Pine sawdust as stimulator of the microbial community in post-arable afforested soil

ABSTRACT

Sawdust and wood residues are considered to be stimulators of microbiological change in soil and could be used in post-arable sites designed for afforestation. In this study, we discuss changes in bacteria numbers within selected groups in relation to soil type (arable and forest) and method of sawdust application. Sawdust was spread along planting rows and mixed with the soil or put directly under roots of planted seedlings. Applying sawdust under the roots increased the number of cellulolytic bacteria in all experimental treatments. On post-arable soil, adding sawdust in rows increased the number of copiotrophic bacteria and reduced the number of fluorescent bacteria and actinomycetes (ACT). In control forest soils, the number of copiotrophic, oligotrophic and spore-forming bacteria decreased simultaneously with increased ACT in all treatments. The number of fluorescent bacteria increased when sawdust was applied on forest sites under planted trees and decreased when sawdust was spread in planting rows. Oligotrophic bacteria also decreased in the latter case. We present a list of bacteria identified by DNA – 16S rRNA gene sequences. Adding sawdust to arable soils significantly changed the quantitative and qualitative composition of microbial communities.

KEYWORDS:

• Post-arable soil
• forest soil
• microbial community
• copiotrophic and oligotrophic bacteria

Acknowledgements

This study was financed by the Polish National Centre for Research and Development (No. NCBR NR 12-0096-10).

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Polish National Centre for Research and Development: [No. NCBR NR 12-0096-10].