Difference responses of soil fungal communities to cattle and chicken manure composting application

Investigation of the effects of different substrates on the promotion of the soil microbial consortium, encompassing bacteria and fungi, in the bioremediation of decabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-209)

Decabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-209) is recognized as an emerging and hazardous pollutant in numerous ecosystems. Despite this, only a few studies have concurrently investigated the biodegradation of BDE-209 by a microbial consortium comprising both bacteria and fungi. Consequently, the interactions between bacterial and fungal populations and their mutual effects on BDE-209 degradation remain unclear. Our main objective was to concurrently assess the changes and activity of bacterial and fungal communities during the biodegradation of BDE-209 in a real soil matrix. In the present study, various organic substrates were employed to promote soil biomass for the biodegradation of BDE-209. Soil respiration and molecular analysis were utilized to monitor biological activity and biomass community structure, respectively. The findings revealed that the use of wheat straw in the soil matrix resulted in the highest soil respiration and microbial activity among the treatments. This approach obviously provided suitable habitats for the soil microflora, which led to a significant increase in the biodegradability of BDE-209 (49%). Biomass survival efforts and the metabolic pathway of lignin degradation through co-metabolism contributed to the biodegradation of BDE-209. Microbial community analysis identified Proteobacteria (Alphaproteobacteria-Betaproteobacteria), Firmicutes, Bacteroides (bacterial phyla), as well as Ascomycota and Basidiomycota (fungal phyla) as the key microorganisms in the biological community involved in the biodegradation of BDE-209. This study demonstrated that applying wheat straw can improve both the biological activity and the biodegradation of BDE-209 in the soil of polluted sites.

How are microbes helping end hunger?

This article explores the potential of microbiology to positively impact all aspects of the food supply chain, improving the quantity, quality, safety, and nutritional value of food products by providing innovative ways of growing, processing, and preserving food and thus contributing to Zero Hunger, one of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations.

Insights into the responses of fungal taxonomy and function to different metal(loid) contamination levels

Fungi possess prominent tolerance and detoxification capacities in highly metal(loid)-polluted systems, yet little is known about their responding behaviors under different contamination conditions. Here, we systematically investigated the structure and function profiles of fungal communities in an abandoned reservoir mainly contaminated by multiple metal(loid)s such as Al, Be, Cd, Co, Cr, and Cu. This abandoned reservoir consisted of three distinct zones, i.e., Zone I with the shortest deprecation time and the highest metal(loid) contamination; Zone II with the medium deprecation time and medium metal(loid) contamination; and Zone III with the longest abandonment time and the lowest metal(loid)contamination. The lowest pH and the highest contents of OM, TN, and TP were also observed for the high-contamination Zone I, followed by the moderate-contamination Zone II and the low-contamination Zone III. Fungal biodiversity was found to be robust and dominated by many endurable genera in Zone I, and notable cooperative relationships among fungal species facilitated their viability and prosperity under severe metal(loid) contaminations. Differently, the lowest biodiversity and fragile co-occurrence network were identified in Zone II. As metal(loid) contaminations reduced from Zone I to Zone III, dominant fungal functions gradually changed from undefined saprotroph guild to parasites or pathogens of plant-animal (i.e. animal pathogen, endophyte, and plant pathogen). Moreover, metal(loid)s combined with physicochemical properties jointly mediated the fungal taxonomic and functional responses to different metal(loid) contamination levels. Overall, this study not only broadens the understanding of taxonomic and functional repertoires of fungal communities under different metal(loid) contaminated conditions, but also highlights the crucial contributions of specific fungi to bioremediation and management in varying metal(loid)-polluted environments.