Details
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 106549 |
| Journal | Soil and Tillage Research |
| Volume | 251 |
| Early online date | 26 Mar 2025 |
| Publication status | Published - Sept 2025 |
Abstract
Straw-related carbon (C) dynamics are central for soil organic C (SOC) accrual in soils. However, the underlying microbial groups driving straw decomposition and accumulation in particulate organic matter (POM) and mineral-associated organic matter (MAOM) remain elusive. This study effectively isolated POM and MAOM by using ultrasonic energy (kept below 80 J mL−1) and size-density fractionation that minimally impacts microbial activity and community. We further conducted an 87-day incubation to examine the transformation of added C4 straw and the involved bacterial mechanisms in POM and MAOM. Here, we showed that: i) SOC turnover was faster in MAOM compared to POM, as MAOM stabilized more straw C, likely through strong organic-mineral interactions, while exhibiting significantly higher SOC mineralization than POM over the incubation period; and ii) MAOM, versus POM, exhibited difference of bacterial community and metabolisms during incubation. For instance, microorganisms within MAOM were enriched with genes involved in i) decomposing easily utilized C sources (e.g., sugars, pectin) and ii) the pathways of microbial biomass synthesis. This led to faster SOC turnover via larger native SOC decomposition (possibly through co-metabolism mechanisms) and higher new SOC formation (possibly through biomass-necromass accumulation). Conversely, POM enriched with K-strategists and genes encoding enzymes decomposing recalcitrant C sources (e.g., cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin), possibly via nitrogen mining as nutrients were exhausted in the later stage. This study firstly reveals the bacterial drivers involved in straw-C transformation within POM and MAOM by proper separating approach and highlights the different bacterial community and their metabolisms underpinning added straw decomposition and consequent C accrual in POM and MAOM.
Keywords
- Bacterial community, Microbial metabolisms, Mineral-associated organic matter, Particulate organic matter, Sonication, Straw turnover
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Agricultural and Biological Sciences(all)
- Agronomy and Crop Science
- Agricultural and Biological Sciences(all)
- Soil Science
- Earth and Planetary Sciences(all)
- Earth-Surface Processes
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In: Soil and Tillage Research, Vol. 251, 106549, 09.2025.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer review
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Faster soil organic carbon turnover in MAOM versus POM
T2 - straw input causes larger microbial driven soil organic carbon decomposition but higher straw accumulation in MAOM
AU - Yu, Xiongsheng
AU - Wang, Lili
AU - Wang, Qiang
AU - Zhou, Guoyan
AU - Sun, Han
AU - Guggenberger, Georg
AU - Li, Yongfu
AU - Yakov, Kuzyakov
AU - Luo, Yu
AU - Fu, Yingyi
N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2025
PY - 2025/9
Y1 - 2025/9
N2 - Straw-related carbon (C) dynamics are central for soil organic C (SOC) accrual in soils. However, the underlying microbial groups driving straw decomposition and accumulation in particulate organic matter (POM) and mineral-associated organic matter (MAOM) remain elusive. This study effectively isolated POM and MAOM by using ultrasonic energy (kept below 80 J mL−1) and size-density fractionation that minimally impacts microbial activity and community. We further conducted an 87-day incubation to examine the transformation of added C4 straw and the involved bacterial mechanisms in POM and MAOM. Here, we showed that: i) SOC turnover was faster in MAOM compared to POM, as MAOM stabilized more straw C, likely through strong organic-mineral interactions, while exhibiting significantly higher SOC mineralization than POM over the incubation period; and ii) MAOM, versus POM, exhibited difference of bacterial community and metabolisms during incubation. For instance, microorganisms within MAOM were enriched with genes involved in i) decomposing easily utilized C sources (e.g., sugars, pectin) and ii) the pathways of microbial biomass synthesis. This led to faster SOC turnover via larger native SOC decomposition (possibly through co-metabolism mechanisms) and higher new SOC formation (possibly through biomass-necromass accumulation). Conversely, POM enriched with K-strategists and genes encoding enzymes decomposing recalcitrant C sources (e.g., cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin), possibly via nitrogen mining as nutrients were exhausted in the later stage. This study firstly reveals the bacterial drivers involved in straw-C transformation within POM and MAOM by proper separating approach and highlights the different bacterial community and their metabolisms underpinning added straw decomposition and consequent C accrual in POM and MAOM.
AB - Straw-related carbon (C) dynamics are central for soil organic C (SOC) accrual in soils. However, the underlying microbial groups driving straw decomposition and accumulation in particulate organic matter (POM) and mineral-associated organic matter (MAOM) remain elusive. This study effectively isolated POM and MAOM by using ultrasonic energy (kept below 80 J mL−1) and size-density fractionation that minimally impacts microbial activity and community. We further conducted an 87-day incubation to examine the transformation of added C4 straw and the involved bacterial mechanisms in POM and MAOM. Here, we showed that: i) SOC turnover was faster in MAOM compared to POM, as MAOM stabilized more straw C, likely through strong organic-mineral interactions, while exhibiting significantly higher SOC mineralization than POM over the incubation period; and ii) MAOM, versus POM, exhibited difference of bacterial community and metabolisms during incubation. For instance, microorganisms within MAOM were enriched with genes involved in i) decomposing easily utilized C sources (e.g., sugars, pectin) and ii) the pathways of microbial biomass synthesis. This led to faster SOC turnover via larger native SOC decomposition (possibly through co-metabolism mechanisms) and higher new SOC formation (possibly through biomass-necromass accumulation). Conversely, POM enriched with K-strategists and genes encoding enzymes decomposing recalcitrant C sources (e.g., cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin), possibly via nitrogen mining as nutrients were exhausted in the later stage. This study firstly reveals the bacterial drivers involved in straw-C transformation within POM and MAOM by proper separating approach and highlights the different bacterial community and their metabolisms underpinning added straw decomposition and consequent C accrual in POM and MAOM.
KW - Bacterial community
KW - Microbial metabolisms
KW - Mineral-associated organic matter
KW - Particulate organic matter
KW - Sonication
KW - Straw turnover
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=105000867173&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.still.2025.106549
DO - 10.1016/j.still.2025.106549
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:105000867173
VL - 251
JO - Soil and Tillage Research
JF - Soil and Tillage Research
SN - 0167-1987
M1 - 106549
ER -