Montmorillonite as an “accelerator” for the microbial carbon pump during artificial biocrust construction

IF 3.9 2区农林科学 Q1 AGRONOMY

Plant and Soil Pub Date : 2025-02-10 DOI:10.1007/s11104-025-07256-2

Cui Zhang, Keqiang Zhou, Zhen Wang, Zhou Zhou, J. Viridiana García Meza, Shaoxian Song, H. Kim, María Luciana Montes, Mostafa Benzaazoua, Ling Xia

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Background and aims

Artificial biocrusts play a crucial role as a carbon pool in reversing desertification. However, current research has focused predominantly on the microbes, not the specific interaction between biocrusts and clay minerals, such as montmorillonite, in the biocrust carbon pump.

Methods

This study established clay-based artificial biocrusts and investigated the effects of a clay mineral on the dynamics of soil organic carbon (SOC) accumulation. Montmorillonite and Microcoleus vaginatus were co-inoculated, and parameters related to SOC accumulation were determined, including microbial biomass carbon, SOC content, and chlorophyll a (Chl-a).

Results

The experimental results demonstrate that on day 84, the SOC contents in the montmorillonite-algae (≥ 1.4 g dm⁻²) inoculated microcosms were over 3.45 times higher than in those inoculated with algae, identifying 1.4 g dm⁻² as the optimal areal mass density of montmorillonite addition. Furthermore, montmorillonite played a crucial role in microbial growth and SOC stability, with microbial proliferation being the primary driver of SOC accumulation. Moreover, montmorillonite favored microorganisms with strong photosynthetic capabilities.

Conclusion

The experimental results indicate that montmorillonite promoted microbial growth and SOC accumulation in artificial biocrusts. Thus, montmorillonite may act as an accelerator for the microbial carbon pump during artificial biocrusts construction. Further field trials examining the positive effects of montmorillonite on artificial biocrust construction and organic carbon accumulation in the long-term are needed in the future.

Graphical Abstract

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来源期刊

Plant and Soil 农林科学-农艺学

CiteScore

8.20

自引率

8.20%

发文量

543

审稿时长

2.5 months

期刊介绍： Plant and Soil publishes original papers and review articles exploring the interface of plant biology and soil sciences, and that enhance our mechanistic understanding of plant-soil interactions. We focus on the interface of plant biology and soil sciences, and seek those manuscripts with a strong mechanistic component which develop and test hypotheses aimed at understanding underlying mechanisms of plant-soil interactions. Manuscripts can include both fundamental and applied aspects of mineral nutrition, plant water relations, symbiotic and pathogenic plant-microbe interactions, root anatomy and morphology, soil biology, ecology, agrochemistry and agrophysics, as long as they are hypothesis-driven and enhance our mechanistic understanding. Articles including a major molecular or modelling component also fall within the scope of the journal. All contributions appear in the English language, with consistent spelling, using either American or British English.