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Nitrogen availability regulates topsoil carbon dynamics after permafrost thaw by altering microbial metabolic efficiency

Author

Listed:
  • Leiyi Chen

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Li Liu

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences
    University of Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Chao Mao

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences
    University of Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Shuqi Qin

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences
    University of Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Jun Wang

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences
    University of Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Futing Liu

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences
    University of Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Sergey Blagodatsky

    (University of Hohenheim
    Russian Academy of Sciences)

  • Guibiao Yang

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences
    University of Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Qiwen Zhang

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences
    University of Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Dianye Zhang

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences
    University of Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Jianchun Yu

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences
    University of Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Yuanhe Yang

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences
    University of Chinese Academy of Sciences)

Abstract

Input of labile carbon may accelerate the decomposition of existing soil organic matter (priming effect), with the priming intensity depending on changes in soil nitrogen availability after permafrost thaw. However, experimental evidence for the linkage between the priming effect and post-thaw nitrogen availability is unavailable. Here we test the hypothesis that elevated nitrogen availability after permafrost collapse inhibits the priming effect by increasing microbial metabolic efficiency based on a combination of thermokarst-induced natural nitrogen gradient and nitrogen addition experiment. We find a negative correlation between the priming intensity and soil total dissolved nitrogen concentration along the thaw sequence. The negative effect is confirmed by the reduced priming effect after nitrogen addition. In contrast to the prevailing view, this nitrogen-regulated priming intensity is independent of extracellular enzyme activities but associated with microbial metabolic efficiency. These findings demonstrate that post-thaw nitrogen availability regulates topsoil carbon dynamics through its modification of microbial metabolic efficiency.

Suggested Citation

  • Leiyi Chen & Li Liu & Chao Mao & Shuqi Qin & Jun Wang & Futing Liu & Sergey Blagodatsky & Guibiao Yang & Qiwen Zhang & Dianye Zhang & Jianchun Yu & Yuanhe Yang, 2018. "Nitrogen availability regulates topsoil carbon dynamics after permafrost thaw by altering microbial metabolic efficiency," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 9(1), pages 1-11, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:9:y:2018:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-018-06232-y
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-06232-y
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    Cited by:

    1. Andreas Breidenbach & Per-Marten Schleuss & Shibin Liu & Dominik Schneider & Michaela A. Dippold & Tilman Haye & Georg Miehe & Felix Heitkamp & Elke Seeber & Kyle Mason-Jones & Xingliang Xu & Yang Hua, 2022. "Microbial functional changes mark irreversible course of Tibetan grassland degradation," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-10, December.
    2. Sudakow, Ivan & Savenkova, Elena & Kondrashov, Dmitri & Vakulenko, Sergey A. & Sashina, Elena, 2023. "Diverse soil microbial communities may mitigate climate system bifurcation," Chaos, Solitons & Fractals, Elsevier, vol. 177(C).
    3. Futing Liu & Shuqi Qin & Kai Fang & Leiyi Chen & Yunfeng Peng & Pete Smith & Yuanhe Yang, 2022. "Divergent changes in particulate and mineral-associated organic carbon upon permafrost thaw," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-10, December.

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