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Soil-Litter Mixing Mediates Drivers of Dryland Decomposition along a Continuum of Biotic and Abiotic Factors

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Abstract

Litter decomposition is a key ecosystem process that determines rates of carbon and nutrient cycling. Photodegradation and soil-litter mixing have emerged as important drivers of dryland litter decomposition, but how these processes interact with decomposing microorganisms has received less attention. In this study, we examined the effects of ultraviolet-B radiation (UV-B; 280–315 nm) and soil-litter mixing on the decomposition of litter and its associated microbial community in an arid shrubland. We performed a full factorial litter decomposition experiment using leaf litter from a dominant shrub (Prosopis velutina) and a dominant grass (Eragrostis lehmanniana) that were exposed to solar radiation with near-ambient or attenuated UV-B, and were either soil-free or soil-covered; we then quantified litter decomposition and microbial community composition over a 12 month period. In general, shrub litter decomposed more rapidly than grass litter regardless of soil coverage, likely due to its lower C:N. Attenuation of UV-B had modest effects on decomposition but UV-B exposure did increase fungal biomass, perhaps reflecting facilitative aspects of photodegradation. Both bacteria and fungi emerged as important regulators of decomposition, and microbial decomposition was indirectly mediated by litter C:N, soil coverage, and UV-B effects on the microbial community. Bacterial colonization was inhibited in soil-free treatments, but was facilitated when litter was soil-covered. These findings suggest that UV-B may play an important role in facilitating fungal decomposition of litter, while soil-litter mixing is fundamental for promoting bacterial decomposition of litter.

Highlights

  • Soil-litter mixing enhanced bacterial colonization of litter.

  • Fungi are present on dryland litter regardless of soil and UV-B conditions.

  • Soil-litter mixing initially accelerated litter decomposition but subsequently reduced it.

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Acknowledgments

This collaborative research was supported in part by NSF Ecosystems grants DEB 0816162, DEB 0815808, DEB 0815897, and DEB 081446, by Arizona Agricultural Experimentation Project ARZT-1360540-H12-199. This work is supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture Hatch Program under KY006045. SM was supported on a United States Department of Agriculture Postdoctoral Fellowship NIFA 1023307. Laboratory and field assistance was provided by M. Tobler (Loyola University), M. del Refugio Bravo-Garza, M. Ferman and S. Riley (University of Arizona), and Jihan Ahmed and A. Elizabeth Carlisle (University of Kentucky). S. Husman and his staff at the Tucson Area Agriculture Centers provided critical logistical support. Jay Ripley of Steelheart Tattoo for graphic design of Figure 1.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA

    Steven G. McBride, Jim A. Nelson & Rebecca L. McCulley

  2. Biology Department, Radford University, Radford, Virginia, USA

    Steven G. McBride

  3. School of Natural Resources and the Environment, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA

    Eva M. Levi, Steven R. Archer & Katie Predick

  4. Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA

    Eva M. Levi

  5. Department of Biological Sciences and Environment Program, Loyola University, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

    Paul W. Barnes

  6. School of Earth and Space Exploration, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA

    Heather L. Throop

  7. School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA

    Heather L. Throop

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  1. Steven G. McBride
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Correspondence to Steven G. McBride.

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Author Contributions: SGM performed all data analysis and wrote the manuscript. EL performed the experiment, collected data, and contributed to writing the manuscript. JN and KP performed laboratory assays, collected data, and contributed to writing the manuscript. SA, PB, HT, and RM developed research questions and approach, oversaw research, and contributed to writing the manuscript.

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McBride, S.G., Levi, E.M., Nelson, J.A. et al. Soil-Litter Mixing Mediates Drivers of Dryland Decomposition along a Continuum of Biotic and Abiotic Factors. Ecosystems 26, 1349–1366 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10021-023-00837-1

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