Differential effects of conifer and broadleaf litter inputs on soil organic carbon chemical composition through altered soil microbial community composition

A strategic selection of tree species will shift the type and quality of litter input, and subsequently magnitude and composition of the soil organic carbon (SOC) through soil microbial community. We conducted a manipulative experiment in randomized block design with leaf litter inputs of four nativ...

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Published in:Scientific reports 2016-06, Vol.6 (1), p.27097-27097, Article 27097
Main Authors: Wang, Hui, Liu, Shi-Rong, Wang, Jing-Xin, Shi, Zuo-Min, Xu, Jia, Hong, Pi-Zheng, Ming, An-Gang, Yu, Hao-Long, Chen, Lin, Lu, Li-Hua, Cai, Dao-Xiong
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Bacteria - classification
Bacteria - isolation & purification
Bacteria - metabolism
Biomass
Carbon - analysis
China
Composting
Ecosystem
Fagaceae - chemistry
Fagaceae - physiology
Fatty Acids - analysis
Forests
Fungi - classification
Fungi - isolation & purification
Fungi - metabolism
Nitrogen - analysis
Pinus - chemistry
Pinus - physiology
Plant Leaves - chemistry
Soil - chemistry
Soil Microbiology
Trees
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Summary:A strategic selection of tree species will shift the type and quality of litter input, and subsequently magnitude and composition of the soil organic carbon (SOC) through soil microbial community. We conducted a manipulative experiment in randomized block design with leaf litter inputs of four native subtropical tree species in a Pinus massoniana plantation in southern China and found that the chemical composition of SOC did not differ significantly among treatments until after 28 months of the experiment. Contrasting leaf litter inputs had significant impacts on the amounts of total microbial, Gram-positive bacterial, and actinomycic PLFAs, but not on the amounts of total bacterial, Gram-negative bacterial, and fungal PLFAs. There were significant differences in alkyl/O-alkyl C in soils among the leaf litter input treatments, but no apparent differences in the proportions of chemical compositions (alkyl, O-alkyl, aromatic, and carbonyl C) in SOC. Soil alkyl/O-alkyl C was significantly related to the amounts of total microbial, and Gram-positive bacterial PLFAs, but not to the chemical compositions of leaf litter. Our findings suggest that changes in forest leaf litter inputs could result in changes in chemical stability of SOC through the altered microbial community composition.
ISSN:2045-2322
2045-2322
DOI:10.1038/srep27097