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Conversion to agroforestry and monoculture plantation is detrimental to the soil carbon and nitrogen cycles and microbial communities of a rainforest.
- Source :
-
Soil Biology & Biochemistry . Aug2020, Vol. 147, pN.PAG-N.PAG. 1p. - Publication Year :
- 2020
-
Abstract
- The conversion of rainforests to plantations leads to about 50% loss in the organic carbon (C) content of the soil and strongly influences nitrogen (N) cycling, potentially increasing greenhouse gas emissions. However, the effect of land-use change in forests on the microbial communities responsible for C and N cycling processes remains poorly understood. This study quantified C and N fractions of soil organic matter in a tropical forest, rubber agroforestry system, 5- and 15-year-old rubber plantations. The community structure and abundance of fungi and bacteria were studied using high-throughput sequencing and q-PCR. Forest conversion substantially altered community structure and abundance of microbial communities. Rainforest conversion to plantation enhanced bacterial diversity and reduced the soil C mineralization rate. In addition, land-use change also enhanced the soil N mineralization rate in 5-year-old rubber plantation and agroforestry system. A structural equation modelling suggested that soil microbial communities played more dominant roles in driving the shift in C and N cycles caused by land-use change than soil C and N pools. These mechanistic insights into the differential control of soil fungal and bacterial communities on C and N mineralization has implications for managing land-use changes in tropical forest ecosystems. • Rainforest conversion into rubber-based plantations decreased soil C and N pools. • Bacterial abundance was reduced but oligotrophic bacteria are less affected by land-use change. • Land-use change increased relative abundance of fungi. • Shifts in the soil bacterial and fungal communities explained ecosystem functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 00380717
- Volume :
- 147
- Database :
- Academic Search Index
- Journal :
- Soil Biology & Biochemistry
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 143739808
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2020.107849