TY - JOUR
T1 - Recovery of soil microbial diversity and functions along a tropical montane forest disturbance gradient
AU - Sniegocki, Renee
AU - Moon, Jessica B.
AU - Rutrough, Abigail L.
AU - Gireneus, Jude
AU - Seelan, Jaya Seelan Sathiya
AU - Farmer, Michael C.
AU - Weindorf, David C.
AU - Naithani, Kusum
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
Copyright © 2022 Sniegocki, Moon, Rutrough, Gireneus, Seelan, Farmer, Weindorf and Naithani.
PY - 2022/9/8
Y1 - 2022/9/8
N2 - Logging and forest conversion are occurring at alarming rates in tropical forests. These disturbances alter soil microbial community structure and functions. While direct links between changes in soil properties, such as pH and microbial community structure are well established, the indirect effects of logging and forest conversion on soil microbial community structure and functions are poorly understood. We used a space-for-time substitution to investigate the changes in soil microbial diversity and functions across a forest recovery gradient in the tropical montane forests of northern Borneo. We used surface (top 5 cm) soil to assess soil physicochemical and microbial (next-generation DNA sequencing) properties, and standardized litterbags (Tea Bag Index) to assess litter decomposition and stabilization. Our results show that bacterial and fungal diversity increases with recovery time and reaches pre-disturbance levels between 60- and 80-years post-disturbance. Litter decomposition rate constants increased linearly with increasing bacterial and fungal diversity. Litter stabilization also increased linearly with fungal diversity, but was highest at intermediate levels of bacterial diversity. Our results provide insights on the effects of forest logging and conversion on soils and highlight the tight coupling between soil microbial diversity and soil functions in tropical montane forests.
AB - Logging and forest conversion are occurring at alarming rates in tropical forests. These disturbances alter soil microbial community structure and functions. While direct links between changes in soil properties, such as pH and microbial community structure are well established, the indirect effects of logging and forest conversion on soil microbial community structure and functions are poorly understood. We used a space-for-time substitution to investigate the changes in soil microbial diversity and functions across a forest recovery gradient in the tropical montane forests of northern Borneo. We used surface (top 5 cm) soil to assess soil physicochemical and microbial (next-generation DNA sequencing) properties, and standardized litterbags (Tea Bag Index) to assess litter decomposition and stabilization. Our results show that bacterial and fungal diversity increases with recovery time and reaches pre-disturbance levels between 60- and 80-years post-disturbance. Litter decomposition rate constants increased linearly with increasing bacterial and fungal diversity. Litter stabilization also increased linearly with fungal diversity, but was highest at intermediate levels of bacterial diversity. Our results provide insights on the effects of forest logging and conversion on soils and highlight the tight coupling between soil microbial diversity and soil functions in tropical montane forests.
KW - 16s RNA
KW - ITS
KW - diversity-function relationship
KW - litter decomposition
KW - litter stabilization
KW - soil microbiome
KW - tropical forests
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85138567251&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3389/fenvs.2022.853686
DO - 10.3389/fenvs.2022.853686
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85138567251
SN - 2296-665X
VL - 10
JO - Frontiers in Environmental Science
JF - Frontiers in Environmental Science
M1 - 853686
ER -