Anthropogenic land-use driven changes in soil stoichiometry reduce microbial carbon use efficiency
Abstract
Microbial carbon use efficiency (CUE) is a crucial parameter for characterizing soil organic carbon (C) dynamics. However, the response of microbial CUE to land-use change and the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, we estimated CUE using a biogeochemical equilibrium model across three paired natural and anthropogenic land-use systems. We found that the conversion from natural to anthropogenic ecosystems reduces CUE and increases microbial C limitation. Through a combination of variation partitioning modeling, random forest analysis, and partial least squares path modeling, we showed that elemental stoichiometry was up to 4.2 times more important in determining CUE than soil physiochemical properties and microbial physiological characteristics, and the microbial C to nitrogen ratio had a key positive effect on CUE. Therefore, the role of microbial eco-physiological traits (e.g., fungi:bacteria) in improving CUE and thus mitigating C loss from anthropogenic ecosystems requires consideration in land management strategies for C sequestration.
Details
- Organisationseinheit(en)
-
Institut für Erdsystemwissenschaften
- Externe Organisation(en)
-
Northwest Agriculture and Forestry University
Ministry of Agriculture of the People's Republic of China
Xi’an Infrasture Investment Construction Co., Ltd.
Xi’an Municipal Road and Bridge Construction Group Co., Ltd.
Oregon State University
Universität Münster
- Typ
- Artikel
- Journal
- Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment
- Band
- 392
- ISSN
- 0167-8809
- Publikationsdatum
- 15.10.2025
- Publikationsstatus
- Veröffentlicht
- Peer-reviewed
- Ja
- ASJC Scopus Sachgebiete
- Ökologie, Nutztierwissenschaften und Zoologie, Agronomie und Nutzpflanzenwissenschaften
- Ziele für nachhaltige Entwicklung
- SDG 13 - Klimaschutzmaßnahmen, SDG 15 - Lebensraum Land
- Elektronische Version(en)
-
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2025.109766 (Zugang:
Geschlossen
)
