An ecological function conceptual model for bacterial communities with high relative abundance in an unplanted and canola (Brassica napus) planted Podzol

The ecological services provided by soil microbial communities are important for the sustainability of soils and the secure production of food. It is difficult to establish the ecological functions associated with soil bacterial communities in unplanted soils and canola (Brassica napus) planted rhizosphere. We linked information on the composition and relative abundance of most abundant soil bacteria communities characterized by 16S rDNA next-generation-sequencing to indicate predominant ecological functions in an unplanted and canola planted Podzolic soil. An eco-function conceptual model was established to link 11 bacterial taxonomic hierarchies involving communities from 18 families with seven predominant ecological functions. The conceptual model was structured on the basis of biotic oxidation, reduction and hydrolysis reactions. The relative abundance of 16S rDNA sequences at the family level indicated single and multifunctions involved the production and transfer of energy, the cycling of C, N and P (i.e., mineralization and immobilization, N fixation), and humus synthesis. Other ecological functions involve plant infection and defence, microbial predation and promotion of plant growth. The structured eco-function conceptual model serves as the basis for linking ecological functions with specific soil bacterial communities using complementary measurements of components in the omics cascade and other chemical and biochemical end-point measurements.