Bacterial carbon use plasticity, phylogenetic diversity and the priming of soil organic matter.

ABSTRACT: Microorganisms perform most decomposition on Earth, mediating carbon (C) loss from ecosystems, and thereby influencing climate. Yet, how variation in the identity and composition of microbial communities influences ecosystem C balance is far from clear. Using quantitative stable isotope probing of DNA, we show how individual bacterial taxa influence soil C cycling following the addition of labile C (glucose). Specifically, we show that increased decomposition of soil C in response to added glucose (positive priming) occurs as a phylogenetically diverse group of taxa, accounting for a large proportion of the bacterial community, shift toward additional soil C use for growth. Our findings suggest that many microbial taxa exhibit C use plasticity, as most taxa altered their use of glucose and

SUBMITTER: Morrissey EM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5520031 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature