Patterns and determinants of soil microbial residues from tropical to boreal forests. (December 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Chen, Guoping; Ma, Suhui; Tian, Di; Xiao, Wen; Jiang, Lai; Xing, Aijun; Zou, Anlong; Zhou, Luhong; Shen, Haihua; Zheng, Chengyang; Ji, Chengjun; He, Hongbo; Zhu, Biao; Liu, Lingli; Fang, Jingyun
• Is Part Of: Soil biology and biochemistry. Volume 151(2020)
• Publication Date: 2020-12
• Subjects: Amino sugars -- Microbial necromass -- Soil organic carbon -- Forests -- Temperature -- Soil nitrogen; Soil biochemistry -- Periodicals; Soil biology -- Periodicals; Sols -- Biochimie -- Périodiques; Sols -- Biologie -- Périodiques; Sols -- Microbiologie -- Périodiques; Bodembiologie; Biochemie; 631.46
• DOI: 10.1016/j.soilbio.2020.108059
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0038-0717

Abstract

Abstract: Soil carbon (C) stabilization has become an important topic in recent years in the context of global climate change. Increasing evidence suggests that microbial residues represent a significant fraction of persistent soil C pools. However, patterns and determinants of soil microbial residues across different biomes remain poorly understood. Here, by combining field investigations from tropical to boreal forests in eastern China with a meta-analysis across global forest biomes, we assessed how biotic and abiotic factors governed the geographic pattern of soil microbial residues indicated by amino sugars. We found that microbial residue concentrations in soils increased significantly from tropical to boreal forests in China and across the globe, which was mainly driven by temperature and soil nitrogen (N). Compared with bacterial residues, fungal residues preferentially accumulated at high latitudes. However, a significant negative relationship existed between soil C/N ratio and total residue-C/SOC in all examined forest soils, indicating a greater contribution of microbial residue-C to SOC in tropical forests than in boreal forests. These findings demonstrate that climate and soil play an important role in microbial-mediated soil C stabilization from boreal to tropical forests. Highlights: Microbial residue concentrations increased significantly from tropical to boreal forests soils. Pattern of microbial residues was mainly driven by temperature and soil N. Fungal residues preferentially accumulated in high latitude relative to bacterial residues. Contribution of microbial residues to SOC decreased from tropical to boreal forests.