Speaker
Description
The conversion of croplands to grasslands leads to increased segregation of soil microbes and organic matter due to the absence of tillage. It also results in a higher diversity of specialized rhizodeposits that serve as nutrient sources. Organisms are often classified based on their lifecycle strategies into K-strategists and r-strategists, or as generalists and specialists, depending on their growth patterns or the ability to utilize various nutrients and tolerate environmental conditions. Since these traits influence their functional potential, we hypothesized that grasslands promote a greater abundance of K-strategists and niche-specialist prokaryotes and viruses, thereby enhancing the functional diversity of genes involved in carbon and nitrogen cycling and increasing the accumulation of these elements compared to croplands. To test this, we re-analyzed publicly available metagenomic data from a long-term experiment at the Global Change Experimental Facility (GCEF) in Central Germany, covering different years. The microbial communities from grasslands were compared with those from conventional and organic cropland soils. Results showed that grassland soils accumulated more carbon and nitrogen, with microbial communities demonstrating greater functional diversity. Grassland microbiota also exhibited a higher abundance of K-strategist prokaryotes and niche-specialist prokaryotes/viruses when compared to cropland soils. The lifecycle strategies of soil prokaryotes and viruses, shaped by land management, seem to contribute to carbon and nitrogen sequestration via both direct and indirect mechanisms. To further investigate the role of viruses, we examined auxiliary metabolic genes (AMGs) linked to nitrogen and carbon cycling, which were significantly more abundant in grassland soils. These genes displayed similar abundance patterns as the overall metagenomes and correlated positively with the prevalence of enriched viruses. Overall, the selection of specialist over generalist prokaryotes and viruses in grasslands appears to influence the functional diversity of soil microbiomes, which plays a vital role in regulating biogeochemical processes and supporting nutrient cycling.
| Status Group | Postdoctoral Researcher |
|---|---|
| FOR TALKS: Poster Presentation Option | Yes, I’m willing to present as a poster. |