Introduction Alterations in the composition and structure of the soil microbial community exert a substantial impact on soil nutrient cycling and fertility. Implementing sustainable land use strategies involves a deeper comprehension of the dynamics of the soil microbial community under different fertilization approaches. Methods Phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) method was employed to characterize soil microbial community abundance and structure under four fertilization treatments (no fertilizer (CK), 100% mineral fertilizer (NPK), 30% organic fertilizer + 70% mineral fertilizer (LOM), and 60% organic fertilizer + 40% mineral fertilizer (HOM)) in a Camellia oleifera plantation area in southern China. Results Fertilization application substantially increased the Camellia oleifera yields, with the highest increment observed under the HOM treatment. Soil organic carbon and total nitrogen levels were significantly increased in LOM and HOM treatments as compared to CK. Total PLFAs absolute abundance in LOM and HOM treatments increased by 68.45% and 85.38%, respectively, compared to CK treatment. Furthermore, the absolute abundances of bacteria, fungi, and actinomycetes, as well as total PLFAs, were markedly enhanced in HOM and LOM treatments but not in the NPK treatment relative to CK treatment. There was less distinction observed in the microbial community structure than in microbial abundance across four fertilization treatments. Soil nutrients were identified as the primary factor affecting soil microbial abundance and crop yield. These findings imply that the combined application of organic and mineral fertilization than employing solely mineral fertilization may be more effective in improving soil nutrient levels, regulating soil microbial community composition and increasing crop yield in a Camellia oleifera plantation.
Luo et al. (Thu,) studied this question.