Rare Taxa in the Rhizosphere Primarily Influence Nitrogen Dynamics in Plantations in Northeastern China, With Minimal Impact on Carbon and Phosphorus
摘要
Rhizosphere effects refer to the alterations in soil properties resulting from the presence of plant roots and is an important driver of carbon and nutrient cycling in terrestrial ecosystems. This study quantitatively assessed the rhizosphere effects on carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus, and explored the impact of rhizosphere microbial communities on these effects. We examined the rhizosphere effects of carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus in plantation forests of Acer saccharum (Ace), Larix gmelinii (Lar), Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica (Pin), and Populus sp. (Pop). We studied root functional traits and rhizosphere microbial communities and categorized rhizosphere microbes into two sub-communities, rare and abundant taxa, based on their relative abundance. Furthermore, we analyzed the chemical properties of rhizosphere and bulk soils and quantified the rhizosphere effects in the study areas. The results revealed that in Pop trees, the rhizosphere effects of total nitrogen and alkali-hydrolyzable nitrogen were significantly higher compared to other tree species. Abundant taxa assembly was dominated by deterministic processes, whereas rare taxa were more influenced by stochastic processes. The rhizosphere rare taxa exhibited a stronger correlation with root functional traits in comparison to the abundant taxa. Both the Random Forest Model and Partial Least Squares Path Model suggested that rhizosphere rare taxa played a crucial role in the rhizosphere effect of nitrogen. These results collectively suggest that plant roots may regulate the composition of the rhizosphere microbial sub-community to meet their nitrogen requirements, underscoring the importance of rare rhizosphere taxa in plant nutrient uptake.