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Bacterial necromass determines the response of mineral-associated organic matter to elevated CO2

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Abstract

Microorganisms regulate soil organic matter (SOM) formation through accumulation and decomposition of microbial necromass, which is directly and indirectly affected by elevated CO2 and N fertilization. We investigated the role of microorganisms in SOM formation by analyzing 13C recovery in microorganisms and carbon pools in paddy soil under two CO2 levels, with and without N fertilization, after continuous 13CO2 labelling was stopped. Microbial turnover transferred 13C from living microbial biomass (determined by the decrease in phospholipid fatty acids) to necromass (determined by the increase in amino sugars). 13C incorporation in fungal living biomass and necromass was higher than that in bacteria. Bacterial turnover was faster than necromass decomposition, resulting in net necromass accumulation over time; fungal necromass remained stable. Elevated CO2 and N fertilization increased the net accumulation of bacterial, but not fungal, necromass. CO2 levels, but not N fertilization, significantly affected 13C incorporation in SOM pools. Elevated CO2 increased 13C in particulate organic matter via the roots, and in the mineral-associated organic matter (MAOM) via bacterial, but not fungal, necromass. Overall, bacterial necromass plays a dominant role in the MAOM formation response to elevated CO2 because bacteria are sensitive to elevated CO2.

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Acknowledgements

This study was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (42141006; 42177330; 42377283; 42007097), Natural Science Foundation of Hunan Province (2020JJ4655; 2020JJ3064), the Outstanding Youth Foundation of Hunan Province (2020JJ3064), a project supported by Scientific Research Fundation of Hunan Provincial Education Department (22B0264), Seagull talent of Yongjiang Talent for Yakov Kuzyakov and K. C. Wong Magna Fund of the Ningbo University.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Soil and Water Conservation and Desertification Combating of Hunan Province, College of Forestry, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, 410004, China

    Yuhong Li

  2. Key Laboratory of Cultivation and Protection for Non-Wood Forest Trees, Ministry of Education, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, 410004, China

    Yuhong Li & Jun Yuan

  3. State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, Institute of Plant Virology, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, China

    Mouliang Xiao, Liang Wei, Qiong Liu, Zhenke Zhu, Yakov Kuzyakov & Tida Ge

  4. Changsha Research Station for Agricultural and Environmental Monitoring & Key Laboratory of Agro-Ecological Processes in Subtropical Region, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changsha, 410125, China

    Hongzhao Yuan, Jinshui Wu & Tida Ge

  5. Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, 410004, China

    Xiaohong Wu

  6. Department of Soil Science of Temperate Ecosystems, Department of Agricultural Soil Science, University of Gottingen, 37077, Gottingen, Germany

    Yakov Kuzyakov

  7. Agro-Technology Institute, Peoples Friendship University of Russia, 117198, Moscow, Russia

    Yakov Kuzyakov

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  1. Yuhong Li
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  10. Yakov Kuzyakov
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Li, Y., Xiao, M., Wei, L. et al. Bacterial necromass determines the response of mineral-associated organic matter to elevated CO2. Biol Fertil Soils 60, 327–340 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00374-024-01803-2

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