Land conversion to agriculture induces taxonomic homogenization of soil microbial communities globally.

Agriculture contributes to a decline in local species diversity and to above- and below-ground biotic homogenization. Here, we conduct a continental survey using 1185 soil samples and compare microbial communities from natural ecosystems (forest, grassland, and wetland) with converted agricultural land. We combine our continental survey results with a global meta-analysis of available sequencing data that cover more than 2400 samples across six continents. Our combined results demonstrate that land conversion to agricultural land results in taxonomic and functional homogenization of soil bacteria, mainly driven by the increase in the geographic ranges of taxa in croplands. We find that 20% of phylotypes are decreased and 23% are increased by land conversion, with croplands enriched in Chloroflexi, Gemmatimonadota, Planctomycetota, Myxcoccota and Latescibacterota. Although there is no significant difference in functional composition between natural ecosystems and agricultural land, functional genes involved in nitrogen fixation, phosphorus mineralization and transportation are depleted in cropland. Our results provide a global insight into the consequences of land-use change on soil microbial taxonomic and functional diversity.

The neglected roles of adjacent natural ecosystems in maintaining bacterial diversity in agroecosystems.

A central aim of community ecology is to understand how local species diversity is shaped. Agricultural activities are reshaping and filtering soil biodiversity and communities; however, ecological processes that structure agricultural communities have often overlooked the role of the regional species pool, mainly owing to the lack of large datasets across several regions. Here, we conducted a soil survey of 941 plots of agricultural and adjacent natural ecosystems (e.g., forest, wetland, grassland, and desert) in 38 regions across diverse climatic and soil gradients to evaluate whether the regional species pool of soil microbes from adjacent natural ecosystems is important in shaping agricultural soil microbial diversity and completeness. Using a framework of multiscales community assembly, we revealed that the regional species pool was an important predictor of agricultural bacterial diversity and explained a unique variation that cannot be predicted by historical legacy, large-scale environmental factors, and local community assembly processes. Moreover, the species pool effects were associated with microbial dormancy potential, where taxa with higher dormancy potential exhibited stronger species pool effects. Bacterial diversity in regions with higher agricultural intensity was more influenced by species pool effects than that in regions with low intensity, indicating that the maintenance of agricultural biodiversity in high-intensity regions strongly depends on species present in the surrounding landscape. Models for community completeness indicated the positive effect of regional species pool, further implying the community unsaturation and increased potential in bacterial diversity of agricultural ecosystems. Overall, our study reveals the indubitable role of regional species pool from adjacent natural ecosystems in predicting bacterial diversity, which has useful implication for biodiversity management and conservation in agricultural systems.

Grass-legume mixtures maintain forage biomass under microbial diversity loss via gathering Pseudomonas in root zone soil.

IMPORTANCE: Grass-legume mixtures are a common practice for establishing artificial grasslands, directly or indirectly contributing to the improvement of yield. In addition, this method helps maintain soil and plant health by reducing the use of chemical fertilizers. The impact of grass-legume mixtures on yield and its underlying microbial mechanisms have been a focus of scientific investigation. However, the benefits of mixtures in the context of soil microbial diversity loss remain a problem worthy of exploration. In this study, we examined different aboveground and belowground diversity combinations to elucidate the mechanisms by which grass-legume mixtures help maintain stable yields in the face of diversity loss. We identified the significantly enriched Pseudomonas genus microbial ASV53, which was gathered through homogeneous selection and served as a keystone in the co-occurrence network. ASV53 showed a strong positive correlation with biomass and the abundance of nitrogen-fixing genes. These findings provide a new theoretical foundation for utilizing grass-legume mixtures to enhance grass yields and address the challenges posed by diversity loss.

Maternal and cord blood parameters are associated with placental and newborn outcomes in indigenous mothers: A case study in the MINDI cohort / Parámetros maternos y de sangre de cordón asociados con medidas placentarias y del recién nacido: Un estudio de casos en madres indígenas de la cohorte MINDI

Abstract Background: Multiple infections, nutrient deficiencies and inflammation (MINDI) occur in indigenous communities, but their associations with perinatal outcomes have not been described. Objective: To assess maternal and cord blood micronutrient and inflammation status in peripartum mothers from the Ngäbe-Buglé comarca in Panama, and their associations with placental and infant outcomes. Methods: In 34 mother-newborn dyads, placental weight and diameter were measured, and maternal and cord blood were processed for complete cell counts, serum C-reactive protein, ferritin, serum transferrin receptor (sTfR), vitamins A and D. Blood volumes were calculated using Nadler's formula. Results: Mothers had low plasma volume (<2.8 L, 96%), vitamin A (52.9%), vitamin D (29.4%), iron (58.8%) and hemoglobin (23.5%), but high hematocrit (>40%, 17.6%) and inflammation (C-reactive protein >8.1 mg/L, 85.3%). Birthweights were normal, but low placental weight (35.3%), low head circumference Z-scores (17.6%), and low cord hemoglobin (5.9%), iron (79.4%), vitamin A (14.7%) and vitamin D (82.3%) were identified. Maternal and cord vitamin D were highly correlated. Higher maternal plasma volume was associated with heavier placentae (β= 0.57), and higher cord D (β= 0.43) and eosinophils (β= 0.43) with larger placentae. Hemoconcentration (higher cord hematocrit) was associated with lower newborn weight (β= -0.48) and head circumference (β= -0.56). Inflammation [higher maternal neutrophils (β= -0.50), and cord platelets (β= -0.32)] was associated with lower newborn length and head circumference. Conclusion: Maternal-newborn hemoconcentration, subclinical inflammation and multiple nutrient deficiencies, particularly neonatal vitamin D deficiency, were identified as potential targets for interventions to improve pregnancy outcomes in vulnerable communities.

Resumen Antecedentes: Las Múltiples Infecciones, Nutrición Deficiente e Inflamación (MINDI), son frecuentes en comunidades indígenas, sin embargo, sus asociaciones con resultados de salud perinatales no han sido descritos. Objetivo: Evaluar la inflamación y los micronutrientes en sangre materna y de cordón de madres en trabajo de parto en la comarca Ngäbe-Buglé en Panamá, así como sus asociaciones con medidas placentarias y del recién nacido. Métodos: En 34 pares madre-recién nacido, se midieron peso y diámetro placentario, y se analizaron muestras de sangre materna y de cordón umbilical para hemograma completo, proteína-C reactiva (PCR), ferritina, receptor sérico de transferrina (RsTf), vitaminas A y D. Se usó la fórmula de Nadler para calcular volúmenes sanguíneos. Resultados: Las madres presentaron volumen plasmático (<2.8 L, 96%), vitamina A (52.9%), vitamina D (29.4%), hierro (58.8%) y hemoglobina (23.5%) bajos, pero el 17.6% presentaron hematocrito >40% y 85.3% presentaron inflamación (PCR >8.1 mg/L). Los pesos al nacer fueron normales, pero se identificó bajo peso placentario (35.3%), bajo puntaje-z de circunferencia cefálica neonatal, y en sangre de cordón, bajos hemoglobina (5.9%), hierro (79.4%), vitamina A (14.7%) y vitamina D (82.3%). Se encontró una fuerte correlación positiva entre la vitamina D materna y de sangre de cordón. Un mayor volumen plasmático materno se asoció con placentas de mayor peso (β= 0.57), en tanto que concentraciones más altas de vitamina D (β= 0.43) y mayor número de eosinófilos (β= 0.43) se asociaron con mayor diámetro placentario. Una mayor hemoconcentración (hematocrito en cordón más alto) se asoció con menores peso al nacer (β= -0.48) y circunferencia cefálica (β= -0.56). La inflamación [mayor número de neutrófilos maternos (β= -0.50) y plaquetas en sangre de cordón (β= -0.32)] se asoció con menor talla y circunferencia cefálica neonatales. Conclusión: La hemoconcentración materna y del recién nacido, la inflamación subclínica y las múltiples deficiencias en micronutrientes, particularmente la deficiencia de vitamina D neonatal, se identificaron como potenciales áreas de intervención para mejorar los resultados de salud del embarazo en comunidades vulnerables.

Maternal and cord blood parameters are associated with placental and newborn outcomes in indigenous mothers: A case study in the MINDI cohort.

Background: Multiple infections, nutrient deficiencies and inflammation (MINDI) occur in indigenous communities, but their associations with perinatal outcomes have not been described. Objective: To assess maternal and cord blood micronutrient and inflammation status in peripartum mothers from the Ngäbe-Buglé comarca in Panama, and their associations with placental and infant outcomes. Methods: In 34 mother-newborn dyads, placental weight and diameter were measured, and maternal and cord blood were processed for complete cell counts, serum C-reactive protein, ferritin, serum transferrin receptor (sTfR), vitamins A and D. Blood volumes were calculated using Nadler's formula. Results: Mothers had low plasma volume (<2.8 L, 96%), vitamin A (52.9%), vitamin D (29.4%), iron (58.8%) and hemoglobin (23.5%), but high hematocrit (>40%, 17.6%) and inflammation (C-reactive protein >8.1 mg/L, 85.3%). Birthweights were normal, but low placental weight (35.3%), low head circumference Z-scores (17.6%), and low cord hemoglobin (5.9%), iron (79.4%), vitamin A (14.7%) and vitamin D (82.3%) were identified. Maternal and cord vitamin D were highly correlated. Higher maternal plasma volume was associated with heavier placentae (ß= 0.57), and higher cord D (ß= 0.43) and eosinophils (ß= 0.43) with larger placentae. Hemoconcentration (higher cord hematocrit) was associated with lower newborn weight (ß= -0.48) and head circumference (ß= -0.56). Inflammation [higher maternal neutrophils (ß= -0.50), and cord platelets (ß= -0.32)] was associated with lower newborn length and head circumference. Conclusion: Maternal-newborn hemoconcentration, subclinical inflammation and multiple nutrient deficiencies, particularly neonatal vitamin D deficiency, were identified as potential targets for interventions to improve pregnancy outcomes in vulnerable communities.

Antecedentes: Las Múltiples Infecciones, Nutrición Deficiente e Inflamación (MINDI), son frecuentes en comunidades indígenas, sin embargo, sus asociaciones con resultados de salud perinatales no han sido descritos. Objetivo: Evaluar la inflamación y los micronutrientes en sangre materna y de cordón de madres en trabajo de parto en la comarca Ngäbe-Buglé en Panamá, así como sus asociaciones con medidas placentarias y del recién nacido. Métodos: En 34 pares madre-recién nacido, se midieron peso y diámetro placentario, y se analizaron muestras de sangre materna y de cordón umbilical para hemograma completo, proteína-C reactiva (PCR), ferritina, receptor sérico de transferrina (RsTf), vitaminas A y D. Se usó la fórmula de Nadler para calcular volúmenes sanguíneos. Resultados: Las madres presentaron volumen plasmático (<2.8 L, 96%), vitamina A (52.9%), vitamina D (29.4%), hierro (58.8%) y hemoglobina (23.5%) bajos, pero el 17.6% presentaron hematocrito >40% y 85.3% presentaron inflamación (PCR >8.1 mg/L). Los pesos al nacer fueron normales, pero se identificó bajo peso placentario (35.3%), bajo puntaje-z de circunferencia cefálica neonatal, y en sangre de cordón, bajos hemoglobina (5.9%), hierro (79.4%), vitamina A (14.7%) y vitamina D (82.3%). Se encontró una fuerte correlación positiva entre la vitamina D materna y de sangre de cordón. Un mayor volumen plasmático materno se asoció con placentas de mayor peso (ß= 0.57), en tanto que concentraciones más altas de vitamina D (ß= 0.43) y mayor número de eosinófilos (ß= 0.43) se asociaron con mayor diámetro placentario. Una mayor hemoconcentración (hematocrito en cordón más alto) se asoció con menores peso al nacer (ß= -0.48) y circunferencia cefálica (ß= -0.56). La inflamación [mayor número de neutrófilos maternos (ß= -0.50) y plaquetas en sangre de cordón (ß= -0.32)] se asoció con menor talla y circunferencia cefálica neonatales. Conclusión: La hemoconcentración materna y del recién nacido, la inflamación subclínica y las múltiples deficiencias en micronutrientes, particularmente la deficiencia de vitamina D neonatal, se identificaron como potenciales áreas de intervención para mejorar los resultados de salud del embarazo en comunidades vulnerables.