Uncoupling of microbial community structure and function in decomposing litter across beech forest ecosystems in Central Europe.
The widespread paradigm in ecology that community structure determines function has recently been challenged by the high complexity of microbial communities. Here, we investigate the patterns of and connections between microbial community structure and microbially-mediated ecological function across different forest management practices and temporal changes in leaf litter across beech forest ecosystems in Central Europe. Our results clearly indicate distinct pattern of microbial community structure in response to forest management and time. However, those patterns were not reflected when potential enzymatic activities of microbes were measured. We postulate that in our forest ecosystems, a disconnect between microbial community structure and function may be present due to differences between the drivers of microbial growth and those of microbial function.
1] UFZ-Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Department of Soil Ecology, Theodor-Lieser-Str. 4, D-06120 Halle (Saale), Germany [2] Technical University of Munich, Chair for Soil Science, Ingolstädter Landstr. 1, D-85758 Oberschleissheim, Germany.
Witoon
W
Purahong
Helmholtz Zentrum München, Research Unit for Environmental Genomics, Ingolstädter Landstr. 1, D-85758 Oberschleissheim, Germany.
Michael
M
Schloter
Dresden University of Technology (TU Dresden) - International Institute (IHI) Zittau, Markt 23, D-02763 Zittau, Germany.
Marek J
MJ
Pecyna
1] UFZ-Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Department of Soil Ecology, Theodor-Lieser-Str. 4, D-06120 Halle (Saale), Germany [2] Dresden University of Technology (TU Dresden) - International Institute (IHI) Zittau, Markt 23, D-02763 Zittau, Germany.
Danuta
D
Kapturska
UFZ-Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Department of Soil Ecology, Theodor-Lieser-Str. 4, D-06120 Halle (Saale), Germany.
Veronika
V
Däumlich
UFZ-Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Department of Soil Ecology, Theodor-Lieser-Str. 4, D-06120 Halle (Saale), Germany.
Sanchit
S
Mital
1] UFZ-Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Department of Soil Ecology, Theodor-Lieser-Str. 4, D-06120 Halle (Saale), Germany [2] University of Leipzig, Institute of Biology, Johannisallee 21-23, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany [3] German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv), Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5e, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany.
François
F
Buscot
Dresden University of Technology (TU Dresden) - International Institute (IHI) Zittau, Markt 23, D-02763 Zittau, Germany.
Martin
M
Hofrichter
UFZ-Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Department of Soil Ecology, Theodor-Lieser-Str. 4, D-06120 Halle (Saale), Germany.
Jessica L M
JL
Gutknecht
UFZ-Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Department of Soil Ecology, Theodor-Lieser-Str. 4, D-06120 Halle (Saale), Germany.
Dirk
D
Krüger
D000135:Acid Phosphatase / Q000378:metabolism; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D018533:Biomass; D044602:Cellulases / Q000378:metabolism; D043366:Cellulose 1,4-beta-Cellobiosidase / Q000378:metabolism; D017753:Ecosystem; D005060:Europe; D029964:Fagus / Q000502:physiology; D016468:Forestry / Q000379:methods; D065928:Forests; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D059013:Microbial Consortia / Q000502:physiology; D010544:Peroxidases / Q000378:metabolism; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry*; D012621:Seasons; D012987:Soil / Q000737:chemistry*; D012988:Soil Microbiology; D014197:Trees / Q000502:physiology
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D005656:Fungal Proteins; D012987:Soil; D010544:Peroxidases; D000135:Acid Phosphatase; D044602:Cellulases; D043366:Cellulose 1,4-beta-Cellobiosidase