Biomass Turnover Research Articles

Nitrogen fertilization increases rhizodeposit incorporation into microbial biomass and reduces soil organic matter losses

Agricultural soils receive large amounts of anthropogenic nitrogen (N), which directly and indirectly affect soil organic matter (SOM) stocks and CO2 fluxes. However, our current understanding of mechanisms on how N fertilization affects SOM pools of various ages and turnover remains poor. The δ13C values of SOM after wheat (C3)-maize (C4) vegetation change were used to calculate the contribution of C4-derived rhizodeposited C (rhizo-C) and C3-derived SOM pools, i.e., rhizo-C and SOM. Soil (Ap from Haplic Luvisol) sampled from maize rhizosphere was incubated over 56 days with increasing N fertilization (four levels up to 300 kg N ha−1), and CO2 efflux and its δ13C were measured. Nitrogen fertilization decreased CO2 efflux by 27–42% as compared to unfertilized soil. This CO2 decrease was mainly caused by the retardation of SOM (C3) mineralization. Microbial availability of rhizo-C (released by maize roots within 4 weeks) was about 10 times higher than that of SOM (older than 4 weeks). Microbial biomass and dissolved organic C remained at the same level with increasing N. However, N fertilization increased the relative contribution of rhizo-C to microbial biomass by two to five times and to CO2 for about two times. This increased contribution of rhizo-C reflects strongly accelerated microbial biomass turnover by N addition. The decomposition rate of rhizo-C was 3.7 times faster than that of SOM, and it increased additionally by 6.5 times under 300 kg N ha−1 N fertilization. This is the first report estimating the turnover and incorporation of very recent rhizo-C (4 weeks old) into soil C pools and shows that the turnover of rhizo-C was much faster than that of SOM. We conclude that the contribution of rhizo-C to CO2 and to microbial biomass is highly dependent on N fertilization. Despite acceleration of rhizo-C turnover, the increased N fertilization facilitates C sequestration by decreasing SOM decomposition.

Plant, microbial and ecosystem carbon use efficiencies interact to stabilize microbial growth as a fraction of gross primary production.

The carbon use efficiency of plants (CUEa ) and microorganisms (CUEh ) determines rates of biomass turnover and soil carbon sequestration. We evaluated the hypothesis that CUEa and CUEh counterbalance at a large scale, stabilizing microbial growth (μ) as a fraction of gross primary production (GPP). Collating data from published studies, we correlated annual CUEa , estimated from satellite imagery, with locally determined soil CUEh for 100 globally distributed sites. Ecosystem CUEe , the ratio of net ecosystem production (NEP) to GPP, was estimated for each site using published models. At the ecosystem scale, CUEa and CUEh were inversely related. At the global scale, the apparent temperature sensitivity of CUEh with respect to mean annual temperature (MAT) was similar for organic and mineral soils (0.029°C-1 ). CUEa and CUEe were inversely related to MAT, with apparent sensitivities of -0.009 and -0.032°C-1 , respectively. These trends constrain the ratio μ:GPP (=(CUEa ×CUEh )/(1 - CUEe )) with respect to MAT by counterbalancing the apparent temperature sensitivities of the component processes. At the ecosystem scale, the counterbalance is effected by modulating soil organic matter stocks. The results suggest that a μ:GPP value of c. 0.13 is a homeostatic steady state for ecosystem carbon fluxes at a large scale.

Efficient molasses fermentation under high salinity by inocula of marine and terrestrial origin

BackgroundMolasses is a dense and saline by-product of the sugar agroindustry. Its high organic content potentially fuels a myriad of renewable products of industrial interest. However, the biotechnological exploitation of molasses is mainly hampered by the high concentration of salts, an issue that is nowadays tackled through dilution. In the present study, the performance of microbial communities derived from marine sediment was compared to that of communities from a terrestrial environment (anaerobic digester sludge). The aim was to test whether adaptation to salinity represented an advantage for fermenting molasses into renewable chemicals such as volatile fatty acids (VFAs) although high sugar concentrations are uncommon to marine sediment, contrary to anaerobic digesters.ResultsTerrestrial and marine microbial communities were enriched in consecutive batches at different initial pH values (pHi; either 6 or 7) and molasses dilutions (equivalent to organic loading rates (OLRs) of 1 or 5 gCOD L−1 d−1) to determine the best VFA production conditions. Marine communities were supplied with NaCl to maintain their native salinity. Due to molasses inherent salinity, terrestrial communities experienced conditions comparable to brackish or saline waters (20–47 mS cm−1), while marine conditions resembled brine waters (>47 mS cm−1). Enrichments at optimal conditions of OLR 5 gCOD L-1 d-1 and pHi 7 were transferred into packed-bed biofilm reactors operated continuously. The reactors were first operated at 5 gCOD L-1 d-1, which was later increased to OLR 10 gCOD L−1 d−1. Terrestrial and marine reactors had different gas production and community structures but identical, remarkably high VFA bioconversion yields (above 85%) which were obtained with conductivities up to 90 mS cm−1. COD-to-VFA conversion rates were comparable to the highest reported in literature while processing other organic leftovers at much lower salinities.ConclusionsAlthough salinity represents a major driver for microbial community structure, proper acclimation yielded highly efficient systems treating molasses, irrespective of the inoculum origin. Selection of equivalent pathways in communities derived from different environments suggests that culture conditions select for specific functionalities rather than microbial representatives. Mass balances, microbial community composition, and biochemical analysis indicate that biomass turnover rather than methanogenesis represents the main limitation to further increasing VFA production with molasses. This information is relevant to moving towards molasses fermentation to industrial application.

Microbial communities mediating algal detritus turnover under anaerobic conditions.

BackgroundAlgae encompass a wide array of photosynthetic organisms that are ubiquitously distributed in aquatic and terrestrial habitats. Algal species often bloom in aquatic ecosystems, providing a significant autochthonous carbon input to the deeper anoxic layers in stratified water bodies. In addition, various algal species have been touted as promising candidates for anaerobic biogas production from biomass. Surprisingly, in spite of its ecological and economic relevance, the microbial community involved in algal detritus turnover under anaerobic conditions remains largely unexplored.ResultsHere, we characterized the microbial communities mediating the degradation of Chlorella vulgaris (Chlorophyta), Chara sp. strain IWP1 (Charophyceae), and kelp Ascophyllum nodosum (phylum Phaeophyceae), using sediments from an anaerobic spring (Zodlteone spring, OK; ZDT), sludge from a secondary digester in a local wastewater treatment plant (Stillwater, OK; WWT), and deeper anoxic layers from a seasonally stratified lake (Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees, OK; GL) as inoculum sources. Within all enrichments, the majority of algal biomass was metabolized within 13–16 weeks, and the process was accompanied by an increase in cell numbers and a decrease in community diversity. Community surveys based on the V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene identified different lineages belonging to the phyla Bacteroidetes, Proteobacteria (alpha, delta, gamma, and epsilon classes), Spirochaetes, and Firmicutes that were selectively abundant under various substrate and inoculum conditions. Within all kelp enrichments, the microbial communities structures at the conclusion of the experiment were highly similar regardless of the enrichment source, and were dominated by the genus Clostridium, or family Veillonellaceae within the Firmicutes. In all other enrichments the final microbial community was dependent on the inoculum source, rather than the type of algae utilized as substrate. Lineages enriched included the uncultured groups VadinBC27 and WCHB1-69 within the Bacteroidetes, genus Spirochaeta and the uncultured group SHA-4 within Spirochaetes, Ruminococcaceae, Lachnospiraceae, Yongiibacter, Geosporobacter, and Acidaminobacter within the Firmicutes, and genera Kluyvera, Pantoea, Edwardsiella and Aeromonas, and Buttiauxella within the Gamma-Proteobaceteria order Enterobacteriales.ConclusionsOur results represent the first systematic survey of microbial communities mediating turnover of algal biomass under anaerobic conditions, and highlights the diversity of lineages putatively involved in the degradation process.

Biomass turnover in brachiaria cultivars in a tropical environment

Biomass turnover in brachiaria cultivars in a tropical environment

Survival, growth, and production of Hexagenia bilineata mayflies in fluidized sediment from lower Green Bay, Lake Michigan

Abstract Organic pollution in lower Green Bay, Lake Michigan over the past century was accompanied by the local extirpation of Hexagenia (primarily H. limbata ) mayflies. Recoveries were made in other systems where population crashes had occurred (e.g., western Lake Erie); however, an active recovery does not appear to be taking place in Green Bay. Excessive primary production has caused substantial benthic organic matter accumulation resulting in a fluidized “sludge-like” substrate as the majority of the sub-littoral habitat. Fluidized substrate potentially hinders Hexagenia nymphs' abilities to construct and maintain burrows critical to their life cycles. In this study, Hexagenia bilineata nymphs were collected from an Upper Mississippi River backwater where their presence at high densities in relatively fluid sediment had been observed, and reared in oxygenated aquaria containing lower Green Bay or Upper Mississippi River sediment. Their survival, growth, secondary production, and biomass turnover were calculated for a 166 day period. Seventy-five percent of nymphs survived or metamorphosed into winged sub-imagos in lower Green Bay substrates compared to 40.6% in Upper Mississippi River substrates. Nymph dry weight more than tripled in Green Bay substrates and more than doubled on Upper Mississippi River substrates. Production was notably higher in lower Green Bay substrates. Differences in survival and production between the two treatments were statistically significant (P 0.05). Based on these results, the high fluidity of lower Green Bay substrates did not appear to hinder burrow construction or maintenance.

Comprehensive analysis of glucose and xylose metabolism in Escherichia coli under aerobic and anaerobic conditions by 13C metabolic flux analysis

Glucose and xylose are the two most abundant sugars derived from the breakdown of lignocellulosic biomass. While aerobic glucose metabolism is relatively well understood in E. coli, until now there have been only a handful of studies focused on anaerobic glucose metabolism and no 13C-flux studies on xylose metabolism. In the absence of experimentally validated flux maps, constraint-based approaches such as MOMA and RELATCH cannot be used to guide new metabolic engineering designs. In this work, we have addressed this critical gap in current understanding by performing comprehensive characterizations of glucose and xylose metabolism under aerobic and anaerobic conditions, using recent state-of-the-art techniques in 13C metabolic flux analysis (13C-MFA). Specifically, we quantified precise metabolic fluxes for each condition by performing parallel labeling experiments and analyzing the data through integrated 13C-MFA using the optimal tracers [1,2-13C]glucose, [1,6-13C]glucose, [1,2-13C]xylose and [5-13C]xylose. We also quantified changes in biomass composition and confirmed turnover of macromolecules by applying [U-13C]glucose and [U-13C]xylose tracers. We demonstrated that under anaerobic growth conditions there is significant turnover of lipids and that a significant portion of CO2 originates from biomass turnover. Using knockout strains, we also demonstrated that β-oxidation is critical for anaerobic growth on xylose. Quantitative analysis of co-factor balances (NADH/FADH2, NADPH, and ATP) for different growth conditions provided new insights regarding the interplay of energy and redox metabolism and the impact on E. coli cell physiology.

Biochar stimulates the decomposition of simple organic matter and suppresses the decomposition of complex organic matter in a sandy loam soil

AbstractIncorporating crop residues and biochar has received increasing attention as tools to mitigate atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and promote soil carbon (C) sequestration. However, direct comparisons between biochar, torrefied biomass, and straw on both labile and recalcitrant soil organic matter (SOM) remain poorly understood. In this study, we explored the impact of biochars produced at different temperatures and torrefied biomass on the simple C substrates (glucose, amino acids), plant residues (Lolium perenne L.), and native SOM breakdown in soil using a 14C labeling approach. Torrefied biomass and biochars produced from wheat straw at four contrasting pyrolysis temperatures (250, 350, 450, and 550 °C) were incorporated into a sandy loam soil and their impact on C turnover compared to an unamended soil or one amended with unprocessed straw. Biochar, torrefied biomass, and straw application induced a shift in the soil microbial community size, activity, and structure with the greatest effects in the straw‐amended soil. In addition, they also resulted in changes in microbial carbon use efficiency (CUE) leading to more substrate C being partitioned into catabolic processes. While overall the biochar, torrefied biomass, and straw addition increased soil respiration, it reduced the turnover rate of the simple C substrates, plant residues, and native SOM and had no appreciable effect on the turnover rate of the microbial biomass. The negative SOM priming was positively correlated with biochar production temperature. We therefore ascribe the increase in soil CO2 efflux to biochar‐derived C rather than that originating from SOM. In conclusion, the SOM priming magnitude is strongly influenced by both the soil organic C quality and the biochar properties. In comparison with straw, biochar has the greatest potential to promote soil C storage. However, straw and torrefied biomass may have other cobenefits which may make them more suitable as a CO2 abatement strategy.

N/P imbalance as a key driver for the invasion of oligotrophic dune systems by a woody legume

Oligotrophic ecosystems, previously considered to be more resilient to invasive plants, are now recognised to be highly vulnerable to invasions. In these systems, woody legumes show belowground ecosystem engineering characteristics that enable invasion, however, the underlying processes are not well understood. Using a Portuguese primary dune ecosystem as an oligotrophic model system, belowground biomass pools, turnover rates and stoichiometry of a native (Stauracanthus spectabilis) and an invasive legume (Acacia longifolia) were compared and related to changes in the foliage of the surrounding native (Corema album) vegetation.We hypothesized that the invasive legume requires less phosphorus per unit of biomass produced and exhibits an enhanced nutrient turnover compared to the native vegetation, which could drive invasion by inducing a systemic N/P imbalance.Compared with the native legumes, A. longifolia plants had larger canopies, higher SOM levels and lower tissue P concentrations. These attributes were strongly related to legume influence as measured by increased foliar N content and less depleted δ15N signatures in the surrounding C. album vegetation. Furthermore, higher root N concentration and increased nutrient turnover in the rhizosphere of the invader were associated with depleted foliar P in C. album.Our results emphasize that while A. longifolia itself maintains an efficient phosphorus use in biomass production, at the same time it exerts a strong impact on the N/P balance of the native system. Moreover, this study highlights the engineering of a belowground structure of roots and rhizosphere as a crucial driver for invasion, due to its central role in nutrient turnover. These findings provide new evidence that, under nutrient‐limited conditions, considering co‐limitation and nutrient cycling in oligotrophic systems is essential to understand the engineering character of invasive woody legumes.

Structure and seasonal trophodynamics of picophytoplankton in sevastopol bay and adjacent waters (the Black Sea)

Abundance and seasonal trophodynamics. (specific growth rate, daily production, and grazing mortality) of the major picophytoplankton components, Synechococcus cyanobacteria (Syn) and picoeukary- otes (Pico-E), were studied at three stations in Sevastopol Bay and adjacent coastal waters (the Black Sea) in 2014 by flow cytometry and the dilution method. Pico- E abundance was shown to increase along the nutrient and pollution gradient from the coastal waters outside the bay (annual average of 7.3 ± 5.4 x 103 cells mL⁻¹) to the eastern corner of the bay (28.7 ± 11.4 x 103 cells mL⁻¹), while no relation was found between the water pollution status.and Syn abundance (9.9 ± 8.7 x 10³ cells mL⁻¹, at all the stations, n=27). Matter flows through the communities (daily production for Syn and Pico-E 0-16.6 and 0-19.3 μg C L- day⁻¹, respec- tively; grazing mortality for Syn and PicoE 0-3.6 and 0-21.2 μg C L⁻¹ day⁻¹, respectively) were comparable to or even exceeded their biomass stocks (<0.05-6.8 and 0.9-26.5 μg C L- for Syn and PicoE, respectively), indicating high biomass turnover rates. The highest flow-to-stock ratio (up to 6 for Syn) and,a significant imbalance between daily production (P) and grazing mortality (G) were observed in the most polluted and eu- trophicated waters of the bay in spring (Pico-E: P/G <.1) and late summer (Syn: P/G > 1). Black River inflow to the bay was hypothesized to be among the mechanisms maintaining.this pronounced and long-term im- balance in the open system without any negative consequences for the picophytoplankton assemlages.

Biomass turnover time in terrestrial ecosystems halved by land use

Biomass turnover time is a key parameter in the global carbon cycle. An analysis of global land-use data reveals that biomass turnover is almost twice as fast when the land is used to enhance terrestrial ecosystem services. The terrestrial carbon cycle is not well quantified1. Biomass turnover time is a crucial parameter in the global carbon cycle2,3,4, and contributes to the feedback between the terrestrial carbon cycle and climate2,3,4,5,6,7. Biomass turnover time varies substantially in time and space, but its determinants are not well known8,9, making predictions of future global carbon cycle dynamics uncertain5,10,11,12,13. Land use—the sum of activities that aim at enhancing terrestrial ecosystem services14—alters plant growth15 and reduces biomass stocks16, and is hence expected to affect biomass turnover. Here we explore land-use-induced alterations of biomass turnover at the global scale by comparing the biomass turnover of the actual vegetation with that of a hypothetical vegetation state with no land use under current climate conditions. We find that, in the global average, biomass turnover is 1.9 times faster with land use. This acceleration affects all biomes roughly equally, but with large differences between land-use types. Land conversion, for example from forests to agricultural fields, is responsible for 59% of the acceleration; the use of forests and natural grazing land accounts for 26% and 15% respectively. Reductions in biomass stocks are partly compensated by reductions in net primary productivity. We conclude that land use significantly and systematically affects the fundamental trade-off between carbon turnover and carbon stocks.

Blade life span, structural investment, and nutrient allocation in giant kelp.

The turnover of plant biomass largely determines the amount of energy flowing through an ecosystem and understanding the processes that regulate turnover has been of interest to ecologists for decades. Leaf life span theory has proven useful in explaining patterns of leaf turnover in relation to resource availability, but the predictions of this theory have not been tested for macroalgae. We measured blade life span, size, thickness, nitrogen content, pigment content, and maximum photosynthetic rate (P max) in the giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera) along a strong resource (light) gradient to test whether the predictions of leaf life span theory applied to this alga. We found that shorter blade life spans and larger blade areas were associated with increased light availability. In addition, nitrogen and P max decreased with blade age, and their decrease was greater in shorter lived blades. These observations are generally consistent with patterns observed for higher plants and the prevailing theory of leaf life span. By contrast, variation observed in pigments of giant kelp was inconsistent with that predicted by leaf life span theory, as blades growing in the most heavily shaded portion of the forest had the lowest chlorophyll content. This result may reflect the dual role of macroalgal blades in carbon fixation and nutrient absorption and the ability of giant kelp to modify blade physiology to optimize the acquisition of light and nutrients. Thus, the marine environment may place demands on resource acquisition and allocation that have not been previously considered with respect to leaf life span optimization.

Using litter chemistry controls on microbial processes to partition litter carbon fluxes with the Litter Decomposition and Leaching (LIDEL) model

New understanding of the connection between dynamic microbial carbon use efficiency (CUE), litter decomposition products, and pathways of soil organic carbon (SOC) formation have not been fully integrated into current generalizable litter decomposition models. We developed a new approach, the Litter Decomposition and Leaching (LIDEL) model, that: 1) includes leaching and formation of dissolved organic carbon (DOC), important components of vertical C movement and SOC inputs into deeper soil layers, and 2) uses widely available litter chemistry data to drive the simulation of microbial processes that partition litter during decomposition, through affecting rates of CO2 respiration versus formation of microbial biomass and microbial products. Two ecologically important but poorly understood processes explored in this analysis include 1) the relationship between litter nitrogen (N) availability and rates of microbial decay and assimilation, and 2) the efficiency of DOC generation from the decomposition and leaching of soluble-versus cellulose-dominated plant litter fractions. We tested multiple hypothesis-driven model formulations, and for each estimated initial conditions and parameters using hierarchical Bayesian approaches. We combined data from experimental results and literature review for five types of litter that vary by initial lignin and N content. Our analyses showed the LIDEL model formulations with a logistic N limitation curve gave better predictions than model formulations using a linear N limitation curve. Model formulations with higher DOC generation efficiency from the soluble litter pool yielded more variable predictions and parameter estimations (shown by consistently wider 95% Bayesian credible intervals), but may have better simulated large DOC leaching events in early decomposition. Our analyses highlight a need for targeted studies clarifying measures of soluble litter and the generation of DOC during early litter decomposition, as well as rates of microbial biomass turnover and the flux of soluble versus non-soluble microbial products. Overall, the LIDEL model provides a robust generalizable framework to express and test hypotheses connecting litter chemistry and dynamic microbial CUE with the generation of DOC and microbial products during litter decomposition.

Production and turnover of ectomycorrhizal extramatrical mycelial biomass and necromass under elevated CO2 and nitrogen fertilization.

Extramatrical mycelia (EMM) of ectomycorrhizal fungi are important in carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) cycling in forests, but poor knowledge about EMM biomass and necromass turnovers makes the quantification of their role problematic. We studied the impacts of elevated CO2 and N fertilization on EMM production and turnover in a Pinus taeda forest. EMM C was determined by the analysis of ergosterol (biomass), chitin (total bio- and necromass) and total organic C (TOC) of sand-filled mycelium in-growth bags. The production and turnover of EMM bio- and necromass and total C were estimated by modelling. N fertilization reduced the standing EMM biomass C to 57% and its production to 51% of the control (from 238 to 122kgCha(-1) yr(-1) ), whereas elevated CO2 had no detectable effects. Biomass turnover was high (˜13yr(-1) ) and unchanged by the treatments. Necromass turnover was slow and was reduced from 1.5yr(-1) in the control to 0.65yr(-1) in the N-fertilized treatment. However, TOC data did not support an N effect on necromass turnover. An estimated EMM production ranging from 2.5 to 6% of net primary production stresses the importance of its inclusion in C models. A slow EMM necromass turnover indicates an importance in building up forest humus.

Soil microbial carbon use efficiency and biomass turnover in a long-term fertilization experiment in a temperate grassland

Soil microbial carbon use efficiency (CUE), defined as the ratio of organic C allocated to growth over organic C taken up, strongly affects soil carbon (C) cycling. Despite the importance of the microbial CUE for the terrestrial C cycle, very little is known about how it is affected by nutrient availability. Therefore, we studied microbial CUE and microbial biomass turnover time in soils of a long-term fertilization experiment in a temperate grassland comprising five treatments (control, PK, NK, NP, NPK). Microbial CUE and the turnover of microbial biomass were determined using a novel substrate-independent method based on incorporation of 18O from labeled water into microbial DNA. Microbial respiration was 28–37% smaller in all three N treatments (NK, NP, and NPK) compared to the control, whereas the PK treatment did not affect microbial respiration. N-fertilization decreased microbial C uptake, while the microbial growth rate was not affected. Microbial CUE ranged between 0.31 and 0.45, and was 1.3- to 1.4-fold higher in the N-fertilized soils than in the control. The turnover time ranged between 80 and 113 days and was not significantly affected by fertilization. Net primary production (NPP) and the abundance of legumes differed strongly across the treatments, and the fungal:bacterial ratio was very low in all treatments. Structural equation modeling revealed that microbial CUE was exclusively controlled by N fertilization and that neither the abundance of legumes (as a proxy for the quality of the organic matter inputs) nor NPP (as a proxy for C inputs) had an effect on microbial CUE. Our results show that N fertilization did not only decrease microbial respiration, but also microbial C uptake, indicating that less C was intracellularly processed in the N fertilized soils. The reason for reduced C uptake and increased CUE in the N-fertilization treatments is likely an inhibition of oxidative enzymes involved in the degradation of aromatic compounds by N in combination with a reduced energy requirement for microbial N acquisition in the fertilized soils. In conclusion, the study shows that N availability can control soil C cycling by affecting microbial CUE, while plant community-mediated changes in organic matter inputs and P and K availability played no important role for C partitioning of the microbial community in this temperate grassland.

Uncertainty of upland soil carbon sink estimate for Finland

Changes in the soil carbon stock of Finnish upland soils were quantified using forest inventory data, forest statistics, biomass models, litter turnover rates, and the Yasso07 soil model. Uncertainty in the estimated stock changes was assessed by combining model and sampling errors associated with the various data sources into variance–covariance matrices that allowed computationally efficient error propagation in the context of Yasso07 simulations. In sensitivity analysis, we found that the uncertainty increased drastically as a result of adding random year-to-year variation to the litter input. Such variation is smoothed out when using periodic inventory data with constant biomass models and turnover rates. Model errors (biomass, litter, understorey vegetation) and the systematic error of total drain had a marginal effect on the uncertainty regarding soil carbon stock change. Most of the uncertainty appears to be related to uncaptured annual variation in litter amounts. This is due to fact that variation in the slopes of litter input trends dictates the uncertainty of soil carbon stock change. If we assume that there is annual variation only in foliage and fine root litter rates and that this variation is less than 10% from year to year, then we can claim that Finnish upland forest soils have accumulated carbon during the first Kyoto period (2008–2012).

Growth dynamics of a laminated microbial mat in response to variable irradiance in an Antarctic lake

Summary Laminated microbial mats are important ecosystem components of perennially ice‐covered Antarctic dry valley lakes. In order to understand better their response to changing environment, we made observations and carried out a manipulation experiment to determine their response to variations in irradiance in Lake Hoare (77°38′ S, 162°53′ E). Ice transparency was the most variable parameter that affected benthic light dose, both spatially and between years. Patterns of lamina accrual corresponded to irradiance history, with laminae that were initiated in high transmission years thicker than those from low transmission years. A shading experiment confirmed that accrual of lamina thickness, calcite precipitation and ash‐free dry mass were determined by irradiance, but photosynthetic biomass and phototrophic species composition were less affected. Buried laminae decomposed only slowly over time, with potentially viable phototrophs many laminae down into the microbial mat. Decay rate increased only slightly with shading. We conclude that the microbial mats in Lake Hoare are characterised by remarkable stability, with slow accumulation rates and turnover of biomass over time. Photosynthetic biomass and species composition appeared to be stable across long time periods, with interannual variation in lamination pattern due to differential accumulation of extracellular polysaccharide and representing the visible expression of annual growth conditions.

Microbial carbon use efficiency and biomass turnover times depending on soil depth – Implications for carbon cycling

Processing of organic carbon (C) by soil microorganisms is a key process of terrestrial C cycling. For this reason we studied (i) microbial carbon use efficiency (CUE) defined as C allocated to growth over organic C taken up by the microbial community, and (ii) the turnover time of microbial biomass in a pasture and in two forest soils. We hypothesized that microbial CUE decreases in mineral soils with depth from the topsoil to the subsoil, while the turnover time of the microbial biomass increases due to energetic constrains. We determined microbial CUE and turnover of microbial biomass C using a novel substrate-independent method based on incorporation of 18O from labeled water into microbial DNA with concurrent measurements of basal respiration. Microorganisms showed decreasing C uptake rates with decreasing C contents in the deeper soil layers. In the forest soils, no adaptation of microbial CUE with soil depth took place, i.e., microbes in the forest topsoil used C at the same efficiency as microbes in the subsoil. However, in the pasture soil, microbial CUE decreased in the lower soil layers compared to the topsoil, indicating that microorganisms in the deeper soil layers allocated relatively more C to respiration. In the organic soil layer, microorganisms respired more per unit microbial biomass C than in the subsoil, but had a similar CUE despite the high C-to-nitrogen and C-to-phosphorus ratios of the litter layers. The turnover time of microbial biomass increased with soil depth in the two forest soils. Thus, in the forest soils, a lower microbial C uptake rate in the deeper soil layers was partially compensated by a longer turnover time of microbial biomass C. In conclusion, our findings emphasize that in addition to microbial CUE, the turnover time of the microbial biomass strongly affects soil C cycling.

Dead fungal mycelium in forest soil represents a decomposition hotspot and a habitat for a specific microbial community.

Turnover of fungal biomass in forest litter and soil represents an important process in the environment. To date, knowledge of mycelial decomposition has been derived primarily from short-term studies, and the guild of mycelium decomposers has been poorly defined. Here, we followed the fate of the fruiting bodies of an ectomycorrhizal fungus in litter and soil of a temperate forest over 21wk. The community of associated microbes and enzymatic processes in this specific substrate were described. The decomposition of fungal fruiting bodies exhibited biphasic kinetics. The rapid initial phase, which included the disappearance of DNA, was followed by a slower turnover of the recalcitrant fraction. Compared with the surrounding litter and soil, the mycelium represented a hotspot of activity of several biopolymer-degrading enzymes and high bacterial biomass. Specific communities of bacteria and fungi were associated with decomposing mycelium. These communities differed between the initial and late phases of decomposition. The bacterial community associated with decomposing mycelia typically contained the genera Pedobacter, Pseudomonas, Variovorax, Chitinophaga, Ewingella and Stenotrophomonas, whereas the fungi were mostly nonbasidiomycetous r-strategists of the genera Aspergillus, Penicillium, Mortierella, Cladosporium and several others. Decomposing ectomycorrhizal fungal mycelium exhibits high rates of decomposition and represents a specific habitat supporting a specific microbial community.

Global spatially explicit CO2 emission metrics for forest bioenergy.

Emission metrics aggregate climate impacts of greenhouse gases to common units such as CO2-equivalents (CO2-eq.). Examples include the global warming potential (GWP), the global temperature change potential (GTP) and the absolute sustained emission temperature (aSET). Despite the importance of biomass as a primary energy supplier in existing and future scenarios, emission metrics for CO2 from forest bioenergy are only available on a case-specific basis. Here, we produce global spatially explicit emission metrics for CO2 emissions from forest bioenergy and illustrate their applications to global emissions in 2015 and until 2100 under the RCP8.5 scenario. We obtain global average values of 0.49 ± 0.03 kgCO2-eq. kgCO2−1 (mean ± standard deviation) for GWP, 0.05 ± 0.05 kgCO2-eq. kgCO2−1 for GTP, and 2.14·10−14 ± 0.11·10−14 °C (kg yr−1)−1 for aSET. We explore metric dependencies on temperature, precipitation, biomass turnover times and extraction rates of forest residues. We find relatively high emission metrics with low precipitation, long rotation times and low residue extraction rates. Our results provide a basis for assessing CO2 emissions from forest bioenergy under different indicators and across various spatial and temporal scales.