Soil fungi remain active and invest in storage compounds during drought independent of future climate conditions.

ABSTRACT: Microbial growth is central to soil carbon cycling. However, how microbial communities grow under climate change is still largely unexplored. Here we use a unique field experiment simulating future climate conditions (increased atmospheric CO₂ and temperature) and drought concomitantly and investigate impacts on soil microbial activity. We trace ²H or ¹⁸O applied via water-vapor exchange into membrane (and storage) fatty acids or DNA, respectively, to assess community- and group-level adjustments in soil microbial physiology (replication, storage product synthesis, and carbon use efficiency). We show that, while bacterial growth decreases by half during drought, fungal growth remains stable, demonstrating a remarkable resistance against soil moisture change

SUBMITTER: Canarini A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11607446 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature