The Effect of Drainage and Afforestation on the Soil Microbial
Composition of Fens Is Greater than that of Bogs in Subtropical Moss
Peatlands
Abstract
Subtropical moss peatlands have important ecological functions, and
their protection and restoration are urgent. In this study, typical
subtropical moss peatlands and the Cryptomeria swamp forest (CSF) formed
by long-term (more than 20 years) drainage and afforestation in the
Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau of China were selected as the research sites. 16S
rRNA high-throughput sequencing technology was used to study the
differences in soil bacterial community diversity and composition among
a natural Sphagnum fen (SF), Polytrichum bog (PB) and CSF to explore the
effects of drainage and afforestation on different types of moss
peatlands and its mechanism combined with soil physicochemical
properties. Results showed that (1) drainage and afforestation
significantly reduced the α diversity of soil bacterial communities in
SF, while significantly increased the α diversity of soil bacterial
communities in PB. Soil bacterial communities of SF had the highest α
diversity and had many unique species or groups at different taxonomic
levels. (2) The impact of drainage and afforestation on the soil
bacterial community composition in SF was significantly higher than that
in PB. Drainage and afforestation caused significant changes in the
composition and relative abundance of dominant groups of soil bacteria
in SF at different taxonomic levels, such as significantly reducing the
relative abundance of Proteobacteria, significantly increasing the
relative abundance of Acidobacteria, and significantly reducing the
ratio of Proteobacteria to Acidobacteria, but did not have a significant
impact on the corresponding indicators of PB. The changes in the ratio
of Proteobacteria to Acidobacteria may reflect changes in the trophic
conditions of peatlands. (3) Soil moisture content, available phosphorus
content, and pH were key driving factors for changes in soil bacterial
community composition and diversity, which should be paid attention to
in the restoration of moss peatlands.