Grazing-induced microbiome alterations drive soil organic carbon turnover and productivity in meadow steppe
Abstract Background Grazing is a major modulator of biodiversity and productivity in grasslands. However, our understanding of grazing-induced changes in below-ground communities, processes, and soil productivity is limited. Here, using a long-term enclosed grazing meadow steppe, we investigated the...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2018-09-01
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| Series: | Microbiome |
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| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40168-018-0544-y |
| _version_ | 1818501665076019200 |
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| author | Weibing Xun Ruirui Yan Yi Ren Dongyan Jin Wu Xiong Guishan Zhang Zhongli Cui Xiaoping Xin Ruifu Zhang |
| author_facet | Weibing Xun Ruirui Yan Yi Ren Dongyan Jin Wu Xiong Guishan Zhang Zhongli Cui Xiaoping Xin Ruifu Zhang |
| author_sort | Weibing Xun |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Grazing is a major modulator of biodiversity and productivity in grasslands. However, our understanding of grazing-induced changes in below-ground communities, processes, and soil productivity is limited. Here, using a long-term enclosed grazing meadow steppe, we investigated the impacts of grazing on the soil organic carbon (SOC) turnover, the microbial community composition, resistance and activity under seasonal changes, and the microbial contributions to soil productivity. Results The results demonstrated that grazing had significant impacts on soil microbial communities and ecosystem functions in meadow steppe. The highest microbial α-diversity was observed under light grazing intensity, while the highest β-diversity was observed under moderate grazing intensity. Grazing shifted the microbial composition from fungi dominated to bacteria dominated and from slow growing to fast growing, thereby resulting in a shift from fungi-dominated food webs primarily utilizing recalcitrant SOC to bacteria-dominated food webs mainly utilizing labile SOC. Moreover, the higher fungal recalcitrant-SOC-decomposing activities and bacterial labile-SOC-decomposing activities were observed in fungi- and bacteria-dominated communities, respectively. Notably, the robustness of bacterial community and the stability of bacterial activity were associated with α-diversity, while this was not the case for the robustness of fungal community and its associated activities. Finally, we observed that microbial α-diversity rather than SOC turnover rate can predict soil productivity. Conclusions Our findings indicate the strong influence of grazing on soil microbial community, SOC turnover, and soil productivity and the important positive role of soil microbial α-diversity in steering the functions of meadow steppe ecosystems. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-10T20:59:24Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-de29d30de50f4cd69966398465f4492e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2049-2618 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-10T20:59:24Z |
| publishDate | 2018-09-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Microbiome |
| spelling | doaj.art-de29d30de50f4cd69966398465f4492e2022-12-22T01:33:51ZengBMCMicrobiome2049-26182018-09-016111310.1186/s40168-018-0544-yGrazing-induced microbiome alterations drive soil organic carbon turnover and productivity in meadow steppeWeibing Xun0Ruirui Yan1Yi Ren2Dongyan Jin3Wu Xiong4Guishan Zhang5Zhongli Cui6Xiaoping Xin7Ruifu Zhang8Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab for Organic Solid Waste Utilization, National Engineering Research Center for Organic-based Fertilizers, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Solid Organic Waste Resource Utilization, Nanjing Agricultural UniversityNational Hulunber Grassland Ecosystem Observation and Research Station, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesJiangsu Provincial Key Lab for Organic Solid Waste Utilization, National Engineering Research Center for Organic-based Fertilizers, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Solid Organic Waste Resource Utilization, Nanjing Agricultural UniversityNational Hulunber Grassland Ecosystem Observation and Research Station, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesJiangsu Provincial Key Lab for Organic Solid Waste Utilization, National Engineering Research Center for Organic-based Fertilizers, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Solid Organic Waste Resource Utilization, Nanjing Agricultural UniversityKey Laboratory of Microbial Resources Collection and Preservation, Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesJiangsu Provincial Key Lab for Organic Solid Waste Utilization, National Engineering Research Center for Organic-based Fertilizers, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Solid Organic Waste Resource Utilization, Nanjing Agricultural UniversityNational Hulunber Grassland Ecosystem Observation and Research Station, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesJiangsu Provincial Key Lab for Organic Solid Waste Utilization, National Engineering Research Center for Organic-based Fertilizers, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Solid Organic Waste Resource Utilization, Nanjing Agricultural UniversityAbstract Background Grazing is a major modulator of biodiversity and productivity in grasslands. However, our understanding of grazing-induced changes in below-ground communities, processes, and soil productivity is limited. Here, using a long-term enclosed grazing meadow steppe, we investigated the impacts of grazing on the soil organic carbon (SOC) turnover, the microbial community composition, resistance and activity under seasonal changes, and the microbial contributions to soil productivity. Results The results demonstrated that grazing had significant impacts on soil microbial communities and ecosystem functions in meadow steppe. The highest microbial α-diversity was observed under light grazing intensity, while the highest β-diversity was observed under moderate grazing intensity. Grazing shifted the microbial composition from fungi dominated to bacteria dominated and from slow growing to fast growing, thereby resulting in a shift from fungi-dominated food webs primarily utilizing recalcitrant SOC to bacteria-dominated food webs mainly utilizing labile SOC. Moreover, the higher fungal recalcitrant-SOC-decomposing activities and bacterial labile-SOC-decomposing activities were observed in fungi- and bacteria-dominated communities, respectively. Notably, the robustness of bacterial community and the stability of bacterial activity were associated with α-diversity, while this was not the case for the robustness of fungal community and its associated activities. Finally, we observed that microbial α-diversity rather than SOC turnover rate can predict soil productivity. Conclusions Our findings indicate the strong influence of grazing on soil microbial community, SOC turnover, and soil productivity and the important positive role of soil microbial α-diversity in steering the functions of meadow steppe ecosystems.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40168-018-0544-yTemperate meadow steppeCattle grazingMicrobial compositionSoil incubationSOC-decomposition enzymatic activitySoil productivity |
| spellingShingle | Weibing Xun Ruirui Yan Yi Ren Dongyan Jin Wu Xiong Guishan Zhang Zhongli Cui Xiaoping Xin Ruifu Zhang Grazing-induced microbiome alterations drive soil organic carbon turnover and productivity in meadow steppe Microbiome Temperate meadow steppe Cattle grazing Microbial composition Soil incubation SOC-decomposition enzymatic activity Soil productivity |
| title | Grazing-induced microbiome alterations drive soil organic carbon turnover and productivity in meadow steppe |
| title_full | Grazing-induced microbiome alterations drive soil organic carbon turnover and productivity in meadow steppe |
| title_fullStr | Grazing-induced microbiome alterations drive soil organic carbon turnover and productivity in meadow steppe |
| title_full_unstemmed | Grazing-induced microbiome alterations drive soil organic carbon turnover and productivity in meadow steppe |
| title_short | Grazing-induced microbiome alterations drive soil organic carbon turnover and productivity in meadow steppe |
| title_sort | grazing induced microbiome alterations drive soil organic carbon turnover and productivity in meadow steppe |
| topic | Temperate meadow steppe Cattle grazing Microbial composition Soil incubation SOC-decomposition enzymatic activity Soil productivity |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40168-018-0544-y |
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