Wilhelm, R.C.* ; Muñoz-Ucros, J.* ; Weikl, F. ; Pritsch, K. ; Goebel, M.* ; Buckley, D.H.* ; Bauerle, T.L.*
The effects of mixed-species root zones on the resistance of soil bacteria and fungi to long-term experimental and natural reductions in soil moisture.
Sci. Total Environ. 873:162266 (2023)
Mixed forest stands tend to be more resistant to drought than species-specific stands partially due to complementarity in root ecology and physiology. We asked whether complementary differences in the drought resistance of soil microbiomes might contribute to this phenomenon. We experimented on the effects of reduced soil moisture on bacterial and fungal community composition in species-specific (single species) and mixed-species root zones of Norway spruce and European beech forests in a 5-year-old throughfall-exclusion experiment and across seasonal (spring-summer-fall) and latitudinal moisture gradients. Bacteria were most responsive to changes in soil moisture, especially members of Rhizobiales, while fungi were largely unaffected, including ectomycorrhizal fungi (EMF). Community resistance was higher in spruce relative to beech root zones, corresponding with the proportions of drought-favored (more in spruce) and drought-sensitive bacterial taxa (more in beech). The spruce soil microbiome also exhibited greater resistance to seasonal changes between spring (wettest) and fall (driest). Mixed-species root zones contained a hybrid of beech- and spruce-associated microbiomes. Several bacterial populations exhibited either enhanced resistance or greater susceptibility to drought in mixed root zones. Overall, patterns in the relative abundances of soil bacteria closely tracked moisture in seasonal and latitudinal precipitation gradients and were more predictive of soil water content than other environmental variables. We conclude that complementary differences in the drought resistance of soil microbiomes can occur and the likeliest form of complementarity in mixed-root zones coincides with the enrichment of drought-tolerant bacteria associated with spruce and the sustenance of EMF by beech.
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Publication type
Article: Journal article
Document type
Scientific Article
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Keywords
And Root Complementarity ; Beech-spruce Forest ; Drought Resistance ; Forest Soil Microbiome ; Plant–soil Interactions ; Precipitation Gradient; Fagus-sylvatica L.; Spruce Picea-abies; Norway Spruce; European Beech; Community Composition; Microbial Communities; Temporal Variation; Summer Drought; Sigma(s) Rpos; Douglas-fir
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Language
english
Publication Year
2023
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0
HGF-reported in Year
2023
ISSN (print) / ISBN
0048-9697
e-ISSN
1879-1026
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Volume: 873,
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Article Number: 162266
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Elsevier
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Radarweg 29, 1043 Nx Amsterdam, Netherlands
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Peer reviewed
POF-Topic(s)
30202 - Environmental Health
Research field(s)
Environmental Sciences
PSP Element(s)
G-504900-001
G-504911-001
Grants
U.S. Department of Energy, Of fi ce of Biological & Environmental Research Genomic Science Program
German Research Foundation
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Erfassungsdatum
2023-03-01