Australian dryland soils are acidic and nutrient-depleted, and have unique microbial communities compared with other drylands.

ABSTRACT:

Aim

To compare Australian dryland soils with dryland soils globally.

Location

Australian and global drylands.

Methods

We used data from standardized surveys of soil properties (C:N:P content and stoichiometry, and pH), and microbes (diversity, composition and correlation networks) from Australian and global drylands, which occupy three-quarters of the Australian land mass and are the largest biome on Earth.

Results

We found that Australian dryland soils were different, exhibiting characteristics of ancient weathered soils. They had lower pH, total and available P, and total N, and greater C:N and C:P ratios than global dryland soils. Australian soils had distinctive microbial community composition and diversity, with more Proteobacteria and fewer Basidiomycota

SUBMITTER: Eldridge DJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6373843 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature