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Pyrogenic organic matter decreases while fresh organic matter increases soil heterotrophic respiration through modifying microbial activity in a subtropical forest.
- Source :
- Biology & Fertility of Soils; May2024, Vol. 60 Issue 4, p509-524, 16p
- Publication Year :
- 2024
-
Abstract
- As the carbon (C) credit market evolves, incorporating organic matter into soils has emerged as a key strategy in C farming. Soil heterotrophic respiration (R<subscript>H</subscript>) plays a pivotal role in maintaining the C balance in terrestrial ecosystems, yet the contrasting impacts of fresh and pyrogenic organic matter applications on soil R<subscript>H</subscript>, and associated underlying mechanisms, have not been fully investigated. Through a 2-year field experiment, we investigated how applying maize straw and its derived biochar affect the physical, chemical, and microbial properties of soil in a subtropical Moso bamboo forest. Results showed that straw application increased soil R<subscript>H</subscript>, while biochar application suppressed it. Soil R<subscript>H</subscript> was correlated positively with β-glucosidase and cellobiohydrolase activities but negatively with RubisCO enzyme activity. Increased soil R<subscript>H</subscript> under straw application was linked to the increased β-glucosidase/cellobiohydrolase activities driven by elevated water-soluble organic C and O-alkyl C levels as well as GH48 and cbhI gene abundances, and the decreased RubisCO enzyme activity caused by reduced cbbL gene abundance. Conversely, reduced soil R<subscript>H</subscript> under biochar application was linked to reductions in β-glucosidase and cellobiohydrolase activities induced by increased aromatic C and decreased GH48 and cbhI gene levels, and increases in RubisCO enzyme activity driven by higher cbbL gene abundance. More importantly, changes in soil R<subscript>H</subscript> were clearly linked to microbial dynamics. Specifically, increases in the relative abundances of Alphaproteobacteria and Sordariomycetes and decreases in AD3 and Tremellomycetes contributed to the enhanced soil R<subscript>H</subscript> under straw application. With biochar application, the reverse effect occurred, ultimately contributing to the reduced soil R<subscript>H</subscript>. Our study demonstrates that maize straw application increases while biochar application decreases soil R<subscript>H</subscript> in the subtropical forest. These findings reveal that biochar reduced soil R<subscript>H</subscript> through changing microbial activity in subtropical forests, providing insight into complex dynamics of soil C cycling in response to diverse interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 01782762
- Volume :
- 60
- Issue :
- 4
- Database :
- Complementary Index
- Journal :
- Biology & Fertility of Soils
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 176689124
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1007/s00374-024-01815-y