Carbon availability affects already large species-specific differences in chemical composition of ectomycorrhizal fungal mycelia in pure culture.

Although ectomycorrhizal (ECM) contribution to soil organic matter processes receives increased attention, little is known about fundamental differences in chemical composition among species, and how that may be affected by carbon (C) availability. Here, we study how 16 species (incl. 19 isolates) grown in pure culture at three different C:N ratios (10:1, 20:1, and 40:1) vary in chemical structure, using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy.

It is elemental: soil nutrient stoichiometry drives bacterial diversity.

It is well established that resource quantity and elemental stoichiometry play major roles in shaping below and aboveground plant biodiversity, but their importance for shaping microbial diversity in soil remains unclear. Here, we used statistical modeling on a regional database covering 179 locations and six ecosystem types across Scotland to evaluate the roles of total carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) availabilities and ratios, together with land use, climate and biotic and abiotic factors, in determining regional scale patterns of soil bacterial diversity. We found that bacterial diversity and composition were primarily driven by variation in soil resource stoichiometry (total C:N:P ratios), itself linked to different land uses, and secondarily driven by other important biodiversity drivers such as climate, soil spatial heterogeneity, soil pH, root influence (plant-soil microbe interactions) and microbial biomass (soil microbe-microbe interactions).

Long-term Impact of Sewage Sludge Application on biovar : An Evaluation Using Meta-Analysis.

The Long-Term Sludge Experiment (LTSE) began in 1994 at nine UK field sites as part of continuing research into the effects of sludge-borne heavy metals on soil fertility. The long-term effects of Zn, Cu, and Cd on the most probable numbers of cells (MPN) of biovar were monitored for 8 yr in sludge-amended soils. To assess the statutory limits set by the UK Sludge (Use in Agriculture) Regulations, the experimental data were reviewed using statistical methods of meta-analysis.

Long-term impact of sewage sludge application on soil microbial biomass: An evaluation using meta-analysis.

The Long-Term Sludge Experiments (LTSE) began in 1994 as part of continuing research into the effects of sludge-borne heavy metals on soil fertility. The long-term effects of Zn, Cu, and Cd on soil microbial biomass carbon (C) were monitored for 8 years (1997-2005) in sludge amended soils at nine UK field sites. To assess the statutory limits set by the UK Sludge (Use in Agriculture) Regulations the experimental data has been reviewed using the statistical methods of meta-analysis.

Soil amendment affects Cd uptake by wheat - are we underestimating the risks from chloride inputs?

Many parts of the world are investigating the efficacy of recycling nutrient resources to agriculture from different industry and domestic sectors as part of a more circular economy. The complex nature of recycled products as soil amendments coupled to the large diversity of soil types and their inherent properties make it difficult to optimize the benefits and minimize the risks from potentially toxic elements often present in recycled materials. Here we investigated how wheat grain cadmium (Cd) concentration was affected by soil amendments, namely human urine and biogas digestate compared to traditional farm manures and mineral fertilizers.

Microbial diversity drives multifunctionality in terrestrial ecosystems.

Despite the importance of microbial communities for ecosystem services and human welfare, the relationship between microbial diversity and multiple ecosystem functions and services (that is, multifunctionality) at the global scale has yet to be evaluated. Here we use two independent, large-scale databases with contrasting geographic coverage (from 78 global drylands and from 179 locations across Scotland, respectively), and report that soil microbial diversity positively relates to multifunctionality in terrestrial ecosystems. The direct positive effects of microbial diversity were maintained even when accounting simultaneously for multiple multifunctionality drivers (climate, soil abiotic factors and spatial predictors).

Deterministic processes vary during community assembly for ecologically dissimilar taxa.

The continuum hypothesis states that both deterministic and stochastic processes contribute to the assembly of ecological communities. However, the contextual dependency of these processes remains an open question that imposes strong limitations on predictions of community responses to environmental change. Here we measure community and habitat turnover across multiple vertical soil horizons at 183 sites across Scotland for bacteria and fungi, both dominant and functionally vital components of all soils but which differ substantially in their growth habit and dispersal capability.

Environmental risk factors in the incidence of Johne's disease.

This review addresses the survival and persistence of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP), the causative pathogen of Johne's disease (JD), once it has left its ruminant host. JD has significant economic impact on dairy, beef and sheep industries and is difficult to control due to the long-term sub-clinical nature of the infection, intermittent or persistent MAP shedding during and after this period, inadequate test effectiveness, and the potential for MAP to exist for extended periods outside the host.

The validity and clinical utility of structured diagnoses of antisocial personality disorder with forensic patients.

Current DSM-based instruments for personality disorders (PDs) limit the investigation of the course and outcome of treatment of these disorders. This study examined the validity of the Shedler-Westen Assessment Procedure-200 (SWAP-200) and the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis II PD (SCID-II) in a sample of forensic PD patients. Results based on 66 participants indicated that the SWAP-200 Q-factors reduced the frequency of diagnostic comorbidity of PD categories by half compared with the SCID-II.

Loss of microbial diversity in soils is coincident with reductions in some specialized functions.

Loss of microbial diversity is considered a major threat because of its importance for ecosystem functions, but there is a lack of conclusive evidence that diversity itself is reduced under anthropogenic stress, and about the consequences of diversity loss. Heavy metals are one of the largest, widespread pollutant types globally, and these represent a significant environmental stressor for terrestrial microbial communities. Using combined metagenomics and functional assays, we show that the compositional and functional response of microbial communities to long-term heavy metal stress results in a significant loss of diversity.

Early-life residential exposure to soil components in rural areas and childhood respiratory health and allergy.

The increase in asthma and allergies has been attributed to declining exposure to environmental microorganisms. The main source of these is soil, the composition of which varies geographically and which is a major component (40-45%) of household dust. Our hypothesis-generating study aimed to investigate associations between soil components, respiratory health and allergy in a Scottish birth cohort.

Multi-factorial drivers of ammonia oxidizer communities: evidence from a national soil survey.

The factors driving the abundance and community composition of soil microbial communities provide fundamental knowledge on the maintenance of biodiversity and the ecosystem services they underpin. Several studies have suggested that microbial communities are spatially organized, including functional groups and much of the observed variation is explained by geographical location or soil pH. Soil ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) and bacteria (AOB) are excellent models for such study due to their functional, agronomic and environmental importance and their relative ease of characterization.

Harnessing clinical psychiatric data with an electronic assessment tool (OPCRIT+): the utility of symptom dimensions.

Progress in personalised psychiatry is dependent on researchers having access to systematic and accurately acquired symptom data across clinical diagnoses. We have developed a structured psychiatric assessment tool, OPCRIT+, that is being introduced into the electronic medical records system of the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust which can help to achieve this. In this report we examine the utility of the symptom data being collected with the tool.

Multiplex T-RFLP allows for increased target number and specificity: detection of Salmonella enterica and six species of Listeria in a single test.

A multiplex T-RFLP test was developed to detect and identify Salmonella enterica and all six species of Listeria inoculated into milk at minimal levels. Extensive in silico analysis was used to design a fifteen-primer, six-amplimer methodology and in vitro application showed target organism DNA, when amplified individually, yielded the predicted terminal restriction fragments (TRFs) following digestion. Non-target organisms were either not-amplified or yielded TRFs which did not interfere with target identification.

Antibiotic resistance gene abundances correlate with metal and geochemical conditions in archived Scottish soils.

The vast majority of antibiotic resistant genes (ARG) acquired by human pathogens have originated from the natural environment. Therefore, understanding factors that influence intrinsic levels of ARG in the environment could be epidemiologically significant. The selection for metal resistance often promotes AR in exposed organisms; however, the relationship between metal levels in nature and the intrinsic presence of ARG has not been fully assessed.

Risk assessment of the use of PAS100 green composts in sheep and cattle production in Scotland.

A generalized quantitative risk assessment for the use of source-segregated green waste (SSGW) compost use in livestock production is presented. This assessment focussed on potential risks associated with a specific product, PAS100 compost that meets the UK publicly available specification 100 and represents the majority of compost available for use in extensive Scottish livestock systems. A hazard screening approach was used to identify all potentially hazardous agents present in compost.

Links between ammonia oxidizer community structure, abundance, and nitrification potential in acidic soils.

Ammonia oxidation is the first and rate-limiting step of nitrification and is performed by both ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) and bacteria (AOB). However, the environmental drivers controlling the abundance, composition, and activity of AOA and AOB communities are not well characterized, and the relative importance of these two groups in soil nitrification is still debated. Chinese tea orchard soils provide an excellent system for investigating the long-term effects of low pH and nitrogen fertilization strategies.

Effects of cis-regulatory variation differ across regions of the adult human brain.

Cis-regulatory variation is considered to be an important determinant of human phenotypic variability, including susceptibility to complex disease. Recent studies have shown that the effects of cis-regulatory polymorphism on gene expression can differ widely between tissues. In the present study, we tested whether the effects of cis-regulatory variation can also differ between regions of the adult human brain.

The enigma of soil animal species diversity revisited: the role of small-scale heterogeneity.

Background: "The enigma of soil animal species diversity" was the title of a popular article by J. M. Anderson published in 1975.

Degradation of yew, ragwort and rhododendron toxins during composting.

Recent concerns have been raised that plants such as ragwort (Senecio jacobaea), yew (Taxus baccata) and rhododendron (Rhododendron ponticum) that are toxic to livestock may be included in compost windrows but may not be fully detoxified by the composting process. This study investigates the decomposition during composting of toxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids present in ragwort, taxines (A and B) present in yew, and grayanotoxins (GTX I, II, and III) present in rhododendron during composting. Plant samples were contained within microporous bags either towards the edge or within the centre of a pilot-scale compost heap.

Long term repeated prescribed burning increases evenness in the basidiomycete laccase gene pool in forest soils.

Repeated prescribed burning alters the biologically labile fraction of nutrients and carbon of soil organic matter (SOM). Using a long-term (30 years) repeated burning experiment where burning has been carried out at a 2- or 4-year frequency, we analysed the effect of prescribed burning on gross potential C turnover rates and phenol oxidase activity in relation to shifts in SOM composition as observed using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. In tandem, we assessed the genetic diversity of basidiomycete laccases.

Multiple profiling of soil microbial communities identifies potential genetic markers of metal-enriched sewage sludge.

The long-term impacts of Cu- and Zn-rich sewage sludge additions on the structure of the microbial community in a field under pasture were investigated using a combination of multiplex-terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (M-TRFLP) and T-RFLP profiling approaches. Changes in the community structure of bacteria, fungi, archaea and actinobacteria were observed in soils that had previously received Cu- (50-200 mg kg(-1) soil) and Zn- (150-450 mg kg(-1) soil) rich sewage sludge additions. Changes in the structure of all microbial groups measured were observed at Cu and Zn rates below the current EU guidelines (135 mg kg(-1) Cu and 300 mg kg(-1) Zn).

Does the preferential microbial colonisation of ferromagnesian minerals affect mineral weathering in soil?

Fungal activity is thought to play a direct and effective role in the breakdown and dissolution of primary minerals and in the synthesis of clay minerals in soil environments, with important consequences for plant growth and ecosystem functioning. We have studied primary mineral weathering in volcanic soils developed on trachydacite in southern Tuscany using a combination of qualitative and quantitative mineralogical and microbiological techniques. Specifically, we characterized the weathering and microbiological colonization of the magnetically separated ferromagnesian minerals (biotite and orthopyroxene) and non-ferromagnesian constituents (K-feldspar and volcanic glass) of the coarse sand fraction (250-1,000 microm).

Changes in fungal community composition in response to vegetational succession during the natural regeneration of cutover peatlands.

Despite the importance of peatlands as a major store of sequestered carbon and the role of fungi in releasing sequestered C, we know little about the community structure of fungi in peatlands. We investigated these across a gradient of naturally regenerating peatland vegetation using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) and clone libraries of fragments of the fungal rRNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region. Significant changes in the fungal community structure of peat samples at different stages of regeneration were observed, which relate to the composition of the vegetation recolonizing these sites.