Abstract
Soil is a complex and dynamic ecosystem whose functionality is related to the equilibrium existing among chemical, physical and biological parameters and the resident microbial communities. Soil microorganisms play a central role in decomposing organic matter, in determining the release of mineral nutrients, and in nutrient cycling, and have direct and indirect effects on both crop growth and quality, as well as on the sustainability of soil productivity. In addition, soil microorganisms substantially contribute to the resistance and resilience of agro-ecosystems to abiotic disturbance and stress. Therefore, changes in microbial communities may directly affect soil ecosystem function since microbes can respond rapidly to environmental changes because of the vastness of microbial biomass and diversity. An increasing number of studies have shown how environmental impacts that cause modifications in microbial community structure and diversity ultimately affect soil biological processes. Agricultural land management is one of most significant anthropogenic activities that substantially alter soil characteristics, including physical, chemical, and biological properties. The present chapter gives a picture of the effect of different agricultural management practices on soil microbial community structure and function. A case study on the effects of tillage and nitrogen fertilization on soil bacterial community structure is also reported.
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Acknowledgements
This study was supported by COST Action FP1305 “BioLink: Linking soil biodiversity and ecosystem function in European forests”. The case-study in the Mediterranean Area was funded by MIUR (Integrated Special Fund for Research– FISR) in the frame of the Italian National Project SOILSINK “Climate change and agro-forestry systems, impacts on soil carbon sink and microbial diversity”, and partially supported by MIUR (Research Department of Italian Government) in the framework of the Agreement Program ENEA-CNR (Art. 2, c. 44, Legge 23.12.2009 n. 191 – Legge Finanziaria 2010). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. Authors greatly acknowledge the “Azienda Didattico-Sperimentale Pasquale Rosati” in Agugliano, the coordinator of SOILSINK Project Dr. Rosa Francaviglia (CRA-RPS, Rome), the responsible of the experimental site in Agugliano Prof. Pier Paolo Roggero (University of Sassari), and Dr. Roberto Orsini, Dr. Giuseppe Iezzi and Dr. Giuseppe Corti (Polytechnic University of Marche, Ancona, Italy) for providing data on soil physical properties and collecting soil samples.
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Bevivino, A., Dalmastri, C. (2017). Impact of Agricultural Land Management on Soil Bacterial Community: A Case Study in the Mediterranean Area. In: Lukac, M., Grenni, P., Gamboni, M. (eds) Soil Biological Communities and Ecosystem Resilience. Sustainability in Plant and Crop Protection. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-63336-7_5
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