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Applied Sciences
Special Issues
Microbial Processes and Nutrient Chemistry in Soils
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Microbial Processes and Nutrient Chemistry in Soils

A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Applied Biosciences and Bioengineering".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 May 2021) | Viewed by 2599

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Zachary Senwo

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Agricultural, Life and Natural Sciences at Alabama A&M University, Huntsville, AL 35762, USA
Interests: chemical processes regulating environmental changes and services
Dr. Terrence Gardner

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Soil and Environmental Microbial Ecology Group, Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
Interests: soil and environmental microbial ecology; biogeochemical cycling; agricultural, climate and waste management; soil health; organic matter dynamics and productivity

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

You are invited to contribute to a Special Issue of the journal Applied Sciences entitled “Microbial Processes and Nutrient Chemistry in Soils”, aimed at presenting recent advances in the field of soils and environmental sciences.

Microbes have an enormous range of biochemical capabilities, of which some surpass human technologies. Microbial processes and nutrient chemistry in soils have deep implications not only for agriculture but the environment as well. Microbial processes are usually centered around microbes and enzymatic biochemical reactions, which are pivotal in nutrient cycling and availability. Research in microbial processes and nutrient chemistry in soils is complex due to challenges such as identifying specific microbial communities in soils, universality and standardization of analytical methods for soil nutrients, soil sampling protocols, plant rhizospheres versus bulk soils, and the ecological modelling of microbial processes relative to nutrient chemistry.

You are thus invited to submit research on these and related topics in the form of original research papers, mini reviews, and perspective articles. 

Prof. Zachary Senwo
Dr. Terrence Gardner
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Applied Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • soils
  • environment
  • ecosphere
  • ecosystems
  • plants
  • rhizospheres
  • microbes
  • enzyme activities
  • nutrient chemistry and cycling
  • microbial diversities and processes

Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

16 pages, 2681 KiB  
Article
Early Effect of Pine Biochar on Peach-Tree Planting on Microbial Community Composition and Enzymatic Activity
by Juan Pablo Frene, Mattie Frazier, Shuang Liu, Bernadette Clark, Michael Parker and Terrence Gardner
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(4), 1473; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app11041473 - 06 Feb 2021
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2061
Abstract
Biochar offers several benefits as a soil amendment, including increased soil fertility, carbon sequestration, and water-holding capacity in nutrient-poor soils. In this study, soil samples with and without biochar additives were collected for two consecutive years from an experimental field plot to examine [...] Read more.
Biochar offers several benefits as a soil amendment, including increased soil fertility, carbon sequestration, and water-holding capacity in nutrient-poor soils. In this study, soil samples with and without biochar additives were collected for two consecutive years from an experimental field plot to examine its effect on the microbial community structure and functions in sandy soils under peach-trees (Prunus persica). The four treatments evaluated consisted of two different rates of biochar incorporated into the soil (5%, and 10%, v/v), one “dynamic” surface application of biochar, and a 0% biochar control. Fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) analysis was used to assess the microbial community structure, and enzyme activities involved in C, N, P, and S nutrient cycling were used as a means of assessing soil functionality. Total FAME and bacterial indicators increased by 18% and 12%, respectively, in the 10% incorporated and 5% surface applied treatments. Biochar applications increased β-glucosaminidase and arylsulfatase activities, 5–30% and 12–46%, respectively. β-glucosidase and acid phosphatase activities decreased by approximately 18–35% and 5–22% in the 0–15 cm soils. The overall results suggest that biochar’s addition to the sandy soils stimulated microbial activity, contributing to the increased mean weight diameter (MWD), C sequestration, and consequential soil health. The changes in microbial community structure and functions may be useful predictors of modifications in soil organic matter (SOM) dynamics due to the long-term application of pine biochar in these systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microbial Processes and Nutrient Chemistry in Soils)
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