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Title: Direct evidence for microbial-derived soil organic matter formation and its ecophysiological controls

Abstract

Soil organic matter (SOM) and the carbon and nutrients therein drive fundamental submicron- to global-scale biogeochemical processes and influence carbon-climate feedbacks. Consensus is emerging that microbial materials are an important constituent of stable SOM, and new conceptual and quantitative SOM models are rapidly incorporating this view. However, direct evidence demonstrating that microbial residues account for the chemistry, stability and abundance of SOM is still lacking. Further, emerging models emphasize the stabilization of microbial-derived SOM by abiotic mechanisms, while the effects of microbial physiology on microbial residue production remain unclear. Here we provide the first direct evidence that soil microbes produce chemically diverse, stable SOM. As a result, we show that SOM accumulation is driven by distinct microbial communities more so than clay mineralogy, where microbial-derived SOM accumulation is greatest in soils with higher fungal abundances and more efficient microbial biomass production.

Authors:
 [1];  [2];  [2]
  1. Univ. of New Hampshire, Durham, NH (United States); Colorado State Univ., Fort Collins, CO (United States)
  2. Univ. of New Hampshire, Durham, NH (United States)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Univ. of New Hampshire, Durham, NH (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)
OSTI Identifier:
1363941
Grant/Contract Number:  
FC02-07ER64494
Resource Type:
Journal Article: Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Nature Communications
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 7; Journal ID: ISSN 2041-1723
Publisher:
Nature Publishing Group
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES; 54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES; carbon cycle; microbial ecology

Citation Formats

Kallenbach, Cynthia M., Frey, Serita D., and Grandy, A. Stuart. Direct evidence for microbial-derived soil organic matter formation and its ecophysiological controls. United States: N. p., 2016. Web. doi:10.1038/ncomms13630.
Kallenbach, Cynthia M., Frey, Serita D., & Grandy, A. Stuart. Direct evidence for microbial-derived soil organic matter formation and its ecophysiological controls. United States. https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms13630
Kallenbach, Cynthia M., Frey, Serita D., and Grandy, A. Stuart. 2016. "Direct evidence for microbial-derived soil organic matter formation and its ecophysiological controls". United States. https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms13630. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1363941.
@article{osti_1363941,
title = {Direct evidence for microbial-derived soil organic matter formation and its ecophysiological controls},
author = {Kallenbach, Cynthia M. and Frey, Serita D. and Grandy, A. Stuart},
abstractNote = {Soil organic matter (SOM) and the carbon and nutrients therein drive fundamental submicron- to global-scale biogeochemical processes and influence carbon-climate feedbacks. Consensus is emerging that microbial materials are an important constituent of stable SOM, and new conceptual and quantitative SOM models are rapidly incorporating this view. However, direct evidence demonstrating that microbial residues account for the chemistry, stability and abundance of SOM is still lacking. Further, emerging models emphasize the stabilization of microbial-derived SOM by abiotic mechanisms, while the effects of microbial physiology on microbial residue production remain unclear. Here we provide the first direct evidence that soil microbes produce chemically diverse, stable SOM. As a result, we show that SOM accumulation is driven by distinct microbial communities more so than clay mineralogy, where microbial-derived SOM accumulation is greatest in soils with higher fungal abundances and more efficient microbial biomass production.},
doi = {10.1038/ncomms13630},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1363941}, journal = {Nature Communications},
issn = {2041-1723},
number = ,
volume = 7,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Nov 28 00:00:00 EST 2016},
month = {Mon Nov 28 00:00:00 EST 2016}
}

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