Objective By investigating the variations in soil properties and microbial community characteristics during the growth process of Nitraria tangutorum shrubs, this study aims to elucidate their influencing mechanisms on soil microbial carbon cycling processes, thereby revealing the key driving factors of carbon cycling in shrub ecosystems. MethodsNitraria tangutorum shrubs of different sizes were selected as research objects in the Minqin desert-oasis transition zone. The growth process of shrubs was described using a space-for-time substitution approach, with the measurement of soil properties and indicators such as soil microbial biomass, enzyme activity, and carbon use efficiency (CUE). Results (1) Soil nutrients under the shrubs were higher than those in the bare interdune area without vegetation cover (CK), while soil organic carbon (SOC) under the shrubs was significantly different from that in the CK (p<0.05). The SOC contents from high to low were: large shrubs (0.48 g/kg)>small shrubs (0.39 g/kg)>medium shrubs (0.37 g/kg)>CK (0.26 g/kg). (2) The soil microbial biomass carbon (MBC), microbial biomass nitrogen (MBN), and microbial biomass phosphorus (MBP) under the shrubs were higher than those in the bare interdune area (CK), gradually increasing with the growth of the shrubs. Microbial extracellular enzymes under the shrubs(β-1,4-glucosidase (BG), β-1,4-n-acetylglucosaminidase (NAG), leucine aminopeptidase (LAP), and alkaline phosphatase (AP)) were lower than those in the bare interdune area, and they gradually decreased as the shrubs grew. (3) As the shrubs grew, the C limitation on microbial metabolism gradually decreased. The vector lengths (representing C limitation) of large, medium, and small shrubs increased by -4.74%, -1.08%, and 0.92%, respectively, compared to the bare interdune area. Regardless of shrub cover, the microorganisms in the study area were mainly P-limited, independent of shrub growth. (4) The CUE from high to low were: CK (48.26%)>medium shrubs (48.00%)>large shrubs (45.51%)>small shrubs (44.50%). Among them, the microbial CUE of small shrubs was significantly lower than that of CK (p<0.05). ConclusionNitraria tangutorum shrubs alter soil microenvironment through “fertile island effect”, regulate microbial metabolic strategies, and consequently affect soil carbon cycling processes.
土壤是陆地最大的碳库,其碳储量大于大气和植物碳储量的总和[1-2],加强土壤碳固存对于实现“碳中和”策略十分重要。传统观点认为,植物的凋落物以及根系分泌物输入是影响土壤有机碳(Soil Organic Carbon,SOC)的主要因素。但近年来,随着“微生物碳泵”概念的提出,微生物在碳循环中的作用逐渐被关注[3-4]。微生物碳利用效率(Carbon Use Efficiency,CUE)是指微生物在碳源的摄取与转化过程中,所能转化为细胞生物量的碳的比例[5]。根据微生物碳泵理论预测,CUE在决定SOC储存预测方面的重要性至少是碳输入、分解或垂直混合的四倍[6]。因此,为了更好地了解微生物在土壤碳循环中的作用机理以及未来更好预测土壤碳库,应加大对微生物CUE的研究。
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