Changes in microbial community composition drive the response of ecosystem multifunctionality to elevated ozone

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Soil Science
• Microbiology

Background:

• Tropospheric ozone (O3) is increasing, threatening terrestrial ecosystems.
• Soil microorganisms drive ecological processes, but their response to ozone is unclear.
• Understanding ozone's impact on soil microbial communities and functions is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the effects of elevated ozone on crop growth and soil microbial communities.
• To investigate the relationship between soil microbial networks and ecosystem multifunctionality under ozone stress.

Main Methods:

• A pot experiment was conducted using soybean, maize, and wheat seedlings in solardomes.
• Plants were exposed to elevated ozone (40 ppb O3 above ambient).
• Crop biomass, soil extracellular enzyme activities, nutrient availability, and microbial community composition were analyzed.

Main Results:

• Elevated ozone reduced crop biomass, inhibited enzyme activities, and altered nutrient availability, decreasing ecosystem multifunctionality.
• Ozone increased bacterial and fungal co-occurrence network complexity, which correlated negatively with multifunctionality.
• Fungal community composition was significantly affected, while bacterial composition and microbial diversity showed less change. Crop type influenced microbial diversity and composition.

Conclusions:

• Short-term elevated ozone exposure negatively impacts ecosystem multifunctionality.
• Changes in soil microbial network complexity are linked to ozone-induced functional decline.
• Crop type modulates the soil microbial response to ozone.