Details
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 109871 |
| Journal | Soil Biology and Biochemistry |
| Volume | 209 |
| Early online date | 4 Jun 2025 |
| Publication status | E-pub ahead of print - 4 Jun 2025 |
Abstract
Soil organic carbon (SOC) in terrestrial ecosystems is reliant mainly on plant-derived carbon (C) inputs. Although the contribution of plant straw to soil C accrual within particulate organic matter (POM) and mineral-associated organic matter (MAOM) has been widely investigated, the microbial groups responsible for driving straw decomposition and the allocation of C into POM and MAOM pools remains elusive. The main challenge is the ability to separate the soil fractions without severely disrupting the microbial community. By using ultrasonic energy (kept 80 J mL−1) and size fractionation, this study effectively isolated POM and MAOM with negligible impact on microbial community in two paddy soils (i.e., the Mollisol and Ultisol). The isolated POM and MAOM were subsequently mixed with C4 maize straw and incubated for 87 days to investigate straw decomposition and accumulation using natural 13C abundance and the underlying microbial community difference. This study revealed that: (i) mineralization of straw-derived C was significantly higher in the POM fraction compared to the MAOM fraction, whereas straw-C retention was concomitantly greater in MAOM; (ii) compared to bacteria, fungi contributed more significantly to straw mineralization in POM, likely due to their lower metabolic nutrient requirements and extensive hyphal interactions. In contrast, the interaction between Fe-OC, Ca-OC, and bacteria played a crucial role in facilitating straw-derived C stabilization in MAOM. This study reveals the microbial drivers involved in straw-C transformation within POM and MAOM by a proper separating approach and highlights the microbial mechanisms underpinning the fate of straw C in these two soil components.
Keywords
- Microbial community, Microbial functions, Mineral-associated organic matter (MAOM), Particulate organic matter (POM), Soil organic carbon, Straw mineralization
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Immunology and Microbiology(all)
- Microbiology
- Agricultural and Biological Sciences(all)
- Soil Science
Sustainable Development Goals
Cite this
- Standard
- Harvard
- Apa
- Vancouver
- BibTeX
- RIS
In: Soil Biology and Biochemistry, Vol. 209, 109871, 10.2025.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer review
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Deciphering the microbial players driving straw decomposition and accumulation in soil components of particulate and mineral-associated organic matter
AU - Fu, Yingyi
AU - Xu, Yuqi
AU - Wang, Qiang
AU - Van Zwieten, Lukas
AU - Liang, Chao
AU - Xu, Jianming
AU - Guggenberger, Georg
AU - Luo, Yu
N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2025 Elsevier Ltd
PY - 2025/6/4
Y1 - 2025/6/4
N2 - Soil organic carbon (SOC) in terrestrial ecosystems is reliant mainly on plant-derived carbon (C) inputs. Although the contribution of plant straw to soil C accrual within particulate organic matter (POM) and mineral-associated organic matter (MAOM) has been widely investigated, the microbial groups responsible for driving straw decomposition and the allocation of C into POM and MAOM pools remains elusive. The main challenge is the ability to separate the soil fractions without severely disrupting the microbial community. By using ultrasonic energy (kept 80 J mL−1) and size fractionation, this study effectively isolated POM and MAOM with negligible impact on microbial community in two paddy soils (i.e., the Mollisol and Ultisol). The isolated POM and MAOM were subsequently mixed with C4 maize straw and incubated for 87 days to investigate straw decomposition and accumulation using natural 13C abundance and the underlying microbial community difference. This study revealed that: (i) mineralization of straw-derived C was significantly higher in the POM fraction compared to the MAOM fraction, whereas straw-C retention was concomitantly greater in MAOM; (ii) compared to bacteria, fungi contributed more significantly to straw mineralization in POM, likely due to their lower metabolic nutrient requirements and extensive hyphal interactions. In contrast, the interaction between Fe-OC, Ca-OC, and bacteria played a crucial role in facilitating straw-derived C stabilization in MAOM. This study reveals the microbial drivers involved in straw-C transformation within POM and MAOM by a proper separating approach and highlights the microbial mechanisms underpinning the fate of straw C in these two soil components.
AB - Soil organic carbon (SOC) in terrestrial ecosystems is reliant mainly on plant-derived carbon (C) inputs. Although the contribution of plant straw to soil C accrual within particulate organic matter (POM) and mineral-associated organic matter (MAOM) has been widely investigated, the microbial groups responsible for driving straw decomposition and the allocation of C into POM and MAOM pools remains elusive. The main challenge is the ability to separate the soil fractions without severely disrupting the microbial community. By using ultrasonic energy (kept 80 J mL−1) and size fractionation, this study effectively isolated POM and MAOM with negligible impact on microbial community in two paddy soils (i.e., the Mollisol and Ultisol). The isolated POM and MAOM were subsequently mixed with C4 maize straw and incubated for 87 days to investigate straw decomposition and accumulation using natural 13C abundance and the underlying microbial community difference. This study revealed that: (i) mineralization of straw-derived C was significantly higher in the POM fraction compared to the MAOM fraction, whereas straw-C retention was concomitantly greater in MAOM; (ii) compared to bacteria, fungi contributed more significantly to straw mineralization in POM, likely due to their lower metabolic nutrient requirements and extensive hyphal interactions. In contrast, the interaction between Fe-OC, Ca-OC, and bacteria played a crucial role in facilitating straw-derived C stabilization in MAOM. This study reveals the microbial drivers involved in straw-C transformation within POM and MAOM by a proper separating approach and highlights the microbial mechanisms underpinning the fate of straw C in these two soil components.
KW - Microbial community
KW - Microbial functions
KW - Mineral-associated organic matter (MAOM)
KW - Particulate organic matter (POM)
KW - Soil organic carbon
KW - Straw mineralization
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=105007517153&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.soilbio.2025.109871
DO - 10.1016/j.soilbio.2025.109871
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:105007517153
VL - 209
JO - Soil Biology and Biochemistry
JF - Soil Biology and Biochemistry
SN - 0038-0717
M1 - 109871
ER -