Meta-analysis of the effects of rice-field abandonment on biodiversity in Japan.

Farmland abandonment is increasing worldwide. Concurrently, some conservationists view this as an opportunity for biodiversity restoration (i.e., rewilding). Due to a lack of data, however, it remains unclear whether farmland abandonment increases biodiversity in different farmland types and surrounding environments. Information is particularly scarce for Asia, home to one-third of identified biodiversity hotspots and where dominant farmlands (i.e., rice fields) are often viewed as substitutes for natural wetlands. We conducted the first meta-analysis of the impacts of rice-field abandonment on biodiversity, in which we considered multiscale factors, such as taxon surveyed, landscape context, and climate. Species richness and abundance after abandonment decreased to 56-72%. This reduced biodiversity was unlikely to recover, at least for plant species richness, even after 10-15 years. These results suggest rewilding will not necessarily be achieved by rice-field abandonment. Moreover, there was a pronounced biodiversity decline under dry conditions (e.g., low precipitation), especially for organisms closely associated with aquatic environment, such as amphibians and fish. Biodiversity reduction was least pronounced for birds and mammals. Such context dependency may suggest that impacts of farmland abandonment can be predicted by considering biological features of organisms and their associations with human-modified environments.

[Mycotrophic capacity and efficiency of microbial consortia of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi native of soils from Buenos Aires province under contrasting management]. / Capacidad micotrófica y eficiencia de consorcios con hongos micorrícicos nativos de suelos de la provincia de Buenos Aires con manejo contrastante.

We characterized the infective and sporulation capacities of microbial consortia of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) native of Buenos Aires province (Argentina) and determined if some soil characteristics and mycorrhizal parameters could allow to select potentially beneficial inocula. Soil samples were selected from seven locations in Buenos Aires province all under agricultural (A) and pristine (P) conditions. The AMF were multiplied and mycorrhizal root colonization of trap plants was observed at 10 weeks of growth. Spore number in field was low; however, after multiplication spore density accounted for 80-1175 spores per 100g of soil. The principal component analysis showed that the P and Fe soil contents are the main modulators of infectivity and sporulation capacity. The mycorrhizal potential was determined in three locations, being high in Pristine Lobería and Agricultural Trenque Lauquen and low in Junín. Agricultural Lobería (AL) and Pristine Lobería (PL) inocula were selected and their efficiency was evaluated under controlled conditions. Even though shoot dry matter increases after inoculation was not significant (p>0.05) mycorrhizal response was greater than 40% for tomato and 25% for corn, particularly after inoculation with inocula from the agricultural management. These results could be associated to the incipient development of mycorrhizae in both species. Additional research should be conducted to further develop our findings in order to determine the factors involved in the selection of efficient inocula.

Capacidad micotrófica y eficiencia de consorcios con hongos micorrícicos nativos de suelos de la provincia de Buenos Aires con manejo contrastante / Mycotrophic capacity and efficiency of microbial consortia of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi native of soils from Buenos Aires province under contrasting management

Se evaluó la capacidad micotrófica y de esporulación de consorcios microbianos con hongos micorrícicos arbusculares (HMA) nativos de suelos de la provincia de Buenos Aires (Argentina), y se determinó si las características edáficas y los parámetros micorrícicos podrían permitir seleccionar inóculos potencialmente benéficos. Se seleccionaron muestras de suelo provenientes de 7 localidades, cada una bajo manejo agrícola (A) y prístino (P). Se instalaron plantas trampa y a las 10 semanas de crecimiento se evidenció colonización micorrícica en la raíces. El número de esporas del suelo de campo fue bajo, mientras que en el sustrato donde crecieron las plantas trampa varió entre 80-1175 esporas/100 g. El análisis de componentes principales indicó que los contenidos de P y Fe en el suelo fueron los principales moduladores de la capacidad micotrófica y de esporulación. Se determinó el potencial micorrícico (PM) de muestras provenientes de tres localidades: Lobería, Junín y Trenque Lauquen. Se verificó un PM elevado en las muestras provenientes de Lobería con suelo prístino y en las de Trenque Lauquen bajo manejo agrícola, mientras que fue bajo en las de Junín. Finalmente, se evaluó la eficiencia en condiciones controladas de suelos-inóculo de Lobería bajo manejo agrícola o prístino en plantas de maíz y de tomate. Si bien los incrementos en la materia seca asociados a la inoculación fueron no significativos (p > 0,05), la respuesta micorrícica fue superior al 40 % en tomate y al 25 % en maíz, particularmente con el inóculo proveniente del sitio agrícola. Los bajos incrementos de crecimiento estarían asociados con la incipiente micorrización en ambas especies. Se plantea la necesidad de profundizar los estudios a efectos de determinar los factores involucrados que permitirían seleccionar inóculos eficientes.

We characterized the infective and sporulation capacities of microbial consortia of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) native of Buenos Aires province (Argentina) and determined if some soil characteristics and mycorrhizal parameters could allow to select potentially beneficial inocula. Soil samples were selected from seven locations in Buenos Aires province all under agricultural (A) and pristine (P) conditions. The AMF were multiplied and mycorrhizal root colonization of trap plants was observed at 10 weeks of growth. Spore number in field was low; however, after multiplication spore density accounted for 80-1175 spores per 100 g of soil. The principal component analysis showed that the P and Fe soil contents are the main modulators of infectivity and sporulation capacity. The mycorrhizal potential was determined in three locations, being high in Pristine Lobería and Agricultural Trenque Lauquen and low in Junín. Agricultural Lobería (AL) and Pristine Lobería (PL) inocula were selected and their efficiency was evaluated under controlled conditions. Even though shoot dry matter increases after inoculation was not significant (p > 0.05) mycorrhizal response was greater than 40% for tomato and 25% for corn, particularly after inoculation with inocula from the agricultural management. These results could be associated to the incipient development of mycorrhizae in both species. Additional research should be conducted to further develop our findings in order to determine the factors involved in the selection of efficient inocula.

Capacidad micotrófica y eficiencia de consorcios con hongos micorrícicos nativos de suelos de la provincia de Buenos Aires con manejo contrastante / Mycotrophic capacity and efficiency of microbial consortia of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi native of soils from Buenos Aires province under contrasting management

Se evaluó la capacidad micotrófica y de esporulación de consorcios microbianos con hongos micorrícicos arbusculares (HMA) nativos de suelos de la provincia de Buenos Aires (Argentina), y se determinó si las características edáficas y los parámetros micorrícicos podrían permitir seleccionar inóculos potencialmente benéficos. Se seleccionaron muestras de suelo provenientes de 7 localidades, cada una bajo manejo agrícola (A) y prístino (P). Se instalaron plantas trampa y a las 10 semanas de crecimiento se evidenció colonización micorrícica en la raíces. El número de esporas del suelo de campo fue bajo, mientras que en el sustrato donde crecieron las plantas trampa varió entre 80-1175 esporas/100 g. El análisis de componentes principales indicó que los contenidos de P y Fe en el suelo fueron los principales moduladores de la capacidad micotrófica y de esporulación. Se determinó el potencial micorrícico (PM) de muestras provenientes de tres localidades: Lobería, Junín y Trenque Lauquen. Se verificó un PM elevado en las muestras provenientes de Lobería con suelo prístino y en las de Trenque Lauquen bajo manejo agrícola, mientras que fue bajo en las de Junín. Finalmente, se evaluó la eficiencia en condiciones controladas de suelos-inóculo de Lobería bajo manejo agrícola o prístino en plantas de maíz y de tomate. Si bien los incrementos en la materia seca asociados a la inoculación fueron no significativos (p > 0,05), la respuesta micorrícica fue superior al 40 % en tomate y al 25 % en maíz, particularmente con el inóculo proveniente del sitio agrícola. Los bajos incrementos de crecimiento estarían asociados con la incipiente micorrización en ambas especies. Se plantea la necesidad de profundizar los estudios a efectos de determinar los factores involucrados que permitirían seleccionar inóculos eficientes.(AU)

We characterized the infective and sporulation capacities of microbial consortia of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) native of Buenos Aires province (Argentina) and determined if some soil characteristics and mycorrhizal parameters could allow to select potentially beneficial inocula. Soil samples were selected from seven locations in Buenos Aires province all under agricultural (A) and pristine (P) conditions. The AMF were multiplied and mycorrhizal root colonization of trap plants was observed at 10 weeks of growth. Spore number in field was low; however, after multiplication spore density accounted for 80-1175 spores per 100 g of soil. The principal component analysis showed that the P and Fe soil contents are the main modulators of infectivity and sporulation capacity. The mycorrhizal potential was determined in three locations, being high in Pristine Lobería and Agricultural Trenque Lauquen and low in Junín. Agricultural Lobería (AL) and Pristine Lobería (PL) inocula were selected and their efficiency was evaluated under controlled conditions. Even though shoot dry matter increases after inoculation was not significant (p > 0.05) mycorrhizal response was greater than 40% for tomato and 25% for corn, particularly after inoculation with inocula from the agricultural management. These results could be associated to the incipient development of mycorrhizae in both species. Additional research should be conducted to further develop our findings in order to determine the factors involved in the selection of efficient inocula.(AU)