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Published on: September 11, 2016
Fertilization and Aridity Legacies Determine Soil Microbial Necromass Persistence Across Climates
Li-Xin Xu1, Guang-Hui Yu1, Cong-Qiang Liu1
1Institute of Surface-Earth System Science, School of Earth System Science, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Earth Critical Zone Science and Sustainable Development in Bohai Rim, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China.
Soil moisture and fertilization legacies interact to control microbial necromass-mineral associations in croplands. Aridity weakens these bonds, but long-term fertilization can enhance carbon accrual, impacting soil carbon persistence.
Area of Science:
- Soil Science
- Ecology
- Biogeochemistry
Background:
- Microbial necromass-mineral interactions are key to soil organic carbon (C) persistence.
- The influence of climate and fertilization legacies on these interactions in croplands is not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how aridity and long-term fertilization affect microbial necromass stabilization with minerals.
- To determine the role of soil moisture in mediating these interactions and their impact on soil C resilience.
Main Methods:
- Utilized six long-term field sites across an aridity gradient (27-38 years).
- Employed in situ μ-FTIR spectroscopy to map organic C transformation and necromass-mineral associations.
- Analyzed data considering aridity index (AI) and fertilization history.
Main Results:
- Necromass stabilization with short-range ordered (SRO) minerals was strong in humid zones (AI < 1.3) but weakened significantly in arid zones (AI > 1.3).
- Long-term fertilization effects on necromass C accrual can override aridity-driven constraints.
- Reduced organic C transformation and weakened necromass-SRO associations were observed in outer aggregate rims under arid conditions.
Conclusions:
- Soil moisture is a critical factor regulating fertilization-induced ecological memory in mineral-necromass interactions.
- Findings challenge the universal application of SRO-associated C paradigms across different moisture regimes.
- Climate-tailored management practices are essential for maintaining soil C resilience in water-limited ecosystems facing aridification.
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