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Song X, Wang C, Liu D, Qiao F, Tang G, Henkin Z. Variation of root traits and its influences on soil organic carbon stability in response to altered precipitation in an alpine meadow. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 939:173632. [PMID: 38821268 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.173632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2024] [Revised: 05/27/2024] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/02/2024]
Abstract
Soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics are strongly controlled by plant roots. Yet, how variation of root traits under precipitation change influences SOC stability remains unclear. As part of a 5-year field experiment manipulating precipitation including 90 % (0.1P), 50 % (0.5P), 30 % (0.7P) decrease, and 50 % increase (1.5P), this study was designed to assess the effects of changing precipitation on root traits and production dynamics by minirhizotron and examine how such influences regulate SOC stability in an alpine meadow on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. We found that root length density (RLD), specific root length (SRL), root branching intensity (RBI), and root residue carbon input (RC input) exhibited no significant response, whereas root turnover (RT), root carbon (C), nitrogen (N) concentrations and C/N ratio were altered by precipitation change with nonlinear trends. Absorptive root RT positively correlated to manipulated precipitation within the interannual precipitation range in topsoil, but it showed no significant change under extreme drought treatment. Alpine meadows can maintain the SOC content and density under varied precipitation. However, it showed significant variation in aggregate stability and organic carbon (OC) distribution in aggregates in topsoil, which were mainly due to the strong direct effects of soil moisture and partly related to RLD and RC input of transport roots. Although subsurface soil aggregate stability and OC associated with aggregates were not modified, our results indicated a risk of SOC stability variation in subsurface soil if absorptive root RT and SRL changed. These findings provide vital information to predict responses of SOC dynamics of alpine meadow to future climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyan Song
- Institute of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu 610041, China; Sichuan Provincial Forest and Grassland Key Laboratory of Alpine Grassland Conservation and Utilization of Tibetan Plateau, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Changting Wang
- Institute of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu 610041, China; Sichuan Provincial Forest and Grassland Key Laboratory of Alpine Grassland Conservation and Utilization of Tibetan Plateau, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu 610041, China.
| | - Dan Liu
- Institute of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu 610041, China; Sichuan Provincial Forest and Grassland Key Laboratory of Alpine Grassland Conservation and Utilization of Tibetan Plateau, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Fusheng Qiao
- Institute of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Guo Tang
- Institute of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Zalmen Henkin
- Beef Cattle Section, Department of Natural Resources, Agricultural Research Organization, Newe-Ya'ar Research Center, Yishay, Israel
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2
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Xin X, Lan X, Li L, Tang H, Guo H, Li H, Jiang C, Liu F, Shao C, Qin Y, Liu Z, Qing G, Yan R, Hou L, Qi J. Anthropogenic and climate impacts on carbon stocks of grassland ecosystems in Inner Mongolia and adjacent region. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 946:174054. [PMID: 38897466 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.174054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2023] [Revised: 06/09/2024] [Accepted: 06/14/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
Up to date, most studies reported that degradation is worsened in the grassland ecosystems of Inner Mongolia and adjacent regions as a result of intensified grazing. This seems to be scientific when considering the total forage or total above-ground biomass as a degradation indicator, but it does not hold true in terms of soil organic carbon density (SOCD). In this study, we quantified the changes of grassland ecosystem carbon stock in Inner Mongolia and adjacent regions from the 1980s to 2000s and identified the major drivers influencing these variations, using the National Grassland Resource Inventory and Soil Survey Dataset in 1980s and the Inventory data during 2002 to 2009 covering 624 sampling plots concerned vegetal traits and edaphic properties across the study region. The result indicated that the above-, below-ground and total vegetation biomass declined from the 1980s to 2000s by ∼ 10 %. However, total forage production increased by 6.72 % when considering livestock intake. SOCD remained stable despite a 67 % increase in grazing intensity. A generalized linear model (GLIM) analysis suggested that an increase in grazing intensity from the 1980s to 2000s could only explain 1.04 % of the total biomass change, while changes in precipitation and temperature explained 17.7 % (p < 0.05) of total vegetation biomass (TVB) change. Meanwhile, SOCD change during 1980s - 2000s could be explained 10.08 % by the soil texture (p < 0.05) and <1.6 % by changes in climate and livestock. This implies that the impacts of climate change on grassland biomass are more significant than those of grazing utilization, and SOCD was resistant to both climate change and intensified grazing. Overall, intensified grazing did not result in significant negative impacts on the grassland carbon stocks in the study region during the 1980s and 2000s. The grassland ecosystems possess a mechanism to adjust their root-shoot ratio, enabling them to maintain resilience against grazing utilization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoping Xin
- Key Laboratory of Efficient Utilization of Arid and Semi-arid Arable Land in Northern China, National Hulunber Grassland Ecosystem Observation and Research Station, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Xueqi Lan
- Key Laboratory of Efficient Utilization of Arid and Semi-arid Arable Land in Northern China, National Hulunber Grassland Ecosystem Observation and Research Station, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Linghao Li
- Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China
| | - HuaJun Tang
- Key Laboratory of Efficient Utilization of Arid and Semi-arid Arable Land in Northern China, National Hulunber Grassland Ecosystem Observation and Research Station, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Haonan Guo
- College of Ecology, Lanzou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Hui Li
- College of Ecology, Lanzou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Cuixia Jiang
- College of Ecology, Lanzou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Feng Liu
- College of Ecology, Lanzou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Changliang Shao
- Key Laboratory of Efficient Utilization of Arid and Semi-arid Arable Land in Northern China, National Hulunber Grassland Ecosystem Observation and Research Station, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Yifei Qin
- Key Laboratory of Efficient Utilization of Arid and Semi-arid Arable Land in Northern China, National Hulunber Grassland Ecosystem Observation and Research Station, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Zhonglin Liu
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Inner Mongolia University, Huhhot 010021, China
| | - Gele Qing
- Key Laboratory of Efficient Utilization of Arid and Semi-arid Arable Land in Northern China, National Hulunber Grassland Ecosystem Observation and Research Station, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Ruirui Yan
- Key Laboratory of Efficient Utilization of Arid and Semi-arid Arable Land in Northern China, National Hulunber Grassland Ecosystem Observation and Research Station, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Lulu Hou
- Key Laboratory of Efficient Utilization of Arid and Semi-arid Arable Land in Northern China, National Hulunber Grassland Ecosystem Observation and Research Station, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China.
| | - Jiaguo Qi
- Center for Global Change & Earth Observations, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48823, USA.
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3
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Li S, Delgado-Baquerizo M, Ding J, Hu H, Huang W, Sun Y, Ni H, Kuang Y, Yuan MM, Zhou J, Zhang J, Liang Y. Intrinsic microbial temperature sensitivity and soil organic carbon decomposition in response to climate change. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2024; 30:e17395. [PMID: 38923190 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.17395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2023] [Revised: 05/23/2024] [Accepted: 06/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
Soil microbes are essential for regulating carbon stocks under climate change. However, the uncertainty surrounding how microbial temperature responses control carbon losses under warming conditions highlights a significant gap in our climate change models. To address this issue, we conducted a fine-scale analysis of soil organic carbon composition under different temperature gradients and characterized the corresponding microbial growth and physiology across various paddy soils spanning 4000 km in China. Our results showed that warming altered the composition of organic matter, resulting in a reduction in carbohydrates of approximately 0.026% to 0.030% from humid subtropical regions to humid continental regions. These changes were attributed to a decrease in the proportion of cold-preferring bacteria, leading to significant soil carbon losses. Our findings suggest that intrinsic microbial temperature sensitivity plays a crucial role in determining the rate of soil organic carbon decomposition, providing insights into the temperature limitations faced by microbial activities and their impact on soil carbon-climate feedback.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sen Li
- State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, China
| | - Manuel Delgado-Baquerizo
- Laboratorio de Biodiversidad y Funcionamiento Ecosistémico, Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de Sevilla (IRNAS), CSIC, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Jixian Ding
- State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, China
| | - Han Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Weigen Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yishen Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Haowei Ni
- State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yanyun Kuang
- State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Mengting Maggie Yuan
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - Jizhong Zhou
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Jiabao Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, China
| | - Yuting Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, China
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4
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Chen Y, Qin W, Zhang Q, Wang X, Feng J, Han M, Hou Y, Zhao H, Zhang Z, He JS, Torn MS, Zhu B. Whole-soil warming leads to substantial soil carbon emission in an alpine grassland. Nat Commun 2024; 15:4489. [PMID: 38802385 PMCID: PMC11130387 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48736-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2023] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
The sensitivity of soil organic carbon (SOC) decomposition in seasonally frozen soils, such as alpine ecosystems, to climate warming is a major uncertainty in global carbon cycling. Here we measure soil CO2 emission during four years (2018-2021) from the whole-soil warming experiment (4 °C for the top 1 m) in an alpine grassland ecosystem. We find that whole-soil warming stimulates total and SOC-derived CO2 efflux by 26% and 37%, respectively, but has a minor effect on root-derived CO2 efflux. Moreover, experimental warming only promotes total soil CO2 efflux by 7-8% on average in the meta-analysis across all grasslands or alpine grasslands globally (none of these experiments were whole-soil warming). We show that whole-soil warming has a much stronger effect on soil carbon emission in the alpine grassland ecosystem than what was reported in previous warming experiments, most of which only heat surface soils.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Chen
- Institute of Ecology and Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Wenkuan Qin
- Institute of Ecology and Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Qiufang Zhang
- Institute of Ecology and Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Xudong Wang
- Institute of Ecology and Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Jiguang Feng
- Institute of Ecology and Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Mengguang Han
- Institute of Ecology and Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Yanhui Hou
- Institute of Ecology and Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Hongyang Zhao
- Institute of Ecology and Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Zhenhua Zhang
- Qinghai Haibei National Field Research Station of Alpine Grassland Ecosystem and Key Laboratory of Adaptation and Evolution of Plateau Biota, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining, 810008, China
| | - Jin-Sheng He
- Institute of Ecology and Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-ecosystems and College of Pastoral Agricultural Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Margaret S Torn
- Climate and Ecosystem Sciences, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
- Energy and Resources Group, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
| | - Biao Zhu
- Institute of Ecology and Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China.
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5
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Li T, Chang S, Wang Z, Cheng Y, Peng Z, Li L, Lou S, Liu Y, Wang D, Zhong H, Zhu H, Hou F, Nan Z. Interactive effects of grassland utilization and climatic factors govern the plant diversity-soil C relationship in steppe of North China. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 922:171171. [PMID: 38402971 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171171] [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: 11/05/2023] [Revised: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
The relationship between plant diversity and the ecosystem carbon pool is important for understanding the role of biodiversity in regulating ecosystem functions. However, it is not clear how the relationship between plant diversity and soil carbon content changes under different grassland use patterns. In a 3-year study from 2013 to 2015, we investigated plant diversity and soil total carbon (TC) content of grasslands in northern China under different grassland utilization methods (grazing, mowing, and enclosure) and climatic conditions. Shannon-Wiener and Species richness index of grassland were significantly decreased by grazing and mowing. Plant diversity was positively correlated with annual precipitation (AP) and negatively correlated with annual mean temperature (AMT). AP was the primary regulator of plant diversity. Grazing and mowing decreased TC levels in grasslands compared with enclosures, especially in topsoil (0-20 cm). The average TC content was decreased by 58 % and 36 % in the 0-10 cm soil layer, while it was decreased by 68 % and 39 % in 10-20 cm soil layer. TC was positively correlated with AP and negatively correlated with AMT. Principal component analysis (PCA) showed that plant diversity was positively correlated with soil TC, and the correlation decreased with an increase in the soil depth. Overall, this study provides a theoretical basis for predicting soil carbon storage in grasslands under human disturbances and climate change impacts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tengfei Li
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-ecosystems, Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Engineering Technology Research Center for Ecological Restoration and Utilization of Degraded Grassland in Northwest China, National Forestry and Grassland Administration, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730020, China
| | - Shenghua Chang
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-ecosystems, Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Engineering Technology Research Center for Ecological Restoration and Utilization of Degraded Grassland in Northwest China, National Forestry and Grassland Administration, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730020, China
| | - Zhaofeng Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-ecosystems, Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Engineering Technology Research Center for Ecological Restoration and Utilization of Degraded Grassland in Northwest China, National Forestry and Grassland Administration, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730020, China
| | - Yunxiang Cheng
- College of Ecology and Environment, Inner Mongolia University, Huhhot, China
| | - Zechen Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-ecosystems, Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Engineering Technology Research Center for Ecological Restoration and Utilization of Degraded Grassland in Northwest China, National Forestry and Grassland Administration, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730020, China
| | - Lan Li
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-ecosystems, Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Engineering Technology Research Center for Ecological Restoration and Utilization of Degraded Grassland in Northwest China, National Forestry and Grassland Administration, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730020, China
| | - Shanning Lou
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-ecosystems, Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Engineering Technology Research Center for Ecological Restoration and Utilization of Degraded Grassland in Northwest China, National Forestry and Grassland Administration, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730020, China
| | - Yongjie Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-ecosystems, Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Engineering Technology Research Center for Ecological Restoration and Utilization of Degraded Grassland in Northwest China, National Forestry and Grassland Administration, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730020, China
| | | | - Huaping Zhong
- Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, CAS, China
| | - Huazhong Zhu
- Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, CAS, China
| | - Fujiang Hou
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-ecosystems, Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Engineering Technology Research Center for Ecological Restoration and Utilization of Degraded Grassland in Northwest China, National Forestry and Grassland Administration, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730020, China.
| | - Zhibiao Nan
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-ecosystems, Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Engineering Technology Research Center for Ecological Restoration and Utilization of Degraded Grassland in Northwest China, National Forestry and Grassland Administration, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730020, China
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6
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He H, Zhou J, Wang Y, Jiao S, Qian X, Liu Y, Liu J, Chen J, Delgado-Baquerizo M, Brangarí AC, Chen L, Cui Y, Pan H, Tian R, Liang Y, Tan W, Ochoa-Hueso R, Fang L. Deciphering microbiomes dozens of meters under our feet and their edaphoclimatic and spatial drivers. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2024; 30:e17028. [PMID: 37955302 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.17028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2023] [Revised: 10/24/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/14/2023]
Abstract
Microbes inhabiting deep soil layers are known to be different from their counterpart in topsoil yet remain under investigation in terms of their structure, function, and how their diversity is shaped. The microbiome of deep soils (>1 m) is expected to be relatively stable and highly independent from climatic conditions. Much less is known, however, on how these microbial communities vary along climate gradients. Here, we used amplicon sequencing to investigate bacteria, archaea, and fungi along fifteen 18-m depth profiles at 20-50-cm intervals across contrasting aridity conditions in semi-arid forest ecosystems of China's Loess Plateau. Our results showed that bacterial and fungal α diversity and bacterial and archaeal community similarity declined dramatically in topsoil and remained relatively stable in deep soil. Nevertheless, deep soil microbiome still showed the functional potential of N cycling, plant-derived organic matter degradation, resource exchange, and water coordination. The deep soil microbiome had closer taxa-taxa and bacteria-fungi associations and more influence of dispersal limitation than topsoil microbiome. Geographic distance was more influential in deep soil bacteria and archaea than in topsoil. We further showed that aridity was negatively correlated with deep-soil archaeal and fungal richness, archaeal community similarity, relative abundance of plant saprotroph, and bacteria-fungi associations, but increased the relative abundance of aerobic ammonia oxidation, manganese oxidation, and arbuscular mycorrhizal in the deep soils. Root depth, complexity, soil volumetric moisture, and clay play bridging roles in the indirect effects of aridity on microbes in deep soils. Our work indicates that, even microbial communities and nutrient cycling in deep soil are susceptible to changes in water availability, with consequences for understanding the sustainability of dryland ecosystems and the whole-soil in response to aridification. Moreover, we propose that neglecting soil depth may underestimate the role of soil moisture in dryland ecosystems under future climate scenarios.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haoran He
- College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
- State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
| | - Jingxiong Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Loess and Quaternary Geology, Institute of Earth Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi'an, China
| | - Yunqiang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Loess and Quaternary Geology, Institute of Earth Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi'an, China
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Shuo Jiao
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid Areas, Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Agricultural and Environmental Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
| | - Xun Qian
- College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - Yurong Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Ji Liu
- Hubei Province Key Laboratory for Geographical Process Analysis and Simulation, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, China
| | - Ji Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Loess and Quaternary Geology, Institute of Earth Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi'an, China
- Department of Agroecology, Aarhus University, Tjele, Denmark
| | - Manuel Delgado-Baquerizo
- Laboratorio de Biodiversidad y Funcionamiento Ecosistémico, Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de Sevilla (IRNAS), CSIC, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Albert C Brangarí
- Institute for Physical Geography and Ecosystem Science, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Li Chen
- College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
- State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
| | - Yongxing Cui
- Sino-French Institute for Earth System Science, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Haibo Pan
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid Areas, Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Agricultural and Environmental Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
| | - Renmao Tian
- Institute for Food Safety and Health (IFSH), Illinois Institute of Technology, Bedford Park, Illinois, USA
| | - Yuting Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, China
| | - Wenfeng Tan
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Soil Health and Green Remediation, College of Resources and Environment, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Raúl Ochoa-Hueso
- Department of Biology, IVAGRO, University of Cádiz, Campus de Excelencia Internacional Agroalimentario (CeiA3), Campus del Rio San Pedro, Cádiz, Spain
| | - Linchuan Fang
- College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
- State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
- Key Laboratory of Green Utilization of Critical Non-Metallic Mineral Resources, Ministry of Education, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan, China
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7
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Han H, Li C, Liu R, Jian J, Abulimiti M, Yuan P. Warming promotes accumulation of microbial- and plant-derived carbon in terrestrial ecosystems. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 905:166977. [PMID: 37716687 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166977] [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: 06/18/2023] [Revised: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/18/2023]
Abstract
The impact of global warming on soil carbon pools has been extensively investigated, however, there is still a lack of understanding regarding the specific response of microbial- and plant-derived carbon to warming. To address this knowledge gap, we conducted a comprehensive meta-analysis of 142 studies and evaluated 986 observations comparisons of different carbon source responses to warming. Our results revealed several key insights. Firstly, climate warming resulted in an average increase of 5.46 % in the terrestrial soil carbon pool. Specifically, microbial-derived carbon showed an average increase of 6.32 %, while plant-derived carbon exhibited an average increase of 3.70 %. Secondly, while warming duration and magnitude do not significantly affect the response of microbial-derived carbon to warming, they did impact the response of plant-derived carbon. Lastly, we observed that the response of different carbon sources to warming was affected by the specific environmental backgrounds:ecosystem and climatic zone types affect the response of warming to microbial-derived carbon, while differences in climatic region affect response of warming to plant-derived carbon. The variations in the response of different soil carbon sources to warming can be attributed to the nature of the carbon source themselves, as well as the complex transformations that occur between them through microbial metabolic processes and their interactions with soil mineral particles. We suggest that interactions at the soil-plant-microbe interface should be considered more carefully, and the response of ecosystems to warming should be observed from the perspective of soil organic carbon sources, so as to better understand the response of terrestrial ecosystems carbon cycle to global warming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huan Han
- National Engineering Technology Research Center for Desert-Oasis Ecological Construction, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, Xinjiang 830011, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Congjuan Li
- National Engineering Technology Research Center for Desert-Oasis Ecological Construction, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, Xinjiang 830011, China.
| | - Ran Liu
- State Key Lab of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, China; Fukang National Station of Observation and Research for Desert Ecosystem, Fukang 831505, Xinjiang, China
| | - Jinshi Jian
- State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, China; Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, CAS & MWR, 26 Xinong Road, Yangling, Shaanxi Province 712100, PR China
| | - Madinai Abulimiti
- National Engineering Technology Research Center for Desert-Oasis Ecological Construction, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, Xinjiang 830011, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Ping Yuan
- College of Resources and Environment, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, Xinjiang 830052, China
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8
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Zhou X, Ma A, Chen X, Zhang Q, Guo X, Zhuang G. Climate Warming-Driven Changes in the Molecular Composition of Soil Dissolved Organic Matter Across Depth: A Case Study on the Tibetan Plateau. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:16884-16894. [PMID: 37857299 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c04899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2023]
Abstract
Dissolved organic matter (DOM) is critical for soil carbon sequestration in terrestrial ecosystems. DOM molecular composition varies with soil depth. However, the spatial heterogeneity of depth-dependent DOM in response to climate warming remains unclear, especially in alpine ecosystems. In this study, the DOM of alpine meadow soil samples was characterized comprehensively by using spectroscopy and mass spectrometry, and open-top chambers (OTCs) were employed to simulate warming. It was found that climate warming had the greatest impact on the upper layer (0-30 cm), followed by the lower layer (60-80 cm), while the middle layer (30-60 cm) was the most stable among the three soil layers. The reasons for the obvious changes in DOM in the upper and lower layers of soil were further explained based on biotic and abiotic factors. Specifically, soil nutrients (NH4+-N, NO3--N, TC, and TP) affected the molecular composition of DOM in layer L1 (0-15 cm), while pH affected layer L5 (60-80 cm). Gemmatimonadetes, Proteobacteria, and Actinobacteria played important roles in the composition of DOM in the L5 layer (60-80 cm), while the dominant fungal groups affecting the DOM composition increased in the L1 layer (0-15 cm) under warming. In summary, this research has contributed to a deeper understanding of depth-dependent changes in DOM molecular composition in alpine ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaorong Zhou
- Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
- College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Anzhou Ma
- Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
- College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xianke Chen
- Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
- College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- Sino-Danish College of University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 101400, China
- Sino-Danish Center for Education and Research, Beijing 101400, China
| | - Qinwei Zhang
- Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
- College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xiaowei Guo
- Key Laboratory of Adaptation and Evolution of Plateau Biota, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining 810008, China
| | - Guoqiang Zhuang
- Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
- College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
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9
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Cai M, Zhao G, Zhao B, Cong N, Zheng Z, Zhu J, Duan X, Zhang Y. Climate warming alters the relative importance of plant root and microbial community in regulating the accumulation of soil microbial necromass carbon in a Tibetan alpine meadow. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2023; 29:3193-3204. [PMID: 36861325 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Revised: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Climate warming is predicted to considerably affect variations in soil organic carbon (SOC), especially in alpine ecosystems. Microbial necromass carbon (MNC) is an important contributor to stable soil organic carbon pools. However, accumulation and persistence of soil MNC across a gradient of warming are still poorly understood. An 8-year field experiment with four levels of warming was conducted in a Tibetan meadow. We found that low-level (+0-1.5°C) warming mostly enhanced bacterial necromass carbon (BNC), fungal necromass carbon (FNC), and total MNC compared with control treatment across soil layers, while no significant effect was caused between high-level (+1.5-2.5°C) treatments and control treatments. The contributions of both MNC and BNC to soil organic carbon were not significantly affected by warming treatments across depths. Structural equation modeling analysis demonstrated that the effect of plant root traits on MNC persistence strengthened with warming intensity, while the influence of microbial community characteristics waned along strengthened warming. Overall, our study provides novel evidence that the major determinants of MNC production and stabilization may vary with warming magnitude in alpine meadows. This finding is critical for updating our knowledge on soil carbon storage in response to climate warming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengke Cai
- Lhasa Plateau Ecosystem Research Station, Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Guang Zhao
- Lhasa Plateau Ecosystem Research Station, Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Bo Zhao
- Lhasa Plateau Ecosystem Research Station, Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Nan Cong
- Lhasa Plateau Ecosystem Research Station, Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zhoutao Zheng
- Lhasa Plateau Ecosystem Research Station, Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Juntao Zhu
- Lhasa Plateau Ecosystem Research Station, Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaoqing Duan
- College of Forestry, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, China
| | - Yangjian Zhang
- Lhasa Plateau Ecosystem Research Station, Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Tibetan Plateau Earth Sciences, Beijing, China
- College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing, China
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10
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Deng M, Li P, Liu W, Chang P, Yang L, Wang Z, Wang J, Liu L. Deepened snow cover increases grassland soil carbon stocks by incorporating carbon inputs into deep soil layers. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2023. [PMID: 37246246 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Climate-induced changes in snow cover can greatly impact winter soil microclimate and spring water supply. These effects, in turn, can influence plant and microbial activity and the strength of leaching processes, potentially altering the distribution and storage of soil organic carbon (SOC) across different soil depths. However, few studies have examined how changes in snow cover will affect SOC stocks, and even less is known about the impact of snow cover on SOC dynamics along soil profiles. By selecting 11 snow fences along a 570 km climate gradient in Inner Mongolia, covering arid, temperate, and meadow steppes, we measured plant and microbial biomass, community composition, SOC content, and other soil parameters from topsoil to a depth of 60 cm. We found that deepened snow increased aboveground and belowground plant biomass, as well as microbial biomass. Plant and microbial carbon input were positively correlated with grassland SOC stocks. More importantly, we found that deepened snow altered SOC distribution along vertical soil profiles. The increase in SOC caused by deepened snow was much greater in the subsoil (+74.7%; 0-5 cm) than that in the topsoil (+19.0%; 40-60 cm). Additionally, the controls on SOC content under deepened snow differed between the topsoil and subsoil layers. The increase in microbial and root biomass jointly enhanced topsoil C accumulation, while the increase in leaching processes became critical in promoting subsoil C accumulation. We conclude that under deepened snow, the subsoil had a high capacity to sink C by incorporating C leached from the topsoil, suggesting that the subsoil, originally thought to be climate insensitive, could have a higher response to precipitation changes due to vertical C transport. Our study highlights the importance of considering soil depth when assessing the impacts of snow cover changes on SOC dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meifeng Deng
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- China National Botanical Garden, Beijing, China
| | - Ping Li
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- China National Botanical Garden, Beijing, China
| | - Weixing Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- National Hulunber Grassland Ecosystem Observation and Research Station, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Pengfei Chang
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Lu Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zhenhua Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- The Engineering Technology Research Center of Characteristic Medicinal Plants of Fujian, College of Life Sciences, Ningde Normal University, Ningde City, China
| | - Jing Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- School of Life Sciences, Institute of Life Science and Green Development, Hebei University, Baoding, China
| | - Lingli Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- China National Botanical Garden, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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11
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Bai T, Wang P, Qiu Y, Zhang Y, Hu S. Nitrogen availability mediates soil carbon cycling response to climate warming: A meta-analysis. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2023; 29:2608-2626. [PMID: 36744998 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Global climate warming may induce a positive feedback through increasing soil carbon (C) release to the atmosphere. Although warming can affect both C input to and output from soil, direct and convincing evidence illustrating that warming induces a net change in soil C is still lacking. We synthesized the results from field warming experiments at 165 sites across the globe and found that climate warming had no significant effect on soil C stock. On average, warming significantly increased root biomass and soil respiration, but warming effects on root biomass and soil respiration strongly depended on soil nitrogen (N) availability. Under high N availability (soil C:N ratio < 15), warming had no significant effect on root biomass, but promoted the coupling between effect sizes of root biomass and soil C stock. Under relative N limitation (soil C:N ratio > 15), warming significantly enhanced root biomass. However, the enhancement of root biomass did not induce a corresponding C accumulation in soil, possibly because warming promoted microbial CO2 release that offset the increased root C input. Also, reactive N input alleviated warming-induced C loss from soil, but elevated atmospheric CO2 or precipitation increase/reduction did not. Together, our findings indicate that the relative availability of soil C to N (i.e., soil C:N ratio) critically mediates warming effects on soil C dynamics, suggesting that its incorporation into C-climate models may improve the prediction of soil C cycling under future global warming scenarios.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tongshuo Bai
- Ecosystem Ecology Laboratory, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Peng Wang
- Ecosystem Ecology Laboratory, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yunpeng Qiu
- Ecosystem Ecology Laboratory, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yi Zhang
- Ecosystem Ecology Laboratory, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Shuijin Hu
- Ecosystem Ecology Laboratory, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
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12
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Wang Y, Guo Y, Wang X, Song C, Song Y, Liu Z, Wang S, Gao S, Ma G. Mineral protection controls soil organic carbon stability in permafrost wetlands. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 869:161864. [PMID: 36720397 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.161864] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2022] [Revised: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Mineral protection can slow the effect of warming on the mineralization of organic carbon (OC) in permafrost wetlands, which has an important impact on the dynamics of soil OC. However, the response mechanisms of wetland mineral soil to warming in permafrost areas are unclear. In this study, the soil of the southern edge of the Eurasian permafrost area was selected, and bulk and heavy fraction (HF) soil was subjected to indoor warming incubation experiments using physical fractionation. The results showed that the HF accounted for 51.25 % of the total OC mineralization in the bulk soil, and the δ13C value of the CO2 that was emitted in the HF soil was higher than that of the bulk soil. This indicates the potential availability of mineral soil and that the mineralized OC in the HF was the more stable component. Additionally, the mineralization of the mineral subsoil after warming by 10 °C was only about half of the increase in the organic topsoil, and the temperature sensitivity was significantly negatively correlated with the Fe/Al oxides to OC ratio. The results indicate that under conditions of permafrost degradation, the physical protection of mineral soil at high latitudes is essential for the stability of OC, which may slow the trend of permafrost wetlands becoming carbon sources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yao Wang
- Key Laboratory of Wetland Ecology and Environment, Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130102, China; University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yuedong Guo
- Key Laboratory of Wetland Ecology and Environment, Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130102, China.
| | - Xianwei Wang
- Key Laboratory of Wetland Ecology and Environment, Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130102, China
| | - Changchun Song
- Key Laboratory of Wetland Ecology and Environment, Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130102, China; School of Hydraulic Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116023, China
| | - Yanyu Song
- Key Laboratory of Wetland Ecology and Environment, Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130102, China
| | - Zhendi Liu
- Key Laboratory of Wetland Ecology and Environment, Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130102, China
| | - Shujie Wang
- Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150000, China
| | - Siqi Gao
- University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Guobao Ma
- Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150000, China
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13
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Zosso CU, Ofiti NOE, Torn MS, Wiesenberg GLB, Schmidt MWI. Rapid loss of complex polymers and pyrogenic carbon in subsoils under whole-soil warming. NATURE GEOSCIENCE 2023; 16:344-348. [PMID: 37064011 PMCID: PMC10089920 DOI: 10.1038/s41561-023-01142-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2022] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Subsoils contain more than half of soil organic carbon (SOC) and are expected to experience rapid warming in the coming decades. Yet our understanding of the stability of this vast carbon pool under global warming is uncertain. In particular, the fate of complex molecular structures (polymers) remains debated. Here we show that 4.5 years of whole-soil warming (+4 °C) resulted in less polymeric SOC (sum of specific polymers contributing to SOC) in the warmed subsoil (20-90 cm) relative to control, with no detectable change in topsoil. Warming stimulated the subsoil loss of lignin phenols (-17 ± 0%) derived from woody plant biomass, hydrolysable lipids cutin and suberin, derived from leaf and woody plant biomass (-28 ± 3%), and pyrogenic carbon (-37 ± 8%) produced during incomplete combustion. Given that these compounds have been proposed for long-term carbon sequestration, it is notable that they were rapidly lost in warmed soils. We conclude that complex polymeric carbon in subsoil is vulnerable to decomposition and propose that molecular structure alone may not protect compounds from degradation under future warming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cyrill U. Zosso
- Department of Geography, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | | | - Margaret S. Torn
- Climate Sciences Department, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA USA
- Energy Resources Group, University of California, Berkeley, CA USA
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14
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Jia J, Liu Z, Haghipour N, Wacker L, Zhang H, Sierra CA, Ma T, Wang Y, Chen L, Luo A, Wang Z, He JS, Zhao M, Eglinton TI, Feng X. Molecular 14 C evidence for contrasting turnover and temperature sensitivity of soil organic matter components. Ecol Lett 2023; 26:778-788. [PMID: 36922740 DOI: 10.1111/ele.14204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2022] [Revised: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023]
Abstract
Climate projection requires an accurate understanding for soil organic carbon (SOC) decomposition and its response to warming. An emergent view considers that environmental constraints rather than chemical structure alone control SOC turnover and its temperature sensitivity (i.e., Q10 ), but direct long-term evidence is lacking. Here, using compound-specific radiocarbon analysis of soil profiles along a 3300-km grassland transect, we provide direct evidence for the rapid turnover of lignin-derived phenols compared with slower-cycling molecular components of SOC (i.e., long-chain lipids and black carbon). Furthermore, in contrast to the slow-cycling components whose turnover is strongly modulated by mineral association and exhibits low Q10 , lignin turnover is mainly regulated by temperature and has a high Q10 . Such contrasts resemble those between fast-cycling (i.e., light) and mineral-associated slow-cycling fractions from globally distributed soils. Collectively, our results suggest that warming may greatly accelerate the decomposition of lignin, especially in soils with relatively weak mineral associations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Jia
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zongguang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Negar Haghipour
- Geological Institute, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland.,Laboratory of Ion Beam Physics, Department of Physics, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Lukas Wacker
- Laboratory of Ion Beam Physics, Department of Physics, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Hailong Zhang
- Frontiers Science Center for Deep Ocean Multispheres and Earth System of the Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China.,Laoshan Laboratory, Qingdao, China
| | - Carlos A Sierra
- Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, Jena, Germany.,Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Tian Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-ecosystems, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Yiyun Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Litong Chen
- Key Laboratory of Adaptation and Evolution of Plateau Biota, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining, China
| | - Ao Luo
- Institute of Ecology and Key Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes of the Ministry of Education, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Zhiheng Wang
- Institute of Ecology and Key Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes of the Ministry of Education, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Jin-Sheng He
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-ecosystems, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.,Institute of Ecology and Key Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes of the Ministry of Education, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Meixun Zhao
- Frontiers Science Center for Deep Ocean Multispheres and Earth System of the Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China.,Laoshan Laboratory, Qingdao, China
| | | | - Xiaojuan Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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15
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Ye Q, Ding Y, Ding Z, Li R, Shi Z. Unified Modeling Approach for Quantifying the Proton and Metal Binding Ability of Soil Dissolved Organic Matter. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:831-841. [PMID: 36574384 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c08482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Soil dissolved organic matter (DOM) is composed of a mass of complex organic compounds in soil solutions and significantly affects a range of (bio)geochemical processes in soil environment. However, how the chemical complexity (i.e., heterogeneity and chemodiversity) of soil DOM molecules affects their proton and metal binding ability remains unclear, which limits our ability for predicting the environmental behavior of DOM and metals. In this study, we developed a unified modeling approach for quantifying the proton and metal binding ability of soil DOM based on Cu titration experiments, Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry data, and molecular modeling method. Although soil DOM samples from different regions have enormously heterogeneous and diverse properties, we found that the molecules of soil DOM can be divided into three representative groups according to their Cu binding capacity. Based on the molecular models for individual molecular groups and the relative contributions of each group in each soil DOM, we were able to further develop molecular models for all soil DOM to predict their molecular properties and proton and metal binding ability. Our results will help to develop mechanistic models for predicting the reactivity of soil DOM from various sources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qianting Ye
- The Key Lab of Pollution Control and Ecosystem Restoration in Industry Clusters, Ministry of Education, School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, Guangdong510006, People's Republic of China
| | - Yang Ding
- The Key Lab of Pollution Control and Ecosystem Restoration in Industry Clusters, Ministry of Education, School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, Guangdong510006, People's Republic of China
| | - Zecong Ding
- The Key Lab of Pollution Control and Ecosystem Restoration in Industry Clusters, Ministry of Education, School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, Guangdong510006, People's Republic of China
| | - Rong Li
- The Key Lab of Pollution Control and Ecosystem Restoration in Industry Clusters, Ministry of Education, School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, Guangdong510006, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhenqing Shi
- The Key Lab of Pollution Control and Ecosystem Restoration in Industry Clusters, Ministry of Education, School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, Guangdong510006, People's Republic of China
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16
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Castañeda-Gómez L, Lajtha K, Bowden R, Mohammed Jauhar FN, Jia J, Feng X, Simpson MJ. Soil organic matter molecular composition with long-term detrital alterations is controlled by site-specific forest properties. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2023; 29:243-259. [PMID: 36169977 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2022] [Accepted: 09/11/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Forest ecosystems are important global soil carbon (C) reservoirs, but their capacity to sequester C is susceptible to climate change factors that alter the quantity and quality of C inputs. To better understand forest soil C responses to altered C inputs, we integrated three molecular composition published data sets of soil organic matter (SOM) and soil microbial communities for mineral soils after 20 years of detrital input and removal treatments in two deciduous forests: Bousson Forest (BF), Harvard Forest (HF), and a coniferous forest: H.J. Andrews Forest (HJA). Soil C turnover times were estimated from radiocarbon measurements and compared with the molecular-level data (based on nuclear magnetic resonance and specific analysis of plant- and microbial-derived compounds) to better understand how ecosystem properties control soil C biogeochemistry and dynamics. Doubled aboveground litter additions did not increase soil C for any of the forests studied likely due to long-term soil priming. The degree of SOM decomposition was higher for bacteria-dominated sites with higher nitrogen (N) availability while lower for the N-poor coniferous forest. Litter exclusions significantly decreased soil C, increased SOM decomposition state, and led to the adaptation of the microbial communities to changes in available substrates. Finally, although aboveground litter determined soil C dynamics and its molecular composition in the coniferous forest (HJA), belowground litter appeared to be more influential in broadleaf deciduous forests (BH and HF). This synthesis demonstrates that inherent ecosystem properties regulate how soil C dynamics change with litter manipulations at the molecular-level. Across the forests studied, 20 years of litter additions did not enhance soil C content, whereas litter reductions negatively impacted soil C concentrations. These results indicate that soil C biogeochemistry at these temperate forests is highly sensitive to changes in litter deposition, which are a product of environmental change drivers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Castañeda-Gómez
- Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Kate Lajtha
- Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA
| | - Richard Bowden
- Department of Environmental Science and Sustainability, Allegheny College, Meadville, Pennsylvania, USA
| | | | - Juan Jia
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaojuan Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Myrna J Simpson
- Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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17
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Qi Q, Zhao J, Tian R, Zeng Y, Xie C, Gao Q, Dai T, Wang H, He JS, Konstantinidis KT, Yang Y, Zhou J, Guo X. Microbially enhanced methane uptake under warming enlarges ecosystem carbon sink in a Tibetan alpine grassland. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2022; 28:6906-6920. [PMID: 36191158 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2022] [Revised: 08/10/2022] [Accepted: 09/02/2022] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
The alpine grasslands of the Tibetan Plateau store 23.2 Pg soil organic carbon, which becomes susceptible to microbial degradation with climate warming. However, accurate prediction of how the soil carbon stock changes under future climate warming is hampered by our limited understanding of belowground complex microbial communities. Here, we show that 4 years of warming strongly stimulated methane (CH4 ) uptake by 93.8% and aerobic respiration (CO2 ) by 11.3% in the soils of alpine grassland ecosystem. Due to no significant effects of warming on net ecosystem CO2 exchange (NEE), the warming-stimulated CH4 uptake enlarged the carbon sink capacity of whole ecosystem. Furthermore, precipitation alternation did not alter such warming effects, despite the significant effects of precipitation on NEE and soil CH4 fluxes were observed. Metagenomic sequencing revealed that warming led to significant shifts in the overall microbial community structure and the abundances of functional genes, which contrasted to no detectable changes after 2 years of warming. Carbohydrate utilization genes were significantly increased by warming, corresponding with significant increases in soil aerobic respiration. Increased methanotrophic genes and decreased methanogenic genes were observed under warming, which significantly (R2 = .59, p < .001) correlated with warming-enhanced CH4 uptakes. Furthermore, 212 metagenome-assembled genomes were recovered, including many populations involved in the degradation of various organic matter and a highly abundant methylotrophic population of the Methyloceanibacter genus. Collectively, our results provide compelling evidence that specific microbial functional traits for CH4 and CO2 cycling processes respond to climate warming with differential effects on soil greenhouse gas emissions. Alpine grasslands may play huge roles in mitigating climate warming through such microbially enhanced CH4 uptake.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Qi
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Jianshu Zhao
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering and School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Renmao Tian
- Institute for Food Safety and Health, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Yufei Zeng
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Changyi Xie
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Qun Gao
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Tianjiao Dai
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Hao Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-Ecosystems, and College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Jin-Sheng He
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-Ecosystems, and College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
- College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, and Key Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes of the Ministry of Education, Institute of Ecology, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Konstantinos T Konstantinidis
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering and School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Yunfeng Yang
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Jizhong Zhou
- Institute for Environmental Genomics, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, USA
- Earth and Environmental Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - Xue Guo
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
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18
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Zhang Z, Kaye JP, Bradley BA, Amsili JP, Suseela V. Cover crop functional types differentially alter the content and composition of soil organic carbon in particulate and mineral-associated fractions. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2022; 28:5831-5848. [PMID: 35713156 PMCID: PMC9545985 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2022] [Revised: 04/15/2022] [Accepted: 04/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Cover crops (CCs) can increase soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration by providing additional OC residues, recruiting beneficial soil microbiota, and improving soil aggregation and structure. The various CC species that belong to distinct plant functional types (PFTs) may differentially impact SOC formation and stabilization. Biogeochemical theory suggests that selection of PFTs with distinct litter quality (C:N ratio) should influence the pathways and magnitude of SOC sequestration. Yet, we lack knowledge on the effect of CCs from different PFTs on the quantity and composition of physiochemical pools of SOC. We sampled soils under monocultures of three CC PFTs (legume [crimson clover]; grass [triticale]; and brassica [canola]) and a mixture of these three species, from a long-term CC experiment in Pennsylvania, USA. We measured C content in bulk soil and C content and composition in contrasting physical fractions: particulate organic matter, POM; and mineral-associated organic matter, MAOM. The bulk SOC content was higher in all CC treatments compared to the fallow. Compared to the legume, monocultures of grass and brassica with lower litter quality (wider C:N) had higher proportion of plant-derived C in POM, indicating selective preservation of complex structural plant compounds. In contrast, soils under legumes had greater accumulation of microbial-derived C in MAOM. Our results for the first time, revealed that the mixture contributed to a higher concentration of plant-derived compounds in POM relative to the legume, and a greater accumulation of microbial-derived C in MAOM compared to monocultures of grass and brassica. Mixtures with all three PFTs can thus increase the short- and long-term SOC persistence balancing the contrasting effects on the chemistries in POM and MAOM imposed by monoculture CC PFTs. Thus, despite different cumulative C inputs in CC treatments from different PFTs, the total SOC stocks did not vary between CC PFTs, rather PFTs impacted whether C accumulated in POM or MAOM fractions. This highlights that CCs of different PFTs may shift the dominant SOC formation pathways (POM vs. MAOM), subsequently impacting short- and long-term SOC stabilization and stocks. Our work provides a strong applied field test of biogeochemical theory linking litter quality to pathways of C accrual in soil.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziliang Zhang
- Department of Plant & Environmental SciencesClemson UniversityClemsonSouth CarolinaUSA
- Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and EnvironmentUniversity of Illinois at Urbana‐ChampaignUrbanaILUSA
| | - Jason P. Kaye
- Department of Ecosystem Science & ManagementPennsylvania State UniversityUniversity ParkPennsylvaniaUSA
| | - Brosi A. Bradley
- Department of Ecosystem Science & ManagementPennsylvania State UniversityUniversity ParkPennsylvaniaUSA
| | - Joseph P. Amsili
- Department of Ecosystem Science & ManagementPennsylvania State UniversityUniversity ParkPennsylvaniaUSA
- Section of Soil and Crop Sciences, School of Integrative Plant ScienceCornell UniversityIthacaNYUSA
| | - Vidya Suseela
- Department of Plant & Environmental SciencesClemson UniversityClemsonSouth CarolinaUSA
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19
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Wang M, Guo X, Zhang S, Xiao L, Mishra U, Yang Y, Zhu B, Wang G, Mao X, Qian T, Jiang T, Shi Z, Luo Z. Global soil profiles indicate depth-dependent soil carbon losses under a warmer climate. Nat Commun 2022; 13:5514. [PMID: 36127349 PMCID: PMC9489695 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-33278-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2022] [Accepted: 09/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Soil organic carbon (SOC) changes under future climate warming are difficult to quantify in situ. Here we apply an innovative approach combining space-for-time substitution with meta-analysis to SOC measurements in 113,013 soil profiles across the globe to estimate the effect of future climate warming on steady-state SOC stocks. We find that SOC stock will reduce by 6.0 ± 1.6% (mean±95% confidence interval), 4.8 ± 2.3% and 1.3 ± 4.0% at 0–0.3, 0.3–1 and 1–2 m soil depths, respectively, under 1 °C air warming, with additional 4.2%, 2.2% and 1.4% losses per every additional 1 °C warming, respectively. The largest proportional SOC losses occur in boreal forests. Existing SOC level is the predominant determinant of the spatial variability of SOC changes with higher percentage losses in SOC-rich soils. Our work demonstrates that warming induces more proportional SOC losses in topsoil than in subsoil, particularly from high-latitudinal SOC-rich systems. The response of soil organic carbon to climate warming may be soil depth-dependent, but remains unquantified in situ. Here the authors show that warming induces more proportional soil carbon losses in topsoil than in subsoil, particularly from high-latitudinal carbon-rich soils.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingming Wang
- College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, 310058, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiaowei Guo
- College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, 310058, Hangzhou, China
| | - Shuai Zhang
- College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, 310058, Hangzhou, China
| | - Liujun Xiao
- College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, 310058, Hangzhou, China
| | - Umakant Mishra
- Computational Biology & Biophysics, Sandia National Laboratories, Livermore, CA, USA
| | - Yuanhe Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100093, Beijing, China
| | - Biao Zhu
- Institute of Ecology, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, and Key Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes of the Ministry of Education, Peking University, 100871, Beijing, China
| | - Guocheng Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Boundary Layer Physics and Atmospheric Chemistry, Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100029, Beijing, China
| | - Xiali Mao
- College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, 310058, Hangzhou, China
| | - Tian Qian
- College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, 310058, Hangzhou, China
| | - Tong Jiang
- College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, 310058, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zhou Shi
- College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, 310058, Hangzhou, China.,Academy of Ecological Civilization, Zhejiang University, 310058, Hangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Environment Remediation and Ecological Health, Ministry of Education, Zhejiang University, 310058, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zhongkui Luo
- College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, 310058, Hangzhou, China. .,Academy of Ecological Civilization, Zhejiang University, 310058, Hangzhou, China. .,Key Laboratory of Environment Remediation and Ecological Health, Ministry of Education, Zhejiang University, 310058, Hangzhou, China.
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20
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Zhang W, Munkholm LJ, An T, Liu X, Zhang B, Xu Y, Ge Z, Zhang Y, Zhang J, Li S, Wang J. Influence of environmental factors on soil organic carbon in different soil layers for Chinese Mollisols under intensive maize cropping. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 835:155443. [PMID: 35469866 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.155443] [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: 12/08/2021] [Revised: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 04/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The Mollisol region of Northeast China has a large soil organic carbon (SOC) storage which is important for maintaining soil fertility. SOC is susceptible to various environmental factors; however, the responses of SOC content to environmental factors in different soil layers of cropland remain unclear, particularly in deep soil layers. In this study, we collected 138 soil samples from the surface, subsurface, and subsoil layers among 46 sample sites with monocropping maize and intensive conventional tillage in this region. We assessed the relative importance and effect paths of 12 environmental factors (including geography, climate, and soil properties) on SOC content in different layers using redundancy analysis (RDA), structural equation model (SEM), and variation partitioning analysis (VPA). The VPA results showed that SOC content was mainly affected by climatic factors that explained 68% and 57% for the surface and subsurface layers, respectively. However, SOC content in the subsoil layer was greatly affected by soil properties that explained 27%. Furthermore, the SEMs results suggested that geographical factors indirectly affected SOC content by influencing the climatic factors. Mean annual temperature was the most important factor affecting SOC content directly or indirectly, and its negative effects significantly diminished with soil depth, as it explained 63%, 52%, and 17% of the variation in SOC content for the surface, subsurface and subsoil layers, respectively. In addition, the effects of soil water-holding capacity on SOC content also decreased with soil depth, whereas pH and clay content showed a contrasting pattern. This implies that pH and clay content play important roles in the sequestration of SOC in deep soil layers. Moreover, the organic C content within >53 μm aggregates was more sensitive to environmental factors. This study can be useful for forecasting SOC dynamics and establishing reasonable C management strategies under climate change conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weijun Zhang
- Northeast Key Laboratory of Conservation and Improvement of Cultivated Land (Shenyang), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Land and Environment, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, China; Aarhus University, Department of Agroecology, P. O. Box 50, DK-8830 Tjele, Denmark
| | - Lars J Munkholm
- Aarhus University, Department of Agroecology, P. O. Box 50, DK-8830 Tjele, Denmark
| | - Tingting An
- Northeast Key Laboratory of Conservation and Improvement of Cultivated Land (Shenyang), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Land and Environment, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, China
| | - Xu Liu
- Northeast Key Laboratory of Conservation and Improvement of Cultivated Land (Shenyang), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Land and Environment, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, China
| | - Bin Zhang
- School of Applied Meteorology, Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing 210044, China
| | - Yingde Xu
- Northeast Key Laboratory of Conservation and Improvement of Cultivated Land (Shenyang), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Land and Environment, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, China
| | - Zhuang Ge
- Northeast Key Laboratory of Conservation and Improvement of Cultivated Land (Shenyang), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Land and Environment, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, China
| | - Yan Zhang
- Northeast Key Laboratory of Conservation and Improvement of Cultivated Land (Shenyang), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Land and Environment, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, China
| | - Jiuming Zhang
- Institute of Soil, Fertilizer and Environmental Resources, Heilongjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Harbin 150086, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Shuangyi Li
- Northeast Key Laboratory of Conservation and Improvement of Cultivated Land (Shenyang), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Land and Environment, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, China.
| | - Jingkuan Wang
- Northeast Key Laboratory of Conservation and Improvement of Cultivated Land (Shenyang), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Land and Environment, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, China.
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21
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Bai Y, Cotrufo MF. Grassland soil carbon sequestration: Current understanding, challenges, and solutions. Science 2022; 377:603-608. [PMID: 35926033 DOI: 10.1126/science.abo2380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 39.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Grasslands store approximately one third of the global terrestrial carbon stocks and can act as an important soil carbon sink. Recent studies show that plant diversity increases soil organic carbon (SOC) storage by elevating carbon inputs to belowground biomass and promoting microbial necromass contribution to SOC storage. Climate change affects grassland SOC storage by modifying the processes of plant carbon inputs and microbial catabolism and anabolism. Improved grazing management and biodiversity restoration can provide low-cost and/or high-carbon-gain options for natural climate solutions in global grasslands. The achievable SOC sequestration potential in global grasslands is 2.3 to 7.3 billion tons of carbon dioxide equivalents per year (CO2e year-1) for biodiversity restoration, 148 to 699 megatons of CO2e year-1 for improved grazing management, and 147 megatons of CO2e year-1 for sown legumes in pasturelands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongfei Bai
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China.,College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - M Francesca Cotrufo
- Department of Soil and Crop Science and Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
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22
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Wu Y, Guo Z, Li Z, Liang M, Tang Y, Zhang J, Miao B, Wang L, Liang C. The main driver of soil organic carbon differs greatly between topsoil and subsoil in a grazing steppe. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e9182. [PMID: 35949532 PMCID: PMC9353232 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2021] [Revised: 07/08/2022] [Accepted: 07/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics is regulated by a complex interplay of factors such as climate and potential anthropogenic activities. Livestocks play a key role in regulating the C cycle in grasslands. However, the interrelationship between SOC and these drivers remains unclear at different soil layers, and their potential relationships network have rarely been quantitatively assessed. Here, we completed a six‐year manipulation experiment of grazing exclusion (no grazing: NG) and increasing grazing intensity (light grazing: LG, medium grazing: MG, heavy grazing: HG). We tested light fraction organic carbon (LFOC) and heavy fraction organic carbon (HFOC) in 12 plots along grazing intensity in three soil layers (topsoil: 0–10 cm, mid‐soil: 10–30 cm, subsoil: 30–50 cm) to assess the drivers of SOC. Grazing significantly reduced SOC of the soil profile, but with significant depth and time dependencies. (1) SOC and SOC stability of the topsoil is primarily regulated by grazing duration (years). Specifically, grazing duration and grazing intensity increased the SOC lability of topsoil due to an increase in LFOC. (2) Grazing intensity was the major factor affecting the mid‐soil SOC dynamics, among which MG had significantly lower SOC than did NG. (3) Subsoil organic carbon dynamics were mainly regulated by climatic factors. The increase in mean annual temperature (MAT) may have promoted the turnover of LFOC to HFOC in the subsoil. Synthesis and applications. When evaluating the impacts of grazing on soil organic fraction, we need to consider the differences in sampling depth and the duration of grazing years. Our results highlight that the key factors influencing SOC dynamics differ among soil layers. Climatic and grazing factors have different roles in determining SOC in each soil layer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yantao Wu
- Key Laboratory of Ecology and Resource Use of the Mongolian Plateau Ministry of Education of China Hohhot China
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Grassland Ecological Security Ministry of Education of China Hohhot China
- School of Ecology and Environment Inner Mongolia University Hohhot China
| | - Zhiwei Guo
- Key Laboratory of Ecology and Resource Use of the Mongolian Plateau Ministry of Education of China Hohhot China
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Grassland Ecological Security Ministry of Education of China Hohhot China
- School of Ecology and Environment Inner Mongolia University Hohhot China
| | - Zhiyong Li
- Key Laboratory of Ecology and Resource Use of the Mongolian Plateau Ministry of Education of China Hohhot China
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Grassland Ecological Security Ministry of Education of China Hohhot China
- School of Ecology and Environment Inner Mongolia University Hohhot China
| | - Maowei Liang
- Department of Environmental Sciences University of Virginia Charlottesville USA
| | | | - Jinghui Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Ecology and Resource Use of the Mongolian Plateau Ministry of Education of China Hohhot China
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Grassland Ecological Security Ministry of Education of China Hohhot China
- School of Ecology and Environment Inner Mongolia University Hohhot China
| | - Bailing Miao
- Inner Mongolia Meteorological Institute Hohhot China
| | - Lixin Wang
- Key Laboratory of Ecology and Resource Use of the Mongolian Plateau Ministry of Education of China Hohhot China
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Grassland Ecological Security Ministry of Education of China Hohhot China
- School of Ecology and Environment Inner Mongolia University Hohhot China
| | - Cuizhu Liang
- Key Laboratory of Ecology and Resource Use of the Mongolian Plateau Ministry of Education of China Hohhot China
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Grassland Ecological Security Ministry of Education of China Hohhot China
- School of Ecology and Environment Inner Mongolia University Hohhot China
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23
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Xu M, Zhao Z, Zhou H, Ma L, Liu X. Plant Allometric Growth Enhanced by the Change in Soil Stoichiometric Characteristics With Depth in an Alpine Meadow Under Climate Warming. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:860980. [PMID: 35615124 PMCID: PMC9125202 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.860980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2022] [Accepted: 03/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The effects of global warming have warmed the climate of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP) leading to changes in plant growth and soil nutrients in the alpine meadows. However, few studies have addressed the effects of warming on plant allometric growth and soil stoichiometry in these meadows on a long-term scale. Therefore, the effects of soil stoichiometry on plant allometric growth remain unclear under long-term warming in the alpine meadows. This study adopted infrared radiators to conduct an 8-year warming experiment in a permafrost region on the QTP starting in 2010, and surveyed growth indices of the plant community during the growing season. Soil organic carbon (C), total nitrogen (N), and total phosphorus (P) in an alpine meadow were measured. We initially learned that the aboveground part of the alpine meadow vegetation in the warming treatment changed from an isometric to an allometric growth pattern while the allometric growth pattern of the belowground part was further strengthened. Second, the contents of soil C, N, and P decreased at the 0-20 cm depth and increased at the 20-30 cm depth in warming. The ratios of soil C:N, C:P, and N:P showed increasing trends at different soil depths with artificial warming, and their amplitudes increased with soil depths. Warming promoted the migration of soil stoichiometric characteristics of C, N, and P to deep soil. Finally, the correlations of plant growth with soil stoichiometric characteristics were weakened by warming, demonstrating that the downward migration of soil stoichiometric characteristics to deep soil in warming had effects on the growth of vegetation in the alpine meadow. It concludes that the change in soil stoichiometric characteristics with soil depths promotes plant allometric growth in the alpine meadow under climate warming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manhou Xu
- Institute of Geographical Science, Taiyuan Normal University, Jinzhong, China
- Key Laboratory of Restoration Ecology of Cold Area in Qinghai Province, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining, China
| | - Zitong Zhao
- Institute of Geographical Science, Taiyuan Normal University, Jinzhong, China
| | - Huakun Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Restoration Ecology of Cold Area in Qinghai Province, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining, China
| | - Li Ma
- Key Laboratory of Restoration Ecology of Cold Area in Qinghai Province, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining, China
| | - Xiaojiao Liu
- Institute of Geographical Science, Taiyuan Normal University, Jinzhong, China
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24
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Yang Y, Shi G, Liu Y, Ma L, Zhang Z, Jiang S, Pan J, Zhang Q, Yao B, Zhou H, Feng H. Experimental Warming Has Not Affected the Changes in Soil Organic Carbon During the Growing Season in an Alpine Meadow Ecosystem on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:847680. [PMID: 35371126 PMCID: PMC8971846 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.847680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The effects of climate warming and season on soil organic carbon (SOC) have received widespread attention, but how climate warming affects the seasonal changes of SOC remains unclear. Here, we established a gradient warming experiment to investigate plant attributes and soil physicochemical and microbial properties that were potentially associated with changes in SOC at the beginning (May) and end (August) of the growing season in an alpine meadow ecosystem on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The SOC of August was lower than that of May, and the storage of SOC in August decreased by an average of 18.53 million grams of carbon per hectare. Warming not only failed to alter the content of SOC regardless of the season but also did not affect the change in SOC during the growing season. Among all the variables measured, microbial biomass carbon was highly coupled to the change in SOC. These findings indicate that alpine meadow soil is a source of carbon during the growing season, but climate warming has no significant impact on it. This study highlights that in the regulation of carbon source or pool in alpine meadow ecosystem, more attention should be paid to changes in SOC during the growing season, rather than climate warming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Yang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Guoxi Shi
- Key Laboratory of Utilization of Agriculture Solid Waste Resources in Gansu Province, College of Bioengineering and Biotechnology, Tianshui Normal University, Tianshui, China
- Key Laboratory of Restoration Ecology of Cold Area in Qinghai Province, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining, China
| | - Yongjun Liu
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Li Ma
- Key Laboratory of Restoration Ecology of Cold Area in Qinghai Province, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining, China
| | - Zhonghua Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Restoration Ecology of Cold Area in Qinghai Province, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining, China
| | - Shengjing Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland and Agro-Ecosystems, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Jianbin Pan
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Qi Zhang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Buqing Yao
- Key Laboratory of Utilization of Agriculture Solid Waste Resources in Gansu Province, College of Bioengineering and Biotechnology, Tianshui Normal University, Tianshui, China
| | - Huakun Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Restoration Ecology of Cold Area in Qinghai Province, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining, China
| | - Huyuan Feng
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
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25
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Chen Y, Han M, Yuan X, Hou Y, Qin W, Zhou H, Zhao X, Klein JA, Zhu B. Warming has a minor effect on surface soil organic carbon in alpine meadow ecosystems on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2022; 28:1618-1629. [PMID: 34755425 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2021] [Accepted: 11/01/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The alpine meadow ecosystem on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP) is very sensitive to warming and plays a key role in regulating global carbon (C) cycling. However, how warming affects the soil organic carbon (SOC) pool and related C inputs and outputs in alpine meadow ecosystems on the QTP remains unclear. Here, we combined two field experiments and a meta-analysis on field experiments to synthesize the responses of the SOC pool and related C cycling processes to warming in alpine meadow ecosystems on the QTP. We found that the SOC content of surface soil (0-10 cm) showed a minor response to warming, but plant respiration was accelerated by warming. In addition, the warming effect on SOC was not correlated with experimental and environmental variables, such as the method, magnitude and duration of warming, initial SOC content, mean annual temperature, and mean annual precipitation. We conclude that the surface SOC content is resistant to climate warming in alpine meadow ecosystems on the QTP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Chen
- Institute of Ecology, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, and Key Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes of the Ministry of Education, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Mengguang Han
- Institute of Ecology, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, and Key Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes of the Ministry of Education, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Xia Yuan
- Institute of Ecology, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, and Key Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes of the Ministry of Education, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Yanhui Hou
- Institute of Ecology, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, and Key Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes of the Ministry of Education, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Wenkuan Qin
- Institute of Ecology, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, and Key Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes of the Ministry of Education, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Huakun Zhou
- Qinghai Provincial Key Laboratory of Restoration Ecology of Cold Area, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining, China
| | - Xinquan Zhao
- Qinghai Provincial Key Laboratory of Restoration Ecology of Cold Area, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining, China
| | - Julia A Klein
- Department of Ecosystem Science & Sustainability, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Biao Zhu
- Institute of Ecology, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, and Key Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes of the Ministry of Education, Peking University, Beijing, China
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26
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Zhou J, Li XL, Peng F, Li C, Lai C, You Q, Xue X, Wu Y, Sun H, Chen Y, Zhong H, Lambers H. Mobilization of soil phosphate after 8 years of warming is linked to plant phosphorus-acquisition strategies in an alpine meadow on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2021; 27:6578-6591. [PMID: 34606141 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2021] [Revised: 09/24/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Phosphorus (P) is essential for productivity of alpine grassland ecosystems, which are sensitive to global warming. We tested the hypotheses that (1) mobilized 'calcium-bound inorganic P' (Ca-Pi ) is a major source of plant-available P in alpine meadows with alkaline soils after long-term warming, (2) mobilization of Ca-Pi is linked to effective plant carboxylate-releasing P-acquisition strategies under warming, and (3) the mobilization is also related to plant nitrogen (N)-acquisition. We conducted an 8-year warming experiment in an alpine meadow (4635 m above sea level) on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. A significant increase in P concentration in both aboveground and belowground biomass indicates an increased mobilization and assimilation of P by plants under warming. We observed a significant decrease in Ca-Pi , no change in moderately-labile organic P, and an increase in highly resistant organic P after warming. There was no increase in phosphatase activities. Our results indicate that Ca-Pi , rather than organic P was the major source of plant-available P for alpine meadows under warming. Higher leaf manganese concentrations of sedges and forbs after warming indicate that carboxylates released by these plants are a key mechanism of Ca-Pi mobilization. The insignificant increase in Rhizobiales after warming and the very small cover of legumes show a minor role of N-acquisition strategies in solubilizing phosphate. The insignificant change in relative abundance of mycorrhizal fungi and bacteria related to P cycling after warming shows a small contribution of microorganisms to Ca-Pi mobilization. The significant increase in leaf N and P concentrations and N:P ratio of grasses and no change in sedge leaf N:P ratio reflect distinct responses of plant nutrient status to warming due to differences in P-acquisition strategies. We highlight the important effects of belowground P-acquisition strategies, especially plant carboxylate-releasing P-acquisition strategies on responses of plants to global changes in alpine meadows.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Mountain Surface Processes and Ecological Regulation, Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, China
| | - Xiao-Long Li
- Key Laboratory of Mountain Surface Processes and Ecological Regulation, Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Fei Peng
- Beiluhe Observation and Research Station on Frozen Soil Engineering and Environment in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Desert and Desertification, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, China
- International Platform for Dryland Research and Education, Tottori University, Tottori, Japan
| | - Chengyang Li
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Desert and Desertification, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, China
| | - Chimin Lai
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Desert and Desertification, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, China
| | - Quangang You
- Key Laboratory of Desert and Desertification, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, China
| | - Xian Xue
- Key Laboratory of Desert and Desertification, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, China
| | - Yanhong Wu
- Key Laboratory of Mountain Surface Processes and Ecological Regulation, Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, China
| | - Hongyang Sun
- Key Laboratory of Mountain Surface Processes and Ecological Regulation, Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, China
| | - Yang Chen
- Key Laboratory of Mountain Surface Processes and Ecological Regulation, Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, China
| | - Hongtao Zhong
- School of Biological Sciences and Institute of Agriculture, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Hans Lambers
- School of Biological Sciences and Institute of Agriculture, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
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27
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Yuan X, Chen Y, Qin W, Xu T, Mao Y, Wang Q, Chen K, Zhu B. Plant and microbial regulations of soil carbon dynamics under warming in two alpine swamp meadow ecosystems on the Tibetan Plateau. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 790:148072. [PMID: 34098273 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.148072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2021] [Revised: 05/19/2021] [Accepted: 05/23/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Increasing temperature plays important roles in affecting plant and soil microbial communities as well as ecological processes and functions in terrestrial ecosystems. However, mechanisms of warming influencing soil carbon dynamics associated with plant-microbe interactions remain unclear. In this study, open-top chambers (OTCs) experiments were carried out to detect the responses of plants, soil microbes, and SOC contents, physical fractions (by particle-size fractionation) and chemical composition (by solid-state 13C NMR spectroscopy) to warming in two alpine swamp meadows (Kobresia humilis vs K. tibetica) on the Tibetan Plateau. Our results showed that four years of warming had significant influences on plant belowground biomass, microbial community and SOC contents in the K. humilis swamp meadow, but had much weaker or minor effects in the K. tibetica swamp meadow with water-logged status and lower level of warming. In the K. humilis swamp meadow, warming increased microbial biomass, C-hydrolysis gene abundance and N-acetylglucosaminidase enzyme activity. These positive effects of warming on microbial biomass and functions further increased soil dissolved inorganic nitrogen and alleviated the nitrogen limitation for plant growth, potentially leading to higher plant biomass. Therefore, increases in SOC and particulate organic carbon (POC) under warming were likely attributed to the higher C input with promoted plant biomass overweighting the simultaneous higher C degradation and release in the K. humilis swamp meadow. Conversely, warming marginally reduced soil alkyl C, which was likely associated with enhanced decomposition by fungi and gram-positive bacteria. Overall, the increases in unprotected POC and decreases in recalcitrant alkyl C demonstrate the sensitivity of SOC physical fractions as well as chemical composition to climate warming in the K. humilis alpine swamp meadow, and suggest that the overall stability of SOC might be lower despite the gain in the content of SOC after climate warming in this alpine swamp meadow.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xia Yuan
- Institute of Ecology, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Key Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes of the Ministry of Education, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Ying Chen
- Institute of Ecology, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Key Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes of the Ministry of Education, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Wenkuan Qin
- Institute of Ecology, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Key Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes of the Ministry of Education, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Tianle Xu
- Institute of Ecology, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Key Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes of the Ministry of Education, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Yahui Mao
- College of Geographic Sciences, Qinghai Normal University, Xining 810008, China
| | - Qi Wang
- College of Geographic Sciences, Qinghai Normal University, Xining 810008, China
| | - Kelong Chen
- College of Geographic Sciences, Qinghai Normal University, Xining 810008, China
| | - Biao Zhu
- Institute of Ecology, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Key Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes of the Ministry of Education, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
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28
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Wang J, Defrenne C, McCormack ML, Yang L, Tian D, Luo Y, Hou E, Yan T, Li Z, Bu W, Chen Y, Niu S. Fine-root functional trait responses to experimental warming: a global meta-analysis. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2021; 230:1856-1867. [PMID: 33586131 DOI: 10.1111/nph.17279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2020] [Accepted: 02/03/2021] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Whether and how warming alters functional traits of absorptive plant roots remains to be answered across the globe. Tackling this question is crucial to better understanding terrestrial responses to climate change as fine-root traits drive many ecosystem processes. We carried out a detailed synthesis of fine-root trait responses to experimental warming by performing a meta-analysis of 964 paired observations from 177 publications. Warming increased fine-root biomass, production, respiration and nitrogen concentration as well as decreased root carbon : nitrogen ratio and nonstructural carbohydrates. Warming effects on fine-root biomass decreased with greater warming magnitude, especially in short-term experiments. Furthermore, the positive effect of warming on fine-root biomass was strongest in deeper soil horizons and in colder and drier regions. Total fine-root length, morphology, mortality, life span and turnover were unresponsive to warming. Our results highlight the significant changes in fine-root traits in response to warming as well as the importance of warming magnitude and duration in understanding fine-root responses. These changes have strong implications for global soil carbon stocks in a warmer world associated with increased root-derived carbon inputs into deeper soil horizons and increases in fine-root respiration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinsong Wang
- Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
- Department of Biological Sciences, Center for Ecosystem Sciences and Society, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, 86001, USA
| | - Camille Defrenne
- Climate Change Science Institute and Environmental Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, 37831, USA
| | - M Luke McCormack
- Center for Tree Science, The Morton Arboretum, 4100 Illinois Rt. 53, Lisle, IL, 60532, USA
| | - Lu Yang
- Research Center of Forest Management Engineering of State Forestry and Grassland Administration, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Dashuan Tian
- Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Yiqi Luo
- Department of Biological Sciences, Center for Ecosystem Sciences and Society, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, 86001, USA
| | - Enqing Hou
- Department of Biological Sciences, Center for Ecosystem Sciences and Society, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, 86001, USA
| | - Tao Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland and Agro-ecosystems, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Zhaolei Li
- National Engineering Laboratory for Efficient Utilization of Soil and Fertilizer Resources, Key Laboratory of Agricultural Environment in Universities of Shandong, College of Resources and Environment, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, 271018, China
| | - Wensheng Bu
- College of Forestry, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, 330045, China
| | - Ye Chen
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, 86011, USA
| | - Shuli Niu
- Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
- College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
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29
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Xu M, Li X, Kuyper TW, Xu M, Li X, Zhang J. High microbial diversity stabilizes the responses of soil organic carbon decomposition to warming in the subsoil on the Tibetan Plateau. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2021; 27:2061-2075. [PMID: 33560552 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Accepted: 02/02/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Soil microbes are directly involved in soil organic carbon (SOC) decomposition, yet the importance of microbial biodiversity in regulating the temperature sensitivity of SOC decomposition remains elusive, particularly in alpine regions where climate change is predicted to strongly affect SOC dynamics and ecosystem stability. Here we collected topsoil and subsoil samples along an elevational gradient on the southeastern Tibetan Plateau to explore the temperature sensitivity (Q10 ) of SOC decomposition in relation to changes in microbial communities. Specifically, we tested whether the decomposition of SOC would be more sensitive to warming when microbial diversity is low. The estimated Q10 value ranged from 1.28 to 1.68, and 1.80 to 2.10 in the topsoil and subsoil, respectively. The highest Q10 value was observed at the lowest altitude of forests in the topsoil, and at the highest altitude of alpine meadow in the subsoil. Variations in Q10 were closely related to changes in microbial properties. In the topsoil the ratio of gram-positive to gram-negative bacteria (G+:G-) was the predominant factor associated with the altitudinal variations in Q10 . In the subsoil, SOC decomposition showed more resilience to warming when the diversity of soil bacteria (both whole community and major groups) and fungi was higher. Our results partly support the positive biodiversity-ecosystem stability hypothesis. Structural equation modeling further indicates that variations in Q10 in the subsoil were directly related to changes in microbial diversity and community composition, which were affected by soil pH. Collectively our results provide compelling evidence that microbial biodiversity plays an important role in stabilizing SOC decomposition in the subsoil of alpine montane ecosystems. Conservation of belowground biodiversity is therefore of great importance in maintaining the stability of ecosystem processes under climate change in high-elevation regions of the Tibetan Plateau.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng Xu
- Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaoliang Li
- Tropical Crops Genetic Resources Institute, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Resources and Germplasm Enhancement in Southern China, Ministry of Agriculture, Danzhou, Hainan, China
| | - Thomas W Kuyper
- Soil Biology Group, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Ming Xu
- Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaolin Li
- Centre for Resources, Environment and Food Security, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, China Agricultural University, Key Laboratory of Plant-Soil Interactions, Ministry of Education, Beijing, China
| | - Junling Zhang
- Centre for Resources, Environment and Food Security, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, China Agricultural University, Key Laboratory of Plant-Soil Interactions, Ministry of Education, Beijing, China
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30
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Briones MJI, Garnett MH, Ineson P. No evidence for increased loss of old carbon in a temperate organic soil after 13 years of simulated climatic warming despite increased CO 2 emissions. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2021; 27:1836-1847. [PMID: 33528070 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2020] [Accepted: 01/05/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Determining the temperature sensitivity of terrestrial carbon (C) stores is an urgent priority for predicting future climate feedbacks. A key aspect to solve this long-standing research gap is to determine whether warmer temperatures will increase autotrophic activities leading to greater C storage or promote heterotrophic activities that will drive these systems to become C sources. We experimentally addressed this critical question by subjecting intact plant-soil systems in a UK upland ecosystem to simulated climate warming under natural field conditions. We report the results of a 13-year field-based climate manipulation experiment combining in situ respiration measurements with radiocarbon (14 C) analyses of respired CO2 , dissolved organic carbon (DOC), soil and the tissue contents of the dominant soil fauna (enchytraeids). We found that warming during the growing season produced the largely expected increases in ecosystem respiration (63%) and leaching of DOC (19%) with no evidence for thermal acclimation or substrate exhaustion over the whole 13-year experimental period. Contrary to expectations, we found no evidence to support an increased release of old soil C after more than a decade of simulated climatic change, and indeed, 14 C analyses indicated that warming caused a significant shift towards mineralisation of more recent plant-derived C inputs. Further support came from the radiocarbon analyses of the enchytraeid tissues, which showed a greater assimilation of the more recent (plant-derived) C sources following warming. Therefore, in contrast to subarctic ecosystems, our results suggest that changes in C storage in this UK upland soil are strongly coupled to plant activities and that increasing temperatures will drive the turnover of organic material fixed only within recent years, without resulting in the loss of existing old carbon stores.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria J I Briones
- Departamento de Ecología y Biología Animal, Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Vigo, Vigo, Spain
- UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster, UK
| | - Mark H Garnett
- National Environmental Isotope Facility, Radiocarbon Laboratory, Glasgow, UK
| | - Phil Ineson
- Department of Biology, University of York, York, UK
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31
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Tian J, Zong N, Hartley IP, He N, Zhang J, Powlson D, Zhou J, Kuzyakov Y, Zhang F, Yu G, Dungait JAJ. Microbial metabolic response to winter warming stabilizes soil carbon. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2021; 27:2011-2028. [PMID: 33528058 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2020] [Accepted: 01/05/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Current consensus on global climate change predicts warming trends with more pronounced temperature changes in winter than summer in the Northern Hemisphere at high latitudes. Moderate increases in soil temperature are generally related to faster rates of soil organic carbon (SOC) decomposition in Northern ecosystems, but there is evidence that SOC stocks have remained remarkably stable or even increased on the Tibetan Plateau under these conditions. This intriguing observation points to altered soil microbial mediation of carbon-cycling feedbacks in this region that might be related to seasonal warming. This study investigated the unexplained SOC stabilization observed on the Tibetan Plateau by quantifying microbial responses to experimental seasonal warming in a typical alpine meadow. Ecosystem respiration was reduced by 17%-38% under winter warming compared with year-round warming or no warming and coincided with decreased abundances of fungi and functional genes that control labile and stable organic carbon decomposition. Compared with year-round warming, winter warming slowed macroaggregate turnover rates by 1.6 times, increased fine intra-aggregate particulate organic matter content by 75%, and increased carbon stabilized in microaggregates within stable macroaggregates by 56%. Larger bacterial "necromass" (amino sugars) concentrations in soil under winter warming coincided with a 12% increase in carboxyl-C. These results indicate the enhanced physical preservation of SOC under winter warming and emphasize the role of soil microorganisms in aggregate life cycles. In summary, the divergent responses of SOC persistence in soils exposed to winter warming compared to year-round warming are explained by the slowing of microbial decomposition but increasing physical protection of microbially derived organic compounds. Consequently, the soil microbial response to winter warming on the Tibetan Plateau may cause negative feedbacks to global climate change and should be considered in Earth system models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Tian
- College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Key Laboratory of Plant-Soil Interactions, Ministry of Education, National Academy of Agriculture Green Development, China Agricultural University, Beijing, PR China
- Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, PR China
| | - Ning Zong
- Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, PR China
| | - Iain P Hartley
- Geography, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Nianpeng He
- Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, PR China
| | - Jinjing Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Soil Resource Sustainable Utilization for Commodity Grain Bases of Jilin Province, College of Resource and Environmental Science, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, China
| | - David Powlson
- Department of Sustainable Agriculture Sciences, Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, UK
| | - Jizhong Zhou
- Institute for Environmental Genomics, Department of Microbiology and Plant Biology and School of Civil Engineering and Environmental Sciences, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, USA
- Earth and Environmental Sciences, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Yakov Kuzyakov
- Department of Soil Science of Temperate Ecosystems, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
- Agro-Technological Institute, RUDN University, Moscow, Russia
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Kazan Federal University, Kazan, Russia
| | - Fusuo Zhang
- College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Key Laboratory of Plant-Soil Interactions, Ministry of Education, National Academy of Agriculture Green Development, China Agricultural University, Beijing, PR China
| | - Guirui Yu
- Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, PR China
| | - Jennifer A J Dungait
- Geography, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
- Carbon Management Centre, SRUC-Scotland's Rural College, Edinburgh, UK
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32
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Zhu E, Cao Z, Jia J, Liu C, Zhang Z, Wang H, Dai G, He JS, Feng X. Inactive and inefficient: Warming and drought effect on microbial carbon processing in alpine grassland at depth. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2021; 27:2241-2253. [PMID: 33528033 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2020] [Revised: 01/22/2021] [Accepted: 01/24/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Subsoils contain >50% of soil organic carbon (SOC) globally yet remain under-investigated in terms of their response to climate changes. Recent evidence suggests that warmer, drier conditions in alpine grasslands induce divergent responses in SOC decomposition and carbon accrual in top- versus subsoils. However, longer term effects on microbial activity (i.e., catabolic respiration vs. anabolic growth) and belowground carbon cycling are not well understood. Here we utilized a field manipulation experiment on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau and conducted a 110-day soil incubation with and without 13 C-labeled grass litter to assess microbes' role as both SOC "decomposers" and "contributors" in the top- (0-10 cm) versus subsoils (30-40 cm) after 5 years of warming and drought treatments. Microbial mineralization of both SOC and added litter was examined in tandem with potential extracellular enzyme activities, while microbial biomass synthesis and necromass accumulation were analyzed using phospholipid fatty acids and amino sugars coupled with 13 C analysis, respectively. We found that warming and, to a lesser extent, drought decreased the ratio of inorganic nitrogen (N) to water-extractable organic carbon in the subsoil, intensifying N limitation at depth. Both SOC and litter mineralization were reduced in the subsoil, which may also be related to N limitation, as evidenced by lower hydrolase activity (especially leucine aminopeptidase) and reduced microbial efficiency (lower biomass synthesis and necromass accumulation relative to respiration). However, none of these effects were observed in the topsoil, suggesting that soil microbes became inactive and inefficient in subsoil but not topsoil environments. Given increasing belowground productivity in this alpine grassland under warming, both elevated root deposits and diminished microbial activity may contribute to new carbon accrual in the subsoil. However, the sustainability of plant growth and persistence of subsoil SOC pools deserve further investigation in the long term, given the aggravated N limitation at depth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erxiong Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zhenjiao Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Juan Jia
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Chengzhu Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zhenhua Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Adaptation and Evolution of Plateau Biota, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining, China
| | - Hao Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-ecosystems, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Guohua Dai
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jin-Sheng He
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-ecosystems, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
- Institute of Ecology, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaojuan Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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33
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Zhu H, Gong L, Ding Z, Li Y. Effects of litter and root manipulations on soil carbon and nitrogen in a Schrenk's spruce (Picea schrenkiana) forest. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0247725. [PMID: 33630965 PMCID: PMC7906406 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0247725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2020] [Accepted: 02/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Plant detritus represents the major source of soil carbon (C) and nitrogen (N), and changes in its quantity can influence below-ground biogeochemical processes in forests. However, we lack a mechanistic understanding of how above- and belowground detrital inputs affect soil C and N in mountain forests in an arid land. Here, we explored the effects of litter and root manipulations (control (CK), doubled litter input (DL), removal of litter (NL), root exclusion (NR), and a combination of litter removal and root exclusion (NI)) on soil C and N concentrations, enzyme activity and microbial biomass during a 2-year field experiment. We found that DL had no significant effect on soil total organic carbon (SOC) and total nitrogen (TN) but significantly increased soil dissolved organic carbon (DOC), microbial biomass C, N and inorganic N as well as soil cellulase, phosphatase and peroxidase activities. Conversely, NL and NR reduced soil C and N concentrations and enzyme activities. We also found an increase in the biomass of soil bacteria, fungi and actinomycetes in the DL treatment, while NL reduced the biomass of gram-positive bacteria, gram-negative bacteria and fungi by 5.15%, 17.50% and 14.17%, respectively. The NR decreased the biomass of these three taxonomic groups by 8.97%, 22.11% and 21.36%, respectively. Correlation analysis showed that soil biotic factors (enzyme activity and microbial biomass) and abiotic factors (soil moisture content) significantly controlled the change in soil C and N concentrations (P < 0.01). In brief, we found that the short-term input of plant detritus could markedly affect the concentrations and biological characteristics of the C and N fractions in soil. The removal experiment indicated that the contribution of roots to soil nutrients is greater than that of the litter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haiqiang Zhu
- College of Resources and Environment Science, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, China
- Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Oasis Ecology, Urumqi, China
| | - Lu Gong
- College of Resources and Environment Science, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, China
- Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Oasis Ecology, Urumqi, China
| | - Zhaolong Ding
- College of Resources and Environment Science, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, China
- Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Oasis Ecology, Urumqi, China
| | - Yuefeng Li
- College of Resources and Environment Science, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, China
- Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Oasis Ecology, Urumqi, China
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34
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Jiang ZY, Hu ZM, Lai DYF, Han DR, Wang M, Liu M, Zhang M, Guo MY. Light grazing facilitates carbon accumulation in subsoil in Chinese grasslands: A meta-analysis. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2020; 26:7186-7197. [PMID: 32870565 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2020] [Accepted: 08/11/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Grazing by livestock greatly affects the soil carbon (C) cycle in grassland ecosystems. However, the effects of grazing at different intensities and durations on the dynamics of soil C in its subsoil layers are not clearly understood. Here, we compiled data from 78 sites (in total 122 published studies) to examine the effects of varying grazing intensities and durations on soil C content at different depths for grasslands in China. Our meta-analysis revealed that grazing led to an overall decrease in soil C content and productivity of above-ground vegetation (e.g., above-ground biomass and litter) but an increase in below-ground biomass. Specifically, the effects of grazing on soil C content became less negative or even positive with increasing soil depths. An increase of soil C content was consequently found under light grazing (LG), although soil C content still decreased under moderate and heavy grazing. The increase in soil C content under LG could be largely attributed to the increase of soil C content in subsoil layers (>20 cm), despite that soil C content in surface soil layer (0-20 cm) decreased. Moreover, the magnitude of increase in soil C content under LG in subsoil layers increased with grazing duration. A possible reason of the increase in soil C content in the subsoil layers was due to the increases in below-ground biomass. Our study highlights that LG may modify the allocation of C input and promote its accumulation in subsoil layers, thus offsetting the negative impact of grazing on surface soil C content, a finding that has significant implications for C sequestration in grasslands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhi-Yun Jiang
- School of Geography, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhong-Min Hu
- School of Geography, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory, Zhuhai, China
| | - Derrick Y F Lai
- Department of Geography and Resource Management, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Centre for Environmental Policy and Resource Management, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Dao-Rui Han
- School of Geography, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Mei Wang
- School of Geography, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Min Liu
- Key Laboratory of Tourism and Resources Environment in Taishan University, Taian, China
| | - Meng Zhang
- Policy Research Center for Environment and Economy, Ministry of Ecology and Environment of the People's Republic of China, Beijing, China
| | - Ming-Yan Guo
- School of Geography, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
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Li H, Yan F, Tuo D, Yao B, Chen J. The effect of climatic and edaphic factors on soil organic carbon turnover in hummocks based on δ 13C on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 741:140141. [PMID: 32615420 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.140141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2020] [Revised: 05/25/2020] [Accepted: 06/10/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Hummocks (thúfur, pounus) are peculiar landforms usually formed by repeated freeze-thaw processes and differential frost heave, and are common in frost soil regions, especially in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. However, little is known about the response of δ13C in soil organic carbon (δ13CSOC) to soil and climate properties in hummocks. The β value indicates the decomposition rate of soil organic carbon (SOC) in soil, and was obtained from the slope of the regression between the log10-transformed SOC concentration and δ13CSOC in soil depth profiles. In this study, we investigated δ13CSOC and SOC contents along a soil profile (0-60 cm), together with edaphic and climatic properties, both in hummocks and control plots (alpine grasslands) on the northeastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Then, the variations in δ13CSOC and β values, and the main factors affecting them, were analyzed. The results show that δ13CSOC increases with soil depth, while SOC decreases both in the hummocks and control plots. However, β values in the hummocks were significantly (P < 0.05) higher than in the control plots while δ13CSOC showed no difference between hummock and control. Redundancy analysis showed that altitude is the main control factor for δ13CSOC and β in the hummocks. Climate type was the main factor affecting δ13CSOC in the control plots, while mean annual precipitation and soil fractal dimension were the main factors controlling β. Overall, climate, rather than soil, is the key factor that affects the carbon turnover rate in the hummock in the northeastern QTP. The findings of this study will expand our understanding of the soil carbon cycle and δ13CSOC changes, especially in the case of hummocks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanzhi Li
- Institute of Desertification Studies, Chinese Academy of Forestry, 100091 Beijing, China
| | - Feng Yan
- Institute of Desertification Studies, Chinese Academy of Forestry, 100091 Beijing, China.
| | - Dengfeng Tuo
- Institute of Desertification Studies, Chinese Academy of Forestry, 100091 Beijing, China
| | - Bin Yao
- Institute of Desertification Studies, Chinese Academy of Forestry, 100091 Beijing, China
| | - Junhan Chen
- Institute of Desertification Studies, Chinese Academy of Forestry, 100091 Beijing, China
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Li F, Peng Y, Chen L, Yang G, Abbott BW, Zhang D, Fang K, Wang G, Wang J, Yu J, Liu L, Zhang Q, Chen K, Mohammat A, Yang Y. Warming alters surface soil organic matter composition despite unchanged carbon stocks in a Tibetan permafrost ecosystem. Funct Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Fei Li
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change Institute of Botany Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
- College of Life Science Taizhou University Taizhou China
| | - Yunfeng Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change Institute of Botany Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
| | - Leiyi Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change Institute of Botany Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
| | - Guibiao Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change Institute of Botany Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
| | - Benjamin W. Abbott
- Department of Plant and Wildlife Sciences Brigham Young University Provo UT USA
| | - Dianye Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change Institute of Botany Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
| | - Kai Fang
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change Institute of Botany Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
| | - Guanqin Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change Institute of Botany Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
| | - Jun Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change Institute of Botany Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
| | - Jianchun Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change Institute of Botany Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
| | - Li Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change Institute of Botany Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
| | - Qiwen Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change Institute of Botany Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
| | - Kelong Chen
- College of Life and Geography Sciences Qinghai Normal University Xining China
| | - Anwar Mohammat
- Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography Chinese Academy of Sciences Urumqi China
| | - Yuanhe Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change Institute of Botany Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
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