Can agricultural land use alter the responses of soil biota to antibiotic contamination?

Antibiotics accumulate in soils via various agricultural activities, endangering soil biota that play fundamental roles in maintaining agroecosystem function. However, the effects of land-use heterogeneity on soil biota tolerance to antibiotic stresses are not well understood. In this study, we explored the relationships between antibiotic residues, bacterial communities, and earthworm populations in areas with different land-use types (forest, maize, and peanut fields). The results showed that antibiotic levels were generally higher in maize and peanut fields than in forests. Furthermore, land use modulated the effects of antibiotics on soil bacterial communities and earthworm populations. Cumulative antibiotic concentrations in peanut fields were negatively correlated with bacterial diversity and earthworm abundance, whereas no significant correlations were detected in maize fields. In contrast, antibiotics improved bacterial diversity and richness in forest soils. Generally, earthworm populations showed stronger tolerance to antibiotics than did soil bacterial communities. Agricultural land use differentially modified the responses of the soil bacterial community and earthworm population to antibiotic contamination, and earthworms might provide an alternative for controlling antibiotic contamination.

Automated summary

This study investigated the relationships between antibiotic residues, bacterial communities, and earthworm populations in different land-use types. The results showed that antibiotics were more commonly found in maize and peanut fields compared to forests. Land use influenced the effects of antibiotics on soil bacteria and earthworms, with peanut fields showing negative correlations between antibiotic concentrations and bacterial diversity and earthworm abundance. On the other hand, antibiotics improved bacterial diversity in forest soils. Overall, earthworm populations demonstrated higher tolerance to antibiotics than soil bacterial communities. Agricultural land use played a role in modulating the responses of soil bacteria and earthworms to antibiotic contamination, suggesting earthworms as a potential alternative for controlling antibiotic pollution.