Trade-offs in carbon-degrading enzyme activities limit long-term soil carbon sequestration with biochar addition

Biochar amendment is one of the most promising agricultural approaches to tackle climate change by enhancing soil carbon (C) sequestration. Microbial-mediated decomposition processes are fundamental for the fate and persistence of sequestered C in soil, but the underlying mechanisms are uncertain. Here, we synthesise 923 observations regarding the effects of biochar addition (over periods ranging from several weeks to several years) on soil C-degrading enzyme activities from 130 articles across five continents worldwide. Our results showed that biochar addition increased soil ligninase activity targeting complex phenolic macromolecules by 7.1%, but suppressed cellulase activity degrading simpler polysaccharides by 8.3%. These shifts in enzyme activities explained the most variation of changes in soil C sequestration across a wide range of climatic, edaphic and experimental conditions, with biochar-induced shift in ligninase:cellulase ratio correlating negatively with soil C sequestration. Specifically, short-term (<1 year) biochar addition significantly reduced cellulase activity by 4.6% and enhanced soil organic C sequestration by 87.5%, whereas no significant responses were observed for ligninase activity and ligninase:cellulase ratio. However, long-term (≥1 year) biochar addition significantly enhanced ligninase activity by 5.2% and ligninase:cellulase ratio by 36.1%, leading to a smaller increase in soil organic C sequestration (25.1%). These results suggest that shifts in enzyme activities increased ligninase:cellulase ratio with time after biochar addition, limiting long-term soil C sequestration with biochar addition. Our work provides novel evidence to explain the diminished soil C sequestration with long-term biochar addition and suggests that earlier studies may have overestimated soil C sequestration with biochar addition by failing to consider the physiological acclimation of soil microorganisms over time.

Microbial communities in terrestrial surface soils are not widely limited by carbon

Microbial communities in soils are generally considered to be limited by carbon (C), which could be a crucial control for basic soil functions and responses of microbial heterotrophic metabolism to climate change. However, global soil microbial C limitation (MCL) has rarely been estimated and is poorly understood. Here, we predicted MCL, defined as limited availability of substrate C relative to nitrogen and/or phosphorus to meet microbial metabolic requirements, based on the thresholds of extracellular enzyme activity across 847 sites (2476 observations) representing global natural ecosystems. Results showed that only about 22% of global sites in terrestrial surface soils show relative C limitation in microbial community. This finding challenges the conventional hypothesis of ubiquitous C limitation for soil microbial metabolism. The limited geographic extent of C limitation in our study was mainly attributed to plant litter, rather than soil organic matter that has been processed by microbes, serving as the dominant C source for microbial acquisition. We also identified a significant latitudinal pattern of predicted MCL with larger C limitation at mid- to high latitudes, whereas this limitation was generally absent in the tropics. Moreover, MCL significantly constrained the rates of soil heterotrophic respiration, suggesting a potentially larger relative increase in respiration at mid- to high latitudes than low latitudes, if climate change increases primary productivity that alleviates MCL at higher latitudes. Our study provides the first global estimates of MCL, advancing our understanding of terrestrial C cycling and microbial metabolic feedback under global climate change.

Plant, microbial and ecosystem carbon use efficiencies interact to stabilize microbial growth as a fraction of gross primary production

The carbon use efficiency of plants (CUE_a ) and microorganisms (CUE_h ) determines rates of biomass turnover and soil carbon sequestration. We evaluated the hypothesis that CUE_a and CUE_h counterbalance at a large scale, stabilizing microbial growth (μ) as a fraction of gross primary production (GPP). Collating data from published studies, we correlated annual CUE_a , estimated from satellite imagery, with locally determined soil CUE_h for 100 globally distributed sites. Ecosystem CUE_e , the ratio of net ecosystem production (NEP) to GPP, was estimated for each site using published models. At the ecosystem scale, CUE_a and CUE_h were inversely related. At the global scale, the apparent temperature sensitivity of CUE_h with respect to mean annual temperature (MAT) was similar for organic and mineral soils (0.029°C^-1 ). CUE_a and CUE_e were inversely related to MAT, with apparent sensitivities of -0.009 and -0.032°C^-1 , respectively. These trends constrain the ratio μ : GPP (= (CUE_a  × CUE_h )/(1 - CUE_e )) with respect to MAT by counterbalancing the apparent temperature sensitivities of the component processes. At the ecosystem scale, the counterbalance is effected by modulating soil organic matter stocks. The results suggest that a μ : GPP value of c. 0.13 is a homeostatic steady state for ecosystem carbon fluxes at a large scale.

Population Dynamics of Culex restuans and Culex pipiens (Diptera: Culicidae) Related to Climatic Factors in Northwest Ohio

Two species of Culex mosquitoes are common throughout much of North America. Culex restuans Theobold is a native species, whereas Culex pipiens L. is a European immigrant that has been in North America since the 1600s. Larvae of Cx. restuans are numerically dominant in spring and early summer but Cx. pipiens dominates by mid-summer. This transition is termed the "Culex crossover" and has been previously explored in larval populations, largely because Cx. pipiens is more likely to transfer West Nile virus to humans. Adult mosquitoes of both species were captured in 14 light traps in Lucas County, OH, between May and October 1980-2011. We examined this 31-yr, continuous record of adult populations for signs of a species crossover, relationships between abundances of both species and climate factors, and evidence of interspecific competition. The total cumulative degree-days (above 0°C), total cumulative precipitation, and total number of each species were calculated for each day of January-September (annual) and May-September (mosquito season) of each year. On average, adult Cx. pipiens became numerically dominant over Cx. restuans on day 175 ± 21 (June 24), consistent with the Culex crossover reported for their larvae. Pearson correlations showed that abundances of both species were related to temperature and precipitation, but Cx. pipiens tended to be positively related to climatic factors, whereas Cx. restuans showed negative correlations. Moreover, abundances of the two species were more positively than negatively related to one another, providing no evidence of interspecific competition.

Field and lab conditions alter microbial enzyme and biomass dynamics driving decomposition of the same leaf litter

Fluctuations in climate and edaphic factors influence field decomposition rates and preclude a complete understanding of how microbial communities respond to plant litter quality. In contrast, laboratory microcosms isolate the intrinsic effects of litter chemistry and microbial community from extrinsic effects of environmental variation. Used together, these paired approaches provide mechanistic insights to decomposition processes. In order to elucidate the microbial mechanisms underlying how environmental conditions alter the trajectory of decay, we characterized microbial biomass, respiration, enzyme activities, and nutrient dynamics during early (<10% mass loss), mid- (10-40% mass loss), and late (>40% mass loss) decay in parallel field and laboratory litter bag incubations for deciduous tree litters with varying recalcitrance (dogwood < maple < maple-oak mixture < oak). In the field, mass loss was minimal (<10%) over the first 50 days (January-February), even for labile litter types, despite above-freezing soil temperatures and adequate moisture during these winter months. In contrast, microcosms displayed high C mineralization rates in the first week. During mid-decay, the labile dogwood and maple litters in the field had higher mass loss per unit enzyme activity than the lab, possibly due to leaching of soluble compounds. Microbial biomass to litter mass (B:C) ratios peaked in the field during late decay, but B:C ratios declined between mid- and late decay in the lab. Thus, microbial biomass did not have a consistent relationship with litter quality between studies. Higher oxidative enzyme activities in oak litters in the field, and higher nitrogen (N) accumulation in the lab microcosms occurred in late decay. We speculate that elevated N suppressed fungal activity and/or biomass in microcosms. Our results suggest that differences in microbial biomass and enzyme dynamics alter the decay trajectory of the same leaf litter under field and lab conditions.

Dynamic relationships between microbial biomass, respiration, inorganic nutrients and enzyme activities: informing enzyme-based decomposition models

We re-examined data from a recent litter decay study to determine if additional insights could be gained to inform decomposition modeling. Rinkes et al. (2013) conducted 14-day laboratory incubations of sugar maple (Acer saccharum) or white oak (Quercus alba) leaves, mixed with sand (0.4% organic C content) or loam (4.1% organic C). They measured microbial biomass C, carbon dioxide efflux, soil ammonium, nitrate, and phosphate concentrations, and β-glucosidase (BG), β-N-acetyl-glucosaminidase (NAG), and acid phosphatase (AP) activities on days 1, 3, and 14. Analyses of relationships among variables yielded different insights than original analyses of individual variables. For example, although respiration rates per g soil were higher for loam than sand, rates per g soil C were actually higher for sand than loam, and rates per g microbial C showed little difference between treatments. Microbial biomass C peaked on day 3 when biomass-specific activities of enzymes were lowest, suggesting uptake of litter C without extracellular hydrolysis. This result refuted a common model assumption that all enzyme production is constitutive and thus proportional to biomass, and/or indicated that part of litter decay is independent of enzyme activity. The length and angle of vectors defined by ratios of enzyme activities (BG/NAG vs. BG/AP) represent relative microbial investments in C (length), and N and P (angle) acquiring enzymes. Shorter lengths on day 3 suggested low C limitation, whereas greater lengths on day 14 suggested an increase in C limitation with decay. The soils and litter in this study generally had stronger P limitation (angles >45°). Reductions in vector angles to <45° for sand by day 14 suggested a shift to N limitation. These relational variables inform enzyme-based models, and are usually much less ambiguous when obtained from a single study in which measurements were made on the same samples than when extrapolated from separate studies.

Carbon use efficiency of microbial communities: stoichiometry, methodology and modelling

Carbon use efficiency (CUE) is a fundamental parameter for ecological models based on the physiology of microorganisms. CUE determines energy and material flows to higher trophic levels, conversion of plant-produced carbon into microbial products and rates of ecosystem carbon storage. Thermodynamic calculations support a maximum CUE value of ~ 0.60 (CUE max). Kinetic and stoichiometric constraints on microbial growth suggest that CUE in multi-resource limited natural systems should approach ~ 0.3 (CUE max /2). However, the mean CUE values reported for aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems differ by twofold (~ 0.26 vs. ~ 0.55) because the methods used to estimate CUE in aquatic and terrestrial systems generally differ and soil estimates are less likely to capture the full maintenance costs of community metabolism given the difficulty of measurements in water-limited environments. Moreover, many simulation models lack adequate representation of energy spilling pathways and stoichiometric constraints on metabolism, which can also lead to overestimates of CUE. We recommend that broad-scale models use a CUE value of 0.30, unless there is evidence for lower values as a result of pervasive nutrient limitations. Ecosystem models operating at finer scales should consider resource composition, stoichiometric constraints and biomass composition, as well as environmental drivers, to predict the CUE of microbial communities.

Antarctic climate cooling and terrestrial ecosystem response

The average air temperature at the Earth's surface has increased by 0.06 degrees C per decade during the 20th century, and by 0.19 degrees C per decade from 1979 to 1998. Climate models generally predict amplified warming in polar regions, as observed in Antarctica's peninsula region over the second half of the 20th century. Although previous reports suggest slight recent continental warming, our spatial analysis of Antarctic meteorological data demonstrates a net cooling on the Antarctic continent between 1966 and 2000, particularly during summer and autumn. The McMurdo Dry Valleys have cooled by 0.7 degrees C per decade between 1986 and 2000, with similar pronounced seasonal trends. Summer cooling is particularly important to Antarctic terrestrial ecosystems that are poised at the interface of ice and water. Here we present data from the dry valleys representing evidence of rapid terrestrial ecosystem response to climate cooling in Antarctica, including decreased primary productivity of lakes (6-9% per year) and declining numbers of soil invertebrates (more than 10% per year). Continental Antarctic cooling, especially the seasonality of cooling, poses challenges to models of climate and ecosystem change.

Impact of light regimes on productivity patterns of benthic microbial mats in an antarctic lake: a modeling study

Filamentous cyanobacteria often dominate benthic microbial communities of antarctic lakes and usually exhibit saturation of photosynthesis at light intensities approximately 100 microEinst m-2 s-1. Incident light regimes are controlled by ice and snow accumulations overlaying water columns during much of the year. Thus, light availability to microbial mats is often below saturation intensity and is strongly influenced by modest changes in climatic factors. A model of net primary production for benthic mat communities of the subantarctic Sombre Lake, Signy Island, was developed (1) to evaluate depth-specific productivities of mat communities, (2) to test the relative importances of model parameters to mat production, and (3) to explore the potential impacts of climate change on mat production as manifested through changes in light regime. Simulated rates of net primary production corresponded to observations on a daily basis (approximately 1-4 micrograms C fixed mg-1 ash-free DW of mat d-1) but were an order of magnitude lower than estimates of net annual production based on field measurements (< or = 3 vs. 11-45 g C m-2 yr-1, respectively). Close examination suggested that the simulated values were more plausible. A detailed sensitivity analysis of model behavior revealed that variations in the time of ice and snow melt in spring accounted for 40-60% of the total variation in model behavior, emphasizing the importance of climatic factors to net primary production of mat communities and the sensitivity of mat production to climate change.

A conceptual model for primary productivity, decomposition and nitrogen cycling in the Chihuahuan creosotebush desert

The conceptual framework for a simulation model of primary productivity, decomposition and nitrogen cycling in a shrub-dominated desert ecosystem in southern New Mexico is presented. This model is based on our previous attempt to simulate carbon allocation patterns in the desert shrub Larrea tridentata Cov., which demonstrated that moisture patterns alone are insufficient to predict desert productivity. These results, as well as others, suggest that mineral nutrients, especially nitrogen, may also be an important determinant of productivity in arid environments. Our current research in the Chihuahuan desert is directed towards elucidating the numerous biotic and abiotic interactions that determine the rates and directions of carbon, nitrogen and water fluxes in this ecosystem. The development of this working model will serve as a tool to accomplish three major objectives: (1) to synthesize the large amount of existing data on decomposition and nitrogen cycling in deserts, (2) to quantify our present state of knowledge about the structure and function of ecosystem components important in carbon and nitrogen dynamics in deserts, and (3) to address hypotheses concerning the complex mechanisms of interactions and feedbacks among the organisms involved in carbon and nitrogen exchanges in deserts.