Fast-decaying plant litter enhances soil carbon in temperate forests but not through microbial physiological traits

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Authors

Matthew E. Craig, Indiana University
Kevin M. Geyer, University of New Hampshire, Durham
Katilyn V. Beidler, Indiana University
Edward R. Brzostek, West Virginia University
Serita D. Frey, University of New Hampshire, DurhamFollow
A. Stuart Grandy, University of New Hampshire, DurhamFollow
Chao Liang, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Richard P. Phillips, Indiana University

Abstract

Conceptual and empirical advances in soil biogeochemistry have challenged long-held assumptions about the role of soil micro-organisms in soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics; yet, rigorous tests of emerging concepts remain sparse. Recent hypotheses suggest that microbial necromass production links plant inputs to SOC accumulation, with high-quality (i.e., rapidly decomposing) plant litter promoting microbial carbon use efficiency, growth, and turnover leading to more mineral stabilization of necromass. We test this hypothesis experimentally and with observations across six eastern US forests, using stable isotopes to measure microbial traits and SOC dynamics. Here we show, in both studies, that microbial growth, efficiency, and turnover are negatively (not positively) related to mineral-associated SOC. In the experiment, stimulation of microbial growth by high-quality litter enhances SOC decomposition, offsetting the positive effect of litter quality on SOC stabilization. We suggest that microbial necromass production is not the primary driver of SOC persistence in temperate forests. Factors such as microbial necromass origin, alternative SOC formation pathways, priming effects, and soil abiotic properties can strongly decouple microbial growth, efficiency, and turnover from mineral-associated SOC.

Department

Soil Biogeochemistry and Microbial Ecology

Publication Date

3-9-2022

Journal Title

Nature Communications

Publisher

Springer Nature

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

https://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-28715-9

Document Type

Article

Recommended Citation

Craig, M.E., Geyer, K.M., Beidler, K.V. et al. Fast-decaying plant litter enhances soil carbon in temperate forests but not through microbial physiological traits. Nat Commun 13, 1229 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-28715-9

Comments

This is an open access article published by Springer Nature in Nature Communications in 2022, available online: https://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-28715-9