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Cross-biome patterns in soil microbial respiration predictable from evolutionary theory on thermal adaptation
Mark A Bradford1, Rebecca L McCulley2, Thomas W Crowther3
1School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA. mark.bradford@yale.edu.
Nature Ecology & Evolution
|January 16, 2019
Summary
Climate warming accelerates soil carbon release through microbial metabolism. Microbial communities adapt to warmer climates, showing higher respiration rates and more flexible responses to temperature changes, impacting climate feedback projections.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Microbiology
- Climate Science
Background:
- Climate warming can increase soil carbon release via microbial metabolism, creating a climate feedback loop.
- Uncertainty exists regarding the magnitude of this feedback due to potential shifts in microbial physiology and community composition.
- Understanding these microbial responses is crucial for accurate climate change modeling.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of climate warming on soil microbial respiration rates across diverse climate gradients.
- To determine if microbial communities exhibit adaptive metabolic responses to varying thermal regimes.
- To assess the plasticity of thermal responses in soil microbial communities.
Main Methods:
- Soil samples were collected from 22 sites spanning boreal to tropical climates over three years.
- Microbial respiration rates were measured in a laboratory setting under controlled conditions with excess carbon substrate.
- Longer-term incubations (100 days) were conducted to evaluate the thermal response plasticity of microbial communities.
Main Results:
- Respiration rates per unit of microbial biomass were significantly higher (up to 2.6 times) in soils from colder climates (-2.0°C mean annual temperature) compared to warmer climates (21.7°C).
- Microbial communities from warmer regions demonstrated a more plastic response to temperature changes during incubations.
- Findings align with evolutionary theories of metabolic compensation and adaptive responses to thermal environments.
Conclusions:
- Soil microbial communities display adaptive metabolic strategies in response to prevailing climate conditions.
- Warmer-adapted microbial communities exhibit greater plasticity in their thermal response, potentially influencing future soil carbon dynamics.
- These findings enhance the understanding of soil-carbon-climate feedback mechanisms and improve biogeochemical model accuracy.
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