Soil Biology & Biochemistry最新文献

{"title":"Potential viral influence on sulfur metabolism in acid sulfate soils","authors":"Li Bi ,&nbsp;Shuai Du ,&nbsp;Rob Fitzpatrick ,&nbsp;Qing-Lin Chen ,&nbsp;Thi Bao-Anh Nguyen ,&nbsp;Zi-Yang He ,&nbsp;Ji-Zheng He ,&nbsp;Hang-Wei Hu","doi":"10.1016/j.soilbio.2025.109773","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.soilbio.2025.109773","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Acid sulfate soils cover extensive areas across the globe and pose profound ecological and economic challenges. While microbial activities associated with sulfur metabolisms primarily mediate the formation process of acid sulfate soils, the potential impact of viruses, known for their roles in infecting microorganisms or encoding auxiliary metabolic genes (AMGs), remains largely unexplored. Here, we characterized the community and biogeochemical impacts of viruses in unoxidized acid sulfate soils (hypersulfidic soils, pH 6.5–7.3) and oxidized acid sulfate soils (sulfuric soils, pH &lt; 3.3) using paired viromes and total metagenomes. Our results revealed higher diversity and distinct composition of viral communities in hypersulfidic soils compared to sulfuric soils. In hypersulfidic soils, we identified 30 times more virus-encoded AMGs and observed an average abundance 6.6 times higher than in sulfuric soils. Particularly, the identification of AMGs associated with assimilatory and dissimilatory sulfate reduction, organosulfur compound degradation, organic matter degradation, and electron transfer implied the potential role of viruses in influencing sulfur cycling and the formation of sulfidic materials in Hypersulfidic soils. The virus-host predictions linked seven lysogenic and 55 lytic vOTUs to sulfate-reducing and sulfur-oxidizing microorganisms in both soils, suggesting that viruses play a role in sulfur cycling through host infection. Altogether, our findings highlight the potential roles of viruses in influencing sulfur cycling processes in acid sulfate soils.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21888,"journal":{"name":"Soil Biology & Biochemistry","volume":"205 ","pages":"Article 109773"},"PeriodicalIF":9.8,"publicationDate":"2025-03-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143545841","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Probing the pump: Soil carbon dynamics, microbial carbon use efficiency and community composition in response to stoichiometrically-balanced compost and biochar","authors":"George D. Mercer ,&nbsp;Bede S. Mickan ,&nbsp;Deirdre B. Gleeson ,&nbsp;Evonne Walker ,&nbsp;Christian Krohn ,&nbsp;Christopher H. Bühlmann ,&nbsp;Megan H. Ryan","doi":"10.1016/j.soilbio.2025.109770","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.soilbio.2025.109770","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The accumulation of soil organic matter (SOM) is influenced by the ecophysiological traits of soil microbes. Amending soils with stoichiometrically-balanced inputs can optimise microbial resource acquisition and subsequent carbon (C) stabilisation pathways. However, this mechanism has been poorly translated into practice. Wastewater biosolids can be transformed into value-added soil amendments that return balanced ratios of C and nutrients from urban environments to agroecosystems. To investigate drivers of the microbial C pump in freshly-amended soils, we modelled microbial C use efficiency from stoichiometry theory (CUEST), respiration, physiological traits, community structure and soil C dynamics. Agricultural soil was amended with an equal C mass from composted biosolids, biosolids biochar or glucose supplemented with inorganic nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and sulphur (S), such that element ratios were analogous to stable SOM. Treatments were incubated in temperature-controlled microcosms, alongside a control with no C or nutrients added. Soil chemical characteristics, greenhouse gas evolution, microbial community composition and extracellular enzymes were measured at 0, 1, 2, 3, 7, 28 and 56 days. First order kinetics estimated total soil C at 2.60% (control), 2.54% (glucose + NPS), 2.93% (composted biosolids) and 2.92% (biochar). Soil C emissions increased by 702% (glucose + NPS), 22% (composted biosolids) and 203% (biochar) compared to the control. CUEST increased over time (p &lt; 0.001) but was negatively affected by composted biosolids (p &lt; 0.001) and glucose + NPS (p &lt; 0.001). CUEST was linked to soil pH and correlated positively to microbial diversity for both composted biosolids (p &lt; 0.001, r2 = 0.37) and biochar (p &lt; 0.001, r2 = 0.43). Composted biosolids retained the most soil C, at the cost of microbial CUEST, whereas biochar maintained CUEST, but increased CO2 emissions. We provide insights into ecophysiological drivers of the microbial C pump and reveal how novel soil amendments differentially optimise the delivery of C and nutrients to the soil ecosystem.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21888,"journal":{"name":"Soil Biology & Biochemistry","volume":"205 ","pages":"Article 109770"},"PeriodicalIF":9.8,"publicationDate":"2025-03-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143538370","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Large-scale patterns and drivers of soil organic nitrogen depolymerization","authors":"Yuanrui Peng ,&nbsp;Tao Wang ,&nbsp;Wolfgang Wanek ,&nbsp;Dexin Gao ,&nbsp;Da Wei ,&nbsp;Ruiying Chang","doi":"10.1016/j.soilbio.2025.109766","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.soilbio.2025.109766","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Depolymerization of macromolecular soil organic nitrogen (N) is the first step in converting high-molecular weight organic N (e.g., proteins) into inorganic N, making it a crucial driver of soil N availability and plant productivity. However, the patterns, along with the influencing factors of protein depolymerization in soils across broad geographical expanses have remained unknown. In this study, soil gross protein depolymerization rates (GPDR) across continental scale were analyzed, drawing on 275 observations sourced from 27 published papers. Within the compiled dataset, soil GPDR exhibited a parabolic relationship with latitude (ranging from 30°N to 70°N), while showing a positive linear relationship with elevation (ranging from 0 to 2000 m a.s.l.). The grand mean of soil GPDR was 92.6 ± 11.1 mg N∙kg⁻¹∙day⁻¹, with the highest rates observed in grasslands followed by forests, cropland, and other ecosystems. Soil GPDR was significantly associated with multiple factors. These included soil microbial biomass carbon and N, soil total and inorganic N, mean annual precipitation and soil water content. However, no significant associations were found with mean annual temperature or soil texture. Soil microbial biomass was identified as the most important factor regulating soil GPDR, whereas soil total N and climatic factors indirectly influenced soil GPDR likely via their effects on microbial biomass. Moreover, soil GPDR was the most important factor controlling the content of soil NH₄⁺-N, confirming the important role of protein depolymerization in regulating soil N availability. This study provides a comprehensive understanding of controls of soil N depolymerization by combining climatic, edaphic, and soil microbial factors cross continental scale. These findings emphasize the significance of considering the role of microbial biomass in regulating protein depolymerization, which could provide insights to improve global soil N cycling models.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21888,"journal":{"name":"Soil Biology & Biochemistry","volume":"204 ","pages":"Article 109766"},"PeriodicalIF":9.8,"publicationDate":"2025-02-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143495778","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"UV-B stress reshapes root-associated microbial communities and networks, driven by host plant resistance","authors":"Chuanji Zhang ,&nbsp;Na Gao ,&nbsp;Xiaofan Na ,&nbsp;Kaile Li ,&nbsp;Meiyun Pu ,&nbsp;Hao Sun ,&nbsp;Yanfang Song ,&nbsp;Tong Peng ,&nbsp;Panshuai Fei ,&nbsp;Junjie Li ,&nbsp;Zhenyu Cheng ,&nbsp;Xiaoqi He ,&nbsp;Meijin Liu ,&nbsp;Xiaomin Wang ,&nbsp;Paul Kardol ,&nbsp;Yurong Bi","doi":"10.1016/j.soilbio.2025.109767","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.soilbio.2025.109767","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Elevated UV-B radiation, a growing threat to global crop production since the 1970s, impacts both plant physiology and their associated microbiomes. While the role of soil microbes in plant adaptation to abiotic stresses is well documented, the effects of aboveground UV-B radiation on root-associated microorganisms remain poorly understood. This study investigated how root microbial communities in UV-B-resistant and UV-B-sensitive highland barley varieties respond to UV-B stress, uncovering core microbial populations linked to plant resistance. We showed that UV-B stress induces compositional changes in root-associated prokaryotic communities but not fungal ones. Notably, UV-B stress increased microbial connectivity in the rhizosphere of sensitive plants while diminishing it within their root-associated networks. In contrast, resistant plants displayed an opposite pattern, suggesting sensitive plants 'ask for help' from rhizospheric microbes under stress, while resistant plants maintain robust endosphere microbial interactions. A keystone bacterial group, identified via forest model analysis, and affiliated with the genus <em>Mesorhizobium</em>, was significantly suppressed by UV-B stress in the rhizosphere of sensitive plants but remained stable in resistant ones. Inoculation with <em>Mesorhizobium</em> spp. enhanced plant growth and reduced oxidative stress in UV-B-sensitive barley seedlings, indicating its crucial role in UV-B tolerance. Our study highlights the importance of preserving specific microbial populations in the rhizosphere to bolster plant resilience against abiotic stressors.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21888,"journal":{"name":"Soil Biology & Biochemistry","volume":"205 ","pages":"Article 109767"},"PeriodicalIF":9.8,"publicationDate":"2025-02-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143485674","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Unlocking soil health: Are microbial functional genes effective indicators?","authors":"Jiyu Jia ,&nbsp;Ron de Goede ,&nbsp;Yizan Li ,&nbsp;Jiangzhou Zhang ,&nbsp;Guangzhou Wang ,&nbsp;Junling Zhang ,&nbsp;Rachel Creamer","doi":"10.1016/j.soilbio.2025.109768","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.soilbio.2025.109768","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Soil microbial community plays crucial roles in promoting soil functions and maintaining soil health. Microbial functional gene abundances are actively involved in soil processes which supports soil functions and wider soil health. However, their suitability as indicators to assess soil health is still debatable. In this study, we sampled soils from a 10-year long-term fertilization experiment in a wheat-maize cropping system on the North China Plain. The treatment included no fertilizer (Control), chemical fertilizers only (NPK), NPK + organic manure, NPK + straw, and NPK + manure + straw. We quantified seventeen functional genes involved in carbon (<em>cbbL, GH31</em>), nitrogen (<em>nifH, ureC, chiA, A-amoA, B-amoA, narG, nirK, nirS, norB</em> and <em>nosZ</em>), and phosphorus (<em>gltA, bpp, phoD, phoC, pqqC</em>) cycling. These genes were correlated with a suite of soil properties representing indicators of carbon (total carbon, organic carbon, and permanganate oxidizable carbon, α-1,4 glucosidase and carbon dioxide emission), nitrogen (total nitrogen, inorganic nitrogen, β-N-acetylglucosaminidase, and nitrous oxide emission), and phosphorous (available phosphorus, acid and alkaline phosphatase) pools/cycling. Soil microbial functional genes exhibited high coefficients of variation and strong sensitivity to fertilization treatments, while showing low variability among replicates within the same treatment. The abundances of functional genes, especially <em>GH31, cbbL, B-amoA, chiA, phoC</em>, and <em>phoD</em> were strongly correlated with their proxy indicators of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus cycling. In addition, organic fertilization enhanced carbon and nutrients relevant functional gene abundances, generating positive effects on maize yield. These results indicate that microbial functional genes are sensitive to organic inputs and could provide a more detailed and mechanistic understanding of soil processes than conventional indicators by capturing the biochemical processes that govern nutrient dynamics. Our study underscores the potential of microbial functional genes as sensitive and valuable indicators for advancing soil health assessments and management practices.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21888,"journal":{"name":"Soil Biology & Biochemistry","volume":"204 ","pages":"Article 109768"},"PeriodicalIF":9.8,"publicationDate":"2025-02-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143485706","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Corrigendum to “Spatial heterogeneity of high-affinity H2 oxidation activity in agricultural soil profile” [Soil Biol. Biochem. 202 (2025) 109703]","authors":"Lijun Hou ,&nbsp;Philippe Constant ,&nbsp;Joann K. Whalen","doi":"10.1016/j.soilbio.2025.109764","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.soilbio.2025.109764","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":21888,"journal":{"name":"Soil Biology & Biochemistry","volume":"204 ","pages":"Article 109764"},"PeriodicalIF":9.8,"publicationDate":"2025-02-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143485673","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Mechanisms of soil persistent organic carbon loss in alpine ecosystems: Insights into microbial and calcium spatial footprint","authors":"Jie Shen ,&nbsp;Bangfei Ou ,&nbsp;Yanbao Lei ,&nbsp;Yuting He ,&nbsp;Juan Xue ,&nbsp;Xianzhi Deng ,&nbsp;Changquan Wang ,&nbsp;Yiding Li ,&nbsp;Geng Sun","doi":"10.1016/j.soilbio.2025.109765","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.soilbio.2025.109765","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Soil persistent organic carbon (OC) constitutes an ancient, previously unquantified global C sink. Yet, the mechanisms underlying the vulnerability of this pool and its functional components to global change remain unclear, especially in hydrothermal resource-restricted alpine ecosystems. Here, employing low-temperature ashing (mimics C natural oxidative processes) and ¹⁸O–H₂O incubation, we explored the differential mechanisms underlying the persistent OC loss caused by warming and nitrogen (N) deposition in alpine meadow versus alpine steppe. We observed a substantial decline in persistent OC of meadow soils, with N addition (−22%) exerting the largest decline, followed by warming (−8%). However, warming (−16%) negated the positive effects of N addition (+15%) on steppe persistent OC. Such dynamics in persistent OC were strongly linked to mineral-associated OC (MAOC) but not to particulate OC (POC). In meadow soils, N addition decreased MAOC by 23%, likely by reducing soil pH and suppressing both calcium (Ca) bridging and its physical protection via microaggregates. In steppe soils, the reduction in MAOC (−29%) was primarily due to warming-induced limitations in soil moisture, which, in turn, constrained the formation of microbial necromass C by suppressing microbial growth and lengthening turnover. Collectively, warming and N addition imposed spatial constraints on microbial and Ca footprint, which underlie the loss of MAOC in alpine steppe and meadow, respectively, and might affect soil C persistence more widespread.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21888,"journal":{"name":"Soil Biology & Biochemistry","volume":"204 ","pages":"Article 109765"},"PeriodicalIF":9.8,"publicationDate":"2025-02-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143477751","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Long-term effects of manure addition on soil organic matter molecular composition: Carbon transformation as a major driver of energetic potential","authors":"Carsten Simon ,&nbsp;Anja Miltner ,&nbsp;Ines Mulder ,&nbsp;Klaus Kaiser ,&nbsp;Marcel Lorenz ,&nbsp;Sören Thiele-Bruhn ,&nbsp;Oliver Lechtenfeld","doi":"10.1016/j.soilbio.2025.109755","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.soilbio.2025.109755","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Long-term addition of farmyard manure supports the accumulation of microbial carbon (C) and soil organic matter (SOM), but the effects on energy storage remain unknown. In particular, it remains unresolved whether manure or the stimulation of microbial transformations explains the increased microbial imprint. The latter would suggest that the accumulation of SOM transformation products controls energy storage, rather than manure directly. We hypothesized that the overlap with original manure signatures could be used as a measure of SOM transformation and its effect on SOM's nominal oxidation state of C (NOSC) and energetic potential ΔG⁰C_OX. We employed solid-state laser desorption/ionization Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (LDI-FT-ICR-MS) to study molecular signatures of manure samples and topsoil from four long-term field experiments receiving manure, and unfertilized controls. In line with bulk elemental analysis, LDI-FT-ICR-MS suggested that manure increased SOM's energetic potential (0.7–1.2 kJ/mol C). Manure addition changed SOM composition by 3–16% of total ion abundance as compared to controls, being larger in longer-running field experiments. Markers unrelated to original manure signatures (i.e., indirect effects) explained 67–84% of molecular changes while markers directly related to manure explained only 2–12%. Long-term manure addition resulted in increased saturation, oxidation and molecular weight, and decreased aromaticity of SOM as compared to unfertilized soils. Accumulated molecules had higher energetic potentials and were, despite being chemically similar to original manure, elevated in mass, suggesting potential use of manure-derived building blocks for microbial synthesis of larger molecules. Molecules with lower energetic potential disappeared in manured samples, mirrored by a higher oxidation state of water-extractable organic matter, pointing to an increased solubility of SOM. Our results indicate a uniform shift in SOM properties upon manure addition, but highlight the role of site-specific trajectories of SOM compositional change. We discuss the implications of manure-induced microbial transformations for energy storage and long-term stability of SOM.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21888,"journal":{"name":"Soil Biology & Biochemistry","volume":"205 ","pages":"Article 109755"},"PeriodicalIF":9.8,"publicationDate":"2025-02-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143470902","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Litter decomposition and prokaryotic decomposer communities along estuarine gradients","authors":"Friederike Neiske ,&nbsp;Luise Grüterich ,&nbsp;Annette Eschenbach ,&nbsp;Monica Wilson ,&nbsp;Wolfgang R. Streit ,&nbsp;Kai Jensen ,&nbsp;Joscha N. Becker","doi":"10.1016/j.soilbio.2025.109762","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.soilbio.2025.109762","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Climate change-driven sea-level rise and saltwater intrusion will impact carbon cycling in estuarine marshes by altering litter decomposition. We examined how litter quality and environmental conditions affect litter decomposition and prokaryotic communities along salinity and flooding gradients of the Elbe Estuary. Native and standardized litter (Tea Bag Index) were incubated in soils of various marsh types (freshwater, brackish, salt) and flooding frequencies (daily, monthly, yearly). Prokaryotic communities colonizing litter and soil were identified using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. Our results showed that litter quality is a key factor for litter decomposition in the estuary. Native litter decomposition increased with increasing salinity and decreasing flooding frequency. This was driven by litter chemistry, with higher lignin content and lignin:N ratio in the freshwater compared to the salt marsh vegetation and in pioneer zone compared to higher marsh vegetation. In contrast, tea litter decomposition declined with rising salinity, indicating adverse environmental conditions for decomposition with increasing salinity. Flooding effects varied with litter quality: mass loss of recalcitrant litter (rooibos tea) decreased with higher flooding frequencies, while mass loss of labile litter (green tea) increased. Prokaryotic communities in native and tea litter displayed distinct assemblages and lower diversity than the local soil community, indicating selective colonization of litter, which was particularly pronounced for tea litter. Tea mass loss benefited from a diverse soil prokaryotic community, while native litter mass loss was driven by an adapted local soil prokaryotic community. Our findings highlight biotic (litter quality, prokaryotic community) and abiotic (salinity, flooding) controls on litter decomposition in estuarine environments, suggesting that projected changes in salinity and hydrodynamics due to climate change could alter decomposition dynamics in these environments.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21888,"journal":{"name":"Soil Biology & Biochemistry","volume":"204 ","pages":"Article 109762"},"PeriodicalIF":9.8,"publicationDate":"2025-02-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143451928","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Microbial taxa and interactions can predict lignin mineralization in soil at continental scale","authors":"Wenjuan Yu ,&nbsp;Wenjuan Huang ,&nbsp;Kenneth E. Hammel ,&nbsp;Yan Li ,&nbsp;Shanshan Zhang ,&nbsp;Bo Yi ,&nbsp;Vitaliy I. Timokhin ,&nbsp;Chaoqun Lu ,&nbsp;Adina Howe ,&nbsp;Samantha R. Weintraub-Leff ,&nbsp;Steven J. Hall","doi":"10.1016/j.soilbio.2025.109763","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.soilbio.2025.109763","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Individual fungi and bacteria can decompose lignin, but little is known about how specific taxa and their interactions may be related to this critical carbon-cycling process across diverse environments. We characterized relationships between bacterial and fungal communities and mineralization of isotope-labeled lignin across 156 incubated mineral soil samples collected from 20 National Ecological Observatory Network sites spanning diverse ecosystems (tundra to tropics) across North America. Based on marker gene sequencing, bacteria were more closely related to lignin mineralization than fungi at the levels of overall community composition, individual taxa, and co-occurrence network. We identified 14 bacterial and fungal genera across sites and 26 taxa (mostly bacteria) within sites, including two genera (<em>Occallatibacter</em> and <em>Terracidiphilus</em>) that were significantly related to lignin mineralization within and across sites. Additionally, many microbial ‘modules’ from co-occurrence networks were related to lignin mineralization, and this was even more evident during the later stages of decomposition. This suggests the importance of microbial interactions for lignin decay and implies that microbes interacted in a way favoring lignin decomposition over the incubation. We identified 10 bacterial-fungal interactions (BFI) that could significantly strengthen and 10 BFI that could weaken microbial relationships with lignin mineralization, indicating that synergistic and antagonistic BFI were both important. Overall, our study illustrated the key importance of microbial interactions even more so than individual taxa for predicting lignin mineralization.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21888,"journal":{"name":"Soil Biology & Biochemistry","volume":"204 ","pages":"Article 109763"},"PeriodicalIF":9.8,"publicationDate":"2025-02-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143451931","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}