Rights statement: This is the author’s version of a work that was accepted for publication in Soil Biology and Biochemistry. Changes resulting from the publishing process, such as peer review, editing, corrections, structural formatting, and other quality control mechanisms may not be reflected in this document. Changes may have been made to this work since it was submitted for publication. A definitive version was subsequently published in Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 165, 2022 DOI: 10.1016/j.soilbio.2021.108501
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Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Microbial “hotspots” of organic matter decomposition in temperate peatlands are driven by local spatial heterogeneity in abiotic conditions and not by vegetation structure
AU - Briones, M.J.I.
AU - Juan-Ovejero, R.
AU - McNamara, N.P.
AU - Ostle, N.J.
N1 - This is the author’s version of a work that was accepted for publication in Soil Biology and Biochemistry. Changes resulting from the publishing process, such as peer review, editing, corrections, structural formatting, and other quality control mechanisms may not be reflected in this document. Changes may have been made to this work since it was submitted for publication. A definitive version was subsequently published in Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 165, 2022 DOI: 10.1016/j.soilbio.2021.108501
PY - 2022/2/28
Y1 - 2022/2/28
N2 - Climate change is triggering rapid shifts in plant communities and alterations in soil abiotic conditions in peatlands, with cascading effects on belowground decomposers and ecosystem C turnover. However, elucidating the dominant causal relationships between plant communities, soil biota and C fluxes in these vulnerable ecosystems requires a better understanding of the spatio-temporal variability of abiotic and biotic drivers. In this study we investigated the effects of biotic (plant functional types, PFTs) and abiotic factors (soil temperature and soil moisture) in determining dynamic patterns of soil microbial community structure and C cycling. Four representative temperate peatland habitats were selected based on their peat forming vegetation – an Atlantic wet heathland, two active blanket bogs with herbaceous plants (Molinia caerulea and Eriophorum angustifolium), and a transition mire dominated by Sphagnum mosses located along an altitudinal gradient to include the natural variations in soil temperature and water content regimes. We found that peat microbial communities were more strongly linked to local abiotic conditions than to the dominant above-ground vegetation. Aerobic conditions and warmer temperatures accelerated fungal driven decomposition and CO2 emissions under shrubs, whereas decreases in Gram−negative bacteria promoted increased C losses under Molinia. These findings suggest that small spatial differences in abiotic conditions can create local “hotspots” of organic matter decomposition. We propose that temperate peatlands should be considered as ‘ecosystem sentinels’ for climate change, acting as early-warning indicators of climate-carbon feedbacks.
AB - Climate change is triggering rapid shifts in plant communities and alterations in soil abiotic conditions in peatlands, with cascading effects on belowground decomposers and ecosystem C turnover. However, elucidating the dominant causal relationships between plant communities, soil biota and C fluxes in these vulnerable ecosystems requires a better understanding of the spatio-temporal variability of abiotic and biotic drivers. In this study we investigated the effects of biotic (plant functional types, PFTs) and abiotic factors (soil temperature and soil moisture) in determining dynamic patterns of soil microbial community structure and C cycling. Four representative temperate peatland habitats were selected based on their peat forming vegetation – an Atlantic wet heathland, two active blanket bogs with herbaceous plants (Molinia caerulea and Eriophorum angustifolium), and a transition mire dominated by Sphagnum mosses located along an altitudinal gradient to include the natural variations in soil temperature and water content regimes. We found that peat microbial communities were more strongly linked to local abiotic conditions than to the dominant above-ground vegetation. Aerobic conditions and warmer temperatures accelerated fungal driven decomposition and CO2 emissions under shrubs, whereas decreases in Gram−negative bacteria promoted increased C losses under Molinia. These findings suggest that small spatial differences in abiotic conditions can create local “hotspots” of organic matter decomposition. We propose that temperate peatlands should be considered as ‘ecosystem sentinels’ for climate change, acting as early-warning indicators of climate-carbon feedbacks.
KW - Carbon
KW - Climate change
KW - Microbial communities
KW - Peatland habitats
KW - Plant functional type
KW - Spatio-temporal patterns
KW - Biogeochemistry
KW - Organic compounds
KW - Soil moisture
KW - Temperature
KW - Vegetation
KW - Wetlands
KW - Abiotic conditions
KW - Biotics
KW - Hotspots
KW - Organic matter decomposition
KW - Peat land
KW - Peatland habitat
KW - Plant communities
KW - Spatiotemporal patterns
KW - Ecosystems
KW - abiotic factor
KW - community structure
KW - decomposition
KW - microbial community
KW - organic matter
KW - peatland
KW - soil microorganism
KW - vegetation structure
KW - Atlantic Ocean
KW - Bryophyta
KW - Eriophorum angustifolium
KW - Molinia
KW - Molinia caerulea
KW - Sphagnum
U2 - 10.1016/j.soilbio.2021.108501
DO - 10.1016/j.soilbio.2021.108501
M3 - Journal article
VL - 165
JO - Soil Biology and Biochemistry
JF - Soil Biology and Biochemistry
SN - 0038-0717
M1 - 108501
ER -