High microbial diversity promotes soil ecosystem functioning
ABSTRACT In soil, the link between microbial diversity and carbon transformations is challenged by the concept of functional redundancy. Here, we hypothesized that functional redundancy may decrease with increasing carbon source recalcitrance and that coupling of diversity with C cycling may change accordingly. We manipulated microbial diversity to examine how diversity decrease affects the decomposition of easily degradable (i.e., allochthonous plant residues) versus recalcitrant (i.e., autochthonous organic matter) C sources. We found that a decrease in microbial diversity (i) affected the decomposition of both autochthonous and allochthonous carbon sources, thereby reducing global CO 2 e…
Water-extractable organic matter linked to soil physico-chemistry and microbiology at the regional scale
10 pages; International audience; A better understanding of the links between dissolved organic matter and biogeochemical processes in soil could help in evaluating global soil dynamics. To assess the effects of land cover and parental material on soil biogeochemistry, we studied 120 soil samples collected from various ecosystems in Burgundy, France. The potential solubility and aromaticity of dissolved organic matter was characterised by pressurised hot-water extraction of organic carbon (PH-WEOC). Soil physico-chemical characteristics (pH, texture, soil carbon and nitrogen) were measured, as was the δ13C signature both in soils and in PH-WEOC. We also determined bacterial and fungal abund…
Influence of microbial diversity on soil organic carbon dynamics highlighted by a 13C-labelling technique
Soil organic matter (SOM) represents the main pool of carbon within the biosphere, estimated at roughly twice that in atmospheric CO2. In agrosystems, organic amendments are common to maintain soil C stocks. However, recent studies have revealed that these practices can lead to a priming effect, corresponding to enhanced release of CO2 into the atmosphere, due to over-mineralisation of soil organic carbon. Therefore, appropriate decisions regarding organic input management require better understanding of the biogeochemical cycles related to SOM dynamics. As soil microorganisms are major actors in SOM turnover, their diversity is likely to influence SOM dynamics. In this context, the relatio…
Influence of biotic and abiotic factors on soil organic matter dynamics assessed by the biogeochemical characterisation of soluble organic matter
Soils are the greatest reservoir of C on the continents, and organic matter mineralisation bymicrobial activity represents the major part of the CO2 emitted by terrestrial ecosystems.In this work, we studied water-extractable organic matter (WEOM), which corresponds to themore reactive fraction of soil organic matter (SOM). Our objectives were (i) to identify therelationships of WEOM dynamics with bacterial communities, and with soil physico-chemicalparameters; (ii) to provide a precise chemical characterisation of WEOM.There is a strong link between SOM solubility and the structure of bacterial communities, andan erosion of their diversity has an impact on SOM and WEOM dynamics, and leads …
A comparison of extraction procedures for water-extractable organic matter in soils
The characteristics of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in soils are often determined through laboratory experiments. Many different protocols can be used to extract organic matter from soil. In this study, we used five air-dried soils to compare three extraction methods for water-extractable organic matter (WEOM) as follows: (i) pressurised hot-water-extractable organic carbon (PH-WEOC), a percolation at high pressure and temperature; (ii) water-extractable organic carbon (WEOC), a 1-hour end-over shaking; and (iii) leaching-extractable organic carbon (LEOC), a leaching of soil columns at ambient conditions. We quantified the extraction yield of organic carbon; the quality of WEOM was charac…
Dynamics of copper and zinc sedimentation in a lagooning system receiving landfill leachate.
9 pages; International audience; This study characterises the sediment dredged from a lagooning system composed of a settling pond and three lagoons that receive leachates from a municipal solid waste (MSW) landfill in France. Organic carbon, carbonate, iron oxyhydroxides, copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) concentrations were measured in the sediment collected from upstream to downstream in the lagooning system. In order to complete our investigation of sedimentation mechanisms, leachates were sampled in both dry (spring) and wet (winter) seasonal conditions. Precipitation of calcite and amorphous Fe-oxyhydroxides and sedimentation of organic matter occurred in the settling pond. Since different di…