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ARS Home » Plains Area » Lubbock, Texas » Cropping Systems Research Laboratory » Wind Erosion and Water Conservation Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #405712
Research Project: Developing Strategies for Resilient and Sustainable Crop, Water, and Soil Management in Semi-Arid Environments

Location: Wind Erosion and Water Conservation Research

Title: Microbial community composition response to soil management across climates

Author
item Roper, Wayne
item Acosta-Martinez, Veronica
item Moore, Jennifer
item Ducey, Thomas
item Dungan, Robert - Rob
item Durso, Lisa
item Gollany, Hero
item Jin, Virginia
item Johnson, Jane
item Fischel, Matthew
item Maul, Jude
item Reardon, Catherine - Kate
item Mikha, Maysoon
item Lehman, R - Michael
item Franco, Jose
item Manter, Daniel
item Liebig, Mark
item Veum, Kristen
item Hale, Lauren
item Emmett, Bryan
item Trippe, Kristin
item Stewart, Catherine

Submitted to: ASA-CSSA-SSSA Annual Meeting Abstracts
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/10/2023
Publication Date: 10/30/2023
Citation: Roper Iii, W.R., Acosta Martinez, V., Moore, J.M., Ducey, T.F., Dungan, R.S., Durso, L.M., Gollany, H.T., Jin, V.L., Johnson, J.M., Fischel, M.H., Maul, J.E., Reardon, C.L., Mikha, M.M., Lehman, R.M., Franco Jr, J.G., Manter, D.K., Liebig, M.A., Veum, K.S., Hale, L.E., Emmett, B.D., Trippe, K.M., Stewart, C.E. 2023. Microbial community composition response to soil management across climates. ASA-CSSA-SSSA Annual Meeting Abstracts.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Soil microbial communities (SMCs) have an essential role in soil health and ecosystem services so understanding how soil management practices influence SMC compositions that represent sustainable productivity in managed soil systems is important for effective soil health management. Several agronomic management practices are promoted because of their benefits on soil health indicators and resources they provide to thriving SMCs. The sensitivity of SMCs and related soil health indicators to these management practices is questioned, however, because effects can vary depending on local ecological and climatic conditions. We collected soils from 14 agronomic research trials across USA that represent different soil types, climates, and management practices. All soils were collected to 15 cm depth then separated into subsamples for preserved field moisture content and air-dried soil sieved through 4.75 mm mesh. From these soils we measured soil organic C, total N, permanganate oxidizable C, water-stable aggregation, and ester linked fatty acid methyl esters (EL-FAMEs). The EL-FAMEs were separated into categories for different SMC groups based on fatty acid markers. Using treatments from the 14 agronomic research trials, we compared the effects of tillage, cover cropping, plant biodiversity, and manure applications on SMC groups and related soil health indicators. The EL-FAME analysis for SMC composition is sometimes used as a surrogate for measuring SMC size. For this research we observed that soil management practices had significant effect on total FAME and that FAME responded more to management than other soil properties in most cases. The effects of tillage, plant roots, and organic amendment also differed among SMC groups. Relationships between FAME and soil management are explored throughout this presentation.