Soil microbiomes show consistent and predictable responses to extreme events
Increasing extreme climatic events threaten the functioning of terrestrial ecosystems1, 2. Because soil microbes govern key biogeochemical processes, understanding their response to climate extremes is crucial in predicting the consequences for ecosystem functioning3, 4. Here we subjected soils from...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Journal article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Research
2024
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| _version_ | 1824458692880236544 |
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| author | Knight, CG Nicolitch, O Griffiths, RI Goodall, T Jones, B Weser, C Langridge, H Davison, J Dellavalle, A Eisenhauer, N Gongalsky, KB Hector, A Jardine, E Kardol, P Maestre, FT Schädler, M Semchenko, M Stevens, C Tsiafouli, MΑ Vilhelmsson, O Wanek, W de Vries, FT |
| author_facet | Knight, CG Nicolitch, O Griffiths, RI Goodall, T Jones, B Weser, C Langridge, H Davison, J Dellavalle, A Eisenhauer, N Gongalsky, KB Hector, A Jardine, E Kardol, P Maestre, FT Schädler, M Semchenko, M Stevens, C Tsiafouli, MΑ Vilhelmsson, O Wanek, W de Vries, FT |
| author_sort | Knight, CG |
| collection | OXFORD |
| description | Increasing extreme climatic events threaten the functioning of terrestrial ecosystems1, 2. Because soil microbes govern key biogeochemical processes, understanding their response to climate extremes is crucial in predicting the consequences for ecosystem functioning3, 4. Here we subjected soils from 30 grasslands across Europe to four contrasting extreme climatic events under common controlled conditions (drought, flood, freezing and heat), and compared the response of soil microbial communities and their functioning with those of undisturbed soils. Soil microbiomes exhibited a small, but highly consistent and phylogenetically conserved, response under the imposed extreme events. Heat treatment most strongly impacted soil microbiomes, enhancing dormancy and sporulation genes and decreasing metabolic versatility. Microbiome response to heat in particular could be predicted by local climatic conditions and soil properties, with soils that do not normally experience the extreme conditions being imposed being most vulnerable. Our results suggest that soil microbiomes from different climates share unified responses to extreme climatic events, but that predicting the extent of community change may require knowledge of the local microbiome. These findings advance our understanding of soil microbial responses to extreme events, and provide a first step for making general predictions about the impact of extreme climatic events on soil functioning. |
| first_indexed | 2025-02-19T04:29:56Z |
| format | Journal article |
| id | oxford-uuid:6bcf2e79-fd22-4db5-b4fd-4edecec3e2e5 |
| institution | University of Oxford |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2025-02-19T04:29:56Z |
| publishDate | 2024 |
| publisher | Nature Research |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | oxford-uuid:6bcf2e79-fd22-4db5-b4fd-4edecec3e2e52024-12-18T20:12:50ZSoil microbiomes show consistent and predictable responses to extreme eventsJournal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:6bcf2e79-fd22-4db5-b4fd-4edecec3e2e5EnglishJisc Publications RouterNature Research2024Knight, CGNicolitch, OGriffiths, RIGoodall, TJones, BWeser, CLangridge, HDavison, JDellavalle, AEisenhauer, NGongalsky, KBHector, AJardine, EKardol, PMaestre, FTSchädler, MSemchenko, MStevens, CTsiafouli, MΑVilhelmsson, OWanek, Wde Vries, FTIncreasing extreme climatic events threaten the functioning of terrestrial ecosystems1, 2. Because soil microbes govern key biogeochemical processes, understanding their response to climate extremes is crucial in predicting the consequences for ecosystem functioning3, 4. Here we subjected soils from 30 grasslands across Europe to four contrasting extreme climatic events under common controlled conditions (drought, flood, freezing and heat), and compared the response of soil microbial communities and their functioning with those of undisturbed soils. Soil microbiomes exhibited a small, but highly consistent and phylogenetically conserved, response under the imposed extreme events. Heat treatment most strongly impacted soil microbiomes, enhancing dormancy and sporulation genes and decreasing metabolic versatility. Microbiome response to heat in particular could be predicted by local climatic conditions and soil properties, with soils that do not normally experience the extreme conditions being imposed being most vulnerable. Our results suggest that soil microbiomes from different climates share unified responses to extreme climatic events, but that predicting the extent of community change may require knowledge of the local microbiome. These findings advance our understanding of soil microbial responses to extreme events, and provide a first step for making general predictions about the impact of extreme climatic events on soil functioning. |
| spellingShingle | Knight, CG Nicolitch, O Griffiths, RI Goodall, T Jones, B Weser, C Langridge, H Davison, J Dellavalle, A Eisenhauer, N Gongalsky, KB Hector, A Jardine, E Kardol, P Maestre, FT Schädler, M Semchenko, M Stevens, C Tsiafouli, MΑ Vilhelmsson, O Wanek, W de Vries, FT Soil microbiomes show consistent and predictable responses to extreme events |
| title | Soil microbiomes show consistent and predictable responses to extreme events |
| title_full | Soil microbiomes show consistent and predictable responses to extreme events |
| title_fullStr | Soil microbiomes show consistent and predictable responses to extreme events |
| title_full_unstemmed | Soil microbiomes show consistent and predictable responses to extreme events |
| title_short | Soil microbiomes show consistent and predictable responses to extreme events |
| title_sort | soil microbiomes show consistent and predictable responses to extreme events |
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