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Title: Plant and microbial biomarkers suggest mechanisms of soil organic carbon accumulation in a Mojave Desert ecosystem under elevated CO2

Journal Article · · Soil Biology and Biochemistry
ORCiD logo [1];  [2]; ORCiD logo [3];  [4];  [2]
  1. Washington State Univ., Pullman, WA (United States); Algoma Univ., Sault Ste. Marie, ON (Canada)
  2. Washington State Univ., Pullman, WA (United States)
  3. Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
  4. U.S. Geological Survey, Moab, UT (United States)
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We ireport on how properties of soil organic matter (SOM) were altered after 10 years exposure to elevated atmospheric CO2 concentration ([CO2]) in a Mojave Desert ecosystem, using plant and microbial biomarkers. We focused on roles of Larrea tridentata, the dominant evergreen shrub which form islands of fertility, and biological soil crusts which have extensive cover in plant interspace. Soils to 5 cm in depth were collected under L. tridentata and plant interspace, and biological soil crusts to 0.5 cm in depth under three cover types, Pleuraphis rigida, a C4 grass, shrubs and plant interspace. Soil organic carbon contents were not significantly different between elevated and ambient [CO2]. Yet, significantly higher abundance of n-alkanes, a major constituent of foliage wax material, occurred in the elevated compared to ambient [CO2] plots in the soils collected under L. tridentata, but no such difference was found in the soils at plant interspace or the biological soil crusts. There was no critical difference in abundance of microbial phospholipid fatty acids between the CO2 treatments in the soils of either cover types. However, neutral lipid fatty acid abundance was significantly higher under elevated than ambient [CO2] in the soils under L. tridentata, whereas no such significant difference was observed at plant interspace. These results emphasize important roles of the dominant shrubs in SOM formation under elevated [CO2] in arid ecosystems. Elevated [CO2] stimulated growth of L. tridentata in wet years, and aboveground litter deposition via senescence contributed to SOM formation in islands of fertility. In addition, elevated [CO2] stimulated soil microbial turnover rates in rhizosphere of L. tridentata, which left more soil microbial necromass, a major SOM source. We concluded that responses of dominant shrubs to elevated [CO2] can stimulate SOM formation in arid ecosystems, but biological soil crusts may have limited capacity.

Research Organization:
Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC). Biological and Environmental Research (BER) (SC-23); USDOE
Grant/Contract Number:
89233218CNA000001; FG02-03ER63651
OSTI ID:
1512734
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 1548733
Report Number(s):
LA-UR-17-22346
Journal Information:
Soil Biology and Biochemistry, Vol. 120, Issue C; ISSN 0038-0717
Publisher:
ElsevierCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 18 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

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Cited By (2)

Direct and indirect effects of elevated CO2 and nitrogen addition on soil microbial communities in the rhizosphere of Bothriochloa ischaemum journal May 2019
Elevated CO2 Affects the Soil Organic Carbon Fractions and Their Relation to Soil Microbial Properties in the Rhizosphere of Robinia pseudoacacia L. Seedlings in Cd-Contaminated Soils journal March 2020

Figures / Tables (7)

Table 1(p. 36)table Table 1
Table 2(p. 37)table Table 2
Fig. 1(p. 40)figure Fig. 1
Fig. 2(p. 41)figure Fig. 2
Fig. 3(p. 42)figure Fig. 3
Fig. 4(p. 43)figure Fig. 4
Fig. 5(p. 44)figure Fig. 5

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Related Subjects

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
Biological Science
Free air CO2 enrichment (FACE)
Mojave desert
Larrea tridentata
Biological soil crust
n-Alkanes
Phospholipid fatty acid and neutral lipid fatty acids