Microbial and Environmental Processes Shape the Link between Organic Matter Functional Traits and Composition

Hu, Ang; Jang, Kyoung-Soon; Meng, Fanfan; Stegen, James; Tanentzap, Andrew J.; Choi, Mira; Lennon, Jay T.; Soininen, Janne; Wang, Jianjun

doi:10.1021/acs.est.2c01432

Microbial and Environmental Processes Shape the Link between Organic Matter Functional Traits and Composition

Journal Article · Thu Jun 23 00:00:00 EDT 2022 · Environmental Science and Technology

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.2c01432· OSTI ID:1995229

Hu, Ang ^[1]; Jang, Kyoung-Soon ^[2]; Meng, Fanfan ^[3]; Stegen, James ^[4]; ^[5]; Choi, Mira ^[2]; Lennon, Jay T. ^[6]; Soininen, Janne ^[7]; ^[3]

Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha (China); Chinese Academic of Sciences, Nanjing (China)
Korea Basic Science Institute, Cheongju (South Korea)
Chinese Academic of Sciences, Nanjing (China); University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing (China)
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
University of Cambridge (United Kingdom)
Indiana University, Bloomington, IN (United States)
University of Helsinki (Finland)

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) is a large and complex mixture of molecules that fuels biogeochemical reaction in virtually all ecosystems on Earth. However, the relative importance of deterministic and stochastic processes in structuring DOM composition remains poorly characterized. Here we develop a framework for partitioning molecular composition based on key molecular traits, including lability vs. recalcitrance and activity vs. inactivity. Within this framework, we examine the ecological processes governing the assembly of DOM fractions by deploying aquatic microcosms on mountainsides that span gradients of temperature and nutrient loading in subtropical and subarctic ecosystems. Across study regions, deterministic and stochastic processes primarily structure active and inactive fractions, respectively. However, recalcitrant molecules are more deterministically assembled than labile molecules in the inactive fraction. Deterministic processes leading to variable selection generally exhibit more variation across the energy supply gradient for inactive fractions, and their importance increases with energy supply for recalcitrant molecules in both active and inactive fractions. Together, our results indicate that active and inactive fractions of DOM assemblages are structured by contrasting ecological processes, and their recalcitrant components are sensitive to global change. In conclusion, our framework opens new avenues to understand the assembly and turnover of DOM in a changing world, which can be used to predict carbon cycling at local to global scales.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA); National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC); National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF); National Science Foundation (NSF); US Army Research Office (ARO); USDOE

Grant/Contract Number:: AC05-76RL01830

OSTI ID:: 1995229

Report Number(s):: PNNL-SA-167686

Journal Information:: Environmental Science and Technology, Journal Name: Environmental Science and Technology Journal Issue: 14 Vol. 56; ISSN 0013-936X

Publisher:: American Chemical Society (ACS)Copyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
assembly processes
dissolved organic matter
global change
microbes
molecular activity
molecular reactivity

Microbial and Environmental Processes Shape the Link between Organic Matter Functional Traits and Composition

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