Neutral sugars, derived from plants and microorganisms, are essential components of the labile soil organic carbon (SOC) pool, serving as crucial C and energy sources for soil microorganisms and influencing the accumulation and stability of SOC. However, the extent and mechanisms of the change of soil neutral sugars after converting paddy fields to upland, remain unclear. This study investigated the effects of converting paddy fields to upland (vegetable and jasmine fields) on soil microbial communities and neutral sugars in Fuzhou, Fujian province, subtropics China. We found that the conversion of paddy fields (anaerobic) to uplands (aerobic) significantly decreased neutral sugars and altered their composition, while increasing the relative proportion of microbial-derived sugars (e.g., galactose and mannose). Compared to paddy soil, the total neutral sugars were reduced by 20.6–51.9 %, and microbial diversity was also reduced, shifting dominant species from r-strategists to K-strategists in vegetable and jasmine field soil. These results suggest that the conversion of paddy fields to uplands is unfavorable for soil C sequestration, but potentially enhance the soil C stability. Random forest and correlation analyses indicated that the changes in soil microbial community composition and life history strategies significantly influence the concentrations and composition of neutral sugars in soils. Overall, these findings underscore the critical roles of microbial diversity and life strategies in shaping soil C dynamics, suggesting that the agriculture practices that promote microbial diversity and support K-strategists may enhance soil C stability and sequestration.
Read full abstract