Details
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 1684321 |
| Pages (from-to) | 1684321 |
| Journal | Frontiers in Plant Science |
| Volume | 16 |
| Publication status | Published - 3 Nov 2025 |
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Climate change is predicted to intensify droughts in tropical regions. However, the extent to which drought intensification and the subsequent changes in root exudate (RE) composition reshape soil prokaryotic communities (SPC) remains poorly understood.
METHODS: We conducted a 69-day incubation to determine the effects of repeated exposure to severe drought and RE application on the SPC activity and structure in soils under old-growth forests and pastures from southwestern Amazonia. At the beginning of each cycle, microcosms received either artificial RE solution or sterile water; following drying, microcosms were either kept at 30% water holding capacity (WHC) for 18 days, representing the regional WHC in the dry season, or at 5% WHC, simulating severe drought.
RESULTS: Drought intensity and RE availability were the primary drivers of changes in SPC composition and activity. The lowest prokaryotic diversity values were observed in the severe drought treatment with +RE addition for both land-uses. After wetting, +RE microcosms showed higher SPC activity due to the utilization of the supplemented REs. Carbon availability interacted with land-use specific characteristics and partially buffered drought effects on SPC composition in pastures. The SPCs from both land-uses were well-adapted to regional drought conditions. However, repeated severe drought caused significant community shifts towards dominance of a few drought-resistant families.
DISCUSSION: Intensifying droughts can reduce prokaryotic diversity and reassemble tropical soil communities toward drought-tolerant taxa, with RE inputs amplifying pos-wetting activity yet exacerbating diversity losses under severe stress. Such changes may compromise ecosystem stability and soil functions under future precipitation regimes.
Keywords
- Drying-rewetting, land use, root exudates, soil prokaryotic community, soil respiration
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Agricultural and Biological Sciences(all)
- Plant Science
Sustainable Development Goals
Cite this
- Standard
- Harvard
- Apa
- Vancouver
- BibTeX
- RIS
In: Frontiers in Plant Science, Vol. 16, 1684321, 03.11.2025, p. 1684321.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer review
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Adaptation and resistance of soil prokaryotic communities to drought intensification in old-growth forests and pastures of southwestern Amazonia
AU - Díaz García, Elisa
AU - Boy, Diana
AU - Kilian Salas, Simone
AU - Andrino, Alberto
AU - Sauheitl, Leopold
AU - Poehlein, Anja
AU - Guggenberger, Georg
AU - Horn, Marcus A
AU - Boy, Jens
N1 - Copyright © 2025 Díaz García, Boy, Kilian Salas, Andrino, Sauheitl, Poehlein, Guggenberger, Horn and Boy.
PY - 2025/11/3
Y1 - 2025/11/3
N2 - INTRODUCTION: Climate change is predicted to intensify droughts in tropical regions. However, the extent to which drought intensification and the subsequent changes in root exudate (RE) composition reshape soil prokaryotic communities (SPC) remains poorly understood.METHODS: We conducted a 69-day incubation to determine the effects of repeated exposure to severe drought and RE application on the SPC activity and structure in soils under old-growth forests and pastures from southwestern Amazonia. At the beginning of each cycle, microcosms received either artificial RE solution or sterile water; following drying, microcosms were either kept at 30% water holding capacity (WHC) for 18 days, representing the regional WHC in the dry season, or at 5% WHC, simulating severe drought.RESULTS: Drought intensity and RE availability were the primary drivers of changes in SPC composition and activity. The lowest prokaryotic diversity values were observed in the severe drought treatment with +RE addition for both land-uses. After wetting, +RE microcosms showed higher SPC activity due to the utilization of the supplemented REs. Carbon availability interacted with land-use specific characteristics and partially buffered drought effects on SPC composition in pastures. The SPCs from both land-uses were well-adapted to regional drought conditions. However, repeated severe drought caused significant community shifts towards dominance of a few drought-resistant families.DISCUSSION: Intensifying droughts can reduce prokaryotic diversity and reassemble tropical soil communities toward drought-tolerant taxa, with RE inputs amplifying pos-wetting activity yet exacerbating diversity losses under severe stress. Such changes may compromise ecosystem stability and soil functions under future precipitation regimes.
AB - INTRODUCTION: Climate change is predicted to intensify droughts in tropical regions. However, the extent to which drought intensification and the subsequent changes in root exudate (RE) composition reshape soil prokaryotic communities (SPC) remains poorly understood.METHODS: We conducted a 69-day incubation to determine the effects of repeated exposure to severe drought and RE application on the SPC activity and structure in soils under old-growth forests and pastures from southwestern Amazonia. At the beginning of each cycle, microcosms received either artificial RE solution or sterile water; following drying, microcosms were either kept at 30% water holding capacity (WHC) for 18 days, representing the regional WHC in the dry season, or at 5% WHC, simulating severe drought.RESULTS: Drought intensity and RE availability were the primary drivers of changes in SPC composition and activity. The lowest prokaryotic diversity values were observed in the severe drought treatment with +RE addition for both land-uses. After wetting, +RE microcosms showed higher SPC activity due to the utilization of the supplemented REs. Carbon availability interacted with land-use specific characteristics and partially buffered drought effects on SPC composition in pastures. The SPCs from both land-uses were well-adapted to regional drought conditions. However, repeated severe drought caused significant community shifts towards dominance of a few drought-resistant families.DISCUSSION: Intensifying droughts can reduce prokaryotic diversity and reassemble tropical soil communities toward drought-tolerant taxa, with RE inputs amplifying pos-wetting activity yet exacerbating diversity losses under severe stress. Such changes may compromise ecosystem stability and soil functions under future precipitation regimes.
KW - Drying-rewetting
KW - land use
KW - root exudates
KW - soil prokaryotic community
KW - soil respiration
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=105022261915&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3389/fpls.2025.1684321
DO - 10.3389/fpls.2025.1684321
M3 - Article
C2 - 41255890
VL - 16
SP - 1684321
JO - Frontiers in Plant Science
JF - Frontiers in Plant Science
SN - 1664-462X
M1 - 1684321
ER -