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Updated: Jan 31, 2026

Microplot Design and Plant and Soil Sample Preparation for 15Nitrogen Analysis
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Microbes drive global soil nitrogen mineralization and availability.

Zhaolei Li1, Dashuan Tian1, Bingxue Wang1

  • 1Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.

Global Change Biology
|December 28, 2018
PubMed
Summary

Soil microbial biomass is the main driver of nitrogen mineralization (Nmin) globally, surpassing climate and soil properties. Understanding these microbial roles is crucial for predicting nitrogen availability and global change impacts.

Keywords:
croplandsdominant factormicrobial biomassnatural ecosystemsnitrogen availabilitynitrogen mineralizationsoil properties

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Area of Science:

  • Soil Science
  • Ecology
  • Microbiology

Background:

  • Soil net nitrogen mineralization (Nmin) is vital for soil nitrogen availability and plant growth.
  • Global regulation of Nmin is primarily attributed to climate and soil properties, with limited understanding of microbial influence.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the global-scale role of soil microbes in regulating soil Nmin.
  • To identify key drivers of Nmin variation across terrestrial ecosystems.

Main Methods:

  • Compiled 1565 observational data points of potential net Nmin from 198 studies.
  • Utilized structural equation modeling (SEM) to analyze relationships between Nmin, microbial biomass, climate, and soil properties.

Main Results:

  • Nmin significantly increased with soil microbial biomass, total nitrogen, and precipitation, but decreased with soil pH.
  • Soil microbial biomass was the predominant factor controlling Nmin variation globally and across biomes.
  • SEM including microbial biomass improved Nmin prediction by 19% compared to models without it.

Conclusions:

  • Soil microbial biomass is the primary driver of global soil Nmin, influencing nitrogen availability.
  • Accurate representation of microbes in Earth system models is essential for predicting nitrogen cycling under global change.