Geoinformation analysis of soil cover protection in the Arctic Zone of the Russian Federation

The representativeness of the soil diversity in the network of nature protected areas of the Russian Arctic was calculated on the basis of the Soil Map of the Russian Federation, 1:2.5 M scale by using geoinformation analysis. The authors estimated soil cover composition and soil contours areas using the ArcView GIS system. They have identified 90 different soils and soil complexes in the Arctic zone of Russia, 30 of them belong to the Arctic and tundra soils and occupy 47% of total Russian Arctic zone area. In the nature reserves and national parks territory, 48 different soils and soil complexes have been identified, 15 of them belong to the group of arctic and tundra soils, which occupy 60% of the area of protected areas. The investigation shows that currently the existing system of the Arctic protected areas is characterized by high representation of the taxonomic soil diversity (the representativeness indicator is 94%). The only soil type, Arctic Gleezem (Turbic Criosols), is not territorial protected within its typical distribution areas. To optimize the system of Arctic protected areas, the authors propose to adjust the boundaries of the existing nature protected areas in the Anadyr River basin, as well as to consider the possibility of organizing a protected area in the southern part of the Novaya Zemlya Archipelago.

Ecosystem, vegetation and soil diversity of the mountain forest-steppe of West Altai (a case study of the Tigirek State Natural Reserve)

The quantitative assessment of ecosystem diversity is a basic tool for the evaluation of its resilience to anthropogenic loads and climatic changes. Our work is devoted to the large-scale predictive ecosystem mapping of hard-to-reach West Altai Mountain areas as well as vegetation, soil, and ecosystem quantitative diversity assessment (basing on Shannon and Simpson indices). The key site (7x4.5 km area) located in the Tigirek State Natural Reserve in the humid climate of the windward part of Altai. The predominance of shrub meadow communities and forb meadows on Gleyic Chernozems and Gleyic Chernic Phaeozems, Gleyic Cambisols, as well as the development of larch forests on the slopes of shady exposures on Greyzemic Chernozems are the regional specificities of the forest-steppe Altai ecosystem. Steppe communities (located on the Haplic Chernozems, Cambisols, and Leptosols), occupy less than 2% of the key site. The studied mountain forest-steppe ecosystem of West Altai is characterized by an extremely high level of spatial diversity: the Shannon index is 3.28, the Simpson is 0.95; an increase in soil diversity leads to a linear increase in vegetation diversity.

Soils of mountain floodplains in the zone of tectonic joints of Mongol-Okhotsk Orogenic Belt (Mongolia)

New data on the soils of mountain floodplains in the tectonic joints zone of the Mongol-Okhotsk Orogenic Belt on the example of the Upper Kerulen Basin are presented. Soil diversity is mostly determined by sedimentation conditions and drainage of the parent rocks. There are alluvial–humus (Fluvisol (Humic)), mucky–humus (Folic Fluvisol), dark–humus (Fluvisol (Mollic)), dark–humus gley (Gleyic Fluvisol) and dark–humus saline soils (Sodic Gleyic Fluvisol (Mollic)) were diagnosed. Tectonic movements of the earth’s crust lead to the appearance of shaftlike linear dams, blocking river flow through the valley. So, the Kerulen river changed the direction of the channel and go beyond the depression, embedding into its mountain frame. Current seismicity impact on soils appears locally at tectonically active positions of epigenetic areas, close to outputs of saline underground deep waters, in the form of surface soil salinity and hydrometamorphism.

To culture or not to culture: a snapshot of culture-dependent and culture-independent bacterial diversity from peanut rhizosphere

Background Sequencing driven metagenomics studies have been instrumental in various aspects of microbiology including identification of newer taxa. While this culture-independent approach has its own merits and demerits, several studies have focussed on comparing it with traditional culture-dependent (CD) approach. However, most of these comparative studies rely on Sanger sequencing of complete 16S rRNA gene from pure culture colonies to determine the culturable bacterial diversity. This approach undercounts culturable diversity as only fewer isolates are selected, sequenced, and identified. Methods In this study, we have used an Illumina based partial 16S sequencing to identify all the microbes growing on the media and directly comparing with its culture-independent (CI) counterpart. Eight different media were used to target different organisms from soil. Diversity on these media were compared with their CI counterpart. The NGS data was analysed using DADA2 to provide more resolution to the data. Results In line with studies of similar nature, current study presented higher bacterial diversity in CI approach. However, the current study reflected that a greater number of sequence variants were missed out in CI approach as compared to number of sequence variants shared with CD approach. We observed around 322 (5.98%) ASVs (Amplicon Sequence Variants) exclusively present in CD samples while, 234 (4.35%) ASVs were shared between both approaches. Most of these 322 CD exclusive ASVs were classified as Enterobacteriaceae family and Bacillus genus, with several ASVs annotated at the species level as well, and these organisms are more commonly observed in soil and were also detected in CI approach. Furthermore, 22 genera were exclusively detected in CD samples, most of which were reported from soil and water.

Assessment of native cadmium-resistant bacteria in cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) - cultivated soils

Traces of cadmium (Cd) have been reported in some chocolate products due to soils with Cd and the high ability of cacao plants to extract, transport, and accumulate it in their tissues. An agronomic strategy to minimize the uptake of Cd by plants is the use of cadmium-resistant bacteria (Cd-RB). However, knowledge about Cd-RB associated with cacao soils is scarce. This study was aimed to isolate and characterize Cd-RB associated with cacao-cultivated soils in Colombia that may be used in the bioremediation of Cd-polluted soils. Diversity of culturable Cd-RB, qualitative functional analysis related to nitrogen, phosphorous, carbon, and Cd were performed. Thirty different Cd-RB morphotypes were isolated from soils with medium (NC, Y1, Y2) and high (Y3) Cd concentrations using culture media with 6 mg Kg-1 Cd. Cd-RB were identified based on morphological and molecular analyses. The most abundant morphotypes (90%) were gram-negative belong to Phylum Proteobacteria and almost half of them showed the capacity to fix nitrogen, solubilize phosphates and degrade cellulose. Unique morphotypes were isolated from Y3 soils where Burkholderia and Pseudomonas were the dominant genera indicating their capacity to resist high Cd concentrations. P. putida GB78, P. aeruginosa NB2, and Burkholderia sp. NB10 were the only morphotypes that grew on 18 up to 90 (GB78) and 140 mg Kg-1 Cd (NB2-NB10); however, GB78 showed the highest Cd bioaccumulation (5.92 mg g-1). This study provides novel information about culturable Cd-RB soil diversity with the potential to develop biotechnology-based strategies.

Screening New Xylanase Biocatalysts from the Mangrove Soil Diversity

Mangrove sediments from New Caledonia were screened for xylanase sequences. One enzyme was selected and characterized both biochemically and for its industrial potential. Using a specific cDNA amplification method coupled with a MiSeq sequencing approach, the diversity of expressed genes encoding GH11 xylanases was investigated beneath Avicenia marina and Rhizophora stylosa trees during the wet and dry seasons and at two different sediment depths. GH11 xylanase diversity varied more according to tree species and season, than with respect to depth. One complete cDNA was selected (OFU29) and expressed in Pichia pastoris. The corresponding enzyme (called Xyn11-29) was biochemically characterized, revealing an optimal activity at 40–50 °C and at a pH of 5.5. Xyn11-29 was stable for 48 h at 35 °C, with a half-life of 1 h at 40 °C and in the pH range of 5.5–6. Xyn11-29 exhibited a high hydrolysis capacity on destarched wheat bran, with 40% and 16% of xylose and arabinose released after 24 h hydrolysis. Its activity on wheat straw was lower, with a release of 2.8% and 6.9% of xylose and arabinose, respectively. As the protein was isolated from mangrove sediments, the effect of sea salt on its activity was studied and discussed.

Effect of Soil Diversity on Forest Plant Species Abundance: A Case Study from Central-European Highlands

Plant distribution is most closely associated with the abiotic environment. The abiotic environment affects plant species’ abundancy unevenly. The asymmetry is further deviated by human interventions. Contrarily, soil properties preserve environmental influences from the anthropogenic perturbations. The study examined the supra-regional similarities of soil effects on plant species’ abundance in temperate forests to determine: (i) spatial relationships between soil property and forest-plant diversity among geographical regions; (ii) whether the spatial dependencies among compared forest-diversity components are influenced by natural forest representation. The spatial dependence was assessed using geographically weighted regression (GWR) of soil properties and plant species abundance from forest stands among 91 biogeographical regions in the Czech Republic (Central Europe). Regional soil properties and plant species abundance were acquired from 7550 national forest inventory plots positioned in a 4 × 4 km grid. The effect of natural forests was assessed using linear regression between the sums of squared GWR residues and protected forest distribution in the regions. Total diversity of forest plants is significantly dependent on soil-group representation. The soil-group effect is more significant than that of bedrock bodies, most of all in biogeographical regions with protected forest representation >50%. Effects of soil chemical properties were not affected by protected forest distribution. Spatial dependency analysis separated biogeographical regions of optimal forest plant diversity from those where inadequate forest-ecosystem diversity should be increased alongside soil diversity.

Soil Diversity (Pedodiversity) and Ecosystem Services

Soil ecosystem services (ES) (e.g., provisioning, regulation/maintenance, and cultural) and ecosystem disservices (ED) are dependent on soil diversity/pedodiversity (variability of soils), which needs to be accounted for in the economic analysis and business decision-making. The concept of pedodiversity (biotic + abiotic) is highly complex and can be broadly interpreted because it is formed from the interaction of atmospheric diversity (abiotic + biotic), biodiversity (biotic), hydrodiversity (abiotic + biotic), and lithodiversity (abiotic) within ecosphere and anthroposphere. Pedodiversity is influenced by intrinsic (within the soil) and extrinsic (outside soil) factors, which are also relevant to ES/ED. Pedodiversity concepts and measures may need to be adapted to the ES framework and business applications. Currently, there are four main approaches to analyze pedodiversity: taxonomic (diversity of soil classes), genetic (diversity of genetic horizons), parametric (diversity of soil properties), and functional (soil behavior under different uses). The objective of this article is to illustrate the application of pedodiversity concepts and measures to value ES/ED with examples based on the contiguous United States (U.S.), its administrative units, and the systems of soil classification (e.g., U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Soil Taxonomy, Soil Survey Geographic (SSURGO) Database). This study is based on a combination of original research and literature review examples. Taxonomic pedodiversity in the contiguous U.S. exhibits high soil diversity, with 11 soil orders, 65 suborders, 317 great groups, 2026 subgroups, and 19,602 series. The ranking of “soil order abundance” (area of each soil order within the U.S.) expressed as the proportion of the total area is: (1) Mollisols (27%), (2) Alfisols (17%), (3) Entisols (14%), (4) Inceptisols and Aridisols (11% each), (5) Spodosols (3%), (6) Vertisols (2%), and (7) Histosols and Andisols (1% each). Taxonomic, genetic, parametric, and functional pedodiversity are an essential context for analyzing, interpreting, and reporting ES/ED within the ES framework. Although each approach can be used separately, three of these approaches (genetic, parametric, and functional) fall within the “umbrella” of taxonomic pedodiversity, which separates soils based on properties important to potential use. Extrinsic factors play a major role in pedodiversity and should be accounted for in ES/ED valuation based on various databases (e.g., National Atmospheric Deposition Program (NADP) databases). Pedodiversity is crucial in identifying soil capacity (pedocapacity) and “hotspots” of ES/ED as part of business decision making to provide more sustainable use of soil resources. Pedodiversity is not a static construct but is highly dynamic, and various human activities (e.g., agriculture, urbanization) can lead to soil degradation and even soil extinction.

A quantitative assessment of geodiversity in UNESCO Global Geoparks

<p>UNESCO Global Geoparks aim to protect globally significant geoheritage and geodiversity. However, the representativeness of geodiversity in these geoparks has never been quantified in a global context. Here, we quantify geodiversity in 147 UNESCO Global Geoparks and compare the outcome to global, Asian and European geodiversity using a geodiversity index with a global coverage, based on openly available geological, soil, hydrological and topographical input data. The global geodiversity index has five categories (from very low to very high) based on the total scores of the individual geodiversity components per 10 x 10 km grid cell.  In addition, we assessed the occurrence of soil types and lithology types in geoparks using global lithology and soil datasets. Our results show that total geodiversity, lithological diversity and topographical diversity were significantly higher in UNESCO Global Geoparks compared to random locations of parks, reflecting that many geoparks are located in mountainous areas where lithological and topographic diversity is high. Soil diversity and hydrological diversity were not significantly higher in geoparks compared to random areas, and 22% and 65% of all globally occurring soil types and lithology types were not represented in any geopark. This indicates that soil and hydrology features are not sufficiently represented in the criteria used to establish geoparks (which emphasize geological and geomorphological features), and that current geoparks are unevenly distributed across the world, with most of them being located in Asia and in Europe. Our results highlight important gaps in geodiversity conservation and can help to identify which areas of high soil and hydrological diversity are currently underrepresented and which soil and lithology types should be included in future efforts to improve the representativeness of UNESCO Global Geoparks.</p>