Abiotic and biotic drivers of tree trait effects on soil microbial biomass and soil carbon concentration

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Rémy Beugnon - , German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle—Jena—Leipzig, Leipzig University, University of Montpellier (Author)
  • Wensheng Bu - , Jiangxi Agricultural University (Author)
  • Helge Bruelheide - , Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle—Jena—Leipzig (Author)
  • Andréa Davrinche - , German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle—Jena—Leipzig, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (Author)
  • Jianqing Du - , University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Author)
  • Sylvia Haider - , German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle—Jena—Leipzig, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (Author)
  • Matthias Kunz - , Chair of Biodiversity and Nature Conservation (Author)
  • Goddert von Oheimb - , Chair of Biodiversity and Nature Conservation (Author)
  • Maria Perles-Garcia - , German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle—Jena—Leipzig, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (Author)
  • Mariem Saadani - , German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle—Jena—Leipzig, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (Author)
  • Thomas Scholten - , University of Tübingen (Author)
  • Steffen Seitz - , University of Tübingen (Author)
  • Bala Singavarapu - , German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle—Jena—Leipzig, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (Author)
  • Stefan Trogisch - , German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle—Jena—Leipzig, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (Author)
  • Yanfen Wang - , University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Author)
  • Tesfaye Wubet - , German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle—Jena—Leipzig, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (Author)
  • Kai Xue - , University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Author)
  • Yang Bo - , Jingdezhen University (Author)
  • Simone Cesarz - , Leipzig University, German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle—Jena—Leipzig (Author)

Abstract

Forests are critical ecosystems to understand the global carbon budget, due to their carbon sequestration potential in both above‐ and belowground compartments, especially in species‐rich forests. Soil carbon sequestration is strongly linked to soil microbial communities, and this link is mediated by the tree community, likely due to modifications of micro‐environmental conditions (i.e., biotic conditions, soil properties, and microclimate). We studied soil carbon concentration and the soil microbial biomass of 180 local neighborhoods along a gradient of tree species richness ranging from 1 to 16 tree species per plot in a Chinese subtropical forest experiment (BEF‐China). Tree productivity and different tree functional traits were measured at the neighborhood level. We tested the effects of tree productivity, functional trait identity and dissimilarity on soil carbon concentrations, and their mediation by the soil microbial biomass and micro‐environmental conditions. Our analyses showed a strong positive correlation between soil microbial biomass and soil carbon concentrations. Besides, soil carbon concentration increased with tree productivity and tree root diameter while it decreased with litterfall C:N content. Moreover, tree productivity and tree functional traits (e.g. root fungal association and litterfall C:N ratio) modulated micro‐environmental conditions with substantial consequences for soil microbial biomass. We also showed that soil history and topography should be considered in future experiments and tree plantations, as soil carbon concentrations were higher where historical (i.e., at the beginning of the experiment) carbon concentrations were high, themselves being strongly affected by the topography. Altogether, these results imply that the quantification of the different soil carbon pools is critical for understanding microbial community–soil carbon stock relationships and their dependence on tree diversity and micro‐environmental conditions. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Article numbere1563
Number of pages20
JournalEcological monographs
Volume93
Issue number2
Publication statusPublished - May 2023
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

Scopus 85146767977
ORCID /0000-0001-7408-425X/work/146165278
Mendeley 1f58472e-aff6-319b-9a8d-21e411de617c

Keywords

DFG Classification of Subject Areas according to Review Boards

Subject groups, research areas, subject areas according to Destatis

Keywords

  • BEF-China, biotic conditions, microbial community, microclimate, microenvironment, productivity, root morphology, soil carbon stock, soil quality, subtropical forest, tree diversity, BEF-China, biotic conditions, microbial community, microclimate, microenvironment, productivity, root morphology, soil carbon stock, soil quality, subtropical forest, tree diversity