Annual Removal of Aboveground Plant Biomass Alters Soil Microbial Responses to Warming.

ABSTRACT: Clipping (i.e., harvesting aboveground plant biomass) is common in agriculture and for bioenergy production. However, microbial responses to clipping in the context of climate warming are poorly understood. We investigated the interactive effects of grassland warming and clipping on soil properties and plant and microbial communities, in particular, on microbial functional genes. Clipping alone did not change the plant biomass production, but warming and clipping combined increased the C₄ peak biomass by 47% and belowground net primary production by 110%. Clipping alone and in combination with warming decreased the soil carbon input from litter by 81% and 75%, respectively. With less carbon input, the abundances of genes involved in degrading relatively recalcitrant carbon incre

SUBMITTER: Xue K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5040111 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature