Climate-induced die-off affects plant–soil–microbe ecological relationship and functioning

This study reports the relationship between the diversity and functioning of fungal and bacterial soil communities with vegetation in Mediterranean woodland that experienced severe die-off after a drought episode. Terminal restriction fragment length polymorfism (TRFLP) was used to describe microbia...

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Detalhes bibliográficos
Autores: Lloret, Francisco, Mattana, Stefania|||0000-0001-8427-8816, Curiel Yuste, Jorge
Formato: artículo
Fecha de publicación:2015
País:España
Recursos:Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC)
Repositorio:UPCommons. Portal del coneixement obert de la UPC
Idioma:inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:upcommons.upc.edu:2117/446190
Acesso em linha:https://hdl.handle.net/2117/446190
https://dx.doi.org/10.1093/femsec/fiu014
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palavra-chave:Climate change
Drought episode
Extreme climatic event
Microbial diversity
Soil microbial community
Microbial soil respiration
Àrees temàtiques de la UPC::Enginyeria agroalimentària::Ciències de la terra i de la vida::Climatologia i meteorologia
Àrees temàtiques de la UPC::Desenvolupament humà i sostenible::Degradació ambiental::Canvi climàtic
Descrição
Resumo:This study reports the relationship between the diversity and functioning of fungal and bacterial soil communities with vegetation in Mediterranean woodland that experienced severe die-off after a drought episode. Terminal restriction fragment length polymorfism (TRFLP) was used to describe microbial community structure and diversity five years after the episode in different habitats (Juniperus woodland, shrubland, grassland), when the vegetation had not yet recovered. Vegetation diversity was positively related to TRF bacterial richness under unaffected canopies and was higher in diverse grassland. Fungal TRF richness correlated with vegetation type, being greater in Juniperus woodland. Microbial respiration increased in grassland, whereas microbial biomass, estimated from soil substrate-induced respiration (SIR), decreased with bacterial diversity. Die-off increased bacterial richness and changed bacterial composition, particularly in Juniperus woodland, where herbaceous species increased, while fungal diversity was reduced in Juniperus woodland. Die-off increased microbial respiration rates. The impact on vegetation from extreme weather episodes spread to microbial communities by modifying vegetation composition and litter quantity and quality, particularly as a result of the increase in herbaceous species. Our results suggest that climate-induced die-off triggers significant cascade effects on soil microbial communities, which may in turn further influence ecosystem C dynamics.