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Yuan J, Wu F, Peng X, Wu Q, Yue K, Yuan C, An N, Peng Y. Global patterns and determinants of the initial concentrations of litter carbon components. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 951:175844. [PMID: 39214368 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.175844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2024] [Revised: 08/24/2024] [Accepted: 08/26/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024]
Abstract
Plant litter is an important carbon (C) and nutrient pool in terrestrial ecosystems. The C components in plant litter are important because they regulate plant litter decomposition rate, but little is known on the global patterns and determinants of their concentrations in freshly fallen plant litter. Here, we quantified the concentrations of leaf litter C components (i.e., carbohydrate, polyphenol, tannin, and condensed tannin) with 864 measurements from 161 independent publications. We found that (1) the mean concentrations of leaf litter carbohydrate, polyphenol, tannin and condensed tannin were 27.7, 6.08, 8.84 and 5.7 %, respectively; (2) the concentrations of leaf litter C components were affected by taxonomic division, mycorrhizal association, life form, and/or leaf shedding strategy; (3) soil property had similar impacts on the concentrations of the four C compounds, while the influence of mean annual temperature and precipitation varied; and (4) elevation had opposing effects on carbohydrate and polyphenol concentrations, but not on that of tannin and condensed tannin, and only carbohydrate concentration was strongly affected by absolute latitude. In general, our results clearly show the global patterns and drivers of the concentrations of litter C compounds, providing new insights into the role of litter decomposition in global C dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji Yuan
- Key Laboratory for Humid Subtropical Eco-Geographical Processes of the Ministry of Education, School of Geographical Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou 350007, China
| | - Fuzhong Wu
- Key Laboratory for Humid Subtropical Eco-Geographical Processes of the Ministry of Education, School of Geographical Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou 350007, China
| | - Xin Peng
- School of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Chengdu University, Chengdu 610106, China
| | - Qiqian Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, Zhejiang A & F University, Lin'an 311300, China
| | - Kai Yue
- Key Laboratory for Humid Subtropical Eco-Geographical Processes of the Ministry of Education, School of Geographical Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou 350007, China
| | - Chaoxiang Yuan
- Key Laboratory for Humid Subtropical Eco-Geographical Processes of the Ministry of Education, School of Geographical Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou 350007, China
| | - Nannan An
- Key Laboratory for Humid Subtropical Eco-Geographical Processes of the Ministry of Education, School of Geographical Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou 350007, China; Fujian Sanming Forest Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, Fujian Normal University, Sanming 365002, China
| | - Yan Peng
- Key Laboratory for Humid Subtropical Eco-Geographical Processes of the Ministry of Education, School of Geographical Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou 350007, China; Fujian Sanming Forest Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, Fujian Normal University, Sanming 365002, China.
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2
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Meng Y, Li P, Liu X, Xiao L, Liu J, Zhang C, Yang S, Zhang X, Wang Y, Wang B. Variability in the home-field advantage of litter decomposition mediates alterations in soil CO 2 and CH 4 fluxes: A transplantation experiment study. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 951:175685. [PMID: 39182774 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.175685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2024] [Revised: 08/16/2024] [Accepted: 08/19/2024] [Indexed: 08/27/2024]
Abstract
The decomposition of litter is susceptible to the influence of climate change and soil conditions, which can subsequently impact the release of carbon dioxide (CO2) from forest soils and the absorption of methane (CH4). Ecological theory proposes the existence of a home-field advantage (HFA) in litter decomposition, suggesting that the decomposition rate of litter (such as fallen leaves, twigs, and roots) may be faster in their native habitat than in foreign environments. Therefore, we selected litter from Pinus tabuliformis (PT) and Quercus acutissima Carruth (QC) in the field and conducted a 439-day litter transplant experiment to test the magnitude and direction of the HFA of these two litter types in three forest stands. During this experiment, we monitored the changes in soil CO2 and CH4 fluxes associated with the decomposition of PT and QC leaf litter in their native and foreign sites. Furthermore, we measured various soil physical, chemical, and biological indicators. The results indicated that the decomposition rate of QC leaf litter was faster in its native habitat, demonstrating a clear HFA effect. Conversely, the decomposition of PT leaf litter was observed to be more rapid in away soil, suggesting a pronounced home-field disadvantage (HFD). The study found that PT leaf litter exhibited greater CO2 release when decomposing in away soil, demonstrating 43 % and 32 % increases compared to bare soil, respectively. Conversely, QC leaf litter was observed to release more CO2 in its home soil. Additionally, the bare soils of the PT and QC home sites were found to absorb more CH4 compared to leaf litter coverage, with increases of 37.8 % and 31.2 %, respectively. The partial least squares model indicated that the litter attributes had a significant direct effect on soil temperature and enzyme activity. Soil temperature and enzyme activity further directly influenced the soil CO2 and CH4 fluxes. The results of our study indicate that the HFA of litter is dependent on litter type, and that litter transplantation can impact soil greenhouse gas exchange. This research provides a theoretical foundation for forest management and conservation strategies, as well as valuable data for global carbon neutrality efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongxia Meng
- State Key Laboratory of Eco-Hydraulics in Northwest Arid Region of China, Xi'an University of Technology, Xi'an 710048, China
| | - Peng Li
- State Key Laboratory of Eco-Hydraulics in Northwest Arid Region of China, Xi'an University of Technology, Xi'an 710048, China.
| | - Xiaohuang Liu
- Key Laboratory of Natural Resource Element Coupling and Effects, Ministry of Natural Resources, Natural Resources and Earth System Science, Beijing 100812, China
| | - Lie Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Eco-Hydraulics in Northwest Arid Region of China, Xi'an University of Technology, Xi'an 710048, China
| | - Jialiang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Eco-Hydraulics in Northwest Arid Region of China, Xi'an University of Technology, Xi'an 710048, China
| | - Chaoya Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Eco-Hydraulics in Northwest Arid Region of China, Xi'an University of Technology, Xi'an 710048, China
| | - Shutong Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Eco-Hydraulics in Northwest Arid Region of China, Xi'an University of Technology, Xi'an 710048, China
| | - Xiaoming Zhang
- China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, Beijing 100048, China
| | - Yunqi Wang
- Jinyun Forest Ecosystem Research Station, School of Soil and Water Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Bo Wang
- Xi'an Mineral Resources Survey Center, China Geological Survey, Xi'an 710100, China
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3
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Tan J, Wu X, Wang L, Wu N, Yang H, Ruan S, Qi Y. Easily overlooked petiole traits are key factors that affect soil carbon sequestration in plantations in karst areas. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 951:175298. [PMID: 39111420 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.175298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2024] [Revised: 06/19/2024] [Accepted: 08/03/2024] [Indexed: 08/16/2024]
Abstract
Vegetation restoration in karst areas has shifted from expanding planting areas to the collective enhancement of various ecological functions, especially carbon sequestration. Identifying and regulating key plant functional traits involved in the carbon cycle is an effective approach to increase carbon sequestration. However, reports on the significant contribution of petiole traits to the carbon cycle are scarce. Eucalyptus globulus and Bauhinia purpurea plantations in Liujiang river basin were investigated in this study. Petiole traits, understory characteristics, and soil organic carbon have been measured. The aim is to explore key effect of petiole traits for increasing soil carbon sequestration and to provide scientific evidence for the high-quality development of plantations in karst areas. The results indicate that in Eucalyptus globulus plantations, when the understory vegetation coverage is below 50 %, petioles tend to elongate rather than thicken, leading to an increase in specific petiole length. In Bauhinia purpurea plantations, petioles consistently tend to increase diameter. However, when specific leaf area decreases, specific petiole length increases. In both plantations, an increase in specific petiole length accelerates leaf shedding. It leads to increased litter accumulation so that soil carbon content increases. In Eucalyptus globulus plantations, to enhance soil carbon sequestration as an ecological goal, it is recommended to keep the soil total nitrogen below 1.20 mg/g, to control understory vegetation coverage below 50 %, and to limit the extension of Bidens pilosa. In Bauhinia purpurea plantations, within 100 m of altitude, the soil total nitrogen can be controlled below 1.00 mg/g to increase soil organic carbon from large leaf shedding due to the increase of specific petiole length. At lower altitudes, increasing soil total nitrogen can enhance understory vegetation coverage, allowing soil organic carbon to originate from both leaf shedding and understory vegetation residues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin Tan
- School of Soil and Water Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, 100083 Beijing, China; College of Water Conservancy, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming 650201, Yunnan, China
| | - Xiuqin Wu
- School of Soil and Water Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, 100083 Beijing, China.
| | - Lei Wang
- School of Soil and Water Conservation, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming 650224, China
| | - Nan Wu
- School of Soil and Water Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, 100083 Beijing, China
| | - Hui Yang
- Key Laboratory of Karst Dynamics, MNR and GZAR, Institute of Karst Geology, CAGS, Guilin 541004, China
| | - Shiqiao Ruan
- Guangxi Institute of Science and Technology Development Co., Ltd, China
| | - Yuchuan Qi
- Guangxi Institute of Science and Technology Development Co., Ltd, China
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4
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Liu S, Luo H, Trevathan-Tackett SM, Liang J, Wang L, Zhang X, Ren Y, Jiang Z, Wu Y, Zhao C, Huang X. Nutrient-loaded seagrass litter experiences accelerated recalcitrant organic matter decay. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 953:176251. [PMID: 39277004 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.176251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2024] [Revised: 09/11/2024] [Accepted: 09/11/2024] [Indexed: 09/17/2024]
Abstract
High coastal nutrient loading can cause changes in seagrass chemistry traits that may lead to variability in seagrass litter decomposition processes. Such changes in decomposition have the potential to alter the carbon (C) sequestration capacity within seagrass meadows ('blue carbon'). However, the external and internal factors that drive the variability in decomposition rates of the different organic matter (OM) types of seagrass are poorly understood, especially recalcitrant OM (i.e. cellulose-associated OM and lignin-associated OM), thereby limiting our ability to evaluate the C sequestration potential. It was conducted a laboratory incubation to compare differences in the decomposition of Halophila beccarii litter collected from seagrass meadows with contrasting nutrient loading histories. The exponential decay constants of seagrass litter mass, cellulose-associated OM and lignin-associated OM were 0.009-0.032, 0.014-0.054 and 0.009-0.033 d-1, respectively. The seagrass litter collected from meadows with high nutrient loading exhibited greater losses of mass (25.0-41.2 %), cellulose-associated OM (2.8-18.5 %) and lignin-associated OM (9.6-31.2 %) than litter from relatively low nutrient loading meadows. The initial and temporal changes of the litter nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) concentrations, stoichiometric ratios of lignin/N, C/N, and C/P, and cellulose-associated OM content, were strongly correlated with the losses of litter mass and different types of OM. Further, temporal changes of litter C and OM types, particularly the OM and labile OM concentrations, were identified as the main driving factors for the loss of litter mass and loss of different OM types. These results indicated that nutrient-loaded seagrass litter, characterized by elevated nutrient levels and diminished amounts of recalcitrant OM, exhibits an accelerated decay rate for the recalcitrant OM. These differences in litter quality would lead to a reduced contribution of seagrass litter to long-term C stocks in eutrophic meadows, thereby weakening the stability of C sequestration. Considering the expected changes in seagrass litter chemistry traits and decay rates due to long-term nutrient loading, this study provides useful information for improving C sequestration capabilities through effective pollution management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Songlin Liu
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Hongxue Luo
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Stacey M Trevathan-Tackett
- Deakin Marine Research and Innovation Centre, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Burwood, Victoria 3125, Australia; Biosciences and Food Technology Discipline, School of Science, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia
| | - Jiening Liang
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Lifeng Wang
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation, School of Life Sciences, Taizhou University, Taizhou 318000, China
| | - Xia Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China
| | - Yuzheng Ren
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Zhijian Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yunchao Wu
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China
| | - Chunyu Zhao
- College of Ecology, Resources and Environment, Dezhou University, Dezhou 253023, China
| | - Xiaoping Huang
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
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5
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Austin AT, Ballaré CL. Photodegradation in terrestrial ecosystems. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2024. [PMID: 39262084 DOI: 10.1111/nph.20105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2024] [Accepted: 06/26/2024] [Indexed: 09/13/2024]
Abstract
The first step in carbon (C) turnover, where senesced plant biomass is converted through various pathways into compounds that are released to the atmosphere or incorporated into the soil, is termed litter decomposition. This review is focused on recent advances of how solar radiation can affect this important process in terrestrial ecosystems. We explore the photochemical degradation of plant litter and its consequences for biotic decomposition and C cycling. The ubiquitous presence of lignin in plant tissues poses an important challenge for enzymatic litter decomposition due to its biological recalcitrance, creating a substantial bottleneck for decomposer organisms. The recognition that lignin is also photolabile and can be rapidly altered by natural doses of sunlight to increase access to cell wall carbohydrates and even bolster the activity of cell wall degrading enzymes highlights a novel role for lignin in modulating rates of litter decomposition. Lignin represents a key functional connector between photochemistry and biochemistry with important consequences for our understanding of how sunlight exposure may affect litter decomposition in a wide range of terrestrial ecosystems. A mechanistic understanding of how sunlight controls litter decomposition and C turnover can help inform management and other decisions related to mitigating human impact on the planet.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy T Austin
- IFEVA, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Facultad de Agronomía, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Av. San Martín 4453, C1417DSE, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Carlos L Ballaré
- IFEVA, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Facultad de Agronomía, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Av. San Martín 4453, C1417DSE, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- IIBio, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Universidad Nacional de San Martín, B1650HMP, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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6
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Chakrawal A, Lindahl BD, Manzoni S. Modelling optimal ligninolytic activity during plant litter decomposition. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2024; 243:866-880. [PMID: 38343140 DOI: 10.1111/nph.19572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 07/05/2024]
Abstract
A large fraction of plant litter comprises recalcitrant aromatic compounds (lignin and other phenolics). Quantifying the fate of aromatic compounds is difficult, because oxidative degradation of aromatic carbon (C) is a costly but necessary endeavor for microorganisms, and we do not know when gains from the decomposition of aromatic C outweigh energetic costs. To evaluate these tradeoffs, we developed a litter decomposition model in which the aromatic C decomposition rate is optimized dynamically to maximize microbial growth for the given costs of maintaining ligninolytic activity. We tested model performance against > 200 litter decomposition datasets collected from published literature and assessed the effects of climate and litter chemistry on litter decomposition. The model predicted a time-varying ligninolytic oxidation rate, which was used to calculate the lag time before the decomposition of aromatic C is initiated. Warmer conditions increased decomposition rates, shortened the lag time of aromatic C oxidation, and improved microbial C-use efficiency by decreasing the costs of oxidation. Moreover, a higher initial content of aromatic C promoted an earlier start of aromatic C decomposition under any climate. With this contribution, we highlight the application of eco-evolutionary approaches based on optimized microbial life strategies as an alternative parametrization scheme for litter decomposition models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arjun Chakrawal
- Department of Physical Geography and Bolin Centre for Climate Research, Stockholm University, 10691, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Björn D Lindahl
- Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Soil and Environment, 75007, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Stefano Manzoni
- Department of Physical Geography and Bolin Centre for Climate Research, Stockholm University, 10691, Stockholm, Sweden
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7
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Yates C, King WL, Richards SC, Wilson C, Viddam V, Blakney AJC, Eissenstat DM, Bell TH. Temperate trees locally engineer decomposition and litter-bound microbiomes through differential litter deposits and species-specific soil conditioning. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2024; 243:909-921. [PMID: 38877705 DOI: 10.1111/nph.19900] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 05/26/2024] [Indexed: 06/16/2024]
Abstract
Leaf decomposition varies widely across temperate forests, shaped by factors like litter quality, climate, soil properties, and decomposers, but forest heterogeneity may mask local tree influences on decomposition and litter-associated microbiomes. We used a 24-yr-old common garden forest to quantify local soil conditioning impacts on decomposition and litter microbiology. We introduced leaf litter bags from 10 tree species (5 arbuscular mycorrhizal; 5 ectomycorrhizal) to soil plots conditioned by all 10 species in a full-factorial design. After 6 months, we assessed litter mass loss, C/N content, and bacterial and fungal composition. We hypothesized that (1) decomposition and litter-associated microbiome composition would be primarily shaped by the mycorrhizal type of litter-producing trees, but (2) modified significantly by underlying soil, based on mycorrhizal type of the conditioning trees. Decomposition and, to a lesser extent, litter-associated microbiome composition, were primarily influenced by the mycorrhizal type of litter-producing trees. Interestingly, however, underlying soils had a significant secondary influence, driven mainly by tree species, not mycorrhizal type. This secondary influence was strongest under trees from the Pinaceae. Temperate trees can locally influence underlying soil to alter decomposition and litter-associated microbiology. Understanding the strength of this effect will help predict biogeochemical responses to forest compositional change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caylon Yates
- Department of Plant Pathology and Environmental Microbiology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
- Intercollege Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - William L King
- Department of Plant Pathology and Environmental Microbiology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, Hampshire, SO17 1BJ, UK
| | - Sarah C Richards
- Department of Plant Pathology and Environmental Microbiology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
- Intercollege Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
- Intercollege Graduate Degree Program in International Agriculture and Development, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Cullen Wilson
- Department of Plant Pathology and Environmental Microbiology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Vedha Viddam
- Department of Plant Pathology and Environmental Microbiology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Andrew J C Blakney
- Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences, University of Toronto - Scarborough, Toronto, ON, M1A 1C4, Canada
| | - David M Eissenstat
- Intercollege Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
- Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Terrence H Bell
- Department of Plant Pathology and Environmental Microbiology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
- Intercollege Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
- Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences, University of Toronto - Scarborough, Toronto, ON, M1A 1C4, Canada
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8
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Shao S, Sulman BN. Eco-evolutionary insights into microbial litter decomposition. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2024; 243:825-827. [PMID: 38622778 DOI: 10.1111/nph.19746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/17/2024]
Abstract
This article is a Commentary on Chakrawal et al. (2024), 243: 866–880.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siya Shao
- Climate & Ecosystem Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85719, USA
| | - Benjamin N Sulman
- Environmental Sciences Division and Climate Change Science Institute, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, 37830, USA
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9
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Zhan Z, Wang S, Huang J, Cai J, Xu J, Zhou X, Wang B, Chen D. Litter quality and climate regulate the effect of invertebrates on litter decomposition in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems: A global meta-analysis. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 935:173102. [PMID: 38729363 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.173102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2024] [Revised: 04/24/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024]
Abstract
Although the exclusion effects of invertebrate decomposers on litter decomposition have been extensively studied in different experimental contexts, a thorough comparison of the exclusion effects of invertebrate decomposers with different body sizes on litter decomposition and its possible regulatory factors in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems is still lacking. Here, through a meta-analysis of 1207 pairs of observations from 110 studies in terrestrial ecosystems and 473 pairs of observations from 60 studies in aquatic ecosystems, we found that invertebrate exclusion reduced litter decomposition rates by 36 % globally, 30 % in terrestrial ecosystems, and 44 % in aquatic ecosystems. At the global scale, the exclusion effects of macroinvertebrates and mesoinvertebrates on litter decomposition rates (reduced by 38 % and 36 %, respectively) were greater than those of the combination of macroinvertebrates and mesoinvertebrates (reduced by 30 %). In terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, the effects of invertebrate exclusion on litter decomposition rates were mainly regulated by climate and initial litter quality, but the effects of invertebrate exclusion with different body sizes were regulated differently by climate, initial litter quality, and abiotic environmental variables. These findings will help us better understand the role of invertebrate decomposers in litter decomposition, especially for invertebrate decomposers with different body sizes, and underscore the need to incorporate invertebrate decomposers with different body sizes into dynamic models of litter decomposition to examine the potential effects and regulatory mechanisms of land-water-atmosphere carbon fluxes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhaohui Zhan
- Engineering Research Center of Eco-Environment in Three Gorges Reservoir Region of Ministry of Education, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, China
| | - Shuaifei Wang
- Engineering Research Center of Eco-Environment in Three Gorges Reservoir Region of Ministry of Education, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, China
| | - Jing Huang
- Engineering Research Center of Eco-Environment in Three Gorges Reservoir Region of Ministry of Education, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, China
| | - Jinshan Cai
- Engineering Research Center of Eco-Environment in Three Gorges Reservoir Region of Ministry of Education, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, China
| | - Jingwen Xu
- Engineering Research Center of Eco-Environment in Three Gorges Reservoir Region of Ministry of Education, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, China
| | - Xuan Zhou
- Engineering Research Center of Eco-Environment in Three Gorges Reservoir Region of Ministry of Education, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, China
| | - Bing Wang
- Engineering Research Center of Eco-Environment in Three Gorges Reservoir Region of Ministry of Education, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, China.
| | - Dima Chen
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Ecology and Resource Use of the Mongolian Plateau & Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Grassland Ecology, School of Ecology and Environment, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, China
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10
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Zhang X, Dong Y, Li Y, Wu X, Chen S, Wang M, Li Y, Ge Z, Zhang M, Mao L. The evolutionary adaptation of wood-decay macrofungi to host gymnosperms differs from that to host angiosperms. Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e70019. [PMID: 39026950 PMCID: PMC11255378 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.70019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2024] [Revised: 06/25/2024] [Accepted: 06/28/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Wood-decay macrofungi play a vital role in forest ecosystems by promoting nutrient cycling and soil structure, and their evolution is closely related to their host plants. This study investigates the potential evolutionary adaptation of wood-decay macrofungi to their host plants, focusing on whether these relationships differ between gymnosperms and angiosperms. While previous research has suggested non-random associations between specific fungi and plant deadwood, direct evidence of evolutionary adaptation has been lacking. Our study, conducted in a subtropical region, utilized metabarcoding techniques to identify deadwood species and associated fungi. We found significant evidence of evolutionary adaptation when considering all sampled species collectively. However, distinct patterns emerged when comparing angiosperms and gymnosperms: a significant evolutionary adaptation was observed of wood-decay macrofungi to angiosperms, but not to gymnosperms. This variation may be due to the longer evolutionary history and more stable species interactions of gymnosperms, as indicated by a higher modularity coefficient (r = .452), suggesting greater specialization. In contrast, angiosperms, being evolutionarily younger, displayed less stable and more coevolving interactions with fungi, reflected in a lower modularity coefficient (r = .387). Our findings provide the first direct evidence of differential evolutionary adaptation dynamics of these fungi to angiosperms versus gymnosperms, enhancing our understanding of forest ecosystem carbon cycling and resource management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuetong Zhang
- Laboratory of Biodiversity and Conservation, Co‐Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, College of Ecology and EnvironmentNanjing Forestry UniversityNanjingChina
| | - Yuran Dong
- Laboratory of Biodiversity and Conservation, Co‐Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, College of Ecology and EnvironmentNanjing Forestry UniversityNanjingChina
| | - Yuying Li
- Laboratory of Biodiversity and Conservation, Co‐Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, College of Ecology and EnvironmentNanjing Forestry UniversityNanjingChina
| | - Xiuping Wu
- Laboratory of Biodiversity and Conservation, Co‐Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, College of Ecology and EnvironmentNanjing Forestry UniversityNanjingChina
| | - Siyu Chen
- Laboratory of Biodiversity and Conservation, Co‐Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, College of Ecology and EnvironmentNanjing Forestry UniversityNanjingChina
| | - Mingyuan Wang
- Laboratory of Biodiversity and Conservation, Co‐Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, College of Ecology and EnvironmentNanjing Forestry UniversityNanjingChina
| | - Yao Li
- Laboratory of Biodiversity and Conservation, Co‐Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, College of Ecology and EnvironmentNanjing Forestry UniversityNanjingChina
| | - Zhiwei Ge
- Laboratory of Biodiversity and Conservation, Co‐Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, College of Ecology and EnvironmentNanjing Forestry UniversityNanjingChina
| | - Min Zhang
- College of Life ScienceNanjing Forestry UniversityNanjingChina
| | - Lingfeng Mao
- Laboratory of Biodiversity and Conservation, Co‐Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, College of Ecology and EnvironmentNanjing Forestry UniversityNanjingChina
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11
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Du S, Wang L, Yang H, Zhang Q. Tree phylogeny predicts more than litter chemical components in explaining enzyme activities in forest leaf litter decomposition. Microbiol Res 2024; 283:127658. [PMID: 38457993 DOI: 10.1016/j.micres.2024.127658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2023] [Revised: 02/15/2024] [Accepted: 02/18/2024] [Indexed: 03/10/2024]
Abstract
Litter decomposition is an important process in ecosystem and despite recent research elucidating the significant influence of plant phylogeny on plant-associated microbial communities, it remains uncertain whether a parallel correlation exists between plant phylogeny and the community of decomposers residing in forest litter. In this study, we conducted a controlled litterbag experiment using leaf litter from ten distinct tree species in a central subtropical forest ecosystem in a region characterized by subtropical humid monsoon climate in China. The litterbags were placed in situ using a random experimental design and were collected after 12 months of incubation. Then, the litter chemical properties, microbial community composition and activities of enzyme related to the decomposition of organic carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) were assessed. Across all ten tree species, Alphaproteobacteria, Gammaproteobacteria, and Actinobacteria were identified as the predominant bacterial classes, while the primary fungal classes were Dothideomycetes, Sordariomycetes and Eurotiomycetes. Mantel test revealed significant correlations between litter chemical component and microbial communities, as well as enzyme activities linked to N and C metabolism. However, after controlling for plant phylogenetic distance in partial Mantel test, the relationships between litter chemical component and microbial community structure and enzyme activities were not significant. Random forest and structural equation modeling indicated that plant phylogenetic distance exerted a more substantial influence than litter chemical components on microbial communities and enzyme activities associated with the decomposition of leaf litter. In summary, plant phylogenic divergence was found to be a more influential predictor of enzyme activity variations than microbial communities and litter traits, which were commonly considered reliable indicators of litter decomposition and ecosystem function, thereby highlighting the previously underestimated significance of plant phylogeny in shaping litter microbial communities and enzyme activities associated with degradation processes in forest litter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuhui Du
- College of Forestry, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu, Shanxi 030800, PR China
| | - Lujun Wang
- Anhui Academy of Forestry, No.618-1 Huangshan Road, Shushan District, Hefei 230031, PR China
| | - Haishui Yang
- College of Agriculture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, PR China
| | - Qian Zhang
- Research Institute of Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, PR China.
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12
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Sun T, Dong L, Zhang Y, Hättenschwiler S, Schlesinger WH, Zhu J, Berg B, Adair EC, Fang Y, Hobbie SE. General reversal of N-decomposition relationship during long-term decomposition in boreal and temperate forests. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2401398121. [PMID: 38728227 PMCID: PMC11098082 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2401398121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Decomposition of dead organic matter is fundamental to carbon (C) and nutrient cycling in terrestrial ecosystems, influencing C fluxes from the biosphere to the atmosphere. Theory predicts and evidence strongly supports that the availability of nitrogen (N) limits litter decomposition. Positive relationships between substrate N concentrations and decomposition have been embedded into ecosystem models. This decomposition paradigm, however, relies on data mostly from short-term studies analyzing controls on early-stage decomposition. We present evidence from three independent long-term decomposition investigations demonstrating that the positive N-decomposition relationship is reversed and becomes negative during later stages of decomposition. First, in a 10-y decomposition experiment across 62 woody species in a temperate forest, leaf litter with higher N concentrations exhibited faster initial decomposition rates but ended up a larger recalcitrant fraction decomposing at a near-zero rate. Second, in a 5-y N-enrichment experiment of two tree species, leaves with experimentally enriched N concentrations had faster decomposition initial rates but ultimately accumulated large slowly decomposing fractions. Measures of amino sugars on harvested litter in two experiments indicated that greater accumulation of microbial residues in N-rich substrates likely contributed to larger slowly decomposing fractions. Finally, a database of 437 measurements from 120 species in 45 boreal and temperate forest sites confirmed that higher N concentrations were associated with a larger slowly decomposing fraction. These results challenge the current treatment of interactions between N and decomposition in many ecosystems and Earth system models and suggest that even the best-supported short-term controls of biogeochemical processes might not predict long-term controls.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Sun
- Chinese Academy of Sciences Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Silviculture, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang110016, China
| | - Lili Dong
- College of Land and Environment, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang110866, China
| | - Yunyu Zhang
- Chinese Academy of Sciences Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Silviculture, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang110016, China
- College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing100049, China
| | - Stephan Hättenschwiler
- Centre d’Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, Université Paul-Valéry Montpellier 3, Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes, Institutde Recherche pour le Développement, Montpellier34293, France
| | - William H. Schlesinger
- Earth and Climate Sciences Division, The Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, NC27710
| | - Jiaojun Zhu
- Chinese Academy of Sciences Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Silviculture, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang110016, China
- Qingyuan Forest Chinese Ecosystem Research Network, National Observation and Research Station, Liaoning Province, Shenyang110016, China
- Key Laboratory of Terrestrial Ecosystem Carbon Neutrality, Liaoning Province, Shenyang110016, China
| | - Björn Berg
- Department of Forest Sciences, University of Helsinki, HelsinkiFIN-00014, Finland
| | - E. Carol Adair
- Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT05403
| | - Yunting Fang
- Chinese Academy of Sciences Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Silviculture, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang110016, China
- Key Laboratory of Isotope Techniques and Applications, Shenyang110016, China
| | - Sarah E. Hobbie
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN55108
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13
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Gundale MJ, Axelsson EP, Buness V, Callebaut T, DeLuca TH, Hupperts SF, Ibáñez TS, Metcalfe DB, Nilsson MC, Peichl M, Spitzer CM, Stangl ZR, Strengbom J, Sundqvist MK, Wardle DA, Lindahl BD. The biological controls of soil carbon accumulation following wildfire and harvest in boreal forests: A review. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2024; 30:e17276. [PMID: 38683126 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.17276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2024] [Revised: 03/29/2024] [Accepted: 03/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
Boreal forests are frequently subjected to disturbances, including wildfire and clear-cutting. While these disturbances can cause soil carbon (C) losses, the long-term accumulation dynamics of soil C stocks during subsequent stand development is controlled by biological processes related to the balance of net primary production (NPP) and outputs via heterotrophic respiration and leaching, many of which remain poorly understood. We review the biological processes suggested to influence soil C accumulation in boreal forests. Our review indicates that median C accumulation rates following wildfire and clear-cutting are similar (0.15 and 0.20 Mg ha-1 year-1, respectively), however, variation between studies is extremely high. Further, while many individual studies show linear increases in soil C stocks through time after disturbance, there are indications that C stock recovery is fastest early to mid-succession (e.g. 15-80 years) and then slows as forests mature (e.g. >100 years). We indicate that the rapid build-up of soil C in younger stands appears not only driven by higher plant production, but also by a high rate of mycorrhizal hyphal production, and mycorrhizal suppression of saprotrophs. As stands mature, the balance between reductions in plant and mycorrhizal production, increasing plant litter recalcitrance, and ectomycorrhizal decomposers and saprotrophs have been highlighted as key controls on soil C accumulation rates. While some of these controls appear well understood (e.g. temporal patterns in NPP, changes in aboveground litter quality), many others remain research frontiers. Notably, very little data exists describing and comparing successional patterns of root production, mycorrhizal functional traits, mycorrhizal-saprotroph interactions, or C outputs via heterotrophic respiration and dissolved organic C following different disturbances. We argue that these less frequently described controls require attention, as they will be key not only for understanding ecosystem C balances, but also for representing these dynamics more accurately in soil organic C and Earth system models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J Gundale
- Department of Forest Ecology and Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Umeå, Sweden
| | - E Petter Axelsson
- Department of Wildlife, Fish and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Vincent Buness
- Department of Forest Ecology and Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Timon Callebaut
- Department of Environmental Science and Ecology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Thomas H DeLuca
- College of Forestry, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA
| | - Stefan F Hupperts
- Department of Forest Ecology and Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Theresa S Ibáñez
- Department of Wildlife, Fish and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Daniel B Metcalfe
- Department of Environmental Science and Ecology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Marie-Charlotte Nilsson
- Department of Forest Ecology and Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Matthias Peichl
- Department of Forest Ecology and Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Clydecia M Spitzer
- Department of Forest Ecology and Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Zsofia R Stangl
- Department of Forest Ecology and Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Joachim Strengbom
- Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Maja K Sundqvist
- Department of Forest Ecology and Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Umeå, Sweden
| | - David A Wardle
- Department of Environmental Science and Ecology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Björn D Lindahl
- Department of Soil Science, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
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14
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Yang Y, Liu H, Chen Y, Wu L, Huang G, Lv J. Soil nitrogen cycling gene abundances in response to organic amendments: A meta-analysis. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 921:171048. [PMID: 38387590 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2023] [Revised: 02/13/2024] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024]
Abstract
Quantification of nitrogen (N) cycling genes contributes to our best understanding of N transformation processes. The application of organic amendment (OA) is widely recognized as an effective measure to improve N management and soil fertility in various ecosystems. However, our understanding of N-cycling gene abundances in response to OA application remains deficient. We performed a meta-analysis embracing 124 sets of observation data to study the impact of OA application on the main N-cycling gene abundances, including nifH, amoA, nirS, nirK and nosZ. We found that the significantly positive response of N-cycling gene abundances to OA application was attributed to the rotation cropping system (by 6.45 %-104.20 %) in the field experiment (by 19.43 %-52.56 %), OA application alone (by 8.29 %-111.70 %) especially manure addition (by 33.43 %-98.70 %), application dose of OAs within 10-20 t ha-1 (by 45.33 %-381.90 %), fertilization duration <5 years (by 43.69 %-112.63 %), C/N of OA <25 (by 37.87 %-160.90 %), SOC lower than 1.2 % (by 41.44 %-157.89 %) and application to alkaline soil (by 32.24 %-134.40 %). Moreover, soil organic carbon (SOC) and pH were the most essential regulators associated with N-cycling gene abundances with OA application. Identification of key driving factors of the abundance of N-cycling functional genes will help remedy strategies for managing OAs in ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yajun Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, Institute of Soil and Water Conservation Chinese Academy of Sciences & College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi Province 712100, PR China.
| | - Hexiang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, Institute of Soil and Water Conservation Chinese Academy of Sciences & College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi Province 712100, PR China
| | - Yi Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, Institute of Soil and Water Conservation Chinese Academy of Sciences & College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi Province 712100, PR China
| | - Lijuan Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, Institute of Soil and Water Conservation Chinese Academy of Sciences & College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi Province 712100, PR China
| | - Guan Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, Institute of Soil and Water Conservation Chinese Academy of Sciences & College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi Province 712100, PR China
| | - Jialong Lv
- State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, Institute of Soil and Water Conservation Chinese Academy of Sciences & College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi Province 712100, PR China
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15
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Singh R, Pandey R. Underlying plant trait strategies for understanding the carbon sequestration in Banj oak Forest of Himalaya. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 919:170681. [PMID: 38325486 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.170681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2023] [Revised: 01/13/2024] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
Plant functional attributes are subjected to environmental adjustments, which lead to modulations in forest processes under environmental changes. However, a comprehensive assessment of the relationships between plant traits and carbon stock remains subtle. The present study attempted to accomplish the gap of knowledge by examining the linkages between forest carbon with plant traits within the Banj Oak forest in the Garhwal Himalaya. Twelve individuals from three major species in the Banj Oak forest were randomly selected for trait measurements, and soil samples were collected randomly across the area for evaluation of soil nutrients and carbon. Forest biomass and soil carbon were estimated following standard protocols. A Structural Equation Model (SEM) was applied to establish the relationship between above ground carbon (AGC) and soil organic carbon (SOC) with leaf and stem traits, and soil nutrients. Stem traits were tree height and tree diameter; whereas leaf morphological traits were leaf area, specific leaf area, leaf dry matter content; leaf physiological traits were photosynthesis rate, stomatal conductance, and transpiration rate; and leaf biochemical traits were leaf carbon concentration, leaf nitrogen concentration, and leaf phosphorus concentration. Soil nutrients were available nitrogen, available phosphorus, and exchangeable potassium. Based on SEM results, AGC of the forest was positively correlated with stem traits and leaf physiological traits, while negatively correlated with leaf morphological traits. SOC was positively correlated with soil nutrients and leaf biochemical traits, whereas negatively correlated with stem traits. These findings may support for precise quantification of forest carbon and modeling of forest carbon stocks besides providing inputs to forest managers for devising effective forest management strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rajiv Pandey
- Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education, Dehradun, India.
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16
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McElwain JC, Matthaeus WJ, Barbosa C, Chondrogiannis C, O' Dea K, Jackson B, Knetge AB, Kwasniewska K, Nair R, White JD, Wilson JP, Montañez IP, Buckley YM, Belcher CM, Nogué S. Functional traits of fossil plants. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2024; 242:392-423. [PMID: 38409806 DOI: 10.1111/nph.19622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 02/28/2024]
Abstract
A minuscule fraction of the Earth's paleobiological diversity is preserved in the geological record as fossils. What plant remnants have withstood taphonomic filtering, fragmentation, and alteration in their journey to become part of the fossil record provide unique information on how plants functioned in paleo-ecosystems through their traits. Plant traits are measurable morphological, anatomical, physiological, biochemical, or phenological characteristics that potentially affect their environment and fitness. Here, we review the rich literature of paleobotany, through the lens of contemporary trait-based ecology, to evaluate which well-established extant plant traits hold the greatest promise for application to fossils. In particular, we focus on fossil plant functional traits, those measurable properties of leaf, stem, reproductive, or whole plant fossils that offer insights into the functioning of the plant when alive. The limitations of a trait-based approach in paleobotany are considerable. However, in our critical assessment of over 30 extant traits we present an initial, semi-quantitative ranking of 26 paleo-functional traits based on taphonomic and methodological criteria on the potential of those traits to impact Earth system processes, and for that impact to be quantifiable. We demonstrate how valuable inferences on paleo-ecosystem processes (pollination biology, herbivory), past nutrient cycles, paleobiogeography, paleo-demography (life history), and Earth system history can be derived through the application of paleo-functional traits to fossil plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer C McElwain
- School of Natural Sciences, Botany, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, D02 PN40, Ireland
| | - William J Matthaeus
- School of Natural Sciences, Botany, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, D02 PN40, Ireland
| | - Catarina Barbosa
- School of Natural Sciences, Botany, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, D02 PN40, Ireland
| | | | - Katie O' Dea
- School of Natural Sciences, Botany, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, D02 PN40, Ireland
| | - Bea Jackson
- School of Natural Sciences, Botany, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, D02 PN40, Ireland
| | - Antonietta B Knetge
- School of Natural Sciences, Botany, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, D02 PN40, Ireland
| | - Kamila Kwasniewska
- School of Natural Sciences, Botany, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, D02 PN40, Ireland
| | - Richard Nair
- School of Natural Sciences, Botany, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, D02 PN40, Ireland
| | - Joseph D White
- Department of Biology, Baylor University, Waco, 76798-7388, TX, USA
| | - Jonathan P Wilson
- Department of Environmental Studies, Haverford College, Haverford, Pennsylvania, 19041, PA, USA
| | - Isabel P Montañez
- UC Davis Institute of the Environment, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Yvonne M Buckley
- School of Natural Sciences, Zoology, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, D02 PN40, Ireland
| | | | - Sandra Nogué
- Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra (Cerdanyola del Vallès), 08193, Catalonia, Spain
- CREAF, Bellaterra (Cerdanyola del Vallès), 08193, Catalonia, Spain
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17
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Pastore MA, Classen AT, D'Amato AW, English ME, Rand K, Foster JR, Adair EC. Frequent and strong cold-air pooling drives temperate forest composition. Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e11126. [PMID: 38571787 PMCID: PMC10985370 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.11126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2023] [Revised: 02/12/2024] [Accepted: 02/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Cold-air pooling is an important topoclimatic process that creates temperature inversions with the coldest air at the lowest elevations. Incomplete understanding of sub-canopy spatiotemporal cold-air pooling dynamics and associated ecological impacts hinders predictions and conservation actions related to climate change and cold-dependent species and functions. To determine if and how cold-air pooling influences forest composition, we characterized the frequency, strength, and temporal dynamics of cold-air pooling in the sub-canopy at local to regional scales in New England, USA. We established a network of 48 plots along elevational transects and continuously measured sub-canopy air temperatures for 6-10 months (depending on site). We then estimated overstory and understory community temperature preferences by surveying tree composition in each plot and combining these data with known species temperature preferences. We found that cold-air pooling was frequent (19-43% seasonal occurrences) and that sites with the most frequent inversions displayed inverted forest composition patterns across slopes with more cold-adapted species, namely conifers, at low instead of high elevations. We also observed both local and regional variability in cold-air pooling dynamics, revealing that while cold-air pooling is common, it is also spatially complex. Our study, which uniquely focused on broad spatial and temporal scales, has revealed some rarely reported cold-air pooling dynamics. For instance, we discovered frequent and strong temperature inversions that occurred across seasons and in some locations were most frequent during the daytime, likely affecting forest composition. Together, our results show that cold-air pooling is a fundamental ecological process that requires integration into modeling efforts predicting future forest vegetation patterns under climate change, as well as greater consideration for conservation strategies identifying potential climate refugia for cold-adapted species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa A. Pastore
- Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural ResourcesUniversity of VermontBurlingtonVermontUSA
- Gund Institute for Environment, University of VermontBurlingtonVermontUSA
- USDA Forest Service, Northern Research StationSt. PaulMinnesotaUSA
| | - Aimée T. Classen
- Gund Institute for Environment, University of VermontBurlingtonVermontUSA
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology DepartmentUniversity of MichiganAnn ArborMichiganUSA
- University of Michigan Biological StationPellstonMichiganUSA
| | - Anthony W. D'Amato
- Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural ResourcesUniversity of VermontBurlingtonVermontUSA
| | - Marie E. English
- Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural ResourcesUniversity of VermontBurlingtonVermontUSA
| | - Karin Rand
- Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural ResourcesUniversity of VermontBurlingtonVermontUSA
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology DepartmentUniversity of MichiganAnn ArborMichiganUSA
| | - Jane R. Foster
- Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural ResourcesUniversity of VermontBurlingtonVermontUSA
- USDA Forest Service, Southern Research StationKnoxvilleTennesseeUSA
| | - E. Carol Adair
- Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural ResourcesUniversity of VermontBurlingtonVermontUSA
- Gund Institute for Environment, University of VermontBurlingtonVermontUSA
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18
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Zheng S, Yu M, Webber BL, Didham RK. Intraspecific leaf trait variation mediates edge effects on litter decomposition rate in fragmented forests. Ecology 2024; 105:e4260. [PMID: 38353290 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.4260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Revised: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
There is strong trait dependence in species-level responses to environmental change and their cascading effects on ecosystem functioning. However, there is little understanding of whether intraspecific trait variation (ITV) can also be an important mechanism mediating environmental effects on ecosystem functioning. This is surprising, given that global change processes such as habitat fragmentation and the creation of forest edges drive strong trait shifts within species. On 20 islands in the Thousand Island Lake, China, we quantified intraspecific leaf trait shifts of a widely distributed shrub species, Vaccinium carlesii, in response to habitat fragmentation. Using a reciprocal transplant decomposition experiment between forest edge and interior on 11 islands with varying areas, we disentangled the relative effects of intraspecific leaf trait variation versus altered environmental conditions on leaf decomposition rates in forest fragments. We found strong intraspecific variation in leaf traits in response to edge effects, with a shift toward recalcitrant leaves with low specific leaf area and high leaf dry matter content from forest interior to the edge. Using structural equation modeling, we showed that such intraspecific leaf trait response to habitat fragmentation had translated into significant plant afterlife effects on leaf decomposition, leading to decreased leaf decomposition rates from the forest interior to the edge. Importantly, the effects of intraspecific leaf trait variation were additive to and stronger than the effects from local environmental changes due to edge effects and habitat loss. Our experiment provides the first quantitative study showing that intraspecific leaf trait response to edge effects is an important driver of the decrease in leaf decomposition rate in fragmented forests. By extending the trait-based response-effect framework toward the individual level, intraspecific variation in leaf economics traits can provide the missing functional link between environmental change and ecological processes. These findings suggest an important area for future research on incorporating ITV to understand and predict changes in ecosystem functioning in the context of global change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shilu Zheng
- MOE Key Laboratory of Biosystems Homeostasis & Protection, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, People's Republic of China
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia
- CSIRO Health & Biosecurity, Centre for Environment and Life Sciences, Floreat, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Mingjian Yu
- MOE Key Laboratory of Biosystems Homeostasis & Protection, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Bruce L Webber
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia
- CSIRO Health & Biosecurity, Centre for Environment and Life Sciences, Floreat, Western Australia, Australia
- Western Australian Biodiversity Science Institute, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Raphael K Didham
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia
- CSIRO Health & Biosecurity, Centre for Environment and Life Sciences, Floreat, Western Australia, Australia
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19
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Luan J, Li S, Liu S, Wang Y, Ding L, Lu H, Chen L, Zhang J, Zhou W, Han S, Zhang Y, Hättenschwiler S. Biodiversity mitigates drought effects in the decomposer system across biomes. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2313334121. [PMID: 38498717 PMCID: PMC10990129 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2313334121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Multiple facets of global change affect the earth system interactively, with complex consequences for ecosystem functioning and stability. Simultaneous climate and biodiversity change are of particular concern, because biodiversity may contribute to ecosystem resistance and resilience and may mitigate climate change impacts. Yet, the extent and generality of how climate and biodiversity change interact remain insufficiently understood, especially for the decomposition of organic matter, a major determinant of the biosphere-atmosphere carbon feedbacks. With an inter-biome field experiment using large rainfall exclusion facilities, we tested how drought, a common prediction of climate change models for many parts of the world, and biodiversity in the decomposer system drive decomposition in forest ecosystems interactively. Decomposing leaf litter lost less carbon (C) and especially nitrogen (N) in five different forest biomes following partial rainfall exclusion compared to conditions without rainfall exclusion. An increasing complexity of the decomposer community alleviated drought effects, with full compensation when large-bodied invertebrates were present. Leaf litter mixing increased diversity effects, with increasing litter species richness, which contributed to counteracting drought effects on C and N loss, although to a much smaller degree than decomposer community complexity. Our results show at a relevant spatial scale covering distinct climate zones that both, the diversity of decomposer communities and plant litter in forest floors have a strong potential to mitigate drought effects on C and N dynamics during decomposition. Preserving biodiversity at multiple trophic levels contributes to ecosystem resistance and appears critical to maintain ecosystem processes under ongoing climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junwei Luan
- Sanya Research Base, International Centre for Bamboo and Rattan, Sanya572022, People’s Republic of China
- Institute of Resources and Environment, Key Laboratory of Bamboo and Rattan Science and Technology of State Forestry and Grassland Administration, International Centre for Bamboo and Rattan, Beijing100102, People’s Republic of China
| | - Siyu Li
- Sanya Research Base, International Centre for Bamboo and Rattan, Sanya572022, People’s Republic of China
- Institute of Resources and Environment, Key Laboratory of Bamboo and Rattan Science and Technology of State Forestry and Grassland Administration, International Centre for Bamboo and Rattan, Beijing100102, People’s Republic of China
| | - Shirong Liu
- Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Environment of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Ecology and Nature Conservation Institute, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing100091, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yi Wang
- Institute of Resources and Environment, Key Laboratory of Bamboo and Rattan Science and Technology of State Forestry and Grassland Administration, International Centre for Bamboo and Rattan, Beijing100102, People’s Republic of China
| | - Liping Ding
- Institute of Resources and Environment, Key Laboratory of Bamboo and Rattan Science and Technology of State Forestry and Grassland Administration, International Centre for Bamboo and Rattan, Beijing100102, People’s Republic of China
| | - Haibo Lu
- Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Environment of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Ecology and Nature Conservation Institute, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing100091, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Geography, Faculty of Arts and Sciences and Zhuhai Branch of State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, Beijing Normal University, Zhuhai519087, People’s Republic of China
| | - Lin Chen
- Experimental Center of Tropical Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Pingxiang532600, People’s Republic of China
| | - Junhui Zhang
- School of Life Sciences, Qufu Normal University, Qufu273165, People’s Republic of China
| | - Wenjun Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, Yunnan666303, People’s Republic of China
| | - Shijie Han
- School of Life Sciences, Qufu Normal University, Qufu273165, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yiping Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, Yunnan666303, People’s Republic of China
| | - Stephan Hättenschwiler
- Centre d’Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Montpellier34293, France
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Douce P, Simon L, Colas F, Mermillod-Blondin F, Renault D, Sulmon C, Eymar-Dauphin P, Dubreucque R, Bittebiere AK. Warming drives feedback between plant phenotypes and ecosystem functioning in sub-Antarctic ponds. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 914:169504. [PMID: 38145689 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.169504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2023] [Revised: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/27/2023]
Abstract
Ample evidence indicates that warming affects individuals in plant communities, ultimately threatening biodiversity. Individual plants in communities are also exposed to plant-plant interaction that may affect their performance. However, trait responses to these two constraints have usually been studied separately, while they may influence processes at the ecosystem level. In turn, these ecological modifications may impact the phenotypes of plants through nutrient availability and uptake. We developed an experimental approach based on the macrophyte communities in the ponds of the sub-Antarctic Iles Kerguelen. Individuals of the species Limosella australis were grown under different temperature × plant-plant interaction treatments to assess their trait responses and create litters with different characteristics. The litters were then decomposed in the presence of individual plants at different temperatures to examine effects on ecosystem functioning and potential feedback affecting plant trait values. Leaf resource-acquisition- and -conservation-related traits were altered in the context of temperature × plant-plant interaction. At 13 °C, SLA and leaf C:N were higher under interspecific and intraspecific interactions than without interaction, whereas at 23 °C, these traits increased under intraspecific interaction only. These effects only slightly improved the individual performance, suggesting that plant-plant interaction is an additional selective pressure on individuals in the context of climate warming. The decay rate of litter increased with the Leaf Carbon Content at 13 °C and 18 °C, but decreased at 23 °C. The highest decay rate was recorded at 18 °C. Besides, we observed evidence of positive feedback of the decay rate alone, and in interaction with the temperature, respectively on the leaf C:N and Leaf Dry Matter Content, suggesting that variations in ecological processes affect plant phenotypes. Our findings demonstrate that warming can directly and indirectly affect the evolutionary and ecological processes occurring in aquatic ecosystems through plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pauline Douce
- Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, ENTPE, UMR5023 LEHNA, F-69622 Villeurbanne, France.
| | - Laurent Simon
- Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, ENTPE, UMR5023 LEHNA, F-69622 Villeurbanne, France.
| | - Fanny Colas
- Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, ENTPE, UMR5023 LEHNA, F-69622 Villeurbanne, France.
| | - Florian Mermillod-Blondin
- Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, ENTPE, UMR5023 LEHNA, F-69622 Villeurbanne, France.
| | - David Renault
- Univ Rennes, CNRS, ECOBIO [(Ecosystèmes, biodiversité, évolution)], UMR 6553, F 35000 Rennes, France; Institut Universitaire de France, 1 Rue Descartes, 75231 Paris cedex 05, France.
| | - Cécile Sulmon
- Univ Rennes, CNRS, ECOBIO [(Ecosystèmes, biodiversité, évolution)], UMR 6553, F 35000 Rennes, France.
| | - Pauline Eymar-Dauphin
- Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, ENTPE, UMR5023 LEHNA, F-69622 Villeurbanne, France.
| | - Roman Dubreucque
- Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, ENTPE, UMR5023 LEHNA, F-69622 Villeurbanne, France.
| | - Anne-Kristel Bittebiere
- Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, ENTPE, UMR5023 LEHNA, F-69622 Villeurbanne, France.
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Wu Y, Guo J, Tang Z, Wang T, Li W, Wang X, Cui H, Hu X, Qi L. Moso bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis) expansion enhances soil pH and alters soil nutrients and microbial communities. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 912:169346. [PMID: 38097081 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.169346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2023] [Revised: 12/10/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
Amid global environmental concerns, the issue of bamboo expansion has garnered significant attention due to its extensive and profound impacts on the ecosystems. Bamboo expansion occurs in native and introduced habitats worldwide, particularly in Asia. However, the effects of bamboo expansion on soil pH, nutrient levels, and microbial communities are complex and vary across different environments. To address this knowledge gap, we conducted a meta-analysis with 2037 paired observations from 81 studies. The results showed that soil pH increased by 6.99 % (0-20 cm) and 4.49 % (20-40 cm) after bamboo expansion. Notably, soil pH increased more in the coniferous forest with bamboo expansion than in the broadleaf forest. Soil pH progressively increased over time since the establishment of bamboo stands. The extent of soil pH elevation was significantly positively correlated with the proportion of bamboo within the forest stand and mean annual solar radiation. In contrast, it was significantly negatively correlated with the mean annual temperature. The elevation of pH is closely related to expansion stage and expanded forest type rather than primarily shaped by climatic factors across a large scale. We also found that bamboo expansion into coniferous forests brought about a notable 14.14 % reduction in total nitrogen (TN). Varied expansion stages resulted in TN reductions of 6.88 % and 7.99 % for mixed forests and bamboo stands, respectively, compared to native forests. Pure bamboo stands exhibited a remarkable 30.39 % increase in ammonium nitrogen and a significant 21.12 % decrease in nitrate nitrogen compared to their native counterparts. Furthermore, bamboo expansion contributed to heightened soil fungal diversity. Taken together, our findings highlight that bamboo expansion leads to an increase in soil pH and alters soil N components and fungal microbial communities, providing valuable insights for future ecological conservation and resource management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaoxing Wu
- Key Laboratory of National Forestry and Grassland Administration/Beijing for Bamboo & Rattan Science and Technology, International Centre for Bamboo and Rattan, Beijing 100102, China
| | - Jiahuan Guo
- Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for Genetics and Germplasm Innovation of Tropical Special Trees and Ornamental Plants, School of Tropical Agriculture and Forestry (School of Agricultural and Rural Affairs, School of Rural Revitalization), Hainan University, Haikou, Hainan 570228, China; Department of Biological Sciences, University of Quebec at Montreal, Montreal, QC H3C 3P8, Canada
| | - Zhiying Tang
- Key Laboratory of National Forestry and Grassland Administration/Beijing for Bamboo & Rattan Science and Technology, International Centre for Bamboo and Rattan, Beijing 100102, China
| | - Tianxiang Wang
- Key Laboratory of National Forestry and Grassland Administration/Beijing for Bamboo & Rattan Science and Technology, International Centre for Bamboo and Rattan, Beijing 100102, China
| | - Wenting Li
- Key Laboratory of National Forestry and Grassland Administration/Beijing for Bamboo & Rattan Science and Technology, International Centre for Bamboo and Rattan, Beijing 100102, China
| | - Xiaorong Wang
- Hubei Academy of Forestry, Wuhan, Hubei 430075, China; Observation and Research Station of Bamboo Forest Ecosystem in Mufu Mountain, Xianning, Hubei 437100, China
| | - Hongxia Cui
- Hubei Academy of Forestry, Wuhan, Hubei 430075, China; Observation and Research Station of Bamboo Forest Ecosystem in Mufu Mountain, Xianning, Hubei 437100, China
| | - Xingyi Hu
- Hubei Academy of Forestry, Wuhan, Hubei 430075, China; Observation and Research Station of Bamboo Forest Ecosystem in Mufu Mountain, Xianning, Hubei 437100, China
| | - Lianghua Qi
- Key Laboratory of National Forestry and Grassland Administration/Beijing for Bamboo & Rattan Science and Technology, International Centre for Bamboo and Rattan, Beijing 100102, China.
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22
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Gonçalves S, Pollitt A, Pietz S, Feckler A, Bundschuh M. Microbial community history and leaf species shape bottom-up effects in a freshwater shredding amphipod. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 912:168926. [PMID: 38029985 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.168926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Revised: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 11/25/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
Arable land use and the associated application of agrochemicals can affect local freshwater communities with consequences for the entire ecosystem. For instance, the structure and function of leaf-associated microbial communities can be affected by pesticides, such as fungicides. Additionally, the leaf species on which these microbial communities grow reflects another environmental filter for community structure. These factors and their interaction may jointly modify leaves' nutritional quality for higher trophic levels. To test this assumption, we studied the structure of leaf-associated microbial communities with distinct exposure histories (pristine [P] vs vineyard run off [V]) colonising two leaf species (black alder, European beech, and a mixture thereof). By offering these differently colonised leaves as food to males and females of the leaf-shredding amphipod Gammarus fossarum (Crustacea; Amphipoda) we assessed for potential bottom-up effects. The growth rate, feeding rate, faeces production and neutral lipid fatty acid profile of the amphipod served as response variable in a 2 × 3 × 2-factorial test design over 21d. A clear separation of community history (P vs V), leaf species and an interaction between the two factors was observed for the leaf-associated aquatic hyphomycete (i.e., fungal) community. Sensitive fungal species were reduced by up to 70 % in the V- compared to P-community. Gammarus' growth rate, feeding rate and faeces production were affected by the factor leaf species. Growth was negatively affected when Gammarus were fed with beech leaves only, whereas the impact of alder and the mixture of both leaf species was sex-specific. Overall, this study highlights that leaf species identity had a more substantial impact on gammarids relative to the microbial community itself. Furthermore, the sex-specificity of the observed effects (excluding fatty acid profile, which was only measured for male) questions the procedure of earlier studies, that is using either only one sex or not being able to differentiate between males and females. However, these results need additional verification to support a reliable extrapolation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Gonçalves
- iES Landau, RPTU Kaiserslautern-Landau, Fortstraße 7, 76829 Landau, Germany; Eawag - Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Sciences and technology, Überlandstrasse 133, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Annika Pollitt
- iES Landau, RPTU Kaiserslautern-Landau, Fortstraße 7, 76829 Landau, Germany
| | - Sebastian Pietz
- iES Landau, RPTU Kaiserslautern-Landau, Fortstraße 7, 76829 Landau, Germany
| | - Alexander Feckler
- iES Landau, RPTU Kaiserslautern-Landau, Fortstraße 7, 76829 Landau, Germany; Eußerthal Ecosystem Research Station, RPTU Kaiserslautern-Landau, Birkenthalstraße 13, 76857 Eußerthal, Germany
| | - Mirco Bundschuh
- iES Landau, RPTU Kaiserslautern-Landau, Fortstraße 7, 76829 Landau, Germany; Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7050, 750 07 Uppsala, Sweden.
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23
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Thamizharasan A, Rajaguru VRR, Gajalakshmi S, Lim JW, Greff B, Rajagopal R, Chang SW, Ravindran B, Awasthi MK. Investigation on the physico-chemical properties of soil and mineralization of three selected tropical tree leaf litter. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 243:117752. [PMID: 38008202 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.117752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2023] [Revised: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 11/28/2023]
Abstract
Plant leaf litter has a major role in the structure and function of soil ecosystems as it is associated with nutrient release and cycling. The present study is aimed to understand how well the decomposing leaf litter kept soil organic carbon and nitrogen levels stable during an incubation experiment that was carried out in a lab setting under controlled conditions and the results were compared to those from a natural plantation. In natural site soil samples, Anacardium. occidentale showed a higher value of organic carbon at surface (1.14%) and subsurface (0.93%) and Azadirachta. indica exhibited a higher value of total nitrogen at surface (0.28%) and subsurface sample (0.14%). In the incubation experiment, Acacia auriculiformis had the highest organic carbon content initially (5.26%), whereas A. occidentale had the highest nitrogen level on 30th day (0.67%). The overall carbon-nitrogen ratio showed a varied tendency, which may be due to dynamic changes in the complex decomposition cycle. The higher rate of mass loss and decay was observed in A. indica leaf litter, the range of the decay constant is 1.26-2.22. The morphological and chemical changes of soil sample and the vermicast were substantained using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transmission infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR).
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Affiliation(s)
- A Thamizharasan
- Centre for Pollution Control and Environmental Engineering, Pondicherry University, Kalapet, Puducherry, India
| | - V R R Rajaguru
- Centre for Pollution Control and Environmental Engineering, Pondicherry University, Kalapet, Puducherry, India
| | - S Gajalakshmi
- Centre for Pollution Control and Environmental Engineering, Pondicherry University, Kalapet, Puducherry, India.
| | - Jun Wei Lim
- HICoE-Centre for Biofuel and Biochemical Research, Institute of Self-Sustainable Building, Department of Fundamental and Applied Sciences, Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, 32610, Seri Iskandar, Perak, Darul Ridzuan, Malaysia
| | - Babett Greff
- Department of Food Science, Albert Kázmér Faculty of Mosomagyaróvár, Széchenyi István University, Lucsony street 15-17, 9200 Mosonmagyaróvár, Hungary
| | - Rajinikanth Rajagopal
- Sherbrooke Research and Development Center, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, 2000 College Street, Sherbrooke, QC, J1M 1Z3, Canada
| | - Soon Woong Chang
- Department of Environmental Energy and Engineering, Kyonggi University Yeongtong-Gu, Suwon, Gyeonggi-Do, 16227, Republic of Korea
| | - Balasubramani Ravindran
- Department of Medical Biotechnology and Integrative Physiology, Institute of Biotechnology, Saveetha School of Engineering, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Thandalam, Chennai, 602105, Tamil Nadu, India; Department of Environmental Energy and Engineering, Kyonggi University Yeongtong-Gu, Suwon, Gyeonggi-Do, 16227, Republic of Korea.
| | - Mukesh Kumar Awasthi
- College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi Province, 712100, China.
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Ma Q, Zhu Y, Wang Y, Liu T, Qing X, Liu J, Xiao Y, Song Y, Yue Y, Yu H, Wang J, Zhong Z, Wang D, Wang L. Livestock grazing modifies soil nematode body size structure in mosaic grassland habitats. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2024; 351:119600. [PMID: 38042077 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.119600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 12/04/2023]
Abstract
Body size is closely related to the trophic level and abundance of soil fauna, particularly nematodes. Therefore, size-based analyses are increasingly prominent in unveiling soil food web structure and its responses to anthropogenic disturbances, such as livestock grazing. Yet, little is known about the effects of different livestock on the body size structure of soil nematodes, especially in grasslands characterized by local habitat heterogeneity. A four-year field grazing experiment from 2017 to 2020 was conducted in a meadow steppe characterized by typical mosaics of degraded hypersaline patches and undegraded hyposaline patches to assess the impacts of cattle and sheep grazing on the body size structure of soil nematodes within and across trophic groups. Without grazing, the hypersaline patches harbored higher abundance of large-bodied nematodes in the community compared to the hyposaline patches. Livestock grazing decreased large-bodied nematodes within and across trophic groups mainly by reducing soil microbial biomass in the hypersaline patches, with sheep grazing resulting in more substantial reductions compared to cattle grazing. The reduction in large-bodied nematode individuals correspondingly resulted in decreases in nematode community-weighted mean (CWM) body size, nematode biomass, and size spectra slopes. However, both cattle and sheep grazing had minimal impacts on the CWM body size and size spectra of total nematodes in the hyposaline patches. Our findings suggest that livestock grazing, especially sheep grazing, has the potential to simplify soil food webs by reducing large-bodied nematodes in degraded habitats, which may aggravate soil degradation by weakening the bioturbation activities of soil fauna. In light of the widespread land use of grasslands by herbivores of various species and the ongoing global grassland degradation of mosaic patches, the recognition of the trends revealed by our findings is critical for developing appropriate strategies for grassland grazing management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quanhui Ma
- Institute of Grassland Science, Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology of the Ministry of Education, Jilin Songnen Grassland Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, China
| | - Yu Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Black Soils Conservation and Utilization & Heilongjiang Xingkai Lake Wetland Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station & Key Laboratory of Wetland Ecology and Environment, Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, 130102, China
| | - Yao Wang
- Institute of Grassland Science, Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology of the Ministry of Education, Jilin Songnen Grassland Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, China
| | - Ting Liu
- Department of Plant Pathology, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Xue Qing
- Department of Plant Pathology, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Jushan Liu
- Institute of Grassland Science, Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology of the Ministry of Education, Jilin Songnen Grassland Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, China
| | - Yingli Xiao
- Institute of Grassland Science, Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology of the Ministry of Education, Jilin Songnen Grassland Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, China
| | - Yueqing Song
- Institute of Grassland Science, Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology of the Ministry of Education, Jilin Songnen Grassland Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, China
| | - Yonghuan Yue
- Institute of Grassland Science, Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology of the Ministry of Education, Jilin Songnen Grassland Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, China
| | - Haoran Yu
- Institute of Grassland Science, Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology of the Ministry of Education, Jilin Songnen Grassland Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, China
| | - Jianyong Wang
- Institute of Grassland Science, Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology of the Ministry of Education, Jilin Songnen Grassland Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, China
| | - Zhiwei Zhong
- Institute of Grassland Science, Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology of the Ministry of Education, Jilin Songnen Grassland Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, China
| | - Deli Wang
- Institute of Grassland Science, Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology of the Ministry of Education, Jilin Songnen Grassland Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, China
| | - Ling Wang
- Institute of Grassland Science, Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology of the Ministry of Education, Jilin Songnen Grassland Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, China.
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25
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Mészárošová L, Kuťáková E, Kohout P, Münzbergová Z, Baldrian P. Plant effects on microbiome composition are constrained by environmental conditions in a successional grassland. ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOME 2024; 19:8. [PMID: 38268048 PMCID: PMC10809484 DOI: 10.1186/s40793-024-00550-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 01/26/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Below-ground microbes mediate key ecosystem processes and play a vital role in plant nutrition and health. Understanding the composition of the belowground microbiome is therefore important for maintaining ecosystem stability. The structure of the belowground microbiome is largely determined by individual plants, but it is not clear how far their influence extends and, conversely, what the influence of other plants growing nearby is. RESULTS To determine the extent to which a focal host plant influences its soil and root microbiome when growing in a diverse community, we sampled the belowground bacterial and fungal communities of three plant species across a primary successional grassland sequence. The magnitude of the host effect on its belowground microbiome varied among microbial groups, soil and root habitats, and successional stages characterized by different levels of diversity of plant neighbours. Soil microbial communities were most strongly structured by sampling site and showed significant spatial patterns that were partially driven by soil chemistry. The influence of focal plant on soil microbiome was low but tended to increase with succession and increasing plant diversity. In contrast, root communities, particularly bacterial, were strongly structured by the focal plant species. Importantly, we also detected a significant effect of neighbouring plant community composition on bacteria and fungi associating with roots of the focal plants. The host influence on root microbiome varied across the successional grassland sequence and was highest in the most diverse site. CONCLUSIONS Our results show that in a species rich natural grassland, focal plant influence on the belowground microbiome depends on environmental context and is modulated by surrounding plant community. The influence of plant neighbours is particularly pronounced in root communities which may have multiple consequences for plant community productivity and stability, stressing the importance of plant diversity for ecosystem functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lenka Mészárošová
- Institute of Microbiology of the CAS, v. v. i., Vídeňská 1083, Prague 4, 142 20, Czech Republic.
- University of Chemistry and Technology, Technická 5, Praha 6, 166 28, Czech Republic.
| | - Eliška Kuťáková
- Institute of Botany of the CAS, v. v. i., Zámek 1, Průhonice, 252 43, Czech Republic
- Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague, Benátská 2, Prague 2, 128 01, Czech Republic
- Department of Forest Ecology and Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Skogsmarksgränd 17, Umeå, 901 83, Sweden
| | - Petr Kohout
- Institute of Microbiology of the CAS, v. v. i., Vídeňská 1083, Prague 4, 142 20, Czech Republic
| | - Zuzana Münzbergová
- Institute of Botany of the CAS, v. v. i., Zámek 1, Průhonice, 252 43, Czech Republic
- Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague, Benátská 2, Prague 2, 128 01, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Baldrian
- Institute of Microbiology of the CAS, v. v. i., Vídeňská 1083, Prague 4, 142 20, Czech Republic
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26
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Xu S, Wang J, Sayer EJ, Lam SK, Lai DYF. Precipitation change affects forest soil carbon inputs and pools: A global meta-analysis. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 908:168171. [PMID: 37923258 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.168171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2023] [Revised: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023]
Abstract
The impacts of precipitation change on forest carbon (C) storage will have global consequences, as forests play a major role in sequestering anthropogenic CO2. Although forest soils are one of the largest terrestrial C pools, there is great uncertainty around the response of forest soil organic carbon (SOC) to precipitation change, which limits our ability to predict future forest C storage. To address this, we conducted a meta-analysis to determine the effect of drought and irrigation experiments on SOC pools, plant C inputs and the soil environment based on 161 studies across 139 forest sites worldwide. Overall, forest SOC content was not affected by precipitation change, but both drought and irrigation altered plant C inputs and soil properties associated with SOC formation and storage. Drought may enhance SOC stability by altering soil aggregate fractions, but the effect of irrigation on SOC fractions remains unexplored. The apparent insensitivity of SOC to precipitation change can be explained by the short duration of most experiments and by biome-specific responses of C inputs and pools to drought or irrigation. Importantly, we demonstrate that SOC content is more likely to decline under irrigation at drier temperate sites, but that dry forests are currently underrepresented across experimental studies. Thus, our meta-analysis advances research into the impacts of precipitation change in forests by revealing important differences among forest biomes, which are likely linked to plant adaptation to extant conditions. We further demonstrate important knowledge gaps around how precipitation change will affect SOC stability, as too few studies currently consider distinct soil C pools. To accurately predict future SOC storage in forests, there is an urgent need for coordinated studies of different soil C pools and fractions across existing sites, as well as new experiments in underrepresented forest types.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shan Xu
- Department of Geography and Resource Management, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil and Groundwater Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Junjian Wang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil and Groundwater Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Emma J Sayer
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, LA1 4YQ, United Kingdom; Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, P.O. Box 0843-03092, Balboa, Ancon, Panama, Republic of Panama
| | - Shu Kee Lam
- School of Agriculture and Food, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Derrick Y F Lai
- Department of Geography and Resource Management, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong, China; Centre for Environmental Policy and Resource Management, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong, China.
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Cheng C, Liu Z, Zhang Y, He Q, Li B, Wu J. Leaf litter decomposition and its drivers differ between an invasive and a native plant: Management implications. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2024; 34:e2739. [PMID: 36102204 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2021] [Revised: 05/29/2022] [Accepted: 06/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Litter decomposition is a key process of the carbon cycle in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. The dominant conceptual model of litter decomposition assumes that environmental conditions, litter traits, and decomposer composition control litter decomposition in a decreasing order, yet whether this hierarchical model applies to both invasive and native plant species is unknown. Here, by comparing a widespread invasive plant and its native counterpart in Chinese coastal saltmarshes, we aimed to examine whether the hierarchy of factors controlling litter decomposition varies with plant species in the face of plant invasions. Leaf litter of invasive Spartina alterniflora and native Phragmites australis was collected across an 18° latitudinal range to capture wide variation in litter traits. These leaf litter samples were transported to three saltmarsh sites of different latitudes and were incubated in litterbags varying in mesh size (0.1, 2, and 5 mm) to manipulate decomposer composition. After 90-day incubation, we found a parallel latitudinal pattern in leaf litter decomposition rate (k) between S. alterniflora and P. australis regardless of saltmarsh site and mesh size. Nonetheless, the k value of S. alterniflora was 2.2-fold higher than that of P. australis. Moreover, there was a shift in the hierarchy of factors controlling k values between S. alterniflora and P. australis: environmental conditions (climate and soil) dominated other factors in P. australis, whereas litter traits contributed more than environmental conditions in S. alterniflora. Overall, our findings show that leaf litter decomposition and its dominant controlling factors across broad geographical ranges can vary with plant invasions, having important implications for managing invasive plants in the context of conserving coastal blue carbon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cai Cheng
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, National Observations and Research Station of Wetland Ecosystems of the Yangtze Estuary, Institute of Biodiversity Science and Institute of Eco-Chongming, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zixia Liu
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, National Observations and Research Station of Wetland Ecosystems of the Yangtze Estuary, Institute of Biodiversity Science and Institute of Eco-Chongming, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Youzheng Zhang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, National Observations and Research Station of Wetland Ecosystems of the Yangtze Estuary, Institute of Biodiversity Science and Institute of Eco-Chongming, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qiang He
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, National Observations and Research Station of Wetland Ecosystems of the Yangtze Estuary, Institute of Biodiversity Science and Institute of Eco-Chongming, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Bo Li
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, National Observations and Research Station of Wetland Ecosystems of the Yangtze Estuary, Institute of Biodiversity Science and Institute of Eco-Chongming, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jihua Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-Ecosystems, College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
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Zhang G, Bai J, Tebbe CC, Huang L, Jia J, Wang W, Wang X, Zhao Q, Wen L, Kong F, Xi M, He Q. Habitat-specific responses of soil organic matter decomposition to Spartina alterniflora invasion along China's coast. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2024; 34:e2741. [PMID: 36103141 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2741] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2022] [Revised: 07/03/2022] [Accepted: 07/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Plant invasions cause a fundamental change in soil organic matter (SOM) turnover. Disentangling the biogeographic patterns and key drivers of SOM decomposition and its temperature sensitivity (Q10 ) under plant invasion is a prerequisite for making projections of global carbon feedback. We collected soil samples along China's coast across saltmarshes to mangrove ecosystems invaded by the smooth cordgrass (Spartina alterniflora Loisel.). Microcosm experiments were carried out to determine the patterns of SOM decomposition and its thermal response. Soil microbial biomass and communities were also characterized accordingly. SOM decomposition constant dramatically decreased along the mean annual temperature gradient, whereas the cordgrass invasion retarded this change (significantly reduced slope, p < 0.05). The response of Q10 to invasion and the soil microbial quotient peaked at midlatitude saltmarshes, which can be explained by microbial metabolism strategies. Climatic variables showed strong negative controls on the Q10 , whereas dissolved carbon fraction exerted a positive influence on its spatial variance. Higher microbial diversity appeared to weaken the temperature-related response of SOM decomposition, with apparent benefits for carbon sequestration. Inconsistent responses to invasion were exhibited among habitat types, with SOM accumulation in saltmarshes but carbon loss in mangroves, which were explained, at least in part, by the SOM decomposition patterns under invasion. This study elucidates the geographic pattern of SOM decomposition and its temperature sensitivity in coastal ecosystems and underlines the importance of interactions between climate, soil, and microbiota for stabilizing SOM under plant invasion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guangliang Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Junhong Bai
- State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | | | - Laibin Huang
- Department of Land, Air and Water Resources, University of California-Davis, Davis, California, USA
| | - Jia Jia
- Henan Key Laboratory of Ecological Environment Protection and Restoration of Yellow River Basin, Yellow River Institute of Hydraulic Research, Zhengzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Wei Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Xin Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Qingqing Zhao
- Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Ji'nan, People's Republic of China
- Ecology Institute of Shandong Academy of Sciences, Ji'nan, People's Republic of China
| | - Lixiang Wen
- State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Fanlong Kong
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Qingdao University, Qingdao, People's Republic of China
| | - Min Xi
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Qingdao University, Qingdao, People's Republic of China
| | - Qiang He
- Coastal Ecology Lab, MOE Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, National Observation and Research Station for Wetland Ecosystems of the Yangtze Estuary (Shanghai), School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
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29
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Guo L, Deng M, Li X, Schmid B, Huang J, Wu Y, Peng Z, Yang L, Liu L. Evolutionary and ecological forces shape nutrient strategies of mycorrhizal woody plants. Ecol Lett 2024; 27:e14330. [PMID: 37866881 DOI: 10.1111/ele.14330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Revised: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/24/2023]
Abstract
The associations of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) or ectomycorrhiza (EcM) fungi with plants have sequentially evolved and significantly contributed to enhancing plant nutrition. Nonetheless, how evolutionary and ecological forces drive nutrient acquisition strategies of AM and EcM woody plants remains poorly understood. Our global analysis of woody species revealed that, over divergence time, AM woody plants evolved faster nitrogen mineralization rates without changes in nitrogen resorption. However, EcM woody plants exhibited an increase in nitrogen mineralization but a decrease in nitrogen resorption, indicating a shift towards a more inorganic nutrient economy. Despite this alteration, when evaluating present-day woody species, AM woody plants still display faster nitrogen mineralization and lower nitrogen resorption than EcM woody plants. This inorganic nutrient economy allows AM woody plants to thrive in warm environments with a faster litter decomposition rate. Our findings indicate that the global pattern of nutrient acquisition strategies in mycorrhizal plants is shaped by the interplay between phylogeny and climate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lulu Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- China National Botanical Garden, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Meifeng Deng
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- China National Botanical Garden, Beijing, China
| | - Xuefei Li
- Faculty of Science, Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research (INAR)/Physics, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Bernhard Schmid
- Department of Geography, Remote Sensing Laboratories, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Junsheng Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- China National Botanical Garden, Beijing, China
| | - Yuntao Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- China National Botanical Garden, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Ziyang Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- China National Botanical Garden, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Lu Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- China National Botanical Garden, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Lingli Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- China National Botanical Garden, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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30
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Vannini A, Carbognani M, Chiari G, Forte TGW, Rodolfi M, Ganino T, Petraglia A. Biochar effects on early decomposition of standard litter in a European beech forest (northern Italy). THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 903:166224. [PMID: 37572925 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2023] [Revised: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 08/14/2023]
Abstract
The release of biochar (BC) on forest soil is a strategy aimed at increasing carbon reserves and forest productivity. The effect of BC amendments on the decomposition of different quality litter is, however, poorly understood. With this study we investigate the effects of wood-derived BC applications on early decomposition in a European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) forest through the burial of standard material, i.e. green tea and rooibos tea (high- and low-quality litter surrogates, respectively). Two main questions were addressed: 1) Do BC applications influence the decomposition of high- and low-quality standard litter and, if so, in what way? and 2) Does this effect (if measurable) depend on where the sample is placed with respect to the BC application layer? To test BC amendment effects, four application percentages were employed (0, 10, 20 and 100 %), after which standard litter mass loss was recorded. To investigate the effects of sample position, only three BC application percentages were used (0, 10 and 20 %), with teabags buried at three different depths - within the BC amended layer, between this layer and the unamended soil, and below the latter. Results show that early decomposition of high-quality standard litter was not influenced by BC applications, while a significant reduction in mass loss of low-quality standard litter was observed when the percentage of BC application was higher, specifically of litter within the 20 % and 100 % BC amended layers. Decomposition was also affected by sample position relative to the BC layer, exhibiting higher levels of mass loss when samples were placed within the BC amended layer. Overall, BC applications on beech forest soils not only seem to produce negligible effects on the early decomposition rate of high-quality standard litter, but such applications also seem to have the ability to reduce carbon loss following plant material degradation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Vannini
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 11/A, 43124 Parma, Italy
| | - Michele Carbognani
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 11/A, 43124 Parma, Italy
| | - Giorgio Chiari
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 11/A, 43124 Parma, Italy
| | - T'ai G W Forte
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 11/A, 43124 Parma, Italy.
| | - Margherita Rodolfi
- Department of Food and Drug, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 11/A, 43124 Parma, Italy
| | - Tommaso Ganino
- Department of Food and Drug, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 11/A, 43124 Parma, Italy; National Research Council, Institute of BioEconomy (IBE-CNR), Via Madonna del Piano 10, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
| | - Alessandro Petraglia
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 11/A, 43124 Parma, Italy
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31
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Liu S, Plaza C, Ochoa-Hueso R, Trivedi C, Wang J, Trivedi P, Zhou G, Piñeiro J, Martins CSC, Singh BK, Delgado-Baquerizo M. Litter and soil biodiversity jointly drive ecosystem functions. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2023; 29:6276-6285. [PMID: 37578170 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2023] [Revised: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023]
Abstract
The decomposition of litter and the supply of nutrients into and from the soil are two fundamental processes through which the above- and belowground world interact. Microbial biodiversity, and especially that of decomposers, plays a key role in these processes by helping litter decomposition. Yet the relative contribution of litter diversity and soil biodiversity in supporting multiple ecosystem services remains virtually unknown. Here we conducted a mesocosm experiment where leaf litter and soil biodiversity were manipulated to investigate their influence on plant productivity, litter decomposition, soil respiration, and enzymatic activity in the littersphere. We showed that both leaf litter diversity and soil microbial diversity (richness and community composition) independently contributed to explain multiple ecosystem functions. Fungal saprobes community composition was especially important for supporting ecosystem multifunctionality (EMF), plant production, litter decomposition, and activity of soil phosphatase when compared with bacteria or other fungal functional groups and litter species richness. Moreover, leaf litter diversity and soil microbial diversity exerted previously undescribed and significantly interactive effects on EMF and multiple individual ecosystem functions, such as litter decomposition and plant production. Together, our work provides experimental evidence supporting the independent and interactive roles of litter and belowground soil biodiversity to maintain ecosystem functions and multiple services.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shengen Liu
- College of Forestry, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Plateau Wetland Conservation, Restoration and Ecological Services, Kunming, China
- Laboratorio de Biodiversidad y Funcionamiento Ecosistémico, Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de Sevilla (IRNAS), CSIC, Sevilla, Spain
| | - César Plaza
- Instituto de Ciencias Agrarias (ICA), CSIC, Madrid, Spain
| | - Raúl Ochoa-Hueso
- Department of Biology, IVAGRO, University of Cádiz, Campus de Excelencia Internacional Agroalimentario (CeiA3), Cádiz, Spain
- Department of Terrestrial Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Chanda Trivedi
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Juntao Wang
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Pankaj Trivedi
- Microbiome Network and Department of Agricultural Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Guiyao Zhou
- Laboratorio de Biodiversidad y Funcionamiento Ecosistémico, Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de Sevilla (IRNAS), CSIC, Sevilla, Spain
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Juan Piñeiro
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, New South Wales, Australia
- ETSI Montes, Forestal y del Medio Natural, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Catarina S C Martins
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Brajesh K Singh
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, New South Wales, Australia
- Global Centre for Land-Based Innovation, Western Sydney University, Penrith, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Manuel Delgado-Baquerizo
- Laboratorio de Biodiversidad y Funcionamiento Ecosistémico, Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de Sevilla (IRNAS), CSIC, Sevilla, Spain
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Rouhani A, Gusiatin MZ, Hejcman M. An overview of the impacts of coal mining and processing on soil: assessment, monitoring, and challenges in the Czech Republic. ENVIRONMENTAL GEOCHEMISTRY AND HEALTH 2023; 45:7459-7490. [PMID: 37501044 DOI: 10.1007/s10653-023-01700-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Coal mining activities are causing an extensive range of environmental issues at both operating and abandoned mine sites. It is one of the most environmentally destructive practices, with the capability to eliminate fauna and flora, impact the groundwater system, and pollute the soil, air, and water. The Czech Republic relies almost exclusively on coal as its primary domestic source of energy. The combined reserves of hard and brown coals in this country are 705 million tons. About 50 million tons of coal is produced annually, making it the 14th biggest producer in the world. Soil degradation is an inevitable outcome of the coal production from surface coal mining procedures in the Czech Republic. Significant changes have taken place in soil productivity, hydraulic characteristics, horizon, and texture as a result of soil pollution, bioturbation, compaction, and weathering. The current review has evaluated the impact of reclamation and coal mining on soil characteristics, including biological, chemical, and physical properties. Additionally, the study has outlined the process of soil formation in reclamation areas in the Czech Republic. In nutshell, research gaps and future directions in understanding coal mining areas and their influences on soils in the Czech Republic are identified.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdulmannan Rouhani
- Department of Environment, Faculty of Environment, The University of Jan Evangelista in Ústí nad Labem (UJEP), Pasteurova 3632/15, 400 96, Usti nad Labem, Czech Republic.
| | - Mariusz Z Gusiatin
- Department of Environmental Biotechnology, Faculty of Geoengineering, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, 10-720, Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Michal Hejcman
- Department of Environment, Faculty of Environment, The University of Jan Evangelista in Ústí nad Labem (UJEP), Pasteurova 3632/15, 400 96, Usti nad Labem, Czech Republic
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Wan X, Joly FX, Jia H, Zhu M, Fu Y, Huang Z. Functional identity drives tree species richness-induced increases in litterfall production and forest floor mass in young tree communities. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2023; 240:1003-1014. [PMID: 37606255 DOI: 10.1111/nph.19216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/23/2023]
Abstract
Forest floor accumulation is a key process that influences ecosystem carbon cycling. Despite evidence suggesting that tree diversity and soil carbon are positively correlated, most soil carbon studies typically omit the response of the forest floor carbon to tree diversity loss. Here, we evaluated how tree species richness affects forest floor mass and how this effect is mediated by litterfall production and forest floor decay rate in a tree diversity experiment in a subtropical forest. We observed that greater tree species richness leads to higher forest floor accumulation at the soil surface through increasing litterfall production - positively linked to functional trait identity (i.e. community-weighted mean functional trait) rather than functional diversity - and unchanged forest floor decay. Interestingly, structural equation modelling revealed that this lack of overall significant tree species richness effect on forest floor decay rate was due to two indirect and opposite effects cancelling each other out. Indeed, tree species richness increased forest floor decay rate through increasing litterfall production while decreasing forest floor decay rate by increasing litter species richness. Our reports of greater organic matter accumulation in the forest floor in species-rich forests suggest that tree diversity may have long-term and important effect on ecosystem carbon cycling and services.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaohua Wan
- Key Laboratory of Humid Subtropical Eco-Geographical Process of Ministry of Education, Fuzhou, 350007, China
- School of Geographical Science, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, 350007, China
| | - François-Xavier Joly
- Biological and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, FK9 4LA, UK
| | - Hui Jia
- Key Laboratory of Humid Subtropical Eco-Geographical Process of Ministry of Education, Fuzhou, 350007, China
- School of Geographical Science, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, 350007, China
| | - Min Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Humid Subtropical Eco-Geographical Process of Ministry of Education, Fuzhou, 350007, China
- School of Geographical Science, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, 350007, China
| | - Yanrong Fu
- Key Laboratory of Humid Subtropical Eco-Geographical Process of Ministry of Education, Fuzhou, 350007, China
- School of Geographical Science, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, 350007, China
| | - Zhiqun Huang
- Key Laboratory of Humid Subtropical Eco-Geographical Process of Ministry of Education, Fuzhou, 350007, China
- School of Geographical Science, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, 350007, China
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34
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Min K, Zheng T, Zhu X, Bao X, Lynch L, Liang C. Bacterial community structure and assembly dynamics hinge on plant litter quality. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2023; 99:fiad118. [PMID: 37771081 DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiad118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Revised: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Litter decomposition is a fundamental ecosystem process controlling the biogeochemical cycling of energy and nutrients. Using a 360-day lab incubation experiment to control for environmental factors, we tested how litter quality (low C/N deciduous vs. high C/N coniferous litter) governed the assembly and taxonomic composition of bacterial communities and rates of litter decomposition. Overall, litter mass loss was significantly faster in soils amended with deciduous (DL) rather than coniferous (CL) litter. Communities degrading DL were also more taxonomically diverse and exhibited stochastic assembly throughout the experiment. By contrast, alpha-diversity rapidly declined in communities exposed to CL. Strong environmental selection and competitive biological interactions induced by molecularly complex, nutrient poor CL were reflected in a transition from stochastic to deterministic assembly after 180 days. Constraining how the diversity and assembly of microbial populations modulates core ecosystem processes, such as litter decomposition, will become increasingly important under novel climate conditions, and as policymakers and land managers emphasize soil carbon sequestration as a key natural climate solution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaikai Min
- Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016, People's Republic of China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, People's Republic of China
| | - Tiantian Zheng
- Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016, People's Republic of China
| | - Xuefeng Zhu
- Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016, People's Republic of China
| | - Xuelian Bao
- Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016, People's Republic of China
| | - Laurel Lynch
- Department of Soil and Water Systems, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID 83844, USA
| | - Chao Liang
- Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016, People's Republic of China
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35
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Fang C, Verbrigghe N, Sigurdsson BD, Ostonen I, Leblans NIW, Marañón-Jiménez S, Fuchslueger L, Sigurðsson P, Meeran K, Portillo-Estrada M, Verbruggen E, Richter A, Sardans J, Peñuelas J, Bahn M, Vicca S, Janssens IA. Decadal soil warming decreased vascular plant above and belowground production in a subarctic grassland by inducing nitrogen limitation. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2023; 240:565-576. [PMID: 37545200 DOI: 10.1111/nph.19177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023]
Abstract
Below and aboveground vegetation dynamics are crucial in understanding how climate warming may affect terrestrial ecosystem carbon cycling. In contrast to aboveground biomass, the response of belowground biomass to long-term warming has been poorly studied. Here, we characterized the impacts of decadal geothermal warming at two levels (on average +3.3°C and +7.9°C) on below and aboveground plant biomass stocks and production in a subarctic grassland. Soil warming did not change standing root biomass and even decreased fine root production and reduced aboveground biomass and production. Decadal soil warming also did not significantly alter the root-shoot ratio. The linear stepwise regression model suggested that following 10 yr of soil warming, temperature was no longer the direct driver of these responses, but losses of soil N were. Soil N losses, due to warming-induced decreases in organic matter and water retention capacity, were identified as key driver of the decreased above and belowground production. The reduction in fine root production was accompanied by thinner roots with increased specific root area. These results indicate that after a decade of soil warming, plant productivity in the studied subarctic grassland was affected by soil warming mainly by the reduction in soil N.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Fang
- Research Center for Global Changes and Ecosystem Carbon Sequestration & Mitigation, School of Applied Meteorology, Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, Nanjing, 210044, China
- PLECO (Plants and Ecosystems), Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, Wilrijk, 2610, Belgium
| | - Niel Verbrigghe
- Flanders Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Caritasstraat 39, Melle, 9090, Belgium
| | | | - Ivika Ostonen
- Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Tartu, 51003, Estonia
| | - Niki I W Leblans
- Climate Impacts Research Centre, Umeå University, Umeå, 90333, Sweden
| | - Sara Marañón-Jiménez
- CREAF, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, 08193, Catalonia, Spain
- CSIC, Global Ecology Unit CREAF-CSIC-UAB, Bellaterra, Barcelona, 08193, Catalonia, Spain
- Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès, 08193, Spain
| | - Lucia Fuchslueger
- Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science, University of Vienna, Djerassiplatz 1, 1030, Vienna, Austria
| | - Páll Sigurðsson
- Agricultural University of Iceland, Hvanneyri, Borgarnes, IS-311, Iceland
| | - Kathiravan Meeran
- Department of Ecology, University of Innsbruck, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Miguel Portillo-Estrada
- PLECO (Plants and Ecosystems), Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, Wilrijk, 2610, Belgium
| | - Erik Verbruggen
- PLECO (Plants and Ecosystems), Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, Wilrijk, 2610, Belgium
| | - Andreas Richter
- Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science, University of Vienna, Djerassiplatz 1, 1030, Vienna, Austria
| | - Jordi Sardans
- CREAF, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, 08193, Catalonia, Spain
- CSIC, Global Ecology Unit CREAF-CSIC-UAB, Bellaterra, Barcelona, 08193, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Josep Peñuelas
- CREAF, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, 08193, Catalonia, Spain
- CSIC, Global Ecology Unit CREAF-CSIC-UAB, Bellaterra, Barcelona, 08193, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Michael Bahn
- Department of Ecology, University of Innsbruck, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Sara Vicca
- PLECO (Plants and Ecosystems), Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, Wilrijk, 2610, Belgium
| | - Ivan A Janssens
- PLECO (Plants and Ecosystems), Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, Wilrijk, 2610, Belgium
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Li J, Pei J, Fang C, Li B, Nie M. Thermal adaptation of microbial respiration persists throughout long-term soil carbon decomposition. Ecol Lett 2023; 26:1803-1814. [PMID: 37592863 DOI: 10.1111/ele.14296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Revised: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023]
Abstract
Soil microbial respiration is expected to show adaptations to changing temperatures, greatly weakening the magnitude of feedback over time, as shown in labile carbon substrates. However, whether such thermal adaptation persists during long-term soil carbon decomposition as carbon substrates decrease in decomposability remains unknown. Here, we conducted a 6-year incubation experiment in natural and arable soils with distinct properties under three temperatures (10, 20 and 30°C). Mass-specific microbial respiration was consistently lower under higher long-term incubation temperatures, suggesting the occurrence and persistence of microbial thermal adaptation in long-term soil carbon decomposition. Furthermore, changes in microbial community composition and function largely explained the persistence of microbial respiratory thermal adaptation. If such thermal adaptation generally occurs in large low-decomposability carbon pools, warming-induced soil carbon losses may be lower than previously predicted and thus may not contribute as much as expected to greenhouse warming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinquan Li
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, National Observations and Research Station for Wetland Ecosystems of the Yangtze Estuary, Institute of Biodiversity Science and Institute of Eco-Chongming, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Junmin Pei
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, National Observations and Research Station for Wetland Ecosystems of the Yangtze Estuary, Institute of Biodiversity Science and Institute of Eco-Chongming, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- College of Life Sciences, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Changming Fang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, National Observations and Research Station for Wetland Ecosystems of the Yangtze Estuary, Institute of Biodiversity Science and Institute of Eco-Chongming, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Bo Li
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, National Observations and Research Station for Wetland Ecosystems of the Yangtze Estuary, Institute of Biodiversity Science and Institute of Eco-Chongming, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Plant Reproductive Adaptation and Evolutionary Ecology and Centre for Invasion Biology, Institute of Biodiversity, School of Ecology and Environmental Science, Yunnan University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Ming Nie
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, National Observations and Research Station for Wetland Ecosystems of the Yangtze Estuary, Institute of Biodiversity Science and Institute of Eco-Chongming, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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37
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Li J, Le X, Chen X, Niklas KJ, Li X, Wu P, Zhou Y, Zhong Q, Hu D, Cheng D. The allocation of anatomical traits determines the trade-off between fine root resource acquisition-transport function. Oecologia 2023; 202:845-854. [PMID: 37624444 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-023-05443-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023]
Abstract
Cortex radius (CR) and stele radius (SR) are important functional traits associated with the nutrient acquisition and transport functions of fine roots, respectively. However, for developmental and anatomical reasons, the resource acquisition-transport relationship of fine roots is expected to be different for different root orders. To address this issue, critical fine root anatomical traits were examined for the first three orders of roots of 59 subtropical woody plants. Designating the most distal fine roots as order one, SR scaled isometrically with respect to root radius (RR) (i.e., SR ∝ RR1.0) in the three root orders, whereas CR scaled allometrically with respect to RR (i.e., CR ∝ RR>1.0) with the numerical values of scaling exponents increasing significantly with increasing root orders thereby indicating a disproportional increase in CR with increasing root orders. There were also differences between normalized root tissue (CR/RR and SR/RR) and RR in different root orders. A negative isometric relationship (i.e., SR/RR ∝ RR-1.0) existed between SR/RR and RR in three order roots, whereas the allometric exponent between CR/RR and RR increased with root order (from 0.88 to 1.55). Collectively, the data indicate that root anatomical and functional traits change as a function of RR and that these changes need to be considered when modeling fine root resource acquisition-transport functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinlong Li
- Institute of Geography, School of Geographical Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Xingui Le
- Yangjifeng National Nature Reserve Administration of Jiangxi Province, Jiangxi, China
| | - Xiaoping Chen
- Institute of Geography, School of Geographical Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Ecophysiology, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Karl J Niklas
- School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Xueqin Li
- Institute of Geography, School of Geographical Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Panpan Wu
- Institute of Geography, School of Geographical Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Yongjiao Zhou
- Institute of Geography, School of Geographical Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Quanlin Zhong
- Institute of Geography, School of Geographical Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Dandan Hu
- Institute of Geography, School of Geographical Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Dongliang Cheng
- Institute of Geography, School of Geographical Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China.
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Ecophysiology, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, China.
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Thapa R, Cabrera M, Schomberg HH, Reberg-Horton C, Poffenbarger H, Mirsky SB. Chemical differences in cover crop residue quality are maintained through litter decay. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0289352. [PMID: 37498919 PMCID: PMC10374002 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0289352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023] Open
Abstract
As plant litter decomposes, its mass exponentially decreases until it reaches a non-zero asymptote. However, decomposition rates vary considerably among litter types as a function of their overall quality (i.e., carbon:nitrogen (C:N) ratio and litter chemistry). We investigated the effects of hairy vetch (HV: Vicia villosa Roth):cereal rye (RYE: Secale cereale L.) biomass proportions with or without broadcasted poultry manure on overall litter quality before and during decomposition. As HV biomass proportions increased from 0 to 100%, the relative susceptibility of HV:RYE mixtures to microbial decomposition increased due to: (i) decrease in the initial C:N ratio (87:1 to 10:1 in 2012 and 67:1 to 9:1 in 2013), (ii) increase in the non-structural labile carbohydrates (33 to 61% across years), and (iii) decrease in the structural holo-cellulose (59 to 33% across years) and lignin (8 to 6% across years) fractions. Broadcasted poultry manure decreased the overall initial quality of HV-dominated litters and increased the overall initial quality of RYE-dominated litters. Across all HV:RYE biomass proportions with or without poultry manure, chemical changes during litter decay were related to proportional mass loss. Therefore, the relative decrease in carbohydrates and the concomitant increase in holo-cellulose and lignin fractions were more pronounced for fast decomposing litter types, i.e., litters dominated by HV rather than RYE. While our results suggest possible convergence of litter C:N ratios, initial differences in litter chemistry neither converged nor diverged. Therefore, we conclude that the initial chemistry of litter before decomposition exerts a strong control on its chemical composition throughout the decay continuum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Resham Thapa
- Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Tennessee State University, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
| | - Miguel Cabrera
- Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Harry H Schomberg
- USDA-ARS Sustainable Agricultural Systems Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Beltsville, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Chris Reberg-Horton
- Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Hanna Poffenbarger
- Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, United States of America
| | - Steven B Mirsky
- USDA-ARS Sustainable Agricultural Systems Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Beltsville, Maryland, United States of America
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Li Y, Fu C, Wang W, Zeng L, Tu C, Luo Y. An overlooked soil carbon pool in vegetated coastal ecosystems: National-scale assessment of soil organic carbon stocks in coastal shelter forests of China. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 876:162823. [PMID: 36921854 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2022] [Revised: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Protection and restoration of vegetated coastal ecosystems provide opportunities to mitigate climate change. Coastal shelter forests as one of vegetated coastal ecosystems play vital role on sandy coasts protection, but less attention is paid on their soil organic carbon (OC) sequestration potential. Here, we provide the first national-scale assessment of the soil OC stocks, fractions, sources and accumulation rates from 48 sites of shelter forests and 74 sites of sandy beaches across 22° of latitude in China. We find that, compared with sandy beaches, shelter forest plantation achieves an average soil desalination rate of 92.0 % and reduces the soil pH by 1.3 units. The improved soil quality can facilitate OC sequestration leading to an increase of soil OC stock of 11.8 (0.60-64.2) MgC ha-1 in shelter forests. Particulate OC (POC) is a dominant OC fraction in both sandy beaches and shelter forests, but most sites are >80 % in shelter forests. The low δ13C values and higher C:N ratios, which are more regulated by climate and tree species, together with high POC proportions suggest a substantial contribution of plant-derived OC. Bayesian mixing model indicates that 71.8 (33.5-91.6)% of the soil OC is derived from local plant biomass. We estimate that soil OC stocks in Chinese shelter forests are 20.5 (7.44-79.7) MgC ha-1 and 4.53 ± 0.71 TgC in the top meter, with an accumulation rate of 45.0 (6.90 to 194.1) gC m-2 year-1 and 99.5 ± 44.9 GgC year-1. According to coastal shelter forest afforestation plan, additional 1.72 ± 0.27 TgC with a rate of 37.9 ± 17.1 GgC year-1 can be sequestrated in the future. Our findings suggest that construction of coastal shelter forests can be an effective solution to sequester more soil carbon in coastal ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes and Ecological Remediation, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research (YIC), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shandong Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes, YICCAS, Yantai 264003, PR China
| | - Chuancheng Fu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Soil Environment and Pollution Remediation, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Nanjing 210008, PR China; Red Sea Research Center (RSRC) and Computational Bioscience Research Center (CBRC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Weiqi Wang
- Key Laboratory of Humid Subtropical Eco-geographical Process, Ministry of Education, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou 350007, PR China; Institute of Geography, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou 350007, PR China
| | - Lin Zeng
- School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Ludong University, Yantai 264025, PR China
| | - Chen Tu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes and Ecological Remediation, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research (YIC), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shandong Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes, YICCAS, Yantai 264003, PR China; CAS Key Laboratory of Soil Environment and Pollution Remediation, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Nanjing 210008, PR China
| | - Yongming Luo
- CAS Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes and Ecological Remediation, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research (YIC), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shandong Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes, YICCAS, Yantai 264003, PR China; CAS Key Laboratory of Soil Environment and Pollution Remediation, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Nanjing 210008, PR China.
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40
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Petaja G, Bārdule A, Zalmanis J, Lazdiņa D, Daugaviete M, Skranda I, Zvaigzne ZA, Purviņa D. Changes in Organic Carbon Stock in Soil and Whole Tree Biomass in Afforested Areas in Latvia. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 12:2264. [PMID: 37375889 DOI: 10.3390/plants12122264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2023] [Revised: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
This study investigates the soil organic carbon (SOC) and whole tree biomass carbon (C), soil bulk density (BD) as well as changes in these parameters in afforested areas in Latvia. The study covered 24 research sites in afforested areas-juvenile forest stands dominated by Scots pine, Norway spruce and Silver birch. The initial measurements were conducted in 2012 and repeated in 2021. The results show that afforestation mostly leads to a general decrease in soil BD and SOC stock in 0-40 cm soil layer and an increase in C stock in tree biomass across afforested areas with various tree species, soil types, and former land uses. The physical and chemical properties of the soil could explain the differences in changes in soil BD and SOC caused by afforestation, as well as the impact of past land use may have persisted. When comparing the changes in SOC stock with the increase in C stock in tree biomass due to afforestation, taking into account the decrease in soil BD and the resulting elevation of soil surface level, the afforested areas at juvenile development stage can be considered a net C sink.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guna Petaja
- Latvian State Forest Research Institute "Silava", Riga Street 111, LV-2169 Salaspils, Latvia
| | - Arta Bārdule
- Latvian State Forest Research Institute "Silava", Riga Street 111, LV-2169 Salaspils, Latvia
| | - Juris Zalmanis
- Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies, Liela Street 2, LV-3001 Jelgava, Latvia
| | - Dagnija Lazdiņa
- Latvian State Forest Research Institute "Silava", Riga Street 111, LV-2169 Salaspils, Latvia
| | - Mudrīte Daugaviete
- Latvian State Forest Research Institute "Silava", Riga Street 111, LV-2169 Salaspils, Latvia
| | - Ilona Skranda
- Latvian State Forest Research Institute "Silava", Riga Street 111, LV-2169 Salaspils, Latvia
| | - Zaiga Anna Zvaigzne
- Latvian State Forest Research Institute "Silava", Riga Street 111, LV-2169 Salaspils, Latvia
| | - Dana Purviņa
- Latvian State Forest Research Institute "Silava", Riga Street 111, LV-2169 Salaspils, Latvia
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41
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Castaño C, Hallin S, Egelkraut D, Lindahl BD, Olofsson J, Clemmensen KE. Contrasting plant-soil-microbial feedbacks stabilize vegetation types and uncouple topsoil C and N stocks across a subarctic-alpine landscape. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2023; 238:2621-2633. [PMID: 36519258 DOI: 10.1111/nph.18679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Global vegetation regimes vary in belowground carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) dynamics. However, disentangling large-scale climatic controls from the effects of intrinsic plant-soil-microbial feedbacks on belowground processes is challenging. In local gradients with similar pedo-climatic conditions, effects of plant-microbial feedbacks may be isolated from large-scale drivers. Across a subarctic-alpine mosaic of historic grazing fields and surrounding heath and birch forest, we evaluated whether vegetation-specific plant-microbial feedbacks involved contrasting N cycling characteristics and C and N stocks in the organic topsoil. We sequenced soil fungi, quantified functional genes within the inorganic N cycle, and measured 15 N natural abundance. In grassland soils, large N stocks and low C : N ratios associated with fungal saprotrophs, archaeal ammonia oxidizers, and bacteria capable of respiratory ammonification, indicating maintained inorganic N cycling a century after abandoned reindeer grazing. Toward forest and heath, increasing abundance of mycorrhizal fungi co-occurred with transition to organic N cycling. However, ectomycorrhizal fungal decomposers correlated with small soil N and C stocks in forest, while root-associated ascomycetes associated with small N but large C stocks in heath, uncoupling C and N storage across vegetation types. We propose that contrasting, positive plant-microbial feedbacks stabilize vegetation trajectories, resulting in diverging soil C : N ratios at the landscape scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carles Castaño
- Department of Forest Mycology and Plant Pathology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SE-75007, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Sara Hallin
- Department of Forest Mycology and Plant Pathology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SE-75007, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Dagmar Egelkraut
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Bergen, 5006, Bergen, Norway
| | - Björn D Lindahl
- Department of Soil and Environment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, SE-75007, Sweden
| | - Johan Olofsson
- Department of Ecology and Environmental Science, Umeå University, 90187, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Karina Engelbrecht Clemmensen
- Department of Forest Mycology and Plant Pathology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SE-75007, Uppsala, Sweden
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42
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Bai T, Wang P, Qiu Y, Zhang Y, Hu S. Nitrogen availability mediates soil carbon cycling response to climate warming: A meta-analysis. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2023; 29:2608-2626. [PMID: 36744998 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Global climate warming may induce a positive feedback through increasing soil carbon (C) release to the atmosphere. Although warming can affect both C input to and output from soil, direct and convincing evidence illustrating that warming induces a net change in soil C is still lacking. We synthesized the results from field warming experiments at 165 sites across the globe and found that climate warming had no significant effect on soil C stock. On average, warming significantly increased root biomass and soil respiration, but warming effects on root biomass and soil respiration strongly depended on soil nitrogen (N) availability. Under high N availability (soil C:N ratio < 15), warming had no significant effect on root biomass, but promoted the coupling between effect sizes of root biomass and soil C stock. Under relative N limitation (soil C:N ratio > 15), warming significantly enhanced root biomass. However, the enhancement of root biomass did not induce a corresponding C accumulation in soil, possibly because warming promoted microbial CO2 release that offset the increased root C input. Also, reactive N input alleviated warming-induced C loss from soil, but elevated atmospheric CO2 or precipitation increase/reduction did not. Together, our findings indicate that the relative availability of soil C to N (i.e., soil C:N ratio) critically mediates warming effects on soil C dynamics, suggesting that its incorporation into C-climate models may improve the prediction of soil C cycling under future global warming scenarios.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tongshuo Bai
- Ecosystem Ecology Laboratory, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Peng Wang
- Ecosystem Ecology Laboratory, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yunpeng Qiu
- Ecosystem Ecology Laboratory, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yi Zhang
- Ecosystem Ecology Laboratory, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Shuijin Hu
- Ecosystem Ecology Laboratory, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
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43
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Semeraro S, Kipf P, Le Bayon RC, Rasmann S. Solar radiation explains litter degradation along alpine elevation gradients better than other climatic or edaphic parameters. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1152187. [PMID: 37180240 PMCID: PMC10174231 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1152187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2023] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 05/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Organic matter (OM) decomposition has been shown to vary across ecosystems, suggesting that variation in local ecological conditions influences this process. A better understanding of the ecological factors driving OM decomposition rates will allow to better predict the effect of ecosystem changes on the carbon cycle. While temperature and humidity have been put forward as the main drivers of OM decomposition, the concomitant role of other ecosystem properties, such as soil physicochemical properties, and local microbial communities, remains to be investigated within large-scale ecological gradients. To address this gap, we measured the decomposition of a standardized OM source - green tea and rooibos tea - across 24 sites spread within a full factorial design including elevation and exposition, and across two distinct bioclimatic regions in the Swiss Alps. By analyzing OM decomposition via 19 climatic, edaphic or soil microbial activity-related variables, which strongly varied across sites, we identified solar radiation as the primary source of variation of both green and rooibos teabags decomposition rate. This study thus highlights that while most variables, such as temperature or humidity, as well as soil microbial activity, do impact decomposition process, in combination with the measured pedo-climatic niche, solar radiation, very likely by means of indirect effects, best captures variation in OM degradation. For instance, high solar radiation might favor photodegradation, in turn speeding up the decomposition activity of the local microbial communities. Future work should thus disentangle the synergistic effects of the unique local microbial community and solar radiation on OM decomposition across different habitats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Semeraro
- Laboratory of Functional Ecology, Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
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44
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Nadal M, Clemente-Moreno MJ, Perera-Castro AV, Roig-Oliver M, Onoda Y, Gulías J, Flexas J. Incorporating pressure-volume traits into the leaf economics spectrum. Ecol Lett 2023; 26:549-562. [PMID: 36750322 DOI: 10.1111/ele.14176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2022] [Revised: 01/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
Abstract
In recent years, attempts have been made in linking pressure-volume parameters and the leaf economics spectrum to expand our knowledge of the interrelationships among leaf traits. We provide theoretical and empirical evidence for the coordination of the turgor loss point and associated traits with net CO2 assimilation (An ) and leaf mass per area (LMA). We measured gas exchange, pressure-volume curves and leaf structure in 45 ferns and angiosperms, and explored the anatomical and chemical basis of the key traits. We propose that the coordination observed between mass-based An , capacitance and the turgor loss point (πtlp ) emerges from their shared link with leaf density (one of the components of LMA) and, specially, leaf saturated water content (LSWC), which in turn relates to cell size and nitrogen and carbon content. Thus, considering the components of LMA and LSWC in ecophysiological studies can provide a broader perspective on leaf structure and function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miquel Nadal
- Departamento de Sistemas Agrícolas, Forestales y Medio Ambiente, Centro de Investigación y Tecnología Agroalimentaria de Aragón (CITA), Zaragoza, Spain
- Research Group on Plant Biology under Mediterranean Conditions, Institut d'Investigacions Agroambientals i d'Economia de l'Aigua (INAGEA) - Universitat de les Illes Balears (UIB), Palma, Spain
| | - María J Clemente-Moreno
- Research Group on Plant Biology under Mediterranean Conditions, Institut d'Investigacions Agroambientals i d'Economia de l'Aigua (INAGEA) - Universitat de les Illes Balears (UIB), Palma, Spain
| | - Alicia V Perera-Castro
- Research Group on Plant Biology under Mediterranean Conditions, Institut d'Investigacions Agroambientals i d'Economia de l'Aigua (INAGEA) - Universitat de les Illes Balears (UIB), Palma, Spain
- Department of Botany, Ecology and Plant Physiology, Universidad de La Laguna (ULL), La Laguna, Spain
| | - Margalida Roig-Oliver
- Research Group on Plant Biology under Mediterranean Conditions, Institut d'Investigacions Agroambientals i d'Economia de l'Aigua (INAGEA) - Universitat de les Illes Balears (UIB), Palma, Spain
| | - Yusuke Onoda
- Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Javier Gulías
- Research Group on Plant Biology under Mediterranean Conditions, Institut d'Investigacions Agroambientals i d'Economia de l'Aigua (INAGEA) - Universitat de les Illes Balears (UIB), Palma, Spain
| | - Jaume Flexas
- Research Group on Plant Biology under Mediterranean Conditions, Institut d'Investigacions Agroambientals i d'Economia de l'Aigua (INAGEA) - Universitat de les Illes Balears (UIB), Palma, Spain
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45
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Kothari S, Beauchamp-Rioux R, Blanchard F, Crofts AL, Girard A, Guilbeault-Mayers X, Hacker PW, Pardo J, Schweiger AK, Demers-Thibeault S, Bruneau A, Coops NC, Kalacska M, Vellend M, Laliberté E. Predicting leaf traits across functional groups using reflectance spectroscopy. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2023; 238:549-566. [PMID: 36746189 DOI: 10.1111/nph.18713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2022] [Accepted: 10/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Plant ecologists use functional traits to describe how plants respond to and influence their environment. Reflectance spectroscopy can provide rapid, non-destructive estimates of leaf traits, but it remains unclear whether general trait-spectra models can yield accurate estimates across functional groups and ecosystems. We measured leaf spectra and 22 structural and chemical traits for nearly 2000 samples from 103 species. These samples span a large share of known trait variation and represent several functional groups and ecosystems, mainly in eastern Canada. We used partial least-squares regression (PLSR) to build empirical models for estimating traits from spectra. Within the dataset, our PLSR models predicted traits such as leaf mass per area (LMA) and leaf dry matter content (LDMC) with high accuracy (R2 > 0.85; %RMSE < 10). Models for most chemical traits, including pigments, carbon fractions, and major nutrients, showed intermediate accuracy (R2 = 0.55-0.85; %RMSE = 12.7-19.1). Micronutrients such as Cu and Fe showed the poorest accuracy. In validation on external datasets, models for traits such as LMA and LDMC performed relatively well, while carbon fractions showed steep declines in accuracy. We provide models that produce fast, reliable estimates of several functional traits from leaf spectra. Our results reinforce the potential uses of spectroscopy in monitoring plant function around the world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shan Kothari
- Département de Sciences Biologiques, Institut de Recherche en Biologie Végétale, Université de Montréal, 4101 Sherbrooke Est, Montréal, QC, H1X 2B2, Canada
| | - Rosalie Beauchamp-Rioux
- Département de Sciences Biologiques, Institut de Recherche en Biologie Végétale, Université de Montréal, 4101 Sherbrooke Est, Montréal, QC, H1X 2B2, Canada
| | - Florence Blanchard
- Département de Sciences Biologiques, Institut de Recherche en Biologie Végétale, Université de Montréal, 4101 Sherbrooke Est, Montréal, QC, H1X 2B2, Canada
| | - Anna L Crofts
- Département de Biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, J1K 2X9, Canada
| | - Alizée Girard
- Département de Sciences Biologiques, Institut de Recherche en Biologie Végétale, Université de Montréal, 4101 Sherbrooke Est, Montréal, QC, H1X 2B2, Canada
| | - Xavier Guilbeault-Mayers
- Département de Sciences Biologiques, Institut de Recherche en Biologie Végétale, Université de Montréal, 4101 Sherbrooke Est, Montréal, QC, H1X 2B2, Canada
| | - Paul W Hacker
- Department of Forest Resources Management, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Juliana Pardo
- Département de Sciences Biologiques, Institut de Recherche en Biologie Végétale, Université de Montréal, 4101 Sherbrooke Est, Montréal, QC, H1X 2B2, Canada
| | - Anna K Schweiger
- Département de Sciences Biologiques, Institut de Recherche en Biologie Végétale, Université de Montréal, 4101 Sherbrooke Est, Montréal, QC, H1X 2B2, Canada
- Department of Geography, University of Zurich, Zürich, 8057, Switzerland
| | - Sabrina Demers-Thibeault
- Département de Sciences Biologiques, Institut de Recherche en Biologie Végétale, Université de Montréal, 4101 Sherbrooke Est, Montréal, QC, H1X 2B2, Canada
| | - Anne Bruneau
- Département de Sciences Biologiques, Institut de Recherche en Biologie Végétale, Université de Montréal, 4101 Sherbrooke Est, Montréal, QC, H1X 2B2, Canada
| | - Nicholas C Coops
- Department of Forest Resources Management, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Margaret Kalacska
- Department of Geography, McGill University, Montréal, QC, H3A 0B9, Canada
| | - Mark Vellend
- Département de Biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, J1K 2X9, Canada
| | - Etienne Laliberté
- Département de Sciences Biologiques, Institut de Recherche en Biologie Végétale, Université de Montréal, 4101 Sherbrooke Est, Montréal, QC, H1X 2B2, Canada
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Pellegrini AFA, Anderegg L, Pinto‐Ledezma JN, Cavender‐Bares J, Hobbie SE, Reich PB. Consistent physiological, ecological and evolutionary effects of fire regime on conservative leaf economics strategies in plant communities. Ecol Lett 2023; 26:597-608. [PMID: 36815289 PMCID: PMC10947573 DOI: 10.1111/ele.14182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2022] [Revised: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2023]
Abstract
The functional response of plant communities to disturbance is hypothesised to be controlled by changes in environmental conditions and evolutionary history of species within the community. However, separating these influences using direct manipulations of repeated disturbances within ecosystems is rare. We evaluated how 41 years of manipulated fire affected plant leaf economics by sampling 89 plant species across a savanna-forest ecotone. Greater fire frequencies created a high-light and low-nitrogen environment, with more diverse communities that contained denser leaves and lower foliar nitrogen content. Strong trait-fire coupling resulted from the combination of significant intraspecific trait-fire correlations being in the same direction as interspecific trait differences arising through the turnover in functional composition along the fire-frequency gradient. Turnover among specific clades helped explain trait-fire trends, but traits were relatively labile. Overall, repeated burning led to reinforcing selective pressures that produced diverse plant communities dominated by conservative resource-use strategies and slow soil nitrogen cycling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam F. A. Pellegrini
- Department of Plant SciencesUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
- Institute for Global Change Biology and School for Environment and SustainabilityUniversity of MichiganAnn ArborMichiganUSA
| | - Leander Anderegg
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine BiologyUniversity of CaliforniaSanta BarbaraCaliforniaUSA
| | - Jesús N. Pinto‐Ledezma
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and BehaviorUniversity of MinnesotaSt. PaulMinnesotaUSA
| | | | - Sarah E. Hobbie
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and BehaviorUniversity of MinnesotaSt. PaulMinnesotaUSA
| | - Peter B. Reich
- Institute for Global Change Biology and School for Environment and SustainabilityUniversity of MichiganAnn ArborMichiganUSA
- Department of Forest ResourcesUniversity of MinnesotaSt. PaulMinnesotaUSA
- Hawkesbury Institute for the EnvironmentWestern Sydney UniversityPenrithNew South WalesAustralia
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47
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Koranda M, Rinnan R, Michelsen A. Close coupling of plant functional types with soil microbial community composition drives soil carbon and nutrient cycling in tundra heath. PLANT AND SOIL 2023; 488:551-572. [PMID: 37600962 PMCID: PMC10435393 DOI: 10.1007/s11104-023-05993-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023]
Abstract
Aims This study aimed at elucidating divergent effects of two dominant plant functional types (PFTs) in tundra heath, dwarf shrubs and mosses, on soil microbial processes and soil carbon (C) and nutrient availability, and thereby to enhance our understanding of the complex interactions between PFTs, soil microbes and soil functioning. Methods Samples of organic soil were collected under three dwarf shrub species (of distinct mycorrhizal association and life form) and three moss species in early and late growing season. We analysed soil C and nutrient pools, extracellular enzyme activities and phospholipid fatty acid profiles, together with a range of plant traits, soil and abiotic site characteristics. Results Shrub soils were characterised by high microbial biomass C and phosphorus and phosphatase activity, which was linked with a fungal-dominated microbial community, while moss soils were characterised by high soil nitrogen availability, peptidase and peroxidase activity associated with a bacterial-dominated microbial community. The variation in soil microbial community structure was explained by mycorrhizal association, root morphology, litter and soil organic matter quality and soil pH-value. Furthermore, we found that the seasonal variation in microbial biomass and enzyme activities over the growing season, likely driven by plant belowground C allocation, was most pronounced under the tallest shrub Betula nana. Conclusion Our study demonstrates a close coupling of PFTs with soil microbial communities, microbial decomposition processes and soil nutrient availability in tundra heath, which suggests potential strong impacts of global change-induced shifts in plant community composition on carbon and nutrient cycling in high-latitude ecosystems. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11104-023-05993-w.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marianne Koranda
- Division of Terrestrial Ecosystem Research, Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science, University of Vienna, Djerassiplatz 1, 1030 Vienna, Austria
- Terrestrial Ecology Section, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
- Center for Permafrost (CENPERM), University of Copenhagen, 1350 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Riikka Rinnan
- Terrestrial Ecology Section, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
- Center for Permafrost (CENPERM), University of Copenhagen, 1350 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Anders Michelsen
- Terrestrial Ecology Section, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
- Center for Permafrost (CENPERM), University of Copenhagen, 1350 Copenhagen, Denmark
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48
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Chen X, Luo M, Larjavaara M. Effects of climate and plant functional types on forest above-ground biomass accumulation. CARBON BALANCE AND MANAGEMENT 2023; 18:5. [PMID: 36947268 PMCID: PMC10035156 DOI: 10.1186/s13021-023-00225-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 03/11/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Forest above-ground biomass (AGB) accumulation is widely considered an important tool for mitigating climate change. However, the general pattern of forest AGB accumulation associated with age and climate gradients across various forest functional types at a global scale have remained unclear. In this study, we compiled a global AGB data set and applied a Bayesian statistical model to reveal the age-related dynamics of forest AGB accumulation, and to quantify the effects of mean annual temperature and annual precipitation on the initial AGB accumulation rate and on the saturated AGB characterizing the limit to AGB accumulation. RESULTS The results of the study suggest that mean annual temperature has a significant positive effect on the initial AGB accumulation rate in needleleaf evergreen forest, and a negative effect in broadleaf deciduous forest; whereas annual precipitation has a positive effect in broadleaf deciduous forest, and negative effect in broadleaf evergreen forest. The positive effect of mean annual temperature on the saturated AGB in broadleaf evergreen forest is greater than in broadleaf deciduous forest; annual precipitation has a greater negative effect on the saturated AGB in deciduous forests than in evergreen forests. Additionally, the difference of AGB accumulation rate across four forest functional types is closely correlated with the forest development stage at a given climate. CONCLUSIONS The contrasting responses of AGB accumulation rate to mean annual temperature and precipitation across four forest functional types emphasizes the importance of incorporating the complexity of forest types into the models which are used in planning climate change mitigation. This study also highlights the high potential for further AGB growth in existing evergreen forests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xia Chen
- Institute of Ecology and Key Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes of the Ministry of Education, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Mingyu Luo
- Institute of Ecology and Key Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes of the Ministry of Education, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Markku Larjavaara
- Institute of Ecology and Key Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes of the Ministry of Education, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China.
- Department of Forest Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
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Moreira-Saporiti A, Teichberg M, Garnier E, Cornelissen JHC, Alcoverro T, Björk M, Boström C, Dattolo E, Eklöf JS, Hasler-Sheetal H, Marbà N, Marín-Guirao L, Meysick L, Olivé I, Reusch TBH, Ruocco M, Silva J, Sousa AI, Procaccini G, Santos R. A trait-based framework for seagrass ecology: Trends and prospects. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1088643. [PMID: 37021321 PMCID: PMC10067889 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1088643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
In the last three decades, quantitative approaches that rely on organism traits instead of taxonomy have advanced different fields of ecological research through establishing the mechanistic links between environmental drivers, functional traits, and ecosystem functions. A research subfield where trait-based approaches have been frequently used but poorly synthesized is the ecology of seagrasses; marine angiosperms that colonized the ocean 100M YA and today make up productive yet threatened coastal ecosystems globally. Here, we compiled a comprehensive trait-based response-effect framework (TBF) which builds on previous concepts and ideas, including the use of traits for the study of community assembly processes, from dispersal and response to abiotic and biotic factors, to ecosystem function and service provision. We then apply this framework to the global seagrass literature, using a systematic review to identify the strengths, gaps, and opportunities of the field. Seagrass trait research has mostly focused on the effect of environmental drivers on traits, i.e., "environmental filtering" (72%), whereas links between traits and functions are less common (26.9%). Despite the richness of trait-based data available, concepts related to TBFs are rare in the seagrass literature (15% of studies), including the relative importance of neutral and niche assembly processes, or the influence of trait dominance or complementarity in ecosystem function provision. These knowledge gaps indicate ample potential for further research, highlighting the need to understand the links between the unique traits of seagrasses and the ecosystem services they provide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agustín Moreira-Saporiti
- Faculty for Biology and Chemistry, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
- Algae and Seagrass Ecology Group, Department of Ecology, Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research, Bremen, Germany
| | - Mirta Teichberg
- Algae and Seagrass Ecology Group, Department of Ecology, Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research, Bremen, Germany
| | - Eric Garnier
- CEFE, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, Montpellier, France
| | | | | | - Mats Björk
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences (DEEP), Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - Emanuela Dattolo
- Department of Integrative Marine Ecology, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, Italy
| | - Johan S. Eklöf
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences (DEEP), Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - Nuria Marbà
- Global Change Research Group, Institut Mediterrani d’Estudis Avançats (IMEDEA, CSIC-UIB), Esporles Illes Balears, Spain
| | - Lázaro Marín-Guirao
- Department of Integrative Marine Ecology, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, Italy
- Oceanographic Center of Murcia, Spanish Institute of Oceanography (IEO-CSIC), Murcia, Spain
| | - Lukas Meysick
- Åbo Akademi University, Environmental and Marine Biology, Åbo, Finland
- Helmholtz Institute for Functional Marine Biodiversity (HIFMB) at the University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
- Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - Irene Olivé
- Department of Integrative Marine Ecology, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, Italy
- School of Geographical and Earth Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Thorsten B. H. Reusch
- Marine Evolutionary Ecology, Division of Marine Ecology, GEOMAR Helmholtz Center for Ocean Research Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Miriam Ruocco
- Department of Integrative Marine Ecology, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, Italy
| | - João Silva
- Centro de Ciências do Mar, Universidade do Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, Faro, Portugal
| | - Ana I. Sousa
- CESAM – Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Gabriele Procaccini
- Department of Integrative Marine Ecology, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, Italy
| | - Rui Santos
- Centro de Ciências do Mar, Universidade do Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, Faro, Portugal
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50
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Adams MA, Neumann M. Litter accumulation and fire risks show direct and indirect climate-dependence at continental scale. Nat Commun 2023; 14:1515. [PMID: 36934100 PMCID: PMC10024763 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-37166-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/03/2023] [Indexed: 03/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Litter decomposition / accumulation are rate limiting steps in soil formation, carbon sequestration, nutrient cycling and fire risk in temperate forests, highlighting the importance of robust predictive models at all geographic scales. Using a data set for the Australian continent, we show that among a range of models, >60% of the variance in litter mass over a 40-year time span can be accounted for by a parsimonious model with elapsed time, and indices of aridity and litter quality, as independent drivers. Aridity is an important driver of variation across large geographic and climatic ranges while litter quality shows emergent properties of climate-dependence. Up to 90% of variance in litter mass for individual forest types can be explained using models of identical structure. Results provide guidance for future decomposition studies. Algorithms reported here can significantly improve accuracy and reliability of predictions of carbon and nutrient dynamics and fire risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark A Adams
- School of Science, Computing and Engineering Technologies, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, Victoria, Australia.
| | - Mathias Neumann
- School of Science, Computing and Engineering Technologies, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, Victoria, Australia
- Institute of Silviculture, Department of Forest and Soil Sciences, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
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