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As the interface between plants and soil, the response of the rhizosphere to nitrogen deposition is particularly important. The rhizosphere responses to nitrogen deposition are not consistent. Here, four levels of nitrogen addition treatments were applied in boreal forests of China for 8 years: control, low nitrogen, medium nitrogen, and high nitrogen. We analyzed the soil properties and microbial communities of rhizosphere and bulk soils under different nitrogen application levels and assessed the relationship between the main species and environmental factors. The results showed that long-term nitrogen addition significantly reduced the content of total carbon in the soil and increased the soil microbial biomass nitrogen in the rhizosphere. The total carbon content in the rhizosphere under high nitrogen was 40.79 g * [kg.sup.-1], which was significantly lower than that in the control (51.82 g * [kg.sup.-1]). The diversity of the rhizosphere and bulk soil fungal communities had different significant responses to nitrogen addition. Some specific microbial taxa could be used as rhizosphere bacterial biomarkers under different nitrogen treatments. The soil microbial biomass nitrogen was the significant environmental variable affecting bacterial species variation in the rhizosphere. Nitrogen addition will change the diversity of the rhizosphere microbial community by changing soil microenvironmental factors. Key words: rhizosphere, soil microbiome, rhizosphere effects, nitrogen deposition, boreal forest En tant qu'interface entre les plantes et le sol, la reponse de la rhizosphere au depot d'azote est particulierement importante. Les reponses de la rhizosphere au depot d'azote ne sont pas coherentes. Ici, quatre niveaux de traitements d'ajout d'azote ont ete appliques dans des forets boreales de Chine pendant 8 ans : controle, faible azote, azote moyen et fort azote. Nous avons analyse les proprietes du sol et les communautes microbiennes de la rhizosphere et des sols en vrac sous differents niveaux d'application d'azote et evalue la relation entre les principales especes et les facteurs environnementaux. Les resultats ont montre que l'ajout d'azote a long terme a reduit de maniere significative la teneur en carbone total dans le sol et a augmente l'azote de la biomasse microbienne du sol dans la rhizosphere. Le contenu en carbone total dans la rhizosphere sous une forte dose d'azote etait de 40,79 g * [kg.sup.-1], ce qui etait significativement inferieur a celui du controle (51,82 g * [kg.sup.-1]). La diversite des communautes fongiques de la rhizosphere et du sol en general a eu des reponses differentes et significatives a l'ajout d'azote. Certains taxons microbiens specifiques pourraient etre utilises comme biomarqueurs bacteriens de la rhizosphere sous differents traitements azotes. L'azote de la biomasse microbienne du sol etait la variable environnementale significative affectant la variation des especes bacteriennes dans la rhizosphere. L'ajout d'azote modifiera la diversite de la communaute microbienne de la rhizosphere en changeant les facteurs micro-environnementaux du sol. [Traduit par la Redaction] Mots-cles: rhizosphere, microbiome du sol, effets de la rhizosphere, depot d'azote, foret boreale, 1. Introduction Since the Industrial Revolution, the emission of reactive nitrogen in the atmosphere has increased sharply (Vitousek et al. 1997; Galloway et al. 2008). The increase in atmospheric nitrogen [...]

Acute environmental changes cause stress during conventional deep‐sea biological sampling without in situ fixation and affect gene expressions of samples collected. However, the degree of influence and underlying mechanisms are hardly investigated. Here, we conducted comparative transcriptomic analyses between in situ and onboard fixed gills and between in situ and onboard fixed mantles of deep‐sea mussel Gigantidas haimaensis to assess the effects of incidental sampling stress. Results showed that transcription, translation, and energy metabolism were upregulated in onboard fixed gills and mantles, thereby mobilizing rapid gene expression to tackle the stress. Autophagy and phagocytosis that related to symbiotic interactions between the host and endosymbiont were downregulated in the onboard fixed gills. These findings demonstrated that symbiotic gill and nonsymbiotic mantle responded differently to sampling stress, and symbiosis in the gill was perturbed. Further comparative metatranscriptomic analysis between in situ and onboard fixed gills revealed that stress response genes, peptidoglycan biosynthesis, and methane fixation were upregulated in the onboard fixed endosymbiotic Gammaproteobacteria inside the gills, implying that energy metabolism of the endosymbiont was increased to cope with sampling stress. Furthermore, comparative analysis between the mussel G. haimaensis and the limpet Bathyacmaea lactea transcriptomes resultedidentified six transcription factor orthologs upregulated in both onboard fixed mussel mantles and limpets, including sharply increased early growth response protein 1 and Kruppel‐like factor 5. They potentially play key roles in initiating the response of sampled deep‐sea macrobenthos to sampling stress. Our results clearly show that in situ fixed biological samples are vital for studying deep‐sea environmental adaptation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We conducted a short-term field hydroponic 15N labeling experiment to study the effects of different nitrogen (N) addition treatment on the N uptake preference and rate of plant fine roots in a temperate old growth forest in 2018. The results indicated that the N preference of dominant tree species for different N chemical forms was not influenced by the N addition, with the N acquisition pattern being ammonium > nitrate > glycine. However, N addition altered the plant's N uptake rates. Under low N treatment, the uptake rates of glycine for three target tree species significantly increased. Both low and medium N additions significantly enhanced the NH4–N uptake rate, but had little impact on the NO3–N uptake rate. Conversely, high N addition exerted negative effects on NO3–N and NH4–N uptake rate. Different tree species may flexibly adapt to new environmental conditions by adapting to their root morphology and the relationship between plant growth and N uptake. N addition has pronounced effects on N uptake rate and root morphology traits of dominant tree species. Overall, this study contributes to a deeper understanding of the response of N uptake patterns in temperate forests to long-term N addition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Given the ubiquitous nature of mycorrhizal symbioses, different symbiotic fungi have obvious differences in structure and function, which may affect associated tree aboveground and belowground C allocation dynamics. However, the mechanisms underlying tree aboveground and belowground C allocation and its response to symbiotic mycorrhizal types and other factors (e.g., resource availability) remain poorly understood. Results: We used forest inventory data to explore the potential mechanism of tree aboveground and belowground C allocation patterns in Northeast China. Our results showed that tree-fungal symbioses were related to the patterns of tree C allocation. The ratio of aboveground to belowground C pool was significantly higher in ectomycorrhizal (EM)-associated trees than that in arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM)-associated trees. Symbiotic mycorrhizal types were associated with the responses of tree aboveground and belowground C allocation to different factors, such as mean annual precipitation (MAP) and mean annual temperature (MAT). Almost all factors significantly increased aboveground C allocation in AM-associated trees but significantly decreased it in EM-associated trees. Moreover, after controlling the other factors, the effects of climate factors (MAT and MAP) on the C allocation of AM- and EM-associated trees were similar. Increases in MAT and MAP significantly increased belowground and aboveground C allocation, respectively. Conclusions: Our results demonstrate symbiotic mycorrhizal types play an important role in controlling tree aboveground and belowground C allocation and dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Natural abundance of carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) stable isotope ratios (δ13C and δ15N) has been used to indicate the state and cycle of ecosystem C and N. However, it is still unclear how C and N cycle of boreal forests respond to the N deposition. Results: We conducted an 8-year continuous N addition field experiment in a Larix gmelinii forest in Greater Khingan Mountains, Northeast China. Four N treatments (0, 25, 50, 75 kg N ha−1 year−1) were built. The effects of N addition on the δ13C and δ15N of needle, branch, bark, and fine root of Larix gmelinii and soil were studied. The result of the balance between the N input and output flux showed that N addition significantly increased the δ15N in each organ of Larix gmelinii, but did not change the δ15N of soil. We also found that the N absorption by needles of Larix gmelinii could increase the needle photosynthesis rate and δ13C by increasing carboxylation, but N addition had no significant effect on the δ13C of soil and other organs. In addition, both the soil δ15N and δ13C increased with the soil depth. Conclusions: Long-term N addition may lead to more open C and N cycles and further affect plant nutrient acquisition strategies in boreal forest ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to evaluate the ability of three shrubland species to consolidate slopes using root morphological traits and mechanical properties. The results showed that root tensile force increased and root tensile strength decreased with root diameter (from 0.3 to 5.5 mm) among all study species. Under the same level of root diameter, root tensile force and root tensile strength were highest for Amorpha fruticosa Linn. (AFL), followed by Swida alba Opiz (SAO) and lowest for Lespedeza bicolor Turcz (LBT). The mean branching ratio, root angle, stele to root diameter ratio, specific root length, individual length and surface area, and mean diameter of fine roots in different slopes were higher for AFL and SAO than for LBT, especially for high root orders (the third to fifth root orders). Furthermore, total hyphae length, total hyphae surface area, total hyphae volume, hyphae mean diameter, total glomalin-related soil proteins (GRSP), and easily extractable GRSP in different slopes also were highest for AFL, followed by SAO and lowest for LBT. However, root and mycelium traits had a positive effect on soil cohesion. These results suggested that root traits and mechanical properties of AFL and its impact on soil properties would enable more effective to consolidate slopes than SAO and LBT, revealing that planting AFL might be a better way for enhancing bioengineered slope stability in this study region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Despite extensive studies on soil microbial community structure and functions, the significance of plant-associated microorganisms, especially endophytes, has been overlooked. To comprehensively anticipate future changes in forest ecosystem function under future climate change scenarios, it is imperative to gain a thorough understanding of the community structure, diversity, and function of both plant-associated microorganisms and soil microorganisms., Methods: In our study, we aimed to elucidate the structure, diversity, and function of leaf endophytes, root endophytes, rhizosphere, and soil microbial communities in boreal forest. The microbial structure and composition were determined by high-throughput sequencing. FAPROTAX and FUNGuild were used to analyze the microbial functional groups., Results: Our findings revealed significant differences in the community structure and diversity of fungi and bacteria across leaves, roots, rhizosphere, and soil. Notably, we observed that the endophytic fungal or bacterial communities associated with plants comprised many species distinct from those found in the soil microbial communities, challenging the assumption that most of endophytic fungal or bacterial species in plants originate from the soil. Furthermore, our results indicated noteworthy differences in the composition functional groups of bacteria or fungi in leaf endophytes, root endophytes, rhizosphere, and soil, suggesting distinct roles played by microbial communities in plants and soil., Discussion: These findings underscore the importance of recognizing the diverse functions performed by microbial communities in both plant and soil environments. In conclusion, our study emphasizes the necessity of a comprehensive understanding of the structure and function microbial communities in both plants and soil for assessing the functions of boreal forest ecosystems., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Luo, Yan, Wang and Xing.)

Vestimentiferan tubeworms that thrive in deep-sea chemosynthetic ecosystems rely on a single species of sulfide-oxidizing gammaproteobacterial endosymbionts housed in a specialized symbiotic organ called trophosome as their primary carbon source. While this simple symbiosis is remarkably productive, the host-symbiont molecular interactions remain unelucidated. Here, we applied an approach for deep-sea in situ single-cell fixation in a cold-seep tubeworm, Paraescarpia echinospica . Single-cell RNA sequencing analysis and further molecular characterizations of both the trophosome and endosymbiont indicate that the tubeworm maintains two distinct metabolic "microniches" in the trophosome by controlling the availability of chemosynthetic gases and metabolites, resulting in oxygenated and hypoxic conditions. The endosymbionts in the oxygenated niche actively conduct autotrophic carbon fixation and are digested for nutrients, while those in the hypoxic niche conduct anaerobic denitrification, which helps the host remove ammonia waste. Our study provides insights into the molecular interactions between animals and their symbiotic microbes.

Understanding the mechanisms controlling forest carbon accumulation is crucial for predicting and mitigating future climate change. Yet, it remains unclear whether the dominance of ectomycorrhizal (EcM) trees influences the carbon accumulation of entire forests. In this study, we analyzed forest inventory data from over 4000 forest plots across Northeast China. We find that EcM tree dominance consistently exerts a positive effect on tree, soil, and forest carbon stocks. Moreover, we observe that these positive effects are more pronounced during unfavorable climate conditions, at lower tree species richness, and during early successional stages. This underscores the potential of increasing the dominance of native EcM tree species not only to enhance carbon stocks but also to bolster resilience against climate change in high-latitude forests. Here we show that forest managers can make informed decisions to optimize carbon accumulation by considering various factors such as mycorrhizal types, climate, successional stages, and species richness., (© 2024. The Author(s).)