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Microbial and Nutrient Interactions as Remediation Tools in Plant Ecosystems
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Microbial and Nutrient Interactions as Remediation Tools in Plant Ecosystems

A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2025 | Viewed by 1715

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Yuanying Peng

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Biology, College of Arts and Sciences, Lewis University, Romeoville, IL 60446, USA
Interests: soil respiration; nutrient cycle; carbon stocks; forest biomass; soil quality evaluation; silviculture; forest management
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Xiaohong Wu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha 410004, China
Interests: phytoremediation; forest; carbon cycle
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Soils are dynamic environments where interactions between plants, microbes, and nutrients drive ecosystem health and resilience. Plants are vital for maintaining biodiversity, regulating climate, and supporting billions of people. These ecosystems play a key role in carbon sequestration, soil stabilization, water purification, and nutrient cycling, all of which are influenced by complex plant-soil-microbe relationships. Microbes are essential in decomposing organic matter, cycling nutrients, and forming symbiotic partnerships with plants, enhancing soil fertility and ecosystem stability. Despite their significance, the potential of these natural processes as tools for remediation and sustainable management remains underexplored. This special issue aims to investigate these interactions, exploring their application in restoring degraded lands, combating pollution, and promoting sustainable plant management. Topics of interest include microbial community dynamics, nutrient cycling, bioremediation and phytoremediation, soil structure, plant-microbe interactions, restoration ecology, biodiversity, ecosystem services, and innovative approaches for studying plant-soil interactions. Through this issue, we seek to advance our understanding of how these natural processes can be harnessed to improve plant ecosystem resilience and sustainability, offering valuable insights for researchers and practitioners alike.

Dr. Yuanying Peng
Dr. Xiaohong Wu
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Plants is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • microbial remediation
  • nutrient cycling
  • plant–microbe interactions
  • ecosystem restoration
  • soil health
  • bioremediation
  • soil fertility
  • environmental cleanup
  • nutrient management
  • microbial ecology
  • ecosystem services pollutant degradation

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

15 pages, 2942 KiB  
Article
Soil Nutrient Dynamics and Fungal Community Shifts Drive the Degradation of Pinus sylvestris var. mongholica Plantations in the Loess Plateau
by Jiaxing Wang, Xiaotian Su, Yimou Luo, Yue Zhang, Yihan Wang, Jing Gao and Defu Wang
Plants 2025, 14(9), 1309; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14091309 - 26 Apr 2025
Viewed by 284
Abstract
The degradation of Pinus sylvestris var. mongholica plantations in Youyu County on the Loess Plateau has caused major ecological issues, though the mechanisms remain poorly understood. This study explores the effects of stand age and soil properties on the rhizosphere fungal community and [...] Read more.
The degradation of Pinus sylvestris var. mongholica plantations in Youyu County on the Loess Plateau has caused major ecological issues, though the mechanisms remain poorly understood. This study explores the effects of stand age and soil properties on the rhizosphere fungal community and their potential roles in plantation degradation. Soil samples were collected from plantations of different stand ages (13, 20, 25, and 35 years), and their fungal diversity and composition were analyzed using high-throughput sequencing. The results showed that soil organic carbon and total nitrogen declined with stand age due to high nutrient demand and limited litter input. The available phosphorus and available potassium (AK) contents were identified as key limiting factors, influencing ectomycorrhizal fungi abundance and the overall soil fungal diversity. With an increasing stand age, the fungal diversity decreased, the ectomycorrhizal fungi declined, and the pathogenic fungi increased, exacerbating plantation degradation. Regression analysis further indicated a significant negative correlation between AK content and stand age, suggesting potassium deficiency as a critical driver of tree health decline. This study highlights the pivotal role of soil nutrient availability in shaping rhizosphere fungal communities and sustaining P. sylvestris plantations, offering insights into degradation mechanisms and strategies to enhance forest resilience on the Loess Plateau. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microbial and Nutrient Interactions as Remediation Tools in Plant Ecosystems)
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17 pages, 3657 KiB  
Article
Influence of Miscanthus floridulus on Heavy Metal Distribution and Phytoremediation in Coal Gangue Dump Soils: Implications for Ecological Risk Mitigation
by Jiaolong Wang, Yan Jiang, Yuanying Peng, Xiaoyong Chen, Wende Yan, Xiaocui Liang, Qian Wu and Jingjie Fang
Plants 2025, 14(6), 836; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14060836 - 7 Mar 2025
Viewed by 559
Abstract
Coal gangue dumps, a byproduct of coal mining, contribute significantly to heavy metal contamination, impacting soil and water quality. In order to assess the levels of heavy metal contamination in soils at different stages of abandonment, this study investigated the role of Miscanthus [...] Read more.
Coal gangue dumps, a byproduct of coal mining, contribute significantly to heavy metal contamination, impacting soil and water quality. In order to assess the levels of heavy metal contamination in soils at different stages of abandonment, this study investigated the role of Miscanthus floridulus (M. floridulus) in the spatial distribution and remediation of six heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Mn, Ni, Cu, and Pb) in coal gangue dump soils abandoned for 0, 8, and 12 years in Pingxiang City, Jiangxi Province, China. Fieldwork was conducted at three sites operated by the Pingxiang Mining Group: Anyuan (active, barren), Gaokeng (8 years, natural vegetation), and Qingshan (12 years, partially remediated). Anyuan remains largely barren, while Gaokeng supports natural vegetation without formal remediation. In contrast, Qingshan supports diverse plant species, including M. floridulus, due to partial remediation. Using a randomized design, root exudates, heavy metal concentrations, and soil properties were analyzed. The results showed that Cd poses the highest ecological risk, with concentrations of 64.56 mg kg−1 at the active site, 25.57 mg kg−1 at the 8-year site, and 39.13 mg kg−1 at the 12-year site. Cu and Pb showed accumulation, while Cr and Mn decreased over time. Root exudates from M. floridulus enhanced metal bioavailability, influencing Cd, Cr, and Ni concentrations. These findings highlight the importance of rhizosphere processes in metal mobility and inform sustainable remediation strategies for post-mining landscapes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microbial and Nutrient Interactions as Remediation Tools in Plant Ecosystems)
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21 pages, 2820 KiB  
Article
Thinning Intensity Enhances Soil Multifunctionality and Microbial Residue Contributions to Organic Carbon Sequestration in Chinese Fir Plantations
by Ting He, Junjie Lei, Yuanying Peng, Ruihui Wang, Xiaoyong Chen, Zongxin Liu, Xiaoqian Gao, Peng Dang and Wende Yan
Plants 2025, 14(4), 579; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14040579 - 14 Feb 2025
Viewed by 531
Abstract
Soil multifunctionality is essential for the enhancement of soil carbon sequestration, but disturbances such as thinning practices can influence soil microbial activity and carbon cycling. Microbial residues, particularly microbial residue carbon (MRC), are important contributors to soil organic carbon (SOC), but the effects [...] Read more.
Soil multifunctionality is essential for the enhancement of soil carbon sequestration, but disturbances such as thinning practices can influence soil microbial activity and carbon cycling. Microbial residues, particularly microbial residue carbon (MRC), are important contributors to soil organic carbon (SOC), but the effects of thinning intensity on MRC accumulation remain poorly understood. This study evaluated the impact of four thinning treatments—control (CK, 0%), light-intensity thinning (LIT, 20%), medium-intensity thinning (MIT, 30%), and high-intensity thinning (HIT, 45%)—on soil multifunctionality in Chinese fir plantations five years after thinning. Soil nutrient provision, microbial biomass, enzyme activity, and microbial residue carbon were assessed. The results showed that thinning intensity significantly affected soil nutrient provision and microbial biomass, with MIT and HIT showing higher nutrient levels than CK and LIT. Specifically, MIT’s and HIT’s total nutrient provision increased by 0.04 and 0.15 compared to that of CK. Enzyme activity was highest in LIT (+0.89), followed by MIT (+0.07), with HIT showing a decline (−0.84). Microbial biomass, including bacterial PLFAs (B-PLFAs), fungal PLFAs (F-PLFAs), microbial biomass carbon (MBC), and nitrogen (MBN), was highest in CK and MIT, and lowest in HIT, with MIT showing a 0.13 increase compared to CK. Microbial residue carbon (MRC) accumulation was positively correlated with soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (TN), available nitrogen (AN), and easily oxidized organic carbon (EOC). The highest MRC content in the 0–20 cm soil layer was observed in MIT and CK (10.46 and 11.66 g/kg, respectively), while the MRC in LIT and HIT was significantly lower, reduced by 24% and 12%, respectively. These findings highlight the significant role of thinning intensity in microbial activity and carbon cycling. Medium-intensity thinning (MIT, 30%) was identified as the most effective approach for promoting microbial biomass and enhancing carbon cycling in Chinese fir forest soils, making it an optimal approach for forest management aimed at increasing soil carbon sequestration. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microbial and Nutrient Interactions as Remediation Tools in Plant Ecosystems)
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