Project description:Using Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FTICR-MS) on microcosm samples from early phase plant litter degradation, we found that proteins and condensed hydrocarbons are the compounds with the strongest correlation to dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentration. Proteins correlated positively with DOC concentration, while tannins and condensed hydrocarbons correlated negatively with DOC. With nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, we identified 15 individual compounds associated with DOC concentration. Through random forest, neural network, and indicator species analyses, we identified bacterial and fungal taxa associated with DOC concentration and additionally identified connections between microorganisms and DOC chemical composition.
| MSV000088109 | MassIVE
Project description:Microcosm experiment reveal microbial response to micronutrient amendments
Project description:The potential of the earthworm Eisenia andrei to reduce soil methanogens, and thus methane emissions to the atmosphere, were assayed in a microcosm experiment. Soils were incubated for 2, 4 and 6 months. We measured microarray parameters (methanogenic diversity) at the start of incubation, as well as after 2, 4 and 6 months of incubation in microcosms with or without earthworms. Methanosarcina barkeri was the most abundant genus that was revealed by AnaeroChip in our experiment.
Project description:Clipping (i.e., harvesting aboveground plant biomass) is common in agriculture and for bioenergy production. However, microbial responses to clipping in the context of climate warming are poorly understood. We investigated the interactive effects of grassland warming and clipping on soil properties, plant and microbial communities, in particular microbial functional genes. Clipping alone did not change the plant biomass production, but warming and clipping combined increased the C4 peak biomass by 47% and belowground net primary production by 110%. Clipping alone and in combination with warming decreased the soil carbon input from litter by 81% and 75%, respectively. With less carbon input, the abundances of genes involved in degrading relatively recalcitrant carbon increased by 38-137% in response to either clipping or the combined treatment, which could weaken the long-term soil carbon stability and trigger a positive feedback to warming. Clipping alone also increased the abundance of genes for nitrogen fixation, mineralization and denitrification by 32-39%. The potentially stimulated nitrogen fixation could help compensate for the 20% decline in soil ammonium caused by clipping alone, and contribute to unchanged plant biomass. Moreover, clipping tended to interact antagonistically with warming, especially on nitrogen cycling genes, demonstrating that single factor studies cannot predict multifactorial changes. These results revealed that clipping alone or in combination with warming altered soil and plant properties, as well as the abundance and structure of soil microbial functional genes. The aboveground biomass removal for biofuel production needs to be re-considered as the long-term soil carbon stability may be weakened.