Soil moisture is one of the most important factors affecting soil biota. In arid and semi-arid ecosystems, soil mesofauna is adapted to temporary drought events, but, until now, we have had a limited understanding of the impacts of the different magnitudes and frequencies of drought predicted to occur according to future climate change scenarios. The present study focuses on how springtails and mites respond to simulated repeated drought events of different magnitudes in a field experiment in a Hungarian semi-arid sand steppe. Changes in soil arthropod activities were monitored with soil trapping over two years in a sandy soil. In the first year (2014), we applied an extreme drought pretreatment, and in the consecutive year, we applied less devastating treatments (severe drought, moderate drought, water addition) to these sites. In the first year, the extreme drought pretreatment tended to have a negative effect (either significantly or not significantly) on the capture of all Collembola groups, whereas all mite groups increased in activity density. However, in the consecutive year, between the extreme drought and control treatments, we only detected differences in soil microbial biomass. In the cases of severe drought, moderate drought and water addition, we did not find considerable changes across the microarthropods, except in the case of epedaphic Collembola. In the cases of the water addition and drought treatments, the duration and timing of the manipulation seemed to be more important for soil mesofauna than their severity (i.e., the level of soil moisture decrease). We suggest that in these extreme habitats, soil mesofauna are able to survive extreme conditions, and their populations recover rapidly, but they may not be able to cope with very long drought periods.

In this study, we examined the effect of salinity and alkalinity on the metabolic potential and taxonomic composition of microbiota inhabiting the sodic soils in different plant communities. The soil samples were collected in the Pannonian steppe (Hungary, Central Europe) under extreme dry and wet weather conditions. The metabolic profiles of microorganisms were analyzed using the MicroResp method, the bacterial diversity was assessed by cultivation and next-generation amplicon sequencing based on the 16S rRNA gene. Catabolic profiles of microbial communities varied primarily according to the alkali vegetation types. Most members of the strain collection were identified as plant associated and halophilic/alkaliphilic species of Micrococcus, Nesterenkonia, Nocardiopsis, Streptomyces (Actinobacteria) and Bacillus, Paenibacillus (Firmicutes) genera. Based on the pyrosequencing data, the relative abundance of the phyla Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Acidobacteria, Gemmatimonadetes and Bacteroidetes also changed mainly with the sample types, indicating distinctions within the compositions of bacterial communities according to the sodic soil alkalinity-salinity gradient. The effect of weather extremes was the most pronounced in the relative abundance of the phyla Actinobacteria and Acidobacteria. The type of alkali vegetation caused greater shifts in both the diversity and activity of sodic soil microbial communities than the extreme aridity and moisture.

The influence of organic and conventional farming and agroecology on the diversity and functioning of indigenous soil microbial communities was examined using a multifactorial analysis based on an extended minimum data set of classical status and functional tests. Main soil physicochemical properties and selected microbiological indicators, the quantity of heterotrophic or aerobic spore-forming bacteria, basal and substrate-induced respiration, catabolic activity with MicroRespTM, and fluorescein diacetate enzyme activity were characterized. A pot experiment applying the most probable number method was designed with soil dilution series using Pisum sativum L. and Triticum spelta L. to assess the symbiotic infectivity and genetic diversity of key indicator groups of the plant microbiome, e.g. nitrogen-fixing bacteria (rhizobia) and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. Soil pH, humus content, CFU, enzyme activity, and soil respiration were significantly higher in organic soils. The activity of soil microorganisms was mainly related to clay, humus, calcium, and magnesium parameters. A redundancy analysis test of catabolic activities showed that samples were grouped according to different substrate utilization patterns and land uses were also clearly separated from each other. Farming practice influenced the abundance and diversity of microbial populations. Dark septate endophytic fungi were only found in conventional soils. In addition to confirming soil health improvements by organic management, our results highlight the importance of a complex evaluation including both classical status and functional parameters of soil microbiota, which may more reliably indicate a shift in the quality status of soils.

Nowadays, one of the most important challenges is to ensure sustainable agricultural management of crops such as maize (Zea mays L.). Long-term crop production, however, may influence the soil properties, the composition and activity of microbial communities. The aim of this study was to compare the catabolic activity and taxonomic diversity of bacterial communities inhabiting the soil of a non-fertilized maize monoculture and a natural grassland. Samples were taken from the horizons A and C in the first part of the vegetation period. MicroResp™ technique was used to explore the catabolic potential of microbial communities and next generation amplicon sequencing to reveal the bacterial diversity. Based on the catabolic activity results, higher differences were revealed among the soil horizons than the different land uses. The highest degree carbon source utilization was detected in the soil horizon A of the natural grassland. The taxonomic composition of bacterial communities was dominated by Proteobacteria. The relative abundance of other dominant phyla (Acidobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Verrucomicrobia, Actinobacteria, Planctomycetes, Gemmatimonadetes, Chloroflexi and Patescibacteria) varied according to both the land use and soil depth. Amplicon sequences belonging to genera of r-strategist “copiotrophic” and K-strategist “oligotrophic” bacteria were identified from the soils of both maize monoculture and grassland.

Soils play an important role in the ecosystem of karstic landscapes both as a buffer zone and as a source of acidity to belowground water. Although the microbiota of karstic soils is known to have a great effect on karstification processes, the activity and composition of these communities are largely unknown. This study gives a comparative analysis of soil microbial profiles from different parts of a doline located at Aggtelek, Hungary. The aim was to reveal the relationships between the vegetation type and genetic fingerprints and substrate utilisation (multi-SIR) profiles of the soil microbiota. Soil samples were collected in early and late springs along a transect in a doline covered with different types of vegetation. Genetic fingerprints of bacterial communities were examined by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) based on the 16S rRNA gene, along with multi-SIR profiles of the microbial communities measured by the MicroResp method using 15 different carbon sources. Genetic fingerprinting indicated that vegetation cover had a strong effect on the composition of soil bacterial communities. Procrustean analysis showed only a weak connection between DGGE and multi-SIR profiles, probably due to the high functional redundancy of the communities. Seasonality had a significant effect on substrate usage, which can be an important factor to consider in future studies.

A talajok hazai és nemzetközi kutatásában egyre nagyobb szerepet kap a talajok mikrobiótájának vizsgálata. Hazai viszonylatban szikes talajokon eddig kevés ilyen irányú kutatás történt. Kutatásunkban kiskunsági szikes talajok mikrobaközösségeinek katabolikus aktivitás mintázatát vizsgáltuk Apajpusztáról származó mintákon. A mintavételhez négy, a szikesedés különböző fázisaira jellemző növényzettel rendelkező területet választottunk ki (szoloncsák vaksziknövényzet, kiskunsági szikfoknövényzet, ürmös szikespuszta és füves szikespuszta), ezek területéről a talaj mikrobiológiai szempontból legaktívabbnak tekintett 0-10 cm-es rétegét mintáztuk. A minták néhány fontosabb talajtani paraméterét meghatároztuk (szemcseösszetétel, pH, só-, humusz- és mésztartalom, valamint néhány fontosabb tápelem mennyisége). A négy eltérő növényzetű terület között a talajtani paramétereik alapján is jelentős különbségeket tapasztaltunk. A minták mikrobiológiai aktivitását az itthon még kevéssé ismert mikrorespirációs (MicroResp^TM) módszerrel vizsgáltuk. Ennek során a talajmintákhoz 23 különböző szerves szubsztrátot adtunk, és az általuk indukált légzési válaszon keresztül mértük, hogy az egyes talajminták mikrobaközösségei milyen mértékben képesek hasznosítani az egyes szubsztrátokat. Az így kapott, közösségre jellemző katabolikus aktivitás mintázatokat főkomponens elemzéssel és kanonikus korreszpondancia elemzéssel értékeltük. Eredményeink alapján a mikrorespirációs módszer egyértelműen alkalmas az általunk vizsgált talajok mikrobiótájának elkülönítésére. Az egyes minták katabolikus aktivitás mintázatai közötti különbségek egybevágtak a minták közötti, talajfizikai és —kémiai tulajdonságban megfigyelt eltérésekkel. A kutatást az OTKA (K 108572) támogatta.