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Long-term effects of aided phytostabilization on microbial communities of metal-contaminated mine soil

Authors: Olatz Garaiyurrebaso, Carlos Garbisu, Fernando Blanco, Anders Lanzén, Iker Martín, Lur Epelde, José M. Becerril, Sven Jechalke, Kornelia Smalla, Elisabeth Grohmann, Itziar Alkorta

Journal: FEMS Microbiology Ecology

Aided phytostabilization uses metal-tolerant plants, together with organic or inorganic amendments, to reduce metal bioavailability in soil while improving soil quality. The long-term effects of the following organic amendments were examined as part of an aided phytostabilization field study in an abandoned Pb/Zn mining area: cow slurry; sheep manure; paper mill sludge mixed with poultry manure. In the mining area, two heavily-contaminated vegetated sites, showing different levels of soil metal contamination (LESS and MORE contaminated site), were selected for this study. Five years after amendment application, metal bioavailability (CaCl2-extractability) along with a variety of indicators of soil microbial activity, biomass and diversity were analysed. Paper mill sludge mixed with poultry manure treatment resulted in the highest reduction of Cd, Pb and Zn bioavailability, as well as in stimulation of soil microbial activity and diversity, especially at the LESS contaminated site. In contrast, cow slurry was the least successful treatment. Our results emphasize the importance of the (i) long-term monitoring of soil quality at sites subjected to aided phytostabilization and (ii) selection of the most efficient amendments and plants in terms of both reduction of metal bioavailability and improvement of soil quality.

http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/femsec/fiw252

Multi-targeted metagenetic analysis of the influence of climate and environmental parameters on soil microbial communities along an elevational gradient

As a result of the project MicrObs, financed by a Marie Curie IEF grant awarded to Anders Lanzén we have published the analysis of microbial communities (bacteria, fungi and protists, targeted by 16S, ITS and 18S rRNA amplicon sequencing) and plants, along an elevation gradient in the Ordesa Monte Perdido Microbial Observatory in the Pyrenees. The aim of the project is to predict the effects of contemporary and future climate change, by investigating how soil microbial communities change depending on different climate and weather patterns, and for this purpose we use an elevation gradient, spanning from 1500 to 2600 m above sea level.
Authors: Anders Lanzén, Lur Epelde, Iker Martín, Unai Artetxe, Carlos Garbisu,
Journal: Scientific Reports
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Date: 20 June 2016

The Community Structures of Prokaryotes and Fungi in Mountain Pasture Soils are Highly Correlated and Primarily Influenced by pH

As a result of the projects SoilMontana and MicrObs, we have published this analysis of microbial (dominated by bacteria and fungi) and plant communities in the Gorbeia Natural Parque of the Basque country, how they affect each other and are affected by pastoral management practices, and physicochemical properties of the landscape. Read more about it in Frontiers of Microbiology (Open Access).
Authors: Anders Lanzén, Lur Epelde, Carlos Garbisu, Mikel Anza, Iker Martín-Sánchez, Fernando Blanco and Iker Mijangos
Journal: Frontiers in Microbiology
Date: 27 November 2015