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Environmental microbiology
Mar, 2025;27 (3): e70074.

Bacteriophage-Bacteria Interactions Promote Ecological Multifunctionality in Compost-Applied Soils.

Shimao Wu, Wen Zhang, Danrui Wang, Jose Luis Balcazar, Guanghao Wang, Mao Ye, Huizhen Chao, Mingming Sun, Feng Hu
Author Information
  1. Shimao Wu: Soil Ecology Lab, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Coastal Saline Soil Resources Utilization and Ecological Conservation, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Solid Organic Waste Resource Utilization & Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Solid Organic Waste Utilization, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China.
  2. Wen Zhang: Soil Ecology Lab, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Coastal Saline Soil Resources Utilization and Ecological Conservation, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Solid Organic Waste Resource Utilization & Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Solid Organic Waste Utilization, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China.
  3. Danrui Wang: Soil Ecology Lab, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Coastal Saline Soil Resources Utilization and Ecological Conservation, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Solid Organic Waste Resource Utilization & Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Solid Organic Waste Utilization, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China.
  4. Jose Luis Balcazar: Catalan Institute for Water Research (ICRA), Girona, Spain.
  5. Guanghao Wang: Soil Ecology Lab, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Coastal Saline Soil Resources Utilization and Ecological Conservation, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Solid Organic Waste Resource Utilization & Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Solid Organic Waste Utilization, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China.
  6. Mao Ye: University of Girona, Girona, Spain.
  7. Huizhen Chao: Soil Ecology Lab, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Coastal Saline Soil Resources Utilization and Ecological Conservation, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Solid Organic Waste Resource Utilization & Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Solid Organic Waste Utilization, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China.
  8. Mingming Sun: Soil Ecology Lab, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Coastal Saline Soil Resources Utilization and Ecological Conservation, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Solid Organic Waste Resource Utilization & Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Solid Organic Waste Utilization, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China. ORCID
  9. Feng Hu: Soil Ecology Lab, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Coastal Saline Soil Resources Utilization and Ecological Conservation, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Solid Organic Waste Resource Utilization & Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Solid Organic Waste Utilization, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China.
PMID: 40109201 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.70074

Abstract

Bacteriophages (phages) influence biogeochemical cycling in soil ecosystems by mediating bacterial metabolism. However, the participation of phages in soil's overall ecological functions (multifunctionality) remains unclear. Hence, this study investigated the potential for phages and bacterial communities to shape the multifunctionality of compost-applied soils. The findings revealed that cow compost and vermicompost applications enhanced the soil's multifunctionality; consequently, the highest multifunctionality was observed in the soil with vermicompost application (p���<���0.05). The composition and diversity of bacteria and phages, as well as the abundance of functional genes of bacteria and phages related to carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus and sulphur metabolism, were dramatically altered following the application of both compost types. Moreover, the impact of phage diversity on soil multifunctionality is crucial for multi-threshold calculations. Structural equation modelling indicated that the effects of bacterial diversity on soil multifunctionality following compost application were paramount, with a path coefficient of 0.88 (p���<���0.01). The rise in phage diversity and the enrichment of functional genes indirectly led to a dramatic increase in the soil's ecological multifunctionality by affecting the host bacteria's metabolic processes. These results offer a novel avenue to improve soil's functions and environmental services by transforming the phage community composition and functions of soils.

Keywords

biodiversity compost microbial communities soil bacteriophages soil multifunctionality

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Grants

  1. 42077106/National Natural Science Foundation of China
  2. 42277115/National Natural Science Foundation of China
  3. Modern Agriculture; BE2022322/Jiangsu Provincial Key Research and Development Program
  4. 2024M761435/China Postdoctoral Science Foundation

MeSH Term

Soil Microbiology
Bacteriophages
Bacteria
Composting
Soil
Phosphorus
Ecosystem
Nitrogen
Carbon
Cattle
Animals
Biodiversity

Chemicals

Soil
Phosphorus
Nitrogen
Carbon
Journal Article
Article has an altmetric score of 3

Word Cloud

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