Literature

The model predator Acanthamoeba castellanii induces the production of 2,4, DAPG by the biocontrol strain Pseudomonas fluorescens Q2-87

Abstract Fluorescent pseudomonads show great potential as biological control agents due to their capability to produce antifungal toxins such as 2,4-diacetylphloroglucinol (DAPG). DAPG is synthesized from the...

Soil bacteria and protozoa affect root branching via effects on the auxin and cytokinin balance in plants

Abstract Lateral roots are crucial for the plasticity of root responses to environmental conditions in soil. The bacterivorous microfauna has been shown to increase root...

Protist diversity on a nature reserve in NW England—With particular reference to their role in soil biogenic silicon pools

Highlights Considering only a few groups of microorganisms greatly increases the known diversity of a nature reserve. This microbial diversity is important in many ecological processes....

Testate Amoebae and Nutrient Cycling with Particular Reference to Soils

Abstract We asked the following question: Is the lack of attention given to testate amoebae, and other protists, in studies of nutrient cycling justified by...

Interactions between arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (Glomus intraradices, Glomeromycota) and amoebae (Acanthamoeba castellanii, Protozoa) in the rhizosphere of rice (Oryza sativa)

Abstract Rice plants (Oryza sativa L.) were grown in microcosms containing soil with a diverse bacterial community (control) and inoculated either with an axenic arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus (Glomus intraradices) or...

Contrasting effects of microbial partners in the rhizosphere: interactions between Norway Spruce seedlings (Picea abies Karst.), mycorrhiza (Paxillus involutus (Batsch) Fr.) and naked amoebae (protozoa)

Abstract The importance of the soil microbial community for plant mineral nutrition and nutrient cycling has long been recognized. One of the most important interactions is the symbiosis of...

Protozoa stimulate N uptake and growth of arbuscular mycorrhizal plants

Highlights Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi co-occur with protozoa in virtually any soil. Interactive effects of AM fungi and protozoa on plant growth are little known....

Functional Role of Mucilage - Border Cells: A Complex Facilitating Protozoan Effects on Plant Growth

Abstract In rhizosphere soil, mucilage and root border cells (RBCs) form a functional entity, the mucilage border-cell complex (MB complex). Carbohydrates of the MB complex...

Litter quality as driving factor for plant nutrition via grazing of protozoa on soil microorganisms

Abstract Plant residues provide a major source of nitrogen (N) for plant growth. Litter N mineralization varies with litter carbon-to-nitrogen (C-to-N) ratio and presence of...

Protozoa enhance foraging efficiency of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi for mineral nitrogen from organic matter in soil to the benefit of host plants

Summary Dead organic matter (OM) is a major source of nitrogen (N) for plants. The majority of plants support N uptake by symbiosis with...

The “soil microbial loop” is not always needed to explain protozoan stimulation of plants

Abstract Protozoa stimulate plant growth, but we do not completely understand the underlying mechanisms, and different hypotheses seek to explain this phenomenon. To test these hypotheses,...

Interactions of bacteria, protozoa and plants leading to mineralization of soil nitrogen

Abstract The capacity of bacteria and protozoa to mineralize soil nitrogen was studied in microcosms with sterilized soil with or without wheat plants. The effect...

Soil protists: a fertile frontier in soil biology research

Abstract Protists include all eukaryotes except plants, fungi and animals. They are an essential, yet often forgotten, component of the soil microbiome. Method developments have...

Protists: Puppet Masters of the Rhizosphere Microbiome

Highlights The rhizosphere microbiome is a major determinant of plant fitness. The mechanisms driving microbiome assembly are, however, widely unknown, impeding its efficient management. Here...

Soil Protists: From traits to ecological functions

PhD thesis: Zhilei Gao Read the full PhD thesis here.