Pollution-induced community tolerance (PICT) allows finding a cause–effect relationship between pollution and adverse changes in a community. In our previous study we found that functional diversity ...of bacterial communities decreased significantly with increasing metal concentration, in both forest humus and meadow topsoil. Thus, the aim of the present study was to test whether tolerance of soil bacterial communities had increased as an effect of long-term metal pollution. Bacterial tolerance was tested with the use of the Biolog
® ECO plates in soils originating from the most polluted and the least polluted sites from three forest and five meadow transects located near smelters in Avonmouth (England), Clydach (Wales), and Głogów and Olkusz (Poland). We found that tolerance of bacterial communities was significantly increased in polluted meadow soils when compared to control meadow soils. On the contrary, no increase in tolerance was detected in polluted forest humus.
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•Invasive Quercus rubra affected soil microbial properties.•Total microbial and bacterial biomass was decreased beneath Q. rubra.•A marker of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi – NLFA ...16:1ω5 – decreased beneath Q. rubra.•Q. rubra leaves had higher phenolic acids and phloridzin than native tree leaves.•Phenolics in soil correlated with soil microbial parameters.
Invasive trees can alter soil properties and ecosystem functioning by producing phenolic compounds. Phenolics can influence carbon and nitrogen availability as well as enzymatic activity or act as signaling molecules. In plant-microorganism interactions, species-specific phenolics can be the source of food or toxicity. They may have antimicrobial, stimulatory or both (ambiguous) properties and thus affect soil microbial properties, enzymatic activity, and plant-soil feedbacks differently. We hypothesized that phenolic compounds with antimicrobial properties produced by invasive Quercus rubra would reduce soil microbial biomass and enzymatic activity, and alter microbial community structure. We expected these changes to be most pronounced in the soil organic horizon as they are driven by litter chemistry. We tested changes, potentially associated with the concentrations of 12 phenolic compounds in Q. rubra litter and soil, in microbial properties (respiration rate, bacterial and fungal biomass), enzymatic activity, and microbial community structure in organic and mineral soil horizons as well as in arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) spore number and species richness in mineral soil horizon. We found that Q. rubra reduced several soil parameters, namely respiration rate, phosphatase activity, total microbial biomass, bacterial (both G + and G–) biomass, and 16:1ω5 NLFA AMF storage lipid marker as well as changed microbial community structure, which supports our hypothesis that the phenolics produced by Q. rubra have mostly toxic effect on native soil communities. However, Q. rubra did not affect arylsulfatase and urease activity, saprotrophic fungi population, and the number of AMF spores and species. The changes in soil microbial properties and enzymatic activity may be related to high amounts of ellagic acid, ferulic acid, phloridzin, and syringic acid provided with newly shed Q. rubra litter to the soil surface. Some phenolics found in soil, i.e., phloridzin and (–)-epicatechin, correlated negatively, while others, i.e., quercetin and chlorogenic acid, correlated positively with soil microbial parameters and/or enzymatic activity, which suggest either antimicrobial or stimulatory properties of these compounds. Our study demonstrated that invasive Q. rubra has multiple potential effects on soil microbial communities, which can mediate plant-soil feedbacks. Future research should address the long-term consequences of these changes for forest ecosystems and the fitness of native flora.
According to the World Health Organization, diabetes is a major cause of blindness, kidney failure, heart attacks, strokes, and lower limb amputations. The nursing process is a proposed plan of ...nursing care that encompasses a person’s biological, psychological, and social state. In 1989 the International Council for Nurses created the International Classification for Nursing Practice (ICNP®). The aim of this study is to present the process of nursing a patient with chronic diabetic kidney disease using ICNP® terminology during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study used the method of an individual case. The technique used included an interview, an observation, and an analysis of the patient’s medical records. Based on the case description, 12 sample diagnoses were created using standardized international terminology from the ICNP® dic-tionary. The most important health problems were presented. The patient was given appropriate nursing care. Health education was carried out.
We exposed flour beetles (
Tribolium castaneum) to a mixture of four poly aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The experimental setup was chosen such that the emphasis was on assessing partial effects. We ...interpreted the effects of the mixture by a process-based model, with a threshold concentration for effects on survival. The behavior of the threshold concentration was one of the key features of this research. We showed that the threshold concentration is shared by toxicants with the same mode of action, which gives a mechanistic explanation for the observation that toxic effects in mixtures may occur in concentration ranges where the individual components do not show effects. Our approach gives reliable predictions of partial effects on survival and allows for a reduction of experimental effort in assessing effects of mixtures, extrapolations to other mixtures, other points in time, or in a wider perspective to other organisms.
We show a mechanistic approach to assess effects of mixtures in low concentrations.
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•Senesced Q. rubra leaves had higher C/N and lower N and K than native tree leaves.•Soil contents of most elements were lower under Q. rubra relative to native plots.•Phenolic ...contents (including condensed tannins) were lower in soil under Q. rubra.•Most Q. rubra effects were observed in both organic and mineral soil horizons.•Q. rubra reduced richness and cover of native plant species.
This study assessed the effects of invasive Quercus rubra on soil physicochemical properties and understory vegetation in native plant communities. Chemical properties of senesced tree leaves were also analysed. The study was performed at paired invaded-native plots in managed forests in southern Poland. Freshly fallen senesced leaves were characterized in terms of C, Ca, K, Mg, N, P, total phenolics and condensed tannins concentrations. Soil physicochemical parameters, namely bulk soil density, moisture, water holding capacity (WHC), pH, organic C, total Ca, K, Mg, N, P, exchangeable Ca, K, Mg, N-NH4, N-NO3, P-PO4, and total phenolics were analysed in organic and mineral soil horizons, and condensed tannins were analysed in organic soil horizon. The diversity, cover and composition of understory vegetation were assessed. Although, senesced leaves of Q. rubra and native trees, Quercus robur, Fagus sylvatica, Carpinus betulus and Acer pseudoplatanus among others, differed only in total K, N and C/N ratio, we observed considerable differences in soil physicochemical parameters between the plot types. Soil beneath Q. rubra was characterised by significantly lower WHC, organic C, total Mg, N, P, exchangeable Ca, Mg, N-NH4, N-NO3, total phenolics and higher moisture in organic and mineral soil horizons as well as lower content of P-PO4 and condensed tannins in organic soil horizon relative to native plant communities. Q. rubra negatively influenced species richness and cover of understory vegetation. The changes in soil physicochemical parameters and understory vegetation under Q. rubra may be associated with low quality (low N, high C/N) litter that decomposes slowly and generates a physical barrier, limiting seed germination and seedling growth. The changes in soil properties and vegetation under invasive Q. rubra indicate that this species may alter the structure and function of forest ecosystems and should be avoided in forest management practices.
•Effects of 14 tree species on soil were assessed in a common garden experiment.•Tree species affected pH, base cations, fungal biomass, and fungi/bacteria ratio.•Soil pH and base cations were ...elevated under two Acer species and Tilia cordata.•Betula pendula and Quercus rubra positively affected fungal biomass.•Soil bacterial and fungal biomass were higher under broadleaf than coniferous species.
Knowledge about the effects of tree species on soil physicochemical and microbial properties is crucial for sustainable forest management. The evaluation of these effects in common garden experiments may be advantageous compared to natural conditions due to the reduction of confounding factors such as differences in topography, microclimate, the age of the tree stand, the admixture of other tree species or soil type. In this study, we assessed the effects of 14 tree species grown for nearly 50 years in monospecific plots in the Siemianice Experimental Forest in Poland on soil microbial community assessed by phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) analysis, namely total, bacterial (G+, G−) and fungal biomass, fungi/bacteria ratio, G+/G− ratio, and microbial community structure, as well as on soil chemical properties, namely pH, organic C, total Ca, K, Mg, N, P, exchangeable Ca, K, Mg, N-NH4, N-NO3, S-SO4, and C/N ratio. Species richness (species number) and cover of undergrowth vegetation were also assessed. We found only moderate effects of tree species identity on soil. Significant differences were found in fungal biomass, fungi/bacteria ratio, and microbial community structure, with the highest fungal biomass under Betula pendula and Quercus rubra. Among chemical parameters, significant differences were observed in soil pH and base cations concentrations. The highest values of these parameters were under Acer pseudoplatanus, A. platanoides, and Tilia cordata. Total microbial, bacterial (G−), fungal biomass, and fungi/bacteria ratio were significantly higher under broadleaf than under coniferous species, while for G+/G− ratio the opposite was observed. Tree species with arbuscular mycorrhiza did not generally differ in their effects on soil microbial biomass from those with ectomycorrhiza. Total microbial and G+ bacterial biomass correlated positively with soil elements, mainly base cations, C, and N, while very few correlations were found between soil chemical properties and G− bacteria and fungi. Species richness and cover of undergrowth vegetation were not related to any of soil microbial properties. The lack of correlations between soil element contents, undergrowth vegetation, and some microbial groups may suggest that these microorganisms are primarily influenced by other soil/litter properties, for example secondary metabolite concentrations.
•Soil changes caused by Quercus rubra and Q. robur were compared in a pot experiment.•Effects of adding litter, planting a sapling, and a combination of both were studied.•Both species increased the ...content of available nutrients and phenolic compounds.•Q. robur had a stronger effect on nutrients, and Q. rubra on phenolic compounds.•Soil changes were mainly associated with sapling growth (rhizodeposition, nutrient uptake)
Quercus rubra is an invasive species which can modify soil properties and change the structure and functions of the forest ecosystem. Its effect on soil physicochemical properties, including the content of nutrients (total and available) and phenolic compounds, was compared with that of native Quercus robur in a two-year pot experiment. Three treatments were applied to pots with soil: adding leaf litter (L), planting a sapling (S), and their combination (S + L). The litter was analyzed for its chemical composition before being added to the pots to determine whether it varied between species and whether this variation was reflected in the properties of L and S + L soils. The treatments were compared with the control, which consisted of soil-only pots, i.e., without litter and sapling. Both species increased the content of available nutrients (except N-NO3) and the content of phenolic compounds in the soil, with the former (namely N-NH4, P-PO4, and exchangeable K, Ca, and Mg) more affected by Q. robur and the latter (especially t-ferulic acid, myricetin, and quercetin) more affected by Q. rubra. Interestingly, this effect was pronounced for pots with saplings (S and S + L), while it was almost insignificant for pots with litter (L) only. When compared to the control, the treatments generally did not affect the total nutrient content in the soil. However, when comparing species, there was less total K and Mg under Q. rubra than under Q. robur saplings. The litter used in the experiment was significantly different between the two species. The Q. rubra leaves contained less N, P, K, Ca, total phenolics, and condensed tannins, and more organic C, (+)-catechin, ellagic acid, (–)-epicatechin, t-ferulic acid, kaempferol, and syringic acid than the leaves of Q. robur. However, since the effect of adding litter was negligible, these differences did not translate into differences in soil properties. Based on the obtained results, it is expected that the growth of invasive Q. rubra will result in worse soil conditions (less total and available nutrients and more phenolics) in the short term than the growth of native Q. robur in the same habitat. This means that planting Q. rubra outside its native range is associated with a risk of soil deterioration and, therefore, should be avoided, and the spontaneous dispersal of this species should be prevented.
•Effects of herbaceous plant species on beech and riparian forest soils were studied.•Plant growth had a positive effect on microbiological performance in both soil types.•Species combinations had a ...stronger effect than single-species treatments.•Plant treatments had different effects on the soil physicochemical properties.•Species identity significantly affected soil parameters.
Although herbaceous plant species have the potential to affect soil abiotic and biotic properties, and thus ecosystem processes, they still remain an underappreciated component of forest ecosystems. We performed an outdoor pot experiment to assess the influence of four herbaceous plant species and their combinations on beech and riparian forest soils. The following plant cover treatments were used in the experiment: (1) bare (unplanted) soil, (2) Aegopodium podagraria, (3) Allium ursinum, (4) Anemone nemorosa, (5) Ficaria verna, (6) two-species combination (A. podagraria + A. ursinum), and (7) four-species combination. After 15 months of the experiment, the soils were collected from the pots and analyzed for microbiological properties, i.e., basal respiration, substrate-induced respiration (SIR), phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) concentrations, enzymatic activity, and physicochemical properties, including moisture, pH, total and available nutrient contents. Herbaceous plants strongly influenced beech and riparian forest soils. Plant growth, either in monocultures or in combinations, resulted in high microbial performance. On the contrary, bare soils were characterized by the lowest values of many microbial indices. Overall, species combinations and A. podagraria had the strongest positive effects on microbes and processes, though the latter mainly in riparian soil; they increased PLFA-biomass (total, bacteria, G+ and G- bacteria, saprotrophic fungi), SIR-biomass, soil respiration, acid phosphatase, alkaline phosphatase, arylsulfatase, and/or urease activity. Plant species combinations and A. podagraria (in riparian soil) also stood out from other treatments in their effects on soil physicochemical properties, decreasing soil water content and the availability of some nutrients (N-NO3, P-PO4). Moreover, A. podagraria increased organic C and total N in riparian soil. Concluding, our experiment showed that the presence of herbaceous plant species positively influences microbes in beech and riparian forest soils, and this effect becomes stronger as plant species diversity increases. Herbaceous plant species are an important component of temperate forests because they play a significant role in supporting soil microorganisms and processes, maintaining soil health in these ecosystems. As such, they should be included in forest management practices.
•Invasive plant species affected soil microorganisms differently.•Contrary to expectations, Reynoutria japonica did not inhibit soil microbes.•Microbial (mainly fungal) biomass under Solidago ...gigantea was lower than expected.•Effect of invasion on most microbial parameters depended on soil type.
Plant invasions can considerably modify soil microbial communities and processes. The direction and magnitude of these changes depend on invasive plant species. This problem has been studied in the field using a space-for-time substitution approach, but rarely in experimental conditions. Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare the effects on soil microbial properties in a mesocosm experiment of four invasive plant species in Europe, namely, Impatiens glandulifera, Reynoutria japonica, Rudbeckia laciniata and Solidago gigantea, and two expansive species native to Europe but invasive in North America, namely Artemisia vulgaris, Phalaris arundinacea, as well as a mixture of these two species grown in pots in two loamy sand soils differing in elemental concentrations and pH. After two years, microbial activity was measured using soil respiration, urease and arylsulfatase activity; total, bacterial and fungal biomass was measured using substrate-induced respiration (SIR) and/or phospholipid fatty acid analysis (PLFA); and community structure was measured using PLFA. Soil microbial parameters were significantly affected by plant species, soil type and their interaction. Contrary to expectations, R. japonica did not exhibit a strong negative effect on soil microorganisms. Microbial activity and/or biomass in soils under R. japonica, A. vulgaris, R. laciniata and/or species mixture were relatively high, though it depended to some extent on microbial parameters and soil type. In contrast, most microbial parameters had rather low values in bare (unplanted) soil and soils under P. arundinacea and S. gigantea. The largest differences between species were observed in the case of fungal biomass and fungi:bacteria ratio in both soils. Fungal biomass under A. vulgaris and R. japonica was a few times higher than in soils under S. gigantea, P. arundinacea and/or I. glandulifera. Our experiment proved that invasive plant species can modify soil microbial properties considerably during a period as short as two growing seasons. Alterations in the soil environment can potentially be considered as niche construction and support the growth and spread of invaders.
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•Invasive Reynoutria japonica had greater biomass than resident species.•R. japonica had higher C, C/N, C/P ratios and lower N, P in aboveground biomass.•Element pools were generally ...greater in R. japonica than in resident species.•Differences in senescent biomass did not affect topsoil physicochemical properties.
Biological invasions are an important element of ongoing global change. Reynoutria japonica is one of the most invasive plant species in Europe and North America, potentially affecting recipient ecosystems. However, little is known about the relationships between its senescing biomass and element concentrations/pools in soil. The aim of this study was to compare the quantity and quality of aboveground and belowground plant biomass, and the quality of topsoil between plots with invasive R. japonica and resident plant communities. The study was conducted at 25 paired R. japonica-native plots in southern Poland. Harvested biomass was dried and weighted, and characterized in terms of C, Ca, K, Mg, N and P concentrations and pools, as well as C/N and C/P ratios. These parameters were also measured in soil along with texture, bulk soil density, moisture and pH. R. japonica produced greater amounts of aboveground and belowground biomass relative to resident species. The concentrations and pools of most elements in plant biomass were affected by invasion (R. japonica vs. resident), biomass type (aboveground vs. belowground) and/or their interactions. Senescing aboveground biomass of R. japonica was characterized by poor quality – lower N, P, K, greater C, Ca concentrations and greater C/N, C/P ratios compared to resident vegetation. Belowground R. japonica biomass had either greater or similar element concentrations (with the exception of P) or ratios. Element pools were greater in R. japonica than in resident species, with the exception of N and P in aboveground biomass. Despite these differences, topsoil generally did not differ in physicochemical properties when analyzed across all study sites; only total N and H2O-extractable K pools were lower under R. japonica than resident vegetation. Our data suggest that ecosystem response to invasion may be site-specific and depend on initial ecosystem properties.
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