Microbial diversity drives carbon use efficiency in a model soil.

ABSTRACT: Empirical evidence for the response of soil carbon cycling to the combined effects of warming, drought and diversity loss is scarce. Microbial carbon use efficiency (CUE) plays a central role in regulating the flow of carbon through soil, yet how biotic and abiotic factors interact to drive it remains unclear. Here, we combine distinct community inocula (a biotic factor) with different temperature and moisture conditions (abiotic factors) to manipulate microbial diversity and community structure within a model soil. While community composition and diversity are the strongest predictors of CUE, abiotic factors modulated the relationship between diversity and CUE, with CUE being positively correlated with bacterial diversity only under high moisture. Altogether these results indicate that th

SUBMITTER: Domeignoz-Horta LA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7378083 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature