Long-term fertilization modifies the mineralization of soil organic matter in response to added substrate

Zhang, Jingfan and Sayer, Emma and Zhou, Jinge and Li, Yingwen and Li, Yongxing and Li, Zhian and Wang, Faming (2021) Long-term fertilization modifies the mineralization of soil organic matter in response to added substrate. Science of the Total Environment, 798: 149341. ISSN 0048-9697

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Abstract

The turnover of SOC in soils is strongly influenced by the availability of substrate and nutrients, especially nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P). Here, we assessed how long-term fertilization modified SOM mineralization in response to added substrate in a tropical forest. We carried out a 90-day incubation study in which we added two structurally similar compounds which differed in microbial metabolic availability: corn cellulose or corn starch to soils collected from a long-term (11 years) factorial N and P fertilization experiment site in a tropical forest in south China. We measured total soil mineralization rate (CO2 efflux) to characterize SOM mineralization and using 13C isotope signatures to determine the source of the CO2 (original soil C or added substrate) and assessed changes in extracellular enzyme activities: acid phosphomonoesterase (AP), β-1,4-glucosidase (BG), β-1,4- N-acetaminophen glucosidase (NAG), phenol oxidase (PHO) and peroxidase (PER), and microbial biomarkers to determine whether nutrient stoichiometry and decomposer communities explain differences in SOM mineralization rates. Total C mineralization increased substantially with substrate addition, particularly cellulose (5.38, 7.13, 5.58 and 5.37 times for N, P, NP fertilization and CK, respectively) compared to no substrate addition, and original soil C mineralization was further enhanced in long-term N (3.40% and 5.18% for cellulose and starch addition, respectively) or NP (35.11% for cellulose addition) fertilized soils compared to control treatment. Enzyme activities were stimulated by the addition of both substrates but suppressed by P-fertilization. Addition of both substrates increased microbial investment in P-acquisition, but only starch addition promoted C investment in N-acquisition. Finally, fungal abundance increased with substrate addition to a greater extent than bacterial abundance, particularly in cellulose-amended soils, and the effect was amplified by long-term fertilization. Our findings indicate that SOM mineralization might be enhanced in N and P enrichment ecosystems, since the litter input can liberate microbes from C limitation and stimulate SOM mineralization if N and P are sufficient. Our study further demonstrates that structurally similar substrates can have distinct effects on SOM mineralization and the extent of SOM mineralization is strongly dependent on elemental stoichiometry, as well as the resource requirements of microbial decomposers.

Item Type:
Journal Article
Journal or Publication Title:
Science of the Total Environment
Additional Information:
This is the author’s version of a work that was accepted for publication in Science of the Total Environment. 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 Science of the Total Environment, 798, 2021 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.149341
Uncontrolled Keywords:
/dk/atira/pure/subjectarea/asjc/2300/2304
Subjects:
?? som mineralizationtropical forestsubstrate additionlong-term fertilizationnitrogenphosphorusenvironmental chemistrypollutionenvironmental engineeringwaste management and disposal ??
ID Code:
157837
Deposited By:
Deposited On:
30 Jul 2021 15:50
Refereed?:
Yes
Published?:
Published
Last Modified:
12 Feb 2024 00:41