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• It is increasingly evident that the plant microbiome is a strong determinant of plant health. While the ability to manipulate the microbiome in plants and ecosystems recovering from disturbance may be useful, our understanding of the plant microbiome in regenerating plant communities is currently limited. • Using 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region amplicon sequencing, we characterized the leaf, stem, fine root, rhizome, and rhizosphere microbiome of < 1-yr-old aspen saplings and the associated bulk soil after a recent high-intensity prescribed fire across a burn severity gradient. • Consistent with previous studies, we found that soil microbiomes are responsive to fire. We extend these findings by showing that certain plant tissue microbiomes also change in response to fire. Differences in soil microbiome compositions could be attributed to soil chemical characteristics, but, generally, plant tissue microbiomes were not related to plant tissue elemental concentrations. Using source tracking modeling, we also show that fire influences the relative dominance of microbial inoculum and the vertical inheritance of the sapling microbiome from the parent tree. • Overall, our results demonstrate how fire impacts plant microbiome assembly, diversity, and composition and highlights potential for further research towards increasing plant fitness and ecosystem recovery after fire events.

It is increasingly evident that the plant microbiome is a strong determinant of plant health. While the ability to manipulate the microbiome in plants and ecosystems recovering from disturbance may be useful, our understanding of the plant microbiome in regenerating plant communities is currently limited. Using 16S rRNA gene and ITS region amplicon sequencing, we characterized the leaf, stem, fine root, rhizome, and rhizosphere microbiome of < 1 y old aspen saplings and the associated bulk soil after a recent high-intensity prescribed fire across a burn severity gradient. Consistent with previous studies, we found that soil microbiomes are responsive to fire. We extend these findings by showing that certain plant tissue microbiomes also change in response to fire. Differences in soil microbiome compositions could be attributed to soil chemical characteristics, but, generally, plant tissue microbiomes were not related to plant tissue elemental concentrations. Using source tracking modelling, we also show that fire influences the relative dominance of microbial inoculum and the vertical inheritance of the sapling microbiome from the parent tree. Finally, our results demonstrate how fire impacts plant microbiome assembly, diversity, and composition and highlights potential for further research towards increasing plant fitness and ecosystem recovery after fire events.

Monocrop of mandarin leading to reduced soil biodiversity and functionality that must be changed to a sustainable agriculture practice such as alley cropping. In this study an attempt has been made to assess how two different alley cropping strategies promote soil bacterial diversity, microbial activities and the abundance of beneficial bacteria. Three treatments were established: (i) mandarin monoculture (MC); (ii) mandarin diversified with barley/vetch (summer) and with fava bean (winter) for 3 consecutive years (DIV1); and (iii) mandarin diversified with fava bean, purslane and cowpea (DIV2). Results reveal that alley cropping did not significantly affect alfa‐diversity indices, but beta‐diversity showed significant differences among the three treatments, indicating changes in the bacterial community. Specific genera such as Haliangium, Microbacterium, Pseudonocardia, Solirubrobacter and Sphingomonas, known as plant growth‐promoting bacteria, showed higher relative abundances in DIV1 and DIV2 than MC. The genus Novosphingobium showed a higher relative abundance in DIV2, while MND1 showed a higher relative abundance in DIV1. Regarding potential gene abundances related to C and N cycling at the end of the experiment, only manB (hemicellulose degradation) showed a higher abundance in DIV2 than MC, while nifH (N fixation), amoA, and hao (nitrification) showed higher values in DIV1 and DIV2. Enzyme activities showed lower values in diversified treatments than in MC. Most significant changes were observed in the diversification of the alley with a sequence of different crops every year (DIV1), rather than repeating the same crops (DIV2). These alley cropping strategies (DIV1 and DIV2) seem an effective strategy to enhance the abundance of beneficial bacteria with increased potential activity related to N fixation and nitrification.

Samples of the holothurian Eupentacta fraudatrix (Djakonov & Baranova in Djakonov, Baranova & Saveljeva, 1958) from the Sea of Japan were studied and the relationships of the genera Eupentacta and Sclerodactyla , as well as related taxa, were evaluated on the basis of phylogenetic analysis of the mitochondrial DNA COI and 16S rRNA genes. Using three methods, phylogenetic trees were constructed, and the degree of reliability of topological reconstructions was estimated by means of a nonparametric bootstrap test for the neighbor joining (NJ) and maximum likelihood (ML) techniques, as well as by a posteriori probability for Bayesian inference (BI) analysis. Genetic data confirm the validity of the assignment of Cucumaria fraudatrix to the genus Eupentacta Deichmann, 1938. The study of sequences obtained from the holothurian specimens collected in Russian waters, near the city of Vladivostok, and determined by morphological characters clearly indicate that these specimens belong to the genus Eupentacta and are assigned as E. fraudatrix . The specimens from China in GenBank named as Sclerodactyla multipes and used in the present study, were likely misidentified, and after re-examination they may be assigned to the genus Eupentacta , either as E. fraudatrix or another taxon. Analyses of morphological characters of S. multipes unequivocally affirm that this species must be excluded from Sclerodactyla Ayres, 1851 and is provisionally assigned to the genus Sclerothyone Thandar, 1989 based on the external morphological characters and the body wall ossicles.