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Title: Differential responses of carbon‐degrading enzyme activities to warming: Implications for soil respiration

Journal Article · · Global Change Biology
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.14394· OSTI ID:1462774
ORCiD logo [1];  [2]; ORCiD logo [3];  [4];  [3]; ORCiD logo [5]; ORCiD logo [6]; ORCiD logo [7]; ORCiD logo [8];  [9];  [10];  [11]; ORCiD logo [12]
  1. Center for Ecological and Environmental Sciences Key Laboratory for Space Bioscience and Biotechnology Northwestern Polytechnical University Xi'an China, State Key Laboratory of Loess and Quaternary Geology (SKLLQG), and Key Laboratory of Aerosol Chemistry and Physics Institute of Earth Environment Chinese Academy of Sciences Xi'an China, Aarhus University Centre for Circular Bioeconomy Department of Agroecology Aarhus University Tjele Denmark
  2. Center for Ecosystem Science and Society Department of Biological Sciences Northern Arizona University Flagstaff Arizona, Department for Earth System Science Tsinghua University Beijing China
  3. Departamento de Biología y Geología Física y Química Inorgánica y Analítica Área de Biodiversidad y Conservación Universidad Rey Juan Carlos Móstoles Spain
  4. State Key Laboratory of Loess and Quaternary Geology (SKLLQG), and Key Laboratory of Aerosol Chemistry and Physics Institute of Earth Environment Chinese Academy of Sciences Xi'an China, Institute of Global Environmental Change Xi'an Jiaotong University Xi'an China
  5. Center for Global Change and Ecological Forecasting Tiantong National Field Observation Station for Forest Ecosystem School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences East China Normal University Shanghai China, Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security Shanghai China
  6. Department of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences Tennessee State University Nashville Tennessee
  7. Center for Global Change and Ecological Forecasting Tiantong National Field Observation Station for Forest Ecosystem School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences East China Normal University Shanghai China
  8. Synthesis Research Center of Chinese Ecosystem Research Network Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
  9. College of Engineering Mathematics and Physical Sciences University of Exeter Exeter UK
  10. Department of Emergency Medicine University of Colorado Denver Denver Colorado
  11. Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences Xi'an Jiaotong University Xi'an China
  12. Geography College of Life and Environmental Sciences University of Exeter Exeter UK

Abstract Extracellular enzymes catalyze rate‐limiting steps in soil organic matter decomposition, and their activities (EEAs) play a key role in determining soil respiration (SR). Both EEAs and SR are highly sensitive to temperature, but their responses to climate warming remain poorly understood. Here, we present a meta‐analysis on the response of soil cellulase and ligninase activities and SR to warming, synthesizing data from 56 studies. We found that warming significantly enhanced ligninase activity by 21.4% but had no effect on cellulase activity. Increases in ligninase activity were positively correlated with changes in SR, while no such relationship was found for cellulase. The warming response of ligninase activity was more closely related to the responses of SR than a wide range of environmental and experimental methodological factors. Furthermore, warming effects on ligninase activity increased with experiment duration. These results suggest that soil microorganisms sustain long‐term increases in SR with warming by gradually increasing the degradation of the recalcitrant carbon pool.

Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
Grant/Contract Number:
DE‐SC00114085
OSTI ID:
1462774
Journal Information:
Global Change Biology, Journal Name: Global Change Biology Vol. 24 Journal Issue: 10; ISSN 1354-1013
Publisher:
Wiley-BlackwellCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United Kingdom
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 89 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

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