A quantitative analysis of microbial community structure-function relationships in plant litter decay.

ABSTRACT: Soil microbes play a central role in ecosystem element cycling. Yet a central question in microbial ecology remains unanswered: to what extent does the taxonomic composition of soil microbial communities mediate biogeochemical process rates? In this quantitative review, we explore the mechanisms that lead to variation in the strength of microbial community structure-function relationships over space and time. To evaluate these mechanisms, we conduct a meta-analysis of studies that have monitored the decomposition of sterilized plant litter inoculated with different microbial assemblages. We find that the influence of microbial community composition on litter decay is pervasive and strong, rivalling in magnitude the influence of litter chemistry on decomposition. However, no single environm

SUBMITTER: Waring B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9218368 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature