Microbial processing of aggregate-unprotected organic matter inputs is key for soil
fertility, long-term ecosystem carbon and nutrient sequestration and sustainable agriculture.
We investigated the effects of adding multiple nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus
and potassium plus nine essential macro- and micro-nutrients) on decomposition
and biochemical transformation of standard plant materials buried in 21 grasslands
from four continents. Addition of multiple nutrients weakly but consistently increased
decomposition and biochemical transformation of plant remains during the peak-season,
concurrent with changes in microbial exoenzymatic activity. Higher mean
annual precipitation and lower mean annual temperature were the main climatic drivers
of higher decomposition rates, while biochemical transformation of plant remains
was negatively related to temperature of the wettest quarter. Nutrients enhanced
decomposition most at cool, high rainfall sites, indicating that in a warmer and drier
future fertilized grassland soils will have an even more limited potential for microbial
processing of plant remains.
Revised: December 22, 2020 |
Published: August 1, 2020
Citation
Ochoa-Hueso R., E. Borer, E. Seabloom, S. Hobbie, A.C. Risch, S.L. Collins, and J. Alberti, et al. 2020.Microbial processing of plant remains is co-limited by multiple nutrients in global grasslands.Global Change Biology 26, no. 8:4572-4582.PNNL-SA-155207.doi:10.1111/gcb.15146