Stability of soil microbial structure and activity depends on microbial diversity

Tardy, Vincent; Mathieu, Olivier; Lévêque, Jean; Terrat, Sébastien; Chabbi, Abad; Lemanceau, Philippe; Ranjard, Lionel; Maron, Pierre‐Alain

doi:10.1111/1758-2229.12126

Cited by 152 publications

(82 citation statements)

References 60 publications

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“…This is consistent with the negative relationship between fungal richness and amended-soil mineralisation. Such negative relationships were unexpected, as previous studies demonstrated positive relationships [6,7,49]. Nevertheless, the negative relationship does not necessarily contradict these studies, which focused on total flux.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 59%

Microbial Diversity Indexes Can Explain Soil Carbon Dynamics as a Function of Carbon Source

et al. 2016

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Mathematical models do not explicitly represent the influence of soil microbial diversity on soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics despite recent evidence of relationships between them. The objective of the present study was to statistically investigate relationships between bacterial and fungal diversity indexes (richness, evenness, Shannon index, inverse Simpson index) and decomposition of different pools of soil organic carbon by measuring dynamics of CO2 emissions under controlled conditions. To this end, 20 soils from two different land uses (cropland and grassland) were incubated with or without incorporation of 13C-labelled wheat-straw residue. 13C-labelling allowed us to study residue mineralisation, basal respiration and the priming effect independently. An innovative data-mining approach was applied, based on generalized additive models and a predictive criterion. Results showed that microbial diversity indexes can be good covariates to integrate in SOC dynamics models, depending on the C source and the processes considered (native soil organic carbon vs. fresh wheat residue). Specifically, microbial diversity indexes were good candidates to help explain mineralisation of native soil organic carbon, while priming effect processes seemed to be explained much more by microbial composition, and no microbial diversity indexes were found associated with residue mineralisation. Investigation of relationships between diversity and mineralisation showed that higher diversity, as measured by the microbial diversity indexes, seemed to be related to decreased CO2 emissions in the control soil. We suggest that this relationship can be explained by an increase in carbon yield assimilation as microbial diversity increases. Thus, the parameter for carbon yield assimilation in mathematical models could be calculated as a function of microbial diversity indexes. Nonetheless, given limitations of the methods used, these observations should be considered with caution and confirmed with more experimental studies. Overall, along with other studies on relationships between microbial community composition and SOM dynamics, this study suggests that overall measures of microbial diversity may constitute relevant ways to include microbial diversity in models of SOM dynamics.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 59%

Microbial Diversity Indexes Can Explain Soil Carbon Dynamics as a Function of Carbon Source

et al. 2016

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“…This property might help to maintain the stability of soil microbial activity28 and to sustain the SOC and TN in alpine grassland soils. Based on these observations, we reject our first hypothesis that soil biochemistry (including soil nutrients and microbiological activities) in alpine grasslands would be altered by climate change and yak overgrazing over a short time period.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Soil bacterial and fungal diversity differently correlated with soil biochemistry in alpine grassland ecosystems in response to environmental changes

Zhang

Dong

Gao

et al. 2017

Sci Rep

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To understand effects of soil microbes on soil biochemistry in alpine grassland ecosystems under environmental changes, we explored relationships between soil microbial diversity and soil total nitrogen, organic carbon, available nitrogen and phosphorus, soil microbial biomass and soil enzyme activities in alpine meadow, alpine steppe and cultivated grassland on the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau under three-year warming, enhanced precipitation and yak overgrazing. Soil total nitrogen, organic carbon and NH4-N were little affected by overgrazing, warming or enhanced precipitation in three types of alpine grasslands. Soil microbial biomass carbon and phosphorus along with the sucrase and phosphatase activities were generally stable under different treatments. Soil NO3-N, available phosphorus, urease activity and microbial biomass nitrogen were increased by overgrazing in the cultivated grassland. Soil bacterial diversity was positively correlated with, while soil fungal diversity negatively with soil microbial biomass and enzyme activities. Soil bacterial diversity was negatively correlated with, while soil fungal diversity positively with soil available nutrients. Our findings indicated soil bacteria and fungi played different roles in affecting soil nutrients and microbiological activities that might provide an important implication to understand why soil biochemistry was generally stable under environmental changes in alpine grassland ecosystems.

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“…For example, a recent paper (78) created a microbial diversity gradient using a dilution series and found that increased diversity enhanced community structural (i.e., composition) stability when exposed to heat stress and mercury pollution. Diversity also conferred functional (soil respiration) stability toward heat stress, but not mercury pollution, suggesting that the effect of diversity may be stress type dependent (78). Similarly, another study investigated the effect of benzene and mercury pollution on microbial community stability and functioning but using soils that naturally differed in bacterial diversity (79).…”

Section: Soil Biodiversity Resistance and Resiliencementioning

confidence: 99%

Soil Biodiversity and the Environment

Nielsen

Wall

Six

2015

Annu. Rev. Environ. Resour.

234

119

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Soils represent a significant reservoir of biological diversity that underpins a broad range of key processes and moderate ecosystem service provision. Our understanding of the role that soil organisms play in ecosystems is still developing, but the increased investigation into biodiversity-ecosystem functioning relationships in soils over the past couple of decades has provided insights that have greatly enhanced our ability to sustainably manage soil biodiversity. In this review, we synthesize emerging knowledge of soil biodiversity as a natural resource that supports the functioning of terrestrial ecosystems and their delivery of ecosystem services. We explore how environmental changes alter soil biodiversity and how this in turn can affect ecosystem processes as well as resistance and resilience to environmental changes. We then discuss ways to include soil biodiversity in management strategies for sustainable production and biodiversity conservation. We conclude by highlighting key research challenges to further improve our knowledge of soil biodiversity and its management. 4.1

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Stability of soil microbial structure and activity depends on microbial diversity

Cited by 152 publications

References 60 publications

Microbial Diversity Indexes Can Explain Soil Carbon Dynamics as a Function of Carbon Source

Microbial Diversity Indexes Can Explain Soil Carbon Dynamics as a Function of Carbon Source

Soil bacterial and fungal diversity differently correlated with soil biochemistry in alpine grassland ecosystems in response to environmental changes

Soil Biodiversity and the Environment

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