Effects of initial microbial biomass abundance on respiration during pine litter decomposition.

ABSTRACT:

Importance

Microbial biomass is one of the most common microbial parameters used in land carbon (C) cycle models, however, it is notoriously difficult to measure accurately. To understand the consequences of mismeasurement, as well as the broader importance of microbial biomass abundance as a direct driver of ecological phenomena, greater quantitative understanding of the role of microbial biomass abundance in environmental processes is needed. Using microcosms, we manipulated the initial biomass of numerous microbial communities across a 100-fold range and measured effects on CO2 production during plant litter decomposition. We found that the effects of initial biomass abundance on CO2 production was largely attenuated within a week, while the effects of community type remained si

SUBMITTER: Albright MBN 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7021309 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature