Soil microbiomes show consistent and predictable responses to extreme events
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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In: Nature, 27.11.2024.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Soil microbiomes show consistent and predictable responses to extreme events
AU - Knight, Christopher G
AU - Nicolitch, Océane
AU - Griffiths, Rob I
AU - Goodall, Tim
AU - Jones, Briony
AU - Weser, Carolin
AU - Langridge, Holly
AU - Davison, John
AU - Dellavalle, Ariane
AU - Eisenhauer, Nico
AU - Gongalsky, Konstantin B
AU - Hector, Andrew
AU - Jardine, Emma
AU - Kardol, Paul
AU - Maestre, Fernando T
AU - Schädler, Martin
AU - Semchenko, Marina
AU - Stevens, Carly
AU - Tsiafouli, Maria Α
AU - Vilhelmsson, Oddur
AU - Wanek, Wolfgang
AU - de Vries, Franciska T
N1 - © 2024. The Author(s).
PY - 2024/11/27
Y1 - 2024/11/27
N2 - Increasing extreme climatic events threaten the functioning of terrestrial ecosystems1,2. Because soil microbes govern key biogeochemical processes, understanding their response to climate extremes is crucial in predicting the consequences for ecosystem functioning3,4. Here we subjected soils from 30 grasslands across Europe to four contrasting extreme climatic events under common controlled conditions (drought, flood, freezing and heat), and compared the response of soil microbial communities and their functioning with those of undisturbed soils. Soil microbiomes exhibited a small, but highly consistent and phylogenetically conserved, response under the imposed extreme events. Heat treatment most strongly impacted soil microbiomes, enhancing dormancy and sporulation genes and decreasing metabolic versatility. Microbiome response to heat in particular could be predicted by local climatic conditions and soil properties, with soils that do not normally experience the extreme conditions being imposed being most vulnerable. Our results suggest that soil microbiomes from different climates share unified responses to extreme climatic events, but that predicting the extent of community change may require knowledge of the local microbiome. These findings advance our understanding of soil microbial responses to extreme events, and provide a first step for making general predictions about the impact of extreme climatic events on soil functioning.
AB - Increasing extreme climatic events threaten the functioning of terrestrial ecosystems1,2. Because soil microbes govern key biogeochemical processes, understanding their response to climate extremes is crucial in predicting the consequences for ecosystem functioning3,4. Here we subjected soils from 30 grasslands across Europe to four contrasting extreme climatic events under common controlled conditions (drought, flood, freezing and heat), and compared the response of soil microbial communities and their functioning with those of undisturbed soils. Soil microbiomes exhibited a small, but highly consistent and phylogenetically conserved, response under the imposed extreme events. Heat treatment most strongly impacted soil microbiomes, enhancing dormancy and sporulation genes and decreasing metabolic versatility. Microbiome response to heat in particular could be predicted by local climatic conditions and soil properties, with soils that do not normally experience the extreme conditions being imposed being most vulnerable. Our results suggest that soil microbiomes from different climates share unified responses to extreme climatic events, but that predicting the extent of community change may require knowledge of the local microbiome. These findings advance our understanding of soil microbial responses to extreme events, and provide a first step for making general predictions about the impact of extreme climatic events on soil functioning.
U2 - 10.1038/s41586-024-08185-3
DO - 10.1038/s41586-024-08185-3
M3 - Article
C2 - 39604724
JO - Nature
JF - Nature
SN - 1476-4687
ER -