Browsing by Author "Bastidas Mendez, Brynelly Mercedes"

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    Diversidad biológica y funcional del suelo bajo sistemas frutícolas en la Zona Mediterránea de Chile Central
    (2025) Bastidas Mendez, Brynelly Mercedes; Arellano Ogaz, Eduardo Carlos; Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. Facultad de Agronomía y Sistemas Naturales
    Agricultural intensification in fruit orchards of Central Chile’s Mediterranean zone poses significant challenges to soil health and agroecosystem sustainability. This dissertation evaluated the effects of a management intensity gradient (low, moderate, high) on the diversity and functionality of nematode, bacterial, and fungal communities in soils cultivated with cherries and grapes. Indicators of soil food web structure and ecosystem services were analyzed. High-intensity management resulted in reduced nematode functional diversity and simplified trophic networks, potentially affecting pest suppression and nutrient mineralization. Soil organic matter and macroaggregates were key variables influencing community composition. At the microbial level, intensification decreased bacterial diversity and respiration activity, while co-occurrence network analysis revealed lower complexity in highly managed soils. The findings demonstrate that soil organisms are highly responsive to agricultural practices and highlight the need to adopt sustainable management strategies to preserve soil functionality and ensure the resilience of fruit production systems.
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    Effects of sustainable agricultural practices on soil microbial diversity, composition, and functions
    (Elsevier B.V., 2024) Mondaca Rivas, Pedro Santiago; Celis-Diez J.L.; Diaz-Siefer P.; Olmos-Moya N.; Montero-Silva F.; Bustos Molina, Sofia Shantal; Fonturbel F.E.; Aponte H.; Mandakovic D.; Bastidas Mendez, Brynelly Mercedes; Arellano, Eduardo C.; Lavandero B.; Carvajal M.; Gaxiola Alcantar Aurora
    Soil microorganisms can provide multiple benefits to agroecosystems, which are assumed to be promoted by sustainable agricultural practices. However, the mechanisms that explain this relationship have not been clearly elucidated. Although studies have reported that sustainable agricultural practices promote microbial biomass, the broader implications for soil microbial composition and functions remain uncertain. Accordingly, we searched field experiments worldwide contrasting soil microbial communities under conventional and sustainable agricultural practices. We analysed 924 results of relative abundance of bacteria or fungi (using 16 S and ITS rRNA amplicon sequencing, respectively) at the Family taxonomic level obtained from 46 articles. We found higher soil bacterial richness and higher abundance of copiotrophic bacteria under sustainable agricultural practices. Organic fertilisation promoted the abundance of bacteria involved in C and N cycling, while conservation tillage decreased those involved in the decomposition of plant residue. While sustainable agricultural practices had a minor effect on the overall fungal structure, they led to increases in symbiotic fungi abundance (e.g., Geoglossaceae). Additionally, we observed a slight increase in arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and a slight reduction in pathogenic fungi associated with plant disease (e.g., Botryosphaeriaceae). Higher soil microbial taxonomic diversity did not lead to increased soil multifunctionality; however, it could safeguard resilience for soil functions via the diversity insurance effect. This study establishes that sustainable agricultural practices can significantly influence microbial communities, leading to compositional and structural changes, as well as promoting relevant functions for agroecosystems. Altogether, these results highlight the importance of integrating concepts of community ecology into agricultural management practices for reaching sustainable agricultural systems.