Microbial activity and litter decomposition under snow cover in a cool-temperate broad-leaved deciduous forest

Uchida, Masaki; Mo, Wenhong; Nakatsubo, Takayuki; Tsuchiya, Yuki; Horikoshi, Takao; Koizumi, Hiroshi

doi:10.1016/j.agrformet.2005.11.003

Cited by 85 publications

(55 citation statements)

References 38 publications

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“…These similar patterns of proteolytic activity and net N mineralization following snowmelt are remarkable, given that v www.esajournals.org cold-temperate forests and alpine meadows differ markedly in vegetation type, climate, and soil development. Future research could investigate whether the soil microbial community in cold-temperate forests shifts from fungal dominance in winter to microbial dominance in summer; such a pattern would be consistent with the observed data and supported by literature demonstrating the importance of soil fungi and the enzymes they produce in cold forest soils (Uchida et al 2005, Schmidt et al 2009). …”

Section: Plasticity Of Temperature Sensitivitiessupporting

confidence: 48%

Seasonal plasticity in the temperature sensitivity of microbial activity in three temperate forest soils

et al. 2013

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. 2013. Seasonal plasticity in the temperature sensitivity of microbial activity in three temperate forest soils. Ecosphere 4(6):77. http://dx.doi.org/10.1890/ES13-00020.1Abstract. The temperature sensitivity of soil organic matter (SOM) decomposition has been a source of much debate, given the potential feedbacks with climate warming. Here, we evaluated possible seasonal variation in the temperature sensitivity of microbially mediated soil fluxes related to decomposition (net N mineralization, net nitrification, proteolysis, the maximum velocity (V max ) of proteolysis, microbial respiration, and the V max of four soil exo-enzymes) across forests dominated by eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis), white ash (Fraxinus americana), and red oak (Quercus rubra) in central Massachusetts, USA. We asked two simple questions: (1) do temperature sensitivities vary across forest types or different steps of the decomposition process, and (2) do temperature sensitivities display plasticity on a seasonal time frame? We observed substantial variation in temperature sensitivities (Q 10 and R 10 values) across the different fluxes and forest types. The ash soils exhibited the strongest temperature sensitivities and the mineral-N fluxes exhibited higher temperature sensitivities relative to the proteolytic fluxes or microbial respiration. The V max of soil exo-enzymes varied considerably in an interactive manner across forests and time, and the response of some enzymes was consistent with the thermal plasticity. The enzymatic kinetic properties V max and K m (half-saturation constant) were strongly correlated with slopes that differed across enzymes, reflecting an enzyme-specific tradeoff between maximum catalytic rate and substrate-binding efficiency. Generally, Q 10 values were largely constant, but R 10 values varied in a manner consistent with distinct seasonal plasticity. There was a consistent seasonal shift in R 10 values coincident with snowmelt, suggesting that the time following snowmelt is a particularly interesting and dynamic period of microbial activity in these temperate forests.

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Section: Plasticity Of Temperature Sensitivitiessupporting

confidence: 48%

Seasonal plasticity in the temperature sensitivity of microbial activity in three temperate forest soils

et al. 2013

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“…Melting snow is a very likely source of N and P, and birch leaves and some fir needles could assimilate N and P from the environment (Taylor and Jones 1990). N or P content increases because microbes immobilize N and P after plant senescence in the autumn, and, thus, the released N and P are retained throughout the winter (Lipson et al 1999;Uchida et al 2005). Studies have shown that vegetation and seasonality significantly influence the structure of the soil microbial community, as well as microbial biomass C and N. For instance, soil microbial biomass C and N were higher in the alpine meadow than in the forest, whereas soil organic C increased with elevation and reached 78 mg/g in the alpine meadow (Liu et al 2012).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Changes in foliar litter decomposition of woody plants with elevation across an alpine forest–tundra ecotone in eastern Tibet Plateau

et al. 2016

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To determine litter decomposition rates at different elevations in the alpine forest-tundra ecotone under climate change scenarios in which woody plants shift their ranges upward, litterbags containing foliar litter were incubated on the surface of forest, tree line, and alpine meadow soils (3900, 4000, and 4200 m above sea level, respectively) in the eastern Tibet Plateau of China in October 2012. The selected woody plant species were Abies faxoniana, Betula albosinensis, Sorbus rufopilosa, Rhododendron taliense, Lonicera lanceolata, and L. myrtillus. Mass loss, carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) release, and cellulose and lignin degradation in litter were examined from retrieved litterbags over a 6 month period at the end of one snow-covered season. The results showed that the mass loss of A. faxoniana, L. lanceolata, and S. rufopilosa litter, but not that of the other species, was accelerated at higher elevations. Abies faxoniana, B. albosinensis, and S. rufopilosa C release, A. faxoniana and S. rufopilosa N release, L. myrtillus, L. lanceolata, and S. rufopilosa P release, B. albosinensis, S. rufopilosa, and R. taliense cellulose degradation, and L. myrtillus lignin degradation significantly increased with increasing elevation. These results imply that changes in foliar litter decomposition with elevation, although species-specific, could indicate a possible shift in woody plant composition in the alpine forest-tundra ecotone under climate change scenarios. Thus, further studies regarding how elevation shifts could alter litter decomposition and ecosystem sustainability are warranted.

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“…These conditions have long been known to facilitate the growth of snow moulds that either parasitize a broad range of plants [38,63] or grow as mats on soil and litter in forest and alpine ecosystems [61]. Metabolic activity has been demonstrated to occur until −5°C in soil [13,35,41,75] and in ice [2], but microbial growth has never been detected in frozen soil up to now. Therefore, the main aim Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s00248-011-0001-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Fungal Growth and Biomass Development is Boosted by Plants in Snow-Covered Soil

2012

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Soil microbial communities follow distinct seasonal cycles which result in drastic changes in processes involving soil nutrient availability. The biomass of fungi has been reported to be highest during winter, but is fungal growth really occurring in frozen soil? And what is the effect of plant cover on biomass formation and on the composition of fungal communities? To answer these questions, we monitored microbial biomass N, ergosterol, and the amount of fungal hyphae during summer and winter in vegetated and unvegetated soils of an alpine primary successional habitat. The winter fungal communities were identified by rDNA ITS clone libraries. Winter soil temperatures ranged between -0.6°C and -0.1°C in snow-covered soil. We found distinct seasonal patterns for all biomass parameters, with highest biomass concentrations during winter in snow-covered soil. The presence of plant cover had a significant positive effect on the amount of biomass in the soil, but the type of plant cover (plant species) was not a significant factor. A mean hyphal ingrowth of 5.6 m g(-1) soil was detected in snow-covered soil during winter, thus clearly proving fungal growth during winter in snow-covered soil. Winter fungal communities had a typical species composition: saprobial fungi were dominating, among them many basidiomycete yeasts. Plant cover had no influence on the composition of winter fungal communities.

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Microbial activity and litter decomposition under snow cover in a cool-temperate broad-leaved deciduous forest

Cited by 85 publications

References 38 publications

Seasonal plasticity in the temperature sensitivity of microbial activity in three temperate forest soils

Seasonal plasticity in the temperature sensitivity of microbial activity in three temperate forest soils

Changes in foliar litter decomposition of woody plants with elevation across an alpine forest–tundra ecotone in eastern Tibet Plateau

Fungal Growth and Biomass Development is Boosted by Plants in Snow-Covered Soil

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