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Soil Biogeochemical Cycle Couplings Inferred from a Function-Taxon Network | JoVE Visualize

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Environmental Sciences

Soil Biogeochemical Cycle Couplings Inferred from a Function-Taxon Network

Bin Ma^1,2,3, Erinne Stirling^1,2,4, Yuanhui Liu^1,2

¹Institute of Soil and Water Resources and Environmental Science, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.

Research (Washington, D.C.)|April 2, 2021

View abstract on PubMed

Summary

We identified key soil microbes that regulate interconnected biogeochemical cycles, like carbon and phosphorus. Soil pH influences microbial function, revealing crucial links in ecosystem services.

Area of Science:

Soil science
Microbial ecology
Biogeochemistry

Background:

Soil biogeochemical cycles are vital for environmental functions but the microbial drivers remain unclear.
Understanding microbial regulation of these cycles is crucial for ecosystem health.

Purpose of the Study:

To identify key microbial taxa regulating coupled soil biogeochemical cycles.
To explore the relationship between environmental factors and microbial functional gene diversity.
To develop and apply a novel network approach for investigating soil ecosystem functions.

Main Methods:

Metagenomic sequencing of forest soils along a latitudinal transect in eastern China.
Analysis of biomarker genes and taxa from assembled metagenomic contigs.
Construction of a function-taxon bipartite network to infer microbial regulation.

Main Results:

Soil pH was identified as a sensitive indicator of functional gene composition and diversity.
Key microbial taxa were identified that regulate coupled biogeochemical cycles (C-P, N-S, N-Fe).
A novel network approach effectively linked microbial taxa to specific biogeochemical processes.

Conclusions:

This study provides novel evidence for the coupling of soil biogeochemical cycles.
Key microbial players regulating these coupled cycles were identified.
The developed network approach is effective for studying soil ecosystem functions and microbial regulation.

Soil Chemistry And Soil Carbon Sequestration (excl. Carbon Sequestration Science)

Soil Biogeochemical Cycle Couplings Inferred From A Function-taxon Network