Formation of multi-species biofilms in paddy soils developed from two parent materials mediated by soil minerals

Abstract:

[Objective] To explore the formation process of multi-species biofilms in paddy soils developed from different parent materials mediated by soil minerals, thus providing a scientific basis for revealing the interaction mechanisms between soil components and multi-species biofilms. [Methods] The multi-species biofilms were extracted from reddish clayey soil and acidic purple soil, and kaolinite and goethite were used as the mineral media. Modern biological microscopy, high-throughput sequencing, and infrared spectroscopy were employed to study the mineral-mediated formation process, structural changes, and bacterial community structure of the biofilm. [Results] Based on the high-throughput sequencing technology of 16S rRNA gene, the flora in the multi-species biofilms in the paddy soils developed from the two parent materials was dominated by Chloroflexi, Acidobacteria, Proteobacteria, Nitrospirae, and Desulfobacterota. Compared with the control without mineral addition, goethite and kaolinite significantly inhibited the formation of the multi-species biofilm dominated by Chloroflexi in the acidic purple soil, decreasing the biofilm biomass by 18.38% and 17.30%, respectively. In the reddish clayey soil dominated by Acidobacteria, goethite and kaolinite promoted the multi-species biofilm formation to varying degrees. Kaolinite demonstrated more significant promotion effect, increasing the biofilm thickness, the secretion of polysaccharides in the biofilm by 7.69%, and the biofilm biomass by 18.99%. [Conclusion] Kaolinite stimulated bacterial production of extracellular substances, promoted the multi-species biofilm formation in reddish clayey soil, and inhibited the multi-species biofilm formation in acidic purple soil. Goethite inhibited the multi-species biofilm formation in acidic purple soil. Compared with kaolinite, goethite is likely to cause cell inactivation. This study further revealed the interaction mechanism between soil components and multi-species biofilms, and the results provided a scientific theoretical basis for promoting the sustainable development of soil health.