Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi regulate soil respiration and its response to precipitation change in a semiarid steppe.

ABSTRACT: Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are critical links in plant-soil continuum and play a critical role in soil carbon cycles. Soil respiration, one of the largest carbon fluxes in global carbon cycle, is sensitive to precipitation change in semiarid ecosystems. In this study, a field experiment with fungicide application and water addition was conducted during 2010-2013 in a semiarid steppe in Inner Mongolia, China, and soil respiration was continuously measured to investigate the influences of AMF on soil respiration under different precipitation regimes. Results showed that soil respiration was promoted by water addition treatment especially during drought seasons, which induced a nonlinear response of soil respiration to precipitation change. Fungicide application suppressed AMF root co

SUBMITTER: Zhang B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4730203 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature