Abstract
Soil compaction caused by highly mechanized agriculture can constrain soil microbial diversity and functioning. Physical pressure on the soil decreases macropores and thereby limits oxygen diffusion. The associated shift from aerobic to anaerobic conditions can reduce nitrification and promote denitrification processes, leading to nitrogen (N) losses and N depletion that affect plant productivity. High soil moisture content during trafficking can exacerbate the negative effects of soil compaction. However, the extent to which soil moisture amplifies the effects of compaction on the soil microbiome and its control over N cycling is not well understood. Using a controlled greenhouse experiment with two different crops (pea and wheat), we compared the effects of compaction at three different soil moisture levels on soil physicochemical properties, microbial diversity, and the abundance of specific N species and quantification of associated microbial functional groups in the N cycle. Soil compaction increased bulk density from 15% (light compaction) to 25% (severe compaction). Compaction delayed germination in both crops and reduced yield by up to 60% for pea and 40% for wheat. Compaction further induced crop-specific shifts in microbial community structures. After compaction, the relative abundance of denitrifiers increased along with increased nitrate (NO 3 – ) consumption and elevated nitrous oxide (N 2 O) concentrations in the soil pores. Conversely, the relative abundance of nitrifiers remained stable under compaction, but potentially decelerated nitrification rates, resulting in ammonium (NH 4 + ) accumulation in the soil. This study showed that soil compaction effects are proportional to the initial soil moisture content, which could serve as a good indicator of compaction severity on agricultural fields. However, the impact of soil compaction on crop performance and on microbial communities and functions associated with the N cycle were not necessarily aligned. These findings demonstrate that not only the soil physical properties but also various biological indicators need to be considered in order to provide more precise recommendations for developing sustainable farming systems.
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Claims 16
Claim · model-written summary
Compaction increased soil bulk density by 15% under light compaction.
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“Soil compaction increased bulk density from 15% (light compaction) to 25% (severe compaction)”
Claim · model-written summary
Compaction increased soil bulk density by 25% under severe compaction.
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“Soil compaction increased bulk density from 15% (light compaction) to 25% (severe compaction)”
Claim · model-written summary
Compaction delayed pea germination.
- Taxon
- pea
Lathyrus oleraceust0 - Treatment
- Compactione0
- Outcome
- germinatione0
- Direction
- delayede0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Compaction delayed germination in both crops”
t0“Pea”
Claim · model-written summary
Compaction delayed wheat germination.
- Taxon
- wheat
Triticum aestivumt0 - Treatment
- Compactione0
- Outcome
- germinatione0
- Direction
- delayede0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Compaction delayed germination in both crops”
t0“Wheat”
Claim · model-written summary
Compaction reduced pea yield by up to 60%.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Compaction delayed germination in both crops and reduced yield by up to 60% for pea”
t0“Pea”
Claim · model-written summary
Compaction reduced wheat yield by up to 40%.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Compaction delayed germination in both crops and reduced yield by up to 60% for pea and 40% for wheat”
t0“Wheat”
Claim · model-written summary
Compaction shifted crop-associated microbial community structure.
- Taxon
- pea and wheatLathyrus oleraceusTriticum aestivumt0
- Treatment
- Compactione0
- Outcome
- microbial community structurese0
Not reportedComparatorDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Compaction further induced crop-specific shifts in microbial community structures”
t0“Pea and Wheat”
Claim · model-written summary
Compaction increased the relative abundance of denitrifiers.
Verbatim
e0“After compaction, the relative abundance of denitrifiers increased”
Claim · model-written summary
Compaction increased nitrate consumption.
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“increased nitrate (NO 3 – ) consumption”
e1“After compaction, the relative abundance of denitrifiers increased”
Claim · model-written summary
Compaction elevated nitrous oxide concentrations in soil pores.
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“elevated nitrous oxide (N 2 O) concentrations in the soil pores”
e1“After compaction, the relative abundance of denitrifiers increased”
Claim · model-written summary
The relative abundance of nitrifiers stayed stable under compaction.
Verbatim
e0“relative abundance of nitrifiers remained stable under compaction”
Claim · model-written summary
Nitrification rates potentially slowed under compaction.
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“potentially decelerated nitrification rates”
e1“relative abundance of nitrifiers remained stable under compaction”
Claim · model-written summary
Ammonium accumulated in soil under compaction.
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“resulting in ammonium (NH 4 + ) accumulation in the soil”
e1“relative abundance of nitrifiers remained stable under compaction”
Claim · model-written summary
Compaction effects scaled with initial soil moisture content.
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“soil compaction effects are proportional to the initial soil moisture content”
Claim · model-written summary
Crop performance and microbial community responses to compaction were not necessarily aligned.
- Taxon
- pea and wheatLathyrus oleraceusTriticum aestivumt0
- Outcome
- crop performancee0
- Qualifier
- not necessarily alignede0
- Setting
- soil compactione0
Not reportedDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“the impact of soil compaction on crop performance and on microbial communities and functions associated with the N cycle were not necessarily aligned”
t0“Pea and Wheat”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors recommend biological as well as physical indicators for sustainable farming guidance.
- Taxon
- pea and wheatLathyrus oleraceusTriticum aestivumt0
- Outcome
- various biological indicators need to be considerede0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“not only the soil physical properties but also various biological indicators need to be considered in order to provide more precise recommendations for developing sustainable farming systems”
t0“Pea and Wheat”
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