Effects of mycorrhiza and hyphae on the response of soil microbial community to warming in eastern Tibetan Plateau

• Published in: The Science of the total environment 2022-09, Vol.837, p.155498-155498, Article 155498
• Main Authors: Luo, Lin, Guo, Min, Wang, Entao, Yin, Chunying, Wang, Yanjie, He, Heliang, Zhao, Chunzhang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: China; community structure; ectomycorrhizae; environment; Enzyme activities; enzymes; Experimental warming; Fargesia nitida; Hyphae; microbial biomass; Mycorrhiza; nitrates; organic carbon; phosphorus; Picea asperata; soil; Soil microbes; soil microorganisms; vesicular arbuscular mycorrhizae
• ISSN: 0048-9697; 1879-1026
• DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.155498

The effects of mycorrhiza and its external hyphae on the response of soil microbes to global warming remain unclear. This study investigates the role of mycorrhiza and its hyphae in regulating soil microbial community under warming by examining the microbial biomass and composition in the ingrowth cores of arbuscular mycorrhiza (AM) plant, Fargesia nitida, and ectomycorrhiza (ECM) plant, Picea asperata, with/without mycorrhiza/hyphae and experimental warming. The results showed that warming significantly increased the biomass of all soil microbes (by 19.89%–137.48%) and altered the microbial composition in both plant plots without mycorrhiza/hyphae. However, this effect was weakened in the presence of mycorrhiza or hyphae. In F. nitida plots, warming did not significantly affect biomass and composition of most soil microbial groups when mycorrhiza or hyphae were present. In P. asperata plots, warming significantly increased the total and ECM fungi (ECMF) biomass in the presence of hyphae (p < 0.05) and the total, Gn, and AM fungi (AMF) biomass in the presence of mycorrhiza (p < 0.05). Meanwhile, the response of enzyme activities to warming was also altered with mycorrhiza or hyphae. Additionally, soil microbial community composition was mainly influenced by soil available phosphorus (avaP), while enzyme activities depended on soil avaP, dissolved organic carbon (DOC), and nitrate concentrations. Our results indicate that mycorrhiza and its hyphae are essential in regulating the response of microbes to warming. Mycorrhiza and hyphae can regulate the response of soil microbial community to warming. [Display omitted] •Both ECM and AM mycorrhiza/hyphae increased the biomass of soil microbes.•The response of microbes to warming was altered with mycorrhiza/hyphae presence.•Soil microbes in P. asperata plots were more sensitive to warming than F. nitida.