Acidity impacts on microbial diversity and litter decomposition for organic soils

IF 3.9 2区农林科学 Q1 AGRONOMY

Plant and Soil Pub Date : 2025-03-11 DOI:10.1007/s11104-025-07339-0

Catharine M. Pschenyckyj, Chris D. Evans, Liz J. Shaw, Robert I. Griffiths, Michael C. Bell, Jonathan P. Ritson, Joanna M. Clark

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Background

Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations have increased in soil solutions and surface waters over the past 30 years in acid sensitive areas of Europe and Northern America. This has been linked to recovery from acidification of soils with decreasing levels of atmospheric pollution. Whilst previous research has found pH related DOC solubility is a likely driver of increased DOC concentrations in surface waters, it is unclear whether increased DOC production from organic matter decomposition, due to more favourable pH conditions for biological activity, has also contributed to the rising trends in surface waters.

Aim

We investigated how acidity impacts microbial communities, the decomposition of litter types common to acid-sensitive ecosystems, and the impact on DOC production.

Methods

A decomposition study using litter bags and the Tea Bag Index was incorporated into an established acidity manipulation field experiment across two sites with contrasting acid deposition histories, and two characteristic soil types (peats and peaty podzols).

Results

We found higher rates of litter decomposition in podzol soil than peat leading to higher DOC production and aromaticity, as indicated by absorbance properties. Acidity manipulations did not influence decomposition rates for most litter types, DOC production for any litter type, Tea Bag Index parameters (stabilisation factor and decomposition rate) or microbial diversity, for any site or soil type.

Conclusion

Our study suggests that decomposition of aboveground-collected litter does not mediate acidity effects on DOC production, whilst soil type, and physiochemical soil responses to acidity, are more influential on DOC release from organic soils.

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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.