Adverse impacts of Roundup on soil bacteria, soil chemistry and mycorrhizal fungi during restoration of a Colorado grassland

• DOI: 10.1016/j.apsoil.2022.104778
• Publication Date: 2022-12-30T10:25:34Z
• Authors: Clifton P. Bueno ...; Adam J. Solon; Amy Barfield; Claire F. Mastran...; Abigail J. Tubman; Kim Vincent; Dorota L. Porazinska; Rebecca A. Hufft; Nancy Shackelford; Katharine N. Suding; Steven K. Schmidt
• Keywords: Native plant; Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi

Glyphosate is a widely used herbicide in agricultural, domestic, and restoration settings to manage weeds invasive plants the active ingredient formulation Roundup. Concurrently with its drastic increase usage, concern over indirect ecosystem effects on non-target species has grown. In restoration, glyphosate often remove so native may be re-introduced. However, successful reintroductions require soils microbial communities that support plant growth, it critical applications do not harm soil microbes such as mycorrhizal fungi. Despite previous studies investigating of communities, comprehensive field experiments combining chemistry next generation sequencing technologies describe both bacterial eukaryotic responses are limited, especially contexts health. We studied glyphosate-based Roundup Promax at frequencies 0, 2, 4, 5 course 12 months biotic abiotic health indicators Colorado prairie dominated by cool-season grass Bromus inermis. Here we report cascading chemistry, increases nitrate acidity consequent decreases calcium content cation exchange capacity. Bacterial archaeal were more affected than phylogenetic diversity changes community structure following applications, particularly after five applications. More critically, colonization roots arbuscular fungi decreased significantly plots receiving even just two Promax, dark septate endophytes four Our work shows had multiple negative biota this study due either direct or mediated through removal. results suggest repeated damaging microbe-plant associations. These turn could severely hamper ability establish during projects.