Data supporting the findings of Lebedev (2024) Organic carbon stock and soil properties in a transgenic pear orchard in comparison to different land use types. Global Change Biology.

Soil organic carbon (SOC) affects both the functioning of terrestrial ecosystems and agricultural production. Land use change has a greater impact on SOC stocks than climate change. The application of genetic engineering in agriculture provides numerous benefits, but transgenic plants can have undesirable impacts on the environment including soil properties. Unlike annual crops, transgenic trees grow in one place for a long time and their effects on the soil can accumulate. This study evaluated the effect of 10-11-year-old transgenic pear trees on SOC stocks, soil physicochemical properties, enzyme activity and microbial biomass in the field. Transgenic plants were obtained by conventional transformation (<i>uidA</i> reporter gene) or retransformation (herbicide resistance gene <i>bar</i>), which increases the risk of unintended effects. Transgenic pear plots were compared with grassland, cropland and mature (23 years) pear orchard. Transgenic plants had no effect on SOC stocks and such soil physicochemical properties as pH, nutrient content, soil texture. The impact of retransformants on soil enzymes was more pronounced compared to single transformants. The effect of transgenic pear plants on microbial biomass (MBC, MBN, and MBP) was negligible. The distance from pear trunks (0.2 or 1 m) had an effect on the activity of some enzymes. SOC stocks were maximum in mature orchard (80.1 Mg ha^-1) and fallow (78.7 Mg ha^-1). These values were much lower in the young orchards and meadow. In terms of nutrient content, meadow soil was inferior to agricultural systems. Fallow was the leader in the activity of most soil enzymes, followed by meadow and then pear orchards. In general, transgenic pear trees did not adversely affect soil quality. This first study of transgenic fruit trees and retransformed stacked plants provides an assessment of their soil biosafety and improves our understanding the impact of transgenic and traditional agrosystem functioning on the environment.

土壤有机碳（Soil Organic Carbon, SOC）既影响陆地生态系统的功能运转，也关乎农业生产活动。土地利用变化对土壤有机碳储量的影响远大于气候变化。农业领域转基因技术的应用虽带来诸多益处，但转基因植物可能对环境产生不良影响，其中包括土壤性状的改变。与一年生农作物不同，转基因林木长期定植于同一地块，其对土壤的影响会随时间累积。本研究针对10~11年生转基因梨树，开展田间试验以评估其对土壤有机碳储量、土壤理化性状、酶活性及微生物生物量的影响。本研究中的转基因植株通过常规转化（携带uidA报告基因）或再转化（携带bar除草剂抗性基因）获得，后者会增加非预期效应的风险。试验以草地、农田及23年生成熟梨园作为对照，与转基因梨园进行对比。结果表明，转基因梨树对土壤有机碳储量，以及pH值、养分含量、土壤质地等土壤理化性状均无显著影响。相较于单次转化植株，再转化植株对土壤酶活性的影响更为显著。转基因梨树对微生物生物量（微生物生物量碳MBC、微生物生物量氮MBN及微生物生物量磷MBP）的影响可忽略不计。距梨树树干0.2米或1米的采样距离，会对部分土壤酶的活性产生影响。土壤有机碳储量以成熟梨园最高，达80.1 Mg·ha⁻¹，其次为休耕地（78.7 Mg·ha⁻¹）。幼龄梨园与草地的土壤有机碳储量则显著低于上述两类样地。就养分含量而言，草地土壤的养分水平不及农田系统。休耕地的多数土壤酶活性位居首位，其次为草地，梨园则位列最后。总体而言，转基因梨树未对土壤质量产生负面影响。本研究作为首个针对转基因果树及再转化叠加性状植株的相关试验，不仅评估了其土壤生物安全性，也加深了我们对转基因与传统农业生态系统功能及其对环境影响的认知。