Litter fingerprint on microbial biomass, activity, and community structure in the underlying soil

• Published in: Plant and soil 2014-06, Vol.379 (1/2), p.79-91
• Main Authors: Fanin, Nicolas, Hättenschwiler, Stephan, Fromin, Nathalie
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acid soils; Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Bacteria; Biochemistry and biology; Biological and medical sciences; Biomass; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Carbon cycle; Chemical, physicochemical, biochemical and biological properties; Community structure; Ecology; Environmental aspects; Forest soils; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General agronomy. Plant production; Grassland soils; Leachates; Leaf litter; Leaves; Life Sciences; Microbial activity; Microbial biomass; Microbial colonies; Microbiology; Microorganisms; Physics, chemistry, biochemistry and biology of agricultural and forest soils; Plant litter; Plant Physiology; Plant populations; Plant Sciences; Plant species; Regular Article; Soil biochemistry; Soil fungi; Soil microbiology; Soil microorganisms; Soil research; Soil science; Soil Science & Conservation; Soil surfaces; Soil-plant relationships. Soil fertility; Soil-plant relationships. Soil fertility. Fertilization. Amendments; Soils; Trees; Tropical environments; Tropical soils
• ISSN: 0032-079X; 1573-5036
• DOI: 10.1007/s11104-014-2051-7

Aims Little is known about how plant leaf litter decomposing on the soil surface is affecting microbial communities in the underlying soil. Here we examined the effects of decomposing leaf litter of different initial chemistry on biomass, stoichiometry, community structure and activity of microorganisms in the soil underneath the decaying litter layer. Methods Leaf litter from six different neotropical tree species with contrasted quality decomposed on top of a common tropical soil in a laboratory microcosm experiment over 98 days. At the end of the experiment we determined microbial biomass C, N, and P, microbial community structure (PLFA), and community level physiological profiles (CLPP) nom the top soil. Results Despite growing in a common soil substrate, soil microorganisms were strongly affected by litter species, especially by the soluble litter fraction. While litters with low soluble C content did not affect the soil microbial community, litters with high soluble C content led to an increase of microbial biomass and to a structural shift to relatively more Gram-negative bacteria. Changing community structure resulted in changes of catabolic capacity of microorganisms to metabolize a range of different C substrates. The large differences in leachate N and P among litter species, in contrast, had no effect on soil microbial parameters. Conclusions Our data suggest that plant litter decomposing on the soil surface exhibit a strong and predictable leachate C-control over microbial community biomass, structure and function in the underlying soil.