched in Ni (ultramafic substrate). The isolates were identified by partial
sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene and the Ni tolerance and several plant growth promotion
properties (PGP) were evaluated.
Results: The collection of isolates was dominated by members of the Actinobacteria, namely of the
families Microccocaceae, Microbacteriaceae, Streptomycetaceae and Nocardiaceae and
Alphaproteobacteria of the family Phyllobacteriaceae. The genera more represented among the
cultivated rhizobacteria were Paenarthrobacter, Streptomyces and Mesorhizobium. The PGP
properties evaluated included the analysis of P solubilisation, the production of siderophores and
ACC deaminase.
Conclusions: The analysis of the diversity of cultivable bacteria in the rhizosphere of a metal
hyperaccumulating plant allowed to identify isolates with potential application in the
phytomanagement of metal enriched or contaminated substrates.
627
The global fungal biodiversity, biogeography and ecology viewed through the high-
throughput sequencing results
Petr Kohout1, Petr Baldrian1, Tomas Vestrovsky1
1
Institute of Microbiology, Czech Academy of Science, Prague, Czech Republic
Several areas of biodiversity research have been changed dramatically with the advance of high-
throughput sequencing. Despite limitations, high-throughput sequencing is nowadays the most
frequently chosen method to characterize fungal communities. Until late 2021, the papers utilizing
high-throughput sequencing approaches to study natural habitats in terrestrial ecosystems
worldwide, in total >500 studies, have yielded over 1.1 billion sequences of the primary mycological
molecular marker, the ribosomal internal transcribed spacer contained in the GlobalFungi
database https://globalfungi.com. With a conservative threshold for fungal species delimitation at
97% ITS sequence similarity, the total estimated fungal richness is 6.3 million taxa, mostly
Ascomycota (57%) and Basidiomycota (37%). The highest alpha diversity of fungi is associated
with soil and litter habitats followed by air, plant shoots, plant roots and deadwood. Based on the
high-throughput sequencing data, the highest proportion of unknown fungal species is associated
with samples of lichen and plant tissues. The meta-study of fungal communities in soil identified
climate as the most important driver of different aspects of fungal biogeography. Climate not only
was the primary constraint on the global distribution of vast majority of the most common fungi but
also shaped fungal communities and their diversity. In contrast to plants and most other taxa,
tropical diversity of soil fungi was found low, and most of their diversity is concentrated at high
latitudes. Climate change may significantly affect ecosystem functioning because the climatic
tolerances of mycorrhizal fungi, important for plant nutrition, appear to be significantly more
constrained by climatic variables than plant pathogenic fungi.
629
How Divers are Enchytraeid Assemblages and What Does Drive Their Species-richness?
Jiri Schlaghamersky1
1
Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic, Brno, Czech Republic

Aim:
Enchytraeids play an important functional role, in particular, in acidic soils, where major groups of
soil fauna, e.g. earthworms, are less dominant or even lacking. The aim is to give an overview
about our knowledge on enchytraeid species richness and assemblage structure in soils and the
environmental drivers responsible.
Method:
Own as well as literature data were used for a metanalysis providing an up-to-date overview of
species richness, community structure, vertical distribution and densities in different types of
terrestrial ecosystems. The effect of environmental variables available for sufficient numbers of
sites was explored by statistical methods (ordination).

Results:
Whereas enchytraeids reach particularly high densities in acidic soils, their most diverse
assemblages are found in soils with close to neutral pH. Soil moisture is clearly important, but
relevant data for sampling sites (being more than mere snapshots for the time of sampling) are
scarce. Rarely available but not to be neglected are salinity and soil texture. Land use is particularly
important when connected to heavy disturbance (arable soils), where several disturbance-tolerant
species dominate. Molecular barcoding has confirmed or revealed a number of cases of cryptic
species, making the assessment of true species diversity difficult based on older literature data
difficult.
Conclusions:
Enchytraeid diversity is higher than assumed and understudied in large parts of the world. The
stress put on their importance in acidic soils has led to the false impression that they “prefer” these
soils. Assemblages have rarely more than 30 species and their bioindication potential is rather high.
Author Index
A
A. Harvey, J 286 ANGELI, N 579
Aagaard 465 Angulo-Pérez, D 395
Kristensen, J
Aalders, L 249, 468, 531 Anne-Laure, P 413
Aares, K 204 Anslan, S 272
Abdala-Roberts, 395 Antoniello, L 418
L
Abraham, L 242 Antoninka, A 261, 478
Abrahão, A 100 Antonio Gallardo 104
Abram, F 93 Antunes, A 338
Acedo, A 346 Antunes, L 247, 590, 246
Acin-Albiac, M 346 Anza, M 54
Adams, B 360, 412, 462, Aponte, C 620
471
Afkhami, M 430 Aragao, O 250
Aguirre- 448 Arassus, R 562
Gutiérrez, J
Ah-Peng, C 416 Arcenegui, V 103
Aigle, A 140 Archidona-Yuste, 423
A
Akanwari, J 68 Ardichvili, A 344
Albracht, C 165, 488 Arellano, E 155
Aleihela 551 Armesto, J 618
Yamannalage, A
Alfaro, F 395 Arnedo, M 105
Alifriqui, M 204 Arrebola Díez, E 353
Allag, D 513 Arthikala, M 395
Allen, P 430 Ascher-Jenull, J 127, 545
Alteio, L 300 Ashton, L 116
Alvarez, D 482 Ashwood, F 184, 236, 277
Alvarez-Segura, 133 Asselberg, W 524
N
Alves, D 315, 617 Astorga, M 155
Alves, M 611 Aubry, C 358
Amanor, Y 316 Auclerc, A 126, 344
Aminjan, A 613 Aupic-Samain, A 76
Amouroux, P 155 Averill, C 88
Ampt, E 574 Ayaga, G 568
Andrews, T 85 Ayuke, F 568
Angel, R 359

Á
Álvarez-Jiménez, 609
M

B
Babczenko, P 208 Bever, J 528
Babin, D 414 Bezemer, T 210
Bače, R 601 Bharti, D 145
Bach, A 135, 136, 213, Biancofiore, G 113
169
Bach, E 122 Biasioli, F 517
Baciarelli Falini , 271 Bidartondo, M 537
L
Baeten, L 203 Bieluczyk, W 132
Baggs, E 133 Bigaran, F 535
Bagnara, G 247 Billings, S 528
Bahn, M 308 Bilton, A 571
Bajc, M 486, 584 Bird, S 529
Baker, K 122 Biryol, C 218
Baldoni, N 271 Bisot, C 187
Baldrian, P 225 Blair, J 605
Baldrian, P 88, 210, 627 Blanco-Romero, 324
E
Baldy, V 76, 262 Blasbichler, H 158
Baldy, V 218 Blatrix, R 343
Balint, M 455 Blazewicz, S 512
Bálint, M 375 Blazewicz, S 474
Bálint, M 378 Bluhm, S 99
Ballabio, C 483, 281 Blum, J 171, 172
Ballasus, H 604 Bluoin, M 609
Balog, A 84 Bodelier, P 170
Bandian, D 418 Bodner, G 418
Banfield, J 474 Boekhorst, J 469
Baragaño, D 222 Bolger, T 137
Barantal, S 344 Bolton, E 238
Baratova, L 72 Bonato Asato, A 338
Baraza, E 560, 541 Bonfanti, J 240
Barber, N 122 Bonin, A 303
Barberán, A 502 Bonin, A 320, 307
Barcelo, M 181 Bonkowski, M 489, 488
Barclay, A 347 Bonomelli, C 155
Bardgett, R 262, 571 Booth, O 391
Bardgett, R 133 Borges, B 250
Bardgett, R 308 Borgmeier, A 462
Bardgett, R 564 Borruso, L 434, 350
Barel, J 319 Borsanelli, A 254
Baretto, C 277 Bosch, J 194
Barger, N 261 Bota, J 560
Barile, R 298 Botez, F 583
Barnes, A 211 Boulangé, A 125
Barois, I 609 Boulogne, I 389
Baronti, S 117 Bouraoui, D 384
Barot, S 344 Bourgault, P 501
Barré, P 102 Bourlat, S 323
Barreto, C 184 Bowker, M 261
Barros, R 484, 342 Bradford, M 390
Barsoum, N 585 Bradley, R 501
Bartrons, M 105 Bragato, G 271
Bartz, M 338 Brailey-Jones, P 493
Bashkir, D 399 Brajesh, S 395
Bässler, C 334 Brajesh K. Singh 104
Bastida, F 139, 342 Brand, M 344
Bastrakov, A 72 Brangarí, A 293
Battigelli, J 247, 529 Bråthen, K 204
Bautista, K 513 Brennan, F 65, 200, 93, 376,
112, 308, 403,
 402, 411, 417,
419
Beaumelle, L 333, 332, 217 Brennan, F 316
Becker, R 125 Brennan, F 405
Beenaerts, N 220 Brenzinger, K 170
Behr, J 414 Breuil, M 540
Beier, C 105 Breznikar, A 486
Beja, P 597 Briones, M 613, 607
Beja-Pereira, A 597 Brondani, M 562
Belda, I 395, 386 Brophy, C 411, 417
Belgrove, O 595 Brown, G 338, 555, 552,
247, 507, 590,
246
Belin, M 344 Brown, S 122
Bell, C 561, 547, 537 Bru, D 540
Bell, C 556 Brubaker, M 180
Bell, J 149, 175 Bruggink, J 162
Bell, N 249, 468, 531 Bruni, E 416
Bello Currás, D 573 Bruni, E 439
Benavente- 523 Bruni, E 415
Hidalgo, L
Bender, L 610 Buck, R 122
Bender, S 458 Bucka, F 598
Bending, G 573 Bucur, D 282
Benoiston, A 333 Buée, M 579
Berard, C 389 Burslem, D 497
Berendonk, C 185 Burton, V 377
Berg, M 240 Buscot, F 304, 165, 334,
488
Berger, H 418 Buswell, V 347
Berry, L 123 Butt, K 184, 614
Bestion, E 333 Byrne, L 411, 417
Betta, E 517 Byrne, L 364

C
C. Pereira, E 561 Christian , N 367
Cabebe, G 242 Chuckran, P 261
Cabral Michel, D 593 Cilliers, S 466
Calderon Sanou, 341 Clark, M 238
I
Calderon-Sanou, 338 Clement, L 524
I
Calusinska, M 453 Cluzeau, D 102, 589, 599,
614, 284
Calzolari, C 113 Cocchiararo, B 378
Cameron, D 522 Coe, K 261
Cameron, E 217 Coelho, M 254, 507
Candia, P 155 Coelho, M 247
Canfora, L 256 Coelho, M 250
Cannavacciuolo, 102 Coelho, M 250
M
Cannavo, P 344 Coimbra, S 597
Cantera, I 320, 307, 295, Colby, S 522
303
Caprioli, G 425 Cole, J 254
Caries, A 343 Coletta, M 425, 145, 369
Carmignac, D 344 Colla, F 275
Carreira, C 314 Colla, F 224
Carrijo, T 63 Colleran, K 347
Carrillo Rincon, A 242 Collins, G 455
Carter, T 370 Collins, G 375
Carteron, A 320, 307, 295, Collins, J 97
303
Caruso, T 133, 137, 336 Colombi, T 279
Carvalho, R 559 Concha Cano 104
Díaz
Casale, F 506 Conlon, R 357, 342, 324
Castaño- 499 Conz, R 87
Meneses, G
Castillo, D 362 Cook, D 586
Castro, D 63 Corbett, L 391
Castro, P 611, 617 Corcimaru, S 225
Castro, P 621 Cordell, S 416
Castro, P 283 Cordell, S 415
Cazorla , F 349 Cordes, P 602
Cazorla López, F 353 Cordovez, G 155
Cazzaniga, S 570 Corilo, Y 624
CEBRON, A 579 Corona Cuevas, 247
R
Ceja-navarro, J 479 Correia, M 247, 590, 246
Ceja-Navarro, J 474 Corstanje, R 573
Celniker, S 479 Cortet, J 276
César Plaza 104 Cortet, J 283, 344, 240
Cesco, S 350 Cortez, L 513
Cespi, M 425 Corwin, J 395
Chaer, G 247, 507 Cosby, J 236
Chalasani, D 395 Costa, S 559
Chandra Nayaka, 395 Costantini, E 505
S
Chao, H 198 Cote, J 333
Chao, J 321 Cottin, A 96, 102
Chardon, I 170 Cottis, T 98
Chauvat, M 389 Coulibaly, S 550
Chauvin, C 102, 344 Coulibaly, S 358
Chelinho, S 607 Couradeau, E 179
Chemidlin 96 Cowan, D 125, 194
Prévost-Bouré, N
Chemimdlin 396 Craig, H 585
Prévost-bouré, N
Chen, T 168, 240, 321, Crandall, S 179
239
Chen, T 225 Crotty, F 226
Cheng, L 257 Crowther, T 88
Chenu, C 554 Croy, R 248
Cho, K 152, 253 Culumber, M 481
Chodak, M 525 Cunha, J 611, 617
Choma, M 601 Cunha, L 555
Chomel, M 133, 262

Č
Čapek, P 601
d
da Silva, O 507 de Nascimento, L 416
de Angelis, P 105 de Oliveira, A 254
de Boer, W 170 de Oliveira, A 250
de Castro, F 133 de Ruiter, P 247
de Celis, M 395 de Vicente 353
Moreno, A
de Goede, R 446 de Vries, F 133, 305
de Groot, A 183 di Gesu, L 333

D
Dadzie, F 441 Dhandapani, S 391
Dagois, R 344 Di Giulio, A 506
Dahl, G 416 Dignam, B 249
D'alessandro, A 425 Dimaano, V 513
D'Alessandro, A 145 Dingkuhn, R 284
D'Alessandro, A 369 Diniz, P 250
Damien, B 190 Dippold, M 331
Damien, D 413 Dirilgen, T 437
Damjanić, R 486 Dittrich, F 256
DANGER, M 579 Djemiel, C 96
Daniel, T 543 Dobarco, M 252
Daniell, T 347, 522, 556 Dodd, I 515
Darcy, S 297 Doick, K 184
Darcy, S 300 Dolnik, C 309
Darnet, E 333 Domnariu, H 583
D'Astous-Pagé, J 476 Donhauser, J 278
Dauchel, H 389 Donne, C 409
David, A 430 Donnini, D 271
D'Avino, L 620 Döring, T 71
Davison, J 551 Döring, T 323
De Almeida, T 554, 550 Dörsch , P 98
De Celis, M 386 Dougherty, A 398
De Goede, S 156 Dovč, N 486
De Menezes, A 411, 405, 417 Dowling, D 357, 342, 431,
324
De Neve, S 129, 215 Doyle, E 112
De Smedt, P 203 Dozières, A 344
De Souza 593 Drury, C 182
Moreira, F
De Swaef, T 215 Du, Z 168
De Tender, C 524 Duan, G 395
De Vries, F 147 Duckert, C 415
Debode, J 524 Ducommun, C 344
Decaëns, T 166 Duff, A 65
Decker, P 455 Duley, E 313, 542, 544
Degrune, F 278 Dumack, K 488
Degtyarev, M 72 Dumack, K 215
Deharveng, L 240 Dumortier, A 208
Delcourt, N 283 Dunfield, K 622
Delgado 173 Dunn, L 396
Baquerizo, M
Delgado- 395, 95, 232, Duquesne, É 208
Baquerizo, M 161, 386
Deltedesco, E 434 Duran, D 324
Demchenko, E 309 Durán-Wendt, D 342
Demuynck, S 548, 553 Dutra, I 254
Dequiedt, S 96, 102 Duvivier, J 553

E
Ebeling, A 488 Emmerson, M 133
Ebersberger, I 455 Emmett, B 105
Echaiz, C 155 Emsens, W 86
Eckardt, F 125 Enderle, E 147
Edelenbos, M 452 Engelbart, L 354
Eder, E 509 Engell, I 365
Eggleton, P 116 Enkerli, J 278
Ehaliotis, C 442 Epelde, L 54, 283
Eichenberg, D 604 Erick, D 413
Eisenhauer, N 332, 338, 166, Erickson, T 441
220, 293, 206,
211, 219, 488
Ekelund, F 348 Erséus, C 610
Eler, K 400 Espinosa, H 325
Eloe-Fadrosh, E 624 Estera-Molina, K 474
Elzes, G 570 Estera-Molina, K 479
Emerson, J 586 Estiarte, M 105
Emery, S 367 Evans, B 230
Emilio Guirado 104 Eydoux, L 344
Emily, M 594 Eze, S 519
Emmerling, C 84, 83

F
Fabiani, A 505 Firestone, M 479
Falaschi, M 295 Fisher, K 261
Faraloni, C 117 Fliessbach, A 533
Farfan, M 422 Flintham , H 585
Färkkilä, S 272 Fløjgaard, C 465
Farny, N 242 Florianová, A 101
Feitosa, Y 482 Foley, M 474
Felföldi, T 610 Fonner, B 558
Feng, L 168 Fontaneto, D 303
Fenn, K 255, 576 Fonte, S 338
Feola Conz, R 229 Fontes, N 611
Feola Conz, R 237 Forestieri, B 178
Ferlian, O 219 Forey, E 389
Fernández, J 388 Fornasier, F 404
Fernández 395 Forrestal, P 65
Alonso, M
Fernández 388 Forster, J 585
Calviño, D
Fernández- 386 Forster, L 347
Alonso, M
Fernández- 278 Förster, A 84
Bravo, M
Fernandez- 449 Fortini, L 506
Galliano, A
Fernández- 416 Fountain, L 522
Palacios, J
Fernando T. 104 Fournier, B 439
Maestre
Ferreira, T 555, 552, 247, Fox, A 92, 376
590, 246
Ferrin, M 105 Frac, M 467
Ficetola, F 307, 295, 303 Fraser, F 573
Ficetola, G 320 Fraser, T 591
Field, K 543, 547, 556, Frazão, J 614
537
Fiera, C 225 Frédéric, M 413
Figueroa, F 618 Frédérique, C 413
Figueroa, R 155 Freudhofmaier, M 418
Fillmore, S 591 Frey, B 278, 225
Finn, J 200, 411, 417, Fritze, H 368
419
Finn, J 405 Frouz, J 464, 86
Finzgar, D 584 Fujinuma, J 416
Fiore, M 482 Fung, O 546
Fiore-Donno, A 489 Fusco, T 506
Firestone, M 474, 512, 459

G
G.F. Veen, C 286, 317 Giovannoni, J 257
Gabriel, R 416 Giuliano, E 237
Gagnarli, E 505, 404 Glaser, K 309
Galindo- 237 Glen, M 260
Castañeda, T
Galla, G 275 Gliesch Silva, M 305
Galla, G 224 Goddard, M 519
Gallego, J 327 Godoy, L 155
Gallego , J 222 Goggioli, D 404
Gambra, D 541 Goggioli , D 505
Ganault, P 338, 166, 276 Goldmann, K 304, 334
Gannett, M 257 Gomes, S 574
Gao, C 269 Gomez, A 452
Gao, C 210 Gómez, E 271
Gao, S 481 Gomez-Brandon, 287
M
Garbeva, P 399 Gongalsky, K 72
Garbisu, C 54 Gongalsky, K 338
Garces, K 367 Gonzalez, O 245
Garcia, J 257, 255, 475, González, M 388
576
Garcia, R 327 González, R 247
García, C 139 Gonzalez- 255, 475
Maldonado, N
Garcia Barreda, 271 González-Prieto, 407
S S
García Carmona, 103 Gorbunova, A 72
M
García-Díaz, C 139 Gorfer, M 434, 418
Garcia-Jimenez, 346 Gostinčar, C 302
B
García-Orenes, F 103 Gould, I 519
Garcia-Palacios, 386 Govednik, A 400
P
García-Palacios, 395 Gowers, G 238
P
Garcia-Verde, F 346 Graça, A 611
Garrido-Sanz, D 324 Grace, C 446
Garrizo-Sanz, D 342 Grandy, A 317
Gatti, F 153 Grange, G 200
Gattini, F 155 Gray, J 522
Gauzens, B 338 Grebenc, T 302, 486
Gavín-Centol, P 423 Greenlon, A 474, 586
Gaxiola, A 618 Greve, M 125
Gayan, A 163 Gričar, J 493
Gebremikael, M 452 Griffiths, H 116
Gebremikael, M 215 Grina, V 251
Geedey, A 149 Grogan, H 197
Gehring, C 478 Grosch, R 414
Geisen, S 132, 335, 348 Grumiaux, F 548, 553
Geisen, S 185 Gryta, A 467
Geissen, V 469 Gschwend, F 278
Geistlinger, J 414 Guariento, E 158, 288
Gendreau, E 344 Gubry-Rangin, C 140
Genevet, 343 Guénon, R 344
Genova, G 350 Guerra, C 95, 338, 247
Gerard, E 248, 468 Guerra, C 559
Gerard, E 249 Guerrero-Analco, 609
J
Gérard, S 166 Guerrieri, A 320, 307, 295
Gerber, S 451 Guerrieri, A 303
Germaine, K 357, 342, 431, Guevara , R 609
324
Gernon, D 197 Gugger, R 163
Ghignone, S 426, 114 Guidi, S 505, 404
Ghosh, D 188 Guillaume, L 269
Giachello, S 295, 303 Guillocheau, S 599, 284
Gibson, K 478 Gupta, S 359
Gichuhi, E 434 Gura, I 619
Gignoux, J 344 Guseva, K 297
Giles, M 347 Guseva, K 300
Gill, R 585 Gutiérrez 353
Barranquero , J

H
H. van der 286 Hilpold, A 350
Putten, W
Haapalainen, M 366 Hilton, S 573
Haase, P 378 Hines, J 332
Habteselassie, M 495 Hinojosa, L 147
Halldórsson, G 381 Hinojosa 305
Sanchez, L
Hallet Sánchez, J 347 Hipp, A 149, 175
Hamberg, L 363 Hoagland, L 123
Han, X 318 Hoar, K 242
Hanner, R 482 Hodson, M 230
Hannula, E 156, 373 Hoeffner, K 102, 614, 284
Hannula, E 131 Hoeffner, K 599
Hao, C 321 Hoffland, E 446
Hardie, M 260 Hoffman, T 231
Harings, M 269 Hogue, R 476, 477
Harkes, P 469 Hohberg, K 84, 455
Harper, L 585 Hokka, H 368
Harris, J 573 Holmes, G 245
Hart, M 180 Holtz, B 481
Hartmann, M 174, 87, 229, 237 Hoover, D 370
Hartmann, M 279 Hopkins, D 125
Hasler, R 77 Hoppe, B 334
Hassani, M 245 Hornung , E 466
Hassi, U 129, 215 Horrigue, W 96
Hauffe, H 275 Horváthová, T 359
Hauffe, H 224 HOSSANN, C 579
Haus, W 415 Hou, F 147
Havlicek, E 533 Hou, X 564
He, J 508 Houston, K 522
He, J 530 Howard, N 543
He, Z 530 Howe, A 254
Hedde, M 166 Howe, A 250
Hedde, M 562 Hoysted, G 537
Heger, T 278 Hu, H 530
Heimovaara, T 509 Hu, J 129, 215
Heintz-Buschart, 165, 488 Hu, S 257
A
Heinze, S 185 Hu, Y 305
Helder, J 570 Huang, S 416
Hemkemeyer, M 185 Huber, S 418
Hernandez- 395 Hudek, C 515
Lopez, A
Hernández- 499 Huerta Lwanga, 399
Tirado, A E
Herrera-Alsina, L 140 Hug, A 533
Herrera-Estrella, 121 Hug, A 278
L
Hetman, Y 429 Huguenin-Elie, O 376
Heuer, H 348 Huhn, C 354
Hevia, V 383 Hultman, J 368
Hicks, L 293 Hume, D 248, 468
HILAIRE, E 579 Hungate, B 474
Hilpold, A 288 Hunt, I 260

I
Ibáñez Huerta, A 499 Ingrisch, J 308
Ibarra-Garibay, L 499 Insam, H 545
Ikoyi, I 65, 200 Ipinza, B 155
Illmer, P 275, 232, 224, Iribar, A 333
290, 308
INCREMENTO- 541 Ivors, K 245
Consortium
Indjic, D 339

i
in 't Zandt, D 101 in 't Zandt, M 101

J
J. Field, K 561 Joergensen, R 185
J.I. Briones, M 483 Johnson, D 133, 262, 497,
571
Jacomini, C 535 Johnson, E 219
Jacomini, C 506 Johnson, N 478
Jaeger, A 87 Joimel, S 240, 358, 554,
550
James, J 122 Jones, A 483, 281
James, S 371 Jones, J 313, 542, 544
Janeiro-Tato, I 327 Jones, L 301
Janion- 463 Jongenelen, P 570
Scheepers, C
Jänsch, S 315, 610 Jongepier, E 305
Jansen, B 509 Joos, L 524
Jassey, V 319 Jorna, J 412
Javal, M 343 Józefowska, A 521, 525
Jean-Baptiste, V 102 Jucevica, E 251
Jeanbille, M 540 Juilleret, J 453
Jeanne, T 476, 477 Julie, M 413
Jech, S 261 Julliard, R 344
Jeffery , S 97 Jumpponen, A 528
Jehmlich, N 188 Jung, M 253
Jenab, K 300 Junggebauer, A 99, 157
Jesus, E 247, 254, 250, Juntao Wang 104
507
Joannès, G 413 Jurburg, S 128
Jochum, M 219

K
Kadir, S 198 Kirk, M 528
Kagainis, U 251 Kirse, A 323
Kahout, P 88 Kivijärvi, P 366
Kaiser, C 297 Klamerus- Iwan, 525
A
Kaiser, C 300 Klarner, B 219
Kakouli-Duarte, T 581 Klein, T 285
Kakouli-Duarte , 385 Klinth, M 610
T
Kakouridis, A 512, 459 Knief, C 598
Kammann, S 309 Knuth, D 469
Kaňa, J 601 Kochar, M 107
Kandeler, E 171, 100, 172, Kögel-Knabner, I 598
269, 354
Kao-Kniffin, J 257 KOHLER, A 579
Kapinga, E 381 Kohout, P 210, 220, 627
Karimi, B 96 Kompała-Bąba, A 525
Karisto, P 366 Köninger, J 483
Karpinska, A 385 Konstantinidis, K 593
Karst, J 265 Kontunen- 272
Soppela, S
Karsten, U 309 Kopáček, J 601
Kastelec, D 274 Korobushkin, D 72
Kaštovská, E 601 Korthals, G 170
Kato, R 214 Kosina, P 479
Kattilakoski, M 368 Kost, E 229
Kaufmann, B 343 Kotze, E 619
Kay, P 260 Kotze, J 466
Keiblinger, K 418 Koul, V 534, 107
Keith, A 236, 277, 301 Kováč, Ľ 240
Keller, T 279 Kovács-Láng, E 105
Kelliher, J 624 Kraigher, H 486, 493
Kellner, H 334 Kraigher, H 584
Kennedy, J 446 Krause, H 174
Kennedy, N 316 Krehenwinkel, H 375
Khomenko, I 517 Kristensen, H 452
Kidd, P 621 Kröel-Dulay, G 105
Kiernan, M 542 Krogh, P 315, 225, 421,
276
Kiers, T 88, 187 Krumins, J 541
Kihara, J 568 Krüß, A 604
Kilian, I 323 Krzywoszynska, 70
A
Kim, S 111 Ksenofontov, A 72
Kim, T 152, 253 Kubota, Y 416
Kim, Y 152 Kumar, S 145
Kim, Y 253 Kumar Basuri, C 145
Kimbrel, J 512 Kundel, D 229
Kimbrel, J 474

L
La Terza, A 425, 145, 369 Li, R 185
Labouyrie, M 281 Liberati, D 105
Laganière, J 265 Lindbo, D 370
Laiho, R 368 Lindo, Z 247, 137
Lammel, D 111 Lindo, Z 75
Lampert, M 184 Linnyk, V 268
Landis, D 457 Linsler, D 365
Lanfranci, Q 344 Littlejohn, G 542
Lapa, S 72 Liu, B 256
Lastovetsky, O 112 Liu, S 293
Lata, J 344 Liu, X 497
Latif, R 613 Livne-Luzon, S 285
Lattacher, A 269 Lloret, E 388
Latvala, S 366 Llusià, J 516
Laumer, C 595 Loades, K 347
Lavallee, J 133 Loeke, T 528
Law, M 546 Lombaers, C 570
Lazcano, C 245, 255, 475, Longepierre, M 279
576
Le Gall, S 269 López, M 349
Leavens, E 149, 175 Lopez Valdivia, I 237
Lebedev, I 72 Lopez-Anton, M 327
Lebre, P 194 Lorenzen Elberg, 306
C
Lebre, P 125 Lorenzetti, R 113
Lebrija-Trejos, E 325 Lori, M 174
Lecoq, B 343 Lorite, J 416, 439
Lee, D 253 Lövenich, P 185
Lee, Y 253 Lozano, A 347
Lee, Y 152 Lozano Fondón, 154
C
Lehmitz, R 455 Lu, B 391
Leigh, E 223 Lu, J 90
Leinweber, P 309 Lu, J 67
Leitinger, G 557 Lucas, A 344, 343
Leitner, S 434 Ludwig, A 166
Lejoly, J 265 Luescher, A 92, 376
Lénack, E 284 Lugato, E 281
Lentendu, G 416, 415, 439 Lumini, E 426, 114
Leprisé, A 284 Lunn, J 391
Lesch, S 225 Luo, C 564
Leštan, D 274 Luo, S 564
Leventis, G 442 Lux, J 134
Leviana, L 198 Lynch, J 237
Li, C 508

M
M. Suz, L 448 Mendanha, T 452
Maaß, S 111 Mendes, I 247, 507
Macagnano, A 117 Mendes, L 132
MacColl, K 622 Meng, Q 168
MacDougall, A 622 Menge, D 434
MacEachern, D 591 Mengoni, A 311
Maček, I 274 Ménival, C 218
Machado de 441 Menta, C 154, 153, 268
Lima, N
Macia-Vicente, J 570, 574 Merbold, L 434
Mącik, M 467 Mercer, T 519
Mackenize, R 262 Merloti, L 132
Mäder, P 174, 229 Merrit, D 441
Mäder, P 354 Mescher, M 237
Maggs-Kölling, G 194 Meuli, R 384
Magilton, M 133, 519 Micheni, A 568
Magkourilou, E 547, 556 Midgley, M 149, 175
Magkourilou, E 561 Mihelič, R 400
Magnone, D 519 Mikhailyuk, T 309
Maherali, H 622 Miko, L 86
Maienza, A 114, 117, 113 Milla, R 395
Maillard, F 579 Milla, R 386
Maiolino, P 178 Miller, M 624
Maisto, G 287, 298 Millett, J 301
Makihara, D 434 Mimee, B 124
Malamud, N 325 Mimmo, T 350
Malaquias, J 247, 507, 590 Minasny, B 252
Malaquias, J 246 Minasny, B 241
Malas , M 64 Mishler, B 261
Malhi, Y 448 Mitchell, E 415
Mancinelli, R 210, 181 Mitchell, E 416
Mandolini, E 518 Mitchell, E 439
Mandolini, E 514, 557 Mitterer, M 350
Mani, D 207 Mo, L 268
Mann, D 453 Mocali, S 620
Manrique, E 204 Moeskjaer, S 522
Manuel Delgado 104 Mohammed, C 260
Baquerizo
Marais, E 194 Molendijk, L 570
Maraun, M 602 Molins, A 560
Marcangeli, Y 344 Moll, J 334
Marchán, D 166 Mollier, A 562
Margot, B 413 Moll-Mielewczik, 278
J
Marhan, S 171, 100, 172 Mommer, L 574
Marichal, R 338 Mommer, L 570
Marié, X 284 Monard, C 614
Marjanovic, Z 271, 225 Monribot, J 609
Markkola, A 272 Monson, F 277
Marks, E 484 Montanarella, L 247
Maron, P 96, 102, 344, 396 Montero, O 484
Marshall, S 249 Monterroso, C 577
Marsi, M 198 Montgomery, I 336
Marta, S 320, 307, 295, Moon, J 374
303
Martin, C 305 Moora, M 551
Martin, K 403, 402 Moradtalab, N 414
Martin, K 84 Moreau, L 333
Martin, M 324 Moreira, F 597
MARTIN, F 579 Moreira, H 54, 283, 621, 617
Martín, M 342 Moreira, H 611
Martín-Azcárate, 383 Moreno, D 346
F
Martineau, C 265 Moreno, J 139
Miralles-Ferrer , 560
A
Martinez- 97 Morillo, J 618
Chavez, L
Martinez-Cuesta, 324 Moro, I 303
R
Martínez- 388 Morriën, E 131
Martínez, S
Martinovic, T 584 Morriën , E 549
Martinsson, S 610 Motta, A 555
Martyniuk, D 527 Mounier, A 540
Marzaioli, R 379 Mourgela, R 410
Mas-Claret, E 437 Mousavi, H 98
Mason, K 236 Mousquer, J 247
Masse, J 124 Moya-Laraño, J 423
Mataix-Solera, J 103 Mozzicafreddo, M 425
Mathieu, J 338 Mrak, T 486, 493
Matsumoto, B 586 Mtandavari, F 249
Matus, I 362 Mtandavari, Y 468
Matus Acuna, V 457 Mülbaier, H 455
Mau, R 261 Müller, C 465
Mautuit, A 344 Müller, J 188
Mayer, J 174, 229 Müller, P 71
Mayerhofer, J 384 Müller, R 174
McBratney, A 252 Mulliez, P 102
McBratney, A 241 Mulot, M 439
McCay, T 191 Mungall, C 624
McCue, L 624 Münkemüller, T 341
McDaniel, M 317 Muñoz, M 441
McGuire, K 325 Münzbergová, Z 101
McHugh, D 371 Murchie, A 328
Medina-Sauza, R 609 Murphy, B 58
Meehan, M 262 Murphy, J 65
Mehring, H 338 Murúa, J 618
Melecis, V 251 Murugan, R 620
Memoli, V 298 Muth, T 406
Menasseri, S 589 Mutschlechner, M 232
Mench, M 54

N
Nabel, M 135, 136, 71, Nicolas, A 474
213, 169, 323
Nagler, M 127, 545 Niedrist, G 350
Naidonova, O 429 Nightingale, A 391
Nason, M 542, 544 Nigmann, U 604
Nason, M 313 Ning, D 479
Natal da Luz, T 315 Niro, E 379
Natal-Luz, T 617 Niu, X 391
Nathalie, F 413 Niva, C 247, 590, 246
Nathani, K 374 Nocco, M 255, 475, 576
Negri, I 178 Noll, M 334
Neher, D 85, 478 Norris, C 265
Neilson, R 347, 230 Norton, J 495
Neuhauser, S 232 Nouwen, O 220
Neuhoff, D 71 Novotny, V 416
Neuhoff, D 323 Nowell-Bampton, 449
V
Neumann, G 414 Nuccio, E 512, 459
Nguyen , V 581 Nweze, J 359
Nico Eisenhauer 104

O
Obregón, D 622 Ooi, M 441
Ochoa-Hueso, R 317 Oram, N 308
Ochoa-Hueso, R 383 Orgiazzi, A 483, 281
Odetayo, O 446 Orrù, L 256
Oehl, F 225 Ossola, A 466
Oellers, J 135, 136, 213, Ostertag, R 416, 415
169
Ohlmann, M 341 Ostle, N 564
Ojanen, P 368 Ostle, N 515
O'Keeffe, J 465 O'Sullivan, O 93
Oldach, P 238 Oszust, K 467
Oliveira, M 247 Ouyang, Y 495
Oliver, M 261 Ovaskainen, O 378
Ollio, I 388 Oyarte Galvez, L 187
Ommeslag, S 524

Ó
Óskarsson, H 381
P
Pablo García- 104 Petrová, E 359
Palacios
Paetsch, J 375 Pettitt, T 313, 544
Paffetti, D 486 Pettitt, T 542
Pająk, M 525 Pett-Ridge, J 474, 512, 459
Palacios-Vargas, 499 Pett-Ridge, J 479
J
Palomino, J 395 Philippot, L 540
Panagos, P 483, 281 Phillips, H 217
Panek, J 467 Phillips, H 166
Papa, G 178 Phillips, H 332
Paranychianakis, 410 Phillips, L 449
N
Parnell, J 346 Pietrzykowski, M 525
Parr, K 116 Pintarič, S 274
Parron, L 247 Pirhonen, M 366
Parron Vargas, L 552 Piveteau, P 102
Pasari, B 395 Pjevac, P 300
Paschke, K 206 Plaas, E 365
Patil, S 624 Planchais, S 344
Patro, T 395 Plantegenest, M 594
Patwary, R 522 Plassard, C 562
Paul Chowdhury, 414 Plavsic, M 339
S
Paula, F 482 Plunger, J 158, 288
Paz, P 362 Png, K 564
Peay, K 192 Poch, R 247
Pedro, B 413 Podile, A 395
Pedzich, S 191 Podmirseg, S 127, 545
Peguero, G 105 Poll, C 269, 354
Peintner, U 517, 518, 557 Pollierer, M 151, 157
Peintner, U 514 Pollierer, M 99
Pelaez, A 327 Pommeresche , 98
R
Peláez, A 222 Ponge, J 105
Peláez, A 523 Poret-Peterson, 481
A
Pellegrinetti, T 482 Porto, J 611
Pellerin, F 333 Porto, M 597
Pellitier, P 192 Postma, J 570
Pelosi, C 332 Postolache, C 583
Peltoniemi, K 368 Potapov, A 108, 109, 67,
338, 276
Peña-Álvarez, V 222, 523 Potapov, A 240
Peñas, J 416, 439 Potapov, M 240
Peña-Venegas, C 63 Pothula, S 360
Peña-Venegas, C 338 Potthoff, M 365
Penev, P 474 Poulenard, J 295
Pennanen, T 366, 363, 368 Pouyat, R 466
Peñuelas, J 516 Power, K 178
Peñuelas, J 105 Poydras, T 528
Perea, R 541 Praeg, N 275, 232, 224,
290, 308, 434
Pereira, S 611 Pravia, A 277
Pereira, S 617 Preece, C 516
Pereira, S 621 Preedy, K 347
Pereira, S 283 Preiser, J 67
Peres, G 620 Pressel, S 537
Pérès, G 589, 594, 599, Prevosto, B 218
614, 284
Perez, A 155 Prieto- 621,577, 407,283
Fernandez, Á
Pérez-Pardal, L 597
Perilla Henao, L 586 Probst, M 287, 517, 514,
518, 557
Peris, J 349 Prosenkov, A 327, 523
Peris-Felipo, F 346 Prosenkov, A 222
Peris-Felipo, F 155, 163 Prosser, J 140
Pernin, C 548, 553 Prout, B 468
Perrone, M 404 Provent, F 358
Perrone, S 473 Pruschitzki, U 219
Pertile, G 467 Prylutskyi, O 88
Pestana, K 415 Pugnaire , F 204
Petchey, O 319 Purvis, A 377
Petersdorf, M 504 Putten, W 318
Petersdorf, M 162 Pylak, M 467
Petersen, H 105 Pylni, S 112
Petrakis, G 442

Q
Qin, C 192 Quijano‐Medina, 395
T
Qin, J 421 Quinton, J 515
Quideau, S 265 Quinton, J 564
Quigley, E 607 Quist, C 131

R
R. Gallego2, J 523 Robles, L 255
Rad, C 484 Robles, L 475
Rad, C 342 Rocha, F 254
Rajniš, T 274 Rock, A 242
Ramond, J 125 Rodgers, H 492
Ramsay, L 522 Rodrigues, R 132
Ranits, C 300 Rodríguez 247
Eugenio, N
Ranjard, L 96, 102, 344, 396 Rodriguez- 54, 407
Garrido, B
Rasche, F 84 Rodríguez- 621, 577
Garrido, B
Readyhough, T 85 Rodriguez-Rojas, 518
L
Redmond, C 416 Rodriguez- 123
Sanchez, A
Redondo-Nieto, 342, 324 Rodríguez- 523
M Valdés , E
Reed, S 261 Rog, I 285
Remelli, S 154, 153, 268 Roisin, Y 208
Reverchon, F 609 Rojales, J 513
Revillini, D 430 Rojo, V 315, 610
Reynolds, D 182 Romahn, J 378, 375
Rhein, R 604 Römbke, J 315, 455, 610
Rhymes, J 133 Romdhane, S 540
Ribeiro, T 250 Romero, F 281
Rice, C 528 Rondolini, M 271
Rich, V 558 Roose, T 391
Richard, C 589 Rose Edwin, N 93
Rief, A 288 Roß-Nickoll, M 135, 136, 213,
169
Riesgo-Mazaira, 327 Roth, T 384
M
Rillig, M 111 Rothfuss, Y 269
Rimet, F 453 Roucaute, M 599
Rineau, F 220 Rousk, J 293
Ristok, C 206 Rousseau, M 183
Ritz, K 573 Rousset- 358
Rouvière, S
Rivera, D 395 Ruiz, J 349
Rivilla, R 324 Russel, D 276
Rivilla, R 342 Russell, D 225
Rixen, C 489 Rutigliano, F 379
Roberts, D 347 Rutrough, A 374
Robin, A 413 Ryan, D 431
Robinson, C 471 Ryan, K 411, 405, 417,
419
Robles, D 481 Rzehak, T 275, 232, 224

S
Sadet- 102 Sierka, E 525
bourgeteau, S
Saez Sandino, T 104 Siewert, B 517
Sage, H 367 Siggers, J 409
Sahdra, A 449 Signorini, M 350
SAINT-ANDRE, L 579 Sikes, B 528
Salazar-Fillippo, 86 Siles, J 139
A
Salinas, C 123 Siles Asaff, I 121
Salmane, I 251 Silva, O 247, 590, 246
Salmela, M 363 Silva, P 607
Salmon, S 240 Sim, C 253
Salmon, S 105 Simon, E 300
Samad, A 265 Simoni, S 505, 404
Samar, E 513 Sinanaj, B 537
Sanchez, A 344 Singer, S 479
Sánchez Durán, 271 Singh, B 258, 386
S
Sánchez- 423 Singh Sidhu, J 237
Moreno, S
Sánchez- 388 Siniscalco, C 535
Navarro, V
Sanchis, A 103 Six, J 87, 229, 237
Sanczuk, P 203 Six, J 279
San-Jose, L 333 Skidmore, A 183
Santini, G 287 Slate, M 261
Santini, G 298 Sleutel, S 215
Santonja, M 76, 218 Sleutel, S 129
Santorufo, L 287, 298 Smalla, K 414
Sapkota, R 306, 314 Smith, M 409
Saravesi, K 272 Smith, M 624
Sarma, P 395 Snethlage, M 290
Sarto, M 528 Sniegocki, R 374
Sartori, G 535 Soares de 593
Carvalho, T
Sathiya Seelan, J 374 Soares Filho, C 254
Savage, J 415 Sokol , N 474
Schade, M 163 Solascasas, P 383
Schaefer, I 392, 602 Solbach, M 165, 488
Schaffner, U 564 Solberg, S 98
Scheffczyk, A 315 Soleiman, J 448
Scheu, S 67, 99, 151, 157, Solís García, I 609
392
Schiefelbein, U 309 Solly, E 87
Schiffers, K 71 Sommermann, L 414
Schlaghamersky, 629 Soto, D 388
J
Schloter, M 376 Soto, M 54
Schmalenberger, 225 Soudzilovskaia, 210, 220, 181
A N
Schmelz, R 455, 610 Sousa, Á 617
Schmelz, R 315 Sousa, A 617
Schmidt, I 105 Sousa, J 315
Schmidt, O 521, 236, 403, Sousa, P 607
402, 446
Schmidt, O 197 Spaans, F 328, 336
Schneider, C 451, 455 Sparks, J 257
Schöb, C 204 Spence, S 180
Schoebitz, M 362 Spielvogel, S 331
Schon, N 531 Spor, A 540
Schöpfer, L 171 Stache, F 354
Schröer, L 135, 136, 213, Stanley, D 437
169
Schulz, S 376 Stanton, K 542, 544
Schuster, R 172 Stanton, K 313
Schwab, S 254 Stark, L 261
Schwalb, S 185 Stathopoulou, D 442
Schwartz, C 344 Steenwerth, K 475, 481
Schwarzfeld, M 449 Steinwandter, M 127, 158, 290,
288
Schweigkofler, W 179 Sterck, F 156
Schwelm, A 335 Stevenson, P 437
Schwilch, G 533 Stewart, J 88
Scott, T 501 Strasberg, D 416
Searcy, C 430 Stratemann, L 135, 136, 213
Seeber, J 275, 127, 224, Stratemann, L 169
158, 290, 288
Serrano Grijalva, 317 Strigens, A 237
L
Sessitsch, A 418 Strobl, S 127
Setälä, , H 466 Strobl, S 545
Shaaf, S 395 Struik, P 318
Shackelford, N 529 Strybos, S 86
Shahrtash, M 122 Stucke, A 267
Shaw, L 391 Sturludóttir, E 381
Shelton, B 180 Suescun, U 333
Shepherd, M 277 Suhadolc, M 400, 274
Shi, S 249, 248, 468 Sultana, T 68
Shi, Y 331 Sun, X 240
Shimizu, T 187 Sünnemann, M 211
Shiono, T 416 Suojala-Ahlfors, 366
T
Siegenthaler, A 183 Swallow, M 265
Siegieda, D 467 Swart, G 349, 163
Siepel, H 504, 592 Sweeney, C 564
Siepel, H 162 Swingley, W 149
Sieradzki, E 474 Sys, S 451
Sieradzki, E 586 Szlavecz, K 203, 466

Š
Šibanc, N 274, 302, 486, Šurinová, M 101
493
Štraus, I 493 Šustr, V 359

T
Taberlet, P 295 Tiemann, L 317
Tahovská, K 601 Tiemann , L 457
Tajovský, K 168 Tienda Serrano, 349
S
Talavera, M 423 Tienda Serrano, 353
S
Tamayo-Ramos, 342 Tietema, A 305
J
Tang, J 191 Tietema, A 105
Tang, Y 374 Tison, L 332
Tang, Y 241 Todman, L 573
Tanka, F 301 Topalovic, O 348
Tappeiner, U 288, 350 Torro-Galiana, A 347
Tarchi, F 505, 404 Toschki, A 135, 136, 213
Tardif, A 550 Toschki, A 169
Tasser, E 557 Tosi, M 622
Täufer, F 323 Toth, Z 466
Tayaban, K 180 Toyota, K 214
Tebbe, C 256 Tracy, S 403, 402, 561
Tedersoo, L 88, 281 Tracy, S 197
Tejedor Calvo, E 271 Tracy, S 437
Telagathoti, A 517, 514, 518 Trap, J 218, 562
Tella Garcia, E 557 Trasar-Cepeda, 407, 577
C
Tentugal, R 617 Trautmann, S 232
Terrat, S 96 Trifuoggi, M 379
Terrat, S 396 Triped, J 102
The SBF Team 108 Trivedi, P 395, 409
Thébaut, E 338 Tsai, S 482
Theissinger, K 375 Tsai, S 132
Thiele-Bruhn, S 256 Tsai, S 250
Thijs, S 220 Tsegaye 129
Gebremikael, M
Thompson, R 542, 544 Tsiafouli, M 276
Thomson, R 313 Tsiknia, M 442
Thouvenot, L 332, 219 Tucker, C 261
Thuiller, F 295 Turcati, L 344
Thuiller, W 338, 341 Turillazzi, F 404

U
Ugolini, F 117 Urionabarrenetxea, 54
E
Unuk Nahberger, 486 Urwin, P 547
T
Urbach, D 290 Urwin, P 561
Urbina, I 346 Urwin, P 556
Urich, T 489

V
Väänänen, P 368 Verbeke, I 247
Vaccari, F 113 Verbruggen, E 86
Vaccaro, F 311 Verbruggen, E 516
Vahter, T 551 VERGNES, A 344, 343
Valboa, G 505 Verheyen, K 203
Valdes, H 155 Verlingue, K 343
Valtonen, A 272 Vestergård, M 348
Van der Putten, 132 Vestrovsky, T 627
W
Van Nuland, M 88, 192 Vettori, C 486
Van Rijssel, S 282 Vidal-Beaudet, L 344
Van Tol, J 619 Vierna, J 315, 610
Vandecasteele, B 524 Vieublé, L 554
Vandvik, V 101 Vignozzi, N 505
Vangronsveld, J 220 Vigo, C 430
Vanguelova, E 184 Vilela, J 54
Varah, A 230 Vilkiji, Z 262
Varga, S 519 Villar-Moreno, R 353
Vargas, R 247 Villenave, C 102, 344
Varner, R 558 Visentin, F 268
Varone, L 535 Visser, J 570
Vasconcelos- 223 Vittadini, E 369
Brogioli, L
Vautrin, F 102 Vittoz, P 416, 439
Vaz, B 255 Vizcaíno, A 315, 610
Vázquez 499 Volkering, F 509
González, M
Veen, C 156, 282, 286 Voyron, S 426
Vega, A 611 Vrignaud, G 102
Velmala, S 366, 363

v
van Bodegom, P 210, 181 van der Zanden, I 195
van den Bergh, S 170 van Diepen, L 398, 492
van den Hoogen, 88 van Diepen , L 231
J
van der Hagen, H 210 van Diggelen, C 86
van der Heijden, 458 van Diggelen, R 86
M
van der Heijden, 281 van Ruijven, J 574
M
van der Putten, W 156, 282, 217 van Straalen, N 60
Velmala,S 368
van der Putten, W 317 von Rohr, G 533
van der Vinne, A 570 von Spinn, J 158

W
Wadoux, A 252 Wesemael, W 129, 215
Wagstaffe, A 313, 542, 544 West, J 189
Wall, D 200, 112 Wetzel, C 453
Wall, D 316 Whitman, T 189
Wall, D 125, 247, 422 Whitmore, A 573
Wall, D 423 Wichern, F 185
Walsh, L 197 Widmer, F 174, 384, 278,
92, 376, 533
Walter, C 594 Widmer, F 279
Wang, D 564 Widyastuti, R 67
Wang, J 395, 386 Williams, J 585
Wang, M 322, 342, 324 Wills, S 473, 370
Weatherley, A 530 Winandy, L 333
Weber, B 290 Winding, A 306, 314
Wee, J 152, 253 Winterfeldt, S 293
Wei, L 257 Witjes, M 338
Weicht, T 85 Wong, C 255
Weigelt, A 488 Woś, B 525
Weiß, L 604 Wu, D 321
Weißbach, S 451 Wu, J 564
Weißbecker, C 604 Wu, W 605
Weisskopf, P 279 Wu, X 185
Welton, P 415 Wu, Y 564

X
Xie, C 191 Xue, P 252
Xu, G 268

Y
Yagi, R 415 Yesilonis, I 466
Yakovenko, D 538 Young, G 197
Yang, Q 395 Young, M 449
Yang, X 182 Young, S 248, 468
Yao, E 475 Yuan, M 474, 459
Yao, T 598 Yuan, M 479, 512
Yarwood, S 466

Z
Zaady, E 395 Zhang, N 549
Zahorec, A 457 Zhong, L 151
Zhou, G 161
Zaitsev, A 72 Zhou, H 564
Zanella, A 268 Zhou, J 52
Zapf, K 123 Zhou, Z 67
Zaviezo, T 155 Zhu, K 192
Zawadka, J 573 Zhu, Y 395
Zaytsev, A 276 Ziadi, N 124
Zeiss, R 219 Zimmermann, I 331
ZELLER, B 579 Zinger, L 333
Zervas, A 306 Zobel, M 551
Zeze, A 125 Zornoza, R 388
Zhang, C 338