Soil microbial identity explains home-field advantage for litter decomposition

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Soil Science
• Microbiology

Background:

• Home-field advantage (HFA) mechanisms in litter decomposition are poorly understood.
• The role of microbial communities in HFA during decomposition remains unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the influence of HFA on litter decomposition.
• To examine the relationship between HFA effects and soil microbial communities in forest ecosystems.

Main Methods:

• Conducted a reciprocal transplant experiment with soil and litter from two different elevations.
• Identified microbial communities using microbiome-wide association analyses.
• Quantified litter decomposition rates and mass loss.

Main Results:

• Soil origin, not HFA, was the primary driver of litter decomposition.
• Distinct litter fungi and bacteria specific to the source soil were identified.
• The abundance of source-soil-specific microbes correlated positively with litter mass loss.

Conclusions:

• Unique plant litter-soil microbe relationships, mediated by plant-soil linkages, are key to decomposition.
• Soil disturbances from land-use change can disrupt soil origin effects and impede decomposition.
• Findings enhance understanding of HFA and land-use impacts on forest decomposition.