AUTHORS: Gero Benckiser

Download as PDF

ABSTRACT: The invention of technical N2 fixation (TNF) opened the way to fertilize urea, NH4+, NO3- plant demands surpassing. An enchased the production sites from the thermodynamic equilibrium moving away and yields significantly increasing soil organic matter (SOM) conversion promotes nitrification through NH4+ and CO2 availability in higher amounts. Mobile NO3- ions in access formed dislocate towards groundwater. N2O emissions and land erosion accrete. Contrastingly demonstrate harvester ants how the nest mound surrounding area can be moved away from the thermodynamic equilibrium with organic matter imports, low in N, fungus farming, and a cleverly devised waste management. NH4+ is only limited available, inter alia through N storing in the ant cuticle, and a relatedly limited NO3- formation forces the denitrifying microflora to use NO3- economically by emitting preferred N2 instead of N2O as in N surplus environments. A long term N cycle concerned research, insights into ant nest organisations and the meanwhile reasonably understood interdisciplinary nature of soils allow designing three dimensional economic (x), ecological (y), socio-cultural (z) Gibb‘s triangle diagrams for finding ways how the complex influences of N overloads could brought to an advancing organic/precision farming N management at high yield conservation and the much more complexity and globalisation facing, agriculture, industry and the public supervising governance to approach less environmental threats and more welfare for each citizen. Farmers and governance concerned endeavours in reaching less N overloads, less land degradation, less climate change are discussed.

KEYWORDS: ants, nest N management, farming, e- acceptor/donator balancing, waste management, governance duties

REFERENCES:

[1] Ranjithkumar R, Maya, S, Sujatha K, Balachandar D, Kumar, K, Benckiser G. (2011). Biogas plants efficiency in purifying Indian sago factory waste water with wide C/N ratios: strategies for process water reuse. International Journal of Sustainable Engineering vol 4, pp 348-358 DOI: 10.1080/ 19397038.2011.588346

[2] Ranjiitkumar R, Maya, S, Balachandar D, Ratering S, Kumar K, Benckiser G. (2012). Microbial community diversity of organically rich cassava sago factory waste waters and their ability to use nitrate and N2O added as external N-sources for enhancing biomethanation and the purification efficiency. Journal of Biotechnology vol 164, pp 266– 275 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jbiotec.2012.11.013

[3] Sujatha K, Balachandar D, Kumar K, Benckiser G. (2015). Aerobic cyanide degradation by bacterial isolates from cassava factory wastewater. Brazilian Journal of Microbiology vol 46, pp 659-666 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S151 7-838246320130516

[4] Vishnudas CK. (2008) Woodpeckers and ants in India’s shade coffee. Indian Birds vol 4, pp 9–11.

[5] Benckiser G. (2010). Ants and sustainable agriculture - A review. Agronomy and Sustainable Development vol 30, pp 191–199. doi:10.1051/agro/ 2009026.

[6] Benckiser G, Bamforth SS. (2011). Role of pathogens, signal recalcitrance, and organisms shifting for ecosystem recuperation – A Review. Agronomy and Sustainable Development vol 31, pp 205– 215. doi:10.1051/agro/2010024.

[7] Benckiser G, Ladha JK, Wiesler F. (2016). Climate change and nitrogen turnover in soils and aquatic environments. In: Climate Change and Microbial Ecology: Current Research and Future Trends. (Ed Marxsen, J) Caister Academic Press; Norfolk, UK, chapter 8, pp 22.

[8] Hölldobler B, Wilson EO. (2009). The superorganism. WW Norton & Company, Inc., New York, pp 522.

[9] Honermeier B. (2007). Diversity in crop production systems, In Biodiversity in Agricultural Production Systems, Benckiser G, Schnell S (Eds.), CRC, Taylor & Francis, Boca Raton, pp. 1–19.

[10] Libert S, Pletcher SD. (2007). Modulation of longevity by environmental sensing. Cell vol 124, pp 1231-1234. Doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2007.12.002.

[11] Andren O, Kätterer T. (2008). Agriculture Systems. In: Ecosystems. Vol.

[1] of Encyclopedia of Ecology, 5 vols. Jørgensen S.E., Fath, B.D. (eds), Oxford: Elsevier pp. 96-101.

[12] Duke SO. (2017). Summing up the past year for pest management science. Pest Management Science vol 73, pp 7–8. DOI 10.1002/ps.4466

[13] Usta C. (2013). Microorganisms in biological pest control — A Review (Bacterial Toxin Application and Effect of Environmental Factors). Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology» 'Current Progress in Biological Research', 'Chapter 13, Marina Silva-Opps M. ISBN 978-953-51-1097-2

[14] Goulart Coelho LM, Lange LC, Coelho HMG. (2017). Multi-criteria decision making to support waste management: A critical review of current practices and methods Waste Management & Research vol 35, pp 3-28. http://dx.doi.org/10.11 77/ 0734242X1666 4024

[15] Todt D, Dörsch P. (2016). Mechanism leading to N2O production in wastewater treating biofilm systems. Rev Environ Sci Biotechnol DOI 10.1007/ s11157-016-9401-2

[16] Aanen DK, Boomsma JJ. (2006). Social-insect fungus farming. Current Biology vol 16, pp 1014– 1016 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2006.11.016

[17] Ivens ABF, Kronauer DJC, Pen I, Weissing FJ, Boomsma JJ. 2012. Ants farm subterranean aphids mostly in single clone groups - an example of prudent husbandry for carbohydrates and proteins? BMC Evolutionary Biology 12: 106. http://www. biomedcentral.com/1471-2148/12/106

[18] Wang C, Wang G, Wu P, Rafique R, Zi H, Li X, Luo Y. 2016. Effects of ant mounds on the plant and soil microbial community in an Alpine Meadow of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Land Degradation & Development doi: 10.1002/ldr.2681.

[19] Offenberg J. (2001). Balancing between mutualism and exploitation: the symbiotic interaction between Lasius ants and aphids. Behavioral Ecolology and Sociobiology vol 49, pp 304–310. doi: 10.1007/s002650000303.

[20] Van Borm S, Buschinger A, Boomsma J, Billen J. (2002). Tetraponera ants have gut symbionts related to nitrogen-fixing root-nodule bacteria. Proceedings of the Royal Society London Ser B Biological Science vol 269, pp 2023–2029. DOI: 10.1098/ rspb.2002.2101

[21] Jones JB, Wagner D. (2006 a). Micro-habitat specific controls on soil respiration and denitrification in the Mojave Desert: The role of harvester ant nests and vegetation. Western North American Naturalist vol 66, 426-433. Doi: http://dx.doi.org/10. 3398/1527-0904(2006)66

[426: MCOSRA] 2.0.CO2.

[22] Jones JB, Wagner D. 2006 b. The impact of harvester ant nests on decomposition, N mineralization, litter quality, and availability of N to plants in the Mojave Desert. Soil Bioliolgy and Biochemistry vol 38, pp 2593–2601. doi:10.1016/j.soilbio.2006. 02. 024.

[23] Dauber J, Purtauf T, Allspach A, Frisch J, Voigtländer K, Wolters V. (2005). Local vs. landscape controls on diversity: a test using surfacedwelling soil macro-invertebrates of differing mobility. Global Ecology. Biogeography vol 14, pp 213–221. Doi: 10.1111/j.1466-822 X.2005.00150.x.

[24] Morell, V. (2016). Humans aren’t the only great apes that can ‘read minds. Posted in PM Brain & Behavior, Plants & Animals, Human Evolution DOI: 10.1126/science.aah7386

[25] Perez CA, Carmona MR, Armesto JJ. (2010). Non-symbiotic nitrogen fixation during leaf litter decomposition in an old-growth temperate rain forest of Chiloé Island, southern Chile: Effects of single versus mixed species litter. Austral Ecology vol 35, pp 148–156 DOI: 10.1111/j.1442-9993. 2009. 02020.x

[26] Hodge A, Fitter AH. (2010). Substantial nitrogen acquisition by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi from organic material has implications for N cycling. PNAS vol 107, pp 13754–13759 doi: 10. 1073/pnas.1005874107

[27] De Fine Licht HH, Boomsma JJ, Tunlid A. 2014. Symbiotic adaptations in the fungal cultivar of leaf-cutting ants. Nat. Commun. vol 5, pp 5675 doi: 10.1038/ncomms6675.

[28] Tschinkel WR. (2015). The architecture of subterranean ant nests: beauty and mystery underfoot. J Bioecon vol 17, pp 271–291 DOI 10.1007/s10818- 015-9203-6

[29] Cerdà A, Jurgensen, MF, Bodi, MB. (2009). Effects of ants on water and soil losses from organically-managed citrus orchards in eastern Spain. Biologia vol 64, pp 527-531. DOI: 10.2478/s11756- 009-0114-7

[30] Cerdà A, Doerr SH. (2010). The effect of ant mounds on overland flow and soil erodibility following a wildfire in eastern Spain. Ecohydrologia vol 3, pp 392–401. DOI: 10.1002/eco.147

[31] Wagner D, Jones JB, Gordon DM. (2004). Development of ant harvester colonies alters soil chemistry. Soil Biology Biochemistry vol 36, pp 797–804. Doi: 10. 1016/j.soilbio.#2004.01.009

[32] Wagner D, Jones JB. (2006). The impact of harvester ant nests on decomposition, N mineralization, litter quality, and availability of N to plants in the Mojave Desert. Soil Biology Biochemistry vol 38, pp 2593–2601.

[33] Bignell D E, Jones DT. (2014) A taxonomic index, with names of descriptive authorities of termite genera and species: an accompaniment to biology of termites: a modern synthesis (Bignell DE, Roisin Y, Lo N, Editors. 2011. Springer, Dordrecht. 576 pp.) Journal of Insect Science, vol 14, pp 1-33. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1673/031.014.81

[34] Herz H, Beyschlag, W, Hölldobler B. (2007 a). Herbivory rate of leaf-cutting ants in a tropical moist forest in Panama at the population and ecosystem scales. Biotropica vol 39, pp 482–488 DOI 10.1111/j. 1744-7429.2007.00284.x

[35] Herz H, Beyschlag, W, Hölldobler B. (2007 b). Assessing herbivory rates of leaf-cutting ant (Atta colombica) colonies through short-term refuse deposition counts. Biotropica vol 39, pp 476–481 DOI 10.1111/j.1744-7429.2007.00283.x

[36] Benckiser G. (1997). Organic inputs and soil metabolism In: Fauna in soil ecosystems. (ed., Benckiser, G). Marcel Dekker, New York, USA. pp 7-62

[37] Craig TP. (2010). The resource regulation hypothesis and positive feedback loops in plant– herbivore interactions. Population Ecology vol 52, pp 461–473. Doi: 10.1007/s 10144-010-0210-0.

[38] Huber C, Kraus F, Hanzlik M, Eisenreich, W, Wächtershäuser G. (2012). Elements of metabolic evolution. Chem. Eur. J. vol 18, pp 2063-2080.

[39] Beraldi-Campesi H. (2013). Early life on land and the first terrestrial ecosystems. Ecological Processes vol 2, pp 1 http://www.ecological processes.com/content/2/1/1

[40] Fixen KR, Zheng Y, Harris DF, Shaw S, Yang ZY, Dean DR, Seefeldt LC, Harwood CS. (2016). Light-driven carbon dioxide reduction to methane by nitrogenase in a photosynthetic bacterium. PNAS vol 113, pp 10163–10167 www.pnas.org/cgi/doi/10. 073/pnas.1611043113

[41] Nacry P, Bouguyon E, Gojon A. (2013). Nitrogen acquisition by roots: physiological and developmental mechanisms ensuring plant adaptation to a fluctuating world. Plant Soil vol 370, pp 1-29. Doi: 10.1007/s11104-013-1645-9.

[26]

[42] Leithold G., Hülsbergen KJ, Brock C. (2015). Organic matter returns to soils must be higher under organic compared to conventional farming. Journal Plant Nutrition and Soil Science vol 178, pp 4-12. DOI: 10.1002/jpln.201400133.

[43] Brevik EC, Cerdà A, Mataix-Solera J., Pereg L, Quinton JN, Six J, Van Oost K. (2015). The interdisciplinary nature of SOIL. SOIL vol 1, pp 117- 129. doi:10. 5194/soil-1-117-2015.

[44] Von Lützow M, Kogel-Knabner I, Ekschmitt K, Flessa H, Guggenberger G, Matzner E, Marschner B. (2007). SOM fractionation methods: Relevance to functional pools and to stabilization mechanisms. Soil Biology and Biochemistry vol 39, pp 2183–2207. doi:10.1016/j.soilbio. 2007.03.007

[45] Vogel C, Heister K, Buegger F, Tanuwidjaja I, Haug S, Schloter M, Kögel-Knabner I. (2015). Clay mineral composition modifies decomposition and sequestration of organic carbon and nitrogen in fine soil fractions. Biol Fertil Soils vol 51, pp 427–442. Doi: 10.1007/s00374-014-0987-7.

[46] Young IM, Crawford JW. (2004). Interactions and self-organisation in the soil-microbe complex. Science vol 304, pp 1634–1637. DOI: 10.1126/ science.10973 94.

[47] Malézieux E, Crozat Y, Dupraz C, Laurans M, Makowski D, Ozier-Lafontaine H, Rapidel B, de Tourdonnet S, Valantin-Morison M. (2009). Mixing plant species in cropping systems: concepts, tools and models. A review. Agronomy and Sustainable Development vol 29, pp 43–62. doi:10.1051/agro: 2007057.

[48] Rockström J, Steffen W, Noone K, Persson, Å, Chapin, FS, Lambin EF, Lenton TM, Scheffer M, Folke C, Schellnhuber HJ, Nykvist B, de Wit CA, Hughes T, van der Leeuw S, Rodhe H, Sörlin S, Snyder PK, Costanza R, Svedin U, Falkenmark M, Karlberg L, Corell RW, Fabry VJ, Hansen J, Walker B, Liverman D, Richardson K, Crutzen P. Foley J. (2009). A safe operating space for humanity. Nature vol 461, pp 472-475. Doi: 10.1038/461472a.

[49] Korf HW, von Gall C. 2013. Circadian physiology In: Neuroscience in the 21 century, DW Pfaff, ed., Springer, Heidelberg, pp 1813-1845.

[50] Keesstra SD, Bouma J, Wallinga J, Tittonell P, Smith P, Cerdà A, Montanarella L, Quinton JN, Pachepsky Y, van der Putten WH, Bardgett RD, Moolenaar S, Mol G, Jansen B, Fresco LO. (2016). The significance of soils and soil science towards realization of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. SOIL 2: 111-128. doi:10.5194/soil-2- 111-2016.

[51] Scheffers BR, De Meester L, Bridge TCL, Hoffmann AA, Pandolfi JM, Corlett RT, Butchart SHM, Pearce-Kelly P, Kovacs KM, Dudgeon D, Pacifici M, Rondinini C, Foden WB, Martin TG, Mora C, Bickford D, Watson JEM. (2016). The broad footprint of climate change from genes to biomes to people. Science vol 354, pp 6313, DOI: 10.1126/science.aaf 7671

[52] Stiglitz J. (2016). An agenda for sustainable and inclusive growth for emerging markets. Journal Policy Modelling vol 38, pp 693–710. doi.org/10. 1016/j.jpol mod.2016.05.012

[53] Gowdy J, Krall L. (2016). The economic origins of ultra-sociality. Behaviral and Brain Sciences vol 39, pp 1-60 doi: 10.1017/S0140525X1500059 Xe92

[54] Dorigo M, Birattari M, Blum C, Clerc M, Stützle T, Winfield A (eds). (2008). Ant Colony Optimization and Swarm Intelligence: 6th International Conference, Springer-Verlag, Heidelberg.

[55] Yli-Huumo J, Ko D, Choi S, Park S, Smolander K. (2016). Where is current research on blockchain technology?—A Systematic Review. PLOS|one, http://dx. doi. org/10. 1371/journal.pone.0163477

[56] Meng FQ, Gao XM, Sun SC. (2011). Plant community succession on ant-hills of a subalpine meadow in Northwestern Sichuan, China, species composition and diversity. Plant Diversity and Resources vol 33, pp 191-199. DOI: 10. 3724/SP.J.11 43.2011.10186

[57] Meyer ST, Neubauer M, Sayer EJ, Leal IR, Tabarelli M, Wirth R. (2013). Leaf-cutting ants as ecosystem engineers: topsoil and litter perturbations around Atta cephalotes nests reduce nutrient availability. Ecological Entomology vol 38, pp 497–504 DOI: 10.1111/een.12043

[58] Ward PS. (2014). The phylogeny and evolution of ants. Annual Review of Ecology, Evolution, and Systematics vol 5, pp 23-43. DOI: 10.1146/annurevecolsys-12 0213-091824.

[59] Marris E. (2006). Putting the carbon back: Black is the new green. Nature vol 442: doi: 624- 626. Doi:10.1038/44262

[60] Ruiz M, Aguiriano E, Carrillo JM. (2008). Effects of N fertilization on yield for low-input production in Spanish wheat landraces (Triticum turgidum L. and Triticum monococcum L.). Plant Breeding vol 127, pp 20–23. DOI: 10.1111/j.1439- 05 23.2007. 01406.x.

[61] Benckiser G, Gaus G, Syring KM, Haider K, Sauerbeck D. (1987). Denitrification losses from an Inceptisol field treated with mineral fertilizer or sewage sludge. Journal Plant Nutrition and Soil Science vol 150, pp 241-248.

[62] Benckiser G, Eilts R, Linn A, Lorch HJ, Sümer E, Weiske A, Wenzhöfer F. (1996). N2O emissions from different cropping systems and aerated nitrifying, denitrifying tanks of a municipal waste water treatment plant. Biology and Fertility of Soils vol 23, pp 257-265. Doi: 10. 1007/s003740050169.

[63] Smith KA, Mosier AR, Crutzen, PJ, Winiwarter W. (2012). The role of N2O derived from crop-based biofuels and from agriculture in general, in Earth’s climate. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B vol 367, pp 1169–1174 doi:10.1098/rstb.2011.0313

[64] Bush SR, Oosterveer P. (2015). Vertically differentiating environmental standards: the case of the marine stewardship Council. Sustainability vol 7: pp 1861-1883. Doi:10.3390/su7021861.

[65] Van GroeningenJW, Velthof GL, Oenema O, van Groeningen K, van Kessel G. (2010). Towards an agronomic assessment of N2O emissions: a case study for arable crops. European Journal of Soil Science vol 61, pp 903-913 doi: 10.1111/j. 1365- 2389.2009.01217.x

[66] Benckiser G, Schartel T, Weiske A. (2015). Control of NO3- and N2O emissions in agroecosystems: A review. Agronomy and Sustainable Development vol 35, pp 1059-1074. DOI 10.1007/s1359 3-015-0296-z.

[67] Hatanaka M. (2014). McSustainability and McJustice: certification, alternative food and agriculture, and social change sustainability. Sustainability vol 6, pp 8092-8112. Doi: 10.3390/su61180 92.

[68] Hatzenpichler R. (2012). Diversity, physiology, and niche differentiation of ammonia-oxidizing archaea. Applied and Environmental Microbiology vol 78, pp 7501–7510 doi:10.1128/AEM.01960-12

[69] De Lorenzo V. (2014). From the shelfish gene to the shelfish metabolism: Revisiting the central dogma. Bioessays vol 36, pp 226-235. DOI: 10. 1002/bies.201300153

[70] Madliger CL, Love OP. (2015). The power of physiology in changing landscapes: considerations for the continued integration of conservation and physiology. Integrative and Comparative Biology vol 45, pp 4-11. Doi: 10.1093/icb/icv 001.

[71] Benckiser G, Christ E, Herbert T, Weiske A, Blome J, Hardt M. (2013). The nitrification inhibitor 3,4-dimethylpyrazole-phosphat (DMPP) - quantification and effects on soil metabolism. Plant Soil vol 371. pp 257-266, DOI 10.1007/s111 04-013-1664-6.

[72] Benckiser G. (2012). Nanotechnology and patents in agriculture, food technology, nutrition and medicine – Advantages and risks. Recent Patents on Food, Nutrition & Agriculture vol 4: pp 171-175 ISSN 2212-7984

[73] Houlton BZ, Wang YP, Vitousek PM, Field CB. (2008). A unifying framework for dinitrogen fixation in the terrestrial biosphere. Nature vol 454, pp 327–331. Doi:10.1038/ nature07028.

[74] Franken P, George E. (2007). Diversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, In Biodiversity in agricultural production systems, Benckiser G, Schnell S (Eds.), CRC, Taylor and Francis, Boca Raton, Florida, pp. 189–203.

[75] Panwar NL, Kaushik SC, Kothari S. (2011). Role of renewable energy sources in environmental protection: A review. Renewable & Sustainable Energy Reviews. vol 15, pp 1513–1524. http://dx.doi. org/10.1016/j.rser.2010.11.037.

[76] Lu X, ed. (2014). Biofuels: From Microbes to Molecules. Caister Academic Press, Poole, UK, pp 248.

[76] Underwood E. (2014). A world of difference. Science vol 344, pp 820-821 DOI: 10.1126/science. 344.6186.820

[77] Eiben AE, Smith J. (2014). From evolutionary computation to the evolution of things. Nature vol 521, pp 476–482. Doi: 10.1038/nature14544.

[78] Nelson B. (2014). Synthetic biology: Cultural divide. Nature vol 509, pp 152–154. doi: 10.1038/ 509152a. 79] Banitz T, Johst K, Wick LY, Schamfuß S, Harms H, Frank K. (2013). Highways versus pipelines: contributions of two fungal transport mechanisms to efficient bioremediation. Environmental Microbioogy Reports vol 5, pp 211–218. doi: 10. 1111/1758-2229.12002.

[80] Bobonich, C. (2002). Plato s 'Utopia Recast: His Later Ethics and Politics. University Press, Clarendon Press, Oxford, UK, 2002, pp 633

[81] Kropotkin P. (2005). Gegenseitige Hilfe in der Tier und Menschenwelt, first edition (1902), Mutual aid, a factor of evolution. Trotzdem Verlagsgenossenschaft, Frankfurt, pp 333.

[82] Benckiser G, Schnell S, eds. (2007). Biodiversity in agricultural production systems. CRC, Taylor and Francis, Boca Raton, Florida.

[83] Ludescher J, Gozolchiani A, Bogachev MI, Bunde A, Havlin S, Schellnhuber HJ. (2014). Very early warning of next El Niño. PNAS vol 111, pp 2065-2066 doi: 0.1073/pnas.1323058 111.

[84] Keitt TH, Addis CR, Mitchell D, Salas A, Hakes CV. (2016). Climate change, microbes and soil carbon cycling. In: Climate Change and Microbial Ecology: Current Research and Future Trends. (ed Marxsen, J) Caister Academic Press; Norfolk, UK, chapter 7, pp' 17