Shifts in indigenous microbial communities during the anaerobic degradation of pentachlorophenol in upland and paddy soils from southern China.
Pentachlorophenol (PCP) is a common persistent pesticide in soil that has generated a significant environmental problem worldwide. Therefore, anaerobic degradation of PCP by the soil indigenous microbial community has gained increasing attention. However, little information is available concerning the functional microorganisms and the potential shifts in the microbial community associated with PCP degradation. In this study, we conducted a set of experiments to determine which components of the indigenous microbial community were capable of degrading PCP in soils of two land use types (upland and paddy soils) in southern China. Our results showed that the PCP degradation rate was significantly higher in paddy soils than that in upland soils. 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) high-throughput sequencing revealed significant differences in microbial taxonomic composition between the soil with PCP and blank (soil without PCP) with Acinetobacter, Clostridium, Coprococcus, Oxobacter, and Sedimentibacter dominating the PCP-affected communities. Acinetobacter was also apparently enriched in the paddy soils with PCP (up to 52.2 %) indicated this genus is likely to play an important role in PCP degradation. Additionally, the Fe(III)-reducing bacteria Clostridium may also be involved in PCP degradation. Our data further revealed hitherto unknown metabolisms of potential PCP degradation by microorganisms including Coprococcus, Oxobacter, and Ruminiclostridium. Overall, these findings indicated that land use types may affect the PCP anaerobic degradation rate via the activities of indigenous bacterial populations and extend our knowledge of the bacterial populations responsible for PCP degradation.
Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510640, People's Republic of China.|Guangdong Key Laboratory of Agricultural Environment Pollution Integrated Control, Guangdong Institute of Eco-Environmental and Soil Sciences, Guangzhou, 510650, People's Republic of China.|University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, People's Republic of China.
Yating
Y
Chen
Guangdong Key Laboratory of Agricultural Environment Pollution Integrated Control, Guangdong Institute of Eco-Environmental and Soil Sciences, Guangzhou, 510650, People's Republic of China. taoliang@soil.gd.cn.
Liang
L
Tao
Guangdong Key Laboratory of Agricultural Environment Pollution Integrated Control, Guangdong Institute of Eco-Environmental and Soil Sciences, Guangzhou, 510650, People's Republic of China.|College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410081, People's Republic of China.
Ke
K
Wu
Guangdong Key Laboratory of Agricultural Environment Pollution Integrated Control, Guangdong Institute of Eco-Environmental and Soil Sciences, Guangzhou, 510650, People's Republic of China.
Yongkui
Y
Wang
D000693:Anaerobiosis; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D002681:China; D010416:Pentachlorophenol / Q000378:metabolism*; D010575:Pesticides / Q000378:metabolism*; D012987:Soil; D012988:Soil Microbiology; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000378:metabolism*
D010575:Pesticides; D012987:Soil; D012989:Soil Pollutants; D010416:Pentachlorophenol
Acinetobacter; High-throughput sequencing; Indigenous microorganisms; Land use type; Microbial degradation; Subtropical soils