Warming stimulates cellulose decomposition by recruiting phylogenetically diverse but functionally similar microorganisms.

ABSTRACT: Cellulose is the most abundant component of plant litter, which is critical for terrestrial carbon cycling. Nonetheless, it remains unknown how global warming affects cellulose-decomposing microorganisms. Here, we carried out a 3-year litterbag experiment to examine cellulose decomposition undergoing +3°C warming in a tallgrass prairie. Most cellulose-associated bacteria and fungi in litterbags were also detected in bulk soil, and bacteria in litterbags had higher community-level rrn copy numbers, larger genome sizes, and higher genome guanine-cytosine (GC) contents than those in bulk soil, implying higher growth rates. Warming stimulated soil respiration by 32.3% and accelerated mass loss of cellulose, concurring with the increase in relative abundances of most functional genes ass

SUBMITTER: Su Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11892950 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature