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Hu Z, Fernández-Martínez M, He Q, Xu Z, Jiang L, Zhou G, Chen J, Nie M, Yu Q, Feng H, Huang Z, Michaletz ST. Fungal composition associated with host tree identity mediates nutrient addition effects on wood microbial respiration. Ecology 2024:e4375. [PMID: 38924062 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.4375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2023] [Revised: 03/03/2024] [Accepted: 05/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
Fungi are key decomposers of deadwood, but the impact of anthropogenic changes in nutrients and temperature on fungal community and its consequences for wood microbial respiration are not well understood. Here, we examined how nitrogen and phosphorus additions (field experiment) and warming (laboratory experiment) together influence fungal composition and microbial respiration from decomposing wood of angiosperms and gymnosperms in a subtropical forest. Nutrient additions significantly increased wood microbial respiration via fungal composition, but effects varied with nutrient types and taxonomic groups. Specifically, phosphorus addition significantly increased wood microbial respiration (65%) through decreased acid phosphatase activity and increased abundance of fast-decaying fungi (e.g., white rot), while nitrogen addition marginally increased it (30%). Phosphorus addition caused a greater increase in microbial respiration in gymnosperms than in angiosperms (83.3% vs. 46.9%), which was associated with an increase in Basidiomycota:Ascomycota operational taxonomic unit abundance in gymnosperms but a decrease in angiosperms. The temperature dependencies of microbial respiration were remarkably constant across nutrient levels, consistent with metabolic scaling theory hypotheses. This is because there was no significant interaction between temperature and wood phosphorus availability or fungal composition, or the interaction among the three factors. Our results highlight the key role of tree identity in regulating nutrient response of wood microbial respiration through controlling fungal composition. Given that the range of angiosperm species may expand under climate warming and forest management, our data suggest that expansion will decrease nutrient effects on forest carbon cycling in forests previously dominated by gymnosperm species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenhong Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, College of Soil and Water Conservation Science and Engineering (Institute of Soil and Water Conservation), Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
- Northwest A&F University Shenzhen Research Institute, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
- CREAF, Bellaterra (Cerdanyola del Vallès), Catalonia, Spain
| | - Marcos Fernández-Martínez
- CREAF, Bellaterra (Cerdanyola del Vallès), Catalonia, Spain
- BEECA-UB, Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Qinsi He
- State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, College of Soil and Water Conservation Science and Engineering (Institute of Soil and Water Conservation), Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
- School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Zhiyuan Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, College of Soil and Water Conservation Science and Engineering (Institute of Soil and Water Conservation), Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
- Key Laboratory of Low-carbon Green Agriculture in Northwestern China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of China, College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
| | - Lin Jiang
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Guiyao Zhou
- Laboratorio de Biodiversidad y Funcionamiento Ecosistémico, Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de Sevilla (IRNAS), CSIC, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Ji Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Loess and Quaternary Geology, Institute of Earth Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi'an, China
- Guanzhong Plain Ecological Environment Change and Comprehensive Treatment National Observation and Research Station, Xi'an, 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 Eco-Chongming, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qiang Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, College of Soil and Water Conservation Science and Engineering (Institute of Soil and Water Conservation), Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
| | - Hao Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, College of Soil and Water Conservation Science and Engineering (Institute of Soil and Water Conservation), Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
| | - Zhiqun Huang
- Key Laboratory of Humid Subtropical Eco-Geographical Process of Ministry of Education, Fuzhou, China
- School of Geographical Science, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Sean T Michaletz
- Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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Buezo J, Medina NG, Hereş AM, Petritan IC, Cornelissen JHC, Petritan AM, Esteban R, Ilinca E, Stoian R, Curiel Yuste J. Downed woody debris carbon emissions in a European temperate virgin forest as driven by species, decay classes, diameter and microclimate. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 912:169133. [PMID: 38070551 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.169133] [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: 08/31/2023] [Revised: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 12/03/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2024]
Abstract
Downed woody debris (DWD) plays an important role as regulator of nutrient and carbon (C) cycling in forests, accounting for up to the 20 % of the total C stocks in primary forests. DWD persistence is highly influenced by microbial decomposition, which is determined by various environmental factors, including fluctuations in temperature and moisture, as well as in intrinsic DWD properties determined by species, diameter, or decay classes (DCs). The relative importance of these different drivers, as well as their interactions, remains largely unknown. Moreover, the importance of DWD for C cycling in virgin forests remains poorly understood, due to their scarcity and poor accessibility. To address this research gap, we conducted a study on DWD respiration (RDWD), in a temperate virgin forest dominated by European beech and silver fir. Our investigation analysed the correlation between RDWD of these two dominant tree species and the seasonal changes in climate (temperature and moisture), considering other intrinsic DWD traits such as DCs (1, 2 and 4) and diameters (1, 10 and 25 cm). As anticipated, RDWD (normalized per gram of dry DWD) increased with air temperature. Surprisingly, DWD diameter also had a strong positive correlation with RDWD. Nonetheless, the sensitivity to both variables and other intrinsic traits (DC and density) was greatly modulated by the species. On the contrary, water content, which exhibited a considerable spatial variation, had an overall negative effect on RDWD. Virgin forests are generally seen as ineffective C sinks due to their lack of net productivity and high respiration and nutrient turnover. However, the rates of RDWD in this virgin forest were significantly lower than those previously estimated for managed forests. This suggests that DWD in virgin forests may be buffering forest CO2 emissions to the atmosphere more than previously thought.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Buezo
- Department of Forest Engineering, Forest Management Planning and Terrestrial Measurements, Faculty of Silviculture and Forest Engineering, Transilvania University of Braşov, Braşov, Romania; Institute for Multidisciplinary Research in Applied Biology (IMAB), Department of Sciences, Public University of Navarre (UPNA), Avda. de Pamplona 123, E-31192 Mutilva, Navarre, Spain
| | - N G Medina
- Departamento de Biología (Botánica), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Madrid, Spain; Centro de Investigación en Biodiversidad y Cambio Global (CIBC-UAM), Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - A-M Hereş
- Department of Forest Engineering, Forest Management Planning and Terrestrial Measurements, Faculty of Silviculture and Forest Engineering, Transilvania University of Braşov, Braşov, Romania; BC3 - Basque Centre for Climate Change, Scientific Campus of the University of the Basque Country, 48940 Leioa, Spain
| | - I C Petritan
- Department of Forest Engineering, Forest Management Planning and Terrestrial Measurements, Faculty of Silviculture and Forest Engineering, Transilvania University of Braşov, Braşov, Romania.
| | - J H C Cornelissen
- Systems Ecology, Amsterdam Institute for Life and Environment (A-LIFE), Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - A-M Petritan
- National Institute for Research and Development in Forestry "Marin Dracea", Eroilor 128, 077190 Voluntari, Romania
| | - R Esteban
- Department of Plant Biology and Ecology, University of Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Leioa Bizkaia, Spain
| | - E Ilinca
- Environmental Management and Engineering, AgroParisTech, Paris, France
| | - R Stoian
- Department of Forest Engineering, Forest Management Planning and Terrestrial Measurements, Faculty of Silviculture and Forest Engineering, Transilvania University of Braşov, Braşov, Romania
| | - J Curiel Yuste
- BC3 - Basque Centre for Climate Change, Scientific Campus of the University of the Basque Country, 48940 Leioa, Spain; IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science, Bilbao, Bizkaia, Spain
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3
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Villanova PH, Torres CMME, Jacovine LAG, de Cássia Oliveira Carneiro A, Ballotin FC, Schettini BLS, da Rocha SJSS, Rufino MPMX, de Freitas MF, Castro RVO. Physical and chemical properties of Coarse Woody Debris submitted to the natural process of decomposition in a Secondary Atlantic Forest Fragment in Brazil. Sci Rep 2023; 13:7377. [PMID: 37147393 PMCID: PMC10163262 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-34526-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2022] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Coarse Woody Debris (CWDs) are constantly exposed to the natural decomposition process of wood, which can lead to a change in its physical-chemical properties. However, these changes have not yet been fully elucidated, requiring further studies to help to understand the effect of this process on CWDs degradation. Thus, the objectives of this study were: (i) verify if the decomposition affects the physical-chemical properties of the CWDs; (ii) verify if the structural chemical composition of the CWDs is altered as a function of decomposition, using immediate chemical and thermogravimetric analysis. Wood samples were collected from the CWDs to carry out these analyses, considering pieces with diameters ≥ 5 cm separated into 4 decay classes. The results indicated that the average apparent density decreased as a function of the increase of CWDs decomposition (0.62-0.37 g cm-3). The averages contents of Carbon and Nitrogen suffered less impact with the increase of CWDs decompositions, ranging from 49.66 to 48.80% and 0.52 to 0.58%, respectively. Immediate chemical and thermogravimetric analysis indicated a loss of holocelluloses and extractives and an increase in the concentration of lignin and ash throughout the decomposition process. The weight loss analyzed by thermogravimetric analysis was greater for less decomposed CWDs and with larger diameters. The use of these analyzes removes the subjectivity of CWDs decay classes, reducing the number of tests to determine CWDs physical-chemical properties and increasing the studies accuracy focused on the carbon cycle of these materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paulo Henrique Villanova
- Departamento de Engenharia Florestal, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
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Błońska E, Piaszczyk W, Lasota J. Patterns and driving factors of ecological stoichiometry in system of deadwood and soil in mountains forest ecosystem. Sci Rep 2023; 13:5676. [PMID: 37029255 PMCID: PMC10082023 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-32946-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 04/05/2023] [Indexed: 04/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The aim of our research was to identify the factors that most strongly determine the C, N and P cycles in the deadwood-soil system in mountains forest ecosystems. We assumed that the climatic conditions resulting from the location in the altitude gradient and rate of deadwood decomposition most strongly determine the C/N/P stoichiometry. A climosequence approach comprising north (N) and south (S) exposure along the altitudinal gradient (600, 800, 1000 and 1200 m a.s.l.) was set up. Spruce logs at different decomposition stages (III, IV and V) were selected for the analysis in Babiogórski National Park (southern Poland). We calculated the C/N/P stoichiometry for deadwood and soil samples to reflect the nutrient availability. Our research indicates a very strong influence of the location conditions in the altitude gradient on the C/N/P stoichiometry. The GLM analysis confirmed the importance of high elevation in shaping the C, N and P content. A strong correlation was confirmed between P content, N content and C/N ratio. A higher C/N/P ratio was found in deadwood compared to soil, regardless of location. Decaying wood is an important source of N and P and the degree of decomposition made a significant contribution to explaining the variability of C, N and P content. The obtained results indicate the need to leave deadwood in forest ecosystems in order to improve biogeochemical cycles. Deadwood, by having a beneficial effect on many components of the forest ecosystem, will improve its biodiversity and, consequently, its stability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ewa Błońska
- Department of Ecology and Silviculture, Faculty of Forestry, University of Agriculture in Krakow, 29 Listopada 46 Str., 31-425, Kraków, Poland
| | - Wojciech Piaszczyk
- Department of Ecology and Silviculture, Faculty of Forestry, University of Agriculture in Krakow, 29 Listopada 46 Str., 31-425, Kraków, Poland.
| | - Jarosław Lasota
- Department of Ecology and Silviculture, Faculty of Forestry, University of Agriculture in Krakow, 29 Listopada 46 Str., 31-425, Kraków, Poland
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Shorohova E, Kapitsa E, Kuznetsov A, Kuznetsova S, Lopes de Gerenyu V, Kaganov V, Kurganova I. Coarse woody debris density and carbon concentration by decay classes in mixed montane wet tropical forests. Biotropica 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/btp.13077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ekaterina Shorohova
- Forest Research Institute of the Karelian Research Centre Russian Academy of Sciences Petrozavodsk Russia
- Saint‐Petersburg State Forest Technical University Saint‐Petersburg Russia
- Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke) Helsinki Finland
| | - Ekaterina Kapitsa
- Saint‐Petersburg State Forest Technical University Saint‐Petersburg Russia
| | - Andrey Kuznetsov
- Joint Russian‐Vietnamese Tropical Scientific and Technological Center Hanoi Vietnam
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences Moscow Russia
| | - Svetlana Kuznetsova
- Joint Russian‐Vietnamese Tropical Scientific and Technological Center Hanoi Vietnam
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences Moscow Russia
| | - Valentin Lopes de Gerenyu
- Institute of Physicochemical and Biological Problems of Soil Science of the Russian Academy of Sciences Pushchino Russia
| | - Vladimir Kaganov
- Center for Forest Ecology and Productivity of the Russian Academy of Sciences (CEPF RAS) Moscow Russia
| | - Irina Kurganova
- Institute of Physicochemical and Biological Problems of Soil Science of the Russian Academy of Sciences Pushchino Russia
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Huang C, Wu X, Liu X, Fang Y, Liu L, Wu C. Functional fungal communities dominate wood decomposition and are modified by wood traits in a subtropical forest. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 806:151377. [PMID: 34740660 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.151377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2021] [Revised: 10/28/2021] [Accepted: 10/29/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Wood decomposition is a fundamental process of the carbon cycle in forest ecosystems and differs under varying environmental conditions. However, it remains unclear whether exposure situation and litter removal affect wood decomposition, especially in subtropical forests. Therefore, we chose wood from four dominant species and carried out an experiment with treatments consisting of placing wood in ground contact with and without litter input and above ground exposure. The experiment was performed for 2.5 consecutive years in the subtropical forest of Southwest China to reveal the potential effects of microenvironmental changes due to above ground exposure and nutrient input changes due to litter removal. In this study, neither above ground exposure nor litter removal significantly changed the fungal communities, microbial respiration rates or decomposition rates of the wood, but significant differences among tree species were observed. The abundance of Ascomycota (70.2%) was higher than that of Basidiomycota (24.3%), and there was a significant negative relationship between their abundances, suggesting competition. Moreover, negative (Ascomycota) and positive (Basidiomycota) relationships with microbial respiration and explained 21.5 and 25.5% of the variation in microbial respiration, respectively. The wood density was directly controlled by the sugar, cellulose, and lignin contents and influenced the water content in the wood. The abundances of saprotrophic and pathotrophic fungi were significantly and directly regulated by the water content of the wood. The abundance of pathotrophic fungi was unaffected by wood traits, but these fungi may limit saprotrophic fungal colonization, thereby affecting microbial respiration and decomposition processes. We confirmed that the saprotrophic fungal abundance, rather than fungal diversity, determined wood microbial respiration. These results are of great significance for the comprehensive assessment of wood decomposition and the carbon cycle in subtropical forests, although long-term fungal community dynamics and decomposition rates under different conditions require further study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Changjiang Huang
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Environmental Hormone and Reproduction, Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Embryo Development and Reproductive Regulation, Fuyang Normal University, Fuyang, 236037, China
| | - Xiaoqing Wu
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Environmental Hormone and Reproduction, Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Embryo Development and Reproductive Regulation, Fuyang Normal University, Fuyang, 236037, China.
| | - Xiaoyu Liu
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Environmental Hormone and Reproduction, Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Embryo Development and Reproductive Regulation, Fuyang Normal University, Fuyang, 236037, China
| | - Yuting Fang
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Environmental Hormone and Reproduction, Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Embryo Development and Reproductive Regulation, Fuyang Normal University, Fuyang, 236037, China
| | - Lei Liu
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Environmental Hormone and Reproduction, Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Embryo Development and Reproductive Regulation, Fuyang Normal University, Fuyang, 236037, China
| | - Chuansheng Wu
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Environmental Hormone and Reproduction, Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Embryo Development and Reproductive Regulation, Fuyang Normal University, Fuyang, 236037, China.
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Baird A, Pope F. ‘Can't see the forest for the trees’: The importance of fungi in the context of UK tree planting. Food Energy Secur 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/fes3.371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Aileen Baird
- School of Geography, Earth & Environmental Sciences Birmingham UK
- Birmingham Institute of Forest Research Birmingham UK
| | - Francis Pope
- School of Geography, Earth & Environmental Sciences Birmingham UK
- Birmingham Institute of Forest Research Birmingham UK
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Lepinay C, Tláskal V, Vrška T, Brabcová V, Baldrian P. Successional development of wood-inhabiting fungi associated with dominant tree species in a natural temperate floodplain forest. FUNGAL ECOL 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.funeco.2021.101116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
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9
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Kjønaas OJ, Bárcena TG, Hylen G, Nordbakken J, Økland T. Boreal tree species change as a climate mitigation strategy: impact on ecosystem C and N stocks and soil nutrient levels. Ecosphere 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3826] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- O. Janne Kjønaas
- Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research P. O. Box 115 NO‐1431 Ås Norway
| | - Teresa G. Bárcena
- Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research P. O. Box 115 NO‐1431 Ås Norway
| | - Gro Hylen
- Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research P. O. Box 115 NO‐1431 Ås Norway
| | | | - Tonje Økland
- Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research P. O. Box 115 NO‐1431 Ås Norway
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10
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Metagenomes, metatranscriptomes and microbiomes of naturally decomposing deadwood. Sci Data 2021; 8:198. [PMID: 34344895 PMCID: PMC8333335 DOI: 10.1038/s41597-021-00987-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2021] [Accepted: 07/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Deadwood represents significant carbon (C) stock in a temperate forests. Its decomposition and C mobilization is accomplished by decomposer microorganisms – fungi and bacteria – who also supply the foodweb of commensalist microbes. Due to the ecosystem-level importance of deadwood habitat as a C and nutrient stock with significant nitrogen fixation, the deadwood microbiome composition and function are critical to understanding the microbial processes related to its decomposition. We present a comprehensive suite of data packages obtained through environmental DNA and RNA sequencing from natural deadwood. Data provide a complex picture of the composition and function of microbiome on decomposing trunks of European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) in a natural forest. Packages include deadwood metagenomes, metatranscriptomes, sequences of total RNA, bacterial genomes resolved from metagenomic data and the 16S rRNA gene and ITS2 metabarcoding markers to characterize the bacterial and fungal communities. This project will be of use to microbiologists, environmental biologists and biogeochemists interested in the microbial processes associated with the transformation of recalcitrant plant biomass. Measurement(s) | metagenomic data • metatranscriptomic data • microbiome • RNA-seq of total RNA | Technology Type(s) | DNA sequencing • RNA-seq of total RNA • amplicon sequencing • RNA sequencing | Factor Type(s) | time of decomposition | Sample Characteristic - Organism | Fungi • Bacteria | Sample Characteristic - Environment | wood | Sample Characteristic - Location | Narodni prirodni rezervace Zofinsky prales |
Machine-accessible metadata file describing the reported data: 10.6084/m9.figshare.14821752
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Bradford MA, Maynard DS, Crowther TW, Frankson PT, Mohan JE, Steinrueck C, Veen CGF, King JR, Warren RJ. Belowground community turnover accelerates the decomposition of standing dead wood. Ecology 2021; 102:e03484. [PMID: 34289121 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.3484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2021] [Accepted: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Standing dead trees (snags) decompose more slowly than downed dead wood and provide critical habitat for many species. The rate at which snags fall therefore influences forest carbon dynamics and biodiversity. Fall rates correlate strongly with mean annual temperature, presumably because warmer climates facilitate faster wood decomposition and hence degradation of the structural stability of standing wood. These faster decomposition rates coincide with turnover from fungal-dominated wood decomposer communities in cooler forests to co-domination by fungi and termites in warmer regions. A key question for projecting forest dynamics is therefore whether temperature effects on wood decomposition arise primarily because warmer conditions facilitate faster decomposer metabolism, or are also influenced indirectly by belowground community turnover (e.g. termites exert additional influence beyond fungal-plus-bacterial mediated decomposition). To test between these possibilities, we simulate standing dead trees with untreated, wooden posts and follow them in the field across five years at 12 sites, before measuring buried, soil-air interface and aerial post sections to quantify wood decomposition and organism activities. High termite activities at the warmer sites are associated with rates of post fall that are 3-times higher than at the cooler sites. Termites primarily consume buried wood, with decomposition rates greatest where termite activities are highest. However, where higher microbial and termite activities co-occur, they appear to first compensate for one another and then slow decomposition rates at their highest activities, suggestive of interference competition. If the range of microbial- and termite co-domination of wood decomposer communities expands under climate warming, our data suggest that expansion will accelerate snag fall with consequent effects on forest carbon cycling and biodiversity in forests previously dominated by microbial decomposers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark A Bradford
- The Forest School, Yale School of the Environment, Yale University, 195 Prospect St, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA
| | - Daniel S Maynard
- Institute of Integrative Biology, ETH Zurich, Univeritätstrasse 16, 8006, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Thomas W Crowther
- Institute of Integrative Biology, ETH Zurich, Univeritätstrasse 16, 8006, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Paul T Frankson
- Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30601, USA
| | | | | | - Ciska G F Veen
- Department of Terrestrial Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology, PO Box 50, 6700 AB, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Joshua R King
- Biology Department, University of Central Florida, 4110 Libra Drive, Orlando, FL, 32816, USA
| | - Robert J Warren
- Department of Biology, SUNY Buffalo State, 1300 Elmwood Avenue, Buffalo, NY, 14222, USA
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12
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Aryal DR, De Jong BHJ, Gaona SO, Vega JM, Olguín LE, Cruz SL. Fine Wood Decomposition Rates Decline with the Age of Tropical Successional Forests in Southern Mexico: Implications to Ecosystem Carbon Storage. Ecosystems 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s10021-021-00678-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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13
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Successional Development of Fungal Communities Associated with Decomposing Deadwood in a Natural Mixed Temperate Forest. J Fungi (Basel) 2021; 7:jof7060412. [PMID: 34070657 PMCID: PMC8228407 DOI: 10.3390/jof7060412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2021] [Revised: 05/24/2021] [Accepted: 05/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Deadwood represents an important carbon stock and contributes to climate change mitigation. Wood decomposition is mainly driven by fungal communities. Their composition is known to change during decomposition, but it is unclear how environmental factors such as wood chemistry affect these successional patterns through their effects on dominant fungal taxa. We analysed the deadwood of Fagus sylvatica and Abies alba across a deadwood succession series of >40 years in a natural fir-beech forest in the Czech Republic to describe the successional changes in fungal communities, fungal abundance and enzymatic activities and to link these changes to environmental variables. The fungal communities showed high levels of spatial variability and beta diversity. In young deadwood, fungal communities showed higher similarity among tree species, and fungi were generally less abundant, less diverse and less active than in older deadwood. pH and the carbon to nitrogen ratio (C/N) were the best predictors of the fungal community composition, and they affected the abundance of half of the dominant fungal taxa. The relative abundance of most of the dominant taxa tended to increase with increasing pH or C/N, possibly indicating that acidification and atmospheric N deposition may shift the community composition towards species that are currently less dominant.
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14
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Temperature Sensitivity of CO2 and CH4 Fluxes from Coarse Woody Debris in Northern Boreal Forests. FORESTS 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/f12050624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) are recognized as the main greenhouse gases causing climate warming. In forest ecosystems, the death of trees leads to the formation of coarse woody debris (CWD) that is one of the sources of greenhouse gas emissions due to wood decomposition. We quantified the CO2 and CH4 fluxes from CWD of larch (Larix gmelinii (Rupr.)) and birch (Betula tortuosa Ledeb.) collected in the northern boreal forests of Central Siberia. The CWD samples were incubated at +5, +15 and +25 °C. The CO2 and CH4 fluxes showed strong correlations with temperature, moisture, decomposition stage and the type of wood’s rot. The temperature coefficient Q10 indicated higher temperature sensitivity of CO2 flux within the temperature interval from +5 to +15 °C than from +15 to +25 °C. Methane flux had higher temperature sensitivity within the interval from +15 to +25 °C. It was found that, in boreal forests, CWD of early decay stage can serve as a source of methane to the atmosphere when air temperatures increased above +15 °C. Strong positive correlation between CH4 production and CO2 emission indicated a biological source and supported findings on aerobic origin of the main process contributing to the CH4 flux from decomposing CWD.
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Abstract
Wood represents a globally important stock of C, and its mineralization importantly contributes to the global C cycle. Microorganisms play a key role in deadwood decomposition, since they possess enzymatic tools for the degradation of recalcitrant plant polymers. Forests accumulate and store large amounts of carbon (C), and a substantial fraction of this stock is contained in deadwood. This transient pool is subject to decomposition by deadwood-associated organisms, and in this process it contributes to CO2 emissions. Although fungi and bacteria are known to colonize deadwood, little is known about the microbial processes that mediate carbon and nitrogen (N) cycling in deadwood. In this study, using a combination of metagenomics, metatranscriptomics, and nutrient flux measurements, we demonstrate that the decomposition of deadwood reflects the complementary roles played by fungi and bacteria. Fungi were found to dominate the decomposition of deadwood and particularly its recalcitrant fractions, while several bacterial taxa participate in N accumulation in deadwood through N fixation, being dependent on fungal activity with respect to deadwood colonization and C supply. Conversely, bacterial N fixation helps to decrease the constraints of deadwood decomposition for fungi. Both the CO2 efflux and N accumulation that are a result of a joint action of deadwood bacteria and fungi may be significant for nutrient cycling at ecosystem levels. Especially in boreal forests with low N stocks, deadwood retention may help to improve the nutritional status and fertility of soils. IMPORTANCE Wood represents a globally important stock of C, and its mineralization importantly contributes to the global C cycle. Microorganisms play a key role in deadwood decomposition, since they possess enzymatic tools for the degradation of recalcitrant plant polymers. The present paradigm is that fungi accomplish degradation while commensalist bacteria exploit the products of fungal extracellular enzymatic cleavage, but this assumption was never backed by the analysis of microbial roles in deadwood. This study clearly identifies the roles of fungi and bacteria in the microbiome and demonstrates the importance of bacteria and their N fixation for the nutrient balance in deadwood as well as fluxes at the ecosystem level. Deadwood decomposition is shown as a process where fungi and bacteria play defined, complementary roles.
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Hu Z, Chen HYH, Yue C, Gong XY, Shao J, Zhou G, Wang J, Wang M, Xia J, Li Y, Zhou X, Michaletz ST. Traits mediate drought effects on wood carbon fluxes. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2020; 26:3429-3442. [PMID: 32215999 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2019] [Revised: 03/13/2020] [Accepted: 03/14/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
CO2 fluxes from wood decomposition represent an important source of carbon from forest ecosystems to the atmosphere, which are determined by both wood traits and climate influencing the metabolic rates of decomposers. Previous studies have quantified the effects of moisture and temperature on wood decomposition, but these effects were not separated from the potential influence of wood traits. Indeed, it is not well understood how traits and climate interact to influence wood CO2 fluxes. Here, we examined the responses of CO2 fluxes from dead wood with different traits (angiosperm and gymnosperm) to 0%, 35%, and 70% rainfall reduction across seasonal temperature gradients. Our results showed that drought significantly decreased wood CO2 fluxes, but its effects varied with both taxonomical group and drought intensity. Drought-induced reduction in wood CO2 fluxes was larger in angiosperms than gymnosperms for the 35% rainfall reduction treatment, but there was no significant difference between these groups for the 70% reduction treatment. This is because wood nitrogen density and carbon quality were significantly higher in angiosperms than gymnosperms, yielding a higher moisture sensitivity of wood decomposition. These findings were demonstrated by a significant positive interaction effect between wood nitrogen and moisture on CO2 fluxes in a structural equation model. Additionally, we ascertained that a constant temperature sensitivity of CO2 fluxes was independent of wood traits and consistent with previous estimates for extracellular enzyme kinetics. Our results highlight the key role of wood traits in regulating drought responses of wood carbon fluxes. Given that both climate and forest management might extensively modify taxonomic compositions in the future, it is critical for carbon cycle models to account for such interactions between wood traits and climate in driving dynamics of wood decomposition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenhong Hu
- Tiantong National Field Observation Station for Forest Ecosystem, Center for Global Change and Ecological Forecasting, School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
- State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
- College of Natural Resources and Environment, Joint Institute for Environmental Research & Education, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Han Y H Chen
- Faculty of Natural Resources Management, Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, ON, Canada
- Key Laboratory for Subtropical Mountain Ecology (Ministry of Science and Technology and Fujian Province Funded), College of Geographical Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Chao Yue
- State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - Xiao Ying Gong
- Key Laboratory for Subtropical Mountain Ecology (Ministry of Science and Technology and Fujian Province Funded), College of Geographical Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Junjiong Shao
- Tiantong National Field Observation Station for Forest Ecosystem, Center for Global Change and Ecological Forecasting, School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Guiyao Zhou
- Tiantong National Field Observation Station for Forest Ecosystem, Center for Global Change and Ecological Forecasting, School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiawei Wang
- Tiantong National Field Observation Station for Forest Ecosystem, Center for Global Change and Ecological Forecasting, School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Minhuang Wang
- Department of Ecology, School of Life Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jianyang Xia
- Tiantong National Field Observation Station for Forest Ecosystem, Center for Global Change and Ecological Forecasting, School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
- Institute of Eco-Chongming (IEC), Shanghai, China
| | - Yongtao Li
- College of Natural Resources and Environment, Joint Institute for Environmental Research & Education, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xuhui Zhou
- Tiantong National Field Observation Station for Forest Ecosystem, Center for Global Change and Ecological Forecasting, School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, Shanghai, China
| | - Sean T Michaletz
- Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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Pavlík M, Fleischer P, Fleischer P, Pavlík M, Šuleková M. Evaluation of the Carbon Dioxide Production by Fungi Under Different Growing Conditions. Curr Microbiol 2020; 77:2374-2384. [PMID: 32472260 DOI: 10.1007/s00284-020-02033-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2019] [Accepted: 05/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Production of carbon dioxide, as one of the ultimate products of fungal metabolism, can be used to quantify and measure their metabolic rate under different conditions, thus aiding in finding the optimal substrate and environment for cultivation of wood-destroying fungi. This study is focused on species Pleurotus ostreatus and Ganoderma lucidum,. These species are also cultivated for mycorestoration as well as their medicinal and nutritional value. To quantify their metabolical rate on various substrates (agar medium, wood chips, rye straw), multiple custom-built airtight chambers were equipped with CO2 probes (GMP 343, Vaisala, Finland) to measure the production of carbon dioxide. The highest values were measured during the primordial production on rye straw substrate, with the average values of 1.09 g CO2 kg-1 (substrate) h-1. These values varied significantly between various substrates, fungal species and development stages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Pavlík
- Department of Integrated Forest and Landscape Protection, Faculty of Forestry, Technical University in Zvolen, T.G. Masaryka 20, 96001, Zvolen, Slovak Republic.
| | - Peter Fleischer
- Department of Integrated Forest and Landscape Protection, Faculty of Forestry, Technical University in Zvolen, T.G. Masaryka 20, 96001, Zvolen, Slovak Republic
| | - Peter Fleischer
- Department of Integrated Forest and Landscape Protection, Faculty of Forestry, Technical University in Zvolen, T.G. Masaryka 20, 96001, Zvolen, Slovak Republic
- Slovak Academy of Sciences, Institute of Forest Ecology, 96001, Zvolen, Slovak Republic
| | - Martin Pavlík
- Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University, 81372, Bratislava, Slovak Republic
| | - Miriama Šuleková
- Department of Integrated Forest and Landscape Protection, Faculty of Forestry, Technical University in Zvolen, T.G. Masaryka 20, 96001, Zvolen, Slovak Republic
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Gómez-Brandón M, Probst M, Siles JA, Peintner U, Bardelli T, Egli M, Insam H, Ascher-Jenull J. Fungal communities and their association with nitrogen-fixing bacteria affect early decomposition of Norway spruce deadwood. Sci Rep 2020; 10:8025. [PMID: 32415174 PMCID: PMC7228967 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-64808-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2020] [Accepted: 04/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Deadwood decomposition is relevant in nature and wood inhabiting fungi (WIF) are its main decomposers. However, climate influence on WIF community and their interactions with bacteria are poorly understood. Therefore, we set up an in-field mesocosm experiment in the Italian Alps and monitored the effect of slope exposure (north- vs. south-facing slope) on the decomposition of Picea abies wood blocks and their microbiome over two years. Unlike fungal richness and diversity, we observed compositional and functional differences in the WIF communities as a function of exposure. Wood-degrading operational taxonomic units (OTUs) such as Mycena, and mycorrhizal and endophytic OTUs were characteristic of the south-facing slope. On the north-facing one, Mucoromycota, primarily Mucor, were abundant and mixotrophic basidiomycetes with limited lignin-degrading capacities had a higher prevalence compared to the southern slope. The colder, more humid conditions and prolonged snow-coverage at north exposure likely influenced the development of the wood-degrading microbial communities. Networks between WIF and N2-fixing bacteria were composed of higher numbers of interacting microbial units and showed denser connections at the south-facing slope. The association of WIF to N2-fixing Burkholderiales and Rhizobiales could have provided additional competitive advantages, especially for early wood colonization.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Gómez-Brandón
- Grupo de Ecoloxía Animal (GEA), Universidade de Vigo, E-36310, Vigo, Spain.
- Department of Microbiology, University of Innsbruck, Technikerstraβe 25, A-6020, Innsbruck, Austria.
| | - Maraike Probst
- Department of Microbiology, University of Innsbruck, Technikerstraβe 25, A-6020, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - José A Siles
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
| | - Ursula Peintner
- Department of Microbiology, University of Innsbruck, Technikerstraβe 25, A-6020, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Tommaso Bardelli
- Department of Microbiology, University of Innsbruck, Technikerstraβe 25, A-6020, Innsbruck, Austria
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Agrarie, Alimentari, Ambientali e Forestali (DAGRI), University of Florence, Piazzale delle Cascine 18, I-50144, Florence, Italy
- Council for Research and Experimentation in Agriculture (CREA-ZA), Via A. Lombardo 11, I-26900, Lodi, Italy
| | - Markus Egli
- Department of Geography, University of Zürich, Winterthurerstraße 190, CH-8057, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Heribert Insam
- Department of Microbiology, University of Innsbruck, Technikerstraβe 25, A-6020, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Judith Ascher-Jenull
- Department of Microbiology, University of Innsbruck, Technikerstraβe 25, A-6020, Innsbruck, Austria
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