soil
Microbial EcologyBlastomyces dermatitidis Environmental Prevalence in Minnesota: Analysis and Modeling Using Soil Collected at Basal and Outbreak SitesUpon inhalation of spores from the fungus Blastomyces dermatitidis from the environment, humans and animals can develop the disease blastomycosis. Based on disease epidemiology, B. dermatitidis is known to be endemic in the United States and Canada around the Great Lakes and in the Ohio and...
Microbial EcologyOrganohalide-Respiring Bacteria at the Heart of Anaerobic Metabolism in Arctic Wet Tundra SoilsOnce considered relevant only in contaminated sites, it is now recognized that biological chlorine cycling is widespread in natural environments. However, linkages between chlorine cycling and other ecosystem processes are not well established.
Environmental MicrobiologyHorizontal Spread of Rhodococcus equi Macrolide Resistance Plasmid pRErm46 across Environmental ActinobacteriaThis study demonstrates the efficient horizontal transfer of the Rhodococcus equi conjugative plasmid pRErm46, recently identified as the cause of the emerging macrolide resistance among equine isolates of this pathogen, to and from different environmental Actinobacteria, including a variety of rhodococci as well as Nocardia and Arthrobacter...
Methods | SpotlightThe ZKIR Assay, a Real-Time PCR Method for the Detection of Klebsiella pneumoniae and Closely Related Species in Environmental SamplesThe Klebsiella pneumoniae species complex Kp includes human and animal pathogens, some of which are emerging as hypervirulent and/or antibiotic-resistant strains. These pathogens are diverse and classified into seven phylogroups, which may differ in their reservoirs and epidemiology. Proper management of this public health hazard requires a better understanding of Kp...
Microbial EcologyCore Rhizosphere Microbiomes of Dryland Wheat Are Influenced by Location and Land Use HistoryPlant-associated microbiomes are critical for plant health and other important agroecosystem processes. We assessed the bacterial and fungal microbiomes of wheat grown in soils from across a dryland wheat cropping systems in eastern Washington to identify the core microbiome on wheat roots that is consistent across soils from different locations and land use histories. Moreover, cross-domain co-occurrence network analysis identified...
MinireviewSoil Aggregate Microbial Communities: Towards Understanding Microbiome Interactions at Biologically Relevant ScalesSoils contain a tangle of minerals, water, nutrients, gases, plant roots, decaying organic matter, and microorganisms which work together to cycle nutrients and support terrestrial plant growth. Most soil microorganisms live in periodically interconnected communities closely associated with soil aggregates, i.e., small (<2 mm), strongly bound clusters of minerals and organic carbon that persist through mechanical disruptions and...
Food MicrobiologySalmonella enterica in Soils Amended with Heat-Treated Poultry Pellets Survived Longer than Bacteria in Unamended Soils and More Readily Transferred to and Persisted on SpinachHeat-treated poultry pellets (HTPP) often are used by fruit and vegetable growers as a slow-release fertilizer. However, contamination of soil on farms may occur through contaminated irrigation water or scat from wild animals. Here, we show that the presence of HTPP in soil led to increased S. Newport survival in soil and to greater likelihood of its transfer to and...
MinireviewMolecular Hydrogen, a Neglected Key Driver of Soil Biogeochemical ProcessesThe atmosphere of the early Earth is hypothesized to have been rich in reducing gases such as hydrogen (H2). H2 has been proposed as the first electron donor leading to ATP synthesis due to its ubiquity throughout the biosphere as well as its ability to easily diffuse through microbial cells and its low activation energy requirement.
Microbial EcologyBacterial Dispersers along Preferential Flow Paths of a Clay Till Depth ProfileThe ability to disperse is considered essential for soil bacteria colonization and survival, yet very little is known about the dispersal ability of communities from different heterogeneous soil compartments. Important factors for dispersal are the thickness and connectivity of the liquid film between soil particles. The present results from a fractured clay till depth profile suggest that dispersal ability is common in various soil...
Public and Environmental Health Microbiology | SpotlightSurvival of Escherichia coli in Manure-Amended Soils Is Affected by Spatiotemporal, Agricultural, and Weather Factors in the Mid-Atlantic United StatesCurrent language in the Food Safety Modernization Act Produce Safety Rule states no objection to a 90- or 120-day interval between application of untreated BSAAO and harvest of crops to minimize transfer of pathogens to produce intended for human consumption with the intent to limit potential cases of foodborne illness. This regional multiple season, multiple location field trial determined survival durations of...